The best of ProductWiki

MythTV

MythTV is an open-source digital video recorder and media streamer software for Linux and Mac OS X. It is most often used in PCs as a free alternative to the popular TiVo servic...

PROS: Free, open-source alternative to TiVO. Commercial detection/skipping. Web-based interface for remote recording.

CONS: Complicated setup geared towards more techie people. Difficult working with digital broadcasts and HDTV.

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Hauppage HD PVR

The Hauppage HD PVR is a high-definition video recorder designed to fit between a set-top box (cable, satellite, or other video source) and a home theater PC and add HD recordin...

PROS: Record HD content on your HTPC. Includes IR blaster for controlling set-top boxes.

CONS: Re-encodes analog broadcast instead of dealing with original digital signal.

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Aperion Intimus 5B

The Intimus 5B is at the middle of Aperion's current (2008) bookshelf lineup, between the 4B and 6B. It is available in two finishes: a high gloss black lacquer (shown), or cher...

PROS: Great sounding bookshelf speakers. Great looking speaker available in cherry and black. Well-priced, good value.

CONS: Limited bass response. inefficient - power hungry. Silk Dome Equals Lack of True Crisp Highs.

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GIMP

GIMP is a popular open-source graphics editing program that is often used as a free replacement to Adobe Photoshop. Short for GNU Image Manipulation Program, GIMP is licensed un...

PROS: Free alternative to Adobe Photoshop. Open source application. Supports read and write of PhotoShop .PSD file forma...

CONS: Missing some advanced productivity features found in Photoshop with layer management and history.

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Sony STR-DG720

The Sony STR-DG720 is a 7.1 channel A/V receiver released on April 8th, 2008 for $299. It features 3 x HDMI inputs with Sony's "Active Intelligence" technology, that w...

PROS: Processes uncompressed LPCM audio signals over HDMI. Simple automatic calibration. Excellent value receiver.

CONS: Doesn't transcode or upscale analog sources to HDMI or component. Only has 2 x 5-way binding posts used for the Fr...

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Neuton Battery-Powered CE 6.2 Mower

The Neuton mower is a battery-powered machine that lets you mow your lawn with the ease of a gas-powered motor and the environmental and cost effective savings of an electrical....

PROS: No gas to buy. No cord gets in the way. Easy to start. Extremely quiet.

CONS: Expensive. Battery doesn't last very long. Battery takes long to charge. Heavy.

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Audacity

Audacity is a free cross-platform digital audio editor for Windows, Mac, and Linux licensed under the GNU General Public License. It is a multi-track audio editor with many feat...

PROS: Free, open-source audio editor. Supports multi-track editing. Great free tool with all essential features.

CONS: Commercial programs have better features for more advanced functionality.

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Yamaha RX-V663

The Yamaha RX-V663 (aka Yamaha HTR-6160) is a 7.2 channel a/v receiver supporting video upconversion and HD audio decoding. The ".2" portion of the surround sound desi...

PROS: Video transcoding/upconversion to HDMI and component. High-definition audio decoding/processing: TrueHD, HD-MA, ra...

CONS: Only 2 HDMI inputs - competition has 4. Annoying model # convention (RX-V663 = HTR-6160). No phono input.

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Toshiba Regza RV530U Series

The RV530 Series is Toshiba's entry level 1080p line of LCD televisions for 2008. Above the RV530 is the XV540 and XF550U series which have 10-bit panels, and a 120Hz mode. Comm...

PROS: Four HDMI inputs. Great price/performance value. Great black levels.

CONS: Component input can't handle 1080p. VGA input max resolution is 1280x1024.

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Opera

Why Opera? Safe, secure, powerful and fully customizable, the Opera Web browser is faster and more secure than other browsers available on the market. Opera delivers robust security and a far-richer feature set than any other Web browse...

PROS: Fast rendering. Uses less memory than Firefox or Internet Explorer. Passes ACID web standards test. Ad filter.

