Database Users

Magnets in athena

I'm thinking of deconverging myself to two devices. I currently use my htc herald as my daily driver. I need to read a lot thesedays, so, small screen is not going nice for me. I'll be using athena as a standalone, non-connected device. I also have nuts on the newly released ipaq 210. Since, athena has 8GB HDD, it would be great to store my PDFs and movies.
The only thing that bugs me about athena is its magnet thing. I've head that it can destroy/format HDDs of laptops; discharge the parking cards(magnetic ones) etc. Is there anyway to stop this?
Also, putting it in its factory case removes the magnetic effect?

no the factory case is not also magnetised, without the phone being in it

the keyboard is the only magnetic part...
if dont use the keyboard you have nothing to worry about

boinger66 said:
the keyboard is the only magnetic part...
if dont use the keyboard you have nothing to worry about
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So, the main unit does not have magnets..right?

No,that's not correct.The main unit does have magnet. It's even labelled on the bottom of the unit itself.
However, I've never found it to be an issue.

eaglesteve said:
No,that's not correct.The main unit does have magnet. It's even labelled on the bottom of the unit itself.
However, I've never found it to be an issue.
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Click to collapse
so the reports making the parking lot cards and formatting the HDDs are fake? hmm.. athena here i come

kdskamal said:
so the reports making the parking lot cards and formatting the HDDs are fake? hmm.. athena here i come
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I won't discount those report. I carry it without keyboard with a belt pouch. Therefore it never had a chance to come into contact with credit cards and parking tickets.

I've heard that the keyboard's magnet is much stronger than the magnet in the device. FWIW.

juiceppc said:
I've heard that the keyboard's magnet is much stronger than the magnet in the device. FWIW.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just tested it, and I can confirm that the keyboard magnet is very much stronger than the device's.
I will test a parking ticket with just the magnet device and try to deliberately wipe out its data later and report the result later.

I too am a little concerned about the magnet but don't see myself carrying around that keyboard since it makes it bigger. Also the screen on the Advantage is so big using a on screen keyboard like PCM should be fine. No?

juiceppc said:
I too am a little concerned about the magnet but don't see myself carrying around that keyboard since it makes it bigger. Also the screen on the Advantage is so big using a on screen keyboard like PCM should be fine. No?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Using on-screen keyboard works better for me. As long you choose the on screen keyboard wisely, you should have enough real estate left to still see what you're doing. I stay away from the full screen keyboard of course. Very large ones like Finger Touch, the iphone skin of Resco, Tengo Thumbs Touch Pal, are all too big. I use Resco default skin and Tengo Nano.
Without the keyboard, tt's easire to slot this GPS into my device holder in the car without case and keyboard.

I did test it on a parking card and yes, the parking card now does not work. So, I took my associates employee badge (with magnetic strip), Put the keyboard on it for about a half hour...Now he needs another badge...So the keyboard must have a strong magnet. Although, I carry my athena on my side in a carrying case right next to my wallet and have never had any problems with my credit cards, etc...So ican it needs direct contact for a while, not the occasional wave over, etc....

eagle 1 said:
I did test it on a parking card and yes, the parking card now does not work. So, I took my associates employee badge (with magnetic strip), Put the keyboard on it for about a half hour...Now he needs another badge...So the keyboard must have a strong magnet. Although, I carry my athena on my side in a carrying case right next to my wallet and have never had any problems with my credit cards, etc...So ican it needs direct contact for a while, not the occasional wave over, etc....
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Click to collapse
Holy ****! Can you do a test on the magnets on the device?

eagle 1 said:
I did test it on a parking card and yes, the parking card now does not work. So, I took my associates employee badge (with magnetic strip), Put the keyboard on it for about a half hour...Now he needs another badge...So the keyboard must have a strong magnet. Although, I carry my athena on my side in a carrying case right next to my wallet and have never had any problems with my credit cards, etc...So ican it needs direct contact for a while, not the occasional wave over, etc....
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Click to collapse
OMG, what in the hell were the engineers at HTC thinking while designing athena?

kdskamal said:
OMG, what in the hell were the engineers at HTC thinking while designing athena?
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I know. The lack of an earpiece and the implementation of those magnets keeps this from being the "perfect" device IMHO.

http://science.howstuffworks.com/magnet4.htm
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,116572-page,1/article.html

kdskamal said:
OMG, what in the hell were the engineers at HTC thinking while designing athena?
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I really don't think there is anything wrong with the Athena Magnets. I have had mine for many months, and have never accidently had any issues due to the magnets. Yes, I have used them intentionally to try and mess up parking cards, employee badges, etc. but overall, seems to work well to attach the keyboard. ANd a lot of pouches and cases have used magnets for years.

