Review: Withings Smart Baby Monitor

Did you know you can use your iPhone or iPad as a baby monitor? Neither did we until we came across the Withings Smart Baby Monitor.

It connects over Wi-Fi, and via the free app, streams video of your little one from anywhere you can get an internet connection – even over 3G.

The app doesn't just stream video though. It tells you all sorts of other things, such as the humidity, temperature and noise levels in the baby's room. And you can get it to issue alerts for all these different readings.

The camera can take a picture, and you can play a lullaby or speak to your child to soothe them back to sleep with the sound of your voice. The 3-megapixel camera also has an essential night-vision mode.

The setup procedure was refreshingly easy and we were soon up and running. The picture quality isn't particularly high, but it was good enough for its intended purpose, and the night vision worked well.

We also really liked the ability to talk through the unit from our iPhone. The app keeps the audio going in the background, so you can keep listening even when you're using your email client or browsing the web.

But the main problem is that if you start playing with more demanding apps on your iOS device you can interrupt the stream coming from the camera, and a restart of the app is required. You could use the Withings unit as a security camera to keep an eye on your home while you're away, but there are cheaper options available if that's all you need.

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Review: Withings Smart Baby Monitor

Did you know you can use your iPhone or iPad as a baby monitor? Neither did we until we came across the Withings Smart Baby Monitor.

It connects over Wi-Fi, and via the free app, streams video of your little one from anywhere you can get an internet connection – even over 3G.

The app doesn't just stream video though. It tells you all sorts of other things, such as the humidity, temperature and noise levels in the baby's room. And you can get it to issue alerts for all these different readings.

The camera can take a picture, and you can play a lullaby or speak to your child to soothe them back to sleep with the sound of your voice. The 3-megapixel camera also has an essential night-vision mode.

The setup procedure was refreshingly easy and we were soon up and running. The picture quality isn't particularly high, but it was good enough for its intended purpose, and the night vision worked well.

We also really liked the ability to talk through the unit from our iPhone. The app keeps the audio going in the background, so you can keep listening even when you're using your email client or browsing the web.

But the main problem is that if you start playing with more demanding apps on your iOS device you can interrupt the stream coming from the camera, and a restart of the app is required. You could use the Withings unit as a security camera to keep an eye on your home while you're away, but there are cheaper options available if that's all you need.

Review: GeChic On-Lap Monitor

You might think that extending a workspace with an additional monitor is a feature only available to desktop-bound Macs, or MacBooks tethered to monitors via an awkward cable. The people at GeChic have tried to dispel these assumptions with a convenient portable monitor called the On-lap monitor.

Installation was easy, with four sturdy suckers being screwed on to the monitor housing, and then suctioned onto the back of our MacBook Air. Four stick-on plastic circles are provided if you have a Mac with a less compliant surface.

The display can be folded out to use in landscape mode next to your main screen or kept rear-facing for presentations. You can also stand it next to your notebook and use it in portrait orientation.

The monitor is powered by an attached USB lead so you don't have to worry about finding a spare plug socket in a wall. A word of warning though – the GeChic On-Lap Monitor only comes with HDMI-to-mini HDMI and VGA-to-mini HDMI cables, so we needed to use an adapter for it to work with our MacBook Air.

With the monitor connected and the MacBook powered up, the monitor was detected right away and our desktop was shown. Setup couldn't have been easier then, which is just as well considering the manual isn't particularly helpful.

When the monitor is tucked away behind the MacBook it doesn't add too much bulk. And while it doesn't quite match the sharpness and clarity of the MacBook Air's screen, it's not too bad.

In our tests the default settings performed badly colour-wise, but they were easily fixed. But if you're working with images and photos and depend on the best possible image quality, we wouldn't recommend the GeChic On-Lap Monitor – certainly not as the main monitor anyway.

On the other hand, if you want an easy way to add more space to the desktop for extra programs and websites to be open at once, this is a handy gadget for a pretty good price.

BenQ EW2420 Monitor Review

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The EW2420 from BenQ is designed for use as a multi-purpose display. While it has the standard DVI and HDMI port you would expect on a current monitor, it also has an additional HDMI port for another video source like a video game system or Blu-ray player, as well as speakers for the audio from these sources.

