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By now if you’re not living under a rock, you’ve become familiar with the revival of the Pokémon craze. Following the launch of Pokémon Go, the popular Nintendo (NTDOY) title from the ‘90s, the tech industry is abuzz with the virtual (“VR”) and augmented reality (“AR”) industry.  Minds blown? Well not so fast. Though some are seeing this as a “brand new thing,” augmented and virtual reality technology has been around for decades but hasn’t had mass exposure until this one mobile gaming app took center stage this summer.

Even before the boom in AR was sparked by Pokémon Go, analysts were already foreseeing a strong market for wearables and applications. Based on data from Digi-Capital, there has already been $2billion invested into AR/VR within the last 12 months alone; most of which has been directed toward start-ups.

Although the majority of these companies were built outside of a mobile phone platform, the quality and appeal are showing that a bucketload of money is being earmarked for this pending boom.  Just take for instance Google’s investment in Magic Leap to the tune of just under $800 million in a series C round.  

The interesting part is that Magic Leap does not have a commercialized product but the renderings are pretty breathtaking, which could mean some very positive expansion for the industry as a whole. With big money being thrown around to the tune of 10 figure sums (even without the Magic Leap transaction), larger corporations are looking to bypass the “development stage” and simply acquire or merge with some of these lesser-capitalized boutique tech firms.

Take for instance Facebook (NASDAQ: FB). Though the $2B investment was initially in virtual reality via Oculus, the VR company has said that it will also be diving into the AR space as well.  At the San Jose Comic Con, Palmer Luckey, founder and CEO of Oculus, alluded to the company’s ultimate inclusion of AR into its portfolio and take the company beyond VR.

But it isn’t as simple as differentiating what is VR and what is AR. A new push from companies like Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) has nudged the boundaries of this space by implementing “mixed reality” (“MR”). Using its HaloLens, Microsoft has made it possible for VR and AR to converge where virtual objects can actually interact with physical objects as opposed to AR where physical objects interact with virtual objects.  Though AR is still relatively under-developed compared to VR, proponents like Steve Wozniak identify that AR could end up surpassing the successes that VR has had. “Some of us just like to be early adopters and play with what the future could be,” Wozniak stated when referencing the AR marketplace.

Keep in mind that this was back in March and all those presenting had no idea that the Pokémon Go craze would be as wild as it has been. And it could only be getting bigger, near term.  Recently announced Nintendo NX game platform, could up the ante for VR/AR sooner than we think. With no prominent competition (yet), many of the larger players could be looking at Nintendo to be the guinea pig for the mass marketplace.  Keep in mind that the image quality through the Pokémon Go App isn’t much to write home about but the idea behind it is bringing AR to the spotlight.

The big three games that are planned for release are Zelda, Mario, and Pokemon (the classics). Though nothing has been confirmed yet, Zelda/Mario creator Shigeru Miyamoto has commented that, “As for VR, we are researching not just VR but [augmented reality] and many other technologies… In terms of NX, there's an idea that we're working on…That's why we can't share anything at this point, and I don't want to comment on the other companies."

The race is on and it could quickly come to a head for more than just gaming systems & accessories. Large companies are vying for market share and R&D early.  Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) is planning to unveil its augmented reality smart glass called Remote EyeSight, at the Intel Developer Forum this month. Not much has been confirmed directly by Intel but tech sites like PCWorld speculate on the potential of Remote EyeSight.

“Intel’s Remote EyeSight could enable interactive remote communication on smart glasses, kind of like having Skype on a wearable. That could promote freedom of movement and communication, and blend in real and virtual world scenes into video chats. In the enterprise, it could be used in areas like repair, medicine, and education.”

Intel has also been on the acquisition path and its latest buyout of rendering engine company, Replay Technologies, could put users of Intel’s 3D RealSense in a whole new view of sporting events.  Though the buyout price has not been disclosed, Intel has told sources “Replay's technology could play a role in capturing real-world content for use in VR and augmented reality worlds.”

