Heard about that cool Samsung Gear VR Virtual Reality Headset for the Galaxy Note 4? It was announced at IFA and, if you’d like one, you can pre-order it for £150 from MobileFun. The headgear straps to your face and makes you look like one really cool cat.
For the gaming community, the Gear VR should definitely excite. Yes, you can watch a movie and you won’t get disturbed, but how this fits into the rest of your life we’re not quite sure. Perhaps it’ll replace your double monitors at work and we’ll all be sat like zombies in the office? Completely immersed in our jobs without any distraction or friendly banter about last nights’ TV.
Although it is completely wireless and the Note 4 does a lot of the work, the Gear VR has independent controls including a touchpad and separate back button for navigation plus volume controls and focus.
Samsung, during the announcement that you can watch below, told us that some airline pilots already use expensive VR headsets to train, and this could perhaps help in other applications – perhaps for surgeons or industrial repairs.
We’ve got some shots of the headgear below along with further details. I’m personally sitting on the fence with this. Although I like it, it’s difficult for me to find a reason to get one. It reminds me of something out of Lawnmower Man. 😉
What next eh? People will be wearing headsets on rollercoasters..
SAMSUNG EXPLORES THE WORLD OF MOBILE VIRTUAL REALITY WITH GEAR VR
Samsung and Oculus collaborate to create an immersive new dimension of mobile life with the first widely available mobile VR headset optimised for the Galaxy Note 4
London, UK – 3 September, 2014 – Samsung Electronics today introduced the next generation in wearable technology, the Samsung Gear VR Innovator’s Edition, enabling people to fully immerse themselves in a cinematic virtual reality environment. Powered by Oculus technology, Samsung Gear VR delivers a completely new way to experience and consume mobile content. It continues Samsung’s leadership in the wearable category through innovative technology and compelling designs to enhance people’s mobile lives.
The result of a partnership with Oculus, a Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) company and a leader in virtual reality technology,Samsung Gear VR creates an immersive mobile virtual reality experience that the industry has never seen before.
“The Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition is a powerful representation of how we are continuing to innovate with theGear series,” said Ines van Gennip, Marketing Director, IT & Mobile Division, Samsung UK & Ireland. “A totally new way of demonstrating how mobile technology can be used to consume and interact with content, we are delighted to have partnered with Oculus VR to bring this incredibly immersive mobile content experience to our customers.”
“We are thrilled to reveal the Gear VR Innovator’s Edition, a state-of-the-art mobile VR experience powered by Oculus,” said John Carmack, CTO of Oculus. “The deep technical partnership with Samsung has enabled us to create a virtual reality headset with world class resolution and performance, all on a completely mobile platform.”
Samsung Gear VR delivers an unrivalled viewing experience with the 5.7 inch Quad HD Super AMOLED display of theGalaxy Note 4 providing stunning and engaging visuals at a mobile-leading resolution. With the Gear VR Innovator’s Edition, the effect is the equivalent of sitting in the best seat of a theatre, being on-stage at a performance with full 360 3D video, and being able to enjoy gaming like never before – inside stunning worlds where imagination becomes reality. Samsung’s industry leading Super AMOLED display technology and cutting-edge Oculus-driven technologies fuse to create an experience that surprises and delights – all on a mobile device.
Built with soft, flexible cushioning and lightweight materials, Samsung Gear VR is comfortable to wear. It is completely wireless, so it is possible to be fully engaged in virtual worlds without being tethered to a computer. With a robust selection of optimised virtual reality content from a wide range of top-tier creators, owners can enjoy a wide range of film, gaming, 360 degree video, and educational/experiential content.
Samsung Gear VR will be available in Frost White through the Samsung online channel and selective carriers in the UK this year. Full details and product images are available at www.samsungmobilepress.com and www.oculus.com/blog/. UK availability and pricing will be confirmed in due course.
-ENDS-
Note to Editors:
Product Specifications for Samsung Gear VR Innovator Edition
Designed for innovative consumers, specifically VR enthusiasts, developers, mobile experts and professionals, and early technology adopters.
| Gear VR |
Optical Lens |
96˚ Field of View |
| Sensor |
Accelerator, Gyrometer, Magnetic, Proximity |
| Motion to Photon Latency |
< 20ms |
| Focal Adjustment |
Covers Nearsighted / Farsighted Eyes |
| Interpupillary Distance
Coverage |
55 ~ 71 mm |
| Physical User Interface |
Touch Pad, Back Button, Volume Key |
| Connection |
microUSB 1.1 connection to the Galaxy Note 4 |
| Dimension (Headset) |
198(W) x 116(L) x 90(H)mm |
| Contents |
Available through Oculus Store |
| microSD Card(16GB) in-box: A collection of 360-degree videos and 3D movie trailers from major studios will be pre-loaded. |
| As part of the Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron partnership with Samsung,Gear VR users will gain exclusive access to Tony Stark’s Lab inside the all new Avengers Tower. |
| IMAX offers samples of Hollywood and documentary films in a virtual theatre with Samsung Gear VR – the next best thing to a live IMAX experience. |
| DreamWorks VR from DreamWorks Animation allows Samsung Gear VR users to interact and laugh with DreamWorks characters and content in a whole new way like never before. |
| Legendary’s Pacific Rim Jaeger Pilot is an immersive content experience that puts viewers at center of the action with Samsung Gear VR. |
| Cirque du Soleil Media presents a 360 live-action 3D VR experience, featuring an act from Zarkana filmed by Felix & Paul Studios for Samsung Gear VR. |
| M-GO Advanced, a new paradigm for digital video virtual reality applications, offers an unmatched interactive search and discovery of the latest premium movie and TV show content with Samsung Gear VR. |
| Vevo offers more than 100,000 HD music videos, live concert events and original programming that can be enjoyed in an immersive, full-screen theater experience on Samsung Gear VR. |
| Protocol Zero (working title) from DENA enables Samsung Gear VR players to infiltrate enemy grounds undetected in blackout conditions with hi-tech optics including night vision, X-ray vision, and thermal vision. |
| Galaxy Note 4 |
Display |
5.7 inch (143.9mm) Quad HD Super AMOLED (2560 x 1440) |
| Camera (Pass-Through) |
High Frame Rate Preview (60fps) |
| Audio |
3D Spatial Sound on Samsung VR Player for VRGallery contents (Earphone needed) |
