Computer Shopper articles from February 2005

Computer Shopper archives from February 2005

2004 Shopper's Choice Awards.(Editor's Note)
February 1, 2005... AS YOU MIGHT IMAGINE, I tend to do a lot of research before buying any tech product for my personal use. I'm lucky enough to have access to more resources on this front than the average person, of course. Not only do I get to spend hands-on...

RAD redesign.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... I've been an avid reader of Computer Shopper for many years and want to let you know that your new format is absolutely brilliant. It presents information in a clear and concise manner. I've always turned to your magazine first for tech...

The voices of experience.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... Nancy Feldman wrote about a colleague who was forced to listen to a heavy-handed sales pitch after buying a digital camera online ("This Butterfly Is a Bother," December, p. 136). The same thing happened to me when I ordered a camera from...

Stick with the old standbys.(Letter to the Editor)
February 1, 2005... As a small-business owner who has built his own computer, bought from a local PC dealer, and purchased from a national company, I disagree with the reader who objected to Alfred Poor's advice to a first-time buyer not to undertake building his...

Hackers' TiVo tweaking puts DVRs' future on fast-forward.(Trends: upcoming technologies and products)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... FIVE YEARS AFTER TiVo introduced the rewind and fast-forward buttons to broadcast television, hackers are pushing its digital video recorder to new heights--with the company so far doing little to crack down on such tinkering. The devices...

TDK.(Trendspotting)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Researchers at TDK have developed a tough new coating that promises to make scratched DVDs a thing of the past, as well as help usher in an emerging data-storage format with 10 times the capacity of the current DVD standard. The...

IM hardly working.(Trends: upcoming technologies and products)(instant messaging usage statistics)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Percentage of workers using instant messaging more for personal reasons than for their jobs: 57 percent Source: Meta Group

Intel inside ... your cable box.(Trends: upcoming technologies and products)(Intel Corp. plans to develop a new chip)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The classic Pentium architecture is going new places. Intel is readying a line of consumer-electronics chips based on the IA-32 architecture, the design underlying the majority of the company's desktop, notebook, and server processors,...

Alienware lands down-to-earth system.(Trends: tech news)(new personal computer)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... IN AN ATTEMPT to broaden its reach, PC maker Alienware has unveiled a chic, compact PC for home users. The company, best known for building extreme desktops for garners, has hatched the Bot, a small desktop PC that starts at $549 after a...

Music bigs start singing different P2P tune.(trends: tech news)(peer to peer)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... A SMALL peer-to-peer startup has won rights from three of the four major record labels to distribute their music online. The deals with Peer Impact, a new division of online marketing company Wurld Media, continues the labels' gradual...

The better-battery battle.(Trends: tech news)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Although electronics manufacturers have made substantial strides in getting their devices to eke more life out of a battery charge, one of the chief complaints among consumers remains the perceived short runtime of devices. "You can never...

Orbit to pocket.(Gear: new products)(Delphi MyFi, palm-size Satellite radio)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Satellite radio isn't just for cars anymore. The palm-size $349.99 Delphi MyFi lets you tune in to XM satellite-radio broadcasts anywhere under the sun. When a signal isn't accessible, the 7.3-ounce MyFi simply taps its internal memory, which...

Sleek SPOT.(Abacus Watches)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Styled in sophisticated metal and leather, Fossil's revamped $129 Abacus Wrist Net watch is the latest in the company's Tech Watch line. Based on Microsoft's SPOT technology, the Wrist Net offers a thin design for comfort and runs MSN Direct...

Sound and vision.(Oakley Thump sunglasses)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... A treat to both eyes and ears, the Oakley Thump sunglasses have a built-in digital audio player that supports MP3, WAV, and WMA files. Available in 128MB and 256MB versions--$395 and $495, respectively--these next-generation shades feature...

Deco phone.(Gear: new products)(Nokia 7280, cellular telephone)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Nokia's new 7280 doesn't look like your average cell--because it's not. The $600 handset is highly styled in sleek art deco lines and replaces the traditional number pad with an iPod-like rotator to select numbers. The 3-ounce triband (GSM...

