LG Electronics has announced the release of a 20-inch, glasses-free 3D monitor that uses eye-tracking technology to maintain an optimal image from a wider range of viewing angles. Though it's touted as the first monitor of its kind, the D2000 actually uses a similar trick to Toshiba's recently announced Qosmio F750 notebook, which can detect changes in the viewer's position in real time and adjust the stereoscopic image accordingly.
LG hopes this will make 3D TV viewing a more comfortable and freer experience than before. The biggest drawbacks, besides pricing, have always been the need for special glasses and the very narrow viewing angles. But as clever as this approach may be it still comes with one major caveat: the camera can only track one person at a time, thus the 3D effect will only be viewable by that person, which is less than ideal unless you only watch movies alone.
The D2000 will also play standard 2D content, of course, and it also features 2D-to-3D conversion, similar to what 3D gaming laptops such as the Alienware M17x and the Toshiba Qosmio X770 offer.
The D2000 will be available in Korea this month for 1.29 million Won, or about $1,200 USD, with a release in other markets planned for later this year after the IFA electronics industry convention in Germany in September.