In yet another edition of "super rad gadgets that'll never touch American soil," we present the Diatec SmartTrack Neo USB touch pad. Aside from the Japanese product page, there isn't much information out there, but we do know that this small USB pad adds multitouch functionality to PCs, which is perfect timing for the upcoming release of Windows 7.
The touch pad is roughly 3 inches wide and an inch long and features two buttons on the bottom as well as a single USB cord that connects it to a computer. Once installed, the device supposedly enables pinching, pulling, swiping, and turning, much like the motions on an iPhone, and it even responds to gestures with more than one finger. Unfortunately, the Web site indicates that the hardware is only compatible with PCs, so Mac Pro, iMac, and Mac Mini users can resume breathing.
More detailed pictures after the jump.
... Read more
(Credit:
Sony)
While Xbox 360 has had the option to type away on the Xbox 360 ChatPad, PS3 owners will soon have the same luxury with the announcement of the Wireless Keypad at the Leipzig Games Convention. The device can hook on to either a Sixaxis or DualShock 3 controller and allow gamers to send messages to friends over the PlayStation Network. This functionality will also come into play with the eminent release of PlayStation Home.
Most interesting is that the Wireless Keypad features a mode that converts the entire surface into a touch pad for use with something like navigating a Web page. Also built-in is Bluetooth support and two shortcut buttons that will make it easy for jumping over to the messaging features on the PlayStation 3.
While we don't currently have a price for the Wireless Keypad, it is set for release in late November. Expect our full review then as well.
My, that's a wide touch pad you've got there.
There's probably no greater source of upcoming tech information than the United States Patent and Trademark Office. The USPTO Web site is often the first place we find info on new products and emerging technologies, and now that the whole thing is online and (fairly) easy to search, companies are finding it very hard to keep this usually closely held information away from enterprising bloggers.
Our pals over at Gear Log (or Glog, as we like to call it) have found a new patent filing (actually an extension to an existing patent, but that's splitting hairs) from Apple called "Wide touchpad on a portable computer." It's exactly what it sounds like: "A touch pad [that] has a width that extends substantially into the palm rests areas." According to the helpful illustrations supplied with the patent application, it's basically (in theory) a touch pad that runs the entire width of your laptop.
Hypothetically, the wide touch pad can ignore your wrists while typing.
Wouldn't that get in the way when you're typing? That's where the inventive part comes in. The application claims that, "The wide touchpad filters each contact...to either accept the contact as an intentional input command (e.g., cursor control command), or reject the contact as unintentional (e.g., when operating as a palm rest)."
In other words, it would somehow be able to tell if you were using the touch pad on purpose, or just resting your wrists on it while typing. Even better--this could also be a natural extension of Apple's multitouch gestures used in the iPhone. Of course, it's just a patent application, so it may take years to go from line drawing to physical product, if the technology is ever used at all.
A touch of evil.
(Credit: Korg)When pro-audio manufacturer Korg announced that they'd be making a palm-sized, battery-powered version of their long-beloved Kaoss Pad effects processor the first thing I thought of was using it as a portable iPod effects box or just having one permanently integrated into my home stereo system.
The Kaoss Pad has been a mainstay of DJs and electronic musicians for years. It's a touch pad that lets you use your fingers to apply sound effects to an incoming audio signal. If the idea of mutilating your music collection with pitch-shifting and dub delay effects sounds like a fun way to spend an evening, then the $200 price tag is more than worth it. It comes with stereo input and output, a headphone jack, and a tap-tempo feature that lets you tap in a song's tempo so that effects sync up with your music. Those with a thirst for total music annihilation may want to consider upgrading to the Kaoss Pad 3. At twice the price, the KP3 gives you a USB connection, MIDI in/out, a microphone input, a Darth Vader-worthy enclosure, and crazy, blinky disco lights.
- prev
- 1
- next
