Microsoft has had its share hits and misses as far as product design goes, but this Arc Mouse due this winter looks to be a slick little input device. Wireless and collapsible, the Arc Mouse promises to combine both portability and style for those of you on the "fashion edge" (their words, not ours). Hyperboles aside, this $59.95 optical jobby seems to be the real thing, and comes in both red and black. Look for it for the holiday season littering holiday gift guides.

As if playing Rock Band wasn't one of the greatest group gaming experiences to come along in years, it appears that a new accessory is set to amp up the fun even more by bringing an "interactive light and smoke stage show" to your already thrashing performances. Apparently you can already pre-order this so-called Rock Band Stage Kit from GameStop for 100 bucks, although they've since pulled the box image from the product page, so you'll have to rely on the screencap above to see what you're paying all that money for. Ships on June 23rd, according to the retailer's site, giving us plenty of time to install a proper stage and stadium seating in our game room.

[Via Technabob]

Well as usual, with the benefits of wireless technology come detriments in the form of security holes, and now a pair of researchers from Dreamlab have proven just how easy it is to sniff out the transmissions broadcast by RF keyboards. According to their whitepaper, "27MHz keyboard insecurities," Max Moser and Philipp Schrödel claim that keystroke signals sent from Microsoft's Wireless Optical Desktop 1000 and 2000 are encrypted with a simple one-byte offset cipher -- meaning that there are only 256 possible keys, with less than 50 sample strokes needed for decryption. And in case you thought you were safe with a non-Microsoft board, think again: Team Dreamlab is busy hacking Logitech's "Secure Connect" protocol as we speak. [Warning: PDF link]

[Via Hack-A-Day]

A Korean company called Avago Technologies has just announced a new control unit for remotes, video games, phones, and media players called the AMRS-2325. The small, touch-sensitive pad is a multi-faceted input device which allows control to vacillate between an iPod-like scroll-wheel, a game joystick, or a four-way navigational pad. The company also produces an electronic controller for the pads, called the AMRI-1000, which is an IC chip used to switch functionality between the various modes. Together, the two technologies make for a supposedly low-power solution which Avago, judging from their artist renderings, seems to think would be equally suited to an Xbox 360 controller, Logitech remote, or Zune / iPhone hybrid -- an idea which should scare the living daylights out of Apple and Microsoft fanatics alike.

[Via Remote Shoppe]

Man, what a racket they've got going over there at Microsoft. Not only does the company get to unilaterally decide exactly when we all "need" a new operating system, it gets to siphon money off of hardware manufacturers for the privilege of advertising their products as "Vista-certified." Now we can see why said certification might be useful for entire systems or even select components such as video cards, but how is our computing experience going to be any different if we use a mouse adorned with this supposedly-coveted seal of approval? Nevertheless, Sigma APO of Japan has decided to shell out some cash to Redmond to get the ol' "Made for Vista" badge slapped on its oddly-titled "Zoffy" laser mouse, but predictably, there's no indication as to how this model differs from the Logitech you're clutching at the moment (except for its bargain basement price). On the specs front, you're getting a 1,600dpi laser (adjustable to 800dpi), four-way scroll wheel, rubberized grip, and not much else. Still, if you can deal with the dearth of buttons and absolutely gotta have "Vista-certified" bragging rights for all your gear, Zoffy will be available at the end of the month for about $27.

We've got to hand it to peripherals manufacturer Elecom for thinking outside the box and trying to solve a perceived problem with its new PRUMIE lineup of mice -- unfortunately, in our opinion, they addressed the wrong problem. All three PRUMIE models come with the increasingly-standard multi-direction scroll wheel -- meaning that it scrolls both up and down as well as side-to-side -- and in order to combat the dreaded issue of mis-scrolling, the mice come with a "tilt guard" to prevent accidental left and right clicks. Now we can't speak for everyone, but we never really find ourselves side scrolling when we're trying to navigate a page vertically; instead, our biggest problem -- which isn't much of a problem at all, really -- is pushing the wheel too hard and triggering a downwards "scroll click." So if Elecom could do something about this occasional nuisance, we'd be sold, but we certainly wouldn't pick up a PRUMIE for the sole reason of thwarting an "issue" that we never encounter. Still, if accidental side-scrolling just happens to be the bane of your existence, you can grab the M-P1UP2R series (available in six colors) for 3,000 Yen ($26), the M-P2UP2R (three colors, adds thumb buttons) for 3,600 Yen ($31), or the M-P3UP2R (three colors, adds thumb buttons and a "high accuracy laser sensor system") for just 4,800 Yen ($41).

