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The Keyspan
USB2+FireWire Card ($99) is an ingenious and highly-practical card. It
adds 3 external and one internal USB 2.0 ports to any Macintosh or Windows
PC with one available PCI slot. The USB ports supports rates up to 480
Mbits per second. This card also has two external FireWire ports and one
internal port. The FireWire ports support rates up to 400 Mbits per
second. USB (Universal Serial Bus) is a hardware interface for easily
connecting such peripherals as a mouse, keyboard, scanner or printer. And
FireWire is a rapid serial bus widely used for attaching digital cameras
and other video devices to your computer. Kudos to Keyspan for combining
these two high-speed connectivity technologies. www.keyspan.com
A winning new addition to Belkin's Isolator series of surge protectors,
the PureAV Isolator Home Theater Surge Protector ($99.99) delivers
secure, pristine power protection for your home entertainment products. In
addition to protecting your systems' components from surges, spikes, and
lightning across 10 outlets, its Power Filter technology isolates
contamination to prevent AC and EMI (Electromagnetic Interference) power
distortions to help provide top-quality sound and picture. Other
highlights include a 2-Line/4-Pin protection system that safeguards your
single or 2-line phone/DSL modem against backdoor disturbances, and
Diagnostic Indicator Lights that warn you of power problems even before
the equipment is connnected! The PureAV Surge Protector comes with a
12-foot cord, as well as Lifetime Product and Connected Equipment
warranties. www.belkin.com
If you're a
film/video/audio or post-production professional, you'll certainly want to
purchase Frame Master II (Calculated Industries/$129.95). Unlike a
regular calculator, this sterling product has custom "time-code and film
keys" which enable you to solve film, video, and audio problems with ease
and accuracy. You can do editing calculations, real-time counts, time-code
problems, and conversions (work in and convert between 16mm film feet,
35mm film feet, custom film feet, etc.). Further, the Frame Master II
works as a real calculator! The package contains a protective vinyl case
and a 1-Year Limited Warranty. www.calculated.com
Calculated Industries also released ProjecCalc ($19.95). Geared for
home improvement enthusiasts and serious do-it-yourselfers, this handsome
yellow calculator lets you to quickly figure everything from the number of
tiles and right triangle problems to feet/yards/inches/fractions/metric
conversions and "reverse computations" (e.g., How many square feet will
eight gallons of paint cover?). And it works as a great standard
calculator, too. The ProjectCal has a rugged casing, as well as a
long-life battery. It comes with a 1-Year Warranty.
Incredibly versatile and
compact, the DVD Creation Station 200 (SCM
Microsystems/Win/$$229.99) enables you to seamlessly capture DVD-quality
videos from camcorders, TVs, and VCRs. It connects to your USB port,
making is simple to set up and to create cinema-style DVD videos. The DCS
200 has three central software programs: Dazzle MovieStar 5.0 (which lets
you capture video, edit scenes, add audio and even special effects); OnDVD
(a digital photography program through which you can import and retouch
digital images, as well as organize them for photo slideshows to play on
your DVD player); and DVD Complete (an intuitive and superb application
for designing and burning DVDs). www.scmmicro.com
The Belkin Executive
Notebook Case (Belkin/$159.99) is a stellar notebook computer carrying
case. Constructed of dark Savoy leather and harboring a highly-protective
steel frame laminated with high-density foam, this handsome brief is
perfect for business travelers and commuters. In addition to having places
for storing files and a cell phone, the case has numerous pockets for
CD-ROMs, 3.5-inch disks, business cards, pens/pencils, and other
accessories. The Belkin Executive Notebook Case comes with a sturdy
trolley strap that allows users to attach the Executive to a rolling
luggage handle for easy transport when traveling. www.belkin.com
Calculated Industries produces estimable calculators for architects,
contractors, craftspersons, and savvy Do-It-Yourselfers. The Construction
Master IV ($79.95) has justly become the company's best-selling
product. It does routine calculator functions, handles estimating/bidding,
has an Automatic Stair key (instantly finds the number of Risers, Treads,
Riser height, etc), and ably solves rafter and right-angle problems. The
