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See a complete index of the Win 100 Hardware winners by category or name.
The twist with this monitor is that it physically
rotates from landscape to portrait orientation, a feature bound
to interest graphic designers and others working with a variety
of print formats. Its curved bezel has 16 controls, and combined
function buttons are included for geometry, vertical linearity,
S-correction and white-point color settings. $859. ADI Systems,
408-944-0100, fax 408-944-0300.
ADI MicroScan 17X - February 1996
Perfect color convergence, a regular and stable image,
and excellent color accuracy make the Diamond Pro 17TX a formidable
monitor. The onscreen controls are intelligently designed and
image geometry is maintained out to the screen's corners. Other
features include autocalibration and serial-cable remote control,
as well as individual controls for the degauss function and contrast
adjustment. $1,059. Mitsubishi Electronics America, 800-843-2515,
714-236-6352.
US Mitsubishi Diamond Pro 17TX - October 1995
Sporting a lower price tag than other Nanao monitors,
the F2-17EX is an excellent choice that provides a crisp, bright
display and abundant controls. The One Touch Auto Adjustment button
makes positioning the image a breeze. Its Screen Manager Pro lets
you make a variety of adjustments, such as brightness, contrast
and pincushioning, by using a Windows program instead of the monitor's
controls. $1,199. Eizo Nanao USA Corp., 800-800-5202, 310-325-5202.
Nanao FlexScan F2 - June 1995
Portrait Display Labs Pivot 1700 provides unparalleled
flexibility and extremely crisp images. Its Hitachi CRT easily
rotates on its axis to accommodate your work, and you can rotate
the image electronically as well by invoking a user-definable
keystroke combination. A full set of controls is located on the
front of the tube. You'll be delighted by this monitor's vivid
colors and razor-sharp monochrome images. $999 (street). Portrait
Display Labs, 800-858-7744, 510-227-2700.
Portrait Display Labs Pivot 1700 - November 1995
A power miser, this monitor produces excellent images
that are not hampered by changes in brilliance or other image
content factors. The horizontal resolution and focus are outstanding
and, with its drop-down panel and easy-to-use buttons, it scores
high on ergonomics. The Samsung SyncMaster 17Glsi provides DDC
I and DDC IIB Plug-and-Play compatibility and comes with thorough
documentation. $949. Samsung Electronics America, 800-SAMSUNG,
201-229-4000.
SamSung Syncmaster 17Glsi - October 1995
This ViewSonic 17GA Multimedia monitor will take
your breath away with its rich color and sparkling sound. The
integrated dome stereo speakers take up virtually no extra space
and provide clear, rich, distortion-free sound. This monitor's
colors are vivid and the image it produces is awe-inspiring. A
built-in microphone, headphone jack and external microphone port
are all included in the package. $845. ViewSonic Corp.,
800-888-8583, 909-869-7976.
ViewSonic 17GA PerfectSound Multimedia Monitor - December 1995
Your Win95 desktop will have plenty of room to grow
with the ViewSonic PT810, a 21-inch wonder with a display so good
it'll spoil you for other displays. There are 13 preset and 19
user-definable mode settings, and the supercontrast technology
incorporated into the PT810 gives it a stunning view. $2,195.
ViewSonic Corp., 800-888-8583, 909-869-7976.
ViewSonic PT810 - March 1996
The Ferrari of upgrades, the Ultra Kit 8000 includes
an 8X CD-ROM drive--the only one of its kind to date. The Plug-and-Play
sound card is a 16-bit wavetable model with built-in 3-D sound.
Direct Sound Blaster support enables the card to work with any
game. The kit is bundled with six audio utilities, as well as
various multimedia titles, including Myst, Compton's Interactive
Encyclopedia for 1996 and SimCity 2000. $599. Diamond Multimedia
Systems, 800-468-5846, 408-325-7000.
Diamond Ultra Kit 8000 - March 1996
Labtec's low-fi reputation comes to
a screeching halt with the release of the Game series. This compact,
space-efficient speaker set mounts on any size monitor. Don't
let the Lilliputian dimensions of the Labtec Game Series speakers
fool you, however--their sound is big, bold and beautiful. $119.
