Handy Gadgets

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ700B 42in Plasma TV. ‘Connection wise, Panasonic has pushed the boat out with this TV. Kicking things off are three HDMI 1.3 ports – not only will you be able to hook up more high definition kit than with most other 42in TVs, but you’ll also be able to take advantage of high bit depth, Deep Colour content once discs appear that support this feature of course. There’s also a component video input for analogue HD sources like an Xbox 360, as well as D-SUB port for hooking up a PC. You also get three Scart sockets (two RGB), analogue audio in for the component video and D-SUB connections and analogue audio out. There’s also optical digital audio out, allowing you to pass through the digital audio from the HDMI inputs to a suitable external amp or processor.’

Read: Panasonic Viera TH-42PZ700B 42in Plasma TV – Trusted Reviews

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A review of the Sony XDR-S50 DAB radio has been posted over at Pocket-Lint. ‘Coming in at £60, the Sony XDR-S50 is an entry-level model that challenges Pure Digital's Move and other basic players from companies like Intempo. The smallish unit is compact and neatly designed. The front boasts a largish speaker and display, while the top a plethora of controlling buttons. Even the sides don't miss out with the all important station select and volume buttons on the right. With built-in clock, but no an alarm, you won't be using the XDR-S50 to wake yourself up any time soon, however with a sleep options of 60, 45, 30 and 15 minutes you can at least use it to go to sleep.’

Read: Sony XDR-S50 DAB radio Review – Pocket-Lint

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CNET have published a review of the Audiovox Xpress R XM satellite radio receiver. 'While the XpressR could easily rest on its good looks, the receiver's features are what set it apart from the herd. To start with, the XpressR offers four display modes that can be easily toggled among. The first two display modes offer a typical XM radio readout (track and channel information) using either a large or regular font size. The third display mode shows a split display that allows you to see information on the current channel on the left side of the screen, while browsing channel listings on the right side of the screen. The last display mode also splits the screen, simultaneously showing the currently playing channel and previously played channel, providing a means to visually monitor what's playing on two channels at once. We found the split screen displays to be very effective at allowing you to juggle stations, but with so much information presented on one screen, we would hesitate using the feature while driving.'

Read: Audiovox XpressR XM Radio - CNET

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A review of Brando's USB Interactive Aquarium has been posted over at Notebook Review. 'The aquarium claims to be interactive and I guess it sort of lives up to that. There is a pop-up menu that has five fish icons that indicate the fish's need for playing, feeding, medical attention, turning the blue light on/off, and “refreshing” the fish after you kill them. Because they won’t just die of old age(like real fish), you have to try and kill them by overfeeding or underfeeding them or overmedicating them. When you succeed, game over, that is until you hit the refresh button (No toilets needed). The light button is kind of pointless since it's difficult to see in a lit office environment.'

Read: USB Aquarium Review - Notebook Review

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14U News have published a review of of the Boomchair 2.1 Racer Multimedia Video Rocker. ‘The chair is low to the ground with a 32” H x 30” L x 24” W. the back folds down for easier storage as well. This is a great video game chair. Inside the BoomChair 2.1 are 3” two-way speakers and a 4” subwoofer as well as vibration motors. On the side are the controls for adjusting volume, vibration, and bass as well as the power switch, RCA inputs for connecting to your home theater, and a headphone jack.’

Features/Specifications:
• Pair of 3 inch two-way speakers
• Folds in half for convenient storage
• Connect easily to any game console, iPod, MP3 Player, TV or VCR
• Sound responsive LED on the control panel
• Fully adjustable volume
• RCA Input ports
• Rugged canvas surface
• Back storage pocket and fully adjustable recline stoppers

Read: BoomChair 2.1 Multimedia Furniture Review – 14U News

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Laptop Magazine have published a review of the Altec Lansing inMotion iMV712 iPod speaker system which features high-quality sound delivered by two 3-inch neodymium speakers and a built-in, 4-inch, side-firing subwoofer plus a large, 8.5-inch high resolution widescreen display. 'A glossy black finish and curvy shell give the iMV712 a very hip look, despite its size (8.2 x 7.7 x 18.5 inches and about 8.5 pounds). Behind black cloth speaker grilles is a pair of three-inch full-range drivers and a four-inch side-firing subwoofer for a combined 40 watts (RMS) of power; the 16:9 screen is front and center, while the iPod dock is on top. The back sports RCA audio and video inputs, as well as an S-Video port, power jack, master power switch, and 1/8th-inch line input.'

