Jamie Sorcher

There's no shortage of camcorders or portable navigation devices out there, but here are a few that offer the basics plus a few unique perks. Available in surf-inspired colors like yellow, white, and a turquoise-blue, SANYO's Xacti E1 camcorder (right, $500; us.sanyo.com) is truly waterproof - and minus any bulky casing.

After honing his business chops at Denon, John Hunter was hired as sales manager for the acclaimed audiophile brand Sumiko, where he has since become president. He's grown the company substantially since he started there in 1988, creating affordable products with impeccable high-end pedigree, starting with the legendary Blue Point phono cartridge.

In a basement in 1975, back when turntables were big business and Linda Ronstadt ruled the airwaves, three friends started Definitive Audio (definitive.com, 206-524-6633). In its early days, the high-end store sold two-channel gear by the likes of Mark Levinson and Magnepan. There was no video.

Yes, friends, I'm talkin' Touchscreen Takes Over Tabletop - that is, "surface technology" mates with a traditional piece of household furniture. Brought to you by home-entertainment-and-automation company Savant, the Rosie Coffee Table Touchpanel Controller basically has an Apple computer inside of it and runs on Savant's programmable Rosie control system.