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Monday, 27 April 2009

Blue Microphones Eyeball Webcam




Product summary
The good: The Eyeball Webcam from Blue Microphones has a compact retro design and above average sound quality.
The bad: The Eyeball's built-in camera doesn't hold up to the competition, and it's awkward to mount on your computer monitor.
The bottom line: The Eyeball Webcam is a cool-looking piece of gear for people who use VoIP or video chat services on-the-go, but there are better choices for the home.




CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Donald Bell
Reviewed on: 02/24/2009
Released on: 02/01/2009
In today's world of instant-messenger video chat, YouTube video comments, and Skype video calls, your computer needs more than a quality USB microphone; you need a great camera, too. The Blue Microphones Eyeball ($99) offers the best of both worlds, combining an HD-resolution video camera and high-grade microphone into a stylish, pocketable USB Webcam.
DesignIn May of 2008, Blue Microphones introduced its Snowflake USB microphone, which offered a compact solution for recording and streaming audio on your computer. The Eyeball's design is nearly identical to the snowflake, with the exception of a black plastic backing and a camera lens that pops out from the side of the microphone housing.
Just like the Snowflake, the Eyeball measures 2.5 inches by 3.75 inches by 2.25 inches when folded up, and around 3.25 inches high when unfolded. A metal mesh grille covers the front of the Eyeball's spherical microphone, which rotates 360 degrees and includes a Mini-USB connection on the back. A removable plastic base acts as storage for the included USB cable.
While the Eyeball is easily one of the most unique-looking Webcams we've tested, it's not entirely practical. The metal construction--though high quality--makes the Eyeball a hefty and clumsy addition to your laptop screen or computer monitor. Should the depth of your computer monitor prove too large to fit in the Eyeball's 0.75-inch hook, a goofy rubber mat is included to help weigh down the otherwise top-heavy Webcam.


PerformanceThe Eyeball's audio performance was indistinguishable from the Snowflake, with 16-bit, 44.1KHz resolution and a clean, full sound that runs rings around any computer's internal microphone. With the Editors' Choice-winning Logitech Pro 9000 Webcam sharing the same $99 price tag, however, the Eyeball starts to lose some appeal.

Eyeball Webcam Audio Comparison by audiodonald
We're glad to see that the Eyeball works seamlessly with both Mac and Windows machines, but we were a little disappointed with the video quality. In general, the Eyeball tends to render images at a noticeably higher contrast and with less subtlety than other cameras. We've included comparison shots below, showing the Eyeball against the Logitech Pro 9000 and built-in Macbook iSight camera.
The differences aren't dramatic enough to recommend against the Eyeball--in fact some people might prefer its more saturated look--but we wouldn't say video performance is the product's strong suit. But in spite of its lackluster video performance, the Eyeball's sound and style may prove hard to resist for those who prize portability over image quality.
See more CNET content tagged:
microphone,
webcam,
computer monitor,
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Logitech

Thursday, 23 April 2009

LATEST SCANNERS


Microtek ScanMaker i800-- A Scanner for Everyone
By MIKE PASINI

Editor
The Imaging Resource Digital Photography Newsletter
Microtek (http://www.microtek.com/) announced its ScanMaker i800 at Photoshop World in Sept. 2005 and is just shipping a Pro version with upgraded software to read the included IT8 targets. We received an early review unit which sat by our side for a couple of months handling our routine scanning tasks.

It handled everything we threw at it -- line art, 35mm negatives, slides, prints -- rather effortlessly, regardless of which scanning application we favored at the moment. Not only is the i800 versatile, but it's also affordable at just $399.99 list.
What's affordable about $400 list? How about a Dmax of 4.0, 48-bit color and 9600x4800 dpi optical resolution on a legal-sized scanning bed with your choice of High-Speed USB 2.0 or FireWire ports?
Inexpensive flatbeds strain to get their Dmax (the maximum recordable density with 4.0 being very black) into the high threes, fine for the 2.0 dynamic range (Dmax minus the rarely stated Dmin) you need to scan reflective material. But slides can be up around 3.2 to no more than 4.0 (and negs a little less). Given a Dmin of around 0.3, let's say, anything less than a Dmax of 4.0 is going to have trouble capturing shadow detail in slides. For more about Dmax, see our April 15, 2005 issue (http://www.imaging-resource.com/IRNEWS/index-arch.html).
An inexpensive flatbed may have an optical resolution as low as 1200-dpi (although the trend is upward). If you scan a 35mm film frame at that resolution, your maximum enlargement for a 300-dpi dye sub printer is 4x6. To get an 8x10, you have to be able to scan 2400 dpi. So the low number of the scanner's optical resolution should be a least 2400 for film. Which happens to be the current limit for 8.5-inch wide flatbeds. Manufacturers achieve resolutions greater than that by stacking CCDs at a half-pixel offset.
The i800Shadowed by the i900 behind it.

DIFFERENT KINDS OF SCANNERS


Epson V700 Scanner -- Top of the Line

By MIKE PASINI

Editor

The Imaging Resource Digital Photography Newsletter
We've been working with an Epson V700 in the bunker since July of last year, thanks to a quite generous loan from the company. Its distinctive dark gray and silver squared-off design takes up a corner of our large equipment table, connected to our main systems via a USB 2.0 port, the recommended configuration.

Epson sells this scanner in two versions: the $549.99 V700 Photo and the $799.99 V750-M Pro. It's the same hardware (except the V750 has an anti-reflection optical coating applied to the CCD glass and comes with a fluid mount accessory). The real difference is in the bundled software. Both come with Epson Scan software and Adobe Photoshop Elements, but the V700 includes LaserSoft SilverFast SE6 while the V750 adds Monaco EZ Color and SilverFast Ai 6.
We've used the V700 for nearly all our scanning, from simple copier tasks through high resolution film scans for prepress. No matter what we threw at it, it never missed a beat.
With one of the highest scan resolutions available in a desktop model at 6400 dpi and a dual lens design that can digitize a slide at 2400 dpi in a minute, that's no surprise. Indeed, VueScan author Ed Hamrick cites it as one of the best high-end flatbeds. Let's take a look at what makes this Epson the state of the art.

Sunday, 19 April 2009

Epson Perfection 1670 Photo


Product summary

CNET Editors' ChoiceNov 03
The good: Excellent photo and graphic scans; built-in film- and slide-scanning capability.
The bad: Lightweight software package; bland design.
The bottom line: Epson's Perfection 1670 Photo scanner produces great photo scans for a decent price. It's a solid choice for everyday home use.
Specifications: Type: Flatbed scanner - Desktop ; Optical Resolution: 1600 dpi x 3200 dpi ; Scanner interface type: Hi-Speed USB ; See full specs
See all products in the Epson Perfection series


CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Jeffrey Fuchs
Reviewed on: 11/25/2003
Released on: 07/16/2003 Given its user-friendly operation, range of features, and high-quality photo scans, the Epson Perfection 1670 Photo offers good value for its price, especially if you already have a good image-enhancement program, such as Adobe Photoshop. If you prefer a hefty software package over film- and slide-scanning capabilities, the cheaper Canon LiDE 50 may be a better fit. Epson dresses up the completely bland, light-gray, textured-plastic skin of the Perfection 1670 with a darker gray base and a slim, shiny, metallic-plastic control panel. The panel contains four clearly labeled buttons, one each for scanning, e-mailing, copying, and sharing images. Inside the scanner's lid, the padded document mat slides out to reveal a built-in transparency unit for scanning slides and film negatives. A black-plastic film and slide holder is included to position those media types underneath the transparency unit. The holder has room for one negative film strip (six exposures) and two slides. The Perfection 1670 is USB 2.0 enabled, and it comes with a USB cable, a power adapter, and a power cord, making it a breeze to set up. Epson's scan driver, EpsonScan, offers users three scanning modes--Professional, Home, and Full Auto--and its installation is intuitive. With Professional mode, users select all of their own settings; Home mode allows users to choose some settings; and Full Auto mode automates the entire scanning process. The Perfection 1670 also comes with Epson Smart Panel software, an app for organizing scanning tasks; Abbyy FineReader 5.0, an OCR (optical character recognition) toolset; and ArcSoft PhotoImpression, a limited set of image-manipulation tools. Best of all, the Perfection 1670 skillfully scans color photographs and black-and-white documents. Viewed on a 19-inch Samsung SyncMaster 957MB monitor, the 1670's color scans looked bright and crisp with little or no scanner-induced interference. Black-and-white documents showed good detail and a high level of shading subtleties, and text scans came out nicely dark and sharp.

