Sun

1. Portable DVD Player/Digital Photo Frame, LG Electronics, $249

I know digital photo frames are so last year when it comes to Christmas presents — or was it the year before? But I’m making an exception for LG’s latest entry, which I’m putting high on the list as a great gift for a family. At first glance, it’s just another digital photo frame, complete with three-in-one memory card slot and a USB port. Take a closer look and you’ll find the DVD player that turns this into an all-around portable entertainment machine. On the road it will keep kids entertained with movies, or they can plug in a game console. Its battery lasts 3.5 hours on a charge, and it comes with dual headphone jacks, so no fighting in the back seat — although there are speakers if you want to play it for everyone. Also comes with a car charger and A/V outputs to connect to a TV when you arrive wherever you’re going. It even has its own mini remote. All with an eight-inch portable photo frame. Even better, we have seen it for $220 at bestbuy.ca, a drop from the suggested retail price that helps the Christmas budget. www.lge.com

2. Talk Mobile, YUBZ, $45 US

I’m just waiting for the chance to pick up this receiver when my cellphone rings at a meeting. The retro headset plugs into your mobile phone and comes in yellow, orange, red, black and pink. May need an adaptor to work with your phone. At www.YUBZ.com.

3. iPanda, audio system with built in iPod docking station, Speakal, $140 US

Four speakers and a four-inch subwoofer on this eye-catching little system deliver 25 watts of sound. It comes with cradles and standard auxiliary 3.5-mm input jack to connect to most portable and non-portable audio players, gaming consoles, mobile gaming devices, wireless phones, laptops and other devices.

www.speakal.com

4. Micro Grip for iPhone, Belkin, $25

A solution for the “Oops, the iPhone slipped out of my fingers” problem, which is not covered under the warranty. Gives you a grip on your iPhone, and ismade of durable rubberized material to protect it. www.belkin.com.

© Copyright (c) The Vancouver Sun

 

Sun

SAN FRANCISCO — Google yanked the “beta” test label off Chrome, quickly putting a stamp of approval on its Web browser released in a direct challenge to Microsoft’s ubiquitous Internet Explorer.

The California online search titan — known for leaving new software offerings in beta, or test, modes for what seems like ages — says Chrome proved its merits, and in a relatively brief 100 days.

Google’s free web-based Gmail service still bears a “beta” label even though it was launched nearly five years ago.

Chrome has gone through 15 iterations since its launch with fixes and modifications engineered based on feedback from some of the more than 10 million people worldwide that have started using the browser.

“We’re excited to announce that with today’s 50th release we are taking off the ‘beta’ label,” Google engineering director Linus Upson and product management vice president Sundar Pichai wrote in an online posting.

“We have removed the beta label as our goals for stability and performance have been met but our work is far from done.”

Improvements which users called for, and reportedly got, include better video viewing, faster data loading, and strict privacy and security controls.

Google and Microsoft have been in an escalating war, with the Redmond, Washington-based software goliath striving to unseat Google as king of Internet search and advertising.

Google, meanwhile, is striking at the heart of Microsoft’s empire by offering software free online as services supported by advertising.

© Copyright (c) Canwest News Service

 

CYBERCRIME: Millions of illegal deals made in underground trading

STEVE MAKRIS
Province

EDMONTON — Your credit cards are worth more than you think in the underground economy.

A recent report by security giant Symantec Corp. describes a booming online business where stolen credit cards and personal identity information are traded like legal commodities.

“It’s become a self-sustaining business worldwide,” said the report’s author, Calgary-based Dean Turner, director of Symantec Security Global Intelligence Network, Technology and Response. “What jumped out for us was how much money is being made in this underground economy.”

Turner described visiting online private chat rooms, where underground buyers and sellers did business from June 1, 2007, to July 1, 2008. Credit cards, thousands at a time, would sell or be traded in a matter of seconds.

They went from 10 cents to $25 per card, depending on credit limit, expiry date, and the security number on the back of the card.

