3D TV without glasses - not anytime soon!

Very good article below explaining the large challenges with bringing a 3D experience on your home TV without glasses. If you are holding out, stop waiting it will be a long time. If you want 3D in home, there are many great options with Active of Passive glasses (powered or not powered) that produce a great 3D experience from many viewing angles of your television. Enjoy now, and by the time you may be looking for a new TV (9 years to so) maybe, just maybe 3D without glasses could be ready.

JZ

3D TV Without Glasses Just Isn't Happening

We won't be taking off the glasses to see 3D in the foreseeable future, despite a promising start.

• By Will Greenwald
•                        

At CES 2012, Toshiba and Sony had prototype screens showing glasses-free 3D technology. Through special filters and electronics, you could look at the screen and see a 3D picture without putting on glasses. They weren't perfect, but they were prototypes, and they showed off a promising new technology, especially in the face of the success of the Nintendo 3DS, which uses similar technology on a smaller scale.
There hasn't been much word on the glasses-free 3D HDTVs since CES
The Nintendo 3DS proved to be a fun novelty with its glasses-free 3D, but I found myself playing games with 3D turned off more often than not just from the convenience. The device's screen depth can enhance your games, but it forces you to keep your head and the device very still to keep your eyes aligned with the filtered screen. If you move your head or the 3DS slightly in any direction, the images separate and flicker.
The glasses-free 3D HDTVs I saw at CES had the same problem. Getting in the "sweet spot" was difficult, and even for the Toshiba HDTV that boasted eye-tracking technology that could adjust the filters to meet your eye positions, the 3D effect didn't work well. Even with the screen fixed in place, I had to keep my head in just the right position to get the 3D effect, and watching the HDTV from any other direction than straight-on in that position is difficult because of the image separation.
According to a spokesman at Sony, no glasses-free 3D screens are commercially available outside of the small ones used in the company's 3D Handicams, which are about the size or smaller than the Nintendo 3DS's own screen. Larger screens, like notebooks and HDTVs, are still securely in the "future tech" category of technology being previewed as a concept, not a product. Toshiba has been similarly quiet about glasses-free 3D HDTVs, with no news about the technology since it was shown off at CES.
Part of the problem is in developing the technology, but it's also the convenience and ease of use of it. 3D glasses can offer a solid 3D picture across a wide viewing angle depending on the HDTV and 3D technology used (passive 3D glasses tend to display more crosstalk when watched from the sides). Glass-free 3D requires users to keep their heads in the sweet spot where the two images align to their respective eyes. Toshiba previewed eye-tracking that would adjust the filter accordingly, but it was even less developed than the 3D displays themselves.
We might see a lot of promise in what the technology could be given time and resources, but for now it simply is unworkable for most users. When gamers quickly turn off 3D on their 3DS because it's easier than enjoying the depth of a game, how can we assume even more casual consumers will have the patience to sit stock-straight in just the right position for two hours at a time to watch a 3D movie? Even with eye-tracking, we're several generations away from a screen that's responsive enough to make watching 3D TV without glasses comfortable.
Las Vegas and the Nintendo 3DS gave us glimpses at what 3D HDTVs could give us in the future, but for now glasses-free 3D will stay on small screens, and very few of them. Even then, it's a limited technology that has gelled even less than wearing glasses to watch 3D on your HDTV.

CEA data shows TV is used to watch television - mobile watching not meaningful

Although the rate that people are watching Content / TV on mobile device is increasing , it is far from a number that moves the needle. Data and article from CEA's latest survey.

JZ

Smartphones, Tablets Not Yet Meaningful Portion Of Total Video Viewing: CEA

TVs Used for Two-Thirds of Video Viewing Time and Computers Account For 30%, According to Survey