Nikon Coolscan V LS-50 ED


Product summary
The good: Outstanding film scans; great software; easy to set up; intuitive scanning interface.
The bad: Manual focus is hard to use.
The bottom line: Unless your stuff appears regularly in National Geographic, this may be the only film scanner you'll ever need.
Specifications: Type: Film scanner (35 mm) - Desktop ; Optical Resolution: 4000 dpi ; Scanner interface type: Hi-Speed USB ; See full specs


CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Jeff Dorgay
Edited by: Rebecca Viksnins
Reviewed on: 10/14/2004

Since their introduction eight years ago, Nikon Coolscan film scanners have been popular among digital media enthusiasts. The Coolscan V's outstanding 4,000dpi scans keep that tradition intact. You'll find cheaper film scanners, but for a model of its quality, the Coolscan V is a pretty good deal for amateur photographers and creative pros on a budget.
The Coolscan V sits upright, and at 6.8 by 3.8 by 12.4 inches, it's about the size of a typical box of software. Setup is straightforward: Just install the drivers on the included Nikon Scan 4.0 software disc, and tell the Setup Wizard which of the 12 supplied color spaces you prefer to work with (Adobe RGB is a popular pro choice). Then connect the scanner to your machine via USB and start scanning. The Nikon Scan software is very easy to use, with all of the major adjustment controls in plain sight. As with all of the other film scanners we've tested, you can use the bundled software by itself or work from within your image-editing program of choice.
Dealing with a lot of old photos? The Coolscan V integrates Digital ICE4 technology from Kodak's Austin Development Center. It consists of Digital ROC, which enhances the color in faded photos; Digital GEM, which minimizes grain; Digital DEE, for optimizing contrast and exposure; and the veteran Digital ICE to remove both dust and scratches without degrading image sharpness. Test scans of faded photos came back to life with ROC, but use GEM with care or image sharpness will suffer.
Coolscan scanners have always used Nikkor ED (extralow dispersion) glass, and the V is no exception. The glass, combined with an optical density that Nikon rates at 4.2D gives the CoolScan V the power to handle extreme contrast in both slides and negatives. In our test scans, Digital DEE worked miracles with images that were grossly underexposed, punching up details in shadows that would have normally just gone to black. Noise was limited. The average 10MB-to-20MB scan comes in at just less than a minute, with Digital ICE adding about 10 seconds to the total process. For the ultimate in quality, try the Multi-sample Scan option, which rescans your image from 2 up to 16 times, and then averages out noise and other artifacts. In our test scans, we got the best compromise between time and quality at a 4X sampling rate.

It's very difficult to adjust the Coolscan V's manual focus, and in our test scans, we didn't see much improvement when we fiddled with it. Fortunately, the autofocus made up for these problems, providing scans that were very sharp the first time around, unlike the Konica Minolta Dimage 5400's, which often required additional tweaking and rescanning.
Nikon provides exceedingly well-organized technical support options via its Web site. You'll find searchable FAQs, manuals, and the requisite firmware/software updates. If you have a specific question that isn't listed in the manuals or FAQs, you can e-mail tech support by filling out a fairly detailed online form. There's no phone support, unfortunately.

Microtek ScanMaker i900


CNET editors' review
Reviewed by: Jeff Dorgay
Edited by: Rebecca Viksnins
Reviewed on: 10/21/2004
The Microtek ScanMaker i900 isn't the cheapest flatbed scanner we've tested lately, but it's one of the most versatile. Whereas most scanners in its price range scan only letter-size prints, the ScanMaker i900 can handle legal-size originals. It also features a novel dual-scanning bed that produces some of the best film scans we've seen from a flatbed.
With a footprint of about 15 by 25 inches and weighing a bit more than 26 pounds, the ScanMaker i900 commands a lot of desk real estate. Once you've loaded the Microtek Scan Wizard Pro software and the requisite drivers on your machine, you must also install the i900's calibration utilities. For optimal performance, Microtek suggests that you recalibrate every 14 days. (For more info on calibration, see this Pixel Perfect column by CNET senior editor Lori Grunin.) You connect the scanner to your machine via USB or FireWire. Based on our tests with scans that ranged in size from 75MB to 300MB, FireWire shaved scan time by about 10 to 25 percent, depending on the computing platform.
The Microtek ScanWizard Pro software is very easy to use and offers a wide range of tools for adjusting scanned images. You have full control over tonal scale and three different ways to make fine color adjustments. The i900 employs Digital ICE Photo Print technology for flatbeds, which corrects dust and scratches but isn't as sophisticated as the Digital ICE4 technology that the Nikon Coolscan V has onboard. It doesn't work on film and won't let you make any adjustments to the sampling rate. Instead of the most current ICE technology, Microtek relies on ColorRescue, which made moderate color-balance corrections to our film and reflective scans. ICE works reasonably well, but you will pay a substantial speed penalty. In our tests, it took almost 10 minutes to scan an 8x10 at 300dpi with ICE turned on. Without ICE, a 300dpi scan of an 8x10 original takes about a minute.
The most notable feature of the ScanMaker i900 is its dual scanbed. Essentially, in addition to the typical flatbed glass plate, it has a second, glassless film scanner with the glass scan surface underneath. By eliminating the glass, the way a standalone film scanner does, the i900 can capture more tonal information from film--from light shades to deep shadows. While still not the equal of a dedicated film scanner, the i900 produced some of the best film scans we've seen from the flatbed models we've tested, making Microtek's quoted optical density of 4.2D seem less fictional than most. Microtek also includes transparency attachments for 8x10 transparencies and batch slide scans.

The scanner's optical resolution of 3,200dpi by 6,400dpi delivers sharp scans that allow for significant print enlargements of film frames and should please even the pickiest of designers. In our tests, scanned photos came very close to matching the originals. If you make more time to fiddle with the adjustments, you will be rewarded with even more outstanding scans.
Microtek posts product-specific manuals, specs, and drivers on its Web site. There's no phone support, but you can e-mail specific questions and concerns via the online technical-support form. Microtek promises to respond to your query within one to two business days. The site also provides several community features, including forums, searchable tips and tricks, and recommended reading from professionals in the business.

SAMSUNG NC10


Samsung NC10 Technical Details:- 5900mAh 6 cell high capacity battery giving up to 9 hours and 40 minutes of continuous run-time- touch pad larger than other NC10 models- 10.2-inch Wide, 1024 x 600 WSVGA , 220 nits- Intel Atom processor N270, 1.6 GHz, 533 MHz Front Side Bus, 512 KB Level 2 Cache- 160 GB, 2.5-inch HD- 1 GB DDR2 800 MHz- Intel 945GSE shared- 802.11 b/g WiFi- Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR- 10/100 BaseTX LAN.

