As far as we can tell, the Vestax Guber CM-02 USB turntable has two things going for it, besides the pretty goofy name: first, it touts the precision engineering and quality of its construction and materials to the point where, when combined with the asking price (between $233 and $499), you have to wonder if maybe there's something pretty good behind the marketing. Second, it comes with a proprietary hookup to the company's Cube 2 EQ system (purchased separately, of course), so you can adjust audio quality to fit the needs of your listening room. Of course, what with the high price and the quality focus and the separate EQ system, we're willing to bet the Guber CM-02 is the sort of turntable you buy if you're a dedicated audiophile, or want to become one. Everyone else: take the sticker shock for what its worth, and move on to other, more affordably pricedoptions. Permanent Link
Displaylink has kept their promise on delivering the Mac-version of the USB video driver exactly two hours after midnight on the due date. (It's actually a pleasant surprise that beta driver would be posted on time as scheduled.) The release allows you to connect up to four Displaylink-powerd video products (eg. Samsung 19" 940UX, IOGear External Video Card) over USB, which may not be exciting for most of us, but probably the only way for Mac mini owners to get a second display running. For now, the driver doesn't give you 2D acceleration nor any form of 3D (specifically OpoenGL) acceleration so you will encounter problems with Keynote presentations and iPhoto slideshows. We actually just had a chance to test the beta driver, and surprisingly, both performance and stability were decent, to say the least. Displaylink did whine about not having enough support from Apple since MacOS X is a closed system unlike Vista. Keep in mind though this driver is still in beta which is traditionally prone to crashes and sluggishness. DisplayLink even keeps a long list of issues that need to be addressed in the online release note. Permanent Link
HP isn't exactly a main player in the rather small USB webcam add-on market, most of which belongs to Logitech by now. Integrated webcams on monitors are mostly fine except when you need need pan and tilt, external ones are far better choice. Since most HP LCD monitors also don't come with a built-in camera, this 3-megapixel model just introduced by the said company might sell like hotcakes. Who knows. This 'bizarre-looking' Elite webcam from HP boasts some very nice and thoughtful features, including a native 3-megapixel sensor which goes beyond HD; autofocus; privacy cover; and UVC for driverless install; and 320-degree pan angle. You can expect 30fps at VGA, but only 8 to 9fps at 1280x960. Then again, most ordinary persons don't need more than 800x600 for video conferencing, and at this res, the webcam can handle at 20fps. There's an effective focal range from 4 inches to infinity and an integrated stereo mic. Included with the Elite are ArcSoft VideoImpression, Magic-i and PhotoSmart Essential software. The low FPS concern aside, the HP Elite Autofocus webcam goes nicely with the new breed of glossy black HP LCDs. For other proven solutions, check out these oneshere. Permanent Link
Everyone is crazy about touch screen these days. Now it appears even Kodak has jumped into the bandwagon with its latest photo frame with multi-touch border. Its trio of 16:9 Digital Picture Frames, ranging from 7" ($119.95) to 8" ($179.95) and 10" ($229.95), features touch-sensitive borders with back lighting that allows you to flick through photos and to edit them with your fingertip. This design does away most of the buttons. In addition to JPEG, Kodak's frames can do most video types (MPEG-1 to 4) and MP3s as well. The larger two of the three frames boast 128MB internal memory, but that isn't as practical as the unit's two memory card slots. And you may also have figured out a port specifically for USB flash drives. The frame also isn't limited to tabletop display since with the new white cord, you can mount it on a wall without too many people noticing the dangling cable. Permanent Link
Buffalo finally has the guts to announce its first external optical disk drive outside of Japan. Aimed squarely at hardcore HD DVD fans who are still mourning for the total loss of their beloved format, Buffalo's MediaStation (BRHC-6316U2) Blu-ray & HD DVD combo USB burner serves both backward and forward compatibility. What's so special about this is that the drive burns Blu-ray at 6x and also HD DVD at 3x. Since HD DVD-Rs could be going to for less than $5 a stack, this maybe a reason to pick this one over Blu-ray discs for one-time archival purpose. The 6x BD-R write speed is also as fast as you can expect from Blu-ray for now except Buffalo needs to tell us about the BD-RE performance as well. The combo won't come cheap at 284 pounds or $568 USD, at least you get Turbo USB, SecureLock Ware and Nero 8 authoring software. Permanent Link
Largely it's due to the majority of reference board designs; ports on a USB hub usually face in the same redirection. There's nothing wrong if we don't have oversized thumbdrives and USB TV dongles. Should you have a problem with getting less ports than what your hub offers due to port blocking, this Star Hub II might be what you need. It's a 4-port, twisting, turning USB hub whose port - each with different color - can rotate 180 degrees to your liking. The hub goes for $12, just like the Runner Hub. Permanent Link
As much as we like Steve Jobs' glorified PDA, Apple iPod touch's prohibitive pricing is a real turn off. We are hoping some price cut, and looks like an inadvertent leak over at Apple's Dutch iTunes store has given us some hope. The story has that there was an ads that shows the iPod touch starting at only 199 euro representing a 80 euro difference from the official price of 8GB unit which as of this writing remains at 279 euro. We are keeping our fingers crossed, because after the infamous January update, iPod touch has become much more attractive with the additions of new functions, specifically the Mail & Google Map. Permanent Link
