Computer Shopper articles from July 2003

Computer Shopper archives from July 2003

A tips of extravaganza. (from the editor in chief).
July 1, 2003... There's no denying that the personal computer is the biggest productivity enhancer ever to land atop a desk. But every computer user knows that PCs can also be infuriatingly counterproductive, sometimes requiring you to spend untold wasted...

Too much touch-up? (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2003... I disagree with Eamon Hickey's analysis of online photo sites ("Online Photo Labs," May, p. 118). I don't believe automatic image correction should be considered a plus for a photo-developing service. Nine of the 10 labs received a "fair"...

Forever floppies! (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2003... I read with interest your May Trends story "Rumors of Disk Demise Might Not Be Greatly Exaggerated" (p. 24), and I disagree with Jon Halpin's assessment--for me, floppy disks still fulfill a real need. I prepare and electronically file...

Shopper staff is tops. (Letters).(Letter to the Editor)
July 1, 2003... I have been involved with the computer, electronics, and communications industries since the late 1960s, so I have a good idea of what will fly in a technology publication. As a longtime subscriber to Computer Shopper, I want to compliment your...

HP, Microsoft give videophone a call back. (Trends).(dubbed Athens)
July 1, 2003... The videophone has reared its grizzled head yet again. Unlike in earlier outings, though, the device is now tethered to a sleek, powerful computer and looks coolly elegant. Microsoft (www.microsoft.com) and Hewlett-Packard (www.hp.com)...

DVRs get new 'channel' to surf. (news).
July 1, 2003... TiVo (www.tivo.com), which hopes to be the hub for spreading digital content throughout the home, recently issued a new software upgrade that will let its Series2 digital video recorders (DVRs) tap content stored on a home PC. Neanwhile,...

Manufacturers to prescribe tiny tablets. (news).(including Toshiba America Informatin Systems and Intel)(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Testing computer buyers' tolerance for offbeat designs, manufacturers are experimenting with the form and size of tablet PCs, portable computers that let users write on the screen and draw pictures. Toshiba America Information Systems...

AOL clips competition with IM video. (Trends).
July 1, 2003... In the latest sign that America Online (www.aol.com) is playing catch-up to rivals in a key communications technology that it pioneered, the company is warming up to instant-messaging video features that it once dismissed as irrelevant. ...

Via debuts stackable PC. (news).
July 1, 2003... Via Technologies (www.via.com.tw) and PC maker Mini-Box.com (www.mini-box.com) recently unveiled a tiny desktop computer featuring an embedded version of the Linux operating system. The Mini-Box M-100, a general-purpose computer based on...

PC-price Freefall. (news).(Brief Article)(Industry Overview)
July 1, 2003... PC-Price Freefall Average Notebook Price $1,311 Average Desktop Price $717 Note: Tabel made from bar graph. According to February sales data from NPD Techworld, retail PC prices plummeted to their lowest point ever. The...

Porn spam poses legal threat to workplaces. (Trends).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Lewd e-mail promoting pornography may soon pose more than just a technical challenge in the ongoing fight against spam. Experts say it's also set to become an acute legal problem. Graphic images appearing unbidden on work PCs by way of...

Sony's streaming-TV dreams. (news).
July 1, 2003... Sony (www.sony.com) is developing a plasma-screen TV set that's intended to tune in streaming video from home networks and the Internet as easily as regular TV programs, according to sources familiar with the company's plans. The project,...

Recycling finally adds up for Dell. (news).(Brief Article)
July 1, 2003... Dell Computer (www.dell.com) has long been glad to tally the number of PCs it ships to customers. Now it's going to count up those it takes back. The PC maker is working with the Calvert Group--a firm that offers "socially responsible"...

ET search project suffers from IT flaw. (Trends).
July 1, 2003... The SETI@home project (setiathome.ssl.berkeley.edu) has released a new version of its screensaver software to close up a security hole that could let invaders into participants' PCs. The project, organized by the research group Search for...

New designs shine through in LCD lines. (news).
July 1, 2003... As prices of flat-panel monitors plummet, LCD manufacturers are racing to come up with some--any--way to differentiate their products from the competition's. ViewSonic's answer? Make its fiat panels even smaller. The new VP ThinEdge line...

Take my wife, please--not my PDA. (news).
July 1, 2003... Further proof of the common wisdom about boys and their toys, courtesy of AvantGo's 2003 My AvantGo Service Survey: 50 percent of the mobile service's users (84 percent of whom are male) say they take their PDAs on dates. Worse news for their...

