[This is a sweet story from Ars Technica about a marriage proposal in virtual reality; as the technologies evolve, this could not only become more common but the proposer might be able to ‘take’ their partner to all kinds of elaborate, vivid virtual places to ‘pop the question.’ –Matthew] Valve employee uses virtual reality to propose real-life marriage Bride-to-be wore HTC Vive headset; world’s first “room-scale” VR proposal. by Sam Machkovech – Oct 3, 2015 The HTC Vive virtual reality headset hasn’t yet reached store shelves, meaning only a select few developers have gotten their hands on pre-release kits and…

[Even though they’re created with technologies, we’re used to perceiving buildings as ‘real’ physical objects; the example of glitch architecture in this story from The Creators Project (which includes a 0:43 minute video) makes observers question that perception, creating a type of inverse presence illusion that blurs real and virtual. For an interview with the architects see Hopes and Fears; for more on the “radical capacity of glitch art” see Redefine Magazine; and for the related short film “Algorithmic Architecture,” see more coverage by The Creators Project. –Matthew] Glitch Architecture Shows How Beautiful Broken Can Be By DJ Pangburn —…

[Another experience otherwise unavailable to all but a few to be provided by technology; it’s interesting how this story from BBC News highlights the potential of presence to increase addictive behavior. For more on the development of the William Hill project see earlier coverage by Fast Company. –Matthew] William Hill bets on virtual reality racing 1 October 2015 Anyone who has been to a racecourse will know the excitement when the horses pound towards the finish line. But this thrill of the ride is something that many customers who bet in shops or online do not experience. Bookmaker William Hill…