Computer Shopper articles from October 2004

Computer Shopper archives from October 2004

Right on the money.(from the editor in chief)(while purchasing computer)
October 1, 2004... A couple of weeks ago, a friend from whom I haven't heard a peep in almost a year e-mailed me. He wasn't interested in how my summer went or my take on the upcoming presidential election. Turns out this absent amigo needed some quick advice on...

License to surf?(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... John Dvorak put on paper exactly what I've been thinking for quite a while ("Expertise, Not Economics: Lamenting the Digital Divide," August, p. 38). I maintain systems for several small businesses, and every day I become more annoyed with...

Hard drive warranties gone soft.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... I had to laugh and shake my head when I read that Stephen DiFranco of Maxtor claimed the warranty on retail drives has always been one year ("The Confusing Truth About When a Warranty Starts--and Ends," August, p. 28). Has this guy been with...

Swapping is not borrowing.(Letters)(Letter to the Editor)
October 1, 2004... A reader asks how file swapping is different from borrowing media from libraries ("Learn From the Library?" August, p. 12). In most cases, libraries have to pay for the materials they receive, and can only check them out to one person at a...

Correction.(from the readers)(Correction Notice)
October 1, 2004... We failed to identify the backpack in the opening photo that accompanied our back-to-college tech buying guide ("Tech Prereq 101 ," August, p. 114). It is Pacific Design's Action Pro Backpack ($49.95, www.pacificdesign.com).

Group finds key to secure next-generation DVDs.(digital video disks)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Several high-profile technology companies and movie studios have joined to create a new copy-protection standard for DVDs that could allow high-definition movies to be copied and used inside home networks. Dubbed Advanced Access Content...

Dell rolls out security blanket.(Trends)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Dell has unveiled a plan to educate its customers on how to protect their computers from an onslaught of spyware, adware, and viruses. The computer giant says nearly 20 percent of the calls received by its consumer-desktop technical-support...

Digicam decisions.(Trends)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Top 5 Features Shoppers Look For in a New Digital Camera 1 Zoom lens 2 5 or more megapixels 3 Easy use 4 Print-quality output 5 Low price

Text is next for spammers.(growth of spam mails)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Ads for weight loss pills, mortgage refinancing, and dirty Web sites are all too familiar as e-mail spare reaches epidemic proportions. Some mobile-phone users are the unlucky recipients of similar messages everywhere they go, as marketers...

Tomorrow's hard drive may look nothing like today's models.(NanoMagnetics developed new chip)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... What do molten silicon, designer molecules, and protein globules from a cow have in common? Someday, one of these materials could be used to store data in cell phones and PCs, as a number of startups are tinkering with technology that could...

E-books turn the page: number of E-books sold.(Trends)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... E-book publishers sold 46 percent more titles at the beginning of 2004 than they did during the same period the previous year, a new report finds "E-books represent the fastest-glowing segment of the publishing industry," said Steve Potash,...

MP3 guru seeks bigger sounds.(Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology, Karlheinz Brandenburg)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... One of the inventors of the MP3 format is back with a new technology that he hopes will revolutionize audio by creating superrealistic sound for theaters, theme parks, and eventually even living rooms. Karlheinz Brandenburg, director of...

iPods for new blue devils.(Duke University, Apple Computer Inc. iTunes Music Store, contract)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Maybe this is why Coach K didn't want to go coach the Lakers. Duke University has given a 20GB Apple iPod to each of its 1,650 entering freshmen this fall, allowing them to access class schedules and course information, as well as play...

Electronics giants make Linux a smooth operator.(Trends)
October 1, 2004... A consortium that includes Royal Philips Electronics, Sony, Panasonic, and other companies has taken a step toward advancing the use of the Linux operating system in consumer-electronics devices. The Consumer Electronics Linux Forum (CELF)...

Gaming parlors go baang.(Trends)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... In South Korea, computer-gaming parlors knows as "PC baangs" are incredibly popular. Now these parlors are migrating to the United States, where teens and young adults gather to play Counter-Strike and other games online, while traditional...

HP iPaq RX3700 Mobile Media Companion.(Hewlett-Packard Co.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... An uncommon organizer: Elevate your PDA expectations entirely with the $499 iPaq RX3700 Mobile Media Companion from Hewlett-Packard. This hot new handhold will win over PDA pessimists with its advanced portable-computing technology and...

