The best of ProductWiki

Microsoft Windows 7

MSRP -- Released October, 2009

Pros

Improved memory management takes up less RAM than Vista
Revamped taskbar that can combine running programs and hide labels - 3 options how it is done
Allows you to turn off fundamental Windows features such as Windows Media Player and Internet Explorer

Cons

This is what Vista should have been, and we will get to pay for an 'upgrade'
Seriously overpriced
Abilioty to virtualise applications in XP environment available only on Professional and Ultimate edition

ProSCORE
47 reviews

Nov. 19• 54 contributors• 28 taps

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Motorola Droid (Sholes)

MSRP $299.00 Released November, 2009

Pros

open Android 2.0 OS
WiFi
large 3.7" touchscreen with high resolution (854 x 480px)

Cons

annoying $100 mail in rebate to get to $199 price point
camera is slow to take photos, properly focusing is hit or miss
no multi-touch as in the GSM version for Europe (and though Android 2.0 would support it)

ProSCORE
14 reviews

Nov. 6• 19 contributors• 8 taps

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Motorola Cliq

MSRP $699.00 Released August, 2009

Pros

full QWERTY keyboard
WiFi
5MP camera with auto-focus

Cons

software is still buggy - can lead to freezeups
enhanced BLUR widgets (eg/ "Happenings") cannot be resized, relocated or removed altogether
no internal storage

ProSCORE
4 reviews

Nov. 2• 9 contributors• 5 taps

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Nokia Booklet 3G

MSRP $599.00 Releases December, 2009

Pros

12-hour battery life for all day computing
small 10" display with higher resolution than the standard 1024 x 600
HDMI output

Cons

Intel Atom based - poorer performance, HDMI output will be limited
expensive - $599 unsubsidized or $299 with a 2-year contract for $60 3G data
A-GPS only - probably not real standalone GPS

ProSCORE
2 reviews

Oct. 13• 3 contributors• 0 taps

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Apple Macbook Pro

MSRP $1,999.00 Released October, 2008

Pros

Multi-touch glass trackpad
Thinner than previous gen @ 0.95"
LED Backlit screen.

Cons

Slightly heavier than predecessor
Major selling points for NVidia dual GPUs are disabled currently: no Hybrid SLI or on-the-fly switching of the two GPUs
Expensive

ProSCORE
15 reviews

Oct. 10• 22 contributors• 15 taps

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Sony VAIO X

MSRP $1,299.00 Released October, 2009

Pros

ultra-light and compact - 1/2" thick, 1.5 pounds
great battery life - designed with all day computing in mind
ideal for the road warrior - small, light, awesome battery life (claimed) and built in WWAN

Cons

extremely expensive
powered by an Intel Atom processor - even less powerful than similarly priced Core 2 Solo / ULV ultra-portables
glorified netbook

ProSCORE
7 reviews

Oct. 8• 10 contributors• 1 tap

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Mac OS X Snow Leopard

MSRP $29.00 Released September, 2009

Pros

affordable to upgrade to compared to previous version of OSX
Finally a release that tidies up the plumbing rather then just adding features and bloat
OpenCL support for general purpose computation using graphics hardware - takes strain off of the CPU for computation more easily performed by the GPU

Cons

no longer supported on older PPC-based Apple hardware
Making a fresh install over pre-X.5 systems from the 29.00 upgrade violates the ULA.
only usable on proprietary Apple hardware

ProSCORE
7 reviews

Oct. 5• 9 contributors• 4 taps

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Sony Playstation Portable Go

MSRP $249.00 Released September, 2009

Pros

more portable than the PSP, 50% smaller and 40% lighter
16GB of internal storage
fully embraces digital distribution

Cons

smaller screen than the original PSP
$80 premium over the PSP
lack of UMD drive also means games bought for the PSP are not playable on the Go

ProSCORE
6 reviews

Sep. 29• 6 contributors• 2 taps

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Palm Pre

MSRP $199.99 Released June, 2009

Pros

full 3.5mm headphone jack
removable battery
backlit QWERTY keyboard

Cons

no higher capacity models
exclusive to Sprint for the first half of 2009
no expandable memory

ProSCORE
23 reviews

Sep. 24• 31 contributors• 13 taps

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iTunes

MSRP $0.00 Released January, 2001

Pros

Easy-to-use synching with iPod device
Clean, slick, easy to use interface.
Excellent support for podcasts, mostly free podcast subscriptions.

