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This page contains reviews of "life-enhancing gadgets," products that make life easier and more enjoyable for those in the SOHO (Small Office/Home Office) field. There is a great variety of products reviewed, from Belkin computer products to home and self-improvement software. Current Reviews
Sonicare Flexcare w/Sanitizer Electric Toothbrush Sonicare Flexcare w/Sanitizer Electric Toothbrush (Philips) The Flexcare is the third generation in a family of sonic-electric toothbrushes first introduced ten years ago. This newest model improves on the other two in significant ways. First, it no longer uses the huge (and hugely expensive) replaceable brush head of its predecessors. These previous heads tended to collect tooth brushing goo and needed frequent cleaning. The Flexcare brush heads are more compact and are not only easier to clean but more convenient to travel with. Secondly, the Flexcare now has a cleaning option called a “Sanitizer.” After brushing, you detach the brush head, put it in its little compartment, and turn on the switch. For ten minutes, it sanitizes the brush head with UV light. It seems to work, but of course without a laboratory, I have no way of testing the cleaning powers of this option. The Flexcare seems to have a stronger, more vigorous cleaning action than its ancestors, as well as stiffer bristles. It also has a feature called the Quadpacer, which signals you at 25% cleaning intervals so you can devote equal time to your teeth's four cleaning quadrants. It also has three modes, called Clean, Sensitive, and Massage, that offer specialized cleaning for individual needs. All three seems to work as advertised. FlexCare offers two pre-programmed cleaning routines: MaxCare, which combines two minutes of cleaning mode and one minute of massage mode and GoCare, which works for only one minute. Like most on-the-go types I chose the GoCare, because I’m always in a hurry to finish. I did try MaxCare and it really did go on for three minutes. I would probably use it only after coming back from a canoing trip where I was forced to manually brush for a three days. For a future brush, I would suggest that the toothbrush recall the prior setting so you didn't have to re-choose it each time you turned it on. This is clearly the best sonic toothbrush I’ve ever used. My teeth feel quite clean, a fact that will probably please my dentist (or maybe not!). My previous model, the Elite, lasted five years. I hope the current model does as well. For more information: Sonicare. SanDisk 16 GB Secure Digital (SDHC) Card There is now a new reason for purchasing an SD card. Backup. Even though the 16 GB SanDisk Secure Digital Ultra III Flash memory card is capacious enough to store 4,000 JPEG images from a typical 10-megapixel camera, it can also serve as backup for a SD-port-ready computer. How important is this? Here is a quote from the Consumer Electronic Association’s article, CONSUMERS FAIL TO PROPERLY BACK UP LARGE DIGITAL LIBRARIES: Americans are failing to regularly back up their digital photos, music, documents or other types of files, according to a new study released by the Consumer Electronic Association. According to the report, “nearly a quarter of Americans are not consciously backing up their files because they think that it’s too time-consuming.” Yet there is a simple way around this dilemma: insert a 16 GB card like Sandisk’s, activate an automated backup scheme, and forget about it. There are literally dozens to choose from, like Acronis’ excellent True Image Home or Second Copy by Second Copy Centered Systems. These two handy programs can be set up to copy your data on schedule. Memeo offers Autobackup, a real-time backup system that creates backups as you save new files so that you’re never more than a few seconds away from a backup copy. (Of course it is a bit resource intensive, but that’s a small price to pay for security.) Because the SanDisk card has a 16 GB capacity, you can fit most of your vital data files onto it, whether from a laptop or desktop computer. Typically any files older than a few months can be archived onto DVD discs. The SanDisk card is also useful for amateur photographers taking trips longer than a weekend. Even with 9 or 10 MB per picture, you can fit 1600 of them on one card. You won’t have to carry an unwieldy “digital safe” or other such portable card copier to Paris. Just throw a couple of these cards in your pack and you’re all set. Even if you film with a camcorder, make sure you buy one that records its data onto an SD card, like several Sony camcorders do now. You’ll get more than a half hour of video onto a 16 GB card. Because this card’s list of possible uses is so extensive, we highly recommend it for anyone concerned about their digital data. For more information: Sandisk. Tamrac 5680 Compact Digital Camera Case The Tarmac 5680 camera case is an ideal choice for an ultra-small digital camera. Rather than Velcro, its cover uses a magnetic snap, which is always a better choice for closure. Rather than a belt clamp, which can cause the case to leap off your belt if you sit an an unfortunate angle, it uses a belt loop. And it is also amply padded, should you have the misfortune of dropping the case. I tried it with the Casio EX-Z1000, a popular camera in recent years, and it fits nice and snug. One caveat: If you decide to exchange the wrist strap with a more voluminous neck strap, you will have a rather tight fit. In that case, you should probably move up to Tarmac’s 5686 model, which will easily accommodate such an addition. Speaking of neck straps, note that the 5680 also comes with a neck strap, for those who prefer to carry the case around the neck rather than on the hip. For more information: Tamrac. Two Sleep Aids that Work: Tranquil Moments Sound Therapy Machine and Tempur-Pedic Eye Mask Tranquil Moments Sound Therapy MachineDoes the world really need another sound machine? I asked myself that question before trying a budget sound machine a few months ago. It was awful! The "rainfall" sounded like static, the "rolling ocean" was too predictable, and above all, my mind started distorting these bogus sound the longer I listened to them, making them sound less relaxing as the night wore on. So yes, I was wary when I first turned on the Tranquil Moments Sound Therapy Machine. I needn't have been. The sounds are the best I've ever heard reproduced. The device's