3DTV - Fad or Standard of Innovation?

We've all come to love the experience of being able to see various movies in 3D. You get to pay an extra 4 bucks for your ticket, get cool glasses with RFID tags so you don't steal them but don't actually work all that well, and if you're lucky and see it in IMAX, then you also get to see a cool laser show in the beginning. All of these play a part in the experience you have in being able to see things in 3D (Because real life isn't good enough). That being said, Sony's latest technological push relies on bringing the 3D experience into your home, glasses and all.

Now, it's all well and good to be able to enjoy a 3D movie once in a while, but to bring it to your TV?
It might be a little tedious, especially when you have to wear glasses every time you watch TV. Especially for us geeks who already have glasses (assuming you don't have contacts), this poses an exceptionally difficult situation of BEING ABLE TO SEE. Aside from this very minor detail, we can all assume that the future holds perfect 20/20 vision for all. The question is, are people willing to pay for it?


Comparing a 46" 3DTV to a regular flat screen LCD, you're looking at about a $1,000 difference. A much steeper increase from a $14 movie ticket. Some people will argue that it's a new techonlogy, and that the price is only for early adopters. What a lot of people don't realize is that, that kind of thinking will only come to pass IF there is enough interest in a given product by the early adopter market. Sony invested a lot of money into pushing 3DTV (above) at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas early this year. Although theirs was probably the most prominent show of the convention, the feedback was only of cautious optimism.

The main difference between 3DTV and a regular TV is the appearance of depth. Not the type you would normally see in the movies where things could potentially fly out at you, but simply of feeling like you can look inside your TV and see a world inside. The caution stems from the question of, is it worth the trouble? While resolution is always a key component in technological progression for televisions, this new innovation is raising a lot of doubt about the necessity of being able to see depth versus the extra investment in the TV, and the extra peripherals.

We are yet only at the cusp of the 3DTV market, many more innovations may happen that can even antiquate the need for glasses altogether. As technology ever trudges forward, we can only wait to see what is in store. In the words of Steve Jobs, in response to neglecting consumer opinion on products, "You can't just ask customers what they want and then try to give that to them. By the time you get it built, they'll want something new." Very true in an age where technological advancement from company to company can happen in a heartbeat, and the wants of the consumer can turn on a dime.

Whether or not 3DTV technology is a simple fad or the leap forward in entertainment, only time will tell, but only you can decide. 

0 comments:

Post a Comment