Brenthaven MetroLite Review
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
When you have a laptop of any brand, it is important to be able to take it with you whilst keeping it safe from knocks and scrapes. The MetroLite from Brenthaven offers a stylish choice, with a very nice quality feel to it. Check out the video review to see just what we thought of it.
Product: MetroLite Carry Case
Price: £49.95
Supplied by: Brenthaven
Contact: +44 (0)20 8400 1275
Labels: Mac Accessories, Reviews
Geekanoids Laser Etched MacBook Pro - Complete & Good to Go
Monday, July 30, 2007
Monday, 30th July, 2007; Geekanoids today announced the completion of their Laser Etched MacBook Pro Project. A new top of the range MacBook Pro funded by some rather snazzy sponsorship. Check out the full details below and some video footage further down the page.As you are already reading this on the Geekanoids website, you probably know the type of content we cover, but for our new readers here is the lowdown on just what we do. Geekanoids is a UK based website, covering technology related news, as well as publishing full written and video reviews of various products. Although there is a bias toward Mac related content, a wide variety of content can be found. This includes reviews of Mac and PC software, digital cameras, mobile phones, and a whole host of gadgets. You will find a strong Mac content mainly because it is our platform of choice. If you are a PC user, this shouldn't put you off visiting us, as many of our articles and reviews are applicable to all platforms, so if you are looking for unbiased opinion on that new printer or digital camera you have your eye on, check Geekanoids out, as we may well have covered it.
Over the past month Geekanoids have been working closely with a number of companies worldwide to sponsor 'laser etched' advertising space on a new MacBook Pro. Owner/Editor of Geekanoids, Dave Cryer said, "We really wanted to improve the content on on the website and it became clear that our most popular content was our video reviews. We needed more powerful equipment to produce the video content and saw this as a very creative way of raising the funds. Without the support of these great companies it would not have been possible."
The funds raised covered the cost of a 15.4-inch MacBook Pro, which sports the latest Santa Rosa chipset and LED backlit screen. It will be used with Apple's Final Cut HD Express software to create some very informative and unbiased video reviews. The reviews will be available on both www.geekanoids.co.uk and via the podcast section of the iTunes Store.
The laser etching was performed by Razorlab, based in London, UK. The whole process was a joy to experience, and with their meticulous attention to detail, the end result really looks fantastic. When viewed in dull light, the etching appears as a light grey, and when caught at an angle by artificial or sunlight, it appears to light up as a vibrant white finish.
It gives us great pleasure to share the transition, from a virgin MacBook Pro, to the completed laser etched version;
The companies that supported the project are listed below;
Quark
…produce my software of choice. Quark Xpress is the superb page layout software for design and publishing professionals worldwide.
Simms International Accessories (Crumpler & Built NY)
...distributor of Crumpler's range includes laptop bags, messenger bags, photo bags, backpacks and e-vice pouches.
Simms are also the UK distributor of Built NY since July 2007. The ever-growing line of bags and accessories made from neoprene. Products as diverse as a laptop sleeve, baby bib to the lunch tote – the latest addition to the award-wining Built NY Bottle Tote product line.
Griffin Technology
...creator of all things iPod.
Stunt Software
...is a maker of fine Macintosh software for anyone who wants to be more productive with their Mac.
Crucial
...the Memory Experts - provides reliable PC, notebook and Mac memory to boost your system performance and improve general workflow.
Academy Class
...First class training for creatives and developers.
Alien Skin Software
...develops filters for Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Photoshop Elements, Adobe Fireworks, Adobe After Effects and Corel Paint Shop Pro. Graphic designers and digital photographers everywhere use our plugins for print, Web, and photo restoration work.
BMI Solutions
…are the largest reseller of Document Scanners within the UK, price promise guaranteed.
Epson
...for high quality low cost printing with individual ink cartridges. The choice of professionals.
Realmac Software
…creators of RapidWeaver, the powerful website creation tool for the mac.
MAKE
…MAKE is a project-based quarterly magazine that unites, inspires, informs and entertains a growing community of people who make incredible things in their basements, garages and backyards. We call them Makers.
EazyDraw
...make drawing fun on OS X.
Roxio
...develops and markets the best-selling digital media software in the world, offering products for CD/DVD burning, photo editing and video editing.