Cons

Installs many services and bloatware
Slows down Windows
High startup time on Windows

ProSCORE
39 reviews

Sep. 21• 49 contributors• 24 taps

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Microsoft Zune HD

MSRP $219.99 Released September, 2009

Pros

OLED touchscreen display
HD radio receiver
WiFi connectivity

Cons

sold in the USA only
app store isn't as mature as Apple's
Doesnt have true hd (1080p)

ProSCORE
15 reviews

Sep. 15• 17 contributors• 6 taps

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Apple TV

MSRP $229.00 Released March, 2006

Pros

Integrated wireless
Plays high-definition content
Small footprint and sleek styling

Cons

Limited to iTunes
24 hour movie rental time window
Xbox with XBMC is cheaper and is more flexible

ProSCORE
26 reviews

Sep. 14• 32 contributors• 16 taps

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Oppo BDP-83

MSRP $599.99 Released July, 2009

Pros

Decodes all high-definition audio formats (dts HD-MA, TrueHD)
Profile 2.0 capable
ABT 2010 video processor

Cons

No WiFi
No streaming features (no Netflix, Pandora)
flimsy disk tray

ProSCORE
12 reviews

Sep. 5• 17 contributors• 8 taps

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Sony Playstation 3

MSRP $299.00 Released November, 2006

Pros

Has a built-in Blu-ray and DVD player
Full HD support, including an HDMI port
Built in WiFi connection

Cons

No backwards compatibility on the 40GB model
Steep price in comparison with competition.
Games can be expensive ($60)

ProSCORE
106 reviews

Aug. 18• 127 contributors• 94 taps

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HTC Hero

MSRP -- Released October, 2009

Pros

3.5mm Headphone Jack.
Expandable memory (Up to 16GB) via microSD slot.
Support for (even fullscreen) Flash.

Cons

need a better processor
The "Chin"
Uses an older generation ARM 11 CPU, considerably slower than that used by Pre and iPhone

ProSCORE
18 reviews

Aug. 5• 24 contributors• 16 taps

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Yamaha RX-V665

MSRP $549.95 Released February, 2009

Pros

Improves to 4 HDMI inputs vs. 2 in the previous generation V663
Upscales analog video sources to 1080p
Dolby TrueHD and dts HD MA audio decoding

Cons

No video upconversion to component video
No ethernet connectivity
Only 2 component video inputs

ProSCORE
8 reviews

Jul. 31• 13 contributors• 3 taps

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Asus Eee PC 1005HA

MSRP $350.00 Released June, 2009

Pros

light and small, extremely portable
great keyboard layout and size - superior to the chicklet style keyboard introduced on the 1000HE
slick enclosure

Cons

glossy fingerprint magnet, not as luxurious as the alluminum enclosures featured on the 1002HA and 1002HAE
Intel graphics - no ION option
same old 1024 x 600px resolution

ProSCORE
15 reviews

Jul. 20• 17 contributors• 7 taps

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RIM BlackBerry Bold

MSRP $350.00 Released August, 2008

Pros

3G network connectivity
Built-in GPS
Tactile keyboard is faster typing than iPhone touchscreen

Cons

Immature app-store
Browser isn't as good as the iPhone's
locking the phone does not disable volume/track control button on side

ProSCORE
16 reviews

Jul. 3• 24 contributors• 17 taps

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Thriller 25

MSRP $15.00 Released February, 2008

Pros

Re-release of one of the best albums of all-time
Also includes DVD and booklet
New tracks recorded with will.i.am and Kanye West

