The Fanatec Headshot Controller calls itself the ultimate weapon for PC gaming. Integrated with innovative gaming components and the accuracy/ precision of a mouse, this may well be the ultimate mouse on the market too.

The Mercedes of the gaming peripheral world, this mouse runs on high speed USB 2.0, has a hi-grade precision laser sensor, up to 4000 dpi resolution (which can be switched during game play), ergonomic size adjustment (allowing any hand to fit comfortably), 6 buttons with a 5 way scroll wheel, plasmaGylde mouse feet and a non-slip high injection mold rubber grip.

Compatible with all games, it includes universal mouse programming and 8 macros for execution of different actions during a game. It even has the ability to do precise recording of mouse movements.

The mouse comes with its own base, where it plugs into. The base then plugs into your computer. Gamers will love that both the mouse and base illuminates with red, green and blue florescence.

For the average user, this would seem like overkill in an office or non-gaming environment but if you do, you’ll be utilizing a top of the line peripheral. With all the bells and whistles, I am not sure why they didn’t make it a wireless mouse instead. Costing $99, you can trust the Germans to come up with a fine tuned product like that. Germaneering at its best in the gaming world… as if making great cars isn’t enough.

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Not everyone wants to be associated with the Apple iPhone, Verizon has turned down a deal to be the exclusive distributor of iPhone. But Verizon may be doing that for the right reasons.

Among other things, Apple wanted a percentage of the monthly cellphone fees, say over how and where iPhones could be sold and control of the relationship with iPhone customers, said Jim Gerace, a Verizon Wireless vice president. “We said no. We have nothing bad to say about the Apple iPhone. We just couldn’t reach a deal that was mutually beneficial.”

Apple now has no other choice but to work with Cingular (now AT & T). There are no financial terms made known to the press but reliable sources have said that it is a 5-year, USA-only exclusivity contract. That leaves Apple a free hand to market iPhone to the rest of the world. Whether or not Apple will try to push the same conditions as proposed to Verizon remains to be seen. But I guess Apple will make it a condition that the terms of the negotiation will not be made public for fear it would embarrass Apple the second time should any carrier decided not to dance along with Apple. With all those ridiculous terms and conditions imposed by Steve Jobs, who in the right mind would?

Read [USA Today]

Payloadz is a service that allows you to sell those things that are a little hard to sell since they are intangible. We’re talking about downloads: software, digital art, audio, anything that you’re going to transfer over the net.

What they take care of is the hosting of the files, so when a customer makes the purchase, through either PayPal or Google Checkout, they take care of the transfers. So all you need to do is set up shop with your products and not worry about anything else.

The FREE package includes 50MB storage and a $100 transaction limit. So you can only sell $100 worth of ’stock’. From there we’re looking at monthly fees that range from $15 to $2,500 p/m.

However, Payloadz can alternatively take a cut, allowing you unlimited sales, 1GB of storage and no monthly fees. This is a great option for those of us who don’t want that initial investment and only want to spend cash when we’re getting some back from sales.

The cut, however, is 15%. Sound steep? Paypal and Google take around 2% for sales through their services, but leave you to take care of your customers.

Payloadz unburdens you of that responsibility. This means whether you want to take the Payloadz HTML and paste it into your site and emails, or just use their own store [where products are tagged and categorized] then that’s all you have to do - no hosting or transferring of your product.

The service is simple, usable and most of all, easy.

Product [Payloadz]

It seems that I have been reviewing a lot of Social Networking sites lately. This one has really taken my fancy. It is called Searchles, a combination of social bookmarking and networking technology with social search capability.

Signing up is free and you’ll get your own bookmark site that you can share, find various topical groups to suit your liking (or create one) and find friends with the same interests too.

Saving the Searchles link as a bookmark on your browser toolbar allows you to save bookmarks with ease and refer back to them later. It has great personalizing and filtering features to include tags and keywords, i.e. you are able to search just about anything with ease. I would go as far as to say that Searchles gives me all the capability of Del.icio.us with the chance to grow my network base and look for relevant articles that others have favored too.

In addition to their great looking user based search platform, they have an easily installed widget (for your blog/ website). This ensures that the visitors who are reading your article do not leave but allow them to interact further on your site by starting discussions, bookmarking the article within their own Searchles account and share/ email it to friends. Another big advantage of this widget lies in the way the comments and tags are pushed back to the Searchles engine automatically, shared with others and in turn helping your site reach a wider audience.

There is intriguing factor about Searchles that differentiates it from the rest out there. I love its simple usability and customizable features that are within easy reach and seem to be in the right place. This creates a feeling that I am in control of my search experience with smooth flowing efficiency.

One of its tag line is “It’s contagious!” I couldn’t agree more.

Site [Searchles]

Manufactured by Autonomous Solutions Inc., Chaos is a mobile robot that allows a user to haul gear, dispose of explosives, carry out surveillance, search and rescue and other dangerous tasks.

Designed with 4 configurable and independently controlled tracks, it’s a robot platform like no other i.e. it can handle stairs, train tracks, rubble, gravel, steep gradients and other difficult terrains.

Weighing a mere 150 pounds (with its robotic manipulator) with a 27″ x 53″ x 8″ dimensional size, it has an onboard video/ camera, 802.11 wireless ethernet, GPS navigational sensors and two way audio hook ups. Modularly designed, all its components (tracks, arms, drive modules, electronics module, battery, and chassis) are held together by velcros and straps for easy replacement.

The video below shows the Chaos hauling a H2 Hummer and 2 of the designers, which works out to be about 2200 lbs or so. Pretty impressive for a robotic machine of that nature. Thanks to them, governmental and private agencies can carry out dangerous tasks with more ease.

Site [Autonomous Solutions]