Latest News - Page 2755

Quite often overlooked, mousepads are essential to any gamers setup. Not only do they provide you with a steady surface to help keep (and build) your muscle memory as time goes by, they'll also prevent your mouse feet from wearing out quickly. As they're generally priced between $15-$40 and will last you around 18 months, there's no real excuse not to pick yourself one up.

Turtle Beach are throwing themselves into the PC market, with their last products announced being their new TRACTION and DRIFT mousepads. The TRACTION offering features a textured weave surface, an anti-slip rubber base and comes in various sizes - including Medium (270x220mm), Large (350x250mm), X-Large (450x350mm) and Wide (900x300mm). Expect this mousepad to set you back between $14.95 to $34.95 on their release later this year.

Secondly, Turtle Beach have announced their DRIFT surface. Described as using microfiber technology suitable for PC and MAC - because MAC customers apparently need to be told what they can and can't use. This mousepad has anti-fraying stitched edges and also comes in a range off sizes, including Medium (270x220mm), Large (350x250mm), X-Large (450x350mm) and Wide (900x300mm). This product range will also cost users between $14.95 to $34.95, depending on what size option you're interested in.

CES 2015 - The Open-Source Virtual Reality (OSVR) ecosystem was announced during CES 2015, with Razer and other industry leaders hoping an open source SDK will help get more developers on the VR bandwagon. The OSVR platform will support all VR devices, including the Oculus DK 2 and Vrvana Totem headset.

OSVR includes hardware and software support for the gaming industry, working with the Unreal 4 Engine, Unity 3D, for example - with hardware device plugin support from the likes of Razer, Bosch, Sixense and LeapMotion.

The OSVR SDK limited developer access is available now, with public release slated for Q2. The OSVR hacker dev kit, designed by Razer, will be available in June with a $199.99 MSRP - and features the HMD module.

In yet another announcement, Turtle Beach are furthering their charge into the PC peripheral market - offering up two new GRIP mice for different styles of gaming. We've seen plenty of companies do this before and Turtle Beach are following suit - releasing one higher graded feature packed Laser mouse and its little brother optical offering.

For some reason Turtle Beach are really about the capital letters this coming spring. We've already written about their new IMPACT keyboard range, but what good it a mechanical keyboard without a top mouse to sit at its side?

Starting off with the big brother, Turtle Beach have released information on their new GRIP 500 mouse. Providing an Avago 9800 laser sensor and Omron switches, the 500 offers various illumination settings, seven programmable buttons and the ability to create up to 50 macros with up to 100 commands each. With all five profiles having the ability to be set to various color settings, this mouse stores all of the information on its on-board memory. Set for release later this year, the mouse will set you back $69.95.

Yep, you read it right. The brand famous for console headsets is now delving into the PC market - providing consumers with a Cherry MX Brown IMPACT 700 as their champion, among other gaming keyboards.

Featuring laser engraved key caps and adjustable red-only LED backlighting, this keyboard also has multiple illumination modes. As for more features, you can expect a six-key rollover, full anti-ghosting capabilities, a 3.5mm mic jack, an audio jack and two USB 2.0 ports that are said to support direct audio pass-through. This whole package will be listed for a MSRP of $195.95 when it comes out this spring.

They're also releasing an IMPACT 500 model, compatible with both PC and MAC. This tenkeyless keyboard features Cherry MX Blue switches, a metal reinforced chassis and a rather simplistic feel. This is the baby brother of the IMPACT 700 and will be released for $125.95 this spring.

CES 2015 - Using Las Vegas as their platform, Turtle Beach have sent out a press release commenting on their Spring 2015 release of the Stealth 500X and Elite 800X Xbox One compatible gaming headsets.

Featuring DTS 7.1 surround sound and set for retail at the $200 mark, Turtle Beach are wanting to blow away the competition with their new Elite 500X offering. This headset is a world's first, by offering this 7.1 surround sound with Xbox One compatibility.

This release is followed by news of the Elite 800X, bringing even more world firsts to the table. Alongside containing DTS 7.1 surround sound, this headset comes with cool features such as customizable presets, a magnetic charging stand and swappable speaker plates - with Turtle Beach claiming this is the most optioned headset to be available on the market.

CES 2015 - Gaming peripheral company Mad Catz launched the TRITTON Swarm wireless mobile headset, designed for use with PCs, mobile and smart devices.

Swarm is a gaming headset but also can be switched as a method to receive and answer phone calls, since the headphones can be paired with two separate devices at the same time.

