Informa Telecoms & Media are predicting that by 2016 less than half of the homes which are expected to have a 3DTV will actually be watching 3D content. Sales are expected to continue going up but how often owners watch something in 3D is another matter. The company last year said that 90% of homes actively watched 3D content on their sets, but this has been put down to early adopters of the technology were more likely to pay for 3D content.

It is thought that as the majority of new TVs have 3D capability as standard the percentage of owners using 3D content will continue to fall. According to an article on Gamasutra in the future new TVs will have 3D as an extra feature instead as the main selling point.

We have also seen the technology finding its way into gaming with the Nintendo 3DS and PlayStation 3 both being able to produce 3D images. But the take up of the 3DS hasn’t been as big as Nintendo would have wanted to start with. Some people have also complained of headaches when using the 3DS or watching a lot of 3D content on a TV screen.

There have also recently been movie goers turning their back on 3D with many opting to watch some of the latest releases in 2D instead. The latest installment of Pirates of the Caribbean and Kung Fu Panda 2 saw audiences turning their back on 3D to watch the standard version instead.

Some of this could be down to the price of going to the cinema as it normally costs more to watch in 3D, but consumers could be growing tired of it. One big problem which has affected sales of 3DTVs is the cost of extra 3D glasses, and wearing them for prolonged periods.

Do you own a 3DTV? How often do watch 3D content?

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An article on Chip Chick.com is looking into smart TVs and how they compare to 3D TVs that are now available. Samsung are a major player in the market and their sets are managed by the Smart Hub. This is where owners can manage all their apps for getting content to the set. You can even browse the web, but is not quite what you can expect from a computer.

But how do they compare to 3D TVs? Most 3D TVs are just an enhanced screen unless they are also a smart TV of course. The technology isn’t really new, the likes of Apple TV has been around for a while now but are not integrated inside the set itself.

With the services from the likes of Hulu and Netflix, consumers can now get top movie and television rentals directly to set top boxes or smart TVs. This could be a big year for smart TVs and you will just need to decide if you want one that’s 3D or not.

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OK, so we know that there is a huge choice when it comes to 3D TVs on the market, but how many of them can you say comes with free 3D content? For years Samsung was not considered to be a major player in this industry, but today is a different story, as they are now the worlds number one TV maker, and it is new features – like Smart TV – that has helped them get there. (Samsung Smart TV Review)

Samsung has already launched this new feature in a number of Asian countries, but we have recently learned that it will be launched in other parts of the world in May. Samsung Smart TV is not only available on a number of their new TV devices, but also on a few other devices that can gain access to the Internet. The Korean consumer electronics maker has called upon the help of DreamWorks to bring this new feature to their customers, which to us would make the 3D app something worth considering – if you were in the market for a new TV that is.

Those who now own one of these new TVs will now have access to a range of new services, such as 3D music videos, children’s content, as well as movie trailers and clips. As you would imagine more content is being added, but given time you will have a huge library of content at your disposal – but until now you will have to make do with what is on offer.

What makes things even better is the fact that the service is free – how often can you say that in this day and age? As with any app download service they are easy to download and install, the hard part is choosing what one you want or need.

For more details on Samsung Smart TV 3D VOD App visit CNet.

Would you consider a Samsung Smart TV for the use of free 3D VOD Apps?

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Toshiba have recently made a big thing of their plans for glasses free 3D TVs, with talk of units becoming available later this year. But according to a report on SlashGear by Chris Davies, Samsung thinks they would not be producing such TVs inside the next ten years.

Samsung sees too many problems with the technology as it stands now, and points to there not being enough viewing angles for the sets to be practical. We recently reported on a review of the upcoming Nintendo 3DS, and it was mentioned even with that the image can suddenly snap out of sync.

Samsung believe that you would need 32 viewing angles which would take at least five years of R&D, and they have also said that current manufacturing costs are too high. They finished their statement by saying “attempts to put glasses-free 3D TV to market within the next 10 years will be difficult“.

The company has been putting its weight behind active 3D TV technology when it recently announced its lineup for 2011. Will you avoid 3D TV until glassless screens become available?

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Back in December we reported that Toshiba had started selling such screens in Japan, but these where smaller screen sizes such as 12-inch and 20-inch. One thing that may be stopping many consumers going down the 3D route is the need for glasses, but Toshiba will be showcasing two prototypes at CES sized at 56 and 65 inches.

Rival TV manufactures have said that this kind of technology has a too restrictive viewing angle, but a Toshiba spokesman has said the company will be launching two models, with one over 40 inches and the other over 50 inches. Toshiba are planning to start selling the sets in their next financial year, and could hit the market by the end of 2011.

