Complete HD 720p Unboxing and Review of the newly announced Razer Sphex Gaming Mousepad! This Pad is actually the World’s Thinnest Gaming-Grade Mousepad at only 0.24MM Thick! The question is though, will it perform as described? Watch to find out, and be sure to Subscribe! Follow me on Twitter for live updates and news at: www.twitter.com
Video Rating: 4 / 5
Who loves basketball? Well, there are really tons of people who do not only follow the game but also play the game. And that is why basketball courts are very easily seen everywhere. It can be said that this is one of the most popular sports in the whole world.
And if you are one of those basketball fanatics (or just a simple fan of the game), why do you not try to bring this game back with you at work? Sure you can have with you a mousepad that is made to look like a basketball. Or you can also have your computer’s desktop showing a favorite basketball moment. Or you can also choose to post posters or photos of your favorite basketball heroes. But that is not the only thing that you can do with your favorite game.
All you would need to quench that thirst for basketball is to bring it to work with the USB basketball. No. This is a basketball that you can plug in to your USB port and it inflates and you can play with it in the office. Nothing of that sort. The USB basketball is actually a USB gadget that is offered at Gadget Epoint and it allows you to shoot some hoops while working on your cubicle or desk.
If you go to arcades, you would most certainly think that the USB basketball is a miniature version of that basketball game you play there. And so just imagine all the fun you would have with this USB gadget which just needs to be plugged in to your computer. It even has a scoreboard that has an LED display which would make you feel like you are playing the real thing. And yeah, it also has a time limit so you would feel the pressure and that rush of adrenaline that comes with each real basketball game.
Paula James is a 25-year-old online marketing executive at Gadget Epoint. The love for gadgets runs through her veins having grown up with a father who is into gadgets himself.
SteelSeries seems to have worked out their new favorite niche recently, between their World of Warcraft, and StarCraft II themed products. Add another couple of products to that list, with the R.U.S.E mouse and the QcK gaming surface (don’t call it a mouse pad).
Both products are related to the new Ubisoft RTS game, and feature graphics inspired by the game. The mouse is a quite respectable laser mouse with their high end sensor system and specialized drivers that make it ideal for gamers. The mousepad “gaming surface” is a cloth based surface that’s been optimized and textured to provide the best smoothness and glide. Both products feature artwork from the game, but no word if you have to be connected to the internet to actually use them. MSRP for the mouse is $89.99, and the gaming surface is selling for $14.99.
From the press release:
CHICAGO – APRIL 14, 2010 – SteelSeries has teamed with game publisher Ubisoft to bring fans exclusive branded peripherals for the upcoming real-time strategy game R.U.S.E. Designed to give players a competitive advantage, the SteelSeries Xai Laser Mouse R.U.S.E. Edition enhances performance with its superior technology and a preconfigured profile setting that optimizes game-play. The preloaded R.U.S.E. profile, created with input from Ubisoft, allows quick access to the R.U.S.E. and HQ Menus, and preset macro buttons can take the player from the bird’s eye view of the war to the heart of the battlefield in an instant. The SteelSeries QcK Limited Edition (R.U.S.E.) mousepad features graphics from the game and provides a smooth and consistent glide; combined they deliver a complete and immersive R.U.S.E. experience.
Currently in open beta, R.U.S.E. allows players to use strategy and bluffing tactics as the general of their nation’s army during World War II. The speed and range of movement required in the game, demands tools that can deliver superb levels of precision and accuracy. Ubisoft chose to partner with SteelSeries, because of the award-winning, innovative features and technology that the SteelSeries Xai offers to gamers.
In addition to the R.U.S.E. profile that comes pre-loaded on the SteelSeries Xai Laser Mouse R.U.S.E. Edition, SteelSeries will offer pro-gamer recommended R.U.S.E. profiles for users to download once the game launches in June. These recommended profiles will be found on the SteelSeries web site.
Important features on the SteelSeries Xai Laser Mouse R.U.S.E. Edition include:
– Ambidextrous shape with a 10.8 megapixels/second sensor processing 12,000 frames/second at 5,001 Counts Per Inch (CPI) with movement speeds of 150 inches/second
– Unique SteelSeries sensor innovations including SteelSeries ExactAim, SteelSeries ExactRate, SteelSeries ExactSens, SteelSeries FreeMove and automatic lift distance calibration deliver exceptional levels of personalization
– Up to 5 stored profiles including a preconfigured R.U.S.E. profile created with input from game publisher, Ubisoft
– 7 Programmable macro buttons with up to 200 strokes per button
– Full customization via LCD menu system on the back of the mouse stored by the hardware – eliminating the need for drivers and providing configuration capabilities on-the-go.“R.U.S.E. is a strategy game that we believe players will experience differently than any other RTS game on the market. In a game where every detail matters, choosing a mouse that obeys both the eye and every sleight of hand is a good strategy. With excellent levels of precision and ergonomy, the SteelSeries Xai mouse could become your best ally,” said Mathieu Girard, Senior Producer at Ubisoft. “Not only is it fully branded R.U.S.E. on the outside but is programmed with a special player profile.”
