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by sayangel 3970 days ago
i'd be interested to hear what Jeff thinks about the GearVR. Most people brush it off as just another phone holder with lenses, but I'd say it's the most compelling VR headset available on the market.

It has a lot of what he requests from a VR headset: wireless, better display than DK2, and doesnt require a gaming rig. It's virtually plug and play and I think that's why people love it.

MobileVR is what will and should be people's first taste. I've spoken with a lot of architects who love cardboard because it sets such low expectations but blows people away when they put it on. The DK2 is a bit underwhelming as you're strapped into some gaming rig so you're expecting some cutting edge graphics and end up with what something that looks like N64 VR.

One thing that was neglected in this post is the emotional response that VR, even in it's current state, can evoke. I was sold on the Rift after trying some of the early horror titles. They were graphically very basic, but every corner had me sweating and the jump scares had me looking away. You could argue a 2D monitor has the same effect but when you're in VR and try to look away only to find you don't see your living room or anything familiar everything changes. And the social experiences like Convrge or Altspace are also something to be excited about. I was at first quite skeptical of things like this, but the subtle head movements that are incorporated into the avatars are enough to give one a sense of "meatspace" social cues. I once found myself talking to someone in Convrge and was awkwardly nodding and avoiding eye contact when I realized this was just an avatar. It's simple but powerful.