Test

Portable Game Screens
Play Anywhere
Game Boy is a great platform for mobile gaming, but PlayStation 2 is better. Bring the console and one of these portable LCDs on your next ski vacation and play games (or watch DVDs) in your cabin - or even in the car on the way there. - Scott Steinberg

SPLURGE: Mad Catz 7-Inch Universal LCD Screen $200, www.madcatz.com
Mad Catz's screen has 1,440 x 234 resolution, S-video support, 16:9 aspect ratio, and integrated speakers that drown out the noisiest neighbors or auto engines. Unlike its competitors, it works with PS2, Xbox, and GameCube, plus most VCRs and DVD players. For the car, add the $50 Universal Game Screen Travel Kit, which has a cigarette lighter power adapter and a seat-back sling.

BEST BUY: Intec 5.4-inch Color Game Screen $160, www.inteclink.com
The built-in stereo speakers won't rock the SUV like Mad Catz's, but Intec delivers crisp visuals and is extremely kid-friendly. The screen is a snap to set up, and it folds flat against the PS2 console for easy stowing between sessions. Intec's $40 Gamers Power Inverter works just like the Universal adapter; you'll have to forgo the seat-back sling.

OVERRATED: Hip 5.6-inch TFT Screen $140, www.hipgearproducts.com
Extra A/V inputs and dual earphone jacks: smart move. Mediocre picture and sound quality: not smooth.

Digicam Binoculars
Spyglass Shooters
Bird-watchers and sports fans, rejoice! These digicam-binoc combos let you zoom in and snap quick, intimate pics of great herons or St. Louis Cardinals. High resolution is vital, but active folk may also want to buy based on size and weight. - Tim Surette

SPLURGE: Meade CaptureView 8x42 2.0D $199, www.captureview.com
The 2-megapixel, Mac-friendly CaptureView dazzles with its 1.5-inch color LCD, on which shooters can review and delete photos instantly. The 42-mm objective lens diameter provides great viewing but bulks up the weight (1.5 pounds) and size (5 x 3.25 x 5.75 inches). The onboard 16-Mbytes of memory holds 40 pictures at its highest resolution or a 90-second AVI movie file.

BEST BUY: Celestron VistaPix 8x30 SD $139, www.celestron.com
The VistaPix may snap at only 1.3 megapixels, but its daintiness (13 ounces and 6.25 x 3.5 x 1.9 inches) will please anyone on the go. The only drawback: With no LCD to review images, you won't know how that once-in-a-lifetime shot turned out till you get back to a PC and download them via the included USB cable. So buy an extra SD memory card and shoot, shoot, shoot.

OVERRATED: Pentax DigiBino DB 100 $200, www.pentax.com
The LCD and interface are great, but its 0.8-megapixel resolution, 7X magnification, and clumsy design don't justify the price.

Thermal Carafe Coffeemakers
Hot Commodity
Thermal carafes are the next French presses of the well-caffeined set. Let a pot of java sit in a standard coffee machine and it quickly turns to sludge. These machines will keep your $300-a-pound Kopi Luwak brew hot and fresh for hours. - Seth Kaplan

SPLURGE: Capresso CoffeeTEC $200, www.capresso.com
CoffeeTEC fills its stainless steel vacuum carafe with 10 cups of remarkably good coffee in eight minutes. Program it to start the java brewing before you even wake up. The water container is removable for easy filling, and the filter swings out with a push of a button - nice! Use the built-in wand to siphon and froth milk from a separate container for cappuccinos.

BEST BUY: Cuisinart Grind & Brew Thermal $149, www.cuisinart.com
Too groggy in the morning to grind beans? The Grind & Brew does it automatically and pours the fresh coffee into a stainless steel carafe. For an emergency jolt before brewing is finished, pull out the pot to stop the machine. The setup includes a charcoal filter for water purification and a permanent gold-tone coffee filter, so your joe never tastes like yesterday's grounds.

OVERRATED: F.A. Porsche Coffee Maker $230, www.boschusa.com
It has a stainless steel filter and a beautiful brushed-aluminum exterior but no built-in grinder or timer, and the drip mechanism leaks a lackluster cup.

Handheld Translators
Speaking in Tongues
The latest handheld translators do the talking for you when others don't speak your language, making it easier to find a bathroom in Madrid or ask "Where the hell are the WMDs?" in Arabic. Watch your mouth - it interprets whatever you utter. - S.K.

SPLURGE: Voxtec Phraselator P2 $2,000, www.voxtec.com
The 1-pound, paperback-sized Phraselator is used by the US military in Iraq and Afghanistan. It's ruggedized, weather-resistant, and accepts SD memory cards that cover more than 50 languages and 15,000 phrases. Responses can be recorded for later translation. The device has a sharp TFT touchscreen and runs about 24 hours on its rechargeable battery.

BEST BUY: Lingo Touch Screen Talking Translator $200, www.lingotranslators.com
This 5-ounce PDA-like translator boasts nine languages - including Spanish, Chinese, and Russian - and is a breeze to use. The database includes more than 20,000 phrases and 180,000 words. The device can also act as a currency converter, address book, and alarm clock. Runs on two AAA batteries, which are good for up to five hours of spoken translation.

OVERRATED: Universal Translator UT-103 $250, www.ectaco.com
It can directly translate your speech into Spanish, French, or German but limits you to 3,000 built-in phrases in specific subject categories.

PLAY

The Freewheelin' DJ
What's on Your iPod?
Map Quests
Monsters Inc.
Dummy Knows Best
This Sitcom's Got Game
Text Flirting
Press "Triangle" to Tell Hideo That He's Cute
The Ripple Effect
Reviews
Fetish
Test
Hard Drugs
Shopping Cart