So we've asked you which HD media streamer you prefer. And we've done the same for NAS drives. But what if you're the type that's looking for the best of both worlds? Take it away, Stuart:

"We have a laptop and a desktop, with plans to add another computer in the near future. I'd like something that can primarily provide a large (1TB+) storage repository that can be accessed via our network, as well as have space for data backups and media streaming capabilities. I've read articles on Drobo and Windows Home Server-based devices, but after a certain point my brain just starts to get overloaded. Which solution out there would be best for me? I'm trying to stay below $700 if possible."

We think your task is pretty clear cut here, reader. Which home server out there is a notch above the rest? Would you recommend a pre-built device or a homegrown solution? After giving this one a whirl, toss your own inquiry over to ask at engadget dawt com - your very words may grace this space next week.

It's that time of year again, folks (yes, summertime). Which also means vacation time for many USers, and that could very well pose a problem. All those gadgets you can't leave behind have to be toted along somehow, so we'll let Brendan explain his quandary further:

"My wife and I will be traveling to Europe for 5 weeks. Naturally, I have some perfectly portable gadgets which will need to come along, but I need a good bag (messenger or backpack style, preferably lightweight) to hold the goodies and also keep those pesky pick-pockets at bay. I've got a subnote, GPS, DSLR, PMP, pocket translator and a few other peripherals. What bag will keep all these items safe, yet not make me stand out like a big sore 'tourist' thumb?"

We're glad you asked, and we have all ideas quite a few others are too. What backpacks have you found useful for carrying around gadgetry, and more importantly, which ones are comfortable for hours on end? If you've got a question of your own to unpack, send 'er over to ask at engadget dawt com.

Yeah, we've let you folks toss out suggestions for a similar question back when a 1TB internal HDD was nothing more than a pipe dream, but it's about time we gave this one an update, don't you agree? Hear Ian out:

"I was wondering which portable hard drive was good enough to stand up to the life of a student. Something that can take a few bumps and not be harmed. It doesn't have to be huge in capacity, but I need one larger than 80GB. I'd obviously like FireWire and USB 2.0 if possible, but I'm not trying to spend a fortune here either."

Had any particularly good / bad experiences with battle-tested portable HDDs? We want to hear 'em all, so don't be shy, alright? To get your question up in the lights, send us a note at ask at engadget dawt com -- just don't forget to include the secret password.

With the subnote revolution in full swing, one may wonder why anyone in their right mind would even consider opting for a Tablet PC. There's no denying that tablets cater to a narrowing niche, but the ability to doodle, write and detail your next home project (or similar) right on the screen still has its place in universities and certain on-the-go professions.

"I know I'll get tons of people suggesting that I just buy an Eee PC or similar, but I'm looking for some solid advice on a new Tablet PC. I'm primarily interested in taking notes in a few courses that I'm in, and I'm not planning on using this as my primary machine. I'm looking to spend the least amount of cash as possible, and I'm not looking for anything really powerful. I'm also down with any convertible suggestions -- anything I can sketch schematics out on will do."

Come on out of the woodwork, Tablet PC users. We know you're out there. Give this fellow a bit of advice, and make sure you don't lead him astray, alright? If you think you've got a question worthy of posting, shoot it on over to ask at engadget dawt com.

Don't worry, we'll get to you mid- and high-enders soon enough, but we've got a feeling this week's Ask Engadget question will appeal to the masses. Granted, we've shot this inquiry out before, but a lot has happened in the DSLR realm in 3.5 long years, wouldn't you agree?

"Summer's coming up, and that means vacation time. I want to get an entry-level DSLR in order to best capture some of my upcoming adventures, and while I'd like to keep the cost low, I'm not against spending a bit of cash to get a really solid setup. What camera (and maybe even what lens) would your readers recommend for a newcomer?"

Go easy on the guy -- he even admitted that he's fresh to the game -- but don't hold back on explaining your answers in order to really give a good idea of why one camera is a better pick versus another. Right after that, send in a question of your own to ask at engadget dawt com -- but make it good, alright?