sounds are based on Delta, Alpha, or Theta brainwaves and succeeds in coaxing your brain to "match" their frequencies and enter states of repose. I tried "White Noise" and was surprised to find it isn't really "white"-more like shades of light gray, since the sound mimics a non-constant waterfall rather than straight static. The "Summer Night" sound is unique since it combines cricket sounds with NASA Jupiter rumblings. The controls are easily accessible, although I would have preferred that the station selection light have an "off" position rather than just four dimness settings (and that the light remember the last setting). The timers were handy, although rarely used as we prefer to play it all night. I have heard it is good for sufferers of tinnitus, because it distracts them from the sounds in their own heads. I have a mild ringing in my right ear, so I can attest to the machine's effectiveness in masking that. Tempur-Pedic™ Eye MaskSpeaking of masks, I have had similar bad experiences with eye masks. Either they don't fit correctly and let in too much light, they're too tight, or they fit but only when you lie on your back. The Tempur-Pedic™ Eye Mask is a different beast altogether. You might know that Tempur-Pedic is the memory foam that conforms to your shape. With an eye mask it is an ideal substance. You can bend it forward or curl its edges up to obtain a secure fit. And once you adjust the Velcro-I never thought I'd say this-it does a splendid job of holding the elastic strap shut. So the fit is ideal on both ends. My only request would be a plastic case to put it in. Currently, you just have to keep the box it came in should you want to travel with it. Both products are available exclusively at Brookstone. PaperPort 11 Professional For those who’ve never used it, PaperPort Professonal is a document and photograph storage & retrieval, conversion, and enhancement program. It is used with your scanner; in fact, it can be programmed to load when you press your scanner’s scanning button. As an archiving application, it allows you to acquire documents from many sources and store them into neat folders that you have defined. You can also tag each document with information that can be later used as search items in your retrieval. For example, if you tagged each document with the keywords “insurance” and “auto,” a subsequent search would bring up only those documents. Very useful at tax time. As a conversion program, PaperPort allows you to convert scanned documents or those acquired from the Internet such as PDF documents. If you acquired a JPEG file for example, you could convert it into a TIFF or PDF file. A PDF can be converted into a Microsoft Word document, using PaperPort’s internal OCR engine. (It even preserves the formatting.) You’ve probably had the experience of acquiring a PDF application via e-mail that you need to fill out. With PaperPort’s Form Typer, you can just drop the PDF file onto the Form Typer icon whereupon it first converts the PDF to a PaperPort MAX file, then drops editable lines on top of the form’s lines. Within the Form Typer application, you tab from one field to the next, typing in the data. When you’re done, you can then create a new PDF and send it to your insurance agent, impressing her mightily. As an enhancement program, PaperPort’s editing tools can clean up any document you scan. Most notably, it can straighten tilted documents, remove annoying page edge lines, and eliminate stray dots and speckles. This is a new feature in this release called SET (Scanner Enhancement Technology). For photographs, it can enhance and correct color and contrast, as well as adjust lightness and darkness. This component is not designed to restore badly damaged photographs, for example, or perform sophisticated photo editing work like Photoshop. It’s a quick fix solution for those who need a nice picture in a hurry and don’t have or want to mess with Photoshop. Using a system tray applet called Web Capture, you can scan the Web page you’re displaying and it will end up on your PaperPort desktop. If it’s a long scrollable page, you can specify that PaperPort capture the whole page. One page I scanned came into PaperPort as an eight-page document. Unfortunately, I didn’t see any way to stitch the pages together within PaperPort. I know it can be done in Photoshop, and some screen capture programs have scrolling capture features. Also, with the version I tested, Web Capture only works with IE; so if you use Firefox, keep your IE up to date. For those who have been using PaperPort, Release 11 has other notable improvements besides SET. Prior to scanning a series of related documents, you can specify document tags that apply to all of them, such as “Fidelity fund.” This is an excellent feature for batch scanning. You can also fully index each scanned document by its contents. The contents become instantly searchable. Naturally, this indexing feature may slow down processing time a bit, particularly in older computers. For those new to PaperPort, the program also has some helpful how-to guides that explain how to do the tasks described above. Also included is a copy of PaperPort Watson. This provides a single search solution covering the Web, email and desktop search indexes. I would recommend trying it as a substitute for programs like Google Desktop Search. Add these features to improved speed and this release of PaperPort Professional is well worth obtaining. For more information or to order: Nuance. Cafe Panama, Featherweight, from David Morgan This hat is one of the finest Panamas I've worn. It is so light (2 oz.) that I hardly knew I had it on. Hand woven in Ecuador, it is made of fine toquilla straw. It features a crown-protector insert, in case you accidentally pitch the hat by the top while removing it. But you wouldn't do that, would you? The proper way to remove a Panama is to grasp it by the brim and lift. And while the hat comes coated for the rain, it is not a rain hat. (Bring your umbrella!) It is not a wind hat either, so I wouldn't recommend taking it out on a gusty day (certainly not on a boat). It is also not quite finely woven enough to qualify as a rollup or crushable Panama. But for one of those you must pay about twice the price. The hat pictured here is the natural color. It is also available in white. If you're looking for a summer hat with a sturdy 3-inch brim, this is it! For more information or to order: David Morgan.