Symantec estimates the sale value of credit cards in the underground economy was over $276 million US. But the potential spending spree on these credit cards would be $5.3 billion.

Turner said that compared to other illegal online sales, the financial information category ranking highest.

“They want to be able to quickly cash out the money with financial accounts and credit cards,” said Turner.

Phishing sites pretending to be online banks fool people into typing in log-in information. Social networking sites can direct users to unknowingly install spy software that monitors and sends out all transactions.

Turner said the underground economy is decentralized, with tens of thousands of worldwide participants. Countries like Romania’s prolific fake credit-card making business depend on North American cyber criminals which supply magnetic strip information.

Despite some success in shutting down suspicious sites, the underground activity keeps flourishing.

“Everything you need to be successful in the underground economy is available in the underground economy; it feeds itself,” said Turner.

New attack-tool kits sell for as much as $4,000, he said.

“We observed a little more than 69,000 distinct advertisers posting more than 44 million ads selling stolen information,” said Turner.

Most of the transactions happen on Internet relay chat rooms by invitation, with tens of thousands of buyers and sellers.

Symantec’s study did not include illegal music and movie sales and only looked at publicly available information, a small slice of the cyber crime pie.

“Cyber crime is a recession proof business, even in today’s uncertain economic climate,” said Turner. “When we’re talking about tens of billions of dollars of potential value in lost revenue for companies and individuals, it’s clear to me that this is an extremely serious problem.”

With cyber crime spiralling into a multimillion-dollar industry, you might wonder what chance the average computer user has against the Internet bad guys. Turner has some useful tips:

Remember that what you do online is not private. Participation in chat rooms, blogs and social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter or MySpace can be viewed by others.

Use antivirus, parental control, firewall software and e-mail filtering solutions with regular updates. They can monitor suspicious threats, like phishing, and filter out spam e-mail.

Limit the amount of sensitive personal information stored on computers.

Utilize strong passwords and change them on a regular basis.

Do not store online account credentials using the web browser’s “remember password” feature.

MOSTLY LISA

Gillian Shaw
Sun

1 MPp3, XM Canada, $279 Cdn plus $14.99 for XM Canada subscription

Get your portable XM satellite radio and Mp3 player here – an all-in-one that gives you satellite radio plus an MP3 player. It has a micro SD card slot, access to XM Canada’s 130 channels and ability to record and combine XM content with your MP3 music collection. Lets you record several channels at the same time and has the XM3go Music Manager to keep everything organized. More at www.xmradio.ca/xmp3

2 Nokia N85

You can look but don’t touch. Nokia’s N85, a sibling for the N95 and N96, this phone/gaming machine/all-around entertainment device is out in Europe but no word on when it will come to a Canadian carrier. N-Gage gaming, built-in FM transmitter, five megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics and geotagging capability plus Wi-Fi connectivity. In Europe at 450 euros. www.nokia.com.

3 iHearSafe headphones, iHearSafe, LLC, $25 US

Now here’s something for the kiddies’ Christmas stockings: headphones that don’t deafen them. The brainchild of iHearSafe founder Christine Ingemi who – like many moms – was having trouble getting her own kids to turn down the volume on their headphones. The iHearSafe version automatically limits sound output to a maximum of 85 decibels. www.ihearsafe.com

4 Dual Trigger Gun NW, Thrustmaster, $18 US

Wireless double trigger pistol for shooting games and and FPS on Nintendo’s Wii. Trigger one activates the B button on the Wiimote, and trigger two the A button to control the regular fire. With a removable Nunchuk rest. At www thrustmaster.com

Update on last week’s MPro Micro projector, 3M.

For readers who are searching for this elusive little micro projector, it’s now on virtual store shelves through Grand & Toy, at www.grandandtoy.com and Corporate Express www.corporateexpress.ca and by phone order at 866-391-8111 for Grand & Toy or 888-CE-TODAY for Corporate Express.

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

MARC SALTZMAN
Province

It’s not enough that today’s home theatres include a huge high-definition display, surround sound speakers and Internet-connected video game consoles — specialty chairs are now available to help you get even more out of your digital entertainment.

