Gaming Accessories

Polk Audio this week announced a new speaker made to be used with music video games such as Rock Band and Guitar Hero. The HitMaster speaker includes two 2.5" x 5.5" horns with two 1" neodymium tweeters surrounding a 6.5" woofer and it weighs about 13 lbs.

"Rock Band and Guitar Hero are a blast, but what impresses me the most about these games is the extraordinary attention to the quality of the recording masters themselves," commented Mark Suskind, Vice President of Product Line Management for Polk Audio. "But with all this attention to the quality of the soundtracks, most games are played through standard TV speakers, which are dismal at best.

"That's where HitMaster will make a difference. Unlike other stage monitor gaming speakers, HitMaster is designed to bring a real-on stage presence to game-play, with sonic output that is worthy of the Polk brand," said Suskind.

Polk Audio's HitMaster gaming speaker will be available early next year for $99.99. Get more information at www.polkaudio.com.

Turtle Beach has a new, affordable gaming headset hitting store shelves soon. The Ear Ear Force Z1 is priced at just $29.95 and is comfortable, foldable, and helps block out outside noise.

The headset includes an oversized, flexible boom mic and can be folded for storage. Twist-style ear cups let the headset rest on the shoulders between gaming sessions, and the noise-reduction ear cushions help block out distractions. The Ear Force Z1 has a ten-foot cable with an in-line remote control with volume and microphone muting. The headset can also be used with voice communications programs such as Ventrilo and Skype, and for watching TV or listening to music with MP3 players via the 3.5mm connector.

The Ear Force Z1 headset will be available this month at retailers as well as the Turtle Beach web site www.turtlebeach.com.

iGo just unveiled a new wall charger, the iGo Charge Anywhere. This travel-friendly charger features an internal battery which allows you to charge your mobile device (smartphone, PSP, digital camera, etc.) with or without an outlet.

The iGo Charge Anywhere is compatible with almost every mobile and gaming electronic device on the market. You can even simultaneously power two devices while also charging its integrated battery to use when away from an outlet. The new charger not only works as a wall charger but also acts as a "transportable outlet." It features collapsible wall blades that fold away, and stores enough power in its battery to provide up to three full charges to most mobile devices without the need to recharge. Read more

SanDisk just introduced new flash memory cards to its gaming card line. The 16GB Memory Stick Micro (M2) card is compatible with the Sony PSPgo system; the 32GB Memory Stick PRO Duo and Memory Stick PRO-HG Duo cards are compatible with the Sony PSP; and the 8GB SanDisk SDHC card is compatible with the Nintendo DSi system.

SanDisk also has a new Gaming Compatibility Pck (GCP), which includes a Memory Stick Micro M2 to Memory Stick PRO Duo adapter and Mobile Memory Stick Micro M2 reader. The GCP lets gamers to use the SanDisk Memory Stick Micro M2 card in other Sony M2 compatible devices or in Memory Stick PRO Duo readers, and transfer media between Memory Stick Micro M2 mobile enabled devices and a computer via a USB slot. The Gaming Compatibility Pack is priced at $17.99.Read more

Gamers take notice! TRITTON Technologies just announced that two of their headsets will be available exclusively at Best Buy stores beginning September 1, 2009.

Both the AX 720 and AX 180 gaming headsets are optimized for computer gaming and have a USB connection for both PC and Mac. Adding value to these headsets is their breakaway cables that allow you to connect them to your MP3 player or iPhone.

The AX 180 headset gives you outstanding stereo sound through its performance balanced speakers. This headset also has independent game and chat volume controls. Not only does this headset give you excellent audio from the Xbox360, PS3 and PC, it works with the Wii, thanks to its analog connectivity. Best of all, the AX 180 is a high performance universal stereo headset priced at just $69.99.

For those wanting even more out of their gaming headset, the AX 720 headset takes advantage of the Dolby 5.1 audio found on Xbox360, PS3 and PC games. It replicates individual audio details, so you hear sounds as they were meant to be heard. And the included Dolby Digital decoder gives you an impressive 3D audio environment. You can chat online with your teammates on the XBox, PS3, or PC using the detachable microphone. Its inline audio controller also has independent voice and volume controls. The TRITTON AX 720 sells for $129.99.

The TRITTON AX 180 and AX 720 will be available at Best Buy retail stores and at www.bestbuy.com beginning September 1st.

The Alienware OptX AW2210 21.5-inch gaming monitor features a nice 1920x1080 resolution with an 80,000:1 contrast ratio, 2ms response time and 2 HDMI inputs for just $299!

Key features:

• 21.5-inch Widescreen Flat Panel LCD
• 1920 x 1080 Full HD Resolution
• Ultra-Fast 2ms Response Time
• Low Input-Lag for Intense Gaming
• 16.7 Million Colors for Vibrant Images
• 80,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio
• Tilt, Swivel and Height Adjustable Stand
• 2 x HDMI ports
• 4 x Universal Serial Bus ports

Logitech today announced new accessories for the PlayStation 3. Available later this month is the Logitech Wireless Guitar Controller for PlayStation 3 (and PlayStation 2). In my opinion it is rather pricey at $199.99, but it does have a wood neck and body, a rosewood fingerboard and metal frets, so I suppose the cost is (somewhat) justified.

But what really caught my eye was the new Logitech Harmony Adapter for the Playstation 3. Back in March, Engadget uncovered some plans from the FCC website about an adapter Logitech was working on which allows you to control your Playstation 3 through your Harmony Remote Control. The adapter allows you to control movie watching on your PS3, be able to turn it on and off…basically you can use your Harmony remote to control the PS3 just as it would any other AV component (cable box, TV, DVR, etc.).Read more

The Zeemote JS1 controller is intuitive and with Bluetooth connectivity – it is a perfectly designed and connected gaming remote controller. When I hold it, I say to myself, “why did I not think of this?” It only makes sense that your mobile phone has a joystick. Of course, those in Europe have been enjoying this device for the past year, and with the BlackBerry Alliance accepting the Zeemote as an approved product, the games will certainly follow and jump the big pond. Electronic Arts, SEGA, I-play, glu, gameloft, Hardwire, Digital Chocolate, and more are preparing their games for the BlackBerry now.

The Zeemote is well made, and is very small with comfort for thumb control that takes mobile gaming to a whole new level. Be patient… it is not available in the States just yet, but will most likely be sold where mobile phones are sold. Check with Zeemote by visiting www.zeemote.com for more information.

Face it – PC games often find themselves limited by their keyboard functionality. Keyboards are made for typing and web-surfing, not gaming. The Logitech G13 is an exception to this, and enjoyment of games predictably increases from behind it.

Ergonomically designed and having 25 programmable keys, the G13 excels at its sole use: gaming. Comfortable and convenient, (it even includes a 160-by-43-pixel GamePanel LCD that show you live updates from your game), it is sure to revolutionize your gaming experience.

Available in December for about $80, the G13 is not a bad choice for the gamer in your life.

For more information read the press release.