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Everything USB News, Reviews, Tips

added: Sun, 16th October 2005 | 734 views | 0x in favourites
feed url: http://www.everythingusb.com/index.xml

Hottest USB peripherals to useless USB gadgets [Viewed: 66]

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Creative Whips out USB Style X-Fi Audio Dongle



One of the most common threads between many notebook and desktop computers using on-board sound is that the sound quality is typically not good. Creative has announced a new product that should fix the problem with poor sound quality on most computers. The product is called the Sound Blaster X-Fi Go! and the dongle uses X-Fi Xtreme Fidelity technology.

The sound card plugs into the USB port of a computer and has 1GB of built-in flash memory. The software needed to install and run the X-Fi Go! is stored on the internal storage, which incorporates read/write switch protecting important gaming profiles from being accidentally deleted. Other features include 360-degree X-Fi Headphone surround, EAX Advanced HD 4.0 (host-based), OpenAL and CMSS-3D. VoiceFX Technology is built-in to morph the user's voice during voice chat sessions. Other software includes the Creative Karaoke Player and Creative WaveStudio. The X-Fi USB dongle will go on sale this month at $79. Creative also has extended the X-Fi brand to other USB audio, including the HS-1200 headset and USB X-Fi Surround 5.1.
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Samsung YP-Q1 - Mid-Range DAP for X'mas 2008



Samsung maybe hard at work bringing out the next best cellphone, but that doesn't mean the Koreans have stopped thinking about MP3 player. Planning to be unveiled at IFA, Samsung YP-Q1 has received a little design overhaul. It appears to be a mid-range DAP, and will use physical controls unlike the P2. The vertically-oriented Q1 accompanied by a 2.4" screen has a diamond-shaped control that is reportedly touch-sensitive. The GUI is reminiscent of that of the P2 also.

The YP-Q1 will come in 4, 8 and 16GB with some excellent audio codec support, including the usual ones plus OGG and FLAC. We decide not to comment on the video playback capability as Samsung past DAPs are quite stubborn when it comes to bit-rate, resolution and supported wrapper. Battery life is rated at 30 hours for music and 4 hours for video. If the YP-Q1 skips with Bluetooth, it will go head to head with Sony E430-series Walkman, which has a better color variety.
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Intel 4 Series Express Chipset Loves DisplayLink USB Video



Displaylink and Intel must be working towards on a long term goal to persuade more people to adopt multi-monitor setup. A joint press release said the duo has been working on optimizing Displaylink's USB video technology for Intel 4 Series Express chipset family. This should be interesting as corporate PCs and low-end home PCs aren't as expandable and are limited to an on-board graphics card providing a single DVI or VGA interface. A USB monitor like the Samsung 940UX provides the extra desktop estate with ease. Of course, laptops inherently have a second display port, but Displaylink argues you'll need a third or a fourth monitor down the road. You may as well jump on the multi-monitor bandwagon sooner than later.

Displaylink's USB video is a self-contained solution that works on all modern computers, so we reckon the optimization is reportedly on the driver level, and the benefits are lower CPU utilization (unbelievably high even on a duo core machine) and less screen lag (smoother video playback presumably). Intel Series 4 chipset-based users will enjoy a 20% performance improvement after the driver upgrade that is to be distributed via Windows Update.
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Beijing Olympics Fuwa Mascot Mice (Lenovo Says Must Buy)



While Beijing Olympics was over, Lenovo - gold sponsor of the multi-sport event - still has a boatload of commemorative gadgets left over. Among those are of course all the different Olympics USB thumbdrives and now a quintet of wired USB mice that are named after each of the Fuwa mascots: Beibei, Jingjing, Huanhuan, Yingying and NiNi. The mouse asymmetrical design reportedly took six months to complete, after no less than two hundred modifications. The 1000 dpi optical mice are elevated, providing sufficient palm support for prolonged use. Last but not least, the Fuwas are also UV painted for protection against scratches. Still want it? Each Fuwa mascot mouse retails for 138 RMB ($20), and they are apparently available in China (and Hong Kong) only as far as we can tell. Close-up pics after the jump.
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Canon Selphy ES3, ES30 Photo Printers are Feature Packed



For a long time the missing link with digital photography was the ability to print images in any room of the home and carry a printer with you on the go. The latest line of photo printers from many manufacturers are very portable and allow you to print the images you take digitally virtually anywhere. The latest portable photo printers from Canon and are called the Selphy ES3 and ES30.

