11 ms·
I'm surprised that more isn't done to sell these. I'm a tech enthusiast with disposable income, but the last headset I tried was an old Oculus one about a decad
by danpalmer 3y ago
I'm surprised that more isn't done to sell these. I'm a tech enthusiast with disposable income, but the last headset I tried was an old Oculus one about a decade ago. I could see the promise of the tech but need convincing that it's come far enough for me to buy one.
And yet... trying these out just doesn't seem to be a thing anywhere. I can walk into any tech store and see a non-working unit in a glass case, or if I'm lucky pick up a slightly sticky broken controller, but I can't try one out for 5 minutes to see if I like it.
I'd bet that Apple's headset will be announced with a store experience to go along with it. I'm sure it'll be by appointment only to begin with as they'll have many more people wanting to try it than who will want to buy, but I'm sure there will be a way to experience them before buying. The Apple Watch was effectively a new product category where people needed a new level of persuasion, and Apple had fitting appointments that were very well done, and Apple Stores have always been known for being primarily focused on using the products, even letting you try AirPods, so I can't imagine these will be stuck in a glass case.
- xyproto 3y agoIf they had a store where everyone could try out headsets they would probably have to invent some sort of one-time forhead cover.
- _fat_santa 3y agoWith most technology these days you know what you are getting, you don't have to go play with the new iPhone in the store to see how good it is, you just know. But with VR it's different in that it's still pretty new (in the context of everyday consumers) so being able to try it out before you buy is crucial.
- danpalmer 3y agoExactly, at the beginning of a tech cycle the public need convincing that it's even a product category they need. Currently I'm not seeing much from Meta or others to sell to the masses, only to those who are already convinced they need a headset.
- porbelm 3y agoYeah, like toy and electronics stores had console demo stations out so the kids could line up and try different games.
- koheripbal 3y agoGames sell game controllers, not the other way around. When a sufficiently good experience is available for VR, which isn't usable without VR, then VR headsets will sell. I've tried all the VR apps and games, and they all underwhelm.
- fbrchps 3y agoI largely agree with you, however Superhot is the closest thing I've experienced to the "can't do it outside VR" games. I did previously play the browser version of the same game, and it was fantastic still, but there's something different about moving around in space like that. HL:Alyx got close to the "only in VR" sort of mechanics, but change 2-3 big set pieces, and it could very much be done on a 2D screen.
- l33tman 3y agoWell, it doesn't only have to be "only in VR" mechanics, it also has to be a really really fun game compared to almost all the other games you could at the moment purchase and play on your normal PC with a normal monitor and no extra $1000 investment in hardware.. I've tested VR sporadically ever since the first Oculus Rift came out, and I just get a headache after 15 minutes and that kind of has ruined it for me forever I guess as I now associate VR with motion sickness, bad ergonomics etc. That's very personal of course, I know there are others who can run around in VR fine for a whole day without these reactions. Anyway... the game has to be outrageously good for me at least to use a VR version instead of just sitting on my chair staring on the screen with a cup of tea next to me.
- thinkmassive 3y agoWeird to say the barrier to entry is “an extra $1000” when the headline is exactly half that, which is similar to the cost of a console or decent GPU. Edit: and the Quest 2 will be reduced to $300 in a couple days from now
- seanmcdirmid 3y ago
- squeaky-clean 3y agoIt used to be easier before Covid. I was able to try both the Quest and Vive in a Best Buy in 2019.
- Stevvo 3y agoHygiene is a problem. These things are not really comfortable, so put one on and you will inevitably start sweating into the facial interface. Safety is another issue; casually putting a headset on a member of the public led to a lot of injuries when it was tried in the past.
- wkat4242 3y agoThey come with a silcone "condom" for the facial cushion now which is easily washed :) Unlike real condoms these are reusable. It wasn't the most glorious solution for their allergy problem IMO. But it does have auxiliary benefits.
- MagicMoonlight 3y agoApple lets you try airpods in their shop
- Scalene2 3y agoThis is an edge that Apple may have.
