The Wrap-Up
Before trying the Vive, a colleague told me about his Vive experience, so I did know what to expect, and I was worried that I had spoiled the impact of my experience by doing this. However, I had nothing to fear. No words, mine nor anyone else's, no matter how good, can come close to describing the experience of Vive. It is often said you have to try something to truly appreciate it, and Vive is that times one thousand.
Even though I had not used any of the other VR solutions prior to Vive, I wasn’t a skeptic. From everything I had read, I knew VR is real, amazing, and here to stay. But now that I’ve lost my virginity, I’ve moved my enthusiasm to the next level. I want to experience VR as much as I can, and I then want to grab the nearest person and passionately tell them why it is the most amazing thing ever. I’ve gone from being a Christian that doesn’t go to church to a full-on evangelist!
I remember when I got my first home computer as a child, turning it on for the first time, and being in awe at the potential that was in front of me. After trying the Vive I felt that same level of wonder, and I haven’t felt like that about any technology for a very long time. As a long time science fiction fan, I never thought I’d be able to experience in my lifetime the kind of virtual world written about in books like Neuromancer and Snow Crash. While the experience of the Vive is still far removed from what William Gibson and Neal Stephenson described in their books, I now know that it won’t be too long before VR technology will be at that level. That both excites and scares me!
I hope that this article has at least given you a small taste of what it's like to use the Vive. While it’s unknown if HTC and Valve will allow the public to try out what they're are showing now, I’m sure there be a chance for others to experience Vive sooner rather than later [Editor's Note: there actually was such an event in L.A. just recently at the VRLA Spring Expo]. For me, it's jumped right to the top of my must have list, and its release date later this year cannot come soon enough.
You can learn more about the HTC Vive and sign up for updates on the official site here.
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