Destroying card info. yes but not strong enough to wipe out the hard drive. Just in case you are wondering there is huge magnet motor reside in your hard drive.

Rudegar said:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/magnet4.htm
http://www.pcworld.com/article/id,116572-page,1/article.html
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Click to collapse
May be some of the parking cards are more fragile to magnets then
But now atleast I'm less worried about the magnets
PS: the earpiece thing aint going to bother me. I'll be buying myself a SE K850i for tele communications

Just get an audio addaptor to go from the mini USB to 3,5MM socket if you want headphones wired to the device - works a treat - Mike

Oppo Find 5 Easy Cover Video Review

At the request of a member on the Oppo Forums I am going to share my video review of the Oppo Easy Cover Case Review. I got one of these free with the first batch of Find 5 orders and it is a decent case and choice for your new Find 5. It is a cover case with kickstand functionality and decent build quality. Let me know what you think and if you will buy one.
http://youtu.be/ugdVf4UPvBI

nice review man !
To bad they are not being sold anymore...

Thanks for the awesome vid! I have one request, hoping that you can fulfill. Can you throw on Nova Launcher and make a video of it? I want to see what it looks like on this phone as i am on the fence for purchasing it. Thanks!!

Very nice video,again.

Is that the same as this one ?
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free...for-oppo-x909-find-5-holsteins/756741774.html

CoopZor said:
Is that the same as this one ?
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/Free...for-oppo-x909-find-5-holsteins/756741774.html
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
At the beginn7ng I liked it very much, but I got annoyed very fast because the leather is not very hany when u use the phone, it just doesnt fit very properly in your hand....also the plastic cover broke on two sides without dropping it, so I would not recommend that case....I got meifeng sandcase now and I am satisfied with that one...

"Thanks for the awesome vid! I have one request, hoping that you can fulfill. Can you throw on Nova Launcher and make a video of it? I want to see what it looks like on this phone as i am on the fence for purchasing it. Thanks!!"
I have made a full review of the Oppo Find 5 Please view for I demo Nova Launcher on it.
http://youtu.be/xHtZ-uToFr0

This cover is back in stock on oppostyle, I find it a bit to expensive. ( including delivery costs)

Does anyone know if the flip-open-to-wake function also works with non-stock ROMS? In other words: is it a hardware- or software feature?

IGNatiuS2008 said:
Does anyone know if the flip-open-to-wake function also works with non-stock ROMS? In other words: is it a hardware- or software feature?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good question. I'm wondering where the magnetic sensor is. (If it's using the proximity sensor, this "feature" is going to eat a bit of battery...)
The Nexus 7 mag sensor did not require any modifications (although maybe there's an overlay setting somewhere...) - if this is prox-sensor based, it'll be much less likely to be integrated in CM (since something like that would be a battery hog...)
Edit: grouper has a lidControlsSleep category. If I can confirm this is done by magnetic sensor I'll flip that on in CM10.1

Entropy512 said:
Good question. I'm wondering where the magnetic sensor is. (If it's using the proximity sensor, this "feature" is going to eat a bit of battery...)
The Nexus 7 mag sensor did not require any modifications (although maybe there's an overlay setting somewhere...) - if this is prox-sensor based, it'll be much less likely to be integrated in CM (since something like that would be a battery hog...)
Edit: grouper has a lidControlsSleep category. If I can confirm this is done by magnetic sensor I'll flip that on in CM10.1
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I just did a quick test with a small magnet. The sensor seems to be located between the front-facing camera and the front-speaker. It switched the screen on, and I'm on the latest CM 10.1 build which you're working on.
So no need for extra stuf, works OOTB Now to find an affordable case with a magnet in it.

