My hunch?
One motivation behind Leanback is to prepare us for the next wave of online 3D HDTV, which is a "slow media" experience, best viewed from a comfy sofa or recliner. This is the "10-foot experience".
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YouTube Leanback offers effortless viewing
Broadcasting Ourselves ;): The Official YouTube Blog, 7/7/10
ESPN 3D officially launches with FIFA World Cup coverage: Live from Bristol
(Ben Drawbaugh, 6/11/10) "As for the tech side of things, ESPN was taking in the 1080i50 side by side 3D signal and converting it to the US-friendly 1080i60 side by side, and since DLP sets expect the checkerboard 3D format, a RealD POD was used to make the link between the cable set-top-box and the TV. The glasses were supplied by XpanD, but not the same universal shutter glasses that we expect to be available at retail soon."
Engdget Interview: Chuck Pagano talks ESPN 3D, mobile streaming
(Darren Murph, 6/12/10) "Chuck stated that ESPN first started taking the whole 3D idea seriously around four years ago, and while the FIFA World Cup feed isn't being shot / directed by ESPN, it's hard to turn down 25 live events in 3D that the entire world will take interest in. He noted that while DirecTV, Comcast and AT&T are signed on at launch, deals are in the works with "all available options" in the US; outside of America, he confessed that the company "isn't looking at anything internationally right now."'
Without fail, the bigger the 3D, the better the illusion. Anything under 50 inches is basically a joke, unless it's your computer monitor or something. And I will say, even though Vizio's XVT Pro television wasn't my favorite experience (it's an LCD and thereby less smooth), the fact that it was 72-inches meant that a plane's wing almost hit me in the nose."
