Darksaber
02-02-2007, 11:39 PM
[page=Introduction & Package]
Introduction & Package
Introduction
I would like to thank I-Rocks (http://www.i-rocks.com/) for supplying the review sample.
I-Rocks has its headquarters in Taiwan with a factory in China. The company produces mice, keyboards and hard drive as well as other PC accessories.
This is how they describe themselves:
Company Overview
I-ROCKS Technology is a renowned Taiwanese brand of computer peripherals that are sold worldwide, continually providing its clients and customers with innovative high-quality. computer peripheral IO devices. Since it's establishment, I-ROCKS has insisted on innovation, utility R&D, and successful marketing, there by providing high-quality, high-value products which meet customer needs in every possible way. Currently, I-ROCKS has manufacturing facilities in China and branches in many countries, all with the goal of embracing globalization and international developments in marketing, and providing customers with high-quality peripheral products at reasonable prices. I-ROCKS is a leading brand name and manufacturer of computer, Internet, and online gaming products.
Mission
Rocks is dedicated to achieving excellence in computer peripherals, contributing to I-Rocks' overall viability and leadership to provide quality, service and competitive pricing to our customers while maintaining a safe and environmentally sound workplace which upholds I-Rocks' reputation as a responsible corporate citizen.
Vision
To be the most innovative, advanced, and the largest peripherals provider.
We get to take a look at the Superman Returns Mouse and card reader. Both are available in multiple color combinations.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/allmice.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/SP5000bl.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/SP5000sk.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/SP5000sl.jpg
I-Rock also sells a USB hub and keyboard in the licensed Superman Returns design.
The Package
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/packfronts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/packfront.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/packbacks.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/packback.jpg)
Both items come packaged in clear plastic. As these are officially licensed to use the Superman Returns theme, there are images of good old Superman and his emblem on the front and back. Most packaging of this kind is hard to open up, but I-Rock has cut the back, so it can be ripped open quite easily. This is great and does not require a lot of additional resources. More manufacturers should take this as an example!
Contents
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/manuals.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/manual.jpg)
The mouse comes with a small, simple, folded manual. There is really nothing to be explained for this mouse.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/usbcables.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/usbcable.jpg)
The card reader has a USB cable included. It is kept in see-through plastic so that the silver shielding can be seen. This fits nicely with the card reader.
[page=A Closer Look]
A Closer Look
Superman Returns Mouse
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mouses.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mouse.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mousesides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mouseside.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/wheels.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/wheel.jpg)
The mouse is slim and fits nicely into the hands. The Superman logo is embossed and it reads Superman right below it. The side features two buttons used for navigation (back and forward in your browser). The wheel is covered in rubber and placed in a grove. This looks much like the Logitech MX1000. The mouse does seems to be inspired by Logitech mice a bit.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/supermanmouses.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/supermanmouse.jpg)
The mouse looks quite nice on a mouse pad. There are very few themed mice out there, so this should be a fun item to have at a LAN party and draw some attention.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mousecompares.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mousecompare.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mousebottoms.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mousebottom.jpg)
The mouse follows the shape and size of other modern counterparts. It is just as tall as the MX Revolution and just as wide as the MX518. The bottom of the mouse is kept in simple black. There are skid pads on five spots. They seem to be well placed for a mouse of this size.
Superman Returns Memory Card Reader
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/cardreaders.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/cardreader.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/compares.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/compare.jpg)
The card reader is quite small. The top sports the Superman logo. I placed it next to a card the same size of a credit card. The card reader is smaller than this. This would be a great item to toss into your bag, so that you can access your memory cards on any computer while on the road.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/sdsides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/sdside.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/usbsides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/usbside.jpg)
To keep the size down, the card reader uses each side for one or two formats. The front is used to insert the very popular SD & MMC cards. The back is reserved for the mini USB connector.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/cfsides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/cfside.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mssides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/msside.jpg)
The sides house the CF/SM and memory stick slots. Quite an interesting approach, as Compact Flash and Smart Media the are by far the biggest formats in size.
