Daydream VR View is something to see
Top-notch experience for a starter
When virtual reality was in its infancy, Google’s Cardboard viewers spread awareness of the technology because they were simple and cheap, even though they did not provide a great experience.
The company’s secondgeneration Daydream View, a $99 product that began selling Thursday in U.S. stores, takes the company further from those early experiments. It’s a well-designed upgrade to a previous version of the Daydream, and also compares well with other entry-level VR viewers like the Samsung Gear VR. But it’s still limited by the technology it uses and doesn’t provide the best VR experience now available.
The Daydream could be an interesting accessory — especially if you’re an early adopter who doesn’t mind having a small selection of virtual reality games and movies. And it would work well for people who have already decided to buy a Pixel 2 or Pixel 2 XL, Google’s latest smartphones that also hit stores Thursday.
I’ve become something of a VR snob after seeing what’s possible with the more expensive, better-powered, higherresolution headsets that run off a PC or game console, namely the HTC Vive, the Oculus Rift and the Sony PlayStation VR. This reminds me of the early days of HDTV: Once I started watching in high-definition, I refused to watch standard-definition TV programs because my eyes would hurt.
Watching virtual reality using a smartphone based viewer like the Daydream View or the Gear VR is just not good enough anymore. That said, I found a Daydream review unit supplied by Google the easiest to use, most comfortable entrylevel VR viewer available.
Google introduced the Daydream last year, along with technology of the same name that the company hopes developers will use to build more games, apps and other experiences.
The updated Daydream now is covered in a soft fabric (it’s the new chic in designer electronic products from Google). It comes in a charcoal gray, light gray and coral. In addition to the adjustable strap behind your head, Google added a removable strap over the head to help take the weight of the goggles off your face.
The Daydream has a washable soft foam liner on the inside of the goggles, which makes it more comfortable around your eyes while keeping more outside light out.
You still need a Daydream-ready smartphone. The obvious option is the 5-inch, $649 Pixel 2 smartphone and the 6-inch Pixel 2 XL, which is $200 more. But the Daydream also works with a limited number of new-model Android phones from other manufacturers, including Samsung’s Galaxy S8, S8-Plus and Note8, the Asus ZenFone AR and the LG V30.
It’s very easy to use. Unlike Samsung’s Gear VR, which requires you to carefully plug the smartphone into a USB port before snapping it into place on the front, the Daydream’s front flap has a sensor that automatically detects the phone and lines up the display for proper viewing. The flap uses a rubbery strap to close and secure the phone.
Like the Gear VR, the Daydream comes with one handheld controller to direct the action on screen and the audio volume. A quick onscreen tutorial gave me all I need to work the controller, which displays as a virtual controller on screen, although in the case of games like “Eclipse: Edge of Light,” the controller becomes a hand you use to grab and throw objects.
If you’ve never tried VR, the Daydream will be eye-opening. There are about 250 games and apps that use the Daydream technology, which is not compatible with other VR platforms.
There are games like “Gunship Battle 2,” which puts you in the cockpit of a fighter helicopter. There are also short recorded videos that make you believe you’re standing next to “Jane the Virgin” star Gina Rodriguez as she talks about her career, or in the room with model Cindy Crawford giving a personal tour of her walk-in closet.
You can also choose from 360-degree YouTube videos and watch Netflix videos in your own private virtual screening room.
I did find myself getting more motion sickness than on other VR headsets with games like “Gunship Battle,” but that reflects the lower video quality available from any smartphone based VR headset.
Last week, I previewed games made for the Oculus Rift, Facebook’s higher-end, smartphone-free VR headset, which is better calibrated to reduce motion sickness. They also have better features — for example, instead of one virtual hand, “The Unspoken: Acolytes” takes advantage of the Rift’s two hand controllers, giving you two virtual hands to form fireballs.
Oculus also announced plans to release a $199 VR headset that doesn’t require a smartphone or a PC early next year. Google has also said it’s working on a standalone Daydream headset, in partnerships with HTC and Lenovo, although it hasn’t announced availability or cost.
Such devices are likely to provide a higher-quality experience than the Daydream — though of course we won’t know until the companies finish making them. If you can’t wait, then Daydream is a good introduction to VR. But it’s only a small step forward in an industry that will take several years to mature.