The following are a few gadgets to help you enjoy your movies, music and video games.

For the movie fanatic: D-Box

You’ve heard of the Xbox, but how about the D-Box? Created by the Longueuil, Que.-based D-Box Technologies Inc., the D-Box Motion Code system lets you feel your favourite flicks from head to toe. These high-end living room armchairs ($10,000 for Screening Room series; d-box.com) are powered with an electromechanical ride system that makes them tilt, raise and vibrate according to what’s happening in the movie. (Also required is a D-Box Motion Controller, for $3,000, which must be installed and hooked up to a Blu-ray disc or DVD player, a TV and the Internet.) Pop in one of the more than 850 supported flicks (and counting) and the controller reads and syncs the instructions to the D-Box seat so it can move along with the film.

For hardcore gamers: Renegade

While Nintendo Wii gamers might prefer to stand to get into the action, serious Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC-loving couch potatoes can pick up a geeky specialty gamer’s chair that houses 12 vibrating motors, designed for you to feel every bump and grind in racing games or every shot fired in 3D shooters. Compatible with all major consoles and computers, the grey-and-black plush Renegade Game Chair ($249.99; ThePlaydiumStore.com) from Ultimate Game Chair, Inc. also includes stereo speakers mounted to the headrest and fun extras such as a huge cup holder and co-ordinated lighting effects that flash while playing..

Squint-buster: Vuzix iWear

If you don’t have the room for any of these crazy contraptions, perhaps you’d prefer something a little more intimate? Don’t risk getting crow’s feet by squinting to see video on your iPod’s teeny screen. Instead, plug in the Vuzix iWear AV920 glasses ($349.99; www.vuzix.com), slip them over your face and lean back to watch a simulated 157-centimetre display, viewed from 2.7 metres away. Be sure to check the website for iPod compatibility, but they also work well with other portable media players, portable DVD players, camcorders and gaming consoles.

Better to pick a size that you will be comfortable with

Marc Saltzman
Sun

“Bigger is better” is a common mantra in the HDTV world but your eyes and your wallet might lead you to a different conclusion before you make that decision to buy.

Movie fans, in particular, dream of a complete home theatre experience by replicating the enormous screen (and surround sound) of the local multiplex. But even if you have the cash to blow on a 60-inch plasma, it might not be ideal for the room you’re mounting it in. Yes, there is such as thing as too big.

The optimal size of the television depends on the distance of the viewer from the screen.

With standard-definition televisions, the industry-accepted formula was to sit back about three times the diagonal length of the screen — therefore a viewer should be about six feet away from a 27-inch TV for comfortable viewing.

“This had to do with visible scan lines on older TVs, so it was recommended to sit farther back to avoid noticing them” says Andrew Thompson, marketing manager for consumer electronics at Sharp Electronics Canada.

“But with HDTV, and more specifically 1080p content [such as Blu-ray discs], we’re talking absolutely impeccable quality, so can sit as close as you want without noticing any imperfections. You basically want your field of vision to be consumed, by the playing field for sports, for example, so you feel as if you’re at the event.”

Andy Walker, producer of Butterscotch.com, a technology website featuring instructional videos and downloads, suggests sitting back 1.5 to 2.5 times the diagonal size of the HDTV screen. Therefore, for a 50-inch panel you’ll want to sit between six and 10 feet away.

“But be aware the larger the panel, the grainier the picture will be when you watch standard-definition content,” cautions Walker. “I Love Lucy might look bad on a 70-inch television. . . . If you’re going to buy big, you’re going to want to watch high-definition television, especially 1080p content.”

Walker says those who buy a new TV often suffer from “buyer’s remorse,” a post-purchase regret for not picking up a larger size.

Sharp’s Thompson agrees: “We conduct surveys about twice a year and we often find ‘buyer’s remorse’ among TV shoppers.

“Consumers should remember LCD and plasma televisions are much thinner than bulky CRT TVs; therefore you could be sitting back farther from the screen compared to tube TVs.”

