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Omar Wasow is pursuing a doctorate in African American studies and political science at Harvard. In addition to his graduate work, Omar is the co-founder and ongoing strategic advisor to BlackPlanet.com and an on-air technology analyst. Under Omar's leadership www.BlackPlanet.com became the leading site for African Americans, reaching over three million people a month. Omar also works to demystify technology issues through regular TV and radio segments on NBC's Today Show and public radio's Tavis Smiley Show. In Fall 2003, a K-7 charter school that Omar helped found opened in Brooklyn.
Discovery Digital Photo Keychain
Price: $30
Take your memories with you - this compact photo keychain holds 54 of your favorite photos. Wish you could always be with your family, friends - even your pets? Now you can with 54 photos that you carry on your keychain!
• 2MB memory
• Vivid 1.5" LCD screen
• Stores up to 54 photographs
• Mini frame displays images in vivid, hi-resolution color
• Features a digital alarm clock and calendar
• Supports JPG and BMP images
Audiovox GMRS7015RC 15-Mile 2-Way Radio with Built-in Race Car Receiver/Scanner
Price: $69.99
• 15-mile range for keeping in touch wherever you are, and racecar channel receiver/scanner for listening to drivers' chatter at the track
• Selectable Voice Operated Transmitter for automatic voice transmission, and hands-free operation
• 15 GMRS and 7 FRS channels, with 38 privacy codes, provides 836 combinations to help eliminate interference
• Includes dual desktop charger for simultaneously charging, and swiveling belt clips for easy carrying
• Powered by rechargeable NiMH batteries with long-standby times and no-memory effect, and requires FCC license
Archos Video Player 405
Price: $150-170
The ARCHOS 405 lets you enjoy all your digital entertainment in the palm of your hand and provides easy access to content and personalization options to fit individual lifestyles. This pocket-sized PMP offers expandable memory and a high-quality color screen. At less than 1/2" thick, this PMP's sleek and compact design holds everything you need in your pocket while you're on the move.
• Record your favorite TV shows
• Expandable Memory with the built-in SD card slot for SD, mini SD and micro SD cards
• Enjoy the bright 3.5" LCD screen (320 x 240 pixels)
• Watch on your home theater TV
• Customize your ARCHOS with accessories and plug-ins
• View, zoom photos and make slide shows with music and transition effects
• Listen to all your favorite music
• Store at least 2 movies, 20,000 photos or 1,000 songs on 2GB flash drive and more with an extra SD card
Archos 605
Price: $200-400 depending on GB
With multiple awards and winning reviews, the ARCHOS 605 WiFi is the only portable media player with full wireless capabilities for surfing the Internet, watching YouTube videos, and downloading movies from the Web. The 605 WiFi lets you surf, stream, download and record movies for playback on the 4.3" touch screen. With the ARCHOS Content Portal on the player, you can download movies from CinemaNow, while the TV Program Guide lets you record directly from TV.
• Record your favorite TV shows for playback wherever you go
• Watch video on the highest-quality touch screen (800 x 480 pixels)
• Watch digital video and photos from your computer out to your TV
• View, zoom photos and make slide shows with music and transition effects
• Listen to all your favorite music
• Store up to 20 movies or hundreds of hours of video on a hard drives from 4GB to 160GB
• Customize your ARCHOS with accessories and plug-ins
Mio C220 GPS Portable Navigation System
As low as: $199.99
• Portable and accurate GPS navigator complete with full TeleAtlas maps of the US preloaded on an included SD card
• 3.5-inch TFT LCD touch-screen display with 65,000 colors, 320 x 240 pixels of resolution and intuitive user interface
• Clear voice instructions in 16 languages give you turn-by-turn guidance so you can keep your eyes on the road
• Includes 3.5-million POIs, 256 MBs internal ROM memory, 32 MB RAM, SD/MMC card slot, USB 1.1 port, built-in speaker and headphone jack
• Weighs 3.88 ounces, measures 4.21 x 3.15 x 0.91 inches (W x H x D), and is backed by a manufacturer's 1-year warranty
Sennheiser MX75 Twist-To-Fit In-Ear Stereo Sport Headphones
As low as: $49.99
• Innovative holding system (Twist-to-fit) ensures best possible fit
• Powerful neodymium magnets for detailed sound
• Sweat and water resistant
• Extremely rugged earphones and cable
• Comes with ear adapter set, cable clip and flexible vinyl carrying case
Nike + iPod Sport Kit
Price: $29
• Transforms your iPod nano into a personal workout coach--nano can provide real-time, spoken feedback that alerts you to workout milestones
• Lets your iPod nano track your running time, distance, pace, and calories burned
• Sync your iPod nano to transfer your workout data to iTunes and nikeplus.com for your performance history and more
• Kit includes wireless sensor for Nike+ shoes and wireless receiver for iPod nano
• Compatibility: iPod nano (1G, 2G, and 3G)
Stiletto 2 Portable Satellite Radio
Price: $329
Stiletto 2 combines SIRIUS radio with your own personal MP3 music library for the ultimate portable audio entertainment experience. Enjoy live SIRIUS radio from our satellites or via WiFi, listen to stored SIRIUS programming, or to your favorite songs from your personal music collection.
