Computer Shopper articles from January 2007

Computer Shopper archives from January 2007

Editor's note.(Microsoft Corp. will introduce Windows Vista next month)(Editorial)
January 1, 2007... WITH MICROSOFT'S LONG-AWAITED Vista operating system finally hitting the market next month, and Apple's new Leopard OS following in the spring, PC buying in 2007 is about to get a lot more fun. Although the biggest advances to affect today's PC...

What about windows?(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... Your article "Store More in a Snap" (November, p. 90) was excellent, but it didn't address an important question that has caused me to postpone increasing my hard drive capacity. What's the solution for registering Windows when the primary (C:)...

Successful bargain build.(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... It took several months to complete, but I recently finished building the PC featured in the June issue ("Build a Bargain," p. 64). It turned out great. I really enjoy your magazine and the "how-to" articles. Keep up the good work!

More PDAs please!(LETTERS)(Letter to the editor)
January 1, 2007... I look forward to getting Computer Shopper every month and enjoy reading it from cover to cover. One thing I haven't seen lately is a side-by-side comparison of PDAs. My wife's old iPaq died, and I'm in the market for a new handheld. I'm hoping...

Correction.(LETTERS)(Correction notice)
January 1, 2007... In the November issue, we incorrectly stated the weight of the Fujitsu Q2010 notebook in "The Best in Tech 2006" (p. 61) and on the Top 25 page (p. 56). The correct weight is 2.2 pounds.

Despite price cuts, Americans are spending more on televisions.(TRENDS: UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... ALTHOUGH manufacturers are slashing prices on digital televisions, Americans are spending about the same, or more, on them as they did in the past. From early August to mid-September, the average amount spent in North America on a digital...

Trendspotting.(TRENDS: UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS)(PolyFuel Inc.'s ultra-thin hydrocarbon membrane )
January 1, 2007... A cell for your cell phone? That might happen sooner than you think. PolyFuel, a company specializing in engineered membranes for fuel cells, announced in November that it has developed an ultra-thin hydrocarbon membrane that can deliver...

Microsoft backtracks on Vista transfer limits.(TRENDS: UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Reversing a licensing change announced in mid-October, Microsoft has said that it will not limit the number of times that retail customers can transfer a Windows Vista license to a different computer. In October, Microsoft issued its user...

Hitachi to boost size, speed of notebook drives.(TRENDS: TECH NEWS)(Hitachi Global Storage Technologies)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... IN 2007, Hitachi Global Storage Technologies will debut hybrid hard drives that the company claims will cut battery consumption for notebooks. The drives are also expected to include a function that encrypts data automatically. Capacity on...

Lost? Try asking your cell phone.(TRENDS: TECH NEWS)(location tracking software for cell phone)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... WHEN IT COMES to cell phones, U.S. consumers might as well be working with stone knives and bearskins. The picture, though, is slowly beginning to change, says John Ellenby, CEO of GeoVector. The company, which has created software that...

Xbox Live cues up, TV, movie downloads.(TRENDS: TECH NEWS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Microsoft was set to launch in late November a new Xbox Live service that enables users to download selected TV shows and movies, according to Scott Henson, Microsoft's director of platform strategy. The idea is to expand content beyond...

Snazzy smartphone.(NEW PRODUCTS: GEAR)(Palm Inc.'s Treo 680 )(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Palm's newest smartphone features a smart new look. The Treo 680 has a slimmer case than previous Treo devices, and it comes in four bold colors: graphite, crimson, arctic white, and copper (pictured). Aside from letting you e-mail, browse the...

PC-free downloads.(NEW PRODUCTS: GEAR)(Asustek Computer Inc.'s Asus WL-500g Premium )(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Smarter than your average router, the $109.99 Asus WL-500g Premium features software that lets you automatically download files from the Web sans PC. Simply hook it up to an external storage device via USB 2.0, and the WL-500g will download...

In-depth audio.(NEW PRODUCTS: GEAR)(Logitech Inc.'s X-540 speakers)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... With its $99.99 X-540 speakers, Logitech proves that quality surround sound doesn't have to cost a lot. The six-piece set features 70 watts of total RMS power, as well Frequency Directed Dual Driver technology, which Logitech says helps the...

