The most recent articles from What PC?

The most recent articles from What PC?http://www.whatpc.co.uk/The most recent articles from What PC? (Generated on Thursday 8 January 2009 at 09:10:53)VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKhttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/2009-01-08T09:10:53.631Z

The most recent articles from What PC?http://www.whatpc.co.uk/images/rss/wpc_logo.gifhttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/Sharp Zaurus SL-5500http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132810/sharp-zaurus-sl-5500Scott Colvey, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Wednesday 28 August 2002 at 09:39:08Powerful, well-designed and reasonably priced: It's difficult not to like the Zaurus.<content page="1"><html><body>While Microsoft's lead in the desktop computer operating system market seems unassailable, it has not fared nearly so well in the palmtop arena. After several false starts, the firm's Pocket PC (formerly Windows CE) operating system has finally got off the blocks, but just as it seems to be gaining ground on frontrunner Palm OS, a new contender has arrived.And it is the same competitor that is snapping boisterously at the heels of Microsoft Windows in the desktop department - Linux.If you haven't heard of Linux, the main thing to know is that it is Windows for the wise and wealthless: an operating system designed by enthusiasts from the ground up and distributed freely to anyone who wishes to download the data files or obtain them on CD-Rom. It looks similar to Windows, works in much the same way on the surface, but underneath - and here is the rub, according to its proponents - it is much more reliable.At the moment, Linux appeals mainly to computer hobbyists with the time and inclination to make it work with existing hardware setups - Linux's support for peripherals and applications being limited - and corporations whose IT budgets are big enough to allow them to tailor it to match their needs precisely.That, perhaps, helps explain why Sharp has chosen the leftfield operating system to power its latest personal digital assistant (PDA). Big businesses buy an awful lot of these things, and some of today's most popular gadgets grew from a groundswell of enthusiasts.The Zaurus is a good-looking device - the shiny central control pad contrasts well with the steel-effect look of the case - but the unit is lengthier than its contemporaries. The reason for this is found under the main control panel: a quick flick of the thumb pulls it down to reveal a minuscule Qwerty keyboard, set out to form a slight arc.Naturally, the buttons are small, but the keyboard is surprisingly elegant in use: a two-thumb tapping approach soon pays entry-speed dividends.The keyboard complements rather than replaces traditional palmtop entry methods, so if you prefer character/handwriting recognition or stylus-pecking at an on-screen keyboard, the Zaurus will not disappoint.Powering up the device for the first time engenders a decidedly dated feeling. The screen fills with a scrolling list of command-line instructions. It's not unlike watching an early Dos-based computer going through its startup procedure. The machine even declares that it is 'booting'.After this you could be forgiven for thinking the Zaurus was a Pocket PC palmtop. Colourful icons and tabbed headers make navigation an intuitive affair. Want to add a contact's details? Click the Address Book icon. Need to calculate some figures? Use the Calculator icon.The screen is fantastic. It looks far better than its 240x320-pixel resolution would suggest, and adjustable backlighting solves the problem of dark conditions. However, while the touch-sensitive surface is responsive to stylus pecks and strokes, a jog-dial would have aided navigation. Moreover, right-handed users will find that the thumb of their holding hand could obscure the unit's infrared transmitter - a thoughtless piece of design.In terms of expansion, the Zaurus is well-equipped. The machine's impressive 64MB memory can be augmented by the insertion of SD memory cards or CompactFlash add-ons. And do not think the Linux operating system precludes Windows users from making the most of the Zaurus: Sharp supplies a PC docking cradle and synchronisation software, which both work well.It is difficult not to like the Zaurus. The machine is powerful, well-designed and reasonably priced. Linux is very much an unknown quantity in PDA terms, but such is the community spirit that software support is all but guaranteed.Specifications: <ul><li>65,000-colour, 240x320-resolution screen</li><li>Qwerty keyboard (under sliding cover)</li><li>CompactFlash and SD expansion slots</li><li>3.5mm stereo headphone jack socket</li><li>Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery</li><li>206MHz StrongARM processor</li><li>64MB SDRam</li><li>Linux operating system</li></ul>Price: £449.99 (inc VAT) Contact:Sharp: 0800 138 8879 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sharp.co.uk">www.sharp.co.uk</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132810/sharp-zaurus-sl-5500Scott Colvey, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Wednesday 28 August 2002 at 09:39:08Powerful, well-designed and reasonably priced: It's difficult not to like the Zaurus.<content page="1"><html><body>While Microsoft's lead in the desktop computer operating system market seems unassailable, it has not fared nearly so well in the palmtop arena. After several false starts, the firm's Pocket PC (formerly Windows CE) operating system has finally got off the blocks, but just as it seems to be gaining ground on frontrunner Palm OS, a new contender has arrived.And it is the same competitor that is snapping boisterously at the heels of Microsoft Windows in the desktop department - Linux.If you haven't heard of Linux, the main thing to know is that it is Windows for the wise and wealthless: an operating system designed by enthusiasts from the ground up and distributed freely to anyone who wishes to download the data files or obtain them on CD-Rom. It looks similar to Windows, works in much the same way on the surface, but underneath - and here is the rub, according to its proponents - it is much more reliable.At the moment, Linux appeals mainly to computer hobbyists with the time and inclination to make it work with existing hardware setups - Linux's support for peripherals and applications being limited - and corporations whose IT budgets are big enough to allow them to tailor it to match their needs precisely.That, perhaps, helps explain why Sharp has chosen the leftfield operating system to power its latest personal digital assistant (PDA). Big businesses buy an awful lot of these things, and some of today's most popular gadgets grew from a groundswell of enthusiasts.The Zaurus is a good-looking device - the shiny central control pad contrasts well with the steel-effect look of the case - but the unit is lengthier than its contemporaries. The reason for this is found under the main control panel: a quick flick of the thumb pulls it down to reveal a minuscule Qwerty keyboard, set out to form a slight arc.Naturally, the buttons are small, but the keyboard is surprisingly elegant in use: a two-thumb tapping approach soon pays entry-speed dividends.The keyboard complements rather than replaces traditional palmtop entry methods, so if you prefer character/handwriting recognition or stylus-pecking at an on-screen keyboard, the Zaurus will not disappoint.Powering up the device for the first time engenders a decidedly dated feeling. The screen fills with a scrolling list of command-line instructions. It's not unlike watching an early Dos-based computer going through its startup procedure. The machine even declares that it is 'booting'.After this you could be forgiven for thinking the Zaurus was a Pocket PC palmtop. Colourful icons and tabbed headers make navigation an intuitive affair. Want to add a contact's details? Click the Address Book icon. Need to calculate some figures? Use the Calculator icon.The screen is fantastic. It looks far better than its 240x320-pixel resolution would suggest, and adjustable backlighting solves the problem of dark conditions. However, while the touch-sensitive surface is responsive to stylus pecks and strokes, a jog-dial would have aided navigation. Moreover, right-handed users will find that the thumb of their holding hand could obscure the unit's infrared transmitter - a thoughtless piece of design.In terms of expansion, the Zaurus is well-equipped. The machine's impressive 64MB memory can be augmented by the insertion of SD memory cards or CompactFlash add-ons. And do not think the Linux operating system precludes Windows users from making the most of the Zaurus: Sharp supplies a PC docking cradle and synchronisation software, which both work well.It is difficult not to like the Zaurus. The machine is powerful, well-designed and reasonably priced. Linux is very much an unknown quantity in PDA terms, but such is the community spirit that software support is all but guaranteed.Specifications: <ul><li>65,000-colour, 240x320-resolution screen</li><li>Qwerty keyboard (under sliding cover)</li><li>CompactFlash and SD expansion slots</li><li>3.5mm stereo headphone jack socket</li><li>Built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery</li><li>206MHz StrongARM processor</li><li>64MB SDRam</li><li>Linux operating system</li></ul>Price: £449.99 (inc VAT) Contact:Sharp: 0800 138 8879 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.sharp.co.uk">www.sharp.co.uk</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKScott Colvey2002-08-28T09:39:08.000ZHardware Reviewsmobile-technologyPogo-Tech Pogohttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132783/pogo-tech-pogoScott Colvey, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 11 April 2002 at 10:23:18A new handheld that may just steal a march on the big boys.<content page="1"><html><body>In an industry ruled increasingly by giant corporations, Pogo Technology is hoping to steal a march on the big boys by launching a handheld computer with wireless capabilities that the company claims far surpass anything the competition can offer.In this David and Goliath battle, the missile in Pogo's sling is a clever compression system. While other palmtops allow wireless web surfing, the experience is frustrating due to slow data transfer speeds.The Pogo relies on the same aerials and bandwidth for its web connection but, before the requested data reaches it, it is intercepted by Pogo's server computers. Here, compression software scrunches it down, forwarding this shrunken data stream to the Pogo. Result: much faster on-the-go browsing.It seems to work. Web pages that might take 10-20 seconds to download using other wireless palmtops appear on the Pogo's screen moments after they're requested. However, receiving them at all seems to be a hit-and-miss affair. Regularly during tests in and around our central London offices, the Pogo lost its mobile signal in mid session.The device itself isn't too bulky or heavy but it's chunkier than the average mobile phone. Control is via a touch-sensitive screen and stylus, which slides awkwardly in and out of one of the Pogo's four nipple-like protrusions. Power switch and antenna account for two of the remaining three, while the fourth exists for reasons of symmetry.The Pogo doubles as a mobile phone and organiser but, sadly, its PDA-mimicking features are basic.Specifications:<ul><li>320 x 240-pixel colour display</li><li>Dual-band GSM phone</li><li>16Mb memory</li><li>Dimensions: 150mm diagonal, 24mm deep; weight 243g</li><li>Includes Macromedia Flash 4 plug-in and MP3-playing software.</li></ul>Contact: Pogo Technology 0808 100 9250 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.pogo-tech.com">www.pogo-tech.com</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132783/pogo-tech-pogoScott Colvey, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 11 April 2002 at 10:23:18A new handheld that may just steal a march on the big boys.<content page="1"><html><body>In an industry ruled increasingly by giant corporations, Pogo Technology is hoping to steal a march on the big boys by launching a handheld computer with wireless capabilities that the company claims far surpass anything the competition can offer.In this David and Goliath battle, the missile in Pogo's sling is a clever compression system. While other palmtops allow wireless web surfing, the experience is frustrating due to slow data transfer speeds.The Pogo relies on the same aerials and bandwidth for its web connection but, before the requested data reaches it, it is intercepted by Pogo's server computers. Here, compression software scrunches it down, forwarding this shrunken data stream to the Pogo. Result: much faster on-the-go browsing.It seems to work. Web pages that might take 10-20 seconds to download using other wireless palmtops appear on the Pogo's screen moments after they're requested. However, receiving them at all seems to be a hit-and-miss affair. Regularly during tests in and around our central London offices, the Pogo lost its mobile signal in mid session.The device itself isn't too bulky or heavy but it's chunkier than the average mobile phone. Control is via a touch-sensitive screen and stylus, which slides awkwardly in and out of one of the Pogo's four nipple-like protrusions. Power switch and antenna account for two of the remaining three, while the fourth exists for reasons of symmetry.The Pogo doubles as a mobile phone and organiser but, sadly, its PDA-mimicking features are basic.Specifications:<ul><li>320 x 240-pixel colour display</li><li>Dual-band GSM phone</li><li>16Mb memory</li><li>Dimensions: 150mm diagonal, 24mm deep; weight 243g</li><li>Includes Macromedia Flash 4 plug-in and MP3-playing software.