Reports of the VCR's death were greatly exaggerated in the past, but all-new combo devices could finally put it out to pasture. This new class of video machines combines hard disk recording with DVD playback, covering all the VCR's bases. They have built-in TV tuners and timers, and you can start playback before they're done recording.In addition, the Panasonic and Toshiba machines not only play DVDs but record them as well-a handy way to archive from the hard disk. Here's a look at how these next-gen video machines stack up.

Twenty-three years after the first Walkman, its natural successor -- the handheld video machine -- is ready for its close-up. A new compression format called MPEG-4 finally makes it feasible, and Korea-based MagicEyes Digital gives us a peek at what to expect with its $250 MkiVki. The tiny (3.7- by 2.8- by 0.9-inch) handheld is designed to synchronize MP3 music with images, but the company says future models will support full-motion MPEG-4 video. Philips has also shown a prototype that downloads video wirelessly from the Internet.