If your work involves lots of travel, you may find yourself needing a mobile printer. In the past, the smaller size and weight always involved a trade-off on quality. You would either need to carry something bulky or be content with low-quality prints. However, innovative printing technology continues to move forward, and the Canon Pixma iP100 is a great example.

The iP100 replaces Canon’s iP90v that was nearly the same weight and size. (The new model is actually a tiny bit bigger and heavier than the iP90v.) All together the iP100 is about a quarter the size and weight of the Canon PIXMA MX340, which is your typical All-in-One printer in terms of specs. Without the optional battery or Bluetooth adaptor, the iP100 weighs 4.3 lbs. It is 2.4 inches tall, 7.2 inches deep, and 12.7 inches wide, making it small enough to fit easily into a laptop bag, though you will certainly feel the bulk. It is meaningfully smaller than its closest competitor, the HP Officejet 100 (3.3 inches tall, 6.9 inches deep and 13.7 inches wide with a weight of 5.1 lbs.). The iP100 folds down into a conveniently shielded shape with a nice, matte-silver finish, making it almost feel like something you want to carry with you. Of course, the printer has a built-in battery for printing on the go.

Product Photos:

Specifications:

• Printer Type: Photo Printer
• Print Speed (Up to): 4″ x 6″ borderless photo: approx. 50 seconds, Black:ESAT Approx: 9.0 ipm2, Color:ESAT Approx: 5.9 ipm2
• Number of Nozzles: Black: 320, Color: 1,536, Total: 1,856
• Print Resolution (Up to): Black:600 x 600 dpi1, Color:9600 x 2400 dpi1
• OS Compatibility: Windows®7, Windows Vista™, Windows XP/2000 and Mac OS® X v.10.3.9 to 10.5.x7
• Standard Interfaces: PictBridge (Cable not included)5, USB 2.0 Hi-Speed, IrDA, Bluetooth® v2.0 + EDR4(optional)
• Paper Sizes: Credit Card (2.13″ x 3.39″), 4″ x 6,” 4″ x 8,” 5″ x 7,” 8″ x 10,” Letter, Legal, U.S. #10 Envelopes, Photo Stickers
• Noise Level Approx: 38.5 dB(A) in the best quality mode
• Physical Dimensions: 12.7″(W) x 2.4″(H) x 7.2″(D)
• Weight: 4.4 lbs.
• Power Consumption: 9W (1.5W Standby)
• Software Included: CD-ROM including Printer Driver, Setup Software and User’s Guide, Easy-PhotoPrint EX

Where the iP100 performs impressively is with printing quality. The iP100 doubles resolution from the iP90v that came before it, though its HP competitor has slightly better print quality than the Canon. Still, the quality on both printers is excellent and equivalent or better than typical prints from a drugstore.

The Canon is also significantly faster than its competition, boasting more than 7 pages per minute on printed text and a full color 4×6 in only 55 seconds at photo lab quality. (These speeds are even better than some full-sized printers available on the market).

The sheet feeder on the iP100 holds 50 pages, and you can expect to print about 249 pages for each ink cartridge. The printer uses Canon’s ChromoLife cartridges which sell for $17. At this rate, printing multiple pages with the iP100 isn’t the most economical option, but Canon has included some software options to help with this problem. The printer driver allows you to choose between composite mode (generating black with all of the colors) and “save black ink” minimizes the black in text and grayscale graphics. Still, you shouldn’t ever expect mobile printers and ink jets to have the long-term life of laser toners.

There are several disadvantages for the Pixma iP100. First, since the key selling point is mobility, Canon should have at least offered a carrying case for the printer. This would significantly increase its usability for most people, with very little technical innovation or additional expense. The Canon also lacks Wifi connectivity or a media card reader. You can print with Bluetooth, using the optional adaptor that plugs into the printer’s USB port ($50). Of course, IrDA IR (infared) and wired printing are built in. You can also buy an external battery that will add another 290 pages of printing ($100). The optional car charger is also sold separately ($90).

Put all of these things together and you come to the biggest liability of the printer – price. At $250, the Canon Pixma iP100 is not worth the cost unless you are really serious about working on the go. Add in the optional accessories and your cost can go up very quickly. On the other hand, competing models are about the same price, though with less value. If you really do need top quality on the road, the Canon Pixma iP100 is certainly the one you’ll want at your side.

For those of you who work on your mobile office or are always on the go, what is your mobile printer of choice or what other printing solutions do you use? Please share your thoughts via the comments section below.

The wearable computing project involves augmented-reality glasses that features a cellphone, a camera, a microphone, Internet access to send/receive data in real-time and integrates with Google’s services like Google+, Google Maps, Google Latitude, etc. The interface is very simple and only displays relevant information.

Photos:

Below is a video entitled “One Day” that demonstrates how Project Glass works.

Several Google employees including co-founder Sergey Brin have already been spotted using these augmented-reality glasses. As of now, there isn’t much information about the project and the device itself except for the stuff that we’ve seen on the YouTube video (Android OS, GPS, camera, accelerometer, camera and audio input/outputs) so it would be interesting to monitor the project developments in the coming days.

I’m not sure if there are other companies who are working on the same kind of stuff but with Google’s Project Glass, we can see a glimpse of what we will be using/doing in the near future. This type of wearable computing technology is a practical idea because not only does it provide users more mobility and flexibility but it also integrates several different technologies and gadgets into one. You can use it make phone calls, look up stuff on the Internet and take a picture without having to take out your smartphone or camera.

