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Tuesday, October 18, 2016

OnePlus 3 Launch Will Take Place in VR Grab Your Free Headset Now!

10:16 PM 3, free, grab, headset, in, launch, now, oneplus, place, take, vr, will, your

OnePlus 3 Launch Will Take Place in VR Grab Your Free Headset Now!

OnePlus is gearing up to announce their new phone, the OnePlus 3. In doing so, they are once again going to stream the launch event in VR, just as they did last year, only this time they are “upping the ante.” Instead of handing out free Cardboard units to bring you all the VR experience, they are going all out with Gear VR-like headsets made in partnership with AntVR.

They are calling this the Loop VR Headset, because it will help them host a launch event that OnePlus says takes place in the future, at their space headquarters called “The Loop.” As you can see from the image above, this is a full-blown plastic headset that straps to your head while holding your phone.

At this time, we do not know when the OnePlus 3 will be unveiled, but if OnePlus is announcing this new VR launch today, it could be very soon. Last year, they announced the VR launch in late June and then announced the phone in late July. Are we a month away from the OnePlus 3?

As for the VR headsets, OnePlus is once again giving 30,000 of them away. You are reading that correctly. OnePlus said they are “upping the ante” and certainly seems to be doing that by giving away these new Loop VR Headsets that most definitely cost more than cardboard to assemble. If you want one, they are handing them out this very minute.

Grab your free headset here.

Via: OnePlus

YouTube App Being Rebuilt for Daydream Google’s VR Platform

1:44 AM app, being, daydream, for, google’s, platform, rebuilt, vr, youtube

YouTube App Being Rebuilt for Daydream Google’s VR Platform

As announced during yesterday morning’s keynote, Google is rebuilding its YouTube app, making it more enjoyable for those who plan on using the service with virtual reality. The announcement goes hand-in-hand with the unveiling of Daydream, the company’s VR platform for Android devices.

Once the changes are live and Daydream is available to consumers, a revamped UI will be seen, just like the own shown in the header image above. Explained by YouTube, the goal is provide an, “easier, more immersive way to find and experience virtual reality content on YouTube.”

The YouTube app will still feature the things you know and enjoy, such as voice search, easy discovery, as well as your playlists of videos. Once live, it will all just be tweaked to better work inside of a VR headset. Naturally, if you aren’t using VR, the YouTube UI won’t be changing.

YouTube claims they have been working with many creators to have a ton of VR and 360-degree video content available at the time of Daydream’s launch. Additionally, YouTube is collaborating with the NBA, BuzzFeed, and Tastemade to deliver all new experiences to VR users.

Like everything else from Google I/O this year, expect to try it for yourself later this year in Q3.

Via: YouTube

Google Current Smartphones Unlikely to be Supported by Daydream VR Platform

1:12 AM be, by, current, daydream, google, platform, smartphones, supported, to, unlikely, vr

Google Current Smartphones Unlikely to be Supported by Daydream VR Platform

Google’s overseer of Virtual Reality, Clay Bavor, states that folks looking to get into Daydream, the Android VR platform, should hold off on upgrading their smartphone for a couple of months. For anyone who wanted to upgrade within the next few weeks, if VR is an important purchasing factor, you may want to take Bavor’s advice. According to Bavor, it is “unlikely” that many current devices, or any at all, will be “Daydream-ready” out of the box when the platform is made available to consumers later this year.

Stated by Bavor, “I can tell you that there will most likely not be any retroactively Daydream-ready phones.” Apparently, Google’s standards for internal components to support Daydream are so high, many of the current devices on the market, such as the Galaxy S7 and HTC 10, may not make the cut. Bavor continued with, “We want to hold a very high quality bar, and for that to happen all of the components need to be just right. So, to VR fans, I would say, hold off for a few months to get your next phone… and get a Daydream-ready phone.”

Google has yet to publicly announce what exactly separates a “Daydream-ready” smartphone from an already available high-end smartphone, but the company did list a few general bullet points for what is inside a would-be Daydream device. Phones will need low-persistence displays, a high performance SoC (system on a chip), as well as a myriad of low latency and high quality sensors. Also note that a phone must be running Android N to enable the VR Mode that is required for Daydream to work properly. Even with this information available, we still don’t know the exact requirements or if any current flagship device carries them. While most current high-end devices would meet the SoC and display needs, it’s likely that the built-in sensors are not quite up to the standards Google is requiring. Right now, specifically for developers, Google lists only the Nexus 6P as a supported device for Daydream development, but Bavor did not state whether or not it would be supported once Daydream is officially available.

