GadgetSpeak Articles
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Here I am looking at two different devices to provide power, the first fits round your wrist like a bracelet to power your PDA or Phone. The second is a box to provide power to USB devices when the mains are not around.
This is a black rubber bracelet weighting 81grams. It is 26cm long, 3.5cm wide a maximum of 1.3cm thick. It has six battery cells three either side of the seventh cell that is the charging indicator with four white LED’s and a push button which you press when you want to use some of its power. There is a micro USB socket on the side and all the supplied fifteen different heads either fit into that or a coiled 50cm extension unit.
Laptops tend to lose their charm quickly when youre constantly looking for the nearest power outlet to charge up. How do you keep your battery going for as long as possible? Here are 15 easy ways to do so.
Laptops tend to lose their charm quickly when you're constantly looking for the nearest power outlet to charge up. How do you keep your battery going for as long as possible? Here are 15 easy ways to do so. : Clean your battery's metal contacts every couple of months with a cloth moistened with rubbing alcohol. This keeps the transfer of power from your battery more efficient. . Itunes, Desktop Search, etc. All these add to the CPU load and cut down battery life.
Queen Victoria is said not to have been amused but you could put your sense of humour to work with a product available from Smith Micro.
No matter how old you are, you would be hard pressed to deny that you are not amused by cartoons, especially the animated kind that appeal to all and sundry. Now, rather than wait for others to produce cartoons for your amusement, you can create animated cartoons with a product from Smith Micro. This product is entitled Anime Studio™ Debut 6.
Although not a particular TV addict there are times when it's good to be able to tune in. This
natty little USB receiver from AVerMedia allows you to so do while on the move.
The AVerMedia Volar HD Pro is the size of a traditional USB memory stick. One end has a standard USB plug while the other has a standard TV aerial socket. Included with the receiver are a small dual rod antenna, remote control, quick installation guide and CD containing the tuner and video recording software (PVR). Signal strength in our area isn't great however I have to report very little success with the built in aerial.
A company that I think of for high end audio equipment, however thanks to a recent briefing I find they also do more affordable items the first of which is a range of earbuds and a headset that give quality sound at a reasonable price.
They do a whole range of earbuds and here I am looking at two as well as a rather fine set of earphones. The categories they break them into TWeens, Street People, Beat Junkies, Sport and Fitness, Hi-Fi, DJ’s and Commuters. These look fairly conventional earbuds if a little flamboyant (mine were red with a silver circle) and black ear fittings and leads.
If you are just looking for a mobile phone then you are unlikely to be interested in the Nokia N97. Let me explain.
London is the location for the latest game to emerge in the SpinTop hidden object extravaganza published by PopCap.
In your role as a Private Investigator (P.I.) you receive news that the priceless Crown Jewels have been stolen. The thieves have given the Royal Family a mere 17 hours to come up with a huge ransom in order to ensure the safe return of these jewels otherwise they would be destroyed.
After looking at numerous iPod speaker docks its nice get a chance to review a set of speakers designed to support something else and that is Bluetooth so almost any Bluetooth device can output through these speakers.
However it also has an auxiliary input to allow hard connection from any MP3 or other device even dare I say an iPod. Because it has this connection I used it but with the level being controlled quiet passages are really quiet and you need near silence in the room to hear them even with the volume ramped up but please read on.
FileMaker Pro 11: the missing manual the book that should have been in the box is about 900 pages long and, had it been supplied with the program, would have needed a quite large box. It will meet the needs of both the novice and the experienced user. Consequently, it will prove valuable when both initially using FileMaker and when developing more sophisticated applications.
FileMaker Pro 11 is the latest version of a database program that has evolved over the years and is now an extremely versatile and sophisticated program. It is relatively straightforward to get started and yet has the advanced features to meet virtually every need.
Transferring your video content to portable devices should be easy but often isnt. As a result software developers have come up with solutions to help you achieve this task.
Like most of us I have little luck in raffles of draws but I was lucky enough to win this in a draw at a recent event. Its a tiny TV receiver that fits into a USB port on a laptop, Netbook or PC however you do need to be running Windows 7.
