Best computer news

Well, Art Lebedev seems to have let Pandora out of the box. There’s been a recent wave of complete redesigns of the tried and true keyboard and mouse. Vive la revolution! The ergonomic 3DConnexion (now owned by Logitech) SpacePilot Pro is almost more of a keyboard than a mouse. Still retaining the same novel design of the original and SpaceNavigator in adds a small LCD screen and a large amount of function keys to its chassis.

If you aren’t familiar with the design controller functions as a twist-able joystick, basically adding the ability to scroll and rotate at the same time as you are mousing around in the X and Y-axis. Mainly for designers and artists, its intent is to become a left-hand mouse. This will allow for alternate controls to be more quickly located as well as shuttle type manipulations to be done with its knob/stick. The LCD screen displays software pushed information like RSS feeds, email or calendar events similar to a mini-USB display. There’s also a potential for mini apps to be written with the SDK they’ve released. Besides the LCD it contains a total of 24 buttons and a five-way D-pad. The only major roadblock for most users will be the price tag at $499 it’s nearly double the minimalistic SpaceNavigator but for the wealthy it’s available now at their online store.
Permanent Link

Bad economy aside, guitar sales are up thanks to a certain video game. Thankfully many people are putting down their plastic GuitarHero toys and picking up a real axe. And in this singular sunny spot in the entire market, Alesis is offering this new money saving item. The AudioLink USB the cables are ready to roll out and keep you from having to buy three different things: USB sound card, a long cable to your rig and an adapter. Having this all-in-one system will let you crank tunes directly into your PC via an on-board analog to digital converter.

The cables come in three varieties. There’s one for guitarists, one for vocalists and one for any generic line level source (Guitarlink, Miclink and Linelink respectively). Both Guitarlink and line link connect to quarter inch jack sources while the Miclink has an XLR3 plug. The cords are all almost 17 feet long and transfer CD quality sound directly to your PC through your USB port. With suggested retail prices between $79 and $39 they are well worth the small investment just to save on cable purchases.
Permanent Link

Samsung is preparing to place in our eager hands a stylish new handheld camcorder with full HD capabilities to compete with the likes of Sony. The Samsung HMX-R10 HD‏ is an extremely attractive soda can sized camcorder. With easy controls accessed by a flip out 2.7″ LCD touchscreen viewfinder, even the most technologically challenged should be able to operate it with ease. Their TouchUI control system promises responsive controls and simplicity. The camera features a 5x optical zoom lens and a small flash to aid in still picture taking. The lens is also angled up 25 degrees to allow for a more comfortable wrist angle while filming.

1920 x 1080 videos are stored on SD/SDHC cards as it has no internal storage to speak of. Videos are recorded in H.264 format which has gained enough popularity to be easily played back and converted by many programs and devices. The camera also supports video capture at up to 600 fps which should give you plenty of reason to sit down and learn how to produce and publish videos. Released in Korea this week expect worldwide releases to follow in the next few weeks for $499 USD.
Permanent Link

It was bound to happen, as “HD” has become one of the most ubiquitous sales buzzwords since “Free”, and companies have started to abuse it. Case in point, Bella has released the HD Mouse. Which certainly would help anyone complete their home theater setup. It’s not even a designed for Home Theater PC’s (it does have a 26 foot wireless range). Now once you get over the shameless use of “HD” the Bella mouse is actually packing some pretty neat features. Features that we can hope make their way into many more software packages.

The Bella mouse does have a very high DPI sensitivity of 1600. This is on par with high performance gaming mice by sending large amounts of motion data to capture even your subtle of gestures. The wow-factor comes in with the software that’s included to take advantage of all that sensitivity. Bella’s software can store and sense 20 predefined gestures. So with a flick of wrist you can execute complex sets of procedures and make quick work of repetitive tasks. You can program in as many of your own gestures as you want. You can also pull off nifty tricks like quickly changing the X/Y axis to scroll functions and back again. Appealing to all, the software’s available for PC and Mac.
Permanent Link

One of the key reasons why early adopters still believe in Wireless USB is the convenience of having a cordless LCD monitor. Earlier, IOGear first brought this to the market in the form of a dongle, Samsung has pushed this feature into mainstream with its wireless 19″ LCD, and now Atlona tries to further improve the application by throwing in HDMI and dual monitor connectivity. Atlona’s HDAiR WUSB to HDMI or VGA converter comprises of three parts: the host wire adapter, device wire adapter, and the video card cradle with two display outputs.

The setup is similar to Cables Unlimited Wireless USB Adapter Set because both products are basically reference design by by Wisair. Atlona WUSB video solution probably has a better chipset since it is capable of streaming at up to 720p or 1440×1050 (16:9) to a display up to 30 ft. away from the PC. Also unique to the Atlona is the ability to connect to two monitors simultaneously, but only expect this to be in mirrored mode. The company never mentions sound support, so don’t assume the HDMI interface is going to carry audio in this case. If wireless video to two LCDs are what you want, and you are using either Vista or XP, the Atlona HDAiR is yours for $199.99.
Permanent Link

Just as it starts to warm up, Speedo is here to help you with the beats. The Speedo LZR Racer MP3 player is here to put the Strokes in your back-strokes. Made by a collaboration of iRiver and Speedo, it’s pretty sporty with it’s black and blue ruggedized rubber shell. This new model is the 2nd in their line following in the steps of the marginally successful Aquabeat. Similar in size and shape to its predecessor a few technical features that have changed. Storage has been upped from 1 to 2GB and a few more accessories are available. Perfect for the pool in the waves, the Racer is waterproof to about 10feet. Music and playlists are loaded through its USB connection. Battery recharging happens simultaneously while it’s connected to your PC.