Without a doubt, flash drives are the largest security risk that most organizations and users have faced since the introduction writeable CDs. They can be used on virtually any PC, are small enough to go undetected by anyone, and now are large enough to carry more than four times what you can fit on a DVD. Couple this with a clumsy employee and you have a recipe to make the evening CNN blurb of how 60,000 people facing identity theft. Security is the only way to prevent your information being accessed by someone else on your flash drive, whether it be personal data or business related. We’ve seen some forms of this with these flash drives, but even those can be circumvented with enough effort. The only way to ensure that your data is safe is to implement hardware encryption with password protection AND tamper-resistance. That’s exactly what the guys over at IronKey have done, and they’ve taken it to the next level by placing a drive that meets military standards and placed it in the hands of everyday consumers. Read on as we put the IronKey 1GB flash drive through the tests and analyze its security features. Permanent Link
For those of you that are a fan of force feedback then this should be right up your alley. Apparently someone didn't think that games realistic enough and that you should feel some sort of negative feedback from taking damage. Dubbed the Trakonya Mutator, this little device attaches to your wrist and emits a small shock when you take some damage. Right now the game only works with the Unreal Tournament series but there are plans to make it work with the Half-Life engine as well. I'm not so keen on being shocked but I would definitely like to see this with maybe some sort of rumble device to indicate where you are taking damage, which could translate into direction and thus increase your instinctive reaction times. Give me about 5 or 6 of these coupled with the OCZ Neural Impulse Actuator and I'd be one happy gamer! Permanent Link
While we were digging for some information earlier, we came across some information that we felt everyone should be aware of. Apparently the Corsair Flash Padlock isn't very secure at all. Tweakblogs (warning: Dutch) has a quick guide of how to hack the Padlock. Unfortunately is so simple that all you need to do is solder in a single resistor and the drive will be permanently unlocked. Yes, this means that your PIN no longer protects you and that anyone with a few bucks and a soldering iron can get your data off of it. Please keep in mind that while this means that the drive isn't that secure, it is still better than nothing. This drive is simply meant to stop the masses from grabbing the drive and being able to plug it in and use it. The average guy next door isn't going to know to solder on a resistor, let alone where, but it is something to take note of. Always remember two very important facts about technology. 1) If it can be hacked, it will be hacked… and even if it can't be hacked today, someone will be able to eventually. 2) Encryption is a MUST to protect your data whether it is hardware or software encryption. While hardware is generally better than software, software encryption is going to be much stronger than any password or PIN you can create. Permanent Link
If you've ever tried to do some video conferencing while on the go then you know that it can be a royal pain if you don't have a webcam built into your laptop. It always seems that you can never get the webcam in the right position to show yourself and when you finally do, it is in an unstable position. That is, unless you stick it to your screen. The USB Mini Webcam with Sucker will let you do just that. The suction cup will let you place it on just about any smooth surface and the flexible arm will let you put it in the position that best suits your needs. It even has a focusing feature by turning the lens on the end. Something strikes us as unsafe by sticking this to the LCD on your $2k laptop as it might be quite difficult to remove and cause some damage. We'd suggest splurging for the Logitech's Carl Zeiss lens-equipped QuickCam Pro instead. Permanent Link
It didn't take long for HK-based Smartone-Vodafone to max out the current HSDPA's top speed. There's an ads on a local newspaper promoting the carrier's latest deployment upgrade to 14.4Mbit/s, which in other words, is HSDPA's theoretical maximum throughput. HSUPA - the up-link - remains the same at 2Mbps. The device that can achieve this top speed is Vodafone's USB Stick, which is an upgrade to the pebble-like USB Modem in both performance and form factor. In addition to the new 14.4Mbps mode, the thumbdrive-sized WAN modem can fall back to 7.2Mbps, 3.6Mbps and even 1.8Mbps, whose services were introduced during 2007 and 2008. The stick alone in HKD costs $1888 if opt for the Flexi plan. You get $200 discount if you feel like signing a $488 plan on a 18-month contract. The modem can even be yours for free if you tie yourself to a 30-month contract. Permanent Link
The creator of the Floppy Office brings you a new office productivity suite that fits on even a 8MB USB stick - lowest capacity there is if you can find it. The software collection offers 16 unique standalone USB apps that allow you to create rich-text word docs; share files across multiple PCs; upload files to FTP server; create Excel spreadsheets; email your colleagues; chat with friends on MSN; and export docs to PDFs. On top of these are a file compressor; secure file shredder; encryption program; and even a password revealer (X-pass). The Tiny USB Office expands to only 3MB compared to 77MB that of OpenOffice. Permanent Link
While Lenovo ThinkPad X300's 1" chassis can fit a DVD burner, a 64GB SSD and a 1.2Ghz Core 2 Duo, it also has an unexpectedly new wireless module. And as you may have figured out already, it's Wireless USB. The relatively new connectivity option is available to all X300 except for the one with integrated wireless WAN. WUSB is priced at $63, at which price is very reasonable compared to what Dell offers together with the Belkin hub, but there's a 3-4 week wait time. As the module is to be PCIe, we presume you can swap it with one that is faster than its current top speed. ExpressCard should be ideal for adding stuff like WUSB, but since the X300 is already running out of spaces, a rarely used slot doesn't seem fit on the said laptop. We figure this could be another thing ThinkPad X300 fans like to brag about in front of MacBook Air advocates. Permanent Link
