TESTED AND RATED - Kevin Kelly

250 + PRODUCTS 

TESTED AND RATED 

FIND THE RIGHT: 

Digital Cameras 

Laptops 

Phonecams 

Plasma TVs 

Video Cameras 

Wireless Keyboards 

Photo Printers 

MP3 Players 

Surround Sound Systems 

Movies-On-Demand 

Tablet PCs 

Online Music Services 

Media Streamers 

Coffeemakers 

Gaming Accessories 

PLUS: Home theater gear you can afford 

DISPLAY UNTIL FEBRUARY 9, 2005 

$5.95 | $6.95 CAN 

From the 

Editors of 

WIRED 

America’s Premier 

Tech Magazine 

THE ULTIMATE 

BUYER’S GUIDE 

TO THE BEST 

PRODUCTS

COMMUNICATION 

CAMERAS 

VIDEO 

23 

32 

35 

43 

55 

63 

Mobile Phones 

Multifunction phones, megapixel 

phonecams, and phone-PDA hybrids 

Scorecard 

PLUS: Internet phone services 


Pocket-sized, full-featured compact, 

and digital SLR cameras 

Scorecard 

PLUS: Photo printers 

High-Definition TVs 

Plasma, LCD, and rear-projection TVs, 

and high-end projectors 

Scorecard 

PLUS: Budget projectors & 

widescreen PC monitors 

14 

RED COVER: Sanyo XactiVPC-C1 pocket camcorder, © PSC/T3 Magazine. 

Find the US version, Sanyo Fisher FVD-C1, on page 52. 

BLUE COVER: Panasonic D-Snap SV-AV50A tapeless camcorder, 

Craig Maxwell. Find it on page 52. 

TEST 

THE ULTIMATE BUYER’S GUIDE TO THE BEST PRODUCTS 

CONTENTS 

Surviving the Gizmo Explosion 

Relax: We tested hundreds of products 

so you don’t have to. by Chris Anderson 

PLUS: A sneak preview of 

7 cool technologies of tomorrow. 

PLUS: The top 10 reviews from 

Wired’s Gadget Lab newsletter. 

47 

52 

69 

75 

Digital Video Cameras 

MiniDV and tapeless video cameras 

Scorecard 

Digital Video Recorders 

High-definition, standard-definition, 

and DVD-burning DVRs 

Scorecard 

PLUS: DVD rental by mail & 

movies-on-demand 

007

CONTENTS 

010 

AUDIO 

HOUSEHOLD 

COMPUTING & 

GAMING 

79 

86 

93 

100 

113 

119 

123 

131 

140 

146 

MP3 Players 

20-gig hard drive, microdrive, and 

flash-memory players 

Scorecard 

PLUS: Portable speakers & online music stores 

Home Theater Gear 

6.1 surround systems, autocalibrating 

receivers, 12-inch subwoofers, and 

virtual surround systems 

Scorecard 

PLUS: High-end clock radios 

Kitchen and Bath 

Super-automatic coffee machines, ceramic 

chef’s knives, oven mitts and gloves, and 

shower TVs and radios 

Scorecard 

PLUS: Robotic vacuums 

Laptops 

Thin-and-light laptops, tablet PCs, and 

multimedia, gaming, and ruggedized laptops 

Scorecard 

PLUS: Programmable robot kits 

Gaming Accessories 

Speaker systems, wireless controllers, 

and specialty gear 

Scorecard 

PLUS: Karaoke mikes 

W TEST 

103 

108 

133 

137 

148 

153 

154 

Headphones 

Hi-fi, surround sound, in-ear, and 

noise-canceling headphones 

Scorecard 

Specialty PCs 

Gaming and Media Center PCs 

Scorecard 

PLUS: Wireless desktop sets & 

USB gadgets 

Media Streamers 

Audio and audio/video streamers 

Scorecard 

Pop Quiz 

EDITOR IN CHIEF CHRIS ANDERSON 

ISSUE EDITOR ROBERT CAPPS WIRED TEST EDITOR SEAN CAPTAIN WIRED TEST DEPUTY EDITORS SEAN COOPER, JON J. EILENBERG 

ART DIRECTOR DONALD NGAI DESIGNER ALLISTER FEIN PHOTO EDITOR ZANA WOODS 

RESEARCH EDITOR ERIK MALINOWSKI ASSOCIATE EDITOR BRIAN LAM 

PHOTO PRODUCERS AMY CRILLY, LEE DECKER PHOTO ASSOCIATE ANNA ALEXANDER 

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNER RONALD CHOE CONTRIBUTING PHOTO CLERKS JOHN FEENEY, MORIAH ZAGAGLIA 

CONTRIBUTING RESEARCH EDITORS DAVID DOWNS, CATHERINE HOWARD, MELISSA MILLER, ELIZABETH SVOBODA 

ILLUSTRATOR PJ RICHARDSON PHOTOGRAPHER CRAIG MAXWELL PHOTO ASSISTANT BECKIE MORLEY 

STYLIST MICAH BISHOP/ARTIST UNTIED STYLIST ASSISTANT BORY TAN/ARTIST UNTIED

W 

W® 

EDITOR IN CHIEF CHRIS ANDERSON 

Executive Editor Bob Cohn 

Managing Editor Blaise Zerega 

Articles Editor Thomas Goetz 

Deputy Editor William O. Goggins 

Assistant Managing Editor Rebecca Smith Hurd 

Senior Editors Adam Fisher, Ted Greenwald, 

Jennifer Hillner, Laura Moorhead, 

Susan Murcko, Jeffrey M. O’Brien, Mark Robinson 

Products Editor Robert Capps 

Senior Associate Editor Adam Rogers 

Assistant Editors Chris Baker, Eric Steuer 

Copy Chief Jennifer Prior 

Copy Editors Jon J. Eilenberg, Pennie Rossini 

Research Editor Joanna Pearlstein 

Assistant Research Editors Kari Lynn Dean, 

Greta Lorge, Erik Malinowski 

Editorial Assistant Brian Lam 

Editorial Business Manager Erica Jewell 

Assistant to the Editor in Chief Peter Arcuni 

Editorial Projects Director Melanie Cornwell 

Editor at Large Kevin Kelly 

Creative Director Darrin Perry 

Director of Photography Brenna Britton 

Design Director Federico Gutiérrez-Schott 

Photo Editor Zana Woods 

Art Directors Donald Ngai, Mark Wasyl 

Designer Allister Fein 

Design Assistant Lee Decker 

Contributing Designer Ronald Choe 

Deputy Photo Editor Carolyn Rauch 

Photo Producer Jennifer McKibben 

Photo Associate Anna Alexander 

Photo Assistant Lauren Winfield 

Photo Production Assistant Ezra Eismont 

Photo Clerks Kate Webber, Amy Crilly 

Production Director Michael Lee 

Associate Production Director Jeff Lysgaard 

Associate Production Manager Jay Dayrit 

Interns David Goldenberg (Reporting), 

Ryan Sommer (Products), 

Erika Stalder (Research), Terry Tang (Edit)

WIRED TEST 

014

SURVIVING 

THE GIZMO 

EXPLOSION 

Relax: We tested hundreds of products so you don’t have to. 

The last computer any one person could completely understand 

from top to bottom, software to hardware, was the 

Data General Eclipse MV, the subject of Tracy Kidder’s 1981 

best seller, The Soul of a New Machine. Kidder’s story 

set the stage for the day when the complexity of a machine 

would exceed the grasp of even its savviest users. This 

quickly came to pass with computing, and about the same 

time, it happened with cars. The combination of fuel injection 

and advances like electronic antilock brakes put 

the average automobile beyond the ken of the individual 

mechanic. And now, in a similar way, it’s happening to me. 

The madness began innocently enough: I subscribed to 

Rhapsody, the streaming-music service that offers access 

to more than 700,000 songs for $10 a month. Suddenly, 

it was all music, all the time – but only through my PC’s 

speakers. If only there were some way to broadcast it 

throughout the entire house … 

There were solutions, of course, dozens of them. And I 

tried them all. From pre-802.11 wireless devices to modern 

media streamers to really long cables – each yielding its 

own lessons in interference, RF signals, and carpentry. 

And so it went: By the time I got to the networked Xbox 

and the universal remote, I felt like I needed a PhD in setup 

and installation. Then, charmed by an LCD projector, I 

pursued a full home theater – but only after a yearlong 

(and ultimately fruitless) search for an audio option that 

didn’t require a half-dozen speakers littering the living 

room. And deciding to go for a proper 6.1 system only led 

me down the audiophile rabbit hole, where the questions 

became practically metaphysical once I started looking for 

answers. (Are your speakers voice matched?) 

These days, my early experiences seem to hold true 

for every category of consumer electronics I dive into, from 

DV cams to laptops. I’ve now tested more devices in more 

variations than I care to recall. I’ve learned a lot, but in each 

case, making the right decision required hours of research, 

with no small amount of money wasted on missteps. 

Yet this is the golden age of gadgets. There are unprecedented 

choices, innovations, and features, all at rapidly 

falling prices. And along with the explosion of digital media, 

home theater, and pocket gear has come equally unprecedented 

complexity and risk. It’s too hard to know what 

to buy – and that starts with a dearth of solid, trustworthy 

advice and hands-on experience. Amazon.com user opinions 

are great, but they shouldn’t be all there is to go on. 

Enter Wired Test. Throughout the year, we publish hundreds 

of consumer electronics reviews in our magazine and 

weekly email newsletter, Gadget Lab – not just first impressions 

or feature summaries, but hands-on, real-world, headto-head 

evaluations, with winners, losers, and everything in 

between. But in an era when product cycles are measured 

in months, even that’s not enough. So we poked and prodded 

a few hundred more gizmos, picked the latest and greatest, 

and pulled them all together into a comprehensive guide to 

buying smart: the best gear, the best values, and dozens of 

tips on finding what’s right for you. The day when no mortal 

can fully understand the digital lifestyle has been delayed. 

Let sanity reign. – Chris Anderson 

Choosing and Testing the Best Gear 

To create Wired Test, we waded through nearly a thousand products 

and selected the coolest in more than a dozen categories. We 

tested each gadget under real-world conditions, and rated it, based 

on performance and value, on a zero-to-five scale.

WIRED TEST 

Tech of Tomorrow 

Gadget lust takes many forms. There’s the panting need 

to buy that just-released MP3 player. Or the nostalgic 

yearning to collect, say, vintage Atari 2600 consoles. Then 

there’s the jones for technologies just over the horizon. Here 

are 7 inventions still on the drawing board. by Brendan I. Koerner 

016 

�METHANOL FUEL CELL 

Ask 100 iPod owners to gripe about the gadget, and 95 of them will mention 

the paltry battery life. Lithium-ion batteries – the industry staple – may be 

lightweight, but they skimp on power. Toshiba’s solution is a 0.3-ounce 

methanol fuel cell, which can power a hard disk MP3 player for up to 20 hours. 

Although Toshiba expects to bring the cells to market in 2005, the company is 

still uncertain how consumers will refill the battery once it’s empty. A rather 

cumbersome possibility: fueling stations in consumer electronics stores. 

�WIMAX 

WiMax – a Wi-Fi alternative with a range of up to 30 miles – is rolling 

out in early 2005. But the first wave will be aimed at bringing broadband 

to fixed locations like homes and offices. The real fun will start in 2006, 

when chipsets for mobile devices hit the market. Although Intel will lead 

the way with laptop-ready hardware, the company is not revealing much, 

such as whether its chipset will be compatible with 802.16a (for stationary 

users), 802.16d (for pedestrians), or 802.16e (for motorists). But remember: 

Friends don’t let friends surf and drive. 

�VOICE-RECOGNITION CARDS 

Despite all those cute Citibank commercials trumpeting newfangled fraud 

protections, identity theft remains a major concern for consumers. Foolproof 

help may be on the way – a credit card equipped with voice-recognition 

technology. A prototype from Beepcard in Santa Monica, California, asks 

users to say a password into a tiny on-card microphone. If the user’s voice 

doesn’t match a sample stored in the card’s voice-recognition chip, the 

transaction isn’t authorized. But the latest version is three times thicker than 

a conventional card, owing largely to the size of Beepcard’s chip. Once that’s 

solved, life could get a whole lot tougher for crooks – unless they happen 

to be master impressionists, too.

STEPHEN ROUNTREE 

�PHOTON VACUUM PROJECTOR 

Finland’s Upstream Engineering hasn’t quite determined the first application 

for its postage stamp-sized video projector, but there are certainly plenty of 

possibilities. The Photon Vacuum Projector would be perfect for everyday 

devices like phonecams, allowing users to beam their snapshots onto 

20-inch screens. Or you could put one on a PDA equipped with PowerPoint 

to eliminate the need for bulky tabletop projectors. Upstream’s prototype 

relies on proprietary technology that pulls light particles out of an LED and 

makes the projector far more efficient than its larger predecessors. The 

company hopes within a few years to manufacture a projector that draws 

just 4 watts of power while still providing a crisp video image. 

�ULTRA HIGH DEFINITION VIDEO 

HDTV is just starting to shine, and already video researchers are moving 

on to the Next Big Thing. Engineers at the Japan Broadcasting Corporation 

(NHK) have developed a camera-and-projection system, Ultra High Definition 

Video, that produces images with 16 times more pixels than anything now on 

the market. The heart of the system is a projector that uses four liquid-crystalon-silicon 

imaging chips. But UHDV is incredibly memory-hungry: NHK’s 

researchers burned through 3.5 terabytes to capture just 18 minutes of 

footage. Evidently, that’s more than enough to wow viewers – those who’ve 

checked it out report that the images are indistinguishable from reality. 

At one demo, featuring a driver’s-eye view from a car, several attendees 

got nauseated from the realism. 

�VARIATIONAL SHAPE APPROXIMATION 

Even the best cell phone games look no better than an Atari 2600 title, circa 

1982. The conventional wisdom is that mobile gadgets simply don’t have the 

power to render the kind of gorgeous 3-D images that gamers experience 

on a PC. But a pair of Caltech professors are disproving that notion with an 

ingenious compression algorithm, dubbed variational shape approximation. 

Mathieu Desbrun and Peter Schröder have figured out a way to replicate 

an intricate 3-D file that takes up only a fraction of the memory of the original. 

The first application, says Desbrun, will likely be medical, allowing doctors 

to view MRIs on pocket PCs as they make their rounds. But the masses will 

no doubt be more interested in playing a reasonable facsimile of Doom 3 

on their Sidekicks. 

�FIELD EMISSION DISPLAY 

Flat-panel TVs have their obvious advantages, but image quality isn’t one of 

them. Old-fashioned CRTs, despite their bulk, still produce far superior pictures. 

But that’s set to change as researchers at Samsung and elsewhere fine-tune 

their work on field emission displays composed of carbon nanotubes. Unlike 

CRTs, which rely on a single electron gun to sweep across the inside of a 

picture tube, FEDs contain millions of miniaturized guns, one behind each 

phosphor pixel. FED technology has been kicking around for decades, but 

it’s not until recently that Samsung engineers were able to push the approach 

beyond the theoretical. The company is reportedly close to producing a 

30-inch FED prototype that’ll likely rival the best plasma and LCD screens 

for thinness – and still produce as rich a picture as the best tube TVs can.

WIRED TEST 

THE BEST OF 

The Top 10 Reviews From Our Weekly Email Blast 

Mmmmm. Smell that? It’s the latest shipment of fresh, piping-hot consumer electronics. Every day we scamper 

to meet the FedEx dude who inundates the Wired offices with samples and review units of all the newest tech. We 

pull out our stopwatch, tweezers, and magnifying glass, and put the gizmos through their paces. Then we build forts 

from their empty boxes and have snowball fights with the packing peanuts. Finally, we pass along our informed 

opinions to the most elite people in the world – yes, I’m talking about you, precious reader – in our weekly newsletter. 

Wired Gadget Lab gives you the up-to-date lowdown on all the latest tech. Take a gander at some of the most 

memorable merch we’ve had the opportunity to love – or hate – over the past year. And to get new gear gossip 

delivered to your inbox every Tuesday, mosey on over to www.wired.com/gadgetlab. 

018 

Aibo ERS-7 Robotic Canine 

[RETAIL: $1,799] 

Keeping my kids’ attention is a sort of bot Turing test – if Aibo could pass, then it would be 

a smart dog indeed. The good news is that the baby loved Aibo. The bad news is that the 

older kids spotted the dogbot’s IQ flaws pretty quickly: Its vision and voice recognition are 

still primitive. Although geek dads know it’s technically impressive that Aibo can nudge a 

pink ball across a room, it’s not that much fun to watch more than once. – Chris Anderson 

[RATING: 6/10] [ www.us.aibo.com ] 

Archos AV420 Pocket Video Recorder 

[RETAIL: $550] 

The AV420’s dock and video inputs make recording a snap. I ripped Justin Timberlake 

from MTV to the 20-gig hard drive so I could review his dance moves on the bus. 

The included PC-side software can convert Kazaa’d digital video to the AV420’s preferred 

DivX format, but DVD recordings – and other copy-protected video sources – can’t be 

exported. Still, a little DRM-tethering is better than being stuck watching video in the 

living room. – Brian Lam 

[RATING: 8/10] [ www.archos.com ] 

Arkon LavNav Toilet Night-Light 

[RETAIL: $30] 

Late-night trips to the bathroom used to leave me in the dumps. I would stumble groggily 

to the can with my near-bursting bladder, only to be blinded when I flicked on the 100-watt 

bulb. Enter the LavNav: The lid-mounted night-light has a built-in motion detector that 

senses my approach, gently lighting my way. And it’s a royal flush for couples, glowing 

a verdant green if the seat is down and a night-vision red if it’s up. Ladies, say tootle-loo 

to those embarrassing midnight dips. – Stuart Luman 

[RATING: 9/10] [ www.arkon.com ] 

Fossil Abacus Wrist Net Watch 

[RETAIL: $129, plus $10 monthly subscription] 

OK, it failed the wife test – she laughed at the plasticky design, stiff band, and face so 

thick I can’t button my shirt cuff. It also needs to be recharged every three days or it 

atrophies into a plain old digital watch. I liked glancing down to see stock quotes or 

headlines and having my Outlook calendar autosynced to my timepiece, but I think I’ll 

wait for the next version (with motion recharging, please) before daring to bare my 

wrist again. – C.A. 

[RATING: 4/10] [ www.abacuswatches.com ]

FunSlides Carpet Skates 

[RETAIL: $15] 

These brightly colored sheets of plastic made crossing Cubicleland a lot more fun. 

I lashed them to the bottoms of my shoes and skidded around the office like a sockfooted 

third grader on freshly waxed linoleum. The ridged tips grip carpet while you 

run, helping you build up speed for long slides. Some coworkers laughed. Others 

cheered. Most just silently waited for me to face-plant into the copy machine. 

– Robert Capps 

[RATING: 7/10] [ www.funslides.com ] 

LED Binary Clock 

[RETAIL: $23 (silver), $20 (red)] 

Am I geeky enough? Sure, I talk a good game … but I don’t know how to work a slide 

rule, and my C++ code never compiles. To shore up my cred, I learned to tell time in 

binary. The 20 LEDs on this clock replicate the 0/1, on/off system of telling time (e.g., 0001 

equals 1, 0010 equals 2, 0011 equals 3, et cetera). Now if anyone dares challenge my alpha 

geekhood, I can just say, Can’t school you now, N00B, it’s 0101 minutes past 0111 and 

I gots to go catch Star Trek! – CHR15 B4K3R 

[RATING: 0111/1010] [ www.thinkgeek.com ] 

Shower Shock Caffeinated Soap 

[RETAIL: $7] 

I never have the energy to brew coffee in the morning. Lucky for me, this bar of soap 

doles out 200 milligrams of soul-nourishing caffeine per wash – equal to about two 

cups of joe. The 4-ounce bar made my skin tingle, and after a few minutes in the tub 

I felt so energized I wanted to re-spackle the whole bathroom. Best of all, no coffee 

breath. – C.B. 

[RATING: 10/10] [ www.thinkgeek.com ] 

Solid Alliance i-Duck USB Drive 

[RETAIL: $169] 

Little i-Duck, you’re the one / Who makes data storage fun! / Little duck with 256 megs on 

you / Woo woo be doo / Little i-Duck’s kind of slow / You’re not USB 2.0 / Little duck, glad 

there’s an upgrade for you / Woo woo be doo / Little i-Duck, you’re so fine / I’m lucky that 

you’re mine / Little i-Duck, I’m awfully fond of … / Little i-Duck, I’d like a whole pond of … / 

Little i-Duck, I’m awfully fond of you! – Dom Nguyen 

[RATING: 6/10] [ www.dynamism.com ] 

Sonic Alert Sonic Boom Alarm Clock 

with Super Shaker Bed Vibrator 

[RETAIL: $70] 

This alarm clock is meant to wake the hearing impaired with its triple-pronged attack on 

z’s, but it also works on the lazy. At 8 am, the 113-dB siren wailed like a banshee, the 

12-volt under-the-mattress shaker shook like an earthquake, and the built-in 110-volt outlet 

made my lamp flicker like lightning. I suppose the next version of this sleep slayer will pull 

off your blankets and dump ice water on your crotch. – B.L. 

[RATING: 9/10] [ www.sonicalert.com ] 

P3 International Doctor Frog Plant Monitor 

[RETAIL: $6] 

My daffodils were droopy and my petunias were parched, but Doctor Frog helped me 

nurse them back to health. When the doc’s moisture sensors get dry, he croaks, nagging 

me to water the plants. But Prince Charming’s got a hole in his torso, so I have to remember 

to uproot him before dousing the plants or risk a short circuit. Still, there’s no better 

reminder for keeping your flora fed. – B.L. 

[RATING: 9/10] [ www.p3international.com ]

WIRED TEST 

COMMUNICATION 

Mobile Phones 

With even low-end models piling on the 

features, the most tricked-out handsets 

do everything but the talking. by Cathy Lu 

25 

28 

30 

Multifunction Phones 

Megapixel Phonecams 

Phone-PDA Hybrids 

PLUS: 

33 Internet Phone Services 

023

COMMUNNIICATION 

MOBILE PHONES 

6 

WIRED TEST 

Mobile Phone Essentials 

7 

024 

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5 

4 

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3 

2 

1 

2 

3 

4 

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6 

7 

NETWORK STANDARD 

Cell phones in the US are either 

CDMA or GSM, depending on the 

carrier. Sprint and Verizon use 

CDMA, while AT&T, Cingular, and 

T-Mobile use GSM. (See glossary, 

page 32, for a jargon breakdown.) 

FORM FACTOR 

Options include swivelers, clamshells, 

and sliders. Try them out and get 

the kind that feels best in your hand 

and your pocket. 

SCREEN 

If you plan to use your phone for 

Web browsing, text messaging, or 

photo and video viewing, treat your 

eyes to a big, bright screen with 

high resolution and lots of colors. 

KEYPAD OR KEYBOARD 

Text-message and email junkies 

will want a QWERTY keyboard. 

Nonaddicts should stick to a 

standard keypad. 

CAMERA 

VGA resolution (0.3 megapixels) 

is the norm on US phones, though 

1-megapixel models are now 

available. In Japan, phonecams 

run as high as 3 megapixels. 

MESSAGING 

Most mobiles use SMS for text and 

MMS for multimedia messaging. 

Some are also compatible with 

PC and Mac apps like AOL Instant 

Messenger and Yahoo! Messenger. 

OPERATING SYSTEM 

Some devices (the Sidekick II, for 

instance) use a proprietary operating 

system. Others run on a third-party 

OS such as Microsoft Windows 

Mobile, Palm, or Symbian. The latter 

two tend to give you more choices 

for applications that extend your 

phone’s capabilities.

Multifunction Phones 

These slim handsets are anything but stripped-down: They play music files, 

keep you organized, and even surf the Web. 

QQUIICKK TTIPP 

� LG VX7000 

Putting a new twist on the camera phone, the 

VX7000 clamshell has a rotating lens embedded in 

its hinge. Flip the lens forward for paparazzi pics 

and back for self-portraits (though the 640 x 480pixel 

photos aren’t fabulous). The keypad layout 

and menu system inside go easy on the fingers, 

while the blue exterior looks snazzy. 

$250, www.lge.com 

� 

MOTOROLA A630 

Psst, wanna buy a mini keyboard? The clever 

overleaf design of the A630 reveals a full QWERTY 

thumbpad within. Turn the phone sideways to 

tap through the Internet, check email, and compose 

text messages on the 220 x 176-pixel display. 

Fold it closed and you’re ready to snap pics or 

chat with friends. 

$200-300, www.motorola.com 

� NOKIA 6230 

Don’t let the mild-mannered appearance fool you: 

The 6230 is a multimedia monster. It can take 

640 x 480-pixel pictures, capture four-minute video 

clips, and play MP3 and AAC music files or FM 

radio broadcasts – doing the work of a sackful of 

gadgets. Thanks to an MMC slot under the battery, 

it can also store your digital wares. 

$300, www.nokia.com 

W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

U 

WIRED 

Beautiful, clear screen. On-the-fly 

zoom and brightness control. Builtin 

flash works pretty well. 176 x 

144-pixel, 15-fps video is smooth. 

TIRED 

Lens flips require pushing a button 

to reorient the image onscreen. 

15-second limit on video. 

WIRED 

Packs a full keyboard in a candy 

bar-sized phone. Built-in Bluetooth 

for use with hands-free headsets. 

VGA camera lets you cycle through 

lighting modes. 

TIRED 

Keyboard makes phone a bit thick 

and heavy. Interface cumbersome 

for entering contacts. 

WIRED 

Video clips are superlong 

compared with other phones. 

Music player has potent equalizer, 

and radio has 20 station presets. 

Bluetooth-equipped. 

TIRED 

Easy to misselect items using 

tiny navigation pad. Display is small 

for Web or video. Pics are fuzzy. 

If a phone’s features include Bluetooth or email, 

check that the carrier has fully implemented it. 

COMMUNICATION 

MMOOBILLEE PHHOONESS


MOBILE PHONES 

WIRED TEST >> MULTIFUNCTION PHONES 

026 

PPIICCKK� 

EEDIITORSS’’ 

SNEAK PEEK 

� SAMSUNG VM-A680 

The VM-A680 just feels right. Despite being 

ultrasmall and ultralight (3.3 x 1.8 x 0.9 inches 

and 3.4 ounces), it has a comfortable, smartly 

arranged keypad. Samsung markets it as a 

videophone – the handset takes VGA pics and 

lo-res 15-second video clips – but we found 

the slim design a much more appealing trait. 

$150, www.samsung.com 

� SIEMENS SX1 

With light-up-blue buttons straddling a spacious 

screen, the SX1 looks intriguing. However, the funky 

design makes dialing awkward. On the plus side, 

it includes a video and still camera, FM radio, and 

PDA-like organizing and syncing functions. Siemens 

gets points for creativity, but what good is a phone 

that’s too tough to dial? 

$600, www.siemens-mobile.com 

� SONY ERICSSON K700 

The K700 is a compact, attractive performer that 

does a little of everything. Photo quality is good 

for VGA (0.3-megapixel) resolution, and the 220 x 

176-pixel display is gorgeous. We found the keypad 

a bit cramped, but with Bluetooth for PC syncing, 

and a radio and media player for video and MP3s, 

there’s a lot to like here. 

$399, www.sonyericsson.com 

� MOTOROLA RAZR V3 

The thinnest models get all the attention in the 

fashion magazines – and in the gadget world. 

Measuring a slight 0.5 inch thick, just over 2 inches 

wide, and less than 4 inches long, this clamshell 

slips stealthily into the back pocket of a pair 

of hip-huggers. The stunning keypad, chemically 

etched into a single sheet of nickel-plated copper 

alloy, is matched by an equally gorgeous 

hi-res, 2.2-inch display. Other turn-ons: VGA 

camera, built-in Bluetooth. 

Price TBA, www.motorola.com 

W 

U 

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WIRED 

Roomy 2.2-inch display. FM radio; 

plays MP3 and RealAudio files. 

Captures decent 176 x 144-pixel 

video clips up to 30 seconds long. 

Built-in Bluetooth and MMC slot. 

U 

TIRED 

W 

WIRED 

Great compact form. Intuitive 

interface. Good button layout. 

TIRED 

Video is at a squint-inducing 

128 x 96 pixels (the lowest res 

we’ve seen), and dimly lit video 

is very choppy. Teeny screen. 

At 4.3 x 2.2 x 0.7 inches, it’s on 

the big side. Split keyboard makes 

one-handed input impossible. Pics 

overexposed. Absurdly expensive. 

WIRED 

Exceptionally clear screen. Built-in 

radio. Well-organized contacts 

interface. Tiny mirror on the back 

helps the vain take self-portraits 

– or fix their hair. 

U 

TIRED 

Buttons are too close together 

when dialing. Connector cover is 

a pain to remove when charging. 

Low-light images look grainy. 

DUE ON SHELVES: 

By 2005. 

WORTH THE WAIT? 

If you like jealous stares: Having 

a Razr V3 will be like going to a 

party with Uma Thurman on your 

arm – the envy will be palpable.


MOBILE PHONES 

WIRED TEST 

Megapixel Phonecams 

The first talk-and-shoots were fashion forward, but their snaps were cheesier than 

a Von Dutch hat. This season’s are good enough for 4 x 6s – and most do video. 

MMEGGAPPIXXELL PHONECAMS ALLL PHOONES 

028 

CHHEAAPP THHRRIILLL 

� AUDIOVOX CDM-8920 

Although it’s one of the smallest, this clamshell 

has a comfortable keypad for error-free dialing. 

The 1.3-megapixel images benefit from advanced 

controls, including white balance, brightness, color 

effects (like sepia), and a Macro mode for wartsand-all 

party shots. The 1,280 x 960 pics are sharp, 

but colors are off. 

$300, www.audiovox.com 

� KYOCERA KOI 

Kyocera dares to be different with its pinwheel 

menus and a funky swiveling display. Though 

we sometimes found ourselves twisting the screen 

the wrong way to get at the keypad, there are 

camera settings galore, including brightness, white 

balance, and a self-timer. Snapping pictures with 

the phone closed is also a major plus. 

$200-300, www.kyocera-wireless.com 

Mobile Phones How We Tested 

PORTABILITY 

We carried around each phone for a few hours 

to see how pocketable it was. 

MENU SYSTEM 

To get our heads around the interface, we 

made calls, entered contacts, and used any 

messaging systems available. 

LIGHTING 

Pictures were taken under three different sets 

of conditions: outside in full sunlight, indoors 

in natural daylight, and indoors in low light. We 

cranked the resolutions to the highest levels 

and left all other settings on default. 

IMAGE QUALITY 

We compared the cameras’ image quality by 

viewing photos on a 17-inch LCD monitor and 

making 4 x 6 printouts. 

PHONE-PDA HYBRIDS 

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Small and reasonably light. Bright, 

clear display. Self-portrait mode 

previews shots in a secondary 

display that faces you. 

TIRED 

No video capture. Inaccurate 

colors. Low-light pics grainy, 

even with flash. Nominal zoom. 

WIRED 

Gee-whiz form factor. Giant 

display is always visible. Nicely 

laid-out keypad. The 1,280 x 960 

images feature some of the truest 

colors you’ll find. 

TIRED 

Photo-transfer software for 

Windows only. Auto flash didn’t 

always fire when needed. 

WEB BROWSING 

Several Web sites were viewed using the 

included browser. 

EMAIL 

We set up email accounts and corresponded 

with colleagues. 

ORGANIZER 

Each hybrid’s contact-management apps, 

calendar functions, and task capabilities 

– memos, to-do lists – were put through 

the paces. 

SYNC 

We synced each device with an Outlook 

2003 database, and some with additional 

information managers such as Lotus Notes.

PPIICCK� 

EDDIITTOORRSS’’ 

SPPLLUURGE 

SNEAK PEEK 

� MOTOROLA V710 

This megapixel flip phone from Motorola neither 

dazzles nor disappoints. Its 2.2-inch display 

is nice for viewing the 1,280 x 960-pixel pictures, 

which have fine color but aren’t terribly sharp. But 

oddities limit this phone – it uses a strange choice 

of expansion slots (TransFlash, anyone?), and 

currently Verizon (the V710’s carrier) restricts the 

Bluetooth implementation. 

$200-300, www.motorola.com 

� 

NEC 535M 

At just over an inch thick, NEC’s clamshell is lean 

and luxurious. It has a knockout 2.4-inch screen, 

and the 1.3-megapixel camera produced the best 

pictures of any phone we tested – crisp details and 

true colors up to 1,280 x 960-pixel resolution. But the 

interface and navigation are somewhat clunky. 

$349, www.necwireless.com 

� NOKIA 7610 

The 7610 is sleek, sexy, and big – like a stretch 

limo. The 1-megapixel cam’s 1,152 x 864 pictures 

are respectable, just don’t expect shots of you and 

your friends clubbing to turn out (no flash). Where 

the 7610 really shines is in motion: It captures up to 

10 minutes of 174 x 144-pixel video, which you can 

download to your PC using Bluetooth or USB 1.1. 

$400 (estimated), www.nokia.com 

� LG VX8000 

LG’s first megapixel model for the US is a clamshell 

with all the usual phonecam fare – white balance, 

brightness, color effects. More interesting is its 

support for EV-DO (a high-speed CDMA-based 

data network), which could enable streaming video 

and video-on-demand, if carriers offer those services. 

(Verizon and Sprint plan to roll out EV-DO 

nationwide.) 

Price TBA, www.lge.com 

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Nice picture color – when there 

was enough light. Outstanding 

camera interface includes a 

memory-use indicator. 176 x 144 

video pretty good for a phone. 

TIRED 

Awkward contact manager. Pics 

somewhat blurry and pixelated. 

Camcorder difficult to access. 

WIRED 

Sumptuous LCD. Stand-out photo 

quality. Full-sounding speaker. No 

digging in menus to turn on flash 

or adjust zoom and brightness. 

