Filed under: Digital Cameras, Peripherals

As if to prove a point to their comrades in the Microsoft Windows division, Microsoft Hardware has just launched nine new peripherals to show ‘em how its done. We won’t trouble you with all nine products, but the four highlights of the launch are plenty to be getting on with. Pictured above is the new Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000, which claims to be the first wireless rechargeable backlit keyboard, and who are we to argue? The ‘board features ambient and proximity sensing, while keeping it slim at a mere 1-inch thick, and it should be available next February for $250. Next up is the do-it-all Wireless Presenter Mouse 8000, which stuffs in slide presenter, laser pointer, media remote and laser mouse functionality into its meaty girth. The Bluetooth mouse should be out mid-October for about $100. Microsoft also has the new Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000, with high-def laz0r tracking and intense ergonomics, and the new LifeCam NX-6000 webcam, which features 7.6 megapixel stills and 2.0 megapixel video in a minuscule package. The cam should be out in November for $100, while the Laser Mouse 6000 should follow in January for $80. Now, if only we had a shiny new OS to use these with. Keep reading for more pics.

Read - Wireless Entertainment Desktop 8000
Read - Wireless Presenter Mouse 8000
Read - Natural Wireless Laser Mouse 6000
Read - Microsoft LifeCam NX-6000

 

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Hot off the floors of IFA is the V-Mate memory card recorder from SanDisk. This device is really pretty simple and could be really practical for people who love getting their video fix on portable media players like the iPod, PSP, etc. The V-Mate connects to any analog video and audio output. It can then record video directly to a wide variety of portable media formats like SD, MMC, and all of the Sony varieties. It records the video at 640 x 480, therefore being perfect for any of the portable media players out there. The TV-based interface allows you to control and adjust all features of the V-Mate. This device will be available in October for $130 or so. – Travis Hudson

IFA 2006: SanDisk V-Mate memory card recorder [TechDigest]

Filed under: Gaming, GPS

You’re probably getting pretty sick of toting around all those cables, adapters, and antennae required by the GPSP mod to get sat nav functionality on your PSP, so you’ll be happy to know that Sony’s official GPS add-on for its portable console has just been spotted in the wild. We’ve already seen pics (albeit crappy ones) of the wayfinding peripheral, but now we’ve got proof that it exists somewhere besides on a PowerPoint slide. Unfortunately there’s really not much to see here (it’s a little gadget sticking out of another gadget — wow), and we’ve got no new info regarding functionality, pricing, or release dates. Still, when we come across something that we think you’d be interested in, we write a post about it — that’s how we do things around here. Sharing is caring, right?

[Via DigitalBattle, thanks Tom]

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We’ve seen plenty of security locks in the past, but this one has a bit of a different twist to it. This security lock operates similar to one of those retractable dog leashes It is small, lightweight and can fit nicely into any laptop bag. Keep your gadgets secure and walk your dog at the same time, now that is a hell of a multipurpose gadget. – Travis Hudson

Travle Security Gizmo for Laptops [BIOS]

Wired News reminds us that today, the US starts issuing passports with RFID chips inside. Privacy nuts will want to remember these Faraday Caged passport wallets from DIFRWEAR. Beats us if it will “foil” (heh, get it?) the radio signals from your travel docs, but it sure beats wearing a lead overcoat through LAX Customs.– Brian Lam

RFID-Blocking Passport Case [DIFRWEAR]
Chipped Passports Coming Monday
[Wired]

Filed under: Peripherals, Wireless

While we’re certainly not rushing out to snatch up Apple’s new Wireless Mighty Mouse, the heavy response to this Bluetooth-equipped rodent makes us think that a lot of you Macheads out there are eager to learn more before laying down your $70. With that in mind, we figured a full gallery of unboxing photos would be just the cure for your Mighty Mouse jones. Keep on reading for a few more pics — including a comparative shot with the wired version (spoiler: they look exactly alike, save for the “tail”) — and then hit up the Read link to check out the entire set…

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Filed under: Peripherals, Wireless

