Now, no need to remember your passwords

Can’t remember the user ID and password to the various websites you are a member of? No sweat. There’s a keyboard and mouse that will now take care of all that data for you. Or perhaps it’s your messy keyboard with coffee and sauces spilt on it that’s bothering you

Or maybe you’ve wished your computer peripherals didn’t have to look so boring? Hardware manufacturers have an answer to all that too. And many more irritants at your workplace.

Microsoft has recently launched its latest keyboard and mouse products integrated with fingerprint technology. Just put your finger on your keyboard or mouse, whichever device it is that has the fingerprint reader — that’s all it takes to log on to your computer or all those websites you are a member of.

After you’ve registered your fingerprint on the Registration Wizard opens, the Fingerprint Reader enters your data such as user ID and password. That’s the last time you need to enter that information (Of course, this devise isn’t recommended for accessing important financial information or corporate networks).

And if you turn on Fast User Switching in Windows XP , you can use the Fingerprint Reader to switch between user accounts without logging off from the computer. A swipe of your finger quickly brings back your personal settings.

Besides the fingerprint readers, Microsoft’s Digital Media Pro Keyboard also looks to making zooming easier with the help of a zoom key on the keyboard. There’s also the My Favourite keys where you can save you favourite destinations or sites, perhaps Messenger, Mail or Web/Home. These functions are available on cordless or wired models. There also are multimedia keys that help adjust volume, etc, more easily.

Meanwhile, Logitech’s impressive new MX1000 Laser Cordless Mouse is the talk of all gizmo freaks — laser technology helps the mouse detect movement far more accurately than ever before.

While it used to be a problem working on glossy surfaces with an optical mouse, this problem doesn’t arise in the case of MX1000 — a glass-topped surface is something that even the laser mouse can’t reportedly tackle, however.. With eight buttons for page forward, back, side scrolling, and zoom, this is just the device not just for graphic designers and engineers but for hard-core gamers as well.

Computer peripherals have for quite some time been hogging quite a bit of attention with hardware manufacturers trying to find what it is that the consumer is looking for. Take the ergonomically designed leather keyboard palm rest. But why leather? “

Besides comfort, it gives the feel of luxury. What is it in a high-end car that gives the feel of luxury? Leather! That was one of the reason we opt for it,” says Jeff Hoffman, HRD Asia director, Microsoft Home and Entertainment Division. Hoffman also talks about how south east Asians have expressed appreciation at the smaller sizes of the new mice. And that’s because Asians have smaller hands!

But it isn’t just comfort and convenience, there’s some style involved too. And so, the flat, broad, cream or off-white mouse have now evolved into something sleeker and more elegant, with a lot of ergonomics going into the design. But it’s Microsoft again that has launched the very first designer mouse — the optical mouse designed by Philippe Starck.

An interior and industrial designer and architect, Stark is known worldwide for bringing cutting-edge design to everyday products — juicers, hotel rooms, toothbrushes, chairs and even a tape dispenser. The Stark mouse comes in colours of blue and orange.

Meanwhile, spill resistant keyboard have been around for quite some months now, and you can take your pick from the various brands available — Panasonic, Logitech, Microsoft or the lesser known brands. There are many who even offer folding, spill resitant keyboards.

Water spilt on these many of these keyboards are drained off by a channel under it — and if you spill coffee you could use a cleansing agent to wipe it off. Anything else bothering you? Just say it aloud, and you just might find your problem disapparate

Source: Economictimes