Lite-On
SOSW-852SX External DVD Burner: $190
www.liteonamericas.com

We've seen external DVD writers, and frankly some of them are very good technologically. However, many also lack practicality. The ability to write DVD+R, DVD-R, and double layer discs is easily overshadowed by an unwieldy form factor and chunky weight. Lite-On challenges those larger drives with a slim solution that easily tucks into a laptop bag and still manages to give your customers a full array of burning options.

First, the compatibility list. Lite-On's SOSW-852SX burns CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, DVD+RW, and DVD+R DL. The drive has buffer underrun protection, like most drives nowadays, and a 2MB data buffer. None of the drive's speeds are particularly exciting, but when it comes to a laptop burner for the road, performance takes a back seat to functionality. Of course, even at 4x speeds you'll still want to sell the drive as an upgrade to customers with USB 2.0 connectivity (some older laptops lack it).

There's plenty to like about the SOSW-852SX, starting with a slick little form factor and a long list of compatible disc formats. Lite-On looks to be specifically targeting the system integrator market with the slim external drive, giving VARs a distinct advantage in selling it. And at $190, the price is right for an upgrade.

MSI Computer
Star Key 2.0: $29
www.msicomputer.com

Bluetooth is one of those ubiquitous technologies that keeps everything from headsets to printers to PDAs all communicating wirelessly. It's getting better, too, thanks to an enhanced 2.0 specification supporting 3 Mbps transfer speeds. MSI's Star Key 2.0 supports that new spec and Class 1 power output, resulting in high-speed transmissions at up to 300 feet. Just one Bluetooth dongle can connect up to seven devices, each with a unique profile. And as you add extra transceivers to a Personal Area Network, coverage correspondingly expands. At $29, the Star Key 2.0 is a truly easy upsell for anyone buying any compatible Bluetooth hardware.

Intel
Pentium D 805: $200
www.intel.com

There's a battle going on between AMD and Intel in the dual-core marketplace. On one side, AMD's Athlon 64 X2 and Opteron processors do a commendable job of leveling the performance howitzers against Intel's best efforts, showing impressive numbers time after time. Conversely, Intel suddenly seems to have a thing for value, at least on the desktop. The company's Pentium D is, on average, more affordable than the Athlon 64 X2 lineup. For many of your customers, price tag is the judge, jury, and executioner when it comes to purchasing, so Intel's emphasis may play into your hands.

The story gets even better. Intel recently decided to release a truly mainstream, dual-core processor called the Pentium D 805, selling at prices below $200 and enabling sub-$1,000 dual-core systems. That's a real coup for Intel's marketing machine and a solid opportunity for VARs to promote dual-core on a budget.

Specifically, the Pentium D 805 runs at 2.66 GHz on a 533 MHz front-side bus. Compared to faster 800- and 900-series processors, you have to expect a dip in performance. However, the dual-core chip is still able to outperform similarly priced Pentium 4s, aided in part by a pair of 1MB L2 caches. The 805 also offers Execute Disable support, the Extended Memory 64 Technology, and Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology.

Of course, just because the chip runs at a slower clock speed and on a decelerated front-side bus doesn't mean it supports legacy platforms. You'll still need a new 945/955/975-based motherboard with dual-core support. Consider a setup with Intel's 945G Express chipset, though, as the improved Graphics Media Accelerator core would work well with a low-cost Pentium D. That's plenty for an entry-level multimedia machine.

Palm
LifeDrive Mobile Manager: $449
www.palm.com

Palm's lifedrive mobile Manager is one of those devices that strive to pack copious functionality into a manageable handheld. In fact, it really gives you almost everything you'd expect from a miniscule notebook. The LifeDrive centers on an Intel XScale processor, has 64MB of memory, and a 4GB hard drive for storage. Should you feel the need for expansion, an onboard SD slot is the enabler. Stereo audio, a 320 x 240 transflective TFT touch screen featuring 16-bit color, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth all complement the device's impressive spec sheet.

Then there's the application support, which is very inclusive considering that the LifeDrive runs on Palm's own OS Garnet. Out of the box, you can create and edit Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. Adobe Acrobat files are viewable, though not editable. The device's email app lets you synchronize with Outlook 2003, going so far as to support connections to an Exchange 2003 email server. And of course, that large hard drive just lends itself to building a nice little media collection. The LifeDrive plays back video and MP3s. Additionally, it's set up for photo address books and file sharing via Wi-Fi. All of that in a 6.8 ounce handheld. Not bad.