Glossary of technical words
This page explains the technical words you will meet in our guides. They are in alphabetical order. If a word you need is missing, please tell us and we will add it.
Tip: to find a word quickly on a computer, press Ctrl and F together (Cmd and F on a Mac) and type the word.
Account
Your personal sign-in for a service, usually made up of your email address and a password. An account lets an app remember your progress and settings.
App
Short for “application”. A program you install on a phone, tablet, computer or headset to do one particular job, such as learning a language or playing a game.
App store
The official shop for apps on your device. On iPhones and iPads it is called the App Store. On most Android phones it is called Google Play. On Meta Quest headsets it is the Meta Quest Store (see below).
Artificial intelligence (AI)
Computer software that can produce text, speech or suggestions that sound as if a person made them. Some meditation and language apps use it to tailor their content to you.
Battery and charging
Headsets and phones run on a rechargeable battery. A headset battery typically lasts a couple of hours of play, so it is a good idea to charge it fully before a session.
Casting
Showing what the person wearing a headset can see on a phone, tablet, television or computer screen. It lets the rest of the family watch along and help.
Controller
A handheld device used to play games and choose things in a headset. Meta Quest headsets come with two controllers, one for each hand. They have buttons, a small joystick and a trigger under your index finger.
Download and install
To download means to copy something from the internet onto your device. To install means to set it up so it is ready to use. In an app store, one button usually does both.
Free trial
A period, often 7 days to a month, when you can use a paid service without paying. Good to know: many free trials turn into a paid subscription automatically unless you cancel before the trial ends.
Guardian or boundary
A safety feature on Meta Quest headsets. You mark out a safe area in your room. If you step or reach too close to the edge during a game, a warning grid appears in front of you. Meta used to call it “Guardian”; newer software calls it the “boundary”.
Guided meditation
A meditation where a recorded voice talks you through each step, so you don’t need to know what to do in advance. Most meditation apps offer this.
Hand tracking
A feature that lets a headset see your hands through its cameras, so you can point, pinch and tap in the air without holding a controller.
Headset
See VR headset.
In-app purchase
Something you can buy from inside an app or game after you have installed it, such as extra levels or a premium membership. The app store will always ask you to confirm before you pay.
Meditation
A practice of resting your attention, often on your breathing, sounds or a calm voice, for a few minutes at a time. Many people use it to wind down. It is not a medical treatment.
Meta Horizon app
The free phone app that goes with a Meta Quest headset. You use it to set up the headset, buy and install games, and cast (see Casting) to your phone. It used to be called the “Meta Quest app”.
Meta Quest Store
The shop for games and apps on Meta Quest headsets. You can open it inside the headset or in the Meta Horizon phone app.
Mixed reality
A kind of headset experience where you still see your real room, and computer-made objects, such as toy tanks or towers, appear as if they were in the room with you. It uses passthrough (see below).
Motion sickness
A queasy, dizzy feeling some people get in a headset, similar to car sickness. If you feel unwell, take the headset off and rest. Short sessions and games where you stand still help.
Notification
A short message that pops up on your phone’s screen, for example a reminder from an app to do today’s lesson. You can turn notifications off in the app or in your phone’s settings.
Passthrough
When a headset shows you your real surroundings using its cameras, so you can see your room, your sofa and other people without taking the headset off.
Play area
The clear space in your room where you use a headset. A stationary play area is for playing seated or standing still. A roomscale play area lets you walk around a little.
Privacy settings
Options in an app or device that control what information is shared, and with whom. It is worth looking through them when you first set something up.
Streak
A count of how many days in a row you have used an app, for example “7-day streak”. Streaks are meant to encourage a daily habit. Missing a day is fine: nothing bad happens, the count just starts again.
Subscription
A regular payment, usually monthly or yearly, for continued use of an app or service. It keeps renewing until you cancel it. You can usually cancel in your app store’s account settings.
Update
A new version of an app, game or device software. Updates fix problems and sometimes add new features. Most devices install them automatically.
VR headset
Short for “virtual reality headset”. A device you wear over your eyes, like a pair of ski goggles, with a small screen inside. It makes you feel as if you are standing inside a computer-made world. Meta Quest is one well-known make.
Wi-Fi
Wireless internet in your home. Phones and headsets use it to download apps and updates. Most need Wi-Fi during setup.