HTC announces 'refreshed' Vive Pre dev kit, fitness partnership with Under Armour

HTC announced a new version of its virtual reality system's developer kit today, the Vive Pre. A press release confirms that this second-generation developer edition VR unit will come with a front-facing camera, a more comfortable headset and overhauled controllers, as well as room sensors meant to further place you in 3D space.

The new controllers

Room sensors

According to the press release, HTC and partner Valve redesigned the Vive Pre "from the ground up to provide better comfort, ergonomics and performance." We'll be going hands-on with the system ourselves at CES 2016, and will offer our impressions of the Vive Pre later.

The Vive will support Steam VR, as previously announced, and will launch this April. An additional 7,000 units are now available to developers interested in testing out the hardware, which will be the first to support Valve's native virtual reality platform.

We got to check out the previous edition of the Vive last summer, back when it was still aiming for an end-of-2015 release.

Also revealed in the press release today: HTC is working with Under Armour on what it calls "the world's first connected fitness system," the UA HealthBox. The HealthBox will launch Jan. 22 with pre-orders being taken now. The $400 system will come with a fitness band, heart rate monitor and smart scale that allow users to better track their health and fitness levels. An app for Android and iOS devices will help HealthBox users achieve this goal and encourage total connectivity.

Take a look at the HealthBox in the gallery below.

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