IGNatiuS2008 said:
I just did a quick test with a small magnet. The sensor seems to be located between the front-facing camera and the front-speaker. It switched the screen on, and I'm on the latest CM 10.1 build which you're working on.
So no need for extra stuf, works OOTB Now to find an affordable case with a magnet in it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Odd, I thought that feature was disabled by default. Also, the magnet I have didn't trigger it, however, it is a ****ty fridge magnet, so I need to find a better one and re-test.

Pet Peeves

I love the Z1. So much. BUT:
- It's slippery as hell. I live in a humid climate and I nearly dropped it at least 10 times taking it out of my pocket when its a little wet.
- Speaker - Not a big issue as most of us use headphones anyway, but still annoying when showing videos to someone in public and all you hear is this mangled mess of tinny audio.
- Camera presets - Sony, for the love of god, please allow me to jump into my camera SAVE MY SETTINGS in a preset for those point and shoot moments!
Aside from that, this phone kicks a**. And yes, I have no problems with the 'viewing angles' - I am not a crustacean and my eyes are generally level with the screen during use.
What do you guys think? After some time with the device, what kinda tweaks could be made to improve it?

I'd prefer the back to be aluminium since I also think it's too slippery.
I use a lanyard wrist strap from an old sony camera instead of a case and I think it's great, it can't fall and it still looks sexy.

the only problem i have is how fragile it is. i'm on my 3rd one since release. one fell out of my pocket and broke (i was sitting down) and one pressed against my keys in my pocket and the screen shattered.

1988amr said:
- Camera presets - Sony, for the love of god, please allow me to jump into my camera SAVE MY SETTINGS in a preset for those point and shoot moments!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This would be very useful. 3rd party apps could provide this kind of functionality. But the problem is sony does not permit access to camera functions to these 3rd party apps. LG isn't any better, the nexus 5 & G2 are in the same boat too.
This means we're dependent on the stock app for complete functionality.
When will they allow saving presets in the stock app ? anybody's guess

1988amr said:
- It's slippery as hell. I live in a humid climate and I nearly dropped it at least 10 times taking it out of my pocket when its a little wet.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm in the exact opposite situation weather wise, cold and dry. Really ****ing slippery unless you go around with sticky hands which wouldn't be too professional in my line of work.
I'd love to find some kind of grippy rubbery tape I could apply in stripes on the phone, preferably on the sides. Haven't found anything despite extensive searches.
Anyone else have a tip where such a thing could be found?

For me it is the Flashlight which is placed in the worst place. Everytime i do a picture with the flash i see in every shot the light coming from the bottom side and so 1/4 of the picture is "white"....

rage77 said:
I'm in the exact opposite situation weather wise, cold and dry. Really ****ing slippery unless you go around with sticky hands which wouldn't be too professional in my line of work.
I'd love to find some kind of grippy rubbery tape I could apply in strike on the phone, preferably on the sides. Haven't found anything despite extensive searches.
Anyone else have a tip where such a thing could be found?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about this ?
Sony Xperia Z1 TPU Gel Skin Case / Cover

One Twelve said:
How about this ?
Sony Xperia Z1 TPU Gel Skin Case / Cover
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks but I really don't want to add any bulk to the phone so I'd rather not have a case on it. Hence the grippy stripes idea.

rage77 said:
Thanks but I really don't want to add any bulk to the phone so I'd rather not have a case on it. Hence the grippy stripes idea.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
https://www.west49.com/products/skate/grip-tape.html
Most malls in Canada and the USA have a West-49, a skater type shop.
If all else fails, most Canadian Tire, WalMart and other similar "we have everything you'd ever need" type stores sell tape with sandpaper type texture on one side. Just don't cheap out. Buy the vehicle quality 3M brand, as that's waterproof and moisture proof, and won't peel off from being taken in and out of a pocket frequently.

rage77 said:
Thanks but I really don't want to add any bulk to the phone so I'd rather not have a case on it. Hence the grippy stripes idea.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
A gel case isn't bulk, that's the most minimal case you'll ever get for the Z1. Can hardly tell its even there if you colour match.
Grip tape will be a dust& lint magnet. yeah great for grip but how comfortable after a bit.

