Features

• Bluetooth (V2.0, HID V1.0) interface can let you enjoy freedom of wireless with other media devices.
• Backlighting makes live easy when in the dark.
• Max. distance of 10M (around 33 feet).
• Plug and play: no need to install software.

One of the key features of any mini keyboard is that it is easy to setup and use. The EFO Keyboard meets that requirement by only requiring a single USB dongle and no software or drivers.

Because the EFO Bluetooth Keyboard does not need any software or drivers, it is compatible with most Operating Systems. It is even compatible with most gaming systems.

There are a whole bunch of different uses for a wireless keyboard. Everything from remote controlling an HTPC, laptop during a presentation, or even writing emails from afar.

Instead of the normal IR interface for most remotes, the EFO keyboard uses Bluetooth technology. Bluetooth has the benefit of not needing line-of-sight and having a range of about 30 feet. This means you can control a computer even if you are not in the same room.

Design

The design of the keyboard is very simple. The front is where you find the keyboard, touchpad, and activity lights. There are actually 5 lights at the top of the EFO keyboard and they consist of charging, external power, Bluetooth status, battery power, and caps lock/input switch.

Front

The touchpad is quite large when compared to other devices like this, but this gives you lots of room to move around in. Below the touchpad are two buttons which are the left and right mouse buttons.

The keyboard is very small, but it does have a standard QWERTY layout. The buttons are also slightly raised, and very smooth. Most of the buttons have dual functions, the second function is indicated with a small number or character above the regular one. However, not everything is perfect. Normally, the F and J keys have a raised spot so that you can orient your fingers without looking at the keyboard. This keyboard does not have these, and some of the keys are not in their normal location, so looking at your fingers while typing is a necessity. The keyboard is also missing multimedia keys. For use with an HTPC the multimedia keys would have been very helpful.

The keyboard also has a backlight function, but it needs to be turned on manually. To turn on the backlight the RF key must be pressed twice. The only way to turn off the backlight is to let the keyboard go to sleep or use the power switch to turn off the keyboard.

Backlight

The bottom has a USB port for charging, a power switch, and a Bluetooth reset switch. If you find that you cannot get the keyboard to connect to your computer then pressing the reset switch may help. I often found myself forgetting to turn off the keyboard. Fortunately, the EFO keyboard also has a sleep mode. This means that if you are like me and you forget to turn off the keyboard, you don’t need to worry about wasted batteries. The sleep mode automatically activates after 30 seconds of inactivity.

Performance

So now it is time to hook it up to my HTPC and try it out.

Because there is no software to install, setting up the EFO keyboard is relatively easy. The first thing you must do is plug the Bluetooth dongle into one of the USB ports on your computer. After that is done the next step is to turn on the keyboard. When the keyboard is turned on it should enter discovery mode. While in this mode the middle status light should blink. If this does not happen, like with mine, then the reset button will need to be pressed. Once the reset button is pressed the light should start blinking.

The next step is to pair the keyboard to the computer and there are several steps to this. the screenshots below show the steps I had to take.

Connect 1	Connect 2
Connect 3	Connect 4

Once the process is complete the keyboard will start working with the computer. The keyboard and touchpad worked very well. The only problem I had using the keyboard was that the letter O would stick. This wasn’t a huge problem because I could eventually get it to work.

As I stated above the keys have a QWERTY layout, so it is easy to find the keys you are looking for. The buttons have a solid feel and give a solid click when pressed. I did not have any trouble getting it to work or using it.

Another problem I encountered is that when I turned the keyboard off and then on again it would not reconnect. I actually had to delete the current device connection and then pair it to the computer all over again.

Warranty and Support

The EFO Keyboard comes with a 1 year warranty, and you get support through the EFO website.

Conclusion

The keyboard certainly does its job, and it does it without breaking the bank. The low price of $60 makes up for a lot of the missing features. This is the most expensive of all the EFO keyboards, but it also has the best keyboard layout and the benefit of Bluetooth technology.

If your looking for a wireless mini keyboard and you are on a tight budget then the EFO keyboard is a great option.

High tracking precision, light-weight and sharp looking mouse now available

MIAMI (April 21, 2010)– Genius (www.geniusnetusa.com), a brand division of KYE Systems Corp., today announced a new addition to the company’s extensive line of mice, the Traveler 900 with high tracking precision for gamers and professionals alike.

The Traveler 900’s 2.4GHz digital cordless technology works up to 10 meters away and delivers interference-free operation, as well as 1600 dpi optical engine for enhanced tracking performance. The power saving switch is designed for an extended battery life for up to eight months. The Traveler 900 mouse has a super small Pico dongle that can be stored inside the mouse for traveling. Now available in diamond ruby, champagne gold, blue gem or silver, the Traveler 900 is attractively priced at MSRP USD $36.90.

The Traveler 900 mouse begins shipping in April. Interested shoppers can go to New Egg.com, Amazon.com, Tiger Direct, Buy.com or for more information on the entire line of Genius speaker systems and other retailers and distributors please visit: http://www.geniusnetusa.com/.

ABOUT KYE SYSTEMS CORP.

Genius is an international leading company in computer peripherals. Genius was established in 1985, product portfolio includes computer mice, keyboards, web and security cameras, speakers, gaming peripherals, remote controls, headphones, digital cameras, digital camcorders and digital photo frames. It also holds the U.S. patent for mouse scroll-wheel technology. Genius expanded from computer peripherals into consumer electronic products that include mobile phone accessories, Bluetooth headsets, digital cameras, digital photo frames, iPod speakers and EeePC mice.

Features

• Battery board – solar battery board
• Light Source – super bright LED (7 LED)
• Battery – rechargeable Ni-MH

The biggest feature of this flashlight is the solar panel which charges the internal battery. This is a great ability and very useful if you need a flashlight and you don’t want to search for batteries.

The light for the flashlight comes from 7 LEDs. LEDs are very efficient and should help the battery to last longer, however they are not known for being very bright.

7 LEDs

Design

The flashlight’s design is nothing special except for the solar panel. The solar panel sits on the handle so it is important to make sure it is not blocked when charging. This will help the flashlight to keep its battery fully charged.

Solar Panel

The power button is located at the bottom of the flashlight.

On/Off Button

Performance

Performance for a flashlight comes down to how bright the light is and how long the battery lasts. It is very difficult to tell how bright a flashlight is without comparing it to something else. So I got out two other flashlights and compared them to see which is better.

The first flashlight I am comparing to the solar torch is one of the really cheap kind that comes free when you buy D sized batteries, the flashlight actually uses 2 D batteries. As you can see from this image both flashlights put out similar amounts of light, but the solar torch has a much bluer light.

Free vs Solar Torch

Free vs Solar Torch

The second flashlight is a very small UltraFire Cree Q5 light that runs off 2 AA batteries. This is one I picked up for camping because I had read that Cree Q5 lights are really bright. I was surprised by how dim the solar torch looks when compared to the Cree Q5, you can hardly see it. You may have noticed that the Solar torch looks dimmer than the picture above, no it is not running out of power, this is just my camera adjusting for the extra brightness of the Cree Q5 flashlight.

Cree 5 vs Solar Torch

Cree 5 vs Solar Torch

Testing the battery life is a bit tougher. EFO claims that the battery will last 8 hours on a fully charged battery, and it only takes 6 hours of sunlight to fully charge the battery. Since there isn’t a battery level indicator, I could never tell how full the battery is, so I have to put some trust in their numbers. I also don’t have 8 hours to sit around in the dark and check to see when the battery runs out (I assume that if I use it during the day it would continue to charge off the light). However, I can say that I have been using this flashlight for a couple weeks and it has never been out of power. I do keep it out on my desk so it is always charging, and that is the beauty of a solar flashlight.

Support and Warranty

The EFO solar torch comes with a 1 year warranty and to get support you have to go through their website.

Conclusion

If you take into account the low cost of only $17 and the convenience of not having to look for or buy batteries, I can say that the Solar Torch is a good flashlight. It is certainly not the brightest, but in an emergency you don’t need a super bright light, you just need something that will help you keep safe. So if you want a flashlight that is ready at a moments notice and you don’t have to worry about batteries, the I recommend you take a look at the EFO solar torch.

Features

• Multi-event timer
• 7 Day 24 Hour timer with backlit graphic LCD clock
• Measures Voltage, Amperage, KWH and more
• Soft power-up eliminates harmful voltage spikes
• Over Voltage, Under Voltage and Under Current protection provide clean safe power to your expensive appliances

One of the new features in the Kill A Watt GT is the timer. This timer is capable of storing 96 different programs and 7 different combinations for different days of the week. Measurements and programming are stored in memory and retained during power outages, but only if you have installed batteries.

The Kill A Watt GT can measure and display power usage based on Voltage, Amperage, or even KWH (Kilowatt Hour).

P3 International has even included some power protection for any device that is plugged into the Kill A Watt GT. The surge protector doesn’t just guard your devices from voltage spikes. It also provides protection against over current, over voltage, and under voltage, delivering clean safe power to your equipment. It does this by shutting of the power to the outlet when ever the voltage or current is out of the normal range. The Kill A Watt GT also helps prolong the lifespan of your appliances by gently applying start-up power via its Zero power crossing spike-free switch.

Design

The Kill A Watt GT P4480 is not a large device. With overall dimensions of 5.1″ x 3″ x 1.9″ and a weight of only 9.15 oz. it is rather small and light.

The front of the P4480 is dominated by the LCD display. Under the display are a set of 4 buttons. At the very bottom is the plug for your appliance or electronic device. The buttons are used for navigating the Kill A Watt, setting the timer, and changing the display settings.

Front

On the back is a battery compartment and the prongs for plugging it into a wall. The batteries allow you to set the timer, or review the results of a test while sitting on a couch. The batteries also allow the Kill A Watt to save settings in the event of a power outage.

Back

Battery

On top are three buttons On, Off, and Auto. The On and Off buttons will override the timer and the Auto buttons turns the timer back on. While it is on auto the On and Off buttons will light up according the the set schedule.

Top

Auto

Performance

Using the Kill A Watt GT is a bit more complicated than the Kill A Watt EZ. This is primarily because of the added timer functionality. The timer is not difficult to use, but it does add a lot more functionality to the Kill A Watt and with that come some complexity.

If you just want to monitor power usage than all you need to do is plug the Kill A Watt into the wall, plug your device into the Kill A Watt, and then push the ON button. The screen will turn on as soon as it is plugged in and start showing the power usage. The default measurement is Volts, but if you prefer something else it is easy to switch to Watts just by pushing a button.

To use the timer functionality you merely have to select a day, and the set the on and off times. As you can see from the picture below each day can have more than one on and off time. The Kill A Watt GT is capable of storing 96 programs, and if you were to spread the programming out evenly, each day could have roughly 13 different programs.

Timer

The only negative I could find would have to be the backlight. I can’t say I am a fan of the orange backlight, but it is certainly better than nothing. I had to shine a flashlight on my old Kill A Watt EZ in order to see the display. If the backlight were a blue or green color I would be a lot happier.

Backllight

Support and Warranty

The warranty for the Kill A Watt GT is only 6 months. This is probably the shortest warranty  I have seen in a long time. I understand that the cost of the Kill A Watt does not suggest that it will include a lifetime warranty, but I would expect something more like 5 years. I have had my Kill A Watt EZ for a couple years and it still works fine. If the Kill A Watt GT is built with the same quality it should last just as long.

Conclusion

I am very happy with how easy it is to use the Kill A Watt GT. The features and functionality make it great for many purposes. The price is also great, the Kill A Watt GT can be purchased for only $39 from Amazon or $49 from Newegg. If you are interested in getting a better handle on your power usage you need a power monitor just like the Kill A Watt. If you are also interested in a timer then I highly recommend the P4480 from P3 International.

