The mount connects to either the windshield or the air conditioning vent in your car, and features a “sound amplified cradle” which apparently offers twice the volume of your iPhone speaker without draining the battery any more. It’ll stand in portrait or landscape mode, and costs $50.

[Kensington]

The purpose. To simulate that “Damn, I forgot to charge my iPhone last night” moment.

The method. Time the charge depletion so that the iPhone would power itself down at Sydney airport terminal. (For those who don’t already know, I’m from Adelaide, so Sydney is a long way from home.) Then connect the Kensington charger and monitor the results.

How it played out. Attaching the charger to the iPhone revived it, but it took about seven minutes before it was operational, as it won’t fully boot without a minimum charge level. It took a further 70 minutes for the charge to syphon from the Kensington charger to the iPhone. Once the Kensington was depleted, the iPhone registered a 70 per cent charge.

However, because it wasn’t a deep charge, it took only a few minutes of use (checking SMS and emails) before the charge level dropped to about 50 per cent. This charge level was recorded at about 11am. The phone was still working in the taxi on the way home from Adelaide airport at about 5pm, though I expect another hour’s use would have been available had I not played SimCity on the plane. During the day, only 3G was enabled. No Wi-Fi or Bluetooth.

Conclusion? Kensington’s Mini Battery Pack/Charger will get your iPhone back on its feet again, probably long enough to get you through the day and back to home base where you foolishly left your sync cable that otherwise could have juiced your iPhone from your laptop. If you had a laptop.

It bears mentioning there are a lot of variables at play with iPhones. My 3G iPhone is more than a year old (yes, that’s right, I was in line on 11/7/08) and its battery is not as efficient as it used to be. Combine this with differences in power consumption profiles between one iPhone and the next (Bluetooth on/off, fetch enabled/disabled, screen brightness setting, etc) and it’s safe to say that your mileage will vary.

Kensington would like you to think you could plug their charger into a fully-charged iPhone and leave it attached for play time of “up to 30 hours of music and 6 hours of video, 3 hours of talk”?. Yeah, well you could, and you might get those benefits, but I found having the charger hanging off the bottom of my iPhone pretty awkward. It was easy, with the wrong grip applied, to disconnect the charger from the iPhone’s socket, though this had a little to do with my Capdase hard case, which prevented a really snug coupling.

The battery can be attached to the iPhone while it charges from the same source but having the charger attached prevents iTunes syncing. A little inconvenient. LEDs on the front face of the charger indicate partial and depleted charge states. The charger comes with a retractable USB cable. With a $59.99 RRP, it rates as an affordable solution to being caught short of juice, and it gets the job done.

Just one more thing. If you’re going to use it as I did, as a recharging device as opposed to a supplementary power source, you’ll have to be sure to have the Kensington battery charged and packed for the ride. Which kind of brings us full circle to that “Damn, I forgot to charge my iPhone” moment.

They are two new Kesington Universal Notebook Docking Stations, both powered by the DisplayLink DL-195USB graphics processor. That means that your notebook graphic card would not be used. The DL-195USB will process all the graphics and send it to your monitor, so your build-in fancy GPU will sit idling and whistling.

The $US149.99 K33926US can connect to DVI or VGA monitors at that resolution, providing with Ethernet connectivity at the same time. The $US129.99 K33930US will do the same, sans the Ethernet. [Kensington ]

Play it products keep iPods, iPhones, MP3 players or mobile phones fully charged and links players to a car stereo, allowing users to enjoy music and talk safely while on the go. And the deal is now in place, so you can find all that Kensington goodness in a DSE store, like, right now.

The Play it range includes:
Kensington Wall & Car Charger for iPhone and iPod — car charger, wall adaptor and two power/sync cables, RRP $69.96.

Battery Pack and Charger for iPhone and iPod — provides a go-anywhere, backup battery pack extending playing time up to 100 hours of music and 21 hours of video for the iPod Nano and six hours of talk for the iPhone, RRP $99.94. (Keep an eye out for an upcoming Gizmodo hands-on with this device.)

Car Charger for iPhone and iPod — charges an iPod or iPhone from a car’s 12-volt power outlet and contains a built in safety fuse, RRP $24.96

Car Charger Deluxe for iPhone and iPod — with a flexible arm and cradle, the Car Charger Deluxe securely holds an iPod or iPhone and keeps it fully charged while allowing hands-free speakerphone conversations. The cradle rotates for vertical or horizontal viewing, RRP $59.96.

