Toshiba Releases Glasses-Free 3D Laptop To Much Rejoicing

John Biggs
From: http://techcrunch.com/

Biggs is the editor of TechCrunch Gadgets. Biggs has written for the New York Times, InSync, USA Weekend, Popular Mechanics, Popular Science, Money and a number of other outlets on technology and wristwatches. He is the former editor-in-chief of Gizmodo.com and lives in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. You can Tweet him here and G+ him here. → Learn More

The Qosmio F755 3D laptop is now available for those who wish to live in the 2D world but – and only occasionally – may also want to view things in 3D. The laptop uses a “15.6-inch diagonal full HD TruBrite® display with Active Lens” to display both 2D and 3D images (sample shown here may not represent actual display, your results may vary, consult a doctor before playing 3D games, 3D gaming could cause headaches, nausea, a feeling that 3D is BS, the croup, accidental ingestion of your wedding ring, dance, Gary Oldman’s Disease, vestigial tail growth).

The laptop runs a Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce 540M and allows for HD video and Blu-Ray playback.

The laptop will start at $1,700 when it is available mid-August. Click through for the full press release.

Product Page

Toshiba Ditches the Glasses with Announcement of World’s First Glasses-Free 3D Laptop

Qosmio F755 3D Ushers in New Way of Experiencing 3D Entertainment; First Laptop to Simultaneously Display 2D and Glasses-Free 3D Content on a Single Screen

IRVINE, Calif.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Toshiba’s Digital Products Division (DPD), a division of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., today announced U.S. pricing and availability for the Qosmio® F755 3D laptop, the world’s first laptop capable of displaying glasses-free 3D and 2D content at the same time on one screen1. Beginning in mid-August, 3D entertainment enthusiasts will have the opportunity to “ditch the glasses” and enjoy the latest in 3D content while enjoying all the amenities of a premium, high-performance laptop.

“The Qosmio F755 3D laptop is not just a breakthrough in mobile entertainment, but a great example of Toshiba’s ongoing commitment to turning technology innovation into real, usable products”
“The Qosmio F755 3D laptop is not just a breakthrough in mobile entertainment, but a great example of Toshiba’s ongoing commitment to turning technology innovation into real, usable products,” said Carl Pinto, vice president of product development, Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc., Digital Products Division. “We are excited to bring this cutting-edge technology to consumers, as there’s really nothing like it. The unique capabilities of the laptop’s 3D display make enjoying 3D content both convenient and hassle-free. It’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before.”

A Breakthrough in Consumer 3D Technology

To achieve a 3D viewpoint without the aid of special glasses, the new Qosmio F755 3D laptop uses the latest in auto-stereoscopic display technology. Equipped with a brilliant 15.6-inch diagonal full HD TruBrite® display with Active Lens technology, the double parallax image display is able to project two sets of images at the same time, splitting them between the left and right eyes to create the 3D effect. Toshiba’s intuitive Face Tracking technology then taps into the laptop’s built-in webcam to further perfect the projection of the image by reacting to the motion and position of the viewer, delivering a broad viewing zone from which to view 3D content. The end result for consumers is the ability to view and enjoy real 3D – no glasses needed.

2D or 3D? The Choice Is Yours

The Qosmio F755 3D laptop offers up two displays in one, giving users the freedom to view content in either 2D or 3D – or both at the same time. As the only laptop of its kind to offer a simultaneous viewing of 2D and 3D content on a single screen, it provides users with the option to watch 3D content in a full-screen or condense it to a smaller window, preserving the 2D desktop to browse the Web or do other tasks. The included Toshiba Blu-ray Player2 adds to the laptop’s flexibility by delivering easy “one-click” 2D-to-3D content conversion3 for DVDs and videos, giving users the opportunity to enjoy the latest Blu-ray™ 3D movies or experience their existing 2D movie library in a whole new way.

Robust Performance for Demanding HD Entertainment

In addition to its 3D capabilities, the Qosmio F755 3D is equipped with the latest in processor technology and premium components. Powered by the visibly smart Intel® Core™ i7 processor4, NVIDIA® GeForce® 540M graphics processor5, as well as fast RAM and a spacious 750GB hard drive6, the Qosmio F755 3D laptop is built to deliver robust multimedia performance. Built-in harman/kardon® speakers, a suite of sound enhancement technologies from Dolby® and Waves Audio deliver booming cinematic sound to movies, music and games. An integrated Blu-ray Disc™ rewriteable drive offers record and play capabilities, while an HDMI® port supports output of video (up to 1080p) to a 3D-ready TV or display. An elegant Fusion 3D Finish in Brilliant Red delivers standout styling.

Star Tours’ New 3D Tech

From: http://furiousfanboys.com/

The newly upgraded 3D version of Star Tours officially opens tomorrow in Florida (with non-Cast Member previews beginning in California as well), and people will finally be able to experience Star Wars in 3D. What’s cool about the new Star Tours is that it uses a 3D technology, and glasses, that hasn’t yet been seen in many theaters. This isn’t the ancient two-projector film-based tech that’s used in 3D theme park movies like Captain EO. It’s also not the expensive 3D technology that most movie theaters use. Disney chose to go with Dolby’s new 3D technology that uses just one projector and unique 3D glasses.

Where current theater 3D tech requires the use of an expensive reflective silver screen and usually requires dual projectors; Dolby’s tech can be used on a normal white screen and a single digital projector that can display both 2D and 3D playback. The 3D playback uses an alternate red/blue/green color wheel in addition to the normal red/blue/green color wheel; which is why some people claim that the new Star Tours uses the old 1950′s red/blue style of 3D. It doesn’t but due to a second color wheel in the projector you may see additional colors when you view the screen without 3D glasses on. Basically the color information for each eye is projected at different wavelengths, which the glasses then are able to decode.

