COMMON MAGAZINE EUROPE - FALL 2017

COMMON//FALL 2017//
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THE UNIVERSAL VIRTUAL
REALITY HEADSET
CARL ZEISS VR ONE PLUS IS COMPATIBLE WITH ANY PHONE, AND THAT'S A
GOOD THING
www.zeiss.com
VR is taking off – whether it’s watching
ultra-immersive videos or utilising apps on
your phone, or embedding yourself into
whole new worlds with the help of a
monster PC – it will soon be normal.The
Zeiss VR One Plus is a VR phone headset
which means you put your phone in it and
watch special split-screen VR content
through two binoculars-style lenses.the VR
One Plus has a separate tray for the phone.
This tray is generally compatible with
phones from 4.7 to 5.5 inches. Usefully, the
tray has a notch in the middle to help you
line the phone's screen up so it's exactly in
the middle of the lenses.
Slotting it in is relatively simple but we
found the tray could cover corners of the
screen where some settings are usually
positioned. It’s not a huge annoyance but it
means sliding the phone out and maybe
moving it around to get at the controls
sometimes. We’ve yet to see a perfect
phone clasp system.The front panel is made
from a translucent black plastic. The Carl
Zeiss logo sits discretely in the bottom left-
hand corner, and the VR One name can be
found along the top. The main body of the
headset is made from a solid matte-white
plastic, with a long narrow slot sitting
behind the plastic plate.
There’s also a black trim within which
you’ll find some ventilation holes, covered
from below with a thin layer of foam mesh.
These ensure that the lenses stay mist and
fog-free, unlike other VR headsets at this
price range. There’s a triple layer of foam
around the headset, too, to protect your
eyes, and a double headstrap for keeping
the VR One firmly on your head while in
use. I found the VR One comfortable to
wear; the straps can be adjusted to ensure
the headset fits even the largest of heads.
As for the VR content available, variety
remains an issue. Despite Google
Cardboard having been around for nearly
two years now, there still isn’t a plentiful
supply of content available – especially
next to the Oculus-powered Samsung Gear
VR.
Carl Zeiss itself has a small selection of
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