Well now we know why Apple "forgot" to file for ye olde confidentiality agreement on the Bluetooth Mighty Mouse FCC filing: they were planning on releasing the wireless rodent into the wild just hours after the documents went live. That's right, if you're looking to cut the cord and add some sweet laser-guided precision to your first-gen Mighty Mouse, you can pick up one of these models immediately for $69 (compared to $49 for the wired version). About the only new bit of information revealed on the official product page is the fact that this mouse will operate with either two or just one AA batteries -- you know, for those times when you're looking to shave every conceivable gram off of your travel weight. As much as we love Apple products, the Mighty Mouse has just never been all that comfortable to use; Bluetooth and laser-tracking are certainly nice additions, but until they make these things more ergonomic, we're holding on to our Logitech gear.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Filed under: Peripherals

Now that we know how to clean our water-damaged electronics, we’re not quite as concerned with spill-proof keyboards as we used to be, but that isn’t stopping manufacturers from releasing new products targeted at clumsy drinkers. Following the model from Lenovo we spotted awhile back (along with past offerings from IBM and Logitech) comes Japanese manufacturer Sigma A.P.O.’s hole-filled keyboard known as the WRKB108, available in white, black, or silver — but only with a Japanese character set. Besides channeling the occasional spilled coffee through the board and onto your lap, this model also sports a special UV paint that’s said to make it stronger and more dirt-repellent, although its five million keystroke rating doesn’t sound all that impressive to us. Luckily Sigma’s only charging $25 for this miracle of modern design, so even if it craps out after a few months, you’re not much worse off than you started. [Warning: PDF link]

[Via Digital World Tokyo]

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Connect2Car’s MFC can start your car’s engine, roll down its windows, or activate any other electric auto part by bluetooth. The MFC interfaces with a phone, PDA, or laptop over an encrypted connection. The little black box controls 8 devices. Here’s a video of a 2006 Toyota Solara getting the remote start, window rolldown, and ragtop drop by Verizon AudioVox XV6600 PDA.– Brian Lam

MFC [Connect2Car]

We all saw how well the Windows XP on Intel Mac contest worked, so why not do something similar for the iSight? As you may know, the iSight is the popular Apple webcam that may be discontinued, due to all the new machines—iMac, MacBook, MacBookPro—coming with a built in iSight. Ignoring the Mac Mini of course.

So, this user wants to use the iSight mic on his Windows XP machine. Problem? No drivers. He’s offering the same kind of bounty—people pitch in, winner collects, everyone wins—for someone to create an iSight driver and release it into open source. The pot’s for Win XP only, but if someone wants to make a Vista version that’s outside the requirements of this contest. Hackers have 6 months to make a driver, or he’s going to return everyone’s money. Get to work. – Jason Chen

iSight Microphone Windows XP Driver Competition [Mark 2000]

The MoGo Mouse is great for businessmen and polygamists who need to make their way from city to city, often only taking a laptop and a change of clothes. Slashgear found that the MoGo was perfect due to its using the PCMCIA slot as both home and charger. No more forgetting to charge the mouse or losing track of where it is.

Even though there's no "depth" to the mouse, the kickstand helps a bit by angling it in your hand so that you're not performing the eagle-talon of death trying to check whether today is the day for GOOG to tank. The only missing feature: scrolling. They couldn't fit a traditional scroll wheel in there, but maybe in a future setup they'd add some kind of touch-sensitive area for scrolling.

Check the link for a bonus Unboxing video. – Jason Chen

MoGo Mouse Hands On [Slashgear]

When I travel for work, I take free license to gorge on room service, and sit on my ass. Exercise would be easier with Pumas’s foldaway jacket, shorts, and running sneakers. The shoes have a slot in the sole for a hotel key, credit card and ID. And the kit comes with MP3 audio guides for London, Paris, New York, and Berlin. Should be easier to run…to McDonalds.– Brian Lam

TrainAway [ Puma via Get Outdoor Blog]

Japan really loves their waterproof gadgets, and it shows yet again with this Sigma APO waterproof keyboard.

