5 Cool VR apps for Google Cardboard

by @cdsmythe | Aug 1, 2016 | edtech

You’ve heard of VR right? Virtual reality – the experience (at the moment) of viewing a movie which is presented through a headset in a way that you can look around as though you are in the setting. With headphones and sound you can start getting tricked that it’s more real than it is…..

Google Cardboard is a low cost, cheap as kitset you can buy which enables you to use your smartphone and some folded up cardboard to create a VR Headset, download some VR apps, and get into some virtual reality.

I picked up some cardboard headsets on ebay.com.au for $1.99 each

So once your cardboard headsets arrive you just put them together, download a few VR apps and off you go.

Well, it took me about 30 minutes to put the first cardboard goggles together – Because they were missing a piece! Once I realised that I requested a refund from the seller and in about 10 minutes had the other set build.

One thing that puzzled me was the magnets that came with it. I had no idea what the heck they were for. Google. Turns out the magnets work with the phone’s magnetometer to act as a button with the headset, so head movements can act like button taps.

And lets be honest here – its $2 worth of cardboard so don’t expect anything amazing. Make some modifications with a bit of sticky tape and rubber bands where you need to!

How does Google Cardboard VR work?

Google cardboard works by putting your phone the right distance away from your eyes so that the lenses can focus it – and with the split screen viewing the image takes on a 3D appearance. Think Viewmaster if you grew up when I did. But movies…..

Developers have made a bunch of apps containing or linking to movies to give you a taste of Virtual reality using Google cardboard – or other VR headsets.

5 Cool VR Apps to Use with Google Cardboard

Google Cardboard app

It’d be wrong not to look at the Google cardboard app itself. It’s got a few of the same demo’s as Within mentioned below, but is a good introduction to using the Cardboard VR system.

Virtual Speech VR

Virtual Speech VR lets you choose different settings to practice public speaking in. Public hall, Boardroom or interview – plus expect more to come. There are options to animate the audience so there is some natural movement and background noise as well. Fairly realistic looking Im sure it could help someone with a really speaking anxiety to get more used to speaking in public.

InMind VR

Nivral offers a growing list of VR apps – the first, InMind VR lets you experience a scientific-educational activity where you travel inside a human brain on a rollercoaster-like ride zapping bad neurons! This VR app is probably a good starter one where users get a taste of many of the expected VR experiences. There’s also InCell VR…

Within VR

Within VR provides a series of short VR movie experiences, some of which can also be found in Youtube’s 360 Video Hub. Some cool movies here and easy app to use. What attracted me most of all was U2’s 360 VR version of Song for Someone!

Star Wars – Jakku Spy

Yeah Im also a sucker for Star Wars. You may already have the Star Wars app on your phone, and inside that you’ll find Jakku Spy which is a VR activity. There’s a lot to download, but this may be the VR you’re looking for. Use the force in your role as a Resistance fighter.

BONUS VR APP TIP!

I realised after publishing this post that I hadn’t included the compulsory Rollercoaster VR app!

Check out Rollercoaster VR by Fibrum, which has cool scenes including jungle and water. Fun times. But you only get 4 free rides, then its $2.99……..

app: Wunderlist

by @cdsmythe | Mar 20, 2016 | apps

1 Minute Introduction to Wunderlist

Wunderlist is a great productivity app available to install on all your devices – iOS, Android, web browser, Apple Watch, OSX and Windows. Easily create a List then add To-dos. Lists sync via the cloud to all your devices and can be shared with other Wunderlist users, for example – create a Family Shopping list shared with everyone in the family instead of sticking a note on the fridge! Due dates can also be set in Wunderlist so you can be sure not to forget to get that To-do completed.

Introductory Video from Wunderlist (1:16)

How I use Wunderlist:

I’ve been using the free version of Wunderlist to manage my tasks and to-do lists for various projects and work since 2011. Wunderlist is available for iOS, android, Windows and Mac and because its hosted in the cloud my Lists are also available in a web browser.

I usually create a List per project but have other Lists named: Things to Buy, Movies to Watch, House Jobs, Stuff Loaned, Stuff Borrowed as a really easy way to make notes. Wunderlist has a default To-do List called Inbox where you can just put To-dos without adding them to a separate List.

As a Family we share a List called Food Shopping. Everyone has the app so can add items to the Food Shopping list anytime and if one of us is at the supermarket we can always crack that list open and see if there’s anything to get.

For work I’m also using Wunderlist but have setup a separate account to help separate work/home.

What does Wunderlist do?

Wunderlist enables you to manage and organise all the tasks that you need to get done into Lists. A List is simply a collection of To-dos and each To-do can have extra information added to it such as: assign to, Due Date, Reminder, a subtask, Notes, Attached files, comments. See in the image below how a List – To-Do – more info are displayed. Lists can also be grouped into Folders – so for me as you can also see I use a Personal Folder, with a series of Lists, each with their own To-do items.

What I like most is that the Wunderlist interface is so easy to use and organise. With nothing complicated to think about it’s easy to get my head around what needs to be done.

Video: Short Wunderlist Tutorial (6:57)

Sharing Wunderlist to-Do Lists

Once you have a list created just tap the Share button and email the Link to your friend. They’ll need to have Wunderlist setup, but then they can just add the shared List to their app. Easy.

Wunderlist – difference between Free and Pro Versions?

So far I haven’t had a need to upgrade to the Pro version of Wunderlist as everything I need can be done without upgrading. Perhaps if I was in business and we were using it as a Team then the Pro version would become necessary. In 2015 Microsoft purchased Wunderlist so we may see it appear in the Office Suite in some form.

The premium or Pro version of Wunderlist basically offers you more of what you already get in the free version.

Wunderlist Free and Pro versions compared

Links to Wunderlist training and support:

Wunderlist Support Page Wunderlist iOS app Wunderlist Download

Summary

Wunderlist has a elegant and easy to drive interface which enables you to manage the things you need to get done alone or with others in an uncomplicated way. One of my favourite and busiest apps.

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