Sun

1. XO laptop, $400 for two in Give One Get One from One Laptop per Child

Give a very cool Christmas present to someone at home and see your largesse extend to a child in the developing world. The XO laptop is the result of an experience Nicholas Negroponte, a co-founder and director of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Media Laboratory, had back in 2002 when he saw first-hand how connected laptops transformed the lives of children and their families in a remote Cambodian village. The XO will operate in remote regions with very little power — and it has the ability to recharge from a solar panel or even a hand crank. It has a sealed rubberized keyboard, scaled to fit kid-sized hands and to withstand harsh conditions. For a donation of $399 US, one XO laptop will be sent to a child in a developing nation and one will be sent to the child of your choosing. It is not a registered charity in Canada, according to Canada Revenue Agency, so donations wouldn’t be tax deductible on your Canadian tax return. Don’t look for a CD/DVD drive or expect it to run standard Mac or Windows programs, but if you want to combine a little social responsibility with a tech intro for a child here, click on www.laptopgiving.org.

2. APC Universal Notebook Battery 50, $100

In case your power-hungry laptop isn’t the hand cranking kind, the UPB50-CN is an external power supply that adds up to four hours of running time, depending on the model of your computer. Weighs less than half-a-kilogram and fits alongside your laptop in tight spaces, like airline tray tables.

3. Gizzy the Data Worm, $68

Looking to add a little of the warm and fuzzies to your humdrum computing day? Check out Gizzy, a USB drive that holds four gigabytes of memory in a cuddly package. At www.nifnaks.com.

4. Samsung m510, $180 from Virgin Mobile

Now Virgin Mobile, which has won top rankings among prepaid service providers in Canada, is offering monthly plans as well and this Samsung multimedia machine lets you download your favourite music from Virgin Mobile Soundbar as well as take pictures with its 1.3-megapixel camera, take videos and get streaming video and radio.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 

Officials will open space for possible fourth national carrier

Derrick Penner, David George-Cosh and Barbara Shecter
Sun

The federal government on Wednesday set aside a block of wireless-telephone space for a possible fourth national carrier to get into the market and bring more competition to cellphone rates.

Industry Canada has set aside 40 megahertz of the 105 megahertz of new wireless airwaves that it plans to auction off on May 27 for companies with less than 10 per cent of the national wireless market.

“The Canadian wireless market is dominated by three companies that provide services across the country and control 95 per cent of the market,” Industry Minister Jim Prentice told reporters Wednesday in Toronto.

As well, the incumbent carriers — Bell Canada, Rogers Communications Inc., and Telus Corp. –must allow any new entrants that purchase enough spectrum to qualify as a national player to use their networks of cellular towers for roaming.

“This is an opportunity to encourage new market entry,” he added. “It is an opportunity to encourage service providers to offer better products, better service and lower prices.”

The spectrum auction details will undoubtedly widen the chasm between the three national telecom firms and smaller regional players that have pressured the government to make it easier for them to enter the mobile market.

“We’re deeply disappointed,” said Michael Hennessy, vice-president of wireless, broadband and content policy at Telus Corp.

He said favouring new entrants will simply allow smaller, less financially viable competitors into the market, and they won’t be able to compete.

Hennessy said blocking the companies most able to pay for the new airwaves, known as spectrum, will mean that Ottawa receives less revenue for the airwaves. He estimated the auction would raise an additional $200 million if it wasn’t restricted. That amount, he said, amounts to a subsidy to the new firms.

He added that likely new entrants to the market, such as printing giant Quebecor Inc. and Western cable firm Shaw Communications Inc. shouldn’t need help entering the market.

Canada has been criticized as having some of the highest cell-phone rates in the world.

However, Hennessy countered that Industry Canada is using “selective information” to back its policy decision while ignoring other studies that show Canada has lower prices than countries such as the United Kingdom, France and Japan when it comes to voice services.

Hennessy said Canadians who are big users of wireless data service do pay higher prices than similar users in the U.S., but prices are coming down.

He said Canada needs a bigger-scale market if it is to dramatically reduce phone rates, either by allowing consolidation or allowing more foreign ownership.

“The idea, and Industry Canada seems to have a love affair with this idea, that you can create smaller companies in the Canadian market and somehow expect the Canadian market to be more globally competitive, I think, is naive, and in the long run, dangerous,” Hennessy said.

Bell Canada executive vice-president Lawson Hunter said he was “surprised and disappointed” with the announcement.

