In anticipation of the highly touted November launch of Sony PlayStation 3 (PS3) gaming console, peripheral announcements are trickling in. Logitech's ChillStream controller for PlayStation 3 includes a fan to cool down sweaty palms. Nyko Technologies announced its inexpensive Intercooler system to cool the PlayStation 3 console, whose advanced chips and components are likely to generate a lot of heat. Meanwhile, ViewSonic has launched its latest pair of ViewDock monitors, which have iPod docking stations and speakers to play songs from an iPod.

Logitech's Cooling Machine

Hoping to make a big splash in the PlayStation 3 market,Logitech is focusing on introducing accessories that users need. The first product it announced is the ChillStream for PlayStation 3, a controller with a fan to keep it cool. The built-in fan circulates air in the direction of the user's palm and of the four fingers most frequently used in game play. A user can set the fan at high, low, or off. Though most fans tend to be noisy, Logitech spokesperson Pamela McCracken says the tiny fans in the Chillstream will be silent.

Logitech's device addresses a long-standing gamer complaint about sweaty hands during game play, McCracken said. Controllers can heat up easily because of their heavy power consumption.

The $40 controller plugs into the PS3's USB port. Logitech plans to release it simultaneously with the arrival of the PlayStation 3, McCracken said. Sony has slated the PS3's launch for November 11 in Japan and November 17 in the United States.

Nyko's Cool, Too

Los Angeles-based Nyko already has the Intercooler for Xbox 360, an external cooling device with multiple fans that lowers the temperature on those hot Xbox 360 consoles. Nyko recently announced a corresponding Intercooler system for PlayStation 3; like the version for Xbox 360, this external system will attach to the back of the console and use multiple fans to send air through a vent for cooling.

Running additional fans reduces the internal temperature of the gaming boxes, and Nyko marketing manager Chris Arbogast says that the Intercooler will lower the PS3's internal temperature by up to 10 Fahrenheit degrees (5.5 Celsius degrees). With advanced microprocessors and cramped components, today's gaming boxes generate a lot of heat, and cooling them could significantly lengthen their lifespan, Arbogast said.

First you plug a PS3 into an Intercooler, and then you plug that into a wall socket. With the Intercooler attached to the PS3's back, you can orient the PS3 vertically or horizontally.

Like Nyko's Intercooler for Xbox 360, the PS3 cooling system will sell for between $20 and $30. The system will be available--first in the United States, and then worldwide--by the end of the year, Arbogast said.

ViewSonic Goes iPod

ViewSonic's latest ViewDock monitors have built-in iPod boom boxes. The 19-inch ViewDock VX1945WM and 22-inch ViewDock VX2245WM monitors come with iPod docking stations that can play songs from an iPod on the monitors' speakers and subwoofers. The docking station can also recharge the iPod's battery.

Unfortunately, video from an iPod won't play on the monitors, according to Tracy Kather, a ViewSonic spokesperson. In addition, the PC must be running for you to use the display's iPod functions.

On each monitor the subwoofer and speakers play audio at 3 watts and 2.5 watts, respectively, Kather said. Each monitor has a headphone jack; an eight-in-one smart card reader; four USB ports for input devices such as keyboards, mice, and game controllers; a microphone; and digital and analog inputs. The USB ports can also play music from other MP3 players, said Kather, and the displays are compatible with Windows and Mac OS PCs.

The $449 ViewDock VX2245WM supports a maximum resolution of 1680 by 1050 pixels, while the $329 ViewDock VX1945wm can handle up to 1440 by 900 pixels. Both monitors have a 5-millisecond response rate.

Tough Digital Camera for Paparazzini

Toddlers can get their mitts on a suitably rough-and-tumble digital camera, the KidTough, from Fisher-Price. This sturdy digicam snaps 640-by-480-pixel pictures that kids can preview on the device's 1.3-inch LCD. KidTough also has a built-in auto flash, 8MB of memory, and a Secure Digital slot for extra storage. The camera runs on four AA batteries and comes with photo software that works with Windows 2000, Me, and XP. At $70, this camera sounds like a good, affordable option for kids who might damage other digital cameras in their pursuit of the perfect shot.

Agam Shah is an editor with the IDG News Service, based in San Francisco. Questions or comments? Write to Agam Shah.