We were filled all the way up to our virtual head mounted displays yester-morning at Glasgow’s Google Digital Garage.
Having kicked off the morning with a fully balanced virtual breakfast (that’s agency speak for coffee with milk AND sugar), our own Andrew Dobbie took the stage at the Mitchell Library’s 410 seat auditorium. Launching right into the history of VR (surely someone out there remembers the Nintendo Virtual Boy?) we also looked at today’s VR hardware and how it’s being applied in everything from military and fashion to digital and entertainment (as if there’s really a difference between the two).
Next up we had a cheeky *byte* of what’s currently being cooked up in the VR world, including the fully immersive Madame Tussauds’ Ghostbusters Experience, New York Times VR, and McDonald’s Happy Goggles. That’s not all though! We even looked at marketshare projections through 2020 for both VR and its oft-overlooked counterpart, Augmented Reality (Pokémon Go was just the beginning). VR’s not just for the pros, though—did you know you can get started with VR using a phone and a fiver?
As we all know, it’s one thing to hear about something new and exciting, it’s another to get behind the wheel and take it for a spin—luckily we happened to bring along our own HTC Vive and Playstation VR. Google had on-hand a handful of full-on Google Cardboards to try out and our pals at Soluis Group brought along what might be the only Microsoft Hololens in Glasgow (it was actually the developer version).
All that virtual goodness aside, the best bit was all the VR chat (you know how we like a good chat) following Andrew’s talk from people there at the event and on Twitter:
Amazing morning learning from #MadeBrave about new #virtualreality #technology #entrepreneur life https://t.co/2w1jisMiwz
— Kirsty Rae (@kirstyannerae) November 8, 2016
So…the #HoloLens has had huge interest & huge queue all morning at #DigitalGarage – public interest in #AR & #VR definitely ramping up! pic.twitter.com/ERoUPyVoqz
— Soluis Group (@SoluisGroup) November 8, 2016
When @dobbieandrew photobombs your VR experience! Great morning with @MadeBrave and #DigitalGarage #Google pic.twitter.com/t4v17vmsvP
— sam moore (@SamLibrarian) November 8, 2016
Climbing a mountain with @kitkatmilne @MadeBrave #DigitalGarage pic.twitter.com/35n8ckve7v
— Carsten (@CarstenADPR) November 8, 2016
Testing VR with @MadeBrave and @mcrpathways – absolutely epic opportunities for future web experiences pic.twitter.com/TZlZTPp7uC
— Laurie Gray (@allzesty) November 8, 2016
There’s even more in the Twitter moment we put together.
If you didn’t make it ’round for this one, keep your eyes glued to (well, or just bookmark) the Digital Garage Glasgow page for upcoming courses from yours truly and other thought leaders in Glasgow’s digital space.
Psst – down here! If you fancy getting in on all the Google in Glasgow chat, head to Twitter and join the conversation with #DigitalGarage.
