17 ms·

Oculus Go

245 points by salimmadjd 8y ago

legitster 8y ago
Rift Owner here. Mmmmmm. That's some nice looking hardware. Not appearing like you had a medical device strapped to your face was one of my driving decisions for picking the Rift over the Vive. And the simple straps and soft touch fabrics look really nice and comfortable here. But I have yet to find any lasting appeal to the "low-end" VR experiences. It really gives a poor impression of what the tech is capable of and walk away with a "gimmicky" feeling.
- mlevental 8y ago
  it's for consuming 360-ish video experiences, which i think is less gimmicky than you're implying. good 360 videos are fun and immersive and let you explore visually in a way that flat film doesn't. i actually think this kind of passive engagement with "VR" will be more common (because it's easier) than highly interactive video games.
  - georgeecollins 8y ago
    I actually enjoy watching regular video on the light wireless headsets.
    - siavosh 8y ago
      Is there a site that lists available 360 content?
    - toomuchtodo 8y ago
      Can you watch 2D streams (Netflix, Youtube, etc) on the headset?
      - QuotedForTruth 8y ago
        The PC VR headsets have virtual theaters that you can watch any 2d content in. I'm sure this will have the same.
        kbutler 8y ago
        The review mentioned it did, but I don't understand why they have a virtual room. Why not just display the video at full resolution? Why do I have to have my head and face oriented toward a virtual screen? Why would I want to look down at a virtual coffee table, or up at a virtual ceiling, or behind me at a virtual couch while the movie is playing at some fraction of the device's resolution in a different virtual direction?
        MikusR 8y ago
        All of useful video players including the Netflix one have an empty space mode that is just that. And the virtual environment adds to the experience.
        legitster 8y ago
        1. Video Goggles have existed since the 90s, they want to differentiate themselves from that dead technology. So being able to look around a screen is actually pretty neat. 2. The screen simulates your full range of vision. So to fill it edge to edge would be impossible to watch. You would have to pick an arbitrary fraction of the screen to show at a time. Why not set up a virtual space where you can move closer or further away from the screen or move around like you can in real space? Self configuring!
        kbutler 8y ago
        Moving closer or further is an interesting idea - except I expect I'd be watching video either sitting in a chair or lying down, and thus quite stationary. As for it adding to the experience, for optimal viewing in real life, we turn off the lights precisely to avoid the surroundings from distracting from the experience...
      - MikusR 8y ago
        It has a native Netflix app (one of Carmacks pet projects)
      - giobox 8y ago
        You can, but the experience is often like watching a giant standard-def TV set - none of the consumer grade VR headsets have the resolution to do this well yet. I personally find watching a film on an tablet or phone significantly better, unless the isolation offered by strapping a VR headset to your face is more important to you.
  - samstave 8y ago
    Out of curiosity; are their any VR platforms which pair with a drone such that the orientation of the drone is based on the direction your head looks? (I have neither a drone, nor a VR headset) Or are drones oriented only by hand-held controls?
    - psyc 8y ago
      Yes. https://www.dji.com/dji-goggles https://www.dji.com/dji-goggles
- vorpalhex 8y ago
  It's great for watching movies on an airplane. None of the games have done anything for me, but the movies are cool.
  - portmanteaufu 8y ago
    Watching TV on an airplane is the #1 reason I would buy a VR headset. The in-seat screen UIs are atrocious and they tend to only have ~4 or so episodes of any given show. Unfortunately, the Oculus Go's battery life is only about 2 hours according to the Ars Technica review[1]. Some planes have AC outlets, but YMMV. [1] https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/05/oculus-go-review-the-wireless-vr-future-begins-today-for-only-199/ https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/05/oculus-go-review-the-...
    - Andrex 8y ago
      For the record, the upcoming Lenovo Mirage Solo headset has a 4000 mAh battery and (purportedly) 10-hour battery life. Of course, it is double the price of the Oculus Go.
      - elsewhen 8y ago
        it looks like it is available now: https://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/tablets/virtual-reality-and-smart-devices/virtual-and-augmented-reality/lenovo-mirage-solo/Mirage-Solo/p/ZZIRZRHVR01 https://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/tablets/virtual-reality-and-sm...
    - esrauch 8y ago
      I saw a review that mentioned Oculus discouraged using it while it was plugged in, so even on a flight with outlets you wouldnt be able to watch 2 movies on a 4 hour flight with it.
  - mackwerk 8y ago
    What about the noise level on a plane? Are they able to cancel that out?
- outworlder 8y ago
  What I think Oculus really nailed down was the controllers. Playing Robo Recall, I can sometimes even believe I'm holding an actual, although lightweight, weapon on my hands. That said, resolution is not the greatest asset. I doubt this device improves on that – if anything it will probably be worse. What blows people away is not the display, it's the head and position tracking, of both the HMD and the controls. It's amazing how you can "see" them and accurately pick them up on a table. I hope this device has that.
  - chrischen 8y ago
    Actually Steam/Vive brought that tech first to market with the HTC Vive + Lighthouse, and after trying both the Lighthouse tech has noticeably less latency (through less complex tracking mechanisms). Plus side is Valve is giving away the tech for free.
    - outworlder 8y ago
      What do you mean it is giving away the tech for free?
      - chrischen 8y ago
        You can use Vive's lighthouse tracking commercially for free, with no royalties or patent licensing. For whatever reason, Facebook still decided to re-invent an inferior implementation using cameras and computer vision.
        outworlder 8y ago
        "Inferior" is debatable. It is pretty darn accurate. And it could potentially track my coffee mug, which has value :)
        chrischen 8y ago
        I don't think it's debatable. The Oculus tracking system at best does the same as the Lighthouse tracking, except lighthouse has less latency, less processing requirement (you can track a room full of hundreds or thousands of discrete balls since there's no CV loop). Plus in theory multiple users can use the same set of lighthouse emitters (they work kind of like Wii's IR based tracking system).
- fsiefken 8y ago
  GearVR and Rift owner here. Social VR, for example AltspaceVR, is also quite worthwhile with mobile VR like the GearVR. Yes, you cannot look around people and you have only one 'hand', but that's good enough. Another feature I regularly use is PhoneCast to use most Android 2D apps in VR. I remember catching up 4 seasons of The Walking Dead in double speed with BsPlayer every night. Of course BigScreen will also be a killer app when it's released for mobile to watch movies with others.
  - dshankar 8y ago
    Speaking of Bigscreen...it was released for mobile today :-D Oculus Go launch title and also Samsung GearVR support
    - ngokevin 8y ago
      Congrats! Tempting to grab a couple Go's for Bigscreen, just to watch movies comfortably in bed or something.
- VectorLock 8y ago
  What you look like is your driving decision on which VR device to buy? For me, that'd be mostly irrelevant.
  - legitster 8y ago
    It wasn't a huge factor, but I bought it partly as a party trick to pull out when people are over. Having it look less ugly and intimidating was definitely a plus when getting new people to try out VR for the first time.
- lainga 8y ago
  On the other hand, I own only the Gear VR, and this looks like the logical next step up for me.
  - skavi 8y ago