SAMSUNG - Ultra UMPC review


The Ultra Mobile PC, or UMPC for short, is a breed of computer that is like a small laptop without a hinged screen. Or, if you prefer, like a large handheld computer. Either way, it is an unusual format for a computer. Too large for the pocket, too small for serious use as your main computer.Some UMPCs have (small) keyboards, some don't. Samsung's Q1 Ultra is in the former group, and its keyboard is absolutely tiny. It is BlackBerry-sized in fact, and split in two halves ranged either side of the screen. You aren't going to be using it to write long documents - more likely for entering Web addresses and maybe composing the odd e-mail.As alternatives you can use handwriting recognition, a tappable keyboard on the touch-sensitive screen and 'DialKeys' which puts finger-tappable keys in two semi-circles in the bottom right and left corners of the screen.The Q1 Ultra runs on Intel's A110 processor, which has been especially designed for this kind of mobile device. It is a shame, therefore, that we found ourselves waiting for it to catch up with our requests for action a fair amount of the time. It took a while to fill windows with program icons and to flip the screen from landscape to portrait format, for example.

SAMSUNG LAPTOP COMPUTER(SENSE SP30-COM)


Brand : Samsung* model : SENSE SP30-COM* specifications :Processor - Intel Centrino Mobile Technology Pentium M Processor 1.6GHz L2 Cache - 2MB OS - Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition Memory - 512MB DDR SDRAM (333MHz Maximum 2GB) Display - 14.1" XGA (1024 x 768) wireless LAN - IEEE 802.11b/g (inside) HDD - 60GB ODD - CD-RW & DVD COMBO DRIVE [CD-R(24x), CD-RW(10x), CD-ROM(24x), DVD-ROM(8x)] FDD - Option Graphic Controller - ATI Mobility Radeon 9000 32MB V-RAM Inside Communication Device - International Standard V.90 Modem (Data Speed:56Kbps, Fax Speed:14.4Kbps) and 10/100 Mbps Ethernet Inside Input Device - Full-Size 88 Key Keyboard (FN key and window key), Touch Pad(2 buttons) PC Card Slot - TYPE l ×1 or TYPE ll ×1 Extension Port - VGA, USB 2.0 x 2, IEEE1394, Serial, Parallel, PS/2, S-Video, microphone input, headphone output, security lock hole Sound - 16bit Stereo, SB Pro compatible, Stereo Speaker, Microphone Power Supply - General Purpose AC Adapter (100~240V) Battery - Separable Lithum Ion Battery 8 Cell System Agent - ACPI Size(W×D×H) - 323 x 271 x 29.5mm Weight - 2.5 Kg with Battery Pack.

TOSHIBA LAPTOP COMPUTER


For partly three decades, Toshiba, a Japanese company, has been ranked for one of the top computer manufacturers leadership the microcosm. Although de facto has been involved string uncounted aspects of manufacturing and industry since its creation pressure 1939 by the rise of two smaller firms, undoubted is best declared right now for its computers and audio / cd equipment.Toshiba got its industry sway when palpable became the quantity two manufacturer of semi - conductor chicamin, and heartfelt is still fame the top five today. That evidence has seemingly obsessed them an uncanny considerate of the market. Before other laptop manufacturers fashion their prototypes, Toshiba is set up introducing after all extra inflation drag technology, and selfsame often, these new technologies boast their street into their goods.But for legion second childhood, Toshiba has meant one shape and one existence by oneself: the all knowing of some of the most sought proximate laptops and notebooks available. Toshiba has consistently pushed the edge of portability by manufacturing lighter weight and enhanced impressive laptops than its succeeding competitors. Unlike multitudinous of today ‘ s laptop computer manufacturer ‘ s, Toshiba uses much of its own semi - conductor technology character its computers – thence, giving them a steady competitive advantage.The Toshiba Protectorate series has been into for over a decade and remains one of the most super produce connections the laptop market. Factual was the toshiba laptops Spacecraft that was rumored to hold office hampered for IBM ‘ s instantly - popular ThinkPad series. Today, the Satellite series of notebooks offers an affordable entry price protect a host of options for demanding consumers. Reliable, lightweight notebooks aren ‘ t particularly atypical, but when they are accompanied by speed and affordability, they are almighty examples of what a company parallel Toshiba burden accomplish harbour its toshiba laptops engineering power.Toshiba ‘ s slightly newer line of notebooks, the Tecra, offers coarse competency, amazingly lightweight machines, small footprints, and a near cult - matching grade drag the business apple. Substantial isn ‘ t unexpected for tribe to mention to veritable being ” my Tecra ” again credit that those prerogative the notice are versed of what they scrimpy. Face of IBM ‘ s ThinkPad again Universe ‘ s new MacBook laptops, Toshiba ‘ s Tecra ‘ s are the inclination of every influence - hungry computer user who needs a standard laptop.Toshiba besides began recently alms a multimedia method, geared favorable giant - imbue again college students, called Qosmio. Although the pricing of the Qosmio symmetry is flying, existing is actually tested keep from the latest graphics technology, and includes built - notoriety television tuning, harmon / kardon speakers, and stunning exhibit technology. They assemble finished gaming computers, owing to chipper now a solid platform for audio and vinyl editing.Unlike innumerable other notebook manufacturers, Toshiba has never entirely experienced a facund depression fame their market. Some credit their Japanese ingenuity, juncture some point to their sane arbitration to stay away from the too many light desktop marketplace. Regardless of the impetus, a purchase of a new or used Toshiba computer is a sound end. The company has always been on the forefront toshiba laptops of technology notoriety rife fields, and every host of their lines restraint typify assured that they will imitate learned for them direction the booked.

Toshiba A200-28P Laptop


The A200-28P laptop from world renowned Toshiba is powered by an Intel Core 2 Duo T8100 Processor, runs on Genuine Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium operating system, and incorporates 3GB DDR2 RAM along with a large 200GB hard drive to manage all your important music, video, photos, games, and documents.The Toshiba A200-28P Laptop Computer measures 362 x 268 x 39.3mm with a weight of 2.72kg and features a 15.4 inch WXGA GLARE widescreen display, DVD Super Multi Double Layer optical drive, ATI Mobility Radeon HD 2600 XT graphics, 4 USB ports, wireless enabled, Firewire port, Microsoft Works 9.

SONY Laptop Computer(VAIO VGN-UX17LP)


Processor:Intel Core? Solo Processor U1400 1.2 GHzL2 Cache:2MBOS:Microsoft Windows XP Home EditionMemory:512MB DDR2 533 SDRAMDisplay:4.5" WSVGA (1024 x 600)wireless LAN:Intel PRO/Wireless, IEEE 802.11 a/b/g, Bluetooth 2.0HDD:60 GB (1.8" Upgrade)ODD:OptionFDD:OptionGraphic Controller:Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 950, 128MB SharedInside Communicatio Device:10/100 Mbps Ethernet InsideInput Device:Touch Panel, Multi-pointer, Stylus, CCD Camera (Front : 310000 Pixels, Back : 1300000 Pixels)PC Card Slot:Type II x 1, Memory Stick Duo, CF Card SlotExtension Port:USB 2.0 × 1, Headphone, Mic, I/O Connector(AV Out, VGA Out, RJ-45), Fongerprint Recognition SensorSound:High Definition Audio, SRS 3D SoundPower Supply:General Purpose AC Adapter (100~240V)Battery:Separable Lithum Ion BatterySystem Agent:ACPISize(W×D×H):ca. 150.2 × 95~100.5 × 32.2~38.2 mmWeight:ca. 517gOption:Memory Upgrade (512MB)

Sony VGN-SR16/S laptop,VGN-SR16/S sony laptop,brand sony


Display size:13.3 inchProcessors:Intel? Core? 2 Duo Processor P8400 (2.26 GHz, 3 MB L2 cache, 1066 MHz FSB)Memory:2 GB 800 MHz DDR2 SDRAMMemory upgrade: Upgradeable to 3 GB maximumhard drive:160 GB 5400 rpm SATAOptical Drives: LightScribe DVD+/-RW SuperMulti with Double LayerPorts: Standard:2 USB 2.0 1 headphone/line-out 1 microphone in 1 AC power 1 external VGA monitor 1 RJ-11 1 RJ-45 1 HDMINetwork interface:Marvell Ethernet (10/100M NIC)Modem:56K V.92 modemWeight:Starting at 4.07 lb (1.85 kg)Dimensions (w x d x h): 315×34×233.8mmColor: SilverWeight:1.92kg

LG Xnote RD400 Laptop PC


The LG Xnote RD400 laptop PC is powered by 2.0 GHz Intel Pentium Dual Core Processor T2450 with Mobile Intel 945GML Express Chipset Mainboard, offering 2-MB L2 Cache, 533 MHz FSB, and it features 1024-MB DDR2 SDRAM (maximum 2-GB in 2 slots), 120-GB SATA hard drive and 20X DVD Super Multi Dual Layer (8.5 GB) DVD Writer.LG Xnote RD400 laptop computer features 14.1-inch (35.8 cm) WXGA Widescreen TFT active matrix display with Fine Bright technology powered by Intel Graphic Media Accelerator GMA 950 with upto 128-MB shared memory offering maximum 1280 x 800 pixels screen resolution.LG Xnote RD400 laptop PC comes with Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic Edition preinstalled and all device drivers are provided on a CD.