Decent video. 

TIRED 

Handset a little long. Can’t view 

photos from within camera mode. 

No Bluetooth. 

WIRED 

Big, clear display. Movie Director 

software lets you stylize video 

and reduce file size for sending via 

MMS. Cool Lifeblog app organizes 

videos and pics by day. 

TIRED 

Swoosh keypad layout takes 

some adjusting to. Some buttons 

difficult to press. Blah interface. 

No built-in flash. 


By early 2005. 


More than a 1-megapixel phone, 

the VX8000 could be a mean 

videostreaming machine – if 

carriers’ plans materialize. 

COMMUNICATION 

MOBBIILE PPHONNEES


MOBILE PHONES 

WIRED TEST 

Phone-PDA Hybrids 

Like PB&J, cell phones and PDAs just go together. These smartphones keep on top 

of your contacts, datebook, messaging, and email. Just don’t smudge the screen. 

PPIICCKK� 

EDDITTORRS’ 

SNEAK PEEK 

030 

CCHEAAP TTHRRILLLL 

� DANGER SIDEKICK II 

If you type more than you talk, the Sidekick II is the 

perfect hip companion. It comes with a Web email 

account and can monitor up to three additional 

POP3 or IMAP addresses. Messaging is a breeze 

thanks to the QWERTY keyboard beneath the 

screen. But as phones go it’s unnervingly big, and 

you speak into the back – weird. 

$299, www.danger.com 

� HP iPAQ h6315 

If you’re already sold on Pocket PC devices, 

why not get one with a built-in GSM phone? The 

iPaq h6315 is packed to the gills, including Wi-Fi, 

Bluetooth, and a VGA camera. Of course, at 

6.7 ounces the h6315 is more PDA than phone, 

and the clunky snap-on keyboard doesn’t help. 

$500, www.hp.com 

� PALMONE TREO 600 

It’s more than a year old, but the Treo 600 is still the 

best phone-PDA combo available. It runs on the 

Palm OS, and the pleasantly domed keys, QWERTY 

keyboard, and touchscreen ease data entry. The 

Treo 650, due by the end of the year, closes the 

gripe gap by adding a hi-res 320 x 320-pixel screen 

and Bluetooth. 

$500, www.palmone.com 

� RIM BLACKBERRY 7100t 

Unfortunately, this new slimmed-down Blackberry 

came out as we were going to press, so we didn’t 

have time to fully review it. RIM’s first consumer 

BlackBerry retains the boring business model’s 

navigation and interface, but it’s smaller and has a 

higher-quality color screen. No QWERTY keyboard, 

but RIM provides an innovative abridged take on 

mobile typing – a pad with two letters per key. 

$200, www.blackberry.com 

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Full-size keyboard. Intuitive wireless 

syncing. Informative interface tells 

you how many messages you have. 

TIRED 

No basic keypad: Dialing requires 

either swiveling out the screen or 

fumbling through menus. Chunky. 

WIRED 

Beautiful 3.5-inch screen makes 

Web browsing a joy. Supports 

AOL, MSN, Yahoo!, and ICQ instant 

messaging. Touchscreen. Windows 

Media Player for music and video. 

TIRED 

Big and heavy. Keyboard can be 

unresponsive. Limited 64 Mbytes 

of SDRAM. 

WIRED 

Compact design feels more 

phonelike than other devices. 

Tight integration of Address Book 

and Phone applications. Handles 

up to five email accounts. 

TIRED 

Closely spaced keys led to lots 

of “Johmns” in our contact list. 

No built-in instant messaging. 


By November 2004. 


It puts the power of a BlackBerry 

into a hip design, so if you can 

adjust to the tighter keyboard, it’ll 

make every day casual Friday.


MOBILE PHONES 

WIRED TEST 

MUULTTIFFUNNCTTIOON PPHOONEES 

MEGAPIXEL 

PHONECAAMS 

PHOONE-PPDA 

HYBBRIDSS 

Glossary: The 411 on MMS, GPRS, WAP, EDGE … 

TMI! WTF are you supposed to do when you go to the local wireless store and get an earful 

of GSM, 3G, and EV-DO? Before you LOL or say TTFN, check out our mobile ABCs. 

3G Third-generation wireless standard 

that provides extra bandwidth for data, 

as well as voice. 

CDMA Code division multiple access. 

Along with GSM, one of the two major 

wireless standards. Used by Sprint 

and Verizon. 

CRAP Completely ridiculous alphabetical 

process. Why is it that on alphanumeric 

“shortcut” keyboards, it takes four taps 

to get an S? That’s total CRAP. 

EDGE Enhanced data for global 

Mobile Phones Scorecard 

* Product not available in time for testing. 

032 

evolution. An extension of GSM that 

promises 384-Kbps data rates. 

EV-DO Evolution, data only. Part of the 

CDMA 3G wireless standard, EV-DO 

offers speeds of up to 2.4 Mbps. 

GSM Global system for mobile communications. 

A wireless standard that 

competes with CDMA. Supported by 

AT&T, Cingular, and T-Mobile. 

GPRS General packet radio service. 

Enables faster data communications 

on GSM networks. A so-called 2.5G 

Rating Model 

Price 

Wireless 

Standard 

Carrier 

4 

Sony Ericsson 

� K700 

$399 

GSM Any GSM 

3.5 Motorola A630 $200-300 GSM Cingular, T-Mobile 

standard that transfers data at 115 Kbps. 

MMS Multimedia messaging service. 

Like text messaging, but with pictures 

and video. 

SMS Short message service. The 

industry term for text messaging. 

WAP Wireless application protocol. A 

standard for putting the Web on phones. 

YCO You’re cut off. When a connection 

drops, for no apparent reason, right in 

the middle of an important call. – C.L. 

3.5 Nokia 6230 $300 GSM Cingular 

4.1 x 1.7 x 0.8 3.4 No Camera, MP3 player 

3 LG VX7000 $250 CDMA Verizon 

3.7 x 1.9 x 1 3.9 No Clamshell, video 

3 Samsung VM-A680 $150 CDMA Sprint 

3.3 x 1.8 x 0.9 3.4 No 

Video 

2 Siemens SX1 $600 

GSM Any GSM 4.3 x 2.2 x 0.7 4.1 No 

Symbian OS 

* Motorola RAZR V3 TBA 

GSM TBA 

4.5 NEC 535M $349 

GSM Any GSM 

4 Nokia 7610 $400 (est.) GSM Cingular 

3.5 Kyocera Koi $200-300 CDMA TBA 

3 Motorola V710 $200-300 CDMA Verizon 

4.5 

� 

2 Audiovox CDM-8920 $300 CDMA Sprint 

* LG VX8000 TBA CDMA TBA 

� 

PalmOne 

Treo 600 

$500 

CDMA, GSM Major CDMA and GSM 

4 Danger Sidekick II $299 

GSM T-Mobile 

3 HP iPaq h6315 $500 

GSM T-Mobile 

* RIM BlackBerry 7100t $200 

GSM T-Mobile 

Size 

(inches) 

3.9 x 1.8 x 0.8 

3.7 x 1.9 x 0.9 

3.9 x 2.1 x 0.5 

4 x 1.9 x 1 

4.3 x 2.1 x 0.7 

3.9 x 2 x 1 

3.7 x 2 x 0.9 

3.4 x 1.9 x 0.9 

3.8 x 2 x 0.9 

4.4 x 2.4 x 0.9 

5.1 x 2.6 x 0.9 

4.7 x 3 x 0.7 

4.7 x 2.3 x 0.8 

Weight 

(ounces) 

3.2 

3.9 

4.3 

4.3 

4.1 

4 

4.5 

3.9 

3.9 

6.7 

6.2 

6.7 

4.3 

QWERTY 

Keyboard 

No 

Yes 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

No 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

Abridged 

Additional Features 

Camera, FM radio 

Bluetooth, email 

Superslim, 

Bluetooth 

2.4-inch screen 

Bluetooth, video 

Swivel design 

Memory slot 

Preview display 

EV-DO support 

Palm OS 

Proprietary OS 

Pocket PC OS 

Bluetooth, email

CAREN ALPERT; STYLING BY DARLENE DULL/KOKO REPRESENTS 

AT&T CALLVANTAGE 

CallVantage delivers all the goods – 

from online message retrieval to 

a “do not disturb” feature (calls are 

automatically routed to voicemail) 

– and it’s easy to use. Area codes 

from 39 states and DC are available. 

$30 per month for unlimited 

US and Canadian calls, 

www.callvantage.com 

Internet Phone Services 

Voice over IP lets you dump Ma Bell but keep your old phone. Choose a 

provider, plug in an adapter, and you’ve got a digital line. – Gordon Bass 

VONAGE 

SHOWN 

With VoIP services, you can’t always hold onto your phone 

number or even, in some cases, your area code. But 

this industry pioneer lets you choose among codes from 

40 states. Vonage also offers a first-class online accountmanagement 

tool and voicemail access from any PC. 

A separate fax line is available for 10 bucks a month. 

$25 per month for unlimited US and Canadian calls, 

www.vonage.com 

VERIZON VOICEWING 

Verizon’s service may be pricey, 

but setup is a breeze. Online account 

management is straightforward 

and feature-rich: You can retrieve 

voicemail, set up call forwarding, 

and maintain an address book. 

But you can’t send faxes. 

$40 per month for unlimited US calls, 

www.verizon.com/voicewing 

8X8 PACKET8 

The price is right, installation is 

easy, and voice quality is superb. 

Area codes from 46 states and DC 

can be had, and the basic monthly 

fee includes faxing. Unfortunately, 

the online account-management 

features are few. 

$20 per month for unlimited US and 

Canadian calls, www.packet8.net 

COMMUNICATION 

MOBBIILE PPHONNEES

WIRED TEST 

CAMERAS 


More megapixels, smarter processors, and faster 

autofocus put stunning pics within the reach of 

any aspiring artiste. by Marty Katz 

37 

41 

42 

Pocket-Sized Cameras 

Full-Featured Compact Cameras 

Digital SLR Cameras 

PLUS: 

44 Photo Printers 

035

CAMERASS 

DIGITTAAL CAMERAS 

WIRED TEST 

Digital Camera Essentials 

036 

1 

22GB 2GB GB 

7 

6 

2 

5 

3 

4 

6 

7 

1 

2 

3 

4 

LENS 

Most compacts offer a zoom range 

of around 35 to 120 mm (35-mm film 

equivalent). Wider angle – 28 mm or 

lower – is useful for tight spaces. SLRs 

have interchangeable lenses that let 

you shoot in just about any situation. 

IMAGE SENSOR 

Using either CCD or CMOS technology, 

the sensor turns captured light into 

digital pixels. The more megapixels 

recorded, the bigger the photo can 

be printed. But take note: More 

megapixels does not always equal 

better overall image quality. 

PROCESSOR 

The processor matters as much as 

megapixels. It corrects color balance, 

determines how fast the lens focuses, 

and cleans up noise, or pixel aberrations. 

In general, the newer the 

camera model, the better the chip. 

CONTROLS 

Function buttons should be arranged 

logically and onscreen menus easy to 

navigate. You should be able to make 

quick adjustments on the fly. 

5 FLASH 

If the flash is too close to the lens, 

it can cause red-eye. Digicams with 

a hot shoe let you attach a more 

versatile and powerful external flash. 

SCREEN 

Tiny cameras don’t necessarily have 

tiny screens. Big LCDs help with 

composition and reviewing pics. Some 

swivel and twist, allowing you to, say, 

hold the camera above your head. 

MEMORY CARD 

Most compacts use Secure Digital 

cards, while SLRs typically use 

CompactFlash. Formats like xD or 

Memory Stick are less versatile 

and more expensive.

Pocket-Sized Cameras 

Small enough to take anywhere, these slim cams pack enough features to satisfy 

anyone, from the point-and-shooter to the professional on holiday. 

3- AND 4-MEGAPIXEL CAMERAS e 

CCHHEEAAPP TTHHRRIILLLL 

� CANON POWERSHOT A85 

Intended as an entry-level, 4-megapixel quick 

snap, the A85 surprised us. It provides fast shutter 

response, low noise even at ISO 400 sensitivity, 

and smart focusing. Naturally lit pictures come 

out at higher quality than those from other pocket 

cams. Its main drawback: pudginess. 

$299, www.canonusa.com 

� 

CASIO EXILIM EX-S100 

The 3.2-megapixel S100 is a mere 0.7 inch thick 

and nearly credit card-sized at 3.5 x 2.2 inches. 

But thanks to a new, highly refractive ceramic 

lens material, it has room for a 2.8X optical zoom. 

Like the other Casios we tried, it looks sleek, 

shoots quickly, and possesses an intuitive (and 

sophisticated) user interface. 

$400, www.casio.com 

� OLYMPUS STYLUS 410 DIGITAL 

This cam continues Olympus’ film-era trend of 

making small, weather-resistant point-and-shoots. 

With a sliding lens door for extra armor, the tiny 

4-megapixel digicam is easy to use and takes very 

good pictures in a variety of lighting situations. 

Too bad it uses hard-to-find xD memory cards. 

$349, www.olympusamerica.com 

Buying a Digital Camera 

Some research and a bit of legwork will help you find the perfect digicam. 

Skip the big-box stores. Sure, you’ll find discounts, but 

you’ll also endure hard sells by ill-trained workers pushing 

products based on price. Instead, find a local photo store 

that offers price-matching and makes its money on repeat 

business rather than sheer sales volume. You’ll get informed 

advice from smart salespeople who can rescue you if you 

accidentally crush your new shooter’s LCD. 

Handle and shoot as many cameras as possible. Bring 

W 

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Enlarges playback images up 

to 10X. Flash and ambient light mix 

nicely. Excellent pictures in low 

light. Takes AAs. 

TIRED 

Slow autofocus with moving 

subjects in low light. Heavy. 

WIRED 

Tiny, with huge feature set and 

great performance. Not-too-noisy 

ISO 400 catches action and dimly 

lit scenes. 

TIRED 

These days, 3.2 megapixels leaves 

us hungry and seems skimpy 

for the price. Not superlight at 

4 ounces. No optical viewfinder. 

WIRED 

At 5.6 ounces and 3.9 x 2.2 x 1.3 

inches, it’s small and cute. Welldesigned 

cover grip. Flash mixes 

nicely with ambient light. Waterresistant 

(but not submersible). 

TIRED 

Uses pricey xD cards. Focus delay 

with action shots in dim light. 

your own memory cards to tote the shots home or print 

them at in-store kiosks. Memory cards are best bought 

at mass merchandisers or online. Stick to name brands 

on these, keeping in mind that recent stock will be more 

glitch-free than last year’s models. 

Finally, don’t try to save money by purchasing a used 

digicam. They’re quickly outdated and can be damaged 

in ways that may not be obvious at first glance. – M.K. 

CAMERAS 

DIGGIITALL CCAAMERRAAS

CAMERASS 

DIGITAL CAMERAS 

WIRED TEST >> POCKET-SIZED CAMERAS >> 3- AND 4-MEGAPIXEL CAMERAS 

SNEAK PEEK 

5- AND 6-MEGAPIXEL CAMERAS e 

038 

� PENTAX OPTIO 43WR 

The 43WR is a waterproof little block that takes 

good-quality 4-megapixel pictures and is perfect 

for shooting on the lake or during those messy 

family picnics. You can rinse it after a dip in 

ketchup or mud and resume shooting. While 

submersible, this digicam is not meant for shooting 

underwater. Startup is quick – the watertight 

internal zoom does not have to extend. 

$349, www.pentaxusa.com 

� SONY CYBER-SHOT DSC-L1 

The diminutive (3.8 x 1.8 x 1.1 inches and 5 ounces) 

yet eye-catching DSC-L1 is more than a fashion 

statement. Packed into it is a 4.1-megapixel sensor 

and a tiny but sensitive f2.8-5.1, 3X zoom lens. 

In our tests of an early unit, we observed quick 

shutter response, short time between shots, and 

acceptable graininess at ISO 400. Unfortunately, 

like most Sony cams it uses only Memory Sticks. 

$300, www.sonystyle.com 

� CASIO EXILIM EX-P600 

The P600 is a smart, feature-packed 6-megapixel 

camera with near-pro image quality. Nicely 

machined with a clean button layout, it performs 

such difficult tasks as mixing flash with sunlight 

for portraits. Features like in-camera authoring of 

HTML picture pages and a jet cockpit-like control 

view option require some learning but are useful. 

A 7-megapixel version, the EX-P700, is due in 2005. 


� CASIO EXILIM EX-Z55 

This 5-megapixel microcam’s 2.5-inch screen takes 

up so much of its back that there’s precious little 

room for the tiny buttons. But a new processor 

yields fast response, low power usage, and solid 

stills. One nice (and novel) feature: the ability to 

switch from normal to Macro mode without pausing. 


W 

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WIRED 

Fast shutter response. Can 

produce uncompressed TIFFs 

for sharp blowups. Bracketing 

allows it to shoot multiple 

exposure variations. 

U 

TIRED 

W 

WIRED 

Comfy shape with nonslip surface. 

Uses two beach-buyable AAs. 

Logical button arrangement. Voice 

recording to go with the photos. 

TIRED 

Moving subjects causes autofocus 

delays in flash mode. 

Confusing menu with tiny text. 




If size and style matter to you as 

much as serious specs. 

Somewhat grainy images at ISO 

400. Flash doesn’t mix well with 

ambient light for shooting objects 

beyond 10 feet. 

WIRED 

Ultrasmall: 3.4 x 2.3 x 0.9 inches. 

Makes HTML pic pages. Blazing 

0.01-second shutter response 

and 1.6-second startup. 

Efficient: 400 pics per charge. 

U 

TIRED 

Minuscule optical viewfinder. 

Teeny buttons difficult to use.

PPIICK� 

EDIITTORS’’ 

7-MEGAPIXEL CAMERAS e 

� NIKON COOLPIX 5200 

It looks like a toy and is light enough to wear 

on a lanyard all day, but the 5.1-megapixel 5200 

is a serious performer. It captures bustling street 

scenes with color and clarity worthy of National 

Geographic. Features range from hand-holding 

scene modes to pro-level options, like whitebalance 

bracketing. 

$500, www.nikonusa.com 

� SONY CYBER-SHOT DSC-T3 

Building on the success of its thin T1, Sony’s 

5.1-megapixel, 3X-zoom T3 is even skinnier. It has 

an eyelid-like door instead of a sliding lens cover. 

And while it lacks an optical viewfinder (like the 

T1), the T3 boasts a sharp, 2.5-inch screen. Alas, 

Sony’s expensive Memory Sticks make it too 

pricey to truly love. 


� CANON POWERSHOT S70 

A 28- to 100-mm zoom allows this 7.1-megapixel 

model to cover a wide sweep of scenery or an 

intimate portrait. (But you do sacrifice long zoom.) 

It has a bevy of high-end features, including the 

ability to simultaneously capture RAW and JPEG 

versions of an image (you’ll need Canon’s software 

to separate the bundled files). 


Digital Cameras How We Tested 

STANDARD SHOTS 

We took portraits of people at ISO 100, with 

and without flash. Focus was left on Auto and 

then set to Spot. We blew the images up and 

inspected their sharpness, color, and contrast. 

SENSITIVITY 

Working at ISO 400, we shot fast-moving subjects 

in miserable light – with and without flash. The 

pictures revealed focus delay and pixel noise. 

MACRO 

We photographed flowers up close to check 

for macro performance and color deficiencies. 

2GB 

2GB 

2GB 

1/60 

22/08/2004 22”01 

W 

WIRED 

Tiny 5.5-ounce aluminum package. 

Great at mixing flash with ambient 

light. If you minimize screen use, 

the battery lasts for days. 12 megs 

of internal memory. 

U 

TIRED 

W 

Cumbersome procedure for 

reviewing and deleting photos. 

WIRED 

Sleekly flat. Black version is 

downtown cool. Big, pretty screen. 

U 

TIRED 

W 

Poorly placed flash with limited 

range caused red-eye. Auto 

white balance not very effective. 

WIRED 

Wide angle of coverage. 

Focus and exposure bracketing. 

Protective sliding lens door. 

User-definable autofocus spot. 

U 

TIRED 

Short zoom. Poorly located erase 

button. Heavy at 12 ounces. 

WHITE BALANCE 

Under poor light conditions – fluorescent and 

tungsten indoor lamps, sodium or mercuryvapor 

street and arena lights – we challenged 

the auto white-balance feature to produce 

pictures with no unnatural color cast. 

FILL FLASH 

With the flash on, we snapped portraits in bright 

sun to see if the fill defeated sharp shadows. 

INTERFACE 

We ran through settings and modes to evaluate 

ease of use and navigability. 

CAMERAS 


CAMERASS 


WIRED TEST >> POCKET-SIZED CAMERAS >> 7-MEGAPIXEL CAMERAS 

SNEAK PEEK 

040 

� SONY CYBER-SHOT DSC-P150 

Sony’s 7.2-megapixel shooter keeps the older 

P100’s small, curved-end body but adds refinements 

like a new CCD and processor. And 

what an improvement they make. Push the 

On button and the lens pops out instantly. 

Images are detailed and rich – and you’ll need 

a big, expensive Sony-specific Memory Stick 

to hold them. 


� OLYMPUS C-7000 ZOOM 

The C-7000 is a serious attempt to make a 

7.1-megapixel camera both pocketable and 

user-friendly. Though Olympus sacrificed features 

like a dedicated macro control button, the 

digicam’s excellent zoom range (38 to 190 mm) 

should make up for it. Big prints are possible 

with uncompressed TIFF and RAW image files. 

Unfortunately, like other Olympus models, the 

memory card slot accepts only xD cards. 

$600, www.olympusamerica.com 

Digital Camera Accessories 

These three amigos are must-haves for any cybershooter. 

1 Konica-Minolta SD-CF1 adapter 

Slip a Secure Digital card into this device and you can use it in a CompactFlash 

slot. At last, you can use the same cards for your digital SLR and your pocket cam. 

And since most memory slots on PDAs, smartphones, and laptops are SD, you’ll get 

the added joy of viewing and emailing your pics on location. 

$59, www.konicaminolta.com 

2 Pelican L1 flashlight 

Dangle this featherweight (0.9 ounce, 2.5 inches long) LED flashlight from your 

neck whenever you’re shooting. The 6,000-candlepower beam, with the bluish-white 

color of daylight, is perfect for adding a bit of side lighting to a portrait subject. And 

in the dark, it’s handy for a glance at camera controls. Plus, the Pelican is an energy 

miser, shining for up to 130 hours on four LR44 coin-type batteries. 

$16, www.pelican.com 

3 Micro Solutions RoadStor 

When you’re sans computer, here’s a way to make room on your memory cards, back 

them up, or transfer photos to CDs. This compact CD-RW/DVD-ROM runs on AC or 

batteries. It has a slot for CompactFlash, and with an adapter it can also take SD, SM, 

MMC, MD, and MS cards. The disc-spanning feature will automatically distribute 

multigig loads over several CDs. And you can gradually fill a disc in multisession burns. 

Look for a DVD-writing version in the near future. 

$269, www.roadstor.com 

1 

3 

W 

WIRED 

Maximum pixels in minimum 

volume: 7.2 megapixels in 

4.4 x 2.1 x 1.1 inches. Fast shutter 

response. 5X image review. 

U 

TIRED 

Bright orange focus-assist beam 

startles subjects. Compact body 

means small 1.8-inch screen. 

Memory Stick only. 




If you like big prints – and are 

prepared to buy lots of expensive 

xD memory cards. 

2

Full-Featured Compact Cameras 

These models cater to enthusiasts searching for powerful creativity tools. With a 

full spectrum of manual controls and the latest sensors, some even rival pricier SLRs. 

PIICCKK� 

EDDITORS’’ 

QQUIICKK TTIPP 

� CANON POWERSHOT G6 

Canon’s 7.1-megapixel digicam offers dedicated 

photogs plenty, with a generous 35- to 140-mm zoom 

range, nine-point auto focus, and a rear-mounted 

thumb control dial. Using Super Macro mode, a 

1-inch subject fills the frame from 2 inches away. 

Too bad it’s so beefy (13.4 ounces and 4.1 x 2.9 x 2.9 

inches) and has a processor from 2003. 


� 

PENTAX OPTIO 750Z 

The 750Z is light for its class, weighing 8.9 ounces, 

and small at 3.9 x 2.4 x 1.7 inches. It can save 

photos as either substantial 3-Mbyte JPEGs 

or 20-Mbyte uncompressed TIFFs, and features 

a 37.5- to 187.5-mm zoom. Photo quality is 

respectable, and it gets bonus points for the 

cool retro styling. 

$649, www.pentaxusa.com 

� SONY CYBER-SHOT DSC-V3 

The DSC-V3 boasts a powerful infrared beam that 

lets you take monochrome photos in total darkness 

(or can help frame shots for the flash to illuminate). 

It’s the only Sony cam we tried that, in addition to 

Memory Sticks, takes CompactFlash cards (yay!). 

It offers fast shutter response and low noise levels 

all the way to ISO 800. The resulting top-quality 

pics can be saved as RAW, JPEG, or compressionfree 

TIFF files. 


W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

U 

WIRED 

Can save image as RAW and JPEG 

simultaneously. Flash hot shoe. 

TIRED 

Automatic white balance doesn’t 

correct poor lighting well. Frequent 

red-eye problems. 

WIRED 

Powerful flash. Large optical 

viewfinder. Can bracket a series 

of shots with variations of settings 

like white balance, contrast, and 

saturation. 

TIRED 

Hard-to-read menus. Poorly placed 

flash easily covered by finger. 

WIRED 

True night vision. Hot shoe for 

external flash. Retro knurled 

control knob. Pop-up flash can 

be canceled manually. 

TIRED 

For supersharp blowups, save images as 

uncompressed TIFF files. 

Flash range only 10 feet. Takes 

Memory Stick and CF but can’t 

copy from one to the other. 

CAMERAS 


CAMERASS 


WIRED TEST 

Digital SLR Cameras 

When image quality and performance matter most, serious photographers reach 

for the interchangeable lenses and lightning response of an SLR. 

042 

SSPPLLUURRGGE 

PPIICCK� 

EEDDIITOORSS’’ 

SNEAK PEEK 

� CANON EOS DIGITAL REBEL 

The sub-$1,000 camera that brought 6.3-megapixel 

DSLR performance to the masses is still going 

strong, making fine pictures with controls that are 

limited for simplicity. Still, the Rebel works with all 

the high-end Canon lenses and flashes for when 

you’re ready to work for Reuters. 

$899 (body only), www.canonusa.com 

� 

CANON EOS 20D 

Whether you’re a die-hard hobbyist or fledgling pro, 

this cam’s for you. Inside is Canon’s 8.2-megapixel 

sensor and new Digic II processor, which produce 

nearly noiseless ISO 1600 images and only slight 

graininess at ISO 3200. It features well-designed 

controls and solid construction but weighs 

1.7 pounds. 

$1,499 (body only), www.canonusa.com 

� NIKON D70 

The D70’s hefty 1.3-pound black body has the air 

of a more expensive SLR. Its companion 18- to 

70-mm zoom (27- to 105-mm equivalent in 35-mm 

terms) sells for $300 and covers a variety of 

needs well. Thanks to quick response and easy 

image review, the D70 performs well in rapidfire 

situations. 

$999 (body only), www.nikonusa.com 

� CANON EOS-1Ds MARK II 

This gasketed, sealed, battle-ready digital SLR has 

a 16.7-megapixel CMOS sensor the size of a 35-mm 

film frame to take wide-angle shots. The 4-fps firing 

rate is not fast compared with other cams, but the 

files are huge. A buffer allows shooting bursts of 

12 full-resolution JPEGs, and the camera can store 

them on either CompactFlash or SD cards. 

$7,000 (estimated; body only), www.canonusa.com 

W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

U 

WIRED 

Near-pro results made easy. 

Sensitivity up to ISO 1600 with 

acceptable noise. 10X zoom for 

reviewing images. 

TIRED 

Slow startup. Sluggish focus on 

dimly lit subjects. Plastic body. 

WIRED 

Faster than fast: 0.2-second 

startup, 0.065-second shutter lag, 

5-fps bursts of up to 23 JPEGs, 

max shutter speed of 1/8,000. 

TIRED 

Auto white balance performance 

could be better. Loud mirror slap. 

JPEG and RAW only – no TIFFs. 

WIRED 

Captures spectacular color and 

detail. Relatively noise-free up to 

ISO 1000, and acceptable to 1600. 

TIRED 

No TIFFs. Packaged companion 

lens expensive. 




Absolutely – if you can afford it.

SNEAK PEEK 

POCKET-SIZED 

FULL- 

FEATURED 

COOMPPACT 

SLLR 

3- AND 4-MEGAPIXEL 

77-MEEGAPIXEL 

Rating Model 

Price Megapixels Memory Format Additional Features 

4 Canon PowerShot A85 $299 

4 CompactFlash 

3.5 Pentax Optio 43WR $349 

4 Secure Digital 

Uses AA batteries, plugs directly into 

PictBridge printers for quick prints 

3.5 Casio Exilim EX-S100 $399 

3.2 Secure Digital Large 2-inch screen, stainless-steel body 

* Sony Cyber-shot DSC-L1 $300 

4.1 Memory Stick Duo 

Uses AA batteries, submersible, 

records 640 x 480 video 

3 Olympus Stylus 410 Digital $349 

4 xD Water-resistant, 10 selectable shooting modes 

� 

4.5 Nikon Coolpix 5200 $500 

5.1 Secure Digital 

4 Casio Exilim EX-Z55 $449 


3.5 Casio Exilim EX-P600 $550 


3.5 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T3 $500 

5.1 Memory Stick 

4 Canon PowerShot S70 $599 

7.1 CompactFlash 

3.5 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P150 $500 

7.2 Memory Stick 

* Olympus C-7000 Zoom $600 

7.1 xD 

� 

4.5 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-V3 $700 

7.2 

Memory Stick, 

CompactFlash 

Bright transflective screen, 

comes in four colors 

IR beam allows shots in complete darkness, 

flash hot shoe, shoots TIFFs 

4 Pentax Optio 750Z $649 

7 Secure Digital Tilt-and-swivel screen, shoots TIFFs 

3 Canon PowerShot G6 $699 

7.1 CompactFlash 

� 

� NIKON D2X 

This versatile shooter, aimed at sports and studio 

photogs, captures 12.4-megapixel files at 5 fps or 

6.8-megapixel frames at 8 fps. Nikon claims the D2X 

offers near-instantaneous power-on readiness and 

a shutter speed of 1/8,000 second. An optional Wi-Fi 

module can transmit images to your laptop or over 

the Internet and allows live remote control of the 

shutter, aperture, color balance, and bracketing. 

$5,000 (estimated; body only), www.nikonusa.com 

Digital Cameras Scorecard 

5- AND 6-MEGAPIXEL 

4.5 Nikon D70 $999 (body only) 6.1 CompactFlash 

$1,499 

4 Canon EOS 20D 8.2 CompactFlash 

(body only) 

3.5 Canon EOS Digital Rebel $899 (body only) 6.3 CompactFlash 

$7,000 

* Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II 16.7 

(est.; body only) 

CompactFlash, 

Secure Digital 

$5,000 

* Nikon D2X 12.4 CompactFlash 

(est.; body only) 

* Product not available in time for testing. 


By 2005. 


Yes, if you need to shoot fast action 

under harsh conditions. 

In-camera red-eye editing, records 

640 x 480 video, exposure bracketing 

Large 2.5-inch screen, 

calendar function sorts photos by date 

Large 2-inch screen, in-camera HTML gallery 

authoring, 25-shot consecutive picture mode 

Large 2.5-inch screen, long 38- to 114-mm 

zoom, records 640 x 480 video 

Wide 28- to 100-mm zoom, 

focus and exposure bracketing 

Accessory docking station for 

TV playback of slideshows 

Large 2-inch screen, 

extralong 38- to 190-mm zoom 

Long 35- to 140-mm zoom, 

flash shoe, rotating screen 

Takes high-end DX Nikkor lenses, 

up to 1/8,000-second shutter speed 

Takes high-end Canon lenses, 

23-shot buffer, 9-point AF sensor 


7-point AF sensor, 12 shooting modes 


35-mm-sized sensor, ISO sensitivity up to 3200 

Takes high-end DX Nikkor lenses, large 

2.5-inch screen, two-way 802.11g 

Wi-Fi module available, shoots TIFFs 

CAMERAS 


CAMERA 

PHOTO PRINTERS 

WIRED TEST 

Photo Printers 

High-quality inkjets have rendered retail photo labs obsolete. Now, memory card 

slots and USB inputs mean you can ditch your computer, too. – Lisa Cekan 

SHOWN 

If you want big photos and have plenty of space, 

the i9900 is a great choice. This behemoth clocked 

the fastest print speeds, spitting out 4 x 6 photos in 

just 46 seconds and 8 x 10s in 2.5 minutes. Plus, it’s 

the only model we tested that can handle tabloidsized 

paper. This printer is expensive, but the results 

are stunning, with bold colors and fine detail. 


044 

CANON i9900 

EPSON R800 

At first glance, the R800 looks like 

any other eight-ink photo printer. But 

it has an edge – it can print directly 

onto inkjet-compatible CDs and 

DVDs. It even includes software 

for designing your own labels. And 

creating disc art is quick. Too bad the 

R800 takes so long for photos: more 

than three minutes to print a 4 x 6 

and over five minutes for an 8 x 10. 

$400, www.epson.com 

HP PHOTOSMART 8150 

The Photosmart 8150 is well equipped 

and easy to use. Memory card slots? 

Check. An LCD that displays each 

photo? Yup. Separate trays for 

different-size paper? Sure. It even 

has a dial that allows you to choose 

border type or to lay out several 

photos on a single page. But the 

8150 is slow, taking more than five 

minutes to print an 8 x 10. 

