Handy Gadgets

Notebook Review have published a review of the Adesso CyberPad which records what you write digitally without special paper. 'The Adesso CyberPad is a simple and straightforward design that looks something like an "electronic clipboard." In fact, that's a good description of what it's like to use the CyberPad. The silver plastic clip above the tablet surface holds a pad of 8.5" x 11" paper and you use the inicluded pen to write on the paper like any normal clipboard. The CyberPad tablet surface and pen work together to record what you write in electronic format. The all-plastic construction gives the CyberPad a slightly cheap feel, but keeps the weight low. The included portfolio case keeps the CyberPad protected and helps make this digital notepad look like a professional tool.'

Read: Adesso CyberPad Review - Notebook Review

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:58 PM | Permalink

The Gadgeteer have published a review of the Advanced Wireless Solutions Backup-Pal portable cell phone backup solution. 'The Backup-Pal is a small hockey puck shaped device with three buttons, an LED and a mini USB cable connected to it. That's it. No displays or switches to fiddle with. On the back you'll find a battery compartment that holds 3 AAA batteries required to power the device. The memory inside the Backup-Pal is non-volatile. That means that once you do make a backup of your data, it will not disappear if the batteries in the device die. You'll also see a label display with all of the necessary information needed to back up and restore your phone's contacts.'

Read: Cellular Phonebook Backup-Pal - The Gadgeteer

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:28 PM | Permalink

Pocket-Lint have published a review of the Glow Flow Tap which fits onto most taps (comes with a set of universal adaptors) and has an internal switch that lights up a set of LEDs when you turn on your tap in turn transforming the stream of water into a waterfall of light. 'Fitting is easy, it's just a case of screwing on the device to your tap fitting, and therefore doesn't need a costly plumber involved. There are three different sized fittings included in the box to fit most taps and the whole job took us, without a spanner we must add, about 2 minutes.’

Read: Glow Flow tap review – Pocket-Lint

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 11:55 AM | Permalink

Press Release

Dubai - March 25, 2008 -HTC Corp. (TAIEX: 2498; "HTC"), the world's leading provider of Microsoft Windows Mobile® devices, today launched the HTC Touch Cruise(TM), the third member of the HTC Touch product family and the first to feature built-in GPS for personal navigation. Building on the popularity of the HTC Touch(TM) and the HTC Touch Dual(TM), the Touch Cruise also includes 3.5G-HSDPA wireless connectivity.

Users on the move will easily be able to interact with the HTC Touch Cruise's navigation functionality and can take advantage of HTC's TouchFLO(TM) technology, which enhances finger touch scrolling and browsing of Web pages, documents, messages and contact lists, controlled by simply sweeping a finger across the screen. TouchFLO also offers the ability to view photos and photo slideshows using on-screen controls and to zoom and rotate images with only one hand.

Stylish and sleek in design, the Touch Cruise is further illustration of HTC's commitment to innovation and to building a suite of touchscreen devices that cater to a variety of customer needs and styles. The HTC Home(TM) screen provides one-touch access to emails, text messages, calendar appointments and contacts, as well as current weather conditions and forecasts for hundreds of cities around the world. Users can then simply sweep their finger up the display to launch an animated, three-dimensional interface comprising three screens: Contacts, Media and Applications. The interface can be spun by swiping a finger right or left across the display, providing efficient access to the features consumers use most.

The new Touch Cruise boasts of super fast HSDPA/3.5G connectivity plus Wi-Fi® and Bluetooth®, making it a highly connected device for consumers on the move. Its 2.8" screen is great for enjoying mobile multimedia and because it runs on Windows Mobile 6 Professional, the built-in Windows Media Player is ideal for music and movies.

Kevin Chen, General Manager, HTC Middle East and Africa and CIS, commented, "The original HTC Touch has already been a phenomenal success, and the HTC Touch Cruise(TM) with fully integrated GPS adds another dimension to our leading touchscreen device family. We firmly believe in the importance of choice - one device does not fit everyone's needs - and we're proud to have been able to launch three HTC Touch devices since June, 2007."

The Touch Cruise utilizes mapping and navigation solutions from CoPilot Live 7. This navigation software comes with a taster city map or the option of full maps of GCC. Other key features include a 3 megapixel auto focus camera, FM radio and microSD(TM) memory card slot for expanding the inbuilt memory. The new Touch Cruise will be available through all the major retailers from this month onwards at an estimated end user pricing of AED 2,849 (USD 780).

