Siliconrepublic.com has a look at the Brother HL 5280DW laser printer, the Sony Vaio VN-CX1 mouse/internet phone (pictured) and the Dell XPS M1710 laptop.
Brother HL 5280DW
What is it? Laser printer
Price: €529
Computers aren’t the only devices that no longer need wires to communicate with other networks.
Brother’s HL 5280DW A4 is a mono laser printer which offers wired and wireless networking as standard.
The unit includes interfaces for a standard wired network or it can connect without the need for a physical cable.
A CD-Rom supplied with the HL 5280DW includes a Network Users Guide that explains the different ways to install the printer onto a wireless network.
The installation wizard on the disc provides a step-by-step installation procedure which is easy to follow.
The printer’s three-colour LCD screen constantly updates users on the machine’s status.
The HL 5280DW also offers automatic duplex printing.
A separate high-yield toner cartridge and drum prints up to 7,000 and 25,000 sheets respectively.
Sony Vaio VN-CX1
What is it? Mouse/internet phone
Price: €89
Marrying multiple functions in a single device is practically a given in the technology industry but the Sony Vaio VN-CX1 makes for an interesting and unusual combination just the same.
At first it appears to be a computer mouse, but flip it open and you get a clamshell-style phone handset for making calls using voice over IP technology.
The VN-CX1 connects to a PC or notebook via a standard USB port; users just have to install driver software (supplied with the mouse) for it to work.
A LED on top of the mouse lights up whenever there is an incoming call; alternatively the gadget can be set to make a ringing tone.
Sony claims that in hands-free mode the phone can even be used for conference calls.
The device comes in black, silver or blue and it weighs just 67g.
Dell XPS M1710
What is it? Laptop
Price: starts at €2,099 RRP
Dell’s new consumer notebook for mobile gamers is one of the fastest in its range.
The XPS M1710 has a starting weight of 3.97kg and is powered by dual-core processors.
As is the trend with many of the latest notebooks, the 17-inch Ultra XGA display is in widescreen format.
The graphics are supplied courtesy of NVIDIA 512 MB GeForce Go 7900 GTX technology and the laptop has capacity for up to 4GB of memory.
Dell claims that the processing power lets users play 3D games at high settings while simultaneously performing intensive tasks such as downloading music or running a virus scan without performance drawbacks.
The XPS M1710 is finished in a metallic black and arctic silver design and has an illuminated XPS touchpad and three independently user-configurable lighting areas.
By Gordon Smith
