Osaka Popstar and Passmorelab Announce Debut of 3D music videos on the Nintendo 3DS

May 22, 2013 (Los Angeles, CA) Passmorelab and indie-punk-rock group Osaka Popstar announced today that the 3D music videos for the songs Wicked World and Insects will premiere on the Nintendo 3DS in May and June respectively.

The handheld Nintendo 3DS is an autostereoscopic console capable of showing 3D video without the use of 3D glasses. As of April 2013, Nintendo has sold over 20 million 3DS games. Nintendo will premiere Osaka Popstarʼs music video for Wicked World on May 24, 2013 and the band's video for Insects will be available for download on June 20, 2013.

Osaka Popstar is a sonically and visually stimulating punk-pop band led by singer/producer John Cafiero—long-time Misfits and Ramones collaborator and platinum selling film and video director. This new multimedia experience is another example of Cafieroʼs vision for his music and art crossover project which features a revolving backing band of punk-rock legends—guests in the lineup have included members of the Misfits, the Ramones, Black Flag, and more.

Passmorelab, a San Diego-based 3D producer and distributor, is a licensed developer for Nintendo and has provided 3D for music videos for many top musical acts including Linkin Park, Devo, Black Keys and Train.

“Our innovative 3D style has allowed us to become a leader in 3D post production for the music industry. Additionally, we thought this project was a wonderful opportunity to promote the incredible special education program at J.P. Widney High School,” said Greg Passmore, President of Passmorelab (ʻInsectsʼ was written by the Kids of Widney High, a music group composed of disabled students from the special education J.P. Widney High School in Los Angeles. All of the producerʼs net proceeds from the video will benefit J.P. Widney High School).

Osaka Popstar frontman Cafiero stated, “With all the different components there are to explore in Osaka Popstar I couldnʼt imagine a more perfect fit than teaming with Nintendo. Video games have an incredible dynamic mix of audio/visual excitement and Osaka Popstar has kinship in that approach. The imagery stemming from the music, and the animated videos themselves are essentially like video games that have taken on a life of their own, and started playing out in stealth mode. Iʼd love to take it the next step and reverse that concept, bringing the characters and scenarios into an actual gaming environment...” Cafiero added, “Weʼve done punk versions of the Astro Boy and Sailor Moon themes, and I canʼt tell you how many times fans have requested Osaka Popstar cover the theme to “Sonic X”, so if you do the math, it speaks for itself. Weʼre definitely in the right place with Nintendo, and Iʼm thrilled about it. This is going to be a blast.”

“As the first and most widely embraced autostereoscopic device on the worldwide market, the Nintendo 3DS has changed the way 3D content is delivered to consumers,” stated James Humann, Passmorelabʼs legal counsel. “Johnʼs vision for Osaka Popstar, infectious pop punk inspired in part by Japanese animation, translated perfectly for 3D. Its fun and its cool. Our recent project with Devo
(Monster Man 3D) was a huge hit with Nintendo users and we think these videos will be as well."

About Osaka Popstar
Osaka Popstar is the pop-punk multimedia music and art project led by singer/producer John Cafiero, long-time Misfits & Ramones collaborator and platinum selling film and video director. The critically acclaimed debut album “Osaka Popstar and the American Legends of Punk” features frontman Cafiero with a revolving lineup of punk-rock legends as his backing band including members of the Misfits, the Ramones, Black Flag, and the Voidoids among others. The bandʼs new single “Super Hero” (written by Cafiero), was released pre-Spring 2013 charting in the top 20 on alternative radio. An expanded reissue of the debut album will follow this summer and more new material is already in the works. The world of Osaka Popstar is a fusion of pop-culture that transcends into all facets of art including music, animation, apparel, vinyl toys and much more.

CONTACT:
http://osakapopstar.com
http://facebook.com/osakapopstar
http://twitter.com/osakapopstar

About Passmorelab
Passmorelab is a San Diego-based stereoscopic 3D studio that specializes in Ultra HD (4K) and 3D production and distribution. The company's California and Texas facilities include 4K and 3D production and post production suites and software development labs. Passmorelab’s state-of-the-art 3D technology has been used on many major Hollywood films. The company also specializes in 3D production for music videos and has worked with many high profile artists including Linkin Park,
Devo and the Black Keys. Passmorelab also operates a distribution/sales office in San Diego that specializes in licensing 4K and 3D content across all platforms.

