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167

Scam alert!

Scam alert!

Please do not respond to an email that claims to be from Incredible Connection and offers a R2 000 gift voucher in return for your personal information. It is a scam designed to obtain some of your most private information - including the pin number for your cell phone. Bear in mind that not even your bank knows your cell phone pin! We would never ask customers for this level of personal information. We don't know who has set up this scam, but it is extremely sophisticated. So, we strongly urge you to avoid getting involved as it might lead to theft of your identity or your bank account being hacked.

164

Amazon Kindle

	Lose Yourself in Your Reading The most elegant feature of a physical book is that it disappears while you're reading. Immersed in the author's world and ideas, you don't notice a book's glue, the stitching, or ink. Our top design objective is to make Kindle Keyboard disappear — just like a physical book — so you can get lost in your reading, not the technology.
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152

Incredible Connection Mobile Apps

	Our new iPhone and Android app have loads of features, which include browsing of products and there features, pricing and availably, store contact details and much much more. available on iTunes and Android Market now
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146

Get a free Kaspersky quote today

Get a free Kaspersky quote today

Whether you outsource your IT security or maintain your own corporate systems, you expect your chosen solution to deliver world-class anti-malware protection for a multi-platform IT infrastructure, whilst lowering your Total Cost of Protection (TCP). Kaspersky Lab’s products work as hard as you do to provide efficient manageability with wide interoperability, combating threats of any type and providing total security for all your valuable data and communications.

131

Software purchase and downloads


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128

Microsoft Kinect for the XBOX 360

	You are the controller Kinect brings games and entertainment to life in extraordinary new ways - no controller required. Easy to use and instantly fun, Kinect (formerly known as "Project Natal" gets everyone off the couch. Want to join a friend in the fun? Simply jump in. And the best part is Kinect works with every Xbox 360
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126

2Create a Story

2Create a Story

SOFTWARE developer 2Simple has created a creativity-inspiring software package for children aged 4 to 12 that lets them tell stories on their computers. It provides all the drawing tools needed for kids to create stories in their own way, and also includes some very basic animation techniques that can be applied to drawings for that "something extra" that makes the stories really come to life. It's not a professional animation program by any means, but 2Create a Story works hard to put all the tools needed for basic picture-creation at the child's ~ ngertips, and then encourages them to animate those pictures in a way that they become livelier than a plain old static image. You can also add sound e ects using sound ~ les or your own recorded with a microphone, and linking multiple scenes together in a slideshow format is how the child's "story" ultimately unfolds.

125

Logitech-Presenter-R800

Logitech-Presenter-R800

IF presentations are a big part of your work life, chances are you need to add the Logitech Professional Presenter to your meeting arsenal. Let’s have a look at the reasons why it’s a must-have for PowerPoint junkies. Picture the scene: your slideshow presentation is ready and the boardroom is full of expectant people. With the Logitech R800, all you have to do to get everyone to see your point is to aim the laser pointer at the screen – it’s a brilliant green laser light that’s strong enough to be seen clearly, even across a large conference hall. Switch smoothly and con dently from slide to slide with intuitive one-touch controls located on a convenient remote that ~ ts snugly in your hand. This device allows you to focus entirely on your presentation instead of the clock, as it has an easy-to-set timer and vibrating alerts help you manage your time e ciently. With no wires or cables, there’s nothing to keep you from moving around and working the room. The device has a range of 30m and the built-in reception-level indicator on the LCD display keeps you from going astray.

124

Logic 3 Screenbeat USB Speakers

Logic 3 Screenbeat USB Speakers

IF your desktop computer is still lacking speakers and you're looking for something that won't take up too much of your desk space, or you're looking for a set of compact USB-powered speakers to pack into your laptop bag and take on the road with you – we've found your perfect match, so look no further. The Logic 3 Screenbeat speakers are ideal for placing in front of or beside a PC or laptop screen. They're not just any old computer speakers either; they have an entirely distinctive and usefully quirky side as well. A unique feature is seen in the hidden magnets inside the speakers which, when joined together, create a single soundbar to place in front of your computer display.

123

FujiFilm Finepix S1800

FujiFilm Finepix S1800

IF you’ve been using point-and-shoot cameras and you’ve found yourself a little frustrated by their limitations, FujiFilm’s Finepix S1800 camera might be worth a closer look. It occupies the space between point-and-shoot cameras and full-blown DSLRs, and represents a good step up in terms of features and capabilities, while still retaining the simpler cameras’ ease of use. Features-wise, you’re getting a lot of camera for your money. The S1800 shoots 12MP still images and can capture video in 720p quality at 30 frames per second; both of these modes allow for widescreen image and video capture, which is fantastic as you can now view your work on an HDTV without seeing black bands around the edges. The S1800 also has a brilliant 18x optical zoom lens that really brings your subjects closer to you. While it works in video mode, the sound of the motor that zooms the lens in is audible, which can ruin your video somewhat. The autofocus feature works well, and the camera takes a second or two to focus on your subject when you zoom in. In the camera’s Auto mode, which automatically selects the best scene settings for you, the camera occasionally got the focus and exposure settings wrong, but for the most part it works well.

