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Always keen to remain on the right side of the law, we can now bring you a review of the latest Maxfield product.
Up until recently you could have walked into your friendly computer retail store and purchased a device that allowed you to wirelessly connect your iPod or MP3 player to a radio, HiFi or in-car entertainment system. While the manufacturing and selling of such a product was entirely legal, you would have broken the law if you had used this product.
This is a six ink printer, it is by no means small in fact many All In Ones are smaller but despite the width and depth the lack of height can make it suitable for a strong shelf.
The above may sound confusing so it may become clearer when I say it's 46x40x16cm and as this includes the plugs into the back and the paper tray in the base to extra height is ever required. Many multi function unit are smaller as far as width and depth are concerned. This is a six ink unit with two shades of red and blue, a yellow and a larger black.
Some problems are not immediately obvious as happened with this particular device.
In my house there is a constant fight ensuing between various items of computer equipment and living space. I hate to admit it but it is often the former that wins the day in these battles. Sometimes, though, a compromise can be reached as in the case of a KVM (Keyboard, Video and Mouse) solution.
This is a Satellite Navigation unit that specifically mentions a pedestrian mode so a lot of my tests were conducted while walking to various places.
It is 11x8x2cm and weights only around 150grams. If you are going to use it outside a vehicle size and weight are both important. One of my first walks was perhaps my most eventful. It was raining so I of course had the unit well protected in a plastic bag and this meant that I could not use an umbrella. I ended up very wet and due to a glitch rather lost.
Sometimes software code gets a packaging make-over and reappears under a different branding as has happened with burning software available from Tesco.
As part of its branded range of software titles, Tesco has released Easy Record which is a product that was originally developed by Sonic Solutions who are also responsible for Roxio Easy Creator software. Easy Record, as you might suppose from its title, is software designed to create and copy various forms of optical media.
Its a long time since I last reviewed a mono laser printer and for anyone who prints textual pages and does not need colour then this is a quick and efficient way of printing.
The main difference between a laser and an inkjet is that almost all the time the claimed print speed is met. This unit claims 22PPM and while this is for letter mode I got very close to 20PPM for A4. It matters not if you have a couple of sentences on the page or 50 plus lines of small text. I can assure you that any inkjet would produce vastly different speeds if given those two pages.
Apples much maligned music management system...worth a look?
Over the last few years I have owned a few different digital audio players (DAP) , ranging from Rio, Sony and most recently Apples iPod. Manufacturers usually supply music management software (MMS) with their players, or the player acts as a mass storage device and works with Windows Media; so whatever player you choose it is a given that you must become fully conversant with the software supplied.
Like print speeds, data transfer rates sometimes promise more than they deliver as I discovered when testing some Netgear kit.
While wireless is generally accepted as the preferred option for home networking, it is not always the most suitable method for some users. A wireless network may remove the need for unsightly wires between devices and be relatively easy to set up in the ideal environment but complications can get in the way. Often thick walls and metal mesh encased in structures will interfere with wireless signals and cause communication problems.
This looks and feels like a very substantial camera, the zoom is good at 12x optical and the image size is 7.1 mega pixel, This is one of two cameras in the Kodak Performance range
It is 10x12x8cm and weights around 450grams, there is a 5x3.8cm TFT display that dominates the rear of it. When the lens is fully out it increases the width of the unit by 3cm to 15cm. For those who prefer to take images using the viewfinder this protrudes from the rear by a centimetre meaning your nose is not jammed on the TFT.
It is a sad tale that caused several problems and had me crawling about on the floor.
As prices of computer systems continue to fall while specifications increase, the temptation grows for users to upgrade their computing capability with a new purchase. The problem can then arise as to what to do with the old system. If you do not wish to get rid of an old friend and space considerations are an issue, then you might like to consider a KVM (Keyboard, Video, and Mouse) solution.
Dell All In Ones tend to look amazingly bland a cream box, but then this could well get access to the lounge that grey units may be banned from.
Image courtesy Dell Inc.
Unlike most modern units the connection of the USB cable is almost at the beginning of the installation process. Ten minutes later it is completed and I am 606MB of hard disc space down. As soon as it prints the on screen indication reminds me of the software used by Lexmark - this is not derogatory - as their indicators are one of the best around.
As a Nokia virgin, I put aside my regular mobile and made a date with a member of the Nokia family.
When the conversation turns to mobile phones then it isn't long before the name of "Nokia" pops up. After all the company does have every type of phone you could imagine with regards to style and functionality (and maybe some that are so advanced and futuristic in concept that they have yet to see the light of day). A quick check of the company's UK website revealed that there are 79 current models available from all good stockists.
Not really toys but they both came from Dream Toys. I can see these being useful for anyone who tends to find their mind cant function as quickly as it used to. Of course it can help children as well but how will you bribe them to use it? Still what better products to cure those New Year hangovers.
Brain Trainer The box is emblazoned with 'Winner Gift of the year 2006' Inside the box is what is designed to look like a small book. It is 11.5x9x2.5cm. Open the front cover to reveal what looks like a calculator with 14 keys under a 6.5x3.5 LCD screen. The keys and screen surround are a bright orange as is the background of the covers interior with the basic instructions standing out in black type on it.
The advantage of Skype communication can be enhanced with the use of an appropriate product such as a cordless handset.
VoIP (Voice over IP) technology has been around for a good few years now but it has taken initiatives such as Skype to really kick-start its popular acceptance. Skype was founded by Niklas Zennstrm and Janus Friis in 2003. Distributed as free software, this product provided users with the ability to make superior-quality calls using a computer connected to the Internet.
