Liliputing

  • Reviews
  • Deals
  • How To…
  • Mini PCs
  • Shop
  • About
    • About Liliputing
    • Contact us
    • Advertise on Liliputing
    • Support Liliputing
    • Privacy Policy

Google’s Daydream ensures Android VR apps can run on Daydream-ready phones

05/19/2016 at 12:25 PM by Brad Linder Leave a Comment

Google’s next foray into virtual reality is a platform called Daydream that lets you use an Android phone or iPhone as a VR screen. The company is introducing a series of hardware specs for Daydream-ready phones, which means that developers can target those specs and be sure that anyone with a Daydream-ready device should be able to run their apps and games.

Phones will need to have low persistent displays, high-performance processors with support for 60 frames per second video, and low-latency sensors for tracking your head movement when the phone is strapped into a headset.

Google has also revealed a reference design for a Daydream controller, a handheld motion controller with two buttons, a clickable touchpad, and motion sensors. The company says it will also build its own headset and controller in the future.

The controller is required for a Daydream experience, which means that users should all have the same tools for interacting with virtual reality apps.

Google says the controller can be used as a motion controller, a virtual tennis racket, laser pointer, and a number of other applications requiring precise controls, including typing on a virtual keyboard, tipping a virtual watering can, or picking up an throwing virtual objects.

The company has shown demos ranging from racing games to a virtual cooking app that involves flipping pancakes.

dd_04 controller

Don’t want to wait for Daydream hardware to hit the market? You can set up your own Daydream Development Kit, although Google notes that you’ll need a Nexus 6P smartphone, a Google Cardboard-compatible headset, and a second phone running Android 4.4 or later that you’ll use as a controller emulator.

While the Nexus 6P works as a headset, it doesn’t offer the same kind of sustained performance that Google recommends for real Daydream phones.

controller emulator

Developers can start creating apps for Daydream using Unreal Engine 4.1.2 preview or a plugin for Unity (with native integration coming this summer).

Among other things, the Google VR experience built into Android N includes Google’s head tracking algorithm, low latency support, and a sustained performance mode that allows apps to run continuously without taking a performance hit. But there’s also a Google VR SDK for iOS.

dd_01

Google has also brought some elements of the Android user interface into VR mode, allowing you to interact with you phone even when you’re using it as a headset. And when you’re not using your phone with a headset, you can open the Daydream app like a standard smartphone app to browse for VR videos and other experiences that you want to save for later.



 

Share this:

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Reddit
  • Email

Daily Deals (2-15-2019)

A few days ago I noted that the 2.2 pound Asus E203MA laptop with an 11.6 inch display, an Intel Celeron N4000 Gemini Lake processor, 4GB of RAM and … [Read More...]



Support Liliputing

Liliputing’s primary sources of revenue are advertising and affiliate links (if you click the “Shop” button at the top of the page and buy something on Amazon, for example, we’ll get a small commission).

But there are several ways you can support the site directly even if you’re using an ad blocker and hate online shopping.

Contribute via PayPal

  • donate monthly
  • donate once only
Select a Donation Option (USD)

Enter Donation Amount (USD)

Subscribe via Patreon

Become a Patron!

Leave a Reply

Login with
Facebook Google Twitter WordPress Yahoo! Disqus Reddit Stackoverflow GitHub
avatar
This comment form collects your name, email address, and content to allow us to keep track of comments placed on this website. Please read our privacy policy for more details.
Save my name, email, and website in this browser cookies for the next time I comment.
avatar
This comment form collects your name, email address, and content to allow us to keep track of comments placed on this website. Please read our privacy policy for more details.
Save my name, email, and website in this browser cookies for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

  Subscribe  
Notify of

Follow Liliputing:

Facebook Twitter YouTube tumblr RSS Patreon

Latest News

Lilbits 350: TCL’s folding smartphone plans revealed (maybe)

If Chinese electronics company TCL may be better known in the US for its TVs … [Read More...]

Lilbits 349: The 5G smartphones are coming

Mobile World Congress is a little more than a week away, and we'll likely see … [Read More...]

Windows Subsystem for Linux update will let you access Linux file from Windows

One of the most surprising things about Windows 10 is that you have the option … [Read More...]

Featured articles

GPD MicroPC handheld computer preview

It's been a good couple of years for handheld computer enthusiasts. Companies … [Read More...]

Taihe Gemini portable 1080p touchscreen monitor preview

The Taihe Gemini portable monitor has made quite a splash since going up for … [Read More...]

Zotac Pico PI470 is a pocket-sized PC with Intel Amber Lake

Zotac's latest pocket-sized computer is the company's most powerful to date. … [Read More...]

Disclosure: Some links on this page are monetized by Skimlinks and Amazon's and eBay's affiliate programs.

Login

  • Register
  • Log in
  • Entries RSS
  • Comments RSS
  • WordPress.org

Copyright © 2019 Liliputing · About Liliputing · Contact Us · Privacy Policy · Go to top of page

wpDiscuz
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.