Peripherals - Page 28

Earlier today we visited the VIA Labs at the VIA headquarters here in Taipei where we got a look at an upcoming product which we can only discuss later this week - stay tuned for that. However, what we can discuss today is something cool we saw in the development labs area of the VIA office and that has to do with USB 3.0 cabling.

Usually most copper wired USB 3.0 cables have a maximum length of around 3 meters and can fall prone to security issues since EMI is omitted and like tapping a phone line, if you knew enough about what you were doing, you could steal sensitive data from an unaware user. What VIA has done to massively increase the length of USB 3.0 cable is to develop its own style of USB 3.0 cable which uses fiber optic rather than copper wiring.

Besides the benefits of the added length and better security since fiber optic cabling does not omit EMI, USB 3.0 cable with fiber optics is far less lighter than copper based cabling and it is also much thinner, possibly allowing it to get into really tight areas where traditional and thicker USB 3.0 cable may not fit.

Razer may have been showing off its expensive Blade laptop at CES, but for those of you who don't want to buy an entire laptop for their cool Switchblade UI configurable touchscreen with programmable keys, you're in luck, it's made it' way to a standalone keyboard.

There are 10 programmable buttons at the top of the Switchblade panel that are backed by an LCD, which allow the look of each key to be different. These keys can be programmed to launch applications, toggle functions like the Windows key, and execute macros. Below them is a nicely-sized touchscreen that doubles as a touchpad, a numpad, a directional pad optimized for gaming, and even a secondary display.

Razer has said they plan to release an SDK that should unleash the community to build their own applications for the Switchblade UI. Even at this point in time, there's a YouTube app and a web browser. Switchblade also supports on-the-fly macro recording, which lets users quickly automate combos without having to exit a game. All preferences and macros are stored in the cloud, another nice benefit.

CES 2012 - Here we are looking at the near $2800 Razer Blade, is the fastest PC I have ever seen boot with my own eyes first off. Beside the raw speed of this unit, there have been a few really innovative additions included. The mouse pad has been moved to the right and has LED lit function buttons that will change the operation of this multi-touch LCD mouse pad. This will allow for real time stats to be displayed, even the option to get on the net and watch game play video as the game is still on the main screen. I know that is a lot of money to pay for a mobile gaming system, but this is the coolest laptop/notebook that I have ever had the pleasure of using.

They also made something that was awarded for CES 2012, Project Fiona! This is essentially a tablet with a thick aluminum frame added to support the handles of the game pad controllers that are derived from the Hydra Nunchucks. This is still in development, and there are beta testers with new requests, and Razer is working out all of the final details still. I for one like the idea, and hopefully Fiona makes her way to store shelves, as I think there is a ton of potential here!

For those Star Wars freaks out there Razer is delivering a newly painted and backlit kit of this keyboard featuring the mouse pad of the Blade along with a Naga mouse. Another cool feature of mouse and keyboard combo is that it doesn't matter which side of the force you are on, the keyboard and LCD mouse pad will illuminate and sport either icon and its coloration. The mouse pad under the Naga mouse is also part of the combo, and will reverse teams with a flip of the inner white section of the pad.

CES 2012 - As I showed up late to this meeting, I was greeted with open arms to a table full of goodies new to the peripherals market. Seen here is a collection of some of the lightest and most balanced mice I have ever played with. As we discussed the mice, all five versions of the SteelSeries mice (Kinzu V2, Sensei, Diablo III, and Ikari) are offering what I was told is an almost invisible user experience. With these mice there aren't any crazy DPI numbers to tinker with and get used to. The plan here was to offer an experience of natural movement to make you feel the mouse is part of your body and should give the user a very comfortable feeling, or in SteelSeries' own words "they have failed." From the little time I did have with these mice, I really think they are onto something with this line of attack on the mouse market.

There was also this pair of SteelSeries FLUX headphones sitting on the table. These headphones are really well thought out for users on the go. By this, I mean that they are fully collapsible to save room when not in use, but offer great sound and a really creative hidden option. These cans will hook up to a PC or any mobile device and also offer a daisy chain option. This means that with one set plugged into a device, with a the provided cable, you can connect a second pair of headphones right to the first pair making watching a movie on a laptop or tablet with your significant other or anyone really easy!