The ubercommunicator.(Gear: new products)(Audiovox PPC 6600, pocket pc organizer)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... The Audiovox PPC 6600 takes the pocket chatterbox to new heights. This $629.99 device, available through Sprint PCS, does triple duty as a powerful Pocket PC organizer, dual-band CDMA digital cell phone, and mobile messaging device. Even...

Chill, chassis.(Cooler Master introduces Centurion 5 CAG-TO5)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Let your PC components stand tall with the latest chassis model from Cooler Master, the $90 Centurion 5 CAG-T05. Outfitted with a big 120mm rear LED fan and perforated screen elements, the Centurion 5 is built to maximize airflow and help hot...

A toaster-size PC that will fire up LAN-party types: Shuttle XPC G5 9500g.(athlon based system)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... IT'S NO WONDER small-form-factor (SFF) PCs are all the rage. Just look at Shuttle's XPC G5 9500g. Our $3,467 test unit packs as much computing strength inside its tiny shell as many full-size desktops, plus delivers compelling features such as...

Logitech Z-5500 Digital: blockbuster speakers deliver near-perfect audio.(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... YOUR ONE-WAY TICKET to audio nirvana has arrived. Bursting with an impressive 505 watts (RMS) of power, Logitech's $399.95 Z-5500 Digital 5.1-channel speaker system brings classy looks and crisp sound to your living room. Made up of four...

Gateway Profile 5.5: limited upgradability mars compact design.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... GATEWAY'S LATEST PROFILE all-in-one PC lends an air of friendly, smart design to any environment. But Gateway aims this Profile at small or medium-size companies, and at $1,864 for our test configuration, it's too costly to represent a smart...

MPC ClientPro 414 All-in-One: one-piece PC is plenty muscular but pricey.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... THE MPC CLIENTPRO 414 All-in-One is a fine piece of decor that doubles as a computer. At a pricey $2,499, our test PC demands more than a $600 premium over the Gateway Profile 5.5 reviewed above, but it features several higher-end components,...

Apple Power Mac G5: lots to admire, but price is steep.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... GLEAMING AND SILENT, the Apple Power Mac G5's industrial design will be remembered long after its components are out of date. And though we think Mac fans should give more consideration to Apple's tendency to overprice, underconfigure, and...

Cyberpower Gamer Ultra 6500 SE: an enticing bargain for entry-level gamers.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... THE CYBERPOWER Garner Ultra 6500 SE's case may not be for everyone, but this midrange gaming PC is capable of handling casual gaming and everyday tasks. For its highly competitive $999 price, you get some solid specs, and it's bundled with a...

Dell Dimension 4700C: a mainstream feature set in a slim case.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... THE $1,267 Dell Dimension 4700C is ready to handle most standard tasks, taking up little desk space in the process. It's an attractive all-around desktop for office use, but it's not cut out for gaming or graphics work. The PC's slim...

Fujitsu LifeBook P7010D: lightweight, long-lasting, and packed with goodies.(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... EDITORS' CHOICE THE $2,149 FUJITSU LIFEBOOK P7010D's performance reflects a careful, best-in-class compromise between size and function. Our test model featured a 1.1GHz Pentium M, 512MB of DDR memory, a 60GB hard drive spinning at...

Alienware Sentia: thin flier has otherworldly style but lacks speed.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... SLIM AND CLAD in silver, Alienware's $1,630 Sentia delivers a decent set of features, but this doesn't make up for the thin-and-light's subpar performance. The Sentia we tested was powered by a 1.7GHz Pentium M with 1MB of Level 2 cache (a...

Acer TravelMate 3200: performance and longevity in an affordable machine.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... THE $1,899 TRAVELMATE 3200 is neither the thinnest nor the lightest corporate notebook around, but it covers all the essentials at the right price. Weighing 4.8 pounds and measuring 1.5x13x9.7 inches, the fully loaded configuration we...

