Matthew Miller/ZDNET
When Apple first revealed Vision Pro, I was curious. But then, like many others, I looked at the prices and quickly looked away. At an initial cost of $3,500, I didn’t bat an eye and went back to focusing on wearables and other mobile technology that would help improve my life.
After reading the initial thoughts from my ZDNET colleagues, Jason and Kerry, and watching several videos of people using it since launch day, I thought maybe I should settle on a next-gen headset. Perhaps one of Apple’s most expensive gadgets can improve my productivity and performance at work.
I should mention now that I bought my first Apple computer in 1989, slept outside an AT&T store in the rain for the first iPhone, and consider myself an early adopter of technology. Despite missing out on pre-orders for the Vision Pro, I still kept an eye out for daily stock updates and finally picked one up at my local mall store earlier this week.
With my local sales tax, the 512GB model, with a $199 travel case, totals under $4,300. As such, Apple set a high bar to prove to me that the Vision Pro was indeed worth the investment. I’ve now used the headset for three days, including using it on my commuter train and in the office. Here are my thoughts as an engineer and digital nomad.
1. Stick with MacOS apps if you can
In my day job, I serve as a professional naval architect, and at this point in my 30-year career, I prepare stability calculations, review design drawings, write reports and proposals. , meet with clients in teams, and manage other colleagues. We work in a Windows environment because many of our engineering programs are limited to the operating system.
Fortunately, because my team works on a hybrid, international scale, our IT group has set up virtual desktops that are accessible through VMWare’s Horizon client, which can be found on Windows, MacOS, Android and iOS devices. go I’ve used Horizon flawlessly with my MacBook Pro, even using a Yubikey USB-C authentication dongle for security.
Matthew Miller/ZDNET
However, the iPad version of the Horizon client available on Vision Pro is not as reliable. My headset’s eye tracking hasn’t worked reliably either, and using an external control device can lend itself to poor selection. On the bright side, the Mac Virtual Display is nearly perfect on the Vision Pro and that’s why I can be somewhat productive with the headset. You’ll have to settle with a single virtual monitor, and the feature only works with Mac computers, but it’s better than the iPad version of most apps and services.
If Apple could add support for multiple virtual displays, as I now use my MacBook Pro with multiple monitors, it would benefit my workflow immensely.
2. Native Microsoft apps are quite limited.
In addition to the Horizon client covering my Windows software needs, I also use Outlook, Teams, Excel, and Word. All four of these applications are available on VisionOS, but the experiences are more barebones at the time of writing, especially when compared to the desktop version. I also recommend using a Bluetooth keyboard, and only a Bluetooth keyboard, for text entry, as any form of virtual input on the Vision Pro won’t cut it for the job.
Aside from the limited feature set, one problem with collaborating on Teams (or any video conferencing service) is Apple’s zombie-like persona. Digital Scan reminds me of characters from old gaming consoles, and I would never use it in client meetings or when Facetiming my wife, who can’t take my personality seriously.
3. Traveling with Vision Pro
My daily commute involves a 45-minute train ride, and I also travel regularly on airplanes to meet with clients, attend conferences, and participate in aircraft inspections. Given the headset’s dedicated travel mode, these seemed like perfect opportunities for me to test the Vision Pro.
Within the first 10 minutes of my train ride earlier this week, I had a problem with the headset’s eye tracking, partly because the internal lenses started fogging up. In a humid environment like Seattle, I often experience fogged up goggles, dive masks, and other glasses covering my face, so this was unfortunate and not surprising. I was really hoping that the ventilation of the light seal cushion would help prevent this problem.
Matthew Miller/ZDNET
I also felt cramped trying to navigate through multiple applications sitting in one place. On a train, let alone a plane, I could barely move my body around to multitask on the Vision OS. One feature I’d love to see is the ability to stack or quickly switch between several open apps. This would be ideal for more limited situations like this.
4. Privacy and security are secretly fantastic.
Also, when I was sitting on the train with Vision Pro on, I realized that I could work on all my projects with proprietary and sensitive information on the big screens without having to worry about it. Looking at the person next to you. Complete privacy and enhanced security capabilities, including the ability to set up eye scanning to unlock your Vision Pro, may be one of the most compelling reasons to use the headset for work. Sure, that argument applies to every other VR headset, but none come close to the audiovisual fidelity of the Vision Pro.
ZDNET’s shopping advice
That’s all to say. Apple Vision Pro Not ready to support my work experience. Not yet, at least. The headset is more ideal for day traders, content creators and people whose workflow revolves around only one to three apps (and don’t need the desktop version). I’d love to have the Vision Pro for watching movies on flights, enjoying multiple sports games at once, and exploring virtual environments, but right now the headset doesn’t give me enough value to justify the price.
Credit : www.zdnet.com