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Gear
July 2000
Convergence in the flesh
| Charge it |
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Mobile phone your only phone? If so, the Desktop Speakerphone can charge your battery while you continue to chatter away. The device includes large volume-control buttons, a mute button, and a headset jack. The pictured model accommodates Nokia’s 5100 and 6100 handsets. Other versions work for Motorola StarTACs. Andrew, www.andrew.com |
| Unsupported |
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| The DIVA ADSL USB modem installs easily, warming the hearts of service providers by reducing support calls. The device supports G.Lite and full-rate ADSL, comes with a security utility called ZoneAlarm, and requires no power cable. Eicon, www.eicon.com |
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| Work and play
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The Jornada 540 Windows-CE-powered Pocket PC comes with not only daily-grind-related applications like Word and Excel but also fun stuff. The device includes an e-book reader and can also crank out MP3- and WMA-format audio through its stereo headphone jack. Hewlett-Packard, www.hp.com/jornada |
| In living color |
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| The first color Palm handheld, the $449 Palm IIIc boasts 8 Mbytes of memory and a rechargeable battery. The device ships with applications that take advantage of the 256-color screen, such as a JPEG photo viewer and a color backgammon game. Palm, www.palm.com |
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| Hot ones |
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The drives in the Que! Fire family use the IEEE 1394 (FireWire) interface for blazing fast data transfers to and from PCs and Macintoshes. The line includes an 4x4x24 CD-RW drive (pictured), an 8x4x32 CD-RW model that comes with a FireWire controller card, and combination CD-RW/DVD-ROM models.
QPS, www.qps-inc.com |
| Houseware |
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| The 2.2-pound ePodsOne targets Internet newcomers and will be sold in department stores for $199 (plus a 36-month service contract at $24.99/month). The machine provides one-touch Internet access using a 56K modem and a landline, although the company plans to offer wireless upgrades. ePods, www.epods.com |
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| Either way |
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The $349 G-Phone DLX functions as both an Internet phone and a regular phone. Unlike many emerging VoIP (voice over Internet protocol) phones, the unit doesn’t need to hook into a switching system or an always-on broadband connection—the onboard modem dials your ISP whenever you initiate an Internet call. Broadmedia, www.broadmedia.com |
| Home sentry |
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| The BIG (Broadband Internet Gateway) device feeds a DSL or cable Internet connection to multiple PCs and printers via its built-in 4-port Ethernet hub. The device also includes firewall protection and a parental-control feature that keeps the kiddies away from sites they shouldn’t see. SOHOware, www.sohoware.com |
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| Expander |
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The $499 iPAQ H3600 Pocket PC mates with a series of slide-on expansion modules, such as a PC-Card slot (shown here housing a wireless LAN card) and a CompactFlash slot. The device also senses ambient light and adjusts its screen settings for optimum visibility. Compaq, www.compaq.com |
| Business or pleasure? |
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| The Cassiopeia line of Pocket PCs offers something for both the buttoned down and the fancy free. The EG-800 (top) aims for industrial users with a shock-proof design and long battery life, while the EM-500 (bottom) targets the youth market with a choice of five stylish colors and multimedia capabilities. Casio, www.casio.com |
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| Tune terminal |
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The AudioTron grabs music files from your PC through a phoneline-networking connection, then pumps them through your living-room stereo. In addition to accessing programmed playlists or random selections from the PC, the device also plays streaming Internet audio. Voyetra Turtle Beach, www.audiotron.net |
| First blue |
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| The R520 (pictured) and T36 GSM phones are the first to incorporate Bluetooth chips. That sets the stage for wireless linkups with other Bluetooth-enabled devices, such as handheld PCs and the hands-free headset Ericsson announced earlier. Both phones also include WAP browsers.
Ericsson, www.ericsson.com |
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| Private channels |
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The IEEE 802.11b wireless LAN access point serves as the hub of an 11-Mbit/sec wireless network. Targeting business applications, the system employs Airlock security software, which provides 128-bit public/private key encryption. The device costs $999 or $499 for enterprise and small-business versions, respectively. No Wires Needed, www.nowiresneeded.com |
| Have both |
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| The fireLINE ComboCard (below) is a PCI add-in card that brings both USB and IEEE 1394 to a PC. The $149 card provides four 1394 ports (three external and one inside the PC’s case) plus two external USB ports. Meanwhile, the $499 fireLINE External HotDrive (above) provides 20 Gbytes of 1394-accessible storage. Evergreen Technologies, www.evergreennow.com |
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| Takes a licking |
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The PPT2700 Pocket PC is sealed to resist water and dust and can withstand multiple drops from a height of 4 feet onto concrete. Intended for mobile workers and industrial use, the device can be outfitted with wireless LAN and bar-code-scanning abilities. Symbol Technologies, www.symbol.com |
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