With this newfound goodness in Mac equipment, be sure to keep checking back on the Geekanoids website for great news content and plenty of video reviews.
Labels: Apple Hardware, Apple News, General News
Great image - the Evolution of Apple
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Art director and designer Edwin Tofslie has posted this fantastic image. It shows the evolution of the Apple Macintosh, with some accessories thrown in for good measure. It is very interesting to see how the shape and form factor of Macs have changed over the years… thanks Edwin.Labels: General News
New super slim Apple Keyboard for the iMac
Friday, July 27, 2007
Engadget has posted what could be the real deal when it comes to the new iMac super-slim keyboard. Just look at this unit, it oozes quality and that all important thinness. If the iMac compliments this new design, we are all in for a real treat. Check out the Engadget website for more images.Labels: Apple News
Top 10 GMail Tweaks
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Here are the 10 most impressive GMail plugins and tweaks. There's plenty more to choose from but these in particular will make your life easier and enhance your GMail experience.via trendplex read more | digg story
Merlin Mann’s “Inbox Zero” talk
A really great talk on the idea of "Inbox Zero" method of email management. Anyone who gets more than a dozen emails a day needs to spend time with this.via 43folders read more | digg story
Free VoIP Landlines for Life... For a Price
Vonage has something new to worry about: free. Since everybody hates paying for anything internet, Ooma's jumping on the free-subscription bandwagon with reverse razor / blade model: shell out crazy cash ($400) for a sexy little Ooma Hub with lifetime free local and long distance service.via engadget read more | digg story
Labels: General News
Office Snapshots: I Know Where You Work (w/ pics of Digg's office too!)
There are plenty of photo galleries of the most influential websites of our day, including Digg, Twitter, Facebook, Mozilla, Meebo, Pixar, Six Apart, and more. Cool stuff.via officesnapshots.com read more | digg story
Labels: General News
Intego launch FileGuard X4 Beta
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Intego, today announced the public beta release of its new FileGuard X4 data protection program. FileGuard X4 creates virtual safes that provide unbreakable protection for sensitive files. Users can create as many safes as they need for different types of files; send sensitive files to others with no risk; and store safes on servers or external disks with full security.FileGuard X4 is designed to meet the needs of mobile users who have sensitive files on their laptops, as well as home and business users who want to ensure that their confidential data is protected. Unlike Apple’s FileVault, which requires that users encrypt their entire home folder, FileGuard X4 lets users choose which files or folders they want to protect, and only the ones they want to protect. FileGuard X4’s virtual safes are easy-to-use, practical, and flexible, offering many options, such as permissions for shared access, simple drag-and-drop copying to and from safes, and unbreakable encryption.
“Identity theft is one of the leading computer security issues these days, and the only way to prevent it is to ensure that all personal and confidential documents are fully protected,” said Laurent Marteau, CEO of Intego. “FileGuard X4 lets users protect their most confidential documents, with unbreakable encryption. Even if someone gets access to their Mac, they won’t be able to break into these safes.”
Features of FileGuard X4:
· Store sensitive files in secure virtual safes
· Industry-standard encryption makes safes unbreakable
· Create as many safes as you need
· Set a different password for each safe
· Create safes by drag-and-drop, or from the Intego menu
· Safes increase in capacity as you add more files
· Change the size of a safe or compress it to save space
· Open safes by a simple double-click in the Finder
· Protect sensitive files on laptops in case of loss or theft
· Protect files on portable media, such as iPods or USB key drives
· Safes work like folders - drag files to and from your safes
· Safe icons indicate their status (open or closed)
· Use floating windows to access safes at all times
· Send safes by e-mail, or store them on servers or external disks
· Set read and write permissions for safes stored on shared volumes
System Requirements:
· Mac OS X 10.4 (Tiger) or higher
· 20 MB hard disk space
The public beta of Intego FileGuard X4 is available for free and can be downloaded here.
