d3

CNET's 3D TV Buying Guide

To help you, prospective TV shopper, get a handle on 3D terminology and determine whether it's something you should care about, we've put together this handy guide. We think it's a worthwhile read for any TV shopper, even those who have already decided they don't care about 3D at all.

The guide comes in four easy-to-digest courses.

What is 3D TV and why should I care?: Whether you consider it a gimmick or a breakthrough on par with high-def itself, 3D TV is here to stay. Here's an overview of the technology and a few … Read more

Get a 3D-ready Samsung Blu-ray player for $69.99

I have mixed feelings about 3D. Much as I enjoyed "Avatar" and "Despicable Me" on the big screen, I'm not exactly dying to bring the 3D experience into my home.

On the other hand, why not give myself the option? All I need is a 3D-ready TV (or projector) and Blu-ray player. Today only, and while supplies last, DailySteals has a killer deal on the latter: a refurbished Samsung BD-D5500C 3D-capable Blu-ray player for $69.99, plus $4.99 for shipping.

That price rivals, and even exceeds, most of the non-3D Blu-ray players I'… Read more

Star Fox 64 3D on the 3DS: No system-seller

The Nintendo 3DS is in a state of crisis. You could argue that's the case for all of Nintendo, too, especially this holiday season.

Handheld games are no longer a domain dominated by Nintendo, not with phones offering so many alternatives for less. The 3DS needs top-notch software to help it prove its worth, and while other games are no doubt on the way, titles like Star Fox 64 3D, Nintendo's latest franchise rerelease, just don't do enough for a software-starved 3DS holiday lineup.

Scott: Nintendo fans will rejoice: much like The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, released earlier this summer, Star Fox 64 3D is a pitch-perfect and graphically remastered version of a beloved N64 console game. The only problem with Star Fox is that a rails-based shooter has less to offer than a well-developed adventure game like Zelda. I loved Star Fox on my N64; its 3D graphics were unprecedented for a Nintendo console, and the sci-fi effects were a kick. Now, games like Galaxy on Fire for the iPhone can offer many of the same thrills for a few bucks.

Newly added gyro controls add motion control to the classic Star Fox, using the 3DS' internal gyroscope to tilt-steer. Unless you turn off 3D, don't bother, as 3D effects are bound to break up due to line-of-sight shifts when continually tilting. It only took one try to convince me to turn gyro off for good. You can have 3D or motion, but not both.… Read more

Easy 3D Design

Three-dimensional models are essential if you're in the design field. Google SketchUp gives you the ability to easily create your own 3D models. With an easy-to-use interface and a wide swath of Help features, it's the perfect tool for beginner and intermediate designers alike.

To begin, Google SketchUp puts all of the help options in plain sight, which include video tutorials, tips and tricks, a blog, and a help center. It asks you to select a template from a long list that includes templates for architectural design, woodworking, Google Earth modeling, and basic plans. We started simple with … Read more

LG Flatron D2342P review: 3D on the cheap

By offering a 3D monitor that eschews the $150 Nvidia 3D Vision Kit in favor of a more affordable option, LG is attempting to widen the 3D market with its Flatron D2342P monitor.

The display comes with a pair of passive 3D glasses, which are a lot cheaper to produce than the active-shutter lenses of the Nvidia glasses.

Passive 3D displays polarize every other horizontal line of resolution on the monitor so that, in the case of the D2342P with its 1080P resolution, each eye sees a different 540 lines of the picture, creating a 3D effect.

In our time … Read more

E3 2011: Will Nintendo 3DS' new games be enough?

LOS ANGELES--While Nintendo created a splash with the Wii U, its 3DS handheld remains in an awkward state of affairs after being upstaged by the PlayStation Vita debut the day before.

The 3DS has only been on store shelves in the U.S. since March, but the system faces an uphill challenge against a competitor in the Vita that has the same price and arguably more-robust technical specs, along with an impressive assortment of games.

Good games are what the 3DS particularly lacks a strong supply of, but Nintendo's press conference focused largely on firing off big-ticket franchise names … Read more

How 3D content works: Blu-ray vs. broadcast

As 3D content becomes ever more available, the differences in how it works become important. Just like all HD isn't the same, all 3D isn't the same either.

More than a simple "how it works," this guide will help you understand why some 3D looks better than others.… Read more

Rumored iPad 3 to get glasses-free 3D?

If this serving of Apple iPad rumors seems a little crunchy, it's probably because it's in 3D. At least, the next iPad could be--if the rumors are true and you'll soon be able to enjoy CNET on an iPad 3 in glasses-free 3D. (Safety note: to avoid retinal damage, please avoid looking at author's headshot with any 3D or other stereoscopic technology.)

Past rumors have had an iPad 3 showing up this fall, with more recent speculation pointing to 2012. The screen of the next-generation iPad is one of many features of interest, with the iPad 2 failing to bring Apple's so-called Retina display along for the ride. For now, I'm taking this latest iPad hubbub with a healthy dose of skepticism, but it can't be completely discounted. The source is an anonymous "Hollywood insider" speaking to RCR Wireless, and well, the quote is a little odd. Here's an excerpt from the story:

"The fact that the iPad 3 is 3D is a dead cert," one Hollywood insider close to the big movie studios told RCR, adding that the screen would be the real magic. She went on to say that the big film studios were currently running around like "blue-arsed flies" trying to gear up to release plenty of 3D content in time for Apple's next launch.

I'm left wondering if this anonymous source might actually be Charlie Sheen, but RCR editor Sylvie Barak goes on to claim that the rumor is bolstered by leaks from the FoxConn factory in China, where many Apple products are manufactured. Only problem is that Barak's own story seems to be the sole source of that rumor, too.… Read more

3D glasses: Big sales opportunity or big hassle?

3D glasses are a double-edged sword for TV manufacturers. According to NPD's 3D 360° Monitor, an aversion to wearing glasses is the second most popular reason consumers give for not wanting to purchase a 3D TV. But for those who do buy 3D TVs, glasses represent one of the best accessory sale opportunities TV manufacturers have had since the flat-panel mount. Ring up a family pack of four glasses and you can easily reach the price of what some manufacturers charge for a flat-panel 2D television by itself.

Indeed, rather than treat glasses as a throwaway, Samsung recently revamped its 3D glasses, cramming an impressive amount of technology into a wearable product 25 percent lighter than its predecessor.

The electronics giant has added a circular frame that now easily grasps around various head sizes, enables a brighter 3D picture, accommodates prescriptions, switches to Bluetooth, and adds a charging gauge, all while keeping the price to about $100 per pair.

But what if there were a way to sell an accessory to go with those accessories? Samsung is taking a crack at just that, introducing a product at CES and showing it once again at the IFA Global Press Conference in Alicante, Spain.

It's a $200 black "top hat" charger--so nicknamed for its cylindrical shape centered atop a base plate about a third of the way from its bottom--that enables owners to inductively charge up to four pairs of Samsung's new, lighter-weight 3D glasses. The high-tech spectacles surround the glossy cylinder, one atop the next, in a spiraling statue of tolerated technology. … Read more