PassmoreLab’s 3D Content Now Mobile on Spatial View’s 3DeeCentral.com

Interesting mobile content news - check out the press release:

3D fans of pesky aliens, flesh-eating zombies, blood-thirsty vampires, slimy worms, and glam band rockers can now enjoy them as part of the newly-launched 3D PC and mobile platform, 3DeeCentral.com. Spatial View’s online source of stereo 3D content has entered into a licensing agreement with San Diego-based 3D Studio PassmoreLab for a number of their 3D titles.

3DeeCentral includes paid and free 3D content available for 3D PCs, mobile and internet-connected devices. The content agreement includes titles in the genres of science and nature, music videos, extreme sports, and animation. The platforms support a number of 3D devices using active shutter glasses, polarized glasses, anaglyph and auto-stereoscopic technologies.

Spatial View has licensed content from numerous independent 3D filmmakers, bringing their total to over 100 3D titles. They have positioned themselves as the 'go-to destination' for consumers looking for compelling 3D content.

"3DeeCentral offers online stereo 3D content for a broad range of 3D devices," said Al Lopez, COO of Spatial View. "Our objective is to offer the most comprehensive coverage of platforms as possible, and our partnership with PassmoreLab gives us some beautifully-crafted high quality content offerings.”

PassmoreLab’s 3D content will be available for purchase for direct delivery to 3D mobile devices. The initial licensing term is for two years, covering all territories worldwide. Prices range from $1.99 to $6.99 US.

The initial agreement consists of eight titles from PassmoreLab, with more to follow. Specifically, the titles include:

• Science documentary “The Extreme Nature of Bats”
• Nature documentary “Microworlds”
• Documentary “Glimpse – The Fine Art of Glass Blowing”
• Part One of the Extreme Culture 3D series – “Murrugun The Mystic"
• The original 1968 George Romero zombie thriller “Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!”
• Ed Wood’s 1959 cult classic “Plan 9 from Outer Space, Now in 3D!”
• The PassmoreLab original animated short “Holy Moly”
• Glam rockers Semi Precious Weapons 3D rock video “Magnetic Baby”

"The timing is perfect for us to partner with 3DeeCentral as the 3D industry has expanded exponentially," said Greg Passmore, president of PassmoreLab.
"We are happy to help it expand even further, as a clip from one of our titles--Semi Precious Weapons "Magnetic Baby" 3D rock video--is also being featured on 3DeeCentral’s demo reel to entice other 3D content owners to join us.”

PassmoreLab continues to add to their already substantial 3D content library, completing science & nature documentaries The Physics of Surfing, The Extreme Nature of Bats, Microworlds, Bone Breakers, and Fuzzy Baby Animals; cult classic features Plan 9 from Outer Space, Now in 3D!, and Night of the Living Dead, Now in 3D!; the independent motion picture Iron Doors 3D; and numerous rock videos including Plain White T’s “Rhythm of Love” certified Gold; Slash’s #1 “By the Sword” with Andrew Stockdale; Semi Precious Weapons award-winning “Magnetic Baby”; punk-rockers Osaka Popstar & the American Legends of Punk “Wicked World”; and Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Famer Sammy Hagar’s “Loud”. PassmoreLab is also in pre-production on “Run You Down”, the first 3D video for Hollywood Records’ all-girl teen rockers Cherri Bomb.

A 3DeeCentral app is available for Windows 7, iPhone 3GS and iPod touch 3rd generation devices at 3DeeCentral.com. Support for iPhone 4 and iPod touch 4th generation is coming this Spring. An Android app is coming soon. From the 3DeeCentral app, users can preview, buy and download 3D content for viewing on their 3D device.

About Spatial View
Spatial View Inc. is a pioneer in stereo 3D content delivery and auto-stereoscopic display technologies. As the source of high quality stereo 3D content, technology and products, Spatial View delivers the best viewing experience on a wide variety of 3D PC, mobile and internet-connected devices. The company makes the 3D experience accessible, affordable, versatile and inspiring. Established in 2004, Spatial View is headquartered in Toronto with offices in San Francisco, Dresden and Brussels. Visit www.3DeeCentral.com

About PassmoreLab
Passmorelab, the San Diego-based multi-media 3D production studio, has the world’s largest library of 3D content available for licensing. The studio custom-designs and builds its own RED camera 3D rigs for both conventional and rugged film productions. Passmorelab’s proprietary technology for state-of-the-art 3D post-production is known in the industry for quick turnaround times and competitive costs. Additional offices in Russia and the Philippines. More at www.passmorelab.com, or contact Steve Glum (steve(at)passmorelab(dot)com, 858.200.5813.

Nintendo 3DS To Offer 3D Movie Trailers, NetFlix And 3D Classics Gaming!

Nintendo issued a 3DS press release today with some very interesting 3D news! This is the first I have heard of this, but I'm not really surprised: Nintendo will be offering "3D Classics" gaming which will include remastered classic video games. Very cool. No word on just what games will be selected initially.

