__ Best __
__ Flat-Panel Monitors __
First Class:
__STB Systems Galileo 15 __
With the Galileo 15, you feel like you're on the bridge of the starship Enterprise. This pair of 15-inch monitors handles loads of data and provides a superb 160-degree viewing angle, important since the two screens sit side-by-side on your desktop. An additional videocard can drive four displays off a single PC, so you'll be ready for whatever the markets - or Klingons - throw your way.
Business Class:
__ViewSonic VP180 ViewPanel __
This minimalist 18-inch screen hasn't hit the shelves yet, but it's already received raves on the trade-show circuit. With all the viewing area of a conventional 21-inch monitor in a fraction of the desk space, the VP180 lets you crunch more numbers and see more screen. And the sleek housing, styled by Palo Alto Products International, makes it one of the best-looking displays out there.
Coach:
__NEC MultiSync LCD400V __
NEC's bargain-basement 14.1-inch screen is best viewed straight on. But unless you have multiple monitors across a desktop - or need to sneak up on your spreadsheets for some reason - viewing angle isn't crucial. Boasting superior image quality, the MultiSync rivals pricier models. With a thickness of 6.7 inches, you can finally replace that clunky desktop CRT with this lighter, thinner display.
__ Martial Arts __
First Class:
__Krav Maga __
The official technique of the Israeli military and secret police, krav maga utilizes your reflexes, not elaborate movements based on centuries of ritual. That makes it easier to learn - and to remember under pressure - than many of the Asian forms. You'll get tremendous conditioning while training to defend yourself against guns, knives, and multiple attackers.
Business Class:
__Gracie Jiu-Jitsu __
Most fights end up on the ground, and that's where no one can beat the Gracies - or their modern, Brazilian variation on classical jujitsu. Royce Gracie, whose father founded the style nearly 70 years ago, proved with three wins in the Ultimate Fighting Championship that the technique can triumph over sheer size and strength.
Coach:
__Muay Thai __
Also known as Thai boxing, the national sport of Thailand offers a very simple and effective - some would say brutal - form of self-defense. Consisting mostly of powerful knee and elbow strikes, muay thai doesn't have a lot of complex moves, so it's easy to pick up - and effective in close-proximity fighting.
__ DVD players __
First Class:
__Faroudja DV1000 __
The DVD player with the nearly unpronounceable name produces an image that rivals 35-mm film. Faroudja's device, with proprietary audio and video circuitry, is the model of choice for high-end home theater companies like Cello Music & Film Systems, and it provides a better moviegoing experience on every level than a seat in your local multiplex.
Business Class:
__Sony DVP-S7000 __
The DVP-S7000 is the reference standard for the DVD industry, the player on which new discs are tested. With separate lasers used for CDs and DVDs, eight times oversampling, and the same audio components as Sony's professional-level CD player, this relatively budget-priced unit approaches the quality of the Faroudja at one-fifth the cost.
Coach:
__Panasonic DVD-A110 __
Even with the entry-level Panasonic A110, you're getting great audio and video, CD-quality sound, and a picture that's twice as crisp as VHS - not to mention surround sound, subtitles, and a slew of video enhancements. The unit is as easy to use as a basic VHS deck - with no annoying clock to set.