Launched in June 2007, the HTC Touch was the first member of the HTC Touch family and has proven to be a massive hit since it launched. The HTC Touch Dual, which features HSDPA connectivity and a sliding keypad, was launched in October 2007.

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:18 PM | Permalink

A review of the Mio Moov 310 portable navigation system has been posted over at CNET. 'Despite the Navman acquisition, the hardware of the Mio Moov 310 is decidedly Mio. It's got a sleek black casing and a slim rectangular shape that's similar to the Mio C520's, measuring 5.1 inches wide by 3 inches high by 0.7 inch deep and 6.4 ounces for easy portability. There's a spacious 4.3-inch touch screen on the front with an antiglare coating and 480x272 pixel resolution. The display is sharp, but colors tend to wash out a bit in bright daylight. You can, however, adjust the brightness and map colors (in addition to day/night/auto map color settings) to help improve the visibility.'

Read: Mio Moov 310 - CNET

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:59 PM | Permalink

Press Release

Angers, France, March 18, 2008 – Evolis, the European leader in plastic card personalization solutions, announced a custom-designed travel case for its Tattoo2 entry model color printer.

The Tattoo2 printer now fits neatly into the Evolis travel case, which was so far designed to accommodate the Pebble color printer only. The Evolis Travel case also hosts all accessories required to personalize plastic cards (ribbons, cards, Drivers CD, cleaning kit, etc.).

The printer-in-travel case is an ideal response to market requirements from users that are increasingly willing to print plastic cards and badges for mobile applications and to manage visitors at trade shows, exhibitions, and other such events. Furthermore, Evolis distributors and resellers now have a seamless capacity to set up onsite demonstrations at customers’ sites.

Compact and elegant, just like the Evolis printers, the case is equipped with thick foam for better cushioning during travel. Its light weight and compact size makes it suitable as a cabin luggage. The telescopic handle makes it easy to carry the case around smartly and conveniently.

“With Tattoo2, its entry level printer for instant card personalization, Evolis targets SMEs, clubs, associations and public authorities willing to issue color badges. Membership and loyalty cards, visitor and employee badges can be printed one at a time or in small runs, wherever required. Now, carrying the Tattoo2 printer around has become simpler and safer with the specially designed travel case. Card personalization becomes even easier and more affordable in any environment.” said Delphine Bidaud,Product Manager, Evolis.

About Evolis Evolis designs, manufactures, and markets a comprehensive range of plastic card printing solutions. These card printers are fitted with options for graphic, magnetic and electric (contact and RFID contactless chip cards) personalization of all kind of cards and badges (employee badges, student IDs, payment cards, etc.). Website: http://www.evolis.com/

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:19 PM | Permalink

PC Magazine have published a review of the Elgato HDHomeRun network-attached HDTV tuner. ‘The HDHomeRun is similar to other TV tuners on the market in that it has two coaxial inputs that connect to TV antennas or cable television. When reception is available, the device receives free over-the-air standard-definition (SD) and high-definition (HD) broadcasts, plus unscrambled SD/HD cable television from a coaxial cable. What makes the HDHomeRun truly unique is that instead of connecting to your computer via USB or an internal PCI slot, it's the only tuner that connects to your network via Ethernet. If what you really want is to watch HDTV on your laptop, at, say, the park or in an airport, you'll want to stick with a product that uses USB, such as the Artec T14A Digital TV Tuner. And scrambled HD cable channels (HBO and Showtime, for example) can be viewed only through a pricey PC equipped with an ATI CableCARD reader; there's no Mac option. But if you want to deliver SD and HD programming to multiple computers on your network, the HDHomeRun will do the trick.’

Read: Elgato HDHomeRun – PC Mag

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 11:29 AM | Permalink

ZDNet have published a review of the Grace ITC-IR1000B Wireless Internet Radio (black). 'The Grace ITC-IR1000B Wireless Internet Radio is a sharp looking little radio. Its glossy black finish looks nice, but it is a magnet for fingerprints. The left half of the unit is dominated by a black speaker grille, which houses a single four-inch speaker. There's an LCD readout in the upper right that can display about four lines of text at a time. Down and to the left of the display are nine buttons, used for playback, storing presets, and navigation. Below that is a medium-sized volume knob and to the right is a large knob that is used to navigate the thousands of stations available.'