Seelbreaker said:
For me it is the Flashlight which is placed in the worst place. Everytime i do a picture with the flash i see in every shot the light coming from the bottom side and so 1/4 of the picture is "white"....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have that problem too sometimes but it usually goes away if I wipe down the camera lens glass. Not sure why it fixes it, but it does.

ASF - it just gets in the way cause its scratched so easily
just use glass with oleophobic coating like every other phone manufacturer does - if you want additional protection buy a screen protector (which are much harder to scratch then the ones Sony uses on their phones..)
phone is a massive fingerprint magnet due to bad quality ASF..

Seelbreaker said:
For me it is the Flashlight which is placed in the worst place. Everytime i do a picture with the flash i see in every shot the light coming from the bottom side and so 1/4 of the picture is "white"....
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What case are you using ?

I'm adding a new peeve - my wifi after switching to 4.3 is horrendous. Need like a super hi performance router to keep any connection and even in my car it takes ages to connect to bluetooth. Def some connectivity issues going on here after the update...
Also, I have night shots that are noisy AS HELL.
Any suggestions?

New one, loose USB port flap. No more waterproof for me
Sent from my SGP311 using Tapatalk

1988amr said:
I'm adding a new peeve - my wifi after switching to 4.3 is horrendous. Need like a super hi performance router to keep any connection and even in my car it takes ages to connect to bluetooth. Def some connectivity issues going on here after the update...
Also, I have night shots that are noisy AS HELL.
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
factory reset for the wifi. i had to do that to fix some other issues after updating (static during calls, proximity sensor not working)

I always do a factory reset after updates. It ends up saving you time...
Sendt fra XPERIA Z SGP312

Pet peeves..well I'll start off by saying I am in fact very happy with the handset, it's a beautiful device and performs beyond anything I'd ever expected.
But those peeves...
1: Magnetic charging is a novelty and in reality the magnets aren't powerful enough to use in the car as the cable just falls off.
2: A Navbar the size of a small country, Sony created a wonderful screen then filled a good deal of it with Navbar. I shouldn't have to root and use Xposed to reduce it.
3: No white balance settings...I mean come on, the older Z had it!
4: White phone... But black screen bezel totally ruins the looks of it, I picked the black one for that reason.
5: Rooting 4.3 (for now, I know this will change in the future) is a pain.
And finally.
The camera flash has more noise in it than a rock concert, with a case on it just ends up whitewashing the pictures.
But I'd still have an Xperia over ANY other handset.

Google Cardboard DIY VR Headset - $3.66 (fits 4-5in device)

Discussion: http://www.reddit.com/r/Android/comments/2gddbl/google_cardboard_366_free_shipping_from_tinydeal/
Buy: http://www.tinydeal.com/diy-google-...es-for-iphone-samsung-cellphone-p-135220.html
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxAj2lyX4oU
Working:
TBA​
Not Working:
TBA​
Update: According to this site, 'magnetic input' does not work with original Moto G:
http://gweb-cardboard.appspot.com/#compatibility​
Update #2: Should work with Moto G LTE since it has an actual Gyroscope.
Update #3: I've ordered one to experiment; since it's cheap and it cannot be absolutely verified it will not work with Moto G's hardware. For example, the issues might only be with the official Cardboard app (and alternative apps are fine), or a custom ROM might enable it to work correctly.

interesting... please report if it works on an original moto g (no lte)

I will be testing with an original Moto G (XT1032), but it could be a few weeks before the headset arrives. Order still not even dispatched according to the website.
UPDATE: I've just read existing stock sold out and there won't be more until 29th September. I might not get the item now until mid/late October / early November.

ordered it 2 weeks ago. today I got this:
Thank you for shopping DIY Google Cardboard VR 3D Glasses EPATH-334753 on TinyDeal.com.
We experienced an unusually large number of orders. Now the mass production has been finished and the items have arrived in the warehouse ahead of schedule. All orders are processed and shipped by order date and order number without a stop.
We really appreciate your business. Please be patient for a little bit more. Thank you so much for your support and understanding.
Yours Sincerely,
TinyDeal Support Team
qiuliqun
Click to expand...
Click to collapse