$199, www.hp.com 

EPSON 

PICTUREMATE 

Small and lightweight, with a built-in 

handle, the PictureMate pops out 

4 x 6 photos on the go. There’s even 

a $50 car adapter, so you can catch 

up on printing while you’re stuck in 

traffic. The memory card slots let 

you bypass a PC, but the small LCD 

doesn’t display thumbnails – just 

menus. Colors were washed out. 

$200, www.epson.com 

CAREN ALPERT; STYLING BY DARLENE DULL/KOKO REPRESENTS

WIRED TEST 

CAMERAS 

Digital Video 

Cameras 

These shooters help turn home movies 

into classics. Be the next Quentin Tarantino 

… or Paris Hilton. by Mathew Honan 

49 

51 

MiniDV Cameras 

Tapeless Video Cameras 

047

VIDEO DIGITTAAL CCAAMERA VIDEO CAMERAS 

CAMERASS 

WIRED TEST 

Digital Video Camera Essentials 

048 

6 

5 

1 

4 

2 

3 

4 

1 

2 

3 

5 

6 

LENS 

Select a camera that has a lens with 

a maximum aperture (f-stop) of f2 or 

lower. Optical zooms use the lens 

elements to “bring” an object closer – 

good. Digital zooms just enlarge pixels 

and can blur the image – bad. Some 

lenses feature variable speed zoom, 

which lets you choose how fast the 

optics move in and out. 

LCD 

Peering at a large, bright LCD is much 

easier than using a tiny viewfinder. 

The best screens can pivot to avoid 

the glare of daylight. 

EXTERNAL CONTROLS 

Get a DV cam with easy-to-use buttons 

that let you access manual controls, 

night-shooting options, and exposure 

settings with your thumbs instead of by 

scrolling through onscreen menus. 

CCD 

The charge-coupled device is a 

chip that converts light into digital 

video. Don’t get stuck on the number 

of pixels on a CCD. Physical size is 

paramount – the larger the CCD, the 

more light it can capture. 

FORMAT 

MiniDV cams write images to highresolution 

digital tape. MPEG-4 cams 

shoot to flash memory or internal hard 

drives, sacrificing quality for size and 

convenience. 

PHOTOS 

The ability to take still pics is a nice 

extra, but image quality won’t match 

that of a stand-alone digital camera.

MiniDV Cameras 

From toddler biopics to zoomed sports action, these compact camcorders add a 

professional touch to your amateur video. 

EEDIITTOORS’’ 

PPIICCK� 

CHHEEAPP THRIILLL 

QUUICKK TIIP 

� CANON OPTURA Xi 

The Optura Xi is perfect for the weekend auteur 

looking for big-screen results. A star performer for 

outdoor action and for color- and white-balance 

handling, this cam also has a front-end stereo 

condenser microphone to filter out stray noise. 

Easy-to-use manual controls put superior image 

quality at your fingertips. 

$1,500, www.usa.canon.com 

� JVC GR-DVP9US 

Small enough to slip into the back pocket of your 

501s, this camera boasts a chic, upright design. And 

the quarter-inch CCD is quite generous for a cam 

this tiny. The image quality isn’t as good as we’d 

like, but it’s pretty remarkable considering the JVC’s 

size and price. Too bad there’s nothing remarkable 

about its 1.3-megapixel still photos. They’re hardly 

worth printing. 

$1,300, www.jvc.com 

� PANASONIC GS15 

This DV cam is relatively inexpensive and small 

enough to fit in a jacket pocket. Its 24X optical 

zoom shot past all challengers, though you’ll 

need a tripod if you want to max it out. Be warned: 

Artists will curse the dull colors; video geeks 

will be disappointed with the lack of analog inputs; 

and aesthetes will be turned off by its bulk. 

$500, www.panasonic.com 

W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

U 

WIRED 

Fast f1.6 lens with 11X optical, 

variable speed zoom. Brilliant 

3.5-inch LCD. Convenient pop-up 

flash. Big 0.29-inch CCD and 

2.2-megapixel still camera. 

TIRED 

Picture quality suffers in low light. 

At almost 8 inches long, the only 

pocket it fits into is a camera bag. 

WIRED 

The most attractive miniDV cam 

out there. Ultracompact 3.2 x 1.8 

x 4.6-inch body. NightAlive IR 

feature for shooting in darkness. 

TIRED 

An annoying hum, audible in quiet 

settings and occasionally on tape. 

Dull reds. Overbright whites in 

automatic white-balance mode. 

WIRED 

24X optical zoom homes in on 

distant action. Three zoom speeds. 

Four LEDs indicate modes in the 

dark. Top-loading tape easy to 

access. Very quiet. 

TIRED 

Big at 2.8 x 3.7 x 4.7 inches. Grainy 

image in low light. 

If you’re looking for high-resolution video and 

extensive manual controls, opt for a miniDV camera. 

CAMERAS 

DIIGGITAALL VVIIDEOO CAAMMERAASS

CAMERASS 

DIGITAL VIDEO CAMERAS 

WIRED TEST >> MINIDV CAMERAS 

050 

� SAMSUNG DUOCAM SC-D6040 

The DuoCam’s innovative over/under system 

uses separate lenses and CCDs for video and 

still images, making it the best DV cam we 

tested for taking photos. It was also the easiest 

camcorder to use, with intuitive menus and controls. 

Unfortunately, video is plagued by slow autofocus. 

The deal killers: It handles color poorly and routinely 

underexposes, resulting in dark footage. 

$900, www.samsungusa.com 

� SONY DCR-HC65 

This sporty model from Sony is the Swiss 

Army knife of shooters – small enough to go 

anywhere and loaded with tools. It was a close 

second in our action tests, thanks to its on-lens 

manual focus ring, variable speed zoom, and 

light-sucking f1.8-2.3 lens. The DCR-HC65 captures 

vibrant colors and details, maintains a stable 

image, and has a bright LCD that will please even 

demanding directors. 


Shooting Tips 

Try some of these quick tricks for great DV flicks. 

OVERSHOOT Grab more footage than you think you’ll need. 

Digital video tape and flash memory are cheap – you can 

always edit. 

FRAME SUBJECTS OFF CENTER For an artful aesthetic, 

frame your subjects slightly off to one side of the 

composition, or shoot them in three-quarter profile. 

TAKE SHORT CLIPS You’ll have a much easier time editing if 

you have lots of short clips, rather than a few long ones. 

When there’s a break in the action, take one yourself. 

PAN SLOWLY Fast, sweeping camera work is one of the 

most common – and nauseating – errors of the amateur 

videographer. 

WATCH THE SKY Too much blue overhead can detract 

from your subject and mess up color and contrast. 

W 

WIRED 

Separate CCD for still images lets 

you shoot sharp 4.1-megapixel 

photos at up to 3X optical zoom. 

U 

TIRED 

W 

Unwieldy 2.5 x 3.6 x 5.4-inch body. 

Tape noise audible on playback. 

Whites have ugly yellowish cast 

indoors; reds appear dull. Manual 

focus difficult. 

WIRED 

3.5-inch LCD seems positively 

gargantuan on a 2.4 x 3.5 x 6.5inch 

camcorder. Colors are bright 

and vivid, especially reds. Fully 

automatic Easy mode for beginners. 

UU 

TIRED 

Touchscreen menus awkward to 

use. Image grainy in low light. 

INVEST IN A FEW GOOD ACCESSORIES A tripod, separate 

microphone, and external light source can add sound and 

picture clarity. 

WATCH THE ZOOMING Try to move closer to your subject 

rather than zooming in. And avoid digital zoom – it makes 

images pixelated and shaky. 

DO YOUR WORK IN POST Built-in digital effects can create 

a dramatic shot out of a so-so one. But once you use an 

in-camera effect, you can’t undo it. When possible, apply 

effects with your computer during the editing process so 

they can be undone. 

GO MANUAL For better results than fully automatic modes, 

test-shoot on a large sheet of paper to calibrate white 

balance, set the shutter speed to suit the action, and 

monitor the audio levels yourself. – M.H.

Tapeless Video Cameras 

Tiny MPEG-4 videocams shoot directly to either removable flash cards or internal 

memory, making for easy uploads to your computer. 

AALLL CAAMEERAAS 

EEDITORRSS’’ 

PIICK� 

� AIPTEK POCKET DV4500 

The Pocket DV4500 feels as cheap as its price tag. 

From its plastic housing to its tendency to freeze 

up while shooting, this camcorder disappoints. At 

times, we could shut it off only by yanking out the 

battery. You’d do better with an Etch A Sketch. 

$150, www.aiptek.com 

� PANASONIC D-SNAP SV-AV100 

Video from the chic SV-AV100 looks great on 

a TV thanks to its near-DVD-quality mode with 

704 x 480 resolution (the included 512-Mbyte SD 

card holds just 10 minutes). This cam has the best 

zoom lens of our MPEG-4 herd. Colors and details 

were vivid, and video was sharp in hi-res mode. 

The trouble is, it’s hard to hold something this 

small steady. 

$1,000, www.panasonic.com 

Digital Video Cameras How We Tested 

ZOOM 

Setting the camera on a tripod, we zeroed 

in on a faraway Victorian building with 

intricate ornamentation. We expected 

crisp detail and color using each camera’s 

maximum optical zoom setting. 

IMAGE STABILIZATION 

We ditched the tripod and reshot the 

same Victorian at maximum optical 

zoom while handholding the camera. 

High performers kept footage stable 

and didn’t drop video detail. 

ARTIFICIAL LIGHT 

In a room illuminated only by two 75-watt 

incandescent bulbs, we shot a variety of 

footage to test the cams in suboptimal light. 

ALLL CAMERRAS 

MMINNIIDDV 

W 

U 

W 

U 

WIRED 

4-megapixel camera. 

TIRED 

Poor-quality stills and lousy 

352 x 288, 30-fps video. Images 

look washed out in good light, 

dark and grainy in low light. Very 

difficult to focus. No optical zoom. 

WIRED 

10X optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD, 

nice image stabilizer, and 3.4megapixel 

still cam. Up to 10 hours 

of recording in low-quality mode. 

TIRED 

Saves videos in a proprietary 

format, which converts to 

Windows ASF with Panasonic’s 

software (no Mac compatibility). 

ACTION SHOTS 

Outdoor basketball games put the cams 

through their paces. The best delivered 

smooth motion video of the fast-moving 

action with quick autofocus. 

COLOR AND WHITE BALANCE 

Working indoors, we shot a brightly colored 

blanket lit by a 750-watt tungsten studio light with 

a color temperature of 3,200 K. All white balance 

settings were on auto. We were impressed if 

the cams captured four different shades of white, 

3-D details of the fabric, and vivid reds and blues. 

NOISE 

We listened for tape noise during playback. 

Silence was golden. 

CAMERAS 

DIGGIITALL VIIDDEO CAMMEERASS

VIDEO DIGITAL CCAAMERA VIDEO CAMERAS 

CAMERASS 

WIRED TEST >> TAPELESS VIDEO CAMERAS 

052 

MMIINIDV 

TTAAPPEELLEESSSS VIDEO 

� PANASONIC D-SNAP SV-AV50A 

Trump style at apprentice prices. This ultrasmall 

2-megapixel camera, MP3 player, and voice 

recorder had promise. Too bad its footage is 

shaky and its unique flip-out design encourages 

covering the lens with your fingers. Video quality 

is limited to 320 x 240. You’re fired! 


� PHILIPS KEY019 

For making spur-of-the moment Web and email 

movies, this lilliputian cam is hard to beat. Plus, it 

has a built-in MP3 player. But at 320 x 240, its video 

footage is less than impressive. Worse, you’re 

stuck with 128 Megs of built-in memory. 

$250, www.philipsusa.com 

� SANYO FISHER FVD-C1 

The winner of the beauty portion of our flashbased 

filmer test shot great video at a maximum 

resolution of 640 x 480. We also prefer its LCD 

and menu functions to those on other cams. Five 

custom autoexposure and ISO settings help it 

perform well in a variety of lighting conditions. 

$800, www.fisherav.com 

Digital Video Cameras Scorecard 

Rating 

� 

Model 

Price 

Dimensions 

(inches) 

CCD Size 

(inches) 

W 

WIRED 

Good video quality, but only 

when viewed on a computer. 

Great software package lets you 

edit and combine clips. 

U 

TIRED 

W 

Saves video in proprietary format. 

No Mac compatibility. Comes with 

measly 8-Mbyte SD card. 

WIRED 

Teeny-tiny (2.1 ounces). USB port 

for charging and connectivity also 

lets it serve as a key chain drive 

for file storage. 

U 

TIRED 

W 

Useless in low light. No zoom. 

Limited capacity. Records to 

Windows ASF format. 

WIRED 

Optical Zoom 

4.5 Canon Optura Xi $1,500 

3.2 x 3.5 x 7.9 0.29 11X 

4 Panasonic GS15 $500 

2.8 x 3.7 x 4.7 0.17 24X 

4 Sony DCR-HC65 $800 

2.4 x 3.5 x 6.5 0.2 10X 

3 JVC GR-DVP9US $1,300 

3.2 x 1.8 x 4.6 0.25 10X 

2 Samsung DuoCam SC-D6040 $900 

2.5 x 3.6 x 5.4 0.17 10X 

� 

4.5 Panasonic D-Snap SV-AV100 $1,000 

3.5 x 1.3 x 2.6 0.17 10X 

4 Sanyo Fisher FVD-C1 $800 

2.7 x 1.3 x 4.3 0.37 5.8X 

3 Philips Key019 $250 

1.3 x 3.8 x 0.9 0.5 None 

2 Panasonic D-Snap SV-AV50A $400 

1.9 x 2.6 x 1.3 0.31 None 

0.5 Aiptek Pocket DV4500 $150 

3.9 x 2.6 x 1.3 N/A None 

Top performer in low light. 5.8X 

optical zoom. 3.2-megapixel stills. 

Saves to MPEG-4 format. 

U 

TIRED 

Video not as sharp as Panasonic 

SV-AV100 in hi-res mode. Swank 

colored models not available in US. 

LCD Size 

(inches) 

3.5 

2.5 

3.5 

2 

2.5 

2.5 

1.5 

None 

2 

1.5

WIRED TEST 

VIDEO 

High-Definition TVs 

The visuals are the centerpiece of any home theater 

system. The best sets deliver razor-sharp detail, 

punchy colors, and smooth motion. by Bob Parks 

57 

59 

61 

62 

Plasma TVs 

LCD TVs 

Rear-Projection TVs 

High-End Projectors 

PLUS: 

66 

67 

Budget Projectors 

Widescreen PC Monitors 

055

VIDEO 

HIGH-DEFINITION TVs 

WIRED TEST 

High-Definition TV Essentials 

CONSOLES e 

PROJECTORS e 

056 

1 

1 2 

2 

3 

3 

4 

1 

2 

3 

4 

1 

2 

3 

SCREEN TYPE 

Console TVs employ various technologies 

to display similar – but subtly different – 

results. Plasmas use glowing phosphors 

energized by an electrically charged gas. 

LCDs transmit rays from a fluorescent 

backlight through color filters. And the 

latest rear-projection TVs use digital 

light processing (DLP) or liquid crystal 

on silicon (LCoS) chips to control how 

light is reflected onto the screen. 

VIDEO CONNECTIONS 

A digital connection, either DVI or HDMI, 

yields top quality. Next-best is an analog 

component hookup. TVs with VGA and 

certain types of DVI jacks can double 

as computer monitors. 

RESOLUTION 

An HDTV has 720 or more horizontal 

lines of pixels. Resolutions are often 

expressed in horizontal and vertical 

dimensions (e.g., 1,024 x 768); the second 

number is the more important one. 

TUNERS 

Most TVs pick up regular analog 

broadcasts with a built-in NTSC tuner 

(or sometimes two tuners, for picturein-picture 

viewing). Some sets also 

have ATSC tuners for hi-def signals. 

LENS 

Many lenses zoom so you can adjust 

the image to fit your viewing area 

without moving the projector. Some 

models can be controlled via remote. 

BRIGHTNESS AND CONTRAST 

Light intensity is measured in lumens. A 

brightness of 800 lumens or more works 

well for home theater use. Contrast ratio 

is the difference in brightness between a 

pure white screen image and a pure black 

one. Look for a ratio of 1,000:1 or higher. 

SCREEN 

You can project on a wall, but a screen 

boosts contrast and reflects more light.

Plasma TVs 

With fluid action and luminous picture quality, these thin wonderscreens rule for 

movies. But be careful with games – static images can burn in a ghostly imprint. 

LESS THAN 50 INCHES e 

EDIITOORRSS’’ 

PIICCK� 

50 INCHES AND UP e 

QUIICCK TIPP 

� MARANTZ PD4240D (42-INCH) 

Even subtle color variations are perfect on this 

screen, from the solid reds in the American flag 

on an evaluation disc to the pink on Rodney 

Dangerfield’s head in an HD broadcast of the 1992 

stinker Ladybugs. We saw more shadow detail in 

The Piano than on any other TV tested. Minor flaws 

included some graininess in clouds during Mystic 

River and in low-light scenes on Xbox games. 

$7,999, www.marantz.com 

� PIONEER PDP-4340HD (43-INCH) 

Pioneer’s plasma was the kindest set to movies. It 

shows spot-on color, detail even in dark corners, 

and fluid movement. Most TVs use the reverse 

3-2 pulldown method to display film (see Glossary, 

page 60), resulting in a slight stuttering effect. 

But Pioneer’s 3-3 pulldown system makes film 

look as smooth as in a theater. 

$8,500, www.pioneerelectronics.com 

� FUJITSU P50XHA30WS (50-INCH) 

Before calibration, colors appear bright, and blacks 

are deep as pitch. With analog signals, it displays 

cleaner diagonals and text than other plasmas. 

But Fujitsu cheats by pumping up the contrast to 

make the image seem more impressive, leaving out 

detail in low-light scenes. After calibration, the 

screen displays noise in dark areas and doesn’t 

make smooth color transitions. 

$8,999, www.us.fujitsu.com 

W 

U 

WIRED 

Flawless for movies. Terrific HDTV 

color and detail. Clean, intuitive 

menu for settings and options. 

There’s still good TV on analog 

broadcasts, but the Pioneer 

displays it a bit more jagged 

than on other tested models. 

WIRED 

Brilliant colors from both digital 

and analog signals made this TV 

fun to watch. Excellent at adapting 

standard-definition broadcasts to 

its huge screen. 

TIRED 

Color transitions look patchy in 

shadows. Sad little remote with 

nubby rubber chicklet buttons. 

Unlike LCD and projection sets, plasmas maintain 

high image quality from any viewing angle. 

W 

U 

W 

U 

WIRED 

Among the best pictures available, 

with great detail, refined color, 

and inky blacks. 

TIRED 

Splotchy colors in faces and 

moving objects. Plasticky, poorly 

designed remote is so bad it might 

as well be disposable. 

TIRED 

VIDEO 

HIGH-DEFINITION TVs

VIDEO 


WIRED TEST >> PLASMA TVs >> 50 INCHES AND UP 

058 

SSPLUURGGEE 

� LG DU-50PZ60/H (50-INCH) 

This TV’s processor takes the common jitters out 

of DVD films – we saw amazingly fluid motion 

during the opener of Star Trek: Insurrection. But 

our other intergalactic test movie – Lost in Space 

– revealed pixels salsa-dancing on William Hurt’s 

black suit. The screen also delivers inaccurate 

color and uneven tones in dark areas. 

$7,000, www.lge.com 

� NEC PX61XM2/S (61-INCH) 

This 5-foot billboard is among the most accurate 

sets for color, showing rich red and green hues in 

our test with the Uma Thurman flick The Golden 

Bowl. In one subtle way, however, the display slips 

with some false contouring, in which a moving 

object takes on patchy colors rather than smooth 

gradations. 

$13,995, www.necvisualsystems.com 

High-Definition TVs How We Tested 

CALIBRATION 

We calibrated the televisions using the basic 

patterns on the Avia Pro diagnostic DVD. The 

digital source was a Bravo D2 DVD player with 

a DVI connection. When necessary, a DVI-to- 

HDMI adapter from Monster Cable was used. 

DIGITAL MOVIES 

To examine detail, black levels, and color, we 

watched Mystic River, Lost in Space, and The 

Golden Bowl on all the sets. A few other films 

came and went, but these three movies ran on 

all our test screens for comparison. By running 

the DVI source through a Gefen 2:8 HDTV 

Distribution Amplifier, we were able to evaluate 

several TVs simultaneously. 

ANALOG MOVIES 

Though a digital signal offers the best image 

quality, very few DVD players have a digital 

output. So we tested each TV’s analog capabilities 

(including the ability to process motion) by 

watching Star Trek: Insurrection through the 

component outputs of the Bravo DVD player. 

W 

W 

U 

WIRED 

Good price for this screen size. 

LED readouts on the remote and 

under the screen make navigation 

easy. Built-in tuners for both 

standard and HD television. 

U 

TIRED 

Annoying hum from the back 

of the console brings back 

memories of Grandpa’s old set. 

WIRED 

Quality image with natural colors 

and true blacks. Exhaustive menus 

allow multiple adjustments, such 

as control over secondary colors 

and gamma (midtone brightness). 

TIRED 

No TV tuner – you need to get an 

external box. 

MOTION 

To further test motion processing, we switched 

the Bravo DVD player’s output to 480-line 

interlaced over an analog component cable 

and gauged the ability of the TV’s processor 

to deinterlace video using Avia’s film-to-video 

transition and motion dither tests. 

HD AND STANDARD TV 

Our HDTV came courtesy of Voom satellite 

service and Adelphia HD cable. We watched 

standard analog TV from Adelphia by threading 

a coaxial cable wire to each TV’s NTSC tuner. 

GAMES 

We played a few rounds of the standard-def 

game Driv3r on the Xbox using component inputs. 

PROJECTION 

For front projectors, we shot onto a 45 x 80-inch 

Da-Lite Cinema Contour HDTV home theater 

screen. Casual visitors mistook the results for 

an enormous plasma television. Amateurs.

LCD TVs 

LCDs aren’t just for the kitchen anymore – they now come in jumbo sizes. And 

their deep blacks and improved motion rendering are approaching plasma quality. 

LESS THAN 40 INCHES e 

EEDDIITTOORSS’’ 

PPIICCK� 

� BENQ DV3070 (30-INCH) 

The DV3070 features a stunning design and 

intuitive controls but mediocre performance. 

It displayed bands of color rather than smooth 

tonal transitions. The opening of Mystic River, 

which should have been a clean, slow fade-up 

from black, looked blotchy and uneven. (BenQ 

acknowledges the problem and says it will be 

fixed in the 2005 model.) 

$2,995, www.benq.com 

� SHARP LC-37G4U (37-INCH) 

Color is fantastic on Sharp’s LCD. In Mystic 

River, it perfectly captured the full, somber tones 

of South Boston. This screen also scored highest 

for detail in our Kevin Bacon freckle test. It 

displayed the most dots on his face, along with 

the creases in his forehead and below his eyes. 

But analog TV looked slightly grainy. 

$5,500, www.sharpusa.com 

� TOSHIBA 32HL84 (32-INCH) 

Like a decathlete, this Toshiba performs well in all 

events. It brought a tight, sharp look to the action 

of Lost in Space (although a few scenes showed 

some color banding instead of a smooth transition 

to black). It also displayed spectacular analog TV 

and didn’t exhibit any shimmer in the razor-thin 

lines of Voom’s nightly HDNews; its image processor 

works overtime to groom scenes perfectly. 

$3,499, www.toshiba.com 

Coming Tech: LED Backlights 

Ultrapure white light will expand the color palette of LCD TVs. 

In spring 2005, the US should get its first look at LCD sets 

that use LEDs, rather than fluorescent tubes, as backlights. 

Sony’s Qualia 40- and 46-inch LCD TVs (now out in Japan) 

incorporate new LEDs from Lumileds to display a fuller range 

of colors. 

Sony’s LED-based LCDs use hundreds of tiny red, green, 

and blue lamps as backlights, mixing the three colors into a 

far purer white light than produced by typical fluorescent-lit 

WIRED 

Easy to use. Standard TV clear 

and detailed. Sleek style would 

look perfect in a swank apartment. 

Color attenuated in film and TV 

(the roses in the White House 

garden had an orange cast). 

Low-light scenes on film and 

HDTV were distorted and patchy. 

units and feeding it to better color filters in the pixels. 

Lumileds claims the LED sets display up to 30 percent more 

saturated and vivid colors than CRT and plasma TVs. That 

will add pop to DVDs, and the Sony models have memory 

card slots for also showing off digipics in a wider range of 

hues than on a typical monitor. Lumileds says it’s working 

with several other, unnamed companies to include its 

technology in their 2005 TV models. – B.P. 

W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

TIRED 

WIRED 

Colors vibrant as a Dutch flower 

boat. Flawless image quality for 

film and HDTV. Optical picture 

control adjusts image to match 

room lighting. 

TIRED 

Middling performance with analog 

TV. Very slight digital noise in the 

shadow areas of film. 

WIRED 

Films appear smooth and detailed. 

Picture-in-picture feature not only 

displays two signals, but can also 

freeze-frame seven other stations. 

U 

TIRED 

Blacks a bit gray. Color and contrast 

not as strong as on the bigger flat 

panels. At 5 inches, an inch thicker 

than the larger-screened Sony. 

VIDEO 

HIGH-DEFINITION TVs

VIDEO 


WIRED TEST >> LCD TVs 

MORE THAN 40 INCHES e 

060 

480i A format for VHS, DVD, and regular analog broadcasts 

that shows images with 480 lines in an interlaced pattern. 

480p A format used for some television broadcasts and 

created by progressive scan DVD players from 480i discs. 

It’s often called enhanced definition. A small number of 

televisions show 480p, but not 720p or 1,080i, positioning 

them in a purgatory between the standard and HD worlds. 

720p One of two high-definition formats; shows images 

with 720 lines displayed progressively (all at once). 

1,080i The other high-definition format. It displays images 

with 1,080 lines in an interlaced manner. Since few HDTV 

screens have 1,080 lines, the format is often converted 

to 720 or 768 lines without an obvious difference. 

ATSC The technical specification for high-definition formats 

– 720p and 1,080i – as well as the enhanced-def 480p format. 

HD High definition describes any television or videostream 

using a 720p or 1,080i format. Other features are a widescreen 

(16:9) aspect ratio and support for Dolby 5.1 surround sound. 

Interlaced To save bandwidth, many TVs receive only half 

an image at once. The screen flicks 60 times per second 

� SAMSUNG LT-P468W (46-INCH) 

This whopper’s superhigh resolution displays 

all 1,080 lines of the top HD format. (Most flat panels 

squish them into 720 or 768 lines.) Heavy black 

tones captured the loneliness of space, while 

punchy colors and contrast complemented bright 

scenes. But it fails to show gradual transitions 

of color in some DVD film scenes. 

$9,999, www.samsungusa.com 

� SONY KDL-42XBR950 (42-INCH) 

The do-it-all, giant LCD has arrived. Facial details 

and skin tones were lifelike in the Chris Rock comedy 

Head of State. The Cartoon Network’s Aqua Teen 

Hunger Force startled us with arresting color. And 

Xbox games appeared three-dimensional. Although 

the Sony smooths out film well, we still prefer the 

more fluid look of plasma. 

$10,000, www.sonystyle.com 

Glossary: The ABCs of HDTV 

Here’s the jargon you should know before you make that big purchase. 

between the odd- and even-numbered lines of an image. 

Because they flash so quickly, these sets of interlaced lines 

(called fields) appear to the viewer as full screens. 

NTSC The technical specification for analog broadcasts 

in the 480i format, along with signals from a VHS or nonprogressive-scan 

DVD player. 

Progressive When a TV displays a progressive image, 

it flashes the entire video frame 60 times per second. 

The main progressive formats are 480p (DVDs and 

enhanced-definition TV broadcasts) and 720p (hi-def TV). 

Showing all the lines at the same time yields more fluid 

motion-rendering. 

W 

U 

W 

U 

WIRED 

1,920 x 1,080-pixel resolution. Bright 

image. DVI and HDMI inputs. 

TIRED 

Dark grays are coarse. Subtle 

colors abut unevenly – especially 

with digital input. Lacking a wide 

range of shades, images don’t 

have much depth. 

WIRED 

Built-in HDTV tuner. Memory 

Stick slot for loading JPEG photos, 

MPEG-1 videos, and MP3 audio. 

Slick silver metallic remote. 

TIRED 

Won’t save unique settings for 

each source – you can’t customcalibrate 

for your DVD player and 

HDTV signal, for example. 

Reverse 3-2 Pulldown When movies are released on DVD, 

film (which runs at 24 fps) is transferred to video (which 

runs at 60 half-frames, or fields, per second). Making the 

formats mathematically compatible requires a so-called 

3-2 pulldown process that leads to some choppiness and 

image distortion. Reverse 3-2 pulldown analyzes incoming 

video and reassembles it to ensure sharp images and 

smooth motion onscreen. 

SD Standard definition describes any TV set or videostream 

that uses the 480i format. – B.P.

Rear-Projection TVs 

The best value in HDTV, rear-projection sets offer bold color and giant screens. 

But they’re behemoths and can be too dim for bright rooms. 

EDDITTOORRSS’’ 

PPICCKK� 

CHHEAAP THRRILLLL 

� JVC HD-52Z575 (52-INCH LCoS) 

The three-chip LCoS system on this JVC projects 

red, green, and blue light simultaneously, yielding 

a bright image free of the rainbow effect of colorwheel 

TVs. But we saw multicolored shimmers 

in the gray pavement during Mystic River, and a 

reverse 3-2 pulldown glitch caused a hazy, flickering 

image on the Star Trek: Insurrection DVD. 


� MITSUBISHI WD-52525 

(52-INCH DLP) 

While all three DLPs use Texas Instruments’ 

patented tech, Mitsubishi’s clever image processing 

delivered especially clear action and accurate color 

in epics such as Master and Commander, with sea 

spray so detailed we reached for the Dramamine. 

A glass screen filter yields deep blacks but also 

catches glare from room lights. 

$3,999, www.mitsubishi-tv.com 

� OPTOMA RD65 (65-INCH DLP) 

This bright screen could replace the Jumbotron 

at Fenway. In fact, it shined with one of the season’s 

Yankees-Red Sox debacles, showing standard-def 

vividly in a well-lit room. But it doesn’t fare well 

with films and general color reproduction. Hues 

appeared washed out in Mystic River, and even 

Boston’s Green Monster looked pale. 

$4,995, www.optomausa.com 

� V INC. VIZIO RP56 (56-INCH DLP) 

Vizio may be a cheap date, but it’s a lot of fun to 

hang with. It displayed convincing, dense colors 

with our evaluation movies. Games for Xbox also 

looked good, and it’s easy to hook up thanks to 

front-panel composite and S-video jacks. Caveat: 

The screen was the dimmest of all products we tried 

(though only slightly worse than other DLP models). 

$3,299, www.vinc.com 

W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

U 

WIRED 

Brightest image with the blackest 

blacks of any rear-projection 

model tested. Solid colors with 

no rainbow effect. 

TIRED 

Not for cinephiles – bad 3-2 pulldown 

detection on analog inputs. 

WIRED 

Rich, realistic color and fine 

details. NetCommand feature 

controls linked gadgets like DVD 

players, DVHS recorders, and 

satellite boxes from the TV screen. 

TIRED 

Slight distortion in dark parts 

of films. Some fan noise. 

WIRED 

Most brilliant screen of the DLPs. 

A pair of standard-def tuners 

and simple menus make it easy to 

monitor dueling sports contests. 

TIRED 

Loudest fan noise of all the TVs, 

but quieter than an average fridge. 

WIRED 

Rich color, especially reds. Quieter 

than its peers. Comes with two 

remotes – one with full controls 

and one just for picture-in-picture 

– so warring mates can channel 

surf on the same telly. 

TIRED 

Details murky in dark scenes. 

VIDEO 

HIGH-DEFINITION TVs

VIDEO 


WIRED TEST 

High-End Projectors 

True home theater has arrived. DLP-based projectors beam fast action sequences 

and fine detail at up to 22 feet across. You’ll be selling tickets to your living room. 

062 

EEDIITTORRS’’ 

PIICCK� 

� INFOCUS SCREENPLAY 7205 

This 9.5-pound wonder provides a great traveling 

show. It made a red sports car appear to leap off 

the screen in a sequence from Seabiscuit – while 

showing vivid green hills in the background. 

Distortion and coarse tones plagued darker scenes 

in the same film, however, as did color noise during 

a hi-def broadcast of a Morcheeba concert. 

$8,999, www.infocus.com 

� 

OPTOMA H77 

The boxy H77 beamed solid, true colors during 

a viewing of The Golden Bowl – with deep reds in 

Uma Thurman’s lips and iridescent greens in her 

peacock fan. But flesh tones aren’t as true-to-life 

as with the other projectors, even after we made 

adjustments – the geeky newscaster on Voom HDTV 

news looked more peaked than usual. 

$8,999, www.optomausa.com 

� SHARP XV-Z12000 

The Sharp renders brilliant color and fine detail in 

fast-moving action sequences. The Lost in Space 

footage was crisp, and the projector perfectly 

rendered Jim Carrey’s synesthetic world in Eternal 

Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. In HDTV, subtle 

details and deep blacks captured the noirish 

atmosphere of shows like Law and Order. 

$12,000, www.sharpusa.com 

All DLP front projectors (and rear-projection TVs) use Texas 

Instruments image chips, but the pricier models in our test 

have TI’s latest HD2+ imager. Its micromirrors carry larger 

reflective surfaces, creating a brighter image, and can better 

reflect light away from the lens for darker blacks onscreen. 

The high-end projectors also use a seven- or eight-segment 

W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

U 

WIRED 

Lightweight and portable. Striking, 

appropriate color and very smooth 

motion. Intuitive remote. 

