Some people like to have as many features as humanly possible. If there’s room for another button or dial, they want to have it in there. Other people prefer to keep things as clean as possible and that’s the market that is being targeted by the Microsoft Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000. It boasts a compact size, a relatively simple design, super clean lines and it even comes with a number pad. Let’s take a closer look!

Features and Highlights

Described as a “cool combo” on the official product page, the Bluetooth Mobile Keyboard 6000 is actually comprised of two parts. You get the main comfort curve keyboard and then there is a separate number pad for all your spreadsheet-creating needs. Both of these, as the name of the product implies, communicate with your computer via a wireless Bluetooth connection. Many notebooks, netbooks, and desktops come equipped with integrated Bluetooth these days, so that means that you can enjoy wireless freedom without dealing with a dongle. This is quite different from something like the Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000, since that requires a dedicated USB transceiver.

Both components also come with an on/off switch and a battery status indicator. There is no battery meter, however, so you don’t really know that you’re running low on juice until you’re almost completely out. Both components also cost $89.95 US as a pair which isn’t such a bad deal considering that a certain “fruit” themed computer computer sells their small bluetooth keyboard for $69.99 US with no keypad and no ergnomic curve. This combo is backed up by Microsoft’s 3 year warranty as well, further adding some value to the deal. It’s also both Windows (including the latest “7″) and Mac OSX compatible.

Included Inside the Box

Opening the box, you’ll find almost everything that you need to get started. If your computer already has integrated Bluetooth, as is the primary market for this particular unit, then you should have no trouble connecting wirelessly to the keyboard and numeric keypad. If you don’t have Bluetooth, then you’ll need to invest in a USB Bluetooth adapter.

Inside the box, you’ll get the comfort curve keyboard, the separate numeric keypad, a carrying pouch for the numeric keypad (but not for the keyboard), basic documentation, and three AAA alkaline batteries. At some point, you’ll probably want to swap out for some rechargeable batteries. The more you use it, the more batteries you’ll need to replace and that’s not so good for mother earth. You’ll notice no software in the box as it runs off the drivers in the OS via a Bluetooth connection.

What you won’t find inside is a wireless mouse. This is not meant to be a wireless desktop, per se, so you will need to provide a mouse of your own. All the frequent flyers in the audience probably already have a suitable notebook mouse in their bags, so this keyboard will help to complete the mobile package.

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Of all the components found in a modern gaming rig, none is more personal then the peripherals used to interact with that computer. For avid FPS players, that means the keyboard and mouse. They are the things allow players to control their game with precision, feel comfortable for long sessions and allows them to focus on winning. This is why gamers are remarkably picky about what they use for input devices.

Many will eschew the latest and greatest, sticking with what works. I’m no exception, as I’ve been using the same Logitech G15 keyboard (gen 1 of course) and Logitech MX1000 mouse since 2004. I just haven’t been able to find something to replace what I think is the perfect combo. Cooler Master is looking to change my mind, and the minds of gamers everywhere.

They’ve spawned a gaming focused subsidiary called CM STORM, and their Sentinel Advance gaming mouse is looking to make some waves with new features and interesting design.

That’s A Lot of Features You Got There

Now I know what a Doppler Effect is, and I’m curious how this applies to a computer mouse. For now let’s take a look at the list of specs provided in the product brief.

• 5600 DPI Storm Tactical™ Twin-laser Sensor
• 64KB Sentinel-X™ Memory
• OLED DPI Management System
• OLED Team Logo Personalization
• 8 Programmable Buttons
• Rapid Fire Tactical™ Mode
• 1000Hz Polling / 1ms Response Time
• Max Speed of 235 Inches Per Second
• Max Acceleration 50G
• 1mm Lift-off Distance
• Right-hand Ergonomic Design
• Gold-plated USB Connector
• 5 x 4.5g Adjustable Weight System
• Full-Speed USB

They do definitely go into a lot of detail. Shockingly there’s still more to be listed, and if numbers and specifications are your thing you can read on at the product home page.