CONS: Not supported by all sites.

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Grand Theft Auto 4

The next-generation sequel to the controversial number one selling game. Grand Theft Auto 4 has you playing as Russian immigrant, Niko, trying to escape his shady past in modern...

PROS: Emergent physics system and animation with Endorphin. A city that feels more "alive". Seamless multiplayer.

CONS: Awkward camera control. Limited co-op gametypes. Lower resolution and blurry image on the PS3 version.

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Mario Kart Wii

Mario Kart Wii is the sixth installment of the Mario Kart series of racing games, and the sequel to Mario Kart: Double Dash!! for the GameCube. All copies of Mario Kart Wii will...

PROS: Includes a Wii Wheel accessory with the game. Excellent visuals, graphics, and overall presentation.

CONS: Full range of maneuvers are accessed only with the Wiimote + Nunchuck control scheme. Poor battle mode.

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Ubuntu

Ubuntu is an open-source, freely distributed operating system based on Linux developed by Canonical Ltd. Ubuntu's first release was on October 20th, 2004 as a fork of the Debian...

PROS: Freely distributed. Available as a "Live" CD to try it out before installing. Simple installation.

CONS: Not all commercial software has Linux versions or ports. Missing drivers for most new hardware.

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Zoom H2

The Zoom H2 is a portable audio recording device that records in four channels simultaneously using its 4 built-in microphones. Its main technology comes from 4 mic capsules that can capture sound in all directions. It is designed as a complete recording system ideal for meetings, conferences,...

PROS: 4 mics built-in. Create 5.1 surround mixes. Can be used as a USB mic for computer recording and podcasting.

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Panasonic HDC-SD9

The Panasonic HDC-SD9 is an SD-card high-definition camcorder. The SD9 is in the same line as the Panasonic HDC-HS9, without the built-in harddrive. The SD9 records in 1920x 1080 progressive recording with 5.1 surround sound audio recording. The SD9 also features an "Intelligent Shooting G...

PROS: 3CCD recording. Very small and lightweight. HDMI output. Capable of recording FullHD 1080p @ 24 fps.

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Universal Remote MX-980

The MX-980 is Universal Remote's latest high-end remote offered for home theater enthusiasts. It takes into a lot of the functionality of the previously popular, MX-950, and improves on it by providing a bigger LCD and more seamless int...

PROS: Can handle a lot of commands. Easy to see screen. Rechargeable battery plus base station.

CONS: Requires professional installation. Expensive.

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Hewlett Packard 2133 Mini-Note PC

The Mini-Note PC by Hewlett Packard is the company's first venture into the low-priced, ultra-compact laptop market. The Mini-Note tries to establish itself as a higher-end vers...

PROS: Nice aluminum outer case. Great configuration options. Can run Windows Vista. Powerful CPU for its size.

CONS: Slow boot-up time. Heavier than competition. More expensive than competition. Weirdly placed mouse buttons.

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Samsung 6 Series

The Samsung 650 series, also known as the 6 series, is one of the high-end offerings part of Samsung's 2008 LCD line up. It is positioned above the 550 series and below the...

PROS: 120 Hz refresh rate and 4 ms response time. Great black levels. 4 HDMI inputs. 10 bit processing. 10 bit panel.

CONS: Picture-in-Picture support only for analog signals. Doesn't have an LED backlight. Ugly remote control.

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Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H

The Gigabyte GA-MA78GM-S2H motherboard is the first platform based on the new AMD 780G chipset. This new chipset includes a DirectX 10.1-compliant graphics core reused from the Radeon HD 3200; with AMD making use of ATI technology inherited from the July 2006 merger of AMD and ATI. The AMD 780G...

PROS: Best IGP solution (March 2008). low power consumption. HDMI output. Connect up to 4 displays with Hybrid CrossFire...

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SeeqPod

SeeqPod is a search engine for music that allows you to play the results through an embedded flash player. It recently has added video support, via YouTube. The files found do n...

