Smartfish Whirl Mini Notebook Laser Mouse review, now on sale for $50

Back when we first locked eyes with the Smartfish ErgoMotion Mouse at CES we knew there was something totally unique about it. No, it didn't have a touch strip or 18 buttons, but thanks to its "pivot system," it did tilt in every which-way. Created by a former chiropractor, the laser mouse tilts in all directions, but not with the aim of moving the cursor or controlling anything on screen as one would think. It wobbles for one reason and one reason only: to relieve arm tension and reduce the risk of Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI). Today the company's releasing a smaller, more mobile version of ErgoMotion, now called the Whirl Mini, for $49.95. So, is it what the doctor ordered? Or is it just another odd looking peripheral to add to the collection? We've been using it as our primary mouse for the last week, so you'll want to hit the break to find out.

ANYBOTS – Finally, a robot that will go to work for you

I’m still laughing… since I was a child I had dreams about the future, and how one day, I would be able to sit in my pajamas all day with the TV on and still be able to make the big bucks. I’m not exactly sure how this next product fits into that dream, but I’m having a darn good time imagining it.

The Anybot is a robot that becomes your eyes and ears, anywhere that you are not. It allows you to be a part of whatever’s happening, from wherever you are. Connected via the internet with a Wi-Fi connection, the Anybot utilizes a speaker, camera, microphone and video screen in order to bring your presence to the masses. You can broadcast live video of yourself, or just throw up a still picture for the coveted pajama days I spoke of earlier.

Sit back and imagine if you will, your Wednesday afternoon mandatory sales meeting, attended by your Anybot, while you relax in your local pub with a cold one and your laptop. Your Anybot allows you to interact with the entire office, gliding around quietly, effortlessly, chatting up your fellow employees in real time. Try to imagine the fun at the water cooler. Your Anybot will make sure your presence is felt throughout the entire facility.

It weighs about 35 pounds, plugs into your USB to charge, works with your current operating system and just about any compatible headset… no sick days, no missed fishing trips… or conversely, if you really want to relax a little, keep going to work and leave this at home to keep an eye on your kids.

Nielsen: 31 percent of kids want an iPad

Hey look, a chart with the iPad on top. Aren't statistics fun? And yet, this chart may not mean quite what you think it does. The Nielsen Company presented a cadre of individuals with a list of nice, shiny gadgets and let them cross off anything and everything they'd like to buy in the next six months, and 31 percent of kids 6-12 picked the iPad as one of them. That doesn't mean these youngsters wanted the iPad any more than a game console, mind you, it just means more of them picked the tablet than any other single game console on the list. Also, it turns out that the iPad was the only tablet PC available, so it could well ave served as a proxy vote for other slates -- Galaxy Tab, anyone? The survey results also don't factor in ownership, so if the Xbox 360's low on the buy list, it could be because respondents already have one... but we suppose this is the definitive proofwe've been searching for that e-readers are on the outs in the 12-and-under crowd. Jeff Bezos is crying over his evening oatmeal right now. After the break, see what the same chart looks like for teenagers and adults. (Hint: they aren't all that hot on handhelds.)

Continue reading Nielsen: 31 percent of kids want an iPad, other stuff

iPhone gets UberTwitter client, BlackBerrys have one less reason to exist

If the name UberTwitter sounds familiar, that'll be because it's one of the more popular mobile Twitter clients, accounting for 10 million tweets each day from BlackBerry users around the globe. And now it's also available on the iPhone. Citing the "growing dominance" of Apple's one-device-to-rule-them-all mobile platform, the UberTwitter crew has decided to expand its offering with a new open beta, which is available to download now. The major distinguishing feature being touted is something called UberView, which allows access to links within tweets without exiting the app or opening up a new window within it. Looks a pretty slick idea, but there are still some early issues to be ironed out -- as with all beta iterations -- and a final v1.0 should be ready to do battle with Twitter's official app by the middle of December.