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A ROUND-UP OF THE LATEST NEWS IN THE DIGITAL WORLD

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HEADS UP AS MICROSOFT SHOWS OFF ITS NEW UPDATED HOLOLENS

IT’S no phone, but Microsoft revealed a new version of its HoloLens augmented reality headset at WMC this year. And it’s a welcome upgrade on the first version.

Augmented reality differs from virtual reality in that it superimpos­es graphics and informatio­n on the real world, rather than creating a virtual world for you to enter.

The main addition to the HoloLens 2 is that it now tracks your hand movements, which makes it possible for you to manipulate the graphics and informatio­n you can see. Demos included someone playing a virtual piano, and the creation of a working space where the user could see a virtual representa­tion of a co-worker and drawings and other materials they were both working on.

Microsoft is not suggesting the HoloLens is a consumer product just yet, but is touting it for business use. Which is about right given the price – £2,700 for the Enterprise Edition. So it’s an experiment at best, but one that will likely produce tech that will eventually find its way into devices made for everyone. FIVE TIMES THE PHOTOGRAPH­Y FUN WITH NOKIA’S LATEST HANDSET THERE was another oddity on show at WMC – this time from fallen mobile giant Nokia.

It has decided that when it comes to cameras, more is more and is releasing a device called the Nokia 9 PureView phone with no fewer than five cameras on the back. This, Nokia says, will allow for greater control over images as algorithms combine images from the different cameras to produce more detail, contrast, and colour. GET ACTIVE WITH SAMSUNG’S NEWEST ADDITION TO WEARABLES RANGE SAMSUNG also revealed The Galaxy Watch Active. It’s more or less the same as the device it replaces – the Galaxy Watch – but without the rotating bezel on the front.

It’s a solid smart watch, and among the best to feature Google’s Wear OS, largely because of its simple design. The Galaxy Watch Active will be out on March 20 and costs £229.

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