Over the last few years, there has been a noticeable increase in the number and quality of stereo 3D movies coming out of Hollywood.  Considering the massive profits that 3D has raked in for the box office, it’s no surprise that the videogame industry is jumping into this trend as well.

Currently, stereoscopic videogames are in production by Sony, Nintendo, EA Games, and Warner Brothers Interactive. 13% of American households plan on buying a 3DTV in the next year. That may sound like a small percentage, but it amounts to over 4 million television sets.

On top of that, the Sony has announced that PS3 owners will be able to download a FREE firmware upgrade that allowed 3D videogames to be played. That means you don’t have to upgrade to a newer console to get all the new features.

Michael Cai – Vice President of Interpret LLC – predicts that the shift to 3D gaming will be driven almost entirely by first-person shooters, action/adventure games, and racing games. After all, sprite games and puzzle games don’t have much dimension to emphasize, and 3D is all about depth.

Do you think that 3D games have the same potential as 3D movies? Are they worth the money, or are they just a fad?

Would you sacrifice image quality for the 3D effect? Currently, the 3D cell phone expected to be released next year has an added bonus, you don’t need 3D glasses!

To experience the 3D effect developers added a high tech layer to screen, allowing the image to be displayed in 3D. However, this gimmick comes at a price that’s surprisingly not financial. Developers say that although the added bill for the materials used on the 3D phone would only increase the cost by about $10, the image quality decreased dramatically. Adding a layer on top of the LCD or OLED screen reduces the brightness by up to 50 percent and resolution by almost the same number. Do you think the integration of 3D to your cell phone would be worth a lower quality image? Leave a comment below?

Loosely explained, 3D technology tricks the mind into thinking it is seeing a three dimensional image. This is achieved by recording with two lenses side by side ( about the distance of your eyes)  then melding the two images together.

Since its invention in 1838, stereoscopy has been used as a technique to create the illusion of a third dimension.  “L’arrivée du train” filmed in 1903 by the Lumière brothers is often referred to as the first stereoscopic movie ever made. When it was released, audiences panicked because they thought the train in the film was about to crash right into them! Since then, about 250 films and TV programs have been produced in 3D. Although the technology for creating 3D films has been around for a long time, the technology for viewing these films, as essential as it may be, is a totally different story. This explains why 3D cinema has gone through five significant eras and why its story is still being written.

1900 to 1946: Experimentation Producers, fans and inventors of all stripes lay the groundwork for 3D cinema. A few films are shot with small budgets in order to try to uncover the secrets of stereoscopic production.

1950 to 1960: The First Golden Age During this decade, 3D sees its first boom. With the commercial success of “Bwana Devil”, released by United Artists in 1952, 3D cinema captures the attention of the major studios. They turn out more than sixty films, including Hitchcock’s “Dial M for Murder” and “Hondo”, starring John Wayne. Although these films were shot with state-of-the art technology, 3D fell out of use because of the poor viewing conditions in most theaters and due to the complex equipment required to exhibit 3D movies (silver screens, polarized glasses, double synchronized projectors, special lenses…).

1973 to 1985: The Renaissance All but forgotten by the general public, 3D cinema resurfaces and several studios, large and small, try to resurrect it. They succeed in creating interest thanks to such films as “Jaws 3D”, “Comin at Ya!” and “Friday the 13th – Part 3”. However, in spite of its new-found success, the little cardboard glasses still didn’t cut it, and 3D disappeared once again.

1986 to 2000: The Revolution With the invention of the Imax 3D format, which audiences discover for the first time while watching “Transitions” at Expo ‘86 in Vancouver, and the emergence of new screening technology, 3D cinema finally comes into its own. Although 3D is used only in specialized productions due to the prohibitive shooting costs, it takes its rightful place, never to relinquish it again.

2001 to today: The Second Golden Age The advent of computer animation technology, digital cameras and 3D home theater contribute to the democratization of stereoscopic production and screening. The demand for 3D continues to grow and the technology is now entering its second golden age. Major brands such as Sony are building 3D capable home entertainment theater models in an attempt to help 3D stick around this time. We’ll ee if it works… this time.

What do you think about 3D? Do you remember seeing your first 3D film? Do you want it to stick around? Leave a comment below

Over a decade after the release of its two predecessor, Toy Story 3 is finally out in theaters! What’s changed? Pixar didn’t release the film on just one platform, viewers can choose between watching the film in standard form, 3-D or IMAX!

Critics claim that the film didn’t disappoint, and is believed to quickly become an instant classic.  By using most of the same actors, and crew Pixar was able to hold true to the roots of the original two films.  In the past the third movie fails to live up to it’s hype (or predecessors).

If you’re planning on seeing it, which method of viewing would you choose? If you’ve already seen Toy Story 3, what did you think? Comment below