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Hardware October 2003 • Vol.9 Issue 10 Page(s) 69-73 in print issue |
New Products Ten Recent Arrivals To The Hardware Scene | ||
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W e've combed hardware vendors' newest product releases to bring you a roundup of some interesting, innovative, and integrative devices. Whether you need to purchase an inkjet printer or flat-panel display, want to add a notebook or Pocket PC to your arsenal of computing gadgets, or want to check out the latest in storage and multimedia, the products we cover here offer something for everyone. by Carmen Carmack Acer TravelMate 242LC Notebook
The TravelMate 242LC's standard configuration comes with a 2.4 GHz Mobile Intel Celeron processor with 256MB of memory in one of the two memory slots, which you can upgrade to 2GB. A 30GB hard drive is standard, and Acer offers an optional 40GB hard drive for people who want a bit more storage capacity. For connecting to peripherals, networks, and the Internet, the TravelMate 242LC includes four USB (Universal Serial Bus) 2.0 ports, a 10/100 Ethernet network port, a VGA (Video Graphics Array) connection, a parallel port, stereo line in and out ports, and a V.92 56Kbps (kilobits per second) modem. Users should have no problem connecting a desktop keyboard, mouse, and monitor to the unit when using it at home or in the office, if desired. The plentiful USB 2.0 ports let you connect additional devices, such as a printer, external drive, or digital camcorder. Although not standard, you can add Acer's InviLink 802.11b wireless network connection feature, as well as Bluetooth capabilities. In addition to the 30GB hard drive, the TravelMate 242LC comes with an internal 1.44MB diskette drive and a CD-RW (CD-rewriteable)/DVD combo drive. There are two Type II PCMCIA (Personal Computer Memory Card International Association) card slots that accommodate add-on PC cards for additional functionality and storage.  Dell Personal Inkjet Printer J740
Because it is compatible with only Windows 2000 and Windows XP PCs, the J740 is designed for use with newer computers. It comes with a single USB port and features speeds of as much as 18ppm (pages per minute) for black-and-white prints and 14ppm for color prints. It supports maximum print resolutions of 4,800 x 1,200 dpi (dots per inch) and has 16MB of memory onboard. The automatic sheet feeder holds 150 sheets of plain paper, and you can load it with a variety of other paper sizes and media. What's more, the J740's automatic paper type sensor detects whether the feeder holds plain paper, coated paper, photo paper, or transparencies and automatically adjusts settings and print resolution for the best quality output. As a photo printer, the J740 features borderless photo printing in a range of sizes from 4 x 6 inches to 8.5 x 11 inches. The included Dell Printer Solution Center software includes a Projects area on its How To tab that guides you through printing a photograph. The J740 uses the Dell Ink Management System, which is a program that notifies you when it's time to order replacement cartridges. For the ultimate in convenience, the software's integrated online purchasing system connects directly to the J740's supply page on the Dell Web site. The standard black ink replacement cartridge costs $29.95 and the color cartridge is priced at $35.95. For $39.95 Dell also offers a high-yield black ink cartridge that contains approximately 50% more ink than the standard cartridge. Ground shipping is free, and Dell offers cartridge and printer hardware recycling. Dell backs the J740 with 24/7 toll-free technical support, and Dell will repair or replace the printer for up to a year after purchase if you experience a problem that technicians cannot resolve over the phone. Gateway Connected DVD Player
The Connected DVD Player comes in both wireless and wired models that attach to a Win98SE/Me/2000/XP computer via a network connection. The wireless model uses an 802.11b wireless network connection, and the wired model uses a standard 10/100 Ethernet connection with the supplied 10-foot Ethernet cable. The Connected DVD player supports numerous multimedia formats including MPEG (Moving Picture Experts Group) audio and video files, JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) images, MP3 audio files, and WMA audio files. To make your media and file selections, Gateway includes a remote control that you use with the display on the connected TV's screen. Also included is the Gateway D5 Media Server software, which you install on your PC to facilitate the player's access to multimedia files. In addition to the previously noted Windows OSes (operating systems), system requirements include a PC with a 700MHz or faster Pentium processor, 20MB of free hard drive space, 128MB of memory, a CD drive, and a wired or wireless network connection. Unless your PC is in close proximity to your living room, connecting the DVD player wirelessly may be more practical than using a wired Ethernet connection. Wireless connection distances range between 165 and 1,750 feet, and wireless devices can communicate through walls and floors. If you're interested in setting up a wireless home network, Gateway offers wireless adapters, access points, and installation services. Depending on the player you choose, the unit ships with either a wireless 802.11 PC card or a 10/100 Ethernet PC card that you place in a slot on the back of the player. Also on the back of the player are audio jacks for stereo, coaxial digital, optical digital, and headphone connections. For video the player includes composite video, component video, and S-video jacks. Gateway backs the Connected DVD player with a 90-day warranty. HP iPAQ Pocket PC h2210
