No matter whether you're eight or 80, it's hard not to be excited by the coming of the Olympic Games. Beijing 2008 will be the first time the events will be broadcast in HD, with Channel Seven broadcasting over 17 hours a day of 1080i coverage. SBS will also be pitching in with 15 hours of alternative coverage a day in standard definition.
So barring a (quite expensive and rare) flight to China's capital, a high-definition system is probably your best bet. We've chosen the best components for you to watch, listen and record the event. All of the displays below are 1080p and so able to make the most of the HD coverage. Choose from either a television — plasmas are best for sport, while LCDs are good for all-round use — or a projector (great for a larger-than-life experience).
And don't forget the best HD recorders to keep the bits you aren't able to catch, plus the best surround systems to listen to the coverage in. You want Bruce McAvaney enthusing at you from behind your couch? It's creepy, but you could do it.
If you're looking for all the latest on the events and times, visit the official Australian Olympic website here.
If sport or movies are your aim then plasma is still the king, and the Panasonic TH-42PZ800A offers a great picture for a great price. With a 1080p resolution and HD tuner this TV is able to make the most out of the Olympics.
The LG 42LG60FD, or Scarlet as it's otherwise known, is a flashy, style-oriented LCD which thankfully has the performance and features to back it all up.
Want to replay the winning moments in the pool? Or record the synchronised swimming on SBS while watching something else? Then a DVD recorder or personal video recorder is a must. Make sure it's got an ample hard drive so you can record to your heart's content.
With the twin recorders on the Foxtel iQ2 you'll be able to record both the SBS and 7HD channels simultaneously, and pick through them at your leisure. This is one of the best upgrades currently available for people who've invested in a HD panel, and it will only get better.
Sure the speakers on your TV are good for the news and cooking programs, but let's face it: they're terrible for sport. Invest in a home cinema system and get the most out of your Olympic games experience.
It's not the loudest system around, but people will love the Samsung HT-X30's warm sound and great picture quality. Extra features such as a USB port, DivX playback and DVD-Audio support only add to its charm.
A 1080p projector is the best way to get the feeling of being amongst the action of the Olympics, and falling prices means the current models are not only more affordable but better than ever. Don't forget to add a set-top box or recorder and a screen for the ultimate experience.
The InFocus IN83 works beautifully out-of-the-box, delivering smooth, rich pictures. That said, it fails to sizzle, plagued by mild black crush despite a new DarkChip4 engine.
What do you get when you put a set of Olympic rings, a huge iPhone bill, a peanut and a new PlayStation 3 together? Why, another action packed Digital Life. That's what!
The Olympics are nearly over, and the Australian team deserves kudos for an excellent performance all around. Yet even as the Olympic sun sets on the Bird's Nest for the last time this weekend, millions of spectators around the world will be scanning their dials in the hope of finding something else to fill their viewing hours.
We take a tour through the International Broadcast Centre at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, plus see some of the technology employed at the Olympic venues.
In this week's episode we pit Creative's new MP3 player against the iPod, give you some tips on taking holiday snaps and ask if TiVo is the best way to record the Games.
If there ever was an opportunity for a broadcaster to showcase the potential of internet video, this was it, and Seven has blown it. Perhaps its executives should have rung their mates at NBC in the US and gotten some pointers on online coverage.
We've got all budgets covered this week, offering up a selection of cheapo phones before discussing an AU$1,650 keyboard. And with the Olympics just around the corner, it's time to get prepped with some serious and very official tech gear.
While everyone scrambles for the latest low-spec netbook, the DV7 takes the opposite route, promoting itself as the ultimate entertainment notebook. It's almost right, too.
Intel's X-25M solid-state drive enjoys several advantages over both conventional disk drives and other SSDs, including improvements to data throughput, boot time and notebook battery life. If you can forget about the cost, this is by far the fastest data drive available.
Apple is expected to unveil updates to its laptop line next week with the official confirmation issued overnight that it was planning a press event in the US.
Apple is expected to unveil updates to its laptop line next week with the official confirmation issued overnight that it was planning a press event in the US.
Research in Motion finally unveiled its first touchscreen smartphone in a joint announcement confirming the phone's exclusive worldwide release through Vodafone.
The new Golf has a tough road to tread: restore its reputation for quality interiors, while also cutting production costs. Good thing the new GTI looks mean then.
Audi's latest A1 concept car features funky turn signals and turbo hybrid drivetrain. Don't be misled though, this or something very much like it, albeit with a conventional engine, will be heading to stores soonish.
Mozilla has revealed plans to announce a plug-in called Geode that would give the Firefox web browser a better ability to understand and use geographic information on the web.
Just a day after Optus said that it was reducing the quotas of its prepaid wireless plans, Vodafone has announced it is rolling back prices on its post-paid mobile broadband plans.
Lamborghini has been teasing us over the last couple of weeks with teaser shots of its latest concept car. Now the company has let the bull into the china shop: a four-door sports car called the Estoque.
These hybrid devices combine the organisational features of a traditional PDA with the communication capabilities of a mobile phone. To make your life easier, here are our current top five picks.
You dig your Windows Mobile device, but you'll love it more when it's loaded up with free software for entertainment, security and work. Find the best and brightest free downloads for your faithful handheld.
The new Golf has a tough road to tread: restore its reputation for quality interiors, while also cutting production costs. Good thing the new GTI looks mean then.
CNET Australia's latest video series is dedicated to everything mobile, including a peek at the sexiest phones of the future and a wrap of all the phone's we've reviewed this month.
The Logitech Cordless Keyboard for Wii is a capable and comfortable keyboard for anyone who's doing a lot of text entry on the Nintendo game console, but it's not a must-have accessory.
The Logitech PlayGear Pocket Lite is a perfectly good case for the DS Lite, but many will find it to be unnecessary overkill for the already durable Nintendo handheld.
If you've been holding back, now is the time: the second-gen Touch is an excellent media player, and the addition of third-party apps extends the fun for everyone, no matter where your interests lie.
The Pacemaker is a pricey but addictive toy for beat mixers, and a good way to experiment with song combos without having to lug records and turntables around.
