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Camcorder CNET Reviews - Most Recent Digital Camcorders CNET Digital Camcorders Reviews are the most comprehensive resource for unbiased personal technology advice.
- Sony Handycam DCR-SR85
If you don't want to, need to, or simply can't shell out a couple hundred dollars more for an HD camcorder, the Sony Handycam DCR-SR85 delivers decent SD video and copious recording time.
- Sony Handycam DCR-SR45
The Sony Handycam DCR-SR45 has a good design and reasonable feature set for its price, but the video quality doesn't measure up to the rest of the package.
- Flip Video MinoHD (black)
While it has its flaws and is a bit expensive, the ultrasimple Flip Video MinoHD produces impressive video for a camcorder of its size.
- JVC Everio GZ-MS100 (silver, PAL)
The JVC Everio GZ-MS100 is an average budget SD-card-based camcorder that's more attractive for its small design and relatively average video quality than its unique interface and one-touch uploads to YouTube.
- JVC Everio GZ-MG335 (white)
The near-identical models of the JVC Everio GZ-MG300 series--the MG330, MG335, MG360 and MG365--are budget-priced, hard-drive-based camcorders that are nice enough, but produce typical low-budget video.
Notebooks
CNET Reviews - Most Recent Laptops CNET Laptops Reviews are the most comprehensive resource for unbiased personal technology advice.
- Asus X83VB-X1
A poorly designed keyboard and stiff mouse buttons prevent a higher recommendation for the Asus X83VB-X1, which is an otherwise well-built 14-inch laptop that delivers chart-topping performance for a low price.
- Gateway M-7818u
The reasonably priced, attractively designed Gateway M-7818u is a solid all-around 15.4-inch laptop for students and home users.
- Dell Studio S1535-143B
The Dell Studio S1535-143B strikes a fine balance between Dell's XPS and Inspiron lines, offering good looks and decent performance for less than $1,000, even if the previous model had a slightly better processor.
- Asus X83VM-X1 - Core 2 Duo P8400 2.26 GHz, 14.1-inch TFT
The Asus X83VM-X1 is a well-rounded 14-inch mainstream laptop. It boasts a pleasing design (aside from the stiff, loud mouse buttons), and excellent application performance and 3D graphics performance for the money.
- Asus N10J-A1
It may look like your standard Netbook, but the Asus N10J is unique because underneath it features discrete, switchable graphics. You'll pay a bit more for the privilege, but the end result works for gaming on the go, as long as you don't mind dialing down your game settings.
Peripherals
CNET Reviews - Most Recent Computer Peripherals CNET Computer Peripherals Reviews are the most comprehensive resource for unbiased personal technology advice.
- ViewSonic VX1962wm
The ViewSonic VX1962wm LCD is a 19-inch LCD with a fair price and decent performance, but a competing flat panel offers a better image for less.
- Lenovo ThinkVision L2440p
The Lenovo ThinkVision L2440p is a well-rounded 24-inch LCD monitor with a host of ergonomic features many will find useful. It has excellent overall performance among a variety of tasks, including games, movies, and office productivity.
- Targus Bluetooth Laser Mouse for Mac
Targus' new Bluetooth Laser Mouse for Mac replaces the scroll wheels and trackballs found on other mice with a clever optical sensor. It takes some getting used to, but is great for four-way scrolling.
- Epson Artisan 800
The Epson Artisan 800 produces impressive color prints, photos, and text documents, and it outpaces the competition in almost all of our speed tests. We're impressed by its performance, but hesitate to recommend this printer based on the poor build quality and error-prone software.
- Logitech diNovo Keyboard Mac Edition
The Logitech diNovo Mac Edition looks sexy and is comfortable for typing, but it's a pricey upgrade for a keyboard that lacks integrated USB ports and backlit keys.
Network Wireless
CNET Reviews - Most Recent Networking and Wi-Fi CNET Networking and Wi-Fi Reviews are the most comprehensive resource for unbiased personal technology advice.
- D-Link Xtreme N Duo Media Router DIR-855 - wireless router
The D-Link Xtreme N Duo Media Router DIR-855 is a stable performer with excellent Web interface. But because it comes in a bulky, old-school design, has a relatively short range, and carries a hefty price tag, consider waiting for the price to drop before investing in this router.
