Tag: Samsung Gear VR

Samsung’s New Gear VR Is Sized To Accommodate The Note 8
The Galaxy Note 8 wasn’t the only device announced at the launch yesterday. Samsung confirmed that the company is releasing another iteration of the Gear VR headset as the previous variant wasn’t big enough to fit the newly launched Note 8. The new Gear VR headset is designed to support the Galaxy Note 8’s 6.3-inch display and can be paired with Samsung’s new wireless controller. Apart from the size difference, no such significant difference could be spotted between the new and the previous Gear VR.

Both the devices are powered by Oculus and come with a physical controller which offers quicker selection and interaction, Samsung claims. The Gear VR headsets feature a wide interface and an ergonomic design for an interactive and immersive gaming session.

The Gear VR launched a few months back had a 101-degree field of view and the latest edition is no different. The previous iteration was compatible with the Galaxy Note5, S6, S6 Edge, S6 Edge+, S7 and S7 edge and the S8 phones. It appears to be that Samsung didn’t put in much thought whether the device would be capable of supporting the next Note or not. Hence, the new and bigger Gear VR headset.

The Gear VR (Galaxy Note8 Edition) will support Android Lollipop 5.0 or later devices. The headset weighs 345 grams and will be compatible with Galaxy S8+, S8, S7, S7 edge, S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+ and of course the Galaxy Note8. The Gear VR headset can be connected via Bluetooth, USB Type-C & micro USB and has an additional USB Port, Type-C for power connection, OTG USB Memory, 3rd-party controller.

What you get inside the Samsung VR Headset Box
- Gear VR (USB Type-C device Holder, Controller Holder included)
- Gear VR Controller (2xAAA batteries, Wrist strap included)
- Manual
- Micro USB device Holder
Samsung promises that the new Gear VR will let you explore the multi-dimensional worlds in virtual reality, offer enhanced gaming experience with organic, intuitive responses, etc. Well, you won’t have to wait too long to find out as the Gear VR – Note8 Edition, which costs $129.99 (approximately Rs. 8,325) is already available on the company’s website for ordering.
August 24, 2017
Facebook’s Oculus adds Social Games and Video Sharing To Gear VR

VR technology which has gained traction amongst users in the last couple of months looks set to be breaking barriers and becoming a truly social hub for activities in the coming days. Facebook-owned Oculus has decided to shift its focus towards making our VR experience in the coming days more social with the addition of a number of features such as the addition of social games and social elements to viewing videos while using the Gear VR.

The Gear VR, which was launched on 21st January here in India and is available for free with all S7 and S7 edge Pre-Orders, is Samsung’s VR offering that was developed in partnership with Oculus. Owners of the VR headset which is regarded as one of the best available offerings in the market, starting tomorrow, will be able to create accounts on the Oculus servers, and then get in touch with other users of the Gear VR, and also leave reviews for all apps in the Oculus Store.

Oculus wants its users to enjoy the immersive world of Virtual Reality with friends, and to help make this possible it has announced two new social heavy VR games that will allow users to go up against their friends.

First up is Social Trivia, a game that lets you and up to four friends compete in a battle of knowledge in an artificial VR environment. The second game is Herobound: Gladiators which is a multiplayer adventure game. The game lets you take the VR gaming experience to another level and sees the user Band together with up to four people to conquer goblins and demons in arena battlefields. The game also allows for integrated voice chat to talk and strategize in real time for an unmatched co-op experience.

For users who would rather stay away from games, Facebook’s Oculus has announced host of other features that sees it bring to the platform with the help of Oculus Video the functionality to personalize your 360-degree video feed based on the pages and people you follow on Facebook. It has revealed that in the coming weeks, users will be able to connect and react to their favorite Facebook 360 videos directly in virtual reality.

And, if that’s still not good enough to get you excited, Oculus is adding the functionality to create private VR chat rooms with friends which let you watch Vimeo and Twich streams with them in a Virtual Reality environment.

Oculus’ efforts to push for social VR does not end there as it has also communicated to developers that it wants to “drive deeper social connections” and hence later this month “will release new tools for developers that make it even easier to create more incredible social VR games and apps.

March 10, 2016
Samsung Galaxy S6, S6 Edge Now Boast Their Own VR Headset

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 4 and Galaxy Note Edge back in September 2014. As an icing on the cake, the Korean company in collaboration with Oculus revealed the Gear VR, a virtual reality headgear developed to work along with the Note 4. A year after, Samsung released its latest flagship devices, the Samsung Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge in April 2015. The company also announced that a similar VR set will accompany the handsets soon, but no such headset were up for purchase.