Portable jack pack.(NEW PRODUCTS: GEAR)(Belkin's Notebook Expansion Dock)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Exponentially increase your laptop's connectivity with Belkin's $199.99 Notebook Expansion Dock. This low-profile device, which looks like a small router, has VGA and DVI video ports, five USB ports, a 10/100Mbps Ethernet jack, and an optical...

By land or by sea.(NEW PRODUCTS: GEAR)(Lowrance Electronics' iWay 600C GPS)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... An essential tool for travel by boat or car, the $799 Lowrance iWay 600C GPS navigation device enables marine mapping and navigation--plus, it can overlay satellite imagery on road maps saved on its 30GB hard drive. You can view maps in 2D mode...

Highly portable hard drive.(NEW PRODUCTS: GEAR)(U.S. Modular Monstor Drive )(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... As pocket-friendly as any flash-based thumb drive, U.S. Modular's $129 Monstor Drive packs a tiny 12GB hard drive into a compact, stainless-steel body with a built-in USB port. The half-ounce device requires no external power and is both Mac-...

One great entertainer.(NEW PRODUCTS: PCs)(Alienware's DHS A Series )(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Outfitted in a sleek A/V-rack-style chassis, Alienware's DHS A Series brings high-performance computing to your living room. Starting at $999, the stylish Media Center PC comes with a powerful Athlon 64 X2 dual-core CPU (chips from the 3800+ to...

Travel light with might.(NEW PRODUCTS: PCs)(Acer TravelMate 6460)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... At just 6.4 pounds, the Acer TravelMate 6460 and its 15.4-inch screen just might convince you to finally dispatch your desktop PC to the recyclers. The TravelMate packs a powerful 2GHz Core 2 Duo processor coupled with an ATI Mobility Radeon...

Dirt-cheap duos.(NEW PRODUCTS: PCs)(Gateway's DX420 Series PC)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Think Core 2 Duo processors don't come in budget boxes? Take a look at Gateway's DX420 Series PCs, which start at $599.99. Powered by the 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo E6300 processor, they come with the Windows XP Media Center Edition OS, a...

The book for high-def DVD.(NEW PRODUCTS: PCs)(Fujitsu LifeBook N6420)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... If you're looking for high-definition DVD in a slick package, set your sights on the Fujitsu LifeBook N6420. Fujitsu pairs an HD DVD (read-only) drive with a 17-inch display and an image-processing subsystem that the company says boosts...

Gee-whiz graphics.(NEW PRODUCTS: PCs)(ABS Ultimate X8 Ultra)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... PC gamers are drooling over nVidia's sizzling GeForce 8800 GTX graphics card, and the $3,999 ABS Ultimate X8 Ultra is one of the first rigs to offer it. Based on the G80, nVidia's next-generation GPU, the 768MB 8800 GTX card should deliver...

Pretty in pink.(NEW PRODUCTS: PCs)(Sony VAIO G Series)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Sony puts a little more color into computing with its flesh-looking VAIO G Series notebooks. These new thin-and-lights are available in five colors (the most visible: bright pink and electric green). Behind the colorful style, you'll find...

Quad-Core CPU, desktops for the hard-core: Intel's QX6700 processor packs extreme speed in four cores.(REVIEWS: THE LATEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PRODUCTS)
January 1, 2007... Not content to enjoy the Core 2 Duo's performance lead over AMD's Athlon 64 FX series, Intel has created a quad-core behemoth that aims to leave its rival--and even its own products--in the dust. The new Core 2 Extreme QX6700 does just that,...

Dell Dimension C521: AMD makes respectable dimension debut.(REVIEWS: DESKTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... AS ONE OF THE FIRST Dell computers to feature an AMD processor, the Dimension C521 is exactly what Dell does best: a strong-performing, mainstream desktop. It's not flashy or particularly design-conscious, but what it lacks in style it makes up...

