New Products

Samsung The latest DLP big screens from Samsung are led by the HLR5688W, which measures 56 inches (diagonal) and boasts a native resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels. Yep, that's enough for ultra-high 1080p (progressive-scan) resolution, folks.

Good size, good price - what more could you ask for in a TV? Okay, yeah, high-definition would be nice, and Vizio's 37-inch L37 LCD set ($1,500) has that covered, too, sporting a screen with 1,366 x 768-pixel resolution.

Even if you don't see the dock connector on the side, one look at the gloss-white finish of Kensington's SX 2000 speaker ($160) will tell you that it has to be an iPod something or other. Fitting any iPod with a dock connector, the 16-inch-wide transportable speaker uses NXT SurfaceSound technology, which produces sound by vibrating a flat panel.

Sony has re-established itself as a visionary TV maker with its SXRD models (see "Editors' Choice"), a variation of the difficult-to-manufacture LCoS technology. The first SXRD front projector, the Qualia 004, cost about $30,000.

You've gotta wonder what Freud would say about all these TV makers trying to outdo each other with the biggest screen. Then again, you also have to admit that an 80-inch plasma TV is never just an 80-inch plasma TV - not when it's the biggest you can get. Taking plasma into the 80s is the (holy crap!) $150,000 Samsung HP-R8082, whose screen has 1,920 x 1,080 pixels.

Oh, say, can you iSee? The first video recorder designed specifically for the iPod, ATO's iSee 360i allows you to record and store movies, TV shows, and photos directly from your DVR, TV, or PC. You can then watch the programs on the 3.6-inch LCD screen, which is 90% larger than that of the video iPod.

Cable viewers who also want their HDTV have found their love affair with TiVo becoming strained the past few years. That's because TiVo's Series 2 recorders, unlike the DVRs leased by cable operators, have proved stubbornly incompatible with high-def channels. Hoping to make amends, TiVo has unveiled the Series 3 HD Digital Media Recorder with two CableCARD slots.