“It is one of the most regulatory and intrusive spectrum auctions in Canada,” Hunter said, adding the amount of spectrum set aside for new players will not be enough for bandwidth-intensive services to function effectively for consumers if they are on a smaller regional player.

SeaBoard Group managing director Iain Grant, whose report on high wireless prices in Canada was cited by the ministry, dismissed Hunter’s idea that there would not be enough spectrum allocated for all players to cram all their bandwidth-rich programs into.

“New entrants will run out of spectrum, but that’s tomorrow’s problem,” he said. “They’re going to at least be happy with what they can get and move on from there.”

“Mr. Prentice has done a heroic job of plowing through impartial truths to get to the heart of the matter,” said Grant.

However, telecommunications consultant Eamon Hoey, with the firm Hoey Associates, who was a proponent of allowing the restricted auction, said Prentice’s decision didn’t go far enough and puts up barriers against possible new entrants.

Hoey said the entire block of new spectrum should have been set aside for new entrants, and Industry Canada should have set terms for new firms to access the incumbents’ cellular towers while building their own networks.

Instead, Prentice said it will be up to incumbent companies and new firms to negotiate fair rates for tower access and roaming fees, with an arbitration process to handle disputes. “[Disputes] will go to arbitration, and it will be a long zoo,” Hoey said.

“What Industry Canada has done is advanced [potential competition] one yard on a 110-yard field,” Hoey said.

Quebecor, Shaw, and Manitoba Telecom Services have all been named as potential new entrants.

Quebecor has said openly it wants to build a network in the province of Quebec. Shaw, meanwhile, said in late October it has no current plans to enter wireless.

MTS said earlier this month that, while it sees value in creating a fourth national wireless company, it will not decide whether to go ahead until it sees the auction rules.

 

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

Edward C. Baig
USA Today

You want to buy a computer, digital camera, high-definition TV or other tech gear this holiday season — only the prospect scares you half to death.

It’s bad enough that you need an engineering degree to decipher tech terminology: Progressive scan, HDMI and 802.11G, anyone? What really gives you the willies is having to slug it out with the geeky salesperson who is spilling out this jargon.

Your mind is racing: Where do I shop? Does the salesperson really have my best interests at heart? Is he or she pushing brand X over Y because the boss is tossing them a bonus? Am I getting a good deal?

For that matter, do these guys have a clue what they’re talking about?

“I have had talks with sales staff who didn’t know the difference between 1080i and 1080p (which is pretty important if you demand a top-notch picture),” says David Miller, a geographic information systems analyst in Lincoln, Neb.

Adds Sharon Faulk of Wesley Chapel, Fla.: “I get frustrated when (salespeople) don’t have all the answers to my questions. I can read the flier and get the same info.”

In the articles that follow, USA TODAY will tell you about some of the hot gear — from game gadgets to computer mice. Here, we’ll help you gain the upper hand when navigating the online and offline retail maze:

BE PREPARED: Knowledge is a useful thing

Salespeople prey on naïve shoppers, so research the products on your wish list. Start by querying tech-smart neighbors, co-workers and relatives. Ask if they’re pleased with their own purchases and if they would buy the products again at the same place. If a buddy is particularly knowledgeable, try to entice him to come with you on your shopping spree.

“We all have that ultra-geek friend who knows everything about everything but likely lacks in the social graces,” notes Monique Rupley of El Dorado Hills, Calif., who provides support for a telecom company sales staff.

These days, of course, savvy consumers almost always tap into the Internet. You’ll find buying advice at CNet.com, ConsumerReports.org and Retrevo.com, among other sites. There are numerous blogs. And though some of what you’ll read is propaganda, you can also pick up a wealth of knowledge at a manufacturer’s own site.

As you do research, consider how the product meshes with the rest of your gear at home.

Do you need peripherals or connectors? Is it compatible with other components in your system?

Tim Herbert, senior director of market research at the Consumer Electronics Association, recommends customers print out Internet research and carry it to the store. “It provides a degree of confidence,” he says. “If you have a stacks of paper with reviews and product specs, you have demonstrated (to the salesperson) you have done your homework.”

Adds Rochester, N.Y., retiree Tom Cole: “I tend to already know what the best deal is before I actually shop.”

Though time-consuming — and potentially risky — you can also do research by going from store to store and chatting up staffers. Just don’t let one of them persuade you to buy before you’re ready.

