Part 1 : Computex 2008

Digital photo frames that print, ultraslim monitors and small robots that hammer themselves when an IM arrives are just the tip of the wacky-and-innovative-device iceberg at Computex Taiwan 2008. Take a look at what we found.

VirtualReal Concept Interface

Asus's Eee PC products were a big force at the show, but this concept design from the company's research labs certainly turned heads, too. Dubbed "VirtualReal," the interface features two displays, including a touch screen where the keyboard would normally be. Meanwhile, the top screen has a camera integrated above to detect a user's hand gestures. Cool stuff, but the company says it remains only a concept for the moment. Visit Asus's site for more info.
-- Danny Allen, PC World, and James Niccolai, IDG News Service

Chi Mei Ultraslim Display

This is the ultraslim, 13.3-inch, WXGA laptop display from Chi Mei Optoelectronics, which makes the display for Apple's Macbook Air. With a glass front polished to 0.3mm and a 0.8mm backlit LCD panel, it weighs a scant 7.7 ounces and produces a bright and crisp image when viewed from the side or even when looked at outdoors.

i-Knock B01 Personal Instant Messaging Notifier

Plug this crazy little critter into your computer's USB port, and it will hammer itself in the head, light up and spout preset phrases when you receive an instant message or e-mail. The i-Knock works with most popular IM applications and responds differently to more than 20 emoticons. You'll need to keep checking in with Stysen for U.S. availability.

Asus Ares CG6150 Gamer Chic PC

Believe it or not, this beast won a design award. It's fashioned after a suit of armor, and its maker, Asus, says it "exudes gamer chic." The Asus Ares CG6150 has enough high-end components to make serious gamers squeal, including four Intel Core 2 Extreme CPUs, four nVidia graphics chips, 8GB of DDR3 memory, 4TB of storage and enough liquid-cooling gear (we hope) to stop it from self-combusting.

Gigabyte Roll Pad

In ancient China (so the marketing says), artists wrapped their paintbrushes in bamboo mats to protect them. That was the design inspiration for Gigabyte's aluminum Roll Pad, which you put under a laptop to increase airflow and keep the machine cool. The rubber rims prevent it from scratching your desk. The product won a Taiwan Excellence award for design.

MSI's Dancing Network Robots

MSI got the most attention at Computex for its new U100 Wind mini-laptop and Wind desktop, but hidden away at the company's showcase were its upcoming network robots, built with Japanese robot maker Speecys. The robots will include a network Webcam in their head, and they'll be able to say "I love you" and sing and dance for your amusement. They won't tuck you in at night, however.

Dialogue Flybook

Dialogue Technology is back with an update to its Flybook, which lets you watch a DVD on a plane when the person in front of you drops their seat back. This latest version has a 1.2-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and a Centrino Wi-Fi chip set, plus up to 4GB of memory.