Computer Shopper articles from May 2005

Computer Shopper archives from May 2005

Editor's Note.(Editorial)
May 1, 2005... MY MOTHER RAISED ME to believe that you get what you pay for. Call me a skeptic, but offer me something for free and I automatically assume it's not worth paying for. One reason why I am such a huge fan of our annual list of the 50 best...

Volume control.(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... Your Tune-Up ("The Sound of Silence," March. p. 100) omitted a key technique for reducing PC noise. Most hard drives today support Automatic Acoustic Management (AAM), which controls how aggressively the hard drive's seeking mechanism operates....

Smart shopper.(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... I'm not the type who writes letters to magazines, but this is the first time an article actually helped me save money, so I wanted to thank you ("25 Ways to Shop Like a Pro," March, p. 92). All the tips here are great, but number 17 was the one...

Photo finished.(Letter to the Editor)
May 1, 2005... I just had dealings with two of the companies Nancy Feldman mentioned in her "Consumer Alert" column ("E-Tailers With Multiple Identities," March, p. 107). She said that IBuyDigital.com is related to four other companies, including MP...

AMD, Intel hope to boost PC speed with dual-core chips.(TRENDS: UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... DUAL-CORE CHIPS for desktop PCs are getting a double endorsement from both Advanced Micro Devices and Intel. Intel's dual-core chips for the desktop market, codenamed Smithfield, will appear in the second quarter of 2005. Smithfield, which...

Ntera.(nanochromics display technology)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Ntera has created a new technology that gives monochrome LCD panels a stark white background that makes text readable from almost any angle. Unlike current monochrome LCD screens, which produce shades-of-gray text and images that can only...

Holographic disc could store dozens of films.(TRENDS: UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Hundreds of movies on an optical disc? That's the goal of the Holographic Versatile Disc [HVD] Alliance. Six companies, including Fuji Photo Film, have formed a consortium to promote HVD technology, which will let consumers conceivably put...

Help needs help.(TRENDS: UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS)
May 1, 2005... CNET User's Five Biggest Gripes About Tech Support 1 Can't understand what support reps are saying 2 Being put on hold 3 Bad advice 4 Reps don't seem to listen 5 No reply to e-mail queries Source: CNET

Hybrid cameras focus on stills and video.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... CAMERA MAKERS are trying to develop cameras that won't make you choose between shooting video or stills. Hybrid cameras, which can capture W-quality video or high-resolution photographs--or both at the same time--have emerged as a goal for...

Shhhh ... computing's silent revolution.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... ONCE A MINOR annoyance, noise from PCs has become a larger concern, as more-powerful computers require stronger and often noisier cooling systems--especially with PCs moving out of the office and into living rooms and bedrooms. The quest...

Splintered 'Cell' for PlayStation 3.(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The chip that will run the next version of the PlayStation video-game console will have nine processor cores and run faster than 6GHz, its designers have revealed. Sony, IBM, and Toshiba have been working on the so-called Cell chip for...

PC fastback.(Asus Vento 3600 PC case)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Looking like a cross between a Formula One race car and a robot troop-transport ship, the $159 Asus Vento 3600 PC case is far from ordinary. Available in red, green, and blue, this wildly styled ATX mid-tower features multiple air ducts for...

Palmtop studio.(JVC Everio GZ-MC500, camcorder)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The $1,799 Everio GZ-MC500 camcorder from JVC offers an uncanny degree of video capability in a compact size. Weighing just 14.1 ounces, this three-CCD camera shoots DVD-quality MPEG-2 video or 5-megapixel still images that it stores on an...

A sweeter BlackBerry.(Research in Motion Blackberry 7100g, Personal digital assistant)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... The sleek new $249.99 BlackBerry 7100g from Research In Motion is similar to the company's 7100t model but is designed specifically for Cingular Wireless. As a GSM world phone, the 7100g can operate on global cellular networks, supports...

Walls of sound.(Yamaha YSP-1 Digital Sound Projector)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Now you can cut some of those cumbersome audio cords in your home theater. The $1,499 YSP-1 Digital Sound Projector from Yamaha relies solely on its slim bank of 40 drivers and two subwoofers to bounce waves of sound off living-room walls and...

