We’re used to Brando having a selection of – dare we say it – moderately rubbish USB peripherals and other novelty nonsense, but their latest PMP actually has us tempted. The 7-inch touchscreeen bmorn BM-888 apparently supports 720p video through a TV output, and can play back MPEG (AVI), RM, RMVB and FLV video files along with lossless audio and image files.
The gang over at Brando has a plethora of USB gear and other computer accessories that often verge on the insane. The company also offers a line of some very cool hard drive enclosures, docks, and stations and has announced its latest called the E-Blue Gladiator.
If you’re a Windows desktop user who has been jealously eyeing up the multitouch trackpads available on various Windows and Apple notebooks, or perhaps prefer to use your laptop with an external keyboard but miss the multi-finger functionality, then Brando’s latest product may be for you. Their USB Multi-Touch Smart Pad does exactly what it says on the tin: recognize all the usual multi-finger gestures such as pinch-zoom and rotate.
We’re used to Brando pumping out bizarre little MP3 players, slightly dubious USB hubs and other desktop ephemera, but could they be on to a winner with the Cube Multimedia Player Speaker? Janky name aside, the 84 x 84 x 88 mm box packs a 3.5-inch 320 x 240 LCD, stereo speakers, FM radio, video and audio playback and a voice recorder.
It seldom fails to impress me how quickly accessory manufacturers can knock together third-party gadgets for new devices, and Brando is certainly at the top of their game for flooding the market with “do I really need this?” trinkets. Their latest addition is a so-called “Flexible Mini Capsule Microphone” for the iPhone 3GS, intended to take advantage of the thousands of people now recording dreary YouTube videos on their new smartphone.
The last Brando product to grace these pages – their LCD Bluetooth Vibrating Bracelet – fell more than a little short of impressing us. Today it’s back to basics with a USB cable, but it’s actually a cable with a neat in-line difference: Brando have taken a standard USB to miniUSB cable and added an SD card reader.
Brando seem to think they’ve hit on the identity bracelet for the 21st century, in the shape of this LCD Bluetooth Vibrating Bracelet, which hooks up to your cellphone via the Headset or Hands-Free profiles and flags up any incoming calls on its bright blue screen and a buzz to your wrist. You can then choose to answer or reject them with the bracelet’s single button.
Brando have taken the tiny wraps off of their latest Bluetooth keyboard, and it’s definitely been created with portability rather than usability in mind. Measuring just 140 x 70 x 12mm, the Mini Bluetooth Keyboard has a 15m range and uses the Bluetooth 2.0 standard, happily connecting to a laptop, smartphone (with the right Bluetooth profile) or even your PS3.
I know how it is; Brando’s original Super Tiny Keyboard appeals, but your job watching owls means you need something visible in low-light conditions. Thankfully Brando have heard your hooting prayers and delivered this, the Wireless Illuminated Super Tiny Keyboard, just 170 x 81 x 15mm but now with some lovely blue backlighting.
Brando is known for their many computer gadgets and USB devices, but this one is especially cool. The USB Notebook Cooling Pad is not your ordinary USB-powered computer cooler. In fact, this one features a HDD Slot built right into it.
JP
