Rainbow Keyboards and Panda Speakers

Welcome to the end of the week, it's been quite a doozy for most of us, and we would like nothing more than some cool news to bring us into the weekend, yes? No hacking or destroying certain mobile phones out there, but more on the positive or quirky note at least. We've got some colorful and cute news coming your way.

Alienware M17x: rainbow keyboards

If you remember our report on the laptop for hardcore PC gamers, the Alienware M17x, then you'd be pleased as peach to know that Gizmodo showed a picture on how cool it is to work or play with the M17x even in the dark:



Matt told me the Alienware's m17x notebook was blinged out like it "just landed on earth after a long trip from a planet populated entirely by a evolved race of disco lights". I guess this is what he was talking about.

Yes, the keyboards glow in the dark in the colors of the rainbow. Will it heighten your experience in fragging your enemy combatant or PKing your guild's enemies while on the field? We're not really sure how it makes it easier to play a game in the dark with such choices in colors, but we'll trust Alienware and hope they know what they're doing. If you can't trust Alienware to make your gaming experience much better, then whom can you trust?

Mini Panda USB Speakers

Tired of the same old speakers to your laptop or mp3 player? Do you want to spruce it up? Need a conversation piece on your table? If you think that your laptop or mp3 speakers seem to be too bland for your funky tastes, then it would be best to check out the USB Mini Panda Speaker.



Product Specifications:

Mini panda head lovely design
On/Off switch
LED indicator
Can be connected to computer, iPods, MP3 and MP4 players
Battery can be recharged by USB
Size: 45*45*42mm
Weight: 50g
Packages:

USB Mini Panda Speaker
3.5mm Audio Cable
USB Cable

There you have it some of the more colorful and coolest gadget-related news this Friday. Hope you have a great weekend and we'll see you on Monday!

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Alienware M17x and a Router Clock

With most techies going into the gaming realm (either through PCs or consoles) need to go online. However, with new gadgets being born every day it really gets crazy on what to buy. Good thing we're here to give you some options.

Alienware M17x: Gaming laptop that'll be your desktop anytime

When online, you don't want to be tied to one place in the room, especially if you're going to raid some dungeon: last thing you need is someone coming in and out of your room when you need to focus on tanking that boss. Therefore most hardcore gamers have a laptop just in case they need it, however not all laptops can handle the MMOs that reside in your desktop. What you need is a laptop that can easily go toe to toe against any given desktop any day: the Alienware M17x.



Here's a snippet of PC Mags' review of the gaming laptop:

Fantastic all-metallic design. Fastest mobile processor available. 8GB of memory. Fastest Nvidia graphics cards in SLI mode. A third nvidia chip for power savings. Customizable LED lights in the keyboard, around touchpad and button. HDMI and Displayport technologies.

However with such quality comes a price--a very steep one: $4,049. Hardcore Gamers need only apply.

The Glowing Router Clock

You may have a spanking cool and fast laptop, but you need to be online, yes? However, there will be times during the day that the internet is blazing fast, then there will be times that it slows down to a crawl. Some guys just have an instinct for it, while others think of other ways to know the best time to go online. One of these is Alon Alex Gross, Project Leader for Goldsmiths: a company that takes a look at your everyday router and transforms it to something that appease the eyes. He's designing a router that not only tells you when to go online for a good connection, but also tells time!

This router is essentially a twenty-four hour clock divided into half hourly segments. As a reaction to the broadband signal, a different traffic light colour indicates bandwidth strength at each interval.

Still in development, so hopefully we'll see a real one soon enough.

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Logitech V220 Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks

Logitech is an old hand when it comes to computer peripherals, and this time round they’ve released yet another model for those who do plenty of traveling and yet want something that isn’t too serious - the Logitech V220 Cordless Optical Mouse for Notebooks. This new notebook mouse will come in a variety of limited-edition patterns and colors, and is based off the design of the company’s most popular mouse. Color, comfort and convenience are rolled into a single device, where you can pick it up for $29.99 a pop.

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Sony unveils PSP go

Looks like Sony can’t really keep their secrets from leaking out to the public before the official announcement, as image leaks as well as whispers of the PSP go were already making their rounds well ahead of the E3 announcement. Well, for those who recently picked up a Sony PSP-3000 (yes, it is in its third iteration already for that particular generation), there is a new device that looks set to displace the PSP-3000 in due time - assuming it does crazily well, of course. We’re guessing that Sony is taking Nintendo’s similar approach as they did all those years ago, touting the DS Phat to be the “third pillar”, only bringing it to the forefront and discontinuing the Game Boy line when the DS was found to be doing exceptionally well. Only time will tell, but let us take a look at the Sony PSP go in greater detail today.

