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(Credit: Samsung)

If there weren't already three cameras available using the same wide-angle 26mm-equivalent lens with a 24x zoom, the announcement of the Samsung HZ25W would be a little more interesting. It doesn't seem to bring anything terribly new to the category either, making it an also-ran in a race of fairly mediocre cameras.

I'm not saying Samsung's entry isn't worth considering, just that it's more than fashionably late and brought the same bag of pretzels to the party that Nikon, Kodak, and Pentax did. Hell, Samsung even brought the same brand as Kodak by using a Schneider-Kreuznach lens.

Specifications include:

• 12 megapixels
• 24x, f2.8-5.0, 26-624mm-equivalent lens
• 3-inch LCD and an electronic viewfinder
• 720p HD movie capture (H.264)
• Dual image stabilization
• Raw support
• Full manual, shutter-speed priority, aperture priority modes

Samsung HZ25W--photos

Since my CES blog on Netgear's WNDR3700, I have received a numerous e-mails asking about the availability of the product. Today, I can provide readers with a definitive answer.

Netgear announced Tuesday the immediate availability of what it calls "the ultimate networking machine for gamers, media enthusiasts, and small businesses," the RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit router WNDR3700.

The WNDR3700 wireless router

(Credit: Netgear)

This is Netgear's highest-end draft-N router that offers true dual-band (concurrent signals in both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands), as well as other features such as ReadyShare for high-speed access to a USB hard drive from any device on the network, broadband usage metering, Digital Living Network Alliance support and video quality of service.

According to Netgear, the router is equipped with a 680MHz processor to offer up to 500Mbps WAN to LAN speeds and up to 350Mbps real-world wireless throughput. It's also on of the first consumer wireless routers that compatible with DLNA-certified products. This supposedly makes it better at streaming digital media than other non-DLNA compatible routers.

The broadband usage metering is actually the first to be seen in a consumer-grade wireless router. This is a feature that lets users monitor the download traffic used; it is especially useful for broadband users with bandwidth quotas, such as Comcast members.

The RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router is now available worldwide. The router comes with a one-year warranty, 24/7 technical support, and has an estimated price of $190. You can get it now or wait for my review of the product, which will be available later this month.

Sleek style defines the Samsung PNB850/860 plasma.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

In the battle between plasma and LCD, the former generally comes out ahead in most areas of our picture quality tests, while the latter has dominated the less important, but somehow costlier, dimension of depth.

LCDs such as the Samsung and Sony edge-lit models and the Hitachi UT37X902 cost a hefty premium for manufacturers knocking an inch or two from the standard panel's thickness. Now plasma makers want in on that premium, and the PNB850 and PNB860 series represent Samsung's less-depth-for-more-money gambit.

Like the company's thicker, less expensive PNB650 series, the PNB850/860 series offers excellent picture quality with accurate color, deep black levels--albeit not as deep as the best plasmas and LCDs--and solid video processing. In fact, we awarded the two Samsung plasmas the same Performance score, although the PNB850/860 gets the nod in design. However, if you can stomach the higher price and like the thin profile, the PNB850/860 makes a compelling option.

Read the full review of the Samsung PNB850/860 series.

Samsung PNB850/860 series--photos

The Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP: some see input lag, others see pretty pink flowers. Go figure.

(Credit: Dell)

I own a 24-inch Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP LCD computer monitor. Over the last year or so, I've yet to have a performance issue. I do a heavy amount of gaming on it including World of Warcraft and first-person shooters, and I've never once had a problem with input lag. Input lag is a delay measured by the difference between the time a signal is input into a display and the time it is shown by the display.

Input lag is one of the major criticisms of this monitor from its users. Just to be clear, I'm not claiming that input lag on this monitor doesn't exist, I'm only saying that I've not seen evidence of it on either our evaluation unit of my own. Dell has purportedly addressed the issue in the A02 revision of the 2408WFP.

That being said, I still feel the Dell Ultrasharp 2408WFP is the best 24-incher money can buy and quite easily earned the top spot on CNET's top-rated 24-inch LCD computer monitors (that we've reviewed). ... Read more

The pattern on the bottom of the bezel tells a long-forgotten tale. I'm possibly wrong on that, though.