Read: Altec Lansing inMotion iMV712 - Laptop Mag

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A review of the Agfaphoto AP2700 photo printer has been posted over at Computeractive. ‘It's a small machine, about the size of a bag of sugar, but with a 25-sheet paper tray that plugs in at the front. It has a 63mm LCD display, so you can preview the images that are to be printed, and a menu system controlled by a circle of buttons. Like printers from the company's earlier Printeasy range, the Photo Printer AP2700 is a dye-sublimation device, which means the solid, waxy ink is transferred from a very thin film ribbon to the postcard-sized print sheets using a thermal print head.’

Read: Review: Agfaphoto Printer AP2700 photo printer - Computeractive

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The Gadgeteer have published a review of the Kill-A-Watt EZ Electricity Usage Monitor to which you can connect your appliances to ascertain their levels of energy consumption. 'Having the ability to see how different appliances and devices will effect your monthly electric bill is a great asset. Most of us probably already have an electricity 'monitor' on the exterior of your house. It's called an electric meter. The Kill-A-Watt comes with an 8 page user guide. Don't be scared, it's not difficult to use. The first thing you will need though is your last electric bill. Scan your bill to find what your electric company is charging you per kWh (kilowatt-hour).'

Read: Kill-A-Watt EZ Electricity Usage Monitor - The Gadgeteer

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CNET have published a review of the DLO HomeDock Music Remote. 'The DLO HomeDock Music Remote basically consists of two halves: a small iPod docking station and a handheld remote control. The dock is about twice as deep as the default Apple model because it's got two recharging bays: an iPod sits up front, and--when it's not in use--the HomeDock remote sits in the rear. The dock can be connected to any stereo or set of powered speakers via the 3.5mm line-out minijack (a patch cable with red and white stereo RCA jacks is included). A small wall wart AC adapter powers the dock, and--if it's near your computer--you can also plug in a standard mini-USB cable, and use it to sync to iTunes. An adjustable backstop is included to support varying sized iPods, and cradle accepts any of the standard sized tray inserts as well. Officially, it's compatible with all Nanos, Minis, and 4G and 5G iPods, but it seemed to work fine (albeit slowly) with an old 3G black-and-white model we had on hand as well.'

Read: DLO HomeDock Music Remote Review - CNET

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Pocket-Lint have published a review of the BT Reveal SMS cordless phone. 'Sitting in a cradle that combines a cordless handset that's concealed in a glossy black stand complete with glowing blue light, the phone offers virtually all the latest mod cons to get you to spend the most with BT. There's SMS text support, Caller ID support, and even a hard coded button that allows you to have direct access to BT to check or order these services. In the stand (see pictures) we have to admit the phone looks very cool. There is a hidden display (think LG Chocolate phone where the screen appears from nowhere) that shows the time or when a call comes in the number or contact who is calling (as long as you've paid for the Caller ID service of course).'

Read: BT Reveal telephone Review - Pocket-Lint

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A review of the Samsonite Ultima Tote has been posted over at PC Magazine. 'At 1.8 pounds, the Ultima Tote is lightweight, but quite roomy inside. Carrying it back and forth between work and home, I had plenty of room for all my necessi-ties—wallet, tech toys, books, sweater—not to mention my 12.1-inch widescreen Dell Inspiron 700m laptop. What I love about this bag is that its many pockets—for a cell phone, music player, and other gadgets, as well as pens, business cards, and other small, easy-to-lose objects—really keeps me organized. I also like the large zippered inner pocket for easy access to your keys, work ID, gum, or other important items. Finally, there are two narrow pockets on either side of the bag's outer shell, good for stuffing in a small last-minute item, but I would prefer a larger pocket for stowing file folders or a newspaper. Your laptop sits in the padded middle compartment, which can accommodate most 15-inch laptops. The padding is adequate for everyday use, but I wouldn't recommend being too rough with it.'

