Here at IOGEAR, we keep a keen eye on our changing workstation. From multiple screens to paper-thin displays, this isn’t your father’s office any more – and here’s the latest news to emerge from the tech grapevine.

Infrared developments have been heating up in our technological world recently, most notably in Microsoft’s upcoming Kinect for the Xbox360. The motion sensor in this newest gaming console gauges a player’s movement with a variety of tools, including an infrared sensor.

However, the latest infrared news development is of particular interest for workstations across the country. MIT’s Fluid Interfaces Group, led by research assistant and PhD candidate Pranav Mistry, have developed the latest advancement in infrared technology with the ‘Mouseless’, an invisible mouse that tracks a user’s movements and projects them on a computer screen in the form of a cursor, just like a real mouse.

Image Credit

CNET showcased the ‘Mouseless’ in a recent post, which includes a quirky video that starts off with none other than Warner Bros’ Jerry of Tom and Jerry fame.

As you can see from the post, the ‘Mouseless’ is merely a prototype and not yet available to consumers. However, we here at IOGEAR are excited to see it come to life and to work with a new generation of IT gadgets for the home and office workstation.

Our own selection of KVM Switches allow you to focus on only one keyboard, monitor and mouse when controlling multiple computers – and we’re consistently working on new and updated switches to work seamlessly with the latest and greatest technologies.

Would YOU like to be able to control multiple computers – using nothing but the touch of your finger? Let us know what you think!

Cheers
The IOGEAR team

Green technology is all the rage in the tech space, and here at IOGEAR we love nothing more than to keep our finger on the green pulse. From Apple’s work-in-progress solar powered iPad and iPhone, to the grass-trimming goats Google has put to work, earth conscious companies are developing new ways to help our waning Mother Earth.

This week Cisco Systems announced the testing phase of their home energy management system, temporarily named the home energy controller. Despite the unsexy name, this is a pretty slick device which helps keep an eye on mounting energy costs. The controller’s digital readout helps people keep track of energy consumption throughout their home and do away with energy waste. Wasting energy is so passé, people.

Users can sign up for the system’s demand-response program, which provides rebates for shutting off the switches during peak times. It saves you money AND gives you the glow of being a green conscious American – all from one small control panel!

In case you are new to our blog, we here at IOGEAR have a vested interest in keeping up with the newest green technologies. We are doing our part to help our planet every day with a variety of products that cut back on energy usage – from energy saving convergence devices like KVM switches and Wireless AV kit to Solar BT hands free kits which harness the sun’s rays to power cell phones.

So, everyone, let’s start doing our part to stay up-to-speed, and hopefully adopt the latest green tech developments – it’s up to us.

What are you doing to incorporate green methods into your home or lifestyle?

Until next week, this is the IOGEAR team signing off. Stay green, readers.

Are you finding yourself in bars at 9am in the morning to cheer on your soccer heroes? Has your couch turned into your own private stadium? Is fighting over the remote in your household now a fight to the death?

If your summer is slipping by in a blur of goals and vuvuzelas, you may just have caught World Cup fever. Luckily, we here at IOGEAR have not only a diagnosis, but a prescription – the perfect home entertainment setup!

For soccer fans the world over, the World Cup can be a treacherous area for personal tech. Just this week, Twitter buckled under the weight of millions of #WorldCup eager messages, and cell phone service has been reported as significantly more patchy during important games.

So what’s the solution to watching your favorite World Cup game in peace? We suggest a little planning ahead, and a supporting cast of tech gadgets to make sure your viewing is not only uninterrupted, but interactive, streamlined and in-depth enough to rival any commentator. Bring it on!



If you’re checking out stats on key players, replaying favorite goal moments or chatting with other fans across the world, our Wireless Audio/Video Kit, allows you to combine audio and video streaming through one connection. It’s easy to screen your favorite clips – or even to catch up on the games you weren’t quite dedicated enough to be in the pub at 9am for – all directly and wirelessly to your HDTV. No snaking or tangled wires permitted in this home stadium – just simple streaming internet on TV at the touch of a button.



Every dedicated sports fan understands the virtue of multitasking, and at IOGEAR we’re happy to help incorporate your love of soccer into your everyday life. From gadgets like our HD Matrix Switch with Remote, which allows you to switch between up to five of your favorite devices with a simple remote control, to our selection of KVM switches, which allow you to control multiple computers using one keyboard, monitor and mouse, checking in on the latest news from South Africa doesn’t need to take over your life or interrupt your work day – unless you want it to! From spreadsheet to goal and back again, it’s easy to keep up with the action with a little tech help.

For news of the latest digital ways to follow all the action, click here.

How are YOU using technology to follow this year’s World Cup? Let us know here in the blog comments section or on Facebook or Twitter.

