Computer Shopper articles from March 2007

Computer Shopper archives from March 2007

AMD spearheads new small-form-factor standard.(TRENDS: UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS)(Advanced Micro Devices Inc.)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... ADVANCED Micro Devices has announced that it's leading the charge for the creation of an open standard, DTX, for small-form-factor (SFF) desktops. According to AMD, the growth in SFF desktops, mostly due to increasing demand for home media PCs,...

Trendspotting.(TRENDS: UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Think your kids are posting too much information about themselves on social-networking Web sites like MySpace? Think again. According to a survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, only 55 percent of teens who spend time online have used...

Sony shines light on OLED for TVs.(TRENDS: UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS)(Sony Electronics, organic light-emitting diodes )
March 1, 2007... Sony Electronics is looking at ways to bring flat-panel televisions based around organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) to market. "It is not as far off as you might think," says Stan Glasgow, the company's president. "Perhaps next year." ...

Microsoft develops home server software.(TRENDS: TECH NEWS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... MICROSOFT has introduced a new platform, Windows Home Server, that would provide a specific framework for running network-attached-storage (NAS) devices on a home network beyond what current versions of Windows offer. In addition to easing some...

Dell to offer online storage for PC customers.(TRENDS: TECH NEWS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... DELL'S RECENT increased emphasis on services for consumers has led to a new program called Dell DataSafe. With the service, consumers can upload data from their old computer to the DataSafe site when they're buying a new PC. Dell will then load...

Cable adds wireless services to its roster.(TRENDS: TECH NEWS)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Cable operators are beginning to integrate mobile wireless services into their service packages. Four cable operators involved in a joint venture with wireless carrier Sprint Nextel will launch their integrated mobile phone service in 2007. Two...

Versatile with vroom.(Hewlett-Packard launches HP Pavilion TXIO00 Entertainment Notebook PC )(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Laptops and Tablet PCs are convenient for different reasons, but the HP Pavilion TXIO00 Entertainment Notebook PC wants to be as useful as both. Given its unique design, this convertible machine could very well succeed. Its 12.1-inch...

To-go gamer.(NEW PRODUCTS PCs)(ABS Computer Technologies launches Mayhem Z5, notebook computer)
March 1, 2007... ABS aims to liberate even the most serious gamers from their desks with its Mayhem Z5 notebook. With plenty of power and features--including an Intel Core Duo processor, a memory capacity of up to 2GB, a built-in seven-format card reader, a...

Boring box be gone.(NEW PRODUCTS PCs)
March 1, 2007... What might be the world's first true bedroom PC, the Sony VAIO TP1 is a tiny media-friendly system whose round shape gives it a unique elan unlike any other computer we've seen. (It's based on notebook architecture, resulting in a small...

Small on the outside, big power inside.(NEW PRODUCTS PCs)
March 1, 2007... Computer Shopper named Shuttle's XPC Xl00 the Best Small-Form-Factor PC of 2006, and it looks like the company is vying for this year's title with the X200. Like its older sibling, the X200 packs plenty of power in a tiny frame. The micro-size...

The case for good design.(NEW PRODUCTS PCs)
March 1, 2007... With Vista's revolutionary visuals, Windows looks like it never has before. Meanwhile, Gateway's breaking some design ground of its own with its Vista-optimized DX430 series of multimedia desktops. You can customize the front panel of the...

Mobile e-mail made easy.(NEW PRODUCTS PCs)
March 1, 2007... Toshiba's Portege R400 is sure to impress those who demand productivity on the road. Its Active Notification System with Push Technology automatically checks for new e-mails and calendar items (even when the notebook is on standby), and a...

Cyberpower Gamer Infinity 7500: a solid choice for Vista-ready--if not Vista-heavy--performance.(REVIEWS: THE LATEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PRODUCTS)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... WHILE EXPERTS PONDER the probable hardware costs of running Microsoft Vista--some estimate that Vista-capable systems will cost as much as $2,500--Cyberpower has quietly included Vista Home Premium in its Gamer Infinity 7500. There's no need to...

Nikon D40: an affordable dSLR for casual users who want more control.(REVIEWS: THE LATEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PRODUCTS)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... NIKON'S NEW D40 aims squarely at point-and-shoot photographers who want to graduate to the feature-rich world of digital single-lens-reflex (dSLR) cameras. Though the D40 is Nikon's smallest and lightest dSLR, it comes packed with the same...