Head of Toshiba’s visual products – Atsushi Murasawa – said “These will not only be for the Japanese market, but also America, Europe and China.” No details of prices or launch dates have so far been revealed as the technology is still being developed, but it can’t be too long before we start getting such information.

I personally have held off getting a 3D-TV because of the need of wearing glasses, but many people have taken the plunge with the sets and are probably enjoying the experience. With any new technology not only do you see companies bringing out their own take on it, prices also start to become more competitive.

Have you got a 3D-TV yet? Or are you waiting for the likes of Toshiba for a glasses-free experience?

Source: Reuters

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Toshiba’s new TVs defeat the common aggravation of 3D televisions, the glasses that you have to wear to experience the 3D imaging. Toshiba’s new models have done what many companies are trying to do by developing a TV with no need for the goofy spectacles.

By providing a glasses free solution, Toshiba are now revolutionizing the market. We have heard reports that the 12” model has a resolution of 466 x 350 and retails for $1,431. There is another model, with a larger screen but this is expected to be double the cost.

The 20” model goes on sale on December 25th. We know that the larger model will come with a 550:1 contrast and a screen resolution of 720p. So what will be happening with Toshiba next? Hopefully they have plans for a bigger, better version of these great televisions. You can read more about this over at Engadget.com and also at gizmosync.com.

When these televisions hit the U.S. they could really take off and become market leaders. You have to wonder how Toshiba’s competitors will react to this. Another thing to consider is that CES is just around the corner and normally has a few televisions being released.

What do you think of these new TV’s? When they hit all of the other markets will you be getting one? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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The idea of Holographic TV has been in my mind since 1977, the year that I first watched Star Wars: A New Hope. How many of you thought that it was cool seeing Princess Leia projected out of R2D2? I just love it when science fiction becomes reality, something that has happened on a number of occasions from gadgets seen on Star trek.

Holographic technology has been a bit slow, but recent advancements means that things are moving ahead once again. The issue used to be with refresh rates, with one imaging changing every few minutes, this has now been increased to one change every two seconds. However, this is still a long way from 30fps.

You can see in the video below that the prototype has a 10-inch photorefractive polymer screen, and lasers are then used to project an image onto it. The University of Arizona has already started work testing a 17-inch version, so things are starting to move at a much faster rate.

How long do you think it will be before you will have a holographic dynamic 3D in your home?

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The new glasses are now available to pre-order on Amazon for $107.67, thats cheaper than the expected $125-$150 price range. It is thought that with the release of such products there could now be an increase in sales of 3D-ready TVs, as the consumer will no-longer be tied to a specific brand of 3D glasses.

There is already a range of Sony, Panasonic, and Toshiba branded glasses that can only be used with their perspective TVs, but as these are often on the expensive side – this has made it a tough sell for retailers.

These active shutter XpanD universal 3D glasses are battery powered, and helps to bring the enjoyment of cinema to the home. I am still not convinced on the whole 3D things – I will wait at least a year before I say that I was wrong.

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Available to buy in Korea from today the 72LEX9 has (as the model number suggests) 72-inches of visual delight, this makes it the worlds largest commercially sold 3D TV with LED backlight. Now before we get corrected its the largest with LED backlight, not the largest 3D TV. That title is held by Mitsubishi with their Diamond WD-82838 82-inch 1080p 3D DLP HDTV, that has been on the shelves since Spring 2010.

Back to the 72LEX9, LG provided it with features such as: 480Hz TruMotion panel, full LED backlight, 10,000,000:1 contrast ratio, wireless AV link and DLNA. It will also contain four HDMI ports and one USB with YouTube and Google Picasa support. Stereoscopic 3D glasses will be required but it is not known if they will come with the TV.

Like we said Korea have had first look at the LG, but the rest of us will have to wait until the second quarter of 2011. Head over to CrunchGear for more information and to see some pictures of this monster TV.

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However, I seem more drawn towards Sharp’s offering because of the screen sizes that they were showing during Ceatec, 3.8-inches and 10.6-inches. Now forgive me if I am wrong, but these could be the perfect size for a smartphone and a tablet device.

The glasses-free 10.6-inch 3D display is said to be very impressive, with Erica Orb from Cnet saying said that the 3D visuals were clear, but the viewing angle still has a way to go.

The 3-inch version looks to be a working progress, but Sharp must know this, which is why the technology is still in the development stage.

Do you expect Sharp to offer their own glasses-free 3D smartphone or tablet device, or just supply the screens?

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