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I must be showing my age as I remember the days when 20MB was a large hard disc (I actuary remember the days before hard discs) now an MP3 player with 8GB of internal memory in a tiny body and compete with rechargeable battery.
It is 5.5x3x1.5cm and weights only a few grams. The back has a clip taking .5cm of the stated width and this can open to 1.5cm meaning it can be clipped onto almost any item of clothing. This is the second item I have recently reviewed that makes a mockery of the claimed battery life, stated at 15 hours I actually got 19 hours and 30 minutes not once but twice.
Bringing back memories of my first telephone, in looks if not in functionality is a product from Doro.
With the preponderance of mobile phones, DECT devices and even VoIP handsets, it is easy to forget that the standard landline desktop phone can still play a part in modern living. It is not everybody who needs the ability to be in constant communication range with every Tom, Dick or Harry. Some people just need the ability to call a friend or receive a welcoming call from their nearest and dearest in the comfort of their own home.
Adding to its portfolio of game titles, MumboJumbo now offers an adventure style hidden object game entitled Samantha Swift: The Hidden Roses of Athena.
Shape and size wise this is very similar to other offerings from the NV range previously reviewed. However this unit has not one wheel on the top but two enabling far more choices to be made quickly without delving.
The Samsung NV30 compact digital camera measures 9.5x6x2cm and uses the same system of grid buttons around the TFT to get to the various settings, strange initially but in fact far easier when you are used to it. The TFT is 5x3.8cm and to the right of this is the telephoto/wide angle rocker. There are seven push buttons to the right of the TFT and seven buttons below it.
Aimed at the younger generation, the Sony Ericsson W350 handset is positioned at the lower end of the Walkman range of mobile phones.
Predominately black in colour with occasional touches of orange, the W350 is a sort of a cross between a candybar and clamshell model. While the 1.8-inch colour screen remains visible at all times, the main keypad layout is concealed behind a cover which can be flipped out when necessary. This is the first Sony Ericsson handset that I’ve seen with this particular design feature and it certainly appealed.
First an offering from Altec Lansing whose two speakers each have their own sub woofers. Second an offering from Gear 4 intended to pep up the output from your iPod of almost any type.
This is a pair of speakers with what amounts to a sub woofer built into the units. So instead of a pair of speakers that require a separate unit to handle the bass these speakers do it without any extra assistance. These can be used with a PC or any other device needing output but they can also be used as out for an MP3 or iPod device. The two speakers are a similar size but the right one has on/off and volume controls on top and all the inputs. The two units are connected by a quite thick lead.
Yes its those people in Hong Kong again with two more unusual USB items. First a keyboard that is so small it will fit where no other keyboard will. Second an retro wireless microphone it is wireless but charges via a USB port.
This is tiny at 17x6.5x1.5cm you need to add another 2cm to the second figure the width for the mini USB connector. Just plug it in to any USB port and around 30 seconds later you can start typing. It is a 56 key offering the keys that you would otherwise lose are available via the Blue FN key and an additional keypress that’s a total of 23 keys and you even can have numeric keypad via this feature. However I expect most will be two finger typing as the keys are 1.2x1cm.
Current global financial issues aside, and lets not mention some recent football performances and results, Kensington opened the New Year with a showcase featuring some of its new products at Chelsea Football Clubs almost palatial hospitality facilities.
This is a multi function machine (includes fax) that can be connected via USB or wirelessly. My own opinion is that very few still use fax but as these machines (with fax) are still produced I must by wrong.
The Epson SX600FW multi-function unit measures 47x39x22cm the latter figure the height will increase by around another 9cm with A4 paper loaded in the rear vertical position. With the control panel tilted up this adds 4cm to the second figure the depth. It is black so it will pass very few of the lounge police. The top has both a flatbed and a sheet feed and in a very nice touch the sheet feed can be closed to produce a nice flat top when not required.
I've mentioned in previous reviews how one of the most important elements required
for good sound is often neglected my media player manufacturers. In this case I review
some headphones that not only address the sound quality but also aesthetics.
A number of manufacturers have recognised the opportunity to improve on the audio performance of the standard headphones shipped with most media players. Atomic Floyd have taken this a stage further and recognised that good audio is a necessary requirement, but in these fashion conscious days is not sufficient in and of itself. Portable media players are all about that - being portable, listening on the move and for many people 'on the move' can include moderate exercise.
Unlike the various types of printers which tend to arrive without the required USB lead for connecting to the computer, scanners are more fortunate in this respect.