"TRITTON is known for its outstanding audio quality and we believe now is the time to further broaden the appeal of the brand," said Darren Richardson, president and CEO of Mad Catz, in a press statement. "We believe the Swarm will resonate with today's fashion conscious gamer, who typically plays across a variety of devices."

CES 2015 - GUESS Watches announced the launch of the GUESS Connect, a smartwatch that supports hands-free and eyes-free notifications directly from a mobile device to the device.

Based on Martian technology, the smartwatch has a microphone and audio speaker, and supports a voice command app so wearers can issue voice commands, talk, listen, and respond to text messages from the watch. Google Android and Apple iOS mobile users will be able to modify which alerts are sent to the smartwatch, with vibration patterns alerting them to received messages, emails, text messages, and other data.

"The GUESS Connect Smartwatch, powered by Martian, represents one of the first true marriages of a fashion watch powerhouse and a wireless technology innovator," said Cindy Livingston, president and CEO of Sequel/GUESS Watches, in a press statement. "We are thrilled to move in this direction with a proven technology innovator to create smart, GUESS designs."

CES 2015 - Danish company Bang & Olufsen announced its BeoSound Moment smart music system, able to adapt to listening patterns and make music and radio recommendations.

The BeoSound Moment utilizes an aluminum interface and a built-in touchscreen to make it easier for owners to browse radio stations and their own music collection. Bang & Olufsen partnered with Deezer, which has a catalog of more than 35 million songs, so there are plenty of music choices that can be provided.

In addition, a custom MoodWheel provides an easy method to find the appropriate type of music based on user moods.

CES 2015 - Audio maker Sennheiser has expanded its Momentum headphones line, including new Momentum wireless and Momentum on-ear wireless models. The new models have increased wearing comfort and a new foldable headband design.

Sennheiser included NFC technology so pairing the headset to a mobile device is even easier - with the Apt-X codec helping deliver better sound quality. The wireless headphones also make use of NoiseGard active noise cancellation, with ambient noise monitored and blocked. Calls can be answered directly through the headphones, and music volume control is integrated.

The new Momentum headphones will be available starting in January, with support for Google Android, Apple iOS and Microsoft Windows devices.

CES 2015 - Delphian Systems is promoting its SecuRemote technology platform during CES 2015, showcasing the Internet of Things (IOT) automation technology. SecuRemote helps ensure OEM products, devices and sensors are interoperable for mobile users on Google Android and Apple iOS devices.

Using the SecuRemote miniaturized electronic module, connected devices are able to interconnect with smartphone, tablets and directly into the cloud. More importantly, SecuRemote provides smart devices interconnection with one another, creating a high-security network with multiple nodes.

Expect the Delphian Systems' SecuRemote to be available during Q2 this year.

CES 2015 - Corsair is using CES 2015 as a launching pad for its Carbide Series 100R and Carbide Series 100R Silent mid-tower PC cases.

The cases were designed to be builder-friendly, with tool-free mounting for HDDs and optical drives, dual USB 3.0 front panel ports, direct airflow bath to the GPU, and room for larger GPUs and power supplies. A cable routing channel is located behind the motherboard tray, and there are five fan mounts - 2 x 140/120mm, 2 x 120mm in the top, and one 120mm mount in the back of the case.

The case also includes two 5.25" drive bays, four 3.5"/2.5" drive bays, seven expansion slots, and supports ATX, Micro-ATX, and Mini ATX motherboards and ATX power supplies.

CES 2015 - Hardware manufacturer Corsair launched its Neutron Series XT line of high-capacity solid state drives, with the 240GB, 480GB, and 960GB capacities shown off.

The Neutron XT line provides sequential read speeds of 560MB/s and sequential write speeds of 540MB/s, utilizing every inch of the SATA 6GB/s interface. Corsair's speed advantage over traditional hard disk drives and low-end SSDs is a major selling point among gamers and PC enthusiasts. The 7mm casing allows it to be installed into PCs or laptops supporting a 2.5-inch drive bay.

The Corsair Neutron XT line of SSDs are available now - Neutron XT 256GB ($149.99 MSRP), Neutron XT 512GB ($269.99 MSRP), and Neutron XT960GB ($539.99).

CES 2015 - Hobbico has announced its ORA drone system designed for hobbyist aerial photographers, a camera-equipped drone. The unit is designed for aerial photography and video recording, which has become increasingly popular for live sporting events, weddings, real estate planning, and other outdoors-based tasks.

