Computer Shopper articles from June 2008

Computer Shopper archives from June 2008

Letter from the editor.(Editorial)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... IT HAPPENS TO EVERYONE sooner or later--you need a new computer. It could be because something has stopped working, or you don't have enough power to run a certain program (let's face it, usually a game), or you discover that upgrading your...

External drive makers implement government-grade security.(TRENDS: UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... AS MORE COMPUTER users become reliant on external hard and flash drives for storage, the need for securing that data takes on increasing importance, especially when the content is highly sensitive material. It's why you'll start to see...

How much do we like our laptops?(STATS)(Survey)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... 72% Survey respondents who own or use a laptop 88% Say their next purchase could be a more-portable laptop (under 6 pounds, with a screen smaller than 15 inches) 44% Would carry a laptop more often if it was smaller...

Intel demos long-distance Wi-Fi for rural areas.(TRENDS: UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... INTEL WILL SOON begin sending signals where no signal has gone before: The company has developed a new long-distance Wi-Fi technology designed to connect rural areas in emerging markets to the Internet. Its Rural Connectivity Platform (RCP)...

Dolby brings its audio prowess to the PC.(TRENDS: TECH NEWS)(Dolby Laboratories Inc.)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... DOLBY LABORATORIES has recently released the next generation of the Dolby PC Entertainment Experience program, a suite of audio post-processing and connectivity technologies that the company hopes will change how consumers listen to audio...

Consumer inkjet printer celebrates 20 years.(TRENDS: TECH NEWS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... IT HAS BEEN 20 years since the release of the first mass-marketed home-consumer inkjet printer, the HP Deskjet. In that time, the inkjet printer has gone from a slow, expensive machine to a budget-conscious, speedy page churner. Originally...

New tech may usher in roll-up displays.(TRENDS: TECH NEWS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Researchers at Purdue University, Northwestern University, and the University of Southern California have developed new technology that may eventually allow for flexible displays, transparent heads-up displays in cars, and e-papers that can be...

Media-savvy Satellite.(NEW PRODUCTS: PCs)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The $1,999 Toshiba Satellite P305-$8825 is a mainstream laptop with plenty of media options. It features an Intel Core 2 Duo TS5S0 processor blazing at 1.83GHz, with up to 4GB of DDR2 RAM. The unit ships with ATI...

All for one.(NEW PRODUCTS: PCs)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Eurocom, a big name in desktop-replacement notebooks, chimes in with its own entry into the ever-growing all-in-one market. The Eurocom L390T Uno has a 19-inch glossy wide-screen display, which includes built-in...

More entertainment on the go.(NEW PRODUCTS: PCs)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Asus' new $1,499 M50 laptop is well-poised to enter the entertainment fray: It's equipped with an optional Blu-ray drive and an Altec Lansing speaker system for Dolby Home Theater sound. This 15.4-inch notebook supports Penryn processors and...

Kind of blue.(NEW PRODUCTS: PCs)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The Aspire 89206 and the Aspire 6920 are the first models in Acer's next-generation series of media-centered Gemstone Blue notebooks. Both models feature Intel Centrino technology with the latest Penryn Core 2 Duo processors, as well as 18.4-...

Alienware lands again.(NEW PRODUCTS: PCs)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The intergalactic fungineers at Alienware have once again revamped their flagship gaming desktop line, the Area-51. This time around, inside the color-customizable alien-head case, you'll find an nVidia nForce 790i Ultra SLI-based motherboard,...

Full media Axess.(NEW PRODUCTS: PCs)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] The folks from Maingear have made taking your living room into the high-definition century a wee bit easier. The Axess HD comes standard with a Blu-ray drive (for those with a penchant for the defunct, an HD...

'Phones for audio lovers.(NEW PRODUCTS: GEAR)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Etymotic's $179 hf2 earphones may have low-key looks, but they're big on audio. These sound-isolating 'phones passively block out ambient noise by using either flanged silicon or foam tips, offering clear, rich...

LP-to-USB player.(NEW PRODUCTS: GEAR)(Sony's PS-LX300USB)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Have a stack of old records with songs you want to get onto your MP3 player? Sony's $149.99 PS-LX300USB may be just what you need. Plug the turntable into any Windows PC via its USB cable, and the included Sound Forge Audio Studio software will...

PC music, anywhere.(NEW PRODUCTS: GEAR)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Play music from your PC anywhere in your home with Logitech's Squeezebox Duet. The $399.99 system comes with an innovative controller, which includes a 2.4-inch LCD and a compact receiver. Using a built-in 802.11b/g Wi-Fi connection, the device...

