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| PC Today: Linux, Web Searches, Hardware Under $100 | |
| January 2001• Vol.9 Issue 1 Page(s) 10-15 in print issue | |
Inexpensive Peripherals Outfit Your Computer For Under $100 |
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[INEXPENSIVE]
[PERIPHERALS]
 The days are long gone when
you need the economic resources of a small country to buy a new computer
system. You can now buy fast, basic systems for a few hundred dollars, and
you can easily add high-quality, low-cost peripherals to extend your system’s
functionality. Each of the following products comes in under the $100
retail limit, and all offer the top quality and rich features you’d expect
to spend much more money for. Printers.
Sure, you could spend hundreds of dollars for a laser printer
(and an equal amount to run it for a year), but for most printing
projects,an inkjet printer will do just fine. And you sure can’t beat the
price.Epson Stylus Color 777. While the Epson Stylus Color 777 ($99; 562/290-4401; http://www.epson.com/) is the most expensive of the printers we’re featuring, it also offers the most speed. It can roll out 8ppm (pages per minute) of black text and 6ppm of color. The Stylus Color 777 features four-color printing, built-in USB (Universal Serial Bus) /parallel connectivity, and an impressive resolution of 2,880 x 720 dpi (dots per inch) on photo paper. Compatible with Windows 95, 98, 2000, and NT 4.0, as well as Mac 8.5.1 or later systems, the Stylus Color 777 weighs 8.4 pounds and measures 17.7 inches x 10.1 inches x 6.8 inches. In addition to a one-year warranty and printer software, the Stylus Color 777 also ships with a 100-sheet input paper tray and has an automatic ink low/ink out detection system.
The printer measures 6.5 inches high x 14.6 inches wide x 7.5 inches deep and weighs 5.3 pounds. Some of its special features include duplex printing (which means it can print on both sides of a regular sheet of paper; this is for Windows users only), a drop-in loading system for easy cartridge loading, and the option of combining the BJC-2100 with an IS-22 Color Image Scanner Cartridge to turn the printer into a color sheeted scanner. The BJC-2100 comes with a one-year warranty. Lexmark Z32 Color Jetprinter. The last of the printers we cover falls between the other two in terms of price. The Lexmark Z32 Color Jetprinter ($69.99; 888/539-6275; http://www.lexmark.com/) offers a resolution of up to 1,200 x 1,200 dpi and can print up to 7.5ppm of black text and 3.5ppm of color. The Z32 is compatible with Windows 95, 98, Me, 2000, and NT 4.0 and also works with Mac systems 8.6 or higher. Special features of the Lexmark Z32 include Accu-Feed paper handling (which can handle various paper weights without hassle), a built-in ink level indicator/job status indicator, and a customer choice software offer. As an added bonus, Lexmark offers the Lexmark Rewards Club, which is packed with projects, graphics, tips, and more. You can access the Rewards Club through Lexmark’s home page. The Z32 weighs 5.3 pounds, measures 6.7 inches high x 17.6 inches wide x 8.3 inches deep (with trays retracted) and comes with a one-year LexExpress next business day exchange warranty. Scanners.
You’ve been able to buy a scanner for under $100 for some time
now. The good news in this arena is that scanners for less than $100 now
offer higher quality and increased features. Both of the following
scanners offer much in terms of both quality and a rich feature
set.Microtek ScanMaker X6 USB. Microtek’s Scanmaker X6 USB ($99.99; 800/654-4160; http://www.microtek.com/) dipped under our $100 limit with but a penny to spare. The ScanMaker X6 USB offers 36-bit color at a resolution of 600 x 1,200dpi. You won’t have any problems setting up this scanner; its USB connection makes it easy to plug in and start scanning right away. Another feature that makes this an easy scanner to use is a Go button that lets you easily launch the scanning software. The ScanMaker X6 USB is available for Win98 and the iMac and Apple G3 systems. It weighs 11 pounds and measures 3.2 inches high x 11.5 inches wide x 17.3 inches long. Special features of the ScanMaker X6 USB include technologies such as Color Enhanced Optimization (for auto color calibration) and Zero Reflection Design Technology (to reduce light “bounce back”), as well as the ability to scan positive 35mm slides with the included LightLid 35. In terms of “normal” scanning, the Scanmaker can scan up to letter-sized documents. Like all good scanners, the ScanMaker X6 USB comes packaged with a wealth of software goodies such as Adobe PhotoDeluxe (photo editing for Windows and Mac systems), Ulead PhotoImpact (image editing for Windows), Caere PageKeeper Standard (document management software for Win98), Caere OmniPage Limited Edition (OCR [optical character recognition] software for Windows and Mac systems), and more. You can also get optional items such as a 10-page document feeder and a 5- x 6-inch transparency adapter. UMAX Astra 3400. With its 14-bit internal analog-to-digital converter (for true 42-bit internal color), the UMAX Astra 3400 ($99; 510/651-4000; http://www.umax.com/) promises to deliver great color to your scanned images. The Astra 3400 costs just a little less than the Microtek ScanMaker X6 USB, but the Astra shares many similarities with its competitor. Like the ScanMaker X6 USB, the Astra 3400 offers a resolution of 600 x 1,200 dpi, the ease of a USB interface, and push-button functionality. The maximum scan size of the Astra is 8.5 x 11.7 inches, and it is compatible with both Windows (98, 2000) and Mac (OS 8.1 or later) systems. Even the size of 18.2 x 11.6 x 2.6 inches is a near mirror image of the ScanMaker X6 USB. Special features of the Astra 3400 include the ability to batch scan (scan multiple images in one scan job) and the inclusion of its Intelligent Imaging Process Engine, a feature that automatically optimizes images and text. The Intelligent Imaging Process Engine can automatically detect whether your document should be in color or grayscale, auto-assign the optimum resolution, auto-crop images, auto-rotate askew images, and more. The Astra 3400 also offers a rich collection of software, including Adobe PhotoDeluxe, ScanSoft OmniPage LE, NewSoft Presto! PageManager, UMAX VistaShuttle (for greeting card construction and more), and NewSoft Page Type. Storage.
