Tag Archives: Google Cardboard
Google open sources Cardboard as it retreats from phone-based VR
Google's decision to back away from phone-based VR may have an upside for creators. The internet giant is releasing a Cardboard open source project that will let developers create VR experiences and add Cardboard support to their apps. It covers ba...
At Last! A VR Headset You Can Eat!
Caleb Kraft is always making cool stuff. The man is a modern day DaVinci. His latest project turns Virtual Reality into Delicious Reality. Google Cardboard? No, this edible VR headset does not taste like cardboard.
Making Google Cardboard into an edible piece of gear is pretty simple. You can make the whole thing from food with no loss of quality even.
For his edible goggles, Caleb built everything but the lenses from graham crackers and icing. He cut each piece to spec with an X-acto knife. Maybe we should call this thing Google Graham.
Now you have a snack while you get dizzy killing all of those zombies in VR.
[via Gizmodo]
Deal: DSCVR Virtual Reality Headset for Smartphones
Want to view virtual reality content, but don’t want to spend an arm and a leg on a fancy viewer for something you might not use that often? Sure, you could punch out a Google Cardboard VR display holder, but it’s made out of cheap paper, and won’t last. The DSCVR Headset for Smartphones offers the best of both worlds. It’s inexpensive, but sturdy.
Constructed from ABS plastic instead of cardboard, it’s fully compatible with all Google Cardboard apps, and works with a wide variety of Android and iOS smartphones in sizes as large as a Nexus 6 or iPhone 6 Plus. Its hexagonal shape is also easier to hold than Google Cardboard. It also collapses down when not in use to save space.
We’ve got the DSCVR Virtual Reality Headset in the Technabob Shop for just $24.99 – a 16% savings off the regular retail price.
Verizon Offers Free Star Wars Themed Google Cardboard Viewers
Yesterday Verizon kicked off a cool offer for customers. They’re offering up free Star Wars themed Google Cardboard viewers. Verizon is offering customers viewers in four different styles.
You can choose from BB-8, R2-D2, Kylo Ren, and Stormtrooper flavors. Other than the cool design on the outside, the viewers are the exact same as the plain cardboard ones that have been around for a while. While you can use the viewers to watch any of the numerous VR apps available on iOS and Android, fans will definitely want to check out the Star Wars app’s “Jakku Spy” virtual reality story.
Since the special kicked off yesterday, and the viewers are only available while supplies last, your local store may be out. The good news is that you can hit the landing page, put in your zip code and find local stores that are participating in the giveaway.
Google Cardboard Is One of the Most Exciting Things from I/O
It may seem that everything related to the search giant contains the latest technological advancements, but Google Cardboard is really just what its name says. Still, it works well as a virtual reality headset, at a fraction of the price of its competitors.
It only takes 45 seconds to assemble Google Cardboard, so the “device” is not even that difficult to set up. Since Sony has its Morpheus headset and Facebook now owns Oculus VR, it was about time Google got involved in virtual reality, as well. Google Cardboard, in tandem with your smartphone, can provide a virtual reality experience at a better resolution than the first Oculus Rift. Of course, that depends on how capable your smartphone is, but given that some devices sport quadHD displays nowadays, seeing things clearly through the cardboard contraption shouldn’t be that difficult.
Obviously, a companion Cardboard app is needed for creating the virtual reality environment. Firing up the app is apparently easier to do if a NFC tag is used. Besides the tag, the Google Carboard VR kit also includes:
- Precut cardboard sheet
- Lenses
- Magnet
- Velcro
- Rubber band
Not even 24 hours have passed since Google announced the Cardboard VR kit at its I/O conference and Dodocase already started selling it on its website for $20. Another version costing $45, made from possibly 3D printed materials, should be available in the next 4 to 6 weeks.
Don’t expect Google Cardboard to have a huge impact, though. People are skeptic about it and claim that Google hasn’t really done anything revolutionary. While that might be true, people still have to admit that the product is highly functional. I’m not saying that this is a never-seen-before product, but I do appreciate the search giant’s attempt to make the latest technologies more affordable.
Also, you should expect to see some DIY guides on how to make these on Instructables, even though building such a kit is quite intuitive. In other words, if you have the necessary materials and a bit of a spare time, and don’t want to spend $20 on an official kit, you could always build the kit at home.
For the time being, the Google Cardboard VR kit only works with the search giant’s own apps, but if software developers will express their interest, there will definitely be a broader compatibility in the future.
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