Sharp shows off mini 3D screens

Just 10 days after Nintendo officially announced the DS in 2004, speculation arose that the system's dual screens would boast 3D functionality, courtesy of new technology from electronics kingpin Sharp. And while the prospects of a dual-screen, 3D-capable handheld were at the time derided, Nintendo has six years on announced just such a device in the 3DS, which will boast depth-of-field gaming without the need for specially designed glasses.

Coincidentally enough, the AP reports that Sharp debuted a new line of 3D displays for mobile devices in Japan today. The liquid crystal displays (LCDs) support glasses-free 3D motion and touch-screen functionality, with Sharp showing off animated sequences, as well as 3D photos and videos.

The AP reports that the technology is limited, however, as it supports only 3-inch screens held 12 inches from a user's face. The newswire also reported that while the 3D technology is similar to what's currently seen out of current TV screens, the "images were less convincing than those seen in a darkened cinema." Photos were also "a bit blurry from certain angles," the AP observed.

Sharp declined to comment on which companies would be adopting the new technology, though it did say that the screens are designed with "cell phones, game machines, and digital cameras" in mind. The AP reports that Sharp plans to begin mass producing the 3D-capable LCD screens during the first half of its 2010 fiscal year, which began April 1. Nintendo expects to launch the 3DS by the end of its current fiscal year, which closes out in March 2011.