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| Product: PowerMate USB Controller |
Company: Griffin Technology |
| Web: www.griffintechnology.com |
Phone: 615-399-7000 |
| Platform: Win98-up, MacOS 8.6-up |
SRP: US$45
Street Price: same |
Cred Rating: | Special Award:
Object Value |
When the fine folks at Griffin Technology contacted me about sending Street Tech one of their PowerMate controllers, I have to admit, I snickered to myself. Basically the PowerMate is a big-ass audio control button that sits on your desk. Who the hell needs THIS thing taking up a USB port and precious desk real estate, I wondered? But hey, free tech, so I said: Bring it on! I'm glad I did, 'cause the PowerMate has become my new favorite desktop bell (or is it a whistle?).
The PowerMate controller is about the size (and design) of a stereo component tuner button. It is polished aluminum and sits on a polished aluminum pad that has a USB cable protruding from the back. It really does seem silly -- until you plug it in. The first kick you get is the cool blue LED light that glows underneath its base. Once powered up, it looks like a little top-hat UFO hovering over your desk. But that's just the window-dressing. The real fun starts when you install the button's software and begin programming the device's countless functions.
Like a mouse with programmable buttons, you can perform all sorts of basic and macro functions with the PowerMate. It's primarily billed as an a/v button and that's where it shines brightest. You can program it to turn the volume up and down (obviously) in your MP3 program, skip tracks, act as a jog/shuttle in video apps, and similar functions. You can turn it into a "boss button," allowing you to hit the panic button to close a window or a broswer program when the boss pokes her head in your cubicle. You can program it in games to do things like strafe or camera pan. Within your work apps, you can make a single punch of it act as a save command, something you can easily perform on your way to your mouse. With left and right turning, clicking the button and combos of clicking and turning, there are a lot of control combinations possible. The blue LED is even customizable. It grows and diminishes in intensity to give you an idea of audio volume (especially helpful before you unmute), for instance, and it can be made to pulsate at different rates (e.g. when it and your computer are in sleep mode).
Did we mention how cool this thing looks on your desk? Not a single person has passed through my office without ooh-ing and ahh-ing over it, making it a true conversation piece.
My only criticism of the PowerMate is the price. US$45 seems a lot to pay for something of a novelty peripheral like this. If it was, say $25, then I would say: "Everybody needs one of these bitchin' big-ass buttons on their desks!"
- Gareth Branwyn [3/30/02]
BUY ME at MicroWarehouse
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