Features

• Plug and play: no need to install software.
• Compatible for Mac, Linux, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, etc
• No battery is required.
• Backlighting: Makes text entry effortless – even in low light.
• Light weight: Only with 60 g.

One of the key features of any mini keyboard is that it is easy to setup and use. The EFO Keyboard meets that requirement by only requiring a single USB plug and no software or drivers.

Because the EFO Keyboard does not need any software or drivers, it is compatible with most operating systems, it is even compatible with most gaming systems.

The backlight is nice for when the lights are out. Often when watching TV I turn off the lights and without the backlight I would have to turn the lights back on to see the buttons.

The fact that this is a wired keyboard eliminates the need for a battery, which means there is no need to wait for the battery to charge before it can be used.

Also because there isn’t a battery or wireless transmitter the keyboard is very light weight.

Design

The front is where you find the keyboard, touchpad, and activity lights. There are 5 lights at the top of the EFO keyboard but only the 3rd and 5th actually do anything. They are for input and caps lock. The other three LEDs are only applicable for the wireless versions of the keyboard.

Lights

Lights

The touchpad is quite large when compared to other devices like this, but this gives you lots of room to move around in. Below the touchpad are two buttons which are the left and right mouse buttons.

Keyboard and Cable

The keyboard is very small, but it does has a standard QWERTY layout. The buttons are also slightly raised and that makes them easy to press, but they are also very smooth. Most of the buttons have dual functions, the second function is indicated with a small number or character above the regular one. However, not everything is perfect. Normally, the F and J keys have a raised spot so that you can orient your fingers without looking at the keyboard. This keyboard does not have these, and some of the auxiliary keys are not in their normal location, so looking at your fingers while typing is a necessity. The keyboard is also lacking multimedia keys. For use with an HTPC the multimedia keys would have been very helpful.

The keyboard has a backlight function, but it needs to be turned on and off manually. To turn on and off the backlight the RF key must be pressed.

Backlight

Backlight

The bottom has the USB port, and a power switch, but the power switch does not actually work on the wired version.

USB

Because a cable is required for use, EFO included a USB cord that is 2M long. This give you a little wiggle room while using the keyboard.

Performance

So now it is time to hook it up to my computer and try it out.

Because there is no software to install, setting up the EFO keyboard is very easy, just plug it in.

Once it is plugged in, the computer will detect a new device and install any needed drivers. After that is done the only thing left to do is use it, and using the EFO keyboard is actually very easy.

As I stated above, the keys have a QWERTY layout, so it is easy to find the keys you are looking for. The buttons have a solid feel and give a solid click when pressed. I did not have any trouble getting it to work or using it.

The only big negative is having to be physically attached to my computer. Because of this I would rather just use my full size keyboard and mouse.

Warranty and Support

The EFO Keyboard comes with a 1 year warranty, and you get support through the EFO website.

Conclusion

The keyboard certainly does its job, and it does it without breaking the bank. The low price of $22 makes up for a lot of the missing features. However, if you can afford the more expensive wireless keyboard I would recommend that you get that one instead. Having to be physically attached to my computer is a real pain.

If your looking for a wireless mini keyboard and you are on a tight budget then the EFO keyboard is a great option.

Features

• Perfect Alignment
• The Powermat Sound
• Indication Lights
• Perfect Charge for Every Device
• Auto Shut Off
• Full Charge Check

Perfect alignment is achieved by a magnet in each adapter and charging pad. That attraction between the magnets assures that alignment is precise and the most efficient charging will occur. This is one of the keys to the Powermat system’s ability to charge your devices as fast or faster than the original power adapter.

Each time a device is placed on a Powermat a unique sound indicates that a solid connection has been made and the device is charging. A second, similar sound is heard when the device is removed. The level of these sounds can be changed or they can be turned off.

Each access point has a corresponding light indicator that informs you that your device is charging wirelessly. The intensity of these lights can be changed or they can be turned off.

A Perfect Charge for Every Device is possible because the Mat and the Receiver communicate via RFID. This communication allows the mat to deliver an exact amount of power for the proper length of time so that the transfer of power is safe and efficient and no energy is wasted.

The auto shut off works with the above communication so that when a device reaches full charge, power is shut off to that device to save energy, and to also prevent over charging the battery.

Once full power is achieved and the Auto Shut Off has occurred, the system will monitor the status of the battery in your device. If the battery is used, the system will again start charging until the battery has a full charge.

Design

Powermat makes two different charging pads, Home & Office, and Portable. The main difference between the two is that the portable mat folds up and comes with a carrying case so that it is easy to carry around. The one I am looking at today is the Portable Powermat.

Because of the simplicity of the Powermat, the design is also very simple. The entire device consists primarily of three charging pads that are connected via hinges, which allows the Powermat to be folded. The only real interface is in the back where there are two buttons, a power plug, and a USB port. The buttons are for turning off the charging sound, and lights, the USB port is for charging a USB device, and the power plug is for providing power to the Powermat.

Portable Mat

Buttons

Each of the charging areas allows for only one Powermat-enabled device to be charged at a time. So in all, the Portable Powermat supports charging 3 Powermat-enabled devices and one USB device at the same time.

The Powermat also come with a Powercube, a set of adapters, and a storage case for the adapters. There are 7 adapters included with the Powercube, but the storage case only has space for about 4 adapters. It would be nice if the storage case was bigger so all the tips could fit; however, the chances of needing them all is fairly slim. There are also magnets in both the storage case and the Powercube so they can be attached to each other. This makes them much easier to carry around and there is no fear of them getting lost.

Powercube

Powercube Adapters

The Portable Powermat comes with a travel case that stores the Powermat, and the AC adapter. Unfortunately, the Powercube does not fit inside the case, this means you have to find somewhere else to store it while traveling. It would be really nice if everything could be kept together, this would reduce the chance of something getting misplaced.

Case	Powermat in Case

Powermat also gave me an adapter for my Nintendo DS Lite so I could test the capabilities. The adapter wraps around the bottom of the DS and has a plug that goes into the back. The big square at the bottom is the receiver which then sends the power to the plug that goes into the back.

DS Lite Adapter Box

DS Lite Adapter Front

Performance

So the process of testing the Powermat performs we are checking to make sure that it charges the device properly. I am going to use my Nintendo DS Lite for this test since I have an adapter for it.

Installing the DS Lite adapter was very easy. It snaps onto the bottom and the plug fits nicely into the power slot.

To charge the DS Lite all I had to do is place it on the Powermat. As I place it down I could feel the force of the magnetic field pulling the DS onto the mat. As I mentioned above the magnetic force also helps get the DS lined up correctly. If the adapter and charger are not lined up correctly then the charge will not work.

Once the DS Lite was on the Powermat and aligned correctly it immediately started charging. To let me know that the charging had started the Powermat turned on a light under the pad and emitted a unique sound. I did not notice any difference in charging time while using the Powermat. The only negative is that I could not use the DS while it was charging. Not because it wouldn’t power up, but because it would be impossible to hold it in my hands.

I also tried it out using the Powercube. Using the Powercube offers a bit more flexibility because it does not require the charging device to be in direct contact with the Powermat. So big items like the DS Lite, which might not fit nicely, can be placed off to the side so they don’t get in the way. I did not notice any difference when charging with the Powercube.

Support and Warranty

The Powermat Portable comes with a limited one year warranty. I find this warranty to be less than I expected. With no moving parts I would expect at least a 5 year warranty. I even found a clause in the warranty that says it is not covered if it is taken out of the country. I don’t think I have ever seen that before with other devices. Can you imagine if your laptop warranty was voided just because you took it on a trip to another country?

Conclusion

As I said above their are two versions of the Powermat, Home & Office and Portable. Since they cost the same I recommend you get the Powermat Portable because if you ever need to take it on a trip it will be much easier. At a cost of just $99 it is reasonably priced and very easy to use. Most adapters are price between $20 and $30, and I could not find anywhere that they were less expensive, however the Powermats can be found on Amazon for about $10 off the retail price. The snap on adapters do provide more convenience because they integrate better, but they do cost a bit more. It is also very nice that it includes the PowerCube, this alone will cover most of devices and because no additional adapters are needed it saves money.

If your looking for a convenient way to charge multiple portable devices then I recommend you take a look at the Powermat.

Features

• Up to 30 ppm
• Up to 600 x 600 dpi (1200 dpi effective output with HP FastRes 1200)
• 16 MB of Memory
• 2 Paper Tray (250-sheet input tray, 50-sheet multipurpose tray)
• Supported Media Types: Paper (bond, light, heavy, plain, recycled, rough), envelopes, labels, cardstock, transparencies, heavy media
• Supported Media Sizes: Tray 1: A4, A5, A6, B5, envelopes (C5, B5, DL), 76 x 127 to 216 x 356 mm; Tray 2: A4, A5, A6, 105 x 148 to 216 x 356 mm
• Hi-Speed USB 2.0, Ethernet

Like I said above, this printer is fast. At 30 ppm it is not the fastest printer in the world, but compared to an Inkjet (set to laser quality), and also my old HP 5L, the P2035n is really fast. For example, my old HP 5L has a max speed of 4 ppm and my Epson Artisan 810 has a max speed of 9.5 ppm in laser quality.

Print resolution has also increased quite a bit. The 1200 dpi resolution that the P2035n uses is double the 600 dpi that my old HP 5L is capable of.

While 16MB of built in memory may not sound like a lot, we have to remember that this is primarily a document printer. If you think you need more memory than you may want to consider the HP LaserJet P2055dn.

There are two paper trays in the P2035n. The first is at the very bottom and holds up to 250 sheets of standard paper. The second is in the middle of the front and when it is open it holds up to 50 sheets of paper.

The printer also supports all the standard paper sizes and types that are referenced above.

There are two ways to connect this printer to a computer. The first is USB 2.0, which is useful if you only have one computer, or you don’t have a network. The second way is Ethernet, and this is ideal if you have a network and more than one computer that will use the printer. I don’t buy printers unless they have Ethernet because I have several computers and I need to have access to the printer from all of them.

Design

Before we begin I should mention that this printer is considered small when it comes to Laser printers, however it is twice the size as my old HP 5L. With dimensions of 14″ x 26″ x 10″ and a weight of 23 lb it is also too big to fit on a desk, but not too big to put in the corner of a small office.

The front of the printer is where both paper trays are located. Tray 1 is at the very bottom and pulls out so you can load paper. This tray can hold up to 250 pages and is ideal for standard 8.5″ x 11″. The left side of tray 1 has a small indicator that tells if the tray is empty or full. Tray 2 is above tray 1 and it open from the middle of the front. It opens by pulling the handle and can hold up to 50 pages. I use this tray mostly for custom paper sizes and envelopes so I don’t have to unload tray 1. Last by not least is the power button and it is found to the right of tray 1.

Front

Tray 2

Tray 1

The left and right sides are the same, which is plain. Except for an air vent on the right side, there is nothing else to mention.

The back of the printer has a bypass output tray for heavy paper, or for paper that may bend when run through the top. It can also be used for clearing out paper jams. On the right are the USB and Ethernet ports for connecting to a computer. On the left is a power plug and a Security Slot.

Back	Connectors

The top of the printer has the obvious output tray in the middle and on the right are a series of status lights and two buttons. The two buttons are paper release and cancel. The six lights indicate paper jams, low ink, low paper, etc. Closer to the front another button that is used to open the printer for toner replacement.

Top	Status Lights

Performance

So lets check out the performance of the P2035n. There is not much to testing a Laser printer like this, so I will cover the setup, speed, and quality of printing.

Setting up the printer is a piece of cake because the software offers simple step by step instructions.

Install 1

Install 3

Install 7

Starting up the printer is quick. It took about 30 seconds from the time I turned it on until it was ready to print. However, because most users will just leave the printer on all the time (it only uses 7 watts of power when idle), the start up is very quick. Turning off the printer will save the extra power, but it will also require a longer warm up time. In addition, during warm up the printer jumps its power usage up to 600 watts for a couple seconds.

