Gear VR Evaluation: Virtual Reality The future is still a long way

December 18 News, the recent addiction technology to Samsung has just sold the virtual reality of the Gear VR equipment evaluation.

The virtual reality product, which sells at home, is not priced at $10,000 trillion (just 200 dollars), nor is it under the banner of "Design for Developers", which comes from Oculus, a Facebook takeover. This product shows us the broad prospects and future of virtual reality products in the home field, but it also proves that there is still a long way to go to fully realize this future.

Summary

As an interactive new medium, virtual reality products have the potential of a wide range of future, Oculus VR and Samsung jointly produced Gear VR is a test aquatic product. It is lightweight and comfortable, and more importantly, easy to use. After all these years of related concepts, it was the first product to be marketed. But at the same time, it is a very limited software and functionality of the product, its users are early adopters and virtual reality fanatics, at least for now, it has not been able to enter the mainstream market.

Samsung named the first-generation product "The innovator version", and many of the software and game parts are technical demos, not consumer products. Samsung itself admits that it is a product that accumulates word-of-mouth and gets feedback, and it does not take Gear VR as a mainstream market product. Addiction technology also suggests that, unless you are a fanatic, ordinary consumers are not recommended to buy this product.

Installation and setup of Gear VR

First, the user must have a Samsung Galaxy 4 handset, and ensure that its system is upgraded to the latest version, and that the user must insert the 16G microSD card that came with the Gear VR into the phone, as this product requires note 4 as the display to provide the relevant experience.

After opening the black cover of the Gear VR, note 4 is fixed to the Gear VR in a screen-facing manner. When the installation is complete, Gear VR will tinkle through the phone's speakers, telling the user that the installation is completed. The user then has to remove the phone, install the appropriate software, including the operating system Oculus home and video player gear VR videos and other basic software, the whole process is very rapid. After the installation completes the user installs the handset, the cover, will Gear VR wears on the head, the built-in sensor will automatically detect, opens the main menu, can begin to use.

The user can slide to the right temple position, Gear VR on the Touchpad, menu selection, by tapping into the next level menu. The upper part of the touchpad is a return key. The front part of the touchpad is the volume Control key.

Virtual Reality Experience

Like smart watches, virtual reality-wearing devices can't completely replace other electronics, especially smartphones, and you can't call, send text messages or e-mail, but users can actually see the information pop up before their eyes. The only thing the user can do now is tap the touchpad to end the call, or take the note 4 down to answer the phone.

Software parts, such as Oculus 360 photos and Oculus 360 videos, can bring a new experience, especially the latter, the entire use of the feeling is very attractive, so that users can view the panorama of the video or photos, as in real life. This immersive virtual reality is the killer experience of this device, although the current resolution is a short board, if the implementation of the 4K resolution, imagine yourself in the virtual city of Rome travel, or in the scene of the "card House", it is really exciting.

User interface

Gear VR operating system is relatively simple, it has "store", "information base" and the main interface three parts, the first two interface layout, the main interface layout and they are very similar.

The only difference between the layout of the store and the Info-Library interface is that in the information base interface, users can categorize applications based on options such as installed play, all available/purchased, and upgrades. Each application has its own interface, with relevant options.

Similar to the game machine interface, the main interface in the middle display users use the most applications, can display six, the left link to the "store", on the right is the user "information base" inside the software. Users can not change the location of the application, can not adjust the size of the main interface, and can not be true to the background elements such as customization. The Gear VR user interface is very simple and only maintains the most basic consumer functionality.

Gear VR can enter the level two user interface during the software running, and fine-tune the settings without exiting the software.

The duration of the period, after two hours of use, note 4 of the electricity from 80% to 20%.

Game

Currently Gear VR most of the games are trial version, the total number of less than 20, users can download free, simply listed as follows:

1, Herobound:first Steps:oculus VR officially released the first game, similar to Nintendo's "Zelda legend" of the modern version.

2. Ikarus (Demo): The player controls the role in the marking position while ensuring that the robot is not killed. The entire game uses bird's eye pattern, the picture is exquisite, the participation feeling is very strong.

3, Dreadhalls (Demo): This is a few of the need to use a handle to play the game, the use of Oculus Development kit development. The player wakes up in a dark dungeon, carries no weapons, and tries to escape. The game includes sneak exploration dungeons, find exits, and avoid being seen by monsters. There are a lot of players who call this game so scary that it scares you off the device.

4, Esper: Puzzle games, a bit similar to the humorous version of the "Portal" game.

5, Proton Pulse: A 3D three-dimensional space design game, players need to play bricks in a three-dimensional pipeline.

6, Darknet: As a hacker game, darknet (Dark net) is Gear VR on a few functions complete game.

Summary

Gear VR is a very potential product, the screen resolution is good enough, the entire equipment is light enough, wear a long time does not feel uncomfortable. For a price of 200 dollars, but to match the 700 dollar Note 4 mobile phone (domestic official price of 5399 yuan), and it is a limited equipment, you wear Gear VR, you can only stay in the Gear VR, can not answer the phone or browse the Internet, the software is very small. For ordinary consumers, Gear VR is only a semi-finished product or a technology trial. (Keshan)

(Responsible editor: Lvguang)