As we reported recently, Google fair shook up the mobile and VR world a few days ago by releasing a new venture designed to highlight and push virtual reality on it’s Android mobile operating system.

Google Cardboard is a low cost, VR Viewer solution that uses your Android mobile phone to deliver 3D VR style experiences via specialised applications leveraging new software toolkits launched alongside the Cardboard project.

Google have now posted the full Cardboard talk which explains the web giant’s hopes and reasons for the project. The talk goes into detail on the origins of the Cardboard project from rough concept to .. slightly less rough final design. It also highlights some of the early demo applications produced or modified by Google to show off Cardboard, such as Google Earth, Street View and highlights the APIs in Google’s VR Toolkit for developers to get started coding for Cardboard quickly.

It’s a really interesting talk and an interesting further affirmation that virtual reality is increasing in presence across industries.

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Paul James
Based in the UK, Paul has been immersed in interactive entertainment for the best part of 27 years and has followed advances in gaming with a passionate fervour. His obsession with graphical fidelity over the years has had him branded a ‘graphics whore’ (which he views as the highest compliment) more than once and he holds a particular candle for the dream of the ultimate immersive gaming experience. Having followed and been disappointed by the original VR explosion of the 90s, he then founded RiftVR.com to follow the new and exciting prospect of the rebirth of VR in products like the Oculus Rift. Paul joined forces with Ben to help build the new Road to VR in preparation for what he sees as VR’s coming of age over the next few years.
  • Don Gateley

    Here we have the justification for the LG G3 with all its pixels.

  • mptp

    I feel like HMDs like the Rift and this concept of using smartphones as an (almost) all-in-one VR package will become very good friends in the next 5-10 years.
    Once smartphones are powerful enough to do what desktop computers currently do, Palmer’s dream of a completely contained VR headset device that everyone owns will be just one step away!

    For me, I’m going to be carrying around one of these 100% of the time, so that when I rant to people about VR, rather than try to convince them with words, I can just show them to whet their curiosity! :D

    • snake0

      Are current smartphones as powerful as 2009 high end desktop computers?

      I didn’t think so.

  • james

    I have found shop where you could buy a KIT. Free delivery in Europe.
    http://pcardboard.com/