Hearing is believing. (Gear).
July 1, 2003... Bose QuietComfort 2 Acoustic Noise-Canceling Headphones Ear candy: You'll love what you hear--and what you don't--with Bose's $299 QuietComfort 2 Acoustic NoiseCancelling Headphones. This headset fuses superior noise-reduction...

Shipping costs can make or break a deal: if the delivery charge for a desktop costs 20 percent of the sales price, you should demand a better deal or take your credit card elsewhere. (opinions).
July 1, 2003... HOW MUCH WOULD YOU PAY for basic shipping of a new PC? Does 20 percent of the purchase price seem stratospheric? It did to Michael Sakowich, a reader from Lexington, Ky After checking out our April roundup of $600 desktops, he decided on the...

This new Tablet PC just wants to have fun: like all Tablet PCs, the cool NEC Versa LitePad is designed for work, but it's really better suited for play. (opinions).
July 1, 2003... I REALLY WANT TO LIKE THE TABlet PC. It's a rare flash of innovation in the notebook market. It does things no laptop can. And at this point, as a journalist who makes his living off high tech, I'm in favor of anything that can lift the...

Chat, instant messaging plagued by spam, viruses: our two favorite means of online communication are under attack by malicious marketeers and hackers. (opinions).
July 1, 2003... JUST TWO YEARS AGO, PUNDITS left and right were talking about instant messaging (IM) as the next big thing. It was going to be an indispensable business application. A war even broke out among various IM vendors. But IM has yet to become...

The top 25: Computer Shopper editors handpick this month's best desktops, notebooks, printers, CRT monitors, and software. (top 25).
July 1, 2003... VIDEO-EDITING DESKTOP PRODUCT PRICE SPECS Hypersonic $4,428 2.17GHz Athlon XP 3000+; 1GB DDR; two Cyclone CTE 180GB hard drives; DVD-RW/+RW; 21- www.hypersonic-pc.com ...

Performance PC smacks of excellence. (Alienware Area-51).
July 1, 2003... TAKE ONE LOOK AT ALIENware's Area-51, and what do you see? With its otherworldly molded-plastic case and glowing internal neon light, it looks uncannily like a creature from, say, Aliens Versus Predator. Alienware matches this ethereal exterior...

Video-editing system gets two thumbs-up. (Gateway 700XL Digital Film Maker).
July 1, 2003... EDITING VIDEO IS A PROCESsor- and storage-intensive proposition. Gateway's $4,049 700XL Digital Film Maker is equal to the task, equipped with Intel's new 875P chipset (code-named Canterwood), a lightning-fast processor, two enormous hard...

Flashy home-office PC has its serious side. (ZT Soho PC A5003).
July 1, 2003... ZT GROUP INTERNATIONAL'S $1,799 SOHO PC A5003 is an awesome value, touting a fast 1.83GHz Athlon XP 2500+ processor, a DVD-RW drive, and an excellent 5.1 speaker set. But when did PC vendors decide that even home-office systems have to be...

Anemic service package weakens midrange PC. (AM-COMPS Typhoon Plus).
July 1, 2003... A NEWCOMER TO OUR REVIEWS SECTION, AM-COMPS has put together a well-rounded, fair-performing package in its $1,299 Typhoon Plus system. We have our misgivings, however: The PC ships with a weak warranty and bundles an odd mix of software. ...

Beauty meets speed in gamer's dream system. (Hypersonic Cyclone CTE).
July 1, 2003... A $4,428 PC SHOULD RAISE THE BAR, AND DESPITE A slight application-performance shortfall, Hypersonic PC Systems' Cyclone CTE does just that. This exotic-looking PC delivers premium parts, uncompromising service, and 3D scores that will bring...

Powerful business box lacks some IT touches. (HP D325 Business Desktop).
July 1, 2003... BUCKING THE RECENT TREND TOWARD ULTRA-compact small- and home-office (SOHO) and corporate systems, Hewlett-Packard has engineered its $1,349 D325 Business Desktop as a traditional midsize PC. Although it lacks IT software, this machine's...