Read: Grace ITC-IR1000B Wireless Internet Radio (black) - ZDNet

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:18 PM | Permalink

A review of the Roberts WM201 Wi-Fi internet radio has been posted over at the Register Hardware. 'The WM-201's screen does look a little small at first, but in use actually provides all the information you need in a very readable way. The brightness of the screen can be adjusted to match the amount of ambient light. The product has a good level of useful connections, including an Ethernet cable - not all homes have Wi-Fi. There's also a line-in for playback direct from personal digital players, as well as a line-out so the unit can act as part of a much beefier Hi-Fi set-up. Still, it's primarily designed to take advantage of the convenience of Wi-Fi, and it does this pretty well. Armed with your WEP or WPA code, the box can be configured quite simply - although we did take a bit of time working out the navigation system accessed via the unit’s central knob. However, once we had got the hang of this, the quoted range of 10-20 metres was accurate, and its signal strength was robust.'

Read: Roberts WM-201 Wi-Fi internet radio - Register Hardware

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:59 PM | Permalink

Press Release

In-Sight® Micro: the world’s smallest, smartest, and easiest vision system

Make it small. Make it smart. Make it easy. That’s what Cognex has achieved with the next-generation In-Sight Micro vision system. In-Sight Micro packs a complete vision system into a remarkably small package that measures just 30mm x 30mm x 60mm. Together with the new, intuitive EasyBuilderTM configuration software, and smart VisionViewTM operator interface display, In-Sight Micro will forever change the way people think about and use vision.

“What’s truly revolutionary about the In-Sight Micro vision system is that it transforms machine vision into a much more affordable and accessible solution for so many people,” said Justin Testa, Cognex Senior Vice President. “Now even users unfamiliar with machine vision systems will find it easy to set up and deploy machine vision applications.”

The In-Sight Micro is a full vision system the size of a remote-head camera, ideal for mounting in very tight spaces on robots, production lines and machinery. In addition to small size, the In-Sight Micro provides flexible mounting capability with a unique non-linear calibration tool that enables mounting at angles of up to 45-degrees for hard-to-reach applications.

Five new In-Sight Micro models cover a range of price, performance, and resolution levels, including a two-megapixel model. In-Sight Micro includes the proven Cognex vision tool library to handle the broadest range of vision applications for the widest array of industries.

The new EasyBuilder configuration software makes In-Sight Micro remarkably easy to set up and deploy. With a simple point and click approach, EasyBuilder walks users through the process of setting up a vision application, step by step. EasyBuilder eliminates the need for programming, yet provides the flexibility to customize complex applications when needed.

The unique VisionView 700 operator interface panel makes it easier than ever to monitor production processes without a PC. Once connected, VisionView automatically detects any Cognex vision system on the network and simultaneously displays information from up to nine vision systems in a tiled view.

The In-Sight Micro vision systems, EasyBuilder software, and VisionView display will be available at the end of March. For more information, watch the In-Sight Micro demo video and enter to win an iPod® at http://www.cognex.com/micro/.

About Cognex
Cognex Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and markets machine vision sensors and systems, or devices that can "see." Cognex vision systems are used in factories around the world to automate the manufacture of a wide range of items and to assure their quality. Cognex is the world's leader in the machine vision industry, having shipped more than 400,000 machine vision systems, representing over $2 billion in cumulative revenue, since the company's founding in 1981. In addition to its corporate headquarters in Natick, Massachusetts, Cognex also has regional offices and distributors located throughout North America, Japan, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. Visit Cognex on-line at http://www.cognex.com/.

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 5:16 PM | Permalink

A review of the Logitech G51 Surround Sound Speaker System has been posted over at Digital Trends. 'We tested the G51 by listening to everything from Pantera to Too Short, and came away generally impressed by their power and overall sound quality. The system seems very well-balanced, as the subwoofer never overpowers the satellites and vice versa. The satellites offer crystal clear highs and mids, and never get muddy or crackly at normal and even high volumes. If you turn it up really loud, your ears will give out before the satellites do. The subwoofer sounds great at moderate volumes, but does not totally pound the floor as the volume increases. The Matrix mode works really well for music too. It doesn’t just mirror the front channel, but rather adds a more ambient version of the music to the rear channel.'