Dell XPS 710: quad-core performance isn't quite good enough.(REVIEWS: DESKTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... ANYONE SPENDING thousands of dollars on a gaming PC has a right to expect a cutting-edge system. By that standard, the Dell XPS 710 doesn't fully deliver. The system supports Intel's Core 2 Extreme QX6700, the first quad-core CPU, which is...

PC Club Enpower Velocity 05 SLI: graphics--and design--define solid gaming PC.(REVIEWS: DESKTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... NOT ALL GAMERS will want a blue-and-pink fighting robot decorating their desktop, but we like the one on PC Club's Enpower Velocity 05 SLI. We've certainly seen worse robot motifs on a PC case. There's more to like under the hood. Our...

HP Pavilion Media Center TV m7690n PC: HD DVD playback in an affordable desktop.(REVIEWS: DESKTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... IF YOU'RE ANXIOUS to step into the high-definition (HD) future, Hewlett-Packard's Pavilion Media Center TV m7690n PC makes the move relatively easy. The $1,649 desktop delivers HD DVD playback, along with other home theater features. The...

Acer Aspire L310: small package houses good parts, but lacks full Vista capability.(REVIEWS: DESKTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... IF YOU HAVE NO INTENTION of upgrading to Windows Vista and simply want a small PC for playing standard-definition video and maybe even serving up music across a network, the $849 Aspire L310 is a compelling and affordable deal. Its Core 2...

Sony VAIO VGN-TXN15P/W: tiny ultraportable has record-breaking battery life.(REVIEWS: LAPTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... ONE OF THE BEST ULTRAPORTABLES on the market, the well-designed Sony VAIO VGN-TXN15P/W provides business users with a thorough feature set and record-breaking battery life--but at a high price. Weighing 2.8 pounds, the $2,199 VGN-TXN15P/W...

Everex StepNote NC1500: budget laptop falls short of mainstream competition.(REVIEWS: LAPTOPS)
March 1, 2007... THE EVEREX STEPNOTE NC1500 is billed as the world's most energy-efficient notebook. It comes in under $500--thanks to its off-brand CPU--but its poor performance and meager battery life mean you should invest a little more in an Intel- or...

HP Compaq Presario V6000T: stylish laptop is highly configurable.(Laptop computers)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... THE HP COMPAQ PRESARIO V6000T can be configured as anything from a budget laptop to a pricey multimedia powerhouse. If well-equipped, it makes for a solid general-purpose laptop. At 6.7 pounds, the Vd000T is portable enough for occasional...

Asus G1: gaming notebook stands up to the competition.(REVIEWS: LAPTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... WITH STRONG GAMING FEATURES and performance, the $1,799 Asus G1 is a powerful gaming laptop ready to take on the competition. Though not as bulky as some performance laptops we've seen, the 6.8-pound G1 isn't exactly travel-friendly....

nVidia GeForce 8800 GTS: second-best graphics--for $150 less.(REVIEWS: COMPONENTS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... IF YOU FEEL THE NEED for graphics speed, you have a less expensive solution than nVidia's blazing GeForce 8800 GTX: the 8800 GTS. A slightly pared-down version of the 8800 GTX, the 8800 GTS offers much the same performance for $450, rather than...

Asus Striker Extreme: powerful but pricey gaming backbone.(REVIEWS: COMPONENTS)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... THE LATEST ENTRY in Asus' Republic of Garners motherboard line, the Striker Extreme is perfect for performance-oriented garners who spend as much time rebuilding their PCs as they do using them. The only thing that would make us think twice...

Gateway FPD2485W: great performance and loads of inputs.(REVIEWS: PERIPHERALS)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... DESPITE A LOW PRICE of $679.99, the 24-inch Gateway FPD2485W has loads of video inputs, superb image quality, easy adjustability, and a feature set bound to please gamers, videophiles, and productivity-software users alike. The FPD2485W...

Logitech Z-10: sweet-sounding speakers with cool extras.(computer speakers)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... WITH THEIR STYLISH gloss-black finish and touch-sensitive controls, Logitech's Z-10 speakers would look great on any desk, but it was their performance that really impressed us. The $149.99 duo delivered big sound for their size and are a huge...

Snapshot printers give shutterbugs instant prints: these two photo models offer convenience--but image quality is mediocre.(Epson PictureMate Pal, Lexmark P350 Portable Photo Printer)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... IF YOU ARE CONSTANTLY printing photos to share with friends and family, consider buying a dedicated snapshot printer. These small machines are compact and portable, and they can print on glossy and matte paper in a variety of small sizes. We...

