Entertainment Technology Center @ USC

[by Chuong Nguyen, www.gottabemobile.com]

Taking on the HTC EVO 3D, Sharp will be providing Japanese residents a 3D-capable smartphone in the form of the Aquos Android phone. Curiously, though as Sharp is the maker of the EVO 3D’s qHD glasses-free 3D display, the Aquos phone actually ships sans 3D screen. It does however have the same qHD resolution display as the EVO 3D.

The Aquos SH-12C will be made for NTT DoCoMo and will launch with Android 2.3 Gingerbread out of the box.

While the display is slightly smaller than the HTC EVO 3D at 4.2-inch on the Aquos, the phone sports the same high resolution qHD display, making it more pixel-packed and a little crisper in resolution than the American 4G WiMax counterpart.

The device will be powered by a 1.4 GHz Qualcomm processor and sport 14.4 Mbps HSPA download speeds, which would theoretically make it a 4Gsmartphone device by the standards used by American carriers T-Mobile and AT&T. Additionally, there is an HDMI port, but it’s unclear if the HDMI connection can output 3D content to an HDTV or if it’s limited to 2D content.

For 3D, the device does sport dual rear 8-megapixel cameras, up from the dual rear 5-megapixel cameras on the HTC EVO 3D, for 3D image and video capture. All the requisite sensors and radios are on-board.

For a Sharp smartphone with a 3D display, users can look at the Galapagos smartphone, which the company had stated at CES would be coming to the U.S. in the future. That device has a glasses-free 3D experience, but at a lower WVGA resolution.

The device will also compete in the same space as the LG Optimus 3D.

See the original post here:  http://www.gottabemobile.com/2011/05/12/sharp-launches-aquos-android-smartphone-with-3d-qhd-display/

[by Chuong Nguyen, gottabemobile.com]

In order to kick-start development for the HTC EVO 3D, a smartphone with a glasses-free 3D qHD display as well as dual rear cameras to capture photos and videos in 3D, HTC and Sprint are now releasing the S3D SDK so that developers can now create and release apps and content for the smartphone. Results of the SDK were demoed in a Spiderman 3D game at Google I/O by Gameloft, which offers excellent graphics and game play.

I spoke with some third-party developers outside of the Google I/O 2011 developer conference and found out some interesting things about developing 3D content for the phone.

Gameloft was one of the companies that I had spoken with, and the company said that there were definitely some challenges in creating 3D content on mobile devices. The reason being is that there is so much variation in hardware–Gameloft said that it had thought development for the EVO 3D would be similar to the Nintento 3DS and for the LG Optimus 3D, but that varying chip architecture made the development more challenging than expected. This problem, otherwise referred to as fragmentation in the Android community, will most likely continue with 3D, HD, and other graphics intense games with various graphics and applications processors used, differing SoCs, and chipsets from various chip-makers ranging from NVIDIA to Samsung to Qualcomm to name a few.

The good news is that development so far for Gameloft appears to be going smoothly as the company was able to demo Spiderman 3D on the HTC EVO 3D. The game looks amazing in 3D and the graphics appear to pop in 3D more so than when we first glimpsed the device a few months ago at the CTIA tradeshow when it was announced by Sprint. Now, Gameloft with HTC has gotten the frame rate of the game up–it was around 15-20 fps before and now through refinements, Gameloft says that Spiderman 3D is playing near 25-30 fps. What that means is that you’ll be seeing more 3D–you can adjust how much pop you want in the 3D rendering–as well as smoother game play with the higher frames per second.

A video demo of the Spiderman 3D game on the HTC EVO 3D is shown below. Despite the qHD display being a glasses-free 3D screen, the 3D effects didn’t show up too well in video. However, in my experience and brief hands-on time with the game, the 3D seems a lot better than a few months ago when the phone was initially announced.

Gameloft says that a trial of Spiderman 3D will be pre-loaded on the HTC EVO 3D at launch. The company says that it plans on bringing additional titles to the EVO 3D, but could not commit to a timeframe or the actual names of titles at I/O.

