Category: Daydream View

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Apple Should Be Very Worried About Google’s Pixel

Apple Should Be Very Worried About Google’s Pixel

Pixel looks like an iPhone, minus the “unsightly” camera bump, takes amazing photos and videos like an iPhone, offers unlimited storage for those images and looks like it does good VR.

These facts have me considering jumping ship from Apple seriously for the first time since 2007.

I’ve been an iPhone owner since the first generation, but over the last few years I’ve purchased Samsung phones for VR too. While I’m deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem, Pixel tempts me more than ever before to consider leaving Apple behind completely. Just how embedded am I with Apple? I basically didn’t talk to my family for a week during a recent outage caused by my need to repair the iPhone because our iMessage chat group didn’t port over to Android. If I ever want to jump ship, I have to convince my family to use a different app to chat with one another.

And it’s a jump I’m thinking about making, made more tempting by the promise that if I do decide to “switch,” even my iMessages will come over to Pixel.

Overall, the big draw for me is two-fold.

  1. Google is claiming Pixel has a better camera than the iPhone 7 (though they didn’t mention the 7+) and it is pairing that camera with unlimited full resolution storage of photos and videos shot with the device.
  2. Google is releasing Pixel alongside the Daydream View reference VR headset that will offer experiences to compete with Samsung’s Gear VR.

Google knows running out of storage on an iPhone is one of the most annoying moments for an Apple owner, and it already solved that problem through Google Photos. You get unlimited storage for free when you use the app on an iPhone, and the photos are easily searchable so it is easy to find your images again. Unfortunately, the photos aren’t kept at their full resolution. Instead, Google stores “high quality” versions said to be “good for typical printing and sharing.” Not the same with Google Pixel. Google says it will store all videos and photos shot with the phone at full resolution, including 4K videos.

Overall, with this one device and its supporting services, Google has completely eliminated concern about how I’m going to store, or find, my photos and videos. Simultaneously, the company is reclaiming that storage space for apps and VR experiences — the things that make phones so alluring. By giving my phone an unlimited camera roll, Google has also given me a blank slate to install all the software I want on a single device.

I’m not saying I’m jumping ship immediately — but Google Photos has been far and away a better product for storing photos when compared with Apple’s own “optimize iPhone Storage” option, which moves full resolution images off the device to save space. When I’ve wanted to find photos using an iPhone that have been moved to Apple’s cloud, I found it took too long to view that full resolution image again. Google’s cloud is simply faster, and that matters when trying to find a photo quickly that’s buried in the archives.

In Pixel, Google has taken the most exciting things about phones — the images they capture and the apps they run — and made them complementary. You don’t have to choose between taking a photo or installing an app anymore, and if you’re getting the $80 Daydream headset for free, that means you’ll have that much more space for storage-eating VR apps.

Pixel appears to hit Apple squarely where it counts most today — photo quality.  The phone will succeed or fail on this feature alone. But Pixel is also the leading device in a push for a number of Android VR phones that could draw developer attention to the new medium. For years people have been drawn to iOS because of its quality apps alongside the quality of the camera, but if developers start investing time and money in Daydream VR apps instead of iOS because they see a promising new market, it could mark the beginning of a reversal to that trend.

Eventually more impressive VR devices than Daydream will arrive powered by Google, like an all-in-one headset that doesn’t require a phone or an HMD capable of inside-out position tracking, and when that happens these early efforts with Cardboard and Daydream could pay off handsomely. If that shift occurs, Google would own a major head start versus Apple in offering a library of VR content for the new medium. That’s why Apple CEO Tim Cook needs to worry. The company’s focus on the long game might be running out of time.

Of course, Facebook and Samsung are also playing this game and we still have yet to see what they will announce at Oculus Connect 3 later this week.

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Report: Daydream sales to pass Rift, Vive

Customers will purchase more than 450,000 Google Daydream View headsets by the end of the year, according to SuperData Research. Samsung’s Gear VR, Daydream’s closest competitor, is estimated to sell around 2.3 million units....
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Daydream View Hands On: A New Challenger Appears

Daydream View Hands On: A New Challenger Appears

Today, Google finally pulled the curtain back on its mysterious virtual reality headset: Daydream View. Since its announcement at Google I/O earlier in the year, Daydream has been positioned as a potential usurper to the mobile VR throne currently occupied by Samsung and Oculus with Gear VR. However, much like a certain wonderful wizard that once also hid behind a curtain, View, in its reality, has potential but falls somewhat short of expectations.

Design 

Let’s start with the good. From a design standpoint, View is a breath of fresh air. In an industry dominated by plastics and foam, View’s cushy, fabric-focused aesthetic is just the right kind of different.