Next up is the SteelSeries ION wireless controller. This handy "little" gaming controller was designed to work specifically with tablets, but can be used on any system. The main objective here was to offer a D-pad, dual analog joysticks, the typical four button layout, and a pair of paddle buttons at the top to be able to slide into your front pocket. Again the point here is to keep mobility simple in size so you don't have to lug around a full sized XBOX controller, but instead offers a similar layout in a smaller unit that still feels great in your hands while using it.

CES 2012 - First on the list of cool offerings from Thermaltake in the add-on market is the Max 5 Duo. This hady 5.25" bay device offers quite a bit in one small package. This bay device not only offers a 2.5" and 3.5" hot swap hard drive bays that are powered with a single power lead, and of course each drive gets its own SATA connection in the back. Another added feature to this unit is the dual USB 3.0 ports to allow those with chassis to put two more high speed ports on the board as long as you have multiple native USB 3.0 20-pin connections.

Thermaltake has also moved into the USB charging market. What I found here is that they are now going to offer a multitude of USB charging solutions, some with additional power outlets as well as the USB charging ports. Every device you buy these days comes with a wall charger of some sort, but here strides are taken to make then not only more universal to just detach the factory plug ends and use these devices, but there are going to be regional offerings with the appropriate power plugs, but Thermaltake took it even one step further with dual port, car lighter, USB charging devices.

Under the Toughpower moniker, that we are used to from Thermaltake's power supplies, they are now going to be delivering a 90W and a 120W universal laptop power supplies. These units are used just as you would use a factory equipped version, but with the universal tips supplied with these units, the possibilities of what can be powered or what devices batteries can be charged with it, the list is pretty much endless.

Logitech have just unveiled a new gaming keyboard and mouse in the form of the Logitech Gaming Keyboard G105 and Logitech Laser Mouse G9X, specially made for the upcoming Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. The Logitech Gaming Keyboard G105 is the official keyboard of COD: Modern Warfare 3 and sports military-style, night-vision green LED backlighting. It also features six programmable G-keys, each with three mode states.

The Logitech Gaming Keyboard G105 also features up to 18 possible macro combinations per game, where they can allow you to perform single keystrokes or intricate multi-key combinations complete with mouse events, user-defined delays and repeating. New macros can even be recorded on the fly with the help of the Logitech Gaming Software (when installed).

Next up is the Logitech Laser Mouse G9X, this mouse gives you the 'game-changing precision' at hand speeds up to 165 inches per second on the most popular gaming mouse pad surfaces. It also sports on-the-fly, adjustable dpi which takes you from a pixel-precise 200 dpi, to lighting-fast 5700 dpi without pausing in action, while full-speed USB delivers performance at up to 1000 reports each and every second.

If you thought the swarm of mechanical gaming keyboards hitting the market over the past year or so have brought quite a few radical offerings to the scene, you haven't seen radical until you've seen the Levetron Mech4 from Californian based mob, AZiO.

This boldly designed keyboard sports Cherry Black MX mechanical switches and is said to be completely water resistent with 'special seals' and 'built in gutters'. The keyboard measures 7.75" by 18.50" by 1.60" and includes the following features :-

- Gold Plated USB connector

Logitech's got its sights fixated on COD: Modern Warfare 3 as the perfect reason to introduce a couple new gaming peripherals to market with the game's logos proudly stamped on them to attract the mass of COD+Logitech fans out there.

There's the new Laser Mouse G9X and Gaming Keyboard G105 on offer. Briefing the G9X mouse to begin with, it has a dual-mode scroll wheel and on the fly adjustable DPI settings from 200 up to 5700 DPI. There is also an adjustable weight system where up to 28 grams can be added and the grips are interchangeable, too.

Underneath the mouse is of course the laser sensor and some sleek polytetrafluoroethylene feet, while internally there is enough on-board memory to store up to five profiles. The mouse is not wireless, however, requiring USB connectivity.

Earlier on today we attended the GeIL Overclocking Showdown featuring two famous Russian overclockers Smoke and Slamms. Besides all of the overclocking fun, GeIL took the opportunity to promote its new gaming brand called EpicGear.

It's a very new brand at the moment with products still in development, but one of their first products that they did have on display was the Meduza gaming mouse. Before you say, "oh, not another gaming mouse...", listen up.