Intel already has a platform that can allow consumers to create enhanced VR/AR projects through its RealSense product. And in addition to sensing things like depth and position, it can also depict very impressive attributes like gesture control, 3D scanning, as well as special recognition for applications in things like drones (so they don’t run into buildings); probably something Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) could use if drone delivery takes off (no pun intended).

Thinking outside the box also has helped begin to mold the market for augmented/virtual reality. Normally technology like this would only be for “early adopters” but New York State residence could be put in the front row whether they like it or not.  Something that has changed very little has been lottery. Whether it’s buying a ticket or scratching off a card, the interaction is the same; until now.

A California based company, Paymaxs, has adopted AR technology and applied it directly to a very novel and potentially game changing product for the New York State Lottery.  Their “Gold Castle” game (found at http://www.nylottery3d.com) is fully immersive and involves augmented reality. In an exclusive interview, Liana Kadisha, Paymaxs Chief Product Officer of Paymaxs, told TechStockInsider.com, “Gold Castle is the first scratch-off lottery ticket with augmented reality gameplay in the world and right now it is only available in New York. Paymaxs and the New York Lottery have been working together for a year leading up to our July 5th launch. We're in active conversations with other lotteries but as North America's most profitable lottery, we expect New York's innovation to set a fast-growing trend in the $292.7B global lottery market.”

It’s a clear example of how a novel idea now brings a technology in the infancy/early adopter phase and puts it right in the faces or a relatively “conservative” audience. But more importantly, like Mr. Wozniak, Kadisha also believes A/R is just beginning to become relevant, “I believe the next year will continue the recent trend of taking augmented reality to the general public and revamping familiar experiences with new and interesting augmented reality layers. Recent events have quickened the education of users and have brought a sense of urgency to funding and product development cycles for further innovation.”

Outside of these companies making headway, this isn’t to say many other household names aren’t looking for ways to apply this “new technology”. From Car companies like Ferrari (NYSE: RACE), Ford (NYSE: F), and General Motors (NYSE: GM), to entertainment & media giants like Disney (NYSE: DIS), Comcast (NASDAQ: CMCSA), and even airlines like Emirates are taking a stab at the new reality of AR.

“Over the next few years, as people get more comfortable with using augmented reality, we will see more sophisticated interfaces and exciting uses of the technology. It is clear that users are ready for augmented and virtual reality and that it will be a significant part of our future,” said Kadisha.

There is one problem with the advancing world of technology. It seems as though the technological experts are very familiar with things such as nodes, and then, on the other hand, there are people who have no idea what a node is. In the end, there is a major miscommunication. Well, BrightWork, a TechStars Chicago company, has an answer for this problem. Founded by former Twilio engineer Josh Carter and Nike Inc. (NYSE: NKE) developer Phil Taylor, the company has generated $200,000 so far to make it easier to deploy back-end technology instantly.

“This was something both Phil, and I struggled with in our own projects. We had been building applications for companies like Walt Disney Co (NYSE: DIS), Yum! Brands Inc.Taco Bell (NYSE: YUM), and Pabst Blue Ribbon. The issue was having to build the back-end and micro-services for every one of those solutions which ate away at our bottom line,” Carter stated. “Phil had a very similar problem where he was having issues finding the best way to build a solution or infrastructure for a client that was much more agile. This problem resonated with both of us, so we felt this was the right time to build Brightwork.”

Consider Brightwork as a series of scripts very closely related to the old Cpanel days. When you need a specific API or service, you just click on a button and everything is done for you. You then manage it from your front end and design your interface around the little chunks you have developed. Albeit it is very geeky, as some would say, it is also useful. Brightwork already has around three hundred people on its waitlist, and it has just launched.

Many Americans report anxiety when their smartphones run low on power, but there are technological solutions for the problem. Here are five of the latest.

You're out with friends and the dreaded red battery icon pops up on your smartphone. Or maybe you're on the way to a business meeting or answering a time-sensitive email and your screen goes black as your battery dies. What do you do? Well, nine out of 10 Americans say they panic, according to a recent survey of 2,000 adult American smartphone users by LG Electronics. It's a feeling that everyone has experienced.

