With a 3D movie (Avatar) in Oscar contention, new 3D TVs due out in March, and more and more 3D content available, it’s clear 3D is sparking lots of interest. But those TVs won’t be out until March, and they’ll be pricey at about $2,000. So you might want to get a jump on 3D with Acer’s 15.6-inch Aspire 5738DG-6165.

Coated with a special 3D film, the Acer doesn’t need a special 3D graphics card, but rather uses 3D coating on the display, along with software from TriDef, which converts content to 3D. The required polarizing glasses are included, as are a pair of clip-ons for those who already wear glasses.

We took a look at movies, photos, and games on the Acer. Several short videos and animated pieces are bundled with the computer, and those, predictably, produced eye-popping graphics. But you certainly wouldn’t buy a 3D laptop to watch a few shorts of crawling crabs and a cartoon of a pirate ship. So we popped the 3D version of Journey to the Center of the Earth (the 2008 version with Brendan Fraser) into the DVD drive, opened it using the TriDef software, and were underwhelmed. There were few 3D effects, and rare was the occasion when you felt some element of the movie was reaching out for you. The viewing angle for 3D was also very limited; you need to position the display head-on at a 120-degree angle for the best picture.

TriDef will also convert two-dimensional photographs to 3D pictures. It did so with mixed success. A picture of an owl looked fluffy and realistic; a photo of two people looked like it had been groomed into a mogul ski course.

Games should be where 3D computers shine. We loaded Call of Duty 4 and got ready for some exciting three-dimensional (read: realistic) action. And some of the graphics did look quite good in 3D. The problem was, the graphics you control—in this case your hand and the weapon in it—were flat and looked like a paper-doll cutout, a common trait with unsophisticated 3D graphics.

The good news is, you don’t need to buy special 3D versions of games, because the TriDef software does the converting. But do check the list provided on the TriDef Web site of compatible games.

Priced at about $800, the laptop costs as much as similarly configured, non-3D Acer Aspire models. (See our laptop Ratings for more.) It’s got an Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 4GB of memory, and a 320GB hard drive. The speakers were decent, better than you’d expect on a laptop, but as is often the case, you’ll get better sound by adding your own external speakers. The keyboard is large and I found it easy to type on. It’s got a dedicated numbers pad, and the touchpad is also large with a dedicated area for scrolling up and down. My biggest complaint with the ergonomics is with the left/right click button (it’s all one piece), which wasn’t always as responsive as I’d like.

Most importantly, though, the 3D film on the display didn’t interfere with the look of the screen. I found the display to be bright and easy to look at.

It’s inevitable that 3D technology will improve over time. For now, however, I’d stick with a boring, but tried-and-true, two-dimensional computer.

—Donna Tapellini

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Related: TV Ratings and buying tips; Digital camera Ratings and buying tips; Pocket camcorder guide;  Video game console buying tips and video: "Choosing a video game system".

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We’re starting to see several retail websites and a few in-store displays promoting new “3D-ready" TVs. If you’re anything like us, you’ve probably wondering what exactly makes a TV 3D-ready, and how these sets are different from conventional HDTVs.

Adding to the possible confusion is the fact that there's not yet a standardized definition of what constitutes a 3D-ready TV, or uniform terminology or nomenclature to describe them.

In our recent conversations with executives from Panasonic and Samsung, it became obvious that there are basic features that all 3D TVs will have. Here are some of the common features you can expect to see on a 3D TV:

• HDMI 1.4. All 3D TVs will have HDMI 1.4 inputs, the latest version of the interface that was designed, in part, to handle the greater bandwidth and protocol controls required for 3D. The greater bandwidth is needed because the new 3D Blu-ray specification calls for players to present full 1080p resolution images to each eye, basically doubling the amount of material. HDMI 1.4 also provides the input/output protocols that let 3D displays and source components, such as Blu-ray players, communicate with each other. Some 3D-ready TVs already on the market will be able to handle 3D content via an HDMI 1.3 input, but they'll only be able to display it at half resolution. (We’ll be doing a separate blog on 3D resolution shortly.)

