GADGET UPDATE 17
Gear for graduates
Paul Johnson tests the latest technology to find some of the best
gear for work and play
Devolo Homelink kits
Wi-Fi is great for getting internet access at home or work, but it can be unreliable, especially
when the signal has to cover longer distances or pass through solid walls or thick floors.
The Devolo Homelink system gets around these difficulties by piggy-backing the internet
signal over the electricity system, sending the data up to 200 metres away over a building’s
Verdict: Genuinely useful if your Wi-Fi is
power cables. We tested the 200AV easy Starter Kit, which includes two adapters for
problematic
sending and receiving and has a claimed speed of up to 200Mbps – more than fast enough
Price: £81.70 for the 200AVeasy and
to stream HD pictures, sound or data across a computer Ethernet network. Simple to set
£105.89 for the Wireless kit, both from
up, reliable and effective in use. We also looked at Devolo’s Wireless Extender Starter Kit,
www.lambda-tek.com
which works in a similar way (although it’s slower at 85Mbps) but has the key advantage of
Contact: www.devolo.co.uk
featuring a wireless Wi-Fi access point in one of the adapters.
Flip Video Ultra
Digital video is a must in the internet age but digital camcorders are both expensive and
bulky while digital still cameras usually only offer jerky, poor quality results in video mode.
Another option is the Flip Video, a compact and lightweight video camera (about the size
of a small mobile phone), which can record up to an hour’s worth of TV-quality footage and
sound onto its built-in memory. It’s incredibly easy to use – just press the large red button to
record, while using the 1.5 inch screen to see what you’re shooting. The slick flip-out USB
Verdict: Great video quality, good value
drive lets you transfer videos to a PC or Mac for viewing, saving or editing, using either the
and easy to use
unit’s built in software or your favourite video editing program. In our tests, picture quality
Price: £79.99 inc delivery from
was surprisingly good for such a device, with excellent VGA 640 x 480 resolution, smooth
www.play.com
30 frames-a-second playback and clear sound.
Contact: www.theflip.com
Uniross High Speed Battery Charger
Battery chargers may not be exciting, but they’re essential to keep your gadgets going.
This one is different from the rest because it works so quickly – it can automatically
charge up to four AA or AAA cells in just 15 minutes or so. This is pretty special when
you consider that most chargers can take many hours to juice up rechargeable batteries.
In our tests the Uniross worked very well, charging our high-capacity 2500mAh batteries
in only 16 minutes. The batteries got alarmingly hot, though the charger’s built-in (but
Verdict: Fast, effective and easy to use
noisy) fan helps keep temperatures down. As well as a mains power supply, a car
Price: £26.99 inc delivery from
cigarette lighter is also included for charging on the road. Ideal for impatient gadget
www.batterylogic.co.uk
lovers wanting power in a hurry.
Contact: www.uniross.com
Jabra BT530 Noise Blackout Phone Headset
Bluetooth mobile phone headsets are common these days but using them can be difficult
because of poor sound quality. This new Jabra headset aims to end that by putting
conversation quality first with a host of sophisticated features. It’s got noise-cancellation
technology, dual microphones and digital sound processing to minimise background
sounds like traffic, noisy offices or loud music. The idea is that your voice is singled out
Verdict: An excellent performer in and amplified while any unwanted noise is removed. In use it’s very effective – far better
noisy environments than other headsets we’ve tested – with clear conversation for both people in the call. The
Price: £39.95 from headset itself is small, svelte and very lightweight at just 10 grams – it slips easily onto the
www.blueunplugged.com ear and is simple to use. The built-in rechargeable battery lasts for up to 250 hours on
Contact: www.jabra.co.uk standby or for up to five and a half hours of talk time.
a l l p r i c e s a r e c o r r e c t a t t h e t i m e o f g o i n g t o p r e s s . w e ’v e s e a r c h e d e x t e n s i v e l y t o f i n d t h e b e s t d e a l s ,
b u t y o u s h o u l d a l s o c h e c k f o r s t o c k i s t s y o u r s e l f
GradJobs Magazine | Winter 08-09
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