Peripherals News - Page 32

Apple TV launched as just a 'hobby' for the Cupertino-based giant, but it has grown out of control, but in a good way. Apple have now become the force to be reckoned with in the "streaming IP device" market according to a new report.

Apple scoop up 56% of the market, representing more than 13 million units sold in Q1 2013 alone. This number is more than all of the competitors' devices combined. Competing brands include Roku, WD TV, Boxee and Google TV, but Apple leads the market by a large margin. Roku takes second position with 21.5% of the market, which represents an estimated 5 million units.

I think this will change in the coming years, as Google push forward with media devices and companies like Netflix continue to dominate the new Internet market with original TV shows.

SteelSeries is known for their high-quality professional grade gaming peripherals, and their latest product fails to disappoint in any way possible. The new SteelSeries Apex Gaming Keyboard is comprised of what I can only describe as sheer beauty. It's no secret that I love backlit keys as well as RGB LEDs, and the new Apex combines both to bring a keyboard landscape unlike any other.

The SteelSeries Apex Gaming Keyboard goes beyond just choosing from 16.8 million color options, it features SteelSeries Active-Zone illumination, a visual support tool that allows the user to independently customize colors - up to 8 levels of illumination intensity in each of its 5 zones - with up to 4 different customizable layers per zone.

Additionally, the keyboard features unique enhancements to its layout which include low-profile keys, macro keys that are configured in rows for quick access, as well as multiple layers of customization in color and intensity. The keyboard is powered by the SteelSeries Engine which allows the keyboard to completely remap all of its 22 macro keys and offers users the ability to program up to four separate layers of the keyboard. This means that consumers now have up to 500 keys for instant control across multiple layouts, profiles, and commands that they choose for any game.

This morning, GIGABYTE announced the arrival of a new addition to its gaming keyboard lineup. The FORCE K7 Stealth Gaming Keyboard is touted as having the embodiment of a Stealth fighter with its scissor-key structure and slim solid body. The keyboard features an extremely short actuation distance for accurate and stable key presses in addition to a switchable three-color backlighting system.

The new gaming keyboard also features anti-ghosting capabilities that surround the WASD cluster that guarantees that the general gaming combination keys are registered and executed without conflict. Just like other models in the line, the keyboard features a twin wheel design that offers prompt control of keyboard backlighting and volume levels during intense gaming sessions.

Below is a quote from GIGABYTE on the features of the new FORCE K7 Stealth Gaming Keyboard:

The super-realistic assault rifle controller, otherwise known as Delta Six, has enjoyed a successful Kickstarter campaign, raising over $200,000. The Delta Six is thanks to David Kotkin from Miami, who is a teacher.

Kotkin developed the Avenger, making enough money from it to retire from his career in education. The Miami-based now retired teacher saw the absence of a realistic gun controller, and thought it would be a good idea to make one. Kotkin told the Miami Herald that the notoriety scared off a public relations firm, "whose owner cited 'moral reservations,'" and that Arduino, the microcontroller staple of PC and console mods, backed away from the partnership because of the potential problems.

Kotkin's own wife won't let their 11- and 8-year-old sons play with the Delta Six, but stands by him and is proud of his inventiveness and accomplishments. She says: "When it comes to the gaming gun, you look at all the violence that's occurred and it's really difficult for me to say this is a great idea."

Logitech have just unveiled a new standalone version of their Harmony Ultimate Hub. All that is required is an application for your Android- or iOS-based device, which will then allow you to control up to eight home theater devices.

Users can use the app to swipe to adjust the volume, change TV channels by tapping on a network icons and control recorded video playback. Control options are also on offer for video services usch as Netflix hosted on game consoles, too. Logitech also says that the Hub is compatible with the Harmony Touch, the remote's RF signals are translated into IR and Bluetooth format. We should expect the standalone Ultimate Hub to go on sale in both the US and Europe in August, for around $100.

Computex Taipei 2013 - ROCCAT have not only unveiled their gaming orientated Power-Grid software and app, but they've just now unveiled their latest mechanical gaming keyboard with per-key illumination, the Ryos MK Pro.

ROCCAT's Ryos MK Pro features an insane number of configuration options, as well as your choice of Cherry MX key switches in four colors and per-key illumination in two modes: smart and manual. This allows Ryos MK Pro owners to congiure special effects to their keystrokes, configure their keyboard to highlight in-game and application key bindings, your modifier keys, macro sequences and cool downs, system controls and much more.

The ROCCAT Ryos MK Pro features a 32-bit ARM Cortex processor, meaning that it has its processor can power all of the functions on this keyboard, all without losing a spec of performance. There's 2MB of flash memory on-board which houses your configurations, with your keyboard keeping all of your keystrokes and macros handled well in real-time, all without delay.

There are more people gaming on Mac's thanks to the popularity of Apple's MacBook Pro's and their iMac's, with most thanks given to Intel who made their way into Apple machines across the world.

Logitech have just stepped up, announcing that their Logitech Gaming Software is now compatible with Mac OS for all of their keyboard and mouse products. This means that Mac-based gamers can now enjoy the same personalization and customization of their products that PC gamers have enjoyed for years now. You can download the latest version of the Logitech Gaming Software from the Logitech support page.

Logitech's list of compatible products include:

Sony are poised to add system level support for their DualShock 3 controllers to their Xperia-branded smartphones. A user would be able to wirelessly connect their controllers without root or hugely complicated setup procedures, using just a USB OTG cable for the initial setup.

All you would need to do is plug the controller into your Xperia device's USB port, turn it on, enter the device settings and then just enable the controller. Once there's some talk between the device and the PC, you'll need to unplug the controller and then you'll have the ability to use it through Bluetooth.

At the moment there's no news on whether this will jump across to non-Xperia-branded smartphones, but I'm sure it'll just be time for now. Games that support a controller are obviously the way to go, but this isn't a big problem.

Logitech are reiterating the fact that they're committed to PC gaming by unveiling their new Logitech G line of gaming peripherals. This lineup boasts six redesigned mice and keyboard favorites, as well as two brand new headsets. There's a lot to cover, so let's get introduced to Logitech's new products.

Logitech G700s Rechargeable Gaming Mouse - Logitech's G700s mouse is a wireless gaming mouse featuring the report rate of an epically fast wired gaming mouse. Logitech have made the G700s capable of maintaining a consistant report rate, no matter if you're using the mouse over its included 2.4GHz wireless connection, or physically connected through USB. You can switch out from wireless to wired gaming if your battery dies, using a data-over-cable connection thanks to its standard microUSB cable.

There are 13 programmable controls on the G700s, macros and more, which are all controlled and manipulated through Logitech's Gaming Software (LGS). Logitech are slapping a suggested retail price of $99.99 for the G700s mouse.

In a move that few saw coming, Microsoft has released parts of the software used to control its Kinect hardware into the Open Source world. Twenty two code samples have been released into CodePlex for Makers, Hardware Hackers and third party engineers to use to develop their own Kinect based projects.

The code samples are available in C++, Visual Basic and C#. Anyone wanting to use the code will need to download Visual Studio, .NET and the Kinect for Windows SDK. The code allows for face tracking, depth of field, as well as audio capture and voice controls.

In what I consider a very smart move, Microsoft said that it released the code because it wants to get feedback from the developer community as well as rapidly speed up development for the Kinect as well as improve its software. All the code samples are released under the Apache 2.0 license and can be downloaded at Source #2 below.