Reviewing kit, of whatever type (software, hardware, toys, kitchen equipment, etc.), can sometimes involve the need for additional resources.  For example to test a printer you will need plenty of paper; a flight simulator product cries out for a joystick as the preferred method of control; while electronic toys often arriving bearing the “Batteries not included” warning.  Generally supplying these resources is well within the scope of this reviewer.

The various titles making up the Mumbo-Jumbo developed Luxor series can justifiably claim to be the Number One selling action-puzzle franchise.  Since the launch of the original title, Luxor in 2005, this series has racked up 75 million downloads and this figure will no doubt increase with the arrival of the latest addition to the Luxor family.  This is Luxor – Quest for the Afterlife.

In the case of the Canon PIXMA MX700, this product has been designed to deliver fax, print and copy functionality to the small office or home environment.  Following the standard arrangement, the flatbed scanner unit is positioned on top of the inkjet printer.  Adding further to the height of the PIXMA MX700 is an ADF (Automatic Document Feed) unit.

Back in the early 1960s, before personal computers were not even a twinkle in the eye of manufacturers, mention Polaroid and you thoughts would probably turn to an instant camera that could capture and then produce a print of your image.  Since then technology has moved on and the Polaroid Instant Camera is no longer with us as digital rules the roost.  However the company has not given up on being involved in photo printing as can be seen with its Polaroid PoGo product.

In the past I have made my feelings clear regarding the over-whelming number of audio devices that have been developed to support the various types of iPod units without giving much thought to the many users of MP3 players.  Being a fan of MP3 music format myself, I am always on the look out for products that treat both formats on a more or less equal basis.  It has to be admitted that this is often a thankless tasks that generally ends in disappointment.

As with the original Peggle Deluxe, the follow-up title of Peggle Nights Deluxe takes the player to that mysterious location known as the Peggle Institute.  The Institute, for those who have not been there before, is the home of a super-intelligent group of characters that have achieved Peggle Master status.

The Nokia 5320 XpressMusic is a candy-bar style of handset.  Measuring 108 x 46 x 15mm and weighing 90g, the review sample of the Nokia 5320 is predominately black with a red trim around the handset’s body and the unit’s navigation pad.  A further touch of colour is present with the green and red phone keys for accepting and rejecting calls respectively. Taking over the top half of the unit is a 2-inch QVGA screen capable of displaying 16 million colours.

When it comes to honing your observation skills and improve your logical analysis what better role model to have than that of Sherlock Holmes.  This opportunity is offered to you with the remastered version of Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened.  Developed by Frogwares and published as a joint venture between Ascaron Entertainment and 93GAMES, this remastered version of a point and click adventure now features a new third-person view mode, improved graphics and an updated help system.

The FlashlightDVR (Digital Video Recorder) is a device developed by Swann, a company well versed in the production of security systems and devices.  With dimensions of 326 x 70 x 97mm (L x W x H) and weighing 730g when three C size batteries (not supplied) are on-board, the FlashlightDVR could well act as a weapon in some circumstances but this is definitely not its prime function.

Where all the world and its mother seems to be totally concentrating on do-it-all mobile phones, BT continues to provide units that require a landline connection and thus helps keep our communication costs down.  The latest BT landline model to come my way is the BT Verve 450.  This is a DECT phone which, like those bulky, old-fashioned phones I remember from my youth, is black in colour. As is usual with a DECT phone, the Verve 450 consists of a base station and the handset.

It all started with Atlantis Quest which, somehow, managed to escape my attention.  This title was followed by Rise of Atlantis, a game that held me captivated for many hours.  Now Playrix Entertainment has released the third title in this series.  This new game is entitled Call of Atlantis. Rather than stick to one type of game play, Call of Atlantis combines elements of Match-3, Hidden Objects and Adventure within its story line.

As part of its latest range of multi-function devices, combining print, scan and photocopy facilities, is the Lexmark X2650 model. This unit adopts a bread bin look with a two-tone (cream and light grey) colour scheme that is reasonably attractive. While its basic measurements are 43 x 31 x 17cm (W x D x H), you will require extra space when the paper input, up to 100 sheets, and output trays are extended at the rear and front respectively.