    Just an FYI, though I'm sure you're already aware, this doesn't offer any improvements over the Gear VR's VR experience. The screen and performance are worse than the newest Galaxies. It does offer better ease of use (always ready, no messing with docking your phone) and a lighter weight. Additionally it (obviously) doesn't take away from your phone's battery life. Again, I'm sure you're aware of all that, but I'd hate for someone to spend $200, expecting something that this is not.
- giobox 8y ago
  > But I have yet to find any lasting appeal to the "low-end" VR experiences. It really gives a poor impression of what the tech is capable of and walk away with a "gimmicky" feeling. I'd argue that even "high-end" VR leaves many with a bad impression walking away with a "gimmicky" feeling. The Rift continues to be the worst technology investment I've made, no amount of personal enthusiasm for the concept makes up for the fact many people get motion sick on these things eventually. Feeling sick for "fun" in my free time is not up there with my favorite leisure activities. Outside of a handful of impressive tech demos (RoboRecall etc), the vast majority of the content on the Rift is equally low rent too.
  - mhomde 8y ago
    Each to their own but my experience has been the opposite. I just purchased an Oculus Rift with touch controllers, being carefully optimistic but a bit skeptical, thinking it was going to be as you said "Gimmicky", somewhere on par with 3D cinema experience-wise. But man, it totally blew my mind how good and immersive it is. Maybe the strongest feeling of "wow, we really live in the future" I've had. The low latency combined with excellent controls really creates a feeling of being there. Google Earth by itself is worth the price of Oculus many times over. Then there are titles like Lone Echo, Robo Recall, Beat Saber, Skyrim VR, Quake 1 and Quake 2, Minecraft etc etc. Sure there aren't a ton of AAA titles yet but those that are hold an amazing quality IMO and has spoiled me from "normal" gaming
- erikpukinskis 8y ago
  Could that just be a game design problem? When iPhone came out, the games were gimmicky. Same for Facebook platform. And then there was Farmville. And then there was Angry Birds. And then there was Pokemon Go. Games which were designed AROUND the limitations of the platform, rather than being a crappy stripped down version of previous fully realized gaming experiences.
- madeofpalk 8y ago
  In my experience all VR has been rather gimmicky and poor. At least this one is cheaper/doesn’t require a headset.
- whywhywhywhy 8y ago
  Really think the industrial design team at Oculus are outstanding, I was blown away with how nice my Rift headset looks, feels and how well considered each device is. This is before I get into the Touch controllers which become invisible the fit so naturally to your hand. Really like the design of the Go too but wont be buying one because for me the hand presence is what makes VR.
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
ohf 8y ago
Wow, that webpage sucks. What are the specs?
- ansible 8y ago
  Indeed. Does it do any sort of position tracking, or just orientation tracking? It is nice though that it has been designed for prescription lens inserts.
  - giobox 8y ago
    There's no "6 degrees of freedom" here, just head orientation, much like the Gear VR and so on. It's significantly more basic than the Rift in that regard.
- gandreani 8y ago
  So much
- DanAndersen 8y ago
  The Oculus subreddit seems to have a decent writeup: https://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/8g7ypb/the_answer_to_your_question_wtf_is_oculus_go/ https://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/8g7ypb/the_answer_t...
  - corysama 8y ago
    TLDR: "Overall, Go's performance should be on par with a Galaxy S8 or better." It's pretty much the same hardware as a GearVR with an S8. The big difference is that it is physically larger, so the thermals are greatly improved. Thermal throttling may be the largest bottleneck in mobile VR.
- wkx 8y ago
  you can find the specs on bestbuy: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/oculus-go-stand-alone-virtual-reality-headset/6212949.p?skuId=6212949 https://www.bestbuy.com/site/oculus-go-stand-alone-virtual-r...
- 8y ago
nvus 8y ago
Would this work for emulating multiple screens for my PC? Has anyone tried it with existing hardware, can you for example program with it?
- kingbirdy 8y ago
  I can't speak to this specifically, but generally HMD screens are too low resolution to show text well enough for programming. Also (from what I understand), every virtual screen requires a corresponding HDMI port on your machine
  - outworlder 8y ago
    Why? You only require the HDMI port used by the Rift. Everything else is rendered as a texture inside the virtual environment. That works today, you can have multiple screens floating around, your Windows desktop, etc.
    - Raphmedia 8y ago
      The one HDMI per screen thing is because Virtual Desktop simply output your actual computer screens in VR. There is nothing stopping you from using one huge screen with transparent background and a bunch of windows.
- outworlder 8y ago
  You "can". I have not tried programming, but I have tried reading. Resolution is poor, so text display doesn't look great. Not horrible, just not great. However, if you secretly wanted to program using a movie theater display, I guess that would work. I think that's how it would feel like. The thing is, other than having a gigantic (perceived) display, what's the advantage? We'll still be manipulating text – and you'll have to touch type, because you won't be able to see the keyboard. We need a lightable-like VR experience before that makes sense. For watching movies it works. Depending on the person it may be uncomfortable after a while. If you are ok with it, then it is actually nice. The software is not yet there though, the ones I've tried just emulate a movie theater. If/when you can project 3D movies, then it will be great.
mrbill 8y ago
Ordered, can't wait. Will be nice to have a VR option that doesn't require burning battery or overheating my phone (OG Pixel). I built my last gaming PC to minimum-Oculus-VR specs, but never got around to buying the headset. Glad I waited.
- boojums 8y ago
  The Go and the Rift are targeting pretty different experiences. The Go can only track rotation while the Rift can track position changes as well. This opens up many different actions (e.g. crouching down to pick up a can the road) which boost immersion. If you get a chance to demo a Rift or an HTC Vive, I would highly recommend it.
- whywhywhywhy 8y ago
  If your PC has the specs to handle the Rift you're doing yourself a disservice not to buy one at the new reduced price. I bought one on a whim and expected it to be interesting but I was completely blown away and use it almost every night. The Go isn't really the same experience because it doesn't track head position or hand position.
  - mrbill 8y ago
    $399 is great, but I'm going to have to sell a bunch of stuff to pay for the Go as it is.. cancer med and oncologist visit copays suck :(
pronoiac 8y ago
The Verge review [1] has more specs: > Its screen is a 5.5-inch display with a 2560 x 1440 resolution (1280 x 1440 per eye). It’s based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 processor from 2016... [1] https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/1/17306458/oculus-go-standalone-vr-headset-review https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/1/17306458/oculus-go-standal...
- paulgb 8y ago
  Given the comparisons to Gear VR, does anyone know if this is running Android under the hood?
  - portmanteaufu 8y ago
    It is. The Ars Technica review[1] is pretty thorough. [1] https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/05/oculus-go-review-the-wireless-vr-future-begins-today-for-only-199/ https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/05/oculus-go-review-the-...
pjmlp 8y ago
As if Go as word wasn't already too much overloaded.
- sbarre 8y ago
  At least Disney isn't pushing go.com as hard anymore.. That's a start? ;-)
tboughen 8y ago
They have enough location data to show UK pricing (I am in the UK), but when I ask about where I can trial a headset they silently fail and show me somewhere on the east coast of the USA.
Raphmedia 8y ago
Can you replace the lenses? My desktop Rift's lenses are all scratched from normal use (people with glasses used it, etc.). I couldn't imagine having a "on the go" device with lens that you can't replace.
