Best computer news

Silex has a new option for sharing your USB devices with the rest of your network. Several other manufacturers have released very useful devices like this but most of them are limited by the relatively low bandwidth of the network. Silex’s SX-3000GB helps remedy that problem being able to connect at gigabit speeds. The compact SX-3000GB sports 2 USB 2.0 ports and a 10/100/1000 RJ-45 network port. Silex provides each of the USB ports with the standard 500mA power.

Most other network sharing devices caution at the use of high bandwidth USB devices like webcams and hard drives due to unexpected behavior at slower network speeds. Obviously, there’s no such limitation for this new entrant from Silex. The SX-3000GB can optionally be connected to a USB hub for an additional 13 devices to a total 15. The device should retail for $99 once it hits shelves in the near future.
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Lockheed-Martin has partnered with super secure IronKey to release a new virtual privacy machine. VPM’s have been around in concept for a few years now, a virtual secure operating system that runs in a window on a host PC. As with other VPMs, LM’s “PC-on-Stick” on IronClad drive, has all files and settings maintained within the VPM and never stored on the host machine. The virtual privacy machine runs solely in RAM and can piggyback on the network connection of the host. Secure connections can be made that are secure even to the most invasive of infections of the host machine with the exception of key-loggers. Struggling Nortel had at one time release a VPM for its employees. Other companies are researching them as ways to secure desktop environments and maintain confidentiality of data that is entrusted to their staff.

IronKey adds yet another layer of hardware based encryption that has proven to be solid over the years since its introduction. The VPM is remotely manageable and completely revocable from a central server. The contents of the drive are hardware, and optionally software encrypted. Most VPM’s are forged from hardened versions of Linux on a diet due to flash drive size constraints. USB 3.0, SLC flash, and larger flash drives have all, but removed this limit and embedded versions of more full featured, user friendly versions of Linux are popping up. While it may seem extreme, maintaining corporate intellectual property and securing assets from disgruntled employees can mean big bucks in today’s bleeding edge world. Look for the rapid proliferation of ideas like this in the years to come.
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Everyone can appreciate the novelty of two things that really should have been combined, but never have. Quirky, crowd-sourced product design site has a new possible peripheral up submitted for your approval, The Space Bar. It’s a mid sized shelf that functions as a keyboard cover and USB hub. There are 6 USB ports that face forward for easy access while you are at your desk. The Space Bar also sits up just high enough for you to slide your keyboard under as you leave for the day. Keyboards up to 18″ long by 1.5″ high should fit nicely underneath. The Space Bar isn’t not designed to hold a monitor, but should hold smaller things just fine.

Quirky itself allows community members to submit designs to be collaborated upon by other community members. (One of the prominent USB gadget designs is Split Stick.) Once the idea gets enough momentum, the design goes up for pre-sales commitment. The new item will stay on their store as long as interest continues. The Space Bar has about 20% of the necessary buy-in so far and growing. The price is set $42 dollars, and looks well on its way to becoming a reality.
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Linuxplanet.com posted a jaded reminder recently about USB 3.0 support in Linux. The Linux kernel has had SuperSpeed USB driver since September 2009; the 2.6.31 version of the kernel has native support for the devices that are already starting to make their way onto the market. There’s already a handful out there but without native support from Windows or Apple yet. Microsoft is planning to add support for USB 3.0 to Windows 7, but not until service pack 1. Since the OS is only 3 months old, there’s no definite ship date set for SP1 yet.

Individual drivers are already available by the manufacturers on a one by one basis. This will slow some of the mass release of devices, but that’s not likely to happen for a few more months as plants gear up with USB 3.0 device unveilings. Unfortunately, device makers tend to release drivers in the opposite fashion. PC and Mac first, then much later maybe Linux. Although Linux systems have made huge bounds in the market with adoption by distributors like Dell, the community remains a neglected segment for the most part. This note should remind people of one of the many strengths of Linux is its rapid inclusion of new technologies.
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You finally hit the magical 18, and with that rite of passage, you’ve earned a flash drive with 2GB of storage space for your strictly “over 18″ business. You know… a place to store your selective service records, voter registration, and marriage certificate.

Product Page: (3,200 Yen, or about $35 via …

Sporting the popular NEC USB 3.0 chip, the Gigabyte Ultra Durable USB 3.0 PCI Express Card is here to juice up your Hi-Speed USB and SuperSpeed USB gadgets. This half sized card fits in those tiny, almost completely useless, mini x1 PCIe ports included on most motherboards. The era of add-on cards died out with the 56k modem, but most motherboards still include some card slots even though we only ever see them when we upgrade our video cards. The only card really worth getting is one of those high fidelity SoundBlaster audio cards as everything else is pretty much built into the motherboard these days.

