Google Cardboard company has announced in the Google I / O conference in June 2014, and consists of two parts: a virtual reality (VR) headset, called technically scenes, and ecosystem programs that support it.
Not like Android Wear, it's one name applies to both hardware and software, and you will find often cardboard used to talk about the scenes made of cardboard, as well as applications that run in the world carton.
Google Cardboard is a virtual reality in its simplest form, designed to be a solution free of fuss and low cost to convert an existing device into one that can display content VR. In this sense, cardboard is empowerment in the end. But in another sense, is there anything of substance to play VR Google?
Google cardboard Review: Hardware
Review Google Cardboard opposed
With most systems VR there are some pieces of equipment you need. In this case - in this case
From these experiments a simple VR-based smartphones, it's the viewer. As the name suggests, Google Cardboard is just a piece of cardboard and two lenses in its purest form.
The viewers of cardboard and easy to get hold of, with many given with brands, especially in shops or at events companies. Really attractive thing for the viewer carton is that you do not pay out for something that's been made with a lot of spare parts, as it may be with some alternatives plastic.
The viewer is in the official Cardboard Figure II Gen. her, and sought to accommodate the larger size devices in the Google I / O conference in 2015, with the introduction of phones now up to 6 inches. You can buy a carton of so many places and in many cases for less than £ 10. Some viewers are delivered to support applications, and we are sure you will be seeing these things on a large scale in the future - Google says that 5 million people have so far been shipped.
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One thing to watch out for, however, is whether it's using the first or second general design. Apart from the size of the phone
This is absorbed, the big difference is the button. This is a clever application that allows interaction with the device that you put into it: the pressure on at the top of the button moves inside the crane capacitive touch-screen. It's the way that you choose or press on the screen, without stick your finger in the middle of it.
First Gen cardboard used magnets to confuse the compass sensor on your phone
Phone as a form of interaction, but there is also Google Cardboard scenes around that you do not have any form of interaction, and this is less than ideal. Look for works with Google Cardboard logo, or the button on top, to get the best experience.
The latest version of the viewer carton comes with a code to scan the bottom. In the case of our strength awakens Star Wars model, which tells the program what the viewer that you use so that they can achieve the best configuration.
Assembling cardboard viewer is about three steps, basically just sticking the bottom of some of the paintings. I was ready for then your smartphone slot into space in the front.
On a very basic level, there is no padding or head strap, so the viewer carton is largely dedicated: You'll have to hold the viewer on your face to display the content of the experience of playing on your phone
inside.
There is a downside to this arrangement: If there is light in the room, and this can seep in through the gaps around the face and the viewer and reflect off the lenses, and the erosion of the pictures you see. For best results, you'll want to use in darker conditions.
Works with Google Cardboard devices
As we said, carton is more than just physical cartoon scenes. There are plenty of choices for viewers that fall under the works with Google Cardboard system. Effectively, and the experience of the program is the same, but the hardware that may be used with different.
More importantly works with Google Cardboard program means that there is some consolidation which will offer you the best Google VR experience, because these are the criteria that are Cardboard program's design. A wide range of manufacturers with the Works with cardboard products, including some big names, such as with a Zeiss Zeiss VR One Mattel Show with MS.
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Some works with Google Cardboard products have their original program viewing, like watching the Masters, but the brands means that they operate within the carton ecosystem as well: the best of both worlds, if you will.
If you are looking to buy works with Google cardboard product, the important thing is that you have a smart phone compatible: If Zeiss, you need the correct stairs to the viewer that fits your phone. Clearly limit is that you are buying something that is not necessarily a buffer for the future: If you have the next
Does not fit your phone, you may not be able to use it. On the contrary, if you have an old
Phone which is compatible, you can turn it to the phone VR when you stop using it day after day.
However, many of these viewers more substantial VR to provide the amenities that the viewer basic cardboard does not, such as fillers face and perhaps head strap, leaving your hands free and provide better light seal, as mentioned above, but it does come at a cost.
