And here we thought people had finally run out of “i” words associated with iPod accessories? Guess not since watch maker Timex today announced the $125 Timex Ironman iControl.

The iControl, which functions as an “advanced sports watch,” is designed to wirelessly operate your Apple iPod. How it does this exactly we aren’t clear on – assume there will probably be an attachment for your iPod. Anyhow, the watch will let you control functions such as play/pause, volume and track forward/backward.

Harman/Becker, a part of the Harman family of companies like Harman/Kardon, introduced today its first mobile GPS device available in the United States. The Harman/Becker Traffic Assist Highspeed 7934 is being sold exclusively for the time being through Office Depot retail stores.

The Harman/Becker Traffic Assist Highspeed 7934 gives one touchscreen access to detailed maps of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. The 3.5-inch screen has day and night lighting modes. Route calculations are fast, said Harman/Becker, due to the 400MHz processor on board.

Today Hitachi has announced two new Blu-ray disc camcorders which they are calling the worlds first camcorders that can record high-definition video to Blu-ray. Both camcorders have the ability to record full high-definition video directly to a single-side, single-layer Blu-ray disc giving up to one hour of 1920×1080 resolution video on the disc.

The DZ-BD7H model is actually a “hybrid” camcorder with the ability to record the high-definition video to either the Blu-ray disc or an internal 30GB hard drive which can hold up to four hours of the 1920×1080 high-def video. Once recorded onto the hard drive the camera itself can transfer the video onto the Blu-ray disc without the need for any external components.

Both cameras have all the same features but the DZ-BD70 model does not have the internal HDD and has only the Blu-ray disc. Both Hitachi Blu-ray camcorders make use …

Sony has announced a new series of flash drives called the Pocket Bit Mini (USM-HX series). The USB flash drives come in capacities of 1GB and 2GB are Vista ReadyBoost compatible with virtual expander, encoding and secret file lock built into the drive.

They come in colors of black or white and has a two-way carrying case to make them convenient for different USB port locations. The little drives are 14.5mm long and weigh just 1.5 grams. They will retail for $34 and $52 for the 1GB and 2GB, respectively. Expect to see these guys showing up September 2.

FarEastGizmos

Apple’s iPhone update, which by the release notes indicated that there was only some security fixes, also came some new unexpected features. The 1.0.1 update for the iPhone also added on a BCC option when sending email which was previously not an option. It also now gives you up to an hour to request the password when the phone is idle which was before limited to a minute. According to MacNN there have also been users reporting some enhanced stability in general along with a resolved issue where the battery would not fully charge.

Wireless Outdoor Speakers, the three words every pool party enthusiast wants to hear right behind “18,000 BTU barbecue” and “movie projection on the house wall”. If you’re planning some outdoor fun and want to deliver the music across the splash zone then these latest pair of wireless speakers can handle the job for you.

All you have to do is plug the transmitter into whatever music source you want to stream (TV, stereo, computer, MP3 player, etc.), position the speakers and then control the decibels using the remote control. The 15 W speakers are rechargeable and good for about four hours of power and have a range of up to 100 meters. They’re also splash proof so if you get a little crazy with the water sports, that’s OK — just don’t be diving to the bottom of the pool to retrieve them and …

Tascam is plunking out two more trainers to accompany its already released guitar trainer for would-be rock stars. The MP-VT1 and MP-BT1 are vocal and bass trainers (respectively) with 1 GB of memory each, 128 x 64 res screen and an input for your microphone or bass player.

As you sing or play along to the songs that you’ve already saved on the unit you can record and manipulate your own effects and embed your own signature style with the song itself. Think of it as “Guitar Hero” but the size of an MP3 player and you don’t have to hit the notes you see on the screen, or better, a serious kind of karaoke player for that singer/musician you know.

Prices and availability of the new Tascam trainers are yet to be revealed but if they follow along with the guitar trainer that came out last …

The Pure Evoke 1-S is a DAB digital radio that marries old school technology with the new. Its retro design gives it a look like it emerged from a portal straight from the mid 20th century, but the OLED display identifies it as modern all the way.

