Targus
Wireless Multimedia Presenter (AMP01US): $79.99
www.targus.com

What company with more than a few employees doesn't put on slide-driven presentations anymore? In the heat of a PowerPoint frenzy, no one wants to stumble over ineffective presentation gear or be tied down with a data cable. Enter Targus' Wireless Multimedia Presenter, a 2.4 GHz, 2.5-ounce controller ideal for any boardroom.

Styled in professional black and silver, the unit measures 4.72" x 1.96" x 1.33" and features an integrated laser pointer—always our favorite feature. The package includes a wireless radio dongle that smartly snaps into a clasp on the controller's lanyard so the two don't get separated when not in use. There are no gyroscopic sensors as with the Gyration—arguably a positive or negative depending on your preference—but Targus makes its presenter more customizable and flexible than, say, Logitech's competing unit. The built-in trackball gives superior pointing control, and function buttons assist with everything from application switching to program launching, and no drivers are required for Windows 98SE and higher. Targus even throws in an attractive carrying pouch.

Don't be surprised if some corporate users end up taking the Presenter home for use on HPTCs in place of an ATI Remote Wonder, for instance. Targus didn't design this unit for multimedia controlling, but it'll do in a pinch.

Laplink
Laplink Gold 12: $89
www.laplink.com

Remote control is a capability often used by off-site administrators troubleshooting problematic workstations and servers. Microsoft includes its own remote tool with Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 in the Remote Desktop Connection, but that solution isn't always the most flexible, especially when it serves as a help desk utility. For example, you can't drag files to and from the remote machine.

Laplink Gold helps remedy the shortcomings of RDC by establishing secure connections, even through firewalls and regardless of dynamic IP addressing. It includes its own anti-virus that scans incoming and outgoing files. Plus, Laplink integrates with the RDC client and Windows' authentication setup. It also costs much less than competing applications.

Logitech
Precision PC Gaming Headset: $29
www.logitech.com

A customer willing to talk about what they are looking to do with a new computer system is golden. When you know that a particular machine will be streaming media into the living room, certain upsell ideas spring to mind: premium remote controls, wireless networking equipment, upgraded storage, and so on. The same goes for a communication-oriented configuration. If the customers are looking to keep in touch with family through Skype or keep tabs on a satellite office with a VoIP-equipped IM client, they'll want respectable sound and some sort of microphone at the very least. Or you could sell a premium headset, which combines the two in a much more convenient package.

Then think about the gaming market. As VoIP gains momentum, you're seeing communication become an integral part of many online titles, such as Battlefield 2. Even Blizzard's World of Warcraft, which hosts more than 5 million players, is loaded with communications potential. Any time you sell one of those titles, upsell the headset your customer will likely have to run out and buy after the initial sale.

Logitech's Precision PC Gaming Headset is an ideal solution by virtue of its reasonable price and solid ergonomics. An open-air design helps maintain comfort during long periods of use whereas an enclosed architecture might heat up. Further, two 40mm neodymium drivers deliver a full frequency response between 20 Hz and 20 kHz, while the noise-canceling mic picks up a range from 100 Hz to 16 kHz. A 10-foot cable keeps the customer mobile and ratchet boom placement guarantees optimal positioning. Controls are built in-line with the cable for easy manipulation of the volume and mute functions, too.

The freedom of a headset is a must-have for anyone with an eye for communication, and Logitech's Precision PC Gaming Headset makes the experience comfortable, affordable, and high-quality.

SIIG
FireWire 800 ExpressCard: $99
www.siig.com

Notebooks aren't known for their performance upgrades, yet SIIG is in a real cycle of innovation right now, churning out the solid upsell ideas that really showcase new mobile technologies. Take ExpressCard, for example. The new interface is available in a couple of different form factors, combining the serial benefits of both PCI Express and USB 2.0. When performance is an issue, a single PCI Express lane enables twice as much bandwidth as a PCI slot.

Last month we showed you how SIIG turns such a tremendous pipeline into a conduit for external Serial ATA RAID support. This month, it's all about FireWire 800, a technology previously outside the capacity of any notebook interface. Now, SIIG's FireWire 800 ExpressCard/54, fitting into the larger of two standardized interfaces, has no problem coping with the serial connection's 100 MBps potential throughput.

SIIG goes a step further, enabling the card with the two commonly used FireWire 800 ports, one with nine pins and the other with six. Backward compatibility with older FireWire 400 devices is guaranteed, and the built-in controller can even negotiate back to 100 Mbps if a problem arises. Priced under $100, that's affordable functionality for any mobile DV video editor.