I’m not really interested in specifications so much as I am interested in actual functionality. The dual laser sensor sounds intriguing, but we want to make sure the mouse is more accurate because of it. In extension to that, we want to know if 5600 dpi is a little too high of a rating.

The OLED screen, onboard processor, and adjustable LEDs also sound like an interesting way to personalize your device. However we want to make sure it’s actually fairly easy to do so. We’ll of course look into all this, but first let’s take a look at the mouse itself.

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While you can walk into just about any video game store and get bombarded with a wide array of Nintendo Wii accessories, such is not the reality with the Xbox 360. For whatever reason, Microsoft will allow for third-party chargers and faceplates, but they’re really stingy when it comes to allowing for third-party controllers. What is a gaming enthusiast to do?

Rather than trying to fight the suits in Redmond, the guys at Evil Controllers took a wholly different approach. They take the official OEM Microsoft Xbox 360 controllers and modify them to suit the needs and requests of the gaming community. We were supplied with two such controllers, so let’s see if they’re worth the premium price of admission.

The Evil Controllers Approach

At first glance, the Xbox 360 controllers modified by Evil Controllers will look largely like their unmodified cousins. This makes sense, since Evil isn’t completely revamping these controllers. Instead, they institute in small but possibly significant changes that enhance the gaming experience.

They have a mod, for example, that allows for rapid fire, making it great for first-person shooters. There’s another controller modified for Tiger Woods Golf where you can get full power with the press of a single button.

The Evil Xbox 360 controllers that we received both include the same two modifications. They were equipped with Evil Sticks and they were given a “ring of light” mod for an added dash of style.

Evil Sticks for Added Performance

Those two controllers don’t look like anything special, but they have been personalized by Evil Controllers. The Evil Sticks, as they call them, are just a little bit different from the thumb sticks that you would get with a regular OEM Xbox 360 controller.

Regular thumb sticks have a concave shape and they have four raised points to indicate the four cardinal directions. The Evil Sticks, by contrast, have a convex shape and they abandon the raised points in favor of a completely textured surface. This “non-slip technology” really does provide better grip, since the tops of regular thumb sticks can be quite slippery.

The guys at Evil Controllers go on to say that these Evil Sticks will provide force feedback, amazing accuracy, and maximum durability, but I’m a little more skeptical. The Evil Sticks may make for a better overall experience, particularly for FPSs, but I’m not sure about the added accuracy.

The Issue of Color-Matching

On the black controller that was customized, the Evil Sticks seem to fit in perfectly. The Evil Sticks are black and the controller is black. No problem there. The white controller is a slightly different matter.

This is a very minor quibble, but you’ll notice that the black Evil Sticks look quite different from the grey thumb sticks that come standard with the Xbox 360 controller. If you’re worried about color-matching, this could provide for a minor annoyance.

It’s not completely clear from the photos, but I also found that the tops of the Evil Sticks felt just a touch bigger than the standard thumb sticks. This might be because of the convex shape, but I like it. For longer gaming sessions, it really was more comfortable.

Testing the Extra Grip

The Evil Sticks replace both the left and right analog sticks on the Xbox 360 controller, so you are still provided with a uniform gaming experience. For the purposes of testing their performance, I played a couple of sessions of Street Fighter IV and Gears of War.

The added grip seemed to be nice, but it didn’t feel like it was giving me very of an advantage at first. That’s at first. After I played for a little longer and my hands started to get a little sweaty, I really started to appreciate the textured convex surface of the Evil Sticks.

With the regular analog sticks, I found that my thumb could slide off quite easily. This was especially true when using “charge” characters in Street Fighter IV, like Guile and Vega. With the Evil Sticks, my thumbs could stay put a lot easier.