The glasses are also new. They aren’t the flimsy cheap polarized lenses that you normally get at a theme park or even a movie theater. Word is that they actually cost about $12 a pair, and they use a curved lens. This can cause some blurring on the edges for people who wear glasses, but they do fit over prescription glasses just fine. The 3D effect with these new glasses is actually clearer and smoother than what you got with traditional flat polarized lenses.

This weekend Disney soft-opened Star Tours 2 in Florida in anticipation for its big opening this coming Friday, and they let a picture of Darth Vader leak out. The pic comes from the beginning of the ride when you’re confronted by either a squad of Stormtroopers or Vader himself. The whole thing is in 3D, which this pic obviously cannot show, and the word from the ride is that the 3D effect is the best ever done in either a theme park ride or movie. The ride even uses Dolby’s new 3D technology (and glasses). These aren’t your typical cheap theme park glasses. Dolby charges theater owners about $12 a pair for them.

Star Tours opens in Florida on Friday, and there will be special previews of the ride for non-Cast Members beginning that day in Anaheim. Expect a lot more later this week.

For a while we’ve known that Star Tours II would naturally feature C-3PO, R2D2, and Admiral Ackbar among two new Droids. Now Disney has officially confirmed that Ackbar would me making an appearance in the ride along with a couple other characters. Darth Vader and Boba Fett will be there along with Stormtroopers and a brand new type of trooper created specifically for the new ride called a “skytrooper”. For the Rebellion, aside from Ackbar; riders will see Yoda and a young Princess Leia on their trip to one of many new destinations.

Star Tours II is scheduled to open in May, and we’re planning on being there opening day and will try to bring you live coverage of all the Star Wars craziness.

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Disney has released their official press release announcing the re-opening of Star Tours next month in Florida (and June in Anaheim), and it reveals some new details about the ride. In addition to it describing the new queue people will walk through, it confirms that the new pilot droid Ace will still be seen in the ride, despite C-3PO taking over the piloting duties when you enter the Starspeeder 1000. Here’s the full press release:

‘Star Tours – The Adventures Continue’ Brings Star Wars™ Thrills in 3-D to Disney’s Hollywood Studios Theme Park

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. – The power of the Force and the magic of Disney have combined to create “Star Tours – The Adventures Continue,” a new 3-D attraction set to open at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park on May 20, 2011. The attraction also will open at Disneyland Park in Anaheim, Calif., on June 3, 2011.

Based on the Star Wars films, Star Tours will take Walt Disney World Resort guests to multiple Star Wars destinations where they will interact with characters from throughout the Saga. And it will all be in 3-D.

With eye-popping 3-D digital filming, a dramatic musical score and motion simulator-based technology, guests will be immersed in the Star Wars galaxy like never before on a theme park attraction. Walt Disney Imagineering worked with Lucasfilm, Ltd. and Industrial Light & Magic – the groundbreaking visual effects division of Lucasfilm – to bring the out-of-this-world attraction to life.

Star Tours, which had thrilled Disney Parks guests since the 1980s, was “powered down” at Disneyland and Disney’s Hollywood Studios in 2010 so Imagineers could begin work on the new attraction.

And in a new twist, guests may be able to enjoy the attraction multiple times without ever experiencing the same adventure. More than 50 story combinations are possible for guests to experience aboard Star Tours.

Just as the Star Wars films immerse movie-goers in storylines that keep them on the edge of their seats, Star Tours will feature multiple stories and scenarios that will hurtle park guests throughout the Star Wars galaxy. And all of the storyline’s twists and turns will be random, affording guests the chance to ride the attraction multiple times.

Whether it’s a battle with Darth Vader and his legion of stormtroopers or a plea from Princess Leia to help her save the Rebellion, guests will find themselves in the middle of the action – literally – in the 3-D, multi-sensory attraction.

Entering the attraction queue area, Star Tours guests walk into a bustling spaceport. The famed Star Wars droid duo, C-3PO and R2-D2, greet them as the Starspeeder 1000 is prepped for service. Anthony Daniels, the voice of C-3PO and the only actor to appear in every theatrical chapter of the Star Wars Saga, reprises his role as the golden protocol droid. Daniels worked with Walt Disney Imagineering to record new dialogue for the attraction. Guests also are introduced to AC-38, a hotshot droid pilot known simply as “Ace,” and Aly San San (voiced by actress Allison Janney), the “spokesbot” for the spaceport.

After winding through the spaceport, guests board the Starspeeder 1000 spacecraft and prepare for Star Tours Flight #1401. Through a series of mishaps, however, C-3PO finds himself in the pilot’s seat instead of Ace, and it’s up to him and R2-D2 to navigate their passengers through the galaxy. However, the tyrannical Empire is out to stop the Starspeeder at all costs. C-3PO and R2-D2 take the controls and try to outwit and outrun the Imperial forces and a galactic bounty hunter hired to pursue the spaceship and its passengers.

Utilizing the 50+ random story combinations, the Starspeeder then embarks on a wild trip through the galaxy, visiting several planets made famous in the Star Wars films. Among the locations that might provide haven from the Empire’s pursuit are the icy planet of Hoth, the lush jungles of Kashyyyk and the underwater Gungan world of Naboo. And along the way guests may encounter Star Wars characters that offer to help (or hinder) their journey, including Yoda, Admiral Ackbar, Darth Vader and Boba Fett. “Skytroopers,” a legion of stormtroopers created just for the Star Tours attraction story, might even join in the chase.

In fact, with multiple ways to experience each flight, guests will never know where the Force will take them.

At Walt Disney World Resort, Star Tours opens May 20, 2011, the same day the annual Star Wars Weekends event begins at Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park. Star Tours and Star Wars Weekends event activities are included in regular admission to Disney’s Hollywood Studios theme park.

