Computer Shopper articles from December 2003

Computer Shopper archives from December 2003

Best bets for gifts & gadgets.(from the editor in chief)
December 1, 2003... After 13 years covering technology products, I've gotten used to the phone calls and e-mails from friends and family asking for buying advice. But as the 2003 holiday shopping season kicks into gear, I'm noticing a decided shift in the...

Built's better than boxed.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... Your motherboard feature ("Board Decisions," October, p. 82) failed to mention potential installation complications involving the new board and the operating system. Needless to say, installing my new motherboard was frustrating and...

Heartfelt "Hard Edge" salute.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... Dear Alice and Bill: Congratulations on your 11th year! I'm stuck here with the U.S. Army in Iraq, and your column is one of the things that make the horizon seem closer. Only six more "Hard Edges" until I redeploy to the States! It takes...

CS readers are well-connected!(from our readers)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... In a recent reader survey, we asked How you get online at home. You said: None 1% Dial-up 31% Cable modem 39% DSL 26% Satellite 2% ISDN 1% Go to shopper.com/cs/survey to...

Corrections.(from our readers)(Correction Notice)
December 1, 2003... Regarding our review of the Maxtor 200GB Ultra Series in "Speed and Space to Spare" (September, p. 72), Maxtor wishes to clarify that users only need to create a driver-install floppy for the controller card when installing the drive as the...

Sharper online deals lure holiday shoppers.(Trends)
December 1, 2003... If you're shopping for the perfect holiday gifts for your family--even at the last minute--chances are, you can find them online. Online retailers will once again be focusing on the nuts and bolts of service and shipping this holiday...

New PC card format could mean smaller laptops.(Trends)(ExpressCard)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Backers of a new PC expansion card standard called ExpressCard (www.expresscard. org) say it will eventually replace the familiar notebook PC Cards used for tasks such as adding memory or connecting to a network. Because the new card standard...

Record labels practicing what they preach?(Trends)
December 1, 2003... Individual record labels may be undermining the music industry's case against peer-to-peer file-sharing networks by mining data from the very networks they're trying to shut down. In their marketing efforts, the labels have enlisted the...

USB fulfills streaming dreams.(Trends)
December 1, 2003... Getting ready to buy a digital camcorder? You'll be glad to know it'll soon be just as easy to connect to your PC as any other USB device. The USB Implementers Forum (www.usb.org) has released on its Web site the USB Video Device Class...

Royal flash.(Trends)(flash memory card growth 2002-2003)(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
December 1, 2003... Percentage Growth in Flash-Memory-Card Revenue, 2002 to 2003 2002 $1.99 billion 2003 $2.75 billion With the proliferation of digital cameras, POAs, and MP3 players, consumers are snapping up flash-memory cards at a...

A pair of Nikes for your avatar.(Trends)
December 1, 2003... After years of watching the entrepreneurial activity from the sidelines, publishers of massively multiplayer online role-playing games are deciding it's time to get in on the action. Electronic Arts' The Sims is already incorporating the...

Hard drives in CE devices double your electronics pleasure.(Trends)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... It's a consumer-electronics device. It's a portable hard drive. It's both. The percentage of consumer-electronics devices with integrated hard drives has nearly doubled since last year, now making up 7 percent of the total hard drive market,...

Cell-phone recyclers lend a helping hand(set).(Trends)
December 1, 2003... If you get a new cell phone as a gift this holiday season, your old phone may seem as appealing as a lump of coal. Before you toss it in the trash, consider donating it, Organizations that recycle phones are reselling them, often in developing...

IBM's got a lockbox for your PC.(Trends)
December 1, 2003... IBM is readying a digital lights management (DRM) strategy for securing content every where from Hollywood to Wall Street. Aimed at preventing illegal use of commercial media, the eXtensible Content Protection (xCP) initiative involves soft...

