Computer Shopper articles from March 2006

Computer Shopper archives from March 2006

Editor's note.
March 1, 2006... NOT LONG AGO, it seemed like every techie was declarin8 that even low-cost PCs were fast enough for "all but the most demandin8 tasks." Well, somewhere along the line, many have dropped that mantra. Perhaps we've drunk the Kool-Aid (or maybe...

Beware of bad businesses.(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2006... As a longtime subscriber to Computer Shopper, I'm disappointed that your product reviews still don't take into account a company's track record for customer complaints and poor service. Have you ever used the Better Business Bureau's Web site...

Best place for prints.(Letter to the Editor)
March 1, 2006... I thought your article "Post and Print" (December 2005, p. 103) had some great information, but you failed to include a few good services, particularly Clark Color Labs, Snapfish, and, my personal favorite, Winkflash. As a new mom, I'm not only...

Correction.(LETTERS)(Correction Notice)
March 1, 2006... We incorrectly stated that Hewlett-Packard does not include live-chat support in its Basic, Extended, and Accidental Damage Protection desktop-warranty plans ("The Support Report," January, p. 81). The company does offer such support to all HP...

Dell updates stodgy image with new gaming, concept PCs.(Dell XPS 600 Renegade)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... IN ANOTHER SIGN that Dell is trying to move away from its beige-box-PC image, the company is joining the overclockers' club. Dell's Limited Edition XPS 600 Renegade desktop, expected at press time to be available this quarter, features a...

Cornice.(develops smallest hard drive)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... Cornice has produced what it claims is the market's smallest hard drive. Besides upgrading its Dragon series of miniature hard drives from 4GB and 6GB to 8GB and 10GB of storage, the company has slimmed down its drives to the size of a...

Keyboard use isn't carpal punishment.(causes of carpal tunnel syndrome)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... Your wrists may hurt after a long day at the computer, but carpal tunnel syndrome isn't necessarily the cause. Contrary to popular belief, heavy computer use--up to seven hours a day--does not increase a person's risk of developing carpal...

Becoming media-centric.(TRENDS: UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS)
March 1, 2006... Is Windows Media Center the operating system on your primary PC? Yes 27% No 73% 34 percent of respondents say they plan to buy a Media Center PC. Note: Table made from pie chart.

Firm offers self-destructing text messages.(Staellium U.K.)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... A BRITISH service now offers Mission Impossible-style text messages that "self-destruct" after they have been read. Staellium U.K. says its StealthText service will allow business executives dealing with sensitive information to send text...

Google opens online video store.(TRENDS: TECH NEWS)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... GOOGLE HAS launched a service that lets people rent or buy downloadable videos online, including classic and contemporary TV shows from the CBS network and games from the National Basketball Association (NBA). The company's new Google...

Commodore resurrected for comeback.(Yeahronimo Media Ventures plans)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... It may be time for a Commodore comeback. A Dutch consumer-media company is hoping it can tap the power of the VIC-20, the PET, and the Commodore 64 with its new wave of products, including a home media-center device and a portable Global...

Power pot.
March 1, 2006... The $278 Multipot Personal Electric Charger from chic home store Design Within Reach promises to eliminate cable clutter created by one-too-many rechargeable items. Hide up to five chargers within the bucketlike Multipot and run the cords...

Grooves on the move.(GEAR: NEW PRODUCTS)
March 1, 2006... Pipe Windows Media Player tunes directly into your living room with the $229.99 D-Link DSM-120. Compliant with Microsoft's Windows Media Connect standard, this device uses 802.11b/g Wi-Fi to wirelessly play MP3 and WMA tracks that reside on...

Stack and store.(GEAR: NEW PRODUCTS)
March 1, 2006... LaCie's Brick hard drives help brighten your work area with playful red, white, and blue hues. The external drives are stackable like Lego blocks and come in several capacities (160GB for $119.99,2SOGB for $149.99, and 500GB for $399.99)....

Ear Guards.(GEAR: NEW PRODUCTS)
March 1, 2006... Step up to an improved music and gameplay experience with Alienware's new Ozma 7 gaming headphones. The $199 stereo headset uses German manufacturer Ultrastone's S-Logic surround-sound technology, which also reduces decibel output to safeguard...

