Promise Technology launches the TD-300-- a Thunderbolt 3 dock designed for use with the latest MacBook Pro models with both USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 offering a variety of ports.

The dock features x5 USB 3.0 ports (x3 back, x2 front), x2 Thunderbolt 3 ports, ethernet port, audio in/out port and an HDMI 2.0 port. As such, it allows the connection of a pair of 4K displays (or one 5K display), device charging, Thunderbolt 3 HDD daisy-chaining, USB device connection and the transfer of SD card content, all from a single connection.

In addition it has transfer speeds of 40GB/s and delivers up to 60W of power when charging a MacBook Pro.

Recently founded battery maker Romeo Power announces a first product-- the Saber, a rugged battery pack offering 23000mAh (or 86 watt-hours) of power, allowing it to charge a laptop twice.

Formed by former Tesla, SpaceX, Amazon and Faraday Future engineers, Romeo Power says it wanted to create a "personal power pack designed to recharge any digital device at full speed," be it smartphones, laptops or drones. The Saber is around the size of a water bottle, weighs 1kg and offers x1 USB-C, x2 USB-A (one 2.1A/10.5W, the other 1A/5W) and a variable AC outlet with a universal port.

“Saber is like having a wall socket in your pocket,” the company adds. “We created Saber to be the most advanced power pack available that gets you out the door faster than anyone else, and with a lifeproof design so consumers can have power wherever life takes them.”

Sonnet Technologies launches the Thunderbolt 3 to Dual HDMI 2.0 Adapter-- a means for customers to connect up to two 4K displays or one 5K displays to their Windows PC or Mac.

The accessory connects to PCs, such as the 2016 MacBook, via Thunderbolt 3. It is plug-and play, and provides a pair of HDMI ports for the connection of monitors. The computer powers the adapter, meaning no external power supply is required, and native macOS and Windows support allows use without installation of separate driver software.

A surprise listing on the Microsoft hardware website reveals the return of a classic rodent-- the IntelliMouse, in the shape of a modern version inspired by the IntelliMouse Explorer 3.0.

Launched in 2002, the IntelliMouse 3.0 was the last version of the IntelliMouse, a mouse line Microsoft started way back in 1996. The first version featured a curvy ergonomic design and introduced the scroll wheel to the world. Actual mouse functionality came through a ball before a 1999 update brought optical tracking technology.

The 2017 Classic IntelliMouse is very similar to the original, if updated with a DPI range reaching up to 3200. It also has 3 customisable buttons, BlueTrack tracking for glass use and a 1000 reports per second mouse report rate. Connectivity remains wired, if via USB. In actual changes, the distinctive red tail light is now a "clean, modern white."

OWC launches a smaller USB-C dock option-- the USB-C Travel Dock, a device offering portable connectivity for laptops such as the latest MacBooks through a selection of 5 ports.

The dock connects to PCs or Macs via single USB-C cable. It features x2 USB 3.1 ports, x1 USB-C port (for power), x1 HDMI 2.0 port and x1 SD card reader. The USB-C port provides up to 60W of passthrough charging, and the HDMI 2.0 can handle a 4K display at 30 Hz.

Peripheral maker SteelSeries joins forces with Targus, "the original creator of the laptop bag," to create the SteelSeries x Targus Sniper-- a backpack able to hold a laptop up to 17.3-inch in size.

According to the two companies the Sniper is designed for gamer customers. It has a durable exterior, a padded laptop compartment and a "SafePort Sling Protection" system protecting the laptop from knocks and drops. An integrated rain cover protects everything from, well, the rain, while the main compartment holds a large mousemat, mouse, keyboard and controller.

Wireless charging is set to truly hit the mainstream with the iPhone 8, but a startup named Pi wants to further extend the reach of the technology-- specifically by 30cm, through the imaginatively named Pi Charger.

As debuted at the TechCrunch Disrupt Battlefield event, the Pi Charger is a conical device able to charge multiple devices within around 30cm in any direction. It is not a full-room wireless charging offering, the the maker promises it actually works, and does so without need to put devices on a charging pad.

The technology behind the Pi Charger is resonant induction, the same used by the Qi standard found in the new iPhones. It is paired with a special beam forming algorithm allowing Pi to shape and direct the magnetic fields around the device. This allows users to charge a smartphone by putting it next to the charger, as opposed to directly on it.

Logitech makes a surprise announcement with the MX Ergo-- the company's first trackball mouse since the M750, a trackball released way back in 2010.

The MX Ergo combines the trackball features of the M750 with the industrial design of the MX Master S2. It includes customisable back/forwards buttons, support for the multi-PC Flow feature and connectivity via either Bluetooth or Logitech Unifying receiver. Charging comes through included micro USB cable.