Smart Office

Menu

Mendelson Tiu

Fujitsu Mini-Notebook Shares DVD Drive

by

Fujitsu announced a new mini-notebook that comes with a DVD Sharing application that allows the optical drive to be used over a wireless connection.


Click to enlarge
The Fujitsu LifeBook P3110 runs on an Intel processor (SU4100 – 1.30GHz, 800MHz, 2MB L2 Cache), weighs 1.6kg, and claims to last up to 6.7 hours. The company claims that the battery life can be extended to 7.2 hours by pressing the ECO button found on the P3110. It also offers a full-size keyboard that is spill-resistant and features a DVD Sharing application that shares its optical disk drive with other PCs via a wireless connection.

Fujitsu Australia’s Country Director, Ivan Chan said, “Fujitsu withholds our promise to deliver bona fide mobility and convenience with the latest technology, while persevering with our insistence on aesthetically pleasing and stylish designs without compromising on quality.”

The P3110 also comes with a built-in 1.3-megapixel camera with dual built-in stereo speakers, Bluetooth v2.1, and an 11.6-inch SuperFine WXGA back-light LED screen (1366×768).

The LifeBook P3110 is available in Glossy Black, Glossy Silver and Glossy Ruby Red for $1,099.

Seagate Secures Business Data

by

Seagate announced four new external drives aimed at small businesses. The new BlackArmor products include two network storage servers, an external drive workstation, and a portable drive.


Click to enlarge
Seagate BlackArmor NAS 220
The Seagate BlackArmor NAS 220 Storage Server claims to deliver centralised network storage and secure remote access. It is a small-business-specific network attached storage solution designed to provide data protection for up to 20 PCs and has up to 4TB of shared storage capacity. The BlackArmor NAS 110 Storage Server provides centralised storage and media streaming for up to 10 PCs, includes support for Windows Server 2008, wiki server support and up to 2TB of capacity.

Also launched is the BlackArmor WS 110 Workstation External Drive – a drive that has a dual interface of eSATA and USB 2.0 that provide quick access to data. Finally, the BlackArmor PS 110 Portable Drive is aimed at employees who travel with business critical files. The backup application coupled and Seagate hard drive in enclosed a 12.5mm package.

The new BlackArmor products come with features like automated full-system backup and SafetyDrill+ software. For increased data protection of backed-up files, the software also features an AES 256-bit encryption. 

IDC’s Vice President, Enterprise Storage Systems Research, Ben Woo said, “In challenging economic conditions, small businesses are demanding that high-quality, integrated, reliable IT solutions be delivered in economical packages. Providing the flexibility to choose from an array of solutions that support current needs and provide a strategic growth path with minimal additional investment will be very appealing to this market segment.” 

The new BlackArmor products are available now with the following RRP:
Seagate BlackArmor NAS 220– $599 for 2TB, $999 for 4TB
Seagate BlackArmor NAS 110– $329 for 1TB, $449 for 2TB
Seagate BlackArmor WS 110– $199 for 1TB, $399 for 2TB
Seagate BlackArmor PS 110–$199 for 500GB

New Telstra Service Simplifies Messaging

by

Telstra will now allow users to combine email, voicemail, picture messaging, SMS, and multimedia communications in one online and mobile service.

Called MyConnect, this new service aims to break down the traditional barriers between multiple messaging systems, allowing users to manage their phone messages and emails from any mobile phone or online.

Group Managing Director, Telstra Consumer, David Moffatt said, “With MyConnect, customers have access to a truly integrated mobile and online messaging system. Sending email on your Next G mobile phone is now as simple as sending an SMS – using a single messaging folder for easy access.”

“When a customer receives a picture message on their mobile phone and they are sitting at their PC using the internet, they can view the message on their computer screen in MyInbox. Similarly, if they’re out and about, they can still receive important emails on their Next G handset,” he added.

 

MyConnect includes three new integrated services:

  • MyInbox – an online message, contact and calendar management centre where customers can access email, picture messaging, voicemail and videomail as well as send SMS, MMS and email – no subscription costs and access included in your Telstra or BigPond membership/plans.
  • MyEmail – provides access to up to five existing email accounts plus alerts of incoming mail on compatible Telstra Next G mobile handsets – $7 per month.
  • MySync – automatic daily backup of contacts from compatible Next G mobiles to a secure on-line website, and synchronisation with MyInbox – just $3 per month.

