Getting work done at home is easier with tools designed to speed the input, output, and processing of information in a relaxed environment.
Nearly everyone can benefit through the use of a larger, high-resolution multimedia computer display. A high-quality LCD TV display, such as the 19-inch Sony X-Brite MFM-HT95, can reduce eyestrain, increase productivity, and add some enjoyment to your "homework." This $800, HD-compatible unit features 1280x1024 pixel resolution, a built-in NTSC tuner and sub-woofer, PIP (picture-in-picture), and a fast 12ms response time for video and gaming.
The 24-inch Dell UltraSharp 2405FPW provides high-res, 1920x1200 pixel display of computer images via a DVI port, and includes component and S-video inputs for viewing the output of DVD players and satellite TV receivers. Other features of this $879 unit include PIP, and a USB hub.
ViewSonic's big, beautiful N2750W 27-inch LCD TV also displays computer data at 1280x720 resolution via a DVI input. A built-in NTSC tuner and PIP functions facilitate weekend multitasking, and 20 watts of stereo audio output make the sub-$1,000 TV suitable for a variety of noisy pastimes.
Home-Office Hi-Fi
High-quality sound reproduction can add to your productivity and enjoyment. New systems offer various ways to leverage your iPod as the heart of a complete audio solution.
Equally useful at home or on the road, Sonic Impact's i-Fusion delivers high volume Hi-Fi music from any iPod. Housed in a rugged, compact (2.5x4x6-inch) case, the system includes a lithium-ion battery, and a built-in docking/recharging station. A volume control is present, but you'll need to use your iPod's EQ settings to coax the best sound out of this excellent machine.
With Belkin's TuneStage ($179.99), you just plug a compatible iPod (3G, 4G, Mini only) into the miniature transmitter, and your tunes are directly transmitted via Bluetooth wireless to a receiver attached to your sound system. Harman Kardon's iPod docking/recharging station, The Bridge ($70), connects through HK's line of AVR receivers, and provides on-screen track selection.
Write and Read
Safely storing, moving, and backing up large amounts of data from digital cameras, multimedia presentations, and other projects is particularly important as you shuffle work back-and-forth from office to home.
The compact ABSmini from CMS Products is an ultra-portable 4-ounce, 1.8-inch hard drive featuring the company's award-winning BounceBack Express data backup software. The 20GB ABSmini is priced at $179 and the 40GB at $259.
Maxtor's new OneTouch III external storage drives provide automated backup and restore capabilities, and are available in capacities from 100GB ($160) to one terabyte (Turbo Edition $900). New software tools speed synchronization of data between computers, and a System Rollback feature helps restore PC systems to good health.
Rapid recording and transfer of digital photos and other multimedia data depends, in part, on the quality of the memory card you use. Kingston's CompactFlash 1GB Ultimate card ($90) features 100x write speed that works extremely well with high-end digital cameras. Available in capacities up to 4GB, these cards are rated to write at up to 15 MB/sec.
With all the cool new tools currently available, it's easy to make homework (and roadwork) more enjoyable and productive.
Color Laser Productivity Center
The KONICA MINOLTA magicolor® 2480 MF color laser all-in-one gives you the competitive edge. Providing print, copy, scan, PC fax, and Camera Direct Photo Print functionality, this Windows®-compatible multitasker prints and copies at a speedy 20 ppm in blackand- white and 5 ppm in color. The ScanSoft PaperPort® SE application makes it a snap to annotate, edit, and save paper documents in PDF, JPEG, and TIFF formats, convert scanned documents to editable text, or drag and drop scanned documents for easy faxing. You can also print photos up to 8.5" x 11" directly from a digital camera.
The magicolor 2480 MF does it all--and it's backed by 5 years of free, rapidresponse US-based technical support. For more information, call 1-800-523-2696 or visit www.buymagicolor.com.
