Razer preys on unsuspecting StarCraft fanboys, teases new mouse, keyboard and headset

We wouldn’t go so far as to say that Razer is taking a note from the teasers over at Voodoo, but the gaming accessory outfit is definitely hoping to play on the emotions of anxious StarCraft fanatics. With the long (long!) awaited sequel finally nearing release, Razer has decided to link up with Blizzard in order to develop a new mouse, keyboard and headset designed specifically to cater to future StarCraft II gamers. For now, all we have to go on is the image above and whatever our imagination deems fit for believing, but we suspect all will be revealed when Blizzcon kicks off later this month. You can hardly wait, huh?

[Via HotHardware]

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Razer preys on unsuspecting StarCraft fanboys, teases new mouse, keyboard and headset originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 12 Aug 2009 03:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turtle Beach keeps tweens boasting with Ear Force X41 Xbox 360 headset

Just over a year after Turtle Beach gave whining teenyboppers a decent Xbox 360 headset to annoy mature gamers with, the outfit is hitting back with the third-generation. We should caution you that these are far from a major upgrade, but those just now looking to take the plunge into cord-free bragging should find plenty to appreciate. The Ear Force X41 cans claim to handle Dolby 7.1 channel surround sound, but given that there are precisely two ear cups here, we’re somewhat (read: tremendously) skeptical of said claims. At any rate, the RF-based headphones now sport a dedicated Digital Signal Processor along with a feature that will likely entice young brats and frighten those with actual jobs: Chat Boost. As you can imagine, this enables users to automatically jack the volume of the Xbox Live chat as the game gets louder, which — in our experience — is probably not a good thing. Those with the patience of Job can buy in anyway for a nickle under $200.

[Via TG Daily]

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Turtle Beach keeps tweens boasting with Ear Force X41 Xbox 360 headset originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 11 Aug 2009 06:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Logitech replaces G5 with Gaming Mouse G500, throws Gaming Headset G330 in for luck

It’s tough to think of a well-mannered Earthling who didn’t at least appreciate, if not adore Logitech‘s cutting-edge G5 laser mouse back in 2005, and at long last, said critter has a proper successor. Today, Logi’s introducing the Gaming Mouse G500, which is designed with an on-the-fly adjustable DPI system (up to 5,700 DPI), a battle-worn finish, a broader thumb rest than before and a “smoothed-out pinkie ledge” to really round things out. The 27 gram mouse also packs a dual-mode scroll wheel, a “gaming grade” laser engine and a small bag of bragging rights to boot. Moving on, we’ve got the Gaming Headset G330, a rather unsightly bugger that sports a behind-the-head design, a noise-canceling microphone, in-line audio controls and a USB adapter. If you’re interested in claiming either as your own, look for the G500 to ship in September for $69.99, while the G330 hits shelves this month for $49.99. Full release is after the break.

Continue reading Logitech replaces G5 with Gaming Mouse G500, throws Gaming Headset G330 in for luck

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Logitech replaces G5 with Gaming Mouse G500, throws Gaming Headset G330 in for luck originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Aug 2009 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Novero Unveils TheFirstOne Bluetooth Headset

Novero_TheFirstOne.jpgNovero has unveiled TheFirstOne, a Bluetooth headset with dual-mic noise-canceling and one-touch controls for dialing or conferencing in a third party. It comes with a bunch of accessories, including a desk stand, a charging cradle that keeps the headset close by when driving, and a necklace and wearable clip.

TheFirstOne comes in lily-white with silver accents, and can automatically pair with handsets that are turned on and within range. The headset lasts for 4.5 hours on a single call and offers 100 hours of standby when not in use.

TheFirstOne will cost $149 at launch, which is $20 higher than both the Plantronics Voyager Pro (our current Editors’ Choice) and the Aliph Jawbone PRIME, the two best headsets on the market today. It does come with more accessories than those two, but still, this thing had better perform well. There’s no release date yet.

MoGo Talk intros Bluetooth headset for iPhone, everyone else

At this point, Bluetooth headsets are pretty played, but it’s some kind of thrilling to see at least one company keeping things interesting. Newton Peripherals is that very outfit, today introducing a pair of new devices that are definitely unique in a sea of me-too ear pieces. First up is the MoGo Talk for iPhone, which adheres to the back of your handset and keeps the headset nearby at all times — think LG’s Decoy, but a tad less elegant. Next up is the MoGo Talk for VoIP & Skype (our personal favorite), which slides inconspicuously into one’s ExpressCard slot in order to a) stay out of harm’s way and b) charge when not in use. Too bad Apple decided that these slots were practically unwanted in its newest 13- and 15-inch MacBook Pros, huh? Both devices can be pre-ordered right now for $99 apiece, with shipments expected to begin next month.

[Via HotHardware]

Read – MoGo Talk for iPhone
Read – MoGo Talk for VoIP and Skype

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MoGo Talk intros Bluetooth headset for iPhone, everyone else originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 16 Jul 2009 09:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The $6,910 “best” headphone sound system: how can you afford your audiophile lifestyle?

CNET has some choice words for the $4,500 Woo Audio WES amplifier and the $2,410 Stax SR-007Mk2 headphone combo — namely, it’s the world’s best headphone sound money can buy. Far be it for us to argue, but given the steep cost of entry, we’ll also be hard pressed to find out for ourselves. Needless to say, only the purest of audiophiles need apply — we’ll be sticking to working out our mixtapes with aurally subpar three-figure ear pieces, thank you very much.

