Computer Shopper articles from November 2003

Computer Shopper archives from November 2003

That's digital entertainment.(from the editor in chief)
November 1, 2003... Every year, Computer Shopper editors anticipate the November issue with mixed emotions. Planning our annual Top 100 edition inspires some dread--it's a daunting task to wade through the thousands of products that have passed our desks over the...

The shape of things past.(Letters)
November 1, 2003... Your article "The Shape of Things to Come" in the August issue (p. 86) was a good read, and it's nice to see designers getting away from the boring beige-box look. But the Cybernet Zero-Footprint-PC Elite-4 should instead symbolize "the shape...

DOS saves the day.(Letters)
November 1, 2003... The data-recovery programs reviewed in the feature "The Road to Recovery" (September, p. 130) serve a useful purpose, but in some instances may be unnecessary or--at the odd hours when crashes occur--unavailable. Recently, my home machine...

More unfair software practices?(Letters)
November 1, 2003... I'm writing in response to Rik Fairlie's October column, "Computer Vendors Sell the PC but Rent the Operating System" (p. 30). I had a frustrating experience when buying a new HP PC recently. The retail salesperson did not have the software CDs...

Should we recall electronic voting?(Trends)
November 1, 2003... University researchers have delivered a serious blow to the current crop of electronic voting systems. In an analysis of one such system's source code, the researchers concluded that a voter could cast unlimited ballots without detection. ...

New 8-megapixel digicam ups resolution, color fidelity.(Trends)
November 1, 2003... Sony Electronics (www.sonystyle.com) has become the first to come out with an 8-megapixel prosumer-level digital camera. Previously, this field was the domain of the pricey digital SLR. The $1,200 Cyber-shot DSC-F828 also incorporates a filter...

TV on a PDA? Not today.(Trends)
November 1, 2003... Like MP3 players and FM radios, PDAs and TV tuners seem to be a perfect match. Most modern PDAs already have the key hardware a high-resolution color screen and stereo audio--so why not add TV reception, either through built-in circuitry or an...

New Wi-Fi technology promises better range and speed.(Trends)
November 1, 2003... Wireless networking may soon get better, faster, and simpler if multiple-antenna wireless-networking technology from startup Airgo Networks (www.airgonetworks.com) lives up to expectations. Potential customers are already testing the new...

Systems under siege: net users affected by virus or hacker attacks in the past two years.(Trends)
November 1, 2003... Almost a third of Internet users have been hit by a virus or hackers attack in the past two years, according to a recent survey conducted by public-relations firm Edelman. Respondents felt far more vulnerable on their home PCs (43 percent) than...

Flash! New memory stick gets smaller and roomier.(Trends)
November 1, 2003... In a bid to keep up with a changing market, Sony Electronics (www.sonystyle.com) has released a smaller, roomier, faster version of its removable Memory Stick flash-memory card, targeting what analysts expect will be the next major growth areas...

Printing takes on new dimension.(Trends)
November 1, 2003... Imagine a computer-controlled device that could create a vacuum-cleaner part, a toy, or an art object on demand. It may sound far-fetched, but "3D printers" that do just that are already in use. These 3D printers extrude plastic or resin...

Transmeta's new chip is no dog.(Trends)
November 1, 2003... Struggling mobile-processor manufacturer Transmeta (www.transmeta.com) is pinning comeback hopes on its latest notebook chip, the Efficeon. In addition to addressing a few performance shortfalls of some earlier Transmeta processors, the new...

Tiny hard drives big on storage.(Trends)
November 1, 2003... Manufacturers of portable hard drive technology are firing another salvo in their war against flash-media offerings. Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (www.hgst.com) is delivering a tiny 4GB hard drive to electronic device manufacturers...

Service suggests shows based on your likes.(Trends)
November 1, 2003... Users of the Netflix DVD-rental service have long enjoyed personalized movie recommendations based on their ratings of other films they've rented. The more movies they rate, the more accurate the recommendations become. The same principle...

DVD burning heats up: number of PCs sold with internal DVD recorders.(Trends)
November 1, 2003... Number of PCs sold with internal DVD recorders January-June 2002 32,297 January-June 2003 209,959 PCs with internal DVD burners are becoming hot commodities, according to a recent report from NPD Group. Sales of such...

Palm Tungsten T3.(Gear)
November 1, 2003... The upper hand: Sag hello to Palm's latest handheld, the Tungsten T3. This $399 flagship organizer, fresh off the assembly line, is the company's most powerful yet. With a familiar but more streamlined interface and features never before...