[Via Slash Gear]

There's nothing we hate more than a mismatched desktop set, so now that we've got a Hello Kitty keyboard, Hello Kitty mouse (with matching mousepad, naturally), and Hello Kitty mini-vacuum all hooked up to our Hello Kitty Epson Endeavor laptop, our dull grey graphics tablet stands out like a sore thumb. The nice thing about being a Hello Kitty fanatic, though, is that you never have to wait too long for your favorite peripherals to get Kitty-fied, and sure enough, Wacom has just made all our dreams come true with its new HK-adorned Favo tablet. Although the A6-size tab doesn't provide enough workspace for the serious graphic artist, those of us who use these input devices solely for drawing mustaches and devil's horns on our photos should find it more than adequate, and of course the pink pen and plastic, Kitty-shaped pen holder are just icing on the cake. Chances are good that you'll have to get your import on if you want to scribble all over Kitty's face each day, but if you're as obsessed with appreciative of finely-crafted Kitty swag as ourselves, nothing can stop you from adding this feline-friendly Favo to your collection.

As much as we love wrapping a hand around the sexy curves of our ergonomic Logitech mouse, the rather bulky input device isn't always practical for the geek-on-the-go, which is why companies like Samsung have developed waifish little mice such as the model pictured above. On display at this year's Korean Electronics Show, Sammy's travel mouse measures in at only 8-millimeters thick, yet manages to pack in five buttons, a scroll wheel, and the increasingly-obligatory LED light show. Not only that, the little rodent is even able to swallow its own tail, so to speak, thanks to a winding mechanism that draws the USB cord almost completely inside its minuscule body. If for some reason this model is too thick for your tastes, a company called iCantek has taken a cue from the MoGo MouseBT and built its own PC card-sized device (pictured after the break), although this one unfolds a little differently and lacks its competitor's wireless capabilities. And if you're really looking to go small -- small enough that it's uncomfortable to maneuver -- check out the LG FINGER mouse we featured earlier this year, which was recently taken off the market after it was discovered that LG was making them with real fingers.

Read- Samsung
Read- iCantek

If you've been looking for a dedicated gaming mouse to give you the upper-hand during those endless hours you spend enveloped in virtual worlds, but aren't willing to lay down some serious cash for products like the $100 Heäd$h0t, custom keyboard manufacturer Ideazon may have just the rodent for your needs. You probably already know Ideazon from the configurable keyboards it makes (the ones with replaceable keysets covered in game-inspired graphics), and now the company has branched out in order to occupy your right hand along with your left, recently announcing the ominously-titled Reaper. The highlights here -- 1,600 DPI resolution, six programmable buttons, and rubberized left and right clicks -- make the Reaper sound like a good-but-not-great fragging accessory, although its $40 price tag should help you overlook the lack of adjustable weighting, in-depth macros, and multitude of LEDs found on pricier models. Also scheduled for a November release is the $15 FragMat, an oversized, slim profile mouse pad whose gliding surface apparently makes it far superior to the magazine or Garfield-themed pad you're currently using to wreak digital havoc.

Read- The Reaper
Read- FragMat
[Via CrunchGear]

With case modding so prevalent these days that gamers are often judged by the the number of LEDs they manage to cram into their rigs as opposed to the actual performance of their machines, pairing a tricked out system with accessories that lack equally gaudy illumination (like a Razer, Logitech, or -- shudder -- Fatal!ty mouse) simply won't cut it. Well a company called Fanatec is fully aware that blinding light shows are now as much a part of fragging as gimmicky keyboards and chainsaw-shaped controllers, which is why it's poised to release the $100, fully-customizable Heäd$sh0t gaming mouse. (We apologize for the lack of an umlaut in the headline; it's due to our quirky blogging platform and has nothing to do with our feelings about umlaut-heavy languages.) At first glance the Heäd$sh0t might seem a little intimidating: instead of plugging it directly into your PC, you have to swing the tangle-minimizing USB cord over a glowing arch and attach it to the back of the included mousepad / USB hub (which, according to Fanatec, has been specially designed to to interact as smoothly as possible with the mouse's glide pads). Other special features include adjustable width (though no adjustable weighting -- c'mon, guys), a huge "wing" on the right side meant to keep your fingers from dragging, and a software suite that lets you record macros, tweak the million on-board lights, and even turn the bulky rodent into a fairly-functional joystick. During their test drive, the team at Trusted Reviews found the device to work quite well -- mostly due to its 2,000dpi laser sensor -- although they thought that the top-mounted buttons were somewhat difficult to access, and joystick mode can't be used to manipulate the Z-axis. Oh, and they weren't really fond of all the lights -- go figure.