Labtec Enterprises, 360-896-2000, fax 360-896-2020.
Labtec Game Series LCS-2612 - March 1996
Professional photography enters the digital age with
this color digital camera. It has good optics and an extensive
peripheral set that makes it easy to view still and motion images
stored in the camera, hear the accompanying audio clips and transfer
all of it to your PC. The RDC-1 includes a self-contained flash
unit, autofocus and optimization circuitry, a charge coupled device,
SRAM memory card (for storing images) and other circuitry. And
it weighs less than a pound. $1,799. Ricoh Corp., 800-225-1899,
702-352-1600.
Ricoh RDC-1 - April 1996
This tiny marvel from U.S. Robotics' Palm Computing
Division is a 3- by 5-inch hand-held device that weighs mere ounces
and fits nicely into a shirt pocket. It has a connector cable
that attaches to your desktop's or notebook's serial port, and
uses a Motorola processor. It lets you track appointments, to-do
lists and contacts by jotting notes with a small stylus. Its handwriting
recognition engine is impressive, as is its battery life. $299.
Palm Computing Division of U.S. Robotics, 800-881-7256,
415-949-9560.
Palm Pilot 1000 - March 1996
The latest and most successful member of HP's family
of hand-held products, the 80186-based OmniGo 100 uses the Geoworks
operating system. It includes a Type II PC Card slot, appointment
scheduler, note taker, Graffiti software, database/contact manager
and Geoworks Book Reader. You can use either the small keyboard
or a stylus for data entry, and you can import and export data
from Windows-based databases and PIMs using the ASCII or DBF formats.
$349. Hewlett-Packard Co., 800-443-1254.
HP OmniGo 100 - March 1996
It's hard to see how Motorola could have crammed
any more functionality into this small a space. The Marquis is
a multifunction Type II PCMCIA card that combines a 28.8Kb-per-second
fax with a 10BaseT Ethernet network adapter; it even performs
network and LAN functions simultaneously. The setup--in Windows
95--takes all of two minutes. Motorola guarantees that the card
will work with your PCMCIA Type II-equipped machine. There's also
a five-year limited warranty. $599. Motorola PCMCIA Products
Division, 800-4A-PCMCIA.
Motorola Marquis PCMCIA 28.8 modem/fax/LAN adapter - February 1996
The Jack of Diamonds Ethernet/28.8 modem combo card
is aces in our book. It takes up just one Type II PCMCIA slot
to deliver a winning hand of connectivity via its 28.8Kb-per-second
fax modem or over its 10BaseT Ethernet connector. The fax modem
supports MNP10EC for cellular communications. The modem also has
Smart Cellular support, which automatically sets your initialization
string for land-line or cellular connections. $549. Ositech
Communications, 800-563-2386, 519-836-8063.
Ositech Jack of Diamonds - April 1996
Laptop users will enjoy the speed of this Type II
PCMCIA card, which supports the V.34 or V. Fast standards, along
with most other protocols. Its pop-out RJ-11 port is sturdy, and
the modem provides Group 3 fax capabilities at 14.4Kbps. The PC288T2-EZ
provides telephone calling card tone (bong) detection, Caller
ID and distinctive ring detection, and the package includes QuickLink
II and WinFax Lite software. Just plug the modem into a Type II
PCMCIA slot, pop out the EZ-Port, hook up the phone line--and
you're up and running. $299. Practical Peripherals, 805-497-4774,
fax 805-374-7200.
Practical Peripherals ProClass 288 PCMCIA with EZ-Port - June 1995
Why stop at a gas station for directions when your
laptop has all the answers? The GPS Card pops into a PC Card socket
on your portable computer and uses the Global Positioning System
- a constellation of 24 Navstar satellites that span the four
corners of the earth - to display your precise location. Just
follow the little car icon as it traverses the on-screen maps,
and you're home free. If you're looking for burgers and fries,
though, you're on your own. $799.98. Socket Communications,
510-744-2700, fax 510-744-2727.
