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Unofficial Google Cardboard VR Kit Approx. $11 AUD Delivered @ DX.com

1550

If you don't know what Google Cardboard is, it's Google cheap VR alternative that uses your smartphone as the viewfinder. More info here https://developers.google.com/cardboard/

This is a cheap way to test out VR. You will need an Android phone. (Forget what it says about iPhone and Nexus 6. LOL)This kit comes with everything you need except the NFC tags which aren't required anyway. Bought one and it worked out about $11 AU delivered. (regular price $13 US) Will see how it goes

Included are:
1 x Cardboard
1 x Rubber band
2 x Magnets ( d=2cm)
2 x Lens (d=2.3cm)
2 x Pairs of Velcros

Some videos of how it works:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxAj2lyX4oU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wZXjoMMigJU

Related Stores

DealExtreme
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closed Comments

    • +23

      You're free to make it yourself using templates, but you will still need the lenses and the magnets which, from what i've searched, are about 10-15 dollars anyway. Plus, you'll have to cut out the cardboard yourself without doing a hatchet job. This is for the whole kit. But if you have all these parts ready, you can DIY

      • +5
        • +15

          bulk buy >50 packs costs $2/pack….

          JV might make it….

        • Why was this negged?

        • +16

          Because the Internet…

        • +20

          Because Australian education system…

        • @FabMan: For lulz

        • -1

          @FabMan:

          Yer I dont feel loved.. JV said much the same thing and he got 8x as many negs as me.. >.<

        • @FabMan: maybe they thought that jv had logged in under an alias to make that post!

        • @Cardz:

          Erm, I was actually asking about msmhw post. The post was a link to buying just the magnet and lenses. It seemed link a helpful thing to post for those wanting to use their own cardboard, saving those few extra bucks.

          As for yours, I can understand why people negged it, as the cardboard costs $6 with velcro and rubber bands if the components cost you $5.

  • +2

    Any cool projects actually using it yet?

    • +80

      I'll give you $2 bux JV, buy it for me. Hell I'll give you $3

      • +2

        Me too, JV, send me the items thanks

        • +8

          Group buy organised by JV, do eet.

        • -1

          r u guys really bickering over $2 and $3….. sheets!!!

        • +1

          $5 seems fair for Admin + Postage fees. So you'll send it for $7?

        • +22

          let me guess, all that ads up to more than another $9?

        • +7

          so you mean 11 dollars is a bargain?

        • let me take a wild guess here jv, the more people who want to buy off you the higher the price goes huh? lol
          ps it's $11 delivered from DX so you can't charge postage

        • +19

          Then why say it's worth $2 if you can't match that price?

        • @astarman:
          I don't know about others but I'd gladly pay 20 bucks for a JV printed VR kit lol with a JV logo on it lol..

        • Where am I sending my $2 to? Can someone link me to the JV sales page please

    • Can I have one too? I guess $3.00 is a fair price, right?

    • -7

      If you manufacture it in China it would cost about 10 cents per unit. Just look at the item list again:

      Included are:
      1 x Cardboard
      1 x Rubber band (kids shoot people with it)
      2 x Magnets (take my fridge too)
      2 x Lens (ok this one is more technical in machinery)
      2 x Pairs of Velcros ($5 a roll?)

      • +3

        Aaaand is applicable to almost all consumer products.

        • And for you all consumer whores,

          with no knowledge of manufacturing process and simple facts about China.

          Stay strong ozbargainers.

        • @DauntingEarth: Yeah, you're sooooo much better and smarter than all of us. We bow to your superior knowledge.

          That's really all you wanted to hear right?

        • @eug: yeah, no need being angry if we were all just as smart.

        • @DauntingEarth: Yeah how I wish we were all like you! A whole planet of i-am-better-than-yous! The world would be a much nicer place to be in.

        • @eug: true, except it already is ;)

    • +2

      Om nom nom nom nom nom…. troll is very hungry today :).

  • -1

    Anyone know of a site that has plans for these? I have a new 8" tablet and it would go really well with one of these I am guessing.

    • +2

      No, it wouldn't.

