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When it comes to VR devices like the Meta Quest headsets, the biggest draw by far is gaming. But did you know you can also use your headset to get some work done? Thanks to the recent launch of certain Microsoft Office apps for Meta Quest headsets, you can now work on a Word doc, crunch some numbers in an Excel spreadsheet, or put together a presentation in PowerPoint, all in VR. These Office VR apps are just the beginning for Microsoft: The company recently released an Xbox Game Pass app, and is working on other VR apps, like Teams.
Products to consider:
Looking to pick up a new Meta Quest headset? You can buy the Meta Quest 2, 3, or Pro on Amazon:
Requirements to use the Microsoft Office apps
Before you start diving into Microsoft Office, there are a couple of requirements to consider. First, you'll need a Microsoft account if you don't have one already. Next, you'll need a Quest headset; the apps are available on the original Oculus Quest, Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest Pro, and the newly released Meta Quest 3. Lastly, you need to make sure you have an internet connection since these versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint run via the cloud.
Getting started with the Microsoft Office apps
Once you've sorted all that out, you'll need to download the Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps from the Meta store. The apps are fairly small in size (under 2 MB each) so storage shouldn't be much of a concern. After you've gotten the apps downloaded, each app will take you through the setup process of signing into your Microsoft account. It's worth noting that you don't need a Microsoft 365 subscription to use the new apps in VR, but Microsoft will still try to push you to subscribe via ads in the app.
Using the Microsoft Office apps in VR
Using each of the Word, Excel, and PowerPoint apps was fairly straightforward for me. Signing into the apps was easy, and if you sign into your Microsoft account in one app, you'll be automatically signed into the other Office apps. Upon opening one of the apps, a window running the web version of that Office app will appear. You can resize the windows by dragging on the sides with your controllers, or you can change your distance using the shortcut on the Quest universal bar. (Look for the icon near the bell/notification icon on the left.) The biggest hitch I encountered was long loading times when I opened a new, blank document. Some speed bumps are expected with any new app release, so this wasn't too shocking.
To actually start working on documents, you can use your Quest headset's controllers and the virtual on-screen keyboard. If that's a little too wonky for you, you can pair a physical Bluetooth keyboard and mouse to do your work. To pair a keyboard and mouse to your headset, go to Settings, then Devices, then choose Pair, then put your mouse and keyboard into pairing mode. Once they're paired, you're good to go.
from LifeHacker https://ift.tt/zmBgvld
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