The Immersive Wire - 2 March 2022 (News edition)

By Tom Ffiske

VR/AR and metaverse analysis every Wednesday and Sunday // 2 March 2022

like a conveyer belt.

Help ensure that no-one faces their problems alone.

MAIN STORYInnovating, then charging taxes with a reaper's scythe

Meta and Telefonica partnered to create a Metaverse Innovation Hub.

• According to the PR, "The Hub will offer local startups and developers access to a 5G laboratory enabling them to use a metaverse end-to-end testbed on Meta and Telefonica’s networks and equipment."

• A strong foundation is important for the metaverse. If the service is clunky or glitchy in any way, then it will tune users off and drive them away. A system of testing new ways of working, and bringing them all together, via an innovative approach with a trusted telco partner, will help to find that stability.

• Very early days, but excited to see what will spawn from the partnership.

Second Life is now charging US users

local sales taxes.

• A fascinating story with major ramifications. Based on a Supreme Court decision in 2018, localities can charge taxes even with goods online, which in turn will impact Second Life and its users.

• I mention this because we can expect the same in the metaverse. Some hold an idyllic vision where it will be free and open, where anyone can go in and roam a boundless world with less restrictions. But with the Supreme Court decision of several years ago, we can expect tax rates to vary based on the countries that people are in. Based in the US? You may need to pay % in tax. Based in the UK? Perhaps it will be a lower rate, but the point is that different people in different areas will be charged at differing rates.

• The same can expand into real estate too. Property taxes, anyone? Real life will seep in, somehow.

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OTHER STORIESPartnerships and purchases

• ActiveLook announced two major partnerships that enhance the performance of any athlete and outdoor adventurer.

• Biltwear announced an NFT fashion collection where they can be redeemed for physical equivalents. The auction is later this month.

  • As someone who is usually cynical about NFTs, this is a great approach as the NFT then has value beyond its own self-contained bubble.

• Coventry City of Culture presented a VR adventure that transports you into the heart of the Acid House movement, produced by East City Films and BPM XR LTD.

• CGS announced that it has been selected to join Meta’s Quest for Business (ISV) program.

• Emperia announced a new SaaS solution, Artemis, that provides luxury fashion brands with full control over product placement in their virtual stores.

• Meta showed off making virtual worlds with AI.

  • I hate to see how it will be used. "Meta, build me a simulacrum of my deepest desires and nightmares."

• HTC VIVE has announced new additions to its VIVERSE, their version of the metaverse.

  • Also, the company announced the launch of VIVE Guardian, the first set of privacy and security controls for parents and kids in the metaverse.

• The MTN Group, Africa’s largest telecoms provider, announced it had purchased 144 plots of digital real estate on Metaverse platform Ubuntuland. This makes it the first time an African firm has bought real estate, according to the company.

  • I may need to corroborate this somehow, so treat the story with some salt, but great to see more activities regardless.

Jobs boardDISTRIBUTION AND TOURING PRODUCER. Marshmallow Laser Feast is looking for someone to join our team as a Distribution & Touring Producer. You will have a desire to work at the bleeding edge of immersive storytelling and help shape how that work is distributed globally. We see the development and distribution of MLF’s own work as key to the future success of the business, a key revenue stream and integral in building global brand awareness. This new role will be a vital part of the core team that formulates and realises this ambitious vision. Learn more. RENDERING AND C++ ENGINEER, Wikitude, a Qualcomm company. Qualcomm is a company of inventors that unlocked 5G ushering in an age of rapid acceleration in connectivity. Under this dynamic umbrella, Wikitude, a Qualcomm company, shapes the future of augmented reality by empowering businesses and developers. We are looking for the XR Software Engineer Design to design, test, and implement core parts of the Wikitude XR toolkit – particularly rendering pipelines for XR systems. Do you have a high affinity for real-time rendering pipelines and optimizing code to fit 16ms (or less)? Learn more and apply! SENIOR COMPUTER SCIENCE and SOFTWARE DEVELOPER (3D, Linear Algebra, C++). MetaVRse is a web-based 3D game engine for building immersive experiences without needing to code. We are looking for a unicorn computer scientist from anywhere in the world who can help us improve the core rendering technology that will serve creators to build custom products in training, marketing, sales, retail and learning in photorealistic, real-time 3D delivered on any device in a browser. Working with our Head of R&D, you will be responsible for creating and implementing new 3D graphics solutions to push the limits of our technology stack. Solid understanding of Real-time 3D libraries (OpenGL, Vulkan), Linear Algebra, C++ and 3D rendering and game engine technologies. Apply Here.XR SOFTWARE ENGINEER NETWORKING, Wikitude, a Qualcomm company. Qualcomm is a company of inventors that unlocked 5G ushering in an age of rapid acceleration in connectivity. Under this dynamic umbrella, Wikitude, a Qualcomm company, shapes the future of augmented reality by empowering businesses and developers. We are looking for an experienced XR Software Engineer Networking to drive the architecture, development, and deployment of core parts of our XR toolkit. A successful candidate has extensive experience in multiplayer streaming and can apply it to XR experiences. Do you have a solid technical background, a passion for the XR industry, and enjoy working with engineering teams? Apply hereXR CONTENT DIRECTOR, Pixo VR. The VR marketplace is exploding, and PIXO is leading the way in on-demand generation and adoption in our industry. With our groundbreaking PIXO ApexTM platform, we provide comprehensive, end-to-end VR content, distribution, and management solutions for enterprise. PIXO VR is searching for an XR Content Director to join our team. Reporting to the COO, the Content Director will manage the overall production, procurement and growth strategy for our XR content library. Working with a team of offshore and onshore designers, engineers, artists, marketers, and 3rd party content developers, the Content Director will ensure PIXO is delivering an exceptional content experience to all our end users. Check out further details here. SDK TECHNICAL ENGINEER, Pico Interactive Europe. As SDK Technical Engineer you will be responsible for investigating/troubleshooting issues reported, and collecting/consolidating customer requirements back to the Beijing DevSupport team. Through this role you will be the technical liaison between Pico Interactive Europe customers and Pico product teams to ensure Europe region's commercial success. In Europe, Pico is one of the premier enterprise hardware companies in the rapidly growing VR market. Click here for more.TECHNICAL PROJECT MANAGER, Pico Interactive Europe. As Technical Project Manager you will be responsible for evaluating improvements to the devices, services, logistics, and operations to continue the high growth business of Pico Interactive Europe. In Europe, Pico is one of the premier enterprise hardware companies in the rapidly growing VR market. The Pico Europe business is responsible for all business opportunities in Europe, Israel, Russian Federation and India. Click here for more.  Display your vacancy in front of thousands of talented VR/AR professionals in just a few clicks. Click here for more info.

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