In his portion of today’s keynote address in San Francisco, Google’s VP of VR, Clay Bavor stated that when he and his team were conceiving View’s design they “wanted to think about what you actually wear…your clothes” and the soft cloth of the device backs up that sentiment perfectly.

The View I tried featured a single head strap that wraps around the back of your skull. No over-the-head strap was found in either the sample unit or promotional materials. The smartphone, which actually powers the VR experiences, pops into a fold-out panel secured at the top with a small length of cord. There are no snaps, buckles, or locks on this device and the whole thing feels like more of a fancy purse for your phone than a piece of cutting edge technology.

The only phone currently compatible with View is the upcoming Google Pixel (also announced today) but Bavor did state that more working handsets “are coming soon from our partners.”

Comfort & Fit

Ergonomics are probably View’s most glaring weakness. My experience with the headset is that it felt a bit too small and too lose on my face. The absence of a top head strap was felt strongly and made me hesitant to move my head too much during demos. Simultaneously, the weight of the phone itself made the whole headset feel like it was always on the cusp of sliding down my face. The only way to combat this was to tighten the strap a few notches past comfortable and even then the experience was not ideal.

This last problem was further compounded by the fact that the facial interface of the View features a sort of angled slope that keeps the headset from pressing too hard on your nose, but also makes the entire thing feel a bit less secure in general.

It is worth noting, however, that other reporters for this site found the fit to be very comfortable, especially for glasses wearers. Also, the unique materials themselves were much lighter, and more comfortable against the skin than other mobile VR devices.

Performance

Comfort issues aside, the View performs beautifully. The device simply starts running once the compatible chips inside the headset and the Pixel recognize one another.

The home screen is fairly standard and features a bright, green, outdoor sort of setting that feels inviting and looks stunning. I saw two rows of eight or so cons when I put on the headset, most of which were pre-loaded demos for the launch event. Impressively, each icon for an experience had its own 3D thumbnail. Demos included several games, a Harry Potter experience tying into the upcoming film Fantastic Beasts and Where To Find Them, a dedicated YouTube app and a Street View application.

I tried several of these including Harry Potter, YouTube and a sort of tilt-table mini-game that used the View’s innovative controller (more on that later). All these experiences looked crisp and as high-resolution as anything else we’ve seen in the mobile VR space. YouTube ran particularly well and looked amazing for a 360 video on the device.

Head tracking, app selection, and overall performance inside View were all top notch. Demos loaded at lightning speeds and I didn’t detect so much as a single dropped frame in any of my experiences.

The Remote

The remote is View’s ace in the hole. It looks very similar to an Apple TV or Oculus remote but with a bit more heft to it. The remote contains a variety of sensors that allow for motion tracking on a variety of different planes including horizontal, vertical, and tilt.

All selections and general controls for View are done with the remote which makes it an absolutely essential piece of the system. This means that losing it would be a very bad thing. Luckily, Google thought to include a special holster for the remote within the headset itself. You’ll still want to be extra careful not to let it out of your sight.

The remote performs decently but there is the tiniest bit of detectable lag on it. It also occasionally gets confused and needs its orientation reset (a quick fix with a two second hold of the menu button). The potential applications for this remote are many and varied and we will need to wait and see if this tiny gray bit of plastic can become a powerful mortar in the ongoing battle between mobile VR companies.

Conclusion: Daydreaming About The Future

View is certainly not a revolutionary device in its current state. It has a few innovations in style and materials but at this point its form factor, while comfortable, may be a bit too flimsy to be the new king of the mountain.

The remote may be a difference maker but at this point it’s too early to tell. What will truly make the difference, however, is how well Google is able to leverage its many spheres of influence (YouTube, maps, voice, etc.) in order to optimize View’s viability in the marketplace.

A new challenger has entered the ring. Now let’s see if he can put the champ on his back.

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Pre-Order Google’s Pixel Phone And Get A Free Daydream View

Pre-Order Google’s Pixel Phone And Get A Free Daydream View

Google’s new Daydream View headset is remarkably low cost at $79, but VR fans looking to also pick up the company’s new phone can get the kit for an even better price: free.

The below tweet from the Google Store Twitter account confirms that anyone that pre-orders the company’s $649 handset will be able to redeem a Daydream View at not extra cost. Once you’ve ordered your unit, a promo code for a free headset should be emailed to you around four weeks from the phone’s shipment date. You’ll then use that code on the Google Store. It must be used this year, so make sure not to actually pre-order a View for yourself today. The offer is only available while supplies last.

We don’t know if others will be offering similar deals outside of the Google Store just yet. It also seems to be limited to the US for now.

Still, we’re happy to see any promotion to get Daydream into as many hands as possible as quickly as possible. Samsung has been offering similar promotions with its $99 Gear VR headsets throughout 2016. It’s a plan that’s seemingly had some success; Oculus reported that Gear saw over a million users for the first time last April, though it’s unclear how many units have actually been sold thus far.

