Everything USB - Gadgets, Wireless USB, USB 3.0

SmartFish ErgoMotion Mouse Takes Care of Your Wrist

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 09:38:47 -0600

SmartFish's ErgoMotion has finally gone from an actual concept to actual, shipping product, as a mouse. (The keyboard and game controller utilizing the same technology wail have to wait until Q1 2010.) Hardware-wise, the ambidextrous laser mouse features chrome finishing, has a tilt wheel, and ships with a 2.4Ghz nano-sized USB dongle for wireless connectivity.

What's unique about this ergonomic mouse is that it's the industry's first to sport a 3D-axis motion base so that mouse can swivel and pivot to adapt to your hand position. SmartFish claims this promotes a more wave-like fluid moment, so your wrist and hand are never in a fixed position, hence reducing risk of the irritating Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI). While the ErgoMotion mouse may not have glass-tracking sensor and a precision wheel found on Logitech Anywhere MX, it maybe the answer to healthy mousing. The wobbling mouse is expected to be found in retail for $49.99 anytime now, though, you have better chance of getting it from Amazon.
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Morgan Freeman's Digiboo Puts a Movie Rental Store into a USB Kiosk

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:40:00 -0600

While it makes us uncomfortable when we hear that a new venture from movie legend Morgan Freeman is called Digiboo, we still love the concept. Those Redbox kiosks all over the place that rent movies (without having to interrupt some pimpled teen text'ing their BFF) has just gone digital. Digiboo, partnering with Freeman's Revelations Entertainment, is launching a digital self service system akin to the photo printing stations found in many stores. They have also partnered with Hollywood video and are looking to launch with a selection of over 1000 movies.

This should be similar to any other trip to the video store except that you won't have a bag at the check-out you'll have a flash drive. Users will be able to complete their transaction by attaching a PMP, gaming device, cell phone, flash drive or any other type of USB storage. DRM is promised to be included which will probably be handled by a combination of the player and file similar to iTunes. Pricing schemes are still being worked out and may change. These would be a HUGE hit in airport terminals or the latest Colin Farrell movie premiere, any place you have a few hours to kill. Look for them abroad soon.
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Super Slim Super Rugged Casio EX-G1 Super Sport Camera

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 00:31:14 -0600

Casio wants to give you a camera you can take everywhere. The Exilim EX-G1 is shock resistant camera, likened by Casio its immortal G-Shock digital watch, and can withstand multiple drops from 7 ft. unphased. The camera can survive freezing temperatures as low as 14 degrees Fahrenheit. As for waterproof, the point-n-shoot can handle being submersed up to 10 feet for a full hour. As rugged as it is, the EX-G1 is merely 0.78" thick. Movies however are recorded in odd resolution at 848x480.

The best part of the EX-G1 is the soft features included with the camera to help you take your wildest shots. The camera has an unattended Interval Shooting that you can set and forget. The EX-G1 will then take pictures every 10, 30, 60, 180 seconds until you stop it or it runs out of memory. It's perfect so you can catch that perfect rail-slide, jump or flip that you've been practicing for weeks. Couple that with the Best Shot scene setting and you've got a recipe for great pictures of all that crazy stuff you do, anywhere you do it. MSRP is a little high at $299, but that should come down sharply after a few months and become a real gem and extreme sports partner/witness.
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USB Whirl Wind Cup Warmer Keeps Your Coffee Hot & Tea Smooth

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 23:34:08 -0600

Like your coffee shaken not stirred? Well too bad because Brando is going to keep it hot and swirly. The USB Whirl Wind Cup Warmer can heat your favorite beverage to a snappy 40 degrees Celsius. The high tech thermos is powered by a Lithium battery. The rechargeable battery is powered up by USB and charge status is displayed via LEDs on the front. Snap on the lid and take it with you wherever you like.