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The $6,910 “best” headphone sound system: how can you afford your audiophile lifestyle? originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 15 Jul 2009 00:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jabra Go 6400 and Pro 9400 with capacitive touchscreen base redefines overkill, want

Here’s what you get when a manufacturer tries to justify a $199 price tag on its newest headsets. The Jabra Go 6400 (pictured above) and Pro 9400 look to be standard noise-cancelling Bluetooth and DECT headsets, respectively, with a multifunction button to answer/reject/redial/mute calls and adjust the volume. However, these headsets are paired with an industry first touch-screen base for call management. The 2.4-inch capacitive LCD displays caller ID, call records, and lets users switch between their mobile, desk, and corporate softphones via a spin of the carousel. Fun sure, and exceedingly geeky, but hardly worth the $199 to duplicate functions already built-in to the headsets or accessible via the displays on the devices it connects to. Then again, these are aimed at office professionals (read: corporations) when they launch in September and $199 is nothing when you’re spending someone else’s money. DECT configuration pictured after the break.

[Via SlashGear]

Continue reading Jabra Go 6400 and Pro 9400 with capacitive touchscreen base redefines overkill, want

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Jabra Go 6400 and Pro 9400 with capacitive touchscreen base redefines overkill, want originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 01 Jul 2009 06:22:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorola Endeavor HX1 ears-on

We’ve been playing with Motorola’s recently-announced Endeavor HX1 for the past few hours, and we’re just going to come right out with it: this is the best Bluetooth headset we’ve ever used. Moto claims that the HX1 is the world’s first consumer headset to use “true bone conduction technology,” a veiled (but obvious) reference to the external cheek-resting sensor found on Jawbone’s devices — and indeed, the Jawbone Prime is the most obvious direct competitor to the HX1. Both devices offer decent styling, feature optional earloops and a selection of earbuds for a tighter fit, are being positioned as premium headsets, and — most importantly — pack a ton of innovative circuitry all in the name of cutting noise in harsh surroundings. Head on over to Engadget Mobile for our quick take!

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Motorola Endeavor HX1 ears-on originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Engadget’s recession antidote: win a FREETALK headset and Skype voucher!

This whole global economic crisis, and its resulting massive loss of jobs got us thinking. We here at Engadget didn’t want to stand helplessly by, announcing every new round of misery without giving anything back — so we decided to take the opportunity to spread a little positivity. We’ll be handing out a new gadget every day (except for weekends) to lucky readers until we run out of stuff / companies stop sending things. Today we’ve got a FREETALK Wireless Stereo Headset along with a Skype voucher that’ll net you free calls for three whole months. The World Plan voucher will link you up anywhere in the world that Skype supports, and coming off of a trip to Central America, we can certainly say it comes in handy (and works well, to boot). Read the rules below (no skimming — we’re omniscient and can tell when you’ve skimmed) and get commenting!

Major thanks to Skype for the goods!

The rules:

  • Leave a comment below. Any comment will do, but if you want to share your proposal for “fixing” the world economy, that’d be sweet too.
  • You may only enter this specific giveaway once. If you enter this giveaway more than once you’ll be automatically disqualified, etc. (Yes, we have robots that thoroughly check to ensure fairness.)
  • If you enter more than once, only activate one comment. This is pretty self explanatory. Just be careful and you’ll be fine.
  • Contest is open to anyone in the 50 States, 18 or older! Sorry, we don’t make this rule (we hate excluding anyone), so be mad at our lawyers and contest laws if you have to be mad.
  • Winner will be chosen randomly. The winner will receive one FREETALK Wireless Stereo Headset along with a Skype voucher that’ll net you free calls for three whole months.
  • If you are chosen, you will be notified by email. Winners must respond within three days of the end of the contest. If you do not respond within that period, another winner will be chosen.
  • Entries can be submitted until Tuesday, June 23rd, 11:59PM ET. Good luck!
  • Full rules can be found here.

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Engadget’s recession antidote: win a FREETALK headset and Skype voucher! originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 23 Jun 2009 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Creative’s Fatal1ty Professional Series Gaming Headset MkII hands-on, and news of its sequel

Creative's Fatal1ty Professional Series Gaming Headset MkII hands-on, and news of its sequel

Cans are so hot right now; the bigger and gaudier the better, because nothing says “Don’t talk to me” like giant domes covering your ears. Creative’s latest set, Fatal1ty Professional Series Gaming Headset MkII, don’t really have much to offer in the flash category and certainly aren’t excessively sized, but for serious gamers they seem to be a solid option and just the thing to keep your mom from interrupting your session. Shipping next week for $99, they offer an over-ear design with memory-foam surrounds and a sophisticated but not particularly flashy look that says “I want to look cool while wearing these, but I’ll leave the chrome to my CPU fan, thanks.” They sport a detachable boom that has not one but two microphones in it and some apparently fancy-schmantsy processing that can discern your howl of war from your dog’s howl of neglect, meaning your CS teammates hear only the former. Unfortunately we weren’t able to try that out for ourselves, so we’ll have to see how well that pans out in the real world. The set uses the standard jumble of 3.5mm audio jacks to connect to your machine, but a Creative rep was kind enough to disclose plans for a USB version that’ll work sans-soundcard. That model is due sometime next month for a $30 premium.

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Creative’s Fatal1ty Professional Series Gaming Headset MkII hands-on, and news of its sequel originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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