Bright DIMMs.(GEAR: NEW PRODUCTS)
March 1, 2006... Liven up your desktop while adding some extra style with PNY's Verto Hi Speed Garner Memory. Shipping in DDR and DDR2 flavors, the RAM comes in 1GB kits (consisting of two 512MB modules) and ranges in speed from 400MHz to 1GHz ($179 to $270)....

Tweaking time.(GEAR: NEW PRODUCTS)
March 1, 2006... System tweakers can add another tool to their belts with Abit's Guru Clock. Compatible with select Abit motherboards, the Guru Clock allows you to view important info about your PC's operations, such as CPU clock speed, case temperature, and...

Apple iMac G5: all-in-one offers more functionality, lower price.(REVIEWS: THE LATEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PRODUCTS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... EDITORS' CHOICE WITH ITS UPDATE to the iMac G5, Apple stuffs more functionality into its midrange all-in-one iMac GS computer while simultaneously dropping the price. A tad thinner than its predecessor, the new $1,699 20-inch iMac G5 features...

Nikon Coolpix S4: cool-looking swivel-lens camera offers few manual features.(REVIEWS: THE LATEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PRODUCTS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... WITH THE $399.95 Coolpix S4, Nikon resurrects the swivel-lens design of its Coolpix 900 series in a more compact package. This 6-megapixel camera includes a 10x zoom lens, a 2.5-inch LCD, and Nikon's signature ease-of-use features. Its lack of...

Sony VAIO VGC-VA11G: all-in-one's screen shines, but its design needs polish.(DESKTOPS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... A TELEVISION, digital video recorder, stereo, and PC rolled into one, Sony's $2,199 VAIO VGC-VA11G has its VB20G predecessor's brilliant wide-screen LCD, plus some extra bulk. The added heft is ameliorated by improved sound and more accessible...

HP Media Center m7260n Photosmart PC: attractive, feature-packed midrange machine.(DESKTOPS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... DOES IT EVER make sense for an educated consumer to buy a preconfigured PC rather than configuring one online? In the case of the midrange HP Media Center m7260n Photosmart PC, the answer is a qualified yes. The $1,169 system offers features...

Shuttle XPC P 2600g: two graphics cards, one small system.(DESKTOPS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... THE $3,878 SHUTTLE XPC P 2600g joins the pantheon of high-priced, high-powered, small-form-factor gaming systems. So what sets this toaster-size PC apart from the competition? One acronym: SLI, short for nVidia's Scalable Link Interface...

Lenovo ThinkCentre A52: the IBM legacy lives on in business PC.(DESKTOPS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... DESIGNED FOR small and mediumsize businesses, the Lenovo ThinkCentre A52 demonstrates the same attention to quality that shone from its IBM predecessors. Particularly noteworthy are its expansion-friendly design (inside and out), smart embedded...

Sony VAIO XL1 Digital Living System: big Media Center falls short.(DESKTOPS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... THE $2,299 black-and-silver Sony VAIO XL1 Digital Living System (DLS) comprises a sleek, rack-style Media Center PC and a separate 200-disc CD/DVD changer. It's an inventive concept that hasn't quite reached fruition. Setup was...

Toshiba Satellite L25: dirt-cheap laptop lacks power, battery life.(NOTEBOOKS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... THE $799 Toshiba Satellite L25 is a no-frills, no-thrills laptop adequate for simple tasks, such as e-mail, word processing, and Web browsing, but not much else. Despite the rock-bottom price, this thin-and-light notebook's less-than-stellar...

Apple iBook G4: low-cost, well-built machine bruised by weak support.(NOTEBOOKS)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... APPLE'S reasonably priced $999 12-inch iBook G4 is well-designed and long-lived, and it includes great software--all of which make it a good choice for an entry-level laptop. Our test machine came with a 1.33GHz PowerPC G4 processor, 512MB...

Lenovo ThinkPad Z60t: fast system with wireless broadband, staying power.(NOTEBOOKS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... WITH AN exceptional design and competitive features, Lenovo's $2,299 ThinkPad Z60t is extremely versatile, if expensive. This well-crafted laptop should prove flexible enough for business users with mainstream or demanding needs. Our test...

Vigor Ares: sleek, red, and ready for gaming.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... IF YOU'RE IN the market for a moderately priced, svelte machine that won't choke while playing games, Vigor Gaming Computer's Ares is worth serious consideration. Though our $1,566 test unit wasn't packed with the most powerful components...

