Tasers In The Metaverse, Snap’s Tinkerbell, The Meta Store

The new Pixy camera drone from Snapchat takes pictures like Tinkerbell would, floating in the air … [+] above you.

Snap

Snap wrapped its developer conference this week without saying the world “metaverse” even once. The camera-first AR company introduced a drone that weighs four ounces called Pixy. It will track your movements according to five preset flight paths. Snap co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel told Platformer’s Casey Newton “Snap is a camera company, and a camera that flies felt like a good step forward.” Pixie is only $299. It will take 6-8 flights per charge, recording 60 seconds of video (no audio). The idea is to get to a place where it feels like Tinkerbell is your personal photographer, said Spiegel. Snap is growing faster than FB and Insta. The app is used by an international audience of more than 600 million people a month, three-quarters age 13 to 34.

Tasers in the Metaverse. Axon Enterprises, maker of the Taser, acquired VR studio Foundry 45 to bolster its training business. Foundry 45 has done work for big clients like Delta Air Lines, AT&T, and others. The all stock deal is valued at $6.87 M.

Womp Secures $4.7M to Democratize Cloud-Based 3D Software and Revolutionize the Design Industry Founded in 2019, Womp is a 3D creation platform that integrates social features with powerful design tools. Female Founders Fund and Haystack Lead Seed Round for SaaS Startup to Open Private Beta to Further Refine Product.

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – MAY 30: An attendee looks through Nreal augmented reality glasses during … [+] the AWE Expo (Augmented World Expo) at the Santa Clara Convention Center on May 30, 2019 in Santa Clara, California. The Augmented Word Expo highlights the latest virtual and augmented reality technology and features industry speakers. Over 7,000 people will attend the three day expo that runs through May 31. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

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Chinese start-up Nreal is launching its augmented reality glasses in the UK this spring. The Beijing-based company said Tuesday it will launch its Nreal Air AR glasses in Britain later this spring through an exclusive deal with local carrier EE, which is owned by telecoms group BT.

Iago, A Green-Eyed Monster.

Tribeca Immersive

Tribeca festival unveils 2022 immersive line-up. The Tribeca Film Festival continues the tradition of featuring cutting edge, issue oriented and artistic VR experiences in person in New York at 50 Varick Street and online from June 8 – 19. The virtual exhibition is at The Museum of Other Realities which features most of the 21 experiences in the festival. Programming features EVOLVER, a journey through the inner landscape of the human body from executive producers Edward R. Pressman and Terrence Malick, created by Marshmallow Laser Feast, with music by Jonny Greenwood; Please, Believe Me, an investigation of Lyme disease from Peabody Award Winner Nonny de la Peña; and Plastisapiens, an exploration of how the environment affects human evolution.

Disney Plans for the Metaverse. In an LA Times news story that contained no new news, Disney’s Metaverse head Mike White is supposedly conducting internal meetings with stakeholders on “next generation storytelling.” Honestly, the Metaverer should be a natural for the company that’s been building theme parks – virtual worlds – since 1950. It is also an epic opportunity for its competitors. No real real estate required.

Meta Stock Shoots Up 20% As The Company Beats Low Expectations. Both Facebook and revenue surged last quarter. XR revenue was up 30% year-over-year, from $534 million in Q1 2021 to $695 million in Q1 2022, but costs rose even faster, 62%. CEO Mark Zuckerberg again emphasized he does not expect to see a substantial return on the ongoing investment until the 2030s.

Trying VR at the Meta Store.