Samsung partnered with the folks at Oculus for the Gear VR ? and it shows. I got a demo of the Crystal Cove version of the Oculus Rift at CES, and the experience of using the Samsung headset was remarkably similar.

This could be a huge development in the adoption of virtual reality. Rather than being tethered to a bulky desktop PC or gaming console, you can now just slide in a phablet and enjoy your new virtual reality.

To me, the experience of using modern virtual reality is far different from any form of entertainment that we're used to. When playing a console or PC game, or watching a movie on a TV, I'm always aware of the separation between me and the content. I may get absorbed in it, but I never really feel like I'm shooting up baddies with Nathan Drake or asking a favor of Nucky Thompson.