Giant LCD highlights monitor maker's PC debut. (Viewsonic Nextvision M2000 Digital Media Center).
July 1, 2003... LONGTIME MONITOR MANUFACTURER VIEWSONIC produces a strong showing with its first desktop computer. Running Microsoft's Windows XP Media Center Edition OS, the $2,398 NextVision M2000 Digital Media Center includes an excellent 19-inch display...

Bleeding-edge power at a reasonable price. (Dell Dimension 8300).(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... NOW'S A GREAT TIME TO BUY A HIGH-END DESKtop PC, and the Dell Dimension 8300 has everything a power user could want--outstanding performance, a well-designed case with lots of extras, and a gorgeous 18-inch LCD. Plus, it's a decent deal at...

Solid notebook comprises top parts lacks vigor. (HP Pavilion ZE5300 Series).(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... LOOK UP THE WORD "MAINstream" in the dictionary of mobility, and it will likely show a picture of Hewlett-Packard's Pavilion ZE5300 Series notebooks. They offer middle-of-the-road mobility for those in need of an up-to-date desktop-replacement...

Wide screen produces an awkward luxury. (Apple Powerbook G4).(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... A ROCK STAR'S NOTEBOOK IF THERE EVER was one, Apple Computer's P0werBook G4 arrives with a hot new design, a 17-inch screen, and plenty of posh accoutrements. The $3,299 notebook performs about the same as its 15-inch predecessor, however, and...

A trim, potent laptop engineered with style. (Sony VAIO PCG-V505AX).(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... THE SEDUCTIVELY STYLISH SONY VAIO PCG-V505AX has "executive status symbol" written all over its thin, light chassis. This sleek and powerful performer is flexible yet affordable at $1,799. Our VAIO came with a peppy 1.8GHz Pentium 4-M...

Tiny MP3 player packs massive audio, features. (Jetaudio Iaudio CW200).(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... FOR SUCH A SMALL, SIMPLE-TO-OPERATE MP3 PLAYER, the $159.99 iAudio CW200 from JetAudio packs plenty of features. This miniature audio gadget, besides handling standard MP3-music-file playback, has extra capabilities that aren't usually found on...

Wireless handheld is fully loaded but faulty. (HP IPAQ H5450 Pocket PC).
July 1, 2003... HEWLETT-PACKARD WASN'T THE FIRST TO OFFER A Pocket PC with built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, but now the company aims to dispel any doubts about its technological prowess. The $699.99 iPaq h5450 Pocket PC (known as the h5455 when sold at retail)...

A PC Titan puts its name in print: Dell's first printers have something to offer both home and small-business users. (Hardware).
July 1, 2003... AFTER MONTHS OF SPECULATION, Dell Computer has released its first printer line. Although manufactured by Lexmark, Dell brands and supports the $139 Personal All-in-One Printer A940 and the $289 Personal Laser Printer P1500. But it remains to be...

Graphics king retains the crown. (ATI Radeon 9800 PRO).(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... EARLY LAST YEAR, WHO WOULD HAVE GUESSED that ATI Technologies could not only win, but also keep, the title of 3D-graphics-performance champ? That's just what ATI has done with the Radeon 9800 Pro. Although nVidia's newest contender, the GeForce...

Petite camera is sharp for novice snapshooters. (Canon Powershot S400 Digital Elph).(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... MELDING A 3X OPTICAL ZOOM, A 4-MEGAPIXEL resolution, and a cigarette-pack-size design, Canon U.S.A.'s $499 PowerShot S400 Digital Elph delivers excellent image quality and is well-suited for snapshooters. Canon uses the limited space on...

Compact camcorder sees well in the dark. (Sony DCR-TRV22 MiniDV Handycam).(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... LIKE, A STRIPED OXFORD SHIRT, SONY ELECTRONICS' $699.99 DCR-TRV22 MiniDV Handycam camcorder is basic and useful, with just a touch of pizzazz. And while it lacks some advanced features, the Handycam's night-shooting prowess elevates this model...

Slide shows look better viewed from the couch. (Sandisk Digital Photo Viewer).
July 1, 2003... WITH THE INTRODUCTION OF THE $69.99 Digital Photo Viewer, SanDisk, best known for its line of flash-memory products, has stepped into the digital-photo-sharing arena. This VHS-cassette-size black box allows you to display images from today's...

Top-notch DVD burner doesn't break the bank. (Plextor PX-504A).(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... PLEXTOR IS A LEADING MANUFACTURER OF OPTICAL drives, so it's no surprise that the company decided to enter the recordable-DVD market. And we're happy with the results: The competitively priced $299 PX-504A DVD+RW delivers speed, versatility,...

