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Novac intros external HDD Review

admin — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:48:18 +0000

Reading time: < 1 minute

Specifications

Paranoid about excessive heat? Looks like the folks at Novac share your worries, as the NV-HDS392U external hard drive enclosure packs one of the largest, most prominent cooling fans you’re likely to find in such a device. Boasting an all-aluminum frame and measuring in at 2.16- x 7.2- x 4.69-inches, this unit plays nice with any 3.5-inch IDE / SATA hard drive that you’ve got hanging around, and connects up with your Mac or PC via USB 2.0. If things get a bit heated, users can simply flip the “on” switch to crank up the side-mounted cooling fan

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Novac intros external HDD Review

admin — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:48:18 +0000

Reading time: < 1 minute

Specifications

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Epson V500 flatbed scanner Review

admin — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:48:18 +0000

Reading time: 3 – 5 minutes

Epson Perfection(R) V500 Photo Scanner Provides Quality, Productivity, Energy Efficiency at Great Value for Advanced Amateurs and Creative Consumers

Specifications

Epson America, Inc. today unveils its latest scanner for the advanced amateur and creative consumer markets. The Epson Perfection(R) V500 Photo color scanner provides professional results with 6400 dpi optical resolution to enable extraordinary enlargements at a groundbreaking price. Also featuring Epson’s new ReadyScan(TM) LED technology, which delivers fast scans and no warm-up time, the Epson V500 Photo is an outstanding value for only $249.99.

With 6400 dpi optical resolution, users can create 17″ x 22″ or bigger enlargements from film with incredible detail and accuracy. Additionally, with 48-bit color depth and a 3.4 dynamic range, the Epson V500 Photo produces scans with brilliant, true-to-life colors.

The energy-efficient ReadyScan LED technology completely eliminates warm- up time both when turning on the scanner and when switching back-and-forth between reflective and film scanning, as well as automatically turns off in standby mode, using less power while offering greater productivity. Because the LED is more efficient than cold cathode fluorescent lamps, users get fast scan speeds. The ReadyScan LED also adjusts color of the light source based on the type of original being scanned, using white light for positive film and blue light for negative film, to produce precise and efficient scans. Additionally, the mercury-free LEDs are friendly to the environment.

The Epson V500 Photo includes two powerful, yet easy-to-use complete photo restoration solutions for advanced amateur photographers and creative consumers, including Digital ICE(TM) and Epson Easy Photo Fix(R) technology. Digital ICE is an innovative technology that easily removes the appearance of dust and scratches from film, eliminating the need for costly photo retouching services to get the best results. Epson Easy Photo Fix restores faded color photos, slides and negatives back to their original brilliance with one click.

“The Epson Perfection V500 Photo is an ideal solution for advanced amateur photographers, graphic designers and other creative consumers who are looking for a scanner that delivers professional quality scans and productivity at an affordable price,” said Grace Huang, senior product manager, Professional Imaging, Epson America. “This scanner has the superior performance of a high- end commercial lab scanner, yet is designed to accommodate varying skill levels, whether for in-house use, the professional studio or small office. The scanner is yet another example of Epson’s unyielding commitment to deliver the optimal combination of technology, quality and value.”

Adding to the productivity of the EpsonV500 Photo scanner is a built-in transparency unit (TPU) with a moving carriage and lamp optimized for scanning multiple 35mm negatives, slides and medium-format film. The scanner can handle up to four mounted slides or two film strips up to 12 total frames, or medium format film of 2-1/4″, 120/220 and 6 x 12 cm. Additional features include an optional Automatic Document Feeder (ADF) that enables users to quickly scan multiple documents.

The Epson V500 Photo also comes with Epson Creativity Suite, which includes Scan to E-Mail, Copy Utility and Scan to PDF; Adobe(R) Photoshop(R) Elements; and ABBYY(R) Fine Reader(R) 6 Sprint Plus OCR (ABBYY(R) Fine Reader(R) 5 Sprint Plus OCR for Mac). The scanner is compatible with Microsoft(R) Windows(R) 2000, Windows Me, Windows XP, Windows Vista, Macintosh OS(R) X 10.2.8 and later, and is also TWAIN compliant.

The Epson V500 Photo can be purchased for an estimated street price of $249.99 from Epson authorized dealers, consumer electronic stores, mail order, distribution, and on the Epson Store Web site (http://www.epsonstore.com/). The optional ADF will be available for an estimated street price of $199.99 on the Epson Store Web site. The Epson V500 Photo comes with a one-year limited warranty. More information about the Epson V500 Photo and other Epson scanners is available at http://www.epson.com/ or 1-800-GO-EPSON (1-800-463-7766).

