Logitech Anywhere MX "Darkfield" Wireless Mouse Review
No stranger to the ubiquitous pointing device, Logitech boasts an impressive 20+ year history building mice and computer peripherals. Having surpassed the one billion mouse mark back in 2008, they are the undisputed leader in electronic rodent computer peripherals. New for 2009, the Logitech Anywhere MX wireless mouse combines wireless connectivity with unique "Darkfield" tracking technology for a mouse that is said to be able to track on pure glass and other highly reflective surfaces. Designed to be a fully-featured portable workhorse, the Anywhere MX also brings a rather unique scroll wheel to the party. How well does it all work in the cold, cruel world? Come to our glossy new labs to see if the Anywhere MX can track straight and true.
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Novation USB Launchpad, a Music Mixers Dream Come True
MP3s killed the mod tracking star. The Novation Launchpad makes composing digital music a much more interactive and almost into an art. The 64 button 'keyboard' integrates into the Ableton Live software to help you conduct multi-track music compositions using sampling, looping and dynamic patterns in real time. Each of the 64 keys can actually have many functions controlled by the 16 other function buttons. Check out the video, once you get to know the pad you can hop between sampling, patterns and mixer functions on the fly with ease. The back-lighting system illuminates the keys along with the song. The combination of easy control and visual feedback make this a fantastic tool for both composition or live mixing.
Back in the mid 90s mod tracking was really starting to get serious. Music wanted to be free but sound compression hadn't come around and a 9600 baud modem was what most people used to connect to the Internet. Sample based music had a big following and GUI tools were starting to make it easy for just about anyone to take a stab at making serious music. Ableton's software is crazy serious about enabling serious use of its tools for these same ends. It will support up to SIX of these pads at once for instant visibility and control of your technological symphony. The software is available at about $199 for both PCs and Macs.
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12-port USB Hub Almost as Impractical as It is Frightening
Sanwa's got a new monster hub that just missed Halloween, the 400-HUB009. Sporting an almost unprecedented 12 ports, this round octopus hub should definitely be able to the handle the needs of all but the most USB addicted users out there. The hub's circular shape gives every USB port plenty of room, so that all shapes of devices can easily be plugged in. There are 10 available ports around the edge of the disc as well as 2 extra top mounted ports which are ideal for plugging flash drives in and pulling them out quickly. The hub is fed by a mini-USB type input plug and an almost mandatory power adapter. Trying to run off of bus power would be horribly ill advised.
The only problem with the hub is the 360 degree mess that you will have if you manage to fill all of the available ports. With the average cable sticking out at least 2 inches front and back this scary spider will take up about 12 inches of desk space. Still, this might make for some great niche applications and is reasonably priced at around $55 if it every makes it outside Japan.
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