Gadget of the Week from Backbone Magazine en-us http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Marqui webmaster@backbonemag.com webmaster@backbonemag.com The HD7 is a nice unit—5MP camera with high-def video and good build quality—but it was introduced about a year ago, so it’s not new. What is new is the 500-odd changes that come with Windows Phone 7.5, code-named Mango. Significant improvements include: contact groups; Twitter and LinkedIn integration; multiple threaded e-mail inboxes; extended Microsoft Exchange support; Bing Local Scout, Vision, music and improved voice search; HTML5 in IE; custom playlists in Smart DJ; better voice commands; and integration of Xbox Live. The improvements make a strong mobile OS even better, but the question remains: will Mango finally get buyers to bite?  


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]]> http://www.backbonemag.com/Technology/Gadget-of-the-Week/gadgets12121101.aspx Mon, 06 Feb 12 08:00:00 UT Printer innovations are rare. Incremental improvements—better colour, faster output, maybe cheaper ink—are common but honest-to-goodness new stuff is uncommon. ePrint is an exception: it allows you to print from a smartphone, notebook or other mobile device directly to select models over the Internet, with no software to install and no wires. HP ePrint models also support Google Cloud Print, which is similar but works with Google Web and mobile applications.

Pictured is HP’s Photosmart eStation, a multifunction high-end model that includes a detachable Android-based tablet that controls the printer. It’s a little pricey at $400 but ePrint models start at around $100. At that price, the question becomes: why would you buy any printer that doesn’t offer ePrint and Cloud Print?


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]]> http://www.backbonemag.com/Technology/Gadget-of-the-Week/gadgets12051101.aspx Wed, 01 Feb 12 08:00:00 UT For sheer value we have to give the nod to TomTom for its focus on reducing drive time. The 1535 M’s HD Traffic service communicates in real-time (every two minutes) to and from HD-enabled devices, collecting speed and route information and thereby building a continuous map of traffic flow and slowdowns. TomTom promises this will reduce average drive times; furthermore, the network effect of these devices means owners would see a five per cent reduction in average commute time if 10 per cent of drivers around them used HD Traffic devices. The 1535 M sells for $270, with a one-year HD Live subscription. After that, HD Live will cost $59 per year, including the required Rogers wireless access.

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]]> http://www.backbonemag.com/Technology/Gadget-of-the-Week/gadgets11281101.aspx Mon, 23 Jan 12 08:00:00 UT Rethinking GPS: Magellan pumped some useful features into its new RoadMate ($300), specifically lifetime map updates and traffic data, Wi-Fi connectivity and a basic browser, and a TourDirector feature that helps locate attractions and plan trips. The Magellan is easy to use, with big maps and loud and clear spoken direction. Also check out the TomTom Go Live 1535 M.


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]]> http://www.backbonemag.com/Technology/Gadget-of-the-Week/gadgets11201101.aspx Thu, 19 Jan 12 08:00:00 UT These in-ear headsets incorporate a microphone into each earbud and an on-board sound card. They also feature “adaptive beam forming,” which “centres microphone sensitivity on the user’s voice and cancels noise outside of the pick-up cone.” The upshot is these units deliver excellent sound quality for podcasting, Skype calls and even making a simple mobile phone call. The SuperBeam Buds cost $130 and the optional smartphone adapter is $10.


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]]> http://www.backbonemag.com/Technology/Gadget-of-the-Week/gadgets01091201.aspx Mon, 09 Jan 12 08:00:00 UT The X1 is just about perfect. Yes, it could be a little lighter and the battery could last a little longer, but those are minor quibbles. The 13-inch X1 (starting at $1,200) is the thinnest ThinkPad ever; it has a very solid feel and great build quality, an excellent backlit keyboard, zippy processor, SSID drive and a fast-charge battery. It’s tough too, a fact Lenovo’s design guy Peter Hortensius, who is not a small man, demonstrates by standing on his unit. The X1 earns its price tag and is sure to please.


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]]> http://www.backbonemag.com/Technology/Gadget-of-the-Week/gadgets01021202.aspx Mon, 02 Jan 12 08:00:00 UT Many of us travel with an essential trio of computer gadgets: a laptop, smartphone and tablet. Kensington’s AbsolutePower ($120) powers all three simultaneously, with tips for popular notebook models and a USB port for an iPhone or BlackBerry and one for an iPad, Galaxy Tab or Xoom. Why carry three power cords? Or, if you can't find a plug, there's the Ecosol PowerTrip.  


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]]> http://www.backbonemag.com/Technology/Gadget-of-the-Week/gadgets12191101.aspx Mon, 19 Dec 11 08:00:00 UT When there is no plug nearby, opt for the PowerTrip battery. Once charged—from a plug, a computer’s USB port or through the built-in solar panel—its 6,000 mAh battery charges mobile devices such as cellphones, smartphones, PDAs, iPhones, iPads and cameras. As a bonus, the unit has 4, 8 or 16GB of on-board flash storage. The PowerTrip starts at $109. If there's a plug, try the Kensington AbsolutePower 


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]]> http://www.backbonemag.com/Technology/Gadget-of-the-Week/gadgets01021201.aspx Mon, 19 Dec 11 08:00:00 UT In our last issue I wrote “If you want a tablet, buy an iPad.” If you took my advice you’re now looking to accessorize your new companion. Start with the Tri-Axis, the best iPad case I’ve seen. This book-style case comes in five materials—canvas, three types of leather and a non-animal material the company calls “veggie leather”—and includes the auto-off functionality of Apple’s own cases. The case’s cover can also be fixed in position to support an iPad in either portrait or landscape mode at a variety of angles. Most importantly, the case does a great job of protecting falling iPads. Tri-Axis cases start at around $60.  Or try a Vogel’s Ring O mount.

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]]> http://www.backbonemag.com/Technology/Gadget-of-the-Week/gadgets11141101.aspx Mon, 14 Nov 11 08:00:00 UT Vogel’s Ring O mounts let you clip your iPad onto a wall or the back of a car’s front seat. This means your iPad can display recipes near a kitchen counter, act as a wall clock or digital picture frame in a family room, or show movies to kids on long car trips. This $119 kit simply makes your iPad even more useful. And if you're looking for a case, try the Tri-Axis.


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]]> http://www.backbonemag.com/Technology/Gadget-of-the-Week/gadgets11071101.aspx Mon, 07 Nov 11 08:00:00 UT