Wednesday, 15 April 2009

MOST POPULAR ACCESORIES


Popcorn Hour A-110 review

Typical price: £185

Check for more prices

What is it: Media streamer capable of delivering 1080p video from your computer to a TV

What we think: The A-110 doesn't represent a massive leap forward from the A-100, but every change is worthwhile and adds to the overall package.

Popcorn Hour A-110 Review

Reviewed by: Ian Morris

Reviewed on: 26 August 2008

We reviewed the Popcorn Hour A-100 a few months back and were blown away. It was an impressive device, because for around £150 you got a media streamer that can play virtually every video format under the Sun and has enormous flexibility.

Now Popcorn Hour has tweaked the hardware and added some new features for the A-110. We won't duplicate what we wrote in the original review -- instead we'd suggest you read that first, then come back here and discover what the A-110 adds. The A-110 costs $215 (£115). You can pre-order it direct from the US (you'll have to pay duty on top of that), or buy it from a European retailer, although the exchange rate might make this more expensive. Expect to part with around £185.

Design
The A-110 uses largely the same chassis as the A-100, although there are some small changes that improve the machine considerably. Firstly, one of the USB sockets that was on the front panel has been moved to the back of the machine. This is a good decision, in our opinion. The rear socket would suit things that are plugged in all the time, such as an external hard drive or one of the Popcorn Hour-approved 802.11n Wi-Fi adaptors.

The status LEDs have also been vastly improved. Before, the illumination was unclear, and it was hard to tell what mode the machine was in. There are now three more distinct LEDs that give a clearer indication of when the machine is on, off or in USB slave mode. The network activity LED has gone.

You also now get a reset switch, which is handy if the machine crashes. The only problems we've had with the A-100 or its successor have been when we've been using the Web services, such as the YouTube plug-in. We've been using the A-100 now for some time, and our box has never crashed when we've been using it to watch video.

At the back you get a USB target connector. This allows the A-110 to be connected to a PC, and the internal hard drive -- if you chose to fit one -- to be accessed. This feature might appeal to some, but generally we think you'll find it more convenient to use the built-in FTP server or the UPNP network access to put files on the unit.

The other significant change is that the digital audio output has been switched to optical from coaxial. This might cause some people problems, but in reality most AV receivers have both, and if yours doesn't or all your optical sockets are in use, you can get a converter for less than £10 online.

Features
There are two key additions to the A-110 that deserve a special mention. The first is the addition of DTS decoding. On the A-100 this wasn't included because the licence to do so is quite expensive. Indeed, according to the Popcorn Hour forums, DTS decoding is responsible for most of the cost increase between the A-100 and the A-110 -- around $35. Still, anyone who's tried to watch a DTS video clip on the A-100 without using an AV receiver will be pleased to hear of its inclusion here, although not so pleased the option won't be made available for the A-100.

The other major change is the switch to HDMI 1.3a, which now means the A-110 is technically capable of sending DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD to a compatible decoder. It can't decode these formats internally however, so make sure your AV equipment can before you get too excited. HDMI 1.3 also makes the A-110 deep colour capable, which might be useful if you have material that takes advantage of the format.

The A-110 has also switched from IDE to SATA support -- we fitted an SATA drive to test the machine fully, and it couldn't have been easier. You simply slide the hard disk on to the connector and then secure it with some mounting screws from the underside of the case. Screws are supplied with the machine, so if you have a drive, you won't need anything else to get it up and running.

As we mentioned before, the A-110 has a USB target connector, specifically designed to copy files to the machine, as you would with any external hard drive. There is one slight difficulty you will run into with this. Because the A-110 is a Linux device it uses the EXT3 filing system, which means that if you plug it into a non-Linux machine, it won't initially be able to read or write data to the drive. Luckily there are EXT2/3 drivers available for Windows and OS X, and these will let you mount the disk on your computer.

There is another option, however -- instead of letting the Popcorn Hour format its own disk, you can simply feed it a FAT 32- or NTFS-formatted drive, which will show up under Windows with no problem. You will not be able to use the built-in Torrent client, however, because the A-110 will lose the ability to save data to the disk.

Performance
There isn't really very much to say that's changed from the A-100 in terms of performance.

You can still expect the same great picture quality, and sound either via the analogue or digital outputs is faithful to the original. We did notice that some material had quite low volume levels, which made us turn the TV up to compensate, but we suspect this is more a problem with the media than the box -- generally AC3 soundtracks seemed the quietist.

The menus are the same as those on the A-100. They're exceptionally easy to use, and although some have criticised the Popcorn Hour for being a little basic, we can't really see what the problem is. The basic user interface means anyone can operate it with minimal fuss. Setting up some of the more advanced features requires a little expertise, but that's to be expected.

Generally, getting the A-110 to stream media from your PC is a matter of installing a small piece of software on the computer. Nothing else needs to be done -- there's no configuration, apart from telling the application which folders to share out. The A-110 will simply find the shared content, and allow you to play it.

If you're slightly more technically minded, the FTP and BitTorrent features of the Popcorn Hour are all well designed, and actually surprisingly easy to use.

Conclusion
The A-110 offers a significant improvement over the A-100 without invalidating the usefulness of its predecessor. All of the important elements such as usability, picture and sound quality remain up to the same high standard. The A-110 does offer some extra features that some will find useful -- the switch to SATA will please many, and DTS audio decoding and HDMI 1.3 are a bonus.

In short, if you have an A-100, you don't need to feel left behind -- the A-110 is a worthy step forward, but not an essential one. Ultimately, if DTS downmix, HDMI 1.3 and SATA support aren't important to you, you should grab the cheaper A-100.

Edited by Nick Hide

Monday, 13 April 2009


Samsung CLP-315W

By Justin Yu, CNET.comDec 16, 2008
The Samsung CLP-315W is a full color laser printer with built-in wireless connectivity that makes it easy to link several computers to the printer over a network. The compact CLP-315 series is one of the smallest in its class and the individual toner cartridges save money by giving you the option of replacing each one separately. Although the printer is well-designed, it loses its momentum in print speed and quality. Our test results showed that the CLP-315W was as almost twice as slow as the average color laser and output quality is nowhere near acceptable.

Editors' note:
This review is based on tests done by our sister site CNET.com. As such, please note that there may be slight differences in the testing procedure and ratings system. For more information on the actual tests conducted on the product, please inquire directly at the site where the article was originally published. References made to some other products in this review may not be available or applicable in Asia.

