Mozilla released Hubs, a free, immersive remote collaboration and social platform, in 2018. But changes in how people accessed and used the platform during the pandemic prompted an update that makes it more useful for large groups of people with different experience levels using a wider range of devices.
Here we look at how the 2021 update changes Hubs and how to use the new features…
What Is Mozilla Hubs? What Is New?
Mozilla Hubs is a free platform for creating and sharing virtual spaces called “rooms”. The hardware-agnostic platform runs in a web browser, making it available on computers, tablets, and smartphones with an internet connection. Not even permanent profiles are necessary, though having one comes with perks like avatar customization.
Interactive features within the rooms let users watch media together, brainstorm on whiteboards, watch slide shows, examine 3D models, and more. The rooms themselves are a little basic compared to other platforms like Altspace, but if you have the ambition and can tackle the Hubs GitHub, there are more possibilities for customization.
But what does the new update bring to the platform? New users, particularly those in education, inspired many of the changes.
As such, the primary updates to the platform are:
- A dedicated chat window/bar.
- A streamlined non-VR user interface.
- A new support forum.
Here’s a look at each new feature and how to use them…
How to Use Mozilla Hubs’ New Chat Bar
Mozilla Hubs already had a chat feature in earlier iterations. However, the chat text appeared momentarily over the main display before disappearing. This obstructed the user’s view of the room behind the text and meant that chats could not be reread and referenced.
The new update creates a chat window or bar on the side of the screen. This makes the room view slightly smaller but also makes chat text much easier to read. Chat text also stays in the chat bar allowing conversations to persist over time.
This is especially handy for questions asked during a presentation or catching up on a conversation if you’ve joined a room late.
You can access the chat window by using the Chat icon on the lower toolbar and type your message in the text box provided. If you don’t want the chat bar shrinking your screen, you can click the same icon to minimize it.
While minimized, chat text still appears for a moment but it is much less distracting than it was before the update.
How to Select a Non-VR User Interface
Mozilla Hubs is best described as an “immersive space”. It can be a “virtual reality” environment if joined with VR equipment but this specialized equipment isn’t necessary to use Hubs.
Hubs designers wanted the UI to be as similar as possible regardless of what hardware an individual uses to access the platform. This was also handy if users regularly used Hubs on a variety of different devices because the interface didn’t change that much from PC to VR headset to phone or tablet.
However, the interface prioritized usability with VR hardware, making some commands awkward when using non-VR interfaces. In a way, this made sense because VR is a more foreign interface so optimizing for that interface made it pretty smooth. The problem was that this sacrificed usability for non-VR users—which turned out to be the majority of users.
But the update has created a separate non-VR interface. So, while the controls on different platforms aren’t as universal as they used to be, everyone still wins.
You can now easily access this updated interface when creating or entering a room.
When you first create or enter a room, select Join Room for a non-VR interface. Non-VR users now get a point-and-click interface that is a little more user-friendly than the ray casting display in the old UI.
If you are using VR hardware, select Enter on Device instead.
How to Get More Help With Hubs Community Support
Finally, Mozilla announced that Hubs users can now get support through a dedicated community forum. Hubs always had an active community, but it was principally geared toward developers. Developers can (and did) help users that were less tech-savvy.
But the new support option is more comfortable for non-developers. The support page is already populated with highly searched terms and regularly requested topics. Before, there was no convenient browse feature for user questions asked in forums.
To find answers to queries now, you can either use the search bar at the top of the support page or browse the frequent topics and featured articles highlighted by Mozilla.
Do You Need to Download the New Mozilla Hubs Features?
Because Hubs is browser-based, these updates are automatic. Additional downloads or manual installations are not necessary for most users.
Hubs users that used the open-source material to create their own customized experiences may have to manually change some code. Mozilla has a guide specifically for these special cases.
Users that are familiar with Hubs as it was prior to the update will notice the changes. However because the interface updates don’t change the VR experience and optimize the non-VR experience, the changes should be easy to get used to no matter how you access Hubs.
The updates also mark a great time for new users to check out the platform. The dedicated chat window feature in particular makes it easier for teachers and presenters to field questions, potentially expanding the use cases of the platform.
Explore the New Hubs
Mozilla’s Hubs updates show a lot of care for users. By responding to the use cases and user profiles developers see most often, the chat bar, new support channels, and optimized interfaces make the platform more user-friendly and approachable.
Even with the updates, if Hubs isn’t perfect for you, remember that it isn’t the only VR-enabled remote presence platform out there. A different experience may solve your problem.