Read: Samsonite Ultima Tote - PC Mag

Posted by Admin at 11:20 PM | Permalink

Brighthand have published a review of the T-Mobile Sidekick iD which keeps you connected with access to e-mail, instant messaging, and text messaging. ‘The Sidekick's landscape orientation allows concealment of a wide thumb-pad. Its keypad is just right for my thumbs, not requiring too much reach. I recall that the original Sidekick's overall width made typing a little more comfortable, at 4.5 inches from side-to-side, but the iD's 5.1 inches don't make it difficult. Although I won't say it's necessarily better than a Treo keyboard for its width, I'd be willing to bet it looks less intimidating to a novice.’

Read: T-Mobile Sidekick iD Review - Brighthand

Posted by Admin at 11:17 PM | Permalink

Laptop Magazine have published a review of the Canon Pixma MP600 All-In-One Photo Printer with 2.5" TFT display and Easy-Scroll Wheel. ‘Whether you're looking for a business or home photo printer, the Canon Pixma MP600 offers lush colors, attention to detail, and unbeatable speeds. The printer is at the high end of the price range for this roundup. But rest assured: These prints are worth every penny. Despite its rounded black-and-silver body the 22-pound MP600 is bulky and boxy. But flipping open the flat panel on the top reveals a 2.5-inch LCD and a bevy of easy-to-read controls, including a click wheel reminiscent of everyone's favorite MP3 player.’

Read: Canon Pixma MP600 – Laptop Mag

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CNET have published a review of the Logitech MX Air gyroscopic mouse. 'There are a lot of reasons why you may want to move your mousing out of the standard 2D, flat-on-the-desk mode. For computer users with persistent hand and arm pain caused by poor ergonomics or repetitive motion (sometimes called mouse arm), gyroscopic mice like those in the Gyration line have been good solutions, letting users lift the mouse up off the table and control the cursor by moving the mouse through the air. Later on, home theater enthusiasts also discovered gyroscopic mice, and these devices have become a popular, if not exactly common, choice for controlling the functions of a Media Center PC from the living room couch.'

Read: Logitech MX Air Review - CNET

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A review of the Com One Phoenix WiFi/IP Radio has been posted over at CrunchGear. 'The Phoenix, a WiFi, AC/DC portable internet radio runs on four AA rechargeable batteries (included) or with the switching power supply (240-110W AC input). Embedded 802.11 b/g WiFi, the Phoenix streams music from non-subscription Web-Radio sites. Content can be streamed in WMA, AAC, Real, WAV and AIFF formats. You can also play your MP3 content using a USB stick or via WiFi and just use the Phoenix as a player. This wireless digital content stereo player comes preloaded with 300 URLs, but that’s just a start. Users can go to Com One’s Web site to get URLs of about 7,000 more radio stations for the Phoenix. Additionally, you can use the Com One site to add stations not in Com One’s database by keying in a station’s URL.'

Read: Com One Phoenix WiFi/IP Radio Review - CrunchGear

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Pocket-Lint have published a review of the BT Internet Radio which allows you to listen to over five thousand Internet radio stations from different countries, with different styles of music. 'BT has been dabbling in internet radio for some time, so has the latest offering got what it takes against DAB? We get listening to find out.Coming in a simple box design with two large-ish speakers, the controls for the radio, which allow you to do everything from setup to volume to storing your radio presets are found on the top of the white device. It's strange, as the display of what radio station you are tuned into for example, is on the front.Simple things aside, the player allows you to connect to the over 5000 internet radio stations around the world rather than the select few that we have on FM or DAB radio in the UK.'

Read: BT Internet Radio Review - Pocket-Lint

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Sarah Meyer writing over at TabletPCReview has posted a review of the Tom Bihn Zephyr Briefcase. 'The outside of the bag is black and steel and has two small YKK Uretek splash-proof zippered pockets. They would be useful for small items like a cell phone, keys, chap stick, flash drive, checkbook, etc. The main buckle opens to a zippered pocket and an open pouch. The zippered pocket is large enough for a novel, power cords, or an extra battery. The pouch is bigger and has compartments that could hold office supplies like pens, notepads, calculators, etc. There is also a strap that you can attach a Tom Bihn organizer pouch or a key ring.'