WHERE DO I SHOP?: Decide what’s most important

The answer depends on several factors. Are you price sensitive? What level of service do you expect before and after the sale? Return policies, tech support and, obviously, the product all weigh in.

In a warehouse-type buyers club, for example, you might find the lowest prices; just don’t count on getting much sales assistance. You might have to bring your own truck to cart out a big-ticket item.

You’ll generally find reasonable prices and good selection at electronics retailers such as Best Buy or Circuit City. Such stores are often staffed by younger people working for hourly wages, whose expertise may be hit or miss. “The knowledge of the sales staff can vary wildly even within the same store,” Miller says.

You’ll often come across superb service in local, family-run specialty retailers. They rarely compete on price, but you’ll get the kind of handholding seldom found elsewhere. Some offer seminars on using a camcorder, say, or HDTV. At Abt Electronics in Glenview, Ill., you get free technical support for as long as you own a product.

At Flanner’s Audio & Video in Brookfield, Wis., salespeople have been known to personally deliver gear to a customer’s house.

“I am certain I pay more for some things at Stereo Advantage (near Buffalo), but not by much, and I always walk out satisfied,” says Peter Huston, of Buffalo, owner of a company called Starboard Enterprises.

Don’t automatically rule out a salesperson just because they’re on commission. Instead of trying to rip you off, the person may well be a career professional interested in building a long-term relationship. That said, it’s perfectly reasonable to ask if a salesperson is earning a higher commission selling you one product instead of another.

“I favor stores that specialize,” says Tim Holt, director of educational technology for the El Paso Independent School District in El Paso. “For instance, the Apple stores specialize in Apple products, so I would go there before I would go to, say, Best Buy or a Circuit City. Likewise, if I were buying a camera, I would go to a camera store.”

BUYING IN CYBERSPACE: Avoid crowds, compare prices easily

Many buyers are jilting “bricks-and-mortar” stores for online retailers. Folks spent $22.5 billion or 14.1% of consumer electronics purchases online this past year, according to the Consumer Electronics Association. That’s up from 5% in 2005.

Shopping online presents obvious advantages. It’s convenient. You avoid crowds and pushy salespeople. Comparing prices is easy. You often get a sweet deal.

But online shopping is fraught with risks, especially if you deal with fly-by-night sites. The rock-bottom price at TrustUsPrettyPlease.com is likely too good to be true. The sale may not include required parts, batteries, cables or warranties. Returns might be a problem.

Moreover, online shoppers don’t get to stare at a TV, hear a stereo or test a laptop keyboard.

Still, Amazon.com CEO Jeff Bezos thinks the idea that you’ll always kick the tires in a physical store just isn’t so. “We had a wireless router one time that had just horrible customer reviews. The documentation was terrible. You would never be able to tell when you go to a physical store that the documentation on a router was terrible. If you read the customer reviews (at Amazon, though), you find out right away.”

SIZING UP THE SALESPERSON: They should ask about your needs

There are obvious red flags when you walk into a store. Run for the hills if a salesperson accosts you with the question: “How much do you want to spend?” before dragging you to some product you don’t want. Same thing if he or she shows you one thing when you’ve asked to see another.

Instead, the salesperson should ask about your needs. If you’re in the market for a TV, for example, you should be asked what kinds of shows you and the family watch and what the lighting conditions are in the room where it will be.

It’s OK for you to drill the seller. Ask what products they recommend to their own parents or kids. If possible, also seek the advice of non-salespeople in the store, such as those in the service department.

BARGAIN HUNTING: A little bargaining can be profitable

Feel free to haggle. Even if the retailer won’t budge on price, they may throw in cables, batteries or accessories.

You may also save as much as 30% or more on “open box specials.” These may be floor models, discontinued items or the last one in stock. Examine them for blemishes. If returned, find out why. Make sure you get a full warranty and all the parts. Some PC makers sell discounted “scratch and dent” and refurbished models in online outlets. These have regular warranties.

In the end, you have more clout than you think. “I get the best service in every store I visit,” says Rupley. “I demand excellent service. I am not saying yell, scream, act irrational. Be firm, be reasonable and level-headed, cool. You will get satisfaction.”

 

Customers will have to pay an extra fee, with discounts offered for length of contract

Sun

The long-awaited TiVo digital video recorder (DVR), formerly sold only in the U.S., is finally arriving in Canada.

DVRs will be available at Future Shop, Best Buy, The Brick, and London Drug stores across Canada in early December for $199. The popular TV recorders won’t be available immediately in Quebec.

