VR headsets of 2017 - What's the best headset?

Ars Technica illustrates upon the current state of VR headsets while trying to decide the best VR headset of early 2017.

Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive vs PlayStation VR - Which one to Buy?

Oculus Rift vs HTC Vive vs PlayStation VR. The ultimate showdown between the leading VR headsets of 2017. Content source MW Technology. Explore the real pros & cons before deciding which one to buy?

HTC Vive Addons in 2017

In a bid to enhance its room scale immersive VR gaming experience, HTC Vive has introduced a lot of cool gadgets in 2017. With wireless tracking, Vive has done well to reduce some of the wire clutter. Moreover, Vive Guns are a great improvement in VR gaming. Additional addons like the hand tracking gloves are also getting a lot of attention.

Is 'Planet of the Apes' going to be the first VR Film?

Reports about a Hollywood VR Film are in circulation lately. FoxNext, the immersive entertainment studio of 21st century fox in partnership with Within has unveiled its first VR project.
It is reported that Planet of the Apes franchise is going to the first virtual reality based film. According to the involved companies, "artificial intelligence will be used to deliver a shared social experience". Chris Milk will produce and direct this VR project.

Get your Google Daydream View VR for just $49

Order your Google Daydream View virtual reality headset for just $49 from Google Store right now. Currently on sale, usual price tag for Daydream View is set at $79. This deal is valid till February 25th 2017.
Compatible with only select smartphones, Daydream View is one of the best mobile VR headsets available right now. Google Pixel, Pixel XL, Motorolla Moto Z series, Huawei Mate 9 Pro, ZTE Axon 7, and Asus ZenFone AR are the only Daydream ready smartphones.
Google Daydream View is available in all three colors.

Lenovo VR headset, Whats new?

Based on Windows Holographic, Lenovo's prototype VR headset seems an interesting improvement on current VR tech. Lightweight, less expensive and way more comfortable than other brands, this VR headset by Lenovo promises room scale tracking with a simple set of dual cameras embedded at the front side of the headset. With a decent resolution per eye, Lenovo VR seems a nice gadget for augmented reality as well. 

This prototype headset design by Lenovo has impressed many VR fans at CES17, aimed at a comfortable viewing experience Lenovo has done a remarkable job at keeping it compact. 

It is expected to be released in the second half of 2017.

Panasonic 220 Degree Prototype VR Headset

J Tech TV  reviews Panasonic 220 degree prototype VR headset at CES 17.

Project Ariana - Razer's Next Level Gaming Immersion Project

With Project Ariana, Razer intends to take gaming immersion to the next level. Razer's Project Ariana plans to enhance Razer Chroma technology into a smart gaming projector capable of projecting room scale immersive gaming.

Virtual Reality Explained by MKBHD

 

From cardboard to Oculus Rift, VR explained by Marques Brownlee - MKBHD (Quality Tech Videos).

What are the Major Health Concerns of Virtual Reality Technology?

Is it completely safe to use virtual reality headsets? Unfortunately, it is too early to think of any satisfactory answer to this important question. Lack of research is a major reason for unavailability of information on this issue.

However, it is commonly believed among a number of health experts that the use of virtual reality headsets might have serious health risks. Certainly, VR technology is in its infancy with several technical enhancements still under constant review. Therefore, in view of the lack of genuine research, it is safe to question the health implications of using virtual reality headsets.
Before making any judgments, it is very important to understand VR technology in terms of user health. How virtual reality works? And how human brains reacts to the exposure of this novel technology?

Fortunately, we already know how VR works, a simple explanation of VR is that it tricks our brain to perceive depth from computer generated and modified imagery, thus giving a sense of reality (which is actually virtual) by digitally altering our environment. But, what will be the impact of this stimuli on our brains over time? And how our vision is going to adjust to this constant transition from reality to VR and vice versa. Some of the health experts are asserting that regular exposure to VR could alter the way our brains develop and it is too early to say whether this change is for good or worse.
One can also argue that real health risks are evident from the fact that some of the leading VR manufacturers like Samsung VR and PlayStation VR have explicitly prohibited VR for children. Another assertion is that regular use of VR may result in shortsightedness. In view of these serious health concerns, experts have advised not to use VR headsets for more than 30 minutes.    
It is still too early to predict health effects of VR accurately, but it should be kept in mind that research that is underway in this issue area may yield totally unexpected results. Therefore, it is safe to use VR headsets moderately and in shorter spans of time.

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.

source: cdn0.vox-cdn.com

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.