Sharp Actius MM20: super portable is light on speed, battery life.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... THE $1,499 SHARP ACTIUS MM20 is quintessentially ultra-portable and one of the least-expensive laptops of its size. But while adequate for basic productivity tasks, this laptop skimps on computing power. Weighing just 2 pounds and measuring...

Razer Diamondback: high-res gaming mouse for lethal aim.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... WHETHER THEY'RE SNEAKING UP from behind or charging in with guns blazing, garners are only as good as their tools. If you need a mouse that feels less like plastic and more like an extension of your hand, the $59 Razer Diamondback, available in...

Canon CanoScan 9950F: swank-looking scanner skimps on performance.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... THE SHINY black Canon CanoScan 9950F scanner is sleekly designed, but its speed, scan quality, and features don't warrant its hefty $399.99 price. The 9950F occupies relatively little desk space and has a front panel lined with a set of...

BFG GeForce 6800 GT OC: big performance from a slim card.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... BFG's OVERCLOCKED GeForce 6800 GT OC graphics card performs favor ably over comparable nonover-clocked cards, but for $399, we want bundled games. All BFG pro vides are a few game demos you can download for free. We love the card's design,...

HP Laser Jet 1320: excellent print quality at a great price.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... HEWLETT-PACKARD'S $399.99 LaserJet 1320 isn't the cheapest monochrome laser printer available, but it delivers on the essentials and then some, producing sharp, clean black letters and good graphics, and includes a duplexer to boot. The...

Canon ImageClass MF3110: prints, scans, and copies, but doesn't do faxes.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... IF YOU'RE IN THE MARKET for a multifunction device, the $249 Canon ImageClass MF3110 monochrome laser will serve you well, provided you don't need networking or faxing capabilities. The printer/scanner/copier also lacks an automatic document...

Corinex Powerline Router:a HomePlug device marred by poor support, sluggish throughput.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... MOST WIRELESS NETWORKS are so easy to set up that installing a power-line network, which merely requires plugging networking equipment into your home's existing power lines, might seem unnecessary. But products like the HomePlug-compliant...

Always On WiFlyer: pricey device brings Wi-Fi to dial-up users.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... THE WIFLYER from Always On Wireless is an access point that delivers 802.11b Wi-Fi networking for both dial-up and broadband connections. It also doubles as a travel router, enabling you to connect via Ethernet to a broadband link in a hotel...

Hawking HSB1: Wi-Fi signal booster runs too much interference.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... THE $79 HAWKING HSB1 signal booster not only enhances a router's coverage area in a home or small office, but it also takes less than a minute to set up. The HSB1 works with both 802.11b and 802.11g networks and is a snap to get working....

Creative PCMCIA Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Notebook: portable audio never sounded so good.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... CREATIVE'S $129.99 PCMCIA Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS Notebook, a PC Card sound card for laptops, makes a compelling case for upgrading from your laptop's scrappy built-in audio jacks. This tiny sound card practically disappears into your...

RIM BlackBerry 7100t: Svelte, savvy messenger soured by keyboard.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... SLIM AND LIGHTWEIGHT, the $299.99 RIM BlackBerry 7100t has much to offer. Weighing 4.2 ounces, the 7100t feels comfortable in hand, and the phone's 65,536color, 2.1-inch screen is vivid. The compromised key layout, a cross between a...

PalmOne Treo 650.(First Take)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... For smartphone fanatics, there's no better news than the announcement of a successor to PalmOne's immensely popular Treo 600. The $599 Treo 650 will be available in both GSM and CDMA versions, with Sprint as the first carrier to offer the...

Canon PowerShot SD20 Digital Elph: form trumps function in 5-megapixel shooter.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... IF YOU CAN LIVE without a zoom lens or an optical viewfinder, the stylish, ultracompact Canon PowerShot SD20 Digital Elph delivers crisp results. The $349.99 SD20's tiny 1.8x3.5x0.7-inch metal body comes in four colors to match any...

Kodak EasyShare DX7590: advanced features, but only average images.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... EASTMAN KODAK'S $499.95 EasyShare DX7590 digital camera will appeal to snap-shooters looking for more control--if you don't mind just average-looking photos. The DX7590 delivers impressive features, including a 10x optical zoom,...

