Feature Articles

Top 100 Products of 2006

Nos. 51 - 60

Sony VAIO TX notebook series We all know how desirable a notebook with a VAIO badge can be, but when Sony decided to update its TX series with the latest silicon chips from Intel, it was the case of the "best just got better". If the Fujitsu Q2010 is the sexiest slab of computing machine in 2006, then the Sony VAIO VGN-TX37GP has got to be the most technologically inspiring and groundbreaking notebook of 2006. Just check out its integrated DVD burner, carbon fiber chassis and state-of-the-art white LED backlit screen.
Eten G500 Pocket PC phone No doubt it doesn't have battery-sapping Wi-Fi, it is a Quad-band phone, which means it is an excellent handset for global roaming. Let's also not forget that the Wi-Fi function can simply be added at a later time by means of a miniSD Wi-Fi adaptor, so it's not really a big deal that it doesn't have Wi-Fi. This Pocket PC phone gets our vote because it has the latest generation of GPS technology called SiRF Star III (which should find its way into many mobile phones in 2007), Bluetooth v2.0, integrated FM radio and a very fast Samsung processor. In short, this is one competent and fast Pocket PC phone that we wouldn't mind recommending wholeheartedly.
BlueAnt X5 Stereo Bluetooth Headset Just its cool black shade and design are enough to warrant a place on our Top 100, but of course, us being us, we can never digress too far from technicalities. At the top of its spec sheet is support for A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) and AVRCP (Audio Video Remote Control Profile) Bluetooth profiles. The collapsible headphone can also be used as a regular pair of headphones simply by connecting it to your MP3 or DVD player via a standard 3.5mm audio jack. It even has support for VoIP applications and comes with a detachable microphone. You really couldn't ask for more.
Linksys CIT400 home telephony solution With the CIT400, Linksys has apparently answered the prayers of those who have been praying for a dual-mode cordless telephone system that is both a traditional PSTN phone and PC-less Skype VoIP phone. Granted it's also a DECT system, the CIT400 base station can accept up to a total of four (bundled handset inclusive) other DECT handsets you might have in your household. It's just a great addition to your home if you have family members who travel overseas frequently.
AKG K 701 headphones You may think that headphones are just headphones with nothing really groundbreaking to separate one from the next. Wrong. The K 701 from AKG is the first pair of headphones in the world to use revolutionary flat-wire technology in its design, giving it superb audio accuracy and an incredible brilliance across the entire range of frequencies from its patented AKG Varimotion ultra-precision two-layer diaphragm. In short, it's just superlative audio waiting for you.
Toshiba RD-A1 (HD DVD recorder with 1TB HDD) Having a cushy couch and a large flat panel display doesn't mean you're a bona fide couch potato. What you must have is the Toshiba RD-A1, as it is the world's first HD DVD recorder with 1TB (1,000GB) of pure hard drive gut for you to store not hours but days worth of TV programming. This means you can truly sit in front of your TV for days and be a couch potato. From another angle, because you now have 1TB to make certain you'll never miss your favorite programs you can finally fill up your mobile phone's contact list with friends. And if you cherish your recordings, you can always safely burn them in a voluminous HD DVD disc. The only bummer is that it's currently only available in Japan and is unusually heavy.
Panasonic Diga DMR-BW200 (Blu-ray recorder with 500GB HDD) Currently only available in Japan (for reasons that only baffle us) is the new DIGA DMR-BW200 Blu-ray recorder from Panasonic. This particular model supports DL BD-R/BD-RE writing at 4x write speed, two digital tuners, one analog terrestrial tuner, a fat 500GB hard drive, FireWire jack and 1080p video output via HDMI. It's really a wicked device to have in your living room isn't it? Yes, it's not available in this part of the world but hey, at least you know what to get if you are stopping over or migrating to Japan soon.
Hitachi DV-DH1000S (DVD recorder with 1TB HDD) For those who couldn't care less for the format rage between Blu-ray and HD-DVD, Hitachi has an absolute cracker of a DVD player and recorder in the form of its DV-DH1000S. You don't have to decide between the two HD formats now if the Toshiba RD-A1 and Panasonic Diga DMR-BW200 have melted your heart because the Hitachi DV-DH1000S is the only conventional DVD recorder which also has 1TB of pure cold metal to store digital bits of TV programs. Does it matter if it looks a bit like a PS3?
Mitsubishi HC5000 (Full HD Projector) As one of the few projectors out there that can actually tame the Full HD resolution (1080p) with 10,000:1 contrast ratio, 1000 lumens of brightness and Silicon Optix Reon VX chip, the Mitsubishi HC5000 is by default a top notch product; but what makes this projector stand out from its brethren is its whisper quiet function and much more affordable price of US$4269.
Samsung NV10 camera How Samsung managed to pack such a huge amount of features into the Samsung NV10 we might never find out, but this eye-popping 10-megapixel camera has possibly got to be one of the sexiest cameras around with a tinge of oh-so-retro look. Oh, and remember to check out those titillating touch sensitive buttons!
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