Trendsetters.com

Best Vacuum Cleaner: Miele Polaris

Posted on July 4, 2010 by admin.

This Miele Polaris S4212 ($400) canister vacuum cleaner receives nothing but raves from owners. Everyone loves its incredibly light weight, which makes it extremely maneuverable. The Polaris works on hard floors or low carpet. Step on a button and the brushes retract to clean rugs or carpet. They may be expensive but Mieles easily last 10 years. My first Miele lasted 11, and I wouldn’t even have replaced it if I didn’t lust after this überlight Polaris so much.

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Best Digital Camera: Canon PowerShot S90

Posted on July 4, 2010 by admin.

Need a compact digital camera? There is simply nothing that compares to this compact Canon PowerShot S90 ($350) digital camera on the market today. It’s perfect for taking those “self-portraits” that are sweeping the Facebook market today. The pictures produced by this camera put my digital SLR from 2008, the Olympus EVOLT E-420, to shame. Highly recommended.

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Best Remote Control: Logitech Harmony One

Posted on July 4, 2010 by admin.

Can’t believe it took me this long to replace my Logitech Harmony 1000 remote with the Logitech Harmony One ($170). I’m impressed with its speed, superb button layout and nice color LCD screen. Since I was already set-up online with the 1000, setting up the Harmony One was a breeze. It may seem expensive as remotes go, but once you see how easy it is to add your devices online, you’ll understand the value. Now Logitech, can you please work on improving your online service?

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Best Tablet: Apple iPad

Posted on July 4, 2010 by admin.

I have two of these. The Apple iPad ($500-$830) will change your life, mark my words. What do you use it for? It’s perfect for reading magazines, online shopping, social networking and surfing. The iPad will quickly replace about 30-40% of the time you spend on your laptop because it’s lighter and easy to take to bed…or to the bathroom for that matter.

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Best GPS: Motorola Motonav TN765T

Posted on July 4, 2010 by admin.

Those of us who still bemoan the hasty departure of German GPS brand Navigon, have had no option to replace their current units until now. The new Motorola Motonav TN765T ($275) has taken the market by storm with its large 5.1-inch screen, stunning graphics, superb GUI and free lifetime traffic. While I still get great use from my Navigon 7200T, this is the must-get GPS right now.

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Best Blu-ray Player: Oppo BDP-80

Posted on July 4, 2010 by admin.

Aficionados love the new lower-cost, Blu-ray player from Oppo, the Oppo BDP-80 ($290). Its sibling, the Oppo BDP-83, has received rave reviews from those in the know. The BDP-80 model is also a universal player that handles SACD and DVD-Audio discs for those who still own those formats. Besides being versatile, the BDP-80 is fast, a big advantage over slower players that dot the HDTV landscape.

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Best LCD TV: Samsung UN46B8500

Posted on July 4, 2010 by admin.

Every day, I’m completely mesmerized this HDTV set. The Samsung UN46B8500 ($2,040) delivers a simply stunning, super-sharp picture quality with spectacular color. And its full-LED-backlighting technology is better than the latest generations from both Samsung and Sony, which are largely edge-lit. From the moment you hear the B8500’s start-up chime, you know you’re in for a special treat.

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Best Mini-Notebook: Toshiba Satellite T215D

Posted on July 4, 2010 by admin.

If you have been looking for an inexpensive laptop but have been resisting buying a low-performance netbook, look no further. This new Toshiba Satellite T215D-S1150 ($500) has it all: a dual-core AMD chip with low heat and improved battery performance, bigger 11.6-inch screen, plus Windows Home Premium. All the latest trends are here too: chiclet keyboard, wider, touch trackpad, and beautiful, textured finish. At last a real winner from Toshiba.

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Best MFP: Canon Pixma MX870

Posted on July 4, 2010 by admin.

CNET rates the Canon Pixma MX870 ($150) tops among multi-function printers (MFP), only dinging it for producing small specks on photos. Don’t know about you, but MFPs are more often used for scanning, faxing and printing travel itineraries. And that’s when the Canon shines. It’s also very easy to set-up as a network printer, either via Ethernet or wireless. And wireless is the big trend in all things computer. One day, a Wi-Fi chip will be embedded in just about all electronics devices.

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Best Digital SLR: Canon EOS Rebel T2i

Posted on July 4, 2010 by admin.

Digital SLRs are hot. The Canon EOS Rebel T2i ($1,070 with 18-55mm zoom) is the best of the lot, particularly at its price point. Best part: HD video shot with this camera will simply blow you away. Consumers like convergence devices and the newest Rebel delivers in spades: large, three-inch wide screen, improved ergonomics, 14-bit DIGIC 4 image processor for superior pictures and full 1080p HD recording. Very popular and hard to get.

