OCZ technology, http://www.ocztechnology.com, has gained a reputation for producing the finest memory components for today’s PCs. Recent developments in the last year have increased their reputation as a valued supplier due to their outstanding power supplies and coolers. The Gladiator Max CPU cooler sets a competitive trend in the market.

OCZ produced some great coolers like the Vendetta models though the expansion in their product lines has paved the way for improved products. Moving further into the cooling foray, and targeting the increasing need to cool faster and faster processors, the Gladiator Max CPU Cooler is a true winner.

OCZ have a name for this design - HDT or Heatpipe Direct Touch. The motive behind building the Gladiator Max CPU cooler was driven by changes in the computing world today using more powerful processors which also generate tremendous amount of heat. The Gladiator Max CPU cooler is built to ensure that the cooling challenges are met and the system works along this concept. This has produced further confidence in PC overclocking possibilities. Compared to many other coolers, the Gladiator has a bigger fan at 120mm in width with less throughput requirements due to reduced revolutions.

The design of the Gladiator Max CPU cooler is quite slick. The cooler has 4 heat pipes which are U-shaped amounting to 8 vertical pipes. These dissipate heat and the fins of the cooler are quite rigid being seated firmly onto the housing. The base of the Gladiator Max CPU cooler has 4 pillars. There are 4 pillars forming part of the base and connected to 4 fins.

The installation is quite easy as unlike many coolers, you don’t need to remove the motherboard. So, there is no skill required, novices can install this fan. You will be quite amazed at how quiet the cooler can be during the day. This adds to its strong market position combining extra cooling, ease of installation and noise reduction. For example, the renowned Asus Triton cooler presents a significantly higher noise level. That said, it should be noted that the Triton has a fan size of 92mm and more revolutions.

So, enjoy a high speed computing experience with the latest processors whilst keeping the processor cool!

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The plastic iMac is no more. Apple has offered a special, low-price “educational” Mac for a while now. First the machine was the eMac, then a special version of the iMac — usually with a smaller screen and slower processor than those found in the regular, consumer versions.

Even after the introduction of the aluminum iMac, Apple continued selling the plastic-bodied version as their education model. Now, Ars Technica reports that the plastic iMac’s days are coming to an end. Apple has announced that the educational iMac will be upgraded to a new, low-end aluminum model featuring a 20-inch screen.

The new iMac will also feature a 2.0GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 1GB of RAM, and a SuperDrive, all for $899. The only way to purchase one is through a special institutional buyer — so even individual students or education professionals can’t buy one.

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The keyboard market is finally catching up with the needs of gamers worldwide, with several specialized gaming keyboard offerings. Two popular choices among them are Logitech’s G15 keyboard and Ideazon’s Zboard.

The G15 functions well in tandem with their gaming mice. Even if you don’t have a Logitech gaming mouse, the G15 is still a great option because it packs useful features. The new G15 has fewer programmable keys which is an improvement over the old G15 because it reduces keyboard clutter (fewer keys).

The new G15 is also enhanced for World of Warcraft enthusiasts with dedicated keyboard support for critical functions.

Key features:

1. It has an LCD display that shows gaming information (amount of ammunition left etc.) during play time, as well as showing system information such as RAM usage, what MP3 is playing, date, time, etc. at all times.

2. It has 6 programmable keys in 3 modes. The keyboard is C++ programmable and the LCD display can be used to edit C++ code to create Macros for each of the programmable keys. It is therefore a highly customizable keyboard.

3. In-built Media Center functions and hotkeys to pull up an Internet Browser and email, etc.

4. It has a backlit display available in two colors so that it can be used in the dark without any trouble. The brightness of the backlit can be adjusted (3 levels).

5. It allows up to 10 simultaneous key presses.

6. It has 2 USB ports to expand the total USB device supporting capacity of your PC. These can be used to attach specialized gaming hardware as well.

7. It has palm rests for more comfortable typing.

Drawbacks:

1. The keyboard is larger than a standard keyboard. It may not fit in many keyboard trays and will definitely use up a lot of desk space. If you plan to use it along with a gaming mouse, make sure you have enough space to begin with.

2. Although the keyboard is designed for gaming and serious computer use (such as document creation) alike, users report it having not the required feel for serious typing at high speeds.

3. Beware: freely distributed Macros can also spell trouble.

Ideazon Zboard

Ideazon’s Zboard is an excellent keyboard solution with specialized features for playing games such as Age of Empires, Half Life, Doom, and Battlefield. There is a standard keyset which can be used for all your standard applications and games. (there is also a detachable palm rest). There are a number of function keys including media controlling keys and other hot keys.

Key features:

1. The interchangeable keysets mean that you can buy a keyset for your favorite game and you are away.

2. First / Third person action games can be played easily by virtue of the gaming keyset(s).

3. It has 2 USB ports. You can attach more USB devices to your computer through the keyboard.

4. A row of multimedia and functional keys.

5. A selection of business oriented keysets such as one that has Adobe Photoshop functions on board (other options are MS Excel, Flash and more). Further improving flexibility.

Drawbacks:

1. It has a split space bar which requires some getting used to.

2. It does not have the option of programmable keys.

3. Keyboard feel is not as good as more expensive products that are available on the market.

4. Keysets have an associated learning curve.

Conclusion

If you are into serious gaming and play a variety of games then the G15 is the automatic choice because of the programmable keys. Although the Zboard has the hot swappable keysets, the problem is that if you play several games the cost of the keysets can add up (each has to be purchased separately). G15’s LCD screen is a great feature that actually makes it even more attractive than more expensive keyboards.

The advantage that the Zboard has over G15 is in the pricing. If you play just the one game or two, it turns out to be very good value.

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The PC Gaming Alliance must have been relieved to read the result of their recent study into which was the world’s leading single platform for gaming.

The personal computer celebrated its 30th birthday last year and it’s estimated that over 1 billion are in use worldwide. The PC Gaming Alliance’s research into the gaming industry during 2008 shows that a quarter of those PCs are being used for gaming, making it the single largest platform.

According to the report, PC gaming generates annual worldwide revenues of about $11 billion, more than any of the consoles or portable systems from the likes of Nintendo, Microsoft or Sony.

Titled “The PC Gaming Alliance Presents the PC Gaming Industry in 2008” the report is packed with industry findings, of which the three most interesting are the impact of digital distribution (Valve’s Steam), the growth of free gaming based on micro-transactions and the proliferation in game card availability.

“The biggest story in PC games is the expansion beyond retail,” said Randy Stude, president of the PC Gaming Alliance. “PC games have successfully pioneered online subscription and distribution models that have resulted in a global boom that shows no signs of slowing. Despite the advances of the likes of Xbox Live and the PlayStation Network, the online platform that remains the most accessible and robust worldwide is the PC.”

Written by DFC Intelligence, the report also draws attention to the major role that MMOs play in generating revenue, a genre that is played mostly on PCs. The ability of successful MMOs to sell a game at full retail price and then command a monthly charge to play has made them among the most profitable entertainment products ever.

Despite the recession, or perhaps because of it, the gaming industry continues to perform well, including the PC’s console and hand held cousins. Videogame software sales rose 9% in February to just over $733 million and hardware sales rose 11% to $533 million, reported The NPD Group last week.

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