Alcatel's newly announced Virtual Reality headset is called Vision. It doesn't need a smartphone connected to it like the Samsung's Gear VR or a PC connection to operate. It is a standalone VR headset that is still something rare in the VR world.
Alcatel Vision Specs
Alcatel Vision has a mobile phone built right in which includes a pair of 3.8-inch AMOLED screens, each with 1,080 x 1,020, or around 2,160 x 2,040 resolution total, an eight-core CPU, 3GB of RAM, 32GB of storage, Bluetooth, LTE connection and a bunch of sensors including an accelerometer sensor, gyro sensor and proximity sensor.
At first glimpse, it looks like a fighter helmet than a Virtual Reality headset. It utilizes a sort of brace that fits around your head instead of the usual straps that we can find in a VR headset. In front is a set of goggles which is connected to a back pad via a pair of elastic plastic arms. The 3,000 mAh battery is actually the reason why there is a bulk located in the rear. However, it is surprisingly balanced and a comfortable fit despite its size.
It doesn't weigh down when wearing it. The eyewear area was spacious enough for the glasses. The added padding around it gives overall comfort. There is also a touchpad. It is located on the right side of the device. The power button is on top and the volume rocker is on the left. There is a headset jack where you can plug your earphones.
The Android-based menu system is familiar to anyone who is used to Cardboard or Gear VR.
The Challenge For Alcatel's VR Headset
The challenge for Alcatel is that it's not related with Oculus, Google's Daydream or any other big VR maker. Hence, it's allegedly at work on its own Unity-based SDK and app payment system. It's also affiliated with a number of companies including Jaunt VR and Fraunhofer. They will offer preloaded games and other content. The device is also reported to have $500 to $600 price tag. It will surely make it a stretch for consumers considering the off-brand nature of the company.