Tote more tracks.(Gear)
November 1, 2003... Digital Networks Rio Nitrus Digital Networks www.rioaudio.com tote more tracts Sculpted to slip easily into pockets and bags, the 2-ounce Rio Nitrus is small enough to pass for a standard flash-memory MP3 player. But the heart of this...

Enterprise chic.(Gear)
November 1, 2003... Ogio City Corp. Ogio www.ogio.com Get into your weekly work groove with more style than the average pencil-neck with the $70 City Corp laptop bag from Ogio. Available in fashionable silver, black, or royal-blue hues, the City Corp measures...

Tunes all around.(Gear)
November 1, 2003... Creative Labs Sound Blaster Wireless Music Creative Labs www.creativelabs.com Play all your digital audio anywhere in your home with the $249.99 Sound Blaster Wireless Music from Creative Labs. All you need is a PC, plus powered speakers...

PC rebirth.(Gear)
November 1, 2003... Kingwin KT-424-S-WM Kingwin www.kingwin.com Make your PC look cutting-edge by migrating its parts into the $116 King/win KT-424-S-WM aluminum case to create a computer with 21st-century looks and plenty of room to upgrade. This midtower ATX...

Sonic immersion.(Gear)
November 1, 2003... Altec Lansing VS4121 Altec Lansing www.altec-lansing.com Down-firing midrange drivers deliver exceptionally uniform dispersion. Need a translation? Altec Lansing's VS4121 2.1 speaker system packs tons of sound into its slim form. The...

Print and go.(Gear)
November 1, 2003... HP Photosmart 245 Photo Printer Hewlett-Packard www.hp.com If you're a shutterbug who primarily prints snapshots, take a look at Hewlett-Packard's ultracompact Photosmart Z45 Photo Printer. Although it can connect with a PC or a Mac, the...

Unearth cash for a new PC by digging up trade-in policies: purchase a new PC, and you just may get cash back for your clunker. But don't expect a windfall.(opinions)
November 1, 2003... WHEN YOU PLUNK DOWN tens of: thousands of dollars for a new car, you have the option of trading in your old dunker to ease the sticker shock (not to mention the chance to rid yourself of that unsightly wreck). Why shouldn't you have the same...

Can't decide on a DVD format? Pick a drive that has 'em all: universal drives are more than good insurance policies; they also let you choose the best format for the job.(opinions)
November 1, 2003... LAST YEAR, 1 PREDICTED DVD+R/ DVD+RW burners would overtake the competition and that the establishment of a single standard would be critical for rapid adoption. I was half-right. DVD+R/DVD+RW drives now dominate the desktop, but we still don't...

The open-source glacier will eventually crush Microsoft: the plodding advance of open-source software will someday destroy the swift Redmond giant--just not anytime soon.(opinions)
November 1, 2003... OVER THE YEARS, I'VE FOLlowed the progress of the open source movement and have finally concluded it is indeed a viable alternative to traditional shrink-wrapped software for certain applications. This is despite the fact that there doesn't...

The top 25: computer shopper editors handpick this month's best desktops, notebooks, digital audio receivers, handhelds, and software.(top 25)
November 1, 2003... BUDGET DESKTOPS PRODUCT PRICE SPECS Dell Dimension 2400 * $857 2.4GHz Pentium 4; 256MB DDR; 40GB www.dell.com hard drive; DVD-ROM; 17-inch CRT; ...

Big gaming power from PC newcomer: Maingear F131.
November 1, 2003... MANY SMALL VENDORS HAVE tried in vain to take on Falcon Northwest and Voodoo PC in the high-end gaming space, but newcomer Maingear is the real deal. Its $4,051 F131 gaming PC otters the heavy-duty case options, custom paint job, fine wiring,...

Compact cube warrior is no typical business PC: Dell OptiPlex SX270.
November 1, 2003... WHO SAYS CORPORATE PCs HAVE TO BE DULL? Dell's OptiPlex SX270 is a fast, cleverly designed business box that makes up for limited internal expansion with an astounding number of well-dispersed USB ports. The $1,639 OptiPlex has two access...

Bargain-price system lives up to expectations: HP Pavilion A210E.
November 1, 2003... BUDGET BUYERS, HEWLETT-PACKARD HAS YOUR number: $369.99. That's what you'll pay for a new Pavilion a210e, sans monitor and speakers. Although its price limits features and performance, this Pavilion is a smart buy for students, as well as...

