Like many people, we grew up with visions of the future being littered with wearable technology. Take the wristwatch, for instance, which is only now being made to work within current gadgets. There’s also headsets, and while there have been a few companies working in this space, Sony is one that’s making a lot of progress.
We first saw an example of that work a year ago when we got to try out the HMZ-T1, Sony’s first head-mounted display since it stopped making the Glasstron headset all those years ago.
Back then, the Glasstron was the device we wanted, but not being an adult, not having money obviously got in the way.
When we tried the HMZ-T1, our criticism went to issues such as the weight of the unit, and the fact that you always had to be plugged in. Even though the headset produced 3D imagery close-up, those issues stopped us from totally getting in.
Fast forward to now and Sony is rolling out a new model at IFA in Germany, with the T3, a lighter head-mounted display that is not only smaller, but also no longer requires you to be plugged into a power source.
The design has been modified to include flexible headbands and a cushioned head pad to make it more comfortable – also an issue on the first generation – while the sound has been upgraded to a 7.1 virtual soundscape.
And there’s always the big picture, with the tiny screens inside the headset for each eye recreating the feeling of sitting in a 19 metre movie theatre, even if it’s inside your head and able to be carried on a train or aeroplane.
We don’t expect the price to move too far from the $899 we first saw the headset last year, but we’ll know soon enough, with Sony to reveal it closer to November when the HMZ-T3 is slated to hit shelves.
Agree – Oculus sounds like true VR, whereas this Sony line is “head mounted cinema displays”.