The PSP go will arrive in stores for folks living in North America this October 1, while Europe/PAL territories and Asian countries will get theirs a month later, retailing for $249 and an equivalent amount in Euros, of course. As stated earlier, the PSP go will co-exist with the PSP-3000 in retail stores as gamers as well as those who are curious learn to decide which is the best possible portable gaming system for them. What makes the PSP go different is it won’t come with any UMD drive - instead, it will ditch all disc-based content by catering to those who want on-demand entertainment, featuring 16GB of internal memory as well as the ability to receive digital entertainment via the PlayStation Network. Sounds fine and dandy, but what about less developed markets where over-the-air download speeds are excruciatingly slow? Guess those folks will just have to settle for regular PSP-3000s.

Some of the interesting features available on the spanking new PSP go include an easy sliding panel alongside original applications, a game sleep function that lets you operate the XrossMediaBar while suspending gameplay for the moment, Bluetooth connectivity and a wide range of accessories to go along with it. What do you think of the form factor, and will the PSP go do for Sony what the DS Lite did for Nintendo?

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Dell unleashes power of Alienware M17x

It is nice to know that ever since Dell bought over extreme gaming brand Alienware, they haven’t really affected the company’s performance in any way. Dell still churns out reliable (for most people, anyways - there are always horror stories to tell of any brand in this world) notebooks and desktops for millions of people around the world each day, and Alienware sticks to what it does best - working on drool-worthy gaming machines that cost a bomb, and yet people won’t mind forking out good money for it due to the overall aesthetics as well as performance that come in a single package. Having said that, Alienware has rolled out yet another masterpiece today - the Alienware M17x gaming notebook that is set to blow your mind away.

While the M17x isn’t exactly the best kept secret in the world, it is nice to get an official announcement, where Dell has touted it to be the “most powerful laptop in the universe.” That’s surely stating their faith that advanced alien civilizations out there don’t exist - but that’s a different can of worms for another day. What can you expect from a thoroughbred like the Alienware M17x? For starters, check out what a fully pimped out model can offer.

* Dual 1GB nVidia GeForce GTX 280M GPUs
* An Intel Core 2 Extreme Quad-Core CPU
* 8GB of 1333MHz DDR3 RAM
* A 1TB 7200-rpm (Raid 1 or Raid 0) or a 512MB of solid-state storage capacity
* A slot-loading dual-layer Blu-ray Disc Drive
* A nine-cell battery
* An nVidia GeForce 9400M G GPU with HybridPower technology
* 802.11n (2×2) Wi-Fi connectivity
* A 1920-by-1200-resolution edge-to-edge LCD Display

2GB of total video memory just blows our minds away. We’re guessing that this means the era of notebooks being viable gaming platforms is coming, although bringing down the price by a bunch would go a long way in helping that dream get realized. One thing’s for sure – we’d strongly recommend you sit right next to a power outlet if you plan to use this for more than a couple hours of hardcore gaming.


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GEN-X Genesis/NES Game System

Mario and Sonic was thought to be eternal enemies, but necessity has brought both creative licenses together in the past, and who knows, with that, they could actually end up being best friends forever? With the GEN-X Genesis/NES Game System, this is possible since the device itself is pretty self-explanatory. While you can’t carry it around wherever you go like the Pocket Retro Game Emulator, you will be able to play legitimate games using your collection of old NES and Genesis carts that are collecting dust in the attic. Since it is meant to sit right smack in the middle of your living room, you will pay considerably less for this as well, retailing for just $49.99 each.

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Sony Ericsson’s Aino

Sony Ericsson has just released a mobile phone called the Aino which is able to sync wirelessly with a PS3. I am not certain if this is the first mobile phone to connect to a video game console, but if it is, then it is a long time coming.

After all, who wouldn’t want instant access to their digital content on their PS3 from their mobile phone? As long as there is mobile internet available on the Aino, the user can sit back at watch whatever content is on that large PS3 hard drive.

In addition to that huge connect-to-PS3 as their biggest selling point, the Aino can also sync wirelessly to your PC. Other features include a 8.1 Megapixel camera, 3G connectivity, and assisted GPS. It also comes with a Bluetooth headset, a wireless dock, and light-up headphones.

When I first saw that the Aino could sync with the PS3, I immediately had visions of surfing through the main menu of the PS3 on my mobile and playing games, sans joystick. Not in this version of the Aino, but I am hoping that I’m giving Sony Ericsson a few ideas. Not that they aren’t already thinking what I’m thinking, I’m sure.

Sony Ericsson’s Aino should be available in the fall, but so far, there is no word on a price. Rumor has it that the Aino is slated for a European-only release.

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The GameOn Video Gaming Console Storage System

Finding ways to store gaming accessories can at times be a bit of a chore. For various reasons, like the plastic guitars are large and awkward. Then there are the regular controllers that usually get stashed in a drawer somewhere. To top it off, if you have a 360, you have to be careful about the type of entertainment center you use with it, for fear that it might overheat and get the wretched RRoD. Well this storage system from GameOn solves all of those common issues.