Web surfers bank on it.(Trends)(online banking transactions 2001-2003)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Number of Individuals 18 and Older Conducting Online Banking Transactions 2001 13 million 2002 17.1 million 2003 23.2 million If ATMs weren't enough to put bank tellers on the endangered species list, the findings of...

Kazaa founders to launch first P2P telephone service.(Trends)
December 1, 2003... No longer content to just tick off the music industry, peer-to-peer file-sharing service Kazaa is ready to take on Internet telephony services. Company founders Janus Friis and Niklas Zennstrom have launched what they say is the first...

The alternative to iPod.(Gear)(Dell Digital Jukebox)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Dell Digital Jukebox Apple eater: Doll's $329 Digital Jukebox (DJ) represents the latest threat to the Apple iPod's MP3 dominance. Though many companies have tried to rival the iPod's small size, large capacity, and sleek design, none...

Control freak.(Gear)(Intrigue Technologies Harmony Remote SST-659)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... An uber-remote if there ever was one, the $199 Harmony Remote SST.659 allows you to link and operate up to 18 different consumer devices from the palm of your hand. The Harmony Remote can "learn" from other remotes, but the company recommends...

Flash cache.(Gear)(SmartDislk FlashTrax)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The $499.99 FlashTrax from SmartDisk lets you back up your precious digital pictures while on the road. Complete with an internal 30GH hard drive and a 3.5-inch TFT screen, the USB 2.0 FlashTrax copies and stores pictures via its CompactFlash...

Talk till you're blue.(Gear)(Logitech Mobile Bluetooth Headset)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Leave your phone in your pocket with Logitech's Mobile Bluetooth Headset. The company's first foray into the Bluetooth phone-accessory arena, the $99.95 cordless earphones are just the thing for those who not only can talk and walk at the same...

Potent portable.(Gear)(Toshiba Pocket PC e805)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Toshiba's $599 Pocket PC e805 handhold is tiny yet powerful. Based on Windows Mobile 2003 far Pocket PC, the 6.4-ounce e805 is powered by a muscular 400MHz Intel XScale CPU with 128MB of RAM and 64Mg of integrated ROM. The organizer also...

Global connections.(Gear)(Motorola V600)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... The sophisticated Motorola V600 phone, a quad-band GSM handset, operates on practically any continent. The phone, which AT&T Wireless will price between $200 and $300, also has an integrated camera, melodic MP3-quality ring tones, and built-in...

Tubular, dude.(Gear)(Antec iLuminate LED Light Tubes)(Brief Article)
December 1, 2003... Highlight your system's cool transparent window with one, or even two, of Antec's $19.99 internal iLuminate LED Light Tubes. The tubes connect to hour system's internal power supply, come with adhesive pads, and feature a sound sensor to...

Hop on a new cell service without ditching your number: a new FCC order that lets you carry your wireless number from carrier to carrier could make cell-phone service more competitive.(opinions)
December 1, 2003... ON NOVEMBER 24, THE FEDeral Communications Commission (FCC) will let your cell phone really roam. That's the deadline the commission has set for cellular carriers in the top 100 Metropolitan Statistical Areas to implement wireless local number...

The marriage of compromise between power and aesthetics: what do you get when the gear geek in you wants the biggest and the baddest, but your other half wants slim and attractive?(opinions)
December 1, 2003... WHEN YOURS TRULY GOT hitched recently, a couple of junior editors boldly created a mock-up of "Fully Equipped"--my online column on CNET.com--with the title changed to "Fully Whipped." Their headline: "Honey, is it all right if I spend $50 at...

Big dreams of convergence were just wishful thinking: consumers had high hopes for a single device that would do it all, but all they got was a cell phone with a cheap built-in camera.(opinions)
December 1, 2003... REMEMBER HOW BIG AN IDEA convergence was a few years back? Everything was going to meld into some sort of consolidated device. But after all the talk, we've seen few results. What we have seen is a lot of lame attempts at integration. Phones...

