Slimmer phone big on features


Saturday, May 26th, 2007

Sun

SAMSUNG WRITEMASTER SE-T084L, $165

If you’re not ready to trade in your notebook computer just because it’s missing a DVD burner, here’s a cheaper solution. The SE-T084L is a front slot-loading DVD burner that plugs in a USB connection. It’s the only slot-in drive that supports eight-cm discs, making it possible to burn discs from DVD camcorders. The USB power means you don’t have to worry about carrying an AC adaptor. If you’re a road warrior at work or you simply want to copy holiday memories while you’re on the go, this makes a slim solution.

NOKIA 6300 MOBILE PHONE, $100 WITH FIDO THREE-YEAR CONTRACT, $300 WITHOUT CONTRACT

The latest Fido phone offering marks a North American debut for this bar phone from Nokia. It takes no more space in your purse or pocket than a little candy bar. A skinny phone barely topping 13 millimetres, it still wraps all the toys into its flat package: a two-megapixel camera with eight times digital zoom, an MP3 player and FM radio, Bluetooth wireless, on-board memory of 512 MB that can be increased up to two GB with microSD cards, voice dialing, a hands-free speaker and other functions you expect in a phone.

FATMAX MOBILE PROJECT CENTRE, $120

A Father’s Day present for the wannabe home handyman, this two-in-one tool combines a work surface with a hand cart. And for the space-strapped do-it-yourselfer, this folds flat to store. It includes integrated clamps and a three-outlet power strip with cable holder to line up all those power tools. www.stanleytools.com

OLYMPUS STYLUS 770 SW, $450

We know from expensive experience that a life jacket, while useful for keeping you afloat, does little for the digital camera in your pocket. Which is why, of the many features of this rugged camera, we were impressed by the waterproof-to-10 metres claim. Add to that crushproof up to a hefty 99 kilograms and shockproof to withstand a fall of 1.5 metres and this 7.1-megapixel camera can pretty much take anything you can throw at it — or throw it at. And it can do it all at temperatures as low as -10 C. With a three times optical zoom and a five times digital zoom, this is more than ready for summer.

© The Vancouver Sun 2007

 



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