Beyond Cardboard is Google's Daydream

Google has already announced its next VR project Daydream. It is an andriod based VR headset that will be compatible with newer smartphones and Andriod N. Technologically far superior than cardboard, this headset goes a step ahead in hardware & software optimization for VR.

The next version of andriod is all ready for Google Daydream with a fully functional VR mode. According to Google's initial announcements, there will be a wide range of Apps available for Daydream. Besides YouTube, Google Play Store, Play Movies and Google Photos will also get a VR update specifically designed for Daydream & Andriod N.

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Although, Daydream promises a far better VR experience than Google Cardboard, but it still needs a Daydream ready Andriod N smartphone to work. It is reported that Google will partner with some of the leading smartphone manufacturers to build VR optimized next generation Daydream ready smartphones.

With Google's growing interest in VR technology, it is believed that a new phase in VR research and development has began and it is only a matter of time when VR technology will truly revolutionize computer interaction.     

What is Open Source VR (OSVR)?

OSVR is the first open source virtual reality headset developed by Razer, a company that is at the forefront of gaming technology. According to Razer, their OSVR project aims to “unify VR and AR technologies to drive the overall success of the VR industry.” OSVR by Razer is a completely open source project which means anyone can build on OSVR's hardware and software in order to improve and ultimately contribute in the development of VR technology.

OSVR the open source VR headset (image source: gamespot.com)

Supported by some of the leading companies in tech industry, OSVR wants to assist hackers “beyond a single VR headset,” that means OSVR intends to remove cross-platform fragmentation to help develop some of the best open source gaming VR experiences. With Razer's background, OSVR is essentially a project that focuses on developing great gaming experiences in VR. Although, it can also be used effectively for other VR experiences as well.
OSVR is an open invite to gamers, hackers, VR developers and VR startups to explore, enhance, improve and develop better hardware and immersive apps for the overall development of the rapidly emerging VR ecosystem.
Razer's OSVR HDK (Hacker Development Kit) the current version 1.4 base kit is available on Razer Store for around $300.  

Nvidia launches first VR optimized GPU, GeForce GTX 1080

Nvidia has launched their first VR optimized GeForce GTX 1080 GPU. More efficient and less costly, GTX 1080 is built on Nvidia's Pascal technology that delivers high performance while consuming less power. More powerful than TitanX and other previous models GTX 1080 is a unique piece of technology. It has 8GB of GDDR5X memory that allows a considerable performance boost from the previous GDDR5 memory. Unlike previous GPUs, GTX 1080 handles graphics and computing tasks simultaneously with its asynchronous compute technology.    

GeForce GTX 1080 (image source: trustedreviews.com)

Cheaper than TitanX, the GTX 1080 Founders Edition (manufactured by Nvidia) will cost around $699 while third-party manufacturers price may vary.

What to expect from a mobile VR system?

If you are looking for the perfect mobile VR gear, you may want to read this before deciding. Well, its 2016 and there are tons of VR head-mounts designed for your smartphone. But, before expecting a perfect VR experience from a mobile VR system you should be aware of a couple things.

Google cardboard VR (image source: vr-expert.nl)

First of all smartphones are not designed for virtual reality. VR gear that uses smartphones rely on the built in gyroscope and accelerometer on your smartphone for head tracking. It means that your smartphone lacks considerably in terms of necessary hardware required for a real VR experience.
Having said that, this mobile VR technology is a wonderful hack. An ingenious idea that truly helps in promoting the emerging & evolving technology of virtual reality. Simply, this mobile VR system provides just a taste of real VR. It makes users wonder what would it feel like if I use a dedicated system designed for real VR with better content and far better graphics. What you'll find on mobile VR is mini games, demos, a fake 3d theater and some immersive journalism apps. And you cannot create your own VR content unless you buy some additional expensive VR gadget or some of the latest 360 degree cameras like Samsung's Gear 360. Another thing that you should be quite aware of is the power constraints on mobile VR. Running VR content on your mobile drains your battery like nothing else, you will end up cursing no matter how powerful you think your smartphone battery is, because VR content rendering is a very power-hungry process.

Gear VR (image source: pcgamesn.com)

But it should be kept in mind that your way inside the the emerging world of VR is through mobile VR experience. It is so far the best option for VR newbies and starters to first understand the basic idea of VR technology through mobile VR. Google cardboard VR provides the most basic, yet a powerful VR experience. Other head-mounts provide a more immersive experience that use better lenses like the Gear VR.
For those who expect more from their mobile VR systems, it might be they end up a bit disappointed. But they'll definitely realize that there is more to this VR technology in advanced and dedicated real VR headsets but for the time being a bit out of reach.  