- dismal2 8y ago
  It says there are prescription inserts on the website
  - Raphmedia 8y ago
    So, put in inserts with no strength (extra purchase) and hope for the best...
  - drcode 8y ago
    No, it's only a plastic spacer to leave extra room for your eye glasses.
    - Ajedi32 8y ago
      Scroll down. They are most definitely selling inserts for lenses.
      - drcode 8y ago
        I stand corrected! In my defense, their website is a mess.
georgewsinger 8y ago
Not to hijack the achievements of Oculus, but there is also a project to bring Linux to standalone VR headsets: https://github.com/SimulaVR/Simula https://github.com/SimulaVR/Simula Get an Oculus Go for now. But show SimulaVR some love for the future :]
VikingCoder 8y ago
3DOF, right? No positional tracking?
- andybak 8y ago
  Correct. The Lenovo Mirage will be the first 6DOF mobile headset available outside Asia. (I believe the HTC Focus is already available in certain Asian markets)
- madaxe_again 8y ago
  Correct. It's Gear VR space - I guess the objective is to have a device that sits between the high end (Rift/Vive) space, and the low end (Gear/Cardboard) space. That said, I can't see high end users adopting downwards - and for low end users, it's not much of a step upwards (still no positional tracking, which is kinda a watershed point for VR experiences), and is an additional device, when they can accomplish largely the same thing with a cellphone and gear VR setup. I suppose that leaves new adopters as the market, but with a lower entry point than Rift - but it's going to be a watered down experience and could undermine their high end sales too. Honestly, I'm not sure I understand what the strategy is here.
  - k__ 8y ago
    I have a 6.3" smartphone that doesn't fit in these vr-contraptions. So I guess I would be a potential customer? On the other hand I didn't look into the whole thing too much and don't know anything I would like to do with this thing...
  - VikingCoder 8y ago
    I'm pretty sure I get it - It's an up-scale gift. All those times you've walked into Best Buy, and you've seen the WALL of crappy VR? Well, this will be the undisputed king of all of them. I'm seriously considering one for airplanes. I'd definitely want to use my noise-cancelling headphones instead, though. "also includes a 3.5mm headphone jack" So that's good. It'll be lighter than one phone-based ones, too, I bet. Less fidgeting, trying to get your phone in and out. Don't get distracted when you get an IM from your friend, wrecking your view for a minute. Auto-brightness isn't on, messing with you. And it's a walled garden. Oculus IS the store. That's good for them. So, they may sell these at a loss, and still come out ahead. The smart move is to buy one and only use the free apps, or the stuff you really, really know you want.
otoburb 8y ago
I wonder if they will notice an uptick in bounce rate for Firefox 59.0.3 users, primarily because it seems to crash the tab. The Ars Technica review linked by 'portmanteafu provided great information.
- cpeterso 8y ago
  Can you share a Firefox crash ID from your about:crashes page? I see some bad flickering when I scroll with Firefox 59.0.3 on Windows 10, but I haven't been able to reproduce a crash yet.
  - cpeterso 8y ago
    This crash was caused by an internet security program called Palo Alto Networks' Cytool Traps that injects its DLL into Firefox's process and attempts to intercept and analyze network traffic. Here's the Firefox bug report: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1458377 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1458377
avoutthere 8y ago
Does anybody know what data Facebook harvests related to one's usage of their Oculus VR devices?
buildbuildbuild 8y ago
I am most excited not by gaming on this device, but by the prospect of experiencing the VR film content that is premiering at Sundance/Tribeca/SxSW. VR has a rich and diverse future, current clunkiness aside. I'm sure there are cheaper ways of tuning in, but something about a polished name brand product appeals to me more than a smartphone-on-the-face cardboard approach.
crashride 8y ago
Oh wow.. that page was terrible, couldn't even stand waiting for it to load.
x3haloed 8y ago
No comments yet on how this is almost exactly the Google Daydream viewer with a builtin phone?
- tlrobinson 8y ago
  Can you get the Daydream plus an equivalent phone for $200?
- wvenable 8y ago
  That's exactly what this is and has always been advertised as being. It's even software compatible with the Gear VR.
VectorLock 8y ago
Supposedly better optics to deal with screen door effect and a higher resolution per-eye but I couldn't find any information on FOV per eye. What is Oculus Go's overall pixel density?
zython 8y ago
yeah, nah, I'm gonna pass on that. why would you take a vr setup from the living room and "mobilize" it. what idiot is going to take his oculus go with him on the go ? this platform is going to be restricted to low quality titles/products to be fair this is going to be a lot more affordable than a real vr setup but IMO this is the wrong way to introduce vr to the masses now vr is going to have this 2005-10 facebook game-esque connotation to it, which is anything but ideal opinions ?
- danield9tqh 8y ago
  If smartphones are any indication, VR on the go will happen eventually, without a doubt. If it's not this model that popularizes it, it will be some other model. what idiot is going to take his oculus go with him on the go? I really think you are underestimating people here
et-al 8y ago
Anyone know if FB is selling these at a loss to gain marketshare? $199 USD for the 32GB version is a welcoming price for mainstream acceptance.
- pbhjpbhj 8y ago
  I always wonder with these things why the big jump in price for memory - what's the bom difference? Is the 32gb just the 64gb one with half the memory crippled? It's £5 for the cheapest possible 32gb sdcard, about £12 retail for one I'd expect to work well. So presumably the memory is quite a small part of the cost difference -- there seems so much other tech in there, a quarter of the price can't be just memory. School me oh gurus; is this just price differentiation?
  - et-al 8y ago
    The jump from 32GB and 64GB is definitely price differentiation. But $50 for more memory on an expensive toy isn't that bad either (or maybe Apple has conditioned me to think this way).
tomphoolery 8y ago
I wish this page worked on Firefox Quantum :( (can't scroll past the buy / watch video buttons)
- adventured 8y ago
  It locked up my downward browsing on Firefox. I had to manually click the three content circles on the right to continue progressing through their presentation.
  - croon 8y ago
    It kind of works for me on FF, the video in each section seems to have its frames locked to scrolling. So sitting here scrolling the mouse wheel 500 times chugs along the page. In short: I hate that web site.
- remir 8y ago
  Yeah, it's super glitchy/laggy on FF. Unbelievable that Oculus (Facebook) didn't test their page on FF. To be honest, I kinda hate this kind of website where you scroll and the content changes.
  - rkangel 8y ago
    My instinct is to agree with you. On the other hand, it's a way of giving a dynamic introduction like you might achieve with a video but putting the speed of navigation through it into the control of the user.
- Jaruzel 8y ago
  It's doesn't work properly in Chrome either if you have Ublock Origin enabled and/or anti-Facebook filters in place. Which is not that surprising considering that Oculus IS Facebook. Even when trying to sell you hardware, Facebook is spying on your every click.
JansjoFromIkea 8y ago
Bought an S7 on the cheap recently to see if its 2K screen (2560x1440, so possibly the same as this?) would be good enough to watch films on, was okay but nowhere near what I'd like. Unless that's severely misrepresentative, I'll be keeping away from deeper VR experiences until they're at a stronger level (please prove me wrong!)
- Ancalagon 8y ago
  I havent used any VR system, so take what Im about to say with a grain of salt, but Ive heard the actual VR headsets are much better in terms of immersiveness and quality than using phone headsets.
  - drcode 8y ago
    This Oculus Go is very similar to a phone headset, since they aimed for a modest price point. It's a little better than the Samsung headsets, but only a modest improvement.