Once the printer is on and warmed up getting the first page out of the printer is really quick, usually about 5 seconds from the time the print button is clicked.

During printing the energy usage goes way up. The highest I saw was just over 800 Watts, but then settled down to about 550 Watts.

Printing is also fairly noisy, but because it is fast, the printer will not be on for very long. When the printer goes into standby it is absolutely silent.

As far as quality goes, this printer is at the top of its class. Here are some pictures comparing the P2035n against my old 5L, and Epson’s Workforce 610 in Laser quality.

P2035n text

5L text

610 text (laser)

So the only thing left to consider is the Total Cost of Ownership (TOC) and that includes how much it is going to cost to keep it running. Besides the power that it uses, the only other cost will be toner. The P2035n ships with a sample toner cartridge which is good for about 1000 pages, and new toner cartridges retail for about $89. These cartridges are rated at about 2,300 pages (3.8 cents per page). However, since I never pay retail for anything I did some looking around.

There are a lot of aftermarket compatible, and refurbished (refilled) toner cartridges, but I don’t recommend using those, it’s possible that you could void your warranty and damage the printer if they break open and spill toner. So when I look for toner I always look for new HP brand, and I found some for quite a bit less than retail. For example, on Newegg.com I found the toner for only $70 (3.0 cents per page) and on buy.com it was on $44 (1.9 cents per page). However, I am a little suspicious about the buy.com deal because it is sold by a 3rd party vendor and while it does not mention refurbished, I would ask before I purchased.

Support and Warranty

The printer does not come with a very extensive warranty. In fact it is only has a one-year, return to authorized service center, limited hardware warranty. This means if anything goes wrong within the first year it can be sent to a service center for repairs. After that, you are on your own.

I had my old HP 5L for 10 years, and I only replaced it because it didn’t have Ethernet. I hope the build quality of this new HP printer is a s good as the old ones. If I am wrong and this turns out to be a bad printer I will update this review so that others do not make a mistake.

Conclusion

I am really happy with this printer. It was not very expensive, it runs really well, and it easily connects to my network. When I bought this printer I got it from Newegg for only $224, which I think is a great price (I paid $400 for my old 5L). As I mentioned above the ink can be found for a reasonable price and that makes this printer an even better deal.

If you need things like upgradable memory and auto duplexing, you may want to consider the HP LaserJet P2055dn. I really considered buying this one, but it is quite a bit more expensive ($379.99 on Newegg) and I didn’t think the extra cost justified the features.

If you are looking for a Laser printer for a small home office I recommend the HP LaserJet P2035n. I really think you will be happy with both the quality and speed of all the printing.

LONG BEACH, Calif., Dec. 3, 2009 – Today Epson announced a breakthrough in the compact photo printer market with the introduction of PictureMate^® Show, the ultimate two-in-one digital photo frame and 4” x 6” photo printer. Designed for the photo enthusiast, PictureMate Show is a versatile hybrid that offers consumers one convenient solution for displaying, sharing and printing better-than-lab-quality photos in the convenience of their homes all year round.

Boasting a seven-inch, 16:9 tilt digital photo display with 800 x 480 dpi WVGA resolution, PictureMate Show makes an incredible display of your favorite photos. It also offers 12 unique and entertaining slideshow formats for digital images, as well as a remote control to conveniently view and display photos in your home or office. Combined with the best quality 4” x 6” photo printer, it offers the highest maximum print resolution in its class (5760 x 1440 dpi) to produce beautiful photos with incredible detail and true-to-life skin tones in as fast as 37 seconds¹.

“Perfect for everyone in the family, Epson’s PictureMate Show combines the best in design and performance while offering a unique way to instantly print and share cherished memories,” said Stacey Tieu, associate product manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson America Inc. “PictureMate Show is not only an exceptional gift to give this holiday season, but also a great product to have year round because nothing on the market compares in terms of quality, speed, reliability, and value. This convenient, portable printer makes it easy to instantly print and share photos at parties, special events or family gatherings.”

Additional Features and Benefits of PictureMate Show:

• Offers a large 270 MB internal memory to automatically store hundreds of photos, run slideshows and reprint images any time
• Prints from all popular memory cards via built-in card slots², USB thumb drives, PictBridge^® devices, and PDAs or digital cameras with optional Bluetooth^® adapter³
• Delivers durable, smudge, scratch, and water resistant photos that resist fading up to 96 years under glass and over 200 years in dark album storage – up to four times longer than traditional, film processed photos⁴
• Prints custom sizes from 0.3” x 0.3” to 4” x 6”, great for passport photos, filling unusual frame sizes, photo key chains, photo bracelets and more
• Offers versatility with various layouts and color effects, such as classic borders or borderless options, mini-wallet, wallet, and 4”x 6”, as well as black and white, sepia, or color
• Get perfect prints every time with easy and convenient photo editing features, including Auto Photo Correction that automatically adjusts photos for optimum color and balance, cropping capabilities, red-eye removal, and more
• Delivers affordable prints on glossy and matte paper with Epson’s PictureMate Print Packs, which include ink and either 150 sheets of 4” x 6” glossy paper or 100 sheets of 4” x 6” matte paper

Pricing and Availability

PictureMate Show ($299.99*) is currently available through a variety of online retail stores and Epson’s retail site. For more information, please see the PictureMate Show[CS1] fact sheet or visit www.mypicturemate.com.

PictureMate Show

About Epson America Inc.

Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Seiko Epson Corporation and a leading provider of digital imaging products that exceed the vision of its customers. The company’s extensive range of printers, scanners and 3LCD projectors are renowned for their high quality, functionality, compactness, and energy efficiency. The Seiko Epson organization is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and for the second year in a row is part of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, an indicator for leading companies in economic, environmental and social criteria.

# # #

¹Color photo without a PC in borderless layout measured from start of paper feed. Actual print time will vary based on system configuration, software, and page complexity. See www.epson.com/printspeed for details.

²Prints from CompactFlash^® (Type I/II), Secure Digital (SD^™), SDHC,^™ MMC, xD-Picture Card^™ (Type M/H), Microdrive^® and Memory Stick^®.

³Bluetooth adapter sold separately; please visit www.MyPictureMate.com for ordering information.

⁴Based on accelerated testing of prints displayed under glass in indoor display conditions. Actual print stability will vary according to media, printed image, display conditions, light intensity, temperature, humidity and atmospheric conditions. Epson does not guarantee the longevity of prints. For maximum print life, display all prints under glass or UV filter or properly store them.

* Estimated street price

Features

• 9” x 5.5” and 7.25” x 5.5” switchable working area for wide/4:3 screens
• Creative rolling pad for scrolling in four directions, zooming in/out, volume up/down and brush width
• 4000 LPI high accuracy and sensitivity for a highly reactive cursor
• 1024-level pressure sensitivity for all shapes and thickness control
• Vista plug and play; handwriting recognition compatible
• Pen flicks, digital inking in Office and snapping functions for convenient operation

The G-Pen M609X is a dual-mode multimedia tablet. The two modes switch the drawing area of the tablet. If you have a widescreen monitor use the 16:9 working area, otherwise you use the 4:3 working area for non widescreen monitors.

The tablet features two rolling pads for scrolling, zooming, adjusting the volume, and even adjusting the brush width.

One of the most important features of a graphics tablet like the M609X is accuracy. This is accomplished with a highly accurate and sensitive pad. The M609X features a 4000 LPI (Lines Per Inch) pad, and as far as I can tell that is right up with the best (5,080 LPI seems to be the highest).

Pressure sensitivity is also very important for drawing. This allows the artist to change the thickness of the stroke just by pressing harder. This adds a level of realism, because if you were drawing with a pencil or brush and you pressed harder you would get a thicker stroke. The M609X has 1024 levels of pressure sensitivity, compared with 2048 from higher end tablets.

This tablet is compatible with Windows Vista and 7 out of the box. This means that drivers are not needed. However, you will need to load some software if you want to take advantage of the hot keys and some of the buttons.

The tablet also supports the use of pen flicks. These are small gestures that can be used in some programs to activate certain commands. For example, if you flick the pen down, the screen will scroll down. If you flick to the right the screen will move forward one page.

Design

The tablet has a fairly simple design. Across the top are a few buttons and two rolling pads. As I mentioned above, the rolling pads can perform several different functions. The function of the pads is selected by pressing one of the buttons. Starting on the left the buttons are scroll, zoom, volume, and brush width. As each button is pressed the rolling pads take on the associated function.

Tablet

Below the buttons is the actual drawing tablet. It is fairly plain and there are only two things I want to point out. First and most obvious are the 26 shortcut keys that are around the edge of the tablet. Using the key management software that comes with the tablet, it is possible to assign different actions to each key. The only problem is that it may be difficult to remember what each key does because there is no obvious way to label them. If you remember back a couple months to my review of the G-Pen-F509 you will recall that it came with several templates that could slide under the cover and be used to label each hot key. Unfortunately, the M609X does not come with any templates, and it would be impossible to create your own because the underside of the cover, under the hot keys, is painted black. The only thing you could do is tape something on top of each shortcut key.

The next thing to notice about the tablet are the vertical lines that are on each side. These indicate the drawing area for 4:3 and 16:9 screens. There is a button at the top, the last on the right, that switches between the two modes. Make sure the mode you select matches your screen so you can get the best results.

G-Pen M609X is bundled with PhotoImpact 12SE (Windows only). PhotoImpact is a great program for creating your own pictures, editing photos, or just about anything else having to do with drawing.

Software

The pen that comes with the M609X has its own abilities. The pen uses a AAA battery to power its self, and the battery fits nicely inside the body. The pen has buttons on the side that can be customized by using the same key management software that customizes the shortcuts keys on the tablet. The tip is even replaceable for when it inevitably wears out, and Genius even includes two extra tips.

Pen

Pen open

Performance

You really have to be an artist to fully test and appreciate a drawing tablet like this one and as I mentioned above I am not an artist. So instead of showing you all the great pictures I have drawn I am going to talk ease of use and some of the things I found difficult.

One of the hardest things for me to get used to is the 1:1 mapping of the tablet to the screen. This means if you want the mouse to go to the top of the screen you move the pen to the top of the tablet. I am used to using a touchpad where you have to swipe your finger multiple times to move the mouse across the screen.

It is also difficult to get used to not looking at the tablet while drawing. The screen is where all the drawing takes place and I had to learn to look at the screen while drawing on the tablet. This also means that when you lift the pen off the tablet it may be difficult to find your place again. For this reason Genius made it so you don’t actually have to touch the tablet to get the mouse to move. By hovering the pen over the tablet the mouse will move to where you want it, without drawing anything on the screen.

Despite those two issues, I was able to get used to everything, and I became fairly proficient with the tablet. No matter what I tried the G-Pen M609X always responded quickly and accurately.

The part I liked the most is the textured feel of the cover. It actually feels like drawing on paper. This helps to provide not only a great feel, but also a little friction that keeps the pen from slipping away while drawing.

Support and Warranty

The warranty on the G-Pen M609X is a rather small 1 year. This isn’t nearly enough considering how much use the drawing area is likely to receive. I would prefer a 2-3 year warranty. However, that would probably cause an increase in the price, and currently the price is low enough that if the tablet breaks after a year or two it would be too difficult to buy another one.

Support comes in the form of phone and email. I could not find a forum or other online way of getting help. It would be smart for Genius to setup a forum where users could help each other and the answers to questions could easily be found.

Conclusion

Overall the G-Pen M609X is a good tablet. There are better, but not for this low of a price. The M609X has an MSRP of $149 which in my opinion is a decent price for a tablet with these features. The G-Pen M609X strikes a good balance between quality and price. If Genius could include some way of labeling the shortcut keys, it would go a long way to improving their usability.

