OCULUS RIFT DK2

Virtual reality technology is literally a game changer. For the first time since 3D graphics came around 20 years ago, it radically changes the way we play games and opens the door to new experiences that until now would’ve been impossible. The Oculus Rift is the first headset available, and it does a fantastic job of not just displaying high-quality VR, but making it easy to use.

It’s tough to relate the experiences the OCULUS RIFT DK2 can give you with words and two-dimensional video and images, because this is unlike anything most people have ever seen. To give you an idea of how powerful it is to fully immerse yourself in a virtual world: it can not only make you forget where you really are, but fool your brain into thinking you’re moving (or falling) when you’re actually sitting still, creating a real sensation you can feel in your stomach. It’s hard to believe this technology exists – and that it works – but it does. It is, in a word, amazing.Oculus Rift Unboxing

It’s also pricy. At $600, on top of requiring a fairly powerful PC, the Rift is very much a fancy toy for enthusiast early adopters. But unlike most first-generation consumer technology, what you get here is surprisingly polished and easy to use.

All you need to do is install the software from www.oculus.com/setup, plug the headset into a USB 3.0 port and an HDMI port, plug the sleek-looking camera sensor into a second USB 3.0 port and point it at where you intend to sit or stand, and then plug the included Xbox One wireless controller dongle into any USB 2.0 or 3.0 port. I was up and running in minutes, and had no issues making the software or hardware work as intended.

The Rift headset itself is light, weighing just over a pound. That weight doesn’t include slight addition of the single, four-meter (13.2-foot) cord the width of an Ethernet cable; that cable contains both HDMI and USB connectors, and splits near the end so you can plug them both into your PC. The weight of the headset is comfortably distributed by the straps that secure it to your head, and thanks to soft padding where it makes contact with your face (which is replaceable, but only one comes in the box) it feels like wearing some nice but slightly heavy ski goggles. Despite its light weight, its textured matte plastic housing doesn’t look or feel cheap or flimsy, and it doesn’t pick up fingerprints or smudges – which is nice on a device you’ll handle frequently

Velcro straps on the top and sides allow you to adjust the fit easily, though as someone with a hard-to-find hat size (my head is almost 26 inches in circumference), I would’ve preferred if the maximum extended size of the side straps were just a little bigger. Like ski goggles, the Rift can leave an impression on your face if you wear it for more than a short while and have it tight enough to not wobble out of focus as you move your head. This has become known around the office as “VR Face,” and it’s something you need to be conscious of: you may not want to jump into VR before going out on the town or posing for your yearbook photo.

The sleek black IR sensor camera that tracks your head movements with astonishing accuracy sits on a built-in stand that suspends it 10 inches above your desk, and you can tilt it up or down to cover whatever area you need. It’s a very understated look, which I appreciate - this device shouldn’t attract attention as it sits discreetly next to your monitor, or even on a shelf near your PC. Also, I’ve found it to be fairly generous in the area it tracks, extending beyond what the setup software leads you to believe. It has its limits, of course – this is not a “room-scale” VR system, so you’re expected to use it while seated or standing without walking more than a step in any direction.

When you put the Rift on it forms a tight seal around your eyes, blocking out everything except a little bit of room around your nose through which you can look down. I’ve found that sliver of light easy to ignore during games (I usually don’t notice it until I look for it) and also useful when I want to look down to find a controller or keyboard, or take a sip from a drink without taking the headset off.




When you do take it off, a handy proximity sensor on the inside detects that it’s been removed and turns the headset off and pauses your game (if it can be paused). Putting it back on automatically reactivates the headset, smartly managing the lifespan of the OLED screens without ever interfering with use.

A slider switch on the underside of the headset allows you to adjust the distance between the eyepiece lenses to match the distance between your eyes, known as interpupillary distance or IPD. When it’s set up right, the image is strikingly clear; with two 1080x1200 screens (one for each eye) and a combined resolution of 2160x1200, you get a high level of detail and clearly readable text. Because the screen is literally next to your face you can definitely see the pixels, especially in brightly lit environments, but the moment things start moving around they become much less noticeable. The Rift’s viewing angle is stated as 110 degrees, which is substantial, but again resembles ski or snorkeling goggles in the way it limits your peripheral vision.

When using hardware that meets or exceeds the recommended specs, the 90-frames-per-second refresh rate is, as promised, extremely smooth, and latency as you move your head is non-existent. (I have experienced a few games that eventually became choppy as I played, but restarting them fixed it.) The only noticeable artifacting is a light-streak effect that happens when I’m in a black environment with bright-white text, as is often seen during title screens and startup sequence. I suspect this has more to do with the way the light hits the lenses than the Rift’s software.

Scientists make atoms-thick Post-It notes for solar cells and circuits

Over the past half-century, scientists have shaved silicon films down to just a wisp of atoms in pursuit of smaller, faster electronics. For the next set of breakthroughs, though, they'll need novel ways to build even tinier and more powerful devices.