Logitech G7 Laser Cordless Mouse: wireless gaming mouse delivers lag-free action.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... MOST GAMERS avoid cordless mice with good reason: Their battery life can be short-lived, and you run the risk of lag. Logitech addresses both concerns with the $99.99 G7 Laser Cordless Mouse, which features programmable buttons, adjustable...

ATI All-In-Wonder X800 XL: one-card prodigy attempts to do everything.(COMPONENTS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... NOT JUST YOUR average graphics card, ATI's $329 All-In-Wonder X800 XL will have you playing 3D games, watching television, and listening to PM radio on your PC. Just don't expect this 256MB PCI Express card to be adept at all three. With...

Diamond Xtreme Sound 7.1.(FIRST TAKE)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... With a name eerily similar to that of its competition's high-end offerings, Diamond's new Xtreme sound cards are designed to bring theater-like audio to your PC. Upside: They may not have all the special features you'd find in one of...

Sony SDM-X95KB: business LCD with smooth video.(DISPLAYS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... ALTHOUGH CLAD in stodgy business-black, Sony's 19-inch SDM-X95KB is yearning for a spot in your living room. Thanks to its impressive gaming and DVD performance, we'd have no qualms about putting this $571.99 flat-panel display in ours. ...

HP L1706: limited viewing angles plague no-frills LCD.(DISPLAYS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... WITH ITS matte-black base and chunky silver bezel, Hewlett-Packard's L1706 isn't the best-dressed LCD on the market. If its $319 price speaks to you, however, you'll get an okay office display. The 17-inch L1706 has a nonadjustable stand...

BenQ FP202W.(FIRST TAKE)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... We knew it was only a matter of time before big-screen LCDs caught up to their smaller brethren in the race for fastest response time. BenQ's 20-inch FP202W wide-screen display is the first such model out the door, featuring an 8ms response...

HP Photosmart 3310: flexible, sharp MFP for the home.(PRINTERS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... WE LIKE many things about Hewlett-Packard's $399.99 Photosmart 3310, including the able way it handles stand-alone copying, faxing, and printing. Like most of today's printers, the unit features a built-in memory-card reader for PictBridge...

Epson Stylus C88: budget inkjet doesn't thrill, but won't disappoint.(PRINTERS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... A BARGAIN-BASEMENT printer at a sub-$99 price? It may sound too good to be true, but that's exactly what you can expect from Epson's Stylus C88. At $79.99, this affordable inkjet is adequate--if you don't have too many expectations. An...

Xerox Phaser 8500N: fast color business printer offers only mediocre output.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... THE XEROX PHASER 8500N has nearly everything a color business printer should, including speed, reliable network handling, dual paper trays, and 128MB of memory. This $899 model isn't a laser printer, however. Instead, it uses a process that...

Audiovox PPC6700SP: premium phone is well-connected, if a little slow.(MOBILE PRODUCTS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... AVAILABLE for Sprint PCS network users, the $599.99 Audiovox PPC6700SP is a capable, costly smartphone that features three forms of wireless connectivity and a great keyboard. Measuring 4.3x2.3x1 inches and weighing 6.1 ounces, the phone is...

Creative Zen Vision: beautifully crafted media player, but playing video is complicated.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... ALTHOUGH CREATIVE'S $399.99 Zen Vision is occasionally frustrating, this personal media player displays video with aplomb. Sleek, and available in black or white, the Vision weighs 8.4 ounces and is close in size to your average PDA. Even...

Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30: suitable dSLR alternative takes some spotty images.(DIGITAL CAMERAS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... THE $699.95 Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30 is a viable alternative to digital single lens reflex (dSLR) models if you want maximum flexibility, less expensively. The 8-megapixel camera is equipped with optical image stabilization, a first-rate...

Canon PowerShot A610: a feature-rich 5-megapixel shooter.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... CANON'S 5-megapixel PowerShot A610 is a perfect match for photo enthusiasts and snap-shooters who want it all. You get a 4x optical zoom, full manual controls, a long list of scene modes, and above-average performance and image quality for a...

Kodak EasyShare P850: big zoom, but a little pricey.(DIGITAL CAMERAS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... KODAK'S 5.1-megapixel EasyShare P850 has more features than most of the company's digital cameras, including a 12x optical zoom with image stabilization and manual-exposure adjustments, but it's comparatively pricey at $449.95. The strong...