Canadian customers will have to pay an extra subscription fee of $12.95 per month for the TiVo service, with discounts offered depending on the length of contract.

The TiVo device has become popular for such features as online scheduling, multi-room viewing and “TrickPlay functionality” through which users can pause, rewind, instant replay and slow-motion live television programs.

The TiVo Series2 DT DVR holds up to 80 hours of content and allows the consumer to record two shows at once, TiVo Inc. said in a press release. The device works with cable, satellite and roof-top antenna and can also be used in a setup that includes VCRs and DVD players.

“We’ve received overwhelming demand from Canadian consumers who want access to TiVo’s innovative products and services and we are extremely excited to be able to deliver our highly-successful TiVo Series2 Dual Tuner DVR to this key strategic marketplace — just in time for the holidays,” said Joshua Danovitz, vice-president and general manager of international at TiVo.

“TiVo’s move into Canada represents a natural, important progression for our business as we continue to make sustained progress across international markets.”

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 

Basem Boshra
Sun

Succumbing to the hype and buying one of the most buzzed-about consumer products in ages — from a corporate titan like Apple, no less — doesn’t exactly scream “Stick it to the man!” yet I’ve been feeling like a bit of a rebel since buying my iPhone.

“Wait a minute,” you might be saying to yourself, “I thought they weren’t selling the iPhone in Canada yet?”

True enough. But if you simply can’t wait until Rogers (the only wireless carrier in Canada whose network supports the iPhone’s technology) starts selling it here — and it still hasn’t announced when or even if that might be — there’s no reason that, with a little resourcefulness, you can’t get your hands on the most highly coveted high-tech gift of the year.

 (I’ve had mine for the last couple of months, and it works great, in addition to being indisputably cool — the iPhone, that is, not me.)

A few caveats, though:

– You do need to be a current Rogers wireless customer, or at least be willing to switch over.

– The iPhone must be “unlocked” so it can work on the Rogers network (more on that later).

– You’re on your own if you encounter problems with the iPhone, since neither Apple nor Rogers will yet service it in Canada, or even provide technical support for it.

– Given Rogers’s exorbitant data-transfer rates — at least compared with the far cheaper plans available in the U.S. and Europe — you should use data-heavy features such as surfing the web or downloading sparingly, or else you’ll rack up an eye-popping wireless bill.

However, regardless of what you might have read or heard, it is definitely not illegal to have or use an iPhone in Canada — even if, for obvious reasons, Apple and Rogers have done little to counter that falsehood.

In fact, Apple recently announced that of the 1.4 million iPhones it has sold in the U.S., some 250,000 are being used outside of AT&T — the only network with which the iPhone functions without having to be unlocked — so there’s obviously plenty of us out there who’ve taken matters into our own hands.

Okay, if all that hasn’t put you off — and, really, the process is a lot less daunting than it might sound — the first thing you need to do is get your hands on an actual iPhone.

Since you can’t buy one from Apple’s Canadian or U.S. online stores if you’re in Canada, this will require either using your mighty Canadian dollare on a cross-border shopping trip (the iPhone retails for $399 US) or an online visit to eBay (where unlocked eight-gigabyte versions of the iPhone are going for as low as $425 US, even less if you can track down the discontinued four-gigabyte model).

Should you choose to do things by the book, you’ll also be on the hook for duty fees — roughly 10 per cent of the declared value of the iPhone. Some eBay sellers have been known to lessen duty fees for buyers by declaring a lower value for the item when shipping it, but this is illegal and could get your iPhone seized by customs.

If you choose to buy a locked version, you’ll then have to pay to have it unlocked, which can run you as little as $25.

Search on the Internet with terms like “iPhone” and “unlock” for some local tech whizzes who can do this for you.

If you’re particularly adept at this kind of thing — or just brave — you can even attempt the unlocking yourself. A quick Google or YouTube search will supply you with incredibly detailed instructions.

Once it’s successfully unlocked, just slip in your current phone’s SIM card and — voila! — you’ve hopped on the iPhone bandwagon.

The unit’s iPod, camera, phone and Wi-Fi features will all work, but not the “visual voice mail” feature that’s available only to iPhone customers on the AT&T network in the U.S.

And prepare to make your friends jealous. I know I have. And, really, can you put a price tag on that kind of thing?

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 

Hackers, cyberspace fraudsters are more sophisticated than ever. Protect yourself

Sarah Dougherty
Sun

MONTREAL – In August, online discount broker TradeFreedom Securities Inc. discreetly notified some of its clients that personal information had been lifted from a database of the Montreal-based company.