To avoid buyer’s remorse, Walker says, “Get yourself regular holiday wrapping paper and cut out the size panel you want to buy, such as 50-inches, then stick it to the wall where the television will go. Live with it for a week and you’ll know whether or not this size works for you.

“If you’re watching HDTV programming, then bigger is indeed better, if your budget allows and your room can handle it” concludes Walker.

“What I like to discuss with clients is if they are going to show up at the movie theatre early and have full range of choice of where to sit, where would they sit?” explains Daniel Panke, merchandiser and custom installation manager for Sony Style stores. “Most people have a preference — be it front, middle or back — and this translates into how far from your TV you want to be.”

Once you’ve narrowed down your desired size, based on budget and room setup, consider one of these recommended big-screen beauties.

42-inch: Sony Bravia KDL-42V4100 LCD HDTV ($1,599.99; sonystyle.ca)

Decorated in a piano black gloss finish, this 42-inch Sony Bravia offers a full 1080p (1,920 x 1,080 resolution) picture with Sony exclusives such as the XMB (Cross Media Bar) to navigate through connected sources, ACE (Advanced Contrast Enhancer) to help with darker scenes and DMeX_ functionality (allowing you to attach optional extenders, such as online connectivity).

46-inch: Samsung LN46A750 LCD HDTV ($2,499.99; samsung.ca)

Samsung’s 1080p television includes 120Hz technology, which helps smooth out motion by essentially doubling a film’s frame rate from 60 to 120 frames per second, not to mention fast four-millisecond response times.

50-inch: Panasonic Viera TH-50PZ80 plasma HDTV ($2,199.99; panasonic.ca)

Many home theatre enthusiasts prefer plasma for its accurate colour reproduction, exceptional contrast (for deep blacks) and motion measured in microseconds rather than milliseconds. This 50-inch 1080p panel with anti-glare screen guard (ideal for bright rooms) offers many bells and whistles such as a SD memory card reader (for photo slide show), video game mode and simulated surround sound.

55-inch: Sony Bravia KDL-55XBR8 LCD HDTV ($6,999.99; sonystyle.ca)

Sony’s top-of-the-line 1080p LCD incorporate Sony’s “Triluminos‘ three-colour LED (light-emitting diode) backlighting for a greater colour range (by aligning individual clusters of red, blue and green LEDs opposed to traditional white LED backlights), better contrast (aided by Advanced Contrast Enhancer PRO local dimming technology) and more efficient power consumption.

60-inch: Pioneer Elite Kuro PRO-151FD plasma HDTV ($6,999.99; pioneerelectronics.ca)

This award-winning 60-inch 1080p plasma is nothing short of stunning, with a panel that gives incredible depth, rich colours and customizable user settings (for those that want it) with the ISFccc calibration feature for both day-time and nighttime viewing.

65-inch: Sharp Aquos 65-Inch SE94 1080p LCD HDTV ($7,499.99; sharp.ca)

Big enough for you? This 65-inch 1080p monster not only looks incredible with enhanced colour, contrast and motion technologies (including 120Hz frame-rate conversion) but includes Sharp’s Aquos Net functionality to give viewers instant on-demand web-based content (as well as live, real-time customer support).

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

High-tech furniture is designed for games, music and movies

Marc Saltzman
Sun

It’s not enough that today’s home theatres include a huge high-definition display, surround sound speakers and Internet-connected video game consoles — specialty chairs are now available to help you get even more out of your digital entertainment.

Yes, you haven’t quite experienced Jumper unless you’ve been whipped around during the action sequences, and you can’t fully appreciate Gears of War 2 unless your tush has rumbled while firing at aliens.The following are a few high-tech armchairs and beanbags to help you enjoy your movies, music and video games.

