AllYouCanTech

Meta Quest 3S Offer at $199 Brings Back Memories of the GameCube Era and Timeless Gaming Enjoyment

I’m still anticipating the Quest 3 to be discounted, but it would be foolish to overlook this incredible Quest 3S offer.

The Meta Quest 3S was already the top value in VR when it debuted, and this year’s Meta Quest 3S Black Friday promotions are reinforcing that notion. The most impressive deal I’ve encountered so far is the $199 offer at Costco, which is not only $100 less than the standard price but also includes one full year of Meta Horizon Plus, Meta’s Game Pass-like subscription service. The last major console I recall seeing priced at $199 was during the GameCube era!

Typically, all Meta Quest headsets provide 3 months of Horizon Plus for free, granting immediate access to nearly 30 games, featuring a rotating selection of titles that change each month. This makes gaming remarkably affordable and further emphasizes that the Meta Quest 3S is the ultimate gaming investment this holiday season.

If you’re not a Costco member, don’t fret; it’s just $215 to snag that deal. If Costco isn’t your preference, Amazon’s offer on the headset is nearly as favorable and can be acquired with two bundles: 128GB of storage for $249 accompanied by the popular Gorilla Tag, or 256GB of storage including the award-winning Batman Arkham Shadow at no extra cost.

What it is:

The Meta Quest 3S is a portable VR gaming console. Essentially, it’s a Nintendo Switch that you wear. You can project your feed to any TV, smartphone, or tablet, allowing everyone in the vicinity to view your actions, and it doesn’t require another console, PC, or wires to function. You install games from the Meta Horizon store directly onto the headset, and everything operates on the headset itself.

The Meta Quest 3S serves as a more budget-friendly variant of the Meta Quest 3, delivering the same powerful processing capabilities as its pricier counterpart and granting full access to Quest 3-exclusive VR and mixed reality games. It includes full-color passthrough vision, enabling you to see your surroundings even when wearing the headset, helping to mitigate the “isolating” sensation that some VR headsets exhibit.

Why you need it:

This specific offer represents the lowest price we’ve ever seen for the Meta Quest 3S, a complete $50 cheaper than the next best option. Furthermore, Costco’s addition of one year of Meta Horizon Plus — typically costing $60 per year — means you’ll gain access to nearly 30 games the moment you power up the headset for the first time. Plus, as that selection of games refreshes regularly, you’ll always have something new to enjoy without needing to spend any additional money for the upcoming year.

Why it’s superior to other products:

The Meta Quest 3S presents distinctive gaming experiences when compared to conventional consoles like a Nintendo Switch 2, PS5, or Xbox. While there are numerous AAA games that core gamers will appreciate — Batman Arkham Shadow, Metro Awakening, the Arizona Sunshine series, and Assassin’s Creed Nexus VR are a few examples — many innovative new franchises have emerged that contribute to the VR experience in distinctive ways.

As a portable gaming console, you don’t require anything else to engage with it. Simply charge the battery like you would with a smartphone, wear it on your head, and dive into impressively immersive games that will encourage your body to move in new ways.

Leak Reveals Significant UI Updates in Samsung Internet App with One UI 8.5

**Enhancing the App to Be More Intuitive and User-Friendly**

In the rapidly changing landscape of technology, user experience continues to be a crucial element of app development. Samsung’s recent update to its Internet app, One UI 8.5, illustrates this emphasis by rolling out substantial user interface modifications and new functionalities aimed at improving intuitiveness and ease of use for Galaxy device users.

**Essential Information**

– **UI Improvements**: The Samsung Internet app’s One UI 8.5 features a revamped address bar and grid layout, enhancing user experience and accessibility. The address bar now showcases a blurred effect that harmoniously integrates with the background as users scroll, resulting in a cleaner look.

– **Privacy and Security**: New privacy enhancements are built into the app, offering users greater security during their browsing sessions. The update also incorporates an AI Search feature that boosts browsing efficiency with advanced querying options.

– **Visual and Functional Upgrades**: The app’s visual refresh includes a new icon and welcome screen, along with a grid layout that resembles the style of Gallery albums. This design modification streamlines access to various functions via floating options.

– **Accessibility Enhancements**: The update makes it simpler to reach synced tabs and secret mode, now just one tap away in the tabs menu. The Internet Browser version 29.1.2.23 presents a more compact design for tabs, permitting users to stack or view them as semi-transparent tabs.

– **Extra Features**: The redesign tackles bothersome fixed-position pop-ups and introduces a feature for directly liking videos within the app. A new AI Search option, available in the debug settings, offers querying capabilities through Gemini or Perplexity.

– **Tab Organization**: Handling multiple tabs is made easier with a pop-up menu that gives users the option to close all tabs at once or to choose never to see the message again.

