OFFICE EQUIPMENT SIZED
TO SUIT A SMALL SPACE
Brother MFS-J4510DW, $200, www.brother-usa.com
Realistically, most people have to take work home with them now and then. That means having at least a minimal amount of business equipment in the home. But you don't want your job taking over your life, nor do you want your business machines taking over your house.
That may make the new Brother Business Smart series printer, the MFC-J4510DW, a welcome addition. It claims to be the world's shallowest all-in-one printer, copier and fax, at 7.3 inches tall, 11.4 inches deep and 18.9 inches wide, weighing 20.5 pounds.
Brother has packed a lot into the machine by redesigning the workings of the typical printer and streamlining the ink cartridges. The cartridges are compact, but Brother said you can print 600 pages before one runs out.
The machine's inkjet nozzle is also double the typical size, for faster printing at a resolution of 6,000-by-1,200 dots per inch.
The unit is priced at $200, but the real cost is ink. Cartridges can be found online at $42 for a package of the three colored inks and $30 for black ink. There are also high-yield cartridges for more copies at a higher price.
TAKING THE IPHONE
ONTO THE BATTLEFIELD
Hasbro Lazer Tag battle system,
As it seeks more ways to build digital features into its physical products, Hasbro has updated its Lazer Tag battle system to include so-called augmented reality via the iPhone.
The new Lazer Tag works with an app (free from Apple's App Store) that turns the iPhone into a view screen when it is secured in the rugged blaster. The screen locks on targets, warns when an enemy is near and shields the player from attack.
Before heading into battle, players can train with the app's single-player mode, which lets them practice on flying drones called cephalids. In each round, the cephalids become more numerous and smarter, testing your skills. With each victory, players accumulate points that can be used to unlock weapons or increase shields.
