CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Sony's Cyber-shot G3; Flo TV; Apple's MacBook Pro; Blackberry Curve 8900.
If you've managed to execute some spring cleaning, you’ve probably cleared out enough space to bring home a new toy. And why not? After all, if this month doesn’t warrant some upgrades, no month does.
SEE NO EVIL, HEAR NO EVIL
If you have a cell phone with AT&T or Verizon, a new feature to look out for is Flo TV, a live television feed sent directly to your handheld. Starting at $15 a month, Flo TV gives you access to more than 10 channels, including CBS, NBC, Fox, Comedy Central, and Nickelodeon, meaning that you can watch everything from The Daily Show to live sports. And unlike past attempts at sending TV signals over cellular networks, Flo TV doesn’t need time to buffer, so it’s not jumpy. Which means Jon Stewart will sound more like himself and less like Max Headroom. AT&T Wireless, 800-331-0500; Verizon Wireless, 800-922-0204.
SURF’S UP!
No camera on the market is more beautiful than Sony’s new Cyber-shot G3, and none let you surf the Web like the G3 does. Technically you could check your Gmail between snapshots. But the more important application is the immediate picture and video upload: Find a hot spot, hit the WLAN button, and you’re on the Web. Upload pictures to photo-sharing sites like Shutterfly (where you can also order prints) or send videos of yourself to YouTube. Even without the Web browser, the G3 is still an impressive camera: Along with 10.1 megapixels and a 4x optical zoom, it also has face-detection software, as well as Sony’s innovative Smile Shutter, an automatic setting that takes a picture every time it sees a smile. Sony Style, 877-865-7669.
LOGGING ON
If you’re looking for a laptop, you’d be hardpressed to find one better than Apple’s new MacBook Pro. In October the company introduced revamped versions of the 13-inch MacBook and its stronger, faster sibling, the 15-inch MacBook Pro. Then, earlier this year, Apple complemented the lineup with a new 17-inch MacBook Pro that comes with Apple’s longer-lasting battery, which can go an impressive eight hours between charges—almost long enough to get you through all those episodes of Man vs. Wild.
Once you’ve bought your new Mac, make navigating all its features easier by signing up for Apple’s One to One personal-training membership (much better than going to your geeky nephew for help—trust us). For only $99 you get 52 private one-hour lessons (one per week, at any of Apple’s worldwide retail stores) on nearly anything you want, from editing a movie to creating a podcast. Apple, 800-692-7753.
Move It Along
Get business done on the road with a BlackBerry that offers the best of both worlds.
Thanks to rapid advancements in mobile technology, conducting business while on the go has become more convenient than ever. I’ve been using the AT&T BlackBerry Curve, which has been an industry staple since its debut. My chief complaint? Poor cellular service. Recently, AT&T introduced another new BlackBerry, the high-performance, full-QWERTY BlackBerry Bold smartphone, which features the highestresolution screen found on a BlackBerry and runs on the 3G network—but again, it’s shaky on the cellular.
To try to remedy this, T-Mobile just introduced the BlackBerry Curve 8900 ($199), which offers many of the features of the Bold but in a smaller, sleeker device. It’s not on the 3G network, but offers advanced business and entertainment features and better cellular service via T-Mobile. Available exclusively at T-Mobile stores citywide, 800-866-2453.—NICK FEFFER
