Tools and toys - Brief Article - Product Announcement

Black Enterprise, June, 2001 by Sonya A. Donaldson

These gadgets prove tech savvy doesn't have to mean boring

CALLING DICK TRACY

It's the stuff of spy novels and cartoons--a wristwatch that takes digital pictures. Or is it? The Casio Wrist Camera Watch lets you take up to 100 remarkably crisp black-and-white digital images; just aim and click. Once you're done, beam the images to another wrist camera or to your PC via the infrared adapter (for an additional $49.95). Oh yeah, the watch tells time, too. Casio Inc., $199, 800-836-8580; www.casio.com

A SOUND SOLUTION

Tired of surfing the Web or watching DVDs on a PC with a tinny audio system? The Altec Lansing five-piece ATP5 audio system makes every PC experience come alive. This sleek system delivers 80 watts of audio power for high quality surround sound--perfect for multimedia. And it's packed into a small form, which makes it a perfect fit for tiny office spaces. Altec Lansing Technologies Inc., $199.95, 800-258-3288; www.alte clansing.com

NOW HEAR THIS

Let's face it: Whether it's Internet telephony, MP3s, DVDs, games, or speech recognition, digital audio is the only way to go. And the best way to listen to audio is with the Plantronics DSP-300 digitally enhanced stereo headset. Compatible with both Windows and Mac OSes, the lightweight USB headset also features a noise-canceling microphone for enhanced speech and comes with a plethora of audio and speech software. Plantronics, $109.95, 800-544-4660; www.plantronics.com/digital

LIGHT MY FIREWIRE

If you're a power user, you need a powerful hard drive--and that's where the Que M3 UltraSlim hard drive comes in. Available for FireWire or USB connection, the seek, stackable device lets you share and transport large files (such as video and music) in a flash. The 10GB drive reaches speeds up to 7,200 rpms and is Mac and PC compatible. QPS Inc., $379, 800-559-4777; www.qps-inc.com

THE BIG PICTURE

If you think it's impossible to fit a 5.3-pound PC with a 15.2-inch screen, 400MHz of processing power, and a DVD-ROM drive in a 1-inch form factor, think again. The PowerBook G4 Titanium has all that and more, letting road warriors stand out from the commuting herd. Apple Inc. pricing starts at $2,599, 800-MY-APPLE; www.apple.com

MIGHTY FINE

Sleek, stylish, and packed with functions, the Fujifilm FinePix 6800 Zoom digital camera is a welcome addition to your arsenal of business tools. Designed by F.A. Porsche (who brought us the classic Porsche 911 sports car), the camera boasts a host of useful features, including Webconferencing and image-voice annotation, a 3x zoom, and enhanced image processor. With classic features, useful functions, and a pedigreed design, what's not to love? Fuji Photo Film U.S.A. Inc, $899, 800-800-FUJI; www.fujifilm.com

PLATINUM IN YOUR PALM

The Handspring Visor Platinum isn't just an organizer. With 8MB of storage, the PDA is also 50% faster than the Visor Deluxe and features a Springboard expansion slot that lets you turn it into an MP3 player, phone, or digital camera via a snap-on module (pictured is the eyemodule2 digital camera, $199.95). Handspring, $299, 888-565-9393; www.handspring.com