Maxtor Fusion 500GB: a network drive designed for sharing media.(REVIEWS: HOME NETWORKING)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... IF YOU'RE SHOPPING for a robust network-attached-storage (NAS) drive that lets you store, organize, and share various file types--photos, music, videos, or documents--check out the Maxtor Fusion 500GB. We love this product, even though its...

Asus WL-700gE: wireless router hobbled by tough setup.(REVIEWS: HOME NETWORKING)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... FOR MOST HOME USERS, the Asus WL-700gE is just too confusing, with a mind-boggling array of features and a complicated setup process. But this wireless router, which has 160GB or 250GB of network-attached storage built in, may be just what you...

Olympus Stylus 1000: slow performance mars 10-megapixel shooter.(REVIEWS: DIGITAL CAMERAS)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... THE $399.99 STYLUS 1000 is a compact point-and-shoot that offers high-resolution images. It's hindered by image-noise issues and slow performance, however, when used in low light. The camera's sturdy metal body has a wedge shape, making it...

Leica D-Lux 3: a solid, pricey pocket camera for enthusiasts.(digital cameras)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... AT 7.6 OUNCES, the metal-clad, solidly built D-Lux 3 is no lightweight--nor, at $599, is it light on your pocketbook. But if you're looking for a compact camera with manual controls that fits more comfortably in your jacket pocket than the...

Palm Treo 680: colorful smartphone offers good features for the price.(REVIEWS: CONSUMER TECH)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... WITH USER-FRIENDLY FEATURES and an affordable price, the Palm Treo 680 is a good smartphone for first-time buyers. We just wish it had Wi-Fi support and a better built-in camera. The graphite model is available from Cingular for $199.99 when...

LG enV VX9900: despite design quirks, a solid messaging-centric phone.(Wireless telephones)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... ITS DESIGN ISN'T PERFECT, but the LG enVVX9900 is nonetheless a solid choice for messaging and multimedia addicts. It's available from Verizon for $149.99 when bought with a two-year service agreement. Measuring 4.6x2.1x0.8 inches, the boxy...

Microsoft Office 2007: beautiful-looking but spotty update is not quite a must-have--yet.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... OFFICE 2007, THE NEWEST VERSION of Microsoft's venerable productivity suite, is the slickest, most attractive yet. Its clean, contemporary look and subdued color scheme are as welcome for Office as Vista's new look is for Windows. But the...

Corel Paint Shop Pro Photo XI: feature-rich image editor for amateur photogs.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... COREL PAINT SHOP PRO (PSP) Photo XI offers a wealth of photo-editing and -organizing tools wrapped around an engaging interface. Although it doesn't have all the power of Adobe Photoshop CS2, the $99.99 PSP also doesn't share Photoshop's $650...

TurboTax Deluxe Deduction Maximizer: superb tax software demystifies deductions.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... IF YOU'VE hesitated to try a tax program because you're worried it would miss a money-saving deduction, then Intuit's TurboTax Deluxe Deduction Maximizer (DDM) is for you. It delivers the same interview-driven interface and excellent tax prep...

Top 5 media center desktops: these entertainment PCs are fit for your living room.(HP Pavilion Slimline S7600E)(Shuttle XPC X100)(WinBook Jiv Mini)(HP Pavilion A1640N)(Apple Mac mini)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... 1 HP SLIMLINE PAVILION $7600E * www.hp.com $944.99 (as tested) EDITOR'S RATING 8.2 [check] SPECS * 2GHz Athlon 64 X2 3800+ * 1GB DDR2 memory * 250GB hard drive * Double-layer DVD [+ or -] RW drive * Integrated...

Top 5 ultraportable laptops: superlight notebooks for users on the move.(Lenovo ThinkPad X60s Ultralight)(Asus S6F)(Sony VAIO VGN-TXN15P/W)(Fujitsu Lifebook Q2010)(Dell Latitude D420 )(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... 1 LENOVO THINKPAD X60S ULTRALIGHT www.lenovo.com $1,470 (as tested) EDITOR'S RATING 8.4 [check] SPECS * 1.67GHz Core Duo L2400 * 512MB DDR2 memory * 80GB hard drive * No optical drive * Integrated graphics *...

Top 5 NAS drives: save and share files with one of these network-attached-storage devices.(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... 1 HP MEDIA VAULT MV2020 www.hp.com $499.99 EDITOR'S RATING 7.8 SPECS * 500CB capacity * 7,200rpm spin rate * 8MB cache * Three USB ports * 11.3 pounds BOTTOM LINE Besides storing all your digital data, HP's...