Video-editing machine, if only in its design: Sony VAIO Digital Studio PCV-RS320.
November 1, 2003... SONY SETS ITS SIGHTS ON MAINSTREAM DIGITAL-video editors with the VAIO Digital Studio PCV-RS320. The $1,049 system (not including a monitor) is outfitted with a fast 2.6GHz Pentium 4 processor, a roomy 120GB hard drive, and a DVD burner, but...

Minuscule system fits where others can't: ARC Z-PC.
November 1, 2003... ALTHOUGH AMERICAN RESEARCH CORPORATION (ARC) promotes its $999 Z-PC as a desktop, you may not see it resting atop many desks. That's because it's small enough to fit inside a drawer. The company managed to fit the Z-PC into Iwill's tiny...

Ultralight performer is picture-perfect: Sony VAIO PCG-TR1A.
November 1, 2003... ULTRALIGHT YIN AND YANG BLEND TOGETHER perfectly in the Sony VAIO PCG-TR1A. This tiny laptop is small enough to take a permanent place inside your carry-on bag, yet large enough to include all of the features that frequent fliers need. The...

A low-cost model with equally low performance: WinBook J4 731.
November 1, 2003... THE $799 WINBOOKJ4 731 IS TARGETED AT THOSE on an extremely tight budget. If obtaining a portable PC at the lowest price possible is your ultimate objective--regardless of its relative performance--this may be the notebook you seek. Our...

Poor battery life grounds lightweight business flier: HP Compaq Business Notebook NC4000.
November 1, 2003... LIKE MANY ULTRALIGHT NOTEBOOKS THAT TARGET frequent-flying business users, Hewlett-Packard's Compaq Business Notebook NC4000 has lost some capabilities to portability. While HP kept the sacrifices to a minimum, the notebook's battery life is...

You pay a high price for the great view: Eurocom D470W Impressa.
November 1, 2003... THE EUROCOM D470W IMPRESSA IS THE NEW DOUble-wide of the laptop world. This giant desktop replacement is loaded with advanced components and offers one of the first 17 inch screens in a windows notebook. Our $3,275 test system packed a...

Portable drains battery, but not your wallet: Dell Inspiron 300M.
November 1, 2003... THE ULTRALIGHT 300M INTRODUCES THE MOST intriguing design in Dell's revamped Inspiron line. Small in stature, this 3-pound notebook is one of a new wave of relatively affordable ultraportables aimed at the average consumer rather than corporate...

A fully loaded laptop that's light on its feet: HP Compaq Presario X1000.
November 1, 2003... AT 6.6 POUNDS, THE $2,274 HP COMPAQ PRESARIO X1000 is comparatively lightweight for a desktop-replacement notebook. Nonetheless, HP manages to shoehorn almost all the capabilities you'll ever need into a package that's long on battery...

Phone, PDA, camera fuse in a plump package: Hitachi G100.
November 1, 2003... SPRINT AND HITACHI ARE SERVING UP A BEEFY handheld they hope will replace your phone, camera, and laptop. Though the $649.99 Hitachi G1000 is big for a PDA, it's loaded with a hefty he]ping of features. The silver-and-black G1000 measures...

Powerful new features yield a stronger palm: Palm Tungsten T2.
November 1, 2003... BETTER, STRONGER, AND FASTER, PALM'S NEW $399 Tungsten T2 handheld features pumped-up components. What's more, this handy PDA still keeps its familiar, smartly designed form factor. Outwardly, the T2 is identical to the original Tungsten T,...

A camera phone with snappy good looks: LG VX6000.
November 1, 2003... UNTIL NOW, VERIZON WIRELESS HAS lagged behind Sprint PCS and other carriers in the camera-phone arena. With the release of LG Mobile Phones" 4-ounce VX6000, however, times have definitely changed. The $199 VX6000 is attractive and sleek,...

Simple, slim MP3 player is easy on the ears: Jetaudio iAudio CW300.
November 1, 2003... JETAUDIO'S LATEST FLASH MP3 PLAYER, the $149 iAudio CW300, is slickly designed and delivers a smooth user experience ideal for those who are easily irritated by unintuitive interfaces. Measuring 3.25x1.6x0.7 inches, the iAudio is eminently...

Sprint card keeps you on the Net: Sprint PCS connection card [Airprime PC3200].
November 1, 2003... When there's no wireless hot spot within range, you can keep your notebook connected to the Net with the Sprint PCS Connection Card (AirPrime PC3200). This $199 PC Card operates on the Sprint PCS cellphone network, enabling you to connect...

