Google Daydream

A Major Upgrade From the Cardboard

First off I want to make it perfectly clear that this is a review of how the Daydream View works for our purposes, namely adult content. That’s because if I were to judge them on their capabilities to play non-adult content, it would be a totally different review.

The full name of Google’s new VR headset is Daydream View and Google has stated that this is only the first version. So expect newer ones in the near future. Of course, you probably already know about Google’s incredibly popular, albeit technologically simple, headset, the Cardboard. The popularity of that device was owed mostly to its incredibly low and unbeatable price of just a few dollars, but obviously could not deliver a sophisticated experience to the user. The Daydream device is more comparable to Samsung’s popular GearVR, but even they have significant differences.

How to Watch Porn

Since every single VR headset on the market today has not been made for the express purpose of playing adult content, nor do any of the manufacturers want to openly promote playing porn on their devices, there’s a couple of small hurdles we need to jump over before we can play porn scenes.

• Streaming

Streaming content, adult or otherwise, for use on a virtual headset has both its ups and downs. The most positive being that it’s faster and requires as many steps as simply pressing play. The negative is that the quality of your experience may be compromised if you ever suffer a lag in bandwidth.

Your best bet for streaming through your Daydream View is to run it through an app. Slowly but surely, many VR sites are releasing their own apps or players to make watching their content a breeze. So far the most well-known are made by Pornhub, Mikandi, BaDoink VR and The Virtual Real Network, though there are certainly a few others. Download these apps onto your phone and you’ll be able to use them easily using the Daydream’s mini remote and you’ll be streaming in no time.

• Downloads

When it comes to watching virtual porn scenes that you’ve just downloaded, which is my preference, you’re also going to need to download an app, but it’s a different kind of app. Fulldive VR, which is available for free from the Play store and works perfectly on the DaydreamView, is a universal app so that you can play the scenes you’ve downloaded from any site, unlike the streaming apps that are site-specific.

Design & Ergonomics

The Daydream is cloth-covered, which is certainly a novel approach and guaranteed to get you noticed. Although cloth absorbs sweat and makeup, so take that into consideration. The cloth comes in four colors: Slate (dark grey), Snow (light grey), Crimson (red) and white. I read somewhere that the reason behind this choice of fabric and color was to promote a sense of comfort, kind of like your favorite sweatshirt or sweatpants. I don’t know about you, but when I think about advanced consumer technologies, I don’t think sweatpants. While the two shades of grey are quite stylish, the crimson is also appealing in the way that it doesn’t remind me of sportswear.

As for design, the Daydream View doesn’t have the band that goes over the top of your head, which is great for maintaining your hairstyle, but sometimes it feels like there’s nothing holding it up and it will take some getting used to. One of the few advantages it has over Samsung’s device is the fact that the phone’s sides remain exposed while wearing the Daydream, which makes for easier access. However, that leads to another common complaint that there’s some light leaking in through the sides, which can be distracting when having an erotic virtual reality experience.

Costs & Phone Compatibility

The Daydream Viewer currently costs $80, which is several times the costs of the Cardboard, but still a little cheaper than the GearVR and a whole lot cheaper than your desktop-class viewers like the Oculus, VIVE or OSVR. Keep in mind though that you're going to have to purchase your own charging and/or data transfer cables, ‘cause they’re not included. Thanks Google.

Like most other smartphone-based headsets, not every phone will be compatible with the Daydream. Here’s a list of smartphones that are currently compatible:

• Pixel and Pixel XL
• Moto Z
• ZenFone AR
• Axon 7

Apparently Google plans to expand its compatibility to include Samsung, HTC, LG and other smartphones by the end of 2017. The most important factor in determining smartphone compatibility with the Daydream View is the phone’s operating system; it has to be running on Android Nougat 7.1 at the very least. Another major complaint is that it’s been known to superheat the phones, causing them to slow down in performance. That’s something to seriously consider.

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a mobile VR experience that’s more sophisticated than what the Cardboard viewer can deliver, and you have a Google phone, then I would definitely recommend the Daydream View. Like every device, it has its own pros and cons, but it definitely has something to offer people who are interested in virtual porn.