Gadget Inspector
If you’re going to spend precious dollars on some new gadgets for your office, take advantage of this close look at various products on the market.
David Cieslak, CPA
Global Positioning System (GPS)
Features to look for: size/resolution, maps, touch screen, text to speech, voice recognition, Bluetooth, internet connection, traffic updates.
Trackstick II Data Logger ($128): works with Google Earth
Lemur Autovision ($80):
Seeker Vehicle Recovery & GPS ($349 & $19.95/mo.): two-way, always on, cellular communication; continuous GPS monitoring via web; notification if moved outside authorized perimeter or keyfob not present; wired into vehicle.
Garmin-Forerunner 405 ($300): walk/run/cycle, heart rate monitor, cadence sensor, sync to desktop.
Laptops
Apple MacBook Air ($2,500): 1.86GHz–Intel Dou Core 2 processor; 2GB memory, 128GB solid state-drive; NVIDIA GeForce 9400M Graphics; 3 pounds; Bluetooth, 1 USB 2.0; 13.3-inch screen with 1280x800 pixels display; 4.5 hours of battery life.
Lenovo ThinkPad X301 ($3,700): 1.4 GHz-Intel Duo Core 2; 4GB RAM, 128GB solid-state drive; 3 pounds; 13.3 inch screen with 1440x900 LED backlit display; 3USB ports, built-in gigabit Ethernet, WiFi/WiMAX; six hours of battery life.
Computer Gear
Microsoft Entertainment Desktop 8000 ($250): rechargeable mouse and backlit keyboard, 2.4 GHz Bluetooth, four USB ports.
Kensington Universal Power Supply ($125): AC/DC, 120/220V input, 120W output, slim and lightweight, wall/auto/air.
Yoggie Pico ($88-$150): Linux-based USB firewall—all web traffic routed through USB, i.e. Yoggie.
Microsoft’s USB-based Computer Online Forensic Evidence Extractor: 150 commands that can decrypt passwords, display activity and uncover stored data.
StarTech USB VGA Dock ($129): input: single USB 2.0; output: audio (including playback and record), video (1600x1200x32 on both a primary and extended monitor); LAN (10/100); 4 Port; USB 2.0 hub.
Linksys PLE200 PowerLine AV Ethernet Adapter ($60): Use existing power lines to network machines, data rates to 200Mpbs, 128-bit encryption.
Drives
WD Passport 500GB ($150): No external power.
SanDisk G3 Solid State Drive (pricing starts at $149 for 60GB): 5x faster than HDDs (40,000 vRPM), 50 percent less power; 6x more reliable than HDDs.
32GB Flash Drives: Kingston, Corsair, Transcend.
Patriot Xporter Magnum 64GB Flash Drive ($150)
Phones & Gear
Blackberry Bold ($150): 624Mhz processor, 1GB RAM, GPS, voice activated dialing, media player, and 2-megapixel camera with 5x digital zoom, flash and recording.
Blackberry Storm ($199): Touch screen, 3.25-inch LCD HVGA display (480x360), 1GB RAM, orientation sensor, Bluetooth 2.0, GPS, 3.2-megapixel camera & camcorder
Plantronics Voyager 510-USB Bluetooth Headset ($199) Bluetooth connection to cell or computer, noise canceling.
Keep in mind, too, that you can turn in your old gear at various places, including Toshiba America, BestBuy.com, PayPal.com, Amazon.com and Costco.com.
David Cieslak, CPA is principal at Arxis Technology.
