It took a little while to get used to the Logitech T651 Trackpad for Mac but now I'm hooked.
The square shape (actually 5 by 51/4 inches) works like a laptop touchpad, except this one is Bluetooth-enabled. It can be connected with a laptop or desktop computer and used up to 30 feet away.An ergonomic design has it lying flat but angled toward your wrist.It has a glass surface where you use your fingers to scroll, click and zoom.The mechanics also allow for left and right click, which we are used to on a mouse, on the lower corners.A quick driver download added a Logitech Preference Manager in my system preferences to allow controls for speed, clicking options, zooming, battery level and more.It has a rechargeable battery, which is charged with the included micro USB cable.Logitech says a full charge is good for a month but the on/off switch lets it save power when not in use.www.Logitech.com $60Bluetooth speakerAnother entry in the crowded portable Bluetooth speaker market is the Switch from Native Union.The powerful speaker is shaped like a brick (7.75 by 2.75 by 2.7 inches) so it's not going to fit in any pockets, but the sound makes it worth carrying.Hooking it up is as simple as any other Bluetooth device -- just pair it and you're set. Your device should remember it even after turning both on and off.Past that, it's just rocking good sound with lots of bass from three divers and active subwoofer. It can be used on a flat surface in horizontal or vertical orientation.The speaker has controls for the pairing, power and volume.If you have it paired with a cellphone and a call comes in, the speaker automatically switches to call mode for a hands-free speaker phone.A USB-out port is built into the side to give you the option of charging your mobile device right from the speaker.It charges in four hours with the included USB cable for up for up to 14 hours of use.www.nativeUnion.com $149.99 in black, blue, gray, red and white.RechargingBoth of the previous items can benefit from the Ventev universal rapid chargers.We live in a portable power-hungry world, and these chargers will work at home, or in cars, airports or in the air. They are available to charge just about any device including Apple, Android, Galaxy, GPS, tablets, e-readers or anything else taking a USB connection.The Dashport Dual rapid charger is particularly handy with a pair of USB ports built into 12-volt car charger. It's also available with a single port.A Wallport AC is available with single or double ports for rapid charging.www.Ventev.com Prices range from $20 to $35 in blue, gray, green, orange, pink, red or white.Have more to add? News tip? Tell us
