Nintendo announces 3DS -- the glasses-free 3D successor to the DS

[_Belial]

Taken from engadget

hoa, now this is a whopper coming (almost) out of nowhere. Nintendo has just slipped out a press release in Japan informing the world that all-new 3D-capable portable hardware is coming, with a full unveiling set for E3 2010 this June. Tentatively titled the 3DS, this glasses-free 3D wonder is pitched as the successor to both the DS and DSi, and will use a "compatible cart" that should ensure backwards compatibility with your vast library of favorites from the older consoles. Nintendo expects to launch the 3DS into retail "during the fiscal year ending March 2011."

[_Belial]

Also a report over at gizmodo

Rumblings of a next-gen handheld started soon after Nintendo shrunk the DS and whacked a "Lite" behind it, but two portables later (the DSi and DSi XL) and Nintendo Japan is foretelling a June announcement for the 3DS. - With the announcement slated for E3 in June, Nintendo's shooting a bit early in their Japanese press release by saying it will go on sale sometime between April 2010 - March 2011.
- You won't need to wear 3D glasses to enjoy the 3D effects (somehow), according to their release.
- Backwards compatibility will be incorporated for DS and DSi games support.
- It may have an accelerometer for tilt-controls with motion-led gaming, just like the iPhone/iPod Touch.
- The screen might be higher-res than anything we've seen from Nintendo before, probably just 720p though.
- It'll have two screens just like previous portables, but they'll be used in conjunction as one giant screen, according to RPAD.tv, who convinced developers to talk to them at GDC.
- Nintendo might put a 3G sim in, for over-the-air downloads.
- Those over-the-air downloads might include ebooks, something already seen on the DSi XL.

[Goldberg]

I saw a demo (probably on here) of a '3D' style game recently that appears to use the front camera to track head movements and generate the sense of 3D in the game.

With no glasses been used I imagine that will be it? Just some better hardware to cope with it?
It'll be fairly limited I guess, but no doubt will be a success as pretty much everything they do is.

Remember they were ahead of their time with the Virtual Boy back in the day... I wonder if we see a concept come off the back of that with all the 3D hype at the moment.

[Cooleo]

I'm guessing it will be similar to this:
YouTube- 3D Eyetracking UI

[Goldberg]

Yep something like that. Kids will love it. Easy market and lot's of '3D' games will be out as a result of the surge of animated movies about to hit the screen in the next 18-24 months

[Cooleo]

I'll probably buy it, I seem to buy every handheld on launch.

[Junglist]

Pretty stoked I just forked out for an XL then! Still, It will be interesting to see how well it all works

[face]

the screen will probably be simular to the fujifinpix w1
http://fujifilm.co.uk/consumer/digit...pix-real-3d-w1
This gives proper 3d depth
The reason i think it will be this is basically because the dsi can already do the fake 3d stuff shown n the posts above so i think it must be proper 3d like the fuji to need to have new hardware.

here is a link saying they may use Hitachi microlens 3D display
http://www.slashgear.com/nintendo-3d...splay-2378702/

[kracken]

Remember they were ahead of their time with the Virtual Boy back in the day...

released in 1995 and discontinued in 1996 and one of the ugliest pieces of tech ever

a great success

[{{909}}]

Will my Acekard work on this? Anyone know?

Sounds interesting, although, im not sold on the idea..I said that about the DS and Wii though, so Im very interested to see what nintendo will do with this.

[face]

Looks like it is rweal 3d but it may mean a dimmer screen (kind of like original ds) to start off with here is a quote from IGN

The alternative to motion is an actual 3D display that requires no glasses. Products using this kind of technology have been shown at electronics trade-shows over the past few years. By adding light-blocking screens called 'parallax barriers' it's possible to redirect the left-eye and right-eye images without glasses. The barriers can also be switched off to display in regular 2D mode. The downsides are that the barriers reduce the brightness of the screen, and the 3D effect is only visible within a limited viewing range - which is why the technology hasn't made its way to regular sized TVs. The upside is that it requires no additional processing and it's genuine 3D.

[OrangeJuicey]

I'm sure I posted a video on here with some random Chinese title on youtube. It shows people playing a game on the dsi that uses the camera to do the headtracking so that you can get a 3d effect on the game. Its much like the motion tracking that guy did with the wii remotes.

p.s 3d ds game

http://www.digital-forums.com/showthread.php?t=779120