Home and office router gets 802.11g right. (Belkin 54g wireless cable/DSL gateway router).
July 1, 2003... WE'VE BEEN DISAPPOINTED WITH THE 802.11g products that have passed through our labs. Belkin's 54g Wireless Cable/DSL Gateway Router changes all that. At $149, this exceptional router costs more than some of its competitors, but it delivers...

DVD-authoring program botches disc burning. (B's DVD).
July 1, 2003... ALTHOUGH BHA'S INEXPENSIVE B'S DVD APPLICAtion offers few video-editing tools, it features 30 clever and colorful DVD templates. These templates make the $29.99 program a good buy if you don't want to do any editing beyond simple trims, but...

Suite won't change your outlook on office. (WordPerfect Office 11 Standard).(Software Review)
July 1, 2003... ALTHOUGH WORDPERFECT CAN'T MATCH MICROsoft Office's 96 percent market saturation, this office suite maintains a loyal audience. So if you swear by WordPerfect and would rather not pay for Microsoft Office 2003 Professional, the $299.99 ($149.99...

Mapping, trip-planning software steers you right. (Streets & Trips 2003).(from Microsoft)(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... WITH STREETS & TRIPS 2003, MICROSOFT HAS ONCE again produced a slick, easy-to-use mapmaker and trip planner. We're not happy with Streets & Trips' high price ($44.95, before a $10 mail-in rebate), but if you need great maps and detailed driving...

Compression utility is stuffed with features. (StuffIt DeLuxe 8.0 For Windows).(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... WITH ITS EASY-TO-USE INTERFACE, ENCRYPTION options, and impressive scheduling and automation features, StuffIt Deluxe 8.0 for Windows is a solid choice for a complete archiving solution, and a bargain at $39.99. Also, because Stuffit remains...

Spam fighter kicks junk e-mail to the curb. (Qurb).(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... QURB IS THE ONLY SPAM FIGHTER WE'VE SEEN that stops 100 percent of junk e-marl straight out of the box. Plus, this $24.95 Outlook plug-in is currently available as an unlimited free trial version, though we suspect new features eventually will...

Bargain antivirus app is a very fast worker. (Etrust EZ Antivirus 6.1).(from Computer Associates International)(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... COMPUTER ASSOCIATES' $24.95 ETRUST EZ ANTIvirus 6.1 is a lean, mean scanning machine. This bargain application detects and destroys viruses, worms, and Trojans on the same level as more-prominent antivirus utilities. And although EZ Antivirus...

Tangled up in clues. (CSI: Crime Scene Investigation).(Software Review)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... The popular TV series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation seems like the perfect vehicle for a PC game. As portrayed on the show, the profession is essentially a series of glorified adventure-game conventions like pixel hunts and dialog trees....

Indy raids a tomb. (Indiana Jones And The Emperor's Tomb).(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... Although Lara Croft remains gamers' undisputed favorite action-archaeology star, LucasArts is giving its whip-cracking action hero another shot at the title with Indiana Jones and the Emperor's Tomb. The game takes place in 1935, with Indy...

Romancing the stone. (The Omega Stone).(from Dreamcatcher Interactive)(Software Review)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... Riddle of the Sphinx was clearly a labor of love, and the fact that it was essentially created by two people was downright impressive. For this sequel, developers Jeffrey and Karen Toler obviously had a bigger budget. Indeed, this game is...

Crash and burn. (Devastation).(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... With more than 35 weapons, arcade-style and tactical modes of play, and a detailed physics model, Devastation tries to be a do-it-all first-person shooter, but it's lacking in several key areas. Like so many other shooters, Devastation...

236 tips tricks & tweaks: here it is: our first-ever tips issue! We've harnessed the brain-power of Computer Shopper's editors to tell you how to do everything better. (Ultimate Tips Guide).
July 1, 2003... Whether you want to set up a wireless network, find anything on the Net faster, slay spam, or master productivity suites, we tell you how. We also offer tip sheets full of useful shortcut keys. And along with the usual expert advice in our...

One size doesn't fit all: we picked five new notebooks that deftly meet the needs of five different users. Which one is right for you? (Your Next Notebook).(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... From ultraportables to desktop replacements, today's laptops offer more power, better battery life, and improved connectivity options than models of even a few months ago. But with notebooks coming in so many flavors, it's hard to decide which...

