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Oculus Go "stand-alone" requires a mobile phone... pfff....

EarlGrey
Expert Protege
I just go Oculus Go, and now after starting it up first time it says it requires a mobile phone.

I just got this because I didn't want to use my mobile phone for VR.

I'm very confused, it clearly states "STAND ALONE". Which means I should be able to use it without any other device requirements.

I can't. And I won't. I got Go for a reason, to keep it my VR stuff separated from my JOB phone, which is the only one I got.

So I can't bypass this "start by installing the *app* on your phone" without pairing it to a device that I don't have any control over.


108 REPLIES 108

desiv
Expert Protege

EarlGrey said:



My privacy concerns aren't just about facebook, they're also towards my employer.

I only have one phone, on loan from my employer. They can take it away anytime, access it anytime. Now, if I pair the phone with the Go, I don't know what information about my Go usage is available there. Is my app history, usage history available? My accounts accessible? I don't know what is retained, even after removing the app, the files are still there... I don't trust anything anymore.... so I choose not to trust in the first place.

I bought a STANDALONE device, that didn't require my company phone. I don't want there to be any linkage. No involvement. No traces.

I bought Go with my own money so I could use it on my own without involving other devices.

I already have gear vr on that phone, but it's a retarded experience because I can't use it to install my own apps, buy stuff or anything.

I thought buying Go would make it my own personal device.


I appreciate the situation you are in.
But that isn't the fault of Oculus hiding the truth about the product.
You made some assumptions and didn't thoroughly vet the product.
Not a big deal.   It happens to all of us.  I've done it myself.
But that is your mistake, not Oculus'.

It really was not difficult to tell before purchase that this product requires a phone.

As a side note, I would not recommend you (or anyone) use your work phone without checking with your work first!!  Please look for other options (friends/family, maybe the local phone store, whatever.. ;-).
It is not worth losing your job over something like this!  Don't assume they won't find out.

desiv
Expert Protege

EarlGrey said:

My privacy concerns aren't just about facebook, they're also towards my employer.

I only have one phone, on loan from my employer. They can take it away anytime, access it anytime. Now, if I pair the phone with the Go, I don't know what information about my Go usage is available there. Is my app history, usage history available? My accounts accessible? I don't know what is retained, even after removing the app, the files are still there... I don't trust anything anymore.... so I choose not to trust in the first place.

I bought a STANDALONE device, that didn't require my company phone. I don't want there to be any linkage. No involvement. No traces.

I bought Go with my own money so I could use it on my own without involving other devices.

I already have gear vr on that phone, but it's a retarded experience because I can't use it to install my own apps, buy stuff or anything.

I thought buying Go would make it my own personal device.


(Dang it.. Typing this again. Lost it the first time somehow..)
I am sorry for your situation, and you have valid concerns.
But you made some assumptions about the product and didn't fully vet it before you purchased it.
It happens.  I have done that myself several times.
But it doesn't make it Oculus' fault because you missed this.

It really was not difficult to find out that a phone is required before purchase.
It's not a big deal that you missed it, but you did.  It's not their fault.

That said, I would like to say to anyone in this type of situation, please do NOT use a work phone/device for this type of thing without getting prior consent from your work!
Don't assume they won't find out.
it is not worth losing your job over.
Look for another option.
Friends/family, someone else with a Go who might be close and willing to help, the local phone store, whatever.

desiv

EarlGrey
Expert Protege
I don't think I made too many assumptions. I believe I was more mislead than I made assumptions.
Oculus clearly mislabels this product. It's not enough to put it in a small print footnote that it requires a phone while all your big labels indicate it doesn't require a phone.
That's enough to get many companies in trouble, for mislabeling, requiring them to withdraw their product from market. I'm thinking of food products here, that if they mislabel ingredients, the product must be recalled, even though it's "obvious" the product contains that ingredient.
And even companies get punished if there's doubt, the consumer is always in the right if there's doubt. I don't have a lawyer department behind me, Oculus/FB has, but they screwed this up.

desiv
Expert Protege

EarlGrey said:

I don't think I made too many assumptions. I believe I was more mislead than I made assumptions.

