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Another dimension

Posted on 6 Dec 2002 at 10:24

Out of reach
Though not as close to the public eye as many had expected them to be by now, 3D screens are beginning to find a place in high-end niche markets. Yet you'd be wrong to assume fully usable 3D environments are just around the corner.
Advances in screen technology are relatively slow. LCD monitors were destined to overtake CRT monitors imminently ten years ago, yet only now are we beginning to see flat-screen technology form a real threat to bulky tube-based designs. That's because up until recently the initial excitement surrounding LCDs, based on their sleek appearance and space-saving benefits, wasn't matched by the quality of the image they displayed. Similarly, 3D screens capture the imagination of all who see them, but it will take years of development until they're ready for prolonged use on the desktop.
If Microsoft is around long enough, Windows could advance from an operating system you can view to an environment you want to reach out and grab. That's likely to happen sooner than you can teleport to space ships, but how much sooner remains to be seen. In the meantime, watch out for fairly basic implementations of 3D screens, and if the promises certain companies have made are true, we could be able to review an early model in 2003. Watch this space.

Author: Paul Trotter