mini-USB port on this keyboard

Kensington has clearly realized that there can never be too many USB ports on a device. Just as there can never be too many Jimmy Choo shoes for some women. Even with three USB ports on my laptop, that's no longer considered generous considering that two go to powering my external hard drive, with one for docking my PDA-phone, effectively leaving none for a thumbdrive, mouse, camera or even an MP3 player. So though it may seem like no great shakes to throw in USB ports on a keyboard, the Kensington Ci70 Keyboard (US$49.99) gets it right with two USB ports and a mini-USB jack onboard, so there's no need to get another space-eating USB hub to add to your desktop clutter. Doesn't hurt that it's a spiffy looker, either.

Via popgadget | Photo credit: Kensington

Nvidia to make all your PC games 3D (if you so choose)

Thanks to a new software driver Nvidia is cooking up, any PC game can be played in 3D, with no extra work on the part of game developers.

Beginning this summer, any PC with an Nvidia graphics processor will have the ability to run a game in normal mode, or in 3D, with the aid of 3D glasses.

The software driver will enable the ability to have two views--left eye and right eye--which, at the push of a button, appear blurry and pixelated to the naked eye. When viewed through 3D lenses though, the game pops into three-dimensional mode.

The important part is that game developers won't have to do anything differently. They just continue to make their games the way they want, and Nvidia will take care of the rest. It's just an option for gamers though--it doesn't mean all games have to be three-dimensional.

The challenge for Nvidia is making the glasses widely available at retail, as well as turning the silly-looking lenses into something actually cool and "not as geeky-looking," said Drew Henry, general manager of the company's Media Communications Processor (MCP) group.

And yes, they promise the final product will be much cooler than the glasses pictured above.

Via Crave CNET

Check out your electrical consumption with this power strip

Ever wondered how much power is being consumed by your LCD TV or desktop PC? Well, now you can find out exactly how much electricity your appliances at home are drawing with the Cost Controller Power Strip. Like most power strips in the market, the Cost Controller Power Strip is designed to connect to multiple devices (in this case, eight) and comes with surge protection.

What's interesting, though, is the addition of an LCD display that shows in kilowatt hours (kWh) the power consumption of the connected electronic gadgets. This allows users to find out which devices contribute the most to their monthly utility bills and perhaps better manage usage to keep costs down. The increasing kWh figures shown on the display may even be inspire some people to think twice about leaving their DVD recorder or LCD monitor on standby mode over the weekend.

The Cost Controller Power Strip also shows the voltage, line frequency and power factor, so users can monitor the quality of the power line. It retails in the US for US$99.99.

Via ComputerGear
Picture credit: ComputerGear

Apple gives iMac chips a boost

Following rumors last week that Apple would soon be releasing a new iMac, the Mac maker on Monday started selling an updated version of the computer, featuring a faster processor and an option for a souped-up graphics chip.

The lowest-end new iMac, which retails for S$1,888 (US$1,388) in Singapore, features a 2.4GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Penryn processor with up to 6MB of cache memory and a 1,066MHz front-side bus. Most models offer 2GB of memory.

These features are similar to those found in the February MacBook and MacBook Pro updates.

"With the latest Intel processors, a faster new graphics option, and more memory, customers now have even more reasons to love the iMac," Philip Schiller, Apple Worldwide Product Marketing senior vice president, said in a statement.

Apple's 24-inch iMac, which starts selling from S$2,788 (US$2,049), features such options as a 3.06GHz Intel processor and speedy 512MB Nvidia GeForce 8800 GS graphics.

While the update offers faster processing speed, the overall design remains the same.

Via Crave CNET

All hail the Optimus Maximus from--ThinkGeek?

So it finally happened. The Optimus Maximus--the most-hyped keyboard of all time--is now for sale to the consuming public as promised. To which we have only one response: ThinkGeek?

We don't have anything against the gadget peddler, mind you--it was just a little surprising to see a US$1,589.99 product being sold by a retailer that's better known for such products as USB rocket launchers. On its What's New page, for instance, the vaunted Maximus is sandwiched between a Dueling Space Marines Copter Set and a pair of Speed Racer Mini R/C Cars.

Not that we have anything against such items, of course. We just thought that Art Lebedev, the uber-keyboard's Russia-based purveyor, might have opted for a higher-end distributor for its crown jewel. Which, by the way, is selling for around US$25 more than the oft-quoted price for the version that allows all 113 keys to be programmed separately. Just to show we're paying attention.

Via Crave CNET

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