PROS: Play online mp3s using your web browser. Access a huge library of music. Create custom playlists. Easy to use.

CONS: Can't copy and paste text from the interface (URLs for example). Grey-area music copyright situation.

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Battlefield 2142

This game is one out of the Battlefield series and was produced by the Swedish gaming company DICE, the game differs from the others in the series because of it's way to not belong to our time. The year is 2142, several nations are at w...

PROS: Unique for it's kind of futuristic combat. Preserves the Battlefield experience only achievable with DICE Stockhol...

CONS: Unlockable items.

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Onkyo TX-SR606

The Onkyo TX-SR606 is the follow-up 7.1 receiver to the hugely popular Onkyo TX-SR605 released in March 2008. The 606 features an upgrade to 4 x HDMI 1.3a inputs, up from 2 in t...

PROS: Video transcoding and upconversion to HDMI. High definition audio format decoding. 4 x HDMI 1.3a inputs.

CONS: Doesn't upconvert to 1080p, only 1080i. Hudson II video processor is a 2D comb filter as compared to 3D comb filte...

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Dash Express

The Dash Express is the first internet-connected GPS receiver. The main benefit to the Dash is the real-time traffic updates that use the Dash Driver Network to show you traffic...

PROS: Real-time traffic updates. Uses WiFi and cellular connections. Plan routes from your PC and send them wirelessly t...

CONS: Can't play video. Only works in US. Doesn't work in Canada/Mexico/Europe. No web browser. Short battery life.

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Panasonic Viera TH-46PZ85U

The 85U series is at the mid range of Panasonic's consumer plasmas for 2008, which is their 11th generation of plasma offerings. Positioned above 80U series and below the&n...

PROS: Single pane of glass design reduces haloing of white text and improves aesthetic.

CONS: Plasma technology is being phased out, so long term support is shaky.

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OpenOffice

OpenOffice.org is a multiplatform and multilingual office suite and an open-source project. Compatible with all other major office suites, the product is free to download, use,...

PROS: Free. Very closely mimics the interface and functionality of Microsoft Office. Open-source software.

CONS: Not all Excel charting functions supported in Calc. Not as much support as MS Office (books, manuals, training).

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ProductWiki.com

ProductWiki is the site you are currently on! We launched Nov. 25th, 2005 and are made up of a community of passionate consumers. We're not happy with the status quo; let's keep manufacturers honest by being smart. Site : www.productwik...

PROS: Public version of Consumer Reports!. Better than porn. dialupinternetuser.

CONS: Can be addictive. Search function needs improvement. bugs.

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Samsung K3

The Samsung K3 is a flash-based mp3 player that is part of Samsung's YP-series. It can be considered a spearker-less version of the innovative Samsung K5. It has a touch-sensiti...

PROS: FM tuner. Great sound quality. Nice, sleek design. Intuitive interface.

CONS: No video playback. Not compatible with Macs. Buttons a little underresponsive.

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Sony Alpha DSLR-A300

The Sony Alpha DSLR-A300, along with the DSLR-A350 are Sony's latest announced Digital SLR cameras. These models are essentially upgrades to the Alpha DSLR-A200 release in the f...

PROS: More superior LiveView implementation compared to competition (has to be proven yet).

CONS: Startup/shutdown time can be better. A300X is not available in Canada.

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Archos TV+

Archos TV+ is a set-top box capable of media streaming across your network, recording TV, downloading Web content, and Web surfing. It has similar functionality as the Vudu, and...

PROS: Fully functional Opera Web browser. DVR functionality. Both WiFi and Ethernet connectivity.

CONS: Doesn't support HD video. Can't pause or rewind live TV. Picture quality is better on the Apple TV.

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Casio EX-Z9

The EX-Z9 is Casio's newest offering of the ultra-compact camera in the Exilim product line. The camera is simple with 8.1 megapixel resolution and basic functionality. It has a large LCD screen for its size (2.5") and standard 3x optical zoom. Face detection technology is also part of its...