Creative Zen MicroPhoto: colorful player looks and sounds great.(DIGITAL AUDIO)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... ALTHOUGH CREATIVE LABS' $249.99 CHOICE Zen MicroPhoto doesn't integrate photo viewing and audio playback as well as many competing products, it's still a top-notch music jukebox and a decent photo viewer. Measuring 3.3x2x0.7 inches and...

Kensington SX 2000: attractive iPod speaker can't match the competition.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... KENSINGTON'S $159.99 SX 2000 speaker for the iPod may be eye-catching, but it isn't our top choice for amplifying tunes. Measuring 7.2x16.2x3.9 inches, the gloss-white SX 2000 features a single large, flat speaker. You also get a rear...

Cowon iAudio G2: a flash player for audio buffs.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... FOR $129.99, the Cowon iAudio G2 is a worthy choice if you're seeking a basic device that plays protected WMA files and sounds great. At 2.5x1.8x0.7 inches and 1.3 ounces, the 1GB iAudio G2 is somewhat large for a flash-based player. Its...

Pioneer PDP-4360HD: pricey plasma offers near-perfect view.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... PART OF PIONEER'S PURE VISION 60 series of high-definition plasma displays, the 43-inch PDP-4360HD features excellent picture quality and black-level performance. At $4,500, it also costs as much as its same-size predecessor. If you desire...

Dell W3201C: a sweet LCD HDTV--at a cost.(DIGITAL LIVING)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... DELL'S 32-INCH W3201C LCD high-definition television (HDTV) offers everything we liked about the company's previous television--slick styling, a friendly interface, and lots of inputs. Better yet, it ups the ante by producing a picture...

Sony DVP-CX995V: megachanger manages discs.(DIGITAL LIVING)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... DESIGNED FOR EXTENSIVE DVD and CD collections, the $399.95 Sony DVP-CX995V holds up to a whopping 400 discs with its ample carousel design. Better yet, this DVD/CD/Super Audio CD (SACD) player offers upscaling High-Definition Multimedia...

Ulead PhotoImpact 11: agile, powerful image app with uneven performance.(SOFTWARE)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... ULEAD PHOTOIMPACT 11 retains many of the strengths of its predecessors but disappoints on a few counts. A still-affordable package in light of its contents, this spiffed-up version adds many features aimed at digital-camera and camcorder users...

Adobe Premiere Elements 2.0: a great video editor for those willing to master it.(SOFTWARE)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... ADOBE MAKES strides with version 2.0 of its enthusiast video-editing software, Premiere Elements. In addition to an improved interface, the program now imports video from sources other than camcorders, such as digital video recorders and cell...

CyberLink PowerBackup 2: versatile disaster prevention.(SOFTWARE)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... VIRUSES, power surges, battery failures, and systems that suddenly become unstable--all good reasons to regularly use an effective backup program. With CyberLink PowerBackup 2's easy-to-use interface, you pick the directories and files you want...

SystemSuite 6 Professional: a do-it-all approach to PC protection.(SOFTWARE)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... SYSTEMSUITE 6 Professional lets you diagnose problems, recover lost data, and protect your PC from spyware, viruses, and hackers. At $59.95, it's $10 more than the company's Fix-It Utilities 6 Professional, but it adds a firewall that logs...

Toast 7 Titanium: must-have Mac burning app.(SOFTWARE)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... IF YOUR CD and DVD-burning needs outstrip what Apple's OS X or iLife offer, look to Roxio's $99.95 Toast 7 Titanium. Up to speed with current technology, Toast can now convert video to and from DivX, and work with giant files or folders across...

WinRAR 3.5: archiving done right by ZIP alternative.(DOWNLOADS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... WE HAVE SEEN the future of archiving, and it has candy-colored icons and a roar in its name. Consider downloading the $29 WinRAR 3.5 if you're seeking an alternative compression program. WinRAR is easy to use, lightweight, and flexible....

AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 7.2: antiviral necessities at no cost.(DOWNLOADS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... THIS antiviral program offers rock-solid protection for no financial commitment. AVG Anti-Virus Free Edition 7.2 provides all the necessities, including a tool for scanning your hard drive and e-mail, as well as a real-time shield to prevent...