    • +1

      You need a 5-5.5 inch smartphone, high resolution, for this. That's the right size to fit in the hole.

      • +1

        from the website:

        Suit for 4-7 inch screen cellphone

        • Here are what are said to be "fully compatible"

          • Google Nexus 4 and 5
          • Motorola Moto X
          • Samsung Galaxy S4 and S5
          • Samsung Galaxy Nexus

          So basically it was designed around the N5 (no surprise). I stand by my 5 inch statement, since it helps with the FoV of the resulting image.

        • +9

          @sane:
          "I stand by my 5 inch statement, since it helps with the FoV of the resulting image."

          I tell the ladies the same thing..

        • @sane: Why wouldn't any 5 inch android work, like Sony z, lg , htc m7 m8?

        • @PVA:

          Almost certainly would, just repeating what google said.

          Basically you need a big enough screen that each eye can see it portion of screen space, gyroscopes so it can do the head tracking, the magnetic sensor for the 'clicker' and NFC if you want the app to start automatically.

          Apparently the AMOLEDs don't work as well as the straight LCDs, and the magnets can trigger the M8's 'dot view' mode - but it's VR for $11, don't expect too much.

      • +1

        That's what she said.

      • ditto

    • Link to the plans is in the description.

      I think they are only suitable for up to 7" devices, but it shouldn't be too difficult to use it as a guide and make some adjustments.

      • That is what I am after, making a few adjustments. Hopefully dx get some different sizes.

        • The lenses might not work as well with a larger screen size either, may need to adjust accordingly.

    • +1

      As per link - its best for 4-7". 8 might be too big to fit in the slot and align with the view finder correctly I guess.

      • where does it say 7"? I have a nexus 7 that i would like to use with this…

  • -1

    Cool. Do you need a phone with gyroscopes for this to work properly?
    I think my phone just has accelerometer. Judging by how badly it responds to movement with the Google Sky app, I don't think it would work well for VR.

  • Can someone who has tried it out, comment on how worthwhile this is?

    • +2

      For $11 just try it yourself.

      • +4

        for $11 I can buy 9 pieces of KFC and 1 cheeseburger…

        • +1

          ………followed by borrowing someone elses google cardboard and throw up good and proper.

    • Its awesome. But i didnt use Cardboard. used another bit more expensive clone with a bit bigger lenses. Samsung AMOLED phones look the worst. You can pick the pixels. LCD look much better. I bet the LG G3 with its QHD screen will be the best for VR.

    • I haven't tried it personally, but it seems like just a fun thing to have. Not really too much you can do it with it atm looks like (e.g. occulus rift style games). But I'm sure there will be a lot of dev in the future

    • wonder if that NFC tag is re-programmable

    • +4

      Thanks as i dont want to support DealExtreme due to there atrocious support, I'll go these :D

    • +2

      not that dx is a leader for customer service, but both of those sellers have 0 feedback on aliexpress.. not always a good sign

      • +1

        you are covered for full refund if you didnt get your item from Aliexpress, from my experience they really care about the buyer and you will get your money back.

        • Ive used aliexpress before, and have had a refund..but its a much more time consuming process than say paypa

        • +2

          I've had an issue with an order before on Aliexpress where I payed $60 for DHL shipping and then the item was sent China Post, when I took the issue up with Aliexpress they asked if I had received the items which I had but over a month later than it should have arrived. They wouldn't even offer a partial shipping refund.
          Their refunds (which I've had from dodgy sellers) take quite a while too.

          I'm not saying that Aliexpress isn't any good, I buy things regularly from there but you should check out who you are dealing with.

    • +1

      Is there any other difference between them - couple of things I see is that
      - NFC one states: Package = NO in specs.
      Non-nfc one says 'yes' to that - not sure what package means?
      - Non-NFC one looks better quality, and is one-piece.

      I might skip NFC one.
      Thanks for the deal.

    • +1

      don't be a negger

    • how come the neg was removed? isn't it cheaper for aliexpress?

      • No

    • Postage times are way longer. 15-45 days from Ali Express vs. 7-10 days from Dx.