My order status has now changed:
Order Status: Shipped​

If using the magnet proves impossible with Moto G (1st Gen) - there is an alternative control option (other than just using your finger):
According to the Google cardboard official website, the magnet is used for clicking inside of demos. When you pull and release the ring, your phone's magnetometer detects changes in the magnetic field. Not all phones will be able to detect magnet pulls.
You can use Cardboard without the magnet by sticking copper tape along the side of the viewer and having it come into contact with the phone screen. When you tap twice on the copper tape with your finger, the phone will react as if it had detected a magnet pull.​[Source]
If you want to make things a bit smoother, you can add a copper strip to the side, tape one end to your phone's screen and close it up - a double-tap on the strip will register as a screen-tap.​[Source]
Although the [headset] works with any modern Android phone, it was designed for the Nexus 5. Many people reported problems with the magnetic sensor. That's because it's not in the same place on all phones. Having a slightly unusual phone, I ended up using a strip of cardboard with aluminum foil tape to do the same job.​[Source]

i received my google cardboard today from a chinese supplier on aliexpress. assembled it and used it a little.
im using Moto G 2013 no lte version
my mini review
1. the magnet does not work, so the google cardboard apps are pretty much useless. but you can poke the display with your finger through the nose hole to activate the app.
2. again, the cardboard apps are rendered useless with the lack of gyroscope for linear motion sensing. so head tracking are out of the scope. the only apps that work pretty well without the gyro are rollercoaster vr with some degree of head tracking using accelerometer.
3. playing "3D side by side(sbs) video" on youtube is pleasant for me. its like having a big tv. the 3d effect turn out to be like the one you experience in a cinema with black&clear 3d glass.
4. for someone who are not used to wear any glass, like me. having to watch anything through a lens is a bit headache inducing experience. be warned.
5. 720p nature of our display is not forgiving when paired with the cardboard's lens. i can start seeing individual pixels, and even subpixel(rgb) if i focus enough on one spot.
anyway, i am pretty sure if you got a better spec'ed phone. the experience will be light years away from what i experienced just now.

@urra901109, can I just clarify what ROM you did your tests on? From my experience the Motorola Stock ROM does not necessarily indicate what is possible with the hardware. I won't be satisfied until tests are done with pure CyanogenMod and/or CarbonROM.

lost101 said:
@urra901109, can I just clarify what ROM you did your tests on? From my experience the Motorola Stock ROM does not necessarily indicate what is possible with the hardware. I won't be satisfied until tests are done with pure CyanogenMod and/or CarbonROM.
Click to expand...
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lost101
i used the stock ROM.. but i think it will be pretty much the same across all ROM since most of what i talked is regarding hardware limitation(magnet sensor, and gyroscope) on the phone itself. i did enjoy it a for while with the 3d videos. but, later a headache caught me
ps: to overcome the gyroscope absence in this phone, i did connect it to xbox360 controller with the hope i can use right analog stick to pan left and right but no success on that, none of the VR apps i downloaded support the right analog stick. only the left analog is working.

Miracast is broken in stock ROM and works fine in CM / CarbonROM. Motorola have deliberately limited functionality in that case and who knows in what other instances.

I found it fairly poor with the Moto G. As reported, not only does the magnetic trigger not work, but the Moto G accelerometers don't work to control movement. The Google Cardboard demo app is fairly useless without that. Also the optics are fairly bad for the 4.5" screen of the Moto G. Probably a happier combo with the Nexus 5. Update: Yes, I tried it with a friend's Nexus 5, and it's much better. Do not buy the Cardboard kit unless you have a Nexus phone.