HP Slimline Pavilion s7600e: near-perfect balance of size, features, and value.(REVIEWS: DESKTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... EDITORS' CHOICE HP'S NEWEST Slimline Pavilion, the s7600e, has a major advantage over previous incarnations: a dual-core CPU. Thanks to AMD's energy-efficient Athlon 64 X2 chips, HP can compete better with its main competition, Apple's Mac...

Toshiba Qosmio G35-AV660: HD DVD laptop is a multimedia powerhouse.(REVIEWS: NOTEBOOKS)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... THE TOSHIBA QOSMIO, which comes with an HD DVD drive, delivers the most-complete media-intensive experience available in a laptop, but other Media Center notebooks offer similar features at a much lower price. Weighing 10.3 pounds, the...

Gateway NX860XL: a wide-screen notebook for gamers on the go.(REVIEWS: NOTEBOOKS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... THE GATEWAY NX860XL is a massive multimedia laptop with a desk-hogging footprint, but the benefits of its grand scale are a giant wide-screen display and specs rivaling those of a decent gaming desktop. At 8.5 pounds, our $2,184 test unit...

PC Club Enpower ENP680: poor design overshadows performance, price.(REVIEWS: NOTEBOOKS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... THE PC CLUB ENPOWER ENP680 offers top-notch components and strong performance for a moderate price, but design missteps make this 7-pound laptop hard to recommend. For starters, while our $1,699 review model's 15.4-inch LCD features a...

Asus S6F: a stylish, compact notebook for road warriors.(REVIEWS: NOTEBOOKS)(Asustek Computer)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... ONE OF THE BEST ultraportables we've seen, the $2,699 Asus S6F delivers style and performance--but at a high price. The first thing you'll notice about this 3.3-pounder is its case, which is covered in genuine leather and available in three...

ATI Radeon X1650 Pro: budget-friendly graphics card is Vista-ready.(REVIEWS: COMPONENTS)(ATI Technologies )(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... IF YOU CAN FIND one for close to ATI's $100 estimated price, 256MB cards based on ATI's Radeon X1650 Pro graphics processor should prove to be great 3D-graphics upgrades that will turn any 3D-deficient desktop into a respectable gaming box. (We...

nVidia GeForce 7950 GT: not a bad performer, but wait for nVidia's next-gen cards.(REVIEWS: COMPONENTS)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... AT ROUGHLY $300, cards based on the nVidia GeForce 7950 GT graphics processor are designed to wear the price-for-performance crown. Compared with the similar ATI Radeon X1900 XT, however, the nVidia card can't keep up. And with the debut of...

Western digital passport portable hard drive: external drive is compact and fast.(REVIEWS: PERIPHERALS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... THE WESTERN DIGITAL Passport Portable Hard Drive lives up to its name: It has about the same footprint as a passport, and it's less than an inch thick. The 10-ounce unit, comes in capacities ranging from 60GB ($119.99) to 160GB ($199.99). We...

Logitech Cordless Desktop MX3200 Laser: kills germs while you type and click.(REVIEWS: PERIPHERALS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... IT'S NOT NEWS that your mouse and keyboard can get pretty dirty over time--and become a bustling micropolis of bacteria. Logitech has a solution: the Cordless Desktop MX3200 Laser, a wireless-keyboard and laser-mouse set. This premium-price...

HP Media Vault MV2020: streaming and storage for home networks.(REVIEWS: HOME NETWORKING)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... THE HP MEDIA VAULT is a network-attached-storage (NAS) drive with media-streaming capabilities. It's available in two capacities: the 300GB MV2010 ($379.99), and the 500GB MV2020 ($549.99) we tested. Both models have an empty bay for an...

Trendnet 300Mbps Wireless N-Draft Firewall Router (TEW-631BRP): draft N device is better than most.(REVIEWS: HOME NETWORKING)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... THE $100 TRENDNET 300Mbps Wireless N-Draft Firewall Router (TEW-631BRP) is based on the Draft N version of the yet-to-be-ratified 802.11n Wi-Fi standard. Its performance was impressive compared with that of other Draft N routers we've tested....

