The Adventures of TinTin Secret of the Unicorn 3D Movie Released
The Adventures of TinTin Secret of the Unicorn 3D Movie is released this week, and if you didn’t manage to see this in the cinema, I would recommend adding this one to your 3D movie collection.
TinTin makes his way back to our screens thanks to state of the art motion capture technology, but how does it fair compared to other animations on the cinema at the moment?
This is the first in the series of 3D motion capture films based on the iconic character Tintin, the intrepid young reporter whose relentless pursuit of a good story thrusts him into a world of high adventure.
Spielberg has not disappointed with his family friendly hit, especially with the array of the best British talent on offer (other voice actors include Daniel ‘Bond’ Craig and the delightful duo Simon Pegg and Nick Frost, famed for their other work with Wright). The Adventures of Tintin: the Secret of the Unicorn is certainly clever and a delight to watch, especially in 3D.
Playstation 3D HDTV for the Avid Gamer
Let’s great straight to the point! Where can you buy the Sony PS3 3D TV Display in the UK? When is it being released in the UK?
Well it’s being released in the UK early next year. To avoid the pain and frustration, you can pre-order one now on Amazon for a price of £409.99.
Order Now >> 
So What Is It?
An expensive 24-inch 3D HDTV that lets two people see two different images on the same TV. Cool!
Who’s it For?
Anyone with A) A love for same-room multiplayer B) Deep-ish pockets in need for a stellar TV for a small space.
Design
It’s a Sony television—it looks beautiful. It’s black, shiny (though not distractingly so), and will look handsome wherever you stick it. But why the hell are all of the control buttons unlabeled and crammed in the back?
Using It
It’s a TV—a TV with a gorgeous, bright, 1080p picture. Turn it on, watch shows, movies, or, ideally, play PS3 games in 3D. The lightweight active shutter glasses sync quickly and easily, and are both comfortable and expectedly dorky looking.
The Best Part
SimulView is the reason to buy this set—you and a friend will be looking at the same TV and be seeing two different images. No screenlooking, no cheating, no cramped splitscreens—just a nice picture and 1 v 1 grappling.
Tragic Flaw
Only a small handful of PS3 titles support SimulView, the chief quality of a 24-inch TV that costs £400 +
Test Notes
• That glossy screen is sure shiny. Nearby lights could be a problem—position accordingly.
• Extended SimulView sessions caused some eye stream for me and my gaming partner—sensitive sockets, beware.
• Non-SimulView 3D viewing was great—no ghosting detected.
Should You Buy It?
If you’re a gamer who can afford it, the 3D Display makes for an absolutely fantastic secondary or small room TV. In that case, yes. If you don’t own a PS3, don’t bother.
Sony PlayStation 3D Display
• Resolution: 1080p
• Glasses: Active Shutter, two included
• Size: 24 inches
• Input: 2 HDMI, Component
• Price: $500
“Turn any bedroom, den, or office into a 3D entertainment power suite with the best-in-class PlayStation® 3D Display. The brilliant 24 ultra-slim LED screen delivers all of your HD media by connecting to your PS3 system, cable TV box, and PC, while built-in speakers and subwoofer fill out the audio experience. Specially enhanced for gaming, SimulView technology delivers individual full HD screen action to each player in two-player mode, putting players deeper in the game. Quicker refresh rates keep gameplay continuous and smooth. And with the universal* PlayStation® 3D Glasses and MotorStorm: Apocalypse Game included, true 3D immersion is ready right out of the box. Enter a new dimension of gaming with true PlayStation® 3D.”
Order Now >>
China to Launch 3D Channel in 2012
This is 2011 and China are launching their first ever 3D television channel. China may soon have their audience eating out of their hands and an influx of 3D TV sales. It reminds me of the song by T’Pau in 1987 called ’China in your hand’. The meaning was that if you hold a tea cup up to the sun or light, you can see your hands through the transparency effect. China are hoping that their 3D TV experience is far from transparent and instead exudes clarity, reality and a true 3D experience.
