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Google's Daydream VR experiment is over
Google is bringing the Daydream VR experiment to a close. The Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL smartphones it announced today don't support the platform, and it won't sell Daydream View headsets anymore. The Daydream app and store will still work for people with other Pixel devices, however.
Google shuts down Daydream VR's Play Movies & TV app
Google has pulled Daydream VR's version of the Google Play Movies & TV app. You can still view your rentals or purchases through the YouTube VR app, a Google spokesperson confirmed to Variety, while there aren't any current plans to remove other Google apps from the Daydream platform.
'Shattered State' is a VR political thriller designed for the Netflix crowd
Supermassive Games is best known, at least in recent times, for the story-driven horror title Until Dawn, which spawned both a spin-off and a prequel in subsequent years. Other than occasionally flirting with Windows over its nigh decade-long history, Supermassive has focused on developing games for several generations of PlayStation consoles. Its latest project takes it into entirely new territory, however. Political thriller Shattered State is a VR experience that launches today on Google's Daydream platform, and so is available to anyone with a compatible phone or headset.
Google brings Chrome to Daydream VR headsets
It's been a long time in coming, but Chrome browsing in VR is finally here. Google has released a version of Chrome that supports both Daydream View and stand-alone Daydream headsets like the Lenovo Mirage Solo. It can visit any website and includes Chrome staples like incognito mode, syncing and voice search, just in a wearable-friendly format. Google is also promising Daydream-specific features like a "cinema mode" when you watch online video.
Lenovo Mirage Solo review: A solid VR headset looking for a niche
There's nothing quite like spring in New York. It's warm, but not too warm. Protests and open-air markets are spinning up at Union Square. The popsicle vendor next to the office is slinging treats while the heady aroma of kebabs from the food truck around the corner draws a crowd of lunchtime regulars. At long last, people are luxuriating outside, and New York feels alive again. Naturally, because the city was brimming with energy, I had no choice but to go outside and goof around with a VR headset. You see, Lenovo's Mirage Solo is part of a new breed of self-contained VR headsets. You don't need to connect it to a powerful PC or stick a phone inside of it. You just turn it on, pick up Google's classic Daydream controller and dive right in. While headsets like the Oculus Go are accessible because they're fairly cheap, Lenovo and Google were a little more ambitious. They needed to take the existing Daydream concept and make it more capable. By cooking up a way to help this all-in-one headset understand your movement in the real world and translate it into virtual ones, I'd argue they succeeded.
Lenovo's Daydream VR headset might go on sale May 11th
Lenovo only gave a vague "second quarter" release window for its Mirage Solo Daydream VR headset when we saw it in January, but there might be firmer date to work with. B&H is listing the standalone wearable as available for pre-order with a May 11th ship date and a $400 price tag. We've asked Lenovo if it can vouch for the accuracy of the listing. We tend to take these discoveries with a huge grain of salt (stores frequently pick arbitrary dates as placeholders), but there might be some credulity to this one.
Plex jumps into VR on Google Daydream headsets
Last year Plex's reach extended to cover live TV and automobiles, so in 2018 the company is jumping into yet another platform: virtual reality. As it has done before, the company brought in the developer of a community project, Plevr, to work on the new client and Plex VR looks like a nice addition. The content browsing experience I saw in a short demo looked excellent. It really made us of the virtual space with touches like selecting a title popping it out into a virtual DVD case that users could hold, rotate or put down on a table in front of them while they flipped through other options.
Lenovo's standalone Daydream VR headset pops up at the FCC
HTC may have ditched its Google Daydream headset, but Lenovo still appears to be on track. An FCC filing has surfaced for a Mirage Solo standalone VR headset "with Daydream." There aren't any shocking revelations (unless Bluetooth 5.0 and a 4,000mAh battery will make you gasp). However, it's the listing's very existence that matters -- this indicates that you're finally close to seeing what Daydream VR is like when you don't need a phone.
'Rez Infinite' arrives on your phone through Daydream VR
Rez Infinite is a sublime experience in virtual reality, but there's a catch: that requirement for PlayStation VR or a PC usually means you're tied down. That won't be an issue after today, provided you have the right hardware: Enhance Games has released Rez Infinite for Android. You'll need a Daydream-compatible VR headset with a controller (and the phone to match, of course), but you too can soar through virtual worlds and shoot enemies to a trance beat. And yes, the Infinite-only Area X is as visually intense as ever -- modern mobile hardware is clearly up to the job.
Google expects 11 Daydream-ready phones by the end of 2017
Right now, it's slim pickings if you want a smartphone that supports Daydream VR headsets. Outside of Google's own Pixel line, you're looking at just a handful of devices from ASUS, Huawei, Motorola and ZTE. Your choices should get better soon, though. While discussing Google's financial results, Sundar Pichai revealed that there should be 11 Daydream-capable Android phones by the end of 2017. The Galaxy S8 is the first out of the gate (that update is arriving now, in fact), but that still leaves a few other handsets.
Google tests VR as a replacement for dull training videos
We've heard about medical professionals using VR to augment their suites for years, but Google is testing its fit in the broader workplace, starting with employment's least fun experience: Training. The company's Daydream Labs hosted an experiment to see if hypothetical new hires learned better by watching training videos or donning a VR headset and walking through simulations -- and it turns out, immersive education does a better job. For this single trial, anyway.
