There just aren’t enough USB ports on a laptop for the new weird and wacky USB-powered gizmos being dreamed up out there, if you ask us. The latest, from Japanese company thanko, is a plug-and-play humidifier which ranks up there with the USB coffee cup warmer and massager. Based on specs, the humidifier atomizes 35ml of cool mist per hour, utilizing an oscillating mesh formula technology. A failsafe feature turns off the device after 2.5 hours. Mac users have not been forgotten as this'll plug into any port so long as it's USB.
Price: 4,980 yen (US$49) Availability: thanko Device: Humidifier
Basic specs: USB 2.0 or 1.1, 0-40 degrees temperature, 5V power supply, LED operating light, 90 x 90 x 130mm, USB cable, filter
Talk about your phone sex. The next time you give your pal a friendly buzz on your mobile, it might just be that. All thanks to UK manufacturer VibraFun's tongue-firmly-in-cheek VibraExciter, an add-on that is activated by SMS messages and calls. To maximize enjoyment, VibraFun suggests placing the attached vibrating bullet "on your chose organmic spot" (sic). Though given the less-than-discreet wired connection, a Bluetooth version perhaps the next round?
What is it about barebone PCs and caffeine-induced names? Taiwanese manufacturer Saintsong gave the world the Expresso, Latte Mini PC, and the Cappuccino. Now fellow rival Asus has unveiled its S-presso Deluxe. Insofar as this can be labelled a barebones PC, the S-presso is not only brewing with features like TV tuner and remote control, it touts a touch-control color display panel. There's power aplenty with a Prescott-ready 3.4GHz+ Pentium 4 processor and AGP 8x graphics cards to run those 3D games. Plus this all-in-one claims a sibilant 29db level at idle mode that should be just quiet enough to avoid annoying. Café Americano next?
Price: N.A. Availability: End month, Singapore
Device: Barebones PC
Basic specs: Intel 865G chipset, ATA 100 IDE interface, Intel Extreme Graphics Integrated chipset, 512MB shared memory, 1 AGP and 1 PCI slot, 6 audio channels, 2 USB 2.0, S/PDIF optical out, 1 mic, 1 headphone port, parallel port, VGA out, RJ45 LAN connector, 7-in-1 memory reader, 9.5 x 7.1 x 13 inches