Trade shows have been about the only places consumers have
been able to discover the wonders of Oculus Rift. Some are miffed that it has
taken so long for the virtual-reality headset to make its way to market, but that
could be about to change.
The manufacturer announced it will begin taking
preorders for the device later this year and start shipping them in the first
quarter of 2016. The headset, which looks like a scuba diver’s facemask, has a
100-degree field of vision with accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass to track
the position of the wearer’s head.
Oculus Rift was designed for video gaming, but could be
used in virtual tourism, real-time cinema, and education. The latest prototype
is lighter and faster than previous models with an improved tracking system.
“Just release the damned thing already,” one commenter
posted on the Oculus blog. “You guys have been dragging on this marketing hype
for years and your competitors are getting to market well ahead of you.”