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Product Reviews:

Desktops



7.2 out of 10


6/13/2008

HP TouchSmart IQ506

Price: $1,442.99 - $1,499.99
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo T5850 (2.16 GHz), 4 GB DDR II SDRAM, 500 GB Standard, 22 in, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit Edition, Desktop, 667 MHz, Core 2 Duo, 1 year warranty, Personal computer, 256 MB

The Bottom Line
HP's new-and-improved TouchSmart all-in-one PC refines the touch-based concept it introduced last year. Faster all-in-ones, and Apple's iPhone, make the TouchSmart seem a bit behind the times, but the convenient software and its kitchen-friendly design offer functionality that's unavailable elsewhere.




7.3 out of 10


6/11/2008

Gateway FX541XT

Price: $3,249.99 - $3,249.99
Specs: Intel Core 2 Extreme QX6850 (3.66 GHz), 4 GB DDR II SDRAM, 750 GB Standard, Microsoft Windows Vista, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium SP1, Tower, 800 MHz, Core 2 Extreme, 1 year warranty, Media center, 512 MB

The Bottom Line
Gateway's highest-end performance desktop aspires to be everything to everybody. It takes a few missteps, but mostly it succeeds, especially with its price.

Digital cameras



8.1 out of 10


5/30/2008

Canon EOS 40D (with 17-85mm lens)

Price: $1,384.00 - $1,384.00
Specs: SLR, 10.1 megapixels, 5 x, 3 in LCD display

The Bottom Line
Great photo quality and excellent continuous-shooting performance are just two of the Canon EOS 40D's many attractions in the digital camera marketplace.




6.6 out of 10


5/29/2008

Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z1050 (gold)

Price: $170.99 - $179.68
Specs: Ultracompact, 10.1 megapixels, 3 x, 2.6 in LCD display, 15.4 MB - Integrated

The Bottom Line
If it weren't for the poor LCD, the Exilim EX-Z1050 would be a pretty good camera.

Laptops



7.3 out of 10


6/26/2008

Dell Studio 15

Price: $1,124.00 - $1,124.00
Specs: Intel Core 2 Duo (2.1 GHz), 2.0 GB DDR II SDRAM, 6 lbs, 15.4 in TFT active matrix, Microsoft Windows Vista Premium Edition

The Bottom Line
Dell's first release from its new Studio line, the Studio 15, sits between the Inspiron and XPS lines and offers a good mix of features for the price, but we'd be tempted to save up a few extra dollars for a thinner, lighter XPS.




7.5 out of 10


5/24/2008

HP 2133 Mini-Note PC (Via C7-M 1.6GHz, 1GB RAM, 120GB HDD, Vista Home Basic)

Price: $889.99 - $902.99
Specs: VIA C7-M (1.2 GHz), 1 GB DDR II SDRAM, 2.6 lbs, 8.9 in, Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic

The Bottom Line
Despite an underpowered CPU, the HP 2133 Mini-Note PC offers the best balance of small size, comfort, and functionality we've seen in a mininotebook, making it fast a favorite for on-the-go use.

External Hard Drives



7.0 out of 10


5/28/2008

Buffalo LinkStation Mini (1TB)

Price: $579.99 - $702.99
Specs: Buffalo LinkStation Mini LS-WS1.0TGL/R1 - NAS server, 1 TB, PC, Mac, RJ-45, 4 pin USB Type A, Standard, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet

The Bottom Line
The tiniest of NAS drives, the Buffalo LinkStation Mini keeps up with its full-size competition in terms of both features and performance. However, you'll pay a premium price for this small, silent networked drive.




7.0 out of 10


5/28/2008

Buffalo LinkStation Mini (500GB)

Price: $299.99 - $300.95
Specs: Buffalo LinkStation Mini LS-WS500GL/R1 - NAS server, 500 GB, PC, Mac, RJ-45, 4 pin USB Type A, Standard, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet

The Bottom Line
The tiniest of NAS drives, the Buffalo LinkStation Mini keeps up with its full-size competition in terms of both features and performance. However, you'll pay a premium price for this small, silent networked drive.

