The Zone

Nvidia finally rounds up its 200 series with the GT 240. We were fortunate enough to get our hands on one of the higher end GT 240 cards out there and got a pretty good score off of 3DMark06. For more info and testing check it out in our latest issue of HWM.

Microsoft Hardware recently held a Spicy launch for some new stuff. While Bluetrack mice have been on the market for quite some time, Microsoft Hardware are now launching more affordable Bluetrack mice targeted at the consumer market. Other stuff launched includes a Bluetooth ultra-thin keyboard and numeric keypad combo as well as a 720p webcam that works great in low-light conditions (notebook screen light only). For a full report on the event and the products released check it out in our latest issue of HWM.

Taking out the bulk from microscopes and allowing doctors in rural areas to quickly and correctly identify life-threatening diseases such as tuberculosis, or malaria and even dengue, an engineer has created and adapted a cellphone to substitute. Even more impressive is the fact that he has used only USD10 worth of off the shelf-hardware. Dr. Aydogan Ozcan, an assistant professor of electrical engineering has created the devices, founding a company called Microskia to commercialize the technology. More in-depth information here

After someone else's rather feeble attempt at blue laser mice that they said could track on glass, we were pleasantly surprised by Logitech's new Darkfield line of high-performance mice. The Darkfield mice utilize a new dual laser technology that allows it to track on thick glass and other reflective surfaces with ease. For those who still don't know about Logitech's Unifying Micro USB receiver check out the teeny tiny USB receiver in the picture. Check out the full report in our latest issue of HWM (December 2009).