GadgetSpeak Articles
GadgetSpeak has close to 5,000 product reviews and other articles. You can use this page to find others opinions on anything from mobile phones to computers to the latest kitchen appliance
Buy the BlackBerry Pearl from T-Mobile and the included SIM gives you 12 months worth of web access and emails included in the price. Yes this is still a phone as well (you do need to pay for phone calls) but it means you email can follow you everywhere.
The Blackberry Pearl 8110 is 10.5x5x1.2cm, mine was silver and chrome and it weights 90grams. It comes with a rather neat leather slip case. The TFT screen is 4x4cm. Below the screen there is a sort of QWERTY keyboard and this is the thing that might stop this unit being a roaring success. The keys are .8x.
A new product from Sandberg offers to add ease-of-use and increase functionality when linking devices by HDMI.
A few years ago, when linking together home entertainment devices such as a television, VCR, DVD player and games console, the accepted standard was to use SCART. With the television at the heart of the link-up, you could use a SCART lead to make the necessary connection to the appropriate device. However many televisions were designed with a single SCART socket.
Gardening and I have never been even closely compatible as partners but maybe after playing this game I should try even harder.
Whenever I have attempted to place any bulb or seed in the ground, the results have more in common with a buried rather than a planting. Fortunately this next game brings together these two types of event. Appropriately entitled Plants vs. Zombies is a game conceived and designed by George Fan (I would hate to share his nightmares), who was previously responsible for Insaniquarium (a title I seem to have missed out on). Supporting both the Windows and Mac platforms, Plants vs.
My own modem/router started playing up just a couple of weeks ago and a few days before this arrived it gave up working at all, the wireless side had stopped working some months ago and recently I had to reboot it often two or three times a day.
So when a modem/router suggests that you need no knowledge to attach a new unit I took this with a large pinch of salt. Insert the CD and it autostarts. A number of questions are asked – and answered – by the information already held within the PC. A range of tests are conducted – by the unit – and then it reboots itself. Done, no questions at all. However the one proviso is that your PC was live and then this scenario is correct.
As well as its takeover of Pinnacles PCTV line up, Hauppauge has added to its portfolio product with the release of its WinTV-HVR 900 offering.
This product is a hybrid stick receiver which means it is capable of delivery both analogue and digital television signals for watching and recording on your Windows XP system. Making up this kit is the USB stick device; IR (Infrared) remote control with battery; USB extension lead; audio/video input cable; portable TV antenna; folded Quick Installation Guide; and a software CD.
Another quality inkjet AIO (All In One) from Canon. When closed it looks like a grey box with a black trim round the top edge. However lift the small lid at the front and a large TFT is revealed together with the buttons to control it.
The Canon Pixma MP980 measures 44x38x19cm when closed, insert A4 paper in the rear tray and the last figure the height increases by 20cm, that is also enough to insert anything on the flatbed as it will enable the landscape lid to be lifted to around 45 degrees. The 9x7cm TFT display can be adjusted to anything just over 100 degrees from horizontal meaning if you are viewing from above or below you should be able to get a clear view.
It has been a long time since I have told you about some of the recent Naim offerings that come under the broad heading of Jazz. Jazz in itself is a word that means many things to many people, my preference is modern but not experimental.
If you have a general liking for Jazz then a Sampler is a good way – at a reduced price – to see exactly where your preferences lie. Here there are ten tracks from ten different groups. To give you an example of the ten three or possibly four were in my comfort zone. I will just mention the names on this sampler but beside each track it tells you the CD (and the number) each one comes from.
As the computer mouse develops and expands its functionality, there is still a market for the more basic model.
Walk into any computer store, whether it is part of a national chain or an independent outlet, and you will probably see a number of mice vying for your attention. Evolving from the basic two-buttoned, ball controlled model with a physical connection to the dedicated mouse port on your computer, the modern mouse now comes in an assortment of sizes and shapes with varying degrees of functionality.
Kodak sells a lot of cameras and I get asked why do I not review more of them? Well here is one I was recently sent that has amazing zoom capabilities and it looks like a quality unit around the size of a DSLR.
This is the Kodak Z980 camera and it measures 12x8.5x10.5cm, the last figure the width can vary substantially when in use as the zoom lens moves out between 2 and 6cm when the camera is switched on. It runs on four rechargeable ‘AA’ batteries and they and the charger are supplied. The weight with supplied neck strap attached is 540grams.
