InstanTRIP: a new approach to VR headsets for mobiles from Japan | Hacker News Reader

InstanTRIP: a new approach to VR headsets for mobiles from Japan

pad.instantrip.global

8 pointssgdesign5 comments

Oh! I got to try the InstanTRIP PAD 02 a while ago but it never seemed to have made Hacker News. Thank you Sacha for posting. The Pad02 is a interesting step forward from the 01 version http://www.amazon.com/InstanTRIP-PAD01-4-5-5Inch-Smartphones... , a lot cheaper, a lot lighter. The only problem I see left with the device are that the lenses are fixed size (only working with devices of a limited screen size). Else the product concept is very nice imho. I would love to forward (translate) the HN communities opinion to Cocoloworks.

(Disclaimer: I know the creators - Cocoloworks - in person . They are members of the same coworking space as I am and I helped a little with the technical concept of the Pad02)

"I helped a little with the technical concept"

"Hold the smartphone firmly in your hands"

Seriously?!

Why didn't you help more?

Head Mount setups - as you point correctly out - are required for a long-time VR consumption. But they come with caveats: - They make the devices heavier & bulkier. - You need a good mechanism to fastly switch back to use as a mobile phone (i.e. when you receive a phone call while in VR) - You need to make sure that the phone is tightly in place. If you move your head considerable force is applied to the casing.

Using your hand allows InstanTRIP Pad 02 to be tiny. It is folded together so tiny that you can put it in the back-pocket of jeans and forget you put it in there. Other VR boxes have to be carried in a bag and consume a lot of space in there.

Other head-mount-less "cardboxes" cost at least 20% more than InstanTRIP (for most you pay double the price) and the setup time is considerable.

There have been trade-off's made but I don't think that they are all bad (feel free to correct me)

If this thing is so tiny and light, why can't they simply staple some rubber bands on it?

The rubber bands would hold the case in place but the case is not strong enough to sustain the device. In other words: move your head to fast and it flies away. Hands prevent that.

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