Socket Communications GPS Card - March 1996
Well-suited for computer-based presentations, the
Ascentia J30's basic configuration should meet the needs of almost
any notebook computer user. It has a speedy 100MHz 3.3-volt Pentium
processor, a great design and a beautiful 10.4-inch active-matrix
screen, and it's suitable for use almost anywhere. The Ascentia
J30 also features a keyboard-forward design with integrated palm
rest. Controls for the SmartPoint are located on the palm rest
and are unobtrusive. Wintune scores show this is indeed one fast,
sturdy system. $3,599. AST Research, 800-876-4278, 714-727-4141.
AST Ascentia J30 - March 1996
Cross a capable, 90MHz Pentium notebook computer
with a color ink jet printer and you get Canon's new NoteJet IIIcx.
Remove the print head, replace it with the scan head, and you're
ready to scan! But that kind of functionality takes its toll.
The NoteJet IIIcx measures approximately 3.25 by 14 by 12 inches
and weighs nearly 10 pounds (with charger, ink jet printer, ink
reservoirs and scan heads). The unit we tested had an 810MB hard
disk, an internal 3.5-inch floppy disk drive, 1MB of video memory
and 8MB of RAM, 16-bit stereo sound and an infrared transceiver.
The NoteJet IIIcx includes a full-size notebook keyboard, a pointing
stick device located in the middle of the keyboard and a short
palm rest. The active-matrix, 11.8-inch color screen serves up
crisp images and vivid colors. $6,699. Canon Computer Systems,
800-848-4123, 714-438-3000.
Canon Notejet IIIcx - April 1996
The XPi comes standard with 8MB of RAM, expandable
to 40MB, a connector for an optional docking station, and features
Super VGA 800x600-pixel resolution on a 10.4-inch active-matrix
display, which supports color depths up to 16.7 million colors
in 640x480 mode. The 2.3- by 11- by 8.75-inch Latitude XPi weighs
7 pounds with AC adapter and cord, and has one serial port, one
parallel port, a PS/2 style keyboard/mouse connector, an external
monitor connector and one Type III or two Type II PCMCIA slots.
$4,498. Dell Computer Corp., 800-613-3355, 512-338-4400.
Dell Latitude LX 4100T and Latitude XPi P120ST - February 1996
Flexibility may well be this notebook's middle name.
The Solo is available in three configurations: two with 90MHz
Pentium processors and one with a 75MHz Pentium. We tested the
S90, which ships with 16MB of RAM, 1MB of video memory, a 90MHz
Pentium processor and a 10.4-inch Super VGA active matrix color
screen. The modular CD-ROM drive and 3.5-inch floppy disk drive
snap into the same bay in the front of the unit, and swapping
units takes only seconds. $4,995 (as configured). Gateway 2000,
800-846-2000, 605-232-2000.
Gateway 2000 Solo - December 1995
The OmniBook 5000 CTS 5/120 can serve as an essential
companion in your race to beat the competition. The 5/120's 120MHz
Pentium processor, 256KB of external cache, 16MB of RAM (expandable
to 64MB), 16-bit Creative Labs Sound Blaster-compatible sound
system and 1.2GB hard drive make this a notebook to be reckoned
with. Other features include a lightweight, long-life lithium
ion battery and the option to remove the floppy disk drive so
you can add a second battery. $6,295 (street). Hewlett-Packard
Co., 800-443-1254.
HP Omnibook 5000 CTS 5/120 - April 1996
There's a lot to like about IBM's ThinkPad family
of notebooks. The most interesting feature of the 701 series is
its butterfly keyboard, which expands to 11.5 inches when the
case is opened. The 365, IBM's value-priced notebook series, offers
an 85-key Lexmark keyboard and a remarkable 3.2 hours of battery
life, all in a 6.6-pound package. The 760's outstanding feature
is its 12.1-inch black matrix TFT screen. All feature the comfortable
TrackPoint III pointing device, and IBM ships replacement tips
with every system. $3,589 to $8,134. IBM Corp., 800-IBM-2YOU,
914-766-1900.
IBM ThinkPad 701C - June 1995
It's not often you run across a notebook that does
everything right. NEC has come very close to that with its Versa
4000 family, an innovative series of Pentium-powered notebook
computers. Simply stated, these machines are an exercise in elegance.