Top 5 flash-based MP3 players: these feature-loaded players are small enough for a shirt pocket.(Apple iPod Nano)(Iriver Clix)(Samsung YP-T9)(Creative Zen V Plus)(SanDisk Sansa e200R Series)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... IRIVER CLIX www.iriveramerica.com $169.99 EDITORS' RATING 8.7 [check] SPECS * 2GB capacity * ASF, MP3, OGG, WMA, WMA DRM support * 2.2-inch color display * FM tuner * 2.6 ounces BOTTOM LINE This tiny,...

Top 5 DVD and video-editing software: let these programs tackle your digital video projects.(Roxio Toast Titanium 7.0)(Avanquest PodMediaCreator)(Nero Ultra Edition 7.0)(Roxio Popcorn 2.0)(Pinnacle Studio Plus 10.0)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... 1 ROXIO TOAST TITANIUM 7 www.roxio.com $99.99 EDITORS' RATING 8.0 [check] SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS * PowerPC G4 or faster * 300MB hard drive space * Mac OS X 10.3.9 or later BOTTOM LINE A must-have for Mac users, the...

Build your own budget gaming rig: how to buy & assemble the right components & peripherals for less than $2,500.(Cover story)
March 1, 2007... AS A TECH-LOVER, you know it's easy to pick up some expensive hobbies. Fortunately, computer gaming doesn't have to be one of them. Although the games themselves are relatively cheap, the hardware required to run them becomes increasingly...

Top 25 upgrades under $100: add power, pizzazz, ports, and more to your PC--without spending a lot.
March 1, 2007... YOU PROBABLY DON'T HAVE $5,000 to spend on a new hotshot desktop, but that doesn't mean you have to use that four-year-old Pentium III clunker as-is for the foreseeable future. Here's how to upgrade that desktop without sending your...

Wide panels, slim prices: you don't need to spend a bundle to get a wide-screen LCD monitor. These five 19- and 20-inch displays give you lots of screen real estate at budget prices.(ViewSonic VX1945wm ViewDock)(NEC MultiSync LCD195WVXM)(NEC MultiSync LCD195WVXM)(Dell E207WFP)(Gateway FPD1975W)(Product/service evaluation)
March 1, 2007... NOT LONG AGO, you needed to have a fat wallet to get an LCD monitor that offered a wide-screen (16-to-9 aspect ratio) view instead of a conventional 4-to-3 display. But the wide view is becoming more popular as people get used to...

Budget backup.(Microsoft Windows XP)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Is it possible to automatically copy directories and subdirectories on a daily basis to a network drive under Windows XP? Kevin Loughlin If you're comfortable using the Windows command line, the XCOPY command is a simple way to back up...

Moving on up.(AlohaBob PC Relocator Ultra Control )(data transfer)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Without reinstalling everything, how do I copy my old computer's data and applications to my new computer? The new system has a Serial ATA drive, but the old one has an IDE drive, and even when I plug the old drive into the IDE connector on the...

Switching to a fat pipe.(COMPUTER CURES)(dial-up Internet to digital subscriber line)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... I am considering upgrading my dial-up Internet service to DSL. Before I make the switch, however, what additional security do I need for a DSL connection? I plan to share the connection among three computers. Hillel Cohen The big...

Laptop goes mute.(COMPUTER CURES)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... The audio on my Windows 98 laptop has stopped working, and I no longer can listen to my favorite podcast. I have a limited income, so I'd welcome the least-expensive solutions you can suggest. Alice White The first step is to figure...

From hot wax to cool CDs.(computer services)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... Can you recommend a service that can convert 33rpm records into CDs and/or MP3 files? Phoebe Cohen Many companies will perform this type of conversion, typically for about $20 per record. (Search on the phrase "LP convert service" in...

My favorite wi-fi.(installation of wireless network on Windows XP laptop)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... How do I make my wireless network the default choice on my Windows XP laptop? When I power on the computer, it sometimes connects to my neighbor's wireless network instead. Andy Kray The next time you start your laptop at home,...

Tip of the month: get the CDs.(HELP & HOW-TO: TIPS AND TRICKS TO MAKE TECH EASIER)(backup solution)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... The worst time to discover that you don't have backups of your data and programs is after you've lost them. But what about your Windows operating system? You got a copy of that when you bought your computer--or did you? This month's tipster has...