The WRKB108 is a 108-key keyboard that has five drain-holes to evacuate any water inadvertently sploshed onto its surface. The keys are “silent”, so as to not wake the wife when you’re busy playing slip-n-slide with this in your home office. Three extra keys—WWW, Search, and Email—makes it Web 3.0-ready.

Pick one up for 2,980 Yen ($25) from Nippon. – Jason Chen

Sigma APO [via Far East Gizmos]

Professional and semi-professional photographers are like a Top Gun-era Tom Cruise—cocky and in The Need, The Need For Speed. That’s why SanDisk’s Extreme IV CompactFlash cars are touted as the “fastest cards in the world” at a read/write speed of 40MB/sec. Very speedy compared to the no-name brands the weekend point-and-shoot crowd prefer.

To allow quick reads for dumping pics into the computer, something the crappy 53-in-1 card readers fail at, SanDisk is releasing its Extreme FireWire reader at the same time. Firewire 800 connections will be able to hit the 40MB/sec, and the Firewire 400s will make do at 20MB/s.

The cards will cost around $200, $400, and $700 dollars for the 2GB, 4GB and 8GB cards, respectively. – Jason Chen

Press Release [SanDisk via Trusted Reviews]

Filed under: Peripherals, Storage

You may think that those USB thumb drives with biometric protection are keeping your data on adequate lockdown, but with so many Play-Doh-equipped crooks looking to steal your personal information these days, are you really willing to trust your most secure infoswag to a notoriously unreliable fingerprint reader? Our old friends at “innovative” Japanese manufacturer Thanko certainly aren’t, as evidenced by their new keypad-sporting model called the Morse Code Drive — which, despite its name, has nothing to do with the dash-dot-dashing we’ve seen performed by characters in old war movies. Available in either 512MB or 1GB flavors, this USB 2.0-compatible drive requires the user to input the proper PIN before revealing its precious data on a Mac or Windows machine, although we doubt that a determined hacker would be unable to penetrate its defenses. Still, most consumers will find the $60 and $85 drives acceptable for everyday use, and the fact that they camouflage themselves as a cheap calculator when stored in your pocket protector should only help seal the deal.

[Via Fareastgizmos]

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Unlike the other USB PC Lock, this PC lock locks your workstation from prying fingers, instead of just the USB drive.

When the USB receiver is plugged into your machine, as long as the transmitter is in range, your PC acts normally. As soon as you walk out of range—with the transmitter in your pocket—the receiver locks your PC to prevent unauthorized access to your machine. Useful at the office, where a trip to the bathroom may invite your co-workers to pull the old take-a-screenshot-and-set-it-as-your-desktop trick.

Available now for £19.99 ($34). – Jason Chen

Product Page [Gadgets.co.uk via Coolest Gadgets]

Filed under: Peripherals

The LG FINGER mouse is a rather self-explanatory product: it’s a tiny mouse shaped like a severed human finger. You push the top part of the button to left-click and the bottom portion to right-click — pretty simple. About the only thing this mouse has going for it — besides its disregard for handedness — is the fact that you could stuff it in a pocket for use with your PDA or UMPC; other than that, it looks fairly uncomfortable to maneuver, and sporting a wired mouse is like totally passé. We don’t know what it costs and we’re not sure where it’s available — our guess is Korea only — but we doubt folks will be lining up to get their, um, fingers on these things anyway.

[Via Engadget Japanese]

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No, this isn’t just some $5 mouse pad with a Lamborghini on it. This is an actual Italian leather Lamborghini mousepad, made by the same people who bring you those fancy horseless wagons with all the horses under the hood.

The pad is in the shape of the Lamborghini crest, but doesn’t have the actual crest design. We’re not sure how much it costs, but it’s sure to be less than the $500 F1 Mouse Pad. – Jason Chen

Lamborghini [via Sybarites]

Bloggers live and die by the keyboard, so you can imagine how many meals we eat in front of our glowing monitors. You may not know this, but your keyboard is probably the dirtiest part of your desk. So instead of placing that turkey sandwich on that clacker, place it on the keyboard food tray.

