Mattel Turns View-Master Into A VR Goggle

Mattel is the latest company to jump on the VR bandwagon. Mattel is now in partnership with Google to transform the classic View-Master into a cardboard inspired virtual reality goggle.

The old View-Maser is the name of a line of special-format stereoscopes and corresponding View-Master “reels”, which are thin cardboard disks containing seven stereoscopic small color 3D photos on film.

We used to have one of this red devil when we were in elementary school !

The View-Master System was first introduced back in 1939, where it predominated tourist attraction and travels views in the early available reels. Currently, most View-Master reels are designed for children.

The new View-Master is a smartphone accessory similar to the Google Cardboard, which works with all Goggle compatible VR apps on the Google Play store. But the new View-Master won’t rely exclusively on app store download.

According to PC Mag, Mattel has plans to enable picture discs as AR content markers and downloadable content tokens. Instead of inserting the photos into the View-Master like the traditional way, the AR markers can be placed on the table and scanned into the View-Master, using the discs as positional anchors.

Mattel plans to release the VR View-Master in October 2015, and a retail price around $30USD, as well as $15 for the picture discs bundle.