Tech Watch

NEC Turns Heads With New Display

NEC Display Solutions of America is turning heads with its latest MultiSync 5-Series LCD widescreen display. The vendor's new LCD195WXM includes a swivel base that allows users to easily rotate the display to share the screen. It also has a thin bezel to support multiple monitor configurations--a trend that's catching on as display costs come down. The display also includes a height-adjustable stand with a 50-millimeter range to ease viewing comfort and has added improvements to performance and resolution. The model has a 700-to-1 contrast ratio, 1,440-by-900 native resolution, a 5-millisecond response time and a viewing angle of 85 degrees. It's also Windows Vista-certified. Sales of wide-format LCD desktop monitors are predicted to skyrocket to 147 million units by 2011, up from 9.1 million units in 2006, market research firm iSuppli predicts. Among the factors driving sales are pricing and the Microsoft Vista operating system, which has user interface features that take advantage of the wide-format screen.

NEC Display Solutions Of America MultiSync LCD195WXM, www.necdisplay.com, Price: $209.99

A Thermal Printer Fit For SMBs

IBM this month rolled out a new thermal printer designed for small-to-midsize businesses, or for enterprises with lower print volumes. The Infoprint 6700 M40 has RFID capabilities and is designed for label applications, including supply-chain operations and asset management. When the printer is used in conjunction with IBM's Print Management Utility, IT managers can remotely check the printer's status, troubleshoot and change configuration settings. Connectivity options include serial, parallel, USB 2.0, Ethernet and wireless Ethernet. Earlier this year, Ricoh announced that it would acquire IBM's printing business. Once the deal closes, Ricoh will own 51 percent of the printing business and gradually acquire the remaining portion within three years from the close date.

IBM Infoprint 6700 M40, www.ibm.com, Price: $1,750

Toshiba Welcomes New Tecra To The Family

Toshiba has launched a new addition to its Tecra line of notebooks. The new Tecra M9, which will replace both the Tecra A6 and M5 models, weighs 5.4 lbs and has a 14.1-inch diagonal widescreen LCD display. Among the main features packed into the notebook is the new Intel Centrino Pro processor technology, which allows for the management of notebooks over Wi-Fi. The M9 also includes Toshiba's EasyGuard technology to protect against those occasional coffee spills, as well as enhanced shock-absorbing features to help protect the notebook from falls of up to one meter.

Toshiba Tecra M9 Notebook, www.toshibadirect.com, Price: Not determined as of press time