Stories by: Andrew Kliem

Olympus continues to push the boundary of camera design, refining its already impressive compact style with every new model. The Olympus MJU 1010 exemplifies this, maintaining the trademark wedge-shaped design but making it even sturdier and more aesthetically pleasing. Of course, it also takes fairly good snaps and has a few funky features, making it a solid offering.

If you're sick of waking up to the dulcet tones of breakfast radio DJs, then the Logitech Pure-Fi Anytime might be the device for you. Coupling a regular alarm clock with an iPod dock it allows you to wake up to the songs of your choice while also providing a decent if not exceptional speaker system.

The ultra-zoom category of cameras has really grown in the last year or so, as companies try to outdo each other in the lens department. With the EasyShare Z1012 IS, Kodak has taken a step back: not going for the highest numbers but instead trying to provide a solid, well-rounded unit that still bears most of the hallmarks of an ultra-zoom. In some ways it succeeds, but this camera also has several flaws, including fiddly controls and some slightly soft images.

The new technologies seem to be flying thick and fast in the TV space lately. First 100Hz and 24p, followed by LED backlights, and now Sony has brought to market the first unit with a 200Hz mode -- the Z4500. It features all the bells and whistles you’d expect from a high-end panel, and it satisfied in almost every image quality test, meaning it is yet another appealing high-def TV.

Sporting a svelte black body and a touch-screen interface, Kodak’s EasyShare V1273 is a pretty stylish package. It comes with 720p video recording and a 12-megapixel sensor, both of which are welcome additions. However, when you look past the glitz it has a few problems, including an extremely irritating and unresponsive interface and some slightly soft images.

The number of devices equipped with touch screens is growing every day.

The world’s greatest fictional real video game character returns to your screens in Eat Lead: The Return of Matt Hazard. In his comeback role, Matt will have to fight all the enemies from his past games, including zombies, space marines and much more.

Sporting an awesome combination of style and functionality, the Samsung SyncMaster 2493HM is a fantastic Full HD display. Featuring HDMI input as well as more traditional ports, this unit offers stunning picture quality and a slick set of touch-sensitive controls, making it an excellent choice for multimedia or gaming.

The TVs in Samsung’s new Series 7 range are all impressive units. We were lucky enough to get our hands on the 52in model, the LA52A750.

A cheaper alternative to the A2000 IS, the Canon PowerShot A1000 IS is in many ways a similar unit. While it does have a slightly smaller display and a shorter lens, it is also a bit lighter and more petite, making it more portable and more comfortable to use. Otherwise, there is little to differentiate the two, and the A1000 is a strong option for novice photographers.

Sporting an intimidating all-black design, the Microsoft Sidewinder X5 is a somewhat simple but quite effective mouse for gaming enthusiasts. It doesn’t feature a plethora of gimmicks like adjustable weight or an LCD display, but it does have on–the-fly DPI adjustment and several programmable buttons, as well as extremely accurate tracking, making it a good, no-fuss solution for gamers.