Google, one of the largest and most influential tech companies on the planet, decided to enter the virtual reality space with a smartphone shell made of cardboard. True story! It gave away a kit to Google I/O attendees last summer, and then posted the plans online so anyone with an empty pizza box or stray shipping carton could hack together a lo-fi VR device with a handful of cheap parts.
Cardboard might sound silly, but it has caught on in a serious way: the plans have been downloaded more than 500,000 times, there are dozens upon dozens of compatible apps, and now LG and Mattel are creating plastic versions. You can even buy a standard cardboard viewer from third-party companies if you don’t want to make one yourself.
Whether you plan to build or buy, it’s easy to get started with this entry-level, ultra-affordable VR experience. Here’s how.
Why bother?
Current Cardboard apps are largely short, straightforward experiences, but it’s incredibly cool to be able to try out VR without a significant investment of money or time. You already have an Android smartphone, right? Assuming it’s recent enough to run the app and fit into a shell, your expense shouldn’t be more than $20-25 for a basic viewer, or less if you decide to build the thing yourself.
It’s not as immersive an experience as the strap-on Oculus Rift headset, which requires a computer (and is still in development), or Samsung’s Gear VR, which costs $200 and only works with the Galaxy Note 4 (a huge chunk of change). But it’s an easy way to get a feel for what’s possible with modern virtual reality, and beyond the low cost of the headset, most of the available apps are free.
For example, you can simply move your head to look freely around, in 360 degrees, as you view concert clips from Paul McCartney or Jack White, or while looking around digital or real-world environments. You can view Google Maps or Earth in a whole new way, ride a virtual roller coaster, or free fall from daring heights. That’s just the tip of the iceberg, but if you’re into immersive visual experiences, there’s little reason not to give VR a shot via Cardboard.
What do I need?
At the base level, you’ll need a phone that runs Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean) or newer. And you’ll also want the free Cardboard app, which includes various VR demos and serves as a hub for any compatible apps you download. Beyond that, there’s a lot of variance between which devices work with which versions of the headset, as well as which are fully compatible and which are only somewhat compatible.
Google doesn’t help much with this part of the equation—for whatever reason, the company has removed the list of compatible phones from the Cardboard website. Maybe that’s Google's way of encouraging people to embrace the DIY philosophy and figure out workarounds for devices, but it makes getting started just a bit more confusing for the average smartphone owner.
From what was posted previously, we know that the Nexus 5, Nexus 4, and Galaxy Nexus are all compatible with the basic viewer, as are the Samsung Galaxy S4 and S5 and the Moto X, although Motorola’s device can apparently be finicky with the magnet switch.
That’s for the version of the viewer that Google offers downloadable plans for. Other phones with displays near 5 inches in size may also fit, but might not support the viewer’s magnet switch for making selections within VR experiences. Or if your lower-end phone lacks a gyroscope, then many VR apps may be pretty useless.
Some manufacturers, such as DODOcase and Unofficial Cardboard, sell a larger Cardboard viewer that’s designed to work with bigger phones—such as the Galaxy Note 2/3/4, LG G2 or G3, or HTC One M8. Some viewers even work with iPhones, although there are fewer compatible apps (and no official Cardboard app).
How can I buy one?
Google doesn’t mind pointing you in the direction of Cardboard resellers, which may offer laser-cut cardboard kits for you to put together, or even fully assembled headsets that are ready to use out of the shipping box. And while cardboard remains the primary material for most of these options, some makers use more premium components for extra-durable VR headsets.
The basic headset is available at different prices from various sellers, but they’re nearly identical in terms of functionality. I Am Cardboard sells its headset for $20 or $25 unassembled, depending on whether you want an optional NFC tag (for quickly launching the Cardboard app). Knoxlabs and Unofficial Cardboard, meanwhile, both sell their basic headset for $15 unassembled, or $17 assembled. I bought mine from Unofficial Cardboard, fully assembled, and have been pleased with the build. But they all look functionally identical.
In terms of premium options, DODOcase offers an alternative headset with a capacitive touch button, rather than the sliding magnet, which works with all Android phones. It’s a hair pricier at $25 unassembled, however. Meanwhile, I Am Cardboard sells a headset comprised of EVA foam instead of cardboard, which goes for $35+ based on size (you can get one large enough for the Nexus 6), while Knoxlabs has an aluminum and wood viewer for $85 assembled. That’s quite the investment.
Should I make one?
If you have a knack for crafting, you might get a kick out of assembling and even customizing your own Cardboard headset. Google provides instructions for hand-cutting a headset frame, or even laser-cutting it if you have access to the hardware. On the former front, if it’s not too greasy, a pizza box should provide enough flat-surfaced material to work with. You want something sturdy—but slim—to work with.
You’ll need a few additional items, however: a neodymium magnet and a ceramic disc magnet, biconvex 45mm lenses, a couple pieces of Velcro, and a large rubber band. Not sure what all of that stuff is? Luckily, the same companies that sell headsets also offer parts kits for DIY types, and you can get everything you need besides the cardboard itself for $10 from Unofficial Cardboard, or $15 from I Am Cardboard. Or you can just order the
EmoticonEmoticon