14. Olympus EVolt E-330

The US$950 Olympus EVolt E-330 digital SLR introduces a unique feature to this class of camera: an LCD that can provide a live preview of your shot. In particular macro shooters and users with glasses should appreciate this, as it will save them some struggle with the viewfinder. To use the LCD this way, simply press the Live View button. You can see the scene at 92 percent (and have it autofocus), or at 100 percent (focusing manually) with accurate depth of field and the ability to magnify details to ensure that your shot is sharp. Image quality was good in our tests, and the camera includes Olympus's top-notch cleaning mechanism to keep dust from marring your photographs.

15. Google SketchUp

This drawing program makes creating 3D structures super-easy. You can have a model done in minutes, then save, print, or add it to Google Earth to share it with other users. You also have access to a plethora of ready-made structures via Google's 3D Warehouse, and Google SketchUp 's thorough online documentation can help you past any rough patches as you build. The program works with both Windows and the Mac OS--and best of all, it's free.

16. Sony PlayStation 3

A multicore cell processor. Blu-ray. Wi-Fi. A custom-designed nVidia graphics chip. A motion-sensing, wireless controller. We've seen many of these technologies before, but Sony gets major points for managing to pack all of them into one machine. And while US$599 sounds like a lot for a game console, the 60GB Sony PlayStation 3 probably has more power than your average budget PC (a slightly less powerful version is available for US$499). The PS3 is truly focused on high definition, and our first tests showed that it's arguably a better Blu-ray Disc player than Samsung's first $1000 effort.

17. RIM BlackBerry Pearl 8100

We've seen business-oriented smart phones and multimedia phones, but the BlackBerry Pearl 8100 brings those two worlds together and backs everything up with RIM's network, which is still the best for always-on connectivity. The sleek Pearl (US$350 from T-Mobile) adds a 1.3-megapixel camera, an audio player, and a video player to the usual BlackBerry features. Caveats: The unit lacks a full QWERTY keyboard, and its trackball navigation and compact keys can be awkward.

18. Rhapsody 4.0

The most evolved of the music streaming services, Rhapsody has added two features that further liberate it from the PC. With the Sonos Digital Music System, you can connect directly to Rhapsody, no PC needed. And if you tell the US$10-to-US$15-per-month service which kinds of music you like, it'll load new songs in that genre when you connect a compatible portable player.

19. Logitech NuLooq

The US$70 NuLooq, a heavy hockey puck-size dome that sits stationary on your desk, gives you lots of new ways of moving around your PC. Though it's targeted at design pros, it can help anyone who needs more control than a mouse and a scroll wheel offer.

20. Shure E500PTH Sound Isolating Earphones

These in-ear, sound-isolating headphones nestle themselves in your ear canal and block 20 dB of outside noise, leaving you with a remarkably quiet listening environment even on a crowded bus or plane. Though that's great for listening to music, it can be a pain if you have to talk to someone for a bit. In the US$500 E500PTH, however, Shure found a unique way around the problem by embedding a small microphone in the cord. Flick a switch on the Push To Hear module, and the outside world is piped in through the headphones--you have no need to remove them from your ears.