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First $1,000 HDTV Projector

Posted on August 24, 2009 by admin.

A projector that can do 1080p for less than $1,000? Home theater you’ve come a long way baby! It used to be that this type of technology would set you back $5,000, but the Optoma HD20 ($999) proves that it’s possible. Early reviews suggests that the HD20 is a terrific performer too.

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Best Digital Camera With Projector

Posted on August 4, 2009 by admin.

As you might surmise, Trendsetters.com has a penchant for products that rewrite the rules. And we can definitely say that the Nikon Coolpix S1000pj ($430; September) is the first, and best, digital camera with an integrated projector. The S1000pj features a 12.1-megapixel, a 5x wide-angle zoom lens (starting at a 35-mm equivalent of 28mm), plus an LED-powered projector that’ll put up a 40-inch image for slideshows complete with music, effects and transitions.

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Best Wireless Music System

Posted on July 27, 2009 by admin.

Since 2005 Sonos has set the standard in wireless music systems. The Sonos Multi-Room Music System now features the new touch-screen Sonos CR200 controller ($349 including charging cradle), which offers a 3.5-inch, 640 x 480 pixel touchscreen with on-screen keyboard, faster processor, and compact 2.9 x 4.5 x 0.7-inch /six-ounce dimensions. The best news is that the complete Sonos system is now $1100, including CR200 controller, ZP120 (amplified, just add speakers) and ZP90 (connect home stereo) ZonePlayers, plus a Wi-Fi bridge. It’s undoubtedly the best multi-room wireless music system, and certainly the easiest one to use.

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Best Blu-ray Changer

Posted on July 23, 2009 by admin.

There’s no doubt that the Sony Blu-ray MegaChanger BDP-CX7000ES ($1,900) is the movie junkie’s cat’s meow. The Blu-ray Disc MegaChanger stores and plays 400 Blu-ray Discs, DVDs and CDs. When a disc is inserted, information is automatically downloaded from Gracenote’s MusicID and VideoIDinformation, including title, director, cast information, year and genre information, navigable via the player’s xross media bar menu system.

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Best iPhone Case

Posted on July 5, 2009 by admin.

Making sure your iPhone doesn’t get scratched is no easy task. Online forums endlessly debate hundreds of iPhone cases. Unfortunately, picking a “best one” is simply not possible, since each user has differing needs. So we’ve decided to list some of the highest buzz cases, plus our favorite one.

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Best Media Controller

Posted on June 30, 2009 by admin.

The Yamaha NeoHD is like the Apple iPod — it simplifies home entertainment. We like the simple remote, wireless integration of Web or PC content, the activity-based, on-screen menu that lets you choose between Watch, Listen or Play. There’s no doubt in our minds that the Yamaha neoHD YMC-700 WiFi Media Controller ($800) ushers in a new era in home theater. Expect many to follow.

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Best Smartphone

Posted on June 19, 2009 by admin.

The Apple iPhone 3GS. What else is there to say? Best interface and surfing experience, and now super-fast too. Best-stocked app store, featuring more than 50,000 apps. But the icing on the iPhone 3GS cake is its stellar video capability, that new voice control and, OK, cut and paste.

The iPhone wins because the [...]

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Best Notebook Computer

Posted on June 8, 2009 by admin.

The aluminum Apple MacBook ($1,500) is unquestionably the best laptop on the market today. Apple has done a superb job creating what is not only a great-looking computer, but one that feels solid, brick-like in fact. And now that it is once again equipped with a FireWire port and also gains an SD slot, this package is complete.

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Best Bluetooth Headset

Posted on April 23, 2009 by admin.

The new Aliph Jawbone Prime ($130) Bluetooth headset offers improved noise suppression, a better fit, all enhanced by four EARCANDY colors. What makes the Jawbone unique is its reliance on a sensor that uses the jawbone to dampen spurious noise. The first Jawbone received rave reviews when it was released three years ago, primarily due to its superb sound quality and eye-catching design. The new Jawbone is 50% smaller than the original and far superior.

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Best Pro Camcorder

Posted on February 8, 2009 by admin.

RED the company that changed the rules of the HD camcorder business has launched a new line of RED Epic and Scarlet modular cameras ($3,750 - $53,000), designed to let you flexibly configure the right gear by combining a “Brain” ranging from 3K to 28K pixels and then adding lenses and other modules to create a totally customized camera.

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