Introduction

I am reviewing the HP LaserJet Pro M1536dnf monochrome laser multifunction printer which is another printer in this class that provides most of today’s expected features to the professional user. It is based on the print engine that HP has implemented in the LaserJet Pro P1560 direct-connect printer that I previously reviewed and the network-connectable duplex-capable LaserJet Pro P1600 printer.

Prices

Printer

The machine’s standard price: AUD$548.00

Toner

Other Costs

The HP ePrint “print-to-email” service is free of charge. This includes maintaining your printer’s email address and the documents that you receive through that address.

The printer itself

The HP LaserJet Pro M1536 supports the functionality that is desirable for a multifunction laser printer targeted at the small business or professional, like duplex printing, proper fax functionality for regular fax services as well as connectivity to an Ethernet network.

Typically the fact that a printer doesn’t support Wi-Fi wireless networking may count against it as far as network functionality, especially “no-new-wires” networking, goes for this market space. But the Ethernet connectivity allows this printer to work with a HomePlug network or Wi-Fi network as long as you use one of those “homeplugs” or a Wi-Fi client bridge. As well, the LaserJet, like most current-model small-business printers that connect to a network, is able to work with an IPv6 network, thus making it future-proof for next-generation networks.

Setup

This printer was easy to set up without any need for convoluted procedures, which is an advantage of HP’s integrated cartridge design used in all of the small-business LaserJets. This included connecting it to a typical small network via Ethernet. There is the option to manually configure the network settings for difficult networks.

Walk-up functions

The HP LaserJet M1536dnf can work as a convenience photocopier or a fax machine and, like most of the machines of this type, it supports “ID copy” functionality for copying documents like driving licences. As well it can digitally enlarge or reduce documents with this function being accessed from one button. Similarly, the user can do “double-sided” copying as long as they flip the original document over.

Like the HP LaserJet Pro CM1415 that I previously reviewed, this LaserJet printer uses flash memory rather than RAM to store received and pending faxes. This provides for a “power-safe” operating environment where if the power fails or fluctuates, you don’t lose received faxes that are to be printed or faxes yet to be transmitted. It also works well with the private-receive function which uses this memory as a “fax vault” where the machine receives faxes but doesn’t print these faxes until you enter a PIN code to release them. This is a feature that I would consider important if you work with confidential material in a premises that has uncontrolled access to the office technology.

Like most of the current-model HP multifunction printers and an increasing number of Canon high-end multifunction printers, this printer offers a “quick forms” feature where the printer can turn out notepaper, graph paper, music staves or similar ruled paper at the touch of a button. This is only available through the Setup menus  You still have the problem of a limited choice of ruled paper. Examples of these limitations include 10 staves for portrait-format music paper (which affects writing for certain music ensembles like vocal and piano or quartets) as well as the inability to print certain “quick forms” like notepaper or checklists on both sides.

This printer supports ePrint “email-to-print” functionality but only for receiving print jobs sent to its email address. This function could also benefit from the same “private receive” function that is available for faxes.

Computer functions

The HP LaserJet M1536dnf’s driver software had loaded very quickly in to my machine and there weren’t any particular problems associated with running it. Even practices like choosing the duplex-printing style are made easier through a “bound-document” graphic which shows how the document will come out after it is printed.

This HP LaserJet doesn’t support control-panel-initiated scan-to-computer functionality unlike most of its peers, so it didn’t need to run a scan monitor program. Other than that, the scanner is a colour unit that is able to do what is expected for this class of equipment. Of course, HP has provided scanning software that allows for “scan-to-PDF”, a function that Microsoft could provide within the Windows operating system.

Useability

The display on this unit is a large backlit LCD display with easy-to-read text. Most of the walk-up functions are a button-press away and the text and icons on the control panel are easy to see.

This laser printer, like the other HP LaserJet printers that I have reviewed, uses an integrated print-cartridge system which has the toner supply and drum unit in one user-replaceable cartridge. This makes it easier to replace the cartridges through the machine’s working life and there isn’t any need to think of having to replace a drum kit. The only limitation with this setup is that the printer isn’t as economical to run as a printer that has a separately-replaceable drum unit like the Brother laser printers.

Here, the user just has to open two lids and pull out the used cartridge and drop in the new cartridge. There isn’t any need to push extra hard to make sure the cartridge is in place.

Like a lot of these monochrome laser printers, there isn’t a way of knowing at a glance where you stand as far as your toner supply goes. Here, you have to go to the printer’s embedded Web server to check how much toner is left or print out a “Supplies Status” report to obtain this same data. There is a light on the printer’s control panel that comes on when you are really low on toner.

Print quality

The documents had come out of the LaserJet M1536dnf with the typical crispness of a laser printer’s output. This is even so with output that has pictures and text.

I had printed a photo through this printer and the picture doesn’t have a strong a contrast as the same picture printed on the previously-reviewed Brother mono laser printers.

As far as print speed is concerned, the HP LaserJet was able to achieve the required speed for a monochrome laser printer. There is still the time penalty associated with duplex printing that is common with most printers that have this feature but this penalty is around twice as long as printing a single side. It is also worth noting that whether the printer has just been used recently or not, the first page of a job is out in 6 seconds with the print mechanism working at proper operating temperature.

Limitations and Points Of Improvement

This printer, like the other HP LaserJets could benefit from the availability of optional extra-cost high-capacity print cartridges. This can allow for a business to use cheaper standard cartridges through normal times yet cater for peak printing times like larger projects.

I would also like to see a “fuel-gauge” indicator on the LCD display that indicates how much toner is available in the print cartridge, so you can know whether you need to buy more toner after those large printing project.

The fax subsystem could benefit from T.37 / T.38 standards-based Internet-driven faxing and a “scan-to-email” function in order to cater for IP-based telephony infrastructure. The ePrint email-to-print, which is an HP-driven concept, does provide some of this functionality but it could offer more.

As well, the flash-memory that is used for the unit’s fax functionality could be used as the printer’s memory this allowing for improved fail-safe printing. It can be augmented through the use of SD cards as a way of allowing the user to expand the printer’s memory as they see fit.