HTC will be making the 3D SDK, called the S3D SDK, available to other third-party developers as well in a bid to have more content be created for the smartphone. Right now, 3D content is still a rarity in the mobile space as there are very few 3D smartphones on the market. Outside of the HTC EVO 3D, Sharp also produces a Galapagos line of Android smartphones that possesses a 3D screen and dual-cameras for the Japanese market and LG has the Optimus 3D. Hopefully, with the S3D SDK, more developers will be able to create additional content.

See the original post here: http://www.gottabemobile.com/2011/05/11/htc-s3d-sdk-allows-for-3d-apps-game-development-for-htc-evo-3d/

[by Ellis Hamburger,  Business Insider]

When the LG Optimus 3D launches on AT&T later this year (as the Thrill 4G), it will have one killer app behind it.

LG partnered with app-maker Wikitude to offer a 3D “augmented reality” world browser which will illuminate restaurants, tweets, landmarks, and more near you.

All you’ll need to do is hold up your phone in front of you, then spin in a circle to see what’s nearby. Little icons will represent points of interest, and will move on your screen based on which way you’re looking.

If you see something interesting, you can tap it to view a Wikipedia article about it, or even make a reservation. The app will include over 100 million points of interest around the world and will be in 12 languages from the get-go.

This concept has existed for a while now and there are plenty of apps doing this magic trick, but none of them do it in 3D except Nintendo 3DS games–which are actually incredibly fun.

And don’t worry. The Optimus 3D uses glasses-free 3D technology so you won’t look like silly while you’re using it.

See the original post here: http://www.businessinsider.com/lg-optimus-3d-augmented-reality-app-2011-5

[by James Mitchell, 3D TV Watcher]

Tablets are rolling off production lines at the moment, at something of a phenomenal rate.

What’s more, 3D is seeing an increase in popularity and investment which married with consumer demand for tablets, which means only one thing, 3D tablets are here to stay.

Nintendo’s 3DS has made mobile gaming a lot more interesting, and RIM’s investment in TAT (The Astonishing Tribe) several months ago has meant that the latest BlackBerry product is doing the same.

3D content will be made more readily available on the move, with the PlayBook set to feature a tridimensional option made possible by the dual core processors beating at the heart of the slim machine.

No word yet on a release date for the tablet, although it seems not too far away, or a price, but rest assured that this additional dimension will at least spice up the market and give Apple some food for thought.

Apple is making provisions for 3D capabilities it seems, but RIM has really got things moving by demonstrating the technology at BlackBerry World recently.

The PlayBook looks set to feature stereoscopic 3D technology which may disappoint some prospective consumers, but when any more details are released, 3DTVWatcher will be right on top of them.

See the original post here:  http://www.3dtvwatcher.co.uk/blackberry-playbook-goes-3d-2065/

[Philip Lelyveld comment: 3D image is constructed that feeds into a 3D printer!]

[by Max Eddy, www.geekosystem.com]

Georgia Tech researcher Grant Schindler has come up with a pretty clever use for the iPhone 4: Use it to create 3D models. It’s a simple process that proves that while there are over 350,000 apps, there’s still plenty of new ideas for the iPhone platform.

Schindler’s app, called Trimensional, works by shining light on a person’s face from four directions, and recording the results. These are compiled into a single image that users of the advanced version of the software can export to a 3D printer and create a model of their face, or whatever they scanned. Cleverly, Trimensional does not require any additional equipment to perform the scan, such as a light kit. Instead, it uses the iPhone’s screen as a light source, and records the images with the front-facing camera.

Schindler describes the scanning process as answering a series of questions. From the Georgia Tech Digital Lounge:

If I take a scan of my face, the app asks ‘what does the image look like if I shine the light from the left side, what does it look like from the right side,’ and so on. There’s one three-dimensional answer per pixel, and combining all those answers results in the full 3-D model[.]