The One UI 8.5 update for Samsung’s Internet app reflects a dedication to making the app more intuitive and user-oriented. By emphasizing user interface upgrades, privacy enhancements, and accessibility improvements, Samsung seeks to deliver a seamless and efficient browsing experience for its users.

My Journey of Purchasing and Installing Non-Supported Prescription Lenses for Oakley Meta HSTN and Vanguard Smart Glasses

Of all the new form factors for AI, smart glasses seem to hold the most potential. Many individuals already use some type of eyewear daily, be it prescription glasses, blue light filtering glasses, or sunglasses. Integrating smart capabilities and AI into a product that is such a significant part of our lives appears to be a winning strategy. There’s just one catch — individuals with prescription glasses, who stand to gain the most from having AI integrated into their eyewear, are typically overlooked.

In my opinion, Meta produces the finest smart glasses available, and they are primed for the mainstream market. Thus, I decided to take action. I invested over $500 in third-party prescription lenses for my Oakley Meta HSTN and Vanguard. Here’s my experience customizing Oakley Meta smart glasses with unsupported prescription lenses.

I have been wearing prescription Oakley eyewear and sunglasses for five years, and I was thrilled when Meta revealed it was introducing its smart glasses in Oakley frames. Unfortunately, the Oakley Meta HSTN doesn’t officially accommodate my prescription, and the Oakley Meta Vanguard is unavailable with prescription lenses.

I wasn’t willing to give up, so I sought out third-party companies ready to craft prescription lenses for Oakley Meta glasses. After extensive research, I placed my initial order with Lensology, a U.K.-based lens manufacturer that offers a “click and fit” service for Meta glasses. I specified a unique lens configuration due to my prescription needs, and the color complemented my Meta HSTN frames in the “Warm Gray” hue.

The ordering procedure with Lensology was straightforward, and the company manages all import fees, so there are no surprise bills upon delivery. However, the wait time was somewhat prolonged. It took about two weeks for Lensology to produce my lenses since the configuration I selected was non-stock. Additionally, the U.S. FDA conducted a random inspection of my lenses during the import phase, which caused further delays.

I was informed that this was Lensology’s inaugural FDA spot check (what good fortune!), and the company’s customer service was attentive and efficient. In truth, the delay was beyond Lensology’s control, and my lenses eventually arrived around a month after placing my order, despite the hiccup. To make amends, Lensology sent another pair of lenses at no extra charge, which cleared customs immediately, confirming that this was merely an isolated incident.

Next, I looked for a means to use prescription lenses with the Oakley Meta Vanguard and discovered SVED Optical. This company specializes in creating prescription inserts for various types of sports eyewear and goggles, and they indeed have an option for the Vanguard.

The experience of ordering from SVED was outstanding for several reasons. The company is located in the U.S., which simplifies the process for domestic customers. The Vanguard inserts were also considerably more affordable, priced at only $164 (even lower with an email discount). They fit behind the built-in Oakley Prizm sunglass lenses of the Vanguard, making them more cost-effective.

SVED delivered my Oakley Meta Vanguard inserts 12 days after I submitted my order. That turnaround is competitive enough to match official Meta/Oakley processing times, should they offer Vanguard prescription lenses.

I usually try to purchase directly from LensCrafters, the EssilorLuxottica-owned business that partners with Meta for smart glasses, whenever feasible. Although it costs more, the return policy and warranties are excellent. I appreciate the ability to walk into a store and resolve my situation promptly, which I lacked with Lensology or SVED. To their credit, both brands accept mail-in returns within 30 days.

When each order arrived, I had no complaints regarding the quality or installation process. Inserting the SVED inserts into the Meta Vanguard is so straightforward that anyone can manage it. You simply detach the stock Vanguard nose piece and slide the SVED inserts into position. The prescription lenses come attached to a new nose piece, securing them to the Vanguard frame.

I had reservations about the added weight and how my prescription Vanguard setup would feel on my face. Surely, the lenses would clank and scratch against the stock sunglass lenses, right? Throughout daily use and even during a 5K run, I was happy to notice that none of these concerns were significant issues.

The procedure was a bit more complicated for the Meta HSTN glasses because you need to physically take out the stock lenses and insert the prescription ones in their place. The thicker the prescription lenses, the more challenging the process becomes. However, Lensology has excellent instructional content on YouTube, including a test fit from their factory that ensures the lenses work in HSTN frames.

If you have any experience in changing out prescription lenses, the process is quite simple. Even those without prior experience will catch on quickly. The key is to apply firm pressure — it may seem like the glasses might break, but this is an essential step in the process.

Meta’s AI glasses already come with a hefty price tag, but