At its Leipzig Games Convention press conference today, Sony unveiled a new wireless keypad peripheral that attaches to the top of your PlayStation 3 controller. It snaps into the mini-USB port and can be paired with phones and other gadgets through Bluetooth. The keypad also has a “touchpad mode” for mouse input. No word on pricing yet, but the device will apparently be released in 8 different languages in November.

I can remember back when Microsoft was a big name in gaming peripherals. Years ago, Microsoft was big in the gaming peripherals and had a slew of joysticks aimed at flight simulation and other PC game genres that were popular in the market. As companies are apt to do, when the SideWinder joysticks popularity started to wane the whole line was axed.

Not so long ago Microsoft pulled the SideWinder name from the trash bin and stuck it on a gaming mouse that was actually quite good. Today, Microsoft announced a couple more gaming goodies that will carry the SideWinder moniker. Some photos of the SideWinder X6 keyboard were leaked a couple months back, and were believed by many to be fakes.

Do as many people use scanners any more? I don’t. But if I did, a flatbed scanner would take up a lot of desk real estate. When you do need a scanner, chances are a sheet-fed version would do the trick.

That’s where this combo comes in handy. Hailed as “The World’s Only PC Keyboard With Built-In Color Scanner”, this usb keyboard incorporates a bi-directional 600dpi color scanner that’s capable of scanning a full page document in 14-15 seconds. 5 seconds in gray scale mode. It’s a tad expensive at $159, but you save some space in your work area and are really paying for convenience.

Logitech launched the diNovo Edge for Windows computers a long time ago, and it is one of the best keyboards ever from Logitech in the opinion of many users. I used one exclusively for a long time until I got tired of changing it out for my gaming keyboard every time I wanted to play a video game.

Mac users are being embraced by Logitech with a new version of the diNovo Edge designed specifically for the Mac. The keyboard is called the Logitech diNovo Edge Mac Edition and it is the first diNovo keyboard designed specifically for the Mac. The Mac edition of the Edge has all the features the original Edge offered including semi-translucent Plexiglas on the frame, orange backlighting, and a very thin 0.5-inch profile.

The Luxeed multi-color LED keyboard is pretty awesome looking, but it’s been impossible to get outside Korea until now. Thanks to the folks over at ThinkGeek, you can bring one home. The keyboard is powered by 430 individual colored LEDs, which can all be sequenced using the included Windows software.

You can make any of your own colorful keyboard creations and it’s available in a black or white for $199.99 each. If you want a numeric keypad, it will cost an additional $34.99 to get one with no LEDs. It’s not the Optimus Maximus, but should make typing fun again. Check out a video below.

The way I see it, if sweaty palms are a problem for you, you can either keep a rosin bag next to your keyboard like Baseball pitchers use or you can get yourself a keyboard with air vents. Thanko has just such a keyboard, so stop being nervous and sweating through your hands already.

The Thanko Cooler USB keyboard works just like those bowling lane machines, with air vents to keep your hands dry. The built-in fan has a switch so you can turn it off whenever you don’t need it. Not sure how loud it is, but it will cost you $62.

Samuel Lau took both devices, put on some Barry White, uncorked the champagne, then tucked them in bed together and closed the door. The result is a somewhat sexy sliding screen incarnation with a QWERTY keyboard underneath.

Unfortunately this baby is just a concept. Still pretty sweet. It’s a concept that comes with a 3.2 megapixel camera in back, a webcam in front, motion sensors, touch screen display, even geo-tracking so you can stalk other PSP owners. I wish this existed.

The folks behind the Optimus keyboard never sleep do they? This time around it’s the Optimus Pultius with just 15 keys. It’s designed to be a peripheral that enhances your keyboard setup rather then a keyboard all by itself.

The Pultius will have tiny OLEDs on each key which will depict small logos to go with the key function and an extra usb port on back. It’s slated to be released at the end of this year or early 2009. No word on pricing yet.

I don’t know many people who surf the web using their Wii, but if that’s your idea of fun then Logitech has a brand spanking new keyboard to go along with your frustration. It broadcasts using 2.4 GHz wireless technology and will work from 30 feet away.

It’s not just a plain old wireless keyboard either. It was designed with the Wii in mind and so comes with dedicated buttons for things like Zoom In/Out, Forward/Back, Quit and OK. No word on a release date, but it will cost you $50 when it arrives. That’s a bit more expensive then the Logic 3, which is only available in the uk currently.

Think you know your way around the keyboard keys blindfolded? Want to look cool to those around you? Why not type away on a keyboard that’s completely blank, with no numbers or letters. Your co-workers will marvel at your skills.

The Das Ultimate Keyboard is designed to be one of the fastest keyboards available with honest to god German-engineered gold-plated mechanical switches, but if you need to look while typing, you won’t be breaking any speed records. The Das Ultimate keyboard normally retails for $129, but if you pre-order now you can grab one for just $99.

Buffalo introduced their new BSKBW01SB solar powered wireless keyboard. It features a small and adjustable solar panel just above the number pad so you can better capture the sun’s sweet nectar. Maybe there’s only one tiny ray hitting your cubicle, if you get the right angle, you have power baby!

It also runs on batteries just in case you live in Alaska. It’s got 17 hot keys, does it’s thing in the 2.4 Ghz frequency and will give you a range of 10 meters. The keyboard will go on sale in Japan by mid July at a price of $135. You may be saving power, but not money.

It’s not all about running around in Zelda land collecting hearts and rupees. Sometimes you want to take a break and send a message to your buddy. Probably telling him all about that Princess Peach upskirt you found when freezing Super Smash Bros.

Thanks to Logic 3’s 32-key wireless keyboard, you can do just that. Enter in names, messages, Wii Friend Codes etc. Then get back to prancing around Hyrule like a fairy. It’s $27 and will be released July 18 in the UK.

Apparently there is a super secret prototype in the halls of Apple. A prototype of an iPhone with a slide-out keyboard. The idea would be to focus on the BlackBerry market, which is actually pretty smart. According to the Register:

And he has taken this beyond just chatting: actual prototypes - not just mockups - have been sent to senior executives at some operators. I’m not allowed to even hint which operators… but I can report that the keyboard has “issues” which are not yet resolved.

Razer is a name synonymous with gaming peripherals like keyboards and mice to many gamers. I have long used Razer gaming gear and work routinely on my Razer Lycosa keyboard and really like Razer mice as well like the Lachesis.

Today Razer has announced a first—a gaming keyboard that isn’t being offered to gamers in America. The Razer Aurantia is designed and sold exclusively for gamers in china. Razer described the keyboard as a portable device. It has 104 keys, can record macros and store profiles for ten games on-board.

Some days, there’s only so much you can type without going insane. Well, here’s something that should help with your keyboard fatigue. It’s something between an email and a phone call.

The Email Voice Sender will instantly send recorded voice messages to recipients through email and you don’t have to type a thing. Just install the software on your computer and you’re ready to go. It sells for $39.98.