Specs, cell & an idiot box - all together

The world of consumer electronics is chock-a-block with new-fangled gizmos in search of a market, but occasionally something comes along which looks like being a sure fire hit.

The world of consumer electronics is chock-a-block with new-fangled gizmos in search of a market, but occasionally something comes along which looks like being a sure fire hit.

France Telecom is betting that a pair of video-screen glasses bundled with a cutting-edge multimedia cell phone made by Samsung, unveiled this weekend at the European Research and Innovation Exhibition in Paris, is the real deal.

Developed by US company MicroOptical, specialists in portable electronic eyewear, the France Telecom glasses contain two tiny screens that, when worn, optically fuse into one.  The big-screen effect is stunning, especially when combined with built in stereo earpieces. France Telecom subsidiary Orange is providing the content ranging from movies, high-speed Internet access and even eventually television.

The feather-weight glasses can also be plugged directly into any device with a video port, such as a DVD player.   There are many 'virtual reality' glasses and 'head-mounted displays' on the market, but most are cumbersome and none have been designed work with telecommunication devices such as cell phones. Many have been discontinued.

France Telecom will roll out its bundled package in France before the end of the year, says project leader Martin Conan.

And the price tag? 'We have not yet determined the exact business model or how much is will cost the consumer,' corporate communications officer Cathy Excoffier said at the three-day exhibition.

Judging from other devices on the market, it won't be cheap.