Bassemada has
created a solution for folks wanting a little more out of their display
without investing in a whole new monitor. Anyone who has done a little
research knows that magnifying technologies are expensive. A magnifying
glass the size of a computer monitor does not come cheap, and even
little ones cost a pretty penny. The computer technologies for
magnifying parts of the screen for low-vision computer users also leave
a lot to be desired. They can stress resources on an older computer, and
they often dont quite work the way wed like them to. Keeping all of
that in mind, Bassemada has come up with a solution that is great for
those who truly need magnification for their monitors and those who just
want a tripped-out new way to look at their favorite games.
The Bassemada
Miracle Magnifier is a work in progress. We were lucky to get a hold of
one of the most recent versions, and we had a blast trying it out. The
key to keeping the Miracle Magnifier well-priced and accessible is
Bassemadas use of a convex lens filled with water. When empty, the lens
looks like any other plexiglass window, but when filled it becomes a
formidable magnifying glass that fits up to a 19" monitor. It can
increase the visual size of the monitor by 40%, meaning it will make a
15" monitor look like a 21" monitor.
The best thing about the Miracle Magnifier is that it magnifies the
whole screen, not just a particular section. Most assistance programs
for low-vision computer users only magnify a set area of the screen,
leaving some users poking around their computer to find the right
sector, often a problem when viewing unpredictable websites. The Miracle
Magnifier helps considerably with that "random access" mode of computer
usage.
The Miracle Magnifier is also being billed as a fun accessory for
gaming, and it could be. The magnification causes a slight distortion
which is easy to get used to, but which also creates a bizarre
space-bending effect in games. Especially in space simulators, the
Miracle Magnifier can enhance the illusion of depth, not quite mimicking
true 3D visuals, but inhabiting some kind of middle ground. In our tests
we found that the altered visuals could be very appealing.
Of course, at this stage the Miracle Magnifier is not quite ready for
prime time. The early units are being sold at