GadgetSpeak Articles
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Two headsets for different purposes, one from Microsoft that was originally developed for X-Box use and the second from Jabra that is designed to fit onto a car sun visor.
Microsoft LifeChat ZX-6000 This device was first created for use with a X-Box but have been given a new life to work with a PC. It is stated to work with all flavours of XP or Vista. The base station fits in any USB port it is 6.5x4x1.5cm and it has a 1.7metre lead. The earpiece is chunky by comparison to some but it is comfortable to wear.
In April this year, Apple announced that the 100 millionth iPod had been sold. That figure is mind blowing
in it's own right. So what's all the fuss about? To find out I've taken a look at the Apple iPod Shuffle, the latest
second generation version.
Before even opening the box, you're struct by to things. Firstly - this thing is . Secondly the packaging is tiny. At about 4cm by 2.5cm the is around the same size as commemorative postage stamps. It's a little thicker of course at around 1cm, and weights in at a hefty 15 grammes. That really is tiny and potentially very easy to loose. You don't really want to put something that small into a protective cover - because that would probably double the size.
Not a secret agent but a FreeAgent has been increasing my storage capacity of late.
There is a first time for everything and this is definitely one of those occasions. Just in case any flights of fancy kick in as to what this occasion should be, I should explain that this first time experience relates to a product that requires not one but two USB ports in order to connect to a computer. The product in question is . Fortunately a special two-headed USB lead is provided in the box so that the device can be attached to your system.
Young children love pets but are perhaps not the best when it comes to looking after them. The solution might be an artificial pet.
Meet Gupi! No, that is not a mis-spelt reference to the small fish, introduced into the in 1866 by the Reverend John Guppy, but the name of a robotic guinea pig. This lovable creature has been particularly demanding of my attention of late. The reason for this attention seeking will become apparent a little later.
The Olympus E-500 is a DSLR (digital single lens reflex) camera and I was sent it with a couple of lenses, the first a macro lens great for those close ups and the send a more general 14-45mm offering.
Perhaps a camera those who come from a 35mm background would fall in love with, mainly because they are used to making decisions that the modern digital photographer either does not make or does not have to make. However the 'Auto' mode is there but it still requires some work with the lens that a standard digital camera does not. As with most SLR cameras what you normally get is just the body.
A splashproof 'poolside' radio, although with the summer we've had so far the splash is more likely to be from up-above as everyone dashes indoors!
The unit is very well built - weighing an impressive 1Kg without batteries certainly gives a very solid feel to the product. Opening the box gives a couple of surprises. Firstly, although it can be powered from a 3V mains adaptor, no adaptor is in fact supplied. It is very clearly and seriously aimed at poolside use on battery power. Secondly the radio doesn't have built in batteries - instead it takes two 'D' sized cells.
Rather than headphones, you can use your FM radio to listen to your MP3 tracks.
The first time I came across a FM Transmitter device it was legal to buy but illegal to use. This strange state of affairs was brought about by legal restrictions on the use of FM transmission bandwidths, a situation that dated back to the Second World War, within the . Fortunately, following the lead set by some other countries and representation made to the government, these restrictions, which applied to low power FM transmitters, have now been removed.
Rosetta Stone present an entirely new way to learn a new language, modelled closely on how children learn their native tongue.For some of us learning a new language is easy, for others tortuous. However, we over look the fact that we all learnt our native language without a textbook or translator in sight. Usually by about the age of 5 we have a large command of our mother tongue and a vast vocabulary without ever knowing about verbs, nouns, pronouns and tenses. Somehow we just get it. And that's the whole theory behind Rosetta Stone's language course.
This software, available to learn in 30 different languages, throws you straight into your new language without a written or spoken word of your home language in sight. The learning is based on seeing pictures and hearing and seeing words, just as if you were growing up with those words and images around you. I tried out , mainly because I don't speak a word of Italian and wanted to try it out as a complete beginner.
Having recently looked at two offering from Kensington here are the latest two Diamond Eye offerings to land on my desk, just like the last pair one needs the industrial scissors.
Kensington Ci60 Optical Wireless Mouse Nothing more difficult than a stubborn piece of sellotape stopped me from finding the contents of the box, the mouse proudly protruding through the plastic window on the face. Should you ever need to replace the mouse in it's packaging it's possible and because of this you have a good chance of finding the instruction sheet and CD.
This PC Tutor package comes on four CDs and takes you from the absolute beginning along a journey to understanding Microsoft Vista as well a Microsoft Office.
