In Brief

RAISE THE ROOF One of the pleasures of driving a convertible is the unobstructed, blind-spot-free field of vision. Taking that idea a step further, Mercedes-Benz has developed a concept car with an all-Plexiglas roof. Engineers are testing different configurations to determine how best to minimize blind spots in real cars. The results could improve all of DaimlerChrysler's cars, not just the roadsters.

SLIM PICKIN' Samsung, a company known for its stylish wireless phones, is sashaying into the market for combination phone-organizers with the SPH-1300 ($400). Billed as a hipper alternative to Kyocera's powerful but rather homely Smartphone, the SPH-1300 has the sleek good looks and 256-color screen of a high-end Palm. It weighs just 6 oz. and is about 5 in. long. There is no keypad, though, so you will have to dial with a stylus or by voice. It will be available in August through Sprint PCS.

"MMM...BROWSING" Homer Simpson may not have mastered those pesky dials and levers at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant, but he's got your PC figured out. The animatronic Homer from Playmates Toys ($50) responds to whatever you're doing with the appropriate bons mots: "D'oh!" for spelling errors, "Whoo-hoo!" for new e-mail. He plugs into the USB port, and you can quiet him down if necessary--handy when Mr. Burns is lurking down the hall.

--By Jyoti Thottam