One of the recent explosions of technology has been Google Cardboard. It’s a virtual reality goggle system that Google came up with where mobile devices could provide an interactive experience. Usually comprised of actual cardboard, these goggle systems have a little insert that lets phones get in on the action of a 360 degree experience.
If you have a Google Cardboard, watching some 360 recorded videos is easy. First set up your Google Cardboard with your phone. Usually the Cardboard has instructions (and it’s mostly to calibrate the phone to the type of goggles you have). Then, if you have an Android OS phone, open the YouTube app and any video is Google Cardboard-able! There’s an icon in the video that lets you turn it on.
If you have an iPhone, it’s a little trickier to get to a video that allows Google Cardboard. The actual YouTube app doesn’t allow for it yet. There’s a third party app called In360Tube. It’s not the greatest app, but it’s the only thing that allows playback of YouTube videos. In the app, search for “daps 360” and it’ll come up with several of our videos. From there, press the similar Cardboard icon to what’s in the Android YouTube app (they both look like the generic Google Cardboard devices).
No matter what you use, I suggest using earbuds or headphones to complete the experience. Some of our videos has binaural sound, which gives a very three dimensional audio experience. All of these methods allow for you to control where the video looks. It’s based on the movement of your head! In all, Google Cardboard and our videos make for a virtual experience. Even I’ve been tricked to “smelling” Spaceship Earth while watching the video! I can recall being on the ride and my senses start to take over to have me experience it as if I’m there!
So, if you didn’t get Google Cardboard for Christmas, I suggest grabbing them and start watching! It’s a great and inexpensive virtual experience for when you can’t actually be in the parks! And we are going to have more and more 360 virtual videos on our YouTube channel! Check out the playlist below for our current videos.
