Awesome: 3D Webcam now available to buy!
By Ben Robinson on Sunday, January 11th, 2009 at 7:06 AM PST In Accessories, Gaming
Well this is quite Mobile, in that it’s not a fully Mobile device, but can be moved around – and so it qualifies as something that might be of interest to readers!
The Minoru 3D Webcam is currently being retailed by one of my fave online retailers, Firebox.com. They appear to have the world’s first 3D webcam, which achieves it’s FX by having a stereoscopic image generated by twin cameras!
The polarising (and hence 3D) effect is achieved when watching by using red-green glasses, which some may remember from the heady days of Jaws 3D (and wasn’t there a Back to the Future film in 3D also….?).
You get 5 sets of glasses with the Webcam, which means you can share your 3D creations – check out Firebox.com’s site for a video review – which also points out that you can put generated videos on YouTube for others to see!
Very cool tech, and I strongly suggest you click on over to the Firebox.com site and snap some up for yourself!
[Via: Firebox.com]
Here’s the problem I have with this camera: what’s the real application??? Are you buying it to see YOURSELF in 3D? That’s pointless, so probably not. Are you buying it to see your FRIENDS in 3D in a webchat? In which case THEY need the camera, not you. Are you buying it so your friends can see YOU in 3D? In which case they’re going to need those polarizing glasses… but the glasses are with YOU in YOUR box. So…. interesting device but missing application.
Now here’s where I think it COULD be used (and would someone please tell the guys at Minoru this): with an application that’s INTENDED for home monitoring. Something like HomeCamera (google it or see http://www.homecamera.com). Set it up at home, a set of glasses at work, a set in your briefcase (or whatever it is you happen to carry around), a set with the spouse or significant other, and hey presto, a real utility. 3D home monitoring with an easy-to-use and free service. Thats a story I can believe, thats an application I can buy into. Otherwise, it’s nothing more than a novelty, a flash in the pan that’ll die soon enough.