    - sayangel 8y ago
      Unless you've tried it, I think it's really unfair to say Go is a modest improvement. The optics for one are much better than even the rift - not to mention you don't get dust inside the headset to ruin the experience. Go also has a Snapdragon 821 for ONLY VR. The GearVR was sharing resources with a ton of other garbage background processes that Go doesn't need to worry about. And the thermal performance is also way better. Finally, you can get Oculus Go to run at 72Hz which is a way more comfortable experience than GearVR. So you get a lot more than your phone can give you for 25% of the cost.
      - drcode 8y ago
        I bought one this morning (heck, I actually bought two- got lucky at Best Buy) I agree it's better than the GearVR, but it still seems only modestly better to me- I agree the optics are definitely better. As you say, it's a good deal given the modest price point.
bobwaycott 8y ago
There are some images mid-page that move when I move my phone. However, they move in the opposite direction I’d expect them to move. When I move left, it looks as though I’m looking right (and vice versa). Is my brain being tricked here?
suyash 8y ago
Is this running Android or not, what is the OS?
- remir 8y ago
  Android Nougat.
Andrex 8y ago
Sorta self-promotion (but not really), but I made a spreadsheet comparing the specs of phone VR, standalone, and desktop computing headsets here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10c2iIQL0EcDIWuVEx0Zsnv-F19t4QETVyCTpwSdEnHc/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10c2iIQL0EcDIWuVEx0Zs...
- ArlenBales 8y ago
  Thanks for the comparison, I've been out of the VR game for awhile. It looks like the Oculus Go is an amazing price for what it offers based on that spreadsheet.
  - Andrex 8y ago
    It's amazing what $200 can get you, but what really makes me excited is the future. And I think the future is standalone VR in the $150-300 price range.
- tlrobinson 8y ago
  Thanks for that. By the way, the Oculus Go is available with 32GB or 64GB storage ($199 or $249)
- woolvalley 8y ago
  Could you add the windows MR ones? They are all pretty similar except the samsung one: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/collections/vrandmixedrealityheadsets https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/collections/vrandmixed... And they are pretty cheap when on sale at around $225
  - akhilcacharya 8y ago
    I bought mine for $200. Really impressed so far. Much more convenient to set up than a vive and works about as well in my experience.
    - namlem 8y ago
stuffedBelly 8y ago
I have a Daydream VR headset from Google and these two are a lot like design-wise. Competition on comfort design could be a good thing in my opinion.
- hauget 8y ago
  I just want to be able to make money as a dev, AND have a wide selection of software available. I still think Valve is going to win in this arena down the line.
dfee 8y ago
I unfortunately cannot use this as I’m concerned about living in a Facebook panoptician (seriously). * living being narrowly defined as interacting with a/the world via an immersive virtual reality.
al_chemist 8y ago
It looks like Xiaomi made more in 4 months than Oculus stuff in last 4 years. https://www.oculus.com/blog/oculus-go-update-announcing-our-partnership-with-xiaomi-and-qualcomm-at-ces/ https://www.oculus.com/blog/oculus-go-update-announcing-our-...
iTokio 8y ago
Can it be used with Blocks?
- ngokevin 8y ago
  No, Blocks especially requires 6DoF. Can probably view Blocks stuff though.
baby 8y ago
I've been wanting to buy an HTC Vive for a long time. The thing is, I don't have a desktop PC, so I've just postponed and postponed the purchase. Is this thing better than a google cardboard is it more or less the same? Watching reviews it looks like it's mostly "experiences" and not much different from a cardboard.
- wvenable 8y ago
  It's better than cardboard but it's in the same ballpark. It's probably the most refined mobile VR experience that exists at the moment. The games are pretty shallow or short for the most part.
- SimonPStevens 8y ago
  If you are considering a Vive, you should probably avoid this. It's only 3dof, unlike the Vive's 6dof. In my opinion this isn't VR at all. It's a glorified 360 degree viewer. See my other comment in this thread. (Disclaimer: Vive owner)
- erikpukinskis 8y ago
  The major differences from Cardboard: - OS and hardware are hand tuned to allow head tracking latency in the low double digit ms - low persistence display (pixels only flash briefly, so less smudging) - far superior optics, so that you get a more correct projection of space into your eye - generally higher quality software. Experiences will vary but there are some very high quality ones
SimonPStevens 8y ago
The key thing about Oculus Go that is entirely missing from their website is that it only allows 3dof in the movement tracking. It's just like cardboard/daydream/gear. Unlike all the tethered VR headsets that do full 6dof. In my opinion this isn't VR at all. It's a glorified 360 degree viewer. Personally I think it's pretty deceptive of Oculus to market this like it's a full VR heatset when it's very much not. If you are interested in VR for the immersion or the experiences, avoid this. Get something with full positional 6dof tracking.
- iknowstuff 8y ago
  Pfffffft. Windows Mixed Reality headsets are so much better than this.
  - giobox 8y ago
    The two really aren't comparable. Windows Mixed Reality requires an entire PC attached to it. The whole point of this is that for $199, you get everything you need to start using it, no cellphone or (expensive) PC tether. Whether there's a market for such a device I'm not so sure, but there's no doubt Windows Mixed Reality/Rift/Vive et al have relatively huge cost barriers to entry vs simpler VR devices like this.
    - psyc 8y ago
      There are already standalone Windows MR devices with 6dof. HoloLens has also had 6dof for years. Vive has a stand-alone 6dof as well, but it’s only in China so far.
      - melling 8y ago
        HoloLens hasn’t been officially released and the developer edition costs $3000.
      - westoncb 8y ago
        Could you link to a standalone Windows MR device with 6dof?
arca_vorago 8y ago
I dont want VR unless it and it's software is foss. Is the hdk2 my only option?
JaggerFoo 8y ago
Nice, but is there a virtual monitor app available, so I can work on one giant monitor or several monitors at once?
- haydenlee 8y ago
  Try Bigscreen or Virtual Desktop
daeken 8y ago
Okay, so I just picked one of these up and tried it out for half an hour or so. It is nothing less than a game changer. The screen quality is phenomenal, it's super comfortable, and it Just Works (TM). I have a Rift and PSVR and previously had both Rift DKs; this will get infinitely more use. Being untethered means I can sit on my couch, lay in bed, or sit on a plane and experience great VR. My wife tried it for 10 minutes and already wants one of her own. This thing is priced to sell and just a great piece of tech. Can't wait to start developing for it!
- Jaruzel 8y ago
  > This thing is priced to sell My gut feeling is that they are selling each unit at cost, or even at a loss, just to dominate the market. It's not like Facebook can't afford it.
  - daeken 8y ago
    Yep, I'd nearly bet on it. That SoC alone is what, $40? Screen closer to (or even over) $100, given how high-end it is. That leaves very little room for RAM, flash, controller, etc.
TazeTSchnitzel 8y ago
Carmack was quite excited about the Go during his talks.
Yaggo 8y ago
I wish someone sold a cheap but good quality VR set with dispay + HDMI driver board to be hooked up with Raspberry Pi. Go seems ideal if it just had HDMI port.
- ThatPlayer 8y ago
  The Raspberry Pi's HDMI can't drive more than 1080p 60hz. The resolution on the Oculus Go for comparison is 2560x1440 72hz.
  - Yaggo 8y ago
    Technically it can drive up to 3840x2160 at 24 Hz if overclocked, but the video decoder is limited to 1080p, limiting practical use cases. But you are right, 1080p screen would be better fit (for even cheaper price). I'm currently using OSVR HDK (the original version), but that thing is pricey for what it is. https://www.riscosopen.org/forum/forums/5/topics/3966 https://www.riscosopen.org/forum/forums/5/topics/3966