The pair of printers share many of the same features like a 15 format memory card reader, PictBridge compatibility, and integrated ink/paper cartridges and LCD preview screens. The ES3 has a 3.5-inch LCD and the ES30 has a 3-inch LCD. The ES3 also has 1GB of internal storage for saving photos to the printer. Both printers have on-board clip art, with the ES3 offering many more choices than the cheaper ES30. The Selphy ES3 will retail for $199.99 and the ES30 will go for $149.99. Interestingly, the shape of the new Selphy printers is very similar to the HP A826.
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Star Wars USB Lightsabre Lamp is Geeky Goodness



Every time we turn around there seems to be some new Star Wars themed gear for computers. Most of the stuff is rather goofy if you ask me - like the Star Wars Mimobots. Despite the goofy factor, the latest Star Wars USB gadget is sort of cool. The gadget is called the Star Wars Desktop USB Lightsabre Lamp.

The little lightsabre charges via your USB port and when turned on it works as one really cool desklamp any geek would be proud to own. The device stand keeps the lightsabre lamp upright in all its phallic glory. A bronze button on the hilt turns the light on and it can be removed from the dock and used as a toy. The device measures 22 x 6 cm. For some reason a pair of these lamps remind me of chopsticks. We're frankly surprised there aren't lightsabre chopsticks yet. You can get your own geektastic lightsabre lamp for about $47.
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Samsung's 1.8" 120GB Glossy USB Drive Spotted in China



1.8" hard drive capacity hasn't quite caught up with that of 2.5", but at least Samsung has broken through the 100GB barrier with the its SpinPoint N2. Besides begging Apple to buy a million of these for future iPod classic and MacBook Air, Sammy is also pushing the drive in Chinese market. It doesn't appear there's an official name for the 120GB USB drive in a glossy black enclosure with the size of a credit card.

What we do know it's incredible power saver with impressive performance. The 4200-rpm USB drive only draws less than 1.4W and needs just 300mA from a 500mA USB port. Its power consumption is only one-fourth that of a 2.5" drive. Disk benchmark shows the 4,200-rpm read speed is rated at 27MB/s and write at 23MB/s, which are on par with high-end flash drives. Affordability is a question, not just for the Chinese. The 40GB version retails for 1099 RMB ($161); 60GB for 1299 RMB ($191); and 80GB for 1599 RMB ($235). The 120GB model should go for about 1999 RMB ($293... ouch). In comparison, a 320GB USB 2.5" drive now drops below $120, but it will obviously never fit in your wallet.
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IOGear USB Laptop KVM Loads Everything on a USB Cable



KVM switches traditionally take multiple USB and DVI/VGA cables and connect them to the PCs which you can control from a single set of keyword, video monitor and mouse (hence the acronym KVM). Therefore, for every additional PC sharing on the KVM, there are two additional cables (USB & video). IOGear's new USB Laptop KVM Switch however goes with a different approach in that the same USB cable is used to carry video data as well, saving you from lugging a VGA cable around. It does seem like it's more of a software-driven product, like PCAnywhere, except the IOGear runs over a USB connection and displays the controlled PC's desktop in a temporary window on a laptop. Resolution scaling is available if needed for fitting the PC's desktop on a notebook's screen.

In addition to soft-KVM, the IOGear will double as a data cable allowing you to transfer files between two computers. A new drive letter will appear on your laptop for convenient drag an drops. The controlling notebook will also have direct access to the integrated USB port on the IOGear for printer, external hard drive or speaker connectivity. IOGear USB Laptop KVM Switch stretches a total of nine feet. For $130, it isn't cheap when the cable isn't yet cross-platform supported.
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IOGear 720p HD Wireless USB Video Card Kit



Here comes another practical WUSB application (and "native" peripheral) that follows Kensington Wireless USB Dock Station. The IOGear Wireless USB to VGA Kit is touted as an alternate in-room display adapter that can stream HD (720p) within a 30-foot range wirelessly. You could say this is another niche multimedia product for connecting your PC (XP 32-bit, Vista 32-/64-bit) to a projector or a LCD TV. However, when you come across wiring obstacles such as marble and fireplaces, cutting this cord is something that maybe worth $229.95 (MSRP) - street price will dive near Christmas.

The IOGear WUSB to VGA Kit is among the first to be certified by USB-IF, which guarantees the VGA dongle will work with future PCs (or maybe Macs) with native WUSB host. There's one caveat though: the IOGear (likely powered by DisplayLink) doesn't support HDCP so while you can playback any 720p ripped movies or movie trailers, Blu-ray playback is out of the question.
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USB Webmail Notifier - Another Dream Cheeky Novelty



Dream Cheeky once again brings us yet another questionably useful USB gadget. The USB Webmail Notifier reportedly works in the background to inform you of new emails by illuminating in blue, red or green. It even tells you the capacity of unread emails by audible alerts. Supposedly, a soft red illumination means an incoming email arrived in Gmail, but you can associate each of the three colors with a different email client.