Labels: Mac Software
Untold Legends Dark Kingdom PS3 Review
Monday, July 23, 2007
We covered the US launch of the Sony PS3 some time ago now, it seems like ages since we brought you any PS3 coverage, so it was nice of Electronic Arts to send us 'Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom (ULDK)' to review.I have always wanted to get into Dungeons & Dragons (the board game) and really wanted to try World of Warcraft, but what stopped me was the dedication (and time) required to play. So, when this game touted itself as 'The Ultimate Next Gen Action RPG Experience' it caught my attention. Maybe, just maybe I could get my fix in a pick up and put down format. By that, I mean that I want to be able to grab a game, play it for half an hour, then be able to come back to it later.
ULDK gets off to a good start with some stunning graphics. Even the player select screen is stunning, with some great level of detail on the characters. At this stage the game introduces you to the storyline, and I was thinking "Oh no, this is going to be boring", but then you are thrown into the action, quickly taught some awesome moves and the blood is (literally) flying.
You work your way through battling various opponents, including some rather rabid creatures. Along your way, hacking and slashing through whatever gets in your way, you get items to pick up. Pieces of armor enhance your protection, as well as various spells and add-ons for your weapons. Your team that accompanies you help, but in what seems a very random way. Maybe, further in the game there are options to determine how you are helped in the harder battles, I certainly hope so.Each stage is completed with the obligatory 'boss', but in a way that does not break the fluidity of the whole story. This is very well done, and eases you into the game, by not making the first few bosses overly difficult. You can also save your progress at various points, so this game definitely fulfills my need of having something I could play in short sittings.
As well as the single player, there are also co-op and internet modes. Each of these modes play perfectly and add superb value to the gameplay. In summary, the graphics are excellent, the sound is awesome and the gameplay (although a little repetitive) is a joy, the perfect balance in fact between difficulty and enjoyment. I would certainly recommend ULDK to any gamer who wants to experience a magical action packed RPG, without having to spend hours and hours on dedicated gaming.
Product: Untold Legends: Dark Kingdom
Price: £49.99
Street Price: £39.99
Supplied by: Electronic Arts
Contact: 0870 2432435
Labels: Gaming
Steve Jobs - Stanford University
If you ever need something to enlighten your day… to give you some encouragement… to help put things in perspective… or to have a positive outlook on life… or perhaps you just love Steve Jobs, then you should take a look at this video. It captures Steve Jobs commencement speech at Stanford University in 2005, where he talks quite frankly about certain aspects of his career and life that have moulded him into the person he is today.
Labels: Apple News
Griffin launch iKaraoke TunePrompter - Free
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Griffin Technology, today announced iKaraoke TunePrompter, a useful tool for creating karaoke videos from your existing music library. TunePrompter enhances the full karaoke experience of Griffin's iKaraoke, an iPod accessory featured in Time, The New York Times, BusinessWeek, and hailed by The Wall Street Journal as "fun to use and unintimidating."TunePrompter is a freeware application for Mac and PC that lets iKaraoke users make their own free karaoke videos using any song they own. The iKaraoke supplies the music, you supply the words and you can enjoy karaoke with any song, anytime and anywhere.
Using TunePrompter is easy.
1. Download and install Griffin iKaraoke TunePrompter
2. Open TunePrompter
3. Load your favorite song
4. Type your lyrics in or let TunePrompter help you find them
5. Tap your spacebar along with the music to teach TunePrompter
Connect the iKaraoke microphone to your iPod and you're on. iKaraoke removes the vocals from your video, allowing you to karaoke anytime, and anywhere.
Ultimate iKaraoke Contest
To celebrate the debut of iKaraoke TunePrompter, Griffin will give one lucky iKaraoke-er the Ultimate Griffin Prize Pack worth more than $800. Entering is easy. Just download TunePrompter at www.griffintechnology.com/products/tuneprompter and make karaoke videos of your favorite music.
Then, between now and August 24th, simply submit feedback through the software. What works? What needs improvement? Tell us and you'll be entered into a random drawing for the Ultimate Griffin Prize Pack with more than $800 in top-selling Griffin schwag.
This prize pack includes one each of the following products: iKaraokeTM, iTrip Auto®, PowerDuoTM, California RollTM, ReflectTM, TempoTM, AirDockTM, iTalk ProTM, SmartShare®, TuneCenterTM, RoadTrip®, EarJamsTM, TuneBudsTM, CenterStageTM, PowerMateTM, AirClickTM iPod & USB, ElevatorTM, and iMicTM.