The heated mug also contains a handy contraption to constantly stir your beverage of choice. The built in agitator can run along with or without the heater. So go ahead and drink your coffee or your kool-aid precisely the way it was meant to be enjoyed. This won't crush ice or stir soup but it should be fine for most drinks. You'll only have to shell out $37 for this java warmer but that's nothing compared to the value of making that free coffee at the office last all the way through the day.
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Sharkoon Quickport Uses USB 3.0 for SATA Dock Station Boost

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:19:53 -0600

One of the most obvious avenues for USB 3.0 speed to make our lives a bit better is as an external hard drive access. Sharkoon, of Germany, is releasing an immediately useful SATA hard drive station with USB 3.0 connectivity. The Sharkoon SATA Quickport USB 3.0 is an upright drive station that should make cloning, migration and forensic drive analysis much faster. USB 2.0 drive stations are incredibly popular in those functions today and a 10-fold increase in speed will be welcome to all their devotees. This simple drive station allows for drives to be quickly inserted and removed quickly. Both 2.5 and 3.5 inch drives are supported and quickly locked into place.

Unlike the mighty all-in-one station, Sharkoon's Quickport is simple and to the point with only 2 LED indicators and a single eject button. Sharkoon only ships with a AC adapter but they probably should include some sort of seat-belt, not for the drives, but just for the break-neck speed we are greedily awaiting. The SATA Quickport should be available next week for about $73.
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Displaylink USB Video Engine on HP USB Thin Clients

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 10:05:52 -0600

Thin client appliance has always been on the roadmap for Displaylink, notable for its USB video invention. Today, Displaylink makes a joint announcement with MS and HP to roll out its virtual graphics for Windows Multipoint Server 2010 and HP MultiSeat Thin Clients. Essentially, they all work together to make thin clients more appealing to cash-strapped schools, which are already struggling with a problem of replacing aging PCs.

MS Multipoint Server 2010 allows any PCs to become a server which is connected to a small group (max. 10) of HP MultiSeat Thin Clients via USB 2.0. Each appliance can have its own keyboard, mouse, monitor and audio. Oddly, the only peripheral connections on the appliance are PS/2, which is effective in preventing hacking by rogue students using USB drives. The package also includes TeachNow for easy system admin and SchoolCloud for tracking students' usage and managing their apps as well as data (e.g. homework). HP MultiSeat is expected to become available in early 2010. There's no word yet on pricing.
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Creative Live! Cam Socialize HD Webcam

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 07:59:59 -0600

Not to be outdone by Microsoft, Creative launches its own HD USB webcam. The true high-def Live! Cam Socialize is able to stream 1280x720 video at 30fps. That is, of course, HD video streaming to your computer, but not necessarily to the other party in a video chat session due to possible bandwidth constraint.

Together with out of the box cross-platform support (being USB Video class-compliant device) and avatar / voice morphing software bundle, the Live! Cam sounds quite impressive and fun until we found out that its mono microphone, fixed focus lens and cheap plastic build are a let down. MS' LifeCam Cinema, in contrast, comes equipped with noise-canceling stereo mic, auto focus glass lens and an aluminum body for enhanced protection while traveling. Best of all, the Cinema goes for much less than the Creative USB webcam.
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Imation Wireless USB Drive is Back! Now Bigger & Faster

Tue, 17 Nov 2009 01:18:40 -0600

Imation - one of the believers in Certified Wireless USB - is giving UWB-based standard another shot with the Pro WX wireless hard drive. The Pro WX was meant to be released a year ago, but after losing its OEM WiQuest, Imation has put the product on hold, and went on with other projects, such as WUSB Project Link. It wasn't until recently Staccato - one of a handful of survivors in the industry shakeup of last year - that offered to resurrect the WUSB drive. The external drive houses a Seagate 3.5" Barracuda 7200-rpm 1.5TB, and has an antenna sticking out of it. You'll also find a HWA WUSB dongle as well as Memeo backup tool. And surprisingly, Mac support is built-in. Taking account of an early adopter premium, a very large 7200-rpm drive and some costly WUSB components, we can see why Imation puts a staggering $449.99 price tag on the drive.