ACT! by Sage 2008 (Version 10) and ACT! 2008 for Palm OS (Version 3)
This review concerns ACT! integration with the Palm Pilot handheld. How efficiently does this occur? Are there any caveats or limitations? We installed ACT! by Sage 2008 and its companion software, ACT! 2008 for Palm OS (Version 3). We loaded an old ACT! database and converted it to the newer database format by following the prompts. After the conversion, we had some trouble getting the converted database to sync with our Palm Tungsten E. It would copy the data, but not finish the synchronization. This meant that future copies would continue to go only one way (from desktop to handheld) instead of the two directions of true synchronization. In other words, we could not sync any new data entered on the Palm to the desktop. A lengthy session with a Sage tech support representative reached this conclusion: the conversion of our contacts database had not been entirely successful. There was a glitch somewhere in the converted database. We were told to create a new blank database and import the data from the old database. After saving this newly forged database under a different name, we were able to complete a full synchronization. Now everything works as designed. What about the ACT! 2008 for Palm OS application itself? View the database on the Palm handheld as a stripped-down version of the desktop database. It cannot, for example, accept and display attached files. (Why would you want it to?) It does, however, allow you to add and edit contacts, and insert notes as well as appointments. The important stuff. (Note that you cannot have more than one database on the Palm handheld at a time.) The people at Sage have released two products that ultimately integrate well with each other. It is far better than the software that comes with Palm and its companion desktop version. But bear in mind my experience with the conversion of my old database. I'm not saying it will happen to you, but if it does, try the savvy tech rep's solution: import the old data into a fresh database and start anew. CAVEAT: Unlike ACT! for Palm 1.0, this current version does not let you keep your Palm's native Contacts and Calendar conduits. So if you have important contacts in either of these Palm applications, be prepared to import them into ACT (although I'm not sure you can import Calendar items). In other words, once you've installed ACT! for Palm 3.0, you cannot synch the contents of your native Contacts and Calendar applications. The conduits are gone. You're in ACT!'s world now. For more information: ACT!. SONY INTRODUCES COMPACT PROFESSIONAL DIGITAL FIELD RECORDER [PRESS RELEASE]
Sony’s new PCM-D50 digital recorder is the follow-up model to one of the company’s most successful professional audio products. This easy-to-operate compact version of the PCM-D1 digital field recorder offers 96 kHz/24-bit recording, two-position electret condenser stereo microphones for extraordinary sound quality, PC/MAC file transfer via high-speed USB interface, and numerous special features. Small, but rugged, the futuristically designed hand-held linear recorder weighs in at a third the cost of its big brother, which has been embraced by recording artists, producers, movie-makers, broadcasters and professional journalists. The PCM-D50 linear recorder features:
The unit is planned to be available in November for a suggested retail price of $599. A range of accessories are also available, including:
### Duracell DPP-600HD Powerpack 600
The previous model, the 400, also had an air compressor (for inflating tires) and was a few pounds lighter. This unit comes with a basic radio that is handy in emergencies like power outages. We uses the Powerpack during one power outage and plugged a small lamp into it. We were able to read a book when everyone else's electricity was out. This is a very useful unit , one that I would recommend to anyone needing an emergency jumper or power source. Just don't take it up and downstairs too often if your arms are weak! For more information: Xantrex Technologies. Kinesis Freestyle VIP
The new Freestyle VIP is, in my opinion, a welcome advance in keyboarding technology. Its keys are more traditionally placed than on the Classic, so a beginner can jump in and begin using it right away. The "break" between the left and right hand is not only logical and ergonomic, it is highly adjustable. For the VIP model, you can set the peak in one of two positions, shallow and steep. And, if you want, you can adjust the distance between the two keyboard components. An optional model of the VIP has a longer cord separating the two components, so you can move them even further apart if need be. Typing for long periods was not a problem with this model, as with the Classic. I have found that I could get more work done with virtually no wrist stiffness or pain. Note that Freestyle line comes in two other models: the Freestyle Solo and the Freestyle Incline. (See the Web site address listed below.) All Freestyle models have driverless hot keys for mouse intensive actions and the quietest tactile keys I've ever used. If your hands hurt from repetitive strain injury (RSI) and you're thinking of abandoning keyboarding for voice actuated data input, hold off until you try one of these models. You may not have to teach your computer how to recognize your own name. For more information: Kinesis Corporation. Kingston CompactFlash Ultimate 266X
From a review published on dpreview.com on Monday, 12 April 2004: The 1 MB Elite Pro provides a write speed of up to 5.2 MB per second and a read speed of up to 6.1 MB per second. It sounded mighty impressive back then, so I bought one. Now Kingston Technology’s CF card-flagship is the CompactFlash Ultimate 266X. It has a transfer rate of 45MB/sec. read and 40MB/sec. write. My Canon Digital Rebel XTi camera has a burst mode limit of 10 pictures in RAW mode and 27 in “Large/Fine” JPEG mode. Can it achieve Kingston’s write goals with the Ultimate 266X? I had my doubts, so I tested a 4 GB Ultimate 266X. It kept up with the burst mode, writing ten 8MB RAW files to disk. If the Canon burst mode had accommodated more pictures per burst, I think the Ultimate 266X could have probably kept up. It was not long ago that cameras took eight or nine seconds TO SAVE ONE IMAGE to disc. The card comes with a listing to a MediaRECOVER Web link. MediaRECOVER is a handy utility designed to help you recover lost or deleted files and restore corrupt files on Windows or Mac systems. I haven’t had a disaster of this sort lately, but it’s comforting to know there’s a tool out there that can take fix it.
One more thing: As of this writing, the Kingston Ultimate 4 GB 266x is currently
selling on Amazon for about $80. Back in 2004, the 1 GB Type I CompactFlash Elite Pro card (I could find no comparable review of an Ultimate) had a MSRP of $349.00.
