Abit
AirPace Wi-Fi: $29
www.abit-usa.com

YOU'VE BEEN SELLING MOTHERBOARDS WITH PCI EXPRESS slots for a while now, yet graphics cards seem to be the only add-in boards adopting the serial technology. Sure, servers and workstations get their storage and Ethernet controllers dropping into x8 and x4 slots. But what about the x1 connectors featured on most new desktop motherboards? Sound cards, physics cards, network cards all still employ PCI primarily—we've seen very few peripherals make a successful transition to PCI Express as of yet.

ABIT's new AirPace Wi-Fi gives resellers a viable reason to love the new slot format. The high-performance 802.11g card fits into a single x1 slot, empowering it with twice the bi-directional throughput available to older PCI cards. And while a wireless networking connection wouldn't even tax a PCI connection, the AirPace's PCI Express interface helps cut back on physical size, too.

As if it weren't enough that Abit's AirPace leverages PCI Express and costs less than $30, the card can also operate in a software access point mode, broadcasting an Internet connection to other PCs in range. Full security is possible through WEP and WPA encryption, while range gets extended through a breakaway antenna.

Buffalo
Techworks 2 x 1GB DDR2 667 FB-DIMM Kit: $409
www.buffalotech.com

IF YOU've kept an eye on Apple's stock price, you know that the company is picking up momentum on the heels of one successful product launch after another. Now that Apple is using Intel's Core microarchitecture in its servers and workstations, resellers should easily be able to step up and help support those platforms through maintenance and upgrades.

Buffalo recently unveiled a lineup of FBDIMMs in its Techworks family designed specifically to service the Mac market. The specifications should all look fairly similar—DDR2-667, ECC capabilities, 1GB modules, and so on—but Buffalo's compatibility testing process reflects the emphasis on upgrading Apple platforms.

Microsoft
Zune Digital Media Player: $999
www.microsoft.com

ARE YOU DISAPPOINTED BY THE LACK OF RESELLER opportunities when it comes to Apple's iPod? Until now, there have been very few contenders challenging the ubiquitous media player with powerful enough hardware and software presences. Microsoft's Zune aims to rearrange the landscape a bit with a stylish hardware platform and a well thought out application approach. The player and its accessories are already prolific in the channel, too.

Many of Zune's hardware features mirror what you'd find on a competing Apple or Creative Labs product. A 30GB hard drive handles storage duties, backed by 64MB of RAM for buffering. The Zune is able to tune into FM broadcasts, output video to a TV, and connect to your customer's Xbox 360 gaming console through USB. However, its defining is integrated 802.11b/g networking support, which lets one Zune share music files with another. Copied tracks expire in three days.

Microsoft includes Zune software in its bundle. Responsible for syncing up to Zune players, the software interfaces with Zune Marketplace, as well, similar to iTunes' player/online store format. More than two million songs are available to customers through the Marketplace, each purchasable using Microsoft Points. There's also a subscription available at roughly $15 a month. Music downloaded under that model becomes unplayable if the subscription expires, though.

As with most gaming systems, the real margin on Zune is earned through selling extras and not necessarily on the $250 media player. Fortunately, the first round of offerings looks extremely promising. A Car Pack contains an FM transmitter and charger. Microsoft's Home A/V pack sports a dock and wireless remote. The Travel Pack features in-ear headphones, a remote, carrying case, and power adapter, as well. Expect that as time passes, popular peripheral vendors will join the fray.

Canon
PIXMA mini260: $149
www.usa.canon.com

I GAUGE THE PROLIFERATION of technology into the mainstream in a few different ways. One of the most telling is when I see a family member walking around comfortably with some new gadget that I've never considered toting around. Most recently, I had one relative turn up to Thanksgiving dinner with a pumpkin pie in one hand and Canon's PIXMA mini260 in the other, ready to connect to a laptop. After firing off a handful of 4x6 pictures, she collapsed the little printer and ticked it back into her bag.

Most impressive was the mini260's image quality. According to Canon, 1,536 total nozzles enable resolutions up to 9600x2400—good enough to yield some phenomenal looking printouts. Though the mini260 only hosts 42KB of memory, it's still able to churn out prints in under a minute.

Of course, mainstream buyers don't care about specifications or performance. They're worried about usability and controls. As it turns out, the mini260 employs a scroll wheel capable of selecting any of the printer's functions with a circular motion, much like Apple's iPod. It also leverages a 2.5" TFT screen used to preview images on a camera before they're printed. Anyone with an infrared-enabled cell phone can also print to the mini260 wirelessly. The addition of an optional USB module facilitates wireless Bluetooth communication, too.

Attractive borderless prints that last up to 100 years, simplified control, PC-less printing, and a $149 price tag are some of the reasons mainstream customers will gravitate toward the tiny little mini260.