Mattel brings VR to the newest View-Master, based on Google Cardboard

Mattel and Google held a little event this morning in New York City, and as expected, they unveiled a new view-master. The first view-master was launched in 1940, and with over 200,000 reels released, it was one of the most popular toys for many years. But it wasn’t just a toy as it was also used to train pilots and doctors. Now it’s entering the virtual reality (VR) world.

When Mattel saw Google Cardboard, they knew it was the next generation of the view-master. Just like Google Cardboard, it will work with smartphones and whatever apps that are designed for it in the Play Store. Mattel will offer their own custom app as well. The new view-master will be compatible with Android at first, but support will come to iOS and Windows.

But don’t say goodbye to the traditional view-master reels as they will also be available for this device. The difference is they will now provide 360 degree views, which Mattel calls them “360 degree photospheres.”

Google sees this as an opportunity to bring VR to the younger audience. You can expect development to kick off big time.

The new view-master will go for $30 and will become available this fall. Reels will also be available for $15 for a set of 4 and include exclusive content.

Click here to view the embedded video.

source: The Verge

Come comment on this article: Mattel brings VR to the newest View-Master, based on Google Cardboard