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]

We can't say that Genius' latest laser mouse is apt to cause any cancellation emails to start flying over those recently ordered Obsidians, but the Traveler 515 Laser does a fair job in the specs department to make up for its vanilla looks. Similar to Saitek's critter, this pointing device boasts a touch-sensitive OptoWheel scroll area, right and left click buttons, Flip 3D and Smart IE hotkeys for Vista users, Turbo Scroll for blowing past those incredibly long patent filings, an adjustable 800 / 1,600 DPI laser, and compatibility with OS X and most Windows flavors. Additionally, this device is said to play nice with both righties and southpaws alike, and while looks may not be everything, we imagine that this one will end up priced a tad lower than its dashing competitor in order to compensate in the attractivity arena.

[Via EverythingUSB]

Rumblings about the layout and design of Apple's iPod scroll wheel in particular have been making the rounds for what seems like ages, but a new development from the Microsoft Research labs could nix the need to pull your DAP out and nearly collide with foreign objects whilst scrolling to a new tune. Aside from the glaring curiousness that stems from a Microsoft-derived project being dubbed earPod, the team has purportedly been working with scientists at the University of Toronto "on software that could make it possible to navigate the menus of gadgets that use circular touch pads with only audio cues." Essentially, touching the scroll wheel would provide audio clips to help you find your way through menus without ever seeing the screen, which would certainly prove useful on screenless DAPs. Currently, the system is quite limited in regard to the number of cues available, but here's to hoping that text-to-speech capabilities can become integrated as well so we can cycle through the thousands of artists and songs without even needing a display. [Warning: PDF read link]

[Via TechnologyReview]

The UBiQUiO 503G is set to bust out the gate with a fine-looking design aesthetic and sweetly spec'd hardware. This little Windows Mobile 6 device one-ups its predecessor -- the UBiQUiO 501 -- on every front making it a stellar choice for the business set. Featuring quad band GSM, triple band HSDPA, WiFi, Bluetooth, 520 MHz CPU (doubling up on the 501), and a two megapixel camera, the 503G does indeed rock the features we love. We particularily love the one-handed use via the QWERTY keyboard and what you don't see in the pic: a scroll wheel and stylus. That's right, this little bad boy is packin' Windows Mobile 6 Professional, not Standard as the form factor suggests. We have the release date planned around about June 20th 2007 with an expected price tag of $650; no provider information at this point but we will be keeping our eyes peeled.

[Thanks, Paul]