Cheaper stands of this kind may well look the part but when it comes down to it, fail to deliver the quality and hinge stability that the Choiix wave can offer.

The three arm design of the wave gives the stand an operating angle anywhere between 0 and 135 degrees. This gives the user the flexibility to adjust the screen height manually relative to the environment they find themselves in.

Weighing in at 336 grams or 11.85 Oz, the Wave is extremely portable. In its folded down position its dimensions of 148x100x32(mm) means that it could fit into a coat pocket or laptop bag with ease.

The body of the wave is made from dense aluminium as we mentioned above. However to protect the tablets from scratching or other possible damage, rubber grips have been fitted to the ends of the arms. These are formed from a rubberised non slip material with ridges to grip the Tablet devices and hold them in position.

The lower two arms also have end lugs and feet to protect the surface the stand is being used on and avoid slipping on smoother surfaces. Meanwhile the single raised arm has a longer rubberised grip that runs up the length of it. Again this a functional design choice to protect the devices using the stand.

We were really impressed by what could be described as a flawless design. The simplicity of the stand combined with its clever functionality makes the Choiix wave an executive accessory that would look at home on any desk.

Compared to other Stands we have tested in the portable accessory market, we believe that the simple design of the wave makes it a hot contender. With virtually no setup time, the wave can be packed away in a matter of seconds making it truly portable. With a price tag of around $40 in the US, the Choiix Wave is not the cheapest portable stand on the market.

However when you consider its sleek design and stylish looks you may well be tempted to pay that little extra for something that is going to give you exactly what you are looking for.

Following the simple setup guide I was able to connect within minutes to the Audio Relay and the device was shown on my computers network display in the explorer window. Once the device was recognised on the network it was simple to access connection settings by simply right clicking on the icon and clicking “view device webpage”. This opened a web user interface that allowed me to check for firmware updates, configure a connection mode and view Wi-Fi settings.

On closing the user interface streaming could begin straight away. To do this was as easy as the installation process, I simply had to open my media player and right click on the media I wanted to stream and select play to Arctic wireless speaker. This opened a second media player window ready to output my selected track.

The Audio Relay uses an IP address to stream the music to the correct device, this is like a unique reference number to ensure that the data is sent to the right place and is assigned automatically by your computer during the installation process.

The ARCTIC remote application for this product was released into the Android market in October last year, soon followed by the App store in early December. The device uses Wi-Fi standard 802.11b/g and is compatible with Windows Vista and above.

In addition to this a minimum system RAM of 1Gb is required and a standard 10/100Mbps Ethernet connection. The standard audio formats that are supported include MP3, AAC, WAV and WMA. This makes the device compatible with both downloaded media and ripped music from windows media applications.

The power is supplied through a USB power plug connector into the rear of the device. Running at 5 volts the relay only draws 600mA’s and is therefore relatively economical compared to various other receivers on the market. With the lower power that the system draws, its performance has not been compromised in the slightest, with impressive signal strength and clarity when tested on a standard wireless home router.

ARCTIC has been working hard to design a product that can hold its own in the multi room entertainment market. One feature that I feel really sets this device out above the others is the concurrent music playback which allows multiple users to play music in different rooms at the same time.

Using one central library, the media can be streamed through your router to the networked devices, allowing a true multi room experience. With the price of most multi room systems running into the high hundreds ARCTIC have entered the market with a competitively priced product. Retailing at $132.60 USD or €102 EUR from ARCTIC directly, this product could be seen as a cost effective solution for multi room applications when expensive hard wired alternatives are not an option.

It is most defiantly a serious contender in this market with plenty of room for expansion through its versatile use of home Wi-Fi networks. We look forward to seeing what ARCTIC are going to come up with next as home entertainment networks become more accessible to us all.

There is a wide choice of cars available in the game, which you can change at certain points or by pulling into one of a few petrol stations on the way, although this does tend to leave you a little behind in the race, which is annoying.