Cons

Cheesy cover artwork
Could've included more extras with the purchase

ProSCORE
7 reviews

Jun. 26• 9 contributors• 5 taps

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Apple iPhone 3GS

MSRP $199.00 Released June, 2009

Pros

much faster processing
video recording
larger storage capacities

Cons

no background running apps
not a revolutionary upgrade
AT&T is not supporting many of the new updates quite yet - 7.2Mbps HSDPA in 2011, no tethering information/pricing, no MMS until later this summer

ProSCORE
36 reviews

Jun. 19• 40 contributors• 18 taps

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Nokia N97

MSRP $693.00 Released June, 2009

Pros

32GB of internal storage
QWERTY keyboard
microSD expansion slot

Cons

very expensive
no open source or lossless music format support
only 3 rows of characters on the keyboard - space button is not in its proper place

ProSCORE
13 reviews

May. 28• 22 contributors• 5 taps

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Samsung 7 Series (2009)

MSRP $1,999 - $2,900 Released April, 2009

Pros

attractive bezel and stand
1080p, 240Hz
expanded digital media format support and Internet features

Cons

not LED backlit
not much difference from the 650 Series - 120Hz to 240Hz isn't a big deal
sound quality isn't the best

ProSCORE
6 reviews

May. 14• 11 contributors• 4 taps

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Amazon Kindle DX

MSRP $489.00 Released May, 2009

Pros

large screen is more versatile
retains slim form-factor of previous Kindles
native PDF support is great

Cons

wireless limited to United States
expensive
larger and almost double the weight of the Kindle 2

ProSCORE
8 reviews

May. 6• 10 contributors• 2 taps

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HTC Magic

MSRP $199.99 Released April, 2009

Pros

built in WiFi
runs Android
GPS functionality

Cons

no 3.5mm headphone jack
no hard keyboard
custom modified firmware for Rogers; disables many of the goodies of the US Android phones

ProSCORE
15 reviews

Apr. 29• 21 contributors• 10 taps

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Twitter

MSRP -- Released March, 2006

Pros

Great for up to the minute news
Awesome 3rd party applications
Can interact with the service through many different devices

Cons

Used primarily for self-promotion services
Inundated with a lot of spam posts and people
The actual website twitter.com isn't that good

ProSCORE
10 reviews

Apr. 28• 12 contributors• 9 taps

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Planet Earth

MSRP $80.00 Released April, 2007

Pros

Amazing visuals
Shot all in HD
Lots of never before seen nature footage

ProSCORE
7 reviews

100

Apr. 22• 8 contributors• 14 taps

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Far Cry 2

MSRP $59.99 Released October, 2008

Pros

Amazing fire feature; fire lives, breathes and spreads realistically
gorgeous graphics with a high level of immersion
No loading when going into buildings or new across areas

Cons

Takes a very long time to get from one area to another, there is a transportation system but location points are limited.
Game-play becomes repetitive after some time
driving around is constantly interrupted by enemy vehicles making transportation a big pain

ProSCORE
16 reviews

Apr. 16• 18 contributors• 8 taps

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Samsung LED 7 Series

MSRP $2,499 - $3,699 Released March, 2009

Pros

1080p, 120Hz
LED backlighting improves image, power efficiency, the environment
Internet connectivity for streaming video and widgets

Cons

uneven backlighting (flashlight and cloud effect apparent)
poor off-axis picture quality
sound quality is lacking due to backward firing speakers

ProSCORE
8 reviews

Apr. 9• 12 contributors• 4 taps

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Nintendo DSi

MSRP $169.99 Released April, 2009

Pros

Thinner/lighter form factor over DS Lite
Larger screen than DS Lite
Built-in web browser

Cons

Graphics power still lacking compared to PSP and modern smart-phones
Removed GBA slot which eliminating compatibility with games such as Guitar Hero
Only 0.3 megapixel camera...really?

ProSCORE
13 reviews

Apr. 5• 13 contributors• 7 taps

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Sony Playstation 2

MSRP $99.00 Released October, 2000

Pros

Backwards compatible with original Playstation (PSX) games
Built-in DVD movie player
Still supported by Sony even though the PS3 is out.