We don’t have an exact date for the launch for Pixel or XL, but Daydream View is meant to be out in November. It’s going to come with a lot of different games and experiences.

Oculus and Samsung, meanwhile, might well fire back later this week at Oculus Connect.

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Hands on With Google’s Daydream View Headset (Video)

Here’s a video tour of Google’s eagerly awaited Daydream VR headset ‘View’, revealed today for the first time. We take a look at the design concepts, features, fit and finish of this unique looking VR headset.

Google’s latest announcements, made today at a special hardware-focussed event, add the final missing pieces to its forthcoming assault on the mobile VR space. Daydream View is the first, flagship VR headset to be unveiled for the Android powered VR platform and it’s certainly not your typical flashy design.

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Google Announces Daydream 'View' VR Headset for $79

Here, Road to VR‘s Ben Lang walks you through the Daydream View’s features. Highlights include an entirely passive design, no on-board power is present or required. Capacitive studs on the headset/phone interface which trigger screen auto-adjustments when a phone is inserted. Lightweight, soft-touch design – one of the lightest we’ve experienced. Finally, it seems a 90 degree FOV is being mentioned in relation to the headset, which will likely vary depending on which size phone is being used.

SEE ALSO
Google Daydream Apps to include J.K. Rowling Experience, Gunjack 2, Netflix, and More

Check out the video embedded at the top of this page for more details.

The post Hands on With Google’s Daydream View Headset (Video) appeared first on Road to VR.

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Google Daydream Apps to include J.K. Rowling Experience, Gunjack 2, Netflix, and More

Today at Google’s press event announcing the Pixel phone and Daydream View headset, the company detailed VR content on the way to the Daydream Android VR platform.

Along with Daydream VR apps and experiences we’ve seen previously, Google today announced a group of exciting content on the way to the platform. Release dates were not mentioned specifically, but we expect the content announced today to launch with the Daydream headset in November.

J.K. Rowling – Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them

Google says they’ve been working with Warner Brothers on a Daydream VR experience based on J.K. Rowlings book/upcoming film located in the Harry Potter universe. The app will make use of the Daydream controller to put a wand in the hand of players who will encounter (you guessed it!) fantastic beasts.

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Gunjack 2 from CCP Games

Also headed to Daydream is Gunjack 2. Developed by CCP Games, the same studio behind the MMO Eve: Online and VR game Eve: Valkyrie, it’s the sequel to Eve: Gunjack, a VR turret shooter that first debuted on Samsung’s Gear VR headset. It isn’t clear yet if Gunjack 2 will be exclusive to Daydream or if it will also land on Gear VR and other platforms.

gunjack gear vr Laser

Netflix, HBO, and Hulu

Major streaming media platforms Netflix, HBO, and Hulu are all getting apps that allow their entire libraries to be view on Google’s Daydream View headset. Videos through these services will naturally be shown on a big virtual cinema screen, but opens the door to VR content to be streamed as well. Netflix and Hulu have already made appearances on Gear VR, though we’ve been patiently waiting for Netflix’s promised multiplayer functionality.

daydream-apps-youtube

Star Chart

Star Chart will let you explore an immersive map of the cosmos, allowing you to explore planets, stars, and constellations. This app has already been seen on Gear VR, Oculus Rift, and HTC Vive.

star-chart-daydream

Google Apps – Movies, Photos, Street View, and YouTube

Many of Google’s core Android apps are also getting the Daydream treatment. Movies will allow users to watch rented or purchased videos on a virtual big screen. Photos will let users “relive memories in an immersive way,” focused on users own captured photos and videos. Street View will let users explore Google’s huge library of street level photography, including 150 curated tours of memorable places like the Taj Mahal.

Then there’s YouTube of course which will make the jump from Cardboard to Daydream with a higher-end experience. The Daydream YouTube app will allow exploration of the entire YouTube library and of course viewing of made-for-VR content. No other platforms have seen an official YouTube VR app up to this point.

daydream google apps

With the announcement of the Pixel Daydream-ready phone and Daydream View headset, Google is quickly gearing up for the Daydream launch coming in November.

The post Google Daydream Apps to include J.K. Rowling Experience, Gunjack 2, Netflix, and More appeared first on Road to VR.

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Google’s VR Headset Is Daydream View

Google’s VR Headset Is Daydream View

Following the reveal of the Daydream mobile VR ecosystem earlier in the year, Google has finally revealed the first headset to support it, Daydream View. The headset comes with a controller and launches in November for $79.