122

Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2000

Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2000

THE pistol-grip design of Sanyo’s Xacti range has always set it apart from the camcorders of other manufacturers. With the HD2000, Sanyo has stuck to its guns, and the design here is as pistol-grippy as ever. It keeps the HD2000 very compact, and a ords it a very futuristic look – one that says “Sci-Fi Stun Gun” more than it does point-and-shoot camcorder. In reality, the HD2000 is a rather futuristic device, as it combines the HD video recording capabilities of the HD1000 with the ability to take 8.1MP stills. Sanyo has upgraded the CMOS sensor of the HD2000 so that it can take images natively at a resolution of 3 264 x 2 488, and if interpolation is applied (a digital technique that slightly enlarges images) a maximum of 4000 x 3000 can be attained. A CMOS sensor is a small chip that converts what you’re pointing the camera at to electrical signals, and is a vital part of any camera. A high quality CMOS chip can make a 4MP camera take better-looking images than an 8MP one.

121

Canon PIXMA MP560 Photo Printer

Canon PIXMA MP560 Photo Printer

IF you're looking for a mid-range photo printer that doesn't cost the earth and comes with some unexpected (but pleasant) extras, Canon's PIXMA MP560 photo printer might be for you. It can be connected to your PC via a wireless network connection or a USB cable, it can read USB flash drives and memory cards and even print directly from a PictBrige-enabled camera (cable not included) without the need for a PC. It has a medium-resolution A4 flatbed scanner on top, and can handle various paper types like regular A4 and Jumbo photo paper. Setting it up is easy, and takes around 20 minutes. All you have to do is follow the included instructions to physically set it up, and then insert the included CD-ROM into your computer and running the setup program that runs automatically. The wireless network setup is particularly simple – by using the LCD screen and the buttons that surround it, you can browse the MP560's menu system to find the network options; once found, all you have to do is scan for your existing wireless network, select it and put in your wireless security key.

120

FujiFilm FinePix HS10 Digital Camera

FujiFilm FinePix HS10 Digital Camera

EARNEST photographers wanting the versatility and performance of a DSLR system without the bulk or expense that come with it, will find that the FujiFilm FinePix HS10 more than bridges the gap. The HS10 is the jack-of-all-trades camera that’s perfect for the serious enthusiast, as it looks, feels and performs very much like a mid-range DSLR, with a weight and solid build quality that looks rugged enough to be taken anywhere. In terms of design and build, the HS10 is as aesthetically pleasing as it is practical, with nice chunky controls that are ergonomically laid out so as to allow both quick and easy access to functions. The hand-grip has a smartly-placed indentation into which a middle finger slots comfortably, allowing you to grip the camera properly. While the HS10 is relatively compact, it’s still very much a camera for which you will need to use both hands. The buttons and dials are easy to use and access but could be susceptible to getting knocked if you aren’t careful.

119

Nokia E72 smartphone

Nokia E72 smartphone

LOOKING at the Nokia E72, one would expect love at first sight, if you were searching for the perfect multimedia-capable smartphone companion. And it probably would be, if you weren’t already an avid BlackBerry smartphone or iPhone user. So if you’re already comfortable with the QWERTY keypad (touch or otherwise) on another device, the layout of this one might puzzle you temporarily, and take some getting used to. As might Nokia’s Symbian operating system experience, if you’re not already well-versed in its quirks. The E72 is the upgrade from the E71 and it brings with it perks like a faster processor, more memory, and a better camera. The phone’s design is still sleek and sturdy and it o ers excellent messaging capabilities as well as 3G support, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and built-in GPS navigation. Aimed at business users, you’ll get the full constantly-in-touch experience with push e-mail (support for a wide variety of e-mail protocols, including POP3, Microsoft Exchange, ActiveSync, Nokia Messaging and Mail for Exchange.) and the Nokia Messaging app will handle up to 10 personal accounts, with push delivery. In terms of e-mail content, there’s support for HTML e-mail, attachment viewing, search, and filters. In addition to e-mail, you can sync your Calendar, Contacts, and Tasks. Nokia’s mobile VPN client is also included on the phone if you want to access your company’s Intranet remotely.

118

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

Sony Ericsson Xperia X10

THE Xperia X10 is Sony Ericsson’s first attempt at a smartphone that runs Google’s Android operating system, and it’s a fine effort indeed. The lines of the phone are slim and sleek, it has a very large 4” capacitive touchscreen, it responds beautifully to touches and its phone functions are executed ~ awlessly. It also has so many entertainment, social media and business telephony capabilities that you’d be hard-pressed to find something it can’t do. In short, it’s the kind of smartphone savvy communicators should take a closer look at. In the looks department, the X10 falls somewhere between a supermodel and an Olympic Athlete. It’s not quite an iPhone killer (because let’s be honest, the only company that can beat Apple is Apple), but it’s certainly very sleek and attractive. Before you’ve even noticed the X10’s gorgeous lines, your eyes will be drawn to the stunning screen. It’s very crisp, colours are rich and deep even though it’s not an OLED display, and its native resolution of 854 x 480 makes text, photos, videos and Web content look very sharp indeed. Best of all, the touchscreen technology used is capacitive, meaning no hard presses are required before the screen responds to your input. In addition to all the features you’d expect on a smartphone (fast 3G connectivity, Wi-fi support, a music and video player, e-mail facilities), Sony Ericsson has included two new features called TimeScape and MediaScape.