FOR THE MOVIE FANATIC: D-BOX

You’ve heard of the Xbox, but how about the D-Box? Created by the Longueuil, Quebec-based D-Box Technologies Inc., the D-Box Motion Code system lets you feel your favourite flicks from head to toe. These high-end living room armchairs ($10,000 for Screening Room series; d-box.com) are powered with an electromechanical ride system that makes them tilt, raise and vibrate according to what’s happening in the movie. (Also required is a D-Box Motion Controller, for $3,000, which must be installed and hooked up to a Blu-ray disc or DVD player, a TV and the Internet.) Pop in one of the more than 850 supported flicks (and counting) — such as Iron Man, Shrek the Third, The Happening, Casino Royale, 300 and Spider-Man 3 — and the controller reads and syncs the instructions to the D-Box seat so it can move along with the film.

FOR THE MUSIC ENTHUSIAST: IBEANBAG AUDIO BEANBAG CHAIR

Hippie furniture meets the iPod generation with Reffini’s iBeanbag Audio Beanbag Chair (from $179.99, including shipping anywhere in Canada; ibeanbagchair.com). Use the bundled cables to plug into your iPod’s headphone jack (or game system, laptop or stereo), have a seat on the oversized dewdrop beanbag and use the knobs to crank it up to 11. Inside the Montreal-made iBeanbag chair is a 20-watt speaker system with two speakers located at ear level and subwoofer at the rear. The “Blobby” model is ideal for messy types thanks to its resilient nylon material, while the soft faux leather model ($199.99), available in four colours and feels soft to the touch; a matching ottoman can also be purchased with the chair.

FOR THE HARDCORE GAMER: RENEGADE GAME CHAIR

While Nintendo Wii gamers might prefer to stand to get into the action, serious Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and PC-loving couch potatoes can pick up a geeky specialty gamer’s chair that houses 12 vibrating motors, designed for you to feel every bump and grind in racing games or every shot fired in 3D shooters. Compatible with all major consoles and computers, the grey and black plush Renegade Game Chair ($249.99; ThePlaydium-Store.com) from Ultimate Game Chair, Inc. also includes stereo speakers mounted to the headrest and fun extras such as a huge cup holder (after all, caffeine might be needed for late-night gaming sessions) and coordinated lighting effects that flash while playing. Hey, we said it was geeky.

AND IF THE EYES HAVE HAD IT: VUZIX IWEAR AV920 GLASSES

If you don’t have the room for any of these crazy contraptions, perhaps you’d prefer something a little more intimate?

Don’t risk getting crow’s feet by squinting to see video on your iPod’s teeny screen. Instead, plug in the Vuzix iWear AV920 glasses ($349.99; www.vuzix.com), slip them over your face and lean back to watch a simulated 62-inch display, viewed from 9 feet away.

Film fanatics will likely be impressed by the twin high-resolution (VGA) quality screens and built-in earbuds for audio playback (you can remove them if you prefer your own). OK, so you look a little geeky wearing these on a plane, but it can’t be more painful than sitting through the airline’s showing of Daddy Day Camp. Be sure to check the website for iPod compatibility, but they also work well with other portable media players, portable DVD players, camcorders and gaming consoles.

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

Small models have eclipsed desktops in sales and popularity

Steve Makris
Sun

The latest laptop computers are pushing the envelope in size, price, speed and functionality — some are cheaper than desktops and small enough to carry in a purse. The range of choices is expanding rapidly, with new models being introduced almost every month.

Thankfully, this is also lowering the price of older models and making computing more affordable for everyone.

Laptops are eclipsing desktops in sales and popularity. They come in many sizes and prices, and boasting many different features.

Netbooks, often referred as mini-notebooks, are among the latest additions to the field. They are fully functioning laptops with seven- to 10-inch screens, smaller processors and solid-state flash memory, making them ideally suited for Web browsing, messaging, e-mail and basic office applications.

Their screens are much sharper than normal laptops but with smaller icons and text. Although the Netbook concept was originally an alternative to larger laptops, and priced at only several hundred bucks, newer models are arriving with hard drives and more features, pushing the price as high as $1,000.

Be aware that bare-bones laptops selling for under $500 use older chips and skimp on crucial operating memory. They will bog down your computing experience if you do more than texting or web browsing.