• SIRIUS and more on the go: enjoy SIRIUS radio PLUS your own personal MP3 music library anywhere in one compact device
• Radio Replays: automatically stores hours of fresh programming from your favorite SIRIUS music channels so you always have something great to listen to
• Schedule recording: record up to 100 hours of your favorite shows or programs
• WiFi connectivity: listen to SIRIUS Internet Radio over almost any accessible WiFi network
• One-touch recording: quickly store up to 10 hours of individual songs from SIRIUS commercial-free music channels
• Expandable memory: add micro SD memory to accommodate your entire personal MP3 music collection
• Bookmark songs: tag favorite songs to buy using a compatible online music service
• SIRIUS Replay(tm): pause, rewind and replay up to 60 minutes of live radio
• Easy navigation: surf channels or media files on the fly with large, bright-color display and enhanced media dial
• Advanced audio processing: improved bass and customized listening environments
• Personalized Sports Ticker: real-time updates of your favorite sports
• Sports Alert(tm): track your favorite sports team and race driver
• My SIRIUS Studio(tm): upload and manage your MP3/WMA files
• Parental controls: easily lock and unlock channels
• Custom performance: add accessories to maximize the experience in your vehicle, home, office or anywhere in between
• Complete kit includes radio, earbuds, headset antenna, battery, AC power adapter, PC cable and My SIRIUS Studio(tm) software
Kensington Portable Power Pack for Mobile Devices (K38021US)
Price: $59.99
• Portable, rechargeable battery pack to power and recharge your mobile or smartphone, iPod, MP3 player, PDA and other mobile devices anywhere
• Enjoy up to 55 extra hours of iPod music play time, 14 hours of iPod video play time or up to 5 hours of mobile or smartphone talk time
• Flexible recharging of Power Pack via notebook USB port or included wall adapter with USB charging cable
• Universal compatibility with non-iPod MP3 players; Compatible with iPod Nano (Gen 1,2,3); iPod (Gen 1,2,4); iPod Classic
• Instant USB charging and powering of multiple USB devices with included charging cable
Jensen Rock-n-Road
Price: $799.99
Take XM Satellite Radio on the go with the Jensen Rock-n-Road (model NVXM1000), the first GPS system with full XM capabilities provided by the XM Mini-Tuner. The four-inch touchscreen has Real-Time "XM Traffic" that provides up-to-the-minute information to help avoid crowded streets on the way to the mall along with sports, weather and stock data. A built-in wireless FM modulator, MP3 and Portable Media Player with 11 million points of interest will keep you on track with enough tunes to avoid repeats of "Jingle Bells."
APC Universal Power Adapters
Price: $99.99
APC Universal Power Adapters allow you to charge and power your notebook computer and mobile devices anywhere you go. Three input plugs enable you to access power from a car, airplane or any AC wall outlet. USB charging ports also allow you to charge or power up to two additional mobile devices simultaneously, eliminating the need to carry multiple power adapters. In addition to stand-alone use, the Universal Power Adapter has been designed to integrate into APC's family of Power Ready Notebook Cases. Each case has special pockets to hold your mobile devices, and cable routing to neatly hide all your charging cables.