The excellent keyboard, expandability, and ruggedness make these
models a good bet for the road. 4000C, $3,999; 4050C: $5,100.
NEC Technologies, 800 632-NEC-INFO,fax 800-366-0476.
NEC Versa 4000C and 4050C - January 1996
The Portégé 610CT comes standard with 8MB of EDO
system memory, a 686MB enhanced IDE hard disk, 16-bit sound, fast
graphics, two stacked Type II PCMCIA slots and a 4.0-amp lithium
ion battery. Add a 90MHz Pentium to the mix and you've got a pocket
rocket, the fastest subnotebook on the market. This unit is an
ultracompact 2 by 9.9 by 7.9 inches. Its total travel weight,
including the external battery charger and external 3.5-inch floppy
disk drive, is around 6 pounds. The Portégé boasts performance,
functionality, size and weight that could set a new standard for
subnotebooks. $4,649. Toshiba America Information Systems,
800-334-3445, 714-583-3000.
Toshiba Portégé 610CT - August 1995
Talk about easy. That's how life becomes if you use
one of this line of portables. All feature an integrated AccuPoint
pointing device located on the integrated palm rest. They keep
pace with mainstream competitors, according to our Wintune performance
benchmark. Choose between dual-scan display or active-matrix screen
- either way, you won't go wrong. $4,349 to $4,899. Toshiba
America Information Systems, 800-334-3445, 714-583-3000.
Toshiba Satellite Pro 400CDT - September 1995
This notebook computer offers great performance.
It uses PCI architecture, has an optional quad-speed CD-ROM drive
and can display full-motion video on its 11.3-inch screen. It's
powered by a 120MHz Pentium processor and, when fully configured,
can take a $6,000 bite out of your wallet. But the unit's 7.3-pound
heft makes it obvious that Toshiba has come down on the side of
performance--with good result. $5,999 with 4X CD-ROM, 11.3-inch
TFT screen and 16MB of RAM. Toshiba America Information Systems,
800-993-4273, 714-837-4408.
Toshiba Tecra 700CT - January 1996
WinBook Computer's new XP5 proves that a notebook
can indeed have a standout design, loads of practical features,
Pentium power and a low price tag. The XP5 we reviewed features
a 75MHz Pentium processor and a lithium ion battery for superior
battery life. It also ships standard with 16MB of RAM (upgradable
to 32MB), an 810MB hard disk (upgradable to 1.3GB), an internal
14.4Kb-per-second voice/fax modem, 256KB of Level 2 cache, 1MB
of video RAM and a 32-bit local bus video accelerator. $2,999.
WinBook Computer Corp., 800-468-2162, fax 800-448-0308.
WinBook XP5 - March 1996
This notebook is built like a tank, but runs like
a Swiss watch. It comes with a 75MHz Pentium processor and the
usual set of external ports. But the real wonder is its fast graphics
subsystem with performance that's hard to beat in a 6-pound package.
$3,298. Zenith Data Systems, 800-533-0331, 708-808-5000.
Zenith Z-Note MX - February 1996
Any veteran road warrior can tell you that a whiz-bang
notebook is just another portable if it isn't accompanied by a
high-resolution color printer. The BJC-70 weighs just 3 pounds
but it's packed with features: maximum resolution of 720x360 dots
per inch, output of 4 pages per minute for black-and-white and
1ppm for color, easy-load paper feeder, external AC adapter and
more. It's versatile, quiet and reliable--in short, the perfect
travel companion. $399. Canon Computer Systems, 800-848-4123,
714-438-3000.
Canon BJC-70 - June 1995
Good-looking, high-quality color is what you'll get
from Canon's BJC-610. The printer handles colorful business documents
in less than a minute under low-quality 360x360dpi mode, which
is perfectly acceptable for business correspondence. But the BJC-610
also supports 720x720dpi. Since the printer uses separate black,
cyan, magenta and yellow cartridges instead of just one for all
colors, you need only replace one cartridge when a color runs
out. The printer easily handles a wide variety of media. $499.