What do you think of Google’s Project Glass? Would you like to have this kind of technology now? What other ways would a device/technology like this be of use to you or our society? Please share your thoughts.

If you have spent any amount of time with the rest of society, you most likely have witnessed numerous people with their faces and fingers focused intensely on their cell phones. Texting and instant messaging has hooked more fans than any other social networking tool. Texting is a cultural phenomenon, and its omnipresence is easy to explain.

What Group Sends the Most Texts?

Anyone who has ever owned a BlackBerry has probably used some form of instant messaging. Texting through a smartphone is the quickest and easiest way to cyber mingle. Even those clinging to their old flip phones have most likely sent a text greeting or two. Text messages can be transmitted from computers and notebooks as well.

While teenagers seem to be the biggest text groupies, older and younger generations have joined the thralls. Professionals use instant messaging to manage their affairs, while young children check in with parents via texts. Short message services are prevalent in nearly every social situation, and they continue to be the core revenue for telecommunication companies.

Why is Texting so Captivating?

If you have ever sent a text message, you may be guilty of walking into a wall or missing out on vital bits of information in a social situation. Texting is an enthralling stimulant that promises instant gratification. Whether or not the receiver of the text responds immediately, the sender can share his or her thoughts on the spot. Not even self-glorifying networks like Facebook or Twitter can provide such instantaneous satisfaction.

One of the greatest joys of texting is that it essentially gives people power. Men, women and children of all ages can communicate when and where they wish. The messages do not require instant attention, which makes texting a noninvasive form of interaction. Texting is appropriate in most situations as well. Messages can be quickly scanned and answered at a later time.

What are the Secret Benefits of Texting?

The advantages to sending texts are some of the best kept secrets in the world of communication. For the younger generation, texting involves the use of a covert code. The shortened language often leaves parents struggling to decipher the simplest phrases. Today’s youth craves privacy, and sending a text that reads like bomb diffusing instructions is one way to achieve it.

For older text enthusiasts, the benefits are even more enigmatic. Text messaging is an accepted form of entertainment for even the most unsocial person. It’s a way for the withdrawn, shy types to feel part of the world around them. Sharing an intimate or confidential text message also allows an individual to communicate in ways he or she normally couldn’t.

Sending instant or text messages has become a fundamental part of how people manage their lives. It is a concise and quick way of relaying valuable information, but it is also self-gratifying communication. Many businesses and personal relationships thrive on the ubiquitous thumb-speak fad, and the fixation on instant socializing seems to intensify every day.

[image source: Flickr]

The Metro Manila Traffic Navigator, the Philippine’s first digitized traffic information system was officially launched last Monday, August 1st. Since I’m not in the Philippines, I wasn’t able to attend the media event but someone from the TV5 Corporate PR sent me a few press materials which I’m sharing with you today.

A joint project of the MMDA (Metro Manila Development Authority) and News5, the Metro Manila Traffic Navigator is an online system that provides users a live and up-to-date traffic status of different routes in the Metro Manila area. Having lived and commuted in Metro Manila for many years, I know how frustrating and time consuming it can be. With this information, motorists and commuters will be able to save time and avoid the hassle by avoiding these traffic jams.

Metro Manila Traffic Navigator Launch Video

Screenshots:
System View

Line View

Google Maps View

The Metro Manila Traffic Navigator system is user-friendly so it’s easy to use and understand. It offers different viewing options and filters, enabling the user to find specific traffic routes and its status. For now, the Metro Manila Traffic Navigator only provides traffic status for these major roads – EDSA, C5, Quezon Avenue, Espana, Roxas Boulevard and South Luzon Expressway (SLEx) but will include more roads/routes in the near future. Since its public beta launch last June 29th, an average of at least 6,000 drivers and commuters have been using the Metro Manila Traffic Navigator daily.

The Metro Manila Traffic Navigator can be accessed via the Internet through its official website – http://mmdatraffic.interaksyon.com/. It is optimized for viewing on any computer or mobile device. Users can share traffic status updates with friends via Twitter or Facebook.

Users can also choose to receive live traffic updates from MMDA via Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/MMDAPH) and Twitter (http://twitter.com/#!/MMDA).

Personally, I’m very happy about the launch of the Metro Manila Traffic Navigator. It shows that the country and the Philippine government is embracing technology and social media and putting it into good use. I hope to see more Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects like this that will benefit the Filipino people.

Anyone tried using the Metro Manila Traffic Navigator? How do you like it? Is it effective and useful? Has it helped you save time and avoid traffic? What other features and options would you like to see added to the Metro Manila Traffic Navigator? Please share your thoughts.

For me the most interesting computer language to learn is PHP but unfortunately, we only had a short period of time to learn it. Anyways, talking about computer languages or programming languages, let us go back down memory lane with an infographic created by the folks of Rackspace about the Evolution of Computer Languages. There are hundreds of computer languages or programming languages but this infographic features the ones that are the most popular and widely.

From the Rackspace blog:

All the cloud applications you use on the Internet today are written in a specific computer language. What you see as a nice icon on the front end looks like a bunch of code on the back end. It’s interesting to see where computer languages started and how they have evolved over time. There are now a series of computer languages to choose from and billions lines of code. Check out the infographic below to see the computer language timeline and read some fun facts about code along the way.

Evolution of Computer Languages Infographic

Any of you here who are Computer Science majors, self-taught computer programmers or like me, just took a few computer language/programming language classes? Which computer language or programming language do you like or hate the most? Please share your thoughts.

[via Rackspace Blog]