Handy Gadgets

AnalogicTech’s High Current WLED Flash Drivers Offer Smaller Alternative to Xenon Lamps

Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:35:43 +0000

Press Release

Highly Flexible Converters Allow On-the-Fly Output Current Correction to Enhance Photo Quality

Santa Clara, CA – Advanced Analogic Technologies Incorporated (AnalogicTech) (Nasdaq: AATI), a developer of power management semiconductors for mobile consumer electronic devices, announced today the AAT1271and AAT1272 dual-channel boost converters are the first devices of their type in AnalogicTech’s WLED driver product line to feature the company’s proprietary AS2Cwire and industry-standard I2C interface respectively. The additional addressing capability of these two buses offers designers tremendous flexibility to modify drive current, and therefore WLED brightness. At the same time, the boost converters’ high drive current and small 3x3-mm footprint delivers a highly attractive alternative to bulky xenon lamp solutions.

JVC LT-32DE9BJ 32in LCD TV / PVR Review - Trusted Reviews

Thu, 04 Sep 2008 22:06:11 +0000

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the JVC LT-32DE9BJ 32in LCD TV. 'Probably the most significant strength of the TV’s pictures is their sharpness and detail. The DynaPix system really does a great job of making standard definition sources look crisp and surprisingly noiseless, while HD sources are stunningly full of texture and fine detail. In fact, during a run-through of test-room favourite Casino Royale on Blu-ray, detail levels during the early free running sequence are as high as I’ve ever seen them on a 32in TV.

New Fluke Laser Distance Meters provide fast, accurate measurement in electrical, HVAC & industrial applications

Wed, 03 Sep 2008 22:23:08 +0000

Press Release

Save steps, time and money with precise laser measurements

Everett, Wash. - Fluke Corporation has announced the new Fluke 416D and 411D Laser Distance Meters, designed to precisely and quickly measure distances up to 200 feet using advanced laser technology.

Zeevee ZvBox System Review - CNET

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 13:15:53 +0000

CNET have published a review of the Zeevee ZvBox System which allows consumers to watch anything they can get online or on their computers on all the HDTVs in their homes. 'The ZeeVee ZvBox Zv-100 (got all that?) package includes two main components--the ZvBox itself and the wireless remote--and several bundled accessories. The main ZvBox unit is a nondescript black box that looks like an elongated VHS tape; its main function is to split your PC monitor video output (VGA) to your DTV (via coaxial cable). The remote is a sizable unit that includes a laptop-style trackpad and mouse buttons for remotely controlling the PC's desktop. It communicates to the PC wirelessly, via a USB antenna dongle; it can also control basic TV functions (volume, channel, power) on up to three sets via infrared.'

Mobile Edge Dig Laptop Messenger Review - PC Mag

Mon, 01 Sep 2008 22:12:49 +0000

A review of the Mobile Edge Dig Laptop Messenger notebook carrying case has been posted over at PC Mag. 'The Dig's main compartment is divided into two sections. The laptop bag's trademarked Superior SafetyCell computer protection compartment is designed to accommodate 15.4-inch laptops, though my 17-inch MacBook Pro was able to fit snugly. The cushion was thick enough to make my laptop feel really well protected. The second section can hold a paper notebook or a few magazines, but not much else. Underneath the flap, there's a front Velcro enclosed sleeve with a pocket for your wallet, cell phone, and various gadgets, plus another mesh zippered section for your pencils and pens.'

Livescribe Pulse Smartpen Review - Laptop Mag

Sun, 31 Aug 2008 22:11:46 +0000

Laptop Magazine have published a review of the Livescribe Pulse Smartpen which is a computer within a pen that captures handwriting and simultaneously records audio and synchronizes it to the writing. 'The Pulse is about the size and weight of a highlighter; it has a ballpoint cartridge and includes three refills of black ink and a stylus tip. About 6 inches long and half an inch in diameter, the charcoal blue, anodized aluminum pen is easy to tote in its included case and fits into a shirt pocket or pen slot. On its spine the Pulse has a 96 x 18-pixel OLED display and a power button above it. Dual embedded mics straddle the screen, and a speaker lies below. The Pulse comes with a cradle that both charges the pen and syncs it with a PC; the pen clips to the cradle magnetically.'

TomTom-XL Review - PC Advisor

Fri, 29 Aug 2008 22:15:10 +0000

PC Advisor have published a review of the TomTom-XL navigator. 'The XL is the first of a new breed of TomTom devices that sports a slimmed down cradle unit. For drivers fed up with the chunky cradles and curved armatures that usually accompany satnav units, the TomTom XL's new EasyPort mount design will be great news. The TomTom XL twists in and out of the circular retaining bracket and can be angled forward as far as you need so the screen is clearly visible to the driver. The whole setup of the TomTom XL feels secure and more robust - we managed to snap the top off the brittle stalk on a TomTom device we tested a year or so ago. The new design was therefore a reassuring development.'