Vive X: HTC Vive's VR Accelerator Program

Vive X is the global VR accelerator program initiated by HTC Vive. Through this project, HTC Vive aims to support and supervise VR startups globally. Although initially it will assist VR startups in San Francisco, Taipei and Beijing only, but HTC Vive promises to add more locations in the future.

This Vive X VR accelerator program not only provides expertise in VR technology but it also offers investment, education, networking, support and mentorship.  

HTC Vive with this VR accelerator program wants to promote quality entrepreneurship in VR technology by providing relevant startups the necessary resources and proper guidance "to help grow the global VR ecosystem."  

Interested startups from the above mentioned cities can apply for Vive X on HTC Vive's official website.

Image source: htcvive.com

Virtual Reality and Journalism creates “Immersive Journalism”

Media has always embraced Information Technology (IT) as it dramatically evolved over the years. From online presence to mobile apps and now to virtual reality, journalism is truly exploring the potential of technology in spreading the message in amazing and unique ways.
Previously you could only read, listen or watch news, now with virtual reality technology you can experience real life events like never before. Immersive journalism recreates real life news events in virtual reality with extreme accuracy, these VR reports, news stories and documentaries really have the potential to take journalism to the next level.
Immersive journalism is all about using virtual reality technology to create immersive content, this immersive content can be in the form of recreated news events, stories or documentaries. As this immersive content is presented to the audience in VR, it is not possible to experience immersive journalism without a mobile VR headset.  In order to experience this immersive journalism, audience should at least have a Google cardboard VR or a more enhanced VR headset like the Gear VR. Therefore in order to create audience for immersive journalism some of the leading media giants have already started awareness campaigns. The New York Times for example is giving away 300,000 free Google cardboard VR headsets to its subscribers so that they could create enough audience for their new immersive journalism section. Similarly, The Guardian recently created their first immersive project titled “6×9: A virtual experience of solitary confinement” indicating that they have also embraced the new medium of immersive journalism. With some of the top news organizations taking the lead, others around the world are likely to follow soon.

Image source: engadet.com

Samsung Gear 360 VR Camera is now available in select countries

Samsung has released its Gear 360 VR camera in South Korea and other select countries. Gear 360 is the first consumer camera developed by samsung that shoots 360 videos and photos.

Image source: petapixel.com

Compatible with Samsung Galaxy smartphone series, Gear 360 provides a very simple solution to shoot incredible 360 videos and photos for your Gear VR headset.

Image source: hiconsumption.com

Currently it is only available in South Korea at a price of 365$, it is also expected to be available in other select countries next month.

FATED: The Silent Oath, a cross-platform VR game

Developed by Frima Studios, FATED: The Silent Oath is an action-adventure VR game. It is set in a mythical era of Vikings where a father struggles to save his family from "the destruction of the world at the hands of giants of old."
A first-person virtual reality game, FATED is a fine story based narrative. Apart from a very strong emotional plot and a fine narrative, this VR game also offers some great visuals and graphics. All in all, this latest VR game promises a unique immersive and emotional VR experience.

Image source: oculus.com

It is a cross-platform VR game, therefore it is now available for Oculus Rift and HTC Vive. It will also be available for PlayStation VR. You can buy this game for 19.99$ on Steam and Oculus Store.

Minecraft special edition for Gear VR is now available on Oculus Store

Much awaited, Minecraft VR game is now available for Gear VR. You can buy it from Oculus Store for 6.99$. According to a latest blog post by Oculus, this VR version of Minecraft requires a game pad to better interact with the game. They have also recommended SteelSeries Stratus XL for the game. All the features of the pocket editions have been included in this VR version of Minecraft. You can choose between a theater view and a more immersive first-person view. This version of Minecraft is only released for Gear VR headsets. Minecraft VR for Oculus Rift is not released yet.

Image source: oculus.com

How to play normal 3d PC games in Virtual Reality using your smartphone and Trinus VR?

Image source: trinusvr.com

Now you really don't need an expensive VR headset to enjoy your PC games in VR. With Trinus VR you can convert any 3d PC game into VR and enjoy it using your smartphone plus any version of cardboard based VR head mount. Trinus VR is not a piece of hardware, actually it is a very smart software that uses a Trinus PC server on your Windows and a Trinus VR client app on Android.
Basically, what this Trinus VR does is that it starts a “streaming session” on your smartphone while converting your normal 3d PC game into a great immersive VR experience. Simply, it streams your PC game on to your smartphone in VR.
To enjoy your PC games in virtual reality with Trinus VR you only need three things, your PC, your smartphone and your Google cardboard. You can definitely use other similar smartphone based VR head mounts as well.