If you've needed to do some mass copying of flash drives in the past, then you've either been forced to sit at a PC all day and copy them individually or use something like the Kanguru USB Duplicator. This is all fine and dandy if you just have a handful or you've just finished when you suddenly receive an email saying that there has been a change to what goes on the flash drives and now you need to reflash all of them. Well not anymore. Nexcopy has finished the USB200PC USB Duplicator. Just like the Kanguru, it will let you copy data to a bunch of drives at the same time but with some added features. The Nexcopy duplicator will also let you add new content without overwriting the old and will also perform version updates, which should help save quite a bit of time if you already have your flash drives ready to go. Speaking of saving time, the USB200PC is quite speedy too. Since it can copy at 30MB/s, you can copy 250MB of data to all 20 devices in about three and a half minutes. Unfortunately you aren't going to see very many of these around unless your company gives out a lot of flash drives as it costs about $1300. At least it has a stylish brushed metal finish. Permanent Link
The recent Airport update is perhaps the most important firmware yet made available to AirPort Extreme users, especially for those running Leopard. Prior to the patch release, owners of the AirPort Extreme router were only able to mount their USB storage connected to the router as an AirDisk, but they should now be pleased to find out the update now includes the much anticipated 10.5's Time Machine compatibility. We gave it a shot over the weekend; the drive discovery, backup process and even the restore worked perfectly as advertised, like the Time Capsule. Unfortunately, the backup speed was horribly slow on either 802.11n and Gigabit. The best throughout we ever got was 6MB/s, at which speed we reckoned had something to do with the processor handling the USB traffic. (The Buffalo Turbo USB 320GB we tested with is very competent for this type of task.) In the end, we had to leave our laptops running overnight to give it enough time for the backup to complete. We did try to improvise by first backing up over USB, but that didn't quite work after mounting the disk as a Time Machine container. Fortunately, subsequent incremental backups over the wireless network were a lot smoother largely due to the smaller amount of data needed to be transferred. That is unless you decide to begin with another 10GB video editing project. Permanent Link
With all the random USB gadgets out there, sometimes you have to wonder why they simply can't be more useful. What if you could extend some of your sidebar gadgets to your desk or show some of your pictures on a small LCD so your desktop just didn't stay the same day after day. If so then maybe the Gadget Display is right up your alley. We weren't given much information on the device, but it looks like it has a 2" color LCD display and it connects to your PC via USB. It is XP SP2 and Vista compatible. It comes with dozens of options to display clocks, CPU and RAM usage, and you might even be able to display your Sidebar gadgets on it. It might not be as useful as the 7" display on the Samsung 2263DX, but if it were to gain some SideShow support, it might just come in very handy. Permanent Link
Some webcams try to stand out with their innovative design; others introduce secondary features intended to grab your attention. Logitech went for a different approach with their pro-series webcams: as sharp as possible, as often as possible. To achieve their goal, they contracted well-known optics maker Carl Zeiss to engineer the lenses, and built a new autofocus system designed to sharpen out-of-focus images as quickly and smoothly as possible. Is the result worth choosing Logitech over competing products like the Creative Live! Cam Optia AF and the MS LifeCam VX-7000? Let's find out in our Logitech QuickCam Pro for Notebooks review. Permanent Link
There's really no reason not to get a HD camcorder these days, but HD is an overkill for some of us when you take the complexity of high-def editing and the cost of the equipment into account. That's where Sanyo Xacti CG9 comes in with its affordable pricing and simplicity. The handheld camcorder retailing for $279.99 features a 9.1MP CMOS sensor and 5x optical zoom with a max aperture of f/3.5 wide. It also has the ability to capture up to 10 photos in raid succession and auto focus on up to 12 faces. The CG9 writes in AVC/H.264 format, but just in standard definition on a SD/SDHC card. Sanyo claims the camcorder can manage to store an hour of video per gigabyte; the length of the video is merely limited by the capacity of the card. Compatibility with Apple iMovie '08 is an added bonus, and the lack of HDMI output may not be something you will miss when the CG9 doesn't even do 1080p recording. Permanent Link
For years we have had desktop and handheld scanners with optical character recognition (OCR) to translate images to words, but how many of them have also had the power to take the translated text and instantly search Google or Wiki? That's right… none! Up until now we have had to strain ourselves and manually go to Google and perform the search ourselves. Not anymore thanks to the Dixau (warning: Korean). This little handheld scanner lets you take the text that you scan and instantly do the search to find out what it is that you are reading about. While this is primarily intended for use in Korea to aid in translation, this might also be very useful for young children provided it is simple enough to use. Of course you can always do without and do like we did growing up and get the dictionary out to look something up, but that just takes all the fun out of it. Permanent Link
Google has no fear for recession; their CEO Eric Schmidt told the press that the company's extensive international presence as well as "highly measured" advertising has helped diversify revenue as dollar declines.
I4U scores some cool pics of a Cortana-wannabe model who is in real life a wrestler, real estate agent, actress and model. We also have no idea where they acquired the alien gun... perhaps photoshopped?
Even though HD DVD is now a dead format, Toshiba is betting big time on SSD. Its new DynaBook SS RX1 is the world's first lappy equipped with a 128GB solid-state drive. Talking about the right time to launch a novelty product, amid recession concerns.
MacWorld has one of the first looks at the AirPort Express that has recently been refreshed with 802.11n Wi-Fi. Besides the 802.11n, the Express also features the older 802.11a standard.