Well-priced color laser prints nice--and slow: Minolta-QMS Magicolor 2300 DL.
November 1, 2003... THE MINOLTA-QMS MAGICOLOR 2300 DL MEETS THE key criteria tar a workgroup color laser printer. It's network-ready, capable of printing text and graphics equally well, and, at $799, one of the lowest-cost color lasers we've seen. But perfect it's...

Fast movie burner doesn't steal the show: Pioneer DVR-A06.
November 1, 2003... PIONEER ELECTRONICS, THE ORIGINATOR AND staunchest supporter of the DVD-R/DVD-RW standard, has accepted the inevitable and added DVD+R/DVD+RW writing to its latest recordable-DVD drive, the $329 DVR-A06. The drive is a master at burning movies,...

Great versatility, quality from a well-priced LCD: Dell Ultrasharp 1703FP.
November 1, 2003... FOR $529, DELL PACKED A LOT INTO ITS HIGHLY adjustable UltraSharp 1703FP LCD. Displaying at a 1,280x1,024 native resolution, the 17-inch screen gives you a full view of text documents and does justice to color graphics. Except for a few...

A low-budget shooter for amateur filmmakers: Sony DCR-TRV19 MINIDV Handycam.
November 1, 2003... THE BABY OF SONY'S MINIDV CAMCORDER LINE, the $599.99 DCR-TRV19 Handycam is nearly identical to the higher end DCR-TRV22. (See our review in the July issue, p. 68.)Just one or two missing features should influence the buying decisions of novice...

Easy ways to digitize aging analog video.
November 1, 2003... WE'RE ALWAYS TOUTING THE benefits of digital film and video, but many people still use an analog camcorder or VCR. If you're one of them, you don't have to ditch your equipment to be a part of the digital revolution. Analog-to-digital...

Fast Flash reader/writer accepts many media cards: Asante Friendlynet UMR206 Gini II.
November 1, 2003... As the myriad portable devices of the digital cognoscenti pile up, so do the different types of removable media these cameras, PDAs. and PIP3 players use Asante Technologies' FriendlyNet UMR206 Gini II is a USB 2.0 memory-card reader/writer...

Beam music, images from PC to stereo, TV: Linksys Wireless-B Media Adapter WMA11B.
November 1, 2003... LINKSYS' WIRELESS-B MEDIA ADAPTER WMA11B USES your existing 802.11b network to link your PC and entertainment center, letting you stream MP3s to your stereo and display snapshots on your television. The $189 device is pricey and lacks some...

A versatile cable gateway for home or small office: Motorola SBG1000 Wireless Cable Modem Gateway.
November 1, 2003... MOTOROLA'S $279 SBG1000 WIRELESS CABLE Modem Gateway is the most resourceful gateway we've tested, combining six typical networking devices in a single box: a cable modem, a five-port Ethernet switch, an 802.11b access point, a phone-line...

Web-site designers get the tool of their dreams: Dreamweaver MX 2004.
November 1, 2003... THE $399 DREAMWEAVER MX 2004 IS A SERIOUSLY big application with advanced development tools for Website design and maintenance. This version adds features for the newest Active Server components and more powerful Cascading Style Sheet (CSS)...

Digital encyclopedia makes information discovery fun: Microsoft Encarta Reference Library 2004.
November 1, 2003... WITH A NEW INTERFACE, AMPLE MULTIMEDIA CLIPS, and a deep, diverse collection of articles, Microsoft's $69.95 (before $20 rebate) Encarta Reference Library 2004 makes a vast amount of information accessible and discoverable. As with...

Access your remote PC from Web browser: GoToMyPC 4.0 (Personal).
November 1, 2003... GOTOMYPC IS BETTER AND MORE SECURE THAN ever. For $19.95 a month (more if you opt for the Pro or Corporate services), this Web-based remote-control access service lets you operate a host PC from any browser equipped desktop computer, as well as...

Photo suite doesn't display its best image: Microsoft Digital Image Suite 9.
November 1, 2003... IF YOU'RE NOT HAPPY WITH THE PHOTO-EDITING AND -archiving software that came with your digital camera, your next step could be Microsoft's easy to use Digital Image Suite 9 ($129, before a $30 mail-in rebate), which rolls two titles into one....

