GadgetSpeak Articles
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With different DVD formats available, it can be difficult deciding the type of media to use. Why not opt for a drive that supports all formats.
While new computer systems, whether of the desktop or notebook variety, generally arrive with a CD/DVD burner as standard, the drive will probably not support all the various formats available. With a choice of DVD+R, DVD-R and DVD-RAM, it is more than likely that the drive in residence will only be able to read / write two of the three formats. However there are drives available, normally referred to as a multi-drive, which can handle all three formats.
This is likely to be my last Dream Toys article for this year as items that have not arrived by now are unlikely to surface, here a handheld Sudoku game plus other Sudoku goodies from other sources.
With the proliferation of memory cards, the need for a multi-format card reader increases. The Integral USB 2.0 Multicard Reader is one solution.
Kodak are certainly a name in photography, no doubt most of our grandparents had or have a Box Brownie in their lofts. Now they are a company producing digital cameras.
This is described as a pocket camera, it is 9x5.5x2cm, the width expands to 5cm with the lens open. It weights just over 150grams. It has a huge 5x3.8cm TFT display but also does have a viewfinder, however this is close to the edge and I think you would soon prefer to use the display except in really bright light.
Viruses are not the only threat waiting to affect the unwary. Spyware also needs to be taken into consideration.
This is a reasonable 2.1 set of speakers with a built in amplifier and the ability to input sound from handheld devices such as an MP3 player. As yet I have not mentioned the big big plus.
Xara is well-known for creating fast, excellent graphics software. Its latest offering is put to the test.
Companies spent a fortune on 3G licences, are they now beginning to offer something that users will want, use, and dare I say, need?
Smile please. We are about to check out a digital camera from Pentax.
This HP inkjet printer is quite wide but the depth makes you think surely this cannot print A4 it does and for good measure its borderless, however this is also a rapid unit.
The is 45.5x32x17cm and this includes the power and USB leads inserted. Perhaps it's the lack of height that makes it appear small, certainly it would fit on most shelves without any problem. You only ever need access to the front. The paper sits in a drop down tray - face down - and is delivered face up on a shelf just above.
DVDs, video, music, images and television are the main ingredients of a media centre. They can all be found on a notebook from Acer.
Not just another bland PC in a tower case, I first saw a pre production sample six months ago, after much nagging from me I got a production model for a short loan recently.
Do you have the correct time? Whats the weather forecast? The answer to both these questions could be provided by a single Oregon Scientific device.
Its full name is Goodmans Personal MP3 / WMA Jukebox but I think my title tells you more using far less words. It is also a voice recorder.
Organising your digital photos need not cause too much trouble. One method could be to use Corel Photo Album 6.
Although this is a piece of electrical equipment it is not connected in any way to a PC. In fact it looks about the size of an older video recorder but it can store many hundreds of CDs
Acoustic Solutions are known for better quality Hi-Fi and amplifiers, here the all important chip is provided by 3GA. In fact 3GA and an annual event held in Cambridge for new innovations is the whole reason I knew about it. Two weeks ago a cold day in November saw me on a train to Cambridge at some horribly early hour.
Setting up a speaker system usually involves a plethora of wires. Saitek Audio believes a wireless approach is better.
A question that I have often asked of various speaker manufacturers is "When are we going to see products that make use of wireless technology?" Generally the initial response is a grin followed by silence. I then go on to complain about the difficulty of having wires cluttering up the place, adding to the possibility of causing an accident.
This is probably the most mature mapping package for the PC, now it even allows you to link yourself via GPS, just one of the new features for 2006.
Looking to increase the memory capacity of your digital camera, then Just Ram plc has a possible solution.
Not exactly what you would call a toy but it was on show on the Flair stand at Dream Toys 2005, so something for the much bigger boys and girls World Poker Tour, the Tournament Set and just for good measure their Professional Card Shuffler.
No one - I hope - is suggesting that you need more than a pack of cards or so to play poker. However whenever the word 'money' is mentioned things tend to get a little serious. So if you and your mates enjoy a game then why not have all the accoutrements of the professionals and the Tournament Set distributed by Flair has all that. It all comes in an metal case there are 300 real (11.
There are occasions when your portable device needs help with its audio output. Saitek Audio believes its a-200 speaker system could be the solution.
This is described as a waterproof DAB radio. Certainly it is ideal for use in a bathroom or other damp environment. The shape is novel with inbuilt handle and for good measure the sound is good as well.
The Pure Oasis DAB radio is truly portable, meaning you do not need mains, it's internal battery is capable of running it for more than twelve hours between charges. However I think you may think twice - unless you are into body building - about carrying it around while you go for a five mile walk. The dimensions are 15x14x22cm and it weights 2.6kilos. Easy enough to move - even for a child - but not something to hold for an hour or so.
Digital photos can easily take over your hard disk unless you take precautions by using software designed for the purpose.
A product that came out of Corels purchase of Paint Shop Pro around a year ago. Corel have enhanced it and - being Corel - have added extra value.
SatNav capabilities, MP3 music and digital image viewing come together with the Mio 269+.
Not perhaps the best of bedfellows but not all the manufacturers from Dream Toys sent the requested items. So while I had everything planned for what goes well with what
such is life.
Do you enjoy music on the move? Or perhaps your tastes run more to video. But have you considered how your choice of entertainment might affect others in the vicinity?
Entertainment on the move is gaining popularity at a pace. We have MP3 players;
notebooks with a DVD player as standard; and an ever-increasing number of hand-held
devices that can provide video playback capabilities. Where ever we go, music
and video is on hand to keep us entertainment. However this mobile entertainment
does require that we are considerate towards others who might be in earshot range.
This is a Multi Function Machine as opposed to an All In One simply as it also has a fax built in, so its a printer, scanner, copier and fax in a single unit.
To do a full software installation for the takes 850MB of hard disc space it is possible to do
a lesser install taking 400MB. I found the full install took around 20 minutes. HP Officejet 5610 The unit is somewhat bigger than some other similar (all in one) units at 44x46x21cm
with leads inserted. This - according to HP - is a business machine but it must be close
to home/SOHO as the price is reasonable.
As one of the two main means of interacting with your computer, the choice of keyboard is important. A new offering from Microsoft combines comfort and functionality.
Following the pattern of the last few years, the end of summer is marked by the arrival of several new offerings from Microsoft's consumer division. This year, as in previous years, hardware is well represented in the form of mice and keyboards. Microsoft has even come up with a new category of devices with its Comfort family which includes the Comfort Curve Keyboard 2000.
Assuming you cannot afford PhotoShop then your choice is possibly Paint Shop Pro or perhaps Adobe PhotoShop Elements will do all you require.
If your job is photo editing then you almost certainly use PhotoShop however if your hobby is photo editing then the extra cost may not reachable. Certainly PhotoShop Elements is a step towards the main product. However the learning curve is not as steep and it can be described as the consumers PhotoShop. Certainly the Organiser module works in such a way that others struggle to offer the same.
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