2007 Editors’ Choice Awards

Our editors pick three dozen of their favorite products and technologies (just in time for last-minute holiday shopping)

By The Editors

Page 1 of 9

Editors' Choice Awards

If you’ve grown weary of faking excitement over the new robe and slippers you usually get for the holidays, we’re here to help. Our editors have chosen more than 30 new products that are sure to beat the perennial one-size-fits-all gifts. No need to be subtle—grab a pen and circle the good stuff really big, then leave the magazine, opened to this page, in a “casually” conspicuous place. Better yet, download the PDF of this article online at pcphotomag.com and print copies for everyone on your list. All you’ll have left to do is practice faking surprise: “Oh, wow! How did you know?”

iMac Apple 24-inch iMac

I’ve been a fan of Apple’s iMac line of all-in-one computers from the beginning. I owned the 2G “desklamp” model and I’m writing this copy using the new Intel Core 2 Duo 20-inch model—sadly, not the 24-inch design, which was more recently introduced. The screen on the 24-inch iMac is stunning, and the specs are big to match. It features an Intel Core 2 Duo processor at 2.16 GHz or 2.33 GHz, RAM capacities of up to 3 GB and your choice of a 250 GB or 500 GB hard drive. You can even upgrade the video RAM from 126 MB to 256 MB, ideal for Aperture users. AirPort Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are standard, as is an 8x SuperDrive for DVD and CD recording. If you’re not in the market for a new computer, avert your eyes. List Price: $1,999 (base configuration). Contact: Apple, (800) MY-APPLE, www.apple.com.—WP

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi
Talk about great times for digital photographers. There are now several 10-megapixel D-SLRs on the market priced under $1,000, all of them fine cameras. My favorite is the new Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi. While differing in name from its excellent predecessor only by that “i” at the end, the camera represents a terrific upgrade, including 26% more megapixels, a much larger 2.5-inch LCD monitor, nearly doubled burst rate (now up to 27 frames at 3 fps), 9-point autofocusing (up from 7 in the XT; that’s a full stop more sensitive—EV -0.5 vs. EV 0.5), Picture Styles (introduced in the full-frame EOS 5D), a self-cleaning sensor unit and much more—all while retaining a compact size and a low price. Of course, none of that would matter if the camera didn’t perform, but it does, and very well. Estimated Street Price: $799. Contact: Canon, (800) OK-CANON, www.usa.canon.com.—MS

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