It mounts to the wall, meaning it’s not going to take up any of your floor space. It will store up to 4 different hand controls and guitar accessories. At the top it can hold various games and then the bottom shelf is where the console or consoles can be stored. To make sure the console stays cool there are vents on either side of the shelf. It comes in 6 different colors, black, white, green, red, blue and yellow. You can purchase the GameOn Video Gaming Console Storage System for $59.99 on Amazon.

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Giant Katamari Controller

I have noticed a recent trend in video games that gets the player into the game with some kind of accessory. For example, Tony Hawk: Ride uses a plank for a controller for all kinds of skateboarding action. Considering that Guitar Hero and Rock Band have been very successful games with peripherals, it was about time someone developed a large trackball accessory for the Katamari series.

For those of you who are not familiar with Katamari, it is an odd little game that originated in Japan. The object is to rebuild heavenly bodies by rolling a sticky ball called the katamari that gets bigger with every object the player rolls over. Of course, the ball rolls quite awkwardly with all the incongruously non-round stuff attached to it.

A blogger by the name of Kellbot has created a way to make the Katamari game much more interactive by connecting an ordinary PS2 controller to a large ball. You can see a video of it after the jump to see how well it works.

Originally, Kellbot wanted to put this control on a yoga ball, but she found that the rubbery surface didn’t really work to well. Too bad, because that would have created a very unique video gaming experience.

If you would like to try this out, Kellbot has a schematic of her creation on her blog. If you ask me, someone needs to seriously mass-market this thing. Katamari people, get on this ball!

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Halo RC Vehicles

There have already been several different Mario Kart toys that you can play with when away from the game. Finally Halo is getting a little love now too. Thanks to the Big Bad Toy Store, you can now own a remote control Halo themed toy. Giving you even less time during the day that you’re not playing with something that is related to your Halo addiction.

If you need a few minutes outside, there’s no reason to neglect your love of Halo. Just grab one of these and you can continue while you’re outside. There are three different toys up for sale right now. There is the R/C Mongoose with Master Chief, the Warthog with 2 figures and finally the IR Control Flying Hornet. That last one does actually fly and all of the preorders of that one are already sold out. The Hornet would have cost you $38.99, the Warthog $23.99 and the Mongoose for $23.99 at Big Bad Toy Store. The other two still can be preordered if you hurry. They will be officially out as of August of this year.

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The 3-in-1 Retro Adapter for the Wii

Technology moves so quickly that many gadgets get tossed out and forgotten. However, gamers aren’t always so quick to toss aside old gear. After spending so much time bonding with and getting used to an old controller, using a new one is just never as good. There is the Classic Controller that was created for the Wii, but it’s still just not the same. So for those that still have their old Nintendo controllers, now you can put them to good use on your Wii.

This 3-in-1 adapter will allow for you to hook up the original NES, Nintendo 64 and Super Nintendo controllers to your Wii. For those of you that tossed out your old controller, you might want to be on the lookout for replacements. Komodo and Innex are supposed to be officially announcing the adapter at this year’s E3. It’s supposed to be priced right around $19.99 once it does come out. Of course, that won’t be until mid-June, which isn’t all that far off.

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Zune and Xbox 360 in 1

Just to let you know, this product here, complete with picture, is a rumor. The source of this story comes from Team Xbox, who say that Microsoft is working on this Digital Entertainment Handheld. This is what it is: an Xbox 360 with a Zune. Your two favorite things in one package? Well, maybe not the Zune, but one out of two ain’t bad. (Not another “Zune slam”, stop it already.)

Anyway, the project is codenamed “xYz”. I am assuming the “X” comes from the Xbox 360 and the “Z” comes from the Zune. As for the “Y”, the answer to that is “because they can, and it would make money”.

Other facts are pretty sketchy at this point, but we do know that the xYz will come with a WVGA touchscreen. Assuming, of course, that it gets created.

Normally, I don’t report on something unless I have a viable source (or sources), but I am reporting on this to generate buzz. You see, I am hoping that all the chatter about this product will create a demand for an Xbox 360 Zune, and the company will make it to meet this demand. Hey, I can dream, can’t I?

Seriously, does anyone out there know if this is legit? If so, feel free to chime in with a comment.

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RIDE set to Thrill

The skateboard is one mode of transport that tends to lean more towards the hardcore segment of the population as there is a huge international scene behind it. Well, for those who prefer to experience the thrills minus the spills, here’s the new Tony Hawk: RIDE game from Activision Publishing which will require the gamer to play physically using an innovative motion sensing skateboard controller. We’re guessing seasoned skaters will find this to be much easier to use compared to those who have even yet to try out the Wii Balance Board.