China’s first 3D television channel will air on a trial basis on Jan. 1, 2012 and go into official operation during the upcoming Lunar New Year Festival in late January, according to government authorities.
“We have officially started preparations for the country’s first experimental 3D TV channel and have issued two technical guidelines on the production and airing of 3D television programs and 3D television signal transmission,” said Cai Fuchao.
The first stations to be trialled are China Central TV (CCTV), Beijing Television, Tianjing Broadcasting TV, Jiangsu TV and Shenzhen TV.
According to Cai, the channel will be launched through the joint efforts of six TV stations, including China Central Television.
Apple Given Patent for 3D Object Recognition
Guess who managed to acquire a patent for a rather ambitious project yesterday, as the Patent Office opened the doors for the tech giant, Apple to develop 3D recognition software.
The technology will allow to identify 3D models of faces, tumours, vehicles and animals. It will also be able to create a 3D picture of a face by scanning a photograph of the person in question.
The model could then be used to identify someone and will allow future iPads to advance graphics like MRI images for use in hospitals and other enterprise and military applications covering high-end security systems using advanced biometrics.
The technique is also accurate enough to be used to model organs and tumours within the body, allowing it to be re-purposed for medical projects.
More on the patent as follows:
“The recovered 3D shapes of blood vessels or organs recovered from 2D projections, eg, using X-ray imaging may be used for navigating steerable catheters or aiding physicians by displaying the recovered 3D shape.”
Apple has said that its face recognition feature could be used at border control points to scan one’s face without the person’s knowledge or cooperation.
LG Comes Out on Top in Vote for the Best 3D TV Brand
LG has recently completed a cinema vote challenge in Westfield shopping centres around Australia, which found that 80 per cent of people preferred LG’s passive 3D TVs to active shutter technology offered by its technology rivals, Sony and Samsung.
The poll was put together using a ‘blind test’ method, meaning members of the public were invited to view two different 3D TVs with all the brand labels removed. They then chose which 3D TV they thought provided the best “viewing experience” when compared side by side.
Over 4,000 Australians took part in the poll, inspired by the widely criticised and long-running Pepsi Challenge which similarly pits Pepsi against Coke in a taste challenge. It transpired that LG came out on top with four out of five people declaring the LG 3D TV model as the winner.
Home Service Entertainment Manager, Tim Barnes of LG Electronics Australia, was quoted as saying:
“The purpose of the Cinema 3D Challenge was to allow consumers to experience both formats [passive and active] first hand and let us know which one they preferred.
“What the Cinema 3D Challenge has told us is that consumers prefer LG’s Cinema 3D TVs over other leading LED 3D TV brands.”
LG also took this opportunity to promote its first ‘optically correct’ 3D glasses from Oakley, which are engineered to work with passive 3D technology, as well as some fresh IPTV content, and the company’s new 3D TV models with a $300 AUS cash back offer.
Transformers Dark of the Moon is a Movie of Epic 3D Proportions
Fans of The Transformers have been eagerly awaiting the release of the third installment of the popular series for viewing by the 3D home audience. Since September 30, 2011, viewers with 3D capabilities on their living room televisions have been able to enjoy the eye popping graphics of their beloved Transformers in Transformers: Dark of the Moon. The result is a movie and atmosphere that truly devoted fans appreciate the most.
Continuing the general storyline that started with the first, and wildly popular, Transformers movie, this third movie features all the action and science fiction that made the other two movies such blockbuster hits. Shia LeBeouf returns as the male lead, along with a new female interest, Rosie Huntington-Whitely. At first he is without a job but he is soon enticed into reprising his role as a protector of the planet. Along with the help of other Transformers alumni, Josh Duhamel and John Turturro, as well as newcomers, John Malkovich and Frances McDormand, the Earth is protected from the Decepticons, outer space robots of epic proportions.
