accessories

Just a few days after releasing the PlayStation Vita in Japan, Sony is now focused on the U.S. debut of the system, disclosing the entire launch and launch window lineup.

According to a post on Sony's PlayStation.Blog, games will range in price from $9.99 to $49.99, and all be available on the PlayStation Store as well. An impressive 25 games will launch side-by-side with the system on February 22, 2012. Gamers can get started shopping a week earlier on February 15 when Sony first-party games and accessories will go on sale, including the complete First Edition Bundle.

While I still think the Vita should come with a small-capacity Vita memory card, give Sony a lot of credit for putting together such an impressive and diverse collection of software for launch. There's something for everyone on this list and also what I think are at least three must-buy titles. It's a night-and-day comparison to what Nintendo offered earlier in the year with the 3DS.

I'm also happy to see that Sony is going to debut the all-but-necessary proprietary format Vita memory card at a lower-than-expected price, starting at $20 for 4GB. Sony also announced that inside each Vita box will be six AR play cards (sound familiar?) and a voucher for more AR mini-games from the PlayStation Network.

Read on for the entire launch and launch-window list and accessory dates and prices.… Read more

While our various gift guides and roundups have provided plenty of really great holiday ideas, there are always a few worthy products that get left out.

During the past few weeks, Scott and I have frequently found ourselves at each other's desks, eyeballing cool accessories for laptops and other mobile products that we never got around to reviewing, but nevertheless deserve a nod.

These include portable laptop desks, wireless video connections, and even a few bags and cases, and prices run from a few bucks to a few hundred.

Check out our odds-and-ends collection in the gallery below, and if you have a great gadget stocking-stuffer idea, let us know in the comments section. … Read more

The iMainGo XP delivers big sound on the go for your iPad. With a clever design and relatively easy setup, the iMainGo XP is a great accessory for enjoying entertainment on vacations, picnics in the park, or even adding sound to portable business presentations.

The good

Using Portable Sound Laboratory's sx149 digital music amplifier and four 38mm titanium-coned neodymium high-output speakers pumping out 10 total channel watts, the iMainGo XP's sound is perhaps surprisingly big and vibrant. It is easy to fill any space in the house, your hotel room, or a good radius at the park.

The … Read more

Stumped by gifts for your photographically inclined BFF or just looking for some inexpensive ways to add to your own creative kit? Here are a few suggestions.

One of my veteran accessory suggestions is one or more Lensbaby adapters and add-on lenses; Lensbabies allow you to create some special effects or play with depth-of-field in a way that's more fun and satisfying for photographers than slapping on a post-processing filter. A new addition to this year's recommended list us Holga's Digital Lens kit, which lets generate Holga's trademark … Read more

Pico projectors and even smartphones with integrated projectors already exist, but researchers at the University of Duisburg-Essen in Germany are looking to take the technology one step further with a phone that allows you to interact with callers in a whole new way.

Designers at the university's Mobile Human Computer Action group have come up with a concept that marries a pico projector with a smartphone to beam a user's home screen, as well as that of their caller, onto a wall or desk for easy collaboration.

The idea is that once a call has been initiated and the other party accepts your share request, you can then work on projects together or exchange content using an interactive side-by-side display of both smartphone screens. For example, you can swap photos with one another simply by dragging files from one screen to the next. To help keep tabs on who owns what, each person's content is highlighted in a different color. … Read more

The ability to shoot video and conduct video chats on your smartphone is pretty great, but trying to film yourself or holding the phone steady while on a video call isn't so easy. That is, until now.

Belmont, Calif.-based company Satarii will soon be launching an accessory called the Swivl that allows you to mount your smartphone or point-and-shoot camera to a motorized stand and have it track your every movement so you can shoot video and chat hands-free.

The product consists of two pieces: the aforementioned motorized mount and a small marker that you can clip to your body or any other object that you want to capture on film. Using sensors embedded in the base of the stand and on the wearable accessory, the mount will then follow the movements of the marker, as your phone or camera records all the action. In addition to swiveling left and right, the mount can tilt your device up or down. … Read more

So your shiny new iPhone 4S finally arrived. Now it's time to outfit it with some killer accessories.

I'm talking about a Bluetooth headset designed for runners and cyclists, a backup battery that'll keep you talking and texting until you can get back to the charger, a custom case adorned with a photo of your loved one(s), and a lot more.

Oh, and there's no need to feel jealous, iPhone 4 owners: most of these accessories are compatible with your model, too. (In fact, many of them will work with earlier iPhones as well.)

There certainly has not been a shortage of gaming headsets by way of third-party manufacturers in the past few years. We've seen impressive entries in the market from brands like Turtle Beach, Astro, and Logitech, all of which perform well, but are priced as high as $250. … Read more

I'm not a big fan of camera straps. I have one I use regularly, but in general I don't like having my camera dangling around my neck. That's what makes the Spider Black Widow holster an appealing alternative.

The basic Black Widow includes the holster and one pin. The pin screws into your camera's tripod mount and the holster threads onto your belt. Slide the head of the pin into the holster's slot until you hear a click and your camera is secured.

The Black Widow holster when used with your own belt is designed for cameras up to 2 pounds. From 2 to 4 pounds, Spider recommends using its $15.99 belt that can be combined with an $8.99 belt pad. If your gear weighs more than that, you'll want to step up to Spider Holster's Pro system. I tested the Black Widow holster on my regular leather belt with a Nikon D7000 and its kit lens as well as a few full-size megazooms and I never felt uncomfortable from the weight. … Read more