Funny, no one has brought up the new DLP sets that are available.
The technology is not as mature as plasma and LCD , so the prices are a little steeper than their counterparts. However I did a side-by-side comparison of a certain SAMSUNG DLP set over nearby LCD and plasma sets, and noticed remarkably reduced pixelation of curved surfaces on the DLP as opposed to the other technologies...impressive!
The burn-in problems of plasma were limited to the first generation sets. Unless your set is on 24-7, you can expect an average lifespan of 10-15 years...enough time to be ready to replace for newer offerings anyway.
Despite the hype behind 1080i (and p, when available), I have yet to see HD TV programming broadcast beyond 720p...