Tech toys
A compromise for Palm fans
Don't want to settle for Palm's entry-level m100 but can't spring for its souped-up m500? Maybe you can make do with Palm's new m125, a $249 personal digital assistant (PDA) that falls somewhere in the middle. Besides storing phone numbers, addresses and other data, this device can handle and share electronic books, digital photos, mini videos and educational and office productivity software.
The stylish m125 sports a silver and black faceplate with a soft flip cover. It also is loaded with the latest Palm 4.0 operating system, a 33-megahertz processor (that's fast for a Palm) and 8 megabytes of memory. Folks who want to do more — and spend more — can add memory in the device's MultiMedia Card and Secure Digital expansion slot and more functions with modules for digital cameras, keyboards and modems.
The PDA can synchronize with Windows and Macintosh computers that have Universal Serial Bus (USB) or serial ports.
Information: palm.com
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Crayons that 'talk'
Actually, the crayons don't do the talking. It's the interactive Imagination Desk that talks when kids color on its touch-sensitive surface. The lap-sized drawing pad from LeapFrog contains sensors that recognize which letters and pictures a child is coloring on the toy's specially designed pages.
To activate the toy, a child places a page on the pad and presses down on the page's Go button. Because the Go button is in a different spot on each page, this tells the toy which page a child is coloring, so it can then identify whatever a child touches on the page. For example, when a child colors a "D" on a page, the toy pronounces the letter and its phonetic sound. If a child colors the picture of the dog, it provides some information about dogs. Best of all, there's no need to worry about running out of the special coloring pages because more can be downloaded from the company's Web site and printed on almost any PC printer.
The $44.99 device also comes with a Count & Sing Express railroad train template that helps preschoolers master basic math skills.
Information: leapfrog.com
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Drive for memory card fans
If you're one of those gadget-overloaded consumers who can never remember which memory card or USB connection fits inside which device, Addonics' Pocket DigiDrive could help ease the confusion. The $89 drive contains slots that can read and write to seven popular digital media formats: Compact Flash Type 1, Compact Flash Type 2, SmartMedia, Memory Stick, IBM MicroDrive, Multimedia Card and Secure Digital Card. When you install the drive, an icon for each type of media will show up under the "My Computer" folder. The device weighs 11 ounces and measures 4 inches by 5.5 inches by 1 inch, making it portable enough to tote along on trips.
The drive ships with a USB cable and software and is compatible with computers running Windows 98 or higher, Mac OS 8.6 or higher and Linux kernel 2.4 or higher.
Information: addonics.com
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Preserving old tunes
EnhancedAudio has updated a software program that can help you preserve your favorite albums and tapes on CDs. The Diamond Cut 32 4.0 program can now process audio files 32 bits at a time, which increases the accuracy and speed of the transfer to a digital format. The program also features some new tools, including Punch and Crunch, a four-band dynamic processor, and 50 new presets to help beginners choose the best filters. With these tools, you'll be able to eliminate some of the hisses and pops that are often heard on old recordings.
The software, which is sold on the company's Web site, costs $99. Upgrades for current Diamond Cut 32 owners are $19.95. In order to transfer files to a CD with this program, you'll also need a CD-recordable drive and a PC with a sound card.
Information: enhancedaudio.com
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A trio of cameras
Three new EasyShare digital cameras from Kodak are designed to suit varying budgets and photo skills. The least expensive model — the 1.3-megapixel DX3215 Zoom Digital Camera — costs $199, comes with 8 megabytes of internal memory, a 4X zoom (2X optical and 2X digital) and a MultiMedia Card/Secure Digital expansion slot for more memory.
The company also is selling two 3.1 megapixel models, the DX3700 and the DX3900. The DX3700 costs $399 and sports 8 megabytes of internal memory, a MultiMedia Card/Secure Digital expansion slot and 3X digital zoom. The DX3900 Zoom Digital Camera features a 2X optical and 3X digital zoom, an 8-megabyte CompactFlash memory card, and auto and manual focus modes. It costs $449.
All three cameras can be hooked up to Windows and Macintosh computers via a USB port. They also are designed to work with Kodak's EasyShare Camera Dock, which costs an additional $79.95.
Information: kodak.com
Compiled by Deborah Porterfield.
Send product suggestions to Debp@cyburban.com.