Conclusion and Placement Notes

The HP LaserJet M1536dnf is one of these laser printers that would fit in a very tight competitive market, a unit that would please the professional who needs to turn out many of the documents and reports as part of their business life.

The only major problem for someone who wants these desireable features from an HP LaserJet multifunction laser printer is the price of the unit compared to that of competing models that print the same way offered by other manufacturers like Brother. If a person places value on the HP ePrint service such as to print from smartphones; power-safe flash memory for faxes; a well-built machine or a simple-to-replace toner cartridge, they could go for this printer where as most other people could just opt for the Brother MFC-7460DN for their network-connected duplex-printing monochrome laser multifunction.

Introduction

I am reviewing the Hewlett-Packard Pavillion DV7-6000 Series of 17” desktop-replacement multimedia laptop computers. The actual model that I am reviewing is the DV7-6013TX which is the top-end model of the series. The only differences between this and the other models in the series are the processor type, the hard-disk capacity and the optical-drive type.

One factor I am considering in this review is how these computers stand against the Dell XPS L702X, a similarly-equipped desktop replacement laptop which I recently reviewed. Both of these computers are driven by Intel second-generation “Sandy Bridge” chipsets which have integrated CPU/GPU processors.

The computer itself

Aesthetics and Build quality

The HP Pavillion DV7-6000 Series computers are finished in a black brushed-aluminium case and also have a black brushed-aluminium keyboard escutcheon. There is some of the anodised-aluminium or satin-chrome trim around the edge of the computers base and hinges, which provides for a contrasting two-tone finish.

HP logo reflects when the computer is turned off

But there is a finishing touch that hits at the Apple MacBook range very squarely. Here, the HP logo located on the bottom left of the lid reflects like a mirror when the unit is off but glows like the Apple logo on those MacBook computers when it is on. It wouldn’t be noticed as readily as the Apple logo that is positioned on the centre of the lid on those computers.

HP logo glows when computer is on

Whatever, it leads to a well-built computer that doesn’t feel flimsy in any way.

User interface

The HP Pavillion DV7-6000’s keyboard is a similarly-styled chiclet keyboard to the Dell L702x but isn’t illuminated. This is infact a common keyboard style used on most laptops nowadays. The keys are a short-throw variety which may allow for quicker touch-typing but may affect user accuracy.

There isn’t an option to determine whether pressing a key on the function-key row activates the laptop functions or a Windows-defined function like F5. Here, you would have to hold down the Fn key to select a Windows operating-system function.

The trackpad has its own area with separate primary and secondary buttons. This is even made easier with a white “neon-effect” ring surrounding the trackpad area. There are no speaker or other grilles on the palm-rest area that can be masked by your palms thus affecting the sound quality of cooling performance of this computer.

Another feature that the HP Pavillion DV7 has is a fingerprint scanner that is supported by Windows as a login measure. But this requires the computer to run HP software for the functionality to operate.

Photo with keyboard more visible

Audio and Video

The Pavillion DV7-6000 Series laptops are equipped with dual-mode graphics with Intel HD “Sandy Bridge” graphics in power-saving “economy” mode and AMD Mobile Radeon HD graphics in “performance” mode. Unlike switching a car’s transmission between “normal / economy” mode and “sport / performance” mode, these computers require all of the applications to be shut down before you change graphics modes. This will take a few seconds to occur during switchover and the unit will suggest the operating mode to use as you change between external power and inbuilt-battery power.

The screen is a 17” LED-backlit unit which works at 1600 x 900 resolution. It could benefit from having a full-HD 1080p resolution screen even if it is offered as a differentiation option. This is compared to the Dell XPS L702x which had the full HD screen as the high-end model option.

This laptop is another example of a laptop that has its audio-playback subsystem “worked” by a company who has had strong involvement in sound recording and/or reproduction. Here, the goal of this involvement is to move away from that lifeless tinny sound that typically emanated from most laptop computers and yield some decent room-filling sound that was easy to understand.

In this case, the job was done by Dr Dre’s “Beats Audio” team, who have worked the sound subsystem in the HP Envy 15 that I previously reviewed. This uses a 2.1 speaker configuration with a separate bass driver. Like the JBL improvement in the Dell XPS, this has allowed the computer to deliver room-filling sound without a that horrible “tinny” sound output common to most laptop computers. It is also worth knowing that the stereo speakers are actually placed above the keyboard so your hands don’t obstruct the sound while the computer is in use. The visual evidence of this is an aluminum grille at the top of the keyboard, between the hinges.

Some benefits I have noticed when I watched some conference videos on this computer was the clarity of the sound recorded in the video including incidental traffic sound. As well, the voices of the speakers had more of the “personal depth” in them, whereas a lot of laptops would have the voices sound like an AM radio announcer as heard on a low-end pocket radio. As well, when I played “Munich” on this computer, the soundtrack had some depth with it especially with the sound effects.

Battery life

The dual-mode graphics also allows the HP Pavillion dv7-6013TX to work for a longer time on its own batteries, especially if you are doing basic computing tasks like emailing or word-processing. Here, unlike most other laptops with discrete graphics, I had noticed that the battery wasn’t running down as fast

I had done a mixture of activities on this computer; including copy-editing and viewing of videos from a “connected-TV” conference. Yet I was able t get at least two hours of battery life out of this activity. This is although I was running the computer on the Intel graphics mode.

It was able to play through a feature-length “cinema” movie with 11% battery charge remaining at the end of the credits while on the Intel power-efficiency mode while the Wi-Fi connection was alive. This shows what the Intel Sandy Bridge chipset was all about when they promised the power efficiency for graphics-intensive tasks.

Other experience notes

The HP Pavillion DV7 doesn’t run hot as easily as a lot of the laptops that I have used. Even if the fan is run at full pelt, it makes use of the grillework on the left side and the top of the base to permit proper cooling. It may be unusual for a laptop that doesn’t have a battery “lump” or kickstand that positions it at an angle, something I have seen with a few other laptops like the Dell XPS or the HP Probook 4520 stablemate.