- Iomega StorCenter ix2 (2TB)
The Iomega StorCenter ix2 is a two-drive NAS device that offers Bluetooth support but no remote access via the Web. We don't like the fact that you can't access its two hard drives, but it still holds appeal for novice users looking for a dead simple NAS drive.
- Linksys WRT310N Wireless-N Gigabit Router
Aside from its potentially worrisome heat output, the Linksys WRT310N Wireless-N Gigabit Router is a networking dynamo with chart-topping performance and a sleek (maybe too sleek) design.
- Acoustic Research HDP100 HDMI Powerlink System
Its picture quality won't please videophiles, but the Acoustic Research HDP100's HDMI-over-powerline system works well for casual viewers who want to save some money over in-wall installations.
- Maxtor Central Axis NAS server
The Maxtor Central Axis is a simple, compact, and fast NAS device that offers 1TB of storage at a fair price. Be warned, though, that it runs hot and comes with confusing desktop software, a sluggish, unintuitive Web-based interface and a limited backup application.
Portable Audio
CNET Reviews - Most Recent Portable Audio Devices CNET Portable Audio Devices Reviews are the most comprehensive resource for unbiased personal technology advice.
Digital Cameras
CNET Reviews - Most Recent Digital cameras CNET Digital cameras Reviews are the most comprehensive resource for unbiased personal technology advice.
- Nikon Coolpix S60 (white)
Fun features and chic styling make the Nikon Coolpix S60 a tasty choice for casual point-and-shoot use. However, if you need speed or snapshot perfection, this isn't your camera.
- Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 (black)
The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G1 is a camera that people will either love for its speed, photo quality, and interchangeable-lens flexibility or hate for its large-ish size, electronic viewfinder, and occasionally frustrating design.
- Fujifilm FinePix S2000HD
The nicely designed Fujifilm FinePix S2000HD has more going on than just its long lens, but photo quality isn't quite there.
- Nikon D700 (w/ 24-120mm lens)
As long as you don't need seriously high-resolution photos, video capture, or machine-gun-fast sports shooting, the Nikon D700 has everything you need in a pro full-frame camera for a reasonable price.
- Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W150 (Silver)
The Sony Cyber-shot DSC-W150 ranks above average on looks and features, but it doesn't quite match up on photo quality.
Games
And Gear
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Home
Video
CNET Reviews - Most Recent Video Players and Recorders CNET Video Players and Recorders Reviews are the most comprehensive resource for unbiased personal technology advice.
- Panasonic DMP-BD55
The Panasonic DMP-BD55 is the best standalone Blu-ray we've tested and it's a good choice for those with older receivers, but most people will get the same performance out of the cheaper DMP-BD35.
- Sling Media Slingbox Pro-HD
The Sling Media Pro-HD streams live TV to your PC or smartphone--but for most users, its excellent HD-capable picture quality will be diminished when accessed outside of the home network.
- TiVo HD XL DVR (150-HD hours)
The TiVo HD XL charges a hefty premium for its spacious recording capacity and THX certification, but most users will be content sticking to the all-but-identical standard TiVo HD DVR.
- Samsung BD-P2550
The Samsung BD-P2550 adds Netflix and Pandora to an already well-featured and top-performing Blu-ray player, with only some minor disc compatibility issues giving us pause.
- Panasonic DMP-BD35
The Panasonic DMP-BD35 represents the best value in standalone Blu-ray players, with excellent image quality, a comprehensive feature set, and a price that's significantly lower than the PS3.
Handhelds
CNET Reviews - Most Recent PDAs CNET PDAs Reviews are the most comprehensive resource for unbiased personal technology advice.
- Asus MyPal A636
The Asus MyPal A636 is a PDA with a built-in GPS receiver that puts maps and directions on an equal footing with appointments and e-mail. While it delivers accurate directions and long battery life, it's a bit sluggish.
- Pharos Drive GPS 140
Though the Pharos Drive GPS 140 has an accurate receiver and good Bluetooth integration, it will require patience on your part as it suffers from somewhat sluggish performance and an unintuitive interface.
- Mio DigiWalker P550
On paper, the Mio DigiWalker P550 looks to be an attractive gadget for the mobile professional, combining the capabilities of a PDA and GPS into one device. However, its poor battery life and subpar navigation skills tell a different story.