Push the Freakin' Button Pro 2.4: kill warning dialog boxes slowing you down.(DOWNLOADS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... WE APPRECIATE the way programmers look out for us, popping up dialog boxes when we're about to do something we might regret. Still, most dialog boxes are a pain. For $29.99, you can get Push the Freakin' Button (PTFB), a mouse auto-clicker and...

Top 25: this month's best desktops, notebooks, home and small-office laser printers, PC speakers, and DVD- and video-editing software.(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... Top 25 This month's best desktops, notebooks, home and small-office laser printers, PC speakers, and DVD- and video editing software. PERFORMANCE DESKTOPS Top-of-the-line machines that pack extreme computing power. PRODUCT ...

Dual-core duel: nine processors, six desktops, two cores, one winner: AMD and Intel face off in a dual-core-CPU battle Royale.(AMD Athlon 64 X2, Intel Pentium D)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... IF YOU'RE READY TO BUY A NEW PC, chances are it will have a dual-core processor. By year's end, more than 70 percent of Intel's family of mobile and desktop Pentium processors will be dual-core, including its next-generation desktop CPU...

Board review: how to buy a motherboard that meets your needs--plus, six great boards for all types of users.(Asus P5N32-SLI Deluxe)(DFI LANParty UT nF4 SLI-DR Expert)(ECS PF88)(Gigabyte GA-K8N51GMF-9)(Intel Desktop Board D955XBK)(MSI RS482M4-ILD)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... A DESKTOP PC is only as capable as its motherboard. That's because the motherboard is the coordinating center that determines which processors, memory, graphics cards, and other components will work in any given computer. A smart way of...

Detect & protect: these five security suites can defend your PC against viruses, hackers, spyware, and other cyber threats.(F-Secure Internet Security 2006)(McAfee Internet Security Suite 2006)(Norton Internet Security 2006)(PC-cillin Internet Security 2006)(ZoneAlarm Internet Security Suite 6)(Product/Service Evaluation)
March 1, 2006... NOW THAT IT'S 2006, surely all PC users know they need up-to-date protection against viruses, hackers, and spyware, right? Wrong, according to a recent study by America Online and the National Cyber Security Alliance. The study found that a...

90 degrees of darkness.(COMPUTER CURES)(standards of laptop computers)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... Whenever I open my laptop to a 90-degree position, the display backlight goes off, and I can't see anything on the screen. The light works if I open the notebook slightly, but if I move the screen too far, it goes out. Any idea what the problem...

Partitioning plans.(use of hard disk drives)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... I am about to buy a new computer with a 500GB hard drive. I thought it best to partition the drive into a C: drive for the operating system and applications, and a D: drive for data. This would let me easily and frequently back up or make an...

Longer-range Wi-Fi.(COMPUTER CURES)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... A local library and a local restaurant have free Wi-Fi, and they're about one mile and three miles away from my home, respectively. Can I find a long-range wireless router I could use to access this service? STEPHEN BLANK I'll start by...

Drive directions.(use of hard disk drives)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... I'm building my own PC, and need help choosing a hard drive. I plan to use the system to run games and benchmark programs, so I want to be sure to get the best performance possible. The two drives I'm considering are both 7,200rpm Serial ATA...

Boot, interrupted.(use of Microsoft Windows XP)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... All of a sudden, my Windows XP computer won't start up. The PC goes through its self-test and then asks me to "Press F1 to Resume," but there is no other error or diagnostic message. I haven't made any system changes or added any new programs...

File hide and seek.(use of Microsoft Internet Explorer)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... How do you get Windows Explorer to show hidden and system files and folders? I have to use the Command Prompt and the ATTRIB command to change their attributes to get them to appear. Surely, there must be an easier way. FRED WISE I...

Tip of the month: channel surfing.(use of wireless communications for the management of home networks)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2006... You've finally decided to take the plunge, and you get all the necessary hardware to set up a wireless network at home. But you soon discover that your PC can't find the signal from your access point. What's the problem? This month's tipster...

Best-case scenario: move your humdrum PC into a slick new ATX enclosure.(WEEKEND PROJECT: HARDWARE)
March 1, 2006... IF YOUR PC IS A BEIGE-BOX BORE, it doesn't have to humiliate itself on television to get an extreme makeover. Moving to a new case is an inexpensive, yet radical, face-lift--and, with our help, you can perform the plastic surgery. Dozens of...

