It is not very often in this forum that I choose to write a whole column on a single piece of technology, not when that technology is a printer - make that a multifunction device. Blackberrys, or iPods yes, imaging devices, not so much. That is going to change because I am smitten with a peripheral: HPs PhotoSmart C8180 All In One.

I have probably shown a few dozen multifunction printers on my show over the years, and I have to tell you, the bar is pretty high when it comes to today’s crop of AIO (all-in-one) devices. Each time I look at a new one I am impressed with the innovations in print technology, price and interface. The manufacturers are constantly challenged to come up with better, less expensive, more innovative technology, and the bar keeps climbing higher.

This week brought the much anticipated MacBook Air into the Dotto Tech studios for our first look at the somewhat controversial new notebook from Apple. Once again Apple is leading the way in innovation with a new class of notebook.

It is not really a subnotebook and it is definitely not a full sized notebook. The MacBook Air is ultra light - only 3 lbs - but it still has a large 13” screen and a full sized keyboard. Thin is in, and as the TV commercials pay testament to, the Air will slide nicely into a manila envelope. 

As they did with the first iMacs, Apple has eschewed removable storage on the Air. There is no optical drive - the Air is designed to be fully self-contained - and in fact there is only a single USB port and a headphone jack, plus a mini DVI video output to allow peripheral connections.

I have a summer cottage on Gambier Island near Vancouver. Actually it’s my wife’s cottage, but she sometimes lets me use it. One of the problems with the cottage is that it doesn’t have land access, electricity, or phone service.

The first problem was easy to deal with. You have a boat to get back and forth, or take the water taxi. The 2^nd problem was fairly easy to fix as well, with a bunch of coast guard surplus solar panels and a bunch of forklift batteries supply an inverter, and bingo – power.

The phone was a problem until the advent of the cell phone. Till that time one had to rely on a marine band telephone which was like having one huge party line shared by dozens of people. You had to wait your turn, and that could take hours.   So when the cell phone became an option, that took over, and since we’re only a few miles from town, all calls are local.