For more information and to purchase theme park tickets or book vacation packages, guests may visit disneyworld.com/startours or disneyworld.com/starwarsweekends.

'Star Wars' saga set for 3D release starting 2012

Films will roll out in order, starting with 'Phantom Menace

By Jay A. Fernandez and Kim Masters

From: http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/

"Star Wars"

Big news on the 3D front.

Sources indicate that George Lucas is set on rereleasing the "Star Wars" franchise in new 3D conversions beginning in 2012. Although 3D versions have been rumored for some time, Lucas purportedly was waiting until there were enough screens available to make the release a sizable event.

Fox, which released all six original "Star Wars" films, also would release the 3D versions.

Episode I, "The Phantom Menace," would be first out of star-dock during early 2012. After that, each film would be released in order at the same time in consecutive years, depending on how well the first rerelease does.

Each conversion takes at least a year to complete, with Lucas overseeing the process to make sure each is as perfect as possible. He has said that the "Avatar" experience convinced him that "Star Wars" is ready for the state-of-the-art 3D treatment.

Starting with "Phantom Menace," Lucasfilm would use several higher-end conversion houses to work on the project. By late winter or early spring in 2012, the exhibition industry should have all the 3D screens anyone could want for such a release.

At present, pics are limited to 2,000-2,500 3D locations owing to an insufficient installed base of projectors and screens. Movie theaters are adding 3D screens at a clip of 500 a month in the U.S. Foreign exhibitors also are pushing into 3D as quickly as possible now that financing for the installations is flowing.

Also pushing the timetable is a potential breakthrough in 3D TV technology. With Samsung penetrating the market with 50,000-plus 3D-equipped sets and Sony recently sending its version to market, the home-viewing experience could be primed for 3D DVD versions of the films by the time the new 3D theatrical releases have run their course.

Lucas purportedly is lining up the theatrical rereleases as a lead-in to the ultimate home-viewing experience. Beyond that, the property would launch to other 3D media.

In the meantime, Lucas plans a comprehensive Blu-ray Disc set of the six films next year, which would include upgraded picture and sound quality, new deleted scenes and special features.

Alex Ben Block, Carl DiOrio and Borys Kit contributed to this report.

The 14 Sexiest 3D Magazine Pictorials (NSFW)

brobible.com — Last year millions of people drank James Cameron's blue Kool-Aid about a so-called "3D entertainment revolution." Magazine publishers followed suit... to nice effect in many cases. —

Click here for the gallery and links: http://www.brobible.com/story/the-14-sexiest-3d-magazine-pictorials

The 10 Best 3-D Movies And What Hollywood Can Learn From Them

By Josh, Katey, and Eric

From: http://www.cinemablend.com/


In the wake of Avatar 3-D is the next big leap and Hollywood hasn't been shy about putting everything they have into the format. Summer's over but the next few months will see even more movies released in 3-D. You'd probably better get used to wearing those glasses. Next week Piranha 3D shows up with a campy approach to the format and a few weeks later in September Resident Evil: Afterlife will take a much more technologically serious approach as it becomes one of the few movies since Avatar to use James Cameron's 3D Fusion Camera system. After riding the wave of a summer box office loaded with 3-D conversions we've talked a lot about all the ways that 3-D's been going wrong, but maybe there's something to be learned by looking back at all the times 3-D went right.

Freed from the shackles of the mostly unsuccessful blue and red glasses 3-D which spared people to death, used properly and on the right movies, 3-D can and has added something to your viewing experience. Listen up Hollywood. Here's what it looks like when 3-D is done right.


Captain EO (1986)
When it debuted at Disney parks in the 80s Captain EO was regarded as the first 4-D film because it incorporated in-theater effects like laser lights along with the 3-D elements on screen. But really, it was just 3-D with lasers. Directed by Francis Ford Coppola, the short film starred Michael Jackson as the captain of a ragtag starship crew on a mission across the stars. The story was pretty silly, and since it starred Michael Jackson, prone to a lot of singing, but the movie's special effects were stunning. Coppola's groundbreaking 3-D camera tricks were so good that those 3-D effects still hold up pretty well today. In part that's because Disney went all out when making it. Captain EO cost, on average, $1.76 million per minute to make. For that money Disney parks got the first ever 3-D movie that actually really worked in 3-D. It was so well done that more than twenty years later Captain EO continues to show at Disney's parks around the world.


Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3-D (1991)
Captain EO got all the attention but Michael Jackson's weird, space adventure wasn't the only 3-D movie showing at Disney's parks in the 90s. If you were lucky, maybe at some point during a trip to Disney you've stumbled into a showing of Jim Henson's Muppet*Vision 3-D. The attraction first opened at Walt Disney World and Disneyland in 1991 and it takes 3-D beyond the screen. The presentation uses actual animatronic Muppets and other real special effects to heighten the impact of the 3-D elements in the movie. At some point while you're watching it becomes nearly impossible to distinguish between what's really there in the room with you and what's being projected, and since it's the Muppets, it's a lot of fun. Muppet*Vision 3-D was the last thing ever directed by the late, great, Jim Henson. If he'd stuck around longer, it's hard not to wonder what he'd have thought of the format now… or for that matter what brilliant new ways he'd have come up with to use it.