A study led by UChicago researchers, published Sept. 20 in Nature, describes an innovative method to make stacks of semiconductors just a few atoms thick. The technique offers scientists and engineers a simple, cost-effective method to make thin, uniform layers of these materials, which could expand capabilities for devices from solar cells (for example: GOAL ZERO NOMAD 100 )to cell phones.

Stacking thin layers of materials offers a range of possibilities for making electronic devices with unique properties. But manufacturing such films is a delicate process, with little room for error.

"The scale of the problem we're looking at is, imagine trying to lay down a flat sheet of plastic wrap the size of Chicago without getting any air bubbles in it," said Jiwoong Park, a UChicago professor with the Department of Chemistry, the Institute for Molecular Engineering and the James Franck Institute, who led the study. "When the material itself is just atoms thick, every little stray atom is a problem."

Today, these layers are "grown" instead of stacking them on top of one another. But that means the bottom layers have to be subjected to harsh growth conditions such as high temperatures while the new ones are added - a process that limits the materials with which to make them.

Park's team instead made the films individually. Then they put them into a vacuum, peeled them off and stuck them to one another, like Post-It notes. This allowed the scientists to make films that were connected with weak bonds instead of stronger covalent bonds - interfering less with the perfect surfaces between the layers.

"The films, vertically controlled at the atomic-level, are exceptionally high-quality over entire wafers," said Kibum Kang, a postdoctoral associate who was the first author of the study.

Kan-Heng Lee, a graduate student and co-first author of the study, then tested the films' electrical properties by making them into devices and showed that their functions can be designed on the atomic scale, which could allow them to serve as the essential ingredient for future computer chips.

The method opens up a myriad of possibilities for such films. They can be made on top of water or plastics; they can be made to detach by dipping them into water; and they can be carved or patterned with an ion beam. Researchers are exploring the full range of what can be done with the method, which they said is simple and cost-effective.

How Prevalent is Stealing in Small Business

Whether as an aspiring entrepreneur or a long time small business owner, there are always going to be worries on your mind about how your company is performing, and of course, there are always going to be risks of building up your own successful business venture. One thing that is often overlooked, but can be a threat to your business is theft from within. Commonly known as shrinkage in the retail business employee theft and shoplifting is a big problem for small business owners.



In order to find out what the levels of theft are like within work places, Data-Label has carried out a survey of adults aged over 18 asking: “Have you ever stolen something from your place of work?” and a surprising 20% of respondents, nearly 400 out of the 1,986 questioned, admitted that they had done.

Delving further to find out what sort of threats a small business could be facing if they find that their employees are stealing from work, they asked: “What did you steal?” The most common response was stationary, followed by food from both the company and their fellow staff members, and finally toilet roll. The most common reason, cited by the vast majority of respondents (85%), given for why they had stolen from work was that they didn’t think anyone would notice, although 8% stated it was because they believed they deserved more from the company that they received.

How to Succeed in Business by Improving Efficiency

Making your business more efficient should be an absolute priority for any entrepreneur. As anyone who has launched his own business knows there are hundred tasks waiting for your attention at any given time. Prioritizing them to ensure the most important ones get attention is a good start. However, even after that you need to be efficient at everything you do, else there is no way you will be able to manage the business, and have a life. When we talk about efficiency, it is a matter of making everything run more smoothly, with no waste. Time and money are both precious commodities and you can’t afford to lose either one. Fortunately these days it is easier than ever to find good advice about running a business efficiently.





One of the most successful entrepreneurs in the UK today is Reuben Singh. He is the man behind the highly successful alldayPA company, and has been a prominent figure on the UK entrepreneurial scene for many years. Most recently, he was a keynote speaker at the Business Networking show, where his speech on the ups and downs of entrepreneurial life earned him a standing ovation from the crowd. In this article we share some of Singh’s most important thoughts on making your business run more efficiently.

Find good workers and keep them

Happy employees are loyal and productive employees. A large part of Singh’s continuing success with alldayPA is that he has gone to great lengths to ensure that his staff are happy with the conditions they are working under. In fact, he even let them determine the conditions for themselves. Obviously under those circumstances, it’s impossible for anyone to feel they are not being treated fairly or given enough respect.

A Simple Guide to Building an Online Shop for Small Business

If you’re an aspirant entrepreneur, you probably have dreams of running your own online business. You get to be your own boss, sell products that you love, and create a business empire! It’s a fantastic opportunity to take control of your future, and set a career you love. Boutique shops and independent enterprises are thriving at the moment. The internet has created a level playing field for entrepreneurs everywhere. Anyone with a great idea and a brilliant product can turn their bedroom business into a billion dollar company.

The only tricky part is setting up the mechanics of business. How exactly do you go about building an online store that works? It’s this technical know-how that is holding a lot of potential entrepreneurs back. In this post, we’ll show you that the whole process is much easier than you think! In fact, you can create a home for your shop, and have things up and running in a day. Stick with us, and we’ll show you the ropes.

Choosing the right platform

There are tons of different options for setting up a store online. The hardest part is choosing the right path for you. In some cases, the best option is to use a third-party site. They’re all set up for independent shops, and they’ve got a built-in audience. On the other hand, sometimes it’s better to have complete control by choosing your own website. Let’s take a look at the options.