Image source: trinusvr.com

First of all you need to download Trinus VR PC server for Windows from Trinus VR's official website, you have to install it on your PC. Also download the Trinus VR client app for Android, which you'll need to install on your smartphone. Once you install the software, you need to connect your smartphone with your PC. Trinus VR uses two methods for this, one through Wifi and the second via USB tethering. It uses your home wireless router for Wifi connection, but Trinus recommends USB tethering as it is faster than streaming through Wifi. Now, after connecting your smartphone to your PC through either of the two methods, you need to check out the settings on your Trinus VR PC server software. You can set the resolution, head tracking sensitivity, lens adjustment for your version of cardboard VR and other settings like turning on the fake 3d. It is highly recommended by Trinus to set the resolution in 4:3 as 16:9 resolution will affect the quality of VR on your smartphone display. And one of the most important things to remember is to run your games in a window, otherwise, Trinus VR will not stream your game in full screen mode. Some games may not open in a window, for those games you may need DxWnd.
Another thing to remember is that most of the PC games may lack the 3d depth required for a VR game, therefore you can enhance this 3d effect by using softwares like Vierio or TriDeft.
Trinus VR combined with your PC and smartphone is a wonderful low cost VR gaming system that surprisingly allows non-VR 3d PC games like Call of Duty Modern Warfare or GTA V to be enjoyed in VR.
Well, you definitely need a bit of time while configuring Trinus VR to best suit your smartphone and cardboard, but the end result is something really great and economical. 

Which is the better VR headset, Oculus Rift or HTC Vive?

Image source: technivorz.com

It is year 2016 and now you can enjoy real virtual reality by getting one of the top VR headsets. But, only if you have enough money to spend on more advanced VR headsets, and the patience to wait for your order to arrive. Yes, it takes a month for HTC Vive's pre-orders to arrive and almost two months for the Oculus Rift. But, before deciding which headset to buy, you should first spend some time considering the pros and cons of the top rival VR headsets, Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive.
First of all, you can't say that one of these headsets is the best one, because both of these headsets have their positives and negatives. For example, the laser tracking system used by HTC Vive to turn your room into a 3d, VR sphere is a positive point for HTC Vive, where you can move around your room while enjoying the immersive gaming experience. Whereas, with Oculus Rift there is a single tracking camera that only allows you to sit and enjoy the VR experience. On the other hand, there is also a negative point to it. Like, it takes almost half an hour to setup the HTC Vive tracking system before you can start enjoying it. Whereas, it becomes quite easy for Oculus Rift to setup because of its single tracking camera.
Similarly, there are quite a few things you should know before deciding to order VR headset. Looking at technical specs, both Oculus Rift and HTC Vive have the same HD OLED display resolution and that is, 2160*1200 at 90 Hz with a 1080*1200 resolution per eye. Both use advanced sensors for head tracking except there is an additional camera on HTC Vive which can be used to switch between virtual reality and the original world (your real environment). You will never find this camera on Oculus Rift and you'll have to remove your headset to check out your real environment. Looking at the design you'll definitely notice that Oculus Rift is far more comfortable with a sleek and beautiful design. HTC Vive, on the other hand seems too bulky and loses some points for its design. Another important thing to consider is that HTC Vive comes with two gesture controllers whereas, gesture controllers for Oculus Rift are not released yet.
As for the price, Oculus Rift costs 600$ plus the Rift Ready gaming PC, while HTC Vive costs 800$ plus the compatible gaming PC. So, both of these headsets are pretty expensive if you don't have a very powerful gaming PC.
After price comparison, you should also look at the content matrix, Oculus Rift comes with exclusive games, and one of their exclusive titles, Lucky's Tale is shipped free with Oculus Rift. Whereas, HTC Vive has no exclusive games so far.
All in all, both the headsets are some great VR gadgets, and people should try to experience at least one of the two. In the end, it really depends on your preferences and your money, as to which headset you want to go for. 