Ghosts of the Abyss (2003)
Back in 2003 people still thought of 3-D as red and blue lenses Elmer's glued into paper frames. 3-D was still the awful, clunky, unwatchable stuff of Jaws 3-D and audiences wanted no part of that. But quietly, behind the scenes, James Cameron was working to change everything. Before he shot Avatar he started testing a new kind of 3-D on a series of underwater documentaries. This Cameron directed film was the first Disney movie produced in 3-D and, if you were one of the few who made it to an IMAX theater to see it, it blew your mind. Sure a lot of the 3-D effects were wasted on pie charts, but oh what pie charts. Graphs are a lot more interesting when they're hovering of the head of the guy in front of you. Images leaped out of the screen with stunning clarity. As Cameron's robotic cameras dove into the wreck of the Titanic, it was easy to let yourself go and feel as though you were really there. It would be more than half a decade before Cameron perfected his 3-D technique, but he laid the groundwork here, quietly, and while no one was really looking.


Superman Returns: An IMAX 3-D Experience (2006)
When it was released in 2006 an alternate version of Superman Returns called Superman Returns: An IMAX 3-D Experience was released simultaneously in IMAX theaters. It was the first live-action Hollywood movie to get a combined IMAX 3-D release, though now its commonplace. Only 20 minutes of the film were actually converted into 3-D which resulted in the admittedly annoying process of taking your 3-D glasses on and off throughout the film… but oh what a 20 minutes. Superman's bright, sharp colors and director Bryan Singer's talent for stunning visual clarity made those 20 minutes of 3-D worth the trouble. Used primarily on action sequences, 3-D made the movie's biggest moments even bigger and grander. Combined with IMAX's unmatched picture and sound quality Superman Returns delivered an, at the time, unmatched of theater experience.


Meet the Robinsons (2007)
Meet the Robinsons was a turning point for Disney. The studio's second attempt at computer animation was also their first good one. They'd been struggling, their animated movies were no longer working, and then out of nowhere suddenly Meet the Robinsons did. It helped that they had a strong story rooted in the importance of family, but visually, I'm not sure the movie would have worked without 3-D. On its own Robinsons' animation looked dated and overly simplistic but when 3-D was used to add depth, suddenly the film's unexpectedly simple landscape design became deeper and more interesting. In applying 3-D to such basic computer animation Robinsons discovered something interesting: 3-D works best when you keep it simple.


Journey to the Center of the Earth (2008)
While most movies use 3-D only to enhance what they're doing, Journey to the Center of the Earth existed solely in the service of 3-D. It was made, from the beginning, with 3-D in mind and the entire film was crafted from stem to stern with audiences wearing funny glasses as the plan. That paid off in a big way in sheer entertainment value. While the movie's story was, admittedly, a shallow, paint by numbers modern version of Jules Vernes' classic tale, the film's visual elements were such a blast that most went in and didn't care. The movie took full advantage of both the gimmicks and subtler nuances 3-D offers to delight and amaze. Journey to the Center of the Earth was the rare 3-D movie that there was literally no point in watching without 3-D. Without your glasses on, without 3-D effects, there was no movie. Maybe they didn't always get the story right but Journey knew how to get the most out of 3-D.


My Bloody Valentine (2009)
Before Hollywood started trying to promote 3D that was "subtle" and "enhanced the world of the film," My Bloody Valentine used the technology the way it was always intended-- to scare the hell of an audience by throwing things at them. I can't even tell you how many times a pickax swung perilously out over the crowd, or how many bulging eyeballs or body parts came up for our close inspection-- and that's mostly because I had to cover my eyes in terror every time it happened. I have no idea why a cheapie horror movie like My Bloody Valentine managed to do live-action 3D better than something massive like The Last Airbender, but I'd never been so happy to see real humans in the third dimension-- and then, of course, to see those real humans chopped to bits.


Coraline (2009)
As we've seen with many of the 3-D films released this year, it's often difficult to get the proper level of depth required for a positive 3-D experience with a live action movie. Henry Selick's Coraline, on the other hand, has depth to spare. Both filmed in 3-D and animated using 3-D figures, the movie actually establishes an immersive world for the audience, something that 90% of 3-D films lack. Be it expanding a tunnel into an alternate world filled with button-eyed doubles or fighting against the evil Beldam in a gigantic spider-web, Coraline was a movie experience made for 3-D. Watching it that way is like stepping inside the film's magical, stop-motion world. In Henry Selick's clay-molding hands, Coraline's 3-D experience was supremely effective.


Monsters vs. Aliens (2009)
Monsters vs. Aliens was an endearingly goofy and over-the-top spin on the classic monsters movie, and how better to honor the B-movie roots than by showing the whole thing in glorious 3D? It wasn't just that it was better to have the various laser beams and monsters flying out of the screen at you, but that even the 3D was getting in on the fun, amping up the bright colors and crazy action so that you didn't have a choice but to jump in. As one of the first DreamWorks movies conceived in 3D, MvA's action sequences took great advantage of the format, sending Ginormica skating down the streets of San Francisco with cars as roller skates, and showing off every bit of alien weaponry in sharp 3D detail. Monsters vs. Aliens was too early in the 3D trend to take advantage of enough high ticket prices to earn itself a sequel, but it still represents one of the earliest and best examples of how animation can really work with the added dimension.


Avatar (2009)
James Cameron began developing Avatar in 1994 and much of the time between then and its 2009 release was spent developing the movie's groundbreaking 3-D effects. Live action elements were shot entirely on the 3-D Fusion Camera System and that worked. But much of the reason the film's 3-D succeeds is that 60% of the movie's scenes contain no live action elements and were done using photorealistic computer generated images created using a new kind of virtual camera system for motion capture. Under Cameron's direction 3-D is used to give the Pandoran jungles depth or to make seed pods float out over the heads of the audience, and at times what's happening on screen feels utterly real. Since its release Avatar has become the gold-standard in 3-D filmmaking, and if you're serious about making a 3-D movie, then you'll do it the Avatar way.

