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The blurb says works without any training, well always the one to take people at their word I installed it on a notebook that had no files of mine, installed it and then started the program.
Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9 Preferred comes on two CD's and say's it needs 1.3GB of hard disc space, the actual space taken on the notebook was 1523MB and the install time was only 12 minutes. On starting the program you get a toolbar along the top of the screen, so as not to give it anything I used Windows Notepad and started speaking, reproduced below are the first words I spoke and the three errors, with what I intended added in brackets, I was astonished.
For those looking for software to help copy digital movie content to DVD and various handheld devices, InterVideo believes it has a possible solution.
As its title indicates, DVD Copy 5, from InterVideo, is a product designed for copying DVDs but it does not stop there. It also offers a range of tools that allow you to carry out video file conversion; disk labelling; make use of virtual drive capabilities; monitor folders; and provides support for various handheld devices.
My annual trip to the Dream Toys event found new and enhanced toys, games and gadgets for kids both big and small for Christmas and beyond.
Prices of things on offer range from a fiver to hundreds. As always I try to find things that do not break the bank, mind you the report does end with one extravagance. Lets start with one of the more noisy, Dare Devil Stunt set around £34.99 from Flair. It needs space and then with practice the motor cycle will jump the gap between the supplied objects, Evil Knieval style.
From analogue and tape to optical and digital media is made a simple process with a new product from Pinnacle.
The Dazzle Platinum is generally no long available. You might like to read our review of
the latest product, the .
Dazzle DVD recorder According to my Concise Oxford Dictionary, the word "Dazzle" means "Glitter" or "Confuse or dim with excess of light". Fortunately neither of these definitions applies to .
This DAB and FM radio also features ReVu that allows what you have just heard to be replayed. It can also accept a Charge PAK meaning no more batteries to buy, or course you can also run it from the mains.
Pure are perhaps the best known name in DAB technology and have produced a whole range of offerings. I recently reviewed their excellent
a real portable unit. Here we have a more conventional portable unit that can go with you round the house and out into the garden. Pocket DAB1500 (28/8/06) The is 28x7.5x17cm however the last figure the height increases by 48cm when the seven section rod aerial is fully raised.
Keeping your computer safe from attacks now involves different types of protection. A BitDefender product offers four different kinds to keep you safe.
Rather than take the route of producing a single product aimed at meeting the needs of everybody, SOFTWIN has opted for the approach of having various flavours of its BitDefender solution so that users can select the most appropriate version that is best suited to their needs. Recently I took a look at the company's BitDefender Antivirus 10 product which combines antivirus and antispyware features.
This All In One is functional in design however when the job is to print, scan and copy appearance is less important than delivering the goods and this it does with the added plus of six ink quality.
The is a rectangular box, 32x27x15cm and when the paper tray is lowered with paper in it the middle figure increases by another 15cm. However I am not decrying it for being rectangular or functional it does it's job well so what does shape matter. It is of course light grey - maybe a sin as far as the fairer sex are concerned - but it does what it should.
Available desk space is at a premium in my working environment yet recently I have made room for a devil of a creature.
Currently sitting on my workspace is a Verball. Initially this was a little red devil with bulging eyes; a pair of yellow horns positioned either side of a Mohican hair cut; outstretched arms with four fingered hands; and a pair of bother-boots encasing its feet. This is not a distant relative, or even a close one, that I have been keeping quiet about instead it is Striker, a member of the Verball tribe.
A true wireless keyboard, small in size and your only loss is the numeric keypad, it also has the possibility of being a mouse substitute as it has a rollball and mouse keys, ideal for use with a media centre type PC.
The megapixel ratings of various digital cameras continue to increase. Acer now has an 8 megapixel model.
Joining Acer's ever-expanding collection of digital still cameras is the CP-8660 which currently sits at the top of the company's range with its 8-megapixel capability. Stylishly decked out in silver and black, the camera has a reassuring solid feel to it and sits comfortably in the hand.
For those out there old enough to remember when a floppy disc was all the external storage you ever needed, some of the capacity figures mentioned today are mind blowing.
Recent research indicates that around six million GPS devices, available from companies such as ViaMichelin, will be sold in the main European countries during 2006.
Currently GPS (Global Positioning System) technology, whereby a person, object or vehicle can be tracked and located to within a few feet using the power of satellites, has a high profile with steadily rising sales of units. Initially GPS navigation software was built into vehicles (rather a costly solution) and then it appeared in PDAs and other mobile devices at a more economic level.
This tiny unit is somewhat confusing as being so small the controls are multi purpose and therefore there is a learning curve. However it is more than a standard MP3 player.
Ultra Thin MXT Flat Panel Technology speakers for laptops, MP3 players and anything with a standard headphone socket.
Over the years I have owned various sets of portable speakers for walkmans, Minidisc players and MP3 players but now I was looking for a small, but powerful speaker package for my new laptop. I needed something that would fit nicely into a laptop bag, look the part (important for me) and of course, and most importantly, sound OK.
First it was cameras and now music seems to be taking over mobile phone devices.
It could be said, and I would not argue with the sentiment, that if you stand still
in the current mobile telephony sector then you might as well retire from the industry
as advancement come at apace. As a result hardly a day goes by without details
emerging of new phones and initiatives from different companies.
A small printer for printing photographs either from various card types, direct from the printer via (Pict Bridge) cable, from a PC via USB or even direct from a PDA or phone via Bluetooth.
In that list I did not mention standalone USB sticks or hard discs but they will normally work as well, using the Pict Bridge connector as the Photosmart 385 has a screen for selection of images, however some external devices can have a capacity two large for the internal memory to read so you are unlikely to be able to read a 5GB hard disc full or images. The printer is 21x12x11cm and weights only 1300 grams.
