New gadgets vie for attention at E3

Theater Experience PSP
Anyone who's drained their Sony PSP battery after watching a few movies will appreciate the Theater Experience PSP from Nyko Technologies. The extra five-hour battery life provided by this device is certainly welcome, but it also boosts the PSP's rather tinny audio with a more robust set of stereo speakers, all wrapped in a flip-open aluminum carrying case. One of the most welcome inclusions is the least techie: an adjustable stand. No more straining your wrists trying to hold the PSP at just the right viewing angle for hours on end. Look for it in June, for about $70.

PowerPlay 5.1 Media Chair
My office desk never was particularly comfortable and now it's even less appealing. Blame it on the Empower Technologies PowerPlay 5.1 Media Chair. As the name suggests, this $999 chair is the center of a surround sound stereo system that'll make those explosions in "Halo 2" rumble through your entire body. The setup remains a prototype and it certainly could use some aesthetic help: as it stands, I don't think you'd see this black and tubular metal piece of furniture anywhere but the most macho of bachelor's pads.

Logitech Cordless Precision/Attack Controller

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We've heard a lot lately about how the upcoming consoles will feature wireless controllers. Big deal. They've been available for the existing consoles for quite a while now. Two new offerings from Logitech bring the affordable freedom of tetherless gaming to the PlayStation 2 and Xbox. The semi-translucent blue $30 Precision is compatible for the PS2, while the see-through green $40 Attack works with the Xbox. So what's new this time around? Logitech says the Precision and Attack will last 300 hours on just two AA batteries. And no tripping over cords anymore.

Saitek Pro Gamer Command Pad
Coming in September, this $40 keyboard ad-on should appeal to fans of first-person shooters, or any computer game were you'll need a nimble keyboard to get around. This accessory looks like a separate numeric keypad with a special thumb rest. But I don't think Saitek had number crunching in mind. The keys are laser-etched and glow blue, which should make it easier to see what keys I'm frantically pounding during those intense, late-night "Doom 3" battles.

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