[page=Performance]
Performance
Superman Returns Mouse
Judging the performance of a mouse is base almost purely on subjective opinion. Some gamers like a fast, small and light mouse. Others want to use bigger movements and mice that fill the entire palm, while feeling the weight during movement. The I-Rocks Superman Mouse is a bit heavier than the I-Rock 4-Way Navigation Laser Mouse we reviewed here (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/LaserMouse/). The embedded Superman logo results in a groove on the highest point on the mouse. You will feel it, if you hold it firmly, but it should not bother you even for extended periods of use.
There seemed to be an unusual amount of friction between mouse and the gaming surface, no matter if a plastic or cloth mouse pad was used. This makes mouse movement a bit harder and requires a lot of force, compared to other mice. The navigation buttons on the side have a very weak pressure point, resulting in an unbalanced feel compared to left and right buttons. The scroll wheel does feel good and the finger does grip well on the rubber surface, but the wheel does not turn as easily as it should. You will have a hard time scrolling through long texts or websites with this mouse.
If you play strategy games, this mouse does perform quite well, as the movements are usually not far and precision is not of the greatest concern. It is much harder to use while playing a first person shooter. Due to the high friction and slow movement across the gaming surface, aiming becomes a much harder task than it should be. Changing weapons with the mouse wheel takes longer than usual. The only possibility to play a FPS with this mouse is to turn the sensitivity up, so that the mouse does not need to be moved as far to result in the needed distance on the screen.
While this may not sound good at all, you should consider the price of this mouse - starting at a mere $13,99 USD.
Superman Returns Memory Card Reader
Well there is not much to be said about the card reader. It performs exactly as it is meant to and does so without any problems. There is no concrete way to test performance, as the used memory card poses the bottleneck, not the card reader or the USB interface.
The following formats are supported:
CompactFlash TM Card Type I / II
IBM Micro Drive
SmartMedia Card
Secure Digital Card
MultiMedia Card
MultiMedia Card Plus ™ (MMC4.0)
RS-MMC card
Mini SD Card
Memory Stick TM
Memory Stick PRO TM
Memory Stick Duo TM
Memory Stick PRO Duo TM
xD Picture Card
xD Picture Type-M Card
[page=Value & Conclusion]
Value and Conclusion
Superman Returns Optical Mouse
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The I-Rocks Superman Returns Optical Mouse starts at just under $14 USD.
</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Good price
Good for strategy games
Well built
Lighter than most gaming mice
Looks good
Should make for a good backup mouse
Available in three different colors
Collectible item for some
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
High friction
Scroll wheel requires unusual amount of force to turn
May be too light for some
Superman logo is embedded
</td></tr>
<tr><th>7.1</th>
<td>
The I-Rocks Superman Returns Optical Mouse may be good as a backup for everyone playing strategy games. The mouse is officially licensed, which means if you are looking for an addition to any Superman Collection this could be the next thing to get. The mouse does not really impress when playing first person shooters, but the problems can be alleviated a bit by turning up the mouse sensitivity in these types of games.
</td></tr>
<tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/budget.gif</td></tr>
</table>
Superman Returns Memory Card Reader
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The I-Rocks Superman Returns Memory Card Reader starts at just under $8 USD.
</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Very small size
Supports all major formats
All major formats supported
no external power required
USB cable included
Looks good
Available in three different colors
Collectible item for some
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
Construction could be better - may not survive a drop
</td></tr>
<tr><th>8.4</th>
<td>
The I-Rocks Superman Returns Memory Card Reader is refreshingly small, while still supporting all the major formats. This may just be the device to have in your camera bag or in your luggage while you are on the road. Even if you have a card reader on your notebook, odds are that it will not support the larger card formats like Compact Flash or Smart Media. The device does not require any drivers, nor does it use a power supply - perfect when you are traveling around the world.
