Photos: Top 10 must-have gadgets
Motorola Q
1. Motorola Q
Meet the Q. Don't let its thin frame fool you: There's a lot of fight in that sleek form factor. It runs Windows Mobile 5. It has a 1.3-megapixel camera. It's an on-the-go multimedia/productivity champ, with EV-DO support, solid call quality, a full keyboard and Bluetooth. And it just got a fancy new software update. We wish it did Wi-Fi, but archrival Palm Treo can't do that, either.
Editors' rating: 8.0
The good: The Motorola Q boasts a sexy, ultrathin design and features a sharp display, a full QWERTY keyboard, EV-DO support, and a sharp multimedia functionality. The Windows Mobile 5 smart phone also has integrated Bluetooth, a speakerphone, a 1.3-megapixel camera, and solid call quality.
The bad: The Motorola Q lacks integrated Wi-Fi and analog roaming, and you can't use its Bluetooth as a wireless modem. The screen also tends to hold a lot of smudges, and there's no option for a cameraless version at this time.
The bottom line: The Motorola Q lives up to much of the hype by offering good call quality, an excellent multimedia experience, and the essential productivity tools, all wrapped up in a sexy little package.
Toshiba Gigabeat S MES30VW
Behold, the rare gadget that actually lives up to--if not surpasses--the hype. We've been waiting for the Toshiba Gigabeat S Portable Media Center to get here since we saw it at CES, and now that it's here, it delivers. We're talking excellent sound, landscape video playback, support for tons of file types and subscription services, and even compatibility with the Xbox 360. This is the new hard-drive multimedia portable to beat.
Editors' rating: 8.3
The good: The Toshiba Gigabeat S makes its mark as a supercompact 30GB or 60GB portable video player. It supports many music, video, and photo file types, including subscription services, and it has a bevy of features, such as an FM tuner and support for digital camera transfers. Best of all, the device is completely intuitive, thanks in part to an improved Portable Media Center operating system, and it boasts excellent sound performance.
The bad: Unlike many portable video players, the Toshiba Gigabeat S does not record audio or video. There is no voice or FM recording, and the two-cable AC adapter is cumbersome. Also, the Gigabeat S is an MTP device and requires Windows XP. Finally, rated battery life for video is weaker than Toshiba had originally suggested.
The bottom line: Many prospective MP3/PVP buyers have been waiting patiently for this compact, easy-to-use, one-stop shop for media files. Looks like the Toshiba Gigabeat S was worth the wait.
Dell XPS M1710
Dell's Core Duo-based M1710 laptop was already our pick for the best gaming notebook. Now that it's loaded with the mobile Core 2 Duo CPU, it's practically unstoppable. And get this: The Core 2 Duo version costs less than its predecessor, even though its guts (save for the brand-new CPU) are the same--Nvidia's GeForce Go 7900 GTX graphics-processing unit with 512MB of dedicated memory and a 100GB hard drive that's blazing fast (7,200rpm). Thanks to the new CPU, the XPS M1710's battery life and application performance have improved too.
Editors' rating: 8.2
The good: Great gaming performance; top-shelf processor and graphics engine; attractive illuminated case; solid multimedia features; full assortment of ports and connections.
The bad: Expensive; display is not remarkably bright.
The bottom line: The Core 2 Duo-based XPS M1710 provides fast application performance, lengthy battery life, and the best gaming performance you'll get from a laptop with a single graphics card.
Sling Media Slingbox
Want to watch TiVo'd shows at a coffee shop, the ball game on a plane, or C-Span at a sports bar? All you need is a Windows XP laptop or Windows Mobile handheld, a Wi-Fi hot spot, and the Slingbox. This one-of-a-kind device streams live TV or anything on your DVR to a laptop, desktop, or handheld. Similar products exist, but none are as cheap (Sony's LF-X1 LocationFree TV starts at $1,000) or easy (Orb requires a TV tuner card) as the $249 Slingbox. That's a small price to pay for making your living room mobile.
Editors' rating: 8.3
The good: Works with PCs and Windows Mobile handhelds and cell phones; simple, straightforward setup; no host PC or monthly charges required; decent video quality; easy-to-use viewing software.
The bad: No built-in wireless networking support; monopolizes the attached device; may not have necessary IR codes to fully operate your cable box; works with only Windows XP/2000 PCs and Windows Mobile devices (so far).
The bottom line: If you can't live without your favorite shows, the Sling Media Slingbox is the best way to beam them to any broadband-connected PC or Windows Mobile device in the world.
Creative Zen V Plus
It's hard to find something we don't like about Creative's tiny new machine. Despite its pocketable size, this machine is packed with video playback, a photo browser, line-in recording, FM radio, WMA subscription compatibility, great battery life, and awesome sound quality. But you may want to think twice if you have huge thumbs, because its small joystick may be hard to control.
Editors' rating: 8.3
The good: The Creative Zen V Plus offers a cute, pocket-friendly design without sacrificing screen real estate, and the vivid OLED display is viewable from any angle. The player is packed to the gills with features, including an FM radio, voice and line-in recording, photo and video playback, and compatibility with subscription WMA tracks. Oh, and the sound quality and battery life are great too.
The bad: The Creative Zen V Plus's joystick is really small and has a cheap feel to it, and we wish Creative had included all the buttons found on the Vision:M. The screen is difficult to see in bright sunlight, and there's no UMS support.
The bottom line: The Creative Zen V Plus is a superb choice for anyone looking for a compact and feature-filled flash MP3 player with great sound quality. If you're looking for a more sophisticated design (or have large thumbs), check out the iRiver Clix instead.
Sony MDR-EX71SL/WK
If you have a top-notch digital music/video player, you'll need some top-shelf headphones to go with it. These in-ear Sony 'phones offer a whole lot for less than $50. Of course, they're a great buy only if you like earbuds, but we've rounded up the best headphones of each type right here.
Editors' rating: 7.3
The good: Ultracompact and comfortable; included carrying case and extension cord; sounds better than most earbud-style sets.
The bad: Some less expensive, non-earbud headphones sound better; not ideal for runners; cord length and behind-the-neck styling may be problematic for some users.
The bottom line: If you're searching for reasonably priced premium earbuds, stop here and take a hard look at the Sony MDR-EX71SL headphones.