http://player.ooyala.com/player.swf?embedCode=kwOXFmMjpixze1lnyx0IfJVK_LlVG5hx&version=2
Can a $35 piece of plastic offer a compelling and immersive 3D experience? Well, yes and no. The Hasbro My3D is a fun idea – it’s basically a stereoscopic viewer that splits images on the iPhone or iPod Touch into two discrete sides. It really works and is quite cool when you initially try it.
When you look through the lenses you see a half-resolution 3D image that reacts to the motion of the iPhone in three dimensions, allowing you to move around and rotate in the 3D world. Little cut-outs on the bottom let you tap onscreen buttons and there are multiple games including 360 Sharks, a swimming simulator, and Bubble Bolt, a Monkey Ball clone. Games are free but will eventually cost $5.
I was initially unenthused about this device and after using it a bit and having the kids play it I’m still kind of “meh.” It’s a cute idea and it offloads all of the moving parts to the iPhone but after a few days the kids ignored it and I’d worry that it would be another $35 piece of plastic at the bottom of the toy chest.
If anything cracks the 3D code it will be the Nintendo 3DS and even that is lagging in general uptake. If you want to try it maybe grab it when it goes on sale and play a few titles. As it stands today, however, it’s not quite as much fun as I’d like it to be nor is it as cool as it seems.