117

Lexmark Platinum Pro905 Multifunction Inkjet Printer

Lexmark Platinum Pro905 Multifunction Inkjet Printer

A few months ago we reviewed a fair few of Lexmark’s mid-range printers, but we didn’t cover the granddaddy of them all, the Pro905. After having given the Pro905 a few months to mature, we now have the opportunity to add it to our review list. We discovered that while it has all the characteristics of a really top-notch printer, it’s not perfect. It’s still a solid printer for a busy work environment, though, and o ers some good cost-savings in the ink department. Starting with its capabilities, the Pro905 is another all-in-one inkjet printer that faxes, scans, prints and copies. It’s a big beast, far bigger than any of the other printers in the Pro range, and it has two automatic paper feeder trays that hold up to 150 pages each, but only the top one can accommodate envelopes. It has a top-mounted scanner that also has an automatic paper feeder, and all the action is controlled from a large (4.3”) touch-sensitive LCD screen. Its design has incorporated a lot of black and silver, which lends it a more serious business-like look. For the entire Pro range, Lexmark has implemented a “one set of cartridges fits all” philosophy, so there is no need to shop around for the correct cartridges for your printer. This cuts down on confusion as well as cost for businesses, as IT managers don’t need to keep track of di erent inkjet cartridge models in order to keep their printers stocked with ink.

116

Iomega StorCenter ix2-200 2TB

Iomega StorCenter ix2-200 2TB

IF it’s storage you’re after and you own a network, Iomega’s StorCenter could well have the kind of qualities you’re after. It’s a big, chunky device that you connect directly to your network, and it has two terabytes of space waiting for you to fill. That’s two thousand gigabytes, for all your music, videos, documents, games, and whatever other data you happen to have. Once it’s set up correctly, which takes but a few minutes, you can access the files on the drive from your networked computers. Running the software sets everything up for you, and within minutes you’ll see a new network drive become available in your Computer window in Windows and in the Finder in Mac OS X. From there, it’s a simple matter of using it as you would any drive on your computer, with the added advantage that anyone who you have authorised to view it, can also see and use the files it contains.

115

Netgear MBR624GU 3G Broadband Wireless Router

Netgear MBR624GU 3G Broadband Wireless Router

NETGEAR has a router for just about any usage model. This is made apparent with this 3G wireless broadband router, which hooks up to a 3G modem and distributes that signal to four computers on a wired network and up to 16 computers on a wireless one. For a list of compatible 3G modems, navigate your browser to http://www.netgear.com/3g. If you're wondering why you'd want something like that, it's because it makes for a very handy backup for those times when ADSL falls over, for whatever reason. ADSL users have, since March, experienced several service disruptions due to various activities on the new Seacom undersea Internet cable, like upgrades resulting in temporarily reduced capacity. This left many with poorly-performing ADSL connections to the Internet; at times like this, having a backup Internet connection is essential, which is where the 3G functionality of Netgear's 3G Broadband Wireless Router can come in handy.

114

Archos 5 Internet Tablet

Archos 5 Internet Tablet

ARCHOS is a European company that has been making portable multimedia devices for years. One of its more recent e orts at capturing the hearts, minds (and wallets) of media-obsessed consumers is the Archos 5 Internet Tablet, a very thin device with a large touchscreen that has been designed to primarily play back movies and videos and surf the Internet. It’s the size of a smartphone, but has a bigger screen and no phone functionality. First impressions of the device are very good - it’s very ~ at and thin and has a large 4.8” touchscreen, is powered by Google’s user-friendly Android operating system, and has a rather impressive range of storage options. This one has an 8GB SDHC card, expandable to however big SDHC cards get (currently around 32GB), and just looking at it inspires a desire to own it. It’s larger than Apple’s iPod Touch

113

Acer Veriton X270 Desktop PC

Acer Veriton X270 Desktop PC

IN these tough economic times, it’s always prudent to keep an eye on the bottom line. IT managers looking to do just that would benefit greatly from this modest, yet powerful desktop PC from Acer. It’s compact, so it won’t take up much space under desks, and it’s powered by better-than-average hardware that will keep performance-hungry users beavering away at their Excel spreadsheets with no reason to complain about speed. Best of all, it’s just plain a ordable. Acer has also recently upgraded the X270 to Windows 7 Professional, which will please anyone who has ever used Windows Vista Business. Windows 7 Professional runs faster than Vista ever did even on the same hardware, so the fact that the X270 still has an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and “only” 2GB of RAM is not a limitation in the slightest.

112

Sony VAIO VPCEA16FG/P

Sony VAIO VPCEA16FG/P

COLOUR has become an overriding part of the modern computing experience and looking at Sony’s new range of consumer focused notebooks, it’s clear that the aluminium and black-clad notebooks that so many vendors have standardised on are beginning to look a little tired. Sony’s new 14” VAIO notebooks are clad in a choice of blue, pink, white and black. In any of those colours they’re head-turners though, owing a ton of their appeal to the clear resin the top-shell of the notebooks are coated in. This resin coating, aside from making the machines more durable to every bump and knock, allows the silver VAIO logo to almost ~ oat a couple of millimetres above the screen, casting a small shadow and adding a truly stylish touch to the mix.

111

Acer emachines V700 HD Projector

Acer emachines V700 HD Projector

YOU'D be right in thinking that this 'new' emachines V700 projector bears more than a passing resemblance to Acer's 5360 model. While the two projectors are near-identical in terms of their respective appearances and what they can o er, the emachines V700 di ers in one very important way – price. Now, for the ~ rst time in South African history, you can purchase an HD-ready projector for less than eight thousand Rand courtesy of Acer's new 'value' brand. With home entertainment taking o in a big way, an HD projector is a big deal. What we liked about the V700 is the fact that it not only has a native projection resolution of 1280 x 720 (i.e. 720p), but it can also handle other resolutions, all the way up to 1920 x 1080 (1080p). Of course, images projected at 720p look the best; fortunately, many people battle to tell the di erence between 720p and 1080p content displayed on an HDTV, so the fact that 720p content looks best on the V700 shouldn't be much of an argument against its purchase.