Canon EOS Rebel XTi: a well-designed, fast dSLR.(REVIEWS: DIGITAL CAMERAS)(digital single lens reflex)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... CANON'S EOS Rebel XTi is a great first digital single-lens-reflex (dSLR) camera, even if it falls short of the original EOS Rebel XT. You can purchase the camera as a body alone ($799) or in a kit with an 18mm-to-55mm EF-S lens ($899). The...

Fujifilm FinePix S6000fd: solid superzoom camera has a capable wide lens.(REVIEWS: DIGITAL CAMERAS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... ALTHOUGH it lacks true image stabilization, the $499.95 Fujifilm FinePix S6000fd is a solid shooter that captures high-quality images with its wide 10.7x optical zoom lens. You'll find superzoom cameras out there with bigger lenses and...

HP iPaq RX5900 Travel Companion: all-in-one device marred by short battery life.(REVIEWS: CONSUMER TECH)(Hewlett-Packard Co.)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... MOBILE PROFESSIONALS will appreciate the $599 HP iPaq RX5900 Travel Companion, which combines navigation, productivity, and entertainment in one sleek device. We wish it had better battery life, however. At 4.7x3x0.6 inches and 5.9 ounces,...

T-Mobile Dash: feature-loaded smartphone is a Moto Q killer.(REVIEWS: CONSUMER TECH)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... WITH A sleek design, great performance, and powerful connectivity options, the T-Mobile Dash is a top-notch smartphone that trumps Motorola's popular Q. It's available from T-Mobile for $199 with a two-year contract, or $249.99 with a one-year...

Corel Snapfire Plus: inexpensive photo organizer needs work.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... COREL'S SNAPFIRE PLUS is a low-cost photo organizer aimed at novices and casual users. Compared with its pared-down basic version, Snapfire, which is offered as a free download at Corel's Web site, the $39.99 Snapfire Plus has a richer feature...

Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0: a must-have toolbox for photo junkies.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... EDITORS' CHOICE ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 5.0 is simply the best consumer-level photo organizer/editor on the market. The program offers a dazzling feature set and a brilliant interface, making it appropriate for users of all skill levels....

Microsoft Encarta Premium 2007: explore history, the arts, science, and geography.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... MICROSOFT ENCARTA PREMIUM 2007 is a well-designed reference tool everyone from adults to grade-school children will find entertaining and informative. Encarta's bright interface features a home page with a list of subjects, such as Arts &...

Norton AntiVirus 2007: new build puts Norton back at the top of its game.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... WITH MUCH of its code rewritten since last year's edition, Symantec's Norton AntiVirus (NAV) 2007 gets our vote for most-improved antivirus product. Installation was fast but not without incident. After skipping the virus prescan, we...

Microsoft Streets & Trips 2007 with GPS Locator: GPS navigator is a so-so driving companion.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... MICROSOFT STREETS & TRIPS 2007 with GPS Locator is a bargain alternative to pricey, PDA-size GPS navigators. The 2007 version has some helpful improvements over earlier editions. Compatible with any Windows PC (ideally, a laptop), the...

QuickBooks Premier 2007: terrific small-business accounting package.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... QUICKBOOKS PREMIER 2007 is a minor upgrade of last year's groundbreaking 2006 version, which overhauled Intuit's best-selling small-business accounting program with an easier-to-navigate home page and a faster SOL database. This year's...

Top 5 alternative-brand desktops: five lesser-known PCs that deliver powerful options.(Velocity Micro Vector GX Campus Edition)(Maingear X-Cube)(WinBook Jiv Mini)(Velocity Micro Raptor DCX)(Falcon Northwest Mach V)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... 1 VELOCITY MICRO VECTOR GX CAMPUS EDITION * www.velocitymicro.com $999 (as tested) EDITORS' RATING (8.0) SPECS * 1.86GHz Core 2 Duo E6300 * IGB DDR2 * 250GB hard drive * Double-layer DVD [+ or -] RW *...

Top 5 thin-and-light laptops: these portables let you take performance on the road.(Lenovo ThinkPad T60)(HP Pavilion dv2000t)(Apple MacBook)(HP Compaq nc6400)(Dell XPS M1210)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... 1 LENOVO THINKPAD T60 * www.lenovo.com $2,189 (as tested) EDITORS' RATING (7.8) SPECS * 2.33GHz Core Duo T2700 * 1GB DDR2 * 100GB hard drive * Double-layer DVD[+ or -]RW * 15-inch TFT * ATI...

