Computer Accessories

Nate West is a disc jockey on Y101 in Jackson, Miss. He loves hearing from his listeners, but he also loves his privacy. He found the perfect solution for keeping in touch with his audience when he heard about PrivatePhone, one of a growing number of companies that offer free phone numbers that send all calls directly to voicemail.

“I’ve only had my number for a couple of weeks, but I love it,” says West. He uses his free phone number to leave messages for listeners about where he’ll be making personal appearances that they can hear when they call him. They, in turn, can leave voicemail messages for him about his show. “I can think of a lot of uses for this technology,” says West. “I could use it to sell a car if I wanted to.” Read more

Flip helps relieve laptop users from small displays and cramped keyboards while saving valuable desktop space.

Belkin has another neat computer accessory, their new "Flip" lets you share one monitor, keyboard, and mouse between two computers, allowing you to bring home your work laptop and easily plug it into your home setup. By simply pressing a small remote, you can easily switch from one computer to the next. The remote stays on your desk while the base and cables remain hidden for a cleaner desktop. According to a Forrester Research Report back in February 2005, a vast majority (about 75%) of laptop owners owned at least two computers. When you have two computers, you are probably like me: you are always trying to keep the clutter down (i.e.: extra mice, keyboards and other peripherals and cables). I am always looking for a more comfortable way to use my laptop when I bring it home. Flip helps by giving me access to both computers by enabling connection of my laptop to my other home computer devices easily. Read more

Microsoft recently released the LifeCam to work seamlessly with Windows Live Messenger. The two models released are the LifeCam VX-6000 and VX-3000. The VX-6000 actually has a 5 MP still capability, and 1.3 MP video. All of this comes a 71-degree wide-angle fish-eye lens capability. This will make sure that you grab more then what is right in front of the camera. Looks like the home-made video sites like YouTube.com will enjoy this camera. This camera will have more clarity with the 640 x 480 VGA-quality video it produces.

The button on top of the camera will open the “Buddy Picker tool” allowing you to choose who you want to talk to. Choose your contact, and BAM! You are video conferencing with your buddies. This application will also be great with national and international offices. Helping those working hard all day put a little personal touch to their communication with co –workers. Read more

Flash drives, also known as thumb drives and travel drives, make working with large files on different computers easier. For those on the go, the Ativa flash memory drive provides an affordable way to transport photos, work files and other data from location to location. Here's a really big plus -- the compact Ativa U3 USB 2.0 Flash Drive comes with preinstalled software for portable, private and protected computing on the go. U3T smart technology lets you take your applications with you and easily run them on any Windows XP or 2000 PC. Read more

Once upon a time (or just a few years ago), the must-have item to store information and transfer from computer to computer was a rewritable CD. Now, the must-have item is a USB flash drive. But flash drives just got even better with Kingston Technology’s U3 Data Traveler, perfect for the office or busy person on the go. 

Just like a regular USB flash drive, the U3 Data Traveler stores up to 2 GB of information. Unlike standard USB drives, however, the Data Traveler incorporates U3 technology to bring your own programs onto whatever computer you may be working on. A U3 drive essentially allows you to bring any compatible program with you on the go. Once you slip a U3 drive into a Windows 2000 / XP computer, if the program is installed on the U3 drive, it will automatically run, whether or not the base computer operates the program, via the U3 Launchpad. Read more

All the truly tech savvy people know, the latest buzzword is "HD". As we move farther and farther into the digital age, HD, or High-Definition, becomes more and more important, as it is essentially the cream of the crop of digital technology.
Microsoft has announced three new wireless mice that incorporate High Definition technology.

The first model to be placed on the market is a refashioning of the Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse. The 3000 model works at 1,000 dpi and captures 6,000 frames per second. The receiver, which connects to a USB port, has been decreased in size to increase mobility. The receiver snaps into the mouse for storage, or to conserve battery power. Once the receiver and mouse are joined, the mouse automatically powers off. Other features include customizable buttons and the flexibility to comfortably use it with either hand. Currently available to customers, the suggested retail price on the Wireless Notebook Optical Mouse 3000 is $29.99. Read more

Approximately 10% of the world’s population is left-handed, but the options for tools for the left-handed are surprisingly limited. Even everyday products are hard to find. Adapting to right-handed products has always been a challenge—but now, left-handed PC users don’t have to. Logitech has just introduced the MX 610 Left-Hand Laser Cordless Mouse. Read more

Over the past few years Samsung has leapt from anonymity to the big leagues in the consumer electronics world. The best new computer monitor on the market today is Samsung's new 24" Dual Analog/Digital LCD display.

The Samsung SyncMaster 240T itself is absolutely gorgeous with a picture to match. As a bonus, it can serve double duty as both the ultimate computer monitor as well as a widescreen DVD or HDTV display! The display offers both digital and analog inputs to serve even the most demanding computer graphics applications, as well as being a terrific video monitor for DVD or HDTV. This is the first monitor I have seen which offers ultra-high resolution (1920 x 1200 for you techies) for the most intricate computer displays, an extra-wide 170 degree viewing angle and the capability for you to watch your DVD movies and HDTV in widescreen format. Simply put, this is the best, albeit expensive, monitor in the business. Around $7,000.