Holiday Online Shopping in 3D

You hate the crowds holiday madness brings, and tried shopping on the Internet last season to avoid the chaos, but weren't satisfied with that either - because it didn't come close to the in-store

Wednesday, December 6th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

You hate the crowds holiday madness brings, and tried shopping on the Internet last season to avoid the chaos, but weren't satisfied with that either - because it didn't come close to the in-store experience. Now, Viewpoint Corporation (www.viewpoint.com), a New York based company, has solved the problem associated with online shopping by offering compelling 3D technology that is bringing brands and products to life on the Web this holiday season.

The company has enabled clients like Sony, Nike, Eddie Bauer and Sharper Image to supercharge their websites to showcase their merchandise in vivid 3D. Users can examine an Eddie Bauer McGuyver Tool (www.eddiebauer.com) at any angle, zoom in/out, open and close all 33 parts, and turn it around without leaving the Web page they're shopping on; or they can play with Sony's AIBO Entertainment Robot (www.aibo.com) as if it's really in the room.

Viewpoint's technology allows consumers to do things to products online that they would get arrested for doing in a regular brick and mortar store such as: cutting the Nike Shox in half to check out the cushioning, or instantly mix-matching different bed spreads with different sheets to see what they look like on the bed.