Costco Connection - November 2006

hot trend. A great example is the ViewSonic 22-inch computer LCD monitor (#129426) in the warehouses. Also, I am fascinated by the new dual monitors that make multitasking a breeze. You can work spreadsheets and run reports or pull-up e-mail and watch a movie without toggling. Also hot are mobile desktop replacements, which have the power of a desktop and the portability of a notebook. I spent time with costco.com’s new Dell XPS M2010™ (enter “Dell M2010” in the “Search” box). It features a 20.1-inch wide screen, Web cam, a mouse that acts as a pointer for presentations and powerful dual-core processing—and it folds up instantly like a briefcase. Video games and players are also very “next generation,” report Costco video game buyers Kathy Kincannon and Jodi Ellis. Sony PlayStation® 3 (PS3) is due for release November 17. With an Ethernet port and a preinstalled hard disk drive, users will be able to down-load the latest games and access online games and services over the network. Supplies will be limited, so it will be first-come, first-served for the PS3. Nintendo Wii (pronounced “we”) also arrives this fall in limited distribution. It is Nintendo’s smallest home game console, replacing GameCube™. (GameCube games are still compatible with Wii.) The controller detects and converts a player’s hand motions, such as the swing of a tennis racket or the turn of a steering wheel in a racing game, into immediate game action. The Microsoft Xbox 360 Arcade bundle in the warehouses comes with the new Arcade Live game, extra wireless controller and more (#166666). It supports the ability to view other players live. Costco.com offers many additional bundles. Games are also plentiful at warehouses and costco.com. (Tip: A $5-off coupon is offered on Tony Hawk Project 8 and Downhill Jam games, November 24 through 26, in warehouses and on costco.com).

“High tech, but easy to use”

Another theme that emerges this year is ease of use in cameras and computers.

“It is all about cameras and computers becoming second nature in our lives thanks to ease of use,” says Chris. “You can now create and customize your own photographs, music and movies at amazing speeds. And thanks to wireless technology, you can do this virtually anywhere and anytime.”

Case in point: digital cameras. Chris reports this is the year of easier image capture, transfer, sharing and printing. In the warehouses, check out the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FX07 with optical image stabilization (#136554) and Casio Exilim Zoom EX-Z1000 with a whopping 10. 1 MP (#123591). I personally like the Pentax Optio T20 with 7 MP and easy-to-use 3-inch touch-screen LCD (#139522).

Many laptops have merged design with function. Curved console corners, sleek black motifs, wide-screen high-definition displays, integrated Web cams, powerful dual-core processors, remote controls and QuickPlay buttons for DVD watching

without booting up are hot features.

For travel portability, Chris suggests the HP dv2171cl with 14.1-inch BrightView wide screen (#138001). The HP dv6174cl with a 15.4-inch BrightView wide screen (#138004) works equally well at home or on the road, and the HP dv9033cl with a 17-inch BrightView wide screen (#138007) has a TV tuner, a 200 GB dual hard drive and more.

Weighty

matters

“Bigger TVs for less”

Wide-screen plasma and LCD flat-panel televisions are bigger (up to 63 inches) and offer outstanding picture quality. At Costco, they are also 25 to 30 percent lower in price than last year.

Geoff Shavey, Costco electronics buyer, is ecstatic. “LCD flat-panel HDTVs are moving into the over-40-inch sizes, traditionally dominated by plasma,” says Geoff. “And plasma HDTVs continue to grow, now stretching up to 63 inches. As for affordability, a top-brand 42-inch HDTV plasma this year is down to less than $1,800.”

Top warehouse offerings include the Sharp Aquos 37-inch LCD HDTV (#140137), Panasonic 42-inch plasma HDTV (#124260), Panasonic 50- inch plasma HDTV (#125050) and Sony 46-inch 1080p LCD HDTV (#146251).

To get the most life out of your HDTV, Liz Elsner, costco.com’s vice president of merchandising, suggests purchasing a unit that supports both today’s 720p or 1080i resolution and the leading-edge full HD 1080p format.

That sounds confusing, but, simply put, 1080p means a sharper picture and a smoother, cleaner image. Good bets are costco.com’s Sceptre 42-inch 1080p LCD HDTV (#970637) and Samsung Blu-Ray DVD player (#124582).

Remember: You need HD programming to get real HD images on these beautiful new TVs.

MY NOTEBOOK PC weighs almost 7 pounds. Costco’s computer guy, Chris Day, showed me the new lightweight, portable Sony VAIO Notebook C series C190 with efficient power usage, a big, easy-to-view 13.3-inch XBRITE-Eco wide screen—and a weight just over 5 pounds (#138006 in the warehouses).

Is this a big deal? You bet it is. Just pick up 7 pounds of potatoes in one hand and 5 pounds in the other and walk around the block. Then consider all those long airport security lines.

—PV

Portable entertainment is more exciting than ever with the upgraded iPod from Apple and the Zune from Microsoft.

“The digital music revolution”

Of all the hot tech developments this year, perhaps the most exciting involve digital music. Apple has introduced new iPods, and Microsoft offers its new Zune music and video player.

Apple just unveiled the new iPod and the new iPod nano. Costco warehouses will offer several versions of the two new players.

Both new versions are creating quite a buzz. Apple has improved battery life, made the screens brighter and upgraded both models, including movie-download capability and expanded game features on the iPod. “I have never seen a device affect so many other industries as Apple’s iPod,” says Costco’s audio buyer, Jennifer Simmons. “It has revolutionized how we watch, listen to, play and store our digital content.”

Microsoft has joined the revolution with Zune. Available in warehouses and at costco.com, Zune plays music and video. It also allows the sharing of songs with other “Zunies” via Wi-Fi. You can even act as a DJ and send music to as many as four other devices.