DOWNTIME
PRODUCT REVIEW
179
AFFORDABLE VIRTUAL REALITY
words
Y
ou go to IMAX theaters.
You watch 3D movies.
You’ve even tried 4DX.
So what do you need
virtual reality glasses for?
2016 alone is seeing the
release of many VR headsets: the
HTC Vive, a Steam VR headset
made in collaboration with game
development company Valve; Oculus
Rift headsets and Oculus Touch
controllers; the Sony PlayStation
VR; the Samsung Gear VR; the
Razer OSVR. Of course, you could
always just get a Google Cardboard.
At US$99, the Samsung Gear
VR is one of the cheaper devices
on the market. Some call it Oculus
Rift lite, as the two companies
collaborated on this product. One
reason it’s cheap is because it’s
really just a case for your Samsung
phone, which you slide in front
of the lenses and attach to the
Micro USB dock. The other side is
REGINA LAYUG ROSERO
locked in with a clamp. Samsung
recommends using it with the Note
5, S6, S6 edge or the S6 edge+. Upon
connecting your Samsung phone to
the Gear VR, you’re prompted to
install the Samsung Oculus app.
The advantage of using a
Samsung phone is access to the
Oculus store, which has a lot of
very pretty games, apps, videos
and concepts. But plenty of generic
VR experiences can be found on
the Google Play Store, and can
be accessed using the Google
Cardboard app, from horror houses
to roller coasts, from city tours to
exotic landscapes. You could also
still use a non-Samsung phone, as
long as you don’t plug it into the
Micro USB dock. Just make sure
to lock it in securely so it doesn’t
fall out while you move around.
Those prone to motion sickness
have little to fear from the Gear VR.
Whether you’re swimming with
the fishes or shooting fighters in
space, the experience is immersive
and engaging. As long as your
phone doesn’t lag, the response
of the VR environment to your
movements should be instant;
it’s the delays in response that
cause nausea and dizziness.
Aside from the plethora of VR
experiences and games available
online, you can also use the
Gear VR to view at 360-degree
panoramic photos and videos. The
360-degree videos available on
YouTube range from red-carpet
interviews to documentaries,
allowing you to look around
the environment instead of
just focusing on one view.
It’s certainly an entertaining
gadget, and that price point makes it
extremely accessible. It’s definitely
cheaper than the Sony PlayStation
VR, which comes out in October
and is priced at US$399.
July - August 2016 | adobo magazine