Tony Hawk: RIDE features a wireless skateboard controller designed in conjunction with the game to offer a dynamic gaming experience built from the ground up. Using a combination of accelerometers and motion sensors, the intuitive controller allows players to physically control the action by performing various movements and gestures on the board that directly translate into amazing tricks in the game. Without complex button combinations or analog sticks, gamers of all skill levels can literally step on the board and play!

Those who are interested can check out Tony Hawk: RIDE when it arrives later this year - just make sure you’re rocking to an Xbox 360, PS3 or Wii consoles.

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Off Brand version of Wii Fit Balance Board

If you want to play games that utilize the Wii Balance Board, but don’t want to spend the money on the actual Wii board, now you can get an off brand one. It doesn’t come with the game, like the Balance Board does, but it is cheaper. Plus it has nifty blue non-slip grips that stick onto the top of it for those that are coordination challenged. It hopefully is just as accurate as the actual brand name version. Sometimes buying off brand gaming accessories ends up not being a good idea.

This one comes from Chinavasion and it’s really a debate as to how good of a deal it is to purchase this. Considering the actual Wii Fit will cost you $89.99 and this one from Chinavasion will cost $67.91. It is cheaper, but it only has a Balance Board and nothing else. For those that somehow manage to break their Balance Board though, this might be a better idea than buying the real version.

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Logitech Harmony Adapter announced

PS3 owners, sit up and take notice - Logitech has just announced that its Logitech Harmony Adapter for the PS3 is readily available, letting you use your Harmony universal remote control with Sony’s latest gaming console. It will offer support for all 51 PS3 commands (yes, count them!), where you will be able to navigate the PS3 XrossMediaBar from afar (as long as the range permits, that is) without having to tussle with the PS3 controller’s form factor that was meant more for gaming than anything else. Those who are interested can pick up the Logitech Harmony Adapter for $59.99 while our friends across the pond can only do so in July.

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Cool Space T-Shirt Invader

I guess that there can never be enough retro t-shirts around, and this time round we’re treated to the eye-popping Space Invaders Light Up T-Shirt. It targets geeks who know how to have a good time winding down after a hard day at work.

The ultimate in clubwear, this fully-licensed, 100% cotton tee features a flashing, glowing Space Invader that’s sure to wow anyone who claps eyes on it. We guarantee onlookers will forgive your nerdish leanings the second you start flashing at them. Powered by a discreet removable battery pack hidden in the hem, the pulsating electro-luminescent panel will flummox and mesmerize in equal measure.

Since each Space Invader character has become an instantly recognizable icon, it makes perfect sense to be able to choose from four designs that are well-loved characters from the seminal game. You can’t really get a cooler piece of apparel than this £24.95 t-shirt, just remember to remove the battery pack before you send it for washing!


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New accessories for Nintendo DSi

Thrustmaster is more often a name synonymous with joysticks for computers for those who grew up in the 1980s and 1990s, but they’re still around to this day without really releasing anything groundbreaking to date - which is rather surprising, actually. Well, as long as they’re around, it is interesting to note their new releases for the gaming world. This time round, they’ve delved into the arena of portable gaming machines, with the recently released Nintendo DSi being their target. Thrustmaster has revealed a couple of intelligent charging solutions that are well-suited to the multiple applications offered by this highly innovative, yet power-consuming handheld console.

The Nintendo DSi isn’t a large handheld console by any means, and if you’ve played both the DS and the PSP, you’ll know what I mean. The former might even be a wee bit too small for those with large hands, and many people have already complained about experiencing cramps after prolonged hours of gaming. Well, Thrustmaster has something for the lazy with the T-Standee Charger, a multi-position docking station that boasts a streamlined and elegant design which allows the DSi to be charged while being able to play without having to expend additional energy in holding it.

Of course, as one knows, the Nintendo DSi isn’t only a gaming machine as it can be used to surf the Internet, mix music and even view photos and videos with the right kind of software. We would say this comes in handy when you’re lazing around in your bed and want something else to prop the DSi up at your convenience. In addition, the rotating mechanism is perfect for users to adjust the console’s angle in all directions. This amount of flexibility paves the way for optimum comfort, regardless of whether you’re in the midst of a horizontally or vertically aligned game at that point in time.

The other accessory from Thrustmaster is the first personal charger for DSi and DS Lite which has been integrated straight into the console’s wrist strap, known as the T-Strap Charger. The T-Strap Charger looks like a standard wrist strap complete with a safety slider, albeit with the addition of a clever charging case. The case can be divided into 2, revealing a couple of charging connectors where one of them is hooked up to the console while the other connects to a powered USB port.

The T-Standee Charger and T-Strap Charger will retail for $12.99 and $7.99, respectively, with the former hitting retail stores this June while the latter will be out in mid-May.

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