Maximum messaging: add video, VoIP calls, and cellphone access to your favorite instant-messaging program.(WEEKEND PROJECT: SOFTWARE)
March 1, 2006... JUST A FEW YEARS AGO, instant messaging (IM) was limited to text chats and silly emoticons. Now, it's expanded to include video, voice, and even mobile messaging. But you may not notice these features unless you look for them. We show you how...

Sony's rootkit is all evil.(Sony BMG Music Entertainment)
March 1, 2006... A FEW MONTHS BACK, Sony BMG Music Entertainment introduced the world to the term "rootkit," a set of software tools usually used by hackers to hide running processes on a PC. It's hard to believe the former innovator, whose last grand slam...

Budget desktops ($749) and less.(NEED TO KNOW)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... PROCESSOR You'll pay a premium for the fastest processor, so go with a CPU several cycles behind the top clock speed. It will save you money, yet still yield a PC plenty fast for everyday tasks. Upgrade: Expect to spend $80 for every...

Thin-and-light notebooks (4 to 7 pounds).(NEED TO KNOW)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... PROCESSOR Look for a model powered by Intel's Pentium M processor, which provides long battery life, strong performance, and cool running temperatures. Save a little by opting for lower clock speeds, such as 1.6GHz. Upgrade: Expect to pay about...

Inkjet printers.(NEED TO KNOW)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... RESOLUTION Resolution figures refer to the maximum number of horizontal and vertical dots a printer can lay down within a 1-inch-square space. In theory, a higher-resolution printer can produce more-detailed text and images, but manufacturers...

External hard drives.(NEED TO KNOW)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... FORM FACTOR External hard drives come in all shapes and sizes, and most can even be rested vertically to save space on your desk. Some externals are small enough to fit inside your shirt pocket, but these tend to be more expensive and offer...

Flat-panel displays (18 inches or larger).(NEED TO KNOW)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... ASPECT RATIO The standard proportion of width to height for a computer monitor is 4-to-3, although some monitors that double as televisions have a wider format of 16-to-9, designed for viewing movies or high-definition television (HDTV) in...

Digital cameras (4- to 5-megapixel).(NEED TO KNOW)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... RESOLUTION The quality of digital photos is measured primarily by the number of pixels a camera's image sensor can capture. A 5-megapixel camera, therefore, should capture more image detail than a 4-megapixel model. Still, whether you choose a...

Tech products.(WEB BUYER: THE BEST SITES FOR ONLINE SHOPPING)(computer peripherals)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... acortech.com Inexpensive PC accessories abound at Acortech.com. We found 17-inch LCD monitors for under $300, flash drives for under $20, optical mice for less than $5, and other low-cost goodies for certified tech geeks. amazon.com...

Motherboards.(WEB BUYER: THE BEST SITES FOR ONLINE SHOPPING)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... bioscentral.com In some cases, minor repair work and an upgraded BIOS can breathe new life into an old motherboard. Enter BIOS Central, a technical reference site with information and free downloads for diagnosing all your mobo's ills. ...

DVR hardware and software.(WEB BUYER: SHOPPING SITES)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... digitalnetworksna.com/replaytv At the official site for the ReplayTV digital video recorder, shoppers will find an interactive demo and deals on new models. The MyReplay TV feature (www. myreplaytv.com) allows you to control your unit from...

Direct PC vendors.(WEB BUYER: SHOPPING SITES)
March 1, 2006... 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. Visit the...

Linux applications and resources.(WEB BUYER SHOPPING SITES)(Brief Article)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... distrowatch.com Keep up-to-date with the latest Linux and FreeBSD distributions with DistroWatch. You'll find news about free operating systems and detailed descriptions of the 10 most popular distros. freshmeat.net If you're...

Software.(WEB BUYER: SHOPPING SITES)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... atomicpark.com Free shipping is available for AtomicPark.com's entire selection of business and productivity apps. Plus, you'll never pay a restocking fee. The new Direct Downloads section lets you use new software in minutes, not days....

The right ultraportable notebook.(BUYING BASICS: HOW TO BUY)(Buyers Guide)
March 1, 2006... If you're a frequent business flier, you'll need a notebook PC that won't weigh you down. Here are the key specifications to look for when you're in the market for a laptop that weighs less than four pounds, plus some great models we recommend....