Google cardboard Review: What is the best smartphone for VR?
Cardboard experience is defined by two elements. We talked about the scenes, but really smart is what cardboard needs to work. First, Google has been carton is designed to work with both Android and iOS, with applications on both platforms.
With viewers to accept the range of sizes of the device, there are a lot of options, but in fact you are looking at the display as a key element because it governs the viewing experience. First, you will need to make sure it is clean: Any stains degrade and distort the image you're viewing, and will any dust and debris are clearly visible.
I've been using Star Wars Google
Cardboard scenes mainly with Nexus
6. This device 2015 fits well in a carton and sports a 6-inch display with 1440 X 2560 pixels, 490ppi it's pretty much the largest organ you will get in there.
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Google cardboard used as lenses to enlarge the smartphone screen, high pixel density for the best. If you have a display with low resolution scattered over a wide area, and lenses make it easy to see the pixels and the picture would be nice also.
One of the highest pixel densities'll find on the Sony Ericsson Z5 is excellent, with a 5.5-inch 0.3840 x 2160 pixels, 806ppi. It is the highest organ accuracy there at the moment, with the highest pixel density. When under the magnifying glass to cardboard scenes, it provides better than anything else we've tested visual experience.
Despite the absence of a lot of using higher resolution content, pixel density difference, so something like the Samsung Galaxy S6 looks better than the iPhone 6. The only exception is the decision of YouTube 360, which gives access to content higher resolution content.
The Z5 Premium you can ratchet up to the highest accuracy, such as 2160 and you'll see the difference really full HD, as you can with the content on the 1440 Quad HD devices.
Otherwise, Google says that you'll be running Android 4.1 or cardboard to use the application, but also remember that many of the formations to take advantage of the rich graphics, which favors a more powerful devices that deal with those things better. Chances are, though, that as long as your smartphone and you will fall in
Google Cardboard scenes, you'll be able to use it.
Elsewhere you'll need headphones or speakers cranked on your phone. Because of the effects of virtual stereo surround used in a lot of VR content, if you are only using the phone's speakers, then the model with the front speakers facing twin would be better. Again, the bottom spokesman iPhone fits less. However, headphones
Providing the voice of a much more immersive and will be our preference.
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Google cardboard Review: Navigation
One of the obstacles facing the cardboard is casual in nature. Being his hand, it's a case of identifying what you want to view, and put the application to go and then put the phone in the viewer a lot. There is currently a minimum of external mobility options, such as control devices, which play a major role in the largest VR systems.
Button mentioned above and this is one of the available hardware you have. This is used as much as a click and, allowing you to pause a video or move through the landscape or some other interaction.
Mobility of the application differs to the application, but many take advantage of the work of hovering. This force on the list of open-click hovering point on the action that you want, or let you click to something - such as the size - and then click again to change the volume to the level you want.
Freedom of opinion is often about VR and motion sensors in your life
Phone allows you to look up, down and everywhere, enjoying a virtual environment.
Often, out of the application, you will have to tilt the phone back in the picture and inevitably take it out of the scenes. If you are using the viewer of cardboard, and this is very simple, but if it's a tray in a larger device, which may be little more than a faff. Sure, it feels as if the Cardboard application needs to expand the repertoire to provide a mechanism to improve navigation on the viewer, to change the content. Other applications must also embrace this - YouTube, in particular.
Google Cardboard Review: Games and Content
VR Google experience working initially through Google Cardboard application. This includes the setup program - a process that the lower limit - as well as a small number of preliminary experiments so you can see what is cardboard everything. Again, like Android Wear, it also lines popping up
VR applications that you can install a central place to quickly get many virtual reality have applications. It seems that some applications never be located in the section in the cartoon "My library", a situation which needs to be addressed.
There are a wide range of cartons of available applications, and here we focus mostly on the Android experience. We also tested the iPhone 6 with cardboard, but for the most part, we have been enjoying Android experience.
