High-tech gear can be flawed the first time, but sometimes the good gets better

"Don't buy version 1.0 of anything."

That's a familiar refrain in the consumer-technology world because first versions of gizmos are typically flawed. The devices listed below, for instance, are improvements on earlier products I happened to like a lot and, at the time, recommended you buy.

If you decided to hold out for upgrades, you're in for a treat: The good just got better.

PALMONE LIFEDRIVE

What is it? The latest in a long line of PalmOne organizers, once officially dubbed (and still often called) Palm Pilots. Palm-based devices are legendary for their ease of use, more so than Windows-like Pocket PCs. Newer models incorporate multimedia features for easily getting music, photos and movies while on the move. They also include Office-like software for editing Word or Excel files on the go.

What's new? The LifeDrive is the first U.S. organizer with a hard drive. This fixes a longstanding issue: "Volatile" memory found in most Palm devices to date will wipe out user data if the battery runs dry. Even a newer model with nonvolatile memory can't hold much info. But the LifeDrive has a relatively vast 4 gigabytes of space, essentially serving as a miniature laptop when combined with a $70 folding keyboard.

Does it work? The LifeDrive isn't an iPod or computer killer, but it has promise as an ultraportable gizmo for entertainment and productivity. It's pricey at $500 and has issues, such as a too-dim screen and sometimes-pokey drive access. But with improved Windows-Palm file syncing and two kinds of wireless - Bluetooth for cord-free sync sessions and Wireless Fidelity for online access via home, office or public Wi-Fi networks - it just about does it all.

More info: PalmOne.com

DIGITAL REBEL XT

What is it? The latest in Canon's famed line of Rebel single-lens-reflex cameras for advanced hobbyists and its second digital-photo model. The first Digital Rebel, released two years ago, was a hit because it melded Rebel ease of use with gorgeous 6.3-megapixel digital shots. My summer 2003 photos using a Rebel loaner were stunning. But I thought it a bit on the bulky side.

What's new? With its just-released Digital Rebel XT, Canon has produced a more compact camera with bigger - as in whopping 8-megapixel - picture files that look every bit as good as, if not better than, those shot with the earlier model. It will shoot in bursts of as many as 14 pics, up from four-shot spurts in the first Digital Rebel. It offers more flexibility for switching between the standard JPEG file format and the geekier RAW.

Does it work? Does it ever! With zippier performance and a bevy of other improvements, such as the option to shoot in black-and-white, it's a worthy successor. But this isn't the model to buy if you're skimping on memory (a 1-gigabyte CompactFlash card is a must), own an older computer with slow USB 1.1 ports, need a pocket-sized camera or blanch at spending $1,000 or so.

More info: Canon.com

EPSON PICTUREMATE

What is it? A lunchbox-like printer designed to churn out fabulous-looking 4-by-6s, with or without a computer. This was a 2004 favorite of mine because it competed with the corner photolab on price and picture quality. I had a blast churning out snapshots by the dozen courtesy of the PictureMate's rock-solid reliability (a competing Kodak printer didn't fare as well).

What's new? The PictureMate did have minor problems. It was a bit slow, for one thing. It lacked a color preview screen, too, so users wasted paper and ink to awkwardly print out index sheets and test shots. Epson remedies this deficiency with a flip-up display that lets you see all your pictures, allowing you to make changes before printing. The device works faster, as well.

Does it work? I put the PictureMate Deluxe Viewer Edition to work, as I did with its predecessor, and I'm happy to say it holds up very well. But you needn't pay a $50 premium for the $250 device because the original is still for sale. Epson will soon rev the print speed on that one, too, but you won't get built-in photo optimization and can't use it with a new add-on battery.

More info: Epson.com

APPLE IPOD PHOTO

What is it? A souped-up version of Apple Computer's iPod music player with the ability to display digital pictures on its full-color screen. It's a superb photo bucket because it slurps up pictures found in a variety of places on a PC or Macintosh hard drive, then makes them a breeze to peruse using its thumb-controlled wheel. It can also be hooked to a TV for quick slide shows.

What's new? Though photo-oriented, the iPod Photo wasn't an ideal photographer's sidekick because it couldn't transfer photos directly from a digital camera without pricey, awkward third-party attachments. That changed with Apple's $30 iPod Camera Connector, an add-on gizmo that allows a camera to plug into the player via a standard Universal Serial Bus cord.

Does it work? Extremely well. I tested the connector with a loaner iPod Photo and three cameras, including a Pentax loaner and in-house Canon and Olympus models. Shots moved over without a hitch and were then viewable on the iPod's screen. They synced to our test PC and Mac without a problem. The iPod Photo comes in 30- and 60-gig versions for $350 and $450.

More info: www.apple.com/ipodphoto

APPLE IMAC G5

What is it? A speedy, slim, self-contained computer that is easily mistaken for a flat-panel display at first glance. The iMac G5 turned heads upon its release last August because of its minimalist, practically cord-free design and its eye-popping wide-format screen in 17- and 20-inch sizes. But iMac G5 prices were deceptively low because buyers needed to add stuff for the best experience.

What's new? Apple tweaked the iMac's specs to make it more of a bargain and more competitive with Windows-based machines. It has a decent 512 megabytes of base memory. Both kinds of wireless - Bluetooth and Wireless Fidelity - are included. The hard drive, processor and graphics have been upgraded, and its DVD burner works with "double-layer" discs that hold twice the data.

Does it work? My loaner didn't feel all that different from an earlier one; the key difference is in the price ($1,300 to $1,800), because you no longer pay extra for adequate memory along with the wireless features. And with recently improved software, including the Mac OS X operating system and the iLife multimedia suite, this is perhaps the best consumer computer on the planet. Buy one.

More info: Apple.com/imac/a>

Julio Ojeda-Zapata can be reached at jojeda@pioneerpress.com or 651-228-5467. For more personal technology on the Web or via RSS, go to the Personal Tech page.

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© 2005, St. Paul Pioneer Press (St. Paul, Minn.).

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