Cheers
The IOGEAR team

Here at IOGEAR, we like to keep a finger on the ‘green pulse’ of the electronics industry. This week, the latest announcement from Apple caught our eco-friendly eye. If you’ve ever wondered what the green-conscious engineers at Apple have been cooking deep in the labs, read on!

Apple announced earlier this week that while they have yet to release a solar-powered gadget, their best and brightest brains are already working on incorporating solar power into popular items such as the iPad and iPhone.

( source )

Excitingly, a recently surfaced patent application from Apple shows that engineers have been investigating ways to embed solar cells under the touch screens of handheld devices. The patent, which was filed in September 2008, also calls for the use of “light channels” to direct light to a solar cell underneath a touch screen, potentially using a parabolic reflector. Put simply, a solar powered iPod could soon be winging its way to you!



Of course at IOGEAR, we’re no strangers to sun worshipping. Our popular Solar Bluetooth Hands-Free Car Kit has been harnessing the sunshine since launch, and allows hands-free communication and cord-free charging. Allowing you to roll your car windows down and drive in the sun without having to worry about fumbling for cords, this kit allows for safe, clean and eco-friendly charging on the move.

We also believe it’s also important to be energy efficient in our homes. In an effort to conserve energy, we created the KVM switch to reduce energy consumption by eliminating the use of multiple computer monitors. This switch, along with other energy saving products designed for your home, can help make a noticeable difference on your next energy bill and we are happy to help lower that number with you.

From solar devices, to energy saving, to supporting the natural world through our partnership with Road to a Million Trees, we are excited to be doing our part to save energy and minimize the amount of waste produced – and we love seeing companies like Apple join in the green fun!

How are YOU doing your part to promote a greener tomorrow?

Cheers
The IOGEAR team

For green goodies and more, try your hand at our Mystery Photo Contest on Facebook to test your skills and win high-tech gadgets for your own living room setup!

Forget 3D TVs and the insanely thin HDTVs flooding your local Best Buy. The latest buzz on the street in the consumer tech world has nothing to do with home entertainment but everything to do with daily technology usage. It’s time for USB 3.0 AKA SuperSpeed USB.

Similar to IOGEAR’s USB 3.0 PCI-E card announcement at CES, many companies are unveiling their USB 3.0 integration. USB technology has always had a breakneck speed of adoption – just as USB 2.0 took over USB 1.0 technology in 2000, USB 3.0 will soon replace USB 2.0 and offer faster ports.

How much faster will USB 3.0 be? Buckle up your seatbelt and try this – TEN times the speed of 2.0 technology!

Still hazy on the benefits of USB 3.0 over USB 2.0? To put it simply, USB or Universal Serial Bus, establishes a communication between devices such as computers, external hard drives, flash drives, keyboards, mice and more. By utilizing the latest 3.0 technology, these devices will transfer data at much faster rates allowing for more efficient and speedier communications, provided that both devices (ie PC and peripheral device) are 3.0 compliant.

What does this mean for you? Quicker data transfers all around! It’ll be easier and more convenient to transfer music, pictures or video to and from your various devices, allowing you to trade music, move files, work projects and multitask across several devices – all at speeds of up to 4.8 gbps! Full-duplex data transfers are also part of the USB 3.0 spec; a step up from half-duplex mode of USB 2.0.

For those looking to move slowly over to this newer technology, never fear. USB 3.0 is completely compatible with the current USB 2.0, just as USB 2.0 is compatible with USB 1.0 & 1.1.

IOGEAR is a leader in connectivity with its extensive KVM line, which allows users to control multiple devices with one piece of hardware. Everyday users already enjoy the popular USB Laptop KVM to conveniently control two computers seamlessly or the more tech-savvy customer may prefer the 4-Port Dual View Dual-Link DVI KVMP Switch with Audio, which allows users to easily access and control multiple computers from a single console running dual-displays.

Look out for IOGEAR’s 3.0 compliant technology, which will be rolled out later this year.

With USB 3.0 technology, users will not only benefit from up to 10x greater transfer speeds, but the advancement also allows for lower demands on a PC’s central processing unit (CPU).

It’s time to speed up! Are YOU ready for USB 3.0?

Cheers
The IOGEAR team

Earth Day is just around the corner! Enter our Twitter competition to win a bumper pack of green goodies from IOGEAR

Thanks to all of our Twitter followers who have been feverishly retweeting for the chance to win IOGEAR green products! The latest winner for March has been chosen, but don’t lose heart – read on for details of even more green giveaway fun!

For the month of Apirl, IOGEAR will be offering our biggest giveaway yet on Earth Day, April 22nd. One lucky winner will walk away with a BUMPER prize pack of a Solar Bluetooth Hands-Free car kit, a USB Laptop KVM Switch, a GearPower – Portable Battery for Mobile Devices AND April’s star of the show, a Wireless Audio/Video Kit!