Today, Samsung made this device available for purchase. The device, named as Gear VR Innovator Edition for Galaxy S6 and Galaxy S6 Edge, is a smaller and lighter version of the Note 4 Gear VR. It comes with a redesigned strap and a built-in fan to help in air-flow. According to Samsung, the Octa-Core Exynos 7420 chipset, which is the powerhouse of S6 and S6 Edge handsets, and the high PPI display will provide its users with better and smoother virtual reality experience. The other side of the coin would be the smaller screen of the S6 and S6 Edge devices, which may result in a narrow field of view.

This device is available at Samsung’s official website and BestBuy. This device can be purchased for $199.99 (Rs 12,741) and is available only for its US customers right now. No other details about its price and availability in India has been disclosed.

May 9, 2015
Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition Goes on Sale Tomorrow at Best Buy Retail Stores

Samsung is all set to bring out its Virtual Reality headsets, the Gear VR in the hands of the consumers. The Korean electronics firm along with Oculus is rolling out the Innovator Edition of VR headset to the developers who will be able to purchase it from the 100 Best Buy retail locations. The sale of the VR Headset Innovator Edition will start from tomorrow i.e. March 27, 2015.

For now, the virtual reality headset will be available in the retail stores of the US. One can stroll into a Best Buy store and grab one for $199. The Innovator Edition of VR Gear is compatible with Galaxy Note 4 smartphone. Drop the Note 4 or the Note Edge into the VR headset and the phones display will do all the work. It lets the user indulge into the immersive virtual experience and gives you a tour of an alternate world. The Best Buy has exciting offer in store for those who don’t own a Galaxy Note 4. Willing buyers can buy a combo of the Note 4 and VR Headset at discounted rates.

We got a chance to try out the Gear VR at Samsung’s event in Bangkok and we were quite impressed by the graphics. The device lets you watch movies while sitting in a giant empty theatre. If you don’t like the empty theatre then you can easily shift to the Moon, yes with the Gear VR you can watch your favourite movies on the moon with the Eagle lunar module next too. We loved the brief experience and hope Samsung gets it to our shores soon.

With the launch of its new flagships, Samsung has also unveiled a new version of the VR headset. The new iteration is compatible with the two latest handsets, the Galaxy S6 and S6 Edge. The latest edition is built to fit the smaller screen of the smartphones and is not on sale till yet. It is likely to arrive post the arrival of Galaxy S6 and its edgier counterpart on April 10.

March 26, 2015
Apple Might Step in the VR Headset Space With an iPhone Centric Device

Virtual reality is the newest trend in the market that every firm wants to foster. Samsung and Facebook are already making headlines with their offerings in virtual reality space. Now, Apple is attempting to jump into the battleground to make a space way for itself in this budding market.

Today, the Cupertino based tech giant has been granted a patent titled ‘Head-Mounted Display Apparatus for Retaining a Portable Electronic Device with Display.’ The patent describes a Samsung’s Gear VR-like portable electronic device, which will be powered by the high definition screen of the iPhones. The patent was first filed back in September 2008 and the company is now awarded the same after five years.

According to images registered with the patents, the iPhone will be placed within the headset frame, and its screen will act as the primary display for viewing the virtual reality content. The pictures also depict a remote that could be used to control the content on screen.

Electronic headset concept is not new as Samsung and Google have gone far ahead in VR headset game. Samsung Gear VR is a commendable product which is compatible with Galaxy Note 4 and the new Galaxy A7 for now. The company is also exploring the virtual reality space with Project Beyond, which is a 360-degree camera for recording VR content.

Meanwhile, besides a VR headset, the patents speak of one more feature called picture-in-picture (PIP). This tool will aid users in keeping an eye on the real world when the headset is on. A total of 41 patents have been granted to Apple on Tuesday, which came to light today. These patents are related to optics, design and accessories. So, users can expect a pinch of new innovation with Apple’s VR headset.

February 18, 2015
LG Showcases Low-Cost, Plastic Version of Google’s Cardboard VR Headset

Virtual Reality headsets are the new tech every firm is betting on. But as it tuns out, none of them are available at a budget price – except one. At a mere $20, Google VR is super economical but it’s made out of cardboard. Quality would be no issue with the new VR headset by LG. The South Korean company has made a plastic version of the Google Cardboard that would be low in price. Called VR for G3, the headset will give virtual reality experience using the phone’s internal hardware.

