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Toshiba to release glasses-free 3D TV this year?

A report says Toshiba will, by the end of this year, launch 3D TVs in Japan that don't require glasses. The company says only that the technology is in the works.

David Katzmaier Editorial Director -- Personal Tech
David reviews TVs and leads the Personal Tech team at CNET, covering mobile, software, computing, streaming and home entertainment. We provide helpful, expert reviews, advice and videos on what gadget or service to buy and how to get the most out of it.
Expertise A 20-year CNET veteran, David has been reviewing TVs since the days of CRT, rear-projection and plasma. Prior to CNET he worked at Sound & Vision magazine and eTown.com. He is known to two people on Twitter as the Cormac McCarthy of consumer electronics. Credentials
  • Although still awaiting his Oscar for Best Picture Reviewer, David does hold certifications from the Imaging Science Foundation and the National Institutes of Standards and Technology on display calibration and evaluation.
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David Katzmaier

The promise of 3D without dorky glasses has always been elusive. CNETTV

As early as the end of this year in Japan, according to a report, Toshiba will release televisions capable of displaying 3D content that, unlike current models, do not require viewers to don special glasses.

The report in Japanese newspaper Yomiyuri was neither confirmed nor denied by Toshiba. Company spokesperson Yuko Sugahar said Tuesday only that Toshiba has such technology in the works.

The technology, known generically as autosterescopic 3D, was thought to be at least a few years away from commercial viability, according to industry sources CNET has spoken with, such as THX. According to the newspaper, the date could come much sooner, though it didn't provide more detail beyond saying that Toshiba will unveil three models of the television, which will cost several thousand dollars, before Christmas.

We'll believe it when we see it. In the meantime, enjoy these cool videos.