Underwater audio.(NEW PRODUCTS: GEAR)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Thanks to the $199 Finis SwiMP3, swimmers can enjoy what land-sports fanatics have for years: their own personal music to train with. This unique MP3 player uses bone conduction technology to transmit high-fidelity audio directly to the inner...

Pretty package.(NEW PRODUCTS: GEAR)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Don't be fooled by its minimalist design. The Iriver E100 packs a ton of features into its 2-ounce frame, including music, photo, and video support; a 2.4-inch TFT LCD; MicroSD card slot; voice recorder; and an FM...

Sleek surround sound.(NEW PRODUCTS: GEAR)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Want surround sound without all the messy cables and satellites? The $799.99 Philips SoundBar DVD Home Theater HTS8100 packs five distinct channel amplifiers into one sleek, glossy-black "sound bar." Thanks to a host...

Shuttle KPC: an affordable desktop for everyone.(REVIEWS: THE LATEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PRODUCTS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... SHUTTLE IS BEST KNOWN for selling barebones and complete PC systems in compact packages. With its newest offering, the KPC (short for "Korporate PC"), something else is small: the price. A fully working PC can be yours for a remarkable $209....

Alienware Area-51 m15x: this mobile gamer is the speediest we've seen.(REVIEWS: THE LATEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PRODUCTS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... IF YOU'VE BEEN HOLDING OFF on buying a new gaming laptop, consider Alienware's Area-51 m15x. Simply put, this 15.4-inch system is the fastest mobile gamer we've ever tested. Though the m15x starts at a reasonable $1,499, Alienware's long...

Velocity Micro Edge Z55: good, affordable gaming and productivity performance.(REVIEWS: DESKTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... IF YOU DON'T FEEL LIKE coughing up $4,000 or more for an uber-expensive 3D performance rig but require more horsepower than a budget gaming system has to offer, the Velocity Micro Edge Z55 is for you. While $2,430 isn't chump change, it's quite...

Cerise Quad-Core Workstation: specialized system has storage and speed, but lacks graphic punch.(REVIEWS: DESKTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... TARGETING HARD-CORE MULTIMEDIA enthusiasts and content editors, the $3,493 Cerise Quad-Core Workstation is built to spec using top-shelf components, a boatload of hard drive storage, and a RAID configuration that delivers both performance and...

Gateway FX540XT: respectable--but loud--gaming performance.(REVIEWS: DESKTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WHILE A REASONABLE PERFORMER, Gateway's $3,799 FX540XT doesn't break any records--though you might find yourself wondering if it'll take off and break the speed of sound. It's armed with two GeForce 8800 GTX...

Uberclok reactor: overclocked PC is impressively fast--sometimes.(REVIEWS: DESKTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... THE UBERCLOK REACTOR reminds us all too well of its nuclear namesake: It's powerful and precarious. Just as you might never know when a catastrophic chain reaction could lead to a major meltdown, so too did we find it impossible to predict when...

Gateway M-151X: mainstream laptop offers more style than most.(REVIEWS: LAPTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... FEATURING GATEWAY'S NEW InFuse color treatment and a nice assortment of features, the $1,099 M-151X definitely stands out in the crowded field of mainstream notebooks, but its performance is merely average. Gateway offers a choice of four...

Fujitsu LifeBook P1620: tiny tablet has too many performance pitfalls.(REVIEWS: LAPTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... FUJITSU'S ULTRAPORTABLE TABLET, the $2,224 LifeBook P1620, is supposed to be a step up from the P1610. But even a new Core 2 Duo processor can't make up for persistent battery life and performance issues. Weighing in at just 2.5 pounds,...

Lenovo ThinkPad X300: rival to MacBook Air is loaded with features.(REVIEWS: LAPTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... EDITORS' CHOICE [CHECK] THOUGH NOT AS SKINNY or sexy as the MacBook Air, the Lenovo ThinkPad X300 offers business-class computing without a hint of compromise. If you can afford the price (our unit cost $2,936), you'll find it a first-rate...

Sony VAIO VGN-FZ485U/B: multimedia notebook offers Blu-ray and more.(REVIEWS: LAPTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... THE SONY VAIO VGN-FZ485U/B combines all manner of multimedia goodies into a still-portable midsize notebook. The $2,199 sticker seems steep at first, but given its high-clef Blu-ray drive and other components (like a whopping 4GB of RAM and a...

Tiny notebooks for the masses: budget ultraportables cut the cost of lightweight computing.(REVIEWS: NOTEBOOKS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... A NEW BREED OF BUDGET ULTRAPORTABLES is expanding the appeal of lightweight computing. These systems come with enough power and preloaded apps to handle basic on-the-road productivity and communication, all for as little as $299. To keep costs...

