Jan 26

Double USB concept ends your fear of USB plug rejection

Posted in: concept, peripheral, Today's Chili, usb

Maybe there are greater aggravations in your life, but the symmetrical-on-the-outside, asymmetrical-on-the-inside USB connector has been a source of frustration since its introduction. To combat the problem of USB plug rejection, Ma Xi Xuan has developed the Double USB connector that works right side up or upside down thanks to twin spring-loaded plastic connectors on its interior. The design seems more robust than previous solutions we’ve seen, but sadly the switch-hitting plug is only a design exercise at this point. We can only hope that company will exercise some common sense and make these plugs a reality. Tomorrow works for us.

Double USB concept ends your fear of USB plug rejection originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 26 Jan 2011 10:12:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Wired  |  sourceYanko Design  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: ,
Jan 22

Shogun Bros. Chameleon X-1 review: the mouse that’s a gamepad, too

Posted in: controller, mouse, peripheral, Peripherals, review, Today's Chili, Wireless

Peanut butter and jelly. Gin and tonic. Peaches and cream. Some strange combinations make perfect sense paired, but how about the mouse and the PC gamepad? Those two items are what a Hong Kong peripheral manufacturer decided to combine, and the result was the Shogun Bros. Chameleon X-1 — a gaming mouse you can flip to find twelve buttons and two miniature analog sticks on the bottom. It works as a gamepad, sure enough, and functions as a one-handed multimedia remote too. But is it any good? We’ve used it as our primary peripheral for over a week, and after the break, we’ll tell you.

Gallery: Shogun Bros. Chameleon X-1 gamepad mouse, unboxing and hands-on

Continue reading Shogun Bros. Chameleon X-1 review: the mouse that’s a gamepad, too

Shogun Bros. Chameleon X-1 review: the mouse that’s a gamepad, too originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 22 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Jan 20

j5 Create’s device / data sharing peripherals leave us cautiously optimistic

Posted in: adapter, concept, peripheral, Peripherals, Today's Chili, usb, usb 3.0, Usb3.0

We’re dying to find out more about j5 Create’s line of attractive and ambitious peripherals, but we’re not entirely sure they actually exist. The company’s website features six different data and device sharing products — the JUC100 Wormhole KM Switch offers keyboard and mouse functionality across two devices; the JUA230 DVI Display Adapter connects up to six monitors with three different display modes; and the JUH320 Wormhole Station brings together shared keyboard and mouse access with two USB 3.0 ports and a memory card reader. j5’s website promises stylish connectivity, featuring sleek product renderings and a flash presentation that provides, ahem, inspirational insight — swans, flutes, ballerinas — but no talk of finished products, price, or availability. Additionally, we haven’t found any of these devices for sale online, despite the fact that the brand’s parent company, KaiJet, is an established manufacturer of peripherals in Taiwan. So, yes, there’s a chance that someone out there is hooked up to a Wormhole Station right now, but we wouldn’t bet our diamond-encrusted iPhone on it.

j5 Create’s device / data sharing peripherals leave us cautiously optimistic originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 20 Jan 2011 12:07:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink Everything USB  |  sourcej5 Create  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , ,
Jan 13

NZXT Bunker keeps your USB peripherals secure, even at dodgy LAN parties

Posted in: peripheral, reviewed, security, Today's Chili, usb

So, here’s the situation: you roll into a LAN party in a less-than-ideal section of town. The lights are dim, the bouncer looks suspect, and Mike Tyson’s tiger is situated there in the rear of the room. Even the Ethernet cables are grimy. Everyone’s got their eyes on you and your new Alienware, and that stash of Razer peripherals just feels ripe for the taking. You aren’t about to make a beeline back to your Daewoo, so you wrap each and every USB cable around your right arm just to make sure you go home with everything you came with. Sadly enough, that’s not exactly an awesome way to trample your nearby enemies, but it seems that NZXT has a delightful solution. The company’s new Bunker USB Locking Drive is designed to fit within a spare 5.25-inch slot in whatever tower you own, offering a foursome of USB 2.0 sockets and a potent, daunting locking mechanism. The idea here is that your webcam, mouse, keyboard and USB headset can be plugged in, and you can keep your mind at ease that nothing is going anywhere when you waltz over to the restroom. Unfortunately, critics over at Overclocks Online noticed that the shallow depth prevented all but the smallest of flash drives from fitting in, further proving that this thing is designed specifically for use with PC peripherals. Hit the links below to learn more, and get ready to shell out $24.99 come March if it’s something you’re into.

Continue reading NZXT Bunker keeps your USB peripherals secure, even at dodgy LAN parties

NZXT Bunker keeps your USB peripherals secure, even at dodgy LAN parties originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 13 Jan 2011 09:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceNZXT  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags:
Jan 10

N-Control Avenger Xbox 360 attachment gets a CES overview (video)

Posted in: accessories, adapter, controller, peripheral, Peripherals, Today's Chili, video, xbox, xbox 360, Xbox360

The scariest looking peripheral at CES 2011? Possibly. But for those looking to gain a split-second edge on the competition, the N-Control Avenger just may be the solution Xbox 360 gamers have been looking for. Announced just a couple of months ago, the company was here in Las Vegas to actually demonstrate a fully functional model. But simply, it straps onto your first-party 360 controller, adding triggers, straps, cables and all sorts of other contraptions that aim to give you improved alternatives to pressing buttons (while freeing your thumbs up to more accurately operate the analog joysticks). Enough talk — hop on past the break to see how exactly this $60 shell gets down to business.

