360 image before processing

If you are wondering how you can capture these 360 degree images, there are different ways to accomplish this. You can capture real 360 pictures with the Android app Google Cardboard and Cardboard Camera available in the Play store. If you are interested in capturing a 360 shot of your project, 3d model(s) or game, there is a bit more to it. (Contact me for more info).

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We all knew it was coming, but how well do these events fare?

Screen capture of Reggie Watts, live on Altspace

Last night Reggie Watts performed a 1 hour standup live on Altspace for hundreds of viewers utilizing a new addition to Altspace that they are calling “Front Row”. Now a lot of you know that I was creating a live social platform in VR at the same time as Altspace (Multiplayer VR) but Altspace has taken my idea to a new level and I commend them for the work they’ve done, they are doing a fantastic job!

Altspace, for everyone!

Altspace can be ran on the Oculus Rift, the HTC Vive, and even GearVR and Cardboard! For this reason Altspace is currently the best option for a social experience in VR, because of the broad spectrum of hmd’s supported, which includes over 90% of VR users. One of the reasons I am discontinuing support for Multiplayer VR (besides the fact that it only runs with legacy pre 0.6 sdk) is that there were not enough Oculus Rift users alone to populate the rooms enough to be entertaining.

Some of you who haven’t been to a live event in VR, or have yet to use Altspace may be wondering how such an thing works? in my opinion it is much like going to an event in reality. At the Reggie Watts event there were people in the back of the room, away from the stage, having conversations. People up front nearest the monitors (the audio source for the live audio feed) bobbing their heads and dancing to the music, and of course just people watching the entertainment!

Connect with me on Altspace: KevinGulling.com

Also big thanks @reggiewatts for being one of the first celebs with some vision of the future! It was great meeting you, funny as hell! Come back to VR soon!

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After shelling out close to a thousand dollars on the Vive, you might find yourself a little light on funds for new games. Fortunately there are quite a few titles available for free. As of July 2016, here are some of my favorite free Steam VR apps:

1. The Lab

Valve’s “the Lab” is a compilation of mini-games.

Download the Lab

2. NightCafe

Originally released for Oculus Rift in 2015, NightCafe is now available on SteamVR!

Download NightCafe

3. The Cubicle

I almost didn’t download this. That would have been a mistake!

Download the Cubicle

4. Waltz of the Wizard

Tons of magic to play with!
Download Waltz of the Wizard

5. VR Funhouse

Want to play carnival games without paying two bucks a throw? Nvidia shows off their debut VR experience.

Download VR Funhouse

6. Abe VR

Another Oculus Rift adaptation for the Vive.

Download Abe VR

7. The Foo Show

If you are a fan of Will Smith, you have to check out the Foo show featuring Will Smith.

Download The Foo Show

8. The Rose and I

This is a VR short film.

Download The Rose and I

9. Broomball

Download Broomball

10. Ikea VR Experience

Download Ikea VR Experience

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Recently I have been developing an abundance of Cardboard and Gear VR apps for clients. I am commonly asked “How do I install a Gear VR apk?” or “How to install a Cardboard apk?”. Installing a GearVR .apk or Cardboard .apk (an apk is the file type for an Android application) on your Samsung s6, s7 or note 5 without downloading it from the Samsung Store or Play Store using a PC takes just a few easy steps.

You will need:

1. Compatible Samsung Phone
2. PC
3. Micro USB cable (like the one pictured below)
   
4. a Gear VR or Cardboard to use App
5. If you are installing an apk for Gear VR, you will need to make sure that your developer adds your osig to the app.

Enable developer mode on your phone by opening the settings and tapping “About”. Then locate the section called “Build Number” and tap it 7 times. (See image below)

Go to Samsung’s website and download the USB drivers for your specific phone (See image below). Install these drivers.

This is a screenshot of Samsung’s website as of May 2016

Plug your phone into your PC with your micro USB cable. If the Samsung USB drivers were successfully downloaded and installed, your computer will recognize that your device has been plugged in and your phone will ask to give permission for access. Tap allow Your phone will now show up as a removable storage drive on your computer..

Open windows explorer and navigate to your phones drive. Create a folder inside your phone called “My Apps” or anything you want. Drag your .apk file from your computer into the folder you just created on your phones drive.