Run silent, run fast.(silent personal computers power supplies)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Proving that power doesn't have to be annoyingly loud, Antec pumps more juice into its line of silent PC power supplies. The new $200 Phantom 500 relies on low-speed, temperature-sensitive fans to run quietly while still providing a hefty 500...

Unleash your iPod.(Bluetake i-PHONO Bluetooth Hi-Fi Sports Headphone Kit)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... Bluetake's $195.95 BT420EX Bluetooth Hi-Fi Sports Headphone Kit allows you to listen to stereo audio from portable audio devices over a wireless Bluetooth connection via a special dongle. Even better, when paired with a compatible cell phone,...

Alienware DHS-2 Media Center: A/V-rack-friendly entertainer delivers on power and price.(Computer entertainment systems)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... DESIGNED FOR THE LIVING ROOM, the Alienware DHS-2 Media Center improves on its forebear, the DHS-5, with a faster processor, a bigger hard drive, and a few additional enhancements. Best of all, at $1,886, it's a better deal. The...

Canon PowerShot G6: full-featured 7-megapixel camera for enthusiasts.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... A MODEST UPDATE to the PowerShot G5, Carton's $699.99 7.1-megapixel PowerShot G6 faithfully follows in the footsteps of previous G-series models. With a powerful, enthusiast-oriented feature set and very solid photo quality, it gets most of the...

ABS Ultimate M6: two graphics cards boost 3D power.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... USING NVIDIA'S NFORCE SLI chipset, the ABS Ultimate M6 commands two graphics cards for increased gaming performance. For such a powerful PC, however, our test system was reasonably priced at $3,199 (without monitor or speakers). For graphics...

PC Club Enpower Silencer: small PC lives up to its name.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... TINY, QUIET, AND COOL--thanks to its Pentium M mobile CPU--the $2,399 PC Club Enpower Silencer is a stylish box that's ready for almost anything. Notebook processors typically underperform their desktop equivalents because of the...

Cyberpower Gamer Infinity 9900 Pro.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... Whenever a new processor comes along, we're always anxious to get a system in our hands to test it out. This time around, it's Intel's 6xx series, specifically the 3.6GHz Pentium 4 660, and Cyberpower was first to get us one. Upside: The...

WinBook PowerSpec 8344: extraordinary price, ordinary specs.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... AS YOU'D EXPECT, WinBook's $579.98 PowerSpec 8344 is a no-frills PC, suitable for little more than basic computing tasks such as e-mail and Web surfing. And like most budget PCs, the 8344 forces its share of compromises. For starters,...

MPC Millennia 940i Dream Machine: tame looks don't hint at the beast inside.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... YOU WON'T MISTAKE MPC's Millennia 940i Dream Machine for a boutique gaming box--the plain-looking blue-and-gray tower lacks all flash. Inside, though, the desktop is loaded with nearly everything you'll need for creating and editing multimedia...

Dell Latitude D610: executive-class and well-protected.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... THE DELL LATITUDE D610 looks nearly indistinguishable from the Latitude D600 model it replaces, but it now features a handful of improvements and new advanced components. Our pricey $1,993 test model featured a 14.1-inch display with a...

Gigabyte G-Max N411 Zenbook: a motherboard maker goes mobile.(NOTEBOOKS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... MOTHERBOARD BUILDER Gigabyte has jumped into the notebook fray with its stylish G-Max N411 Zenbook. The unit features solid components and impressive performance, but at a steep price. Our $1,899 N411 test model came with a 1.7GHz Pentium M...

Portable One MX: power wrapped in carbon fiber.(NOTEBOOKS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... THE $1,898 Portable One MX offers great portability and features at a competitive price, especially when you consider it's encased in carbon fiber. Our test system came configured with a 1.8GHz Pentium M 745 processor with 2MB of L2 cache,...

Averatec C3500: hefty convertible is stylish but sluggish.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... ABLE TO CONVERT from a laptop to a Tablet PC on the fly, the $1,349 Averatec C3500 is affordable, good-looking, and versatile, but not very fast. Our test model featured a modest 1.67GHz Athlon XP-M 2200+ processor, 512MB of RAM, and a...

HP Compaq NC8230.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... Powered by Intel's next-generation Centrino platform, codenamed Sonoma, the HP Compaq NC8230 desktop-replacement notebook is designed for the business set. It features a slim profile, lots of screen space, and a three-year standard warranty....

