New Gadget 2011

This splashy device uses Sprint's physical EV-DO network. Reception is decent and audio deep and clear, though the speakerphone may be too quiet for some. Along with the useful dual-slider design that hides both the keyboard and the numeric keypad, the most powerful feature here is the integrated messaging client. On one screen, you can access text messaging and an e-mail services from AOL, Gmail, Windows Live, and Yahoo! (in addition to the free 100MB account you get with a Helio subscription), and IM Service from AIM, Yahoo!, and MSN. IM presence information also appears in your cantact book. You can log onto all three IM services at once and also receive "push" e-mail from AOL, Yahoo!, and Windows Live. For the rest of the service, you have to download e-mail by hand, since there isn't even a scheduled polling option.

The Ocean supports Helio's integrated MySpace client and has the ability to upload photos taken with its 2-megapixel camera to MySpace. Other social-networking services will follow, promises Helio.

The Phone's full Web browser is powerful but quirky. It initially shows you sites processed through the Google Mobilizer, which boils everything down to a one-column view. You have to click a link to get to the full HTML. The Ocean's music player works well, though syncing with Windows Media Player was unreliable. I found that dragging and dropping music in Mass Storage mode was a better option.

Helio still has many features on its "to do" list. There's no local PC PIM syncing, for instance, nor can you easily sync video files with a PC. Exchange ActiveSync for mail, more push mail options, and Microsoft Office document support are also "coming soon". BlackBerry handhelds and others smartphones offer an even wider range of e-mail options, though without the MySpace connection. Still, the Ocean already outstrips other messaging-centric devices such as the LG enV and the T-Mobile Sidekick. In this hyper-social crowd, it's the queen bee.
Pantech PN-810: $295

Here's what I mean by tricky: A firmware upgrade, installation of an internal hard drive (annoyingly not included), calls to tech support, and several changes to my PC's security settings were needed before I was set up. But in the end, the product proved its worth. I enjoyed crisp HD content that I first loaded wirelessly to the unit's hard drive via my 802.11g Wi-Fi network.

Wireless streaming of video from a host computer was a different story: Sputtering was out of control. The wait time for transferring a full-lenght movie could be hours, too, but once movies were on the device's drive, they played perfectly. I had no problem streaming audio and photos. A nice Internet radio function that also requires hard drive installation provides access to Shout Cast and Ice Cast servers. A USB connection in back makes for easy plug-and-play of files on a flash drive.

For the patient, Wi-Fi-adept consumer, MediaGate has created an affordable, solid product.
Mediagate MG-350HD: $249.99

On the most fundamental level, the Pegasus Cynalynx just wouldn't play my files. During testing, I was able to stream DVDs successfully only a few times, and the quality was pretty sketchy. Video would sputter and often freeze and crash the system. I had no luck streaming video files, either.

Also annoying, DVD audio doesn't play via the analog stereo-out jack. The only way to hear a DVD's sound is by using the digital coaxial port. If you don't have a receiver that has a digital coax-in port, you're out of luck.

I could go on and on about how the Pegasus Cynalynx also had a problems playing all of my music files-whether they were ripped from a CD in iTunes or downloaded completely DRM-free from eMusic. I could tell you how it didn't even show up as a wireless router on one of my other systems, despite the fact that I turned off the firewall and spent hours trying to will it into action. I could tell you how it was incompatible with Vista and the ATI Mobility Radeon X1600 graphics driver on one of our test systems. But you get the point.

Compare this experience with the one provided by the less-expensive Apple TV. The Apple TV worked fine and took me less than an hour to set up, while the Pegasus Cynalynx took days of tweaking and never really cooperated. I didn't even get to listen to one full song or view one full movie. Not good.

Nobody likes to kick the little guy, but in the name of protecting your wallet, I must advise you to steer clear of this product.
Pegasus Cynalynx: $399

An attractive little camera, the V1003 is crafted in eight unconventional colors with evocative names like "Java Brown", "Golden Brown", and "Pink Bliss". The deviceis also sculpted with rounded edges and has an iPod-like texture that makes it pleasent to hold. Still, I found the tiny controls tricky to operate. A 10-Megapixel device with a 3X optical zoom lens, the V1003 also has the standard 2.5-inch LCD found in most digital cameras.

The problem is, the pictures produced by this camera were just not good. My flash test shots were plagued by inaccurate color, and I had focus problems in all shooting conditions. Video was also grainy and washed out. And although the V1003's 2.6-second recycle time was decent, I found very noticeable shutter lag.

It's hard to deny the EasyShare V1003's compelling construction. Even so, style aside, I just can't forgive the camera's disappointing image quality and performance.
Kodak Easyshare V1003: $249.95

With an ultrapowerful 18X optical zoom lens that spans a 4.7mm to 84.2mm range, the SP-550 UZ is optically well equipped. The zoom lens ranges from ultra-wide-angle (letting you capture more in picture) to telephoto, which gets you closer to the action than most other compact cameras do. A helpful guide mode provides instruction on 15 common topics, including blurring backgrounds and shooting at night. The subdue camera shake, the device also features built-in image stabilization. That said, a real zoom ring for better lens control would have been nice.

Overall, I found the SP-550 UZ's images pleasing, with a very deep dynamic range and good contrast. The camera scored 1,650 lines on our resolution test, which is above average for a 7.1MP camera. It also boast full manual modes, icluding the ability to shoot RAW files, a format that produces higher-quality images than JPEGs. Boot up took 3.6 seconds, which is okay but far from swift, as was the camera's 3.6-second recyle time.

Sure. it's not perfect, but if you seek a smal camera with a sweet lens. the Olympus SP-550 UZ will satisfy.
Olympus SP-550 UZ: $499.99