“Industry awards, player feedback and tournament wins have shown us that the time we spent methodically perfecting the SteelSeries Xai Laser Mouse has paid off,” said Bruce Hawver, CEO of SteelSeries. “R.U.S.E. players will be easily impressed with the game’s unique game-play built around an incredible zooming engine, and with the technology we pack inside the SteelSeries Xai as well as the smooth glide and graphics of the QcK mousepad it all comes together to provide gamers with an outstanding RTS experience.”
The SteelSeries QcK Limited Edition (R.U.S.E.) gaming surface is made of high quality cloth material and an optimized textured surface that guarantees smoothness and glide. The non-slip rubber base prevents sliding, no matter what surface the mousepad is on. Official artwork from the game depicts an exciting battle between opposing forces using the element of deception.
The SteelSeries Xai Laser Mouse R.U.S.E Edition and QcK Limited Edition (R.U.S.E.) will retail for $89.99 USD and $14.99 USD online at SteelSeries.com
R.U.S.E. is scheduled for release on Windows PC, the Xbox 360® video game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system on June 8, 2010.
These mousepads are made of 1/8″ rolled steel, and the larger ones weigh four pounds. Take one to a LAN party; if you get owned, just start rage-bludgeoning! Every one is hand-made, and they claim the finishing method they use is perfect for laser-based mice. Sure! Hell, I’ll believe anything they say, because anyone who makes things out of solid steel is A-OK in my book.
They’re made by Greensforged, and there are several varieties. Are you a gravity gun whore in HL2DM? You’ll be wanting the Ravenholm. Are you a giant? Get the Hugepad. At $30-$50, they’re a bit more expensive than the average mousepad, but hey, the Vespula costs $35 and it’s not even close to solid steel!
[via Metafilter/MeFi Projects]
Short version: A very slick, but rather small mousepad well-suited to those of you who like hard, slidey surfaces to mouse on. If that sounds good, maybe you should try winning it! Woo!
Features:
Pros:
Cons:
Full review:
This mousepad has a lot of “matters of taste” about it. I hesitate to pass judgment in any way on it, but rather I’ll just let you know how it performs. So this is probably the most complicated mouse pad out there. Generally when you think “mouse pad,” you think “a pad you put your mouse on.” Well, this pad has two sides with different textures and a removable wrist rest. That’s really only a couple extra features to think about, but it’s more than just a pad.
To get a sense of the frictionless nature of the pad and its flippability, check out this little video:
I know, vastly entertaining, wasn’t it, watching my hands move around like that? Hey. How else am I supposed to do it? Let’s move on.
Essentially you’re looking at a personal choice. My mousepad of choice is actually another Razer one, the Goliathus, which is a thick cloth pad. No wrist rest — though I suppose I could “install” the one that comes with the Vespula. So, this mousepad is pretty much the opposite of what I like. That doesn’t stop me from recognizing that it does its job well. The intention was low friction and a removable wrist rest, and I’d be lying if I said the Vespula didn’t have that. Having now returned to my trusty Goliathus, I can really tell the difference in how much force I have to exert on the mouse.
So, sorry to disappoint you guys with an exceedingly short review, but what can I say? It’s a slick little mouse pad, and if it sounds like it’s up your alley, it probably is. Just be aware that it is a bit small. And $35 is a lot of money for a mouse pad.
Giveaway! I don’t need this thing sitting around in a drawer here, and someone would probably love to have it, so I’m just going to give my review unit away to someone. In the comments, tell us briefly what mouse you use and why, and I’ll pick a winner semi-randomly at the end of the weekend.
Here’s a pretty easy DIY project, for someone so inclined. I’ll be honest, after checking around a bit on the price of commercial teflon mouse pads, I’m not sure why you’d want to take the time to make one. Essentially the project is this: take a teflon surface like a cookie sheet, baking pan, or skillet, and then modify it to the right size, and then finish the edges so you don’t injure yourself.
The part that I have trouble with is the price. Searching around on the web, I found teflon coated mouse pads for under $25. The price of the two burned griddle that the creator of this project purchased was $25. He then took the time to cut the metal, file it down, and then sand it to a fine polish. To me, well.. my time is worth more then satisfaction of knowing that I made my own mouse pad. If you want instructions on how to do this project, click here.