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T-Mobile rolling out plethora of myTouch accessories

by Chris Ziegler, posted Jul 8th 2009 at 12:54PM

As much heat as the "myTouch" name has taken, we're starting to understand why T-Mobile went with it -- the myTouch 3G is a very customizable device. At device launch, we're counting no fewer than 17 trinkets to go along with your phone -- not including color variations -- ranging from the ultra-mundane (a USB cable in your choice of black or white, for example) to the awesome (a snap-on battery extender that'll add 50 percent more juice) to the crazy (a myTouch logo commuter mug). Buyers will also be able to get custom-designed shells through Skinit and have access to a fitness belt, meaning you now have absolutely no excuse not to get on the trail and run that ten miles with that trusty Magic firmly attached to your arm. Well, except the fact that The Hills is on. Right after The Hills, though, we swear.

Sony seeks official PlayStation peripherals -- offers logo, good time

by Thomas Ricker, posted Jun 30th 2009 at 3:58AM

Do you dream of big plastic tennis-rackets and steering-wheel snap-ons for Sony's upcoming motion controller? Yeah, then why not build them yourself? Sony Computer Entertainment has launched its Official Licensing Program that gives accessory and peripheral makers in Japan, Asia, North America, and Europe access to all the PS3, PSP, and PS2 tech documents and schematics required to qualify your product for an "Official Licensed Product" logo. Sure, you'll likely have to hand over some cash for the privilege, but imagine the bank that awaits the person who converts the glowing orb atop Sony's motion controller into the very first official PS3 lightsaber.

Nitho releases a plethora of Wii Motion Plus accessories

by Joseph L. Flatley, posted Jun 26th 2009 at 2:13PM

If your gaming experience seems a little underwhelming for want of little plastic Wii Motion Plus-compatible accessories, it looks like the gang over at Nitho has got your back. A quick trip over to the company's website reveals baseball bats, golf clubs, a revolver / nunchuck, charging docks, and more: all suitable for the make-believe Pete Rose, Arnold Palmer, or Chuck Norris in your life, and all in that boring white plastic that's become synonymous with the game system. We haven't seen a street date or price for these bad boys yet, but we're keeping our eyes peeled. PR after the break.

Continue reading Nitho releases a plethora of Wii Motion Plus accessories

PSP Go lacks mini USB, compatibility with existing accessories, common sense

by Tim Stevens, posted Jun 8th 2009 at 7:11AM

PSP Go lacks mini USB, compatbility with existing accessories, common sense

Confession time: we weren't exactly charmed by Sony's PSP Go when Sony made the thing official. It's not that we're particularly fond of UMD (quite the contrary as a matter of fact), rather we found it a little hard to stomach a slimmer device that offers nearly the same hardware as its predecessor, swapping an optical drive for more storage, yet will cost nearly twice as much. Factor in the cost of all new accessories and things get even less appealing, with confirmation that the Go lacks a standard mini USB port on top, meaning things like PSP keyboards and Sony's GPS accessory are on a fast-track to obsolescence. Even current A/V cables and chargers won't work thanks to a new multifunction port on the base -- but Sony will be quite happy to sell you new ones. Is this the price of progress, or an attempt to boost profit margins? It's not good news for gamers, regardless.

Kensington outs new handful of netbook accessories

by Darren Murph, posted Apr 8th 2009 at 7:33AM

It was just a matter of time, really. We've seen desktop accessories, laptop accessories and now netbook accessories. Kensington has today launched five new products aimed specifically at the blossoming market, and while the tiny wired ($14.99) and wireless ($24.99) mice aren't anything spectacular, the Power Adapter for Netbooks ($49.99) clearly shows a pinch of ingenuity. The unit is compatible with a whole slew of netbooks (not surprising given just how similar they all are), and includes a built-in USB port to give you that extra charging socket that you've been secretly longing for. There's also a new security lock ($24.99) and reversible sleeve ($14.99), which ought to join those other pieces we mentioned on store shelves later this month.

Gallery: Kensington outs new handful of netbook accessories

Micro Innovations's bamboo lineup might just save the world... from generic computer peripherals

by Paul Miller, posted Feb 12th 2009 at 10:03PM

Our Panda-like obsession with bamboo is really paying off of late, what with the hundreds of bamboo ASUS laptops scattered around the Engadget HQ, the few dozen cubicles we've built out of Dell Studio Hybrid sleeves, and now this complete line of bamboo peripherals from Micro Innovations. Sure, they're ugly and a little low on tech -- the speakers, card reader, webcam, USB hub, keyboard and mouse couldn't be any more generic in specifications -- and as far as we can tell there's nothing particularly "green" about the typical-seeming internals, but apparently the (undisclosed) pricing is right. Most of this stuff should be available through your electronics retailer of choice in April or May.

Wireless keyboard / controller / remote control for PS3 could make your day / week / month

by Laura June, posted Dec 30th 2008 at 12:25PM

We've seen some goofy looking PS3 accessories -- including Sony's recent Wireless Keypad for the PS3 -- but this one looks like a little bit of crazy mixed with a dab of mediocrity. A product of unknown make, the creatively dubbed "PS3 3-in-1 Wireless keyboard controller remote" certainly looks like it could function in a mind-blowingly awesome fashion -- though we haven't yet gotten our hands on an actual unit yet, so we can't say for sure. It's available now for an inviting $28.52.