BOSE in ear headphones
Price: $100
• quality audio performance
• comfortable in ear design and choice of fit
• Extensive compatibility with iphone, iPod, most CD, DVD and laptop connections
Omar Wasow is pursuing a doctorate in African American studies and political science at Harvard. In addition to his graduate work, Omar is the co-founder and ongoing strategic advisor to BlackPlanet.com and an on-air technology analyst. Under Omar's leadership www.BlackPlanet.com became the leading site for African Americans, reaching over three million people a month. Omar also works to demystify technology issues through regular TV and radio segments on NBC's Today Show and public radio's Tavis Smiley Show. In Fall 2003, a K-7 charter school that Omar helped found opened in Brooklyn.
Acer Aspire 5720
• $700/$680
• Very low price; dual-core processor; full feature set, including an ExpressCard slot and S/PDIF audio-out jack; comfortable keyboard; easy-to-use system management software.
• We recommend the Acer Aspire 5720 for home users who want a low-cost laptop for basic computing tasks.
Lenovo J205
• $570/$430
• The Lenovo J205 is a smart choice for individuals and small businesses
• Comes with legendary award winning keyboard, and mouse
• A wide range of monitors and accessories are available
• Processor: Intel® Pentium® Dual-Core E2140 Processor (1.60GHz, 1MBL2, 800MHzFSB)
• Total memory: 512MB PC2-4200DDR2 SDRAM
• Hard drive: 80GB, 7200rpm Serial ATA
• Networking: 10/100 Ethernet
• System graphics: Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• Optical device: 16X Max DVD-ROM SATA HH drive
XO laptop
• $399 (give one get one; additional gifts $200 each)
Visit www.laptopgiving.org, or call 1-877-70-LAPTOP (1-877-705-2786) today!
• Great for kids. Give one for charity, get one for your family.
• XO laptop is a potent learning tool created expressly for children in developing countries, living in some of the most remote environments.
• It is a flexible, ultra-low-cost, power-efficient, responsive, and durable machine with which nations of the emerging world can leapfrog decades of development by immediately transforming the content and quality of their children's learning.
• We are using components from Red Hat's Fedora Core 6 version of the Linux operating system; we are tracking the main kernel fairly closely.
• We will support five programming environments on the laptop: (1) Python, from which we have built our user interface and our activity model; (2) Javascript for browser-based scripting; (3) Csound, a programmable music and audio environment; (4) Squeak, a version of Smalltalk embedded into a media-rich authoring environment; and (5) Logo. We will also provide some support Java and Flash.
• Applications will include a web browser built on Xulrunner, the run-time environment used by the Firefox browser; a simple document viewer based upon Evince; the AbiWord wordprocessor, an RSS reader, an email client, chat client, VOIP client; a journal; a multimedia authoring and playback environment; a music composition toolkit, graphics toolkits, games, a shell, and a debugger.
iMac
• $1800/$1200
• High-performance computer into a beautifully thin design. Easy to turn your photos, movies, and music into blogs, podcasts, books, and calendars. All the other essentials are built in as well, including an iSight camera, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. Available in 20- and 24-inch widescreen models, it includes built-in wireless, Mac OS X, and the new iLife '08.
Gateway One GZ7108
• $1800/$1300
• Operating System: Genuine Windows Vista® Home Premium
• Processor: Intel® Core™2 Duo T5250 dual-core processor1, Intel® GM965 chipset, each core operates at 1.5GHz, shared 2MB L2 cache, 667MHz FSB
• Display: Integrated 19" widescreen TFT active-matrix LCD (1440x900)
• Memory: 2048MB DDR2 dual-channel memory
• Hard Drive: 320GB SATA II (7200rpm, 8MB cache)2
• Optical Drive: Slot-loading 8x DVD±R/RW SuperMulti drive
• Digital Media Reader: 5-in-1 digital media card reader
• Webcam: 1.3 megapixel webcam (USB with integrated microphone)
MacBook
• $1500/$1100
• Intel Core 2 Duo processors
• 1GB of memory
• up to 160GB hard drive
• built-in iSight camera for video chatting on the go
• iLife '08
• Front Row
• glossy 13-inch widescreen display
HP Pavilion dv9500t
• $2000/$1000
• Beautiful design; a bright, crisp display; a thorough set of AV controls, ports, and connections; long battery life; a touch pad on/off button; and a fingerprint reader. The HP Pavilion dv9500t is a great choice for home users who don't want to spend a fortune on a large entertainment notebook.