Feel free to take this on the boat too because if it slips overboard it floats just fine. Besides the obvious wet places, Speedo and iRiver have produced a several accessories that ease attaching the player to you for on-the-go ventures. For swimming or very vigorous sports, a head strap is available that straps the player to the back of your head, which doesn’t look very comfortable. An arm strap is perfect for biking and running or activities that might require a hat or helmet. Make sure you familiarize yourself with the included software for playlist creation so that you don’t get hit by a car while fumbling for a track as has no intelligent track seeking tools. It may take awhile to get to the US but when it does expect it to run about $128.
Permanent Link

Thanko has moved in a slightly different direction with its latest USB Spy Camera Tie but it’s still fun. The Maxwell Smart era spy camera hides in plain sight behind a specially designed Necktie with a hidden compartment. This zippered pocket mounts the camera about chest high behind a tiny pinhole cut out for the lens. The camera can record 352×288 AVI videos onto its 4GB of internal memory. There’s a handy on/off switch to save battery power when not in use right next to its USB plug which is used for both charging the internal lithium battery and for extracting videos. There is a power LED indicator but its hidden in the back of the Tie. The internal memory can store about 4 hours of video but seems to only be able shoot for about 1 hour continuously per charge. Recharge time is listed at only 2 hours though.

The real jewel of this setup is the unobtrusive keychain remote. Being able to start and stop the recording with a single button press should make for much better editing. Once you’re back at your secret lair you will have less time editing out yourself working on spreadsheets and can skip right to the part where your boss asks you to do something lewd and incriminating. In my experience there’s very little worth recording that requires a coat and tie to view but to each his own. Also, it’s not as if you can sneak a 4 lb. dressy tie onto someone without them noticing. It could still be fun, i guess. Either way it only costs $130 and may be awhile before it hits the states. But seriously, who could put a price on starting your own Fight Club from capturing damning corporate misdeeds on film?
Permanent Link

Well its a sad day to see Steampunk sell out and become actually useful, extremely inefficient but useful. Is it actually even Steampunk if its producing electricity via real steam? I think its just Retro at this point. An inspired hobbyist has constructed USB charger fed from a Lego dynamo cranked by a real steam engine. The Lego dynamo’s output is adapted by a voltage regulator which converts the current to a steady 5 Volts. Once at a friendly 5 Volts, the juice is perfect for consumption by iPods or any other USB charging devices. All this by spinning a Lego motor backwards.

While a fun experimental system and definitely a neat showpiece this isn’t a great alternative energy source or any manner of substitute for fuel cell technology. The heat required to convert any volume of water to steam to produce mechanical energy is far greater than what is actually output. Any other tinkerers rushing out to reproduced this experiment should be reminded that you are either using the Sterno-type fuel tablets or plugging it into AC power. Each individual tablet burns for about 15 minutes at a maximum. AC power is probably equivalent to having a stove burner running for 2 hours to get a good charge. Add to that about 4 water tank refills and you’ve got quite a bit of work for your music. I think after about 2 charges most everyone would just go back to humming to themselves.
Permanent Link

Looks like Thanko USB Heater Cooler Keyboard has got itself a new competitor today with the release of the IGM’s latest ergonomic gadget. IGM’s Heated Keyboard Wrist Pad is set to loosen up your ligaments and get your juices flowing. Plugged into a USB port this wrist rest will warm up your joints and relieve your bones from quite a few ailments associated with cold and a keyboarding. The list of benefits from using this reads like the back of a bottle of Snake Oil but warmth is warmth. Many places suffer from being unbearably far from the equator and could use something like this to fight back the chill.

Using one of these may not be a cure for all that ails you but it could reduce pain from arthritis or Carpal Tunnel syndrome. The use of carbon fiber heating elements produces hear in the Far Infrared range. Far Infrared heat is a penetrating heat with a long list of a reputed health benefits. The Carbon Fiber heating elements produce FIR heat more efficiently than ceramic heaters and are rapidly becoming the preferred elements in portable heaters due to directed as opposed to convected heat. Still coming soon with no clue on price but Summer may be the wrong season to launch a new hot item like this.
Permanent Link

Well there’s nothing discrete about this. You set one of these up on your desk and you are proclaiming “I AM THE BIGGEST STAR TREK FAN”. Not even Philip J. Fry is going to challenge your knowledge of the original series. This NCC-1701 replica houses a standard, no driver needed, webcam compatible with just about any video chat service you’d care to use (Skype, MSN, Yahoo, etc). Pair it with the Star Trek Communicator and you’ve got the most immersive Ship to Ship communications package this side of the Orion Nebula. Only someone with a real Borg implant is going to be able to one-up this setup.

The camera features adjustable focus and lighted Nacelles (the red engine things for the uninitiated). It has a bendy adjustable flex arm for free posing or it can be mounted to the side of a monitor with the adhesive Star Fleet uniform insignia. While there’s no word on release date or price, Dream Cheeky is pretty prompt with their releases so expect it shortly. We hope they hurry, over uncoded channels hours could seem like days.
Permanent Link