110

Microsoft Lifecam Cinema

Microsoft Lifecam Cinema

NOBODY with their finger on the pulse of modern technology will deny that high-de~ nition multimedia is slowly becoming the norm, even in South Africa where technology trends sometimes take a while to grab hold. Not even video chats on the web are immune to the march of HD; and so it’s no surprise that Microsoft has added to its excellent line-up of hardware peripherals with the release of its ~ rst HD webcam, the Lifecam Cinema. It’s a barrel-shaped webcam with a ~ exible base that lets you mount it just about anywhere; at its best quality setting it shoots video at a resolution of 1280 x 720 at 30 frames per second. This makes it excellent for shooting YouTube videos now that the popular video-sharing site has expanded its functionality to accommodate widescreen videos.

109

Apple Time Capsule

Apple Time Capsule

NO small business should be without a wireless network today. And the same should be said for backups. And while more small companies and home o ces are becoming kitted out with these features, generally speaking these requirements are considered separately and catered for with separate devices. There are exceptions though– and Apple’s Time Capsule is the perfect example of this in practice. Originally designed as an accompaniment to Time Machine – an automated backup solution Apple bundled in with its Leopard operating system in 2006 – the Time Capsule was released in 2008 as a wireless access point and server-grade backup hard disk in one. Essentially, by combining wireless networking with a robust hard disk, the aptly named Time Capsule allows users to perform their Time Machine backups with far greater ease than ever before.

108

Vivienne Tam Hewlett Packard Mini 210 Netbook

Vivienne Tam Hewlett Packard Mini 210 Netbook

THIS is one of those gadgets that is truly girls-only, and everything from the glossy, gold exterior to the features and functionality speaks of being designed with the fairer sex in mind. The Butter y Lovers-themed netbook is the lovechild of fashion designer, Vivienne Tam and was launched on the runway at New York Fashion Week, proving to the market that this piece of technology is more than just a computer – it’s the latest fashion accessory that ~ nds itself classi~ ed as a digital clutch. Small, slim and compact, this netbook ~ ts perfectly into a handbag and is comfortable to carry, being no heavier than a novel and little thicker than one too. It’s the ultimate in chic mobility and weighs a mere 1,2kg and is less than an inch thin. It has a 93% near-full sized keyboard, with comfortably spaced keys that are embedded in the chiclet style – which makes for quick, easy touch-typing. The touchpad is a pleasure to use, with two click buttons on the bottom.

107

Acer Timeline X4820T

Acer Timeline X4820T

LAST year, Acer brought out its new Timeline range of ultra-thin and power-e~ cient notebooks to much fanfare. They were slim, looked great and delivered on the promise of longer-lasting batteries, but at the cost of amazing performance. This year, Acer has brought out new Timeline laptops, called the Timeline X range, that o er a much better balance between good performance and solid battery life. The one on review, the 14” 4820T, sits nicely in the middle of the range, as it has great hardware, its battery lasts around ~ ve hours of average use and it doesn’t cost the earth. The ~ rst thing you’ll notice is its very attractive, polished aluminium body. The metal gives the laptop more structural integrity than last year’s plastic did, plus it makes it looks just that much more re ned. The ports dotted around its edges (USB, card readers, a VGA and HDMI output) have not been sacri~ ced for the sake of the 4820’s waistline; even so, the notebook is pretty slender at a wispy 24mm.

106

Belkin TuneFM for iPod

Belkin TuneFM for iPod

Listening to your iPod in your car is very cool. You get to take your music with you wherever you go, and you also get to pick and choose what songs you hear without having to rely on a radio station. Doing this is not easy for everyone, as many modern cars still do not come standard with a cable that hooks your iPod up to your car’s stereo system. The solution is a tiny device that plugs into your iPod and broadcasts your music on a free radio frequency, which can then be picked up by your car’s radio and played through your speakers. Belkin’s TuneFM is one such device, and it’s a snap to use – quite literally. All you have to do is snap it into your iPod’s USB cable slot, hook it up to your car’s power system using the included car charger, select a free radio frequency and hit play. Voila, your car now has audio courtesy of your iPod, and you don’t have to go to the trouble of installing an expensive auxiliary cable.

105

Monster Beats Studio by Dr. Dre

Monster Beats Studio by Dr. Dre

It takes months and months of painstaking attention to detail in the studio to record an album. Artists and producers work hard perfecting their sound, only to have people listen to it using normal headphones. Most headphones can’t handle the bass, the detail and the audio dynamics of well-produced music, and as such they don’t give the listener the full experience. These Studio Beats headphones - conceptualised and designed by Dr. Dre - allow people to hear what the artists hear, and listen to the music the way it should be heard. The Beats Studio headphones combine innovative design with highly specialised construction to deliver a new realm of audio accuracy and clarity. Making use of extra-large speaker drivers and a high-powered digital amplifier, these headphones will allow you to experience an unprecedented amalgamation of super rich bass, crisp undistorted highs, and intensely clear vocals. If you thought you’d heard amazing sound before, you’ll change your mind once you’ve given this headset a try.

104

Skullcandy Ink’d Earphones

Skullcandy Ink’d Earphones

If you’re looking for a replacement or an upgrade to the standard earphones that came with your iPhone, Skullcandy’s Ink’d set should prove to be an affordable, quality improvement on what you’re used to. The set is designed to be ergonomically slick, but the flashy design runs the risk of being a bit out-there for some. You’ll either love or hate these edgy earphones that feature earpieces adorned with skulls. In terms of appearance, there are black, silver, and chrome varieties (each a nice match for some part of the iPhone’s body) and the 1.3m cable is bright silver in a transparent plastic coating. Just from the description above you should be able to tell, this piece of technology is all about style. A particular sort of style – alternative, edgy and slightly off-centre, made apparent by the unconventional design and the plethora of skull motifs. It’s the kind of product that will appeal to style-conscious iPhone owners and teenage rebels alike.

