The displays on smartphones keep getting better all the time. But the one thing that none of them provide is an immersive cinema-like experience when watching a movie.
MovieMask is headwear that encases a smartphone and provides a 2D cinematic viewing experience by blocking out everything surrounding the video one is watching and surrounding it with blank space much like a screen does in a theater. The device can be used virtually anywhere, including on an airplane.
The device ships in December. Future pricing isn’t provided, but Kickstarter backers can get one for a pledge starting at about $54 for early birds. Its makers are out to raise $12,525 by Oct. 6.
There have been similar products before this one, including the HMZ-T2 wearable from Sony and that device’s predecessors long before its new PlayStation VR virtual reality headset. MovieMask lacks the 3D and VR capabilities of those products.
Perhaps the biggest drawback to MovieMask, however, is that to make it as compact as possible, its makers decided to not add extra space for glasses. Therefore, consumers who are very farsighted or have a high degree of astigmatism can’t use it. But any video app is compatible with MovieMask, unlike VR devices. MovieMask is also a lot cheaper.