Alongside the announcement of Daydream, Google listed a few partners who would have Daydream-ready smartphones later in the year, including ZTE (the company announced its first Daydream-ready phone this week), Samsung, LG, HTC, and more. If getting into virtual reality is something you have been contemplating, and don’t want to wait for a Daydream-ready smartphone, you can purchase a Galaxy S7 and Gear VR headset.

Let’s see hands for who all is fine waiting until Google’s partners release their Daydream-ready phones. Anyone?

Via: Road to VR

ZTE Announces the Flagship Level Affordable Axon 7 One of the First Daydream VR Phones

4:07 AM 7, affordable, announces, axon, daydream, first, flagship, level, of, one, phones, the, vr, zte

ZTE Announces the Flagship Level Affordable Axon 7 One of the First Daydream VR Phones

ZTE took the wraps off its new flagship phone this morning, the Axon 7. The phone, like most ZTE phones, is being positioned as an unlocked phone with high-end specs and an affordable price. Unfortunately, ZTE isn’t ready to share specifics on the price, but they are revealing the specs, which are very much so in the incredibly high-end category.

The ZTE Axon 7 features a 5.5-inch QHD AMOLED display, Snapdragon 820 processor, 20MP f/1.8 rear camera with optical image stabilization (OIS), 8MP f/2.2 front camera, 3250mAh battery with Quick Charge 3.0, USB Type-C port, dual speaker setup with a dual Hi-Fi chipset (Dolby Atmos surround sound), and fingerprint reader. As for storage and RAM, ZTE is releasing two models, one with 4GB RAM and 64GB storage, along with another that has 6GB RAM and 128GB storage. Each model also has a microSD slot.

See what I mean? That’s about as high-end as it gets.

zte axon 7

Now, about that price. All ZTE will say is that there is “value” here and that the price will be lower than other flagship smartphones of today. That should mean a sub $500 price, but are you willing to get into a ZTE phone over something like the Nexus 6P to save $50 or so? I’ll let you decide on that.

As for availability, the Axon 7 hits China today and will then make its way to other markets, including the US, in the coming weeks. Once it arrives here, you will be able to buy it from zteusa.com, Amazon, Best Buy, B&H Photo, eBay, and Newegg. The Axon 7 will be available in either gold or silver.

Which carriers will it work on? Out of the box, it will for sure work on T-Mobile and AT&T, because of its GSM connectivity. However, ZTE says that it has the ability to work on both Sprint and Verizon. At this time, they aren’t guaranteeing that the phone will receive certification for use on those networks, only that it might “possibly” happen later in the year.

zte axon 7

Along side the announcement of the Axon 7, ZTE announced that they created a VR headset to pair with it, since this phone is one of the first Google Daydream-ready devices. After looking at those specs and seeing that the Axon 7 sports a QHD AMOLED display, it makes sense that it would be ready for Google’s new VR platform.

zte axon 7 vr

It’s certainly a pretty phone with great specs and tons of potential. But again, can ZTE get your cash over someone like Google or HTC or even Samsung for that matter?

Google Confirms That It is Making a VR Headset for Daydream

3:05 AM a, confirms, daydream, for, google, headset, is, it, making, that, vr

Google Confirms That It is Making a VR Headset for Daydream

This morning, during the “VR at Google” session here at Google I/O, Google’s VP of virtual reality, Clay Bavor, confirmed that the company is making its own VR headset. He didn’t provide specifics (like name or release date), only that they are indeed working on a product that is outside of the reference design they built for other manufacturers to use.

During the session, Google also showed off the Daydream controller and how it will work in a virtual environment. Unlike Samsung’s Gear VR that uses a pad on the side of the head unit for interacting, Google’s vision is of separate headset and handheld motion controller.

In the video below, you can see just how that action might play out.

For reference, here is an image of the reference design that Google was talking about. You can see the simple headset design next to a controller that looks a lot like something that might be built for Android TV. Or maybe you are seeing a lot of the Gear VR here, which would also make sense.

daydream android vr

I’m certainly excited about Google’s VR work, but can’t help but feel a little underwhelmed at the moment. You can only get so hyped for a product that doesn’t actually exist yet. And honestly, that’s sort of the take away at the moment from this year’s I/O – future products that we are dying to play with but can’t.

Via: Google Developers

Samsung Working on Dedicated Controller for Gear VR

1:16 AM controller, dedicated, for, gear, on, samsung, vr, working

Samsung Working on Dedicated Controller for Gear VR

The one thing that the Gear VR experience is currently missing is, surprisingly, not content. There is actually plenty of that. In reality, Gear VR needs a controller, one that allows users to better interact with aforementioned Samsung and 3rd-party developer content. Right now, a user must fiddle with the touchpad on the side of the Gear VR headset, and in a few apps and games, that is simply not an intuitive experience. One of the reasons we enjoy playing with HTC Vive are the controllers, which makes playing games much more enjoyable, instead of twisting our heads about and pressing on the side of our headset.