While mass storage units aren’t usually that expensive, there
are very few that fall beneath the $100 mark. One that does, though,
carries a name that should be instantly recognizable.
The external USB version of the 100MB Zip Drive retails for $99.95 and is capable of storing up to 100MB of data per disk. (You can buy a 250MB version.) The disks themselves are fairly in expensive (approximately $10/disk through Iomega), so you can cheaply store a lot of information and easily carry it around with you. The drive is compatible with both Windows (95, 98, 2000, ME, NT 4.0) and Mac (OS 8.5.1 or later) systems. The USB Zip Drive comes with a variety of software to help you get the most out of the drive, including RecordIt (record and play back voice or music), 1-Step Backup (easily protect your files), Copy Machine (duplicate entire disks), and a collection of utilities called IomegaTools. You can also get accessories such as battery packs and carrying cases. Input Devices.
Writing tablets, mice, gaming devices, and keyboards are just a
few. Input devices for computers come in all shapes and sizes, and the
functions they perform, from entering text to blasting away aliens, are
equally diverse. They do have one primary thing in common, though: Without
input devices, you wouldn’t get much done on your computer. The devices
we’ve collected here also share a sub-$100 price tag.
Take the Aiptek HyperPen 8000 ($99.99; 949/455-1800; http://www.aiptek.com/), for example. This drawing pad’s MetaCreations Art Dabbler software not only lets you draw but it also gives you painting and animation capabilities. You can also create and verify electronic signatures (with CADIX software), mark up Web pages and other desktop layouts and save or send them via e-mail (with ScreenDraw software), and even annotate Microsoft Word documents. The HyperPen 8000 can pretty much do anything your imagination (with the appropriate software) can think up, including handwriting recognition, electronic presentations, and videoconferencing. The HyperPen 8000 features an 8- x 6-inch pad, a cordless pen and mouse, a resolution of 3,048lpi (lines per inch), and connectivity to your USB port. Logitech iFeel Mouse. If you feel that your mouse isn’t responsive enough, perhaps you should give the Logitech iFeel Mouse ($39.95; 800/231-7717; http://www.logitech.com/) a spin. When we say responsive, we aren’t talking about the ease with which it scuttles across the mouse pad. Logitech has developed the iFeel to set up vibrations when the mouse pointer moves across an icon, menu, toolbar, or hyperlink. “Why?” you ask. The technology actually has some practical applications, including using it as an aid to new users (so they know what items are clickable) and as an aid to the visually impaired. Even if you’re just looking for something different in a mouse, the iFeel will certainly give you that. In addition to providing tactile feedback, the iFeel Mouse is also a pretty decent three-button mouse for both left- and right-handed users. It uses optical technology for greater accuracy and, because it doesn’t have a mouse ball, you don’t have to clean it. The iFeel Mouse works with Windows 98, 2000, and higher and plugs into your USB port. The iFeel comes with a five-year warranty, and while there are only a few applications that can utilize iFeel’s features now, expect many more to be fully iFeel compatible in the near future.
The IntelliMouse Explorer is designed in an arched shape to more closely fit the palm of your hand, and its rubberized sides are flared for better grip and feel. It comes with two side buttons that are programmed to act as forward and back buttons on your browser. You can reprogram these or any of the buttons to open your favorite programs, documents, and more. The IntelliMouse Explorer also comes with a wheel for scrolling or zooming (for use with Microsoft Office97 compatible or later applications). Designed exclusively for right-handed users, the IntelliMouse Explorer is covered by a limited lifetime hardware warranty and works with either a Windows or Mac PS/2 or USB port.