At the time of this review the G-Pen M609X is difficult to find and I was unable to find a website that sells it. However, I did find a few websites that sell the G-Pen M609 (previous version) and it runs about $99. If the M609X ends up near the same price then it will be a really good deal.

If you are looking for a mid-range tablet for drawing, then the G-Pen M609X is a good option.

Features

• Laser quality up to 2x faster
• Maximum 38 ppm black/color
• Laser quality 15 ppm/9.3 ppm
• Wi-Fi and Ethernet networking
• Extra High-capacity black and High-capacity color cartridges
• Uses up to 70% less power
• PC Fax – directly from PC

One of the features I am anticipating the most is the laser quality printing. All the other Inkjet printers have had a really hard time producing laser quality text.

The printer is also fast. With a maximum print speed of 38 pages per minute this printer can spit out a lot of pages. This is obviously not laser quality, but it is still fast.

This printer can connect to either a wireless and wired network, which is great if you have more than one computer and you want to share the printer.

The black cartridge is actually twice the size of the colors. Since this is a office printer there is a good chance that printing text will be the most often performed task. Having a lot of black ink will keep the printer from running out quickly and keep your office productive.

Fax is another great feature for an office. Most offices need a fax and since this printer has one you don’t need to buy a separate one.

Design

The WorkForce 610 has a lot of features so it really should be a lot bigger than it really is. The printer has dimensions of 18.1″ W x 22.1″ D x 12″ H, which is really quite small.

The front of the WorkForce 610 has all the controls, buttons, and inputs you need when printing or faxing. On the left side is all the memory card slots and PictBridge. These are used for printing without using a computer. This printer supports CompactFlash, Microdrive, Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, MagicGate Memory Stick, MagicGate Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO, Memory Stick Pro Duo, Secure Digital (SD), SDHC, mini SD, mini SDHC, micro SD, micro SDHC, MultiMediaCard, xD-Picture Card, xD-Picture Card Type-M, and xD-Picture Card Type-H.

Flash slots

To the right of the card slots is the control panel. The control panel is split into 3 sections. On the left are the power and function select buttons. In the middle is the screen and the buttons that control it. Finally, on the right is the keypad, fax buttons, and the start and stop buttons. When I first saw the control panel I thought it was funny how similar it is to the Artisan 700.

Console left side

Console right side

The control panel lifts up, much like the Artisan 810, however, getting it to go back down is a bit of a challenge. To lower the control panel the WorkForce 610 has a hidden handle that is behind the control panel. To use the handle you have to reach behind the control panel, pull down on the handle, and also push in the control panel. Contrast this with the Artisan 810 where all you have to do is press a button that is on top of the control panel, and a spring inside lowers it into place.

Console down

Console up

IMG_5275.JPG

Below the control pad is the paper output tray. This tray is a bit different from other printer trays, and in this case it is not an improvement. The paper tray on the WorkForce 610 is quite heavy duty (probably so you can print lots of pages), but this also makes it hard to move in and out. I actually prefer the thinner paper output tray that the Artisan 810 has.

Paper output tray

On top of the WorkForce 610 is the scanner and automatic paper feeder for the scanner. I really like how the paper feeder can be hidden when not in use. There isn’t very much to say about the scanner, except that it has 48-bit color / 24-bit output, a maximum document size of 8.5″ x 11″, and a maximum resolution of 9600 x 9600 dpi interpolated.

Scanner

Finally, on top, in the back, is the paper input tray. There is nothing special about this input try and it is nothing like the Artisan 810. The Artisan 810 has a paper cartridge that goes under the printer and hides the paper so it is not out in the open. this really helps the printer look cleaner and more professional. I am surprised that the WorkForce 610 does not also have a paper cartridge, especially since paper cartridges have usually been a feature in office printers.

Paper input tray

Under the scanner is another lid that when lifted reveals the inside of the printer. The first thing I noticed is that the printer cartridges sit directly on top of the print head. I liked the way the Artisan printers had the cartridges off to the side and I think all Epson’s printers should do it that way.

Inside

Print cartridge

Print cartridge

In the back are the connectors. The connectors include Phone in and out, Ethernet, and USB at the bottom.

Connectors

Performance

Now we get to check out how the printer performs. One of my favorite and one of my first tests is with photos. Even though this printer is an office printer, and not a photo printer, I still like to see how it does with photos. This gives a good idea on how well it will do with other graphics, like graphs, presentation slides, and documents with images. When I first printed the picture I thought it didn’t look too bad. Then I compared it with the Artisan 800, and I could clearly see the difference.

Original

610 photo

810 photo

Where this printer is suppose to shine is with printing laser quality documents. So my next test will be comparing the quality of the text that is printed with the WorkForce 610 against my trusty HP Laserjet 5L. To help with configuring the Workforce 610 to print laser quality text the software provides an few presets. The setting in question is Letter Document – High Quality and it configures the printer to photo, with text smoothing, and the results? Better than any other ink jet. As you can see from the images below the text from the WorkForce 610 looks very similar to the text from the HP 5L, but not quite as good. I also included an image of what the non high-quality text looks like, as you can see it is quite a bit worse.

HP 5L text

610 Laser text

610 Fast text

The speed of the printer is also something to consider. Printing high quality text certainly takes a bit longer than printing normal text. To find out how much longer I setup the printer to print 21 pages of text and I timed it. I started the timer after the first page finished so I am really only testing 20 pages, skipping the first page gives the printer time to warm up and receive the entire job. So with normal text it took 63 seconds to print 20 pages (~19 p/m), and when it was set to high quality it took 779 seconds (~1.5 p/m). On my Laserjet that same print job took 295 seconds (4 p/m). So the WorkForce 610 is quite a bit faster than my Laser jet with normal quality text, but much slower when printing laser quality text.

Scanning is the next test. I don’t do anything fancy other than scan a few color charts. As you can see from the image, the colors scanned fairly well and I could not find any major flaws in the images.

Color chart

This printer is also capable of printing lined and gridded paper. As with the Artisan 810 the lined and gridded paper is great.

Faxing is also very easy to do and the results are just as I expected them to be.

Warranty and Support

The Workforce 610 includes a two-year limited warranty with toll-free support, but this requires you to register your printer. If for some reason you don’t want to register your printer you will get a one-year limited warranty with toll-free support.

Epson also offers their Preferred Plus Protection Plans. These plans extend service for the printer beginning when the standard warranty ends. You can purchase either a one or two year extension and they can be bought no matter where you bought the printer from. The one year plan is only $19.95 and the two year is $29.95. I don’t really like the idea of having to pay for service on a product that you have bought, but it is nice to have the option. I highly recommend getting one of these, because you never know what kind of problems your printer may have and they are really inexpensive.

Conclusion

The Workforce 610 worked perfectly in all its tasks. However, after reviewing the Artisan 810 I felt like I was taking a step down with the Workforce 610. It may be that I am spoiled or it may be that Epson left features out to keep keep costs down. The WorkForce 610 is less expensive than the Artisan 810, but only by about $70. As of this writing Amazon is selling the Workforce 610 for $129 and the Artisan 810 for $199. So what do you get for the extra $70? How about CD/DVD printing, a duplexer, much better photos (7 color cartridges), a hidden paper cartridge, and a really nice touch screen control panel. I personally think all that would be worth at least $70.

So here’s the bottom line, if you want a printer that can do great photos and print on CDs then get the Artisan 810. However, if you are more concerned about saving a few bucks and getting really great text then get the WorkForce 610. Either way, you are going to enjoy whichever choise you make.

Since the Artisan 810 and the Artisan 800 are almost exactly the same, this review is going to be very similar to the Artisan 800 review that I did earlier.

Features

• 5 in 1 with Wi-Fi: Print / Copy / Scan / Fax / Ultra HD Photo
• Up to 38 ppm, photos in as fast as 10 sec
• Built-in fax and Automatic Document Feeder
• Wi-Fi and Ethernet networking
• 7.8-inch touch panel, 3.5-inch LCD
• Professional quality CD/DVD printing
• Automatic two-sided printing
• Create coloring books and personal note paper
• Two-year limited warranty with registration
• Ultra Hi-Definition photos last 4x longer than photo lab prints
• Two paper trays always ready to print photos and documents

When it comes to printing options, the Artisan 810 has a pluthera. This printer can print on just about any type of surface meant for printing, from photo paper, to printable DVDs. With the included duplexer, two-sided printing is a snap. Even without the duplexer you can still print on two sides, it just takes a little more effort.

This printer uses Claria Hi-Definition Ink which is currently one of the best and longest lasting inks you can get. Because of this, Epson claims that the photos that come out of this printer will last 4x longer than photos that are printed in a photo lab.

The Artisan 810 has at least five ways to connect it to a computer. First, you can connect it directly to the computer with a USB cable, this is good if you only have one computer. If you have more than one computer and a wireless network, then you can use the second way which is WiFi, or if you have a wired network then you can use the third way which is an Ethernet cable. The fourth way is using an optional Bluetooth adapter, so if you have a phone or camera with Bluetooth then you can print directly from those devices. Finally, the last way is to plug in a memory card or USB stick into one of the memory slots or the PictBridge port.

Not only can you print directly from a memory card or a USB stick, but the printer can enhance and fix those photos if they have problems like red eye or are too light or dark.

Printing photos and text is not the only thing this printer can print. The Artisan 810 is also able to print lined, grid, and coloring pages. All of these things worked out really great. I would only make one comment. The coloring pages can only be printed from a scanned source, or memory card and not from a picture on a PC.

Grid paper

Coloring Page

The printer has a built-in paper tray that functions like two paper trays. The bottom part of the paper tray is for larger paper, it can hold up to 8.5″ x 14″, and the top tray can hold up to 5″ x 7″ paper, which is great for photo paper.

Design

The printer is very compact. On top is an Automatic Document Feeder and the scanner. The ADF can hold up to 30 pages and the maximum size that can be scanned is an A4 document. I really like the design of the ADF because when you are not using it, you can close it up.

ADF Open

ADF Closed

The controls for the Artisan 810 are very unique. On the front is a very large 7.8″ touch panel with a 3.5″ LCD right in the middle. This is a very high resolution screen, and is great for not only displaying the menus and options, but also for showing photos that will be printed. If you are printing from a memory card or USB stick then you can use the screen to preview the images and see what they will look like before they are printed. The screen is not large enough to see a lot of details, but you will get a good idea about the results.

Screen

To the left of the screen are six touch panel buttons. Those buttons are Display/Crop, Menu, Home, Left arrow, Auto, and Back. The Display/Crop button is for printing buttons from a flash card. With this button you can choose how to display the pictures (full, thumbnails, or full with details) and you can also crop the images for printing on photo paper. The menu button will display the menu for whatever screen you are currently viewing. The Home button will always take you back to the main screen. The left arrow is used to scroll through each menu’s screen. The Auto button turns on and off the Fax auto answer. The back button takes you back one screen.

Left Buttons

To the right of the screen are another 7 buttons. The buttons are plus and minus, Clear Settings, right arrow, Start, OK, and View Auto Correct. The plus and minus buttons are for increasing and decreasing the number of copies of each picture you print. Clear settings is self explanatory. The right arrow is just like the left arrow in that it moves through screens. The Start button will start a copy, or fax. The OK button accepts any setting changes. View Auto Correct turns on the auto correction and displays it on the screen.

Right Buttons

To the left of the touch panel are two additional buttons. The top button is the power button, and obviously it is used for turning on and off the printer. Below that is the CD tray button, and it is used for ejecting the CD tray so a CD can be placed on it.

The whole control console lifts up freely. This serves two purposes that I have found so far. The first is to give you a better viewing angle, and the second is to open up a space so you can get to the CD/DVD tray. As you lift the controls up they will lock into place. To get the console to go back down you need to press the unlock button, which is at the top left of the controls, above the power button (it has a yellow stripe). Pressing the Unlock button will lower the display automatically, do not press it down or it will damage the lock and you may not be able to lower it ever again (trust me, I know from experience).

