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Is the DoubleSight Dual 15" LCD Monitor A Poor Man's Cinema Display?
The Tune Belt iPod Armband Carrier
Have an iPod, or thinking about picking up one of the cool new iPod Minis that Steve Jobs announced this week at Macworld Expo? While the new iPod Mini comes with a belt clip, your belt isn't necessarily the ideal place to carry your 'Pod. It's a long way from your belt to your ear, and the pod could get spilled on, could be uncomfortable when seated, and so on.
Tune Belt Inc. of Cincinnati, Ohio, has another solution -- an armband case for the iPod added to their extensive fleet of belt and armband cases for a variety of consumer electronic equipment. This innovative little number is engineered to carry the iPod in an upside-down orientation so that when your arm is raised slightly with the case flap open, the 'Pod's LCD screen will appear right side up. Clever.
Other design features include open access for the touch wheel and touch buttons, a clear protection window for the LCD screen, an opening in the bottom for the headphone jack or remote cords to pass through, and a handy zip-closure pocket on the case flap to store the earbud headphones or other small bits.
The Tune Belt iPod Armband Carrier comes in either jet black or royal blue, and has a diagonal reflective silver accent stripe paralleling the pocket zipper for a sporty look and to enhance night time safety when walking or bicycling.
The Carrier's armband is made from a soft, slightly elastic Neoprene material, and adjusts up to 20 inches circumference. I found it easy to adjust and quite comfortable to wear. The Carrier itself is made from the same soft stretchy Neoprene fabric (reminded me of wetsuit material) with a nylon panel lining the inside the flap, which is secured with a Velcro closure.
The Tune Belt iPod Armband Carrier appears to be well-made, with neat, sturdy stitching, and a sturdy and amply-sized adjuster buckle the arm band.
A well as being a convenient and functional way to carry your iPod, the Tune Belt iPod Armband Carrier should do a good job of protecting the iPod from bumps and scratches. It should also be easy to care for itself too, since Neoprene is easily washable.
The Tune Belt iPod Armband Carrier allows a much shorter length of earphone cord to be exposed then if the 'Pod was fastened to your belt, lessening the potential for snags and in general just less cumbersome.
Features and benefits summary:
� iPod slides in upside down so LCD reads right side up
� Open access to touch wheel and touch buttons
� Zip pocket for accessories or personal items
� Stylish diagonal reflective accent strip for nighttime visibility
� Armband size is easily adjustable with one hand up to 20"
The The Tune Belt iPod Armband Carrier has a suggested retail price $19.95
For more information, visit:
http://www.tunebelt.com/
The Steel Gaming Glove GG3
Another interesting product from the Steelpad folks in Denmark -- the Steel Gaming Glove is a fingerless hand cover with an elasticized wrist support designed especially for serious gamers, helping them shave that last five percent of friction to provide a competitive edge.
The glove part is made from light, stretchy Lycra or a similar elasticized fabric. The wrist support is of heavier elastic with a Velcro closure. I found the Steel Gaming Glove comfortable to wear, and it does allow your hand to slide more slickly across the mousepad. (The Steelpad plastic or aluminum mousepad recently reviewed here are ideal for this).
http://www.applelinks.com/mooresviews/steelpad.shtml
http://www.applelinks.com/mooresviews/steelpad4d.shtml
The Steel Gaming Glove comes only in a right-handed model, and is "one size fits all." I have a fairly long (8 inches from the tip of my big finger to the first wrist crease), narrow hand, and I found it fit me fine, but I'm not testing the stretchiness of the Lycra material at all. The glove will obviously accommodate a wide range of hand sizes.
I found the Steel Gaming Glove to be well made and finished, with robust stitching and neat fabric hems. I expect that it will prove durable in use, the surface that it contacts having some bearing on its life span.
Steel Gaming Glove - GG3 features:
� Always have a smooth gliding sensation
� Less friction between hand and mousepad
� Better grip on mouse
� Full wrist assist
� One size - for right hand only.
Price: DKK 99.00 (EUR 13.26/ USD 15.33) + shipping
For more information, visit:
http://www.steelpad.com/products.asp
Poor Man's Cinema Display?
