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Build yourself a mini-PC

Last update: August 26, 2008 - 5:02 PM

$299 • www.via-itx.com

Smaller than a paperback, VIA's new ARTiGO mini-PC was designed for hobbyists. But the minuscule box is small enough to sit next to a monitor as a stand-alone PC or to hide behind a TV to become part of a home theater system. It runs Windows XP or Linux, has a one-gigahertz processor and can hold up to one gigabyte of RAM (included). The ARTiGO, sold as a kit, includes four USB ports, audio connections, a VGA port to connect to a display, and an Ethernet port for Internet connections. An optional hard drive costs about $65 for 160 gigabytes. The PC runs most applications and can connect to any USB peripheral. Because the PC is so small, it can fit into the DVD drive bay of a regular PC, creating a minicluster of computers. Assembly is required.

A CELL PHONE FOR MUSIC

$99 with contract • www.nokia.us

Nokia's 5610 XpressMusic plays MP3s and has an FM radio tuner along with dedicated music playback buttons. It costs $99 with a two-year contract from T-Mobile and has two gigabytes of storage. It comes in black or white, and its standard 3.5-millimeter headset jack works with most headphones. The 5610 can connect to Macs and PCs and supports microSD flash cards for memory expansion. It has a 3.2-megapixel camera for still pictures and video and a 2.2-inch color display. The phone is compatible with international GSM networks and Edge Wireless networking.

NEW YORK TIMES

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