245 points by salimmadjd 8y ago

Rift Owner here. Mmmmmm. That's some nice looking hardware. Not appearing like you had a medical device strapped to your face was one of my driving decisions for picking the Rift over the Vive. And the simple straps and soft touch fabrics look really nice and comfortable here. But I have yet to find any lasting appeal to the "low-end" VR experiences. It really gives a poor impression of what the tech is capable of and walk away with a "gimmicky" feeling.

mlevental 8y ago
it's for consuming 360-ish video experiences, which i think is less gimmicky than you're implying. good 360 videos are fun and immersive and let you explore visually in a way that flat film doesn't. i actually think this kind of passive engagement with "VR" will be more common (because it's easier) than highly interactive video games.
- georgeecollins 8y ago
  I actually enjoy watching regular video on the light wireless headsets.
  - siavosh 8y ago
    Is there a site that lists available 360 content?
  - toomuchtodo 8y ago
    Can you watch 2D streams (Netflix, Youtube, etc) on the headset?
    - QuotedForTruth 8y ago
      The PC VR headsets have virtual theaters that you can watch any 2d content in. I'm sure this will have the same.
      - kbutler 8y ago
        The review mentioned it did, but I don't understand why they have a virtual room. Why not just display the video at full resolution? Why do I have to have my head and face oriented toward a virtual screen? Why would I want to look down at a virtual coffee table, or up at a virtual ceiling, or behind me at a virtual couch while the movie is playing at some fraction of the device's resolution in a different virtual direction?
        MikusR 8y ago
        All of useful video players including the Netflix one have an empty space mode that is just that. And the virtual environment adds to the experience.
        legitster 8y ago
        1. Video Goggles have existed since the 90s, they want to differentiate themselves from that dead technology. So being able to look around a screen is actually pretty neat. 2. The screen simulates your full range of vision. So to fill it edge to edge would be impossible to watch. You would have to pick an arbitrary fraction of the screen to show at a time. Why not set up a virtual space where you can move closer or further away from the screen or move around like you can in real space? Self configuring!
        kbutler 8y ago
        Moving closer or further is an interesting idea - except I expect I'd be watching video either sitting in a chair or lying down, and thus quite stationary. As for it adding to the experience, for optimal viewing in real life, we turn off the lights precisely to avoid the surroundings from distracting from the experience...
    - MikusR 8y ago
      It has a native Netflix app (one of Carmacks pet projects)
    - giobox 8y ago
      You can, but the experience is often like watching a giant standard-def TV set - none of the consumer grade VR headsets have the resolution to do this well yet. I personally find watching a film on an tablet or phone significantly better, unless the isolation offered by strapping a VR headset to your face is more important to you.
- samstave 8y ago
  Out of curiosity; are their any VR platforms which pair with a drone such that the orientation of the drone is based on the direction your head looks? (I have neither a drone, nor a VR headset) Or are drones oriented only by hand-held controls?
  - psyc 8y ago
    Yes. https://www.dji.com/dji-goggles https://www.dji.com/dji-goggles
vorpalhex 8y ago
It's great for watching movies on an airplane. None of the games have done anything for me, but the movies are cool.
- portmanteaufu 8y ago
  Watching TV on an airplane is the #1 reason I would buy a VR headset. The in-seat screen UIs are atrocious and they tend to only have ~4 or so episodes of any given show. Unfortunately, the Oculus Go's battery life is only about 2 hours according to the Ars Technica review[1]. Some planes have AC outlets, but YMMV. [1] https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/05/oculus-go-review-the-wireless-vr-future-begins-today-for-only-199/ https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/05/oculus-go-review-the-...
  - Andrex 8y ago
    For the record, the upcoming Lenovo Mirage Solo headset has a 4000 mAh battery and (purportedly) 10-hour battery life. Of course, it is double the price of the Oculus Go.
    - elsewhen 8y ago
      it looks like it is available now: https://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/tablets/virtual-reality-and-smart-devices/virtual-and-augmented-reality/lenovo-mirage-solo/Mirage-Solo/p/ZZIRZRHVR01 https://www3.lenovo.com/us/en/tablets/virtual-reality-and-sm...
  - esrauch 8y ago
    I saw a review that mentioned Oculus discouraged using it while it was plugged in, so even on a flight with outlets you wouldnt be able to watch 2 movies on a 4 hour flight with it.
- mackwerk 8y ago
  What about the noise level on a plane? Are they able to cancel that out?
outworlder 8y ago
What I think Oculus really nailed down was the controllers. Playing Robo Recall, I can sometimes even believe I'm holding an actual, although lightweight, weapon on my hands. That said, resolution is not the greatest asset. I doubt this device improves on that – if anything it will probably be worse. What blows people away is not the display, it's the head and position tracking, of both the HMD and the controls. It's amazing how you can "see" them and accurately pick them up on a table. I hope this device has that.
- chrischen 8y ago
  Actually Steam/Vive brought that tech first to market with the HTC Vive + Lighthouse, and after trying both the Lighthouse tech has noticeably less latency (through less complex tracking mechanisms). Plus side is Valve is giving away the tech for free.
  - outworlder 8y ago
    What do you mean it is giving away the tech for free?
    - chrischen 8y ago
      You can use Vive's lighthouse tracking commercially for free, with no royalties or patent licensing. For whatever reason, Facebook still decided to re-invent an inferior implementation using cameras and computer vision.
      - outworlder 8y ago
        "Inferior" is debatable. It is pretty darn accurate. And it could potentially track my coffee mug, which has value :)
        chrischen 8y ago
        I don't think it's debatable. The Oculus tracking system at best does the same as the Lighthouse tracking, except lighthouse has less latency, less processing requirement (you can track a room full of hundreds or thousands of discrete balls since there's no CV loop). Plus in theory multiple users can use the same set of lighthouse emitters (they work kind of like Wii's IR based tracking system).
fsiefken 8y ago
GearVR and Rift owner here. Social VR, for example AltspaceVR, is also quite worthwhile with mobile VR like the GearVR. Yes, you cannot look around people and you have only one 'hand', but that's good enough. Another feature I regularly use is PhoneCast to use most Android 2D apps in VR. I remember catching up 4 seasons of The Walking Dead in double speed with BsPlayer every night. Of course BigScreen will also be a killer app when it's released for mobile to watch movies with others.
- dshankar 8y ago
  Speaking of Bigscreen...it was released for mobile today :-D Oculus Go launch title and also Samsung GearVR support
  - ngokevin 8y ago
    Congrats! Tempting to grab a couple Go's for Bigscreen, just to watch movies comfortably in bed or something.
VectorLock 8y ago
What you look like is your driving decision on which VR device to buy? For me, that'd be mostly irrelevant.
- legitster 8y ago
  It wasn't a huge factor, but I bought it partly as a party trick to pull out when people are over. Having it look less ugly and intimidating was definitely a plus when getting new people to try out VR for the first time.
lainga 8y ago
On the other hand, I own only the Gear VR, and this looks like the logical next step up for me.
- skavi 8y ago
  Just an FYI, though I'm sure you're already aware, this doesn't offer any improvements over the Gear VR's VR experience. The screen and performance are worse than the newest Galaxies. It does offer better ease of use (always ready, no messing with docking your phone) and a lighter weight. Additionally it (obviously) doesn't take away from your phone's battery life. Again, I'm sure you're aware of all that, but I'd hate for someone to spend $200, expecting something that this is not.
giobox 8y ago
> But I have yet to find any lasting appeal to the "low-end" VR experiences. It really gives a poor impression of what the tech is capable of and walk away with a "gimmicky" feeling. I'd argue that even "high-end" VR leaves many with a bad impression walking away with a "gimmicky" feeling. The Rift continues to be the worst technology investment I've made, no amount of personal enthusiasm for the concept makes up for the fact many people get motion sick on these things eventually. Feeling sick for "fun" in my free time is not up there with my favorite leisure activities. Outside of a handful of impressive tech demos (RoboRecall etc), the vast majority of the content on the Rift is equally low rent too.
- mhomde 8y ago
  Each to their own but my experience has been the opposite. I just purchased an Oculus Rift with touch controllers, being carefully optimistic but a bit skeptical, thinking it was going to be as you said "Gimmicky", somewhere on par with 3D cinema experience-wise. But man, it totally blew my mind how good and immersive it is. Maybe the strongest feeling of "wow, we really live in the future" I've had. The low latency combined with excellent controls really creates a feeling of being there. Google Earth by itself is worth the price of Oculus many times over. Then there are titles like Lone Echo, Robo Recall, Beat Saber, Skyrim VR, Quake 1 and Quake 2, Minecraft etc etc. Sure there aren't a ton of AAA titles yet but those that are hold an amazing quality IMO and has spoiled me from "normal" gaming
erikpukinskis 8y ago
Could that just be a game design problem? When iPhone came out, the games were gimmicky. Same for Facebook platform. And then there was Farmville. And then there was Angry Birds. And then there was Pokemon Go. Games which were designed AROUND the limitations of the platform, rather than being a crappy stripped down version of previous fully realized gaming experiences.
madeofpalk 8y ago
In my experience all VR has been rather gimmicky and poor. At least this one is cheaper/doesn’t require a headset.
whywhywhywhy 8y ago
Really think the industrial design team at Oculus are outstanding, I was blown away with how nice my Rift headset looks, feels and how well considered each device is. This is before I get into the Touch controllers which become invisible the fit so naturally to your hand. Really like the design of the Go too but wont be buying one because for me the hand presence is what makes VR.