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Ear Force X3 Review

admin — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:47:55 +0000

Reading time: < 1 minute

Specifications

The headsets that come for free with the Xbox 360 don’t exactly scream quality. Sure, they get the job done when it comes to trash talking the 11-year-olds you’re losing to in Shadowrun, but the one-eared design that makes you listen to both the TV and your headset isn’t really an optimal solution. The new Ear Force X3 is a full set of headphones with a high-quality mic attached. It gives you the benefit of spatial sound, so you can hear those middle school jerks sneaking up on you before they pop you with a headshot. Boy, isn’t gaming fun?

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Samsung announces three new Q1 Ultra models

admin — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:47:55 +0000

Reading time: 5 – 8 minutes

While they aren’t updates on the order of the refresh to the original Q1, Samsung has apparently decided that it was time to give the Q1 Ultra a bit more company, with it today announcing not one, but three new models. On the low end of the lot, the Q1U-ELXP gets a 600MHz A100 Ultra Mobile processor and a 40GB hard drive with a list price of $999. Taking things up a notch, the $1149 Q1U-XP boasts a 800MHz A110 processor and an 80GB hard drive, while the $1649 Q1U-SSDXP unit packs the same processor and a speedier but pricier 32GB NAND flash drive. From the looks of it, all the other specs remain the same as the standard Q1 Ultra, with Windows XP Tablet Edition serving as the OS. From the sound of it, all three should be available from the all usual sources immediately.

Specifications

New Solid State and XP-Based UMPCs Are Now Shipping and Available

Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today announced three new additions to its Q1 Ultra family of Ultra Mobile PCs, the Q1U-SSDXP, the Q1U-ELXP and the Q1U-XP. The new Q1U-SSDXP is the first Q1 Ultra to incorporate a solid state Flash NAND hard drive instead of a traditional rotational disk drive. All three of the new models are based on the Microsoft Windows XP Tablet Edition operating system. The new models, which are now shipping, continue to advance Samsung’s commitment to the emerging and fast growing UMPC product category.

Introduced in May 2007, the Q1 Ultra is Samsung’s second generation UMPC. Complete with a 7″ wide 300 nits ultra-bright LED backlit LCD, an integrated split-QWERTY keypad for fast text entry, and full PC compatibility, the Q1 Ultra is designed to enhance productivity, ease-of-use and portability in a range of personal and professional scenarios. With an increased battery life of up to 4.5 hours coupled with faster speeds, flexibility and mobile functionality, the Q1 Ultra product provides a compelling solution packed into an ultra small 1.5 pound package.

“Since pioneering the UMPC form factor one year ago, Samsung has relied on customer insights to deliver a range of ultra mobile computing solutions that best meet the varied needs of our customers,” said Bret Berg, Senior Product Marketing Manager, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. “With the Q1U-SSDXP, Q1U-XP and the Q1U-ELXP, Samsung has delivered three new solutions that appeal to a broader range of personal and professional users.”

About the Q1U-SSDXP
Fueled by an impressive 32GB of SSD flash NAND solid-state memory hard drive, as opposed to the traditional 1.8″ rotational disk drive found in the other Q1 Ultra models, the Q1U-SSDXP UMPC is a no-compromise, high-performance mobile computing solution that can fully operate in a diverse range of user/environmental conditions.

The Q1U-SSDXP is designed for optimum performance combined with increased usability. Overall system performance is significantly enhanced, as the SSD is capable of reading and writing information to and from the solid state drive faster than models with typical disk drives. By replacing the traditional disk drive with a solid state drive, the Q1U-SSDXP no longer has any internal moving parts, making it a significantly more rugged solution for those users and applications warranting the added ruggedness. Additionally, the Q1U-SSDXP can operate in an expanded environmental range, making it that much more versatile when compared against a model with a traditional disk drive. Priced at only $1,649.00, the Q1U-SSDXP reflects the growing availability of Flash NAND-based solid state drives and Samsung’s commitment to reducing the customer’s overall total cost of ownership (TCO).

About the Q1U-XP and Q1U-ELXP
The Q1U-XP and Q1U-ELXP are fully featured UMPCs aimed at the B2B commercial markets that require a Windows XP operating system. Pre-installed with the Windows XP Tablet Edition operating system, the Q1U-XP and Q1U-ELXP enable full PC compatibility with all XP legacy applications. Featuring the new Intel Ultra Mobile Processor running at a clock speed ranging from 600MHz to 800 MHz, along with 1 GB of high speed DDR2 system memory, the Q1U-XP and Q1U-ELXP are compelling solutions for those mobile individuals who meet deadlines, complete projects and stay in touch while on the go.

To protect secure information, the Q1U-XP, Q1U-ELXP and the Q1U-SSDXP come standard with a built-in biometric fingerprint reader as an added level of system security. Using the AuthenTec fingerprint scanner combined with the OmniPass security software, the Q1U-XP, Q1U-ELXP and the Q1U-SSDXP reduce the risk of data theft by adding another layer of security to the system.