CONTACT:
Passmorelab
4901 Morena Blvd., Bldg. 600
San Diego, CA 92117
Michael Williams, Director of Content and Distribution
(562) 533-0453 sales@passmorelab.com
http://www.passmorelab.com/
http://www.facebook.com/passmore.lab

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...

A Look At What May Be In The New Nintendo 3DS!!

Wow - could it be what I think it is? Judging by this recent FCC filing photo (entitled: "Nintendo CTR Target Board") Nintendo has given us a look at a testing board that is potentially used for their upcoming 3DS. It seems the company is trying to get approval for use of the Wi-Fi card in the US.

Things to note:
- It seems to be a DS with its two screens stretched out to facilitate testing.
- The top screen is now a widescreen with the lower one still being a 4:3 ratio.
- Sharp's autostereoscopic 3D technology (that's right - no glasses) seems to be included with the top widescreen (and not the bottom screen).
- Stereo speakers, DS cartridge slot and SD card port are still present. Yes - it will have full backwards compatibility with existing DS games.
- Mark June 15 on your calendars - Nintendo is expected to reveal the unit to the masses along with its official name.
- I have been hearing about a release window between October 2010 and March 2011. The former seems most likely as no manufacturer wants to miss the holiday gift giving season.

I know this will be on our family's wish list this year if it is available so, yes, I am very interested to learn more! This product will be a sure fire barn burner especially with NO 3D glasses required. No doubt about it!! :-)

Sharp Announces Autostereoscopic 3D Screen

Michael here. It's great to see that the quality of autostereoscopic 3D screens is improving rapidly. For instance, check out this new screen from Sharp, unveiled today via press release.

With touchscreen capability, the ability to switch between 2D and 3D, and high brightness and a high resolution screen, this 3.4 inch screen strikes me as something that would fit well into Nintendo's recently announced 3DS.

From Sharp:

Sharp Corporation has developed a 3D touchscreen LCD featuring the industry’s highest brightness that can switch between 2D and 3D modes. Users can view 3D images harp:
without the need to wear special glasses, making this LCD ideal for mobile devices such as digital cameras, mobile phones, and smartphones.

The newly developed 3D LCD uses a parallax barrier system to display 3D images. This parallax barrier, which has a series of vertical slits, is incorporated into an ordinary LCD to control the path of light reaching the right and left eyes, thus creating a sense of depth. However, the conventional 3D LCD with this system had difficulty in displaying high-quality images in 3D mode.

The 3D LCD developed by Sharp at this time significantly improves image quality by achieving both high brightness and low crosstalk thanks to advances in CG-Silicon technology and optimization of the parallax barrier. Advances in CG-Silicon technology have shrunk the wiring width within the LCD panel, allowing more light to pass and doubling the brightness (to 500 cd/m2, the industry’s highest) compared to the conventional model. In addition, optimizing the parallax barrier design has increased the efficiency of light, thereby dramatically reducing crosstalk. Also, the thickness of the LCD module is about the same as conventional 2D displays even though it is a touchscreen display. As 3D images can be displayed in both portrait and landscape screen orientations, it is ideal for sophisticated mobile devices such as smartphones.

Sharp has also developed a non-touchscreen 3D LCD and will start its mass production in the first half of fiscal 2010.

Looks cool. I can't wait for these next-gen AS3D screens to come out. And, like everyone, I'll have my eyes sharply trained on Nintendo for any news regarding the 3DS.

UPDATE: Check out this video of the screen (thanks Johnno!):

Nintendo 3DS! Nintendo Announces Autostereoscopic 3D Handheld Game System!

Michael here. Wow, this is HUGE news. Nintendo has announced that the successor to the Nintendo DS, tentatively called the "3DS", will be released by March 2011.

Click here for Nintendo's press release

The 3DS will not require glasses. My guess is that the 3DS will feature a parallax barrier or lenticular-based autosterescopic screen. There's also a chance it will feature headtracking for motion parallax.

It will be backwards compatible with the DS and DSi.

In any case, more details on the 3DS will be revealed at this year's E3, which starts June 15 in Los Angeles. It may even be available to play.

I can't wait to hear more about this! I'm sure Nintendo must be thinking S3D and headtracking for the Wii's successor as well, especially after seeing this video.