Courtesy of Make Magazine

By Sherri L. Smith, BlackWeb20.com

3D used to be this cheesy effect used in B-grade horror movies. And if the idea of horrible scene design wasn’t bad enough, the garish red and blue 3D glasses only increased the cheese factor. But as Hollywood got better with its magic, utilizing advanced animatronic creations and in this generation computer-generated images, it seemed like 3D was a thing of the past. But 3D is far from dead making a come back in animated movies like Disney’s ‘UP’ and Columbia Pictures and Sony’s upcoming flick  ‘Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs’. It’s also making a return to its horror roots in ‘The Final Destination’.

Courtesy of Oz 3D Optics

But as we move deeper into the realm of High Definition images, consumer electronic companies are scrambling to differentiate themselves, 3D is becoming a viable option. We’ve already seen the first camera able to take pictures in the third dimension, courtesy of Fujifilm. So far, the camera has been receiving mixed reviews with some sites dubbing it “the coolest camera of the year” and others the complete opposite.

Over in TV Land,  Sony is officially throwing its hat into the 3D ring, with Sony CEO Howard Stringer stating, “”3D train is on the track–and we’re the ones to drive it home.”

Driving the charge will be the Sony Bravia LCD TV.  According to CNET, the 3D compatible television is set to hit stores in 2010 and will have a high frame rate and a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels per eye. In addition, Sony is planning to roll out 3D compatible blu-ray players. The PlayStation 3 will also be getting into the act, with attendees at this  year’s IFA consumer electronics fair getting to play Wipeout HD in stunning 3D.

3D has been a cheap gimmick for so long that it’ll be hard to accept it as a viable addition to our entertainment experience. If Sony can convince consumers to embrace the tech, the future is ripe with possibilities, especially if they can do something about the dorky glasses.

BlackWeb20.com covers website and application launches; culturally relevant Internet industry news; and mainstream Internet industry news from an African-American perspective.  They also analyze emerging web trends and how they apply to web properties that target African-Americans or African-American culture.