Here are some of the applications and the necessary expertise to Google carton.
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YouView channel 360 Video
YouTube video so much at the forefront of emerging technologies in the VR world there is a lot to take advantage of them. First, you can 3D display, because virtual reality is basically an evolution of stereoscopic 3D side by side, although it will not always be coordinated quite right for carton if it were loaded side by side. Where there is an option on the 3D video, and search for the cartoon logo and press the button to get the best viewing experience.
But YouTube really pays 360 video channel for this latter type of content VR. It was supported in some browsers, such as Chrome, which means that you can pan around the home video game to look anywhere else. But slot machine in a carton and once in the video can look everywhere. It's easy to miss work if you're looking the wrong way, but it's great to have the freedom to explore.
There are some incredible videos under # 360Video, but also in other places listed in general as 360 video. We love some of the videos fighter aircraft that are packed full of details with amazing views, but also some of the videos roller is immersive enough to give you that feeling inertial. Not for those who have a weak stomach.
Whatever you do, YouTube is a key element in the Google Cardboard experience. Just look for the Google Cardboard on the face icon to VR mode and then watch in any direction you want!
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Show the street from Google
Street Hella cool show, we love it. But out of that experience and put in VR makes perfect sense. In virtual reality there is this perspective that the 3D display 2D browser does not offer.
You will need a Google Street View application (rather than just use Google Maps pin Man) and then you can search for places or other street show featured sites. Some sites are amazing, as is the case in the mountains or other wide open spaces, with beautiful horizons.
But let's face it. We will look first at your front door, such as Street View in 2D, you can move along the way, in this case by pressing the button the viewer to move yourself along. There is a huge novelty factor here, but it works well.
Short trip VR
Short trip VR has a number of applications on Android, offering what it calls virtual reality film experience. This is a well put together content offers a wide range of expertise and display and displays some of the best navigation VR around.
The main application is a short trip VR is really like a lobby, giving you access to a wide range of content types into categories, although they are all movies. The best is the travel section, which offers some amazing video quality.
But the best thing about the show VR short trip is a slick navigation. If nothing else, it is a good view of how they should be held content of this kind together in a virtual reality environment. You can also access videos on YouTube, but that kind of misses the point: it's the application linking them together, this is a smart thing here.
Definitely worth checking out.
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star Wars
As you may have guessed from our choice of scenes, we are lovers of Star Wars. To enrich the application, Disney VR content and added in the form of Jakku spy. This adds a series of "messages" you can watch some content to give the original Star Wars immersive.
They are short clippings only, but put this in front of a fan of Star Wars and they are a few nuggets of joy. You can also skip from message to message from inside the viewer, so it's easy (once loaded) to display all the different pieces of the system.
Of stars BB-8, of course.
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Cardboard camera
Another 360 experience Google is the cartoon camera. This application allows you to capture an image 360, which is basically a panoramic image to go all the way around. It's interesting, though, that differ from the panoramic images, which I'll talk about below.
This carton images are linear, so there is no looking up or down here, just round and round until the bumps one end to the other.
Your application offers 360 images, as well as allowing you to capture them, which is made with a slow campaign with the phone in the picture. Cardboard camera is worth checking out, but it's not the best VR's experience on cardboard.
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PSViewer 2.0
And it provides much better imaging of panoramic images for Google experience. This has introduced a few years ago, with the capture enabled in the Google camera from KitKat onwards and still reside in the stock Android camera on a marshmallow.
And panoramic images of a group of pictures stitched to create the image of 360, and if you were looking at the inside of photography ball. Google allows you to upload them to Google Maps, so others can see it. Usually, this is by scrolling around your browser, but with the added VR potential there.
PSViewer application is a little neat to view panoramic images. It's a little clunky (and Google will add this capability in the cardboard camera in the future as we understand it), but you can add in PSViewer panoramic images and then dive in and displayed using the viewer cartoon for in the impact of VR glorious.