Below the control console is the CD/DVD tray, paper output, and input trays. The first one closest to the top is the CD/DVD tray. Pressing the CD/DVD tray button causes this tray to come out, but the tray does not come out very far, so before you can put a disk on it you must lift the control console up. This opens up a space so you can reach in and place the disk on the tray.

CD Tray

Blank CD

Below that is the paper output tray. It pulls out and can support anything from 4″x6″ all the way up to 8.5″ x 14″.

Output Tray

To the right of the paper trays are the memory card slots and the PictBridge port.

Memory Card slots

At the very bottom is the paper input tray. Actually it is two paper trays built into one. There is an upper and lower section, the lower section is for large paper, up to 8.5″x14″ and the upper section is for smaller photo paper, up to 5″x7″.

Paper Tray

Paper Tray

The back of the printer has a spot for power, USB, Ethernet, and phone cables. There is also a rather large Duplexer attached to the back. This is responsible for automatic two sided printing. The Duplexer can be removed if you are trying to squeeze the printer into a tight space. However, I don’t know why you would, because the Duplexer is one of the new features of the Artisan 810 and if you cannot use it then you might as well buy an Artisan 800.

Connectors	Power Plug
Back	Duplexer

If you open up the top and take a look inside there are really only two spots of interest and one is the ink cartridge holders. Almost all of the previous printers that I have reviewed have had the ink located right on top of the print head, but not with this printer. On this printer they are located off to the side. The small green tab that you see is a kind of lock. It is used to lock the print head into place while being transported. It must be moved before you plug in the printer, failing to do this may damage the printer. The Printer has a special place for it just above so it does not get lost.

Inside	Ink compartment	ink Installed
Print Head Lock	Print Head Lock Removed

Performance

Testing the printer is the fun part. It is where I get to print off and scan tons of different things and see how well it does. The printer comes with a full set of standard ink cartridges and I planned on using it all. The first thing I always like doing is printing out lots of pictures. Printing with the 810 is extremely quick, the Artisan 810 can print up to 38 pages per minute and a single photo can be printed in as little as 10 seconds.

The photos that printed are fantastic. As you can see from the images below. I printed off several photos from different printers to compared the quality of each. I printed photos from the Artisan 810 and the Artisan 800. The first picture is the original from my camera, the second one is from the Artisan 800 and the third one is from the Artisan 810. As you can clearly see for yourself they are identical. This is good for those of you that wondered if the 810 would have better photo printing.

Original

Artisan 800

Artisan 810

One of the features of the Artisan is that it will auto correct photos that are printed from a memory card or USB stick. It can also automatically remove red eye. The first image is the original from my camera, the second one is an auto corrected photo and the third has red eye turned on. I could not see a difference between the auto corrected and regular photos. The red eye reduction, also worked reasonably well, except that it missed one of the red eyes. If you want everything perfect, it is always best to do the touch-ups yourself.

Original

Auto Correct

Red Eye Remover

Printing documents is also very fast. I was able to print 7 full color pages in 55 seconds. By default the pages print in order, which means the first page is on the bottom. Luckily, I found a reverse option which prints the last page first. I think this option is in the word processing software and not the printer drivers. Either way I appreciate having it and I wish it was the default.

Printing DVDs is a lot of fun. I have bought printers in the past just because they could print on CDs and DVDs. The Artisan 810 makes the process really easy because it is all built-in. The quality is also superb, as you can see from the images, it is very easy to see even the smallest detail.

Printed CD

Printed CD

Next, I wanted to test the printing of text. This is where most inkjet printers have the hardest time. I compared the Artisan 810 against my HP 5L laserjet printer. The first image is the 5L and the second one is the Artisan. As you can see the 5L does a better job with text, but the Artisan 810 is not far off. I think you will find that no matter what inkjet you buy, a laserjet is always going to do better with text, that is why I have one of each.

HP5L	Artisan 810 Text

In addition to just printing text I also tried out the Duplexer. I am happy to report that double sided printing completed without a problem. The only thing I would mention is that the printer pauses for about 5 seconds after it prints the first side. This may make you think it is done, but do not remove the paper otherwise the second side will not print. The printer will pull the paper back in and flip it over so it can print on the other side.

To test scanning I have some professional color charts that I like to scan. This gives me a good idea of how well the scanner performs. As you can see it did a decent job, the colors are not perfect, but they are really good.

Charts

Last, but not least, is faxing. To test this I sent a 7 page document to myself. I was very happy to see that the fax did not actually dial until all the pages had been scanned into memory. The scanning was quick, taking about 5 seconds per page. Once they were all scanned the fax dialed the number and sent them to the destination. I was sending black and white pages so it was fairly quick. The whole process took about 5 minutes. I don’t have a second color fax, but I imagine that it would take quite a bit longer, because it takes longer to scan color and color documents would also have more data to send to the destination.

All during these tests the printer was really quiet. Sometimes I had to watch the printer just to make sure it was printing. The scanner is also really quiet and fast, so if you are not paying attention you will miss it.

The Artisan 800 and the 810 both use the same ink. So if you upgrade you can keep your old ink and use it with the new printer. The ink is not super expensive, costing about $9 per cartridge if you buy all the colors together, and $18 per cartridge for the high capacity black.

Warranty and Support

The warranty for the Artisan 810 is simply a two year warranty that covers parts and labor for manufacturer defects. In my opinion this is a mediocre warranty. I would like to see longer warranties for all products, but since I am not in charge I don’t get to make that decision.

My experience with support has been positive. I accidentally broke the lock release for the screen on my Artisan 800 (I pushed it down instead of using the release button) and Epson was very easy to deal with. They sent a new 800 and even paid for return shipping for the old one. No I did not tell them I was writing a review. I spoke to them like a normal customer.

Conclusion

I am really impressed with the speed, quality, and how quiet the Artisan 810 is. I don’t think I found a single problem with this printer other than the text quality, but that is a tough area for all inkjets. The MSRP of $299.99 is not too expensive, but it very easy to find it for a bit cheaper. It is especially nice that the printer comes with a full set of standard color ink cartridges and two high capacity black cartridges, this is about $90 (MSRP) worth of ink. If you are looking for a multifunction printer that can scan, copy, print, and fax then I can highly recommend this printer. If you don’t need faxing or a document feeder you may want to check out the Artisan 710. This printer has clearly taken the top position away from the Artisan 800 and I am giving this printer my Editors Choice award. This is a must have printer and the best printer of the year.

LONG BEACH, Calif., Oct. 13, 2009 – The ultimate companion in photo printing has arrived with the release of the affordable, portable Epson PictureMate® Charm. Offering the same impressive features and results as previous models in the renowned PictureMate line, including superior photo quality, economical print costs, long-lasting prints, and powerful image enhancement tools, PictureMate Charm is the ideal solution for printing and sharing cherished memories at home or on the go.

“Photo labs can be inconvenient and don’t always produce great results because they often sacrifice image quality in order to cut costs,” said Stacey Tieu, associate product manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson America Inc. “Epson’s PictureMate Charm is the best alternative because it delivers the features that are important to consumers – uncompromised quality and ultimate convenience – allowing them to print superior 4″x6″ photos with true-to-life skin tones, amazing detail and sharpness in as fast as 37 seconds1 whenever and where ever they want.”

Whether at home, at a party or traveling on vacation, PictureMate Charm consistently delivers durable, better-than-lab-quality prints that are smudge, scratch and water resistant. The beautiful, true-to-life prints last up to four times longer than traditional, film-processed photos, resisting fading up to 96 years under glass and over 200 years in dark album storage2.

In addition, PictureMate Charm offers easy, one-touch printing with or without a computer. It features a 2.5” LCD screen to view, crop and print photos, as well as remove red eye and select popular photo layouts and color tones such as black and white, sepia or color. PictureMate Charm also prints from all popular memory cards with built-in card slots3, and prints wirelessly from PDAs and digital camera cell phones with an optional Bluetooth® adapter4.

PictureMate Charm delivers affordable prints on glossy and matte paper with Epson’s PictureMate Print Packs, which include ink and either 150 sheets of 4″x6″ glossy paper or 100 sheets of 4″x6″ matte paper. In addition, an optional, rechargeable battery is available for maximum portability to print photos outdoors or on the road.

With its extreme versatility, PictureMate Charm is also a smart tool for many professional industries, including wedding photographers and medical or dental offices. Its high-quality photo output, long-lasting, durable ink, and ultimate portability allow photographers to instantly provide images to clients at events, while medical professionals can conveniently track a patient’s recovery through before-and-after photos without having to wait for them to be processed at a lab.

Epson PictureMate Charm

Pricing and Availability

PictureMate Charm ($149.99*) will be available on Oct. 20 through a variety of online retail stores and Epson’s retail site, www.epsonstore.com. For more information, please see the PictureMate Charm fact sheet or visit www.Epson.com.

About Epson America Inc.

Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Seiko Epson Corporation and a leading provider of digital imaging products that exceed the vision of its customers. The company’s extensive range of printers, scanners and 3 LCD projectors are renowned for their superior quality, functionality, compactness, and energy efficiency. The Seiko Epson organization is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and for the second year in a row, been part of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, an indicator for leading companies in economic, environmental and social criteria.

# # #

Specifications are subject to change without notice. Epson and PictureMate are registered trademarks, Epson Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark, and Exceed Your Vision is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks.

1Color photo without a PC in borderless layout measured from start of paper feed. Actual print time will vary based on system configuration, software, and page complexity. See www.epson.com/printspeed for details.

2Based on accelerated testing of prints displayed under glass in indoor display conditions. Actual print stability will vary according to media, printed image, display conditions, light intensity, temperature, humidity and atmospheric conditions. Epson does not guarantee the longevity of prints. For maximum print life, display all prints under glass or UV filter or properly store them.

3Prints from CompactFlash® (Type I/II), Secure Digital (SD™), SDHC™ MMC, xD-Picture Card™ (Type M/H), Microdrive® and Memory Stick®.

4Bluetooth adapter sold separately; please visit www.MyPictureMate.com for ordering information.

* Estimated street price

Sleek Artisan 710 and 810 Complement Today’s Busy Lifestyles with Number-One Photo Quality1 and Innovative Features for One-of-a-Kind Projects and Everyday Printing Needs

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Aug. 19, 2009 – Epson America continues to drive printing innovation with its new line of Artisan® all-in-ones – the Artisan 710 and Artisan 810 – designed for everything from creative projects to afterhours work from home. Delivering photos that are preferred by consumers 3-to-1 over the competition1, built-in Wi-Fi® and Ethernet networking, automatic two-sided printing, blazing fast performance, and a host of unique features, the sleek models are a perfect match for any room in today’s households.

“These new all-in-ones offer the premium performance that the Epson Artisan family has become known for, plus a host of new capabilities designed specifically for today’s busy home,” said Steve Semos, product manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson America Inc. “With features such as printing wirelessly from an Apple® iPhone, charging a cell phone or MP3 player from the front USB port2, and saving 50 percent more paper with automatic two-sided printing, the Artisan 710 and 810 offer the entire family all the features expected from an all-in-one. Moreover, the Artisan 810 offers built-in color fax with an Auto Document Feeder and a smart 7.8-inch touch screen for added convenience and productivity.”

Artisan Innovation

The Artisan 710 and 810 provide a range of unique features for everyday printing needs. Using the convenient front panel features, consumers can easily preview, select, enhance, and print photos without a computer. The flagship Artisan 810 boasts a 7.8-inch smart touch panel and 3.5-inch color LCD that lights up only the buttons needed, while the Artisan 710 has an easy-to-use control panel with 2.5-inch LCD.

