Archos launching budget range virtual reality face case for your smartphone
Bring your own display
Face cases are all the rage, and now French consumer electronics giant Archos is getting in on the action with the Archos VR Glasses.
At first glance there doesn't seem to be anything particularly outstanding about the headset, until you see the price tag, which is lower than some of the novelty-value cardboard versions.
Facing the futureThe mechanism at the front of the Archos VR Glasses is pretty unique, offering a splayed opening that grabs hold of smartphones up to 6-inches in size and squares it off against the lenses inside.
This model has the over-the-top, three-point strap, where some others opt purely for a horizontal head mount. This might mess up your do, but it does offer a more secure headset, especially when you've a heavier smartphone in the front providing the display, head tracking and brains of the VR experience.
Best of all though, the Archos VR Glasses weigh in at just £25/$30, making them a very affordable option that'll work with any games or videos using side-by-side stereoscopic display.
The Archos VR Glasses are slated to go on sale in November, 2014, and there's an update promised to the Archos Video Player app, which will offer 3D video support, too.
We can't imagine it's the highest quality plastic you've ever strapped to your head, but at these prices no one has any excuse for dodging virtual reality for much longer.