Stories about: Minolta

Konica Minolta’s latest colour laser multifunction unit is the bizhub c200, a stripped-down and cheaper version of the c203. The c200 is aimed at those offices that need basic networked colour printing without the cost associated with more fully featured multifunctions. Unfortunately, in removing the frills that come with most workgroup multifunctions, the c200 ends up little more than an oversized desktop multifunction with A3 capability. Put simply, there are better desktop machines out there with most of the same capabilities.

Walk the halls of the Ceatec electronics show here in Japan and you're likely to see all manner of gadgets and gizmos but few sights might startle you more than Ichiro Kasai.

The Magicolor 8650 is an A3 colour laser printer with exceptionally high-grade output that would make an ideal proof printer for many design studios.

With its 7.1-megapixel CCD sensor, professional Konica Minolta lens and advanced photography settings, the GZ-MG730 is the top dog of JVC's standard-definition camcorder range. Sporting all the usual Everio features, including an inbuilt hard drive and MicroSD slot for hybrid recording, this latest model will hold plenty of appeal for the average user. With that being said, some might be put off by its relatively small 30GB hard drive and 10x optical zoom - especially when compared to the 60GB GZ-MG465, which comes equipped with a 32x optical zoom and has a cheaper price tag. The GZ-MG730 is best suited to people who consider image quality to be their top priority but would prefer to avoid the cost and compression issues associated with high-def. If you happen to fall into this (admittedly niche) demographic, the GZ-MG730 will not disappoint.

At $1699, the Magicolor 4650DN could be considered a steal. It's a colour laser printer with a good print resolution, which puts to use some nifty technology to ensure that its colour output is vibrant. It's aimed primarily at office environments that require good-looking colour prints, and lots of them, and it's fast enough for use in a demanding workgroup.

The HP L1906 adds yet another option to the 19in LCD monitor category

Traditionally the SLR space has been relatively small. Many companies haven't been willing to play in a market dominated by Canon and Nikon, but more recently Sony has jumped into the fray. The Alpha A700 is the company's second model and takes its spot at the top of their range, ahead of the Alpha A100.

New point-and-shoot digital cameras boast resolutions as high as 12 megapixels, but because even entry-level models capture plenty of pixels, resolution just doesn't matter as much as it used to. So this year, features to look for include big LCDs (3-inch displays are pretty common, and make taking and playing back shots easier); face detection, wherein the camera can recognize people and adjust exposure accordingly; image stabilization, which can help reduce blurriness (somewhat); and the ability to pre-format pictures for uploading to photo-sharing sites or photo blogs. Many pocket-size point-and-shoot models are available in snazzy colors--red, black, pink, blue, and purple, so you don't have to settle for a boring old silver one. Want something more serious and sophisticated? Low-end digital SLR prices seem to have stabilized, but you can find good deals on them. Of course, they take up lots of room in a backpack.

We've got a Green Xmas Gift Guide that will not only be great on the hip pocket but also on Mother Nature with the best green gear on the market. With these best great tech gift ideas this Christmas it will ease your conscience, and those you love by going green. Plus 75 free ways to refresh Windows XP & Vista which, once done, will feel like you've just got a whole new PC for free! PC World has also done the first tests on Vista SP1 beta and exclusive tests on other upcoming products so check it out and don't miss this month's issue.

The MagiColor 5440DL holds plenty of paper and prints good text, but it came up short on speed and image printing.

The Konica Minolta MagiColor 2500W is essentially the same as the [[prodid:343]] model we originally reviewed in March 2005 except that the price has plunged to $499--the lowest we've seen yet for a colour laser printer. The only major difference is that you can now add an external network adapter for $190, which brings the total cost up to the price of low-end colour lasers with built-in networking.