In its simplest form it also comes with a tiny rod aerial, or another slightly larger is also supplied and there is even an adapter that allows you to fit a standard aerial connection to the unit, however for the first two options everything can fit in a pocket or bug with ease. Of course if I had had it earlier then you could have purchased one for the World Cup or Wimbledon but being so small whatever the event in late summer or autumn it will probably do the job.
The first two are from Naim with recent offerings from Neil Cowley and Fred Simon. The other is a solo guitar album from a new name to me Chris Flegg, calling this Jazz stretches the definition a little but it is relaxing.
Carrying out a little background research following the arrival of Nancy Drew Danger by Design, I was surprised to discover that this mystery adventure game was the 14th title in the series and that this detective character was originally created in 1930. This latter fact certainly makes me feel young by comparison. But back to Danger by Design and helping Nancy solve this mystery.
Do you want to lost weight, gain weight or just maintain your current weight? This small device can help you to obtain your targets if they be daily, weekly or some other measurement. I tried it for ten day recently.
The device sits under your clothes on your upper left arm; it is around the size of a large watch and is held in place by a strap secured by Velcro. You wear it all the time apart from showering/bathing/swimming. It has two LED’s on the front for memory and battery. The back has raised dimples on either side of a slight curve these take information from your skin and store it until you transfer it to either a wireless receiver or your PC via USB.
While I have checked out a number of GPS devices in the past, I was not prepared for my initial introduction to a unit from Garmin.
When receiving a GPS device for reviewing purposes I like to carry out the initial set up process from the comfort of my living room. Selecting the appropriate language; adjusting the date/clock feature; opting for my chosen measurement unit; and even entering my home address details are just some of the tasks that are more convenient to complete in a relaxed surroundings.
Combining hidden object game play, match-3 jewel boards and scrolling search windows is another addition to the Jewel Quest franchise of casual game titles.
Following the success of its Jewel Quest Mysteries: Curse of the Emerald Tear, the Jewel Quest developers have now come up with the second Mysteries title,: Trail of the Midnight Heart. Described as a hidden object adventure game, Trail of the Midnight Heart takes you on a journey to locations such as the Taj Mahal and Old Shanghai as you discover hidden objects and complete various Jewel Boards with a new scrolling search screen feature thrown in for good measure.
If my memory is correct this is the third year of GE being involved in the production and marketing of digital cameras. This is a fairly standard shape of pocket camera that seems to have all the modern bells and whistles and it is totally touchscreen.
The GE E1486TW digital camera measures 9.5x5.5x2.5cm and weights 150grams, the lens expands another 3.5cm when fully zoomed. My review unit is silver with chrome trim but other colours are available. As always one thing dominates the back the TFT screen which is 6x4.5cm (termed at 3inch), a very easy to use unit as the screen displays all the options and you just need to touch to change a setting, absolutely ideal for the novice.
A visit to a recent Press event introduced me to the Singapore company heavily involved in digital lifestyle technology.
Having recently reviewed my first Freeview + HD with PVR along sort of comes another. I am assured the units that you buy in the shops will be so; in either 46inch or 40inch size they both have the extra yellow gun.
Most TV’s have Blue Green and Red to form all the colours you see. This latest offering from Sharp has those three plus a yellow one and not surprisingly the colour that really benefits is yellow, giving really striking results. It is 110x71.5x4cm however if you use the stand this adds 5cm to the middle figure the height and 34cm to the last figure the depth.
Here I am looking at two rather nice webcams. First an offering from Blue Microphones that obviously features a quality microphone. Second an offering from Microsoft that is HD and offers far better images than most.
While everyone will see the large headed microphone that forms part of this device most will not be aware of the 2MP webcam in fact it can be invisible as it can be retracted inside the back of the microphone head when not in use. Describing the size is somewhat difficult but I will give the maximum and minimum sizes as it can be either and several in between for good measure. 15x7x8cm down to 8x6.5x7cm. The only thing that cannot change is the microphone head.
As part of its Casual / Snack Games portfolio, XING Interactive has released Pizza Deliciozo. As you might surmise from its title, this game features pizzas (not one of my favourite meals but then the food is not for personal consumption) which you need to make and serve to your customers as you build up your business in the quick food sector.
