The look of a product is becoming ever more important to consumers. Obviously consumers are first and foremost interested in products that actually work, but the importance of aesthetics should not be underestimated. Big square external hard drives, gray dull routers - just a few of the products that people avoid if they can get a better looking equivalent. And they are willing to pay for the extra decoration according to market research.

Just like furniture, gadgets now need to complement the interior. Look at the exterior differences of televisions over the years for example - you can clearly see how important design has become. Even Cisco (well known for its networking equipment) feels the pressure to design more aesthetically pleasing hardware. Take a look at their Linksys Ultra Range router. Buyers associate poor design with poor performance. Bad design is no longer tolerated.

Fed up with ugly routers and clunky hard drives, a growing number of consumers are looking for well-designed gadgets that complement decor instead of cluttering desktops and clashing with furniture.

Many credit Apple’s (Nasdaq: AAPL) Latest News about Apple iPhone, with its strikingly simple forms, for raising the bar on expectations for good design in consumer electronics.

And while art and design professionals say that gadgets like mobile phones and personal computers are becoming increasingly well-designed, they also say many electronic products still need to work on their appearance.

Full article here.

Powerful enough for media applications, yet small enough to carry around. Computer manufacturers keep developing smaller gadgets for our never ending computer needs. The Samsung Q1 Ultra is a good example. Although the performance of the Q1 Ultra cannot be compared to today’s laptops, it is a very useful tool to carry with you. It allows you to surf the internet, play movies, listen to music and much more. Its functionality is perfect for the busy business(wo)man who feels like carrying his/her laptop around is too much hassle.

Samsung opted for a rather unusual keyboard setup. Instead of the usual slide-out design, the Q1 Ultra has a split QWERTY keyboard, with each side of the unit housing 1 half of the keyboard.

Click here for more details on the Q1 Ultra.

High definition televisions are still selling well, and the prices are becoming more interesting for people still stuck with old fashioned analog TV sets to switch. HDTVs coming straight out of the factory are not optimized properly. You can get A LOT more out of your high definition TV if you calibrate it correctly. There are several cheap ways to get the most out of your TV. PC World looks at all the options and walks you through the process. Some of the differences we’ve seen after optimization were very impressive. If your HDTV cost you 1000 bucks, and you have to spent another 20 bucks to get the best picture quality - then surely it’s worth the money? It can greatly increase your viewing pleasure.

If you have a few hundred dollars to spare, you can hire a professional to do the job for you. But after you’ve spent a load of dough on the set itself, the prospect of spending more for calibration may not be appealing. Armed with a few facts, the right software, and a little time, you can handle the task yourself for just a few bucks.
What Every TV Owner Needs to Know

Sure, everyone knows how to plug in a TV and tap their way around a remote. But if you’re looking for a great home-entertainment experience, here a few important things to keep in mind.

PC World has the full article.

Overview of the Samsung SyncMaster 2253BW 22″.

I have been using Samsung monitors for the last 5 years, and am happy so far with what comes out of their factories. The LCD screen on my desk is a Samsung SyncMaster 226BW 22″ LCD Monitor, which is one step up from the 2253BW (in terms of date of release) that this post is about. Although price differences between the two varies from 50 bucks to virtually nothing, it is worth taking a look at the Samsung SyncMaster 2253BW 22″ LCD Monitor. Both screens offer a resolution of up to 1680 x 1050, which should be enough for most users. The horizontal viewing angle of the 226BW is 10 degrees larger compared to the 2253BW. Both offer a brightness of 300 cd/m?, 16.7 million colours, DVI, both weigh about the same. For some reason the 2253BW actually offers a better contrast ratio, 1:8000 with dynamic contrast. To be honest, I don’t really like the dynamic contrast - at least on televisions it’s clear when it’s enabled while moving from light scenes to dark scenes.

One thing that affects most LCD screens out there is backlight bleeding. You won’t notice it unless the screen is almost completely black, however it’s time engineers find a way to come up with a solution. Both screens are highly recommended, and the popularity of these monitors should speak for itself; these are good products. So do you have space on your desk?

Click here for technical specifications.