There are two names you think of to burn CDs and DVDs and Nero is nowadays considered the first. In a lot of cases should you buy a CD/DVD drive a restricted copy will come with it.
I first came across Nero - like most people - when a tied copy was provided with a CD-ROM drive, certainly no DVD's about then. Of course you get to know how to get it to do what you want, you then get a new PC and you need to learn a new product because this one supports another software product. So you have a choice learn another product of bite the bullet and buy a copy of Nero.
This is a six ink printer that also has a display and accepts inputs from various card types and USB sticks. However it is not only USB and Ethernet but it can also print via Bluetooth.
This is quite a low slung unit at 45x41x16cm, only the final measurement could be greater if you have the TFT raised vertically it would add 7cm to the height. As paper is stored flat in the base and delivered on top of this store no further space is required. The depth includes the 3cm that the power lead sticks out the back of the unit.
If you live somewhere where extending Ethernet is not feasible or should there be a pressing reason not to use Wireless then the Lindy HomePlug Ethernet Starter Kit could solve your dilemma.
Each of the two plugs is 10x7x4cm when inserted into a 13amp plug socket. The actual power socket is at the bottom of the unit so you could have problems if there is limited clearance above the plug. In fact you need to add 3cm to the 10cm height for the supplied 1.8metre Ethernet cable. So you actually need 9cm of clearance above the socket.
Multi Function Machines with wireless are not that unusual, what is unusual is that it has USB but no Ethernet. So you can setup for Wireless or USB.
This is not a large unit it is cream in colour so it just may pass the lounge police. The dimensions are 44x30x20cm the last figure the height increases by 13cm when the vertical paper tray is lifted and paper inserted. This is a printer, scanner, copier and fax. The scanning can be either sheet fed or flatbed and the printing can be duplex. For a novice the excellent software can guide you with wizards to do everything.
With Christmas and the New Year both a distant memory, and the belt needing to be tightened by several notches any saving is worthwhile, so making your own greetings cards is certainly a possibility.
This product comes in a full sized software box. It is also heavy enough to contain a meaningful manual. In fact this is a paperback sized book of 260 pages all in English. The box does list the requirements on the side but a sticker is applied to the front modifying those to state you need a DVD-ROM as this is supplied on a DVD. The install is not quick but then it is transferring over 3GB of data to the PC.
This is a standard mouse connected via USB that has a thermal printer inside. It can print on a range of sized roll media. Certainly something that you do not come across everyday.
The mouse itself is a standard three button mouse plug it in and it works. However to use the printer inside you first need to install the software. For me this took four minutes and after a reboot you plug in the mouse. Total hard disc space taken was 53MB. I found two problems it wants to install a system file but the installer can't find it, it's there but you need to navigate to it. You now have a line of six icons just above the tray.
This is a pull along unit, however unlike most other cleaners on that type this still packs enough punch to actually lift a fitted carpet and therefore the dirt and dust has no chance.
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To begin with this is no ordinary pull along cleaner. As you might expect it is not that light at close to ten kilos. Giving measurements is not easy as although it is a basic rectangle I can only give the maximum it is 24cm from side to side 45cm from front to back and 35cm tall.
This unit can record two streams at the same time, or as more likely to happen record one item and start a second recording before the first one finishes so its a twin tuner.
It is 30x25x5cm and black and grey in colours. You need another 4cm on the 25cm depth to allow for connection of cables. So unpack and plug your coaxial into the rear and the provided SCART lead also. Next plug the 13amp plug into the mains. Your TV should automatically tune to the SCART channel if not do so manually, you will now see a screen where you set the aspect ratio 4:3 or 16:9 and then tell it to search for channels.
Just over a year ago Vista was launched and memory sticks got a new job as fast storage for temporary files. When it was launched I told you about a 2GB offering from SanDisk.
There are of course others some others produced by different manufacturers some call their offerings ReadyBoost another calls it ReadyFlash. Either way they are still High Speed Flash Drives.
Verbatim USB Drive 4GB This looks like a conventional USB stick drive, just for a moment think that not long ago a 4GB hard disc would be large. It is quite able to do the job of speeding up Vista and indeed does carry the ReadyBoost name. However apart from part or all of the available space being allocated to Vista it comes with a £16.
The Bluetooth headset is the first comes from Parrott their Minikit, and, the second comes from the USA the quality V-Moda Vibe Duo earbuds.
Parrot Hands-free Speakerphone This is designed to fit over a sun visor enabling almost any Bluetooth phone to be used hands free. The unit is 10.5x6x2.5 and is two tone shiny black plastic and matt black rubberised for the edges and side of the end knob.
This is an even smaller version of the Quick Cam Pro 9000 that I reviewed last year. It is designed for use with notebooks and the clip is designed to fit on the edge of the screen.
