The X-Rite Colormunki Display calibrates monitors and projectors, and comes complete with a friendly software package which contains step-by-step guides and video tutorials.

Ambient light is swiftly measured while display flare may also be taken into account, and the process takes under 10 minutes from start to finish.

The results appear accurate, and the various image samples allow quick before and after comparisons post-calibration. It's not the cheapest or fastest device, but it's ideal for those new to the process.

The X-Rite Colormunki Display is an inexpensive monitor calibration device, which promises advanced control with ease of use. Capable of profiling wide-gamut displays and even projectors, the package contains a colorimeter complete with a diffuser panel, together with software and a Quick Start Guide.

Following the latter enables even first time users to quickly get to grips with its operation, while the profiling process may be run in either Easy or Advanced modes, depending on the user's skill level and desired control.

Once the software has been installed, an ambient light reading may be taken and calibration can begin. Everything is explained clearly and diagrams are provided, although video tutorials are also on hand should the user get stuck.

The software takes around two minutes to adjust the display's luminance using a series of patches, before the remainder are displayed and measured over an additional five minutes. Approximate timings are given throughout the process, and once complete it's possible to view before and after comparisons using a range of images.

The advanced controls enable you to measure flare from your display and to take this into account, along with white point specification and other options.

Overall, there's very little not to like: the results appear accurate and no obvious colour biases can be observed, and reminders can be set up should the lighting conditions change or if a large period of time elapses between calibrations.

The only minor niggle is that although it works in much the same way as the i1 Display Pro device, it's considerably slower (although around £50 cheaper too).

Verdict

Still, for the novice user performing occasional calibrations, it's pretty much spot on, colour casts will be banished and all your future image adjustments accurate and worth while.

Following on from the StarTech USB to HDMI External Dual or Multi Monitor Video Adapter with Audio and the StarTech Portable eSATA USB to SATA Standalone Hard Drive Duplicator Dock, the StarTech 2 Port USB VGA KVM Switch with File Transfer and PIP continues StarTech's run of useful peripherals with very descriptive, if rather long and unglamorous, names.

This is a KVM switch, which stands for Keyboard, Video and Mouse. It enables you to connect two computers that share just one keyboard, mouse and monitor.

By plugging both computers into the StarTech 2 Port USB VGA KVM Switch with File Transfer and PIP via the included VGA and USB cables, you can quickly switch between the two computers by either pressing a button on the switch or using the keyboard shortcut of double tapping the Caps Lock quickly.

You can also plug in the audio cables from each PC, so that audio gets switched as well. Going between the two computers was quick, with barely a pause for the mouse and keyboard to be detected by Windows as we went from one PC to the other.

Installation was easy - although one of our PCs didn't have a VGA port on the graphics card - just a DVI one. If you have a newer computer or graphics card then you might have the same option - so make sure you have a DVI to VGA adaptor. Many graphics cards come with them, so check if you've got one before you buy a new one.

What really sets the StarTech 2 Port USB VGA KVM Switch with File Transfer and PIP apart from other KVM switches we've tried is the file transfer and PIP (picture in picture) features. These enable you to quickly bring up a small version of one PC's desktop on the other computer, then drag and drop files straight onto the desktop of the other PC. It's a great feature that makes this KVM switch incredibly useful.

Verdict

KVM switches can be notoriously unreliable, but from what we've seen of the StarTech 2 Port USB VGA KVM Switch with File Transfer and PIP, we're confident that it's a well-made product. It's small and does the job.

The idea of writing on a piece of paper for it then to appear on your Mac as ready-to-edit text is intriguing. That goes especially for anyone who has taken notes and had to type them up when they're next sat at their Mac.

The E-pens Mobile Note Digital Pen for Mac isn't a unique product. But it has an advantage over one of its nearest competitors, the Livescribe Echo Smartpen, because it's able to use any piece of paper to record your handwritten notes. (The Livescribe Echo Smartpen needs you to write on specially marked paper.)

This additional level of flexibility is achieved via a small receiver that attaches to the top of the sheet of paper you're writing on. If you want to use a flip notepad you'll have to turn the pad upside down to attach the receiver.