The Gigabyte USB 3.0 card is built around an extra tough 2 oz. copper circuit board for long life. And like what it did to their new motherboards, it has also opted to up the power to the USB ports so that both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 devices have plenty of power for any number of high drain devices. They triple the USB 2.0 minimum of 500mA as well as the USB 3.0 minimum of 900mA to each port, bringing the current level to 1500mA and 2700mA respectively. The extra juice is pulled from a pair of motherboard molex connectors that are joined to the card. Price is set at $53 at least on Brando, but you will likely find it on a few other online e-tailors as well.
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More addictive than crack cocaine, World of Warcraft is played by millions. Creative has a new high fidelity wireless headset to help you really enhance your adventuring. The Sound Blaster World of Warcraft Wireless Headset is designed to give you a super realistic and dynamic sound field completely untethered by wires. THX TruStudio PC sound technologies – also found on recently announced X-Fi HD USB sound card – can create an amazing depth of sound with virtual speakers all around you. VoiceFX allows you to alter your voice as you voice chat with others in game or with separate services like Ventrilo. The mic can be detached and stored if you don’t need it.

The large and comfy ear cups have two interchangeable panels that show your love for either the Alliance or Horde as well as playback controls for iTunes or Media player. While marketed towards WoW players the glowing panels aren’t obnoxious and should be pleasing for players of other games or non-gamers alike. The color of the glow can be programmed to any color you like (an astounding 16 million colors available). The headset is fed audio from the USB wireless transmitter, which relies on 2.4Ghz frequency yet it isn’t Bluetooth. Creative also includes the mini-USB cable that recharges the headset; a 4-hour charge gives you about enough juice for 9 hours of play. Price and release date are unknown at this point, given the features anything less than $100 would be a steal.
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Computers aren’t really meant to be floral, but a little change of pace isn’t bad. USBFlower.com has released their quartet of tiny USB Flowers that use your PC’s power to heat a tiny packet of air freshener. These 4 tiny plastic flowers hold the even tinier aroma cartridges under the center of the flower. Each cartridge should last a month and each flower ships with a 3 month supply.

You can get you (or your sweetie) one of these in any of 4 colors: blue, purple, pink and daisy. Each color has its own corresponding scent, including Ocean Breeze, Lavender, Jasmine and Chamomille. These standards should pick up your spirits and shouldn’t attract any buzzing USBees. The flowers can be plucked online or from a few participating stores. However, there doesn’t seem to be an option to order the refill cartridges just yet but you can pick up the flowers from their online store for $9.99 each.
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One of the few things most of us addicted to computers can say is that they save us money. Although online banking and web and programming jobs employ many people, most of the time those lovely gadgets just cost us money. Canadian Ekomini has something that just might help the next generation learn to save and spend wisely. It’s a USB Piggy Bank. It requires batteries, but connects to your PC by USB and is able to scan the coins that are deposited into it.

The deposits are credited to a virtual account that is stocked with games and life-skill building challenges related to finance. Counting, writing and just plain games are online and waiting for your future banker or fiscally responsible account executive. Concepts like investing and saving are introduced and built upon with social gaming similar to those found on Facebook on ekominiville.com. The current economy could use a few more savvy consumers schooled in frugality. You should still keep a close eye on your children’s online activity as you can never tell when the website could get taken over by brainwashing kooks. Ekomini encourages parents with a configuration screen that let’s parents guide their child’s online endeavors. The USB piggy bank is available now for $38 dollars, but the access to the online games appear free to all owners. Video demo after the jump.
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Another lovely travel accessory showing up at CES is the Miniguru Keyboard. This slender keyboard is compact enough to sit on top of your laptop’s wrist rest and has extra wide feet to make that possible. Raising the keyboard up just a bit higher is better for reducing RSI. The keyboard’s standard keymap includes some subtle changes that are meant to improve typing efficiencies. The cursor keys for example have been relocated to a shifted key under the home row. The F keys have been given the same treatment. All of the keys can be remapped or programmed with macros using the included remapping utility. The Miniguru also sports 2 USB ports to act as a hub as well.

There’s an optional pointing stick available that can act as a mouse as well. All these features work together to reduce the amount of travel your fingers have to do to type. The most unique feature of this keyboard is that the macros are actually uploaded to the keyboard’s firmware and will work the same from whatever computer you hook it up to. The keyboard can be order with 3 different types of key switches like clicky or normal and with different key labels or and all manner of colors. No price listed yet but they should be available at the end of the year.
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