TIRED 

Noisy, with a slight whine. Dancing 

pixels and uneven color surfaces 

in shadows, especially videogames 

and HDTV. 

WIRED 

Quietest unit we tried. Good detail. 

Well-designed lens housing makes 

it easy to shift up and down, focus, 

and zoom at the touch of a button. 

TIRED 

Slight blotchiness in dark scenes. 

Screen goes blank briefly when 

you change channels. 

WIRED 

Brightest picture. Incredible 

detail gives objects dimension. 

The 32.5- to 44-mm lens offers 

the widest image range – from 

poster- to building-sized. 

TIRED 

Small degree of distorted color 

in low-lit scenes. 

Why Are These Projectors So Expensive? 

Better image chips and display technology add up – in both cost and picture quality. 

color wheel that spins faster than those on basic models, so 

you’re less likely to see the individual pulses of red, green, 

and blue light, an aberration called the “rainbow effect.” 

Although affordable units have improved considerably (see 

Budget Projectors, page 66), cinephiles will appreciate the 

benefits of these more expensive technologies. – B.P.

PLASMA 

LCD 

REAR- 

PRROJECTION 

HIGH-END 

PRROOJEECTTORRS 

Coming Tech: Organic LED Screens 

Press Control-P to print your new television. 

Despite their virtues, LCD and plasma panels have 

significant vices. LCD has limited viewing angles, plasma 

gorges on electricity, and both are expensive to produce. 

Switching from these technologies to organic LEDs could 

fix all these problems. 

The chemicals in OLEDs glow brightly when they receive 

a slight electric charge. And screens made of them have as 

wide a viewing angle as plasma panels. Now Seiko Epson 

has created a method that aims to produce OLED screens 

in almost any size at little cost. The companies are using an 

inkjet process to deposit the polymers in a precise design 

High-Definition TVs Scorecard 

Rating 

5 

4.5 Sharp LC-37G4U $5,500 37 inches 1,366 x 768 21.6 x 43.4 x 3.5 inches, 43 lbs. 

4 Sony KDL-42XBR950 $10,000 42 inches 1,366 x 768 27.4 x 53.1 x 4.1 inches, 66.3 lbs. 

3.5 Toshiba 32HL84 $3,499 32 inches 1,366 x 768 22.6 x 32.3 x 5 inches, 53 lbs. 

3 Samsung LT-P468W $9,999 46 inches 1,920 x 1,080 27.1 x 54.1 x 5.7 inches, 99.2 lbs. 

2 BenQ DV3070 $2,995 30 inches 1,280 x 768 20.8 x 36.3 x 8 inches, 35.6 lbs. 

4.5 

Mitsubishi 

WD-52525 

$3,999 

on a backboard. Prototype displays have been printed 

at up to 40 inches. 

But it wasn’t as easy as substituting OLED for pigment. 

The company had to develop inkjet nozzles controlled by 

piezoelectric valves instead of heat, which would damage 

the organic compounds. 

Seiko Epson is eager to start printing reams of HDTVs by 

2007, but it must find a way to make them last longer. While 

typical plasma televisions lose half their brightness after 

30,000 hours of use, OLEDs fade that much in approximately 

2,000 hours. – B.P. 

52 inches 1,280 x 720 37.2 x 49.6 x 17.4 inches, 132.4 lbs. 

4 V Inc. Vizio RP56 $3,299 56 inches 1,280 x 720 43.1 x 54.4 x 18.9 inches, 130 lbs. 

3 JVC HD-52Z575 $4,500 52 inches 1,280 x 720 36 x 49.9 x 16.3 inches, 84 lbs. 

3 Optoma RD65 $4,995 65 inches 1,280 x 720 51.7 x 59.5 x 22 inches, 215 lbs. 

4 

3 

� 

Model 

Pioneer 

PDP-4340HD 

Sharp 

XV-Z12000 

InFocus 

ScreenPlay 7205 

Price 

$8,500 

$12,000 

$8,999 

Screen Size 

(diagonal) 

Resolution 

Dimensions 

(H x W x D / weight) 

43 inches 1,024 x 768 25.7 x 44.1 x 3.9 inches, 67.3 lbs. 

4 Marantz PD4240D $7,999 42 inches 1,024 x 768 24 x 40 x 3.5 inches, 65 lbs. 

4 NEC PX61XM2/S $13,995 61 inches 1,365 x 768 34.6 x 57.9 x 4.7 inches, 134.2 lbs. 

3 Fujitsu P50XHA30WS $8,999 50 inches 1,366 x 768 28.7 x 47.8 x 3.9 inches, 99.2 lbs. 

2 LG DU-50PZ60/H $7,000 50 inches 1,366 x 768 30.6 x 48.2 x 3.9 inches, 114 lbs. 

� 

� 

� 

Up to 25 feet 1,280 x 720 7 x 18.7 x 16 inches, 20.7 lbs. 

3.5 Optoma H77 $8,999 Up to 25 feet 1,280 x 720 5.3 x 16.9 x 12 inches, 16.5 lbs. 

Up to 11.5 feet 1,280 x 720 4.3 x 13.8 x 12.8 inches, 9.5 lbs. 

Built-In TV Tuners 

2 NTSC, 2 ATSC 

None 

None 

None 

2 NTSC, ATSC 

NTSC 

2 NTSC, ATSC 

NTSC 

2 NTSC 

NTSC 

NTSC, ATSC 

2 NTSC 

NTSC 

2 NTSC 

None 

None 

None 

High-Definition 

Inputs 

2 HDMI, 

3 sets component 

DVI, 

component 

DVI, 

component 

DVI, 


DVI, 2 sets component 

HDMI, DVI, 


DVI, 



HDMI, DVI, 


HDMI, 2 sets component 

HDMI, 2 sets component 


HDMI, 


DVI, component 


DVI, component 


VIDEO 

HIGH-DEFINITION TVs

VIDEO 

BUDGET PROJECTORS 

WIRED TEST 

Budget Projectors 

Sick of your tube telly but too poor for plasma? Affordable DLP projectors let you big up 

Da Ali G Show without stuffing your living room with a big box. – Thomas Goetz 

SHOWN 

Despite its plain design, the H30 outshines the others with 

razor sharp images, deep blacks, and elegant onscreen 

controls. It makes the most of its 800 lumens, with the 

warmest, most vivid picture of the low-cost projectors we 

looked at. It’s also simple to use, handily switching from 

standard TV to widescreen mode. One gripe: Resolution 

is low at 800 x 600 (the others measure 1,024 x 768). 

$1,499, www.optoma.com 

066 

OPTOMA H30 

INFOCUS 

BENQ PB6200 

NEC LT10 

SCREENPLAY 4805 Once cutting-edge, BenQ’s budget 

The punchy little LT10 is 7.8 inches 

InFocus’ lower-end ScreenPlay rivals DLP now lags behind: The PB6200 is wide and 2.1 pounds, but it throws 

the Optoma for image quality. Its rich less vibrant than other models, with a big, bright picture on your wall or 

colors impressed – including deep 

washed-out reds, and it lacks high- screen. Meant for the boardroom, 

blues and reds – but the unit puts 

definition component video inputs. it does the job in the living room too, 

out less light than we’d like. It’s better But it’s bright enough to use even with a few compromises: The fan 

equipped than our pick, however, 

with some ambient light, and the 

whines, and there’s no economy 

with 1,024 x 768 resolution, plus hi-def preset Video, Vivid, and Economy 

mode. Plus, the lamp is rated at 2,000 

component and DVI inputs. 

modes are handy. 

hours (the others claim 3,000). 

$1,499, www.infocus.com 

$1,599, www.benq.com 

$1,795, www.necsam.com 



Widescreen PC Monitors 

CRTs are for squares. Widescreen LCDs turn even casual photo editing into a cinematic event 

and display DVDs in full 16:9 glory. A couple of these 23-inchers even do TV. – M. David Stone 

SONY SDM-P234 

Sony’s LCD delivers fine gradation 

with bright colors. It does a great 

job converting VGA to digital, 

adjusting the analog signal to lock 

in crispness. Advanced image 

controls include gamma response 

and color temperature presets, 

while adjusting the screen’s swivel 

and tilt is effortless. 


APPLE CINEMA 

HD DISPLAY 

The Cinema HD is a top performer 

when it comes to image quality, and 

it just beats out the others in subtle 

shading of bright colors. Using the tilt 

feature is a kinesthetic joy – the panel 

has an Olympic gymnast’s balance. 

But there’s no VGA input, so you can’t 

connect most laptops. 

$1,999, www.apple.com 

HP F2304 HD LCD 

No matter what’s on display, this HP screen is hard to ignore. 

Digital DVI and analog D-sub connectors take your PC’s output, 

while S-video and component video jacks handle everything 

from a DVD player to a TV tuner. Image quality is superb 

whatever the source. The built-in speakers offer ample sound, 

and the picture-in-picture feature gives you the luxury of 

watching TV or video in a small window while checking email 

or surfing the Web on the rest of the screen. 

$2,199, www.hp.com 

SHOWN 

PHILIPS 

BRILLIANCE 230W5 

Though it looks like a concept model 

from decades past, this LCD doubles 

as a high-definition TV screen. 

Unfortunately, it has a bit more pixel 

jitter than other models that accept 

analog input. An integrated 8-in-1 

memory card reader lets you send 

digicam images to your PC via USB. 

$2,399, www.philipsusa.com 

VIDEO 

WIDESCREEN PC MMOONNIITTOORRSS

WIRED TEST 

VIDEO 

Digital Video 

Recorders 

Kick your VHS machine to the curb. DVRs 

are easier to use, deliver a better picture, and 

find your favorite shows for you. by Brian Lam 

71 

72 

74 

High-Definition DVRs 

Standard-Definition DVRs 

DVD-Burning DVRs 

PLUS: 

76 DVD Rental by Mail 

77 Movies-On-Demand 

069

VIDEO 

DIGITAL VIDEO RECORDERS 

WIRED TEST 

Digital Video Recorder Essentials 

070 

1 

7 

6 

Channel 12 

2 

4 

5 

3 

Thu 3/25 

Thu 3/25 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

STORAGE 

DVR capacities range from 40 to 

more than 300 gigs. Sixty minutes 

of standard-definition programming 

requires roughly 1 gig, an hour of 

high-definition about 8 gigs. 

TUNERS 

Most boxes have standard TV tuners 

equipped for rabbit ears or analog 

cable. Branded DVRs from Comcast, 

DirecTV, and Dish Network can 

handle those services’ higher-quality 

digital signals. 

INTERFACE AND LISTINGS 

Specs like hard disk space, inputs, 

and sharing are important, but user 

experience matters most. Program 

guides – the grids of channels 

and shows your DVR downloads 

from a listing service – should scroll 

quickly and be easily scannable. 

REMOTE CONTROL 

The remote should fit comfortably in 

your hand, with the most frequently 

used buttons – like channel and 

volume – directly under your thumb. 

CONNECTIONS 

High-quality outputs ensure a 

crisp, clear picture. Coaxial and 

composite video aren’t as good 

as S-video. Analog component 

video and HDMI – which support 

progressive-scan DVDs and HDTV 

– are the best choices. 

NETWORKING 

Some DVRs let you swap shows with 

other DVRs, or share them with a PC, 

using an Ethernet or Wi-Fi network. 

A few support remote scheduling 

via the Web. 

DVD BURNER 

Some machines come with a burner 

for archiving programs, home 

videos, and slideshows. DVD-R and 

DVD+R discs are compatible with 

most players.

High-Definition DVRs 

If you shelled out for an HDTV, only a hi-def recorder will do. Most are integrated 

into a cable or satellite box, which makes setup easy – but ties you to one service. 

CCHHEEAAPP TTHRRIILLL 

EEDDIITTOORRSS’’ 

PIICCK� 

� COMCAST/MOTOROLA DCT6208 

At 80 gigs, the hard drive holds only 10 hours 

of HDTV. And the myopic guide displays a mere 

hour of programming per screen. But the price 

is nice: Instead of plunking down a grand for the 

device, you rent it for about $10 per month 

(the fee is added to your cable bill). A bargain 

– if Comcast serves your area. 

$10-13 per month, www.motorola.com 

� 

DIRECTV HD DVR 

This unit combines three of the best lounge-chair 

technologies out there: high-definition, hundreds 

of DirecTV channels, and TiVo’s legendary remote 

and interface. Dual sat and over-the-air HD tuners 

can pack the 250-Gbyte drive with up to 30 hours 

of hi-def shows. Alas, DirecTV hasn’t activated 

remote scheduling, and TiVo’s guide is sluggish. 

$999, www.directv.com 

� DISH PLAYER-DVR 921 

This Dish Network set-top supports picture-inpicture, 

so you can watch dueling episodes 

and Law & Order and CSI: New York on one screen. 

But the interface and guide are a little homely, 

and despite having the same 250 gigs of hard 

drive space, the device stores only 25 hours of 

hi-def programming. 

$999, www.dishnetwork.com 

� LG LST-3410A 

The LG is the only high-definition DVR we tested 

that isn’t linked to a cable or satellite service. 

Its integrated tuner gets HD content from – and 

only from – the local airwaves. Program listings 

come through a clumsy TV Guide interface, 

which forces you to manually map programs 

to channel numbers. 

$1,000, www.lge.com 

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WIRED 

Well-designed remote. Setting up 

recordings is hassle-free, and you 

can search for shows by title. 

TIRED 

Single tuner – you can’t record 

a show while watching another 

channel. Low storage. No dubbing 

by keyword. 

WIRED 

TiVo remote and interface. HDMI 

carries digital video and audio 

through a single cable. Can record 

two programs while playing a 

third from the hard drive. 

TIRED 

Doesn’t support picture-in-picture. 

Remote scheduling disabled. 

WIRED 

Includes three HD tuners: two 

satellite, one broadcast. DVI and 

component outputs. 

TIRED 

Recurring shows can only be 

scheduled by time – not by title. 

Remote suffered interference. 

WIRED 

HD reception and recording with 

no cable or satellite fees. FireWire 

hookup for recording from a 

DV cam. Handy thumbnails of 

saved content. 

TIRED 

Only a handful of stations currently 

broadcast in HD. 120-Gbyte drive 

holds just 12.5 hours of hi-def. 

VIDEO 

DDIIGGIITTAALL VVIIDDEEOO RREECCOORRDDEERRSS

VIDEO 


WIRED TEST 

Standard-Definition DVRs 

They won’t fill widescreen HDTVs with hi-res images, but these recorders mean you’re 

always just a few clicks away from your favorite shows. 

072 

SSPPLUURRGGE 

EDDIITOORRSS’ 

PIICKK� 

� DISH PLAYER-DVR 510 

Dish’s standard-definition satellite-receiver-DVR 

combo stores up to 100 hours of shows on its 

120-Gbyte hard drive. Like other integrated models, 

it records in pure digital. But the 510 doesn’t support 

keyword recording (by director, by actor), and 

channel surfers will be frustrated by the guide’s 

1.5 hours of programming per screen. 

$299, plus $5 per month, www.dishnetwork.com 

� INTERACT-TV TELLY 

MC800 (40 GBYTE) 

This Linux-based powerhouse records TV, plays 

and rips CDs, and serves media to your TV or 

any PC on your home network. It even records full 

DVDs to its hard drive – a boon for backing up 

copy-protected Blockbuster rentals. But the guide 

and menu navigation are far from refined. 

$699, www.interact-tv.com 

� REPLAYTV 5504 

Remote scheduling, keyword searches, handy 

one-touch recording – the 5504 does everything a 

DVR should. Also onboard is Show|Nav, a buttonbased 

redo of the automatic ad-skipping feature 

that got ReplayTV into hot water a few years ago. 

And to top it off, the picture here is by far the 

sharpest of the non-hi-def lot. 

$150, plus $13 per month, www.replaytv.com 

� TIVO SERIES2 DVR (80 GBYTE) 

TiVo’s interface is pure pleasure, with clean menus 

and easy navigation via the remote’s thumbpad. 

The guide is prodigious, giving you hours of 

program listings at a glance. And few DVRs can 

match TiVo’s keyword searching, season 

passes that catch every episode of a show, 

and remote scheduling. 

$299, plus $13 per month, www.tivo.com 

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WIRED 

All-digital recording. Phone jack for 

displaying caller ID info on TV. New 

Dish subscribers get box for free. 

TIRED 

Onscreen guide makes finding 

programs tedious. Recording 

options limited. Single tuner (dual 

model is on the way). 

WIRED 

Shares media with any computer 

on your network. No service fees. 

TIRED 

Pricey. Remote scheduling feature 

requires you to log onto your 

home network. 

WIRED 

Component video and digital 

audio outputs. Ethernet port. 

Multiple units can share content 

and recording duties. Quick 

guide scrolling. 

TIRED 

Remote and menus not quite 

as elegant as TiVo’s, making 

ReplayTV slightly harder to use. 

WIRED 

Multiple TiVo’s can share content 

over home network. Great 

interface and remote. Powerful 

recording filters. 

TIRED 

USB adapter required for sharing. 

Sluggish guide scrolling.

VIDEO 


WIRED TEST 

DVD-Burning DVRs 

Even the biggest hard drive can’t store every Simpsons episode. A DVD-burning model 

lets you commit it all to memory. Your only limit: Shelf space. 

074 

EDDIITOORRS’’ 

PPIICCKK� 

QUIICCK TIPP 

� PANASONIC DMR-E95H 

This imaging freak’s dream can grab pictures 

from SD and CF flash memory with its built-in card 

readers. Dubbing video from the hard drive to 

DVD (and vice versa for non-copy-protected discs) 

is no problem. But the TV Guide scheduler doesn’t 

automatically match program information to channel 

number, making recording tedious. 


� 

PIONEER DVR-810H 

With a TiVo operating system, this is the only 

DVD writer for true couch potatoes. It offers all of 

TiVo’s service perks, including remote scheduling, 

and takes the mystery out of burning with a nifty 

pie-chart view of a disc’s capacity as you load it 

up with shows. You can’t rip flicks to the hard 

drive, though, and home-movie buffs are forced 

to go analog when importing digicam footage. 

$499, plus $13 per month, 

www.pioneerelectronics.com 

� TOSHIBA RD-XS32 

The RD-XS32’s remote and menus were mindnumbingly 

complex – think graphing calculators 

and clocks on old VCRs. Plus, it uses the lame 

TV Guide system that requires manual matching 

of show info to channel numbers. We expected 

more from Toshiba. 

$500, www.toshiba.com 

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WIRED 

Plays DVD-Audio discs. Easy-touse 

remote. Simple video clip 

editing. Front FireWire port. Duallayer 

DVD-RAM drive records up to 

16 hours per disc, and 160-Gbyte 

hard drive stores 284 hours of video. 

TIRED 

TV Guide scheduler almost useless. 

Doesn’t provide seamless pausing 

and replaying of live TV, à la TiVo. 

WIRED 

TiVo service and remote control 

features. Stores up to six hours 

of video per disc. Can burn a DVD 

while recording TV and playing a 

show from its 80-Gbyte hard drive. 

TIRED 

No FireWire for DV cams. Can’t 

edit shows before burning. Hard 

drive capacity limited to 80 hours. 

WIRED 

Onboard editing tools. Rips noncopy-protected 

DVDs. 

TIRED 

Byzantine controls. Setting record 

quality is confusing. 

If you’re shopping for a DVR, you might want to 

consider a Media Center PC instead (see page 136).

SSTTAANNDDARD-DEFINITION 

DDVVD-BBUURNIINNG 

Building a Better DVR 

Instead of idly waiting for the perfect one to appear, we propose this recipe. 

Interface: Moxi 

We love the screw-the-manual ease of TiVo’s menus and 

controls, but we’ve seen better. Moxi by Digeo has a slicker 

UI, and it’s lightning fast (unlike TiVo). At press time, Moxi was 

being tested in more than 50 cable markets in seven states. 

Burner: Blu-Ray 

DVD burning is the best way to archive TV shows. Current 

discs hold up to eight hours of standard-definition TV but 

not a minute of HD – the formats don’t match. Blu-Ray 

recorders, available in Japan, store more than two hours 

of hi-def per disc. 

Compression: MPEG-4 

Hard drives and DVDs will hold even more HDTV when we 

ditch the MPEG-2 video-compression standard (requiring 

8 to 10 gigs per hour) for this leaner codec. 

Rating 

5 

4 

3.5 

4.5 

TiVo 

Series 2 DVR 

$299 

80 TiVo 

4 ReplayTV 5504 $150 40 ReplayTV 

3.5 

3 

4 

3.5 

� 

Model 

DirecTV 

HD DVR 

Dish 

Player-DVR 921 

Comcast/ 

Motorola 

DCT6208 

Interact-TV 

Telly MC800 

Dish 

Player-DVR 510 

Pioneer 

DVR-810H 

Panasonic 

DMR-E95H 

Price 

$999 

$999 

$10-13/ 

month 

$699 

$299 

$499 

$800 

Capacity 

(Gbytes) 

40 

120 

Listings 

Service 

Interact- 

TV 

Dish 

Network 

80 TiVo 

160 Gemstar 

2.5 Toshiba RD-XS32 $500 80 Gemstar 

Connection: CableCard Slot 

Currently you’re stuck using a branded DVR from your cable 

or satellite company or wiring up your tuner box through 

inferior analog ports. CableCard slots will allow a DVR to act 

as a decoder for any subscription service, even multiple 

services. That means fewer cables, video that hits your hard 

drive without lossy D/A conversion, and the ability to record 

several programs simultaneously. 

Networking: Microsoft Media Center 2005 

Some DVRs can be linked together to share content over 

a network, but what about your movie and music collections? 

The solution: a media motherbrain that stores your favorite 

shows, DVDs, and MP3s in a single location, and doles them 

out to slave boxes around the house. Microsoft’s Media 

Center 2005 can connect a Media Center PC to a TV through 

a Media Center Extender (see page 137). Because there’s 

more to life than The Apprentice. – B.L. 

Inputs 

250 TiVo Antenna, satellite 

250 

Dish 

Network 

80 Comcast 

Antenna, satellite, 

composite video 

Cable, FireWire, 


HIGH-DEFINNITIONN Digital Video Recorders Scorecard 

2.5 LG LST-3410A $1,000 120 Gemstar 

� 

� 

Antenna, FireWire, 


Antenna, cable, sat., 

S-video, composite video 

Antenna, cable, 

satellite, S-video, 


Antenna, cable, satellite, 

FireWire, S-video, 


Antenna, satellite 

Antenna, cable, 

satellite, S-video, 








Outputs 

HDMI, component, 

S-video, composite video; 

optical, RCA audio 

DVI, component, 

S-video, coaxial, composite 

video; optical, RCA audio 





S-video, RGB, composite 



video; RCA audio 

Component, S-video, 

coaxial, composite video; 


S-video, SVGA, composite 

video; coaxial, RCA audio 

S-video, composite video; 






composite video; optical, 

RCA audio 





Great TiVo interface, 

HDMI-to-DVI 

cable included 

Picture-in-picture, dual 

HD tuners, RF remote, 

USB port 

Rentable, so it’s a 

bargain; Ethernet and 

USB ports 

No cable or satellite 

service required 

Best interface, USB port, 

remote scheduling 

Progressive video output, 

remote scheduling, 

Ethernet and USB ports 

Rips CDs and DVDs, 

remote scheduling, 

Ethernet and USB ports 

Displays caller ID 

info on TV 

DVD burning via TiVo 

interface, no fee for basic 

TiVo service, USB 

DVD-Audio support, 

flash-memory readers, 

PC card slot 

Front inputs for 

camcorders, rips 

unprotected DVDs 

VIDEO 

DDIIGGIITTAALL VVIIDDEEOO RREECCOORRDDEERRSS

VIDEO 

DVD RENTAL BY MAIL 

WIRED TEST 

DVD Rental by Mail 

Stop spending Saturday nights stalking your video shop’s barren shelves. 

DVD-by-mail services offer thousands of titles – and no late fees. – Kari Lynn Dean 

076 

� 

BLOCKBUSTER ONLINE 

After pulling the plug on its disastrous Film Caddy 

service, the gargantuan video chain returns with 

a slick interface and selection on par with Netflix. 

The recently launched Blockbuster Online looks 

promising, but we encountered long waits for 

popular films that smaller services had on hand. 

$20 per month for three discs at a time, 

www.blockbuster.com 

� CAFEDVD.COM 

Looking for the restored version of Orson Welles’ 

The Stranger or Bob Marley’s Heartland Reggae? Cult, 

foreign, art house, noir – Café DVD has ’em all. There’s 

little chance you can out-obscure them, and if you 

do, your suggestions stand a good chance of being 

added. Plus, turnaround is comparable to Netflix. 


www.cafedvd.com 

� NETFLIX 

Since its 1999 launch, this service has spawned 

droves of copycats. But with the largest number of 

distribution centers and a stock of 25,000 titles, Netflix 

is still tops. Its library is brimming with blockbusters, 

as well as indies and cult TV shows. Meanwhile, 

the site is loaded with features like reviews and 

Amazon.com-style personalized recommendations. 


www.netflix.com 

� WAL-MART DVD RENTALS 

Wally World pulled together a library of 15,000 

titles and began offering online rentals last year. 

Unfortunately, the service is buried deep within 

the retail behemoth’s main Web site, which uses 

a puzzling search engine. The result? Film fans 

looking for their fave flicks often find themselves lost 

in a labyrinth of electronics and baby gear instead. 

$18.76 per month for three discs at a time, 

www.walmart.com/dvdrentals 

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WIRED 

Giant library of current hits and 

classics. Free two-week trial. 

Subscribers get two complimentary 

in-store rentals per month. 

TIRED 

Confusing search engine. 

No trailers. 

WIRED 

Protective packaging prevents 

damaged discs. Per-rental pricing 

option starts at $3 (plus shipping). 

TIRED 

Unintuitive search. No trailers. 

Short on critically panned flicks. 

WIRED 

Lickety-split next-day delivery for 

most customers. Fluid interface. 

Up-to-date film database lets users 

queue up titles not yet released to 

DVD. Movie trailers. 

TIRED 

Prices keep creeping upward. The 

occasional scratched disc. 

WIRED 

With a large movie selection at 

a slightly lower-than-average 

price, it’s not a bad value. Offers 

a one-month trial. 

TIRED 

Frustrating interface. Three-day 

deliveries. Expect to wait even 

longer for popular movies. 

SPACE FOR SMALL PHOTO AND ART CREDITS

Movies-On-Demand 

If the US Postal Service is too slow for your film habit, lug your laptop 

to the La-Z-Boy and get Hollywood hits piped in via broadband. – K.L.D. 

QUIICCK TIP 

� CINEMA NOW 

The granddaddy of MOD offers a rotating library 

of 2,000 titles, plus download-to-own movies and 

cheesy adult flicks. Unfortunately chaos reigns: 

Pricing and viewing rules vary from film to film. 

The site’s design is pretty clunky, but if your 

connection is fast enough, you can start watching 

the moment your download begins. 

$3-5 per viewing, $30 per month, $100 per year, 

www.cinemanow.com 

� MOVIELINK 

This two-year-old spawn of a Hollywood studio 

consortium offers a slim selection of about 900 

films, though it has more new titles than any of its 

competitors. Simple pay-per-view pricing makes it 

clear how much each title will ping your pocketbook 

– but even $5 stings when you’re limited to one 

viewing. Plus, DRM software sucks the film from 

your hard drive 24 hours after you first hit Play. 

$2 to $5 per viewing, www.movielink.com 

� STARZ! TICKET ON REAL MOVIES 

Here’s a simple approach geared to casual 

viewers: Pay one low monthly fee for access to 

a basic catalog of movies. This new partnership 

of Starz! and RealNetworks resembles cable 

pay-per-view: About 150 films are available at a 

time, 25 percent of which change each week. 

The cost includes unlimited viewing of up to three 

registered PCs during a film’s availability period. 

$13 per month, www.real.com/movies 

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Porn! Huge catalog. Wish lists, 

trailers, and the option to subscribe 

instead of paying per movie. 

TIRED 

Convoluted pricing. Cumbersome 

search engine. Library teems with 

lame titles. 

WIRED 

Easy software installation and site 

navigation. Works with both Real 

and Windows Media players. 

Offers bookmarks and a good 

selection of recent flicks. 

TIRED 

A tad pricier than video stores and 

DVD delivery services. 

WIRED 

The ability to schedule downloads 

in advance. Bookmarks let you pick 

up where you left off. 

TIRED 

Desperately Seeking Susan and 

the best of Vin Diesel not ideal 

choices for a library limited to just 

150 titles. 

Study fee structures. A subscription isn’t worth it if 

the films you want to watch are pay-per-view only. 

VIDEO 

MOVIES-ON-DEMAND

WIRED TEST 

AUDIO 

MP3 Players 

The iPod rocks, but the competition is hotter 

than ever. There’s more than one way to 

get your groove on. by Brendan I. Koerner 

81 

83 

84 

20-Gig Hard Drive Players 

Microdrive Players 

Flash-Memory Players 

PLUS: 

88 

90 

Travel Speakers 

Online Music Stores 

079

AAUUDIO 

MP3 PLAYERS 

WIRED TEST 

MP3 Player Essentials 

080 

6 

1 

Track 

Volume 

5 

2 

4 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

INTERFACE 

Dialing up a song shouldn’t be a 

finger-numbing chore. Beware 

of sticky buttons, confusing menus, 

and other design flaws. There’s 

no rule as to what works best, so 

try before you buy. 

SOUND QUALITY 

Some players lose their composure 

at high volumes – frustrating especially 

if you’re listening through speakers 

instead of headphones. Also, for finetuned 

playback look for preset or 

manual equalizer functions. 

BATTERY LIFE 

Flash-memory devices burn through 

less juice and take standard alkaline 

cells, while the power centers in hard 

drive players tend to degrade over 

time. Never trust manufacturer claims 

– the true lifespan is always lower. 

STORAGE 

If portability is the chief concern – 

say, for joggers or frequent travelers 

– a flash player is the way to go. 

Hard disk varieties cost and weigh 

more but are worth it if you want 

thousands of songs at your disposal. 

LINE-IN RECORDING 

Some units let you bypass your 

computer and dupe directly from a 

CD player or stereo. 

FILE TRANSFER 

Get a player with a USB 2.0 or Fire- 

Wire port. Life’s too short to load up 

tunes at USB 1.1 speeds.

20-Gig Hard Drive Players 

The iPod set a standard that once seemed unachievable: megastorage without 

megabulk. We cranked the volume on a half-dozen pocket jukeboxes. 

EEDIITOORSS’ 

PPIICCK� 

� APPLE iPOD 

The great-grandson of the player that changed 

everything, the latest iPod adopts the mini’s click 

wheel even as it sheds a few millimeters of girth. 

Best of all, this beauty costs a hair below $300. 

Alas, it still lacks Windows Media Audio support, 

line-in recording, and an FM tuner. But Apple, we 

forgive you. 

$299, www.apple.com 

� 

ARCHOSGMINI 220 

The Gmini 220 nearly knocks the pulp out of Apple’s 

player. Its audio is every bit as good, and unlike 

the ’Pod, it plays WMA tracks. The large screen 

and menu icons make navigation a cinch; it even 

displays JPEGs. The main thing that kept the Gmini 

out of our top spot was the dearth of accessories 

available for it. 

$349, www.archos.com 

� CREATIVE ZEN TOUCH 

It looks a lot like the iPod, but in place of the click 

wheel the Zen Touch features a pressure-sensitive 

strip. Though a tad overresponsive, it works well 

once you get a feel for it. Also praiseworthy are the 

fast transfer rate and long battery life. Downers 

include heft (7 ounces) and sound quality, which 

lacks depth. 

$250, us.creative.com 

� RIO KARMA 

Though chunky, the Karma is a strong contender for 

hard disk domination. The control stick is a snap to 

master, and the onscreen menus are intuitively laid 

out – even playlist creation is easy. Songs are a bit 

slow to load, but features like line-in recording 

through the unit’s dock make up for it. Bonus points 

for the ergo design. 

$300, www.rioaudio.com 

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WIRED 

An interface that is the measure 

of all others. Thin and light 

(5.6 ounces) for a hard disk player. 

Good sound. Healthy 25-minute 

skip protection. Oodles of add-ons. 

TIRED 

iTunes software occasionally 

crashes in Windows. 

WIRED 

Beautiful LCD. Type I/II Compact- 

Flash slot. Built-in microphone. 

USB 2.0. Smartly designed controls. 

Smooth transitions when moving 

through menus. Rich sound. 

TIRED 

Fewer accessories than for the 

iPod. Slightly bigger than it, too. 

WIRED 

Innovative (if hair-trigger) 

controls. Blazing transfers from 

PC to player. Stellar battery life 

– very close to Creative’s claim of 

24 hours. Fair price. 

TIRED 

Not Mac compatible. Manual 

equalizer has only four bands. 

So-so sound. No built-in FM tuner. 

WIRED 

Simple controls and menus. 

Plays MP3, WMA, WAV, FLAC, and 

Ogg Vorbis. Ethernet docking 

station lets you share tunes over 

a network. 

TIRED 

PC-only. A little thick through 

the middle. Lags occasionally 

when fast-forwarding. No voice 

recorder or FM tuner. 

AUDIO 

MP3 PLAAYERSS

AAUUDIO 

MP3 PLAYERS 

WIRED TEST >> 20-GIG HARD DRIVE PLAYERS 

082 

SSPPLLUURRGGEE 

� SONY NW-HD1 

Sony’s new hard drive player sounds good, looks 

great, and delivers a category-killing 29 hours 

of use on a single charge. Otherwise, it blows. 

The LCD is dim, the control pad cramped, and the 

menus arcane. The capper: The HD1 plays Sony’s 

ATRAC3 and ATRAC3plus formats only. And 

the SonicStage software, included, takes too long 

to convert MP3s into ATRAC3s. 