For those who feel that they do not want the full protection and functionality offered by Norton Internet Security 2009, Symantec has released Norton AntiVirus 2009 with AntiSpyware (NAS 2009).
As with its main Internet Security product, NAS 2009 comes with one year protection for up to three computers per household which should cover most family set ups. Installing the product on my notebook proved to be painless but not as quick as I expected. As part of its installation routine NAS 2009 checks for updates and downloads any found. In my case, this took 13 minutes.
Around 18 months or so ago photo frames were are the rage, the new must have thing well at that time I was given one well almost one by Sony and now another has materialised by AgfaPhoto, so lets look at both.
First the explanation of my statement above. I attended a Sony event in the summer of 2007 where lots of new things were shown and indeed the camera division kept their word and you have heard about their offerings. However – despite numerous reminders – the PC side did not and while I asked for a 10inch photo frame this never happened.
It is only after one has been using a machine for quite a while that you start to wonder whether the memory can be upgraded and whether there would be any benefit in doing so. This is one upgrade that can be relatively straightforward and within the grasp of many technically aware PC users. It is made simpler by the informative web sites of memory suppliers Crucial and Kingston.
Both notebooks and desktop machines are modular in construction. This means that, in general, they can be fitted with different amounts of memory. As, when they are bought, the maximum possible is often not installed it can frequently be useful to increase the available memory. In general it is simpler to upgrade a notebook because the memory slots are just located under a cover on the underside of the machine while, with a desktop, it is necessary to open up the complete machine.
While you may recognise the name of Memorex, you might not be so familiar with the companys new focus on your life with regards to in-home entertainment.
In February this year (23-2-09) I reviewed a pre production version of their 250GB version. Here I am looking at the resale version and the one I have is 500GB and it takes a long time with normal watching to fill this unit up.
The unit looks identical to and even having seen that previously it still takes a while to get used to the display on the unit being only three LED’s. The one dead centre can be either red or green dependant on if the unit is on or off. The right one only shows green when something is being replayed and the left one red when something is being recorded.
First a WebCam that looks like an old style stills camera and second a set of earbuds that is less expensive than a number of those reviewed recently. The latter is also in white so others may just think it is linked to an iPod.
Not quite back to a box brownie but certainly looking like a camera of a long time ago. It is 5.5x4x4cm mounted on a 4cm tall stand with a 6cm round base. The weight is around 70grams. It has a plastic handle that is totally functionless. In fact the only thing that has a function is the wheel on the front of the lens that rotates should what you are capturing not be in focus. It is a simple plug and play device within Windows. Plug in the 1.
Netbooks continue to hold a fascination for both manufacturers and consumers. Since their introduction by Asus some 20 months ago, these mini laptop devices, running either Windows XP or Linux, have racked up impressive sales figures for various companies some more impressive than others.
The latest Asus netbook to come under my gaze is the Eee PC 1000HE model which brings together a 10-inch WSVGA screen with a promised 9.5 hours of battery life and the Windows XP operating system. Encased within a fingerprint-attracting reflective black casing (you do get a cleaning cloth that can be used on the body casing and screen), the Eee PC 1000HE’s dimensions, when closed, are 264 x 190 x 28mm with a weight of 3.2lb.
The normal household upright or cylinder vacuum cleaner can sometimes be just too large and cumbersome for a small job. Dysons DC31 meets the need for a convenient handheld machine when one just needs to do a quick clean up.
Being battery powered and only weighing about 3lb it can be used virtually anywhere around the house or car and, as long as is kept charged, is always ready to go. The machine is simple and convenient to use. Its has a pistol grip and can be used equally well in either hand. With the brush on its combination tool retracted it can be used on carpets and soft furnishings. Then, with the brush slid to its forward position, the DC31 is then ready for use on hard surfaces.
A cry of Ive got a little one is hardly likely to bring a rush of the opposite sex. However a small digital camera is something that can attract attention especially from a quality manufacturer like Nikon, this unit is exclusive to Jessops.
It 8.5x5.5x1.5cm silver in colour and it weights only 110grams it easily fits in the palm of an adult hand, but just because its small do not dismiss its capabilities. The left side is clear and the right side has only the wrist strap anchor point. The base has tripod screw and the solid battery door that also houses the SD card slot. The top has the rectangular on/off button and the round shutter release with wide angle/telephoto control around the edge.