Top 5 Wi-Fi routers: build a dependable wireless network around these advanced Wi-Fi devices.(Belkin Wireless Pre-N Router)(Apple AirPort Express Base Station)(Netgear Range-Max 240 Wireless Router WPNT834)(Belkin N1 Wireless Router)(Netgear Range-Max Wireless Router WPN824)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... 1 BELKIN WIRELESS PRE-N ROUTER www.belkin.com $99.99 EDITORS' RATING (8.4) SPECS * MIMO * 108Mbps maximum throughput * 802.11b/g * Three external antennae * Four wired Ethernet ports * WEP, WPA...

Top 5 smartphones: these brainy communicators do much more than your average cell phone.(RIM BlackBerry 7130c)(Sony Ericsson P9901)(RIM BlackBerry 8700g)(T-Mobile Dash)(T-Mobile SDA)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... RIM BLACKBERRY 7130C www.rim.com $249.99 EDITORS' RATING (8.3) [check] SPECS * GSM network * Carrier: Cingular * Proprietary OS * 64MB RAM * 2.25-inch, 240x260-pixel display * Keypad input ...

Top 5 downloads: get instant gratification with these best-in-class downloadable apps.(Apple iTunes 7.0.1)(AVG Anti-Virus Professional Edition 7.0)(OpenOffice.org 2.0.4)(WinPatrol 10.0.5)(Opera 9.02)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... 1 APPLE ITUNES 7.0.1 www.apple.com Free DOWNLOAD.COM EDITORS' RATING ***** SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS * 500MHz or faster CPU * 256MB RAM * Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later; Windows 2000 or XP BOTTOM LINE iTunes has...

The real guide to PC shopping: a step-by-step strategy for buying a desktop that meets your needs--and your budget.
January 1, 2007... Buying a new computer can be tricky. Ads in the Sunday circulars trumpet low-cost deals that turn out to describe woefully underperforming PCs. Meanwhile, computer magazines drool over the fastest (:and costliest) systems around, extolling...

The great debate: inkjet or laser? How to decide which printer technology is right for you.(Canon Pixma MP180)(Dell Multi-Function Laser Printer 1815dn)(HP Office Jet 7410)(Samsung ML-3051N)(Lexmark C522n)(Samsung ML-2571N)(Epson Stylus Photo R1800)(HP Photosmart 8250)(HP Deskjet 6940)(Product/service evaluation)
January 1, 2007... Deciding on a printer for your home or small office used to be straightforward. If you wanted sharp text printed fast, you went with a laser. If you were on a budget or needed color output, you bought an inkjet. But in today's market, the...

Rating the E-tailers: we shop undercover at six tech-buying sites to see how their prices, policies, and support stack up.
January 1, 2007... FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS, we've gone undercover at brick-and-mortar PC chains to size up the shopping experience. But today's consumers are increasingly comfortable buying their tech on the Web, so we decided it was time to do the same...

Block that program!(COMPUTER CURES)(Brief article)(Column)
January 1, 2007... I'm having problems on several computers, and I think I know the program that is the root cause. I am going to reformat the hard drives, then reinstall the operating system and all the application software, but I want to prevent anyone using...

Gone forever?(COMPUTER CURES)(delete files which is cannot recoverable by data-recovery programs)(Brief article)(Column)
January 1, 2007... Is there a way to delete a file so that you cannot recover it with one of those data-recovery programs that are available? I have some files I don't want some smart kid to be able to retrieve. MITCHELL BRAM The only way to be...

Making a sound decision.(COMPUTER CURES)(computer sound system)(Brief article)(Column)
January 1, 2007... My current computer won't run any newer programs, but it has a great sound system. I would like to get a new computer, but I would like to connect--or at least be able to connect--my old PC to the new one so that I can keep playing music...

