Input Devices

Gyration GYROTRANSPORT
$199
www.gyration.com

Even when some of us have trouble being dextrous enough to accurately master Gyration's pointing devices, we can't deny how extremely cool the technology is. No lasers, no rolling balls. Just a wave of the hand, click the button, and you're there. Now, under Thompson's new ownership, Gyration has come out with a new corporate presenter SKU that is a two piece set. On one side, you've got a 1GB USB flash drive that holds all of your PowerPoints, multimedia files, and so forth while also serving as a 2.4 GHz transmitter. In your hand, you've got the fob-sized, gyroscope-enabled remote outfitted with two buttons.

One of these buttons enables up to 80 “swipe" commands, which are essentially macros you access or create that tie command sequences to specific gesture motions. For example, you might have a swipe command in the form of an “X" waved in mid-air represent a “delete" command. Again, this is an April release product, but we've used enough Gyration gear in the past to feel comfortable saying that this will be a compact gem sure to attract plenty of executives, marketers, and salespeople.

Logitech Harmony 890 Advanced Universal Remote
$399.99
www.logitech.com

We've written in RAM before about the groundbreaking, color LCD-equipped Harmony 880 remote and how easy it is to program via USB and a PC client application. One button push on the 880 is all it takes to reconfigure an entire home theater. Well, the problem is that these days, half of a home theater uses IR signals while the other half (the computer half) is likely to use RF. The Harmony 890 looks and feels almost exactly like the 880, only it now accommodates both communication methods, taking it much closer to being a truly “universal" remote. (If it did IR, RF, and full PC and mouse pointer control, then it would be universal.) Now, this is done through a bit of a work-around. The remote itself is RF, but Logitech includes a receiver module that showers a tide of IR signals across a room.

The Harmony 890 supports the Z-Wave wireless standard, which is commonly used in home automation circles. Thus the new remote can control up to 15 devices ranging from the TV and PVR to the lights and security system. The remote has a 100-foot RF range, and installers can carefully plant additional IR modules throughout the home for total house control, not only of the home theater. This is a great convergence installation opportunity, not just another gadget.

Logitech MX5000 Bluetooth
Cordless Desktop
$149.99
www.logitech.com

Honestly, we cast about trying to find a company to cover in the cordless desktop category besides Logitech, and while there are plenty of contenders, none of them comes close to Logitech's quality and feature depth. Our vote for Dreamiest Desktop goes to the Logitech diNovo while the Most Wicked Enthusiast Desktop goes to the Logitech G15 Gaming Keyboard combined with the G7 Laser Cordless Mouse (both sold as separates). But a more mainstream medium point between these two is the Cordless Desktop MX5000 Laser.

This set includes a Bluetooth 2.0 dongle, the Bluetooth version of Logitech's MX 1000 tilt-wheel laser mouse (we've used the standard MX 1000 for months and found it to be the best mouse ever to grace our office), a fast charging mouse base station, and the MX 5000 keyboard. The old iNav area on the keyboard's left has been replaced by backlit, touch-sensitive sliders for document zooming and media playback control, a smarter update to the old top-center controls. In the top-center, there's now a 102 x 42 LCD display that offers any of several views, including dashboard (time, date, temperature), media playback (track and time status), programmable smart key settings, incoming emails and IMs, and a calculator readout. Unfortunately, unlike the diNovo, there is no open SDK yet so users can create their own readouts for things like system status or game character attributes. But the MX 5000 is a comfortable, quiet, low-profile keyboard like all the other premium Logitech models, and the set also functions as a Bluetooth hub. There's even a Sync hot button on the keyboard for initiating a synchronization session with a PDA or smartphone.

Web and Network Cameras
Creative WebCam Live! Motion
$129.99
us.creative.com

Until the Live! Motion arrived, our favorite desktop cam was Logitech's Orbit MP. Now, for the same price, Creative leapfrogs its competitor with a similar quality but more versatile design. The Live! Motion is motorized and offers 200-degree panning and 105-degree tilt. Additionally, the new lens is a 76-degree wide angle model. At full spread, this creates a slight fisheye effect, but you can crop it down or, using Creative's bundled software, have the camera capture and automatically stitch together three images for a panorama still. Given the VGA resolution CD, we're not talking about about wall art-worthy images by any stretch, but it's a nifty feature for consumer-class photo sharing.

