All products featured on WIRED are independently selected by our editors. However, we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links.
Best- Great stuff - tested and approved in our top-secret labs.
DIGITAL VOICE RECORDERS
First Class
Olympus DM-1
Smaller and smarter than their microcassette cousins, digital voice recorders organize hundreds of notes-to-self onto Flash memory. The Olympus DM-1, with its 22-hour capacity (thanks to the included 64-Mbyte SmartMedia card) and ability to play MP3s, is a dancing dictator's dream come true. In voice mode, this metallic-blue device stores up to 199 messages in three folders, which you can label either on the backlit LCD using buttons, or on a PC after linking up via USB. As an MP3 player, the DM-1 cranks it up, with five equalizer settings and WOW technology that boosts bass and simulates surround sound.
DM-1: $299. Olympus America: (800) 622 6372, www.olympusamerica.com.
Business Class
Sony ICD-BP120
Barely thicker than a half-inch, Sony's slip of a system has just enough room to accommodate the twin AAAs that all digital recorders require. It holds five-plus hours of verbal inspirations in five message folders, with up to 99 files in each - you cable the recorder to your PC to rename them. A mail icon on the LCD simplifies the task of attaching your ramblings to emails. The unit also recognizes Audible.com's audio format, designed for the spoken word.
ICD-BP120: $249.95. Sony Electronics: (800) 222 7669, www.sonystyle.com.
Coach
Sanyo ICR-B35
Four 99-clip folders and three hours of memory give this inexpensive recorder the muscle to archive with the best of them. Plus it can earmark especially memorable parts of messages while you're recording them. You get the usual miniscreen and two voice-quality settings - long and standard play. On the downside, the B35 can't transfer files to a PC, and it weirdly detours into Auto Pause when you fast-forward during playback.
ICR-B35: $149.99. Sanyo Fisher: (800) 706 8782, www.sanyousa.com.
15-INCH LCD TVS
First Class
Sharp AQUOS LC-15B2U
This flat-screen TV breaks new ground in performance, style, and portability. The silvery 2.2-inch-deep display offers a 160-degree viewable angle. The picture is fantastic, with a 350:1 contrast ratio and an antiglare screen that out-unshines conventional LCDs. And the 640 x 480 resolution is plenty for standard 525-line signals. Three speakers reproduce sound beautifully, even at low volume, and a hidden top handle and removable pivot stand let you carry the 9.9-pounder to any destination. The AQUOS accepts regular and S-video inputs, but not VGA.
AQUOS LC-15B2U: $2,299. Sharp Electronics: +1 (201) 529 8200, www.sharp-usa.com.
Business Class
Zenith ZLD15A1
With a screen resolution of 1,024 x 768 and a contrast ratio of 200:1, this 13-pounder leaves old tube TVs in the dust. Its viewable angle: 120 degrees. An XGA jack means it easily doubles as a PC monitor, and, like the AQUOS, it takes S-video inputs. The only disappointment with this 4.2-inch-thick, HD-compatible television is the sound, which lacks the range and clarity of the others.
ZLD15A1: $1,299.95. Zenith Electronics: +1 (847) 391 7000, www.zenith.com.
Coach
Samsung SyncMaster 151MP
This HD-capable device has XGA resolution and 330:1 contrast, and takes PC, video, and S-video inputs. The 2.5-inch-deep screen has a viewable range of 70 degrees, and the audio system really sings. Tiny, jewel-like function buttons dot the stylish front, and, at 8 pounds, the SyncMaster is light enough to hang on a wall. You'll need the optional palm-sized tuner to transform the 151MP into a TV; on its own, it only works as a monitor.
SyncMaster 151MP: $699. TV Tuner: $99. Samsung Electronics America: (800) 726 7864, www.samsung.com.
FOG MACHINES
First Class
High End Systems F-100
Water-based fog machines generate dense billows without the odor and greasy residue of oil-based smokers. High End's heavy-duty F-100 is the disco king, able to envelop a high school gym after only 45 seconds of continuous cranking. You operate it using a tethered remote or through a standard DMX lighting console, and you can daisy-chain several together to run simultaneously. The tank holds 2.5 gallons of water-glycol solution - enough to last all night indoors. If you need to roll out the fog at a large outdoor event, you'll have to step up to Jem's supercapacity Roadie X-Stream.
F-100: $859. Atmospheres Fog Fluid:$98 per 2-gallon case. High End Systems: +1 (512) 836 2242, www.highend.com.
Business Class
Jem FX-2
The FX-2 avoids the boxy look of typical fog machines with innovative plastic housing. Although it can't match the output volume of the F-100, a small nightclub could get several hours of normal use from the 0.3-gallon tank. Using a standard remote control, you can set duration, interval, and level for timed foggings, or cloud the air immediately by hitting the Run button. An optional, 5-pin XLR plug takes a DMX control cable.
FX-2: $497. DJFluid:$22 per gallon. Distributed by Martin Professional: +1 (954) 858 1800, www.jemsmoke.com.
Coach
Antari F-80ZWR
When the dance floor is your living room, break out the F-80ZWR. It works just like the big boys, pumping fluid through a vaporizing coil that surrounds a heating element. This machine, sold under several brands, produces a thinner fog than the others, but its wireless remote allows you to fire it from 150 feet away. Fill the 0.2-gallon tank, put it on top of the bookshelf, and you're ready to party.
F-80ZWR: $199. UGVZFuel:$21.95 per gallon. Distributed by Tracoman: +1 (954) 689 8833, www.tracoman.com.
