Google Cardboard,Topmaxions 3D VR Virtual Reality DIY VR Headset for 3D Movies and Games Compatible with Android & Apple Up to 6 Inch Easy Setup Machine

Amazing for the price
These things are amazing for something that only cost $6. I’m terrible with technology so I wouldn’t have bought a VR headset otherwise, in case it was too annoying to figure out how to use. This requires no tech savvy, just find a VR video on youtube or whatever, stick your phone inside the cardboard box, and look into them like you would any other pair of googles. I took the advice of another reviewer and downloaded the “Within” app, and the videos on there worked way better than what I could find on YouTube. So if your having trouble with the quality of the YouTube ones, definitely check that out. Overall, not something I’d use everyday because clearly, it’s made out of cardboard so not the most comfortable. But it has shown me how cool VR technology can be, so I’m already considering buying a better headset. Which should really be your purpose for these – just drop the $6 you wouldn’t give a second thought about spending on coffee and a donut on these, but instead of getting coffee and a donut, you get to see how it would feel to be in a rocket taking off for the moon, then opening the capsule and going on a space walk. (That was one of my favorite videos, on the Within app.) Or there’s jurassic park ones on YouTube that are pretty cool. There’s something about it that’s super relaxing too (unless you watch the horror vids, which I’m definitely too chicken to do.) But yeah, it blocks out the rest of your vision so you’re fully immersed in the video, maybe that’s why it’s much more relaxing than watching Netflix in your bedroom. You’ll still be watching videos in your bedroom, but for $6 you can somewhat convince your body that you’re taking a stroll through the rainforest. If I get a more comfortable headset I’ll definitely use it to relax before bed. Just get the darn thing man, have I mentioned it’s only $6?

Used for viewing stereo pairs (photos that were made a long time ago with a Kodak 3D camera).
I wanted some way to view stereo pairs (shot a long time ago with a kodak stereo 3D camera).I set up the cardboard and tried to use it for this purpose. No instructions came with the google cardboard but googling found generic instructions for setting it up. The online tutorial referred to a “button” and it took me awhile to figure out what they were talking about . I finally found the button which is really just a flap (see first photo), but the button did not work with my smaller iPhone SE. Once I finally got it to somewhat work by manually squeezing the cardboard to hold my iPhone in the proper position, I tried viewing a stereo pair. I thought the lenses were terrible but I finally figured out that they had a rubbery plastic protective film. After peeling that off, the view improved immensely, duh.I was able to view a 3D stereo pair (photo 5) and it wasn’t bad. BUT, the phone kept sliding around the holder. I thought about sending the cardboard back but I think I’ll try adapting it for my smaller phone, or making my own viewer to use with my phone (instructions at skylarking 3D viewer).This device will probably work well enough with a normal size phone (i.e. bigger than my iPhone SE). So, for kind-of-working at the low, low price of $9, I gave it 4 stars.To view stereo pairs made from an old 3D camera, you first need to scan the positives and then edit them to create a single side by side (SBS) image using the left and right views. Put those SBS images on your phone (Photos app for iPhone is what I used) or google photos. You can find plenty of samples of SBS images by googling “stereo pairs”.It is possible to view the stereo pair transparencies directly by lowering the back of the cardboard and then looking through it while holding the transparency with the light shining through it from the back (4th photo). It’s hard to get it aligned that way, but it is possible.Added note: the photos seem to come up in random order. But you can probably figure out which photo I’m referring to in the review by looking at the text I wrote on the photo itself.