The top 25: Computer Shopper editors handpick this month's best desktops, notebooks, digital cameras, MP3 players, and software.(top 25)(Buyers Guide)
December 1, 2003... MIDRANGE DESKTOPS PRODUCT PRICE SPECS ABS Awesome 4500 * $1,509 2.6GHz Pentium 4; 512MB DDR; 120GB www.abspc.com hard drive: 15-inch LCD; nVidia GeForce FX 5600...

32-bit benefit from 64-bit PCs: with the Athlon 64, AMD brings 64-bit processing to Windows PCs. We put three of the first blazing new powerhouses to the test.(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
December 1, 2003... THIS MONTH, WE HAD AN opportunity to test three systems built around AMD's Athlon 64 FX 51, The first 64 bit processor for Windows-based machines. (We'll review the 64 bit Apple Power Mac G5 next month.) Apart from its ability to process data...

Jam-packed all-in-one PC is thinnest of them all: MPC Clientpro All-In-One.
December 1, 2003... [Editors' Choice] DESPITE ITS BUSINESS HERITAGE, MPC COMPUTERS' ClientPro All-in-One belongs in dorms and other tight quarters. This stylish PC with a built-in LCD is the slimmest all-in one we've seen, and it still manages to house a...

PC, stereo combined in a handsome chassis: Zeuspc Thunder DV.
December 1, 2003... ZEUSPC'S THUNDER DV LOOKS MORE LIKE A SMALL home stereo than a desktop PC In truth, it's both. Packed into a slick, small-term-factor MSI case is a radio, CD play or, DVD player, and PC that can handle both gaming and digital video editing. It...

Bright-screened beauty writes multiformat DVDs: Sony VAIO PCG-GRT160.
December 1, 2003... SONY'S STYLISH $1,899 VAIO PCG-GRT160 OFFERS fast performance and a wide range of components. The drawback is this hefty notebook's travel weight, which will scare off frequent fliers. The midrange model we tested came with a 2.66GHz...

Thrifty mini packs features, lacks speed: Sharp Actius AV18P.
December 1, 2003... UNDENIABLY COMPACT AND PORTABLE, THE Sharp Actius AV18P fits a ton of functionality into a lightweight frame. At $1,449, this svelte system is also relatively inexpensive, hut its performance numbers prove that power doesn't come cheap. To...

Pricey 3GHz monster caged by performance: MPC Transport V2000.
December 1, 2003... THE $2,131 TRANSPORT V2000 FROM MPC COMPUTER isn't very affordable, and despite the TransPort's name, its size and weight make this big notebook ill-suited for travel. Possessing a modest configuration, the laptop disappoints in both...

Nicely designed ultralight burns its battery quickly: Toshiba Portege R100.
December 1, 2003... THE TOSHIBA PORTEGE R100 IS A LIGHT, WELL-designed laptop, but like many ultraportables it suffers from abbreviated battery life when running off its primary cell. Relatively costly at $2,448, our Portege came to us equipped with a speedy...

Strapping laptop features great screen, 3D gusto: Fujitsu Lifebook N Series.
December 1, 2003... FUJITSU'S TRADITIONAL FORTE HAS BEEN LIGHTER laptops, but the new $1,899 LifeBook N Series, with its potent performance and manageable size, shows that the company can hang with the heavy hitters, too. Our evaluation system included a...

Powerful travel machine can't stray far from plug: Gateway 200XL.
December 1, 2003... [Editors' Choice] SINCE ITS INCEPTION AS THE SOLO 3100, GATEway's ultraportable notebook has taken many forms. The company's latest ultralight incarnation, the 200XL, edges into thin and light territory, but it's a much better machine all...

Better screen, Wi-Fi yield exceptional organizer: Toshiba Pocket PC E750.
December 1, 2003... [Editors' Choice] ONE OF THE FEW DRAWBACKS OF TOSHIBA'S Wi-Fi-enabled Pocket PC e740 was its less-than stellar screen. Now the company has endowed its pricey successor, the $449 e750 (in retail it's named the e755), with a much better...

