Conventional wisdom says you can't teach an old dog new tricks, just don't try pitching such nonsense to the engineers at Samsung, who found a way to make DVD writers newsworthy. Samsung's new SH-222AB internal DVD writer is like many other modern optical drives, except this one boasts a fast 'Lead-In' that Samsung claims considerably reduces disc recognition time from the moment you pop a disc into the drive to the when it loads.

You want to know what separates Thrustmaster's new Hotas Warthog joystick from the competition? A hefty price tag, for one. At $500, the Hotas Warthog isn't for the faint of wallet.

What you get in return is a replica set of the joystick, dual throttle system, and dual throttle control panel of the U.S. Air Force A-10C attack aircraft. The entire thing weights over 6.5kg and uses plenty of metal in the construction (joystick, throttle handles, and bases).

There are 55 fully programmable buttons to play around with, as well as 2 four-direction hat switches, each with their own built-in push button. According to Thrustmaster, this is the first joystick in the world to sport this feature.

The Hotas Warthog will be available later this month.

In the market for a new LCD monitor? Count yourself among the few. Citing "market sources," Digitimes says that first tier PC brands, including Hewlett-Packard (HP), Acer, and Dell, have all pulled in the reigns on new LCD monitor orders for 2011 because of weaker-than-expected demand.

The exact reason for this has analysts stumped. Some market watchers say the weak demand might just be the result of the typical business practices for this time of year, as the peak season typically occurs in the third quarter. Because of this, vendors end up setting higher order volumes to receive more favorable pricing, and then reduce orders in the forth quarter.

But is that what's happening? It should also be noted that several LCD makers have been rocked by price fixing lawsuits in recent months, and it could be that PC vendors are waiting to see how it all plays out before fully replenishing their LCD monitor stock.

Logitech on Thursday unveiled a full lineup of HD webcams along with its Vid HD videoconferencing software. By combining one with the other, users are able to make 720p video calls, record in full 1080p HD, and upload HD content to Facebook and YouTube with a single click, Logitech says.

"HD video calling is a critical step toward our vision of a world in which video communication is as mainstream and seamless as a telephone call — for anyone, anywhere," said Eric Kintz, vice president and general manager of Logitech’s video business. "With Logitech HD webcams and Vid HD, you have everything you need to share, to connect, to see the people that matter to you in breathtaking detail that far surpasses the quality of embedded webcams."

For those who want to record in 1080p, you can pick up Logitech's HD Pro Webcam 910 for $100, which also features two mics (one on either side of the webcam lens) and measures just 25mm deep. The Logitech HD Webcam C510 runs a little less at $60 and drops HD 1080p recording, but is otherwise the same webcam but with a fold-and-go design.

More here.