Playing through Gears of War, I had a similar experience. Holding the thumb sticks in any direction felt more comfortable with the Evil Sticks, because it never felt like my thumb was going to slide off.

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Even though I have come to rely on my notebook as my primary computer, I still use it in a desktop-like configuration when I’m working out of my home office. It’s connected to an external monitor mounted on desktop stand and I use it in tandem with a wireless keyboard and mouse. If you didn’t know any better, you’d swear I had a real desktop somewhere.

Wireless desktops have drastically reduced in price in recent years, so unless you really need to the reduced latency of a wired setup, it’s so much more convenient to go wireless. The latest set that I’ve had the chance to try is the Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000. It may have a budget-oriented price, but the features are far from coming up short.

An Affordable Wireless Desktop with More

The MSRP on the Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000 is listed at $69.95, but I’ve been able to find it on sale online for as little as thirty bucks. That’s a steal of a deal, considering that you’re getting a trusted brand and plenty of nice features.

Going through the spec sheet, you’ll discover the following:

• Reliable 2.4GHz wireless with up to 30-foot range
• Battery status indicators
• BlueTrack technology combines optical power with laser precision
• Snap-in mini-transceiver
• Windows Flip for mouse
• Spill-resistant, quiet touch keys
• Media Center controls on keyboard
• Taskbar Favorites and enhanced F keys on keyboard
• Compact keyboard fits your notebook PC style

You get all this and to top it off, even the AA batteries required for operation are included. Microsoft’s BlueTrack technology is also the same technology that comes on their more elite SideWinder X8 Gaming Mouse which costs as much as this whole desktop set.

Looking Inside the Box

Cracking open the box to the Microsoft Wireless Desktop 3000, we don’t find much in terms of surprises. The wireless desktop kit is comprised of the Microsoft Wireless Keyboard 3000 v2.0 and the Wireless Mouse 5000 with BlueTrack technology.

Accompanying the keyboard and mouse are the compact USB mini-transceiver, four Energizer AA alkaline batteries, installation CD, and supporting documentation.

Even though the instructions call for alkaline batteries, I had no trouble using this set with rechargeable Ni-MH batteries instead. This is one way that gadget geeks can go green and minimize their footprint at the landfills.

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It’s partly because I tend to work out of some rather cramped quarters, but I haven’t owned a desktop computer in years. Instead, my trusty notebook has become my main computer, handling all of my image editing, word processing, and social networking. One thing that I learned very quickly, however, is that the built-in cooling on most laptops can leave much to be desired.

In this way, getting a good notebook cooling stand is a very good idea, both in terms of improving performance and in terms of extending the life of your notebook’s components. NZXT has always created some nice quality products and the latest addition to the line is the new NZXT Cryo S aluminum notebook cooler. Does it look familiar? It should.

Features at a Glance

By and large, you could say that the NZXT Cryo S is really just the little brother of the Cryo LX that we saw last year. As you may recall, the Cryo LX was marketed as the world’s largest full aluminum notebook cooler, accommodating up to 19-inch widescreen laptops. That’s pretty big.

Whereas the Cryo LX had a flip-out portion to handle bigger laptops, the Cryo S is just a single sheet of thick aluminum. This is because it is designed to cool up to 15-inch widescreen laptops. It’s also suitable for smaller netbooks, like the Acer Aspire One as well.

Going through the rest of the spec sheet, you’ll discover a 3mm thick aluminum sturdy construction, two controllable 120mm fans, two USB ports, non-slip rubberized plastic top, and tilted surface for ergonomic typing.

What’s in the Box?

As with the Cryo LX, the NZXT Cryo S doesn’t come with all that much in the box. In my original review of the Cryo LX, I noted that it did not come with any instructions, because it really didn’t need any. Well, the Cryo S ups the ante just slightly with a single page of instructions. As before, if you need instructions to handle two cables, you may be in a big of trouble anyhow.