Labels: Apple iPod
Steve Wozniak talks to MacWorld
Friday, July 20, 2007
I love Steve Wozniak, OK, so now I have admitted it! For many many years I have followed the history of Apple and the two Steve's. A few months back I got so excited and was totally engrossed by a documentary on Sky about Woz and his other interests. So, this interview over at MacWorld is a real treat. Check it out here.Labels: General News
Facebook buys Parakey - BBC Report
The BBC Technology website reports today that Facebook has bought internet startup company Parakey for an undisclosed amount. Parakey was set-up by two of the original co-founders of Mozilla Firefox, my browser of choice. Check out the full story here.Labels: General News
Zengobi launch Curio 4
Thursday, July 19, 2007
Zengobi have just launched version 4 of Curio, their project management and planning application. Apart from an updated interface, this new version adds mind mapping, snippets, resource assignments, time management and a whole lot more besides. Prices range from $69 to $149 depending on which version you purchase.Labels: Mac Software
DataWind - PocketSurfer 2 Pricing and Dates
DataWind, today announced the launch of the PocketSurfer2, an ultra-thin, ultra-portable internet communications device. PocketSurfer2 is a handheld device that delivers the full power and original graphic intensity of the internet rapidly and wirelessly to the palm of your hand, for free.The PocketSurfer2 allows you to browse the web in its original HTML layout, with full graphics, Java support and other complex web functionality on a 640 x 240 colour widescreen display. An integrated mouse pointer and a full format, backlit QWERTY keyboard makes it the most usable hand-held web device around. PocketSurfer2 fits easily into a pocket or bag and delivers the real web, just like you’re used to at home or at work. The rich user experience of the PocketSurfer2 offers a real alternative to consumers tired of the limited functionality, unfamiliar content and small screens on mobile phones or smartphones.
It doesn’t hang about either, with page-load times of under seven seconds over GPRS thanks to DataWind’s patented acceleration technology, you’ll be flying around the web just as you would at your desk. Comparative devices regularly take up to two minutes to download similar web pages. At its launch event and select trade shows, DataWind even offers an industry-wide speed challenge to illustrate its claim as the fastest mobile handheld web access device.
Suneet S. Tuli, CEO of DataWind, commented, “Our goal was to deliver the real web, fast and free. With PocketSurfer2 mobile users can surf the internet anytime, anyplace and enjoy the same rich media graphics and browser functionality of the desktop experience. This device is going to revolutionise the way we work, play, communicate and take advantage of the wireless web.”
Pricing and availability
The PocketSurfer2 is priced at £179.99 and will be available in high street stores, and independent consumer electronics and mobile phone stores throughout the UK starting August 16th, 2007. Additionally, the PocketSurfer2 will also be available through online retailers and television direct marketing. From July 25th, 2007, pre-orders can be placed through Amazon UK to obtain first delivery before high-street availability.
PocketSurfer2, Key Features:
- Independent self-contained unit with built-in GPRS modem and SIM
- GPS location information
- Lithium polymer battery
- 5 hours battery life for active usage, and 5 days standby
- Built-in high performance antenna
- Transreflective backlit display
- 640 x 240 VGA colour
- Mini USB charger
- Mouse pointer
- Backlit QWERTY keyboard
- Sub 7 second page-load
- Web browsing in original layout
- Weight – 174 grams
- Dimensions - 152 x 75 x 15 m
Labels: Gadgets, Mobile Phones
Pure introduce GREEN Siesta
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
Pure have introduced the new Siesta, an affordable and stylish DAB and FM clock radio that looks good, sounds great and has significantly reduced environmental impact too.Despite costing just £49.99 (SRP) Siesta is stylish and fully-featured. It boasts a large auto-dimming display and an easy-to-find snooze button. There are three independent alarm settings; owners can wake to tone, DAB or FM, and set different alarm times for weekdays and weekends. Users can browse extra broadcast text from participating stations thanks to Intellitext and pause and control scrolling text with TextSCAN.
Siesta is available in black, charcoal or silver, and has been designed to minimise environmental impact, with a standby power consumption of less than 1W, packaging made from a minimum of 70% recycled material, finished with water based varnish, and documentation printed with soya-based ink on 100% recycled paper.
