Logitech ChillStream Controller with built-in fan

August Logitech yesterday unveiled a new game controller with an innovative built-in fan-based cooling system, designed to keep the hands of gamers cool and dry even during intense competition. The USD$40 Logitech ChillStream controller for PC is a standard-size controller with a built-in 40 mm fan that circulates up to 3.41 cubic feet of air every minute, while generating very little noise.

Three narrow vents on each side of the controller push air directly onto the four fingers, the base of the thumb and the palm of the hand -- the three areas of the hand that need cooling most. The air stream has three settings -- high, low, and off. The air vents are recessed from the surface of the controller and rubber linings surrounding the vents are flush with the surface -- making the vents barely noticeable to the touch during gaming.

The plug-and-play, full-speed USB Logitech ChillStream controller for PC works on Windows XP computers (with the latest service pack), and will work with Windows Vista when Microsoft's new operating system becomes available. The controller's stylish silver-and-black color scheme is accented by the metal grille covering the air intake at the base of the controller.

The controller features Logitech's patented floating D-pad, which uses four points of contact instead of a single pivot point -- a design that resists side-to-side tipping inherent in other controllers, making the controller more precise. The controller's analog stick has been machine-tested to perform at least one million circular revolutions, ensuring that it can handle the rigors of gaming over a long period of time. The Logitech ChillStream controller for PC will be available in the U.S. and in Europe, beginning in September. It has a suggested retail price of USD$39.99 in the U.S.