It is 4.5cm tall and the width and depth to the back of the clip are both 4cm. The lens itself is less than a centimetre across. The USB lead is 70cm again designed for use only on notebooks. I stress the notebook angle as even if you have a flat panel the jaw of the grip of the camera is unlikely to stretch to fit as it is only 1.5cm when fully open.
A single speaker that manages in a way to produce something a bit like stereo sound. I first saw a surround sound speaker from Yamaha several years ago that was for placing in front of a TV this is for a similar effect for your notebook it is of course considerably smaller.
I never did get to review the larger unit designed for a TV despite asking again only a few months ago but at least that did bring this offering for a notebook. Unfortunately this unit had been elsewhere and the English instructions had been lost the box had instructions only in a foreign language but after saying my knowledge of this language is non existent I was sent a PDF file in English.
Published in
Misc
on
10 Feb 2008
In this mercenary world we all want a bargain and better still something for nothing here with these three services this just may be possible.
I am not sure this works well with this sort of product as there are lots of price comparison sites. However for larger purchases such as cars and boats it may be a better service. Again should there be a flaw let me know by adding a comment to the review. Wabbadabba.Com There are three search engines that most people use, Google, Yahoo and MSN.
By the time any product gets beyond version 4 you start to think what is there to add. Here however not only are there new goodies they are also packaged with a rather different interface.
I found it took 10 minutes + a reboot to install of a reasonable fast XP system. It took 1040MB of space. Now the PC I put it on is around a year old and not my main work machine so I was more than a little surprised when I allowed it to create thumbnails of the images it found 19,000 items and took 23 minutes to do so. At that point it wanted to do the red eye correction and I then decided to opt out.
While HP is no stranger to navigation this is the first of their units I have seen that is dedicated to satellite navigation. The others were iPAQs where an SD card provided the facility to the PDA, this is totally different as its primarily a navigation device.
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First the size it's 11x8.5x2cm and although I have used it on a bus there is no pedestrian mode so only designed for in car use and of course all the required fittings are supplied. However the battery gives enough power for around two hours use away from the cars cigar lighter power.
This is a total touchscreen MP3 player that can also play video and much more. The only physical controls are on the top the on/off hold and on the side the tiny record button.
It is 10x5x1cm and finished in a matt metal effect with chromed sides. The total weight is only 65grams it will sit comfortably in your palm. The hold (lock) part of the unit is very important as when it is in your pocket the slightest touch on the screen is likely to change tracks. The screen is 5x3.6cm and it can display video quite well.
Often a tune is inexorably linked to one musician (even if they have not composed it) their style is also unique, so when one pianist can play several styles this is special. Also here the latest offering from a UK musician who annunciates every word, great.
Geoff Eales Jazz Piano Legends Sixteen tracks each well known by different master pianists all played by one man. On at least half of these you would certainly think it is the original master playing them. However this is not an exercise to simply mimic the original.
This is far more than just a digital TV as it has a range of connectors enabling HD and perhaps at the size is ideal for connecting via VGA to a PC or notebook, I certainly tried them all.
I find it strange when a 32inch or greater TV has VGA connection as I doubt many would use it as a monitor apart from an emergency. But a 20inch I think is more than likely to be the reverse unless it is utilized in the bedroom. It is 49x38x6.5cm with a stand of 28x15cm that raises it 4cm above the desk or stand.
Mio do several units suitable for pedestrians with an average battery life between charges of four to five hours. This could be used handheld but only for occasional use as the battery life is less than two hours, this is certainly an in car unit.
My first question then is why is it called a DigiWalker? However lets assume there is a reason this seems to me to be a rather good unit. Trying to assume the role of someone who has never had a similar unit could I insert it in my car by using the 13 pages in the getting started guide that are in English, answer yes. Could I plan a simple route answer yes.
This is a single unit with a speaker in each end, it can be run from the mains or from an internal rechargeable battery. Connection is by 3.5mm lead or by Bluetooth.
It is 23cm long 8cm tall and a maximum of 8cm deep. Each of the speakers are 5cm round and give a reasonable sound level although the description on the box of 'Portable Wireless Stereo Soundbox' gives the impression that the volume might be louder than it is. Fine when you are within a couple of metres in a quite room but the name of 'Parrot Party' gives the impression of more muscle.

Published in
Misc
on
27 Jan 2008
If like me you thought Haynes only did manuals for people wanting to work on their cars, think again as here I am looking at two manuals for those wanting to work on PCs and notebooks.
Build Your Own Computer ISBN 978 1 84425 457 6 The authors of this 168 offering are Kyle MacRae and Gary Marshall. I see this is the third edition. The whole book/manual is interspaced with numerous illustrations and relevant tables. You immediately feel that the authors know their subject. After the introduction you go straight into Section 1 Planning the Perfect PC.

