The Oculus Go VR headset launched in October 2017 but didn’t go on sale until May 2018. Two years after it went on sale, Facebook has announced it is discontinuing the VR headset.

Launched with a starting price of $199, the Oculus Go is an affordable standalone VR headset with a Snapdragon 821 processor, a 2560 x 1440 resolution, spatial audio, and a controller. The VR headset is sold in China as the Mi VR Standalone, the result of a partnership between Xiaomi and Oculus.

Facebook says the Oculus Go will continue to receive bug fixes and security updates through 2022. However, there will be no new apps published for the headset after December 18 and developers have until December 4 to submit new apps and app updates.

If you want to purchase a standalone VR headset now, the Oculus Quest is your best bet, though its starting price of $399 is double that of the Oculus Go. It has also been reported that a new Oculus Quest with a 90Hz refresh rate will launch by the end of the year. Hopefully, when that launches, the price of the current model will drop.

UP NEXT: Xiaomi Mi 10 5G gets VR hands-on experience too

(Source, Via)

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At the Oculus Connect 5 conference which began yesterday, the highlight of the event was the new Oculus Quest standalone VR headset. In addition to that, Oculus also announced a bunch of new features for its cheaper standalone VR headset – the Oculus Go.

First, it will interest you to know that the Oculus Go has helped to bring more people into VR since it went on sale earlier this year. Reviews have shown that it is still the easiest way for first time VR users to experience VR.

Oculus wants to bring more features to the $199 headset. It has announced that YouTube VR will be coming to the device soon. YouTube VR has more than 800,000 VR videos that cover a wide range of categories including documentaries and shows.

Oculus has also announced that Oculus Go owners will be able to view NBA games via Oculus Venues. For those who don’t know what Oculus Venues is, this is a way of watching sports, concerts, and shows Live in real time as if you were at the venue.

If you are watching a football match, it is actually as if you are seated in the stadium. You can also connect with others using Oculus Venues just the way you’ll meet people if you were at the venue.

You can check out the complete fall lineup for Oculus Venues here.

Oculus will also release a new puzzle game called Covert which allows you to play along with a friend. One person has to use the headset while the other player uses a mobile phone to provide info. Think of it as a spy who is getting help from someone “back at the base”.

READ MORE: Pico Goblin 2 standalone VR headset launches with 3K Display and Snapdragon 835 for ¥1999 (~$290)

Last but not the least. The Oculus Go will also get support for casting so that friends can watch what you see you on the TV or their mobile phone as you scream your heart out while playing Face Your Fears or other VR games.

(Source)

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When the Oculus Go went on sale at the beginning of the month, we knew it was only a matter of time before it launched in China. Back in January, Oculus announced that the Go was going to be manufactured by Xiaomi and will launch in China as the Mi VR Standalone. The device was officially unveiled today.

The Mi VR Standalone is identical to the Oculus Go save for Xiaomi’s logo on the device, the color, and the software on it. Unlike the Go, Xiaomi is the one handling content for the Mi VR Standalone.

Mi VR Standalone Specs

The device has a 2K (2560 x 1440) Fast-Switch LCD with a 60Hz/72Hz refresh rate. It is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 processor and is paired with 3GB of RAM and 32GB/64GB of storage.

It doesn’t have outside tracking, so it only offers 3 degrees of freedom. You also get a controller for navigation. The headset has speakers built into the sides for a 360° audio experience that sounds pretty good according to reviews of the Oculus Go.

However, you can also connect your headphones via a 3.5mm audio jack. There is also Wi-Fi for connectivity and a micro USB 2.0 port for charging the 2600mAh battery.

Content is provided via Xiaomi’s VR platform which has lots of games, movies, apps, and streaming services tailored for VR. Apps can be downloaded and managed via the Mi VR app.

READ MORE: Xiaomi’s Mi 6X Gets 4GB RAM And 32GB Storage Variant In China

Mi VR Standalone Price and Availability

The Mi VR Standalone is priced at ¥1499 (~$234) for the 32GB model and ¥1799 (~$280) for the 64GB model. This is more expensive than the Oculus Go which sells for $199 and $249 respectively. There is no info regarding when it will be available for purchase.

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Towards the end of 2017, Facebook’s Oculus announced the Oculus Go. This is a standalone VR headset that works without a phone or PC. It was expected to go on sale in Q1 2018 but it didn’t.