Windshield mount for iPod, iPhone and mobile devices — a universal mount designed to fit all cars and installs in seconds. It secures an iPod including the new nano, the iPhone or an MP3 player in place while driving. The flexible arm adjusts to hold the player firmly no matter how bumpy the roads, RRP $39.96.

Now, to the Question of the Day.
What’s with an RRP that ends with a 96 cents?

No, just joking…

It’s not clear whether using Kensington’s windshield mount would dissuade traffic authorities from booking you for using a mobile device while driving, even if said device is operating in GPS mode while docked in a hands-free cradle. From a recent email discussion group, Giz gets the impression that state police forces might interpret the use of an iPhone in a manner set down by their state jurisdiction, rather than adhering to any kind of uniform national policy. What’s your experience? Would your local constabulary book you for using an iPhone in Kensington’s windshield mount, or see it for what it really is: a GPS device, which most law enforcement personnel appear happy to accept as a legitimate driving aid? Let’s assume, for the sake of argument, that you would only be using your iPhone as a GPS, OK?

There are more than a few iPhone/iPod battery packs floating around these days, but Kensington’s gone and thrown one in with its new $US70 charging dock.

The err, adventurously named ‘Kensington Charging Dock with Mini Battery Pack’ comes with its own mini battery that charges next to your dock-compatible iPhone/iPod. Kensington claims it’ll provide an extra 30 hours of music or 6 hours of video on an 3rd generation iPod Nano, and an extra 3 hours of talk time on an iPhone.

Kinda cool, but enough to make you excited for yet another iPod dock?
[Kensington via Engadget]

When combined with the free Kensington Rise&Shine iPhone app—which shows the time and the weather—it converts your iPhone into a retro-looking bedside alarm clock. Maybe a little bit expensive at $US40, but it’s a great design. [Kensington via Rise&Shine AppGeeky Gadgets]

With all functionality now integrated into the ball, users can control all the many interface functions that support navigation, media control adjustments, document and photo browsing with the rotation of the ball. And the low profile stationary design with its ruby red ball sitting atop a sleek gunmetal grey base is visually striking, takes up minimal desk space, and enables a relaxed and comfortable user experience, without the need of a wrist pad.

Is the trackball poised for a comeback in an era of touchscreens? I can see how a trackball could make handling digital content easier than a standard mouse, but there is a $US130 barrier to entry when the device is released at the end of January.

Kensington Announces New SlimBlade(TM) TrackBall – Now “The Ball Does It All”
To Turn Savvy Digital Lifestyle Users Into “Smooth Operators”
smart made simple(TM) Breakthrough Design Provides One-Touch User Interface for Navigation, Media Controls and Document, Photos Browsing

Redwood Shores, Calif. – January 6, 2009 – Kensington Computer Products Group, a worldwide leader in delivering smart made simple computing accessories for the mobile consumer, today announced its SlimBlade Trackball for the Mac and PC that brings a whole new level of control, comfort and ease to today’s digital savvy users. Kensington’s breakthrough design combines hardware and software into one integrated interface for smooth operation allowing users, for the first time ever, to navigate and manipulate digital content through the ball itself. With all functionality now integrated into the ball, users can control all the many interface functions that support navigation, media control adjustments, document and photo browsing with the rotation of the ball. And the low profile stationary design with its ruby red ball sitting atop a sleek gunmetal grey base is visually striking, takes up minimal desk space, and enables a relaxed and comfortable user experience, without the need of a wrist pad.

The SlimBlade Trackball is the latest offering in Kensington’s award-winning SlimBlade collection of smart and sleek computer accessories. The unique heads up display user interface shows users – right on the computer screen itself – which mode or function is enabled. This first-ever melding of hardware and software means that a user’s hand never needs to leave the ball and their eyes never need to leave the computer screen. This revolutionary design allows users to focus on enjoying their digital content – not on the interface – and is especially valuable for providing instant feedback for immersive experiences. Navigation mode controls the cursor and scrolling; Media mode controls volume, play/pause, stop and next, while View mode zooms in/out and pans for accurate and efficient photo editing.

Recent CEA research shows that over 70% of the applications used in the home are centered on entertainment, music and media. Trackballs have long been used in the workplace, but as digitally-savvy families are taking advantage of the broad range of Internet-based sharing and entertainment capabilities and increasing the quantity of home computing activities, early Kensington research shows that the trackball is about to become the device of choice for personal use.