The individual components of your computer system require drivers in order to communicate with each other. From time to time these drivers will need to be updated.
Hidden objects, puzzles and a touch of adventure are brought together in the next episode of MumboJumbos Samantha Swift story.
This is the second Blu-ray drive notebook from Asus that I have reviewed recently. Outwardly it seems to have everything you could want providing you have transport to ferry it about as the weight of just over 3kilos might make public transport a chore.
It is 36x28.5x4cm the depth is a maximum at the back and it is .5cm less at the front. The exact weight is 3.070 kilos. The front has headset and microphone sockets front and centre along with an E-Sata slot. The right side has the multi DVD drive (including Blu-ray) a single USB port and Kensington lock socket. The rear has nothing as the edge of the screen ducks under the back so this area needs to be clear.
Mobile devices, such as the popular iPod, rely a great deal on battery power which has a habit of running out at inconvenient moments. One solution to this type of problem could be a battery pack.
Since its original introduction in 2001, a healthy industry has been built up on the back of the iPod as various companies have set about developing a range of accessories for the different iPod devices. In the past I have checked out a number of these accessory products.
Just over a week ago I told about two ways of listening while unconnected, here are two different types of quality earbuds. The first from Shure and the second from a company that designs earbuds to suit your Genre of music.
A nearly conventional set of earbuds. There is a choice of three ends that stuff into the ear. However the rubber tips do expand somewhat in the ear so there is good noise cancellation properties. These are of course not up to the Etymotic ones with the precision resin made earpiece but these are considerably cheaper.
First an ingenious device called the Deco Mandala Designer and second something say it very quietly educational from the History of Art series, that dare I say is fun as well as educational what used to be called Edutainment.
This is stated to be for age 6-12 what worries me as certainly an ‘over 18’ is that I enjoyed using it immensely with one exception its pink!! As stated it is two tone pink and around 35x35x6cm. You are provided with a range of stencils and the object is to make a design on paper using one or more of the provided stencils. However here is the clever bit you can repeat the design as many times – within reason – as you like.
Sport sponsorship continues to be popular with telecommunication companies but some sports object to you using a companys products when play is in progress.
Microsoft has made the release candidate (RC) of Windows 7 available for free download in advance of its October scheduled launch. If one has a suitable spare machine, this provides an opportunity to try out what, as many people have suggested, Vista should have been.
But what are the key dates? RC will be available for download at least until the end of July and will expire on 1 June 2010. This means that there is some 3 months to gain experience before the Win 7 scheduled launch date of October 22. However, starting from 1 March 2010 RC will begin shutting down every two hours. The user will be given two weeks warning and so will have time to decide whether to revert to a previous operating system or install a “non-expired” version.
This is a little larger than the very popular Ixus range but still a good deal smaller than a DSLR or DSLR size type of unit. It certainly feels a little more meaty in the hand than its smaller sibling.
The PowerShot SX200is from Canon measures 10x6x4cm and weights 237grams, mine was a chocolate brown colour with chrome edges and lens surround. The lens moves out by up to 5cm and when the flash opens it is a minimum of 4cm from the lens. The 12x zoom is quite impressive and while it works well items taken at full zoom will need either a very firm hand or a tripod to get razor sharp images.
Online storage, sharing capability and a backup option from a USB Flash stick it is possible.
While you may not recognise the name of Gemalto, the chances are that you have probably used at least one of the products that have been developed by this company. In its B2B (Business to Business) persona, Gemalto produces a large percentage of subscriber identification modules (SIMs) and smart cards in use today. Developing a more consumer orientated approach, Gemalto’s latest product is entitled YuuWaa – now there’s a name you are not going to forget in a hurry.
Putting aside my fear of heights, after this was to be a virtual rather than actual expedition, I put my hidden object seeking skills to the test at altitude.
Once you go beyond 2GB the SD card limit then choosing SDHC cards becomes more difficult as there are a number to choose from. Obviously a brand name like Kingston, Dane-Elec or San-Disc is half the battle but beyond that there are various Classes.
So what exactly do things like Class 2, Class 4, and, Class 6 mean and do they make any difference apart from the larger Class number meaning the memory is likely to be more expensive to purchase? In fact a visit to certain sites like say give you the information as to what class the card you are selecting is and certain other sites just tell you the make and maybe a card name like say Ultimate or Elite Pro and on their own this means little other than the manufacture has dug into a thesaurus
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