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The Best Cheap Google Cardboard Alternatives

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There are a lot of low cost VR headsets that are cheap and reliable alternatives to Google Cardboard. It make sense to not spend on an Oculus Rift or HTC Vive without first trying out the VR experience. The best part Is that the costs of these cheap headsets range between thirty dollars to a hundred. Of course, all these headsets are based upon smartphones, so you’ll need an iOS or an Android to make them work.


Daydream View

You can usually get this one within eighty dollars or so. Daydream is a great platform, very easy to use, with a superb VR interface, and a continuously-increasing selection of apps – Daydream is an open platform, after all, which means there will always be new apps being created for it, and lots of compatible headsets and hardware.

Of course, the phone that you’re using needs to be compatible with Daydream. Generally speaking, it’ll need to have Nougat to work.

Perfection in Simplicity

The headset is simple to the point of being barebones, and all the real functionality is supplied by your phone. In keeping with google’s original concept, the actual daydream headset is little more than a shell with the right lenses. The headset’s controller has a motion sensor, which allows for hand tracking.DayDream View

This headset wins hands-down – even over high end sets like the Rift and Vive – for ease of installation and use.

You don’t have to configure anything. Just download the app, slip the phone into the headset’s slot, and you’re good to go. The calibration of the headset is done automatically by the app, and when you put it on, you’re inside a virtual world where you can intuitively choose apps, watch videos, play games, and much more.

Which brings us to perhaps the best part about Daydream View – the number of apps compatible with it run into the thousands. And developers are creating thousands more. This headset really does allow you a whole virtual universe to explore.

Check the best DayDream View deals on Amazon

The FiiT VR 2S

One of the simplest Google Cardboard alternatives requires neither a Daydream-compatible phone or a Samsung. The FiiT VR 2S is compatible with any phone that has a gyroscope, as most phones do these days. It’s very cheap, retailing from between sixteen to twenty dollars, depending on where you get it from, and the deals being offered.

FiiT VR 2S

The FiiT is very light and intuitive

It also allows for individual lens adjustments. It’s important to note that this viewer doesn’t have a button that lets you control the phone from the outside.

Android phones allow you to interface with a separate controller. But if you happen to own an iPhone, this could be quite a problem.

Comfort

The FiiT VR 2S is one of the most comfortable headsets we’ve tried, and it can be worn even if you have glasses on, which doesn’t hold true for every headset.

Check the best FiiT VR 2S deals on Amazon


Gear VR

The problem with the phone-based VR scene today is that we have different phone companies creating headsets that are compatible with ‘their’ phone, and which can only use ‘their’ apps. In short, if you own a different phone, you cannot access the apps and software of a competing company.

But that’s quite alright, because the Gear VR is its own universe of possibilities, and the 2016 version comes for less than fifty dollars these days. The newest version has a motion controller, which means that the Gear VR is up to par with the Daydream in hardware and interface.

Check the best deals Gear VR deals on Amazon

Gear VR

The Oculus store has a reasonable selection of apps, but hardly as much as Daydream. This is rather a disadvantage. If you have a Samsung phone, and cannot opt for DayDream, the Gear VR does provide a reasonable experience, but I would still recommend getting a cheap Google cardboard so that you can access Google cardboard apps.


The Homido Mini

Homido MiniThis is a good one, small enough to fit into one’s hand. There’s no box, no headset, just a couple of lenses that clip on to your phone. It’s relatively cheap, at less than ten dollars.

However, there are actually a lot of folding lens-based VR viewers out there that are even cheaper.

Explore the best Homido Mini deals on Amazon


Google Tech C1 Glass

A little more expensive than the Homido Mini at around twenty five dollars, but with considerable advantages, the Google Tech C1 Glass is a very good choice. The advantage lies in stability. The Homido has just one arm, and this can shift position on the phone if you’re not careful.

Google Tech C1 Glass

However, the Google Tech C1 Glass is just as compact, but holds on to the phone with two arms. The best part about these ‘open sided’ headsets is that you have full access to the phone’s controls, all the time.

Explore the best deals on the Google Tech C1 Glass on Amazon


The Powis Headsets

These are very slick, and great if you want a cheap but impressive headset for corporate events, or to give away with a product. There are massive discounts on these headsets if you buy them in quantity from the company. The Powis Headsets

They are also folding, which means they can be stored flat. Powis headsets without a built in button are very cheap, but the V2 Powis is very good because it has a control button conveniently located on top of the headset.

This is the version of the Powis that is most recommended – don’t buy any other, because flaws in previous versions have been corrected here. The Powis custom headset is also a very good device, ergonomically manufactured to fit into the hand comfortably, and with a very intuitive design.