Read: Tom Bihn Zephyr Briefcase Review - TabletPCReview

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Trusted Reviews have published a review of the Matrox Extio™ F1220 multi-display Remote Graphics Unit. 'The Extio box measures 300 x 145 x 25mm (WxDxH), which makes it far smaller than even the tiniest PC. At the rear is a connector for the external power supply, and four DVI ports for connecting up your four desktop monitors. Next to the DVI inputs you’ll find the port for the fibre optic cable that connects the Extio to its host PC. Finally at the rear are two USB ports for hooking up a keyboard and mouse, along with a line-out port for your speakers. On the front there’s the power switch, four more USB ports and an audio complement comprising headphone, microphone and line-in sockets.'

Read: Matrox Extio - Remote Multi-Display System - Trusted Reviews

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A review of the Cardo S640 Bluetooth headset has been posted over at CNET. ‘The Cardo S640 is a small and compact device, only measuring 1.5 inches long, 0.7 inch wide, and 0.8 inch deep and decked out in a simple, glossy black. As we mentioned, the Cardo S640 is more of a Bluetooth clip than a headset--the entire device is the clip itself, with a wired earbud attached to the top. There's a volume button and an LED on the front of the S640, while the multifunction control button is located on the earbud. While we found the buttons pretty easy to press, we weren't too pleased with the concept of the volume button--instead of having a volume rocker that you can use to increase or decrease the volume, you have to cycle through the volume settings from lowest to highest with every tap. The wired earbud is a pretty standard size and fits comfortably in the ear. The S640 even comes with two earbud foam covers for additional comfort.’

Read: Cardo S640 Bluetooth headset - CNET

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N-Vision Optics recently introduced an ultra compact tactical multi-purpose night vision monocular, the GT-14. The unit combines the main features of the existing models currently used by law enforcement and US military and is offered with the highest quality Generation 3 image intensifier tubes. Being an ideal multi-purpose system for night-time observations, GT-14 can be used while hand-held as a monocular, head mounted or helmet-mounted as a single eye goggle, or weapon-mounted as a night scope. It is compatible with weapon mounted IR laser aiming and illuminating devices, submersible, shockproof and waterproof. Features include superior optics, integrated infrared illuminator, automatic brightness control, and it weighs less than 11 oz.

Features/Specifications:
• Generation 3, 2+. SuperGen, XD4, XR5
• Magnification 1x
• Field of View 40°
• Objective Lens Focal Length, mm 25
• Objective Lens F Number 1.2
• Min. Focusing Distance, cm 25
• Min. Focusing Distance, in 10
• Eye Relief, mm 30
• Diopter Adjustment -4 to +5
• Battery CR123 Lithium (1)
• Battery life, hrs (typical: With IR Illuminator) 20
• Battery life, hrs (typical: Without IR Illuminator) 40
• Dimensions, mm 115 x 66 x 49
• Dimensions, in 4.5 x 2.6 x 1.9
• Weight, g 320
• Weight, oz 11
• Operating Temperature, °C -30 to 52
• Submersion 2 meters for 2 hours

Posted by Admin at 11:54 AM | Permalink

Pocket-Lint have published a review of the eMats Viscoform 2500 Memory Foam Mattress. ‘In October last year we tested and loved the eMats Viscoform 1200 memory foam mattress. This year eMats has launched a new design; the Viscoform 2500 memory foam mattress, which promises to be even more comfortable than previous versions. So, will it give you a good night's sleep? We take a nap to find out. The Viscoform 2500 is the new flagship model in the eMats range. An extra 50mm thicker than our last test candidate, the King size weighs in at a hefty 30kg. This extra weight and size is from the addition of a further 2 layers of foam, bringing the total number to 4.’ .