For one-of-a-kind projects and creative needs, the Artisan 710 and 810 can turn photos or drawings into personalized coloring book pages or note paper, or print college-ruled, wide-ruled and graph school paper. They also allow consumers to create and print custom designs directly onto ink jet printable CDs and DVDs. In addition, Epson’s six-color Ultra Hi-Definition Claria® ink and exclusive MicroPiezo® print head with DX5™ technology, deliver vivid, true-to-life photos with smudge, scratch and water resistance3, as well as fade resistance up to four times longer than photo lab prints.4

Artisan Performance

The Artisan 710 and 810 offer full-featured scanning and copying and distinctive standalone photo capabilities to print photos with or without a computer, supporting all popular memory card types and USB Flash drives.5 Both models offer built-in Automatic Photo Correction that can be previewed before printing, as well as automatic red eye removal and the ability to restore color to old, faded photos. In addition, using the front USB port, Artisan users can charge cell phones, GPS devices or MP3 players. The Artisan 710 and 810 also print photos and documents wirelessly from an Apple iPhone.

Both Artisan models blaze through printing tasks faster than competitors, printing a lab-quality 4”x6” photo in as fast as 10 seconds.6 They also deliver maximum print and copy speeds of up to 38 pages per minute (ppm) in black and color, and laser-quality speeds of up to 9.5 ppm black and 9.1 ppm color.6

For more information on additional features, please see the Artisan 710 and Artisan 810 fact sheets or visit www.Epson.com.

Better Products for a Better Future™

Epson knows that planning for the future requires a strong commitment to the environment and strives to create innovative products that are reliable, recyclable and energy efficient. The Artisan 710 and 810 are designed to be recycled7, ENERGY STAR® qualified and RoHS compliant. In addition to supporting printing on recycled paper, the estimated power consumption of the Artisan all-in-ones for one year is less than two dollars.8 And, automatic, two-sided printing enables consumers to save up to 50 percent on paper, while printing multiple photos on a single sheet and PC-Fax capabilities9 help reduce paper use. For more information on Epson’s environmental programs, go to www.Epson.com/environment.

Pricing and Availability

The Artisan 710 ($179.99*) and Artisan 810 ($299.99*) are currently available through major computer, office and electronic superstores, a variety of retail stores nationwide, mail order, PC manufacturers, the Internet, and Epson’s retail site, www.epsonstore.com. Both all-in-ones come with Epson’s PreferredSM program, a special two-year limited warranty with exclusive assistance benefits, and registered Artisan owners also receive free, lifetime phone support.10

Artisan 810

Artisan 710

About Epson America Inc.

Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation (SEC) and is a leading provider of digital imaging products that exceed the vision of its customers. The company’s extensive range of printers, 3LCD projectors and small- and medium-sized LCDs are renowned for their superior quality, functionality, compactness, and energy efficiency. The Seiko-Epson organization is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and was recently added to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, an indicator for selective leading companies who meet a rigorous standard of economic, environmental and social criteria.

# # #

Specifications are subject to change without notice. Epson and Claria are registered trademarks, Epson Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark, and Better Products for a Better Future is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. Artisan is a registered trademark of Epson America, Inc. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks.

1Compared to photo All-In-Ones priced $300 or less as of 11/1/08 in testing by Newman-Stein Inc.

2User supplied cable required to fully or partially charge USB devices that comply with USB 2.0 standards, rated 500mA or less.

3Water resistance on Epson Glossy Papers.

4Based on accelerated testing of prints displayed under glass in indoor display or in album conditions. Actual print stability will vary according to media, printed image, display conditions, light intensity, temperature, humidity and atmospheric conditions. Epson does not guarantee the longevity of prints. For maximum print life, display all prints under glass or UV filter or properly store them.

5Some functions may not be supported by Mac®, like accessing memory cards when the all-in-one is networked.

6Maximum pages (PPM) are measured after first page with text patterns in Draft mode on plain paper. Laser quality black and color print speeds are determined in default, single-side mode in accordance with ISO/IEC 24734. Actual print times will vary based on system configuration, software, and page complexity. See www.epson.com/printspeed for details, including complete ISO reports. Color photo in Draft Mode on Premium Photo Paper Glossy measured from start of paper feed. Actual print time will vary based on system configuration, software, and page complexity. Laser quality color speed for the Artisan 710 is 9.0 PPM

7See Epson’s Web site for convenient and reasonable recycling options at www.epson.com/recycle.

8Calculated printing/copying five sheets of letter-size color documents per day, one day defined as eight hours with the power on and 16 hours with the power off. Power consumption will vary according to the customer’s printer usage. Based on a 2008 national average electricity cost of 11.47 cents per kWh.

9For sending faxes, on Windows® only; available on the Artisan 810 only.

10One-year limited warranty to all purchasers; toll-free support and second-year warranty require registration within 60 days of purchase. With registration, Epson provides phone support without charge for the life of the product. Telephone toll charges may apply. Offer valid only in the United States.

* Estimated street price

Remote Features New Wireless RF Control, Full-Color Touch Screen; Replaces Up to 15 Remotes

FREMONT, Calif. — Aug. 11, 2009 — Logitech (SIX: LOGN) (NASDAQ: LOGI) today introduced the Logitech Harmony® 900 remote. With its redesigned RF technology, full-color touch screen and intuitive button layout, the rechargeable Logitech Harmony 900 remote makes it easy to enjoy and control your TV, movies, games and music – even when your components are neatly hidden behind cabinet doors.

“Like all Harmony remotes, the Harmony 900 simplifies home entertainment, which is particularly relevant with more and more people staying home to watch movies on their big-screen TVs and enjoying surround sound and hi-def video from the comfort of the couch,” said Ashish Arora, vice president and general manager of Logitech’s Harmony business unit. “Unfortunately, more remotes and more wires tend to be byproducts of increasingly sophisticated home-entertainment systems. With the Harmony 900 remote’s RF technology and ability to control up to 15 devices, you can say good-bye to the clutter while gaining better control of your devices.”

Simple-to-Install RF System
The Harmony 900 remote’s completely redesigned RF system makes it easy to control (up to 100 feet away) a cabinet full of devices without the hassles often associated with RF setups. Just place the included IR blaster and one or two of the mini blasters on the cabinet shelves near the devices you want to control. (Unlike other RF remotes, there’s no need to tape emitters to each of your devices.) Then use the Harmony 900 remote’s color touch screen to choose the devices you want to control with RF. Once setup is complete, you’re free to close the doors on entertainment-system clutter and point your remote anywhere you want.

Easy to Hold, Easy to Use
Based on the award-winning design of the Logitech Harmony® One remote, the Logitech Harmony 900 remote’s intuitive button layout is divided into four distinct zones (numbers; traditional DVD controls; D-pad with volume and channel up/down; and on-screen menu buttons), making it easy to find the right one quickly. Only the 44 most-essential buttons appear on the Harmony 900 remote, and each of those buttons is individually sculpted, providing useful tactile cues so you can operate the remote by touch, rather than having to rely on sight.

One Touch to Your Entertainment
As with all Logitech Harmony remotes, the newest addition to the lineup can have you watching your favorite movie or show with one press of a button. With the Harmony 900 remote, there’s no need for complicated lists and long explanations about how to use your home-entertainment system; it simplifies your entertainment with one-touch activity-based control. The whole family, your friends, and even the babysitter can simply select what they want to do by choosing the appropriate on-screen icon – such as “Watch TV” – and the Harmony 900 remote does the rest. The remote will turn on the TV, the cable box, the A/V receiver and any other necessary devices.

Guided Online Setup
Logitech’s online setup makes getting the Harmony 900 remote up and running as easy as possible. The intuitive setup wizard guides you, prompting you to enter the make and model numbers of your components. The Harmony software then programs the remote with the appropriate IR codes from Logitech’s database of more than 225,000 devices from more than 5,000 manufacturers. And with more device codes added every day, you can be confident that devices you buy tomorrow will be covered, too.

Pricing and Availability
The Logitech Harmony 900 remote is expected to be available in the U.S. and Europe in September for a suggested retail price of $399.99 (U.S.). The remote ships with a recharging cradle, rechargeable battery, power supply, IR blaster and two mini blasters. Logitech plans to make additional blasters and mini blasters available online in some regions.

About Logitech
Logitech is a world leader in personal peripherals, driving innovation in PC navigation, Internet communications, digital music, home-entertainment control, gaming and wireless devices. Founded in 1981, Logitech International is a Swiss public company traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange (LOGN) and on the Nasdaq Global Select Market (LOGI).

Features

• Slim and Lightweight
• 3G Wireless
• Books in Under 60 Seconds
• Paper-like Display
• Long Battery Life
• Holds over 1,500 books
• Text-to-speech
• Free Book Samples
• Large Selection
• Low Book Prices

The Kindles new design makes it easy to carry and even easier to transport. With dimensions of 8″ x 5.3″ x 0.36″ and a weight of 10.2 oz it is lighter than a typical paperback.

Front

Profile

Using Sprint’s 3G high-speed data network. The 3G wireless lets you download books right from your Kindle, anytime, anywhere; no monthly fees, service plans, or hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots. Get books delivered in less than 60 seconds; no PC required.

Utilizing the latest in electronic-ink display technology, the Kindle provides a crisp black-and-white 6″ screen with the same appearance and readability of printed paper. Sharp and natural with 16 shades of gray for clear text and even crisper images. The screen works using ink, just like books and newspapers, but displays the ink particles electronically. And unlike a laptop or smart phone, Kindle never gets warm so you can comfortably read as long as you like.

With 25% longer battery life than the original Kindle it is possible to read for days without recharging. With wireless turned on the battery can last up to 4 days. If you want even more time you can turn off wireless and the battery should last up to two weeks. Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as shopping the Kindle Store and downloading content.

The Kindle includes a new text-to-speech feature. With this feature the Kindle can read every newspaper, magazine, blog, and book out loud to you. However, each publisher/author has the ability to disable this feature.

Not sure if you want to buy a book? With the Kindle you can download and read the first chapter for free before you decide to buy.

You also don’t have to worry about running out of things to read. With over 300,000 books plus U.S. and international newspapers, magazines, and blogs available, there will always be something to read. With 2GB of internal storage (approximately 1.4GB available for user content) the Kindle can store about 1500 of these books at a time.

You also don’t have to worry about breaking the bank when you want to buy new books. New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases are only $9.99. Other books are much lower, and there is also a good selection of free books.

Design

There is not much to the Kindle, but that is what makes it so easy to use. As I mentioned above the Kindle is very small. With dimensions of 8″ x 5.3″ x 0.36″ it is just over 1/3 of an inch thick.

The front of the Kindle is where everything important is. The majority of the front is taken up with the screen. To the left of the screen are two buttons, Prev Page, and Next Page. On the right side are several more buttons. At the top is the Home button, no matter where you are, pressing this button will always take you back to the home screen. The next button is Next Page, and below that is the Menu button. The Menu button is context sensitive and changes depending on what you are looking at. This is also where you can turn wireless and text-to-speech on and off. Next is a 5-way Controller, which is used to navigate the menus, book lists, move the cursor, and select items in the store. The last button is the back button. This button will take you to the last page viewed.

Front

Below the screen is the keyboard. The keyboard is used to make notes about passages you have read, and search the store. There is a single button (Aa) to the right of the space bar that when pressed lets you adjust the size of the text and the speed of the text-to-speech.

Keyboard

Notes

Text size

On top of the Kindle is the power switch, and a headphone jack. Fortunately, the headphone jack is standard size so you don’t need an adapter.

Power and Headphone Jack

On the bottom of the Kindle is a micro-B USB port. This port is used to not only charge the Kindle, but also to transfer text files, and MP3′s to the Kindle. You can also use it to copy books from the Kindle to your computer; however, there is no Kindle software for computers, so you won’t be able to read them.

Micro-B USB port.

The right side has the volume buttons.

Volume

On the back are the two speakers.