NET-2000 CatchingNet - straight from China - allows you to live out your dream as a retiarius, giving you the ability to shoot a 15 sq ft. net onto a target. Permanent Link
Wow... this is like some engagement rings that avid readers of Everything USB would use for proposal of marriage. Even if it's just concept, the size of the crystal is just out of this world. The ring is tethered to the flash drive component, which we reckon might be an ideal location to store the love poems or whatever. Oddly, the two rings can be joined, allowing content to be exchanged. How this works without battery power is beyond us. Nonetheless, if your loved one is also a USB geek, this might be you need. There are obviously other choices of Swaroski flash drives if you are quite ready for this crystal USB ring insanity. Permanent Link
Nokia is reportedly working on a new project called noBounds that will provide a low-power solution for mobile users to expand their Smartphones and Internet Tablet (namely N800, N810) to higher res external displays such as LCD monitors and projectors to name a few. Since every high-end phones these days have WiFi and USB, Nokia chose to experiment with those two interfaces. In the video, you will see that a Nokia N810 is connected to a USB keyboard, mouse and to a USB monitor(?) creating a workstation. Interfacing with a 'USB' monitor would require firmware update the display itself; though, it's uncertain how this is going to be implemented if Nokia eventually makes noBounds a reality. Nokia is also confident that noBounds can do 1080p over wired USB at 30fps. Video demo after the jump. Permanent Link
As soon as Samsung came out with the YP-S5, we knew a version without the slide-out speakers will soon follow. The YP-S3 is exactly that. Unlike the S5, the S3 has the less boxy design, and it has round edges, giving the player an even slimmer appearance. The S3 also has tactile-less controls, which once you get used to them are a breeze to use, according to web reviews. There isn't an official press release yet; hopefully, S3 will inherit the Bluetooth support for wireless stereo streaming. Unfortunately, Samsung is as stubborn as ever trying to make people use their proprietary SVI format for video playback. Video demo after the jump. Permanent Link
The new Miglia TVMini HD Express should have been a dongle to begin with. The bus-powered USB TV tuner encased in an aluminum chassis can't receive analog signal nor encode content into H.264 onboard so it's difficult to imagine why the designer couldn't manage to make this a thumbdrive-sized TV stick. Comparing with EyeTV external tuners, the $99 TVMini HD Express ships with home-grown PVR software called The Tube. The most notable features are the ability to upload the recorded shows to a .Mac or FTP server for viewing on the go; and to join a chat with other watchers of the same show, provided that you have an Equinux ID. Last but not least is iTunes integration that basically prepares the shows ready for iPod transfer. Permanent Link
Sometimes when sitting at the disk, you just need to shine a little light on the subject. If that is all you are looking for, then something like the USB LED Desk Lamp works just great, but what are you to do if you want to add a little bling to your desk? Well how does a bus-powered USB neon sign sound? Gadgets.dk has a trio of these signs available to adorn your desk. They are available in a smiley face, "Bar", or geeky @ symbol. It doesn't get any easier to use than this as all you have to do is plug it into an available USB port for some power. At the very least, these are sure to make for a great conversation piece. Permanent Link
The designer behind this Ultra Space Station probably isn't a very computer-savvy person. He came up with this idea of a credit card-sized carrying case with compartments for 6 different flash drives. Each drive contains 2GB memory, so there's 12GB in total. And every unit allows you to put a label, something people do with floppies. However, that guy didn't exactly know a bunch of portable applications can search through content on a flash drive just as Google can easily find web pages by entering keywords. Separating content on different drives is really unnecessary. We have to give credit since the Ultra Space Station is indeed darn interesting, and this could be useful for kids too. A 12GB (2GB each) kit retails for $90 while a 6GB (1GB each) version asks for $60. Permanent Link
For those of us that have HTPC’s and home theater setups, playing our music through the 5.1 speakers is a breeze. Unfortunately for those that don’t have a HTPC there are little options other than to build one or use something similar to the Logitech Wireless Music DJ. It appears that powered-speaker supplier Audioengine has decided to get in on the mix of things and offer their own CD-quality wireless system. The W1 Premium Wireless Adapter package connects to your PC via a bus-powered dongle and transmits the your sound in 48kHz/16-bit uncompressed aural bliss. Audioengine claims that the signal can be transmitted up to 100 feet away, meaning that you can probably send your music to just about anywhere in your house and maybe even your garage. Operating on the 2.4GHz wireless spectrum, the company says that it has gone through a lot of trouble to prevent interference from devices such as cordless phones that operate on the same frequency. At a price of $150, this might not only be a great alternative to a HTPC, but a great addition as well. Permanent Link
If you regularly use your laptop on the go then chances are that you find yourself carrying a mobile mouse and a flash drive with you at all times. You've probably also pondered as to why we can send a man to the moon, contemplate on sending one to Mars, but yet you still have to carry around two little devices that could easily be made into one. Apparently someone at Asus thought it too and decided to do something about it. The Asus MS71 is a wireless mouse and a USB Flash drive all in one. If you need a mouse you can detach the transmitter and connect it to the PC or leave the transmitter connected and recharge the mouse while using it as a flash drive. Unfortunately it looks extremely uncomfortable to use. Price and capacity are unknown but if carrying too many gadgets is a pet peeve of yours, this should at least help reduce the frustration by one. Permanent Link
Not too long ago we talked about the Microsoft Wireless "Laser" Keyboard 7000 and speculated that it would be bundled with the matching mouse for your purchasing pleasure. Well it appears that day has come and the new Microsoft Wireless Laser Desktop 7000 package is here. The keyboard and mouse is designed to extend the look Vista's Aero interface to your desktop with the translucent border around the keyboard. This is also the first keyboard that has a dedicated Flip 3D key for windows Vista. While the mouse is rechargeable, it appears that the keyboard only has a status indicator to let you know when to replace them. The keyboard also features Microsoft's popular Comfort Curve design, has ultra-thin quiet touch keys, and three touch-sensitive "My Favorites" keys that can be customized to your needs. For those that are anti-Microsoft, you always have the Logitech Cordless Desktop Wave and Kensington ci70 to choose from as well. Permanent Link
MPIO after making it to Worst DAP of 2007 with its FL500 is now planning to restore its tarnished reputation with the new V10 PMP. With a 3" 480x272 touch screen, metallic design and a bewildering array of codec support, the V10 appears to bring the best MPIO can ever offer in one package. Virtually every audio and video format is supported by the V10 except for FLAC. The player whose thickness measures at 15.4mm sure doesn't look as slim as the iriver Clix 2 which also has the same capacity of 8GB. The V10 - powered by Windows CE 5.0 - fortunately has a SDHC slot for cards up to 16GB and 32GB in a few months in addition to FM tuner, dictionary and built-in TV out. Interface video demo after the jump. Permanent Link