103

Philips DC315 Docking Entertainment System

Philips DC315 Docking Entertainment System

The Philips DC315 Entertainment System is a pleasant-looking iPod docking station that can wake you up with music or an alarm tone. It’s quite a large unit, but this is only a problem if your nightstand is small or crowded, and the device makes up for this bulk with its incredibly solid iPod docking station that keeps any mounted iPod or iPhone firmly in place. It also has a bright orange display, with large text that displays the time and the status of the docking station (i.e. which device you have it hooked up to). The display has three different brightness settings, and the brightest of these is thankfully not so intense as to illuminate your bedroom at night and keep you awake. Philips manages to walk the line here, as the lowest setting is still clearly visible during the day, so kudos to them.

102

Bose SoundDock 10 docking station

Bose SoundDock 10 docking station

The SoundDock 10 from Bose is one of those rare iPod/iPhone-docking stations that actually made a tangible impression on us and which was difficult to give back. The SoundDock 10 system delivers performance so powerful and lifelike, we could easily picture it becoming the main music system in our homes. It’s safe to say that buying a Bose product is buying sound quality, no matter what the size of the system. The SoundDock 10 is not the smallest package (at nearly 8kg) and while it can be moved around, we’d suggest you be prepared to find a good spot for it and leave it there. Wherever you might decide to place it – in your spacious lounge, cluttered kitchen or bedroom – it will sound fantastic. Its metallic silver finish also looks fantastic, and the black panel that stretches across the lower third of the unit’s body adds a brilliant touch of class.

101

Sansui MP4 Player

Sansui MP4 Player

iPods are great, if you’re prepared to shell out a large sum of cash. Which might seem a bit silly, seeing as all they’re supposed to do is allow you to listen to music, stream radio, watch video clips and view photographs. The Sansui MP4 media player can do all of these things, at a fraction of the price – making it a much easier purchase to justify. It looks great and the slim build with black, glossy finish and metallic silver scroll wheel contrasts beautifully and provides a focal point for navigation through the device. There’s also a matching silver rocker button on the side of the device that grants access to volume control. The 1.8” colour LCD display really pops, and detail is so crisp and clear, it’s easy to forget that it’s smaller than two inches.

100

HP Pavilion dv7-4065 Entertainment Notebook

HP Pavilion dv7-4065 Entertainment Notebook

The kind of power on offer from HP’s new dv7-4065 Entertainment Notebook is simply amazing for the price you’re being asked to pay. The only thing it is missing is a Blu-ray drive; apart from that omission, the dv7-4065 is a powerhouse of a notebook, and will enable you to literally do anything you can do with a powerful desktop PC, including high-end gaming. HP has kitted this notebook out with 6GB of RAM, an Intel Core i7-720m processor (the fastest of all mobile processors) and a huge Terabyte hard drive. That is far more than most people will ever need, and is in fact so good that even power users that run demanding applications like photo editors, desktop publishing suites and video editors will be very happy with the dv7.

99

Samsung 1000P Digital Photo Frame

Samsung 1000P Digital Photo Frame

How many times have you promised yourself that you’d print out all your holiday snaps and frame them to spread throughout the house, to bear testament to crazy family holidays, birthdays and special occasions? If you’re anything like us, you probably have a hard drive (or two) filled with photographs that have never seen the light of day. It’s expensive printing photos these days, and sizing them correctly for optimal print is a hassle. So it doesn’t get done, and your pics stay hidden.

98

TomTom Go 750 Live

TomTom Go 750 Live

AS explained in detail with our review of the Garmin GTM 25, traditional PND vendors have been feeling the pinch with cellular handset providers and online services such as Google Maps offering navigation and mapping for free. The one thing these competitors haven’t been able to do is bring live services into the mix – and that’s mainly because those services cost them money to deliver. TomTom, as a vendor that doesn’t give its mapping, voice navigation and other services away for nothing, is therefore in a much better position to bring live services to bear on its user base. And the results of its endeavours with the Go 750 Live are fantastic.

97

Olympus T100 Digital Camera

Olympus T100 Digital Camera

The new Olympus T100 digital camera is an excellent choice for first-time photographers, and even better for young people looking for a compact point and shoot digital camera to take along on fun excursions. It’s inexpensive, shoots 12MP images; and while it may be a no-frills budget camera, it still takes far better pictures than the average cell phone camera. It also boasts good optics, making a notable difference to the overall quality of your shots. Olympus has an excellent and well-deserved reputation for the quality of its cameras’ internal electronics, and the T100 is further evidence of this. The 12MP sensor takes great-quality high-resolution photographs as well as VGA movies. And as is the norm these days, there are several pre-set scene modes to choose from depending on what you’re capturing. You could also let the camera choose which one to use if you’re unsure.

96

Logitech Bluetooth Mouse M555B

Logitech Bluetooth Mouse M555B

It’s a fact that it’s nearly impossible to make a mouse that will appeal to everybody. And this is how it should be, since we all have different sized hands, need different features and use our mice for a variety of tasks. The Logitech Bluetooth M555b mouse offers some of the most important mousey-features, in one tiny device: a cable-free connection, solid performance, extreme portability and above all, convenience.

