VR Week 2022
The 9 best apps to get started working in VR
Whether you’re ready or not, virtual workspaces are coming to replace our work-from-home world.
We’ve seen a lot of changes in the way we work over the past two years. Some of us have cozied up to working at home — developing a better work-life balance, experimenting new monitor layouts, finding the perfect house shoes for sitting at our desk all day, and binging TikTok videos between meetings. Others have been working longer hours, demolishing whatever work-life balance they thought existed, and being spied on by their employers.
Regardless of how you’ve found your work situation lately, you’re definitely not prepared for what’s coming next: strapping on a headset and working in virtual reality.
Okay, most employers are still behind the curve here and won’t be hosting mandatory meetings in Mark Zuckerburg’s metaverse tomorrow, but VR workspaces might be on the verge of becoming more common. While the idea of spending even more time connected to a screen sounds a bit dystopian, there are some advantages to working in VR. There are some excellent virtual workspaces that bring a bit more personality to meetings than Zoom and new tools that’ll allow you to think outside the box a bit more often at work.
Whether you’re enthusiastic for the so-called next computing platform or just looking to spice up your work with a few neat digital tools, there are some surprisingly decent VR work experiences.
Virtual workspaces
Horizon Workrooms
If you miss the feel of working in an office with your colleagues, Horizon Workrooms is the cleanest virtual solution. It’s still only in beta, but you can’t deny that Meta’s VR workspace solution looks smooth. Designed for one-off meetings, ongoing digital office collaborating, or a quick way to escape your at-home desk for a minute, all signs point toward Meta developing the top-tier VR business tool.
Available platforms: Meta Quest 2.
MeetinVR
While Meta might be the shiny new kid on the block, MeetinVR has already proven itself as a capable virtual workspace solution. There are rooms available for 1:1s, small team meetings, larger conference calls, and even company-wide presentations.
Performance looks a bit choppier than Horizon Workroom previews (plus you only get shoulders upward and hands view of each participant) but it still delivers on its productivity and remote connection promises.
MeetinVR’s basic features are available for free and there are a couple of tiered paid plans for power users and larger organizations.
Available platforms: Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest, Pico Neo 2, Pico Neo 3 Pro, Oculus Rift, and SteamVR.
Immersed
Immersed doesn’t work as well for larger teams (the max number of collaborators on the top-tier membership is just 12 users) but it’s a great resource for small companies and even solo users. With advanced virtual desktop support, customizable workrooms, and detailed workflow options, Immersed will keep even the most dispersed teams together and on track.
New features are rolling out all the time on Immersed and prices are likely to fluctuate with each update, but you can lock into a rate for your team now and benefit from upgrades later without the price hike.
Available platforms: Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest.
Virtual desktops
Virtual Desktop
Virtual Desktop simultaneously saves you from looking at the same boring screen day after day and getting sidetracked by coworkers or common work-from-home distractions. Building a virtual desktop livens up your workspace with galaxy backgrounds or underground spy bases while cutting out more mundane, everyday distractions.
Don’t tell your boss, but Virtual Desktop is also a great way to binge your favorite Netflix shows or just mindlessly browse the internet, too.
Available platforms: Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest, Oculus Go, Gear VR, Oculus Rift, Oculus Rift S, HTC Vive, Vive Pro, Vive Cosmos, Valve Index, and Windows Mixed Reality.
vSpatial
vSpatial is very similar to Virtual Desktop, but with a few distinct differences. This virtual desktop tool has fantastic remote connectivity capabilities, meaning you can log into your desktop and work without being anywhere near your PC. While it isn’t a full-on virtual office, there are some great collaborative features here as well, like avatar video calls, and fun screen-sharing options.
Available platforms: Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest, Oculus Rift, Oculus Rift S, and Vive Focus 3.
Mindmapping and planning
Noda
If your team is constantly coming out of long brainstorming sessions with fantastic ideas only to forget about them all in a few days' time, maybe Noda can keep you organized. A classic mind-mapping exercise turned 3D, Noda gives your team a virtual space to write down every idea and save it for later in a space where everyone can view it.
Navigating through your team’s web of ideas can take a little getting used to, but it’s a breeze once you figure out all the tools and get a bit of practice in.
Available platforms: Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index, and Windows Mixed Reality.
Dry Erase: Infinite VR Whiteboard
If an empty virtual space is a little too much to handle, maybe a virtual whiteboard is more your speed. A similar approach to Noda but a bit more familiar, Dry Erase will give your team a shared space to jot down ideas and make game plans. Keep everything on the board or export its contents after each session for saving elsewhere.
Available platforms: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, and Valve Index.
Art and Design
Tilt Brush
If you’re a designer or visual artist who regularly catches yourself staring at a new Adobe Illustrator file unsure where to start, it might be time to switch things up and approach your work from a brand new perspective. Tilt Brush lets you paint in a virtual 3D space — definitely a different vibe than creating on the computer.
While this may not be a program that’ll produce finished products, it’s a great place to get started and break through any creative blocks you may be running into.
Available platforms: Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index, Windows Mixed Reality, and Playstation VR.
Gravity Sketch
Gravity Sketch is a new way to design 3D products. Whether you’re creating a new sneaker style from scratch, running through potential design upgrades for a new bag build, or envisioning creepy creatures for a video game project, you can work on them all in this creative virtual workspace.
Available platforms: Meta Quest 2, Meta Quest, Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Valve Index, and Windows Mixed Reality.
