3dGoggles
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Epson Moverio BT-100 3D goggles now shipping in the U.S. for $699
Any Americans out there wanna buy a wacky head-mounted 3D display? Then Epson's Moverio BT-100 micro-projection headset ought to be right at the top of the your not-so-long list of options. It's just started shipping in the States for $699, including its Android-powered trackpad controller that streams and navigates content on the perceived '80-inch' transparent viewing window. You could even pair the Moverio with a Parrot AR.Drone and discover what it feels like to be an Apache pilot strafing your neighbor's rabbit.
Sensics head-tracking 3D Smart goggles hands-on (video)
When we first caught wind of Sensic's head-tracking 3D Smart goggles a few days ago, we couldn't help but think of it as a Sony HMZ-T1 on Android-flavored steroids. We've just spent some time with the prototype here on the show floor playing a virtual demo that had us smashing buildings in a virtual world -- notably running entirely on the headset, thanks (in part) to its 1.2GHZ dual-core CPU. If you can't tell from the picture, the headset is absolutely massive. In-hand it's quiet hefty, but once it engulfed our noggin, we found that it was actually quiet well-balanced and comfortable, to the point that we almost forget that it was on our head -- almost. Notably, this proto is a "one size fits all" type deal rght now, so we did have to wrap a circle-scarf around our head to keep its 1280 x 1024 screens within our eyes view. Thankfully, our horn-rimmed glasses did fit inside with no issue.So, what's it like? An array of cameras on it's face scan the environment to react to your heads position and any movement you make. We were able to spin, tilt, walk around and even jump, with the virtual world on screen following suite -- all while looking like a confused and lost puppy to anyone passing by. We're told video refreshes at 60hz, but sadly, we were faced with stuttery visuals in our use. The unit is also capable of tracking hand movements, but we can't say we were able to make use of the privilege -- instead, a controller made up for the interim. Considering that Sensic's head-tracking 3D goggles do all of the above in a completely self-contained fashion, we can't help but think that there's lots of potential for the tech. The question remains, however, as to whether the experience and the hardware can be smoothed to bring the Minority Report-style of AR closer to a retail reality. Head on past the break for a video of us trying out Sensic's headset for ourselves-- trust us, you're in for a treat.
Sensics Natalia head-tracking 3D goggles work alone or with PCs, consoles and phones
Well, it looks like Sensics is going to give Sony some competition in the high-end, head-mounted display arena with a new 3D head-mounted display. Like the HMZ-T1, Sensics' Natalia headset has dual OLED screens and can connect to consoles, PCs, or phones to let you see your favorite movies and games in 3D. Unlike the Sony, Natalia sports higher-res 1280 x 1024 screens, and isn't simply a display: it has a 1.2GHZ dual-core CPU and 1GB of memory, an SD card slot, WiFi, Bluetooth, and runs Android 4.0. That means that it can be used as a standalone device, and the company's libSensics app programming interface gives devs the tools needed to create software for the new platform. Oh, and did we mention that Sensics' headset does 360-degree head tracking, and can track your hands to allow for immersive AR user experiences (think Minority Report). The final feather in her cap? Though Natalia can run on DC power, she also has hot-swappable batteries so you aren't tethered to an outlet. Sensics isn't telling how much this nifty bit of kit will cost, but the company's aiming for a late 2012 release and will be showing the headset off at CES next week -- where we'll be getting hands on with it and will let you know how well (and if) it works.
Hasbro making 3D goggles for iPhone
The whole 3D movement may now have officially jumped the shark with the introduction of the My3D from Hasbro. The idea of sitting in front of the living room TV and wearing a pair of goofy glasses in order to see an artificial reproduction of the real world is bad enough, but we really can't see many people going for My3D. Think of the US$30 My3D as a 21st century answer to the old View-Masters that many of us had as kids. Instead of slipping a disc with seven pairs of color transparencies into a slot, the My3D has a slot that can hold an iPhone or iPod touch. Viewing content in 3D will require custom content available through apps that you buy on the App Store. It's not clear if the 3D content will take the form of View-Master-style side-by-side stereoscopic images or more modern digital 3D with polarized lenses in the device. Given the relatively low cost, it's probably the former. The Hasbro My3D is currently set to go on sale next spring with content available from DreamWorks, Discovery, Sony, and IMAX among others.
Acer's 3D-equipped Aspire 5738DG laptop gets official, examined
Acer's done plenty of boasting about its very first 3D laptop, the Aspire 5738DG, but it's just now gotten completely official, and let a few lucky folks get their hands on it. As you might expect, PC Magazine found the 3D part of the laptop to be something of a gimmick, although not entirely unimpressive. More specifically, while attempts at gaming or viewing standard video converted to 3D were apparently quite a letdown, the included TriDef software did reportedly do a pretty impressive job with photos, and the special 3D layer on top of the screen thankfully doesn't cause any nasty side effects when you're not using the 3D glasses. Otherwise, the laptop is expectedly just your basic mid-range Aspire: inexpensive (just $779 even with the 3D glasses), and capable enough for most folks not looking for a screaming gaming rig (2.2GHz Core 2 Duo, 4GB of RAM, and ATI Radeon HD 4570 graphics).Read - SlashGear, "Acer gets official with Aspire 5738DG 3D notebook"Read - PC Magazine, "Hands On with Acer's 3D Laptop"
