Here's a surprisingly well-kept secret: Windows Vista Ultimate packs some killer DVR features. So, in turn, does the XPC, a media-center PC inconspicuous enough to slip into your home theater without upsetting the decor. It's ultrasmall, yet it squeezes in 750 GB of storage, a slot-loading DVD burner, and a four-in-one media reader.
WIRED: Plays and records TV shows TiVo-style. Enough RAM and processing power (2 gigs and 2.2 GHz, respectively) to run Vista at a healthy clip. Sits horizontally or vertically. Built-in Wi-Fi.
TIRED: A single TV tuner, and it's analog. Pretty pricey for a PC, even one as compact as this. Generic wireless mouse and keyboard. Small, nonstandard remote.
$1,997, shuttle.com
