Misc

A chance to see some of the latest developments in the gadget world, direct from key manufacturers

Adding impact to your photographs is the task that Ulead has set itself with a new release.

Carrying your data in a pocket has never been easier with a USB storage device.

Print your photographs. Copy your photographs. Scan images. All these tasks can be undertaken by a single device.

My face might not be my fortune but my finger could be my passport to various computer activities.

Looking to maximise the space of your work desk? Maybe you should consider combining your printer, scanner, fax machine and photocopier into a single unit.

Most people have a collection of videos, photographs and music which they want to preserve. If you fall into this category then help could be at hand – so read on.

Adding extra channels to your basic television viewing could not be easier. All you need is one of the new generation of set-top boxes such as the Hauppauge DEC110-T.

With Christmas only around three months away I will from time to time cover things that could be given as gifts, some quite reasonable and others for that special person. Lets start with something for anyone keen on gardening.

Having recently tested an entry level labelling machine (P-touch 55 22/8/04) aimed at the younger market here I get involved with a larger machine that has even more functionality.

Free means different things to different people. Take Freeview and free-to-air as an example. There is no subscription charge but you do need to purchase an appropriate receiver.

Free means different things to different people. Take Freeview and free-to-air as an example. There is no subscription charge but you do need to purchase an appropriate receiver.

If like me you remember the old Dymo labelling machines with the circular dial where you punched in each letter only to sneeze or stutter at a vital moment then this offering from Brother could be for you.

They say size is not everything, except sometimes it is, and in the case I am thinking of the smaller the better. For those who are unsure I am talking of USB stick drives.

Something very different in price and concept from the normal items mentioned here, however as I know a good number of members are managers or system administrators this is something that is of interest.

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.

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.

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.

With weight being an ever increasing factor, notebook designers cut whatever possible from the main unit, then they charge an extortionate amount for a docking station to allow previously allowed functionality.

Some of us need more than just a small notebook on our travels. Perhaps ‘everything but the kitchen sink’ is a bit over the top but, here are two offering that may help you keep everything together.

While battery life is often quoted as a major factor when judging portable devices, the actual running cost of the batteries is rarely mentioned. Do you choose the more expensive rechargeable battery type or opt for the cheaper, throwaway variety? Saitek believes it can sway the balance of the argument towards the latter option with its Echo Multi Charger device.

For the last couple of weeks I have been using a five socket Surge Strip, that has a rather nice plus in that it is also a UPS. The size is only slightly thicker than a conventional surge strip.

Like one good book, everyone has one good gadget in them. But how do you take that idea and turn it into a new, commercial product? Here's some tips on how to go forward.

I have long used a gang socket to control my computer with a single switch. These days I use a surge protection switch that has other advantages.

Little did I think six weeks ago when I reviewed a couple of 8 in 1 card readers that the one missing component would be available so quickly.

A mousepad is a mousepad right? Wrong, lots of colours, designs, shapes and sizes but all doing more or less the same job? Wrong, they provide somewhere to allow you to control the mouse cursor to move around the screen right? Right but….

Perhaps the ultimate gadget, something to get you from A to B and then even to C and D. The latest versions of Auto Route and Route Planner probably the most popular packages of their type in the UK.

With more and more devices now connecting to USB ports the available ones soon fill up, if you have a modern machine with a couple of ports on the front changing items need not result in a slipped disc, however more access to ports is still important.

A couple of years ago Corel launched the first edition of Essentials; it certainly was an essential purchase. Now at last Essentials 2 is available is this just as essential?

Why should a gadget be just hardware? Lots of software applications can perform a job that either would be difficult or close to impossible without them, the choice then would be to buy the product produced from a third party.