Publication History For : Paul Smart
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I seem to be in a run of laser units at present. This time not a colour unit, so here a workhorse unit designed for quick, efficient printing with a high standard of finish without problems, as seems essential today you can still copy and scan.
The HP Mono Laser M125nw measures 41x39x25cm, the middle figure is with A4 loaded in the paper input tray. The front right of the unit has an 18x7cm control panel that has twelve buttons and a 6x1cm display, the whole panel flips up from the top to show at up to 45 degrees from its normal vertical position level with the front of the unit. Whatever the position you use it in it is within the overall dimensions of the unit as the paper input tray juts out 11cm from the front of the unit.
An expression you do not hear often today, but the quality photography within them makes them such items, however they also contain the means for you to improve your image capturing and with practice your photos can be almost as good.
The photographer in question is Sandra Petrowitz and she has travelled over vast portions of the world, the images within the book will at least make you want to visit at least some of the places shown. The book is 25x20cm and has 228 pages a good number of the images are full page without borders. There are 25 chapters and most are less than ten pages.
This is an Android device that will fit in a larger pocket. It has one huge difference in that it can only be used in portrait mode as there is no way to flip the screen into landscape mode. This may or may not matter but it is certainly different.
The Prestigio Multipad 4 measures 20x13.7x.7cm and weights 408grams. The viewable screen is 16x12cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of a tad under 8inches at 7.85 inches. The screen resolution is 768x1024. It comes with Android 4.2.1 I see from the link at the end that Kit Kat 4.
The PowerShot range from Canon has lost its bulk now they come with a solid battery, so it will easily fit into a pocket, do not however fall into the trap of thinking this is not a powerful unit. It can take excellent pictures with little input from you.
The Canon PowerShot S120 measures 10x5.5x2.7cm the latter when off this figure can increase by 3cm when fully zoomed, it weights 216grams. A lot of novices get put off if the unit has a lot of buttons, they will like this as it has only four – apart from the ubiquitous five position joystick – on the back. The left side has an inset flip button for the pop up flash while the right side has a door behind which are connections for Digital and mini HDMI out.
I have looked at several home monitor solutions here is a very well priced solution and it is easy to setup and install. So for added security at a low price this solution from Y-Cam could well be at a price that cannot be turned down.
The camera is 8.5x8.5x3cm and comes with an adjustable bracket whick will increase the last figure to 8cm if wall mounted. The bracket is ‘L’ shaped 8cm tall 7cm wide and 6cm deep. It is supplied with two screws and rawplugs so can be mounted into walls or door frames. This is an indoor unit and needs mains power. The lead provided is 2.
Here I am looking at a board game that has had several incarnations over the years it is suitable for 8-88 years olds. Second a game also a reincarnation suitable for the same age groups but I think far younger will enjoy the dough.
This is a game where you are a high powered corporate trader. There are two versions of this game Apprentice and Executive. The Apprentice is of course the more basic version. The object of the basic version is to form companies and then sell them and also trade brands to other players the object is to reach a Billion. The Executive game adds takeovers and that allows more strategy. It is played on a 45cm round board that has a total of 24 squares around the outside.
I saw these items at a retro event showing lots of items from Brauns past and also an exhibition of specially commissioned posters in a trendy setting of a furniture showroom. The Trimmer was available to take away the chance to review the shaver followed later.
While at the event I said to a journalist I have known for years what use is shaver to you as he has always had a beard, his answer was it still needs to be trimmed. Indeed this is of course true and this offering from Brawn could be the answer. This is 15cm long including the head and shaped like a pen, the thickest bit is in the centre where the single ‘AAA’ battery sits behind a pull apart section.
With a lot of people downloading everything I rarely get the chance to review few audio systems with a CD now. While the number of us still buying media is falling we are still a substantial part of the market and CDs need to be played.
While my own unit is smaller in width the total size of this includes the speakers so with everyone having less space for everything this could make an extremely good multi-unit. It is 34x20x11cm, the middle figure is with leads inserted in the rear. The only other requirement is for the built in five piece rod aerial that rises 68cm when fully extended. On first switch on make sure the rod aerial is extended and it should Auto tune for DAB in my case it finds 67 stations very quickly.