As stated it is four CD's and there is an awful lot of information on them. In total there is 2.3GB of information and while the majority is for the novice user it is not generic. By that I mean Office 2003 has totally different files to Office 2007. The installer is on the first CD and once installed (less than 13MB) it tells you which CD to insert for which course.
In the build up to Christmas we are seeing the latest from Toy Manufacturers. This morning we received this cute little toy which records a short phrase and then raps it back to you.
Mock U Rappers has three little cool dude creatures that sit in a tree and sing along merrily in rap style. They have their own little rap and then you can record your own phrase which they turn into a rap and sing back to you. Only short phrases are allowed, and the Rapper beeps at you to say when your recording period is finished. Now being an adult, I always try these toys out on my kids - as they appreciate the finer points of toys a little differently to us big people.
Following its acquisition by the Petters Group Worldwide in 2005, Polaroid has undergone a change, maybe not of image but certainly with its range of products.
Certain names have the ability to bring memories flooding back with the effect that you have the totally wrong impression of the current situation. Take, as an example, Polaroid. My immediate thoughts, when invited to the company's product briefing, were of instant cameras that were bulky and produced instant snaps. Later, perhaps, I would have probably thought of sunglasses.
Once upon a time, waiting for a delayed plane, or filling the time on that long train journey could be
a seriously boring experience. Once you've read every page in the paper, including the adverts
what would you do?
Luckily those days have long gone with the advent of mobile entertainment revolution, with of course the phone at its heart.
Here the word portable means no mains and not just with a 15x10cm offering. So for anyone needing to produce documents while away from mains power this is it. It is a product that Canon have successfully produced in various forms for years.
This latest incarnation of the is a little larger simply because the battery fits in an attachment at the rear. The overall dimensions with the battery extension attached at the rear are 31x20x5cm and the weight is such it could easily fit into a bag to be carried around. However in it's 'mobile' life I would expect it would live in a car as a mobile office for people who need to produce quotes and invoices on the move.
Now this is a strange little gadget and one which could prove useful if you need to do what it says in the instructions - cut flexible materials up to 6mm!
The Bosch Xeo is a hand-held 'universal cordless cutter'. It comes into that category of 'things I never knew I might need until now'. It is very much the sort of thing you might buy for that person who has everything at Christmas. If you are considering purchasing this though, do make sure that it cuts the type of thing you (or your intended recipient) regularly cuts.
Adding live video capability to your notebook can be as easy as attaching a USB device to your system
As part of its webcam family of products, Logitech has released the specifically for use with a notebook. While it is theoretically possible to use this webcam with a desktop system, you would need to have a fairly thin LCD monitor for attaching the device. There would also be a problem with the USB lead as this is permanently attached and only measures 74cm which is more than adequate for a notebook but not so for a desktop system.
While I will admit to a preference for a dog as a pet, I still enjoy the company of a cat although the same can not be said of the need for a litter tray.
As a nation of pet lovers, it is hardly surprising that several toys are based on this aspect of modern life. With cats recently taking over the number one spot by replacing dogs as the nation's favourite domestic pet, a trend that is clearly re-enforced by my local neighbourhood, it is appropriate that Hasbro has of products.
I was always amazed why Archos needed such an array of leads and now my flabber is totally gasped as for all (or most) of the things you want to do you need another separate product.
It should be possible to import via the supplied dual USB/charger lead most AVI files however one recent digital camera takes a default of 800x600 and these files when imported are shown as too big. If I record in 640x480 these are correctly imported using Windows Media Player 10 but the sound is lost during importation.
Bored with the 'standard' jug kettle? Want a kettle that adds to your kitchen rather than being something you really want to hide in a cupboard? This might be just the thing for you!
Rather than the current fashion for jug format the kettle seems to hark back to an earlier age. The base is wider than a jug and the sides vertical. The main body is clear perspex allowing a clear view of the water as it boils and removing the need for floats or other devices to show how much water you have in the tank. My initial visual reaction was 'wow - something different - I like that'. My wife's was a little different - being not so keen.
While the majority of computer protection software products rely on signature files, a new company offers an alternative method.
It has been estimated recently that there are currently more than 900 million viruses circulating the Internet each day. While it is entirely possible that none on these viruses have your or even my name on their hit list, it is not a chance you should really encourage by leaving your computer unprotected from attacks.
For those readers of shall we say more mature years you will remember Sidekick as perhaps the first PIM (Personal Information Manager) product on the market, here it forms part of a mobile phone offering from T-Mobile.
