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Gear
August 2000
Convergence in the flesh
| Not discriminating |
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Households with more than one type of computer—Windows, Mac, Linux, even Unix—can use the Xrouter Pro to share an Internet connection. The $199 device, which supports 10- or 100-Mbit/sec operation, provides URL blocking and firewall features. Xsense Connectivity,
1-800-642-8860 |
| Instant messengers |
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| The Talkabout T900 lets chat-hungry users exchange text messages on the go. The device stores up to 70,000 characters and 250 address-book entries. PageNet is offering the T900 for $99 when you subscribe to the 2WayPlus service. Motorola, www.motorola.com. PageNet, www.pagenet.com |
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| I work alone
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Who needs a PC for digital audio? The self-contained Musicstore records music from up to 200 CDs onto its 6.4 Gbyte hard disk. You can play the tunes through any stereo or powered speakers, or transfer them to the portable SoulMate MP3 player. The machine also includes a USB port for connection to a PC. DigMedia, www.dig-music.com |
| Mighty mini |
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| The Microdrive stores 1 Gbyte—enough for 1000 high-quality digital photos or 18 hours of digital audio—and fits into a CF+ Type II CompactFlash slot. At $499, it’s pricey, but it blows away flash memory in cost-per-megabyte terms (32-Mbyte CompactFlash cards sell for about $75). IBM, www.ibm.com |
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| Frictionless storage |
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Able to hot-plug into both USB and FireWire (IEEE 1394) ports, SmartDisk’s combination drives make it easier to move large chunks of data. The drives measure 3 by 5.5 by 0.68 inches, allowing you to carry up to 25 Gbytes in your shirt pocket. SmartDisk,
www.smartdisk.com
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| Hold me closer, tiny player |
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| The MiniJam digital audio player mates with a Handspring Visor. The device has its own storage (two MultiMediaCard slots) and processor, so the Visor can perform normally while you rock out. The player will sell for $225 with 64 Mbytes of memory, or under $100 with no memory card (if you already have your own).
Innogear, www.innogear.com |
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| Your last player? |
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Pitched as future-proof, the Rio 600 accepts updates over the Internet to support new audio formats. And in addition to 32 Mbytes of built-in memory, the player utilizes a modular memory-expansion system—dubbed Backpack—to access various types of memory cards.
S3, www.riostuff.com
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| Double agent |
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| The SkyLINE card provides 11-Mbit/sec wireless communications for both Macintoshes and PCs. The $199 card supports the IEEE 802.11b standard and boasts an operating range of up to 150 feet. Farallon, www.farallon.com |
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| Face time |
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The CuPhone USB VideoPhone uses your PC and regular phone to permit face-to-face conversations. You can also use the device to make Internet voice calls, or activate it from a remote location for surveillance or monitoring. CuPhone, www.cuphone.com |
| Light reading |
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| Weighing less than an ounce, the ZiO! helps you move data between removable memory cards and a PC. The reader plugs directly into a USB port and comes in versions that accept SmartMedia, MultiMedia/Secure Digital, and CompactFlash cards (including IBM’s Microdrive). Microtech International, www.microtechint.com |
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| Insert camera here |
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Your results won’t give Ansel Adams a run for his money, but the eyemodule lets you take digital pictures using a Handspring Visor. The $149 attachment captures 160-by-120-
pixel images in black-and-white and 320-by-240-pixel images in both color and black and white. IDEO, www.eyemodule.com |
| New forms |
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| Digital audio is evolving rapidly beyond the portable player. The $799 AudioReQuest, for example, connects to your home stereo and employs your TV as a visual interface. The machine has a hard disk that can store up to 6000 songs (encoded at 128 kbits/sec), as well as USB, parallel, and Ethernet ports. ReQuest Multimedia, www.request.com |
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| Manifest density |
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At $895, this Type II CompactFlash card isn’t for casual users. But those with extreme storage needs—such as professional digital photographers or compulsive collectors of digital music—should appreciate its ability to store 448 Mbytes in a matchbook-sized card. Hitachi, www.hitachi.com |
| Where you need it |
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| Many emerging living-room products, such as set-top boxes and digital-audio players, need a phone line to access the Internet. But many homes lack a phone jack near the entertainment center. The $129 Wireless Surge Jack helps by turning any electrical outlet into a phone jack. And it provides surge protection to boot. Phonex Broadband, www.phonex.com |
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| Write large |
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The LF-D201U DVD-RAM drive ($549) can inscribe 4.7 billion bytes of information on a single-sided disc ($24.95), or 9.4 billion bytes on a double-sided platter ($35.95). The drive can also read DVD-ROMs, DVD-Videos, DVD-Rs, CD-ROMs, CD-Rs, CD-RWs, and video CDs. Panasonic, www.panasonic.com |
| Full speed ahead |
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| The i200 ADSL modem provides consumers with full-rate (8-Mbit/sec) connections, and its plug-and-play nature helps service providers by eliminating the need for a truck roll. The $200 device works with all major DSLAMs (DSL access modules). Infinilink, www.infinilink.com |
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| Turn back time |
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In addition to being a full-featured, 2.11-megapixel digital camera, the QV-2800UX can recapture the past, at least to a point. The camera’s video-recording feature lets you record action that took place in front of the lens before you even pushed the shutter button. Casio, www.casio.com |
| Wanderer |
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| The Minstrel S wireless modem uses CDPD (cellular digital packet data) to connect users of the Handspring Visor to corporate LANs, email, and the Internet. The modem, expected to sell for $369 when it ships later this year, weighs about 4 ounces. Novatel Wireless, www.novatelwireless.com |
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| Modern-day slide show |
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The FotoShow image center takes in digital snapshots via its built-in CompactFlash and Smart Media slots, then stores them using its built-in 250-Mbyte Zip drive. You can use the FotoShow as a PC peripheral (via its USB port) or hook it to a TV and flip through your pictures using the included remote control. Iomega, www.iomega.com |
| With and without |
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| The MW 1122 Home Gateway uses both wired and wireless links to network the computers in your home. The device connects to an ADSL stream and distributes it through the home using either Ethernet or IEEE 802.11b wireless connections. Nokia, www.nokia.com |
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