Performance wise, the Pro WX tops at 15MB/s, and Imation makes sure you see it on the retail box, likely to avoid confusion that some consumers expect the WUSB drive to perform as as fast a wired counterpart. So, 15MB/s is more close to first gen. USB 2.0 storage, however, such speed can only be achieved at close range (between 3 to 5m). Compared to Wi-Fi- NAS, a major advantage of the Imation Pro WX is a dedicated incremental backup connection that bypasses snooping and avoids traffic congestion. But seriously though, Imation needs something close to 30MB/s for this to compete with 802.11n NAS offerings.
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USB Scrub Cleans up Registry After Excessive USB Drive Use

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:20:08 -0600

Nexcopy, one of the leading manufacturers of USB copiers, is releasing USB Scrub as freeware today. This tiny package is designed to remove the excess registry entry that flash drives leave behind in Windows. Technically every piece of hardware you attach to your computer creates extra registry entries in windows. The makers of USB Scrub show that 260 registry entries get made every time a flash drive is connected. These entries slow down the process of inserting a USB drive into your computer. In Nexcopy's tests an overused system's accessibility lag went from 45 seconds to 15 seconds. That's the time it takes to go from plugging in a drive and then finally being able to use it.

USB Scrub will go through and clean out all those extra entries. Once you've cleaned out all the superfluous entries flash drive enumeration could be vastly improved. Currently only available for Windows XP but Vista and Windows 7 support are destined to arrive shortly. USB Scrub is completely free of adware and is nag free. It contains a link to Nexcopy's site, and that's it for ads. Available here for all to find.
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Thanko USB UV Toothbrush Sanitizer Keeps Bacteria at Bay

Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:11:33 -0600

UV disinfectants aren't terribly new but they are only gradually getting more widely used. That may change with Thanko's dual powered UV Toothbrush Sanitizer. The UV light emitted from this can eliminate the majority of bacteria and microorganisms with just a few minutes inside this portable container. Not much bigger than a normal travel toothbrush this can be easily packed in your travel bag or laptop bag.

You can power the sanitizer from either included USB cable or 2 AAA batteries. The USB cable is included but batteries are not. This should help you keep away from the swine flu or the regular flu for that matter. A great idea if family members are sick and you can't shut them away in quarantine. Available at GeekStuff4U if you are ready to have done will all the litter critters growing on your toothbrush. $40 should be about what you will need to spend before shipping to get it. This is about twice what you'd spend on a non-USB one.
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B&W Reveals MM-1 High-fidelity USB PC Speakers

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:18:04 -0600

Shrinkage from silky smooth sound seller Bowers and Wilkins makes the sibilant news today. They have compressed their enormous high fidelity Zeppelin speakers for iPod into a size that is just right to accompany a laptop. The B&W MM-1 speakers are fueled by USB for both digital audio and power. The speakers have B&W's signature sound processing system handling all of the audio creation from digital source. This removes the problem of low quality on-board sound systems tainting the music. The built-in amplifier takes care of everything else with up to 36W per speaker.

The speakers also sport a line-in jack for connecting directly to MP3 players and a very handy headphone jack for private listening. There's also a wireless remote which will probably only control the volume. Due to the speakers actually being a USB audio device, the remote is capable of much more than just volume but no details have surfaced at this time. You can still expect to empty your piggy bank to get these on their way to you but at least the shipping costs won't be as much as for the Zeppelin. We'll hope for more details on price and functions closer to February of next year when the MM-1's are expected to ship.
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AT&T Ups 3G to 7.2Mbps, Followed by New HSPA USB Dongle

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 23:28:14 -0600

AT&T rolls out this week a new HSPA USB dongle for its 3G network this week, the Lightning. The new modem is set to connect on its HSPA 3G band. This band promises 7.2Mbps speeds which doubles the previous maximum of 3.6 Mbps. They are only rolling this out in limited areas so you may have to wait to get it in your area but Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles and Miami will be knee deep in new speeds by year end. Hong Kong is currently rolling in 21Mbps, but this isn't a competition right? The Lightning stores its connection software on flash memory within itself so all you have to do is plug in the card and it will start installing the software automatically.

