No product has even been made better when functionality follows form, and Apple’s decision to only include USB ports on the back of its iMacs has been frustrating desktop computer users for years. An ugly USB extension cable makes life with an iMac considerably more enjoyable, and now, thanks to Bluelounge’s new Jimi, it doesn’t even have to be ugly.
Laptops get thinner and lighter every year, but their power adapters are mostly still big and heavy. FINsix claims its Dart laptop charger is up to four times smaller and up to six times lighter compared to ordinary chargers.
Dart uses what FINsix calls Very High Frequency technology to provide up to 65W of power. You can read more about it on FINsix’ technical report (pdf), though the word “technical” isn’t there for nothing. Note that 65W won’t be enough for all laptops – for example, Retina MacBook Pros use an 85W power adapter – but that will do for hundreds of other models. You can check this compatibility list (pdf) to see if your laptop will work with Dart. Dart also has a 2.1A USB charging port, so it can also replace your mobile device power adapter.
Plug a tiny browser to Kickstarter to support Dart. Pledge at least $89 (USD) to get a Dart that works with hundreds of Windows laptops. The MacBook-compatible Dart is at a higher reward tier – $148. FINsix says that they have to buy Apple’s power adapters to get parts for the Macbook-compatible Dart, hence the significant added cost for that model.
[via Engadget]
A few years ago Ben Heck made a breath-operated controller to substitute for the kick drum pedal of the Guitar Hero drum set, allowing a wheelchair-bound player to rock out. This time, the master modder made his own USB-based pedals to give him added control options when playing video games on the PC.
Ben’s pedals are run by a Teensy board. His computer will recognize them as a keyboard, making it easy to map commands in games. Ben made it so he can map up to two commands per pedal: the first command is activated with a slight press and the second command is triggered by pressing harder on the pedal.
Watch Ben build them the video below. Skip to around 15:25 to see the finished pedals.
(Video courtesy of Element14 and Newark)
Don’t have Ben’s hands to help your feet? Don’t worry. There are commercially available PC foot pedals like the Stinkyboard, the Fragpedal and the Alto Edge Infinity.
[via The Ben Heck Show via Ubergizmo]
It wouldn’t be surprising if Apple made as much money selling replacement charging cables as it did phones and tablets. Those white Lightning cables are easier to lose than socks on laundry day, but now there’s an alternative that will actually remind you to pack yours up when you’ve unplugged your phone.
Logitech has unveiled a new keyboard that isn’t aimed at desktop users or gamers. This keyboard is called the Illuminated Living-Room Keyboard K830 and it is specifically designed to allow HTPC fans easy control over their computer when sitting on the couch.
The big feature of the keyboard is backlit keys that make it easy to control your machine in the dark. The backlight has a sensor that will change the intensity of the backlight depending on how much light is in the room. That should help the battery last longer in the rechargeable keyboard.
Logitech also built in a trackpad with dual buttons on the side to make controlling the cursor a snap. Wireless range for the keyboard is 33-feet and it ships with a small Unifying receiver for connectivity. The keyboard will ship this month for $99.99(USD).
It’s too bad there’s not a version that will work with set-top boxes and not just PCs.
Forget about saving the world – sometimes, it pays to pay attention to the small little details such as saving data. Captain America, the super soldier, might be having a rocking good time at the cinema at the moment in The Winter Soldier, but this does not mean that the relentless march of product tie-ins and merchandising has stopped. No sir, you will also be able to purchase his shield that will come with the added ability to store data via a USB flash drive form factor, although you can ditch ideas of melting it for its vibranium since it is made out of zinc alloy instead.
Captain America Saves Your Data, Too original content from Ubergizmo. 
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There will be a new type of USB plug that will hopefully solve most of the annoyances related to the ubiquitous data and power transfer cable. Taking a cue from … Continue reading
At the end of last year, a new USB Type-C connector was announced, and here we are with a render of what the final deal could actually look like. It is interesting to see a new variant of the USB connector appear considering how microUSB has already done its fair bit in climbing up the popularity stakes among users. Still, to have a new kind of cable architecture known as the USB Type-C is welcome, as it will be smaller than microUSB and is also reversible. This means you no longer need to worry about its orientation whenever you plug the USB Type-C cable into a compatible port.
USB Type-C Cable Render Spotted original content from Ubergizmo. 
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Before Apple’s Lightning cable, I never even dreamed of a life where input/output cables could be reversible. Now, however, it’s hard to go back to standard and micro USB, because I got so lazy. Soon enough, however, USB is getting a new reversible standard called “Type-C” which is around the size of microUSB, and which replaces USB 3 cables entirely, on both sides. We now… Read More
If there is one thing that Apple has done right with the iMac and its Thunderbolt Displays is that they have created very sleek and stylish looking products. How they managed this is by keeping the ports at the back, thus making the interface look very clean.
However there is a drawback which is that if you wanted to access the USB ports on an iMac, you’d have to reach around. Sometimes the monitor might even be placed in such a way that longer USB sticks might have a hard time fitting. Thankfully there’s an answer for that on Kickstarter. (more…)
The iMacompanion Adds A USB Port To The Front Of iMacs original content from Ubergizmo. 
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