logo
episode-header-image
May 2024
39m 57s

Hype Cycle

Wbur
About this episode

The Vision Pro is Apple's new $3,500 virtual reality headset.

Since its debut in February, users have found new ways to use this latest iteration of a decades-old technology: scrolling TikTok at work, driving Tesla's Cybertruck, recording their kid's birth.

But can VR truly integrate into our daily lives? Or will it forever remain a niche technology for geeks and gamers?

Endless Thread dives into the history of VR and its potential for the future.

=====

Credits: This episode was written and produced by Cici Yongshi Yu. Mix and sound design by Emily Jankowski. The hosts are Ben Brock Johnson and Amory Sivertson.

Up next
Today
Hidden Levels Ep. 2: Stick It to 'Em
In this second episode of Hidden Levels, Amory traces the history of the humble-yet-genius joystick — from early 20th century aviation, to 1970s video game consoles like the Atari 2600, to the Nintendo 64 thumbstick in the 1990s, to what some consider the joystick's greatest impl ... Show More
41m 36s
Oct 7
Hidden Levels Ep. 1: Mr. Boomshakalaka
Welcome to our all-new collaborative series, "Hidden Levels," in which we team up with 99% Invisible to explore how the world of video games has impacted the world beyond. We’ll dive deep into how games are made and designed, exploring everything from the history of the joystick ... Show More
37m 16s
Oct 6
Announcing 'Hidden Levels': how the videogame world has changed the world beyond videogames
Have you ever jumped on something as you're moving through the real world, and heard that Mario bouncy sound in your head? Or maybe seen someone acting like an NPC when they're a real person? Maybe you know that the first real "in-app" purchase was actually a weapons store in an ... Show More
5m 8s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2023
#122 Wist: The Killer Use Case for VR?
Venture investors have spent the last decade searching for the killer use case for VR. Today’s founder, Andrew McHugh, thinks he’s found it with his startup, Wist. But days before Andrew gave his pitch, Apple sent shockwaves through the industry by announcing their new headset, t ... Show More
42m 44s
Jan 2019
#55 A New Spin on VR
Tom Impallomeni is here to pitch Tribe XR, a VR app that teaches people to DJ. He’s got a vision for using virtual reality to teach creative skills — but the investors are skeptical. Can Tom convince them he’s putting the right spin on VR? Today's investors are Sarah Downey, Mich ... Show More
40m 54s
Oct 2023
A New Era of VR: From the Court to the Classroom
As VR technology inches forward, completely new experiences loom on the horizon.In today’s episode, we expose listeners to the very real-world use cases already present on these devices, from fitness to education.First up is Gym Class VR, one of the top-rated apps on the Quest. C ... Show More
33m 33s
Mar 2024
FEHH x WWW: AI, VR, and the Future of Web Development
In this crossover episode, Chuck and Robbie join Jem Young and Ryan Burgess from Front End Happy Hour for an engaging discussion over whiskey. They share their career backgrounds, touching on their work with major tech brands like Netflix, Amazon, and National Geographic, and the ... Show More
52m 20s
Feb 2024
We Tried the Apple Vision Pro + Can Congress Protect Kids Online? + Cruise’s Crash
Apple’s Vision Pro headset is now for sale in stores. Will it live up to the hype? Kevin Roose and Casey Newton tried it out to see. Then, in a high-profile congressional hearing on child safety and social media, Mark Zuckerberg, the Meta chief executive, made an apology to famil ... Show More
1h 13m
Sep 2015
Technology: Virtual Reality Update – What Are the Big Tech Players Up To?
It’s tough to stay up to date on VR news -- in hardware, Samsung recently unveiled its update to its Gear VR headset, while loose details about a consumer-ready Oculus Rift circulate. Facebook is starting to feature immersed video content while Google is interested in  being behi ... Show More
19m 1s
Jan 2024
Mon. 01/08 – Vision Pro Announce Steals CES Spotlight
We now know when the Vision Pro is coming. February 2nd. But you can pre-order on January 19. Xreal’s new Vision Pro competitor. New Wifi announcements from CES. That big Elon possibly using drugs story from the Journal this weekend. And for the first time ever, Netflix is cuttin ... Show More
16m 20s
Sep 2019
Wed. 09/25 - It's Alexas All The Way Down!
Amazon’s hardware event gives us more Alexa in just about anything you can think of, Oculus has some news on the VR front, the 2020 iPhones might echo the iPhone 4 design, and those dog like robots from Boston Dynamics are finally leaving the lab, but to adopt one, you need to th ... Show More
15m 36s