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Google Cardboard Girl image: Google
In this Google Cardboard guide we will tell you how to go from zero to virtual reality as cheaply and easily as possible.
Google Cardboard Basics
image: Google
Google cardboard was introduced in 2014 to help increase VR adoption. Many didn’t take it seriously at the time, perhaps even Google. But it has since grown to become the most widespread VR device, with over 5 million shipped.
Primarily, it consists of a smartphone holding case, two 45mm lenses, and an action button. The case is often made of cardboard, hence its name.
Where to Get Google Cardboard Headsets
The original idea of Cardboard was that you would make it yourself out of cardboard using Google’s design. But it didn’t take long before companies started manufacturing ready-to-go Cardboards. The price ranges from about $20 for a basic model to over $100 for some of the nicer models.
Google maintains a page linking to several Google Cardboard headset options. You can also check out the selection at Amazon.
How to Use Cardboard
Ok, so now you have your Google Cardboard and your smartphone ready to go. How do you use it?
The first thing you should do is download the Google Cardboard app. This app includes some great apps by Google, including Youtube and Google Earth for VR.
Then, you should check out some of the best picks on the Google Cardboard featured page.
Featured Cardboard Apps
Finally, you can find all the rest of the Cardboard apps by searching the Google Play store for “google cardboard”.
Google Cardboard vs Other VR Headsets
The main positive of Google Cardboard — it’s low price — is also it’s greatest downside. It offers a lower quality experience than the other main VR headsets on the market: Oculus Rift, HTC Vive, Gear VR, and PlaystationVR.
Good quality virtual reality is hard. Many people think it’s just a matter of strapping a screen to your face. But it doesn’t take too long with a poor VR experience before you realize that there is a lot more involved.
Our brains are extremely fine-tuned to deal with sensory input that lines up with reality. VR has the huge task of trying to simulate this sensory input. For example, whereas a movie at the theater might look fine at 30 frames per second, the eye processes real life at something like 250 fps. A comfortable minimum for VR is at least 60 fps, but it should be much higher than this.
This requires powerful hardware and tight system integration. These are 2 things that Google Cardboard is lacking. It’s designed to work with a wide range of smartphones, even lower-end ones. This is in contrast to, say, the Gear VR, which only works with the newest, most powerful Samsung smartphones. Further, the Gear VR runs off Oculus software which has deep hardware integration with these specific phone models.
Google Cardboard and VR Porn
image: Sheris Ranch
Perhaps the greatest selling point of Google Cardboard is that it handles VR Porn. This may also be the key reason it has gained such widespread use.
Most of the virtual reality porn out there right now is 180/360 video files. Google Cardboard handles this sort of content quite well since it’s fairly straightforward and not too demanding on the system. Even lower-end smartphones can handle these files.
In fact, many adult companies have even been giving away free Google Cardboard goggles to their customers.
So if you are looking to get a taste of VR Porn then Cardboard is a great place to start.
But in the long run, we recommend getting a higher-end VR system. Virtual reality is coming, and it’s coming big. Strap on your headset and enjoy the ride.