MyConnect hosts all your MyInbox and other synchronised information in an online server, kept secure on Telstra’s networks.

It is available now for Telstra Next G, BigPond and Telstra.com customers.

See: www.telstra.com

Review: All-In-One HP PC Not So Touch Smart

by

HP has joined the touch bandwagon by releasing a PC that has a touch-sensitive screen, allowing you to use your fingers to scroll through menus and files. But despite looking good on paper, and on TV commercials aired on primetime, the TouchSmart failed to impress us.


Click to enlarge
Sure, the TouchSmart software is easy to use and can give you a ‘hands-on’ experience while taking a look at photos and videos. But when it came to using the touch screen on Windows Vista, we were plagued with small icons that were hard to press and unresponsive icons that needed to be tapped over and over.

Fortunately, HP has included a wireless keyboard and mouse with the package, making it easier for consumers to use the IQ508a for Windows-based programs.

The unit sports a piano black finish and is on the heavy side as all of its major components are installed behind the touchscreen. Up front, users can find a 22-inch screen, built-in speakers, webcamera, and a ‘Home’ key that automatically launches the TouchSmart function.

 


Click to enlarge
The left spine hosts the ‘Ambient Light’ button that casts a cool white glow from the base of the computer, two USB ports, an audio line-in, and a headphone jack, while the unit’s power button, volume and mute controls, memory card reader, FireWire (IEEE 1394) port, and slot-loading CD/DVD drive can be found on the opposite side.

Removing the connector cover at the back of the IQ508 reveals three additional USB ports, plus Ethernet and digital audio ports (SPDIF out), an audio line-out, TV-in, S-Video in, Stereo Audio in, and an IR Emitter. The unit’s computer stand, security lock slot, power connector, wireless mouse and keyboard receiver, and cable clip are also located at the back of the unit.

The HP TouchSmart uses an Intel Core 2 Duo T5850 processor running at 2.16GHz, an Nvidia GeForce 9300M GS graphics card (256MB), 4GB of RAM, and 500GB of storage space. This means that the unit can handle games, video editing, or a TV show recording with minimal slowdowns.

HP uses a Window’s Vista Home Premium 64-bit edition and comes pre-installed with HP’s Total Care Advisor and Update, Cyberlink’s YouCam, Muvee’s autoProducer, Norton’s Internet Security (Trial), as well as various Help and Tools software.

 


Click to enlarge
HP’s TouchSmart software is also included and is the major highlight of the PC. This software allows users to listen to their music, play stored videos, check the weather, write post-it notes, play games (like Spider Solitaire, Chess Titans, and Mahjong), and surf the Internet. The interface is divided into two major sections, with the one on top displaying live content. The touch-sensitive screen worked well for the main icons, but unfortunately we had some issues pressing (and dragging) the smaller icons on the screen.

Since the unit comes with a built-in TV tuner, users can record TV shows directly to the hard drive and watch TV shows when they want to. It also comes with a built-in Wi-Fi, allowing users to stream/retrieve content from their existing home network.

While the HP TouchSmart IQ508a offers a lot to consumers, it still needs a couple of firmware updates to provide the best touch experience possible. The HP TouchSmart IQ508a is now available but is exclusively sold at Harvey Normalns with an RRP of $2,499. If that price is too steep, users can opt to purchase the IQ505a that has downgraded specifications and a missing TV tuner for $1,999.

See page over for product specifications and final rating.

 

HP TouchSmart IQ508a Product Specifications:

  • Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo Processor T5850 2.16GHz
  • Memory: 4096MB DDR2
  • Audio: Integrated Intel High Definition Audio, 5.1 Surround Sound Ready
  • Hard Drive: 500GB
  • Optical Drive: Slot-load SuperMulti DVD Burner
  • Video Card: nVidia Geforce 9300M-GS (256MB)
  • TV Tuner: Single PAL TV Tuner with Personal Video Recorder Functionality
  • Wireless: Wireless 802.11 b/g/n
  • Remote Control: HP Media Center Remote Control
  • Memory Card reader: 5-in-1 Digital Media Reader supporting: MMC (MultiMediaCard), SD (Secure Digital), SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity), MS (Memory Stick), MS PRO (Memory Stick Pro)
  • Keyboard and Mouse: HP Slim Multimedia Cordless keyboard (2.4GHz) and HP Cordless mouse
  • Dimensions: 93 x 535 x 442 mm
  • Weight: 10.7kg

————————————
HP TouchSmart IQ508a | $2,499 |  | www.hp.com.au

For: Noteworthy specifications; Touch sensitive screen and TouchSmart interface; Large screen; Wireless mouse and keyboard
Against: Small icons are hard to press; Occational hiccups with TouchSmart program; Unit is big and clunky
Conclusion: Touch interface is here with HP’s all-in-one PC.

