Handheld Helpmates97855043214LongitechMX Air MouseThe fall season is a great time to take inventory of your tech stuff - whether the idea is to buy new headphones or upgrade your laptop.
Powerful portable speakers can transform a digital music player into a stereo system or change a personal video player into an on-the-go mini-cinema. The speakers shown here look good, sound better than you'd think by looking at them, and are surprisingly inexpensive. I sampled JBL's latest gear while at CEDIA.
There's no shortage of camcorders or portable navigation devices out there, but here are a few that offer the basics plus a few unique perks. Available in surf-inspired colors like yellow, white, and a turquoise-blue, SANYO's Xacti E1 camcorder (right, $500; us.sanyo.com) is truly waterproof - and minus any bulky casing.
With summer just around the corner, there's no better time to upgrade your digital camera. CASIO's Exilim EX-Z75 ($230; casio.com) is perfect for a day trip or an extended vacation. I used mine for some basic around-the-house stuff, but this 7.2 megapixel would be a great travel companion.
"This, like any story worth telling, is all about a girl," Peter Parker tells us at the beginning of Spider-Man-not what you'd expect to hear from a superhero. But, as delighted audiences soon discovered, Spider-Man doesn't play by the rules.
Most folks envision stadium-style seating for their home theaters, but that take-me-out-to-the-ball-game approach isn’t the only way to go. For a more flexible, family-style setup, think sectionals. These aren’t the stodgy, hulking pieces of upholstered furniture of the past. Today’s versions offer unique configurations that combine love seats, sofas, chairs, chaises, and ottomans (great as additional seating or as a table for food/drink) and can work together or separately for multiple options. One more thing: Don’t forget to take the tush test when you shop for any kind of seating. Comfort is the key if you’re going to enjoy your screening experience.