While the first two installments of the Transformers movie syndicate were the result of script writers, Transformers: Dark of the Moon was based on a book. This book, Transformers: Ghosts of Yesterday, was actually written as a prequel to the original Transformers movie released in 2007. The story line of the movie is different in a number of ways, however, since the book was written as a prequel and not a specific continuation of the story line.
Transformers has a number of different action scenes in which 3D technology enhanced significantly. Many people feel like this movie is one of the best experiences with 3D since the history making movie, Avatar. The numbers bear out this popularity as well. Transformers: Dark of the Moon has grossed the most money of the three Transformers movies. In addition, this movie has been named the second highest grossing movie in the world for 2011 as well as the fourth highest grossing movie of all time throughout the world.
With the release of this movie to the 3D viewing home audience, the viewing experience has come full circle. Movie buffs can now enjoy one of their favorite movies right in their own homes without missing any of the 3D graphics that used to have to be left behind in the movie theater. This success of this movie paves the way for more releases of movies for the 3D home movie market.
The Latest Innovations in 3D Televisions
Top television manufacturers continue to push the 3D envelope as they move to bring the latest in this highly anticipated technology to the general public. With the increased popularity of watching movies in 3D at the theater, there has been an increasing demand to obtain that same great experience within the comfort and privacy of a viewer’s living room. Check out some of the latest offerings in this budding market.
One of the biggest innovations in the 3D television market is the move away from the traditional glasses that have always been associated with watching movies of this type in the past. Consumers have complained that the same 3D effects they enjoy at the theater are not transferable to their living rooms. This is all set to change with the introduction some of the newest products in the industry.
The 2011 Consumer Electronics Show saw the introduction of active shutter 3D glasses. These glasses effectively pass and block light that goes to the eyes. This allows viewers to experience the thrill of a 3D movie right in there own home. Several television manufacturers, such as LG and Samsung, use this wireless technology to deliver seamless action on their 3D ready televisions.
For those consumers who view the necessity of having to wear glasses in order to enjoy the full effects of their favorite 3D movies from their living rooms as a hindrance, there are now television manufacturers, like Panasonic and Phillips, who are introducing 3D auto stereoscopic tvs. These innovative tvs require that no glasses need to be worn in order to watch movies on their large and vibrant screens. Due to the technology that is used in these tvs, it is now possible for viewers to enjoy all the 3D effects they imagined but without the headache that often accompanies such viewing.
Although it is now necessary for much of the 3D content that is viewed to be processed in a special manner post production in order for it to be viewed without glasses in living rooms around the world, that is poised to change dramatically. In the near future, it will be possible to view events in real time as they are transmitted seamlessly in 3D. This technology is already in use by commercial vendors and it is only a matter of time before it will be perfected enough in order for it to be offered to the consumer market.
Enjoy Watching the Summer 2012 London Olympics in 3D
The London Olympics, the event designed to bring together the best athletes from around the world, is poised to make history of a different sort as well. London officials recently made the highly anticipated announcement that portions of the summer Olympics will be shown using 3D technology. Robert Mosey, BBC’s Director of coverage for the London Olympics, made a statement to the press after a 3D experiment involving the Wimbledon game proved to be highly successful. That success was repeated again at the broadcast of the US Open in 3D in September of 2011, cementing the move forward to bring the same coverage to the Olympics in London.
Manolo Romero recently offered more details during the yearly IFA conference on technology held in Berlin. According to Romero, managing director of Olympic broadcasting services, 3D footage of the Olympics games totaling 10 hours, or more, would be distributed across the globe on a daily basis. This would bring the total amount of 3D Olympic coverage to over 200 hours. Featuring at least 12 sports broadcast in 3D, as well as both the opening and closing ceremonies, this step signals an important leap in the expansion of broadcasting technology.
Panasonic, a leader in 3D technology, has been the Olympic supplier of camera equipment for 20 years. The company, based in Japan, will provide the necessary 3D kit for the Olympics 2012 summer games. The Olympic games provides viewers with an opportunity to see some of the best content available in the 3D market. Being able to enjoy this content in 3D will dramatically improve the experience of the typical living room viewer.
