Publication History For : Paul Smart
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A colour laser printer with an RRP of less than £200 surely is worthy of further investigation. The size is not that large something that earlier printers could not say and it prints quite quickly without colour pages printing at ¼ speed.
The Canon i-SENSYS LBP 5050n is 38x4325cm and as printed pages are delivered face down on the top of the unit no extra space is required. It weights around 18kilos so should be easily moveable if required. When I removed it from the box I noticed there is a cardboard sling that makes removing it easy.
Screwdriver and Torch
Published in Misc
on
14 June 2009
Not one item but two, first a battery powered screwdriver from Black and Decker and second a nice powerful USB torch from Brando in Hong Kong and as you would expect it does have another function, read on to find out what.
Apart from a very heavy Dell (purchased second hand) my first 17inch monitor was the then new Flatron brand. It still touch wood works on my Windows ME system that still performs, this is of course smaller lighter and has a much larger display area.
This LG Flatron W2261V-PF 22inch Flat Panel measures 39x52x18cm when vertical sitting on the oval stand. The screen surround is 52x30cm with the display area 47x27cm giving the notional 21.5inch diagonal measurement. This is a 1080P widescreen unit capable of displaying 1920x1080 but perhaps more important when used with a notebook it can display far lesser resolutions well without the text or images looking strange.
This is one of two small HD camcorders (mobile phone size) that I am looking at. So as part of my reviews I take some clips at local gigs and then send links to the clips to the musicians, whom I ask which is better and why.
I have previously reviewed a couple of the ‘Flip’ models who both took images at lesser resolution. This is the first pocket camcorder I have reviewed that takes movies in HD. It is 10.5x5.5x2cm and it weights 135grams. It is marketed with a You Tube logo on the face and indeed should you want to share videos with the world then this would work however if your efforts are for friends and family there is another way via Vimeo.
If it isnt broke dont mend it does not seem to apply to the highly successful range of Ixus cameras. I have reviewed several and numerous things are in different places in fact it looks quiet different to earlier models.
I suppose change had to happen as the wide screen mode alters the form factor it is still small and powerful but the shape has changed. It is 9.5x5x1.5 when the lens is fully extended this adds 2cm to the last figure. The weight is 160 grams. Mine had a powder blue face but they are available in a range of colours. The right side has a door covering the HDMI and A/V out sockets as well as a very trendy looking wrist strap anchor point.
This product concentrates on the Driving Theory Test. It is a product that runs on the Nintendo DS Lite. Some readers may know that many years ago before the theory test I used to be a driving instructor. Then of course all this was the Highway Code section after the practical test.
As with most Nintendo DS products you get a 13x12x2cm case with in this case the module that fits in your DS Lite and some documentation. This includes a sixteen page manual and a proof of purchase leaflet that entitles you to your first driving lesson free via Insert the 2.5x2cm module and switch your DS Lite on.
Here I am looking at a high end set of earbuds where an impression of your ear is taken to get an exact fit. The second is a rather natty set of headphones that work rather well even when out and about.
These are rather good earbuds and are sold for ‘Apple’ people mainly. We are talking musician’s type earbuds and indeed this company make special noise reducing ones for musicians. They are very light at less than 40 grams and come with a standard 3.5mm jack and a 1.2metre lead. There are three types of eartips in the box, two different sizes of three shields and a set of the foam ones.
This is a touch screen phone (no keyboard) but for those whose handwriting is better than mine almost everything can be written using the provided stylus, however there is a soft keypad for people like me.
The KP500 mobile phone from LG, also referred to as 'Cookie' measures 10.5x5.5x1cm and weights less than 90grams. Mine was black with a metallic grey strip around the edge. The face has a 6.5x4cm screen. The 140 page User Guide is very comprehensive. The face of the unit has three buttons below the screen. The right side has the insertion point for the 5cm long stylus that expands to 7.5cm for easier writing this unusually for a stylus goes horizontally along the base of the unit.
Having recently reviewed a number of small and light notebooks this is somewhat of a culture shock. In fact a doubt anyone without personal transport would ever think of it as a notebook more of a desktop replacement.
Brando and Varta
Published in Misc
on
31 May 2009
First a device that allows you to charge up to five USB devices from a single 13amp socket. Second two AA and two AAA rechargeable batteries from Vatra, they come with a Free dual recharger unit.
It has 6.5x7x3.5cm visible when plugged into a 13amp socket. The front shows 4 USB slots, however remove the outer sleeve and a micro USB is reviewed on the end of 65cm of cable that is wound round the body and clips into a storage bay. So now a single 13amp socket is capable of charging five USB devices simultaneously. The load can be up to 3000mA distributed among the four female ports and the mini B connector.
I first saw this unit last autumn and then one of those black hole moments happened and my review vanished - around the same time as a 2GB SD card without all the photos backed up but now the panel is with me again.