Although this condition is not a real illness or medical disorder, LG Electronics has coined the term "low battery anxiety" to describe it. People are beginning to organize their everyday lives around making sure their smartphones are charged and functioning.

In the survey, 32% of respondents said they will "drop everything" to go home and charge their smartphones. Meanwhile, among millennial respondents, 42% said they will skip going to the gym when choosing between working out and charging their smartphones. Twenty-two percent of all users said they would walk into a bar or restaurant and order something just to be able to charge their phones. And 39% of users said they would go as far as asking complete strangers to charge their phones.

LG Electronics came up with a list of symptoms indicating you may be suffering from low battery anxiety:

Asking a total stranger to charge a smartphone.

Arguing with a significant other or romantic interest because of unanswered calls or texts.

Ordering something at a bar or restaurant just to use a power outlet.

Secretly 'borrowing' someone else's charger.

Owning three or more smartphone-charging cables.

Low battery anxiety is a very real problem faced by millions of smartphone users worldwide. It effects our everyday choices and has even been blamed for relationship breakups. Nearly 25% of people participating in the LG survey reported having argued with a significant other for not answering text messages or phone calls because of a dead phone. Sixty percent of those surveyed reported a dying or dead smartphone as being the reason for not speaking to a loved one. Moreover, 33% of smartphone users purposefully didn't leave on time for a meeting or date because they wanted to charge up.

Rescheduling your life in order to prevent a dead smartphone is no way to live. That's why tech companies are working on accessories and gadgets to solve this growing problem. They're also extending the battery life of some phones. Following, we offer our take on a handful of fixes.

1. LG G5 Smartphone

This smartphone includes an easily removable battery. Users can simply switch out a used battery and replace it with a new one in seconds. So, instead of carrying around phone chargers, users can keep extra batteries in their pockets, briefcases or purses.

2. HTC's HTC10 Smartphone

This smartphone promises to give users a "full day" of battery life. Most of us use our smartphones more than what smartphone makers consider "average use," however. Between all the emailing, text messaging, Internet surfing, video watching, app usage and social media scouring that have become parts of our daily routine, the "average" daily battery life is more like half a day.

3. Apple Smart Battery Case

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) released this battery case to compete with Mophie and other battery case companies. The introduction of the Smart Battery Case is basically Apple admitting the iPhone 6 and 6S have poor battery life. The case is supposed to give users battery capacity similar to the iPhone 6Plus. Still, the Smart Battery Case does not provide as much extra battery life as some of the other cases on the market. The Apple Smart Battery Case has a 1,877mAh battery pack, while the Mophie Juice Pack Air is packed with a 2,750mAh battery and the Incipio Offgrid Express has a 3,000mAh battery.

4. Mobeego Cordless Battery

If your smartphone is dying and your battery case is dead or you forgot it, LifeClips' (OTCQB: LCLP) Mobeego product could help prevent low battery anxiety. Mobeego is an emergency, single-use, cordless battery that provides an instant shot of power to your smartphone. Unlike battery cases, no precharge is needed, and with light usage, Mobeego could extend your battery life by up to 4 hours.

The product is not meant to be an extra full battery but rather an emergency option to provide a jolt of power to your smartphone when all else fails. Apple's Smart Battery Case and Mophie cases provide more power than a Mobeego. But battery cases must be precharged, meaning they can die just like your smartphone. If there is no charger or outlet in sight, a one-time boost from a Mobeego could save your day. And for only $3.99-$5.99 per battery can, it would be money well spent.

5. Sony Xperia Smartphone

According to one respected research group and consultancy, sales of virtual reality hardware units will reach $2.3 billion this year.

Growing demand for virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) products has been among this year's technological highlights, with smash hit Pokemon Go leading to an explosive growth of public awareness. According to a report byInternational Data Corporation, the trend will accelerate as consumers seek more thrilling, interactive experiences.

