The HP Blackbird 002 was ordered on Hp's Blackbird website here: https://h20435.www2.hp.com/Default.aspx

The configuration process was simple with the latest hardware available on the Blackbird 002LC and LCi models. The LCi model has both the video cards and cpu liquid cooled for ultra gaming performance and was a main reason why I decided to get the Blackbird. There are some items on the configuration like the Voodoo mouse and keypad that are way overpriced. Also you can see that they are actually reselling them on ebay here for half of what they are trying to ship with your blackbird PC: http://cgi.ebay.com/Voodoo-Deathadder-Mouse-and-Tarantula-Keyboard_W0QQitemZ250296110907QQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p3286.m20.l1116

There is no option for an extended warranty with 1 year being the default and only option I saw. The estimated delivery date shows up on the subtotal tab on the site and is averaging 2 weeks right now. This is actually much better than other competitive PC's like Alienware and Dell's Gaming XPS system which are averaging about 3-4 weeks (ouch!). From the time I bought my Blackbird to the time I got it, it was only 10 Days! There is no progress or status page that tells you what stage your PC build is in like Alienware or Dell but with a build speed like that, who needs it. There was an email confirming the order and an email telling you when the PC is shipped.

All the Blackbirds are assembled in Calgary CA, the plant Voodoo uses to make their PCs. Now the quality of the build is top notch and the internal wiring is very clean, organized, and tight. Just looks like they put a lot of attention and care into making each PC.

Here are the specs of my blackbird:

HP BLACKBIRD 002 LCi - Total Cost: $6,840

- Quad Core - Intel® Core2™ Extreme Quad-Core 3.2GHz QX9770
- 8GB 1600 MHz CORSAIR PC-12800 DDR3 SDRAM (4x2GB)
- CPU and Graphic Cards Liquid Cooling (Nvidia Graphics)
- EVGA nForce™ 790i Ultra
- Dual NVIDIA GeForce GTX-280, with 1GB of GDDR3 SDRAM (LC)
- Creative Audio Sound Blaster® X-Fi™ XtremeGamer Fatal1ty Professional
- RAID (0) Performance – 2 x 300GB 10,000 rpm SATA
- 1.1KW Power Supply
- Super multi-drive, slim slots with Lightscribe (DVD+/-R/RW+/-DL)
- Microsoft® Windows Vista™ Ultimate (64 Bit)
- Grisoft AVG Professional  Anti-Virus - 1 year subscription
- CyberLink DVDPlay
- CyberLink DVDPlay HD/BD
- CyberLink PowerDirector
- CyberLink Power2Go
- CyberLink LabelPrint
- HP PC Doctor
- Recovery DVD
- 1 year limited hardware and 1 year technical support

The PC came in one big box with a total weight of about 80 lbs. The shipping was $150 and took about 2 days to get to my door. Opening up and assembling the PC was very easy. The PC itself weighs about 70lbs and feels very sturdy - full aluminum sides and steel top and bottom base.The one feature that almost every reviewer is highlighting about the case is the door panel taht swings open with just one pull. And I have to admit that it really is a big plus. The case really looks nice and is about the same size as the Alienware's case and a bit smaller than the Dell's XPS case. A window on the side to show off the guts of this machine would be nice. Intead, HP has the cases with glossy side aluminum panels with some abstract pictures.

Performancewise this thing is a beast and easily holds Counter Strike Source at 150 fps max constantly playing all maxed settings in 30 man pubs. Maxing out the fps to 300, it will drop to 200ish at gun battles or custom maps.  The most recent game I ran with it is Fallout 3 with max settings and it runs very very smooth. I played fallout 3 on my old PC and the difference is very noticable. To take full advantage of 4+ gigs of ram you will need to select the Vista or XP 64 bit versions. Vista may be new and romured to be full of bugs but once you get used to it, you can never go back. Just like if you have xp, you can't go back to 2000 or heaven forbid if you have 2000 and go back to 98. Yuk. A downside to Vista is that many PC games I own like Kotor 2, Stronghold, Mass Effect can not run on Vista or are buggy on Vista. But New games are Vista compatible.

Liquid cooled CPU and graphics cards make this PC one of the quietest PC's I have. There are two fans on top that are the only noticeable fan/humming sounds that the PC produces when playing graphic intense games like Cyrsis for long periods of time.

To take advantage of the power of this PC I recommend hooking it up to an HDTV with hdmi cables.

