Logitech-owned Ultimate Ears has announced the launch of a new, free to download iPhone app that offers an interesting feature - a sound pressure level meter that will tell you the decibel level of anything you care to point your phone at.

Aside from that, other features range from the naff - "see the custom-made in-ear monitors of the artists who are wearing Ultimate Ears" - to the dull - "see a full list of our products".

There's also info on how to get the most out of your UE earphones and the ability to watch artists interviews, backstage footage, and photos from live shows.

Ultimate Ears warns that the sound pressure level meter is for recreational use only and accuracy of SPL readings will vary depending on iPhone model used, but for free it's got to be worth a download to see just how loud the No 7 bus/your mate's band/your dog's bark really is.

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Tags: Phones iPhone apps Ultimate Ears Logitech Audio

Ultimate Ears iPhone app offers decibel meter originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 23 Nov 2009 15:37:25 +0000

Here are the nominations for Best Gadgets in The Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009.

The following products were chosen because we feel they represent the best gadgets on sale in the last 12 months that are available in the UK.

The nominations are:

Dyson Air Multiplier

Eye-Fi

Livescribe pen

Logitech Wireless Guitar

Sony e-reader Pocket Edition

A notable commendation should also go to the Messless charging station.

Now in its 6th year, the Pocket-lint Gadget Awards, thought to be the longest running in the UK, pick the best gadgets and gizmos from the last year released in the UK.

Pocket-lint's vigorous vetting process means that all the gadgets up for nomination have to have been seen by a member of the Pocket-lint team (so far over 600) and have to have been available in the UK between December 2008 and December 2009.

The awards, voted by a panel of leading gadget journalists from around the world, including the staff from the Pocket-lint team, will decide the real must-have gadgets of the year, rather than those simply deemed cool or anticipated, being the definitive guide for consumers looking to buy gadgets.

Winners will be announced at an Awards evening in London on Monday 7 December.

If you would like to order tickets to the event please visit our awards event page.

Public voting will start on Wednesday 18 November.

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Related links:

• Link - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009

Tags: Gadgets Dyson Cameras Livescribe Eye-Fi Logitech Gaming ebooks Sony Pocket-lint Awards Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009

Best Gadgets 2009 nominations originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Logitech has announced that it has agreed to acquire privately held, Austin, Texas-based LifeSize Communications for $405 million in cash.

LifeSize specialises in "high definition video communication solutions", boasting more than 9000 video conferencing customers across 80 countries in the business sector.

"We expect this acquisition to enable Logitech to extend our leadership in video communication beyond the desktop", said Gerald P. Quindlen, Logitech president and chief executive officer.

"Together we can make life-like, HD-quality video communication as mainstream and seamless as a telephone, for meeting participants in the boardroom, at their office desk, in a remote-location meeting room, telecommuting from home or on the go with a laptop".

LifeSize will continue to operate as a separate division in Austin reporting to Logitech.

Tags: Hardware Logitech Lifesize Biz Acquisitions

Logitech to buy LifeSize Communications for $405 million originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 11 Nov 2009 09:33:25 +0000

2009 has been something of a glass ceiling for gamers. Yes, the software has continued to come and in more inventive ways than ever, but it's been pretty much the same kinds of consoles available on the shelves. At the same time, at E3 this summer, we saw some of the most ground-breaking and exciting projects for years with motion sensitivity and augmented reality the stars of the show.

Unfortunately, there are no prizes in the Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 Best Gaming Hardware category for anything still caught up in the ether. The fact is what we need is feedback from people and that's exactly what we hope you give us in the comments below. Which do you think are the worthy winners?

The Machines

With the major boxes and handhelds still in their place, 2009 was very much a year of upgrades. The bloated PS3 went slim, the Nintendo DS got itself an "i" and the PSP, controversially, ditched its UMD slot favouring digital downloads with the PSP Go. With rumours already of a PSP-4000, you wonder whether that's a move that Sony regrets. Even the new gaming conundrum that is the iPod touch/iPhone only got a minor perk in power and performance with the new iPhone 3.0 software, and 3rd generation and 3GS releases. But, with apps getting all the more sophisticated, it's no longer a platform we can ignore.

Perhaps more interesting on the hardware side was the advance in PC gaming that's once again on the rise owing to a clutch of hugely popular and painfully addictive titles. Asus came out with two turbocharged super-PCs with the W90 and G60 - both featuring over 1GB of memory on the graphics units alone as well as all the usual trimmings. 2009 was also the year that Dell decided to hand Alienware the complete set of keys to its gaming line and brought out both 17 and 15-inch laptops in the familiar sci-fi-look colour schemes, complete with Alien language and more chip ports than you could shake a stick at. Even budget specialist Medion took the time to get involved with the launch of the Erazer. Naturally, it's a lot cheaper than the others, despite impressive specs, but the catch is that she ain't much of a looker.

