Latest gadget reviews

During the recent long summer spell of hot weather this was a lifesaver to me. The main difference between a fan and air conditioning, the latter costs a fortune to cool the air down, the former does not cool the air but you feel cooler.

It has been a while since I got my hands on a LiteOn product but the arrival of an external DVD Writer brought this wait to an end.

This is a very different mouse from the ones we have all been using since the early 80’s when the first graphic interfaces were produces. This works by protecting the wrist from the dreaded RSI (repetitive strain injury).

First a rather nice small Bluetooth earpiece from Plantronics. The other item is from Brando those clever USB people in Hong Kong; it is a natty Bluetooth Audio receiver to allow you to remove the wires from almost any audio device.

Sometimes it is not the solving of the crime but more the capture of the criminal that forms the focus of a game. The Unicorn Killer is one such offering.

Canon has two styles of cameras in their pocket range the really small Ixus range and the slightly larger Power Shots. Here the latest Power Shot that is still small and sleek while offering more in optical zoom and other features.

Giving my regular printer and flatbed scanner a rest, I have been checking out a multifunction device from Samsung.

Hidden Objects do not just need to be found, they sometimes need to be replaced as happens in a world that provides an author with inspiration.

The first a cube to sit by your bed – no excuse for not charging the iPod/iPhone – and it has alarm and sleep timer. The second when you do forget to charge your iPod a tiny device that can sit on your key ring will do so.

Adding to its range of audio products, Edifier has released the “On the Go” iF350. This is a portable speaker system designed specifically for the iPod and iPhone.

With the E1480W GE has packed everything that the majority of users will want in a digital camera. Despite having a resolution of 14.1Mpixels, a 3 inch LCD screen and a X8 zoom they have still managed to fit it into a package, at a competitive price, that is small enough and light enough to be carried around at all times.

This black and grey Multi Function unit (it has Fax) from Canon is both easy to use while allowing the more experienced user to get more out of it with ease. My only doubt is how many people today still require the fax function.

A lot of Bluetooth items require that you enter text either with an on screen keyboard and stylus or perhaps even more daunting - for the occasional user - via a phone type keyboard with up to four characters per key touch.

Getting the balance right between ease-of-use and a difficulty level can cause problems. This next game only really succeeded in one of these two areas.

Way back in time – before the iPod – Creative had one of the early MP3 players. Here one of the latest generation of such devices called the Zen. Of course time moves on and so does what we expect from such a device.

Portability, Bluetooth, solar energy and analogue connectivity all come together in a new speaker system designed to work with a range of music sources.

Avanquest gives you the opportunity to explore a Pharaoh’s tomb and various sites in America with a Click & Play title.

For those who don’t want black here I am looking at a subtle shade of red (dark wine) colour that will pass for black in poor light but still offer that something different in decent light, best of all the fingermarks don’t show as they do with shiny black.