</li></ul>Contact: Pogo Technology 0808 100 9250 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.pogo-tech.com">www.pogo-tech.com</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKScott Colvey2002-04-11T10:23:18.000ZHardware Reviewsmobile-technologyHandspring Treo 180http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132782/handspring-treo-180Cliff Joseph, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Wednesday 10 April 2002 at 11:50:08PDA/dual-band GSM mobile phone combo.<content page="1"><html><body>The attempt to combine a PDA with a mobile phone has thrown up some pretty eccentric designs recently, like Nokia's schizophrenic Communicator device, and the Pogo [What PC?, April 2002].But, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, Handspring has stuck with what it knows best for the Treo 180. The Treo looks a lot like one of Handspring's Visor PDAs, so it will feel instantly familiar to anyone who has used a Visor or any other PDA that uses the Palm operating system.If you're comfortable with the Graffiti handwriting-recognition system used by Handspring, Palm and Sony PDAs, you can get a version of the Treo that has the standard Graffiti writing pad built into its touch-sensitive screen. This will allow you to hold the Treo in one hand while you use a stylus to write onto the screen with the other.Our review unit, however, was the alternative model, which replaces the Graffiti pad with a small qwerty keyboard. The idea with this model is that you hold the Treo with both hands and type with your thumbs.It's nice to have that choice, and the design of the Treo shows that Handspring has paid a lot of attention to practical details such as this.Flip-up coverLike several of the Visor models, the Treo has a flip-up cover that protects the touch-sensitive screen. However, the Treo's cover also has the phone earpiece built in, so you just lift it to your ear and your electronic organiser can instantly be used as a dual-band GSM phone.The Treo also provides SMS text messaging, and will offer wireless internet access and email as long as those services are supported by your mobile network provider.The cover also acts as the power switch, so the Treo automatically turns itself on and off whenever you open or close the lid. Another nice touch here is that the cover has a see-through panel in it, so you can screen incoming calls or view text messages and emails without opening the cover.You can also scroll through the Treo's calendar, phone book or web bookmarks in the same way, using either the two navigation buttons on the front panel or the dial on the left-hand side of the unit.Buttons for main applicationsPositioned on either side of the front-panel navigation buttons are additional buttons that activate the phone book, calendar, SMS and web browser software, so all your main applications are instantly available. They're easy to use as well.Pressing the phone book button once takes you into the speed-dial list. A second press of the button activates an on-screen number pad so that you can enter phone numbers by hand, and a third press lets you browse through your contacts list for numbers that may not be stored in the speed-dial range.Headset for hands-freeHandspring includes a separate headset with the Treo, which plugs into a socket on the side of the device. This means that you can leave the Treo sitting on your desk and use it as a hands-free phone while you're working.And if you're in a meeting and you don't want to be disturbed, you can turn off the wireless communications features altogether and just use the Treo as an ordinary electronic organiser.Ease of useIt's that attention to detail that makes the Treo one of the better PDA-phones we've seen so far. It's a little on the expensive side, but Handspring has successfully managed to combine the features of a phone and a PDA without compromising the Treo's overall ease of use. And it's still managed to produce a device that fits into your pocket and doesn't weigh a ton.It's early days for this new type of all-in-one mobile device, but Handspring's off to an excellent start with the Treo.Minimum requirements PC or Mac with USB to synchronise dataPrice £229 (inc VAT, and contract from mm02 - BT Cellnet); £499 (inc VAT) without contractContact Handspring: 020 7309 0134 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.handspring.co.uk">www.handspring.co.uk</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132782/handspring-treo-180Cliff Joseph, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Wednesday 10 April 2002 at 11:50:08PDA/dual-band GSM mobile phone combo.<content page="1"><html><body>The attempt to combine a PDA with a mobile phone has thrown up some pretty eccentric designs recently, like Nokia's schizophrenic Communicator device, and the Pogo [What PC?, April 2002].But, rather than trying to reinvent the wheel, Handspring has stuck with what it knows best for the Treo 180. The Treo looks a lot like one of Handspring's Visor PDAs, so it will feel instantly familiar to anyone who has used a Visor or any other PDA that uses the Palm operating system.If you're comfortable with the Graffiti handwriting-recognition system used by Handspring, Palm and Sony PDAs, you can get a version of the Treo that has the standard Graffiti writing pad built into its touch-sensitive screen. This will allow you to hold the Treo in one hand while you use a stylus to write onto the screen with the other.Our review unit, however, was the alternative model, which replaces the Graffiti pad with a small qwerty keyboard. The idea with this model is that you hold the Treo with both hands and type with your thumbs.It's nice to have that choice, and the design of the Treo shows that Handspring has paid a lot of attention to practical details such as this.Flip-up coverLike several of the Visor models, the Treo has a flip-up cover that protects the touch-sensitive screen. However, the Treo's cover also has the phone earpiece built in, so you just lift it to your ear and your electronic organiser can instantly be used as a dual-band GSM phone.The Treo also provides SMS text messaging, and will offer wireless internet access and email as long as those services are supported by your mobile network provider.The cover also acts as the power switch, so the Treo automatically turns itself on and off whenever you open or close the lid. Another nice touch here is that the cover has a see-through panel in it, so you can screen incoming calls or view text messages and emails without opening the cover.You can also scroll through the Treo's calendar, phone book or web bookmarks in the same way, using either the two navigation buttons on the front panel or the dial on the left-hand side of the unit.Buttons for main applicationsPositioned on either side of the front-panel navigation buttons are additional buttons that activate the phone book, calendar, SMS and web browser software, so all your main applications are instantly available. They're easy to use as well.Pressing the phone book button once takes you into the speed-dial list. A second press of the button activates an on-screen number pad so that you can enter phone numbers by hand, and a third press lets you browse through your contacts list for numbers that may not be stored in the speed-dial range.Headset for hands-freeHandspring includes a separate headset with the Treo, which plugs into a socket on the side of the device. This means that you can leave the Treo sitting on your desk and use it as a hands-free phone while you're working.And if you're in a meeting and you don't want to be disturbed, you can turn off the wireless communications features altogether and just use the Treo as an ordinary electronic organiser.Ease of useIt's that attention to detail that makes the Treo one of the better PDA-phones we've seen so far. It's a little on the expensive side, but Handspring has successfully managed to combine the features of a phone and a PDA without compromising the Treo's overall ease of use. And it's still managed to produce a device that fits into your pocket and doesn't weigh a ton.It's early days for this new type of all-in-one mobile device, but Handspring's off to an excellent start with the Treo.Minimum requirements PC or Mac with USB to synchronise dataPrice £229 (inc VAT, and contract from mm02 - BT Cellnet); £499 (inc VAT) without contractContact Handspring: 020 7309 0134 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.handspring.co.uk">www.handspring.co.uk</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCliff Joseph2002-04-10T11:50:08.000ZHardware Reviewsmobile-technologySony PCG-SR31Khttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132779/sony-pcg-sr31kBen Lewis, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Monday 8 April 2002 at 12:10:45Sony introduces the first notebooks to incorporate the wireless Bluetooth technology.<content page="1"><html><body>Sony has produced the first notebook computers to feature the supposedly revolutionary short-range wireless communications system known as Bluetooth.We have seen this technology in headphones and other add-ons before, but never in a notebook. The two ultra-portable Vaios feature fully-integrated Bluetooth modules, antennae and software.The SR31K features a 750Mhz Mobile Pentium III processor with SpeedStep, 128Mb Ram (upgradable to 256Mb) and a 15Gb hard drive. The 10.4in display is powered by an 8Mb Savage S3 graphics chipset.A lack of any legacy ports has enabled Sony to keep the weight down to just 1.36kg which, alongside the slim dimensions, makes this notebook ultra-portable. You also get a FireWire port and a PC Card slot, which is taken up by the external CDRom drive.The obligatory MagicGate Memory Stick slot is included as well. A jog-dial control completes the features list for the SR31K, which gives you plenty of multimedia storage and connectivity options.The smaller PCG-C1VFK is equipped with a 667Mhz Transmeta Crusoe processor, specifically designed to achieve high performance with lower power consumption.The compact display is well lit and clear and the Motion Eye camera, which is attached to the top of the screen and can rotate through 180 degrees, is a pleasing extra. Both notebooks have Windows 2000 and special Sony software, such as OpenMG for music storage and VisualFlow for sharing images.The PCG-SR31K's Bluetooth antenna, hiding in a thin black ridge at the top of the screen, is activated by a button on the side. (It's on the base of the C1VFK.) The blue LED illuminates and you are faced with the visually impressive BlueSpace software.This detects nearby Bluetooth devices with a sonar-style bleep, before negotiating a connection. Annoyingly, it's necessary to instigate this yourself, since the machines can't recognise each other automatically.Once connected you can choose from the icons on screen, which allow you to use File Push, a simple file-transfer utility. The machines connect via a 'virtual' serial port or local area network, and you can also link to remote devices attached to the other machine.The BlueSpace software is quite clear with simple icons and diagrams but the interface doesn't offer the complete control you might expect. It's easy to use if you're performing straightforward tasks but can get tricky for more complex degrees of control.After taking about a minute to assign an IP address the notebooks managed to exchange information at about 500Kbps when within a couple of metres range, but this figure dropped as we moved them apart. At a distance of roughly 12 metres the connection was lost. The transfer speed was less than the 1Mbps Bluetooth limit, but should be fast enough for most.Considering that Bluetooth is being touted as the wireless link to unite all cordless machines and add-ons in the future, compatibility could be a problem. These notebooks can only connect to an IP address if it is another Vaio running BlueSpace. A password system protects you from unknown Bluetooth modules.Specifications: PCG-SR31K<ul><li>750Mhz SpeedStep Pentium III processor</li><li>128Mb Ram</li><li>15Gb hard disk</li><li>8Mb S3 Savage/IX8 graphics chipset</li><li>10.4in XGA TFT display</li><li>Windows 2000</li><li>Dimensions: 259 x 209 x 32mm</li><li>Weight: 1.36kg</li><li>Price £1802 (inc VAT).