Toshiba XD-E500 DVD Player Review - Pocket-Lint

Thu, 28 Aug 2008 15:04:20 +0000

A review of the Toshiba XD-E500 DVD player has been posted over at Pocket-Lint. 'The Toshiba XD-E500 is a black box with minimal fuss in design. The size of an old VHS player and sporting a new look from Toshiba that it is promising to roll out across its range of DVD players and televisions, you'll get a glowing white Toshiba logo when on, a stack of numbers displayed in green and a clear green display giving you the chapter numbers and other info about the DVD you are watching. There are hard playback buttons along the front, although refined enough that they don't distract too much and virtually all the player's controls are operated via the well laid out remote.'

Mobile Edge Mini Messenger Bag Review - The Gadgeteer

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 22:10:53 +0000

The Gadgeteer have publsihed a review of the Mobile Edge Mini Messenger Bag 'This bag is made of heavy-duty 1680D Ballistic Nylon and is available in four color styles, that include Black with Orange piping, Black with Pink piping, Black with Red front and Black with Silver front. I was sent the Black with Orange. Right away I realized that the Mobile Edge Mini Messenger was not really a true messenger style bag - not that there is a definition carved in stone somewhere out there... This bag is more vertical than horizontal, with a long flap that is held closed by a pinch plastic clip.'

Review: Mophie Juice Pack for iPod Touch - CNET

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 13:57:21 +0000

CNET have published a review of the Mophie Juice Pack for iPod Touch media player. 'Constructed from matte black plastic with a green interior, the Juice Pack's unique design fits onto your iPod Touch like a case. If the iPod Touch wasn't already so thin, we'd feel the need to complain about how the Juice Pack doubles the total thickness of the player. In truth, we thought the extra bulk added by the Juice Pack made our iPod Touch feel more substantial. The Mophie Juice Pack also adds an extra inch to the bottom of the Touch, obscuring the iPod's dock connection and relocating the headphone jack to the bottom left.'

LG DP391B Portable DVD Player Review - Trusted Reviews

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 22:10:19 +0000

Trusted Reviews have published a review of the LG DP391B portable DVD player. 'A collection of buttons covering all of the player’s key functions sit along the top and right side is, whereas on the left you’ll find a small selection of sockets. Among these is a mini USB port (with a USB adapter in the box) that enables you to plug in a USB flash drive and play digital media files; plus an AV minijack input/output to feed composite video and stereo audio to your TV and sound system, should you want to watch DVDs on the big screen. There’s no digital audio output, however, so you’ll have to make do with stereo sound. Twin headphone jacks allow two people to listen to the DP391B simultaneously, while on the opposite side is a three-in-one card reader (SD, MMC and Memory Stick), which will no doubt come in handy when the 256MB of internal memory is full.'

Océ Arizona 200 GT UV Curable Flatbed Printer Delivers High Quality Output for Light Production Environments

Sun, 24 Aug 2008 22:13:03 +0000

Press Release

Award winning image quality now accessible for lower volume users

Trumbull, CT - Océ have announced that the Océ Arizona® 200 GT UV curable flatbed printer is available for order in the United States. The Océ Arizona 200 GT printer delivers the same award-winning image quality as the Océ Arizona 250 GT printer but is configured for light production environments, making it accessible to print shops and sign makers with lower volume demands. It produces near-photographic image quality with the flexibility of printing onto both rigid substrates and roll-based, flexible media.

Navigon 2100 Max Review - PC Mag

Sat, 23 Aug 2008 22:10:52 +0000

A review of the Navigon 2100 max navigator has been posted over at PC Magazine. 'The 2100 max has three usage profiles (Car, Bike, and Pedestrian) as well as three route preferences (Fast, Optimum, and Short). Using the default settings (Car and Fast), the routes my test unit generated were identical to those calculated by other Navtec-based devices. I did note, however, that route calculation times were significantly longer than those of competing devices. For example, my extended trip test route (about 640 miles) took almost 80 seconds to compute. I've found that most TomTom units calculate the same route in about 10 seconds, while the Garmin nüvis take about 20 seconds—reasonable times. Eighty seconds feels like an eternity in comparison.'

Review: Penguin 4X Quad Charge Station for Wii - CNET

Fri, 22 Aug 2008 12:31:18 +0000

CNET have published a review of the Penguin 4X Quad Charge Station for the Wii which recharges 4 Wii remotes simultaneously. 'The Quad Charge Station is a circular base that won't go sliding away thanks to its rubber feet. The four Wii remote docking slots are arranged in a cross-shaped pattern on the unit's topside, which is sloped upward. The bright blue LEDs under each docking slot aren't the tackiest thing we've ever come across, but in a dark room they may become distracting. Unfortunately, there's no way to turn these lights off once the charging base is plugged in, but the AC adapter cable is detachable from the base itself.

W.A.C. Lighting Introduces InvisiLED Tape Lights

Thu, 21 Aug 2008 22:48:15 +0000

Press Release

Manufacturer Continues to “Go Green” with LED Lighting

Garden City, New York—As part of its ongoing program to “Go Green,” W.A.C. Lighting has introduced InvisiLED energy-saving display and accent lighting solutions using the latest LED technology. W.A.C. Lighting is a leading manufacturer of track, recessed, undercabinet, decorative and monorail lighting.