Goodbye Oculus Go. Hello, Oculus Quest 2. Oculus is also saying goodbye to the Go headset, its entry-level VR (Virtual Reality) device. The Oculus Quest 2 is the successor to the Oculus Quest 1, but I didn’t buy the latter as it was released shortly after I bought my Go in late 2018. As a VR fitness enthusiast, I wanted the full six degrees of Freedom Headset that allowed me to move more freely instead of just bending my body left or right or nodding my head. The recommendation for a room-scale game in the Quest is 9 feet by 9 feet of space with a 6 by 6 foot playable area free of obstacles.
The downside to Facebook’s Oculus headset is that you now have to sign in with your Facebook account. In the past, all you had to do was create an Oculus account. By January 2023, Facebook will end support for all Oculus accounts. If you are okay with Facebook, I recommend this virtual reality technology to improve your workout. My reasons for owning a VR headset are social networking, exercise, and relaxation, but I want to focus on fitness here. I wrote in June that VR combined with music improves exercise retention. VZfit was developed by Virzoom and allows any stationary bike to be connected to an Oculus headset when combined with a compatible BlueTooth 4.0 cadence or speed sensor. Upgrading my stationary bike to virtual reality made my workout so fun and exciting that I am cycling through Google Streetview in real time. The membership fee is $ 9.95 per month, or about 500 pesetas per month. Nausea and dizziness may occur when using the VR headset for the first time. So it’s best to take it slowly.
The VZfit is the only exercise I can do with the Oculus Go. With Quest 2, I added Beat Saber and Dance Central to my training program. The rhythm VR game Beat Saber is one of the most popular VR apps. It could be quite a workout for my arms and legs. With my virtual lightsabers, I was able to cut and throw each of the cubes in different directions.
Combined with dodging or crouching under the red neon walls, I sweat after playing a few BTS K-pop tracks on a higher difficulty level. I tried the demo first before buying the $ 29.99 one-time fee.
Dancing is a fun way to exercise. Another favorite is Dance Central, a full body dance challenge that takes on virtual dance partners. One has to mirror the dance moves to the right of your partner. Dance Central is priced at $ 29.99 and includes a 32-song soundtrack that has top charts from the 1970s to today’s biggest hits. Another workout to consider is FitXR, a virtual gym that brings the energy of group fitness classes into your home. When browsing the Sports and Fitness category in the Oculus Store, I see other apps like Guided Tai Chi, OhShape, AudioTrip, Holopoint, Elf Table Tennis and more. Popular fitness apps like Holofit, BoxVR and Supernatural do not appear in the Filipino store. Don’t worry, as the cost of the apps could add up.
Perhaps Oculus has realized that VR fitness attracts the attention of people who stay home during times of a pandemic. A new feature that was recently added is the Oculus Move, which allows me to keep track of calories burned and the time I’ve been physically active in a game or app in VR. I am motivated when I follow the progress with my set goals.
If you’re interested in Oculus Quest 2, you can get it through Amazon or local suppliers like Data Blitz or Arthur’s Gadget Store (AGS). Amazon ships to the Philippines and the checkout price already includes import and shipping costs. I bought the 256 gigabyte Quest 2 from AGS for 27,490 pesetas, which is a little cheaper than Amazon. The 64-gigabyte version costs only 21,490.00 pesetas and is sufficient if you don’t download a lot of apps. My column area limits me to just one aspect of Oculus Quest 2. So if you want to learn about the specs and other features, please visit my blog at techiegadgets.com or the Oculus website (https://www.oculus.com/quest-) . 2 /).
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