Some cool hardware and software has crossed the desk and vaulted onto the computer this week. Let's check it out.Microsoft always has made the best computer mice on the planet, and its new line is no exception. This time they have it darn near perfect. The Microsoft Intellimouse Optical tosses the rolling ball for good in favor of an optical sensor that scans whatever surface it is on 1,500 times per second.
The result is fluid motion and very responsive control. It has the wheel in the middle to move up and down in the browser or other program. Even more neat, though, they have added side buttons for back and forward on the Web browser, too. (They can be reprogrammed for any command, actually.) It costs between $40 and $50 on the street but worth every penny.
If you have a Sony Playstation (and who doesn't by now?) and some little kids, you'll love Walt Disney World: Magical Racing Quest from Eidos Interactive. Two of my sons, ages 8 and 6, ate this game up. They were racing away in minutes having never cracked the instruction book. In the game, players select from classic Disney characters Jiminy Cricket, Chip and Dale and all-new Disney characters as they race. The game features musical tracks based on such Disney attractions as Pirates of the Caribbean, Haunted Mansion and Space Mountain (and yes, "It's a Small World After All" over and over again). Two players race against one another via a split-screen mode or compete in the Disney Battle Arena.
Speaking of game consoles, if you have a little kid in your house, you're probably sick and tired of Pokemon. More on the way. Pokemon Stadium for the Nintendo 64 is an unqualified hit. The Game Boy version of Pokemon (Blue, Yellow and Red) have been huge sellers. Now Stadium brings the battle to the big screen in color and nearly 3-D. You know the drill; you collect Pokemon and battle them against other trainers. Making this a real cool deal is the ability to insert your Game Boy cartridge into the N64 (via an adapter) and use your own Pokemon in the battles.
Cost is $59 or $149 if you want it bundled with a N64 console and two controllers.
Speaking of kids, Humongous Entertainment has released another hit in its line featuring Pajama Sam. I love this company's products, especially because they make learning so much fun. "Pajama Sam 3: You Are What You Eat From Your Head to Your Feet" is a great addition for any child. They have no idea they are learning the four food groups as they interact with veggies and other inhabitants of MopTop Island. The game is available for less than $20 on the street, so it is easy on the wallet, too.
The leader in fax software remains Winfax Pro and now there's a version 10.0. Is it a must-have upgrade? If you're a home user, probably not. Even Winfax Basic (included in the Bonus Pack inside Norton SystemWorks) is good enough if all you do is send and receive a fax once in a while. But if you are using Winfax for more demanding tasks, including fax forwarding and faxing via a network, then 10.0 has some features worth considering.
Two cool features: Simply drag any document to the "WinFax Drag & Drop Depot" icon on the Windows desktop. The WinFax send screen opens ready for faxing. Simply select a fax number and click send.
Winfax also creates near-laser-print-quality faxes for easy legibility. And they have added a photo-quality print system so faxed photos arrive looking great.
It's pricey at $110, but businesses may find it worth it.
WEEKLY WEB WONDER: They've installed a Web cam inside a family's refrigerator; it snaps a photo every time someone opens the door.
Catch the leftovers at: www.electrolux.com/node230.asp
James Derk is new media editor for the Evansville Courier & Press. His e-mail address is jderk@evansville.net