The Best 3DTV: Samsung UN55C7000 vs Panasonic TC-P50VT20

There are just two 3DTVs on the market right now—a plasma from Panasonic and an LCD from Samsung. Luckily, that means it's really easy to spot which is the best.

The Method

We tested two HDTVs that use the new Full HD 3D standard: the $2900 Samsung UN55C7000 (a 55-inch LCD, on the left in the photo) and the $2500 Panasonic TC-P50VT20, a 50-inch plasma on the right. We tested them with the requisite 3D glasses and a Panasonic BD-C6900 3D Blu-ray player playing both a 3D movie (Monsters Vs Aliens) and a disc of sample footage that came with the Blu-ray player.

The Glasses

Both displays require you to look like a dork by wearing a pair of 3D glasses. That's what produces the 3D effect: the glasses contain LCD shutters that turn on and off to show each eye a separate image 60 times a second. Without the glasses, you see a confusing mess of two images slightly offset. With them, you see the 3D effect, but this means that you need a pair for every person watching, and they cost $150 each.


The Samsung 3D glasses (left) are arguably less dorky looking, although they aren't going to win any design prizes. The Panasonic 3D glasses (on the right) are larger, heavier and somewhat more nose-ache-inducing; the weight sits right on the bridge of the nose and feels like you have a slight head cold. The Panasonic glasses are also more adjustable, coming with 3 different nose bridges and a neck strap. You can't adjust Samsung's glasses at all.

NASA Test Pilot Robert M. White Winging Towards Heaven at Mach 6

Retired Air Force major-general Robert M. White, the first human to break Mach 6 and the test pilot who took the X-15 into space, has died at 85.

Russian Cows Watch Samsung LED TV While You're Stuck With Your 32-Inch Coby

One Russian farmer is testing the theory, with half his cows watching the Swiss Alps fields, and the other side of the shed being deprived of the LED-backlit LCD goodness. I hope for the farmer's sake that it actually works, as the cost of three Samsung LED 7000 series TVs must've set him back a fair bundle.

Firegard Robot Concept Slinks In and Saves in Fiery Situations

the designer says this is actually a benevolent, firefighting automaton called Firegard that's meant to aid firemen in the field, not kill them. Much like the bomb-sniffing and disarming robots deployed in Iraq today, Firegard goes where humans can't, or shouldn't go. Like precarious, burning and unstable structures.Using its unique "wheels" and segmented body, the Fireguard can navigate uneven terrain with ease, hypothetically. A camera at the head records imagery and video, which can be used by firefighters in a command center to assess the situation and act accordingly. Again, just a concept for now, but I can easily see such a device scaring the bejesus out of rescue victims in some burning building from the future.

Like a Surgical Mask...But Even Creepier!

By Icelandic designer Sruli Recht, Masked in Flight is a collection of updated surgical masks with the modern, swine-flu-conscious traveler in mind. Integrating features like replaceable N95 particle filters for safe breathing and light shields for easy resting, I can't argue with the practicality. But I'd guess that, if Recht's masks do keep you healthy, it's because they virtually guarantee* a perpetual, 50-foot personal quarantine.

the return of the commodore 64

Utilitarian clean lines, hefty chunkiness, and glorious beige. That's the Commodore 64 everybody loves, not the travesty at the beginning of this post. Or maybe it's just me who loves it, because I still remember playing Pitstop, Summer Games, Star Wars, and the impossible-to-finish Ghostbusters in my school's computer lab, in between BASIC programming lessons and multiple-choice tests.

Toilet+Sink Looks Beautiful, Even Though It's Filled With Grey Water

Combining a sink with a toilet in the interest of the environment isn't a new idea, but remember the disastrous result from last time? W+W is a new sink+toilet combo that could fit in any contemporary bathroom, and it's a real product. The premise is simple if you haven't heard it before: The "grey water" from sink-based activities like hand washing is captured, filtered (for bacteria and odor) and stored within the toilet cistern. Whenever you flush the toilet, this gently used water (that need not be completely pure) washes your worst offenses away. However, in W+W's case, all this eco style comes with a price. This toilet+sink runs over $4000 in the UK. For that much, one can plant a lot equally nice-looking trees or convince themselves to eat less fiber.

Nostromo watch

The Nostromo was designed by Jean-François Ruchonnet for Cabestan, and he's introduced a new gear-shaft transmission and a form based on Ripley's original ride.The entire case is black PVD coated titanium, and its innards glow wildly in the dark without looking green during the day. It's also got a power reserve indicator (50 hours), three engraved rotary drums, and looks as cool as any watch I've seen in a long time. Only hiccup: it costs about $141,000.

