It's been awhile since we've really discussed any new technologies in depth, so I thought I would throw 3D technology into the ring. Specifically, I'm talking about the current 3D craze with movies that seems to be quickly moving from the theater into the living room.
Personally, I'm not a huge fan of any 3D technology that requires glasses. They look goofy, they give me a headache, and they aren't exactly stylish. I think these problems would be alleviated by purchasing decent 3D glasses, but I don't really foresee a lot of people toting
their own $100 glasses to the theater any time in the future.
I also don't foresee 3D technology taking over the living room in the near future. Thin, lightweight LCDs and 1080p both provided great incentives to replace the trust old CRT, but I don't think 3D is enough of a "killer app" to justify yet another TV replacement. Like previous incremental TV technology transitions, I think this push will happen much more slowly and naturally. Eventually, every TV will support 120hz refresh rates and all of that other 3D hoohaw, and they'll slowly make their way into living rooms due to attrition. Again, I don't see this being a compelling enough technology to cause the average joe (i.e. your major market) to upgrade.
Another aspect of this is 3D gaming. Most of the high-end "gaming" monitors today support 120hz (or even 240hz) to provide 60hz per eye, which supposedly makes active 3D-lens glasses much more palatable. Supposedly, this method is superior to the old-school red/blue glasses, but I can't say I've ever compared them closely. I have a feeling that all of the next-generation gaming consoles will likely support 3D gaming, and will probably use it as a major selling point.
So, what are your thoughts on 3D cinema and gaming? Do you have any plans to purchase 3D hardware for the home? Do you think cinema has really improved from the adoption of 3D?
-b0b
(...is skeptical.)