Based on Google Cardboard VR, the VR for G3 is a mere shell with lenses. The LG VR headset has three pieces which come assembled. A ring magnet like in the Cardboard VR headset sits on the left to select menu. A cutout on the back of the device reaches the volume rockers. Also, there are small cutouts for flash, laser autofocus, and speaker. The two slots are seen at the either ends, which can be used for a head strap.

Just strap your phone in the headset and it will send you right in the virtual world. As its plastic, it will cost low, but it is speculated that it may be available for free. Meanwhile, there is no word about its availability and price, and users have to wait till the next announcement.

Samsung released a Gear VR headset last year, but it costs $199. Not only this, one need to buy a Galaxy Note 4 as it is compatible with the Note 4 only.

The VR for G3 is definitely a good step to encourage the virtual reality concept to come into the mainstream.

February 10, 2015
Samsung Expected to Extend Gear VR Support to Galaxy S Edge and Galaxy S6

Samsung’s recent innovation Gear VR, apart from latest smartphones and TVs, is far from reaching of masses. The reason was the fact that its compatibility with only one device, Samsung Galaxy Note 4. The company is putting effort to make the virtual reality headset a regular feature with smartphones, and is pushing support to more devices. According to SamMobile, the South Korean producer is adding two more devices to the compatibility list of Gear VR – Galaxy S Edge and Galaxy S6.

This doesn’t sound something really bizarre as the latest devices are likely to support the new invention. But it isn’t as simple as it seems.

The Gear VR, powered by Oculus, is a wearable put on the head that encloses Samsung Note 4. The gadget has been designed to fit a display of Note size, more that 5.3-inch, so that a viewer can get 96-degree viewing angle. According to the rumours, the Galaxy S Edge and Galaxy S6 will sport a 5.1-inch Quad HD display that cannot fit in to the big screen of the virtual reality headset. If the sources of SamMobile are to be believed, then the upcoming flagships may feature a display larger than 5.3 inches.

However, the company hasn’t confirmed its adaptability with both the devices and users have to wait for an official announcement.

January 29, 2015
Samsung Revolutionises the Digital World with ‘Project Beyond’, a 3D Camera for Gear VR Headsets

South Korean giant Samsung has announced ‘Project Beyond’ – a 360-degree camera module that captures everything around it in 3D for use with Samsung’s Gear VR headset. The announcement was done at its 2014 Developer Conference. The device has 16 individual high-def cameras which can together capture a gigapixel or 25 gigabits of data every second.

The footage captured can be streamed back to someone wearing Samsung’s Gear VR headset, transporting them into the world of virtual reality. Basically, Project Beyond can create virtual 3D world continuously wherever it is placed. Samsung also mentioned that users would be able to stream live footage from cameras located anywhere with a decent wireless connection. Moreover, the Project Beyond camera allows multiple users to look around a scene captured by the camera at the same time.

Project Beyond (Image Credits: The Next Web)

Our sources reveal that Samsung has already taken the camera at numerous locations in California to record footage that can be viewed within the Gear VR. Though Samsung hasn’t yet given a tentative release date, but they did mention that there will be new improved Gear VR headsets for future Galaxy smartphones. So, we can expect some flagships from Samsung will be launched with the headset sometime next year.

We are really excited to get hands-on this new technology. Hopefully, Samsung previews Project Beyond in India as well.

November 13, 2014
Samsung’s Galaxy Gear VR, It’s An Oculus For Note 4

Samsung had quite an eventful, launches filled day today. After facing immense amount of criticism for lack of innovation, Samsung flexed out its innovation muscle for its critics. The company released varied products that were impressive in their own strengths. One major release is the Gear VR which is a virtual reality headset that uses the Note 4 for displaying content.

Few weeks back we had heard of oculus using the Note 3 screen for its display. Guess there were bigger plans at work and Samsung working in coordination with Oculus brought out this piece of gadgetry.

Apart from the focus control and the trackpad, there aren’t any manual controls/
Image Credit: The Verge

The device looks like Oculus but is untethered and only works with the Note 4. The only control it has is a trackpad on the right and focus adjusting wheel on the top.

The Gear VR does remind you of the Google Cardboard project but much more complete. It also has a safety support for the head so the device stays stable on the head.

The device comes with some preloaded content, and you can use it to play games, watch immersive videos. The coolest aspect of the device would be the Tony Stark labs which let you peer at the world with Tony Starks perspective, We are Sold!

The release date of the device is not mentioned yet, but it hopefully will arrive by this fall. We’ll be vigilantly looking forward to this one.

September 3, 2014