Sports have proven to be a natural at bringing out the best of 3D technology to its viewers. After the hugely successful ventures involving two high profile tennis tournaments that are typically viewed by millions of people around the world, bringing such innovative technology to the eagerly awaited Summer 2012 Olympics games was the next logical step. Viewers of the Olympics will feel like they have a prime seat in the stadium when they watch the games that are broadcast in 3D.
In order to successfully view the Games coverage in 3D, viewers must have a television set that is equipped with the 3D technology. Such TVs are widely available in a variety of different stores. Many of the top electronics brands make televisions with this cutting edge technology built right in.
Batman: Arkham City in 3D for PS3 and Xbox
On October 18, 2011, Batman fans everywhere across North America rejoiced. The long awaited sequel to the popular video game, Batman: Arkham Asylum, was released. The highly anticipated video game featuring an action-adventure format and Batman at his best, Batman: Arkham City, was greeted with praise from players and critics alike as people flocked to play the game on their favorite gaming system.
Though this 3D game for Xbox and Playstation 3 is based on the previous game, Batman: Arkham Asylum, there are notable differences. This newest game has a setting that is about five times bigger than the first game. This gives Batman more room to explore even as it givens the criminals more room to flee from him and perform a wide array of criminal activity.
There is a heavy focus on exploration, stealth, and hiding in this game. The Outcasts, Two-Face, the Joker, and a myriad of other villains, are all in the game and poised to bring out the best in Batman. Stealth and slyness give this game an intense feel that is easy to immerse yourself in due to the realistic 3D effects.
With Batman: Arkham City, you are given access to almost of the weapons that were present in Batman: Arkham Asylum from the very beginning of the game. This means you do not need to earn these weapons. You can instead take the time to get to know all the characteristics of each weapon.
Catwoman is back in this eye popping 3D game. Though he does not always agree with what Catwoman does, Batman has a special relationship with her. This often serves to add interesting twists and turns to the game play.
Hugo Strange is another villain that has a past with Batman. Like Catwoman, Hugo Strange is aware of many of the vulnerabilities that Batman must usually hide when he is trying to keep Gotham City safe. Since he was previously Batman’s psychiatrist, Hugo Strange is aware that Bruce Wayne has an alter ego in the form of the caped crusader, Batman.
If you have been impatiently waiting for the newest Batman 3D game release for the PS3 and the Xbox, you will not be disappointed. You will enjoy crisp and seamless graphics that make this particular game a must have for the serious gamer. New and old villains, as well as the occasional run in with Catwoman, will have you engaged in the game for hours on end.
Why do 3D Movies Cost Most to See?
Far too many people have packed up the family to go see a new movie only to get to the theatre and be surprised that the tickets for the 3D movie they wanted to see were £2 to £4 more than regular admission. Surprises like this can be very unpleasant and you may be asking yourself why the increased price.
Since making 3D movies does cost more, there is an expected rise in ticket price for that reason, but a majority of the added fees come from the 3D glasses you are required to purchase when seeing a movie in 3D. Most movie theatres do not allow you to bring in your own 3D glasses which forces customers to pay their fee.
Even if customers were allowed to bring in their own 3D glasses, the cost to see movies like Cars 2 and The Smurfs in 3D would still be higher than Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 2 because of the cost in making those movies in 3D. Considering that to create 3D movies, they are technically making two different images to project at the same time, the creators are pretty much faced with twice as much as work as regular films. Someone has to pay for this extra time required to make the movies so the first place to start is the ticket holders. By raising the price just slightly for each customer, movie makers can offset the extra man hours required to make the movie.
Keeping in mind that you are expected to get an extra thrill from 3D movies, the added costs to see these movies isn’t too inconvenient. If you can find a theatre that lets you bring in your own glasses, you can also shave a little off your ticket price. Yes, 3D movies cost more to see and make, but they provide the viewer with a much enhanced view of the movie making the extra costs worth it.