DJames1 said:
I found it fairly poor with the Moto G. As reported, not only does the magnetic trigger not work, but the Moto G accelerometers don't work to control movement. The Google Cardboard demo app is fairly useless without that. Also the optics are fairly bad for the 4.5" screen of the Moto G. Probably a happier combo with the Nexus 5.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i am quite dissapointed too with the absence of gyroscope in the first gen MOTO G, since head tracking is the whole idea about this VR thing. It is likely to cost a few cent more to add the sensor but they skipped on it. it is understandable though that they dont include it as the sensor are rarely used. but yesterday i had an idea about external usb gyro sensor. any one know if such a thing exists? may be we can use it without buying a new phone.
P/s:
i used galaxy note 3 with the google cardboard yesterday. it is much more enjoyable.. the screen door effect is not very pronounced like there is with first gen moto G. but the cardboard need some modification to make it focus properly and a few more hole to make it fit the Note 3, otherwise the lid will continously pressed on the volume button and power button

I guess I don't understand why they can't use the accelerometers in place of a dedicated gyroscopic sensor. In theory a 3-axis accelerometer should be able to do the exact same job, since it is impossible to move in any direction, including rotation, without causing an acceleration in one or more of the 3 axes.

DJames1 said:
I guess I don't understand why they can't use the accelerometers in place of a dedicated gyroscopic sensor. In theory a 3-axis accelerometer should be able to do the exact same job, since it is impossible to move in any direction, including rotation, without causing an acceleration in one or more of the 3 axes.
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Click to collapse
i dont get it either. on google streetview the simulated gyro does the job pretty flawlessly although a bit laggy but it is perfectly usable.

urra901109 said:
i dont get it either. on google streetview the simulated gyro does the job pretty flawlessly although a bit laggy but it is perfectly usable.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That is so cool! I had no idea that was possible now. And yes, you're right, it does illustrate exactly that there is no need for a gyroscopic sensor to use Cardboard apps. I wish Google would fix that.
I also wish Google would fix the magnetic declination issue in Google Maps. Where I am in Vancouver, the compass points 16 degrees off true north, so anything using compass north (like Streetview or navigation) is off by 16 degrees from the real world view unless corrected. It's not like Maps doesn't know the compass error from your current location, so it should be trivial to do the correction.

It might not be too much work for a DEV to have an option 'Use Accelerometer instead of Gyroscopic sensor' in their app / game. It's worth at least asking.

so on a moto g xt1033 this would not work ? even tho Google Night sky app works ?

Ken JimmY said:
so on a moto g xt1033 this would not work ? even tho Google Night sky app works ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Correct.

Any update on the Moto G front?
Hi! Anyone still trying to make it work with the Moto G first gen?
I'm not a techie at all but I really really want to play with the Cardboard. And there is this cool kit for sale on Amazon now.
Its been a while since the last post so I'm hoping some clever person has come up with a way to make the accelerometer work.?

No cardboard navigation on Moto G(2013)
vocalico said:
interesting... please report if it works on an original moto g (no lte)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have the original moto g(2013) and cardboard navigation doesn't work on this model. As the gyroscope is missing. Only accelerometer doesn't help. And the magnet clicker is also not working may be because of weak magnetometer. Other features are working as expected.

Z3 compact + Google cardboard

Anybody successfully got this device working with Google cardboard? Love to try it, but the replica cardboards seem to fit bigger devices. I like to know if it will fit the z3 compact.

cyphomatic said:
Anybody successfully got this device working with Google cardboard? Love to try it, but the replica cardboards seem to fit bigger devices. I like to know if it will fit the z3 compact.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
z3 compact is way to small. best for use with devices 5-5.5 inches

Couldn't resist trying. It works. Sadly the magnetic switch is on the wrong side. Needs some work. Virtual reality on the z3 compact! Awesome combination of the high quality camera, Google camera photo sphere and vr cardboard. You can jump in the picture and look around. Really fun and decent image quality.
Ordered a plastic headset with straps on Amazon because the cardboard won't last long.

It's not bad with this phone, but it's much better with a 5" phone and a 1080p screen. Maybe if you modified cardboard to be smaller, but with the stock plans you get black bars on the side (and the Sony logo) and the pixels are much more noticeable.
I'd give it a shot if it's the only device you have, but if you can use something like a Nexus 5 (I borrowed my friend's) it's much better.
It's not quite an Oculus Rift, but it's still really cool.

It's a pity that the magnetic sensor is near the "bottom" of the phone. I've tried placing the phone rotated 90 degrees to the right (instead of left), but sadly, the Google Cardboard app only supports landscape rotation in one direction, towards the left.

endlesstrail said:
It's a pity that the magnetic sensor is near the "bottom" of the phone. I've tried placing the phone rotated 90 degrees to the right (instead of left), but sadly, the Google Cardboard app only supports landscape rotation in one direction, towards the left.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You can use your fingers, Bluetooth controller or move the magnet to the other side. Not ideal, but it works.