XFX nForce 790i Ultra: cutting-edge mobo great for enthusiasts.(REVIEWS: COMPONENTS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EDITORS' CHOICE [CHECK] AS YOU'D GUESS from its name, the pricey $350 XFX nForce 790i Ultra motherboard introduces nVidia's new nForce 790i Ultra SLI chipset, which brings nVidia into direct competition with...

Asus P5E3 Premium WiFi-AP @n: stable, overclockable motherboard.(REVIEWS: COMPONENTS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... THE $369 HIGH-END Asus P5E3 Premium WiFi-AP @n motherboard, based on the Intel X48 chipset, is the new flagship of Asus' motherboard line. At first glance, it looks to be a minor update of the X38-based PSE3 Deluxe. But Asus has not only added...

Asus EN9800GX2: the fastest single graphics card on the market.(REVIEWS: COMPONENTS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EDITORS' CHOICE [CHECK] NVIDIA BILLS ITS GEFORCE 9800 GX2 as the fastest single graphics card yet, and it easily earns that title, turning in record-breaking performance in our 3D tests and making it easy to play...

Cooler Master Cosmos S: a cool enthusiast case--in more ways than one.(REVIEWS: COMPONENTS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... COOLER MASTER BILLS ITS $249 COSMOS S CASE as the "sports" version of its highly rated Cosmos 1000. With its black-and-dark-gray design, red-LED-lit fans, and mesh front panel, it certainly looks the part of the performance PC. But while it has...

Belkin Network USB Hub: makes sharing USB peripherals a snap.(REVIEWS: PERIPHERALS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EDITORS CHOICE [CHECK] BELKIN'S NETWORK USB HUB is a $129.99 hub that turns many USB-based peripherals into shareable devices. Easy to set up and use, it is excellent for sharing printers and hard drives on a...

Thermaltake BlacX SE: high-performance HDD enclosure.(REVIEWS: PERIPHERALS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... THE THERMALTAKE BLACX SE is a $39.99 USB-based docking station for Serial ATA (SATA) hard drives. It makes it easy to repurpose old SATA drives for expandable storage, thanks to the unit's support for hot-swapping, which allows you to replace...

Creative Live! Cam Optia Pro: Webcam's performance suffers in low light.(REVIEWS: PERIPHERALS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... THE $79.99 CREATIVE LIVE! CAM OPTIA PRO is packed with great features, including motion detection, a VGA sensor lens that can take 5-megapixel stills, and an easy-to-use software suite that provides face-recognition technology. Performance,...

Archos TV+: DVR, media extender combo is feature-loaded.(REVIEWS: PERIPHERALS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... A DVR AND MEDIA EXTENDER IN ONE, the Archos TV+ is chock-full of features, but it's not without its limitations. Available in 80GB ($249.99) and 250GB ($349.99) versions, the TV+ includes a bundled remote and a multitude of connections,...

NEC AccuSync LCD24WMCX: a capable large-format monitor for HD, computing.(REVIEWS: DISPLAYS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... NEC'S $534.99 ACCUSYNC LCD24WMCX is a competent wide-screen monitor with laudable input flexibility. The LCD24WMCX is possibly one of the brightest displays available, though its greeting was not so pleasant. Granted, with a 400 candelas...

Samsung SyncMaster 2493HM: all the right features--at the right price.(REVIEWS: DISPLAYS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... SAMSUNG'S $499 SYNCMASTER 2493HM isn't anything remarkable at first glance, but there are enough great features under this 24-inch monitor's hood to make it a standout display. Besides VGA and DVI ports, you can also connect the monitor via...

Samsung SCX-4500: laser MFP adds style to its features.(REVIEWS: PRINTERS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] WITH ITS GLOSSY black finish and blue LED lights, the $300 Samsung SCX-4500 monochrome laser multifunction printer (MFP) is bucking the trend of boxy, gray devices. This stylish printer is sized well for use in a den...

Brother HL-2170W: a great buy despite some limitations.(REVIEWS: PRINTERS)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... THE BROTHER HL-2170W monochrome laser printer is rated at outputting 23 pages per minute, has built-in WiFi and Ethernet, and sells for only $149.99. The catch is that you may have to make some compromises. For starters, the 2170W is...

The Sims Castaway Stories: easy to learn for gamers of all levels.(REVIEWS: GAMING)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] ELECTRONIC ARTS' SIMS TITLES, which simulate life in a virtual world, have collectively sold over 100 million copies. Aimed at the casual gamer, they work fine on machines that have less-powerful CPUs and graphics...

iZ3D: add a third dimension to your view.(REVIEWS: GAMING)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... PRICED AT A HIGH $699, iZ3D's 22-inch 3D monitor has accomplished an amazing feat of technological trickery by using two overlaid panels, each providing separate information to one of your eyes when you're wearing 3D glasses. Although 3D, to a...