Lexar JumpDrive TouchGuard: flash drive puts passwords under your thumb.(COMPONENTS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... LEXAR GIVES NEW MEANING to the term "thumb drive" with the $79.99 JumpDrive TouchGuard, a USB flash drive that incorporates a fingerprint scanner for protecting documents and sensitive Web-site login information. The TouchGuard lets you...

Asus DRW-1604P: double-layer drive stumbles with singles.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... THE $89 ASUS DRW-1604P burns double-layer media with aplomb, but sluggish single-layer-burning performance overshadows its best asset. The DRVGI604P's most impressive spec is its 4x double-layer DVD burn speed. (You can find 5x drives, but...

LaCie Ethernet Disk Mini.(FIRST TAKE)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... First Take LaCie's Ethernet Disk Mini is a cross-platform drive you can attach to a home network via Ethernet for file sharing, or connect to a single PC via USB. It's priced at $299 for a 250GB version and $499 for a 400GB model. Pricing was...

LaCie 321 monitor: a pricey LCD that rivals most CRTs.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... EDITORS' CHOICE LACIE'S 321 MONITOR is one of the best-performing LCDs we've reviewed. The 21.3-inch display dazzled us in lab and real-world tests. It's designed for graphics professionals and is priced accordingly at $1,599. ...

Dell UltraSharp 2005FPW: wide-screen LCD offers ample ports, adjustability.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... PART OF A GROWING FAMILY of wide-screen LCDs, Dell's $749 UltraSharp 2005FPW is perfect for juggling multiple windows or working with wide documents and spreadsheets. The 20.1-inch 2005FPW has a 16-to-10 aspect ratio as well as...

LG Flatron L1980U.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... LG's wafer-thin Flatron L1980U is a stylish, highly flexible 19-inch LCD that's sure to please those who can afford its $795 price. Upside: This LCD will bend over backward for you--literally. Its double-hinged arm enables it to flip back...

Epson Perfection 4990 Photo: near-pro scanning at an amateur-level price.(PRINTERS/SCANNERS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... EPSON'S $449 PERFECTION 4990 Photo flatbed scanner may not rival the results of a dedicated film scanner, but it offers a versatile, inexpensive way to produce high-quality photo and film scans. The 4990's optical density, a measure of the...

Dell Photo All-in-One Printer 962: array of features yields a bargain MFP.(PRINTERS/SCANNERS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... DELL'S PHOTO All-In-One Printer 962 wraps color printing, copying, and scanning into a well-designed unit, and packs unusual features for a $179 multifunction, including a 50-sheet document feeder, full fax capabilities, and a PictBridge port....

Lexmark T430.(FIRST TAKE)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... If you need a printer that spits out black-and-white pages in a hurry, the Lexmark T430 could be just the one you're looking for. Lexmark claims this expandable, fairly priced laser produces an impressive 32 text pages per minute (ppm), a...

Netgear Double 108 Mbps Wireless Firewall Router (WGU624): dual-band router turns a double play.(HOME NETWORKING)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... NETGEAR HAS DESIGNED its $129 Double 108 Mbps Wireless Firewall Router (WGU624) as a workaround to poky Wi-Fi networks by incorporating 5GHz 802.11a and 2.4GHz 802.11b/g support into the device, allowing you to send data in two separate radio...

Buffalo AirStation 125* High-Speed Mode Wireless Secure Remote Gateway (WZR-RS-G54): secure, if not fast, VPN server.(virtual private networks)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... BUFFALO'S $199 AirStation 125* High-Speed Mode Wireless Secure Remote Gateway (WZR-RS-G54) comes equipped with a built-in four-port Ethernet switch, an integrated 802.11g access point, virtual-private-network (VPN) server features, and software...

Sierra Wireless AirCard 775: high-speed data around the globe.(MOBILE PRODUCTS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... DESIGNED FOR mobile professionals who think on their feet and work on the go, Sierra Wireless' $199.99 (before a $150 rebate) AirCard 775 provides speedy wireless Internet access in places you'd only expect a world phone to travel. Able to...

Jabra BT800: hands-free chat gains Caller ID.(MOBILE PRODUCTS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... WHILE ALL Bluetooth headsets offer basic hands-free operation, the $149.99 Jabra BT800 takes the functionality one step further. Equipped with a small, backlit monochrome LCD, the BT800 shows Caller ID information and lets you browse...