calculator works in any format (feet, inch, fractions, decimals, and
meters) and has a "paperless" tape trail for reviewing your last
20 entries. The Construction Master Pro ($79.95) is, perhaps, the
most advanced construction calculator on the market. Besides doing
everything that the Constructor Master IV does, this stellar product has
enhanced stair solutions, advanced circular solutions (for arches,
columns, and pillars), a new Backspace key (easily changes newly-entered
values without re-entering data), and three built-in memories (stores
constants or accumulated values in any format). The Construction Master
Pro also has a new dark protective case, which is at once handsome and
sturdy. To read more about these two calculators, peruse to the company's
fine Web site at: www.calculated.com
Placing the Wireless
Desktop PCI Network Card (Belkin/Win/$99.99) into any available PCI
slot is all you need to do to give your desktop PC wireless network
capability. In addition to providing laudable speed and range to your home
or office connection, this praiseworthy Card delivers data and network
security with 64-bit and 128-bit data encryption and plug & play
convenience. At the end of July, Belkin will be releasing the stellar
4X4 Matrix USB Switch (Mac&Win/$99.99). It allows you to share up
to four USB devices--keyboards, scanners, printers, cameras, etc.--with up
to four USB computers. This dataswitch has an intuitive interface, and
it's winningly compact. www.belkin.com
Hollywood DV-Bridge
(Dazzle/$299.99) is a handsome and versatile solution for converting and
editing analog and Digital Video. Besides being able to turn your VHS
tapes to top-quality DV video, it can convert DV video to analog, so that
you can easily send your productions to your Retro friends with their VHS
players. You can also take clips from your analog and DV tapes and mix
them into a single master production. The Hollywood DV-Bridge works with
FireWire-enabled Macs and PCs; and it allows you to use any DV video
editing software with which your are at ease. Videographers and digital
video enthusiasts will certainly want to get this marvelous product.
www.dazzle.com
Radeon 8500 Mac Edition
64MB (ATI/$299) delivers stellar 3D/2D graphics performance. It not
only offers superb graphics realism in gaming environments, it enhances
the performance of workstation applications, giving them true color 3D
graphics with resolutions up to 2048x1536. The board's visual effects
features include TruForm (which makes objects and characters rounded and
more natural), SmoothVision (it eliminates distracting visual effects for
pristine-looking images), and SmartShader (which provides real-time
lighting effects, as well as realistic shading for intricate geometry and
textures). The Radeon 8500 Mac Edition supports Mac OS 9 and OS X; and it
easily processes full-frame, full-screen DVD or MPEG-2 video. www.ati.com
The All-In-Wonder Radeon
8500DV (ATI/Mac&Win/$299) truly is a wonder. With its 64MB of DDR
(Double Digital Rate) memory, this all-in-one product provides exceptional
3D graphics and dynamic multimedia highlights. Its features are too
extensive to list here. But with the All-In-Wonder Radeon 8500DV, you will
get choice TV features on your PC (including a stereo TV tuner with 125
channels), industry-leading DVD playback with AC-3 Digital Audio, radio
frequency remote control capability, rich 3D gaming and graphics, dual
display technology (you can connect to a TV and a monitor simultaneously),
and seamless digital and analog video editing. Regarding the latter, the
software's powerful video editing technology allows you to add sounds,
effects, and transitions to digital video footage. To read more about the
All-In-Wonder Radeon 8500DV, the company's Web address is: www.ati.com
Offering built-in,
cost-effective cable management and a marvelously compact design, the Belkin
OmniView SOHO Series 4-Port USB KVM Switch ($179.99) enables you to
control multiple computers from one console (keyboard, video monitor,
mouse). Here are some of its many qualities: It has audio and microphone
switching support; it can connect up to four USB peripherals, such as
speakers, gaming mouse, and data drive; it supports video resolutions of
up to 2048x1536; and it has a ten-second AutoScan to monitor all
computers. Further, it is not only compatible with Windows and Mac USB,
but with Sun USB platforms and Linux distributions. Note: You will need to
purchase a cable. I recommend the 10-foot OmniView KVM Cable for SOHO
Series with Audio ($29.99). The Belkin OmniView SOHO Series 4-Port USB
KVM Switch is prefect for one's home office or small business.
