3D

Nintendo gets social and connected with Wii U, but leaves out price, release date at E3

LOS ANGELES--Nintendo had already unveiled the Wii U well before E3 started, but there were a lot of things going into this show that we didn't know. Nintendo's keynote spent a great deal of time detailing what the Wii U can do, what its online and app services are, and what games we can expect to see. A small amount of time was also spent on the Nintendo 3DS, but today's event was clearly dedicated to the Wii U.

What we didn't get, however, was a date and price. Not surprising, but anticlimactic all the same.… Read more

Sony lets games do the talking during press conference

LOS ANGELES--At the company's E3 2012 press conference, Sony let a collection of exclusive software and features do all the talking. Spread across the PlayStation 3 and Vita platforms, there was certainly an impressive display of thrilling -- and most importantly exclusive games that are only available on Sony's machines.

Getting things started was David Cage, the head of developer Quantic Dream, the house behind the PS3 story-driven success, Heavy Rain. Cage announced Beyond: Two Souls, the next title in the genre-redefining resume of games his studio has produced. Adding some star power to Beyond is actress Ellen Page, who plays the lead character in the new title. … Read more

Active 3D vs. passive 3D: What's better?

CNET reader Taher asks:

I'm trying to decide between two 3D TVs: a Panasonic that's active 3D and LG that's passive 3D. LG has all these international certificates for the best 3D picture and claims it's full resolution, but you and others claim Passive 3D is half the resolution of a real 1080p. Is there is a way for me to really tell the difference between an active and a passive 3D?

There sure is.… Read more

Five most unlikely E3 2012 announcements

The days before E3 are always filled with endless pontificating and predictions. The lesson? Throw enough predictions up against the wall and something is bound to stick. Of all the ideas we've heard, you'll probably agree that these are the least likely to happen, although each one still seems like a potential blockbuster to us.

Nintendo SmellDS Nintendo finally explores the next dimension in handheld gaming: olfactory. (Nintendo promises: sense of smell not necessary to enjoy SmellDS; scent slider included.) Reggie Fils-Aime promises, "You've never smelled Super Mario...like this."

Double-glasses 3D We tried regular stereoscopic 3D, didn't catch on. We tried no-glasses 3D, not much better. The answer is finally here: combining two sets of active-shutter lenses for extreme depth, with only a slightly increased chance of migraines.… Read more

Sorta universal active-3D TV glasses compared

OK, so only the middle pair is actually universal, but all three pairs of active-3D TV glasses on my head, and compared below, will work with all 2011/2012 Samsung 3D TVs, as well as with 2012 Panasonic 3D TVs.

So if you have one of those 2011/2012 Samsung or 2012 Panasonic TVs and want to watch 3D sources, you actually, for the first time ever, have a real choice in spectacles. The question then becomes, "Which ones should I buy?"

The short answer is, as always, "What do you want?" If you just want to get 3D capability as cheaply as possible, the Samsungs are a shoo-in. If you're willing to pay more for better comfort and durability, I'd recommend the Panasonics. The more expensive Xpand glasses appeal to a smaller niche than either: people who actually anticipate regularly watching active 3D on multiple TVs (namely, ones incompatible with those Samsung or Panasonic glasses) in addition to their primary 3D television.

The shorter answer is "I like the Panasonics best." If you're into 3D enough to actually be buying 3D glasses for the whole family, it might make sense to grab a pair or two of the Panasonics as primary ("daddy" and/or "mommy") glasses and as many Samsungs as you need for other viewers. For 2012 Panasonic TV owners who just want to dabble in 3D, the $20 Samsungs are as risk-free as you can get.

Check out the full reviews, arranged in order of rating below, for more detail. I also listed current Amazon pricing (Xpand's $20 RF dongle will be widely available in four weeks).… Read more

How 3D killed 'Cabin in the Woods' for me

As we patiently wait for Joss Whedon's "The Avengers" to open Stateside some of have turned to another of his projects playing at the moment, "Cabin in the Woods."

The trailer hints that something isn't quite right in this "teenagers stalked by ruthless killers at a remote cabin" and it's a funny, scary homage to horror movies. But my enjoyment of the movie was spoiled by one big problem.… Read more

Denon's 2012 AV receivers announced: AirPlay-friendly

Denon is always last to announce its new AV receivers each year, but the company just rolled out its new 2012 line.

Denon's AVR-1912 was a hit last year with built-in AirPlay support, and now AirPlay is available on all but the entry-level $250 Denon AVR-1513. There aren't many surprises otherwise, although Denon's back panels are looking more minimalist than ever before. Here's how Denon's 2012 line of AV receivers breaks down:… Read more

I want my dumb TV

When it comes to smart TVs, manufacturers are basically charging money for nuthin.'

Or to put it in less dire terms, the smart TV suites included in today's TVs offer little value. That's not to say I don't enjoy Netflix, Amazon Instant, and HBO Go as much as the next broadband Internet subscriber, it's just that I can get the same great apps and content on devices as cheap as the $50 Roku LT. So why would I want to spend $100 extra or more on a TV that has these features?… Read more

Panasonic DMP-BDT220 review: 2012's best Blu-ray value

If I had to recommend just one Blu-ray player for 2012, it would be Panasonic's DMP-BDT220 ($130 street price). It's in the sweet spot of Panasonic's Blu-ray lineup, with built-in Wi-Fi and an excellent set of streaming-media services, including Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon Instant, Vudu, MLB.TV, and Pandora.

And while competing players from Samsung and Sony offer just as many streaming apps, they're hamstrung by awkward user interfaces.… Read more

LG BP620 review: 3D Blu-ray player with everything but Amazon Instant

The BP620 is LG's "flagship" Blu-ray player for 2012, but you couldn't tell by its $130 street price or ordinary feature set. It includes all the important features that manufacturers are charging for this year, such as 3D compatibility, built-in Wi-Fi, and a suite of streaming-media services.

The big catch, especially if you were familiar with LG's platform last year, is that Amazon Instant will not be included on 2012 players, which could be a deal breaker for cord cutters. However, LG continues to have one of the best-designed streaming-content portals, with a dead-simple user … Read more