Colour lasers are no longer huge, they are no longer that expensive and they print colour at 25% of the speed that mono pages do. In fact the other half could even be happy as it can connect wirelessly so does not need to be in sight.
It is 40x42x31cm no further space is required as the output tray is within those figures. The only thing that protrudes from the bulk of the unit is the input tray at the base by 8cm and I have included that in the overall dimensions. It weights 14kilos. It is ready to work 20seconds after switch on. A 3second push on the on/off button is required to turn it off. All the connections are in a vertical line back right, that is AC power, Ethernet, USB and phone line.
The first a smaller version of the USB dongle I reviewed last year, this one less likely to protrude excessively. Second a large capacity USB stick that has lack of overall size as the connection to the port is interior rather than exterior. The last is a simple thing for a simple job.
If there was a drawback to the AC 1200 reviewed in November it was possibly when moving a notebook around the larger size could possibly cause difficulties. Size or rather the lack of it is both the plus and minus points for this excellent unit. Size is not that important when used in a static unit with lots of free USB ports, size is vital on a notebook or laptop with limited ports available.
I have reviewed a number of large DAB units, a few units that can be considered audio systems but I think only two units previously that are small enough to move out and about without the tether of a mains lead connected.
This is both a DAB and FM unit. It is 16x9.5x3.5cm this figure is without leads inserted into mains input or optional earbud/headphone output or the six piece 67cm total height aerial extended. It is mains or battery powered the latter by four ‘AA’ batteries. I tried both standard and rechargeable units without problem. It was possible to charge the latter in situ by using a tiny flip switch in the battery bay. The left side has a line of three sockets. USB for firmware updates, 3.
A set of not that heavy on ear headphones. A novel touch that you notice immediately is the slim red and blue rings that sit in the centre of each earpiece to help you decide which way the earpieces fit without looking for the little L.
They are 18cm from base of earpieces to the top of the headband. There is 2.5cm of expansion on each side of the band so these should suit all but the largest of heads. The total weight is just 200grams. The lead is hardwired into the base of the left earpiece. 15cm down the 1.4metre length is the phone answer silvered toggle. The lead is round and rubber, the 3.5mm plug is of course gold plated.
The Pentax K3 is a weighty and powerful 24M pixel DSLR unit. I was sent the body and a 18-135mm lens. It went on my various journeys for several weeks, so not only did I get my normal range of test shots but some interesting Landscape offerings.
The K3 measures 13x9.5x15cm the last figure with the lens fully in, add another 6cm for fully zoomed out, surely a situation that should be used very rarely and then only when mounted on a weighty tripod. The camera and lens weight is 1250 grams. The right side has neck strap anchor point and below this a flip door that hides two SD card slots. Below this a rubberised door to take (optional) DC power.
The Tablet Tail is also called a Monkey Kit useful to hold your Android or IOS device in a viewable position. Parrot Flower Power is a device to stick in the soil near your plant and it will notify wirelessly when it needs watering or is too hot or cold.
This is in fact two items in one. First a suction device to fit onto the rear of a Tablet or large Smartphone or IOS device. Second a long bendable tail much like a monkeys that can be used in similar way to grip onto things that otherwise would require more permanent fixings. First the suction device it is circular at 9cm across and around 4.5deep. It has 5cm rounded strip that you depress to remove the air once attached.
Paragon & You Cam
Published in Software
on
14 Feb 2014
Two software packages, first one to do backups and even duplicate your hard drive. Second one that works with your Web Cam lots of notebooks and laptops come with version 3.5 which was fun, this however is version 6 that does far more.
A lot of items are now only available via downloads and this is one. While it may still be in the shops only the download is available for review. This version supports Windows 8 and the various tools even appear as separate icons in Windows 8 style when used on a Windows 8 system. It is also able to support the very latest Windows 8.1. I also tested on Windows 7. I am told – although I did not test it – that it supports Server 2012 R2 and VMware’s ESX hypervisor.