We prefer the Live! Motion's new egg-shaped ID to the former Creative flat oval, and the base, which can either rest on a flat surface or grip an LCD screen, is a notable improvement. Creative offers two modes of face tracking, which work reasonably well in most situations, as well as a slew of software. Some titles are disposable editing and videomail packages, but the OrbSecure application lets users snag live images from their webcam for display on a PDA or Web-enabled phone, making it a much more amenable option for parents and SOHO business owners.

D-Link DCS-5300G Wireless Internet Camera
$549
www.dlink.com

The DCS-5300G sits at an intriguing value point half-way between the $100 desktop cams and the $1,000 corporate cams. There are some things you miss by saving $500, chief of which are optical zoom, ceiling mounting, storage to an in-device SD card, and, as on Panasonic's unit, heat sensing. But if all the client needs is a general visual overview, then the $400 street price for the 5300G is plenty fair.

For starters, this camera is dual interface: 10/100 Ethernet and 54 Mbps 802.11g. You're still stuck with having to stay within range of a power outlet, but the ability to dispense with a LAN jack adds a lot of flexibility. The 5300G can send 30 fps of color MPEG-4 video at 320 x 240 or 10 fps at 640 x 480, which is competitive with more expensive units, many of which only do MJPEG. Another perk often omitted from higher-end models is the integrated omni-directional microphone. The camera supports several protocols, including HTTP, UPnP, DDNS for simpler remote access, and FTP so that images and video streams can upload straight into an FTP repository. Motorized panning sweeps a 270-degree arc and tilt covers 90 degrees. Customers can view and control up to 16 cameras with D-Link's included IP Surveillance software. As with most network cams, you have full remote control over the camera via a Web browser. After logging into the camera's IP address, you can establish motion sensitivity zones to monitor, and the camera can send email alerts when the motion sensor is tripped. (For $450 more, the 6620G adds 10X optical zoom and a speaker for bi-directional communication.) This is a great small business unit for situations where safety and assurance matter but not necessarily Big Brother-class control and accuracy.

Logitech QuickCam for
Notebooks Pro
$99
www.logitech.com

This is the second generation of this product, and for the $24 price hike you now get improved integrated mic functionality, a new industrial design with rear-side spring clip rather than two front-side clinging arms, and an upgrade from VGA resolution to 1.3 megapixels. Be aware that resolutions above VGA, regardless of vendor, tend to require lower frame rates, so movement within 1.3MP video often looks blurry. That said, Logitech's RightLight and RightSound technologies deliver arguably the best quality webcam experience we've seen in a sub-$100 camera. Backlighting problems that plague most cameras are greatly minimized here thanks to the camera's superior processing algorithms, and the higher resolution CCD actually does make a considerable difference when detail matters. Face tracking capabilities are another strong plus.

Two perks worth noting are Logitech's bundled, crush-resistant case and the included ear loop headphone with inline microphone, which can come in handy when the user is in public areas and wants a bit more privacy. (Note that this is also a good segue into selling the customer an add-on privacy screen.) The camera mounts well to most notebooks and many LCD monitors, so you may be able to sell the unit on a dual-use basis, but be careful with the bundled software. Many users have noted application glitches, so you'll be best off downloading the current drivers from Logitech and installing them alone.

Toshiba IK-WB21A IP Network
Camera
$950
www.toshiba.com/taisisd/security

For serious corporate security, the IK-WB21A can't lose. The camera sports a 350-degree panning range (speed: 300 degrees per second) and a 120-degree tilt range (200 degrees per second), can be mounted either on the desktop or the ceiling, and has a stealthed SD slot in case 10/100 network connectivity is lost. With its remarkable 22X optical zoom and 1280 x 960 native resolution, we've been able to read a memo print-out from 15 feet away, and Toshiba's adaptive lighting system is quite good—better than most in low-light conditions. Toshiba's browser-based menus for functions such as DDNS and FTP setup aren't always as intuitive and helpful as they could be, but there's nothing a decent IT manager can't master in a few minutes. What makes this camera particularly reseller-friendly are all of the options. Toshiba offers dome covers, outdoor mounts, pole mounts, and more. There are input and output jacks for a microphone and alarm, and while the camera works very well as a stand-alone, Toshiba now offers its Surveillix NVR Network Video Recorder, a RAID 5 box with capacities over 2TB and support for up to 16 IP cameras.

