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This article was published 01/03/2015 (4104 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Clamp hub pretty cool

I’VE tested several products from Satechi, and the tech company is quickly becoming a favourite of mine. They seem to have a consistent line of simple but innovative products designed to help people do everyday computer chores a little easier.

The latest is a four-port USB 3.0 clamp hub. You might think that’s no big deal, but the key is how it’s designed.

You don’t lay it on your desk or put it anywhere that might be hard to reach, which is what I love about it. Just connect the included USB cable to an open port on your computer and the other end to the hub. That part is all typical plug-and-play.

The cool part is how the hub can clamp onto the front of your monitor and iMacs released in 2012 or later, which match perfectly with the brushed-aluminum construction. Just turn a screw to open it up or tighten it up.

There’s rubber padding on both inside edges of the clamp so it won’t scratch your monitor, and an extra set of padding is included.

There’s no need for an AC adapter; it gets all the power it needs via USB. A blue LED on the front shows when it’s powered up.

DETAILS: US$27.99; satechi.net.

Turns your laptop into a desktop

TWELVE South is another company with innovative products, the latest being the ParcSlope, a hybrid desktop stand for Apple MacBook Pro and Air laptops.

Like everything else the company makes, it’s Apple-esque in design. The stand is designed to put the keyboard at the proper ergonomic level, an 18-degree angle for comfortable typing.

The design incorporates ridges, angles and a front cutaway to perfectly match the Apple laptops so they open and close with ease.

Other features include cable management through the back of the stand and 360-degree air circulation to keep your machine running cool.

DETAILS: US$49.99; twelvesouth.com.

Headset enough to get you hooked on gaming

I’M not much of a gamer anymore, but when products such as the Kingston HyperX Cloud II pro-gaming headset hit my desk, I’m on the verge of getting hooked again.

The headset is packed with features, including 7.1 surround sound, a digitally enhanced mike, a premium USB sound card and pure Hi-Fi 3.5-millimetre drivers built into each ear cup.

The headset has both a USB and a 3.5-millimetre connection for the bendable microphone and cords to connect to tablets, smartphones or computers. It can also attach directly to game consoles, including Xbox One and PlayStation 4.

One of the included cords has an in-line controller for the volume and microphone.

The padded headband and ear cups are comfortable, and you get an extra set of felt ear cups. Whichever feels more comfortable is the one you use. In my case, I liked the felt more than the pleather. As a whole, the headset construction is solid, as is the sound.

I didn’t even know Kingston (which makes memory and hard drives) made headphones until a company representative showed me the name in tiny print on the bottom of the box.

DETAILS: US$99.99; kingston.com.

Glass screen-protector

is seamless

THE PureTEK roll-on screen shield kit is a seamless way to add a glass screen protector to a smartphone without having an annoying bubble right in the middle.

What makes it unique is you get a kit specific for your smartphone model, which holds it perfectly in place in the application tray while the ultra-clear flexible glass is rolled on.

The glass finish is smooth, resists fingerprints, is shatterproof and anti-scratch.

The system is available for iPhone, Galaxy, LG, HTC and many more smartphone models. Check the website for a complete list.

DETAILS: Prices start at US$24.99; pure-gear.com.

greggellman@mac.com Twitter: @GreggEllman