Best Digital Cameras (Ultra-Compact)

Canon PowerShot SD870 IS (Around $325)

Best ultra-compact digital camera. Critics identify the Canon PowerShot SD870 IS as the best ultra-compact digital camera. In addition to great image quality and ease of use, the 8.3-megapixel Canon SD870 IS has optical image stabilization. This feature helps counteract natural hand tremors and makes capturing sharp photos much easier, especially in low light. Its face-detection feature helps lock the autofocus on your subject, and its zoom lens begins at 28mm, giving this camera wide-angle capability and an advantage when shooting in close quarters. Its small size and classy case are further highlights.


Canon PowerShot SD1000 (Around $170)

Best value in a tiny camera. While it lacks image stabilization (to help counteract camera shake), reviews say the 7.1-megapixel Canon PowerShot SD1000 is a great value and an excellent performer, producing first-rate images with great colors and sharpness. This slim model is only 3/4-inch thick, with a 2.5-inch LCD display. It is a point-and-shoot camera, so manual controls are limited, but there are lots of scene modes to help photographers tackle common shooting situations.


Fujifilm Z10fd (Around $170)

Most stylish ultra-compact camera. Other ultra-compact digital cameras might take nicer photos, but the Fujifilm Z10fd is aiming for style and youth appeal. Reviews say it succeeds. It's available in five metallic colors, with sleek lines and a sliding metal cover.. The feature lineup includes face detection and a Blog mode that resizes images in camera for web posting and e-mailing. There are better cameras overall, but reviewers say the Fujifilm Z10fd is a good blend of low price, style and functionality.


Fujifilm F40fd (Around $190)

Best in low light. Many ultra-compact digital cameras struggle in low-light situations, but the Fujifilm F40fd has a unique sensor design that gives this camera an edge for indoor and nighttime shots. In addition, image quality under better lighting is excellent. There aren't many manual controls, and the F40fd isn't very stylish. It's essentially a simple point-and-shoot camera that does really well in dim lighting -- handy if you take lots of indoor shots.


Olympus Stylus 790 SW (Around $260)

Underwater digital camera. Although the Olympus Stylus 790 SW gets merely average scores for image quality, it is one of the few truly waterproof (down to 10 feet) digital cameras on the market. The Olympus is also shockproof (it can withstand drops of up to five feet) and freeze-proof (to 14º F) -- which means it can survive a jump in the lake or a trip down the ski slopes better than most other cameras. Still, if you are not looking for a camera to take on your outdoor adventures, other cameras in the same price range take better photos overall.

Best MP3 Players

Apple iPod nano (8 GB, Around $200)

Best MP3 player overall. Although not everyone is a fan of the shorter and wider shape, the newest Apple iPod nano is the runaway choice among critics as the best MP3 player. Most say that the player is extremely easy to use (though it requires the latest version of iTunes, which might not be compatible with some older computers). Audio quality is first rate, and video playback looks great despite the small 2-inch screen size. The 8 GB nano (which can store about 2,000 songs or equivalent video) comes in a rainbow of colors. One complaint is that the nano -- and all new iPod MP3 players -- have been made incompatible with some third party video accessories that worked with earlier-generation players.

Creative Zen V Plus (4 GB, Around $100)

Best value. While critics say the iPod nano is the best MP3 player overall, reviewers say that the Creative Zen V Plus is a great budget alternative -- or a good pick for those who don't want to be tied to the iTunes music store. Sound quality and battery life are great, according to reports. The 1.5-inch OLED screen falls short compared to the display on the nano, but it's sufficient for viewing short video clips and photos. Unlike the nano, the Zen V Plus offers an FM radio. It uses a small navigation wheel for zipping through tracks, which a few reviews indicate may be too small for some users. All of Creative's current MP3 players are compatible with Windows Media Player 11, so they should have no trouble running on Vista.

iRiver Clix (8 GB, Around $240)

Most features. Like the Creative Zen V Plus, the iRiver Clix comes very close to the iPod nano in reviews, plus it has more features. The 2.5-ounce iRiver Clix is heavier than the 1.74-ounce nano, but it has a slightly larger, video-capable 2.2-inch color LCD touchscreen that doubles for navigation. Sound and video are given uniformly high marks, and there's a long list of extras: FM tuner, voice recorder, equalizer, Macromedia Flash Player, Flash games and an alarm clock. Reviews say the Windows-only Clix has a slick user interface and long battery life (20 hours).


Apple iPod Classic (80 GB, Around $245)

Best large-capacity MP3 player. The iPod dominates the market among hard-drive players. Experts agree that the iPod system by far offers the most fully integrated music experience, a seamless marriage between the iPod hardware and the iTunes software and song library. The latest iPod Classic MP3 players feature much larger hard drives, rivaling those on some laptop computers, and can hold up to 20,000 songs or equivalent video. Since Apple MP3 players use a proprietary music format called AAC, you are limited mainly to the iTunes music store for music downloads. A 160 GB version (*est. $345), which can hold 40,000 songs, is also available.


Microsoft Zune (80 GB, Around $250)

Alternative to iPod Classic. If you want a high-capacity MP3 player, the iPod Classic holds a small edge in reviews, but experts say the much improved second-generation Microsoft Zune is an excellent alternative for those who don't want to be married to Apple's AAC music format. The Zune's key unique feature is Wi-Fi -- it can sync wirelessly with your PC's music collection. The 3.2-inch video-capable display is much larger than the screen on the iPod Classic, yet overall, the Zune is about the same size. You also get an FM tuner (missing on the iPod). The Zune also comes with high-quality earphones that blow away the earbuds that come with the iPod.


Samsung YP-U3 (2 GB, Around $75)

Budget MP3 player. Reviews say there are a number of good sub-$100 MP3 players available, but this Samsung model gets a very slight edge because of its easy-to-use interface and better overall physical design. Sound quality is excellent, as is the built-in FM radio, though the lack of FM recording capabilities is a disappointment. A unique pop-out design protects the built-in USB connector and eliminates both the need for a cable and an easy-to-lose cap.