HP Partner in the Spotlight: Unbound VR

The section "Partner in the Spotlight" is designed to introduce you to fellow HP partners. In this edition, we talk with Remco de Jong, Managing Director of HP Business Partner Unbound VR

Unbound VR establishes itself in the market as the ultimate one-stop-shop for VR/AR/MR or, in other words, XR immersive technologies. The company offers a comprehensive and up-to-date range of hardware, peripherals, accessories, and corresponding services. An in-house technical team provides advice on-site, handles complete installations and maintenance, and resolves issues. The focus on VR was a conscious choice, says Remco de Jong. "The Dutch landscape of IT hardware suppliers is very densely populated. If you do the same as everyone else, you quickly have little to add. That's why we chose this niche. When we started in 2017, there were still very few who believed in VR. From my background in software development, I became interested in VR because, like software development, VR offers unlimited possibilities for the user. With that mindset, we also started working with VR."

From my background in software development, I have always been convinced that everything is possible

Unbound VR is originally a hardware supplier but has now also developed a strong focus on advice. "VR is not a given like a mobile phone. Many companies are still busy researching to what extent they can do something with it. They could use some help determining how VR fits into their IT landscape: how are we going to deploy it, how are we going to manage it, and how are we going to train people to use it? Over the past two years, many companies have emerged in the entertainment sector that are deploying VR, for example, for virtual escape rooms. That's not just a matter of putting on a VR headset, such a space also needs to be designed. We can also take that completely out of a customer's hands."

What Remco really likes about the VR industry is that he automatically deals with customers who are innovative. "A company like KLM is now looking at VR as an alternative to the very costly simulators in which pilots have to maintain their skills. If you can create that same cockpit experience at home on the couch, it means enormous cost savings. The beauty of such a VR solution is also that you can make the experiences of users measurable. This gives training an additional added value. It could well be that KLM will start rolling this out for all pilots from mid-2021."

As far as I'm concerned, the HP Reverb G2 is the VR product for 2021

The relationship between Unbound VR and HP dates back to 2018. "At that time, we were getting more and more requests for a wireless mobile VR experience. HP was offering a PC backpack that could create such an experience. With our strict specialism, we were initially a bit of an odd one out for HP. However, they saw us as an attractive partner, especially for the HP Reverb G2 headset, which was recently introduced to the market. Based on the reviews and our experience, the Reverb G2 is currently far and away the best in its price range. Because it's connected to the computer, you're assured of a higher image quality than with a stand-alone headset. Essentially, HP is disrupting the entire market with this one product. Resolution, ease of use, wearing comfort, audio, video, and especially the price: everything is top-notch. The forums are very enthusiastic, and that's also thanks to HP's clever market positioning. Furthermore, a competitor's desktop product is soon to be phased out, so that entire target group will be added. As far as I'm concerned, the HP Reverb G2 is the VR product for 2021."

Remco is very pleased with the collaboration with HP. "HP appreciates our specific knowledge and focus. HP customers who have a question about VR or are looking for a concrete solution are referred to us. For us, the partnership with HP also means that we are very close to the information and are actively kept informed. This is very valuable, especially when introducing a product, because it means that we, in turn, can keep our customers well informed. We also find each other excellent in other areas. For example, we are now working together on the Onero-X project. This is a mobile VR solution; a portable flight case with four VR headsets and an HP brain. This solution will soon be used for training by fire brigades, police, and security services in Europe and beyond. An extremely important product, therefore. The challenge is that we need to build something together that is robust and compact enough for the flight case. With the development team and product specialists from HP, we look at which products are suitable for this. The people from HP think along well and go very far in that. Exactly what we need to develop such a new and high-quality product."