Open the file explorer app (default file explorer is called “My Files”) on your phone and navigate to Device Storage > My Apps. You should see your apk listed. Tap this and then select “Install”. After installation you can open this app any time just like any app you downloaded from the store!

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I have recently been experimenting with a form of Augmented Reality accomplished by using a Leap Motion in conjunction with the Oculus Rift and the possibilities of AR are exciting to say the least. There are definite limitations to this specific combination (Leap Motion + Rift) which the Microsoft Hololens has addressed, and I hope to begin development on a Hololens project in the near future. For those of you who would like to try out a demo of the Leap Motion Orion Augmented Reality setup here is the basic demo (Newer Post Orion Leap Motion Visualizer) with a little pizazz added. It’s pretty amazing, see for yourself!

• Tab – Remove Arm bones
• Caps – Flame on
• Up Arrow – Toggle Flames to Smokescreen
• Esc – Exit Program

I’ve been talking with the developers at Leap Motion about making a more portable unit and adding mobile support for Cardboard and GearVR. Lowering the weight or distributing it differently and offering additional normal light cameras will significantly improve the AR capabilities of the combination. Combining an improved Leap Motion with a mobile device like GearVR would in essence result in something similar to the Hololens for a fraction of the price. If anyone is interested in funding development of something like this, or developing for the Hololens, feel free to contact me.

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“2016 should be the year virtual reality finally realizes its mass market potential”

If you are keen to the stock exchange chances are you haven’t heard much hype about investments in VR for many reasons. It’s human nature to be comfortable taking a certain degree of risk when we are younger in life, but then to have that urge diminish in our older, and generally wiser years. It makes more sense for young people to take greater risks, the prospect of early retirement or luxurious lifestyles is a thought that is commonly entertained by the younger generations. But what incentive would a 70 year old have to risk their entire nest egg, especially on something they have viewed their entire life as science fiction? Not only is VR not yet fully understood by the masses (according to fool.com “2016 should be the year virtual reality finally realizes its mass market potential”)
, but even if you did want to invest in VR via the stock market, where do you put your money? Unfortunately for beginning investors, it really isn’t a clear cut, black and white situation when trying to put your money directly towards virtual reality so below I will go over a few of the investment opportunities in the AR/VR industry.

Stock Symbol – Name – Risk level
FB – Facebook – 155
Facebook owns Oculus which makes the popular HMD’s Oculus Rift and Gear VR

SNE – Sony – 180
Sony of course owns Playstation which will be releasing their “Project Morpheus” later this year.

GOOGL – Google – 142
Google, or Alphabet, was the creator of Google Cardboard and although that may only have a small influence on this stock, it isn’t going to hurt it and Google isn’t stopping there! (See Jump)

MSFT – Microsoft – 135
Microsoft is a latecomer to the VR scene only recently partnering with Oculus to release the Rift with Xbox controllers. A jump in Oculus sales could lead to a small bump in MSFT stock!

AMD – Advanced Micro Devices – 299
AMD is a company that has fully embraced the inevitability of VR and they are making sure they have the hardware to cater to the AR/VR consumer market!

NVDA – NVIDIA – 179
NVIDIA has been working closely with VR hardware producers to make sure their graphic drivers are VR capable. Oculus has officially recommended the NVIDIA GTX 970 in the hardware requirements.

GPRO – GoPro – 325
GoPro might be a surprising candidate here, but seeing as the GoPro cameras have remained the industry standard for 360 video, not to mention GoPro has more plans in the works for professionals in this niche!

60% of people in a a recent poll conducted by Benzinga predict that a that the market will become bearish in 2017. Right now could possibly be your best opportunity to make a decent return with fairly low risk, and a potential for huge gains!

Personally I have purchased shares of GoPro, Amazon, Fitbit, Pandora, and Netflix. I was going to jump on AMD but the price spiked recently so I am holding out on that. I would have Google shares but Alphabet stock is pretty pricey at $720 or so a share.

14/3/16 Edit – After AMD expands the VR ecosystem with first-ever Polaris 10 GPU demonstration, and its new GPU certified program for VR AMD went up 8% today! I am kicking myself for not jumping on it when I could have.

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