An entertaining player to make travel fun: Archos AV320 Video Recorder.
December 1, 2003... [Editors' Choice] THE $599.95 ARCHOS AV320 VIDEO RECORDER IS every commuter's dream come true. It is an excellent MP3 player, displays downloaded or recorded video on its own screen or any television, and can hold more than 370 hours of...

Cancel noise, then crank up your music: Bose QuietComfort2.
December 1, 2003... Bose's first QuietComfort model set the standard for noise-canceling headsets. Now the company is offering its new $299 QuietComfort 2 model, which is even better than the original. Our main gripe with the first QuietComfort was a bulky box...

Sleek audio device is notably portable: Creative Nomad MuVo NX.
December 1, 2003... AS SLEEK AND SMALL AS THE ORIGInal, bare-bones MuVo flash-based player, the $149.99 Creative MuVo NX adds some important improvements. Although it is ideal for jogging or using at the gym, this tiny 128MB device suffers from volume problems and...

High-tech slider phone has first-rate features: Siemens SL56.
December 1, 2003... THE SIEMENS SL56 IS ONE SUPERcompact, slick mobile phone. With an impressive feature set, this beautifully designed $249.99 GSM handset is not just another pretty cell. At 3.2x1.7x0.7 inches and 2.8 ounces, the SL56 is one of the smallest...

Camera/camcorder combo doesn't quite add up: Samsung SC-D5000 DuoCam.
December 1, 2003... FOR DIGITAL CAMCORDERS, STILL-IMAGE QUALITY has always been secondary. Samsung attempts to split the billing with its SC-D5000 DuoCam. Unfortunately, the DuoCam doubles the compromises, providing second rate still images, as well as digital...

Inkjet's worth the price for fabulous photo prints: HP Photosmart 7960.
December 1, 2003... [Editors' Choice] HEWLETT-PACKARD'S PHOTOSMART 7960 WILL SET you back a weighty $299.99, but if printing digital photos is your passion, this inkjet's ease of use and stunning photo output make it worth the outlay. The Photosmart is...

Top-notch, affordable DAR juggles media elegantly: Prismiq MediaPlayer.
December 1, 2003... [Editors' Choice] ALTHOUGH PRICES ARE DROPPING IN THE DIGITAL audio receiver (DAR) category, Prismiq's MediaPlayer is the first unit we've tested that offers a sweet-spot combination of features and value. For $249.95, you get all you need...

Hefty portable projector is bright for business: ViewSonic PJ501.
December 1, 2003... VIEWSONIC'S PJ501 LCD PROJECTOR PUMPS OUT light like a beacon in the night, making it a good fit for well-lit rooms. It's heavy for a portable projector, however, and some performance shortfalls make it a relatively poor choice for home...

Sharp shooting in the deep end: Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-U60.
December 1, 2003... Impervious to the outdoor nasties that wreak havoc with electronics and lenses, the $249.95 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-U60 is a solid choice for outdoor enthusiasts who want a simple point-and-shoot to capture their adventures--even if they're 5 feet...

Terrific image offsets LCD's design snags: NEC-Mitsubishi MultiSync LCD1765.
December 1, 2003... THE WELL-PRICED NEC-MITSUBISHI MultiSync LCD1765 is a $549.99 17-inch display that's one of the best LCDs we've had the pleasure to test, even despite its several design gaffes. A sheet of tough, glossy acrylic covers the front of the...

Multiformat burner adds RAM to the mix: LG GSA-4040B.
December 1, 2003... WITH THE SUDDEN RUSH OF multiformat recordable-DVD drives that support both DVD+R/DVD+RW and DVD-R/DVD-RW formats, some company was bound to add DVD-RAM to the mix--hence LG Electronics' GSA-4040B. Although the drive turned in uneven...