Olympus Camedia C-770 Ultra Zoom: a sophisticated camera for serious shooters.
February 1, 2005... FULL MANUAL CONTROLS, a 10x optical zoom lens, a big, bright electronic viewfinder, and the ability to focus down to half an inch make the $549.99 Olympus Camedia C-770 Ultra Zoom more capable than the average point-and-shoot model. The...

Creative Zen Micro: big feature package, tiny hard drive player.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... EDITORS' CHOICE CREATIVE'S ANSWER to the Apple iPod Mini, the $249.99 Zen Micro, comes in 10 different colors--twice as many as the iPod Mini's rainbow--and offers 5GB of storage for the same price as the 4GB iPod Mini. In addition,...

Sony NW-HD1 Network Walkman: inflexible audio device requires conversion experience.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... SONY'S $349.95 20GB NX,V-HD1 Network Walkman looks amazing, but it costs more than competing hard drive music players and lacks native MP3 and WMA file support. To hear MP3 and WMA music files on the NrW-HDI, the files need to go through...

Bose SoundDock Digital Music System: the best external speaker designed for iPods.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... IF YOU DON'T MIND the high price, the $299 Bose SoundDock Digital Music System is a fine choice for turning your Apple iPod into a nice-sounding bedroom or office stereo system. This speaker ships with adapters for the iPod Mini and the...

Sony KDF-50WE655: LCD projection set brings features to the fore.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... SONY'S $2,999 KDF-50WE655, the company's entry-level 50-inch LeD rear-projection television, delivers solid performance and abundant features relative to the rest of the digital rear-projection pack. The KDP-50WE655 has a CableCard slot,...

Panasonic DMR-E95H: Analog program guide limits digital recorder.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... THE $799.95 Panasonic DMR-E95H is a combination DVD recorder/digital video recorder (DVR) that comes stocked with impressive advanced features like predub editing. If you prize ease of use, you'd be wise to stick with a TiVo and its more...

Philips Streamium FlatTV.(First Take)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... With more curves than an Italian sports car, Philips' $2,300 23-inch HDTV, the 23PF9976i Streamium FlatTV, is one of the few televisions on the market with built-in wireless capabilities. Upside: When connected to your Wi-Fi network, the...

Mozilla Firefox 1.0: better browsing through technology.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... EDITORS' CHOICE MOZILLA FIREFOX 1.0 is the dream Internet browser you've been looking for. Featuring a host of small technical improvements, including tabbed browsing, built-in and customizable search bars, and a built-in RSS reader,...

Norton GoBack 4.0: a must-have utility, even with Windows XP's System Restore.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... THE $49.95 NORTON GOBACK 4.0 is the first new version of this system-rollback software since 2001. In the intervening years, Microsoft added its System Restore feature to Windows XP, stealing some of GoBack's thunder. Nonetheless, this software...

Toast with Jam 6: Mac multimedia suite fills in Apple iLife's gaps.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... MAC USERS GET FREE multimedia apps with the Apple iLife suite, but the $169.95 Toast with Jam is the choice of anyone who wants more power and control. Roxio's latest version, with a revamped edition of Jam, the suite's audio application for...

Lingo: enticing VoIP rates, but call quality is a letdown.(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... IT SEEMS EACH MONTH brings a new competitor to Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) telephone providers such as Vonage, Packet8, and AT&T CallVantage. New to this increasingly crowded space is Lingo, which comes close to knocking off the...

MyDVD Studio Deluxe Suite 6: entry-level authoring app ably handles the basics, but masters none.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... AIMED SQUARELY at burning newbies, the $149.99 MyDVD Studio Deluxe Suite 6 gets good, if not great, marks in all things it handles: DVD mastering, audio-CD creation, and data backup. The suite's oversimplified interface is icon-oriented for...

RoboForm Pass2Go: excellent form filler for the road.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... A $9.99 ADD-ON to Siber Systems' killer $29.99 RoboForm Pro, Pass2Go allows you to put all the form-filling features of RoboForm on a storage device, such as a USB key. For travelers frequently using PCs other than their own, it's a tool that...