Aren’t you glad you’re not living back then? For more information: Kingston Technology . Jobo SPECTATOR Photo Storage Device
Hard to believe in this digital age, but there are photographers who do not yet know about what I call “photo safes.” Some manufacturers call them “storage devices,” “picture viewers;” some—like the Jobo Spectator—aren’t labeled at all. So what are they? Essentially, they are flash card reader/portable hard drives designed for backing up data saved on CompactFlash and SD cards. They take the place of lugging a laptop along with you on your vacation trip. They provide added security for your pictures, which you painstakingly took at great trouble and expense. Jobo AG makes the Spectator, which is one of the more sturdy entrants in this category (although I haven’t dropped it). It certainly feels solid in the hand. After an initial twelve- hour charge, it’s ready to copy those memory cards that have accumulated so many of your photos. Its battery allows for multiple sessions, although it’s difficult to say how many it will do before you need to recharge it. The manual’s “basic data” specifications don’t specify. I recommend bringing the AC cord along with you. If this presents a dilemma in a foreign country, bring a reputable voltage converter. Or make friends with someone who has a computer. According to the manual, the unit can charge via the USB cable. It uses a Li-Ion battery, which is lighter than AA batteries, but cannot be changed or replaced. The Jobo AG has a 1.5x2” LCD that displays files you’ve uploaded (although it’s not a touch screen). This is useful, but only for JPEGs. (TIFFs aren’t mentioned in the manual.). The Jobo does not display RAW files in any camera format, although it cheerfully copies them to its drive. That it does at about 1 MB/second, which may seem slow if you’re waiting to free up a card with photo-ops passing you by. However, it is a fairly standard transmission rate for these devices. I don’t believe it’s possible to order the unit to automatically delete files on the card after it’s copied them to its drive. Most likely, you must do it manually. Each copy operation creates a new folder on the hard disk, and it picks up the camera name and assigns it to the folder (like “954Canon”) If you want to copy files to your computer directly, you can use the unit as a card reader and pass through it entirely, without using the Jobo’s hard drive. Just attach it to your USB port. Two quirks I noticed:
This is a fairly easy-to-use and efficient product. It hasn’t destroyed, crashed or otherwise munged a file in two dozen test copy sessions. I wish the manual had been translated into English a bit better. It reads as if a computer program did it, with fractured syntax, poor organization, and sloppy noun-subject agreement. But if you’re technically adept enough to navigate your digital camera’s menus, you should be able to crack the Jobo’s relatively simple structure. Just give yourself a little more time with the manual than usual. For more information, visit Jobo AG . Belkin N1 Wireless Router & N1 Wireless Notebook Card
Setting up a home network, at least in the PC Windows environment, can be a daunting task for a home computer user, even if he or she is a power user. There are so many items to consider: Wi-Fi firewalls (tip: WPA rather than WEP), WAN firewalls like ZoneAlarm, internet access, file sharing. My advice is to read up on these items as much as possible before ordering a router and network card. Also, if you haven’t installed a DSL or cable modem, do that first and get it working (you may need to call your ISP’s support department). Then when you decide to network your PC with, say, a notebook computer located elsewhere in the house, you will have to call ISP support a second time. I found that out the hard way. The modem had to be adjusted for a pass-through mode that recognized the router. If you want the two or more computers to share files, that’s a separate capability from having them access the same DSL or cable modem. I can’t give you all the information you need before connecting these pieces of Belkin hardware. But unless you educate yourself on home networking, you will find that you cannot get your Wi-Fi network working because you’ve left out some trivial item, like the notebook client’s IP address in your list of ZoneAlarm trusted sites. Now to the goods: The Belkin N1 Wireless Notebook Card (F5D8011) connects your notebook computer to a wireless network. My wife’s Vaio notebook stores her photo files that need to be edited and printed on my upstairs PC, so we figured the N1 technology would be an ideal solution. It operates at the fastest speed available, so it loads large image files quite nicely. The one problem we encountered is probably due more to the Vaio’s quirky PCMCIA slot than any inherent flaws in the N1 product. We found that initially the notebook would sometimes boot up without making a wireless connection to the PC server. We had to remove the card and reinsert it firmly about four times before we could get consistent connection results. Like any other networking configuration problem, it was maddening until this simple solution was discovered. Try the Belkin route for home networking. You won’t be disappointed, if you educate yourself first! For more information, visit Belkin. Canon Digital Rebel XTi (400D)
The new Digital Rebel XTi, introduced by Canon August 24, 2006, is quite an improvement over the previous model, the 8- megapixel Digital Rebel XT from 2005. It has a 10.1 megapixel CMOS sensor, a larger continuous shooting buffer, an integrated image sensor vibrating cleaning system, a more precise 9-point auto focus system, improved grip, and a bigger 2.5-inch LCD. It’s a near perfect entry-level digital SLR. It has a near instantaneous turn-on time (.2 seconds), and a new “Display Off” sensor, which turns off the display when the photographer places her face against the viewfinder. With a shutter speed of 1/4000 to 30 seconds, what’s not to like? The kit lens. (I said it was near perfect.) It’s the unimpressive, mostly plastic EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 and it produces pictures that are on the soft side. And, more importantly, it is not an anti-shake lens like the kit lens with Canon’s next model up, the 40D (which is also a soft lens). My advice: buy this camera body, then buy a third-party