PC music-making becomes a piece of cake: Project5.
November 1, 2003... WITH THE $429 PROJECT5, CAKEWALK'S FIRST foray into the world of pattern-based sequencing and virtual synthesis has produced a well-designed, comprehensive, and stable program for music creation. You call use Project5 either as a...

While Roxio fiddles, Nero's mastering suite burns: Nero 6 Ultra Edition.
November 1, 2003... THE $99.99 NERO 6 ULTRA EDITION IS THE MOST comprehensive, versatile CD- and DVD-mastering and packet-writing suite on the market today. Toss in a slick launch applet, numerous helpful utilities, and a responsive bug-fix policy, and you get a...

Let loose a monster of a pop-up blocker.(Stopzilla 3.0)
November 1, 2003... STOPZILLA'S LOGO FEATURES A FIRE BREATHING dragon, and small wonder: There's no better tool for roasting pop-ups. For $29.95 per year, it lets you wander the Web free of these obtrusive advertisements. Installing Stopzilla 3.0 is simplicity...

Parental-control App doesn't safeguard kids: Kid Defender.
November 1, 2003... THE INTERNET CAN BE A SCARY PLACE WHEN you're the parent of wired kids, Actiontec Electronics' Kid Defender hopes to ease your mind by letting you see what sites they're visiting, read what they say in chat rooms and instant messages, and block...

Epic 'escape' fails to flirt with greatness: The Great Escape.
November 1, 2003... GAMES TYING INTO NEW HOLLYWOOD blockbusters are common, but The Great Escape is based on 1963's Steve McQueen war flick of the same name. It's a serviceable game, but we can't say it was worth the 40-year wait. The plot expands upon file...

Microsoft says come fly with me: Microsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century Of Flight.
November 1, 2003... ARMCHAIR PILOTS, REJOICE. MICROsoft Flight Simulator 2004: A Century of Flight celebrates two anniversaries--20 years of Flight Simulator, and 100 of man in the air--with more planes and better graphics than ever. Series devotees will...

This com tool sounds way cool: Altec Lansing AHS-502.
November 1, 2003... Altec Lansing has created superb PC speaker sets over the years, earning a rep for topnotch products. The company's new game headser/microphone combo, the $3999 AHS 502, delivers the goods again. With stylish silver-and-black plastic...

Top 100 of 2003.(Top 100)
November 1, 2003... IT JUST KEEPS GETTING BETTER. REACH YEAR THE EDITORS of Computer Shopper collectively test and try out more than 1,000 products, and without fail we're amazed at the steady--and sometimes breakneck--pace of technology. This year was no...

The ABGs of wireless: with three Wi-Fi standards, choosing the right networking equipment can be tricky. We help you sort your WAPs from your WEPs and choose among 29 Wi-Fi products.(Wireless Networking)
November 1, 2003... Remember when the biggest dilemma over buying wireless networking equipment was whether to pay full price or hold out for the next big sale? With three networking standards from the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers...

Entertainment geekly: the blueprints have been drawn for a connected home that fuses the PC with entertainment devices. All you have to do is install a network and add the components.(The Emergence of Convergence)
November 1, 2003... The digital home, relentlessly hyped in the '90s as a Jetsonian wonder of connectivity and convenience, has finally arrived. Turns out, however, it's a modular home. And you're the contractor. Welcome to the do-it-yourself convergence...

Supercharging productivity: an essential guide for Gigabit Ethernet and Hyper-Threading Technology.(Advertising Supplement)
November 1, 2003... Although most managers think technology is a competitive advantage for large companies, nowhere is it more important than for the small to medium business. And more than ever, these businesses depend on technology to power their economic...

The hard edge: Alice SIPs free long distance; Bill's elegant new computer case; and are switchboxes making a comeback?(Alice & Bill)
November 1, 2003... MICHAEL ROBERTSON IS A strange man. After founding MP3.com and triggering a massive copyright lawsuit from the Recording Industry Association of America, his next move landed him right in the legal crosshairs of Microsoft, which promptly sued...

Wi-Fi meets Hi-Fi: here's how to stream music, still images, and videos to your home entertainment center.(Tune-Up)
November 1, 2003... YOU'VE DIGITIZED YOUR FAVORITE CDs TO MP3 format, and all seems right with the world--until you realize you're listening to your priceless music collection through $40 multimedia speakers, while your pride-and-joy sound system sits idle a few...

