Top-rated reviews of the week (photos)
Here are a few of CNET Reviews' favorite items from the past week, including the Kodak Playsport, Palm Pixi Plus, and the Gateway NV5933u laptop.
Kodak Playsport
Kodak Playsport video camera
Editors' rating: 4 out of 5
The good: Excellent video for its class; waterproof to 10 feet; HDMI cable included; very good sharing software.
The bad: No built-in USB connector; short battery life at highest resolution; no memory card; sharing software is Windows only.
The bottom line: The Kodak Playsport is an excellent minicamcorder that can take some rough treatment and capture solid HD video.
Booq Boa Flow
Booq Boa Flow
Editors' rating: 4 out of 5
The good: Eye-catching design; plenty of compartments; rock-solid feel and build.
The bad: Very large and bulky size makes this bag unsuitable for normal city commuting; it's best as a weekend or carry-on bag for plane trips.
The bottom line: Though it's far too large to be used as an everyday laptop backpack, the sturdy design and numerous pockets on the multipurpose Booq Boa Flow make it a great buy as a weekend or carry-on bag that can handle most laptops.
Kanex XD
Kanex XD HDMI to Mini DisplayPort Converter
Editors' rating: 4 out of 5
The good: Lets you connect HDMI-based devices for display on a 27-inch iMac; easy setup; effective with almost every device and combination of devices we found.
The bad: iMac display limits inputs to 720p (through no fault on the part of Kanex); $150 feels a little high for an adapter when Windows all-in-ones offer adapter-free HDMI; Blu-ray looks crummy at 720p; couldn't reconcile a satellite cable box signal routed through an HDMI switch.
The bottom line: Own a 27-inch iMac? Dying to connect a game console, Blu-ray player, or other HDMI-equipped device? Cursing Apple for using Mini DisplayPort instead of HDMI for video input? The situation might be frustrating, but that doesn't make the Kanex XD adapter less effective. We recommend it to those looking to bridge the gap between the living room and their large iMac.
Garminfone (T-Mobile)
Garminfone (T-Mobile)
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: The T-Mobile Garminfone offers accurate driving directions and other advanced navigation capabilities. The Android-based smartphone also has better messaging and calendaring apps than its predecessor.
The bad: The smartphone has lackluster multimedia capabilities, including a subpar camera. Battery life is a concern.
The bottom line: The T-Mobile Garminfone is a huge improvement over the Nuvifone G60, proving to be a capable smartphone just as much as it is a reliable navigator.
Read CNET's full review
Price: $199.99
Gateway NV5933u
Gateway NV5933u
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: Great performance for the price; Blu-ray drive; HDMI-out port.
The bad: Awkward touch pad buttons; no Bluetooth; screen resolution isn't full HD; disappointing battery life.
The bottom line: Budget computer shoppers, take note: if you're looking for an affordable way to get Blu-ray on a laptop, the Core i3-powered Gateway NV5933u is one of the best values around.
iHome iP90 (black)
iHome iP90 (black)
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: Improved design with larger display; decent sound quality; good array of alarm and radio functions; time syncs with your iPod or iPhone; remote included; GSM-shielded so iPhone can be used without the need to switch it to airplane mode.
The bad: No integration with iHome's iPhone app.
The bottom line: With the iP90, iHome has slightly improved the design and audio quality of its classic iPod-iPhone clock radio for 2010.
Palm Pixi Plus (AT&T)
Palm Pixi Plus (AT&T)
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: For a compact, entry-level smartphone, the Palm Pixi Plus offers a good number of features including Wi-Fi, 3G, Bluetooth, and GPS, as well as the benefits that come from running Palm WebOS. The Pixi Plus' camera now can record video and easily edit it--unlike its predecessor.
The bad: The Pixi Plus can be sluggish. The phone has a smaller display and keyboard. AT&T doesn't offer the Palm Mobile Hotspot utility.
The bottom line: The Palm Pixi Plus isn't fancy or powerful, but it offers first-time smartphone buyers a nice range of features and ease of use at an affordable price.
Read CNET's full review
Price: $49.99
Panasonic HDC-HS700
Panasonic HDC-HS700
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: Very good low-light video quality; full set of manual features; 1080/60p recording option.
The bad: Smallish, low-resolution LCD; coarse EVF; some edge artifacts in video; middling still photo quality.
The bottom line: The flash-based Panasonic HDC-TM700 and its hard-disk sibling, the HDC-HS700, stand out for their low-light video quality and broad set of manual controls. However, while the TM700 is very attractively priced for its class, the HS700 is not, and not worth the price premium unless you absolutely need the hard disk.
Samsung Seek (Sprint)
Samsung Seek (Sprint)
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: The Samsung Seek has a sturdy compact design plus a nice QWERTY keyboard. It offers basic multimedia features and threaded text messaging.
The bad: The Samsung Seek doesn't have EV-DO, so surfing the Web can be rather slow with the HTML browser. Photo quality isn't great and speakerphone quality can sound a bit muffled.
The bottom line: The Samsung Seek is a serviceable midrange messaging touch-screen phone for Sprint customers.
Read CNET's full review
Price: $79.99 with a new two-year service agreement