3D - Fade or The Future?

I remember the first time I ever saw anything in 3D I thought it was the coolest thing I had ever seen. How was it even possible? As an adult I am still as impressed with the technology but I am not entirely convinced it has any place in the home, as a glasses wearer I find it awkward enough at the cinema for a few hours sitting with glasses on top of my glasses without sitting at home watching Eastenders or Corrie like that!

The problem with using 3D in the home is the size of the screens – at the cinema you feel like you are in that moment actually experiencing the sensation of something flying at you or the scale of a large scene. I just don’t think that same feeling can be transferred to a 40 – 60 inch television screen, our peripheral vision is too vast to become absorbed in the technology in the same way.

I do however think if you have a large amount of money to burn that 3D could be great for gaming in the home. Nintendo today has released details of its new 3DS handheld console that comes complete with glasses-free 3D technology – the 3D effect level can be controlled or even switched off on the machine using a simple slider. For all you gadget geeks there are even 3 cameras on the 3DS that takes 3D pictures, allowing you to see your double chin from all angles - how clever is that? Sony are also already assuring PS3 owners that there will be a firmware update which will allow their current systems to support 3D meaning it is only a matter of time before most driving games and shoot ‘em up’s are all in 3D format.

Sony have predicted that by 2014 40% of new TV’s sold will offer 3D capabilities – they may well offer 3D capabilities but I don’t think it will be utilised. I have been known to be wrong about new technologies in the past, I thought the iPod was a novelty that would never last, only time will tell if I am right or wrong!