Home Entertainment

Sony BRAVIA EX521 Series 3D LED HDTV (Starting at $749.99 for 32-inch; www.store.sony.ca)
Connected TVs are generally a bit pricier than their non-web-enabled counterparts, but this BRAVIA offers a seductive entry point. It connects to the Internet via Ethernet to stream videos from services like YouTube and can even facilitate Skype calls, though you’ll need to pick up Sony’s pricey companion camera.

Shopping

11 ‘smart’ TVs to deal hunt for

Check these gorgeous HD televisions with the latest Internet connective features, for the best deals compare these pre-holiday MSRPs with whatever red-tag sale figures you find on Boxing Day and beyond Dec 23, 2011 10:22AM EST 0

Sadly, our homes don't look like this and we aren't flying to work in jetpacks. But the one aspect of the future home that has finally trickled down from concept showroom to the average Canadian’s is the ubiquitous presence of entertainment

How to get the ‘living room of the future’

A discussion with tech expert Michael Snider on the challenges of tapping your home network to push all your music or video to every room Dec 09, 2011 1:47PM EST 0

The ASUS EeeBox EB1501P ($480), is a cute Wii-looking PC that comes with an equally cute micro mouse and thin and light keyboard – both of which connect remotely via Bluetooth. Despite its size, the EB1501P is a powerful computer running on an Intel Atom D525 Dual Core processor and NVIDIA ION graphics card

A computer you might want in your entertainment console

With the ASUS EeeBox homeowners have an attractive form that matches the impressive function of a Media Center PC in your living room Apr 25, 2012 9:17AM EDT 0

Unlovely boxes do beautiful things: The Slingbox Pro HD (top) can be accessed on every mobile operating system you can think of. The HD HomeRun Dual is a little more restrictive, but is aimed at over-the-air antenna heads.

Part 2

Boxes that sling your TV to wherever you are

The original Slingbox launched seven years ago, but in our mobile-everything world that service appeals to more than just geeky TV junkies Dec 23, 2011 3:20PM EST 0

Go for broke from the start. No messing around with anything less than 500 Mbps, like the D-Link PowerLine AV 500 4-Port Gigabit Switch Kit.

Part 3

Say bye to Wi-Fi, powerlines can juice your home network

When you need a hardwired data point far from your router, powerline devices let you use your home’s electrical wiring to convey data from room-to-room Dec 23, 2011 3:21PM EST 0

D-Link Amplify Whole Home Router 1000 (DIR-645)

Part 4

Can new 'whole-home routers' cover all the bases?

Just about every box that connects to your TV can stream or download high-definition movies and TV, not to mention all the other household sharing of music and video, launching apps or browsing on mobile devices Dec 23, 2011 3:21PM EST 0

Western Digital’s WD TV Live Hub ($199) is a set-top box that can connect to your network, stream content from various online services and also contains a massive 1 terabyte hard drive.

Part 5

Why today's living room doesn't need DVDs or Blu-Rays

Western Digital boxes replacing physical formats with digital files delivered directly to your big screen TV over the Internet Dec 23, 2011 3:21PM EST 0

LaCie Wireless Space 2TB
Those looking for a Time Capsule alternative should find this LaCie router/server combo more than capable. With 2TB of internal storage, it’s the perfect network backup device, and even supports Apple’s Time Machine standard. You can even use it as a media server for your Windows PCs or gaming consoles too. ($269.99 CAD; Future Shop)

In Pictures

7 stylish wireless routers

These clever devices are sure to help you optimize the performance of your wireless home network Jan 27, 2012 11:14AM EST 0

Repair rates on some types of consumer electronics – such as computer laptops and desktop computers – are significantly higher than things like flat panel televisions.

Digital Home

Should you get an extended warranty on pricey electronics?

Retailers say emphatically ‘yes!’, but shoppers should be armed with the likelihood of breakdown before making that last decision at the checkout counter Dec 07, 2011 4:04PM EST 0

Apple's Thunderbolt Display takes its name from Intel’s new input/output technology, Thunderbolt, which promises data transfer speeds up to 20 times quicker than USB 2.0.

Thunderbolt monitor delivers a higher-than-high def experience

27-inch behemoth is everything people have come to expect from Apple Dec 05, 2011 10:58AM EST 0

The Globe and Mail

Technology

Gifts to geek out your home, or home office

Twitter-WikiLeaks case a test of press and privacy rights online