• Processor: 2GHz Intel Core 2 Duo T7300
• Memory: 2GB of 667MHz DDR2
• Hard drive: 200GB at 5,400rpm
• Graphics: 256MB Nvidia GeForce Go 8600M
• Chipset: Quanta 30CB
• Operating system: Vista Home Premium
• Dimensions (LWH): 15.5x11x1.6 inches
• Screen size (diagonal): 17 inches
• System weight/weight with AC adapter: 7.9/9 pounds
MacBook Pro 17"
• $2800/$2000
• MacBook Pro is the ideal vehicle for viewing high-resolution Photoshop images or the latest HD Hollywood blockbusters. The optional 1920-by-1200 resolution on the 17-inch MacBook Pro offers a 30% increase in viewable area over the 1680-by-1050-resolution display. With more than half a million extra pixels at your disposal, you can view 1080 resolution HD video in all its glory - no need to resize the window to fit the screen.
• The new MacBook Pro graphics performance is up to 60% faster than that of the original Core Duo-based MacBook Pro.
• 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo
• 1680 x 1050 pixels
• 2GB memory
• 160GB hard drive
• 8x double-layer SuperDrive
• NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with 256MB SDRAM
Toshiba Qosmio G-45
• $3200/$2700
• Burn HD DVDs (with 30 GB data)
• HDTV Tuner: Included is an USB HDTV tuner, which enables the machine to natively receive high-definition digital television content, and act as a digital video recorder (DVR).
• Superior sound Dolby® surround sound technology
• Genuine Windows VistaTM Ultimate (32-bit version)
• Intel® CoreTM 2 Duo Processor T73005
• 2.00 GHz, 4MB L2, 800MHz FSB with 64-bit
• 2048MB PC2-5300 DDR2 SDRAM memory
• Maximum capacity 4096MB
• Intel® Turbo Memory
• 1024MB
• 320GB using two Serial-ATA hard disk drives
• Primary 160GB + Secondary 160GB
• HD DVD-R/DVD SuperMulti (+/- double layer) drive (in one optical drive) supporting 13 formats
• Toshiba USB HDTV Tuner (External)
• 17-inch diagonal widescreen Ultimate TruBrite® display
Toshiba Portégé R500
• $3000/$2000
• With its ultralight design and stunning silhouette, the feather light 1.72 pound Portégé® R500 Series is the transcendent expression of executive mobility and style. Offering the world's lightest widescreen 12.1" notebook PC in one configuration, and the world's thinnest widescreen 12.1" notebook PC with an integrated DVD-SuperMulti drive in another, the Portégé® R500 Series represents an uncompromising synthesis of portability and productivity that's meticulously engineered for the demands of executive computing.
Nick Thompson
Senior Editor, Wired magazine
Nicholas Thompson is a senior editor at Wired Magazine and a frequent commentator on technology for Fox and CNN. Before coming to Wired, he was a senior editor at Legal Affairs and an editor at the Washington Monthly. He is currently writing a book for Henry Holt about the rivalry between George Kennan and Paul Nitze that defined the Cold War.
Apple iPhone, $399
Apple's easy interface means you can seamlessly navigate your music playlists, take calls and surf the Internet. The recent price drop makes it even more appealing.
Service Provider: AT&T
Category: Splurge
Nokia N95
$550 with 2 year contract
Most feature-packed phones money can buy: 5-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS, 2.6-inch screen. Records 30-fps video. Extras galore. Bad news: check out the price tag.
