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Epson dubs space-saving printer the Small-in-One

Back-to-school shoppers looking for a space-saving printer to fit in a dorm room may find a match in Epson's newest desktop printer, the Stylus NX430. The company is so proud of its ultracompact chassis that it's inventing a new category for it, along the same lines as the Ultrabook, except the printer version is being touted as the Small-in-One. Get it?

Despite its small stature, the NX430 competes with larger models with an ample 2.5-inch touch panel and a vibrant screen for light-duty photo editing directly on the machine, superquiet operation, and the mobile benefits of Epson Connect, another proprietary way to print from the cloud by sending jobs to a unique e-mail address assigned to each printer.… Read more

The Audiophiliac's Top 10 speakers from $40 to $400

Update, September 10, 2012: This Top 10 list was originally published on August 31, 2011.

I cover a lot of high-end, audiophile-oriented gear in this blog, but I also love finding great-sounding affordable products. Match any of the stereo speakers on this list with any amp from my post on "Top 10 great-sounding amplifiers from $40 to $450," and you'll get amazing sound value. Unless noted otherwise, the prices listed are for pairs of speakers.

Dayton B652 ($40) The price is no typo; the Dayton Audio B652 is a midsize, black vinyl-covered monitor speaker, 11.7 inches high, 7.1 inches wide, and 6.5 inches deep. Fit and finish are decent, but the rear panel's spring-clip wire connectors won't provide a tight grip on the wires, so they may fall out when you move the speakers.

I've seen clips on $100 speakers, so I can't really complain about spring clips on $40 speakers. Bass definition is fine, but deep bass is lacking. The B652's bass is reasonably flat to 70Hz, so you may not need to add a sub. The speaker earned its reputation by delivering surprisingly accurate tonal balance, exceptional detail, and transparency. The B652 speakers are available for $40 a pair from Parts Express.… Read more

Desktop audio never sounded this good before

Desktop audio has never been important to me. I already have a high-end hi-fi in my apartment, so while I occasionally play music on my Audioengine P4 speakers that live on my desktop, I'm not really listening. The music is just there in the background. When I want to listen, I turn on my hi-fi.

That's me, but for some 21st-century audiophiles, the computer is the primary music source at home. That's why Magnepan has designed the all-new Mini-Maggie system. I was the very first reviewer to audition it, and to say I was impressed would be … Read more

Verizon 4G LTE now reaches more than half the U.S.

Launching in 15 new cities and expanding in 10 other cities today, Verizon Wireless' 4G LTE network will now reach 160 million Americans, more than half the nation's total, the company said. In just under eight months, the 4G rollout has ramped up to provide coverage to 117 cities.

The cities getting 4G today include Tucson, Ariz.; Fayetteville/Springdale/Rogers, Ark.; Bakersfield and Salinas/Monterey/Seaside, Calif.; Fort Collins, Colo.; Frederick, Md.; Worcester, Mass.; Omaha/Council Bluffs, Neb.; Albany, Ithaca, and Syracuse, N.Y.; Altoona and Johnstown, Pa.; Memphis, Tenn.; and Provo, Utah.

Verizon is also expanding its LTE … Read more

Dell Vostro V131 review: Slim, affordable, hidden gem of a small-business laptop

Most companies strive to create distinctions between their small-business and consumer laptop lines, sometimes to the point of creating whole new designs that aren't available otherwise. Usually, they're nothing to write home about, but every once in a while one emerges that merits attention from even "regular" consumers.

The Dell Vostro V series has been that way for us for well over a year now. The last model we reviewed, the slim Vostro V130, looked like it might be the perfect slim 13-inch laptop, hiding in the form of a small business computer...except that it … Read more

Hands on with the Dell Vostro V131: A tiny business laptop you just might want to buy

Business laptops are a different breed. Most consumers never see the average business laptop in any store, and business laptops are often created with completely different designs than consumer lines. We don't understand why, especially since companies like Apple don't bother with distinctions, but sometimes a business laptop comes along that's sleek and good enough that most people would want to buy it.

The Dell Vostro V series has been that way for us for well over a year now. These slim ultraportables resemble distant cousins of the Adamo, but start at a fraction of the price. The only catch: the last model we reviewed, the slim Vostro V130, had a battery life that was far too short, and a low-voltage processor that wasn't fast, either.

The new Dell Vostro V131 picks up where the V130 left off, with a nearly identical design, clad in smooth metal and a choice of Silver or a race-car-like Lucerne Red for an extra $30. The V130 weighs 3.6 pounds and has a 13.3-inch screen. It still feels as sturdy and comfortable as the last time we used one. While the touch pad's on the small side, the island-style keyboard is very well-built, and there's plenty of hand and palm room.

But, there's a big difference under the hood: the new Vostros feature full-voltage second-generation Intel processors, matching what's available in most mainstream laptops.… Read more

HP or Apple for small business?

Hewlett-Packard is focusing more on small business these days. But Apple is too. Here's a brief overview of what the two U.S. computer giants offer for businesses that may have dozens rather than thousands of employees.

Needless to say, the choice begins with the eternal quandary, PC or Mac? But putting this bigger religious question aside for a second, it is necessary to recognize one seismic shift that has occurred (and is occurring). Apple is bigger, more cash-rich than ever and its stores--which support small business--are everywhere. With that in mind, let's consider what HP is trying to accomplish in the small-business market. And then look at Apple's increasing focus on this segment.

Hewlett-Packard is America's premier supplier of computers to midsize and big business. That didn't happen overnight of course. It happened by getting expertise via acquisitions of Compaq and Electronic Data Systems (EDS), among other companies, and by handling IT for giant accounts like Procter & Gamble.

And now HP is trying to bring some of that big account goodness to small business, according to Curtis Hutcheson, U.S. Commercial Country manager, HP Personal Systems Group. For example, HP's Elite series of products--to date targeted primarily at large corporate customers--are now being pitched aggressively to small business, which Hutcheson describes as an unmanaged IT environment with less than 500 seats. … Read more

Vertical axis wind turbines trump others on land use

Typically, cost is the driving concern when choosing one renewable energy technology over another. But a pair of studies that consider land use give the edge to niche forms of solar and wind power generation.

Caltech researcher John Dabiri, a professor of aeronautics and bioengineering, this week presented results of a test that found that vertical-axis wind turbines have the potential to generate more power per square meter than the propeller-like, three-blade wind turbines. The key is that vertical-axis turbines can be placed close together without creating the type of wind disturbances that would sap performance of traditional turbines.

Dabiri … Read more

Three awesome-sounding under-$500 home theater speaker systems

How much room-shaking home theater power can you expect five minispeakers and a pipsqueak subwoofer to deliver? Technological advances have certainly changed my thinking on this matter, but my listening tests proved speaker size still matters when I compared the Boston Acoustics SoundWare XS 5.1, Energy Take Classic 5.1, and Pioneer SP-PK21BS subwoofer-satellite packages.

The Boston SoundWare XS cube satellites are incredibly tiny, just 4.43 inches wide, 4.25 inches high, and 4.43 deep. Each one weighs just 1 pound. The speaker's rear is faceted, so instead of being a six-sided cube, the SoundWare XS … Read more