Screen savers: as prices fall, 17-inch flat screens are entering the mainstream. Check out these five bright viewing options. (17-inch LCDs).(Hardware Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... Prices have dropped so quickly for LCD monitors that 17-inch models--not just 15-inch units--are now eminently affordable. And soon you likely won't be the only one on the block to own one: According to research firm IDC, 17-inch LCDs will...

Restoration software: they may not be glamorous, but these four backup utilities can be lifesavers if your hard drive crashes. (Backup Software).(Software Review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
July 1, 2003... INTRODUCTION BY SEAN PORTNOY You're supposed to back up your PC's data like you're supposed to floss your teeth: regularly. Those ubiquitous denture-cleaning commercials give you an idea how many people actually floss on a regular...

The hard edge: why meter maids won't die; Alice's urge to converge; and Bill goes inside Intel's new Centrino strategy. (help & how-to).
July 1, 2003... HERE'S A TECHNOLOGY ALICE bets you won't see very soon in a city like San Francisco or New York. Developed by Mobipower, the TeleParking System is part of a new tech product category called "telematics." Telematics is a fancy way of describing...

Registry tweaks made easy: turbocharge your system through simple Registry edits. (Tune-Up).
July 1, 2003... If the thought of editing the Windows Registry makes you weak in the knees, you're not alone. This massive database of system settings, device configurations, and application data contains thousands of entries that often look like little more...

Computer cures. (help & how-to).
July 1, 2003... In nine years, we've cultivated a hearty selection of tips here in "Computer Cures." In keeping with the theme of the issue, we've assembled what we believe to be the best--the cream of the tip crop, if you will. We hope you enjoy this...

In search of post-shot picture perfection: a new father hunts for an affordable, capable photo-editing program to make short work of imperfect pics. (Buying Advisor).
July 1, 2003... TRAINED AS A LANDSCAPE architect, Peter Mitchell has been photographing flora and fauna for years. But 11 months ago, he started shooting a more mobile and unpredictable subject: his newborn daughter, Lauren. Since then, he has snapped hundreds...

Tech shopping. (Web buyer: site reviews for online shopping).
July 1, 2003... a-pro.com Desktop, tower, rack-mount, slim, and window cases: A-Pro Hardwares has them all. Trick out that new case with a choice of hot-rod power supplies, neon lights, and cooling fans. bestbuy.com Our readers voted Best Buy...

Safe shopping tips. (Site Reviews).
July 1, 2003... Do Your Research Before buying from a company you're not familiar with. check its reputation with the shoppers who have gone before you. BizRate.com (www.bizrate.com) and ResellerRatings.com (www.resellerratings.com) are incredibly useful...

Tips for getting the best deal. (Site Reviews).
July 1, 2003... Weigh Your Options and Win Price-comparison sites, including DealTime (www.dealtime.com), iBuyernet.com (www.ibuyernet.com), mySimon (www.mysimon.com), and PriceGrabber.com (www.pricegrabber.com), show the prices for a product at many...

Direct PC vendors. (Site Reviews).
July 1, 2003... abspc.com Expect gaming, multimedia, and business PCs aplenty at ABS Computer Technologies. The company offers a choice of Intel or AMD processors, a threeyear parts and lifetime labor warranty, and toll-free technical support. Every...

PC resources. (Site Reviews).
July 1, 2003... consumersearch.com Consumersearch assembles reviews for a vast army of products from print and online publicaUons, then analyzes and ranks those reviews. Check out review summaries for PCs, gadgets, home appliances, and many other items....

And if something goes wrong. (Site Reviews).
July 1, 2003... Know the Rules Never make an online purchase before checking the site's customer-service pages. Make sure the company's policies on ordering, shipping, and returns are posted and reasonable. Decide Now or Pay Later Many companies...

Software sites. (Site Reviews).
July 1, 2003... academicsuperstore.com If you can produce a student or faculty ID, you'll qualify for big discounts on softwareat Academic Superstore, Each product-info page includes a chart that shows who's eligible for the lower price. If you find a...

How to buy the right digital camera. (buying basis).
July 1, 2003... IT'S TIME TO TAKE THE PLUNGE AND GO DIGITAL with your photos. With prices for high-resolution digital cameras falling fast, you can have all the convenience of taking pictures without film and still have brilliant images worth printing out....