Canon Computer Systems, 800-848-4123, 714-438-3000.
Canon BJC-610 - March 1996
The BJC-4100 offers cheap and easy color printing
at a price point almost anyone can afford. It supports better
than average resolution, achieving 720x360dpi under both color
and monochrome printing. You also get speedy output, as it prints
a test page of color graphics in just over a minute and can handle
a 10-page text document in a little less than three minutes. Add
an impressive paper-handling capacity of 100 sheets of 8.5- x
11-inch paper, as well as excellent documentation and drivers,
and you've got a winner. Need another incentive? You also get
Canon's Creative CD-ROM. $349. Canon Computer Systems,
800-848-4123, 714-438-3000.
Canon Color BubbleJet BJC-4100 - December 1995
With its small footprint, the Epson Stylus Color
II tiptoes around your desktop with features like an output tray
that folds up when not in use. You can select resolutions of 180dpi,
360dpi or 720dpi and choose plain or coated paper (for 360dpi
or 720dpi) and transparencies. Tighten the dot pattern to avoid
scan lines, or accept the software's defaults for presentation,
photographic, drawing and text output. $549. Epson America,
800-289-3776 x3000, 310-782-0770.
Epson Stylus Color II - February 1996
What do you get when you combine terrific color,
good monochrome output, superior paper handling, excellent drivers
and easy installation? The HP DeskJet 855C prints full-page documents
in about half the time it takes similar ink jet desktop printers.
With minimal fuss, you get rich, accurate color reproduction--free
of scan lines, poor halftoning and hazy blacks. $499 (street).
Hewlett-Packard Co., 800-752-0900, 415-857-1501.
HP DeskJet 855C - February 1996
There's plenty here to satisfy most any user--sleek
design, small footprint, standard Enhanced PCL 5 and PostScript
Level 2 printer languages, and a low price. Throw in a built-in
Infrared Data Association (IrDA)-compliant infrared (IR) port
for easy wireless printing, and you have an economical printer
on the cutting edge. Special IrDA software allows certified products
to recognize each other automatically. Just point your notebook's
IR port at the 5MP's and print. $1,299. Hewlett-Packard Co.,
800-752-0900, Canada 800-387-3867.
HP LaserJet 5MP - June 1995
The PrinterPal lets you receive and print faxes using
HP DeskJet and LaserJet printers. You can configure it to receive
only, or to send and receive. It contains 512KB of memory, which
HP says is just enough to store 20 pages of text transmitted at
medium resolution. An audible alarm alerts you to the presence
of incoming or stored text. LaserJet version $229, DeskJet version
$199. Hewlett-Packard Co., 800-752-0900, 408-246-4300.
Hewlett-Packard PrinterPal - October 1995
Sure it's pricey, but this printing powerhouse packs
in paper-handling, output and networking features that justify
the expense. Its two 500-sheet paper trays and 100-sheet multipurpose
tray--it can handle 10 sizes of printable media--make restocking
a once-in-a-while job. Measuring in at 21.3 by 31.3 by 20.5 inches,
this speed demon whips out letter- and A4-sized documents at 24ppm
with a resolution of 600x600dpi. $4,899. Hewlett-Packard Co.,
800-752-0900.
Hewlett-Packard LaserJet 5Si MX - January 1996
Want a 6ppm laser that outputs at 1200dpi for less
than $500? The KX-P6500 fills the requirement nicely, with a tiny
footprint, energy-saving modes, an environmentally friendly recyclable
ink cartridge and a sleep mode that won't keep you from sleeping--the
fanless unit is virtually silent. $549. Panasonic Communications
& Systems Co., 800-742-8086, 201-348-7000.
Panasonic KX-P6500 - February 1996
The Phaser 340 color printer incorporates a print
technology that straddles the ink and laser worlds. It has a rated
print speed of 4ppm, placing it in laser territory, while the
price per page--at 11 cents for color and 3 cents for monochrome--is
in the middle range. Setup is pretty much idiot-proof. Other features
include a paper-handling capacity of 200 sheets of paper and 170
sheets of transparency media. $4,995. Tektronix, 800-835-6100,
503-682-7377.