Multifaceted networking with accent on simplicity: EmergeCore IT In A Box IT-100.
December 1, 2003... EMERGECORE NETWORKS' IT IN A BOX IT-100 IS AN easy-to-use device that packs many of the networking features small businesses need, including a four-port Ethernet switch, a firewall, a Web and e-mail server, and a wireless access point. The...

Give your USB devices an 802.11g kick: Sony VAIO 802.11g Wireless Ethernet Converter PCWA-DE30.
December 1, 2003... SONY ELECTRONICS' VAIO 802.11G WIRELESS Ethernet Converter PCWA-DE30 connects anything with a USB port, such as a print server, video camera, or gaming console, to your 802.11g network. The converter's two-part design offers a lot of...

Personal-finance wars, v. 2004: quicken and Microsoft Money once again battle for the right to manage your accounts.
December 1, 2003... ANOTHER YEAR, ANOTHER battle between Intuit's Quicken and Microsoft's Money for supremacy in personal financial management. With robust online support for access to your banking and investment accounts, both packages have your wallet and...

Trip planner steers you right but runs out of gas: Microsoft Streets & Trips 2004.
December 1, 2003... MICROSOFT'S STREETS & TRIPS 2004 MAKES AN amiable travel companion. But while this trip planner delivers accurate, easy-to-understand driving directions and some useful mapping tools, it still has the same limitations as last year's version:...

Making Linux safe for Windows users: LindowsOS 4.0.
December 1, 2003... EASY TO INSTALL AND OFFERING AN ATTRACTIVE interface, the $59.95 LindowsOS 4.0 will appeal to any user who wants to give Linux a try. Experienced Linux users, however, will decry LindowsOS's sparse selection of programs available on the install...

A hard drive utility that creates the right image: Drive Image 7.
December 1, 2003... A DISK-IMAGING APPLICATION DOESN'T MERELY back up files; it creates an exact image of an entire disk. It lets you completely recover a system after a disaster, or quickly re-create a specific system configuration for testing purposes. Working...

This audio jukebox gives your MP3s some polish: Magix MP3 Maker 2004 Diamond.
December 1, 2003... FOR $29.99, MAGIX ENTERTAINMENT'S MP3 MAKER 2004 Diamond handles all of your digital-audio needs, including MP3 creation, CD burning, and music-database management. A polished interface and a few unexpected features distinguish it among tough...

Fun and games are calling: Nokia N-Gage.
December 1, 2003... Nokia's gaming cell phone, the N-Gage, is finally here. This $299 multifunction device rolls a portable gaming pad, an MP3 player, an FM radio, and a cell phone into one handy package. A GSM world phone, the 2.7x5.3x0.8-inch N-Gage is...

Gun-for-hire bulletfest mostly hits target: Cold Zero: No Mercy.
December 1, 2003... A BLEND OF ACTION, REAL-TIME strategy, and role-playing, the third-person shoot 'em-up Cold Zero: No Mercy describes in bullets the trigger-happy travails of a hired mercenary. Though flawed, it's addictive fun. As John McAffrey, a...

Cast off the shackles of conventional gaming: Republic: The Revolution.
December 1, 2003... AFTER THE CHAOTIC FALL OF THE Soviet Union, a dictator seizes the fictional state of Novistrana--and you're his main opposition. Forget fundraisers and TV issue ads--in Republic: The Revolution, your arsenal needs to be propaganda, slander, and...

Holiday hit lists: suffering from seasonal shopping indecision? You'll find something for everyone among these 69 winning tech products.(Holiday Shopping Guide)
December 1, 2003... * THE MOMENT HAS FINALLY ARRIVED. The box is begging to be ripped open, but gadget anticipation quickly fades [along with the vision of yourself grooving to that cool new MP3 player) as you unwrap this gear's reindeer necktie. Besides an...