Playboy readers get 3-D centerfold

The Associated Press
From: http://www2.tbo.com/

The magazine's June edition hits newsstands Friday equipped with 3-D glasses. Now the toy that has kids dodging dragons, meatballs and tall blue aliens at the movies will help adults focus on what is, at first glance, a very blurry Playmate of the Year.

The Associated Press

Published: May 11, 2010

CHICAGO - Playboy readers who can only imagine what it would look like if a centerfold jumped right off the page are getting new specs to help them see into Hef's world.

The magazine's June edition hits newsstands Friday equipped with 3-D glasses. Now the toy that has kids dodging dragons, meatballs and tall blue aliens at the movies will help adults focus on what is, at first glance, a very blurry Playmate of the Year.

"What would people most like to see in 3-D?" asked Playboy founder Hugh Hefner. "Probably a naked lady."

Hefner makes no secret of hoping to capitalize on the popularity of 3-D movies such as "Avatar" and "How to Train Your Dragon," even as he makes no secret of not quite getting what all the fuss is about.

"I'm not a huge enthusiast of 3-D," he said in a telephone interview. "I leave real life to go to the movies and 2-D is fine with me."

If the thought of grown men sitting back in their recliners with a pair of 3-D glasses doesn't quite say "Playboy," it should be noted that a few months ago the magazine put Marge Simpson — yes, the blue-haired animated mother of Bart — on the cover and in a two-page centerfold.

"In today's print environment you have to create newsstand events," said the editorial director of the Chicago-based magazine, Jimmy Jellinek. "Marge Simpson was one of those."

Playboy certainly must do something to get more people, especially younger people, to buy a magazine that has seen circulation plummet from 3.5 million in 2006 to 1.5 million today.

Jellinek said he hopes the issue featuring centerfold Hope Dworaczyk in 3-D also reminds people that for all the infatuation with the Internet, there is nothing quite like having a magazine in your hands.

"People want things that last and have meaning," he said.

The thought hadn't occurred to Hefner. But, now that you mention it:

"This particular picture is one example of how books and magazines are different (than computer images)," he said. "You can hold it in your hands, save them, and as Dad used to, put them under the mattress."

Hefner notes there also are plenty of good old-fashioned 2-D pictures of Dworaczyk — the 51st Playmate of the Year, for those counting at home.

3-D may be all the rage, but Hefner said he first thought of using it when he launched his magazine in the 1950s.

"I actually signed a photographer to shoot two nude women in 3-D in Chicago," he said. But he scrapped the idea when he discovered how expensive it would be to include the glasses.

This time around, HBO is helping out. HBO wanted a creative way to promote its show "True Blood," and having Playboy include 3-D glasses with the show's name on them seemed a good way to do it, said Playboy spokeswoman Theresa Hennessey.

So, do the glasses work? Well, it does kind of look like Dworaczyk is handing you the wine glass she's holding. And she says the photograph makes everything a little, well, bigger.

"It's kind of like it says on the rearview mirror," Dworaczyk joked. "Things may appear larger."

Apple patent application for 3D viewing glasses

by Lin Edwards
From: http://www.physorg.com/news190620130.html

Enlarge

(PhysOrg.com) -- Apple has filed a patent application for electronic video spectacles that will allow wearers to watch films in 3D on the inside of the glasses. Fans have already nicknamed the gadget iSpecs.

Users would attach their iPhone, iPod, or other device to the spectacles, which have a special lens that can split the image into two frames — one for each eye — and then project the image onto the spectacles. The two images would create a stereoscopic effect since they would appear to have been taken from slightly different angles, and this would simulate 3D.

According to the patent application (number 20100079356) the images would be equivalent to high definition in quality, and sensors inside the spectacles would detect the precise location of the wearer’s eyes to ensure the image is projected at exactly the right place and is comfortable to watch. The device could be controlled by the wearer’s head movements, such as nodding or head shaking, or by voice control. Sound would be provided by earphones fitted into the device. To enhance the viewing experience, the spectacles could even vibrate in response to content such as explosions.

The spectacles would also incorporate a small camera and infrared sensors embedded in the frames to stream video of the surroundings to a smaller screen in the glasses if anyone approached or tried to gain their attention while they were watching the film. The aim of this system is to make people feel more comfortable about wearing the glasses in public, such as during plane, train, or bus trips.

Enlarge

There are already a few video glasses that can be plugged into an iPod to allow viewers to watch films, but none offer 3-D viewing or high-quality images. Another drawback of the previous gadgets is that wearers are unable to see what is happening around them, which makes them reluctant to wear them in public.

Some have suspected the patent application is a hoax since news of it was published on the Web on April 1st, but the US Patent and Trademark Office is unlikely to be involved in a hoax and the application was filed in late 2008. Apple never comments on patent applications.

© 2010 PhysOrg.com

Sharp shows 3-D touchscreen displays for mobile devices

By YURI KAGEYAMA , AP Business Writer
From http://www.physorg.com/

Enlarge

(AP) -- Sharp's latest 3-D displays deliver bright, clear imagery without the cumbersome glasses usually required for such technology. Now the bad news: They only work on a 3-inch (7.5-centimeter) screen held one foot (30 centimeters) from the viewer's face.

Sharp Corp. demonstrated liquid crystal screens Friday for mobile devices that showed 3-D animation, touch-panel screens that switched from one 3-D photo to another and a display connected to a 3-D video camera.

Movies and TVs in 3-D are no longer surprising. Sony Corp. and Pansonic Corp. of Japan, as well as South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co. and LG Electronics, already sell or are planning 3-D TVs.

The drawback until now has been the need for special glasses, which show different images to the right eye and the left eye. Sharp's 3-D technology doesn't require them because the displays are designed to shoot different images to each eye.

