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Panasonic do two ranges of cameras the ones that could even be called professional and can be seen being used by keen amateurs, they also do a Lumix range that look like point and shoot but have far more functionality.
The Panasonic Lumix TZ10 measures 10x6x3cm, the last figure can increase to 6cm when fully zoomed. My test unit was black with silvered fittings, it weighed 215grams. It has up to 12x zoom and captures images up to 12MP in size, this model can even use GPS to tell you where your images were taken. So this is by no means anything like an entry level ‘point and shoot type’ offering. The right side has two connectors behind a flip open door for HDMI and AV out.
Brando from Hong Kong has cornered the market in quirky devices that are in some way powered by USB. Here a USB hub with a touch responsive Plasma Ball, the second DJ Mix Turntable, both these items are fun things.
It is 14cm to the top of the ball which starts 6.5cm from the base. The hub is the base and is 9cm across but there are the four ports - two on each side with the spaces in between filled by the USB to mini USB lead and a simple on/off switch that controls only the Plasma ball the USB ports are live all the time the cable is connected. Of course from the point of view of a man this is not perfect, the glass sphere is of course clear but the Plasma when idle is P I N K.
With a desert island, a castaway and a man called Friday, it can only be a title based on Robinson Crusoe.
Who better to be the central character in a hidden object adventure game than an archetypal survivor. In this case the survivor is none other than the Daniel Defoe created character of Robinson Crusoe and the game, not surprisingly, is entitled Adventures of Robinson Crusoe. As part of Avanquest’s GSP Click & Play catalogue, this game entrusts you with the task of helping Robinson Crusoe survive after ending up on a remote island in the Caribbean following a storm at sea.
Having looked at two earlier models that were only available from Amazon.Com, here after a very long wait I get to sample the joys of the latest sleek offering that at long last is available from Amazon in the UK.
The latest Amazon Kindle measures 19x12x.5cm and weights only 230grams, the viewable screen is 9x12.2cm giving a diagonal screen measurement of 6inches. When off the screen displays one of a range of wonderful monochrome graphics, these graphics use no power. The controls are simple, both the left and right edges have < and > keys to move page forward and page back. The bottom has a volume up and down rocker, 3.5mm headphone/earbud socket a micro USB socket and on/off slider.
While many pocket camcorders have been designed for general purpose use, the Kodak Playsport is aimed more at the more adventurous members of society. To this end the Playsport combines electronic image stabilising technology, to assist when capturing sporting events, with the ability to be waterproof up to a depth of 10 feet for recording aquatic expeditions.
With dimensions of 58 x 112.5 x 19.5mm (W x H x D), the Playsport should fit comfortably in a pocket or bag without causing an unsightly bulge (Kodak has produced a case for this camera but this an optional extra). Available in a choice of colours, including Abyss (Black), Wave Crash (Blue), Adrenaline Rush (Purple) or the orange of the review model, the Playsport stands apart from the other pocket camcorder that I have looked at, in that it does not feature a flip-out USB connection arm.
Sometimes a knock on the door or a ring of the doorbell can bring a pleasant surprise. However this is not the case when Sam Hunt answers a knock at the door in Alawars Stray Souls: Dollhouse title.
With a choice of Custom (one-minute Hint recharge and highlighted interactive areas) or Expert mode (two-minute recharge and no highlights), Stray Souls: Dollhouse is a hidden object adventure game. Currently the game is available as a Collection’s edition which features a number of extra items.
This is very slightly larger than a small point and shoot digital camera but a good deal smaller than most DSLR however in reality it is neither, it has good points and bad, two that stick out are no optical zoom and a poor inbuilt flash.
The Sigma DP1x Digital Camera measures 11x6x5cm with the last dimension, the depth increases by 2cm when you remove the lens cap and turn it on, it weights 280grams. Truly an oblong box with the lens protrusion being the only thing extending, the face has only the lens as the flash – such as it is – has a manual release mechanism on the top, I rarely mention its size but as it is 2cm long and less than .
Ever since taking a look at the Sony Pocket Reader I have made a conscious effort to watch out for similar devices being used in public areas instead of traditional books and other reading material. Currently these sighting stand at just two instances admittedly over a fairly quiet period with regards to excursions. In neither case was the observed device being the Sony Touch Reader which is the subject of this review
As its title implies, this Sony Reader features a touch screen allowing you to carry out a number of actions using either your finger or the supplied stylus. Following the same pattern adopted by the Sony Pocket Reader, this bigger sibling product arrives in a box that bears more than a passing resemblance to a traditional book.
Amplicon are better known for improving peoples hearing with devices and aids. Here they offer help from the other end by making a mobile phone with a high ringer volume and increased sound volume for the phones user.
