Kowon's new MSP-209 video glasses -- is the future here yet?

Ever since we were wee little bloggers we've longed for the days of video glasses, but nothing so far has been quite ergonomic enough, enjoyable enough, or non-nauseating enough to actually justify a purchase or warrant regular use. We can't say Kowon's new MSP-209 video glasses will solve any of those problems, but the $200 price ain't bad, and they claim the unit's micro LCDs are the smallest and lightest available. The whole unit weighs a mere two ounces, and displays video at QVGA, perfect for showing the phone DMB broadcasts that Kowon is targeting the device for. Supposedly the MSP-209 simulates a 32-inch TV at around 7 feet away and can run on its lithium polymer batter for around 8 hours between recharging. The display should be available in Korea next week, with Europe, Japan and China releases coming sometime next month. No word on a US release (surpise, surprise), but Kowon does mention that a VGA version should follow later this year.

[Via Mobile Mentalism]

[ScreamingLamb @ May 11th 2006 12:06AM]

It's a concept that's been yearned for a long time... but I can't imagine having a screen like that so close to your eyes being very good for them.

Also, is Kowon seperate from the Korean company Cowon, or is it just mispelled throughout the whole article and headline?

[Diane Ensey @ May 11th 2006 12:09AM]

I'm also thinking that having the LEDs that close to the eyes can't be good. Maybe they've taken that into account somehow?

Also - I'm thinking you'd look something like Cyclops from X-Men wearing those!

[Merkur @ May 11th 2006 2:08AM]

#4 You are a monkey !!!

[enseigner @ May 11th 2006 2:12AM]

wow... how did this turn into a ps3 vs. 360 thread already? sad... cool specs though- if they can guarantee they wouldn't screw up my vision i'd buy 'em.

[Claudiu Spulber @ May 11th 2006 2:37AM]

We'll be a nation of deaf and blind people in the near future. iPods take care of your ears, the new video glasses will take care of our eyes. But this is cool though, a good way to relax when traveling a lot.

[EdZ @ May 11th 2006 2:49AM]

Kowon? I wonder why they're trying to rip of Cowon's name?

[HotBlood RYU @ May 11th 2006 3:47AM]

When I saw this article, I guess writer missed the spelling.
But, I searched this product.
The writer is correct.
Kowon is different with Cowon.
http://www.mspecs.com/

[Cliff @ May 11th 2006 8:59AM]

I need to find some of that lithium polymer batter. Might be able to use it for something. :)

[Matt @ May 11th 2006 9:05AM]

Geordi's are cooler.

[Aaron @ May 11th 2006 9:14AM]

Olympus tried this concept 10 years ago (and it was quickly discontinued) and it had better specs than this back then. It was called the Eye-Trek FMD 700. The price of this thing is about 1/3 of the Olympus though.

[Brian from Texas @ May 11th 2006 10:12AM]

Kowon, Cowon, when I first read it I thought it said Conan as in the Barbarian.


Way to go working your PS3 plug into the discussion.

I'd love to get some 3D googles that plug into a vibrating chair on hydraulics. With surround sound. The greatest home theater ever. Have a stadium of them. Comes free with a roller coaster movie.

[tony collins @ May 11th 2006 10:28AM]

i think that this would be a great thing for air plans you know being able to see something better then on a 4in screen, not only that but when doing something out in the world most people on an airplane likes to look at what the person with the laptop is doing and this is a way to get your biz to your self.

#4 and any other console fanboys
i hope you have fun with your 128bit gfx.
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=31631
this is why crytec hates consoles and the game Crysis wont be on a console any time soon.

[martin @ May 11th 2006 10:56AM]

DMB ? I wander if there are any DMB CF cards to plug into dell 51v or hx4700 pda's

[Lord Sludge @ May 11th 2006 11:26AM]

Can't tell whether these are stereoscopic or not -- needed for 3D. And it doesn't look like they have any head-motion tracking (gyro or otherwise).

Still waiting for my VR gaming goggles, sigh...

[Don @ May 11th 2006 11:57AM]

#14

Lol, the inquirer. They get more stupid by the day.

[mathew @ May 11th 2006 12:52PM]

320x240 resolution. That's VHS quality. Imagine what it'll look like at the equivalent of 32" 6' away. Ugly.

[Garth Braithwaite @ May 11th 2006 3:00PM]

all that's needed now is something to hold your eyelids open and this is your perfect torture accessory

[Lionel @ May 11th 2006 3:38PM]

This is still better than Nintendo's Virtua Boy attempt.

[tekdemon @ May 12th 2006 2:34AM]

There's already about a bazillion companies that make headsets...and so far nobody's managed to take the market by storm.
This website has a HUGE frickin' list of the HMDs out there...with resolution and everything.
http://www.stereo3d.com/hmd.htm

[K Whittington @ May 12th 2006 1:23PM]

Why is it nobody remembers the company I/O Systems? They had the IOglasses back in the mid-early 90's. They had several models. Ones for just TV, ones for 3D TV, ones that plugged into a PC, ones for stereoscopic 3D on a PC, and even had a head-tracking kit. I remember playing with them in Fry's Electronics as a teen. Granted they were a bit larger, and just as fugly, and cost a tad bit more than these do for the high end models. With today's electronics they could have made them smaller and deal with higher resolutions quite easily.

Where, pray tell, is the innovation in this?

[clayjar @ May 15th 2008 8:41PM]

With the introduction of earphones and iPods, we now have a generation of people with hearing problems, but with the popularity of this kind of product, we will surely have a generation of people with bad eyesights, albeit we already do, but it'll be many times worse!

[smalldeer @ Jul 30th 2008 2:12PM]

As everything in life, if you have it under control, you can enjoy it and not suffer from undesired consequences. I bought a pair in relaxview (www.relaxview.eu) and the quality is very good. I think they dropped their prices as well.
Good luck