In addition to the single sheet of instructions and the notebook cooling stand itself, you’ll also find a USB-to-USB cable, a DC-to-USB cable, and a wall charger cable.

Getting Power and a USB Hub

Swinging around to the back of the NZXT Cryo S and you’ll find a series of ports. With other iterations in the Cryo cooling stand series from NZXT, the only way that you would get power to the cooling fans was with a USB cable. Well, drawing power from a USB port on your notebook can increase its heat output too.

For this reason, it’s nice to see the inclusion of a cable that lets you power the fans through a standard wall outlet as well. This may not be the greener of the two solutions (a regular USB power cable is provided as well), but it may be able to help with cooling.

To the left of the DC outlet is an unmarked USB port. This can be connected back to your notebook using a standard USB cable, effectively making use of the two USB ports to the right. You see, the Cryo S also features a two-port USB hub. Next to the two USB ports is a simple dial for adjusting the speed of the fans.

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GIGABYTE does a lot more than just sweet motherboards and graphic cards. Since they provide the basics needed to build an elite gaming system, it’s no surprise to see them investing their resources to develop peripherals that can be used to support their main components. Some of those peripherals include hard disk enclosures, storage, monitors, speakers, keyboards, and of course, gaming mice.

Today we get a chance to check out one of their latest products. The GIGABYTE GM-M8000 High Performance Gaming Mouse combines frickin’ lasers (or laser) with style and a host of buttons. Is this just a hopped up office mouse or is it a true gaming rodent? Let’s find out!

Features and Specifications

There are a few features that the GM-M8000 offers that you’re not going to find in every gaming mouse. In fact, what separates this mouse from your average gaming mice are the extra button functions as well as some of the built-in features like the gold-plated USB connector, configurable weights and the five programmable buttons.

As it would seem, the GM-M8000 also has a few other tricks under the hood. A quick look at the spec sheet reveals some more impressive looking data which includes:

• High-Performance (AVAGO 6090) Sensor
• Four button controlled adjustable sensitivity settings
• 4000 dpi maximum sensitivity
• 16-bit Data path
• 15 customizable macro settings
• 8KB onboard memory (for GHOST Software)
• 24 point position scroll wheel
• Ergonomic shape for improved experience

Besides the typical main buttons, there are two left side buttons as well. However, the wheel function offers two more left and right buttons when pushed to side. The small button on the right side changes the color of the GIGABYTE name from red to green to blue.

Dumping the Box Contents Out

Inside the box wyou’ll find a securely packaged GM-M8000 mouse, mouse weights, extra mouse feet, a CD with drivers, and the GIGABYTE GHOST software utility that configures the mouse to your needs. This utility is used to customize “on the fly” DPI settings among other things. We’ll look at this in depth shortly.

Another unique piece of the package are the mouse weights. Naturally, the weights are used to make the mouse a little heavier if needed. Everyone has a different preference for how their mouse feels so GIGABYTE panders to this demographic. Too light? Too heavy? Just customize it to your whim for that extra edge.

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Gametrak Freedom and Squeeballs for Xbox 360

If you enjoy the waggle and wave-tastic motion controls of the Nintendo Wii but you’re “stuck” with “just” an Xbox 360, you’re in luck. Performance Designed Products (PDP) unleashed the first motion-based controller for the Xbox 360 in the form of the Gametrak Freedom.

This new controller may look a lot like the Wii Remote, but rather than working as a “pointer” like the Wii, the Gametrak Freedom uses a patent-pending ultrasonic 3D motion sensing technology.

You set up a pair of sensor bars, one on either side of your TV, and the system will be able to track your movements in 3D space. This goes well beyond the tilt-based accelerometer in the Wii Remote (which is also inside the Gametrak Freedom).

In playing Squeeballs, the mini-game collection that will accompany the Gametrak Freedom at launch, I found the controls to be quite different than the Wii. You really move the controller through 3D space rather than just swinging wildly.