Music for meditation.(new jukebox from Creative Labs Inc. )(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Dive into the world of digital audio with Creative's Zen Touch jukebox. The $269.99 20GB player is compact and features a fast USB 2.0 interface. Able to play MP3, WAV, and both standard and secure WMA music files, the Zen Touch also uses an...

Mini golf.(new video game from Nintendo Company Ltd.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Nintendo's Game Boy Advance wireless Adapter and Mario Golf: Advance Tour add a new twist to portable gaming on the green. The Wireless Adapter, when used in combination with the $34.99 Mario Golf game, allows you to play a few holes alongside...

Photo cell.(new phone from Verizon Wireless Inc. and LG Electronics)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Verizon Wireless expands its cell-phone ranks with the state-of-the-art VX7000 handset from LG Electronics. Selling for $249.99 (before a $70 rebate) with a two-gear contract agreement, the VX7000 snaps 640x480-pixel pictures with its internal...

Dark star.(new Thermaltake Tsunami VA3000BNA Case)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... If you're seeking a slick new look for your desktop PC, check out the $139 Thermaltake Tsunami VA3000BNA Case. The ATX-form-factor Tsunami is crafted in aluminum, has a shiny black mirror coating, and houses 11 5.25-inch drive bays. To let you...

Guide yourself.(Navman Wireless new pocket PC)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Stay on track wherever you go with the Navman PiN. Short for Personal Interactive Navigation, the $499.95 PiN is a full-fledged Pocket PC handheld running Windows Mobile 2003 and packs its own built-in GPS receiver. Using Navman's SmartST V2...

Lounging lizard.(new product from RadioShack Corp.)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Tame myriad A/V devices all at once with RadioShack's 8-in-1 Kameleon Remote. Able to command up to eight separate components simultaneously, the $79.99 backlit Kameleon is sculpted unobtrusively thin to occupy less coffee-table space. Luckily,...

When it comes to rebates, think twice before taking the bait: if you've ever had trouble collecting a rebate check, you've got plenty of company. Here are some tips for getting what's due you.(opinions)
October 1, 2004... I PURCHASED A COMPUTER I saw advertised with a $250 rebate. I received a form, which I filled out and returned. They told me I would receive my rebate within 10 weeks. I made the purchase January 13, 2004, and I still haven't received the...

Separated at birth: bargains born of clones: when one tech product is sold under multiple brands, you might find not only a different label, but also a lower price.(opinions)
October 1, 2004... I'VE BEEN WANTING TO DO THIS column for a while, but I finally got that little extra push I needed to put pen to paper--or fingers to keyboard, as it were--when I was researching a portable DVD player I was reviewing. The player in question is...

All those open networks: wow, what a mesh! The ever-growing grid of unsecured wireless Web connections is making accessing the Internet for free as natural as breathing.(opinions)(Column)
October 1, 2004... OVER THE NEXT FEW years, we'll forever determine the importance of wireless Internet connectivity. There's a good chance that that the civilized world will become one large wireless mesh. The cell-phone phenomenon has already shown us that a...

The top 25: Computer Shopper editors handpick the best desktops, notebooks, graphics cards, digital cameras, and VoIP services.(top 25)(Illustration)
October 1, 2004... PERFORMANCE DESKTOP PRODUCT PRICE Velocity Micro Vision $4,279 FX A/V/D * www.velocitymicro.com Shuttle XPC G2 $3,148 7500m * sys.us.shuttle.com Dell Dimension 8400 $3,099...

Media Center gets it right, but the entry price is steep: Alienware DHS-301 Media Center PC.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... BEST KNOWN FOR ITS HIGH performance gaming systems, Alienware enters the digital home arena with the $2,358 DHS-301 Media Center PC. Styled as an entertainment unit rather than a typical tower, the DHS 301 is nonetheless a powerful computer and...

Hardware plus software equals multimedia value: Sony VAIO Digital Studio PC RS630G.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... WE'RE PRETTY SURE WE'VE NEVER USED THE words "tremendous value" and the name "Sony" in the same sentence. But in the case of Sony Electronics' $1,449 VAIO Digital Studio PC RS630G, they can legitimately coexist, thanks to an abundant...

