Just ANNOUNCED - News Briefs

Home Office Computing, April, 2001 by Marshall F. Lager, Marilyn Zelinsky Syarto

THE LATEST IN OFFICE FURNITURE, HARDWARE, AND SOFTWARE

... For Your Office

* Most of us love the amount of work surface we get when we place a door over file cabinets. Now Pottery Barn's stylish home office furniture system, the Bedford Desk & Console, has 70 inches of pine desktop ($119) to Lay over two or three file cabinets. The two-drawer file cabinets ($199) fit letter and legal-size files and a three-drawer version (middle, also $199) also includes smaller supply drawers. Pine furnishings come in honey, mahogany, or black finishes. (Catalog orders only; 800-922-5507, www.potterybarn.com)

* Anthro Cart's classic line of affordable and durable products now embrace the iMac. The iCart comes in all iMac colors, from originals like Blueberry to new picks like Ruby and Graphite. The mobile, adjustable, strong (holds 75 pounds) carts come short (28 inches) and tall (49 and 1/2 inches). Accessories, such as cup and document holders, are available. ($149 to $219; 800-325-3841, www.anthro.com)

... For Your Interface

* Frustrated with your video-editing software's controls? Can't place transitions properly with your one-button Mac mouse? Step up to comfort and convenience with the ShuttlePRO Multimedia Controller from Contour Design, Inc. This Mac-only video tool has a jog wheel and 13 programmable buttons for precision control and easy access to functions and shortcuts. ($100; 800-462-6678, www.contourdesign.com)

* It's not just another ergonomic keyboard--it's total control of your Windows PC. The Kinesis Evolution keyboards (several models available) are extremely flexible and adjustable, and include an integrated touch pad to replace your mouse. In addition, the keys can be programmed to suit your typing needs, and the unit can record up to 24 macros of 56 characters each. ($479 and up; 800-454-6374, www.kinesis-ergo.com)

... For Your Storage

* Putting data on CD has just gotten easier for mobile users. The SmartDisk VST portable CD-R/RW uses the ultra-fast FireWire (IEEE 1394) interface to deliver blazing fast data reading and writing. What's more, the unit gets its power through the data cable so you won't need batteries or an adapter. Windows users with add-on FireWire ports may need a separate power adapter, though. ($400; 978-635-8200, www.vsttech.com)

* In more bus-powered news, backup media veteran Iomega has just announced the Zip 250MB USB Powered Drive. This thin and lightweight Zip drive passes both data and power through the USB cable, making it an extremely portable option for both Mac and Windows users. ($180; 888-4-IOMEGA, www.iomega.com)

... For Your Relationship

* Difficulty making connections with colleagues and clients can limit your opportunities and potentially cripple a career. Events planner Vojo.com feels your pain, and is offering a Web newsletter just for you. Packed with professional networking tips, this weekly letter may be just the thing to get you out of your shell. (Free newsletter, www.vojo.com)

* All your ideas and business contacts are useless if they're disorganized. Hands High Software's new ThoughtManager 2.0 solves both problems by adding project management and idea outlining to Palm handhelds. Your contacts and notes can be synced with your computer or beamed to other ThoughtManager users. ($20, www.handshigh.com)