Your Technology

By Anita Hamilton

HAVE PHONE, WILL TRAVEL If you like the idea of a global phone but can't afford thousands of dollars for a bulky satellite model, Ericsson's new I 888 World ($299) might fit your budget, and briefcase, a little better. Using the newer GSM cellular network, the 6-oz. phone works in 48 countries, from Iceland to Indonesia, and bills international calls at $1 to $2 a minute. A built-in infrared modem lets you send e-mail wirelessly from one of the many notebook computers equipped with an infrared port. The glacial 9.6-kbps transmission rate, however, billed by the minute, can be a drag.

BARBIE STRIKES AGAIN As if there weren't enough Barbie paraphernalia already, HP's Apollo division has unveiled the first Barbie-theme printer, the P-1220, in "mist gray with glitter pink accents." When released in July, it will come with Barbie Magic Hair Styler software and heart- and flower-shaped decals. Unfortunately, the $80 printer is not much more than a pretty face. It prints a sluggish 1.5 pages per minute in color, or 3.5 pages in black-and-white. At least kids will have something cute to look at while they wait.

MODEM CHASTITY BELT The folks at Tel-Lock understand how hard it can be to trust your kids when they're online. So rather than ask you to monitor Internet use in person, Tel-Lock provides a special telephone jack that locks with a key to block any incoming or outgoing calls. At $20 a pop, replacing all your outlets with Security Jacks (available at telephonelock.com could be costly--especially if one of your kids needs to call 911 someday. CEO Calvin Flowers calls the Security Jacks "foolproof." Hmm.

--By Anita Hamilton