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posted by cmn32480 on Thursday February 11 2016, @09:08PM   Printer-friendly
from the glass-on-steroids dept.

Google will reportedly release a smartphone-assisted virtual reality headset in 2016 and build virtual reality software features into Android rather than rely on an app. The device will use plastic casing, add extra sensors, and include better lenses than those distributed with Google Cardboard:

We've said a few times now that Google's virtual reality initiative is too big for the company to just be working on Google Cardboard, and now The Financial Times has published a report detailing what seems to be the next phase of Google's VR push. The report says that Google is working on "a successor to Cardboard," creating a higher-quality headset and building VR software directly into Android.

The device sounds like a Google version of Samsung's Gear VR. Like Cardboard, the headset will be powered by your existing smartphone, with a "more solid plastic casing" along with better lenses and sensors. Also like Cardboard, this won't be limited to just a handful of devices, with the report saying that the headset "will be compatible with a much broader range of Android devices than Gear VR."

Such a device sounds like it would occupy a compelling spot in the market. The Gear VR is a great device—the $100 headset is a powerful entry-level VR experience—but it only works with Samsung phones. Cardboard has much wider phone compatibility, but it comes with a huge list of compromises that lead to a subpar experience. Taking the Gear VR model and expanding it to accept most popular smartphones sounds like a solid idea.


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  • (Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Friday February 12 2016, @01:02AM

    by hendrikboom (1125) Subscriber Badge on Friday February 12 2016, @01:02AM (#303046) Homepage Journal

    I like Google cardboard. Only I use it without the cardboard. I just hold the phone about 7 cm from my head. Yes I'm extremely nearsighted; my eyes focus at that distance. If I try to use the actual cardboard device, everything is blurry because of those damn lenses. Of course, I can put on my glasses, and then the cardbouard doesn't fit on my face any more.

    Now that they are making a more sophisticated device, I fear the worst.

    I need VR equipment that *does* fit over glasses. Or that can be bought with prescription lenses.

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  • (Score: 2) by bob_super on Friday February 12 2016, @01:12AM

    by bob_super (1357) on Friday February 12 2016, @01:12AM (#303047)

    Actually, I don't want any of it for a similar reason ... when I watch a 3D movie, my eyes try to focus on various out-of-focus things around the screen and complain when they fail.
    No problem running around 3D environments in games, or watching movies, on a flat screen. But if you try to fool my eyes into thinking they're looking at 3D, then they instantly keep adjusting for object distance (not something you want to unlearn when it's time to drive home). I can reduce the problem in a theater by sitting really far from the screen, such that the change in focus distance isn't too bad, but since I can't unblur what I'm staring at, it's distracting.
    If I want to stare at something close while other thing are close and blurry, the illusion falls apart right away. I need my VR image to be all-in-focus, or the lenses have to track my eyes in real time to and adjust focal distances (interesting tech if you can make that without nausea).

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 12 2016, @08:24AM

      by Anonymous Coward on Friday February 12 2016, @08:24AM (#303129)

      Each eye sees a different image with VR. So it should not have as many problems of past 3D unless you are prone to vertigo in real life.

    • (Score: 2) by Freeman on Friday February 12 2016, @04:43PM

      by Freeman (732) on Friday February 12 2016, @04:43PM (#303286) Journal

      The Nintendo 3DS kind of 3D I find is ok and doesn't really screw with my head. Those "3D" movies at the theater, yeah, those screw with my head. I tried convincing my friends that yes, I do get sick when looking at the "New 3D" movies in theater. Yet, I was dragged to a theater to watch one anyway, because give it a chance, it's so not like the kind of 3D that's been around forever. Jokes on them, I left the theater after a couple minutes, and got to play in the Arcade while they got to sit through Toy Story 3.

      --
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    • (Score: 2) by hendrikboom on Sunday February 14 2016, @09:25PM

      by hendrikboom (1125) Subscriber Badge on Sunday February 14 2016, @09:25PM (#304318) Homepage Journal

      You will probably have less difficulty with this as you age, and your eyes lose their ability to change focus. That's the age when you need bifocals or trifocals.

  • (Score: 3, Informative) by Tork on Friday February 12 2016, @01:42AM

    by Tork (3914) Subscriber Badge on Friday February 12 2016, @01:42AM (#303050)

    If you get an opportunity to try on a GearVR, you may find it surprising. I'm nearsighted and have the same glasses issue as well but I'm able to adjust it enough that I can use it without having my glasses on. I wasn't expecting that.

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