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Three for 3D: ESPN 3D adds Home Run Derby, Sky 3D launches 4/3, AcTVila makes the jump this summer
Three continents, three more milestone announcements for 3D. First up is Sky TV, which, with or without 15,000 or so flat screens from LG, is officially launching its Sky 3D channel around the Man. U/Chelsea game on April 3. Already have a 3DTV and Sky's "top channels and HD pack?" Call the company with details for activation, while everyone else checks to see if their local pub is among the thousand plus already signed up to receive the six live 3D matches slated for this season (plus the Coca Cola league playoff finals) and demo reel for all non-footy hours of the day. Bringing the focus back home, ESPN 3D has scheduled the first event it will produce and air itself, the MLB Home Run Derby on July 12, a day after launching with the SA/Mexico World Cup game. Other events officially on deck (the plan for the first year is still about 85) include several college basketball tournaments and the ACC Championship football game in December. Last but not least is Japan, already home to at least one 3D network, which will soon have access to even more over the cross-manufacturer AcTVila video on-demand service. Clearly, the only logical thing to do is to keep that "3D will never take off" comment macro keyed up, it will be getting a lot of use over the next few months.
LG no longer selling 15,000 3DTVs to Sky TV, Britons breathe a sigh of indifference
Why is this man so down? Is it the crooked hat? Or the long hours spent with the same flat expression on his face? No, the fact of the matter is that Sky's plan to outfit pubs the breadth and width of the island nation with 3D televisions has fallen flat. Yesterday LG announced that the satellite provider had purchased some 15,000 sets with the hope of hooking folks on the technology before launching its in-home service later in the year, but now the company's pulling back, instead saying that deal involves the channel selling pubs 3DTVs through a third party. And we're sure that pub owners are going to jump at the chance to buy expensive new displays and scores of 3D glasses so customers can drop them in pitchers and / or break them while playing darts or whatever goes on over there in the land of Pete Doherty and excessive surveillance. LG's statement is after the break.
Sky TV buys 15,000 3DTVs from LG for live sports broadcasts in public venues
LG is today proudly boasting that it has sealed the biggest sale of 3D television sets so far, thanks to its partnership with UK broadcaster BSkyB. Following a surprisingly successful trial run of broadcasting the Arsenal versus Man United match in 3D this January, Sky clearly sees its future through polarizing glasses and has ordered up the big batch of tubes so that it can provide weekly 3D broadcasts of Premier League games. The plan is for a rapid rollout this spring -- which is right about now -- meaning that your local pub should be getting all glitzed up just in time for the end of season excitement. It remains to be seen whether Brits will swarm to the new tech or lose interest once the novelty wears off, but judging from the size of this investment, it would seem the bigwigs in charge of our entertainment are already convinced that 3D will be a win.
3D TV coming to British pubs this weekend, can expect chilly reception
Imagine, if you will, the quintessential British pub. A pair of elderly chaps sitting in the quiet corner discussing their best Spitfire manoeuvers, the teenage whippersnapper putting on a mature voice and trying to buy alcohol at the bar, and the inevitable legion of sports fans setting up for their weekly life or death football match. Now put 3D glasses on 'em -- doesn't work, does it? Sky TV is hoping its launch of 3D content around UK drinking establishments will be a runaway success, whereas we're just hoping those glasses aren't too hard to clean up after being inevitably discarded with disdain. Nine pubs will be broadcasting the Arsenal versus Manchester United match in 3D this Sunday, with a full rollout in April.
Japanese hardware sales, 4 September - 10 September: Thick Irish accent edition
So, weh here a' the Fanboy decided ta' switch nationalities for a Wii bit. (I could na' resist the pun!) It seems that o'er in Japan, the DS Lite has taken a bit of ah slide. The only explanation weh can offer is that a giant shipment ah Guinness draft arrived a' the pubs, and people were just too busy drinkin' to spend money on such a fine system. The PSP sales, o' course, went up, as people needed more fancy coasters to set their drinks upon. - DS Lite: 113,831 115,108 (50.28%) - PSP: 29,141 1,642 (5.97%) - PS2: 19,882 2,821 (12.43%) - GBA SP: 2,104 647 (23.52%) - Game Boy Micro: 1,801 10 (0.56%) - Xbox 360: 1,094 156 (12.48%) - DS Phat: 1,058 738 (230.63%) - Gamecube: 696 159 (18.60%) - GBA: 13 9 (40.91%) - Xbox: 5 5 (infinite%) - Wii: 0 0 (0%) Fellow blogger Ludwig, over a' Joystiq, decided ta' include the Wii in the sales charts for this one week, and since weh pretty much try ta' emulate his every whimsical notion are the Wii Fanboy, after oll, weh decided ta' do so as well.[Source: Media Create]