Tektronix Phaser 340 - June 1995
Users are drawn to the XPrint 4920 by its fast and
easy color printing. Color jobs print at a rate of 3ppm, while
duotone documents appear at about twice that speed. Its zippy
monochrome speed of 12ppm puts it in line with the fastest monochrome
lasers. You get crisp 600x600dpi resolution for all types of print
jobs, while the printer's software and drivers offer control of
every detail. The four toner developer cartridges are preloaded,
so setup's a breeze. $7,295. Xerox Corp., 800-34-XEROX,
716-423-5230.
Xerox XPrint 4920 - December 1995
Six months after introducing the 63MHz Pentium OverDrive
chip, Intel upped the megahertz ante with an 83MHz version intended
for the 33MHz motherboard. The 83MHz chip provides a higher level
of performance than the 63MHz model, but that's not the only good
news. Intel has slashed prices enough to make the OverDrive chips
really affordable. The 83MHz model debuted at $299--a price in
the ballpark with most realistic budgets. $299. Intel,
800-538-3373, 408-765-8080.
Intel Pentium OverDrive - November 1995
Love at first scan? You'll be smitten by the StudioScan
IIsi. This 30-bit, one-pass color flatbed charmer has a true resolution
of 400x800dpi, a maximum interpolated resolution of 2400dpi and
a nimble scanning speed of 10ms per line for color scans. With
its excellent software bundle--including Adobe Photoshop LE and
Caere's Omnipage Direct OCR--the StudioScan IIsi produces images
that will gladden the hearts of all but the most demanding professionals.
$775 (street). Agfa Div., Bayer Corp., 800-685-4271, 201-440-2500.
Agfa StudioScan IIsi - November 1995
If you thought color scanners were unaffordable,
think again. Logitech's PageScan Color offers a 200x200dpi maximum
color resolution and 400x400dpi maximum grayscale. It works in
24-bit color and 8- or 1-bit grayscale modes. The unit connects
to your computer through its parallel port. It ships with an optical
character recognition program, a scanning program, a document-management
application and an image editing program. $399. Logitech,
510-795-8500, tax 510-792-8901.
Logitech PageScan Color - February 1996
There's no easier way to get from paper to pixels.
PaperPort searches your disk for installed apps, and for each
one it recognizes, it creates a link and a big button at the bottom
of the Desktop screen. You can drag scanned pages to the buttons
to launch the applications. $369. Visioneer, 800-787-7007,
415-493-9599.
Visioneer PaperPort Vx - January 1996
This controller pushes the envelope. The FlashPoint
LT complies with the latest standards for SCSI hardware, including
Ultra SCSI and SCAM, so many device settings can be controlled
with software. The card's kit version has everything you need
to get started, from internal cables to software drivers. Built-in
AutoSCSI configuration firmware lets you modify every card setting
on screen, and all the menus are clear and intuitive. Kit, $199;
adapter, $179. BusLogic, 408-492-9090, fax 408-492-1542.
BusLogic FlashPoint LT - March 1996
A power failure can spell disaster for your data,
but the Back-UPS Pro 280 offers inexpensive yet effective insurance
for the small or home office. Its site-wiring fault alert detects
AC problems such as missing grounds and overloaded circuits, and
you can hook the unit up to your phone lines or 10BaseT network
connection to thwart backdoor burnouts. And if a total blackout
hits, the bundled PowerChute Pro software will shut down your
system before it turns off the juice. $239. American Power
Conversion, 800-800-4272, 401-789-5735.
APC Back-UPS Pro 280 - November 1995
You don't have to be a rocket scientist to capture
and edit images from video sources. In fact, all you need is a
parallel port--and Snappy. Installation is fast and easy. Once
you're up and running, you can capture first-rate stills from
a camcorder, laser disc player or VCR sources. Snappy ships with
three apps: Snappy Video Snapshot, and scaled-down versions of
Fauve Matisse and Gryphon's Morph 2.5--all you'll need to become
your own video artiste. $199.95. Play, 800-306-7529, 916-851-0801.
Snappy - October 1995
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