Limitations and Points Of Improvement

The DV7-6000 Series could benefit from a 1080 Full-HD screen especially if it is to be used for preparing or viewing Full-HD content. HP could also implement a higher-performance ATI Mobility Radeon discrete graphics chipset in the higher-end model as a key product differentiator. As well, it could support dual-band Wi-Fi networking in markets where this is permitted.

Conclusion

The HP Pavillion DV7-6000 Series laptop computers are another laptop worth considering if you are moving towards a laptop-focused “New Computing Environment” for your home or small business. Similarly, it could serve its purpose as a “work-home” laptop for business owners who primarily use it in the home or workplace and primarily travel by car. Some people may find these computers being suitable for their needs if they “live out of the car boot” and frequently drive to and stay at another person’s place for nights at a time.

This may not be as strong a performer as the Dell XPS L702X but would win on memory capacity across the series (8Gb for all models) and the mid-tier and top models having 2Tb hard disk space and Blu-Ray writing. On the other hand, this level of performance may suit most average games players or most multimedia tasks.

Introduction

I am now reviewing the Brother MFC-7360N monochrome multifunction laser printer which is part of a series of newly-released monochrome-laser multifunction printers released by this company. This unit is positioned as a “step-up” model above the MFC-7360 entry-level direct-connect model. The midrange model in this series is the MFC-7460DN which can print on both sides of the page as well as become future-proof by supporting T.37-compliant Internet faxing. The top-shelf model is the MFC-7860DW which also has 802.11g WPA2 WPS-compliant Wi-Fi connectivity and can accept output from smartphones and tablets equipped with the Brother iPrint&Scan app.

They all have the same new “compact monochrome laser” print engine as the Brother HL-2240D printer that I previously reviewed and its peers such as the HL-2270DN network model that I also recommend. Here, this xerographic-print engine is a full laser type and can yield a simplex print speed of 24 pages per minute.

Prices

Printer

The machine’s standard price: AUD$349.99

Inks and Toners

Servicing and Other Parts (Laser Printers)

The printer itself

This unit uses the typical control panel layout as common with most machines in its class but the LCD display could benefit from backlighting. Here, I had to set the display contrast to maximum to gain best readability; and is something that could be improved upon.

Control panel

Setup

This unit has the same Brother fax-setup wizard with one name and fax number as a station ID, so you don’t have to determine a separate station ID for transmitting and receiving. It also can work properly with a dedicated fax line or a shared fax line, whether through a distinctinve ring (Faxstream Duet) setup or a CNG-detect arrangement.

It can be set up on an Ethernet (or HomePlug) network with plug-and-play operation for most small networks and is IPv6 ready. Of course, when the time comes to enable the network for IPv6, the user just has to go to the Network menu on the control panel and select “IPv6” and set that to “On” before turning the unit off and on in order to have it as part of the IPv6 network.

It could benefit from NTP-based Internet time synchronisation with time-zone selection so the user doesn’t have to set the clock when they set up or shift this machine or after a power blackout.

Walk-up functions

This unit has the basic copy and fax functions, and allows walk-up scanning to network-connected computers only. Here, the host computer needs to run Brother-supplied scan monitor software

The more-expensive models; the MFC7460DN and MFC-7860DW, have the ability to support scan-to-email and T.37-compliant Internet-fax endpoint functionality. These features should be available across the range as we move away from the circuit-based telephone setup towards packet-based telephony.setups courtesy of the next-generation broadband infrastructure plans.

Automatic Document Feeder with document loaded

The printer’s automatic document feeder may look as though it is missing something because of the absence of the paper input tray. But this tray is actually the lid that swings open to the right when you use the document feeder. This is infact a style that is becoming common with Brother small-business multifunction printers that have this feature; and allows for a machine to look more neater. It also assures more reliable operation of the document feeder because the input chute isn’t always exposed to dust and other foreign objects.

Computer functions

The software is very easy and trouble-free to load and has that same “at-a-glance” view for the print job settings that all of the Brother printer drivers have always had. As well, it makes proper use of the Windows 7 Device Stage for managing the printer’s functionality.

This is in fact where you manage the printer’s unobtrusive and reliable scan monitor software, which has been a sore point with many of the multifunction devices that I have used and reviewed. Here, you can determine what form the image file should be and which application should open the file.

Print Quality

The Brother MFC-7360N, like the previously-reviewed HL-2240D and others based on the same print engine, does the job properly by starting quickly and turning each page out quickly. Like most laser printers and multifunction units, it requires the user to press tie Start button after they replenish the paper tray during a print job.

The print quality is as sharp as expected for a monochrome laser printer especially when it comes to turning out documents. For photographs, it will reproduce the images as expected for black-and-white images when set to 600dpi in the print driver but can have issues with image contrast especially at higher dpi settings. Luckily, the printer didn’t complain of memory overload when I sent through the 1200dpi photo print job but it yielded an image that appeared too dark and with little contrast.

It also the similar consumables to the HL-2240D and requires the user to take the drum-unit assembly out and detach the toner cartridge from the assembly to replace the toner. This of course will have the same room for error by allowing the drum unit to be exposed to dirt unless it is on a clean surface when the user replaces the toner.

Limitations and Points Of Improvement

One improvement that I would like to see for the range would be to have the LCD display showing a high-contrast image. This could be augmented by having the display backlit during operation even with just a basic LED arrangement; akin to what is done with the HL-4150CDN.

There is still the common issue that this machine has with other Brother printers based on the new compact monochrome laser-printer engine that can impair the useability. This is where the user has to remove the drum unit from the printer to replace the toner. It could be improved upon with a similar arrangement to what is used for the colour lasers where the drum unit assembly is pulled out like a drawer so the user can replace the toner cartridge.

The feature limitations like the lack of duplex printing and inability to support Internet-based faxing may be necessary to keep the printer as a step-up model within the multifunction range.

Conclusion and Placement Notes

This printer can work well as an entry-level or supplementary monochrome laser printer where basic copying, scamming and faxing are desired. But I would recommend the MFC-7460DN, which is the model above it, if you expect to do a lot of document printing or place value on having future-proof Internet fax abilities.