Published in
Cameras
on
25 Jan 2008
Having recently reviewed the i70 that had a superb User Guide this came as a huge shock to have one of the worst printed user manuals I have seen. Shame really as the camera and its abilities are superb should you ever get to know the NV11.
For those who say all small digital cameras are the same I can say they are certainly not. Touchscreen is just coming in to the range, this is not one of those, the mavority of others use a menuing system operated by a five position wheel not this camera. First the dimensions it is 10.5x6.5x4cm the last dimension the width is to the front of the lens this can increase by 3.5 when fully zoomed and the unit weights around 220grams. It is a black beauty.

Published in
Cameras
on
23 Jan 2008
Yesterday in London GE launched a range of Digital Cameras. Here I will tell you about what this new entry into an already crowded market has to offer in the weeks and months to come.
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There are three distinct camera ranges I can surmise where the 'G' and 'E' got there names but am not sure about the 'A' but it is their entry level offerings that are powered by a couple of 'AA' batteries. The other two ranges have lithium batteries.
I first used a much earlier version of this software (that was a shareware product) umty uhmm years ago. Now it bears little resemblance to that early challenger in the photo manipulation field, in fact the interface initially looks very different to Paint Shop Pro Photo XI the previous offering.
It was a long time ago that I learned roman numerals but I'm fairly certain that XI should be followed by XII and not X2, do I assume that next year will be X3 as they did with Corel Graphics just to avoid the number that goes between 12 and 14. First the all important amount of space on your hard disc. I found 940MB taken by the 13 minute install on a reasonably fast PC. This needs to be XP or Vista.
It's that time when I get to tell you about my passion - don't get excited it's not 'X' certificate - it's Jazz mainly that produced from around 1950 onwards. Naim are a company best known for their excellent audio equipment (its expensive though) but they also have both a classical and jazz label.
A superb bass player from the USA is Charlie Haden and he is just 70 years young. This is a two CD offering the first was recorded on his 50th birthday 20 years ago. It was one of the first entries in the Naim catalogue and has been unavailable for many years as it was originally only released as a limited edition that soon sold out. Now as 2008 comes in it is re-released along with another he recorded the following year at a university.
This is far more than just a Microwave as it also has a grill and a convection oven. If like me you have had a microwave for 30 plus years what is on offer today bears no comparison.
Initially it was hard to think of the LG unit as more than a microwave. I have friends who say they only have/use a microwave, I thought it was impossible but now I begin to see what they mean. It is 52x40x32cm and much to my surprise a large casserole dish I have at 33cm long works inside on the turntable, it does need to be precisely positioned but that would not even begin to fit inside my own unit.
This is not just another DAB radio. It is small and neat and for good measure it can record onto SD card, not just at the time of playing but up to around 30 minutes after playing.
It is 16.5cm tall and 10cm wide and deep. Mine was black but I know they also do white should that be more suitable for your colour scheme. It has a seven piece (55cm) rod aerial. On first switch on you need to make sure that the aerial is extended and then press the scan button, mine found 51 DAB stations in around a minute. The controls are six push buttons and a large wheel whose job changes dependant on which button you press.
This is quite a beefy All In One unit, so it scans, copies and prints via the PC. It can also copy when not connected to the PC and it also prints directly from a range of card media.
The is 46x40x22cm when closed. The output shelf opens automatically at print time and initially this adds 13cm to the depth. Having paper in the rear mounted tray adds 18cm to the 22cm height. Canon Pixma MP970 All the controls surround the screen that flips up in the central part of the top at the front and as this goes to just beyond 90 degrees you can choose the display angle. The screen is 7.5x5.
Published in
Misc
on
13 Jan 2008
Some peripherals that connect via USB are pure gadgets and others such as my first offering here have a real use, a USB microscope complete with stand and the ability to magnify between 10 and 200 times.
G Tech Microscope It is 11cm long and around 3cm round, white in colour apart from the bottom 2.5cm that is clear Perspex. It comes with an 8cm chromed stand enabling you to get really steady images of whatever you are studying, of course the main difference between this and a conventional microscope is that the image is shown on your monitor/panel and not to an eye bent to the microscope.
This is a true two in one product, a full featured notebook including all you might require in the way of external connections, flip the screen and it becomes a tablet PC.
It comes in a black case with a rather nice discrete pattern on the lid. It is 30x24.5x4cm with the larger battery attached. The biggest drawback for anyone wanting a tablet PC is the weight it's 2.25kilos and as far as I'm concerned that's quite a lot to carry around all day. The front has the on/off slider, twin ear bud sockets (so you can watch DVD's as you travel with a companion) and a microphone socket. Also on the front is a wireless network slider.