JetAudio 6 Basic: a near-perfect media jukebox.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... JETAUDIO ISN'T a newcomer, but its free multimedia jukebox generates little hype. That's a shame, because JetAudio 6 Basic shines by offering simplicity, flexibility, top performance, and speed, despite its inability to sync with devices or...

Top 25: computer Shopper editors handpick this month's best desktops, notebooks, digital cameras, DVD burners, and combat games.(Illustration)
February 1, 2005... Top 25 Computer Shopper editors handpick this month's best desktops, notebooks, digital cameras, DVD burners, and combat games. UNDERDOG DESKTOPS Built by lesser-known companies, these machines are scrappy and swift. PRODUCT ...

2004 Shoppers' Choice Awards.
February 1, 2005... FOR 19 YEARS our Shoppers' Choice Awards have honored what you, our readers, chose as the top products, services, and stores of the year. Thousands of you responded this year, and, as usual, weren't shy with your opinions. With old favorites...

Media Masters: the latest Media Center Edition PCs give you total control of your digital entertainment.(Product/Service Evaluation)
February 1, 2005... MICROSOFT HAS BEEN TRYING TO CREEP into your living room for the past couple of years. And though its first two attempts weren't exactly failures, the Windows KP Media Center OS was still missing some ingredients. Its latest iteration, Media...

Digital lifesavers: whether you're protecting precious photos or crucial spreadsheets, one of these four backup methods can save your assets.
February 1, 2005... IN THE WORLD OF DIGITAL STORAGE, there are two types of people: those who never back up their data, and those whose hard drives have crashed. Joe A., a New York City area tax accountant, is now one of the latter. "I came in one Monday...

Computer cures.(Help & how-to: tips and tricks to make tech easier)
February 1, 2005... FIGHTING FLAT-PANEL FUZZ I just purchased a new 19-inch LCD (Dell's UltraSharp 1905FP), and the black text is not as sharp as I had expected. Can you explain why it would be fuzzy and not extra-sharp on a state-of-the-art monitor? DON...

Tip of the month: a wake-up call for your scanner.(Computer Cures)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... Most scanners these days connect via USB, but many older scanners rely on a SCSI interface. This month's tipster found his SCSI scanner a hassle to use if he didn't have it on all the time, but he came up with an easy way to wake it up when he...

Think inside the box: internalizing components can clean up your desk and boost your PC's connectivity.(Tune-up: Hardware)
February 1, 2005... IF THINGS have gotten a little messy around the old desktop, and you're tired of all the wires, plugs, and boxes clogging up your computing area, don't fret. While it's not uncommon to find external items surrounding old and new PCs, there's no...

Double vision: treat yourself to a true wide-screen experience with a dual-monitor setup.(tune-up: software)
February 1, 2005... ADDING A SECOND MONITOR to your PC just doesn't make sense--until you try it. With two monitors, you can view a spreadsheet and write a report without constant minimizing and maximizing. Editing photos? Keep your tools on the secondary screen...

No wires, no money, no problem: a new mother needs low-cost wireless net access for an old notebook. the advisor juggles four budget options.(buying advisor)
February 1, 2005... BUYING THE RIGHT Wi-Fi hardware isn't the only thing keeping Nancy Fitzsimmons awake nights. Fitzsimmons, a hospital counselor, has her hands full with her newborn son. "He demands lots of motion to keep quiet," she says. "So I'm looking...

The Rocky upgrade path to Media Center 2005.(consumer alert)
February 1, 2005... CRITICS ARE LOVING Microsoft's new Windows XP Media Center Edition (MCE) 2005. Among its improvements over the 2004 version are support for dual tuners and the new Extender boxes, which let you share digital files on multiple televisions. This...

SOHO Desktops.(Techmarket: the complete guide to smart technology shopping)(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 2005... NEED TO KNOW PROCESSOR Time is money, so steer clear of slower budget processors. Getting a CPU that's one or two steps down from the fastest will give you the power you need at a good price. Upgrade: Expect to spend $100 for every...