Something a little more of note, Nintendo also announced that you will be able to watch 3D movie trailers on the 3DS!! I was hoping this would exist on the unit. Wish fulfilled. This functionality will be made available to 3DS owners at the end of May with a wireless system update.

Further, this summer the 3DS will offer NetFlix unlimited streaming movies for $7.99 a month.

Here is the related snippet from the Nintendo press release:
A short-form video service will let people view trailers for Hollywood movies in 3D and access video game trailers, screen shots, background information and links to publishers’ websites. Content will include short video clips, such as comedy shorts or music videos, selected by Nintendo and delivered to Nintendo 3DS users who choose to receive them.

You can read the whole release right here.

Nintendo 3DS launches March 27 in the United States at a suggested retail price of $249.99. I will be bagging one of these asap! Thanks test24 for the link!

Finally! Nintendo 3DS Arrives March 27!! It'll Cost Ya $250

YES! After waiting what seems like an eternity, we will be finally getting the Nintendo 3DS on our shelves March 27! Europeans will see it locally 2 days earlier.

The unit will cost $249.99 in North America and 250-300 Euro overseas.

Nintendo also recommends that kids younger than 7 years old should not use the unit as their eye muscles have not fully formed. I use the same precaution for any S3D experience frankly.

Here is the official press release:
The company that changed the world of video games with touch-screen gaming in 2004 and motion-controlled gaming in 2006 now pioneers the next dimensional shift. On March 27, Nintendo introduces portable entertainment in 3D – without the need for special glasses. The Nintendo 3DS™ system will be available in either Cosmo Black or Aqua Blue, and will have a suggested retail price of $249.99. Pricing outside the United States will be established by the local markets, but offer similar consumer value.

“Nintendo 3DS is a category of one – the experience simply doesn’t exist anywhere else,” said Nintendo of America President Reggie Fils-Aime. “You have to see Nintendo 3DS to believe it. And it’s like nothing you’ve ever seen before.”

Nintendo 3DS includes two screens. The bottom touch screen makes use of a telescoping stylus that is stored in the unit itself. The top screen displays 3D visuals to the naked eye. Looking at the screen is like peering through a window into a world where characters and objects have true depth. The system also has a 3D Depth Slider that lets players select the level of 3D they enjoy the most. The 3D effect can be ratcheted up to the highest level, scaled back to a more moderate setting or even turned off completely, depending on the preference of the user.

In addition to the familiar + Control Pad and button controls found on previous Nintendo hand-helds, Nintendo 3DS now also includes a Circle Pad, which provides a full 360 degrees of direction, giving it the freedom and precision needed to play games in 3D worlds. It brings the same degree of responsiveness that gamers enjoyed when Nintendo introduced an analog control stick to navigate Mario™ through Super Mario 64™ on the Nintendo 64™ system.

A built-in motion sensor and gyro sensor can react to the motion and tilt of the system, so whether players are twisting their systems side to side or moving them up and down, their motion-compatible Nintendo 3DS games respond instantly. No other system includes so many tools for game developers to create new and fun experiences for players.

Two features will allow owners to stay connected in new ways. Both deliver bonus content to owners as they move around during their daily lives, so users might open up their systems at any moment to find new surprises. For owners who choose to activate it, the StreetPass™ feature is capable of exchanging game information with other Nintendo 3DS systems as owners pass one another. Small packets of information can be exchanged using this data-transfer method, such as Mii™ character data, maps for games or high scores and custom character data for different games. The SpotPass™ feature can connect to compatible public hotspots and through a wireless broadband Internet connection at home, even if the system is in Sleep Mode. Once connected, the Nintendo 3DS system will receive new content and updates on a regular basis.

Each Nintendo 3DS system comes pre-loaded with a variety of fun games, applications and features, such as Nintendo 3DS Camera. Nintendo 3DS has three cameras. One camera points at the user, while two additional cameras point outward. These two outer cameras take photos in 3D. The fun, built-in game Face Raiders™ asks users to shoot at funny depictions of their own faces. Nintendo 3DS, when put into Sleep Mode, can act as a pedometer, while letting users earn Play Coins for the steps they take that can then be traded in for additional content in compatible games and applications. By accessing the Activity Log, users can check their steps as well as their play time. With Nintendo 3DS Sound, users can enjoy sound-manipulation tools or rock out while listening to their MP3 or AAC music files. An upgraded Internet browser will also be available via a system update.

The Mii Maker™ application gives users new tools to create Mii™ characters even more easily: Users can either import Mii characters from their Wii systems using an SD memory card or use the camera to take a picture of a person and have an automatic Mii character created. Users can even save their Mii characters to an SD card as pictures, which enables them to be used any way a digital photo would for personal use, such as a profile picture on social-networking sites.