The technology may be applied to TVs in the future, said Executive Managing Officer Yoshisuke Hasegawa. But he acknowledged it now works better when the distance between the viewer and the screen is fixed.

The smaller displays, shown Friday, are intended for mobile devices such as cell phones, game machines and digital cameras.

The 3-D animation on the handheld screen looked like a miniature version of the 3-D animation we are used to seeing on larger TV screens, though images were less convincing than those seen in a darkened cinema.

Photos on the touch screen were less clear and even a bit blurry from certain angles, though Sharp said its latest technology does away with such "ghosting" effects.

Still, the system promises gaming and technology fans the potential for pop-up e-mail messages and taking 3-D photos of friends.

The technology is likely to show up in the next DSi portable game machine, which Nintendo Co. says will be 3-D. Sharp refused to confirm the names of companies it was supplying.

Sharp expects 3-D to replace two-dimensional displays the same way color replaced black-and-white in movies and television.

"The arrival of mobile 3-D is just around the corner," Hasegawa told reporters.

Sharp tried to sell 3-D products in the past but failed, largely because of poor image quality. This time, the Osaka-based company has made breakthroughs for displays that are twice as bright and clear as existing 3-D displays.

The displays can continue to show 3-D images when they are turned to the side, a key feature for smartphones, according to Sharp. Mass production of the 3-D LCDs is set to start in the first half of fiscal 2010, which began April 1, it said.

©2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

3-D Can Be Explained [infographic]

Via: Online Schools.org

Panasonic Full HD 3D at Best Buy

From: http://www.bestbuy.com/

Panasonic Full HD 3D: An All-New Viewing Experience Imagine a sense of depth so realistic, you feel like you're being pulled into the scene. Imagine textures so natural-looking, you can almost touch them. It's all possible with Panasonic's new full HD 3D-ready HDTV, Blu-ray player and 3D Eyewear, now available for purchase in Best Buy stores (not currently available online). The new 50" class VIERA 1080p 3D-ready HDTV offers unique panel technology that brings a breathtaking level of beauty to both 3D content and the 2D content you currently enjoy. The 600Hz refresh rate delivers an ultra-smooth display of sports and action, while Internet connectivity means you can have instant access to movies, music, news and much more. The Panasonic full HD 3D experience includes: Panasonic 3D-ready HDTV Panasonic 3D Eyewear Panasonic 3D-ready Blu-ray player High-speed HDMI cable(s) A/V receiver with HDMI 3D pass-through technology (One pair of Eyewear is included with the Panasonic 3D-ready HDTV. Other products sold separately.) 3D content will be somewhat limited initially, but the number of 3D Blu-ray movies and TV channels will continue to grow in the coming years. This summer, for example, ESPN will be launching a dedicated 3D channel and featuring a minimum of 85 events within the first year. DIRECTV, in partnership with Panasonic, will be offering multiple 3D channels this summer (most likely a pay-per-view channel, an on-demand channel and a demo channel featuring sports, music and other content). If you'd like to see 3D in person, over 250 Best Buy stores will have Panasonic 3D experiences starting March 21. We recommend calling your local store(s) to see if they'll have a Panasonic display. Read about the upcoming 3D content schedule and get full details on 3D technology in our article 3D is Coming Home. You can also visit the Panasonic 3D experience at www.panasonic.com/3d. Panasonic VIERA 1080p 3D-ready Plasma HDTV High native contrast ratio enables deep, rich black color for both 3D and 2D content. Enhanced black gradation means that even in darkened scenes, fine textures are clearly reproduced. 600Hz technology lets you view superb full-HD motion and still images with 1,080 lines of resolution. New panel technology means dramatically increased contrast in brightly lit locations. Self-illuminating plasma technology allows images to look beautiful from any angle. Internet connectivity allows access to VIERA CAST online content, including Netflix (subscription required), Pandora, Twitter and much more. Make voice and video calls over Skype (mic/webcam required). SD card slot lets you view photos and videos stored on SD memory cards. Panasonic 3D-readyBlu-ray Player Plays 3D Blu-ray Discs in 1080p on a 3D-ready HDTV Plays standard Blu-ray Discs and DVDs with superb picture resolution on any HDTV Connects to the Internet for instant content from Netflix (subscription required), Pandora, Twitter and much more Can connect wirelessly to the Internet using built-in Wi-Fi (USB dongle required) Includes 2 HDMI outputs, SD card slot, Ethernet port and USB port Panasonic 3D Eyewear Frame can be easily adjusted to fit a wide range of faces Durable hinges can withstand repeated opening and closing Eyewear turns off after 5 minutes outside of TV range Eyewear can be worn over ordinary prescription glasses Eyewear case included Panasonic Videos Inside the Panasonic 3D Truck Tour Audience Reactions (1) Audience Reactions (2) Full HD 3D Explained 2010 Panasonic Touch the Future Tour Between March 15–April 17, the tour will visit popular venues in 15 U.S. cities and present demos of new Panasonic products, including an amazing 3D home theater experience. See the tour schedule ›

CBS Sports Will Telecast Men's Basketball Final Four Games in 3D

By Chris Littmann

By Eric Fisher, Staff Writer
SportsBusiness Journal

CBS Sports will show the semifinals and championship game of the NCAA men's basketball tournament in 3D, marking the network's first foray into 3D TV and the latest high-profile sports event to be shown in the enhanced format. The network has struck a deal with Cinedigm Digital Cinema Corp. to show the Final Four games in 100 movie theaters nationwide, with pricing yet to be established. CBS additionally selected Pace, whose 3D involvement includes work with the NBA and the record-setting Hollywood epic "Avatar," to aid with the production, with the choice based significantly on the firm's prior background with shooting basketball in 3D. "This is another experiment. We're looking to learn as much as we can," said CBS Sports Senior VP/Operations & Production Ken Aagaard. Aagaard added the 3D production is a likely forerunner for future such efforts by the network in football.

