Gear of the Year

Several compact Windows machines are available now, too. Dell offers the XPS 210, a svelte, foot-high machine available in various custom configurations (starting at $1,099 with a 19-inch monitor, or $900 without). Despite its size, the XPS 210 doesn’t skimp on specs. You can choose from a selection of powerful Intel desktop processors, including Core 2 Duo, and hefty amounts of storage (from 250GB) and RAM (from 1GB). The PC ships with Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, an operating system designed to enhance a computer’s home-entertainment functions.

HP’s Pavilion Slimline models (from $450, without monitor) are smaller—about one-third the size of a standard desktop computer. They use processors from Intel (Core Solo or Core 2 Duo) and AMD (Sempron or Athlon 64). Some Slimline PCs include double-layer DVD burners with HP’s LightScribe technology, which prints permanent text and art on the surface of recorded discs. HP also promises its newest Slimlines will be compatible with Windows Vista—the forthcoming revamp of Microsoft’s ubiquitous operating system.

Easily mistaken for a cable modem or a network router, the WinBook Jiv Mini (from $1,100) is one of the most feature-laden of the small and slim PCs on the market. In addition to its DVD burner and media card reader, the Jiv Mini incorporates built-in Bluetooth and wi-fi technology. It also carries an internal TV tuner that, combined with the Windows Media Center operating system, records TV shows straight to the hard drive. The Jiv Mini sports FireWire and USB 2.0 jacks, along with DVI and S-Video outputs for high-quality video playback. The machine relies on the same Intel Core 2 Duo processor as the top-of-the-line Mac Mini, and it ships with 1GB of RAM and a 100GB hard drive.

Traditionally, high-definition (HD) video has been available in two formats: 1080i (1,080 interlaced lines of resolution) and 720p (720 lines of resolution, scanned progressively). Now, manufacturers have broadened the meaning of HD to include a third solution: 1080p, which combines the best qualities of the two older formats, promising sharper images and smoother motion. One caveat: No television station currently broadcasts in 1080p. However, recently-released high-definition DVD players do output 1080p. The bottom line:  If you’re looking for a future-proof set, the ability to handle higher resolution could be a powerful selling point.

Among TV sets that can display 1080p pictures are several new Sony rear-projection models, ranging from the 50-inch KDS-50A2000 ($2,500) to the 70-inch KDS-R70XBR2 ($7,000). The sets rely on what Sony calls SXRD technology—another name for liquid crystal on silicon chips—and have a native resolution of 1,920 by 1,080 pixels. Two higher-end models include cable card slots with electronic-program-guide capabilities, meaning you could receive digital cable programming without a set-top converter box. All the SXRD sets include speakers, but only the top-of-the-line KDS-R70XBR2’s are removable.