1. The Superphone - Motorola Q, $200, www.verizonwireless.com
Incredibly sleek, the Motorola Q PDA phone is still the thinnest QWERTY device out there, equally at home in a pocket or a glove compartment. Unlike many of its kind, it has excellent call quality. And because it runs Windows Mobile, it performs just like a PC. The LCD is gorgeous, and its ability to display regular Web pages (not stripped-down cell-phone versions) is a relief.
2. Hi-Def, Low Profile - Canon HV10, $1,300, www.canon.com
If you're going to record your Easy Rider adventure for posterity, then you'd better do it in future-proof high definition. The Canon HV10 HD camera is the smallest HD cam on the market, and it uses mini-DV tapes (you can record in regular DV as well). Optical stabilization and a novel dual-focusing system work flawlessly to keep the image sharp and the jitters at bay.
3. World Widener - Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2S, $500, www.panasonic.com
Meet the point-and-shooter par excellence. The 10.2-megapixel Panasonic Lumix DMC-LX2S camera has a 28mm lens, optical stabilization and 4X zoom, and a massive, wide-screen (16:9) format chip, which makes for stunning landscapes and also allows for high-quality wide-screen video, even up to 720p HD. The only negative is that we don't own one. Yet.
4. Space-age Tuner - Pioneer Inno, $350, www.xmradio.com
Satellite-radio users love to preach the gospel. After testing the Pioneer Inno portable satellite radio, we're converted. The Inno is a hybrid car stereo and MP3 player you can dock at home or in your ride (using the highly recommended car kit, for $70). But you can also receive a signal while walking around wearing headphones.
5. Finder Keeper - Garmin Nüvi 360, $965, www.garmin.com
The king of the road for dual-use locating devices, the Garmin Nüvi 360 GPS unit transitions seamlessly from a mountable in-car unit to a hike-ready handheld. It comes loaded with maps of North America and Europe, and features 2-D or 3-D perspectives. Nicely, it can also sync with Bluetooth phones to let you make hands-free calls.
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