zoom with anti-shake technology, like the Sigma AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS. Even though the camera w/kit lens costs only about $100 more than the body alone, you will rue making that decision. Photography pundits are comparing the XTi with the more advanced Canon 40D. Bear in mind several facts from Canon’s specs: the 40D is heavier (26.1 oz. vs. 18 oz.). While a half pound doesn’t sound like much, it can feel pretty heavy when you’ve added a telephoto zoon lens to the mix. Also, for some mysterious reason, the sizes of the corresponding RAW file formats (both 3,888 x 2,592) are different. The 40D produces 12.4MB RAW files while the XTi produces 9.8MB RAW files. This 27% increase in size can also make a difference, if storage space is an issue for you. For the money, there is not much to quibble about with the Canon XTi. It’s a good product and produced fine pictures on an old Sigma analog lens I borrowed from a colleague. It will probably serve you well—until a higher pixel count version becomes available. For more information, visit Canon. Black & Decker Cordless 18 Volt Hand Vac
Cordless Hand Vacs have been criticized for not having enough power, certainly not enough to challenge their corded cousins. The recently released Black & Decker Cordless 18 Volt Hand Vac may tip the scales on that imbalance. Its suction power is certainly impressive, particularly on carpeted stairs, where dirt and pet hair often gets embedded. Another feature worth noting is the unit’s “cyclonic action.” In previous models, dust became embedded to a filter or holding area, necessitating scraping with soft implements like plastic knives. But if the captured dirt continuously moves (like a cyclone) during cleaning, it stays free and is easily emptied. Unfortunately, the vac still has a nicad battery, which will probably wear down with repeated use faster than a nickel metal hydride one would have. Such batteries also have the “memory effect,” which degrades the recharging over time. But Black & Decker have designed the recharging cradle, either intentionally or not, so that you can rest it without recharging it after every minor job. Good advice: Use it until the battery wears down, then recharge it; as a result, the vac may provide better battery life. This small flaw aside, this cordless vac is the most convenient, easily cleaned, and powerful one yet so far. For more information: Black & Decker. SanDisk E200R MP3 Player and Griffin Technology Case
SanDisk appears to have come up with another winner, and it’s a real iPod Nano-killer. The Sansa E200R is cheaper than the Nano and has an extra 2 GB of storage you can add via an expansion slot. This slot can be populated with the amazingly tiny MicroSD card, pioneered by Sandisk. (If you purchase this optional card, it comes with an SD card adapter, so you can use it on cameras, etc.) If you purchase the flagship unit with 8 GB, that’s a potential 10 GB of storage for you. The included Rhapsody music subscription service is comparable to Apple’s iTunes service, with more than 2.5 million tracks at 99 cents. (They are recorded at 192Kbps versus iTunes' 128Kbps.) If you become a subscriber, you can buy tracks at a 10 percent discount. It also has a streaming radio network, so you can download whole “stations” to your unit. The E200R comes preloaded with a hefty selection of songs, none of which were in my demographic age group, so I deleted them. But for those who enjoy this type of music (and acquiring it this way), the Rhapsody service has many advantages. In other respects, the E200R is superior to a Nano. It has an FM radio w/recorder, as well as a voice recorder. I wouldn’t use the voice recorder to capture board meetings, but it’s sufficient for dictating “to self” memos. I keep it on my bed stand to capture those fleeting midnight thoughts. It also has superior battery life (about 20 hours to Ipod’s 14). And here’s a real benefit: you can change the battery yourself a year or two after purchase, when it goes to battery heaven. The unit contains features like the ability to handle low-resolution video and pictures. However, you must install bundled conversion software to experience this dubious thrill. Isn’t displaying video and pictures a reason why you have a digicam? Or a cell phone? Still, it’s nice to have for impressing your friends at parties. On the downside, the power button is also the main menu button, which I found confusing. Tap it for the menu, but press it for a little longer than a second and off it goes. There is a proprietary USB dock connector and no AC adapter. Finally, those earbuds have got to go. Their sound is inferior to virtually any aftermarket pair costing more than $25. To be fair, I didn’t expect much and this shortcoming is common with most MP3 players, including Apple’s. Consider investing in a hard case for this unit. The player’s body may be “scratch resistant,” but carrying it with you on trips or connecting it to your car’s MP3 port may eventually take its toll in nicks and even dents (if you drop it). I highly recommend the case sold by Griffin Technologies. Simply snap it on and forget about it. All the ports are cut out, including the slot for the micro SD card. I haven’t tried dropping the unit on cement yet, but I strongly suspect that the case would protect it even then. For more information: Sansa Casio Exilim EX-Z1000 Portable Digital Camera
The Casio EX-Z1000 currently has the most megapixels of the ultra compact on the market. It produces excellent results, primarily at ISO 50 and 100. It's easy to use, with a fairly intuitive menu system that amateurs can learn quickly (particularly if they're second-digital camera owners). It's responsive, turning on fast so you can catch most fleeting shots. Out in bright sunlight, its results are as good at prosumer cameras one notch higher in the price scale. Its handy compact size make it a good choice to carry with you at all times. And it has an excellent macro feature. The other day my wife took a picture of the bottom of my toe to see how a recent procedure had healed. I knew more than I needed to about my toe scar! It uses an impressive multi-function cradle. It functions as a charging station; as a slideshow runner on your LCD; it connects to your computer via USB, and finally (and probably least frequently) it can be used to connect your camera to a video source like a TV to project your images. Unfortunately, with its proprietary battery, the charging station is the only way to you charge this camera. So either bring it along on your trip or don't forget a spare battery. Don't expect miracles in a package this small. The flash is about the same as its immediate competitors: if it can't illuminate the subject satisfactorily in auto mode, it may jack up the ISO to 800. You may not want that, because resolution quickly degrades at that high a rating. But if you want an excellent everyday camera with a bright screen (even outdoors) and a fairly good anti-shake mechanism, go for this one. You won't be disappointed. For more information: Casio. LEVO Bookholder