Shure E2 headphones (long term test)....get close and personal in your listening experience.
If you have then you will know that I have not spared any hard earned pennies in my search for the best personal listening experience my meagre wages will allow. read my article on the Grado SR60 headphones I have had the run in (40 hours), Shure have a similar reputation to Grado in that they only manufacture quality merchandise, so you will not be disappointed whichever model you go for.
Grado SR60 headphones...love the sounds, but what about the look!!!!
Over the years I have amassed quite a collection of headphones, some which do their job very well and others not so well. I am just a sucker for getting the best I can from my various music sources, and it has cost me much coinage. I recently bought two new sets of phones, a set of and a pair of Grado SR60's.
Nothing elicit this is an MP3 player with no buttons it is all controlled by touch and when switched off these controls are totally invisible.
The Maxfield Max-Sin Touch is a very small and thin unit it is 8x3x.5cm and weights well under 50grams. The only visible controls are the 'Hold' slider on the left side together with earbud socket. The right side has on/off push together with reset pin hole and rubberised bung covering the small USB socket. The top has a carry strap hole and that is it. Certainly minimalistic.
When out and about, headphones are fine for an iPod but indoors you need a more convenient method of listening to your music. For a solution read on
.
Where there are numerous brands of portable music players, it has to be said that it is the iPod family that has the street cred to leave the opposition trailing in its wake.
I use Skype for talking to both friends and increasingly to business people who add their Skype details to business cards. Here I can roam while talking.
Even if you only use Skype on an occasional basis then this 'phone' is excellent. Unlike other units - both corded and cordless - the allows you to answer and make calls when not near your PC. Yes the PC needs to be on and Skype needs to be loaded but that's all.
The last time I looked at Saitek kit it involved speakers but this time it is a different type of beastie.
What is red or blue; has its own set of weights; six buttons; and has on-the-fly sensitivity adjustment? As an additional clue, I will also throw in that it is a world first. If you are still puzzled then perhaps I should reveal that the item in question is the new GM3200 Laser Mouse developed by Saitek. This is not a shrinking violet of a mouse. For a start this USB connected mouse is of the bulky variety.
GPS and I normally do not normally manage a happy relationship, however this unit was something different and from day one we got on.
Often I have a problem finding enough satellites here on more than one occasion I managed 11, yes eleven. You need three to triangulate and normally this unit found at least seven. I would suggest that you switch on a couple of minutes before you leave allowing it good time to seek them out after that even going through tunnels the signal is picked up again seconds after emerging.
Audio output is often a neglected aspect with a computer purchase which opens the door for considering a dedicated speaker set.
The letter "X" is becoming increasingly popular when naming computer items. Quickly checking around reveals that both software and hardware products have jumped onto this particular bandwagon. We have operating systems using this letter; various applications use the "X" in their version number; and, of course, there is that popular game console from the giant of Redmond.
Two more offerings that I first saw at the recent Dream Toys event, one that might temp the older users and one that could suit all the family.
Rubik's Sudoku I am sure the name gives a reasonable idea of what this is about. Concentrate on the second half and you are there. It is an 18x16.5x3cm box with nine section of 3x3 grids within. The basic Sudoku idea is here with each 3x3 grid column of nine and row of nine to be filled with a number, no number can be repeated in and grid, row or column.
A universal docking station for all iPod models (except Shuffle)
I suppose you could say that I have been bitten by the iPod bug of late and have been trying and buying all manner of iPod accessories. My latest two aquisitions have been made in an effort to make the most of my MP3 collection by linking the iPod to my two home hifi setups.
A cheaper and little less intrusive than other docks.
If you read my , you will no doubt be wondering what the alternatives to having a substantial unit sitting by your stereo are. review of the "iwantit" IW300 iPod docking station The grandly named "Kensington" dock for iPods could be the answer. The "Kenny" again comes only in white and could be described as minimalist, but no less effective. I use it in my living room where it sits unassumingly next to my Sky+ box and does not take up much space.
A time consuming installation produced a comprehensive set of tools for burning media with the latest offering from Roxio.
Joining the ranks of slow installation routines is the one used by Roxio Easy Media Creator. With a number of long pauses when nothing appeared to be happening, the procedure easily exceeded 40 minutes before requiring a system reboot.
This is a device for recording and playing back music, video, pictures and voice. It is also an FM radio. However much as I have tried it always refuses to make the tea do the washing up or the ironing
It is 11.5x8x2.5cm and weights less than 300grams in the supplied protective case. The screen is 7x5.5cm. This is a 30GB unit so lots of space for all those pictures and MP3 files as well as any short videos you might take. It comes with a leather case and while it should be possible to use it in the case as all the controls are accessible I tended to remove it.
A graphics package costing under £10 sounds like an ideal stocking filler.
A photo printer but certainly not run of the mill as it not only supports 15x10cm but also 18x13cm and panorama 30x10cm images. It has a certain upmarket look.
The unit is black with grey buttons and a grey trim around the drop down front that provided the reception for captured images. However when this is opened the whole front is found to be grey.
These two items are both the biggest and the most expensive and also the noisiest of all the toys and games that I selected from this years Dream Toys event, the kids will love them.
Zero Gravity This vehicle will climb walls, I do not mean that it will send parents up them, it actually climbs walls as well as working on the ground. Yes you do need a reasonably flat wall - no hugely deep wallpapers - but it certainly coped with anaglyptia. In the very crudest terms it works a little like a hovercraft - no don't try it on water - air is sucked under the vehicle and this holds it to the wall.
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