TechTaxi

3 Skypephone mobile phone - Review

2008-06-07T06:46:00.000-07:00

A mobile with cheap international callsBottomline: A cheap, decent phone with free calls to other Skype usersManufacturer: ThreeWhile Skype and other internet telephone services are great for cheap or free calling from a computer, if you're out and about it's not much use.That is, unless you use the 3 Skypephone, which includes the Skype program and free access to calls.The phone is solidly built

Acer Aspire 8920G notebook computer - Review

2008-06-06T07:06:00.000-07:00

New 16in and 18.4in screens with better colour reproduction and Blu-rayPros: Fast; Blu-ray enabled; excellent screen with superb colour reproductionCons: High keyboard lip; battery life; average speaker soundBottomline: An excellent screen and a huge feature listManufacturer: CometWe’ve been impatiently waiting for Acer’s new Gemstone ‘Blue’ laptop since the original Gemstone won numerous awards

PNY Geforce 9800GTX graphics card - Review

2008-06-06T06:52:00.000-07:00

PNY Geforce 9800GTXA card with three-way SLI, a new cooler design, and morePros: Features offer some interesting future-proofingCons: Performance is a little disappointingBottomline: If you already own a 8800GTS 512MB, this card won’t give you a lot more, but if you are upgrading from a previous generation card it’s worth consideringManufacturer: PNYBut it online at:Buy.com (USA & Canada) -

Apple Macbook notebook computer - Review

2008-06-05T23:31:00.000-07:00

Intel Core 2 Duo (2.1GHz) processor; 1GB RAM; 120GB Hard Disk; 13 inch widescreen display Apple's notebooks become more affordablePros: Powerful; good value; media software includedCons: No office software bundledBottomline: A powerful computer at a very impressive priceManufacturer: AppleApple’s recently refreshed Macbook range offers three computers, all of which have 13in widescreen

Linx B-Tube speakers - Review

2008-06-05T22:50:00.000-07:00

Take your music with youPros: Stylish design; Extremely portable; Bluetooth and hands-free callingCons: Performance could be better; Controls can be awkwardBottomline: The B-Tube under-performs, both in terms of audio quality and hands-free calling, though it does offer appeal in its portability and designVista compatibility: YesManufacturer: LinxBut it online at:MyMemoryThe Linx B-Tube is yet

Asus Rampage Formula motherboard - Review

2008-06-04T04:54:00.000-07:00

High-end motherboard with plenty of stable overclocking potentialPros: Huge range of adjustments possible in the BiosCons: An extra PCI slot would be usefulBottomline: A well-built, fast-performing motherboard for the enthusiast, offering plenty of overclocking potentialManufacturer: AsusBut it online at:MacMallPC MallClubMacOnSaleNewegg.compcRUSHpcRUSH (SHOP.COM)TigerDirect.com (SHOP.COM)Part of

Toshiba Camileo Pro HD camcorder - Review

2008-06-03T05:24:00.000-07:00

Shoot top-quality video without spending too muchPros: Compact and affordable high-definition camcorderCons: Poor manual; Need to provide your own memory cardBottomline: A good introduction to high-definition video, at an attractive priceVista compatibility: YesManufacturer: ToshibaIt wasn’t that long ago that you’d have had to pay £1,000 or more for even a basic high-definition (HD)

Vivanco Outdoor 2.4GHZ RF Speakers - Review

2008-06-03T05:19:00.000-07:00

Listen to music in the house or in the gardenBottomline: Excellent sound quality, well-made and simple to set upVista compatibility: YesManufacturer: VivancoThe Vivanco Outdoor speakers are unusual in a few ways.First, they operate wirelessly using a transmitter that is connected to an audio source (such as a computer or hi-fi). They are also splash-proof and they can be battery-powered, meaning