The CanoScan 8800F comes with both power and USB leads. This model has recently taken over the desk space, normally the home of my CanoScan LiDE 90 unit, for the purpose of this review. Decked out in matt silver and reflective black, the CanoScan 8800F has an attractive stylish, if solid, appearance with its bevelled edges. The effect is diminished a little by the reflective black’s tendency to collect and display finger smears.
With this new game from MumboJumbo, your puzzle solving skills will be put to the test as you attempt to rebuild some historic buildings in various parts of the world.
This is what used to be called a clock radio but with the ability to accept input from any device with a 3.5mm jack socket. It also has a dock for almost any kind of iPod. It has FM radio and of course a good sized clock display with two alarms and of course a snooze setting, so now the iPod has invaded the clock radio bedroom.
It is 26.5x10x12cm however the power lead protrudes 2.5cm from the rear thus increasing the middle figure the depth to 12.5cm. You will probably not be surprised to hear it is black. My iPod is white and this sits in the multi unit dock on the top increasing the third figure the height by 8cm however this will change according to the type of iPod you have.
Adding to its range of Walkman mobile phones, Sony Ericsson has released the W380 model.
Measuring 92 x 49 x 16mm and weighing 100g, the Sony Ericsson W380 is a clamshell device with a slopping aspect at either end. The review unit is predominately electric purple in colour with silver embellishments and the familiar Walkman “W” logo in magenta. One immediately obvious feature is the positioning of the handset’s camera. Rather than the standard rear location, this camera is sited on the front of the unit.
I've reviewed a number of iPod docking stations over the last couple of years. This
one has an extra twist to take account of the latest range of video capable iPods.
Technology has marched on allowing Apple to evolve the iPod. From the first generation through to the latest the iPod has progressed from simple music player to a capable multi-media player. While many of the latest iPods are video capable this facility is most evident on the iPod Touch, the new iPod Nano and, of course, the iPhone.
This is the second incarnation of the rather good Flip Video Ultra. This unit is smaller slimmer and aimed at the teenager and twenties market. Everything else works the same as the original product launched in the UK last year.
It is 10x5x2cm and weights just 75grams. The unit comes with memory to give an hour of video. This is 640x480 but it is truly excellent quality. It can be shown on a TV using the composite leads provided that fit into a TV (2.5mm socket) on the left side of the unit. It is as good as any normal TV picture providing of course the images you take do not suffer from shake. To help with this there is a tripod screw in the base of the unit. Alternatively brace it on any solid object.
Always popular maybe because they enables everything to be put behind us? A decent backpack/rucksack allows the weight to be carefully distributed across the shoulders and back enabling a larger amount to be carried in comfort. Here I look at offerings from Belkin and Wenger
This is a single strap offering with the strap going from top right to bottom left meaning it goes over the left shoulder. This is designed for a laptop up to 15.4 inches. Mine was black with some red. There are both horizontal and vertical pockets on the face as well as a small vertical pocket on the face of the padded strap, all are zipped. The main compartments double zip allows it to be opened 28cm either side and this reveals an all red interior.
As mobile devices tend to depend on memory cards of carious types, you do need the means to transfer any stored content to your computer.
When it comes to memory cards, it could be said that you are almost spoilt for choice. However you could also be confused over the various formats when it comes to accessing the data stored on the different card formats. Fortunately most modern systems come with multi-format card reading facilities built-in as standard.
Windows 7 is now in public beta for anyone to download. I was told in a briefing earlier this week that Windows 7 will run on a Netbook in only 1GB. No release date is yet available but I am informed it will be within twelve months.
I was told that the public beta became available on the 9 January. No exact size is currently available but an ISO download done by the presenter earlier this week was 2.7GB, it is expected that this will probably be smaller by launch date. This should use the same or less resources than Vista and you should be able to install it on top of a Vista installation. When I asked about XP I was told you would need to do a full install so you would need to reinstall all your applications afterwards.
If you need a set of kitchen scales that are supremely accurate and look great as well, then take a look at the Salter Mix 'n' Measure
January is still shiny and most of us haven’t had the chance to break our resolutions yet. If you decided to lose weight or spend more time cooking gorgeous meals from scratch, I have just the product for you – the Salter Mix ‘n’ Measure scale. Now if you thought weighing ingredients was just a matter of chucking some flour or sugar in a bowl let me enlighten you. Most scales either leave you peering at a dial or work in increments of 5 grammes.
Sometimes a products title gives you an excellent idea as to its functionality. However I am not sure this particular product falls into this category.