� TOSHIBA GIGABEAT G21 

This import-only jewel is amazingly sleek. It’s also 

Wi-Fi ready: Plug an 802.11 adapter into the USB 

port in the cradle and access your playlists over 

a wireless network. The LCD is just a thin strip, but 

its crispness compensates. Toshiba has yet to 

announce release plans for the US, but you can 

buy the Gigabeat online from Dynamism. 

$599, www.dynamism.com 

MP3 Players How We Tested 

COMPUTER SETUP 

Each piece of bundled file-management software 

was loaded onto a PC running Windows XP and, 

when appropriate, a Mac running OS X. For units 

that double as storage drives we also checked 

drag-and-drop transfers. 

EQUALIZER 

We tried out all the presets and tweaked manual 

EQs to gauge how well each enhanced the audio. 

GENRES AND FORMATS 

To see how players handled different music 

styles, we spun hip hop, rock, house, jazz, soul, 

country, and classical. In addition to MP3s, we 

downloaded WMA and Ogg Vorbis files. 

PORTABILITY 

We charged them up and hauled them around 

town to get a feel for how they perform in the 

outside world. 

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WIRED 

Attractive design. Outstanding 

battery life. Rich audio. 

TIRED 

Price is too much for too little. 

Hard-to-read screen. Tiny control 

pad. SonicStage feels like a giant 

ad for Sony’s music store. Not 

Mac compatible. 

WIRED 

Elegant design. Thin and light. 

Easy to operate. Wireless-ready. 

Plays MP3, WMA, and WAV files. 

Its 28 equalizer presets range 

from Acoustic to R&B. 

U 

TIRED 

Luxe price point. No built-in voice 

recorder or FM tuner. Controls are 

awkward. PC-only. 

SOUND QUALITY 

To judge output, we listened to each player 

with the bundled headphones and through 

a pair of Sony MDR-V300 studio cans. We also 

connected players to a Sony STR-5355 

stereo with Sony APM-790 speakers to better 

determine the sonic range. 

BATTERY LIFE 

We ran the units nonstop until they conked 

out, and fiddled with a range of functions and 

controls (fast-forward, pause, volume) to mimic 

real conditions. 

LINE-IN RECORDING 

On devices that feature a line-in port, we 

recorded a track from a CD. 

PLAYLISTS 

We created at least one playlist on the 

computer and, if possible, on the player itself.

Microdrive Players 

Larger than flash-memory devices but more portable than their storage-rich 

older siblings, these pack in enough music for long workdays or short trips. 

EEDIITORRS’’ 

PPIICCK� 

QUIICCK TIPP 

� 

� 

� 

APPLE iPOD MINI 

Sure, the mini looks like a zillion bucks, and the 

click wheel is nifty. But for 4 gigs the price is way 

too steep. And the sound isn’t quite on par with 

its predecessor – especially when the volume is 

up high. Another knock: the unit’s unimpressive 

battery life, less than six hours in our tests. Still, 

we’re suckers for a hot bod. 


RIO CARBON 

The new leader in microdrives is thinner and lighter 

than the competition. It also sounds better – even 

through the bundled earbuds. The Carbon has a 

microphone for voice recording, and you can add 

songs directly to your playlist, without software, 

via USB 2.0. At 5 gigs, it offers more storage than 

Apple’s mini for the same scratch. Southpaw gripe: 

The jog wheel is out of thumb’s reach. 


SONIQCAST ELEMENT AIREO 

Much respect to the Aireo for cutting the cables: 

It scans your PC’s hard drive and downloads audio 

files over your 802.11b network. The wireless 

transfers worked fine but rarely eclipsed USB 1.1 

rates. Great idea, but the Aireo is heavy at 8 ounces 

and memory-poor at 1.5 gigs. 

$180, www.soniqcast.com 

WIRED 

Thin and light. Drag-and-drop 

transfers. Easy EQ adjustment. 

Deep bass makes it perfect 

for hip hop or electronica. Battery 

life tops 18 hours. High-quality 

built-in mike. Plays WMAs in 

addition to MP3 and Audible files. 

Tough on lefties. No FM tuner. 

Don’t pay for extra storage if size matters most. 

What rocks on the road might suck at the gym. 

W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

U 

WIRED 

The design belle of the ball. 

Brilliantly crafted click wheel. 

Superfast FireWire transfers. 

Very bright backlight. 25-minute 

skip buffer. 

TIRED 

Not much storage for the money. 

Doesn’t play WMA files. Lackluster 

battery life. No voice or line-in 

recording. Lacks FM tuner. 

TIRED 

WIRED 

Syncs wirelessly with your 

PC’s music library. Installation 

software is stored on player, 

so no discs to lose. Fast toggling 

between screens. 

TIRED 

Big and heavy. Minimal storage. 

Works only with Windows XP and 

2000 (with Service Pack 4). No 

USB 2.0 transfers. Feeble power. 

AUDIO 

MMP3 PLAYYERS

AAUUDIO 

MP3 PLAYERS 

WIRED TEST 

Flash-Memory Players 

Your iPod is great for commuting but feels like a brick at the track or on the 

treadmill. Grab a featherlight flash device for maximum mobility. 

084 

QUIICCK TIPP 

� BENQ JOYBEE 102R 

Barely larger than a hand buzzer, the Joybee was 

the smallest and lightest tune carrier we encountered. 

It has no features to speak of, not even an 

LCD. This player is all about portability, and it 

delivers. It also sounds great, even hooked up to 

a stereo. The battery lasts only seven hours on a 

single charge, but it’s easy to replenish via USB. 

$99, www.benq.com 

� iRIVER iFP-890 

iRiver’s li’l guy is an all-around performer, weighing 

just 2.2 ounces – with battery – and packing 

a mighty-sharp LCD. A superb line-in recorder, the 

iFP-890 also packs a mike that captures speech 

with impressive clarity when the subject is within 

10 feet. The stubby joystick works surprisingly 

well, and a single AA cell yields up to 32 hours 

of play time. 

$150, www.iriveramerica.com 

� JENS OF SWEDEN MP-130 

This Scandinavian expat has a gorgeous two-color 

screen that materializes, ghostlike, on the silver 

casing once the unit powers up. Aesthetics aside, 

the MP-130 had the best sound and clearest 

voice recording of any flash player we looked 

at. If only we’d paid more attention to the Swedish 

Chef on The Muppet Show, maybe we could 

decipher the Svenske user’s manual. 

$180, www.jensofsweden.com 

WIRED 

Unique, beautiful screen. Light 

(1.5 ounces with battery). Fast seek 

time. No software required. Great 

built-in mike. Quick USB recharge. 

Mac and Linux compatible. 

USB 1.1 (at least tolerable in 

a 256-Mbyte player). Equalizer 

presets didn’t do much for the audio. 

Memory not expandable. 

Gadget abusers, take note: Flash devices are 

superdurable – and they’re impervious to skips. 

W 

W 

WIRED 

Weighs half an ounce. Works with 

Windows, Mac, and Linux. Battery 

recharges through USB 2.0. Fast 

transfers with QMusic software. 

U 

TIRED 

W 

No screen or EQ. Earbuds have 

annoying plastic bar between 

wires. Only 128 megs (a 256-Mbyte 

version is on the way). 

WIRED 

Lightweight and comfortable to 

hold. Doubles as a file caddy. Great 

line-in and FM recording. Powerful 

amp. Plays open source Ogg Vorbis, 

plus MP3, WMA, and ASF files. 

U 

TIRED 

Music Manager software 

essentially a more complicated 

Windows Explorer. Bundled 

earbuds wouldn’t stay in place. 

U 

TIRED

AAUUDIO 

MP3 PLAYERS 

WIRED TEST >> FLASH-MEMORY PLAYERS 

086 

EEDDIITTOORRSS’’ 

PPICCKK� 

20-GIG HARD DRIVVEE 

MICRODDRIVEE 

FLASH-MEMORYY 

� 

� 

MP3 Players Scorecard 

NIKE PHILIPS MP3RUN 

Joggers will get an endorphin rush from the 

MP3Run. It includes a Bluetooth-enabled 

pedometer that clips onto shoelaces and feeds 

speed-and-distance info to the rubber-coated 

player. A digital voice announces your stats 

through the headphones at regular intervals. 

If you’re not a dedicated runner, though, look 

elsewhere – sound and navigation aren’t great. 

$299, www.nike-philips.com 

RIO FORGE 256MB SPORT 

Rio wins again, nabbing the checkered flag in our 

flash category to go with a first-place microdrive 

finish. The Forge features a crisp LCD, simple controls, 

and solid sound. Built for athletic use, it has an 

onboard stopwatch. But the real treat here is the 

expansion slot, which accepts SD and MMC cards. 


Rating Weight Battery Life 

Model 

Price Capacity File Formats 

(ounces) (hours) 

4.5 Apple iPod $299 20 Gbytes 

W 

WIRED 

Music player and pedometer in 

one. Rugged. Battery recharges 

in an hour. Cool strobe light for 

visibility at night. 

U TIRED 

U 

USB 1.1. Equalizer not manually 

adjustable. Sticky keys. Low 10-hour 

battery life. Wimpy output levels. 

W 

MP3, AAC, WAV, AIFF, 

Apple Lossless, Audible 

4 Archos Gmini 220 $349 20 Gbytes 6 

7 

MP3, WMA, WAV 

3.5 Rio Karma $300 20 Gbytes 

MP3, WMA, WAV, 

Ogg Vorbis, FLAC 

3.5 Toshiba Gigabeat G21 $599 20 Gbytes 4.8 9 

MP3, WMA, WAV 

3 Creative Zen Touch $250 20 Gbytes 7.1 19 

MP3, WMA, WAV 

1 Sony NW-HD1 $400 20 Gbytes 3.9 29 ATRAC3, ATRAC3plus 

5 Rio Carbon $250 5 Gbytes 3.2 18 

MP3, WMA, Audible 

3.5 Apple iPod mini $249 4 Gbytes 

4.5 

� 

� 

Rio Forge 

256MB Sport 

$170 

MP3, AAC, WAV, AIFF, 

Apple Lossless, Audible 

2 SoniqCast Element Aireo $180 1.5 Gbytes 8 

5 

MP3, WMA 

� 

256 Mbytes 2.6 18 

MP3, WMA, Audible 

4 BenQ Joybee 102R $99 128 Mbytes 0.5 7 

MP3, WMA, WAV 

4 iRiver iFP-890 $150 256 Mbytes 

MP3, WMA, 

Ogg Vorbis, ASF 

3.5 Jens of Sweden MP-130 $180 128 Mbytes 1.5 15 MP3, WMA, Ogg Vorbis 

3 Nike Philips MP3Run $299 256 Mbytes 2.5 10 

MP3, WMA 

5.6 

5.5 

3.6 

2.2 

9 

12 

6 

32 

WIRED 

Upgradable memory. Ergonomic 

shape and controls. Nice 18-hour 

battery life. Stopwatch records 

and averages lap times. FM tuner 

and recorder. Comfortable earbuds. 

U TIRED 

U 

No voice recording. Rio Music 

Manager is a pain to use. 


Many third-party 

accessories available 

Voice and line-in recording, 

manual EQ, card slot 

Docking station, line-in recording, 

manual EQ, instant syncing 

Wi-Fi ready 

FM tuner, FM and voice recording 

via optional remote, manual EQ 

Manual EQ 

Voice recording, manual EQ 

Five color choices 

FM tuner, Wi-Fi enabled, manual EQ 

Stopwatch, FM tuner and 

recording, card slot, manual EQ 

Supersmall 

FM tuner, voice and 

line-in recording, manual EQ 

FM tuner, voice and 

line-in recording, manual EQ 

Pedometer, strobe safety light

AAUUDIO 

PORTABLE SPEAKERS 

WIRED TEST 

Portable Speakers 

Headphones are fine when you’re on a plane, but you’ll want one of these baby 

blasters when you’re baking on the beach or hanging at the hotel. – Cathy Lu 

088 

ALTEC LANSING 

INMOTION iM3 

Slip your iPod into the inMotion’s slot, 

and you’ve got an elegant boom box 

that also functions as a dock for syncing 

and recharging. It delivers warm, rich 

sound and features a remote control 

and an auxiliary port for connecting 

other audio devices. 

$180, www.alteclansing.com 

JBL ON TOUR SHOWN 

Imagine Luciano Pavarotti’s voice coming out 

of Brad Pitt’s body. That’s the JBL On Tour. A 

curved door protects the speakers while you’re 

in transit and slides open to serve as a stand 

when you’re ready to rock. Its aluminum-domed 

drivers, powered by a 6-watt digital amp, handled 

everything from Beck to Bach with gusto. 

$100, www.jbl.com 

CREATIVE 

TRAVELSOUND i300 

The TravelSound i300 puts smooth, 

clean sound in a damn cute package. 

It’s perfect for the office – plug in 

headphones and the speakers mute 

automatically. But all the jacks 

are in the back, so the cables tend 

to get tangled. 

$80, www.creative.com 

SONY SRS-T88 

This portable kit is handsome, light, 

and compact. And it comes with 

a convenient case and a world voltage 

adapter. The attached audio 

cable wraps neatly around the unit, 

making it easy to store and hard to 

lose. Sadly, the cable is too short, 

and the sound is hollow and tinny. 



AAUUDIO 

ONLINE MUSIC STORES 

WIRED TEST 

Online Music Stores 

They’re fast, cheap, and tightly controlled. But with massive libraries and consistent 

quality, online music stores rival the P2P networks that inspired them. – Paul Boutin 

090 

� ALL OF MP3 

Invoking the authority of “license # LS-3?-03-79 of 

the Russian Multimedia and Internet Society,” this 

site, allegedly based in Moscow, sells downloads 

at about a penny a megabyte. It offers nearly 

every format in a range of bitrates – all free of copy 

protection. You pony up using CyberPlat, a sort of 

Russian PayPal, so there’s no credit card info on file. 

About 6 cents per song, www.allofmp3.com 

� APPLE iTUNES 

Apple fans would plug into iTunes whether it 

deserved it or not. But the store earns its 70 percent 

market share with innovative features, a stylish 

interface, and rock-solid stability on both PCs and 

Macs. And, of course, it’s not just a first-class 

record shop – it’s also a music management tool. 

The catch? iTunes works only with iPods, which 

start at a budget-busting $249 (for a measly 4 gigs). 

99 cents per song, www.itunes.com 

� MSN MUSIC 

Microsoft is late to the party, and – surprise – has 

used the time to mimic what everyone else is doing. 

The download page features Mac-esque lozenge 

buttons, and like iTunes, MSN charges 99 cents 

per song and allows files to reside on five devices 

at once. But Microsoft can’t match Apple when it 

comes to usability. The Web interface confuses with 

an inconsistent design and too many subwindows. 

99 cents per song, music.msn.com 

� 

NAPSTER 2.0 

The reborn Napster has little in common with the 

file-swapping software that started it all. Instead, 

Napster 2.0 offers dual service plans that combine 

the best traits of iTunes and Rhapsody. Pay the 

monthly rate and you can preview songs in their 

entirety before buying them. 

$9.95 per month or 99 cents per song, 

www.napster.com 

W 

U 

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U 

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U 

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U 

WIRED 

Cheap! Easy to use. Offers albums 

not available from US services. 

TIRED 

Artists almost surely get nothing. 

No file-management software. 

WIRED 

Tight integration with iPods. 

Extras include Billboard charts, 

free streaming of Internet radio 

stations, audio books, exclusive 

tracks, and celebrity playlists. 

TIRED 

No monthly subscription option. 

WIRED 

Its 160-Kbps WMAs sound better 

than iTunes’ 128-Kbps AAC files. 

TIRED 

Runs only on Internet Explorer. No 

Mac support. Cluttered interface. 

WIRED 

Desktop software’s interface 

shamelessly (and successfully) 

apes iTunes’ great design. Similar 

selection as iTunes, plus Napsteronly 

exclusive tracks. 

TIRED 

Some songs can only be streamed, 

not downloaded. 

SPACE FOR SMALL PHOTO AND ART CREDITS

� RHAPSODY 

If you use your PC like a jukebox, and you have a 

broadband connection, Rhapsody offers a tempting 

deal: stream as many songs as you want, as often 

as you want, for just 10 bucks a month. For offline 

listening, you can burn custom CDs from most 

of the service’s library and then rip the disc’s 

songs to your hard drive. 

$9.95 per month, plus 79 cents per song burned 

to CD, www.rhapsody.com 

� SONY CONNECT 

Sony’s attempt to move in on Apple’s turf is 

hampered by a bloated (35-Mbyte!) desktop app 

with a gaudy, meandering interface that seems 

designed by, or perhaps for, space aliens. And 

unlike iTunes, Connect is a lousy tool for organizing 

your digital library. Its only saving grace is that it’s 

intended for use with Sony portables, which start 

at less than half the price of an iPod mini. 

99 cents per song, www.connect.com 

� WAL-MART MUSIC DOWNLOADS 

Wal-Mart brings its cheaper-than-the-rest ethos to 

downloads and dispenses with software installation 

by using the Windows Media Player built into most 

PCs. Sure, it undercuts the competition by 11 cents 

per song, but it censors any lyrics it deems too racy. 

For example, the Bloodhound Gang’s “Hooray for 

Boobies” becomes the nearly vocal-free “Hooray.” 

88 cents per song, 

www.musicdownloads.walmart.com 

Online Music Stores Scorecard 

Rating 

Service 

Price 

Songs in 

Library 

File 

Formats 

4.5 Apple iTunes 99 cents per song 1 million AAC 

About 6 cents 

4 AllofMP3 280,000 

per song 

MP3, AAC, WMA, 

Ogg Vorbis, MPC, 

and more! 

W 

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U 

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U 

System 

Requirements 

Mac OS 10.1.5; 

Windows XP, 2000 

Just about anything 

$9.95 per month or 

4 Napster 2.0 700,000 WMA Windows XP, 2000 

99 cents per song 

$9.95 per month, plus 

3.5 Rhapsody 79 cents per song 

burned to CD 

780,000 

3 MSN Music 99 cents per song 1 million WMA 

2 

Wal-Mart Music 

Downloads 

88 cents per song 

WMA, 

Red Book Audio 

300,000 WMA 

WIRED 

Fewer dropouts than other Internet 

radio providers. You can burn music 

to CD as you listen. 

TIRED 

Some songs not available for burning. 

Can’t download directly to hard 

drives or portables. Windows only. 

WIRED 

Selection similar to iTunes, but 

also offers some exclusive tracks. 

Works with Sony’s low-cost players. 

TIRED 

No Internet radio stations. 

Proprietary ATRAC3 file format 

won’t work with non-Sony players. 

WIRED 

No software to install. Low persong 

fees. “Chill Out” playlist 

should be mandatory listening for 

aspiring hipsters. 

TIRED 

Windows XP, 2000, Me, 

98SE, NT; Internet Explorer 5.0 

Windows XP, 2000, 98SE; 

IE 5.01 with ActiveX 

Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98SE; 

Media Player 9.0; IE 5.5 

1 Sony Connect 99 cents per song 700,000 ATRAC3 Windows XP, 2000, Me, 98SE 

Limited selection. Windows-only 

copy protection means Mac users 

are not welcome. 

Maximum 

Computers 

per 

Download 

5 

Unlimited 

3 

Unlimited 

5 

3 

3 

Software 

Required 

Yes 

No 

Yes 

Yes 

Yes 

No 

Yes 

AUDIO 

ONLLINE MUSSIC STORRES

WIRED TEST 

AUDIO 

Home Theater Gear 

Just dropped a bundle on a plasma? You’re getting 

only half the experience. Add room-shaking sound 

for the complete blockbuster thrill ride. 

95 

97 

98 

99 

6.1 Surround Systems 

Autocalibrating Receivers 

12-Inch Subwoofers 

Virtual Surround Systems 

PLUS: 

101 

High-End Clock Radios 

093

AAUUDDIO 

AUDIO 

HOME THEATER GEAR 

WIRED TEST 

Home Theater Gear Essentials 

094 

6 

1 

5 

2 

4 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

RECEIVER INPUTS 

You’ll want a receiver with a slew 

of inputs. In particular, look for 

six-channel RCA inputs for DVD-Audio, 

optical and coaxial jacks for digital 

audio, and component video inputs 

for HDTV. 

SURROUND SOUND FORMATS 

Dolby Digital 5.1 (five speakers plus 

one subwoofer) isn’t the standard 

anymore. Modern amps decode Dolby 

Digital EX and DTS ES for authentic 

6.1 or 7.1 sound and can use Dolby 

Pro Logic IIx to spread two-channel 

stereo across a 7.1 array. 

AUTOCALIBRATION 

Receivers with autocalibration use 

an external microphone to optimize 

output settings such as speaker size 

and volume, and distance from the 

speaker to the listener – important 

to ensure sound from each channel 

reaches your ears at the same time. 

REAR SPEAKERS 

To hear the added depth of Dolby 

Digital EX soundtracks, place your 

sixth (and seventh if your system is 

7.1) speaker in the back of the room. 

SUBWOOFER 

These bass boxes add low end you 

can feel. If your amp doesn’t have a 

subwoofer-out channel, be sure your 

sub has a crossover function. This 

lets you route your main left and right 

speakers through your subwoofer. 

VIRTUAL SURROUND 

A new breed of home theater kits 

soothes wire angst by using software 

and up to three speakers to mimic the 

effect of a full 5.1 system. 

AUDIO 

HOME THEATER

6.1 Surround Systems 

TK 

The best home-theater-in-a-box kits now offer a sixth channel, letting you hear 

explosions, dialog, or music from directly behind you. – Michael Gowan 

EEDIITOORS’ 

PPIICCKK� 

QUIICCK TIPP 

� DENON DHT-485DV 

Denon’s system comes close to achieving 

affordable perfection. Textured scenes, like the 

opening of The Fellowship of the Ring, resonate 

with warmth and depth. The front speakers are 

a bit wimpy at stereo music, but the listening 

improves if you engage the sub and surround 

speakers via the Pro Logic IIx Music setting. 

$699, www.usa.denon.com 

� 

JVC QP-F30AL 

This feature-rich package comes with some nice 

perks, including stands for front and surround 

speakers and a clever auto-adjust feature. Sit in 

your favorite spot, clap your hands over your head, 

and the amp balances volume levels for you. But 

techie extras don’t help overall sound, which suffers 

from murky bass, limp vocals, and raspy treble. 


� KENWOOD HTB-S715DV 

When it came to doling out movie audio, this 

rig outperformed every competitor we threw at 

it. Kenwood’s system captures immersive back- 

and side-channel subtleties completely missing 

in other setups. Unfortunately, despite a thumpin’ 

subwoofer, voices lack bass and stereo audio 

sounds hollow. 

$1,000, www.kenwoodusa.com 

W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

U 

WIRED 

DVD player reveals details lost by 

other models. Lots of analog inputs, 

including ones for DVD-Audio. 

TIRED 

Only two digital audio inputs. Front 

speakers a little thin for music. 

WIRED 

Plays DVD-Audio discs. Elegant 

speaker stands look great next to 

a plasma screen. 

TIRED 

Lackluster sound – a classic case 

of style over substance. Overly 

complicated remote. 

WIRED 

Easy front-panel inputs for game 

consoles. Gorgeous brushedmetal 

components and speakers 

drip with modernity. 

TIRED 

No optical output (coaxial only) or 

DVD-Audio support. 

Take the time to fine-tune your system’s settings 

– it’ll make a huge difference in sound quality. 

AUDIO 

HOMME THEEATERR GEARR

AAUUDDIO 


WIRED TEST >> 6.1 SURROUND SYSTEMS 

6.1 SSUURRRROOUUNND 

AAUTOOCCALIIBBRATING 

RREECEIIVVERSS 

096 

� ONKYO HT-S777C 

Despite its wooden appearance, Onkyo’s kit 

pumped out the jams with serious bass and warm 

treble. While the spatial separation didn’t match 

the systems we tested from Yamaha and Kenwood, 

rich CD playback made the Onkyo HT-S777C our 

pick for music lovers. The amp is lousy with inputs, 

including three optical, four analog, and two 

component video sets. 

$700, www.onkyo.com 

� YAMAHA YHT-F1500 

With its silver components and tall, slim speakers, 

Yamaha’s offering looks straight-up high-end home 

cinema. And it produced exceptional surround 

effects: You’ll think bullet casings are dropping at 

your feet during The Matrix. But the system lacks 

distinctive bass – we noticed it especially when 

listening to CDs – and video output falters during 

dark scenes. 

$1,000, www.yamaha.com 

Home Theater Gear How We Tested 

MOVIE PLAYBACK 

To assess audio and video quality, we watched 

The Matrix in Dolby Digital, and Star Wars: 

Episode I – The Phantom Menace and The 

Fellowship of the Ring in Dolby Digital EX. 

MUSIC PLAYBACK 

We played tracks by Wynton Marsalis and 

Mozart in stereo and Dolby Pro Logic IIx Music 

modes, and the Flaming Lips in Dolby Digital. 

SPEAKER OPTIMIZATION 

Autocalibration amps set themselves to a Denon 

DVD player, Dynaudio Contour speakers, and a 

REL Storm III subwoofer. We then judged output 

with the DVDs The Matrix, The Thin Red Line, 

and Kill Bill: Vol. 1; the Super-Audio CD Sea 

Change, by Beck; and DVD-Audio discs Legions 

of Boom, by Crystal Method, and Uninvisible, by 

Medeski, Martin & Wood. 

112-INNCCH SUBBWWOOFFERRS 

VVIRTTUUAALL SUURRRROOUUNNDD 

vs 

W 

WIRED 

Full, rich sound. Crisp video 

playback from the six-disc DVD 

changer. Abundant rear-panel 

connection options. 

U 

TIRED 

W 

Won’t win a beauty pageant. 

Crammed-together speaker jacks 

hard to access and tighten properly. 

WIRED 

Well-distributed sound puts you 

in the picture. Elegant on-screen 

display makes setup easy. 

U 

TIRED 

Muddy bass and tinny treble equal 

unbalanced audio. No component 

video, so no HDTV support. 

RUMBLE AND NUANCE 

Each sub was placed in the same location 

in the room and set to the same volume 

level using a decibel reader. We then 

judged low-end output in Jurassic Park, 

The Fellowship of the Ring, Fight Club, 

and the DTS Superbit version of Das Boot. 

We listened for subtle bass overtones, 

the ability to stay true at loud volumes, 

and sheer rumble. 

EMULATION AND 

PERFORMANCE 

We calibrated each system to matching 

volume levels and left all other settings at 

default. We then played a series of music-, 

dialog-, and action-heavy scenes from 

The Matrix Revolutions, noting tone quality, 

spatial effects, dialog clarity, and clarity 

and steadiness at high volume.

Autocalibrating Receivers 

In addition to processing audio and video, these amps use a microphone to 

adjust themselves for optimal sound quality. – Steve Guttenberg 

EEDDITTORRSS’’ 

PPIICCKK� 

CCHHEAAPP TTHHRIILLL 

QUIICCK TIPP 

� DENON AVR 3805 

The 7.1-channel 3805 effortlessly autocalibrates, 

assessing speaker size and distance to the listener, 

then balancing output accordingly. Its 120 watts 

per channel are in full evidence on special effectsdriven 

DVDs, coasting through the most demanding 

sonic mayhem. And the big, warm sound flatters 

music equally well. 

$1,199, www.usa.denon.com 

� 

HARMAN KARDON AVR 330 

With satellite and subwoofer tuning options 

that can accommodate a wide range of speaker 

combos, the 330 can adapt to almost any situation. 

The automatic calibration uses a microphone 

cleverly built into the remote control. But where 

the Denon model tends to warm up sound, this 

amp’s output is exceedingly neutral. 

$799, www.harmankardon.com 

� PIONEER VSX-D914-K 

This Pioneer receiver offers quality sound for 

much less cash than the other units we tested. 

Music is clear and clean, though vocals, guitars, 

and brass instruments lack their natural warmth. 

The amp tends to clip at high volumes, causing 

the audio to coarsen, but at moderate levels the 

sound stays true. 

$475, www.pioneerelectronics.com 

W 

U 

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U 

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U 

WIRED 

Super Audio, DVD-Audio, and 

even phono inputs (a rarity on 

modern amps). Customizable 

speaker settings aplenty. 

TIRED 

Remote’s deep-blue membrane 

screen looks hip, but its morphing 

display will irk some users. Autocalibration 

mike not included. 

WIRED 

Its 55 watts per channel are at 

least as potent as most 100-watt 

competitors. Front-panel bass 

and treble controls are a welcome 

blast from the past. 

TIRED 

Autocalibration balances speaker 

levels only – other settings must 

be adjusted manually. 

WIRED 

Lots of power for not a lot of cash. 

Autocalibration mike included. 

TIRED 

No TV-screen menus means 

muddling through cryptic 

messages on the small display. 

Limited input options compared 

to other receivers. 

For best results, make sure the room is as quiet 

as possible when calibrating your receiver. 

AUDIO 


AAUUDIO 


098 

WIRED TEST 

12-Inch Subwoofers 

Pump some bass in your place. A quality subwoofer blows serious low-end 

into action flicks and music picks. – Robert Capps 

EDITTOORRS’’ 

PICK� 

� 

HSU SFT-3 

The HSU monster packs plenty of punch and holds 

its mud at high levels. We found ourselves cowering 

from mines dropped in Das Boot and recoiling 

from blows delivered in The Fellowship of the Ring. 

Though the SVS maintains the edge in performance, 

this sub is perfect for those who think it’s hipper to 

be square. 

$599, www.hsuresearch.com 

� JBL E250P 

The E250P has less power than the other subs we 

tested (250 watts to their 300-plus), so we weren’t 

surprised when it didn’t produce as much tangible 

rumble. But it costs about $100 less, and it lends 

respectable bottom to beats and bombs alike. For 

small-to-medium setups, this is a solid choice. 

$499, www.jbl.com 

� SVS 20-39 PCi 

SVS puts a round peg in a square hole. Its 3-foottall, 

16-inch-wide tube-shaped sub slims its footprint 

by going high instead of wide. The PCi proved 

smooth and subtle as well as strong, giving the 

Dust Brothers’ opening track to Fight Club plenty 

of palpable presence and turning Jurassic Park’s 

T-rex steps into terrifying thuds. 

$599, www.svsubwoofers.com 

An Earthquake in Your Living Room 

Follow these tips to go seismic with your subwoofer. 

PLACE IT IN THE CORNER You’ll get more bass response 

if the sub can roll its thunder off walls, not just the floor. 

TURN IT UP Because they deal in frequencies at the threshold 

of human hearing, subs can be hard to distinguish. Set yours 

a bit louder than the other speakers so you know it’s there. 

W 

U 

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U 

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U 

WIRED 

Big size delivers big impact. Sound 

held up at serious volumes. Short, 

so it can hide behind furniture. 

TIRED 

Slightly less shake than the SVS 

(at the same volume). 

WIRED 

Good value. Withstood nearly all 

250 watts of its amplifier. Small, so 

it won’t dominate decor. 

TIRED 

No built-in crossover – if your 

receiver doesn’t have a subwooferout, 

steer clear. 

WIRED 

Smooth, deep bass, even when 

cranked. Lots of palpable vibration 

in addition to audible sound. Only 

model with composite output for 

linking multiple subs. 

TIRED 

Cats may mistake it for a giant 

scratching post. 

DOUBLE DOWN Two subwoofers can be better than one, 

with deeper bass response at a lower overall volume, so you 

don’t have to crank it to 11 and irritate the neighbors. Plus, any 

speaker sounds better when it’s operating below maximum 

output. So if you get a solo sub home and find it’s not enough, 

just add another with a Y adapter or composite splitter. – R.C.

Virtual Surround Systems 

Want a wilderness of sound without the forest of speakers? These systems promise 

engulfing audio without requiring you to wire the living room. – Chris Anderson 

EEDIITORRS’’ 

PPIICKK� 

QUIICCK TIPP 

� BOSE 3-2-1 GS SERIES II 

The new version of Bose’s category-launching 

system delivers big sound through surprisingly 

small speakers. The main changes are subtle – 

better software and a progressive-scan DVD 

player. Overall it’s pretty much what you’d expect 

from Bose: solid sound at a premium price. 

$1,299, www.bose.com 

� DENON D-M51DVS 

Denon’s two-channel system radiates quality. The 

rosewood subwoofer perfectly matches the outboard 

speakers. The combination DVD player and 

amp is tiny, solid, and surprisingly powerful. Best 

of all, it sounds fantastic, filling even a medium-size 

room with rich, full-spectrum audio. Just don’t 

expect stunning spatial effects. 

$800, www.usa.denon.com 

� KEF INSTANT THEATRE 

Twin cast-aluminum cabinets combine forwardfiring 

cone drivers with flat-panel speakers that 

project audio sideways. It all felt weighty and solid – 

until we plugged everything in and noted the 

minimal spatial effects, unimpressive power, and 

narrow tonal range. 

$1,500, www.kefinstanttheatre.com 

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Visually unobtrusive. Good balance 

of spatial-effect simulation and 

overall sound quality. 

TIRED 

Slightly shrill due to weak 

midrange. Few input and output 

options. Expensive. 

WIRED 

Classy wood finish. Big, full-bodied 

sound. Easy to set up. 

TIRED 

Very little surround effect. Dialog 

blurred by ambient sound. 

WIRED 

Solid construction. Aggressively 

high-tech design. 

TIRED 

Strains to fill a medium-size room. 

Minimal surround effects. Pricey. 

Where you sit can make or break the spatial 

effects. Front and center is the place to be. 

