In Brief

By Anita Hamilton

THE REAL WEB TV Can't decide whether to watch TV or surf the Web? With Samsung's new flat-panel SyncMaster 150MP ($1,300), you can do both. Equipped with a built-in TV tuner, the 15-in. screen can be used as either a stand-alone TV or a computer monitor. You can even hook your VCR, DVD or camcorder directly to ports on the back. If you really want to watch TV and surf at the same time, you can do that too by viewing TV in a small window while using the rest of the screen to check your stocks.

WHAT'S MONEY AMONG FRIENDS? Nothing's harder than asking friends for money they owe you. Now two websites can help. Both paypal.com and payme.com let you request the cash and conduct the transaction entirely online. With Payme, launched last week, you first register at the site with your bank account or credit-card number. Then you e-mail your deadbeat friends, asking them to enter their credit-card numbers on the Payme site. With Paypal, both parties must register at the site, which will deposit the money into your bank, mail you a check or leave the money in a Paypal account. Actually getting your friends to pay up is still up to you.

GET A GRIP For Luddites who still write with pens, A.T. Cross has developed a high-tech item to make the job more pleasant. Twist a dial on its Morph pen ($50), and the device changes from its initial cylindrical shape into a flexible triangular prism, giving you a better grip and providing soft, flat surfaces for your thumb, index and middle fingers. The rubbery material has a pleasant, almost sensual feel, and the sleek design--available in eight colors, including copper, gold and green--makes a style statement too.

--By Anita Hamilton