The Bookholder is constructed of black metal and plastic. It has wheels and a heavy base. There is “some assembly required,” but if you can handle a Philips screwdriver and pliers, you’ll be all set. The set bolt that holds the pole to the base is not stainless steel, so you may want to grease it before installation to prevent oxidation. This is an excellent and easy product to use. I have placed heavy hard-cover books in it as well as flimsy paperbacks and it works equally well with both. You can adjust it to any height and angle and can even swing it out of the way when you get up from your chair. I didn’t warm up to the Velcro attachment straps, so if you’re constantly changing your reading material, prepare yourself for that telltale rrrripp! sound. After years of use, Velcro tends to accumulate lint, but it’s easily replaced. Turning pages is not hard to do. You simply flip the right clamp up, turn the page, flip the left clamp up and place it down on the turned page (see illustration). After a while, you can do it all in one sweep. For a time you may have to adapt yourself to looking at a book like a computer or movie screen, but once you do, your neck will thank you. I certainly experience less stress and consequently enjoy reading more. A shame it’s too small to accommodate newspapers, although I have fit magazines into it. Note that MTM also sells a battery-operated clip on lamp for the Bookholder, as well as a desktop model. For more information: Bookholder . Quicken 2007 Home & Business
Intuit provides a multi-page list that details the changes that distinguish Quicken 2007 from the 2006 version. There's a newly designed home page, improved charts and graphs, a calendar that lets you see upcoming bills and scheduled transactions, etc. All welcome additions. However, in my opinion, there is only one change you need to know about, and this one should send you scurrying with your credit card to buy Quicken 2007 right now. That is the ability to attach image files to individual transactions (like cancelled checks) and PDF files to accounts. The paperless office is finally here. This new feature is brilliantly timed with the service that banks like Bank of America offer--scanned copies of checks and PDFs of your statements, both downloadable from your bank's server . This Quicken feature effectively eliminates your hard copy bank transaction folder from your file cabinet. You can now safely throw it away. Stick your old statements in the attic and free up space for those other forms that still haven't made the plunge into the digital era. But make sure you back up that Quicken file! For more information: Quicken. Kingston TravelLite SD/MMC Reader
I can now. Kingston has such a device. The TravelLite SD/MMC Reader allows any sized popular SD or MMC card to be inserted. You then connect the reader to a USB port and you're ready to go. Your system only needs to recognize the reader once, then you can change the cards. If your PC has several USB ports in a row that are filled, it's probably a better idea to attach the reader to a USB cable, which you then connect to a USB port. I found it more convenient that way. I tested it with their Elite Pro Memory card and got speedy and efficient results. Does your camera's USB connector no longer work? (That happened to my Nikon, of all cameras.) No problem. Just take the SD card out and insert it into the TravelLite and upload your pictures. It's good to know you have a second option, just for a backup in case it fails. The same holds for your MP3 player. Why bother lugging a proprietary cable to your relative's house? Just bring the player's SD card inserted in the reader. It's possible the reader can also read mini and micro SD cards, if they're housed in their own SD adapter shells. It seems logical, but I haven't tested it. The TravelLite SD/MMC Reader's an elegant solution to an old problem. For more information: Kingston. Belkin UPS 750-AVR System
Uninterruptable power supply (UPS) systems are essentially batteries with pass-through outlets. The Belkin Battery Backup with Broadband Surge Protection (F6B750-AVR) features 4 battery backup outlets with surge protection and 2 surge only outlets. The unit also features surge protection for broadband applications such as cable modems or other coaxial connected components. It has built in line conditioning known as AVR (Automatic Voltage Regulation) that cleans up dirty (unstable) power flowing through the utility lines. You plug your computer's monitor and CPU cabinet into one side, then plug the unit into the wall. You can then monitor its activity using the software. Specify how often you want it to test its battery or at what voltage drop or rise you want the battery to kick in. For example, I have mine set to 90 volts for low and 136 for high. If my power goes to 89 or 137, the UPS cleans up the power and issues an audible warning until the power is clean. So it's not only a UPS, it's also a line conditioner. You can also specify a computer shutdown or startup time (even in hibernation mode). There are many other options and features, including one to protect the phone line. The manual advises you against attaching a printer or scanner to the UPS grid, since they consume too much power in the event of an outtage. So no printing during a blackout. In an age when blackouts and brownouts are occurring in every major city, more people need to use UPS systems. The Belkin model is one of the best. Note: As with much computer equipment, the cost of replacement batteries can run high. The cost of replacing the 750 AVR's battery is $45, about a third of the price of the unit. For more information: Belkin Components.