Service Provider: All carriers
Category: Splurge
Sony Ericsson W880i
$370 with 2 year contract
Sexy design, clear, precise sound, Nearly inexhaustible battery, and bright, colorful display. Works perfectly as a phone. Buttons are spaced evenly apart and provide good force feedback. Included airbuds for listening to music extremely poor quality, also expensive.
Service Provider: All carriers
Category: Splurge
Samsung SCH-u740
$380 with 2 year contract
This cell phone has a hinge that lets you use it in a horizontal and vertical mode, making text messaging and e-mail easy. Very thin, good sound quality on regular calls. Poor e-mail and Web software choices, though.
Service Provider: Verizon
Category: Normal
Motorola RAZR2 V9
$250 with 2 year contract
Large, touch-sensitive external screen ,Lengthy 6hr battery life, ambient noise-reducing technology, 2megapixel camera and sweet media playing features. All the goodies mean that the phone becomes way heavy compared to its predecessor.MP3 player sometimes stutters.
Service Provider: AT&T
Category: Normal
RIM BlackBerry Curve 8320
$249 and up w/2 year contract
Thin and light design, a small but very usable QWERTY keyboard, a 2-megapixel camera, quality audio playback, gorgeous 320-by-240 display, and can make voice calls over Wifi. However, calls can occasionally drop and camera phone is not stellar.
Service Provider: T-Mobile
Category: Normal
Sony Ericsson W580i
$129 with two-year contract
Thin, super light and has fun features like a pedometer, music sequencer and video editor. The music player functions very well and has FM radio, stereo widening, and much louder speaker than the iPhone. Only major flaw is its undersize keypad.
Service Provider: AT&T
Category: Cheap
LG enV
$60 w/2year contract
Feels right in your hand easy to dial and text. Takes sharp photos, has VCast and video support and has loud, clear speaker. Video playback isn't that great though.
Service Provider: Verizon
Category: Cheap
Palm Centro
$100 w/2 yr agreement
Operating system is fast and easy to use, device is extremely small and light. Features: voice, text, IM, e-mail, web, contact and calendar capabilities, a full-color touch screen and full QWERTY keyboard, but short battery life at 3.5 hours.
Service Provider: Sprint
Category: Cheap
Wherifone
$99.95 for the phone; plans range from $20 a month (60 minutes of talking) to $47/month (200 minutes); checking a phone's location counts as one minute of calling.
About as simple a phone as you can get, for the very young crowd, or for the parent who doesn't want their kid having access to money-draining services like text messaging or Internet. The Wherifone doesn't even have a number pad to dial, but it allows the user to program speed dial numbers and then has an address listing 20 other numbers. Features a GPS tracker that lets you watch a trail of "breadcrumbs" online as your kid walks around or, simply see an actual map of his or her location. Not the best sound quality, though.
Service Provider: Wherify Wireless, Inc.
Category: Cheap - young people + nervous parents
Firefly Glowphone
$50 for the phone; pay in advance for your minutes. The Original monthly EZ plans range from $10-$20, but minutes can be added. (calls are 25 cents per minute)
Compact and easy to use; comes in many different colors. With so few keys, accessing the menu options you want can get a bit tedious, however. Outbound audio is a little dodgy, but inbound audio sounds pretty clear. Does not have GPS tracking, but does feature an emergency button on the side.
Service Provider: No exclusive carrier, or contract.
Category: Cheap - pay in advance
Kajeet cell phone service
$50-$80 compatible phones; a base price of 35 cents a day, as well as 10 cents a minute for talk, 5 cents per text message (in and out) and 25 cents for each picture sent or received.
Parents can add and block certain numbers, and service shuts off to everyone but parents and emergency services when minutes run out. Because the service can work with three different regular cell phones, it's the one least likely to embarrass kids while simultaneously pleasing parents. Also has access to: text messages, sending photos, or downloading games, ring tones, and wallpaper, if the parent desires.
Service Provider: Sprint
Category: Kids
LG 3450
$50 plus $10 a month for tracking
Kids phone with chaperone and tracking features
Service Provider: Verizon
Category: Kids
Phone Labs Dock-N-Talk, $150
A way to connect your bluetooth enable cell phone to your home phone system so it rings throughout the house.
