HP Color LaserJet 2600n

This is one of the best sellers in printer PC industry,so I decided to have a review of it for my users.
With a lower price than some ink jet printers, the HP Color LaserJet 2600n ($400 street) is well positioned to take over the ink jet slot on desktops and small networks. It's ideal for SOHO users wanting to move up to a laser, as well as anyone who has a personal printer in his or her office to augment the network printer down the hall.

The 2600n's most direct competition is the similarly priced Konica Minolta magicolor 2400W ($399 list). Compared with the 2400W, the 2600n is a touch smaller and lighter, at 16 by 14.6 by 17.8 inches (HWD) and 40.5 pounds. That makes finding room for it and moving it into position easier. But the actual setup is marginally more work, since you have to remove each of the four toner cartridges, pull out the restraining tape, and reinsert the cartridge--something you don't have to do with the 2400W. One of the extras in the 2600n is a network connection. Fully automated setup makes it as easy to install the 2600n on a network as it is to install the 2400W with its USB connection.

Output quality is more than acceptable, with an excellent rating for text, and ratings for graphics and photos just below the best available for color lasers. (All three ratings are the same for the 2400W.) Text quality is good enough for any purpose, with more than half of our test fonts easily readable at 4 points, and only one highly stylized font requiring 8 points. Graphics earned a rating at the high end of good, making them just good enough to use for potential clients you want to impress. The only problem worth mentioning is a tendency for white lines to show at the edges of objects, such as the slices in a pie chart.

Photos earned a good rating, with some qualifying as near photo quality. In one case, however, we saw obvious posterization (a tendency for sudden changes in gradients that should change gradually). We also saw a slight green shift in some photos and a reddish-brown tint in a monochrome photo. Overall quality is good enough for things like client newsletters, but the 2600n won't replace your ink jet for printing high-quality photos.

Performance is reasonably good for the price. Comparisons are complicated, however, by the fact that the 2600n is the first low-price single-pass color laser, meaning that it prints all four colors at once instead of one at a time. That gives it the same 8-page-per-minute (ppm) rating for both monochrome and color. By comparison, the 2400W has a tremendous advantage for monochrome output, with a 20-ppm rating. But for color, it's at a disadvantage, rated at only 5 ppm.

On our business applications suite (timed with QualityLogic's hardware and software, www.qualitylogic.com), the 2400W left the 2600n far behind on the 50-page monochrome text file, at 2 minutes 40 seconds, compared with 6:06. But most of our test pages include color, so the 2600n beat, or effectively tied, the 2400W on 11 of the 13 individual tests. Total time on our print suite for the 2600n was 21:09, compared with 19:52 for the 2400W.

Which printer would be faster on your desk depends entirely on what you print. And given the equal quality ratings, either one could win out, depending on your mix of output. Even so, the included network connector on the 2600n gives it a slight edge, making it new Editors' Choice.
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Dell plans purchases to build services

Michael Dell is planning a series of acquisitions to turn Dell into more of a computer services business, as he struggles to boost sales and margins at the world’s second-biggest personal computer maker.

Mr Dell, co-founder and chief executive, on Tuesday told the Financial Times that the company’s services business was growing faster than sales of computer equipment, and represented a “huge opportunity”.

“That growth will come not just from organic growth but also partnerships and acquisitions. We made a small acquisition in Scotland, which has worked out quite well, and I think you will see some more acquisitions to add capability to our services team,” he said.

The comments came days after Dell announced it was slashing 10 per cent of its workforce in a cost-cutting drive designed to help put the company back on track after a string of missteps.

“Michael Dell knows the company has got to change,” said Martin Reynolds, an analyst at Gartner. “[Using] services to sell hardware is something that makes a lot of sense for Dell.”

Services offered by Dell could include helping companies install new equipment and running an IT helpdesk for staff.

Mr Dell said only about $6bn of Dell’s $60bn annual revenues came from services.

Rivals such as Hewlett-Packard and IBM have spent the past several years building up their services businesses to serve the computing needs of big companies. Many companies find services attractive because they are more profitable than hardware sales.

Mr Reynolds said Dell was more likely to begin making small acquisitions to grow its existing services portfolio, rather than attempt the acquisition of a more specialised computer services company such as Accenture.

