Whilst world-famous golfers were whacking the ball around the greens last week at the Sony Open, many golf fans couldn't believe their eyes.

That was because, in a little tent off to the side, Sony was showing off the latest in consumer technology, 3-D television. Slipping on a pair of what looked like sunglasses, viewers saw bright, clear images in three dimensions.

Images of a polar bear in a tank made it look as immediate and live as a zoo or aquarium showcase, as if you could put your head or hand right up against the glass.

“;It's fantastic! It really comes through,”; said Ken Takeuye, a Realtor. “;I'd watch football on it. Or baseball! Imagine the 3-D effect of pitcher and batter.”;

The technology is the result of teamwork between Sony Corporation and RealD, a designer of “;immersive 3-D home entertainment.”;

Sony's top-end Bravia LCD televisions will all have the proper circuitry later this summer, though prices for the sets have not been determined. The effect works by using polarized lenses in the glasses, set at different angles for each eye. The anaglyphic glasses “;blink”; with alternate eyes at dozens of times a second, matching the screen's high-definition refresh rate. It's controlled by a wireless signal from the TV to the glasses.

The glasses will cost about $100 a pair. The hidden 3-D circuitry in the TV will be a standard feature.

After a couple of years of losses, Sony is gambling that 3-D TV will be the next big thing. The company sees billions in profits, mainly from sports events and 3-D gaming with its PlayStation 3 console, which will get a firmware update later this year. ESPN and the Discovery Channel are already prepping 3-D programming for broadcast, to be distributed over standard cable channels. Sony is beavering away at perfecting a Blu-ray device that will play 3-D movies.

So, is the future so bright you're going to be wearing 3-D shades?

“;Pretty slick, pretty darn slick,”; marveled technology consultant John Diehm. “;I'm always amazed at the changes in video technology. I'm certain this will be popular at home for the kids, but imagine it being used for product demonstrations, where you run a loop showing off your invention or product.”;

Nick Perrault and Michelle Johnson, who work for Pepsi, looked skeptical until they tried it.

“;Oh yeah! I'd get one!”; enthused Perrault. “;This is more three-dimensional than any other system I've seen, and I've seen a lot of 3-D movies.”;

Johnson was a bit put off by the glasses until she realized that the system will also be aimed squarely at video gamers.

“;That TOTALLY makes the exception,”; she said. “;I can see it. I'd gear up - controller and glasses - and dive right into the game.”;

Looks like the starship Enterprise's holodeck is closer than we realize.