The bundled software will work with Gmail, Yahoo, Outlook Express and any POP3 programs. One thing to keep in mind is that Dream Cheeky does the email authentication for you so you may want to make sure your password isn't sent out as clear text or it would be a huge security risk. We do wonder how the USB Webmail Notifier handles a sudden influx of emails.
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I See USB People



Weird USB drives are popular among users and companies looking to hand out memorable trinkets to employees and customers. Some of the most memorable flash drives we have seen in a while would have to be the new line of Star Wars Mimobot drives. Those wanting a flash drive that looks like a person, but is perhaps a little less geeky than the Mimobot, can get their own USB People drive.

The USB People flash drive is exactly what it sounds like - a USB flash drive that has movable arms and legs. The drives look sort of like the Lego people that come with some Lego kits to me. To get to the USB connector of the drive you pull off the head. The drives come in a few models including a doctor, Vet, policeman, secretary, jogger, construction worker, footballer, rugby player, businessman, and more. You can also create your own custom USB People drive. Storage capacities range from 64MB to 8GB. Pricing is unknown at this time.
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Desktop Fragrance Diffuser Can't Mask Smell of Geekiness



If you work in an office with lots of people or in a cubicle farm, odds are it does not always smell so good. It could be anything from the weird guy in the cubicle next door that doesn’t bathe as often as the others in the office would like, or maybe it’s the lady in the cubby next door that likes onions on everything. The Desktop USB Fragrance dispenser can mask the odor of your neighbors, but it can’t hide your geekiness.

This isn't the first fragrance dispenser we have seen, but at least the one today doesn’t put oil right next to your computer. The desktop USB Diffuser is ultrasonic and works as a humidifier as well. The fragrance strength is adjustable and the device has a LED power indicator. Exactly what type of fragrance you put into the device is unknown. Since the device is ultrasonic, I doubt it would work with oils.
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Wireless USB Catches up with USB 2.0 in Speed



Our avid readers (and peripheral manufacturers) should be delighted to see this headline: WUSB finally beginning to match USB 2.0 performance. NEC's the one to deliver the good news at Intel Developer Forum (IDF) Fall 2008. While the system is still a prototype, it did prove that with "native" host and firmware improvement effective speed can top 200Mbit/s or 25MByte/s, at which speed most would find acceptable for general use. Of course, you would need to have a "native" WUSB mass storage as well to reach this transfer rate; unfortunately, no one has announced such retail product yet. NEC exhibited a similar setup that performed at 130Mbit/s at last year's IDF. Wireless USB promises 480Mbit/s at distance up to 3m and 110Mbit/s at up to 10m. NEC didn't say the effective range, hopefully somewhere near 5m - the max. cable length of a USB 2.0 cable.
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SuperSpeed USB Data Transfer Demo Shows Promising Speed



There are a couple of things we all want from our computers - less wires and more speed. Our beloved USB connection can provide both of these thanks to wireless USB and the coming USB 3.0 specification. USB 3.0 promises data transfer speeds up to 4.8 Gbps. USB 3.0 was first announced at Intel's IDF 2007. At the time, it was first announced the specifications are expected to be finalized in the middle of 2008 and devices are expected to hit market 2009.

A USB 3.0 data transfer demo at Intel's IDF 2008 has proven that the specification is a little closer to becoming a reality. Fresco Logic has demonstrated data transfer using USB 3.0 for the first time at IDF 2008. The company employed a self-developed software development platform to achieve SuperSpeed data transfer speeds of 350MBytes/s or 2.8Gbit/s using its own USB 3.0 host and device controller IP. To put this into perspective, this is about 60% of its theoretical speed of 4.8Gbit/s. The platform is connected to the PC through a PCI Express port and used Xilinx Inc's Field Programmable Gate Array.
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Archos 5, 7, 5G Evolve to Become Internet Media Tablets



Archos is trying to lure iPod touch users with its new line of what the French company touts as the Internet media tablets. All three hard drive-based tablets - Archos 5, 5G and 7 - share an Cortext-powered superscaler ARM processor; a touchscreen GUI; an uncompromised Opera web browser with Adobe Flash 9 support; 800-by-480 native resolution; and WiFi.