Other Headsets

There’s ‘I am Cardboard’, which is actually made of cardboard. Others in this category are ‘Unofficial Cardboard’, KnoxLabs, and Mr. Cardboard. The Cobra VR is also reasonable. There are plenty of others at a very reasonable price, but the ones above are really the best. If you experiment with other headsets, make sure you have three things covered..

  • The lenses should preferably be adjustable.
  • There should be a control button, and preferably not a magnet button, which can fall off.
  • There should – preferably – be a strap that could hold the headset on.

7 Must-Watch VR Videos on YouTube

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While there are plenty of videos available on YouTube that are either 360 degree videos or 3D videos, or both, and all of them are compatible with a VR headset, not all of them are in the same league. While an Oculus Rift or an HTC Vive would be preferable to view these with, they can also be viewed with just about any Cardboard close as well. Let’s take a look at a selection of videos that stand out from the rest!


Flight in Tanna

Let’s start with something simple. This is a lovely 3D movie of an unpowered flight. Soar across landscapes like a bird and look out upon the world. This is a 360 degree video too, so you can look around as your glider moves across mountains and valleys and towards a lake in the distance. If a video is only as good as the emotion it creates, then this simple video is certainly a good one, as you look over a planet that is far removed from your point of view, which, for as long as the video lasts, is that of the eagles themselves.


On the Edge of Forever

If you liked the previous flight, you’re going to love this one. The camera is tethered to a balloon due to travel to the very edge of space. You start out at ground level, and suddenly you’re soaring upward, moving towards the stars at nearly 70 mph. And the planet unfolds before you. As you soar higher, you can see the curvature of the earth, and the edge of the universe itself as it touches the atmosphere of our planet.


Exploring the Hadron Collider

Explore the wonders of perhaps the largest scientific device in the world, and see how particles are smashed to discover the building blocks of the universe itself. This 360 degree video will give you a very real idea of the massive size of the collider, as well as a reasonable grasp of how it works and what it’s meant to do. A fine combination of the awe-inspiring and the educational.


Landscapes of Dali

Step into a world strange and twisted, as the surrealist paintings of Salvador Dali come to life in glorious 3D. The landscape is alien, imaginative, brilliant and perhaps a trifle terrifying. All of Dali’s paintings have been turned into virtual worlds for everyone to explore. Step into one such world… right now.


Exploring the Microcosmic

Step into another universe – the microcosmic realm that lies within the cells of a living being like yourself. Learn of the almost mystical processes that are the basis of life, as you explore a realm that can be explored in such detail in no other way. VR opens doors to strange realities.

Here’s another fascinating video of the world within the cell. This one is a 3D 360 degree video, with a brilliantly educational narrative in the background.


Swimming with Dolphins

And finally, step into the world of perhaps the most intelligent species on the planet. Did you know that a species of dolphin has twice as many neurons (brain cells) as a human? Or that they have been shown to be capable of mastering grammar, and could well have a complex language of their own that humans have been unable to decode.

Did you know that each dolphin has its own unique name? Or that they use ultrasonic bio-weaponry to stun prey?

So here then, are one of the most intriguing species on planet Earth, and one that humans do seem to value – as the dolphins seem to value humans in return. Is this then the first contact between two rational species? Both evolving on the very same planet?

It very well might be so.

We hope you enjoyed that journey of discovery into the wondrous world of VR. While these videos were interesting, there are thousands more just waiting to be discovered. So get out there and explore the wondrous worlds of Virtual Reality.

The Best Christmas Themed VR Experiences

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Christmas is supposed to be the time of the year that people devote to their families and friends. A time for spending time together, giving gifts, and building memories. If you’re passionate about VR, or even curious about it, you might consider making it a part of your Christmas experience this season.

Christmas Themed VR Experiences 1

A Christmas in Virtual Reality?

Is that even a possibility? Why ever not – especially as in VR, a Christmas season can be whatever you wish it to be. With VR headsets becoming increasingly cheaper, it’s possible for the whole family to share Christmas-themed VR experiences.

Let’s start with this amazing video, as you and your family ride Santa’s sleigh from his secret base in the North Pole…

But that was only an appetizer. The possibilities are really endless…

Christmas Eve VR Cardboard

If sharing experiences is what you feel Christmas is all about, then this app is the one for you. The app has a number of traditional Christmas experiences that a family could share. There’s a beautiful Virtual Christmas Tree that the family can decorate together. One can even leave a treat for Santa to find, which can be a lot of fun for children.

There are old Christmas tunes that everyone loves incorporated into the app, as well as a ‘camera’ function that allows you to photograph your Christmas in VR. Since all this app requires is a Google Cardboard headset, it’s a very cost effective way for the family to enjoy a VR experience at Christmas.

Christmas Themed VR Experiences

Google’s Santa Tracker

This is a small game inside the Santa Tracker app that is a lot of fun. The app also has quite a lot of other interesting features that you can take a look at before going on to toss snowballs in the little mini-game. It’s a lot of fun. But what if it’s snowing outside? Wouldn’t it be better to just toss real snowballs? Perhaps, but the app is a lot of fun, allowing you to play in the snow, while in the warmth of your own living room. Where else could you toss snowballs in your pyjamas, but in VR?