CBS, meanwhile, has signed Capital One as the third presenting sponsor of March Madness on Demand, adding to AT&T and Coca-Cola. Capital One also recently signed with the NCAA as the newest corporate champion sponsor, joining AT&T and Coca-Cola. The network continues to project that MMOD advertising sales will finish well north of last year's $30M, though executives declined to disclose specifics.

Posted In: College Basketball

ESPN's 3-D TV push will begin with college football - Andy Staples - SI.com

3D cameras like the one used to shoot the 2009 USC-Ohio State game feature two lenses, each of which stands in for a human eye.

Courtesy of ESPN/Jeff Mill

s

Read More here: ESPN's 3-D TV push will begin with college football - Andy Staples - SI.com

How Regular Movies Are Converted To 3D

Now that Avatar is officially the highest grossing movie of all time, it's inevitable that studios will continue to push 3D as the new frontier of cinema. But actually filming in 3D is prohibitively expensive. Here's how they fake it.

Not many directors share James Cameron's obsession with three dimensional authenticity, and not many films have the budgets to support the directors who do. Filming in 3D requires the use of two cameras, barely offset, capturing all the action in tandem. The technology involved, and the people who know how to use it, come with a high price tag (to the tune of seven figures). So most of the 3D movies that will be coming out of Hollywood in coming months, including the two new Harry Potter films as well as Tim Burton's Alice in Wonderland, create the effect in post-production.

Here's the gist of it: graphic artists separate shots out into layers of depth, which can number anywhere from two layers for shots with simple shots to eight for shots with more complex compositions. Then, the objects in each layer are carefully traced, creating a topographical map of the scene. Here, the computer steps in, simulating the second camera's perspective by generating another, slightly offset image. The images in the layers closest to the viewer are offset the most, creating the illusion of things popping off the screen, while the background is only offset slightly.

The more complicated the shot, the more work must be done by hand. With Tim Burton's detailed worlds, you can bet that a whole team of artists were doing a whole lot of tracing. To read about the process in more detail, head over to Slate. [Slate's Explainer]

Send an email to Kyle VanHemert, the author of this post, at kvanhemert@gizmodo.com.

Toshiba Announces 3D HDTV with Video Conferencing and More

01.06.10

Toshiba announces a 3D HDTV that packs an 8-core processor, video conferencing, 3D video, access to Vudu, Netflix, CinemaNow and more!

by PJ Jacobowitz

From: http://www.pcmag.com/

LAS VEGAS—Toshiba held a press conference on Wednesday morning to announce new HDTV's and Blu-ray players. The focus of the conference was to introduce the Toshiba KIRA2, a LED HDTV that will offer everything but the kitchen sink: video conferencing, 3D video, media sharing over a home network and access to popular internet sites and Video-On-Demand content such as Vudu, CinemaNow, Netflix and Facebook.
The real magic of the KIRA2 is the box that is attached to it: it's a computer called the Cell Set-Top Box, incorporating the Cell microprocessor that Toshiba helped develop. The KIRA2 HDTV and Cell Set-Top Box will be sold together as the first in a new product line called the CELL TV Series.
The CELL Set-Top Box is powered by the CELL Broadband Engine, which Toshiba claims is 10 times faster than the average desktop computer. The platform includes 8 processors, each clocked at 3.2 GHz, which makes it output 200 GFLOPS (floating point operations per second.)
Also inside the CELL Set-Top Box is a 1 TB hard drive, 802.11n Wi-Fi with support for DLNA and Wireless HD for connecting the set-top box to the KIRA2 HDTV without any A/V cables. With the incredible processing power of the CELL Broadband Engine, the KIRA2 will be able to offer the following features:

• Real-time conversion of 2D video to 3D video: Anything can be watched in 3D.
  
  
• Advanced upscaing of standard-definition video: The set can improve the quality of non-high-definition content and convert it to high-definition with minimal images noise and maximum clarity.
  
  
• Convert any convent video to 480-Hz: The set will produce smoother motion by displaying any video at 480 scenes per second (480Hz)
  
  
• Automatically Calibrate HDTV Image: The KIRA2's color sensor will detect the amount of light in the room as well as the color temperature of the light in the room and automatically adjust the set's brightness, contrast, gamma, sharpness and color saturations to provide the best image for the type of room it is in.
  
  
• Video Conferencing: The HDTV will include a video camera, microphone and software to video chat over the internet with compatible video conferencing platforms. All video calls received will be treated to the Cell's upscaling techniques.
  
  
• Access to Cell TV: This will be a collection of internet content including Netflix, Vudu, CinemaNow, Pandora and more.
  
  
• Accessible on your home network: Computers can copy and/or retrieve any media stored on the CELL Set-Top Box.

Pricing and availability was not announced. Check back at PCMag.com for a full review, when we receive a unit in for testing. For more information on the KIRA2, CELL Set-Top Box and CELL TV, visit Toshiba.com.

Will Sports Fans Watch Games on ESPN in 3-D?

