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Multi-Card Reader with Bluetooth Dongle Review
2008-04-14 00:00:00
USBFever (http://www.usbfever.com) had sent me an interesting little gadget that incorporates a Bluetooth dongle and a card reader in one small, portable device. At first I thought this was a Bluetooth enabled card reader, but it's not, it's actually a full featured BT dongle with a card reader built into it. I have to admit though, it would be a much cooler little gadget had it been a BT reader and dongle all in one...
More About: Card , Review , Reader , Multi

Updated and Comments added
2008-04-14 00:00:00
We've updated the site a bit, the core anyway, and I've added comments.. comments can be viewed and added at the end of articles/reviews. Comments are going to be set so that you have to be a registered user to add comments, if you were a member here at an earlier time then your login id/pw does still exist and you can still use it. For the next couple days though I will be leaving the comments open to anyone, BUT they will be moderated closely, and a Captcha system will be implemented soon.

iPod AV Cable Review
2008-04-10 00:00:00
USBFever (http://www.usbfever.com)people have the solution for this situation. The iPod AV Cable allows one to use the iPod Video to play videos on any RCA composite enable monitor. With this cable, you can hold a video stores worth of movies in your palm and enjoy them on a TV or monitor. Unfortunately, Apple has modified the video out on the newer iPod Classic and third gen iPod Nano, so this cable is unable to output video with these iPods. Let’s take a closer look….
More About: Ipod , Review

Noctua NH-U9B CPU Cooler Review
2008-04-09 00:00:00
Noctua (http://www.noctua.at), it's the NH-U9B CPU cooler. It's essentially a revision of the NH-U9F CPU cooler that I reviewed almost two years ago here on DSM. Yes, I've still got it on hand as well and I've found that the U9B is actually a bit smaller than the U9F, but yet gets better results, so they've done something right... The NH-U9B comes packaged with Noctua's own NT-H1 Thermal Compound and their new NF-B9 92mm fan as well. It includes mounts for popular CPU platforms, and even an extra set of fan clips to add another fan for increased cooling performance. As usual Noctua goes the distance when it comes to including nice quality extras with their products, but those extras don't mean much when the main product doesn't perform... So read on to see how the new Noctua NH-U9B CPU cooler performs and to see comparison shots side-by-side with the original NH-U9F...
More About: Review , Cooler , Noctua

Vizo Propeller 2 System Cooler Review
2008-04-08 00:00:00
Vizo (http://www.vizo.com.tw/)Propeller 2 system cooler, this product aims to help keep your case cool by exhausting the air via a PCI slot. Does it work? Read on to find out...
More About: System , Review , Cooler

OCZ Freeze Thermal Compound Review
2008-04-05 00:00:00
OCZ (http://www.ocztechnology.com/)seems to have their hand in quite a bit and when they put their name on a product you expect something that performs well and is of good quality, and I've yet to see where that is not the case. Today for review I've got the OCZ Freeze Thermal Compound, when you think of OCZ you normally think of quality ram, but they are into cooling as most people know. The OCZ Freeze is another entry into the every growing lineup of instantly ready compounds, meaning they have no burn-in time required, something that I think most people appreciate greatly. Not only is the OCZ Freeze instantly ready but also non-toxic and very easy to apply. How does it stand up to others out there? Read on to find out..
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Trendnet TK-408K 4-Port PS/2 KVM Switch Kit w/Audio Review
2008-04-02 00:00:00
KVM switches are one of those things that you either have a need for or you don't, but it's nice to know that they exist as they really do make life much easier. Today for review I've got the Trendnet TK-408K 4-Port PS/2 KVM Switch Kit w/Audio and it's a basic KVM switch that works exactly as it should. I encountered no problems with it in the few months that I've used it, response time is excellent when switching between systems and it even supports high resolutions as well. So, read on to check it out...
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3-in-1 E-SATA, SATA and USB 5-port Hub Combo Review
2008-04-02 00:00:00
USB Hubs are a very common product now, everyone has so much stuff that they seem to always need to plug something else in but there never seems to be enough ports to do it. Since there are so many brands and styles of hubs, what does a company do to make theirs stand out from the crowd and make you buy it over any others out there? Today for review I've got a product that not only adds five more USB connections to your computer but also adds an SATA port and an eSATA port. It seems to be a well made product with good intentions on creating something that could be very useful to many people out there. So continue on to learn more and see the tests that I ran...
More About: Review , Port , Combo

