GearVR Review

Got a GearVR (2016, free as a bundle gift, with the S8). It is interesting. The movement tracking is pretty good.

Setting up felt harder than necessary. I had to look up a couple of things online as their instructions were very unclear. After the first time, it is pretty easy to use.

I'm using the Samsung screen protector. It works fine with the GearVR, but distort the image somewhat, specially in the corners.

One thing that I think really hurts the platform is the fact that it comes without a controller, just the little touchpad in the side. This means that this is all most games can count in. Which really seems to limit things a lot, interface-wise (I mean, even my Intellivision console in 83 had a controller with plenty of buttons...). One click and swiping is all you get, in addition to looking around.

I tried a couple of the games, and they looked good (Sunken and Rush so far). Not super exciting, though. They do feel much more immersive than they would in a monitor.

The VR "tourist" things is kind of fun, though. On these you just look around as a video or 360 photo of a location plays. It feels much more like being there than looking at the computer, but it is also somewhat inconvenient (looking around, up and down is much harder than using a mouse).

Some of the interfaces are really, really bad. One of the samsung VR video apps actually lines up all the videos instead of making a grid, so you are required to rotate over 180 degrees to view them all. Most apps are smarter and just use a grid and pagination controls.

Overall, it is still a bit of a gimmick, like 3D was, although a lot better. If you like to play with new stuff it might be worth getting, otherwise I'd say just wait for the next generation.

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