Space-saving business PC makes a great office mate: Dell OptiPlex SX280.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... THE $1,810 DELL OPTIPLEX SX280 OFFICE DESK-top takes up only about as much room as a college dictionary and features a flexible design you can configure in a variety of ways to suit your needs. In fact, the coolest thing about the OptiPlex is...

Multimedia package sings, software misses the beat: HP Pavilion A650E.(Hewlett-Packard)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... ANY PC CLAIMING TO FOCUS ON MULTIMEDIA better let you burn, edit, and otherwise arrange your media files to your liking. Backed by a fast new AMD CPU, Hewlett-Packard's $2,340 Pavilion a650e has plenty of multi-media hardware power, but the...

DV dream machine has power to spare: Velocity Micro ProMagix A/V/D.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... THANKS TO INTEL'S SPEEDY 3.6GHZ PENTIUM 4 560 processor and an array of three hard drives, Velocity Micro's latest ProMagix A/V/D is well-suited for its intended use as a digital video editing machine--almost too well-suited. Our $3,575 test...

Hardy tablet security offset by weak Wi-Fi: Motion M1400 Tablet PC.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... TABLET PCs AREN'T FOR EVERYONE, BUT IF you prefer pens to keyboards and do most of your thinking and computing on your feet, then Motion Computing's $2,113 M1400 Tablet PC has plenty to offer. The M1400 packs into its thin case all you'll...

An awesome machine for entertainment lovers: Sony VAIO VGN-A190.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... SONY GOES BIG WITH ITS VAIO VGN A190. A pricey $2,799 desktop replacement, this colossal note book is a high-performance jack-of-an-trades. Our test model came configured with a second generation 1.7GHz Pentium M 735 processor, 512MB of...

A dependable traveler with good insurance: Dell Latitude D600.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... WITH A WELL-ROUNDED COMBINATION OF speed, features, and service, Dell's $2,830 Latitude D600 remains one of the most versatile enterprise laptops money can buy. Powered by a new 3.8GHz Pentium M 745 processor and 512MB of memory, our...

Laptop's racy look is only skin-deep: Acer Ferrari 3200.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... THE SLEEK, THIN-AND-LIGHT ACER FERRARI 3200 wears the same eye-catching color and logo as its sporty namesake. But although the $1,999 Ferrari offers a premium list of internal parts, it performed more like a Ford Escort than a nimble roadster....

Gameworthy performance from unwieldy workstation: Dell Inspiron 9100.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... THOUGH IT'S TOO BIG FOR TRAVEL, THE DELL Inspiron 9100 is packed with multimedia features that make it suitable for gaming, working with video, and even 3D modeling. Our $2,140 Inspiron came to us with a 3.2GHz Pentium 4 desktop processor...

Pricey yet modest parts deliver surprising speed: IBM ThinkPad R51.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... NEITHER THE PLAIN BLACK CASE NOR THE moderate components of IBM's $1,988 ThinkPad R51 elicit much excitement, but the system's solid business performance will more than please typical home and business users. The R51 model we tested...

New video player improves travel time: Archos Pocket Video Recorder AV420.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... WITH THE $549.95 POCKET VIDEO RECORDER AV420 from Archos, the personal video player (PVP) has officially come of age. This gadget offers plenty of desirable features in a sleek package. The AV420 weighs 9.9 ounces and measures a compact...

Trim and light PDA offers basic organization: HP iPaq RZ1710 Pocket PC.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... THOUGH IT'S STILL ONE OF OUR TOP RATED Pocket PCs, the $279 iPaq RZ1710 from. Hewlett-Packard Faces stiff competition from better-equipped handhelds on the market. One of the smallest and lightest Pocket PCs available, the iPaq RZ1710...

Mobile speakers groove with iPod: Altec Lansing InMotion.(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... The design of Altec Lansing Technologies' $149.95 InMotion speakers matches the white Apple iPod's, and the sound is surprisingly good for a tiny speaker set. Altec Lansing clearly targeted the InMotion at the burgeoning iPod-accessory...

Tricky-dialing handset delivers stylish tunes: Siemens SX1.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... THE PRICEY $599.99 SIEMENS SX1 packs in all the features we want in a smartphone, bough its thumb-confounding keypad may try your patience. Measuring 4.3x2.2x0.75 inches and weighing 4.1 ounces, the SX1 is slightly hefty. That said, we...