• 3D detection circuitry. All 3D-enabled TVs have to be able to detect a “flag” in the video bitstream that identifies it as 3D content. This circuitry then shifts the TV into its “3D mode” so the two different perspectives required for 3D can be displayed. In addition, most 3D-ready TVs will automatically adjust the TV’s settings—boosting brightness, for example, to compensate for the dimming that occurs when you use 3D shutter glasses—for optimal performance with 3D content.

• An infrared (IR) emitter. Most, but not all, TVs will likely come with an IR emitter built into the set's bezel. This emitter, or transmitter, is what communicates with the 3D shutter glasses to properly sync the glasses to the TV display, so that each eye receives its proper image but not the other. Some companies may not build the emitter into the TV, but provide it as an add-on device, or as an option packaged with the 3D glasses.

• More powerful processors, more memory. Most 3D-ready TVs will have more powerful microprocessors and built-in memory than standard sets, since they’re displaying twice as many video frames. In addition, sets that can convert 2D content to 3D on the fly–such as those announced by Samsung and Toshiba—will need even faster processors to handle the conversion algorithms that generate the effect.

• New remote controls: We expect that most new 3D-ready TVs will come with remote controls with dedicated buttons that will allow you to choose between 2D or 3D settings. Also, we imagine that there will be 3D presets added to the TV’s menu options, along with the ability to tweak key picture attributes when the TV is in the 3D mode.

Because LCD and plasma TVs produce images in a fundamentally different manner—plasma is an emissive technology that generates light, whereas LCD is a transmissive technology that requires a backlight—there will also be some features unique to each type of display. For example, 3D-ready LCD TVs will have 240Hz panels, as well as LED backlights. In 3D mode, a 240Hz panel provides two alternating images at 120 frames per second to each eye. In much the same way a faster frame rate can minimize motion blur, this technology can help reduce crosstalk, or ghosting, that can occur in sets with lower frame rates by reducing the duration that each individual image remains onscreen. LED backlights can provide better brightness uniformity across the panel, and can be flashed on and off more easily and quickly than a standard CCFL backlight.

Although plasma TV’s fast refresh rates mean they aren’t typically bothered by ghosting, plasma manufacturers have developed new phosphors and switching circuitry that can release the image even faster. And Panasonic tells us that it's adjusted the plasma gas mixture slightly to improve performance and power efficiency while maintaining image brightness.

As I mentioned in an earlier 3D post, we're working to get some of these 3D TVs in our labs for testing, so check back soon for our First Look on one of these sets. And let us know whether you're considering a 3D TV purchase this year, or whether you're going to wait it out a bit longer.

–James K. Willcox

Features of the 10″ VMB100 Mobile Razor LED LCD TV. Receives the new Mobile Digital TV Signals. More information at EZDigitalTV.com

Not long ago, we tested the MagicJack and found that, unlike many infomercial products, it actually worked. We mentioned some drawbacks found in the MagicJack's end-user licensing agreement (EULA): in particular, that MagicJack is ad-supported, and that it "may analyze the phone numbers you call in order to improve the relevance of the ads."

BoingBoing had been the first to notice those drawbacks, and published a post in 2008 highlighting them.  It also noted that the EULA couldn't be found on the MagicJack site, and seemed to be accessible only via a Google search. (See the EULA here).

MagicJack sued BoingBoing for defamation and recently lost. Our sister site, The Consumerist, reports:

BoingBoing argued that the user agreement gave MagicJack the right to analyze the calls of customers using its USB dongle device. The device allows users to make cheap calls over VoIP. BoingBoing fought back, and won. The judge tossed the defamation case after the blog's successful anti-SLAPP motion, and MagicJack was forced to pay the blog's legal costs, to the tune of $50,000.

A SLAPP lawsuit—that is, a "strategic lawsuit against public participation"—is a legal tactic used to censor criticism.  The aim is not to win the suit, but to force the critic to succumb in the face of overwhelming legal costs.

—Nick K. Mandle