But Roger Kay, an analyst at Endpoint Technologies, said Dell might be interested in a bigger deal.

“In the past, Dell has wanted to remain lean and mean,” said Mr Kay. “Now they’re looking at it differently and saying: ‘We need to get this capability under our roof’.”

Dell said recently it would begin selling through Wal-Mart stores and third-party resellers in addition to its direct sales over the telephone and internet. Mr Dell also indicated that the company could be expanding its range of own-branded stores beyond two experimental US outlets.

Dell is also thought to be winding down a foray into Dell-branded televisions that began in 2003. The Bloomberg news service reported on Tuesday that Dell could stop selling its televisions as early as this month. A Dell spokesman would neither confirm nor deny the report.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007

StealthSwitch

Procrastinate At The Office With Confidence!

Feet have been a major factor in the course of human history. If it wasn't for feet, so many great heroes of the past would have had to sit down or risk tipping over. The sound of feet is how you know when someone is approaching your cubicle and it is time to hurry and close the game running on your computer. Too many close calls can lead to unnecessary office stress.

The Stealth Switch is the answer. Quickly install the software and plug the hidden foot switch in (it goes either between the keyboard and your computer, or just into an available USB port) and you are safe. It hides in the shadows and just a light tap of your toes will let it work its magic. Based on your preferences, it can hide the current window, hide all windows, or hide all windows except for specified windows. Not just minimize, mind you, but totally erase from your screen. The Stealth Switch can also mute the sound, hide the taskbar, hide the desktop icons, and password protect the restore function. When the coast is clear, another quick tap and you are ready to frag in peace.

Stealth Switch:

• Software Requires: Win 98, 98SE, ME, 2000, XP Home/Pro
• Includes: Stealth Switch with 6' cable, USB-PS/2 Adapter, Installation CD-ROM, Quick Install Guide
• Dimensions: Approx. 3"(W) x 1.5"(H)
• Manufacturer's Warranty: 1 year, limited

Optimus Mini Three Keyboard

Fabled Mini Keyboard with Animated Keys Arrives

Let's get one thing out of the way. We have this Optimus Mini Three Keyboard in our hot little hands, it is very real and very cool. You want one, trust us. And that's not the salesman in us talking... this is the die-hard geeky friend who wants to see you get some amazing tech that no one you know will have.

Here are the basics. The Optimus Mini connects to your PC via USB and features three keys, each with their own backlit OLED screen. Each key can display a static image or full animation. Press the key and a different action occurs depending on what is assigned to it. Think it as some kind of futuristic dynamic hotkey device.

The bundled Optimus Mini Configurator software allows you to assign various actions to each of the three keys. Furthermore you can instantly switch between six different key layouts by holding down the Ctrl, Shift, Alt-Shift, or Ctrl+Shift keys on your larger keyboard. Hotkey options for Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word, Outlook Express and Windows media player are included. But forget about the practical stuff... what we liked best was being able to assign a different webcam image to each key and have them dynamically update. Or have a clock face with animated second hand displaying the time in Tokyo on one key while a CPU Usage graph scrolled across another key. You can of course mix and match the key functions to your desire and there is even support for portrait or landscape orientation.

Product Features

* Mini USB Keyboard with an OLED screen on each key
* Keys can be configured for the following functions:
o Start an Application
o Set as any keyboard combination
o System Status with Free Memory and CPU Usage graph
o Display webcam or other dynamic images pulled from the web
o Display the Time and Weather in any city with animated analog or digital clock face
o Control Internet Explorer, Microsoft Word, Outlook Express and Windows Media Player
* Instantly switch between six different keysets by pressing a modifier key on your larger keyboard
* Keyboard images can be set for vertical or horizonal orientation
* Software updates are planned for future enhanced features

Specifications

* Three OLED Screens
o 20×20 mm
o 96×96 pixels resolution
o Animation at 3 frames per second
o 65536 Colors
o viewing angle 160 degrees
* Total Keyboard Size: 116 mm x 51.8 mm x 18 mm
* Key size: 32×32 mm

System Requirements

* Windows 2000, ME, XP (Mac and Linux Support is not currently available, but under development)
* One available USB port

Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard

The Future Has Arrived

Remember when you were promised all those amazing future tech innovations? Just around the corner was supposed to be a shining technology utopia with flying cars, personal space travel to distant galaxies, and bio-implantable cell phones. It's almost disappointing enough to make you sit at home and watch old episodes of "Space 1999".

