Leading article: The vision thing

Does the future lie in another dimension? Hollywood certainly seems to think so. In recent months we've been fed a steady diet of 3D releases: Up, Coraline, A Christmas Carol. And last night saw the world premiere of James "Titanic" Cameron's epic fantasy adventure, Avatar.

Well, the third dimension is all very well at the cinema, but we wonder whether there isn't a case for a rather less vibrant visual experience outside the multiplexes?

Wouldn't life occasionally be more bearable in fewer dimensions? How about that embarrassed (and hung over) morning after the Christmas party? Or when you're wedged in the middle of a two-mile traffic jam on the M1? Do we really need to see everything in 3D when bending over a blocked sink? Surely what we need at such times is a bit of soothing distance.

So thank you Hollywood for your efforts to enhance our viewing experience. But the next technological frontier awaits.