Introduction

I am reviewing the Western Digital LiveWire HomePlug AV kit, which is a pair of Ethernet switches that also have HomePlug AV connectivity. Here, this kit is being pitched at people who want to connect Internet-enabled video equipment to the home network and Internet connection without laying down new wiring to the router.

Price:

Recommended Retail Price AUD$169.99 for a two-unit kit

LAN Connectivity

The device itself

Setup

The HomePlug switch as connected up

The Western Digital LiveWire kit is able to be used in a “plug-and-play” manner with a secure HomePlug AV segment.

There is the ability to create a separate HomePlug AV network segment by you pressing the “Simple-Connect” buttons (labelled SYNC) on each device one after another quickly. Here, you don’t have to think of new network identifiers or device passcodes for each of the member devices in this segment.

Performance

This unit can demonstrate a good level of resilience to known interference like switch-mode power supplies or electrical motors on the same circuit and yield a useable HomePlug connection. It may initially yield a low connection speed until the link is assessed by each HomePlug device on each end. This is more so with links that are on different circuits and may show up heavily on older electrical installations.

Of course, the HomePlug AV segment created by these devices worked properly alongside an existing HomePlug 1.0 Turbo (85Mbps) segment that has been working as the main household HomePlug segment for the network. As I have known before the segments that work on the different HomePlug standards aren’t compatible but can coexist as separate segments.

As well, unlike some cheaper Gigabit Ethernet switches that I have used, this kit works properly with UPnP devices like the WDTV Live network media adaptor which I tested it with. Here, it worked as expected for media playback from the Internet and my WD MyBook World network-attached storage which worked as a UPnP AV media server.

Limitations and Points Of Improvement

The WD LiveWire units could benefit from the SYNC button and HomePlug light working to a proper cadence especially when integrating another HomePlug AV device to the same segment. This is more so if the network setup involves multiple established devices scattered around the house.

As well, there could be a variant model released that uses a four-port Gigabit Ethernet switch which can be of benefit if the switch is to be connected to two or more devices like a network-attached storage and a recent-issue computer. It would also be of benefit if the switch is to serve as a HomePlug AV “on-ramp” for a Gigabit-Ethernet equipped router or Ethernet backbone. This may not happen until HomePlug AV2, which is a higher-throughput HomePlug standard, is properly ratified.

Similarly, there could be a variant of this switch that can be an 802.3af / 802.3at compliant Power-Over-Ethernet power supply for four devices that get their power over the Ethernet cable. This would come in handy with those IP telephones, network-based surveillance cameras and access points that work to this standard for network-based power.

Of course, you may not expect much from a company whose interest is more on storage devices rather than network infrastructure hardware.

Conclusion

I would still recommend this HomePlug AV kit as being suitable for use when connecting a cluster of network-connected equipment like Internet-enabled home-entertainment equipment to the home network. The fact that both the HomePlug AV adaptors come with integrated multi-port Ethernet switches can increase their utility value such as increasing Ethernet points with routers that have Ethernet ports that are all used up including single-port routers like most entry-level ADSL modems.

Similarly, one of these units can be used as part of a setup for bridging data between a legacy HomePlug 1.0 segment and a HomePlug AV segment or “pushing out” a HomePlug AV segment on a country property by creating another HomePlug AV segment. With these units, this can be done while maintaining Ethernet connectivity for network devices at these points.

Declaration Of Benefit

After I have reviewed the WD LiveWire HomePlug AV kit, I offered to buy the actual review sample units from Western Digital via their PR agency and they sold it at around 30% off the recommended retail price. This has not affected and does not affect my relationship with this company or how I review their products.

Introduction

I am reviewing the Western Digital WDTV Live network media adaptor. This is and adaptor that connects to an external display like a TV, monitor or projector and/or an external amplifier in order to play media files held on a local storage device like a USB memory key or via a small network.

Price

Recommended Retail Price: AUD$299.99

Functions

Connections

The device itself

The unit's remote control

It is a small device about the size of two packets of cigarettes stacked on top of each other and is powered using a power adaptor. Users operate it with a very small remote control that has the main transport functions and a D-pad for navigating around the user interface.

Setup

How this connects to your TV

The device connects to the TV using an AV cable that plugs in to a four-conductor 3.5mm jack on the back of the unit. There is another 3.5mm four-conductor jack for connecting to the component-video connections on a suitably-equipped display device with a separate patch cable. Of course, this unit can be connected to HDMI-equipped display devices like most plasma and LCD TVs; and it has an optical SPDIF socket for connection to equipment with an optical digital input like most surround receivers.

Sadly, this device doesn’t support connection to display devices that use RGB inputs in any form. This may affect those of us who want the best out of monitors or projectors that use such connectors like most SCART-equipped European TVs, business-focused “data projectors”, classic “3-gun” projectors or professional-grade video displays. You may get around this by connecting the device to the display via one of the “HDFury” HDMI-RGB adaptors

It has the ability to play media that is held on USB-attached storage devices like memory keys or USB hard drives. This can be useful for playing media that you have held on one of these devices.

As for video codecs and file types, it can natively handle most audio and video file types including the DivX and Matroska MKV family of file and codec types.

Network setup

The WDTV Live HD can be connected directly to an Ethernet network or HomePlug AV network with the appropriate “homeplug” bridge device, But it is one of these “wireless-ready” devices that connects to a Wi-Fi network using an optional Wi-Fi dongle available from Western Digital or through one of their retailers.

Use

This can work with any display device including older TVs

The user interface is a “full-screen” one which works to the edge of the screen. This may be of concern with those of us who have hooked the WDTV Live up to an older CRT-based TV set that has the orthodox curved screen edges. As well, the logos for the Internet services are rendered in a dull manner and could benefit from “true-colour” display with a highlight around the currently-selected service.

Of course, there is a screen-saver function which can be overridden for displays that aren’t affected by long-time display of images or set to appear after a time between 5 minutes to 15 minutes. Here, it just shows the WD logo; but could show now-playing information during audio playback.