As one of the company’s third generation digital radios it comes with an auxiliary input for your iPod or MiniDisc player, USB upgradability, built-in FM reception for areas with reduced DAB coverage and Pure’s Intellitext and textSCAN features. There are also station presets, the display can be brightened, a kitchen timer feature and it uses minimal power consumption.

Pure also constructed the Evoke 1-S from materials from recycled and sustainable sources while you can select the wood casing to come in either cherry or maple veneer colors. While you can plug it into any wall socket …

As if there aren’t enough things we’re exposed to in our day-to-day lives that could potentially cause cancer, a recent study done by researches at Australia’s Queensland University of Technology suggest that some printers in the office place could be emitting particles that are small enough to be a health risk to workers near them.

In the study the researches found that of 62 printers studied, 17 of them they considered “high particle emitters” with one of them putting out tiny, potentially dangerous particles at the same rate as a burning cigarette. According to professor Lidia Morawska who authored the study, the particles being emitted from the printer are similar in size to those that come from cigarettes. The tiny particles are able to make their way to the smaller parts of the …

Logitech released the $99 G9 Laser Gaming mouse today as its latest addition to their G-series of gaming peripheral devices. The G9 has a number of features to improve both its usability and comfort for long gaming sessions with a dpi range from 200 to as high as 3200 and 1,000 reports per second through the wired USB connection.

For starters the G9 has interchangeable grips, one being a wider, softer grip for comfort and the other a smaller, “DryGrip” for precision movements with no fluff. To add to this customized size Logitech also lets you customize the weight to comply to the type of game your playing, your mousing surface and simply to get the best feel for you. In the bottom of the mouse is a spring loaded cartridge that allows up to 28 grams of additional varying weight, which can be changed …

Trends Audio, a consumer electronics brand out of Hong Kong, announced plans to begin selling a USB device which will act as a bridge between a computer and a home entertainment system. The new Trends UD-10.1 USB Audio Converter is priced at around $120.

The Trends UD-10.1 USB Audio Converter can link a Windows or Mac machine with coaxial, optical and standard AES/EBU(110 Ohm via XLR) and S/PDIF (75 Ohm via RCA or BNC). This permits a computer, said Trends Audio, to act as a high-end digital-playback device for passing digitally encoded signals into a receiver or signal pre-processor/pre-amplifier for high-end audiophile applications.

Keyspan said today it is now shipping a new USB server for connecting USB devices to networks. The Keyspan USB 2.0 Server is priced at $129 and is available through a variety of retailers.

The Keyspan USB 2.0 Server lets one access two USB 2.0 devices over a local network through an Ethernet connection. It also acts as an extender in that it lets a host PC make use of the USB device as long as both are connected to the network. The USB 2.0 Server is compatible with most USB devices such as printers and storage devices and also allows for bi-directional communication with printers.

Canon is looking to capture the attention of those wanting to record high definition footage on camcorders. It announced today the October release of the Canon HG10 AVCHD Hard Disk Drive Camcorder.

The HG10, priced at around $1,300, will let you capture up to 15 hours of HD footage. Its compact body houses a 10x video lens, 2.7-inch LCD display and HDMI port for connecting to a HDTV. You also get useful features like optical image stabilization, instant auto focus, 3.1-megapixel photos captured to a miniSD card and a quick start.

Otto, an audio products manufacturer based in Illinois, announced today a new digital headset for those who game. The Otto Digital Gaming Headset is priced at around $50 and available now.

The Otto Digital Gaming Headset incorporates some of the latest SRS technology to offer a better simulated surround sound experience while you blow things up. The attached flexible boom microphone makes use of noise-canceling and voice-recognition features so you can hear and respond to more clearly your online gaming buddies. It even sports large, soft ear cups for what Otto says is hours of comfort and sound isolation.