Are you familiar with the novel “Ready Player One?” Or maybe its lesser known sequel, “Ready Player Two?” Maybe you’ve seen the crappy movie adaptation of the first book? I know you’ve at least heard of the series before.
”Ready Player One” is the quintessential dystopian novel. The combination of creative, harsh and realistic predictions of the future and adventurous and unique characters and concepts make the book one of my absolute favorites.
So why am I bringing up this random, 13-year-old novel? Did a third book get released? Is there another mediocre movie adaptation of the second book being put into production? Was Earnest Cline right about everything in the book and we’re now one step closer to dystopia?
I’ll let you figure out which one of those has brought me to write this story.
After years of rumors, teases and speculation, the Apple Vision Pro has finally made its debut.
And, to be completely honest, it’s absolutely terrifying.
Obviously I, an unemployed 15-year-old, cannot afford a $3,500 piece of technology, but I saw some TikToks about it so I’m basically a professional.
Unfortunately that professionalism won’t extend into a first-hand experience (meaning no, I wasn’t able to convince my advisor to give me $3,500 for this story).
The Vision Pro promises to be the piece of technology. Imagine your TV, cell phone, laptop and, obviously, VR headset all combined into one.
Calling the Vision Pro a “VR headset” would be underselling it a little. While, yes, it has VR capabilities, Apple has advertised the AR (Augmented Reality) portion much heavier.
If I sound completely insane (which is always a possibility), I’ll break it down for you in baby terms. VR, or Virtual Reality, is essentially what you’d imagine is going on if you see someone wearing a device.
You put on the headset, and you’re transported to another world, where you’re completely oblivious to the real world until you take it off.
AR is more of a filter for your eyes rather than a complete transportation. The cameras in the front of the Vision Pro allow you to view the real world but with websites and applications open, blending the real world and technology into one very convenient combination.
A TV becomes obsolete when you can create a digital one as big as you want in the smallest of rooms. Your workspace can be as luxurious and massive without having to pay for a nice PC or monitor. Hell, you can teach yourself the piano “Guitar Hero” style with visual cues to show notes and timing.
I really can’t stress enough how much of a game changer this piece of hardware is. The Vision Pro is an actual breakthrough in technology, and the first step towards a truly technology-integrated lifestyle.
Which is terrifying.
I mentioned “Ready Player One” earlier; a wonderfully harsh look at the future where the digital world is the forefront of everyone’s lives, far beyond any concerns of reality.
A true dystopian prediction.
And while the dystopian world was more of a backdrop for the lighter scavenger hunt-based adventure, it was always an aspect that reminded the reader that, even through all of Wade’s (the main character) digital triumphs, the world around him was decaying due to the lack of care for the physical world.
I think of how other dystopian novels like “Fahrenheit 451” and “1984” made chillingly accurate predictions of the future at a time we would consider prehistoric to modern technology, and I’ve always grouped “Ready Player One” with those predictions as equally accurate.
The Vision Pro proves that I’m correct.
Other headsets like the “Meta Quest” and “PlayStation VR” put video games first and applications second. The lighter experiences opened peoples’ minds to wearing a big headset to experience everything VR had to offer, and opened the door for headset-based technology in the future.
The Vision Pro kicks that door open and teases a technological breakthrough similar to what the iPhone did all the way back in 2007.
Do I think that the Vision Pro specifically will lead humanity into some dark dystopian future, akin to the novels I won’t shut up about?
Definitely not.
Yeah, that might seem like it goes against everything I just said, but keep in mind the Vision Pro is $3,500, and typically technological breakthroughs don’t do so well their first time around.
I mean, how many people that you know actually bought the first iPhone?
Maybe in the future everything I’m saying will become super outdated and poorly aged, but I don’t see that happening unless Apple does something really stupid.
The current reception of the product is really negative right now, but as long as Apple keeps at it, everyone will eventually, inevitably come around (again, remember the iPhone?).
The Vision Pro will get new models and revisions, become cheaper, and soon everyone will be doing everything they need to, on them.
Sure, it might take a few decades before we reach “Ready Player One” levels of dystopia, but history repeats itself, and the Vision Pro, an extreme innovator, is taking the first big step.
Albeit in the wrong direction.
