It was a little over a half of century since some sort of 3D was introduced to the masses, the most popular medium being on the big screen, in what the old fogies used to call, motion pictures. After fading away for some time, due to the costly hardware needed to produce such illusions of depth perception, 3D was back on top in the 80’s and 90’s, driven by Disney movies and better equipped high-end movie theaters. Well, a decade later, 3D seems to be making its way back again to the forefront, not only in theaters this time, but in everyday gadgets. Here are four devices that will be “enhancing” your daily routines in no time. So get ready for the future, again.
Nintendo 3DS
So last week, Nintendo released their third generation portable gaming device, the 3Ds. This hot new system is described as the first video game platform ever to feature 3D graphics without the use of special glasses, which I would have to say is pretty amazing. The system includes two screens as usual, but with one being used totally for 3D. The 3Ds also introduces a built-in 3D Depth Slider, allowing gamers to immediately adjust the intensity of the 3D settings to their liking. Nonetheless, the 3Ds will run you around $250 bucks, kind of steep for such a small device. However, once you experience the graphics and its one of a kind capabilities, it will be well worth the greenbacks. You can get your hands on this little number at any electronic retailer. Enjoy.
3D Television
After gaming in 3D, you might want to watch some TV in 3D. With 3D TVs, you have many more options to choose from when it comes to selecting a certain brand, screen size, and type. The brands include Samsung, LG, Sony, Panasonic, Mitsubishi, and Sharp and the screen sizes range from 30” to 82”. Judging from my own research, I would most likely go with a Samsung version. They seem to be more on the cutting edge with the inclusion of apps like Facebook and Pandora, and also having over 40 different 3D-ready TVs currently available on the market. The only downside to having such an advanced product like a 3D TV, is obtaining all of the necessary accessories to make the TV actually work. To even get started, you will need a 3D-enabled Blu-ray disc player, a HD-cable, or HD-satellite box, 3D content to view, and 3D glasses to view the content. So without even giving any prices, one can imagine the kind of dent this sophisticated tube will do to your wallet. So if you have an extra couple 1000 bucks lying around, you might want to get a 3D TV and watch your favorite sports team in three dimensions. If not, check them out at your nearest Best Buy.
Kodak 3D Printer
Viewing 3D images through some type of display, whether it’s watching TV, movies, or now playing video games, is something expected, right? But what about printing in 3D? I know it sounds crazy; nevertheless, that’s exactly what Kodak is set out to accomplish. Kodak will be the first consumer inkjet printer manufacturer to ship a 3D photo creation and printing experience so that Kodak print owners can easily create 3D photos. According to Kodak, you will not need any special equipment and it will be very affordable for the public. To create a 3D photo, you will only need to take a photo of any subject with any digital camera, then shift the camera to the right, about 3 inches and take another picture. Upload the pictures to your PC and the Kodak AiO Printer Home Center software combines the two photos into one 3D anaglyph image. You can use Kodak’s red and cyan 3D glasses (pictured above) to view the anaglyph images in 3D. Now how cool is that?
JVC HD 3D Camcorder
The last 3D gadget puts you right in the driver seat. No more waiting for others to produce something for you to watch, play, or interact with in 3D. You now can create your own works of art with the JVC Full HD 3D Consumer Camcorder. JVC has developed and released this past March, the world’s first consumer camcorder to offer 3D recording in Full HD. This is thanks to a new JVC-developed high-speed processor that can produce two simultaneous Full HD images. This camcorder is a ridiculous concept, and with that comes a hefty price tag of $1,700. And with that said, I will most likely be using this device, pretty much exclusively in the store. Nonetheless, I am definitely waiting to see the creative affect this camcorder will have on future media.