An innovative player that uses your head: TDK Mojo 1 Headphone MP3/FM Player.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... UNIQUELY DESIGNED, TDK'S MOJO 1 packs an MP3/WMA player and an FM radio/recorder into a pair of neckband-style headphones. Although we've seen this type of design before, this $199.99 model is particularly well executed. The 128MB Mojo 1...

High-quality prints, if you don't mind waiting: Dell All-in-One Photo Printer 922.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... ALTHOUGH ITS PRINT SPEEDS ARE SLOW, IF you're in the market for an affordable color inkjet multifunction printer, Dell's $119 All-in-One Photo Printer 922 is a great choice. The 922 is based on the Lexmark X5270 All-In-One, so many of its...

Big printer eats space, spits out beautiful images: Canon 19900 Photo Printer.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... A MEDIUM-FORMAT PHOTO PRINTER DESIGNED for photography buffs, the $499.99 Canon i9900's color and black-and-white output should please all but the pickiest eyes. It's also speedy, and its inks are reasonably priced. It you want to print...

High-end graphics card tops for games, DV tasks: PNY Verto Geforce 6800 Ultra.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... YOU'LL BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND ANY GAMES that challenge PNY's Verto GeForce 6800 Ultra, but for $499.99, that's as it should be. The GeForce 6800 Ultra is a behemoth, with a gigantic heat sink that blocks the PCI slot next to your AGP...

Step-down from the top has pricier card's assets: EVGA.Com E-GeForce 6800 GT.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... THE $399.99 EVGA.COM E-GEFORCE 6800 GT graphics card, based on the nVidia GeForce 6800 GT chip, offers most of the pros of its more expensive GeForce 6800 Ultra big brother, while addressing the bulk of the cons. It doesn't block any adjacent...

Digicam delivers fast burst mode, fine image quality: Canon Powershot A75.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... If you want to shoot 11 frames in less than 6 seconds. you'll love the $249 Canon PowerShot A75's burst mode. The A75, Canon's replacement for the popular PowerShot A70, retains all the good stuff--3.2-megapixel resolution, a 3x optical zoom,...

White LCD TV looks right for PC, too: SHARP LL-M17W1U.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... THE $679 SHARP LL-M17W1U LCD television's white color sets it apart from the crowd, as does its performance as a PC monitor. The 17-inch LL M17W1U is a sleek, spartan-looking wide-screen LCD set. The remote includes dedicated buttons for...

New 7.1-channel card ideal for casual sound: Turtle Beach Catalina.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... TURTLE BEACH'S $79.95 CATALINA sound card is an affordable choice for casual gamers, movie watchers, and music lovers who want 7.1 channel output. Based on Via Technologies' Envy 24HT-S audio controller, the Catalina supports speakers up...

A secure tunnel to your home or office network: Linksys BEFSX41.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... THE $69 LINKSYS INSTANT BROADBAND ETHER-Fast Cable/DSL Firewall Router With 4-Port Switch/VPN Endpoint (model BEFSX41) is not for technophobes, but if you're looking for industrial-strength virtual-private-network (VPN) security, it's a good...

Compact wireless router also streams your iTunes: Apple Airport Express with AirTtunes.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... APPLE COMPUTER'S $129 AIRPORT EXPRESS with AirTunes packs a feature-rich wireless router into a compact unit only slightly larger than a deck of cards. It has an Ethernet port, an integrated 802.11g access point, a USB print server, and a mini...

Office suite provides star power on the cheap: StarOffice 7.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... A SOLID CHOICE FOR CASH-STRAPPED USERS who want a powerful productivity package, Sun Microsystems' $79.95 StarOffice 7 offers plenty of tools, although it lacks file polish of its competitors and can't match the sophisticated enterprise tools...

Encyclopedia app makes knowledge kid-friendly: Microsoft Encarta Reference Library Premium 2005.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... ALTHOUGH MICROSOFT OFFERS ONLINE UPdates to its best selling Encarta Reference Library nearly every week, once a year it puts out a physical upgrade. With the release of the $69.99 (before a $20 rebate) Encarta Reference Library Premium 2005,...

