http://www.ecoustics.com/latest/links Latest links, updated every five minutes http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/Apple_Magic_Mouse/4505-3148_7-33783857.html?part=ecoustics-cnet Apple's new wireless Magic Mouse gets a sleek makeover and even has multitouch controls, but it's better as a portable laptop companion rather than a full-size desktop accessory. The swiping gestures add interactivity to Web browsing and media, but the awkwardly narrow single button design leaves us reaching for better mice from Logitech and others. Wed, 21 Oct 2009 07:11:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20971 Accessory and peripheral maker LaCie has announced its new Sound2 Speaker system designed for use on Macs, PCs, or any other A/V device (like, say, a media player) that needs some premium quality audio output without a ton of bells, whistles, and blinky LEDs. The Sound2 Speakers look like just a roudn grille that balances on a desktop, but connect up using USB or a line-in port and pump tunes with up to 30 watts of power.The Sound2 Speakers were designed by LaCie favorite Neil Poulton, and the company partnered with French high-end audio company Cabasse to dial in the loudspeaker tRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Wed, 30 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20936 When Nintendo rolled out its Wii Sports Resort title with the Wii MotionPlus accessory designed to enhance the accuracy and responsiveness of the motion-sensitive Wii remote, responses were generally quite good: the title showcased possibilities of the Wii controller that third party developers have barely tapped into, and while the bowling game might be a lot like the Wii Sports game that ships with every console, sword fighting, archery, canoeing, wakeboarding, and other games were very well executed. The problem? If you'd already bought a second controller for your Wii, Wii Sports Resort only came with a single MotionPlus accessory. If you wanted to play any Wii Sports Resort titles with multiple players, you had to shell out anotheRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:15:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20904 Peripheral and accessory maker Kensington has introduced a slew of notebook, mobile phone, and computing accessories for the upcoming holiday season—because nothing makes a better gift for the tech-savvy members of your social circle than a little bit of gadgetry, right? Among the notable releases are a USB powered light specifically intended to help video chat work better in low-light situations, and a new car cradle for iPhones that amplified iPhone audio so the device is easier to both see and hear while driving—important for folks using their iPhones for maps or turn-by-turn directions.First up, the Kensington WinRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Tue, 22 Sep 2009 13:20:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20898 Peripheral and accessory maker Griffin Technology is looking to score some points with parents this holiday season with its forthcoming MyPhones, a new pair of over-the-ear headphones designed for kids ages 3 to 12 with a special feature: a built-in limiter circuit caps the volume of the headphones at 85 decibels, the level that safety agencies and audiologists recommend as the highest safe sustained noise level for children."Children are as interested in technology as adults these days," said Griffin CEO Paul Griffin, in a statement. "MyPhones are the first headphones that kids can really call their own. And withRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:45:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20880 Peripheral and accessory maker LaCie has introduced updated versions of its Portable DVD±RW Drive, one aimed at both Mac and PC users and the other for Windows-only folks. The drives are designed to appeal to users of netbooks and notebook computers that have a USB port, but lack an internal optical drive: the units enable users to quickly burn CDs and DVDs, and even fancy them up with LightScribe labeling. The new drives also feature a minimalist design from long-time La Cie collaborator Sam Hecht."With the popularity of lightweight laptop computers and netbook solutions, which oRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Fri, 18 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20774 Peripheral and accessory maker Logitech has introduced two new entries in its Squeezebox line of network-away music players: the Squeezebox Radio and the Squeezebox Touch. Although both devices are Wi-Fi enables and are designed to let users tap into their own music collections as well as Internet radio or music subscription services, they aim at different sets of needs: the Squeezebox radio is designed for a desktop, nightstand or end table—somewhere you might want a litRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 03 Sep 2009 14:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20712 Computer maker Asus might be best known for its computers, notebooks, and motherboards, but the company has been in the peripheral and accessory business for a while, and today introduced its uBoom series of portable speaker systems for notebook computers. The good news is that they're powered off a computer's USB port so they don't require separate batteries or a power adapter to operate; the bad news is that for many users, they'll stretch the limits of the word "portable" just a little too far.The uBoom series consists of two units, the uBoom and the smaller uBoom Q, both features cylindrical designs designed to latch oRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20678 Peripheral and accessory maker Adesso has introduced its WKB-4000UB wireless keyboard—and unlike many wireless desktops, the WKB-4000UB is designed to provide all the functionality of a full keyboard and mouse setup while only consuming a fraction of the space, making it ideal for everything from presentation podiums and conference rooms to point-of-sales terminals, and—of course—living rooms everywhere.The WKB-4000UB features an integrated two-button trackpad so no separate mouse is needed, an embedded numeric keypad (using the right end of the QWERTY keyboard), and 12 function keys. The keyboard uRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:30:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20619 It's true there's no shortage of external speak systems for Apple's iPod music players, but that's not keeping peripheral and accessory maker Logitech from trying to identify new iPod users' needs and match them with new products. To that end the company has rolled out to new iPod speaker docks, the Logitech Portable Speaker S125i an the