Virtual reality gets jolt with YouTube app, free Google Cardboard in New York Times

Virtual reality is coming, even if no one really cares right now. I'm Bridget Carey, this is your CNet Update. [MUSIC] There's quite a bit of news lately about virtual reality. And I think it's time we have an honest talk about the tech, which is so often over-hyped. Now, the idea of putting on a headset to step into a virtual world sounds mega cool. It's what sci-fi dreams are made of. But, in actuality, the technology isn't all that fantastic right now. This is the Samsung Gear VR. This costs $100 But you also need to put your smartphone inside of the front, otherwise it just looks like a pair of really cool goggles. Now [UNKNOWN] says they're coming out with a new version of this by November. And it'll come with an app and you can watch Vimeo and Twitch videos So it looks like you are watching these videos in a virtual theater with you and your friends sitting in seats and the screen ahead of you in the distance. There are some top of the line gaming machines that don't use a smart phone coming next year. Facebook's, Oculus Rift, is coming in early 2016 and Sony's PlayStation VR is also coming next year. In some early demos, I can tell you it only takes a few minutes for people to start to feel dizzy when playing games. Maybe you can last for 30 minutes at best. But, even though we're in these early stages, tech companies are still really eager to push virtual reality. As the next big advancement that we won't be able to imagine living without. People don't even like going to 3D movies. So I don't know if 3D headsets are going to be essential, but right now it is something that you can pop on for a minute In it for a quick experience. And that's where Google Cardboard comes in. It's a cheap headset to give you a taste of what's to come. You could pick it up for around $3 on eBay. It's made of plastic lens and velcro holds it together. Your phone just sits in the front and apps will split the screen in two so you can see in 3D. The New York Times just launched a VR app so you can immerse yourself in 360 degree video photos from environments of their stories. And everyone that still subscribes to a physical newspaper is gonna get one of these cardboard headsets included with weekend delivery. Now, to be ready for over a million people getting Google cardboard, YouTube announced that it's app for Android is going to support virtual reality video. There are a few YouTube VR videos made already. like the hunger game experience which takes you through recreated movie scenes. And if the video isn't made for VR it'll just look like your watching it on a movie theatre screen in a distance. It's going to take some great VR content to get people to want to give it a try and then maybe people won't mind spending a little more on a better headset. As long as it doesn't make them too dizzy. We'll see how that plays out next year. [MUSIC] That's it for this tech nurse update and there's more and cnet.com. From our studios in New York, I am Bridget Carey. [MUSIC]