We've seen our fair share of battles in the consumer electronics industry, but this war is distinctly different than those waged in courtrooms or even conference centers, as the focal point here isn't a person, company, or even an entity. Pieter Hintjens is rounding up his troops in order to bring about a change that's most improbable: to have the Caps Lock key retired, permanently. Although some of you may chuckle at the idea and deem it unworthy of such an effort, we can imagine Pieter isn't alone in his disdain for the awkward key. Judging solely by the rate at which fellow petitioners are claiming their allegiance on the CAPSoff website, there are indeed an army of haters gaining strength. The group's mission is to awaken the public and get them to seriously think about the precious keyboard real estate that is so unfairly utilized by the (nearly) worthless uppercasing shortcut. Hintjens is a man on a mission, but he's keeping a cool head, and by offering up alternatives that could hopefully appease both camps, some sort of resolution can presumably be found; he has suggested that Caps Lock be relocated beside Scroll Lock, so that Fortran programmers (about the only folks on the planet aside from Nigerian email scammers who use this key with any frequency) can still have access to quick uppercasing. Now that you've been briefed, and you're fully aware of what's at stake, there's really only one question that remains: will you just sit around and gawk, or will you fight for CAPSoff?

[Via Slashdot]

So we haven't really seen a whole lot of people unfurling those rollable keyboards in public -- not because they look rather silly, but because they're almost as much of a pain in the ass to type on as those almost unusable virtual laser keyboards. Well, a Japanese company known as the Kimura Metal Industrial Corporation thinks that it may have just the 'board to overcome people's aversion to these products in the form of the waterproof eMARK Super Mobile Keyboard, whose vinyl coating should ward off even the nastiest coffee spills. Ranging in height from just one millimeter to five millimeters at its thickest point, the eMARK SMK features a retractable USB cable and comes in your choice of black or white. Again, we'll take a folding Bluetooth 'board over one of these models any day of the week, but if you're looking to get your roll on, you can pick one of these up later this month --in Japan, at least -- for the bargain basement price of only 2,980 yen (about $26).

Even casual readers of this publication know that we're always seeking out ways to add more functionality to our existing gadgets, so when we heard about an innovative modder who was able to turn his Nokia cellphone into a fully-functioning Bluetooth mouse, well, we knew that we were approaching convergence heaven. Inspired by Jani 'Japala' Pönkkö's LogiNoki hack (in which Jani embedded a Nokia LCD into a Logitech G3 mouse), "Pyrofer" decided to forgo the hardware modifications and instead write a Java code and corresponding Windows driver that would allow him to use his 6230i as an impromptu optical input device for when laptop trackpads and control nubbins just don't cut it. Since it's still in development, Pyrofer has yet to release his code to the public, and the Nokiamouse does indeed have some serious drawbacks; most notably, he has to hold the handset a fraction of a millimeter above the mousing surface -- which must contain distinct patterns, so no direct desktop operation -- in order for the camera's CCD to pick up enough usable light. Still, once he develops a proper Bluetooth HID for the phone to work on any BT-enabled notebook (there's also talk of a GPRS connection) -- as well as an interface for mirroring the PC's screen on the Nokia's display -- this sounds like it'll be one sweet project that could see some serious widespread adoption.

[Thanks, Mike]

When it comes to wireless peripherals, every little bit of battery life counts, so a modder named Ram Sripracha was a little concerned when he noticed that the LED on his new Bluetooth Mighty Mouse stayed lit even when the device was on standby. Since he was already handy with the tools of the trade, Ram cracked open the mouse to test its power consumption with his trusty multimeter, and discovered that it was actually sucking more juice when sitting idle (about .0450 amps) than when in use (around .0285 amps). With the rodent already splayed out on his desk, Ram decided to remove the LED himself and retest the current draw; sure enough, it only used .0017 amps without the light on, or about 3.9% of its draw in an unaltered state. Luckily for you, he also posted an illustrated, step-by-step guide on how to perform this surgery yourself, but be warned that Apple's crack design team made sure that disassembly is more difficult than just unfastening a couple of screws. Also bear in mind that this is just one person's experience, so you'll probably want to make sure that your Mighty Mouse is putting on this perpetual light show as well before you break out the silicone glue and soldering iron.

[Via Hack-A-Day]