With the growing number of high-definition, multimedia televisions, the Toshiba 46SL417U is quite notable with its Wi-Fi connectivity, pre-installed web applications, and low energy consumption.  However, one consideration is the not-so-great viewing angle that the colors appear slightly distorted when the screen is positioned sideways.

The 47-inch LED-backlit HDTV comes at a fair price ($1,099 direct) and offers a wide range of features such as Web apps and connections which are placed along the side and bottom of the chassis.  With the perfect placement of the inputs, this is quite notable especially the fact that most HDTVs placed these at the back of the panel.

In terms of design, the TV has a slender chassis (about 1.2-inch thick) with a flat bezel and a Toshiba logo in the middle of the lower edge.  And with the utilitarian design comes with a chrome plastic that makes up the right and left edges of the panel.

For consumers looking for a cheap but still impressive desktop, the Dell Inspiron i620-3708NBK ($650) is a great choice because it offers HDMI video output, Wi-Fi connectivity, and pre-installed applications that are not usually found in most computers in the same price range.  Also, the unit, which is preloaded with Windows 7 Home Premium, comes with optical two-button mouse and standard keyboard.

In terms of multimedia performance, the desktop boasts Intel Core i5-2310 which has a maximum turbo and standard clock speed of 3.2GHz and 2.9GHz, respectively, better than its rivals with the same price.  But as expected, it is not designed to support 3D games because it only uses Intel HD Graphics 2000 GPU which means that a low resolution 3D video will be displayed in 13 frames per second (however, the computer can be upgraded by installing a faster video card).

The Dell Inspiron i620-3708NBK has two optical drive bays with one of them supporting a DVD burner.  Meanwhile, it is not surprising that it lacks Blu-ray drives and discrete graphics due to its relatively affordable price, although both of these features can be included with an additional cost.

The 12.3-megapixel Olympus PEN E-P3 is a relatively impressive digital camera with its fast performance and bright OLED touchcreen, although the biggest concern is its expensive price and lack of optical viewfinder.  Meanwhile, the device features the sharp images and some technologies found in D-SLR, making this perfect for starters.

The camera is an improved version of its predecessors PEN E-P1 and PEN E-P2, which are noted for its SLR-like quality images but are criticized with their speed issues, lack of built-in flash, and slow autofocus.  To solve these problems, the new model boasts an integrated flash and faster processor.

But still, it cannot be considered a true D-SLR despite of its expensive price, because it lacks some important features like an optical viewfinder.  Fortunately though, it comes with 14-42mm f/3.5-5/6 zoom lens or 17mm f/2.8 prime lens and HD video recording capability.

The Sony Ericsson W8 Walkman is an Android-powered phone which is designed for music lovers with features including Walkman player (allowing users to create their own playlists sorted by album, track and artist); TrackID music recognition in which information about a song is sent to the device; Bluetooth stereo; and PlayNow which allows people to download music from the Android Market.

In terms of apps, the phone is quite notable especially with its Timescape in which all the communication tools such as Facebook, text messaging, and calls are gathered in one place for the convenience of users.  In addition, the device has Gmail for mobile that allows users to receive and send messages, and of course instance messaging for online chatting.

In terms of user-friendliness, the W8 Walkman boasts auto rotate for a convenient viewing experience, onscreen QWERTY keyboard, highly responsive 3-inch, scratch-resistant touchscreen LCD which is designed to support 320 x 480 pixels, and home screen icons for quick access to favorite apps.

As a 14-inch laptop, the Dell Latitude E6420 ($1,800) is quite heavy as it weighs around 6 pounds; but aside from this downside, it boasts long battery life, well-designed keyboard, high resolution screen, sturdy chassis, and fast Intel processor.  With these features, the device is a great for business or professional use.

As with any business laptop, it has a wide array of features including DVD drive with DVD burner being optional; ExpressCard, SmartCard, and VGA slot; gigabit Ethernet; 320GB-7,200rpm hard drive; HDMI port; four USB 2.0 ports; and Intel Sandy Bridge processors.  Surprisingly, the computer does not come with a web cam (because it is optional) and USB 3.0 which is said to be 10 times faster than its predecessor.

In terms of performance, the Latitude E6420 is really designed for business use, although frequent travelers should consider its heaviness.  But aside from this shortcoming, the laptop’s Intel Core i5-2540M processor, which is based on Sandy Bridge architecture, is quite notable.  This means the computer is also able to support better graphics, particularly the Intel HD Graphics 3000 chipset, which can display 3D images without flaws.  But for hard-core gamers who want to have an upgrade, they can pay an additional fee ($69) for the Nvidia NVS 4200.

The Lenovo IdeaPad V570 is less expensive than laptops from ThinkPads series despite its impressive features in terms of battery life and ergonomic design.  However, one important consideration is the 2GB of RAM, which has no problem in supporting multi-tab Web browsing and video streaming but may not be enough for certain professionals, unless they will upgrade the computer memory.

The laptop’s 15-inch display has a glossy appearance which makes it more reflective than other screens; but still, the viewing experience is “acceptable” because of the bright and vivid colors and 1,366 x 768 pixels.  On the other hand, the keyboard boasts a spacious design for a responsive and comfortable typing experience.

Aside from the curvy keys, the wide trackpad is notable because of its responsiveness and slightly rough texture that makes it convenient to use.  Also, its two long buttons are easy to respond and comfortable to be clicked.

With many states prohibiting the use of hand-held communications devices while driving, the SuperTooth HD may be a great choice for drivers who need a hands-free car kit.  With this gadget, they can automatically send text messages and emails and update their Twitter and Facebook using voice commands.

The device, which features dual microphones for noise suppression, is notable for its great sound quality.  With a pair of 5.4-watt speakers, it can provide a clear and a wide range of volume which can be helpful even if the car is running with windows rolled down; in fact, the buzz of the air conditioner unit—even on its highest setting—cannot be heard because of the noise cancellation system.

On the other hand, the speakerphone is as not as impressive compared with the one’s used by conventional phones because the caller’s voice sounds a little harsh and “thin.”

The unlimited version of The New York Times’ website on Thursday has become available to users of popular electronic readers Nook and Kindle at no extra cost.  About three months ago, the newspaper began charging $15 every month which only allowed people to access limited numbers of articles on its site.

Meanwhile, several surveys have suggested that a significant number of US adult Internet users were not willing to pay a single dime to read daily newspaper online.  But still, many daily news publications are demanding a subscription fee despite indications that such efforts may turn a lot of readers away and resort to other online reading materials which are free.

For instance, Adweek/Harris Poll surveyed about 2,000 US online users on March 2011 and discovered that 80 percent were not willing to pay a single cent on newspaper’s online subscription, while approximately 14 percent said they would only pay if the monthly charge is between $1 and $10.