- coffeebeqn 3y agoIf it’s glasses instead of a helmet - that’s already going to remove a lot of friction to put it on and test it
- chaostheory 3y agoThe bigger value that Apple offers is a reason to use it outside of video games. At least that’s the hope. Based on the rumored specs though, I’m not sure if it’s good enough for work since Apple Reality’s PPD is at 33 when the minimum for text is about 40. Retina is about 60.
- crazygringo 3y agoI agree but I understand why it's not happening. It takes money and experts to set up and maintain headsets in dedicated test areas, resetting them, maintaining hygiene since these touch your hair so hair products seep into the strap and people's faces sweat into the goggle frames, etc. Apple will be able to do that easily in its own stores. But it's a lot harder for Meta to get Best Buy and other retailers to do it -- not only will they have to pay them a lot of money, but they just won't be able to ensure the quality.
- danpalmer 3y agoAbsolutely, this is definitely hard, especially for Meta as they don't have an existing network of stores. But it still seems like a big miss that they've seemingly not even tried to make this a thing. Maybe they should have partnered retailers, maybe they should have pop-up demo spaces, maybe they should be giving these things away to places like libraries or other public venues. They could also define what a good sales experience looks like, provide disposable or reusable pieces for contact, and so on. There is all sorts they could be doing!
- pavon 3y agoWhat is funny is that Meta did go through all the expense of setting this up with Best Buy for the Meta Quest Pro, and nobody even realized it was an option because they advertised it so poorly[1]. [1] https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2022/10/meta-quest-pro-hands-on-an-unimpressive-first-impression/ https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2022/10/meta-quest-pro-hands-...
- crazygringo 3y agoHa, thanks -- that article is a perfect example of how bad the experience was at Best Buy, basically exactly what you would expect: > I had to search the aisles until I found a lonely Quest display in an unloved back corner of the store... > There was no special room or specific area set aside for the Quest demo at the store. Instead, the demo staffer awkwardly guided me to a small section of bare carpet... > To make matters worse, about 15 minutes into my demo... interrupted by an abrupt "powering down" message when the headset ran out of charge. The demo staffer apologized, saying the unit "was at zero percent when I got it" and hadn't been plugged in for very long before our demo. > The staffer running my demo told me that the Quest Pro is "more for business"... Unfortunately, without a linked computer or any linked 2D apps in the headset, I was only able to try out the (very unresponsive) stock web browser. And without a Bluetooth mouse or keyboard, scrolling and typing was not a natural experience.
- ilaksh 3y agoFor one thing it's not being released until September. Also, they did so a lot of hands on demos of Meta Quest Pro when it came out some time ago.
- jon-wood 3y agoI have no idea how you’d do this at scale, but you’re not wrong. I bought a Quest 1 around when they were released after trying a friend’s headset, I’d been on the fence before that, but afterwards I was totally sold.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- jlmorton 3y agoWell, they've sold 20 million Quest headsets [1]. This compares with ~38 million PS5s, and ~18.5 million Xbox Series X/S. That's multiple generations of headsets, but given they iterate quicker than consoles, that still seems a somewhat fair comparison. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_game_consoles https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_best-selling_game_cons...
- thiht 3y agoThat number seems astonishingly high. I’d be curious to see info on the demographics who buy these headsets (compared to PS5 for example).
- rootusrootus 3y agoPeople with kids, I'd guess. I bought a Quest 2 a couple years ago as a toy, as much for myself as for the kids, but they've dominated usage of it. Which is fine, because I didn't find anything that was a huge draw for me. But they fight over the damn thing every day, and use it almost as much as they use the Xbox.
- spaceman_2020 3y agoIt's strange because somehow, all the kids I know don't even know what the Quest is, but can rattle off all the upcoming titles for PS5 and XBox and Switch.
- chaostheory 3y agoThat’s because meta’s marketing campaigns are both terrible and targeted towards adults. Children are the largest demographic who just get it. They don’t need to be coaxed into trying the Quest 2 and its isolating form factor doesn’t intimidate children as it does most adults. They’re also the most consistently active user group. It reminds me of who the NES was most popular with
- 3y ago
- nonstopdev 3y agoAnytime I look, the game library is sub par. I am a pretty regular console gamer and own different platforms. I would love to have one but anytime I look at to games, the list is years old and looks like like a dead ecosystem. Also, if you want to play games on Steam, you need a PC capable of running them so if I am dumping a few thousand into a PC as well, would rather get the higher rated Steam headset for a few hundred more than the Meta. Lastly, I don’t trust Facebook at all. I think the recent update was the first you didn’t need an account but some people I talk to like me are sketched out of a device staring at your face and expressions and wasn’t rated too high for privacy.