Last year, the Investment Dealers Association of Canada issued a public alert about intruders hijacking online accounts. In some cases, client portfolios were sold out.

In the U.S., securities regulators saw a dramatic increase last year in the number of intrusions into these kinds of accounts. Some of the con artists used client money to try to artificially pump up the price of shares.

Hackers and cyberspace fraudsters are more sophisticated than ever. But many of the millions of Canadians who invest through online discount brokerages are unaware of the security risks and how to protect themselves.

TradeFreedom, a subsidiary of Scotiabank, said the August incident was the work of a hacker, but would not reveal more details.

The information taken from client accounts included social insurance numbers, names, telephone numbers and elements of postal addresses, TradeFreedom representative Kathleen Cheong said. Not all of the company’s clients were affected. Trading accounts weren’t compromised, she said.

“We’ve hired a computer security firm,” Cheong said. “It’s unfortunate, but all we can do it learn from it.”

The company offered affected clients a free, one-year subscription to a credit monitoring service so they could check for suspicious activity.

TradeFreedom also reported the incident to the Quebec provincial police, which launched an investigation.

More serious breaches have been reported by the Investment Dealers Association of Canada (IDA), the self-regulatory organization for the securities industry.

In an August 2006 advisory to investors, the IDA said intruders had penetrated trading accounts and executed trades. After selling securities, the fraudsters used the credit to buy other securities in an apparent attempt to manipulate share prices.

Andrew Popovic, the IDA’s vice-president for enforcement, would not identify the firms involved. His group reports this kind of activity to law enforcement agencies, he said.

However, the IDA does not impose any security standards on its members. The group encourages member firms to carry insurance for fraud, which can be used to reimburse clients, but coverage is not required.

Popovic said “2006 was the first time we were aware of intrusions into trading accounts.” Getting cash out of accounts is much more difficult, he added. “In the U.S., there have been a significantly greater number of instances,” Popovic said, referring to money withdrawn from accounts. “You can get the credit value out with a cheque or transfer. In Canada, there are more checks and balances.”

The Vancouver Sun DIGITAL

You can now listen to every Vancouver Sun story on our new digital edition.

Free to full-week print subscribers or sign up for a 7-day free trial. www.vancouversun.com/digital.

ARMOUR-PLATE YOUR COMPUTER

Ways investors can fend off fraud:

– Equip your computer with the latest anti-virus, anti-spam and anti-spyware detection software and keep it current with update patches.

– Use firewalls, which are hardware or software devices to filter information coming from the Internet.

– Only access your brokerage account through a secure web page that uses encryption. These pages start with “https” instead of “http.” They also have a small key or closed padlock on your screen’s status bar.

– Double click on the key or lock to check the site’s security certificate. If it says “unknown” or “self-issued,” this could be a phony website.

– Install an anti-phishing tool bar or web browser with anti-phishing features. They can detect illegal websites and security certificates.

– Adjust your computer settings to only accept cookies from reliable sites. Cookies are data that travel between servers and web browsers to track information about users.

– Use a security token if possible. Some discount brokers now offer these number-generating devices that change every 30 to 60 seconds and are used to log in along with your user name and password.

– Use extra caution with wireless networks; many have reduced security to ease access.

– Don’t respond to e-mails asking for personal information. Be careful downloading software from the Internet.

– www.sec.gov/investor/pubs/onlinebrokerage.htm, offers a thorough discussion of security threats.

It’s a U.S. site, but the information is useful for Canadians.

 

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

LG cellphone comes with image editor for clips

Gillian Shaw
Sun

Videotaping, once the purview of tourists and proud parents, has become ubiquitous among young consumers looking for fame on YouTube and among citizen journalists who want to share what they see with the world.

A powerful video released this week showing the last minutes of a distraught man’s life before he was hit by a police Taser at Vancouver International Airport was shot by a 25-year-old using a digital camera.

Images from citizen journalists are circling the globe on video-sharing and social networking sites or showing up on television news. They aren’t top quality videos, but they allow average people to record events that once went without an electronic witness.

Advances in digital technology mean amateurs can capture moving pictures with a device as simple as a cellphone, often for free.

LG has a cellphone that comes with a built-in image editor for photos and similar editing options for video that make it easy to produce clips ready to upload for mass consumption.

Video is also an add-on capability of many digital still photo cameras.