Prep your PC for Vista: getting ready for Windows Vista? Follow these steps before you pop in that upgrade disc.(Microsoft Windows Vista)
March 1, 2007... MICROSOFT WINDOWS VISTA, the long-awaited successor to Windows XP, is finally here--but is your system ready for it? If you own an older PC, chances are it falls short of the hardware requirements you'll need to enjoy the new OS in all its...

Air: right there.(Build Your Own: NEW PRODUCTS & TIPS FOR BUILDING A CUSTOM PC)
March 1, 2007... Motherboard got a hot spot? Antec's $19.95 Spot Cool brings relief right where it's needed. A fan attached to the end of an adjustable arm, the Spot Cool is powered by a motherboard fan connector. (The fan also tilts sideways within its frame.)...

Get HD-happy.(Build Your Own: NEW PRODUCTS & TIPS FOR BUILDING A CUSTOM PC)
March 1, 2007... New times require new forms of video capture. The $179.99 AVerMedia AVerTVHD Combo PCI-E TV-tuner/capture card (a PCI Express x1 card) lets you view standard or over-the-air high-definition television (HDTV) programming or unencrypted digital...

NAS on a shoestring.(Build Your Own: NEW PRODUCTS & TIPS FOR BUILDING A CUSTOM PC)
March 1, 2007... If you have a spare IDE hard drive gathering dust, it and $73.99 will get you a home-brewed network-attached-storage (NAS) drive. The budget-price Vantec NexStar LX lets you turn that drive into an Ethernet-attached file server for your home...

Water-cooled without worries.(Build Your Own: NEW PRODUCTS & TIPS FOR BUILDING A CUSTOM PC)
March 1, 2007... If you're cranking your processor past its factory settings, coddling it with efficient water-cooling need not vacuum out your bank account. CoolIT's $199 Eliminator is a self-contained, ready-assembled CPU water-cooling system for tower-style...

Nano cooler.
March 1, 2007... We've never seen water-cooling on a microscopic scale like this. The $40 Celsia Iceon1000C CPU cooler looks like a standard (if smartly designed) fan-and-heat-sink CPU cooler for Intel LGA775 chips. The science behind it is the critical...

Gigabytes galore.(Build Your Own: NEW PRODUCTS & TIPS FOR BUILDING A CUSTOM PC)
March 1, 2007... Another hard drive milestone recedes into the rearview with the $399 Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000. The first one-terabyte (1TB) desktop-PC hard drive, this 3.5-inch drive spins at 7,200rpm and features a 3Gbps Serial ATA interface, as well as 32MB...

Serial ATA hard drive.(INSTALL IT NOW)(Brief article)
March 1, 2007... 1 CHECK COMPATIBILITY. PCs more than a year or two old employ old-school IDE drives-they won't support Serial ATA (SATA) drives unless a SATA PCI card is installed. Recent desktops should support both types, however. Before buying your drive,...

Performance desktops ($1,500 and higher).(personal computers)(Buyers guide)
March 1, 2007... NEED TO KNOW PROCESSOR Power users need the best. Go with a top-notch Intel or AMD processor, such as the AMD Athlon 64 FX or X2 series, or Intel's Core 2 Duo or Core 2 Extreme. You'll have maximum power and the best protection possible...

Motherboards.(TECHMARKET: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMART TECHNOLOGY SHOPPING)
March 1, 2007... NEED TO KNOW FORM FACTOR The form factor sets the standard for a motherboard's dimensions, as well as the positioning of mounting holes and expansion slots; your case must support the form factor of the board you choose. Most of today's...

Performance graphics cards ($299 and higher).(Display adapters)(Buyers guide)
March 1, 2007... NEED TO KNOW MEMORY When it comes to graphics memory, you can never have too much, especially if you're a hard-core gamer. More RAM means better performance, improved 3D texturing, and higher display resolutions. If you're an avid gamer...

Internal hard drives.(TECHMARKET: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMART TECHNOLOGY SHOPPING)
March 1, 2007... NEED TO KNOW INSTALLATION Internal hard drives are fairly easy to install. If you're adding a second IDE drive to a cable, make sure you set the jumper to "slave." If you're replacing an old drive, create a boot disk first. Position the...

The right multifunction printer: multifunction printers (MFPs) combine copier, scanner, printer, and, sometimes, fax functions into one versatile device ideal for home offices or small businesses. Here's how to pick the right one for the job.(HELP & HOW-TO: BUYING BASICS: HOW TO BUY)
March 1, 2007... SHOPPING SPECS LASER VERSUS INKJET Like other printers, MFPs are available using either laser or inkjet printing technologies. Laser MFPs generally offer crisper text output and faster print speeds, but they are usually more expensive....