See the original post here: http://www.geekosystem.com/trimensional-scanner-iphone/

[BY SHANE MCGLAUN, androidcommunity.com]

The smartphone world is growing in a huge way. Every time we turn around there are hoards of new smartphones ready to hit the market and the majority of them are Android phones. There are also a few new smartphones that are bringing some cool features to the market with things like support for 3D connects and 4G network access. So far, 3D has failed to make a big dent in the home with TVs and computers, but a smartphone with 3D might be more appealing to the user thanks to mobile gaming capability.

One of the cool new smartphones that we have seen and talked about a bit is the LG Optimus 3D. The last time we talked about the smartphone was in late march when we reported that the device had hit the FCC for the approvals it needed to come the US. When a device lands at the FCC, the next step is usually the announcing of a launch date. Fans wanting for the Optimus 3D will be glad to hear that the launch date has finally surfaced. The Optimus 3D will be on store shelves on June 6 barring any unforeseen issues.

We have already talked about the features of the device, but I will run them down here. The smartphone is able to record video in 3D and show that video in 3D on the screen with no glasses. It has a big 4.3-inch multi-touch display. The rear camera is a 5MP until and it records in 720p. Internal storage is 8GB and the phone runs Android 2.2. It also has WiFi, 3G connectivity, a 3.5mm headphone port and HDMI output. The phone will sell for £379 + VAT.

See the original post here: http://androidcommunity.com/official-launch-date-for-lg-optimus-3d-unveiled-20110421/

[By Ginny Mies, PCWorld]

Just about everything is cutting-edge about the HTC EVO 3D: the dual-core processor, Sprint 4G data speeds, and of course, the 3D display and camera. But there’s another spec that puts the EVO 3D ahead of the pack: the MHL port. I met with the president of the MHL Consortium, Tim Wong, at CTIA in March and got a rundown of the technology and a glimpse into the future of how smartphones will interact with HDTVs.

The MHL specification, which stands for Mobile High Definition Link, is a 1080p HD video and digital audio interface for connecting smartphones and other portable devices (tablets, cameras, etc.) to HDTVs. So what’s the big deal? It simultaneously provides power to your phone–something that HDMI cables don’t do. It remains to be seen how power-hungry a dual-core, 4G phone with a 3D display will be, but given how quickly smartphones with lesser specs seem to lose power, charging is always appreciated.

The specification also allows any TV remote to control your phone’s interface, apps and content. Basically, you can hook your phone up to any HDTV, by any manufacturer, and have complete access to it on the big screen.

This also means MHL phones will only have one port and require one cable needed for charging and hooking up to a TV. Other HDMI-enabled phones, like the HTC EVO 4G for example, have two ports: the microUSB port (for charging and hooking up to your PC) and the HDMI port. A single port allows smartphones to be slimmer and sleeker in build.

You can also use your standard USB connector with the port. When connected, your phone will automatically recognize whether it is hooked up to an MHL port or a USB port and will switch accordingly.

Wong was unsure whether Sprint would package an MHL cable with the EVO 3D or sell it separately in stores. He expects the cables to be cheaper than HDMI cables (which are generally sold separately) because they are much thinner and cost less to make.

The HTC EVO 3D is the first phone announced in the US to support the MHL 1.0; the Galaxy S II is the only other phone announced to have an MHL port. The HTC View 4G, coming to Sprint, will be the first tablet to boast an MHL port. And expect more MHL-enabled devices this year: Wong said that there were at least 12 devices in queue, including TVs, smartphones and tablets.

See the original post here:  http://www.pcworld.com/article/224312/why_the_htc_evo_3ds_mhl_technology_matters.html

3D Highlights from CNET’s coverage, by Kent German

…”Today, Sprint unveiled two additional Android devices, the Evo View and the Evo 3D. The former is a slightly revamped version of the HTC Flyer tablet that debuted last month as Mobile World Congress. Sprint kept almost everything, including HTC’s Scribe technology, while adding WiMax support and a black finish. The Evo 3D meanwhile is a Gingerbread-equipped smartphone with the ability to record 3D video and shoots 3D still photos.”