Swann IP-3G Connectcam 1000 network camera - Review

2008-06-03T04:45:00.000-07:00

Monitor your home or business from afar – day or nightPros: Works well in total darkness; robust design; uncluttered interfaceCons: No manual control over infra-red LEDs; VGA resolution; expensiveBottomline: The night vision is impressive, but the fact that you can’t turn it off manually is disappointingManufacturer: SwannBut it online at:Buy.com (USA & Canada)ClubMacMacMallPC MallOnSaleAs with

Arbico Elite 8480EX desktop computer - Review

2008-06-03T04:41:00.000-07:00

An overclocked, but quiet, multimedia PCPros: Excellent performance; quietCons: Not SLI-compatible; power supplyBottomline: A fast multimedia and gaming PCManufacturer: ArbicoNot many PCs score a 10,014 in PCmark05 and stay quiet at the same time, but Arbico’s Elite 8480EX does it with aplomb.A Core 2 Duo E8400 processor overclocked to 3.6GHz, from 3GHz, lends a hand to the great performance,

Oakley Split Thump sunglasses and music player - Review

2008-06-02T05:13:00.000-07:00

Finally a pair of high-tech glasses that look good?Pros: Really stylish design; Impressive audio quality; Good control over your tunesCons: Unreasonably expensive for the 2GB versionBottomline: The Oakley Split Thump proves that technology can be combined with eyewear without compromising styleVista compatibility: YesManufacturer: OakleyThere have been plenty of attempts at combining clothing

Neverlate Executive alarm clock - Review

2008-05-30T05:05:00.000-07:00

Like it says, never wake up late againBottomline: An expensive FM radio alarm clock, but it's hugely customisableManufacturer: FireboxThe Neverlate Executive alarm clock is probably the closest clock we've seen to a computer.It can't help you write a letter or play Simcity, it's true, but it has so many alarm settings and modes that even the fussiest sleepers we know couldn't fault its

Sapphire HD3850 AGP graphics card - Review

2008-05-29T04:24:00.000-07:00

Proof that AGP is far from deadPros: Fastest AGP card we've seenCons: Does not support HD audio throughBottomline: Impressive in that it's not the normal cut-down afterthought card for AGP usersManufacturer: SapphireBuy it online at:CompuvestYou might think motherboards using an AGP slot are things of the past, but there's huge chunk of the population still using platforms based on it. Indeed,

Fujifilm Finepix S8100fd digital camera - Review

2008-05-28T05:27:00.000-07:00

A powerful 18x optical zoom housed in a conveniently compact bodyPros: Powerful zoom lens; image stabilisation; build quality; image quality; excellent low-light performanceCons: Low-resolution viewfinder; fiddly controls; no zoom during movie recordingBottomline: A pricey but impressive camera capable of turning difficult subjects into stunning photographsManufacturer: FujifilmBuy it online at:

Iomega Storcenter 1TB network storage - Review

2008-05-27T05:44:00.000-07:00

Share music, video and documents around the homePros: Very easy to use; Small and well designedCons: Not fast enough for our liking; A little expensive for a home network hard diskBottomline: Not too fast and quite pricey, but very easy to useVista compatibility: YesManufacturer: IomegaBut it online from:Adorama Camera (SHOP.COM)TheNerds.netNothingButSoftware.comBargainStation.comDell Small

Asus Eee PC 900 notebook computer - Review

2008-05-23T00:11:00.000-07:00

A small notebook with big featuresPros: Small and light; good screen; Excellent trackpadCons: Keyboard is cramped; Only one USB port; No DVD driveBottomline: A small and light alternative to a standard notebook, which can be carried around without any inconvenienceVista compatibility: NoManufacturer: AsusBuy it online at:MacMallClubMacBuy.com (USA and Canada)OnSalePC MallNewegg.comThe new Eee PC

Fujitsu Siemens Scaleo 1900 home server - Review

2008-05-22T06:47:00.000-07:00

Easy backup and file sharing in the homePros: Valuable add-ons; Excellent performanceCons: Big, ugly design; Awkward to set up hibernationBottomline: A well-balanced home server with great performance and featuresThe idea behind Windows Home Server products is that, unlike normal computers, they sit on a home network and allow people to make backups more easily and to share digital photos and

