Thunderbolt is an often under appreciated connector. It originally started out as an optical connector called LightPeak developed by Intel but morphed into the Thunderbolt standard with the input from Apple, the company that primarily uses the interface. There are a few other PCs that offer it but generally only for those that consumers build themselves. The connector has offered some nice features and now Intel has announced the third version of the connector and it is a huge improvement but also likely going to cause confusion as well. So what exactly is changing and how might it impact computers in the coming years? Continue reading
Tame Your Tech Tools or Cables With Grid-It
Have you ever needed to find a tool to work on your PC or get a cable for that one device but had a hard time finding it among all the tech clutter? Let’s face it, I have a drawer full of various cables and tools. Most of them I don’t use very often but inevitably the one I need seems to be buried beneath a ton of ones that I don’t. There are plenty of ways that you can organize such things. I’ve taken to bagging some of my lesser used cables to get them out of the way or sorting them by type. Another solution is to try and keep frequently used items in an easy to access space. This is a solution that the Grid-It organizer is designed to tackle. Continue reading
Beware of Which USB 3.1 Is On Your New PC
USB 3.1 is the next great advance for computer, mobile and peripheral interconnects. It promises to bring faster speeds and more flexibility in terms of cables and power. While the standard has been ratified for a while now, the actual products using the new standard are really just starting to make it to market. The thing is that these first products using the new interface can have vastly different performance and features yet all still be called USB 3.1. As a result, consumers need to be extra careful when they buy products that are stated to support USB 3.1. Find out the differences between them and what to look for. Continue reading
Why You Should Use A Trackball Instead of Mouse or Trackpad
Logitech M570 Wireless Trackball
Oculus Rift Limited to High End Desktops At Release
Hoping to get an Oculus Rift VR headsets when they launch? If so, you better hope that you have the proper hardware. Their Chief architect posted on the companies website the and it looks like it is going to be pretty restricted. This has caused a bit of anger from the community that had hoped it would be a bit wider spread than just a limited set of users. f course, the company is also going to be offering an option that includes a PC with the required specs for those willing to pay the extra cost. So, what exactly are the requirements and will you be able to use it? Continue reading
USB Security Flaw Released In the Wild
USB has been incredibly useful for consumers and manufacturers alike. The standardized interface makes it incredibly easy to connect just about any type of peripheral to your computer. It has become so ubiquitous that there are hardly any peripherals to don’t feature it. One of the biggest uses for it is for external storage either through a hard drive or a flash memory stick. But what if I told you that you should be extremely careful because plugging an unknown USB device into your computer could infect it with a virus or malware? That is precisely the problem that computer users are now facing with a flaw that has been named . Continue reading
Two Ergonomic Keyboard Options From Microsoft
Keyboards have been standardized for many years and they typically come in a straight four to five row QWERTY layout. This is fine for short periods of writing but it is not the most natural way for the human body to be positioned for hours on end. In particular, the wrist must be bent in order to have your fingers resting on the home rows properly. This can put pressure on the nerves within the wrist and hand and lead to carpal tunnel in some people.
Ergonomic keyboards are those that are designed to help alleviate the pressure on yours hands and wrists to provide a more natural position for typing. There are many different designs for ergonomic keyboards but the earliest and most affordable designs are called split keyboards. These essentially take the standard keyboard layout and split it into two halves and then angle them so that the hands are wrist are aligned. It is a simple and economical solution for anyone that wants to try an ergonomic keyboards as there is learning curve on how to type unlike some other designs. Microsoft is one of the biggest makers of split keyboard designs. Today, I’m going to take a closer look at two of their ergonomic keyboards. Continue reading
Back to School Tablet Accessories 2015
Just about everyone seems to have a tablet these days and many students are tending to use them for school in place of laptops because they are smaller and easier to use. This is especially true if they are using one to read their textbooks instead of large heavy physical copies. The devices work great on their own but there are a variety of items that can help protect the tablet, make it easier to use or just expand on their capabilities. Check out some of my suggestions for students heading back to school this year and planning on using a tablet. Continue reading
Back to School Laptop Accessories 2015
Laptop Accessories
Logitech Introduces a More Affordable Multi-Device Keyboard
At the beginning of the year, I reviewed the Logitech Bluetooth Easy-Switch Keyboard that allowed users to connect this single keyboard to three different devices. It was a great keyboard that had one issue that kept many people from trying it. The price for that keyboard was typically around $90-$100. Last week at the IFA, Logitech introduced a new and much more affordable Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 that ships later this month with a price tag of just $50. Let’s see exactly how the two differ and why this more affordable version just might be the right one to try if you have a phone, tablet and PC you want to use a Bluetooth keyboard with. Continue reading