Online services

The Facebook service has the expected functions like viewing one’s own news feed, contributing to a Status Update or writing one’s Status Update as well as the ability to view one’s Photo Albums or a Friend’s Photo Albums. All text entry is based on “pick-n-choose” methods and the pictures do come up properly on the full screen.

I have tested the YouTube service with this device and have used it to play some videos including the service’s “poster child” video which is the “Keyboard Cat” video. The user interface is what would be expected for a 10’ interface and the users would be required to use the “pick-n-choose” method for any text entry like account login or video searching.

The “Tune In” Internet-radio function works properly for Internet radio access and allows the Internet radio stream to play in the background while you navigate the menus. During the day, It had performed well on quality-of-service when streaming Internet radio; but like all Internet services, this will depend on how congested the connection is.

UPnP AV / DLNA media access

The UPnP AV / DLNA functionality on the WDTV Live works properly when you use the remote control to call up the content on your UPnP AV / DLNA Media Server. In previous firmwares, this media player had problems when playing out media under the control of a UPnP AV Control Point like Windows 7 or TwonkyManager. Here, it would play only one item at a time and require the user to advance the media to the next item using the remote control or the Control Point.

Now, units that have firmware newer than version 1.65 can play multi-item playlists and slideshows without needing to be “pushed on”. There is still a problem with this function, especially with image slideshows and video playlists where the unit will show its menu every time a new image or video is loaded up before it plays that image. This could be improved with “read-ahead” buffering for subsequent media items.

Limitations and Points Of Improvement

I would like to see the user-interface improved in various ways, such as use of brighter colours or full-colour logos for the Internet services.  The screen-saver could also support “service-driven” behaviour like showing now-playing information for audio sources.

As well, this device could benefit from integration with local online-video services like the local “catch-up TV / video-on-demand” services offered by the local TV stations. Of course, I would like to see an improvement on the media changeover behaviour when the device is used as a UPnP AV / DLNA MediaRenderer under the control of an external control point.

This device’s form factor could be taken further with an integrated digital-TV tuner for implementation as a digital-TV set-top box that could have online and network media access as well as digital-TV access.

Conclusion

I would recommend the Western Digital WDTV Live or any of its successor models as a cost-effective device that can be useful for pressing a cheap or old TV, monitor or projector in to service as a network media playback device in the UPnP AV / DLNA Home Media Network.

Introduction

I am reviewing the Brother HL-2240D monochrome laser printer which is the second in line in Brother’s latest series of compact monochrome laser printers. There is a cheaper version of this printer, the HL-2230, which doesn’t have the auto-duplex functionality. On the other hand, the HL-2250DN and HL-2270DW printers have the same functionality as this model but can be connected to an Ethernet network or HomePlug powerline network with the appropriate adaptors; with the latter model being able to be connected to a Wi-Fi network as well.

It is also worth noting that the HL-2270DW model, which is the Wi-Fi-enabled top-shelf model of the series had won the Buyer’s Laboratory “Pick” Award for A4 SOHO printers.

Prices

Printer

Recommended Retail Price: AUD$149

Inks and Toners

Servicing and Other Parts (Laser Printers)

The printer itself

Like its low-end laser-printer peers, the Brother HL-2240D and its stablemates are very compact printers that is very shallow, slightly higher than two large-city telephone directories stacked on top of each other. This means that the printed documents are easy to reach from one’s chair and it doesn’t take up much bench space.

Usage experience

The software that came with the printer had installed on my computer very properly and had operated true to the Windows 7 specifications. As well, the user-interface screens for the driver are very easy to use, being able to show on the left side the settings you have implemented for your print job. This is a very similar experience that I had with the driver software that I had for the Brother HL-4150CDN colour laser printer when I reviewed that unit; and has demonstrated to me that Brother has made strong efforts with their software’s useability.

The Brother HL-2240D printer and printers based on this similar print engine take between 6 to 8 seconds to warm up and be ready to print. It doesn’t matter if this printer has been just used or not.

There is a significant time penalty with this printer for duplex printing, where the machine will take twice as long to turn out documents. This is because it can handle only one page at a time through a duplex print cycle; and will likely be a problem with compact laser printers that use this feature.

The printer uses a manual feed slot for labels, transparencies, envelopes and similar material and these materials have to be loaded one at a time. There may be some materials that have to pass through the printer in a straight-through manner similar to the old photocopier or original Apple LaserWriter printer. Here, there is a drop-down hatch on the back of the printer to cater for these requirements.

There isn’t a “fuel-gauge” for the toner, a feature I would find useful when working out the effect of a large print run on the machine’s toner supplies. The only way the user knows if the printer is out of toner is through the “TONER” light on the top of the machine flashing when it is very low and this same light glowing steadily when they need to replace the toner.

What is required to be removed to replace the toner on these printers

When you have to replace the toner cartridge on the Brother HL-2240D and its peers, you have to remove the drum unit from the machine then release the toner cartridge from the drum unit by operating a small green latch on the left side of the drum unit. This process can appear to be very fiddly compared to other laser printers that I have reviewed, where you could just simply pull out the spent toner cartridge from the printer after opening the access door / lid and, in the case of the colour lasers, pulling out a drawer. It is also prone to mistakes and reduced printout quality if the user doesn’t know where to “park” the drum unit while replacing the toner cartridge.

Toner Cartridge detached from drum unit

Print Quality

The output quality is what you would expect from a laser printer when it comes to text, with the sharp lettering that is typical of this class of printer. But give it a photograph to be printed in greyscale and you will have some banding across the page. As well, the pictures come out slightly darker even though they are printed on plain paper. This is usually due to these printers having their prowess anchored around document printing.

Limitations and Points Of Improvement

An improvement that I would like to see would be an easier-to-replace toner cartridge. This is where the drum unit can be pulled out just enough to remove and replace the toner cartridge without the need to operate any catches.

Similarly, these printers could benefit from an on-machine or driver-based toner “fuel gauge” indicator. This is so that one can know where they are at with the toner supply for their units.

