Compared to the beastly beige boxes of yore, some of today's desktop PCs are trim and sleek. One such example is IBM's newest ThinkCentre, a stylish unit that doesn't skimp on power or speed while looking good.

Speaking of looking good, if you want to slim down, you can get a workout from the SSD Xavix Port, a sports gaming console that lets you challenge opponents on the television screen with real sports equipment. But another new machine keeps you from getting a workout previously offered through household chores: Electrolux says that it has finally perfected the robotic vacuum cleaner with release of the Trilobite, which propels itself around the house (but at a price).

IBM's Desktop Revolution

You can reclaim desktop real estate with IBM's newest ThinkCentre model. The $1429 ThinkCentre Ultra Small S50 offers the processing power of a standard tower PC in a case the size of a phone book, measuring 3.5 inches high, 10.9 inches wide, and 10.7 inches deep.

The Ultra Small S50 has a 3.2-GHz Intel Pentium 4 processor, 1GB of RAM, onboard Intel Extreme Graphics 2, a CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive, and eight USB ports--but it does not include a monitor. It comes loaded with Windows XP Professional.

"It is the smallest, most intuitive, and quietest PC that IBM has made to date," says Stephen Miller, IBM worldwide product marketing manager. The Ultra Small S50 is easy to set up and maintain, and the PC's system migration tools and data security features could appeal to novice users, he adds.

Each ThinkCentre PC includes an Embedded Security Solutions chip that encrypts files or folders; the chip also secures network connections and access to the machine. You activate the chip with software downloaded from IBM's Web site, Miller says. Future versions of the ThinkCentre will include the additional security of a fingerprint reader like those bundled with IBM's new ThinkPad T42 notebooks, he adds.

Software called Rapid Restore Ultra can back up data to a secure area on the hard drive and restore it if the computer crashes. Function buttons on the keyboard launch most commonly used applications, including an e-mail client and a word processor. The System Migration Assistant feature moves user data and application settings from an old computer to a new one, so the ThinkCentre "looks and behaves and feels much like the old computer," Miller says. A password manager can store passwords for encrypted files, Web sites, and software.

Inside, the ThinkCentre bunches its hardware components closely together. Its black hood opens with the gentle push of two buttons, and each hardware component is removable without a screwdriver. "Everything is tool-less and very intuitive, especially for a person who is not tech-savvy," Miller says, noting that color-coded tags identify each hardware component.

This ThinkCentre isn't intended for high-end users, because its graphics power is limited, Miller says. "Most users don't need high-end graphics. Intel graphics onboard are good for basic everyday PC chores," he notes.

The unit's sleek look, however, is marred a bit by its wired keyboard and mouse, which just don't fit with the design. IBM plans to add wireless keyboards in future ThinkCentre models, Miller says.

Interactive Gaming Console

With a baseball-canceling-caliber storm looming outside, I swung a bat at home with SSD's Xavix Port, an interactive sports gaming console in which your opponent is an animated character on the television screen.

SSD bundles real sports equipment with the games: for example, a wireless bat and ball for baseball, a wireless racquet for tennis, and a wireless bowling ball. The sports equipment acts like a joystick and communicates electronically with Xavix Port.

In Xavix Baseball, a user faces the console and swings the wireless bat after an animated pitcher on TV tosses the ball. The console reads the bat's movements via infrared motion sensors; the movements reflect on the television screen concurrently as a swing of the bat. For pitching, the wireless ball has four buttons that produce a multitude of pitches. In tennis, a small wireless tennis racquet can be swung against an animated opponent.

After I got pounded 15-2 in my first nine-inning baseball game against the console, Peter Newman, director of business development with SSD, gave me some advice: "Practice, and you'll connect." The console could help users train for real-life baseball, he says.

Since the equipment is real, players have to be careful not to hit nearby people or furniture. This almost happened when a racquet-swinging colleague narrowly missed a friend standing nearby.

"These issues are bound to happen and we hope to educate people about it. Inside our manual we map out the optimum distance for each game, if you are able to situate yourself in the room," Newman says.

The graphics are a little sketchy at times, but the company expects to improve them with the Xavix 2 chip that will power the next generation of consoles, Newman says. He could not provide a tentative release date for those consoles. SSD offers close to 150 games for the Xavix in Japan, Newman says, but only three in the U.S. The console costs $80, and each game costs $60. It is available from U.S. retailers including Best Buy and Toys R Us.

Luxury Vacuum Cleaner

Equating it to a "top-of-the-line cigar" and "the rarest wine," Electrolux USA is promoting its new robotic vacuum cleaner, the Trilobite, as a "prestige product."

The $1799 round vacuum cleaner is 14 inches in diameter, stands just over 5 inches tall, and weighs 11 pounds. It self-propels to clean floors with minimal human intervention, according to Electrolux. While it isn't good at cleaning spills or handling sharp objects, it excels at picking up loose dirt, dust, and paper pieces, says Andrea Wasiak, an Electrolux spokesperson. "If you're using this on a daily basis or three times a week, it doesn't let the dust settle, so you don't have to do manual vacuuming as often," she says.

A built-in sonar device maps out a room's dimensions by emitting high-frequency sound waves at 60,000 Hz to aid navigation. The sonar detects walls and items lying on the floor, like wires or idle coffee mugs, so the vacuum cleaner doesn't knock things over or bump into walls. Infrared technology detects stairs, so it doesn't take a dive. Removable or permanent magnetic strips, bundled with the vacuum, must be placed at openings to ensure it stays inside a room.

The Trilobite comes with a nickel-metal hydride battery and runs for 1 hour on a full charge. When the battery runs out, the vacuum automatically rolls over to attach to the docking station, which is plugged into an outlet. When the Trilobite is recharged, it detaches itself from the docking station and goes back to work. With its three cleaning modes, the Trilobite can do comprehensive, quick, or spot cleaning. A LCD screen on top of the vacuum displays modes and error messages.

For its hefty price tag, the Trilobite delivers hands-off technology, a stylish design, and varied controls, Wasiak says. It is available for sale online.

ViewSonic TV Tuner for HDTVs

To help high definition-ready TVs receive over-the-air high-definition programming, ViewSonic has released the HD12 TV Tuner.

The $399 tuner decodes HDTV and normal UHF or VHF signals received by a cable box or normal antenna for display on an HD-ready TV. You don't need a special antenna to receive HD signals, as normal UHF and VHF antennae can receive HDTV signals, says Gene Ornstead, director of TV products at ViewSonic.

The HD12 is compatible with HD-ready TVs with component, composite, S-Video, or VGA inputs. It is also compatible with HDTVs that have DVI with High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection, a security specification that protects copyrighted digital programs. The TV tuner can also connect to home theater systems, Ornstead says.

Stabilize That IPod--And More

Belkin has introduced a few peripherals that could be handy additions to cars and homes.

Belkin's accessory for the Apple IPod Mini, the $30 TuneDok, docks the MP3 player in a car's cup holder so it can play tunes while you're driving. The TuneDok stabilizes the IPod Mini and can be adjusted to support the device in different positions.

Similarly, the $40 OmniDock-L stabilizes a PDA or other handheld device in a car's cup holder. This could be useful for drivers who refer to Global Positioning System data on a PDA.

The $40 Hi-Speed USB 2.0 15-in-1 Media Reader & Writer can read and write data to and from 15 media card types, including CompactFlash, Secure Digital, and XD-Picture Card, among others.

All three Belkin products are available at U.S. retailers.

Agam Shah is an editor with the IDG News Service, based in San Francisco. Questions or comments? Write to Agam Shah.