Genuine dilemma.(COMPUTER CURES)(MIcrosoft Windows Genuine Advantage flags)(Brief article)(Column)
January 1, 2007... I bought a used laptop that came with Windows XP Professional. Windows Genuine Advantage flags the Windows installation as "bad." Indeed, the label on the laptop shows that XP Home Edition was the original OS on the system. I did not get a...

Move data in a flash.(transfer the data from the old laptop to the new one)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... I have an old Windows 98 Second Edition (SE) laptop with only a CD reader. I suspect that the USB ports are either 1.0 or 1.1. I want to transfer about halts gig of data from it onto my new Windows XP laptop. I have SD flash-memory cards and a...

Accidental tourist?(COMPUTER CURES)(effect of airport security X-ray scanners on electronic equipments)(Brief article)(Column)
January 1, 2007... With airport security so high these days and nobody trusting laptops to be laptops anymore, will putting a laptop through the X-ray machine destroy any hardware or corrupt the hard drive? SAM LIU This is a reasonable concern, but every...

I'm going to Gracenote.(preventing online music piracy)(Brief article)(Column)
January 1, 2007... Along with the drivers that came with my new sound card, the company bundled something called "Gracenote." I don't know what that's about, but it has a warning in the End User License Agreement that caught my eye: "The Gracenote Service uses a...

Tip of the month: resolving random reboots.(COMPUTER CURES)(Brief article)(Column)
January 1, 2007... One of the most difficult types of computer problem to troubleshoot is the random reboot--if you can't make the problem happen reliably, it's difficult to understand the cause, This month's tipster relates his experience with a source of...

Replace your laptop screen: broken notebook display? Popping in a new one is easier than you might think.(HELP & HOW-TO: WEEKEND PROJECT)
January 1, 2007... WHAT'S MORE distressing than the sound of your laptop's screen cracking as it hits the floor? The voice of a tech-support rep telling you it will cost close to $1,000 to replace it. With little more than a screwdriver, however, you can replace...

Perfect CPU storm.(NEW PRODUCTS: DIY)
January 1, 2007... Hot-running processors require extreme cooling. Thermaltake's $46 Big Typhoon VX CPU cooler employs an oversize 120mm fan for extra cooling--and extra quiet, since its airflow volume enables it to spin slower than the smaller fans on most...

Case of envy.(NEW PRODUCTS: DIY)
January 1, 2007... The $149 Antec Nine Hundred ATX garner-PC case is designed for maximum customizability and silent running. A titanic 200mm selectable-speed fan vents heat out the top, and the modular design gives you plenty of flex where to place drives and...

Strong, silent type.(NEW PRODUCTS: DIY)
January 1, 2007... The ideal power supply is neither seen nor heard. In designing the $199 Silencer 750, PC Power & Cooling left space between its exhaust fan and the other interior parts, which the company says lets air breeze through unobstructed, reducing...

Hydro power.(NEW PRODUCTS: DIY)(Sapphire Inc.'s Toxic X1950XTX)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Sapphire's Toxic X1950XTX graphics card will bring seriously fast frame rates to a big screen near you. This $549 PCIe card features ATI's top-shelf Radeon X1950 graphics processor, 512MB of GDDR4 memory, and the dual-link DVI support demanded...

Mix a quick mini-PC.(NEW PRODUCTS: DIY)(MSI Computer Corp.)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Instant mini-PC: Just add CPU, RAM, and drives. The $295 MS1 mPC 51PV bare-bones kit features a Socket AM2 motherboard (for AMD Athlon 64 X2, Athlon 64, and Sempron processors) outfitted with onboard nVidia GeForce 6150 graphics, eight-channel...

BYOD (bring your own drive).(NEW PRODUCTS DIY)(Icy Dock MB559)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The $69.99 Icy Dock MB559 is more fiexible than most do-it-yourself external drive cases. The slick aluminum enclosure accepts one 3.5-inch SATA hard drive of up to 750GB capacity, and its removable-tray design lets you swap in a different...

Midrange desktops ($750 to $1499).(TECHMARKET: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMART TECHNOLOGY SHOPPING)(Buyers guide)
January 1, 2007... NEED TO KNOW PROCESSOR Don't choose an underpowered processor, but look at CPUs one or two steps down from the fastest for the power you need at a good price. Frequent multitaskers or those planning to upgrade to Microsoft's Vista OS...