Let’s take a break from the apps to explore another wonderfully Christmas-y video…

Fancy Skiing VR

This VR skiing app was created for the HTC Vive, and the realism of the graphics needs to be seen to be appreciated. It can be played whether you own a Rift or a Vive, and the motion controllers for both can be configured to the game, which means that if you own a pair of motion controllers, you can actually play the game while using the motion controllers as ski poles. Leaning to either side also helps control as you move down a whole range of different mountains. It’s a lovely VR experience for Christmas, and all without having to leave your home.

On the other hand, some people like a change. So how about a Christmas in Vienna?

Go Anti-Santa

Well, Santa is the quintessential Christmas good-guy, and sometimes that unbreakable image can get on some people’s nerves. If you’re one of these anti-social types who detests the ‘man in red,’ then perhaps the ‘I hate Santa’ app is the one for you. This app works with just about every headset in the market, so you can play it no matter what option you own. The game is intriguing, and you get to play an Ebenezer Scrooge in your very own variation of Dickens’ ‘A Christmas Carol’. And speaking of Christmas Carols, there’s…

A Christmas Carol VR

This is a lovely app, full of the spirit of Christmas. It’s set in a lovely cottage from the 1930s, set in the midst of a valley in the country all covered with snow. Everything is warm and cozy, and this app will really help you and your family get into the spirit of the season. You can actually listen to an adaptation of Dickens’ immortal novel in a true Christmas ambiance.

And that’s only the beginning of the experiences you and your family could explore this Christmas – there are scores of apps and videos out there, to suit every taste. And when all is said and done, don’t forget to send someone this little VR Christmas Card…

Tips for Wearing Prescription Glasses Under the VR Headset

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Exposure to various screens around us in the digital world we live in is taking its toll. According to the data, 6 out of 10 people are wearing glasses.

Inside virtual reality, you are actually looking at a flat stereoscopic display, and the purpose of the two lenses that are built in the VR headset is to focus this “screen” on a fixed distance, about an arm’s length away. In other words, when you look at the object that is farther away or closer in VR, you aren’t really changing focus, but only the angle.

This essentially means – if you are short/far-sighted, you will have to wear prescription glasses or lenses in order to enjoy virtual reality.

Get to know the headset’s dimensions

This is what you should do before buying the VR headset. The first and most logical solution to the problem at hand is to wear glasses under your VR headset.

Oculus Rift and HTC Vive are both 15cm wide, but the Rift’s height is 6.4cm compared to Vive’s 5cm. On Oculus’ official website you can see the required width and height of your glass frames which will allow you to wear the headset – width of 142m or less and height of 50mm or less.

PSVR offers a lot more room, and in most cases you won’t have any issues wearing your glasses under this VR headset, except if your choice of glassware are those really bulky, funny-looking hipster glasses. The same goes for Gear VR as well.

Another dimension you should have in mind is the depth of the headset. We talked about how to protect VR lenses, so in order to avoid scratching both your glasses, but also the VR lenses, we strongly suggest that you read the aforementioned article.

Another thing you should practice when putting the headset on while wearing the glasses is always to go front-to-back, meaning you should align the face-plate of the headset first, and then the strap to the back of your head.

Conclusion – your glasses need to be small enough in order to fit them under your VR headset. Take measurements, and make sure that you have about 0.5 – 1.0 centimetres of spare space in each direction. Getting $10 lens protectors is also a good idea if you want to ensure your eyewear doesn’t damage the VR lenses.

Prescription lenses work perfectly

If you have already purchased your VR headset without checking the dimensions/compatibility with your glasses first, only to find out that your eyewear doesn’t fit under it – don’t be alarmed, there is always the alternative solution. This time the alternative – prescription lenses – is much more convenient and comfortable than wearing glasses under VR headset at any cost. The downside – you have to buy the lenses, obviously.

With the lack of official manufacturer support, third party companies seized the opportunity and decided to work on the solution many glass wearers encounter with VR headsets.

VR Lens Lab was the first to come up with the solution – prescription VR lenses specifically designed for HTC Vive, Oculus Rift and the lens protectors for PSVR. All the lenses are calculated for each individual in order to bring out the best experience for the headset of your choice.

For a while, VR Lens Lab was the only manufacturer of this merchandise, but recently Widmo VR joined the market. Some competition among the companies making desired products is always good, especially for the customers.

On Widmo VR’s website you can currently buy Rift Prescription Lenses Adapter at the price of $65 and the Rift Cover (extra soft) for $19.99, but they will surely soon broaden their offer and include the products required by the owners of different headsets.

