Microsoft’s new Sidewinder keyboard, the verdict…insanely awesome. Microsoft’s gaming products have been making a debut as of lately, most notibly with their new Sidewinder X6 keyboard and Sidewinder X5 gaming mouse. Microsoft isn’t exactly known for their gaming products, but it would seem that they’ve done their homework this time around.

The Ultimate Control

The new Sidewinder X6 is fully stocked.  With a backlit keyboard and a detachable number pad that can be programmed for up to 90 Macro’s, the X6 is always up to the task.  As you can see from the pictures, the final products looks awesome. Especially those volume & light controls, which set it apart from your average gaming keyboard. Microsoft said that they didn’t want people having two keyboards on their desks, just one for gaming and another for working.  The X6 is great for both of these tasks.

Precision At Your Finger Tips

The X5 may not have an LCD or adjustable weights, but it does an awesome job for gaming.  With a 2,000 DPI laser, five customizable buttons, and a Quick-Launch button for quickly opening your favourite applications, the X5 is easily one of the most capable mice on the market.  Microsoft is definitely taking a fresh attempt at gaming products, and their work is much appreciated.

Final Words

The SideWinder X6 Keyboard and SideWinder X5 Mouse are set to be released in Septermber 2008 (For the holiday season). Estimated retail is $79.95 (U.S.) and $59.95 (U.S), repsectively.

Need to sync your iPhone & iPod Touch with your Google Calendar? Now you can with NeuvaSync - it’s a new free service which currently in beta. You might be saying, oh - MobileMe can do this like fun. Not all of us have the disposable income to purchase MobileMe so this is a great alternative - after all, it’s free! So it can’t be bad.

This service uses a Microsoft Exchange account on your iPhone, and limitations of the iPhone is that you can only use one MExchange account at a time - so sorry for you hopeful business people with Exchanges.

Sign Up

First of all, we need to sign up for a Nuevasync account, and set up the link between your account and your Google calendar account.

After you’ve signed up and activated, you need to click set-up next to calendar, then select Google - then enter the Google id (email) that you have Google Calendar set up with. After this it will take you to Google and ask if you want allow Nuevasync into your calendar, accept, and your done with this side of things.

iPhone Setup

Now its time to set it up on your iPhone & Touch.

So go ahead, into settings > mail, contacts, calendars > add account >  Microsoft Exchange

Email: The one you used to set-up with Nuevasync, so enter it in there.

Username: Is the one you used on Nuevasync also

Password: Is the one you used on Nuevasync also.

Now, tap next and it’ll try to validate it. Now, because we aren’t technically using a exchange the email address that we’ve supplied will fail, so it’ll go back to the previous screen with a new field called Server. In here we need to put www.nuevasync.com and then go ahead and click save. It will check to make sure it’s working and we’re nearly done. If it doesn’t complete verification, go back and check your settings.

If you’re settings are working you should be presented with a screen with 3 flick switches, one for mail, contacts and calendars, we just want Calendars for this, so go ahead and flick off the other 2.

Test it!

Go ahead and try placing a event into the calendar app, and then checking your Google calendar just a couple of seconds later. Bingo!

Surprisingly, this isn’t from Apple - so don’t get too excited. A company called OpenClip has released what looks to be a new and interesting framework. OpenClip is free, non-profit organisation working with developers to allow the user to copy and paste.

Unfortunately, the framework has only been implemented into a few apps, which include MagicPad, Twittelator and the official WordPress app. Here’s a demo that was shown at GeekBreif.tv.

Cut and Paste for iPhone from Cali Lewis on Vimeo.

I just hope that OpenClip does get popular and that all developers take it on, so Apple has to say yes, and either purchase OpenClip just like they did with Coverflow. To many of us this doesn’t really matter. But to the likes of me and others, it really does.