This is neither small or light - if that's what you want T-Mobile have lots of other units - this is a PIM that allows you easy Internet access and collection of emails oh and just for good measure you can make phone calls and text messages etc. It is 13cm long, 6cm wide and close to 2.
A low-capacity shredder, that looks neat beside your computer, handles up to five sheets at a time, and easily copes with its stated capacity of 30 sheets.
The shredder is billed as a space saving compact shredder for 1-3 people. The capacity on the box says 30 sheets. Of course, this is the first thing I put to test. I did indeed get the autofeed to handle 32 sheets before the shredder made that lovely noise that makes sure you know not to put any more sheets in. However, being like every other normal lazy consumer, I wanted to see just how much more could be packed in.
This has been waiting to be reviewed since the Toy Fair in January and now with the sometimes warmer weather it seems a good time for some friends to indulge in drinking games.
It is sold as a game for 18+ but there is no need for the drinks to be alcoholic and indeed which drink is downed is as a result of a dice throw. So sensible adults or younger people could have a great game without ending up drunk and incapable. For two to eight players but I found in my tests that it performed best with at least four as the repartee was as least part of the fun.
While size can be an important factor, it should be complimentary to other features making up a device.
Claiming to be one of the cheapest MP3/Video players on the market, the MP-CS155 is MPMan's latest entry into this heavily populated sector. Decked out predominately in black with silver embellishments, the MP-CS155 is small enough, measuring 80 x 42 x 10mm (L x W x D), to fit in any pocket without causing even the hint of a bulge. Its weight of less than 50grams also ensures it will not over-burden you on your travels.
This is a slim sleek looking 20 inch panel however maybe not all is as it should be even if the image it gives is clear and crisp even at the end of a long day.
First the all important dimensions, the outer measurements of the screen are 48x31.5cm with the stand raising it 8cm above the desk. The viewable screen size is 43x27.5cm giving the diagonal screen measurement of 20.1 inches. The base is 26x18cm and is a silver/grey colour. The screen surround is black with a 2.5cm silver/ grey band. HP W2007V The screen have a good range of tilt both back and forward from vertical.
The arrival of a new high capacity memory card format has seen the need for a device capable of supporting this format. Kingston is happy to oblige.
Earlier this year the SD Card Association introduced the SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) memory card format. Unlike the previous version of SD cards, which had a capacity of up to 2GB and used the FAT 16 file system, this new SDHC format is capable of supporting capacities ranging from 4GB up to 32GB using the FAT 32 file system. The increase in capacity and change of file system does mean that legacy devices will be unable to read the new card format.
Now here is a game/puzzle that is more addictive than a Rubics Cube, more frustrating than the Quality Street jigsaw I bought my other half for Christmas last year and bound to be a fantastic seller this festive season.
As my daughter and I eagerly unwrapped the package our copy of came in we couldn't wait to rip off the cling film and get going. Four hours later we were still at the dining table having zoomed ahead on several occasions, only to find ourselves having to backtrack again. Eternity II The feeling is just like when you find you have one stray white cube in the middle of a face of green squares on your Rubics Cube.
This is a surround sound speaker that can be used indoor or outdoor and while it is not intended to get wet it can I am told withstand the odd shower, also it can run on batteries or mains.
It looks a bit like a garden sprayer or even one of the pull along type vacuum cleaners on it's end - however it is a single speaker that radiates surround sound. It's overall dimensions are 40cm tall, 22cm wide and 20cm deep. In fact it is nearly circular in shape. The overall weight (without the power brick) is around 2.4 kilos and is easy to move. All the controls are sealed so the odd light shower it should survive.
While its dimensions are not exactly size zero, its keyboard appears to have been designed for users who do qualify for this description
Joining the ever-expanding family of Sony Ericsson Walkman phones . This tri-band device (GSM 900/1800/1900), with 3G functionality for good measure, combines still and video camera capabilities; MP3/AAC music playback; 3D Java games; and the full range of mobile telephony features. through this list of features might influence you to believe that product would be a fairly substantial device.
This is totally different from almost any other digital camera I have reviewed as almost all the settings are adjusted from the TFT touchscreen, certainly a first for me.
The is a maximum of 10x6x3cm and weights just on 200grams. It is black and always feels cold as the casing is metal the one strange looking item is the wrist strap hole that looks as if it was attached on the right side as an afterthought. Samsung L74 The rear is dominated by the 6x4.5cm display (this gives the 3 inch diagonal measurement) apart from this the rear has the telephoto/wide angle rocker and two buttons near the base.
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