Stories by: Ross Catanzariti

The Freshtel 4030 Stickphone is a USB VoIP phone that connects to a PC, and is able to make VoIP calls via the Freshtel service. The package consists of a USB stick, a headset with microphone handset, and a free Freshtel account, which can be upgraded to make calls if you wish. Conveniently, the Stickphone also doubles as a 128MB USB key.

Although Optus hasn't upgraded to the High Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) network, their Wireless Connect card remains a solid option in the mobile broadband space, thanks to decent speeds and excellent mobile coverage. Using a PCMCIA data card, the Wireless Connect package is easy to set up and includes effective software.

Apple has released a wireless version of their popular Mighty Mouse, the first Apple mouse in history to include a two-button design. A comfortable design, Bluetooth connectivity and nifty, touch sensitive buttons, the Wireless Mighty Mouse is only let down by poorly placed function buttons and a high price tag.

Designed exclusively for use with the Vodafone network, the BlackBerry 8707v is an update to their 8707 handset, adding 3G capabilities to what already was a quite impressive unit. The 8700v (v standing for Vodafone) offers the convenient push email functionality that BlackBerry's are famous for, while also providing excellent battery life and a comfortable keyboard, but its asking price is a little higher than we'd like to see.

3G Phones have long been a hit and miss affair. Unlike their 2.5G counterparts, 3G handsets are generally regarded as big, bulky and slow - among many other issues. Only recently have we seen a change in this and Nokia has joined the party, this time offering the classy 6280. It's quite simply excellent in most areas.

We didn't hesitate to compare this to the iPod nano; arguably the flagship flash-based MP3 player on the market. Small, compact, light, thin and boasting a colour screen as well as a touchpad, the Samsung Z5 is the closest thing we've seen in terms of looks, features and functions. But does it stack up? We definitely think so.

Creative's i-Trigue 3600 PC speaker system offers quality sound and great looks. It comes highly recommended - although at a price.

The Adesso Wireless SlimTouch Mini is a mini keyboard ideal for people who want to save desk space. Its compact, yet stylish design will attract plenty of attention.

The Apple iSight is a stylish Macintosh-based FireWire webcam which delivers outstanding video quality and includes a noise suppression microphone - but be prepared to pay for Apple's styling.

Rumours of Apple introducing video playback on the iPod were circulating for quite some time before the launch of this fifth generation (5G) music player, the iPod Video. With this release, Apple has further enhanced its reputation as the leader in portable music, although the video capability is far from perfect.

Whether it is voice recognition, fingerprint scanners or futuristic retinal scans used in the latest Hollywood flick, consumers have always been wowed by biometric technology. Microsoft's Fingerprint Reader is one such biometric product aimed at capitalising on this reaction. The Fingerprint Reader allows users to scan their fingerprint in the reader instead of typing in a password to access password-protected applications.