The new device was revealed at the Made By Google conference in San Francisco today. As expected, Daydream View will run with any Daydream ready smartphone. That includes the two new smartphones Google itself revealed at the event – Pixel and the larger Pixel XL for $649. They feature HD AMOLED displays Qualcomm 821 Snapgradon Quardcore processors, and 4GB RAM. The only real difference between the two is size; the original is 5 inches, while the XL is 5.5 inches. Impressively, View connects to these phones wirelessly.

The headset is wrapped in fiber that comes in different colors, and offers a “nice field of view” though specifics are thin on the ground right now. Google claims it’s 30% lighter than similar headsets (read: Gear VR). Outside of the US, the kit costs $99 in Canada, £69 in the UK, €69 in Germany, and $199 in Australia.

View also comes with a motion controller that’s closer in function to Nintendo’s Wii remote than it is an Oculus Touch or HTC Vive controller. It’s still incredibly accurate, though, and sturdy to; Google’s Clay Bavor accidentally dropped the device and it didn’t break. When you’re not using the headset, the controller tucks inside where the phone usually goes.

Several new experiences were announced for the device. They include a Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them game, based on J.K. Rowling’s book and upcoming movie set in the Harry Potter universe. CCP Games also confirmed Gunjack 2 using the new controller. Star Chart is also heading to the headset. Classic Google apps like Street View and YouTube will also be compatible.

The HBO and Netflix VR apps will also be heading to the platform, as will the New York Times’ VR experiences.

More to come…

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Google Announces First Daydream-Ready VR Phone – Breaking

Google today announced the first Daydream-ready smartphone(s), Pixel and Pixel XL.

Already widely leaked across the Internet, the new Pixel line is replacing the company’s Nexus handsets, now incorporating more graphical horsepower, sleeker styling, and a price tag to match—all rumored well in advance.

pixel-google-phone

Brian Rakowski, VP Product Management at Google, showed off Pixel’s hardware on stage boasting a Snapdragon 821, AMOLED capacitive touchscreen on both phones, 5-inch for Pixel and 5.5-inch for Pixel XL.

Clay Bavor, head of Google’s VR team, maintains the company has “tuned everything from their sensors to their displays” for the VR-capable Pixel.

pixel-daydream-google

Built by HTC, Google Pixel smartphones are available for pre-order today across USA, Australia, Canada, Germany, UK starting at $649. Google is bringing Pixel to market exclusively in partnership with Verizon in the US.

Unlike its little brother Cardboard, which allows almost any smartphone with an IMU to join in the VR fun, Daydream VR (like Samsung Gear VR) is considered a high-quality VR experience that uses a variety of flagship-level smartphones as a display.

Google previously mentioned the following manufacturers would be producing Daydream-compatible phones: Hauwei, Samsung, HTC, LG, Mi, ZTE, Asus and Alcatel. No specific phones besides Pixel were announced for the Daydream platform at this point.

This story is breaking. We’ll be updating as more information comes in. 

The post Google Announces First Daydream-Ready VR Phone – Breaking appeared first on Road to VR.

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Google stellt Daydream View am 4. Oktober vor (Gerücht)

Auch wenn Google sich noch nicht selbst dazu geäußert hat, berichtet Android Police, dass das Unternehmen ein Event mit Hardware Fokus am 4. Oktober ausrichtet, welches besonders für VR-Nerds interessant sein könnte.

Google stellt Daydream View am 4. Oktober vor?

Google Daydream Headset und Controller

Google Referenzdesign VR-Brille & Controller

Während Google am 4. Oktober auch zwei neue Google Smartphones und einen Chromecast mit 4K Möglichkeit vorstellen wird, soll das Unternehmen wohl auch ein eigenes Daydream Headset präsentieren, welches den Namen Daydream View tragen soll. Es ist auch davon auszugehen, dass die neuen Smartphones von Google Daydream Ready seien werden. Wenn Google sein eigenes Daydream Headset vorstellt, dann wird Google auch seinen eigenen Daydream Controller zeigen, denn dieser gehört fest zu dem System. Aktuell sind dies aber alles nur Gerüchte, bis Google es selbst bestätigt.  Interessanterweise ist das Event genau einen Tag vor der Oculus Connect 3. Möchte Google damit eventuell Oculus den Wind aus den Segeln nehmen?

Ganz unbegründet ist das Gerücht aber nicht. Android Police ist eine zuverlässig Quelle und Google hatte bereits gesagt, dass die ersten Headsets noch in diesem Jahr erscheinen werden. Bisher hat Google aber nur das Referenzdesign gezeigt, was aber nicht ausschließt, dass das Unternehmen nicht auch selbst ein Headset auf den Markt bringen will. Dies wird sich aber vermutlich stark am Referenzdesign orientieren.

[Quelle: Android Police]

Der Beitrag Google stellt Daydream View am 4. Oktober vor (Gerücht) zuerst gesehen auf VR∙Nerds. VR·Nerds am Werk!