That Computer Show

It began in 1999, with gamer Oren Kramer, who while playing Starcraft and Quake asked the question, “What if a gaming keyboard could be designed to let gamers execute complex maneuvers and a combination of movements with just a single easy keystroke? ” and then after a sip of Mountain Dew asked, “Would a keyboard dedicated to gaming action not make it easier and faster for gamers of all levels to master any game and maximize playing enjoyment? ” Well Oren used the force and had two level 2 engineers develop the ZBoard which hit the streets back in 2003. Shortly after, in 2k6, Ideazon dropped the MERC on us like a tactical nuke. …. OK so I took some dramatic liberties there, but you get the idea, These guys at Ideazon take gaming seriously. Need proof professor? Check out their “anti-wuss” campaign on their site. They offer some really kick-ass gaming gear.

A few days ago we got our wanting hands on one of the newest gaming tools from Ideazon: The MERC Stealth. Me and ALK removed the weapon from its shipping crate and strategically deployed the MERC Stealth to one of our gaming stations. Right away we could tell this was not just a visual upgrade. The thing was down right heavy! Very Nice. After updating the Z Engine software I rocked some FEAR Combat, ranked my FrostMage, and Supremely Commanded a few UEF Gunships. It took both Stephen and ALK to pull me off the pod. Oh, I will own one of these… as soon as they are out. The keys feel great, a big improvement over the original MERC. They have a new finish on them that is grippy, and the action is as solid as the Saitek ECLIPSE II and the Logitech G15. The most used Gaming Zone keys are also rubberized with the same feel as the buttons on the Ideazon Reaper gaming mouse… this leads to a very balanced feel. The Stealth has two USB 2.0 ports on the top of the board. These are great for plugging in a USB flash drive, a USB headset, or your gaming mouse. There are also headphone and Mic ports for analog headsets.

But wait there’s more… If you act now we’ll throw in lights… One of the coolest features of the new MERC Stealth is the illuminated keys. Besides looking bad-ass, they’ll help when you are gaming in the dark, which I might add is the only way to play BioShock. You get your choice of three different hues and brightness settings. Available is Devilish Red, Frost mage Blue, and Ohmgirl Purple. This is all good but what about the bad you might ask? Due to how much room the Gaming zone keys take up the cursor control keys and the number pad are squished into the same spot on the far right of the board. The arrangement of the number pad, at first may be frustrating. However, I quickly became accustomed to the layout. Thrown in are a few extra keys like: Maximize, Restore, Show desktop and Close window (Manchops found that one on accident).

Chris