[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/

[Press Release]

3D VISION, INC., presented its new 3D Camera to the Film Industry.  3D Vision recently presented their innovative 3D camera to some of the toughest critics in the film industry, the members of the American Society of Cinematographers (ASC). The demonstration was held at the Hollywood, California offices of Mole-Richardson, a well known Hollywood staple in film rental equipment since the 1920s.  Members of the ASC included Directors of Photography (DPs), camera operators and techs, cinematographers and individuals associated with A-Grade movie production.  3D Vision’s camera was set up in a make shift set on the Mole Richardson sound stage and the ASC members and others were given the opportunity to try different aspects of the camera while putting it through the most common and uncommon (for 3D) paces including pan, tilt, zoom while moving the camera through different floor positions.

Richard Crudo, Past President of the American Society of Cinematographers had this to say: “3D Vision is on exactly the right track.  Their new camera is a reasonable size; it’s robust and doesn’t require a boatload of support gear and personnel to make it run.  Just take it out of the case, plug it in and you’re ready to go in no time at all.  In this sense, it’s helping to put control of the image back where it belongs – in the hands of the cinematographer.  There’s great reason to be excited about where they’re going with this technology and I look forward to their next announcement.”

Director of Photography, Bill Bennett, ASC, stated, “We’ve been waiting for years for an all-in-one professional 3D camera. This is what the industry really needs.”

“This is the audience we wanted to reach, the real users of the technology who can give you an honest opinion of this product, make recommendations that eventually will make this the 3D camera of choice in exploding 3D production market.  We value their opinions and we’ll continue to seek their input as we progress,” said Cliff Hall, President of 3D Vision, Inc.

Cliff Hall went on to say, “3D Vision’s future looks extremely positive and prosperous.  With this, we at 3D Vision are honored and excited to have been announced in the CEO’s Letter on the website www.envirotechenergy.com , as the first dividend in the new Ramoil Management, soon to be Enviro|Tech Capital, business model.  We look forward to growing our company and shareholder value together.”

See the original post here: http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/ramoil-management-ltd-otcramo-3d-vision-inc-introduces-its-innovative-3d-camera-to-the-film-industry-121558378.html