Game controllers

With the machine manufacturers taking a breather - relatively speaking - it's given the peripheral gang an excellent chance to both catch up and really push themselves to get inventive. Naturally, those unleashing the limitless potential of the Wii have been having a lot of fun. To add to the already brimming closet of unused plastic you can now bag yourself a Wii Bowling Ball, a slightly disturbing baby doll controller for Baby and Me, a series of machine guns - as well as one that transforms into a sawn-off - and some dumbells. Mercifully, there have been some serious technological developments with the Wii Motion Plus improvement to the original WiiMote, as well as the addition of the Jog for Wii controller for fitness fans everywhere.

Probably the most interesting developments in the field have been in the controllers for the software explosion that is still the Rock Band and Guitar Hero games. You no longer have to put up with having Fisher Price-looking toys in your arms when striking out on a solo. Logitech brought out some enviable wireless instruments plus, of course, Harmonix splashed out on making guitars and even a drum kit that ape those of the Fab Four for the release of The Beatles Rock Band. Just a shame we're still waiting on the availability of the Krator Orpheous WG-07. Beyond that, Activision broke the mould with an entirely new device for DJ Hero, however there are very few opinions on just how well that's worked out as yet.

Of course, for Logitech, there's nothing peripheral about peripherals and it wasn't just music games where the company spent some money. Naturally, there's a load of mice and keyboards with their logo stamped on, but the Logitech G27 Racing Wheel and pedals complete with VR3 racer was quite clearly a drool-fest for petrol-head gamers and the G940 Flight Simulator was equally well-received by the specialists.

Last of all was the highly entertaining Novint Falcon gun controller for the PC, riding on the back of the success of games like Left 4 Dead. Anything with a realistic sense of recoil is always guaranteed to get a smile out of gamers.

Keyboards and Mice

Of course, if it's all about PC gaming for you, then there's no more important tools than your keyboard and mouse and, as ever, 2009 has seen advances here too. Whether or not, they help you get more kills is another thing altogether but at least it might make it a little easier to keep up with the pack. Logtiech has been as busy as ever with the highly inventive G19 keypad as well as the full G110 board and the G500 mouse and headset too. Razor has honed in with the RazorNaga MMO mouse with more buttons and shortcuts than ever right where you need them - all very well if you can remember what they're for - and Sidewinder has stuck with wireless and produced the X8 mouse which the company considers to be the fastest in the world.

Audio

Audio is rarely top of most people's lists for gaming, but add the right piece of kit and it can add a profound finish to your experience. If you need to do things on the quiet Verbatim, Sennheiser and Creative have each come up with excellent value solutions at a respective price increase. Whether you're after a heavy sub, some in-ear isolation or on-ear noise cancelling, they represent something for everyone.

Of course, if you're happy to blast the premises, Creative and Logitech have sculpted and tuned several high quality and good looking options for serious desktop power and Altec Lansing have gone and invented something highly unique for the home in the shape of a stage-monitor type speaker for guitar console games. You can even put your foot on it like you're really there having underwear thrown at you. Hello Cleveland!

Displays

Last of all come the screens on which you get to enjoy your interactive entertainment, and 3D has been the new projector in 2009. Yes, the likes of Epson, Optoma and LG are still supplying some wonderful hardware to make your Street Fights 60 inches tall, but ViewSonic, Nvidia and Vuzix are working on the idea of your avatars actually leaping out and punching you in the face. Admittedly, this works with varying degrees of success, depending upon whether you're going for a goggles or traditional monitor solution but it's certainly a serious edge that can add to the fun.

What do you think?

But these are just some of the fantastic choices our readers have had in 2009. What would you like to see held aloft as the winner of Pocket-lint Best Gaming Hardware 2009? What have we missed out? Which are your unsung heroes and of those we've already mentioned, which would get your vote? Let us know in the comments below and you can help our panel decide which make the shortlist of nominees to be announced here on Pocket-lint on 16 November. We'll have all out coverage of the Vodafone Pocket-lint awards 2009 right here. Don't miss a minute of it.

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Related links:

• Feature - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - games
• Feature - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - software, services, apps
• Feature - Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - laptops

Tags: Gaming Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 Pocket-lint Awards Features Xbox PlayStation Nintendo PC games Mice And Keyboards Keyboards Mice Speakers PC speakers Logitech

Vodafone Pocket-lint Gadget Awards 2009 - gaming hardware originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:30:00 +0000

Logitech has announced that it's launching a new gaming keyboard - the Logitech G110. It's a direct successor to the G11 and includes a number of the same features as its technological father. It shares media controls, illuminated keys, and twelve macro buttons, but it adds a number of features of its own, too.

There's an integrated USB audio device in the unit, which will allow you to use a headset that has 3.5mm jacks as a USB audio device, providing clearer sound. Many gamers find that the plugs in their cases will "buzz" due to electrical interference, but this should solve that issue.