The Gametrak Freedom and Squeeballs bundle for the Xbox 360 will sell for $69.99 when it’s released this fall. The slightly modified version of the game will also be made available on the Wii ($39.99) and the DS ($29.99).

Riiflex Weights for Nintendo Wii Fitness

Fitness games have suddenly become all the rage, thanks largely to the popularity of Nintendo Wii Fit. More recently, we’ve seen games like EA Sports Active and My Fitness Coach, both on the Wii, capitalizing on this trend. Not surprisingly, there are video game accessories jumping in here as well.

This unique product is not being catered to just one Wii game in particular. Instead, Riiflex is supposed to add an extra dynamic to whatever Wii game you’d like. Riiflex is a weighted peripheral that effectively converts both the Wii Remote and Nunchuk into dumbbells. They’re available in both 1 kg (about 2 pounds) and 2 kg (about four pound) models. Riiflex, not surprisingly, is sold in pairs.

Power Play says that they worked hard to ensure that Riiflex is made from quality materials and it shows. This is no cheap plastic throwaway accessory. The 1kg and 2kg pairs will sell for $24.95 and $29.95, respectively, when Riiflex starts shipping this summer.

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One of the main concerns when it comes to any sort of electronics is cooling. Many errors such as graphical artifacts, game freezes or even hardware failures are a result of overheating. There are several ways you can prevent your consoles or computers from overheating such as keeping them in a well ventilated place. A cleaning when dust accumulates is also advised but when that isn’t enough, you can look at cooling solutions such as Nyko’s Intercooler TS for the Playstation 3.

Earlier this year, we reviewed the Xbox 360 version of Nyko’s Intercooler, the TS for the Xbox 360. We found that it was a cheap, easily installed way to keep the temperature of your Xbox 360 down. It also showed us just how toasty the 360 gets as the TS never got a break and just kept going full blast, while keeping the dreaded “Red Ring of Death” at bay. Will the PS3 version be fare just as well? Let’s find out!

What’s In The Box?

The Intercooler TS comes with a power adapter and a quick setup guide. Everything is rather straight forward so I’m guessing the majority of us will skip the instructions altogether. If you do need them, the guide comes in several languages, in case you parler Francais or hablo Espanol.

Features of the Intercooler TS for the PS3

The headlining feature of the Intercooler TS is the TempSmart sensor, which turns the fans on when the PS3 gets toastier than desired. Of course, you can also control fan speeds manually with a speed control on the side of the unit. Nyko claims that the TempSmart is the ideal way to keep the PS3 at optimal temperatures and reduces noise when additional cooling isn’t needed. It will also keep on working even after the console has been powered off until the PS3 has cooled off.

The Intercooler TS is powered independently from your PS3. This is a bigger deal than it sounds since early versions of the Intercooler drew from the PS3’s power supply and caused more problems than it solved. This issue also cropped up with the Xbox 360 version, causing Microsoft to redesign the power plug to prevent such devices from even working in later revisions.

The unfortunate consequence of this external power requirement is that the Intercooler takes up an extra power outlet and is a bit clunkier than it really should be but better that than short circuiting your PS3!

Installation and Setup

Anything that comes with less than a page of instructions can’t possibly be too difficult to set up and the Intercooler TS is no exception. A quick snap and it attaches easily to the back of your console. Plug the power cord into the unit and you’re ready to go! The unit does not obstruct any of the ports on the rear of the PS3.

For some reason, Nyko hasn’t color matched the Intercooler TS properly to the PS3. While both appear to be “black”, the Intercooler is more of a dark brown when you really look at it. Not a big deal to most people, I’m sure, but for those of us who are a bit more nitpicky about their home theater looking good, it is going to be a pet peeve.

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To my knowledge, this is the first mass market accessory kit dedicated to the netbook realm. Let’s see how this bundle stacks up.

What’s Included with the Targus Netbook Accessory Kit?