Gallery: N-Control Avenger Xbox 360 attachment gets a CES overview (video)

Continue reading N-Control Avenger Xbox 360 attachment gets a CES overview (video)

N-Control Avenger Xbox 360 attachment gets a CES overview (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 10 Jan 2011 08:06:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , , , ,
Jan 09

Perch: the Bluetooth speaker / smartphone dock of your dreams, shipping soon for $180

Posted in: bluetooth, peripheral, speaker, speakers, Today's Chili

Okay, so maybe that’s a stretch, but there’s no question that Quirky‘s latest socially-developed product is one of the slicker wireless speaker / dock combos out there. Dubbed Perch, this two-piece device acts as a standalone Bluetooth speaker if you’d like, but it also includes a dock / tray for holding your device while it’s charging. It’s model and brand agnostic, and it’s up for pre-order right now for $179.99. Gallery’s below, but don’t dive in if you’re easily swayed by eye candy.

Gallery: Quirky’s Perch Bluetooth speaker / dock

Continue reading Perch: the Bluetooth speaker / smartphone dock of your dreams, shipping soon for $180

Perch: the Bluetooth speaker / smartphone dock of your dreams, shipping soon for $180 originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 09 Jan 2011 15:02:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceQuirky  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , ,
Jan 08

Logitech intros $30 Wireless Speaker Adapter for WiDi-enabled laptops

Posted in: bluetooth, logitech, peripheral, speaker, speakers, streaming, Today's Chili

A WiDi adapter, but only for music? It’s true. Up until now, Intel’s Wireless Display technology has been marketed as a means for transmitting video wirelessly from a PC to an HDTV, but apparently it’s good for audio, too. Logitech has chosen CES 2011 to launch the box you see above, the Wireless Speaker Adapter for Intel WiDi-enabled laptops. The idea is fairly simple: place the box near your sound system, and connect it up via a 3.5mm auxiliary jack or using standard analog RCA jacks. From there, you can launch the WiDi software on your laptop, nail the ‘Connect’ button and watch as your PC pairs up with your speakers. If you aren’t equipped to handle WiDi, there’s a similar box, but for Bluetooth. Both are expected to ship in the US and Europe this May for $29.99 apiece.

Continue reading Logitech intros $30 Wireless Speaker Adapter for WiDi-enabled laptops

Logitech intros $30 Wireless Speaker Adapter for WiDi-enabled laptops originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Jan 2011 09:49:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceLogitech  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , ,
Jan 08

iRig Mic: because your iPad, iPhone and iPod just aren’t complete sans a microphone

Posted in: Apple, ipad, iPhone, peripheral, Today's Chili

IK Multimedia, the same dudes and dudettes responsible for the downright hilarious iKlip, seem to be on somewhat of a hot streak. This week, the company’s hitting back with the iRig iMic, hailed as the first handheld condenser microphone for the iPhone. The image above truly explains it all — it’s designed to plug directly into your iPhone, iPad or iPod touch, and so long as you’ve got a recording app of choice, you’ll be capturing your vocals in no time flat. The obvious next step is to run everything through the T-Pain app, but for those who’d rather roll more naturally, IK’s VocaLive effects processor is tossed in gratis. Pricing details are being kept under wraps for reasons unknown, but let’s be honest — you’re buying one even if it means losing two arms and a leg.

Continue reading iRig Mic: because your iPad, iPhone and iPod just aren’t complete sans a microphone

iRig Mic: because your iPad, iPhone and iPod just aren’t complete sans a microphone originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Jan 2011 08:40:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |  sourceIK Multimedia  | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: ,
Jan 07

Ion iCade hands-on: gaming on the iPad like it’s 1979 (video)

Posted in: Apple, bluetooth, Features, gaming, hands-on, ipad, peripheral, Today's Chili, video

You may recall ThinkGeek’s pretty convincing April Fools’ prank last year: the iCade cabinet for the iPad. Now, thanks to the keen beans at Ion, the two companies held hands and turned this totally rad concept into reality (although they’re definitely not the first). Come late spring, retro gaming enthusiasts will be able to pick up one of these well-built Bluetooth joystick kits for $99 direct from Ion, and eventually they’ll make it across the pond for about €99 and £79. Don’t worry, there’ll be plenty of classic games available to suit the iCase courtesy of Atari, who’s already got Asteroids working beautifully on the iPad (and it’s actually a lot harder than it looks); any iOS game that takes a Bluetooth input peripheral should also play nice with the iCade. Hands-on video after the break.

Gallery: Ion iCade hands-on

Continue reading Ion iCade hands-on: gaming on the iPad like it’s 1979 (video)

Ion iCade hands-on: gaming on the iPad like it’s 1979 (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 07 Jan 2011 10:08:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , ,
Jan 06

Idapt’s i2+ universal charging dock rejuvenates your Nexus S and iPhone 4… simultaneously

Posted in: charger, charging, peripheral, Today's Chili, usb

We’ve come a long way since 2008, eh? Not only has the Idapt i2+ seen a massive external makeover compared to the original, but this one supports the simultaneously charging of three mobile / USB devices. The “universal” charging dock ships with a cornucopia of tips, enabling it to juice up a Nexus One, BlackBerry, iPod, iPhone, PSP, GPS system or pretty much any combination of handheld gizmos on the market. Two docking ports are arranged on the top, and a spare USB port allows a third item of your choice to receive new life via a tether. It’ll ship in “an assortment of colors” this spring, but it looks as if pricing won’t be announced until later on. One more look (along with the full PR) is after the break.

Continue reading Idapt’s i2+ universal charging dock rejuvenates your Nexus S and iPhone 4… simultaneously

Idapt’s i2+ universal charging dock rejuvenates your Nexus S and iPhone 4… simultaneously originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 06 Jan 2011 12:30:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink   |   | Email this | Comments

No Comments | Tags: , , , , ,