Starting today, you can now order the Oculus Go from the Oculus website. The standalone VR  headset has a starting price of $199 for the 32GB version and $249 for the 64GB version.

Oculus provides an estimate of the content each storage variant can accept. For the 32GB variant, you should be able to put in 3 HD films, 10 games, and 20 apps while the 64GB variant can store up to 7 HD films, 20 games, and 40 apps.

Oculus will ship the headset to a total of 23 countries including Japan and Australia. If you want, you can also order the Oculus Go from Amazon, Best Buy, and Newegg.

The Oculus Go has a 2560 x 1440 LCD screen, a Snapdragon 821 processor, and integrated spatial audio. It also has a 3-button controller (powered by AA batteries) with a touch surface for navigation and movement.

The Oculus Go will come with the controller, a 10W charger (US only), and a glass spacer. There is also a companion app in the Play Store or app store (for iOS users) for downloading games and apps for the headset.

READ MORE: HTC Vive Business Edition VR System Launched In India

Seeing as the Oculus Go is already available for purchase globally, it should also go on sale soon in China but as the Mi VR Standalone. This is the same device but Facebook (Oculus) has partnered with Xiaomi to sell it and provide content for the Chinese market.

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After CES 2017, Hugo Barra announced he was leaving Xiaomi as VP Global to return home. A few days later, it was revealed that he had taken up the role of VP at Facebook’s VR company, Oculus. Fast forward to 2018 and Hugo reunited with his former employer to announce one of the biggest partnerships of the year.

Towards the end of the 2017, Facebook announced a standalone version of its Oculus VR headset. Called the Oculus Go, the $199 headset allows you to experience VR without the need for a phone or a PC.

At CES yesterday, Xiaomi and Oculus announced a new VR headset called the Mi VR Standalone based on Oculus’s technology. This is in fact the Oculus Go but with a new name and with content provided by Xiaomi.

Some of you may ask why Oculus doesn’t simply release the Go in China. The reason for this is not far fetched. Facebook’s services are censored in China but it needs the market to achieve its “1 billion people using VR” target. In order not to deal with the censorship issues, it has partnered with Xiaomi.

Both VR headsets are nearly identical and only differ with respect to color and content based on the info we have now. They will both be powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 821 mobile platform. Oculus also says they both use the same Mobile SDK. This will allow developers easily port their content to the Mi VR store for the Chinese market.

There is no mention of when the Mi VR Standalone will be released and how much it will cost. However, we presume it will be around $199 just like the Oculus Go.

Oculus also announced that Xiaomi will be the hardware partner for the global launch of the Oculus Go. Since both devices are identical, it comes as no surprise that Xiaomi will handle the manufacturing.

READ MORE: Huawei Daydream VR Headset May Launch Soon as Images of its Controller Have Surfaced

The Oculus Go is expected to go on sale early this year following its announcement three months ago. Sadly, no info was revealed about its release date at the event.

(Sources: 1, 2, 3)

 For more coverage from CES 2018, check out this link! 

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Facebook-owned Oculus VR had its Connect Conference yesterday. At the event, the company announced a new standalone VR headset called the Oculus Go.

The Oculus Go is a gray headset with a power button, a small circular button, and a volume rocker, all at the top. It is made of breathable fabric and has an adjustable strap.

Former Xiaomi VP Hugo Barra, who left the Chinese smartphone maker this year to join Oculus as its head, said the Go is “hands-down the easiest way to get into VR”. The headset has a 2560 x 1440 screen, new lenses, and spatial audio which means users don’t require headphones.

It also has a remote control that has a large circular dial, a back/return key and another button with the Oculus logo. There is also a trigger button in front and a wrist strap.

There is no mention of the battery capacity and the Oculus Go doesn’t have inside out tracking. The headset is expected to ship early 2018 with a price tag of $199 but development kits will be available in November.

HTC is supposed to launch a Daydream VR headset called the Vive Focus before the end of year. So also is Lenovo. Oculus has beat them to it by announcing its own first even though it won’t be available until next year. However, the pricing and specification details of the Vive Focus and Lenovo’s headset will determine which consumers will settle for.

READ MORE: Nokia Shuts Down OZO VR Division, Cuts Workforce By 35%

Oculus also permanently cut the price of the Rift headset to $399 with Touch controllers included. Buyers will also get six free apps. This move is probably in a bid to compete against Microsoft’s Mixed Reality headsets which start at $399 and goes up to $499 depending on the brand.

(Source, via)

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