</td></tr>
<tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/budget.gif http://www.techpowerup.com/images/recommended.gif</td></tr>
</table>
Introduction & Package
Introduction
I would like to thank I-Rocks (http://www.i-rocks.com/) for supplying the review sample.
I-Rocks has its headquarters in Taiwan with a factory in China. The company produces mice, keyboards and hard drive as well as other PC accessories.
This is how they describe themselves:
Company Overview
I-ROCKS Technology is a renowned Taiwanese brand of computer peripherals that are sold worldwide, continually providing its clients and customers with innovative high-quality. computer peripheral IO devices. Since it's establishment, I-ROCKS has insisted on innovation, utility R&D, and successful marketing, there by providing high-quality, high-value products which meet customer needs in every possible way. Currently, I-ROCKS has manufacturing facilities in China and branches in many countries, all with the goal of embracing globalization and international developments in marketing, and providing customers with high-quality peripheral products at reasonable prices. I-ROCKS is a leading brand name and manufacturer of computer, Internet, and online gaming products.
Mission
Rocks is dedicated to achieving excellence in computer peripherals, contributing to I-Rocks' overall viability and leadership to provide quality, service and competitive pricing to our customers while maintaining a safe and environmentally sound workplace which upholds I-Rocks' reputation as a responsible corporate citizen.
Vision
To be the most innovative, advanced, and the largest peripherals provider.
We get to take a look at the Superman Returns Mouse and card reader. Both are available in multiple color combinations.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/allmice.jpg
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/SP5000bl.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/SP5000sk.jpg http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/SP5000sl.jpg
I-Rock also sells a USB hub and keyboard in the licensed Superman Returns design.
The Package
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/packfronts.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/packfront.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/packbacks.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/packback.jpg)
Both items come packaged in clear plastic. As these are officially licensed to use the Superman Returns theme, there are images of good old Superman and his emblem on the front and back. Most packaging of this kind is hard to open up, but I-Rock has cut the back, so it can be ripped open quite easily. This is great and does not require a lot of additional resources. More manufacturers should take this as an example!
Contents
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/manuals.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/manual.jpg)
The mouse comes with a small, simple, folded manual. There is really nothing to be explained for this mouse.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/usbcables.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/usbcable.jpg)
The card reader has a USB cable included. It is kept in see-through plastic so that the silver shielding can be seen. This fits nicely with the card reader.
[page=A Closer Look]
A Closer Look
Superman Returns Mouse
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mouses.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mouse.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mousesides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mouseside.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/wheels.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/wheel.jpg)
The mouse is slim and fits nicely into the hands. The Superman logo is embossed and it reads Superman right below it. The side features two buttons used for navigation (back and forward in your browser). The wheel is covered in rubber and placed in a grove. This looks much like the Logitech MX1000. The mouse does seems to be inspired by Logitech mice a bit.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/supermanmouses.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/supermanmouse.jpg)
The mouse looks quite nice on a mouse pad. There are very few themed mice out there, so this should be a fun item to have at a LAN party and draw some attention.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mousecompares.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mousecompare.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mousebottoms.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mousebottom.jpg)
The mouse follows the shape and size of other modern counterparts. It is just as tall as the MX Revolution and just as wide as the MX518. The bottom of the mouse is kept in simple black. There are skid pads on five spots. They seem to be well placed for a mouse of this size.
Superman Returns Memory Card Reader
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/cardreaders.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/cardreader.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/compares.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/compare.jpg)
The card reader is quite small. The top sports the Superman logo. I placed it next to a card the same size of a credit card. The card reader is smaller than this. This would be a great item to toss into your bag, so that you can access your memory cards on any computer while on the road.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/sdsides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/sdside.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/usbsides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/usbside.jpg)
To keep the size down, the card reader uses each side for one or two formats. The front is used to insert the very popular SD & MMC cards. The back is reserved for the mini USB connector.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/cfsides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/cfside.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/mssides.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/SupermanReturns/images/msside.jpg)
The sides house the CF/SM and memory stick slots. Quite an interesting approach, as Compact Flash and Smart Media the are by far the biggest formats in size.