Design
Unlike flashier Samsung printers such as the Samsung ML-1630, this inkbox's design is very straightforward. The majority of the chassis is a dark piano black with touches of glossy plastic trim around the perimeter. The printer sits in at 384 x 314 x 237mm and only weighs 11kg, so it's surprisingly compact compared with other color lasers.
The CLP-315W has a typical laser printer design, but yet it manages to squeeze in wireless network capability without additional bulk.The top of the Samsung printer is just as simple as the chassis, with a single power button and several LED lights to indicate a wireless connection and notify you about paper jams and toner shortages. The control panel is a tad annoying as it lacks a dedicated cancel button, so if you want to stop a job in mid-queue, you have to do it manually through the operating system. The top of the unit also has a foldout arm to catch paper on its way out of the feeder. A removable paper tray lives on the bottom of the CLP-315W and can hold the standard 150 sheets of paper in a variety of sizes up to 8.5 inches x 14 inches. Unfortunately, there's no manual feed slot that you commonly see in single function laser printers, but you can use the main input tray for different kinds of irregular media including envelopes, card stock, and transparency papers.
Features
The CLP-315W uses four toner cartridges (three colors and one black) hidden behind a drop-down panel on the front faceplate. The cartridges are lightweight and easy to remove and replace using the color-coded tabs. Each cartridge only comes in one capacity (1,000 pages) only. The Samsung is also limited by the number of pages it can print per month. The CLP-315W's duty cycle number is 20,000 pages. Small businesses and workgroups with a high volume of monthly prints might be better suited for other printers such as the Brother HL-4040CN that can handle 35,000 pages per month. The printer also has built in 802.11b/g for printing wirelessly from your computer. As always, we suggest installing the driver with the printer attached to your computer with USB 2.0 at first, and then setting up an ad-hoc wireless connection. Establishing a wireless connection between the printer and our test bed gave us a bit of a headache, but once we realized how to print out the network configuration report, the rest became easy. The report shows the printer's IP address and other information you need to put in the SyncThru Web Service, a Web server embedded into the driver that lets you adjust your network settings without additional software. Once you obtain all the necessary reports, the connection wizard in SyncThru will handle the rest of the setup process. The whole procedure took approximately half an hour to establish a successful wireless connection.

LATEST PRINTERS


By Alexandra SavvidesFeb 10, 2009
Editors' note:
This review is based on tests done by our sister site CNET.com.au. As such, please note that there may be slight differences in the testing procedure and ratings system. For more information on the actual tests conducted on the product, please inquire directly at the site where the article was originally published. References made to some other products in this review may not be available or applicable in Asia.


Design

It's a rarity to come across a printer that has such strong design aesthetics as the TX700W. Coming from the same design house that gave us Pinocchio washing lines and mouse-shaped objets d'art, the Castiglione Morelli-designed printer is definitely a little different from the rest of the pack. Sporting a piano black finish on the upper half and a matte-black plastic base, the TX700W also houses a control panel at the front, which pops out from the body and tilts up and down. Backlit buttons and the vivid 2.5-inch color LCD screen are equally as sexy as their surrounds. An array of memory card slots sit at the bottom right, completing the rest of the specs. Its rather cumbersome size is the one disadvantage to all the clean lines--the TX700W seems to spread out rather than up, making its footprint a rather large 44cm across by 38cm deep.
Tags: Printer, Epson, LCD, LCD screen, control panel

MONITORS(TOUCH SCREEN DISPLAYS)


Planar PT1510MX 15" Touch Screen LCD - 8ms, 600:1, XGA 1024 x 768, Black


Item Number: P610-1581
Model: 997-3198-00
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Price: $339.96




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Planar PT1510MX 15" Black Touch Screen LCD

The cost-effective PT1510MX 15” touchscreen monitor is perfect for use in retail, point-of-sale and hospitality applications. Easily integrated with a variety of POS, thin client or PC systems, the touch LCD features 5-wire resistive touchscreen and dual RS-232/USB touchscreen interface. The touchscreen monitor comes standard with a deskstand, but is also compatible with other mounting options using the 75mm VESA standard hole pattern on the back of the monitor.The PT1510MX includes Planar’s industry leading 3-year Customer First™ Warranty featuring FREE 2-Day Advance Replacement. The result is an exceptional durable touchscreen monitor and an excellent value.


User Friendly Controls No guessing or stressing.

User friendly controls allow you to operate your monitor easily so you can devote your full attention to the fabulous images onscreen.
VGA Input

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Specifications
Display Type: Touch Screen LCD
Screen Size: 15 inches
Pixel Pitch: 0.297 mm
Display Format: Touchscreen LCD
Vertical Refresh Rate: 56 ~ 75Hz
Condition: New
Interface Type: VGA
Input Video Signal: VGA
Speakers: Integrated
Contrast Ratio: 600:1
Brightness: 250 cd/m²
Response Time: 8 ms
Horizontal Viewing Angle: 160 degrees
Vertical Viewing Angle: 160 degrees
Maximum Resolution: 1024 x 768
Cabinet Color: Black
VESA Mounting Compliant: VESA 75mm
Unit Dimensions (WxHxD): 15.9” x 12.3” x 2.2”
Dimensions With Stand: 15.9” x 15.3” x 7.5”
Unit Weight: 10.4 lbs.
Power Consumption: 30W

Sunday, 12 April 2009




The flagship magazine of the IEEE Computer Society

-->
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In the April issue of Computer
Embedded software shapes our world through cell phones, satellites, medical and home appliances, and automotive components—with defects causing life-threatening situations and delays creating huge costs. In this issue, we provide an overview of techniques and methods that impact embedded-software engineering. We also look at digital rights management, cloud computing costs, reliable distributed storage, and a Web-based question-answering system.

Features April 2009 PerspectivesHow Viable Is Digital Rights Management? Seong Oun Hwang Technologies that aim to protect digital content have fallen short of their mission. The computing community must find ways to make protection schemes interoperable and adopt a use model that lifts restrictions on paid-for protected content.
March 2009 Computing PracticesPuzzling Problems in Computer Engineering Behrooz Parhami University faculty have designed an engaging puzzle-based freshman seminar intended to motivate and retain computer engineering students.
News April 2009 Industry Trends Neal Leavitt Organizations are increasingly turning to complex-event processing to help make sense of the flood of data they work with.
April 2009 News Briefs Linda Dailey Paulson Topics include a new form of public-key encryption, a technology for fighting chip piracy, an extra-high-resolution display, and a computerized pen that records speech while the user is taking notes.
April 2009 Technology News Sixto Ortiz Jr. Organizations are developing proposals to secure the Internet’s routing infrastructure, which was designed many years ago.
Invisible Computing April 2009 The Digital Wallet: Opportunities and Prototypes Rajesh Krishna Balan and Narayan Ramasubbu Example digital wallet applications support secure P2P mobile cash transactions and alleviate point-of-sale confusion for consumers using multiple payment, discount, and loyalty cards.
The Known World April 2009 Top of the News David Alan Grier Step by faltering step, the front page has been vanishing from the American news industry.
The Profession April 2009 In-House Programming Is Not Passé: Automating Originality Kai A. Olsen By using IT extensively, automating whenever possible, and offering users power tools to handle complex jobs efficiently, companies can gain a strategic advantage.
Past issues of Computer, from 1970 to the present, are available for free to IEEE Computer Society members. For online access to Computer articles, members need to sign up for a free Web account. Single article downloads are available for $19 to nonmembers.
Free! Sign up to receive the IEEE Computer Society Digital Library newsletter!If you would like to receiving monthly notification of Digital Library updates via e-mail, sign up for the Computer Society Digital Library e-newsletter. (Your privacy will be protected and you will only receive the CSDL updates as requested.)Saved Search: Save your favorite digital library searches. You can also create and train your own search agents. Use your agents to send yourself new results via email when content comes online that matches your preferences.-->

