Drew Thompson

1. SMALL WONDERS Most multimedia speakers make audiophiles laugh, but the Spherex 5.1 Surround Sound System ($500) - based on Mirage's critically acclaimed Omnisat 6 home theater speakers (reviewed in "Thinking Outside the Box II," May 2003) - is worth a serious listen.

As this magazine's videogame reviewer and a longtime Star Wars fan, I was so eager to get my hands on an early copy of The Force Unleashed that I considered storming the Presidio. Luckily, however, LucasArts was kind enough to deliver an exclusive preview (for Xbox 360) right to my door.