PROS: Stylish. Great price point. Easy to use. Straightforward menus.

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Zipit Wireless Messenger 2

The Zipit Wireless Messenger 2 messaging specific device that can send SMS text messages over the cellular network, or send IMs if connected through WiFi. The IM works with your...

PROS: Cheap monthly text messaging fee. Inexpensive text-only device. Full QWERTY keyboard. Text message using SMS.

CONS: No web browser. A little big. Freezes randomly. Poor sound quality.

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FreeNAS

FreeNAS is server software that allows you to turn any computer with a hard drive into a dedicated network-attached storage (NAS) box. It is based off of FreeBSD and is open-sou...

PROS: Free and open-source. Supports many network protocols. Can be used as a software RAID. No monitor required.

CONS: Even basic configuration can be confusing for beginners. Non-standard configuration can be difficult to setup.

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Winamp

Winamp is a popular media player developed by Nullsoft that was first released by Justin Frankel in 1996. Version 5.5 was released on October 10th, 2007 marking the 10th anniver...

PROS: Extensive plugin support. Slick look with cool visualizations. Shoutcast support.

CONS: Windows Only. Still somewhat bloated compared to Foobar2000 and other players aimed at expert users.

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BUGbase

BUGbase is the base module of BUG, a collection of programmable electronic modules which allow users to build their own devices. The BUGbase is a programmable computing device r...

PROS: Completely programmable and hackable. Runs on all open-source software including Linux. Lots of nerd appeal.

CONS: No WiFi on Hiro P edition. Novelty is greater than practical use.

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Apple Macbook Pro

The next generation of the Macbook Pros were released on February 26th, 2008. This release includes several upgrades over the previous generation Macbook Pro; most notably they will include new Intel Core 2 Duo Penryn core processors ru...

PROS: Macbook Air inspired multi-touch trackpad. LED option available on top of the line 17" version.

CONS: Same chassis as predecessor.

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Sony BDP-S550

The Sony BDP-S550 and the Sony BDP-S350 are the newest Blu-ray players to be released by Sony. The BDP-S550 is expected to be the first player to support the Profile 2.0 standard. They are due out in the fall of 2008 and will retail for...

PROS: Profile 2.0 support with BD-Live. 7.1 DTS HD-MA and Dolby TrueHD decoding. 7.1 analog audio outputs.

CONS: Not as much value as a PS3.

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Meizu M8 miniOne

The Meizu M8, also know as the miniOne or M8 miniOne, is an upcoming cell phone from chinese MP3 player manufacturing company Meizu. It has been called a "clone" of th...

PROS: Touch screen interface. 3.0 Megapixel Camera. Cheaper than iPhone. Runs Windows CE 6.0, an open platform allowing...

CONS: Only regular touchscreen - not multi-touch. No 3G. Runs Windows CE 6.0, an appalling OS that's simply not suited t...

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Call of Duty 4 Modern Warfare

Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare is the eighth game released under the Call of Duty franchise, and true to its name, is the fourth main game in the series. While COD3 was dev...

PROS: Insane graphics. Tons of action going on. Fantastic presentation. Very deep multiplayer.

CONS: Multiplayer is unfriendly to new players. No cooperative campaign multiplayer, only versus mode.

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Nubrella

The Nubrella is a hands-free umbrella that sits on your shoulders and covers your upper body with a waterproof canopy. The Nubrella basically eliminates the problem of your umbrella turning inside-out and allows you to have 2 hands free...

PROS: Hands-free umbrella. Can bike with an umbrella. Reasonably priced.

CONS: Goofy looking. Can't share the umbrella.

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Bionic Commando Rearmed

Bionic Commando Rearmed is a remake of the popular NES action-platformer video game originally released in 1988 by Capcom. Capcom has collaborated with Swedish game developer GR...

PROS: Enhanced version of hugely popular NES title. Fantastic next-gen graphics applied to a classic.