deleted 8y ago

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ohf 8y ago

Wow, that webpage sucks. What are the specs?

ansible 8y ago
Indeed. Does it do any sort of position tracking, or just orientation tracking? It is nice though that it has been designed for prescription lens inserts.
- giobox 8y ago
  There's no "6 degrees of freedom" here, just head orientation, much like the Gear VR and so on. It's significantly more basic than the Rift in that regard.
gandreani 8y ago
So much
DanAndersen 8y ago
The Oculus subreddit seems to have a decent writeup: https://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/8g7ypb/the_answer_to_your_question_wtf_is_oculus_go/ https://www.reddit.com/r/oculus/comments/8g7ypb/the_answer_t...
- corysama 8y ago
  TLDR: "Overall, Go's performance should be on par with a Galaxy S8 or better." It's pretty much the same hardware as a GearVR with an S8. The big difference is that it is physically larger, so the thermals are greatly improved. Thermal throttling may be the largest bottleneck in mobile VR.
wkx 8y ago
you can find the specs on bestbuy: https://www.bestbuy.com/site/oculus-go-stand-alone-virtual-reality-headset/6212949.p?skuId=6212949 https://www.bestbuy.com/site/oculus-go-stand-alone-virtual-r...
8y ago

nvus 8y ago

Would this work for emulating multiple screens for my PC? Has anyone tried it with existing hardware, can you for example program with it?

kingbirdy 8y ago
I can't speak to this specifically, but generally HMD screens are too low resolution to show text well enough for programming. Also (from what I understand), every virtual screen requires a corresponding HDMI port on your machine
- outworlder 8y ago
  Why? You only require the HDMI port used by the Rift. Everything else is rendered as a texture inside the virtual environment. That works today, you can have multiple screens floating around, your Windows desktop, etc.
  - Raphmedia 8y ago
    The one HDMI per screen thing is because Virtual Desktop simply output your actual computer screens in VR. There is nothing stopping you from using one huge screen with transparent background and a bunch of windows.
outworlder 8y ago
You "can". I have not tried programming, but I have tried reading. Resolution is poor, so text display doesn't look great. Not horrible, just not great. However, if you secretly wanted to program using a movie theater display, I guess that would work. I think that's how it would feel like. The thing is, other than having a gigantic (perceived) display, what's the advantage? We'll still be manipulating text – and you'll have to touch type, because you won't be able to see the keyboard. We need a lightable-like VR experience before that makes sense. For watching movies it works. Depending on the person it may be uncomfortable after a while. If you are ok with it, then it is actually nice. The software is not yet there though, the ones I've tried just emulate a movie theater. If/when you can project 3D movies, then it will be great.

mrbill 8y ago

Ordered, can't wait. Will be nice to have a VR option that doesn't require burning battery or overheating my phone (OG Pixel). I built my last gaming PC to minimum-Oculus-VR specs, but never got around to buying the headset. Glad I waited.

boojums 8y ago
The Go and the Rift are targeting pretty different experiences. The Go can only track rotation while the Rift can track position changes as well. This opens up many different actions (e.g. crouching down to pick up a can the road) which boost immersion. If you get a chance to demo a Rift or an HTC Vive, I would highly recommend it.
whywhywhywhy 8y ago
If your PC has the specs to handle the Rift you're doing yourself a disservice not to buy one at the new reduced price. I bought one on a whim and expected it to be interesting but I was completely blown away and use it almost every night. The Go isn't really the same experience because it doesn't track head position or hand position.
- mrbill 8y ago
  $399 is great, but I'm going to have to sell a bunch of stuff to pay for the Go as it is.. cancer med and oncologist visit copays suck :(

pronoiac 8y ago

The Verge review [1] has more specs: > Its screen is a 5.5-inch display with a 2560 x 1440 resolution (1280 x 1440 per eye). It’s based on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 processor from 2016... [1] https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/1/17306458/oculus-go-standalone-vr-headset-review https://www.theverge.com/2018/5/1/17306458/oculus-go-standal...

paulgb 8y ago
Given the comparisons to Gear VR, does anyone know if this is running Android under the hood?
- portmanteaufu 8y ago
  It is. The Ars Technica review[1] is pretty thorough. [1] https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/05/oculus-go-review-the-wireless-vr-future-begins-today-for-only-199/ https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2018/05/oculus-go-review-the-...

pjmlp 8y ago

As if Go as word wasn't already too much overloaded.

sbarre 8y ago
At least Disney isn't pushing go.com as hard anymore.. That's a start? ;-)

tboughen 8y ago

They have enough location data to show UK pricing (I am in the UK), but when I ask about where I can trial a headset they silently fail and show me somewhere on the east coast of the USA.