Thin-and-light notebooks (4 TO 7 pounds).(Techmarket: the complete guide to smart technology shopping)(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 2005... NEED TO KNOW PROCESSOR Look for a model powered by Intel's Pentium M processor, which provides good battery life, strong performance, and cool running temperatures. Save a little by opting for lower clock speeds, such as 1.6GHz. Upgrade:...

Power PDAs ($399 or higher) (Techmarket: the complete guide to smart technology shopping).(personal digital assistants)(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 2005... OPERATING SYSTEM The two common operating systems for handhelds are the Palm OS and Microsoft's Windows Mobile 2003. The Palm OS is favored by many for its ease of use, while those who seek tight compatibility with Windows opt for the Microsoft...

Home and small-office laser printers.(Techmarket: the complete guide to smart technology shopping)(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 2005... COLOR OR MONOCHROME With a few color-laser models priced under $1,000, some small businesses might find one worth the splurge to add some extra pop to their printed materials. For the most part, however, monochrome lasers are a far better value...

Hard drives.(Techmarket: the complete guide to smart technology shopping)(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 2005... INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL Internal hard drives cost less but are more difficult to install than external drives since they require opening the case. External drives, which connect via USB or FireWire ports, are more expensive but offer more...

Wi-Fi routers.(Techmarket: the complete guide to smart technology shopping)(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 2005... NEED TO KNOW FUNCTION A router is the key component in any wireless home network, connecting to your broadband modern and sending Internet access to the other nodes on your network. Consider the following factors when going to purchase...

Digital cameras (3.2-Megapixel and under).(Techmarket: the complete guide to smart technology shopping)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 2005... NEED TO KNOW RESOLUTION The quality of digital photos is primarily measured in the number of pixels a camera's image sensor can capture. Consider a 2-megapixel camera if you're mostly planning to send pictures via e-mail and don't need...

Tech products.(Web buyer: the best sites for online shopping)(Directory)
February 1, 2005... amazon.com Amazon.com is an unparalleled superstore With a massive inventory equaled only by its special features, such as personalized product recommendations and mobile access. The Early Adopter Products pages show what's fresh in...

Apple Hardware and Software.(Web buyer: the best sites for online shopping)(Brief Article)
February 1, 2005... clubmac.com Browse ClubMac's selection of sleek Apple products, and you'll want to join the club. The site stocks Apple's complete line of deskops and laptops, as well as Mac-friendly software, accessories, and peripherals from other...

Printers.(Web buyer: the best sites for online shopping)(Brief Article)(Directory)
February 1, 2005... www.epson.com Epson offers a variety of inkier printers for the home and small office. The online catalog includes budget models, all-in-ones, and the PictureMate Personal Photo Lab. Impact printers (they used to be called dot matrix) are...

Direct PC vendors.(Web buyer: the best sites for online shopping)
February 1, 2005... abspc.com Expect gaming, multimedia, and business PCs aplenty at ABS Computer Technologies, The company offers a choice of Intel or AMD processors, a three-year parts and lifetime labor warranty, and toll-free technical support. Every...

Software.(Web buyer: the best sites for online shopping)(Directory)
February 1, 2005... atomicpark.com AtomicPark.com is the bomb. The site's entire selection of business and productivity apps includes free shipping. Plus, you'll never pay a restocking fee. bigclearance.com Offering current-version software at...

Input devices.(Web buyer: the best sites for online shopping)(Brief Article)(Directory)
February 1, 2005... belkin.com In addition to your average keyboards and mice, Belkin stocks input devices for gaming addicts. The Nostromo SpeedPad is a combination keyboard and gamepad for one-handed control, and the Nostromo Game Mouse vibrates as you...

The right LCD television.(Buying basics: how to buy)(Buyers Guide)
February 1, 2005... With lower prices, better image quality, and bigger screens than before, LCD televisions are quickly becoming an attractive flat-panel alternative to plasmas. Many LCDs can capture 720p HDTV in their native resolution and can also double as a...