The metaverse as the future? This reporter isn't buying it - Albuquerque Journal

Matthew Narvaiz, Journal unit writer, tries retired virtual world astatine The Garrity Group connected Sept. 22. (Chancey Bush/Journal)

What is the metaverse exactly?

That was the precise question I pondered erstwhile I was invited past period to trial retired Meta products astatine a selling firm’s bureau successful the North Valley. A Meta spokesman, Jim Cullinan, traveled from Seattle to Albuquerque to fto maine and Alaina Mencinger, the Journal’s retail reporter, trial retired immoderate VR products. Because that’s what the metaverse is, right? VR products?

Well, here’s immoderate mentation connected the metaverse.

Wired, a tech magazine, says the metaverse “doesn’t truly notation to immoderate 1 circumstantial benignant of technology, but alternatively a wide (and often speculative) displacement successful however we interact with technology.”

Here’s Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s definition, according to a Lex Fridman podcast helium was on: “A batch of radical deliberation that the metaverse is astir a place, but 1 explanation of this is it’s astir a clip erstwhile fundamentally immersive integer worlds go the superior mode that we unrecorded our lives and walk our time.”

And here’s Cullinan’s explanation of the metaverse, arsenic explained to me: “It’s not a replacement for world — what it is is an enhancement of reality.”

Basically, cipher has a dang hint what the metaverse is extracurricular of a virtual world experience. And no, Meta, Facebook’s genitor company, does not ain the metaverse.

Regardless of my disorder connected the matter, I jumped astatine the accidental to trial retired immoderate metaverse products.

That meant putting connected an Oculus Quest 2 headset — no, not the precocious announced Meta Quest Pro — and trying my manus astatine a assortment of VR experiences.

I tried my manus astatine boxing, scaled a glacier successful Antarctica, and adjacent played this crippled that utilized a airy saber to portion boxes that were coming my way.

I volition say, reaching the apical of the glacier and looking down astatine the waters beneath maine was frightening — and successful immoderate respect, felt real. But the graphics weren’t up to par with what I expected, though I’m definite immoderate refinement implicit the adjacent fewer years volition springiness the National Geographic VR crippled a much realistic experience.

The boxing match, connected the different hand, didn’t consciousness existent astatine each but it decidedly made maine interruption retired successful a sweat.

Alaina Mencinger, Journal unit writer, tries retired virtual world astatine The Garrity Group connected Sept. 22. (Chancey Bush/Journal)

Prior to my accomplishment astatine The Garrity Group office, a section nationalist relations steadfast champion known for representing the Balloon Fiesta, I was skeptical of the metaverse — thing Zuckerberg has claimed volition beryllium our future. I mean, who successful their close caput believes putting a headset connected your look is the future?

But 1 question kept popping successful my caput arsenic Meta made its transportation to me: Just however overmuch much precocious tin we get?

Haven’t we grown truthful overmuch successful the past 20 years — heck, adjacent longer — that we’re bound to beryllium grounded successful our technological advancements for immoderate time? Aren’t astute phones and societal media astir arsenic acold arsenic we’ll get successful the next, say, 20 years? And bash we adjacent privation to spell further successful integrating our lives with technology?

I’m 25. And yes, I usage a astute telephone and societal media — mostly for work. I’m what the youngins’ telephone “tech savvy.” But I decidedly don’t program connected putting a headset connected my look successful the adjacent future. The mode it sat connected my look made it consciousness similar I was carrying a value connected my caput different than my oversized noggin. And the headset besides made maine interruption into a sweat highly quickly.

But I did thoroughly bask trying immoderate VR products out.

But making the metaverse an integrated world wrong our own? I’m not sold.

In fact, Meta believes successful the metaverse truthful overmuch that it says this is the aboriginal for business, too. Even for tiny businesses that run storefronts.

Want to locomotion done a section store virtually, acquisition products and past spell prime them up successful existent life? That’s 1 mode successful which businesses tin instrumentality advantage, Cullinan said.

Want to amusement disconnected your Albuquerque-based edifice to someone, say, successful Portland? Heck, the metaverse mightiness beryllium for you. But also, truthful mightiness Instagram and TikTok — societal media platforms you tin beforehand your concern connected via video.

Look, I cognize I dependable similar a grinch. I’m skeptical astir the transportation is all. Social media has already opened the flood gates for businesses to find caller customers done targeted ads oregon by location-based searches. And what astir the concern for businesses to adjacent make a virtual acquisition for caller and aged customers alike? That’s different obstruction for tiny businesses, particularly those with choky profits.

I’m not the lone skeptic. Even immoderate Meta employees are confused connected wherever the metaverse is going. According to an nonfiction from The New York Times, citing a May canvass of 1,000 Meta employees conducted by Blind, conscionable 58% said they grasped what Meta’s metaverse strategy was.

But that doesn’t mean I privation Meta, oregon immoderate different tech company, not to look toward the aboriginal — adjacent 1 that mightiness see a virtual world integrated into our mundane lives.

I deliberation it’s important these companies support pushing the boundaries, and support uncovering caller ways to marque surviving easier — and much fulfilling. If that includes a virtual oregon augmented world future, truthful beryllium it. I’ll astir apt beryllium close determination with the remainder of you with my headset on, moving into my surviving country furniture.

Cullinan said the metaverse is astatine the astir a decennary away, which is apt true. Others person said, including The Verge’s Casey Newton, that the metaverse is already here. But I judge we’re a batch further disconnected from this being our world — with the masses lining up to bargain VR headsets — than radical similar Zuckerberg think.

And adjacent clip Meta comes into municipality to fto maine trial retired VR, they should bring a virtual world that lets maine thrust a blistery aerial balloon. That’s 1 bully mode to person a New Mexican.

But today, I’m not buying it.