August 2004 08/10/2004

NEWT TECHNOLOGY TO GO
Design companies love concept devices and there’s no need to pay much notice to what’s actually possible in reality, when Paintshop can give you the gadget of your dreams. Which is why we were slightly disappointed by Frog Design’s efforts at imagining the handheld computer of the future. The Petfrog may integrate a PDA, media player, camera and karaoke machine in a device that allows you to connect to your laptop, TV, stereo and other devices, but that doesn’t make it any less ugly. We just hope that when you kiss it, it turns into a handsome prince or princess.

CONTACT
www.frogdesign.com  

DICTATORIAL POWERS
If you need to dictate a lot of notes – or if you just like the sound of your own voice – the DS-4000 from Olympus should be ideal. The digital voice recorder’s main selling point seems to be the sliding record/hold switch, which is designed to stop professionals used to the old tape dictaphones from getting too confused. There’s room for over 11 hours of recording on the 32MB xD card that comes supplied, with two different quality settings: SP or LP. Voice notes can be stored in different folders and downloaded onto your computer using the USB docking station. At £410 (inc VAT) you’d better hope you’ve got something extra special to say.

CONTACT
www.olympus.co.uk  

BRIGHT SLIDE
The Siemens SL55 mobile has been a favourite of fashion-conscious young phone owners for quite some time now, but it was getting long overdue for an upgrade. Fortunately, Siemens has finally unveiled its successor. The SL65 is larger than the original tiny slider phone, but still remains small enough to slip into your achingly trendy jeans pocket. There’s a VGA digital camera and a decent 65K colour screen, but apart from that the SL65 remains as feature-free as its predecessor. But it’s all about the looks with this phone, and it’s available in two colour options: Ebony and Ivory.

CONTACT
www.my-siemens.com  

IPOD MINI-STRY
If your name’s not already down on the waiting list for an iPod Mini, you may struggle to get your hands on one for a while after they (finally) arrive here in the UK. Luckily, Ministry of Sound isn’t so worried about long queues and guest lists these days and you can buy its SI Series Jukebox right now from Argos. It’s priced at £150 (inc. VAT), £50 cheaper than the iPod Mini’s set to cost, and it comes with some Ministry of Sound tracks preloaded. However, whereas the Mini has 4GB of memory, the MoS Jukebox only offers 1.5GB. And although it looks and feels nice, its grey casing is no match for the rainbow delights of the iPod Mini.

CONTACT
www.ministryofsound.co.uk  

KEYS TO HEAVEN
When it comes to romance, why say it with flowers when you can say it with USB memory keys? These ‘his and hers’ memory drives come in pink and blue for technology-loving lovers. With 128MB of storage space in their heavenly bodies, the Lover Disk Angels cost £41 (inc. VAT) each and use the faster USB 2.0 connection. Encased in a durable rubber sheath, the Lover Disks are water and shock resistant, making them perfect for safety-conscious couples who like to use protection.

CONTACT
www.laptopshop.co.uk  

REPEATS ON TV
While most manufacturers are currently competing to see who can create the most highly-specified portable video player, Goodmans has opted to aim a little lower. The Personal Media Centre can record directly from your television, allowing you to watch your favourite shows and films. The 32MB drive comes supplied with a 256MB SD card. It only has room for 2 hours’ worth of programmes, however. This means it’s incredibly small and lightweight, as well as being more affordable, at £199 (inc. VAT). The player can also be used for viewing images, MPEG4 movie files and MP3s.

CONTACT
www.jessops.com