For such a large unit the HannsG HG281 is not heavy nor even that large at 67x50x13cm this includes the stand that raises the screen 8cm above whatever it is sitting on. The screen rotates around 20degrees left and right. The inner screen dimensions are 60x38cm giving the notional diagonal measurement of 27.5inches. The units weight is a tad under 11 kilos so easily moveable for all but a child.
Around ten days ago (18-05-09) I told you about a method to expand your desktop via a second monitor that offering was from Lindy, here another such unit this time from Kensington who are perhaps better known for Mice.
The Kensington Dual Monitor Adapter measures 9x5.5x1.5cm. There are just two connections a DVI one on one end and a small USB one on the other. Do not worry if you have a VGA connection as a 5.5x4x1.5cm DVI to VGA connector is provided. A 90cm USB to small USB lead is provided. There is a small eleven language Instruction Guide of which the first nine pages are in English and it is well illustrated and should be enough to get you up and running.
With most All In One or Multi Function units coming with bundled OCR software, is there still a place for a standalone suite not tied to a scanner. For any user who takes time to train for near perfect results the answer is yes.
This is in fact more than just ReadIris as it has other items included the most useful is likely to be CardIris that can scan, read and store information from business cards. I installed everything and ten minutes and three installations later I was 2100MB of hard disc space down.
Here I am looking at Kitchen Scales and an Electric Carving Knife from a chef (Antony Worrall Thompson) who graces the TV screens but as far as I know does not throw tantrums that a number of other celebrity chefs do.
The scale is 21x18x4cm and weights 44ograms. The weighing table is 17x13.5cm and is the left portion of the unit. The scale is powered by two ‘AAA’ batteries (supplied) that fit in the base. Interestingly it looks as if the scale was designed for four battery operation as the area behind the door is laid out for two rows of two batteries but contacts have only been provided for one. There are three round buttons below the 4.
I first heard about this on a TV program, found the link and arranged to try one. Things do not always go to plan and this certainly was one of those occasions.
This is a digital camera small enough to fit in the palm of your hand. Size however is no barrier to the number of mega pixels or the optical zoom it can produce, but before you jump to buy the largest zoom and the biggest mega pixel you need to qualify the image quality.
The FujiFilm Finepix F200 EXR measures 9.5x6x3cm and weights 192grams. Mine was black and silver. This unit has a huge TFT screen that at 6x4.5cm totally dominates the back of the unit. Squeezed in the remaining space on the back is a wheel the ubiquitous five position joystick and four small touch buttons. The left side is bare; the right side has a door covering the USB, HD and A/V outlet as well as wrist strap anchor point.
Want a second monitor/panel but no connection is available then perhaps the solution could be this little unit from Lindy. Assuming you have enough USB ports you can connect up to six adapters to a single PC.
In the box you get the USB to DVI-I Adapter plus a DVI to VGA converter and a 1metre USB lead together with a six side User Manual and a CD-ROM. The adapter is 10x6x2cm. The installation – in my case anyway – is fairly quick to install the files but then comes up with a message ‘searching’ and this takes at least five minutes before it changes to say installation complete. You then need to reboot.
Two Winners From Brando
Published in Laptops/PCs/Apple
on
17 May 2009
Over the last couple of years I have reviewed quite a number of items from these clever people in Hong Kong. Here I am looking at two of their best, first a three port hub and four socket card reader, second a bilingual speaking calculator.
Anyone who can follow a receipt can make bread successfully with a decent bread making machine as it does all the kneading, proving and cooking it will then even keep it warm for you to eat when ready.
There are two tantalising smells freshly brewed coffee and freshly baked bread, either will get most happily out of bed in the morning. The Antony Worrall Thompson (AWT) breadmaker from Breville measures a maximum of 41x27x30cm with the right hand part where the controls are being somewhat less. There is a hard wired power lead emerging from the bottom back right, above this are a couple of protrusions to allow you to wrap the 1.2metre lead around when not in use.
This is a multi function unit (as it has fax capabilities) but it can be used in a more normal on/off mode that certain of these types of units cannot. It is cream with a black top and sad to say even with the ADF folded it has no chance of passing the lounge police.
The Canon Pixma MX330 measures 44x50x20cm and is cream/black. I am always puzzled why manufacturers still bring out multi function (as opposed at All In One) models out for the home market as I know very few people who still use the fax function. First the print speeds. I normally use the Custom mode adjusted to fast as the timing method but here there is also a fast mode and in my tests this was just as fast as the custom mode but gave a nearer black image.
