New Gadget 2011

The device runs Windows Mobile 6 Standard, but T-Mobile decided to make the operating system friendlier by laying an animated interface over it. The interface reaches its goal: never to expose users to the clunky Windows Mobile program list.

104MB of storage and 72MB of program memory allow lots of room for add-ons, but like most 200-MHz Windows Mobile devices, the Shadow feels a bit sluggish, especially when you push it into editing Microsoft Office documents or surfing the Web. At least there’s Wi-Fi to complement T-Mobiles relatively slow EDGE network, The handset’s 2-megapixel camera has a 0.9-second shutter delay that requires patience. As a phone it’s just average, too, with a somewhat trebly interface and tinny speakerphone.

The Shadow could be a contender, especially given its nice price. But put it up against the array of exciting smartphones that have hit U.S. shores recently and the Shadow just doesn’t stand out.

T-Mobile Shadow Short Review
Price range: $349.99 direct; $149.99 with contract

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The 18X Fujinon lens is the centerpiece of this well-designed digital camera, delivering a 4.7mm to 84.2mm range (equivalent to a 35mm lens with a27mm to 486mm zoom). The wide-angle lens performed beautifully for group shots and landscapes.

Fuji's face-detection technology, which worked well on my tests, offers automatic red-eye removal. The camera’s dual-image stabilization combines mechanical CCD stabilization with higher ISO levels and faster shutter speeds for advanced anti-blur protection. I found that it typically produced images that were noticeably sharper but sometimes with a hint more noise than I'd like to see.

In lab tests, I saw some barrel distortion at the left side of images, and photos were a bit soft but exhibited only a trace of purple fringing. Noise became visible at IS0400 and more noticeable at ISO 800 and higher. The camera averaged 1,450 lines on resolution tests, which is low for an 8MP superzoom.

All things considered, the Fuji FinePix: S8000fd is a viable option for photographers who want advanced features but also enjoy the simplicity of a one-lens-fits-all camera.

Fuji FinePix S800fd Review
Price range: $399.95

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The Zune 8GB (also available in a 4GB version), Microsoft’s first flash-based player, doesn’t fare as well. The iPod nano is a better bet, with a larger screen in a much smaller frame. While the Zune’s new user interface looks spectacular and navigates smoothly on the 80GB player, the flash-based Zune models are riddled with jumpy menu navigation and delayed responses. My biggest complaint, however, is the minuscule 1.8-inch screen.

The newly designed Zune Marketplace-Microsoft’s answer to iTunes- is a big reason to buy a Zune player. Full of links to artist bios, band photos, and discographies, it makes iTunes seem like a big, boring spreadsheet. It's got some fun interactive features, and there are lots of other goodies, too: DRM-free songs and a $15 per month all-the-music-you-can-download plan. (One major bummer is the lack of video programming.)

One of the coolest features of both Zune players is wireless syncing. After a short setup, your Zune can use your wireless network to sync with your PC’s music and video library, which is something no Apple player offers. Microsoft didn’t have its act together in time for the launch, however: Until the company issues a firmware upgrade, which wasn’t yet available at press time, users must connect their PCs to their routers via Ethernet cable in order to load the Zune wirelessly. Microsoft claims the firmware update should be ready by the time most folks unbox a new Zune.

Overall, the Zune 80GB is a good-looking, feature-loaded device that bests the iPod classic, while the Zune 8GB isn’t nearly as compelling as the iPod nano. Neither of these players, however, touches the iPod touch.

Zune 80GB and Zune 8GB Review
Price range: 80GB,$250; 8GB, $200; 4GB,$150

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Like its Gateway namesake, the XPS One is user serviceable, with a back panel that slides open. Unlike the Gateway One, it doesn’t have an extra drive bay or a drop-in SATA installation. RAM is easy to access, and an ATI Radeon HD 2400 card occupies the MXM graphics card slot (though you can’t upgrade the graphics at this point).

The XPS One has a wireless keyboard with a built-in touchpad, so you can use it on your lap while watching TV without having to enlist your log as a mouse pad. The keyboard incorporates many of the more important MCE and playback controls, and the wireless laser mouse is sweet.

The XPS One comes with Adobe’s Elements Studio. This suite is not quite the match of Apples iLife ‘08, but it’s formidable nonetheless. The Dell excelled on our multimedia tests, besting both the Gateway One and the iMac (20-inch Aluminum) with its test scores: 1 minute 13 seconds on Windows Media Encoder and 50 seconds on Photoshop CS2. Alas, the Radeon HD 2400 is a lightweight graphics card-fine for HDTV and basic 3D tasks, but its feeble 128MB of graphics memory sinks it as a pining platform.

Though some versions of the XPS One are”one cord,” the high-end model we tested requires at least one extra cable for the built-in HDTV tuner, though there’s a cable routing clip on the One to keep wires out of the way if need be. Speaking of high-def, the Dell also packs a Blu-ray drive. The display’s native resolution is 1,680-by-1,050. You can’t view HDTV in full 1,920-by-1,080p with the Dell- not that you’d be able to tell the difference on a 20-inch screen. But Blu-ray movies look terrific on the XPS One.

Between its superb design, extensive feature set, and speedy performance, the Dell XPS One has upped the ante on all-in-one greatness.

Dell XPS One Review
Specs: 2.33-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo E6550 processor; 2GB 667-MHz DDR2 SDRAM; 500GB, 7200-rpm SATA hard drive; 128MB ATI Radeon HD 2400 graphics card; BD-RE(Blu-ray) drive; integrated 20-inch widescreen LCD monitor; Windows Vista Home Premium.
Price range: $2,399

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The U810 has a neat twist: Its screen rotates 180 degrees like a convertible tablet. At 6 by 6.7 by 1 inches (HWD) it’s a bit large, but that permits a relatively spacious 5.6-inch screen. The small laptop keyboard provides the best typing experience of the crop,

The feature set is solid, including SD and CompactFlash readers, one USB 2.0 port, a fingerprint reader, a webcam, and Bluetooth and Wi-Fi capability. Still, the U810 has limitations. While I had no problem uploading photos, encoding video took forever. I would like to see a backlit keyboard on the U810 (finding the minuscule keys is hard enough even in broad daylight). Also, the U810 lacks an integrated WWAN (EV-DO or EDGE), which the OQO, Sony UX and Vulcan FlipStart all have.

The U810 has a 40GB hard drive. Its 800-MHz Intel processor and 1GB of RAM are sufficient. These low-powered components let the four-cell battery sticking out of the back of the unit crank out a decent 3 hours 13 minutes of battery life. Fujitsu is a big player in Japanese UMPCs, and thanks to an attractive price, it should make a splash in the U.S as well.

Fujitsu LifeBook U810 Review
Specs: 800-MHz Intel A110 processor; 1GB DDR2 SDRAM; 40GB, 4200-rpm hard drive; 224MB Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950; 5.6-inch, 1,024-by- 600 screen; 1.5 pound system weight (2.4-pound travel weight), Window Vista Basic.
Price Range: $999

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