Cases/chassis → Tower cases →
The question of how to make desktop computer less noisy without sacrificing processing power, space, or functionality has been driving the cutting edge of computer parts manufacturing since the dawn of the decade. Some of the more impressive solutions include built-in water cooling systems and noise dampeners, but you'll pay a huge amount of money for cases like those. Antec has a nice compromise in the P182 -- it's stylish, well-built, affordable, and comes with some basic accommodations for an external water cooling system (not included, unfortunately).
Laptops → Laptop cases →
For many years I've been on a quest to find the perfect laptop computer case. I've found a few that work reasonably well, many that were complete junk, and some that were great in some ways but too limited in others. The Targus Corporate Traveler notebook computer case may well end my search; it is undoubtedly the best "traditional" laptop computer carrying case I've used so far.
Network appliances → Firewalls →
*Updated* Love it or hate it, peer-to-peer file sharing (P2P) is cemented in Internet culture, and it's not going to go away. Regardless of how you feel about the subject, there are many professional scenarios in which you do not want to allow most forms of P2P traffic while simultaneously letting through valid FTP, HTTP, SSH, BitTorrent, and other traffic. A good network administrator can create a complex solution with a software firewall in BSD or Linux, but it would be a lot easier if you could just plug in a simple network appliance to take care of it all for you, and that's exactly what SafeMedia Corp's Clouseau is designed to do. It's not perfect, but it does provide useful, relatively intelligent P2P traffic filtering for networks of varying sizes.
Cases/chassis → Tower cases →
The Antec Nine Hundred chassis is a tough act to follow. Somehow Antec managed to do it, though, taking the basic concept of the Nine Hundred and redesigning it for the aesthetically-minded. The result is the P180 series. They're sturdy, innovative in their construction and disassembly, and more visually attractive than any other computer chassis I've yet seen.
Fans and cooling → Laptop cooling →
If you need a way to cool off your hot-running laptop computer, there are several available solutions. Just do a quick product search on Google, and you'll see the plethora from which you can choose. While not perfect, Targus' new laptop cooler, the Tornado Notebook Chill Mat, is one of the best I've used. As is true with most products, the aspects that make it great come from the manufacturer's attention to detail.
Fans and cooling → Desktop cooling →
Internal cooling problems are difficult to solve in desktop computer systems. Server and workstations frequently have extra internal fans and are specially designed for optimal airflow through the chassis, but desktop systems don't usually have anything more than a front- or rear-mounted fan to move air. If you're having trouble with a specific component, like the RAM modules, one of the motherboard chipsets, or even your optical drive, there are seldom any reliable fan-powered solutions available. The Antec Spot Cool fan solves this problem in an interesting way without contributing to your system's noise output.
Input devices → Webcams →
Video is the latest Internet craze, with Web sites like YouTube and its various copycats capturing everyone's attention, and video chat slowly replacing text and VoIP in the online communication space. While serious amateur and professional video producers still require high-end video cameras for their work, the majority of users don't need outstanding video quality, and they certainly aren't willing to pay a lot of money. The iSweet video camera is the latest attempt to fit into the growing consumer video market, and it almost succeeds in being a decent alternative to junky low-end devices and expensive high-end cameras.
Fans and cooling → Laptop cooling →
Though there wasn't much to complain about with its initial notebook cooler product, Antec has redesigned it and made a completely different device. The Notebook Cooler S is less than half the size of the original Notebook Cooler and operates in a dramatically different way. It's a great product, but perhaps a bit more limited than the standard Notebook Cooler.
Input devices → Desktop mice →
There are many factors to consider when improving the ergonomics of your desktop computing device, but if you've done everything with your seating and monitor position and still have wrist problems, an ergonomic mouse and mousepad might be the next things to consider. What better solution than both a comfortable mouse and mousepad in the same package? Combine that with A4Tech's cool wireless and battery-less optical mouse technology and you've got one heck of a nice desktop mouse package.
Input devices → Desktop mice →
The Microsoft Habu gaming mouse is just as impressive as its specs suggest. It's highly accurate and responsive, intelligently engineered, attractively styled, and more than appropriate for gaming. If I gave out those silly editorial product awards, this mouse would get one.
