A new app called Ovation aims to help productions both live and online figure out what their audience thinks. It requires no downloads, and no sign-ups on the user’s part and it’s totally free right now. The app is pretty simple is straight forward.

You just create a URL for your event. Then give your audience that URL, which they load on their smartphone. Audience members then use the on-screen slider to provide feedback. Either slide the bar up or down, because either it is good or bad. It works across a bunch of smartphones and mobile devices. So go ahead and tell these people what you think about their show.

See that? This isn’t some fancy new peripheral for a game of XBox 360 Horseshoes. It’s a new Wireless Speed Wheel for $60. It will arrive in October. It’s not a full wheel, but at least it has extra green lights and directional and action buttons.

There’s also a rumble pack inside for force feedback and a pair of trigger buttons on the underside for your gas and brakes. What do you think?

Nyko has unveiled some new gaming gear. Zoom for Kinect is a pair of clip-on glasses that lets you get 40 percent closer to the sensor bar with no loss of function. Then there’s Nyko’s Play Clock, a charging dock for Nintendo’s 3DS that also functions as an alarm clock.

Nyko also introduced a trio of new extended battery packs for the 3DS. There’s the Shock n’ Rock that brings three times the juice, “added vibration feedback,” and four speakers. The Power Grip is an ergonomic external battery that also triples the 3DS’ battery life. The Game Boost battery snaps on for an extra hour or two of life. Prices and availability remain unknown for now.

Some gamers have been complaining about headaches and eyestrain when playing the new 3DS console. It seems like it is only a few users right now who are having trouble playing games on the console comfortably. But Nintendo’s UK PR head Rob Saunders says that the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive and that a risk of discomfort comes with the territory when you are talking 3D content.

Like with any activity that is strenuous on the eyes, he advises that people take breaks. Maybe they could use that break time to go outside and enjoy some nature. Watch a butterfly glide on the breeze, if you know what such a creature is. Feel the warm sun on your pale gamer skin. Whatever. Just don’t stare at a tiny screen all day and you should be fine.

If you desire a charging pad for your LG phone, then check out the LG Wireless Charging Pad LG WCP-700. This wireless charger will allow you to charge your LG phone like magic. Just place it on the charging pad and charging will commence.

It may seem like magic, but this device uses something more down to Earth. It uses inductive charging technology. You can be sure that your phone is charging thanks to visual, audio and tactile feedback which will tell you when it is placed properly and display the charging status. You can expect the LG WCP-700 to arrive in April for $69.99.

Do you have a spare Mini Cooper in your garage? If so, maybe you can make an awesome gaming chair out of it like Designer David Gawthorpe did with this halfcut of a Mini Cooper. It took two-years to do, but he stuck with it and the end result is pretty stunning.

It opens up to reveal a force feedback chair, speakers, a racing wheel, and pedals for all your racing games. There’s also a mini fridge, strobe lights and even a smoke machine. Beneath the seat there is an Xbox 360 console. It will cost you $12,883 (£8000) and it is in London.

Apple has already tested the waters of social networking via its Ping music-sharing service and now the company has filed for a patent that details a social networking tool for brick-and-mortar shopping. It allows iPhone owners to share comments, opinions and recommendations about any product. The store would allow customers to access a product list from their phone, which can then be shared through the social network, where you can do things like ask friends for approval or rejection of the item, or get feedback.

The patent also lets users create a community discussion, communicate and share easily with friends, without them having to be physically present.

A PC gamepad built into the bottom of a mouse? You bet. And it looks pretty decent too. It’s called the Shogun Bros. Chameleon X-1. There’s no price or shipping date just yet however. Specs include a 5-stage adjustable 1600dpi optical sensor with 125Hz polling rate that connects to your Windows PC over a USB dongle with 2.4GHz wireless.

It sports 14 buttons on the bottom, 7 on the top, and even has force feedback as well. Hopefully this device is really as good as it looks.

Google has announced an unbranded Google Cr-48 laptop. The name comes from the symbol for the chromium isotope on the periodic table. The device will be distributed through a Chrome OS Pilot Program, which is in public beta.

Google is hoping that early users will provide valuable feedback, but there isn’t a purchase option right now. Retail units from Acer and Samsung will be available in 2011. The Cr-48 will feature a 12.1-inch display, a full keyboard over a capacious trackpad, world …

A new patent from Microsoft has been spotted and it could lead to touchscreens that could change shape to create keyboards and other tactile objects where none exist. It is called a technique for a “light-induced shape-memory polymer display screen”.

It can send ultraviolet light to a plastic layer above each pixel, changing its topography. Varying UV wavelengths would serve to make different parts hard or soft, creating bumps and ridges that could feel like a real surface with actual keys. This design could be used with projectors, though it might not be limited to projectors.

Good news PS3 owners, PlayStation Rewards will launch tomorrow through an invitation-only beta to all eligible PlayStation Plus and Gamer Advisory Panel (GAP) members. This beta will collect feedback from the most loyal PS3 fans, making sure that the end result will be the “best possible rewards program it can be”.

The beta phase might include PSP users sometime later. For now just PS3 users. PlayStation Rewards will be free. The more you play and participate, the more progress you’ll make on the three reward tiers which are “Select,” “Pro,” and “Legendary.”

If you like the added control you get with the Wii when you are playing a game that uses MotionPlus, but hate that the accessory for MotionPlus adds extra length and weight to the Nintendo controller, then check this out.

Sure, Nintendo is integrating MotionPlus into controllers now, but maybe you prefer third-party controllers. Well, this one is from Sunflex and is called the Snakebyte Premium Remote XL+ Controller for Wii with MotionPlus. The controller comes in white or black and features a speaker, vibration feedback, and integrated memory to save settings.

XtremeMac has all manner of accessories and cases for Apple gear like the iPad, iPhone, and iPod. Over the last few months, the company has been rolling out a lot of new audio docks that have some interesting features. The latest new dock from XtremeMac is the Tango TRX and the Tango TRX D.

Both of the versions have the same basic features. The both have a dock built into the main section of the device that charges while music plays. Both have Bluetooth and use 2.1 speakers inside. The speakers include a pair of tweeter, a pair of mid-range drivers, and a single downward firing subwoofer.

Product packaging is often ridiculous. We all know this. That’s why Amazon introduced Frustration free packaging two years ago. Sadly, only 600 of the millions of products available on Amazon.com have been modified to reflect the simpler packaging needs of online customers.

Why is this? We know that customers love it. When manufacturers switch to more streamlined wrappers their products get a 73% reduction in negative feedback. Amazon is trying to take this message directly to product manufacturers. For instance, Philips recently saw success with downsized packaging for its Essence toothbrush and plans to “expand frustration-free packaging options with Amazon.”

Stealth has released the KXBX-400 series keyboard which incorporates a built in trackball mouse that environmentally lives up to NEMA 4, 4X, IP65 specifications and has a resolution of 800dpi.

There’s also a vandal-resistant enclosure that makes it resistant to harsh, wet and dry environments, 71 full travel keys with silent tactile feedback, NVIS-compliant red adjustable backlighting, 10 million actuations expected lifespan and a 5.75’ USB cable. It should last you quite a while.