Security is compression app's signature feature: PKZip 8 for Windows.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... PKWARE'S PKZIP 8 FOR WINDOWS PROVIDES A wide range of encryption features and an easy to use interface. At $24.95 for its basic version (or $34.95 with e-mail integration), it's a friendly application for small-business users and individuals...

Add another dimension to your virtual worlds: Adobe Atmosphere.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... ADOBE'S $399 ATMOSPHERE IS A MIX OF PROfessional 3D-modeling tools and Adobe's industry-standard graphics applications. The program boasts a semipro look and feel that allows you to build simple 3D worlds, complete with lighting, animation, and...

Web-surfing safety net has a few too many holes: Internet Cleanup 4.0.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... IT'S THE RECKLESS INTERNET USER WHO DOESN'T take steps to ensure his or her online safety from identity theft, spyware, or malicious cookies, Allume Systems' $29.99 Internet Cleanup 4.0 promises to protect your system--and even the systems on...

PVR software presents a wise alternative to TiVo: SageTV 2.0.(Software review)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... WANT TO TURN YOUR PC INTO A TIVO--OR, better yet, a media center? with a TV-tuner card and Frey Technologies' $79.95 SageTV 2.0 application, you can do exactly that, and for a fraction of the cost of a set-top personal video recorder (PVR). ...

Big-name VoIP service doesn't deserve callback: AT&T CallVantage.(Voice over Internet Protocol)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... AT&T IS NEW TO THE VOICE OVER INTERNET Protocol (VoIP) game and, as a result, has some catching up to do with its new CallVantage service. Despite AT&T's trusted name, you can find better features, lower rates, and more coverage areas from...

Rolling back prices on music downloads: Wal-Mart Music Downloads.
October 1, 2004... RETAILING COLOSSUS WAL-MART'S MUSIC Downloads site is the current cheapest place for Windows users to purchase tunes online 88 cents a track--but it stocks mostly mainstream music. Getting started with Wal-Mart Music Downloads is a simple...

Reinventing the play phone: Nokia N-Gage QD.(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... As flops go, Nokia's original N-Gage was a fairly spectacular one, but its second try at a gaming/cell-phone hybrid, the $199.99 N-Gage QD, fixes many of its predecessor's mistakes. Measuring 4.7x2.7x0.9 inches and weighing 5 ounces, the...

Rousing racer lets you follow your own road: TrackMania.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... A HIGHLY CUSTOMIZABLE DRIVing game that lets you design your own wild racetracks, TrackMania shines with earnest simplicity and pure addictiveness. TrackMania has two primary single-player modes. Race mode progresses through three race...

Giant-scale shooter is a storming good time: Joint Operations: Typhoon Rising.(Brief Article)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... PRIMARILY A MULTIPLAYER GAME, Joint Operations: Typhoon Rising has lots in common with Electronic Arts' hit Battlefield 1942, but some innovative, exciting features help it compete with that modern classic. The game is set in Indonesia....

Essential guide: 20 ways to shop smart online.
October 1, 2004... Shop Safe, Not Sorry 1 make sure your connection's secure Before you submit any sensitive or private information about yourself--especially your credit-card number--make sure that the data will be encrypted and transmitted over a...

The choice is yours.(Pick The Right PC)
October 1, 2004... Introduction by Joshua Goldman Decisions, decisions. In a market flooded with desktop-PC options, it's not easy determining how to part with your money. Your checking account may dictate the power of your eventual purchase, but there's no...

The ultimate PC: if price were no object, here's how we'd put together our dream desktop.(Ultimate PC)(Personal Computer)
October 1, 2004... If you were to give a geek an unlimited budget to build a computer, wonder what it might look like? We decided to find out and put together a dream PC that we think any techie would love. Like Paris Hilton at the mall, we sought out the latest...

Burning sensations: we test a broad sampling of DVD burners to find out what's behind the "x" speeds and whether double-layer technology lives up to the hype.(DVD Burners)(Product/Service Evaluation)
October 1, 2004... Introduction by Justin Jaffe With the arrival of double-layer DVD burners, it would seem the days of single-layer drives are spinning down. But while double-layer media can hold about 4 hours of DVD-quality video, the discs are expensive,...

