[December] Forget about MiniDV and mini DVDs. By embedding a tiny yet spacious hard drive in a palm-size camcorder, JVC’s Everio frees home moviemakers from having to shoot with a load of blanks.

An earlier version of this cam used a removable MicroDrive that ran out of recording space in an hour (at best quality) and begged for a backup that was much more expensive and harder to find than a spare tape. But by substituting the same tiny hard disk Apple uses in the iPod, the Everio GZ-MG30 ($900) lets you store up to 37 hours of video on its 30 gigabytes (depending on the recording quality you choose). And unlike a cassette-based cam, it never makes you wait while the tape winds — you can access any scene instanteously. Eventually, you’ll have to transfer your video to a PC or Mac for DVD burning, but that’s done through a fast USB 2.0 connection. Throw in a 25x optical zoom, an SD card slot, and an LED light for close-ups, and this Everio is likely to spur imitation. —Michael Antonoff
jvc.com

View Another Editors' Choice Award Winner
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Best Portable: Apple iPod nano portable music player
Best Network Product: Sonos Digital Music System whole-house audio network
Best Audio Product: Denon AVR-5805 multiroom receiver
Retail Innovation Award: Best Buy
Visionary Award: Mark Cuban

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