Get ready to dive into your PS4, PlayStation VR is coming

PlayStation VR (image source: playstation.com)

Finally, we have a release date for PlayStation's much awaited VR headset, and that is October 2016. Project Morpheus has finally delivered its product. Early this year Sony released all the details about its upcoming PlayStation VR in a developers conference.
Now we know all the hardware specifications, package info, content details and even pricing for PlayStation VR.
With a full hd resolution of 1920*1080 (RGB), PlayStation VR uses a 5.7'' OLED display with 960*1080 resolution per eye. This is a slightly lower resolution per eye, compared to other top VR headsets. But, the plus point is that the refresh rate for PlayStation VR is 120 Hz and 90 Hz. And field of view is approximately 100 degrees. Both Dualshock 4 and PS move can be used as controllers in PS4 VR.
PlayStation VR has the most futuristic design. And it is the most comfortable of all the VR headsets. It seems Sony has done a lot of effort in perfecting its design, making it more comfortable and user friendly.
Besides all the technical details, Sony has also revealed its upcoming VR games. And the most exciting revelation was that of Starwars Battlefront VR game. Sony believes that Starwars VR game will increase its PlayStation VR sales considerably. Developed by EA Games, Starwars Battlefront on PS4 is one of the most popular games, its VR version is going to be a huge success.
As for the price, unlike other VR headsets, PlayStation VR will cost 400$ only. And it can be seamlessly used with the existing PS4 console, reducing the cost of a VR ready PC. Because of the price, its compatibility with the most popular gaming console and its better design, PlayStation VR is one of the strong contenders to dominate the emerging market of VR gaming.
Sony's strategy for its upcoming PlayStation VR is carefully crafted keeping in view their massive network of PS4 worldwide, it has focused on developing brilliant content while keeping the price of their headset as low as possible. And most important of all PlayStation VR's futuristic and comfortable design makes it a great VR gadget.   

HTC Vive, turn your room into a real VR sphere

Image source: gamezone.com

HTC Vive, one of the top VR headsets of 2016, is a joint venture of HTC, and Valve Corporation. Released in April, 2016, HTC Vive is already competing in the emerging VR market.
Those who had a taste of VR through some basic smartphone based headsets are too excited to explore the possibilities of real VR, immersive interaction provided by more advanced VR headsets like the HTC Vive. Although all the VR headset brands focus on the immersive, virtual reality experience, where users feel like they are part of a game or an app. What HTC Vive has added into this VR is the precise, “room scale” movement tracking. Basically, what this new additional tracking of your room does is that it turns your room into an immersive virtual reality sphere. It means that with the help of this room tracking, now you can move around your room to enjoy immersive virtual reality. Another good thing about HTC Vive is that it is cross-platform compatible. You can enjoy HTC Vive on Windows, OSX and Linux.
HTC Vive is considered to be technologically very sound, providing some top tier immersive VR graphics. But, from a designing perspective it seems to be lacking a bit. Most of its reviews show users not fully satisfied with its comfortability. Hopefully, HTC Vive will revise its design in its upcoming models.
With all its tech specifications and immersive room level VR, HTC Vive is a pretty enticing gadget. But, what makes this VR headset hard to acquire is its price tag. Currently the most expensive VR headset, HTC Vive is in the elite tier of VR headsets in 2016.
All in all, HTC Vive is an amazing piece of technology, with its ultra immersive VR and unique gaming experience. 

Oculus Rift, the dream VR headset

Image source: wired.com

Oculus beyond doubt is the leading brand in VR technology. After its modest beginnings through a project on kickstarter, Oculus has now become the brand image of VR technology in 2016. The amount of research and innovation this tech company has done in virtual reality since 2012 is truly commendable. But, what makes Oculus, the leader in VR industry is indeed it's crown jewel product, Oculus Rift.
Yes, the most awaited gadget of 2015 & 2016, Oculus Rift is finally released by its parent company Oculus, early this year. After its earlier prototype versions of Oculus VR headset, researchers at Oculus have done some amazing improvements to their earlier model to perfect their first consumer product, Oculus Rift.
Although the price tag seems a bit high, but the VR experience provided by Oculus Rift is considered to be worth it. Shipped in a sleek package, Oculus Rift comes with a tracking camera, one Xbox controller and a small remote control. But the important thing to remember is that you must have a PC that is Oculus Rift ready, otherwise you can't experience the stunning world of virtual reality. It should be kept in mind that rendering heavy VR games and other VR content requires a very powerful computer, one that is capable of running heavy VR graphics seamlessly. Therefore, Oculus is going to include one Rift ready PC in their newer versions of Oculus Rift's package. You can also check out the specifications for a PC to be Rift ready on their official website.