</li></ul>Features: **** Build quality: **** Performance: **** Value for money: *** Overall: ****Specifications: PCG-C1VFK<ul><li>667Mhz Transmeta Crusoe TM5600 processor</li><li>128Mb Ram</li><li>15Gb hard disk</li><li>8Mb ATI 3D Rage Mobility graphics chipset</li><li>8.95in TFT LCD display</li><li>Windows 2000</li><li>Dimensions: 248 x 152 x 27mm</li><li>Weight: 1.01kg</li><li>Price £1702 (inc VAT).</li></ul>Features: **** Build quality: **** Performance: **** Value for money: *** Overall: ****Contact: Sony UK 0870 542 4424 <a href="http://www.world.sony.com">www.world.sony.com</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132779/sony-pcg-sr31kBen Lewis, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Monday 8 April 2002 at 12:10:45Sony introduces the first notebooks to incorporate the wireless Bluetooth technology.<content page="1"><html><body>Sony has produced the first notebook computers to feature the supposedly revolutionary short-range wireless communications system known as Bluetooth.We have seen this technology in headphones and other add-ons before, but never in a notebook. The two ultra-portable Vaios feature fully-integrated Bluetooth modules, antennae and software.The SR31K features a 750Mhz Mobile Pentium III processor with SpeedStep, 128Mb Ram (upgradable to 256Mb) and a 15Gb hard drive. The 10.4in display is powered by an 8Mb Savage S3 graphics chipset.A lack of any legacy ports has enabled Sony to keep the weight down to just 1.36kg which, alongside the slim dimensions, makes this notebook ultra-portable. You also get a FireWire port and a PC Card slot, which is taken up by the external CDRom drive.The obligatory MagicGate Memory Stick slot is included as well. A jog-dial control completes the features list for the SR31K, which gives you plenty of multimedia storage and connectivity options.The smaller PCG-C1VFK is equipped with a 667Mhz Transmeta Crusoe processor, specifically designed to achieve high performance with lower power consumption.The compact display is well lit and clear and the Motion Eye camera, which is attached to the top of the screen and can rotate through 180 degrees, is a pleasing extra. Both notebooks have Windows 2000 and special Sony software, such as OpenMG for music storage and VisualFlow for sharing images.The PCG-SR31K's Bluetooth antenna, hiding in a thin black ridge at the top of the screen, is activated by a button on the side. (It's on the base of the C1VFK.) The blue LED illuminates and you are faced with the visually impressive BlueSpace software.This detects nearby Bluetooth devices with a sonar-style bleep, before negotiating a connection. Annoyingly, it's necessary to instigate this yourself, since the machines can't recognise each other automatically.Once connected you can choose from the icons on screen, which allow you to use File Push, a simple file-transfer utility. The machines connect via a 'virtual' serial port or local area network, and you can also link to remote devices attached to the other machine.The BlueSpace software is quite clear with simple icons and diagrams but the interface doesn't offer the complete control you might expect. It's easy to use if you're performing straightforward tasks but can get tricky for more complex degrees of control.After taking about a minute to assign an IP address the notebooks managed to exchange information at about 500Kbps when within a couple of metres range, but this figure dropped as we moved them apart. At a distance of roughly 12 metres the connection was lost. The transfer speed was less than the 1Mbps Bluetooth limit, but should be fast enough for most.Considering that Bluetooth is being touted as the wireless link to unite all cordless machines and add-ons in the future, compatibility could be a problem. These notebooks can only connect to an IP address if it is another Vaio running BlueSpace. A password system protects you from unknown Bluetooth modules.Specifications: PCG-SR31K<ul><li>750Mhz SpeedStep Pentium III processor</li><li>128Mb Ram</li><li>15Gb hard disk</li><li>8Mb S3 Savage/IX8 graphics chipset</li><li>10.4in XGA TFT display</li><li>Windows 2000</li><li>Dimensions: 259 x 209 x 32mm</li><li>Weight: 1.36kg</li><li>Price £1802 (inc VAT).</li></ul>Features: **** Build quality: **** Performance: **** Value for money: *** Overall: ****Specifications: PCG-C1VFK<ul><li>667Mhz Transmeta Crusoe TM5600 processor</li><li>128Mb Ram</li><li>15Gb hard disk</li><li>8Mb ATI 3D Rage Mobility graphics chipset</li><li>8.95in TFT LCD display</li><li>Windows 2000</li><li>Dimensions: 248 x 152 x 27mm</li><li>Weight: 1.01kg</li><li>Price £1702 (inc VAT).</li></ul>Features: **** Build quality: **** Performance: **** Value for money: *** Overall: ****Contact: Sony UK 0870 542 4424 <a href="http://www.world.sony.com">www.world.sony.com</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKBen Lewis2002-04-08T12:10:45.000ZHardware Reviewsmobile-technologyHewlett Packard OmniBook 500http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132761/hewlett-packard-omnibook-500Simon Duddy, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Wednesday 27 February 2002 at 11:21:56As desirable as notebooks can be, but at a big price.<content page="1"><html><body>Ultra-portable notebooks are the creme de la creme of the computer world: neat and powerful, they are the preserve of the wealthy professional.Some companies are attempting to drag down the prices to broaden the appeal of these wondrous machines, but HP has stuck to form and produced the OmniBook 500, with lavish features and a hefty price tag.The innovations in this nifty notebook are mainly confined to its expansion slice. This acts as a docking station designed to stay rooted to the desktop, and onto which you can attach the OmniBook to give it more functionality, such as floppy disk and CD drives. These can be removed and swapped for yet more devices - DVD-ROM, CD-RW and long-life battery - which slot in smoothly.The machine is driven by a 600Mhz Pentium III processor, backed up by 128Mb of memory and a 10Gb hard disk drive. The screen is a 12.1in model with a resolution of 1024x768, and it gives a bright and clear display - as you'd expect of a computer at this price level. Without the expansion slice attached, the OmniBook's upgrade options are limited to a solitary Type II PC Card slot and two USB ports.The OmniBook 500 is one of the most attractive little computers on sale, with a soft-blue theme set off supremely by a smattering of bright-blue LED indicator lights. Flip it open and it's just as pretty, with a rubberised wrist-rest underlining a nice, big keyboard. In the middle of this is a trackpoint nipple controller.Oscar Wilde once said that nothing succeeds like excess and this is certainly true of the OmniBook, but it comes at a price. It's about as desirable as notebook computers can be.Contact Hewlett Packard 0870 547 4747, www.hp.com/uk</body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132761/hewlett-packard-omnibook-500Simon Duddy, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Wednesday 27 February 2002 at 11:21:56As desirable as notebooks can be, but at a big price.<content page="1"><html><body>Ultra-portable notebooks are the creme de la creme of the computer world: neat and powerful, they are the preserve of the wealthy professional.Some companies are attempting to drag down the prices to broaden the appeal of these wondrous machines, but HP has stuck to form and produced the OmniBook 500, with lavish features and a hefty price tag.The innovations in this nifty notebook are mainly confined to its expansion slice. This acts as a docking station designed to stay rooted to the desktop, and onto which you can attach the OmniBook to give it more functionality, such as floppy disk and CD drives. These can be removed and swapped for yet more devices - DVD-ROM, CD-RW and long-life battery - which slot in smoothly.The machine is driven by a 600Mhz Pentium III processor, backed up by 128Mb of memory and a 10Gb hard disk drive. The screen is a 12.1in model with a resolution of 1024x768, and it gives a bright and clear display - as you'd expect of a computer at this price level. Without the expansion slice attached, the OmniBook's upgrade options are limited to a solitary Type II PC Card slot and two USB ports.The OmniBook 500 is one of the most attractive little computers on sale, with a soft-blue theme set off supremely by a smattering of bright-blue LED indicator lights. Flip it open and it's just as pretty, with a rubberised wrist-rest underlining a nice, big keyboard. In the middle of this is a trackpoint nipple controller.Oscar Wilde once said that nothing succeeds like excess and this is certainly true of the OmniBook, but it comes at a price. It's about as desirable as notebook computers can be.Contact Hewlett Packard 0870 547 4747, www.hp.com/uk</body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKSimon Duddy2002-02-27T11:21:56.000ZHardware Reviewsmobile-technologyTrium Mondohttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132755/trium-mondoAlan Dunmore, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Tuesday 18 December 2001 at 15:45:05Science fiction comes true as the first combined Pocket PC and mobile phone hits the street.<content page="1"><html><body>Palm-sized PDAs, such as Handspring's Visor and Compaq's iPaq, have been around for some time now, and canny manufacturers have brought out various add-on modules that give the devices the extra functionality of a mobile phone. It was therefore only a matter of time before someone combined the two into one product.The Mondo is a bit like a device from a science fiction movie: the number of things you can do with such a small, powerful device is astonishing.But once the wonder passes, is it worth the money? It is exactly the right size for your hand; about the same size as a Compaq iPaq, but with a small antenna poking out of the top. It is also light - lighter, even than some modern mobile phones on their own.Let's look at the PDA side of things first. The Mondo uses Microsoft's Pocket PC operating system, which means it looks and feels like Windows so should be fairly easy to get to grips with for anyone familiar with their desktop PC.It includes programs to manage your contacts, create a diary, send and receive emails, browse the internet, listen to music files and write notes to yourself. You can synchronise the information on your Mondo with that on your PC, thanks to the included software.Put the Mondo into the supplied cradle, which connects to your PC using the serial port, and the process is completed automatically for you. So far, so good. Unlike other pocket PCs, the Mondo doesn't have any expansion capability, so you won't be able to add more memory, for example.As there's only 16Mb of memory built in, this could be a problem: if you're thinking of also using this as an MP3 player, forget it. And to keep the price down, Trium has opted for a monochrome screen, which is also a shame.The phone side of things is integrated very well into the PDA. Trium has written a program to control the phone, which loads automatically when you switch it on.It is very easy to use and has been designed to look exactly like the front of a mobile phone. You can make a normal voice call by tapping the number on the screen using the provided stylus.A hands-free microphone and ear piece is in the box for you to use, or you can hold the Mondo against your ear and talk as if it were a normal mobile. The same program also allows you to look at Wap sites, which look better than usual on this large screen.The Mondo is really intended for data use and this is where the Pocket PC operating system really comes into its own. You can browse the internet on the move using Pocket Internet Explorer and send and receive email using Pocket Outlook.It's a liberating experience being able to sit outside and find out what's going on in the world and email your friends, all without any wires or a heavy laptop and separate mobile phone to carry around. To speed up data calls, the Mondo supports GPRS, a new technology that allows for much faster data access than existing GSM mobile phones.GPRS services are available on BT Cellnet and Vodafone networks, and this is where things come unstuck. Although the Mondo is technically capable of accessing the internet and sending emails at fast GPRS speeds, BT Cellnet and Vodafone have yet to support this.Both are limiting fast GPRS access to Wap sites only. That's fine so far as it goes, but what we really want is GPRS speed on all the other functions; browsing the internet is just infuriatingly slow as things stand.The Trium Mondo costs £350 (inc VAT) depending on the network.Specifications:<ul><li>Microsoft Pocket PC combined with GPRS phone</li><li>Monochrome screen</li><li>166Mhz StrongARM processor</li><li>16Mb of memory</li><li>Infrared port</li></ul>Contact: Trium 08009 120 020 <a href="http://www.trium.net">www.trium.net</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132755/trium-mondoAlan Dunmore, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Tuesday 18 December 2001 at 15:45:05Science fiction comes true as the first combined Pocket PC and mobile phone hits the street.