Logitech Rechargeable Speaker S315i."Millions of people have fallen in love with the iPod, but want a speaker dock so they can share their music with friends," saidRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:30:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20520 These days it can seem like every netbook and notebook computer on earth comes with some sort of Webcam, but most desktop systems still don't include that bit of hardware—which, for some people, represents a bit of cost savings but, if you want to do video chat or conferencing, it represents a major hassle. As such, the market for add-on Webcams is still going strong, and peripheral and accessory maker Logitech launched a major assault today, announcing no fewer than seven new models designed to appeal to all ranges of Webcam users, from folks who want a high-def experience to consumers looking for just the basRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Wed, 29 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20475 Sure, pretty much every audio accessory manufacturer under the sun has been making iPod speaker systems for years, and if you need one and don't have one by now, you're either behind the curve or your existing speaker system took a tumble into a wading pool. But in case you are in the market for ways to push your iPod tunes into the open air, iLuv has a new solution for you in the form of its iMM9400 vertical speaker system, which combines iPod music with old school technologies to be the center of your music universe. Or at leaRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:20:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20433 In the wake of a class-action lawsuit filed in a Seattle federal court earlier this week, Amazon.com now says it will replace Kindle screens cracked by its own optional protective cover accessory free of charge. Prior to the class-action suit, Amazon had been charging customers $200 for the repair; the suit alleges that clips from an optional protective cover sold with the Kindle can crack the device's display and eventually render the e-reader non-functional.However, the $5 million class-action lawsuit filed against Amazon over the cracked screens is still proceeding, at leasRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:15:00 -0400 http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/8301-17938_105-10288313-1.html?part=ecoustics-cnet Long awaited and oft-delayed, the FlyWire wireless HDMI accessory will now never see the light of day. Thu, 16 Jul 2009 14:01:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20399 Peripheral and accessory maker Logitech has announced four new sets of PC speakers that promise omnidirectional acoustics, meaning the speakers generate a bigger "sweet spot" for accurate reproduction of audio because they have drivers that face both forward and backward. The idea is to provide better sound for folks who might be moving themselves (or their computers!) around a room or an office, but don't want the hassle of moving speakers—or juggling between sets—just to get decent audio."Many PC speakers focus sound in one direction, which is fine if you're always sitting in the same spot," said VP and general manager of Logitech's audio business unit Mark Schneider, iRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Tue, 14 Jul 2009 13:15:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/pcw/news/167520 iPhone accessory vendor readies a portable projector to help show off your videos on the go. Sat, 27 Jun 2009 15:19:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20268 Peripheral and accessory maker Belkin has announced a new line of Comfort Mice, featuring a new design that's supposed to put the mouse in "optimum position for working in comfort," along with an all-terrain optical engine for mousing reliably on any available surface. And, the mice will be available in wireless, Bluetooth, and (for the battery-free crowd) retractable USB versions to meet a variety of needs. All the Comfort Mice worth with either PCs or Macs,The Bluetooth version will be available in black and white for $49.99 and features a laser optical sensor, while the wireless version comes wiRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Wed, 24 Jun 2009 14:15:00 -0400 http://news.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/10381/575006.html Thu, 18 Jun 2009 05:49:00 -0400 http://ecoustics-cnet.com.com/8301-1023_3-10264572-93.html?part=ecoustics-cnet Digital broadcasts haven't quite killed off the need--or allure--of the frustrating TV accessory. Antennas, for hobbyists, represent American history. Mon, 15 Jun 2009 11:15:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/dt/news/20179 iHome has marketed a number of iPod and digital media player add-ons over the years, from speaker systems to alarm clock radios to earbuds. Now, the company has done a licensing deal with LifeWorks Technology Group to launch a range of new computer peripherals beginning this summer. And while the product line is still evolving, a couple items are already looking like standouts…because they integrate directly with iPhones and iPods.First up, the iConnect keyboard bundles include an iPod/iPhone dock on the left side of the keyboard to usersRead | Permalink | Linking Blogs Thu, 11 Jun 2009 13:20:00 -0400 http://news.ecoustics.com/bbs/messages/10381/568762.html Fri, 15 May 2009 15:40:00 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/pcw/reviews/164627 The Apple Remote Control, once bundled with a variety of Mac models, is now an optional US$19 accessory. If you're an iPhone or iPod touch owner who'd like to... Fri, 08 May 2009 17:20:14 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/eusb/reviews/16589 Arguably the most offbeat iPod yet, Apple's new entry-level iPod shuffle is not the value choice you might expect from the lowest-priced iPod. More jewelry than gadget, the 4GB shuffle houses plenty of storage, excellent audio quality, and divine little details into a gorgeous fashion accessory. Mon, 04 May 2009 00:20:27 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/pcw/reviews/163985 The iPod-accessory landscape is littered with speakers of all shapes and sizes, forcing vendors to work harder to distinguish... Tue, 28 Apr 2009 13:00:16 -0400 http://www.ecoustics.com/eusb/reviews/16394 A no-frills product that emphasizes form over a multitude of functionality. Great for de-cluttering a work area, and for repurposing your standard iPhone/iPod docking cable as your travel cable. Music-loving shutterbugs may be especially well served. A style-conscious desk accessory that is not for everyone, but those who "get it" should be happy with their purchase. Thu, 02 Apr 2009 00:00:27 -0400