By Sean Gregory

From: http://www.time.com/

Ken Reid / Workbook Stock / Getty

Grab your glasses, plop down on your couch, and watch the soccer ball fly out of your screen: ESPN is going 3-D. On Tuesday the popular sports network announced that it is launching the first-ever 3-D television channel. (Discovery Communications, Sony and IMAX also outlined plans to launch a 24/7 3-D television network in 2011.) For the channel's first year, ESPN, which is owned by Disney, has pledged to show at least 85 sporting events in 3-D, starting with the South Africa–Mexico World Cup match on June 11. The network also plans to broadcast additional World Cup matches, the Summer X Games and college basketball and football games in 3-D. At this point, ESPN is committing to the network for one year. "As we surveyed the landscape of the marketplace over the past four or five months, it became apparent to us that there was going to be this virtual tsunami of 3-D television sets hitting the marketplace," says Sean Bratches, ESPN's executive president for sales and marketing, who has played a major role in the network's 3-D initiative. "There's probably no better genre than sports for 3-D." (See the top 10 TV series of 2009.)
Over the past few years, when you asked any tech geek who works in sports about the future, you'd hear a familiar refrain: 3-D, 3-D, 3-D. Now, it appears the extra dimension is finally here. Analysts expect a slew of 3-D-related products to be released at the Consumer Electronics Show, which starts Jan. 7. ESPN has already experimented with 3-D production — the network showed the September USC–Ohio State football game in 3-D in select movie theaters.
What will the network look like? ESPN 3-D will have its designated space on the dial. However, when a live 3-D event is not playing, which will be most of the time for now, the channel will be dark. You'll need to buy a 3-D-capable television set, get a set-top box from your cable or satellite provider and, yes, grab a pair of glasses. "There will be varying degrees of glasses," says Bratches. "You can buy glasses for 50 cents that look like you're sitting next to Jake and Elwood Blues, or you can buy a very high-end designer pair. They all do very different things." Be careful: certain glasses only work with certain 3-D sets, so grill the guy at Best Buy. (Watch a video about how 3-D movies are made.)
According to Bratches, the in-home 3-D experience will take you dangerously close to the action. "When we did the USC–Ohio State game, one of the most interesting things we saw was when they ran a play to the side of the field where the 3-D cameras were," he says. "The people in the front row [of the theater] literally stood up. They thought they were going to get hit." Sports broadcasts in 3-D will require additional cameras at different angles from those in the 2-D production. "The camera at the center court line, 47 rows up, looking at the basketball game going back and forth doesn't provide a lot of value," Bratches says. For basketball games, you'll want to see a 3-D camera behind the basket: Duck, here comes Kobe flying at me. ESPN even plans to use different announcers for the 3-D broadcasts, so that they can emphasize the unique angles.
Though ESPN is still Disney's cash cow, the 3-D channel will carry significant risks. In addition to added production costs, there's a more crucial issue facing ESPN: whether people are ready to fork over big bucks to upgrade their television sets, just for a few good games. Yes, consumers can expect more 3-D content to be rolled out over the next few months. But will there be enough to justify what could be a $4,000 purchase, in a sticky economy, by the time ESPN 3-D launches? Plus, will the consumers who have already dropped a few thousand bucks on an HD set in recent years be ready to upgrade again so soon? (See questions and answers about retirement.)
Bratches says he heard the same skeptical questions when ESPN first entered the HD game. "If you look back at the HD experience, we had a similar amount of content that we're offering now in 3-D," he says. "But viewers saw the future, bought into the vision and invested, and now the deployment of HD sets is significant. We feel very good about where we are." And come June, ESPN will show sports fans where they are going. Look out for the flying soccer balls

First 3D Television Channel to Launch in the U.S. in 2010

By: Barb Dybwad
From: http://mashable.com/

It certainly looks like 2010 is shaping up to be the year during which 3D finally moves from the realm of novelty into both mainstream film and TV. Satellite cable provider DirecTV has a new satellite in the air, and according to HD Guru, one of the 200 new HD stations to be broadcast from it includes the first U.S. HDTV channel in 3D.

There are still some technical hurdles to clear before you’re watching zany sitcom antics flying toward you, but the trend is clear. The satellite begins full operation in March, and existing DirecTV set-top boxes will simply need a firmware upgrade to support the 3D programming. Unfortunately, you’ll still need to pick up a 3D-capable HDTV to play it back, and that’s where the market lag will play a role in determining how fast 3D will penetrate.

Although 3D content has a long history stretching all the way back to 1922 — when the first public 3D movie was displayed — a number of optics and display challenges, as well as market realities, relegated 3D to a periodic novelty for decades. With the vast majority of the technical hurdles now solved and 3D displays making steady inroads at seminal trade shows like CES over the past couple of years, 2010 is poised to be 3D’s breakout year. The emergence of a string of blockbusters like Avatar, Alice in Wonderland and more rounds out 3D’s emergence — or re-emergence — on the big screen. Soon, consumers will come to expect the same experience in their home theater as well.

Sony, Samsung, Mitsubishi, LG and other manufacturers will be showing off 3D displays at CES 2010 next week. They’ll be hoping the stars will align properly to make 2010 3D’s breakout year, and DirectTV’s news is a timely piece of that puzzle. Are you excited about 3D’s inroads to the home, or is your pocketbook still weary from the last cycle of high definition upgrades?

HDI's 100-inch, laser-driven 3D HDTV gets $10k to $15k price tag

By Darren Murph
From: http://www.engadget.com/

Thought Mitsubishi's LaserVue set was pricey? Hah. HDI, the California startup with dreams of producing a 100-inch 3D HDTV that's driven by lasers, has just released the first hint of a price range, and as predicted, it ain't cheap. The set -- which has already been deemed a favorite by The Woz -- has reportedly had its first batch manufactured over in China, and we're told that a smattering of 'em should be available by May. If all goes well, the HDTV should be in full-scale production mode by Christmas of next year, and we've learned that the whole thing will measure around 10-inches thick. Amazingly, it'll also go relatively easy on the power meter, but the $10,000 to $15,000 price estimate is bound to shock some. Of course, Panasonic's own 103-inch 3D HDTV is currently pegged at around $75,000, so when you think of it from that perspective, HDI's offering is a bona fide bargain. And totally worth liquidating your future kid's college fund for.

3D-Display-Info San Jose Business Journal