Raphmedia 8y ago

Can you replace the lenses? My desktop Rift's lenses are all scratched from normal use (people with glasses used it, etc.). I couldn't imagine having a "on the go" device with lens that you can't replace.

dismal2 8y ago
It says there are prescription inserts on the website
- Raphmedia 8y ago
  So, put in inserts with no strength (extra purchase) and hope for the best...
- drcode 8y ago
  No, it's only a plastic spacer to leave extra room for your eye glasses.
  - Ajedi32 8y ago
    Scroll down. They are most definitely selling inserts for lenses.
    - drcode 8y ago
      I stand corrected! In my defense, their website is a mess.

georgewsinger 8y ago

Not to hijack the achievements of Oculus, but there is also a project to bring Linux to standalone VR headsets: https://github.com/SimulaVR/Simula https://github.com/SimulaVR/Simula Get an Oculus Go for now. But show SimulaVR some love for the future :]

VikingCoder 8y ago

3DOF, right? No positional tracking?

andybak 8y ago
Correct. The Lenovo Mirage will be the first 6DOF mobile headset available outside Asia. (I believe the HTC Focus is already available in certain Asian markets)
madaxe_again 8y ago
Correct. It's Gear VR space - I guess the objective is to have a device that sits between the high end (Rift/Vive) space, and the low end (Gear/Cardboard) space. That said, I can't see high end users adopting downwards - and for low end users, it's not much of a step upwards (still no positional tracking, which is kinda a watershed point for VR experiences), and is an additional device, when they can accomplish largely the same thing with a cellphone and gear VR setup. I suppose that leaves new adopters as the market, but with a lower entry point than Rift - but it's going to be a watered down experience and could undermine their high end sales too. Honestly, I'm not sure I understand what the strategy is here.
- k__ 8y ago
  I have a 6.3" smartphone that doesn't fit in these vr-contraptions. So I guess I would be a potential customer? On the other hand I didn't look into the whole thing too much and don't know anything I would like to do with this thing...
- VikingCoder 8y ago
  I'm pretty sure I get it - It's an up-scale gift. All those times you've walked into Best Buy, and you've seen the WALL of crappy VR? Well, this will be the undisputed king of all of them. I'm seriously considering one for airplanes. I'd definitely want to use my noise-cancelling headphones instead, though. "also includes a 3.5mm headphone jack" So that's good. It'll be lighter than one phone-based ones, too, I bet. Less fidgeting, trying to get your phone in and out. Don't get distracted when you get an IM from your friend, wrecking your view for a minute. Auto-brightness isn't on, messing with you. And it's a walled garden. Oculus IS the store. That's good for them. So, they may sell these at a loss, and still come out ahead. The smart move is to buy one and only use the free apps, or the stuff you really, really know you want.

otoburb 8y ago

I wonder if they will notice an uptick in bounce rate for Firefox 59.0.3 users, primarily because it seems to crash the tab. The Ars Technica review linked by 'portmanteafu provided great information.

cpeterso 8y ago
Can you share a Firefox crash ID from your about:crashes page? I see some bad flickering when I scroll with Firefox 59.0.3 on Windows 10, but I haven't been able to reproduce a crash yet.
- cpeterso 8y ago
  This crash was caused by an internet security program called Palo Alto Networks' Cytool Traps that injects its DLL into Firefox's process and attempts to intercept and analyze network traffic. Here's the Firefox bug report: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1458377 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1458377

avoutthere 8y ago

Does anybody know what data Facebook harvests related to one's usage of their Oculus VR devices?

buildbuildbuild 8y ago

I am most excited not by gaming on this device, but by the prospect of experiencing the VR film content that is premiering at Sundance/Tribeca/SxSW. VR has a rich and diverse future, current clunkiness aside. I'm sure there are cheaper ways of tuning in, but something about a polished name brand product appeals to me more than a smartphone-on-the-face cardboard approach.

crashride 8y ago

Oh wow.. that page was terrible, couldn't even stand waiting for it to load.

x3haloed 8y ago

No comments yet on how this is almost exactly the Google Daydream viewer with a builtin phone?

tlrobinson 8y ago
Can you get the Daydream plus an equivalent phone for $200?
wvenable 8y ago
That's exactly what this is and has always been advertised as being. It's even software compatible with the Gear VR.

VectorLock 8y ago

Supposedly better optics to deal with screen door effect and a higher resolution per-eye but I couldn't find any information on FOV per eye. What is Oculus Go's overall pixel density?

zython 8y ago

yeah, nah, I'm gonna pass on that. why would you take a vr setup from the living room and "mobilize" it. what idiot is going to take his oculus go with him on the go ? this platform is going to be restricted to low quality titles/products to be fair this is going to be a lot more affordable than a real vr setup but IMO this is the wrong way to introduce vr to the masses now vr is going to have this 2005-10 facebook game-esque connotation to it, which is anything but ideal opinions ?

danield9tqh 8y ago
If smartphones are any indication, VR on the go will happen eventually, without a doubt. If it's not this model that popularizes it, it will be some other model. what idiot is going to take his oculus go with him on the go? I really think you are underestimating people here

et-al 8y ago

Anyone know if FB is selling these at a loss to gain marketshare? $199 USD for the 32GB version is a welcoming price for mainstream acceptance.

pbhjpbhj 8y ago
I always wonder with these things why the big jump in price for memory - what's the bom difference? Is the 32gb just the 64gb one with half the memory crippled? It's £5 for the cheapest possible 32gb sdcard, about £12 retail for one I'd expect to work well. So presumably the memory is quite a small part of the cost difference -- there seems so much other tech in there, a quarter of the price can't be just memory. School me oh gurus; is this just price differentiation?
- et-al 8y ago
  The jump from 32GB and 64GB is definitely price differentiation. But $50 for more memory on an expensive toy isn't that bad either (or maybe Apple has conditioned me to think this way).

tomphoolery 8y ago

I wish this page worked on Firefox Quantum :( (can't scroll past the buy / watch video buttons)

adventured 8y ago
It locked up my downward browsing on Firefox. I had to manually click the three content circles on the right to continue progressing through their presentation.
- croon 8y ago
  It kind of works for me on FF, the video in each section seems to have its frames locked to scrolling. So sitting here scrolling the mouse wheel 500 times chugs along the page. In short: I hate that web site.
remir 8y ago
Yeah, it's super glitchy/laggy on FF. Unbelievable that Oculus (Facebook) didn't test their page on FF. To be honest, I kinda hate this kind of website where you scroll and the content changes.
- rkangel 8y ago
  My instinct is to agree with you. On the other hand, it's a way of giving a dynamic introduction like you might achieve with a video but putting the speed of navigation through it into the control of the user.
Jaruzel 8y ago
It's doesn't work properly in Chrome either if you have Ublock Origin enabled and/or anti-Facebook filters in place. Which is not that surprising considering that Oculus IS Facebook. Even when trying to sell you hardware, Facebook is spying on your every click.

JansjoFromIkea 8y ago

Bought an S7 on the cheap recently to see if its 2K screen (2560x1440, so possibly the same as this?) would be good enough to watch films on, was okay but nowhere near what I'd like. Unless that's severely misrepresentative, I'll be keeping away from deeper VR experiences until they're at a stronger level (please prove me wrong!)

