Tech Guide

By Wilson Rothman and Jyoti Thottam

GROWNUPS

DCR-PC100 Digital Handycam Camcorder SONY, $1,799 Digital camcorders are still pricey, but they offer a better picture, plug into your computer for easy editing and fit snugly in your hand.

Extiva DVD-N2000 SAMSUNG, $349.99 With a Nuon chip inside, this DVD player offers a slew of effects, including action capture and moving zoom. You can also use it to play video games. iPAQ H3650 Pocket PC COMPAQ, $499 The most powerful handheld Pocket PC features a rich color screen, a built-in MP3 player and scaled-down versions of popular Microsoft software titles. Buck Rogers, meet James Bond.

Smart Picture Frame KODAK/STORYBOX NETWORK, $349 This digital picture frame and a subscription to the StoryBox Network (six months free with purchase) lets you get news and entertainment and swap family photos--all without a computer.

NetVista X40i IBM, $1,799-$2,299 There are more great computers to choose from than ever before, so style has become an important factor. IBM's powerful all-in-one flat screen is as classy as they come.

Palm m100 PALM, $149 Changeable color faceplates and a gently curved design make this Palm as easy on the eyes as it is on the wallet. Less memory than high-end Palms but satisfactory for the beginner.

Advantium Oven GENERAL ELECTRIC, $1,299-$1,899 There has been talk of space-age kitchens since the 1950s, but this culinary coup brings it home. Using light, the Advantium cooks faster than regular ovens, more evenly than microwaves.

TWENTYSOMETHINGS Communication is the name of the game for Gen X, Gen Y and those who dislike being labeled

Nomad Jukebox CREATIVE, $500 This sleek, easy-to-use MP3 player can hold as much music as 150 CDs. The Nomad lets you record from other devices and transfer the files to your Mac or PC. Backlighted screen for your playlist.

Visor Prism HANDSPRING, $449 Get all the organizing power and memory of a Palm in vivid color. Add-on modules can even turn Handspring's Prism into a cell phone, an MP3 player or a miniature digital camera.

SCH-6100 Mobile Phone SAMSUNG, $149 Surf the Web in style using this lightweight, elegant phone. Comes with voice-activated dialing, memo recording and a small but easy-to-read screen.

Touchpoint 3000 LG INFOCOMM, $400 Seamlessly combines mobile phone, address book and organizer. Tap someone's name, and it dials for you.

Solo 1150 Laptop GATEWAY, $1,299 This is a great deal on a hip, mobile machine with a crisp, 12.1-in. display, a 550-MHz chip and a year of prepaid Internet service.

Nikon Coolpix990 NIKON, $999 Stunning picture quality and a distinctive twisting body make the Coolpix stand out among an impressive crop of high-resolution digital cameras this year.

eTrex Summit GARMIN, $267 Combination global-positioning system, altimeter and compass in one lightweight, waterproof device. Easy to use and read.

TEENS If it talks or makes music or plays games, then it's hot

JamCam 3.0 KB GEAR, $99 The trouble with old-school cameras is film: it's pricey and needs processing. JamCam doesn't use film. This entry-level digital camera keeps pace with your inspiration and budget.

PlayStation 2 SONY, $299.99 Right now it's near impossible to find this killer game console--and just as hard to find good titles to play on it. Don't worry. Soon it will be everywhere, with titles galore.

Talkabout T900 2-Way Pagers MOTOROLA, $179 Send instant messages without a computer using these two-way pagers, available in four hot colors. Best of all, some pager services sell the units for as little as half the list price.

HipZip IOMEGA, $295.99 It's easy to get with the MP3 revolution. This portable player uses PocketZip disks instead of flash memory. The disks are cheaper for saving mixes and sharing with friends.

KIDS Chips have made their way into more than cookies. Lots of this year's toys are wired

Sound Morpher INTEL PLAY, $49 Record sounds with this gizmo, then load them into your computer for warping. Humans sound like alien chipmunks, and passing cars become X-Wing fighters.

Twilight Light-Up Basketball and Football HUFFY SPORTS, $14.99-$24.99 They look and feel ordinary, but these balls light up the night. A bulb inside shines while you play, then shuts itself off at game's end.

Cybiko (with new MP3 attachment) CYBIKO, $129 For the kid who's jealous of Mom's Palm, the "inter-tainment" PDA goes a step further: it sends messages wirelessly to other Cybikos.

Music Blocks NEUROSMITH, $69.95 When it comes to brain-building toys, Music Blocks rules. Kids accidentally learn a lot as they arrange the blocks to play back various musical sequences in genres ranging from classical to jazz.

3-D Cruiser LITTLE TIKES, $49.99 Toy steering wheels have been around nearly as long as cars have. This one plugs into a computer to offer driving simulations, without crashes or other violent video-game traumas.

--By Wilson Rothman and Jyoti Thottam