Aliph Jawbone bluetooth headset, $120
Finally, a Bluetooth headset that doesn't look like a Borg implant. The Jawbone combines Prada styling with killer noise canceling. You can call your boss from the bowling alley and he'll never guess. Getting a comfy fit can be tricky, though, and the invisible, barely tactile controls take time to master.
Spark SwizzleStik, $50
Stick the SwizzleStik in your phone and it quickly backs up contacts, photos, and music. Plug it into your PC to sync with Outlook or offload snapshots. Pop it back in your cell to upload new ring tones. And so on. Basically, it's a flash drive for your phone, and a handy one at that. Additional tips for different phones are $10 apiece.
Tekkeon EZ Speak, $80
Tired of jamming a headset in your ear? Try the other hands-free alternative: a Bluetooth speakerphone. The ezSpeak has a backlit LCD, voice-dialing capability, and nine-number recall. Sadly, though, the included charger works only in the car, and the speaker lacks noise- canceling wizardry. Even so, conversations sounded loud and clear.
Jabra BT8010, $149
Earpiece that goes in both ears, making the sound stereo, and vastly better. Good for Iphone or other device that you use for music as well as talking.
Callpod Chargepod, $60
One ring to charge them all. That's the idea behind the Chargepod, which can juice up to six phones, headsets, and other gadgets from a single outlet. One adapter (your choice) is included; additional ones cost $10 a pop. But they aren't labeled - an annoying oversight - and the pod doesn't indicate when devices are done charging.
John R. Quain writes regularly for The New York Times and U.S. News & World Report and is the on-air computer reporter for CBS News Up to the Minute, appearing on the television network's overnight newscast for over 9 years. His articles have appeared in Esquire, Rolling Stone, Entertainment Weekly, and Spin magazine. JQ has been reporting on technology, consumer electronics, and related business news for over 20 years. He has appeared on ABC News, CNN, MSNBC, and CNBC, as well as countless local news programs.
In addition to his on-air work, JQ currently contributes articles about business and technology to PC Magazine, Popular Mechanics, and Consumers Digest. Other publications JQ contributes to include Men's Journal, Men's Health, and Laptop Magazine. Previously, JQ was a Contributing Editor at Fast Company magazine for 4 years and at PC Magazine for 9 years. He was also the technology columnist for Brill's Content magazine, the gadgets columnist at My Generation magazine, the daily Internet columnist for Time Warner's Pathfinder, and was the computer columnist at The Globe and Mail newspaper.
Visit www.j-q.com for more information!
HDTVs
Pioneer Elite Pro-110FD$6,000/$5,000
• Big, bold, beautiful, and black, this 50-inch Pioneer plasma set delivers arguably the best picture for watching movies and sports in a home theater.
• Added full 1080p resolution to this 8th generation model, and a built-in light sensor to automatically optimize the picture settings depending on room lighting conditions.
Sharp Aquos LC-42D64U$1,800/$1,300
• LCD sets offer excellent value, deliver full high-definition 1080p pictures, and yield some of the brightest images so that you can watch them without dimming the lights or drawing the curtains.
• Sharp's 42-inch model boasts a better contrast ratio (10,000 to 1) than most LCD sets and improved viewing angles so that you don't have to fight over who gets the best seat in the room.
Vizio VU42LF$1,200/$1,000
• For a home theater system, a 42-inch wide-screen HDTV set is as small as you'll want to go. Fortunately, Vizio makes such sets affordable, and even delivers a full 1080p high-definition picture.
• The 1080p display means the set will handle the top resolution of the latest high-definition DVD discs formats.
• Better still: look for this model to be priced well below $1,000 by the holidays.
The New Disc Players
Samsung BD-UP5000 Duo HD Player$799
• Samsung's multi-format DVD player the latest must-have player for people who want high-def movies in full 1080p resolution.
• It plays both Blu-Ray and HD-DVD formats and supports both of their underlying interactive technologies.
• It means you can buy whatever title you want, in whatever format, and be assured that you won't miss any special features.
Toshiba HD-A3$199
• In the high-definition DVD format battle, the Toshiba-backed HD DVD players are still the lowest priced models available.
