Dell and AR headset manufacturer Meta announced a new partnership, allowing Dell to be the first third-party seller of the Meta 2 Augmented Reality Development Kit. Dell says that through the partnership, they’ll also be able to provide both the Meta 2 Dev Kit and the tools necessary to create immersive experiences to businesses involved in sectors such as healthcare, manufacturing and construction.
The Meta 2 is a ‘tethered’ AR headset featuring an impressively large 90 degree field of view, something made possible by its use of a single 2560 × 1440 LCD panel displaying on dual large semi-spherical combiners. The headset, which requires a cabled connection to a computer to drive it graphically, features on-board hand interaction and positional tracking sensors, a 720p front-facing RGB camera, 4 speakers and 3 microphones.
The AR headset has been available from Meta since they started shipping near the end of 2016, but with the new partnership, Dell is not only going to sell the Meta 2 Dev Kit on its site, but also offer a number of hardware bundles targeted at professional users, including bundles with Dell Precision workstations and Dell Canvas PCs.
The Meta 2 Augmented Reality Development Kit will be available for sale on Dell’s website starting on February 15th for $1,500.
Looking to target medical professionals, Dell is also delivering Medical Holodeck, an app that uses Dell Canvas and the Meta headset to let medical professionals collaborate in AR. Further appealing to pro-level users, Dell is also planning to introduce “AR in a box,” a platform which will help its partners and sales people “show off new Dell Meta AR innovations to potential customers.”
“We’re very excited for this partnership with Dell. Dell users will now have the opportunity to get their hands on a seamless AR solution that is considered the best on the market by many,” said Joe Mikhail, Chief Revenue Officer, Meta. “This is a major element of Meta’s ecosystem development initiatives. We are certain our partnership with Dell will deliver our game-changing technology into many creative hands and drive productivity measures to both developers and corporates alike.”
What’s in the Box
- Meta 2 AR Headset
- Access to Unity SDK (Beta)
- Access to Meta Developer Center
- Headset Stand
- 2 Exchangeable Forehead Supports
- 2 Handwashable Forehead Support Pads
- Microfiber Bag
- AC Adapter
- Universal Adapter Plug Kit – Set of 4
- Access to Detailed Instructions
- Additional resources