“The video quality is actually quite good with the point-and-shoot cameras,” said Christa LeCraw, camera department supervisor at Vancouver‘s Lens and Shutter.

With its PowerShot TX1, LeCraw said Cannon has managed to combine point and shoot convenience with a high definition video camera.

“That camera is kind of a hybrid that is unique to Canon at the moment,” she said. “It is a seven mega pixel camera but it also records in high definition.

“And it’s really small and tiny — about the size of a deck of cards and with a 10 times optical zoom.”

Canon hybrid records to a SD memory card — similar to cameras and most cellphones which use mini SD or micro SD memory cards — and costs $599.

But good quality video recording starts at less than half that price with mini DV tape cameras. The $329 Canon fits into that category.

“It is still a good camera,” said LeCraw. “You are recording onto tape so you are getting pretty good video quality.

Another category of camcorders rely on memory cards or in the case of Sony, the memory stick. While the most common memory cards come in two or four gigabytes, it is useful to have more for video camera. Storage capacity depends on the resolution, but most users will want eight- or 16-gigabyte cards.

Camcorders with removable memory can be tiny. Sony’s new HDR-CX7 records in high definition and fits in the palm of your hand. It also takes six mega pixel still photos and sells for $1,199.

Another category is the hard disk drive camcorder, which stores video on a built-in drive, similar to the memory on our computers. Canon has just released a new one, the HG10 at $1,299, that has a 40-gigabyte hard drive and records in 1080 resolution, which is considered high definition.

The Sony HDR SR1, the earliest version of hard disk drive camcorder sells for $899. The drawback to having all that onboard memory is that hours of video can be carried around in your camcorder so when you drop it in the lake or it’s stolen — if you haven’t downloaded all that video, you could lose a lot.

Broadcasters use the mini DV tapes, LeCraw said, because the tape has less compression and the video quality is the highest.

LeCraw said while some consumers don’t want to deal with tape, the job of uploading video is fairly easy with all models which connect to your computer via a USB cable. Software may be included with the camcorder or many people use other editing software such as iMovie or Final Cut.

At the higher end, the Canon XH A1 has recently dropped in price to $3 799, from $4,599. It is high definition, it has a professional level lens and while it’s larger than the consumer models, it’s a manageable size and offers broadcast quality video.

B.C.-based Lens and Shutter lists these cameras among their best-sellers:

Canon ZR830: $329

Canon Powershot TX1: $599

Sony HDR SR1: $899

Canon HG10: $1,299

Canon XH A1: $3,799

Sony HDR-CX7: $1,199

 

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

Marc Saltzman
Sun

Cordless home phones may not be as sexy as high-definition televisions, digital cameras or sleek laptops, but makers continue to make improvements that fuse function and fashion, offer stronger and farther wireless reception and allow you to make calls over the Internet.

Browse the new cordless phones at your favourite electronics retailer and you’ll likely see the words “DECT” splashed across the boxes. DECT 6.0 — which stands for Digital Enhanced Cordless Technology, now in its sixth generation — is an increasingly popular wireless platform for communicating between handsets and base. Unlike cordless phones on the 2.4Ghz or 5.8Ghz frequency, DECT 6.0 phones do not interfere with other wireless signals beaming throughout your home, such as Wi-Fi (802.11) networks, microwave ovens, baby monitors and wireless game controllers. It also offers clearer call quality, works far from its base (up to 50 metres indoors, 300 metres outdoors) and provides a secure connection to prevent eavesdropping.

We like: The Sanyo Touch cordless phone system (model # CLT-D6620; $109.99), which sports DECT 6.0 technology and features an illuminated touchpad display, speakerphone, and more. A two-handset system (model # CLT-D6622) sells for $159.99. The super-thin Vtech DECT 6.0 Digital Dual Handset Cordless Phones (model # 6041; $116.99) resemble Motorola RAZR flip cellphones.

Sometimes, more is better: Why have one cordless phone when you can have four? Perfect for larger homes, many family members or houses with multiple floors, one of the latest trends is multiple handsets on one phone line, but requiring only one phone jack. The others are usually accompanied by a wireless base that plugs into the wall (to keep the phone upright and charged) and communicates with the main base.

When a call comes in you can pick up any of the two, three or four handsets to accept the call. As an added bonus, a convenient secondary feature available on most multi-phone solutions is the ability to use one phone to call another inside the home like a paging system. You can often find these phones bundled together in one box, and with the option to add additional phones.