This section of today's column is not a review, but a just an overview at the DoubleSight Dual 15" LCD Monitor as a cost-effective standard for alternative to large, bulky CRTs & expensive widescreen LCD Monitors.
Bummed because a 20" Cinema Display is too rich for your budget? DoubleSight Displays, LLC's dual 15-inch LCD monitor could be the more affordable solution.
The benefit of using multiple monitors is instant and immense because the user can display a different program or document on each monitor at the same time. Are you dealing with multiple windows? Then DoubleSight could be an ideal and more affordable solution for you.
The new DoubleSight dual LCD monitor is an attractive, cost effective alternative to large CRT monitors that consume a lot of physical desktop space or expensive LCD monitors like Apple's Cinema Displays. DoubleSight harnesses your information and computing power utilizing a unique approach to the multiple monitor feature to enhance the user's viewing and productivity experience. Featuring DoubleSight Displays' patent-pending multiple monitor "smart control" technology, the $799 DoubleSight DS-1500 harnesses two 15-inch LCD flat panels with 2048 x 768 resolution in a side-by-side configuration mounted on a single, space-efficient base stand. DoubleSight provides large monitor real estate in a small footprint at a very affordable cost.
Supported by Macintosh and Windows computers, the DoubleSight DS-1500 seamlessly displays as much data as a single 20-inch monitor and manages several sources of information without time-consuming switching between windows. By performing fast reactions to multiple information sources, DoubleSight users can experience significant productivity increases ranging from approximately 20 to 50 percent by easily managing their multiple programs simultaneously. Unlike large-screen monitors that often sacrifice legibility to offer more desktop space under a high resolution, the DoubleSight dual LCD monitor can effectively provide large desktop space in a legible format.
"With respect to recent technology advances in faster processors, larger storage, and quicker Internet connections, the monitor is the last remaining barrier to greater user productivity," said Jay Muskovich, Chief Executive Officer of DoubleSight Displays, LLC. "We have designed the DoubleSight dual LCD monitor to allow users to take better advantage of their data and computing power while increasing multitasking and productivity by as much as 50 percent. The combination of productivity gains and other cost savings can provide companies with a very quick return on their investment in a DoubleSight."
DoubleSight's patent-pending "Intelligent Multi-screen Control Mechanism" technology and industrial design employ a single controlling motherboard that seamlessly manages and adjusts the display of multi-screen monitors. By distributing or replicating signals to both display panels, users have the ability to display a different window on each monitor panel at the same time, or stretch Excel spreadsheets across two monitors so they can see more columns without scrolling. While using one monitor to do research on the Web, users can summarize their data in a Word document on the other monitor panel. DoubleSight's one-stop access for controlling dual displays also includes intuitive menu-driven on-screen display controls for selecting how the user wants to set up each LCD panel.
The DoubleSight DS-1500 combines attractive techno avant-garde appearance with a unique, light yet sturdy design that requires a minimum of desk space. The strength of DoubleSight's industrial design is attributed to its unique aluminum tilt and swivel base that supports horizontal and vertical movement of the LCD panels. With its simplified, slim flat panel design, DoubleSight can be placed on a desk, is VESA wall-mountable, or may be hung from an office cubicle.
DoubleSight can be connected to computers with two VGA ports, one VGA port and a DVI port, or to two separate computers by attaching one VGA cable to each computer. Additionally, DoubleSight is powered through a single power cord providing a simplified cabling solution.
The viewable area of the DoubleSight dual LCD monitor is 24 inches (horizontal) by 9 inches (vertical) with a minimal center bezel that allows for optimal display continuity. The two combined LCD panels generate a 2048 x 768 resolution, with each panel pre-set to a maximum of 1024 x 768 at 75Hz. Apple's 20" Cinema Display offers 1680 x 1050 at its optimal resolution. Each DoubleSight 15-inch panel produces sharp images with a high brightness rate of 250cd/m2 and a 400:1 contrast ratio. The display features a 130� horizontal/ 100� vertical viewing angle, a fast response time of 25ms, a sharp pixel pitch of 0.297mm, 16M maximum displayable colors, and 30,000 hours minimum lamp life.