The Lightning has a swivel hinge on its USB connector for convenient connection and LED indicators to show connection status. A dual function device, the Lightning will also switch between HSPA 3G and Wi-Fi. Customers with eligible plans will also get free access to AT&T's 20,000 Wi-Fi hot spots. If you lock yourself into a 2 year contract your total cost will be $99 - $100 gift card for a net total of -$1. Their minimum data plan is also being lowered to $35 per month for 200MB usage. Speeds going up, prices going down and free stuff, what could be better?
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Bluemic High Fidelity Microphone Says THX for the Memories

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:53:28 -0600

The Yeti USB microphone from Bluemic - the same company that makes Eyeball - is THX certified and ready to put your voice on the ether in the highest quality possible. Bluemic, who obviously focuses on quality sound recording, is one of the first prosumer level microphones to carry the THX certification banner. The several possible tiers of THX certification help warrant the sound range, reproduction and low Total Harmonic Distortion (THD). This microphone may be overkill for home uses but anyone who makes a living communicating on the internet, whether it's from podcasting or delivering webex training. You have 3 choices of microphone array modes. Each of the different modes will help enhance the soundfield for the best possible representation of your voice.

Another key feature is a built in headphone jack for for zero-latency monitoring of what is getting recorded. You don't have to worry about an echo or a delay any longer using this monitor port. The microphone also sports several easy to access controls for volume, mic gain, mic pattern and headphone volume. Even with all these features, it still might be slightly out of reach for most people at $149.
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Brinell PureStorage Takes USB Hard Drives from Geek to Chic

Wed, 11 Nov 2009 01:13:54 -0600

Brinell heralds forth the next evolution in designer USB drive enclosures. Many manufacturers have tried to obscure them or make them a little less nerdy but none have dared to try and make them stylish. The PureStorage line uses high quality materials draped around 160GB to 500GB hard drives. The drive maker is undisclosed, but probably one of the usual suspects, and USB 2.0 performance should be expected. PureStorage (2.5") and PureStorage (1.8") are available in all of the following lines: Understatement, Engineered and Elegant.

The Understatement is a chrome and wood veneer finish is for the super classy. The Elegant is a chrome and light-tan leather covering for the truly fashionable. The Engineered series for the true techie is available either brushed steel or carbon fibre. The prices of these modern looks is between $280-$340, and are available for order at their online store.
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Everything USB's Favorite Novelty Flash Drives

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 07:40:33 -0600

We love flash drives, and we see a lot of them each day. We thought we'd take the time to round up a few of our favorites. There's a lot of things that can make a flash drive stand out. Sometimes there's a novel design, a movie tie-in or just plain thinking outside of the box. Recently, we've seen more than a few drives that have scored style points. Putting the Flash in a flash drive can make that tag of the IT tech support geek into something a bit more fashionable. Here are our picks for best bang for the buck, best features, quality, usability or just plain unique flash drive of the past few months.
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OpenOffice Mouse Looks Like a Photoshop Gag, Might be Useful

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:44:35 -0600

There's no such thing as too much of a good thing. Okay, yeah there is and this is it: The OpenOffice Mouse. This wired USB mouse packs 18 programmable keys and a joystick. Not that the teal color scheme isn't bad enough, you can barely tell which of the buttons are supposed to be the regular mouse buttons. Only the scroll wheel is discernible amongst dual 10-key keypads that invaded this mouse. While a little on the fugly side, the idea isn't bad and has been done recently, albeit with a little more charisma.

