Price: Rs48,000. www.technologies.vu

I wonder what I will do with a waterproof TV. But the truth is, it is novel enough to raise many eyebrows. Let’s take a look. The VU Waterproof Bathroom LCD TV is a slick-looking, easy-to-wipe, clean silver-framed TV with a 17-inch (diagonal), 1,440x900 pixel TFT LCD screen that offers an aspect ratio of 16:9. An IPx6 waterproof rating makes it resistant to water jets directed at it from any angle. No, it is not water immersible or submersible, but is impregnable enough to withstand any squirts, splatters or splashes. Did we hear you say that you want one for the bathroom or the kitchen?

Considering that it is a 17-incher, the 400:1 contrast ratio and 16-millisecond response time are not really as disappointing as the numbers read. No, the colours don’t pop and yes, the images could do with some vividness. But the overall sharpness is decent. With provision for one TV and AV input each, the device can deal with PAL, NTSC and SECAM RF colour systems. The front panel features an aluminous induction touch pad at the base for controls (as opposed to buttons) to resist moisture. The accompanying full-function remote (water-resistant, it can take wet hands but not a dunking) is slim and tidy. And because of its designated function, the 18.5x12.4x2.5-inch unit comes with a wall-mount bracket, no console/table stand.

Verdict: At 4.1kg, it is a fairly lightweight wall hanging to hitch up—as TVs go. But with a hefty price tag, consider it only If you’re a hard-core TV-holic.

Also Read Hands On earlier columns

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Package Deal

Price: Rs8,799. www.hp.com

Multifunction devices always make good economic sense, especially if you work out of a small home office. In that respect, HP’s C4588, which can do all your scanning, printing and copying, saves both on money and space. It is an all-in-one flatbed colour scanner (1,200dpi, 48-bit), photocopier-cum-thermal inkjet printer that supports 802.11g/b wireless networks. It features a useful 1.5-inch LCD colour display, handy memory card slots (Memory Stick, Memory Stick Duo, SD/MMC, SDHC, xD-Picture), 32MB of memory, a 100-sheet input paper tray, and supports several types of paper sizes with photo printing.

For an inkjet printer, the black text output with serif and sans-serif fonts—in regular, bold and italic typefaces—in sizes ranging from 6 to 80 points was impressive. Even draft/economy mode is surprisingly decent. Colour photocopying too is fairly okay. Copying speeds for an A4 page are about 6-7 pages per minute for both colour and B&W in normal quality, which is good enough since you won’t be copying 30-40 page documents with it. Scanning and printing the same pages is slower but fetches better results. There are no issues with black and white photocopies—they’re no-nonsense, fast and clean. Yes, these could be a mite crisper. Printing on photo paper produces very good output (near lab quality) despite sizing issues with 4x6 borderless prints. And those looking for look-Ma-no-wires printing will find Wi-Fi connectivity a boon.

Verdict: If you are looking for a compact device for your home or small office, check this model as it is a good value for money deal.