CES 2010: 3D Monster Takes Over and Isolation Sets In

In all the noise of CES, 3D is again the main theme of this year’s mega conference. From the “intended” launch of Discovery/Sony/ IMAX New 3D Television Network, the first 3D broadcast of a live football game and the launch of Sony’s 3D Blu-Ray player, to a slew of 3D-ready home systems, life at CES is anything but two dimensional.

But, what is the impact of 3D to consumers? For me, watching TV, or even a movie, is extremely social. Sitting next to a friend sharing whispered comments, seeing their reactions or laughing together makes the entire experience more enjoyable. But with the introduction of the 3D glasses, the movie appears to replace the physical interaction with those around you and instead sucks you into a tactical exchange with the medium, isolating you from the rest of the world and making you feel a connection like never before with an inanimate object.

But are we not isolated enough as it is? Already, children are growing up unable to go through a day without texting a hundred times and removing themselves from the real world. What will happen when every home is decked out with the latest in 3D TV tech? Will watching ‘Friends’ or ‘Lost’ ever be the same in 3D? Will the entire experience be changed by this bleeding edge technology?

Maybe we can adapt, but with gadgets taking over our lives and separating us from reality a little more each day, a home theater experience that replaces the need to engage with anything or anyone outside of it makes me wonder why reality isn’t 3D enough for us…