Hasta La Gadget!

Do you regularly video-chat? Neither do I. There’s something nice about not having to comb your hair before sending an e-mail. But for those of you who have just had a baby and want to show the little one to the grandparents, Logitech has announced seven updated webcams.

• Premium: The Webcam Pro 9000 ($99.99) has Zeiss optics, autofocus, a 2-megapixel sensor, and RightLight 2 technology. The Portable Webcam C905 ($99.99) is the company’s top portable model.

• Mid-Range: The Webcam C600 ($79.99) has a glass lens, a 2-megapixel sensor, and RightLight 2 technology. The Webcam C500 ($49.99) has a glass lens, a 1.3-megapixel sensor, and RightLight technology.

• Basic: The Webcam C300 ($49.99) offers 5-megapixel (software-enhanced) photo capture and fun effects. The Webcam C250 ($39.99) has a VGA sensor and fun filters. Finally, the Webcam C200 ($29.99) has a VGA sensor and can take 1.3-megapixel (software enhanced) still photos.

Logitech is tying the mass release to its recently introduced Vid videochatting software, which is free for Logitech users. As I said when I covered the release last month, I think Logitech is making a mistake in not offering Vid free to everyone. People already perceive videochatting as too complicated.

All seven new models will be available in the U.S. and Europe in August.

Peripheral-maker Belkin has released some eye-catching new styles lately, and that definitely includes this line of three just-announced mice. All are in the Comfort Mouse line, and have a downward-sloping shape that’s designed to fit the hand more naturally.

The Wireless Comfort Mouse (pictured above) comes with a USB dongle that connects to your laptop. When moving from room to room, you can hook the mouse onto the dongle, so that it stays in place and travels with you. It includes a power save mode that puts it to sleep after eight minutes of inactivity to save battery power. It comes in midnight blue, pitch black, fuchsia, and candy red, and lists for $29.99.

The Bluetooth Comfort Mouse connects via a 2.4GHz Bluetooth signal and offers a laser optical sensor for working on different surfaces. It comes in black and white, and lists for $49.99.

The Retractable Comfort Mouse includes a retractable cable that snaps back when not in use. It comes in pitch black, midnight blue, fuchsia, and candy red, and lists for $19.99.

All three new mice work with both Windows and Macintosh computers. The Wireless and Bluetooth models will arrive in U.S. stores this month, while the Retractable debuts in August.

Dell has launched an “InkSave” program, where consumers can return used ink cartridges for an automatic replacement.

The model seems similar to that used by Netflix, where customers return movies using a prepaid envelope, and receive the next preferred movie on their list.

InkSave is similar: Dell’s printers ship with a pre-filled ink cartridge installed, and a spare. When the original ink cartridge is exhausted, the Dell customer simply returns the original cartridge in the prepaid envelope, and Dell sends the customer a new one. The customer is automatically billed for the new cartridge, a Dell representative said in a blog post.

Users can sign up for free on the Dell Web site. After doing so, Dell will send a welcome kit with an ink cartridge and the envelopes. 

If you’re looking for a way to draw me to your booth during a product line show, get your device to play “Smoke on the Water.” It worked with the Air Guitar Rocker, way back when, and it worked again today with the Light Glove, when a representative from the company was using the device to perform an air piano version of the song.

The device is probably most simply described as bringing Wiimote functionality to your PC. It’s basically an armband and a sensor that hooks up to your computer. The wristband features a built-in accelerometer and gyroscope to detect motion. A built-in LED sends information back to the sensor. The company is working on a newer prototype of the device that communicates via Bluetooth (pictured above).

Light Glove has big plans for the device that stretch beyond simple computer apps, including gaming, door locks, ATMs, personal electronics, and more. With the recent spate of interest in gestured-based technologies (as evidenced by the Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft keynotes at E3), we’re likely to see this technology hit retail shelves sooner, rather than later.

Check out a video of the Light Glove, after the jump.

Ironically, laptop computers are not designed to be used on laptops, but on hard, flat surfaces. Nor do they work well on a bed, the lawn or many other places you might take them.

The answer is the Logitech Comfort Lapdesk for Notebooks. The padded, angled bottom feels comfortable on your lap, a sofa, a bed, or the backseat of a car. The surface is solid, so the computer stays stable and proper airflow is maintained.

Did you ever put a notebook on a bed? It may overheat because the ventilation gets blocked. I’m writing this on the living room sofa. Even though this notebook (a Thinkpad Z61p) is a big and heavy model, the use is comfortable because of the padded underside of the Comfort Lapdesk.

The Comfort Lapdesk sells for $39.99 at online and local retailers.