It has been said that many toys imitates real life. This reviewer just hopes that he is not involved in any imitation with regards to one aspect of this next product which is the Zero Gravity Micro racing car. While I am not a great fan of speed, it is other features of this car, as will become obvious a little later, is responsible for my point of view.

When you put together retro-styling with some modern day radio technology and an unexpected timing facility, then the result could well be a DAB radio from Dualit.  In this case the product is the Dualit DAB Lite Radio.  For those not too familiar with Dualit, this is a UK company that is better known for its kitchen equipment developed for commercial and home use.

In many cases a well laid out document in black and white is all that is required to get a message across to interested parties.  As a result monochrome printers, especially of the laser variety, have an important role to play in the creation of certain types of documents.  The Canon i-SENSYS LBP3360 falls into this category. Designed more to give a feeling of solidity rather than an overall stylish appearance, the LBP3360 is a boxed-shaped unit.

I must confess that until very recently I had never heard of Doro and I suspect that many others would be in the same situation.  So it is perhaps appropriate that I take a few moments to explain a little about the company.  Doro is a Swedish consumer electronics company with over 30 years experience in the field of telephony.  The company develops, markets and sells a wide range of products in more than 30 countries worldwide.

Those over a certain age must remember the Rubik Cube; after all over 350 million units have been sold since its introduction in the 1980s, well now we have a follow up product entitled the Revo.  At first glance this cube shaped device with coloured sides could easily be mistaken for a slightly larger, shimmering version of the original Rubik Cube.

As I have mentioned in the past, backing up your hard drive, even in the days when MBs and not GBs were the norm, could well involve long drawn out sessions with a propensity to raise frustration levels to great heights.  Nowadays you do not have that excuse for putting off the task of backing up your valuable data.  There are numerous products available that will carry out an automated backup on a user-defined schedule.  One such product is Drive Backup 9.0 from Paragon.

As part of the Hutchison Whampoa Limited family, 3 (the company responsible for launching the UK’s first 3G network offering national coverage for calls and text) has a habit of selecting slightly unusual locations when launching its various products.

According to popular legend, when the number belongs to a bus, you will have just missed it with several more only due to appear after a lengthy interval.  If the number concerns your salary then it is never large enough to satisfy your hoped for standard of living.  With phone models it can indicate a multitude of features such as those found on the Nokia N78. This particular handset is a 3G Smartphone that adopts the candy bar style.

The Blackbox Micro is an audio system consisting of a single speaker that lives up o its name in most respects. For a start it is box-shaped and is almost completely black in colour. Admittedly one face of the box does feature a reddish orange pad but as that is on the side which rests of whatever surface is being used, it does not spoil the illusion. I was going to say that you do not really notice it but, in fact, you do – more on that aspect a little later.

Transferring files from one computer to another used to be a time consuming and user intensive operation as floppy disks were filled with data that could then be copied to the second system. Nowadays with wireless networks dominating the home environment, the task is far simpler and quicker. However not everybody has a network or maybe the transfer operation involves copying to a new computer before it is integrated into a network.

The recent purchase of Xara by Magix has seen both companies continue to develop their own products for the benefit of the user. However this purchase has also allowed Magix access to the technology behind Xara’s graphics software. One result of this can be seen with Magix’s Xtreme Photo & Graphic Designer 2 title which not only includes the technology but also the name of Xara’s Xtreme product.

This offering will provide subscription free access to satellite delivered television channels and services without the need to tie a customer to a contract.  Currently the Freesat offering stands at 80 channels featuring those available via Freeview with one or two extra morsels.  While this is subscription-free, some expense will be necessary in order to receive this service.  For a start you will need a Freesat digital box or a television with built-in Freesat capability.

Some games immediate grab your attention and hold you enthralled while others have the ability to creep up on you as they keep drawing you back for one more attempt.  Spooky Spirits falls into the latter category especially if you enjoy the challenge of solving puzzles in order to proceed to the next level.   Developed by Legendo, Spooky Spirits, as its title indicates, has a strong Halloween theme as various spirit-world creatures roam the Earth.

Why, when you probably have a mobile phone that is capable of capturing video clips as part of its functionality, would you also want to weigh yourself down by carrying a camcorder? Two obvious reasons immediately spring to mind. These are ease of use and image quality. Both of these attributes form part of the concept behind the Flip Video Ultra camcorder from the appropriately named Flip Video UK Ltd.