Ken C. Pohlmann

The FireBall DVDM-100 isn't a DVD player. It's not an AM/FM receiver or a power amplifier. In fact, without supporting equipment and an Internet connection, it's not good for much at all. But once it's connected, you may never want to go back to non-FireBall playback again.

Source of boxed information: all Parks Associates except "Speed Demons," Yankee Group Oddly enough, when I was growing up two of my favorite cartoon shows held diametrically opposite views of technology in our lives. The Flintstones promoted the simple life.

Sure, DVD players are a dime a dozen these days. And even at the cheapest of prices, you can expect perks that were reserved for high-end players just a couple of years ago, like a progressive-scan component-video output. Amazing. But what if you want to spin more than one disc?

Now's this for a cutting-edge shopping list: bread, milk, a dozen eggs, strawberries, zucchini, orange juice, chicken, sirloin, DVD player, spaghetti, ice cream, puppy chow. Yep, buying a DVD player these days can be as uneventful as picking up a quart of milk. And with low prices like $49, it is ridiculously tempting to pop one of 'em in your cart.