Google Cardboard is a fold-out cardboard smartphone mount that consists from lenses, a magnet, a piece of hook-and-loop fastener and a rubber band, which, when held against the face creates a virtual reality experience. Although the headset is designed by Google, it is sold by other manufacturers. But it has been initially promoted as DIY device, as the list of parts, schematics, and assembly instructions are freely available online.
Google has now announced that the Cardboard is compatible with Street View, allowing user to wear the headset and experience Google Maps Street View in a new, immersive way. Described as a easter egg (or Christmas egg?), users just have to double-tap the navigation circle in the lower right corner of Google Maps, and then the app will show a stereoscopic 360-degree view of the location they have chosen.
If you are a Google Cardboard owner, for this feature to work, you just need to make sure that you have updated both your Google Cardboard and Google Maps apps. Coincidentally or not, Google has also added a dedicated Cardboard page to the Google Play Store, listing all the best compatible apps. The company previously disclosed that it has shipped more than 500,000 Google Cardboard headsets so far, indicating that interesting in affordable VR solutions is picking up.