Headphones and Headsets

IOGEAR Wireless Bluetooth
Stereo Headset Kit
$179.99
www.iogear.com

Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) is the Bluetooth protocol for stereo audio streaming between devices, and despite the fact that A2DP has been around for a while, very few headphones support the spec. IOGEAR's unit is one of the first. Now, don't come to this party expecting quality on par with high-end Bose, Shure, or Sony headphones. The IOGEAR set is the best-sounding of the three Bluetooth headphones we've tried so far, but that's not necessarily grand praise. The bass is thin, and despite the fact that these use a behind-the-neck design, the 3.2-ounce weight and pressure on the ears gets cumbersome after an hour or two.

Still, let's not forget that this is the best option around for ditching that meddlesome wire during workouts or casual listening around the desk. An increasing number of audio devices (and all Windows Mobile 5 handhelds) support A2DP, and if the user has a player that doesn't, IOGEAR throws in a Bluetooth transmitter with a standard 3.5 mm audio connector. Also, the right headphone features a jack for the flexible boom microphone so that it can be used or stored as needed. All in all, this is a surprisingly diverse and user-friendly SKU sure to appeal to multimedia enthusiasts on the go...or just cable clutter clean freaks.

Sennheiser BW900
$329.95
www.senncom.com

Again, we resist mentioning products with a two-month or greater wait time to market (April in this case), but the BW 900 deserves going out on a limb. This 0.9-ounce, spiral-shaped headset is reminiscent of good JABRA designs, only Sennheiser's unit works for both Bluetooth cell phones as well as conventional RJ11 land lines courtesy of the charger/base station. The back of the headset offers an up/down dial along with a button that toggles between picking up a paired phone or the base station. Phone connections are done with Class 2 radio service (rated at a 30-foot) while connection to the base station is done via Class 1 for up to 300 feet of mobility. Having been disappointed by a lot of Bluetooth distance ratings, don't take these numbers as gospel just yet, but even 50% of that performance would offer a lot of value to those who juggle phones—and other Bluetooth-enabled devices—all day.

Sennheiser builds in a couple other goodies, too. The company's “Adaptive Intelligence" is essentially noise cancelling and dynamic volume adjustment on both the boom mic and speaker so that the conversation sounds good to both parties. Also note that the base station holds and charges a spare battery that can hot swap into the headset. While we cringe at the thought of trying not to lose a spare battery on the road, the prospect of never going dead during an office call sounds outstanding. Past Sennheiser products we've tried have all been remarkably comfortable, and the BW900 looks to follow suit. Business users should have no trouble seeing $300 of value here.

Plantronics CS55 Wireless Office Headset System With Lifter
$379.95
www.plantronics.com

A perfect office headset must be distantly related to the Holy Grail, because both seem impossible to find. The new CS55, with 10 hours of talk time and a three-hour full recharge, comes close, though. For starters, this SKU updates the previous CS50 by moving from 900 MHz to the 1.9 GHz DECT frequency, which poses virtually no risk of interference from other devices. The 26-gram headset is comfortable, sporting numerous earloop and headband options, and has a volume up/down/mute dial on the back with an answer/end button on the side. The stiff boom mic does an admirable job with noise canceling, and setup is fairly straightforward.

Because this is primarily designed for PBX-type phones, installation calls for inserting the CS55 between the user's office phone and its curly-corded handset. When a call comes in, lift the handset off its cradle, hit the answer button on the headset, and you're talking wirelessly. Because it takes about two calls to get tired of doing this procedure, the lifter bundled with this set sticks on the phone under the handset. When you hit the CS55's answer button, the motorized lifter swings up and elevates the handset earpiece off the hook, completing the call connection. The two downsides here are that if you're away from the base phone, you lose your Caller ID screen. (A few Bluetooth headsets now sport tiny LCD screens primary for this purpose.) Also, there's no way to dial when away from the phone because there is no voice dialing capability on conventional phones. If Plantronics could address these two shortcomings in a future model, it would be downright unbeatable.

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