For more information, please go to www.pure.com or call +44 (0)1923 277488
Labels: Gadgets
Upcoming Review of Waterfield's Racer-X Bag
If you need to protect your Apple laptop, then check back on the Geekanoids website real soon. We will be bringing you a full review of the Racer-X from Waterfield bags. The Racer-X comes in a variety of sizes, suitable for the 12-inch Powerbook, right through to the 17-inch MacBook Pro. Our review will include editorial, plus our new hands-on video footage.Labels: Mac Peripherals
Geekanoids MacBook Pro Project - part 2
Thursday, July 12, 2007
An important update for you all… well, actually more for myself really. As you may be aware, we are running a project where some companies from the UK and abroad have sponsored some space to have their logos laser etched onto our MacBook Pro.Well, late yesterday our MBPro landed in the UK and made its way out of the box early this morning. The fit and finish on the laptop are perfect, the screen (matte) is great and the LED back-lighting is pretty special. I thought that my previous Apple laptops were bright, but this thing is crazy. I have found that just four or five notches on the brightness control are more than enough.
The CPU temperature seems to remain around the 50-55 degree mark, and the fans around 2000rpm. So things are pretty darn quiet. Overall, I am very impressed.
The project is nearing completion, we are just tying up a few minor details. Check back soon and we will have full details, a gallery and some video footage of the new beast in all its "Etched" glory.
Labels: General News
Apple purchases CUPS
Big news, the common unix printing system, known in short as CUPS has been purchased by Apple. You can check out the post on the CUPS website here.
Labels: Apple News
How To: Use Gmail over IMAP and tag your mail, too (Workaround)
This describes an interesting way to use Gmail along with IMAP. While geared towards using Apple Mail, it is also just as easy to do using Windows.via downloadsquad.com read more | digg story
Labels: General News
Facebook vs MySpace: The Tale of the Tape
There has been a lot of talk about Facebook unseating MySpace as the top social network. While that may (or may not) happen sometime in the future, the so-called gray lady of Social Networks is holding its own.via gigaom.com read more | digg story
Labels: General News
Geek Chic: PowerBook Earrings
These awesome PowerBook earrings fall somewhere in between solving global e-waste problems and showing that recycling can be geek chic...check 'em out.via treehugger.com read more | digg story
Labels: General News
New iMacs and Keyboards on the horizon
Monday, July 09, 2007
AppleInsider reports that new iMacs could be on the horizon, with new enclosures and even more exciting is the possible inclusion of a new low profile keyboard. If I read the article correctly the new keyboard will be based on the MacBook offering. It also hints that they may also feature an integrated trackpad. This may sound a weird thing to accompany a desktop computer, but if you think about how quick it is to scroll around on your laptop, this may be a wise move. Imagine being able to quickly scroll without having to move your hands over to your mouse!?!Labels: Apple News
ImageWell updated - awesome app !
ImageWell is a fantastic application from Xtralean Software. If you have ever wanted to scale an image, add a watermark, a border, or perhaps a speech bubble or thought cloud, this app makes things extra easy. Loading up Photoshop just to scale an image down for web use is something you will never have to do again. ImageWell has a brilliant user interface and offers tools for quick everyday tasks, plus a whole lot more. Once you have made the settings for your image you can save the image as a file or send to your iDisk, FTP, SFTP or WebDAV server.The update today adds support for Flickr, SmugMug, ImageShack, a new built-in font control panel that makes text editing faster and easier, and the ability to create ImageWell font collections so you can easily customize your font list.
ImageWell is free, or you can add even more features for $14.95 by buying the Xtras version.
Labels: Mac Software
Belkin Compact Surge Protector Review
You might ask when starting to read this review, "How can someone get excited about a surge protector?" Well, it goes without saying that many of us struggle with that spaghetti junction of wires tangled under our desks. Whenever I install a new set-up, things look neat for about five minutes. The moment I move something the cables seem to tangle themselves.Belkin have offered a lot of variants of surge protector before, but this new 'Compact Surge Protector' certainly breaks from the norm and offers a design that should have been released years ago. The products gives you six surge protected sockets, plus three telephone sockets (on input, two outputs). What makes the unit stand out from the crowd is its design. The unit sits vertically, with three sockets on each side. Also, the sockets face downwards, so when you have equipment plugged in, the wires are pointing in the right direction. Fantastic solution this, as it means you can bundle all your excess cable behind your desk or the equipment itself and keep it hidden away.
