Hasta La Gadget!

Notebook users, Logitech has just announced a handy way for you to cut the cords and use full size keyboards and mice. The Logitech Unifying Receiver improves on an existing design and lets you connect up to six compatible wireless peripherals to your notebook. The USB receiver sticks out only 8mm, so you can leave it in while you travel. Pair it with a keyboard and mouse at home and with another set at work.

The Unifying Receiver works with a 2.4GHz wireless connection. So far the company has announced three compatible mice and two compatible keyboards, and I’m sure that will grow. You can see the lineup here. To know if a Logitech peripheral is compatible, look for the orange Unifying logo on the box.

Free software from Logitech lets you connect new Unifying products as you get them. Once they’re connected, they’ll automatically work with your laptop when it’s in range. Unifying products are currently available for preorder from Logitech, and will ship this month and next.

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.

Need to add some zing to your dorm room or bedroom? Wal-Mart is offering some colorful laptops and accessories as part of its back-to-school sale.

Dell Inspiron 1545 Laptop – $498
Featuring a 250GB hard drive, 3GB RAM, a 15.6-inch screen, and an Intel Celeron Dual Core T3000 processor, the 1545 is available in black, pink, red, purple, indigo, and aqua.

Western Digital 250GB My Passport Essential Portable External Hard Drive – $60
Capable of storing up to 71,000 digital photos, 62,000 MP3s, or 110 hours of DVD-quality video, this 250GB drive is available in black, aqua, pink, indigo, and red.

Logitech V220 Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks – $25
Ergonomically designed with soft rubber grips and featuring a 1000 dpi optical sensor, the V220 is available in black, blue, pink, and red. 

Logitech LS11 2.0 Speaker System – $19
With 2-inch metallic drivers, an auxiliary input jack, and a headphone jack, choose this speaker system in indigo, aqua, pink, red, or black. 

SanDisk 4GB Flash Drive – $12
Store your important files in style by choosing this drive in aqua, pink, red, indigo, orange, green, or black.

Check out more back-to-school deals with Wal-Mart’s Rollbacks.

Seems like everything is being rebranded these days, from The Sci Fi Channel’s new “Scyfy” name to Target losing its familiar bull’s-eye. Yep, the “Expect More, Pay Less” retailer will now sell packaging marked with a big, colorful arrow on a white background that says “up & up,” according to a May 2009 Reuters report. I don’t know about you, but I love that red bull’s-eye, especially the image of the dog with the bull’s-eye for an eye. Wait, I hope the dog isn’t going away!

Given that Target is rebranding its line across 40 product categories from now until the fall, does that mean that its prices will also go “up & up?” In today’s TechSaver Test, I challenge Target’s Fabulous Deals on Electronics, which includes 14 products. I picked the Vizio 32″ VOJ320F LCD HDTV, the TomTom GO 730, the Logitech V220 Cordless Mouse, and the D-Link DIR-615 Wireless N Router.

Find out if you can make out like a bargain bandit at Target, after the jump.

Third-party wireless guitar controllers for the Xbox 360 have been disappointingly hard to come by to date, but Logitech has now come to the rescue with a new Guitar Hero-licensed controller that’s similar to its PS3 and PS2 offerings, with the exception of being orange, and Xbox 360-compatible. Otherwise, you can expect the same wood neck, rosewood fingerboard, and metal frets as before, along with a touch-sensitive slider on the neck, strum bar and fret buttons that are “virtually silent,” and a promised range of 30 feet. Unfortunately, the guitar also packs the same hefty $199 price tag as its PS3 counterpart, but if that’s not too big a deterrent, you can look forward to picking up one of these up in August. Head on past the break for a quick video overview.

Continue reading Logitech debuts wireless Guitar Hero controller for Xbox 360

Filed under: Gaming

Logitech debuts wireless Guitar Hero controller for Xbox 360 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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