Netgear Digital Entertainer Elite EVA9150 Wireless HD Media Receiver

The Entertainer Elite is simply the best and easiest way to stream video from your PC and the Internet to your HDTV, and the PlayOn support is revolutionary. We only wish it directly streamed Netflix and Amazon video too.

Netgear's Digital Entertainer Elite is the most versatile example to date of a rare breed: set-top media players that can be used by "the rest of us." With their terminal-like interfaces that only a geek could love, most such boxes seem to appeal mainly to the file-sharing/hacking crowd, but the $400 Entertainer makes it painless to connect your TV to your PC or Mac, and to the Internet at large.

Without reading the manual, or even looking at the foldout quick-setup sheet, we were quickly watching videos streamed from our PC and YouTube. You simply connect the box to your TV via a cable--HDMI, component, or composite--then run through a quick on-screen setup procedure using the included remote control.

It asks for your TV's maximum resolution (up to full 1080p is supported) and your zip code (for program guide information, as well as things like traffic and weather), then hooks up to the Internet, which can be wired or wireless. If you are using Wi-Fi, 802.11n is recommended.

See full review in: http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/product/96600/review/digital_entertainer_elite_eva9150_wireless_hd_media_receiver.html

Samsung PN50A760

Samsung PN50A760

The Samsung PN50A760 offers top-notch image quality, plus the best extras and great sound.

Samsung's PN50A760 ($2500, as of November 4, 2008) combines cool multimedia capabilities and great image quality. In our lab tests, this plasma HDTV crushed the competition. It is the only model in its size category to earn a rating of Very Good for image quality.

One juror noted some pixelation in several of the tests, but even so she declared this Samsung the "best out of all tested," and noted that some images looked crisp and sharp. Another juror commended the set's excellent color balance. I admired its handling of fast motion in our NASCAR test. It had a notably wide viewing angle, too.

In my hands-on tests, the PN50A760 provided excellent virtual surround sound, close to what you'd experience with a dedicated speaker system. A movie soundtrack's sudden organ blast had a powerful, in-the-gut heft.

The PN50A760 is as well designed as the 46-inch Samsung LN46A650 is. Back connectors face out and are easy to reach from the side of the unit. A setup wizard helps you optimize the set for home use in your home (as opposed to in a store). The TV's menus are thoroughly readable, and the Input menu gives priority to attached devices that are actually turned on, so you don't have to scroll past a bunch of irrelevant options to select the device you want to use.

See full review in: http://www.pcworld.com/reviews/product/39470/review/pn50a760.html

Firefox 3.5 is out now

Firefox 3.5 is out now. Mozilla says the newest version of their browser will be more than twice as fast and more useful.

Editor's note: This story was originally written for Firefox 3.5 Release Candidate 2, and has been updated for the final release of Firefox 3.5.

Mozilla today released Firefox 3.5, which you can download from Mozilla's Web site. Firefox 3.5 boasts a number of significant changes--ranging from new ways to work with the browser features to under-the-hood improvements that Mozilla developers say will make the browser more than twice as fast as Firefox 3. Here are some of the new features you'll find in Firefox 3.5.

Private Browsing

Like a number of new browsers, Firefox 3.5 adds a private browsing mode to its arsenal of features. While in private browsing mode, Firefox won't remember anything--history, cookies, usernames, or passwords--from your session. When you start private browsing, Firefox closes all of the pages that you currently have open, but it saves all of your open windows so you can quickly get back to what you were doing before switching to private browsing, which is a nice touch.

See full review in: http://www.pcworld.com/article/167065/what_to_look_for_in_firefox_35.html

Top 10 SLR Cameras

Single-lens reflex cameras offer powerful features and the flexibility of interchangeable lenses, so you can shoot like the pros. Ratings and rankings can change due to pricing and technology changes, so check back frequently for the latest info:

1. Nikon D90

Max. Megapixels: 12.3Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 6X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 18, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 105, Weight (ounces): 40.5, Media Slots: SD Card,

Bottom Line: Nikon scores high for offering great image quality and terrific design--including rudimentary video recording, a DSLR first.

2. Canon EOS 50D

Max. Megapixels: 15.1Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 11X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 18, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 200, Weight (ounces): 50.6, Media Slots: CompactFlash,

Bottom Line: Though this is not a must-buy upgrade over the 40D, it does have some new and friendly features and shooting modes.

3. Canon EOS Rebel XSI SLR Camera Body Only

Max. Megapixels: 12.2Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 3X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 18, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 55, Weight (ounces): 25.8, Media Slots: SD Card,

Bottom Line: The Rebel Xsi provides a strong range of capabilities, but it may cost more money than entry-level buyers want to spend

4. Olympus E-30

Max. Megapixels: 12.3Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 3.8X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 14, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 54, Weight (ounces): 43, Media Slots: CompactFlash, xD-Picture Card,

Bottom Line: This model packs many features and impressed us in daylight, but its high-ISO performance was unimpressive

5. Nikon D5000

Max. Megapixels: 12.3Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 3X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 18, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 55, Media Slots: SD Card,

Bottom Line: This well-rounded model has tons of features, and a handy tilt-and swivel screen. But auto-mode images were middling.

6. Canon EOS Rebel XS

Max. Megapixels: 10.1Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 3X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 18, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 55, Weight (ounces): 28, Media Slots: SD Card,

Bottom Line: An excellent entry-level SLR, but its more full-featured brother, the Rebel Xsi, outperformed this model in our tests.

7. Nikon D60

Max. Megapixels: 10.2Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 3X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 18, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 55, Weight (ounces): 28.8, Media Slots: SD Card,

Bottom Line: This camera produces pleasing pictures, but it offers minimal improvements over the D40x for lots more cashola.

8. Sony DSLR-A700

Max. Megapixels: 12.24Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 6.56X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 24, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 157.5, Weight (ounces): 45.1, Media Slots: Memory Stick,

Bottom Line: A complex, well-made camera with tons of controls, the A700 takes exceptionally sharp, well-exposed shots.

9. Pentax K20D

Max. Megapixels: 14.6Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 3X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 18, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 55, Weight (ounces): 36.5, Media Slots: SD Card,

Bottom Line: Although the K20 does some things well, its slow autofocus frustrates.

10. Nikon D300

Max. Megapixels: 12.3Megapixels, Optical Zoom: 5X Zoom, Zoom Range Min. (mm): 18, Zoom Range Max. (mm): 200, Weight (ounces): 47.2, Media Slots: CompactFlash,

Bottom Line: The D300 has high resolution, a very fast burst-shooting capability, and exceptional flexibility, though it's quite complex.

Source: http://www.pcworld.com