<content page="1"><html><body>Palm-sized PDAs, such as Handspring's Visor and Compaq's iPaq, have been around for some time now, and canny manufacturers have brought out various add-on modules that give the devices the extra functionality of a mobile phone. It was therefore only a matter of time before someone combined the two into one product.The Mondo is a bit like a device from a science fiction movie: the number of things you can do with such a small, powerful device is astonishing.But once the wonder passes, is it worth the money? It is exactly the right size for your hand; about the same size as a Compaq iPaq, but with a small antenna poking out of the top. It is also light - lighter, even than some modern mobile phones on their own.Let's look at the PDA side of things first. The Mondo uses Microsoft's Pocket PC operating system, which means it looks and feels like Windows so should be fairly easy to get to grips with for anyone familiar with their desktop PC.It includes programs to manage your contacts, create a diary, send and receive emails, browse the internet, listen to music files and write notes to yourself. You can synchronise the information on your Mondo with that on your PC, thanks to the included software.Put the Mondo into the supplied cradle, which connects to your PC using the serial port, and the process is completed automatically for you. So far, so good. Unlike other pocket PCs, the Mondo doesn't have any expansion capability, so you won't be able to add more memory, for example.As there's only 16Mb of memory built in, this could be a problem: if you're thinking of also using this as an MP3 player, forget it. And to keep the price down, Trium has opted for a monochrome screen, which is also a shame.The phone side of things is integrated very well into the PDA. Trium has written a program to control the phone, which loads automatically when you switch it on.It is very easy to use and has been designed to look exactly like the front of a mobile phone. You can make a normal voice call by tapping the number on the screen using the provided stylus.A hands-free microphone and ear piece is in the box for you to use, or you can hold the Mondo against your ear and talk as if it were a normal mobile. The same program also allows you to look at Wap sites, which look better than usual on this large screen.The Mondo is really intended for data use and this is where the Pocket PC operating system really comes into its own. You can browse the internet on the move using Pocket Internet Explorer and send and receive email using Pocket Outlook.It's a liberating experience being able to sit outside and find out what's going on in the world and email your friends, all without any wires or a heavy laptop and separate mobile phone to carry around. To speed up data calls, the Mondo supports GPRS, a new technology that allows for much faster data access than existing GSM mobile phones.GPRS services are available on BT Cellnet and Vodafone networks, and this is where things come unstuck. Although the Mondo is technically capable of accessing the internet and sending emails at fast GPRS speeds, BT Cellnet and Vodafone have yet to support this.Both are limiting fast GPRS access to Wap sites only. That's fine so far as it goes, but what we really want is GPRS speed on all the other functions; browsing the internet is just infuriatingly slow as things stand.The Trium Mondo costs £350 (inc VAT) depending on the network.Specifications:<ul><li>Microsoft Pocket PC combined with GPRS phone</li><li>Monochrome screen</li><li>166Mhz StrongARM processor</li><li>16Mb of memory</li><li>Infrared port</li></ul>Contact: Trium 08009 120 020 <a href="http://www.trium.net">www.trium.net</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKAlan Dunmore2001-12-18T15:45:05.000ZHardware Reviewsmobile-technologyPalm m100http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132754/palm-m100Jim Haryott, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Tuesday 18 December 2001 at 15:44:57The original and hugely popular handheld manufacturers are back to defend the cheaper end of the market.<content page="1"><html><body>Despite continuing efforts from Microsoft and Psion, there has been little to challenge the supremacy of 3Com's Palm range of PDAs (personal digital assistants) in recent times.At least, that was the case until Handspring came along. This little-known US manufacturer, sensing that PDAs were becoming more mainstream, licensed the Palm platform and went about designing a cheap and expandable alternative. Not surprisingly, it grabbed a wedge of the market. The Palm m100 is 3Com's attempt to grab it back.The m100 has been suitably attired to appeal to teens and young adults, with click-on faceplates in the manner of Nokia mobiles. It comes with a black faceplate, but there are five other colours available with fluffy, furry and shiny alternatives to follow.Physically, this gives the m100 a more plasticky feel than the super cool Vx, but it is still distinctly Palm-like. The backlit LCD screen is typically bright, and runs off two AAA batteries. Protecting this is a flip-top plastic cover, with a small clear plastic porthole in the middle through which the new Clock application can be viewed.There's a new Post-It-style jotter application, but little else has changed in the operating system, except for the lack of email and internet applications. Instead, Palm has pandered to the youth market with an short message service application that can be synchronised with mobile phones.Some might be disappointed that Palm has not followed Handspring's bold step of including an expansion slot, although there are still various pieces of hardware that can clip onto the Palm devices, such as Kodak's PalmPix digital still camera.Also new is the HotSync serial cable with a built-in sync button. This means no cradle, but the one-click synchronising that Palm prides itself on is still very much in evidence.</body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132754/palm-m100Jim Haryott, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Tuesday 18 December 2001 at 15:44:57The original and hugely popular handheld manufacturers are back to defend the cheaper end of the market.<content page="1"><html><body>Despite continuing efforts from Microsoft and Psion, there has been little to challenge the supremacy of 3Com's Palm range of PDAs (personal digital assistants) in recent times.At least, that was the case until Handspring came along. This little-known US manufacturer, sensing that PDAs were becoming more mainstream, licensed the Palm platform and went about designing a cheap and expandable alternative. Not surprisingly, it grabbed a wedge of the market. The Palm m100 is 3Com's attempt to grab it back.The m100 has been suitably attired to appeal to teens and young adults, with click-on faceplates in the manner of Nokia mobiles. It comes with a black faceplate, but there are five other colours available with fluffy, furry and shiny alternatives to follow.Physically, this gives the m100 a more plasticky feel than the super cool Vx, but it is still distinctly Palm-like. The backlit LCD screen is typically bright, and runs off two AAA batteries. Protecting this is a flip-top plastic cover, with a small clear plastic porthole in the middle through which the new Clock application can be viewed.There's a new Post-It-style jotter application, but little else has changed in the operating system, except for the lack of email and internet applications. Instead, Palm has pandered to the youth market with an short message service application that can be synchronised with mobile phones.Some might be disappointed that Palm has not followed Handspring's bold step of including an expansion slot, although there are still various pieces of hardware that can clip onto the Palm devices, such as Kodak's PalmPix digital still camera.Also new is the HotSync serial cable with a built-in sync button. This means no cradle, but the one-click synchronising that Palm prides itself on is still very much in evidence.</body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKJim Haryott2001-12-18T15:44:57.000ZHardware Reviewsmobile-technologySamsung NV5500 TLhttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132749/samsung-nv5500-tlJulian Prokaza, What PC?, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 25 October 2001 at 12:58:52Samsung's newest ultra-portable is slim, sexy and stuffed with features.<content page="1"><html><body>Notebook PCs are pretty easy to carry around, but for some people, they're still too bulky. What they want is something that packs the maximum PC possible in the minimum case possible - in other words, an "ultra-portable" notebook.Most manufacturers have such a model in their line-up but they traditionally command a price premium. With the NV5500, however, Samsung is hoping to change all that.The NV5500 has all the prerequisites of an ultra-portable (and then some, of which more later) but what's lacking is the sky-high price. At £1999, the NV5500 is priced more like a mid-range notebook and is certainly cheaper than similar models from other manufacturers. Has Samsung cracked it?Hey, good-lookingIf a notebook can be judged on looks alone, then yes, it has. The NV5000 is perhaps the slimmest notebook we've ever clapped eyes on. Sheathed in brushed metal and reinforced with tough magnesium in all the right places, it's a mere 2cm thick - the same as two issues of What PC?.It weighs just 1.4kg too, which means even the most limp-wristed executive will have no problem slipping it into his or her Louis Vuitton attaché case.Pop the catch that holds the lid closed and the favourable impression extends to the NV5500's interior. The keyboard is reasonably large and the keys well-spaced with a positive action that makes for comfortable prolonged typing sessions.Cast your eyes upwards and the 12.1in TFT screen falls into view. This is a 1024x768 panel that displays in 16bit colour and the image is beautifully crisp and clear.To top it all off, we're pleased to report that Samsung has opted for a touchpad as the pointing device on the NV5500, rather than the titchy joystick favoured by other manufacturers.A quick glance around the sides reveals a fair selection of ports, including an RJ-11 for the built-in modem, VGA, a Type II PC Card slot, and a mini-port that can use either a USB or Ethernet adaptor cable (both are supplied).Sounds goodBut wait, there's more. The NV5500 also comes with a rather complicated-looking pair of earphones with a built-in remote control - much like the ones supplied with portable cassette and MiniDisc players. Plug these into the socket on the front edge of the notebook's case, and you can tap into the NV5500's 32Mb of flash memory.An application is supplied to copy MP3 files into this, and it means you can listen to music even with the notebook turned off.As a solid-state MP3 player, the NV5500 is big, expensive and under-specified, but it's ideal if you want a musical break on the plane, train or wherever.Ice and a sliceSound like good value so far? Well, there's more. Other manufacturers consider a floppy or CD-ROM drive an optional extra. Not Samsung.Supplied with the NV5500 is a docking "slice" that clips onto the base of the notebook. This turns the wafer-thin NV5500 into a machine of more typical proportions, and adds both floppy and CD-ROM (DVD-ROM on the higher model) drives, as well as yet more ports.Unremarkable RAMSo far, so stylish. But if we do have a quibble with the NV5500, it's with the base specification. The Intel Mobile Pentium III 500 is teamed with just 64Mb of RAM and this turned in a somewhat disappointing SYSmark 2000 score of 80 - a figure we'd expect from a Celeron 500-based desktop system.Adding more RAM would help, but to be fair, this is a minor complaint and the NV5500 more than makes up for it with its extensive array of other features.The NV5500 is the slimmest notebook we've seen and yet manages to cram in more features than a model twice its size. As far as ultra-portables go, it's the business.Contact Samsung: 0800 521 652 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.samsungelectronic.co.uk">www.samsungelectronic.co.uk</a></body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132749/samsung-nv5500-tlJulian Prokaza, What PC?, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 25 October 2001 at 12:58:52Samsung's newest ultra-portable is slim, sexy and stuffed with features.