In the world of random USB gadgets, there are a lot of different toys to help you relieve you stress like the USB Putt Returner and Basketball Dunk. Unfortunately, most of these devices don't provide any way for you to take your aggression out, let alone reward you with some sort of positive feedback to make you feel better. Thankfully we've got the USB Punch Head to fill the void. With the USB Punch head, you can punch the face and with the included software, your PC will let off some sounds of agony. The face itself is velocity sensitive, so the harder you hit it the louder and more painful it will sound. The software lets you put the picture of your choice on the screen and has some special effects like making the eyeballs pop out. Permanent Link
Whether you are looking to be a spy or simply just trying to be a little nosey and some phone conversations, the hidden spy camera and wire tap are essential (and somewhat illegal) pieces of equipment. These devices are usually somewhat pricey and the wire taps can be difficult to install, unless you utilize USB of course. The Teleport 2.0 does just that and makes it so easy that anyone can do it. The Teleport - made in Russia - can be used to keep phone call records (incoming and outgoing) and can also be used to record conversations. It is compatible with any telephone set but the bundled Paliha-Teleport software is for Windows only. Other than obvious spy reasons, this would be great to record teleconferences, meetings, or other conversations of importance so that you could readily go right back over what was discussed and ensure that you didn’t miss any details. Permanent Link
If you were hoping to get your hands on one of the new Buffalo Super High Speed Type-R flash drives, you may not want to hold your breath for them to make it to the US. Buffalo is being forced to halt all sales of USB flash drives, MMS memory cards, and Compact Flash devices in the US. It seems that SanDisk thinks that they are infringing on some patents by the controllers in their flash memory devices. Buffalo isn't the only company that has been impacted by the lawsuit. The three lawsuits that were filed are hitting about 50 different companies that hit almost all of the big name memory companies such as Kingston, PNY, Corsair, Edge, and A-Data to name a few. Buffalo released a press statement and noted that it is confident that its suppliers will prove that the patents are invalid, unenforceable, and/or not infringed. To make sure that things don't get out of hand, they have agreed to halt the import of these devices until it all gets straightened out. Permanent Link
HSDPA modem and digital TV tuner are the two most popular upgrade options available for laptop users; now, Huawei offers both functions in a USB pebble whose appearance is strikingly similar to its modem-only sibiling. The OEM company traditionally makes connectivity kits for carriers, namely Vodafone and other European networks. The USB combo is seen as a move to branch out to other categories. Designated E510, the USB pebble has a top download and upload speed of up to 7.2Mb/s and up to 2Mb/s respectively. Huawei didn't say which mobile TV standard E510 will use, but if the gadget would be launched in Europe initially, best bet is that the company will pick DVB-H format. Permanent Link
It was a little over 3 years ago since ExpressCard started to show up on laptops. While there's still a handful of cards available, PCMCIA - the group backing the standard - now plans to update ExpressCard to interface with PCI Express 2.0 at 5Gb/s and also surprisingly, USB 3.0 (aka. Super USB) at 4.7Gb/s. The major benefit of ExpressCard is the direct connection to both PCI Express system bus and USB so that OEMs can design USB devices in ExpressCard formfactor as to minimize the cost and to speed up time-to-market. Compatibility with current ExpressCard products will remain. PCMCIA expects to finish ExpressCard 2.0 when USB-IF is done with USB 3.0 final specs, which is due by the end of June 2008. Permanent Link
With about a billion things that can recharge via USB, we may need USB ports alongside regular sockets to meet all our needs. A USB hub is traditionally ideal for the job, but Belkin has come up with a better idea. The Mini Surge Protector with USB Charger (the two things that Belkin is best at) adds three AC outlets and two powered USB ports which are likely to exceed USB power specifications in order to speed up the recharging process. I personally find this to be useful since I like roaming around the room with my laptop and several recharging USB wires running to my machine will sure hinder portability. Lastly, the surge protector has a 360-degree rotating plug with 4 locking positions; and comes with a '$75,000 connected equipment warranty.' Permanent Link
Some may think that fax machines are a thing of the past. This couldn't be further from the truth as they are still used on a regular basis throughout many organizations. Unfortunately these beasts are clunky, ugly, slow, and just seem outdated in today's world of speed, beauty, and compactness. If you are looking for a more modern way to send and receive faxes, then Vavolo might just have the solution that you have been looking for with the Flexii Portable USB Paperless Digital Fax Machine. The device promises to increase efficiency, provide better quality faxes, and be a little more environmentally friendly than regular fax machines. Being digital, it can definitely offer better quality faxes as it doesn't have to scan a document before sending and it is definitely a little greener as you aren't going to be wasting a lot of paper on incoming faxes. Just in case you are wondering, yes, it is in fact Vista compatible. Permanent Link
Whether or not you are a fan of DisplayLink, you have to admit that the ability to add an extra display via USB interface like the Samsung 940UX monitor is pretty handy. For those of you that have ever had the pleasure of having to give a presentation from your laptop through an external party's equipment, you surely know that it is often a pain and sometimes doesn't even work. InFocus seems to have felt your pain and sees the potential the DisplayLink has to offer. They now plan to include DisplayLink in their future projectors. Imagine not having to worry about having DVI or VGA, cloned display or extended desktops, or whether that pesky KVM is going to work. Simply plug the USB cable in, and you're good to go. No more carrying around that extra USB video card, just the cable. With the progress being made so rapidly in relation to the resolution that DisplayLink supports, you might just not have to worry about that either. Unfortunately most places/people don't replace their projectors on a regular basis so you might find that the adoption of this on a wide scale will simply take a little bit of time. Permanent Link
If you're like me then you find renting moves a royal pain. Going to the store is inconvenient, waiting in line stinks, and having to remember to take them back is even worse. NetFlix is great if you don't want something now, as is the download on demand services unless you are limited on bandwidth. So what's a person to do when they just want something now not go to the store? PortoMedia says go to their kiosk and download a movie to your flash drive. This idea is great for those on the go wishing to take their media with them or those with a HTPC. For those wondering about the kiosks, well they can hold 350 to 5,000 titles, and will never be out of stock. Surely the content will be infected with some sort of DRM, but as long as the restrictions aren't too tight, most people should be quite happy with this service. In fact, I bet that a few of these kiosks would be a huge hit on a college campus. Permanent Link
RWW says that Microsoft held a demo of IE8 at the MIX08 conference today. They have a nice read on some of the new features. Microsoft announced immediate availability for the next iteration of Internet Explorer, albeit still in beta form.
