Vuzix eyewear: Wear a wide screen on your head
Watching a movie and not holding on to her purse? This woman seems to have a lot of confidence in her fellow human beings.
(Credit: Vuzix)Ever wanted to view a 52-inch screen from nine feet away in the comfort of your own home, without the 52-inch screen? If you answered "yes," then you're in luck. If you answered "no," then you have no soul. This should not, however, stop you from continuing to read this article.
On Tuesday, Vuzix announced the iWear AV310 Widescreen. While there have been other video eyewear products, this purports to be the first with wide-screen (16:9) viewing capabilities.
The AV310 projects a virtual 52-inch screen nine feet away from your eye, which is about four feet too close, according to the recommended distance.
Perhaps the physics of viewing distances, screen sizes, and resolutions are different in the virtual world within the glasses. Perhaps it is a non-Einsteinian universe full of vast potential energy where the rules have been flip-flopped. Where cockroaches are the dominant species and the human race is the species that darts to dark corners when the light come on. Yeah, that's probably it.
The AV310 is compatible with all NTSC or PAL devices with a video input including:
- All iPod models
- Portable media players
- Video cameras
- Cellular phones with video output
- Gaming consoles
- Digital cameras
- DVD players
Other features include:
- Full 16:9 wide-screen aspect ratio
- Independent +2 to -5 diopter focus, providing individual adjustment for each eye
- Twin high-resolution LCD displays from Kopin
- Removable and comfort fit earbuds
- Adjustable, hypoallergenic nosepiece
- Viewer with 15 degrees of tilt adjustment
- Up to five hours of battery life on one AA battery
- Onscreen display settings control
- Can be used while wearing eyeglasses
(Credit:
Vuzix)
I'd be interested in giving these a whirl to see just how well they work. However, I can't imagine wearing these things on anything but a plane or in the comfort of my own home, by myself. But maybe I'm just paranoid.
The AV310 will be available through Brookstone, SkyMall, Micro Center, Hammacher Schlemmer, and Vuzix.com for $250.
Eric Franklin refused to write a bio, saying, "Why are you bothering me about this bio business again? If I wanted people to know more about me, I'd send them to the Inside CNET Labs Podcast" (shameless plug). E-mail Eric. 