- Ologn 3y agoIn December 2016 I tried a demo of an HTC Vive at a Microsoft Store (remember those?), and a few days later did a demo of an Oculus Rift at a Best Buy. The demo at the Microsoft Store was well set up - they had an associate handling the demo, an area set aside to do the demo, a speaker, and a display to show observers what was being shown in the VR set. The Best Buy demo was not as put together but was still OK. Not sure why they seemed to be demoing it more then than now.
- MadcapJake 3y agoI think there's significant fear that the first time experience can be a little jarring and will just scare people away. That said, given the right support from a retailer, this could be a huge boon.
- phkahler 3y agoQuest 2 has been fun for me, but only because a handful of game. My kid played beatsaber for a while. I played paintball - a mini game inside recroom. And I still play a team sport called Echo VR which is shutting down in August. We've tried a few others but nothing else really stood out. If there is a compelling sequel to Echo I hope I don't need to upgrade hardware and will just quit.
- SheinhardtWigCo 3y ago> And yet... trying these out just doesn't seem to be a thing anywhere. If the experience of using them was actually marketable, it would be more of a thing.
- segh 3y agoAgree. I have a Quest 2, and two friends have since purchased them after trying mine out. If potential customers could just demo the damn thing, many of them would convert into sales. There is very much a "wow factor" after trying it out, even if many users do eventually get bored.
- wkat4242 3y agoHere in Barcelona there is a display area at the local FNAC in the city center where you could try them out. The display area is still there (including huge marketing wallpaper) but the attendants are gone so perhaps it didn't work out. There was always a queue while they were doing it though. I think part of the problem was it was during the end of the pandemic and perhaps people were feeling bad about sharing a headset, though they were rubbing it down with alcohol in between. But considering the area is still there: Perhaps they are not doing demos all day. I'm not there very often.
- amelius 3y agoYou can buy a unit and return it if you don't like it. In fact, that's a good way of actually telling Meta that you are not happy with it. Not buying doesn't tell them much.
- coffeebeqn 3y agoThat’s what I did. It’s cool but to own it I’ll wait one or two generations. Maybe I’m picky as a PC gamer but it was kind of a blurry, ghosting, unfocused experience no matter what I did.
- deleted 3y ago[deleted]
- chaostheory 3y agoDid you use it with a PC with ebough power? what you’ve described sounds like you didn’t adjust the lens well enough to match your IPD. Unfortunately, you need to know your IPD or else you will get a terrible experience. The headset matters too. VR headsets from HTC are notorious for having really poor lenses that cause these issue
- coffeebeqn 3y agoYeah it was with a 3070 but it was the same in the standalone mode
- chaostheory 3y agoIt sounds like the IPD adjustment or the lens doesn’t agree with your eyes. That was actually my very first experience with the HTC Vive pro. I would get headaches and nausea within 15 min. I was only able to fix it with hardware mods which had some trade offs. Unfortunately, I am not aware of hardware fixes for any other models The good news is that the new generation of VR headsets starting with the quest pro and Apple reality should fix your problem. The quest 3 might fix it too if it has better IPD config. The downside is that they are a lot more expensive than the entry level quest 2 with prices from two years ago
- B1FF_PSUVM 3y ago> more isn't done to sell these. Do they still require a FB account?
- andsoitis 3y ago> I'm sure it'll be by appointment only to begin with as they'll have many more people wanting to try it than who will want to buy The sweat is going to be disgusting.
- Razengan 3y agoThe PSVR2 is pretty decent hardware, with great controllers, but a lackluster game library at the moment. It's bulkier than the Quest 3 but it also has good haptic feedback (in the headset too) so I guess that evens it out.
- throwaway2990 3y ago> Apple Stores have always been known for being primarily focused on using the products, even letting you try AirPods No Apple Store in asia let’s you try AirPods…