GadgetSpeak Articles
GadgetSpeak has close to 5,000 product reviews and other articles. You can use this page to find others opinions on anything from mobile phones to computers to the latest kitchen appliance
I recently looked at the Zire21 a monochrome entry level PDA, here it is the Zire31 this is colour, it is backlit and has expansion both of which the Zire21 did not have. The price for these extras is only around another £30.
A new digital accessory from Fujifilm could be said to have a split personality. Although entitled xD-MP3, this device combines the features of a memory card reader and pen drive with its main function of being an MP3 player.
Whether you call them an All-in-One or Multi-function device, the role is generally the same. Print, copy and scan features are integrated into a single package. Lexmark, preferring the All-in-One designation, has recently added the X1180 to its product portfolio.
Lexmark's new "All-in-One" kid on the block, the X1180, bears a
remarkable similarity to the company's earlier X1150 model. This is not
altogether surprising as the X1180 will replace the X1150 and the only
way to distinguish visually between the two is to check the model
number on the scanner lid. Decked out in grey over black livery, the
X1180 measures 44 x 30.5cm (W x D) at the top and then tapers down to
44 x 26.5cm at the base.
Having a copier, printer and scanner all in one is something that certainly saves space. Can such a device be a jack of all trades or would it be second best at all, as the saying goes master of none.
Lets get my bugbear aired to begin with, no inkjet printer ever prints the stated number of pages per minute. If you want 'x' pages a minute then use a laser printer as that's the only way you will reach expectations. Even if you print short 200 word pages in draft mode you will be lucky to get much above half the claimed PPM. It is 42x31x12cm when sitting there looking inviting, put the unused paper in the tray (face forward) and the 12cm becomes 25cm.
One of Adobes major products is Acrobat, almost all of us will have a copy of three of the Acrobat Reader that is mostly bundled with applications as it saves the manufacturers printing expensive manuals.
Whichever camp you are in regarding printed manuals they are few and very far between nowadays. However Acrobat creates the PDF files we all read when the hardware or software does not work correctly, it costs a lot of money and is not really an option for the small creator. There are a number of clone applications out there and ScanSoft - more famous for scanning software - produce one of the best.
Contrary to what some people think there are other Office products apart from Microsoft Office. Some are shareware others are often bundled but it does not make them inferior, just less appreciated.
There are lots of mouse products around, some from people like Microsoft that sell on name, others sell only on price. However there is another category those that are, or do, something different.
The name may make you think this is something to be avoided, on the contrary it is certainly something to be experienced. The only clue I will give here is that its manufactured by Imagination Technologies.
A nice idea, available elsewhere when you purchase separate programs. This incarnation is easy to use and does just what it says it reads your words to you, this is text to speech software.
If you have trouble reading your own scrawl after a hasty note-taking session then perhaps you should consider a voice recorder as an alternative method.
A review of the Garmin Forerunner 201 GPS running/cycling/walking training companion...
My latest gadget acquisition is a fantastic piece of kit - the . Garmin Forerunner 201 This is a 'watch' that works as a virtual training partner using GPS technology to plot and monitor speed/distance/time. It is designed for cyclists/runners and enables accurate plotting of distances and times.
Perhaps not the most informative title but thats what its called. There is a radio but thats only a very small part of the whole package, and indeed also the weakest bit.
If you shave your face and head this is a hit!!!!!
OK so at the risk of appearing 'over-gay' (Sky One trash tv expression) i bought at the weekend a new electric razor/hair clipper combo and it's great! i bought a Scherna 3 in 1 cordless gizmo. It comes with a power handle that you attach one of three heads to for either shaving (a double foil) currting hair (a diamond sharpened clipper) or trimming a beard/moustache (trimmer).
We have just launched the WAP and WEBsite www.10secfilmfest.com a free festival for all who have an urge to be creative and have a passion for gadgets that can take video, the site has been established to recognise all the new talent that is springing up and give people somewhere to go apart from vodafone live, or Mymotomovies,etc, etc. Very keen on anyone's thoughts, opinions etc as you are a big part of our audience so you are the best people to ask!
