Tuesday, June 1, 2010

“Gadgets: Software to burn, edit, back up”

“Gadgets: Software to burn, edit, back up”

Gadgets: Software to burn, edit, back up

Posted: 01 Jun 2010 02:03 PM PDT

 

$40-$80 • www.nero.com

Nero recently released its Multimedia Suite 10 (Windows only), organized into three main modules -- Burning ROM, the familiar disc-burning and copying app; Vision Xtra for video editing; and BackItUp & Burn for data backups. The suite also includes 11 other tools and a new MediaHub that's meant to help organize and play back photos, video and music.

You can buy the suite or download stand-alone versions, which have lower prices.

The backup tool has an amazingly intuitive interface and includes some data-protecting features that no user should be without. The burning disc module is an intuitive tool for copying and burning to CD, DVD and Blu-ray discs. It has enormous flexibility and lots of bells and whistles. But the Nero Express module is really enough for burning basics -- easy yet comprehensive.

Vision Xtra is confusing and difficult to use.

If you think you'll use at least two components, the suite is a pretty good deal. If you can buy only one, the backup tool is well worth the money. If you're searching for a video editing tool, however, take a pass on Vision Xtra.

PC-STREAMED AUDIO SYSTEM

$400 • www.sonos.com

Sonos makes a compelling audio product. With Sonos players in different locations in your home, you can easily stream your PC-based music throughout every room. Using one remote to control the entire system, you can send the same music to each room, or different music to each.

But it is not cheap. A basic two-room setup costs more than $1,000. So to make it more affordable, Sonos introduced its ZonePlayer S5 model last year, which brought the cost down to $400 for a one-room setup, which is controlled with a free iPhone app instead of a dedicated physical remote.
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