Don't lose hope! An amazing glimpse of this promised future has just arrived at ThinkGeek in the form of the Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard. This tiny device laser-projects a keyboard on any flat surface... you can then type away accompanied by simulated key click sounds. It really is true future magic at its best. You'll be turning heads the moment you pull this baby from your pocket and use it to compose an e-mail on your bluetooth enabled PDA or Cell Phone. With 63 keys and and full size QWERTY layout the Laser Virtual Keyboard can approach typing speeds of a standard keyboard... in a size a little larger than a matchbook.


Product Features

• Connects to PDAs Smartphones and Computers using Bluetooth
• Projects a full size keyboard onto any flat surface
• Allows the convinence of regular keyboard typing in a tiny form factor
• Rechargeable battery lasts for 120 minutes of continuous typing
• Tiny size only 3.5 inches high
• Compatible with PalmOS 5, PocketPC 2003, Windows Smartphone, Symbian OS, and Windows 2000/XP. Limited Mac OSX Support.

Dealing with a Dead Laptop Keyboard

Every once in a while, a computer user ends up with a dead keyboard. You usually have an electrical or electronic culprit in a keyboard demise. An electrical breakdown may involve a frayed or broken connecting cable; failure of the keyboard's processor, which translates key strokes into scan codes that the CPUS recognizes and acts upon, may cause an electronic problem.
Poking your head in

If your keyboard stops working, open the laptop, removing whatever pieces stand in the way of getting at the connections to the internal keyboard. (These obstacles may include plastic casings, the hard drive, the battery, and sometimes much more.) Check the ribbon cable and power connector that go between the keyboard and the motherboard. Sometimes, nothing more than a loose cable causes the problem. Remove and reattach the cable, reinstall the parts that you removed, and try the system.

For this approach, and all other work that takes you inside the covers of your laptop, be sure to consult the repair manual for your machine. You may have received a copy of the manual at the time of purchase, or you may find the manual on the Internet, available as a PDF or HTML (Web page). Place the computer on a sturdy, well-lighted surface and provide yourself with numbered or lettered containers for parts. Keep a notepad and pen nearby to keep track of all of the steps that you take. You can use an empty egg container to store your computer parts; mark each of the dozen egg cups and track which cup contains which parts in your notes. Be sure to ground yourself before touching any internal part of the machine.
Going shopping

If adjusting the cables doesn't fix the problem, you can choose to replace the laptop's keyboard with a new unit.

When shopping for a replacement keyboard, you may find three types of offerings:

• An original equipment manufacturer (OEM) replacement: A new unit exactly like the ones that the laptop manufacturer uses. Note that very few laptop marketers - including Dell, IBM, Compaq, HP, and Gateway - actually make their own models.
• A compatible replacement: A new unit that's promised to work in your laptop although not specifically designed for that purpose. Be very careful to make sure that the seller guarantees the replacement will fit in your machine and work properly. Be very specific about the model number and the serial number, and be sure that you agree with the seller's return policy in case it turns out to be not quite as compatible as promised.
• A refurbished replacement: Either a new unit removed from a laptop where other components have failed or a used unit that a competent technician has repaired. Be sure that you understand any warranty offered by the seller.

Working around

If you have a failed laptop keyboard, you can also try to find a way to work around the built-in unit. Unless the motherboard fails - which is a much more serious issue than a mere keyboard - you should be able to attach an external keyboard to a laptop. You may find this approach an acceptable workaround if you use the laptop on a desk, but you may not find it a great solution for the seatback tray of an airliner.

You can use any desktop replacement keyboard with a laptop; you only have to match its connector to an available port. Some laptops offer a PS/2 keyboard or mouse connector; or you can purchase a keyboard that uses a USB port for attachment.

You can attach a USB keyboard while the laptop is running. To safely add a keyboard that uses a PS/2 port (an option available only on older models), you probably want to turn off the laptop and install the plug for the new board before reapplying power; this precaution prevents accidental shorts or static jolts to the system.