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Google has begun selling its popular Google Cardboard virtual-reality (VR) accessory in Canada on Wednesday, less than three months after it started directly selling the product to consumers in the United States.

Google also started selling the product in the U.K., France and Germany today.

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Google Cardboard has been popular since its launch south of the border due to its inexpensive entry point to virtual reality. The unit is simply a cardboard box with special lenses and a cutout for the user’s face. The user places their smartphone inside Google Cardboard after launching a supported mobile app, then holds the unit against their face as the phone’s internal hardware senses movement.

Though still in its early days, virtual reality is quickly growing in popularity, particularly with early adopters. Google Cardboard offers the cheapest entry point, but it’s a very basic experience and doesn’t offer a more complete solution like Facebook’s Oculus Rift, HTC’s Vive or even Sony’s PlayStation VR (launching this fall). That said, it’s still rightfully fun, particularly when knowing it didn’t cost a significant investment.

Google claims there are thousands of VR apps, games and videos that supports Google Cardboard, including offerings from Star Wars, Facebook, YouTube and Google Street View.

Google Cardboard is supported by Android and iOS phones “with screen sizes 4 to 6 inches,” meaning most current models.

The units are available in Canada for $20 each, or two for $35, on Google’s online store and shipped directly from Toronto.

jomcconnell@postmedia.com

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