RED Digital Cinema with the new 5.7″ Retina display HYDROGEN smartphone is entering a new market segment or should I say starting one with an Android OS phone that is also a holographic and 3D media player that doesn’t require glasses. If you are not familiar with what a hologram is it’s basically a three-dimensional image formed by the interference of light beams from a laser or other coherent light source. Science! A personal hologram device would be crazy cool but how one would use it is another story.
As for 3D holographic Smartphones the first one was introduced back in 2015 called the Takee 1. Here is a hands on preview.
From the looks of things the Takee 1 is no longer available.
RED says it’s HYDROGEN is a holographic multi-view, 2D, 3D, AR/VR/MR, and image capture device. Woof! I think we need some time to understand what this all means and how it will work. Here is what RED states what the HYDROGEN ONE is all about.
What is the HYDROGEN ONE?
The HYDROGEN ONE is a standalone, full-featured, unlocked multi-band smartphone operating on Android OS that just happens to add a few additional features that shatter the mold of conventional thinking.
GLASSES OBSOLETE
Wearable displays not spoken here. It is no longer necessary to carry (or charge) another device to enjoy multi-dimensional content. Experience “look around depth” in the palm of your hand, no glasses or headsets in sight.
This incredible retina-riveting display advancement features nanotechnology that seamlessly switches between traditional 2D content, holographic multi-view,1 content, 3D content, and interactive games … both landscape and portrait modes supported.
• View all traditional 2D content normally at fullscreen resolution
• View holographic RED Hydrogen 4-View content (H4V)
• View stereo 3D content
• View 2D/3D VR, AR and MR
ASSAULT YOUR SENSES
Embedded in the OS is a proprietary H30 algorithm that converts stereo sound into expansive multi-dimensional audio. Think 5.1 on your headphones. The perfect match for holographic H4V or just listening to your favorite tunes. The difference this makes would be enough to justify the entire system.
MODULARITY
HYDROGEN ONE is the foundation of a future multi-dimensional media system. The HYDROGEN SYSTEM incorporates a new high-speed data bus to enable a comprehensive and ever-expanding modular component system, which will include future attachments for shooting higher quality motion and still images as well as HYDROGEN format holographic images.
COMMAND CENTRAL
The HYDROGEN ONE will not only be the control center for the HYDROGEN system, it will also integrate into the professional RED camera program, working together with Scarlet, EPIC and Weapon as a user interface and monitor.
RED CHANNEL
One channel to find all 4-View holographic content. Create .h4v (or convert 3D to .h4v) content and upload. Download or stream to view. Movies, documentaries, games, shopping and other apps all found with one click.
PRICE. $1195 Aluminum. $1595 Titanium
Orders placed today will ship from my own personal first production batch. I can also assure you that after this initial release we will NOT be able to fill all orders on time due to display production limitations. We will NOT guarantee these prices at the time of release. Taxes and shipping not included in the price.
WHAT DO YOU GET?
The HYDROGEN ONE Media Machine with a USB-C cable and charger, an expandable Micro SD card slot plus a “special small token” for ordering early. All other accessories available at launch will be available at an additional price. Additional modules will NOT be immediately available at the time of this first production launch.
WHEN DO YOU GET IT?
The HYDROGEN ONE is targeted to ship 01 2018.
What do you think?
Personally. This is a lot to take in since I have no experience with these type of devices and throwing down up $1600 on it seems like a tough sale for me. How much content is out that can be played on HYDROGEN? Games will be a sure bet. I think it would be advantageous of RED to supply more examples of the new device, but they certainly know how to hype up a product before it’s available and get you to throw down your hard earned cash for it.
The people on REDUSER.net are buying them up and the comments are very funny. Some users saying
“Ordered… don’t know for sure exactly what it does, but I did anyway haha”
“I ordered the Titanium model without even reading the text : )”
“Hmmmm, not sure what I just bought either but sure, let’s do this! Hahahahaha.”
“Once I got the Visa error I was pulling out credit cards I didn’t even know I had!.”
The weeks ahead will be interesting as more info on the HYDROGEN becomes available. I think we need to know more about the content the Hydrogen will have prior to it’s release and how it integrates with RED products. Oh… and yes. It has a headphone jack. Jim also said that “It also comes with internal storage and an external micro SD card slot. A selfie camera and a back camera. These cameras will not produce cinema quality images. No cell phone does. What we will have is a modular system that adds image quality well beyond any other camera short of our professional cameras. Remember that we have a lot of elbow room on this front. Our Weapon Helium sensor scored 108 on DXOMark.com That beat the Sony A7RII by 10 full points.”
RED mentioned modularity and being able to shoot video with the HYDROGEN. Not much more was mentioned about how this will actually work. We found patents filed that showed the concept.
In these images you can get an idea of how this will work. What size is the sensor? Is it a swapable mount? Good questions that will have to be answered by RED. The device will have more uses for RED camera owners since it can be used as a monitor and controller as well but how it will interface with the RED cameras is unknown.
RED founder Jim Jannard recently posted this on RedUser.net about entering the cell phone market.
“So why do we feel we can make a difference in the cell phone market? Because we are doing everything different and (we feel) better. That is the only way to enter a market. That was the thinking behind Oakley. It was the thinking when we released the RED ONE. Same formula. Make something significantly better and you have a reason to be.
We look forward to releasing many more details and specs about the project as time goes along. Anytime you don’t like what you see, full refund for any reason spoken here. However… be prepared to be surprised on the upside. It only gets better the more information you have.
Today we saw the full range from “complete trust” to “hard skepticism”. I have seen this before… many times actually. Makes me smile.
Jim”
Jim also talks about the holographic display.
“The Holographic Display.
It is incredible. It is multi-view (4-view) as compared to stereo 3D (2-view). Watching shocked faces light up when people see it is really motivating. There is no good way to describe it until you see it. Hopefully we will get some skeptics eyes on it soon… then they can tell you.
Our display is technology you haven’t seen before. It is not lenticular, which is inferior tech in every way, has been tried many times before and failed for good reason. (see Amazon 3D Fire, LG Optimus, etc). Lenticular display dramatically lowers resolution, cannot be turned off for standard 2D content, only works in one direction (usually landscape), has color crosstalk… to name just a few issues. My bet is that other “big” companies will try to re-package lenticular 3D displays with eye-tracking in response to our program. Don’t fall for it.”
Hopefully for RED this venture is successful. It’s a very competitive space that have been been tough for the likes of Microsoft and other big tech companies.
One thing to think about here if you are going to pay up front for the HYDROGEN is the funds will be charged to your credit card and you will be paying interest on the purchase price if it isn’t payed off in a month while waiting for the product to actually ship.
Pre-order Terms and Conditions:
“Once your payment for a pre-order is received by us, those funds may be used by us as part of the ongoing research, development and manufacturing of the Product and related goods and services. You further understand, agree and acknowledge that we reserve the right to terminate the Product and cancel all pre-orders at any time if certain business factors are realized, in our sole discretion.”
What do you think? Is this a device you want? Will it ship on time?
