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Gamers got a look at the latest consoles and more at the Electronic Entertainment Expo, known as E3, in Los Angeles earlier this month. Among the products announced at the show: Logitech's G25 Racing Wheel and DriveFX Wheel, designed to make racing simulators more realistic. AK Designs showcased a customizable chair, the AK Rocker 200, for gamers looking to add spice to their furniture.

In non-E3 news, Axion's AXN-6079 dual-screen mobile DVD player adds substance to in-car entertainment by playing one movie on multiple screens. Also worth a look is Otter Products' hard notebook case, which shields laptops from excessive wear and tear.

Logitech's New Wheels

The G25 Racing Wheel game controller from Logitech provides a forceful and realistic experience during racing-simulator games, the company warns. The wheel implements an "advanced two-motor force feedback system" that makes the wheel vibrate strongly on a car bump, as it would in real life, said Logitech spokesperson Pamela McCracken. With six gears, improved steering angles, and a wheel and pedals made of leather and stainless steel, the G25 is an improvement over Logitech's previous gaming wheels, she said.

The advanced six-speed gear shifter--which includes a push-down reverse gear--provides better driving control and allows racers to jump from one gear to another quickly, she said. The leather-covered wheel, measuring 11 inches in diameter, provides a comfortable grip and increases the steering radius to be comparable to that of a real-life race car, McCracken said. The controller has three pedals: a clutch, a brake, and an accelerator.

The G25 works with PC games such as Live for Speed and Image Space's rFactor. It also works with Sony PlayStation 2 titles such as Need for Speed, though those games don't take advantage of the advanced gear features offered for PC games, McCracken said. The $299 controller is slated to ship in the U.S. and Europe in October. Logitech is talking to game developers about building support for the G25 Racing Wheel into their games, McCracken said.

For Microsoft Xbox 360 users, Logitech announced DriveFX Wheel, a game controller with technology that brings what the company describes as "new levels of realism" to racing games. The wheel, 10 inches in diameter, has rubber grips with game controls in its center. It comes with pedals for gas and braking. The $99 controller will ship in U.S. and Europe in July.

AK Designs' Gamer Chair

Hard-core gamers may find comfort in AK Designs' AK Rocker 200, a bucketed seat that, according to the company, enhances the media experience. The chair reclines and is designed to be easy to assemble.

The Rocker 200 has many improvements over its predecessor, the AK Rocker 100, AK's Romney Williams wrote in an e-mail message. The new design allows the seat to rock back to 65 degrees, which gamers find suitable, Williams said. Its predecessor rocked all the way down so a gamer could lie perpendicular to the ground, but Williams says gamers prefer the 65-degree incline. With an ever-increasing number of skins available to change color combinations and themes, the Rocker 200 is also more customizable than the 100, Williams said.

The chair is available at Best Buy for $80 or at AK's Web site.

Axion's Dual-Screen Mobile DVD Player

In-car DVD entertainment delivers double the pleasure with Axion's AXN-6079 portable DVD player, which has two 7-inch LCDs that strap on to headrests or armrests. Powered by a cigarette lighter (or an AC adapter for use outside a vehicle), the DVD player connects via composite A/V cables to each screen, allowing several passengers to watch a movie in comfort. You can also use the device to view photo CDs or to play games on a Sega Gamepad connected to a special Axi-Port input, which can also be used to hook up an optional Axion TV Tuner.

The screens display video in 16-by-9 wide-screen format and have volume and brightness controls.

The AXN-6079 has stereo headphone jacks, and it comes with a credit-card sized remote control and a bag to carry the player and LCDs. The $229 system shipped in April and is sold by multiple U.S. retailers. More production information is available on Axion's Web site.

A Tank of a Case

As its name suggests, Otter Products' water-resistant OtterBox Rugged Laptop Carrying Case protects laptops from dust and drops with its hard polypropylene shell. Resembling a mini-suitcase, the rugged case can withstand a 4-foot drop to concrete, said Kristin Pribble, an OtterBox spokesperson. The OtterBox can also be used to safely hold notebooks underwater for up to 3 feet, she said.

On the inside, the OtterBox is fortified with shock absorbers that shield the laptop in the event of a fall. A Velcro surface holds adjustable rubber grips that keep laptops steady during movement. The case also mimics a desk, with the rubber grips acting as a laptop holder and wires popping out through a flap on the rear. The OtterBox comes with a shoulder strap for hands-free portability.

The case does not stand flat on the ground and needs side support to keep it upright, and some users may find it heavy. But those inconveniences may be the price you pay for sufficient armor to keep a laptop safe.

Otter expects to offer the case worldwide by midyear, at a price to be determined. More product information is available on Otter Products' Web site.

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