3-D laptops are coming at you. After Sony
The CES demos looked impressive back in January. The Vaio F laptops pack potent speakers and powerful NVIDIA
Nonetheless, Sony faces an uphill challenge. For starters, at a starting price of $1,700, the Vaio F series doesn't come cheap. That may not be a bad price point for early adopters, but it's a dubious start for new technology in a rapidly evolving marketplace.
3-D is a big seller at the multiplex. RealD
Were 3-D televisions priced too high? Were couch potatoes skeptical about the bulky battery-operated glasses? It probably didn't help when Toshiba demoed a glasses-free prototype.
The same thing may be the downfall of 3-D laptops. The Vaio F laptops require 3-D glasses for optimal viewing. Sony issues the same special specs with its 3-D Bravia televisions, but they extra eyewear will be more of a chore to lug around on portable computing devices.
In addition, it's one thing to wear ridiculous 3-D specs in the privacy of your own home theater, but another matter entirely to don them on a crowded subway or a coffee shop. Being sucked into a 3-D experience in public may also be dangerous. At the very least, users could be easy marks for pickpockets eager to swipe the goodies in their purses and briefcases.
Sony occupies the forefront of 3-D technology. It teamed up with IMAX and Discovery
Take off those 3-D glasses, Sony executives. You don't want to see what's coming at you next.
Would you still buy a 3-D laptop that requires glasses? Please share your perspective in the comment box below.