Back

Now that we have talked about what it looks like, lets talk about how I would like it to change. On the right hand side I would like a Previous page button to go in the place of the Home button. This way when I am holding it like a book I can operate it with just my right hand. I would also like to switch the Next and Previous buttons that are on the left side. It just makes a lot of sense to be able to click left to go back and right to go forward.

I would also like to see the keyboard improved. The buttons should be made quite a bit larger, this would make mistakes a lot less likely to happen. Also it would be nice if the keys on the keyboard were offset like a normal keyboard rather than lined up like a cellphone.

The Kindle even comes with its own cover/case. It is specially designed to clip right onto the Kindle and open like a book, or fold under so it can be held with one hand.

Cover closed

Cover open

Performance

Performance on the Kindle is a combination of both the implementation of features, and the quality of the parts.

The screen is very nice. Amazon’s implementation of electronic-ink is very well done. The screen is a 6″ diagonal display, with a 600 x 800 pixel resolution at 167 ppi, and is capable of displaying 16-level gray scale. At the top of the screen is the registered users name, the status of the wireless, and the battery level. The bottom of the screen changes depending on what you are looking at.

Reading books is not only really easy, but it is actually a pleasure. The electronic-ink screen does not have any glare or backlight, so your eyes will not get tired from looking at it very long. Also just like a book, it is possible to see the text from any angle, as long as you can see the screen.

While reading, if you ever come across a word that you are unfamiliar with, or you don’t know how to pronounce it, you can put your cursor over it and (if it is in the dictionary) you will see a definition at the bottom of the screen. This does not currently happen, but it would also be helpful if you could have the text-to-speech pronounce the word.

Dictionary

When switching pages you will notice that it is not instantaneous. Instead you will notice that the pages go through several transitions.

First Page	1st transition	2nd transition
3rd transition	Second Page

Sometimes the previous screen does not go away completely when a new page loads. For example, in the picture below you will see a bit of leftover text at the top of the screen, after my name. This text is from the title of the last book that I read. Also when the Kindle turns off it displays a picture, sometimes you can see words and stuff in the picture.

Leftover Text

While reading a book that I downloaded I was a little confused by some numbers that are at the bottom of the screen. I know they are location numbers, but the numbering does not make any logical sense. As you can see from the images below when I went from one page to another, the numbers changed, but they seem random to me.

Page numbers 1

Page numbers 2

Page numbers 3

Shopping in the Kindle store and buying books or subscriptions is very easy. The store can be accessed directly from the Kindle, but only when wireless is turned on. The easiest way to find a book or blog is to search for it. For example, we set up JusTech’n as a downloadable blog and to find the JusTech’n blog all you have to do is type our name in the search and hit the enter key. All blogs come with a 14-day free trial so you can try it out before you have to pay for it. There were several books that I looked for (Harry Potter) that I could not find. This took a little of the excitement out of having the Kindle, but I suppose they will never have every book in the world. I just expected the really popular ones to be in the Kindle library.

Store

Purchase

While subscribing to blogs is easy, unsubscribing is not as straight forward. When I first tried this I hit the menu button hoping there would be an unsubscribe option. However, it was not there. Instead, to manage Kindle books and subscriptions you must go to the Kindle website. Managing subscription directly on the Kindle would certainly be an improvement I would suggest that Amazon make.

One thing that caught me off guard with blog subscriptions, is that if you cancel your subscription before the 14 days are up, you will not be allowed to resume the trial later. I tried subscribing to a blog and then canceling it, just to see how easy it was. Then when I subscribed again, everything looked the same, until I got the confirmation email. The email said that I had already used my trial and I would start getting charged. This was surprising because when I subscribed I didn’t get a single indication that I would get charged. Amazon really needs to get rid of the 14-day trial button when you have already used the trial.

The text-to-speech also works really well. The voice is as close to human sounding as can be expected and it does a really good job with pronunciation and with numbers. Below I have included both the spoken text and also a screen shot of the text that was read so you could follow along. You can see for yourself how well the Kindle does.

Read Text

Read Text

As far as the buttons go, they are very nice. When pressed they not only feel solid, but they also give a good click. The only thing I am worried about is that, after a while of being used, the writing on the buttons will wear off.

The battery does a really good job. Because of limitations on my time, I was only able to read for a couple hours a day, and with wireless turned on, the Kindle would go about 4 days before complaining about a low battery. When I turned off wireless it lasted a lot longer. I did not get to fully test this part because I only got to keep the Kindle for 10 days.

The speakers work reasonably well for a device this small. The speakers are located on the back of the Kindle, but they are loud enough that I was able to have a book read and several people around me were able to hear it. They also work okay for music, but because of their size you are not going to get a full range of sound.

Support and Warranty

The Kindle comes with a 1 year manufactures warranty. This can be extended to 2 years by purchasing a 2-Year Extended Warranty for $65. the price is not too bad, but with very few moving parts, I would have liked Amazon to provide a longer warranty by default.

Conclusion

I am really impressed with the Kindle. The screen is great, the text-to-speech is nice and helpful when I am feeling lazy and I don’t want to read. I was disappointed that I could not find all the books that I wanted to read, but I guess that will be fixed with time. The Kindle can be purchased directly from Amazon for $299. The Kindle DX which is a larger 9.7″ version can be purchased for $489. These prices are a bit high for my tastes, but if you like books and you buy a lot, it may be worth it for the lower cost of books.

Scanning of items up to credit card thick, with true color and high-speed scans, the hard card scanner series is perfect for hospitals, mobile offices and any work environment

CERRITOS (July 30, 2009) – Plustek Technology Inc. (www.plustek.com/usa), a manufacturer of consumer, prosumer, professional and office imaging devices (including portable scanners, sheet fed/flat bed scanners, wide format scanners and IP cameras), is pleased to offer a complete line of hard card scanner solutions to fulfill nearly any user need. Perfect for their ability to scan any media up to the thickness of a credit card, these scanners are designed to digitally capture copies of important items, for hospitals, offices, and business large or small.

Plustek’s extensive line of hard card scanners includes the OptiCard 821, MobileOffice D600, Mobile Office D28, SmartOffice PS282 and SmartOffice PL2546. Each of these scanners has the ability to scan any paper or plastic hard card up to 1.2mm thick, including ID cards, insurance cards, drivers’ licenses, and plastic cards with embossed characters. The scanners also include advanced software to create searchable PDF files, allowing users to quickly search documents for occurrences of a specific word or phrase (the D28 scanner is the only exception, which scans to “image” PDF format). The scanners all use an USB interface and are extremely easy to set up and use. Applications for the scanners also include scanning of color photos and the OptiCard 821, MobileOffice D600, and SmartOffice PS282 come with BCR software to convert business cards into readable contact database.

The OptiCard 821 is an A6 Size multi-purpose sheetfed document color scanner, offering high-resolution scanning in an ultra-compact package. The scanner incorporates a high-speed USB 2.0 interface that provides fast scanning and the power source, so no external power supply is necessary, easily making any space a mobile office. The MobileOffice D600 is an A6-size scanner similar to the OptiCard 821, but has a few more features. The MobileOffice D600 can scan duplex color copies at 300dpi in 6.5 seconds and simplex copies in 3.1 seconds, making it the fastest of its kind.

The MobileOffice D28 scanner is the ideal solution for busy front desk areas such as hospitals, clinical administration, hotel reception desks, banks, post offices, police departments and rental car agencies. Additionally, the MobileOffice D28 scans at a speed of 2.2 seconds per page (28-ppm), making it the fastest scanner for its small size in the market.

The SmartOffice PS282 scanner is a collapsible, integrated high-speed sheetfed scanner that is ideal for anyone looking to go paperless within a budget. The SmartOffice PS282 and SmartOffice PL2546 both have an automatic document feeder that accommodates up to 50 sheets of paper, with a duplex scan speed of 25 images per minute. The SmartOffice PL2546 scanner also has a flatbed to scan bounded materials making it ideal for government departments, institutions, enterprises, organizations and distributed branch offices to help handle the day-to-day tasks of digitizing paper and hard card data.

All five Plustek hard card scanners are ideal solutions for every user need. The scanners are available now and priced affordably at USD $149 (OptiCard 821), $299 (MobileOffice D600 & MobileOffice D28), $349 (SmartOffice PS282) and $699 (SmartOffice PL2546), making Plustek the best choice for any personal or business matter.

SALES/PURCHASE

Plustek products are in full distribution with Ingram Micro & D&H. All Plustek scanners can be purchased from TigerDirect, New Egg, CDW, Insight, PC mall, Buy.com and other major e-tailers. Stores and other vendors interested in carrying Plustek’s award-winning line-up of products may contact Plustek directly at info@plustek.com.

ABOUT PLUSTEK

Respected as one of the world’s leading image solution providers, Plustek manufactures and delivers high-quality scanners and other imaging products to buyers worldwide, reaching millions of consumers. In business since 1986, Plustek began as an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) for many large companies, creating an innovative array of products including: scanners, IP cameras, servers and imaging-related devices. Through a combination of design innovation and strict attention to usability and manufacturing quality, Plustek has grown to become one of the largest image solution providers in the world. In addition to supporting its sales offices worldwide, Plustek’s China-based factories and offices are able to provide just-in-time manufacturing and engineering expertise on a contract basis. This combination of skill sets allows Plustek to introduce outstanding new products to the market with superior design, support and with unrivaled after-sales support and service.

The EasyPen i405 and MousePen i608 are perfect for summer play and on-the-go work environments

MIAMI (July 7, 2009)– Genius (www.geniusnetusa.com), a brand division of KYE Systems Corp., today announced new additions to the company’s extensive line up of digital tablets, the EasyPen i405 and MousePen i608, for business professionals, graphic designers and artists on-the-go. The tablets are dual-platform, working on both MACs and PCs, and come with a variety of useful software.

The EasyPen i405 has 28 programmable “Hot-Keys”, while the MousePen i608 has 29, for instant and easy access to common Office and Internet functions. The cordless pen features 1024-level pressure sensitivity and two buttons for controlling shapes and thickness while drawing or writing. The EasyPen i405 has a 4” x 5.5” working area for easy transport and use in a car, coffee shop or any type of mobile office. The MousePen i608 has a larger 8”x6” working area and comes with a cordless mouse with integrated scroll wheel for ease and convenience while using the tablet.

Both tablets can be used to write, draw, sketch and/or sign documents, saving time and creating a great solution to paper waste. Users have the ability to edit their photos, make comments, personalize documents and navigate their workspace for the perfect personal touch. It is ideal for creative types who like drawing, bloggers, artists, and anyone craving a digital pen as opposed to a keyboard, which only allows typing.

Priced at $79 MSRP (EasyPen i405) and $99 MSRP (MousePen i608), both tablets come bundled with PenNotice, Annotate for Word, Commander, PenMail, and PenSigner, providing useful and convenient functions for presentations or handwritten notes. Interested shoppers can go to NewEgg.com, Amazon.com, Tiger Direct, Buy.com or other retailers and distributors listed at http://www.geniusnetusa.com/buy.php.

image001.jpg

More information on all of Genius’ tablets visit www.geniusnetusa.com.

ABOUT KYE SYSTEMS CORP.

Genius was established in 1985. Genius product portfolio includes computer mice, keyboards, web and security cameras, speakers, gaming peripherals, remote controls, headphones, digital cameras, digital camcorders and digital photo frames. It also holds the U.S. patent for mouse scroll-wheel technology. In 2007 Genius announced a newly invented optical touch-controlled scroll-wheel for fast browsing of web pages and documents in eight directions. Genius expanded from computer peripherals into consumer electronic products that include mobile phone accessories, Bluetooth headsets, digital cameras, digital photo frames, iPod speakers and MP4 players.

