Why 3-D Is Better When It's in the Palm of Your Hand

We tend to think of 3-D as being a large display affair--movie screens, or more recently, widescreen televisions. But last week Nintendo revealed the 3DS at E3. This next-generation handheld gaming device will feature a 3.53" 3-D display that does not require the use of viewing glasses.

At first glance, handheld devices might seem inferior for displaying 3-D visuals compared their large-screen counterparts. But there are limitations to large, fixed displays that don't constrain handhelds. In...