Mad Catz believes customers playing on mobile devices deserve a proper keyboard-- specifically the S.T.R.I.K.E.M., a Bluetooth LE number designed for use with portable devices, including Mad Catz's own M.O.J.O. micro console.

The keyboard features a portable design and NFC connectivity for quicker pairing with compatible devices. Powering all is a rechargeable lithium polymer battery.

The backlit keys include micro P.U.L.S.E. scissor keys (for "crisp actuation with a tactile click response"), an Optical Finger Navigation (OFN) mouse sensor with dedicated mouse buttons and dedicated media buttons complete with volume scroll wheel.

Customers can even store multiple macro commands via on board memory.

One can usually rely on Logitech for new iDevice accessories, and since the iPad Air is soon available the company reveals 4 protective and keyboard products designed to "perfectly complement" the thinner and lighter tablet.

The accessories in question are the FabricSkin Keyboard Folio, the Ultrathin Keyboard Cover, Ultrathin Keyboard Folio and Folio Protective Case.

All three keyboard products feature Bluetooth connectivity and "maximised" key sizes. The FabricSkin and Ultrathin keyboard folios are water-repellent, promise battery lives of up to 30 days (when used around 2 hours daily), feature a kickstand to prop iPads up.

The FabricSkin keyboard is similar to Microsoft's TouchCovers, with keys built into the fabric surface, while the Ultrathin folio is the more traditional, pressable option.

Octa proposes an interesting means to solve customers' tablet-holding woes-- the TabletTail: Monkey Kit, a suction cup at the end of a long, flexible tail allowing one to use tablets at any angle.

Compatible with all iPad models (as well as any number of other tablets and eReaders), the suction cup carries 5 pumps allowing it to hold devices firmly. It is also rotates 360-degrees for one's ideal viewing angle.

Kanex proposes a means of typing on all Apple devices, be it iPads, iPhones or Macs-- the Multi-Sync, a full-size keyboard customers can share with one USB and up to 3 Bluetooth devices.

Looking fairly similar to an Apple wireless keyboard, the Multi-Sync features keys (specifically F1-4) allowing one to easily switch between connected devices. It also replaces the Fn button with an iDevice Home button, and shifts the search key to below the right-hand shift.

Customers asking for more, ahem, "organic" accessories to go with their PCs might be interested in the Oreé Touch Slab, a Magic Trackpad-style touchpad made out of wood.

Made out of a single, hollow piece of "premium" wood filled with a capacitive sensor, the Touch Slab connects to Macs or Windows 7/8 PCs via Bluetooth. It provides a smooth surface and should be able to handle most (if not all) multitouch input gestures.

Qualcomm made an unexpected splash at IFA 2013 when it revealed the Toq-- a Galaxy Gear/SmartWatch 2 rival with an even slimmer display within a similar adjustable rubber wristband.

While ultimately similar to most other takes on the smartwatch format, Qualcomm claims the Toq has a couple of unique selling points. First is the display, an always-on Mirasol “interferometric modulator display” that supposedly “leverages the light around it so you can see your screen anywhere, even in bright sunlight."

According to the company the display sips so very little power it not only allows for "days" for battery life, it does not even need an on/off button.

Wacom combines touch-based gestures with stylus input and announces the Bamboo Pad-- a small, slim device handling both multitouch and pressure-sensitive stylus control.

"For people who would love to add a personal signature, a drawing or some handwritten comments to their documents, this new product offers the wonderful feel of a pressure-sensitive Wacom stylus," the company claims.

Available in wired (USB) and wireless options, the Bamboo Pad is compatible with both Mac and Windows PCs, ships Continue reading...

Samsung finally reveals its foray into smartwatch territory-- the company reveals the Galaxy Gear, as well as the 3rd iteration of the Galaxy Note phablet, at the Samsung Unpacked IFA 2013 event.

Looking like a chunky plastic wristwatch, the Galaxy Gear pairs with Samsung smartphones via Bluetooth 4.0 + BLE. It provides previews of incoming messages and emails, as well as "other valuable features and commands" (as Samsung puts it) such as pedometer, Find My Device (finds a lost phone from 1.5m away), compatibility with 70 Android apps (including Pocket, Evernote, RunKeeper and Runtastic), camera and, shockingly enough, a digital timepiece. Shocking.

Inside the Gear are a 1.63-inch 320x320 Super AMOLED display, 800MHz processor, 512MB RAM, 4G storage and a 315mAh battery promising "about a day" of use.

While the decision to use Bluetooth 4.0 allows for less drain on the battery, it also cripples the Gear-- the device is only compatible with the newly announced Galaxy Note 3 (more on that below) and the 2014 edition Galaxy Note 10.1 on launch. It will eventually pair with the Galaxy S4, Galaxy S III and Galaxy Note II, but only following an eventual software update.