Need to improve your gaming frag count?

Okay, I'll admit it, I'm just an old gamer that never grew up. I'm always looking for a new gaming gadget to give me the edge I didn't have before. Well, here is one that actually does hold up to that. I bought mine at CompUSA for $34.95 plus tax.

LOOKING AT IT:
It's something that makes you scratch your head if someone didn't explain what it was for. Made for the left hand while your mouse is working with the right hand. It replaces your keyboard functions. It's designed with the first person shooter gaming in mind. Think about it as a gamer, how many times has your keyboard just been too cumbersome for gaming? Opps, you hit the wrong key, and jumped instead of backed up, so now your dead. Your palm will pretty much cover this whole gadget, with your fingers resting on the buttons if your an adult. There are also two other functions on it's side, one being a thumb joystick hat, the other being a wheel that you can use for weapon change, etc. It looks pretty cool with a new wave futuristic design.

SHORT LIST OF MY HARDWARE:
1GHZ Abit motherboard
Windows 98
USB Berlkin Hub
Razor Boomslang USB Mouse


INSTALLATION:
Like most all USB devices, it installs to your computer easily. First you install the driver cd, then you plug in the N50 to the USB port. The USB cord looks to be about fix feet in length, and can be disconnected from both ends. It loads some profiles for what current games where out during it's design. To me this is it's one drawback, it doesn't appear to have any new pre-made profiles on the internet site. The software icon will sit in your time tray in windows.

CREATING A PROFILE:
Profiles are files created by the end user for the gaming device. Pretty much all the gaming devices now support them and are easily created. When the software is in programming mode, you merely pretty the key, and type in what letter or function you want it to do. You can also program it to do functions like mouse wheel scroll. Overall, it's just a time thing, and not really hard to do.

GAME PLAY:
Because your fingers lay across a small number (two rows of 5 buttons) keys, you'll find yourself faster in games. Like any new device, there is a learning curve, but this one is pretty short, like a half hour. And because my hand is using it's finger buttons at a more normal relaxed position, this helps much too. When playing on a keyboard, my hand is much more cramped, and sits at an angled. Worried that I'll hit the wrong key doesn't help my game either.

CONCLUSION:
This is one gaming gadget that has found a home on desk. It's fast, easy to use, and really does speed things up as the name implies. The only drawback I have is my keyboard shelf doesn't really have extra room for this. I must push aside my keyboard to make room for it. And this is not the fault of the gadget, but of my desk design. So I give this gaming device a solid five stars.