News from the Music Industry

Products for Music Lovers

The first problem many music fans encounter is finding a place to store all those CDs (and perhaps even LPs). If your home or apartment looks more like a Sam Goody, you may want to think about investing in a Media Center PC. Using its user-friendly visual interface (which includes album art and track/band info), Windows Media Center OS is a great way to organize and play your music. The Sony VIAO VGC-VA11G is perfect for this type of person. Instead of scanning your shelves endlessly for the CD you want, you can navigate your collection from the couch, using a remote control. You can even rip your entire CD collection to electronic format and free up some space in your home by having a yard sale extravaganza. Your friends will thank you for it on moving day.

Portability is also vital to the existence of a music fan. Not having your MP3 player on a long commute is like sitting in a doctor’s office with nothing to read. PC users who haven’t joined the iPod status quo have more choices than ever.

And music player choices get even more enticing as more online music subscription services increase support for a variety of devices. But of course, a good MP3 player is meaningless if you have lousy headphones or earbuds.

Here are our picks for products to boost the quality of your music life.

In This Review:

Sony VAIO VGC-VA11G
With a fantastic all-in-one design, Windows XP Media Center Edition, nicely hidden—yet accessible—ports and media card slots, wireless mouse and keyboard, and built-in 802.11g wireless, the Sony VAIO VGC-VA11G is one of the more enticing Media Center PCs out there.