Pros: The cool case with cool side door, liquid cooled CPU and graphic cards, alternative to Alienware and Dell gaming PC's, Quick build orders

Cons: No option for side window on case to show off the beastly innards

WoP Rating:

Performance: 4.5

Quality: 5

Value: 4.5*

Overall: 5 ** WoP Recommends **

*the total cost of the configured Blackbird was $6,840 - value is relative depending on each gamer, but if cost is not an issue most gamers would want to experience running the Blackbird on a 46" HDTV.

#1 Selling Counter-Strike Source Guide On The Net. Guide with video lessons.

Here is a really good DOTA (Defense of the Ancients) Video Guide made by RewSky

for those who want to start pwning in Warcraft 3's custom Dota Map:

#1 Selling Counter-Strike Source Guide On The Net. Guide with video lessons.

We're vacationing here in Hong Kong and went into a few internet cafes and saw people playing a different version of Counter-Strike Source. Its called Counter-Strike Online. CS is fairly popular in Hong Kong especially in internet cafes. Other games I see people playing here are World of Warcraft and Chinese MMO's that look exactly like WoW.

Other popular things here are:

Pandas, Mini-Z's (Fast RC cars) , Airsoft Guns, war-games, model kits, and FOOD. The cost of food is really inexpensive here and tasty. For less than 2 bucks you can get a full bowl of shrimp dumpling noodles. The streets look like NYC's Chinatown with more people, more shops, and more food stands. Take a look at the pictures we took. More to come.

Toys and more toys. We went to HotToys in CTMA Hong Kong and it turned out to be just a small store taking orders and pre orders. We thought it was a real toy factory but it looks like it is outsourcing that to somewhere in china. Below are the figures for preorder Ironman and predator.

Here is a video of the Pandas we saw:

#1 Selling Counter-Strike Source Guide On The Net. Guide with video lessons.

We got the iPhone and switched service from verizon to AT&T. There are alot of people and family members bashing the reception of AT&T and most of them probably never even made a call or received a call on an AT&T phone. After using the iPhone for about a week, I have to say that the reception and signal strength is just as good if not better than Verizon's. The bars on top are not always at 5 bars indoors but I noticed that they are usually 4-5 outdoors or near a window. The monthly family plan cost is about 129 a month with 30 bucks being the iphone's data access (unlimited email and web) which is pretty good if you use it all the time.

The iPhone itself is worth the price because of all the features - mp3 player, phone, camera, web access, email, and alots of free apps and games that you can download and install. The battery life is not too bad neither. Right now the battery life lasts about 15 hours of email, text and web access on the phone which is pretty good. Some of the best features I liked are access to the internet anywhere in the world with out the need for hotspots, ipod integration, and the apps in the apps store.

Some things that can be annoying are the slippery plastic of the iphone and how dirty it gets. This can be fixed with an iphone case and protective cover. The on display keypad can be frustrating at first especially if you have fat fingers. Also the auto spell check gets really annoying sometimes but can be turned off. The camera only takes still pictures and can not take movies. Overall, if you are in the market for a new phone and want to switch providers, the iPhone is a great choice.

Features: 90/100

Value: 90/100

Quality: 95/100

Overall Rating: 90/100

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#1 Selling Counter-Strike Source Guide On The Net. Guide with video lessons.

Check it out from Battle.net's homepage:

"Twenty years have passed since the cataclysmic events of Diablo®II. Mephisto, Diablo, and Baal have been defeated, but the Worldstone, which once shielded the world of Sanctuary from the forces of both the High Heavens and the Burning Hells, has been destroyed, and evil once again stirs in Tristram....

Following the unveiling of Diablo III today at the Blizzard Entertainment Worldwide Invitational, we've launched the game's official website, with information about the places, characters, monsters, and adventures awaiting you upon your return to the world of Sanctuary. Some of the site's highlights include:

• The cinematic teaser trailer shown at the 2008 Worldwide Invitational
• A 20-minute gameplay demo video
• More than 60 screenshots and pieces of concept art
• Deckard Cain's journal, narrated by Deckard Cain himself -- stay a while and listen!
• And much, much more

Visit the new Diablo III website now to learn more about the game, and make sure to check out the official FAQ and the announcement press release. "

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Blizzcon 2008 Diablo 3 III T Shirt Black XL Sealed NIP    US $27.00

#1 Selling Counter-Strike Source Guide On The Net. Guide with video lessons.

The most important piece of hardware for an FPS gamer besides his godly PC is the mouse he is using. There are a lot of new mouses on the market today with the label "Gaming Mouse" being slapped on to their packaging by companies. World of Pwnage will be reviewing a series of mouses in the upcoming posts to find out which one is the BEST for fps games like counter-strike. This week my Logitech G9 came in the mail and here is my review on it. (Note: I played Counter-Strike source Deathmatch, a scrim and just regular pubbing for about a total REAL play- time of about 4 hours with this mouse before writing this review.) This mouse is not too tough to get comfortable and used to.

