How you can try the virtual reality headset making the tech industry go gaga

By Julie Bort From Business Insider

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Hundreds of people will try out Facebook’s “Teleportation Station” at the F8 conference in San Francisco this week and be blown away by Facebook’s Oculus virtual reality technology.

And on Friday, you can waltz into a Best Buy and get your hands on it for about $200.

That’s when Samsung’s Oculus-powered Gear VR virtual reality headset will be available for purchase. The Gear VR has actually been on display at about 100 Best Buy retail stores for about a month, but it’s only been a demo.

There are some reasons you probably won’t want to buy it. The Gear VR requires a Galaxy Note 4 to function, and won’t work with any other Samsung phone yet. Samsung will make it compatible with its upcoming flagship phones, Galaxy S6 and S6 edge, available next month.

Plus, there’s only a limited amount of content for the gadget, although there are some games and videos. Although today Facebook, which bought Oculus last year for $2 billion, has promised more content including new “spherical” 360-degree videos.

Even so, do yourself a favor and find a Best Buy offering demos and go try this thing. It will give you some idea how big a deal VR could be.

The staff of Business Insider tried Oculus a few months ago and we were all so amazed, several of us declared that it was going to change life as we know it.

IMAGE: Samsung galaxy gear vr AP
For more on this story and video go to: http://www.businessinsider.com/best-buy-sells-samsung-gear-vr-2015-3#ixzz3Vi0mlfCf

Related story:

How Facebook’s crazy new headset will change life as we know it

By Matt Rosoff From Business Insider

When Mark Zuckerberg announced the $2 billion acquisition of Oculus Rift earlier this year, he said it was going to change a lot more than gaming.

“Imagine enjoying a courtside seat at a game, studying in a classroom of students and teachers all over the world or consulting with a doctor face-to-face — just by putting on goggles in your home. This is really a new communication platform.”

I finally got to try the latest version, “Crescent Bay,” at Business Insider’s IGNITION conference earlier this month and I’m a believer. He’s absolutely right. This is about way more than gaming, or entertainment. It will change entire industries.

For more on this story go to: http://www.businessinsider.com/facebook-oculus-will-change-your-life-2014-12?op=1#ixzz3Vi1e8Viy