HoodLoupe™ ProfessionalHere's a nice device that solves two problems at once:
For those with digital SLRs and legacy-style viewfinders, feel free to continue using the viewfinder for focussing and framing. It may be adequate if equipped with an eyecup. But remember this: it's still better looking at your results through the rear LCD screen than through a tiny viewfinder. And for doing that outside, you'll need a tool like the HoodLoupe™ Professional. It even has a diopter knob to adjust to your vision, like a binocular eyepiece. This gadget comes with a handy carrying case. Its only problem is the belt clip. Even with my thin belt, the clip-velcro closure just doesn't work optimally. A belt loop would have been a better design choice. For more information: Hoodman HoodLoupe Samsung SyncMaster 205BW - 20" Widescreen MonitorIf you're thinking of upgrading from your clunky old Dell Triniton CRT monitor, look no further than the Samsung SyncMaster 205BW. This flatscreen, widescreen monitor has full vertical height adjustment, which may mean that you won't have to buy an aftermarket stand for it. You can easily position the screen to accomodate your height and working conditions. How does it connect? Two ways: You can use either the old style D-type connector or the newer Digital Visual Interface (DVI). If you choose DVI, good news! It's HDCP compliant so you can play those new HD DVDs on it. Its 8-bit panel has 16.7 million colors to use on your graphics projects. There are six buttons on the bottom right. The first notable one is an Auto Configure button for when you’re using the analog D-SUB and need, for example, to adjust the position of Windows' Start menu after a resolution change. There is also a Menu button, up and down buttons, and a Select button. The down button doubles as the MagicBright shortcut, which gives you five defaults to choose from – Text, Internet, Game, Sport and Movie. I found the MagicColors bright to the point of oversaturation, but you may like them. Without them, I played a DVD with good results and witnessed only minor problems with details in low light scenes. While I tested for video and photo editing (good results), I did not test for gaming because, well, I hate games. It's enough of a game to get computers working troublefree from week to week, isn't it? At any rate, the Samsung SyncMaster 205BW is definitely a good deal for the budget-minded, with fairly well-translated documentation and a more than adequate gaming ability (as colleagues have told me). For more information: Sanyo MonacoEZcolor Color Management System, Version 2.6 The MonacoEZcolor system, true to its name, does indeed make this process relatively easy. After installing and loading the software, you are then prompted to place the colorimeter (kind of an oddly shaped hockey puck) on your CRT or LCD screen, as the software calculates the information mentioned above. (Make sure you know how to adjust your monitor buttons first.) In relatively little time, it has built a fairly accurate monitor profile for you. This profile will then load each time you turn your computer on. You can then move on to calibrating your printer profile. This is a bit more complex and involves scanning a profile target that MonacoEZcolor supplies. You then have to make adjustments based on comparing what you printed from the scanned target vs. thetarget provided through the software. We undertook this process twice and did come up with a fairly accurate printer profile. There are a few caveats to this process. One, make sure you’re fully familiar with the color management features of your photo processing software. For example, Photoshop requires you to enter the printer profile several times during the process of evaluating a photograph. You are well advised to use the View-> Proof Setup command for viewing what a photo would look like when printed. Note that the software also allows you to build scanner and digital camera profiles as well. Also, be aware that this process is not perfect. You may still have to tweak the colors of a print to get it the way you like it. The MonacoEZcolor system provides an excellent way to start you along the path of color management and will probably get you most of the way there. Best of all, it will get you thinking more about this tricky component of digital processing. For more information: Monaco Systems Three Aids to Video EditingIf you're thinking of jettisoning the the simplistic video editing program that came with your camcorder, consider acquiring a true VLE program like Sony Vegas. But be aware that while the features are astounding enough to produce a rock video, the learning curve can be steep. This compound review covers Vegas+DVD Production Suite, The Vegas 6 Companion and DVD Authoring with DVD Architect 3.0 Training Videos, and the Excalibur 5.0 - A Script for Sony Vegas®.
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The new release of ACT! by Sage 2008 (Version 10) contact manager has many new features, many of which will prove to be of use to small business owners. Among these is a mail merge feature that can work with both Microsoft Word and e-mail systems like Outlook; the ability to export information to Excel; a robust sales opportunities window; and the sharing of Notes and History between contacts. (This last feature seems like it would be useful if two contacts were at the same company.) One feature we would have liked is a mileage window for a contact, one that would list the various mileage trips for a given period and present a total at the bottom. There may be a way to jerry-rig Excel into forging a makeshift mileage service, but time prevented us from delving deeply into it. 
Have you ever left your car lights on at work and needed to call AAA or enlist a coworker for a jump? You know how time-consuming and humiliating that can be. I once had to wait two hours for AAA. The Duracell DPP-600HD Powerpack 600 is designed to nip that situation in the bud. After an overnight trickle charge, it's ready to be stored in your car trunk or RV and be used for power emergencies. You can also use it to hook up electronic equipment (like a portable TV) and play it for an evening's entertainment. It holds a passive charge for months, but I would recommend checking it once in a while. Its gauge will tell you what percent of the charge is left.
Are you tired of your traditional PC keyboard? Or perhaps you're more than tired--perhaps you're even sore. Traditional keyboards are not known for their ergonomic qualities. But Kinesis has been in the business of making ergonomic keyboards since 1991, so perhaps they're doing something right. Their Classic keyboard made typing much easier than even the Microsoft Natural Ergonomic Keyboard did. Its sloping design was radical, but once you got used to it, it made keyboarding fun. But it had a steep learning curve. You had to be dedicated and patient to learn it. 
Monday, 14 January 2008
Do a lot of reading? How’s your neck and upper back? If you’re like me, you’ve experienced stiffness and headaches after long bouts of reading. The reason? Most of the time you’re looking down to read, a stressful angle! Happily there is a solution for your tired neck. The LEVO BookHolder is a book-reading easel that accommodates books up to five pounds. You attach the book by the covers with two Velcro straps, then hold it open with two ball-tipped clamps. About 15 years ago, I had a similar product, but it was so ugly and bulky (as well as hard-to-use and easily scratched), my wife persuaded me to discard it.
Sometimes one is all it takes.
The first flash drive (a.k.a., "thumb drive" or "memory stick") that I got earlier in the decade had 16 M of capacity. That's megabytes! Now the capacity is typically 8 G, fifty times the capacity! Over the years I had to keep getting updated flash drives to keep up with my data transfer and backup requirements. What if I had a flash drive container that I could populate with any sized memory card I needed, one that didn't need such frequent replacement? 