NYTVR
If you're looking for more content architecture, then there NYTVR of The New York Times. This application gives you access to a wide range of 360 videos that you have to download to be able to watch.
There are a wide range of content available, offering a beautiful approach to consume something a little more educational, not like the view of the short trip. However, NYTVR really does not make any attempt to provide VR movement within the application - it's consumption once you get there - and again you can find the video content on YouTube directly if you prefer.
However, there are some important milestones in the presence and worth considering.
The discovery of VR
The discovery has a range of content available VR spite of its application, which provides 360 videos on a wide range of topics. There is a wide range of content, from short films
That looks like a video sponsored by the tapes, even those that are more educational, to some that are a little more spoofy.
Inside the application you have the option to view in a carton with the benefit of a single button, such as NYTVR, and there is no navigation Once you're watching, basically you have to make copies of the video and return to the menu. But again, these videos directly through YouTube, so you can take your pick from for access.
The discovery is interesting because it VR large organization create a virtual reality which works with cartoon content, but at the same time, it could be the best virtual reality and quality of the experience can be even higher when viewed through the application.
Dejobaan Games, LLC
Caaaaardboard!
Ooooof, one here and that will give your stomach a bumpy road. Caaaaardboard! It is a game designed for cardboard, which means you have an advantage from the start of the application and put the phone
Directly to the viewer, instead of having to navigate the application outside of the viewer.
It's basically a simple game base jumping, where you can orient yourself as you are, and collect points and try not to hit anything solid on the road. But, yes, you fall and your stomach may not thank you for it, as we found it very difficult to continue for any length of time.
But this is a good view of the immersive
VR in a simple and fun game. Definitely worth a try.
Justin Wasilenko
End virtual reality space for cardboard
Another game is the end of the carton space. This is basically a space shooter, where you're chasing the goals and blasting them.
Navigation is simple you just have to look and use the button to fire. As you destroy enemies you can collect power-ups and everything keeps rolling on.
We suspect that many of the VR games will follow this approach. As you ship your head gives you the freedom to move and without a complicated set of controls, it's simple enough.
Graphically it looks good as well as sounding good, so if you play with the cartoon, it's a good title for a check.
Google cardboard Review: current challenges
Google Cardboard is empowerment. The concept of scenes from cheap cardboard paper puts VR accessible to pretty much anyone with a smartphone. There are better phones to give you the best experience, but the global large-scale cardboard has a lot of appeal.
However, the scenes cartons will not last forever. When transmitted from one person to another, packaged up and carried around, it will attract wear fairly quickly. In these cases, if you turn into a cardboard power user, you may want to invest in a more substantial systems.
Lack of a head strap padding is also specific to the carton format. There are rumors that Google is trying to develop something more substantial, and we can see that there is a need to do so. If cardboard ecosystem is to grow, we will probably need to go beyond the scenes of cardboard for normal use.
Navigation is also something of an issue. Although there is some consolidation, there is a wide range of expertise. Something like a short trip VR is a long way to go before some other applications available.
YouTube is obviously a big part of the experience cartons. Google being the property, which makes perfect sense, and in many ways can be found on some of the most interesting content of the highest quality here. But in fact it is necessary to massage the thing to be the best virtual environment to navigate.
rule
Google Cardboard is largely a cornerstone of VR laptop. It's cheap and easily accessible and which are of vital importance. Although some of this is the evolution of 3D content, with viewers cartons being cheap, YouTube Support 360-degree video formats and a lot of free apps on Google Play, it is an important environment for VR content to flourish.
VR also capture devices are also becoming more common, it is likely that these cartons are to be the first point of consumption.
Cardboard does not compare to larger systems, but in some cases, we can see how there can be a transition. There is also a mobile phone games that jump on the IP of the console or computer games, we can see many developing franchises both complex complete virtual reality games for HTC
Vive or skylight Rift, and titles for casual carton.
