‘Would you consider’ Mobile accessories #2: Video Eye-wear
By Ben Robinson on Tuesday, November 25th, 2008 at 3:50 PM PST In Accessories, Devices, Ideas and rants
The Vuzix iWear AV920
Recently I’ve posted up some coverage of the Vuzix iWear range, which is now available in the UK. The ‘video glasses’ are essentially two small monitors (typically at QVGA or VGA resolution) that sit on a glasses mount – and give you the apparently perceptible equivalent of a 44-62 inch Plasma, depending on the model you have.
I have had the opportunity to play with them, and came away impressed – watching video on these is much less of a strain that watching it on your mobile device, or having to connected it to a TV. They are also ideal for travelling, since you are carrying your own cinema!
What I wonder is how many people would invest in these? I’m a convert, but of course everyone thinks differently, and motivations that work for one person, may not be there for another. My feeling is that the next evolution of TV viewing on the move is going to need to do something about the tiny screens on Mobile devices, without increasing the size of them – if you go down that road you end up with a phone the equivalent size of a netbook! What better way to deal with screen size that to re-think how the images are seen!
Let us know what you think about the Video Eye-wear – is this the solution to the eternal problem of screen size vs device bulk? Or not? We are keen to know your thoughts!
(By the way, if you want to check out the Vuzix AV920 in more detail, you can go to the product page here)
Other approaches
http://www.microvision.com – laser projector in your phone for up to 100 inch screen. Way higher resolution than VGA … rumours of 1080p on the way. Who wants to watch a 42 inch VGA screen? GIANT pixels
Microvision also have eyewear screens that give head-up-style display.
http://www.celiocorp.com – REDFLY, turn your cellphone into a netbook.
They are great!
I use with iPhone, but just tried with a friend’s N96 and BBC iPlayer works exceptionally well.
Lay back and relax without having to crook your neck to see the screen!