Conclusion and Placement Notes

I would recommend that the Brother HL-2240D or HL-2250DN printers be considered for applications like most small medical or legal practices; small hotels or independent travel agents where there is a strong likelihood of turning out standard documents where colour doesn’t matter like invoices, health-insurance forms or itineraries.

Similarly these two printers could be used in a lawyer’s, psychologist’s or other similar professional’s office for turning out confidential information for their patients or clients. It is also augmented by the fact that these printers could easily just occupy the space of a small table like the archetypal side table; which may befit one of these professional’s offices.

The HL-2250DN would suit applications where there are two to five computers sharing the one printer or the location uses laptop computers connected to the network via Wi-Fi wireless. If this was used in a Wi-Fi-based location, this printer would be connected to the network via Ethernet or HomePlug.

Introduction

I am reviewing the Canon PiXMA iP100 Mobile Inkjet Printer which is the current-generation successor to the popular Canon BJC-80 portable printer. This particular model has appealed to those of us who need to use a printer to obtain hard copy “on the road” from our portable computer devices.

I have been lent this unit for review by a close friend of mine who had bought it to go with their netbook computer that they were using for an overseas trip they had previously done. This was intended to be used for occasionally obtaining hard copy of emails and similar documents through that journey.

Prices

Printer

The machine’s standard price AUD$449

Optional Extras:

BU-30 Bluetooth Connectivity Module: AUD$69

LK-62 Rechargeable Battery (with reviewed unit): AUD$129

PU-200U Car power adaptor: AUD$129

Inks and Toners

The printer - ready for travelling

The printer itself

The Canon PiXMA iP-100 is a very small lightweight printer that occupies the table space that a typical netbook computer would occupy. This makes for reduced storage space that this class of device would require as you travel.

Like its former grandparent model, the BJC-80, this printer is able to work from AC power using a supplied power adaptor which connects to the AC power through the typical “portable-radio” power cord; or from an optional rechargeable battery. You can also buy another power adaptor that plugs in to your car’s or boat’s cigar-lighter socket so you can run it from the vehicle’s battery. From my searches on the Internet about this battery pack, it is rated to allow the printer to turn out 292 pages on one charge.

External battery pack attached to printer

This printer is a direct-connect printer which can connect to the host using a regular USB cable or wirelessly with IRDA infrared connection or Bluetooth radio connection. The latter method can be achieved if you purchase the optional Canon Bluetooth module and plug this module in to the PictBridge USB socket.

It does support driverless printing for devices in certain situations. The first one would be wireless printing from phones and PDAs that support Bluetooth and IRDA “object-push” profiles for small documents and photos. The second situation would be for digital cameras and mobile phones that have a PictBridge connection.

This latter function can come in handy if you need to print out “example images” or “pre-approval” proofs to show to customers after you have just taken a picture. Of course, some of us may find it useful for printing out the quick snaps to pass around after we take some funny pictures.

USB and PictBridge sockets and IRDA window

Computer functions

The software loaded properly on my Windows 7 computer and it didn’t take a long time for the computer to “re-discover” the printer on subsequent connections. This would suit its intended market where the printer would be brought out and connected as required.

Output Quality

The printer will turn out very sharp text that would yield a very easy-to-read document. When I print photos,there is strong contrast but sometimes there may be a bit of paleness in the picture. For colour reproduction, there is still some strong colour saturation and it can properly reproduce the skin tones.

Limitations and Points of Improvement

The Canon PiXMA iP-100  could benefit from higher-capacity cartridges, especially high-capacity black cartridges. This is especially more so if it is to be used by a tradesman like a repairman who has to turn out multi-page quotes or invoices; or if it is being used frequently to turn out “proofs”. As well, it could improve on the printer’s operational economy.

In the same context, the printer manufacturers who sell “mobile” printers could do some research in operation-economy-improving techniques like four-cartridge printing and higher-capacity cartridges.

As well, there could be some work done on making it feasible for smartphones and tablet computers to print out using the iP-100. At the moment, this may require use of the Bluetooth module as well as iOS and Android apps that link with the email, photo-viewing and document-creation functions of these devices.

Conclusion and Placement Notes

I would consider this Canon PiXMA IP-100 portable printer as being suitable for basic printing needs that occur primarily in the field like printing quotes and invoices to hand directly to the customer for example. It would also work well for business travellers who need to obtain hard copy of documents or photographs without the need to pay higher costs or face embarrassment when using other equipment.

Introduction

I am reviewing the Dell XPS L702X 17” multimedia laptop computer which is the first laptop that I have reviewed on this site that is powered by the Intel second-generation “Sandy Bridge” chipset. I have previously talked about the configuration as being something that will change the game for most desktop and laptop computers.

The computer itself

Aesthetics and Build quality

A feature that may position the Dell XPS as an alternative to the one with the glowing Apple logo is the use of aluminium finishing. This is more so with the top of the lid and the bezel around the keyboard area. As well. it is a well-built computer with a sense of quality in the manufacture of the unit.

Side vent grille helps keep the laptop computer running cool

This machine doesn’t get too hot too easily through normal use. It has been brought about through a battery that has a flange that places the computer on a slight angle, a large vent on the left side as well as some venting at the bottom of the unit.

User interface

The Dell XPS uses a large illuminated chiclet keyboard with a regular numeric keypad;. This is very different to other Dell laptops which I have used where there is a keyboard style not dissimilar to the typical desktop keyboard. It is still accurate for most touch-typing tasks. The only limitation that I have against it is the small top row which has the function keys as well as the ESC and “Insert”, “PrtSc” and “Delete” keys.

Dell have still marked out the trackpad as a distinct area; with the buttons kept as separate buttons rather than as zones on the trackpad. This still keeps this laptop a very useable computer without having to adopt a new learning curve.

They have also kept the function keys as their regular intended functions but you can use the Mobility Control Panel to change that option. Above the keyboard, in the indicator area, there are three touch buttons which give you one-touch access to the sound-card settings, the Mobility Control Panel as well as a user-defined option.

