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>> Tom Merritt: Welcome to CNET Top 5 where each time we meet we count down another hot CNET list. I'm Tom Merritt. Time to play desert island gadgets. Now, if were limited to five tech products we covered on CNET assuming you had old school stuff like TV's and electricity and, of course, the Internet, which five gadgets would you choose? Now just to be clear, we're not counting software or websites, just hardware. Tell you what I'd choose. Let's countdown the top 5 products I can't leave without. At number 5, a wireless mouse. It's a must for anyone on the go, and I love my old-fashioned Kensington. It's durable, has an on/off switch to help save battery life, and it just feels really good in the hand. Coming in at number 4, a Logitech Harmony Universal Remote. Life in my living room has never been the same since we switched to the Harmony, and granted, it has its quirks, but it's much better than slinging five or six remotes around. Now, I don't need that remote tool belt I spent so many years creating. Up to number 3, TiVo. Well, these days for me, it's half TiVo, half DirectTV DVR. I've got one in each room. What I can't live without is the ability to record shows, watch them when I want, and pause them to get up to get a glass of water or scotch depending on the show. Sliding in at number 2, the iPhone or pick your own smart phone of choice, of course, but it has to work well as a music player, be able to surf the whole web, manage e-mail, text message, download lots of useful apps and games, and maybe, I don't know, make calls. The iPhone saved my ass a couple of times at CES. Before we get to number 1, let's look at what I would have picked softwarewise. I know, it's iTunes is in there, but it works for me, OK. Alright. Let's get to our number 1. The top product I can't live without. At number 1, it's a laptop. A year ago, it would have been my ThinkPad Starbuck. These days, it's my 30S Sporting Macbook Pro Lois. Yes, I name my laptops. That's how integral a part of my life they are, and if I lost all else, as long as Lois stayed by my side, I'd be OK. Well, that's it for this edition of CNET Top 5. Got your own desert island gadgets list, post them up at our blog. Log.cnettv.com. I'm Tom Merritt. See ya later.
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