Because of the epidemic, many of us have gotten accustomed to the concept of the home office in recent years (you may have heard of it). But if the new 'home office' location for the Meta Quest is any indication, Mark Zuckerberg isn't familiar with the type of setting we ordinary humans operate in.
On Facebook yesterday, Zuckerberg introduced the new function, along with a virtual 360-degree tour of the space. It's a place where users may "accept Messenger calls, check emails, or work on your next major project" - but based on how it looks, I'm not sure I'd want to work there.
A new home office environment will be available in the Quest v39 update, where you may take Messenger calls, read emails, or work on your next major project. Our multitasking features will be enabled by default, allowing you to modify your workspace as you switch between tasks. Virtual reality headsets are becoming more popular as a replacement for PCs, and upgrades like these make it easier to be productive no matter where you are.
The Quest 'home office' appears more like a corporate waiting room than a real home, like the kind of place where you'd wait for an exceedingly costly root canal procedure. The whole thing is frighteningly symmetrical and, like Zuckerberg himself, a little wooden. But, hey, why spend money on the greatest desks and office chairs when you can just buy a VR headset and immerse yourself in this entire dystopia?
There's the most uncomfortable-looking rest place I've ever seen, consisting of a blanket and pillow atop a hard wooden seat (just looking at it makes me asleep!). Then there's the scarier 3D 'artwork,' made up of greenery and leaves that appear to be bursting into the space (I think?). And the massive windows provide some truly breathtaking vistas – of blindingly over-saturated woods. I can't image anyone, save perhaps a Bond villain, feeling at ease in this environment.
"More people are using virtual reality headsets instead of laptops, and innovations like these make it easier to be productive wherever you are," Zuckerberg claims (opens in new tab). But Meta's entry into virtual reality hasn't gone down well with Oculus enthusiasts, who aren't happy with the business putting its name all over the Quest.
That's all there is to it. What is the metaverse, and how does it work? It's a location where you may check your messages and then unwind on a wooden bed. Okay, it has a little more promise than that, but this is our most dystopian look yet at the kinds of virtual environments we might soon be visiting.