If the brand name is PIXMA then the product has to be from Canon.
In the case of the , this is a Canon All-in-One device that is capable of providing scan, copy and fax capabilities along with its prime function of colour printing. You also get ADF (Automatic Document Feed) functionality and the ability to print labels direct to CD/DVD media via a supplied add-on tray.
This is not something to eat, in the early summer LG launched their black phone, now in late summer their white phone and I understand later in the year a shocking pink one is to follow.
The White Chocolate offering is not large in size but does make control easy. While there is a manual the getting started sheet should enable most to get up and running. It is 9x4.5x1.5cm and weights well under 100grams. The back slides down 3.5cm to reveal a keypad. The right side has a proprietary USB socket under a bung along with the on/off and MP3/camera buttons.
Continuing his report on Acer, Michael Fereday takes a look at some of the companys less high-profile products.
Although notebooks are central to Acer's company strategy and responsible for a greater part of its success, the company does produce other types of kit that appeals to users. Desktop systems, servers, LCD monitors, high-definition television and cameras all play their part as do MP3 players; various bags for portable devices and the new Mnemonick device.
Fancy a Digital TV that will fit into a pocket? Well this offering from Evesham has a seven inch screen and given the right conditions can view any UK Digital TV station.
The Evesham Portable Digital TV is 20x13x2cm and weights just over 500grams, so a large pocket is a possibility. However when used in a house you get the full range of Digital Channels (Freeview) when plugged into a standard aerial socket via an adapter supplied with the unit. When using it with the supplied magnetic stick lead in the house only a few channels were available.
The Sony PSP has been around for a while now. Is it still likely to be top of the Christmas list this year? Well - it's top of mine at least.
Sony PlayStation on the move Is it a games console, a music player or a movie player? Yep - all of these, and probably a whole lot more. The (PSP) is quite a remarkable, to the extent that I wasn't even sure how to approach this review.
Michael Fereday joined journalists from around the world to hear about Acers latest results and new products. More to follow.
Acer has been sounding its own trumpet with recently posted results that put some of the others in the shade as Acer has shown a 35.7% growth in the Global PC market during the second quarter of 2006. This has resulted in Acer consolidating its overall 4 position worldwide in the PC market. This position rises to 3 when just notebooks are taken into consideration.
Yes the title is right, as some may know HP now own Compaq and whilst new models come out they are badged HP even though the identity says Compaq NX6325.
First the size, it is 32.5x26x4cm and weights 2.8kilos. The screen is 30.5x23cm giving the notional 15inch screen size. The left side has LAN port, VGA outlet, 2xUSB2 ports, microphone and headset outputs and PCMCIA and PC Express slots. The front has four small LED's and a single card slot that accepts probably the five most popular card types, SD/MMC/XD/SmartMedia and Memory Stick. The main one missing is Compact Flash/Micro Drive.
Skype seems to be the current flavour of the month as a new USRobotics product attempts to compliment the technology.
What with skyping and voiping (not actually sure whether either of these is a proper word -by spell checker has flagged both words as not being recognised, so no surprise there), the world of telephony is certainly undergoing a sea-change as new devices make their appearance. The latest such product to come under my gaze is a USB Telephone Adapter from USRobotics.
This is an All In One but not an inkjet, it is a laser unit, it can print in mono, it can copy in mono and scan in colour, however unlike a lot of laser All In Ones it is not huge in size or weight.
So first the dimensions it is 53x43x43cm and weights an amount easily moveable by an adult. The dimensions are maximum sizes as the top is larger than the base to accommodate the scanner. In fact it fits in a space often taken by one of it's inkjet brothers (no pun intended). As a printer this will print 28PPM of documents for as long as the 250 sheet paper tray has content.
Turning one port into seven certainly alleviates any USB access problems.
The original promise made with the introduction of the USB technology was that you would be able to daisy-chain up to 127 devices from a single port. During the many years that have passed since the launch of this technology and features such as "plug and play" (sometimes referred to as "plug and pray"), I have yet to see any USB products that enable you to daisy-chain other devices.
This is a cordless keyboard and mouse set from Logitech, however it contains a number of extras within the box.
This is described as the 'World's First Smart Desktop', well it is still a mouse and a keyboard but the mouse is not only cordless but it can sit in it's charging dock so it never needs to run out of power. The keyboard is much more than the standard 105 key offering.
A firm believer in all forms of protection, SOFTWIN has released a new version of its antivirus software.
Since its inception in 1990, SOFTWIN has developed into the leading European manufacturer of security solutions through its BitDefender range of products. Joining this family is BitDefender Antivirus 10 which is available as either a box product or a download from the web. This product provides protection from both virus attacks and the threat of Spyware.
The Phillips speakers are rated at 50 watts and described as Hi-Fidelity sound. With the sub-woofer tucked away the speakers are small enough to fit into most layouts.
I used these speakers not only on a PC and a notebook but also connecting a couple of MP3 players and I was not disappointed. The black wooden sub woofer box is 30x18.5x20cm with leads inserted, there are no controls on the front, in fact the rear has two built in leads for the remote control and the mains lead, also a single twist knob for the bass and a jack socket to take the leads from the speakers.
They do say You can't teach an old dog new tricks. Of course this is a generalisation that could not apply to you and me or maybe it could. I decided to put it to the test with myself in the role of the old dog.
Image courtesy of Apple Just how would an inveterate Windows user, such as myself, fare when confronted by an . After all with the close link up now existing between Apple and Intel, plus the recent arrival of Apple's bootcamp software that can create a dual-boot Mac/Windows system, it is perhaps the propitious time to check out how the other half lives in the world according to Steve Jobs.
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