www.belkin.com
Belkin's USB 2.0
Computer Upgrade Kit (Win/$79.99) is a perfect for anyone wanting to
upgrade his/her computer from hi-speed and older low-speed USB devices to
the lightning-fast USB 2.0. The latter is ideal for transferring huge
amounts of data from, say, video cameras, scanners, and drives. The
handsome package contains a USB 2.0 4-Port Hub (which instantly connects
up to four devices without your having to turn your computer off); a USB
2.0 Dual-Port PCI Card (it slides directly into your free PCI 2.1 slot and
transfers up 480 Mbps); and a USB 2.0 Gold Series Device Cable (with
gold-plated contacts for improved conductivity with host and peripheral
devices). For more info on the marvelous USB 2.0 Computer Upgrade Kit, go
to the company's Web site at: www.belkin.com
The USB 2.0 Dual-Port Hi-Speed PCI Card ($49.99) is another
terrific product from the productive folks at Belkin. Not only does it
give you two USB 2.0 ports on your computer, it allows transfers data at
the ultrafast 480Mbps. USB 2.0 has a bandwith that is 40 times greater
than USB 1.1. So the former is excellent for transferring massive amounts
of data from, say, portable drives and real-time video cameras. Installing
the USB 2.0 Dual-Port Hi-Speed PCI Card is a snap--literally. Just slide
it into your PC's free 2.1 slot. The Card is back-compatible (works with
1.x and 2.0 devices) and runs on Windows 98SE or higher. www.belkin.com
Xbox Controller S ($39.99) has just been released by Microsoft.
More compact than the standard Xbox controller, this handsome,
feature-rich device is specifically designed for gamers with smaller
hands. And its sophisticated ergonomic design ensures that gamers will be
comfortable for extended periods of play. Other highlights? The primary
buttons placement have more traditional layout (the four primary buttons
are easier to reach, which is vital in games where fast button combination
selections are required), the secondary buttons are now neatly located
below the primary buttons (instead of at the top of the controller), and
the D-pad surface has been re-worked (it has been changed into a cross
pattern for better directional movement). To read more about the fine Xbox
Controller S, go to: www.microsoft.com
Turn your home or home
office into wire-free zone with the powerful and innovative PCMCIA
802.11b Wireless PC Card (Actiontec/Win/$104). It allows you to share
your printers, disk drives, and Internet connection with other laptop
users in your home or business. Thus you can, for example, swap data
between computers at up to 11 Mbps! And it works just as smoothly when
trading video and music files. The card--which is essentially a high-speed
Ethernet adapter--is easy to install: Just plop in the software CD, answer
some simple questions, and your network will be linked in little time at
all. As for system requirements, you will need one PC laptop--Pentium 90
or faster, with 16MB RAM and PC Card Slot available; one PC laptop or
desktop computer with a Wireless Ready Multimedia Home Gateway (see review
below); and Windows 98 or higher. www.actiontec.com
The Wireless Ready
Multimedia Home Gateway (Actiontec/Mac&Win/$104) is a handsome,
compact, and winningly-complete broadband home networking solution. It
enables your desktop and laptop computers to share Internet connections,
files, printers, scanners, and even multiplayer games on a wired or
wireless network at speeds up to 100 Mbps. This router is simple to
install (you can be up and operating in ten minutes--even if you don't
have a clue about what to do) and is immensely flexible and upgradeable.
