Review: Mighty Mouse
Apple has never been big on two-buttoned mice. Ever since the Lisa in the 80s, they have always shipped a one - button mouse with their desktop computers. Apple admirers claimed it was for simplicities sake, and critics said it was because Macs were for idiots, and as such they could only use one-buttoned mice. However, Apple recently announced a new mouse. They jumped the gap and went straight from one button to four, surprising everyone.
The OoBE (or 'Out of Box Experience') is typical Apple - small, stylish and very nice. There's not really a lot to say about the packaging; it has some pictures of the mouse and an Apple logo on it, and thats it. Opening it up reveals the Mighty Mouse tucked away in a cardboard holder.
The Mighty Mouse utilizes USB 1.1 or 2.0, and has an 800dpi optical sensor (with a red LED underneath). However, there is a wireless version available which uses Bluetooth and has an invisible laser sensor instead (this review applies to both models since the wireless version is virtually identical)… Read more
Review: Nokia N800
The N800 is described by Nokia as an ‘Internet tablet’ - its a handheld touchscreen device capable of browsing the Internet through WiFi. Unusually for Nokia, it isn't a mobile phone, althought it is capable of making calls over the Internet.
The specs of the N800 include a TI CPU, two SD slots, 128 MB RAM, 256 MB flash storage, 4.1′ 800×480 touchscreen, WiFi, Bluetooth, 3.5mm headphone jack and mini-USB port. The device sports an integrated pop-out VGA webcam, a kickstand and a slot for the stylus. It also came with a 128mb miniSD card (and SD adapter), protective pouch, mains charger, USB data cable (not for recharging), spare stylus and earphones… Read more
Review: Sony K550i
The good: 2.0 megapixel camera with Autofocus function, A2DP,
The bad: Grainy digital images, uses Memory Stick Micro
Shockgadgets verdict: Putting aside the disappointing performance of the camera this neat and attractive handset is very user-friendly - packed with features it's pretty good value for money.
Full Review
Sony Ericsson launched a glut of new phones earlier in the year in an effort to appeal to a much broader audience - the result was the launch of two Cyber-shot-branded handsets - theK550i and K810i. We have the lower spec K550i to play with this time round and we are expecting a great deal from the camera totting phone even if it is the lower spec of the two…
MP100 Portable DVD Player
From Mustek comes the MP100 portable DVD player, the big brother of the MP80D that I reviewed earlier, another straight-forward but well-conceived machine.
The main controls on the machine itself are simple and allow for easy navigation through DVD menus with little hassle, this is something I've come to know and love from Mustek. Simplicity. The controls themselves are well flushed with the surface of the player, but not so much so as they would become difficult to operate and irritating. They work fine and each is clearly labelled with its function.
The player itself is reasonably sized and lightweight, but bigger than past models. The LCD screen is a nice large 10-inch which takes up a good amount of the lid of the player. Definitely a decent size in my opinion, it allows for good solo viewing and also gives you a good view if you have multiple people watching. Also due to its widescreen proportions you don't get the letterbox effect splashed across your films. The screen is both hinged to fold down, like a laptop, but also on a swivel hinge which lets it fold round to allow you to simply just have the screen visible. This is very useful during car journey which lets you simply hang the screen on the back of a car headrest with the provided sling. This does give the impression that the MP100 was designed with keeping the kids quiet in the back of the car… Read more
Review: Samsung YP-T9
So Apple are the undisputed kings of the MP3 player market with millions of iPods in use across the UK and indeed the world - Microsoft looks set to challenge this dominance with the Zune but we like choice and we believe Samsung has something to offer.
We recently covered the launch of the Samsung music store (SMS) and two new MP3 players, one of which we have had the pleasure of testing for the past week. So out the window went the Nano and into the recycle bin went iTunes, stepping up to the plate to fill the void, was the smooth looking YP-T9.
So straight out of the bag we note that the stylish Samsung offering is smaller than the Nano (83 x 42.6 x 11 mm), weighs in at only 49g and boasts a significantly larger 1.8-inch. On closer inspection the YP-T9 impresses further, packed solid with a range of features it is clear the word ‘compromise’ didn't even figure into the making of this device and has a good solid battery life (about 30hrs). Read more
Tried & Tested: Sagem my215x
The Sagem my215x with its metalic pink and white finished body is certainly one for the ladies - weighing in at only 69g this phone certainly looks the part even though it doesn't cost the earth.
Build feels quite solid the only slight concern we had was the rather flimsy battery cover which feels like you could snap it every time you attempt to remove it.
On a full charge the battery provides a moderate day’s use (around 3½ hours) so if you like to talk a lot you might well want to avoid this particular phone. Read more
Review: TriPort IE Headphones
When approached by Bose to review the TriPort IE headphones I have to admit I was some what sceptical especially seeing as this was the first time they had dipped their toes into the in-ear headphone space.
Could Bose really recreate the quality of sound we have come to expect from them in a significantly smaller offering? Well given the opportunity to find out, we thought it would have been rude to refuse.
The TriPort IE headphones cable is light weight and thin, measuring 1.24 meters in length whilst the audio connection is a standard 3.5mm jack. The shorter cable means that you don’t have to figure out what you are going to do with the excess cable which is a big plus. Read more
Review: Timberland HT2
Timberland has announced the new rugged looking HT2 chronograph watch and because we asked very nicely they let us take a sneak peak at it….
What strikes me first about the timepiece is its enormity, certainly one for today's urban warrior. Measuring 57mm across the casing is composed entirely of stainless steel and has a black mock croc leather strap but I have to say I prefer the chunky black rubber strap that is also available (even if I do have to dig a little deeper into the pockets).
The watch has a deceptively lightweight when worn and has a great fit to it, neither of which I had expected (certainly shows looks can be deceiving). Read more
Review: Mustek MP70D + MP80D
The MP70D and MP80D portable DVD players from Mustek to me are a welcome sight on the portable scene. Simple but effective controls allow both players to be figured out easily, no messing around with the instruction manual to figure out how get these working - A definite plus in my books.
Both players come from the same series and really are simply a step up of each other, the MP80D being the next model up. As far as I can tell the main difference in the models is the screen size. The 70D has a 7′ widescreen while the 80D is sporting an 8′ widescreen. This seems a small difference in numerical terms but physically it makes a big difference. Personally I am fine with ether screen, but the difference is noticeable. The 70D is good for single person use, maybe passing time on a journey whereas the 80D would be better for a group viewing. I'm not saying you could fit a crowd of people around it, that's not the intention, but the 80D is defiantly more suited than the 70D for several people to watch at once, maybe 2 or 3 at a time… Read more
Review: Pentax Optio T20
The Optio T20 a fairly recent addition to Pentax's ultra-compact range, launched towards the back end of last year. This 7.0 megapixel model features a 3x optical zoom (4x digital) and a larger than life 3.0-inch touch-screen.
Its the screen that stands out immediately for me, both sharp and colourful the display is big enough to give you a good idea of what your prints actually look like before you get them home.
The build quality we have come to expect from Pentax is apparent throughout. The outer shell is composed entirely of aluminum giving you a reassuringly solid feel to it. It even withstood the girlfriend test, who accidentally dropped it whilst admiring it (even after I said don’t touch). Read more