Oculus Quest to get Slack, Dropbox as Progressive Web Apps

Facebook Reality Labs

This isn't the first time 2D apps have surfaced on the Oculus Quest virtual reality platform. But Facebook is planning to bring more third-party 2D apps to the VR platform via the Progressive Web App (PWA) framework. The aim is to give more work tools for its VR users. The plan starts with Facebook, Instagram, collaboration app Smartsheet, and email client Spike. But then Facebook will add access to Dropbox, Slack, and more in the future.

The PWA-based framework allows developers to bring their apps to VR without creating fully custom versions. But there is still a need to go through Oculus' developer channels to get their apps on the platform. As The Verge noted, this update marks a larger-scale rollout of non-VR apps inside the headset.

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Microsoft's Two Hat acquisition hopes to improve Xbox community moderation

Dmitry Novikov/Unsplash

Microsoft has bought Two Hat, a company known for its AI content moderation tools. Microsoft didn't reveal the deal's financial details, but the company talks about how this acquisition can help improve the Xbox community moderation. The two companies have been frequent collaborators working on making Xbox Live and other gaming communities safer.

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Fitbit Sense, Versa 3 gets status indicators, outdoor exercise mode

The Fitbit OS 5.3 is getting a new update for the Sense and Versa 3 that brings status indicators to these wearables. There will be icons that show up at the top of the watch face for three seconds to give you information on whether do not disturb or sleep mode is on, when you have a "critically low" battery, and when your wearable isn't connected your smartphone. You can see the different icons in the image above.

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Facebook is now Meta, and its reportedly working on a smartwatch with a built-in camera

If you've checked your tech news today, you know that Facebook is changing its company name to Meta, reflecting its plans on a "Metaverse," where it is building a mixed reality platform that places all its apps in one place. Think a bit like the world in Ready Player One, at least the oversimplified version of that analogy.

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