360 rumors

Here's a review of the 2017 Samsung Gear VR, and how it differs from the 2016 Gear VR (yes, there are a few differences) and Google Daydream.  Also: which is better for the Gear VR: a Samsung S8 or S8+? Not counting Google Cardboard, Samsung Gear VR is the most popular VR headset, with over 5 million users as of January 2017.  If you haven't tried it, it's easy to dismiss it as an overpriced cardboard headset, but you would be mistaken -- it's totally different, and the experience is much closer to desktop VR than Google Cardboard. The 2017 Gear VR is not much different from the original Gear VR in terms of its immersion, so I'll refer you to my original Gear VR review here .  Instead, this post will focus on the differences between the 2017 Gear VR and the 2016 Gear VR as well as Google Cardboard. SAMSUNG GEAR VR  2016 vs 2017 The primary difference between the 2016 and 2017 Gear VR is the motion controller.   The controller has several buttons: - a trigger but...

Kandao Obsidian is a professional 360 camera that can capture 6K 3D 360 video.  A Kandao representative posted a sample from the Obsidian. Here is the Facebook post, including the link to the files: They also made a down-rezzed 4K version available for viewing on a Samsung Gear VR. What do you think of the sample?  Let me know in the comments!  Thank you very much to Agnius Narkevičius for bringing this to my attention!

Young360 created a very good tutorial for watching YouTube in full resolution on the Samsung Gear VR headset . Samsung Gear VR ( reviewed here ) is the most popular VR headset, with 5 million users as of January 2017.  It is my favorite platform for watching 360 videos because of its much more accurate head tracking compared to Google Cardboard (Oculus Rift and HTC Vive also offer accurate head tracking but 360 videos don't utilize positional tracking anyway, so there's little incremental benefit from using a Rift or Vive to watch YouTube). However, one of the Gear VR's peccadilloes is that when watching YouTube videos (in 360 or otherwise), the resolution would often be less than the highest available resolution.  At the same time, Google doesn't want to create a YouTube app for Gear VR because Gear VR is competing directly with Google Daydream (which does have a YouTube app). Thankfully, Oculus has updated the Gear VR's software to make it easier to watch YouTube...

The Otterbox Commuter is a very good smartphone case for those who Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream users because it's very easy to remove and re-install, while also offering great protection .  See the video! I just got a Samsung S8 Plus (I'll tell you guys why next time) and I was looking for a case that's easy to remove but would also provide good protection.  After trying a few different cases, including the Otterbox Defender, the one I like the best so far is the Otterbox Commuter. Here is a video: As you can see from the video, the Otterbox Commuter is very easy to remove and to re-install. At the same time, it offers great protection for which Otterbox is famous.  It also won't block the no-bezel infinity display of the Samsung S8.  The biggest downside is probably the cost.  Simply said, it's not cheap, but then again, neither is it cheap to replace a damaged phone.... The Otterbox Commuter is available here: - Samsung - iPhone - Google Pixel - other ...

Felix and Paul Studios are raising the ante with an underwater 360 video based on Cirque du Soleil's "O." Felix and Paul Studios have been creating 360 videos that have been featured for the Oculus Rift and Samsung Gear VR .  They've been commissioned to create several 360 videos for Cirque du Soleil, such as Ka: the Battle Within , Zarkana , and Inside the Box of Kurios . Their newest 360 video for the Cirque du Soleil is a technical tour de force.  Entitled "Dreams of O," it is based on Cirque du Soleil's water-themed show "O," and includes underwater sequences. Besides requiring a 360 camera rig that can be used underwater, the video also created challenges for lighting and color. Dreams of O is available as a free download for Samsung Gear VR on the Oculus Store .

Nolo VR (hands-on here) is a peripheral for mobile VR headsets that adds positional tracking.  They just posted a new video showing the system being used to run NVidia Funhouse, a Steam VR game for the HTC Vive and Oculus Rift . Here's the video: In contrast to my hands-on experience at CES (where there was a lot of radio interference), the video appears to show only a little lag, if any.  Nolo VR said they used a Samsung S6 and Samsung Gear VR for the demo.

Nolo can add roomscale VR with motion controllers to any mobile VR headset, and it is also incredibly affordable. Current mobile VR headsets ( Samsung Gear VR ,  Google Daydream , and Google Cardboard) are limited to head tracking with 3 degrees of freedom.  You can move your head in any direction but it cannot track your forward-backward, side-to-side, or upward-downward movements.  Meanwhile, desktop VR systems ( Oculus Rift , HTC Vive , and Playstation VR ) have positional tracking with 6 degrees of freedom, but they cost much more. Nolo by LYRobotix helps to bridge the gap between mobile VR's affordability and desktop VR's more sophisticated tracking capabilities by adding 6 degrees of freedom to any mobile VR headset. Nolo consists of a base station, a head tracking unit and two motion controllers. It uses a combination of ultrasonic and optical tracking and RF signals to track the headset and two controllers in a space up to 13 feet by 13 feet (even larger than the ...

