Google Chrome Browser Officially Launches For Daydream VR Headsets
In a world where “Just Google it” is a response to many questions, it had always seemed rather odd that Google Chrome was not more easily accessible on Daydream. This inconvenience disappears today, as Google Chrome is now available for the Daydream VR headsets.
According to Google, “All the features you love on Chrome, from voice search to incognito mode to saved bookmarks, are now accessible on your Daydream headset.” The company has also included a few Daydream-specific features such as “cinema mode”. Cinema mode reportedly “optimizes web video for the best viewing experience in VR”.
Google Chrome has technically been available for Daydream headsets since 2017, but it was always rather awkward to access. It was available shortly before the release of the second-generation Daydream Views. Users would first need to launch Chrome on their Android device. They would then need to place their device in the headset. The major difference today is that Daydream users are able to access Chrome through the Daydream apps library.
It is unclear when this feature will be available for those who own the Lenovo Mirage Solo, but it will certainly prove to be useful when it is released. The Mirage Solo is the first standalone Daydream headset. It was announced at CES 2018 and incorporates a 5.5-inch display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 VR platform, and 64GB of onboard storage. It also includes a wireless Daydream controller with a clickable trackpad, app and home buttons, and a volume rocker. The device was unable to access Chrome because it does not require a smartphone to function.
This past winter, Plex added support for Google’s Daydream VR platform. The Plex VR app for Android allows users to watch television shows and movies in “immersive virtual reality”. Users are also able to invite up to three friends to watch a movie with a Plex Pass ($15/month, $40/year, or $120 lifetime). The app proved popular enough with Daydream users that Plex expanded their support to Gear VR headsets and the Oculus VR this past spring.
Android users simply need to update their Chrome app to access it through their Daydream library.
According to Google, “All the features you love on Chrome, from voice search to incognito mode to saved bookmarks, are now accessible on your Daydream headset.” The company has also included a few Daydream-specific features such as “cinema mode”. Cinema mode reportedly “optimizes web video for the best viewing experience in VR”.
Google Chrome has technically been available for Daydream headsets since 2017, but it was always rather awkward to access. It was available shortly before the release of the second-generation Daydream Views. Users would first need to launch Chrome on their Android device. They would then need to place their device in the headset. The major difference today is that Daydream users are able to access Chrome through the Daydream apps library.
It is unclear when this feature will be available for those who own the Lenovo Mirage Solo, but it will certainly prove to be useful when it is released. The Mirage Solo is the first standalone Daydream headset. It was announced at CES 2018 and incorporates a 5.5-inch display, Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 835 VR platform, and 64GB of onboard storage. It also includes a wireless Daydream controller with a clickable trackpad, app and home buttons, and a volume rocker. The device was unable to access Chrome because it does not require a smartphone to function.
This past winter, Plex added support for Google’s Daydream VR platform. The Plex VR app for Android allows users to watch television shows and movies in “immersive virtual reality”. Users are also able to invite up to three friends to watch a movie with a Plex Pass ($15/month, $40/year, or $120 lifetime). The app proved popular enough with Daydream users that Plex expanded their support to Gear VR headsets and the Oculus VR this past spring.
Android users simply need to update their Chrome app to access it through their Daydream library.