CONS: Xbox Live! version will be lower resolution not to exceed file size limit.

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Apple iPod Nano

According to Apple the iPod Nano is the most successful portable music player in history. Up until now the device lacked many of the features found in its bigger sibling. The ne...

PROS: Now plays video with a high quality screen. Ridiculously thin. Good capacity and features for the price.

CONS: Battery still not user replaceable. The backside is very easily scratched. The "manual" is a joke.

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Nokia N95

The Nokia N95 is Nokia's flagship smartphone in their Nseries, and is a direct competitor to the Apple iPhone. According to Nokia, the N95 is "an all-in-one multimedia comp...

PROS: Integrated GPS and mapping. High quality 5 mpx camera for photos and 30 fps video. Wi-Fi connectivity.

CONS: Expensive (~$700). Poor standby battery life (~1 day before requiring charge). Extremely slow GUI.

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Apple TV

Apple TV is a digital media receiver that plays digital audio and video either streamed or downloaded from a networked Mac or PC running iTunes or from the iTunes Store directly...

PROS: Integrated wireless. Plays high-definition content. Stream and download from iTunes directly with Take 2.

CONS: Limited to iTunes. Xbox with XBMC is cheaper and is more flexible. No DVR functionality. No Web browsing.

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Logitech Harmony 880

Identical in purpose to the other remotes in the Harmony Line, the Logitech Harmony 880 offers an excellent balance of features which places it squarely in the upper middle of t...

PROS: Activity-based control and system state awareness simplifies control of your whole system. Color LCD display.

CONS: Charging base is temperamental at best. Limited to controlling only 15 devices.

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Super Smash Bros. Brawl

The third entry in the popular Smash Bros. series, and the first to come to the Nintendo Wii. There are four ways to play the game, using the Wii-mote and nunchuck, using the Wi...

PROS: Many new characters added to the series. Supports Wi-Fi play. Ability to create your own stages.

CONS: No online leaderboard or statistic tracking. Long 20 sec. load at the beginning of the game.

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gOS

gOS is an freely distributed operating system based off of the Ubuntu distribution and Enlightenment window manager. Most notably, it comes pre-installed on the affordable Evere...

PROS: Can be downloaded for free. Slick, customizable interface reminiscent of OS X.

CONS: Additional applications need to be downloaded via Synaptic package manager. No recycle bin.

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Drum Machine

Drum Machine is a Windows application that allows you to use your Rock Band drum kit as a real electronic drums. Drum Machine uses the Xbox 360 USB drum set controller as input...

PROS: Available as a free download. Play free-form drums on your PC using your Rock Band USB drums.

CONS: Drum pads are not pressure sensitive - all hits are at the same volume. Sensitive to double hits.

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Sony Alpha DSLR-A350

The Sony Alpha DSLR-A350, along with the DSLR-A300 are Sony's latest announced Digital SLR cameras. These models are essentially upgrades to the Alpha DSLR-A200 release in the fall of 2007. Both the 350 and 300 two distinct new features: 1) Live View mode for the LCD viewfinder, and 2) an artic...

PROS: Features live view LCD viewfinder with dedicated sensor. Competitively priced. Unique articulating LCD screen.

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Vudu

Vudu is a set-top box for watching full-length movies using the Internet. Connect Vudu to your television and to the Internet with its built-in Ethernet port, and you can rent o...

PROS: Internet streaming of movies on your TV. Supports 1080p/24 fps with HDMI output. No monthly fees.

CONS: Doesn't work with universal infrared remotes. No PC streaming support. No built-in WiFi.

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Gnu Altered Genetics

To construct this board, Gnu cultivates trees to blend the best properties of bamboo, & aspen and combines with vectran liquid crystal polymer.  The Altered Genetics features Gnu's "magnetraction" as well.  Graphic design by artist Aaron James Draplin. DISCIPLI...

PROS: Very High Tech. 4 years, going strong.

CONS: Expensive board.

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