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HANNspree unveils design-centric Xm-Series LCD monitors
We had a sneaking suspicion that HANNspree would revert back to its relatively flamboyant style soon enough, and just two months after busting out a surprisingly bland array of monitors, the firm is hitting back with a duo of stylish LCDs that take cues from two of America's most recognized cities. The 19-inch HANNS boston and HANNS new york are both part of the design-centric Xm-Series, and each share a WXGA+ resolution, brightness levels of up to 350 cd/m2, a five-millisecond response time, cable management / mounting options, DVI and VGA inputs, 700:1 contrast ratio, built-in two-watt stereo speakers, and an auxiliary audio input as well. As seen above, the Boston-themed flavor sports a wood-grain design scheme, while the industrial New Yorker (pictured after the break) sports a brushed aluminum stand and a dash of "art techno" for good measure. Regardless of your city of choice, both of these devices can be snapped up real soon for $249.99.[Via Electronista]
HANNspree intros six Vista-certified widescreen monitors
While you may know HANNspree best for their fire truck or sheep-themed TVs, it seems that the company is also quite capable of producing some decidedly blander fare, as evidenced by its latest batch of thoroughly run-of-the-mill widescreen monitors. Standing out the most from the lot is the 22-inch HW-223DPB model, which the company claims to be full 1080p but then goes on to list the resolution as 1680 x 1050. That inconsistency aside, the rest of the monitor's specs look to be decent enough, with a 1,000:1 constrast ratio, 300 cd/m2 brightness, 5 ms response time, and a built-in 4 port USB 2.0 hub. As for the rest of the Vista-certified line-up, HANNspree's got two 17-inch models in the form of the HW-173DBB and HW-173DB0 ($160 apiece), as well as three different 19-inchers, including the HG-191RPB, HS-191DPB, and HW-194DJB, which'll set you back between $200 and $230.
I-O Data cranks out 19- / 22-inch HDCP-compliant LCDs
A few months and a new operating system later, it looks like I-O Data is upping the ante on its 17- / 19-inch LCDs in a couple big ways. Both of the firm's newest displays, which come in at 19- and 22-inches, sport a black or silver color scheme, dual 1.5-watt stereo speakers, VGA inputs, HDCP-compliant DVI ports, audio inputs, and of course, the obligatory Vista certification. The smaller of the two boasts a 1,440 x 900 resolution, 300 cd/m2 brightness, 800:1 contrast ratio, five-millisecond response time, and a viewing angle of 170-degrees. The 22-inch variety, however, steps up to a WSXGA+ resolution, but aside from that detail, remains identical in terms of specifications to its smaller sibling. Both monitors are scheduled to hit the Japanese market in late March, and while the LCD-AD192XW/B will run you ¥39,800 ($330), the model your eyes truly desire (read: the larger LCD-AD221XW/B) will demand an extra ¥10,000 ($83).[Via Impress]Read - I-O Data's LCD-AD192XW/BRead - I-O Data's LCD-AD221XW/B
Sigma APO's 'Zoffy' mouse declares its love for Vista
Man, what a racket they've got going over there at Microsoft. Not only does the company get to unilaterally decide exactly when we all "need" a new operating system, it gets to siphon money off of hardware manufacturers for the privilege of advertising their products as "Vista-certified." Now we can see why said certification might be useful for entire systems or even select components such as video cards, but how is our computing experience going to be any different if we use a mouse adorned with this supposedly-coveted seal of approval? Nevertheless, Sigma APO of Japan has decided to shell out some cash to Redmond to get the ol' "Made for Vista" badge slapped on its oddly-titled "Zoffy" laser mouse, but predictably, there's no indication as to how this model differs from the Logitech you're clutching at the moment (except for its bargain basement price). On the specs front, you're getting a 1,600dpi laser (adjustable to 800dpi), four-way scroll wheel, rubberized grip, and not much else. Still, if you can deal with the dearth of buttons and absolutely gotta have "Vista-certified" bragging rights for all your gear, Zoffy will be available at the end of the month for about $27.