3DGameMan has a quick and dirty review of the Radeon 3870 X2 vs. 8800GTX. It's a shame that it's take over a year for ATI to come up with something that isn't even as powerful as NVidia's last generation card, let alone took two GPU's to do it.
iLounge has the low down on what Nike and Apple have been up to. It looks like you are going to be able to do more than just listen to your music while you run, instead being able to do goal and statistic tracking.
Oh Gizmo's got the scoop on the latest from Renault. If you've got the money to drop on a Renault Coupe, you'll definitely be hoping that these "Dragonfly Wings" doors make it from concept to production.
ASUS is rolling out a new version of the Eee PC. I4U has the specs on the new 900 series laptop, and the biggest ones appear to be 12GB of storage and a 8.9” display.
Have you ever needed to grab a screenshot or video of what was on your screen? Sure, it's as simple as pressing Alt+ Print Screen or using your favorite application to record the video… unless you aren't using a PC. What if you are using a dumb terminal, proprietary equipment or other non-PC devices? That's where the Epiphan VGA2USB External Frame Grabber comes into play. The Frame Grabber is available in six different models so that as long as you are using VGA or DVI, there is a model that should suit your needs. Unfortunately these little boxes don't seem to pass through the VGA/DVI signal back to the original display. The top end model will even capture video at 2048x2048, in 24-bit, at 30 FPS, with LOSSLESS compression! Prices range from $300 to $2000, so make sure that you get the one you want the first time around. Permanent Link
After a year of waiting, Microsoft has finally announced what they have been doing since they struck a deal with U3. The app that Microsoft is replacing U3 with is called StartKey. It appears to basically be U3 on steroids, essentially allowing you to store your files, mobile apps, and have their roaming profile all on their removable storage device. We say removable storage because Microsoft isn't just going to limit the app to USB drives, but SD cards and possibly more. StartKey promises to turn any workstation or kiosk into your own personalized workspace. Microsoft is currently testing these drives out and sources say that the drives should be available in at least beta for before the end of the year. It almost all seems like a waste, as those of us that require a workstation set up the way we need it with our apps and files already carry around a laptop. Permanent Link
Logitech has made numerous digital headsets, whether it be USB or Bluetooth. The latter is naturally the logical choice for this kind of application, but Bluetooth's device pairing process oftentimes is more of a hassle for the uninitiated who most likely would refund the headsets if they don't work out of the box. For the sake of simplicity, Logitech's new $99 ClearChat PC Wireless headset relies on USB, but cuts the cord with the company's proprietary 2.4Ghz wireless protocol. The so-called 'wireless USB' headset would still be recognized by Mac and PC as a USB audio device. The maximum distance you can get away from your PC is about 33 ft. (or 10m) which is more than enough for anyone to roam freely around a bedroom or home office. The headset itself has plush headband and ear pads for 'exceptional comfort' during long VoIP sessions, and volume controls and mute button is on the can as well (since there's no cable for in-line control). Mute can also be activated automatically by rotating the mic boom. Last but not least is the AC charger which means there could be an integrated battery inside the headset. Permanent Link
It seems that no matter what you do or how hard you try, any method of protecting your data can be circumvented if someone is determined enough to get it. Little do most of you know that when you turn off your computer, the contents of your RAM aren't gone immediately (a common misconception). It takes a short period of time for this information to disappear. Not too long ago, it was shown that the contents of your RAM could be frozen with a simple can of compressed air and then read (which could subsequently hold your encryption keys for the encrypted data). Now it appears there is an even easier method, thanks to McGrew Security. They now have an app, called msramdmp, that you can use on a bootable flash drive to read this information out of RAM without having to freeze or remove the chip from the machine. It's a little slow, but they are working to make it a little bit faster. Why people publically make these kind of exploits is beyond me, as it just makes it all the easier for someone to become a victim of data theft. Permanent Link
It appears that the Iomega REV has been quite a success. So much in fact that Iomega has plans to unveil and new REV 120GB Backup Drive and REV 120GB disks at CeBIT this year. Apparently the REV has sold 350,000 drives and 2 million disks. The new REV 120GB drive is expected to be available in April and will be available in three different models: USB, internal SATA, and ATAPI. The ATAPI model isn't expected to be available till mid-year. The REV drives are an alternative to LTO and DAT drives, especially when considering price, user-friendliness, and their zero-maintenance design. REV 120GB drives will be backward compatible meaning that they can read your old REV 70GB disks. So, you can't throw out the old drive if you still need to make changes to the archival disks. The new REV 120's also come with the EMC Retrospect software and the server solutions will ship with CA's BrightStor ArcServe backup software. No pricing is available for the new REV 120GB at this time, but you can bet that it will be announced at or around the time of availability. Permanent Link