One of the most attractive features of this Pocket PC is its dual expansion slots. The h2210 includes an SD (Secure Digital) slot, which accepts SD, SDIO (Secure Digital Input/Output), and MMC (MultiMediaCard) cards. In addition, the device comes with a separate a CF (CompactFlash) slot for CF Type I and II cards. With the dual slots, you can equip the h2210 with a variety of cards for more storage and add-on features, such as wireless networking. The h2210 includes integrated wireless Bluetooth capabilities, which lets you use other Bluetooth-enabled devices for such tasks as wireless printing, PC synchronization, and Internet access. The h2210 is also capable of connecting to a Wi-Fi WLAN (wireless local-area network) with the addition of a WLAN 802.11b CF or SDIO card. The transflective TFT (thin film transistor) color screen offers a viewable image size of 3.5 inches and includes an LED (light-emitting diode) backlight. The headphone minijack accepts a standard headphone, and the h2210 includes an independent graphics controller for video playback at a maximum of 30 fps (frames per second). Software bundled with the h2210 includes Nevo universal remote control software, which lets you control audio and video equipment with the device. You also get the standard Pocket PC 2003 applications, including Pocket Word, Excel, IE (Internet Explorer), Windows Media Player, and some HP-exclusive applications, including iPAQ Task Manager, Backup, and Image Viewer. The device is powered by a fast 400MHz processor and includes 65MB of memory, with 56MB of accessible main memory. The battery is removable for charging, and it provides the device with up to 12 hours of usage time. You can purchase a second battery for $49. The h2210 ships with a USB cradle/charger, AC adapter, slip case, battery, charger adapter, and companion software on CD. HP offers a one-year parts and labor warranty and 90 days of technical support for the included software. Logitech Premium USB Headset 300
This feature-rich headset is designed for optimal enjoyment of music, voice chat, video conferencing, online gaming, and voice-recognition applications. It comes with advanced digital audio, stereo sound, and a noise-canceling microphone that reduces background interference for your listeners. You can place the microphone on either the right or left side of the adjustable headset, and Logitech includes velvet ear pads for comfort and durability. For ease of use, the headset features exterior volume and mute buttons on a handy controller built into the cable. A green indicator light on the controller is steady when the microphone is enabled, and it flashes when you activate the mute feature. To attach to your PC, the Premium USB Headset 300 requires a standard USB port, and you don't need to have a sound card installed to receive the headset's audio benefits. Because it takes advantage of USB plug-and-play technology, the headset is easy to connect and disconnect. Installation is a matter of inserting the headset's USB connector into an empty USB port on your PC. Windows' Add New Hardware Wizard takes care of the rest. The Premium USB Headset 300 is compatible with Win98/Me/2000/XP, and it also works with Macintosh computers using OS 9.0.4 or higher. The headset comes with a two-year guarantee, and Logitech offers product support on its Web site and also via email. For a slightly less expensive model, Logitech also offers the USB Stereo Headset 200 ($39.99). This version comes with the same feature set as the Premium USB Headset 300, with the exception of the in-line controls and basic leatherette ear pads. Minolta DiMAGE Xt Digital Camera
The DiMAGE Xt captures images with a 3.3 megapixel CCD (charge-coupled device), and it is ready to start shooting photos less than two seconds after you turn it on. It supports JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group), TIFF (Tagged Image File Format), Motion JPEG, and WAV file formats, and the camera connects to your PC via the included USB (Universal Serial Bus) cable. The DiMAGE Xt also supports Epson direct-print technology with a compatible printer. Additional features include remote video-conferencing capabilities, a self-timer, and date imprinting. For audio and video features, the DiMAGE Xt includes a multimedia tool that lets you record video to a memory card. Recording time is based on the capacity of the memory card and the size of the image. For example, with a 16MB SD card, you can record 41 seconds of video at 320 x 240 resolution. You can also record a voice memo or audio caption with a maximum length of 15 seconds without a memory card. With a 128MB memory card, Minolta states that the camera can record a maximum of 180 minutes of audio. The camera ships with a 16MB SD card, rechargeable Li-Ion (lithium-ion) battery, camera cradle/battery charger, USB cable, hand strap, A/V cable, software CD, and documentation. If you plan to use the camera in extreme conditions, you can purchase a waterproof Minolta Marine Case at a cost of $179.99. An extra rechargeable battery costs $39.99, and an AC-4 adapter that powers the camera without a battery is also priced at $39.99. NEC-Mitsubishi Electronics MultiSync LCD1565 & LCD1765