According to leaked renders, Samsung is finally at work on a dedicated controller device for the Gear VR. As shown in the images, the controller will feature an analog joystick, action buttons (X,A,B,Y), three-lined menu button in the direct center, as well as two top-facing left and right bumper (trigger) controls. Additionally, the last render also details that the controller is attachable to the headset when not in use.

Now, a controller is certainly a good start, but in my opinion, a wand is much more suitable for many VR experiences. With a wand you could point and click on items when in your virtual world, instead of a controller which is merely an uninspired replica of the console gaming experience. Vive has wands. Wii has a wand. For VR, a wand makes sense. Yes, a gaming controller certainly has its own place in VR, but a wand should come first. Call it Gear Wand – that’s badass.

Samsung has yet to confirm it is building a controller (or wand) for Gear VR.

Do you own a Gear VR? You tell me, would you want a gaming controller or wand?

Gear-VR-Controller Gear-VR-Controller-2 Gear-VR-Controller-3

Via: SamMobile | Samsung Mania

Android VR Headset Said to Launch at Google I O be “Better” Than Gear VR

12:33 AM “better”, android, at, be, gear, google, headset, i, launch, o, said, than, to, vr

Android VR Headset Said to Launch at Google I O be “Better” Than Gear VR

With Google I/O quickly approaching, we’ve been wondering how Google planned to surprise us. With Android N already alive and in preview 2, it wasn’t going to be with that, though we may still get a preview 3 next week. With the current line-up of Nexus devices still fresh enough, we aren’t expecting to see 2016 models yet either. So what could the big reveal be, if there is one? According to Peter Rojas of Gizmodo, Engadget, and various other tech venture fame, it’ll be with Android VR.

Rojas took to Twitter this morning to say that “Android VR will definitely be announced next week” and that it will be “better than Gear VR.” He also noted that this is a stand-alone device that runs off of a smartphone, like the Samsung Gear VR, so don’t expect it to be close to the Vive and Oculus experiences.

Here are the tweets:

android vr peter rojas

We aren’t sure what prompted the mention from Rojas, but a redditor form yesterday did see a mention of “AndroidVR” in a list of release notes for the latest Unreal Engine preview. That could just mean that Unreal Engine is creating some sort of Android related VR product, but after the notes were called into focus, they quickly changed them, removing any mention of “AndroidVR.”

Keep in mind that this isn’t the first time we have heard about Google making a Gear VR competitor. A report back in February suggested the same, telling us to expect it later this year, along with native Android VR software built-in to Android. That report also mentioned that it might be an upgrade over Gear VR with “better sensors, lenses, and a more solid plastic casing.”

As a VR hater who has come around to appreciating the technology (Vive addict here), this is pretty exciting news if Google can do this right, build out a legitimate Gear VR competitor, and figure out how to get content creators on board. Because in the end, VR is only as good as the content available.

Ooh, Google I/O is shaping up nicely.

Apps Pokemon

Tuesday, October 18, 2016

OnePlus 3 Launch Will Take Place in VR Grab Your Free Headset Now!

OnePlus 3 Launch Will Take Place in VR Grab Your Free Headset Now!

Via: OnePlus

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Tuesday, September 20, 2016

YouTube App Being Rebuilt for Daydream Google’s VR Platform

YouTube App Being Rebuilt for Daydream Google’s VR Platform

Via: YouTube

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Saturday, September 17, 2016

Google Current Smartphones Unlikely to be Supported by Daydream VR Platform

Google Current Smartphones Unlikely to be Supported by Daydream VR Platform

Via: Road to VR

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Friday, September 9, 2016

ZTE Announces the Flagship Level Affordable Axon 7 One of the First Daydream VR Phones

ZTE Announces the Flagship Level Affordable Axon 7 One of the First Daydream VR Phones

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Google Confirms That It is Making a VR Headset for Daydream

Google Confirms That It is Making a VR Headset for Daydream

Via: Google Developers

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Sunday, August 21, 2016

Samsung Working on Dedicated Controller for Gear VR

Samsung Working on Dedicated Controller for Gear VR

Via: SamMobile | Samsung Mania

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Thursday, August 18, 2016

Android VR Headset Said to Launch at Google I O be “Better” Than Gear VR

Android VR Headset Said to Launch at Google I O be “Better” Than Gear VR

Via: @PeterRojas | reddit

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