Nvidia's 3DTV Play Brings 3D From PC to 3DTVs

Problem: Nvidia's GeForce GPU can display 3D, but in a different standard than the HDMI 1.4 plug that the upcoming crop of 3D TVs are going to use. Solution: Nvidia's 3DTV Play software, which reconciles the difference. If you already own Nvidia's 3D Vision kit, you're eligible to get 3DTV Play as a free upgrade. If you'd rather not bother, you can pick up 3DTV Play separately for $40. Since your 3DTV comes with stereoscopic glasses anyway, you may be better off with the standalone. It'll also support Blu-ray 3D in 1080p, 3D photos, or streaming 3D movie content. This kind of technology may seem a little premature—the sets that it's capable with are only just now beginning to trickle out—but it's going to be an uphill battle to get people to accept 3D on a large scale. The sooner even the smallest hesitations can be allayed, the better.

Ac130 Spooky gun ship

Inflatable Bike Case Protects Your Wheels When Traveling

A niche market, yes, but when you reach a certain age and the idea of going on a cycling-and-camping holiday in a foreign country appeals, you've got to consider how to transport your bike over. I've always thought just hiring a bike in the chosen country would work out cheaper, but some people have spent too much time—and money—pimping their bikes to optimum levels and would rather walk than ride a hire bike. So! Onto the inflatable Helium case, from Biknd. For starters, you'll need to remove the bike's wheels, seat, pedals and handlebar, so it all fits into the bike pack. It's made from flexible nylon and polyester, with a Cordura nylon crank and chain-stay cover. Then comes the novel part, and the reason Biknd named the case the Helium. Connect a foot pump, and pumping it a few hundred times will inject enough air into it that it'll inflate the bag—protecting the bike from bumps in the luggage hold of a plane. Wheels make it easy to drive through airports, bearing in mind the deflated case alone weighs 9.5kgs. It's $600—so you've got to be a real bike enthusiast to outlay that kind of moolah on transporting your cherished wheels about

Nexus Scooter Carry-On: The Most Fun Way to Get Arrested In an Airport

For every time you've brought a scooter to the airport and wished it fit into the overhead compartment, I give you the Nexus: a battery-powered scooter that folds into a luggage-sized case. The TSA will love this. Nexus is a concept designed by Francisco Lupin, and if it were either for a) sale or b) not guaranteed to get me arrested, I'd own one already. Its two electric engines run on four 12V batteries, and can achieve speeds of up to 15 km/h. It'll last two hours on one charge, though if you make it two minutes before being tackled by bored security personnel you deserve some kind of special award.

Convert Your Nation Into Star-Shaped Islands And Save It From Sinking

The Maldives, a small nation consisting of 1,200 islands is gradually disappearing as sea levels rise. In an attempt to save the place, their government has signed off on the development of several "floating facilities" like this one. Dutch Docklands/Dutch Watervalley, makers of many floating homes, are the starry-eyed folks working with the Maldives government on this project and they intend on creating tiered—and yes, star-shaped—mini-cities which won't be bothered by rising sea levels.

Sony's Mythical PSPad a Combination of the iPad and PlayStation

The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Sony's gearing up to take on Apple this year, with the long-awaited PSP Phone and a netbook/eBook reader/PSP hybrid to fight the iPad. And just in the nick of time for our Sony tough love fest,We Miss Sony! There aren't extensive details available yet—including any info about pricing and specs—but we can expect to see the both the PSP phone and the PSPad sometime this year. The Sony Ericsson PSP phone, in particular, has been in the works since at least 2007 , but has met with various delays since then. As for the multifunction iPad competitor, it's not clear exactly what form that will take. Both devices, though, will leverage the media platform Sonys launching later this month. The Sony Online Service a temporary name—is going to provide similar media content as iTunes, but will supplement its offerings with its extensive (and exclusive) catalog of PlayStation games. Mostly older games are expected to be available on the mobile devices.The project is apparently being speared by Kunimasa Suzuki, who has an oversight role in both Sony's Vaio and PlayStation businesses.

Google Wants to Eat Everything and Us All

This Google Monster was created by Asaf Hanuka for an article about groups protesting Google's plan to scan every book. I think it's the way many thinks about its insatiable hunger, including myself. Well, actually, I see it like this:

Skinput, the Touch-Interface For Your Skin, Brings a Whole Nother Meaning to Touch Typing

Cool Leaf Flat Input Devices Don't Need No Stinkin' Key Tops

Cool Leaf is an input system that's perfectly flat, and wonderfully mirrored. A Japanese company called Minebea pioneered it, and they're demonstrating it with a keyboard, calculator, and remote control that are complete key top-free. The immediately apparent benefit—other than the crazy-futuristic look— is that the devices would be easy to clean: no keys for dust or crumbs to get stuck behind or under.

The reflective surface looks great.

Aurora Watch Trades Its Face For LASERS

The Aurora Watch has no interest in traditional minute and second hands. It doesn't even have a dial to speak of. Yep, you're just going to have to settle for good old fashioned touch activated laser hands.