“Help Me, Obi-Wan Kenobi, you’re my only hope.” That probably isn’t the first line in a movie to be delivered by a hologram, but it is the first one I remember. Since then, I’ve probably seen hundreds of holograms in sci-fi movies, but they still aren’t commonplace in today’s world. Fortunately, Looking Glass has been working on holographic technology for the masses since 2014. This year, they brought their first portable device, the Looking Glass Go, to market. They were kind enough to send over a kit, so I am moving into the future with some holographic goodness Living In My Game Space. Is the Looking Glass Go everything I dreamed of? Read on to find out.
Looking Glass Go – In The Box
The Looking Glass Go is a foldable device measuring 6.3” long x 3.2” wide x 0.76” thick. As a comparison, my Samsung S23+ phone is 5.8” x 2.8” x 0.3” without a case. The flip-up display is .24” thick and has a 6” screen with a resolution of 1440 x 2560 pixels @ 60Hz and 16.7M colors, the equivalent of a 2k monitor in 9:16 portrait orientation. The viewing angle of the screen is 60 degrees, and it can be viewed from any distance, though I noticed pixelation when viewing at less than about two feet.
A USB-C data/power port is located on the back edge of the device. Along the right side of the base, you’ll find the power button and forward, back, and pause buttons to shuffle through your uploaded images. A 3.5mm audio jack and USB-A port for added storage are located along the left side of the base
Setting up the Looking Glass Go was straightforward. The LGG comes packaged along with a USB-C cord and power adapter, and a microfiber cleaning cloth. I also received several optional accessories. These included a 3500 mAh Lithium-ion battery pack ($30) and soft carry case ($25) for added portability, as well as the LGG snap-on picture frame ($30) to display the device on a desk or wall (mounting hardware included).
Looking Glass Go – Using The 3D Display
After plugging in the LGG and powering it up, you can pair it to your Apple or Android device via Bluetooth through the Looking Glass ‘Go’ App. Once the device is detected and paired, the app will walk you through adding the LGG to your 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network, at which point you’ll be updated to the latest firmware version. I used to be annoyed by devices that only connect through the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi band, but as I gather more Wi-Fi-enabled devices around my house, I have found it a great way to manage all of my tech stuff on the less-used band and leaving my 5GHz network for streaming and gaming.
The LGG comes with a default playlist with a variety of images to show the potential of the device. Still, I was immediately ready to start uploading my own photos and create a new playlist. Using the app, I quickly uploaded an assortment of photos that included friends, pets, and several vacation photos ranging from landmarks to wide scenic views.
The Looking Glass Go isn’t just for photos. Virtually any image can be used. Being a gaming nerd, I took a screenshot of my new Path of Exile 2 character and uploaded it. The result was similar to that of a real human, and I can’t explain the geeky joy I got from this.
For advanced users, the LGG also works with 3D images rendered in Blender, Unity, and other 3D software. For anyone wanting to create their own images, Looking Glass has a few pieces of software to facilitate the process. Using Looking Glass Bridge and Looking Glass Studio, you can make quick edits and upload your 3D works to the LGG. You can even use Liteforms to create and interact with a holographic conversational character powered by ChatGPT.
I’m not a 3D artist, and I have no idea how to create any of these projects. Fortunately, Looking Glass is prepared for people like me, and they have created Looking Glass Blocks, a website where the community can share their creations. I added several 3D images from the Blocks site, which includes everything from an X-Wing Fighter being chased by some Tie-Fighters to Santa working in his toyshop.
The LGG took everything I uploaded and converted them into 3D holographs of varying quality. Portraits of humans and animals came out looking pretty good. Pictures with a human standing close to the background, like someone standing a few feet before a wall, have a very strong 3D effect across the entire image. Images where a person is close to the camera with a background further in the distance left the background flat but really made the 3D foreground pop. Wide-open landscapes inherited very little 3D effect, and viewing across different angles had little effect.
When an image doesn’t come out quite as nice as you’d like, you can make some minor edits within the Go app. You can edit the focal point of an image by selecting a specific spot, and there are sliders to adjust the depth and zoom of your uploaded images. These simple tools are easy to use, and with a little adjustment, I could fine-tune a few lesser-quality images for a more 3D appearance.
To create the 3D effect, the Looking Glass Go uses generative AI to extrapolate a single image into 100 separate images across a 60-degree view. That may seem like a lot, but as you near the maximum viewing angle, you start to lose color accuracy, up to the point that the screen is completely black when viewing beyond the 30-degree mark. It’s similar to viewing a TV or monitor from the side but much more restrictive (modern models generally have over 170-degree viewing angles). This isn’t a huge issue if you are handing the LGG off for someone else to hold, but if you have multiple people looking at it at the same time, only a couple of them will get a decent look at the image.
Another issue that can crop up is a hologram’s clarity. Starting with a poor-quality photo is a recipe for an even worse hologram. Even with its 1440 x 2560 pixel resolution, some holographs had jagged-looking edges and ghosting or artifacts at any angle other than straight-on viewing.
Final Thoughts
Looking Glass makes spatial displays up to 65”, but with the 16” display costing a steep $4000, the $299 price tag on the 6” Looking Glass Go sounds like a steal. It’s still a pretty large price tag for what some will view as a gimmicky digital picture frame, but many will find the holographic 3D effect worth the price. Out of the box, the LGG will look good sitting on a desk or shelf, but I’d recommend picking up the optional frame (or DIYers could create something a little more fancy). Similarly, you’ll want to pick up the battery pack for extra convenience when taking the LGG on the go.
Most users will use the LGG in its simplest form by uploading and viewing their playlists. More advanced users, 3D artists and other 3D enthusiasts, will unlock the device’s full potential. Either way, the Looking Glass Go is pretty cool tech, and the display can produce some fantastic-looking holograms. Just be prepared to accept that junk photos in will result in junk holograms out.