Okay, so we already went way-too-vague on you when asking which mouse ruled them all, but we're hoping to narrow things up for you gamers out there with this one:

"I spend a fair amount of time on my PC playing a variety of games. First-person shooters, RPGs, a little of everything. I've heard lots of people recommend a certain mouse as a great overall device, but I'm looking for one that caters to gamers. Which mousing device on the market today gives gamers an edge and comes with features that we actually care about?"

If you're reading this now, chances are you've managed to log off long enough to help this guy out. Then again, if you're vying for top spot in those online death-matches, maybe you don't really want to give away your secret after all. Care to have your question plastered on the site? We'd typically recommend faxing your questions over, but IT just hooked us up with this fancy ask at engadget dawt com email address that you can try instead.

We know, the vast majority of you either graduated or got past one more wave of exams this past week, but there's no better time to buy a lappie for school than when you actually have time to enjoy it, right?

"I'm looking to buy a laptop before I head off to college in a few months. I know there's too many choices out there in each category to ask for specific recommendations, but I'm wondering how current students feel about their machines. Is a subnote potent enough for university use? Is an ultraportable a better alternative? Or should I get a full-blown 15- to 17-incher as an all-purpose rig? My future GPA is hinging on your responses."

Let's hear it, bookworms. Is that CloudBook / Eee / 2133 Mini-Note treating you alright? Or would this poor freshman-to-be be better off with something larger? Toss out your opinions below -- friends don't let friends buy the wrong computer. If you'd like our readers to study a question of yours, send us an inquiry at ask at engadget dawt com, capiche?

Late last year, you dear readers chimed in with your opinions for best earbuds in the land. Now, however, Ask Engadget is comin' atcha from a slightly different angle. Take it away, Jose:

"I'm looking for some good headphones for around $150. I hate earbuds (so uncomfortable and the audio quality seems to depend on the angle that they're stuck in there,) so now I'm looking for full-on cans. I've been told both positive and negative things about Bose cans, but I'm looking for a few more opinions here. Help me and my ears!"

Just as a note, we got the impression that Jose would be willing to stretch that budget a bit if a real winner was available just north of two bills, so feel free to pass out suggestions even if they're a touch pricier than what was mentioned. If you're looking to have your question heard loud and clear, shoot it over to ask at engadget dawt com and wish upon your lucky star(s), alright?

Kids these days. Gifted with cellphones before they're able to walk, texting before they can write and wrecking mum's DSLR before they can even earn an allowance. In order to nix that last issue, many parents are looking to snag a point-and-shoot that wouldn't be too overwhelming for the average kiddo, yet could stand the abuse and churn out somewhat respectable images. According to Sean:

"I have tried a couple of child-specific digital cameras on the market and have been unhappy with them. They are poorly made and take really crummy pictures. Does anyone have a recommendation for something that takes decent pictures (over 3-megapixels, please) and that you'd be comfortable turning over to a 10 year old?"

We'll go ahead and assume Mr. Sean wants to keep the price point low, and while finding a kiddie camera with decent quality may be tough, feel free to include suggestions in comments for digicams you've had that have survived unspeakable catastrophes. Want to get your inquiry up in here next week? Shoot us a line at ask at engadget dawt com and we'll see what we can do.

Yeah, you definitely have our permission to be incredibly envious of someone who is actually going to be motoring about in both Europe and North America on a frequent basis, but in all seriousness, we're betting Sneaker isn't the only chap out there looking for the best GPS for intercontinental travels.

"I'm headed to Europe in the near future and will be doing some extensive driving. Thus, I'm wondering which GPS units your readers have found to be effective for cruising on the back-roads of Europe, while still getting the job done in North America as well? Would appreciate some recommendations."

You'll notice a budget is glaringly absent here, so feel free to toss out your recommendations from low-end to princely. Meanwhile, you can beam in a burning question of your own by writing us at ask at engadget dawt com -- who knows, you might find your very own words in this space next week.

