At best, it seemed like a waste of time.
At worst, a distraction from living life to the fullest in the real world.
I toyed with past VR headsets, but they always left me wanting.
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Blocky graphics marred earlier generations of headsets.
I also hated the idea of being tethered to a desktop the way some VR gear demanded.
Using productivity apps on the Oculus was a revelation.
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I suddenly understood why people have been babbling about the potential for VR for decades.
I loved the freedom of having a headset that you didnt need to connect to a computer.
I tinkered with the Go for more than a year because it was a taste of the future.
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There was something thrilling about being able to escape from the world so totally.
Some great games were released for the headset.
I even found a reader app that allowed me to read books in virtual reality.
But the Go had serious flaws.
Nausea made me toss the Go into my junk pile of discarded technology.
The headset was also bulky and uncomfortable, and the graphics were lacking.
I thought my time with VR was over.
Oculus Quest 2 Brings Me Back
Then the pandemic hit, and Facebook released itsOculus Quest 2.
The first Quest has dual OLED screens at 1600x1440 resolution with a 72Hz refresh rate.
But the Quest 2 has a single LCD that switches between eyes at 1832X1920 pixels per eye.
Facebook isrumored to bebumping that to an even higher refresh rate.
The timing of its arrival was perfect.
The coronavirus pandemic was whipsawing through the country, and my area was under lockdown.
On the outside, the Quest 2 didnt seem very different from the Go.
Its got the same white body and dual controllers.
I soon realized that appearances were deceiving.
The first thing I noticed was what I wasnt experiencing.
I figured I would check out the latest games and watch some videos.
And it turns out that watching videos on the Quest is an incredible experience.
The screen quality doesnt match my late-model iPad, but its more than acceptable.
The Quests immersive experience is entirely unlike watching a movie on a regular TV or a tablet.
With a good quality pair of headphones, it feels like you are transported to a movie theater.
The immersive experience of the Quest is entirely unlike watching a movie on a regular TV or a tablet.
Then I discovered the array of fitness programs available on the Oculus store.
I was skeptical at first, because I couldn’t imagine exercising with a headset on.
Thats the question I posed as I explored the limited world of productivity apps on the Oculus store.
You easily can connect your PC to the headset and work on virtual monitors.
I immediately foundImmersedto be a great way to focus.
Instantly, all the distractions of my home were cut off.
No more ringing phones or dishwashers that needed loading.
After a couple of hours inImmersed,I was more productive than Id been for weeks.
This was the Holy Grail of technology.
I couldnt shut up about it to my friends and family.
The hardware has a ways to go, and the software will only get better.
Im in for the long haul.
