TechWatch: Music, PCs, Keyboards

Tiny Dancer
OK, so even a family friend's 5-year-old told me I should buy an iPod and forget about looking around for anything else. Since when did our kids become brand specifiers? Oh well. But if you think Apple's gizmo is too expensive, or too big, then take a look at this little gem, about the size of a book of matches. BenQ's JoyBee music player improves on the iPod in several dimensions. First, it plays both MP3s and Windows Media formats. Second, it can record voice conversations without any additional hardware, although the overall sonic quality leaves something to be desired. Finally, it also is an FM radio, although reception isn't the greatest. There are four different units with various memory configurations. My biggest complaint, though, is that the unit's tiny screen and buttons are way too small for a certain someone's middle-aged eyes and unsteady fingers. And tiny, too, is the storage capacity of the unit: 128-MB or 256-MB models are all that are available so far. Still, it has my vote. Yes, the iPod can store gigabytes, but at much higher price tags. JoyBee connects with Windows XP and Macintoshes without any additional drivers, and can be used for file storage as well.
BenQ JoyBee models 110-150, www.benq.com, $139 to $259, depending on configuration

You've Got The Look
Leave it to Sony to design an all-in-one "media center" stylish PC that is beautiful enough to fit in with your expensive stereo gear, or looks good enough to leave on a kitchen countertop. The unit isn't much bigger than a standard LCD display, with a slight hump on the back that contains the PC electronics. It comes with a wireless keyboard and mouse (although not Bluetooth), which I found a bit troublesome to set up. I found it easier to just connect a standard USB keyboard/mouse to the unit initially. It has all the standard equipment and slots, including a memory stick slot, USB and firewire, and a DVD/CD drive.
Sony VAIO PCV-V200G, www.sony.com, $1,500

A Wireless Keyboard That Really Works
I haven't been very impressed with many of the wireless keyboards that have emerged through the years, and the whole Bluetooth thing hasn't exactly floated my boat, either. So imagine my surprise when I started using the Logitech diNovo Media Desktop, which is a packaged wireless keyboard and mouse. Both run over Bluetooth wireless connections, and their range is fantastic. Indeed, you can probably travel farther away from your PC than you can even see it. In my tests around the office, I was about 50 feet away and still typing and clicking. The way the system works is through a powered hub that also serves as a docking and recharging station for the wireless mouse. The keyboard is slim, the typing action fast, and the setup on most Windows XP machines won't require much effort at all, despite the lengthy instructions.
Logitech diNovo Media Desktop, www.logitech.com, $249.95