This I am told will give you 12 hours of battery life, I never got beyond six hours or so, so I assume there are two battery combinations available. I did test it several times hence the slightly longer than normal review period.
The Acer Aspire 4820TG measures 34x24.5x3cm and delightfully matt black so fingermarks do not show. The inside area around the keyboard is mostly grey but unfortunately the area around the screen is shiny black and the screen itself is very reflective. The weight of the unit with normal (six hour) battery is just over two kilos, I would assume around 2.3kilos with the twelve hour battery but please check before you buy as that figure is only my own guess. The viewable screen is 31x17.
While the various members of the iPod family and MP3 players are great for one-on-one listening, they do need help when group listening is called for.
The latest title from Playrix takes a break from aquarium building exercises and moves the focus to repairing storm damage inflicted on a chain of islands.
With all the unseasonable weather we have been having lately, it came as no surprise to hear that a devastating storm had wrecked havoc on the region of the kingdom known as Islandshire. When his Royal Highness first heard the news he was instantly dismissive of the fact as he felt it would not impinge on his life style in any way.
Not the first Freeview +HD box I have seen but it is the first with built in PVR. So what do you get that you do not get with a standard Freeview box that has PVR. In short its the ability to both watch and record HD via your TV aerial.
The Digital Stream DHR8203U Freeview+ HD box can record two streams (even two HD streams) at the same time but you cannot watch a third so assuming you still have an analogue TV signal you could watch one of the analogue stations whilst recording two digital ones. The more I use this box the more impressed I am with it. Yes it allows you to watch, play and rewind live TV, yes it can do that with the three terrestrial HD channels but it is the other little things that show what it can really do.
Those innovative people at Sandberg have come up with a device that turns your computer into a central hub for your audio needs.
The computer is increasingly being used as the central hub for home entertainment activities. Generally this involves television and video functionality but we must not forget about audio aspects. The Sandberg USB Sound Box 7.1 is a product that offers to provide the capability to turn your computer into the focal point and control centre for your audio equipment.
Sibelius is probably the best music scoring program around, professionals and music students alike both use it, however for the amateur it is rather expensive and to be honest it does a lot more than they might want so this is a good alternative.
While most will love what Sibelius has to offer one thing will make them choke – the price – so a product with somewhat less functionality is always welcome and the new owners of Sibelius Avid have been quick to produce it at a more palatable price so now the amateur musician can benefit from the ease of use of this great scoring package. Let’s start with something that you will not get with the new package free telephone support.
First a slim external 8x DVD unit from Lite-On at a reasonable price. Second a pair of quite decent earbuds from Creative (Labs) who those of you old enough to remember as, the biggest name in sound cards for computers.
A large number of notebooks and all Netbooks come without a DVD drive. While it is possible in most cases to transfer the contents of the DVD drive to a USB stick or hard drive and then install, having a DVD drive is still useful. It is 14cm square and 1.5cm thick. The only extra provided is a short 15cm micro USB to USB lead that fits in the back of the unit. There is an illuminated Stop button on the front and an open slider just below it on the edge.
Following my recent review of the Brother MFC-255CW multifunction inkjet unit, it is now the turn of the companys DCP-365CN model.
The Brother DCP-365CN is classified as a multifunction device that combines copy, scan and print capabilities within a single box that is network-enabled and connects via a USB link-up for standalone use. As with all the Brother inkjet units I have looked at, the USB port for the DCP-365CN is located inside the unit where there is less chance that it will be accidentally dislodged. The Ethernet port is similarly located inside the unit. Weighing 7.
The GE X5 14.1Mpixel bridge camera is aimed at that middle ground
between the digital SLRs and the compact cameras. As it is a very
competitively priced versatile camera it will be a very attractive
proposition for those on a budget who want the additional features
that it offers.
In appearance the GE X5 is just like a very small SLR and weighs under 500gm. As well as a 2.7inch screen it has an electronic viewfinder. The latter enables it to be held close to one’s face and thus more steadily -- so important when the 15X zoom lens is set anywhere near its 405mm (35mm equivalent) maximum telephoto even though the camera incorporates optical image stabilisation. The camera is comfortable to hold and the controls are well laid out.
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