The classic View-Master you likely loved as a kid is getting a reboot, thanks to Google and Mattel.
The companies announced that the View-Master will re-emerge as a virtual reality headset.
How will it work? Based on Google Cardboard — the DIY viewfinder that allows users to experience virtual reality — the View-Master will be a “frame that fits around a smartphone,” according to this Forbes story. Using an accompanying app, you can peer through the headset to your smartphone’s screen to see 3D images displayed onto your surroundings, or other 3D scenes. Mattel reports that the “virtual field trips” will include famous places, nature and other “imaginative and interactive learning” environments.
“The View-Master was first introduced at the 1939 World’s Fair in New York, giving consumers access to spectacular 3D worlds by simply selecting a reel and looking through a device,” said Doug Wadleigh, SVP and global brand GM for Toy Box at Mattel, in a company statement. “By working with Google’s Cardboard platform, we are now able to take that experience even further bringing the discovery and immersive viewing experience of the View-Master to the digital age.”
The View-Master app will be available on both iOS and Android. The new and improved gadget is scheduled to hit stores this fall and will cost about $30. Additional reel packs will be sold for $14.99, with updates available both as downloads and the classic cardboard discs.
Can’t wait to see people walking around, peering at their smartphones through these geeky viewfinders. Just be careful crossing the street.
