A 4G PHONE DELIVERS

Finally, a credible 4G phone. The term 4G has been conveniently applied to half-step measures that speed up phone networks, but the HTC Thunderbolt in tandem with Verizon's LTE network finally provides the ripping speeds we have been promised.

How fast is it? Downloads averaged 12.28 megabits a second, which is -- by today's standards -- lightning fast.

To compare, look at figures from T-Mobile's HSPA(PLUS) network, which it calls 4G, and the Sprint WiMax network. T-Mobile's average download speed, in our testing, was 5.7 megabits a second. At that speed a two-hour movie would load in about 20 minutes. The HTC EVO, on Sprint's WiMax 4G network, had an average speed of 3.7 megabits a second, though Sprint said it would have expected better results.

The Thunderbolt has a 4.3-inch touch screen in a case that is slightly larger, thicker and heavier than many other 3G phones. It comes with 8 gigabytes of memory built in and a 32-gigabyte microSD card installed.

The operating system is Android 2.2, so it includes Flash, which means you can see a majority of Web content. Like many Android phones, its ability to multitask means that it burns battery power at a prodigious rate, especially if you are downloading lots of data and using features like the GPS.

It is also a bit expensive, at $250 with a two-year Verizon contract. That contract will require a $30-a-month data package on top of voice and text. But that is the way of the world. Ask any sports car fan: The faster you want to go, the more you have to spend.

MY3D from Hasbro turns your iPhone or iPod Touch into a clear, mini-size 3-D theater, with seating for one.

First, you download a specialized app (seven are planned) that has the ability to split your screen into two rectangular viewing fields. That trick lies at the heart of the clear 3-D graphics. Because your phone's gyro can detect head motion, some of the apps let you explore 3-D environments merely by looking up, down or around the room. You can swim as a shark and shoot down ships in a space battle.

Besides delivering visual stimulation, this gadget does something more profound -- it blocks it. Putting the thing up to your face is akin to donning blinders, sealing you away from the real world. Add some headphones and you might as well have your head in a diving bell.