Samsung doesn’t want you to regret your 3D adoption, so the 3D TV frontrunner is offering some content for you to scope out on your new Samsung unit.  They are delivering a series of 3D short films that will give you 30-45 minute 3D experiences that were originally designed for IMAX viewing.  Check out the Explore 3D application on Samsung’s Smart TV hosting service.

The shorts will include Mummies: Secrets of the Pharaohs, Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk, and Wild Ocean.  Others such as Dinosaurs – Giants of Patagonia, Dinosaurs Alive, The Ultimate Wave Tahiti, Legends of Flight, and Ultimately G’s: Zac’s Flying Dream provide a bevy of eye candy for those with 3D in their living rooms.  For many, the 3D experience is best when checking out “natural” content such as this, so expect this to be a very popular addition to the Samsung platform.  

Samsung is taking the 3D conversion thing very seriously, as they should.  They are leading the pack in terms of 3D TV sales, and with 3D music videos and documentaries for the taking, Explore 3D should become one of the most popular apps in the industry.  They expect to have 70 free 3D videos available in the near future, so look for their dominance of the 3D industry to continue.

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There are things brewing when it comes to the offerings of Smart TV content.  Samsung has announced that users of their content platform can now get Tetris for their gaming enjoyment.  That’s right!  We’re now seeing popular titles hitting the Smart TV realm, which could signal something of a movement for the future of such applications.

If you haven’t played Tetris before there are two things you need to do:  1) Move out from under the rock you’ve been residing, and 2) Get Samsung’s HDTV-based application platform and get your game on.  The game itself is one of the simplest, addicting, and most entertainment games you’ll ever see, and has often been a point of interest for those looking to prove that it doesn’t take a lot of flash to create a great game.  And the best part, it has withstood the test of time.

Games like Tetris could begin popping up all over brand-hosted app stores, but they won’t come freely.  This particular title will run you about $4.99, but there’s a free trial you can tinker with.  This will give you a better idea of how the gameplay will work before committing to purchase.  So, what’s your take?  Do you have any interest in getting games through your Smart TV application?  Could it be a sign of things to come?  Weigh in, and we’ll re-visit this topic later.

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Samsung doesn’t idly release products these days, and the PS51D6900 is one of the best values you can find currently on the 3D TV market.  The 51-inch active shutter 3D unit looks great even when turned off, so when considering the aesthetic design, there’s nothing but good things in that department.  You won’t be quite as impressed as you were with the D7000 or 8000 from Samsung in terms of appearance, but all in all, nothing about this design will leave you wishing you had gone a different direction.

The Smart TV platform that Samsung utilizes is of course part of the package, and with the recent news that they’re now offering up 3D content (with full-feature expansion in the works), you won’t be purchasing a television like this in vain.  Right out of the box you’ll be able to scope out 3D content, so the streaming platform offers a nice added bonus.

Priced just under $2200, there’s no doubt that this is the perfect solution to anyone looking to dive into the 3D arena without spending a fortune.  Further, this unit only fuels the fire in terms of prices dropping across the industry, and with news that glasses-free 3D sets are already hitting shelves overseas, this could be the price break we’ve all been waiting for.  Bottom line:  The PS51D6900 is a great unit at a great price.  Well done, Samsung!

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It seems that the US market wouldn’t need to wait long before enjoying what the UK market had already been firing up:  Samsung’s Explore 3D application.  The on-demand 3D content service doesn’t have much for full-lengths (yet), but that should change in the very near future.  For now, it’s a great way to scope out some free 3D content on your new setup, so see what your gear can really do. 

Paid content is expected later this year, which will include feature films from major studios and plenty of other events that have been either natively shot in 3D or converted.  At any rate, this is how it begins…SmartHub, Samsung’s hosting platform, should have the application available at this very moment if you have a 3D-ready television.

With so many citing the lack of content as a reason for shunning the adoption of 3D technology, services like this should help to change that paradigm.  When you can select from a bevy of 3D films, educational shows like National Geographic, or sporting events shot in 3D, there’s no doubt that we’ll see a rush on the market.  Samsung should be positioned to maintain their current standing atop the leaderboard for 3D TVs with such content services, so we’ll keep you posted on developments as we get them.

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Samsung isn’t content sitting atop the 3D TV market.  Instead, they’re moving into the desktop computer realm with the release of the Smart One AF315.  This unit, aside from its sleek and modern design, is now available to the Korean market, though others will have to wait a bit longer.  The 23” 3D monitor, Intel “Sandy Bridge” Core i5 processor, Blu-ray drive, TV tuner, 1TB of disk space, and 4GBs of RAM should be enough to catch your attention.  Read it again for effect…I need to breathe…

But, that isn’t the best part.  These units will save plenty of desk space and are priced under $2000.  Wait, huh?  That’s what I’m talking about…a state of the art design that won’t cost more than my car!  Switching between the 2D and 3D visuals is as simple as pushing a button, and with bundled 3D specs, there’s no reason to not give 3D a chance here.