Samsung's press conference focused primarily on their TV and home products. However, there were a few VR-related announcements. Samsung announced that the Gear VR has reached 5 million users and have watched 10 million hours of video. (No mention of the number of hours played on games.) With the possible exception of Google Cardboard, this would put Gear VR far ahead of all other VR systems combined, at least for now. There was no mention of an updated version of the Gear VR. Samsung also briefly mentioned the Gear 360 camera but did not talk about the rumored Gear 360 Pro. Otherwise, the only other items they discussed that were related to 360 cameras or VR are Chromebook Plus and Chromebook Pro, two new laptops that can run not only Chrome OS apps but also Android apps. These new Chromebooks would make it easier  to edit 360 photos and videos with a purely mobile workflow.

Today is the last day for the Oculus Store Winter Sale which has huge discounts on many games for Oculus Rift, Samsung Gear VR and HTC Vive (via Revive).  Here are the ones I've tried. I have several of the games that are in the winter sale.  I've arranged them approximately in the order that I like them (my taste leans toward casual games).  Note: unless otherwise noted , buying the Gear VR version of a game will not give you the Rift version, and vice-versa. OCULUS RIFT / HTC VIVE (before buying, pls. check for Revive compatibility ): Superhot VR : take on an army of agents, as you control time to execute perfect attacks and dodges.  I got the non-VR version of this game by accident on Steam and didn't get a refund in time, so I was pretty annoyed about paying for it "again."  But when it went on sale I did get it, and it is indeed incredibly fun.  If you have a Rift or Vive and you have any interest in action games, it's a must-download. Damaged Core : o...

The state of VR right now is better than what skeptics would like you to believe.  More importantly, things will get even better from here. All the major VR systems have been released: Oculus Rift  (with  Oculus Touch ), HTC Vive , and Playstation VR for the desktop, and Samsung Gear VR and Google Daydream for mobile.  Yet VR is still relatively uncommon, there are still no killer apps, and more importantly, it appears that very few companies are making a lot of money from it.  There are some skeptics who are therefore declaring that VR is a bubble that has burst.  Here's why I'm still optimistic about VR. IS VR A BUBBLE? First, let's talk about some of the reasons that have been used to claim that VR is a bubble that has burst. 1.   VR is still uncommon .  Almost everyone has heard of VR, but there are still very few people who actually have a VR headset outside of the early adopter crowd.  Very few people I know have even a Google Cardbo...

The Oculus Winter Sale is now going on with dozens of games on sale for the Oculus Rift + Oculus Touch , and Samsung Gear VR !  BTW, HTC Vive users can also use some of the Rift software via Revive.  Plus, Steam will have its own winter sale starting tomorrow! First here are the 24-hour sales for Dec. 20 (check daily to see the different deals): - The Climb (Oculus Rift; regularly $49.99, on sale for $24.99): a rock climbing game.  I found it to be a highly immersive game. - Eve Valkyrie (Oculus Rift; regularly $59.99, on sale for $29.99): a space dogfight game. - Dreadhalls (Gear VR; regularly $4.99, on sale for $0.99): a horror survival game where you are trapped in a labyrinth.  Great for its terrifying atmosphere but I got nauseated playing it due to the artificial locomotion.  There's a demo available - try before you buy. - Annie Amber (Gear VR; regularly $7.99, on sale for $1.99): a sci-fi exploration / puzzle game, where you solve puzzles...

There have been many new games and apps for the Samsung Gear VR in the last few months.  One of the most impressive new releases is Fusion Wars, an online co-op tank game with cross-platform gameplay. In Fusion Wars, you control a fast-moving futuristic tank against an army of robot tanks.  What makes it different from many other games on the Gear VR is that there's a cross-platform co-op mode for both the Gear VR and Oculus Rift . Another differentiating element is that you can 'slide' your tank, similar to drifting on a rally car.  Sliding allows you to strafe your enemies. The graphics are some of the best I've seen for a mobile VR game.  You know how some smartphone games look so good that the graphics can be mistaken for console games (like Infinity Blade and the recently released Super Mario Run)?  Fusion Wars is like that, and looks almost as good as BattleZone for the Playstation VR . Here is a screenshot from the Gear VR version: The Rift version ha...

The Construct is a free software that allows you to link 360 photos into a virtual tour. The Construct is a software that enables you to create virtual tours by linking 360 photos.  The tours can be seen on the web (here) or through viewers such as Samsung Gear VR or Google Cardboard using theViewer app ( Gear VR ; Android ; iOS ).   [As usual, please review the privacy settings before installing any app.] Here are sample virtual tours created from theConstruct . TheConstruct is currently free when you sign up on their website , and according to the developer, the basic functionality will remain free, but they will charge for customization options in the future. Thank you very much to Danny Mydlack for bringing this to my attention!