AUDIO 


AAUUDIO 


100 

WIRED TEST >> VIRTUAL SURROUND SYSTEMS 

6..11 SSUURRRROOUUNNDD SSYSTEMS 

AUTOCALIBRATING 

RECEIVERS 

12-INCH 

SUBWOOFERS 

VVIIRRTTUUAALL SSUURRRROUND 

SSYYSSTTEEMMSS 

Home Theater Gear Scorecard 

Rating Model 

Price Receiver Output 

High-End Inputs Additional Features 

� 

4.5 Denon DHT-485DV $699 

4 Onkyo HT-S777C $700 

3.5 Kenwood HTB-S715DV $1,000 

2 JVC QP-F30AL $1,200 

Six 110-watt channels 




optical, coaxial audio; 

3 sets component video 

3 optical, coaxial audio; 


3 optical, 2 coaxial audio; 


optical audio; 


2 Yamaha YHT-F1500 $1,000 Six 100-watt channels 2 optical, coaxial audio 

Dolby Pro Logic IIx 

Six-disc changer, 

Dolby Pro Logic IIx 

Dolby Pro Logic IIx, 

Dolby Headphone mode 

Autocalibration, proprietary 

3-D headphone mode 

Dolby Pro Logic IIx, 

compact components 

Rating Model 


High-End Inputs Autocalibration Options 

� 

5 Denon AVR 3805 $1,199 

4 Harman Kardon AVR 330 $799 

3.5 Pioneer VSX-D914-K $475 

Seven 120-watt 

channels 

Seven 55-watt channels 








Speaker size, volume, and 

distance to listener 

Speaker volume 

Speaker size, location, 

and distance to listener 

Rating Model 

Price 

Rated Power and 

Frequency Range 

Dimensions (inches) Additional Features 

� 

4.5 SVS 20-39 PCi $599 320 watts, 100 Hz-20 Hz 39 (height) x 16 (diameter) 

Rating Model 


High-End Inputs Additional Features 

Two 35-watt channels, 

4 Denon D-M51DVS $800 2 optical audio 

100-watt sub 

3.5 Bose 3-2-1 GS Series II $1,299 

Information not available 

optical, 3 coaxial audio; 

component video 

RCA audio output for linking 

multiple subs, built-in crossover 

4 HSU SFT-3 $599 300 watts, 1 KHz-25 Hz 

22 x 15 x 23 Built-in crossover 

250 watts, 

3 JBL E250P $499 19.8 x 14.5 x 16.5 Small footprint 

150 Hz-25 Hz 

� 

� NIRO REFERENCE SYSTEM 

With a single horizontal speaker box housing 

five individual drivers, plus the requisite subwoofer, 

Niro’s Reference achieves much of what you’d 

expect from a full 5.1 setup: a distinct center channel 

for dialog, ambient sound from the sides, and 

some impressive zoom-around-your-head effects. 

$900, www.niro1.com/en 

WIRED 

Easiest installation of the units 

tested. The best virtual system 

at spatial realism. Clear center 

channel presence. 

Weak subwoofer. Better for dialog 

and ambient sound than for 

explosions or thumping music. 

Hardwood cabinet, 

Dolby Headphone mode 

Universal remote 

Two 30-watt channels, 

3 Niro Reference System $900 3 optical, coaxial audio Card slot for future software upgrades 

50-watt sub 

2.5 KEF Instant Theatre $1,500 Information not available 

optical audio Cast-aluminum frame 

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High-End 

Clock Radios 

Today’s deluxe tabletop radios are unobtrusive in any bedroom, pumping 

out rich sound from a compact perch on your nightstand. – Lucas Graves 

TIVOLI AUDIO MODEL THREE 

AM/FM CLOCK RADIO 

SHOWN 

This amped-up speaker box combines retro chic 

with warm, full sound. The midrange driver built into the 

cabinet lends bass notes a surprising amount of heft. 

For an extra $50, add a second channel (on a 15-foot cord) 

for true stereo separation. The sound may be a shade 

less expansive than what Cambridge’s bedside model 

produces, but Tivoli scores points for style and grace. 

$200, www.tivoliaudio.com 

CAMBRIDGE 

SOUNDWORKS 

BOSE WAVE 

MUSIC SYSTEM 

BOSTON ACOUSTICS 

RECEPTOR RADIO 

RADIO 730 Bose’s buttonless cabinet looks 

The least-expensive clock radio we 

The 730’s design may have the sex 

superclean – all the controls are 

tested, Boston Acoustics’ tabletop 

appeal of a shoebox, but the sound it on the wafer-thin remote. Audio 

is also the best at locking in weak 

puts out will have you dancing in your quality nearly matches that of the 

stations. The Receptor’s clever 

PJs. Plus, it’s ultra-programmable, 

Cambridge. Too bad the price doesn’t. interface reduces clutter and makes 

with snooze options and alarms that Another bummer: Auto-equalization setting the alarms a snap. But 

can be set to different stations and 

prevents manual adjustment of 

it couldn’t quite match the others 

volume levels. 

bass and treble. 

for fidelity. 

$200, www.cambridgesoundworks.com $499, www.bose.com 

$159, www.bostonacoustics.com 

AUDIO 

HIIGH-EEND CCLOCKK RADDIOS

WIRED TEST 

AUDIO 

Headphones 

The latest sound providers cushion you in 

comfort, mute a jet engine’s roar, or put a 

cineplex between your ears. by Paul Boutin 

105 

106 

107 

108 

Hi-Fi Headphones 

Surround Sound Headphones 

In-Ear Headphones 

Noise-Canceling Headphones 

103

AAUUDIO 

HEADPHONES 

WIRED TEST 

Headphones Essentials 

3 

104 

4 

5 

2 

1 

4 

1 

2 

3 

CLOSED OR OPEN 

The earpieces of closed-back headphones 

seal you off from the outside 

world. A top-notch set is more isolating 

than noise-cancelers. The mesh backs 

of open earpieces let the speaker 

drivers resonate more freely, which can 

make for truer audio. But remember: 

Sound seeps both ways. 

NOISE-CANCELING 

These use an embedded microphone 

to detect sound waves, then pipe 

mirror-opposite frequencies into your 

ears to cancel out ambient clatter. 

The tech kills steady whines dead but 

only lowers uneven sounds, like the 

yakking of coworkers. 

CIRCUMAURAL OR SUPRAURAL 

The Latin says it all: A circumaural 

speaker engulfs the ear, creating a 

padded seal against the skull. A 

supraural speaker has a cushion that 

rests atop the outside of the ear. 

Most people love one and hate the 

other, but you’ll never know which 

style you prefer until you try both. 

IN-EAR 

Unlike the buds included with most 

MP3 players, these tuck deep inside 

your ear canals to position the drivers 

as close to your eardrums as possible. 

The pluglike design helps dampen 

background noise. 

5 WIRED OR WIRELESS 

Cutting the cord lets you roam, but 

you’ll pay in audio quality. Infrared 

headsets sound best, though the 

signal won’t penetrate walls. Radiofrequency 

models suffer static 

but let you listen from the backyard.

Hi-Fi Headphones 

The armchair elite pack advanced speaker technologies (piezoelectric films, 

neodymium magnets) into earpieces plush enough for long-haul listening. 

EDDITTOORSS’ 

PPICK� 

SPPLURRGEE 

� GRADO RS-1 

The chassis on these audiophile classics are 

handcrafted from cured mahogany, making them 

both light and dynamic. Don’t expect block-rockin’ 

bass, but do marvel at the clarity of your Steely 

Dan records. And thanks to the fully open design, 

you can have a conversation without reaching 

for the volume knob. 

$695, www.gradolabs.com 

� 

KOSS PRO3AA 

This circumaural set from the 1970s has been 

updated with titanium-coated speakers and a 

metallic finish. The closed earpieces, surrounded 

by a snug padded seal, let us pump up the volume 

without driving housemates crazy (although 

they made us feel claustrophobic after a while). 

Bass was strong but occasionally boomy. 

$70, www.koss.com 

� SENNHEISER HD 555 

Designed for movies as well as music, these 

’phones enclose even the biggest ears with snug 

cloth-covered padding that won’t irritate your head 

during those Miles marathons. Reflective barriers 

in each bucket lend a spatial effect without 

decoding software or extra speaker channels. 

$170, www.sennheiser.com 

� STAX SIGNATURE SYSTEM II 

They look like something from a 1940s mind-control 

experiment, but with audio this full you won’t 

want to leave the lab. Stax matches electrostatic 

speakers for accuracy with a vacuum-tube 

headphone amp for warmth. These are the bestsounding 

cans we tried, but we had to ding them 

for the exorbitant price. 

$1,700, www.yamasinc.com 

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Amazing sonic detail. Attractive 

wood styling. Leather headband, 

gold-plated jack, and 15-foot 

extension cord included. 

TIRED 

Loose fit awkward for some. Bass 

fiends, look elsewhere. 

WIRED 

A basement bargain in good 

sound. Flashy looks. Closed design 

keeps the peace at home. 

TIRED 

Sound quality diminishes as 

you crank the volume. All-day 

listening wears on the ear. 

WIRED 

Supercozy earpieces and headband. 

Clean, clear sound even 

at max volume. Wide spatial 

separation for home theater use. 

TIRED 

The reflective barriers are built 

in, so you can’t turn off the effect 

for flatter audio. 

WIRED 

Full, detailed reproduction. 

Unbeatable for jazz, classical, or 

electronic music. And, of course, 

vacuum tubes rock. 

TIRED 

Bass too shallow for B-boys and 

ravers. For the price, you can get 

season tickets to the symphony. 

AUDIO 

HHEAADPHONES

AAUUDIO 

HEADPHONES 

WIRED TEST 

Surround Sound Headphones 

How do you get 5.1 audio out of only two speakers? Some sets use advanced 

acoustical modeling. Others cram three full channels into each ear. 

106 

EDDITORSS’ 

PPICKK� 

CCHEEAAP THHRIILLLL 

� PIONEER SE-DIR800C 

For pseudo-surround on a relative budget, these 

cordless cans deliver. While they lack a directional 

stabilizer, they’re also minimally gizmotronic – the 

base station is small and fits in with living room 

decor. We were disappointed, though, by the 

mediocre sound quality of the undersize drivers. 

$399, www.pioneerelectronics.com 

� 

SONY MDR-DS8000 

Sony’s wireless headset merges Dolby’s virtual 

surround technology with a gyroscopic control to 

track where sound should come from. Turn your 

head to the right and the simulated field rotates 

to compensate. It made the surround experience 

seem much more real. 


� ZALMAN ZM-RS6F 

These ’phones spread sound from three full speakers 

– front, center, rear – built into each ear. There’s 

no onboard processing (three stereo jacks connect 

to outputs on a PC or home theater receiver), so 

a good soundcard or A/V amp is essential. 

$70, www.zalmanusa.com 

Headphones How We Tested 

FIDELITY 

All models (except surround sound) were 

evaluated using a 24-bit studio console and 

a vintage turntable plugged into a tube amp. 

MUSIC STYLES 

Our two-hour playlist merged stereo-store 

standards – Miles Davis, Michael Tilson Thomas, 

Pink Floyd – with a few guilty pleasures. We 

know what Rush should sound like. 

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WIRED 

Wireless operation with minimal 

knobs and buttons. Transmitter 

doubles as charger. 

TIRED 

Wonky headset design. Pricey. 

WIRED 

Graphic display on transmitter unit 

shows surround channel placement. 

Two digital inputs. 

TIRED 

Annoying hiss, audible at low 

volumes, mocks large price tag. 

WIRED 

Inexpensive but solid choice. 

Great spatial effects. Perfect for 

PC gamers. 

TIRED 

So-so bass. Lame PC soundcards 

even lamer in surround. 

NOISE REDUCTION 

We plugged in-ear and noise-canceling headphones 

into an iPod and took them for a stroll 

around the city. We also listened on a crowded 

commuter flight. 

SURROUND SOUND 

For surround sound units we watched 

The Matrix Revolutions in Dolby Digital and 

played the EAX-encoded PC game Far Cry.

In-Ear Headphones 

Crest Mount Fuji with the London Philharmonic in tow. These must-have upgrades 

for MP3 players merge big-bucket power and precision with earbud portability. 

PICK� H HEAADPHONES 

CHHEEAAPP THHRRILL 

EEDDITORRSS’ 

� 

APPLE iPOD 

IN-EAR HEADPHONES 

� 

Apple’s canal ’phones are affordable, but you’re not 

hearing all you could. They’re comfortable, too, 

but only because they don’t reach very far into the 

ear. High volumes sound decent, with expressive 

midrange, but you’ll miss the rest of the mix. 


ETYMOTIC ER-4P 

If you like to rock out, this is the in-ear set for you. 

The ER-4Ps boast a powerful bass boost, blowing 

away Etymotic’s newer ER-6s. The included travel 

kit contains an extensive set of cleaning tools 

and spare parts, plus a quarter-inch jack for use 

with home stereo systems. 

$330, www.etymotic.com 

� SHURE E3c 

If spending $300 or more seems ridiculous, Shure’s 

newest model offers an affordable yet still highquality 

alternative. The E3c’s are clear, without 

exaggerated lows or highs, and bass notes don’t 

wimp out as the volume increases. Extra sleeves in 

a variety of sizes and shapes ensure fit and comfort. 

$179, www.shure.com 

� ULTIMATE EARS UE-10 PRO 

God’s new favorite earphones. Twin woofers and 

a single tweeter – yes, three speakers in each 

little probe – deliver nearly perfect sound, even at 

high volume. The company custom-shapes each 

pair to match the contours of the wearer’s ears. The 

result: The best-sounding buds ever. 

$900 (plus $10-50 for ear molds), 

www.ultimateears.com 

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Good response in vocal range. 

iPod-matching white keeps 

it simple. 

TIRED 

Not much warmth, definition, 

or bass. Fanatical iPod fans 

should be willing to pay more 

for a better bud. 

WIRED 

Bumpin’ low end. Custom-molded 

earpieces available. Different colors 

for left and right make pluggin’ up 

a breeze. 

TIRED 

High price for only pretty-good 

sound. Ugly. Thin wires. 

WIRED 

Best boom for the buck. 

TIRED 

Me-too white enclosures clearly 

an attempt to exploit the iPod 

craze, but the black cable and 

sleeves spoil the effect. 

WIRED 

Loud and clear no matter what 

they’re pumping. Perfect-fit design 

locks in place with surprising 

comfort. Custom colors available. 

TIRED 

Costs more than two iPods. 

Shorter-than-average cable. 

AUDIO

AAUUDIO 

HEADPHONES 

WIRED TEST 

Noise-Canceling Headphones 

Sound-zapping electronics are just the ticket for harried travelers. They take out 

a bustling terminal or a screaming baby to let you focus on your music. 

EDDIITTORS’ 

PICKK� 

HI-FI 

SURROOUNDD 

SOUNND 

IINN--EEAAR 

NNOOIISSEE-- 

CCAANCELLIING 

108 

� BOSE QUIETCOMFORT 2 

These cost-is-no-object silencers feature a noisereduction 

system so smooth it’s like someone 

turned the world’s volume down. Outside sounds 

aren’t gone, they’re just lower, without seeming 

filtered or processed. Meanwhile, music comes 

through a pair of precise, smooth transducers. 

$299, www.bose.com 

� SONY MDR-G94NC 

Headphones Scorecard 

Smaller, lighter, and cheaper than Bose’s clamorbusters, 

Sony’s Vaio-esque headphones aren’t as 

good at muting outside annoyances, partly due to 

their open design. But for cost-conscious frequent 

fliers who can’t pack a full-size pair, they’ll get the 

job done – without mussing the ’do. 


Rating Model 

Price 

Closed/Open 

� 

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Cozy padding lines earpieces and 

headband. Travel kit with adapters 

for wacky airplane jacks. 

TIRED 

When the AAA battery dies, so 

does your music. Bulky for travel. 

Steep price for something you 

might leave on the plane. 

WIRED 

Rear-headband design defies 

gravity and actually stays on head. 

Small and light for easy packing. 

TIRED 

Middling sound and build quality. 

Edgy industrial styling looks hip to 

some, silly to others. 

Circumaural/Supraural 

5 Grado RS-1 $695 

Open Supraural 

4.5 Stax Signature System II $1,700 

Open Circumaural 

4 Sennheiser HD 555 $170 


3 Koss Pro3AA $70 

Closed Circumaural 

� 

4.5 Sony MDR-DS8000 $799 


3 Pioneer SE-DIR800C $399 


3 Zalman ZM-RS6F $70 


� 

5 Ultimate Ears UE-10 Pro $900 

N/A N/A 

4 Etymotic ER-4P $330 

N/A N/A 

3.5 Shure E3c $179 

N/A N/A 

1.5 Apple iPod In-Ear Headphones $39 

N/A N/A 

� 

4.5 Bose QuietComfort 2 $299 


3 Sony MDR-G94NC $70 

Open Supraural 

Weight 

(ounces) 

9 

16.9 

9.3 

10.6 

12.5 

8.9 

11.3 

Less than 1 

Less than 1 

1 

Less than 1 

6.9 

3

WIRED TEST 

HOUSEHOLD 

Kitchen and Bath 

Your PC is bleeding-edge, but your cooking and 

cleaning gear is way past dead. Time to upgrade 

those dull knives, singed pot holders, and more. 

115 

116 

117 

118 

Super-Automatic Coffee Machines 

Ceramic Chef’s Knives 

Oven Mitts and Gloves 

Shower TVs and Radios 

PLUS: 

120 Robotic Vacuums 

113

HOOUUSSEHOLD 

KITCCHEN AND BATH 

WIRED TEST 

Kitchen and Bath Essentials 

SUPER-AUTOMATIC COFFEE MACHINES e 

1 

2 

114 

MATERIAL 

Neoprene, silicone, and Kevlar all 

protect hands from heat (up to 480 

degrees Fahrenheit). But Kevlar knit 

isn’t impervious, so it can’t guard 

against hot liquids like boiling water. 

SHAPE 

A five-fingered glove offers the wearer 

more dexterity than a semi-rigid mitt. 

Extra-long models cover you up to the 

elbow as you grab for that lobster at 

the bottom of the pot. 

1 

2 

3 

4 

TIMER ALARM 

6:23 pm 

OVEN MITTS AND GLOVES e CERAMIC CHEF’S KNIVES e 

2 

1 

espresso coffee 

1 

1 

2 

3 

4 

GRINDER 

The flavor of coffee is affected by how 

the beans are ground. Burr grinders 

(in all machines we reviewed) deliver 

a more even batch than bladed ones, 

for consistent brews. They also emit 

less heat, which can cause bitterness. 

BYPASS DOSER 

You’ll appreciate this feature most 

when you need to make a quick decaf 

for a guest. A funnel feeds ground 

coffee directly into the brew unit, so 

you can whip up a single cup without 

accessing the bean reservoir. 

HEATED CUP TRAY 

Connoisseurs claim a cold mug can 

ruin good coffee, so select systems 

come with a cup-warming tray. A 

a quick squirt of hot water from the 

steam wand works just as well. 

DIGITAL READOUT 

Some super-automatic coffeemakers 

have an LED screen for displaying the 

time and brew settings; others talk to 

you with lights and illuminated symbols. 

The latter can be difficult to decipher. 

2 

1 BLADE 

Western knives have two sharp sides; 

the edges slope away from their peak 

at equal angles. Japanese knives are 

sharpened on only one side, which 

aficionados say makes for cleaner 

cutting. It also means lefties must 

order custom-made slicers. 

2 

TANG 

The tang is the part of the blade that 

extends into the handle. Traditionally, 

the longer the tang, the better the 

knife’s balance. This may not be as 

important for ceramic knives, which 

weigh half as much as their steel 

counterparts.

Super-Automatic Coffee Machines 

Load beans into these ultra-programmable units, and they’ll grind, tamp, and 

brew the perfect cup of coffee or espresso every time. – Lucas Graves 

EDDIITOORS’’ 

PICCK� 

SSPPLLUURRGGEE 

� JURA-CAPRESSO 

IMPRESSA E8 

� 

Of all the models tested, the Impressa was 

the most compact and easiest to operate. More 

important, it delivered rich java and frothy milk 

that held up against all comers. It deftly bridged 

the coffee-espresso divide, serving single shots 

and mugs o’ mud on demand. 

$999, www.capresso.com 

MIELE COFFEE SYSTEM CVA615 

All the high-end automatics put drip pots to 

shame, but if you really want to steam past 

the Joneses (and money is no object), check 

out this rig from Miele. Designed to be set 

into a kitchen cabinet, its largesse becomes 

a statement: No one worships the coffee bean 

more than you. 

$1,999 and up, www.miele.com 

� SAECO V’SPRESSO 

The V’spresso starts with the best elements 

of cheaper models and fills in the gaps: a bypass 

doser, a compact frame, and a relatively clear 

instruction manual. It also has a heated tray to 

keep your mugs warm. But the Saeco costs a 

lot – even more than the Jura-Capresso, which 

matches it on most key features. 

$1,300, www.saeco-usa.com 

� SPIDEM TREVI DIGITAL PLUS 

Spidem’s silver super-automatic looks cool 

and is a breeze to set up. And thank goodness, 

because deciphering the installation instructions 

is another story. And it has the same technology 

inside (by Saeco) as more expensive models, at 

almost half the price. 

$679, www.spidem.it 

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WIRED 

The only machine that supports 

an in-tank water filter. It has a 

bypass doser that skips the bean 

reservoir to brew a single cup 

of a different grind. 

TIRED 

Water temperature can’t be 

fine-tuned. 

WIRED 

Chock-full of features but a cinch 

to use – once you get the thing 

installed. Face swings open for 

easy access to water and beans. 

Sexy design may rub off on you. 

TIRED 

Mad expensive – especially 

since Miele forgot to include 

a bypass doser. 

WIRED 

Easy setup. Compact. Bypass 

doser, adjustable water temperature, 

and heated cup tray give 

it the fullest feature set of any 

tabletop machine tested. 

TIRED 

The extras give it the fullest price 

of any tabletop machine tested. 

WIRED 

Brews fine coffee for hundreds 

of dollars less than the others. 

Convenient side panel for dumping 

grounds (no need to open the 

main unit). Temperature controls. 

TIRED 

Huge footprint. No bypass doser. 

Manual reads like the ancient text 

of a secret coffee cult. 

HOUSEHOLD 

KKITTCCHHEEN AANDD BAATTH

HOOUUSSEHOLD 

KITCHEN AND BATH 

WIRED TEST 

Ceramic Chef’s Knives 

Has metal lost its mettle? We had New York chef Wylie Dufresne put some ceramic 

blades through their slices at wd~50, his Lower East Side eatery. – L.G. 

116 

EEDIITTOORRS’ 

PIICK� 

QQUICCKK TTIP 

SPPLLUURRGGEE 

� BOKER CERA-TITAN III 

The new titanium and ceramic Cera-Titan III 

was the best overall value and the sharpest of 

the models tested – a sous chef at wd~50 called 

it “wicked sharp.” After a week in heavy rotation, 

this 6.25-incher still sliced a sheet of notebook 

paper effortlessly. But the plastic handle makes 

the knife feel somewhat blade-heavy. 

$115, www.bokerusa.com 

� 

KYOCERA KYOTOP KT-165-HIP 

Kyocera’s gorgeous, wood-handled knife was the 

best performer of the bunch, with a razor-sharp 

zirconium-oxide edge, good balance, and a comfortable 

handle. This is the one ceramic knife Dufresne 

says he would add to his arsenal – if someone else 

were paying the tab. (Note: Our pro cooks found 

Kyocera’s $90 budget model too light and slick.) 

$300, www.kyoceraadvancedceramics.com 

� URI EAGLE BLACK DIAMOND 

CERAMIC 6-INCH CHEF’S KNIFE 

This bargain blade is fine for casual cooking but 

not for fast-paced professional use. Dufresne said 

its poor balance and lack of weight “freaked the 

cooks out.” Even straight out of the box, the edge 

was dull, which can cause accidents in the kitchen 

as cooks compensate with extra force. 

$108, www.urieagle.com 

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WIRED 

Supersharp blade keeps its edge. 

Alloy blend (unlike pure ceramics) 

means it can be sharpened at 

home. Sports distinctive, cleaverlike 

“deba” shape. Low price. 

TIRED 

Light plastic handle can get slimy 

and makes balance awkward. 

WIRED 

Excellent 6.25-inch blade, second 

only to the Cera-Titan in sharpness 

– and not by much. Wood handle 

places it a cut above the rest in 

balance, heft, and looks. 

TIRED 

Cut above in price, too. 

WIRED 

Affordable for a ceramic blade. 

More than enough knife for the 

home chef who sticks to basics 

like chopping vegetables. 

TIRED 

Not the sharpest knife in the 

drawer. For a few dollars more, 

the Boker is a much better deal. 

If you want to keep your knives sharp, store them 

separately in protective sheaths.

Oven Mitts and Gloves 

With today’s stoves packing bigger, hotter grills, home cooking is more dangerous 

than ever. These mitts keep the sizzle off your skin. – Philip Ferrato 

EDDIITTOORRSS’ 

PPIICK� 

QUIICCK TIPP 

� DUNCAN INDUSTRIES 

KITCHEN GRIPS MITT 

� 

This synthetic rubber mitt offers plenty of room for 

big hands and a nicely turned-back cuff. The glove 

comes in two lengths and a variety of styles; some 

models are waterproof and submersible. Sturdy 

and user-friendly, this cousin of the neoprene wet 

suit is dishwasher safe. 

$15 and up, www.kitchengrips.com 

iSi ORKA 

A chic, French-designed mitt with stamina, the 

Orka is beefy enough for long grilling sessions. 

It also possesses a witty, anthropomorphic 

profile suitable for post-dessert puppet shows. 

Its sleek molded silicone is a direct descendant 

of Silly Putty. 

$20, www.surlatable.com 

� JOSEPH ENTERPRISES 

OVE GLOVE 

This classic fingered glove is made of a pliable 

Kevlar and Nomex knit – the same flame-retardant 

material used in suits worn by firefighters and 

race car drivers. It’s comfy protection for handling 

hot cookware – up to 480 degrees Fahrenheit. 

$15, www.oveglove.com 

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Heavy-duty protection up to 

500 degrees Fahrenheit. Supple 

enough to grasp tongs and tools. 

TIRED 

New gloves emit a strong petroleum 

odor (which quickly abates). 

WIRED 

Dives into boiling liquids easily – 

protects just long enough to grab 

a lobster or an errant kitchen tool. 

Available in five colors and an 

extra-long, heavy-duty model. 

TIRED 

Snug fit on wide hands and thick 

forearms. 

WIRED 

Fits either hand. Cotton-lined. 

Machine washable. 

TIRED 

Knit offers no protection from 

hot liquids or sharp objects. 

Keep your mitts where you can see them, so you 

won’t be tempted to use a dish towel instead. 

HOUSEHOLD 

KKIITTCCHEENN KIITTCCHHENN AANND ANNDD BBATTHH BBAATHH

HOOUUSSEHOLD 

KITCHEN AND BATH 

WIRED TEST 

Shower TVs and Radios 

If the bathroom is the one place you go to escape technology, stop reading now. 

This gear adds audio and video to your hygiene routine. – L.G. 

TVs e 

118 

SSPPLLURGGE 

RADIO/CD PLAYERS e 

QUIICCK TIPP 

� CASIO XFER XF-1000 

Casio’s slim, lightweight, 10-inch wireless LCD 

can bring Katie Couric into your shower in vivid 

color (it’ll even survive a quick dunk in the tub). 

But it looks so cool you’ll want to tote it around 

the house. Until next summer, it’s available only 

from importers, but fear not – we got it going 

in five minutes without even trying to crack the 

Japanese manual. 

$1,399, www.dynamism.com 

� SHARPER IMAGE TV 

SHOWER COMPANION 

Sharper Image’s utilitarian contender for splashproof 

video is less than a fourth the price 

of Casio’s XF-1000; unfortunately it’s about a 

fourth the machine, too. Though the small LCD 

(3.5 inches) provides a crisp image, the bulky 

body and crude styling will have you singing 

forlornly in the shower. 

$300, www.sharperimage.com 

� JENSEN JCR-550 SHOWER 

CLOCK RADIO & CD PLAYER 

We like this model for its fog-resistant mirror, 

which seems like a smart thing to add to a 

shower radio. And it is – too bad the rest of the 

unit doesn’t quite keep up. The analog tuner 

(AM/FM) is awkward, and the sound is slightly 

tinny. Still, for the price you could do a lot worse. 

$60, www.spectraintl.com 

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Good looks, smart design, solid 

feel. Foldout stand. Universal 

remote and transmitter with 

built-in cable tuner and dual 

video inputs. 

TIRED 

Video resolution tops out at 

640 x 480 pixels. High price. 

Japanese interface. 

WIRED 

Wireless transmitter unit with 

built-in cable tuner and composite 

video. Easy setup. Rechargeable. 

A/V-out port to view on a bigger 

monitor. Affordable. 

TIRED 

Bulky body for such a small 

screen. No remote. Limited use 

outside the loo. 

WIRED 

Big, crisp, fog-resistant mirror. 

Headphone jack – though we 

don’t recommend using it while 

washing your hair. Budget option 

for bringing music to your bath. 

TIRED 

No radio presets. No skip 

protection – so don’t bump it. 

Top-heavy design. Poor sound. 

Make sure your shower player can handle CD-Rs. 

That way, you can croon to your own mix of tunes.

EEDITTORRSS’’ 

PPIICKK� 

SSUUPPEERR--AAUUTTOOMMAATTIICC 

COOFFFFEEEE MMAACHHINEESS 

CERAMIC 

CHEF’S KNIVES 

OVEN MITTS 

AND GLOVES 

SHOOWWER TVVs 

ANND RRAADDIIOOSS 

4 

� SONY LIV 4-BAND SHOWER 

CD CLOCK RADIO 

For high-quality shower sing-alongs, Sony’s Liv 

is the way to go. It has cleaner, richer sound than 

the Jensen, not to mention a rugged, compact 

body. Plus you can work the easy-to-open clasps 

and smart digital interface even with soap in 

your eyes. 


Kitchen and Bath Scorecard 

Rating 

� 

Model Price Body Style Grinder Features 

Jura-Capresso 

Impressa E8 

$999 

Compact Burr grinder, bypass doser 

$1,999 

3.5 Miele Coffee System CVA615 Built-in Burr grinder 

and up 

3.5 Saeco V’spresso $1,300 Compact Burr grinder, bypass doser 

3 Spidem Trevi Digital Plus $679 Standard Burr grinder 

Rating Model 

Price Blade Style Blade Material 

4 Boker Cera-Titan III $115 Japanese Titanium alloy 

3.5 

3 

Rating 

TVs 

RRAADDIIOOSS 

5 

� 

Kyocera Kyotop 

KT-165-HIP 

URI Eagle Black Diamond Ceramic 

6-inch Chef’s Knife 

� 

Model 

Duncan Industries 

Kitchen Grips 

$300 

$108 

Price 

$15 

and up 

Western 

Temperature 

Rating 

Hot isostatic pressed 

zirconium oxide 

Western Black zirconium carbide 

Material 

500°F Synthetic rubber 

4 iSi Orka $20 500°F Silicone 

3 Joseph Enterprises Ove Glove $15 480°F Kevlar and Nomex 

Rating Model 

Price Screen Size / Resolution Sources 

4 Casio XFER XF-1000 $1,399 10 inches / 640 x 480 

2 

4.5 

3 

� 

Sharper Image TV 

Shower Companion 

Sony Liv 4-Band 

Shower CD Clock Radio 

Jensen JCR-550 Shower 

Clock Radio & CD Player 

$80 

N/A 

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Five station presets, simple radio 

tuning, countdown timer, and 

one-touch operation. Solidly built. 

AM/FM/CD. Weather bands. 

TIRED 

No fog-resistant mirror. A wee 

bit pricey. No skip protection. 


Supports water filter 

Optional heated cup drawer, 

adjustable water temperature 

Heated cup tray, adjustable 

water temperature 

Easy-access grounds drawer, 

adjustable water temperature 


POM plastic handle, “deba” shape 

Pakka wood handle, rosewood case 

ABS plastic handle 


Resists water and other liquids (oil splashes); 

safe for dry ice, dishwasher, and washing machine 

VHF/UHF/cable tuner, 


Waterproof, safe for hot oil, 

fits either hand, multiple colors available 

Knitted glove fits either hand 


Rechargeable 

VHF/UHF/cable tuner, 

$300 3.5-inches / 320 x 240 

Video-out jack, rechargeable 


$60 

CD, AM/FM, TV audio, 

weather band 

N/A CD, AM/FM 

Station presets 

Fog-free mirror 

HOUSEHOLD 

KKIITTCHHEEN AANDD BAATTHH

KKIITTCCHEN AND BBAATTH 

ROBOTIC VACUUMS 

WIRED TEST 

Robotic Vacuums 

Drop that upright! A robovac will suck up crumbs, lint, and grit – then 

return to its base for a recharge. You don’t have to lift a finger. – Bob Parks 

120 

iROBOT ROOMBA DISCOVERY 

SHOWN 

Older Roombas pale in comparison to the new Discovery. 

It features a larger debris bin, longer battery life, and 

ultrasonic sensors for Dirt Detect mode: If it finds a supersoiled 

spot, the bot stays in the area until it’s cleaned, 

then returns to its charger and awaits new commands. 

Its whiskerlike side brush swept crumbs from wall edges 

and even lapped up big items like blueberries. 

$250, www.irobot.com 

KARCHER RC3000 

ROBOCLEANER 

This hoover goes from room to room and 

doesn’t make a racket. It autodocks every 20 

to 60 minutes, recharges, and empties its load 

into a spacious 2-liter bag in the base unit. But 

sucking power is low, so it won’t pull crumbs 

out of a medium-pile carpet. What it will suck 

are dollars, right out of your pocket. 

$1,495, www.karcher.com/usa 

ELECTROLUX 

TRILOBITE 

Ultrasound guides the Trilobite to within 

a fraction of an inch of chair legs and walls. 

