From PC World: Microsoft appears to be taking inspiration from Google Cardboard with “VR Kit” for Windows phones.
Much like Cardboard, VR Kit aims to enable cheap virtual reality through a cardboard box with a pair of attached eye lenses. Users slide their phone into the box, and view apps that are formatted for viewing through the lenses up close.
Microsoft has yet to make a big announcement about VR Kit. The project was revealed through a Russian website (via Thurrott.com), inviting programmers to create VR Kit apps at a hackathon on October 17. Participants will get their own cardboard phone holder, and will compete to win prizes for the best VR game, education app, and corporate app. A Kinect scanner will allow people to bring 3D models of themselves into the virtual world.
The pictured cardboard box looks similar to the ones used by Google, and includes a camera hole cutout, possibly allowing for augmented reality applications (like an ultra-low-end version of Microsoft HoloLens). The hackathon website also mentions programming 2D VR games in Unity with gamepad support.
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