SteelSeries SX Gaming Mousepad Review
2008-03-29 00:00:00
SteelSeries is known worldwide for their excellent products, in quality and performance you'll be hard pressed to find a better product to suit your needs. SteelSeries is on the cutting edge of the gaming industry when it comes to accessories putting in countless hours in testing and research to come up with products that are truly the best out there. Today for review I've got the SteelSeries SX Gaming Mousepad, and to quote SteelSeries: “It is by far the most expensive mousepad we have ever produced, both in terms of materials, labor, quality control and the actual manufacturing process required to produce SteelSeries SX.” For cost yes, it is an expensive mousepad, but in the end it is well worth it if you are truly serious about gaming, you can see and feel the quality of this mousepad as soon as you unpack it. This is the first aluminum mousepad that I have ever owned or reviewed so I was a bit excited about it honestly, I like to try new things, and I was curious about how...
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USB Car Charger Adapter (Dual USB Sockets, 1000mA) Review
2008-03-27 00:00:00
USB powered devices have become ubiquitous in our society. They range from iPods to Cell Phones to Bluetooth headsets and many, many more. The problem with these devices is that sometimes when one is nowhere near a computer, they still need charging. Charging can become problematic, especially when traveling by vehicle. Luckily, USB Fever has the solution. They now feature the USB Car Charger Adapter . This neat device can charge two USB devices by running off the cigarette lighter in one’s vehicle. Now charging a Palm, iPhone or cell phone, has never been easier. Let’s take a closer look…..
More About: Review , Dual

OCZ Rally2 Turbo 4gb USB 2.0 Flash Drive Review
2008-03-27 00:00:00
USB Drive s are everywhere these days, with the price of flash memory falling you can pick them up with high capacities very cheaply. So with all of these choices is that cheap USB drive really worth it? Or are you just getting what you pay for? Up on the review block today I have the OCZ Rally2 Turbo 4gig flash drive, the OCZ Rally series is very popular for it's speed and durability and has won numerous awards. I've got six other flash drives on hand to put up against the Rally2 to just see how fast it is compared to them, including OCZs own ATV Turbo and the speedy Super Talent 200X. Is the Rally2 Turbo all that? Continue on to find out...
More About: Flash , Flash Drive , Review

Scythe Kama-Flex 80mm Case Fan Review
2008-03-27 00:00:00
Recently, Kris took a look at the Kama Flex 92 mm Silent Case Fan from Scythe, today, I will be looking at its little brother, the Kama-Flex 80mm Case Fan. Touting a 80000 hour life span and a fan speed clocking in at 1500, the KamaFlex looks like a great fan for keeping your case cool and quiet for quite some time. Like the 92mm version, the Kama-Flex 80mm Case Fan features the Sony developed S-FDB (Fluid Dynamic Bearing) to provide quieter and improved performance. Let’s take a look and see if this model matches the perfect score of the bigger version..
More About: Review

Aerocool I-Curve Mid-Tower PC Case Review
2008-03-22 00:00:00
There was a time when PC cases didn't have doors on them to cover their drive bays, then they became popular and it seemed that every case had a door on it, but lately though I've noticed a more even balance between the availability of a door or not. For me this is a nice thing, at one time I thought having a door on my case was cool, but eventually I realized it was more of a hassle than anything and now I prefer cases without doors on them. This is also good for everyone as well, it allows more choices for consumers and choice is always a good thing, this allows consumers to find the case that fits their particular style. Today for review I've got the Aerocool I-Curve Mid-Tower PC case, it's a very sleek and sophisticated chassis that should appeal to everyone. It's available in black or silver and features a touch sensitive panel instead of buttons to power on your case, reset your system or turn it off. The I-Curve is a steel based chassis with an elegant aluminum, sand...
More About: Review , Case