Out Of The Box and First Impressions

The G9 comes in a sturdy and well laid out box with clear view plastic. There was more item in the package than what I have pictured below. The package includes the G9 mouse, 2 grips, gaming weight system in a neat aluminum box, and an instruction manual with some registration papers. It does not come with any CD though. Instead it said to download the latest drivers at logitech's site. Downloading and installing the software and firmware was fast.

Design

Holding the G9 for the first time I have to say that is feels really comfortable and stable. However, a noticeable trait that I do not like in most "gaming" logitech mouse is the front and rear-end design. Logitech mouses generally have mouse designs geared more towards the casual gamers who play games that do not require much twitch/reflex/skill in precise mouse movements. The mouse is designed so that the gamer does not lift the mouse up off the table - NOT even a fraction of a millimeter for quick repositioning and AWP flick shots I'm so used to with razer mouses. This is still the case for this G9 mouse which is not so much of a disappointment because I expected it, but it is a MAJOR negative to any true gaming mouse. (Yes that is the "Top Chef" Cookbook and it's L33T).

Another noticeable design of the G9, as in most logitech mouse, is that it is "rear-heavy" - the weight is distributed so that about 60-75% of the weight is located at the end of the G9 where your palm may rest on it. I do not know why they do this but this is also a MAJOR negative in my opinion as a FPS gamer because it again reinforces you to not lift the mouse off the table and to play with more emphasis on your palm-elblow movement instead of movement with your finger-Tips/wrist - if you do not know what I'm talking about then you're a new gamer NOOB who thinks World of Warcraft involves the same intensity and mouse movement precision as a FPS game like Counter-Strike. A simple analogy would be like trying to paint an intricate painting using the degrees of movement in your shoulders and elbows instead of using the precision movements in your wrist and fingers. Duh! Who's the Engineering Project Manager who approved of the design?

Having said that, the weight system is just rendered useless because the weights just put more weight near the middle/end of the mouse adding to the use of the less precise movements in your elbow and even your shoulders in order to move the mouse.

The wire of the G9 is braided - making it very rigid and heavy when compared to other gaming mouses. This is defiantly a negative even though it makes the G9 appear to be more sturdy and not flimsy. In the end, the heavy wire hurts performance especially for gamers who like playing with very high sensitivity settings like myself. Fighting against the mouse wire is frustrating, and feeling movement caused by the inflexibility of the wire will make you want to take a wire stripper to the crap that's on the G9's wire.

Also the wire attached to the G9's front is placed at the bottom of the mouse as seen in the picture. So again, if you lift the mouse's back up to reposition, it will rub against your mousepad. Not cool at all. The picture above shows the Noobish design of the wire and wire placement.

The front and end of the mouse are not beveled - a feature I like to have in my mouse. Payne is sick enough to actually take a file and bevel his logitech mouse's edges.

Comparing the weight of the Razer copperhead with the G9, the G9 is a bit heavier but with studier buttons. Again, the G9 comes with 2 mouse grips with one feeling a little rougher than the other and one with a wider support for the thumb. They both felt comfortable for me. I also played without the grips which is actually not too bad either. Other features of the mouse include a button on the bottom of the mouse to toggle the scroll wheel between clicking and being smooth, a led system to pick any color you want, and a built in profiler.

Performance

This mouse does deliver on precision and accuracy with its 3200DPI and high polling rate feature. Lifting the bottom of the mouse up does cause it to skip a little as it is not designed to be operated like that. The left and right mouse buttons are large and responsive and feel every durable. The other buttons are are located at the sides of the mouse which are comfortable to press. All the buttons can be programmed with the Logitech's software.

Where to buy:

You can buy these mouses directly from the Logitech
website at $99.99 retail price or go to Amazon and pick them up for $79 with
free shipping

Scores:
Quality: 5/5
Design: 3/5
Performance: 4/5

Overall =

In summary, this is sturdy gaming mouse with many features that make it look and feel like a valuable mouse. However, some features hurt the performance of the mouse dramatically even though the tracking is top notch for the mouse. The 3 main flaws are the inflexible and heavy mouse wire, the weight distribution of the mouse towards the end, and the design for this mouse to not be lifted up at all when tracking.

Next we will review the Razer Lachesis, Boomslang, etc

Logitech Cordless Desktop Optical Mouse Receiver NICE    US $14.99

Logitech Wireless Cordless Ultra X Click Mouse NEW    US $7.95

Logitech G5 Laser HiRes Gaming Mouse w Weight Cartridge    US $34.95

Logitech MX900 Wireless Mouse and Bluetooth WirelessHub    US $1.99

#1 Selling Counter-Strike Source Guide On The Net. Guide with video lessons.

