After a long time without an update (2016) Microsoft have released a preview of Redstone 4 for HoloLens. The update has many improvements (see my table below) and I will try and do and hands on video soon.
Before you start you need to be aware that this method wipes your HoloLens so if you want to keep you settings you will have to wait until the update rolls out.
A 2D app launcher or 2D UWP app auto-places in the world at an optimal size and distance when launched instead of requiring the user to place it. If an immersive app uses a 2D app launcher instead of a 3D app launcher, the immersive app will auto-launch from the 2D app launcher same as in RS1.
A 3D app launcher from the Start menu also auto-places in the world. Instead of auto-launching the app, users can then click on the launcher to launch the immersive app. 3D content opened from the Holograms app and from Edge also auto-places in the world.
When opening an app from the Start menu, you will no longer be asked to place it in the world.
If the 2D app/3D app launcher placement is not optimal, you can easily move them using new fluid app manipulations described below. You can also re-position the 2D app launcher/3D content by saying “Move this” and then using gaze to re-position the content.
Fluid app manipulation
Move, resize, and rotate 2D and 3D content without having to enter “Adjust” mode.
To move a 2D UWP app or 2D app launcher, simply gaze at its app bar and then use the tap + hold + drag gesture. You can move 3D content by gazing anywhere on the object and then using tap + hold + drag.
To resize 2D content, gaze at its corner. The gaze cursor will turn into a resize cursor, and then you can tap + hold + drag to resize. You can also make 2D content taller or wider by looking at its edges and dragging.
To resize 3D content, lift up both your hands into gesture frame, fingers up in the ready position. You’ll see the cursor turn into a state with 2 little hands. Do the tap and hold gesture with both your hands. Moving your hands closer or farther apart you will change the size of the object. Moving your hands forward and backward relative to each other will rotate the object. You can also resize/rotate 2D content this way.
2D app horizontal resize with reflow
Make a 2D UWP app wider in aspect ratio to see more app content. For example, making the Mail app wide enough to show the Preview Pane.
Simply gaze at the left or right edge of the 2D UWP app to see the resize cursor, then use the tap + hold + drag gesture to resize.
Expanded voice command support
You can do more simply using your voice.
Try these voice commands:
“Go to Start” – Brings up the Start menu or exits an immersive app.
“Move this” – Allows you to move an object.
Updated Holograms and Photos apps
Updated Holograms app with new holograms. Updated Photos app.
You will notice an updated look to the Holograms and Photos apps. The Holograms app includes several new Holograms and a label maker for easier creation of text.
Improved mixed reality capture
Hardware shortcut start and end MRC video.
Hold Volume Up + Down for 3 seconds to start recording MRC video. Tap both again or use the bloom gesture to end.
Improved audio immersion
You can now hear HoloLens better in noisy environments, and experience more lifelike sound from applications as their sound will be obscured by real walls detected by the device.
HoloLens finds your space automatically, and no longer requires you to manage or select spaces. If you have problems with holograms around you, you can go to Settings > System > Holograms > Remove nearby holograms. If needed, you can also select Remove all holograms.
File Explorer
Move and delete files from within HoloLens.
You can use the File Explorer app to move and delete files from within HoloLens.
Tip: If you don’t see any files, the “Recent” filter may be active (clock icon is highlighted in left pane). To fix, select the This Device document icon in the left pane (beneath the clock icon), or open the menu and select This Device.
MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) support
Enables your desktop PC to access your libraries (photos, videos, documents) on HoloLens for easy transfer.
Similar to other mobile devices, connect your HoloLens to your PC to bring up File Explorer to access your HoloLens libraries (photos, videos, documents) for easy transfer.
Tips:
If you don’t see any files, please ensure you sign in to your HoloLens to enable access to your data.
From File Explorer on your PC, you can select Device properties to see Windows Holographic OS version number (firmware version) and device serial number.
Known issue: Renaming HoloLens via File Explorer on your PC is not enabled.
Captive portal network support during setup
You can now set up your HoloLens on a guest network at hotels, conference centers, retail shops, or businesses that use captive portal.
During setup, select the network, check connect automatically if desired, and enter the network information as prompted.
For developers
Feature
Details
Instructions
Spatial mapping improvements
Quality, simplification, and performance improvements.
Spatial mapping mesh will appear cleaner – fewer triangles are required to represent the same level of detail. You may notice changes in triangle density in the scene.
Automatic selection of focus point based on depth buffer
Submitting a depth buffer to Windows allows HoloLens to select a focus point automatically to optimize hologram stability.
In Unity, go to Edit > Project Settings > Player > Universal Windows Platform tab > XR Settings, expand the Windows Mixed Reality SDK item, and ensure Enable Depth Buffer Sharing is checked. This will be automatically checked for new projects.
For DirectX apps, ensure you call the CommitDirect3D11DepthBuffer method on HolographicRenderingParameters each frame to supply the depth buffer to Windows.
Holographic reprojection modes
You can now disable positional reprojection on HoloLens to improve the hologram stability of rigidly body-locked content such as 360-degree video.
