The model 180E performs hundreds of stitches, recognizes many fabrics, and has built-in embroidery patterns. A serial cable to your PC makes patterns a snap to download. Although the recordable MiniDisc tanked when it first hit the US market five years ago, it may be time to take a cue from Europe and Japan, where the technology has since been gaining ground. The 74-minute discs are simply the best format for making your own recordings from CDs. The MD-MS702, for example, automatically begins taping when the music starts, then listens for lulls between songs to index tracks on the disc.
Separate tracks are as easy to access as CD cuts.
Use this tiny critter as a component of your home stereo, or take it for an unshakable jog around the block. If you want to live large, go plasma. This thin slab shows data as well as video and features a wider viewing angle than its LCD brethren. And because of its size, you can run presentations without turning off the lights or worrying about bulbs burning out in your projector. It's hard to get any work done when you think of all the quality tube you're missing.