On Dec. 18, 2015, the HTC Corporation announced that accolades had been rewarded to them in recognition of their Vive virtual reality (VR) system by Popular Science Magazine. The creative gaming headset and platform achieved the Best of What’s New Innovation of the Year Award for 2015.

HTC Corporation, based in New Taipei City, Taiwan, is a multinational manufacturer of smartphones and tablets. Their founders, H. T. Cho, Peter Chou, and Cher Wang, claim their company brings brilliance to life. According to Popular Science Magazine, it looks as if they have lived up to that promise. Since 1997, the HTC Corporation has made its mark in the smartphone industry. Now, with the invention of their virtual reality technology, it appears that the pursuit of brilliance is, indeed, at the heart of everything they do.

For the past 25 years, Popular Science Magazine seeks and examines technologies that change the world. Within the entertainment category, the editors of the popular magazine tested HTC Corporation’s Vive virtual reality system. It is not the first in VR technology, but it is the only gaming accessory that allows the gamer to walk around and interact with their virtual world. Two base stations are used to track the user’s movement and position. Hand controllers enable interaction with objects within the gaming realm. Items within the imaginary realm can even be tossed across the room; an astounding first in virtual reality technology. The Vive system is powered by Steam software, a digital gaming distribution service produced by Valve.

HTC Corporation has been focused on refining their hardware to create a high-end consumer release, explains Wang, the company’s CEO. Winning Popular Science’s Best New Innovation Award for 2015 confirms that Vive will continue to inspire HTC’s partners, content creators, and the development community. In effect, the consumers are guaranteed a top-notch device that promises to deliver a phenomenal gaming experience.

The editor-in-chief at Popular Science Magazine, Cliff Ransom, says The Best of What’s New Award honors innovations that challenge the expectations of what is possible in the world. One hundred awards are issued out of thousands of nominees. Each Best of What’s New Award honors the most outstanding revolutionary innovation in its category. The Vive VR system also won the What’s New Grand Award, placing it at the top of the list for the best technology in 2015.

After the spectacular win of the 2015 Best New Innovation Award, the company is striving to perfect their premier virtual reality platform before releasing it to the public. According to CNN Money, eager consumers will not be disappointed with the wait. HTC maintains a reputation for producing state-of-the-art technology. The Vive virtual reality system is scheduled for release in April 2016. Pre-orders start in February, and developer kit add-ons will be available in January. HTC is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange as TWSE: 2498.

By Rowena Portch
Edited by Cathy Milne

Sources:
HTC: About HTC
CNN Money: HTC Vive Recognized As Virtual Reality Revolution By Popular Science
Popular Science Magazine: Best of What’s New 2015
Featured Image Courtesy of Dave Pape’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License