The Register reported that Nokia and Intel are working (with Oulu University) on a new 3D interfaces and 3D virtual worlds for MeeGo operating system. Before commenting let’s look what we already have in the 3D.
3D interfaces have always amused researchers. A long time has passed from the end of 70’s when Dataland (ACM requiring registration) – one of the first virtual 3D worlds – was presented. Since then 3D interfaces ware used in several applications on personal computers (Data mountain, Web Book and Web Forager, 3DOSX,
SGI File System Navigator and its clone FSV, etc.). We have seen some 3D desktop environments (Microsoft Bob, Sun’s Looking glass, Task gallery, BumpTop, Qube, etc) which inspired a lot of other applications on mobile devices (iPod’s and iTunes album flipping for example, Vodafone 360). 3D worlds emerged in video games and transferred to the web (Second Life). 3D virtual worlds are used in medicine (exposure therapies), turism (virtual museums, ancient cities tours), learning and teaching and pleasure as well.
Researchers at Oulu University have already developed an exiting realExtend framework for building 3D worlds. Now we have to wait and see what this collaboration will bring us. Maybe 3D video games on mobile phones (don’t they exist already), 3D interfaces (don’t they exist already) or maybe some sort of Second Life viewer for mobile phones (don’t these exist already – maybe not yet on MeeGo?). I really hope they will put together something good as it seams that the fight for mobile phone OSes is getting even more interesting (iOS, webOS, Android, MeeGo, BlackBarry OS, WindowsMobile)
