How to get the new Microsoft and Samsung 'mixed reality' headset
VR uses are endless, whether you're proposing to your girlfriend or terrifying your new employees, but its most tried and true application is definitely gaming. Gamers were some of the first adopters of VR and now Samsung has unveiled a "mixed reality" headset, which is designed with them in mind.
The new Odyssey "mixed reality" headset -- that apparently means part VR and part AR -- was unveiled on Oct. 3 at a Microsoft event in San Francisco. By all reviews, the headset is a little more VR than AR -- but the Oculus Rift competitor should have gamers somewhat excited.
Samsung partnered with AKG acoustics for an integrated visual and audio experience. The built-in headphones are a game-changer (no pun intended) in the world of VR gaming and will no doubt have countless additional applications.
In addition to the headphones, the features on the Odyssey headset make this a worthwhile option for PC users. They have a wider field of view at up to 110 degrees and a higher resolution at 1,440 x 1,600 per eye than any other Windows VR headset on the market.
The Odyssey headset uses OLED displays instead of LCD which will probably provide better color and efficiency. You can also adjust the distance between lenses, so you can find the best field of view for your eyes.
Although the headset has decent features for gamers, Mashable's Chris Taylor had a hands on with the device at Tuesday's launch and didn't find the "mixed reality" technology groundbreaking. You can read his full review here.
You can pre-order your HMD Odyssey Mixed Reality headset on Samsung's website now for $500 -- and get a pair of Microsoft's mixed reality motion controllers included in your order.
According to twitter, Emily Heller is a fake geek girl and a SJW. If you ask her friends, she laughs too loud and cries at cute animal videos. Prior to Mashable, Emily wrote for CollegeHumor and Reductress and most recently worked at a very bro-y tech startup. She lives in Brooklyn with three dudes, a cat who acts like a dog and a dog who acts like a houseplant.