The idea is to be able to download a preset bundle of macros specific to office applications and games. Of course, given the name, many of the applications with macro profiles are open source favorites. GIMP, OpenOffice.org, WoW and Call of Duty are already available with more on the way as support grows. The mouse comes with 512k of flash memory to hold profiles on mouse which makes it travel friendly. The software that powers the mouse is set to be an open source project for Windows, Linux and Mac but the mouse isn't free. You can order it for $74.99 as soon as their online store opens.
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Logitech Anywhere MX "Darkfield" Wireless Mouse Review

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:31:23 -0600

No stranger to the ubiquitous pointing device, Logitech boasts an impressive 20+ year history building mice and computer peripherals. Having surpassed the one billion mouse mark back in 2008, they are the undisputed leader in electronic rodent computer peripherals. New for 2009, the Logitech Anywhere MX wireless mouse combines wireless connectivity with unique "Darkfield" tracking technology for a mouse that is said to be able to track on pure glass and other highly reflective surfaces. Designed to be a fully-featured portable workhorse, the Anywhere MX also brings a rather unique scroll wheel to the party. How well does it all work in the cold, cruel world? Come to our glossy new labs to see if the Anywhere MX can track straight and true.
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Novation USB Launchpad, a Music Mixers Dream Come True

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:30:59 -0600

MP3s killed the mod tracking star. The Novation Launchpad makes composing digital music a much more interactive and almost into an art. The 64 button 'keyboard' integrates into the Ableton Live software to help you conduct multi-track music compositions using sampling, looping and dynamic patterns in real time. Each of the 64 keys can actually have many functions controlled by the 16 other function buttons. Check out the video, once you get to know the pad you can hop between sampling, patterns and mixer functions on the fly with ease. The back-lighting system illuminates the keys along with the song. The combination of easy control and visual feedback make this a fantastic tool for both composition or live mixing.

Back in the mid 90s mod tracking was really starting to get serious. Music wanted to be free but sound compression hadn't come around and a 9600 baud modem was what most people used to connect to the Internet. Sample based music had a big following and GUI tools were starting to make it easy for just about anyone to take a stab at making serious music. Ableton's software is crazy serious about enabling serious use of its tools for these same ends. It will support up to SIX of these pads at once for instant visibility and control of your technological symphony. The software is available at about $199 for both PCs and Macs.
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12-port USB Hub Almost as Impractical as It is Frightening

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:30:50 -0600

Sanwa's got a new monster hub that just missed Halloween, the 400-HUB009. Sporting an almost unprecedented 12 ports, this round octopus hub should definitely be able to the handle the needs of all but the most USB addicted users out there. The hub's circular shape gives every USB port plenty of room, so that all shapes of devices can easily be plugged in. There are 10 available ports around the edge of the disc as well as 2 extra top mounted ports which are ideal for plugging flash drives in and pulling them out quickly. The hub is fed by a mini-USB type input plug and an almost mandatory power adapter. Trying to run off of bus power would be horribly ill advised.

The only problem with the hub is the 360 degree mess that you will have if you manage to fill all of the available ports. With the average cable sticking out at least 2 inches front and back this scary spider will take up about 12 inches of desk space. Still, this might make for some great niche applications and is reasonably priced at around $55 if it every makes it outside Japan.
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Beatles Discography on Apple USB Drive in FLAC/MP3 Flavor

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 23:38:23 -0600

You say you want a revolution? There's no question that the Beatles were a revolution, changing the face of music and arguably the world in their wake. That's why it's no surprise to see a one of a kind USB drive loaded with Beatles music arrive. Apple and EMI are cooperatively releasing this Beatles inscribed, apple shaped 16GB flash drive with all 14 released LPs and 13 mini-documentary films. This is one of the very few digital distributions of the Beatles music to the public. The rights owners have been very cautious about release the fab foursome's music in soft formats to date. We hope to see more soon. The music is included in both 24-bit 44.1Khz FLAC and 320 kbps MP3 format, and has been digitally remastered prior to encoding. The drive is also packed with album art and liner notes. It probably should have been a yellow submarine drive but at least it is finally here.

Only 30,000 of these will be manufactured and they should start shipping on December 7th. You can preorder now at their online store. The drive full of yummy Beatle goodness and a tiny apple dose of vitamin-C will run you $330.
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