Certainly a unit to be considered as a Desktop replacement, it is large and heavy and for me anyway does not sit comfortably on the lap. It is however very fast and powerful. One feature I have not come across previously a yellow lid.
The Gigabyte P25 measures 39x26x4.5cm, the last figure at the back which narrows to only 1cm at the front, it weights a mighty 2.74kilos. The viewable screen is 34x19.5cm and the notional diagonal imperial measurement is 15.4inches, the screen resolution is full HD 1920x1080. The screen goes back 45degrees beyond vertical. There is a built in webcam. The edge of the screen is silvered and the screen surround is grey rather than black and joy or joys has a matt finish.
Often such devices fail after a few feet, here is one I could leave my lounge, move to front door and then out into the street. Now that is what I call Wi-Fi and unlike some that only work for things with a 3.5mm jack these will work with RCA jacks as well.
They are lightweight at only 252grams, the size is not huge considering they are over ear offerings at 18cm from base to top and 17cm at the widest point. Each arm has 3.5cm of expansion. The expansion joint is also where the earpieces can collapse to enable them becoming smaller for transportation. Total size is 15x10cm. It is possible to use them as standard headphones with a 3.5mm lead plugging into the base of the left earpiece.
Deezer and MobiData
Published in Misc
on
9 Feb 2014
First Deezer a free streaming service most will have heard of but it can for a fee offer far more and its rather good. Second a SIM for those who just require Mobile Data or for those with dual SIM units at a very good price.
If like me Deezer is on a long list of things to try – when you have a moment – you may not have done so. A chance to visit somewhere I have not been for a very long time enticed me. The more I use Deezer the more useful I find it. As regular readers will know my passion is Jazz and most services of this sort seem to think Jazz starts with Miles Davis and ends with Dave Brubeck, both excellent artists but it has a lot more to offer.
I first saw some Sonos speakers around eight years ago, great sound but very expensive and only at that time for Apple. Over the years they have become more affordable and now useable with Apple, PC, Android and IOS.
I was sent two Play 1 speakers and a Bridge but you can work with just a single Play 1 unit. Setup should be straightforward and the supplied Quick Start Guide lists just four things to do. The one thing you need to download is a controller app and this varies according to which of the four device categories you are using it with. I downloaded one for PC around 10MB and one for Android around 7.5MB but iPhone and iPad (different controllers) or MAC are also available.
A while ago I told you about Philips Hue lights which change to any colour and intensity you want using an IOS App. Now a link up with Disney and various story books linked to a Philips Hue Mickey Mouse light that works in a similar way.
Mickey consists of a 13.5cm round face with a Philips Hue bulb fitted behind it in a sealed unit. His ears are plain black rubber and circular at 7cm across. The rear of the fitting is red and angled top fit on a wall of fitment to be looking down at the child. The DC connection is hard wired into the back with a small inclusion in the base to let the wire track away a push in connector comes after 40cm so it can be disconnected by a parent.
Until now budget in the Smartphone market meant at least £200 and probably more. Here is one that launched SIM free at £139 or less. So does the new Moto G have it all at a price far less than others have offerings in the market?
I have been using the Motorola Moto-G for the last couple of months and I can say it probably is the best budget phone around at the start of 2014. It runs Android 4.3 but the promised upgrade to Android 4.4 Kit-Kat is due very soon. It upgraded on my phone on the 15 January. The phone measures 12.5x6.5x and even with a case attached weighs less than 174g.
On this occasion both sets are available at almost the same price. Both have wired connections so have at least two things in common. So would I prefer the Giotech EX-06 or the Nine Audio Vega, read on to find which my ears preferred.
When closed the headphones are 21cm from top to the base of the over ear cups, each arm has 3cm of movement. The total weight is 246grams. Each earpiece can rotate by 90degrees forward to enable easier storage. The headband is well padded useful if like me you are folicly challenged. More unusally the top part of the earpiece moves inwards by around 15degrees to accommodate all shapes of heads. The 1metre long lead has standard 3.