Viewsonic LCD Monitor With Fast Response Time

by

ViewSonic has unveiled a new 27-inch LCD monitor that has a 1ms response time.


Click to enlarge

The VX2739wm is a Full HD display that comes with DVI, HDMI, VGA ports, as well as a 4-port USB hub for convenient connectivity to external devices. Its 100,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio (DCR) provides darker black levels and better overall front-of-screen functionality. In addition, the 100,000 DCR reflects true colours with 300 nits high brightness.

It also features aspect ratio adjustment that claims to eliminate image distortion by maintaining correct image proportions for both widescreen and native 4:3 content. Two audio speakers are also built-in, providing superior sound quality for all multimedia applications.

The ViewSonic X Series VX2739wm will be available starting this month for $799.

Internode Slashes Fibre To Home Broadband Price

by

Internode has slashed the price of its Fibre To The Home broadband plan but will now count both downloaded and uploaded data in monthly quotas.From today, Internode is cutting 35 per cent from the price of its 100 megabit per second (Mbps) FTTH plan with a 100-gigabyte (GB) data quota – which drops by $65 to just $119.95. The company has also introduced three new fibre plans with 200 GB data quotas, costing from $129.95 to $159.95.

In addition, Internode has also boosted data quotas across its Fibre plan range, starting with a 10GB data boost to its entry-level $49.95 plan, which now has a 15GB monthly data quota. Finally, the new plans will also have increased upstream speeds for data flowing from home to the Internet.

However, the company said that in order to fairly account for the network capacity requirements of these increased upstream speeds, it will now “count both downloaded and uploaded data in monthly quotas on these new FTTH plans.”

Internode’s Product Manager, Jim Kellett said, “As this technology moves from novelty to normality, market forces are starting to kick in. With our partner Opticomm, Internode is learning how our customers use their FTTH services and what services they most want.”

“We are also starting to see increased business utilisation of our Fibre services, so we’ve made important changes to our range of SOHO plans such as introducing static IP addresses and offering quite radical upstream speeds, such as 16 Mbps for our 100 Mbps SOHO plans,” added Kellett.

ViewSonic Rolls Out New Mini PCs

by

Viewsonic announced a new line of mini-PCs that takes up less space compared to big PC towers.


Click to enlarge
The Viewsonic PC mini 550
The ViewSonic PC mini 550 is equipped with the new Microsoft Windows 7 operating system, an Intel Core 2 Duo 2.2 GHz CPU processor and Centrino platform for a quieter, more energy efficient operation than traditional desktop PCs.

The PC mini 550 includes 4GB of RAM, 320GB hard drive, and has a Blu-ray combo disc drive built-in. It also supports Windows MCE and includes a full featured remote control, making it ideal for connection to a home entertainment system with a big screen LCD TV.

The PC mini 132 is designed for general family and personal use. It weighs just 0.45kg and is only 0.6L in size – 50% of the surface area of an A4 sheet of paper. The PC mini 132 also includes Microsoft Windows 7 operating system, a dual core Atom 330 processor and 2GB of RAM. An optional VDD100-DVD super multi recordable DVD drive is also available, with the unit sporting the latest Nvidia ION video chip.

Finally, the company has also launched the PC mini 120, a mini PC designed to address the needs of SMB and SOHO that require simple operation, easy maintenance, space-saving design and power-saving features.

The PC mini 120 has a small profile, weighs 0.55kg, comes with Microsoft Windows XP operating system, 1GB DDR2 memory, 160GB SATA hard drive and offers multiple connectivity options with four USB ports.