Illuminated keyboard

Audio and Video

The audio experience for the Dell XPS L702x is markedly different from the typical laptop computer that I have used. Here, I have noticed that this unit can reproduce music with a deeper bass and richer tone at a level comparable to a good portable radio;  and the dialogue and sound effects in a movie have the “full body” in them even through these speakers. This is a prime example of computer builders having compainies with audio-reproduction and speaker-design knowhow “working” their premium and multimedia laptop-computer designs to break away from the mould of “tinny” sound on this class of computer.

This example has been “worked” by JBL, one of a few companies known for extensive speaker design; as well as the use of MaxxAudio DSP logic for processing the sound. There is the option to have Creative Labs technology in the computer alongside the MaxxAudio technology and is available in this review model.

An improvement could be to move the speakers above the keyboard or on the screen so that the sound doesn’t get muffled by you resting your hands over the palm-rest speaker grilles. Of course I would find that headphones or good-quality external speakers would make this sound better.

The display subsystem is based on an NVIDIA chipset but has 3D playout functionality when connected to a suitable external display like most of the “lounge-room” TVs currently offered by most of the major manufacturers like LG, Samsung and Sony. It doesn’t seem to provide support for dual-mode “overdrive switch” in the review sample; but there are cheaper or better options that have this function but under automatic control using the Optimus feature in the new NVIDIA chipsets.

The video display handled the “Top Gear” online videos as best as the site could allow as well as some YouTube videos that I had played through the system. It as also able to hanbdle the special effects in “Munich” off the DVD very well, especially with a lot os smoothness.

Battery life

I had run this machine through a few mixed-task sessions where I had done some text editing, music playback and video playback with the machine always online through the Wi-Fi network. This was done using the default “Dell” power plan and the battery was able to cope for around two hours.

It was able to run through a DVD movie for 2 hours 33 minutes on regular power mode with the Wi-Fi network still running. This is on the standard battery that came with the system and is a benchmark that I have observed for Sandy-Bridge based laptops.

Conclusion

I would recommend the Dell XPS L702X as a desktop-replacement laptop for someone who wants to head towards the “new computing environment” but want to use a laptop that has the abilities of most current-issue standard desktop computers.

It would work well also as a work-home laptop computer for small-business owner. This is more so if you place value on the multimedia applications such as photo, audio and video editing where you need to use the latest multimedia techniques like Blu-Ray or 3D. In some ways, It could be another of those laptops that could be considered as an alternative to the Apple MacBook Pro laptop.

Links:

Android Market direct link

Click on or scan this barcode from your Android device to install this program.

Introduction

I am reviewing WiFi Analyzer which is an elementary wireless-network site-survey tool for the Android platform. This program is free-to-download but is ad-supported with ads that can be suppressed for a few weeks at a time through a user option. There is also the ability for users to donate via PayPal to keep the program being developed.

Like all other WiFi site-survey tools, this program relies on the “beacon” information sent out by wireless networks at regular information and a low-traffic wireless network may occasionally show up on the program’s radar whereas a regularly-used network will exist on the program’s radar.

Data views

This program has a few different methods of visualising the wireless-network space that your Android device as listed below.

There is a Channel graph which, like inSSIDer, can show the relative strength of each SSID on the Y axis and channel positioning on the X axis. This can be useful for determining whether a wireless network is being swamped out by other networks or determining where to tune the wireless access point’s operating channel to.

Wi-Fi Analyzer Channel Graph

There is also a time graph which shows relative signal strength of access points over a time period. This can be useful for determining what happens when a certain network comes on line for example.

There is also an access-point list which lists each access point that the Android phone can pick up. Here, you are provided with the ESSID, BSSID, channel number and security type (including WPS capability) of each access point and can have this sorted by ESSID, channel,signal strength or security type (“openness”). This list can be grouped by ESSID and security type so you can identify multi-access-point networks. This view may not be accurate if you have multiple wireless routers in an area set to default SSIDs like “linksys” or “dlink” but working on different WEP keys or WPA passphrases.

Wi-Fi Analyzer Network List by ESSID

There is a Channel-rating bar graph which measures channel useability by the number of stars where the more stars that exist, the better the channel is for your network. You can also “set” an access point to this graph so you can compare channels to the one it is tuned to at the moment. Again, this would come in handy for tuning the access point for best operation.

Lastly, there is a Signal strength meter which allows you to measure the signal strength of an access point. This can be useful for locating rogue or interfering access points or simply to determine the coverage of an access point.

Wi-Fi Analyzer signal strength meter

There is the ability for one to connect to a network if the user installs the “WiFi Connector Library” either through the application or by visiting the Android Market. This can allow the user to “lock-on” to a network while monitoring other wireless access points.

It works well as a basic handheld tool for setting up a new wireless router or access point or keeping a small wireless network operating at its best. For businesses who run public wireless hotspots, this program allows them to assess their hotspot’s performance or find rogue access points (fake hotspots / evil-twins).

Usage tests

I had put the program to some usage tests with different wireless networks including my own and a wireless hotspot, This hotspot was a complementary-use service run by a small independently-run cafe whom I have been helping out with concerning its performance and keeping it “business-safe”. Here, I used the signal-strength meter to check that there was proper signal coverage over the public dining room and terrace area of that cafe. I also used the channel-graph view to determine if there are other access points or ad-hoc wireless networks able to be picked up in the cafe. Both of these functions worked well with assessing the hotspot’s coverage and quality-of-service.

As well, I used it in two shopping strips to assess how it and the Samsung Galaxy S Android handset that I was running it on could handle many wireless networks. It is able to identify each SSID and plot it properly on the graph and could cope with me walking into and out of particular access-point coverage ranges.

Limitations and Points of Improvement

For this application, the program could support “whitelisting” of BSSIDs against an ESSID so that one can easily know if the access point that is using your ESSID is really your network. This would work well with managing public networks like wireless hotspots by identifying rogue access points like the aforementioned “fake hotspots”. It can also work well with managing multiple-access-point wireless networks.

A “Pro” version, which would be sold for at an extra cost and wouldn’t have in-app advertising, could provide various extra functions like SSID whitelist management for use in optimising or managing wireless-network activity in particular sites or GPS support for “plotting” network coverage maps or the ability to keep standard log files for use with desktop software.