(Credit: Asus)

The line between HDTVs and computer monitors continued to thin out Monday as Asus announced a new line of what are either small TVs or normal-size monitors.

Asus unveiled its new TV Monitor T1 series, which comes in 21.5-, 23-, and 27-inch models. All support a 16:9 aspect ratio with a 1920x1080 resolution. Other specs include a 300 cd/m2 brightness, 20,000 Dynamic Contrast Ratio, a 5ms response time, and two 7W stereo speakers.

Connections options include two HDMIs, VGA, Component, S-Video, and Composite inputs. No DVI is included, though, according to the spec list.

I have good news and bad news about the TV tuners included in the monitors. The good news is that each supports DVB-T and PAL/SECAM. The bad news is that those are European standards, as the monitors have not been announced for the U.S. market as of yet--only for Europe.

With any luck, when the U.S. versions are announced, decent TV Tuner support will be announced along with them. In the meantime, check out our latest Asus monitor review and other monitor reviews.

Samsung's PNB650 series comes close to the best plasmas on the market.

(Credit: Sarah Tew/CNET)

With the exit of heavy-hitter Pioneer from the plasma racket, just three major makers remain: Panasonic, Samsung, and LG. The latter two offer significantly more models of LCD TVs than of plasma, however, and seem more focused on LCD technology. Nonetheless, Samsung's 2009 plasmas, if the PNB650 series is any indication, are nearly the match of Panasonic's best.

The model we tested delivered superb black-level performance--significantly better than past Samsung plasmas--and the company's traditional accurate color. Samsung has also kept up with Panasonic on the feature front and delivers more picture adjustments, although we prefer Panasonic's VieraCast to Samsung's sluggish Yahoo Widgets when it comes to interactive features. Regardless, the superb overall package delivered by the PNB650 series once again poses a difficult decision for plasma HDTV buyers.

Read the full review of the Samsung PNB650 series.

Samsung PNB650 series photos

Not only does the G24 love "Judge Wapner", it can actually display it!

(Credit: CNET)

The 24-inch Acer G24 is like the Rain Man of computer monitors. It does one thing exceptionally well but stumbles in others. While its gaming performance is stellar, due to its ultraglossy and reflective screen, its viewing angle is unforgiving. Not the most ideal monitor when judging color accurately.

Just to be sure though, the G24 is the best gaming monitor I've yet to test. While playing Unreal Tournament 3 and Crysis on this thing, the one permeating thought I had was, "Oh that's how they're supposed to look!"

Unfortunately, my UT3 game went on a little too long, but after many hours of getting my butt handed to me online, I finally switched tactics. I started an offline game with A.I.-controlled bots, set them to the lowest difficulty level, and proceeded to whoop their monkey asses.

From now on that's the only way to play. Check out my full impressions of the Acer G24 here, and for all other monitor reviews, keep your eye on the monitor door. I'll have plenty of new reviews debuting over the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned.

The Panasonic TC-PV10 series delivers the best picture quality of any flat-panel TV we've tested this year.

(Credit: Sarah Tew)

In our review of Panasonic's G10 plasma we discussed how it competed for picture quality supremacy against Pioneer's now-discontinued Kuro PRO-111FD--still the best HDTV ever--and how ultimately it couldn't quite match the Kuro.

The same basic story stays true for the TC-PV10 series, but it's even better than the G10.

This Panasonic plasma has the same deep blacks that grace its less-expensive little brother, and adds a couple of key improvements: better video processing to handle 1080p/24 sources and more picture adjustments that allow it to transcend the limitations of THX mode. Its picture should satisfy all but the pickiest of videophiles, and it also outperforms any LCD-based display, LED or otherwise, we've ever tested. Beyond image quality, the V10 delivers plenty of features and an eye-catching one-sheet-of-glass design, for a combination that deserves serious consideration from buyers willing to pay for it.

Read the full review of the Panasonic TC-PV10 series.

Panasonic TC-PV10 series photos