<content page="1"><html><body>Notebook PCs are pretty easy to carry around, but for some people, they're still too bulky. What they want is something that packs the maximum PC possible in the minimum case possible - in other words, an "ultra-portable" notebook.Most manufacturers have such a model in their line-up but they traditionally command a price premium. With the NV5500, however, Samsung is hoping to change all that.The NV5500 has all the prerequisites of an ultra-portable (and then some, of which more later) but what's lacking is the sky-high price. At £1999, the NV5500 is priced more like a mid-range notebook and is certainly cheaper than similar models from other manufacturers. Has Samsung cracked it?Hey, good-lookingIf a notebook can be judged on looks alone, then yes, it has. The NV5000 is perhaps the slimmest notebook we've ever clapped eyes on. Sheathed in brushed metal and reinforced with tough magnesium in all the right places, it's a mere 2cm thick - the same as two issues of What PC?.It weighs just 1.4kg too, which means even the most limp-wristed executive will have no problem slipping it into his or her Louis Vuitton attaché case.Pop the catch that holds the lid closed and the favourable impression extends to the NV5500's interior. The keyboard is reasonably large and the keys well-spaced with a positive action that makes for comfortable prolonged typing sessions.Cast your eyes upwards and the 12.1in TFT screen falls into view. This is a 1024x768 panel that displays in 16bit colour and the image is beautifully crisp and clear.To top it all off, we're pleased to report that Samsung has opted for a touchpad as the pointing device on the NV5500, rather than the titchy joystick favoured by other manufacturers.A quick glance around the sides reveals a fair selection of ports, including an RJ-11 for the built-in modem, VGA, a Type II PC Card slot, and a mini-port that can use either a USB or Ethernet adaptor cable (both are supplied).Sounds goodBut wait, there's more. The NV5500 also comes with a rather complicated-looking pair of earphones with a built-in remote control - much like the ones supplied with portable cassette and MiniDisc players. Plug these into the socket on the front edge of the notebook's case, and you can tap into the NV5500's 32Mb of flash memory.An application is supplied to copy MP3 files into this, and it means you can listen to music even with the notebook turned off.As a solid-state MP3 player, the NV5500 is big, expensive and under-specified, but it's ideal if you want a musical break on the plane, train or wherever.Ice and a sliceSound like good value so far? Well, there's more. Other manufacturers consider a floppy or CD-ROM drive an optional extra. Not Samsung.Supplied with the NV5500 is a docking "slice" that clips onto the base of the notebook. This turns the wafer-thin NV5500 into a machine of more typical proportions, and adds both floppy and CD-ROM (DVD-ROM on the higher model) drives, as well as yet more ports.Unremarkable RAMSo far, so stylish. But if we do have a quibble with the NV5500, it's with the base specification. The Intel Mobile Pentium III 500 is teamed with just 64Mb of RAM and this turned in a somewhat disappointing SYSmark 2000 score of 80 - a figure we'd expect from a Celeron 500-based desktop system.Adding more RAM would help, but to be fair, this is a minor complaint and the NV5500 more than makes up for it with its extensive array of other features.The NV5500 is the slimmest notebook we've seen and yet manages to cram in more features than a model twice its size. As far as ultra-portables go, it's the business.Contact Samsung: 0800 521 652 <a target="_blank" href="http://www.samsungelectronic.co.uk">www.samsungelectronic.co.uk</a></body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKJulian Prokaza, What PC?2001-10-25T12:58:52.000ZHardware Reviewsmobile-technologyEricsson Bluetooth Headset HBH - 10http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132746/ericsson-bluetooth-headset-hbhJ Mark Lytle, for What PC?, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 11 October 2001 at 16:29:21Ericsson has finally come up with the Bluetooth goods, but the HBH-10 is overpriced and far from perfect.<content page="1"><html><body>Bluetooth - the technology, rather than the 1000-year-old Danish King - has always suffered from something of an identity crisis. In the public eye it has tended to hover somewhere between real and imaginary, as one project after another failed to deliver. So far, almost seven years after Ericsson first proposed the Bluetooth project, no products have reached the market.The bottom line is that Bluetooth has been perceived as a letdown simply because it has taken time to reach this stage, which is rather unfair given that similar technologies, such as DECT, took much longer to reach maturity and had the benefit of not having to do so in such a blaze of publicity. Part of the problem has been unrealistic claims, from both developers and the press, while - strangely enough - many observers feel the catchy name has led many to expect too much too soon. After all, who would ever come over all excitable about the latest DECT phone?Enough about what it isn't; the burning question remains: "What exactly is Bluetooth, anyway?" Put simply, Bluetooth is nothing more than a standard for wireless networks. It has been designed solely for short-range communication between devices no more than 10m apart. One of the hooks upon which plenty of hopes have been hung is the fact that - unlike infrared, for example - Bluetooth does not require line of sight between devices.The much-bandied example of using your Bluetooth-capable mobile phone, which is in your briefcase, to get online via the laptop on your desk really will work. There's nothing particularly new in the principle - Apple's AirPort does a similar job for small computer networks; rather, it's the versatility of the technology and, ultimately, the potentially low cost of the hardware that makes it attractive to manufacturers and end-users alike.Given that background, it was with more than a little curiosity that we eased the futuristic-looking Ericsson HBH-10 headset from its biscuit-tin case. The box is labelled 'Limited Edition Kit' and, at £200, we imagine it'll be a very limited edition. It would be unnecessarily harsh to criticise Ericsson over the price, as early adopters are legendary for their willingness to pay through the nose for exciting new technology. Realistically, the HBH-10 is aimed at that market, so we'll put monetary matters to one side for now.First impressions are excellent, thanks mainly to the excellent build quality of the headset and the slick presentation of the whole package - there's even a selection of plug adaptors for all your power-charging needs across Europe. On the downside, you'll need to Bluetooth-enable your phone using the supplied DBA-10 adaptor, which is ugly indeed.The headset design is - and we're sorry to be predictable here, but it's so fitting - very Star Trek. This is all very well as long as you enjoy your hands-free chatting in the comfort of your own home. Walk the streets of any British city with this clamped to your head, howeverer, and the pain of derision will surely be topped only by that of the inevitable mugging induced by the sight of such valuable hardware merely balancing (it's wireless, remember) atop your lug.Such reservations aside, a major problem with the HBH-10 lies with call quality. Not once in dozens of attempts did we even approach the crystalline end of the clarity spectrum. Nevertheless, call quality is still generally acceptable.The final verdict can't escape being influenced by the price - the HBH-10 is an innovative product and, although it's far from flawless, it does a reasonable job. At £50, it might be worth considering, but until then we'll just have to tolerate a wired world.Ericsson has finally come up with the Bluetooth goods, but the HBH-10 is overpriced and far from perfect. Best for early adopters and those with money to burn.Contact Ericsson 0870 523 7237, www.ericsson.co.uk</body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132746/ericsson-bluetooth-headset-hbhJ Mark Lytle, for What PC?, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 11 October 2001 at 16:29:21Ericsson has finally come up with the Bluetooth goods, but the HBH-10 is overpriced and far from perfect.<content page="1"><html><body>Bluetooth - the technology, rather than the 1000-year-old Danish King - has always suffered from something of an identity crisis. In the public eye it has tended to hover somewhere between real and imaginary, as one project after another failed to deliver. So far, almost seven years after Ericsson first proposed the Bluetooth project, no products have reached the market.The bottom line is that Bluetooth has been perceived as a letdown simply because it has taken time to reach this stage, which is rather unfair given that similar technologies, such as DECT, took much longer to reach maturity and had the benefit of not having to do so in such a blaze of publicity. Part of the problem has been unrealistic claims, from both developers and the press, while - strangely enough - many observers feel the catchy name has led many to expect too much too soon. After all, who would ever come over all excitable about the latest DECT phone?Enough about what it isn't; the burning question remains: "What exactly is Bluetooth, anyway?" Put simply, Bluetooth is nothing more than a standard for wireless networks. It has been designed solely for short-range communication between devices no more than 10m apart. One of the hooks upon which plenty of hopes have been hung is the fact that - unlike infrared, for example - Bluetooth does not require line of sight between devices.The much-bandied example of using your Bluetooth-capable mobile phone, which is in your briefcase, to get online via the laptop on your desk really will work. There's nothing particularly new in the principle - Apple's AirPort does a similar job for small computer networks; rather, it's the versatility of the technology and, ultimately, the potentially low cost of the hardware that makes it attractive to manufacturers and end-users alike.Given that background, it was with more than a little curiosity that we eased the futuristic-looking Ericsson HBH-10 headset from its biscuit-tin case. The box is labelled 'Limited Edition Kit' and, at £200, we imagine it'll be a very limited edition. It would be unnecessarily harsh to criticise Ericsson over the price, as early adopters are legendary for their willingness to pay through the nose for exciting new technology. Realistically, the HBH-10 is aimed at that market, so we'll put monetary matters to one side for now.First impressions are excellent, thanks mainly to the excellent build quality of the headset and the slick presentation of the whole package - there's even a selection of plug adaptors for all your power-charging needs across Europe. On the downside, you'll need to Bluetooth-enable your phone using the supplied DBA-10 adaptor, which is ugly indeed.The headset design is - and we're sorry to be predictable here, but it's so fitting - very Star Trek. This is all very well as long as you enjoy your hands-free chatting in the comfort of your own home. Walk the streets of any British city with this clamped to your head, howeverer, and the pain of derision will surely be topped only by that of the inevitable mugging induced by the sight of such valuable hardware merely balancing (it's wireless, remember) atop your lug.Such reservations aside, a major problem with the HBH-10 lies with call quality. Not once in dozens of attempts did we even approach the crystalline end of the clarity spectrum. Nevertheless, call quality is still generally acceptable.The final verdict can't escape being influenced by the price - the HBH-10 is an innovative product and, although it's far from flawless, it does a reasonable job. At £50, it might be worth considering, but until then we'll just have to tolerate a wired world.Ericsson has finally come up with the Bluetooth goods, but the HBH-10 is overpriced and far from perfect. Best for early adopters and those with money to burn.Contact Ericsson 0870 523 7237, www.ericsson.co.uk</body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKJ Mark Lytle, for What PC?2001-10-11T16:29:21.000ZHardware Reviewsmobile-technologyPsion looks to the futurehttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/news/2132576/psion-looks-futureWhat PC? staff, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 28 June 2001 at 23:00:00Ace and Halo devices herald new mobile era<content page="1"><html><body>Despite recently suffering disappointing sales in the palmtop market, Psion, perhaps bolstered by success with its Teklogix wireless networks, is still looking lustfully into the future and has come up with two new concepts, the Ace and the Halo.Based on the burgeoning world of third-generation mobile technologies, these two conceptual designs give an insight into how things may look in a few years' time.The Ace is a handheld communicator allowing the user to view three different LCD screens simultaneously, which could be used to make a video conference call while viewing an agenda and database at the same time. The display fans out elegantly from the main handset and allows you to choose an image for each screen.Halo is a projection communicator necklace; actually it's not a necklace but you do wear it round your neck. It includes a camera, phone, PDA and web browser and rather, than using a screen, it projects images onto a suitable surface, such as your hand or the wall.The device also has a throat microphone and does the washing-up; okay, we made that last bit up. Still, it would be good, wouldn't it?