Razer, most commonly known for their high end gaming mice, has unveiled the new Salmosa gaming mouse. The Salmosa is geared to be an entry level mouse that offers some of the benefits that the higher end mice flaunt as their main features. It appears to be a gimped version of the Lachesis, as there is only an 1800dpi infrared sensor, lacks the extra buttons, but still features the same general shape and 1000Hz Ultrapolling. Razor says that this device is tailored to the needs of gamers that require speed and precision, but also require value for those that are just beginning their search for a gaming-grade mouse. The Salmosa will be available worldwide in Q3 2008, and should set you back about $40. Permanent Link
Although still a new company, NZXT has built their growing reputation on their largest group of products, their high-end computer cases. Perhaps working on the idea that aluminum construction is a good idea for every external computer part, they've developed the Cryo LX, a massive aluminum notebook cooler/platform they bill as "the world's largest full aluminum notebook cooler." Is the Cryo LX's enormous size necessary (particularly in comparison with similar products like the Belkin Laptop Cooling Pad), and how well does it work? We'll be finding out in today's review. Permanent Link
Apparently it just isn’t true that you can’t teach old dogs new tricks. Everyone’s favorite USB canine, the USB Humping Dog, seems to have learned something new. Now instead of sitting there and amusing you by actually doing something funny, he instead annoys you and reminds you that your fat butt needs to get to the gym and away from the computer by doing thousands of sit-ups instead. The USB Exercise Dog is still just as useless as always and doesn’t have any storage or act as a wireless dongle. At least this offers something for the dog lovers that aren’t so fond of the crudeness of having a dog pleasure himself in their USB ports. Permanent Link
Computer security is a huge topic these days. So often we see the news where someone has lost a flash drive or CD with personal data for 50,000 or more people. What about other security risks such as unattended workstations, left logged in and with everything open? Sure you can set password protected screen-savers and other policies but that only goes so far as there is still an open window before they activate. ComputerProx looks to have an answer for this, the ProxMat. Essentially the ProxMat is a pressure sensitive mat that send the Windows Key + L shortcut when a user leaves the workstation, thus forcing the system to lock. It connects via USB, doesn't require any special drivers, and is available in a wide range of sizes. It can also be used to put computers into standby and save some energy. Now if it only had Wireless USB so that we wouldn't get our feet tangled in the USB cable… Permanent Link
For years we have been seeing people in the movies interacting with technology via other methods other than touch. We've had speech to text and command control for many years, but actual neural control has been lacking. Last year at CeBIT, OCZ unveiled the Neural Impulse Actuator, a device that promises to let you control your computer to a certain extent via brain, eye, and facial muscle activity. Well that was last year and it appears that OCZ is getting ready to start shipping the NIA very soon. Something like this definitely has the potential to revolutionize gaming and computer use as we know it. OCZ claims that the NIA can cut reaction times by up to 60%. Sources say that it is relatively easy to pick up and most people should be able to get the hang of it in just a few hours but it might take a very long time to master it, just as typing and precision mouse control. Until we can jack into the Matrix, this may just be the next best thing and it will only set you back $300. Permanent Link
CNN tells us that Northrop Grumman just got a $40 billion deal with the USAF to replace aging tankers. Eventually they are planning on replacing the entire fleet of almost 500 planes.
Macworld has a hands on with the Apple Time Capsule. If you are looking for a backup solution for your Mac then you will want to give this one the once over.
Wired is reporting that Blu-ray playback on laptops will drain the battery out before you even get halfway through (DUH!!!). Unless there are some huge breakthroughs in battery manufacturing or Blu-ray players, mobile HD watchers aren't going to be happy.
According to Slashdot, Microsoft just cut the price of retail boxes of Vista in 70 countries. Unfortunately it is only for Ultimate and Home Premium, and even then only for the upgrade versions. UIltimate dropped down to $219 and Home Premium slashed down to $129.
Akihabara's got the scoop on Bandai's upcoming MMORPG. Anyone could easily guess that this could be none other than Dragon Ball Online. It is set to take places 250 years after Dragon Ball Z.
Tom's Hardware says that China is gearing up for the summer Olympics and has just opened the world's largest airport terminal in Beijing. It is almost two miles long and has 120 gates. It is also the world's largest covered building.