By Todd Spangler -- Multichannel News, 5/14/2012 2:50:17 PM

While TVs are used for two-thirds of overall video viewing time among U.S. adult Internet users, and laptops or desktop computers account for another 30%, smartphones and tablet computers are not yet "significant sources" of video viewing in terms of time spent, according to a survey by the Consumer Electronics Association.
Video tends to be viewed from a television set, either an HDTV (44% of viewing time, on average) or a basic, non-HD TV (18%), the CEA found in "The Evolving Video Landscape" study released Monday. Almost one-third of video viewing time is spent using a laptop or notebook computer (16%) or a desktop (14%).
According to the CEA survey, the average time spent viewing on a typical day, based on self-reported information, is 3.2 hours. That's lower than figures reported by Nielsen, which estimated that the average U.S. TV household spent 4 hours 35 minutes per day watching TV in the fourth quarter of 2011 (plus 22 minutes of DVR content).
While mobile devices aren't registering in terms of video-viewing time, 66% consumers watch video content on TV are simultaneously using other consumer electronics devices -- a behavior is more prevalent among younger consumers, the CEA survey found. According to the study, 85% of 18-to-24-year-olds and 70% of 25-to-34-year-olds multitask with another device while watching video on a television.
"Consumers are watching more video than they have in years past and they are seeking devices and technologies that deliver a quality video and audio experience," Shawn DuBravac, CEA's chief economist and director of research, said in announcing the report. "However, younger consumers accustomed to multitasking are defining new video behaviors as they watch video content across multiple platforms, on their own schedule, all while interacting socially on their devices with their friends."
Meanwhile, the CEA study found that viewing of video content on portable devices is experiencing strong positive momentum, with 40% of consumers watching more than a year ago and only 9% viewing less. About 57% of consumers cite convenience as the major reason for viewing more on devices like smartphones, tablet computers and laptops.
If the availability of content were not an issue, most consumers would choose to watch video on their TV, the survey found. When consumers decide which device to use for viewing video in a particular situation, five criteria stand out as the most important: the quality of the video image (86% consider highly important), the ease of use (82%), the quality of the sound (80%), convenience (80%) and access to appealing content (75%).
In addition, the CEA survey found that 48% of consumers planning to purchase a TV in the next 12 months will be replacing an aging, obsolete or broken set. About half (51%) are looking for improved picture quality in a new display and half (50%) want a larger screen size.
One in four (24%) consumers with intentions to purchase a TV over the next year expect to purchase a 3DTV; 21% plan to purchase an OLED display; and 25% plan to purchase an Internet-enabled TV. The CEA noted that "while stated purchase intentions do not always translate to transactions, the study clearly shows many consumers have their eyes fixed on newer TV technologies."
The CEA's Evolving Video Landscape Study surveyed 1,002 U.S. adults between February 22 and March 2, 2012. The margin of sampling error at 95% confidence for aggregate results is 3%.

Sony and Panasonic team up on OLED

Sony and Panasonic are trying to catch up with OLED TVs. Samsung and LG will ship models this year. Yes they will be very expensive, but they will be 3 years ahead of the 2015 target date in the article below.

JZ

Sony, Panasonic plan OEL TV tie-up: Nikkei

A Sony logo is seen as customers look at Sony's digital cameras at an electronic shop in Tokyo May 10, 2012.

Credit: Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon

Mon May 14, 2012 3:04pm EDT

(Reuters) - Sony Corp and Panasonic Corp are in talks to jointly produce large OEL (organic electroluminescence) televisions, the Nikkei business daily said.

The collaboration would mark the first time that the two rivals join hands in a core business, the paper said.

The companies, which aim to commercialize OEL TVs by fiscal 2015, are joining hands in hopes of shortening the development time by sharing technologies, according to the Nikkei.

OEL displays, which consume less power and offer sharper images, are widely seen replacing LCDs as the dominant technology in TVs and other devices, the paper said.

Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics plan to release 55-inch OEL TVs this year, according to the Nikkei.

(Reporting by A. Ananthalakshmi in Bangalore; Editing by Maju Samuel)

Apple Televisions - maybe not Foxconn changes story

Foxconn released a statement clarifying - changing - news from last week. Basically stated they would be ready IF and only IF a new partner asked them to move forward on production. Changing the position that Apple is in the Planning stages, and implying they were gearing up for next year. I am sure this story will continue to flip as you would expect given the nature of Apple.

JZ

Foxconn chief weighs in on Apple television. Or not

The Apple supplier issues a denial to reports that CEO Terry Gou had said Foxconn was getting ready to produce the feverishly anticipated, but never yet announced, device.