</body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/news/2132576/psion-looks-futureWhat PC? staff, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Thursday 28 June 2001 at 23:00:00Ace and Halo devices herald new mobile era<content page="1"><html><body>Despite recently suffering disappointing sales in the palmtop market, Psion, perhaps bolstered by success with its Teklogix wireless networks, is still looking lustfully into the future and has come up with two new concepts, the Ace and the Halo.Based on the burgeoning world of third-generation mobile technologies, these two conceptual designs give an insight into how things may look in a few years' time.The Ace is a handheld communicator allowing the user to view three different LCD screens simultaneously, which could be used to make a video conference call while viewing an agenda and database at the same time. The display fans out elegantly from the main handset and allows you to choose an image for each screen.Halo is a projection communicator necklace; actually it's not a necklace but you do wear it round your neck. It includes a camera, phone, PDA and web browser and rather, than using a screen, it projects images onto a suitable surface, such as your hand or the wall.The device also has a throat microphone and does the washing-up; okay, we made that last bit up. Still, it would be good, wouldn't it?</body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKWhat PC? staff2001-06-28T23:00:00.000ZNewsmobile-technologyFalling through the nethttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/features/2133160/falling-netAndy Gordon, What PC?, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Wednesday 16 May 2001 at 23:00:00As the low demand for Wap has demonstrated, the next generation of internet phones will have to go a long way to drag the majority of the population away from a mouthpiece as malleable as SMS.<content page="1"><html><body>Many of the major mobile phone companies reported operating losses last year, and One2One and Orange have led the way in raising the cost of pre-pay mobile phones in order to generate revenue. Although this is partly due to a general slowdown in the market, much of the hardship has been self-inflicted by the elcos' race to launch the third generation of mobile phones and deliver mobile nternet.It is generally accepted that money was thrown at the project with injudicious aste, but the problems faced go deeper than that. In order to pay for itself, his next generation of technology will have to become as popular as the mobile hone, and so far there has been no popular demand for the mobile internet.Telecommunication companies hope this will change, but it is likely to remain rounded for two reasons. Firstly, with doubts expressed about the economics of he next-generation phones, the existing technology is about as inspiring as a 1 lottery jackpot to the average user. Secondly, these new innovations will have to go some in terms of performance and cost to tear users away from the one mobile communication innovation that has exceeded everyone's expectations - SMS text messaging.3G or not 3G?If the crime of the 20th century was the great train robbery, then the 21st century equivalent was the Government's auction for licences to run the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. Popularly known as the third generation of mobile phones (3G), the mobile phone networks forked out a staggering £22.47 billion between them. The argument was that, once available, 3G phones would offer multimedia services that would become indispensable and quickly recoup the initial cost. But those heady days are gone, and the chances of 3G taking off this year have crumbled.Before the mobile phone operators can make a penny from the 3G services, they have to build the network to run them on. Orange, the mobile phone arm of France Telecom, initially set 2002 as a target, but now believes 2004 is more realistic. In an increasingly farcical situation, Nokia has now lent Orange the capital it requires to pay Nokia to build its 3G network.Hutchison Telecom shelled out £4.38 billion for its licence and has now paid Nokia £3.9 billion to build the network. The decision to fork out so readily for a 3G licence now appears to have been a case of lemmings and cliffs.Whatever happened to Wap?Even if 3G is only delayed, making the money back may not be easy. History teaches us that there is not sufficient demand for a widespread wireless internet.Wap should have been a surefire success. It arrived as mobile phone sales were rocketing and users seemed open to new services. Nevertheless, it did not match the hype. By March this year Orange boasted 700,000 active Wap users out of a total of 31 million customers. With over 20 million mobile phones sold and 15 million people online, this is not because the public are averse to the internet.The favourite excuse of vested interests is that the quality of the Wap service was always going to be poor as it relied on GSM technology, and the marketers should not have created unrealistic expectations. However, these same people will tell you that the arrival of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) will provide the revolution everyone has been waiting for. Without constructing a new network, it can support a multimedia wireless network with download speeds more than four times Wap's 9.6Kbits/sec.But even these claims are on shaky ground. BT Cellnet no longer sees 43Kbits/sec as an achievable speed, opting for a more conservative 27Kbits/sec. Nokia can only promise that GPRS will be available in multiples of 13Kbits/sec, meaning that at base level it barely outperforms Wap.Improved text lifeWhen the technology is good enough the mobile internet will become just as ubiquitous as the mobile phone, but currently the mass of users are rejecting the information services offered by Wap as they have a cheaper and more flexible alternative in SMS. It is due to this communications phenomenon that 3G will have to be extraordinarily special to reach the volumes needed to pay for itself.The GSM Association expects 200 billion SMS messages to be sent worldwide this year. In December last year the total was 15 billion, of which 756 million came from the UK. If SMS is the football of mobile communication, then Wap is the polo: played by very few and supported by an elite.The latest news and information can be received via SMS, but the main attractions of the medium are cost, flexibility and the way it liberates the user. Police use SMS to harass mobile phone thieves, the National Blood Service to remind donors, and Rebecca Fyfe recently texted her boyfriend to say the ferry she was on had lost power and was drifting in high seas off the coast of Bali. He raised the alarm and everyone was saved.So organic is the SMS phenomenon that it is has evolved into a kind of sub-culture with its own unique language. For example: ruok? (are you OK?). No :~~) (I've got a cold).The vast majority of mobile phone users do not want to be overwhelmed by information and options - they like the control text messages give them and the necessity to keep things brief. SMS perfectly suits the social trend to have everything packaged into manageable chunks.Just as importantly, text messaging is affordable. Combine this with ease of use, and it has been able to cross the most stubborn of socio-economic divides. A recent survey by the Consumer Internet Confidence Index even claimed SMS was affecting the use of email.As the low demand for Wap has demonstrated, the next generation of internet phones will have to go a long way to drag the majority of the population away from such a malleable mouthpiece.</body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/features/2133160/falling-netAndy Gordon, What PC?, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Wednesday 16 May 2001 at 23:00:00As the low demand for Wap has demonstrated, the next generation of internet phones will have to go a long way to drag the majority of the population away from a mouthpiece as malleable as SMS.<content page="1"><html><body>Many of the major mobile phone companies reported operating losses last year, and One2One and Orange have led the way in raising the cost of pre-pay mobile phones in order to generate revenue. Although this is partly due to a general slowdown in the market, much of the hardship has been self-inflicted by the elcos' race to launch the third generation of mobile phones and deliver mobile nternet.It is generally accepted that money was thrown at the project with injudicious aste, but the problems faced go deeper than that. In order to pay for itself, his next generation of technology will have to become as popular as the mobile hone, and so far there has been no popular demand for the mobile internet.Telecommunication companies hope this will change, but it is likely to remain rounded for two reasons. Firstly, with doubts expressed about the economics of he next-generation phones, the existing technology is about as inspiring as a 1 lottery jackpot to the average user. Secondly, these new innovations will have to go some in terms of performance and cost to tear users away from the one mobile communication innovation that has exceeded everyone's expectations - SMS text messaging.3G or not 3G?If the crime of the 20th century was the great train robbery, then the 21st century equivalent was the Government's auction for licences to run the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System. Popularly known as the third generation of mobile phones (3G), the mobile phone networks forked out a staggering £22.47 billion between them. The argument was that, once available, 3G phones would offer multimedia services that would become indispensable and quickly recoup the initial cost. But those heady days are gone, and the chances of 3G taking off this year have crumbled.Before the mobile phone operators can make a penny from the 3G services, they have to build the network to run them on. Orange, the mobile phone arm of France Telecom, initially set 2002 as a target, but now believes 2004 is more realistic. In an increasingly farcical situation, Nokia has now lent Orange the capital it requires to pay Nokia to build its 3G network.Hutchison Telecom shelled out £4.38 billion for its licence and has now paid Nokia £3.9 billion to build the network. The decision to fork out so readily for a 3G licence now appears to have been a case of lemmings and cliffs.Whatever happened to Wap?Even if 3G is only delayed, making the money back may not be easy. History teaches us that there is not sufficient demand for a widespread wireless internet.Wap should have been a surefire success. It arrived as mobile phone sales were rocketing and users seemed open to new services. Nevertheless, it did not match the hype. By March this year Orange boasted 700,000 active Wap users out of a total of 31 million customers. With over 20 million mobile phones sold and 15 million people online, this is not because the public are averse to the internet.The favourite excuse of vested interests is that the quality of the Wap service was always going to be poor as it relied on GSM technology, and the marketers should not have created unrealistic expectations. However, these same people will tell you that the arrival of General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) will provide the revolution everyone has been waiting for. Without constructing a new network, it can support a multimedia wireless network with download speeds more than four times Wap's 9.6Kbits/sec.But even these claims are on shaky ground. BT Cellnet no longer sees 43Kbits/sec as an achievable speed, opting for a more conservative 27Kbits/sec. Nokia can only promise that GPRS will be available in multiples of 13Kbits/sec, meaning that at base level it barely outperforms Wap.Improved text lifeWhen the technology is good enough the mobile internet will become just as ubiquitous as the mobile phone, but currently the mass of users are rejecting the information services offered by Wap as they have a cheaper and more flexible alternative in SMS. It is due to this communications phenomenon that 3G will have to be extraordinarily special to reach the volumes needed to pay for itself.The GSM Association expects 200 billion SMS messages to be sent worldwide this year. In December last year the total was 15 billion, of which 756 million came from the UK. If SMS is the football of mobile communication, then Wap is the polo: played by very few and supported by an elite.The latest news and information can be received via SMS, but the main attractions of the medium are cost, flexibility and the way it liberates the user. Police use SMS to harass mobile phone thieves, the National Blood Service to remind donors, and Rebecca Fyfe recently texted her boyfriend to say the ferry she was on had lost power and was drifting in high seas off the coast of Bali. He raised the alarm and everyone was saved.So organic is the SMS phenomenon that it is has evolved into a kind of sub-culture with its own unique language. For example: ruok? (are you OK?). No :~~) (I've got a cold).The vast majority of mobile phone users do not want to be overwhelmed by information and options - they like the control text messages give them and the necessity to keep things brief. SMS perfectly suits the social trend to have everything packaged into manageable chunks.Just as importantly, text messaging is affordable. Combine this with ease of use, and it has been able to cross the most stubborn of socio-economic divides. A recent survey by the Consumer Internet Confidence Index even claimed SMS was affecting the use of email.As the low demand for Wap has demonstrated, the next generation of internet phones will have to go a long way to drag the majority of the population away from such a malleable mouthpiece.