The June issue of PC magazine has a couple pages devoted to converting records and tapes to digital files. Your VHS player and all those tapes? You can get rid of them, thanks to the $40 Dazzle. Once you install the (included) software on your computer, just connect your VCR to the Dazzle, and the Dazzle to your computer. The easy-to-use software walks you through the process, recording your videos directly onto DVDs (not your hard drive), complete with menus and chapter marks. So you can reclaim some shelf space in your TV room. Best of all, the Dazzle isn't much bigger than an iPod.

Just in time for the recession, HP has released a compact, affordable laptop. The HP 2133 Mini-Note PC is a petite 9" laptop that weighs 2.6 pounds and costs as little as $499 (with Linux). The top-of-the-line $750 model comes with Vista, Bluetooth, a webcam, ExpressCard slot, and 2GB of RAM, and its keyboard is almost as big as a regular laptop's. It might not turn heads at the coffee shop, but it'll get the job done - with plenty of cash left over for a nice fixed-gear bicycle.

A few months ago we told you about the Asus Eee PC, the tiny and affordable 2-pound laptop with Wi-Fi, media player, IM client, SD card slot, and 3 USB ports. Now Asus has released an almost identical Eee PC, except this one has Windows XP instead of Linux. So you get portable Web surfing and basic productivity in a package the size of a paperback book, for $400. Perfect for traveling, or for a first laptop for the kids.

If you travel a lot for work, you need the Belkin mini surge protector. This petite 3-outlet power strip has a plug that rotates 360 degrees, which is convenient when you're competing with other bulky plugs in the same outlet. And it's got 2 powered USB outlets for charging almost any USB gadget (cell phones, iPods, etc.) - so you can leave your chargers at home. The MSRP is $25, but you can get it from Amazon for less than $15.

Looking for an inexpensive printer that also prints photos? Check out the Canon Pixma iP3500. It doesn't have a slot for your memory cards, but it does have a PictBridge USB port, which means you can connect your camera directly to the printer to print (no computer required), and it lets you print wirelessly from your infrared-enabled cell phone. Two paper trays let you store photo paper and regular paper, and print quality is impressive for both photos and regular documents. Best of all, you can get the Pixma for less than $65. More photo printers.