Here's our weekly roundup of the new products CNET reviewers liked best. Dell Studio XPS 8000
Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: Strong visual appeal; competitive features for its price.
The bad: Minimal upgrade room; no out-of-the-box overclocking; no option for AMD's latest graphics cards.
The bottom line: The Dell Studio XPS 8000 offers a strong combination of midrange performance parts that should satisfy anyone looking for a midtower desktop for general productivity, digital media editing, or gaming. It lacks a few performance-oriented extras, but it makes up for any deficiencies with its attractive looks.
Amazon Kindle wireless reading device (U.S. and international wireless, latest generation)Editors' rating: 4 out of 5
The good: Large library of tens of thousands of e-books, newspapers, magazines, and blogs via Amazon's familiar online store; built-in free wireless "Whispernet" data network that works in the U.S. and some countries abroad (no PC needed); built-in keyboard for notes; with 2GB of internal memory, it's capable of storing 1,500 electronic books; font size is adjustable; good battery life; displays image files, and plays MP3 and AAC audio; compatible with Windows and Mac machines; Text-to-Speech feature allows you to have text read to you aloud; text appears slightly darker on this model than on the earlier U.S.-only version.
The bad: No Wi-Fi; no expansion slot for adding more memory; no protective carrying case included; battery is sealed into the device and isn't removable; isn't compatible with loaner e-books from your local library that use the ePub format; if you're using the wireless service overseas, you're charged extra fees for downloading full books and periodicals.
The bottom line: While the new internationalized Kindle looks exactly like the earlier U.S.-only model, this e-reader, which uses AT&T's data network for wireless access, represents an incremental improvement to the Kindle line--just as serious competition is ramping up in the e-book market.
Palm Pixi (Sprint)Editors' rating: 3.5 out of 5
The good: The Palm Pixi features a remarkably thin design and an improved QWERTY keyboard. An updated OS brings Yahoo integration as well as enhanced messaging features. It also offers Bluetooth, GPS, and 3G support.
The bad: Lacks Wi-Fi. The smartphone can be sluggish and battery can drain quickly. The camera's picture quality is subpar and still lacks video recording and editing options.
The bottom line: While not as powerful as the Pre, the Palm Pixi offers first-time smartphone buyers a decent set of features in a sleek little package. However, to be really competitive, we think it needs to come down in price just a touch.
HTC Droid Eris (Verizon Wireless)Editors' rating: 4 out of 5
The good: The HTC Droid Eris offers a slim design, plentiful features, and satisfying performance. It also has pinch and zoom multitouch.
The bad: The HTC Droid Eris has mixed multimedia quality. It comes only with the Android 1.5 OS, there's no file manager, and internal performance was occasionally sluggish.
The bottom line: Though its performance wasn't completely top-notch and we would prefer a more recent Android OS version, the HTC Droid Eris is a satisfying Android device that offers a nice contrast to the Motorola Droid. And you can't beat the price.
HTC Droid Eris (Verizon Wireless)
The good: The HTC Droid Eris offers a slim design, plentiful features, and satisfying performance. It also has pinch and zoom multitouch.
The bad: The HTC Droid Eris has mixed multimedia quality. It comes only with the Android 1.5 OS, there's no file manager, and internal performance was occasionally sluggish.
The bottom line: Though its performance wasn't completely top-notch and we would prefer a more recent Android OS version, the HTC Droid Eris is a satisfying Android device that offers a nice contrast to the Motorola Droid. And you can't beat the price.
The good: The Motorola Droid boasts a gorgeous display and the benefits of Android 2.0, including a faster Web browser, Google Maps Navigation app, and better messaging and contact management. It also offers excellent call quality, long talk time, and improved speed over previous Android devices.
The bad: The QWERTY keyboard feels flat and the dialpad control is restricted to the home screen. Music and video capabilities still trail behind the competition. Dual-mode functionality for world-roaming capabilities would have been a nice addition.
The bottom line: Some minor design issues and multimedia quibbles aside, the Motorola Droid is the most powerful and fastest Google Android device to date. It fully embraces the openness of the Android platform and offers Verizon customers a smartphone that certainly rivals the other touch-screen devices on the market.reviews.cnet.com/smartphones/motorola-droid-verizon-wireless/4505-6452_7-33783559.html?tag=also
Motorola Droid (Verizon Wireless)
Sign up here with your email
ConversionConversion EmoticonEmoticon