Fossil Wrist PDA FX2008: innovative timepiece is awfully trying.(MOBILE PRODUCTS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... ALTHOUGH THE $249 Fossil Wrist PDA FX2008's PDA capabilities are robust, this device's design isn't ready for prime time. Running Palm OS 4.1 and equipped with a 66MHz Motorola DragonBall Super VZ CPU and 8MB of RAM, the Wrist PDA will run...

Nikon Coolpix 8800: 8-megapixel shooter brings the noise.(DIGITAL CAMERAS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... NIKON'S $999.95 replacement for the Coolpix 8700, the 8-megapixel Coolpix 8800 features a longer zoom lens (10x versus 8x), an improved design, and a stronger battery. At a little more than 1.5 pounds with a chunky 4.6x3.3x4.8-inch,...

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-P150: a small camera with an even smaller feature set.(DIGITAL CAMERAS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... SONY CRAMS 7.2 megapixels into the compact $449.95 Cyber-shot DSC-P150, which delivers pleasing photo quality, great performance, and outstanding battery life but none of the extras found in other, similarly priced 7-megapixel models. This...

Kodak EasyShare CX7330: snapshooter keeps it simple.(DIGITAL CAMERAS)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... WITH ITS uncomplicated features and foolproof photosharing system, Eastman Kodak's $149.95 3.3-megapixel EasyShare CX7330 breaks down most of the barriers faced by digital newcomers. A bit too bulky to be pocketable, the CX7330 is still...

Apple iPod Shuffle: sleek design is a little too minimal.(DIGITAL AUDIO)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... WHILE OTHER companies are packing their flash players with features, Apple has created a device in its new iPod Shuffle that stands on two concepts: affordability and simplicity. For $99, you can get a Shuffle with 512MB of memory; the 1GB...

Dell Pocket DJ: a solid, if unspectacular, 5GB player.(DIGITAL AUDIO)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... IT HAS NEITHER the sex appeal of the Apple iPod Mini nor the features of the Creative Zen Micro, but the $199 Dell Pocket DJ is a solid, highly portable, easy-to-use MP3 player at a great price. Dell has refined the interface on its...

Sony MDR-EX71SL Fontopia headphones: a snug sonic fit.(DIGITAL AUDIO)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... SONY ELECTRONICS' $49.99 MDR-EX71SL is one of a rare breed: a standout set of earbud headphones. This set demolishes the low-cost competition by delivering solid sonics and a highly comfortable fit. Plus, you get a choice of black or iPod...

Epson Livingstation LS57P2: a photo-friendly LCD rear-projection HDTV.(DIGITAL LIVING)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... EPSON'S $3,399 Livingstation LS57P2, a 57-inch LCD-based rear-projection high-definition television (HDTV), differentiates itself from the flat-panel pack by including a built-in photo printer and a CD writer for viewing, printing, accessing,...

Philips Streamium SL300i: set your media in motion.(DIGITAL LIVING)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... PHILIPS' $299 Streamium SL300i is a digital media receiver that streams audio, image, and video files from your PC's hard drive and the Internet to your home entertainment system via built-in Ethernet or 802.11g wireless networking. The...

HP EP7120 Home Cinema Digital Projector: a stylish, simple image projector.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... HEWLETT-PACKARD'S $2,499 EP7120 Home Cinema Digital Projector is an attractive, easy-to-use Digital Light Processing (DLP) device that outputs a decent image without much fuss. The EP7120 uses a 1,024x768-native-resolution DLP chip. It...

Acronis True Image 8.0: other disk-imaging apps don't stand a ghost of a chance.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... EDITOR'S CHOICE THE $49.99 ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE 8.0 is a speedy, powerful disk-imaging utility that copies the entire contents of your hard drive--data and operating-system files, personalized settings, and so on--onto another disk or disk...

EverNote, Microsoft Office OneNote 2003: two applications vie to simplify your PC note-taking.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... IF YOU FIND A CONVENTIONAL word processor too rigid for collecting and storing your digitized information, consider one of these programs. Your note-taking will be changed forever. EVERNOTE (BETA) EverNote, a free beta release at press...

LucidLink Home Office Edition: enterprise-level wireless security for beginners.(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... SETTING UP STRONG wireless network security is hard. Many users simply enable Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) encryption, or, worse, turn off standard wireless security entirely. But now, Interlink Networks' $99 LucidLink Home Office Edition...