[page=Performance]
Performance
Superman Returns Mouse
Judging the performance of a mouse is base almost purely on subjective opinion. Some gamers like a fast, small and light mouse. Others want to use bigger movements and mice that fill the entire palm, while feeling the weight during movement. The I-Rocks Superman Mouse is a bit heavier than the I-Rock 4-Way Navigation Laser Mouse we reviewed here (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/irocks/LaserMouse/). The embedded Superman logo results in a groove on the highest point on the mouse. You will feel it, if you hold it firmly, but it should not bother you even for extended periods of use.
There seemed to be an unusual amount of friction between mouse and the gaming surface, no matter if a plastic or cloth mouse pad was used. This makes mouse movement a bit harder and requires a lot of force, compared to other mice. The navigation buttons on the side have a very weak pressure point, resulting in an unbalanced feel compared to left and right buttons. The scroll wheel does feel good and the finger does grip well on the rubber surface, but the wheel does not turn as easily as it should. You will have a hard time scrolling through long texts or websites with this mouse.
If you play strategy games, this mouse does perform quite well, as the movements are usually not far and precision is not of the greatest concern. It is much harder to use while playing a first person shooter. Due to the high friction and slow movement across the gaming surface, aiming becomes a much harder task than it should be. Changing weapons with the mouse wheel takes longer than usual. The only possibility to play a FPS with this mouse is to turn the sensitivity up, so that the mouse does not need to be moved as far to result in the needed distance on the screen.
While this may not sound good at all, you should consider the price of this mouse - starting at a mere $13,99 USD.
Superman Returns Memory Card Reader
Well there is not much to be said about the card reader. It performs exactly as it is meant to and does so without any problems. There is no concrete way to test performance, as the used memory card poses the bottleneck, not the card reader or the USB interface.
The following formats are supported:
CompactFlash TM Card Type I / II
IBM Micro Drive
SmartMedia Card
Secure Digital Card
MultiMedia Card
MultiMedia Card Plus ™ (MMC4.0)
RS-MMC card
Mini SD Card
Memory Stick TM
Memory Stick PRO TM
Memory Stick Duo TM
Memory Stick PRO Duo TM
xD Picture Card
xD Picture Type-M Card
[page=Value & Conclusion]
Value and Conclusion
Superman Returns Optical Mouse
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The I-Rocks Superman Returns Optical Mouse starts at just under $14 USD.
</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Good price
Good for strategy games
Well built
Lighter than most gaming mice
Looks good
Should make for a good backup mouse
Available in three different colors
Collectible item for some
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
High friction
Scroll wheel requires unusual amount of force to turn
May be too light for some
Superman logo is embedded
</td></tr>
<tr><th>7.1</th>
<td>
The I-Rocks Superman Returns Optical Mouse may be good as a backup for everyone playing strategy games. The mouse is officially licensed, which means if you are looking for an addition to any Superman Collection this could be the next thing to get. The mouse does not really impress when playing first person shooters, but the problems can be alleviated a bit by turning up the mouse sensitivity in these types of games.
</td></tr>
<tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/budget.gif</td></tr>
</table>
Superman Returns Memory Card Reader
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The I-Rocks Superman Returns Memory Card Reader starts at just under $8 USD.
</td>
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Very small size
Supports all major formats
All major formats supported
no external power required
USB cable included
Looks good
Available in three different colors
Collectible item for some
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
Construction could be better - may not survive a drop
</td></tr>
<tr><th>8.4</th>
<td>
The I-Rocks Superman Returns Memory Card Reader is refreshingly small, while still supporting all the major formats. This may just be the device to have in your camera bag or in your luggage while you are on the road. Even if you have a card reader on your notebook, odds are that it will not support the larger card formats like Compact Flash or Smart Media. The device does not require any drivers, nor does it use a power supply - perfect when you are traveling around the world.
</td></tr>
<tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/budget.gif http://www.techpowerup.com/images/recommended.gif</td></tr>
</table>