Kensington's New Lines Accessorize Netbooks

By Lisa Johnston On Sep 28 2009 - 6:00am

Kensington introduced a slew of new computer accessories last week, many of which cater to the expanding netbook market.

Kensington's Nica Graziotto, senior global product manager, showed off the company's new wares at the TWICE offices the day they were announced. The new products include an all-in-one travel battery pack, two car chargers, a four-piece car kit, a video-chat light, a four-port USB mobile hub and two netbook mice, among others.

A dozen products, part of the company's Pro Fit and Connect It collections, were also introduced, including a wireless mouse, two wired mice, along with two universal docking stations, two ergonomic keyboards, a wireless presenter, an ambidextrous trackball, and a multi-display adapter offering “future proof” change management solutions meant to save IT buyers from upgrading.

Kensington also said it had partnered with Navigon, a manufacturer of navigation systems, for an iPhone car mount ($39.99). The windshield/vent car mount can amplify an iPhone's sound so it's twice as loud, Graziotto said, acoustically increasing speaker volume without additional battery drain to the iPhone. Graziotto said there would probably be something on the packaging directing consumers to the Navigon iPhone app.

For netbook users, Kensinton added a video-chat light ($14.99) that can plug into a USB port, and a mobile hub for netbooks ($14.99) that adds four additional ports. The wireless mouse for netbooks ($24.99) features a nano receiver and built-in scroll wheel, while the wired mouse for netbooks ($14.99) has a built-in scroll wheel and 2-foot USB cable.

For laptop and PC users, Kensington introduced three Pro Fit mice, a wired full-size mouse ($19.99), a retractable Mobile mouse (also $19.99) and a wireless full-size mouse ($29.99). The wired mouse features optical cursor tracking for precision and USB/PS2 connection. The retractable Mobile mouse instantly retracts its cord for travel, while the wireless full-size mouse has 2.4GHz wireless technology.

Also among the plethora of new products rolled out for desktop computers is a washable keyboard. The Pro Fit USB/PS2 keyboard ($39.99) can reportedly be run under water to remove germs. It features built-in antimicrobial material that's said to prevent the growth of mold, mildew and fungi.

The company also introduced a universal multi-display adapter ($79.99). Users can connect up to six adapters to a computer directly or through a USB hub to add up to six additional monitors, Kensington said, and it supports DVI or VGA video output with resolution up to 2,048 by 1,152 pixels. Widescreen displays up to 2,048 by 1,152 and standard displays up to 1,600 by 1,200 are also supported.