Looking for a mobile VR experience but aren’t sure which phones support it and which do a better job? Below is VRWorld’s list of the best smartphones for the greatest VR experience. What limits the selections? But before we dive too deep into it, it’s important to know what limits the selections here. There are 3 main VR platforms for mobile users and they are: Google Cardboard – Supports most modern Android devices, but has limited capabilities (no motion controls), compared to competitors. Largest overall app ecosystem. Google Daydream – Supports many high-end flagship Android devices and offers motion controls. Good app ecosystem, but smaller than
New to VR? A beginner’s guide
Virtual reality (VR) produces a computer-generated environment–complete with realistic sights, sounds and other sensations–which a person can explore by wearing a special kind of headset and, in some cases, using certain props. Basically every VR experience will allow the user to feel as though they are in this simulated world and look around it, while more advanced systems allow for movement and interaction. While the ability of VR to provide valuable, realistic experiences without introducing real-world risks has found many fans across various industries (from healthcare to real estate), the most popular types of virtual reality content remain video games, movies and television. For those
Nintendo Labo, or how Google Cardboard changed everything
Nintendo Labo is the newest cool weird project from Nintendo. Labo is difficult to define, but perhaps the best way to describe it is an assortment of cardboard-based games and applications for the Nintendo Switch. Labo comes in kits, and there are two kits at the time of the announcement. The Variety Kit offers an RC Car, Fishing Rod, House, Motorbike and Piano. Each of these peripherals are built with a combination of Joy-cons, cardboard and the Switch itself. There’s also a Robot Kit, which creates a wearable robot suit reminiscent of the previously-canceled Project Giant Robot for Wii U. If the idea of cardboard-based
CES: YI Technology and Google introduce VR camera
Imaging technology firm YI Technology today announced details of its YI Horizon VR180 Camera at CES 2018 in Las Vegas. The camera, created in collaboration with Google’s Virtual Reality team, is billed as an easy-to-use, stereoscopic 3D camera. The camera features seamless integration with YouTube and Google Photos, and is compatible with Google Cardboard, Google Daydream, PlayStation VR and other certified viewers. Notably, content created by the camera can also be viewed easily in 2D. “We truly believe that it should be easy for everyone to create and share virtual reality experiences,” said Sean Da, CEO of YI Technology. The camera supports 3D video at
Doctor Who Comes to Virtual Reality
Doctor Who is one of the most massively-popular franchises out there, with a legacy spanning decades of TV and other media. Earlier this year, BBC released a web application called “Doctor Who Time Vortex 360“, which served as an interactive game that fans could play in their browsers. Time Vortex 360’s concept was controlling the TARDIS as it hurtled through space and time, and Time Vortex VR seems to follow the same concept. In addition to serving as a port to VR with extra features, Time Vortex VR is available on most popular headsets. All Daydream and Cardboard headsets are compatible, as well as the
Axonom brings CPQ-VR solution to mobile
Axonom, a provider of software that combines Configure Price Quote (CPQ) technology with VR, yesterday announced the release of their Powertrak VR Design Viewer for smartphones. The newly-released Powertrak VR Design Viewer builds upon Axonom’s foundation in non-mobile VR solutions for product configuration, configured product visualization, and room planning. “VR hardware tethered to a machine, like the HTC Vive, is very effective on the trade show floor but mobile VR can be used both on-site and shared to decision makers off-site,” said Mike Belongie, COO at Axonom. “It’s the most economical and compelling way to distribute immersive 3D product designs and floor space planning layouts
Book publisher launches traditional book-VR combo for kids
Hollywood, California-based book publisher Quantum Storey announced this week that it has launched the world’s first virtual reality book series for children. Aimed at younger kids, their “Operation YOU” series combines traditional printed books with virtual reality. The books include access to a companion Android and iOS app, as well as Google Cardboard goggles. The first title in the series, which is now available exclusively at Walmart, is entitled “Morning Nightmare.” It confronts the challenges children experience boarding school busses. According to the company, the VR app places children in the book’s environment in the first person, virtually transforming them into the book’s main character.
Discovery and Google collaborate on immersive VR experiences
This past Friday, Discovery Communications and Google launched the first chapter of Discovery TRVLR, a collaboration that they herald as a “groundbreaking new immersive series,” which aims to provide a 360-degree cross-cultural experience. This new content is viewable by using the Discovery VR app. The app supports a range of mobile and VR platforms, including the new Google Daydream View headset and Google Cardboard. To date, the app has been downloaded over four million times. Each new chapter of Discovery TRVLR will explore a different continent, and immerse viewers in the rituals, traditions, quests, and environments of those regions. A total of 38 episodes will
Matterport joins Virtual Reality with CoreVR
Matterport, the company which got famous because their low-cost 3D Scanner that allows anyone to quickly and easily produce a realistic 3D model today announced the launch of CoreVR. This feature technology is a simple option to add VR support to any Matterport 3D Space, and that allows it to be one of the biggest, quickest, least expensive and easiest end-to-end system for delivering a VR experience of real-world space. With the launch of CoreVR, Matterport will enable CoreVR option for over 250,000 existing Matterport 3D Spaces free of charge and will continue to enable the CoreVR option for free for any 3D Space created through
The World of Mobile VR After Pokemon Go
Virtual Reality Gaming isn’t coming, it’s already here. With the introduction of Google Cardboard and the Daydream VR platform, Oculus and HTC discrete VR headsets and GearVR headsets for even smartphones like the Samsung’s Galaxy S7, the first tentative steps towards virtual reality gaming are being taken. With Facebook announcing its buy-in of virtual reality technology for a whopping $2 billion, Google has responded with its own VR system, a simple piece of cardboard that can turn your Android phone into a neat virtual reality headset. This all proves that VR gaming is here to stay. Already, the range and quality of available games is encouraging.
VR Porn Still Shows Gender Discrimination
Recently, an adult entertainment studio asked me to comment on their Virtual Reality experiences from a female point of view. I thought to myself: Hell Yeah! And girl was I wrong. It was everything but interesting and fun – and I was really in the mood sipping a glass of wine, comfortably seated in my chair, just waiting the whole thing to explode. Nothing. Zero. Nada. Let’s start from the very beginning. I tried Google Cardboard when a year ago and was pretty surprised how good it seemed to be. Back then I haven’t tried it on VR porn but more ‘innocent’ stuff as roller
2016 Coachella Goes VR with Google Cardboard VR
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Annual Festival has teamed up with Vantage.tv to provide fans with a virtual reality experience right out of the Welcome Box. This package, while containing the customer’s tickets, entry wristbands, a welcome guide, and other goodies, will also provide a VR headset based on Google Cardboard that can be used with special Coachella VR apps listed on Google Play and Apple’s iTunes. The Welcome Box will be distributed to ticket holders in early March. “Before, during, and after the festival in April, fans from all over the world can be immersed in performances from top artists, experience 360-degree panoramic
Introducing Sony’s Project Morpheus
As we enter the second half of 2015, we are presented with a virtual reality market that is saturated with high-end and entry level products. From the low-cost Merge VR headset to Microsoft’s HoloLens, the VR market has exploded and offers an incredibly diverse array of products for consumers to consider. With this in mind, several of the frontiers opposing virtual reality have been overcome already. Take the suggestion that VR hardware would be prohibitively priced, for example, as while some headsets are relatively costly there are others that have targeted the lower end of the market (think of Google’s simplistic Cardboard invention). There are