PEEG is a neuro technology system which induces brainwaves that help to relieve stress and uneasiness. It also lead to deep sleep, well-balanced mind and body. It gives you a chance to improve your competence and performance as well.
In this case a utility is certainly a gadget as without it all my information would not be able to be read on a PDA. A small task perhaps but vital so this utility is a gadget to move my vital information.
Two different companies, two different cameras, both producing excellent images, about the only thing they have in common is that they both use the XD card format. The knowledgeable reader will now know which two companies.
The Nova range of TV cards both PCI and USB are not brand new but the current deal with ShowShifter is. So new that the two elements are priced in different currencies.
This is certainly a large notebook, and as such you would not need frequent visits to the gym if you carry it around a lot. However it is a genuine desktop PC replacement.
The nx9110 is
3.65kilos but has everything built in. The dimensions are 36x28x4.5cm
and the screen is 38cm wxga (1280x800) in 32bit colour. The ATI 128MB
mobility Radeon video is quite capable of driving an external screen as
well. This notebook has
512MB of RAM with a 60GB (55.8GB) hard disc and a P4 3.2GHz processor.
There is a DVD+RW drive (reads CD's fine) and 16bit sound.
Why buy a photo manipulation package when so many pieces of hardware come with one for free? In most cases these will be lite or SE versions that have restricted in some way or other use.
A handheld unit for considerably less than the psychological £100 price barrier puts this unit almost into the impulse buy sector. Is it a true handheld or simply a toy?
Space or lack of it makes a multi function unit almost essential. Having a scanner a copier and a printer all in the space normally required for just one device makes this a Soho users delight.
This radio is both DAB and FM. It looks solid as indeed it needs to be if it is to be used in the kitchen and during a substantial part of my tests that is exactly where I used it.
I have been a fan of
DAB (Digital Audio Broadcasting) radio ever since the early days when
the only receivers available were PCI cards, you needed a good aerial
and this probably meant something in the loft. Now a normal telescopic
rod aerial should be enough providing the area you live in has
reasonable DAB reception. A quick check atwww.ukdigitalradio.com should tell you.
My new 'modern' laptop doesn't come with keyboard, serial or parallel connectors and so I've reluctantly had to retire my excellent Epson keyboard (for now at least) after 10 years good service.
To my mind this is exactly what the mobile user needs, a Tablet PC when on the move and a Notebook PC with keyboard when sitting down, both products in one unit.
A good multi function machine can be the answer for those of us with limited space. Printing, scanning, copying and even faxing are all possible with the Canon SmartBase MP390.
My move over to the Palm platform with Sony's Clie TH55. First Impressions after one week out of the box
If like me you have more SCART devices than sockets on your TV then this device is for you. If like me you have a bad back contorting yourself to insert SCART leads is not high on your list of joyful experiences then again this device is for you.
Even video recorders come with SCART sockets these days, not to
mention DVD players, Digital TV boxes, Cable TV boxes, Camcorders and
of course all those gaming systems. If you have a recent TV then you
may have two SCART sockets, more likely it is only one. This black box is 18.5x7.5x3cm, on one end is the power adaptor
input. The top has five SCART plugs.
Now much as I love my PDA it does have its irritating moments - like loosing that little pen and having to use the end of a Biro. So imagine my pleasure at being introduced to the new world of the digital pen!
Now much as I love my PDA it does have its irritating moments. Like
loosing that little pen and having to use the end of a biro. Then
there's the having to concentrate on finding those tiny letters or
learning Graffiti. Or when the screen has to be 'reset' because it has
lost all notion of what my pen is up to! So you can imagine my pleasure at being introduced to the digital pen when TalkGadgets sent me to meet Edward Belgeonne of .
The only way to get a copy of XP with Media Centre additions is pre installed from a manufacturer, here I am looking at one such offering from Hewlett Packard.
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