Have you ever wished that you could find out just how many words per minute you are capable of typing? Yeah, we have too. Now while most of us would just download some freeware that does the calculation for us, there are some USB gadgets out there like the Speedometer Mouse and USB Think Light that give you feedback on a slightly different level and now we have a USB WPM Speedometer. The gauge in the center displays how many words per minute you are cranking out, but we aren't quite sure what the gauge on the right is for. On the left appears to be a fan, which we are sure you are going to need when you red line it and are doing 200+ WPM. Permanent Link
So what are you supposed to do when you like to spin clay, have too much time on your hands, and a dead hard drive laying around? Why turn the hard drive into a pottery wheel of course! And that's just what this guy did. Using just a few simple spare parts that most of the enthusiasts are sure to have laying around, and a very simple knowledge of electronics, the video shows you how you can make your own too. While it may not be good on a practical level, you have to admit that it is in fact pretty original. It's good to see some ingenuity, especially with USB. Video after the jump. Permanent Link
Now that consumers can finally start purchasing next generation high definition movies without wondering if they were wasting their money. It would appear though that consumers weren't the only ones holding back. Phillips & Lite-on is now geared up to release its first external Blu-ray BD-ROM to the market, and we've already seen Buffalo announced theirs as well except it's a burner. The DX-4O1S drive will be able to handle BD-R/RE/ROM discs at 4X and connects via USB. It will also handle reading DVD's at up to 12X and CD's to 32X. While these might not be impressive numbers for what we currently have on the market for CD's and DVD's, you have to keep in mind that this technology is sure to evolve quickly and things will get much faster over time. The drive is expected to be available in March at a price of just $300. Permanent Link
Seems like everyone just wants a taste: Sony entered the high-stakes world of USB turntables earlier this week with their own entry, the PS-LX300USB. The consumer-focused belt-driven turntable doesn’t have the extras to compete with DJ products like the Stanton T.90, but does offer the same features as the competing ION TTUSB10 - for $50 less at retail. Sony has another leg up on ION, too: their recording bundle includes Sound Forge Audio Studio, a lighter version of the Sound Forge 9 recording program that has far longer (and more impressive) pedigree than Audacity, ION’s recording program of choice. Better software, lower price; we get the feeling Sony will be grabbing a nice slice of market share. Permanent Link
The Cell Phone Spy Data Extractor is pretty self explanatory. Its manufacturer didn't even bother giving an excuse this maybe intended for a legitimate reason. Though, there could be when you are suspicious that your wife's cheating on you; you naturally want to recover ALL SMS messages and dialed/received numbers she may already have deleted to remove traces. Since 35-pass erase isn't what an average handset user would use to protect their deleted data from being recovered, the Spy Data Extractor should be pretty effective in finding content that suggests cheating activity. The package also contains full SIM card backup software, but the file recovery software is likely why BrickHouseSecurity wants $149 from us as plenty of SIM readers retail for under $30. Permanent Link
USB ports are something that we will never have enough. So, we wouldn't mind adding a more few ports with the USB Runner Hub. The coolest thing with this hub is that all the ports are brilliantly concealed so it's hard to tell this gadget from other desk accessories if you look at it from the front. Though, it becomes very obvious after you start connecting USB wire to the runner. The 4 ports are located in the runner's base, arm, leg and briefcase, the last of which port can be rotated in 180 degrees to add some flexibility. The USB Runner Hub can be yours for just $12. Do you think this hub is weird? Take a look at this instead. Permanent Link
Here's another USB ambient light that reminds me of Philips LivingColors except the latter gives a total of 16 million different color combinations and casts colorful glows on your wall. The USB version however is different in that the supplied marker allows you write memos on contour base while its ambient lighting changes color constantly to remind you of the message written on the surface. The other end of the pen allows you wipe the message off when needed. Practically speaking, this is still pretty pointless even if you consider this as an offbeat gadget and the $20 price tag. Permanent Link
For iPod shuffle, it's about time for Apple to slash the price and to come up with a new model. The 1GB has been going for $79 for nearly 6 months, and it's no brainer demand has been slowing down. Last week, Apple had cut price by $30 to $49 for the original shuffle, and also introduced a 2GB version, which is now shipping for $69 - a full $10 cheaper than the 1GB's old price point. The new model - still screen-less - will hold 500 songs encoded at 128kbps AAC and can continuously playback for 12 hours straight. Both capacities will come in all five colors, including the Product RED. Permanent Link
This A-Data 2GB flash drive that resembles the Mickey Mouse's head is somewhat usual to us at first sight since we aren't exactly used to seeing iconic character in 3D, much less separated from his body. A-data adopted an ingenious design that doesn't use retractable USB connector but rather a detachable ear that pulls out to reveal the mini thumbdrive. This helps to keep the cost down by making things less complicated. The left ear has one piercing that doubles as a keychain loop hole, and for personalization, you can put a photo behind the front plastic window. What really surprised us was that the whitish Mickey Mouse drive is a really speed demon (no irony intended), coming out better than most themed drives with read speed averaging at 30MB/s. For the rest of us, OCZ and Corsair make some less childish thumbdrives. Permanent Link
The megapixel race will never end, especially for consumer snapshot cameras. Sony has just bumped its point and shoot DSC to its highest resolution ever with the launch of the 13.6MP CyberShot W300 - essentially an upgrade to last year's 12MP W200. The $350 W300 as the top-of-the-line model in the W-series now includes a larger LCD screen at 2.7" and a new Smile Shutter that Sony claims can automatically take pictures when the subjects smile. Though it could be difficult if a child keeps making faces, inadvertently fooling the system. The W300 also sports a Carl Zeiss 3x optical zoom as well as "extra high sensitivity" mode (up to ISO 6400) to help shooting in challenging lighting conditions, even without a flash. To reduce noise at such high ISO, the W300 lets you choose between "low", "standard" and "high" noise reduction. Last but not least is the 16:9 res support at 2MP so you can feed your pics at 1920x1080 to a HDTV via a custom HDMI cable without having the display rescaling the image. Permanent Link
Whatever you need to digitalize analog video source to your computer, the recording is naturally in real-time, but the resulted file oftentimes end up in MPEG-2 that isn't very web-friendly - another way of saying large file size. Most people usually just fire up another piece of software that again transcodes the content into H.264. Though, unless you have a Quad Core, that could be another hour of conversion time for every hour of video. SmartCapture wants to help out with its onboard H.264 AVC hardware accelerator; it accepts solely composite input so don't expect stellar image quality. The new $99 Lite version is particularly interesting as the original model priced at $250 isn't exactly what we call consumer friendly. Comparing the two, the Lite remains largely unchanged except for a few video output settings, Linux/Mac support and Live Streaming; other than that, you won't miss much. Permanent Link
We've seen strange peripherals before like the FPSGun Mouse, but nothing quite like this. Novint has the next big thing in controllers, and it might just be a huge success, especially with the enthusiast crowd. The Falcon is probably the strangest controller that you will ever use, and it will