“Our Kensington SlimBlade Trackball is a true standout that should become a ‘must have’ for today’s digital lifestyle-savvy consumers,” said Juan Rodriguez, Senior Global Product Manager, Kensington. “We have been known for our trackball leadership for 25 years, so it is only natural that we would be the ones to accomplish this breakthrough user interface, where ‘now, the ball does it all’. And it fits perfectly into our award-winning smart made simple SlimBlade Collection. This product is going to set a new standard for the computer/user relationship from the moment it comes to market.”

The Kensington SlimBlade Trackball

SlimBlade Trackball (SKU K72327US) – Your computing experience just got smoother. With the Kensington SlimBlade Trackball, you’ll surf web pages faster, flow through your MP3 library more easily, and zoom in and out of your photographs efficiently with complete and seamless control at your fingertips. Suggested Retail Price: $129.99

Key Features Include:

• Expand your digital media experience – The multi-function ball lets you easily navigate through your music, pictures, and documents with Media or View mode while the heads-up display allows you to keep your eyes on the screen by showing which function is being performed
• Do it all without taking your hand off the ball- Gain fingertip access to image and media controls as well as control the cursor and scrolling; volume, play/pause, stop, and next; zoom in/out, and pan, all with the ball
• Comfortable for hours – The low-profile shape and sleek stationary design keeps users comfortable while eliminating the need for a wrist pad and saving desktop space
• Mac & PC compatible – Including Mac OS® 10.5X, Windows Vista® and Windows® XP

Designed for Use With:

• Web Browsers – Microsoft® Internet Explorer®, Mozilla® Firefox®, Apple® Safari®
• Graphics – Adobe® Photoshop®, Photoshop® Elements, Lightroom®, Apple® iPhoto®, Apple® Aperture(TM)
• Viewers – Adobe® Reader®, Apple® Preview
• Productivity – Microsoft® Excel®, Word®, Numbers, Pages

Product Availability
The Kensington SlimBlade Trackball is now available for pre-order at Amazon.com and Kensington.com and will be available at major retailers at the end of the month. For additional information on the new and existing line of Kensington products, please visit www.kensington.com.

Kensington® ShareCentral(TM) Brings Greater Convenience and Ease to
Home Computing Shared Tasks
Innovative Device Lets Families Share Projects among Computers
and USB Peripherals – With Just the Press of a Button

Redwood Shores, Calif. – June 16, 2008 – Kensington Computer Products Group, a worldwide leader in delivering smart made simple(TM) computing accessories for the mobile consumer, today announced ShareCentral, an innovative USB peripheral sharing device for the home that lets family members instantly and effortlessly share up to five USB peripheral devices between any two computers with an easy press of a button. ShareCentral brings the cords and cables of external devices into one small, attractive desktop or wall mounted unit, allowing people to share their choice of peripherals and content in one easy fingertip motion, with no network required.

Recent Kensington research conducted by Markettools showed that more than 40% of households have 3 – 4 computers in their home belonging to different family members. A full 70% of these households have a dedicated computing space equipped with a stationary computer, as well as a variety of peripherals, that are shared by the whole family. These multiple-computer families have a screaming need to be able to easily share access to the peripherals they use the most including printers (50%), scanners (30%) and external disks drives (22%) so they can turn work, homework, photos and music gathered on notebooks, flash drives and iPod music players into polished, finished work meant for sharing with others.

“ShareCentral is a great example of our smart made simple design philosophy,” said Frederic Frappereau, Global Product Marketing Manager at Kensington. “Everyone is mobile. Then they bring the day’s data, photos and music back to one shared, usually cramped, home computing centre which the entire family needs to access in those few hours between dinnertime and bedtime. Up until now, they spent that precious time switching out cords and cables to connect their computers to their peripherals. Now with ShareCentral, they can focus on sharing the content, to produce creative results of which they all can be proud.”

Key features include

• Share up to five different USB peripherals – Instantly share access to multiple USB peripherals between two computers at the press of a button. Users gain instant access to their USB peripherals by plugging one simple USB cable into their computers. LED lights on the product indicate which computer has access.
• Easy to set up, simple and straightforward – ShareCentral is easy to set up and easy to use with no network or software required. Plug-n-play right out of the box!
• No more cord clutter – ShareCentral eliminates cable mess by connecting device cables into a central desktop unit; also wall mountable.
• Easy printer sharing -Simply press a button to switch the USB printer from one computer to another. ShareCentral 2 and ShareCentral 5 Automatic Print Sharing will detect and automatically switch to the computer that is trying to print, conveniently eliminating the need for any buttons to be pressed (available for Windows® XP and Windows Vista®).
• Adaptable and personal – All USB ports are independently controlled by a button and assignable to either computer. Each button comes with interchangeable magnetic keycaps for personalization to user’s device and specifications.