COMPUTER SHOPS OF BANGLADESH

Computer N Engineers Archive15 O.R. Nizam Road, panchalishChittagong, BangladeshPhone: 031-651667, 650256Fax: 880-31-650400E-mail: comctg@spnet.com
A.A. Computers307 (2nd flr.) Nahar Plaza 26, SonargaonDhaka-1205, BangladeshPhone: 8614156
Abacus And Automation Ltd.Chandrashila Suvastu Tower (8th flr.) 69/1 PanthapathDhaka-1205, BangladeshPhone: 8615555, 8616052E-mail: aanda@citechco.net
Ace Computers Industries Pte. Ltd.House # 23, Road # 9/A, Dhanmondi R/ADhaka-1205, BangladeshPhone: 9129454Fax: 880-2-9125163
B.M.L. telecom60 Tejturi Bazar (2nd flr.)Rahman Mansion South East Side of Farmgate Old Over BridgeDhaka-1215, BangladeshPhone: 9110938, 019-381546Fax: 880-2-8117091
Best Computer echnologies220/D/4/1 West Kafrul, Begum Rokeya SaraniDhaka-1207, BangladeshPhone: 8110723, 019-340834Fax: 880-2-9129659E-mail: hafiz@bdonline.com, y2k@bdcom.com
Beximco Computers Ltd.9A DhanmondiR/A Road # 2,Dhaka-1205, BangladeshPhone: 8618220-7, 8611891-5Fax: 880-2-8613470
Billcom431 Alpana Plaza, 51 New Elephant RoadDhaka-1205, BangladeshPhone: 611131
Cellvision Systems68/4 Green Road Dhanmondi R/ADhaka-1205, BangladeshPhone: 9668489, 9669550Fax: 880-2-9668489
CIT Solution26 Nahar Plaza Room # 522/523 (4th flr.)Sonargaon Rod, HatirpoolDhaka-1215, BangladeshPhone: 019-347290E-mail: bil-cits@hotmail.com
Citech Co. Ltd.22 Old (6 New) Bijoynagar (2nd flr.)Dhaka-1000, BangladeshPhone: 8313623-4, 8314953Fax: 880-2-8613648, 8314953
Computer & Office Automations Systems Ltd.House # 11, Road # 18, (Ground flr.) Gulshan-1Dhaka-1212, BangladeshPhone: 8824773, 8826391Fax: 880-2-8313648
Computer Associates44/13 West Panthapath (1st flr.) DhanmondiDhaka-1205, BangladeshPhone: 9114596, 9111926Fax: 880-2-9110740E-mail: pctech@bdcom.com
Computer Galaxy72/1 Property Rise (2nd flr.) U-12 Malibagh DIT RoadDhaka-1217, BangladeshPhone: 9334174, 017-545116Fax: 880-2-9345423E-mail: cgal@bdonline.com
Computer Land Ltd.ABC house (9th flr.) 8 kemal Aaturk Avenue, BananiDhaka-1213, BangladeshPhone: 8825843-9
Computer Mart Inc.BCS Computer City, Shop # 22, (Ground flr.) IDB Bhaban, Sher-E-Bangla NagarDhaka-1207, BangladeshPhone: 911266Fax: 880-2-9110851E-mail: imart@bdonline.com
Computer SourceHouse # 14/4, Flat # e, Road # 4, Dhanmondi R/ADhaka-1205, BangladeshPhone: 9662719, 9668439, 8617934Fax: 8802-9661004E-mail: source@citechco.net
Daffodil Computers64/3 Lake Circus Rasel Square (2nd -4th flr.) KalabaganDhaka-1205, BangladeshPhone: 9116600, 9122301, 9126840Fax: 880-2-8116103E-mail: info@daffodil-bd.com
Datacpm Ltd.House # 14, Road # 13/C, Block # E, Banani,Dhaka-1213, BangladeshPhone: 604205Fax: 880-2-8826456E-mail: datacom@pradeshta.net
Desktop Computer Connection Ltd.139 ShantinagarDhaka-1217, BangladeshPhone: 8317630, 8313992, 8314782Fax: 880-2-8316001E-mail: desktop@bdonline.com
Dhaka office EquipmentsAl-Bashir Plaza, 205/5 Fakirapool (1st flr.)Dhaka-1000, BangladeshPhone: 9344733, 017-630233, 019-386815Fax: 880-2-8315337E-mail: rkcom@bdcom.com
Di-Act Computers & Communication (BD) Ltd.118-119 Rajuk Avenue (1st flr.) Motijheel C/AMDhaka-1000, BangladeshPhone: 9553012, 9557920, 017-521483Fax: 880-2-9565540E-mail: diact@bttb.net.bd
Dolphin Computers Ltd.Anchor Tower (3rd flr.) 1/1 B Sonargaon RoadDhaka-1205, BangladeshPhone: 9661892-7Fax: 880-2-8619844E-mail: dolphine@dhaka.agni.comWeb: dolph.net
E-Venture Ltd.Hossain Chamber (1st flr.) 105 Agrabad C/AChittagong, BangladeshPhone: 031-714281, 714282Fax: 880-31-714280E-mail: eventure@clorkone.com
Eastern Computer Academy163/A, Motijheel C/ADhaka-1000, BangladeshPhone: 7113086, 7121154Fax: 880-2-956929E-mail: nishant@aitlbd.net
Ethernet Computer147 /6 Green Road (1st flr.)Dhaka-1205, BangladeshPhone: 8128241, 019-350722E-mail: ethernet@agni.comWeb: www.ethernet-online.com

Saturday, 11 April 2009

LATEST DESKTOP COMPUTERS


Acer Predator AG7710-U7792A Core i7 Extreme 965(3.20GHz) 12GB DDR3 1TB ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2 Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit - Retail
Ati CrossFire 2GB graphics


General Spec
Brand
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Acer
Series
document.write(neg_specification_newline('Predator'));
Predator
Model
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AG7710-U7792A
Recommended Usage
document.write(neg_specification_newline('Gaming'));
Gaming
Processor
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Intel Core i7 Extreme 965(3.2GHz)
Processor Main Features
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64 bit Quad-Core Processor
Memory
document.write(neg_specification_newline('12GB DDR3'));
12GB DDR3
Hard Drive
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1TB SATA 7200RPM
Optical Drive 1
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18X DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti Drive featuring Labelflash Technology
Graphics
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ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2, 2GB Installed Video Memory
Audio
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High-definition audio with 7.1-channel audio support
Ethernet
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Gigabit Ethernet LAN
Power Supply
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750W
Speaker
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USB speakers
Keyboard
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Logitech G11 Keyboard
Mouse
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Logitech G5 optical mouse
Operating System
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Windows Vista Home Premium 64-bit
Motherboard
Chipset
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Intel X58
CPU
CPU Type
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Core i7 Extreme
Installed Qty
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1
CPU Speed
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965(3.20GHz)
L2 Cache Per CPU
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4 x 256KB
L3 Cache Per CPU
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8MB
CPU Socket Type
document.write(neg_specification_newline('LGA 1366'));
LGA 1366
CPU Main Features
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64 bit Quad-Core Processor
Graphics
GPU/VPU Type
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ATI Radeon HD 4870 X2
Graphics Interface
document.write(neg_specification_newline('PCI Express x16'));
PCI Express x16
Memory
Memory Capacity
document.write(neg_specification_newline('12GB DDR3'));
12GB DDR3
Form Factor
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DIMM 240-pin
Memory Spec
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2GB x 6
Memory Slots (Available/Total)
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0/6
Hard Drive
HDD Capacity
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1TB
HDD Interface
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SATA
HDD RPM
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7200rpm
Optical Drive
Optical Drive Type
document.write(neg_specification_newline('DVD Super Multi'));
DVD Super Multi
Optical Drive Spec
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18X DVD+/-R/RW SuperMulti Drive featuring Labelflash TechnologyWrite max: 18X DVD+/R, 6XDVD-RW, 8X DVD+RW, 8X DVD+/-R DL, 12X DVD-RW, 48X CD-R, 32 CD-RWRead max: 16x DVD-ROM, 48x CD-ROM
Audio
Audio Chipset
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Integrated
Communications
Modem
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56K
LAN Chipset
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Integrated
LAN Speed
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10/100/1000Mbps
Front Panel Ports
Front Audio Ports
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Card Reader
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Multi-in-one card reader, supporting:CompactFlash (Type I and II)CF+ MicrodriveMultiMediaCard (MMC)MMCmobileReduced-Size MultiMediaCard (RS-MMC)Secure Digital (SD) CardminiSD CardxD-Picture CardMemory StickMemory Stick PROMemory Stick DuoMemory Stick PRO DuoUSB 2.0 and IEEE 1394 ports
Back Panel Ports
PS/2
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2
Rear USB
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6
Rear IEEE 1394
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eSATA
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2
RJ45
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2 port
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5 ports
S/P DIF
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1 port
Physical Spec
Dimensions
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19.3" x 16.9" x 7.5"
Weight
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28 lbs.
Manufacturer Warranty
Parts
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1 year limited
Labor
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1 year limited

