The future is here! Get on board!
Virtual Reality is no longer something only found in sci-fi films. It’s here and, as with other communication
and gaming technology, will be unavoidable in the coming months and years. It will redefine the way people consume
media. Google Cardboard is the exciting, cost effective entry point to this new world of opportunity.
What is Google Cardboard and what does it have to do with virtual reality?
Google created Cardboard to bring immersive experiences to all, in a simple and affordable way.
Whether a game, simulation, or virtualised tour, VR experiences can now be enjoyed with just a smart-phone and a
compatible viewer.
Getting started is extremely straight forward. Download one of the many Cardboard compatible apps, slip a smart-phone
into the easy to assemble cardboard viewing device, and be amazed and enthralled by a new virtual world.
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Who is Google Cardboard aimed at?
Google Cardboard is available for all to enjoy. The audience is as wide as the VR apps that are becoming available.
VR will redefine digital interaction and for a younger audience will become a literal game changer. New systems launching in
2015/16 such as Facebook’s Oculus, Sony’s Project Morpheus headset for the PS4 and HTC’s Vive will usher in a new generation
of experiential possibilities. Google Cardboard is the low cost entry point that enables VR to be enjoyed today.
Aside from gaming, VR also opens up incredible opportunities for business, healthcare, engineering and leisure industries.
Virtualised live events, holiday tours, training, walk-throughs and product development being just some uses. VR can also be
used in education to present complex data in an easy and fun way.
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Where can I use it, and where can I get it?!
Common sense dictates that Google cardboard should be used wherever it is safe to do so.
Virtualised games and environments can quickly make the user unaware of their immediate physical environment. Therefore
care should be taken when moving. Ideally Cardboard should be used sitting down away from potentially harmful objects or hazards.
The Cardboard viewing device is available to purchase from a growing number of retailers, with some manufacturers now
offering their own versions and proprietary games.
Current buy links:
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Why should I invest in Google Cardboard?
Google cardboard is the blueprint for making virtual reality experiences accessible for all.
It allows business the potential to engage and explore virtual platforms without a massive financial investment,
to explore the possibilities, whilst learning specific industry benefits.
Another reason to invest is in the proven technology, which already exists in the pockets of millions of potential
users. There is no new hardware to purchase or software to learn. A smart-phone and a viewer are all the equipment necessary.
Exploring VR today ensures readiness to deliver content in the subsequent months to capitalise on the incredible
potential that this platform offers.
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Fantastic Google Cardboard artwork by Craig Wheat at Dreams Incarnated
Smart Thinking
Smart phones run Cardboard. Children use smartphones. It’s a perfect platform for
publishers and creates a whole new level of excitement and opportunity. Cardboard content will become an essential part
in engaging and maximising market share with this age group.
Google’s bet on the future of VR is children
What does that have to do with books and authors?
With VR, we have the ability to bring readers closer than ever before with the books, characters and authors they
love. Imagine reading about a fictional character who’s chasing through a barren landscape, desperately seeking an
escape route from a terrifying maze, or a heart-broken child who’s searching for their lost cat – and then being
able to step into those characters’ worlds and see things through their eyes. That’s possible with Virtual Reality.
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Isn’t this just another techy fad that could kill off the physical book?
On the contrary, VR offers a complementary experience for books – making both mediums a mutually beneficial
requirement. The VR elements enhance the reading experience and ultimately lead the consumer back to the book,
series or brand.
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I’m not convinced that it won’t just interrupt reading time?
Over 35 million people in the UK now own a Smartphone, one in six UK adults look at their Smartphone more than
50 times a day.* A 2014 report stated that 81% of 13-18 year-olds owned a Smartphone (including 79% of 13-14 year-olds
and 82% of 15-16 year-olds).** The fact is, people already are spending large amounts of time looking at their phones.
Using VR with book properties presents an opportunity to tap into these existing consumer habits and engage with them
in a way that will link the physical and digital together. We know that digital platforms and new technologies are not
going to go away, so finding ways to close the gap between these and more traditional pastimes such as reading, is key.
* 2014 Deloitte Mobile Consumer Report
** 2014 YouGov Report
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Who’s already using this technology?
Gaming companies are the obvious early adopters but VR has already caught the imagination of many other industries.
Travel companies are providing consumers with virtual tours of local areas and holiday destinations, car manufacturers
are using it to offer potential purchasers the opportunity to “test drive” a vehicle without leaving their homes and
John Lewis teamed up with Samsung to bring their Christmas 2014 advert to life using VR. Musician Jack White has also
jumped on board, offering fans the chance to “join him” on stage, using VR to create the illusion. In April this year,
Shortlist magazine dedicated 3 pages to the technology and whilst many of the column inches are aimed at Oculus Rift,
Google Cardboard offers an affordable alternative for anyone with a Smartphone.
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Develop. Package. Download. Play.
An added benefit for publishers is in the flatpack Google Cardboard viewing device. It is cheap
to produce and assemble, offers a large brandable space for promotion and can be included as a part of the physical book
package.
Develop
Utilise existing assets, characters and storylines, and incorporate the exciting new functionality available in virtual
environments. Introduce and market your content with videos and voice-over from authors and characters.
Package
Add value to existing content by including a flat-pack branded viewing device. Stickered stock announces the
exciting new feature.
Download & play!
Simply assemble the viewer, download the app from the app store, insert a compatible smart phone and play! It’s as
simple as that. The viewer can then be used to view any additional Cardboard apps.
Cardboard apps
Cardboard games and simulations are being added to the app store at an ever increasing rate, with big brands
such as John Lewis, Volvo, Disney and Hasbro seeing the potential benefits.
Featured Cardboard Apps