Altec Lansing T612: iPhone-compatible speaker set sounds so-so.(REVIEWS: CONSUMER TECH)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... THE $199.95 ALTEC LANSING T612 is one of the first officially iPhone-compatible speaker systems, and it's a decent overall product. Sound quality is average, though, and bass response is noticeably lacking. The T612 works with the iPhone...

Amazon Kindle: E-book reader almost gets it right.(REVIEWS: CONSUMER TECH)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... DESPITE ITS HIGH PRICE, the $399 Kindle's extensive catalog, wireless abilities, and near-instantaneous download speed have pumped new life into an almost-nonexistent device category. While a few design miscues make the device look like a rush...

LightZone 3.5: powerful photo editing--where you want it.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LIGHTZONE 3.5 ATTEMPTS to bridge the extremes of easy-to-use but limited consumer photo-editing programs and the complex-but-powerful software used by professional graphic artists. It has many of the edit...

Norton 360 Version 2.0: set-and-forget security, updated and improved.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... NORTON 360 VERSION 2.0 is the updated incarnation of Symantec's comprehensive, one-touch security software released last year. It covers an array of common security threats (with the exception of bots) and adds new components for system...

WinDVD 9 Plus Blu-ray: outstanding video-viewing software now supports HD.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... TO PLAY CUTTING-EDGE DVDS, you need cutting-edge software. Corel pushes the envelope with WinDVD 9 Plus Bluray--not with flashy new features, but with a number of small, solid enhancements that will please film buffs. You get support for...

AVG Internet Security 8.0: good, basic security package is marred by poor design.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... WITH ITS ANTIVIRUS, ANTISPAM, firewall, and Web shield components, this $54.99 AVG Interact Security 8.0 package covers the basics of security, and does it all with good, solid performance. But using the interface to get where you want to...

Top 5 entertainment desktops: these multimedia-savvy PCS are fit for your living room.
June 1, 2008... 1 Alienware Hangar18 HD Entertainment Center www.alienware.com $3,103 (as tested) Editors' Rating: (8.6) [check] Specs * 2.4GHz Athlon X2 4600+ * 2GB DDR2 memory * Two 1TB hard drives * DVD [+ or -] RW/DVD-RAM *...

Top 5 desktop-replacement laptops: ditch your desktop PC for one of these powerful portables.
June 1, 2008... 1 HP Pavilion HDX Entertainment Notebook PC (Penryn Edition) www.hp.com $ 3,199 * Editors' Rating: 9.0 [check] Specs * 2.5GHz Core 2 Duo T9300 * 3GB DDR2 * Two 250GB hard drives * Blu-ray/DVD [+ or -] RW *...

Top 5 19-inch LCD monitors: improve your view--affordably--with these wide-screen displays.
June 1, 2008... 1 HP w1907 www.hp.com $230 Editors' Rating: 8.1 Specs * 1,440x900 native resolution * 5-millisecond pixel-response rate * DVI, D-Sub inputs * One-year warranty Bottom Line When it comes to performance, HP's...

Top 5 inkjet printers: expect sharp color output from these capable models.
June 1, 2008... 1 Canon Pixma MX700 usa.canon.com $199.99 Editors' Rating: 8.7 [check] Specs * 4,800x1,200dpi maximum resolution * Maximum rated print speed: 30ppm (monochrome); 20ppm (color); 46 seconds (4x6-inch color photo) * USB...

Build your next desktop: when it's time for a new computer, don't buy one--build one. Whatever kind of system you're looking for, it's easy to construct it yourself.
June 1, 2008... Tracking down a system that does exactly what you want it to--for a price you're willing (and able) to pay--is one of the great challenges of the computer world. But it doesn't have to be. At the cost of a little research, a little elbow...

Build your own laptop: why buy a retail notebook when you can build a faster, cheaper portable system from scratch?(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... Building a desktop PC is like dining at one of those huge buffet restaurants: You have dozens of choices for every dish, the variety ranging from hot dogs to filet mignon and everything else in between. Building a laptop reminds us more of a...

Hot shots: new features and technologies help distinguish this year's batch of digital cameras.(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] How could manufacturers possibly improve on last year's cameras? Apparently, the innovation never ends. This year's new models include entry-level cameras with automated functions that combine different technologies,...

