Logitech unveils its reimagined mouse: the Cube

Logitech is unveiling its Logitech Cube device today on the eve of next week’s Consumer Electronics Show. Stand back, folks, as this device is “redefining the way we interact with the digital world.”

It’s a replacement for the computer mouse, and is not shaped like a cube despite its name. Seriously, though, this seems cool. The Cube is a new kind of mouse that doubles as a presentation tool when you need it. As a mouse, the Cube scrolls when you swipe your finger along the main panel’s tiny ridges.

To use it as a presenter, you lift it in the air and it moves into presenter mode. You can click on top of it to advance a slide. If you need to go back, you turn the mouse over in your hand and click again. The Cube fits easily in a pocket and is easy to take with you.

The Logitech Cube will be on display at the Consumer Electronics Show next week in Las Vegas.

It uses Logitech’s Flow Scroll software that delivers a smooth scrolling experience similar to what you find on a touchscreen for a smartphone.

Todd Walker, brand manager at Logitech, said, “It doesn’t stop with distinctive design. The Cube has just the right set of features, whether you’re working through an international flight or making a critical presentation – all in a beautiful tiny package.”

The Logitech Cube also has a tiny Logitech Unifying receiver, letting you connect to your computer using the 2.4-gigahertz band of the radio spectrum. So it stays connected to your computer when you move around. You can connect up to six compatible devices to your computer — a keyboard or number pad — through the Cube, without the need to plug in multiple universal serial bus (USB) receivers.

The Cube costs $69.99 and will be available in the U.S. and Europe this month.

Logitech is also unveiling a full high-definition webcam for 1080p video calls. The Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920 (pictured right) works with Skype in 1080p or with Windows Live Messenger in 720p HD. It uses H.264 compression so you can use it to upload full-HD video clips or 15 megapixel photos to Facebook, Twitter or YouTube with one click. You have to have the latest version of Skype 5.7 beta for Windows to use the 1080p video calling.

The camera has Carl Zeiss optics and autofocus. It costs $99.99 and will be available in the U.S. and Europe.