It circumnavigates baseboards, while a 

top-mounted LCD counts down estimated 

cleaning time based on room size. But the 

machine often fails to dock into its charger – 

and for this price, we expect better service. 

$1,799, www.electroluxusa.com 

CAREN ALPERT, STYLING BY DARLENE DULL/KOKO REPRESENTS

WIRED TEST 

COMPUTING AND GAMING 

Laptops 

Why buy a desk hog when many portables 

pack the same horsepower? These models 

do games, movies, and more. by Paul Boutin 

125 

126 

127 

130 

131 

Thin-and-Light Laptops 

Tablet PCs 

Multimedia Laptops 

Gaming Laptops 

Ruggedized Laptops 

PLUS: 

132 Programmable Robot Kits 

123

CCOMPPUUTTINGG ANDD GGAAMMING 

LAPPTTOOPSS 

WIRED TEST 

Laptop Essentials 

7 

124 

1 

8 

6 

2 

5 

4 

3 

1 

2 

4 

7 

DISPLAY 

Get the brightest you can afford. 

Widescreens are great for watching 

DVDs or viewing windows side by side. 

A 12-inch, 1,024 x 768-pixel display is 

OK, but if you plan to use the laptop as 

your main computer, go for at least 

1,280 pixels and 14 inches across. 

KEYBOARD 

Be sure you can type comfortably. 

Some models resort to undersize or 

poorly placed keys to save on space. 

3 PROCESSOR 

For PCs, Intel’s Pentium M (a k a Centrino) 

chip is fast and efficient, which helps 

prolong battery life. If power consumption 

isn’t a major concern, Intel’s Pentium 4 or 

AMD’s Athlon 64 CPU is fine. Mac users 

get only one choice: the G4. 

6 

BATTERY 

Budget an extra $100 to upgrade the 

standard battery, add a second, or get 

a spare to carry along. 

5 GRAPHICS CHIP 

If you’re not a gamer, don’t sweat 

this component. If you are, ATI’s 

Radeon 9800 processor beats 

all comers. But don’t lock yourself 

into today’s tech. Look for a laptop 

that you can upgrade. 

WI-FI 

Wireless capability is a must for 

staying connected wherever you are. 

Don’t mess with aftermarket cards; 

get a laptop with Wi-Fi built in. 

DOCKING 

Some laptops plug into docks or port 

replicators, letting you hook up a raft of 

peripherals (keyboard, printer, monitor) 

with a single connection. Docking 

stations contain optical drives, extra 

batteries, or better speakers, so you 

can keep your notebook truly portable. 

8 MODULAR BAY 

One of these lets you swap components 

in and out (DVD burner, auxiliary 

battery) so you don’t have to weigh 

down your machine with every option 

under the sun.

Thin-and-Light Laptops 

These petite performers cram maximum specs into minimum space, letting you 

carry your workload everywhere without breaking your back. 

EDDIITTOORSS’’ 

PIICCK� 

CCHEAP TTHHRRIILLLL 

� DELL INSPIRON 700m 

The 700m tore through our CD-ripping exercise 

in five minutes flat, thanks to its 1.8-GHz Pentium M 

processor. Plus, the 12.1-inch widescreen delivers 

generous 1,280 x 800 resolution. But Dell’s machine 

ran hotter than other thin-and-lights, and the power 

ran dry in two hours (you can purchase a doublesize 

battery for $59 extra). 

$2,091, www.dell.com 

� 

FUJITSU LIFEBOOK P7000 

It’s amazing what Fujitsu crams into a 3.3-pound, 

11 x 8-inch PC. Cool features include a DVD-ROM/ 

CD-RW drive, slots for CF and SD memory cards, 

FireWire and S-video ports, 802.11a/b/g networking, 

and a battery that lasts 2.5 hours. The wide viewing 

angle of the 10.6-inch, 1,280 x 768 display is perfect 

for in-flight movies. 

$1,999, www.us.fujitsu.com 

� IBM THINKPAD X40 23826UU 

If your laptop is your life, meet your soul mate. 

The ThinkPad’s keyboard is better than many 

desktops’, and the four-hour life of its standard 

battery was the best in our tests. The latest 

model has an updated TrackPoint with alternate 

finger grips. Performance is respectable: It 

ripped a CD to AAC files in an even six minutes. 

$2,324, www.ibm.com 

� SHARP ACTIUS MM20P 

It’s no all-day workhorse, but the MM20P is barely 

thicker than its Ethernet jack – a plus for PowerPoint 

jockeys rushing between sales calls. The included 

dock syncs files with a desktop PC – or a larger 

laptop. Switching from Normal to Mobile mode 

boosted battery life from 90 minutes to nearly three 

hours but dimmed the screen considerably. 

$1,599, www.sharpsystems.com 

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Fast. Wide, hi-res screen is great 

for displaying movies played from 

the onboard DVD-burning drive. 

TIRED 

Cramped keyboard makes heavy 

text work difficult. Mundane styling. 

Unit too hot against wrists and lap. 

WIRED 

Complete PC in a book-sized 

package. Disc drive can be 

hot-swapped for a second battery. 

Hi-res display with wide viewing 

angle makes it seem even bigger. 

TIRED 

Crowded keyboard. Squinty-small 

screen for text work. Unglamorous 

looks. Nearly 1.5 inches thick. 

WIRED 

Executive chic. Outstanding 

keyboard and battery life. Nice 

balance and feel in your lap. 

Keyboard lamp for red-eye flights. 

Underside stays cool. 

TIRED 

Executive price tag. Smallish 

1,024 x 768 screen. Optical drive 

in heavy travel dock. 

WIRED 

Slim and stylish. Cradle mounts 

unit to host computer as external 

drive for easy syncing. Built-in 

universal 802.11 Wi-Fi. 

TIRED 

Lackluster battery life. Installing 

software via dock is confusing. 

(Planned successor will have 

a built-in optical drive.) 

COMPPUUTING AND GAMING 

LLAAPPTOOPPSS


LAPPTTOOPSS 

WIRED TEST 

Tablet PCs 

Tap or type? Top-notch tablets let you do both. They couple Microsoft’s steadily 

improving handwriting-recognition software with full keyboards. 

EEDIITTORRS’’ 

PIICCKK� 

126 

� MOTION COMPUTING M1400 

This clipboard-sized PC has the jacks, card 

slots, modem, Pentium M processor, and Wi-Fi 

you’d expect in a laptop. (A DVD drive plugs 

in via USB.) Stylus input is a breeze on the bright 

1,024 x 768 screen, while hunt-and-peckers 

choose from two types of attachable keyboards. 

$2,351, www.motioncomputing.com 

� TOSHIBA PORTÉGÉ M205-S810 

The display on this handsome laptop swivels 

around, Transformer-style, and locks into place 

over the keyboard to create a tablet with about the 

same width and height as Motion’s M1400. But 

don’t kid yourself: Carried in one hand, it lacks the 

balance of a standard slate design. 

$2,299, www.toshiba.com 

How to Choose the Right Laptop 

THIN-AND-LIGHT 

WHAT YOU GET: Freedom. Workaholics savor the hours of 

productivity on planes and trains, and a PC that opens wide 

in even the tightest settings – like that coach airline seat 

when the guy up front reclines. 

WHAT YOU GIVE UP: Comfort. Gone are the large screen 

and spacious keyboard – and possibly the optical drive. 

Back in the office, plug in a proper monitor and keyboard 

for computing-intensive tasks. 

TABLET 

WHAT YOU GET: Flexibility. You can work on your résumé 

while standing, and handwriting recognition turns scribbled 

notes into typed out, searchable text. 

WHAT YOU GIVE UP: A keyboard. True tablets become 

crappy, clumsy laptops when you go QWERTY with them. 

Plus, they often have wimpy components to conserve power 

and weight. Convertibles have two modes: awkward tablet 

and pricey laptop. 

MULTIMEDIA 

WHAT YOU GET: Eye candy. A giant screen looks great, 

especially with the Star Wars trilogy playing out across it. 

It also requires a larger case, leaving space for a roomier 

keyboard and better airflow to keep the system cool. 

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Comfortable, balanced feel. Threehour 

battery life (with keyboards 

detached). One keyboard doubles 

as a lid for the 11.7-inch screen. 

TIRED 

Optical drive not built in. Too many 

parts to lose. 

WIRED 

Power and convenience of a 

laptop with optional tablet mode. 

Hi-res 1,400 x 1,050 display. 

TIRED 

Two-piece body, 1.5-inch thickness, 

and 4.5-pound weight contribute 

to clumsy feel. 

It all comes down to what you get – and what you give up. Here’s a rundown of the trade-offs. 

U 

WHAT YOU GIVE UP: Mobility. A 10-pound notebook the 

size of an atlas isn’t one you’re going to tote idly to the 

coffeehouse or use on your lap for hours. And if you’re 

crazy enough to travel with it, you won’t have the real 

estate to open it unless you’re flying first class. 

GAMING 

WHAT YOU GET: Raw power. Brilliant screens and 

screaming graphics now come in small, semiportable 

packages. And lugging your laptop to a LAN party beats 

schlepping a tower or playing alone. 

WHAT YOU GIVE UP: Your cool. Gaming machines put 

burning-hot hardware below your wrists. They’re also less 

upgradable than their desktop brethren; you may be able to 

swap in a new graphics system, but not a motherboard. 

RUGGEDIZED 

WHAT YOU GET: Invincibility. These tough customers endure 

harsh weather, turbulent travel, and acute clumsiness. 

WHAT YOU GIVE UP: Luxury. Shock-proofing, protective 

body armor, and the demands of durability all add up to less 

room for features like hi-res screens and speakers. 

Ruggedized keyboards and touchpads are less comfortable 

to use than those found on standard notebooks. – P.B.

Multimedia Laptops 

These portable theaters merge rich, sometimes widescreen displays with fullfeatured 

audio and video software. Tired of Hollywood’s flicks? Create your own. 

EEDDITTOORSS’’ 

PPIICCKK� 

ALLLL LAPTOPS 

� APPLE POWERBOOK G4 (17-INCH) 

Software is the real strength of this sleek, lightweight 

aluminum slab. Built-in apps for editing and 

managing photos, videos, music, and custom 

DVDs work together smoothly. And Apple’s OS X 

is less targeted by viruses, worms, and spyware 

than Microsoft’s – a nice plus. 

$2,799, www.apple.com 

� 

FUJITSU LIFEBOOK N5010 

If it shed a few pounds and got a new wardrobe, 

the N5010 would be a winner. Audio perks include 

the Dolby Headphone system, which simulates 

5.1 surround sound on stereo cans. The best nod 

to its home theater aspirations: the volume knob 

above the keyboard. 

$2,349, www.computers.us.fujitsu.com 

� SONY VAIO VGN-A190 

Laptops How We Tested 

Kill your television – or this 17-inch widescreen 

monster will. The VGN-A190’s A/V dock has a 

built-in TV tuner. Use the remote to channel-surf, 

then launch Sony’s recording software to dub 

Nip/Tuck. Plug in the included speakers and blast 

the soundtrack from the dock’s digital amp. 


BATTERY LIFE 

In place of lab-optimized tests, we simulated 

real-life use by running the screen at maximum 

brightness while playing digital music files to 

steadily but moderately tax the processor and 

hard drive. 

CD RIPPING 

We encoded Mos Def’s 17-track CD Black on 

Both Sides into 128-Kbps AAC music files with 

iTunes. This number-crunching task mainly 

stresses the processor, but the optical drive 

also affects performance. 

MULTTIMEDDIA 

GGAAMMIINNGG 

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An inch thick and less than 

7 pounds. Three-hour battery 

life. Backlit keyboard and comfy, 

scalloped keys. 

TIRED 

Limited choice of third-party apps. 

Pixel-poor 1,440 x 900 screen. 

WIRED 

Lap-friendly for a 16-incher. 

Affordable. 

TIRED 

Obese at 10.4 pounds. Two-tone 

case looks clunky. Narrow display. 

WIRED 

Screen brightness auto-adjusts 

to ambient light. The 11-inch-high 

speakers are a bonus. 

TIRED 

Keyboard and buttons hard to see 

in the dark. CD ripping took an 

excruciating 13 minutes. 

VIDEO CONVERSION 

On PCs, we used Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 to 

convert an AVI file to the MPEG-2 format. 

IMAGE CONVERSION 

We used Adobe Photoshop CS to compress 

a 110-Mbyte PSD file into a 7.5-Mbyte GIF. 

GRAPHICS PERFORMANCE 

We measured frame rates while playing Far 

Cry and Unreal Tournament 2004 at resolutions 

of 1,024 x 768, 1,280 x 1,024, and 1,600 x 1,200. 

COMPPUUTING AND GAMING 

LLAAPPTOOPPSS


LAPPTTOOPSS 

WIRED TEST 

Gaming Laptops 

Portable PCs optimized for gaming wrap flashy case designs around pedal-tothe-metal 

hardware, so you can take the battle to the enemy in style. 

130 

SSPPLUURRGEE 

EEDIITTORRSS’’ 

PPIICCKK� 

� DELL INSPIRON XPS 

This behemoth trounced all comers, thanks in 

large part to ATI’s screaming (and upgradable) 

Radeon 9800 graphics processor. Even Far Cry ran 

at a fluid 37 frames per second with 1,280 x 1,024 

resolution, while Unreal hit 103 fps – both way 

ahead of the rest. And the XPS stays cool when 

the action gets hot. 

$3,404, www.dell.com 

� FALCON NORTHWEST 

FRAGBOOK DR 

Like a Harley, our FragBook ran hot, loud, and fast, 

while sporting a custom Stars and Stripes paint 

job on the lid. Falcon specializes in one-off finishes 

and case mods, both tasteful and tacky. And it 

guarantees no defective pixels on the 1,680 x 1,050 

display, which nonetheless lacked the cinematic 

quality of Gateway’s for games. 

$4,995, www.falcon-nw.com 

� GATEWAY M675XL 

Its styling may be reserved, but the Gateway’s 

performance matches the gaudier hot rods mile 

for mile. Most important, its lush 1,680 x 1,050 

display brought Far Cry to life better than any 

other. Frame rates from the Radeon 9700 chip 

were solid – 70 per second for Unreal, and 21 

for Far Cry at 1,280 x 1,024. 

$2,799, www.gateway.com 

� VOODOO ENVY m:860 

If head-turning looks matter more to you than necksnapping 

speed, your search ends here; Voodoo’s 

high-gloss finish upstages them all. The onscreen 

graphics were less impressive, with 19 fps in Far 

Cry at 1,280 x 1,024. But the Athlon 3400+ CPU may 

blow past the others when 64-bit games arrive in 

late 2004 or early 2005. 

$3,200, www.voodoopc.com 

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Detailed 1,920 x 1,200 display. 

Special tech support line separates 

gamers from regular Dell dudes for 

better service. 

TIRED 

One-hour battery life. Pricey. 

Black lid with skull emblems about 

as punk rock as Avril Lavigne. 

WIRED 

Pulled through Far Cry at 24 frames 

per second – just above average 

for 1,280 x 1,024 resolution. 

Upgradable graphics. Voluminous 

120 gigs of hard disk space. 

TIRED 

Abysmal 45-minute battery life. Fan 

kicks into noisy high-speed mode 

for games. A porker at 11.3 pounds. 

WIRED 

Gorgeous display helped deliver 

best overall gaming experience. 

Sleek design, solid build. Buttons 

on front panel for playing CDs 

and DVDs. 

TIRED 

No match for Dell Inspiron on 

frame rates. Graphics system not 

upgradable. One-hour battery life. 

WIRED 

Sexy lacquered finish. Athlon 

64-bit CPU will soon run optimized 

games. 

TIRED 

At 1,680 x 1,050 and 15 inches, the 

screen lacks the depth and dimensions 

of Gateway’s larger LCD.

Ruggedized Laptops 

Shock-absorbing cases, coffee-proof keyboards. Whether used on the factory 

floor or dropped from the dining room table, these road warriors are built to last. 

EEDIITTORS’’ 

PPICCK� 

THHINN-AAND-LIGHHTT 

TTAABLEETT 

MULTIMMEDIAA 

GAMING 

RRUGGED 

Laptops Scorecard 

� PANASONIC TOUGHBOOK Y2 

It’s not mil-spec – Panasonic’s sturdy notebook was 

built to withstand the hazards of business travel. 

Miraculously, it weighs an ultralight 3.4 pounds, and 

the magnesium alloy case has a dent-resistant lid. 

Other high points: a 14.1-inch 1,400 x 1,050 display 

and 1.3-GHz Pentium M CPU. 

$2,550, www.panasonic.com 

� KONTRON REVOLUTION 

This convertible laptop and tablet functions in the 

rain and in temperatures from 5 to 140 degrees. 

The magnesium case holds two large bays – each 

with a watertight door – for field hardware, all-day 

batteries, or a DVD drive. The 12.1-inch screen is 

a modest 1,024 x 768 pixels. 

$3,395, www.kontron.com 

Rating Model 

Price Processor 

RAM 

(Mbytes) 

Screen (inches) / 

Resolution (pixels) 

4.5 � IBM ThinkPad X40 23826UU $2,324 1.2-GHz Pentium M 512 12.1 / 1,024 x 768 

4 Fujitsu LifeBook P7000 $1,999 1.1-GHz Pentium M 512 10.6 / 1,280 x 768 

4 Sharp Actius MM20P $1,599 1-GHz Transmeta 8600 512 10.4 / 1,024 x 768 

3 Dell Inspiron 700m $2,091 1.8-GHz Pentium M 512 12.1 / 1,280 x 800 

� 

4.5 Motion Computing M1400 $2,351 1.1-GHz Pentium M 512 11.7 / 1,024 x 768 

4 Toshiba Portégé M205-S810 $2,299 1.5-GHz Pentium M 512 12.1 / 1,400 x 1,050 

� 

4.5 Sony Vaio VGN-A190 $2,700 1.7-GHz Pentium M 512 17 / 1,920 x 1,200 

4 Apple PowerBook G4 $2,799 1.5-GHz PowerPC G4 512 17 / 1,440 x 900 

3 Fujitsu LifeBook N5010 $2,349 3.2-GHz Pentium 4 1,024 16.1 / 1,600 x 1,200 

� 

4.5 Gateway M675XL $2,799 3.4-GHz Pentium 4 1,024 17.1 / 1,680 x 1,050 

4 Dell Inspiron XPS $3,404 3.4-GHz Pentium 4 1,024 15.4 / 1,920 x 1,200 

4 Voodoo Envy m:860 $3,200 2.2-GHz Athlon 64 3400+ 1,024 15.4 / 1,680 x 1,050 

3 Falcon Northwest FragBook DR $4,995 3.4-GHz Pentium 4 1,024 17 / 1,680 x 1,050 

� 

4.5 Panasonic Toughbook Y2 $2,550 1.3-GHz Pentium M 256 14.1 / 1,400 x 1,050 

4 Kontron Revolution $3,395 1.1-GHz Pentium 4 640 12.1 / 1,024 x 768 

W 

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Unbelievably light. Silver exterior 

stylish enough for sales presentations 

yet durable enough to survive 

airport security. 

TIRED 

Tinny speakers. Jacks and bays 

not protected from the elements. 

WIRED 

Survived a 3-foot drop onto a concrete 

floor while running. Has two 

big, rubberized handles. 

TIRED 

At 8 pounds, puts the heavy in 

heavy-duty. A price that only the 

Pentagon could love. 

Hard Disk 

(Gbytes) 

40 

60 

20 

60 

40 

60 

80 

80 

80 

80 

60 

60 

120 

40 

60 

Battery Life 

(hours) 

4:03 

2:28 

1:31 

2:09 

2:59 

2:16 

1:36 

3:12 

2:27 

1:04 

1:05 

1:31 

0:45 

3:14 

3:32 

Weight 

(pounds) 

2.7 

3.3 

2 

4.1 

3 

4.5 

8.6 

6.9 

10.4 

9 

9.1 

8 

11.3 

3.4 

8 


LLAPPTTOOPPSS

CCOMPPUUTTIING AND GGAAMMING 

PROOGGRRAMMMAABLEE ROBOT KKIITSS 

Programmable Robot Kits 

These bots look like remote-control cars, but with a little programming and some imagination, 

they become sumo wrestlers, off-road joyriders, or firefighters. – Peter Arcuni 

132 

SUPERDROID ROBOTS 

TREKKER FIRE FIGHTER 

This SuperDroid Trekker can detect 

candle flames with its UVTRON sensor 

and extinguish them with an onboard 

fan. Beware: Putting this beast together 

makes Ikea furniture assembly seem 

fun. The sample code is easy enough to 

download but hard for a novice to grok. 

$599, www.superdroidrobots.com 

ROGUE ROBOTICS ATR ERS 

The “ATR” stands for all-terrain robot. This little 

’dozer can lunge over small objects, sidestep roadblocks, 

even run from light. It’s easy to build and 

seriously expandable. But the wheel bands fall off 

around some turns and could use more horsepower. 

$295, www.roguerobotics.com 

PARALLAX 

SUMOBOT 

The SumoBot kicks serious roboass. 

With the help of a pair of 

edge detectors and two infrared 

sensors, it can navigate a tournament 

ring, track opponents, 

and muscle them out of bounds. 

SumoBot is beginner-friendly, but 

sophisticated coding and circuitry 

should please robo-geeks. 

$149, www.parallax.com 


WIRED TEST 


Specialty PCs 

Beige boxes are fine for spreadsheets, but 

frag fests and streaming video-thons need 

hardware with major muscle. by Brian Lam 

135 

136 

Gaming PCs 

Media Center PCs 

PLUS: 

138 

139 

Wireless Desktop Sets 

USB Gadgets 

133

CCOMPPUUTTING ANDD GGAAMMING 

SSPPECCIIAALLTTYY PPCCss 

WIRED TEST 

Specialty PC Essentials 

134 

1 

2 

6 

5 

3 

4 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

PROCESSOR 

The 64-bit AMD Athlon is king – 

especially for gaming. For most other 

tasks, a 3-GHz Pentium 4 should give 

you more than enough muscle. 

RAM 

Anything less than 512 megs and your 

system could choke while running 

multiple memory-hogging applications 

or opening large files clogged with 

photos, video, or game levels. 

HARD DISK 

Get a serial ATA drive spinning at 

7,200 rpm or faster with at least 

160 gigs for holding all those movies, 

photos, and MP3s. Multiple drives 

running in tandem through a RAID 

configuration maximizes datatransfer 

speed. 

GRAPHICS SYSTEM 

For fast gaming action, get at least 

128 megs of video RAM and support 

for the DirectX 9 gaming interface. 

OPTICAL DRIVE 

A standard DVD burner lets you make 

4.7-Gbyte backups, but a dual-layer 

device gives you twice the storage. 

A second DVD drive is handy for 

making quick copies of discs. At 

press time, 16X is the fastest speed 

available, although even 12X is 

very quick. 

EXPANSION SLOTS 

PCI Express is beginning to replace the 

slower PCI and AGP card standards. 

Having the latest upgrade options 

helps future-proof your system.

Gaming PCs 

If lightning-fast frame rates and sizzling CPUs get your blood up, you want a PC 

with the guts for glory. But remember: Zing and bling demand a lot of ka-ching. 

EDDIITOORSS’ 

PIICCKK� 

QUIICCK TIPP 

� FALCON NORTHWEST MACH V 

Looking like an ’84 Camaro, our Mach V came in 

deep purple, though Falcon Northwest will coat it in 

any tint. The Nvidia GeForce 6800 Ultra graphics card 

is boss, but the 3.6-GHz Intel Pentium 4 limited 

onscreen action to 132 frames per second in Unreal 

and 53 fps in Far Cry at 1,280 x 1,024 resolution – 

fast, but not fast enough for the price. 

$5,207, www.falcon-nw.com 

� VELOCITY MICRO RAPTOR 64 

SPECIAL EDITION 

For top speed, this is your flyboy. With the latest 

64-bit AMD chip and Nvidia GeForce 6800 Ultra 

graphics card, it screamed through kill after 

kill in Unreal, flipping 180 fps at 1,280 x 1,024 

– far outpacing the others. The single small exhaust 

fan made us worry about processor meltdown, 

though things stayed cool in our tests. 

$4,029, www.velocitymicro.com 

� VOODOO RAGE 

The Rage’s aluminum case is anodized black as 

night and the guts tinted bloodred. It features a 

2.4-GHz, 64-bit AMD chip like the Raptor 64, but 

with half the cache buffer. The Nvidia GeForce 6800 

GT card, though not top of the line, still raced 

Voodoo’s box into second place in our ratings, 

churning 58 fps in Far Cry to the Velocity’s 65 fps, 

and 155 fps in Unreal (with both games set to 1,280 x 

1,024). The best number of all? The price. 

$3,845, www.voodoopc.com 

W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

U 

WIRED 

Sweet paint job. Sports Nvidia’s 

fastest graphics card. 

TIRED 

Pentium 4 not so hot for gaming. 

(Request a 64-bit Athlon instead.) 

For the price of this hot rod, you 

could make a down payment on 

an actual car. 

WIRED 

Top-of-the-line components. 

Temperature gauge and adjustable 

fan. Available in several vivid colors. 

TIRED 

Cheap-o case. Pressing fan button 

causes flimsy front panel to bow 

in, sometimes switching off power. 

WIRED 

Serious speed and performance 

inside a dark and scary (but 

beautiful and quiet) package. 

Less than $4,000. 

TIRED 

Slowish 8X DVD burner. Less hard 

drive space than rivals. 

Any graphics card will do for everyday tasks. But for 

gaming, get the most powerful one you can afford. 


SSPPEECCIIAALLTY PPCCs

CCOMPUTTING AANND GGAAMMING 

SPEECCIALTY PPCCss 

WIRED TEST 

Media Center PCs 

Machines designed for Microsoft’s entertainment OS run standard apps and let 

you record TV, retouch photos, and stream movies – all by remote control. 

136 

CHHEEAPP TTHRRIILLL 

EDIITOORRSS’’ 

PICKK� 

ALLL SSYSSTEEMSS 

GGAMMINNG 

� HP m1050Y 

This living room photomat has a cradle on top for 

an HP camera, and it integrates HP’s image software 

into Media Center’s menus, so you can edit 

pics through the remote. The 3.2-GHz Pentium 4 

performed admirably, and the removable second 

hard drive made our photo libraries mobile. 

$1,655, www.hp.com 

� SHUTTLE ST61G4 

The toaster oven-sized ST61G4 fits anywhere, 

but it’s too stylin’ to hide. The 3-GHz Pentium 4 

processor, 512 megs of RAM, and 160-Gbyte 

hard drive are good for recording standard TV and 

playing videos and music. For intense media 

editing, though, you’ll want a faster CPU. 

$1,309, www.shuttle.com 

� SONY RA810G 

This water-cooled tower is whisper-quiet for TV 

time. And it silenced the competition in our media 

tests, converting a 255-Mbyte AVI clip into an 

MPEG-2 in 6 minutes, 33 seconds, and squishing a 

110-Mbyte Photoshop file into a 7.5-Mbyte GIF in 5 

seconds. If you’ve got the scratch, Sony’s Media 

Center PC is the one to get. 


Specialty PCs How We Tested 

Additional testing by Alexandra Krasne. 

CD RIPPING 

We had each machine encode Mos Def’s 

Black on Both Sides to 128-Kbps AAC music 

files using Apple iTunes. 

GRAPHICS PERFORMANCE 

Unreal Tournament 2004 and Far Cry were 

used to measure frame rates at resolutions 

of 1,024 x 768, 1,280 x 1,024, and 1,600 x 1,200. 

MEEDIIA CCENTTEER 

W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

U 

WIRED 

Front-mounted USB 2.0 and 

FireWire ports and A/V jacks. FM 

tuner. Dual-layer DVD+R/RW drive. 

TIRED 

Occasional fan buzz when the 

CPU gets hot. Poky optical drives 

slowed down CD ripping. 

WIRED 

Nice balance of power and price. 

Wireless keyboard and mouse. 

Ripped CDs faster than the others. 

TIRED 

Noisy fans. Wimpy graphics but no 

slot for an upgrade card. 

WIRED 

Fast and nearly silent. Dual-layer 

DVD burner does DVD+R/RW 

and DVD-R/RW formats. Honking 

250-Gbyte hard drive for media. 

TIRED 

Channel buttons on remote are 

poorly positioned. 

IMAGE CONVERSION 

A monstrous 110-Mbyte Photoshop file 

was compressed into a 7.5-Mbyte GIF 

using Adobe Photoshop CS. 

VIDEO CONVERSION 

We used Adobe Premiere Pro 1.5 to convert 

a 255-Mbyte AVI file downloaded from a camcorder 

to an MPEG-2 for burning onto a DVD.

GAMING 

MEDIA CCEENNTTEERR 

Everything, Everywhere, Now! 

Welcome to Media Center 2005, your total entertainment network. 

The first Media Center PCs were little more than overblown 

DVRs. They handled your TV shows fine, but your music 

and photo collections were marooned on your hard drive. 

The 2005 version of Microsoft’s Media Center operating 

system not only makes nice with your television and 

stereo, it turns your computer into the hub of a house-wide 

entertainment network. 

The new edition’s great leap forward comes in the 

form of support for third-party Media Center Extenders, 

relay boxes that connect to your A/V components and 

Specialty PCs Scorecard 

Rating Model Price Processor RAM Graphics System 

4.5 

4 

3 

5 

4 

3 

� 

Voodoo 

Rage 

Velocity Micro 

Raptor 64 SE 

Falcon Northwest 

Mach V 

� 

Sony 

RA810G 

HP m1050Y 

Shuttle ST61G4 

$3,845 

$4,029 

$5,207 

$2,200 

$1,655 

$1,309 

2.4-GHz AMD 

Athlon 64 3800+ 

2.4-GHz AMD 

Athlon 64 FX-53 

3.6-GHz Intel 

Pentium 4 

3.4-GHz Intel 

Pentium 4 

3.2-GHz Intel 

Pentium 4 

3-GHz Intel 

Pentium 4 

1 Gbyte 

1 Gbyte 

1 Gbyte 

1 Gbyte 

1 Gbyte 

512 Mbytes 

stream real-time or recorded shows, photos, video, and 

music from your PC via Ethernet or Wi-Fi. (For more on 

Media Center Extenders, see page 152.) Another plus: 

Multiple tuner cards, including hi-def models, will endow 

a single Media Center PC with the recording and playback 

capabilities of an army of DVRs, capturing a number of 

shows on a number of channels while serving up saved 

programming to televisions throughout the house. 

Media Center 2005 also sets your digital content free. 

Using the Media Player 10 engine, it resizes archived 

TV and then transfers it, as well as music and photos, 

to Pocket PC handhelds and personal video players running 

Microsoft’s new Portable Media Center OS. 

Other updates include support for the 16:9 widescreen 

format and improved video scaling that, to our eyes, resulted 

in higher-quality playback of both live and recorded TV. 

Microsoft’s setup has its shortcomings. It doesn’t allow 

remote scheduling over the Internet, unlike some DVRs. 

It decodes and records over-the-air HDTV only, so digital 

cable and satellite subscribers need not apply. And it turns 

out that Extenders cost more than many DVRs do after 

current rebates. Still, it puts the power of a PC in your living 

room – minus the big box. – B.L. 

256-Mbyte Nvidia 

GeForce 6800 GT 


GeForce 6800 Ultra 


GeForce 6800 Ultra 

128-Mbyte ATI 

Radeon X600 

128-Mbyte ATI 

Radeon X300 

ATI Integrated 

Graphics (using 

main system RAM) 

Hard Disk 

Dual 74-Gbyte, 10,000-rpm 

SATA drives with RAID 


SATA drives 

with RAID; 200-Gbyte 

7,200-rpm SATA 


SATA drives with RAID; 

250-Gbyte 7,200-rpm SATA 

250-Gbyte, 7,200-rpm SATA 

250-Gbyte, 7,200-rpm 

SATA; removable 160-Gbyte 

7,200-rpm drive 

160-Gbyte, 7,200-rpm 

parallel ATA 

Optical Drive 

8X DVD+R/RW 

and DVD-R/RW 

12X DVD+R/RW 

and DVD-R/RW, 

52X CD-RW 

12X DVD+R/RW 

and DVD-R/RW, 

16X DVD-ROM 

8X dual-layer DVD+R/RW 

and DVD-R/RW, 

16X DVD-ROM 

8X dual-layer DVD+R/RW, 

16X DVD-ROM 

8X DVD+R/RW 

and DVD-R/RW 

COMPPUTINGG AND GAMING 

SPEECCIIAALLTTYY PCss


WIREELLESSSS DDEESSKKTOP SETS 

WIRED TEST 

138 

Wireless 

Desktop Sets 

The coolest keyboards and mouses use Bluetooth or RF 

technology to reduce cable clutter and add a little freedom 

to your home office. – Owen W. Linzmayer 

MICROSOFT WIRELESS 

OPTICAL DESKTOP 

COMFORT EDITION 

The curve in Microsoft’s RF keyboard 

will help your wrists, but 

its protruding feet will cramp your 

lap-typing style. The board’s layout 

includes 21 programmable buttons 

and a unique zoom slider for 

adjusting document magnification 

quickly. The ambidextrous mouse 

is comfortable. 

$85, www.microsoft.com 

KENSINGTON 

COMFORT TYPE 

RECHARGEABLE 

The Kensington’s 20 silver function 

keys can be set to launch 

apps and enter keystroke 

combinations. The slightly 

slanted keys ease typing, and 

the RF range was twice as far 

as the stated 6-foot spec. Too 

bad it’s incompatible with Apple 

computers and southpaws. 

$80, www.kensington.com 

LOGITECH DINOVO MEDIA DESKTOP 

If chic electronics manufacturer Bang & Olufsen were to make a keyboard, 

it would be hard-pressed to top the diNovo’s understated elegance (or its 

overblown price). The thin, light keyboard is a joy to behold as well as type 

on. The separate MediaPad, which is included, has a built-in LCD and serves 

as a calculator, keypad, and controller for Windows applications. Sculpted 

for righties, the MX 900 Cordless Optical Mouse rapidly recharges in its base 

station, which also adds Bluetooth capabilities to your PC. 

