virtual reality headset – PSafe Blog

Google Has Sold Over 10 Million Cardboard VR Headsets

PSafe Newsroom — Sun, 26 Mar 2017 16:00:50 +0000

While Google is already onto better virtual reality forays — Google Daydream, anyone? — Google Cardboard is still a very serviceable virtual reality headset for something made from, well, cardboard. In fact, Google has sold more than 10 million of its Cardboard VR headsets since the product was first introduced. So, what gives? The following will answer a few common questions about Google’s early leaps into VR, as well as describing what is on the horizon for Google’s VR future.

What is Google Cardboard?

Google Cardboard is what is says it is: a VR headset made of cardboard. It is functional with a smartphone and several specially-designed apps. To use, you can fold your own viewer or buy a certified viewer, depending on how much you want to pay. The viewer is extremely affordable, and starts at $15 from the most basic version to more complex versions.

How well has Google Cardboard done so far?

With such an affordable product, it’s no surprise that Google Cardboard has done as well as it has. The company has sent out 10 million of its VR headsets, and users have downloaded 160 million of the apps designed for the Cardboard headset. Additionally, the 30 available Cardboard apps have been downloaded at least a million times each. What is notable about this milestone, too, is that Google had only shipped out five million headsets this past July, meaning that an additional five million headsets were sold in a little over half a year. That’s a lot of reach for something that’s made of a material so disposable. Nonetheless, it’s not surprising considering how accessible the gadget is — it’s affordable, easy to use, and great for people of all ages.

What are Google’s next VR projects?

Google Daydream VR framework is taking up much of Google’s current VR focus. Daydream will be functional with a wider range of devices than Google Cardboard. For example, Daydream mobile handsets can be transformed into VR headsets when used with a head-mounting accessory. Ultimately, Google describes Daydream as being more “immersive” than its Cardboard counterpart. Currently, there are over 100 Daydream-compatible apps. Many of these apps are focused on content from YouTube. They are now available to download.

Google is also expanding its augmented reality platform, which is called Tango. They are offering several augmented reality apps, which are apps that transpose virtual images onto the real world (think Pokemon Go).

How to Watch 3D Movies with Your VR Headset

PSafe Newsroom — Sat, 25 Mar 2017 20:00:29 +0000

Virtual reality headsets are steadily becoming the focus of many major tech companies, such as Google and Facebook. It’s largely considered to be the tech of the future. One of the experiences that users want to have on VR headsets is a 3D movie streaming experience. While several movie screening options for VR headsets are certainly in beta, the following will describe a few methods you can use to watch videos on your headset. No matter which way you choose to watch movies on your VR headset, you’ll be sure to find the movie-watching app or method that works best for you.

Use an app to stream movies.

Apps like BigScreen Beta and Virtual Desktop let you stream movies on your headset. Some of the benefits of using an app include the fact that you can customize the size of your screen, change the background color of the screen, or even change the distance that the screen is from you. Additionally, with an app, you can either watch a movie by yourself or invite friends to watch with you in a virtual theater. To stream movies from apps, you simply put in a DVD or else stream a movie from a service like Netflix or Amazon (like you would on your laptop or computer).

Connect your VR headset to your computer.

To watch any movies that you have downloaded to your computer, connect your phone to your computer. Next, drop the video file downloaded onto your computer onto your phone. Finally, connect your VR headset to your phone to watch the film. With this method, you can still adjust the size of the screen on your VR headset. With some headsets like the Samsung Gear, you can set it so your screen won’t change perspective, even if the space around you is moving.

Stream videos from YouTube.

YouTube is full of 3D and 360-degree movies for you to experience. For many VR headsets, you need to download an app so that your device can tell which kind of video you want to watch from YouTube. To find videos on YouTube, first search and choose a 3D video from the YouTube site. Next, tap the video icon on the play bar and select 360. Finally, select the kind of 3D your app tells you to play. If you’ve selected the correct video type, you’ll be able to watch your movie clearly on your headset.

Should You Buy a Virtual Reality Headset?

PSafe Newsroom — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 12:17:02 +0000

Some of the best tech companies — like Google, Facebook, and Microsoft — are heavily investing in virtual reality, which means that in the future it will be even easier to try out virtual reality at an affordable price. Not to mention that virtual reality headsets will, naturally, be pretty incredible in the near future as the technology improves. So, it might be worth it to wait a couple of years before splurging on a headset. Nonetheless, the following are some reasons why you should wait, or take the plunge, on VR headsets right now.

Why You Should Wait
If you’re simply curious about VR headsets, and not truly invested in that type of technology, then the best option is to wait until more models are released in the coming years.

The following are a few reasons you should wait on buying a VR headset:

Limited Use. VR headsets are dominantly used for gaming, and even then, there are few games currently available.
Design. The current design for most VR headsets is impractical: it’s bulky and all-consuming, meaning that you are at the headset’s mercy when you wear it.
Screen Resolution. We’ve gotten used to HD displays for our TVs, phones, and computers, so some VR headsets might feel like a blast from the past. While the technology is impressive, the display can often be pixilated.
Price. Many VR headsets will typically set you back anywhere from $400-$1,000.

Why You Should Take the Plunge
Remember when the first Game Boy was released, and how amazed we were at the technology? There’s still a lot that new technology has to offer, even if we know it will improve in the years to come. But that’s what makes the investment in new technology exciting — we can experience it now, and essentially “grow” with it.

Like the Game Boy, VR headsets are typically used for gaming (for now). If you don’t want to wait for VR to improve, and have an excessive amount of cash, there are some good headsets currently available for a range of prices. These options include HTC Vive ($799), PlayStation VR ($399), Oculus Rift ($599), and Samsung’s Gear VR ($99.99), among others. There’s even Google Cardboard, available on Amazon for about $15, which is exactly how it sounds: it’s a cardboard headset designed to “transform” your smartphone into a virtual reality headset. Even though it’s not truly comparable to the actual VR headsets on the market, Google Cardboard is a fun, cheap alternative to try out before investing in a more expensive VR headset for gaming, like the previously mentioned headsets or even the forthcoming Google Daydream.