Wednesday, 8 April 2009

Eight Best Computer Keyboards



There's perhaps nothing more essential to a happy computing experience than a great keyboard. Whether your machine is of the desktop or laptop variety, a solid, full-size clacker will make writing papers, designing flyers, or just getting around the Web significantly faster and more comfortable. Some keyboards take the "lighter is better" approach in terms of the keys, while in recent years, "clicky" models, reminiscent of those chunky IBM keyboards of yore, seem to be all the rage with more and more manufacturers. And nothing cleans up a cluttered desktop more than a wireless keyboard. Go with what feels best to you: As with a pair of eyeglasses, you'll be using your keyboard every day, so it's worth an investment. Your hands will thank you.


Apple Keyboard


One of our favorite all-around keyboards, Apple has really nailed it with the feel of its latest model, which comes in both wired ($49)and wireless Bluetooth versions ($79). Taking its cues from the MacBook laptop line, the keys have just the right amount of resistance, letting your fingers glide easily across them as you type. Unfortunately, the wireless version lacks a number pad and the two USB ports of its wired cousin, but it should be noted the smaller footprints make it a better fit if your desktop is short on space. They're both superb choices (but only if you have a Mac, really), and recall the feel of the MacBook keyboards ... with more space for your fingers to get around.


Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 7000

Microsoft's midpriced offering, the Wireless Laser Desktop 7000, is solidly constructed and extremely quiet to the touch. Some oddities, however, muddy the experience: Why are the Z and Ctrl keys smaller than the rest (particularly the latter, which gets used all the time)? And if you're trying to hit Ctrl-Z... well, forget about it. It has tons of extra dedicated buttons for controlling your e-mail, music, and other software, and the "Favorites" buttons can each be tied to any location/file/Web site/etc by simply pushing on it for a second or so. The included mouse is actually a downside, since it's awkward and laggy, and you're effectively paying for something you won't want to use when you buy the keyboard.

Razer Lycosa

Razer's Lycosa gaming keyboard has a great rubber-coated keys, which provide a soft touch whether you're typing or firing semiautomatic virtual weapons. The backlighting on the keys is great for late-night computing sessions (you can even switch between three backlight configurations via a touch-sensitive control pad), and the customization options are extensive. Still, there are some downsides: It requires two USB inputs on your computer to connect (along with separate audio inputs if you want to plug in your own headset and mic), and yet itself has only one USB port to spare. Oh, and with the blue LED turned off, you're left with an almost illegible keyboard -- problematic if you're a daytime user.


Das Keyboard


The original Das Keyboard set itself apart because of its spectacular build quality and subversive, hacker-friendly minimalism: Not only did the keyboard do away with any unnecessary features (dedicated volume and e-mail buttons, and the like), it even did away with the most basic feature of all: letters on the keys. The Professional, thank goodness, adds back the latter, and like its blank cousin, is a great, clicky keyboard that exudes simplicity and quality, if nothing else. Marketed as the "best mechanical key switches available," the keys are composed of German-engineered, gold-plated key switches: You hear every click, but if you like that 'cause, say, motivates you, then this keyboard is hard to beat (it's challenged by the SteelSeries). The keys are easily removed and cleaned, and even those with a light touch will love the responsiveness. Plus, you gotta love the whole '80s-retro vibe of Das Keyboard, if that's your thing.


SteelSeries 7G gaming keyboard


This is a serious keyboard -- actually more serious than the Das, in some regards. The SteelSeries 7G gaming keyboard has the same feel as a semiautomatic weapon: In other words, it's probably the last keyboard you'll ever need to buy. You pay the price -- $150, to be exact -- but you can take solace in the fact that you'll definitely be okay if you ever need to use your keyboard as a weapon. And though it's not exactly big on features, it has the important ones: headphone, microphone, and (two) USB ports on the back left side. The keys are "no-click", but that doesn't mean it's not loud: These are big, chunky keys and they make some noise.


Logitech Wireless DiNovo keyboard


If you're looking for stylish, but more feature-heavy (and PC-compatible), alternative to the Apple keyboard, then Logitech's DiNovo is a great choice (granted, for twice the price). With both Mac and PC versions available (each with hotkeys for its respective OS-specific applications and features), it also has custom music playback controls, an on-board mini-trackpad, and even a cool touch-sensitive a volume slider. Like the Apple keyboard, there's no number pad, and the tradeoff for its solid build quality is that it takes up a decent amount of desk space. It comes with a cool docking station for recharging (about once a month), and it's easily one of the best-looking of the bunch. Recommended.


Phantom Lapboard


Long delayed, the Phantom Lapboard is finally available: It's a combination of a wireless keyboard, a laser mouse and a hard, flat surface that makes it possible to play games or work from your sofa. As the name implies, this "lapboard" is designed to sit on your lap: The keyboard sits at an angle, leaving room for your mouse underneath. It's a great idea, but what's disappointing is that after years and years of delays, the execution is flawed: The mouse feels cheap, and the keyboard lacks backlit keys. Still, we like that it's able to rotate 360 degrees in any direction (helpful for left-handers), and the ability to store the included USB dongle inside the keyboard is nice. And while it's PC and Mac compatible, it remains a flawed attempt at reinventing the keyboard. It sure looks cool, though!


Optimus Maximus keyboard

If money is no object, we've got an object that will cost you plenty of money: the Optimus Maximus keyboard, which will set you back a cool $1600 (and no, that's not a typo). Why the steep price? Each key actually has its own OLED display, which can dynamically change to adapt to your desired keyboard layout, or to visualize the function of the keys. If you're using Final Cut Pro or Adobe Photoshop, for example, you can set it to show you which keys do what for that specific application. It's also super customizable: you change the background/foreground colors, and even turn it into a rainbow if you so desire. This is the future of computer interface and one of the coolest gadgets around ... and you can be assured you'll have the only one on the block.

13 Computer keyboards you never seen before, maybe


Lim Hong Kiat from Malaysia (Happy New Year!) has blogged a list of 13 Computer keyboards you've never seen before, with pictures. Actually, I've seen several of them, and you may have too, but it's a good reminder that there have been plenty of attempts to innovate in keyboard hardware, even if they haven't caught on.

I've also covered a few other devices that could take the number up to 20. One is the AbKey, from Singapore, which I wrote about in Online. Another is Howard Hui's Cubeboard, from Hong Kong, which lets you swap the keys around. (The original site is now spam.)

Two that I've blogged here previously are HP's interesting gesture keyboard and the Angel Kitty keyboard which, perhaps uniquely, is available in different bust sizes.

Another two I'd like to throw in are the Combimouse and the amazing Wolfking Warrior FPS Keypad, for gamers.

wolfking.jpg

Sadly I never met Lilian Malt, but I did try a Maltron (photo at top) in the early 1980s. I didn't get on with it....