C2Q Q6600 Heatsink Roundup -12 Tested
2008-03-20 00:00:00
As a follow up to the Heatsink Roundup on C2D, I've got another batch of tests using a Core2Quad Q6600 CPU, I've got twelve coolers in all being tested. I've eliminated a couple coolers I used for the C2D roundup though as they were not adequate to cool the C2D so they would not be able to handle the C2Q, but I've added Liquid Cooling and the Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme to the testing charts. The same as before, you'll find testing involving the fans connected to the CPU header, connected to a Molex and of course coolers that are able to use no fan at all. For testing I've got names like Thermalright, JetArt, GlacialTech, Corsair, OCZ, Scythe, Noctua, Coolink and the Intel Stock cooler. To make all testing even I used Arctic Cooling MX-2 thermal compound on all coolers. This little roundup has been a while in the making so jump on in and see what's going on...
More About: Tested

Zonet ZNS8021 USB 2.0 Leather SATA Enclosure Review
2008-03-19 00:00:00
Zonet (http://www.zonetusa.com/)is that this Enclosure is Xbox360 and PS3 supported. This is a nice feature to have, if you want to transfer or view media on your gaming consoles. So let’s see how the Zonet ZNS8021 USB 2.0 Leather SATA Enclosure stacks up against some other USB devices.
More About: Review

LAbesace CLASSIC for 13” Macbook Laptop Bag Review
2008-03-18 00:00:00
be.ez (http://www.be-ez.com/). They have sent us the LAbesace CLASSIC, which is designed to fit the MacBook and any 13” or smaller sized laptop. The folks at be.ez have made a compact, yet spacious bag to hold your laptop and all your documents and accessories. Besides being functional, it is also stylish, so one can be proud carrying it around town. Let’s see if the LAbesace CLASSIC is all that it is advertised to be...
More About: Laptop , Review , Classic , Macbook

Lapworks Attache Laptop Stand Review
2008-03-15 00:00:00
Lapworks (http://www.laptopdesk.net)latest product, the Attache Laptop Stand , it's labeled a stand but this version does feature two silent fans to help cool your laptop and it adds an additional four USB ports that can be used with your laptop. Let's find out if this newest product from Lapworks holds to their tradition of making inventive and useful products. I've tested the Attache Laptop Stand with two different laptops to see how it performs not only for cooling but for actual usefulness...
More About: Review

Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme CPU Cooler Review
2008-03-15 00:00:00
Today for review I've got the infamous TRUE CPU cooler, if you don't know what the TRUE is then you aren't paying attention. The Thermalright Ultra 120 eXtreme CPU cooler is very popular among enthusiast circles as the reigning champion of CPU coolers and most people will quickly recommend a TRUE to someone asking. So today I've got the TRUE for review, and I've put it to the test using both C2D and C2Q processors, is it all that? Well you'll have to read on to find out...
More About: Review , Extreme , Cooler

Scythe "KAMA FLEX" 92 mm Silent Case Fan Review
2008-03-13 00:00:00
I learned something new recently... I never knew that Sony had anything to do with making fans or parts of them, but it shouldn't surprise me too much though as Sony seems to have a hand in pretty much everything. To for review I have a 92mm fan that features a fluid dynamic bearing by Sony that is supposed to last longer, be quieter and improve performance So for our 400th review on DragonSteelMods, I've got a fan! Yep, a fan, a 92mm fan from our friends at Scythe. It's their new Kama Flex 92mm Silent Case fan, and I've found that it is very quiet and actually performs well.
More About: Review

mStation 2.1 Stereo Orb Review
2008-03-07 00:00:00
Accessories for the iPod come in all shapes and sizes. Today I will be looking at the uniquely shaped mStation 2.1 Stereo Orb. This speaker is designed to work with any iPod ranging from the first generation to current iPod models. Besides acting as a set of speakers, the Stereo Orb can function as a charging/syncing dock and includes a stereo mini jack which allows the ability to hook up other devices such as other MP3 and CD players, plus with the 10 key remote, you can control basic functions on your mStation. This all in one speaker solution includes a built in subwoofer. It includes six docking adapters for all iPod models. With seven colors to choose from including White, Black, Blue, Green, Pink, Red, and Silver, there will be one mStation for your environment. The mStation 2.1 Stereo Orb has a output of 30W, let’s see how the mStation 2.1 Stereo Orb sounds and fairs with some iPods. Let’s get started...
More About: Review