Both the 15-inch LCD1565 and 17-inch LCD1765 come with a collapsible base and integrated acrylic screen overlay. The base folds flat against the screen, making the monitor easier to move and transport. The monitors are also relatively lightweight. The LCD1565 with its base weighs 8.6 pounds, and the LCD1765 with its base weighs slightly more than 13 pounds. The monitors include buttons that let you access an interface for adjusting settings such as contrast, brightness, image position, and image size through a simple on-screen menu. The monitors also include an Auto-Sync button, which automatically adjusts the image display settings for best performance. An adjustable base lets you tilt the display away from you (at a 20-degree angle) or toward you (at a 5-degree angle), if you desire. Unlike some LCDs, the base does not swivel to the left or right. If you prefer to keep the monitor in one place and forego the base, you can take advantage of the display's VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) wall- or arm-mounting capabilities. Optimum resolution for the 15-inch LCD1565 is 1,024 x 768 pixels. For the 17-inch LCD1765, it's 1,280 x 1,024. The dimensions of the LCD1565 including the base are 13.1 inches high x 14.9 inches wide x 7.8 inches deep. The LCD1765 measures 15.3 inches high x 16.6 inches wide x 9.6 inches deep. A silver cabinet, which matches the silver base, surrounds the black bezel acrylic screen. Both the LCD1565 and LCD1765 monitors come with a one-year warranty and 24/7 technical support from NEC-Mitsubishi. Sony Giga Vault
Sony designed the Giga Vault to be a convenient storage alternative for a significant amount of data. After you connect it to your PC, you can use the Giga Vault to back up data, transport files among computers, or store your library of DVDs, music, or digital images. The Giga Vault functions with both USB 2.0 and USB 1.1 ports; however, you will benefit from much faster transfer speeds if your computer is equipped with a USB 2.0 port. One of the Giga Vault's unique features is its two-part configuration. One part is a cap, which is an adapter that connects to your PC via a USB cable. The second part is the portable hard drive media. You fasten the adapter cap and hard drive together via built-in connectors, which you can further secure with a screw on the back of the unit. Sony protects the portable hard drive with internal shock absorbers that can withstand a free fall of up to 30 inches. Because the cap and hard drive media are separate, Sony makes it easy to add storage capacity by offering additional 40GB portable hard drive media for $249.99. You can also purchase an additional adapter cap for $59.99, which may come in handy if you frequently transfer data among computers. The Giga Vault includes a rechargeable battery in the adapter cap, which can power the unit for 1.5 to 5 hours. Sony ships the Giga Vault with a USB cable, AC adapter, power cord, stand, software on CD, and operating instructions. System requirements include Win98SE/Me/2000/XP, a USB 1.1 or 2.0 port, 4X CD-ROM drive or higher for accompanying software, and 20MB of free hard drive space. Sony backs the drive with a one-year warranty. You can purchase the Giga Vault from online retailers or directly from Sony at http://www.sonystyle.com.  TDK I'MASPEAKER
I'MASPEAKER, which TDK says is short for Integrated Music Accessory Speaker, comes in two sizes. The Mono model holds as many as 12 CDs, includes one speaker, and requires two AA batteries. With the Stereo model, you get a 24-capacity CD case and two speakers that require three AAA batteries for power. The units are thin and compact, with the Mono model at 7 inches high x 7 inches wide x 2 inches deep and the Stereo model at 7 inches high x 15 inches wide x 2 inches deep. When it is empty, the single-speaker model weighs less than one pound. And the dual-speaker model weighs in at less than two pounds when it is empty. Operating the unit is easy. Making sure the device's power switch is off, insert the miniplug into the headphone jack of your CD player or other audio source, turn I'MASPEAKER's power switch on, and start playing your audio. To adjust the volume or sound levels, use the controls on your player or notebook. The zippered CD case includes an internal mesh pocket for portable audio player storage, and you have a choice of exterior color in blue, black, or red. The miniplug connector cord for the single-speaker model is 7 inches long, and the dual-speaker unit connector comes with a 15-inch cord. Both I'MASPEAKER models have a battery life of approximately seven hours; batteries are not included. TDK backs the device with a 90-day warranty. ViewSonic PJ250 XGA Projector
The PJ250 uses DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology, which is more efficient and generally brighter than what projectors that use LCD (liquid-crystal display) technology display. The internal components needed for DLP are significantly smaller than LCD, which contributes to the PJ250's diminutive 8.8 x 6.9 x 2.1-inch dimensions and 2.2-pound weight. You can position the projector at a range of 4 to 21 feet from the screen, which results in a projected image size (w x h) of about 2.5 x 2 feet at close range and 13 x 10 feet in the outer range. With an XGA (extended graphics array) display of 1,024 by 768 pixels per inch, brightness of 1,000 lumens, and contrast ratio of 2,000:1, the PJ250 is capable of displaying clear, detailed images. The 120W lamp has a 2,000-hour rating and a one-year warranty. A replacement lamp costs $399. The PJ250 includes a remote with battery, power cord, lens cap, soft carrying case, ViewSonic Wizard CD, and documentation. The unit includes all of the cables necessary for attaching the projector to a notebook computer or desktop PC. It also comes with cables that let you attach it to video equipment, such as a DVD player. Optional components include a DVI (digital video interactive) cable, a DVD component cable, and an HDTV (high-definition television) component cable. ViewSonic backs the PJ250 with a three-year parts and labor warranty and a one-year exchange program should you need repair or replacement. You also get free 24/7 technical support for the life of the projector.
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