Most of us are so firmly entrenched in supporting our next-gen console of choice that it's hard to remember why we chose it in the first place. Or is it? Alex would like to know:

"I am interested in buying a gaming console but am stuck at which one. I've never gamed much before, so I want a consle that is well-rounded, with a good mix of games, and I do prefer a regular controller over other designs. I already have a PSP, which I use for movies, and I think it would be nice to use an Xbox 360 controller with my computer, as a replacement for my aging Flight Simulator joystick. Ability to play media over my home network would be neat, but not necessary. Price is not a major issue, but I'm not looking to invest a lot in accessories and add-ons. All the consoles have different features that appeal to me, but I am not sure which one to buy. Hope I can get some help."

Obviously the format war aftermath has a bit of weight in this decision, and the PS3's been picking up steam in other metrics as well, but he's looking for a games machine so Blu-ray alone isn't going to make the winner here, and the Xbox 360 has been on top for a while. Got any opinions? Come on, don't be shy. Oh, and if you have a question of your own for Ask Engadget, send it on in to ask at engadget dawt com. Messages that begin with "Dearest Engadget" will receive extra consideration.

Considering it's the buying season and all, we're not shocked to see this one come rushing into the Ask Engadget inbox. But considering the multitude of options out there, we'd say it's bit too late to go on a week long research bender in order to pick a victor.

"Keyboards have come a long ways. There used to be just a few to choose from, but now my options are nearly endless. What's the best keyboard out there? I'm looking for something that can handle the occasional WoW raid, a few hours of Counter-Strike and still make writing my dissertation as comfortable as possible."

So, there you have it. Take a step back, let it simmer on your brain a minute, and then hit us all up with your best shot. Feel free to toss out a few options if you can't pick a bona fide winner. We're sure next week we'll be getting all sorts of inquiries from folks wondering how to hack some off the wall holiday gift into a useful piece of kit, so feel free to send those -- along with any other applicable questions -- to ask at engadget dawt com.

It's Ask Engadget time, which means we've got another conundrum for the collective wisdom of our learned readership (that'd be you):

"What should we stick in our ears? Apple's earbuds aren't cutting it, and most other DAP manufacturers are shipping headphones that are just as bad. We don't want to buy any old replacement set, but high-end earbuds can get ridiculously expensive real fast, and we'd like to avoid that if possible. Anything decent in the $99 range? Anything worth paying a lot more than that?"

We're sure there's somebody out there with an opinion on this, so let's see what you've got. Oh, and we're sorry for running our own staff-submitted questions a couple weeks in a row. We've been getting some great questions sent in to ask at engadget dawt com, but unfortunately most of the topics have been touched on recently or aren't quite relevant enough to dive into. Keep 'em coming and we'll get your name up in lights before you know it.

You might've noticed the recent uptick in mobile industry news, which comes courtesy of the annual Mobius conference currently taking place in Amsterdam. It's pretty clear that the future is bright, what with 700MHz, 4G, a new Windows Mobile, Android, and a 3G iPhone all on the way, but what about the here and now? What we're wondering is:

"What's the best 3G smartphone currently available in the States?"

And yes, we mean 3G. You know, that hip cool thing that Apple isn't terribly fond of, which brings high speed internets, effective tethering, streaming video and music downloads on the run -- while supposedly beating battery life to a pulp. We're also talking about what's available in the here and now, but it could very well just be time to wait for the next great thing to come along, so be sure to let us know if that's the case for you. If you'd your own question answered, you can to hit us up at ask at engadget dawt com.

As evidenced by last week's Ask Engadget, it's pretty clear a few of you have an opinion on what to buy. But how about when? Ron wrote in wondering if the time is right for a new laptop:

"We're ready to replace our home laptop. Is it a good time to buy now or will there be many sales for Christmas time?"

Obviously plenty of sales are going to be cropping up around this time, but is he going to just end up with a dated clunker some big box was trying to clear its stock of? We suppose it differs between different tech categories. And for something like a laptop you've got to take into consideration generations of processor, graphics and connectivity technology -- if you're hoping to rock latest and greatest for any amount of time. Any tips for the man? And as always, you send in your questions to ask at engadget dawt com for your shot at harnessing the collective wisdom of Engadget's fine readers.