Sony said Wednesday it's not only unveiling new and improved 3-D TVs, but will add 3-D capabilities to several of its products, including its first 3-D Handycam, a Bloggie 3-D pocket camera (much like the Flip), a digital still camera and a 3-D Vaio laptop.
CEO Sir Howard Stringer opened the company's show-and-tell at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas wearing a pair of 3-D glasses, which have earned the scorn of many consumers, for reasons ranging from headaches to cost to being an added chore to do when just trying to enjoy TV.
But the glasses aren't needed for all new products, like the camcorder and Bloggie.
The HDR-TD10 Handycam, estimated to cost around $1,500 when it's released this spring, will record in 'Double Full HD,' or 1920 x 1080 times two," Sony says. "The integrated dual lens system includes two of each key component — double Sony G Lenses, double 'Exmor R CMOS sensors, and double 'BIONZ' image processors. This yields the ability for 3D content to be played back in Full HD 2D automatically on non-3D displays, while 3D footage can be played back without glasses on the camcorder’s crisp Xtra Fine 3.5-inch touch screen LCD or with glasses on any 3D-capable HDTV."
The Bloggie 3D, which will cost $250 and is due out in April, will "capture HD 3D as well as Full HD 2D MPEG-4 video or 5.1 megapixel photos. Similar to the 3D Handycam, the Bloggie 3D utilizes two lenses in its portable, and affordable, design, and its 3D video and photos can be viewed on its own 2.4-inch 3D LCD screen without glasses, or with glasses on any 3D-capable television via HDMI connection," Sony says.
There's no ETA yet on the Vaio F Series 3D 16-inch laptop, but it will cost around $1,700. Sony describes it as a "full 1080p hi-def 2D laptop that also delivers an immersive 3D experience with a push of a button."
Two Sony digital cameras, the Sony DSC-WX9 and WX10 Cyber-shots ($220 and $280, respectively), will be able to shoot 3-D stil images and have a "3-D sweep panorama mode."
You can read more details about Sony's product lineup here.