Trends, whether they are fashion-based or of a more environmental orientation and social awareness, tend to come and go over time. Currently the trend is to emphasise the importance of implementing a Green approach especially with regards to power consumption. Add into the mix the demands made by various portable devices and you have the rationale behind the rather unusually named powermonkey-eXplorer product. Developed by Powertraveller Ltd.
It was like a trip down memory lane when I received a copy of Etch A Sketch. No, this was not the drawing toy of old with vertical and horizontal controls encased in a red box. Instead it was a computerised version.
Fancy a piping hot cup of water in three seconds, yes three seconds, then this could be for you. Of course its up to you to decide if you want water, tea, coffee, soup or many other beverages this just heats the water very quickly.
This is really two products in one. First something that heats or dispenses tap water quickly and second one that heats and dispenses filtered water quickly. The Tefal Quick Cup is 21cm tall and 15cm round at the base it gradually gets wider towards the top and at the protruding spout it is 25cm from front to back and 18cm wide. The 70cm long 13amp lead comes out of the base at the back.
Your social mobile phone is not always suitable for a more energetic lifestyle which is where Sonim Electronics might be able to help.
While the design concept followed by for the greater majority of mobile phones manufacturers concentrate on aspects of size, weight and features with varying degrees of style, there is a place for a more rugged approach for both industrial and outdoor use.
It is not always possible to map items together in perfect harmony. For a start this is not a computer mouse but a sanding device. The second item is a small tabletop Tripod ideal for anything (not only cameras) that need to be kept steady. They do have one thing in common they both work extremely well, also both make ideal ways of spending Christmas money.
While this of course can sand wood it can also clean old paint and rust from metal. It also has the capability to be used as a polisher. It is 18x8x10cm with a shoe like the base of an iron 17x9cm. The pointy nose is the secret of being able to get into places that a standard sander cannot. It seems to come with a kit that includes a range of sander discs and even a case to keep it in. The reason that a fabric case ids required is that you virtually have to destroy the box to remove it.
With the pound seeming to fall a lot, these purchases need to be checked more carefully as you are buying in dollars. Here a keyboard ideal for limited space and second a dual slot MS ProDuo adapter to allow your Micro SD cards to be read from the same adapter on a single read.
This comes with what looks like a standard USB stick that is the wireless adapter. The keyboard is 25.5x11x2cm (this is very different from the measurements stated on the package). The required two ‘AAA’ batteries for the keyboard are supplied. This is a seventy eight key keyboard with the alpha numeric keys being the largest at 1.5x1.3cm each. However there are also four volume keys on the left edge.
Have you ever wondered how much activity you do in a day? Do you want to set yourself targets to achieve better all round fitness? Polar have a new, easy to use gadget that is worth checking out.
Polar FA20 £94.50 January is the busiest time of year in gyms all over the country as those of us that were found face down in the Quality Street over Christmas try to get fit again. I have to be honest but I hate going to the gym so I am always looking for gadgets that make getting fit easier. This year I have been testing a new fitness device from the nice people at Polar which looks like a neat watch but is in fact my conscience.
Adding a more personal touch to interaction with your computer is often the main reason for using a headset.
While you may enjoy listening to music, watching videos and playing games with enveloping sound effects on your desktop or notebook computer, the audio output will not necessarily appeal to others who are in the vicinity. Of course you could turn down the volume level so as not to disturb others but this might reduce your listening pleasure and all-round entertainment of the current activity.
A 15x10cm (post card) sized printer, however instead of the normal box shape this is rather like a radio or cassette player as it has a built in handle and is a very thin shape the card (printing stock) handling is unique.
The Canon Selphy ES30 measures 22cm wide 23cm tall and 12cm deep. You will need maybe 10cm clear in front of the unit as the card stock is turned in mid air from its landscape stored position to its portrait printing position. It weights less than 2.4kilos even when it has a full pack of 50 cards stored inside. This can be connected to a PC using a standard USB cable or direct to a camera using Pict Bridge both these sockets are towards the base of the left side.
While Windows Recycle Bin does a reasonable job of providing a failsafe when a file is accidentally deleted, sometimes a more powerful tool is required.
Mistakes can happen and, as is usually the case, they occur at the most inappropriate times. When the mistake is an accidental deletion, or in certain cases the overwriting, of an important file from your hard disk, then the results could cause a great deal of trouble and heartache. Diskeeper, best known for its defragmentation software, has turned its expertise on file management towards the task of rescuing files that have been deleted by mistake.
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