Say no to wires: this handy guide to wireless components will help clear the way to a more organized, ergonomic, and cable-free life.(RF, Bluetooth & Wi-Fi Products)
October 1, 2004... Cords, cables, and wires: They're everywhere in the average computer room--tangled around your feet, stretched to their limit between components, and stubbornly dictating the placement of your peripherals. But it doesn't have to be that...

No postage due: which of these five free Webmail services should be your virtual address of choice?(Free Webmail Services)
October 1, 2004... IN THE SAME WAY IT ROCKED the Internet-search world, Google has caused a stir in the Webmail arena, this time with its recent introduction of Gmail (in beta at press time). At the time of the announcement, leading services such as Yahoo Mail...

Punch up your portable: breathe new life into an older notebook with a few upgrades.(Tune-Up)
October 1, 2004... The 20-year reign of sealed, proprietary notebooks is nearly over. Today's mobile PCs are well on their way to becoming almost as upgradable as desktop PCs. You can now swap out everything from the memory to the CPU and, in some cases, even the...

The hard edge: Intel goes ultraviolet; VoIP is the New Black; and Alice and Bill say farewell after 12-plus years of writing "The Hard Edge.".(help & how-to)
October 1, 2004... IT'S NOT SO MUCH THAT OCTOber is such a great month on its own. It is, however, the month in which Bill was born, and that makes it special. Oh, sure, Alice will shower Bill with the usual array of trifling presents (Edelbrock Performer...

Computer cures.(help & how-to)
October 1, 2004... IS IT HOT IN HERE? I purchased a desktop PC case with a front-mounted LCD that shows CPU and hard drive temperatures. The case manual doesn't clearly state whore" to place the two temperature probes that come with this display, so I placed...

The advisor's verdict: give the man a handheld: a hard-rocking college student needs an able PDA to tame his chaotic life. The Advisor weighs two budget-friendly options.(Buying Advisor)
October 1, 2004... WE'RE SURPRISED THIS month's Advisee had the time to contact us at all. "I spend my time running around the dock," writes Prasanth Akundi, a graphic-design student, tae kwon do instructor, and "extreme metal" musician from Arlington, Texas....

Tech shopping.(Web buyer: the best sites for online shopping)
October 1, 2004... altex.com With a big dose of Texan pride, Altex Electronics has corralled enough computer and networking gear to fill a 10-gallon hat. Mosey over to the Power Accessories section for line conditioners, power supplies, and uninterruptible...

dcresource.com.(site of the month)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... Choosing a digital camera among the innumerable brand, model, spec, and feature options is enough to make you throw up your hands in frustration and stick with your trusty old Kodak. Don't despair--the Digital Camera Resource Page can help you...

Memory.(Site Reviews)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... coastmemory.com You don't have to search from sea to shinning sea for a deal on memory--just visit Coast to Coast Memory. Every RAM module includes a lifetime warranty and 30-day money-back guarantee. The top-10 best-selling memory...

Monitors.(Site Reviews)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... flatlcdmonitors.com The Advanced Search tool at Flat LCD Monitors will show you the screens that fit your exacting specs, whether you want one that pivots, includes speakers, or supports a particular resolution or contrast ratio. Many of...

Direct PC vendors.(Site Reviews)
October 1, 2004... 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.(Site Reviews)
October 1, 2004... annoyances.org Does Microsoft Windows have you on edge? Visit Annoyances.org, where you'll find information about living peaceably with Windows. Sections include Customizing, Reducing Clutter, and Troubleshooting. If Windows has moved you...

Cables and wiring.(Site Reviews)(Brief Article)
October 1, 2004... www.cablegear.com Plug it in and hook it up at CableGear.com, a sleek site that sells fiber-optic cables, patch cables, FireWire cables, power cables--cables of every description. Free shipping and a money-back guarantee protect you from...

Software sites.(Site Reviews)
October 1, 2004... academicsuperstore.com If you can produce a student ID or school-faculty card, you quality for big discounts on software at Academic Superstore. Each product-into page includes a chart that shows who qualifies for the discounted price....

How to buy the right digital camcorder.(buying basics)
October 1, 2004... With the fall and winter holidays soon upon us, you may be in the market for a digital camcorder to record your family memories. From low-cost models to units that offer near-pro-level quality, there's a camcorder for everyone's needs and...