The Nintendo eShop, through a system update, will offer access to downloadable games, including Nintendo DSiWare™ and ones specifically made for Nintendo 3DS. Also, just as the Virtual Console service on Wii makes retro games available for download, the Virtual Console games on Nintendo 3DS will be pulled from classic Game Boy™ and Game Boy Color games. Players will be able to view game videos, download demos for select games and see how other consumers rated the games. The Nintendo eShop will use a cash-based system. Users can either input credit card information in the shop or purchase a Nintendo 3DS Prepaid Card at retail locations.

Nintendo 3DS comes with six augmented-reality cards, called AR cards. When the two outer cameras are pointed at the cards, they read the cards and superimpose images and animations onto the scene. So users shouldn’t be surprised if they see a dragon popping out of their kitchen tables. Developers can also use this technology to add creative new experiences to their games.

Built-in parental controls can be used to limit Internet access or some of the wireless functions. By using a PIN code, parents also can turn off the 3D function altogether, or limit the ratings of the games that their kids can play.

Fans of online play will be happy to learn that the friend codes for Nintendo 3DS are specific to each Nintendo 3DS system, not each game. Once friends trade hardware codes, at any time they can check their friends list to see which of their friends are online and what they are playing.

Nintendo 3DS can also play Nintendo DS game cards with their original 2D visuals. The system also includes a slot for an SD memory card. To help users get started, every system comes with a 2GB SD memory card (though owners can provide whatever size they like). Using a service that will be provided after the hardware’s launch, Nintendo DSi™ and Nintendo DSi XL™ owners will be able to transfer games downloaded from the Nintendo DSi Shop onto their new Nintendo 3DS systems.

During the launch window (between the March 27 launch date and the E3 Expo in early June) more than 30 games will be available to Nintendo 3DS owners. These include Nintendo-created games like Pilotwings Resort™, which has players soaring acrobatically over iconic Wuhu Island; nintendogs™ + cats, a new version of the Nintendo DS classic with a feline enhancement; and Steel Diver™, a side-scrolling submarine adventure that gives the illusion that the player is peering into an aquarium. Other Nintendo 3DS games in the works include The Legend of Zelda™: Ocarina of Time™ 3D, Star Fox 64™ 3D, Kid Icarus™: Uprising and new installments in the Mario Kart™, Animal Crossing™ and Paper Mario™ series.

Nintendo 3DS also enjoys some of the strongest third-party support of any system launch. A partial list of titles coming soon to Nintendo 3DS includes Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked from Atlus; Super Street Fighter® IV 3D Edition and Resident Evil®: The Mercenaries 3D from Capcom; Madden NFL Football from EA SPORTS; The Sims™ 3 from Electronic Arts; Pro Evolution Soccer 2011 3D from Konami; LEGO® Star Wars® III: The Clone Wars™ from LucasArts™; Ridge Racer® 3D and Dual Pen Sports™ from Namco Bandai Games America Inc.; Super Monkey Ball™ 3D, Thor™: God of Thunder and CRUSH™ 3D from SEGA; BUST-A-MOVE™ UNIVERSE from Square Enix, Inc.; Samurai Warriors® Chronicles and Dead or Alive® Dimensions from Tecmo Koei America Corp.; and Asphalt™ 3D, Tom Clancy’s Ghost Recon® Shadow Wars, Combat of Giants™: Dinosaurs 3D, Tom Clancy’s Splinter Cell® 3D, Rayman® 3D and Rabbids® Travel in Time from Ubisoft.

For more information about Nintendo 3DS, visit Nintendo3DS.com.

Can't wait to get one for review!! Stay tuned...

Apple Foresees 3D Glasses That Use Your iPhone!

Jim here. Apple continues to patent stereoscopic 3D product ideas that seem truly revolutionary and this one is no exception! In fact this is actually a second refinement of a previous patent. The idea is to slide in an obviously VERY high resolution iPhone / iPod Touch into the frame of glasses to achieve 3D viewing for the consumer.

Word is the next iPhone will have even higher resolution, and it has a flat back like the one in this patent image. Could it be that this functionality be in our hands soon? Hard to say. Traditionally though, Apple's patents have been slow to push through and they just don't want to make any more patent mistakes by actually NOT patenting their ideas and having others, *ahem* Microsoft, take them.

Supposedly called iSpecs, the iPhone will slide into it and present side by side stereo images / video which the user will merge together naturally. The iSpecs also has a potential integrated camera which would allow the user to flip from watching media to seeing whatever was in front of them in realtime.

Of course the unit would be able to use the built in accelerometer (an iPhone and iPod touch feature that recognizes its own physical movement) to augment 3D gaming.

Looks like something that would be a no-brainer to me. Use your existing investment to enjoy hands-free 3D. We are seeing smaller autostereoscopic (glasses-free) 3D portable devices appear now, so perhaps iPhone is heading that way too. We'll see soon enough.