glasses-free

Toshiba glasses-free 3D TV demo: It works, just not very well

LAS VEGAS--Although Toshiba's glasses-free 3D TV is coming to the U.S. in the next couple of months, and at a price we expect to be north of $10,000, it still has some issues.

Fellow CNET TV reviewer Ty Pendlebury and I both got the chance to check out the set here at CES 2012, and while the head-tracking technology is impressive, and the fact that you can actually see 3D effects without glasses is kind of mind-blowing, the TV we saw definitely felt more like a prototype than a product ready for prime time--especially for that price.… Read more

Sony takes another stab at glasses-free 3D TV

LAS VEGAS--Are you interested in 3D, but hate the glasses? For a second year in a row, Sony is showing off glasses-free 3D TVs at CES.

There are two displays here: a 24-inch LCD capable of 1080p and a 46-inch LCD with up to 4K resolution. Adjacent literature was at least truthful in admitting that the autostereoscopic 3D setup is showing at a "HD equivalent" quality. This is because the parallax barrier, which causes the 3D effect, effectively halves the resolution to ensure each eye is receiving separate images.

My observations of the 24-inch glasses-free 3D TV … Read more

Toshiba to ship glasses-free 3D TV to U.S. in early 2012 (exclusive)

Toshiba has confirmed to CNET that it plans to make a glasses-free 3D TV available to buyers in the U.S. sometime during the first quarter of 2012.

The set would be the first of its kind for the North American market, although Toshiba already has 55-inch glasses-free 3D TVs available for sale in Germany (the 55LZ2) and Japan (the 55X3). Both went on sale in December and retail for more than $10,000 in their home currencies.

A Toshiba representative told CNET that the U.S. version would be similar to those versions, but he couldn't provide additional … Read more

CNET's 3D TV Buying Guide

To help you, prospective TV shopper, get a handle on 3D terminology and determine whether it's something you should care about, we've put together this handy guide. We think it's a worthwhile read for any TV shopper, even those who have already decided they don't care about 3D at all.

The guide comes in four easy-to-digest courses.

What is 3D TV and why should I care?: Whether you consider it a gimmick or a breakthrough on par with high-def itself, 3D TV is here to stay. Here's an overview of the technology and a few … Read more

Sony panel creates glasses-free 3D for laptops

Sony is joining the glasses-free 3D movement with a laptop add-on designed to give you the best of both 2D and 3D viewing.

Sony's 3D panel, designed for Vaio S and C series notebooks, is a 3mm-thick plastic sheet that clips onto the front of a laptop screen. The sheet is a lenticular lens that produces 3D images by sending slightly different images to each eye. Lenticular lenses are widely used to give printed images the illusion of depth or motion.

Like Toshiba's recently released glasses-free 3D laptop, the Sony Vaio SE will include face-tracking software that adjusts the optimal viewing angle to the user's position. By contrast, Toshiba's 3D screen is built-in, which results in slightly compromised 2D viewing.… Read more

Rumored iPad 3 to get glasses-free 3D?

If this serving of Apple iPad rumors seems a little crunchy, it's probably because it's in 3D. At least, the next iPad could be--if the rumors are true and you'll soon be able to enjoy CNET on an iPad 3 in glasses-free 3D. (Safety note: to avoid retinal damage, please avoid looking at author's headshot with any 3D or other stereoscopic technology.)

Past rumors have had an iPad 3 showing up this fall, with more recent speculation pointing to 2012. The screen of the next-generation iPad is one of many features of interest, with the iPad 2 failing to bring Apple's so-called Retina display along for the ride. For now, I'm taking this latest iPad hubbub with a healthy dose of skepticism, but it can't be completely discounted. The source is an anonymous "Hollywood insider" speaking to RCR Wireless, and well, the quote is a little odd. Here's an excerpt from the story:

"The fact that the iPad 3 is 3D is a dead cert," one Hollywood insider close to the big movie studios told RCR, adding that the screen would be the real magic. She went on to say that the big film studios were currently running around like "blue-arsed flies" trying to gear up to release plenty of 3D content in time for Apple's next launch.

I'm left wondering if this anonymous source might actually be Charlie Sheen, but RCR editor Sylvie Barak goes on to claim that the rumor is bolstered by leaks from the FoxConn factory in China, where many Apple products are manufactured. Only problem is that Barak's own story seems to be the sole source of that rumor, too.… Read more

Conjuring up glasses-free 3D for iPad, iPhone

Mobile gadgets like Apple's iPad and iPhone could offer glasses-free 3D courtesy of a new, developing technology created by researchers in France.

Known as Head-Coupled Perspective, the technology uses the front-facing camera on a mobile device to create a glasses-free monocular 3D display. By tracking the position of the user's head, the projected 3D image can change its perspective and offer greater interaction. Even further, the technology doesn't rely on the accelerometer built into the iPhone and iPad, so it could conceivably work for other types of mobile devices.

The researchers behind this budding technology are Professor … Read more

What turns people off from buying 3D TV

Try as they might, Panasonic and Sony have yet to convince consumers that 3D TV is a necessity.

Released today, a new study commissioned by The NPD Group found that while people know more about 3D TV now, they're not generally any more convinced of why they need one.

A year and a half into the 3D TV era kicked off by Sony and Panasonic and since joined by others, 45 percent of people who said they wouldn't buy a 3D TV said the reason is it is too expensive. And 42 percent of people said the reason … Read more

Toshiba discloses more on its glasses-free 3D TVs

We've just received some juicy news from Toshiba regarding the company's latest plan for its glasses-free 3D TVs. According to Sharon Soon, senior sales and marketing assistant from the company's Asia office, Toshiba is considering a simultaneous launch in the U.S., Europe, and other countries.

These glasses-free 3D TVs will probably come in screen sizes of more than 40 inches and are tentatively due out in the second half of this year. However, the actual launch schedule is still pending confirmation subjected to market developments.

Toshiba is currently offering smaller 12- and 20-inch glasses-free 3D TVs only in Japan for $1,500 and $2,900, respectively. It's not hard to estimate the premium on a 40-incher using these prices as benchmarks, though the Japanese TV maker may be able to keep costs down by mass-producing these panels.

(Source: Crave Asia) … Read more