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Sony, Panasonic, Samsung team up for 3D supergroup
Normally when the giants of the entertainment industry team up, it's to record "We Are The World"-- but not this time. Sony, Panasonic, X6D and Samsung are forming a supergroup that makes the Traveling Wilburys seem small-time. They're forming the "Full HD 3D Glasses initiative," a project to standardize 3D glasses. Currently, we have wholly incompatible active-shutter models based on different technologies, which the consortium wants to replace with a unified standard that will let you use the same pair of spectacles on any display or at any theater that uses the Xpand 3D standard. The doors open on the joint testing center later this month, which will check and approve products to the program, gaining the logo you see before you as a badge of honor.
Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and XpanD finally team up for an active 3D glasses standard
The lack of a universal standard for active shutter 3D glasses became painfully clear during our 3D TV shootout last year, and gave plenty of reasons for buyers to skip the pricey specs altogether. Nine months later we see that LG has jumped onto passive 3D and CEA is playing catch up on the IR glasses problem, but many of the new HDTVs for 2011 are using Bluetooth technology to keep their glasses in sync -- again without any promise of cross-manufacturer compatibility. A day late and a few dollars short, Panasonic, Sony, Samsung and universal glasses maker XpanD are announcing the "Full HD Glasses Initiative" which should lay down a standard for consumer active shutter glasses to communicate over Bluetooth or IR. The new glasses should be backwards compatible with this year's TVs, although early adopters from 2010 have no such guarantee. The press release (included after the break) indicates we can expect the new models to arrive in 2012, assuming they haven't lost more ground to the FPR army and can still convince buyers to even look at 3D by then.
Panasonic, Xpand team up on M-3DI standard for active shutter glasses at home and in theaters
Last year's problem was a complete lack of standards on active shutter 3D glasses but now we might have too many, as Panasonic and Xpand have joined forces with several other companies to push M-3DI as a single spec for TVs, computers and theaters. Initial plans for the spec cover only IR sync, with the RF Bluetooth technology included on many 2011 3DTV models (Samsung and Sony are notably missing from the list of participants) to "be considered" for the next step. We'll wait to see some cooperation between this alignment (full list of supporters in the press release after the break) RealD and the CEA's 3D Technologies Working Group -- which, probably not coincidentally is expecting proposals by the end of this month -- before believing the current 3D glasses mess will be resolved.
XpanD Youniversal 3D glasses hand & face on
We weren't able to check out the customization features of XpanD's latest active shutter LCD 3D glasses, but we did get to try them on at their booth for a moment. They're markedly lighter than the company's other 3D specs and the side pods for the battery and settings storage seem to do a decent job of blocking light from the sides. We'll need to sit down for a few rounds of NBA 2K11 3D or Resident Evil: Afterlife to know how they hold up in real life but in the meantime check out the pics in the gallery. %Gallery-113549%
XpanD shows off customizable 'You'niversal 3D glasses, iPhone app
XpanD has already helped push 3D at home forward with glasses that worked with 3DTVs from all manufacturers, and not it appears the next step will be 3D glasses design to adjust to all people. Besides being lighter and having a new design, the Youniversal glasses it's releasing in 2011 feature Bluetooth or USB connectivity to iPhone or Android devices that allow their performance to be calibrated to any particular user's specifications. We didn't get a chance to test them out at the press event, but as you can see in the gallery, things like transition time can be adjusted to improve brightness or reduce ghosting. No word on price yet but the company expects these to be at the high end of the market compared to its current $129 X103s when they arrive in April. Oh, and if you're jumping on the passive glasses bandwagon like its old pal Vizio? There were some harsh words for the technology there, claiming it made broadcast 3D look SD with its loss of resolution, viewing angles and reduced quality on 2D HD content. %Gallery-112694%
XpanD universal 3D glasses now available for pre-order
The lack of inter-brand compatibility is a major annoyance with current 3D glasses -- not to mention stands in direct opposition to our fashionable couch potato aesthetic. Luckily, XpanD's universal 3D glasses are finally available for pre-order on Amazon, even though there's no word on ship dates. They are however currently priced at $108, which is slightly less than the $125-$150 range quoted by XpanD's Chief Strategy Officer Ami Dror last spring. That said, no surprise drop in price could justify their PR platitude as "the most anticipated product in the history of 3D."
Philips' Cinema 21:9 Platinum HDTV finally takes the leap into 3D
It's kind of hard to outdo yourself with only two dimensions when they read 21 and 9, respectively, so Philips has decided to do the only thing left for a trendy display maker: go 3D. Though we saw (and loved) a 3D prototype of the 56-inch variant at last year's IFA, this new, 58-inch Cinema 21:9 Platinum HDTV looks set to bring the third dimension to actual retail. It's got the Ambilight wall illumination that some people will like, LED backlighting with local dimming that most should love, and a slimmer, brushed matte bezel that will be appreciated by all. The 400Hz panel is capable of pumping out Full HD 3D and is expected to cost around €4,000 ($5,112) in Europe or £3,500 in the UK with a launch set for later this month. And if you want one in the US, well... things aren't looking very Ambibright for you. %Gallery-101115%
XpanD heads to Paris, comes back with Jean Paul Gaultier... in 3D!
