peripherals - News, Features, and Slideshows

• SanDisk's new wireless thumb drive streams HD video to three devices

  SanDisk today announced the newest addition to its wireless storage line - the SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick.

• Microsoft finally gets real about HoloLens's field of view

  The early reception for Microsoft's HoloLens augmented reality headgear has been cautiously optimistic, save for one persistent bugbear: the device's field of view. Up until Wednesday, Microsoft hadn't shown that limitation in its promotional videos, but new footage demonstrates what it's like to look through a HoloLens.

• U.S. State Department moves to block 3D-printed gun plans online

  U.S. State Department <a href="http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2015-06-03/pdf/2015-12844.pdf">announced new proposed rules</a> that would effectively make it illegal to post blueprints for 3D-printed guns online.

• Microsoft's HoloLens is headed out of this world, with help from NASA

  Microsoft is sending its new augmented-reality headgear out of this world ... literally.

• How 3D printers made a motorcycle, skis and snowboard

  When it comes to 3D printing, the general public is likely unaware how far the technology has come from the days when making figurines and trinkets was about all many believed the machines could do.

• Digitize your documents

  The space required to store paper documents can be a problem. Digitizing your documents renders them exquisitely portable--you can store an entire library on your e-book reader with ease. And because paper documents can be turned into editable computer documents, they become searchable. Compare typing "Roosevelt" in a search field with spending all day scanning microfiche and old newspapers by eye to research the Square Deal or the New Deal. The digital document is a boon to researchers the world over.

• Digitize your pictures

  Today the digital camera is ubiquitous, but photos used to be taken by momentarily exposing something called "film" to light. Yes, film--the ode to photo-sensitive chemical reactions that produced all of the pictures made before 1990 or so. Those images were, and quite of­­ten still are, transferred to photo paper and pasted into coffee table al­­bums. Sometimes they were processed into transparent 35mm slides and projected onto white screens for everyone's en­­joyment (or boredom, depending).

• Connect a third monitor to your PC

  As I wrote the other day, it's a pretty simple matter to add a second monitor to your PC. But what about a third? That might require a little more doing.

• My keyboard isn't working

  Several keys on reader skyDX's keyboard stopped functioning. He asked the Desktops forum for help.

• Keep your keyboard clean and germ-free

  Happy Clean-Your-Keyboard Day! Okay, I made that up, but think about it: when was the last time you did anything with your keyboard besides drop cookie crumbs on it?

• Invasion of the body snatchers: wearable devices are coming for you

  A place in your pocket is no longer enough for mobile gadget makers: now, they want your body.

• 3 trends that will make life harder for CIOs in 2014

  Robots, 3-D printers and wearable tech are indeed cool, but they should raise red flags for IT leaders. Here's how these emerging technologies will cause operations, privacy and user policy headaches for CIOs in 2014.

• As the digital revolution kills jobs, social unrest will rise

  Gartner is forecasting some major changes in technology, especially in areas like 3D printing, machine learning and voice recognition. They are all powerful trends that will reduce the need for workers, and, as a consequence, bring social unrest, the analyst firm said.

• Making it real with 3D printing

  With a 3D printer that costs less than $3,000, you can start your own mini manufacturing operation -- and use open source software to create surprisingly complex designs

• Has the mouse outlived its usefulness?

  A German retailer has prematurely posted (and very quickly taken down) details and product shots of the upcoming Microsoft Arc Touch mouse. The Microsoft peripheral is innovative more in its form than its function, but along with the Apple Magic Trackpad it hints at a future where the mouse may no longer have a role.

Whitepapers about peripherals

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  The Do’s and Don’ts of Buying Workstations

  Workstation technology is changing rapidly. An important part of this change is an expanded list of features that you should look for in a high-end workstation, and limitations that should be avoided. Users need a powerful, flexible workstation platform that is designed to provide more reliability and greater productivity. New technologies for storage, input devices, peripherals, and key system components now require more powerful workstations with a broader set of features.