Computer cures.(HELP & HOW-TO: TIPS AND TRICKS TO MAKE TECH EASIER)
June 1, 2008... SULLIED SCREEN My four-year-old Compaq Presario has been an excellent laptop. Suddenly, its LCD went dark, though it's still readable. The screen works right only when positioned 45 degrees to the keyboard. If slanted to 50 or 60 degrees,...

Tip of the month: power savings, pronto!(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Windows XP has three power-saving modes, with increased savings but decreased restart convenience: standby, hibernate, and complete shutdown (off). Most laptops also have three quick ways to invoke these: closing the lid, a sleep button, and...

Quiet your PC: does your PC sound like a jet engine? Here's how to turn down the volume.(HELP & HOW-TO: WEEKEND PROJECT)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] IF YOU TURN ON YOUR PC and it sounds like a 737 getting ready for takeoff, don't despair. Depending on how quiet you want your computer, there's a range of solutions--from easy software tweaks to replacing noisy...

Top-tech box.(Build Your Own: NEW PRODUCTS FOR BUILDING A CUSTOM PC)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... Got a jones for a bare-bones PC that's ready for the latest tech? Indulge in the $200 Asus T3-M3N8200. Its motherboard accepts the latest AMD AM2 and AM2+ processors, as well as up to 8GB of DDR2 RAM. It's built around the nVidia MCP78S...

Evolving power structure.(Build Your Own: NEW PRODUCTS FOR BUILDING A CUSTOM PC)(Enermax's Modu82+)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... PC power supplies are evolving faster than most components, but Enermax is planning against natural selection with the Modu82+. As secondary motherboard power connectors have grown from four pins to eight (and graphics-card power from four to...

Two RAM, over easy.(Build Your Own: NEW PRODUCTS FOR BUILDING A CUSTOM PC)(OCZ Technology's PC3-16000 nVidia SLI-Ready Edition )(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Oh, overclocking, you're no fun anymore! That's thanks to a new wave of DDR3 memory modules like the PC3-16000 nVidia SLI-Ready Edition from OCZ Technology. With support for Enhanced Performance Profiles (EPP) 2.0,...

Cool to the touch.(HELP & HOW-TO: BUILD YOUR OWN)(Kingwin's Revolution RVT-12025D )(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... A new CPU cooler needs at least one innovation to set it apart from today's hordes of newcomers. Copper pipes for heat dissipation are old news, but Kingwin's Revolution RVT-12025D applies a new twist--pipes that protrude laterally through the...

Nile style.(HELP & HOW-TO: BUILD YOUR OWN)(High Performance Group's Osiris)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] As we've noted in the past, naming your PC case after a deity creates really high expectations. With Osiris, a follow-on to its recent Anubis case, High Performance Group (the company behind the "Hiper" brand) sets...

Two-plate special.(HELP & HOW-TO: BUILD YOUR OWN)(Western Digital's 640GB Caviar SE16 )(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The march toward mainstream terabyte drives proceeds apace. The latest step: Western Digital's 640GB Caviar SE16 (WD6400AAKS) drive, which packs a whopping 320GB on each of two internal platters. The price, at $139.99 (and already cheaper from...

The right ultraportable laptop.(HELP & HOW-TO: BUYING BASICS: HOW TO BUY)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you're frequently on the go, you'll need a notebook PC that won't weigh you down--an ultraportable laptop that weighs less than four pounds. Here's how to pick your new traveling companion. SHOPPING SPECS ...

The right flash-memory MP3 Player.(HELP & HOW-TO: BUYING BASICS: HOW TO BUY)(Product/service evaluation)
June 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Thanks to increased storage capacity, enhanced features, and lower prices, flash-based MP3 players have become the preferred method of carrying your music library in your pocket. Here's how to choose the right one....

Barebones.(TECH TERMS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... More than individual components but less than a full system, a barebones provides a shell for the basics needed to get a system up and running with a minimum of installation fuss: a case, a motherboard, fans, and not much more for a desktop...

DSLR.(TECH TERMS)(Digital Single-Lens Reflex)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... With a mirror-based viewfinder that ensures you and your camera see exactly the same thing, finer control over settings, and the ability to swap out lenses, a digital single-lens reflex camera (or dSLR) is intended for serious photographers....

Ultraportable.(TECH TERMS)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... The lightest of thin-and-light laptops, ultraportables weigh 4 pounds or less. You may have to sacrifice some features--such as an optical drive--but if you need a system you can take anywhere, one of these might be just what you're looking...

What are ... SLI & CrossFireX?(geek//:speak)(Brief article)
June 1, 2008... With computer products, it's frequently true that if one is good, two (or more) are better. Just as two hard drives in a RAID configuration add storage and security and two sticks of RAM give you dual-channel speed, using two graphics cards can...