"Sky" is the limit

Sky, a British broadcasting company, will launch its 3D television channel on April 3, with a football match between Chelsea and Manchester United.

The PC Advisor UK is reporting that over 1,000 public places in the UK and Ireland such as pubs and clubs have signed up for the channel. Private residents can also order the channel, provided they have a Sky HD box, a compatible television and 3D glasses.

3D televisions have yet to hit the market, so one has to wonder if the technology is a bit ahead of the practicality. Sony, Samsung and Panasonic are expected to start offering 3D televisions this month, but that gives avid sports fans in Britain precious little time to setup their entertainment room (let alone open a beer) before the April 3 game.

In other 3D news, Warner Brothers could be releasing the film "300" in 3D. Should it be retitled with a larger number if that's the case? "303" perhaps? I think so.

Pocket 3D

Whoever said 3D technology is too darn inconvenient is about to eat their words.

Micromax has developed a cell phone that supports 3D. The phone is intended for heavy gaming, and therefore is appropriately named Gamolution. It is yet to be released, and the company has not set a date for when we could be carrying this device in our pockets.

The phone's screen is only 2.4 inches, so it will be interesting to see what the 3D experience is truly like on such a small screen. There is no mention of the need for glasses, but that doesn't mean they are not necessary. Like every other great 3D idea, the optical requirements of the technology (glasses) could be the downfall of this phone.

The phone comes with a motion sensor and a camera. The camera, however, does not shoot in 3D. I'm sure someone is working on that feature.

http://www.micromaxinfo.com/products/g4.html

3D without the glasses

Admittedly, there are few people out there that wouldn't want there content in 3D. The big obstacle, however, is those funny looking (and feeling) glasses.

3D technology could already have changed the way you use your laptop or watch television, if not for those dorky goggles. Glasses are necessary to split the image coming from the sceen (selecting which image each eye sees). That could all change, though.

PC World is reporting on two technologies that could do away with the need to have glasses. One of the technologies uses a panel of tiny lenses that splits the image at the screen, and projects it out to the viewer. This idea has been around for awhile, but viewers were required to sit in a particular place "the sweet spot" to see 3D. Now, Sunny Ocean Studios has developed a panel that projects to 64 different areas.

The other alternative is Germany's SeeFront, which projects to a single position, but a video camera tracks the viewer's eyes and calibrates the 3D to where the viewer is. This seems best fit for laptops or personal screens.

One thing is for sure, if these technologies take off, we won't just have a life filled with more 3D, we'll look a little less nerdy too.