Enter A Virtual Reality with Archos VR Glasses [REVIEW]
Over the past couple of months, the popularity and growth of Virtual Reality headsets have increase. We’ve seen Oculus, Sony’s Morpheus, and even DIY VR headsets such as Google Cardboard.
Today, I have got my hands on the Archos VR Glasses thanks to MobileZap. If you want a low cost device to experience virtual reality, you cannot look past this headset. At an affordable price of around $40, the Universal VR Glasses fits phones between 4.7 and 6 inches, which is great as you don’t need to have the latest and greatest phone to experience VR technology first hand.
But for $40, you get what you pay for. The headset is light, and it feels like it has been massed produced on the cheap. Adjusting the viewer to fit your phone in feels like you are going to snap off a piece of plastic. As I slid in my Samsung Galaxy S4, with a rubber outer case, it was caught on the stuck-on rubber that it then started to peel off. The other not-so-good thing about it, there is no push button so it makes it impossible to interact with your phone once it’s in the cradle.
During my testing using my Samsung Galaxy S4, I installed the Google Cardboard app. This is a great app for you to get started with Virtual Reality technology. You can watch your Video’s, browse YouTube, go on virtual tours, and fly through Google Earth and a few other neat things.
When I was browsing YouTube through Google Cardboard, you could not select a video to play. Therefore, you have to take the phone out, and touch the screen, or slid the phone out just a bit so you can touch the end of the screen, which distorts your vision slightly. The alternative is to purchase a Bluetooth controller or using a remote app on your computer to control your phone.
The Experience
The Archos VR glasses have been my first experience in Virtual Reality, and I have to say, I am impressed. I didn’t get a headache, and it really feels you are in a 3-dimensional world. Using the Google Earth app, flying around the streets is a great experience, and going on virtual tours is such as the Louvre makes you feel like you are there. This is only the start. I cannot wait to see where VR takes us in the future!
When you wear it, you feel a little goofy, especially if you know people are watching you, because you are removed from the real world and you tend to lose your spatial awareness. So make sure you keep your feet in the same spot, sit on a swivel chair or ensure someone is guiding you if you are moving around.
My Thoughts
If you want an affordable entry-level product to experience VR for yourself, you cannot go wrong with the Archos Universal 4.7 to 6 inch Virtual Reality Glasses. It currently feels a bit like a gimmick, but it is a good experience to try out. You just need to find decent apps on your phone to experience true virtual reality.
If you are an android user, make sure you download Google Cardboard and Vrse from the Play store.