$250, www.logitech.com 

SHOWN 



USB Gadgets 

“No port left behind.” That appears to be the mantra of device makers cranking 

out bizarre plug-ins for your PC’s vacant USB slots. – Owen W. Linzmayer 

BODELIN TECHNOLOGIES 

COMPLETE PROSCOPE 

PACKAGE SHOWN 

Play Quincy and examine evidence 

from your imaginary crime scene with 

this handheld electronic scope. View 

the microcosmos through the eyepiece 

or in full color on your monitor. The kit 

includes four lenses and an adapter to 

wire your analog microscope or telescope 

for digital observation. 

$765, www.theproscope.com 

USB BLAST R-1000 

Plug a telephone headset into the 

R-1000 to make digital recordings 

of calls, or use the built-in mike 

to capture sounds in the room. We 

pined for Mac support and dialing 

capabilities, but the real bummer is its 

dubious legal status: The gizmo may 

violate some states’ wiretapping laws. 

$149, www.usbblast.com 

KEYSPAN 

K-ZIP-CELL-ER 

Keyspan’s compact chargers draw 

power from your PC to replenish 

phones from Kyocera, LG, Motorola, 

Nokia, Samsung, Sanyo, Siemens, or 

Sony Ericsson. Use the retractable 

30-inch cable to refill your battery in 

about an hour. 

$22-30, www.keyspan.com 

ADDLOGIX 

BEVERAGE WARMER 

Hate it when your coffee gets 

cold as you IM late into the night? 

Unfortunately, this USB heating 

jacket won’t help – it can’t even 

keep spit warm. At least the kids will 

have fun wearing Addlogix’s Velcro 

sleeve like a blood pressure cuff. 

$16, www.addlogix.com 


UUSSBB GGADDGGEETTSS


Gaming 

Accessories 

There’s no shame in playing videogames 

every day for hours and hours, unless you 

do it with lousy equipment. by Todd Zuniga 

142 

143 

145 

WIRED TEST 

140 

Gaming Speaker Systems 

Wireless Controllers 

Specialty Gear 

PLUS: 

147 

Karaoke Mikes

Gaming Accessories Essentials 

5 

1 

4 

2 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

SURROUND SOUND 

Get a setup with true 5.1 Dolby Digital 

and DTS capability. (THX certification 

for games is an added bonus.) 

It’s hit or miss which games support 

DTS, but all DVD movies do, so 

it’s worth the extra coinage. Beware: 

Some systems deliver only pseudosurround, 

which pales in comparison. 

WIRELESS CONTROLLERS 

Check for these baseline specs: 

2.4 GHz, 50 hours of battery life, and 

a 40-foot range. What separates the 

also-rans from the must-haves is 

comfort and touch. Where’s the joy 

in being untethered if your fingers 

ache after 30 minutes of play? 

DRIVING WHEELS 

Steer clear of the cheap stuff. Top 

products are durable and have clamps, 

not suction cups, for solid mounting 

to desks or coffee tables. The best 

have a 900-degree turning radius. 

DANCE PADS 

If you have wood or other hard 

flooring, look for a pad that’ll grip the 

surface well. On-pad menu navigation 

is a plus so you don’t have to stop 

the body rock to restart the game. 

AUDIO INPUTS 

Make your gaming speaker system 

double as a multimedia sound hub 

by getting one with plenty of inputs 

for computers, MP3 devices, and 

DVD and CD players. 

COMPUTINGG AND GAMING 

GGAAMMIINNGG ACCCCEESSSSOORIIEES

COMPUUTTING AND GGAAMMIING 

GAAMMIINNGG ACCESSORIES 

WIRED TEST 

Gaming Speaker Systems 

Pistol pops, bass-heavy soundtracks, helmet-denting tackles – today’s games roll plenty 

of audio thunder. These 5.1 systems put you in the thick of it. 

142 

EEDDIITOORRSS’’ 

PPIICKK� 

SPLLUURGGEE 

� KLIPSCH GMX D-5.1 

Klipsch delivers on its rep with this powerful set. 

The subwoofer gives plenty of growl, and the system 

supports Dolby Digital for movies and games. But it 

won’t decode DTS, which delivers more clarity and 

dynamics than Dolby’s standard. And the control panel 

has an identity crisis: If it’s for PC gamers, where’s the 

headphone jack? If it’s for console bangers, where’s 

the remote? 

$199, www.klipsch.com 

� LOGITECH Z-5500 DIGITAL 

With a hefty 10-inch subwoofer, the Z-5500 drops 

the biggest boom of the systems we reviewed. 

It also has the only center channel designed to 

be placed on a TV or monitor. It decodes both DTS 

and Dolby Digital, and the elegant control module 

has six inputs for plugging in your stereo, DVD 

player, and game boxes. 


� SONY 5.1 SRS-D5100 

Sony’s glossy PC sound system includes a silver 

subwoofer that handles music, movies, and games 

equally well. But it doesn’t do Dolby Digital or DTS, 

and the front speakers distort when big bangs 

are cranked to the max. If you’re OK with plain old 

loud, however, this Sony system will fill the room 

with above-average audio. 


� SPHEREX XBOX 5.1 

Spherex’s debut offering looks like a cluster of 

incubating pods from Alien. It works with all 

hardware – not just the Xbox – and its so-called 

omnipolar dispersion technology really does spread 

sound around the room for 360-degree envelopment. 

A USB port in the sub allows you to transfer 

bug fixes and new (as yet unnamed) features 

from your PC. 

$499, www.spherexinc.com 

W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

WIRED 

Satellite stands swivel to direct 

the sound where you want it. Nice 

price compared to the competition. 

TIRED 

Looks and feels dated. Controls 

are clumsy to use. High-frequency 

audio sounds glassy. 

WIRED 

Analog and multiple digital inputs 

cover all sound needs. Satellite 

speakers have rotating pedestals 

for wall mounting. 

TIRED 

Honkin’ subwoofer is tough to 

hide. Ugly remote. 

WIRED 

Easy on the eyes. Satellite braces 

can be positioned at rear for 

mounting speakers to the wall. 

Secondary input on control panel. 

U 

TIRED 

W 

The 6-foot power cord is a bit 

short. Control knobs positioned 

too closely together. 

WIRED 

Handles DTS and Dolby Digital 

surround. Slick remote. Two 

optical and one coaxial input for 

digital sources, plus USB port. 

U 

TIRED 

Most expensive multimedia 

speakers reviewed. Subwoofer 

is a bit weaker than Logitech’s.

Wireless Controllers 

Leashes are for walking your pooch, not playing Soul Calibur II head-to-head. Get 

into the action – and out of the tangles – with a lightweight tether killer. 

EEDITTOORS’’ 

PPIICCKK� 

� HIP GEAR 2.4 GHZ (XBOX) 

Microsoft’s Xbox Controller S was a smart update 

to the original’s clunky design, but it left the cable 

intact. Hip Gear tries to remedy this with a wireless 

version that nicely matches the Xbox look. The 

2.4-GHz model has a buttery-smooth thumb pad, 

but stiff buttons and nearly a pound of heft weigh it 

down. It doesn’t top the S, but it does let you roam. 

$30, www.hipgearproducts.com 

� 

INTEC MINI (PS2) 

The Mini has great battery life and the smoothest 

digital pad we tested. But its petite analog sticks 

and stiff buttons can leave your hands stinging 

after even a short session of SOCOM 2. Another 

glitch: Placement of Start and Select buttons 

could cause a mispress when you’re desperate 

for a time-out. 

$30, www.inteclink.com 

� LOGITECH CORDLESS ACTION 

CONTROLLER (PS2) 

Logitech’s latest wires-free unit is a total 

lightweight, in the best sense. The sleekest of 

the wireless bunch, it’s a cinch to install – you 

don’t even have to program the wireless channels 

on the controller and receiver. Its 30-foot range 

suffers from nary a hiccup. Best of all, the design 

closely mimics the unique look of Sony’s Dual 

Shock 2 cord-bound controller. 


� MAD CATZ LYNX (XBOX) 

The Lynx was a bust right out of the box. The battery 

indicator light cover fell off almost immediately. Then, 

after we pried open the battery flap – no easy task – 

excessive force was required to cram the three AAs 

into place. We finally got the thing running only to 

find the triggers creaky. We shudder to think what 

else could go wrong after a few months of abuse. 

$30, www.madcatz.com 

W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

U 

W 

U 

WIRED 

Macro feature saves sets of button 

presses – great for fighting games. 

TIRED 

Old-fashioned Turbo button is a 

throw-in of little use with most 

current games. 

WIRED 

Batteries last a whopping 70 hours 

(with rumble off). 

TIRED 

Three rumble settings sounds 

nice, but they feel weak. Includes 

the old, pointless Turbo button. 

WIRED 

Autoselects channels when using 

multiple controllers. Battery lasts 

50 hours with rumble, 100 without. 

TIRED 

Shoulder buttons lack contour, 

making them slippery and hard 

to locate by feel. 

WIRED 

Nice and compact – too bad about 

everything else. 

TIRED 

Astonishing crapsmanship. Good 

luck replacing batteries without 

a hammer. Costs as much as 

Hip Gear’s far better controller. 





WIRED TEST >> WIRELESS CONTROLLERS 

144 

� 

� 

NINTENDO WAVEBIRD (GAMECUBE) 

Microsoft’s latest Xbox pad feels comfy, and 

Sony’s Dual Shock 2 is often lauded as a design 

masterpiece. But neither can match Nintendo’s 

lightweight, well-shaped GameCube controllers 

with their ideal button and stick placement. The 

only first-party wireless on the market doesn’t 

have rumble, but it’s got everything else. 

$35, www.nintendo.com 

NYKO AIR FLO (PS2) 

The Nyko’s one trick is a mechanism that blows 

cooling air through holes in the grips. If your hands 

drip with sweat during heated matchups, this 

should help. But in all other respects, the Air Flo 

simply blows. It’s bulkier than the competition, and 

the analog sticks and thumb pad are hypersensitive. 

(Menu navigation requires surgical precision.) 

The right stick interferes with button presses. 

$40, www.nyko.com 

Your Xbox Ticket to Killer Abs 

A screen obsession to make you fitter, not fatter. 

If your workout consists of leaving the couch to turn on your Xbox and 

play Madden NFL 2005 a dozen times until the pizza guy arrives, you 

might rethink your exercise routine. For starters, try responDesign’s 

Yourself!Fitness for Xbox. More experience than game, this title turns 

you into the peripheral, walking you through crunches and squats 

onscreen to tone your bod in real life. While you’ll need the controller 

occasionally to navigate menus, you’ll mostly be in the capable 

hands of your polygonal personal trainer, Maya. 

She starts by asking you to select health and fitness goals. Then 

she leads you through reps and sets of routines in aerobics, pilates, 

strength training, yoga, and guided meditation. She provides 

step-by-step instruction on a total of 400 unique exercises, from 

warm-up to power off. 

Each day, Maya personalizes your routine based on your progress 

and commitment level. So if you’re worn out from an all-night 

Halo 2 session, she’ll kindly slow things down. And don’t sweat 

sacrificing your gaming fund to buy newfangled gym equipment. 

Maya integrates whatever you already have – just dust off the 

cobwebs from your sand-filled dumbbells. 

Since stuffing yourself with McDonald’s post-workout won’t 

fly, you use the Yourself!Fitness’ meal planner for healthy dining. 

Maya chimes in with nutritional advice and doles out more than 

4,500 recipes, preparation instructions, and even shopping lists. 

$35, www.yourselffitness.com 

W 

WIRED 

Only $10 more than the GameCube 

corded controller – and just as 

light and balanced. 

U 

TIRED 

W 

No rumble could be a factor for 

a few games, like Zelda: Wind 

Waker. The fading GameCube 

needs more titles to justify buying 

additional gear for it. 

WIRED 

Innovative concept for the sweatypalm 

set. Adjustable fan speed. 

Batteries last up to 40 hours, even 

with the fan on high. 

U 

TIRED 

Heavy, enormous controller 

requires four AA batteries. Design 

doesn’t match the PS2. Blown air 

sometimes smells funky.

Specialty Gear 

Whether you’re a disco freak, a would-be assassin, or the next Nascar sensation, these gaming 

extras take virtual reality beyond the screen and into your hands, feet, and backside. 

EEDITTORRS’ 

PPIICCKK� 

� COBALT FLUX DANCE PAD 

Don’t worry if you get down like Elaine on Seinfeld. 

Cobalt Flux created this pricey dance pad so you 

can practice your ankle-spraining moves in private. 

Problem is, it slides on uncarpeted surfaces, and 

stomping the pads makes quite the racket. Newbies 

are liable to lose the beat – there’s little in the way 

of guides for your two left feet. 

$299, www.cobaltflux.com 

� REDOCTANE METAL PAD 

RedOctane’s system turns your gaming room into 

a Saturday Night Fever disco. Silver and sleek, 

this metal pad is worth the cost if you’re serious 

about your vid boogie. Too bad it relies on an 

external control box for navigating the menus 

instead of using the pad’s rear area for embedded 

controls. Mirror ball not included. 

$200, www.redoctane.com 

� INTEC WIRELESS 

RACING WHEEL 

� 

Intec’s wireless Xbox wheel drove us up the wall. 

The interface will baffle experienced drivers, and 

the suction pads on the base made it wobbly 

and hard to control. There’s little to love about this 

plastic rig, except perhaps the ease with which 

you can toss it aside and not trip over a wire. 

$80, www.inteclink.com 

LOGITECH DRIVING FORCE PRO 

The greatest thing to happen to driving games since 

Gran Turismo 3, this wheel feels like it was lifted 

from a rally car. The force feedback lets you feel 

every bump on even the smoothest virtual roads. 

Best of all, it has a 900-degree turning radius, so 

you can spin out in games like GT4. 


W 

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WIRED 

Sturdy. Triangle button on the mat 

makes menu navigation easier 

than the waltz. Buy two and score 

a free attachment for linking them. 

TIRED 

Expensive. Xbox owners need 

an adapter. 

WIRED 

Best pad for the price. Foam bottom 

stays put on any surface. Multiplatform 

hookups out of the box. 

Bolts on pad help guide beginners. 

TIRED 

Rear and center square stickers 

started peeling off after only a few 

hours of dancing. 

WIRED 

No response lag. 

TIRED 

Rumble is weak and clunky. 

Wheel grips cause slippage in 

tight races. Does everything in its 

power to keep you from turning. 

WIRED 

Must-buy for racing game fans. 

Rubber grips add to the realism. 

TIRED 

Hard to use unless you clamp 

it to a table. Pedals slip on hard 

surfaces. Short power cord. 





WIRED TEST >> SPECIALTY GEAR 

GAMING 

SSPPEEAAKKEERR SYSTEMS 

WIRELESS 

CCONTRROLLEERS 

SSPPEECCIIAALLTTYY GEEAARR 

Gaming Accessories Scorecard 

Rating Model 

System Price Total Watts Inputs 

� 

4.5 Logitech Z-5500 Digital All 

$400 500 Optical, coaxial, 4 stereo mini audio 

4 Spherex Xbox 5.1 All 

$499 300 Optical, coaxial, stereo mini audio; USB 

3 Klipsch GMX D-5.1 All 

$199 100 Optical, coaxial, RCA audio 

1.5 Sony 5.1 SRS-D5100 PC 

$230 140 Stereo mini 

Rating Model 

Price 

� 

Other Console 

Versions Available 

Rated 

Battery Life 

5 Logitech Cordless Action Controller (PS2) $40 Xbox 

50 hours 30 feet 

4 Nintendo WaveBird (GameCube) $35 None 


Rating Model 

System Price Best Played With Additional Features 

� 

� GUITAMMER BUTTKICKER GAMER 

Attach the device to a standard office chair, then 

ride the rumble. By delivering a game’s low-end 

frequencies right to your backside, the ButtKicker 

box shakes things up without knocking down your 

neighbor’s wall hangings. Remember to quiet the 

game’s music, or every bass line will give you a jolt. 

$150, www.thebuttkicker.com 

� MONSTERGECKO 

PISTOLMOUSE FPS 

If you’re not feeling rattled enough while butchering 

the Axis in Battlefield 1942, park this gun-shaped 

optical mouse on your desk for that extra shot of 

authenticity. It has good balance and a solid-feeling 

trigger. Warning: You’ll feel ridiculous navigating 

your online photo album with a monster gat. 

$70, www.monstergecko.com 

WIRED 

Feel kickback every time you fire 

in a first-person shooter. 

Attaches only to chairs with a 

center post – not intended for 

your Barcalounger. Responds to 

all bass, meaning gunshots and 

music give the same thump. 

4.5 Logitech Driving Force Pro PS2 

$150 Gran Turismo 4 900-degree turning radius 

4 MonsterGecko PistolMouse FPS PC, Mac $70 Battlefield 1942 Can be used as a regular mouse 

4 RedOctane Metal Pad PS1, PS2, Xbox $200 Dance Dance Revolution Ultramix On-pad menu-navigation controls 

3 Cobalt Flux Dance Pad PS1, PS2 $299 Dance Dance Revolution Extreme Can link with other Cobalt dance pads 

2 Guitammer ButtKicker Gamer All 

$150 Halo 2 None 

1 Intec Wireless Racing Wheel Xbox 

$80 Burnout 3: Takedown Adjustable sensitivity 

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TIRED 

WIRED 

Eye-catching. Durable. Scroll wheel 

is easy to access with the thumb. 

TIRED 

Vets will have a hard time giving 

up a conventional mouse. Must 

stay on desktop for optical sensor 

to work, so no waving it around. 

3 Hip Gear 2.4 GHz (Xbox) $30 GameCube PS2 100 hours 50 feet 

3 Intec Mini (PS2) $30 GameCube, Xbox 70 hours 30 feet 

2 Nyko Air Flo (PS2) $40 GameCube, Xbox 


1 Mad Catz Lynx (Xbox) $30 PS1, PS2 


U 

Range


Karaoke Mikes 

Sing it loud! These portable party machines are packed with hundreds of songs 

and provide onscreen lyrics. Earplugs for neighbors sold separately. – Brian Lam 

LEADSINGER LS-3000 

SHOWN 

Leadsinger pumps up the jams with the most 

abundant catalog of expansion chips, each featuring 

100 to 200 songs. Its performance evaluator rates 

your tonal accuracy. When we fortified the playlist 

with all 15 English language additions (at $70 to $90 

apiece), it outlasted our voices. Too bad you need 

to be a rock star to afford the complete library. 

$130, www.leadsinger.com 

KORITECH HANDY STAR 

Koritech’s MIDI synthesizer 

reproduces backing tracks that 

sound more like music than Muzak. 

The built-in library of 2,000-plus 

tunes seems generous – until you 

realize that half are in Tagalog. But 

the 1,000 tunes in English provided 

enough quality material for four 

hours of showboating. 

$349, www.dtskaraoke.com 

ENTER TECH MAGIC 

SING-ALONG V 

With more than 700 built-in songs 

– and another 1,500 available on 

11 expansion chips – the Enter Tech 

offers plenty of A-list choices for 

revelers. You can even record performances 

for posterity (or extortion). 

The forgiving onscreen scoring flattered 

even the most off-key rebel yeller. 

A wireless second mike is available. 

$329, www.acekaraoke.com 


KKAARRAAOOKKEE MMIIKKEESS

WIRED TEST 


Media 

Streamers 

Ditch that task chair and stretch out on the 

couch. Streamers deliver digital music and 

video to your living room. by Owen W. Linzmayer 

148 

150 

152 

Audio Streamers 

Audio/Video Streamers

6 

5 

Media Streamer Essentials 

1 

4 

+ - 

2 

x 

3 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

WIRELESS STANDARD 

Basic 802.11b Wi-Fi is speedy enough 

for audio, but you’ll want a faster 

802.11g or 802.11a network to ensure 

smooth video. 

DISPLAY 

On audio streamers, a good screen 

is critical for browsing through 

thousands of songs. Fluorescent 

displays are easy to read from across 

a room; small LCDs usually aren’t. 

Audio/video streamers use your TV’s 

screen for better legibility. 

REMOTE CONTROL 

Every unit except Apple’s AirPort 

Express includes a remote, but not all 

remotes are created equal. Look 

for one that controls volume and has 

large, clearly labeled buttons arranged 

in an intuitive layout. 

INTERNET RADIO 

Most streamers that handle Net 

radio work with stations that broadcast 

in MP3 format (no Windows Media 

or RealAudio support yet) and come 

with presets for hundreds of stations 

organized by genre. 

SERVER SOFTWARE 

Almost all streamers require your 

computer to run server software 

– usually a proprietary app. A few 

streamers can, in theory, access any 

computer running music-organizing 

programs, like Musicmatch, that 

support the universal plug-and-play 

(UPnP) standard. 

6 OUTPUTS 

All media streamers have basic analog 

outputs. Look for players that include 

higher-quality options, like digital audio 

via optical or coaxial ports and video 

via S-video or component connections. 

COMPUUTINGG AND GAMING 

MMEEDDIIA SSTTRREAAMEERRSS


MMEDIIAA STRREEAAMERS 

WIRED TEST 

Audio Streamers 

Tunes flow nicely over Wi-Fi, and these music wranglers mine your digital collection 

and the Internet to give you access to enough songs for a lifetime of listening. 

150 

CHHEAPP TTHHRILLL 

� APPLE AIRPORT EXPRESS 

The extremely compact AirPort Express can 

serve as a music streamer, a wireless link for USB 

printers, even a wireless network hub. Audio 

is controlled from your computer through iTunes, 

which is a great interface, but it’s inconvenient 

if your audio gear is in a different room. For that, 

we’d like a remote with a built-in display. 


� CREATIVE SOUND BLASTER 

WIRELESS MUSIC 

Like the AirPort Express, Creative’s receiver 

lacks a display. But it comes with a big, bright LCD 

on the best remote in the test. Too bad the rest 

of the system is uninspiring. Its bare-bones 

hardware works with a trio of lackluster programs 

for managing only MP3 and WMA files. 

$200, www.creative.com 

� LINKSYS WIRELESS-B 

MUSIC SYSTEM 

� 

With Musicmatch Jukebox software, vTuner for 

Internet radio, and Rhapsody compatibility, this 

Linksys box offers plenty of content. But setting 

it up required a wired Ethernet connection 

and a tech support call to reset the hardware. 

And its powered speakers deliver weak sound. 

$180, www.linksys.com 

MACSENSE HOMEPOD MP-100 

We found little to like in this unreliable device. The 

built-in speakers sounded pathetic, music servers 

disappeared inexplicably from the menu, and MP3 

files couldn’t be found on a hard drive attached 

to the USB 1.1 port. Promised support for Mac OS 9 

as well as AAC and WMA files is still MIA. 

$175, www.macsense.com 

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WIRED 

Remarkably affordable. Crossplatform 

compatibility. Only device 

that plays iTunes Music Store’s 

protected AAC files. 

TIRED 

Audio cables not included ($39 for 

kit). No remote or display. 

WIRED 

RF remote rocks with a large 

backlit display that lets you 

make choices from anywhere 

in its 32-foot range. 

TIRED 

Supports just two audio formats. 

No Internet radio. Failed to read 

songs’ ID3 tags properly. 

WIRED 

Musicmatch beats many bundled 

server applications. Rhapsody and 

vTuner support. 

TIRED 

Difficult setup. Disappointing sound 

quality. LCD nearly illegible unless 

viewed straight-on. 

WIRED 

Works with Mac and Windows. 

Includes FM radio and USB port. 

TIRED 

LCD is hard to read. Poor button 

placement on tiny remote results in 

inadvertent shutdowns and server 

resets. Packaging incorrectly claims 

support for Mac OS 9.

EDDIITOORSS’ 

PPIICKK� 

� NETGEAR MP101 

The boxy MP101 has all the charm of a police 

scanner, but it’s packed with features, including 

seamless support for Rhapsody, vTuner Internet 

radio, and other universal plug-and-play server 

apps. Or you can use the proprietary Netgear 

Media Server software. It can import libraries 

or playlists from some music management 

programs, but not iTunes. 

$149, www.netgear.com 

� ROKU SOUNDBRIDGE M1000 

The elegant SoundBridge sports a generous 

280 x 16-pixel, blue fluorescent display. It can 

access music on computers running either iTunes 

or the open source SlimServer software, and it 

comes with high-end digital outputs (analog, too). 

We especially like the Fast Browse feature for 

finding tracks in huge libraries. 

$250, www.rokulabs.com 

� SLIM DEVICES SQUEEZEBOX 

While the Squeezebox lacks the SoundBridge’s 

visual appeal, it’s a formidable streamer. The graphic 

screen and controller board offer a range of text 

sizes, pretty fonts, and smooth scrolling. Though 

the user docs are confusing, the device walks 

you through the easy setup. It effortlessly imports 

iTunes playlists and non-copy-protected tracks. 

$279, www.slimdevices.com 

� SMC NETWORKS SMCWAA-B 

There’s no nice way to say it: This product is 

a piece of crap. The AC adapter requires fiddling 

to get juice. Audio drops out frequently, even with 

decent Wi-Fi signal strength – something we didn’t 

experience on any other streamer. And the unit 

often doesn’t respond to the remote, which features 

small buttons with indecipherable, cutesy icons. 

$130, www.smc.com 

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WIRED 

Affordable. Solid performer with 

good UPnP support. 

TIRED 

Poor text display. Plays MP3 and 

WMA files only. Remote cluttered 

with tiny buttons, but none 

for volume. Lacks documentation 

for server software. 

WIRED 

First-class design actually looks 

good next to high-end audio 

equipment. Simple setup. Big, 

bright display. 

U TIRED 

U 

Expensive. No Wi-Fi signal meter. 

Occasionally confusing interface. 

W 

U 

W 

WIRED 

Clean styling. Great display. 

Supports most common audio 

file formats and works with 

Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux. 

TIRED 

Pricey. Documentation is way too 

geek-centric. 

WIRED 

Meters for buffer and wireless 

signal strength update in real 

time. Only streamer that lets you 

bookmark radio stations. 

U 

TIRED 

Flimsy construction. Minijack 

output only. No Ethernet port 

or power switch. 




MMEDIIAA STRREEAAMERS 

WIRED TEST 

Audio/Video Streamers 

Don’t let your ears have all the fun. Get your eyes in on the action with boxes 

that stream photos, movies, home videos, and music from your computer. 

152 

EDDITTOORS’ 

PPIICCK� 

� ICUBE PLAY@TV NMP-4000 

Inexpensive doesn’t have to mean cheap. This unit 

is solid, with a wealth of A/V connectors. The PC 

software is a bit confusing, but the TV-side interface 

is easy to navigate. Video playback is perfect; 

you can even switch between programs and set 

bookmarks within shows. 

$200, www.playattv.com 

� 

PHILIPS STREAMIUM SL400i 

Don’t pay a premium for the Streamium. While 

the Internet radio selection is extensive, the 

photo, video, and game functions seem like 

afterthoughts. The device doesn’t even display 

album art when you’re playing music. And you 

can’t bookmark scenes in video. 

$449, www.streamium.com 

� PRISMIQ MEDIAPLAYER 

We plugged this black box in and it immediately 

found our Wi-Fi network and media files. Video 

playback over 802.11g is fine, and you can jump 

back and forth a user-determined number of 

seconds. Our main complaint: It’s maddeningly hard 

to control the onscreen pointer with the remote. 

$200, www.prismiq.com 

Media Center Extender 

Microsoft’s media PCs take over your whole house. 

Microsoft wades into the streaming business in late 2004 with 

the introduction of Media Center Extender. If you’ve already 

bought – or you plan to buy – a Windows Media Center PC 

(see “Everything, Everywhere, Now!” page 137), you’ll soon 

have a seamless way to integrate it with the rest of your home 

entertainment gear. 

Using wired or wireless networks, Media Center Extender 

devices link your A/V equipment to your computer through 

the user-friendly Windows XP Media Center 2005 interface. 

According to Microsoft, a single Media Center PC can 

perform standard computing tasks while it simultaneously 

WIRED 

Smooth audio and video over 

802.11b. Remote with volume 

control and one-button access 

to signal-strength meter. 

Minimal printed documentation. 

No Internet radio. 

streams content to up to five separate Extender boxes 

on the home network. 

Alienware, Dell, Gateway, Hewlett-Packard, Samsung, 

and other hardware manufacturers have announced their 

intentions to release products – from stand-alone boxes 

to televisions – that will incorporate the Extender technology. 

Microsoft has even promised to release a Media Center 

Extender kit for the Xbox. Pricing hasn’t been announced, 

but it’s anticipated that the devices will sell for $200 to $300, 

making them competitive with other media streamers 

currently on the market. – O.W.L. 

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TIRED 

WIRED 

Attractive design. Full range of 

outputs. Handles most common 

video formats. 

TIRED 

Priciest unit tested. Dim LCD hard 

to read from the sofa. Only audio 

supported is MP3. Photos often 

cropped at edges. 

WIRED 

Great interface. Easiest setup. 

Optional $30 wireless keyboard a 

good buy for built-in Web surfing 

and chat functions. 

TIRED 

Rhapsody interface is different 

than the one for standard audio.

AUDIO 

AUDIO/VIDEO 

� SMC NETWORKS SMCWMR-AG 

This SMC wireless receiver aims low and still 

disappoints. The hardware has the bare minimum 

of connectors, and its software feels unfinished, 

with a hostile interface. For example, it requires 

you to type in URLs for Internet radio and 

shows file paths instead of displaying MP3 

track names and album art. 

$250, www.smc.com 

Media Streamers Scorecard 

W 

U 

WIRED 

Streams audio and video, but 

just barely. 

TIRED 

Composite video jacks only. Wi-Fi 

configuration is tedious. Remote 

has tiny buttons and no volume 

control. No fast-forward or reverse 

functions for video playback. 

Rating Model 

Price 

Formats Supported Outputs Wireless 

5 Roku SoundBridge M1000 

4 Apple AirPort Express 

4 Slim Devices Squeezebox 

2 

Linksys Wireless-B 

Music System 

$250 

$129 

$279 

$180 

MP3, AAC, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, AIFF, 

Apple Lossless, WAV audio 

MP3, AAC, WMA, AIFF, Apple Lossless, 

WAV audio 

MP3, AAC, WMA, Ogg Vorbis, FLAC, 

AIFF, Apple Lossless, WAV audio 

Optical, coaxial, RCA audio 802.11b 

Combination analog and 

optical minijack audio 

Optical, coaxial, RCA, 

minijack audio 

802.11b/g 

802.11b/g 

3 Netgear MP101 $149 

MP3, WMA audio RCA, minijack audio 802.11b/g 

2 

� 

Creative Sound Blaster 

Wireless Music 

$200 

1 Macsense HomePod MP-100 $175 

MP3 audio 

MP3, WMA audio Optical, RCA audio 802.11b/g 

MP3, WMA, WAV audio Optical, RCA audio 802.11b 

Optical, coaxial, RCA, 

minijack audio 

0.5 SMC Networks SMCWAA-B $130 

MP3, WMA audio Minijack audio 802.11b/g 

� 

5 icube Play@TV NMP-4000 

4 Prismiq MediaPlayer 

2 Philips Streamium SL400i 

$200 

$200 

$449 

MP3, WMA, WAV audio; MPEG-1, MPEG-2, 

WMV, DivX, ASF, XVid video 

MP3, WMA, WAV audio; MPEG-1, MPEG-2, 

MPEG-4, DivX, AVI, Motion-JPEG, VOB video 

MP3 audio; MPEG-1, MPEG-2, 

MPEG-4, DivX video 

Optical, RCA audio; component, 


Coaxial, RCA audio; 


Coaxial, RCA audio; component, 


802.11b 

802.11b 

(with card) 

802.11b/g 

(card not included) 

802.11a/b/g 

1 SMC Networks SMCWMR-AG $250 MP3 audio; MPEG-1, MPEG-2, DivX video RCA audio; composite video 802.11a/b/g 

WIRED IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF ADVANCE MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS INC., PUBLISHED THROUGH ITS DIVISION, THE CONDÉ NAST PUBLICATIONS. 

COPYRIGHT ©2004 THE CONDÉ NAST PUBLICATIONS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE USA. 

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WIRED TEST 

Erectile 

Dysfunction Pills 

Kiss your performance anxiety good-bye with a little Barry White on the hi-fi 

and an erectile dysfunction pill in your nightstand drawer. – Gordon Bass 

SHOWN 

Spring into action – and stay that way. Cialis takes 

effect within 15 minutes and keeps it humming for 

up to 36 hours, much longer than both Levitra and Viagra. 

Pop one Saturday night and you’ll be up for a quickie 

Monday morning. No wonder the French dubbed it 

“le weekend” pill. 

$90 for 10, www.cialis.com 

154 

CIALIS (TADALAFIL) 20 MG 

VIAGRA (SILDENAFIL 

CITRATE) 50 MG 

Bob Dole’s props to the blue pill give it 

undeniable, if inexplicable, cachet. Still, 

we were weirded out by an unnatural 

stiffness that lingered after the deed 

was done. Some users report tinted 

vision and the common ED-pill headache. 

The drug fades after four hours, so 

Tantrists and porn stars look elsewhere. 

$91 for 10, www.viagra.com 

LEVITRA 

(VARDENAFIL HCL) 20 MG 

With its five hours of staying power, 

Levitra packs the most punch for 

hard-to-treat cases of impotence. 

(Think diabetes.) Too bad it also inflicts 

a nasty headache for the duration. And 

if that doesn’t turn you off, visions 

of spokesperson Mike Ditka should do 

the trick. 

$88 for 10, www.levitra.com

TESTED AND RATED - Kevin Kelly

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