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TOKYO (AP) — Sony says it will start selling a head mounted
display that provides a 3-D theater of music videos, movies and
games, targeting people who prefer solitary entertainment rather
than sitting in front of a TV with family or friends.
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Sony Corp. said Wednesday that the 60,000 yen ($800) “HMZ personal
3-D viewer” is set to go on sale Nov. 11 in Japan, and is planned
for the U.S. and Europe, perhaps in time for Christmas, although
dates have not yet been set.
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Resembling a futuristic visor, HMZ, which stands for “head mounted
display,” is worn like chunky goggles-and-earphones in
one.
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The footage before the viewer – a music video of a Japanese singer
in the demonstration for reporters in Tokyo – is crystal-clear and
feels like peering into a dolls house in which a real-life tiny
singer is moving.
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It seems unlikely that most people – or even technology enthusiasts
– will want to buy a product that involves sitting alone and
wearing a little helmet. The HMZ might not be Sony’s long awaited
answer to Apple’s iPod or iPad but just another quirky device
packed with cutting-edge technology that is headed for a limited
niche following.
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A 3-D wearable gaming machine Virtual Boy from Nintendo Co., which
went on sale in the 1990s, bombed, partly because of the bulky
headgear required as well as the image being all red.
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Sony’s latest product is far more sophisticated. Sony officials
said the gadget delivers the immersive experience of a
home-theater, or the equivalent of sitting in one of the best seats
of a movie theater.
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The machine, which hooks up to Blu-ray disc players and game
machines, is targeting people who want to enjoy movies or games
alone.
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It is not recommended for people 15 years old and younger because
some experts believe overly stimulating imagery is not good for
teenagers whose brains are still developing, according to Shigeru
Kato, a Sony vice president.
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On the plus side, consumers are growing more accustomed to 3-D
these days, with the arrival of 3-D TVs and game machines. Kato
noted the most popular movies last year, including “Avatar” and
“Toy Story 3,” were 3-D.
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HMZ uses Sony’s own OLED screen, a relatively new kind of display
that relays superb image quality and color, compared to the more
prevalent liquid crystal and plasma displays used in laptops and
flat-panel TVs.
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Kato said the major challenge had been making a very small display
without compromising image quality.
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