All the better cars unlock too close to the end for my liking and the best (like the McLaren F1) don’t even unlock till after you complete it, which makes no sense to me at all, but that’s how it is.

I did on the other hand find myself sticking with one car for the majority of the game though, the Lamborghini Gallardo, but I did prefer the handling on the “difficult” to handle cars as they drift a lot better than the “easy” class cars.

Beyond story mode there is a “Challenge Series” that allows you to replay the sections of the run, completing various tasks to earn EXP and cars by overtaking so many cars, catch up with a car, or go fast, that kind of thing, but they all general revolve around being the first to the finish line, it is a race after all.

Completion of these challenges unlocks more cars for play in all the various modes, so it’s worth a visit and has more play time overall than the main story mode.

All the modes here integrate a feature called the Autolog, I don’t have any friends who own this game, but if I did, it would be telling me I’m way better at this game than they are ha-ha! Notifications on this inform you if your times get beat, who is scoring the highest EXP and driver level among all your friends, nice.

A modern racer wouldn’t be complete without a comprehensive online mode, which IMO is NFS The Run’s strongest feature, matchmaking was swift and incorporates a sturdy drop in drop out system combined with auto track rotation and a voting system to make sure you can always find a game and you can keep playing without having to quit back to the lobby after each race.

There are several game types in the online multiplayer lobby, from Mixed, Exotic, Muscle, Underground to Supercar, dependant on your taste, but expect to have to complete a few of the objectives in some of the first few to get the really fast stuff, which is more fun than it sounds thanks to the variety of challenges, such as doing so many races in a particular car, getting win streaks, not crashing, all of which will again will earn you EXP and more cars.

Over all it’s a solid return to NFS roots, the police chases are a little weak IMO, but you can get a considerable challenge out of the game on higher difficulties. The cut scenes do add to the atmosphere, quick time events are for once a welcome addition, graphics are solid throughout, the multiplayer is great fun and the choice of cars is robust, it’s just a shame a 3000 mile race feels more like 200 miles in story mode.

If you’re a fan of the original NFS games this won’t disappoint, but if you’re coming from the NFS Shift camp, expect this to feel simple in comparison.

The pad is 6mm thick, which provides ample cushioning and comfort for long periods of use. The fabric itself is very smooth, which has very little friction, thus provides greater accuracy. Whist not entirely rectangular, the laser cut, precision edges means there is no fraying often seen on the cheaper pads.

The underside is is non-slip, so during those aggressive gaming sessions the G.L.I.D.E 7 will remain fastened to the desk’s surface, that will require a lot of force before it slips.If a spillage does occur, the surface of the fabric does resist the liquid, which can then be wiped off. This was tested with only water, as the surface is only spill resistant – so try not to spill your coffee/beer/appletini on it!

When using the G.L.I.D.E. 7 with a selection of mice, there was not a single fault. Each mouse glided effortlessly across the surface. For both general use and gaming the pad did it’s job perfectly and the 6mm thickness meant that gaming could continue in comfort, to the early hours of the morning. Laser or optical, the pad took what we threw at it.

Finding the right mouse pad can be difficult as there are a lot of them on the market and there is not normally much that sets them apart. One of the main decisions is whether to go down the soft or hard route. Hard mouse pads tend to be a lot smoother which does mean that any dirt or crumbs stick out and produces a feeling similar to that of someone scraping their nails down a chalkboard.

Soft pads tend to be more comfortable but can produce more resistance. The Cyborg G.L.I.D.E. appears to have come to a reasonable compromise. Whilst not 100% smooth it still offers similar performance to that of a hard pad, yet with the added bonus of it being very comfortable.

So overall, Cyborg have produced a very good mouse pad that combines the smoothness of a hard mouse pad, with the comfort of a soft pad. The graphic on the mouse pad could be considered the main flaw, some may like it, but it would have been a lot more appealing with something less obtrusive. The size of the pad is ideal for most gamers although it could pose a problem on smaller desks and getting it flat after it’s been in the tube can take a while and effort.

