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08:18 AM
A) It's $15 cheaper.
B) It's wireless with a use-and-charge cable.
C) Has the best side buttons I've seen on a mouse yet, decent sized and in a vertical top/bottom placement angled to fit your thumb.
Downsides are that some people but likely not everyone might find it too big, the official images lie: it does not have that awesome blue glow from under the rear grills.
Other than that it does all this does (besides the adjustable side buttons) and more for less dollars.
12/01/09
12/01/09
12/01/09
12/01/09
This, however, is way more impressive.
12/01/09
12/01/09
12/01/09
12/01/09
/breaks emergency glass/
09:37 AM
Phish is kind of like God to me. I love the band/deity, but I can't stand most of the followers.
12/01/09
12/01/09
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12/01/09
12/01/09
Second, I wonder if anyone thought about the possible fire hazard this massive LAN party posed...
EDIT: Does this scene remind anyone of the scene of Zion in The Matrix before the machines went to work on the people?
12/01/09
edit: Since 96 if I'm reading things right. Last year they had 12000+ attendants.
12/01/09
Have any idea what goes down at these LAN parties?
Spiked punch or roofies?
12/01/09
12/01/09
If there was a massive fire and the entire place was destroyed with all inside, would the world be a better or worse place?
As an avid PC gamer I submit to you that I am uncertain of the answer to this question.
12/01/09
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12/01/09
Only if they were a cheater would you want to use a fire hose. The better way to put out the fire would be a halon extinguisher that way the fire would go out and not damage the computer. Sadly not as epic as shooting some one with a fire hose at 200 gallons per minute but every one around them appreciate it.
12/01/09
12/01/09
12/01/09
12:28 PM
But in your typical convention center facility, there is more than enough power for what is essentially a whole bunch of computers. (Also, we wouldn't be spraying water on flaming computers. That's what dry chemical extinguishers are for.)
12:49 PM
01:20 PM
First, staff electricians are on-site because it's a greater-than-normal challange to the intended design. CNET Labs just informed me that a reasonable power consumption for a gaming PC under load might be 145 watts. 10,000 PC's, 1.45 MW. That is ridiculous. I'm sure they have multiple 480V electric vaults (1,600A to 3,200A) but that would pretty much max out the 3,200A main path. Not good.
Second, a dry-chem extinguisher, combination Class BC or ABC, uses a mixture of non-conductive agents for hazards like this and suitable for other high-hazard situations such as non-cellulose materials, grease and oil-based chemicals, etc., that have higher heat release rates or lower flash points (self-sustained burning). Problem... they don't last long and are terribly ineffective when nobody knows how to , 1. release the actuator and, 2, spray without wasting. I'd suggest a fire blanket for this scenario instead.
Lastly, set a few of those PC's on fire and watch what the FD does. They will spray your PC to the back of the room. Just kidding, let's not be literal. They will shut down power to the facility services manually unless the fire is large enough to actuate detection devices connected to the fire control panel and shut down power automatically (sequence of operations). THEN they will spray your PC to the back of the room and out the other side. Standard operating procedure.
12/01/09
12/01/09
02:09 AM
my 2 cents.
02:53 AM
12/01/09
That battery life is even more appalling along with the fact that there's no optical, so they could've easily made room for a beefier battery.
Even though the mid-range Macbook Pro is $2k, for $200 more you can get literally 3 or more times the battery life and an internal optical without any significant difference in weight. Seriously, nuts to i7 if its portability is that gimpy.
I have more faith in Dell to come up with premium laptops that actually deliver over HP. As of now the Envy looks like a bucket of fail to me.
12/01/09
Good one.
At any rate, with regards to the "HP is the new Dell", I totally agree. HP is definitely not the same company it used to be when it comes to computers (particularly laptops).
11/26/09
11/26/09
11/25/09
11/26/09
I disagree.
In terms of performance they match up pretty evenly, both use bluetrack, have similar wireless speeds, both have macro options, and both have an insane amount of DPI (most of which is superfluous). The play and charge cable for the Sidewinder has received more praises than the Mambas equivalent in comparative reviews though combined with the Sidewinders awesome vertical side button positioning.
The biggest reason why the Mamba doesn't beat the Sidewinder in my opinion though?
The Mamba is twice the price of the X8.
The Mamba is good I'll grant you that but it's not worth the cost of two Sidewinders by a long way.
11/26/09
11/26/09
Yeah that's the only complaint people have had about the Sidewinder is that it's too large. I personally find it more comfortable that way, it's not really excessively large anyway. But I still don't think the Mamba is worth paying twice as much over it.