Source: http://www.businessinsider.com/google-mattel-new-virtual-reality-view-master-2015-2
Google and Mattel are teaming up to put a new spin on the classic "view master" toy, the two companies announced at an event Friday morning.
Starting in the fall, Mattel will sell a view master powered by Google Cardboard technology that will give kids a taste of virtual and augmented reality.
Buy Mattel's headset, pop in an Android phone with the view master app (or any other Google Cardboard app currently in the Google Play Store) downloaded, and you'll be able to explore simulated 3-D worlds.
Mattel will also sell "experience reels" that will offer other exclusive augmented reality content that you can't get on the apps. For example, Mattel will sell a San Francisco-themed reel that will use augmented reality to let kids explore different tourist destinations.
"We're using Google Cardboard platform to reimagine the view master like kids have never seen before, using the power of virtual reality, augmented reality, and photo-spheric images," Mattel SVP Doug Wadleigh says.
The device will launch this fall and will cost around $30. It will be able to accommodate Android phones of all sizes (with other operating systems likely following).
"Our goal is to make virtual reality accessible for everyone," Google's Mike Jazayeri says. "The more people — like Mattel — making viewers, the better for everyone."
Although Mattel's view master device wasn't ready for us to test, we got to try out its experience reels in the Google Cardboard headset! .
In many ways, it really was similar to a classic view master experience. As you looked around the 3-D world, you could press a button on the side to switch scenes. We got to try out Mattel's space-themed reed, San Francisco reel, and dinosaur reel, the three the company has developed so far.
Here's the front of the device:
And a look at the back:
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