Panasonic DMP-BD55

(DVD players)

"Pros:
The best Picture and Sound I've seen on a Blu-ray player yet. Very fast and quiet. BD-Live and Firmware update(s). Upconversion is one of the best I've seen. Design and build quality is good and slim. Blue LED in front looks nice when room is dark. Neatly hidden playback controls. SD-card slot.

Cons:
Price is a bit expensive. Slow load times as with any blu-ray player, still the fastest I've seen though. No wireless or USB. Can't play certain region DVD's.

Review:
I sold my Sony BDP-S350 and bought a BDP-S550 last year. The BDP-S550 is now setup in my bedroom, and the DMP-BD55 is in the theatre room now. Picture and sound quality is slightly better and in some cases, much better than the S550. The best blu-ray player of early 2009 and still ranks high up there."

Review date: 30 Sep, 2009

Microsoft Xbox 360 Elite

(Game consoles)

"Pros:
Amazing graphics and fun gameplay. Very stylish and sexy with black and chrome finish. Not a big console. Full HD is awesome. Being able to install games to hard-drive is a plus. 120GB Hard Drive more than enough. New dashboard update looks great, is easy to use, and improves performance. Most games have better lighting, details, colour, etc, (such as Fallout 3) when played on the 360 as compared to other consoles. Light and very comfortable controller (best controller I've ever used). Xbox live is awesome and constantlly update. Not too expensive and well worth the money.

Cons:
Fan still makes a little noise, even if playing from hard drive. Can get a little warm if playing for hours. No internal HD disc player, such as HD-DVD or Blu-ray. Microsoft rushed it out too fast. In turn they could have included an HD-DVD drive built-in, and put their games of HD-DVD discs. Have to buy wireless adapter for wireless capabalities. Wireless adapter slow (doesn't accept 'N' singals from routers.) Xbox Live not free.

Review:
Microsoft's Xbox 360 console is a hugh leap from the first original. The gameplay and graphics are just stunning. It's exclusive games like Gears of War 2, Halo, Fable 2, etc, make it well worth your money. In addition, other games were made exclusive first on the 360, such as Bioshock. With one of the biggest bang for you buck that you can get, it's no wonder why this console is still leading in sales in the game industry."

Review date: 30 Sep, 2009

Nintendo Wii

(Game consoles)

"Pros:
Very fun motion controlled gameplay. Being able to replay old games like Star Fox 64 is a plus. Very small and stylish design. Doesn't overheat. Very quiet. Wireless capabilities.

Cons:
Have to buy classic controller for some downloadable games.
Graphics not next-gen. May be a pro, but this console is best played locally with friends and family. Price may be a little more expensive than what its worth. Have to buy USB adapter for LAN (wired) connection.

Review:
Although the Nintendo Wii may not have amazing graphics like the Xbox 360 or PS3, its inovated design, integrated technology, and amazing gameplay make you forget about the graphics."

Review date: 30 Sep, 2009

Sony BDP-S550

(DVD players)

"Pros:
Excellent Picture and Sound quality. Excellent build and design. Very fast and really quiet, can't even hear it in a silent room. BD-Live and Firmware update(s) are a plus. Upconversion looks pretty good too.

Cons:
Price is a bit expensive. It’s still one of the fastest blu-ray players I've seen, but someone with little patience may find it a bit slow sometimes.

Review:
I recently had the BDP-S350, and wanted a better player. Best choice I've made in years.

It's better in picture and sound quality than the BDP-350 and especially better than the PS3, and well worth the extra cash. It’s also one of the sexiest blu-ray players I've seen so far.

Got mine on Boxing Day for $300. If you’re looking for an amazing blu-ray player, this is the one to get."

Review date: 22 Jan, 2009