You need to install NoteManager and MyScripts from the included disc. Because there doesn't seem to be an easy way to install these programs from the E-pens website, it meant we had to use an external DVD drive to install it on our optical drive-less MacBook Air.

Initial results when we imported our notes were not that impressive, with some words being recognised, and others coming out as gibberish. It took practice on both sides to get better results. On our part we wrote more slowly and clearly, while the MyScript software created a profile to help it recognise our handwriting. Our second attempt was much more successful with only one error.

While the receiver is connected to your Mac you can also use it as a mouse. It takes a little getting used to, as you need to hover the pen over the pad, while pressing down on the paper replicates a mouse click. The Digtial Pen comes with a plastic 'fake' ink cartridge to use in these cases.

StarTech.com returns with another snappily-named, though pretty useful, product: the StarTech.com USB 3.0 to HDMI/DVI External Video Card Multi Monitor Adapter - 1920 x 1080. It just rolls off the tongue doesn't it?

The device is a basic external graphics card that transforms a USB 3.0 port into an HDMI or DVI output, enabling you to add a second monitor, or even an HD TV, to expand the desktop of your PC or laptop.

When it comes to desktop PCs, the uses for this device are quite limited. Unless you have the most basic of integrated graphics cards, your PC should have two outputs for connecting multiple monitors. If you want to add a third monitor, however, then this is an option that is both cheaper and easier than upgrading your graphics cards.

Of course older PCs could potentially benefit from the StarTech.com USB 3.0 to HDMI/DVI External Video Card Multi Monitor Adapter, but it's unlikely that they would have a USB 3.0 port. The adapter is also compatible with USB 2.0 ports, but the results aren't as good, due to the reduced bandwidth.

Through both USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports, the StarTech.com USB 3.0 to HDMI/DVI External Video Card Multi Monitor Adaptor - 1920 x 1080 did a good job of extending the desktop of our test laptop onto a 1080p-capable monitor. The colours looked good, and even though the laptop's monitor was only capable of 1366 x 768, the monitor displayed 1920 x 1080 resolutions fine.

It was easy to install, with the drivers provided on a CD. However, games couldn't be played through the adapter - it's just not powerful enough. High definition videos looked and played fantastically through the USB 3.0 port, but when plugged into the USB 2.0 port, playback was pretty choppy.

Verdict

As a cheap way to add a second display, the StarTech.com USB 3.0 to HDMI/DVI External Video Card Multi Monitor Adapter is a decent choice - as long as you have a spare USB 3.0 port.

HDMI ports on computers can be incredibly useful – the ability to transform your HD TV into a huge monitor has excellent uses from watching movies to playing games on the big screen. Or for work, you can also use HDMI to display presentations on TVs and projectors.

If your laptop or desktop PC doesn't come with an HDMI-out port then the StarTech USB to HDMI External Dual or Multi Monitor Video Adapter with Audio is very useful, since it effectively transforms a USB port into an HDMI one.

Another benefit is that even if your PC comes with HDMI, you can use this adaptor to extend your desktop over an extra monitor – a worthwhile feature if your graphics card isn't up to the task.

While some people use a DVI to HDMI cable to connect their PC to a high-definition TV – because DVI ports are far more popular than HDMIs on computers – the DVI can't handle audio.

The StarTech USB to HDMI External Dual or Multi Monitor Video Adapter with Audio, as the very long-winded name suggests, can handle audio. A small feature perhaps, but it's very valuable if you use your TV's speakers when watching media via HDMI.

Verdict

This is a useful product, although if you have a decent graphics card that comes with HDMI and can support multiple monitors then you're not going to need it.

The PNF Duo Pen is an interesting device that brings some touchscreen tablet functionality to standard laptops. You attach the USB receiver onto your laptop's screen in a similar way to a webcam, which responds to the movements of the pen itself.

Instead of a clip for the receiver, however, you tape a small magnet onto the back of the screen, which allows the receiver to be attached quickly and firmly. Although this solution works, a clip would have been much more preferable. The outer shell of your laptop is left with an unsightly magnet attached to it this way, and it means you can't easily use one receiver with different laptops.

Once you get past that rather odd design decision, the PNF Duo Pen works well. The receiver tracks the motion of the battery-powered pen decently, although you have to calibrate the screen using the included software first.