Read: Logitech G51 - Digital Trends

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:37 PM | Permalink

PC Authority have published a review of the Microsoft Xbox 360 games console. ‘The Xbox 360 is an accomplished games console, yet relatively few people take advantage of its capabilities as a Media Center Extender. If you have a Windows Media Center PC, you can use the Xbox as a remote interface to it. We tested it with both Vista and XP and, in each case, the interface was identical to each version of Media Center, complete with sounds and menu animations. Impressively, the Xbox was able to play the WMV-HD file smoothly over 802.11g, but the bad news is you have to fork out $150 extra for the wireless USB adapter – it isn’t included as standard. If you don’t want to shell out for the wireless adapter, there’s a Gigabit Ethernet port.’

Read: Microsoft Xbox 360 – PC Authority

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:10 PM | Permalink

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the TwinMOS Boom China MP3 player docking and speaker system. ‘First up is compatibility with the full iPod range. The BooM China works, not only with the entire range of iPods - right up to the latest, fifth generation players - but also the iPod Touch and iPhone. I tested it with a fifth generation iPod nano and it worked perfectly. You can even plug a shuffle in via the USB socket just behind the main iPod interface. On the rear of the head unit, as well as the output for the sub is a composite TV output for displaying iPod video on a TV. And owners of other MP3 players who like the idea of having a sub shaped like a vase need not feel left out either. Admittedly it gets in the way of the design ethos somewhat, but you can also hook up any other, non-Apple MP3 player via the Boom's 3.5mm stereo input.’

Read: TwinMOS Boom China – Trusted Reviews

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 3:47 PM | Permalink

CNET have published a review of the Kata DR-467 Digital Rucksack. 'Like all Kata photo bags, the DR-467 has a yellow interior. At first glance, you might think this is extreme, but the interior makes it very easy to find an errant SD or xD card if one falls out of your memory card wallet. Plus, your lens caps will never blend in with the interior either. The top compartment is deceptively large. Kata says it's about 13inches by 5.9 inches by 7.5-inches. I was able to fit a magazine standing up or sideways, as well as a decent sized hardcover book, and I'm sure that a travel guide and a light jacket would fit at the same time. That big compartment also has a spot for a cell phone, some pens, and a spot for the bag's yellow rain cover. While yellow is nice for the interior, I would've liked a more subdued color for the rain cover, though some people, such as hikers, would probably argue that the garish yellow makes you stand out more to cars or rescue vehicles. I'm sure that I would value the yellow color more if I find myself stranded in the wilderness. Perhaps a reversible design would be best for all occasions.'

Read: Kata DR-467 Digital Rucksack - CNET

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:25 PM | Permalink

Digital Reviews Network have published a review of the Qstarz GPS BT-Q1000 Platinum Bluetooth GPS Travel Recorder. ‘The BT-Q1000P proved to be like Qstarz 's other GPS Travel recorder, the BT-Q1200, consistently faster in getting a position lock than my other GPS units my old Bluetooth GPS receiver and Navman GPS navigator. In comparison to the BT-Q1200, I would say there isn't any difference between the two - this should be not surprising given the two units uses the MTK GPS Module with 51-CH.Both the BT-Q1200 and BT-Q1000P managed to get a lock in the some notorously GPS unfriendly areas Sydney CBD without too long (approx 1-1.5minute cold start). Big ticks for cold start position acquisition and strength of signal acquisition. And both units managed to get GPS location locks even whilst traveling on Tangara trains - something my trusty old GPS unit didn't managed to do.’

Read: Qstarz GPS Travel Recorder: BT-Q1000 Platinum Review - Digital Reviews Network

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:11 PM | Permalink

A review of the Power Station Organizer has been posted over at The Gadgeteer. 'The device allows you to recharge up to three electronic devices. It can be used for cell phones, MP3 players, handheld games, and personal data devices. All you have to do is use the power strip inside of the case. There are three plug-ins and ample room to tuck your power cords neatly inside. At my house, we use the kitchen countertop to hold our landline and charge our wireless phones. By using the countertop, our counter space is quickly reduced with the cords running across it. Plus, I get stuck trying to find a plug for my mixer, blender, or camera batteries.'

