First Glasses-Free 3D Notebook Introduced

Published on: 2011/08/11 - in Featured Science & Tech

This week, Toshiba introduced the industry’s first glasses-free 3D notebook computer, available for purchase in North America beginning next week.

The Toshiba Qosmio F755 features an Intel Core i7 processor, NVIDA GeForce 540M graphics, Harmon Kardon speakers, and a Blu-ray drive. It can display content in both 2D & 3D modes and in cooperation with Nvidia, plan to enable ‘up converting” standard 2D games into 3D by this November.

To counter the traditionally narrow ‘sweet zone’ to be able to properly see the 3D effect – particularly important as screen sizes get larger – the Qosmio F755 uses its integrated webcam to detect the viewer’s eyes (“face-tracking”) and optimize the effect for their perspective. The notebook’s auto-stereoscopic display creates a double double parallax image where two images, one for each eye, is projected simultaneously.

Those in the 3D home entertainment industry hope the newest glasses-free 3D technology will begin winning over the buying public, many of whom balk at the expensive and inconvenient glasses required for televisions and other 3D notebooks.

Results from an ABI Research survey last March revealed a sizeable percentage of consumers are interested in at least considering the pucrahse of 3D electronics.

Sixty percent of respondents showed at least some level of interest in 3D Televisions, with 8% saying they are considering a 3D TV purchase within the next six months. About 3.5 million of the flat-panel TV shipments in 2010 were 3-D capable units, although screen size, price, display technology, refresh rate and internet connectivity are still the features most considered by shoppers.

For computers, more than a quarter of respondents listed 3-D capability as an important factor in their purchase decision for a new notebook, but processor speed and memory remain the most important considerations.

With 3D-capable smartphones also entering the market this summer, more than 40% of survey respondents indicated some level of interest in having 3D displays.

In other 3D entertainment news, this week Panasonic, Sony and Samsung also announced they were cooperating in a “Full HD 3-D Glasses Initiative” that will allow one brand of glasses to be used in all 3D TV models.

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Image: Toshiba

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