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Harmony One, Logitech, $280
The $10 remote control just doesn’t cut it anymore. Now that you’ve got your new high def television and the format war is over with Sony’s Blu-ray coming out the winner, isn’t it time you splurged for a similarly high-tech handheld controller? With a full-colour touch screen and user-friendly design, Logitech’s Harmony One scored a Consumer Electronic Show award this year for design and engineering in home-entertainment accessories. It also eliminates the need to have a collection of remotes — those things that get lost regularly under the couch — to run everything from video games to music, to TV and movies. And to make sure it doesn’t get lost, this rechargeable remote comes with a recharging station with an adjustable light so you can find it in the dark.
Radius Pro carrying cases for Apple laptops, Targus, from $50
Treat your MacBook or MacBook Pro to a new slip case or backpack from Targus. Starting with the top loading slip cases that hold laptops with screens up to 17 inches, plus a pocket for a mouse or an MP3 player. Making it easier to carry is the backpack version. It fits up to 15-inch screens and includes a protective inner compartment, labelled pockets for accessories for those who take organization seriously, plus a side water bottle pocket, and internal file folder section — at $90.
Ubuntu 7.10 on Dell XPS M1330n, Inspiron 1420n, Inspiron 1525n and Inspiron 530n desktop, from $580
For fans of open source software, Dell has launched four consumer computers with Ubuntu 7.10 installed. The computers — desktop and notebook versions — also come with Corel’s LinDVD software which lets computer users play copy-protected DVD movies. Dell has made the move in response to demand from Linux enthusiasts. Without the software licensing costs of their Windows-based counterparts, the computers have pretty competitive pricing. The computer maker has a Dell Linux Forum at www.dellcommunity.com and the customizable computers can be found online at www.dell.ca/open
SightMate LV920, $3,500
A little pricier than you might expect for a pair of glasses, these are techno-devices made for people suffering age related macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness. The SightMate combines a viewing screen with a digital camera, taking live video feeds and displaying a magnified version with stepped up colour and contrast for people with AMD or other eye diseases. According to the maker, the enhanced imaging gives a view of the environment around them to people who wouldn’t otherwise be able to see.
Worn like glasses and able to magnify objects up to 12 times, they are billed as being able to help approximately 40 to 60 per cent of patients improve visual acuity. Check them out at www.eyetonomy.com