The latest star of this prize package, the PC to TV Wireless Audio / Video Kit is a user friendly and all-in-one solution bringing wireless digital lifestyle to life. Wave goodbye to tangled cables and energy sapping routers and equipment forever, as this kit offers a cordless link between your PC and TV.

The kit consists of three adapters: audio for speaker connectivity, VGA output and Wireless USB for the hosting PC. Giving you the freedom to relocate your PC (up to 30 feet away from the TV), and browse the Internet, watch online video or edit spreadsheets in large flat-screen comfort. This is definitely a prize worth retweeting for!

As always, entering is as easy as

1. Follow us on Twitter
2. Retweet any message that mentions the competition
3. Cross your fingers!

IOGEAR will be announcing a grand prize winner on Earth Day, April 22nd, so get Tweeting for your chance to win!

For full rules of entry and other legal jargon click here.

It’s time to think green! How will YOU be celebrating Earth Day this month?

We in the tech world really love our acronyms, but if you’re one of thousands struggling for space with competing computers, there’s only one you should have on your mental speed-dial: Keyboard, Video, Mouse.

A KVM Switch is an easy, portable answer to computer overcrowding. The trick’s in the name – this simple switch allows you to control multiple computers using just one keyboard, monitor and mouse. Whether you’re switching between a PC and netbook, transferring files or simply switching between work and personal computers, the KVM switch takes the hassle out of multitasking.

As each setup is different, we at IOGEAR have made it simple, and set up an easy to use online KVM Switch Selector wizard. Finding the perfect switch for you is based on simple questions about your setup – including how many computers you’d like to control, what kind of operating systems you’d like to run and any advanced features you’ll need access to.

As your technology matchmaker, we at IOGEAR know that somewhere out there is the KVM switch that’s perfect for YOU! Take our simple quiz and find out!

Don’t forget to enter this month’s competition over at Twitter, where we’re giving away a grand combined prize of a GearPower Mobile Pocket Power Portable Battery and USB Laptop KVM Switch. Entering is as simple as following us on Twitter and retweeting any message that mention the March competition. Good luck!

Cheers
The IOGEAR team

This week we watched in fascination as Chatroulette fever took the teen nation by storm.

For anyone not living with a technology-crazed teen, or who hasn’t suffered a bout of insomnia in front of a computer screen recently, Chatroulette is a Russian based video chat service that brings you face-to-face, via webcam, with an endless stream of random strangers all over the world. With a few clicks, you could be talking to music enthusiasts in South Africa, swapping cookery tips with viewers in Paris or just shooting the breeze with new friends in Belgium – all for free!

While swapping pleasantries with random strangers may not be everyone’s idea of a good time (and certainly not an advised activity for your teen), it got us here at IOGEAR thinking: is this the future of the internet, or its demise? Either way, it shows us one thing very clearly – our attention spans are getting shorter and shorter. We need constant stimuli to keep us interested.

Luckily, we here at IOGEAR have long understood this theory of multitasking. From our HD Matrix Switch with Remote, which allows you to switch between up to five of your favorite devices with a simple remote control, to our selection of KVM switches, which allow you to control multiple computers using one keyboard, monitor and mouse, IOGEAR products offer enough options and flexibility to satisfy even the itchiest remote trigger finger.

So whether it’s switching between YouTube videos, the latest Xbox 360 shoot-em-up or movies on your HDTV, we can help provide the kind of variety that keeps your entertainment center new and fresh each time you return – no webcam and strangers required!

Don’t forget about our Twitter competition! You could win a Solar Bluetooth Hands-Free Car Kit for the ultimate multitasking and charging on the go!

Entering is as easy as…

1. Follow us on Twitter
2. Retweet any message that mentions the competition
3. Cross your fingers!

IOGEAR will be announcing a February winner at the end of the month.

Are YOU a multitasker? How many windows do you have open right now? Let us know!

Cheers
The IOGEAR team

Are your holiday gadget gifts still uninstalled? Or worse … still in the box? Have you begun the installations only to find a key cable missing? Are your new gadgets gathering dust alone, dying to be connected and used?

At IOGEAR, we’re here to help! Read on for ideas on how to use our many devices designed to connect, de-clutter, enhance or just help your gadgets reach a new level of cool.

HDMI

HDMI is a high quality interface designed to work with devices such as AV receivers, cable boxes, DVD & Blu-ray Disc players, PCs and video game consoles to HDTVs and computer monitors. HDMI supports HD video and up to 8 channels of digital audio. You can easily make the switch from DVI to HDMI or vice versa with an adaptor without any loss of video quality.

