3D? Yes, but not too much in 2010
So is next year going to see an explosion of 3D in the home? Not according to TechRadar's Reviews Editor James Rivington. "I'm sure that many people are predicting 2010 to be a massive year for 3D. But I'd forecast the exact opposite," he explains. "I think 2010 is much more likely to be yet another year when 3D completely fails to capture the public imagination."
"Sure, 3D is starting to do well in theatres. And yes, Sky has said it will launch 3D TV for the UK. But if we see even a 0.1 per cent market penetration for 3D in the HDTV market I'll be amazed. Do you really want to be wearing 3D glasses when watching TV in the evenings? I know I don't. There will be small range of 3D-ready sets to come out from the likes of LG, and a new batch of laptops with 3D screens, but we're talking about tiny quantities in the scheme of things."
But not everyone on the team agrees. Although he feels like he's been saying it every year, Patrick Goss, TechRadar's Editor (News) feels like 2010 will still be a big year for 3D. "Not only will we be able to take stock of how this year's Avatar performed at the box office, says Patrick, but we can also expect a raft of 3D-capable televisions at CES and, of course, the promise of a 3D channel from Sky."
"The broadcaster has already been busy learning how to film live sporting events (and ballet too) and we'll hopefully soon see the fruits of its labour on our TVs – and whether they can convince the public to fork out for the technology."
HD and wireless tech
So if not 3D, what does James think will happen in 2010 for TVs? "I think the big change for television in 2010 is much more likely to be the prevalence of HD," believes James. "There are millions of HD TVs out there now, and with the imminent launch of Freeview HD and the unprecedented success of Freesat, 2010 will definitely be the year that HD content is properly embraced by the British public. And that can only mean good things for Blu-ray, too." Maybe we'll also see some OLED sets appear too?
And talking of HD, could next year see wireless high definition coming to the fore? "2010 is going to be the year when cables become that little bit more redundant," says News Writer Marc Chacksfield. "We will see more and more TVs and other gadgets come sans wires, with Full HD images piped wirelessly through the home thanks to a recent announcement by the LLC over its wireless home standard."
"And when it comes to getting on to the web, TVs and the like are quickly doing away with unsightly Ethernet cables of yore and snapping up Wi-Fi like nobody's business," says Marc.
"Couple this with the popularity of gadgets like the Powermat, which do away the need of tethering your devices like a bad-mannered mutt, and what we'll have is a future where our gadgets go all Pinocchio on us."