APPLE LAPTOPS

Apple has simplified its laptop line to three categories. The 13-inch MacBook starting at $1,149 features faster graphics than previous models and solid aluminum unibody design. The 15-inch MacBook Pro starting at $2,149 features similar body design, but faster Intel Core Duo processors and two switchable NVIDIA graphics chips — one for regular computing, affording an extra hour of battery time, and another for graphic or game-intensive computing.

The stunning MacBook Air starting at $1,999 offers more looks than function with fewer connection options including a sealed battery. The Air offers an optional solid state battery for cooler and quieter operation for an additional $750 upgrade. Noticeably absent from the new MacBooks is the ability to play Blu-ray discs, something Apple says is not in its plans. Apple has a dedicated Apple TV player/receiver that plays downloaded HD movies from iTunes through Internet capable Macs.

WINDOWS LAPTOPS

Windows-based laptops are multiplying like weeds, but the coolest models use new Intel Centrino 2 chip technology for faster, energy-saving computing.

The HP Pavilion dv5-1000 15.4-inch Entertainment Notebook PC series offers innovative features like a built-in combo Blu-ray Disc player/writer using Intel Centrino 2 chip technology for smooth high-definition playback, HDMI connection to flat-panel TVs and an optional TV tuner. Centrino 2 technology is frugal on batteries, with faster processing times and longer idle periods.

Sony has the largest selection of Blu-ray Disc-playing notebooks. The 16.4-inch VGNFW265DB VAIO FW-Series Notebook PC, $1,299.99, has Centrino 2 Intel Core 2 Duo chips that play Blu-ray movies without taxing the main CPU processor on the included combo DVD R/W drive. It also has HDMI output to HDTVs and Dolby Sound Room Audio, a webcam and integrated stereo A2DP Bluetooth technology for wirelessly connecting to such peripherals as stereo speakers.

The Dell Studio 15 starting at $799, and Dell Studio 17 starting at $999 (the numbers refer to their screen size) offer value and performance, with many upgrades available ranging from Blu-ray to colour options like Plum Purple, Tangerine Orange, Flamingo Pink, Midnight Blue, Ruby Red, Spring Green or standard Jet Black.

They may not offer the performance level of Centrino 2 technology but offer good value for the money, like capacitive-touch media controls, slot load optical disk drives, optional mercury-free LED displays and built-in fingerprint reader. Dell’s exclusive Video Chat permits up to four-way calling with family and friends.

NETBOOKS

Netbooks or mini-notebooks are starting to gain popularity with consumers wanting under one-kilogram portable computing. Their strength is small size, usable keyboards and the ability to run any Windows program, but they are substantially slower than ordinary laptops.

The main players are Asus, Acer and big-brand names like HP and Dell. Most run on Windows XP, but Linux versions cost $100 less. Many are changing from slower VIA processors to faster Intel Atom chips, so exercise due diligence before buying cheaper models.

ASUS EEE PC PC900, 12 GB, 8.9-inch screen, one GB RAM, $430, has the smartest keyboard layout, but may feel cramped for large-handed folks. The internal four-GB memory works smartly with the included external eight-GB SD card, taking advantage of both when running larger applications.

The new EEE PC 1000 10-inch series includes up to 160 GB hard drive with a larger keyboard for about $500.

ACER Aspire One, 8.9-inch screen, 1.6 GHz Atom processor, 512 MG RAM, $378, has great battery life and the brightest screen for viewing outdoors. It includes a 120-GB hard drive and an all-in-one media reading card offering more storage flexibility. An eight-GB solid-state-memory version (no hard drive) running Linux, goes for $335.

HP 2133 Mini-Note PC runs on a slower VIA chip, and starts at $499 (four-GB solid state memory and Linux). But for $730, you can get a 120-GB hard drive and Vista. It’s larger and heavier than competitors but has a higher resolution on its 8.9-inch screen, allowing extra room onscreen. It also has better speakers and the most comfortable keyboard.