Coolink GFXChilla VGA Cooler Review
2008-03-07 00:00:00
I've got a big 'ol review for you today, this one has been a few weeks in the making actually, and from my time with this product I've found it to be easily one of the best VGA coolers on the market today. Up on the block today is the GFXChilla VGA Cooler from Coolink and I've tested it with my ATI X1800GTO video card and with my two Nvidia 8600GTS video cards as well. I've got comparison results with the GFXChilla going up against names like Thermalright, Arctic Cooling, Aerocool and of course the stock coolers. One thing cool (pun intended) about the GFXChilla is that it is small and able to be used with my Nvidia cards in SLI. From my testing I've found that the GFXChiila is virtually silent and performs extremely well, especially if you consider just how small it is. In my testing up against the massive Arctic Cooling Accelero, the GFXChilla is only a couple degrees warmer than the Accelero. The GFXChilla only adds a tiny bit of width to your card due to the heatpipes s...
More About: Review

Wireless FM Transmitter Ver2 Review
2008-03-06 00:00:00
I like gadgets, pretty much all gadgets really, but especially the ones that are multi-functional, those are the coolest I think. A while back I took a look at a decent wireless FM transmitter for transmitting music from your portable audio player to your cars' radio, today for review I've got the 2nd version of that, aptly named the Wireless FM Transmitter Version 2. It looks and works pretty much the same as the first version but the 2nd version features a clock and a thermometer built in as well. A clock is a nice added touch and I like the temperature feature as well...
More About: Review

Ultra Micro Hughes 300 RC Helicopter Review
2008-03-06 00:00:00
Toys, toys, toys, I just love them! The smaller the better actually, and today for review I've got the smallest RC helicopter I've seen yet. It's from our friends at TrendTimes.com and it's called the Ultra Micro Hughes 300. The Micro Hughes 300 is very cool and lots of fun to fly around all over the place. The helicopter itself is very well made and very rugged as I crashed it many, many times while playing with it. It's also highly detailed as well, it features a plastic body and not a styrofom body like other micro helicopters out there making it look more realistic with the many added details. So continue on to check out all the pictures and movies I've got for you...
More About: Review , Helicopter

Noctua NF-B9 92mm Fan Review
2008-03-06 00:00:00
Up on the review block today we've got a fan! Yep it's a plan old fan, well sort of, it's from Noctua so that should tell you that it's not just any plain old fan right? The NF-B9 is a 92mm fan that is very different from every other fan out there on the market today, it has teeth on the blade, well technically they are called Vortex Control Notches, but they look like teeth to me. Anyway, the NF-B9 also has beveled blade tips, and Noctua's own SC Drive system and SSO bearing to make for one very quiet fan that still can move quite a bit of air. So, let's just get right into this review...
More About: Review

Scythe "KAZE MASTER 5.25" Multi Channel Fan Controller Review
2008-03-06 00:00:00
There is a fine line between obtaining peak cooling performance and having a whisper quiet system. Many of the higher end cases come with fans that have speed controls accessible from outside of the case., the Antec P182 is one such model. Unfortunately, these controls are usually dip switches and can only adjust the speed from low to medium to high. This type of set up prevents fine control of the fan speeds and thus the volume of the fans. To help gain more precise control of our fans, Scythe has sent us the KazeMaster KM01-SL Fan Controller and Temperature Monitor. This unit fits in the 5.25” bay of any standard case. The KazeMaster is capable of monitoring up to four fans and four separate temperature probes. It even features an alarm for fan failures and high temperature readings, plus, all this information is presented on a beautiful VFD screen. How well does the KazeMaster control the cooling and volume of your case fans? Let’s take a closer look. Let’s get st...
More About: Review , Multi , Channel