Itron Technology (Scorpius P7) Keyboard


Price Range:
$73.00 to $83.00
The trackball-keyboard - Scorpius P7 has an enhanced slim design, which works with any IBM PS/2 compatible computer. As there is no need for an additional mouse, this keyboard is the perfect match for home entertainment or industrial needs. Utilizing the latest in rubber mechanical key switch technology, the Scorpius P7 offers durability and style that will enhance any system for years to come. Features: Great performance in business applications with trackball, Standard left and right mouse button function.

Pantone Huey Computer Monitor Calibrator

This Pantone MEU101 Huey Computer Monitor Calibrator doesn't get the best reviews (just decent reviews) and I'm not really sure what the heck it does. Therefore, I think you should go ahead and splurge on this Pantone MEU101 Huey Computer Monitor Calibrator and enjoy it. OEM stands for obviously economically merit-worthy, if you ask me.

p.s. the Sellout.Woot is a Pioneer HTZ-575DV 5.1 Surround Sound System and a Pioneer XV-DV385 1080p Upconverting DVD player for only like 1.8 "benjamins". Seems like another ok deal. Pantone Huey Computer Monitor Calibrator - $39.99
Comparison Shopping Features:
  • # Professional-grade results; easy-to-use right out of the box
  • # Software designed for calibrating and profiling all types of monitors
  • # Corrects color on monitor; adapts monitor for changing room lighting
  • # Applies personal preferences for viewing accurate color all of the time
  • # Includes emission-only colorimeter with ambient measurement capabilities
  • # Designed for calibrating and profiling all types of monitors – LCD and CRT
  • # Huey corrects the color on your monitor so photos and designs print more accurately, game graphics are more intense and movies are more true–to–life

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Dell S2409W Review
Reviewed by: Eric Franklin
Reviewed on: 3 April 2009
If you're looking for a low-price 24-inch monitor, the 1080p Dell S2409W will serve you well. For around £200, the S2409W gives you VGA, DVI and HDMI connections, great performance with games and movies, and an intuitive and elegantly designed on-screen display that offers a plethora of useful options.
Compared with the £400, 24-inch UltraSharp 2408WFP, the S2409W has fewer connection options and ergonomic features. Still, if price is your focus, the S2409W provides good value for money. The BenQ E2400HD is available for about the same price, but has slightly worse performance and fewer on-screen display (OSD) options.
DesignThe S2409W's bezel is a striking, glossy black that reflects everything. The bezel measures a short 19mm wide on all sides. The panel is nearly an inch deep, which is thin for a 24-incher. A thin, 1cm strip wraps around the outer edge of the panel, bringing the panel width to 23 inches -- about average for a monitor of this screen size.
The circular footstand is nearly 9 inches in diameter and, unfortunately, doesn't provide the type of stability we expect -- it doesn't take much lateral force to wobble the whole display.
To achieve a low price tag for the S2409W, Dell has skimped on a few ergonomic features, including screen height adjustment, rotation and pivoting. The screen tilts back 20° and forward 5°, but that -- and a hole in the display's neck through which to route your cables -- is all you get.
The S2409W's connection options include VGA, DVI and HDMI. Although the VGA and HDMI ports are easy to reach, the DVI port sits slightly too near the display's neck, making it awkward to connect the cable.
Buttons for the OSD are located on the bottom right-hand side of the bezel. There's a menu button, up button, down button and an enter button. Calibrating the display using the OSD in a lit room where you can see the labels is simple and easy, but the buttons are separated only by a sliver of space, so it's difficult to tell where one button begins and another ends.
FeaturesIf you'd rather not deal with the sometimes headache-inducing process of calibration, the OSD includes nine preset modes. We found the 'standard' preset best for movies. The 'movie' preset's picture is overtuned, and details that should look smooth look bumpy. The 'game' preset, however, lives up to its name, proving better than the standard preset for games.
The screen tilts back 20° and forward 5°, but that's about all the ergonomic features you get
The OSD interface is the same one that Dell started using with the Crystal. It's an elegant and intuitive interface that includes the usual brightness, contrast and colour controls, but also some that directly affect the OSD, like a menu timer and options for modifying the level of transparency.
The S2409W features a 16:9 aspect ratio, which supports a 'Full HD' resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels.
PerformanceWe tested the S2409W with its DVI connection. The display posted a composite score of 87 in our DisplayMate-based performance tests, compared with the E2400HD's score of 85. The two displays put in a similar performance in most of the DisplayMate test screens, but the S2409W scored slightly better in our colour-tracking tests, as it exhibited no noticeable compression or expansion at the dark or light ends of the colour scale.
A colour-tracking error occurs when the intensity of red, green and blue doesn't adjust identically with signal-level changes. During two colour tests -- 'low saturation colours' and '64-256 intensity colour ramp' -- the E2400HD showed clear signs of expansion at the light end of the scale, while the S2409W displayed the colours in the scale smoothly.
The S2409W posted a brightness score of 242cd/m2 in our test -- lower than the 300 maximum claimed by Dell. The E2400HD barely bested that score, with a 246 brightness rating. We measured the S2409W's contrast ratio as 1,001:1 -- virtually the same as Dell's claimed ratio of 1,000:1. This beats the E2400HD's 892:1 contrast ratio by more than 100.
We were in for a huge surprise when we played World of Warcraft on the S2409W. Running at a resolution of 1,920x1,080 pixels, it looked crisp, colourful and pretty near perfect. Unfortunately, viewing the game from a lower-than-optimal viewing angle made the screen darken to the point that graphic details of the game could not be seen.

The S2409W's performance when we watched our favourite Kill Bill: Vol. 1 scenes was virtually identical to that of the E2400HD. Colours were vibrant, but didn't have the same kind of pop as we saw on the Apple LED Cinema Display. The blacks were deep without losing any dark details in dark scenes. We didn't notice any streaking or ghosting, and the screen remained sharp.
The 1080p Blu-ray version of House of Flying Daggers looked great for the same reasons stated above. We didn't, however, notice any quality advantage as a result of the screen's 16:9 aspect ratio.
Brightness (in cd/m2)(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP
452
HP w2408h
434
Lenovo ThinkVision L2440x
286
BenQ E2400HD
246
Dell S2409W
242
Samsung SyncMaster T240HD
217
Contrast(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Dell S2409W
1,001:1
BenQ E2400HD
892:1
Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP
891:1
HP w2408h
858:1
Samsung SyncMaster T240HD
815:1
Lenovo ThinkVision L2440x
810:1
Performance(Longer bars indicate better performance)
Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP
90
Lenovo ThinkVision L2440x
88
Dell S2409W
87
Samsung SyncMaster T240HD
87
BenQ E2400HD
85
HP w2408h
85

ConclusionThose seeking a 24-inch, 1080p monitor at a low price will probably be satisfied with the Dell S2409W. Ergonomic features have been sacrificed to keep the price down, but the S2409W's performance is great.
Additional editing by Charles Kloet.

Monday, 6 April 2009

Mouse (computing)


A contemporary computer mouse, with the most common standard features: two buttons and a scroll wheel, which can also act as a third button

In computing, a mouse (plural mouses, mice, or mouse devices) is a pointing device that functions by detecting two-dimensional motion relative to its supporting surface. Physically, a mouse consists of an object held under one of the user's hands, with one or more buttons. It sometimes features other elements, such as "wheels", which allow the user to perform various system-dependent operations, or extra buttons or features can add more control or dimensional input. The mouse's motion typically translates into the motion of a pointer on a display, which allows for fine control of a Graphical User Interface.

The name mouse, originated at the Stanford Research Institute, derives from the resemblance of early models (which had a cord attached to the rear part of the device, suggesting the idea of a tail) to the common mouse.[1]

The first marketed integrated mouse – shipped as a part of a computer and intended for personal computer navigation – came with the Xerox 8010 Star Information System in 1981. However, the mouse remained relatively obscure until the appearance of the Apple Macintosh; in 1984 a prominent PC columnist commented the release of this new computer with a mouse: “There is no evidence that people want to use these things.”[2]

A mouse now comes with most computers and many other varieties can be bought separately.

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