<I>"All</I> of them?!"

<I>"All</I> of them?!"

<I>"All</I> of them?!"

<I>"All</I> of them?!"

<I>"All</I> of them?!"

Hundreds, if not thousands, of new products are unveiled to the consumer electronics industry each year at the annual Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. But there would be no new products without the efforts of the scientists, engineers, journalists, inventors, company founders, and retailers who bring a product from concept to market.

The Internet has become an integral part of <A HREF="http://www.philips.com/">Philips Electronics</A>' global sales strategy. The Dutch technology conglomerate has announced a plan for online marketing that will link customers to more than 60,000 Philips dealers worldwide.

At massive gatherings like the Consumer Electronics Show, some truly newsworthy developments by small companies go unnoticed, overshadowed by splashy launches put on by bigger firms. One such is <A HREF="http://www.be.com/">Be, Inc</A>.'s "Home Audio Reference Platform" (BeIA HARP), an all-purpose computer audio system. HARP will let computers access and broadcast Internet-based audio and services, and will also let them play CDs, tapes, and LPs.

Writer Chip Stern has regarded the form-over-function products from "lifestyle" companies, such as Bose and B&O, for years now with great amusement. But can audiophiles find a product that looks as good as it sounds? Stern calls the <A HREF="http://www.stereophile.com//digitalsourcereviews/307/">Linn Classik CD receiver</A> a "sleek, unobtrusive, uncomplicated design that does double duty as a lifestyle system and&mdash;for those who don't want the hassle of separate components&mdash;a true high-end performer." Too good to be true? Stern expounds.