DOWNTIME The Next Generation of

BY RENEE MORAD VR’s return seeks to live up to decades-old hype.

“Virtual reality will revolutionize nausea after taking off the headset. the way we live. It lets you travel It wasn’t surprising that VR wound to places you’ve never been and see up as much a fleeting 1990s fad as things you’ve never seen and do parachute pants. things you’ve never done, without But VR’s capabilities may finally ever leaving the room.” be catching up to the 26-year-old hype. Programmers can create hat’s what a news report said better-looking worlds, whether Tabout virtual-reality technology they’re computer-generated or … in 1991. Back then, if you wanted based on a real-life environment to try VR, you went to the local (museums have set up VR tours for arcade, stepped into a circular pod students who live nowhere near and put on a heavy, ugly headset. the museum). Anyone can have Then you whipped your head a low-end VR experience using around and flailed your arms for almost any type of smartphone three minutes to view a completely and a specially designed cardboard unrealistic-looking environment box. Plop the phone in the box, put or shoot wonky-moving aliens. It the box up to your face and, voilà, was expensive to play, the graphics 360-degree views. weren’t particularly good and, if Unlike Virtual Reality 1.0, this you were unlucky, you got a case of time many of the applications are

Sony PlayStation VR HTC Vive

$400 $800

Real gear Immersive experience, but only works Considered the top-of-the-line with ’s PlayStation 4 console ($300). system; it needs a powerful for a virtual computer to run. experience Some of tech’s biggest names have released their take on virtual- reality hardware.

62 Briefings On Talent & Leadership GADGETS

geared toward the business world. provides a fully immersive experi- than a game console. “Executives are finding a wide range ence. You’ll find yourself jolted If you’re in search of a lower- of value in VR, and that includes into a world of whimsical graphics priced VR system that can provide applications for virtual boardrooms, and realistic motion tracking. some fun during business travel medical or auto simulations, and Just be sure to keep an object-free or allows you to outfit a host even virtual presentations where a safety zone around your range of of employees with a headset, a product shows up on a table in an motion; when you’re pointing, say, mobile VR system could be the augmented way to really enhance a special controller for the game way to go. View the exhibition,” says Stephanie “Farpoint” into your VR landscape, is surprisingly comfortable and Llamas, head of VR/AR strategy at you risk unintentionally swinging runs on the Android mobile oper- the market research firm SuperData at nearby furniture or even at ating system. However, it lacks Research. This spring, mega-retailer people. Once the game starts, the many VR apps and it’s currently Walmart said it will expand VR pace moves rather quickly, some- compatible only with Google’s training to its 200 Pixel and Pixel XL employee-training Unlike Virtual Reality 1.0, phones, along with centers this year. a few other select Sales of VR- this time many of the smartphones. related tech are applications are geared (Google assures that expected to take more phones will off. According to toward the business world. support the headset SuperData Research, in the future.) sales of VR headsets have jumped times to the point of inducing feel- A better bet for mobile VR 79 percent year over year to reach ings of motion sickness. “If I play could be the Samsung Gear VR. $1.5 billion in 2016. By the end of for more than 45 minutes or so, I Its imagery doesn’t compare to the 2017, that number is expected to get a headache,” admits the Sony fully immersive experience and increase to $3.6 billion. Individual PlayStation VR rep at the Best Buy high-resolution graphics of the VR headsets are considerably in Cherry Hill, N.J. (Sony declined Sony or HTC headsets. However, lighter and cheaper than they to comment.) Samsung’s gear is easily transport- were 26 years ago, too. It still isn’t If you’re aiming for top-of-the- able—all you need is a Samsung for everyone (nausea can still be a line VR, consider the HTC Vive. smartphone. After positioning the problem for some users), but indi- The system, considered by many headset, you sit back in your chair viduals who want to try immersive to be the most immersive, includes and escape into a journey that VR have an assortment of gadgets a headset, motion controllers and catapults you through an exquisite from which to choose. external sensors to outfit a virtual 3-D sky. Soaring through the color- The Sony PlayStation VR room. Just make sure you have a ful swirls of Vincent van Gogh’s headset requires that you also own powerful computer handy; the “Starry Night” painting, you take the PlayStation 4 game console but Vive links to a computer, rather in the beauty and feel at ease. •

Oculus Rift Google Daydream View Samsung Gear VR

$500 $80 $130

Facebook’s VR foray; fans like its Inexpensive, but currently lacks Portable and comfortable; works light, comfortable headset. many apps. only on Samsung-model phones.

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