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19 to mesmerise the user. There are, however, two drawbacks with the Gear VR. Firstly, the goggles are only compatible with Samsung’s high-end smartphones, starting from the S6 generation, and the Note 5. Secondly, it’s missing – at least for the time being – apps which will keep the user interested and keen to come back for more over a longer period of time. However, the software can be controlled more easily than is the case with the competition thanks to the touchpad which is mounted on the headset. GOOGLE CARDBOARD One thing is for sure: The true fascination with virtual reality can only be understood by those who have experienced it first-hand. Google provides the cheapest solution by far that allows users to at least be able to get a sense of this potential with its product Cardboard, the second version of which has recently been released. You may not get a proper VR experience with it but it does only cost around EUR 15. Cardboard is made of a piece of cardboard shaped to form a cover with two lenses. Similar to Samsung’s Gear VR, a smartphone is then placed in the cover to act as the display. Although the operating options, image quality and wearing comfort are all rather limited, it’s EUR 15 well spent to get your first impression of virtual reality. HOW DOES VIRTUAL REALITY WORK? VR goggles display an image to each eye. These images are generated by software which splits the output image into two images and re- shapes them ever so slightly so that your brain perceives both in- dividual images to be three dimensional. Depending on the VR goggles in question, various technologies register the position of the head, meaning that the user is free to look around the virtual world. SONY PLAYSTATION VR – THE COUCH POTATO As the third largest manufacturer, Sony is stepping into the ring with its PlayStation VR (PSVR). These goggles are also scheduled to come out later this year. Although the price is not yet fixed and the image resolu- tion is a little lower than the Rift or Vive at 1080 x 960 pixels, Sony still has a few trump cards up its sleeves. The best one is probably the price for the hardware which is needed to use the goggles. Whilst both the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive require a high-performance PC costing around EUR 1000, the PSVR only needs a PlayStation 4 costing EUR 300. Admittedly, the console does offer a lower level of performance than a high-end PC, which is why many PSVR games appear to be slightly less sophisticated than those for the Vive and Rift. However, as it still looks great and adds great entertainment to VR games, even if the graphics are less impressive, the lower hardware power doesn’t necessarily go against the PSVR. The PSVR can recognise hand movements thanks to the Move controller already out for the PlayStation 4, whilst the PlayStation camera can track the position of the head and convey this in the virtual world using LEDs mounted on the goggles. Sony’s VR goggles are due to hit the market in the second half of 2016. Their price hasn’t yet been confirmed but it won’t exceed the cost of the console, which will quite significantly undercut the two biggest competitors. SAMSUNG GEAR VR – THE SMART ONE A relative cheap step into the world of virtual reality which has been around on the market for some time is offered by Samsung with its Gear VR, which was developed in collaboration with Oculus VR. The Gear VR costs EUR 99 and comes without a display which is where your smartphone comes into play, as it is placed in a specially designed slot on the goggles. The VR experience can be improved by additional sensors for recognising head movements. It doesn’t quite match up to that feeling of being right in the thick of it which the Rift, Vive and PSVR do offer, but it’s still enough TRENDS & TECHNOLOGY

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