I’m speculating here, but I really think Flash is where real time 3D will really catch on.

Adobe is chasing the dream of the virtual machine that Java tried to do 10 years ago. I hope they make it. What is a virtual machine? It’s a sandbox for software. The trouble with software is you give it all the rights to your computer. You give the keys away when you install a program. How can a real time 3D advertisement run inside a browser? (A 3D mass customization configuration tool) A virtual machine is the answer. The trouble is this interferes with Microsoft’s monopoly. They crushed Java 10 years ago when they tried to do this.

Why do I care about this? I want to build tools that you can design jewelry in 3D in the browser. The tools would be advertisements like the rich Flash content you see today. A person can configure a piece of jewelry very intuitively using such a tool. This has to be very easy for them to start using. Today you have to install software to get the 3D to work. This is far too much of a block for people to use these tools. They have to be able to start using such this software instantly.

In the past I have talked about how Flash is becoming much more powerful. It’s clear that very soon people will be able to build 3D tools using Flash. Microsoft is trying to release their own tool call Silverlight to compete with Flash. It’s going to take years for this to get going. Silverlight will let you use a lot of different computer languages to program in, but Flash is proprietary.

Right now the 3D rendering is in software which slows it down greatly. I found a blog post with an interesting take on this if they put hardware rendering into Flash or Silverlight.

I have been watching 3D in the browser try to develop for years, really since 1996 when 3D Java applets became somewhat popular. It really needs to be in the browser. The server can do a lot of the 3D work, but it would expensive, and the client machines have the power. You can see on RingHunt.com I played with a few methods to do this. I have yet to try doing the 3D work on the server side. I’m not convinced it’s a good enough idea to pony up the resources.

There are other places that this could start first, but I think not likely. Online 3D worlds like SecondLife.com, There.com, World of War Craft, and maybe even a worlds based on the gaming consoles. Heck there is a possibly of some mobile smart phone or Internet table 3D standard could cause this to happen. Yep, 3D jewelry design software on a mobile tablet. These $200-$400 Internet tablets may not have the power now, but I would say in a few generations they are going to cheaper, far more powerful, and standard setting.