The ShareCentral Collection

ShareCentral 5 (SKU K33901US) – No more plugging and unplugging computer devices. With Kensington ShareCentral 5, two computers can share a printer, hard drive, scanner–up to any five USB peripherals – and switch between them with the touch of a button. Suggested Retail Price $79.99

ShareCentral 2 (SKU K33900US) – With the Kensington ShareCentral 2, two computers can share a printer, hard drive, scanner–any two USB devices. Suggested Retail Price $59.99

ShareCentral 1 (SKU K33903US) – With the Kensington ShareCentral 1, two computers can share a printer or any USB device. Suggested Retail Price $39.99

The Kensington ShareCentral Collection is now available for pre-order at Amazon.com and Kensington.com and will be available at major retailers at the end of the month.

Kensington Announces Ultimate in Mouse Mobility and Flexibility for School, Work or Play
Two New smart made simple(TM) Wireless Designs Help Lighten the Load on Any Road

Redwood Shores, Calif. – June 16, 2008 – Kensington Computer Products Group, a worldwide leader in delivering smart made simple computing accessories for the mobile consumer, today announced two innovative new wireless mice that help simplify school and business travel whether across the campus or across the globe. The versatile SlimBlade(TM) Bluetooth® Presenter Mouse combines the power of two devices into one, while following the notebook’s sleep and wake modes so a user never has to turn it on or off again. The ultra-portable Ci95m Wireless Mouse with Nano Receiver offers instant connectivity, so it’s always ready to spring into action.

The SlimBlade Bluetooth Presenter Mouse gives students and mobile professionals a compelling reason to jump on the growing Bluetooth bandwagon. People know the Bluetooth technology primarily from their cellular phone experience. But now that more notebooks are equipped with Bluetooth capabilities, Kensington and its smart made simple design philosophy is helping users benefit from that. The sleek SlimBlade Bluetooth Presenter Mouse gives users all the advantage of a full-function laser mouse for the ultimate in precision, responsiveness and tracking ability while saving a precious USB port for other devices. It also saves school and travel bag space by doubling as a meeting or classroom presenter. A simple double-click easily toggles between the two functions.

The ultra-portable Ci95m Wireless Mouse with Nano Receiver offers “always on” instant connectivity that users can depend on for maximum working flexibility as they move around campus or around town. The ‘plug and stay’ nano receiver is so small that it can stay plugged in, so users never need to dig through their bags again, searching for their receiver. Its ultra-thin design, rubberized non-slip grip and 2.4 Ghz frequency make it a rugged and reliable travelling companion.

“Many people prefer using a mouse than a notebook touchpad,” said Bill Rathbone, Senior Global Product Manager, Kensington, “and our new mice make it easier than ever for them to enjoy the extra comfort whenever they are on the move. Our smart made simple designs provide control, comfort, and peace of mind. They’re optimised for the rigors of travel and are always ready to use. The great-looking Ci95 mouse offers the “plug and stay” convenience of a nano receiver at an affordable price. And we’re especially proud to offer a Bluetooth mouse and presenter in one. Bluetooth is increasingly popular in notebook computers but few input devices take advantage of it. We have entered this market with a highly flexible, dual purpose device and plan to add even more consumer choices as we go along.”

Key features of the Kensington SlimBlade Bluetooth Presenter Mouse

• Bluetooth connection frees up your USB port for other use – no receiver required
• Switches easily from mouse to presenter at the touch of a button, so you can give your presentations in style
• The ultimate in precision, responsiveness and tracking ability with the full-featured laser mouse
• Ultra-thin design fits great in your hand and slips easily into a pocket or travel bag
• Automatic sleep mode when your notebook sleeps – no need to ever turn it on or off

Key features of the Kensington Ci95m Wireless Mouse with Nano Receiver

• Plug-and-stay nano receiver is so small you plug it in once and leave it in
• Rugged, ultra-thin design withstands whatever the road dishes out, yet travels easily and fits great into your hand
• 2.4 Ghz wireless for reliable performance in any environment
• Rubberized exterior for a non-slip grip

Product Availability
The Kensington SlimBlade Bluetooth Presenter Mouse (SKU K72330US) at a suggested retail price of $59.99 and the Kensington Ci95m Wireless Mouse with Nano Receiver (SKU K72328US) at a suggested retail price of $39.99 are available at Amazon.com, Kensington.com and major retailers.
For additional information on the new and existing line of Kensington products, please visit www.kensington.com.