Skip to main content

Google's Tilt Brush arrives for Oculus Rift, redesigned for Touch controllers

Tilt Brush on Oculus Rift
Image used with permission by copyright holder
Now that the Oculus Touch controllers have had some time to pick up steam among Rift users, Google is releasing a new version of an old favorite for the Rift platform. Starting on Tuesday, Google’s Tilt Brush is available on the Oculus Rift, with full support for the Touch controllers.

Don’t worry, it’s more than just a straight port of a popular title. The new version of Tilt Brush for the Oculus Rift features some design changes intended to take advantage of the Touch controllers and their particular strengths.

The Rift version of Tilt Brush includes a virtual representation of a user’s thumb, to preview which button on the Touch controller they are about to press. Additionally, Tilt Brush is fully compatible with the Rift’s built-in headphones, providing a uniquely immersive experience, according to Google.

“Different brushes create different sound effects, and they become a vivid part of the experience through your headphones. We love using audio reactive mode with Rift headphones and seeing strokes come to life with light and sound,” says Elisabeth Morant, product manager for Tilt Brush.

Tilt Brush was one of the breakout stars on the HTC Vive platform, offering a unique take on a typical painting app. Instead of painting on a flat surface, you paint in three dimensions, all around you in virtual reality. It’s unusual in that it’s not exactly a game or a traditional VR experience. The focus here is on creativity and bringing Tilt Brush to the Oculus Rift will bring a whole new wave of users to the popular VR painting app.

For Google, it is another step toward building a large, inclusive community of VR artists who create works of art using Tilt Brush. It’s a relationship Google has fostered with its artist-in-residence program, by partnering with digital artists to explore the capabilities and potential apps like Tilt Brush present.

The app is available on the Oculus Store for $30, as long as you have the Touch controllers.

Editors' Recommendations

Jayce Wagner
Former Digital Trends Contributor
A staff writer for the Computing section, Jayce covers a little bit of everything -- hardware, gaming, and occasionally VR.
Oculus Rift S gets a release date, pre-orders are now available
Stock Photo of Oculus Rift S

The Oculus Rift S finally earned a release date at Facebook's F8 Conference on April 30: The company is now taking orders, and shipping is scheduled to begin on May 21. The Oculus Quest is also available for pre-order, with both headsets listed at $399 -- a considerable step up from Facebook's more affordable and portable option, the Oculus Go.

A successor to Oculus’ original virtual reality headset was first announced at the 2019 Game Developers Conference. On March 20, the VR company debuted its newest headset, the Oculus Rift S. Despite its simple name, the headset will offer a number of new features and improvements including an increase in resolution, improved tracking, and a feature called Passthrough Plus.

Read more
How to create a Memoji on a Mac
Memoji creation screen in Messages on Mac.

Using emojis is a great way to add flair and personality to what would just be a plain ole’ text message. But if you’re an Apple devotee, you’ll also be able to liven your chats up with Memojis. Introduced on iOS 12, Memojis are custom avatars that you make in your likeness. Choose from numerous clothing, facial hair, and other cosmetic filters to dial in your appearance. When finished, your Memojis can be used with a few iOS apps, including Messages and FaceTime.

Read more
How to apply and clean off thermal paste
Thermal paste application on CPU.

If you're building a computer, you need thermal paste, or heat paste, to ensure that your computer's processor doesn't overheat. It's a gloopy, silvery material that you squirt between the processor and the cooler to fill in all the micro cavities in their surfaces, which enables a more efficient transfer of heat from the processor to the cooler. The best thermal pastes work so well they let your processor run harder and faster, at lower temperatures, making your PC quieter in turn.

You need to replace the thermal interface material every few years, too, so if you haven't opened up your PC in a while, it might be time to give it a spring cleaning. Keep reading to learn how to apply heat paste and how to clean it. Plus, we'll go over other aspects of its use, such as how often you need to reapply it and if there are any alternatives to using heat paste.

Read more