But if the z3c is your only phone is there a way to make the magnatic switch work (not just hold it on the other side but a permanent option) and do you really see the sony logo and black bars?
In short is my question can I use my z3c for cardboard and that it works 100% without any compromises?
And if I need to adjust something what do I need to do? Or buy?

I've used it, and it works great.
No, it's not a 5" phone but I've used a Z3 full fat with Cardboard too and the difference isn't much. I've also tried other devices and they have issues with the magnet too. Apparently the magnet provided just isn't strong enough. You can get around this by touching the screen (yes, that's awkward) to select menus with the Google demos, and in some cases, pairing your phone with a PS4 Dualshock 4 controller.
Don't let the fact that the Compact is smaller put you off trying it. It's a great way to try VR, with all the everyday benefits of still having a smaller phone in your pocket.

There are indeed ways to use Bluetooth controllers as an alternative for the magnet.

cyphomatic said:
Ordered a plastic headset with straps on Amazon because the cardboard won't last long.
Click to expand...
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Which one did you buy? I've seen a lot of different variations of cardboard, some even for smaller phones like 4.5" - 5".

The plastic one, was a misbuy. Turned out to be 6"..
Did try a paper 4,5" cardboard on eBay wich fits fine.

I ordered a generic "cardboard" with no magnetic switch. It worked okay. I had to position the z3c half an inch further away from the lenses for the proper focus, and I had to hold it in place with my hand.
It only cost me $1.99, free shipping, so I just considered it a fun novelty.
Question. What kind of bluetooth controller would work for this?

armchairbear said:
I ordered a generic "cardboard" with no magnetic switch. It worked okay. I had to position the z3c half an inch further away from the lenses for the proper focus, and I had to hold it in place with my hand.
It only cost me $1.99, free shipping, so I just considered it a fun novelty.
Question. What kind of bluetooth controller would work for this?
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I can confirm a DualShock 4 works if you own a PS4!

schnidex said:
I can confirm a DualShock 4 works if you own a PS4!
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The DualShock 4 can be used to simulate screen touches in Google Cardboard apps? I'll give it a try.

armchairbear said:
The DualShock 4 can be used to simulate screen touches in Google Cardboard apps? I'll give it a try.
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It would be great if it could, but that's not quite what I meant. I meant that the DS4 pairs with the Z3C to be used with Google Cardboard. Several demos I've tried allowed me to move around in virtual space using the DS4 as a controller. I can't comment on actual screen touches with the trackpad, although that would be a very nice side effect if also true.

Just bought a cheap $2 Google Cardboard off eBay and am awaiting shipment, but I just wanted to point out that Dual Shock 3 controller can be paired with the Z3C as well and works great!

Just wanted to report that Cardboard works perfectly with the Z3C. I guess this is the first time I've run into an issue with the Z3C's low PPI as it's very noticeable when viewing through Cardboard, but that's a very specific use and I wouldn't use my daily phone as a VR handset anyway. Otherwise, everything else works as it should and was really cool!
I fixed the magnetic button issue by rotating the phone or taking the button out and putting it on the other side of Cardboard.

Works fine after a minor mod.
cyphomatic said:
Anybody successfully got this device working with Google cardboard? Love to try it, but the replica cardboards seem to fit bigger devices. I like to know if it will fit the z3 compact.
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I have a pretty thick bumper-case for my Z3c (since I have a history of losing phones to stone-floors) and it works just fine. There is some noticeable pixelation but not to bad. As some other people have noted the magnet-button does not seem to work. I read this post a few days ago and I made a somewhat crude work-around using some aluminium foil. If it is of interest to some one else, here is my somewhat lengthy blogg-post about it: http ikmpltyh.blogspot.se/2015/07/google-cardbord-button-for-z3-compact.html
New users can't create hyper-links so you will have to cut-and paste...

i made a profile for my z3c u can download it here:
https://onedrive.live.com/redir?res...authkey=!ADXDN5npvcbfsYA&v=3&ithint=photo,png