 

by Don Reisinger May 11, 2012 6:13 AM PDT

(Credit: Apple)

Last updated:May 14 at 9:48 a.m. PT.
It seemed for a moment as if Foxconn chief Terry Gou had let slip that his company is getting ready to start producing an Apple television.
According to China Daily, Gou on Friday, May 11, held a news conference in Shanghai about his company's plans for the future. During that conversation, he seemed to indicate that Foxconn is currently preparing its facilities to start producing Apple's long-rumored television, though "development or manufacturing has yet to begin," the China Daily report said.
Gou's comments were notable for coming from a prominent executive who could be expected to have knowledge of Apple's plans. The vast majority of reports surrounding the development of the television have come from unidentified sources and analysts claiming insight into Apple's plans. For its part, Apple has stayed tight-lipped on any possibility that it might be working on a television.
But on Monday, May 14, Foxconn issued a definitive denial, in a statement provided to The Next Web:

At no time did [Gou] confirm that Foxconn was in development or manufacturing stages for any product for any of its customers. He did say that Foxconn is always prepared to meet the manufacturing needs of customers should they determine that they wish to work with Foxconn in the production of any of their products. Any reports that Foxconn confirmed that it is preparing to produce a specific product for any customer are not accurate.

There's been no end to the rumors, which have suggested, among other things, that a potential Apple television could be equipped with support for the company's virtual personal assistant Siri, a built-in camera for FaceTime, and access to the App Store.

 

Analysts have said for years that Apple is planning to launch a television, but it became a huge topic last year when Steve Jobs biographer Walter Isaacson revealed that the company's co-founder had "cracked" the code for developing a user-friendly television.
"I'd like to create an integrated television set that is completely easy to use," Jobs told Isaacson. "It would be seamlessly synched with all of your devices and with iCloud. It will have the simplest user interface you could imagine. I finally cracked it."
Following that, Bloomberg reported, citing several sources, that Apple had enlisted its vice president of consumer applications, Jeff Robbin, to head up the team developing the television, though at that time, there was a chance it might have been shelved.
Following the reports Friday on Gou's comments, questions of when an Apple television might launch certainly seemed likely to intensify. Back in March, J.P. Morgan analyst Mark Moskowitz said that the company will likely launch its television in 2014, and not at the end of this year or next year, as many of his colleagues have claimed.
One other interesting note from Gou's comments Friday: Foxconn's recent decision to buy a chunk of Sharp's LCD TV factory in Sakai, Japan was the result of preparations it's making for Apple's upcoming television.
CNET has contacted Apple for comment on Gou's claims. We will update this story when we have more information.
Update 6:30 a.m. PT on May 11to include more details.Update 9:38 a.m. PT on May 14to incorporate Foxconn's denial that Gou had made any kind of confirmation about any specific product potentially in the works

Panasonic posts loss - Televisions to blame

Another Japanese maker of Televisions posts one of the largest losses ever on the wake of an increasingly difficult Television industry. Loss is over $5 Billion in US dollars.

See below

JZ

Panasonic Posts Annual Loss, Lower Sales

By Steve Smith -- TWICE, 5/11/2012

Osaka, Japan - Panasonic reported a net loss of 772.2 billion yen from a profit and a 10 percent drop in sales for its fiscal year, ended March 31.

The net loss of 772.2 billion yen compares with a profit of 74 billion yen in fiscal 2011. Consolidated group sales for fiscal 2012 decreased by 10 percent to 7,846.2 billion yen, from 8,692.7 billion yen in the prior fiscal year.

Of the consolidated group total, domestic sales amounted to 4,162 billion yen, down 8 percent from 4,514.3 billion yen in fiscal 2011. Overseas sales decreased by 12 percent to 3,684.2 billion yen, from 4,178.4 billion yen in fiscal 2011.

Panasonic pointed to multiple factors for its fiscal year performance: concern of the shortages of the electric supply caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake, the disruption of supply chains affected by the flooding in Thailand, the economic turmoil triggered by the European financial crisis, and the historically high yen.

The operating results in the flat-panel TVs and semiconductor businesses worsened significantly due to factors, such as the aforementioned severe business conditions and intense price competition.

In Panasonic's AVC networks unit, sales decreased by 21 percent to 1,713.5 billion yen, from 2,156.8 billion yen a year ago. Despite favorable sales of PCs, this result was due mainly to sales declines in flat-panel TVs and digital cameras. Operating loss was 67.8 billion yen, compared with a profit of

27.3 billion yen a year ago, due mainly to a sales decrease and a price decline.