Ultra m998 Mid-Tower ATX Case Review
2008-03-06 00:00:00
There are many choices we have when it comes to choosing a case for our PCs, and unfortunately many are just the same old same old with a makeover, the outside might look different but the inside is what we have seen time and time again. Yeah we all do want a nice looking case, but to a lot of people out there looks aren't everything when it comes to a PC case, we want something that not only looks good but is well made and has the features we want and need in it. Today for review I've got the Ultra M998 Mid-Tower ATX PC Case and it just might be one of those cases that offers most if not all of the things we want to see in a quality case. The M998 is named after the tough and rugged M998 HMMWV military vehicle or more commonly know as the Hummvee, the case isn't quite military standard issue but it does have some resemblance to military stylings on the outside with user friendly features inside and out as well. I've found the M998 to be a great case overall and I'm very ha...
More About: Review

bGears b-Envi SFF Case Review
2008-02-18 00:00:00
PC Case s come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the most popular of course being standard ATX format sized cases as they will fit pretty much all form factors of motherboards and can hold many components. The SFF or Small Form Factor case is a somewhat specialized case that is meant to have a small footprint and be portable if need be. SFF cases became popular with gamers so they didn't have to carry full-sized heavy cases with them to LAN parties, but with the popularity of Home Theater PCs, these same cases are finding a new use as the center of our home entertainment systems. Today for review I've got the b-Envi SFF case from bGears and it's a nice case overall packed with several cool features like a built in removable 2.5” hard drive enclosure, 58-in-1 card reader and quiet 120mm fan. The b-Envi is an all aluminum case making it very lightweight and portable with room for two hard drives and one optical drive. The first thing that struck me about this case was the fact that...
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Sonos Bundle 130 Digital Music System Reviewed
2008-02-18 00:00:00
For the sake of full disclosure, I admit that I am a huge SlimDevices (now owned by Logitech) Squeezebox fan, I have owned a Squeezebox2 for the past three years and have used it almost daily during that time. It is a great device, but it does have some drawbacks, particularly, the Squeezebox requires setting up Squeezecenter (aka SlimServer) on a machine to get your personal music library to stream to the device. Setting up this server can take a fair amount of time when tweaking its settings and plugins Sonos has come up with a similar system to manage your digital music system. The main difference between the two products is the presentation and the ease of set up. The Sonos is a plug and play system with a beautiful remote control. They have released the Sonos Bundle 130 which includes a Sonos ZonoPlayer 80 (ZP80), a Sonos Zoneplayer 100 (ZP100) and a Sonos Controller (CR100). Using these devices will provide instant access to your entire digital music collection, alon...
More About: Music , System , Digital Music , Digital

Adesso Win Touch Pro Desktop Multimedia Touchpad Keyboard Review
2008-02-18 00:00:00
Keyboards come in many shapes, sizes and most are pretty much the same, but companies are of course trying to come up with things to make their product stand out from the crowd by adding features and integrating other things into them. Today for review I've got the Adesso Win Touch Pro Desktop Multimedia Touchpad Keyboard, (quite a name there eh?) and it is a feature rich product that most people should appreciate. The Win Touch Pro Keyboard has an integrated Touchpad in the palm rest just like you would find on a laptop computer, along with that it features shortcut and multi-media buttons as well. This is a great keyboard for those that use laptops often and are accustomed to using a touchpad instead of a mouse. So let's just jump right in...
More About: Review , Keyboard

AutumnWave OnAir GT USB HDTV Receiver Review
2008-02-14 00:00:00
TV has become a huge part of our daily lives, not only for entertainment but information and education as well, most houses have more than one TV that's on most of time. With technology we've seen ways to bring our entertainment with us to our desktop PCs and even take it with us on our laptops, but up until lately most of those devices were for basic over the air channels and cable TV hookups if available. With the quickly approaching deadline for going digital TV only we're seeing more and more products that offer the ability to tune in those digital stations, and some of those feature the ability to tune in HDTV stations as well, call it an added bonus I guess. Personally we've got three TVs in our house, but only the main 27” one gets used really and that's mainly for watching children's shows. I've got three young children and we either watch PBS children's programming or one of our many DVDs or VHS tapes that we have, and the TV watching is done through standard over-...
More About: Review , Receiver , Hdtv