</body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKAndy Gordon, What PC?2001-05-16T23:00:00.000ZFeaturesmobile-technologyLaplink Goldhttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/software/2132624/laplink-goldSheila Hill, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Saturday 31 March 2001 at 23:00:00Maximise your productivity and transfer files quickly and easily from one PC to another.<content page="1"><html><body>If you work on two or more different computers, you'll almost certainly need, on some occasions, to transfer information from one to another.With a computer at home, one at work, and a laptop thrown into the bargain, you're probably struggling to make sure that you have the right files on each machine, and that you are working on the correct version.For situations like this, Laplink Gold offers a comprehensive yet simple solution. Take one CDRom, a selection of the supplied cables and your internet connection, and you could soon be swapping files or operating a PC from a distance.Installation is simplicity itself, asking little of you other than to click on a 'Next' button occasionally. The only complication that's likely to arise is if the two computers you want to connect are at a great distance, since Laplink Gold must be installed on both machines before you can connect.When you start Laplink, the helpful QuickSteps window pops up automatically, though you can switch this off as soon as you can manage without it. Until you find your feet though, it's well worth having, as it gives a good overview of your options, as well as clear, step-by-step instructions on how to achieve each task.There are two chief areas of interest: copying or transferring files between machines; and sitting at one machine and remotely controlling another. The variations on these two themes are enormous.First off, how to connect the two computers. If they're in the same room, you can do it with one of the three cables supplied: parallel, serial or USB. The first two offer adequate transfer speeds, but a USB connection on both machines will give you super-fast results.If the computers are at a distance, you can connect them using modems and a phone line, or over the internet. Here, things get slightly more complicated, as you need to delve into the security settings for Laplink.Once you find the relevant section, though, it's easy enough to specify just who you're going to allow to dial in to your computer, and which facilities they can use. Again, you'll need to do this on both machines.Connection sorted, the basics of file copying couldn't really be any easier. With the familiar look of Windows Explorer, copying or moving files is simple - just highlight, drag and drop. Sending files over a modem can be fraught with difficulty, so the cunning extras in Laplink are more than welcome. If you lose your connection, you can carry on copying a file from where you left off.If you regularly transfer files, you can set up 'agents' that will automate the process for you. You can also get Laplink to work out which computer has the more up-to-date files, and copy those to the other computer. And if you're sending large files, you can get Laplink to send only those parts of the files that have changed.The remote control feature of Laplink is splendid. You do need to sort out the security settings on both computers, but then you can enjoy the luxury of sitting at home and calling up your computer at work.You get a window on your PC at home that shows your desktop at work, and you can then use this work PC as normal - printing files, checking your email, whatever. The 'Wow!' factor is enormous, but the sheer usefulness is mind-blowing.Features<ul><li>Connect two PCs across cables, a modem, the internet, dial-up networking or a wireless connection</li><li>Remotely control another PC</li><li>Voice chat and text chat over the connection</li><li>Print to remote printers</li><li>Move, copy and transfer files with 'drag and drop'</li><li>File transfer-interrupt recovery lets you continue transferring a file from where you left off</li><li>Transfer only the changed portions of files with SpeedSync.</li></ul>Laplink: 0870 241 0983 www.laplink.com</body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/software/2132624/laplink-goldSheila Hill, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Saturday 31 March 2001 at 23:00:00Maximise your productivity and transfer files quickly and easily from one PC to another.<content page="1"><html><body>If you work on two or more different computers, you'll almost certainly need, on some occasions, to transfer information from one to another.With a computer at home, one at work, and a laptop thrown into the bargain, you're probably struggling to make sure that you have the right files on each machine, and that you are working on the correct version.For situations like this, Laplink Gold offers a comprehensive yet simple solution. Take one CDRom, a selection of the supplied cables and your internet connection, and you could soon be swapping files or operating a PC from a distance.Installation is simplicity itself, asking little of you other than to click on a 'Next' button occasionally. The only complication that's likely to arise is if the two computers you want to connect are at a great distance, since Laplink Gold must be installed on both machines before you can connect.When you start Laplink, the helpful QuickSteps window pops up automatically, though you can switch this off as soon as you can manage without it. Until you find your feet though, it's well worth having, as it gives a good overview of your options, as well as clear, step-by-step instructions on how to achieve each task.There are two chief areas of interest: copying or transferring files between machines; and sitting at one machine and remotely controlling another. The variations on these two themes are enormous.First off, how to connect the two computers. If they're in the same room, you can do it with one of the three cables supplied: parallel, serial or USB. The first two offer adequate transfer speeds, but a USB connection on both machines will give you super-fast results.If the computers are at a distance, you can connect them using modems and a phone line, or over the internet. Here, things get slightly more complicated, as you need to delve into the security settings for Laplink.Once you find the relevant section, though, it's easy enough to specify just who you're going to allow to dial in to your computer, and which facilities they can use. Again, you'll need to do this on both machines.Connection sorted, the basics of file copying couldn't really be any easier. With the familiar look of Windows Explorer, copying or moving files is simple - just highlight, drag and drop. Sending files over a modem can be fraught with difficulty, so the cunning extras in Laplink are more than welcome. If you lose your connection, you can carry on copying a file from where you left off.If you regularly transfer files, you can set up 'agents' that will automate the process for you. You can also get Laplink to work out which computer has the more up-to-date files, and copy those to the other computer. And if you're sending large files, you can get Laplink to send only those parts of the files that have changed.The remote control feature of Laplink is splendid. You do need to sort out the security settings on both computers, but then you can enjoy the luxury of sitting at home and calling up your computer at work.You get a window on your PC at home that shows your desktop at work, and you can then use this work PC as normal - printing files, checking your email, whatever. The 'Wow!' factor is enormous, but the sheer usefulness is mind-blowing.Features<ul><li>Connect two PCs across cables, a modem, the internet, dial-up networking or a wireless connection</li><li>Remotely control another PC</li><li>Voice chat and text chat over the connection</li><li>Print to remote printers</li><li>Move, copy and transfer files with 'drag and drop'</li><li>File transfer-interrupt recovery lets you continue transferring a file from where you left off</li><li>Transfer only the changed portions of files with SpeedSync.</li></ul>Laplink: 0870 241 0983 www.laplink.com</body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKSheila Hill2001-03-31T23:00:00.000ZSoftware Reviewsmobile-technologyHi-Grade Ultinet PV3 933http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132729/hi-grade-ultinet-pv3-933Nigel Donnelly, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Friday 23 February 2001 at 00:00:00Gaming and DVD is beyond the remit of this ultra-compact, small-footprint PC, but it scores highly in other areas - notably connectivity and FireWire.<content page="1"><html><body>Small PCs that pack a punch are always going to be popular. Lots of go, lots of desk space and - usually - lots of money. Not all the time, though. Hi-Grade's Ultinet range combines the talents but without the bank-breaking price tag. It's looking promising.With the Ultinet out of the box, its smallness is immediately apparent. The footprint is no bigger than a laptop's. And at under 10cm high, desk intrusion by the main unit is minimal.The space-saving continues with the monitor which is a 15.1in TFT. Picture quality is adequate, but having all the adjustment controls on the back of the screen is awkward.Condensing the overall size of the PC still further, the speakers are built into the stand. But they are thoroughly average - if you're fussy about your sound, you'll need to upgrade, though they're fine for the blips and beeps that Windows bestows upon you.Lever the lid off the system unit and you'll be downhearted if you're a bit of tinkerer. There are no expansion slots, so you can't upgrade the graphics card or fit a more competent sound card - what's there is what you're stuck with. If the sum total of your computing is a bit of home accounting and the occasional letter, it'll suit you perfectly. But if you like to intersperse your otherwise dull existence with a bit of Quake III, you'll curse the on-board graphics.On-board graphics are fine for typical Windows applications, but with anything more taxing, they're usually a poor performer. The SiS 630 on the Ultinet is no exception: DVD movie playback had all the fluidity of Sunday League football.The chipset has no memory of its own but instead dynamically grabs between 8Mb and 64Mb of main RAM. An effective 64Mb of video memory is theoretically great for 3D games but not when it's at the expense of system memory - as a result, 3D gaming is a grim experience.To be fair though, such pastimes were never in the Ultinet's remit and its strengths lie elsewhere. Connectivity is one such trump card, with plenty of places to plug in various bits and bobs. The most interesting pieces of technology on display are the twin FireWire ports. FireWire is similar to USB in that you can plug in peripherals while the computer is running, but as the name suggests, FireWire is a great deal faster.For that reason, it is popular for connecting digital camcorders and cameras, transferring vast amounts of data at very high speed. FireWire isn't commonplace on PCs yet but a growing range of peripherals use it, so it will become a common sight in the next few years.Another increasingly popular technology included on the Ultinet is infra-red, allowing wireless communication with mobile phones and PDAs.Performance from the Pentium III processor should be devastatingly fast but in fact it's rather slow. We've seen 700Mhz PIIIs perform faster in our tests, and the reason for this is probably the motherboard that's specially designed to be compact and have everything possible built into it.Not only has it video and sound, but also sockets for USB, FireWire, parallel, serial, TV-out and S-video. This simplifies the setup and keeps the overall dimensions down at the expense of performance.A further downside to the dinky dimensions is the lack of room for extra drives. If you need a CD-RW or Zip drive, external is your only way forward.The package also includes Lotus SmartSuite Millennium, Norton AntiVirus and a backup utility for the hard disk.If games and DVD movies are what you're after, look elsewhere. But if you want powerful computing from a well-specified, compact PC, the Ultinet may be for you.Contact Hi-Grade: 0800 074 0402, www.higrade.com</body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132729/hi-grade-ultinet-pv3-933Nigel Donnelly, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Friday 23 February 2001 at 00:00:00Gaming and DVD is beyond the remit of this ultra-compact, small-footprint PC, but it scores highly in other areas - notably connectivity and FireWire.