Workwellrenewal Blog

The new PIXMA iP100 Mobile Printer from Canon promises a compact, high-resolution color printing solution for those on the go with the ability to cater for direct from camera, Bluetooth or in-car printing.

Designed to utilize minimal desk space or meet the needs of the mobile professional, the compact and lightweight PIXMA iP100 is the first ever mobile printer to have a minimum one picoliter droplet size according to Canon. Offering resolution of up to 9600 x 2400 dpi, the unit features two black inks, one a pigment-based black ink that delivers sharp text and another for printing rich photos. The overall size of the pigment black ink tank has been increased by 50%, reducing the risk of running out of ink during a last-minute project.

A Canon first

Developed by Logitech, the Alto Cordless adopts a predominately black covering for both of its main elements. The docking station is sturdy enough to handle the greater majority of notebooks up to 15.4 inches with the possible exception of those with front-mounted inputs sockets and optical drives (see later). The docking station unfolds to allow the notebook to be positioned at an angle of up 45 degrees. A raised lip on the front of the docking station ensures that the notebook will not slip while small rubber pads on the base of the device perform the same task for the station itself. This lip does have the disadvantage of blocking access to any front-mounted sockets or optical drives found on the laptop

A permanently attached link is provided to connect the station to the notebook via USB and thus gives the user access to the built-in three USB 2.0 ports located on the docking station. Actually you only get two extra ports as you use up one of your original quota when making the connection. For power hungry USB devices you will need to use the supplied mains power lead rather than rely on the notebook to provide the necessary power. Tucked away at the rear of the docking station are channels to help organise any connecting leads and keep them under control. The weight of the docking station, approximately 4.5 lb., means it is better suited to a desk or office environment when it does not need to be lugged about.

As well as the docking station, this kit contains a wireless keyboard. With a rubberised palm rest, this keyboard features the standard QWERTY layout with the usual collection of additional keys for handling various media and application tasks such as Internet and e-mail. The wireless connection between the keyboard and docking station was particularly impressive as there was no problem with communication at distances up to 15 metres with the two elements located in different rooms - apart, of course, from not being able to see the screen. Working at distance also revealed a problem with regards to the Caps and Num lock features. Lights indicating when these features were turned on are present but located on the docking station rather than the more convenient location of the keyboard.

Powered by two AAA batteries, the keyboard is light enough to be positioned on your knee when working. The keys are reasonably responsive with a muted click to indicate when pressure has been applied while the rubberised palm rest adds a degree of comfort.

As technology improves and times change, the way we listen to our music rapidly transforms as well. My dad, along with many other men and women in their 50’s, still like to reminisce about the “good old days” of music - a time of 8-tracks and LP’s. And of course they could never get rid of those old vinyl records, because “those are classics, they just don’t make music like that anymore.” Unfortunately, they just don’t make the equipment to allow you to listen to those golden oldies either.

If you’re one of those people who just can’t let go of your classic music or you know someone who has a box of records gathering dust in a closet, you will definitely want to tell them about the LP-to-MP3 Converter. You don’t need to let go of your favorite music because the player is obsolete. This handy gadget will allow you to convert it to MP3 format to be played back on an iPod or other MP3 device.

Simply plug the LP-to-MP3 Converter into your computer using the USB. The belt-driven turntable plays LPs at 3313 and 45 rpm speeds, converts the music, and saves it to be stored later on an MP3 device. Featuring anti-skating control to increase stereo balancing your out-of-print music will sound its best with this handy gadget. The system also includes recording and cleaning software so you can remove unwanted scratches, hisses, and pops that appear in your music.

Surely sometimes we all want to show something on a bigger screen than your digital camera, PDA or laptop has. Usually, for these cases, we need a projector, but they are bulky to carry around and quite expensive. Moreover, they always need a laptop, which is not a very portable device too. There must be a way to show your photos or movies without any laptop and in much more convenient way… And there is!

The Micro Projector, as the name tells, is a very portable and compact version of projector. It will surely help you to transfer all your newly taken photos or video clips on a way much bigger screen than your device has. One of the best features of this gadget, apart from it being very compact, is its ability to play files directly from an SD card, removing the need in laptop or other video broadcasting device. It can still be connected to the video source, as it has component audio and video input slots, so you will be able to connect it to your DVD player. However, the quality of image will not be comparable with expensive special projectors; the manufacturer does not even release information about resolution or contrast ratio of this compact projector. But who cares when all you need is to show some photos to your friends from your latest holiday? It even has a speakers at the rear side, so you will hear sound from your video clips or MP3 files as well. Batteries-powered, it can operate without any wires attached, which is also a great plus.

With this Micro Projector you can experience the advantages of using projectors without need in spending huge amount of money for professional one. It is very simple to use and operate, and performs its actions pretty well. Just ensure that you have dark enough room with a suitable projectable surface - we doubt that it can show a bright picture under direct sunlight. This interesting gadget can be purchased for about 0 - a nice price for a compact and portable projector.