The price is very reasonable for a mouse pad of this calibre, however there are many pads on the market for a similar price, which the G.L.I.D.E. 7 does little to distinguish it’s self from. It is close to earning the Gamers Choice Award, but there is nothing that stands out, to set it’s self apart from the rest, so because of this, no award will be given, but it is still a worthy contender.

Installing the device for the first time was extremely easy, to begin I had to connect the CSV-2000D SenseVision module to the USB interface on the Computer. Once the device was detected, using the installation driver disk, the operating system installed the device in a matter of minutes.

Installing internal graphics hardware can be a daunting prospect for most of us. This plug and play installation was far easier to use and navigate and allowed a second graphics display in minutes with minimal fuss.

The module also comes with a software utility which allows you to access enhanced features such as switching between desktops depending on your type of usage.

Each SenseVision module can handle one output, however for those of you who enjoy seeing life that little bigger you will be pleased to know a total of six CSV-2000D devices can be run from a single PC computer.

This makes for an impressive Panoramic commuting experience, giving you a large workspace for general applications or a dynamic visual experience for you gamers out there.

The Mac community out there will also not be disappointed, with four CSV-2000D’s compatible, giving a large workspace for OSX displaying the unequivocal image quality that apple are notorious for.

Many of you may be thinking to yourselves “why would I need more than one screen on my computer”. Here at eTeknix we like to find ways to make your life easier and more efficient. The CSV-2000D is one such device that would enhance your computing experience, allowing you to perform multiple tasks concurrently. Your extended desktop expands your visual real estate, making your interface experience easy and enjoyable.

Gone are the days of flicking between applications or web pages. The CSV-2000D allows you to view it all at the same time through drag and drop functions onto the relevant screens. We believe the CSV-2000D is ideal for home computing applications where you wish to utilize the power of your computer to be more efficient or upgrade to Panoramic commuting to maximise your viewing experience.

The CSV-2000D uses a virtual driver which allows the device to work alongside your existing graphics card. Looking at the technology behind the product we find that the SenseVision range is based on the award winning DL-195 Chipset technology.

This uses a Dual Core decode engine combined with compression techniques to deliver high resolution video graphics. At only 2.5 watts maximum load the CSV-2000D is also one of the most economical devices on the market. Combining this energy efficient design with a passive cooling solution, the device is ultra-silent when on.

The CSV-2000D is compatible with a wide range of computers including Netbooks, notebooks, laptops, desktops and Intel-based Macs. This makes the device extremely versatile and suitable for a whole range of applications. Extended display modes are also supported with various layouts and orientations available in the software utility.

With a price tag of £45 the CSV-2000D is a competitively priced contender for portable graphics applications. With the equivalent hardware installations costing three times this amount we believe the CSV-2000D is a cost effective way to extend you computers visual real estate without breaking the bank.

The keyboard has both a PS2 connector and a USB one, which also powers the USB port (seen later on). You also get a 3.5mm mic and headphone jack that means you can plug your headset directly into the keyboard, saving you from rummaging around the back of your PC.

The MK-80 also has two USB 2.0 ports on the top side, as well as the headphone and mic ports mentioned above. This makes it a lot easier to connect devices such as pen drives. The keyboard also sports a pair of height adjusters that raise the back of the keyboard, which some people might find more comfortable.

Another feature this keyboard has, is multimedia keys, which are present on the F keys along the top of the keyboard. This have to be pressed in conjunction with the Fn key that is located down by the right Shift key. This function button also needs to be pressed along with the keys that control the brightness.

The keyboard also features a wrist rest that is coated with the increasingly popular soft touch material. This simply clicks into place under the front edge. It’s not fixed so it does allow for some flexibility if one decides to increase the height of the keyboard. The wrist rest makes it more comfortable to type and helps alleviate RSI. The wrist rest features some small detailing in the centre, that adds to the quality characteristic of the keyboard.