The research and consulting firm, which tracks information and consumer technology trends, forecasts shipments this year of 9.6 million virtual hardware units and revenues of $2.3 billion. The report predicts that augmented reality hardware, which is at an earlier stage of its development than virtual reality hardware, will start to grow more rapidly, and that combined, sales of virtual and augmented hardware shipments will "surge past" 110 million units.

The IDC report identified three major device categories for augmented and virtual reality markets:

Screenless viewers who use smartphone screens to create a virtual or augmented reality experience

Tethered Head Mounted Displays that use a PC, game console or smartphone to feed a head-worn display

Standalone Head Mounted Displays that combine processing with a head-worn display.* The IDC report said that Sony, Samsung, HTC and Occulus are among the leading manufacturers of VR and AR hardware and will drive the skyrocketing growth.

"In 2016, the first major VR Tethered HMDs from Oculus, HTC, and Sony should drive combined shipments of over 2 million units," said Tom Mainelli, vice president for Devices & Displays at IDC. "When you combine this with robust shipments of screen-less viewers from Samsung and other vendors launching later this year, you start to see the beginning of a reasonable installed base for content creators to target."

Lewis Ward, IDC's research director of gaming said that video games will spur the continued growth. "Video games will clearly be the lead rationale for people to pick up an Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, or PlayStation VR this year," he said.

Among smaller trends in video, look for growth in sales of 360 cameras that offer a fuller, more satisfying viewing experience. They allow users to view different parts of a scene, including peripheral areas that would have previously been out of reach without multiple cameras. They allow viewers to immerse themselves in a scene.

Big-name brands like Samsung SSNLF , Ricoh, and Kodak are vying with smaller companies like Bublcam, 360fly, and Vuze to become the GoPro of 360-degree viewing devices; that is, before GoPro's revenues tumbled almost 50% in its first quarter year over year. The company's early success may have spawned some of the competitors it faces today in a new technology.

Samsung's Gear VR, Alphabet's  

GOOGL Jump VR and Facebook's FB Oculus Rift also support 360-degree content. Major camera makers like Nikon are also now selling rigs for recording 360-degree videos.

CCS Insight, which provides information and analysis on mobile and wireless trends, forecasts sales of 24 million action cameras by 2018. FutureSource, which analyzes and predicts consumer electronics, expects action cameras to grow from 1% of overall sales to 14% by 2019.

"The action camera market has undergone a great deal of development over recent months," Futuresource analyst Arun Gill told Investor's Business Daily. "In particular, with 360-degree capture now available, we will see virtual reality applications emerge over the coming months, especially for sports broadcasting."

To be sure, the quality of 360-degree videos remains inferior to traditional fare. Run Direct Magazine, which covers video technology, forecasts improvement in processors, screen resolutions and content development over the next seven years.

Many 360-degree cameras suffer from poor resolution, limited memory and inadequate stitching, the combining of videos to create a panoramic view.  Improved software could remedy these issues but developing such systems can take time.

The industry also faces challenges in producing enough units quickly enough. Among others, BublCam and Giroptic 360cam have experienced long delays.

Many developers are offering a preorder option to secure sales.

What 360-degree cameras are lacking in is a good software that could smooth out many of the kinks consumer-friendly 360-degree cameras currently face. That includes low resolution, limited memory and trouble with stitching -- the combining of videos to build a panoramic view.

Among the most promising players may be Lucid, a Sunnyvale, Calif.-based company whose co-founders hold engineering degrees from Stanford and Cal-Berkeley. Lucid applies the same technology used by Hollywood 3D camera production systems to a pocket-sized device with a 180-degree range. The Lucid camera uses binocular lenses to create depth and capture peripheral images more effectively. It also includes two microphones.

Proprietary software reads and processes data in real time, which alleviates some of the stitching problems.

The camera also requires less memory and computer processing power, which helps translate to its $399 price -- more affordable than some competitors.

In April, the company secured $2.1 million in venture capital funding.

Charlotte, N.C.-based Life Clips (OTCQB:LCLP) will release its new HD 360° action camera that its CEO Bob Gruder describes as being able "to capture everything around you." The device will sell for $269.