The tray offers a places for a sandwich and a mug, as well as holes below for your hands to actually type. A plate? Bah! Who needs a plate? What are we, cave men? – Jason Chen

Keyboard Food Tray [Yanko Design via New Launches]

Yeah, you could use a USB drive with some sort of software security feature, but it's probably only a matter of time until eastern European hackers crack that code. However, as this isn't Men in Black, you're already in possession of an excellent method of identifying yourself: your fingerprints. A-Data's FB1 USB drive scans your fingerprints on first use and identifies those fingerprints as the owner's. From then on, if you want to access the data on the drive, a simple fingerprint scan unlocks the drive. If, for some reason, your digits become unavailable, there's also a backup password system.

This fingerprint scanning USB drive is available in 256MB, 512MB, 1GB and 2GB sizes, with the largest drive retailing for $59.99. – Nicholas Deleon

Product Page [A-Data via The Inquirer]

B-Flex is a tiny speaker array you can plug into your laptop. Even the best internal laptop speakers sound like a tin can, so this couldn’t be any worse. New company JLab Audio claims a frequency response range of 200 to 20,000 Hz with a signal-to-noise ratio greater than 80db. Plus, the flex cable lets you manipulate the speakers to their optimum listening position.

Perhaps the most appealing spec is the 3.24-inch width and 7-inch height of the speakers, small enough to fit in just about any briefcase. Plug it into a USB port, and you get instant tunes with no drivers, batteries or power cables needed for non-ancient Windows, Mac or Linux machines. Looks like a lot of speaker for $39.95. – Charlie White

Product page [JLab Audio]

 
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Related: BenQ to Ship Blu-ray Burner in August
Related: The Space Invaders Carpet
Related: Surfboard USB Drives

It was just a few months ago that we reported on the existence of Space Invaders wall stickers and judging by the overwhelming response, it appears that the public can't get enough of those evil, Earth-coveting space aliens. Carpet Invaders, created by Poland's Janek Simon, incorporates everyone's favorite Space-based invaders into a nice, Persian rug. Perfect for parties, as indicated by the pictures of youthful 20-somethings on the project's home page, or for keeping you company while you sit alone in your room, the carpet is "powered" by a PS2 that projects the game onto the carpet via an overhead projector.

Be warned, however, that the project's home page is full of half-crafted metaphors, explaining how the game is somehow a representation of our own lives or some other beatnik nonsense. Thankfully, it doesn't detract from the project's allure. – Nicholas Deleon

Janek Simon and his Carpet Invaders [Dis Location via Kotaku]

 
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Related: Surfboard USB Drives
Related: Easybook M3 Digital Notebook
Related: Touch Typist: French Maid Keyboard

Surf’s up, dude, even if you live in the Midwest. Wal-Mart, of all places, has these gnarly 1GB USB 2.0 flash drives in four radical styles for around $33. You gotta love the design on these things. Nice. Even I like them, even though, as you know, Charlie don’t surf. – Charlie White

Product page [Wal-Mart, via Chip Chick]

 
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Related: Easybook M3 Digital Notebook
Related: Touch Typist: French Maid Keyboard
Related: Magic Ringtone: Overpriced Ringtones Now For Your Landline

We’re fortunate enough to live in a world where writing things down longhand is almost entirely unnecessary. So why not write things down just for the hell of it, aided by digital technology? Especially with college right around the corner, the Oxford Easybook M³ Digital Notepad could come in handy. Or not.

Using a special digital pen, the Easybook M³ is an actual notebook that can later sync with a PC to create e-mails, Word documents and other, you know, non-written down formats. The notepad is lined with “little dots” spaced 0.3 mm apart, which are used by the notebook to interpret your scribbles.

Granted, hand recognition technology is nothing new, and tablet PCs have been using hand recognition for a while now, but at least with the Easybook you don’t have to lug around a whole PC when all you need is a notebook. It isn’t particularly cheap, either, retailing around $461. At a price like that, you might as well spring for a laptop so you can play games in class. – Nicholas Deleon

Product Page [Oxford via Tech Digest]

 
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Related: Touch Typist: French Maid Keyboard
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