More Technology

The new Planon Xtreme X-Series Scanning Pen (www.planon.com $369.99) has been redesigned so that it can now scan a full page at a higher resolution (1200dpi), twice as fast as its predecessors. The new scanning pen also boasts new rugged construction and Bluetooth connectivity for quick wireless transfer to laptops or smart phones for editing, storage or email. A new bright OLED (organic light emitting diode) display now shows time and date, battery life and memory remaining as well as navigation functions. Other features include selectable resolution and compression settings, color or gray-scale scanning, USB port for recharging its battery or data transfer, microSD memory card slot to increase scan storage capacity, bundled OCR (optical character recognition) and editing software. The Planon Scanning Pen can hold hundreds of pages of text or graphics, depending on the size of the microSD card. The pen couldn’t be easier to use: just draw it smoothly down the page to perform a scan.

And, if you combine the pen with Planon’s Printstik ($175) Bluetooth wireless mobile thermal printer, you have an "office in a pocket:" a useful, timesaving set of tools for businessmen, students and anyone who wants to scan, copy, print anywhere.

CarMD (www.carmd.com $98.99) has now been upgraded to work with the new Macintosh OS X Snow Leopard as well as with Windows 2000, XP, Vista, and Windows 7. Plug this small handheld device into the OBD2 (onboard diagnostic system) socket of your 1996 or newer car to check your car’s condition. A green light means OK, yellow indicates possible problem and red means service required.

There’s much more. Using the included software, plug CarMD into your computer’s USB port, and you’ll be connected to CarMD’s Web site for an in-depth analysis of the codes, any service required and an estimate of costs. This information comes from ASE Certified Technicians, and the information service is included in the purchase price. You can print the information to show to your car mechanic or use it to compare to their diagnosis and repair estimates. CarMD’s Web site also stores the diagnostic information about your vehicles.

CarMD is a handy safety tool to carry around in your car, especially if you’re traveling or on vacation. If your "Check Engine Light" goes on, just plug the unit in and read the codes. If you can’t get to your computer, call CarMD’s toll-free phone number to contact the ASE Certified technicians and read them the codes displayed on the unit. For a small charge they’ll be able to tell you if this is a serious problem requiring towing and immediate repair or a minor problem that can wait for repair.

If you’re shopping for a used car, use CarMD to check for hidden problems. CarMD is a useful tool that may help you save money on repairs and can also be a safety factor on the road.