Also, it provides robust firewall protection. Requirements? Just a Mac or
PC with a network adapter card; and it works with Mac 7.1 or higher, or
Windows 95/98/ME/NT/2000/XP. The Wireless Ready Multimedia Home Gateway is
perfect for both home and small business networks. www.actiontec.com
Stylish and
highly-practical, the USB 2.0 4-Port Hub (Belkin/Win/$59.95) allows
you to connect other USB devices (mouses, joysticks, printers, etc) to
your computer. It adds 4 USB 2.0 hi-speed ports to your PC. In addition to
working seamlessly with USB 1.1 and 2.0 peripherals, this new
version can be hot-swapped (you can plug or unplug it into your machine
with the system running), works at speeds up to 480Mbps, and supports such
power-hungry devices as external hard drives, scanners, and CD-RW drives.
The USB 2.0 4-Port Hub is handsomely packaged--in which are the Hub, a USB
2.0 device cable, an AC power adapter, and a User Manual. www.belkin.com
Serious gamers will
definitely want to purchase the Radeon 7200 (ATI
Technologies/Win/$99). This state-of-the-art graphics board has 20 display
modes, realistic (and immersive) 32-bit color 3D graphics, 64MB of SDR
(Synchronous DRAM) memory that dramatically accelerates even today's most
graphic-intensive titles. Three primary features enable the Radeon 7200 to
enhance the visual reality of games: The Charismatic Engine, which
supports full Transformation, Clipping, and Lighting; Hyper Z compression,
a technology that optimizes memory performance; and Pixel Tapestry, the
board's 3D rendering engine, which powers an amazing 1.5 Gigatexels
per second for advanced and seamless graphics performance. www.ati.com
The Xanboo Internet
Home/Business Management System: Super (Xanboo/Win/$79) is a
revolutionary and yet affotable product that allows you to monitor and
control your home from anywhere, via the Internet. The package contains a
CD with complete Xanboo software, a Xanboo System controller with USB PC
connection, two indoor/outdoor wired color cameras with built-in motion
sensors (plus microphone and cable), and two 60-foot video extension
cables. Set-up directions are concise and easy. The Xanboo Home Page works
as your Control Center, giving you--after logging in your
password--current information from your cameras and sensors. Thus, you can
do everything from monitor kids and know who's at your front door to
control the lights and be immediately notified of such sounds as alarms,
breaking glass, or children crying. Even more, you can store video clips
and text-files in a special folder and share the files and clips with
family and friends. There are many other features too, but I'll let you
check them out yourself. Xanboo's $9.95 monthly subscription plan includes
unlimited notification of sensor detected events to your email, pager, or
text-messaging cell phone; time-stamped video stills; 10-second recorded
video clips; and 5MB of Xanboo memory storage, which is nearly 350 video
photos! www.xanboo.com
Sony's new LCD Screen ($129) allows Playstation one gamers to
play PS titles without the need for a full-size television. At five inches
diagonally, this superb lightweight peripheral delivers amazingly crisp
resolution and sound. How? Unlike less powerful LCD panels, the LCD Screen
offers incredible brightness and high-definition features by receiving the
video signal directly from the PS system via the RGB input. And the
first-rate stereo sound is delivered through built-in speakers. With the
LCD Screen, consumers can revel in PS gameplay while on vacations, road
trips, and even business excursions. www.playstation.sony.com
GameLink 300X S-Video AV Cable (Monster Cable/$44.95) utilizes
advanced cable technology to optimize picture qaulity and sound when you
hook up your Microsoft XBox to a TV or receiver. Beautifully packaged,
this three-in-one cable design has a sophisticated DoubleHelix
construction to deliver reference-quality sound for all CDs and DVD movie
titles; 24K gold contact and and eight-cut turbine RCA connectors to
ensure optimum audio and video signal transfer; and a special nitrogen
gas-injected dielectric insulator that delivers maximum video signal
strength for the brightest and sharpess picture possible. Also, the
heavy-duty Double Metal Shielding rejects RF and EM interference. The
GameLink 300X S-Video AV Cable is an excellent purchase for serious
gamers. www.monstercable.com
Contact
Rodney Stevens
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