Of all the computer tasks you should do, power backup doesn't rate high on the fun list. But you should worry about dirty power lines or ones that habitually drop or go to sleep. Not every program can be configured to backup your data every minute like Microsoft Word. You could be working on a file for fifteen minutes and suddenly have your computer reboot itself because of a momentary power surge or drop. It happened to me a while back and I decided to do something about it. 
Mention “color management” to someone newly entering the field of digital photography processing, and the eyes may begin to glaze over. “How do I do that?” the poor soul moans. Before the age of colorimeters, the answer would have been, “for cheap, not much. Try eyeballing it, then print again, print again, print again.” A colorimeter is a device for calibrating your monitor, making sure the precise white and black points are set, as well as the correct colors. If you don’t have a correctly calibrated monitor, there’s no chance what you see on the screen and what you print will resemble each other. 
It was almost three years ago that we were awed by the 36.4mm x 42.8mm x 3.3mm, 26-gram CompactFlash 1 GB card. It seemed ideal for the cameras of the time, like the Nikon 5400. Now there is a new memory card format for cameras like the FujiFilm S9000 and it is an awesome piece of technology. Weighing just over a gram and measuring 20mm x 25mm x 1.7mm (about the size of your thumbnail), the 
Film may not be dead yet, but it has lost the war. The current generation of prosumer digital cameras has seen to that. Two years ago, with cameras such as Nikon's Coolpix line (like the 5400) it was still possible to say that digital cameras "weren't quite there yet." Now with Fujifilm's FinePix S9000, they are. You can now get better pictures with this 9.1 megapixel camera than with an analog 35mm SLR. Together with Sony's 10-megapixel Cyber-shot DSC-R1, the S9000 has set the bar for near-SLR cameras and it's pretty damn high.
If you've ever wanted to print directly on a CD or DVD--and who doesn't hate handwriting a label with a Sharpie pen?--then you have about three choices. The first is peel-off stick-on labels. Have you heard? They've been known to detach while being played in slot-style auto CD players. Ouch! The second is purchase a DVD-ROM player that slowly and expensively etches your label onto the DVD. The third is 
Call me a cynic, but I don't believe there is any way to author a Web site or a CD-ROM with external links, and then expect them to be valid in a few months. People are always tinkering with their links and PDF file locations, so it comes as no surprise that the link you inserted at the beginning of authoring a site doesn't work when you launch the site a few short weeks later. You have to stay on top of external links. But how? 
Video editing can be complex and frustrating. Most semi-pro/professional video editing software is far from intuitive. Avid Liquid Edition (formerly Pinnacle Liquid Edition) is no exception. While it respects the software grammar of most video editing packages like Adobe Premiere (timelines, importing MPEG files, authoring DVD menus), the specifics are hard to do without help. Liquid has its own idea of terms like "rack," and has buried so many keyboard commands you can't make much sense of them at first. What can you do? You can either take a $600 course, purchase a densely written reference book (hint: there is only one), or you can shell out $79 for 
The Canon Elura 90 camcorder is an excellent consumer-grade camcorder. With a body that weighs only 1.1 lbs., it's perfect for lugging around to Disneyworld and other outdoor locations. With a 20x optical zoom--better than most camcorders (which top out at 16X)--long telephoto shots are possible. Yet for extreme telephoto shots, you really need to turn on Canon's built-in image stabilization system, which keeps most shots steady. You also might want to consider using a lightweight tripod, or at least a monopod. Your arms will thank you during long dance recitals featuring your teenaged daughter. Speaking of such indoor shots, the Canon Elura 90 is not really strong in that department. It may have trouble auto-focussing. Make sure that there is plenty of light in the auditorium or buy a self-powered video lamp to attach to the camera's cold shoe. In future models, it would be nice to have a hot shoe or at least an outlet on the camera into which to plug a video light accessory. That said, the assist light on the front of the Elura 90 lights up dim scenes for low-light recording, but works satisfactorily only in setups closer than about 10 feet. The camera must also be in "night mode," which tends to increase grain. 
You've just bought a new camcorder that uses mini DV tapes. You've filmed little Jimmie's birthday party and want to edit out the part where he sticks out his tongue. You've fired up your video editing program, connected your camcorder's USB port to your computer's and -- nothing happens! That's because most camcorder USB ports are for transferring photos, not videos. You need to hook up your camcorder's FireWire port to the one on your PC. What's that? Your PC didn't come with a FireWire port? Don't feel special. Most don't.
With both 128M and 256 MB capacities, the 
With both 512M and 1GB internal memory capacities, the 
These two 
We've received a number of e-mails about a bargain-hunter coin sorter we'd reviewed, skeptically, a few years back. You know the kind: usually advertised on late-night TV. People complained about it jamming and not depositing the coins in the paper rolling tubes consistently enough. "Isn't there a better device out there?" these consumers moaned. Happily, there is. The 
I
know, what new can you say about PDAs that hasn’t already been said?
They’re handy, compact, and can store numbers and agendas, and synch
up to your PC to save all your jottings. As they used to say
in the Ginsu knife commercials: “Stop! That’s not all!” Now
a full-featured, attractive Zire 31 by 
Imagine
this scenario. You have a large amount of media or database files
to bring to a client, say twenty gigabytes of them. What's the
best way to transport them? Forget tiny thumb drives. They're
not quite there yet. Last time I looked, their highest capacity
was 5 GB. Don't bother with a stack of DVD-RWs. The client needs
special software (like Roxio's restore utility) to read them.
Try 