Cons

No 4-player out of the box
The dual-shock controller layout has the analog stick thrown in as an afterthought; a redesign of the controller would have helped
Underpowered compared to the the Xbox and the GameCube

ProSCORE
28 reviews

Mar. 31• 37 contributors• 32 taps

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Skype

MSRP $0.00 Released August, 2003

Pros

easy to use
clear audio quality
Available on Mac, Linux and Windows

Cons

can be a resource hog
High Quality Video requires a fairly powerful computer
causes MS Outlook 2003 to freeze occasionally

ProSCORE
6 reviews

Mar. 30• 16 contributors• 9 taps

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Google Chrome

MSRP $0.00 Released September, 2008

Pros

Extremely fast web-browsing
Very clean interface
Very fast startup time

Cons

No addons yet
Location bar isn't as intelligent as Firefox awesome bar
Installation is a little weird

ProSCORE
43 reviews

Mar. 24• 54 contributors• 33 taps

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Apple Macbook (2008)

MSRP $1,299.00 Released October, 2008

Pros

full aluminum body, LED backlighting, NVIDIA graphics
runs OSX and Windows and Linux and...
half a pound lighter than any previous MacBook

Cons

costs more than the previous MacBooks
student discount has been reduced from $100 to $50
no HDMI or Blu-ray options

ProSCORE
21 reviews

Mar. 18• 34 contributors• 15 taps

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Nintendo Wii

MSRP $199.99 Released November, 2006

Pros

Controller is innovative and allows for new game types
Runs very quiet. No loud fans.
Console can be played by anyone from any age bracket

Cons

No HD resolution (480p maximum)
Less powerful than the Xbox 360 and PS3
Graphics are last-gen.

ProSCORE
112 reviews

Mar. 17• 139 contributors• 132 taps

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Apple iMac

MSRP $1,199.00 Released March, 2009

Pros

sleek all-in-one design saves space and looks very nice
everything required is included (monitor, computer, common peripherals such as webcam, mouse and keyboard)
more affordable 24" model

Cons

beginning to lag further behind cutting edge hardware - no quad core model, slower laptop memory and video cards
no shift in overall pricing strategy
not a major revision, performance is not all that different from the previous generation

ProSCORE
4 reviews

Mar. 4• 7 contributors• 3 taps

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Killzone 2

MSRP $59.99 Released February, 2009

Pros

amazing graphics
7 different classes
online play with up to 32 other individuals, squads of 4 players each

Cons

fighting mechanic gets repetitive
multiplayer favors hardcore players
can only carry one main weapon

ProSCORE
12 reviews

Feb. 27• 15 contributors• 7 taps

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Onkyo TX-NR906

MSRP $2,299.00 Released August, 2008

Pros

1080p video uscaling using Silicon Optix HQV Reon-VX
Burr-Brown DACs
Good price when compared to other brands with similar specs and featureset

Cons

No iTunes support on the network or did I miss something!
Firmware not publicly upgradeable
No HDMI upscaling

ProSCORE
13 reviews

Feb. 26• 23 contributors• 8 taps

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AMD Phenom II X3 720 BE

MSRP $150.00 Released February, 2009

Pros

made to be overclocked - unlocked multiplier
best of both worlds - more than 2 cores without the performance hit to the individual core clockspeed
extremely affordable

Cons

limited selection of available AM3 motherboards - also quite expensive
95W TDP is the same as X4 parts
little to no difference in performance with newer DDR3

ProSCORE
2 reviews

Feb. 23• 2 contributors• 2 taps

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Hori Fighting Stick EX2 for Xbox 360

MSRP $59.99 Released September, 2007

Pros

Solid build quality
Thin design makes it work very well on your lap
Ergonomic button design (curved works very well)

Cons

Difficult to find in stores
Stick is loose
Not fully compatible with Street Fighter: Anniversary Collection

ProSCORE
4 reviews

Feb. 18• 5 contributors• 5 taps

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Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5

MSRP -- Released February, 2009

Pros

includes flash and javascript support
unique honeycomb-shaped icons are easy to read and press with your finger
new UI is touchscreen friendly