- Nokia N800 Internet Tablet
Though it won't appeal to the masses quite yet, the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet is a nice, portable device for on-the-go Web browsing, and it has some worthy upgrades.
- Palm TX
The Palm TX offers a winning package of wireless connectivity, productivity tools, and fun for users of all kinds.
Cell
Phones
CNET Reviews - Most Recent Cell Phones and Accessories CNET Cell Phones and Accessories Reviews are the most comprehensive resource for unbiased personal technology advice.
- Samsung Gravity SGH-T459 - Lime (T-Mobile)
The Samsung Gravity is a great phone for budget-minded texters, but beware its spotty call quality.
- Motorola i776 - silver (Sprint)
Though its volume could be just a bit louder, the Motorola i776 is a decent Nextel phone. Just don't buy it for its camera.
- HTC Touch Pro (Verizon Wireless)
While the HTC Touch Pro for Verizon Wireless offers business users a full-featured smartphone, it's painfully slow and not worth the frustration or money.
- Samsung Renown (Verizon Wireless)
The Samsung Renown has solid call and photo quality, and it offers Verizon customers true world phone support. Yet, its poor streaming video quality keeps it from being an all-around good multimedia device.
- LG Incite CT810 (AT&T)
Though we weren't pleased with LG Incite's design quirks, we think that overall, it's a very good first entry in the U.S. smartphone market.
Software
CNET Reviews - Most Recent Software CNET Software Reviews are the most comprehensive resource for unbiased personal technology advice.
- Adobe Creative Suite 4 Web Premium
Adobe CS4 Web Premium is a good deal for interactive designers who don't need tools for video editing and sophisticated print layouts.
- Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium
Adobe CS4 Design Premium contains nearly every tool for editing digital images and layouts for print and the Web, as well as for crafting interactive animation and desktop apps. If you don't need video editing, pick this over the Master Collection and save $700.
- Adobe Illustrator CS4
While Adobe Illustrator CS4's most compelling new feature--pseudo-multipage support--can be frustrating to use, overall it makes CS4 a worthwhile upgrade for current users.
- Adobe Photoshop CS4 Extended
If you work with 3D, Photoshop Extended is a must-have upgrade; ditto if you think you'd use more of Standard's tools if the interface were less opaque, if you need to upgrade other suite applications, or if you qualify for an academic discount. All things considered, while Adobe Photoshop CS4 makes some improvements over CS3, it might be worth skipping this generation and waiting for the next.
- Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Standard
Adobe CS4 Design Standard serves designers who edit digital images and layouts for print, but many will find Design Premium a better deal for bundling the interactive potential of Flash, Dreamweaver, and Fireworks for $400 more.
Desktops CNET Reviews - Most Recent Desktops CNET Desktops Reviews are the most comprehensive resource for unbiased personal technology advice.
- Gateway DX 4720-03 - Pentium Dual Core E5200 2.5 GHz
The Gateway DX4720-03 performs admirably and actually holds its own against triple-core computers thanks to its impressive list of features. It also has plenty of room for internal expansion, so we recommend this budget system if you need the speed but don't crave a ton of CPU power.
- eMachines EL1200-05w
Although the eMachines EL1200-05w's price tag is tempting, an extra $100 will land you a competitive desktop that can handle a wider variety of applications and even leaves room for future expansion opportunities.
- Dell Inspiron 530-115B
This Best Buy-version of the Dell Inspiron may look unremarkable, but thanks to its fast Intel CPU it's also the best performing desktop PC in its sub-$600 price class. Other budget PCs might have fancier bells and whistles, but we like this desktop for its cheap speed.
- Dell Studio XPS
You can find flashier PCs than Dell's $1,299 Studio XPS, but few have as much power where it counts. We don't recommend its small, pared-down case for upgraders, but this PC will satisfy anyone who needs a loaded, powerful PC for gaming and consumer-level digital media editing.
- HP TouchSmart IQ816
No other all-in-one PC can offer touch-based input or an LCD screen as large as that of the HP TouchSmart IQ816. It's hard to deny that those features make this a compelling desktop for families with a place to put it. Weak performance hinders its suitability for work, and it's not the best digital entertainment center, but we recommend this system to anyone looking to get in early on the touch-computing experiment.
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