You can also route your cables in the traditional way, along the floor. To keep things tidy there is a simple, but effective management clip that is connected to the two metre length power cable. The clip can be slid to any position and your equipment cables can be routed through it. This is a nice addition, just a shame there was not two provided for even more flexibility.
For your money you get a very useful and well thought out design. The unit provides 2,190 joules of surge protection, plus £100,000 of electrical insurance for connected equipment. Belkin also throw in a lifetime warranty, which shows how confident they are of their products. Everyone should protect their valuable computer and other electrical equipment with a surge protector. I strongly advise you to invest in one today, and you won't go far wrong with the Compact Surge Protector from Belkin.
Product: Compact Surge Protector
Price: £24.99
Supplied by: Belkin UK
Contact: +44 (0)1933 35 2000
Labels: Mac Peripherals, PC Peripherals, Reviews
Ecamm Call Recorder Updated
Ecamm Network have just released v2.1 of their Call Recorder, their handy little app that allows you to record both sides of a Skype conversation to your Mac.This new version offers the following (taken from their site); Adds an option to automatically discard short recordings. Adds an option to keep the Call Recorder window in the foreground during Skype calls. Call Recorder will now properly respect Skype's mute button. Fixes a recording problem which could cause distorted sound when using certain input and output devices on a Power PC Mac. Fixes a warning message that could be displayed while recording voicemail messages with Skype v2.6 or later. Fixes a problem which caused the Call Recorder windows position to be forgotten after quitting Skype. Fixes an issue with default encoding settings on newer Macs. Fixes an issue which could cause Skype to hang after a conference call.
A demo is available, with the full product costing $14.95
Labels: Mac Software
New Motorola Zante is Sleek and Shiny, Lives on the EDGE (PICS)
Friday, July 06, 2007
An iPhone-killer already or just another Sidekick? Here's the Zante, up close and lustrously yours. Plenty of fresh technical information about this Motorola-flavored Sidekick plus two new pretty pics, one showing its funky purple sliding keyboard. After seeing it, I want to lick it almost as much as Apple's JesusPhone.via Gizmodo
read more | digg story
Firefox 3 Alpha 6 now available
Thursday, July 05, 2007
Mozilla has released the sixth alpha of Gran Paradiso, Firefox 3 development name. This release comes with a very short delay to the original schedule which is an important achievement considering Alpha 5 was delayed for about a week.via mozillalinks.org read more | digg story
Labels: General News
Better than AppleTV? Neuros OSD does the full YouTube
Neuros' hacker-friendly set-top-box can now browse, search and view YouTube -- thanks to the efforts of the open-source community.via last100.com read more | digg story
Labels: General News
Next iteration of iLife gone Golden Master?
Sources informed MacScoop that the development of the next iteration of iLife has reached the Golden Master phase. The consumer software suite could ship before the release of Leopard which is now slated for October.via Macscoop read more | digg story
Labels: Apple News
Geekanoids MacBook Pro Project
Wednesday, July 04, 2007
We have some very exciting news for you all. Due to our increased readership and moving our website over to new server space, with unlimited bandwidth, we are now able to bring you even more video reviews. We have invested in some new software that will help us polish the look of the reviews, you should see this implemented in the next few weeks.The big news is that we have a new MacBook Pro winging its way to us from Apple UK. This will enable us to process the video reviews faster and will also be used for scripts and show notes during the video reviews. None of this would have been possible without the help and support of some great companies that sponsored the MacBook Pro. We will be laser etching or thermally transferring logos into the lid of the laptop and we think the design we have in mind will look very striking, so check back towards the end of this month for the launch video of our very special MacBook Pro.
News Update - We have one space left on the MacBook Pro, so if you are interested get in touch now! Email us at geekanoids@gmail.com
We would like to thank the following companies for sponsoring our MacBook Pro;
- Academy Class - First class training for creatives and developers.
- Alien Skin Software - Get creative with their fantastic filters.
- BMI Solutions - The document scanner specialist.
- Crucial Technology - Guaranteed Mac compatible memory - fast.
- EazyDraw - a superb vector drawing application for the Mac.