Read: eMats Viscoform 2500 Memory Foam Mattress Review - Pocket-Lint

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The new PIG® Bend n' Shape(TM) Mat from New Pig Corporation can be cut into desired size and shape with a scissors and used to control condensation, leaks and drips to protect against slip and fall hazards. 'The PIG® Bend n' Shape(TM) Mat's non-permeable, heavy-duty foil backing creates a form-fitting leak barrier for all those odd shapes and difficult places like pipes, gear boxes, ductwork, hoses, and HVAC units. Lightweight and easy to transport, the Mat can be cut to its desired size and shape with scissors. In addition, the Mat can be shaped and used foil-side up to deflect leaks and drips or funnel liquids away.'

Read: Absorbent Mat features moldable design. - Thomas Net

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CNET Asia have published their initial review of the LG HT502THW wireless home theater system. ‘With the weather going bizarre, it may be high time we go green and the HY502THW 's onboard 500W digital amplifier is a good start. This delivers higher power efficiency and at the same time runs cooler than its analog counterparts. You are spared the installation guesswork with a set of height-optimized tallboy speakers. These are complemented by a compact center equivalent and favorable timbre matched via an identical two-way three-driver speaker configuration. .

Unlike Sony's infrared-based wireless solution, LG has elected for a more robust radio frequency (RF)-equivalent for this HTIB. It does not depend on line-of-sight between the radio transmitter and receiver modules, though it can be subject to interference from 2.4GHz band electronic devices. Some examples include analog cordless phones and Wi-Fi gadgets. Having said that, we have yet to experience severe issues in this area based on our past experiences.’

Read: LG HT502THW wireless home theater system – CNET Asia

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A review of the Pioneer inno Portable XM Radio/MP3 Player has been posted over at The Gadgeteer. ‘The Inno is roughly the same size as other portable music players. It feels quite solid and has a nice heft to it without feeling unusually overweight. The only flaw in the Inno’s construction is that the edges of the brushed metal bezel on the front are sharp, not smoothed down to the level of the surrounding case. At first I thought this only affected my Inno, but I’ve seen it mentioned in other reviews too. All in all, it’s quite portable and I have no qualms about dropping it into a pocket without a case. The back of the Inno is featureless except for the battery cover and a small bump near the antenna, and a corresponding bump on the other corner which allows the Inno to not be lopsided if you lay it on its back.’

Read: Pioneer inno Portable XM Radio – The Gadgeteer

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Dave Moore writing over at the Stuff.co.nz provides some insights on the new compact Renault Twingo. 'Renault sold more than 2.4 million of its original Twingo, which was launched in April 1993. The company could have sold an awful lot more than that, however, as the car was never made available in countries that drive on the left-hand side of the road. Despite this, hundreds of Twingos were privately imported to Britain, and even now used examples often commend a higher resale price there than their correctly-configured competitors from other brands.'

Read: New Twingo a French treat - Stuff.co.nz

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A preview of the LG 60PY3RF Plasma TV has been posted over at CNET Asia. ‘If you are looking for something of a substantial size, you have obviously found the right match. This mammoth offers a generous 60-inch screen size that delivers a near-theatrical effect second to projectors. To top it off, a future-proof 1,920 x 1,080-pixel native resolution ensures pixel-to-pixel crisp visuals when paired with HD sources such as Blu-ray and HD-DVD. Easy on the eye, the chassis is dressed in all-round glossy black and measures an ultra-slim 98.5mm depth.’.

Read: LG 60PY3RF (60-inch plasma) – CNET Asia

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The new PB DigiTorque® v2.0 from PB Swiss Tools combines the reliable release mechanism of a torque device with the good grip and handiness of a standard PB SwissGrip screwdriver. 'What's New with DigiTorque® v2.0: Universal, individual, flexible! The trigger rate can be simply changed with the additional hex driver by inserting it into the handle and turning left/right. The current trigger value can be seen immediately on the digital display at the end of the handle. The device is switched on by pressing the display with your thumb. After approx. 20 sec the device switches off automatically. Thus, a battery life span of more than 10 years is guaranteed.'

Read: Screwdriver controls tightening torque. - Thomas Net

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