During the time I had this unit my own oven and grill remained unused. Often today with small flats/bedsits there is no real kitchen, people make do with a microwave but for little more than that size you can have the Samsung MC32F606TCT.
So what is this multiple unit, well it is a Microwave, an Oven, a Grill, a Convection Oven and for good measure it can ferment dough and even yogurt. It is 52x47x29cm. The oven door opens downwards to form a flat surface in front of the oven which allows you to remove things to check the cooking process and turn items etc. The oven itself is 33x34x20cm and this contains a circular glass turntable plate 33cm across.
Colour Lasers used to cost a lot and were also rather big. The next problem was that colour pages printed at only 25% of the speed of monochrome ones. Now all that has been solved with a unit little larger than an inkjet offering.
It is 44x44x39cm and weights 23kilos. These figures include the inbuilt paper tray and printed output is also within these figures. This is a four in one offering as it has print, copy, scan and fax, however it will also print from IOS or Android devices remotely via the web and locally. It is a touch control unit and the only button is on/off which is found quite low down on the front towards the right side.
I have looked at several devices that record onto SD and Micro SD cards. This is the first such device supplied with a recorder unit. This should therefore give better quality results and therefore provide you with better evidence.
The recorder box is 23x19x4cm with cables inserted. The supplied camera is 16x5.5x5cm. This kit provides everything you require and as a kit you get two manuals one for the security camera and one for the recorder unit. If you need more than one camera it can be supplied with two, three or four cameras.
First from Sony something of a lightweight offering so maybe ideal to take with you out and about the a set of headphones designed to go in an audio outlet for studio quality units but unscrew it and you have a 3.5mm jack.
These are described as Monitor Headphones and are on-ear design. The lead is of the flat type favoured by a lot of recent earbud offerings as it is less likely to knot up. The lead like the headphones are red, 30cm to the point where the leads from each ear link to form a single cable and then .8metre to the ‘L’ shaped 3.5mm plug.
This is as you may guess from the name a 24inch panel. I have yet to look at any offering from AOC that I would not be happy to put on my desk and use daily and this offering is no exception, a well-made unit with excellent response.
The screen is 54x36x1.5cm the latter at the edges. It sits on a 23cm circular base which raises the screen on a telescopic arm between 2 and 15cm. The viewable screen is 51x32cm which gives the notional diagonal imperial measurement of 24inches. There is a protruding lip on the rear about 7cm above the base of the screen and this has all the possible connections pointing down so nothing extends outwards and everything is retained within the units dimensions.
The thing that enticed me to look at Roku 3 was its ability to stream sound so that you can have no sound from your TV and still hear sound through the ROKU 3 unit to headphones or earbuds, ideal for those who dont want to disturb others.
I have not seen either the Roku 1 or Roku 2 which I understand are still available. You will need to purchase an HDMI cable to connect the small 8x8x2.5cm box to a port on you TV. It comes with a small power brick – 1.5metre lead – that also connects to the Roku 3 box. Both these connections are on the rear of the box split by an Ethernet connector – you can also connect via Wi-Fi - below the HDMI connector is a Micro USB port.
This can be lighter than an Android Tablet, however it runs Windows 8.1. The transformer part is a near full size detachable keyboard so all your Windows programs should run and it comes with Microsoft Office installed.
The Asus Transformer Pad T100 measures 26x18x1cm at the front, this increases by .5cm at the rear. It weights 1106grams with keyboard and 516grams without it. While the keyboard supplied is ‘near full size’ the individual keys are 1.4x1.1cm each with .1cm between keys and you may struggle to be a fast typist on it. It has 84keys with the top row of keys being only 1.2x.8cm. There is a 7.6x4.1cm trackpad mounted 8.4cm from the left and 10cm from the right. The viewable screen is 22.
Pigs & Tap
Published in Misc
on
19 Jan 2014
If anyone can guess what these two items are from the title you are clever. The first came from the Gadget Show in November and the second is another USB item but not from Hong Kong where a lot of these items come from - but the UK.
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