Mobile Computing News, Reviews, & Tips
Notebook Review: IBM's ThinkPad T42 With Fingerprint Reader
The new IBM ThinkPad T42's integrated fingerprint reader requires some patience to use--it's difficult to slide a finger across a tiny sense three times in exactly the same way, a security precaution designed to protect the computer. But this thin-and-light notebook is a top pick for business travelers, says reviewer Carla Thornton, for its great keyboard and pointing devices and other features.
You can check the latest prices (about $2200 and up) at the PC World Product Finder.
Notebook Review: Sharp Actius Acts as a Hard Drive
Sharp's Actius AL27 notebook sports a striking white case (think Elvis in a jumpsuit) and the ability to act as a USB hard drive to other PCs. Despite these cool touches, the machine's sluggish performance and battery life make it a poor on-the-road machine, says our reviewer Carla Thornton.
You'll find current prices ($1250 and up) at our Product Finder.
Reader Review: More Kudos for the Dv1000
Seems like I'm not the only fan of HP's Pavilion Dv1000 notebook. "One of the reasons I never bought a laptop until now was the washed-out screen effect most laptops have in daylight," writes reader Larry Long of Tempe, Arizona. But the Dv1000 series, with HP's optional BrightView technology that makes the LCD viewable in daylight, changed Larry's mind. Though it's "not the fastest machine out there," the DV1000 series of laptops "are definitely a best buy: decent prices, lots of features, good battery life, light weight."
Gadget Review: Sony's Much-Anticipated PlayStation Portable
Sony's PlayStation Portable, long awaited by gamers and due in the U.S. in early 2005, is a well-designed, high-quality handheld gaming machine with a value far beyond its $200 retail price, says IDG's Martyn Williams.
The 4.3-inch wide-screen LCD is sharp and bright, with graphics that sometimes seem to glow, Martyn reports, and the device responds quickly to commands. Battery life is 4 to 5 hours, based on his tests.
Accessory Alert: Large-Capacity USB Drive
Most petite USB drives max out under 1GB of storage. But Seagate's USB 2.0 Pocket Hard Drive comes in 2.5GB ($125 to $150, depending upon retailer) or 5GB ($160 to $200) models.
According to Seagate, the drive features the world's first 1-inch hard disk. The small, circular device includes a retractable USB cable and gets its power from your computer. You can partition the drive's memory, too, password-protecting a section with sensitive documents, for instance.
Gadget News: Monster Cable's In-Car IPod Adapter
From FM transmitters to cassette tape adapters to built-in BMW steering wheel controls, IPod fanatics have plenty of ways to listen to their tunes in the car.
Monster Cable's gotten into the act with the ICruze ($200), designed to work with many factory-installed or Alpine aftermarket car audio systems. When you connect the IPod to the ICruze, and the ICruze to your car's CD changer or satellite radio port, you can select songs and playlists using the player's or radio's controls.
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