Samsung Gear VR
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Samsung's next Unpacked keynote comes to the metaverse
Samsung's first event of 2022 will simultaneously air in actual and virtual reality.
Fox's journey into virtual reality begins with 'Wild'
Virtual reality is going to the movies and Hollywood's excited about it. Or, at the very least, the execs at 20th Century Fox's specialty division Fox Searchlight are cautiously and thoughtfully wading into the deep end of this new medium. For its film Wild, starring Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern, the studio has crafted what it's calling a companion VR piece with the help of Montreal-based VR artists/directors Paul Raphaël and Félix Lajeunesse, and it was demoed at CES in Las Vegas this week for select press.
Temple Run VR gets Demon Monkeys in your Oculus-wearing face
The Temple Run games have virtually defined the endless runner genre, so it's fitting that virtual reality defines the latest entry, Temple Run VR. Designed for the Samsung Gear VR (a more portable version of the Oculus Rift virtual reality headset that substitutes a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 for its screen), Temple Run VR puts you into the first-person view of an explorer who steals an ancient idol and is subsequently hunted by Arctic Demon Monkeys. Well, it won't win any awards for best writing, but sometimes you just want to get straight into the action. "We're thrilled to see this new virtual reality technology in the hands of consumers, and are inspired by the potential for new game experiences," Keith Shepherd, co-founder of developer Imangi Studios said in a press release. "It's been a pleasure working with Samsung and Oculus to bring Temple Run VR to life, and we can't wait to see what players think of the chase." Temple Run VR is now available to download via the Gear VR's digital storefront for free. [Image: Imangi Studios]
Looking into the future: Samsung Gear VR review
You can finally buy a virtual reality headset and use it in your home. Right now -- today -- that is possible. It doesn't cost $10,000 and it doesn't come with caveats like, "This is made for developers." Samsung is officially the first to market with an accessible, impressive virtual reality headset, all powered by software from Facebook's recently acquired Oculus VR team. That alone is very exciting: We are standing at the precipice of a new medium, finally technologically possible. Wireless, consumer-grade virtual reality! In your home! Today! Samsung's Gear VR is both an astounding feat and an illuminating vision into our near future; it's the closest anyone's come to making virtual reality into a palatable consumer experience, and a stark example of how far we still have to go before that dream is completely realized.
Oculus releases mobile SDK, Gear VR coming in December
The Samsung Gear VR, a mobile virtual reality headset powered by Oculus technology that uses a Samsung Galaxy Note 4 smartphone (sold separately) for its display, will be available in North America starting this December at a pricepoint of $200, Oculus has revealed. The first-run "Innovator Editon" can also be bundled with a Bluetooth gamepad for an additional $50, and you can pre-register for more news updates directly through Samsung. If you lean more toward being a virtual reality developer rather than a virtual reality consumer, there's still good news to be had, as Oculus has released their mobile software development kit (SDK) for you to tinker and play with. The current SDK is geared (no pun intended) specifically for the Gear VR and the Note 4, and includes the full source code for Oculus Cinema, Oculus 360 Photos and Oculus 360 Video. Unfortunately, there's still no official release date for the PC version of Oculus' VR headset, the Rift. However, reports suggest a mid-2015 window for the consumer beta. [Image: Oculus]
Harmonix Music VR coming to Samsung's Gear VR headset
Virtual reality is cool, but how much fun is the hardware if you don't have anything to run on it? Not much is the answer. Hence, it's goods news that Harmonix (of Rock Band, Dance Central and Amplitude fame) are developing software for the Gear VR headset, a recently-announced virtual reality device created by Oculus in partnership with Samsung that uses the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 4 as a display. According to a blog post from Harmonix, the software is called "Harmonix Music VR," and it functions something like a virtual reality music visualizer. "[Harmonix Music VR] uses Harmonix's proprietary Music Analysis Engine technology to generate a song-specific, high-resolution event sequence that drives the reactive elements in your virtual world," the company writes. "Sit back and relax, taking in the vibrant, musically responsive environment, or explore for even more audio visualizations set to your own tracks." Harmonix Music VR will launch alongside the Gear VR, but when exactly that will be is currently unknown. [Image: Samsung/Oculus]
Oculus-powered Samsung Gear VR headset coming this year
Samsung and Oculus have partnered for a mobile virtual reality headset to be used with the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Note 4, the companies announced this week. They're calling it the Samsung Gear VR, and it will be available later this year as an "Innovator Edition." The Gear VR slots in the Note 4 to use as a screen, so there are no wires or extra hook-ups to worry about lugging around. Otherwise, it functions pretty much the same as its big brother, the Oculus Rift, albeit with a lower level of performance. The field of view on the Gear VR, for instance, is 96 degrees - four shy of the Rift. If you're wondering why it's called the Innovator Edition, Oculus has a blog post explaining: "It's an early-access, beta-version of the device for developers and enthusiasts rather than a final consumer product. Content creators can experiment and build totally new experiences while users explore the bleeding edge of mobile VR as it's being pioneered," the company writes. No release date for the device has been given for the Gear VR, but when it launches there will be several virtual reality experiences and games available, including Darknet - a game we saw at PAX Prime last weekend - Oculus Cinema - a virtual movie theater - and Legendary's Pacific Rim Jaeger Pilot - a VR experience we heard about during Comic-Con. Our friends at Engadget have a hands-on video, pictures and their own thoughts on the device if you want to learn more. [Image: Samsung]
