Will 3D become mainstream?
Is this what the future looks like? Image from flikr.com.
I am thoroughly befuddled by the fact that “The Final Destination,” the sequel to the sequel to the sequel of “Final Destination,” was the weekend’s top box-office moneymaker and Americans spent $27.4 million to see it.
How does the fourth installment in a horror movie series make more money than any other film on the big screen? I am betting it has something to do with the fact that it was available in 3D, and if that’s the case then Sony is about to make a bundle.
Sony says it will release 3D TV
So far, we mere mortals have only been able to experience the magic of 3D in theaters, but all that could change next year. Sony has announced it will release a television capable of showing 3D images next year. PC World says:
The TV, which will be part of its Bravia LCD range, will launch sometime during 2010 and require users to wear special glasses to get the 3D effect. The glasses have filters in them that switch on and off at high speed matched to the image coming from the TV set so each eye sees a slightly different image.
So get this, Sony says with this new technology people at home will be able to see TV, movies and games in 3D. Think about it: 3D video games! I’ll admit I had to yawn a bit at the idea of 3D sitcoms and lawyer dramas, but 3D video games sounds really cool.
Hurry up and wait
Of course, just because Sony releases a screen capable of displaying 3D video games doesn’t mean that all video game companies will automatically start making everything in 3D. However, I think they’ll come around.
I wonder if 3D images will make me better at playing racing games? Or worse? Right now I tend to stick to music-based games like “American Idol” and “Rock Band” but 3D graphics just might turn me into an action junkie.
More three-dimensional plans
Sony is not going to stop at 3D TV. PC world reports:
In addition to the set, Sony said it would add 3D compatibility to other electronics products including Vaio laptops, the PlayStation 3 games console and Blu-ray Disc players. Earlier in the day the Blu-ray Disc Association said it would add 3D support to the format thus helping to create a common standard for content on video discs.
Other cool tech news
We can’t talk about video games today without mentioning that the reviews for “Rock Band 5″ are in, and they are a bit mixed but overall positive. The Associated Press says:
The focus this time is on social gaming, which “Guitar Hero” kick-started before the advent of Wii bowling leagues. Everything in “GH5″ is built around party play: People can drop in and out of songs without messing up their friends’ performances, and you can switch instruments or difficulty level mid-song. You can also mix any combination of instruments, so if everyone wants to play lead guitar, it’s cool.
All the tunes are available right from the start, so there’s nothing to unlock before your friends come over. And there’s a “Rockfest” mode that lets friends compete in a variety of challenges, such as “Momentum,” in which the difficulty increases depending on your performance.
My birthday is in a few months, so everyone feel free to hook me up with this.
Discussion of Technology of the Future | Sony Makes a Bold Move