Is this a standalone unit, or does it require a samsung smartphone to work? (Does it have its own display, or is it a $99 phone holder)

It requires a phone. If it had its own display (equiv. to a flagship phone 1440p AMOLED) it would cost $400 minimum. Here is why it's $99 (from reddit)."I responded several times to the same question so here is why this is better than cardboard:This has sensors built into the actual device that are an order of magnitude more accurate, and more responsive than what you have in your phone. This means that when you turn your head, there is no noticeable delay before the image updates on the screen. What you see matches 1-to-1 with how you move your head in real life. I've had the innovator edition for quite some time now, and the experiences are pretty fantastic. I watch netflix in a beautiful ski chalet on a giant TV all the time. The other day I watched my favorite twitch stream with 5 other people at a movie theater on the moon. They are sitting around you and when someone talks it sounds as if they are actually sitting to your left or your right. Their avatars look like cartoons but it doesn't matter. You can see where they're looking, you can see them nod their head in response to a question. It's like you're really together. And this is just the very, very beginning. One other big difference is the oculus store. It's like the App store for VR content. Lots of great stuff on there already.""Additionally:Touchpad and back button on the side of the headsetProximity sensor to detect whether the headset is on your faceFocus dial to adjust for nearsightednessHigh quality optics matched to the screen/distortion mesh, providing a much wider field of view than Cardboards I've triedBetter ergonomics/more comfortable, with some attention given to ventilation to avoid lens fogging etc.When used with Gear VR, the supported phones' hardware and firmware also provide VR features not available with Cardboard:Low persistence display (no screen blur when looking around)Asynchronous TimeWarp (considerably reduced perceived latency, fills in for dropped frames to prevent judder)Special control over the CPU and GPU for more consistent performanceOptional chromatic aberration correction (often disabled for performance reasons)(Plus, while not specific to Gear VR, the 1440p AMOLED displays used by supported phones are more suitable for VR than most other phone screens.)"

it won't work with the Note 4??

It does not. It's not an issue with the technology of the goggles or the phone, it's primarily that the chassis of the 4 is different than the 5, and it doesn't fit in the clasps that hold the Galaxy Note 5, and S6/S7 phones.

Does the consumer version have USB pass through so that you can charge your phone while you use it?

Yes it has a pass through on the bottom but is only compatible with Samsung chargers. Don't try to use it during gaming or 360 video or you'll end up all wrapped up.

what is the differenve between the samsung gear VR and the VR developer's edition?

Other than the actual model differences mentioned already:2015 Gear VR is newly released yesterday for Galaxy S6, Edge, Edge+ and Note 5. Mass market Consumer ready for the market. At online and traditional retailers for Chrismtas. (although currently sold out everywhere I looked. (I preordered 11/20 and I dont have an expectred ship date). Lighter weight, works with all the games and streaming services listed.VR Developer edition is last years 2014 model, works with the Note 4 ONLY, was $199 when introduced, and is no longer sold by Oculus. Only available thru 3rd party reseller retailers mostly at marked up prices ($350 is going rate). It is heavier, warmer on the head, phone runs hotter, but you are getting the 'first' edition if that appeals to you.

Item Weight	0.7 Pounds
Color	Black
Warranty Type	Manufacturer's Warranty
Platform	Windows XP
Resolution	2560 x 1440
Screen Size	6 Inches
Display Type	Either 'LCD' or 'LED'
Controller Type	Touchpad Control
Field Of View	90 Degrees
Connector Type Used on Cable	USB Type C
Sensor Technology	accelerometer gyroscope
Display Resolution Maximum	1080p
Additional Features	Lightweight
Connectivity Technology	USB
Compatible Devices	Smartphone
Specific Uses For Product	Gaming, multimedia consumption, 360-degree viewing, and VR applications
Operating System	Android

Samsung Gear VR (2015) - Virtual Reality Headset - Frost White (Certified Refurbished)

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