This mouse features what EpicGear is calling the world's first "HDST" and that stands for hybrid dual sensor technology. As you'll see in the pictures, on the back surface of the mouse where you usually see either a laser or optical sensor for tracking, EpicGear include both a laser sensor and an optical sensor. EpicGear says that super fast laser sensor with speeds up to 6000 DPI and the stable optical precision with jitter-free operation leads to an overall much better feel and use than traditional mice.

Peripherals maker Shogun Bros. has just outed a tweaked version of its Chameleon X-1 2-in-1 peripheral - a one of a kind peripheral in that it doubles up as both a gaming mouse and a game pad. The new X-1's outer body is completely rubberised helping improve grip, while its internals have been improved to make the unit more efficient in power usage (as it is also wireless, using a USB nano receiver and requiring just a single AAA battery).

The button sets are also said to have been given some tweaking, with better tactile feedback and a more ergonomic layout. The X-1 has a 1600dpi optical sensor, 16 buttons total with 2 analog sticks and force feedback support when set to 'gamepad mode'. It is available in three color options of Essential Purple, Graphite Grey and Passion Red and is set for release at the beginning of next month at $59.99 USD.

There are a couple of meanings for the tag line of this news editorial. You might think since Corsair is launching both a gaming headphone and gaming keyboard / mouse line I'm talking about that. I'm not. Corsair has taken aim at both Logitech and Razor and in one quick shot taken both their heads off. The ultimate one shot double kill.

Just a few minutes ago we publishing a news bit about the new Corsair Vengeance Gaming Headsets but we have another surprise for you, Vengeance Gaming Keyboard and Laser Mouse products.

The new performance keyboard and mice line up consists of four products. For MMO/RTS use is the Vengeance K90 and M90, K being for keyboard and M being for mouse. First Person Shooter enthusiasts have the K60 and M60 but feel free to mix and match.

The PCI Special Interest Group have revealed they are working on an external PCI Express standard to compete against eSATA, USB 3.0 and Intel's Thunderbolt interconnect. The new standard would be based on PCIe 3.0 tech which offers a potential of up to 32Gbps. Whereas, Thunderbolt offers up to 10Gbps in transfer speeds, but keep in mind Intel say it can scale up to 100Gbps in the future.

With those lightning speeds, USB3.0 seems to be left shaking in fear in the dark. The proposal of PCI Express 3.0 suggests using copper wires with a maximum transfer distance of 3 meters and the ability to support up to 20W of power delivery. That's double the current capabilities of Thunderbolt which offers 10W. This would mean it has enough power to run external HDDs and other power-related items without the need for a separate power source.

PCIe cables will be faster, cheaper and thinner than current Thunderbolt-based cables. But they will be less functional in the way that Thunderbolt is capable of daisy-chaining and carry DisplayPort data while external PCI Express cannot. The new proposed technology is obviously still in early stages and won't be commercialized until mid-2013.

Danish-based Chill Innovation have just announced what they dub "The ultimate Media Keyboard on the Market", a bold statement. The Micro Wireless Keyboard with Touchpad supports not only standard PCs and HTPCs but also Tablet PCs, PDAs, Android and iPhone, iPad, Symbian, Windows Mobile and even the Playstation 3 - not only that, it'll work with any any device that has support for Bluetooth HID keyboards.

Mionix have unveiled their first mechanical keyboard to the market today, the gaming-orientated "Zibal 60". The board sports some sexy looking Cherry MX Black switches, which have a linear (non-tactile) travel, require about 60 grams of force to actuate and are typically favored among FPS gamers.

Logitech Australia has just announced that consumers are able to get a 100% cash back offer on selected Logitech products. During the month of February, Australian consumers can get a full cash back on various Logitech products. Logitech has set a $300, 000 budget for returning the cost of the purchase back to the customer.

I am one of the PC gamers that likes a lot of sensitivity in my mouse. I play games on a big 30-inch LCD so having a mouse with enough sensitivity to cover the screen with little hand movement is a big deal to me. Rude Gameware has unveiled new mouse that is called the Fierce Laser Gaming Mouse V2 that has decent sensitivity and more features.

Steve Ballmer, current CEO of Microsoft has promised that Kinect will have PC support sometime in the future. Right now, Kinect is Xbox 360 territory, but eventually Microsoft have plans to move this across to the PC.