You’ll have an onboard webcam, 3D SRS sound, and of course USB 3.0 ports to ensure connectivity.  Windows 7 is rumored to be the OS you can expect, so there’s nothing to shake a stick at here…this unit is ready to move.  Well, if you’re willing to ship one from Korea…we’ll be waiting a bit longer…of course, they tease us then make us wait…

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Samsung’s announcement that Smart Hub would be hosting streaming 3D content should’ve gotten a much better reception than it actually received.  Why?  Well, because when we talk about “content”, we’re all thinking, “Great, some 3D movies to check out.”   Then, reality sets in and we realize that we’re actually just getting a bunch of trailers that can show off just what 3D can do, but leave us wanting more…Oh, ok…now I get it…

Samsung could’ve blown the doors off of the 3D movement by streaming full-length 3D features, and while they still may down the road, there’s a little bit of “wait, what” occurring here.  3D content actually means some cool visuals to show-off your components, but in the end, they’re all just teasers.  We aren’t expecting the world, but when a company mentions 3D content, shouldn’t we be talking about content? 

There are some hurdles, however, that let Samsung off the hook a little bit.  First, they’re focusing on developing the streaming technology, and there’s quite a bit of legwork involved in securing the rights to every movie that is released in 3D.  Bandwidth and streaming limitations also hurt the 3D content services concept, so until they manage these obstacles, expect more “fishbowl” entertainment…

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So, the big problem with active 3D glasses is that they’re just too bulky and expensive, right?  Well, what if you could use them on your active 3D TV?  Would that change everything?  Samsung thinks so which is why they’re teaming up with RealD and licensing new technology that will allow that to happen.  With this, you’ll be able to snag the inexpensive passive 3D specs and use them on your active set.  This will definitely alter the game, and honestly, end it.

LG has been arguing the case for passive 3D technology for quite some time.  However, the passive screens don’t offer up quite the same visuals that active 3D TVs can.  The price is what kept them in the game, but that contingency seems to have been remedied with Samsung’s new union with RealD.  How can they do it?  The answer isn’t as difficult as one would imagine.

Samsung is basically taking the active shutter technology and adding it to their screens instead of the glasses.  We’re still a bit hazy regarding exactly how they will implement this and when we can expect the technology to go live, but with Samsung already leading the pack in terms of 3D technology and sales, this should deliver a crushing blow in the ongoing battles between the two 3D technologies.  What’s your opinion on this?  Are they making the right move?

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Samsung is ensuring that you don’t go wandering off into passive 3D land based on price.  They’re lowering the cost of active 3D glasses to make sure that you stay put when it comes to which school of 3D technology you subscribe to.  For some time, the active glasses have been big, bulky, and most importantly, over-priced, so it’s nice to see a little change in the right direction here.

The SSG-3100CR glasses were selling for $129.99, and were simply an entry-level set.  Now, they’re selling for under $50 which shows just how serious Samsung is here.  The higher-end spec models like the SSG-3300GR or 3300CR are down to $129.99, with the flagship setup dropping to $149.99 from $219.99. That’s a massive price decrease when you consider how high Samsung’s expectation of quality really is.

Now, with the glasses coming down in price, we’ll finally be able to learn which is going to win out between active and passive eyewear.  With Samsung in active’s corner, expect that to have the upper hand for awhile.  They don’t plan on relinquishing their position as an industry leader anytime soon, but with prices dropping like this, they won’t have to.

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Remember when they told you a long time ago that size doesn’t matter?  Yeah, um…they were lying to you.  The truth is, Samsung thinks that consumers believe that size is everything which is why they’re putting the D9500 Smart TV out into the world.  Deemed the largest 3D TV available, the 9500 will be released to the Korean market initially, but will hit American shores in August.  Priced at $13,000, don’t expect to get a huge kiss from the wife when you walk in the door and tell her that you spent her “new car money”.

This is more like a home theatre than a television.  Sure, LG has delivered screens of similar size, but this one offers up 3D, which is something that we haven’t seen on the market to date.  Samsung doesn’t skimp when it comes to features and the D9500 has everything we’ve come to expect:  a QWERTY keyboard to make internet use easier, four pairs of active 3D glasses, and of course the connectivity and online content services that we’ve all grown to admire.

Samsung is currently the frontrunner in the television market, and I don’t see how this unit is going to hurt them.  It’s priced a little steep, I know, but there are people out there that want to, and will, purchase this unit regardless of the price tag.  Look for it coming to an electronics venue near you, but be warned…you may want some security while leaving the store because this TV will draw some attention.

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The UK market should be getting a bit more Samsung-friendly after the announcement that the electronics giant will be offering a free streaming content service for its 3D customers.  Samsung Smart Hub has long been considered one of the best streaming platforms, but the new selection of content should excite many that have been waiting for the available 3D content to pick up a bit of steam.  Dreamworks is the only announced partner at this point, but don’t expect that to remain the status quo for much longer.

Samsung has long been working on a comprehensive content streaming service for their users, but it was not determined whether they’d utilize an outside organization or simply create one themselves.  Obviously, when you have the resources and clout that a company of this magnitude does, there’s little need to bring anyone else into the fold.  Samsung has developed their own content platform and will be offering it exclusively to their users.

The “Explore 3D” Application is expected to feature seventy free 3D vids.  Downloadable through Samsung’s app store, anyone purchasing a Smart TV, entry level on up, can enjoy free use of this service.  Consumers have shown plenty of interest in 3D, but there have been gripes that the content simply wasn’t there.  This should definitely help.

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