Drivers wanted.(computer cures)
November 1, 2003... I bought a PC with Windows XP preinstalled, but I wanted to use Windows 98 instead. I reformatted the hard drive arm successfully installed Windows 98, but I have some lingering problems. The system no longer detects the modem, and the sound...

Pop-up problem solved.(computer cures)
November 1, 2003... A few minutes after I turn on my PC, ads start popping up (about 50 to 100 per day), even if I'm not running Internet Explorer. They slow down my computer and make work very frustrating. How is it possible that ads pop up even if I'm not...

SCSI and IDE, happily.(computer cures)
November 1, 2003... I bought my computer with a 9GB SCSI hard drive. Now I'm running low on storage space and want to replace it with a 30GB or 40GB IDE drive. Because I also want to transfer files from the older drive to the newer one, I need to have both drives...

Dial-up decisions.(computer cure)
November 1, 2003... I connect to the Internet via dial-up and need to buy a modem for my new desktop. With all the choices available, what should I look for? Bob Smith Broadband connections--DSL, cable, and satellite--get all the attention, so it's easy...

Drive control.(computer cure)
November 1, 2003... My aging motherboard doesn't support new, faster IDE hard drives, so I want to buy an IDE PCI controller to access the latest drives. Do I have to turn off the IDE controller on my motherboard when I install my new one, or can I use both? ...

Bungled bearings.(computer cure)
November 1, 2003... In the August 2003 edition of "Computer Cures," you mentioned that hard drive bearings "tend to be extremely reliable, but even if they do deteriorate, they are inexpensive and relatively easy to replace." I've never heard of such a thing!...

Moving pictures.(tip of the month)
November 1, 2003... Time was, word-processing apps were only capable of formatting words for print. Now you can use them to work with graphics, charts, tables, and other items that once required a handful of different programs. Still, some tasks remain more...

Bulletproof backups, and a hundred gigs to groove to: a digital musician and tech aficionado seeks out a hot lead on a high-capacity FireWire hard drive.(Buying Advisor)
November 1, 2003... Woody Clermont's music moves him--but he, in turn, needs to move it. Clermont, a database pro in Opa Locka, Fla., composes hip hop tracks on his PC using Magix Music Maker and Acid. These files, plus his WAV and MP3 collection, are...

Tech shopping.(Web Buyer: site reviews for online shopping)
November 1, 2003... allstarshop.com Set your sights high at AllstarShop. The company's comprehensive catalog of PC accessories includes graphics cards, motherboards, and peripherals. Prices are reasonable, and you'll find plenty of information about each...

dvdpricesearch.com.(November: Computer Shopper site of the month)
November 1, 2003... Hungry for all the latest movies on DVD, but don't want to shell out a lot of cash to satisfy your craving? Look no further than DVD Price Search for the best prices. Visit the site and enter the name of any movie on DVD, and the site will...

FireWire peripherals.(Web Buyer: Site Reviews)
November 1, 2003... firewiredirect.com If you seek a new peripheral that's faster than fast, check out FireWireDirect's selection of FireWire 800 adapters and hard drives, which deliver twice the bandwidth of standard FireWire. You'll also find FireWire RAID...

Gaming hardware and software.(Web Buyer: Site Reviews)
November 1, 2003... arcadecontrols.com Don't use the Shift key as a fire button, silly--build a set of arcade controls for your PC. The Arcade Controls FAQ has everything you need. The step-by-step guide shows how to create a control system with arcade...

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

PC resources.(Web Buyer: Site Reviews)
November 1, 2003... bbb.org The Better Business Bureau fosters honest relationships between businesses and shoppers. If you have a problem with a merchant, you can file an online complaint, and the organization will help to resolve the issue as an impartial...

Mobile-phone accessories.(Web Buyer: Site Reviews)
November 1, 2003... batteries4less.com Looking for a battery that won't die on the long drive home? Cell Phone Battery Warehouse sells replacement batteries that can hold much more juice than your phone's standard battery. The site offers a one-year warranty...

Software sites.(Web Buyer: Site Reviews)
November 1, 2003... atomicpark.com AtomicPark is the bomb. The site's entire selection of business and productivity apps includes free shipping. Plus, you won't find any restocking fees. bigclearance.com Boasting "current-version software at...

How to buy the right thin-and-light notebook.(buying basics)
November 1, 2003... IF YOU'RE A FREQUENT FLIER, YOU FEEL THE effects of lugging a heavy laptop around every time you hustle through the airport. Thankfully, the days when "thin-and-light" was synonymous with "thin on features" are long gone. These days, you can...