We are talking about two different things here. The New Scientist article refers to a whole new concept of the display.
Whereas the synthetic systems we already have are extensions and improvements on the existing display.
I can assure you that whilst I have extremely good SA now with my PlaneView cockpit, I can still follow needles for ILS, VOR and NDB's. I do however, have a lot better picture and reliability than in my fathers generation steam driven cockpits of old. Map Shift and nav accuracy? pfff... I dont remember the good old boys flying the comets, VC10's 707's in modern airspace with RVSM, MNPS etc requirements... Right place right day was often all that was required... Laser gyros and GPS are a damn sight better than an VOR with water in it... (see the BA franchise BMED report going into Addis not so long ago...)
I am all for development and innovation, to improve our work environment, but some ideas need a lot more work than others.