Gamers: for those with gaming on the brain, these toys are sure to score.(Holiday Shopping Guide)
December 1, 2003... * Nintendo Game Boy Advance SP Topping many a fun lover's wish list this gear is the Game Boy Advance SP. At 5.6 ounces, Nintendo's newest portable game console is more compact than its predecessors and can easily slip inside a shirt...

Music lovers: a sonic sampling for the digital audiophile on your list.(Holiday Shopping Guide)
December 1, 2003... * Digital Networks Rio Karma Give the gift of movable music with Digital Networks' slick 20GB Rio Karma digital audio player, which holds a sweet 5,000 songs. This USB 2.0 device delivers an impressive 15 hours of playback on a single...

TV/film fans: for anyone very into video, these gifts will produce blockbuster results.(Holiday Shopping Guide)
December 1, 2003... Dell W1700 LCD TV For the spatially challenged multimedia maven, consider Dell's W1700 LCD TV. This wide-screen 17-inch TFT display does double-duty as an LCD PC monitor and a stand-alone high definition television, thanks to an integrated...

The digital photo & video set: these picks will please those who thrive on capturing the moment.(Holiday Shopping Guide)
December 1, 2003... * ViewSonic VP171B Viewing colorful photos or sharp video on a luminous LCD is bound to inspire any digital-image aficionado, and ViewSonic's VP171B is an inspired choice. This sleek, black 17-incher delivers high brightness end contrast...

Techie teens: consider this cool stuff for youthful technologists.(Holiday Shopping Guide)
December 1, 2003... * Xact X33X WristLinx A neat tech toy fur kids and adults alike, Xact'a X33X WristLinx walkie-talkie/digital wristwatch is a descendant of Dick Tracy's two-way wrist radio. The voice-activated X33X communicates with other FRS/GMRS handheld...

Road warriors: traveling tech tools that will make any frequent flier's load a little lighter.(Holiday Shopping Guide)
December 1, 2003... * Handspring Tree 600 Sure, at $499, Handspring's newest do-it-all device isn't cheap, but this slimmed-down smart-phone will make any gadget hound smile. The 6-ounce Tree feels like a typical phone, but the compact case packs a...

What we want: here's the gear our editors are wishing for this year.(Holiday Shopping Guide)
December 1, 2003... Brian Bennett Staff Editor * LG VX6000 I'd love to unwrap the VX6000, which appeals to have fallen right out Of the future. This digital flip phone from Verizon Wireless has a distinctive-looking, colorful OLED front display that will...

Family circuits: looking for a PC that satisfies the entire family? One of these five solid desktops is sure to please.(PCs For The Family)
December 1, 2003... PURCHASING A PC FOR THE WHOLE CLAN CAN be the toughest tech chore of all: You have to take the needs of one Family member and balance them with the wants of another. Your teenagers may be gung-ho for gaming, burning music discs, and chatting...

Expect more from your computer company.(Special Advertising Section)
December 1, 2003... Do you wish your company had as much enthusiasm for computing as you do-or even any enthusiasm? Would you like to reach a tech support person when you need one? Want a computer optimized for performance rather than churned off a cookie-cutter...

A field guide to digital cameras: it's a jungle of specs, features, and add-ons in the high-tech habitat of digital cameras. Here's how to bag the perfect shooter.(Digicams)
December 1, 2003... If you've ventured into the jungles of Costa Rica the pains of the Serengeti, or even the tram lines at Disney World, you've no doubt noticed the once-ubiquitous film camera is on the path to extinction. Taking its place on the evolutionary...

The image managers: wondering how to organize all those holiday shots you'll take with your digital camera? These four image-management programs will help you sort, enhance, and share your photos.(Image-Organising Software)
December 1, 2003... One of the advantages of a digital camera is that it lets you shoot picture after picture at no additional cost. As a result, your hard drive is soon filled with photos--often with cryptic names like IMG_0128 or VACATION015. That's where...