Two mice from Kensington, first the SlimBlade Media Mouse ideal for those out of office moments. Second the SlimBlade Trackball Mouse that has the box claim finally a mouse that works everywhere
This is a USB wireless mouse but amazingly ‘slim’ so certainly for mouse anyway SlimBlade is a good name. The Kensington SlimBlade media mouse measures 10.5x6x2.5cm, shiny black with grey rubberised sides. The face looks almost conventional with the left and right buttons but instead of the conventional wheel in between you have a tiny solid ball that is less than a centimetre across.
Two very useful gadgets, the first when you need an accurate adjustable spanner. The second when the cars cigar lighter needs to work overtime as you are out and about and need to charge more than a USB device as this is an inverter and also allows you to power 13amp items from the car battery.
At first glance you may think this is like most other adjustable spanners, it isn’t - this will never slip – in fact it is designed for use by both left and right handed people and perhaps most important can be pre set to any metric nut size up to 32mm. It is 21cm long between 7 and 8.5cm wide and up to 1.5cm thick. Solidly and precisely made it weights 280grams. If you check out the link below you can see a demonstration of the Milli-grip.
This is certainly big; in fact I was not sure I could fit it in my lounge in the normal place. My first surprise was that I could lift it easily enough onto its stand and then onto the unit where it sits.
The 46" Sharp Aquos LCD television measures 111x67x10cm and assuming you do not select to wall mount it sits on a small oval stand 50x30cm that lifts the unit 10cm. Fitting the stand involves adding a metal bar to the back of the TV and then using a supplied hex key to attach it with four bolts add four bolts to attach this to the stand and the whole thing is solid. There are a total of eleven input sources although most will have less available.
A camera that sits very nicely somewhere between the point and shoot and a DSLR. This unit does have a flash shoe but works perfectly well with the excellent built in flash. In fact the 5x wide zoom and 15MP images make this a very powerful unit.
It is 10x7x4.5cm this last figure the width can increase by up to another 4cm when the lens is fully zoomed. It weights a chunky 400grams. Having recently looked at a couple of very powerful units I was concerned that going back to a basic digital camera would be something of a culture shock. However this powerful unit was a very enjoyable experience. Some might even put this on a par with a DSLR. The rear of the unit is dominated by the 6x4.5cm TFT display.
Another rather nice small PC from Asus marketed under the Eee brand. The main difference that will encourage you to look at this unit is that it has a claimed working day of battery life, this is stated to be 9.5 hours. With the average battery life of most notebooks around 3 hours this is huge.
The Asus Eee PC 1000HE measures 26x19x4cm and weights 1.4kilos. The battery does not protrude but is slightly thicker than the rest causing a very slight forward slant but this just aids typing. The screen dimensions are 22x13cm giving the notional diagonal measurement of 10.1inches. The display size 1024x600 and the screen (hurrah) is not that reflective meaning in bright light you do not get that much reflection. Finally on the screen surround there is a 1.3MP webcam built in.
Super Mini Speakers and SD Card Reader both from Brando
Published in Misc
on
3 May 2009
These two objects give you a sample of what can be purchased using USB. First a speaker shaped light a bulls head to give a decent volume from an iPod or MP3 player. Second an SD Card reader that comes in standard and micro sizes.
A couple of weeks ago I told you about some very neat (even secret) cameras and excellent software from Logitech, it was however rather expensive. Here a far simpler Ethernet solution that may well fit the job and even the pocket.
While D-Link do a wireless version I am looking here at the wired version of there security camera, the DCS-910. It is 11x7.5x4cm. The Ethernet cable and the A/C power go into the bottom of the unit but do not protrude beyond the casing. There is a screw fitting in back to allow mounting. Doing installation you are asked to note the MAC code on the rear of the camera this you then select from a list (not so important if you only have one) given later in the setup.
At last a Kodak printer that seems to resist the temptation to jam at the drop of a hat, however this is a far more sturdy machine and is actually a multi function unit (as it has fax) and not an All In One as Kodak call it.
The Kodak ESP9 is very black and measures 43x39x25cm, as the paper cassette pokes out behind the main body this covers any extension caused by the cables. Software installation is very straightforward and you come to a point where you have the choice of Ethernet, Wireless, USB or None. The latter can be useful if you are using a switch or print server and the hardware is not yet available. I connected by USB.
A few weeks ago I told you about Clickfree a painless backup solution, that used its own external hard disk. This option allows you to use any USB drive you might already own it consists of a dongle with the Clickfree software on it.
The Clickfree Transformer comes in a 23x4x2cm box with the lead ending in the dongle in it, there is a tiny lable attached with the three connection steps attached that’s all. The back of the box repeats these three steps and adds the system requirements of a Windows Vista, XP or 2000 computer with USB port and 100MB of free hard disc space. I had a small 20GB USB drive doing nothing so this was formatted and called into use.
This may seems like a strange mix but such is life. The first a clock that runs on water. The second maybe suitable for anyone with back problems special ribbed socks, while running is not on my agenda if you were fitter you may be able to.
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