LEGO My Mouse and Take CTRL

When I'm on the laptop, using a mouse rather than the computer's touchpad is my modus operandi.  I've always found touchpad's to be too imprecise and, for my money, they're either too sensitive or so stubborn.  I don't foresee laptop design eliminating them anytime soon, either; of course, I also haven't met anyone who actually prefers them over, well, any other available option. 

Desktops, a whole 'nother story.  A good mouse is an absolute necessity; a great mouse is also an accessory.  It's not just function; it's fashion.  

Arguable points at first, perhaps, but inevitably, the truth of our statement will creep upon you.  It happened to us, and still in the thralls of our current love of Legos, blogging the Red Brick Lego Mouse  was a  no-brainer.  


For a Lego block, this baby's gigantic.  It measures 3.7 inches by 1.2 inches by 2.1 inches, and features an 800 DPI sensor, scroll wheel,  and left and right mouse buttons as well as a USB connection.  And thanks to that connection, Lego Mouse hooks up to any desktop or laptop, PC or Mac.  Yes, it's an over-sized Lego block compatible with Windows and Mac OS X. 

Legos are proving quite resourceful lately, and the existence of the Lego Mouse isn't just cool, it's a sign for us all to read: The Lego Renaissance is dawning, and we are its witnesses.  If you'd like to build the appeal of your home office or dot-com start-up (do they still exist?) with  the Red Brick Lego Mouse, they're available for $31.96 from Curiosite. 


But why stop there, right? If the Lego Mouse makes you feel like you're shrinking while one of your kiddie toys got a thyroid condition, then these computer-friendly Control Key Lamps will really bring you down-to-size.  Our experience is computers are more controlling than friendly, and this desklamp duo gives form to that irony, which is reason enough for us to order a set right now.

These giant keyboard key lamps can be turned on and off by simply pressing down on them.  Each lamp measures 6x5x3 inches and weighs less than one-half pound each.  Better yet, they're available in yellow or white (as per our picture), and both Ctrl and Shift key lamps are available and sold separately.  Clever, but selling the lamps in a  three-set with Ctrl+Alt+Delete would've been even more clever.  At least we think so, but we didn't make 'em and we don't sell 'em.  Gadget4all does, and you can take Ctrl for $19.90 each at their online store HERE.

IMDb iPhone App Released

With all the superhero movie excitement lately, we're doubly thankful that one of the most useful sites on the web, the Internet Movie Database or IMDb as its friends call it, has now been added to Apple's enormous library of applications for iPhone and iPod Touch.

IMDb is the largest collection of movie, television, and celebrity-related information anywhere on the internet. (Yes, it's even larger than Perez Hilton.) The site's iPhone app offers users all the same data that's available on the website -- from production dates and cast and crew information to reviews and user comments -- right at their fingertips. The only difference at this point is that the app doesn't support private accounts, so folks who may have one will need to log in elsewhere. Depending on downloads and feedback, we're thinking this feature will likely be added to the app's 2.0 before long.

The IMDb app is available for free from iTunes.

Media Idea: Kymera Magic Wand Universal Remote

It happened twice yesterday. Around noontime, in my attempt to locate a watchable channel among the fifty or sixty-odd Springfield's cable provider offers, I fiddled with four different remotes before finding the one that actually controled the living room TV. This, mind you, in broad daylight. Hours later, albeit in a darkened living room, I watched in horror as my cousin puzzled through the same embarrassment.

Dabblers, today's media idea is a simple sorcery of but two words: No More!

Looks like our little spell did the trick. In fact, we've located a gadget that couldn't be more in-line with the New Magical Age of Abbracadabbling. The Kymera Magic Wand Universal Remote looks like a magic wand, but it can actually be used to control your TV! It features a built in accelerometer, if you want to change channels you just flick the wand up or down.

The Wand can also control the volume: a simple clockwise gesture pumps the bass up while a counter clock-ise motion lowers your noise. According to the British wizards whose incantations conjured this audio-visual marvel, the Wand is guaranteed to work with almost every piece of modern technology that's out there (provided the marvel is equipped to receive such signals, of course).

This gizmo's going to be more popular than Alan Moore at a Supercuts, dabblers. But take heed: the Kymera Magic Wand Universal Remote won't be available in stores. It's only available for limited pre-order at The Wand Company. US magicians will be set back about $83 and while the Wand's made across the water in the U.K., North American orders will be shipped from right here in the States.