PDAs



5.5 out of 10


3/20/2008

HTC Shift

Price: $1,499.99 - $1,599.99
Specs: Microsoft Windows Vista Business, 1 GB, Intel 800 MHzA110, 8.1 in x 5.1 in x 1 in, Keyboard, MicroPad, Touch-screen

The Bottom Line
The HTC Shift's small size raises some usability issues, and its battery life doesn't match what we'd expect from such a portable device. However, our primary complaint about the Shift is its remarkably high price.




5.6 out of 10


1/7/2008

Sony Mylo 2 (white)

Price: $270.74 - $299.99
Specs: 1 GB, IEEE 802.11b, IEEE 802.11g, 5.2 in x 0.8 in x 2.6 in, Stylus, Keyboard

The Bottom Line
The Sony Mylo Communicator 2 is a huge improvement over its predecessor, but the Wi-Fi handheld will have a hard time competing with the similarly priced and better featured iPhones, Sidekicks, and Helio Oceans of the cellular world.

LCD Monitors



7.4 out of 10


6/30/2008

BenQ V2400W

Specs: Flat panel display / TFT active matrix, 24 in - Widescreen, 1920 x 1200, 0.27 mm, 5 ms

The Bottom Line
With its offset neck and thin chassis, the BenQ V2400W presents a unique look. In addition to the sleek design, its low price and strong performance earn this 24-inch LCD our recommendation for home or office use.

Mice



6.0 out of 10


6/6/2008

Macally Turtle - mouse

Price: $22.58 - $22.58
Specs: External, PC, Mac, USB, 800 dpi, 4 pin USB Type A, Mouse, Wired, Laser

The Bottom Line
Macally's otherwise unremarkable Turtle laptop mouse at least has the good sense to keep its USB cable out of sight, thanks to a retractable cord.

Boomboxes



5.3 out of 10


6/25/2008

Lasonic i931 High Performance Portable Music System

Price: $139.71 - $139.71
Specs: Boombox, AM/FM, 24 Watt, Stereo, 13.9 lbs, LCD

The Bottom Line
Buy it for looks, buy it for fun; but don't expect quality from the Lasonic i931.

MP3 players



7.3 out of 10


6/19/2008

Samsung S2 Pebble (1GB, green)

Specs: Digital player, 1 GB, MP3, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, Lithium polymer Rechargeable Player batteryIntegrated

The Bottom Line
The Samsung S2 Pebble is a simple, cute MP3 player that offers a super affordable price tag, good sound quality, and some compelling extras. It's a great option for those who like to wear their devices pendant style.

Compact Photo Printers



7.5 out of 10


5/19/2008

Canon Selphy CP760

Price: $95.00 - $99.99
Specs: Compact photo printer - Dye sublimation - Color, 4 in x 8 in, Wired, PC, Mac, USB, Direct print USB

The Bottom Line
The Canon Selphy CP760 takes the pain out of printing photos with its plug-and-play design and straightforward usability, and the $100 price tag makes it an excellent companion printer for quick prints in the home.

Inkjet Printers



6.3 out of 10


5/14/2008

Lexmark Z2420

Price: $70.92 - $92.95

The Bottom Line
With so many other inexpensive photo inkjets on the market today, we can't recommend the Lexmark z2420--it's prone to paper jams, prints at a snail's pace, and produces unacceptable quality prints.

External Hard Drives



7.0 out of 10


5/28/2008

Buffalo LinkStation Mini (1TB)

Price: $579.99 - $702.99
Specs: Buffalo LinkStation Mini LS-WS1.0TGL/R1 - NAS server, 1 TB, PC, Mac, RJ-45, 4 pin USB Type A, Standard, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet

The Bottom Line
The tiniest of NAS drives, the Buffalo LinkStation Mini keeps up with its full-size competition in terms of both features and performance. However, you'll pay a premium price for this small, silent networked drive.