The ViewSonic PC mini 550, PC mini 530, PC mini 132 and PC mini 120 will be available with the following RRPs:

– PC mini 550 (VOT550) – $1,499
– PC mini 530 (VOT530) – $1,099
– PC mini 132 (VOT132) – $799
– PC mini 120 (VOT120) – $499

Optional super multi recordable DVD drive VDD100 – $199

Epson Launches New Multimedia Projectors

by

Epson has just unveiled its G Series of installation multimedia projectors that come with features and multi-level security designed for use in the education, hospitality and professional sectors.


Click to enlarge
According to Epson, the G series of projectors (EB-G5100, EB-G5200W, and EB-G5350) are designed to interface and integrate more easily with sophisticated programming and controller applications, both IP and RS-232, and come with the components required to work seamlessly with modules and drivers for industry-leading systems that can include touch-panel screens and multiple content devices.

Epson’s Business Manager, Visual Imaging, Bruce Bealby said, “As the global and Australian leader in projectors, Epson provides a high level of expertise and support to its customers, and is committed to delivering innovative projectors with the latest technologies and advanced integration and networking capabilities. The G Series is designed to deliver reliable long term operation and a low total cost of ownership with minimal maintenance in high use and high traffic environments in venues typically used by the education, hospitality and professional sectors.”

 

The EB-G5350 is capable of wireless PC-free operation, supporting Windows Vista Network Presentation capability for easy presentation sharing over networks, and offers XGA resolution at 5000 ANSI lumens brightness and 1000:1 contrast ratio.  The EB-G5200W delivers WXGA (1280 x 800) widescreen resolution at 4200 lumens.  The Epson EB-G5100 offers XGA resolution at 4000 ANSI lumens brightness and 1000:1 contrast ratio.  All G Series projectors feature Epson 3-chip 3LCD High Aperture panels for more intense and sharper images.

The Epson G Series projectors have easy maintenance features such as one-touch filter removal and easy side lamp access, providing reliable and flexible operation and a low cost of ownership.

Security features include Kensington-style lock provision, anchor (metal) bar for security lock or cable, and anti-theft measures for the lens and wireless LAN module.

In line with Epson’s long term policy of reducing the environmental impact of its products, the G Series projectors have a higher light efficiency and lower power consumption using Epson’s patented E-TORL lamps, lead-free projection lenses, are packaged in recycled paper without using Styrofoam, and the projector case is paint-free for easy recycling.

The Epson G Series projectors are available now through Epson dealers with the following RRPs:

EB-G5100 – $5999
EB-G5200W $6499
EB-G5350 $6999

See: www.epson.com.au

Professional Olympus DSLR For Photographers

by

Olympus has announced the E-3, the new flagship of the Olympus E-system D-SLR cameras for professionals and advanced photography enthusiasts.


Click to enlarge
The E-3 has been carefully designed to offer demanding professionals the highest possible levels of picture quality, mobility and reliability.  Ruggedly constructed from lightweight, rigid thixomold magnesium alloy to withstand the most extreme operating conditions, the dust- and splashproof E-3 boasts substantial breakthroughs in performance that include the world’s fastest AF with an 11-point-full twin cross sensor system, high speed sequential shooting capability at 5 frames/sec and a high speed shutter up to 1/8000 sec, says Olympus.

Image capturing performance is supported by an industry-leading built-in image stabilisation mechanism. This mechanism has been further advanced to effectively eliminate blur with a camera shake compensation effect of up to 5 EV steps.  Picture quality is further assured by a powerful 10.1 megapixel High Speed Live MOS Sensor and the high speed TruePic III image processing engine, while increased data reading speed enables high speed sequential shooting. 

 

The Olympus E-3 is also incorporates Live View technology, pioneered by Olympus, allowing photographers to compose their shots on a rear-panel LCD monitor.  Now made even more versatile with a dual-axis flexible-angle HyperCrystal panel that can be rotated for easier vertical shooting, Live View promises to expand the world of photographic expression into new and unchartered territory.

Traditional shooting styles are also supported with a larger optical viewfinder that provides a brighter, more comfortable view with a 100% field of view and 1.15x magnification.

The E-3 also offers:
– Loss-less compression of RAW data without image degradation
– High precision 49 zone metering system
– Secure grip to enhance mobility
– Instant response control system
– Super Control Panel with excellent readability and controllability
– Built-in flash with commander function
– Dual slots for multiple storage media.

The Olympus E-3 (body) has an RRP of $2499.

See: www.olympus.com.au