If you’re expecting a lot from the Targus Netbook Accessory Kit, you’re probably going to walk away a bit disappointed. You have to understand that this is a basic accessory kit, addressing some of the basic and common needs that netbook users may desire. That means if you’re not already swimming in netbooks accessories, you might actually find this package quite useful.

Inside the standard-looking retail box, you’ll find three items. First there is a soft zippered sleeve that you can use to protect your netbook from damage. Then, contained inside a long and narrow white box are the two other items which include a four-port USB hub and an incredibly small laptop mouse. Let’s have a look at these one at a time.

Getting Connected with the 4-Port USB Hub

A lot of the netbooks out there are lacking in the USB port department, leaving you looking for a spot to plug in that flash drive, external hard drive, computer mouse, or USB humping dog (as the case may be). You may want to have an extra port or two available if you need it just in case the need arises. Cellphones and MP3 players seem to come to mind.

As you’d expect, the 4-Port USB Hub comes with four USB ports. Three of these ports are located on the main side, but there is one additional port at one of the ends. This can be a great place for accessories that tend to take up too much space, blocking other ports.

All of this is wrapped in a simple yet stylish blue, silver, and black motif and it’s about the same size as a (very) large lighter. You know, without the flame. This makes it every easy to carry around with you, just like the netbook itself.

The USB cable that connects back to your netbook is only about two inches long and it stows away into the body of the hub when not in use. This is great for portability, because it means that you don’t have to deal with any messy cables. The short length is acceptable, I suppose, since you should have ample access to a USB port on your netbook. There’s no need for a long cable, especially since it’ll just take up space and weight you down.

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In order to get all the horsepower out of an OS, you need to have the dedicated hardware, but what you don’t need to have is a set of dedicated monitors, mice and keyboards for each box. That’s where IOGEAR comes in with their line of KVM (Keyboard Video Mouse) switches that allow you to run multiple systems from a single set of peripherals. Today we’ll be looking at one of IOGEAR’s products called the IOGEAR GSC1204 4 Port Dual-Link DVI KVMP Switch: The perfect solution to a multi-OS environment.

Features and Specifications

The IOGEAR GCS1204 is a four port KVMP switch that supports Dual-Link DVI connectivity. I assume the “P” on the end of “KVM” stands for the fact that it also supports printer sharing via one of it’s two USB 2.0 ports. Because of the Dual-Link DVI support, this switch will go up to a 3840 x 2400 resolution with full HDCP pass-through support. That means you could run a single 30 inch monitor easily and have it available for up to four different systems running four different supported operating systems. Display emulation software onboard also remembers the monitors optimal settings, allowing seamless switching and boot up from system to system.

While providing control from a single mouse and keyboard, the GCS1204 also allows you to seamlessly share USB 2.0 capable peripherals like USB drives, scanners, printers and other USB devices using the built in 2 port powered USB 2.0 hub. The unit also allows sharing of a set of speakers and a microphone via a set of inputs in the back. Switching is done using a hotkey combo from the keyboard, or manually use of the buttons on the front panel.

Topping off this enchilada are features like upgradeable firmware to support future OS features and a three year warranty. Of course, there is a price and you can have all this for only $499.95 US. It’s not cheap that’s for sure but it’s a lot cheaper than buying four sets of mice, keyboard and monitor. More hardcore specs are available here. For the rest of you, let’s see if this thing is really worth the price of admission.

What’s In The Box?

Naturally, for about $500 you’d expect some really cool stuff in the box. Well, if high quality cables and minimal paperwork is cool enough for you, then the GCS1204 has that covered.

Inside the box, you get our GCS1204 KWMP Switch, but you’ll also get a manual and registration card. Four sets of custom 6ft DVI/Audio/Mic cables are also included along with a PS2 to USB adapter for you old school peripheral peeps and the firmware upgrade cable. A power adapter is also provided to give the device the juice it needs to power up to four systems.

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