We like: The Panasonic DECT 6.0 Digital Multi Handset ($179.99) with four phones and three bases, which is also expandable up to six phones. GE also offers 5.8GHz Multi-Handset Cordless Phone (model # TC25952EE3; $129.99) with three handsets.

Thanks to VoIP (Voice Over Internet Protocol) technology, you no longer have to pay long distance fees to your telco. VoIP lets you make free PC-to-PC calls over the Internet to anyone in the world using services such as Windows Live Messenger (formerly MSN Messenger), Yahoo! Messenger or Skype. But instead of being tethered to your computer with a wired headset, the latest cordless phones can double as VoIP phones, allowing you to toggle between a regular landline call and wirelessly communicating over a broadband Internet connection.

Simply plug the base of this hybrid phone into a regular telephone jack and a PC’s USB port (or in some cases, a modem/router’s Ethernet jack) and you’re good to go. Now you can walk in or around your home while chatting with friends and family on another continent — and not spend a dime in the process — and then push a button to call a local number through your regular telephone company.

We like: the Vtech Skype-Enabled 2.4GHz Cordless Phone ($96.99), which can even display your Skype contacts on the phone’s LCD screen; this hybrid phone will also work with non-Skype software. While pricey, we also like the Philips VolP841 Telephone ($299.99), the winner of a 2007 CES Innovation Award for its attractive design and impressive feature set.

Other cordless phone trends to watch for include Wi-Fi calling, Bluetooth support (wirelessly communicates with a nearby cellphone) and integrated voice recorders to archive a phone conversation.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 

Marc Saltzman
Sun

It’s no wonder laptop computers have eclipsed the sale of desktop computers: there’s no longer a sacrifice in power for portability, they’ve dropped in price to be nearly on par with desktops, and inexpensive Wi-Fi networks mean users are no longer tethered to the wall to access the Internet at high speeds.

Once intended primarily for the business crowd — say, mobile executives who needed to crunch numbers at 30,000 feet — laptops are now in demand as a consumer product designed for virtually everyone, from the student to the homemaker and the retiree.

In fact, laptops are a hot commodity as we approach the holidays: a recent survey commissioned by the U.S-based Consumer Electronics Association found that a new computer outranked peace, happiness and clothes as the most wished-for gifts.

Looking for recommendations? Whether you’re planning on buying one for yourself or a loved one dropping serious hints, here are a few laptops ideal for use in and around the home.

THIN IS IN

At just 0.9 inches and under four pounds, the Dell Inspiron XPS M1330 (starts at $1,399; www.dell.ca) is one of the thinnest and lightest 13.3-inch laptops on the market. But it’s no slouch under the hood thanks to an Intel Core 2 Duo (up to 2.4Ghz, 800Mhz) processor, up to 4GB of system memory (“RAM”), slot-load DVD burner (with dual-layer support, for up to 8.5GB of data per disc), 8-in-1 memory card reader and up to 250GB of hard drive space. Built-in Wi-Fi is standard, but optional extras include Bluetooth and a webcam. The “MicroSatin” paint looks and feels great, and is available in one of three colours: Alpine White, Crimson Red or Tuxedo Black.

BIGGER IS BETTER

Those who rely on their computer for their entertainment needs — such as DVD movies, computer games and video editing — will love the 17-inch glossy high-definition screen on the HP Pavilion dv9615ca Entertainment Notebook PC (from $1079.99; www.hp.ca). Powering this 7.7-pound laptop is an Intel Core 2 Duo processor T5250 (1.50GHz); 200GB hard drive (two combined); 1GB of system memory; Intel Graphics Media Accelerator X3100 and integrated Wi-Fi. And when you’re ready to create a custom music or movie disc on this dual-layer DVD burner, you can design and print text or graphics with the built-in LightScribe labelling technology (special CDs or DVDs required).

MEDIA HOUND, FOR LESS

Kick back on your couch, bed or kitchen table to watch movies — even high-definition ones — on the Toshiba Satellite P200 (from $899.00; www.toshiba.ca), offering a superb value for what you get including a 17-inch widescreen, integrated HD DVD drive (with dual-layer DVD burning), powerful Intel Core 2 Duo processor T5450 (1.66GHz); 2GB of system memory (up to 4GB) and a 200MB hard drive. If you don’t want to wear headphones, you can use the Harmon/Kardon stereo speakers. Convenient extras include a built-in 1.3-megapixel webcam, Bluetooth v2.0, microphone, 5-in-1 media card reader and Wi-Fi.

