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A little history lesson is in order for you young fellas who think of Microsoft as little more than a software juggernaut. In truth, the rowdy bunch from Redmond have been kicking out hardware products for nearly three decades, starting with the formation of "Microsoft Hardware" back in 1982. In the 1990s, Microsoft began catering to gamers with the introduction of the original Sidewinder Game Pad, and the Sidewinder brand would be used to market a series of gamepads, joysticks, driving wheels, and even a voice chat device before the Sidewinder name was retired in 2003.

Four years later, Microsoft revived the Sidewinder brand, first with a Sidewinder Mouse and then with the Sidewinder X6 in 2008. Fast forward to today and the X6 remains Microsoft's flagship keyboard for gamers. With a boatload of macros, backlit keys, a detachable numpad, and several other features, the X6 continues to win accolades and draw gamers looking for a serious plank. But two years (going on three) is an eternity in tech land. Is the X6 still worth consideration? Give us your mouse clicks, and we'll give you the answer.

There comes a point in every young man's life when his voice deepens, his hair gets thicker, and his muscles grow bigger (settle down, ladies).  Similarly, PC repair techs, hardware reviewers, and many computer enthusiasts also hit a point of maturity where we feel confident enough to venture out from the confines of a traditional enclosure. Before reaching this point, many of us are either scraping knuckles doing hardware quick-swaps in a generic case, or letting the hardware and wires hang out all over the desk in a configuration our local fire department likes to call a "safety hazard," whatever that means. But you know you reach a new level of geekdom when you pick up a test bench like HSPC's Tech Station. We're talking about a true workstation for true geeks, the ones who are always swapping components in and out. We're not saying this is a must-have in order to be a hardcore enthusiast, but when it arrives you can certainly feel your nuggets drop as you reach a new point of tech-maturity. No more tea parties with the neighbor girl, you've become a man!

Or maybe it's just a case. Either way, we greatly appreciate the benefits that come along with this new hardware. Now that we have it, where do we go from here? Let's just see what makes the Tech Station so special.

Here we have an excellent opportunity to be somewhat narcissistic. Heck, with a review product titled Hades and the site name of BURNED iN, it will be hard not to do a little self promoting, like mentioning just how hot it is around here. But this summer LeBron James set such a new low in self-love that we are all still sick to our stomachs. So, we promise not to refer to ourselves in third person or do some self-promoting under the guise of helping a non-profit organization. We'll stick with what we do best, giving everyone a no-nonsense review of the NZXT Hades case. Of course we won't shy away from the occasional wacky comments, because that's embedded in us. All we need to know is whether the Hades enclosure is hot or not. Let's find out, shall we?

Choiix? Who's Choiix you ask? Choiix is a new subsidiary of Cooler Master, providing, as they describe it, "simple and practical yet stylish notebook accessories." Strange brand title aside, they do provide some decent accessories, and today we have the Choiix Power Fort accessory, aimed at road warriors with limited access to an outlet and tons of USB gadgets. Sounds like a fairly big market, right? That appears to be what Cooler Master was thinking too.