Panasonic is predicting positive fiscal 2013 results following large-scale structural reforms and reorganization. Consolidated financial forecasts for fiscal 2013 as of May 11, 2012:

• Sales: 8,100.0 billion yen (vs. FY12: +3 percent)

• Operating profit: 260.0 billion yen (vs. FY12: +495 percent)

• Net income attributable to Panasonic Corporation: 50 billion yen (vs. FY12 loss of 772.2 billion yen)

Apple TV still in planning stages

See below on the latest rumor on Apple TV. Coming from Foxconn it is considered a reliable report on the current status.

JZ

Here's The Most Credible Report About An Apple TV Yet

 

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Foxconn's CEO Terry Gou confirmed Friday that Apple has begun prepping its long-awaited television, according to a report in China Daily via HowToArena.com.

Gou's comments mark the first official acknowledgment from either Apple or its manufacturing partners that a new television is in the works. However, Gou suggests that Apple is still in the planning stages.
From China Daily's report:

Gou said Foxconn is making preparations for iTV, Apple Inc's rumored upcoming high-definition television, although development or manufacturing has yet to begin.

This would support previous claims from analysts that the new television won't likely be released this year, and perhaps not even next year.

Sony Record Loss of $5.7 Billion - Televisions Business still in trouble

They say they will be in the black next year. Very tough to turn a ship that big around that quick, especially when they have had 8 years in the red. Obviously not a simple fix.

JZ

Sony posts record $5.7 billion full-year loss

By Kyoko Hasegawa | AFP – 4 hrs ago

• 

• Masaru Kato, Chief Financial Officer …

Japanese electronics giant Sony on Thursday posted a record full-year loss of $5.7 billion, but vowed it would swing back into the black this year as it embarks on a huge restructuring plan.

Sony, which is struggling to stem losses at its television division, on Thursday said a strong yen and natural disasters were among the main reasons for its disastrous earnings.

"Sales decreased... primarily due to unfavourable foreign exchange rates, the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake (in March 2011)... the floods in Thailand, and deterioration in market conditions in developed countries," it said in a statement.

The natural disasters hammered Japanese manufacturers while Sony has also blamed tough competition and falling prices, particularly in the television segment, for its struggles.

Sony's 456.66 billion yen ($5.7 billion) loss for the year to March, its fourth consecutive year in the red, came after it said last month it would cut about 10,000 jobs and spend nearly $1 billion on an overhaul that its new chief executive Kazuo Hirai described as "urgent".

Sales for the year fell 9.6 percent to 6.49 trillion yen, while the firm booked an operating loss of 67.28 billion yen.

On Thursday, Sony's chief financial officer Masaru Kato said the company was aiming to make its television business profitable next fiscal year, with the firm on course for a net profit of 30 billion yen in the current fiscal year on sales of 7.4 trillion yen.

However, analysts have criticised the turnaround plan as not enough to win back Sony's reputation as an innovator or vault its foreign rivals.

"The last year was horrible," Hiroshi Sakai, analyst at SMBC Friend Securities in Tokyo, told AFP on Thursday.

"Some complex, bad conditions hit the company, including a soaring yen... But there is a question as to whether Sony should keep the TV division as part of its business."

Makoto Sengoku, market analyst at Tokai Tokyo Securities, added: "It's not clear yet which business will be the pillar of Sony's earnings... Which business will become its cash cow?"

Sony's reforms, in addition to the jobs cuts, also include expanding its PlayStation and online games business, and pushing further into emerging markets and new sectors, such as medical equipment and life sciences.

"Now is the time for Sony to change," Hirai, who replaced Welsh-born US chief executive Howard Stringer earlier this year, said in April.

"What is urgent is that we strengthen our core businesses while rebuilding our TV business."

Investors, however, have been unimpressed. Sony shares are now worth 1,213 yen, down from 1,528 yen before Hirai unveiled his plan last month.

Sony, along with Japan's other electronics giants including Panasonic and Sharp, has been fighting a losing battle for years against fierce competition offered up by competitors including South Korea's Samsung and US-based Apple.

Falling prices, particularly in the television segment, have eaten away at their bottom line as a strong yen made their products more expensive overseas, while a stuttering global economy has also knocked sales.

Sony still generates profits in some areas, such as electronics parts, but critics have accused the company of various strategic blunders over the years including being late to enter the liquid crystal display panel market.

The firm was forced in December 2008 to slash 16,000 jobs worldwide as it came under pressure amid tumbling demand during the global financial crisis.

In March, Sony announced the sale of its chemical division to the Development Bank of Japan, saying the unit did not fit with its revamp.