Budget notebooks (less than $1,000).(TECHMARKET: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMART TECHNOLOGY SHOPPING)
January 1, 2007... NEED TO KNOW PROCESSOR Many budget notebooks ship with a low-powered Intel Celeron or AMD Sempron processor. More-powerful processors, such as AMD's Turion 64 and Intel's Core Solo, Core Duo, and Core 2 Duo, are starting to trickle down...

Mainstream flat-panel displays (17 to 19 inches).(TECHMARKET: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMART TECHNOLOGY SHOPPING)(Buyers guide)
January 1, 2007... NEED TO KNOW ASPECT RATIO The standard proportion of width to height for a computer monitor is 4-to-3, although some monitors have a wider format of 16-to-9, designed for viewing movies or high-definition television (HDTV). RESOLUTION...

Ultracompact digital cameras (under 5 ounces).(TECHMARKET: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMART TECHNOLOGY SHOPPING)(Buyers guide)
January 1, 2007... NEED TO KNOW RESOLUTION The quality of digital photos is measured primarily by the number of pixels a camera's image sensor can capture. A 6-megapixel camera, therefore, should capture more image detail than a 5-megapixel model can. Still,...

abtelectronics.com.(TECH PRODUCTS)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Dreaming of a 400-disc CD changer or a surround-sound speaker system? Abt Electronics-in business for the past 69 years--has them, along with plenty of other goodies, such as big-screen televisions, home appliances, and computer products. Plus,...

allstarshop.com.(TECH PRODUCTS)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... When you wish upon Allstarshop, you'll find low prices on a twinkling collection of graphics carps, motherboards, and peripherals. You'll get free shipping on many items and plenty of information about each product.

amazon.com.(TECH PRODUCTS)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Amazon.com s an unparalleled superstore with a massive inventory equaled only by its special features, such as personalized product recommendations and mobile access. The Earl, Adopter Products pages snow what's fresh in electronics. video...

batteries.com.(TECH PRODUCTS)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Plug in and power up with Batteries.com, an online store specializing in batteries for watches, laptops, mobile phones, digital cameras, and other portable gadgets. The site features live chat wire customer-service representatives who can held...

bestbuy.com.(TECH PRODUCTS)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Our readers voted Best Buy their favorite place to buy consumer electronics. The selection in each department s comprehensive and impressive. The best part? You can nave your gadget delivered, or readied for pickup at a nearby store.

buy.com.(TECH PRODUCTS)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Buy.com's vast million-product inventory includes computer hardware, software, electronics, video games, books, music, and DVDs. Sister site BuyMusic.com delivers music downloads starting at 79 cents a song.

cableorganizer.com.(TECH PRODUCTS)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Tame mat unruly mess of cables that snakes from the back of your computer or stereo system once and for all. CableOrganizer.com's wire ducts, cable ties, and cable sleeves can help round up those Wily wires.

cdw.com.(TECH PRODUCTS)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... in addition to a wipe selection of hardware and peripherals, CDW offers an Outlet section where you'll find deals on clearance merchandise and customer returns. Click the Mac Warehouse tab to reveal a medley of Apple hardware and peripherals.

chiefvalue.com.(TECH PRODUCTS)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Chief Value serves up sweet deals on computer parts and accessories. The limited-time Featured Deals are truly enticing: We recently found a well-equipped new Acer laptop for $520 and a 22-inch Acer LCD for $329. You'll find similar bargains on...

circuitcity.com.(TECH PRODUCTS)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... Plug in to Circuit City, where you can choose from a quarter-million movies, video games, and CDs. The inventory also includes digital cameras, televisions, and PDAs. Nave your products delivered, or pick them up in a Circuit City store.

compusa.com.(TECH PRODUCTS)(Website overview)(Brief article)
January 1, 2007... The well-organized CompUSA rounds out the usual selection of PC hardware, peripherals, and accessories with areas devoted to home electronics and wireless gadgets. Set your own once on PCs at CompUSA's auction site.