Productopia

It's that time of year. Hurricane Earl is set to become the first big storm  of 2010 to let its presence be felt in the United States. Hurricane warnings and watches are in effect on the east coast, and experts are closely monitoring Earl's track to see just how far north is effects might be felt.

One needn't be a historian to understand the potential dangers hurricanes present every time they make landfall. Even "smaller" storms can cause a lot of damage. While there's nothing anyone can do to stop a hurricane, you can reduce some of the anxiety associated with Mother Nature's violent outbursts by preparing for them ahead of time. To that end, we've assembled some useful links that may come in handy throughout the rest of hurricane season. Remember, it's not officially over until December 1.

Once considered something only for well-heeled videophiles, Blu-ray has now become a part of many home theater setups. Home Media Magazine quotes research that reports 18 percent of homes with a TV will have a Blu-ray player to go with it by the end of the year. There are plenty of reasons for that. Prices have dropped dramatically, and manufacturers have heaped loads of features into even budget Blu-ray players -- such as the ability to get  more movies, music and other content directly from the Internet. Picture quality with Blu-ray Discs is very good, even on budget players, and the best Blu-ray players overall approach visual perfection. You can learn more about the top choices in our updated report on Blu-ray players.

Choosing a green dishwasher detergent can be tricky. Dishwasher detergents are usually classified as "green" when their formulas exclude phosphates. Phosphates -- once a common ingredient in many mainstream detergents -- are used to soften water and deliver more powerful cleaning.  Since they can also be toxic to marine life, however, 16 states have banned their use, and more will likely follow suit.

While there are many hurdles standing in the way of 3D TV's widespread adoption (including high cost, lack of content and even fears that watching 3D TV could make you sick), but the requirement for expensive and sometimes-uncomfortable glasses to see the 3D effect is one of the most significant. Though consumer electronics manufacturers have been working on auto-stereoscopic (glasses-free) high-def 3D, most experts have said that such TVs are years away from being a practical reality. Imagine their surprise, then, in the wake of reports that  Toshiba plans to introduce a 3D TV that needs no glasses, and hopes to have it available by the end of 2010.