The regular Archos 5 has a 4.8" screen, and capacity starts at 60GB and goes up to 250GB. The high-end Archos 7 gets a 7" screen, and comes in 160GB and 320GB. And for those looking for always online capability, the 30GB Archos 5G will come with built-in 3.5G HSDPA radio - the only thing you need is your SIM. VoIP seems to need some hacking or to rely on upcoming software upgrade. A future planned HSDPA USB dongle will give Archos 5, 7 the same connectivity option as the 5G. The trio also receives Hi-Def treatment if you invest in a DVR Station and an optional plug-in that work together to output 720p WMV HD / MPEG-4 over HDMI. It's important to point out 720p mode won't work with H.264 as it maybe too taxing on the CPU. Check out the PDF for full details on pricing, add-ons and specs.
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Plantronics Gamecom 777 Headset Brings Dolby Surround Noise



Surround sound headsets for gaming seem like a hot topic these days: after Razer's announcement yesterday about the upcoming Megalodon, we now came across this Plantronic's new surround in a pair of cans, the Gamecom 777. Much like the ASUS Xonar U1 USB sound pod that we reviewed here a few months ago (and unlike the competing solutions from Creative, including the HS-1200 X-Fi headset), the Gamecom 777 uses a combination of Dolby's Pro Logic II surround decoding and Dolby Headphone technologies to deliver 5.1 surround to a pair of headphones.

What we find interesting about the Gamecom 777 is that it looks like they're trying to offer a more general-use pair of headphones by making the Dolby processing engine a separate (USB-powered) component that detaches from the rest of the unit. Pull out the plugs and you have a set of stereo headphones that – oddly enough – has two headphone jacks that we guess you'd use for other music sources. We're just not sure when you'd have a system that accepted two headphone jacks, or whether the Plantronics' headphones sound good enough to make them a good choice for music lovers. We guess we'll see in September, when the Gamecom 777 hits the streets for $99.
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Microsoft SideWinder X6 Keyboard, X6 Mouse Coming for X'mas



In 2007, Microsoft got back into the gaming peripheral business and pulled its SideWinder brand out of mothballs. The first SideWinder product was a gaming mouse, simply called the SideWinder gaming mouse. A few months before it unveiled the SideWinder gaming mouse, Microsoft unveiled its Reclusa gaming keyboard built in conjunction with Razer. This week Microsoft has announced two new products that will carry the SideWinder moniker.

The two products will include the SideWinder X6 gaming keyboard and the SideWinder X5 gaming mouse. The most interesting feature of the new keyboard is the number pad that can be moved to the right or left side of the keyboard. Moving the number pad to the left side of the keyboard allows the gamer to keep a hand on the mouse still access the number pad keys. Other features of the keyboard include two-color adjustable backlighting, the ability to record macros in game, up to 90 different macros per game, and more. The X5 mouse has sensitivity of up to 2000 dpi and nine buttons with five of them fully programmable. The X6 keyboard and X5 mouse will both be available in September at $79.95 and $59.95 respectively.
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USB Secret Diary Gets Military Encryption & Self-destruction



Some people like to be in touch with their feelings and all that garbage. This type of person blogs about the mundane aspects of their personal lives and keeps a diary. We've never really understood the need for a diary, but many people keep them. If you like the idea of a diary, but don't like the thought of actually having to write by hand on paper the Secret Diary may be just what you need.

The Secret Diary looks very similar to the Corsair Flash Padlock flash drive in that both have a numeric pad for entering your 4-digit PIN. But unlike the Corsair flash drive, the Secret Diary encrypts entries stored on it via 256-bit AES crypto and is able to self-detruct the data when someone attempts a force brute attack. (The Padlock on the other hand is extremely easy to hack.) Users of the Secret Diary can optionally register a never lost password and get a subscription that backs up diary entries in the case of loss or theft. The drive also bundles software for making diary entries interactive including a fortune cookie, My Stars application, Dream Catcher, Thinking Deep, and Mood Art. Interestingly, it features an emotion sensor that analyzes the text you write and displays a swirl in the heading colored to match the mood of the writing. Pricing and availability are unknown at this time.
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Kensington Wireless USB Docking Station - 15 Feet of Freedom



Kensington has announced the world's first Certified Wireless USB docking station. It is the first real test for ultrawideband and WUSB as the dock combines USB display, audio and a 5-port USB hub. The USB display is handled by DisplayLink which enables the dock to output a max res of 1600 x 1200 or 1680 x 1050 widescreen. The WUSB is powered by WiQuest's Mini Card reference design that enables wireless USB audio as well. It's a million dollar question how WUSB manages the bandwidth so all these would function properly. It's already hard enough for USB 2.0 to run a 19" monitor, let alone letting WUSB with a knowingly low effective bandwidth takes over.

Wireless range is also a concern; Kensington says the Docking Station will work within 15 feet - presumably with no walls in between. It's important to note that Kensington will initially work with Windows XP and 32-bit Vista only. Dell will also be the exclusive retail channel. You might get a discount off the $229.99 price tag if you put the dock in the shopping cart with your brand new Dell WUSB-embedded laptop. If cutting the wire isn't your top priority, Kensington sd200v dock is essentially the same thing for the most parts.
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