Dell Inspiron Mini 9, 8.9-inch screen, starting at $359 with Linux and $439 with Windows XP, is the newest addition in this group and has the cleanest design. It features an Intel Atom processor, eight GB of solid-state memory (with no hard-drive options other than external drives).

A webcam is an option as well as Bluetooth, and the keyboard is exceptionally comfortable. Dell took out the F1-F12 row and integrated it on one of the QWERTY rows, leaving room for larger keys and a larger wrist-rest area. The left/right mouse pad keys are well-placed and require little pressure to work. It also runs cooler, important for lap use, than its competitors.

© The Vancouver Sun 2008

Marc Saltzman
Sun

Do your computer speakers sound like tin cans? Are your online chats limited to text? Does your mouse still have a ball?

If the answer is “yes” to any of these questions, read on. Upgrading your accessories is a great way to add some spice and longevity to your desktop or laptop computer, especially for those who rely on their PC for entertainment.

Style meets substance: Don’t mouse around with the accessory you touch the most. If you’re in the market for a new mouse, Microsoft’s brand-new Arc Mouse ($69.95; microsoft.ca) fuses fashion with function — its radical design looks as good as it feels. The aptly-named wireless peripheral features a unique crescent-moon shape that folds to reduce its size by half, which is ideal for taking it on the road for use with your laptop (on a related note, a tiny micro transceiver snaps into the bottom of the mouse for safekeeping, when not in use). Available in black or red.

Light up my life: You finally got the kids to bed, turned down the house lights and poured yourself a tea. Time to check your e-mail messages, Facebook friends and favourite websites. Keep this soothing ambience after a long day — yet still see what you’re typing — with the Logitech Illuminated Keyboard ($89.99; logitech.com). This ultra-thin (9.3 mm) and comfortable keyboard offers bright, laser-etched backlit keys that illuminate through the transparent frame.

On with the show: Unlike your land line or mobile phone, a webcam offers a number of advantages while you’re talking to friends and family around the world: There are no long-distance charges; you can see who you’re talking to; and if desired, you can share files in real-time, such as photos, during conversations. The thin Microsoft LifeCam Show ($99.99; microsoft.ca) offers incredible 2.0-megapixel video quality (and 8.0-megapixels for still photos), and features an integrated noise-cancelling microphone.

Work hard, play hard: Whether you’re toiling over spreadsheets or blasting aliens, Samsung’s SyncMaster 2693HM monitor ($599.99; samsung.ca) is a huge 26-inch high-definition (1920 x 1200 pixels) computer monitor perfect for work or play. For a productivity boost, this widescreen display offers more real-estate to see more information on a given document, spreadsheet or website or to view multiple windows at once. When it’s time to relax, however, this monitor also includes an HDMI jack (perfect for a Blu-ray machine, HD cable/satellite box or high-def gaming console) and integrated speakers.

Sounding off: Whether you’re into music, video games or movies, treat yourself and your ears to a great-sounding computer setup. Consider the Bose Companion 5 Series speakers ($499.99; bose.ca), a high-end 2.1 solution (including booming subwoofer) that sounds like a 5.1 system thanks to the hideaway Acoustimass module to deliver a surround sound experience. Included with these clear-sounding and well-balanced computer speakers are desktop stands, cables and a wired control pod that puts volume and mute functionality at an arm’s reach (and includes a port to easily connect a portable MP3 player).

A hard drive is good to find: Now that your computer has evolved into a hub for your digital photo collection, MP3 music library and camcorder footage, it’s time to invest in an external hard drive to hold it all. Why not pick a solution that really stands out? Simply plug in the one-terabyte LaCie Golden Disk ($299.99; lacie.ca) drive into a USB port to transfer files over for safekeeping or portability. This driver-free, fan-less and hybrid Windows/Mac peripheral was designed by Ora-Ito (www.ora-ito.com) and includes software to automate your back-ups, if desired. If you’re concerned this isn’t enough space for you, consider a one-TB drive can store about 4,000,000 photos, over 18,500 hours of music or 1,500 hours of video.

© The Vancouver Sun 2008