Using the keyboard for both gaming and typing was a thrilling experience. Not only has it made writing this review easier by guarantying that each key has been pressed firmly, but it has improved all typing abilities, even when it comes to gaming. The orange keys may seem like a gimmick , but do actually help with locating the right keys without even looking at the keyboard.

Overall the keyboard has a very simple appearance, with subtle detailing that has set it’s self apart from the other mechanical keyboards on the market. The dark colour scheme, with blue individually backlit keys, positions the keyboard right at the top of many people’s wishlists. Not only does it look the part, but it performs like a dream also. Compared to many other keyboards that have been reviewed, this one stands clearly at the top.

Despite the high praise so far, there are a few little niggles that should be mentioned, and some of which are mearly down to the users preference. The first one is the price, the RRP for this keyboard stands at appromately 110 Euros, which is fairly competitively priced in for the mechanical keyboard market, but is still a lot of money to spend on a keyboard.

The next niggle is the type of switch used, however this is all down to preference. The Cherry MX Blue switches, whilst good for typing and gaming, seem an odd choice due to the noise they produce, and the movement of the switch, although, QPad are offering your choice of switch.

With these points aside, this mechanical keyboard is probably one of the best that we’ve had in to review, so because of this, we are proud to award the QPad MK-80 Keyboard with the prestigious:

The receiver unit is far larger in length and width to the transmitter, but this does contain more inside including the antenna and the graphics card to reproduce the image on screen. On the front are two buttons, one being the power and the other for bringing up the OSD with a quick press or for changing the channel (long press) if there is interference from other nearby devices.

On the rear of the receiver is an HDMI port, DC power jack and a mini-USB service port although this has no use to the end user.

On the rear of the receiver are two screw holes for mounting to a wall. This would be most beneficial where the receiving source is a wall mounted TV or a projector mounted on the ceiling.

Setup is a simple as connecting the transmitter to the source device (in our case a laptop for testing) and then connecting the other half to a TV or projector. As soon as the power is on, the receiver automatically searches for and locks onto the WHDI signal and that is it! No further setup is required. The only intervention that may be required on the receiver end is changing the receiving channel in the event that another device in the vicinity of the receiver is operating on the sane 5Ghz band is therefore potentially interfering with the signal. This would be noticed with either loss of sound or distortion in the image that is reproduced. There are not many tests as such than can be done with a device of this type, but to check how well things worked, I streamed an array of content from a colour enriched HD movie (in this case Toy Story 3) to a fast moving film, then playing Rock Band 3 (for any latency and decoding delay) and finally by streaming audio content across to look for any loss in audio quality.

Throughout all the testing it was hard to notice that the source was not directly connected to the TV at all, even by placing the transmitter further away to take into account different situations of setup showed no real difference. During game play where the milliseconds of latency can make a difference – especially in Rock Band – there was little to no difference in the experience had. To double check this, I re-calibrated my guitar with the TV a number of times with both the caster connected and without and the average difference between the two was a mere 2 milliseconds, oh so close to the <1ms latency that the WD1000-TR claims to offer.

The WHDI Caster worked very well upto its specified range of 10m after which the receiver was unable to locate a signal to lock onto. I did also note that having the transmitter in a neighbouring room did affect the signal, however in a real world scenario, the system is going to be setup in a way that this would not be an issue to most users.

So all in all, why would you want one of these devices? Surely its far easier to run a cable from point to point? Well in a nut shell yes it is, however, there are the situations where you don’t want to be running loads of cables up your wall to the TV and in an corporate environment for example its not necessarily practical to keep reaching up to a ceiling mounted projector to connect a laptop or other media device.

The Edimax WD-100TR is available for £111.56 which may seem a lot to some of us, but what we have to consider is that the other options that are available on the market vary from £100 right up to the £450 mark. For this reason we can safely say that the Edimax WD1000-TR is priced very competitively and its performance for this price in comparison to the competition is outstanding.