View-Master Enters the Digital Age

Remember the old View-Master? The stereoscopic toy gave viewers a private 3D show and included a plastic view finder where 3D images from a reel could be changed by pulling a plastic orange arm.

Welcome View-Master 2.0 - the toy has now entered the digital age.

Fisher-Price, maker of the iconic toy first produced in 1939, announced its latest digital update Tuesday at the Consumer Electronics Show 2012 in Las Vegas.

View-Master will now try to grab a piece of the 3D entertainment market that has exploded in cinemas, home televisions, gaming consoles and even smart phones.

Analysts predict that by 2014, the 3D television market will be valued at $100 billion.

So View-Master will sell its retro and movie-themed images at an online store starting in the spring at www.viewmasterdigital3d.com.

View-Master images hold tremendous nostalgic value for me and many people around the world who fondly recall discovering far and exotic corners of our planet or marveling at seeing their favorite characters in 3D through their View-Master viewers, Al Lopez, COO of Spatial View, said in a statement. Spatial View, an online 3D content distributor, will collaborate with Fisher-Price on the venture.

We feel privileged and honored to work with Fisher-Price to bring this extensive historical archive of spectacular 3D imagery to a variety of digital mediums, he said.

The images will be sold in packs of 18 to 21 for $1.99 and will be able to be viewed with Spatial View's 3DeeSlide accessory for the iPhone 4/4S - without the need for 3D glasses.

The company said support for Android 3D smart phones, Windows PCs, and 3D TV platforms will follow.