Gadgetoid

Not content with looking at simply one LED monitor, I sourced a competing product from Samsung and managed to obtain the 23″ XL2370 which also runs at 1920×1080.

I’ll come right up and say that the Samsung XL2370 is the inferior product in many respects, and it’s evident that either the Samsung brand has leant it an artificially high price tag or the slightly higher picture quality is a costly addition, as this 23″ display will set you back around £280, which is about £30 more than the larger LG.

Let’s go into a bit of detail, shall we?

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Face it, LCD monitors have been boring for years and the phrases “high contrast” and “2ms” just aren’t enough to wake me from plain ignoring them. However, recently someone out there in gadget world woke up and decided it was time to start implementing thin LCD display technologies into desktop monitors where, although space may not be at a premium, people are certainly interested in stylistic improvements, energy efficiency and less excess heat.

The LG W2486L delivers finger-thinness, a decent picture, an excellent array of inputs, audio pass-through and more in a very stylish 24″ package that can’t fail to impress.

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In an attempt to make the most difficult to remember product codes in existence, Samsung have produced the SP-P410M, the successor to the P400 which ups the ante by including photo, music and video playback capabilities in the projector itself. Simply plug in a USB memory stick, external hard disk, phone in mass storage mode, or whatever you happen to have handy and all the media on it will be available for playback on the P410M projector.

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There aren’t many shopping days left until Christmas is upon us, and if you’re struggling to choose something for the gadget love in your life, Expansys has come to your rescue with their

Roger Butterworth, CEO at eXpansys said: “Christmas can sometimes feel overwhelming. To simplify the shopping experience, eXpansys is offering a helping hand financially with money off vouchers” - for £5 off when spending over £20 enter voucher code: XMASPRESS09.

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I never thought, when testing the excellent and pleasantly compact inFocus X9, that I would move so quickly onto trying out a 1080p projector. But the offer was on the table to try out a Samsung A600, their “entry-level” 1080p home cinema projector, which is quite the behemoth in comparison and a much less practical fit for the home.

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Stereo bluetooth headphones are all well and good when you want to get audio out of your phone for personal listening, but what about using it as a replacement for a kitchen radio, or a bit of living room easy listening?

Unless you’ve got an iPhone, the chances of picking up a purpose built dock are approximately nil. Intempo have the solution to this problem, however, with a convenient, bluetooth connected wireless speaker that you can connect to your phone, netbook, laptop or desktop computer for a bit of relatively short range audio beaming.

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Without a shadow of a doubt, the best looking radio from the Roberts camp is the Revival. Whether you dig classic styling or not, the good looks of the revival compared to the rest of the Roberts range are unquestionable. This may be indicative more of the garish, unrefined and bland designs of its cousins. Simply put, Roberts are clearly not good at making things look pretty, at least historically.

The Revival marks a new chapter in Roberts radio design, created by borrowing a chapter from the distant past, a classic design which, as simple as it is, can’t help but be endearing. Joining the plain Revival are also a couple of Kath Kidston (I won’t claim to know a thing about it) styled models, the electric flowers one of which I would not be altogether unhappy about having in my kitchen.

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If you take your music seriously, even whilst you’re sitting at your desk working away, then a decent set of stereo desktop speakers is a must have.

The Eclipse TD 307PA II are a fine example, except rather than simply settling for being decent they are truly spectacular. The Eclipse TD 307PA II speakers exemplify both stunning design and equally stunning sound quality and condense both into a tidy, no-frills package that should appeal to any self proclaimed minimalist out there.

I tested the glossy black TD 307PA IIs, a set that consists of two identical desktop TD307 II speakers which are capable of producing a stunningly full range of sound from just a single driver. Backing them up and justifying the “PA” designation in the product name (pre-amped, I presume?) is the TDA501II amplifier which takes RCA or 3.5mm audio inputs (switchable using a small metal flip switch) and does nothing but offer crystal clear amplification and volume control. Indeed, the TD501II amplifier offers no tone controls or equalisers which TD believe will “disturb its outstanding phase characteristics” and which would, surely, interrupt its beautiful, clean aesthetic.

Lack of such things, however, does not compromise the stunning sound output of the Eclipse TD 307 speakers which is punchy and clear with more than enough bass to warrant the purchase of the TD subwoofer unnecessary. I’ve always hated having to find somewhere to put a sub, anyway.

Suffice to say, I love these speakers and would grab the Black or Silver ones to complement a new iMac instead of the unbearably over popular JBL or Harmon Kardon alternatives.

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Putting the Samsung P400b aside, the InFocus X9 constitutes my first real projector review. Due to a complete lack of any reference point, or anything to compare the InFocus X9 to, I am forced to produce an article which focusses on its own strengths and weaknesses. This is not an entirely bad thing, however, as my experience with the InFocus X9 has been a pleasant one during which I have been thoroughly converted to the camp of home-cinema projection and what I have learnt about the InFocus X9, and consequently projection in general, I can pass on to you.

First and foremost, the experience of first turning on a projector in your darkened living room, watching your first film, or playing your first game will be an absolutely unforgettable one. Your first projector, as long as you’re not an avid videophile, will always offer an immediate out-of-the-box satisfaction which will easily dispel any feeling of buyer’s remorse and really make those conveniently dark Christmas evenings quite exciting and special. Yes, projection works better the darker your room is which, when combined with the short daylight hours of winter, make it a projector a truly fantastic buy over the Christmas season.

You’ve also, no doubt, already bought an LCD TV by now, that ship has sailed, so with projectors getting cheaper, smaller and better they are clearly the next big thing to sweep ordinary, non-enthusiast consumers living rooms before ultra-thin LED and OLED TVs take over and, after that, consumers’ pockets!

So, if you want to impress your friends, make for some cracking entertainment over Christmas and jump on the bandwagon before everyone’s running to catch up with the next one, read on.

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Let’s get this out in the open right off the bat, if you think the P400 “Pocket” Projector will actually fit in the average pocket, you’ve been misled by the peculiar title. This particular “Pocket” projector is incredibly small, but it’s not that small!

I’ve decided to bring projector reviews to Gadgetoid, and this review of the Samsung P400B is the first. I’ll be focussing on aesthetics, practicality, price and all the fun you can have with it instead of the yawn-inducing “knitty gritty” of picture quality.

See over the fold for the full Samsung P400B Review.

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