Organizing a Successful VR Event for Your Business

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Whatever your line of business is, setting up a VR event to showcase your product and its capabilities to your clients is a very good idea. There are several reasons for this, which we’ll go into in detail.

But the best reason of all is that businesses that cannot chart the future soon find themselves a part of the past. And, ladies and gentlemen, the future is here…

Dominating names in industry are already using VR and AR to push forward their products and ideas. But the fact is that these technologies are already within the grasp of the average industry. And if that is so, how long will it be before competitors are using these marketing tactics against each other?

VR has the potential to multiply your sales

Firstly, VR allows you to demonstrate your product and what it has to offer in ways and dimensions that no other presentation system could possibly match. The simple fact is that VR sells better than anything else.

But there is another reason to launch a VR event, and that is that it is cutting edge technology, and your competitors are probably not doing it yet.

Just about every industry on the planet today has to deal with cut-throat competition, and hosting a VR event that showcases your product can be your way of staying one step ahead of the competition, at least at the present moment.

That brings us to the logistics of actually hosting a VR event.

The main question that you’re faced with when discussing logistics is whether you want to go high end or low end. Let me explain.

There are two types of headsets on the market today, the low end headsets that are basically a case that houses your smartphone, and which use its diplay to create the VR experience, and the high end headsets, like the Oculus Rift or HTC Vive.

oculus rift or htc vive for business

Our personal recommendation is that you go high end.

While the low end headsets are great for a casual VR experience at home, the high end headsets create an astonishingly realistic experience that will impress your clients and truly sell your products.

The HTC Vive is especially good for business presentations, because with its touch controllers your customers can actually interact with different objects in VR to create a deeply personal experience.

That will make a deep impression on them, and set them to thinking about your product not only during the presentation, but for a good period of time afterwards. Remember that the uniqueness of the experience is what we remember most.

VR presentations for business

When you present your product using a brilliant, state of the art product like the Oculus Rift, or the HTC Vive, you’re not merely creating a presentation, you’re creating a deeply unique experience that will impress itself upon your customer’s mind, and which he or she will remember again and again through the weeks to come.

There is no better way to sell a product effectively than to ensure that your customer remembers it again and again in the weeks to come.

Industries that can benefit from VR presentations range from engineering and design to the tourism sector and hotel industry. No matter what your economic sector, you can get a lead on the competition by enhancing your marketing with VR today.

Augmented reality vs Virtual Reality - AR vs VR

Both the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive are cost effective and easily available. And deliver the results you need.

Cutting costs while shifting marketing to VR

Let’s talk costs. You want to use VR in your presentations, but you don’t want to encounter the cost of purchasing twenty high end VR headsets like the Oculus Rift.

Well, the good news is that you don’t have to purchase twenty headsets. All you have to do is arrange your presentation in such a manner that you don’t have to use more than five.

Five VR headsets, are a reasonable investment, and well worth the price for a company that wants to compete successfully with other companies in the same field – all of whom are probably going to be using VR in their presentations sooner or later.

So we’ll go back to what I was saying about using a smaller number of VR headsets in your presentation.

You need to break your presentation team up a bit to make this work.

One section of the team can handle a real life presentation, where knowledgeable people from your company speak with clients about the product. Then another section of the team can handle the VR presentation with around five headsets, while a third team handles questions that the clients may have after the presentation.

Doing this breaks down your audience so that the actual VR presentation will require fewer headsets. We believe that five VR headsets would be more than adequate for a presentation of this sort. Test the waters with a small purchase before you take the plunge.

VR demonstrations

Getting up a presentation in VR

That brings us to the practicalities of actually putting together a VR presentation in the first place. Creating a VR presentation is not really too different from creating an ordinary presentation, from a design point of view, and where the software is concerned, uses virtually the same sorts of software as are used to create normal presentations.

So, you can either create the presentation in-house or outsource it to a multimedia company. If your company already does presentations in-house, switching to VR will not be a problem for your design team. I could create a VR presentation myself, quickly and easily, working with VR movies and with software like Maya. It’s that easy.

So if you’d like to outsource your presentation, there are a lot of up-and-coming VR companies that will gladly create your presentation at a very reasonable price.

Cutting costs when making VR Presentations

One thing that can massively cut costs, as well as improve your presentations by allowing you to make 360 degree videos in true 3D, is a stereoscopic panoramic video camera like VUZE. This is fairly cheap, and easily available.

VUZE stereoscopic 3D 360 degree camera for business presentations

A camera like this will allow your company’s design team to film your own presentations and then stitch the stereoscopic videos together to create a smooth and composite experience for your clients.

By demonstrating how your product works on site in true 3D 360-degree Virtual Reality, you can demonstrate to them that it is the product on the market best able to serve their needs.

And that is all you need to convince someone that your product is capable of, to convince them to buy your product.

VR AR business marketing