Features

• Rechargeable power for two devices simultaneously
• Indicator lights display battery capacity level
• Charge your devices multiple times without refueling
• Weighs less than 8 ounces and is perfect for traveling
• Works with thousands of mobile devices such as iPods, cell phones, Bluetooth headsets, PDAs, digital cameras, navigation units, mp3 players, digital readers and portable gaming systems
• Uses the same device adapters as Chargepod

There are two mini power ports on one end of the Fueltank that accept the Callpod adapters. These are the same adapters that the Chargepod uses. This is nice because if you already have a Callpod you don’t have to spend money on new ones.

Adapter Plug

With the help of these same adapters the Fueltank is compatible with thousands of devices. If you go onto the Callpod website you can see the full list of adapters.

Depending on how much power the devices needs there may be enough power in the Fueltank to charge them more than once.

The Fueltank comes with a single mini USB adapter, carrying bag, and a power cable. The mini USB adapter can be used to charge any device that accepts a mini USB connector. I have several devices including a GPS and MP3 player that take a mini USB connector. The carrying bag is useful for storing everything in one place, but it is really small and won’t fit much more than the Fueltank, power cord, and a couple adapters.

Contents

Design

The Fuel Tank has a very simple design. It is a silver rectangle with a big black stripe down the middle. The Fueltank measures 3.4 inches tall by 4.9 inches wide by 0.72 inch deep and weighs 7.3 ounces.

Fueltank

One one end are the two charging ports which accept adapters for things like phones, gaming devices, or just about anything else. Since there are only two charging ports can only charge two devices at the same time. As each adapter is plugged in a small blue light turns on.

Charging

Adapter Lights

Only charging two devices was not good enought for me so, after doing a little fiddling, I was able to get the ChargePod to attach to the Fueltank. The ChargePod would then allow me to charge as many devices as I wanted. The only problem with this setup is that the battery in the Fueltank will drain very quickly.

Fueltank and Chargepod

The other end has a single mini USB port for charging the Fueltank and a button. The button turns on the power meter, which tells you how full the Fueltank is. The button can be pressed at any time, but it must be held down.

Power Plug

Charge Indicator

When the Fueltank is plugged in and charging a small green light turns on.

Power Light

Performance

It takes about 2.5 hours to fully charge the Fueltank using the included AC adapter. I also noticed that none of my devices charged any faster than normal, but I didn’t expect them to.

I was able to charge several devices using a fully charged Fueltank. I charged a DS lite, Sandisk Sansa MP3 player, and a Samsung MP3 player. Even after all three of those devices were fully charged there was still a little power left.

Charge Indicator

Support and Warranty

The Fueltank comes with a 1 year warranty. Considering this has a battery it is not surprising.

Conclusion

The Fueltank is a great device. It serves a great purpose that is useful for anyone that carries around portable electronics. If you are on the go a lot and you find yourself running out of power, you may want to consider the Fueltank as it may give you the extra power you need.

Epson Artisan 50 Single Function Printer Combines Imagination with Innovation

LONG BEACH, Calif. – May 20, 2009 – Epson America Inc. today introduced the Artisan® 50, an affordable high-performance single function ink jet printer that’s ideal for printing digital photos and everyday projects. Priced at $99.99 (estimated street price), this compact and stylish printer enables users to create Ultra Hi-Definition photos with amazing richness, depth and clarity. The Epson Artisan 50 also lets users print their own images and text onto ink jet printable CDs and DVDs. It can also print documents, e-mails and itineraries quickly and easily at print speeds up to 38 ppm color, and laser-quality speeds of 5 ppm black and 4.8 ppm color1.

“This Artisan 50 is an extremely easy-to-use, yet powerful single-function printer with a unique set of features designed to ignite your creative inspirations,” said Steve Semos, product manager, consumer ink jets, Epson America Inc. “In today’s world of single-function printers, this product is arguably the best value out there.”

Key Features and Benefits:

• Professional looking CDs/DVDs – print right onto ink jet printable CDs/DVDs (software included)
• Perfect photos made easy – includes Auto Photo Correction and red-eye removal
• Ideal for printing everything from creative projects to everyday documents and e-mail
• Save paper with two-sided printing2
• Superior image quality without compromising speed with advanced MicroPiezo® ink jet technology, exclusively from Epson
• Better than lab quality photos – photos are smudge, scratch, water3 and fade4 resistant
• Fast print speeds1 – maximum print speeds up to 38 ppm color, photos as fast as 11 seconds, laser-quality print speeds of 5 ppm black and 4.8 ppm color
• Individual ink cartridges – replace only the color you need

The Epson Artisan 50 will be available in June through major computer, office and electronic superstores, a variety of retail stores nationwide, mail order, PC manufacturers, the Internet, and Epson’s own retail site,
www.epsonstore.com.

Epson_Artisan_50_Front.jpg

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Better Products for a Better Future™
The Epson Artisan 50 delivers the following eco-friendly benefits:

• Save up to 50 percent of your paper supply with manual, two-sided printing2
• Designed to be recycled5
• ENERGY STAR® qualified
• RoHS compliant

Epson knows that planning for the future requires a strong commitment to the environment. That is why the company strives to create innovative products that are reliable, recyclable and energy efficient. Better products that use fewer resources help ensure a better future for us all. For more information on Epson’s environmental programs, go to: www.Epson.com/environment.

About Epson America Inc.
Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation (SEC) and is a leading provider of digital imaging products that exceed the vision of its customers. The company’s extensive range of printers, 3LCD projectors and small- and medium-sized LCDs are renowned for their superior quality, functionality, compactness, and energy efficiency. The Seiko-Epson organization is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and was recently added to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, an indicator for selective leading companies who meet a rigorous standard of economic, environmental and social criteria.

# # #

Specifications are subject to change without notice. Epson, MicroPiezo and Claria are registered trademarks, Epson Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark, and Better Products for a Better Future is a trademark of Seiko Epson Corporation. Artisan are registered trademarks of Epson America Inc. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks.

1Maximum pages (PPM) are measured after first page with text patterns in Draft mode on plain paper. Laser quality black and color print speeds are determined in default, single-side mode in accordance with ISO/IEC 24734. Actual print times will vary based on system configuration, software, and page complexity. See www.epson.com/printspeedfor details, including complete ISO reports.

2Some applications and/or functions, like two-sided printing, may not be supported by Macintosh.
3Water resistant only on glossy photo papers
4Ink fade resistance ratings based on accelerated testing of unframed color prints on plain paper in indoor display conditions; claim that documents resist fading up to four times longer is based on accelerated testing of unframed color prints on plain paper in indoor display conditions. Actual print stability will vary according to light intensity, temperature, humidity, and other factors. Epson does not guarantee the longevity of prints. See www.wilhelm-research.com.
5See the Epson Web site for convenient and reasonable recycling options at www.epson.com/recycle.

EPSON UNVEILS FOUR NEW AND AFFORDABLE ALL-IN-ONES

DESIGNED TO GIVE YOU MORE FOR YOUR MONEY

LONG BEACH, Calif. – May 19, 2009 – Epson America Inc. today introduced four ink jet printers to its Stylus NX series that are designed to deliver rich feature sets at an affordable price, including the entry-level Epson Stylus NX115 ($69.99*), Epson Stylus NX215 ($89.99*), Epson Stylus NX415 ($99.99*), and the flagship of the series, the Epson Stylus NX515 (149.99*).

“Each product in the Epson Stylus NX family gives you more for your money by delivering a better combination of features and print quality than competitive products at the same price point,” said Kristi Lanzit, product manager, consumer ink jets, Epson America Inc. “Products range from the entry-level Epson Stylus NX115 all-in-one to the extremely fast flagship Epson Stylus NX515, which is up to two times faster than any comparable printer in its price range1, with built-in Wi-Fi® and Ethernet.”

The Epson Stylus NX all-in-ones are designed to meet a wide range of printing, copying and scanning needs. The Epson Stylus NX215 is the industry’s first all-in-one at its price point with memory card slots and a 1.5-inch color LCD screen for standalone photo printing. The Epson Stylus NX415 boasts a 2.5-inch color LCD, the largest at its price point, as well as card slots and PictBridge® support, rendering it the perfect solution for printing both high-quality documents and stunning photos. The Epson Stylus NX515 is the fastest printer in its class1 and offers Wi-Fi printing with a simple four-step setup process so users can print wirelessly, making it a great solution for multiple users within a household.

All four Epson Stylus NX models are simple to setup and use, and offer smart features. They also produce output that is smudge-, fade- and water-resistant with Epson’s exclusive DURABrite® Ultra all-pigment inks for printing recipes that won’t run when spilled on, invitations that will maintain their outstanding print quality through the mail, and long-lasting, durable photos. In addition, the series utilizes Epson’s award-winning MicroPiezo® print technology and is ideal for consumers looking to get more in a home printer at an affordable price.

Additional Features and Benefits of the Epson Stylus NX Series:

• BorderFree® photo printing
• Two-sided printing to save paper2
• Quick, high-quality scanning up to 2400 dpi
• Image enhancement tools such as photo restoration
• Automatic photo correction to quickly fix digital images
• One-touch red eye removal
• Photos and documents with instant-drying ink
• Standard and high capacity black cartridges available to match print volume needs

In 2009, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) – the world’s largest developer and publisher of international standards – introduced an official standard used to measure print speeds on ink jet printers. The flagship Epson Stylus NX515 offers a black ISO speed of 15 PPM and color ISO speed of 9.3 PPM. More information about ISO is available at www.iso.org, and details regarding Epson print speed measurements, including complete ISO reports, are available at www.epson.com/printspeed.

The Epson Stylus NX515 is currently available for “pre-order” for a limited time through Amazon.com, BestBuy.com, Fry’s Electronics and Epson’s retail site. All of the Epson Stylus NX series printers will be available in June through major retailers.

Better Products for a Better Future™

Epson knows that planning for the future requires a strong commitment to the environment. That is why the company strives to create innovative products that are reliable, recyclable and energy efficient. Better products that use fewer resources help ensure a better future for us all. For more information on Epson’s environmental programs, go to www.Epson.com/environment.

The products in the Epson Stylus NX series deliver the following eco-friendly features:

• Save up to 50 percent of paper supply with manual, two-sided printing2
• Designed to be recycled3
• ENERGY STAR® qualified
• RoHS Compliant

For more information, please see the individual fact sheets for the Epson Stylus NX115, Epson Stylus NX215, Epson Stylus NX415, and Epson Stylus NX515.
NX115

Epson_Stylus_NX115_Front.jpg

Epson_Stylus_NX115_Right_Profile.jpg

NX215

Epson_Stylus_NX215_Front.jpg

Epson_Stylus_NX215_Right_Profile.jpg

NX415

Epson_Stylus_NX415_Front.jpg

Epson_Stylus_NX415_Right_Profile.jpg

NX515

Epson_Stylus_NX515_Front.jpg

Epson_Stylus_NX515_Right_Profile.jpg

About Epson America Inc.

Epson America Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation (SEC) and is a leading provider of digital imaging products that exceed the vision of its customers. The company’s extensive range of printers, 3LCD projectors and small- and medium-sized LCDs are renowned for their superior quality, functionality, compactness, and energy efficiency. The Seiko-Epson organization is proud of its ongoing contributions to the global environment and was recently added to the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index, an indicator for selective leading companies who meet a rigorous standard of economic, environmental and social criteria.

# # #

Specifications are subject to change without notice. Epson, Epson Stylus and MicroPiezo are registered trademarks, Epson Exceed Your Vision is a registered logomark, and Exceed Your Vision and Better Products for a Better Future are trademarks of Seiko Epson Corporation. DURABrite and BorderFree are registered trademarks of Epson America, Inc. All other product and brand names are trademarks and/or registered trademarks of their respective companies. Epson disclaims any and all rights in these marks.

1Printing black text in default mode compared to ink jet all-in-ones priced at $149 or less as of January 2009

2Some applications and/or functions, like two-sided printing, may not be supported by Mac®

3See our website for convenient and reasonable recycling options at www.epson.com/recycle

*Estimated street prices