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__ Best __ - Great stuff - tested and approved in our top-secret labs.
SPEECH-RECOGNITION SOFTWARE
__ First Class: __
__ NaturallySpeaking Professional 3.0 __
Time is money, especially for fast-talking keyboard-challenged execs. A half hour is all you need to train this premier package to your voice, and the resulting accuracy is better than 90 percent. An included text-to-speech feature reads documents back to you until the work is perfect.
__ NaturallySpeaking Professional 3.0: $695. Dragon Systems: +1 (617) 965 5200, www.dragonsys.com/. __
__ Business Class: __
__ ViaVoice 98 Executive __
With minimal voice training, ViaVoice 98 Executive recognizes most of your dictated words. And unlike similar packages, there's no schlepping between voice modes such as Dictating and Editing. Macros and boilerplate phrases further speed things up, and if you're stumped for a command, simply ask, "What can I say?"
__ ViaVoice 98 Executive: $149. IBM: (800) 825 5263, www.ibm.com/viavoice/. __
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__ FreeSpeech 98 __
You won't find many extravagances with FreeSpeech 98 (not even a microphone), but the software offers one power feature: synchronized playback of your dictation while proofreading. FreeSpeech highlights each word as it reads it back to you. While the program's accuracy comes more slowly than that of more expensive packages, the flubs themselves provide plenty of entertainment value.
__ FreeSpeech 98: $39. Philips: www.freespeech98.com/. __
WATER PACKS
__ First Class: __
__ Grandido __
While "hydration systems" are beginning to make the classic water bottle all but obsolete, lugging the weight on your back can be a serious pain. Grandido liberates your shoulders with a lumbar-friendly design, letting your hips carry the aqueous load. Cavernous side pockets and room for 64 thirst-quenching ounces make Grandido's name especially well deserved. ¡Qué refrescante!
__ Grandido: $129.95. CamelBak: (800) 767 8725, www.camelbak.com/. __
__ Business Class: __
__ Xodus __
Don't be put off by the funky graphics on Ultimate Directions's Xodus. Hugging your upper torso with breathable mesh, this 80-ounce vestlike water pack is unparalleled in weight distribution and stability. The high-cut front is perfect for biking, rowing, or anything that requires midriff mobility. Three easy-access front pockets can tote a Clif Bar, car keys, or (if you must) a cell phone.
__ Xodus: $85. Ultimate Directions: (800) 426 7229, www.ultdir.com/. __
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__ Bonzai __
Bicyclists on a budget needn't worry about being stuck with a double-barreled beer-can baseball cap. Blackburn's Bonzai has an insulated 70-ounce reservoir, and its ergonomic shoulder straps lessen the burden on your back. But the Bonzai's real edge is its Gulp Valve - huge splashes of water rush forth when your tongue activates the spring release.
__ Bonzai: $39.99. Blackburn: (800) 456 2355, www.blackburndesign.com/. __
COLOR PRINTERS
__ First Class: __
__ Lambda 130 __
The Durst Lambda 130, whose output can be seen on billboard-size banners hanging from buildings, is a 2-ton Teutonic beast riding on cushions of air and running Alpha-powered Unix. This überprinter's high-speed robotic arm changes the paper, and the quality of the paper is so high you can't even see individual pixels: Its color lasers paint seamless images directly onto photo paper - in sizes up to 50 inches by 164 feet per roll.
__ Lambda 130: $299,000. Durst Phototechnik: +39 (0472) 830620, www.durst-online.com/. __
__ Business Class: __
__ Stylus Photo EX __
Graphic artists gravitate to the Epson Stylus Photo EX, mostly for its surprising six-ink (rather than the standard four) color quality and sharp output up to 11 by 17 inches. While aspiring publishers may still take high-volume runs to Kinko's, the Epson's ability to print on transparencies and thicker paper stocks makes it perfect for home-office freelancers, whose reputations depend on quality presentations.
__ Stylus Photo EX: $499. Epson: (800) 463 7766, www.epson.com/printer/. __
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__ BJC-7004 Photo __
Consumer ink-jet printers have the same business model as razors: The initial hardware is cheap, but the cost of replacing cartridges adds up quickly. Even though refills for Canon's seven-color printer cost $50 a pop, its photo-quality pictures are worth the price. The machine uses water-resistant inks, eliminating feathering or bleeding, and will print to the edges of its 8.5- by 11-inch output size.
__ BJC-7004 Photo: $299.95. Canon: (800) 652 2666, www.ccsi.canon.com/. __
