HP does the inevitable, announces the TouchSmart 620 with a 3D display and webcam (video)

HP’s pushed out a raft of all-in-ones this past year, but until today, there was one gimmicky stone it left unturned. Say hello to the TouchSmart 620, the company’s first 3D all-in-one. Essentially, it’s the 610 with ATI’s 3D tech shoehorned inside. Otherwise, it looks the same, with a 23-inch, 1080p panel and that sliding display that reclines at a nearly flat 60-degree angle. In addition to the 3D screen (best viewed when positioned upright), it has a webcam that captures 3D stills and video. At the base level, you’ll get a pair of active shutter glasses, TV tuner, a Core i5 CPU, 8GB of RAM, a 1.5TB HDD and an AMD Radeon HD 6650 card with 1GB of video memory. (For whatever reason, HP didn’t add HDMI-in this go ’round.) That starting configuration technically costs $1,900, but HP’s going to apply $300 in instant savings when it goes on sale November 15, so for all intents and purposes it starts at $1,600. Full PR after the break, and if you need a refresher on what this thing looks like, we suggest you revisit our review of the 610.

Panasonic announces Lumix DMC-3D1: dual lenses, 12 megapixel sensors

Do you shoot 3D photos? Nope, neither do we, but Panasonic certainly seems to hope that’ll change — perhaps even as soon as next month, when its Lumix 3D1 hits store shelves… for $500. And how much camera does half a grand buy you? Well, for starters you get not one, but a pair of 25-100mm optical zoom lenses (30-120mm in 3D mode), pumping images to dual 12.1 megapixel 1/2.3-inch sensors. Two lenses and two sensors make this pocket wonder a natural at stereoscopic 3D video, but it can also pull some pretty clever tricks with still photos. Sure, you can shoot full-res stills and 1080i video simultaneously, but those dual zoom lenses can operate independently as well, letting you snap pics and/or video at multiple focal lengths — capture a wide-angle shot with one lens and a close-up with the other, for example. Panasonic wasn’t able to demo this functionality during our briefing, so we can’t speak to the interface, but it certainly sounds like a nifty concept. Beyond that, expect up to 8 fps burst at full resolution, a 3.5-inch touchscreen and “dramatically clear” low-light images, even at high-ISOs (according to Panasonic). Ready to hear more from the camera maker? Jump past the break for the full PR.

Panasonic Lumix 3D1

IPS and 3D come together in Mitsubishi's new 23-inch display

Looking for the vibrant colors and wide angle viewing of an IPS display and the in-your-face action that only a 3D monitor can provide? Well, Mitsubishi’s got you covered with its new 23-inch LED backlit IPS panel that promises Full HD resolution, 178-degree viewing angles, and a 3.8 millisecond response time from a 39 millimeter-thick slab of screen. Content comes to the RDT233WX-3D through a DVI-D connector, two HDMI 1.4 ports, and D5 connections, while your eyeballs see things in three dee with the included passive 3D glasses. It’ll be available on May 30 in the Land of the Rising Sun (no word if it’ll come across the Pacific) for an undisclosed amount. Those interested in getting one to the US can enlist the services of their local importer — an open wallet or a blank check should do the trick.

Acer Aspire Z5763 all-in-one comes with 3D screen, promises Kinect-like gesture control over movies

Sure, it may look just like any of Acer’s other all-in-one desktops, but this one’s got a few tricks up its sleeves — the Acer Aspire Z5763 spits out stereoscopic 3D images to a set of NVIDIA 3D Vision specs, and uses its 2 megapixel webcam for a Kinect-like gesture recognition system that Acer’s calling “AirControl.” As you’ll probably know if you’ve recently spent any time considering a 3D-ready computer, that means it’s got a 23-inch, 120Hz LCD screen that displays content at 1080p, and here you’ll find it accompanied by Intel’s latest Sandy Bridge processors, NVIDIA GeForce GT 440 or 435M graphics, a Blu-ray drive, up to 2TB of storage and 16GB of DDR3 memory, as well as built-in stereo speakers with several flavors of virtual surround sound, an optional TV tuner and loads of connectivity. What you won’t find is any pricing or availability for the USA, but if you’re living in merry old England you can pick up the rig next month for £999 (about $1,650).

Nintendo teases next gaming console, says it probably won't be 3D

 

Nintendo’s been denying rumors of a new home console for nearly as long as we can remember, but every so often those crafty execs slip — accidentally or intentionally letting us know that exciting things are in the works. Well, last we heard from Nintendo president Satoru Iwata, a stereoscopic 3D console was on the table, but Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime just swept that notion under the rug. “We’ve not said publicly what the next thing for us will be in the home console space, but based on what we’ve learned on 3-D, likely, that won’t be it,” he told CNN, prompting a legion of 3DTV owners to imagine that their favorite Nintendo characters cried out in terror and were suddenly silenced. Why would Nintendo dismiss 3D for home gaming on the very same day that its 3D handheld set a sales record? Simply put, the company doesn’t think the glasses-free 3DTV market is ready for such applications. Ah well — guess we’ll just have to settle for a Wii HD, then.

Sony and LG price a swath of 3D HDTVs

We’re still waiting on LG’s ginormous 72-inch LZ7900 to make its debut on store shelves, but the rest of CES’s primo 3DTV crop is rearing to ride out, with Sony’s HX929, HX820 and HX720 series of LED-backlit LCD screens and LG’s Infinia PZ750 plasmas now priced at Amazon. 3D-Display-info.com found Sony’s locally-dimmed Bravia sets starting at $2,099 for a 46-inch HX720 with Gorilla Glass protection, all the way up to $3,799 for the premium 55-inch XBR-55HX929 with a full-array LED backlight. Meanwhile, the 50-inch LG PZ750 (with Smart TV, naturally) starts out at $1,599, while a 60-inch version of the same thing will run $2,199. Which one fits best in your den? That depends on a number of things, but we will add that the Sony sets are merely up for pre-order, while the LG units are listed as shipping within a matter of weeks.