<content page="1"><html><body>Small PCs that pack a punch are always going to be popular. Lots of go, lots of desk space and - usually - lots of money. Not all the time, though. Hi-Grade's Ultinet range combines the talents but without the bank-breaking price tag. It's looking promising.With the Ultinet out of the box, its smallness is immediately apparent. The footprint is no bigger than a laptop's. And at under 10cm high, desk intrusion by the main unit is minimal.The space-saving continues with the monitor which is a 15.1in TFT. Picture quality is adequate, but having all the adjustment controls on the back of the screen is awkward.Condensing the overall size of the PC still further, the speakers are built into the stand. But they are thoroughly average - if you're fussy about your sound, you'll need to upgrade, though they're fine for the blips and beeps that Windows bestows upon you.Lever the lid off the system unit and you'll be downhearted if you're a bit of tinkerer. There are no expansion slots, so you can't upgrade the graphics card or fit a more competent sound card - what's there is what you're stuck with. If the sum total of your computing is a bit of home accounting and the occasional letter, it'll suit you perfectly. But if you like to intersperse your otherwise dull existence with a bit of Quake III, you'll curse the on-board graphics.On-board graphics are fine for typical Windows applications, but with anything more taxing, they're usually a poor performer. The SiS 630 on the Ultinet is no exception: DVD movie playback had all the fluidity of Sunday League football.The chipset has no memory of its own but instead dynamically grabs between 8Mb and 64Mb of main RAM. An effective 64Mb of video memory is theoretically great for 3D games but not when it's at the expense of system memory - as a result, 3D gaming is a grim experience.To be fair though, such pastimes were never in the Ultinet's remit and its strengths lie elsewhere. Connectivity is one such trump card, with plenty of places to plug in various bits and bobs. The most interesting pieces of technology on display are the twin FireWire ports. FireWire is similar to USB in that you can plug in peripherals while the computer is running, but as the name suggests, FireWire is a great deal faster.For that reason, it is popular for connecting digital camcorders and cameras, transferring vast amounts of data at very high speed. FireWire isn't commonplace on PCs yet but a growing range of peripherals use it, so it will become a common sight in the next few years.Another increasingly popular technology included on the Ultinet is infra-red, allowing wireless communication with mobile phones and PDAs.Performance from the Pentium III processor should be devastatingly fast but in fact it's rather slow. We've seen 700Mhz PIIIs perform faster in our tests, and the reason for this is probably the motherboard that's specially designed to be compact and have everything possible built into it.Not only has it video and sound, but also sockets for USB, FireWire, parallel, serial, TV-out and S-video. This simplifies the setup and keeps the overall dimensions down at the expense of performance.A further downside to the dinky dimensions is the lack of room for extra drives. If you need a CD-RW or Zip drive, external is your only way forward.The package also includes Lotus SmartSuite Millennium, Norton AntiVirus and a backup utility for the hard disk.If games and DVD movies are what you're after, look elsewhere. But if you want powerful computing from a well-specified, compact PC, the Ultinet may be for you.Contact Hi-Grade: 0800 074 0402, www.higrade.com</body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKNigel Donnelly2001-02-23T24:00:00.000ZHardware Reviewsmobile-technologySharp ZQ-770P Organiserhttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132730/sharp-zq-770p-organiserScott Colvey, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Friday 23 February 2001 at 00:00:00This personal organiser flatters to deceive: what's intended as style is in fact a little cheap and plasticky, and its functionality is limited.<content page="1"><html><body>According to Sharp, the ZQ-770P 'looks great' but it's akin to one of those 'fine quality' jewellery boxes you might find in an everything's-a-pound shop. The turquoise sheen is indeed appealing from afar, but up close it seemed to us rather cheap and plasticky.Inside it's much the same, and the squidgy rubber keyboard is okay for tapping in contacts and notes but little else. The screen operates in a rather ghostly fashion, with menus and options fading in and out through lack of performance rather than any fancy software intention.Talking of software, it's not at all fancy either, but it's certainly functional. A simple-to-navigate, one-touch menu system leads you to any number of nifty organisational and tracking applications.If you're used to the presentational finesse of, say, a Psion handheld or a Pocket PC, then the look and feel of the ZQ-770 will seem stark, but it matters little. If anything, the pared-down front-end makes the gadget easier to use. You don't need to learn the ins and outs of every menu just to make an appointment: simply select Schedule, find the date and time, and enter the details - job done.Want a state-of-the-art PDA to impress your friends? This isn't it. But if you want an organiser that fits neatly into the cheap-and-cheerful bracket, then the ZQ-770P is in fine fettle.Contact Sharp: 0800 262958, www.sharp.co.uk Build quality *** Ease of use **** Performance **** Value for money **** Overall ****.</body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132730/sharp-zq-770p-organiserScott Colvey, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Friday 23 February 2001 at 00:00:00This personal organiser flatters to deceive: what's intended as style is in fact a little cheap and plasticky, and its functionality is limited.<content page="1"><html><body>According to Sharp, the ZQ-770P 'looks great' but it's akin to one of those 'fine quality' jewellery boxes you might find in an everything's-a-pound shop. The turquoise sheen is indeed appealing from afar, but up close it seemed to us rather cheap and plasticky.Inside it's much the same, and the squidgy rubber keyboard is okay for tapping in contacts and notes but little else. The screen operates in a rather ghostly fashion, with menus and options fading in and out through lack of performance rather than any fancy software intention.Talking of software, it's not at all fancy either, but it's certainly functional. A simple-to-navigate, one-touch menu system leads you to any number of nifty organisational and tracking applications.If you're used to the presentational finesse of, say, a Psion handheld or a Pocket PC, then the look and feel of the ZQ-770 will seem stark, but it matters little. If anything, the pared-down front-end makes the gadget easier to use. You don't need to learn the ins and outs of every menu just to make an appointment: simply select Schedule, find the date and time, and enter the details - job done.Want a state-of-the-art PDA to impress your friends? This isn't it. But if you want an organiser that fits neatly into the cheap-and-cheerful bracket, then the ZQ-770P is in fine fettle.Contact Sharp: 0800 262958, www.sharp.co.uk Build quality *** Ease of use **** Performance **** Value for money **** Overall ****.</body></html></content>VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKCopyright © 1994-2009 VNU Business Publications LTD, London UKScott Colvey2001-02-23T24:00:00.000ZHardware Reviewsmobile-technologySony Vaio PCG-C1VEhttp://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132724/sony-vaio-pcg-c1veJonathan Parkyn, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Monday 8 January 2001 at 00:00:00A notebook which uses the new Transmeta Crusoe processor with power-saving features. But does the PCG-C1VE live up to its looks?<content page="1"><html><body>Sony's Vaio notebooks are highly desirable computers for a number of reasons. For starters, they tend to err on the sleek and shiny side, with design being high on the agenda. Secondly, they usually come with a wide array of exciting extras, intended to make them more enticing to lifestyle and gadget purchasers alike.The PCG-C 1VE will plug into just about anything. There are all the standard ports you'd expect on a notebook, such as USB, headphone, microphone and external display. But the Vaio also has a TV-out socket, a slot for Sony's unique Memory Sticks, and a FireWire port (called iLink here) for hooking up a digital camcorder.If that's not enough, the PCG-C1VB has a built-in microphone and digital camera. The hinged, Webcam-style device is actually embedded in the lid of the notebook, just above the high-quality 8.95-inch TFT display, so you can videoconference to your heart's content or use the Vaio as a low-res digital camera.However, Sony seems to have spent so much time trying to squeeze these dynamic features into the device that it has overlooked some of the more fundamental issues. For instance, when you open the box, you'll find that there's no floppy disk or CD-ROM drive included in your package. This is going to make things pretty difficult should you ever want to install any software - a far from unlikely eventuality, since Sony has seen fit not to supply any office productivity software.In addition to these oversights, the PCG-C1VE just doesn't perform that well. Its score of 50 in our system tests is unfathomably low for a PC with a 600Mhz processor, which is where the most disappointing aspect of the Vaio comes to light. The PCG-C1VE is built around a brand-new processor called the Crusoe. The chip, which has nothing to do with men called Friday, originates from neither Intel's nor AMD's stables and is in fact made by a company called Transmeta.The idea behind the Crusoe is that it is much more power-conscious than either Intel's SpeedStep or AMD's PowerNow functions. It works in two ways. First, it can drop both its clock speed and voltage requirement during less-demanding moments, which means less power is used. Second, over time it builds up a profile of frequently-used processor instructions and caches them, so they need not be constantly recalculatedThe upshot of this is that the Crusoe processor takes mere sips of battery power, so why does the PCG-C 1VE last for just two hours between recharges? To get the most from its battery, you need to use a notebook for a while in order for it to become accustomed to your way of working. But more importantly, the processor isn't the most power-hungry component in a notebook PC. What's more demanding is the huge lightbulb behind the LCD screen and the constantly-spinning hard drive, and until these parts are optimised, a processor won't have much impact on battery life.Undoubtedly there is an optional Lithium-Ion battery that makes more of the Crusoe's power-saving features, but the word 'optional' just keeps cropping up where the PCG-C1VE is concerned. To get anything like a decent notebook, you're looking at spending well over £2,000 if you include all the extras that should really have been in the box in the first place.Contact Sony: 0990 424424 www.sony.com</body></html></content>http://www.whatpc.co.uk/whatpc/hardware/2132724/sony-vaio-pcg-c1veJonathan Parkyn, <a href="http://www.whatpc.co.uk/">What PC?</a>, Monday 8 January 2001 at 00:00:00A notebook which uses the new Transmeta Crusoe processor with power-saving features. But does the PCG-C1VE live up to its looks?<content page="1"><html><body>Sony's Vaio notebooks are highly desirable computers for a number of reasons. For starters, they tend to err on the sleek and shiny side, with design being high on the agenda. Secondly, they usually come with a wide array of exciting extras, intended to make them more enticing to lifestyle and gadget purchasers alike.The PCG-C 1VE will plug into just about anything. There are all the standard ports you'd expect on a notebook, such as USB, headphone, microphone and external