• And of course, the HD-A2 will also play back all your existing DVDs upconverted to the HD format. (only does 1080i rather than full 1080p)
Home Theater Sound
Denon AVR-4308CI Receiver
$2,500/$2,000
• Today's A/V receivers not only have to be room shaking surround sound systems but also be able to switch between multiple high-resolution video and audio sources.
• 7 channels, 140 watts per; XM satellite ready
Onkyo HT-SR800 Home Theater in a Box
$600/$450
• Onkyo's home theater in a box is a standout because it not only includes a 110-watt-per-channel amp but also all the speakers necessary for a full 7.1 channel setup, including a 140-watt subwoofer.
• The amplifier also has plenty of convenient features, such as automated equalization for balancing the surround sound speakers, 2 HDMI inputs and 1 output, Sirius and XM satellite radio support, and iPod dock capability.
Yamaha YHT-280
$330/270
• 5.1 channel system with 100 watts per channel of power, the receiver supports the most popular surround sound formats, Dolby Digital and DTS.
• It doesn't come with a DVD player or HDMI connections, but it does offer convenient features like support for XM satellite radio and a front-panel mini jack so that you can plug an iPod or other MP3 player right into the sound system.
Getting TV Anytime Anywhere
Slingbox Solo
$180/$150
• Want to watch what's on at home while you're stuck on a business trip elsewhere? Then the Slingbox is for you.
• It connects your home theater to the Web so that you can control it-and watch shows from your system-live, anywhere there's a high speed Internet connection.
• The Solo model supports high-definition component, S-Video and composite video inputs as well as outputs, making it compatible with just about any high-def or standard-definition satellite receiver, cable box, or DVR.
Tivo HD
$299
• A lower priced version of the previous $800 Tivo Series 3 box. To bring the price down, the Tivo HD only comes with a 160 GB hard drive (versus the Series 3's 250 GB drive), and it lacks THX surround sound certification, backlighting on the remote control, and some of the front panel controls. But inside, it delivers a well-rounded set of features that should be a welcome addition to any home theater.
• Two slots for CableCARDs.
• Nifty features like Amazon Unbox (for downloading rental and purchased movies directly from Amazon to the DVR) and TivoCast, which lets you automatically download online videos from sources like The New York Times as if they were TV channels.
• Monthly subscripton: $12.95 or $250 for lifetime.
Remote Controls
Logitech Harmony 1000
$499/$300
• The ultimate home theater can create the ultimate headache if you have to juggle a half dozen remote controls just to watch a movie. So a universal remote that can handle it all is mandatory.
• The Harmony 1000 can control just about any piece of equipment thanks to an online database you can download using a Mac or PC.
Philips SRU8010
$79/$65
• It can handle up to 10 different pieces of equipment without breaking your budget.
• With its 1.5 by 2 inch color LCD screen, it handily displays favorite channels from a library of over 400 icons.
• It can also be customized with "His" and "Hers" settings, so that with a push of a button he or she can invoke their own channel lineups (sports for him, news for her?).
Gaming
Nintendo Wii
$250
• A great game console for less money than the rest
XBox 360 Arcade
$280
• Less expensive Xbox 360 with Xbox Live Arcade games included
Rock Band
$170
• For Xbox 360 and Playstation 3
Nick Thompson
Senior Editor, Wired magazine
Nicholas Thompson is a senior editor at Wired Magazine and a frequent commentator on technology for Fox and CNN. Before coming to Wired, he was a senior editor at Legal Affairs and an editor at the Washington Monthly. He is currently writing a book for Henry Holt about the rivalry between George Kennan and Paul Nitze that defined the Cold War.
HP PHOTOSMART R937
$300, hp.com
POLAROID SX 70
No longer in production
Canon PowerShot SD1000 Digital ELPH
$250/$165
Innovage Mini
$15
KID CAMERAS
FujiFilm FinePix Z10fd Digital Camera
$199/$144, offzhook.com
Nickelodeon Flash Micro Digital
$25
CAMCORDERS
SANYO HD1000
$800/$700
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