Shuttle XPC G5 6801M desktop computer - Review

2008-05-21T04:27:00.000-07:00

Media PC with Blu-ray playerPros: Small form is handy for living rooms; Good performanceCons: Blu-ray adds a significant costBottomline: A good home entertainment computer for those with high-definition televisionsVista compatibility: YesManufacturer: ShuttleShuttle used to be known for making what are known as barebones computers – the company would supply the case and the most basic innards,

Raritan Dominion KX2-101 KVM over IP - Review

2008-05-21T03:26:00.000-07:00

Take full control of remote servers with this tiny devicePros: Small form factor; user authentication and 256-bit encryption; USB support; virtual media; good mouse synchronisationCons: Expensive alternative where remote control software gives acceptable results; no DVI connectorBottomline: A great solution for situations where remote control software isn’t good enoughManufacturer: RaritanBuy it

Laprest notebook accessory - Review

2008-05-20T00:16:00.000-07:00

Don't get burnt when using a notebookPros: Light; Cooling works wellCons: Coloured versions not worth the extra costBottomline: A good rest that makes using a notebook more comfortable when not at a deskVista compatibility: YesManufacturer: SCA OnlineAs notebooks become more popular they are in the process of moving, as a rule, away from desks and on to chairs and sofas, where they rest on the

Magellan Maestro 4200 personal navigation device - Review

2008-05-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

Thin and light navigationPros: Quick to use and to calculate routes; Small unitCons: Only one region; No extrasBottomline: Does its job well, but cheaper devices are available that do moreVista compatibility: YesManufacturer: MagellanBuy it online at:Gizmos For Life (SHOP.COM)UnbeatableSale, Inc. (SHOP.COM)TheNerds.netBuy.com (USA and Canada)PC Rush (SHOP.COM)Gizmos For Life (SHOP.COM)PC

Griffin Evolve speakers - Review

2008-05-19T08:43:00.000-07:00

Put your music on the movePros: Excellent sound quality; Can be moved from room to room; Easily expandableCons: The priceBottomline: As a way to get music in multiple rooms the Evolve works very wellManufacturer: GriffinBuy it online at:Buy.com (USA and Canada)Buy.com (USA and Canada)UnbeatableSale, Inc. (SHOP.COM)Newegg.comeCOST.com (SHOP.COM)PC MallOnSaleBest BuyGizmos For Life (SHOP.COM)

Colubris Wireless MSC networking - Review

2008-05-19T08:35:00.000-07:00

Manage wireless access points with this scalable devicePros: Central management of Wifi access points; seamless roaming; policy-driven access and security controls; choice of access pointsCons: Can be complex to deploy, with few wizards or other configuration aidsBottomline: If you want to keep control of your wireless users, this product is hard to beatManufacturer: Colubris NetworksCheap

Tomtom 930T satellite navigation - Review

2008-05-19T08:26:00.000-07:00

Will improvements to Tomtom’s range change the way you navigate?Pros: Fantastic performance on the road; wide range of extras; extremely customisableCons: Expensive; improvements don’t add a great dealBottomline: The best performing navigator money can buy, but it's expensive and we weren't totally impressed with the new featuresManufacturer: TomtomTomtom has made a big deal of its latest line of

Steelseries SP mouse mat - Review

2008-05-16T06:43:00.000-07:00

A mat designed for laser miceOverall: A worthwhile treat for gamers and designersManufacturer: SteelseriesBuy it online at:ClubMacPC MallDell Small BusinessNextDayPC.com (SHOP.COM)OnSaleMacMallBuy.com (USA and Canada)TheNerds.netLaser and optical mice are usually sold as being able to work on all surfaces, but since shiny tabletops can cause inaccurate movement there’s still a market for mouse