95

Asus GeForce GTX460 Graphics Card

Asus GeForce GTX460 Graphics Card

If you’re into gaming, whether casual or otherwise, owning a good graphics card is an absolute essentiality. nVidia’s latest card, the GeForce GTX460, offers the best value in the realms of price, performance and power consumption, and is ideal for anyone interested in upgrading their computer’s graphics capabilities. It’s also future-proof in that it supports the latest graphics technology, namely Microsoft’s DirectX11, which means your computer will be able to smoothly play the most cutting-edge games for at least the next two years.

94

Acer P1203 3D-ready projector

Acer P1203 3D-ready projector

Using projectors can be painful – they’re difficult to set up, you need a separate set of speakers and usually there are not enough inputs for everything you want to plug in. You might have avoided buying one up until now for these reasons, but chances are you’ve avoided such a purchase, thinking it too expensive. The Acer P1203 delivers affordability, longevity, ease of use and more connectivity options than you can imagine, plus it delivers a whole new dimension of breathtaking visuals to your presentation and viewable content by being 3D-ready. What does 3D-ready mean? It’s simple: if you have a Blu-ray player, you can hook it up to the P1203 and experience a fully immersive 3D experience, with the right glasses and 3D content, of course.

93

Archos 9 Tablet PC

Archos 9 Tablet PC

Archos has just released its Archos 9 Tablet PC, a thin and light, touch-driven personal computer that isbest-suited to light tasks like web-surfing, e-mailing, communicating over the Internet and watching movies or listening to music. The Archos 9 can do all these and more, yet there are a few quirks to its design that keeps it from being the definitive tablet PC. Let’s first start with the good. The Archos 9 is a very attractive and stylish device – it’s thin, flat and has an 8.9” resistive LED-backlit touch screen. It’s powered by Intel’s Z515 Atom processor, comes with a 1GB of RAM and has a 60GB hard drive. Graphics are handled by Intel’s Poulsbo US15W graphics processing unit, and while this isn’t good for 3D games, it’s excellent for 2D visuals and HD movie playback.

92

Microsoft Arc Keyboard

Microsoft Arc Keyboard

Like Microsoft's Arc Mouse, the Arc Keyboard is remarkable in its design. About the size and weight of a thick magazine, it blends seamlessly into its surroundings and gains a subtle stylishness from its curved, elegantly-arched body. The exterior is coated with glossy black plastic and, aside from the keys themselves, the Arc's clean lines aren't interrupted by any stickers or brash logos. Even the Microsoft emblem is barely visible in a shade of grey that's almost as dark as the rest of the unit. Just like the Arc Mouse, this keyboard's small wireless dongle neatly slots away into a magnetic slot on the keyboard's underside, making the entire affair fuss-free and graceful.

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Sony Vaio J touchscreen All-in-one pc

Sony Vaio J touchscreen All-in-one pc

Sony excels at creating products that look very 21st-century, and the Vaio J AIO is no exception. Sleek lines and a clean, high-tech look go a long way to inspiring a desire to own, and that’s even before the machine is turned on. Once it powers up and you see the clarity of the LED-backlit screen and notice just how fast it boots into Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit, you may find your hand halfway to retrieving your wallet before you’re even conscious of doing it.

90

Packard Bell Gateway VR46 Valentino Rossi Netbook

Packard Bell Gateway VR46 Valentino Rossi Netbook

EvEr surfed channels and passed through a channel where there are lots of motorcycles racing around a track? It’s a bit like Formula 1, but only for motorcycles and it’s called the Moto Grand Prix. If you’re a fan of this sport, then you’ll know what the number 46 means. It’s the number Valentino Rossi has had on his bike since its debut many years ago. Nine times world champion, Rossi is now lending his name and number to a slick, racy netbook made by Packard Bell named the VR46.

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Optoma PK301 Pico Projector

Optoma PK301 Pico Projector

OptOma’s Pico PK301 projector is the latest in a line of small-sized projectors to hit the market. It is intended to be ultra-portable, easy to set up and use, and in this the PK301 succeeds. It has a few extra tricks up its sleeve too, which serve to make it all the more attractive. It is the DLP (Digital Light Processing) technology at the projector’s heart that allows the PK301 its diminutive stature; in addition to this, Optoma has opted for an LED lamp for light. LED technology, as you know, is power-efficient and produces very bright light; this gives the PK301 a very long lamp life of around 20 000 hours, and enables it to operate for over an hour using its built-in battery.

88

Dell Studio 1749 17” Notebook

Dell Studio 1749 17” Notebook

Dell's Studio 1749 has the kind of hardware that makes it easy to recommend. While price plays a very big part in the buying decisions of the average South African consumer, often going for the cheaper options leads only to irritation and frustration with worse-than-expected performance. For a device that you're going to use every day, it's imperative that you get something really, really good. We are pleased to say that this is exactly what the Dell Studio 1749 offers.

80

iPod touch - The most versatile iPod ever

	iPod touch The most versatile iPod ever Do just about anything on the iPod touch with the thousands of apps available on the iTunes App store, plus free Wi-Fi hotspot access for a year through G-Connect* when you purchase one from as little as R1,999,95 IPOD TOUCH 8GB (MC086) R1999,95 IPOD TOUCH 32GB (MC008) R2999.95 IPOD TOUCH 64GB (MC011) R4299.95
	Read more...

78

Incredible kids - My African World Cup

Incredible kids - My African World Cup

The world cup is around the corner and the schools will be closed during this time as well. Edutain Distribution is having fun-filled promotions for children between the ages of 4 – 12 years of age at different Incredible Connection Stores.

