andPOP - Pop Culture With Substance

Tech giants Panasonic and Sony plan to bring 3D viewing to the small screen by 2010, Reuters.com reports.

Last week Panasonic unveiled a 50-inch high-definition 3D plasma television with glasses that make images appear as if you can reach out and touch them.

The technology tricks your brain with high-speed shutters working in sync with the glasses to form a double-layered image.

“When the TV is showing the left image, the shutter closes the right eye so people can see only the left image,” explained Keisuke Suetsugi, manager in charge of high quality AV development.

“And the next moment, when the TV is showing the right image, the shutter glass is covering the left.”

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American Idol judge Simon Cowell and Sir Phillip Green, owner of Topshop clothing stores, have teamed up to form a global entertainment super-company. Model Kate Moss has been asked to be the director of style and image for the company, which hopes to rival the other big name brands in television and fashion.

“Kate has been signed as a figurehead and style setter for the fashion end of the business,” said a source. “She will bring her expertise to the table, advising on all branding and style for clothes, hair and accessories. Something that has also been talked about is Kate developing her own singing career and starting a music label.”

Since signing on to the still unnamed company, Moss has doubled her net-worth to $100 million.

We Hotbox a room and talk to the team of a new show on the Comedy Network called Hotbox. It was a good day.

Sony Canada yesterday unveiled its new 52″ BRAVIA flat-panel LCD high definition television, featuring 240Hz high frame rate technology. The television will be available in select Sony Style retail stories and other dealers across the country.

The television incorporates Sony’s new Motionflow 240Hz technology, which allows for a exceptionally clear and detailed image with nature motion. The technology also quadruples the frame rate of conventional LCD TVs.

Other image improvements include Sony’s Advanced Contrast Enhancer (ACE), which gives a contrast ratio of 50,000:1 and BRAVIA Engine 2, Sony’s digital video processor that transforms all incoming signals to match the TV’s 1080p resolution.

The television is also compatible with the BRAVIA Internet Video Link module that attaches to the back of the product. The Internet Video Link service streams on-demand entertainment including movies, TV programs, YouTube videos and other content not found on network or cable/satellite TV. Finally, the television features Digital Media Port compatibility, which gives access to video and music from portable media devices like Walkman and iPod players.

This television retails for approximately $4,199.99.

After 10 weeks in the Alice in Wonderland-themed Big Brother house, the competition has come down to father-daughter alliance Richard “Evel Dick” and Daniele Donato.

The pair came into the house as enemies, a twist to the game called “Greatest Nemesis.” Six of the 14 house guests were enemies: Carol and Jessica are ex-best friends; Joe and Dustin are ex-boyfriends; and Dick and Daniele had been estranged from each other for several years, though they have never revealed exactly what occured between them.

However, the twist quickly failed. Both Carol and Joe were voted out in the first two weeks, and Dick and Daniele have become close as the game went on, despite numerous arguments.

The final two are the cause of much controversy. Despite being very popular with the general public (according to CBS.com polls), Dick, 44, is the most hated person amongst the house guests. He has been both verbally and physically abusive to the the others, attacking their families, sexual preferences and religious beliefs. Though the editing of the show is sympathetic, focusing on the rebuilding of his relationship with his 21-year-old daughter, the live online feeds have revealed Dick’s true aggressive behaviour.

Dick’s popularity has been good for Big Brother’s ratings, pulling in an average of 8 million viewers.

Last week’s competitions followed a frantic battle between the Donato family and 30-year-old Zach Swerdzewski. Tensions were high after Zach won Head of Household the previous week, giving him the power to nominate two people for eviction. Betraying his alliance with the Donatos, Zach put them both up, saying that he was “the muscle” that was brave enough to separate Dick and Daniele. But he failed to win the Power of Veto against Dick in a house guest trivia game, and was sent packing.

Zach has now joined the last six guests to leave the house (Jameka, Eric, Jessica, Amber, Jen and Dustin) as a member of the Jury. Tonight at 9 p.m., aired live on CBS, they will choose who will win the $500,000 grand prize. The jurors have a shared hatred for Dick, so he will likely lose; however, both Dick and Daniele have vowed to share the money no matter what happens.

In the finale, Eric will also be revealed as “America’s Player” to his unknowing housemates. Eric was given missions and voted in evictions based on viewer polls on CBS.com, earning money for successfully completed tasks.

This television season?s biggest mystery: Who is Gossip Girl?

Savvy fans will recognize Veronica Mars herself, Kristen Bell, as the all-knowing voice behind Gossip Girl?s biting narration. Based on the best-selling series by Cecily von Ziegesar, the identity of Gossip Girl is never revealed, while she spills all the secrets of the most popular students at a posh Manhattan prep school on her web site.

Helmed by the acclaimed creators of The O.C., Josh Schwartz and Canadian Stephanie Savage, Gossip Girl promises to be every bit as fresh and juicy as viewers came to expect from The O.C., with some Sex and the City flair and a hip soundtrack.

But Gossip Girl?s drama is on a whole new level than the Cohen family ever dealt with. The pilot, airing at 8 p.m. ET tonight, focuses on the sudden return of Serena Van der Woodsen (Blake Lively, Accepted), whose self-imposed exile to boarding school was at the centre of a falling out with her best friend, Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester, Entourage). While Blair has enjoyed her time as reigning social queen, Serena?s arrival threatens to take away her spotlight – and the affections of her boyfriend, Nate (Chace Crawford, The Covenant).

One person who is pleased to see Serena is Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley, The Bedford Diaries), an outcast at school because of his middle-class background who only has eyes for her. His freshman sister, Jenny (Taylor Momsen, How the Grinch Stole Christmas), is desperate to be accepted and is thrilled by the attentions of bad boy Chuck Bass (Ed Westick, Children of Men).

And of course, every last scandalous detail is provided to the members of this elite and vicious circle via Gossip Girl?s up-to-the-minute messages to their Sidekicks.

You know you love it.

Gossip Girl will settle into its regular timeslot next Tuesday at 7 p.m. ET.

The awards for the North America’s Critic Association were handed out last night in California, the Toronto Star reports.

Winners included “My Name is Earl” for outstanding new program (it was snubbed an Emmy nod for best comedy), and “Grey’s Anatomy” was named program of the year (also snubbed for an Emmy nod for best drama).

“House” star Hugh Laurie won his second award for individual achievement in drama, Steve Carell, won two awards, the first for The Office as outstanding comedy and the second for individual achievement in comedy.

“Lost” won outstanding drama for the second consecutive year and Aaron Sorkin and John Wells received the heritage award for “The West Wing.” Carol Burnett was honoured for career achievement.