Of course, if the panel doesn’t perform well then it doesn’t matter how many inputs it has, but the BenQ looks promising with both a VA panel and an LED backlight. The last time we checked out a BenQ LCD, it was an MVA panel that caused us to lament the decline in quality seen over the years. Read on as we determine whether the EW2420 can stand with the better offerings on the market.

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Smart phone cases monitor health, test for bad breath

Given that Japan is one of the most health-conscious nations in the world, it was no surprise that this year's CEATEC had a number of health-monitoring devices on show.

DoComo had by far the most interesting health checker, with the technology built into a number of mobile phone smart cases.

In all there are three cases that have been built, each monitoring a specific aspect of your health.

The first was like a breathalyser, with the unit hooking up to your phone and testing your breath for halitosis and also if there's any alcohol in your system.

Being that this was the third day of a tradeshow, we were convinced we would break the device when we blew on to it.

But the monitor – to our astonishment – told us that our breath had a count of one, which is good. The monitor goes from one to five, with five being that there is something wrong with the odour emitting from your mouth.

The second health-checking mobile phone we tried out monitored how much radiation was in the air.

Given that Japan has recently had a nuclear scare, this is a piece of kit that could be potentially life saving for its user.

The demo we saw showed off how much radiation was coming from some irradiation balls – lucky it wasn't enough to cause us any problems.

The final case was a fitness monitor. Equipped with sensors on the side, the device took a measurement from your fingers, then came back telling you how much muscle mass you had and other things like fat content.

Although the cases were bulky, the idea that you can transform your mobile into a health monitor is an interesting one, and we're betting that more of this technology will be shown off at CES 2012.

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Asus PW191 LCD monitor Indian: Price And Specifications

The ASUS PW191 LCD monitor is a 19" monitor with golden ratio 16:10 widescreen and 90°-rotation capability lets you catch every exciting moment.

Asus PW191 Specifications and features:

1. Panel Type: TFT-LCD (Anti-Reflection Glare Type Panel)

2. Size: 19" widescreen monitor.

3. Resolution: Resolution of Asus PW191 is 1440x900.

4. Pixel Pitch: 0.285mm

5. The display device has 16.2M colours.

6. Asus Pw191 has 3.5mm Mini-jack for Earphone.

7. The device has inbuilt 2W x 2 Stereo (RMS) speakers.

8. Weight of the monitor is 10.8kg.

9. The monitor is available in two colours silver and black.

10. The ASUS PW191 with Pivot® Pro software allows users to rotate the LCD monitor 90degrees when viewing tall images that requires a wider range of visual field vertically. For professionals, handling vertical images or charts is now as easy as turning the panel upright.

11. The monitor has contrast ratio of 600:1

Cost/Price of Asus Pw191 LCD monitor in India: Rs. 22000

To Know more about Asus PW191 LCD Monitor click here!

Asus Designo MS246 LCD Monitor Indian:Price, feature and specifications

Asus, one of the world’s leading computer product manufacturers, has recently released new LCD monitors in India.
The Designo MS series is known for its high aesthetic appeal, and the 23.6-inch MS246 is no slouch in the same. The sleek, geometric design combines straight lines and curves with an ultra-slim 16.5mm profile, saving precious desktop space. Complete with an alluring high gloss piano-black finish, it’s a sight to behold.

What’s more, the monitor’s intuitive settings can be adjusted with a simple touch of its LED sensor buttons. A unique ring stand design features the Asus exclusive Ergo-Fit Technology that allows for easy tilt adjustments with one finger.

The Designo MS246 is just as dazzling on the inside. The device is capable of projecting FullHD (1920x1080 pixels) images at a high contrast ratio of 50,000:1 and a response time of a mere 2 milliseconds.

The HDCP-compliant monitor – which has a viewing angle of 170 degrees – comes with an HDMI port, D-Sub port and a headphone jack. It also comes with Asus Splendid Video technology, which allows for custom content-based display based on five preset modes.

The Designo MS Series’ eco-friendly design is manufactured with 50 per cent less hazardous materials and reduces power consumption by 40 per cent to lower electricity bills and help save the Earth.

Price/Cost in India:Rs.17500