The company whose phone the Amplicom Powertel M4000 most resembles to me is Doro who do a lot for those with disabilities. Here Amplicon have a phone with big buttons and large text on the screen to go with a ringer that will wake almost anyone so those who are hard or hearing are well catered for. Often however a loud ringer on its own is not enough as the volume of the caller is still not increased enough, that is certainly not a problem with this unit.
Over the last few months I have told you about various Oregon products but not the one they are best known for Weather Stations, I got one early in summer and just recently a second model both can prove extremely helpful.
If you just want a weather station to tell you the internal and external temperatures plus things like day date humidity and prediction for the next 24 hours then several fit the bill one such is the Slim Weatherbox BAR 800 received recently more of that in a bit first… I have been testing this since the summer, my main worry was that as the main unit is Solar it would die during the winter months, it has not done so, it is in my kitchen window and even with so few hours of light it kept
It hardly seems like yesterday when I took a look at the Ricoh CX3 compact digital camera. Actually it was more like four months ago but that hardly gives the company enough time to develop and manufacture a new model. Yet here we are with the latest offering from Ricoh. Not surprisingly this new product is entitles CX4.
This is a completely different shape for a Multi Function unit. It is Multi Function as not only does it print, scan and copy but should you still need the facility it can also be used as a Fax machine. The shape is higher rather than wider.
So in height, width and depth order the Lexmark Genesis S815 measures 43x38x30cm. It has a shiny black front, silver grey sides and matt black for the rest. It comes with four inks the black being larger than the three colours. Once you have used the machines touch screen to set location you install the inks. Next add some paper and you are ready to print a test page.
I have been a regular user of a Dymo labelling device for many years. While fine for simple tasks, this device was unsuitable for more complicated labels. Fortunately Dymo manufacture a product that is capable of carrying out this type of task.
While it is possible to produce labels of various types using your main printer, it can sometimes be a little fiddly. You need to get the settings and positioning just right plus often your main printer, whether it is a laser or inkjet, can be busy performing other important jobs. An alternative solution would be to have a dedicated label printer on hand to carry out the task of running off address and other kinds of labels when required.
Are the adventure-style games of yesteryear about to make a comeback? This next title obviously feels it is a possibility.
Not quite an iPad but still a lovely piece of kit. The screen is that much smaller but of course it will fit in a larger pocket that unless its a poachers one the iPad will not, it is however an office on the move as even without wireless you still have mobile.
For the Samsung P1000 Galaxy Tablet weight is perhaps the most important statistic, well it's 380grams and it measures 12x18.6x1cm; the viewable screen is 9x15.5 cm. If you have a wireless connection around your home/work then it’s just a case of entering your password once and from then on all the time it’s on you are in contact. There are of course thousands of ‘apps’ available. The top has a 3.
Adding to its range of products for the iPod family and Mac and PC users, iLuv has released a set of earphones that come with a lead that claims not to tangle.
Inanimate objects are, by definition, meant to be inanimate. These types of objects are not supposed to take on a life of their own and move from where you are 100% certain you placed them or get themselves entangled with any other inanimate items that happen to be in close proximity.
This is described as the Ultimate HD Video Editing Solution some will purchase it just for the codec that allows you to play Blu-ray movies on your Blu-ray drive in your PC or Notebook as without something like this you cannot.
However there is far more to this product than that feature – as nice as it is – you really can put together a movie and add soundtracks etc and then burn your output to a vast range of optical media, however you will need time. Starting with the 27 minutes to complete the installation - on a reasonably fast notebook – this comes in two parts with a reboot after the nine pieces of Microsoft software installed taking .
I remember getting these tiny speakers early last summer but for a multitude of reasons it was 2011 before they got tested. The earbuds are from Altec Lansing more normally known for their speakers so a good match?
I think most will know the Altec Lansing heritage in speakers so their ability to produce speakers is without doubt. The box says designed for iPod, iPhone and iPad but they will work with anything that outputs to a 3.5mm jack. The lead is 1.35metres in length. It has a gold plated 3.5mm jack (with the three bands) the earbuds are the silicon type that fit snugly in the ear to reduce external sounds, other sizes are provided to suit most ear canal sizes.
When you hear mention of the name Air Force then your thoughts will probably gravitate towards that branch of the armed forces that operates in the sky. However in this case the subject matter is more land-based as it deals with the force of air rather than the force that rules the air. This Air Force is a cordless vacuum cleaner from Rowenta.
On the face of it very like the professional notebook that I recently reviewed from Samsung however despite having USB3 ports gone is the non reflective screen and back has come the normal shiny black that shows fingermarks.
The Samsung RF510 Notebook is 38x25x3.5cm the latter is the height at the back – with case closed – this reduces to 2cm at the front. The lid opens to around 60 degrees beyond vertical. The viewable screen is 34x19.5cm giving the notional 15.6 inch measurement. The back of the unit has no connections, the left side has the DC power input, VGA outlet, Ethernet, HDMI out, two USB3 ports and the 3.5mm microphone and earbud/headset ports.