- Epson UK - manufacturers of printers, scanners and much more.
- Griffin Technology - iPod & iPhone accessories, plus so much more.
- Make Magazine - fantastic resource for making cool gear.
- Realmac Software - makers of Rapidweaver, revolutionary Mac web design software.
- Simms International - specialist distributor of computer & digital accessories.
Labels: General News
Moixa USB Cell Review
Have you ever wanted to go on holiday and carry one less USB charger. Well, check out the Moixa USB Cells. These neat batteries come in a variety of sizes and I take a look at the AA variety here. They are NiMH batteries that charge from a USB port, how cool is that!?!
Product: Moixa AA USB Cell
Price: from £10.99
Supplied by: Moixa Energy Ltd
Labels: Gadgets
Yahoo Messenger - Need Mac Users Help
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
The team behind Yahoo Messenger for the Mac need your help! Head on over the their poll here and place your vote. They basically want to know if you want a quicker release with Tiger only support, or wait a bit longer for 10.3.x and 10.4.x support. The choice is yours… it seems.Labels: Mac Software
Griffin PowerJolt - Charge your iPhone & iPod
Monday, July 02, 2007
Griffin Technology today unveiled its PowerJolt® Car Charger for iPhoneTM, the company's first accessory for Apple's new revolutionary device. Recently updated specifically for iPhone, Griffin's PowerJolt has long been a best selling car charger solution for iPod."We applaud Apple for its continued innovation, from iMac to iPod, and now iPhone," said Paul Griffin, founder of Griffin Technology. "We expect this to be another market-changing moment and we look forward to supporting Apple's vision with innovative accessories."
You plug PowerJolt into your vehicle's cigarette lighter or accessory power socket, and connect your iPhone to charge even during use. PowerJolt's charge indicator glows green when it's powered up and ready to go, amber while it's charging, and green again when it's finished charging your battery. PowerJolt sets itself apart from its imitators with features like built-in power management. The in-line 2 Amp automotive fuse ensures you need not be concerned about power surges affecting your iPhone. And should the fuse ever need replacing, it's easily obtained at any auto-parts or hardware store.
PowerJolt is also backwards compatible with iPod models that use the full-size Apple dock connector, and with first-generation iPod shuffle. The new PowerJolt ships with a high-quality detachable dock connector cable that can be used separately for charging and syncing to your computer; and with a separate USB mini-B cable that allows Griffin iTrip users to charge through iTrip's pass-through USB port.
Pricing and Availability
PowerJolt for iPhone, MSRP $19.99, is available at Apple and AT&T stores. For more information, please visit www.griffintechnology.com.
Labels: Apple iPhone, Apple iPod
New Compact Surge Protector from Belkin
Surge Protectors are an essential piece of equipment in every house hold and are often not the first product people think of when we mention design and style. However all that has changed with the launch of the new Compact Surge Protector from Belkin. Designed to have a small foot print and modern, sleek look the new Compact Surge Protector can accommodate up to six sockets spaced far enough apart that the unit can be filled to capacity even with over sized power blocks. The unique design means that all sockets are easily accessible whilst the unit remains as compact as possible.Against a baseboard, mounted on a wall or on the floor behind a desk, couch or bed the Compact Surge Protector takes up minimal space and the solid, simple design reduces clutter and maintains a modern yet inconspicuous look. The unit comes with available Phone/Fax/Modem and Coaxial protection and a single indicator lights clearly shows that the unit is powered on and protecting your equipment. This unit is available for £24.99 from Belkin stockists.
Labels: Home Theatre, Mac Peripherals, PC Peripherals
Fujitsu ScanSnap S500M Document Scanner Review
Scanning on the Mac platform has always been way ahead (or on par, some will argue) with the PC platform, except in one area - document scanning. It comes as no surprise that many manufacturers see Mac owners as designers, and when developing their scanners that handle medium to high volume scanning, they only ever release PC drivers. Document scanners can be great time and space savers. They are capable of automatically feeding invoices, brochures, and other paperwork and saving them as a file on your computer. For a long time now Fujitsu have made the ScanSnap for Mac, but it was lacking Intel support and was a little behind its PC equivalent. When they released the S500M I was very excited, even more so when BMI Solutions landed one on my desk to review.The Fujitsu ScanSnap S500M is an all white affair, even the packaging gives that nice Apple unboxing feel. Set up is really really easy, install the Scansnap Manager software, plus the included Acrobat 7 software. The latter does not need to be installed unless you want to scan to PDF files. Of note, if you already have a later version of Acrobat installed on your Mac, then this also works a treat.