WIN BIG PRIZES!
Buy 2 Create a Story and create your exciting digital story in your own language and style at home, send it to Edutain and stand a chance to win a Classmate with software to the value of R3 800,00.

You can also buy any Edutain’s Choice educational software and stand a chance to win a library of exciting educational software to the value of R1 100.00

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Important Safety Recall - HP Notebook PC Battery Pack Replacement Program

Hewlett-Packard Company
3000 Hanover Street
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1185 USA
www.hp.com

Dear Valued HP Customer,

On May 19, 2010, HP expanded a worldwide voluntary recall and replacement program in cooperation with various government agencies, HP is sending you this notice because we have added battery packs to the program originally announced on May 14, 2009 and revised on October 15, 2009. Product model series were also added to the list of products that may have been sold with affected batteries. The battery packs have the potential to overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.

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Incredible Connection Collects Record 91 Tonnes of E-waste

Incredible Connection Collects Record 91 Tonnes of E-waste

Incredible Connection Collects Record 91 Tonnes of E-waste

Incredible Connection, South Africa’s leading consumer IT retailer, reports that electronic waste (e-waste) collected during its annual Trade-In and Buy campaign increased more than fourfold this year as consumer awareness of environmental issues increased. The company collected a record 91 tonnes of e-waste compared to only 19 tonnes last year from its 55 stores countrywide.

51

Wii Sports Pack Bundle

Wii Sports Pack Bundle

NINTENDO’S Wii console is simply amazing. While it doesn’t do high-definition graphics or have any significant multimedia features and its games have an overall look that nobody will be going crazy over, it does do something else that its competitors simply can’t: it plays games that require movement to control. This means players move their arms around, jump, run on the spot, and mimic the movements of whichever sport they are playing in order to make things happen on-screen.

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Verbatim Executive Portable Hard Drive 500

Verbatim Executive Portable Hard Drive 500

ON the surface of it, the basics of the Verbatim Executive 2.5” portable hard drive make it easy to recommend – it’s stylish, feels pleasant in your hand, and it just works: plug it in, copy your fi les and off you go. Delving deeper, the bundled software changes it from a “nice to have” to a “have to have”, especially if you move around a lot.
First, the basics: the drive has a 500GB capacity, it’s small because it’s essentially a notebook hard drive made portable, and it is housed in a very slick, rounded case that has a fine coat of rubber on it for a very refined feel. It’s black, and has blue lights on either side near the top of the device, that indicate the presence of power.

49

TomTom XXL Portable GPS Navigator

TomTom XXL Portable GPS Navigator

PEOPLE who’ve refrained from buying a GPS navigator usually complain about the devices being diffi cult to use and their ‘ridiculously small’ screens. The TomTom XXL portable GPS navigator, however, now gives those people a reason to buy one.
This device is made for bigger hands with its 5-inch full colour touchscreen, thereby earning its XXL label. TomTom’s products are developed with an emphasis on innovation, quality, user-friendliness, safety and value. With its new user menu and sensible interface with optimised icons, it really is completely hassle-free to use. This navigation device will provide you with turn-by-turn voice-guided directions, including street names, to anywhere in Southern Africa. You can switch on and go, right out the box.

48

Sony Ericsson Yari

Sony Ericsson Yari

SONY Ericsson has brought out a new slide phone called the Yari. Silly names seem to be the company’s tactic as the Yari is sister to the Satio and Aino phones announced earlier this year, but luckily the silliness stops at the name. This is an amazing phone that would still be awesome even if it was called the Ecky-ecky-ecky-ecky-patang-zoom-boing-Olé-Biscuitbarrel. The Yari is a compact slide phone with an incredible 2.4” screen that is typically Sony Ericsson (crystal clear, bright and very attractive). The interface is also typical of the company’s previous eff orts, as it’s responsive, intelligently laid out and easy to navigate. For people who like their phones to just work and who don’t need every bell and whistle that mobiles are packed with these days, the Yari is a fantastic choice.

47

Sony Ericsson C903

Sony Ericsson C903

LONG gone are the days where you always seem to miss capturing that special moment because you don’t have your camera on hand. Today’s mobile phones have it all with the in-built cameras being so much more than an added extra. And if you’re specifi cally looking for a phone with a great camera to capture those on-the-go memories in the making, Sony Ericsson’s C903 might do the trick. With its slick-looking exterior, familiar design and unique camera mechanism, the C903 has been designed with the communicator-come-photographer in mind.
Known best for its Walkman collection of stylish music phones, Sony Ericsson is fast becoming a top camera phone.

46

Navigon 3300 Max

Navigon 3300 Max

MUCH of the stress of commuting is reduced with this easy-to-use and responsive satellite navigation device from market newcomer, Navigon. Keep your eyes on the road with text-to-speech technology that provides spoken directions and street names. The MyRoutes routing is brilliant, it calculates very quickly, slightly quicker than competing devices, and gives you three options as to which route you take and leaves the route selection in your hands. The decision is made even easier by the fact that you’re given figures for estimated driving times for each route. This device monitors your driving data and recommends a route based on driving habits, speed limits, time of day and day of week. It’s the first intelligent satnav device to learn from individual driving habits.

45

Microsoft XBox 360 Elite Bundle

Microsoft XBox 360 Elite Bundle

GETTING into gaming couldn’t be any easier thanks to all the bundles on off er this holiday season. This one, from Microsoft, includes the excellent XBox 360 Elite console and all the trimmings you’ll need to get involved. Not only does it ship with a 120GB hard drive for all your games, movies and music, but also includes a headset for talking to friends online and two great games that are fun for the whole family. Well maybe not Mom, but certainly everyone else.

