Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/639267
j a n u a r y . f e b r u a r y 2 0 1 6 c g w 1 9 place by the fastener. A Google Cardboard-compatible app splits the smartphone display image into two images – one for each eye – and applies a barrel distortion to each image, causing images to be spherised. And, voila, a stereoscopic image with a wide field of view. Google provides two SDKs for developing Cardboard applications – for Android and the Unity game engine. Both use OpenGL. Third-party apps are available on the Google Play store and App Store for iOS. GEAR VR FROM: Samsung SHIPPING: Now PRICE: $99 Samsung's Gear VR was fast out of the gate, bring- ing portable virtual reality to users across the globe. The new Gear VR, which began shipping in November, is lighter than the earlier Innovator Edition (it is 318 grams without the attached phone) and sports improved ergonomics and a redesigned touchpad for easier navigation. Unlike many VR head- mounted displays, Gear VR utilizes Samsung smartphones to display and process the content. It currently works with the Galaxy Note 5, Galaxy S6 edge+, S6, and S6 edge phones. A user just has to slip the phone into the front pocket and is ready to explore, untethered. Another advantage to this unique design: Users almost always have their smartphones with them, and the HMD is por- table enough to place inside a backpack or pocketbook, mak- ing it always readily accessible. This will become an important feature as VR-supported con- tent becomes widely available in our world. However powerful these smartphones are, they are not nearly as robust as a souped- up PC or PS4. So, the viewing experience with Gear VR will not be as robust compared to those other devices. But for the price, the portability, and the fact that this is available now, it's a fantastic deal, especially if you already have a compatible Galaxy phone. Gear VR contains a "super AMOLED" display (2560x1440), a 60 hz refresh rate, precise head tracking, and low latency. The device offers a 96-degree field of view, which is less than the Oculus Ri and Sony PSVR. The device also has a custom IMU (inertial measurement unit) using accelerometers, gyrometers, and a proximity sensor for rotational tracking that connects to the smart- phone via mico-USB. Motion sensors in the phone track the user's head movements, so this capability is more limiting than what is offered in some of the other HMDs. Pixel density, however, de- pends on the phone being used: The smaller devices, such as the 5.1-inch Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge Plus, have screens with a great- er pixel density than the larger phones (557 pixels per inch versus 518), offering a crisper VR image. A focus wheel on the top of the headset enables the user to adjust the image focus. A touchpad – shaped like a game controller – on the right side of the device serves as the primary controller. For a more traditional approach, the Blue- tooth SteelSeries Stratus XL for Windows and Android game- pad, which is sold separately, can be used for navigating content. Here's the surprise: Gear VR is powered by Oculus. What does that mean? Oculus helped Samsung build the device. So once your phone is docked, the Oculus app will launch, and you, in turn, will be launched into a virtual world. From there, you can select apps and games from the Oculus menu. A number of games and ex- periences are available for Gear VR, and many are coming soon, including Land's End (Ustwo Games), Bandit Six: Salvo (Cli- max Studios), and Dead Secret (Robot Invader). And since the Samsung Gear VR is powered by Oculus, content – lots of content – is available. The Oculus Arcade includes 20 classic games such as Pac- man, Sonic the Hedgehog, and Gauntlet. Through Oculus Video, users can access more than 9,000 videos from Vimeo or watch live broadcasts on Twitch. Also available is the entire Netflix catalog of original series, docu- mentaries, and films. At Oculus 360 Photos, more than 200,000 immersive photographs can be explored. Lastly, with Oculus Social, users can select an avatar and hang out with other users in a virtual space. If you want audio, however, you will need to purchase a good set of Bluetooth head- phones. OCULUS RIFT FROM: Facebook SHIPPING: Q1 2016 (pre-orders shipping March 28, 2016) PRICE: $599 (pre-order) This is what started the new revolution in VR, thanks to Inventor Palmer Luckey. The Ri began as a Kickstarter TITANS OF SPACE IS AVAILABLE FOR GOOGLE CARDBOARD USERS. BANDIT SIX: SALVO IS ONE TITLE THAT CAN BE PLAYED ON GEAR VR.