USB WPM Speedometer

If you type a lot during the day, and you like using metrics to track your own personal progress so you can better yourself, this thing might come in handy. Not only does it track the number of words per minute you type (up to 260), but it also tracks your daily word count as a total.

Personally, I think it would be interesting to see how fast I type now compared to when I was in keyboarding class. Furthermore, I am really curious how many words I type each day, I assure you its got to be in the quadruple digits.

There is a second gauge which has an unknown purpose and then the third circle looks to be occupied by a fan or something of that nature. In case you didn’t know, the highest recorded WPM is 212 on a Dvorak keyboard, so you are going to need some practice if you have ambitions of hitting that 260 mark. You only need do three things to use this WPM-ometer, the first is to pay the $39 it costs, the second, connect it via USB to your computer, and the last part is install the included software so it can track everything for you. [technabob]

Creative with four new webcams

Creative has released a total of 4 new Webcams all of which are Plug n Play capable, have integrated microphones, and as far as webcams go, look pretty attractive. The most interesting is the Creative Live! Cam Notebook Ultra which claims the ability to take up to 5MP still images.

It can do video at up to 1.3MP resolutions, it also has an 80 degree wide-angle lens. For some of the included software features it has facial tracking built in.

It has a PowerGrip for clipping to the lid of your notebook and it has a 240 degree swivel motion. With the package you also get a free stereo headset for chatting in Skype, MSN, Yahoo, Windows Live, or just about any other messaging service. It’s a fairly amazing webcam, especially for a notebook, and if you want one, you’ll pay for it at around $120 to buy one. [creative]

Transcend StoreJet 25

The new Transcend StoreJet 25 mobile external drive is not any different than nowadays convenient mobile grade storage. It’s bus-powered, USB 2.0 compatible, intelligent back-up sofware with one touch of a button - all packed in compact storage measured at 0.45 pound, 134mm by 80.8mm by 18.8mm mobile case.

What Transcend has improved with the StoreJet 25 is the use of extra-rugged silicone case that claimed to comply with US military drop-test standards. The shockproof external case has an advance two-stage anti-shock technology to keep you data safe from physical abuse. The StoreJet 25 is compatible with Windows 2000/xp/Vista, Mac OS 0.9 and late, and Lunix Kernael 2.4.2 or later. Storage capacity is available in 160Gb and 250GB model at $135 and 196 each. [digitimes]

4-port USB 2.0 Hub

I have a couple of USB hard drives and one of them has a long USB lead that is very annoying, its good to see that this gadget “The Whirl 4-port USB 2.0 hub” has thought about that problem.

This clever USB hub has a 60cm retractable wire that winds up and keeps the lead nice and tidy, other features include self-powered, transfer speed up to 480 Mbps and support for Windows 2000, ME, XP and Mac OS 8.6+.

What’s better is the price of just $12 from USB Geek.

Its a keyboard

Reminiscent of your notebook, these keyboards, presumable designed for desktop use, are wireless keyboards with touch-pads built in. I don’t know how many of you are a fan of your laptop’s touch-pad navigation methods, but I am assuming the percentage is low.

However, if you have a home theater PC or if you are giving a presentation from a desktop computer, this is probably a more preferable solution than having the carry around a mouse and a keyboard. Also, you can use this keyboard/mouse combo without having to have a flat surface as you can hold it in one arm and use the other hand to operate it if necessary.

Also, if you are using an HTPC, this would look a lot better on your lap than a keyboard carefully (or not) balanced on one leg and the mouse balanced on the other. You can also get the same keyboard in a wired version for whatever reason you’d want to do that, but no price or availability on either keyboard, however there are some sort of oriental characters on the keyboard, so I wouldn’t expect it to be available stateside just yet.

iRiver Unit 2

Convergence can often be seen as a dirty word, but iRiver’s Unit 2 (which we first caught a glimpse of in January last year, then again in July) seems to have convinced everybody who tried it at CES 2008 that putting a WiFi radio, CD/DVD player, VoIP phone, GPS, streaming and download into a single machine is nothing but A Good Thing, and well worth waiting (and saving up the $700 they estimate it’ll cost) until 2009 to pick one up. A 30GB drive, SD slot, removable display-cum-independent-7-inch-PMP (800 x 480, 16:9 aspect) and a remote that folds out to give a full QWERTY for messaging round out what could be the gadget of next year.

Engadget spent some time playing with the Unit 2 and shot a video of iRiver’s glee:






I honestly can’t wait to get my hands on this - some are complaining about the price being high, but for what you get I think it’s worth it.

Corsair Readout

Having storage to go is always convenient, and USB flash drives has proven to be very useful in transporting files. As flash drive capacities in the market gets bigger and cheaper, more people are relying on it as their “to go” storage.

Corsair Readout is a USB 2.0 flash drive that features a built-in display to show the capacity usage, free space left on the drive, and a personal ID/label. It uses “Bi-stable Cholesteric Display” (BCD) allowing the display to operates up to one year without the use of a battery.


The Corsair Readout USB 2.0 flash drive is available in 1GB, 2GB, 4GB, and 8GB capacity.

Cube Speakers

Let’s face it, there is some kind of inner obsession most of us have with cube shaped things. Male and female alike, we will buy things that come in cube like form simple because it is a cube. Try to deny it, but I’m sure you can find something that you own to disprove yourself. If you can’t then you could always buy the iMono Cube Speakers.

These speakers are made from wood and USB supported. The have a very cool blue LED light that surrounds the speaker and the work with anything with a 3.5mm headjack. They’re only 6.8×5.1×7.3cm and weigh only 309g. How can you resist?
iMono Cube Speakers will cost you $25. You’ll get your choice of black or white, I’d go with the white.[geekalerts]

Cubic USB Hub

With all those USB products out there you’re bound to find that you need a couple extra ports to support everything. I know there are many different kinds of hubs out there but the Cubic 4-Port hub has a certain kind of style that I like.

It has 4 1.1/2.0 USB ports and is capable of speeds up to 480Mbps. It has LED indicator lights and they come in three colors: Yellow, Blue and Green. Plus they ports fold out so it looks really nifty and it only weighs 95g.

You can get one for yourself for only $12 from GizFever. I have this feeling they could expand this product into some kind of Rubik’s Cube clone that would sell like hotcakes.[gizfever]

Concept Flash Drives

Domino like Flash Drives

If I had to pick two qualities that I thought products needed to have in order to sell they would be: geek factor and necessity, in that order. These domino look-a-likes are actually USB flash drives and therefore possess both qualities.

Designed by Marcos Breder, the idea behind this is that once you fill up 1/9 of the drives capacity a dot will light up. It’s not a new concept but it is pretty nifty (dorky). It has to appeal to anyone who is a fan of dominoes, not that I’m sure there are many left aside from Rube Goldberg.
Each domino comes with two flash drives that interlock and apparently they store 9GB apiece. Right now it’s only a concept but I’m sure that wont be the case for long and I’d bet the price will be relatively decent.