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HTC

HTC moves into VR and it has the perfect partner to help it succeed

Especially if you’re a fan of games.

THERE WERE A few things people expected HTC to reveal today. A new flagship phone was expected which came in the form of the M9, a fitness band was also on the cards considering its partnership with Under Armour, but a Virtual Reality headset?

Yet that’s what HTC did with the launch of its virtual reality headset called Vive. That alone probably isn’t exciting in itself, but the major coup is who it’s partnered with.

Valve, the company behind Steam, the major online retailer dedicated to PC, Mac and Linux games, and games like Half-Life 2 and Portal – will form a partnership with HTC to bring this device and developer software to market.

The device will also come with wireless VR controllers, which come in a pair which both HTC and Valve believe are “simple and intuitive to use.” The controllers are part of a Full Room Scale 360 Degree Solution which allows you to walk around and explore your surroundings.

The company claims you won’t get sick wearing it which, if true, will mean you can spend a long time playing games or experiencing virtual reality.

HTC says the developer edition will be released by the end of Spring while a consumer version will be released by the end of the year.

That wasn’t the only device announced. A wearable tracker called Grip, which takes advantage of its partnership with Under Armour, will be able to track your activity as well as work as a notification screen for texts and calls.

More importantly, its latest flagship smartphone, the M9, was also announced. An upgrade of the M7 and M8, it runs on Android Lollipop, has a 3GB RAM, a 20MP camera and 32GB of storage.

HTC One M9_Silver_3V HTC HTC

It will include HTC Sense which will provide you with the relevant apps based on your location, a better camera experience with the image quality being said to be almost like photos from an SLR and image editing tools to get the best out of your photos.

The HTC One M9 will be available in Ireland from 31st March, and will be available to pre-order on select websites from 16th March.

Quinton O’Reilly is at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona all this week. Follow all the goings-on at @TheJournalTech.

Read: This could be the first Android Wear watch you will want to buy >

Read: Stuck at a computer? Here’s how to message your friend’s phone without picking up your own >

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7 Comments
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    Mute Niall Carson
    Favourite Niall Carson
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    Jun 8th 2013, 1:17 PM

    Where is the rest of the story? Is that it? There was more information in the
    Sub heading than in the few paragraphs below.

    148
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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
    Favourite vv7k7Z3c
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    Jun 8th 2013, 1:21 PM

    Hi Niall,
    If you click on the slideshow, each slide has a caption that explains a different point. Can you see the slideshow?
    If not, let us know what device you are viewing it on. It’s working on desktop and I’ve just checked it on iOs
    and Android and it seems fine there too?

    44
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    Mute Niall Carson
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    Jun 8th 2013, 4:45 PM

    I’m still getting used to this new media way of viewing information! Sorry guys thanks

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Jun 10th 2013, 9:45 AM

    No problem!

    2
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    Mute OU812
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    Jun 8th 2013, 12:29 PM

    Ummm… What’s it got to do with the Internet? It’s about a pirate TV channel. These were pretty common place all across the US in the 70s & 80s.

    52
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    Mute Simon Jester
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    Jun 8th 2013, 12:37 PM

    It was an absolute SHITE film then and now!! [
    Apart from Debbie Harry that is]. Its one of those films you can take whatever meanings you want to out of it or none at all.I took from it that whoever wrote it was on drugs when he wrote the script.

    43
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    Mute Kal Ipers
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    Jun 8th 2013, 1:57 PM

    Very weak connections considering the movie focuses on the cathode ray tube being mystical. The addiction and effects are based on a scientist experimental beams.
    Not exactly predictions to anything.

    22
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    Mute Dessie Edmunds
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    Jun 8th 2013, 2:44 PM

    Scanners. Cronebergs masterpiece. Eastern Promises underated too

    9
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    Mute Pat Murphy
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    Jun 8th 2013, 4:54 PM

    cronenberg is a body horror master, crash, the fly, rabid, scanners etc,etc.
    I have loved his recent progression to more drama like material like eastern promise, history of violence & a dangerous method. didn’t like cosmopolis

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    Mute Pat Murphy
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    Jun 8th 2013, 4:55 PM

    history of violence was fantastic too!

    7
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    Mute Kevin Cooney
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    Jun 8th 2013, 1:32 PM

    Debbie Harry yes yes and yes! The movie was terrible.

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    Mute Christian Carley
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    Jun 8th 2013, 5:34 PM

    Long live the new flesh!

    4
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    Mute Declan Carr
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    Jun 8th 2013, 1:24 PM

    Might be a Sh1t movie but a hell of a lot better then any Iris made Movie. and I wonder where internet comes into play it this story.
    I will read over it and over it never know it might be in there somewhere in hidden files.

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    Mute Michelle Philpot
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    Jun 8th 2013, 1:46 PM

    Better than The Snapper? To name but one!

    It’s medication time Declan, open wide and swallow.

    20
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    Mute Tony Le Blanc
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    Jun 8th 2013, 3:17 PM

    I think you’ll find Michelle he said ‘Iris made’ One can only assume he was referring to East German filmmaker Iris Gusner

    Furthermore: could we all stop talking about the Snapper please? Yes, its just about better than Videodrome but then a documentary about whale sh*te would be too.

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    Mute Michelle Philpot
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    Jun 8th 2013, 3:41 PM

    Tony la plonk

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    Mute Pat Murphy
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    Jun 8th 2013, 4:50 PM

    declan, exactly what is your problem with Irish movies????
    you have yet to give any reasons, so stop trolling!!!

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    Mute Tony Le Blanc
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    Jun 8th 2013, 9:44 PM

    @ Michelle: snappy comeback

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    Mute Brant Blog
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    Jun 8th 2013, 7:09 PM

    There’s hardly any link between Videodrome and the internet.

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    Mute Brendan McCormack
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    Jun 8th 2013, 4:02 PM

    Brian O’Blivion. That about says it all. I expect the author of this wrote it while watching porn with his free hand.

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