I ordered my Razer Barracuda Gaming headphones on Amazon.com using free shipping and the next day it arrived. So far three members of World of Pwnage have bought and tested these headphones. Here is my review of the new gaming headphones from Razer. Right off the bat you get a tricked out box with the cool looking Razer design. The back and side of the box has some specs and testimonials of users of the headphones.

The Razer Barracuda gaming headphones come with a removable mic, connector for PC and some reading material on how to set it up correctly. The headphones are designed to plug right into Razer's upcoming sound card with a dvi connector. Do not plug this into your video card as tempting as it looks. The headphones can be used with any sound card and integrated sound card so don't worry if you don't plan on buying Razer's soundcard in the future.

Setting up the headphones takes less than 5 minutes. The headphones come with the rear, front, center, microphone and usb amp/light connector that just plugs right into your PC's sound card. The usb plug must be plugged into your pc in order for the headphones to work. There are no special drivers that need to be installed for them. Just plug and play.

Set your advanced sound options to have 5.1 speakers. Do not select headphones because you will not fully utilize these headphones. Also select the option for stereo surround sound for enhanced audio sound quality. The quality in audio is very noticeable after you have enabled these two options.

Performance and comfort

I have used and tested the Shure E2G earplugs, Sony earbuds, Tritton's new AX360 gaming headphones, Plantronic's DSP 500 headphones, Logitech's and cheapo Radio shack headsets and none come close to these headphones in terms for gaming in Counter-Strike. Sound quaility for music is also very good.

Audio positioning with these headphones in Counter-Strike is top notch. You can hear and enemy's footstep very clearly. Also sounds can be easily distinguishable too with these headphones when playing CS by a very large factor. I could actually hear the bullets being fire from my AK, the bullet being ejected out, the bullet hitting my target and then hitting the wall - cracking it causing dust to spew out, hearing the shell drop to the ground, AND hear my target moan after he dies. No joke. Its that clear and extraordinary. Other teammates have said similar remarks on the sound quality of these headphones.

One of the things I have noticed when using headphones like the Tritton and Plantronics DSP 500 is that there is some audio lag when playing Counter-Strike. There is no lag when using earplugs, earbuds or with the Razer Barracudas. I think it is because the impedance of the speakers are too high for the Tritton's.. I liked and used the earbuds and earplugs exclusively for playing CS, because of this audio lag-free feature. However the Razer Barracudas are the first gaming headohones that I have found to have this same lag-free feature that is really noticeable for me. Another plus is that when AWPing or playing awp maps, the sound of awp shots do not register as "sharp" and really load "bang" shots. Instead the awp shots are smoother and very tolerable with these gaming headphones. I would usually lower my volume whenever I hear AWP shots but with these headphones there is no need to do so.

The heaphones are held to your hears quite tightly with a 2 bendable support bars on top of the headphones, and a top headband to secure the headphones from moving. My ears do start to notice the headphones on after about 2-3 hours of gaming with them. Check to see if the foams are positioned correctly. I noticed that my right ear rubbed against the inner speakers at first - this is very irritating because the Razer Headphone's inner speakers are plastic that have holes in them. So when my ear rubbed against the holes that hurts even though there is a thin foamy layer between the inner speakers and the ears. I fixed this when I took a closer look at the headphones and saw that the foam was not positioned correctly - the thicker side of the foam was near the bottom and not the end. So I just rotated the foam and now there is no more rubbing.

Conclusion
The Razer Barracuda Gaming Headphone is Defiantly a top notch gaming headphone that delivers.

Scores:
Quality: 5/5
Price: 4/5
Design: 5/5
Performance: 5/5
Overall Rating: 4.5/5 *** WoP Recommended ***

Razer Headphones Link

Brand NEW Razer Barracuda HP 1 Headphones 8 Channel    US $107.85

Razer HP 1 Barracuda 8 Channel Gaming Headphones NIB    US $69.88

Razer Barracuda Hp 1 Gaming Headphones    US $46.00

Razer HP 1 Barracuda 51 Gaming Headphones Headset NEW    US $82.99

#1 Selling Counter-Strike Source Guide On The Net. Guide with video lessons.

1. Right click on your CS shortcut
2. Go to properties
3. Under the Target line it should say the following if you have:

Add the following: -noforcemparms -noforcemaccel -noforcemspd

Turning mouse accel off on your desktop (whole computer):

( http://jibba3.onestop.net/mouse_fix_win2K.zip ) - low mouse accel 

#1 Selling Counter-Strike Source Guide On The Net. Guide with video lessons.