The crossroads of fashion and gadgetry is fraught with danger, bad taste, and ill-conceived promotional campaigns. Taking its place among both the Calvin Klein crapgadget and the subtle elegance (and overall silliness) of Sony's Vaio P campaign, XpanD decided that the best way to sell consumers on its 3D technology was by following folks like Jean Paul Gaultier and Dita Von Teese around with a 3D camera. So they headed to Paris to film the outrageous clothing and personalities during something called Paris Haute Couture Week. "At XpanD, fashion is a religion-we aim to not only make 3D content look fabulous, but to make the people wearing our glasses look fabulous as well," says Maria Costeira, XpanD CEO. Sounds great! Because, really, if American consumers are going to be sold on 3D it will be on the runway (and not, say, on the basketball court). Learn all about the XpanD Universal 3D glasses (designed to work with any 3D-enabled device!) in the PR after the break. [Image courtesy of Dominique Tépé]
Why there's no such thing as universal 3D glasses
Some consumers hate everything about 3D and probably spend ridiculous amounts of time collecting facts to enforce their argument that 3D is a gimmick and will end up a passing fad. One of the more recent observations of evidence was the fact that a pair of 3D glasses from one 3DTV aren't compatible with other 3DTVs. We agree that this is less than ideal, but then again we've always thought the same thing about the remotes that come with all our home theater components. XpanD intends to release its X103 universal shutter glasses, but do they really work as good as the ones that ship with your 3DTV? Evidently just being compatible with the IR sync signal isn't enough, and in fact 3D glasses are often tinted to optimize the picture quality -- like including an amber tint to correct the colors on a 3DTV. In addition, the glasses do block light and one pair of glasses for a 3D LCD might block too much light to be used with a plasma -- since it can't get bright enough to let you skip the tanning bed. This seems like a valid concern, but it also seems like a problem that could be overcome with appropriate calibration techniques. But then again, everyone would still have to have the same pair of glasses, so it kind of defeats the purpose.
XpanD X103 3D glasses universally compatible with 3DTVs, but not all wallets
During CES 2010. RealD managed to slide its 3D glasses in with most of the new televisions coming our way this year, but XpanD is continuing its promise to work with any IR-enabled set from any manufacturer (Samsung has already stated its glasses will only work with its TVs, Panasonic couldn't confirm cross compatibility with other brands when we asked) with the X103 series. XpanD is claiming compatibility with "virtually any monitor capable of displaying 3D content". Even with plans for 12 different colors and sizes for kids or adults it's more likely you'll end up in a caption contest than a look book rocking these, but as long as they get the job done they seem like a natural go to for additional pairs when they launch in June. The main problem? Pricing isn't final but Chief Strategy Officer Ami Dror told PC Mag he expects them to run $125 - $150 -- even if the local cinema uses active shutter technology, that's a lot of 3D flicks before you recoup the cost and makes it nearly out of the question to grab a few spares for friends to watch.
XpanD to supply Philips with 3D active shutter glasses
Early on it appeared XpanD owned the active shutter glasses market until Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and Toshiba all announced they'd use RealD's active shutter glasses instead. In fact the only deal XpanD announced during CES was with Vizio who was using the Bluetooth variety with its 3D HDTVs. Although not official, we'd be willing to bet these are the very same glasses that'll be included in the in the "3D upgrade pack" for the Philips HDTVs that are 3D ready. Not sure why some TV manufactures choose one brand over another, but as soon as these make it into reviewer's hands we'll find out.
3D stole the show at CES 2010
Not sure why we've been putting this off, but we'll just come right out and say it: there's no doubt that this was the year for 3D at CES. We walked the show floor for countless hours and can tell you that just about everyone was showing something related to 3D at their booths. Most of these demos required a bit of a wait to experience them (thanks, hype), and everywhere you went people were talking about 3D. Granted, not all of that talk was positive, but it was talk nonetheless. Whether or not the technology will be seen in history as a success in the market place is obviously still up in the air, and much like a finely crafted episode of Lost, 3D at CES this year was littered with more questions than answers. %Gallery-82768%
XpanD announces "world's first" Bluetooth 3D glasses, will bundle them with VIZIO XVT Pro
You know what's been missing from our craniums lately? A little bit of the old Bluetooth-enabled headset stuff. Never mind the fact 3D glasses don't really need Bluetooth -- after all, it's pretty hard to find a scenario where you'd utilize 3D glasses while breaking line of sight with the source device. Then again if we only ever designed and bought stuff we needed, things like CES wouldn't exist. To be bundled with VIZIO's new 3D LCD TVs, XpanD's active-shutter glasses feature "the highest-speed LCD lenses, lowest crosstalk and the highest viewing angle" and strategic partnerships (read: bundle deals) with other major manufacturers are being developed as we speak... type, whatever.
VIZIO's 2010 XVT LCDs go up to 72-inches with 3D, LED, WiFi & WirelessHD
Remember VIZIO's LED backlit 55-inch XVT LCD with WiFi and widgets that debuted for two grand last year and seemed like such a value? Great, now go ahead and forget it because the company's top of the line model in August will switch over to a monster 72-inch 480Hz LCD (above) with 3D, WirelessHD, VIZIO Internet Apps widget platform and Wireless-N for $3,499. If that's too big to fit your budget (or in our case, tiny shoebox apartment) there will also be 55- and 47-inch versions available, with all the same features plus a new antireflective panel for those of you who like to keep the lights on during, they'll cost $2,499 and $1,999, respectively. These 3D displays feature SENSIO technology and Bluetooth-synchronized active shutter LCD glasses from XpanD, while a VIZIO XVT Pro Wireless HDMI Adapter is available separately with 4 HDMI inputs to blast HD signals across the room on the 60Ghz band. Cinema enthusiasts also have something to look forward to, check the gallery below for shots of the 58-inch ultrawidescreen 21:9 aspect ratio XVTPRO580CD, no word on a ship date or price but when it appears later this year you can kiss black bars during movies goodbye. We're sure we'll see more models from VIZIO before CES is out for the smaller, less 3D friendly homes, but right now it doesn't look like the company plans on giving up its LCD sales crown anytime soon -- these combinations of features and pricing may prove very difficult to say no to. PR with other details is after the break. %Gallery-81478%
