“Testing products before release” died with VR in 2016 -
by JM — www.ThisIsMeInVR.com
Early adopters got screwed in 2016, in the past, they were the first to use and spread the news about the “good products” now, they are the unpaid Research and Development staff being exploited by Big Corporations, and in some cases they are putting their lives and health at risk.
The Year 2016 started out with a BANG for new products being released without proper testing. Simply put, manufacturers making products available to the masses with glaringly huge flaws. Omnidirectional 360 video software and cameras, Virtual Reality equipment (and games/apps) seem to be at the forefront of this new business practice.
“Is the product ready? No, not really but we’ll release it anyway to corner the market and try to fix issues as they come up. But only if it’s profitable!” — Nearly Every CEO in 2016.
First to hit the spotlight this year was Samsung with their Note 7 phones (and subsequently their washing machines)…. Literally Exploding! People were injured, flights were grounded. For them I’d say the decision blew up in their face. I bet/hope the S8 will get extensive testing before release.
Lesson learned? Will others follow suit? Not likely.
If you bought a 360 camera you may have noticed it requires monthly hardware and software updates and 60% of the places you tried to post the content (as advertised) failed to work gyroscopically. Even the apps for the 360 cameras themselves Fail to function in landscape split screen mode to be viewed in VR. (which is their main selling feature). Mobile VR devices aren’t safe from this manufacturer manipulation either…. (let me guess, your mobile VR overheats after extended use and requires an ice pack to enjoy it for more than 20 minutes.) Did they never actually try it before they sold * 1.2 million of em? Shame They could’ve sold accessory ice packs, cooling fans and blast proof carrying cases) No no no it’s not them, it’s you. Just spend more. To solve this perhaps you want a FULL VR setup… It’s ready, right? They Are sold everywhere….
VR games (with certain movement) can cause nausea, and the wire management poses serious risks. (not to mention a complete lack of research into possible epigenetic or cognitive effects of extended VR immersion) Virtual Reality is being sold to the public before proper standards for 360 filming, screen resolution, latency, frames per second, overhead wire attachment kits (or really any safety measures at all) are in place or freely available, etc… early adopters paid large sums for barely functional tech and short demo experiences (aka most current VR games) essentially to field-test these company products as they were released this year. Players’ feedback? … Free R&D for the Big Corps, no need to hire testers or innovators, just Crowd-Source it. It’s the new thing. It’s easier than paying researchers to use GOOGLE.
Don’t get me wrong, I love 360 video and Virtual Reality and I do (I run a 360 VR Company myself) understand the strategy behind the moves being made. But with a Vast collection of short VR games, and poor 360 video and website integration and a continuous stream of Failing Tech released too early. It puts the entire industry and people, at risk. Maybe this is why (YouTube) Google, (PlayStation) Sony are marketing VR at the bare minimum.
Their devices need a lot of work. Try using HDR on your PSVR. you have to swap wires! Soon they’ll release an adapter or a whole new headset to solve it
What annoys me most. is that the early Adopters (like myself) buy the tech, inform the manufacturer about glitches and issues and feed them improvement ideas and then nothing…. A few months later they roll out the improvements and lower the prices. Everyone else gets a better product, and the pioneers basically overpaid for the privilege of doing unrecognized, unaccredited company R&D.
Merry Christmas, here comes a Hatchimal, born in your own hands and now we have children’s toys/pets swearing like sailors in your child’s bedroom at night. Just be glad the batteries weren’t provided by Samsung…. Boom.
and now with Virtual Reality