Hovering the PNF Duo Pen over the screen will move the cursor, while pressing the pen onto the screen replicates a mouse click. Lines and notes can be drawn by dragging the pen over the screen, although this should be done with caution.

You should remember that unlike touchscreens, normal laptop screens haven't been built for objects to be pressed against them, so some damage might occur if you're too rough and ready with the PNF Duo Pen. With a bit of caution and a light touch, however, this shouldn't be a problem.

Even after calibration, the PNF Duo Pen can behave slightly erratically – sometimes misconstruing movements and the location of the pen – although on the whole it works well.

A far more successful way of using the PNF Duo Pen is to clip the receiver – while still connected to the laptop via a USB port – onto a sheet of A4 paper. You can then use the pen on the paper in a similar way to the Wacom Bamboo Pen & Touch graphics tablet and the Genius G-Pen M609.

Even better – you can replace the screen-friendly felt tip of the pen with a ballpoint pen tip (three are included). This enables you to write and draw on the page, with the results replicated on screen. Just make sure you remember to replace the felt tip before you return to drawing over the laptop screen. It doesn't work as well as these dedicated products, but it feels more responsive and natural than writing on the laptop screen.

The software that comes with the PNF Duo Pen includes Mint Note. This is a program that enables you to write, draw and paint on the screen, and then save the results. Although it has been created to work with the PNF Duo Pen, it doesn't do anything that you couldn't do better with other programs.

Microsoft Word's handwriting recognition, for example, will take words you write on the screen and transform them into editable text. Mint Note also crashed from time to time, so if you are tempted by the PNF Duo Pen, make sure you have some other software to make use of it.

PNF Dup Pen: Verdict

The PNF Duo Pen makes a commendable effort at trying something new. If you're looking to have tablet touchscreen functionality on your laptop, the PNF Duo Pen makes a decent attempt at it. However, the hit and miss accuracy prevents this from being a wholehearted recommendation.

Taking notes when you're out of the house or office can sometimes be frustrating. It is not always possible to take your netbook or laptop with you while you travel, and typing on a smartphone can be fiddly and uncomfortable.

If you have a pen and paper on you, you might find that the note you've hastily scribbled is lost or forgotten about before you get the chance to type it up on a computer.

Although the 8GB version of the Livescribe Echo has been around for a while now, its £200 price tag meant that unless you needed to take a lot of notes, it was too expensive to be a worthwhile purchase.

However, Livescribe has just released 2GB and 4GB versions of the pen, with the 2GB option selling for just under £100.

The Livescribe Echo Smartpen has some great features that make note taking incredibly easy. When you write on the provided paper and then connect the pen to your computer, the Livescribe Desktop software imports your scribbled notes as either an image file or PDF, as if they had been scanned in.

Unfortunately there's no OCR functionality built in that can transform handwriting into editable text for use in word processors, though there are apps available if this is a feature you're likely to use regularly.

Sound and notes

Each page of the notebook includes a small 'record' icon. Tap this with the Smartpen and it will begin recording sound with its built-in microphone as you write until you tap the 'stop' icon. Whenever you tap the notes you've written, the pen will automatically play back the recording it took as you wrote.

The new Connect software bolsters the Echo Smartpen's feature set by letting you connect to your email, Facebook, EverNote or Google Docs account, and send notes, diagrams and recordings by writing the name of the service and tapping the pages you want to send, then connecting the pen to your computer.

The results are a bit hit and miss – we're still waiting for a Facebook post to appear long after we connected the pen – but it's a promising idea.

While a lot of modern graphics cards offer extra DVI, HDMI and VGA display ports for attaching extra monitors to a PC, most laptops and smaller computers lack this functionality. If you already have a multiple-monitor setup, then the number of monitors you can connect to your PC will be limited by the number of available display ports and the power of your graphics card.

The HIS Multi View II is a solution to these problems. It's a display adaptor that plugs into a PC's USB socket and provides an additional VGA or DVI socket for adding another monitor.

It's a small device that can be carried around in its supplied case, and it connects to a laptop or computer via a retractable USB lead, allowing you position the monitor with ease.