Bringing together the various elements of your home entertainment facilities is a task that can be carried out by a media streamer unit. Acting as a centralised hub, this type of device can link together such items as a television, computer, digital recorder, MP3 player and other types of media peripherals while also including Internet, network and storage access in the mix.
With a title not too dissimilar to that of a film many regard as a classic, Mumbo Jumbo has released a game that combines hidden object game play with a degree of detection skills. The game is Unlikely Suspects.
In this game you are cast in the role of a detective who has to undertake a series of cases to find the guilty party from a list of 16 criminals. Each of your cases begins with a telephone call giving you details of the victim and location of the crime scene. A tabbed screen gives you access to the different elements that make up your investigation. These tabs cover Suspects, Map, Weapons, Notes and Accuse.
My first joy on opening the box was that it was not P I N K (the original PogoPlug was) this was a far more normal black. So what can the PogoPlug Pro do apart from save your eyes that the original PogoPlug cannot.
They have a way of making you make them aware of your PogoPlug as the box has just an Ethernet lead, a power lead and the PogoPlug a single multi language sheet just says go to the PogoPlug website. By clicking on ‘Activate PogoPlug’ you get illustrations to show you how to set it up a total of six screen and all is completed. Using a PogoPlug to access your files from anywhere in the world is just a matter of entering a username and password.
Give your fingers a rest and instead use your voice to communicate with your computer by using the latest software from Nuance.
The Brother MFC-J6510DW all-in-one multifunction printer, copier, scanner and fax is an important machine in the companys professional MFP range. Its ability to handle A3 size documents which, although not an everyday requirement, is a feature which many offices would find extremely useful.
As can be expected of a machine which can handle A3-sized documents, it is quite large. It weighs 15.8kg and needs 590mm of desk space and is 489mm front/back depth. This increases to 690mm when the paper tray is loaded with A3 paper and so projects forward. Nevertheless, with its black finish, it blends easily into an office environment. As well as USB 2, it has 10/100 Ethernet and IEEE 802.11b/g/n wireless interfaces so that it provides a full range of business connectivity.
The Samsung ST100 Digital Camera is small enough to fit into almost any pocket but it also has one of the largest TFT screens around. It is totally touchscreen in operation so those who have been brought up on touch will certainly enjoy using this camera.
The Samsung ST100 Digital Camera measures 10x6x2cm and weights only 155grams. The face has the lens and the flash both are in the same plain with the flash central on the unit and the lens towards the right edge. It uses a periscope type device inside the camera to zoom as the lens never visually moves in or out. The right side has an anchor point for a wrist strap, the left side just say 14.2MP the resolution.
The first is a good way to listen with some rather nice earbuds multi sized from Shure. The second a really small TV aerial that can give reception in places without a roof or loft aerial, best of all its easy to move with the TV this from OneForAll.
A somewhat unusual shape when compared to other such buds the bud doubles back on itself making it as wide as it is long at 2cm and up to 1cm thick. The next 8cm of lead is near rigid there is then another 30cm of lead until the lead becomes one, in this length you can control how much hangs separated or becomes joined. Then a further 1.2metres to the gold plated 3.5mm jack plug that turns 90degrees to fit into whatever you use with them.
It was not until I started checking out this next product that I realised that my computer system box had a face.
While perhaps not the first name you think of with regards to digital photography (although those of my generation grew up using this company’s photographic products), Kodak still has much to offer. Take, for instance, the company’s latest pocket-size camcorder appropriately entitled the Kodak Playtouch. Available in a choice of Smoke Gaze (Black), Chrome, Cabana (Orange) or Spa Blue (Teal), the Playtouch offers a range of features including full 1080p HD capability.
This on the face of it looks like a rather posh iPod dock, it has rather nice speakers and good sound. Pick it up and you will probably wish you hadnt as it is heavy. So what other features make this Audyssey dock stand out?
It is a maximum of 9cm wide in the centre and 5cm at the front while the back is only just over 3cm, it is 23cm tall and 28cm deep. As far as most iPod docks go they are light this one certainly isn’t down to its speakers. It has no obvious controls when off, just a sleek slate grey object. Plug in the 1.8metre mains lead (yes mains lead not power adapter) and a volume indicator shows in small while lights up the front while a play pause touch control is on the front top edge.
Keeping your computer running at its optimum capacity can be time consuming and often frustrating unless, of course, you hand the task over to experts.
Iolo technologies is a long established company operating in the field of utility and performance enhancing software for the PC market. Identified by the American Business Awards as the fastest-growing US Company in both 2009 and 2010, iolo technologies has just released the latest version of its flagship product. This is System Mechanic 10 which offers to take over the performance management aspect of your computer system.
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