Image source: flickr.com

Although, Oculus Rift is one of top VR headsets, it is more of a gaming accessory, one that transports you into the world of intense and immersive gaming. There are already some awesome VR games available in the market, plus Oculus Rift comes with two free VR games, Eve Valkyrie and Lucky's Tale. Oculus Rift from a gaming perspective is a revolutionary piece of gadget. Its immersive VR gaming experience is one of a kind that makes games all the more interesting and intensely thrilling. It simply feels like you are inside the game, a part of it. Oculus Rift has truly taken the computer gaming interaction to the next level, where the level of mental engagement during a VR gaming experience has enormously increased. But the question arises, how long can we enjoy Oculus Rift in a one sitting? Most of the people who have enjoyed gaming on Oculus Rift believe that they can now enjoy games for a longer time than conventional gaming on flat screens. But it doesn't mean that VR is not mentally exhausting. It is too early to judge any negative effects of playing VR games for longer periods of time, obviously, unless some serious study is done on the effects of VR on mental health.
Unlike other VR headsets, Oculus Rift has created much fanfare, and it is also getting very popular among gamers world wide. Now, as Oculus Rift is already in the market its demand is likely to increase over the years. Because some people have already termed it the dream VR headset.

Google Cardboard VR: Transform your smartphone into a VR headset

Google cardboard VR is the most ingenious VR headset available. With Google's open-source cardboard VR design, anyone with a piece of cardboard and a couple of lenses can create their own headset, instantly transforming their smartphones into a really cheap & simple virtual reality tech. On Google Cardboard's official website anyone can download the original blue print and become a cardboard VR manufacturer. Android SDK for VR application development is also available on cardboard's website.

Image source: ic.tweakimg.net

To enjoy VR content you just need a cardboard VR for your smartphone and some cool VR apps from playstore. You can create your own cardboard VR by simply following a DIY blog post on how to create a Google Cardboard VR? Or simply order a perfectly manufactured cardboard headset from Amazon. Once you get your google VR, you can start enjoying VR content by simply downloading cardboard's official app and cardboard camera from Google playstore, you can also enjoy 360 degree videos on YouTube's 360 degree video channel. If you want to create your own VR content, then you just need to download the official VR SDK for android to create some awesome VR apps.
Yes, Google has made it this easy to get a taste of real VR technology. Transforming your smartphone into a VR headset is indeed a clever idea, a real trend setter. No doubt 2016 is so far the year of VR technology with so many VR gear & headsets out in the market and still many others set to release their products soon. But, what Google has done with its cardboard project is something sensational. It has made VR accessible to anyone with a smartphone and that means a huge number of people world wide will be able to enjoy the amazing universe of virtual reality and that at a very cheap price.
It is indeed an unprecedented thing in terms of human-computer interaction, where a massive number of people will be able to interact with computers like never before. Virtual reality is the new dimension in computer interaction, bringing humans ever closer to machines. And Google cardboard VR is the perfect tool for starters to experience this unique interaction.

Image source: flickr.com

Google cardboard's simple design has made it easier for anyone with a smartphone to experience this new dimension of virtual reality. Most importantly, this cardboard VR is the perfect tool to spread the word about the potential of VR in transforming computer interaction and user experience. While other VR manufacturers are investing heavily in VR headsets, Google with its cardboard VR has taken upon itself to show the world how powerful this new medium is going to be in the near future.

Virtual Reality: The Future is here

Image source: upload.wikimedia.org

Year 2016 is no doubt the year of Virtual Reality (VR) technology. Early this year many tech companies have already launched their official VR headsets and gear. Whereas many other companies are set to launch their own versions of VR. As a lot of tech giants have already realized the potential of VR market and are set to promote their products; it is somehow strange to note that only a small number of people in tech community really understand the impact this VR technology is going have in near future. Most of the people don't seem to understand this stunning technology of virtual reality at all.

What is Virtual Reality?

Virtual reality is not just the future of gaming, its more than that. Its about replacing our real environment with computer generated virtual environments. These virtual surroundings can be anything you can think of, a space odyssey, an ultra immersive 3d, 360 degree spherical game, a virtual visit to a real place or some educational virtual tour. It can also be a virtual cinema where you can enjoy your favorite movies in 3d.

How Virtual Reality works?

Image source: i.ytimg.com

Virtual Reality is all about replacing your real environment with a computer generated 3d, 360 degree immersive graphics known as the virtual environment. This virtual environment is displayed in a high definition (hd) LED display either built in a VR headset or your smart-phone in case of Google cardboard VR. VR headsets use gyroscope, accelerometer and other sensors added with powerful microprocessors to track your head movements. A pair of lenses within the VR headset helps to focus the images on the display. These immersive 3d images combined with crystal clear 3d sound effects create the perfect illusion of reality. All the 3d image rendering and head tracking requires intensive computer processing, but the end result is something truly amazing.

Image source: upload.wikimedia.org

How Virtual Reality feels like?

Virtual reality is the next generation of computer interaction. VR feels like you have been transported
into a different setting, into a different world altogether. VR technology is indeed a first step in truly exploring a new dimension in human-computer interaction. From 2d, to 3d and now into the immersive world of virtual reality, it has started a whole new genre in computer development.