Once installed, the S500M connects to your Mac via USB. In its closed state, the feeder support that holds up to 50 sheets of A4 paper (to be scanned) folds upwards. The action of lifting the feeder also switches the scanner on. The front paper tray (for catching the scanned pages) folds down to reveal the scanner buttons. When you have finished scanning, you either fold the trays closed, to both turn the unit off and keep the dust out, or press the power button. This is a very nice design and lets the S500M take up very little desk space.
In use, things couldn't be much simpler. You fire up the Scansnap Manager and set how you want your documents scanned. You can choose if colour, black and white or auto colour detection, the latter does an excellent job, but it is of course nice to force things into black and white if you so wish. the 'scanning mode' is selected with phrases like normal, better, best and slowest. Whilst this is OK and after playing with the settings you learn what is best, it would have been more helpful to have the dpi displayed in brackets. I hope Fujitsu do this in a software upgrade. The last of the main settings is to choose simplex or duplex scanning. This is a powerful feature of the S500M, the fact that it contains an upper and lower scanning element, so it is able to scan both sides of a document in one pass.Other options in the software allow you to choose an external application to scan to, like Adobe Acrobat (for PDF) or Preview (for JPEG). You can also set how files are names and where they are saved to. Paper size can also be set, but in my tests I found the automatic detection very accurate. As well as the scanning mode you can also set the image quality, with one slider determining the amount of compression and file size. This confuses matters even further. Don't get me wrong, the end results are fine, but if you want to make specific settings, there has to be an easier way.
All these settings is as hard as it gets. Once you have made them all it is a simple matter of load your paper into the automatic feeder and pressing the scan button.
The S500M draws the pages through very accurately and at a fast 18ppm (pages per minute), so when in duplex mode, this equates to 36 sides per minute. If you are scanning at the highest 600dpi optical resolution on a slowish Mac, then you have to allow some additional time for the computer to process the files. When a batch of 50 sheets have been scanned, you can then load more into the feeder and either start a new file or add them to the one in progress. During my tests, I scanned a mixture of computer printouts, old invoices, brochure and magazine pages. Out of 250 pages, I had just two misfeeds, and these were very thin and crumpled NCR invoices. So the S500M can fall over, but with no major effect. Any misfeeds can be re-scanned and popped back into the relevant position within the file you are creating.
Scanning to PDF is great and with the aide of Acrobat you can process your files into searchable documents. This feature makes the S500M invaluable. You can scan your whole filing cabinet of any type of document, and then search it by keyword. This makes the S500M a great timesaver, as well as freeing up all that paperwork space. I can highly recommend the Fujitsu ScanSnap S500M to you for getting your paperwork and filing organised. The price from BMI Solutions makes it even better value for money.
Product: Fujitsu ScanSnap S500M
Price: £244.39
Supplied by: BMI Solutions
Contact: 0845 838 1694
Link to product page
Labels: Mac Peripherals, Reviews
QM Entertainment - New 2nd Gen Nano Speaker
Sunday, July 01, 2007
QM Entertainment have introduced their new iPod™ Nano Speaker (for the 2nd generation) - The perfect companion for the iPod™ Nano! Slide the Nano into the speaker and enjoy the sound. Available in pink, green, turquoise, red, black and silver, to complement the colour of the iPod™ Nano. The iPod™ Nano Speaker (2nd generation) will mainly appeal to 15-26 years who are male or gadget girls.Technical Specification:-
- Active Stereo Speaker
- Dual Power: Batteries or USB (Batteries 6V, 4xAAA (not included))
- Designed for iPOd nano 2nd generation
- Also compatible with PC/MAC/MP3-players
- Output Speakers: 8.5W
- Package Contents: Speaker unit, USB Powercable, Audio input cable.
Labels: Apple iPod
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Dave
Dave has been in the graphic design industry for 14 years. Long time reviewer of technology related products, he is Owner/Editor of Geekanoids.
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