The Flight Sim Yoke PC comes with a 7 foot cable that plugs into a standard PC game port (USB is also available for a little more), and it is supported by all major flight sim software. It works with Windows 95, 98, 2000, Me, and DOS, and you can use it with other CH Products gaming devices such as Pro Pedals or Pro Throttle to really enrich your gaming experience. Microsoft SideWinder Precision Pro. Those looking for a more traditional gaming device may want to consider the SideWinder Precision Pro ($74.95; 425/882-8080; http://www.microsoft.com/) from Microsoft. The SideWinder Precision Pro uses digital-optical technology to give you excellent accuracy, breathtaking speed, and no drift. The stick itself features 16 programmable button functions, an eight-way hat switch, trigger, throttle wheel, handle rotation, and axis movements. You can program all of these features using the SideWinder Game Device Profiler software. You can also easily adjust the sensitivity of the SideWinder, program your best moves into the device, and save winning profiles for future use. The Sidewinder Precision Pro works with Windows 95 or higher and plugs into either your computer’s game or USB port. Acer WIL-172 Wireless Keyboard. Writing pads, mice, and gaming devices are all well and good, but how about the workhorse of input devices, the keyboard? It’s possible to find many excellent keyboards for under $100, but would you believe that you can also find a wireless keyboard that easily fits our pricing requirements? The Acer WIL-172 Wireless Keyboard ($45; 408/432-6200; http://www.acer.com/) is one such device. This keyboard from Acer Communications and Multimedia America lets you input data from up to 30 feet away. While you’d have to be pretty sure of your typing to get a whole lot of use out of it at that distance, having the freedom to move the keyboard from surface to surface without worrying about the cords is a definite selling point. The Acer WIL-172 uses infrared wireless technology to perform its wireless tricks, sending signals to a serial and PS/2 mouse port receiver. Among its features are 84 keys and a built-in mouse function with two click buttons. The Acer WIL-172 comes with a one-year warranty and uses two AA batteries (which, according to Acer, can last for three months). In addition to classic gray, the keyboard is also available in black. Web cameras.
Web cameras, also known as Web cams, have a wide range of uses
beyond the obvious one, which is putting your face or your sleeping cat
online. With a Web cam, you can send video e- mail; set up a surveillance
system to watch over your computer, front door, or sleeping child; or
participate in an online meeting or video phone call. You can also use Web
cams to snap and edit still shots of anything within the cable’s range.
The following cams give you access to all these functions for under
$100.Logitech QuickCam Pro USB. The Logitech QuickCam Pro USB ($99.95; 800/231-7717; http://www.logitech.com/) offers a wide range of features and functionality for all users regardless of their needs. The QuickCam Pro offers a 24-bit 640 x 480dpi resolution and provides video at up to 15 frames per second. The cam ships with a Labtec LVA-330 headset microphone to give you video and audio solutions all in one package, and its Charged Coupled Device (CCD) sensor allows for sharp, clear pictures under a variety of lighting conditions. The software that ships with the Quick-Cam Pro allows you a wide range of functionality, from video surveillance with Digital Radar II to video conferencing with Microsoft’s NetMeeting. The QuickCam Pro also comes with MGI’s VideoWave II and PhotoSuite II image editing software, video games from Reality Fusion, CrestaCards Video Greeting software, and much more. The QuickCam Pro works with Windows systems, and you’ll need a USB port to plug the Web cam into. Creative Labs Blaster Webcam 3. Creative Labs offers a powerful Web cam with its Video Blaster Webcam 3 ($50; 831/438-5330; http://www.webcam.creative.com/). The Webcam 3 is capable of 16.7 million colors and can capture video at 30 frames per second (at a resolution of 352 x 288dpi) or 15 frames per second (640 x 480dpi). The Webcam 3 is compatible with Windows and offers parallel or USB port connectivity. You can easily take snapshots with a handy button on top of the cam, and it comes bundled with ArcSoft’s Polaroid PhotoMAX software to edit, retouch, and add effects to photos. Like the Logitech QuickCam Pro, you can use the cam for a variety of different purposes, including sending video e-mail, remote monitoring, and more. Speakers.
When it comes to computer system speakers, many users may be
tempted to patch an old pair of stereo speakers into the back of their
computers, but this can be a less-than-ideal solution. Stereo speakers
generally lack the shielding features that computer speakers have,
resulting in monitor interference and other possible problems with the
speakers’ powerful magnets. They also tend to take up a lot of space,
unlike the two speaker systems that follow.Altec Lansing ATP3 3-Piece System. The ATP3 3-Piece System ($99.95; 570/296-6887; http://www.alteclansing.com/) from Altec Lansing features two slim profile speakers and a wooden subwoofer. Separate controls for master volume, bass, and treble give you flexibility in mixing the sound output, and the system has a good frequency response of 45Hz (hertz) to 18KHz (kilohertz). The ATP3’s satellite is 12 watts and the subwoofer is 18 watts.
Save Yourself Some
Money. You need not go broke outfitting your system with
high-quality peripherals. Most categories offer enough of a selection in
the sub-$100 range that a simple feature comparison will yield you a
product that will meet your needs for both the present and the foreseeable
future.  by Rich Gray
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