monitors

Monitors have something in common with keyboards--and no, Sparky, it's not just that they're both connected to your computer. Where design is concerned, both are often neglected stepchildren toiling in the shadow of their showy sibling, the the mouse.

BenQ, however, is one manufacturer that sees monitors as objects of beauty, and it partnered with Taiwan's National Palace Museum to prove it. Chip Chick, in fact, calls their new "Art Museum" line "the most beautifully designed monitors we've ever come across."

The 17-inch LCD screens, which have built-in speakers, are adorned with … Read more

With monitor prices plummeting in recent years, it's not uncommon to have a few sitting idly around the house. If you use a Mac, there's a new way to connect them all without breaking your budget.

Matrox has just released Apple-compatible versions of its DualHead2Go and TripleHead2Go devices, which can drive two or three monitors at the same time for desktops and laptops. Gizmag says the palm-sized boxes sell for $169 or $299 for the two- and three-screen models, respectively. That's a relatively inexpensive way to impress your friends when looking up stats at your Superbowl party … Read more

So you've just blown a month's salary on a plasma TV, and you're treating it like your first-born. Do you really want to pull out one of those janitorial-grade plastic bottles to keep it clean? Certainly not in front of company, we hope.

With that much money hanging on the wall, the least you can do is spend a few more bucks for a nicely designed cleaning solution like this one from AM Denmark, which comes in an "integrated spray container" made of acrylic and textile, according to Core77. For all its beautiful lines, however, … Read more

Finally, something we can use. We've been drawn to the idea of chair-mounted computers for some time, but the set-ups we've seen have been too fancy for our taste. (Translation: we're cheap).

The Easy Chair Mount isn't exactly chump change either ($285), but it does look sturdy enough to hold up in an earthquake, which is no small consideration when you're talking about 20 pounds of glass suspended over your lap. And you'll want maximum structural integrity if you opt for the dual-monitor version. Best of all, the manufacturer claims that this can be … Read more

You've got to wonder what DHS investigators think of stuff like this. After all, it's not as if there are an overwhelming number of practical consumer applications for an underwater monitor kit like this one, which we saw on Red Ferret.

Manufactured in China, the "full-set" kit apparently includes a 7-inch LCD, a five-hour battery and a diving camera with night-vision range of 9 to 15 feet. The equipment can all be conveniently stored in a metal carrying case that--we hope--would be subject to careful inspection near ports, bridges or any other appropriate locations.

How big will flat-panel computer screens get? The sky's the limit, if the likes of Samsung have anything to say about it. The Korean manufacturer just joined Dell, Apple and others in introducing a 30 -inch monitor. (Model CX305T, for those keeping score.) Akihabara News gives the granular details: "a 2,560-by-1,600 resolution, a 1000:1 ratio for contrast, a 400cd/m2 brightness, and a 6ms response time." But what we care about is the price--about $1,657, by our calculation. Which means we'll be content to squint at our 19-incher for the time being.… Read more

No, you're not seeing double. And no, it's not an image-loading bug. (Though that's always possible, until we work out the kinks in Crave's publishing system.)

These are really dual LCD monitors, joined at the hip by a shared pedestal. Soyo's GoVideo Dual LCD line comes in your choice of 17- or 19-inch screens respectively priced at $1,000 and $1,200, including built-in speakers, according to Electronista. They can also pivot 180 degrees away from each other (see bottom photo), allowing a face-to-face work style that reminds us of old-fashioned partners desks.

Why two … Read more

And no, that's not "Blu" as in "Blu-ray"--it's "BLU" as in LED BLU, for the "light-emitting diode backlight unit" that illumines Samsung's new 20-inch SyncMaster XL20 display. Claiming it covers 114 percent of the NTSC color gamut and 100 percent of the AdobeRGB gamut, Samsung takes on Eizo's $2,700 ColorEdge CG210 for a mere $1,999. If it works as advertised--specs include a 1000:1 contrast ratio and 8ms response time--it will be on every photo and video editor's wish list this holiday season. Okay, … Read more

Actually, you have to do your part, too. But the OV-Watch--FDA approved!--monitors the salts in a woman's sweat to predict the six days when she's most fertile. Now, isn't that romantic? (It would be more so, we think, if this watch came in any color that didn't scream, "Look! I'm trying to make a baby! And I love princesses!") Be prepared to shell out $100-plus for the watch and sensors to go with it.

(Via Babygadget, Photo: OV-Watch)