Ancalagon 8y ago
I havent used any VR system, so take what Im about to say with a grain of salt, but Ive heard the actual VR headsets are much better in terms of immersiveness and quality than using phone headsets.
- drcode 8y ago
  This Oculus Go is very similar to a phone headset, since they aimed for a modest price point. It's a little better than the Samsung headsets, but only a modest improvement.
  - sayangel 8y ago
    Unless you've tried it, I think it's really unfair to say Go is a modest improvement. The optics for one are much better than even the rift - not to mention you don't get dust inside the headset to ruin the experience. Go also has a Snapdragon 821 for ONLY VR. The GearVR was sharing resources with a ton of other garbage background processes that Go doesn't need to worry about. And the thermal performance is also way better. Finally, you can get Oculus Go to run at 72Hz which is a way more comfortable experience than GearVR. So you get a lot more than your phone can give you for 25% of the cost.
    - drcode 8y ago
      I bought one this morning (heck, I actually bought two- got lucky at Best Buy) I agree it's better than the GearVR, but it still seems only modestly better to me- I agree the optics are definitely better. As you say, it's a good deal given the modest price point.

bobwaycott 8y ago

There are some images mid-page that move when I move my phone. However, they move in the opposite direction I’d expect them to move. When I move left, it looks as though I’m looking right (and vice versa). Is my brain being tricked here?

suyash 8y ago

Is this running Android or not, what is the OS?

remir 8y ago
Android Nougat.

Andrex 8y ago

Sorta self-promotion (but not really), but I made a spreadsheet comparing the specs of phone VR, standalone, and desktop computing headsets here: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10c2iIQL0EcDIWuVEx0Zsnv-F19t4QETVyCTpwSdEnHc/edit?usp=sharing https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10c2iIQL0EcDIWuVEx0Zs...

ArlenBales 8y ago
Thanks for the comparison, I've been out of the VR game for awhile. It looks like the Oculus Go is an amazing price for what it offers based on that spreadsheet.
- Andrex 8y ago
  It's amazing what $200 can get you, but what really makes me excited is the future. And I think the future is standalone VR in the $150-300 price range.
tlrobinson 8y ago
Thanks for that. By the way, the Oculus Go is available with 32GB or 64GB storage ($199 or $249)
woolvalley 8y ago
Could you add the windows MR ones? They are all pretty similar except the samsung one: https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/collections/vrandmixedrealityheadsets https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/store/collections/vrandmixed... And they are pretty cheap when on sale at around $225
- akhilcacharya 8y ago
  I bought mine for $200. Really impressed so far. Much more convenient to set up than a vive and works about as well in my experience.
  - namlem 8y ago

stuffedBelly 8y ago

I have a Daydream VR headset from Google and these two are a lot like design-wise. Competition on comfort design could be a good thing in my opinion.

hauget 8y ago
I just want to be able to make money as a dev, AND have a wide selection of software available. I still think Valve is going to win in this arena down the line.

dfee 8y ago

I unfortunately cannot use this as I’m concerned about living in a Facebook panoptician (seriously). * living being narrowly defined as interacting with a/the world via an immersive virtual reality.

al_chemist 8y ago

It looks like Xiaomi made more in 4 months than Oculus stuff in last 4 years. https://www.oculus.com/blog/oculus-go-update-announcing-our-partnership-with-xiaomi-and-qualcomm-at-ces/ https://www.oculus.com/blog/oculus-go-update-announcing-our-...

iTokio 8y ago

Can it be used with Blocks?

ngokevin 8y ago
No, Blocks especially requires 6DoF. Can probably view Blocks stuff though.

baby 8y ago

I've been wanting to buy an HTC Vive for a long time. The thing is, I don't have a desktop PC, so I've just postponed and postponed the purchase. Is this thing better than a google cardboard is it more or less the same? Watching reviews it looks like it's mostly "experiences" and not much different from a cardboard.

wvenable 8y ago
It's better than cardboard but it's in the same ballpark. It's probably the most refined mobile VR experience that exists at the moment. The games are pretty shallow or short for the most part.
SimonPStevens 8y ago
If you are considering a Vive, you should probably avoid this. It's only 3dof, unlike the Vive's 6dof. In my opinion this isn't VR at all. It's a glorified 360 degree viewer. See my other comment in this thread. (Disclaimer: Vive owner)
erikpukinskis 8y ago
The major differences from Cardboard: - OS and hardware are hand tuned to allow head tracking latency in the low double digit ms - low persistence display (pixels only flash briefly, so less smudging) - far superior optics, so that you get a more correct projection of space into your eye - generally higher quality software. Experiences will vary but there are some very high quality ones

SimonPStevens 8y ago

The key thing about Oculus Go that is entirely missing from their website is that it only allows 3dof in the movement tracking. It's just like cardboard/daydream/gear. Unlike all the tethered VR headsets that do full 6dof. In my opinion this isn't VR at all. It's a glorified 360 degree viewer. Personally I think it's pretty deceptive of Oculus to market this like it's a full VR heatset when it's very much not. If you are interested in VR for the immersion or the experiences, avoid this. Get something with full positional 6dof tracking.

iknowstuff 8y ago
Pfffffft. Windows Mixed Reality headsets are so much better than this.
- giobox 8y ago
  The two really aren't comparable. Windows Mixed Reality requires an entire PC attached to it. The whole point of this is that for $199, you get everything you need to start using it, no cellphone or (expensive) PC tether. Whether there's a market for such a device I'm not so sure, but there's no doubt Windows Mixed Reality/Rift/Vive et al have relatively huge cost barriers to entry vs simpler VR devices like this.
  - psyc 8y ago
    There are already standalone Windows MR devices with 6dof. HoloLens has also had 6dof for years. Vive has a stand-alone 6dof as well, but it’s only in China so far.
    - melling 8y ago
      HoloLens hasn’t been officially released and the developer edition costs $3000.
    - westoncb 8y ago
      Could you link to a standalone Windows MR device with 6dof?

arca_vorago 8y ago

I dont want VR unless it and it's software is foss. Is the hdk2 my only option?

JaggerFoo 8y ago

Nice, but is there a virtual monitor app available, so I can work on one giant monitor or several monitors at once?

haydenlee 8y ago
Try Bigscreen or Virtual Desktop

daeken 8y ago

Okay, so I just picked one of these up and tried it out for half an hour or so. It is nothing less than a game changer. The screen quality is phenomenal, it's super comfortable, and it Just Works (TM). I have a Rift and PSVR and previously had both Rift DKs; this will get infinitely more use. Being untethered means I can sit on my couch, lay in bed, or sit on a plane and experience great VR. My wife tried it for 10 minutes and already wants one of her own. This thing is priced to sell and just a great piece of tech. Can't wait to start developing for it!

Jaruzel 8y ago
> This thing is priced to sell My gut feeling is that they are selling each unit at cost, or even at a loss, just to dominate the market. It's not like Facebook can't afford it.
- daeken 8y ago
  Yep, I'd nearly bet on it. That SoC alone is what, $40? Screen closer to (or even over) $100, given how high-end it is. That leaves very little room for RAM, flash, controller, etc.

TazeTSchnitzel 8y ago

Carmack was quite excited about the Go during his talks.

Yaggo 8y ago

I wish someone sold a cheap but good quality VR set with dispay + HDMI driver board to be hooked up with Raspberry Pi. Go seems ideal if it just had HDMI port.

ThatPlayer 8y ago
The Raspberry Pi's HDMI can't drive more than 1080p 60hz. The resolution on the Oculus Go for comparison is 2560x1440 72hz.
- Yaggo 8y ago
  Technically it can drive up to 3840x2160 at 24 Hz if overclocked, but the video decoder is limited to 1080p, limiting practical use cases. But you are right, 1080p screen would be better fit (for even cheaper price). I'm currently using OSVR HDK (the original version), but that thing is pricey for what it is. https://www.riscosopen.org/forum/forums/5/topics/3966 https://www.riscosopen.org/forum/forums/5/topics/3966