From the time I entered the virtual environment of MeetinVR, I was having a blast which isn’t something I can say on most Zoom calls. The first thing I did after starting up the app was to pick an avatar. These aren’t your usual sticklike figures. The MeetinVR software converts a two-dimensional selfie into a 3D rendering. It can even capture your facial expression, bone structure, and hair, and eye color.
Pick Your View
Then, you enter the MeetinVR space, which looks like a giant room floating above a scene of your choice, including one of outer space. I picked a view of Vietnam’s mountains, and I spent several minutes just hanging at the window gaping at the stunning scenery. It was when the virtual tablet popped up that I started grinning from ear to ear. This is the future, I thought. The tablet seems like a simple idea, but it’s genius. Quite simply, it’s like having an iPad in VR. Instead of learning complicated gestures or navigating through file menus, you simply interact with the tablet in the way you’re probably already familiar with. You access the tablet by tapping the icon on your virtual wrist. From there, you can take notes, browse the web, access documents, and many other things. Deleting objects is equally simple—you only have to throw them to make objects disappear. The first thing I did was try to take a note, and I was struck by how incredibly easy it was. I used the built-in voice recognition feature, and within seconds I was dictating a message. This feature alone was worth the (free for the basic version) price of admission. I could see myself using this virtual space to collaborate with colleagues and quickly jot down notes during meetings. When you sign up for a paid account, you can also store documents, videos, or 3D models to be displayed to any visitors.
Better Than Zoom?
Like many people, I’m sick of Zoom calls. But I found that meeting in virtual reality is better than a video chat for the simple reason that being on camera all the time is exhausting. I preferred showing up as an avatar in virtual to dealing with weird camera angles on a video chat. I tried using MeetinVR with a friend, and it was as simple as emailing them a password, and they could enter the meeting room that I had created. But it’s hosting bigger groups where the app shines. You can enter a room with anywhere from 6-12 seats with whiteboards and the ability to access files. There’s also a 32-seat room with a big screen for the host to share a presentation or conduct a workshop. There are other options available, too, if you want to try out virtual business meetings with the Oculus Quest 2. There’s the app Immersed which puts you in an office floating in various environments. With Immersed, you can connect your laptop, desktop, or phone and have access to all your data. Immersed also lets you connect with other people. The “Elite” version, which costs $14.99 per month, includes five virtual monitors and allows four private collaborators as well as a shared whiteboard. In a recent test, I found the graphics in Immersed to be a little sharper than those in MeetinVR. You might also want to consider the Spatial app that lets you work in VR along with desktop productivity apps like Microsoft Office. This app has a collaboration feature that enables you to bring team members into your workspace, sharing different applications’ views. For now, though, nothing beats the simplicity of MeetinVR. The custom icons and virtual tablet features may make you never want to board another plane for a business trip in the real world.