Looking for a new system? Keep your eye on Velocity Micro.
December 1, 2003... In the increasingly-crowded field of personal computers, you almost need a road map to find what you want. But with decade-old Velocity Micro, you don't need to look any further than your favorite magazine. Just flip open the pages, and you can...

The hard edge: Intel versus AMD; the Chilly Mondo Cold Award; and are cell phones the new PCs?(help & how-to)
December 1, 2003... ALICE ONCE PREDICTED THAT the minute Microsoft and Intel corrected the age old problem of adding new hardware and peripherals without driving the poor upgrader insane with frustration, innovation would begin to occur, literally, outside the...

Hang up on the telephone service: use your broadband Internet connection for long-distance telephone calls, and add up the savings.(Tune-Up)
December 1, 2003... Voice over IP (VoIP) telephone service may be one of the best-kept secrets of computing today. If you make lots of domestic long-distance or international calls, signing up with a residential VoIP provider such as Vonage, 8x8, or Deltathree can...

Blasted worm!(computer cures)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... When I turn on my PC, three boxes appear in succession, stating that Windows doesn't know what application to use to open each of these three files: TFTP2792, TFTP2632, and TFTP2568. What do these messages mean, and how can I get rid of them?...

Outlook gets the message.(computer cures)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... I used to archive e-mail messages into files with the extension EML so I could read them later. When I double-clicked the files, they would appear as e-mail messages without having to fully launch Outlook Express. On my new PC, however, the...

To protect and annoy?(computer cures)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... I'm running Windows XP Professional on my home PC. If I leave the system inactive for about 15 minutes, it forces me to log back in. How do I either extend the time-out duration, or turn off the logout timing feature altogether? Fabian...

Prepare PDFs PDQ.(computer cures)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... I'm going to start publishing my writing on the Internet, and I want to make the documents easy for people to read and download. Although I use Microsoft Word, I realize not everyone does. Adobe's Acrobat PDF file format seems like a good...

To defrag or not to defrag?(computer cures)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... I know how to defragment my hard drive: Open My Computer, right-click on the hard drive, and choose Properties > Tools > Defragment Now. The process often takes up to an hour. But how often should I do it? Chad Sudan Your instructions...

Jogging your file memory.(tip of the month)(Letter to the Editor)
December 1, 2003... Have you ever stumbled across some wonderful Web site with lots of useful files, downloaded a handful, and then, a few months later, stumbled across the files on your hard drive and couldn't remember what they do or why you downloaded them in...

Exercise your right to sweet digital audio: the advisor auditions four flesh memory digital audio players to help choose a gift for an athletic teen.(Buying Advisor)
December 1, 2003... THE BUYING ADVISOR USUALLY doesn't break a sweat to march a reader with the perfect product, but this month's mission sure got our heart pumping. Jessica Cardillo, a New York City marketing professional, wants to surprise her teenage sister...

Tech shopping.(Site Reviews)
December 1, 2003... allstarshop.com Set your sights high at AllstarShop. The company's comprehensive catalog of PC accessories includes graphics cards, motherboards, and peripherals. Prices are reasonable, and you'll find plenty of information about each...

JustGive.org.(Computer shopper: site of the month)
December 1, 2003... Bet you never thought you could add good karma to an online shopping cart. You can at JustGive.org, a nonprofit organization that aims to increase overall charitable contributions by connecting people with charities and making online giving...

Electronics and cameras.(Site Reviews)
December 1, 2003... circuitcity.com Plug in to Circuit City, which barks its selection of audio and video products with a 30-day price match guarantee. You can have your new toy delivered or pick it up at a local store. If the product doesn't work out for...

Books and music.(Site Reviews)
December 1, 2003... artistdirect.com You might visit Artist Direct just to buy music, but you'll stay for the information and community aspects. This revealing site serves up profiles of innumerable bands, including those obscure artists you thought no one...