Wireless feature: Shut Up and Drive

As published in Mobile PC:
"The next time you flip open your cell phone while you’re behind the wheel, hoping to squeeze in a quick call on your trip to the supermarket, consider this: Blotto drunks might be doing a better job of driving than you are. A new wave of studies suggests that cell phone users who talk and drive are so distracted by their conversations that they’re missing highway exits, blowing through traffic signals, and rear-ending their fellow road warriors. In fact, according to the latest research, you might be a better driver when you’re legally intoxicated than when you’re on a cell phone."
Used with permission from Future Network USA. Copyright 2005.

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DVD recorder review: Sony RDR-HX900

As published on CNET.com:
"When we first laid eyes on the gorgeous silver faceplate of Sony's new 160GB DVR/DVD recorder combo, we could barely wait to hook it up to our home theater. Our pulse quickened when we beheld the easy setup and the oh-so-cool animated menus, but our dreams of video-recording nirvana led to a rude awakening when we faced its crippled electronic programming guide (EPG)."
Used with permission from CNET Networks, Inc. Copyright 2004.

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PVP review: Datexx Pavio PVR30T

As published on CNET.com:
"Can a company known for scientific calculators and talking clocks bring something new to the portable-video-player (PVP) table? Unfortunately for Datexx, the answer is a resounding no--at least for now. The Datexx Pavio PVRT30 promises to be your on-the-go TV, but its awkward design, limited functionality, weak battery life, and poor sound quality when playing videos make it a half-baked A/V companion. Heart-stoppingly priced at $600, this 30GB PVP needs to go back to the drawing board."
Used with permission from CNET Networks, Inc. Copyright 2004.

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DVD recorder review: GoVideo VR2940

As published on CNET.com:
"If you have a pile of aging VHS tapes that you want archived to DVD, GoVideo's VHS/DVD combo recorder makes it easy. The GoVideo VR2940 ($350 list) produces impressive VHS-to-DVD copies, eliminating much of the video noise you'll find on older tapes. But its most-convenient feature is the ability to automatically create DVD menus complete with thumbnails for the chapter stops. On the other hand, videophiles will cringe at the lack of S-Video inputs--for them, we recommend an S-Video-equipped VHS/DVD deck such as the older GoVideo VR3930 or the RCA DRC8300N."
Used with permission from CNET Networks, Inc. Copyright 2004.

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Cell phone review: Nokia 7610

As published on CNET.com:
"Nokia's new 7610 smart phone set the wireless world abuzz with word of its megapixel camera, its Bluetooth support, and its slick Symbian operating system. But once we got our hands on the eye-catching handset, the 7610 felt a bit big and heavy. And while the megapixel camera took sharp shots compared to those of other camera phones, the weak camera options were a letdown. We were also disappointed by the lack of an infrared port, the awkward keypad layout, and the so-so customization options."
Used with permission from CNET Networks, Inc. Copyright 2004.

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Wireless PDA review: Audiovox PPC4100

As published on CNET.com:
"Audiovox seems to be a smart-phone factory these days. From the sleek SMT5600 to the innovative PPC6600 and PPC6601, the company is beefing up its line of convergence devices. Not to be outdone by its glitzier siblings is the reliable and business-friendly PPC4100. It offers a gorgeous 65,000-color screen, triband GSM/GPRS service, 64MB of ROM and RAM, and the ability to sync with a Microsoft Exchange server."
Used with permission from CNET Networks, Inc. Copyright 2004.

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Search and enjoy: 7 search toolbars reviewed

As published on CNET.com:
"If you're still going to the Google or Yahoo home page to do Web searches, you're missing half the fun--and you're unnecessarily exerting your fingers. The latest search toolbars also run specific, targeted searches for news, weather, and stock quotes. They highlight search terms on a Web page so that you can find them in a snap. They also block annoying pop-up windows that keep littering your desktop, and some track your Web history, index and search your e-mail, translate Web pages, and keep track of your bookmarks--even when you're working on a different PC. We tested seven toolbars from the biggest search engines on the Web: A9, AltaVista, Ask Jeeves, Google, HotBot, MSN, and Yahoo. We tried out their features, evaluated their design, and even tested their search hits and relevancy. Finally, we picked a winner."
Used with permission from CNET Networks, Inc. Copyright 2004.

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Wireless feature: For Your Eyes Only

As published in Mobile PC:
"The next time you visit your local coffeehouse and blithely surf the Web over its public Wi-Fi connection, consider this: Every website you browse, every unencrypted form you submit, and every e-mail you send is fair game for the hacker sipping a double mocha at the table next to you. Using network “sniffi ng” programs that are easily found on the Web, Wi-Fi snoopers can track your every move through cyberspace. They might even lift a password or two, giving them unfettered access to your amorous e-mail correspondence with Trudy the Zamboni driver and exposing your membership in the Hair Club for Men. Pretty scary, right? But don’t pack up your gear and head home just yet. There are plenty of online services and software available that can cloak your surfi ng and your messages with state-of-the-art encryption that even the wiliest of hackers can’t crack."
Used with permission from Future Network USA. Copyright 2004.

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News: Beyond the blue door

As published in Mobile PC:
"Just imagine: You're innocently chatting away on your Bluetooth-enabled phone when someone standing 20 feet away quietly steals your address book, hijacks your SMS messages, and eavesdrops on your phone call. Sound far-fetched? It isn't."
Used with permission from Future Network USA. Copyright 2004.

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Audio review: Altec Lansing inMotion iM3 portable speakers

As published on CNET.com:
"If you're looking for a no-fuss, no-frills way to pump up the volume on your iPod, give Altec's inMotion iM3 speakers a try. The ice-white, 15-ounce iM3 set ($180), which is about the same size as a small hardcover book (8 by 5.4 by 1.2 inches), snaps into an L shape, with a small speaker on each side and an iPod dock in the middle. The inMotion's speakers (60Hz to 20kHz, 75dB signal-to-noise ratio) sound about as good as a solid clock radio: that is, not bad but lacking in earth-shaking bass and the high-end sound that makes dogs howl."
Used with permission from CNET Networks, Inc. Copyright 2004.

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