InfoTech: High-tech holiday gifts
1 Dec, 2009 By: Tyler Whitaker Landscape ManagementWhy not celebrate the holidays by buying a few technology gadgets for your employees, your business and yourself? This month, I've collected information on a number of innovative products that are fun and useful:
Dell Latitude XT2 XFR
| dell.com
Are your field-service employees rough on gear? Use this rugged laptop to digitize your field operations without worrying about broken hardware and expensive repair services. The XT2 features a capacitive multitouch screen (think iPhone), an EVDO wireless broadband Internet connection and a solid-state disk drive with full disk encryption. With its backlit rubber sealed keyboard, this laptop is ready for even the dirtiest environment. Or, you can turn the 12.1-in. touch screen around and use it as a tablet for taking notes and other handwritten applications.
 Tyler Whitaker |
Sprint HTC Hero | sprint.com
With the success of Apple's iPhone, Google now has a big push into the mobile phone market with its second generation of Android phones. The first to be offered by Sprint is the HTC Hero, which has everything the modern smart phone needs and more. From the 5-megapixel camera that also functions as a camcorder, to the built-in GPS, magnetic compass and accelerometer, you can be sure to have all of the functionality you've come to expect from a mobile phone.
And just like the iPhone, neat applications are readily available from the Android Market. As an added plus, because its software is from Google, HTC Hero works with all of your favorite Google applications and social networks.
WikiReader | thewikireader.com
Tired of losing arguments because you don't know the facts? Well, that doesn't need to happen any longer with the WikiReader in your pocket. This easy-to-use device puts all 3 million-plus articles found on the popular online encyclopedia Wikipedia in the palm of your hand.
The WikiReader sports a high-quality touch screen and the ability to serve all of the content without an Internet connection. By using a microSD card for storage, you can update the content via a free download on your desktop computer or sign up for a twice-a-year mail order subscription service. Use it for in-depth research or light reading. Either way, having the sum of all human knowledge is a bit easier now.
Optoma Pico PK102 Pocket Projector | optomausa.com
Building the perfect PowerPoint sales presentation will close the deal — only if your customer can see it. With the Pico PK102 Pocket Projector, you can create images as large as 60-in. and audio anywhere you are. The portable, lightweight and rechargeable projector has 4GB of internal memory, so you won't even need a PC to view 6,000 pictures or eight hours of video. And with the LED light source, a burned out bulb is a thing of the past. This projector is the ideal companion for any road warrior.
One of the best parts of the holiday season involves finding the perfect gift. Putting the right technology into your employees' hands, should increase productivity and sales. What business owner wouldn't want that gift this holiday season?
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