Gillian Shaw
Sun
Xtreme N DIR-685 router with built-in photo frame, D-Link
HFI-2400 HEADPHONES, ULTRASONE
VAIO X SERIES NOTEBOOK, SONY
SPOT SATELLITE GPS MESSENGER
XTREME N DIR-685 ROUTER WITH BUILT-IN PHOTO FRAME, D-LINK, $300 US
D-Link has brought some serious multitasking capability to this all-in-one home network router that doubles as a digital photo frame and Internet content player. At 8.1 cm (3.2-inches), the LCD screen isn’t exactly a showcase for your favourite photos, but this multi-purpose router can stream video, weather forecasts and other Internet content, as well as displaying the device status. A 6.3-cm (2.5-inch) drive that mounts on the side of the router adds the ability to store up to one terabyte of data. BitTorrent software support is built in so you don’t have to have a computer on to access digital media online. Built-in FTP server, 802.11n Wi-Fi with 2.4 GHz signal to connect computers and other devices on your home network, and two USB ports so you can connect a printer and external storage device to share around your home network. www.dlinkshop.com.
HFI-2400 HEADPHONES, ULTRASONE, $330 US
Ultrasone has just announced it’s launching the new HFI-2400s, billed as the “flagship” of the HFI series. Open-backed, foldable and the only headphones in the HFI series to have detachable cables, the 2400s incorporate Ultrasone’s S-Logic technology for concert-like, three-dimensional sound. The sound is also safer on your hearing with Ultrasone headphones reducing sound pressure on the eardrum by up to 40 per cent. www.ultrasone.com.
VAIO X SERIES NOTEBOOK, SONY, $1,500
Sony’s newly announced X series notebook weighs in at under a kilogram, or just 1.6 pounds, including its battery. At 1.27 cm (half an inch) in thickness, it has about the same profile as some cellphones. That packages up an 11.1-inch LCD display with LED backlight technology. The standard battery gives it 3.5 hours run time, while the extended-capacity battery brings that up to 14 hours, good enough for the longest flights. The touchpad brings features of touch smartphones like zooming in and out, flipping through photos, rotating items on the screen, and horizontal and vertical scrolling. A solid state drive speeds boot-up and lessens the risk of hard-drive damage. It will come with Windows 7 Home Premium as its operating system, with availability starting in November. www.sonystyle.ca.
SPOT SATELLITE GPS MESSENGER, $189
The new SPOT Messenger is 30-per-cent smaller and lighter than the original SPOT satellite personal tracker first introduced two years ago. Subscription-based (a $99 US annual fee) this waterproof, handheld satellite messaging device transmits a user’s GPS coordinates and messages from just about anywhere in the world, making it useful in remote areas where you can’t get a cellphone connection. It can also map the user’s route and progress on a website. Available starting November. www.findmespot.ca.
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