I know you believe that.  Any several of us disagree.
This isn't a situation where you are going to find something and we all go "Ah!  Well, there you go."

The information is on the main webpage and ordering page for the product.
It is on the box, not inside in some EULA.
It is easily found on the Internet.

I don't see how this is the type of thing that a company gets in trouble for.
If they got in trouble for only having the info IN the box, I think the remedy would be for them to place the notices in the places they have currently.  😉
IMHO

EarlGrey
Expert Protege

desiv said:



I don't see how this is the type of thing that a company gets in trouble for.
If they got in trouble for only having the info IN the box, I think the remedy would be for them to place the notices in the places they have currently.  😉
IMHO


They got contradictory statements printed on the box:
1) on the rear in larger font that no phone is needed.
2) on the side in small light gray font that a phone is required for an app (which does not indicate whether that is a requirement for Go to work or a optional app for your phone for your convenience)

If you're a regulator, or government agency, which one would you think was misleading to a buyer?
I'd think they'd go by the rule the bigger the font the more it outweighs anything else stated later in smaller print.

As I said, Oculus screwed this up.

desiv
Expert Protege
Again, in my view, this comes down to assumptions.
When you read the no phone part, you assumed it meant no phone is ever needed.
When I read it, I assumed it meant no phone was needed while using VR. (compared to the Gear VR)

Both assumptions are just that, so more reading of the box and/or checking on the Internet would be a good idea.

That said, my guess is we are at an impasse here.
Two different beliefs about this issue.

I have no problem with different beliefs.
We don't agree.  And I don't see either of us convincing the other.  No biggie.
Have a good one..

Zenbane
MVP
MVP

EarlGrey said:

I find it sad that most, not all, there are some who understand my point, but most are blatantly hostile towards criticism.

I think it's sad that you've spent the better part of 2 years constantly looking for something to whine about. The last few times you were reaching pretty hard, complaining about Forum Cookies and Facebook Logins. I'm not being hostile, I'm just not falling for your ruse.

Zenbane
MVP
MVP

EarlGrey said:
I don't want facebook scraping my phone. They do that.



Then don't buy a device labeled as, From Facebook.


If you're a regulator, or government agency, which one would you think was misleading to a buyer?
I'd think they'd go by the rule the bigger the font the more it outweighs anything else stated later in smaller print.

As I said, Oculus screwed this up.


... and there it is. You always end up talking about government regulations. But nothing every comes of your misunderstanding of these things. Neither Facebook nor Oculus screwed up; you just enjoy stirring the pot.

EarlGrey
Expert Protege

Zenbane said:


EarlGrey said:

I find it sad that most, not all, there are some who understand my point, but most are blatantly hostile towards criticism.

I think it's sad that you've spent the better part of 2 years constantly looking for something to whine about. The last few times you were reaching pretty hard, complaining about Forum Cookies and Facebook Logins. I'm not being hostile, I'm just not falling for your ruse.


I think I mentioned it once. It's a hassle to login here, I have to login twice or something, reload many times for things to work. Even the ticket site doesn't recognize my login, I have to create a different login for that. I think the authentication stuff for oculus is very schizophrenic due to them wanting to move everything to a facebook login.

Zenbane
MVP
MVP

EarlGrey said:
I think I mentioned it once. It's a hassle to login here, I have to login twice or something, reload many times for things to work. Even the ticket site doesn't recognize my login, I have to create a different login for that. I think the authentication stuff for oculus is very schizophrenic due to them wanting to move everything to a facebook login.



Your ranting about the forum had less to do with logging in and more to do with you acting as if your privacy is being violated:

I've decided that I care about my privacy, and I configured my browser to send "to-not-track-me" message.
Ever since I've not been able to log into the Oculus forum.
What the hell is going on???


Everything is a Doomsday Scenario with you.