In my last column, I discussed two products that are taking previous input constraints off the table by putting them on a table -- or, really, any surface, for that matter. Those technologies are predicated in part by the idea that our computing experiences won't always be tied to a glowing rectangle attracting our gaze.
Personal Theaters
Over the past few years, we've heard much about mixed reality, which often relies on three-dimensional objects in their own world (VR) or sharing ours (AR). But there would also be benefit to a headset-based view into the traditional two-dimensional interface of today. Typically labelled personal theaters, they have been the topic of a few crowdfunding campaigns such as the one for the relatively lithe Cinego[1] and bulkier Cinera[2]. Both of these followed the highly successful campaign for the Video Headset (formerly Glyph) by Avegant, which has more recently turned its attention to augmented reality[3].
Read also: Getting started with Alexa and smart home tech for under $100[4]
Whereas the Glyph's ability to rotate 90 degrees around its ear cups enables it to camouflage itself as a pair of headphones, Royole's Moon[5] is a design that focuses on a luxe aesthetic, even if it's more of a gangly design supporting its noise-canceling headphones. It uses two AMOLED displays and can display 3D content even as that is likely to wane with TV companies dropping support. Unlike other products, the Moon comes with a separate video device that can includes 32GB of its own storage and accept SD cards or input from USB or HDMI sources.
Today, personal theaters are intended primarily for video consumption and not a great option for interacting