Read: ReSource Power Station Organizer - The Gadgeteer

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 5:01 PM | Permalink

IT Reviews have published a review of the HANNSG HG216DP HD monitor. 'The controls are discreetly hidden under the bottom right of the display but are easy to operate, with the usual manual and auto settings plus scrolling buttons. The stand, though, took some shoving to fix in place and offers only a 20-degree tilt and no height adjustment. It's when you get around the back that you notice that - as well as the standard VGA and audio inputs - there's also an HDMI input in place of the usual DVI. For those not in the know, a High-Definition Multimedia Interface is the first to provide uncompressed digital video and audio, so you end up with a ‘pure' translation from the source. HDMI has a 5Gbps bandwidth which means it has lots of spare capacity for future expansion.'

Read: HANNSG - HG216DP review - IT Reviews

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:13 PM | Permalink

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the Philips 37PFL5522D 37in LCD TV. 'Aesthetically the 37PFL5522D is sort of okayish; just a relatively straightforward black rectangle with a small, slightly angled back speaker bar running along the bottom. But it at least feels quite solidly built, avoiding the overt plastickiness of many budget flat TVs. Turning to the TV's rear, we find a solid enough set of connections. Two HDMIs lead the way, with support from the de rigueur component video input, as well as a couple of SCARTs and the usual S-Video and composite video ‘fall backs' for anyone willing to put up with the inevitable reduction in image quality they introduce. The only disappointment is the fact that there's no D-Sub PC port, meaning you need to use one of the HDMIs for computer duties.'

Read: Philips 37PFL5522D 37in LCD TV - Trusted Reviews

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:25 PM | Permalink

Pocket-Lint have published a review of the Techair 3708 Rucksack notebook carry case. ‘Designed for use with 13.3-in machines, it's great for those who own a MacBook or similarly an ultraportable Windows machine. It's compact so can be used as an everyday bag for commute or for overnight travels. The colour is a little muted, being grey and pale blue but it has three good sized compartments, the middle of which is for your notebook, the rear for papers and the larger front pocket your other essentials. There is a small carrying handle on the top of the bag that feels firm to the touch and can be used for carting your stuff around when it’s not on your back.’

Read: Techair 3708 Rucksack review – Pocket-Lint

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 4:39 PM | Permalink

A review of the Logitech Squeezebox Duet network music system has been posted over at CNET. 'The Duet is so named because it's a two-part system: the Squeezebox Receiver base station and the Squeezebox Controller remote. The base station is a nondescript black brick that pulls audio from a networked PC (Windows, Mac, or Linux) or the Internet via your Wi-Fi or wired Ethernet home network. The single button on the front of the base station is used to sync it to manually sync it to the network during setup. In addition to the Ethernet jack, the rear panel boasts both analog stereo (red and white RCA jacks) and digital (coaxial or optical) jacks. That means you can output your music to pretty much anything you want--be it a high-end AV receiver, a lowly boombox, or a pair of PC speakers--so long as it has an auxiliary input jack. There's no power button, but you can shut it off via your computer (more on that later) or the remote.'

Read: Logitech Squeezebox Duet - CNET

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:15 PM | Permalink

A review of the Pure Highway easy to fit in-car DAB digital radio has been posted over at the Register Hardware. 'It's like all those iPod-oriented FM devices. Highway picks up digital radio transmissions then sends them to your car's radio via an FM signal. The unit is intended to be powered by a car cigarette lighter, although for DAB on the move it also can run on two AA batteries. It comes with its own "easy-to-fit" windscreen aerial. The antenna lives up to its description - it really is a straightforward job to stick it onto the inside of the screen. The Highway and its mount are discreet enough not to interfere with the driver's view through the windscreen. A powerful magnet attaches the Highway to its mount and also makes removal nice and quick. Enough antenna cable is provided to make the fit as close enough to the driver as possible. We put our Highway in a Land Rover Freelander and found plenty of power cord too. Fortunately, the Highway comes with some cable clips to tidy the job up afterwards and avoid to much spaghetti hanging on the dash or around the passenger foot well.'

Read: Pure Highway in-car DAB radio - Register Hardware

Posted by Handy Gadgets Admin at 10:15 PM | Permalink

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