Operators can capture aerial images and display them on the transceiver's 7" touchscreen, and video footage can be filmed using ORA's 1080p onboard camera. The 7" First Person View (FPV) displays directly what the ORA's camera is viewing in real-time, providing an easier ability to capture pictures and video.

Up to 30-minutes of flight time is available per battery charge, with built-in GPS with up to 32 GPS waypoints, built-in GPS programming, and route flight paths saved.

CES 2015 - Patriot Memory today announced its BeatStreet Bluetooth Speaker, an affordable wireless speaker that features Bluetooth and near-field communication (NFC) connectivity.

BeatStreet has a rechargeable battery with up to four hours of playback time, along with a microUSB port to easily recharge the unit. The integrated volume and track control button at the top of the speaker gives users the chance to browse their music collection without using their smartphone or tablet. It's possible to also answer and take phone calls.

The Patriot BeatStreet Bluetooth Speaker will be available later this month with a $34.99 MSRP.

CES 2015 - Audio company A-Audio has unveiled its Prodigy Bluetooth Speaker, a unique wireless product that is able to transform into two different speakers. Prodigy has magnetic locators in the center of the unit, so they can be pulled apart - and located anywhere within Bluetooth range.

Using the Three-Stage Listening Technology, music listeners can choose between Audio, Base Enhancer and SurroundEffect modes. Prodity supports Bluetooth 4.0 and NFC, includes a micro-USB charging port for mobile devices, and has up to 12 hours of battery life. The A-Audio Prodigy will be available in April or May this year, with a $199 MSRP.

"With A-Audio's focus on delivering premium construction and innovative sound technology, it was only fitting to incorporate a transforming element and our award-winning Three-Stage Listening Technology into a premium portable Bluetooth Speaker," said Christian Iacovelli, president of A-Audio, in a statement. "The Prodigy Bluetooth Speaker marks the growth of A-Audio, expanding our line and offering our customers only the best quality audio products that combine both style and sound."

CES 2015 - Our first official meeting of CES 2015 this year was with Analogix, who always have something to impress us. This year, they have the new Nano-Console, which is a tiny little device that connects your smart device (Android and iOS) to your TV. This little device has a smart touch pad that can be used as a remote, with hardware Android buttons for back, home, apps and much more.

As you can see, the Analogix Nano-Console is not a big device by any means.

Here we have the touch pad remote that is super useful, with a massive range. We tested this in the suite Analogix were staying in, at around 15-20 feet and it was still operational, even through a very thick wall. It started slowing down, but it was still working. Another impressive part of the Nano-Console.

Sandisk works closely with the IT team to ensure that upgrades are successfully migrated in a safe and secure manner. The IT department schedules the machines for pickup, and Sandisk performs the actual data migration and hardware installation to ensure a worry-free transition to a faster, more reliable, and lower cost SSD solution.

CES 2015 - Fallen camera kingpin Kodak has publicly announced the IM5 smartphone, a device that could be popular among first-time Google Android smartphone users. Kodak partnered with mobile device maker Bullitt Group to manufacture Kodak's first effort in a competitive smartphone market.

The Kodak IM5 has an octo-core 1.7GHz CPU, 1GB RAM, 13-megapixel rear-facing camera, 5-megapixel front-facing camera, and a 5" HD screen. The device will roll out starting in Europe at the end of Q1.

IM5 also has remote management software so phone owners can receive troubleshooting assistance.

CES 2015 - GPS product company Gartner has unveiled the vivofit 2 activity tracker, a smart device that has one year of battery life and can be worn 24/7. The wearable also includes interchangeable stylish bands that gives owners extra fashion flexibility.

The device tracks progress all day and includes audible alerts that remind users when they need to get up and moving.

The Garmin vivofit 2 has a $129.99 MSRP and $169.99 with a heart hate monitor strap.

The bitcoin exchange BitStamp has suspended operation following a significant data breach in which 19,000 bitcoins - valued at more than $5 million - were stolen from the company. BitStamp has frozen user accounts, blocked deposits and suspended all trades as an investigation and security audit are reportedly underway.

The company has a public disclaimer informing customers of the breach on its website: "Upon learning of the breach, we immediately notified all customers that they should no longer make deposits to previously issued bitcoin deposit addresses," part of the message reads. "To repeat, customers should NOT make any deposits to previously issued bitcoin deposit addresses."

Bitcoins endured a turbulent growth period in 2014, with more consumers and businesses expanding adoption - but the currency remained volatile, and overall value has dipped. These type of incidents could be catastrophic for future growth of bitcoins, at a time when consumers already are skeptical of long-term potential.