Wi-Fi Defense: putting a pretty face on Wi-Fi security.(SOFTWARE)
May 1, 2005... THE APPEAL OF PRODUCTS like OTO Software's Wi-Fi Defense is enormous. Setting up a Wi-Fi network lets you get online from anywhere in your home or office, but it may mean your neighbors can access your network, too. This $29.95 app provides an...

QuickBooks Premier Edition 2005: plenty for newbies, little for upgraders.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... DON'T GET US WRONG: QuickBooks Premier Edition 2005 is a terrific business accounting app. It's packed with high-end analytical tools, and it also provides plenty of tutorials and wizards for bookkeeping boneheads. The problem is that the...

DeviceLock 5.7: lock down your ports and drives.(SOFTWARE)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... SMARTLINE'S DEVICELOCK 5.7 ($35 per license) gives administrators the ability to lock down ports, network connections, and drives on multiple PCs from a single interface. The interface isn't fancy, but controlling access is a simple...

Steganos Security Suite 7: strong data encryption for the privacy-conscious.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... EDITORS' CHOICE IF YOU HANDLE home or small-business finances, or develop intellectual property worth stealing, you need Steganos' $59.95 Security Suite 7. The package allows you to secure the data on your hard drive and wipe out that data...

Apple Mac Mini.(SECOND OPINION: FEEDBACK FROM READERS WHO BUY AND USE THE PRODUCTS WE REVIEW)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... PRICE: $499 www.apple.com REVIEWED: April 2005, p. 26 WE SAID... EDITORS' RATING: 7.2 PROS: Sub-$500 Mac; extremely compact; whisper-quiet; includes iLife '05 CONS: Just 256MB RAM; no keyboard, mouse, speakers;...

Dell Inspiron 9200.(SECOND OPINION: FEEDBACK FROM READERS WHO BUY AND USE THE PRODUCTS WE REVIEW)(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... PRICE: $2,700 www.dell.com REVIEWED: April 2005, p. 30 WE SAID... EDITORS' RATING: 8.3 [A] PROS: 17-inch wide-screen display; capable performance;manageable weight; double-layer DVD burner CONS: No integrated TV...

Palmone Treo 650 Smartphone.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... PRICE: $599 www.palmone.com REVIEWED: April 2005, p. 48 WE SAID... EDITORS' RATING: 8.3 PROS: Display, keyboard, processor improved over Treo 600; integrated Bluetooth; speakerphone; Exchange e-mail support CONS:...

Olympus C-7000 zoom.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
May 1, 2005... PRICE: $599.99 www.olympusamerica.com REVIEWED: April 2005, p. 50 WE SAID... EDITORS' RATING: 6.8 PROS: 5x optical zoom; full range of manual controls CONS: Significant shutter lag in low-light conditions; JPEG...

Top 25.(computer peripherals)
May 1, 2005... Top 25 Computer Shopper editors handpick this month's best desktops, notebooks, speakers, routers, and home-PC software MAINSTREAM DESKTOPS >> These machines are well-configured but won't break the bank. PRODUCT ...

The freeware: 50 great programs that give you something for nothing.(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... SOMETIMES THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE. And to prove that old adage, we present you with 50 great downloads that not only cost nothing, but offer some of the best ways to improve your computing life. From new games to venerable...

Laptop lowdown: 25 things you need to know to buy the perfect notebook.
May 1, 2005... AS NOTEBOOK COMPONENTS KEEP IMPROVING, today's powerful laptops can go keyboard to keyboard with many full-size desktops. This may be good news for buyers, but it complicates the selection process. Sure, you want bleeding-edge technology, but...

Fast fixes: for pesky PC problems: we've got the answers to your most troublesome digital dilemmas.
May 1, 2005... HIJACKED WEB BROWSERS, slow bootups, lost shortcuts, choppy Video--sometimes it's enough to make you want to toss your PC out the nearest window. Fortunately, help is at hand. We've gathered 10 easy, inexpensive solutions for these and other...

Picture imperfect.(way to access image files)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... I had a Windows 98 computer with Adobe PhotoDeluxe installed, and I used it to edit my digital photos. I copied all my image files onto CD before switching to a new PC running Windows XR The old system opened all these files, while the PC opens...