COOL TO THE CORE

While the three aforementioned laptops run on the Windows Vista operating system, Mac enthusiasts can turn to the new Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard and its 300-plus new features, which debuted at the end of October (more info is at www.apple.com/ca/macosx). While pricey, we like the 15-inch MacBook Pro ($2,799.00; apple.ca) with a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB of system memory; 160GB hard drive; dual-layer DVD burner, fast 802.11n Wi-Fi and impressive graphics performance with its NVIDIA GeForce 8600M GT graphics with 256MB SDRAM. You can run Windows on this MacBook Pro using a program like BootCamp or Parallels.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

Marc Saltzman
Sun

It’s the hub of your home theatre. Nope, not your television — it’s your audio-video (AV) receiver. That box does all the work to manage your sound by bringing in audio from multiple sources, decoding and amplifying it, and pushing it through to your surround-sound speakers, as well as taking in video from various components and routing it all to your TV.

What’s that? You don’t have one? You simply plug all of your home theatre components into the back of your television? Oh my.

With all the attention on high-definition displays, many consumers are forgetting or forgoing an AV receiver. And it’s a shame, as it’s one of the most important pieces of equipment to replicate the movie theatre experience in your home.

Setting up the receiver is no more difficult than any other component and will make a huge difference in your home entertainment. Whether you’re in the market for your first (or next) AV receiver, the following are a handful of new features you might want to look for and some receiver recommendations.

SAY HI TO HDMI

HDMI offers the highest quality compared to older cable technologies, such as component, S-Video and composite, and is capable of delivering 1080p resolution to a compatible high-definition television — meaning all 1,080 lines of resolution are shown “progressively” (i.e. simultaneously), instead of the older “interlaced” (or alternating) method that quickly alternates between even and odd lines. HDMI carries audio, too.

Not only will a single HDMI cable leading to your TV be a cleaner solution than a mess of spaghetti wiring but you can use your AV receiver remote to easily cycle between all of your video sources. This is called HDMI switching and is ideal for those who have a TV with only, say, two HDMI input jacks but who might own four HDMI-based components.

Another benefit of the technology is HDMI upconverting. Some receivers will take an older component, such as a VCR or DVD player connected to the receiver with the red, yellow and white composite (“RCA”) cables, and output the video to the television in much better quality thanks to the HDMI cable.

The latest HDMI is version 1.3, which offers more bandwidth for higher quality audio and video.

We like: Denon AVR-3808CI ($1,949; www.denon.ca)

MULTICHANNEL MADNESS

Many high-definition movies and video games today have been recorded or remastered in 7.1 surround sound.

You’ve probably heard of 5.1 surround sound: two left and right front speakers, a centre channel that sits just below or above your television (where up to 80 per cent of a movie’s dialogue comes from) and two left and right rear speakers. The “.1” in the equation is reserved for the multidirectional subwoofer, which sites on the floor, and delivers the booming bass. A different audio track is played through each of these six channels.

While it might sound like overkill, many home theatre enthusiasts have set up a 6.1 or 7.1 surround-sound room, which adds one or two additional rear speakers.

There are a number of new 7.1 audio technologies on various high-definition discs, such as DTS-HD and Dolby TrueHD, so audiophiles will make sure their AV receiver has these audio decoders built-in.

We like: Yamaha RX-V1800 ($1,399; www.yamaha.ca/av)

NETWORKS, IPODS AND MORE

Many current AV receivers allow you to link your home theatre to your computer — via an Ethernet cable (wired) or 802.11 Wi-Fi (wireless) connection — enabling you to access all the music (and, in some cases, photos and videos) stored on a PC in another room.

An onscreen interface will let you navigate through your media library and select files to play. Often this networked AV receiver can also play music streaming from the Internet from online radio stations and other sources.

On a related note, the iPod has grown into such a cultural phenomenon many AV receivers include an iPod docking station (or sell it as an accessory). Now when you come home from work you can plop your digital music player in a dock, which also starts to recharge the iPod’s battery, and you can hear your favourite songs through your home theatre and in some instances view photos and videos on your television.

Many AV receivers also offer satellite radio support, letting subscribers to XM Satellite Radio or Sirius Satellite Radio hear CD-quality, commercial-free stations in the best possible sound.

We like: Pioneer Elite VSX-94TXH ($1,899.99; www.pioneerelectronics.ca)

© The Vancouver Sun 2007