Windows APIs know more about where your app is running, such as whether the device’s display is transparent (HoloLens) or opaque (immersive headset) and whether a UWP app’s 2D view is showing up in the holographic shell.
{"id":null,"mode":"button","open_style":"in_place","currency_code":"GBP","currency_symbol":"\u00a3","currency_type":"decimal","blank_flag_url":"https:\/\/thedigitallifestyle.com\/w\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/blank.gif","flag_sprite_url":"https:\/\/thedigitallifestyle.com\/w\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/flags.png","default_amount":500,"top_media_type":"none","featured_image_url":false,"featured_embed":"","header_media":null,"file_download_attachment_data":null,"recurring_options_enabled":true,"recurring_options":{"never":{"selected":true,"after_output":"One time only"},"weekly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every week"},"monthly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every month"},"yearly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every year"}},"strings":{"current_user_email":"","current_user_name":"","link_text":"Leave a tip","complete_payment_button_error_text":"Check info and try again","payment_verb":"Pay","payment_request_label":"TheDigitalLifestyle.com","form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","general_server_error":"Something isn't working right at the moment. Please try again.","form_title":"TheDigitalLifestyle.com","form_subtitle":null,"currency_search_text":"Country or Currency here","other_payment_option":"Other payment option","manage_payments_button_text":"Manage your payments","thank_you_message":"Thank you for being a supporter!","payment_confirmation_title":"TheDigitalLifestyle.com","receipt_title":"Your Receipt","print_receipt":"Print Receipt","email_receipt":"Email Receipt","email_receipt_sending":"Sending receipt...","email_receipt_success":"Email receipt successfully sent","email_receipt_failed":"Email receipt failed to send. Please try again.","receipt_payee":"Paid to","receipt_statement_descriptor":"This will show up on your statement as","receipt_date":"Date","receipt_transaction_id":"Transaction ID","receipt_transaction_amount":"Amount","refund_payer":"Refund from","login":"Log in to manage your payments","manage_payments":"Manage Payments","transactions_title":"Your Transactions","transaction_title":"Transaction Receipt","transaction_period":"Plan Period","arrangements_title":"Your Plans","arrangement_title":"Manage Plan","arrangement_details":"Plan Details","arrangement_id_title":"Plan ID","arrangement_payment_method_title":"Payment Method","arrangement_amount_title":"Plan Amount","arrangement_renewal_title":"Next renewal date","arrangement_action_cancel":"Cancel Plan","arrangement_action_cant_cancel":"Cancelling is currently not available.","arrangement_action_cancel_double":"Are you sure you'd like to cancel?","arrangement_cancelling":"Cancelling Plan...","arrangement_cancelled":"Plan Cancelled","arrangement_failed_to_cancel":"Failed to cancel plan","back_to_plans":"\u2190 Back to Plans","update_payment_method_verb":"Update","sca_auth_description":"Your have a pending renewal payment which requires authorization.","sca_auth_verb":"Authorize renewal payment","sca_authing_verb":"Authorizing payment","sca_authed_verb":"Payment successfully authorized!","sca_auth_failed":"Unable to authorize! Please try again.","login_button_text":"Log in","login_form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","uppercase_search":"Search","lowercase_search":"search","uppercase_page":"Page","lowercase_page":"page","uppercase_items":"Items","lowercase_items":"items","uppercase_per":"Per","lowercase_per":"per","uppercase_of":"Of","lowercase_of":"of","back":"Back to plans","zip_code_placeholder":"Zip\/Postal Code","download_file_button_text":"Download File","input_field_instructions":{"tip_amount":{"placeholder_text":"How much would you like to tip?","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"invalid_curency":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please choose a valid currency."}},"recurring":{"placeholder_text":"Recurring","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"}},"name":{"placeholder_text":"Name on Credit Card","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please enter the name on your card."}},"privacy_policy":{"terms_title":"Terms and conditions","terms_body":null,"terms_show_text":"View Terms","terms_hide_text":"Hide Terms","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."},"unchecked":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please agree to the terms."},"checked":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."}},"email":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"not_an_email_address":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Make sure you have entered a valid email address"}},"note_with_tip":{"placeholder_text":"Your note here...","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"not_empty_initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"saving":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Saving note..."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Note successfully saved!"},"error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to save note note at this time. Please try again."}},"email_for_login_code":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."}},"login_code":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."}},"stripe_all_in_one":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"success":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"invalid_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is not a valid credit card number."},"invalid_expiry_month":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration month is invalid."},"invalid_expiry_year":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is invalid."},"invalid_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is invalid."},"incorrect_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incorrect."},"incomplete_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incomplete."},"incomplete_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incomplete."},"incomplete_expiry":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration date is incomplete."},"incomplete_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code is incomplete."},"expired_card":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card has expired."},"incorrect_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incorrect."},"incorrect_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code failed validation."},"invalid_expiry_year_past":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is in the past"},"card_declined":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card was declined."},"missing":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"There is no card on a customer that is being charged."},"processing_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"An error occurred while processing the card."},"invalid_request_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to process this payment, please try again or use alternative method."},"invalid_sofort_country":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The billing country is not accepted by SOFORT. Please try another country."}}}},"fetched_oembed_html":false}