Samsung's Galaxy S8 will work with Daydream VR this summer
Perhaps you were excited about playing with Google's Daydream VR headsets but never bought one of Google's very own Pixel phones (or a handful of other niche Android options). Fortunately, you'll have some more familiar phone choices later this year, with a software update bringing Daydream compatibility to both Samsung's Galaxy S8 and S8 Plus as well as a yet-untitled LG flagship device coming later this year. As Google notes, this will bring the number of compatible devices to 11 by the end of the year. Wait, no new Daydream Views headset? Well, not yet.
What to expect at Google I/O 2017
For the second year running, Google's massive I/O developer event will take place at the storied Shoreline Amphitheater, right around the corner from the company's Mountain View headquarters. Last year's conference had a host of major announcements worthy of such a high-profile venue -- it's where Google Home, the Google Assistant and the Daydream VR headset were all introduced. But this year, things seem like they'll be a little quieter, at least in terms of big consumer-facing hardware. It'll probably be a year of refinement, where big initiatives continue to be polished. We'll be there all three days this year, bringing you breaking news, analysis, interviews, videos and more. Without the benefit of a crystal ball, here's what we think we'll be talking about this week.
Stream live NBA games in VR à la carte starting February 23rd
The NBA announced its plan to stream weekly games live in VR last fall and soon there will be a much cheaper à la carte option. Starting February 23rd, basketball fans will be able to watch matchups live in virtual reality without having to pay for an NBA League Pass subscription. Each game will set you back $7 and they'll still be available though the League Pass app. Before now, you had to pay for the $200 TV subscription if you wanted to stream live basketball games in virtual reality. NextVR does say that this is the "introductory price" for the rest of the current season, so the rate may not be permanent.
Netflix heads to VR again with Google's Daydream
Last week we saw HBO and a slew of new apps land on Google's Daydream VR platform -- now, Netflix is joining the fray. The streaming company launched its Daydream app this morning, and it looks pretty similar to its existing Gear VR app. That's probably not too surprising, since both platforms are based on Android. The Daydream Netflix app places you in a virtual log cabin, where you can peruse your queue and start watching videos as you normally do.
Red and 'Snow' Daydream View VR headsets ship today
In addition to HBO Now support and a ton of new games, Google is finally shipping Daydream View headsets in new colors. Customers in the US, UK and Australia can order the "Crimson" (red) and "Snow" (it depends who you ask) editions of the View from the Google Store. Those that pre-ordered their colorful headset should see their orders ship today. Neither color comes as a surprise -- they were both announced at the headset's launch -- but up until now you've only been able to pick up the View in gray. Aside from the now colorways, the headsets are identical to the version that's been on sale for some time, and appropriately come with the same $79 (£69) price tag. Daydream View is compatible with Google's Pixel and Pixel XL, and Lenovo's Moto Z and Moto Z Force.
Welcome to Google's NYC home
Google has made minimal forays into real-world retail shops thus far. There's a good reason for that: The company has long been more focused on software than hardware. That's slowly changing, but Google went all-in on its own hardware brand when it announced the new Pixel smartphones, Google Home, Daydream VR headset and Google WiFi router earlier this month. For most consumers, buying hardware sight-unseen is still a tough proposition, so Google is finally making it easier for consumers to check out all its new gadgets -- in New York City, at least. The company's pop-up retail location opened its doors this morning, and while it wasn't exactly an iPhone-level stampede, there were a couple dozen people waiting to get in when it opened. A steady stream of passers-by came through in the hour I spent at the store.
Google's Daydream View VR headset is available for pre-order
Google announced via Twitter on Thursday that its forthcoming VR rig, the Pixel-powered Daydream View is now available for pre-order. The offer currently only extends to customers in the US, the United Kingdom and Germany. The Daydream will retail for $80 and can be ordered from either Verizon or Google itself. The headset relies on the new Google Pixel phone to generate VR images so you're going to want to make sure you have one of those before plunking down your cash for this gadget. The headset is slated to ship in November.
Here's what you missed at the 'Made by Google' event
It may be time to bid a sad adieu (sadieu?) to the beloved Nexus line and hello to Google's new Pixel phones, but we've still got a whole slew of fresh hardware to look forward to. In addition to the higher-end handsets, Google also unveiled the Daydream View VR headset, the Chromecast Ultra, a WiFi router, as well as the official price and availability of its Home smart speaker. Tying all of the gadgets together is the company's AI Assistant, which you can use on the Pixels and Home, and Google promises to make it available on more platforms in future. Our senior editors Nicole Lee and Chris Velazco break down what all this new stuff means for you, and share their impressions of the new products. Click here to catch all the latest news from Google's fall event.
Google's Daydream View is the VR headset for the masses
It's pretty clear by now that virtual reality -- like it or not -- is probably here to stay. The tricky part is getting people to start using these requisite VR headsets on the regular, and Google's approach is equal parts simple and elegant. With a new Pixel phone (or another Daydream-compatible device) and the $80 Daydream View headset, Google might have just cooked up the most comfortable, coolest-looking VR experience out there.