It is worth noting that this program is restricted to the frequency bands that the smartphone or tablet can cover and this is typically the 2.4GHz platform. At the moment, there aren’t any Android devices that can cover the 5GHz spectrum using their own hardware.

Conclusion

At last this is a program that answers my need for a cost-effective easy-to-use handheld network-survey tool in a popular smartphone platform. It can therefore be a good companion program to the inSSIDer program that I had previously reviewed on this site.

Introduction

I am reviewing the HP OfficeJet Pro 8500a Plus, which is the high-end model in Hewlett-Packard’s business inkjet printers. It is snapping at the heels of the previously reviewed LaserJet Pro CM1415 and its peers as a general-office colour workhorse printer and I will explain further why it is doing so.

Prices

Printer

Recommended Retail Price AUD$449

Optional Extras:

Optional high-capacity paper tray

There is no need to pay any additional fees to use the HP ePrint service.

Inks

The printer itself

Front-loading ink cartridges

This high-end printer has the ink cartridges installed up front in a similar manner to the Brother inkjet printers. It therefore avoids the need for users to lift a heavy lid when they need to install new cartridges in this unit; and there isn’t much effort needed to make sure the cartridges are in place; both of which I also find very important when this printer is used by older users or those with limited dexterity.  As well, this arrange also allows HP to use cartridges that have a page yield similar to that of their LaserJet printers.

Touchscreen control panel

Like the LaserJet CM1415 printer that I previously reviewed, this printer uses a touchscreen as its control panel. This provides for access to the common functions as well as the HP ePrint Apps; and can provide for a more intuitive usage experience. As well, it uses this display to show animations concerning maintenance and repair procedures like ink replacement, paper loading or paper-jam rectification when these procedures needed to be done thus reducing the need to have others train new users in these procedures.

It connects to the network via Ethernet or 802.11n WPA2 WPS Wi-Fi and has automatic wireless override if it is connected to an Ethernet or HomePlug network. A feature that I am pleased about and is becoming very relevant nowadays is that the OfficeJet can now work properly on an IPv6 network as well as a current-generation IPv4 network.

Walk-up functions

This unit has a very capable copy function that would satisfy most business requirements including ID-copy functionality where you can copy both sides of a small document like an ID card on to one side of one sheet of paper; a function I had first come across with the LaserJet CM1415.

But the feature that most impressed me with this printer was the quick duplex-copy function where it could copy both sides of a document on to both sides of a sheet of paper. I ran this printer on a duplex-copy “race” against my regular HP Photosmart Premium Fax C309a and found that this can copy both sides of an A4 page much quicker than the Photosmart could. This is more so due to the printer being pitched at the small office where throughput is considered very important.

This printer works with the HP ePrint cloud-based printing functions and is able to perform as the “network printing appliance of the office”. This functionality was able to work as expected especially with “email-to-print” and the print apps.

Computer functions

The driver installation can be a pain especially if a software desktop firewall takes too long to respond but, after I suspended the McAfee firewall software, it installed very quickly.

After that, it worked as expected for printing via the network. Windows 7 users will benefit from the tightly-integrated “Device Stage” presentation which has the “branded look” but without the excess baggage of the typical device driver / print monitor package.

You can scan to the PC but can also set the printer to scan directly to a folder anywhere on the network, which can be useful if you don’t want to have a computer running a troublesome scan monitor program in order to provide control-panel-started “scan-to-computer” abilities. You still have to use the HP software or the printer’s Web interface to determine the path where you want scanned-document images to end up at and this will work with the standard network file-transfer protocols.

Print Quality

As I have said before, this printer is intended to “snap at the heels” of an economy colour laser multifunction printer. This is demonstrated more so with documents that look just as sharp as those emerging from the HP Colour LaserJet Pro CM1415fnw which is a “general office” colour laser printer that I am measuring this up against. It doesn’t have the “laser shine” that is part of a laser printer’s output and may not be considered “up to snuff” for some business users.

The auto-duplex print mechanism is very accurate with the registration but still requires the blank top and bottom margins for it to work properly. Thankfully these are slightly smaller than on previous auto-duplex HP printers that I have reviewed before.

When this printer prints photos, the images look sharp and very defined but the colours don’t have the saturation that one would expect. It is similar to the picture quality that a laser printer would yield for a photograph; and may be good enough for quick hard-copy requirements. This may be a problem with printers that are “pitched” at business users because manufacturers don’t see don’t see mainstream business users printing out many photographs even though they may take pictures as part of their business life.

Limitations and Points Of Improvements

There are still a few shortcomings with this printer that HP could improve on.

Firstly, the printer could benefit from T.37 email-fax and T.38 real-time-fax endpoint functionality in order to make it relevant with other IP-fax solutions. This could be implemented either as an HP ePrint gateway service or as a local facility that uses “wizard-based” setup. I have raised this in relation to having this machine support a full-functioned fax service because of the impending arrival of packet-based telephony networks in most countries.

As well, I would like to see the implementation of flash memory functionality in a manner similar to the Colour LaserJet Pro’s fax functionality in this printer. Here, it could permit a proper “fax-vault” functionality for handling confidential faxes or permit improved fax archiving. This function could be taken further to provide fail-safe printing and improved fail-safe ePrint functionality.

The printer could Improve on photo-printing quality especially with the saturation. If they don’t feel it is appropriate to create an OfficeJet business inkjet printer with the high-quality photo-printing abilities of a Photosmart printer, HP could market-test and create a “bridge” printer lineup with the high-quality photo output, quick document output and cost-effect consumables.

Conclusion and Placement Notes

This printer is one that can put you in to a quandery whether to buy a printer like the HP Colour LaserJet Pro CM1415fnw laser or this model for use as a colour workhorse printer even though this printer is relatively cheaper to buy and run; and has some more functionality and media flexibility than the LaserJet.

If you simply want a highly-flexible general-purpose “workhorse” printer for that office, professional practice or shop; I would recommend this machine. On the other hand, if you are needing the speed and exact output capabilities of the colour laser printer, head for the Colour LaserJet CM1415fnw as a “general office” printer.