Like the earlier Q1 Ultra UMPCs, these new Q1 Ultra models continue to push the connectivity boundaries by including integrated 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, providing users with wireless communications regardless of their location.

Facilitating seamless communications across a range of environments, these new Q1 Ultra models feature a 300 pixel webcam, along with a high-performance dual-array microphone, enabling face-to-face video chatting/video conferencing. Additionally, a high-resolution 1.3 mega pixel camera supports video recording and still pictures, allowing users to simply snap and send videos/photographs with a single device. Supporting these features, all Q1 Ultra models are equipped with a 300 nits ultra bright, seven-inch wide WSVGA LED backlit LCD touch screen that boasts a native, high-resolution of 1024 x 600. All Q1 Ultra UMPCs also integrate the AVS Now instant-on feature, allowing users to enjoy a host of multimedia applications, including video, movies, music and still photos, without booting up Windows.

Value-add options include a docking station which supports 3 USB 2.0 ports, additional standard or extended-life battery charger slot, audio out port and microphone in port, GPS navigation receiver and maps for the U.S. and Canada, an external USB-based keyboard with point stick and mouse select buttons, an organizer/portfolio carrying case, 6-cell extended-life battery providing up to 8.5 hours of continuous run time, 8-cell extended-life Power Bank battery providing up to 11 hours of continuous run time and a DVD RW +/- Dual Layer external Optical Disk Drive.

The Q1U-ELXP–powered by the 600MHz A100 Ultra Mobile processor and a 40GB hard disk drive–is available for an MSRP of $999.00. The Q1U-XP UMPC–powered by the 800MHz A110 Ultra Mobile processor and a 60GB hard disk drive–is available for an MSRP of $1149.00, while the Q1U-SSDXP–powered by the 800MHz A110 Ultra Mobile processor and a 32GB Flash NAND solid state drive–is available for $1649.00 MSRP. All models can be purchased through a variety of retail and e-tail outlets including Amazon.com, B & H Photo, Best Buy.com, Buy.com, CDW, Circuit City.com, CompUSA, Costco.com, Fry’s, J&R Music, MicroCenter, NewEgg.com, PC Connection, PC Mall, and Tiger Direct. All Q1 Ultra UMPCs are also available through distribution via Ingram Micro & D&H Computing.

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LaCie lays out 500GB Golden Disk external HDD

admin — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 05:47:05 +0000

Reading time: 2 – 4 minutes

Specifications

     Designed exclusively for LaCie by French designer Ora-Ïto
     A unique golden storage solution to house precious data
     500GB of capacity under a glitter wave

LaCie today announced the Golden Disk, a newly designed device created by famed industrial designer Ora-Ïto. Offering up to 500GB* of storage to house your favorite music, photos or videos, this sleek, liquid-inspired device will become the focal point for any design conscience customer looking to add glitz to their work environment. The Golden disk offers a unique jewel style while the outside finish actually contains a small percentage of real gold.

Sitting almost silent thanks to fanless operation, the Golden Disk can connect to any universal high-speed USB 2.0 interface. Cross-platform compatibility allows the Golden Disk to be used on either a PC or Mac, and plug and play setup works fluidly with Windows 2000, XP, Vista, and Mac OSX.

“The Golden drive encompasses all that is glamour while having the guts to perform flawlessly with glowing performance,” said Lise Manteau, LaCie Desktop Solutions Product Manager. “Coming preloaded with utilities for automatic backups, the Golden Disk shines with its ease-of-use when needing to exchange information with friends and family.”

Availability
The LaCie Golden Disk will be available late October from LaCie direct and widely available via LaCie’s specialized dealer network at the suggested retail price starting at $189. For more product information, visit www.lacie.com/.

About Ora-Ïto
Though his name implies a Japanese background, designer Ora-Ïto is French. A do-it-all designer, he was barely 20 years old when he created the very first virtual brand in 1998. Propelled to the front of the international scene, he then started prestigious collaborations with L’Oréal, Vogue Magazine, Heineken, Adidas, Kenzo, electronic musicians AIR, Honda, Guerlain, Swatch and Nike. For more information on Ora-Ïto visit www.ora-ito.com.

About LaCie
Located in the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, Europe, Singapore and Hong Kong, LaCie is the leading manufacturer of computer peripherals for Windows, Apple and Linux users. LaCie creates external storage solutions and color monitors that help professionals and everyday people easily manage their digital lives. LaCie has differentiated its products through original designs and leading-edge technology. Established in France in 1989, LaCie is listed on Euronext under FR0000054314 (LAC). For more information, visit www.lacie.com

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