…”Next up is the LG Thrill 4G for AT&T. As the U.S. version of the LG Optimus 3D (yet another Mobile World Congress phone) the Thrill 4G is all about its 3D video recording. As we said with the Optimus handset, the 3D effect is subtle but pretty nifty. LG also announced the Optimus C for Cricket and a few accessories including Bluetooth headsets and a wireless charging pad.”

See CNET’s full coverage here: http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-12261_7-20046106-10356022.html?tag=mncol;4n

[Press Release}

muvee Device Solutions Group [DSG], the pioneer and leader in video editing applications for mobile devices, today announced the release of 3D video editing to accompany a suite of HD editing tools for Google’s Android operating systems announced last month at Mobile World Congress.

muvee recently released CODEN (Compressed Domain Editing Engine), a technology stack that bypasses the need to decompress video before making basic edits. To add to this, muvee has now added enhancements to make this also work for 3D HD videos which could mean up to 2x the amount of video.  Now HD 720p video files in 3D can be edited while in a compressed state with the muvee application.

“Consumers who shoot and share video on their mobile phones expect instant gratification,” said Terence Swee, CEO, muvee.  ”However, editing video has traditionally been a computationally expensive operation, given the large resolution and complex compression used.  By going the way of 3D, this problem doubles.  Using smart technologies like CODEN enable users to be able to quickly edit their 3D videos on device, bypassing the need to transfer to a PC.”

muvee’s announcement follows that of handset maker LG which recently released the LG Optimus 3D smartphone and tablet with user-friendly 3D capture and upload features.

“LG has been the first to announce the availability to record 3D-HD video on consumer mobile phones,” Swee said.  ”We believe this trend will continue in tandem with 3D TVs continuing their relentless march toward widespread adoption in the living room.  Making the CODEN stack usable for 3D video is valuable to the industry’s efforts to promote user generated 3D content.”

muvee’s technology uses novel software techniques to accomplish all of the four basic video editing functions in a fraction of the time usually needed, and also requiring much less heap memory space on the phone.  This translates to a superior user experience and product differentiation without an increase in manufacturing costs to include more main memory and faster CPUs.  With muvee’s new technology, now every camcorder phone is able to achieve this. Devices with dual-lens cameras for 3D video and image capture will be able to utilize muvee’s 3D editing tool.

The HD video editing toolkit is now available for both feature phone and smartphone handset manufacturers and operators. For more information please visit http://devices.muvee.com/. Each of the four operations can be used to build separate applications or be licensed separately. They are also ready to be shipped as a complete video editing application immediately.

About muvee DSG

muvee Device Solutions Group was established in 2004 with the release of the world’s first video editing application onSymbian mobile phones for Nokia (NYSE: NOK). In 2006, DSG delivered the world’s first digital camera video editing application, Pictmotion for Nikon (TYO: 7731). Today, muvee DSG continues to be the leader in producing cutting edge applications for video editing on-the-go that have been embedded in devices by LG (KRX: 066570), Samsung (KRX: 005930), Nokia and Nikon. The formal creation of Device Solutions Group is a demonstration of muvee’s deep focus and commitment in embedded software, and to its device OEM customers. Visit http://devices.muvee.com/ for more information.

About muvee

Since 2001, muvee has been developing software and services featuring patented technology that lets people create and share professional-quality instant home movies out of unedited video, photos and music. muvee develops consumer products for a range of platforms and devices including PCs (muvee Reveal), Online (shwup.com), digital cameras, mobile phones and photo kiosks. muvee’s global customers include HP (NYSE: HPQ), Dell (NASDAQ: DELL), Nokia (NYSE: NOK), LG (KRX: 066570), Samsung (KRX: 005930), Sony (TYO: 6758), Olympus (TYO: 7733), Nikon (TYO: 7731) and Creative Technology (SGX: C76).  Visit www.muvee.com and www.shwup.com for more information.

See the original press release here: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/muvee-device-solutions-group-releases-3d-video-editing-technology-for-android-118410264.html