Linksys KiSS 1600

Straight outta the box streaming goodness.

This is a pretty simple device. You connect the KiSS to your TV and network, and it streams videos, music and photos from your computer. It's easy to set up, and as a bonus it also plays DVDs, upscaling them to 720p or 1080i.

What makes this little beauty stand out from the streaming pack is its ability to carry Hi-Def video via HDMI or component. You can burn HD material to a disc and play it that way, but we managed to get crisp 720p footage streaming smoothly over the KiSS's built-in Wi-Fi. An ethernet connection would be even more reliable.

In short, it's rather like Apple TV, without the onboard storage but with more out-of-the-box usability and an upscaling DVD player nailed to its face. Nice work, Linksys.