At January’s 2014 International CES in Las Vegas, the ETC reporting team will be looking at how vendors are positioning 4K UHD TVs, including what features they consider compelling, and how they are building out the full consumer experience with an ecosystem of products and services. Features we’ll be watching for include resolution and pixel count, extended dynamic range, wider color gamut, a “director’s intent” setting, the latest in 3D, advances in audio, and more. Continue reading CES 2014: Exciting Possibilities for Future of 4K Ultra HDTV

Virtual reality headset Oculus Rift, which began as a Kickstarter project seeking $250,000 (and eventually generated $2.4 million), is expected to transition from prototype to available product, thanks to $75 million in Series B venture funding led by VC firm Andreessen Horowitz. Oculus VR also announced that Marc Andreessen, co-founder of Andreessen Horowitz and one of the individuals behind Mosaic and Netscape, will join the company’s board of directors. Continue reading VR News: Oculus Rift Secures $75 Million in Venture Funding

Part two of “The Hobbit” trilogy, out this week, is back with the much-debated High-Frame-Rate (HFR) 3D format — but with some changes. The 2012 “The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey” boasted 48 frames per second, but some of the criticism of the format was that the super-HD quality was an eyestrain. The new “The Desolation of Smaug” maintains the HFR; however, director Peter Jackson says he’s toned down the sharpness of the image to make it look more “filmic.” Continue reading Newest Installment of “The Hobbit” Trilogy Improves Upon HFR

The Tangible Media Group at MIT is developing technology that makes it possible to reach into your computer screen, pull something out, and manipulate it. The group’s new device, inFORM, is described as a “Dynamic Shape Display” that can “render 3D content physically, so users can interact with digital information in a tangible way.” The team believes the tech will be useful for creating maps and architectural prototypes, and simplifying collaboration across distances. Continue reading Tangible Media Group Aiming to Interact with the Digital World

Netflix and DreamWorks Animation are teaming to offer the streaming service’s latest push into original programming. Netflix will release “Turbo: F.A.S.T.” on December 24, a 26-episode 2D animated series based on DreamWorks’ feature film “Turbo,” about racing snails. The series is the first step in a deal that plans to offer 300 hours of programming via the service. Netflix says it exclusively streams 30 children’s series today, each generating more than 2 million viewers. Continue reading Netflix-DreamWorks Deal Delivers Original Kids’ Programming

The Sense 3D scanner is now available, with a $400 price tag and scanning abilities for objects up to 10 x 10 feet. The handheld device can even digitize a person, and within the next few years, it is expected to become a mainstream consumer product. Sense reviewers are enthusiastic about the scanner, praising its attention to detail and ease of use, although there is a minor learning curve and some have questioned the need for a USB cord. Continue reading 3D Systems Portable Handheld Sense Scanner Now Available

Entertainment Matters at CES, sponsored by Variety, is returning to this year’s Consumer Electronics Show. The program helps entertainment professionals navigate CES through exhibits, conference sessions and events specifically geared for the Hollywood community. CEA is offering ETC members complimentary CES registration as well as a 25 percent discount off the Entertainment Matters Conference Pass. Please use priority code EMETC when registering to receive these discounts. Continue reading Announcement: Entertainment Matters at the 2014 CES

The 5D Institute and USC School of Cinematic Arts will host a special presentation this Friday with production designer and art director Andy Nicholson, who will discuss the 3D space drama “Gravity.” Nicholson will be introduced by USC professor and filmmaker Bruce Block. Following the presentation, a Q&A session will be moderated by editor and author Bill Desowitz. The event will take place 3:30-5:30 at USC’s Eileen Norris Theater. Continue reading USC Event: Andy Nicholson on Designing the World of ‘Gravity’

Rumors are swirling that Apple is close to reaching an acquisition deal with 3D sensor technology company PrimeSense to the tune of $345 million. But if it is true, the deal has not yet gone through, and PrimeSense’s only statement on the matter is vague. If it does happen, however, Apple would potentially be able to use PrimeSense’s motion sensing technology for current or future Apple products, including wearable devices. Continue reading Apple Rumored to be Acquiring 3D Sensor Firm PrimeSense

Researchers from Georgia Tech, the University of Tokyo, and Microsoft Research have developed a technique in which cheap, functional electric circuits can be printed using only $300 of material and equipment. This technique uses silver nanoparticle ink instead of utilizing sintering. The researchers were able to print a circuit in roughly 60 seconds onto almost any material that can go through a printer, though some materials worked better than others. Continue reading Researchers Print Micro Circuits with Cheap Ink-Jet Printers

The Smithsonian has launched an online collection called the Smithsonian X 3D. The site includes a browser-based 3D viewer that allows users to experience objects that have been scanned, such as artifacts and fossils, up close. In addition, users can download related files in order to print models using their own 3D printer. The project supports 19 museums, 9 research centers and the National Zoo in its goal to expand Smithsonian digital assets. Continue reading Smithsonian X 3D Collection Brings Historical Objects to Life

3D Systems’ Sense scanner is one step closer to bringing 3D printing to the consumer’s desktop. The $400 scanner is a small, handheld device that users wave around the desired object for printing. The printing process itself is still time-consuming and costly, making the mainstream possibilities for the technology limited for now. But the new product is a significant advance for the industry and captures good detail with greater ease than ever before. Continue reading New Sense Scanner Brings Mainstream 3D Printing Potential

While products such as Microsoft’s WebTV and platforms including Windows Media Center have failed to displace the cable box as the primary entertainment device in the living room, connected Xbox game consoles have become multimedia powerhouses over time. And with the launch of its new Xbox One in less than two weeks, Microsoft is banking on consumers who want to play games, run apps, control their television, and communicate with others — all in one location. Continue reading Microsoft Makes Bold Move with Xbox One to Hijack Your TV

Having an efficient supply chain used to be enough for retailers to be successful (think Walmart). And with the advent of advanced analytics, it became possible for companies to suggest products or to provide add-ons (think Amazon). However, these techniques may become obsolete, as 3D printing and robotic manufacturing take over centralized production. It is not likely that a single company will capitalize on this, for we are now entering the ascendancy of design. Continue reading 3D Printing: Mass Market Retail May Be in Serious Trouble

A new study from the journal of Molecular Psychiatry explores the impact of video gameplay on the brain’s gray matter, which is responsible for muscle control, memory, and language and sensory perception. Researchers from Berlin’s Max Planck Institute for Human Development and St. Hedwig-Hospital gathered adult subjects to play a game, “Mario 64” on Nintendo’s DS system, in order to analyze the potential effect of gameplay on the brain. Continue reading Study Suggests Video Game Playing May Increase Brain Size