Comment by polo | Hacker News Reader

Comment by polo | Hacker News Reader

Yes, almost every day. I travel regularly and I love having a big, crisp, private display every where I am: Hotel, plane, train. Makes me so much more productive.

Consuming content is great of course but the AVP has changed my content creation: I take way more panoramas and now spatial photos (Spatialify on iOS works well). I also bought an Insta X4 360 camera which, while a far cry from Apple's immersive content in resolution, can still be a really nice way to relive memories.

More content: Last year I started 3d scanning (using Scaniverse) sculptures and other art / items that catch my eye during my travels. The AVP makes it really easy to import and place them in my environment. When I'm working I'll often place a favorite sculpture next to me for company & as a reminder of a trip I took.

Finally, even after 4 months of use, it's still really fun and, from a tech perspective, astounding in terms of image quality, stability, 3D placement, integration in environment, etc. I love it and I can't wait for this tech to get better and better.

One early part of your post is about being productive.

Much of the rest is about creating nostalgia and reliving a past trip through these.

Is there a paradox, or contradiction, in these themes?

Interesting question. I don't think so. More just different facets of the device.

I expected good productivity, and I expected to enjoy consuming content in the AVP.

The changes in how I capture memories I didn't expect but make sense to me retrospectively. For example, the first time you experience one of your panoramas in the AVP is the time your jaw drops and you tell yourself you really need to take more of these! :-)

I had exactly the same thought. And this is not meant as an attack or anything on OP. But after reading OP's comment, the question in my mind was indeed "ok, but how exactly does it make you more productive?"

Large 4k virtual screen is what makes me more productive vs my laptop screen.

I'll often have charts, etc. on a massive Safari "window" next to the virtual Mac screen, which is useful too.

Plus, side benefit for me who doesn't always have great posture, it helps me avoid being hunched over my laptop, I can place the screen nice and high in front of me.

Are you a high school English teacher?

This is one reason HN is such a nice place to be. Thank you. (Im not being sarcastic here)

I'm not high. What are you implying?

That's interesting about the sculpture scanning. The notion of capturing 3D impressions of things you've seen, and taking them away with you.

Do you get any sense of the Glasshole Factor, in public, with this device? (that is : a general feeling of distrust from people who observe you operating in public with a high tech recording device).

Just to clarify: I scan things with my iPhone, not the AVP. It takes a little longer because you're, for instance, walking all around a sculpture but it's really not a problem.

In fact, few people know about or do this and when I show them they're often quite excited and ask how they can do it too. Always fun to share.

In general, I'm only using the AVP seated and not interacting with strangers (other than the odd flight attendant asking me what I want to drink :-)

I've had people ask me about the AVP, wonder what I'm doing in there, or (rarely) take pics of me. Doesn't bother me. I'd be curious too.

Interested to hear more about using Insta 360 cam to relive

I have one for work purposes but also as a time capsule for the small humans in my care.

Sure. I'm still learning how to best use it but I'll take 360 8K pics of events, interesting locations, etc. Sometimes as alternatives to panoramas. Downsides are poor low light performance and you need a separate viewer (I use "A 360 Viewer" on the AVP).

With the selfie stick, you can get nice angles, e.g. extending over castle battlements, which are fun to view in VR (as long as you don't have vertigo :-)

I'm also shoot 360 videos. A few precious ones I keep as 360 vids on the AVP, the rest get uploaded as unlisted vids on YT in 360 mode.

Some of my favorite vids are short clips filmed around a dinner table with the X4 in the middle. Really nice way to relive those moments and see the people you love all around you. Extra fun when everyone clinks their glasses together in a toast around the camera!

Could you elaborate a bit more about how it makes you more productive? (and maybe also elaborate on what your field of work is)

Hopefully my answer to your other comment makes sense. If not, let me know!

(I do programming, trading, consulting).

EDIT: Thought of one more thing... Immersive environments also help. Blocking out what's around me and escaping to, say, the top of a volcano or Mount Hood or Yosemite, increases my focus, esp. for deep work

Thanks a lot!

Scaniverse sounds great! Have you compared it to other scanning apps like Polycam?

Yes, but a while back. I settled on Scaniverse for 3 reasons: It worked well, it had a high App Store rating, and no in-app purchases. A couple years on, it still works great and gets regular upgrades.

BTW, it's not just sculptures. I've scanned rooms (mixed results), relief paintings, loved ones (mixed results but if my children weren't already grown I'd be scanning them at least once a year), and even food.

Food can be quite fun. I showed a restaurateur a scan of one of his appetizers (served on a round stone so it made for good scanning). I used the AR view to project it onto our table and joked "Now I can enjoy one whenever I feel like!" He was so excited that he downloaded Scaniverse on the spot and I showed him how to use it. After that, he took us under his wing and recommended all the dishes he was proudest of. (We still had to pay for them though ;-)

In general, regardless of what AR/VR device you have or plan to get, if you see one in your future, it's good to build a collection of 3D / immersive content.

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