Substandard silicon?(analysis on microprocessor)
May 1, 2005... Is it true that a Celeron processor is just a Pentium 4 CPU that doesn't meet Pentium 4 standards? I've heard that one of the buses isn't right. I know that back in the day, a 486SX chip was just a 486DX with the math coprocessor disabled...

To upgrade or not.(way to upgrade a processor )
May 1, 2005... I have an old Pentium system on which I run CAD software, and I'd like to upgrade the CPU. I think it would be best to start with a new motherboard to match the new processor, but I'm concerned about what's involved in such a project. Could I...

Different drivers, separate drives.(ways to partition the hard drive )(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... I recently decided to build my own PC, and I want to partition the hard drive into three parts. This will let me install a copy of Windows XP on each of two of the partitions, and leave the third for documents and music files that can be...

Tip of the month: thumbs up for USB flash drives.(universal serial bus )
May 1, 2005... Do you suffer from downloader's regret? Do you grab all sorts of apps off the Web, only to discover later that you don't want to install them? Or do you hate that they leave behind all sorts of unnecessary files to litter your hard drive? This...

Enlist a personal private eye: monitor your home from afar with a Wi-Fi Webcam.(HARDWARE)
May 1, 2005... NETWORK WEB CAMERAS that include a built-in Web server are no longer exclusively the playthings of the IT set. As more homes add Wi-Fi networks, these "IP cams" are fast becoming handy add-on devices for average consumers. Often marketed as...

Vinyl resurrection: turn those dusty LPs and cassettes into digital media files.(SOFTWARE)
May 1, 2005... LET'S PLAY A word-association game. If we say "Ozzy Osbourne" and you say "Black Sabbath," chances are there's a crateful of treasured vinyl somewhere among your possessions. Those LPs may be classics to you, but they're out of place in...

Printouts under the palms: an accountant seeks a portable printer to tag along on her annual Hawaiian vacation.(BUYING ADVISOR)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... MOST OF US would be thrilled to hit the beach in Maul for a month and leave our tech troubles back in the lower 48. But for reader Kay Cardente, it was the thick of tax season, and time really was money. "I've got a month on Maul, but I...

Say no to software sales scams.(awareness from internet fraud)
May 1, 2005... EVERY FIBER of your being tells you to ignore those e-mails promising incredible deals on popular software. Nonetheless, the prices are often so great--and the pitches can look so legitimate--that you're just a tiny bit tempted. Don't give in,...

Performance desktops ($1,500 and higher).(TECHMARKET: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMART TECHNOLOGY SHOPPING)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... NEED TO KNOW PROCESSOR Power users need the best. Go with a top-notch Intel or AMD processor. You'll have maximum power and the best protection possible from system extinction. MEMORY Start with 1GB and make sure your motherboard...

Thin-and-light notebooks (4 to 7 pounds).(TECHMARKET: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMART TECHNOLOGY SHOPPING)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... NEED TO KNOW PROCESSOR Look for a model powered by Intel's Pentium M processor, which provides good battery life, strong performance, and cool running temperatures. Save a little by opting for lower clock speeds, such as 1.6GHz. Upgrade:...

Budget inkjet printers (less than $200).(TECHMARKET: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMART TECHNOLOGY SHOPPING)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... NEED TO KNOW 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,...

Hard drives.(TECHMARKET: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMART TECHNOLOGY SHOPPING)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... NEED TO KNOW INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL Internal hard drives cost less but are more difficult to install than external drives since they require opening the case. External drives, which connect via USB or FireWire ports, are more expensive but...

17-inch flat-panel displays.(TECHMARKET: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMART TECHNOLOGY SHOPPING)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... NEED TO KNOW 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...

Digital cameras (4- to 5-megapixel).(TECHMARKET: THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMART TECHNOLOGY SHOPPING)(Buyers Guide)
May 1, 2005... 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)
May 1, 2005... allstarshop.com When you wish upon Allstarshop.com, you'll find low prices on a shimmering collection of graphics cards, motherboards, and peripherals. The company provides free shipping on many items and plenty of information about each...

Wireless hardware.(WEB BUYER: THE BEST SITES FOR ONLINE SHOPPING)(Brief Article)
May 1, 2005... actiontecstore.com Actiontec's store offers unique products that can help expand your wireless network's capabilities. The Wireless Network Camera lets you monitor any part of your home, and the Wireless Multiport Print Server lets you...