There's also an extra USB port on the rear of the keyboard, and a "gaming mode" toggle switch that will disable the windows and menu keys so that you don't accidentally press them while mid-match. Very useful.

It works with both Mac and PC (if there are any Mac gamers out there) and costs either ?70 or ?80 - there's a discrepancy that we're trying to resolve between the press release we were sent and Logitech's website. We'll update you the post when we get clarification. It'll be available in November in North America and January in Europe.

Update: The keyboard is confirmed at the lower price of ?70. We promised, didn't we?

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Tags: Hardware Gaming Keyboards Mice And Keyboards Logitech Logitech G110

Logitech launches G110 gaming keyboard originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 12:12:03 +0100

Logitech launched its Squeezebox Radio at the end of September with the promise that Queen's "Absolute Greatest" best-of best-ofs album would be available exclusively to streaming on the player before it hit the shops. The company demonstrated the device to us, and we grabbed a few photos for you.

There's red and black editions of the Radio available, and it allows you to play internet radio, or stream digital music over a home network. It can also work with Napster, and Last.fm, as well as Pandora, Sirius and Rhapsody in the States. Flickr works too, for viewing slideshows of your, and your friends', photos.

It has an all-in-one design and can be plugged straight into a power source. For networking purposes, there's the option of an ethernet cable or 802.11g Wi-Fi. There are 6 preset buttons available that you can hook up favourite stations and playlists to. It costs ?160 and it's available now.

Tags: Audio Logitech Logitech Squeezebox Radio Queen Photos

PHOTOS: Logitech Squeezebox Radio originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 13:13:31 +0100

Logitech invited us along to an event to take a look at its winter 2009 range, and we grabbed a few photos of the company's latest iPod docks - the S125i and the S315i.

The S125i is the rounded, smaller model. It can play and charge any iPod model and also has an 3.5mm auxiliary input if you want to plug in something else. It has a bass boosting button, and runs on AC or battery power. Those batteries are 4 x AA, and aren't supplied, though an AC adaptor obviously is.

The S315i is the squarer one, and features a rechargeable battery that'll give you 20 hours of juice in power-saving mode before it conks out. It also will work with any iPod and adds iPhone compatibility too, as well as coming with a 3.5mm jack input like its little brother.

The S125i costs ?70 and the S325i costs ?100. Both are available now.

Tags: Audio iPod docks Logitech Logitech S125i Logitech S315i

PHOTOS: Logitech S125i and S315i originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:52:41 +0100

Logitech has bundled together a few of its peripherals into the Notebook Kit MK605. The kit comprises of a pivoting riser laptop stand and a wireless mouse, keyboard and USB receiver.

The Notebook Kit MK605 is Logitech's first all-in-one solution to feature the recently announced "Unifying" USB receiver technology, that offers an easy way to connect multiple wireless keyboards and mice.

Perhaps obvious, but it's worth noting the elements of the kit can be used separately, so for example, out and about you might choose to take just the mouse, while at home the whole set-up could make for a more comfortable laptopping experience.

The pivoting riser lets users choose from three different angles to bring the screen to the ideal, eye-level height and fits laptops up to 15.6 inches.

The Logitech Notebook Kit MK605 is due to go on sale in both the US and Europe in November for a suggested retail price of $99.99.

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Tags: Hardware Mice And Keyboards Logitech Stands

Logitech Notebook Kit MK605 announced originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:45:47 +0100

After the EU's volume limit proposals have been revealed, Logitech has followed Griffin's lead in launching volume-limiting headphones for kids.

The "Loud Enough" noise-isolating earphones come with built-in volume control that reduces the maximum volume of the original source by at least 30% percent compared to standard ear buds.

The new earphones also come with three soft ear-cushions in sizes ranging from extra small to medium and are said to be tough and durable.

Available with matching cases in blueberry, mint or plum, the Logitech Loud Enough earphones are available now for ?29.99.

Tags: Audio Headphones Logitech Dad

Logitech "Loud Enough" earphones launch for kids originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Wed, 07 Oct 2009 17:27:25 +0100

In what's being described as an industry first, Queen are joining up with Logitech to offer their new album "Absolute Greatest" exclusively first the Wi-Fi-enabled Logitech Squeezebox Radio and music player.

From now, owners of the Logitech Squeezebox Radio can listen to the new Queen album before it hits the shops on 16 November, as well as see and hear unique Queen content.

This content includes a series of Queen photographs that have been made available for the first time, in addition to exclusive track-by-track audio commentaries in which Brian May and Roger Taylor talk through the composition and history of each famous song.

To access Queen goodies, Squeezebox users need to select the Queen application found under the Squeezebox Radio's new Apps menu.

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Tags: Audio Logitech Queen Logitech Squeezebox EMI

Logitech's Squeezebox Radio gets Queen album early originally appeared on http://www.pocket-lint.com on Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:10:42 +0100