Toshiba Developing Glasses-Free 3D Laptops

[Tom Goldman]

Toshiba Developing Glasses-Free 3D Laptops

In addition to creating glasses-free 3D televisions, Toshiba is working on integrating the eye-popping technology into laptop computers.

Last week, Toshiba's upcoming line of glasses-free 3D televisions was revealed [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/104018-PS3-Processor-Powers-New-Glasses-Free-3D-Televisions], but the company doesn't plan to stop there. Japanese newspaper Nikkei is reporting that Toshiba also has glasses-free 3D laptops in development that are sure to make even working on spreadsheets fun.

While the 3D televisions are scheduled to launch in Japan this year, the laptops won't make it out until 2011, and even then they'll likely remain in Japan for a while. Toshiba's Dynabook brand will now feature laptops that require glasses for 3D like other manufacturers, and these glasses-free machines.

The first glasses-free 3D laptop planned is a 12-inch model, which is on the small end for laptop screens, though larger displays will come with time. Toshiba's televisions with similar technology are launching in 12-inch and 20-inch models to start.

Details revealed that users will be able to choose specific aspects of the screens to remain in 2D while other portions will be displayed in 3D at the same time. This could mean that while a rocking 3D game of Minesweeper is running, you'll still be able to type a paper without going nuts. A specific release date and pricing don't appear to have been announced yet, but with the 12-inch glasses-free 3D televisions priced at ¥120,000 ($1,440), expect something higher than that.

Source: CrunchGear [http://www.crunchgear.com/2010/10/11/report-toshiba-to-launch-naked-eye-3d-laptops-next-year/]

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[TheComedown]

Because all i've ever wanted to do was browse the web and play solitaire in 3d. This seems really pointless to me. Oh and writing essays, writing an essay in 3d? yeah so much less boring.

 

[Delusibeta]

Because all i've ever wanted to do was browse the web and play solitaire in 3d. This seems really pointless to me. Oh and writing essays, writing an essay in 3d? yeah so much less boring.

Actually, much like everything else tech related, there's already a small market out there. And, assuming it doesn't cost a bomb (which it probably inevitably will), I would be more interested in this than in a 3D TV. Especially if there's a Blu-ray drive. Team Fortress 2, for example, would be excellent in 3D.

 

[MorteSphere]

But why?

 

[ultimateownage]

Because all i've ever wanted to do was browse the web and play solitaire in 3d. This seems really pointless to me. Oh and writing essays, writing an essay in 3d? yeah so much less boring.

Actually, much like everything else tech related, there's already a small market out there. And, assuming it doesn't cost a bomb (which it probably inevitably will), I would be more interested in this than in a 3D TV. Especially if there's a Blu-ray drive. Team Fortress 2, for example, would be excellent in 3D.

Until you move your head a bit and it all goes horribly blurry, and you get killed.

 

[hansari]

Toshiba also has glasses-free 3D laptops in development that are sure to make even working on spreadsheets fun.

The exciting world of 3d spreadsheets was my idea!!!

You'll rue the day Toshiba!

 

[BobisOnlyBob]

But why?

This seems really pointless to me.

3D displays would be really freaking useful for a number of fields, not just gaming, from everything from mundane "data visualisation" (yes, 3D graphs that are actually 3D and use the effect to convey meaningful information!), to visual art (texturing becomes a lot easier when you can 'see' the 3D and don't have to worry so much about training your eyes for perspective) to engineering (architects would love it) and more.

Just wait until the 3DS comes out. While PC gamers can happily dismiss touch-screen, motion control and the rest as gimmicks that the mouse-and-keyboard are superior to, 3D visuals are a big appeal for a lot of people. Unlike with a lot of the cinematic rubbish that has been used to hype it up, there's actually useful benefits to 3D in gaming, art, engineering, and even normal business.

Thankfully, for everyone out there who 'gets headaches' or have some visual disability that literally or effectively stops them from being able to see projected 3D, all of these fancy new devices can and will display perfectly ordinary 2D too. It just means a little more development time will go into the profitable thing, not necessarily what's best for you individually.

 

[TheComedown]

But why?

This seems really pointless to me.

3D displays would be really freaking useful for a number of fields, not just gaming, from everything from mundane "data visualisation" (yes, 3D graphs that are actually 3D and use the effect to convey meaningful information!), to visual art (texturing becomes a lot easier when you can 'see' the 3D and don't have to worry so much about training your eyes for perspective) to engineering (architects would love it) and more.

Yes and the majority of those fields need computers a little more powerful then a laptop, CADs and such aren't light programs they are actually quite hardware intensive, and even more so once you start rendering a finished design, not to mention that unless they have a dedicated chip for 3d running this stuff in 3d will basically half the processing power clogging systems right up.

 

[TheComedown]

Because all i've ever wanted to do was browse the web and play solitaire in 3d. This seems really pointless to me. Oh and writing essays, writing an essay in 3d? yeah so much less boring.

Actually, much like everything else tech related, there's already a small market out there. And, assuming it doesn't cost a bomb (which it probably inevitably will), I would be more interested in this than in a 3D TV. Especially if there's a Blu-ray drive. Team Fortress 2, for example, would be excellent in 3D.

When Blu-rays and and big screen tvs are already growing in numbers in homes, are people really want to watch that nice hi-def movie on a 12 inch screen just to see it in 3d when they could watch it on a 50inch screen instead? I'd take the big screen over the 12inch any day.

Ah laptop gaming TF2, yes tf2 is relatively light on the processors compared to some other games, but its still not that light, you're already looking at a higher end laptop if you want to play it at settings that don't equal but ugly, but then once you have it in 3d, you'll want twice the power just to run it at a playable frame rate. Laptops are already pretty shitty for gaming, throw in 3d they will barely be running stuff like the first far cry at a playable rate.