44

Logitech s315i

Logitech s315i

THIS is a product developed to solve an all-too-common problem – forgetting to recharge your iPod or iPhone, and still wanting to listen to music. Because you don’t always have time to recharge at home, and may consider it inconvenient to carry your charger cable with you, the Rechargeable Speaker S315i gives you a full day’s worth of music on a single charge and can recharge your iPod or iPhone when docked in the speakers. The device will recharge your iPod or iPhone, even when running on battery power.

43

HTC Touch 2

HTC Touch 2

IF you’ve been reading Connect for the past few months, you’ll know that we’ve been a little harsh on touchscreen phones that aren’t the iPhone. That’s about to change, as we’ve had the pleasure of reviewing HTC’s new Touch 2 phone, the first touchscreen phone that hasn’t annoyed us with selective responsiveness to our touches.
Another surprise awaits as we reveal that Windows Mobile 6.5, the phone’s operating system, is far more responsive and stable than previous releases and not at all difficult to navigate.

42

HP Photosmart A646 Printer

	THE fi rst thing you’ll notice about this printer is its dark, sleek features. The swirling design on the front of the device brings to mind a word not usually associated with printers: ‘pretty’. It folds up compactly, is easily transportable, and is reminiscent of a small, shiny boom box. This printer makes it simple to view, edit and personalise pictures without using a PC.
	Read more...

41

Exspect Play and Charge Kits

Exspect Play and Charge Kits

THE Exspect XBox Black Play and Charge Kit and USB Charging Cable for Playstation 3 are the perfect accessories for those who consider themselves serious gamers. Wireless controls are convenient, and make your gaming much more comfortable, but when it comes to them running out of power, they are pretty useless.
Tired of wasting valuable gaming time shopping for batteries? Don’t waste another second, simply plug your controllers into your console using these handy accessories and continue playing.

40

Blackberry Curve 8520

Blackberry Curve 8520

OVER the past couple of years, Blackberry has become well known for being the best way for mobile executives to keep their e-mail under control while out on the road. With the arrival of the Curve 8520, Blackberry has become the best way for everyone to keep their e-mail under control.
Small, light, aesthetically pleasing and available for R2900 cash, the Curve 8520 is Blackberry’s value-for-money champion – that price is so attractive, it could get a number of people with existing contracts onto a Blackberry as a second device.

39

Apple Magic Mouse

Apple Magic Mouse

THERE’S no disputing Apple’s lead in the industrial design sector and the company seems to push the envelope on marrying form with function with every new product release. Completely wireless, thanks to Bluetooth and capable of working on more surfaces thanks to a laser-tracking engine, the new Magic Mouse is no exception to the ‘Apple only releases awesome products’ rule. Not only does it look phenomenal – encased in a single contoured, seamless top shell – but it incorporates a set of features that have previously only been available on its notebook trackpads. While other companies are still fi ddling around with button placement and laser design, the Magic Mouse’s most outstanding feature is the absence of any visible buttons. Instead, the entire outer shell is a button, and it picks up on finger placement and gestures made with the fi ngers, just like Apple’s notebook trackpads do to perform different functions.

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Apple iMac

	THE new Apple iMacs are here and they are believably stunning. Starting with the displays, let’s get the numbers out of the way first. There are 21.5-inch and 27-inch variants, both with 16:9 widescreen aspect ratio screens, bright, even LED backlighting, and a huge 178-degree viewing angle.
	Read more...

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Local charity's and schools support

	Local charity's and schools support All the Support we have give to local charity's and schools :: Laerskool Die Ruiter :: Somwerset West :: Thembisa Childline Charity
	Read more...

24

Incredibles OnSite

Incredibles OnSite

Your Complete All-in-one
Technical Solution

Why Use Us?

We boast 51 Technical Centres nationwide
We have On-Site Agents in selected areas
We employ more than 100 certified, competent technicians
We provide a first line support call centre
We upgrade, supply and repair all leading brands
We provide mothly maintance service contracts
We offer a notebook rental service
We supply Internet online support and information guides

23

Incredible Connection now partnered with eBucks

	eBucks, one of South Africa’s leading multi-party rewards system will be teaming up with Incredible Connection from the 1st of September. This means that all purchases made in-store using your eBucks card will earn you points. These eBucks you can then save up and spend in-store or at the numerous other eBucks partners. You’ll earn 1% from all in-store purchases at Incredible Connection.
	Read more...

19

Enviro Connection

	Ecologically intelligent recycling is a global issue and fast becoming a necessity. EnviroConnection is a South African initiative aimed at cleaning up the empty cartridges and toners, and at the same time, benefiting various charities along the way.
	Read more...

5

Incredible Guide to Online Gaming

Incredible Guide to Online Gaming

¦ Introduction ¦ ¦ Connections ¦ ¦ How to Get Online ¦ ¦ Aspects of Gaming Online ¦ ¦ Terminology ¦

Welcome to the Incredible Guide to Online Gaming, if you have a PC or console and you have a game for that machine, then you are a gamer!
Did you know that almost all of the games released recently can be played with a friend? And that friend could be in London!
This type of gaming is called multiplayer or online gaming. As long as you have a broadband Internet connection, something like ADSL, 3G or even IBurst, you can play with friends or family using the Internet. If you don’t understand what I just said, don’t worry, I will explain it in English shortly.

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