3d

Poll: Did you like the smoother, HFR 'Hobbit'?

If you're one of the many, many people who saw "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" over the weekend, chances are you didn't see the film exactly as the director, Peter Jackson, intended.

But if you were, please let us know whether you liked it by voting in the poll.

"The Hobbit" is the first major film to be released in a higher-frame-rate 3D version called HFR. Unlike traditional releases, which are shot and shown at 24 frames per second, the HFR Hobbit comes in at 48fps.

Jackson said he preferred viewers watch the HFR … Read more

'The Hobbit' 3D tech divides our CNET reviewers

Now that Peter Jackson's "The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey" has opened in theaters around the world, the most controversial thing about it isn't even that he somehow is making three 3-hour movies out of a 300-page children's story. No, it's the way the movie has been shot that has the most people talking.

The "Hobbit" trilogy has been captured using James Cameron's 48-frames-per-second 3D technology (HFR 3D), which Jackson says leads to less eyestrain and a sharper picture.

Only a limited number of cinemas will be showing the movie in HFR -- Jackson says it's only 1,000 out of 25,000 theaters.

"On the first day of shooting 'The Hobbit' in 48 frames, there was not a single cinema in the world that could project the movie in that format," Jackson said, according to CinemaBlend.

While we're not going to go into how the technology works here, CNET editors David Katzmaier and Ty Pendlebury have just come out of a showing in HFR 3D and wanted to share their thoughts.… Read more

The 404 1,181: Where time is of the essence (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Instagram photos disappear from Twitter feeds.

- You can use IFTTT to post Instagram photos to Twitter cards.

- Twitter vs. Instagram in a knock-down, drag-out filters fight.

- Head-to-head: Twitter vs. Instagram filters.

- Sony putting an end to production of handheld cassette recorders.

- "Modern Seinfeld" Twitter account imagines Jerry and Co. in the Digital Age.

- Check out the CNET 100 of 2012.… Read more

3D TV

A mere three years ago, 3D was heralded as the future of television, bolstered by the overwhelming popularity of a certain James Cameron film starring blue-skinned aliens. Now it's "just another feature" on today's mid- and high-end televisions, and barely anyone watches it.

The main problem is lack of content. There are still only a handful of 3D channels, which show plenty of repeats, and even massive 3D rollouts like the 2012 Summer Olympics met with yawns (it didn't help that the 3D events were delayed until a day after the live ones aired). Films … Read more

MakerBot Replicator

3D printing has a way to go before it becomes a mainstream consumer activity. If it ever does cross over from its hobbyist and commercial roots, MakerBot and its CEO Bre Pettis can claim a decent share of the credit.

The MakerBot Replicator and newer Replicator 2 3D printers are fine products, but the company's marketing know-how is also a significant factor in its success. MakerBot's Thingiverse Web site hosts plans for more than 26,000 printable objects, all free for anyone to download and print. Pettis' media-friendly demeanor has landed his company's name on the digital … Read more

The Undetectable Firearms Act and 3D-printed guns (FAQ)

Citing the threat of plastic, 3D-printed firearms, U.S. Rep. Steve Israel, D-N.Y., held a press conference this weekend calling for the renewal of the Undetectable Firearms Act. The act was originally conceived in 1988 in response to the Glock 17, a handgun with some components made from plastic composites.

The law has been renewed several times since its inception, most recently in 2003. It's currently due to expire in December 2013.

For gun rights advocates, the Undetectable Firearms Act comes across as legislative hand-wringing. Others find the law to be an example of security theatrics and a … Read more

Park a giant tour bus in Bus Parking 3D

Though it sounds a little mundane, this app provides hours of challenging fun. Bus Parking 3D offers a ridiculously large number of levels and options, but starts off a little too difficult. It will also send plenty of spammy ads to your phone both in and outside of the app.

The game's simple menu will take you right to the action, and there are more than 60 levels to unlock. The steering, pedals, and gear shift are placed right on the screen, so it might be a little cluttered for people with smaller phones. Though there are five different … Read more

TV tech explainer: Every HDTV technology decoded

Shopping for a TV can seem like a nonstop flood of numbers and jargon: contrast, 1080p, 240Hz, HDMI, 3D, and more. While some of these terms are descriptive, others are designed to fool you into thinking one TV is better than another, when actually it isn't.

Compiled here is a directory of every term you'll need to navigate the TV waters. Instead of one long article describing it all, it's broken down into sections so you can find just what you're looking for.… Read more

Kids, here's 3D proof that Santa exists

Dear Children of the World,

I have a very important message for you.

A few days ago, a man in Kingston, Ontario, (look it up) turned up at the annual Santa Claus parade and began shouting that Santa doesn't exist.

I know, I know. He must have been a really, really mean man. Or just really crazy. Or he'd been at Dad's tequila.

You'll be pleased to know that he was arrested. However, I wonder if some of you might have lost a little sleep, scared that maybe Santa was really Uncle Jim in a silly … Read more