Cons

old style Windows icons make interface appear somewhat less integrated/appealing
backup/restore service means you'll be placing all your personal data in a place where you do not control it
not as attractive or polished as other mobile phone operating systems such as mobile OSX or Android

ProSCORE
4 reviews

Feb. 16• 5 contributors• 3 taps

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Amazon Kindle 2

MSRP $259.00 Released February, 2009

Pros

thinner than the previous generation model
easy to read ePaper display
exact same price as the last generation model

Cons

no PDF support
no external storage (Amazon removed the original Kindle's SD card reader)
still too expensive for mass adoption

ProSCORE
6 reviews

Feb. 9• 11 contributors• 3 taps

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Asus Eee PC 1000HE

MSRP $399.00 Released February, 2009

Pros

affordable price
improved keyboard with proper key locations
includes wireless N and Bluetooth standard

Cons

older 945GSE chipset - better battery life, but no 720p
standard disk drive creates more noise, heat, draws more power and is more prone to physical damage than solid state alternatives
for jealousy reasons your friends will want to snatch it from you

ProSCORE
10 reviews

Feb. 5• 13 contributors• 5 taps

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RIM BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8220

MSRP $50.00 Released October, 2008

Pros

First flip-style Blackberry
Two large, high-resolution, light-sensitive LCD displays; one on the inside, one on the outside
Only $50 with a 3-year contract

Cons

Slow Web page load times even on WiFi
Poor web browser
Internal processor EXTREMELY slow: Phone cannot play back it's own recorded videos without stuttering, then crashing. If a theme has an animated gif background the phone's whole OS slows to a crawl. Even with standard theme, it's a bit sluggish to navigate. Only the simplest of games run smoothly.

ProSCORE
3 reviews

Feb. 3• 4 contributors• 1 tap

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Wii Fit

MSRP $89.99 Released May, 2008

Pros

Innovative pressure sensitive gamepad
Tracks your fitness progress with "Wii Fitness Age"
Integrates Mii characters into gameplay

Cons

Uses BMI to determine fitness age but doesn't account for different body structures and muscle mass
You can't input other biometric data that you've attained on your own (% body fat for example)
Can only track four people's fitness ages.

ProSCORE
32 reviews

Jan. 27• 41 contributors• 31 taps

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Roku Netflix Player

MSRP $99.00 Released May, 2008

Pros

Don't need to pay per movie or episode
Can rate what you've watched right on your TV
Can browse selection and read descriptions

Cons

Only 10,000 titles available
Proprietary to Netflix
FF and REW requires re-buffering

ProSCORE
13 reviews

Jan. 21• 17 contributors• 12 taps

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Sony VAIO P

MSRP $899.00 Released February, 2009

Pros

great screen with an amazing resolution for the size
extremely lightweight and small
sleek Sony Vaio styling

Cons

expensive
no Linux version available
GPS uses Microsoft Streets and Maps by default which means no turn-by-turn directions

ProSCORE
13 reviews

Jan. 16• 14 contributors• 4 taps

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Sony BRAVIA VE5 Series

MSRP $1,700 - $2,500 Released March, 2009

The BRAVIA VE5 is Sony's line of environmentally friendly LCD HDTVs that contain specific features that reduces energy consumption. The three main features Sony touts is the "near zero-watt standby mode", high-efficiency HCFL backlight, and a presence sensor for automatic shutoff. The HCFL backlight alone can reduce energy consumption by up to 40% according to Sony. From a more traditional television...

ProSCORE
0 reviews

N/A

Jan. 15• 2 contributors• 0 taps

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Garmin Nuvi 255W

MSRP $300.00 Released March, 2008

Pros

Option to change voices
Easy to read display while driving
Text-to-speech system for reading street names

Cons

Typing is laggy; if you don't type carefully, it's easy to miss a letter or two.
Doesn't include lifetime map updates
Can't adjust road preferences that much. Doesn't learn from your habits in any way

ProSCORE
14 reviews

Jan. 12• 16 contributors• 9 taps

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