Starting today, you and your friends can meet and play in VR through Oculus Rooms and Parties for Gear VR (and coming soon for Oculus Rift ). Oculus released two new social apps for  Gear VR : Rooms and Parties. Oculus Rooms enables you and your friends to watch videos together, or jump to multiplayer games such as Dragon Front. Oculus Parties allow you and your friends to communicate in VR with a voice conference.  To use Party, just go to Oculus Home and click on the Party tab, then select the people you want to join the party. To use Parties, go to Oculus Home and look for the Parties tab below your profile.  Click on the three dots on the right side of one of your friends, then select Start a Party. To use Rooms, start a Party first, and from there join a Room. Oculus Rooms and Parties are currently available only for  Gear VR  but will also be rolled out to   Oculus Rift .  Rooms and Parties were announced at Oculus Connect 3 . BTW if you want ...

Hardware titans of the VR industry came together to form the Global Virtual Reality Association , but a major player was left out. The GVRA's members are manufacturers of VR headsets.  Here they are in alphabetical order: - Acer Starbreeze : a joint venture between Acer and Starbreeze AB to create Star VR, a headset for commercial use, with an all-encompassing 210-degree field of view. - Google VR : Google created Cardboard, which was instrumental to the rise of VR's popularity, and Daydream , its mobile VR platform.  Google also created Project Tango , a mobile augmented reality system. Google also owns YouTube, which is the most popular platform for sharing 360 videos, and Streetview, one of the most popular platforms for sharing 360 photos.  Google's Jump camera rig is also one of the leading cameras for recording broadcast-quality 3D 360 video. - HTC : manufacturer of the Vive , the only consumer VR headset designed from the ground up for roomscale VR. - Oculus (owne...

Shironeko VR is a nostalgic action RPG for the Samsung Gear VR (reviewed here)  in the tradition of SNES-era games such as Secret of Mana.  Did I mention it's free? ^_^ Everything from the art style, and music are reminiscent of Japanese action RPGs on the SNES and Playstation, except now they're in VR. The camera shows a "god's eye view" and is generally comfortable.  Occasionally, the screen scrolls which is mildly nauseating but these are very brief. Shironeko can be controlled with just the Samsung Gear VR's touchpad, but it's very difficult to do so.  It really needs a gamepad.  Fortunately, even if you don't have a gamepad, you can use another smartphone or tablet (iOS or Android) as a gamepad using Colopad, a controller app. As mentioned above, Shironeko is free to download on the Oculus store.

VR experiences are enhanced by its scale, e.g. room-scale or free-roam VR.  However, VR experiences can also be enhanced based on the level of interactivity.  The holy grail of interactivity is full body VR, where you can use your entire body to interact with the virtual environment. Enter Reality is an Italian VR startup company that has been able to demonstrate full body VR with the humble Samsung Gear VR .  In the demo video below, CEO Nicolas Esposito demonstrates being able to move around a room freely in VR, wirelessly.  He also shows full body VR, including his fingers and even legs. Not only does Enter Reality's system allow room scale and full body VR, but it also solves the issue with wires.  Rather than having users wear an expensive VR-capable laptop, Enter Reality combined the Samsung Gear VR with the Perception Neuron motion capture suit.  The Perception Neuron mocap suit uses tiny sensors, about the size of a penny, called "Neurons" -- each...

One of the first entertainers to embrace 360 video is Conan O' Brien, one of my favorite standup comedians.  Some skits on his Conan talk show on TBS are livestreamed in 360 on the Team Coco YouTube channel using four Nokio OZO cameras .   Past shows can be seen on the Conan360 playlist: If you have the Samsung Gear VR , you can also see them within the Samsung VR app, under the category Conan 360. Check it out!  The Aquaman skit (currently #7) is hilarious!   Warning : NSFW (but you shouldn't be watching VR at work anyway)!

For the very first time in history, you can watch the Olympics in VR, if you have the Samsung Gear VR and if you live in one of 29 countries. For US viewers, the instructions are here .  You may need to update your Oculus app to version 2.7.4. For UK viewers, the BBC Sports 360 app is available also for iOS and Android, not just Gear VR. Ironically, you won't be able to watch it on a desktop VR system such as the HTC Vive or Oculus Rift. I think it's because it's sponsored by Samsung.  If you have to buy a Gear VR headset, well at least it's cheaper than flying to Rio to watch the Olympics...

​ As previously announced , NBC will be showing the Olympics in VR for viewers who have Samsung Gear VR .  The app is now available at the Oculus store, however, the instructions are not very straightforward, so here is a clarification, with step-by-step instructions: 1. Download the NBC Sports app on Google Play (not Oculus store). 2. Open the NBC Sports app and authenticate your cable or satellite provider.  Just click on any content and it will prompt you to identify your cable or satellite provider.  You'll then be directed to your cable or satellite provider's site.  After you log in, the app will be authenticated. 3. In the NBC Sports app, you'll see some content that's identified as "Exclusive for Samsung Gear VR," like the example below.  The VR content will be available one day after the event, from Aug. 6 through Aug. 22. 4. ​When you click on the exclusive VR content, you'll be asked to put your phone in the Gear VR. 5. From the Oculus ...