by Jamie McAfee
Business users on the go have no time to hunt for office machinery. Below is a list of portable devices designed to make life easier and a little less heavy.
mTravel Assistant
Flight cancellations and delays can really put a kink in a business travelers day. Palm-based mTravel Assistant software manages air, car, and hotel travel for people on the move. An automated planning feature takes itinerary history and combines it with meeting data entered in CRM software or a PIM, and creates a new trip-specific itinerary. The trip repair feature alerts travelers of delays and cancellations while simultaneously providing alternative flights and rebooking options. Available as a software download.
I-tinerary Travel Solutions
480-609-9400
www. i-tinerary.com
AVerEPack 300
The AVerEPack 300 will have presenters raving. This 6 by 4-inch digital projector weighs less than a pound and offers a resolution up to 1024 by 768. The unit conducts digital slide presentations without the aid of a computer by reading PowerPoint slides and other images from a CompactFlash card. Output to any television, LCD projector, or VGA monitor.
AVerMedia
408-263-3828
www.atekelec.com
$50
Pocket Printer A6
Want to print your to-do list or the estimate a client requested from your handheld device? The A6 printer from SiPix is up for the job. The 14-ounce printer stows easily and works with any infrared-enabled device, eliminating the need for additional cables. The unit uses continuous feed paper or single sheets, and with its thermal technology, you won’t ever need to replace ribbons or cartridges.
SiPix
866-888-1678
www.sipix.com
$200
Mimio FlipChart
The FlipChart from Mimio liberates users from making copies of presentations and frees audiences from having to take notes. The FlipChart works with any easel pad to capture everything written, in color, and in real time. Users can then quickly print, save, edit, or distribute notes. Files are saved as jpegs, BMPs, or Windows metafile images. There is also a drag and drop option, which allows users to place presentation notes into any Windows application.
Virtual Ink
877-696-4646
www.mimio.com
$300
Red Ink
Palm’s versatility is now more expandable than ever, thanks to eNotate from Informal Software. The eNotate software turns any Palm connected organizer into a stylus-based input/output peripheral. Mark up documents and presentations right on a Palm by writing just as you would on paper copy. Users see exactly what is being sketched on the handheld device, as well as on the PC monitor. You get the option of five pen thicknesses, seven drawing colors, zoomed views, and much more.
Informal Software
408-845-9490
www.informalsoftware.com
$70
Hard Sell
At three pounds, the MP2800 digital projector from Compaq is a presenter’s dream. Encased in magnesium to withstand the rigors of travel, the MP2800 autosynchs with any PC, features plug-and-play use, and has an on-screen menu. The projector offers a 1024 by 768 XGA resolution at a brightness of 1,000 lumens. The MP2800 is also compatible with VCR, DVD, and HDTV.
Compaq
800-888-0220
www.compaq.com
$5,000
For Your Viewing Pleasure
The latest addition to the CTX line is the PV520, a 15-inch flat-panel monitor. The PV520 offers a wall mount to free up desk space and features an XGA resolution of 1024 by 786. The CTX screen also pivots for landscape and portrait viewing and has a 120-degree angle viewing range, making it easy to see from almost any position.
CTX International
626-709-1000
www.ctxinti.com
$1,000
DayLite Computing
For architects, contractors, and others who need to compute in the field, the Versa DayLite notebook boasts an innovative 10.4-inch reflective screen that has no backlight. The Versa DayLite weighs in at 3.3 pounds and offers a secondary rechargeable lithium-ion battery, which saves space and, in addition to the regular lithium-ion battery, increases battery life to eight hours on a single charge.
NEC Computers
800-398-0427
www.neccomp.com
$2,500
Image-ability
Canon’s new D1230UF provides photo enthusiasts and professionals alike a built-in, large-format, film adapter for scanning 35mm, medium-format, and 4 by 5-inch slides. A new Galileo Class lens creates brighter illumination and new data compression options offer both PC and Mac users faster scanning. At a resolution of 1200 by 2400dpi with a 48-bit internal and 42-bit external scanning capability, no document or photo will be left out.
Canon
800-652-2666
www.usa.canon.com
$300
Organizational Space
Need to get organized? Let Enfish’s Onespace software lend a hand. Onespace automatically organizes information on PCs, including e-mails, documents, schedules, contacts, and Web searches into one area on the desktop; Onespace creates a cross-referenced index categorized by subject. Version 3.0 adds enhancements to the previous version such as tool bars for added productivity.
Enfish Technology
626-660-2300
www.enfish.com
$70
