Hands on: Lenovo and Google have built a powerful standalone VR headset that\u2019s one of CES 2018\u2019s standout products.<\/b>
\nLenovo\u2019s Mirage Solo is poised to send the mobile VR scene for a loop. First seen at CES 2018, it\u2019s the first Google Daydream standalone headset to hit store shelves, meaning you don\u2019t need a compatible smartphone to insert into it. All you need is the headset itself, which happens to be much more capable than what any phone can provide today.
In close collaboration with Google, the Mirage Solo features WorldSense, its six degrees-of-freedom technology that lets you move around in a virtual world as if you\u2019re really there.
Essentially, there\u2019s a flagship smartphone packed inside of the Mirage Solo. That, combined with inside-out positional tracking, not only makes Daydream apps and games that are available now even better, but it blasts away the gates that have previously kept mobile VR from being more interactive, like PC users currently enjoy with the HTC Vive.
Our hands-on time with the Mirage Solo was limited, but it was more than enough to be impressed with what Lenovo and Google have accomplished.
The Mirage Solo is almost like the lovechild of the PSVR headset and the Google Daydream View, combining their sheer simplicity in design with impressive functionality that enhances the VR experience during marathon sessions.
Given that all of the hardware is stuffed into the headset itself, the comfort yielded here is remarkable, but expected since PSVR employs a similar solution of front-loading the weight of the Mirage Solo on the top of your forehead.
A twisting knob brings the headset around your skull, making it fully adjustable \u2013 friendly even to those who wear glasses.
On front of the headset, there are two cameras, which undoubtedly will be used to merge Google\u2019s AR and VR aspirations \u2013 possibly even something akin to Lenovo\u2019s Star Wars Jedi Challenges experience? Fingers crossed.
Moving around the device, one side plays host to a power button and a microSD slot that\u2019s handy for loading VR180 videos captured by the Lenovo Mirage Camera. Around to the other end, you have your volume controls and a 3.5mm headphone jack.
Of course, Lenovo has also included Google\u2019s Daydream remote, a necessary accessory for interaction within games and apps.
Loaded with the Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM and Daydream OS, the Mirage Solo is ready to get down with the latest and greatest VR apps and games \u2013 even those that aren\u2019t out just yet.
During our limited demo, we tried the new Blade Runner: Revelations, an upcoming game that takes full advantage of WorldSense to let you investigate clues and interact with in-world elements by turning your head and walking around.
While this short demo didn\u2019t let us mess around fully with the environment, it\u2019s clear that the newfound freedom that WorldSense brings is immense for mobile VR. Not just that, the fact that it\u2019s running on its own operating system without worrying itself about phone calls and what not in the background means that more resources can be dedicated to whatever it is you\u2019re doing with Mirage Solo.
After the demo completed, we tapped the home button to return to the Daydream\u2019s main menu to see a familiar landing page that we\u2019re used to seeing in the Daydream View. Yep, it\u2019s the same experience, so there\u2019s zero learning curve if you already know your way around. Even if not, it\u2019s simple to get into.
The visual fidelity provided by the wide 110-degree field of view of its 2,560 x 1,440 LCD display was immediately noticeable. Because it\u2019s integrated into the device, pixels are almost indiscernible to the degree that we didn\u2019t find ourselves trying to readjust the headset to get a better look. The fact that the headset provides almost perfect isolation from light also plays into this gain in immersion.
We look forward to testing more games and apps, as well as its 4,000mAh integrated battery to see how long it can last under pressure.
The Mirage Solo is the first step in fully integrating Daydream into a headset. And even with just some brief impressions, it left an impact that, in so many ways, renders other mobile VR headsets obsolete \u2013 even Google\u2019s Daydream View. We didn\u2019t think we\u2019d be saying this, but that\u2019s now the entry-level headset for Daydream.
Everything comes with a price, and the Mirage Solo is expect to come in under $400 (about \u00a3300, AU$500). A first look at the tag might shock you, but based on the powerful tech that\u2019s been implemented and acknowledging just how well it\u2019s been done, this seems like a sweet spot.<\/p>\n

\n

Similarity rank: 11<\/div>\n

Sentiment rank: 0.3<\/div>\n

<\/div>\n<\/div>\n