"We are very pleased with the enthusiasm and early DoubleSight product acceptance experienced to date, and are actively implementing a robust sales strategy that includes alliances with several international OEMs partners and domestic retailer, resellers and distributors," said Muskovich.
The DoubleSight DS-1500 dual LCD monitor is targeted at mainstream computer users in corporations, IT professionals, customer service and support call centers, legal and medical professional services, stock traders and financial institutions, graphic design and multimedia, PC gamers, government and education. Additionally, DoubleSight gives gamers an expanded view or duplicates the display signal so multiple players can view the same game on their own screen.
If your job demands multiple windows open simultaneously, then DoubleSight is definitely for you.
Office Productivity
You can expand your spreadsheets across TWO screens with display continuity.
Or multi-task.
Open attachments on one screen while reading email on the other.
Graphics Design
Great for image editing and desktop publishing. Use main workspace on one display and toolbars/view on the second screen. See TWO pages at once.
Professional Services
Prepare contracts or other legal documents on one screen and view reference material on the second. Display TWO documents in natural 4:3 view. Easy screen comparisons & uncluttered Windows.
Stock Trading
Stock traders can view stock quotes and performance charts or manage their portfolios while simultaneously reading relevant articles or reports.
Entertainment
You can use one panel as a TV* screen or to watch DVDs, and display program reviews or news on the other. (a TV tuner/DVD drive is required).
Gamers
DoubleSight gives players a larger gaming view, or duplicates the display signal so multiple players can view the same game on their own screen.
The DoubleSight DS-1500 is priced at a modest $799 (MSRP), compared with $1,299.00 for a 20" Apple Cinema Display. Purchase information is available at:
http://www.doublesight.com/howtobuy
The DoubleSight DS-1500 includes a 12-month limited parts and labor warranty that can be extended for an additional 6 months (18 months total) when registered at http://www.doublesight.com/register. Additionally, an extended protection plan that warrants DoubleSight for a full three years is also available.
For more information, visit:
http://www.doublesight.com">http://www.doublesight.com
DoubleSight (DS-1500) Product Specifications
Display
Panel Type Dual 15" TFT-LCD
Viewable Area 608.2mm (24 inches) horizontal; 228.1mm (9 inches) vertical
Resolution 2048 x 768 max.
Colors 16M max.
Brightness 250 cd/m2 typ.
Contrast Ratio 400:1 typ.
Pixel Pitch 0.297mm
Pixel Configuration R,G,B vertical stripe
Response Time 25ms typ. (Tr+Tf)
Viewing Angle -65~+65� horizontal; -45~+55� vertical typ.
Glass Treatments Anti-glare, hard coating
Lamp Life 30,000 hours min.
Input Signals
Video Analog 0.7 Vp-p; 75 ohms
Frequency 31.5~60.0 KHz horizontal; 56~75 Hz vertical
Sync TTL, positive/negative, separate sync.
Connection
Video Connectors
Two 15-pin D-sub type
User Controls
Manual Control Buttons SELECT, MENU, LEFT, RIGHT, EXIT, AUTO, POWER
On-screen Display Functions Select Source, Brightness, Contrast, Color, Position (horizontal/vertical), Image (phase, clock), Misc. Menu (reset, language, OSD position, system information)
Power
Voltage Input: AC 100~240V, 50~60Hz; Output: DC+12V, 4.0A max.
Consumption 45W max. typ.; 5W max. standby/suspend/off mode
Power Management
Operating Conditions
Temperature 32~104�F; 0~+40�C
Humidity 90% max.
Physical Characteristics
Dimensions 683mm (26-7/8")W x 397mm (15-5/8")H x 248mm (9-3/4")D
Weight 6.3 kg (14 lbs.) (including aluminum stand)
Tilt/Rotation 0~+20� vertical; -45~+45� horizontal
Regulatory FCC-Part 15, UL, MPRII, Energy Star, TUV/GS, CE
Warranty
One year limited warranty (parts and labor); warranty can be extended for additional 6 months (18 months total) when registered at http://www.doublesight.com/register within 30 days from the date of original purchase
Tags: Reviews ï MooresViews ï iPod Reviews ï