      • +1

        Not that I have a problem ordering things from dx, but you ARE NOT going to get it in 7-10 days. In my experience you're lucky to get things in a month from dx, sometimes 3 months.

        • I haven't ordered from them in ages, but there was a time when you could actually receive orders from them in 10 days.

          I think they went down the toilet for a while, then released a hilariously weird "What Happened To Your Orders" apology/video which they've since taken down.

    • I tried ordering both of these shipped to Australia, and I got the message "This product can't be shipped to the selected country"

      :(

  • It said support iPhone? But what the iOS app currently support ?

  • +5

    List of phones that work from here

    Fully compatible

    • Google Nexus 4 and 5
    • Motorola Moto X
    • Samsung Galaxy S4 and S5
    • Samsung Galaxy Nexus

    Partially compatible

    Magnetic input not working
    • HTC One
    • Motorola Moto G
    Magnetic input not working & headtracking/rendering issues
    • Samsung Galaxy S3

    Don't think the Magnetic input thing is a big deal since it just simulates a "click" or a "press" instead of physically having to touch your phone.

    • Don't think the Magnetic input thing is a big deal since it just simulates a "click" or a "press" instead of physically having to touch your phone.

      You'll need it to use the Cardboard app:

      Chrome experiments currently don't use the magnet, but you will need it to try the Cardboard Android app.

      Not all phones will be able to detect magnet pulls. You can use Cardboard without the magnet by sticking copper tape along the side of the viewer and having it come into contact with the phone screen. When you tap twice on the copper tape with your finger, the phone will react as if it had detected a magnet pull.

      • The copper tape is an alternative if your magnetometer isn't placed appropriately in your phone. But as I said it's the simulation of input (i.e. a click or press which you can do [albeit awkwardly] by reaching through the nose hole). It's not integral to the VR experience but it definitely helps.

  • +5

    damn, i bought the $30 one dodocase. and it hasn't even arrived yet!
    from http://www.dodocase.com/products/google-cardboard-vr-goggle-…

    • that's sad and a bit funny too. ;-p
      can you cancel it now?

    • +2

      I bought the dodcase one too.
      But I ordered DX one and I'll (postage) race them.

      (Aliexpress one is too slow to bother entering.)

  • I used the lenses from a mini loupe from Daiso for $2.80 and it does the job. My DIY cardboard cut up is not a slick but for this price, I'll bite.

    • did you have the magnet as well? seems like it would be fun to make DIY

      • +1

        Just used one of my fridge magnets. Bit of hit and miss but good enough.

    • I'm tempted to make one. Do you need 1 mini loupe or 2?

  • +1

    For a second I thought it was cardboard goggles misspelt as google

  • But its not Google… meaning it will be an inferior product.

    • Google isn't making them, though, right?

      • +1

        Google released the plans, AFAIK only a couple were made by google themselves, the ones used in google I/O

        • Wasn't it a side project that a couple of engineers built for fun - then released on the play store?

  • +1

    Waiting for them to release a cardboard car, they provide the cardboard and you provide your own car….

    • +1

      It's great if you already have a phone. A better analogy would be google plane - they provide a spec for cardboard wings and you use it to make your car fly.

    • +5

      When Apple release a cardboard car, it will be cool and it will cost $500,000 and you are a happy customer!

      • +4

        … until it rains.. :P

        • +10

          But if you were to point this out you'd be told that no one drives in the rain anymore and if you did you are a windoze fanboi 'think different' etcetera.

          Then when the bodykit 2S comes out and one of its features is that it won't dissolve to a pulp in rain it will be the best thing ever.

        • +3

          @rodericb: I think the 2S has the same body, just larger headlights.

        • +2

          It's ip67 certified cardboard

  • From what I've read, this is like the Oculus… early versions of the Oculus, that is… without their recent improvements and tweaks which means it is quite easy to get motion sickness. Still for $11, it's a cheap way to try modern VR.

    • +1

      I got to try the early versions of the Rift. If this thing can get to even 80% of what it can do, then it's definitely worth trying.

    • you can watch 3D movies(SBS) without motion sickness (i presume…)

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