Just because the monitor is plugged into the computer via USB doesn't mean there's much of a compromise when it comes to image quality. Even plugged into the USB adaptor, monitors capable of very high resolutions are still able to reach 2,048 x 1,152, which far more than most monitors are capable of.

The HIS Multi-View II USB Display Adaptor boasts of its gaming credentials on its box, though there is a certain amount of lag when playing through the adaptor. The lag can also be noticeable when playing high-definition video content, with dropped frames causing choppy playback.

Despite claims to the contrary, the HIS Multi-View II USB Display Adaptor isn't really suitable for playing games. Instead, it offers the chance to expand the workspace on your laptop, and is ideal for presentations and browsing the web.

It offers a lot of flexibility for the price, especially if you already have an extra monitor going spare. If not, you might be better off waiting for the new generation of small portable monitors that can be plugged straight into a USB port – and which can be powered directly from it.

Products that get everything right are a rarity, but Quirky's Space Bar comes close to such perfection. Its design shows a great deal of attention to detail and aesthetics.

Crafted from brushed aluminium and finished with white plastic details, it's the perfect match for Apple's aluminium keyboard and an iMac. At 52cm long and 17cm deep, it's spacious enough to support most monitors, and is obviously an ideal fit for both the iMac and Apple Display's footprint.

The area underneath the device is 44cm wide and 1.5cm tall, which is big enough to stow a full-sized Apple USB keyboard with numeric keypad. If you need some more room on your desk and you're not using your Mac, just push your keyboard under the Space Bar and free up valuable space.

It's also enough for a closed Apple notebook, so you can connect your laptop to an external monitor, keyboard and mouse, and keep it under the Space Bar while you use it in closed clamshell mode.

It's engineered to support up to 20lbs, which is enough for a 21-inch Apple iMac. On paper, the latest Apple displays are a little too heavy at 23.5lbs, but you'd probably be okay.

As well as a monitor raiser and desk tidy, the Space Bar also functions as a powered USB hub. When we previewed it in our Gadgets section back in MF219, the plan was to offer three ports on each side. The final release version still offers six ports, but two are at the rear of the device. It's better this way. The front-facing ports are less crowded, so plugged-in peripherals are less likely to block an adjacent port, and the rear-mounted ports are ideal for things you seldom unplug, like your keyboard or printer.

And while your digital camera, iOS device or other such peripheral is connected, the Space Bar also functions as a convenient shelf to keep them safe and tidy.

The Space Bar is an excellent mix of form and function. It looks great, is robustly built and does a great job of helping you organise your desktop. At £80 it's expensive, but not overpriced.

Any MIDI keyboard can make your copy of GarageBand or Logic come to life. But in a crowded market of bargain-priced 'boards you need something with that little bit extra. M-Audio's Axioms have been around for years and last year the new Pro line added the ability to control your software directly from buttons on the keyboard.

This feature has now filtered down to the more affordable Axiom 61 (£305), 49 (this model) and 25 (£195). So, rather than have your mouse in one hand while your other belts out Bach, you can pretty much forget your computer and get on with making music.

It's amazing how simple additions such as dedicated buttons for stop, play and record speed up your workflow, and 'tweaking' synthesizers and effects with dedicated knobs finally feels like grappling with an antique Moog. (Antique Moog plug-in not supplied.)

DirectLink

It's M-Audio's DirectLink that's the star. A quick install and the Axiom found our Logic setup (we had similar success with GarageBand and Ableton Live too), and all the obvious features such as track levels and pan appeared on the keyboard's controls.

And if you use complex third-party plugs, you can get locked into the world of control changes and make any dial do anything in your DAW. It works too, and after grappling with controllers that promised the earth only to glitch and grump, that's the biggest praise we can give.

The Axiom's keyboard is 'ultra-expressive semi-weighted', but this amounts to it being very firmly sprung in the initial stages and rather 'clacky' and weak when depressed. However, the large angular profile does help fool the senses into thinking you're pressing something more piano-like.

The drum pads are well-sized but spongy. Likewise, the rest of the rubberised controls require a good push to operate.

That said, compared to the frail plastic on other keyboards, this is much more gig-resistant. You're paying for something just that little bit more 'pro' here, but it's worth the extra.