Samsung launched its new line of super high resolution SUHD 4K TVs, but interested consumers will have to pay a premium for the superior picture quality and additional features. All of the SUHD TVs have four times the amount of pixels than the average 1080p television set. The highest-end model also has an LED backlight system, a curved screen, and a built-in camera for hand motion controls. The new SUHD TVs will start shipping this month, with the high-end models reaching $10,000. Continue reading Samsung SUHD TVs Feature Stunning Image Quality, High Prices

French company Sysveo is developing software that will enable drones to see and record virtual 3D images in the videos they shoot while in flight. The technology would work so that a drone could be programmed to display the specific blueprints of a building or home for example, against the background of a location such as a neighborhood or city. The project, which is currently in an early stage, is being developed on a patent from France’s CNES space agency and funding from the European Space Agency. Continue reading Augmented Reality: 3D Virtual Tech Being Developed for Drones

Digital Domain Holdings Ltd. and Immersive Media are launching a joint venture called IM360. According to the two companies, IM360 plans to produce immersive content and services, including virtual reality content, by combining Digital Domain’s CGI and motion capture expertise with Immersive’s 360-degree video hardware and software. The 360-degree video tech is already being used for live-streaming VR content, and the software can send video to devices including tablets, smartphones and VR headsets. Continue reading Digital Domain and Immersive Media Join Forces for VR Content

Improbable Worlds has created a distributed computing platform that allows developers to build large-scale, 3D, real-time models, and now the London-based startup has $20 million to bring this tech to gaming, urban planning, biology, and numerous other industries. The modeling system is unique because it draws upon the computing power of its users and redistributes the computing, while enabling collaboration. Prominent venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz is the investor. Continue reading Improbable Worlds Raises $20 Million for Simulation Platform

The Audio Engineering Society has published its AES69-2015 standard to address the evolving field of 3D audio. The new standard offers a framework for binaural technologies (growing in popularity due largely to the increase of headphone use with smartphones and tablets) and 3D personal audio. Developed in AES Standards Working Group SC-02-08, it defines a file format to exchange acoustic data in multiple forms, including head-related transfer functions (HRTF) and directional room impulse responses (DRIR). Continue reading AES Announces Standard for 3D Binaural Audio Development

According to the Motion Picture Association of America, global box office numbers were up 1 percent in 2014 over 2013, but ticket sales in North America dropped about 5 percent. The MPAA notes that China saw significant growth, a 34 percent increase year-over-year. Global ticket sales climbed to $36.4 billion last year — with $10.4 billion recorded for the U.S. and Canada and $4.8 billion in China. While domestic per capita ticket sales increased among moviegoers 50 to 59 and slightly among those 40 to 49, sales among viewers younger than 40 dropped. Continue reading Sparked by Growth in China, Worldwide Ticket Sales Increase

Magic Leap CEO Rony Abovitz participated in a Reddit AMA (“Ask Me Anything”) session last week and his answers revealed some of the virtual reality company’s lofty ambitions. The startup raised some $542 million last year to engineer a pair of chunky sports sunglasses that can make virtual objects appear in a real life setting, a technique called “cinematic reality.” Abovitz believes that Magic Leap’s computing technology could eventually replace the other screens in our daily lives, including those on smartphones. Continue reading Magic Leap’s Cinematic Reality May Replace Your Smartphone

During last week’s HPA Tech Retreat, the Hollywood Post Alliance announced that the organization has become The Hollywood Professional Alliance. The new name reflects the organization’s continuing role in helping to “lead the conversation on the impact of the changing face of content creation and media.” According to HPA President Leon Silverman, the mission “will remain the same: to serve as a hub, thought leadership center and communications engine for our industry as changes in the creative process continue to motivate new ways of working.” Continue reading HPA Name Change to Reflect the Dynamic Evolution of Post

Mattel has announced a partnership with Google to revive the toymaker’s iconic View-Master device. In place of cardboard discs with stereoscopic images, the updated toy will incorporate the View-Master app on a user’s mobile phone and deliver a true virtual reality experience. The technology used for the View-Master is identical to that which powers Google Cardboard, and like Cardboard, the View-Master was designed to make VR affordable. The View-Master will retail for $30 and be available later this year. Continue reading Mattel Teams with Google to Resurrect the Iconic View-Master

A team of French and American designers at Catopsys has developed a projector for immersive gaming and video experiences that can be shared by a room full of people. The Immersis is designed to display a 180-degree view of a virtual reality experience. Instead of everyone shutting out the world (and each other) when they put on a VR headset like the Oculus Rift, people can share in a VR experience. The LED projector could encourage developers to make more party games and turn VR into more of a social experience. Continue reading Immersis Projector Aims to Make VR Experience Less Solitary

London-based IHS Cinema Intelligence reports that 89.8 percent of theatrical movie screens worldwide have completed the conversion to digital cinema. The global digital cinema footprint reached 127,688 screens in 2014, a 14.7 percent increase over the previous year. The largest increase was seen in the Asia Pacific region, followed by South and Central America. Additionally, digital penetration climbed to 96 percent in Western Europe, matching that of North America for the first time. Continue reading Nearly 90 Percent of World’s Cinema Screens are Now Digital

Hewlett-Packard is reportedly planning to introduce augmented reality and 3D technologies to tablets and laptops to provide consumers with a more immersive mobile computing experience. In addition to interaction between mobile devices and 3D printers, HP intends to bring AR to real-world applications. HP’s Sprout desktop PC, featuring Intel’s 3D RealSense camera, enables scanning and 3D printing. At CES last month, the company also touted its 23.6-inch Zvr virtual reality monitor that projects 3D images. Continue reading HP Developing AR and 3D for Interactive Tablets and Laptops

During a press event yesterday, Microsoft made a series of announcements regarding new features for its coming Windows 10 operating system including improvements to built-in apps for Windows Phone that involve mail, messaging, photos, maps and more. According to the company, Windows 10 also intends to enhance and integrate Xbox, PC and mobile gaming. Additionally, Microsoft introduced its HoloLens headset that will allow users to interact with holographic images for playing video games and building 3D models. Continue reading Microsoft Unveils Windows 10 OS Features and New Headset

The Smithsonian Institution has developed an iOS app called “Skin & Bones” that uses 3D animation and augmented reality to help bring fossils to life for children visiting Bone Hall at the National Museum of Natural History. In addition to the 3D animations and related information, the free app offers detailed maps of the museum. Complimentary Wi-Fi is available on-site so visitors can easily download the app. The approach is another example of how organizations are exploring compelling use of immersive technologies. Continue reading Museums Bridging the Gap Between the Digital and Physical

Gannett is once again experimenting with ways to approach journalism through virtual reality technology. This time, the company created the “World Championships Skiing Virtual Reality Experience.” Viewers can be transported to Vail, Colorado where they can watch the skiers train and hang out — or even ski down the mountain themselves. The experience features 360-degree footage of the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships and there is a 2D version for people who do not have access to an Oculus Rift. Continue reading Gannett’s Oculus Rift Experiment Covers Skiing Championships