[Thanks, Craig]

Sony unveils five new audio accessories: headphones, speakers and remote

by Darren Murph, posted Nov 18th 2008 at 10:00AM

Rather than just introducing these five items individually, Sony reckoned the world at large may pay more attention if they were unveiled in one fell swoop. To that end, we're left staring at a new pair of noise canceling headphones (MDR-NC7; $50), travel speakers (SRS-M50; $50), a universal remote (RM-VL610; $30), EX Series earbuds (MDR-EX36V; $30) and stereo Bluetooth headphones (DR-BT160AS; $160). While the first two are pretty self-explanatory, color lovers will appreciate the three swappable back plates for the remote, and the water-resistant BT 'phones pack a built-in microphone, rechargeable Li-ion cells and A2DP support. Everything should be available now if you look hard enough, and the full release with all the gory details is waiting just after the break.

Gallery: Sony unveils five new audio accessories: headphones, speakers and remote

Continue reading Sony unveils five new audio accessories: headphones, speakers and remote

Ozmo / Intel trumpet WiFi PAN for low-power devices, Bluetooth says "what?"

by Darren Murph, posted Jun 4th 2008 at 8:46AM

Look out, Bluetooth -- Ozmo Devices has its eyes set squarely on you. Okay, so maybe this whole thing isn't as adversarial as advertised, but there's no denying that the aforesaid company's latest initiative will target the exact same devices that BT is embedded within now. Ozmo has announced a partnership with Intel at Computex that will extend the latter company's Cliffside WiFi Personal Area Network (PAN) technology to "low-power devices." Essentially, WiFi radios that suck less juice nowadays would take on dual roles -- accessing WLAN networks and doing the duties typically reserved for Bluetooth -- which would enable devices to have one less component stuffed within bulking things up. As of now, there's been no takers on the design, but word on the street has Belkin already testing the approach out for kicks and giggles (or maybe something way more serious).

[Via DailyWireless]

Read - Ozmo Devices' press release
Read - WiFI PAN explained

Asus shows off new lineup of Eee PC add-ons

by Paul Miller, posted Mar 2nd 2008 at 3:03PM

You can't blame these guys for trying to milk the Eee PC, and Asus is doing just that with its new smorgasbord of Eee PC accessories. Most interesting is the Ai Guru U1 VoIP phone. It plugs in with USB, and in addition to letting you make calls to all your broke-ass friends, you can also use it to browse and listen to music stored on the Eee PC. Next up is the Eee AP, which acts as a 802.11g wireless access point and little else -- think AirPort Express minus the sexy. The USB "3.5G HSDPA Card" is just as straightforward, with GSM900 / 1800 / 1900 and WCDMA2100 / 1900 / 850, and download speeds up to 3.6Mbps. The slim DVD-RW drive and the totally generic headsets aren't spicing things up either, which you can probably tell is par for the course here. There's no word on price or availability for any of these yet, but we're guessing none of them will break the bank -- they sure don't look it.

Gallery: Asus shows off new lineup of Eee PC add-ons

Bluelounge SpaceStation doesn't add space, just wraps cables

by Ryan Block, posted Feb 22nd 2008 at 5:27AM

Ok, we have no idea why a USB hub tucked inside a long box with cable management clips would cost $80, but we won't deny the SpaceStation is a clever and useful, if bulky and even a bit unsightly accessory. You know what we could really use though? A power strip with USB-charger ports. Why the hell hasn't anyone made one of those? Yes, we demand royalties for these gems.

Nintendo files Wii accessory patent for everything, includes the kitchen sink

by Joshua Topolsky, posted Feb 6th 2008 at 5:34PM

Some folks in the UK happened upon a set of British patents submitted by Nintendo recently for a whole slew of crazy Wiimote accessories, and you might be surprised to know what the company wants dibs on. Included in this large collection of sometimes bizarre add-ons is a Wiimote-cradling teddy bear, skateboard, helmet (with goggles), golf club, baseball bat, and of course... a bicycle. We're not sure what the big N was thinking when they assembled this list -- perhaps they just wanted to cover all the bases as those filing patents are wont to do. However, we suggest they scramble for these gems that have been unfairly left off: Wii-chocolate bar, Wii-sofa, Wii-Terminator, and of course, the Wii-Wii -- a larger Wiimote which the regular Wiimote gets slotted into.

[Via Nintendo Wii Fanboy and The Register]

Apple USB Ethernet Adapter brings RJ-45 to your MacBook Air

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 15th 2008 at 3:19PM

Haven't spent enough on that recently pre-ordered MacBook Air just yet? Cupertino's got just the thing: Apple's USB Ethernet Adapter. As the title implies, this USB dongle enables your mostly wireless MBA to become a bit more wired by adding an RJ-45 that supports 10/100BASE-T. 'Course, for $29, we'd recommend just scraping up a used WiFi router, but to each his / her own.

[Via TUAW]

Apple offers up Micro-DVI to DVI / VGA / Video adapters for MacBook Air

by Darren Murph, posted Jan 15th 2008 at 3:18PM

We know, Apple's been selling these video-out adapters separately for awhile now, but at least it saw fit to toss 'em in with its new $1,799 (or much, much more) machine. Still, those to-be owners of the MacBook Air who want extras will have to shell out $19 a pop if they're interested in snagging an additional Micro-DVI to DVI Adapter or Micro-DVI to VGA Adapter (both pictured after the jump). For those scouting composite / S-Video outputs, you'll have to cough up $19 in addition to your lappie's purchase price in order to claim a Micro-DVI to Video adapter. Per usual, these suckas won't play nice with any piece of hardware other than the MBA, but you saw that one coming a mile away, now didn't you?

Read - Micro-DVI to Video adapter
Read - Micro-DVI to DVI Adapter
Read - Micro-DVI to VGA Adapter

Continue reading Apple offers up Micro-DVI to DVI / VGA / Video adapters for MacBook Air

Rock Band Stage Kit with lights, smoke leaked by GameStop

by Evan Blass, posted Jan 13th 2008 at 2:20PM

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]