If you are still connecting your devices with a VGA, coaxial, S-video or component video cable, you are missing out on greater quality and aren’t maximizing the potential of your devices. The bad news: a HDMI cable is not always included with your device. The good news: IOGEAR has a variety of HDMI cables to suit your needs, just click this link and choose the “Cables” check box to view our selection.

Matrix Switch Box

Are you overrun with HD source devices – video game console, PCs, set top boxes from cable and satellite providers, DVRs, Blu-ray or DVD players? If so, then you will appreciate the ability to switch between up to five of your favorite devices with a simple remote control using our HD Matrix Switch with Remote. To make life even easier you can even switch between the devices among 2 HDTVs. There’ll be no more crouching down to move fiddly cables around, and no more reasons to leave the couch – ever!

KVM Switch

If you have more than one computer, then a KVM switch might be the answer to simplifying your computing experience. KVM is an abbreviation for Keyboard, Video and Mouse and is a device that allows you to control multiple computers using one keyboard, monitor and mouse. For example, a user could control their desktop and then switch over to their Netbook using the same keyboard, monitor and mouse attached to the KVM.

To make the process of choosing the right KVM for your specific needs simple, we at IOGEAR have put together an easy KVM product selector. Go to this link and click the “KVM Product Selector” banner to the left to get started.

Printer and Storage Server

If you’re adding a new computer to your network, there’s no need to clutter life even more with additional computer-specific printers and external hard drives. Why not share the resources you currently have? With a printer and storage server you can do just that.

You can even attach a portable card reader to make it easy to share your photos and videos around the home. Plug in a USB hub into the server to add more devices to share among some or all of your computers – and banish sneakernet forever!

Your Solutions & Questions

Here at IOGEAR we want to know how YOU currently deal with connectivity issues between your various gadgets. Have you gone wireless? Are you confused about the various options? Do you have some creative uses for the devices mentioned above? Let us know in the comments below, on FaceBook or via Twitter.

According to DigitalTrends.com, this year’s best high tech gifts are the: iPod Nano, HP Mini 311, Kindle DX, Barnes & Noble Nook, Samsung TL 225 Camera, Toshiba Regza SV670 Series 400, Motorola Droid, Dell Adamo, PS3 Slim and the Apple iPhone. We hope that you will receive at least one of these And if you did, in this post, we look at some interesting ways you can gain more value from some of these shiny new gadgets.

As you may know, at IOGEAR, many of our products are designed to give you increased value on products you already own; so we spend a great deal of time thinking about how our products can help you enjoy daily life. We hope these tips provide you with ideas to create more fun and value from your gifts.

Wireless Audio / Video Kit

With this award winning device, you can take your Netbook or Laptop, combined with your HDTV and connect wirelessly from up to 30 feet! So go ahead and take that Dell Adamo or HP Mini and connect wirelessly to your new Toshiba Regza, and not only will you amaze with the latest in wireless technology, but you will be able to blur the lines between home office and entertainment. After all, work is supposed to be fun right?

12-in-1 Pocket Card Reader/Writer

Whether you get that nice new Samsung TL 225 or any other digital camera, you will need an easy way to get your photos and video onto your computer. Most cameras come with their own cable to do this, but it may not always be convenient to carry yet another cable, plus, you can also transfer files from your cellphone, smart phone (such as the Droid) and mp3 player as well with this handy little device.

2-Port USB DVI-D Cable KVM with Audio and Mic

If you have a desktop, but now have added a Netbook and/or Laptop to your collection, you will appreciate the ability to use the same monitor, mouse, keyboard and speaker for both devices simultaneously! Don’t let your nice desktop setup go to waste because you’ve fallen in love with your new Dell Adamo Have the best of both worlds with this KVM.

USB Laptop KVM Switch with File Transfer

Ah, you just added a new Laptop or Netbook to your family of computers, you may even be at the point where you now have multiple Laptops and Netbooks. Well, this little device is a time saver indeed! It allows you to easily switch and transfer files between two computers. We even made the setup easy with Plug & Play and no need for extra cables.

Long Range Wireless Keyboard/Trackball all-in-one

Every new computer deserves a high quality keyboard (your fingers will thank you). Think about how much time you will spend typing in front of your computer; why not make that experience enjoyable? This particular keyboard is slim, ergonomic, wireless and includes a laser trackball. You can use it with your new Laptop, Desktop or Home Theater PC.

Gear Power – Portable Battery for Mobile Devices

Battery power is the nectar of the gods to the tech geek. Electricity is one of those things you can never get enough of, no matter the device. At only $19.95 and in a ultra-slim form factor you may as well pick up several of these. That way, when your battery dies just as you are jammin’ to your favorite song … you can continue to rock on!

What does Santa have in his bag for you this holiday season? Please share some of the tech gifts you receive this holiday season and how you plan to give those gifts a boost in the comments below, on Facebook or via Twitter. Happy Holidays!