Computer Shopper articles from September 2008

Computer Shopper archives from September 2008

Text-to-speech tech helps visually impaired access the net.(TRENDS: UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... IT CAN BE DIFFICULT, of course, for the visually impaired to use the Internet, but thanks to advancements in voice technology, accessing e-mail and the Web is easier than ever. Voice Terminal Service, or VTS, is a new offering from...

Study: many dial-up users choosing not to get broadband.(TRENDS: UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... A NEW STUDY says that many Americans are still using dial-up out of choice, not because they lack access to broadband services. The findings, from the Pew Internet and American Life Project, contradict the idea that broadband providers...

How do we use social networking?(STATS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... 92.2 million The estimated number of social networking users in the U.S. by 2012 16.7% Percentage of users who access social networking sites through a cell phone 66.6% Percentage of users who don't opt for sites' premium...

Viewzi gives search a brand-new look.(TRENDS: TECH NEWS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... ALTHOUGH THE SEARCH engine has certainly evolved over the years, it still revolves around a text-based interface. But a new visual-based search service called Viewzi might change the way we look for things on the Web. Viewzi is a...

New checkpoint-friendly laptop bags to make it easier to fly with notebooks.(TRENDS: TECH NEWS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... TRAVELERS MAY SOON be able to pass through airport security lines without removing their laptops from their cases. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has created new guidelines for bag makers to follow and is currently...

Researchers developing "icebox" for the PC.(TRENDS: TECH NEWS)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Move over, liquid cooling. There's a new way to chill your computer-and it's inspired by the icebox in your kitchen. Purdue University researchers are working on a miniature refrigeration system small enough to fit inside PCs (including...

Built to last.(NEW PRODUCTS PCs)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If ordinary tablet PCs aren't sturdy enough for your active lifestyle, the Panasonic Toughbook CF-U1 could be just the workhorse you need. Weighing just 2.3 pounds and measuring 2.2x7.2x5.9 inches (HWD), it's small...

Fusion.(NEW PRODUCTS PCs)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... The Cifer X3 performance box from Radioactive PC is highly configurable both inside and out. Garners will likely be satisfied by the use of Intel Core 2 Quad and Core 2 Extreme processors, a minimum of 2GB of RAM, two 250GB hard drives, and...

Thinking little, playing big.(NEW PRODUCTS PCs)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... When you want huge gaming power, you don't have to settle for a big price--or, for that matter, a large chassis. Velocity Micro's OverDrive SmallBlock.SE retails for only $1,499 and is housed in a compact case, making it easy to fit into both...

Envy is in.(NEW PRODUCTS PCs)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Ultraportables may have their limitations, but style needn't be one of them. Voodoo PC is proving this with the Envy 133, an elegant $2,099 notebook that is as low in weight (just over three pounds) and profile (0.7...

Studio system.(NEW PRODUCTS PCs)(Dell's Studio notebook series)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... With the design flourishes of the XPS and the customizability of the Inspiron, Dell's new Studio series of notebooks fits snugly between those lines. The 15.4-inch Studio 15 starts at $799, while the 17-inch Studio 17 starts at $999. Both offer...

Its time has come.(NEW PRODUCTS PCs)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Looking for a well-outfitted desktop that won't set you back a fortune? Check out Lenovo's first entry into the U.S. consumer desktop market, the IdeaCentre K210. Starting at a mere $379, it allows for options like Intel Core 2 Quad processors,...

HP TouchSmart IQ506: the touch revolution comes to the living room.(REVIEWS: THE LATEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PRODUCTS)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... TOUCH TECHNOLOGY HAS BEEN AROUND for ages, but only since Apple released the iPhone last year has it been available (or attractive) in any real way. HP'S new line of TouchSmart all-in-one PCs, including the $1,499 IQ506, could well further...

Apple iPhone 3G: improved cell phone features faster Web browsing, built-in GPS.(REVIEWS: THE LATEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PRODUCTS)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... THE FIRST APPLE IPHONE revolutionized the cell phone industry when it was released last year, forcing manufacturers to design handsets that imitate its look and, more importantly, its feel (including its touch-screen interface). With its...

Velocity micro vector campus edition: a powerful, inexpensive college-oriented desktop.(REVIEWS: DESKTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... THERE ARE BENEFITS TO COLLEGE, but being broke isn't exactly one of them. Instead of eating ramen for nine months straight, why not trim your tech budget by opting for a stocked system at a very good price, such as Velocity Micro's $1,199...

Vigor Colossus: super-expensive eight-core system is not for every power user.(REVIEWS: DESKTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... VIGOR'S $7,176 COLOSSUS is the first desktop we've seen that's powered by Intel's Skulltrail platform. Aimed at the most elite (and richest) of power users, it consists of an Extended ATX motherboard bearing not one but two of Intel's...

Gateway GT5692: low-cost desktop is decent, unremarkable.(REVIEWS: DESKTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] AT JUST $549.99, Gateway's GT5692 is priced well within the reach of most anyone in the market for an inexpensive desktop PC. With a three-core 2.1GHz Phenom X3 8450 processor and 4GB of DDR2 RAM, the machine is...

ZT Systems Affinity 7225Xi: loads of extras buoy this inexpensive desktop.(REVIEWS: DESKTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... WITH BUDGET DESKTOPS, it's not wise to hope for much more than a decent price: Performance from systems costing less than $750 is often adequate at best. But ZT Systems' Affinity 7225Xi is an exception to the rule. After you purchase the...

Hypersonic Avenger AG2: speedy thin-and-light offers poor battery life.(REVIEWS: LAPTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE LIGHTWEIGHT HYPERSONIC AVENGER AG2 is one of the most powerful notebooks in the thin-and-light class, but poor battery life holds it back from portable computing glory. Available in five different...

Gateway P-172X FX: gamer delivers fast speeds for low price.(REVIEWS: LAPTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... POUND FOR POUND, the $1,999 Gateway P-172X FX is one of the best gaming notebook bargains you'll find. It's not the fastest or the cheapest, but its excellent performance-to-price ratio makes it hard to beat. With its shiny black plastic...

Asus M70S: media machine handles HD at a high price.(REVIEWS: LAPTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... ASUS' MEDIA-CENTRIC M70S delivers top-notch performance, great HD capabilities, and a full terabyte of hard drive space--at an appropriately large price. With its 17-inch display running at a native resolution of 1,920x1,200 (capable of...

Toshiba Satellite U405-S2820: budget laptop features small case, long battery life.(REVIEWS: LAPTOPS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... STRONG BATTERY LIFE AND BRIEFCASE-FRIENDLY dimensions make the $949.99 Toshiba Satellite U405-$2820 a good budget contender--as long as you don't need a performance powerhouse. The Satellite U405-S2820 is like a shrunken version of the...

Asus EAH4850: midrange graphics card is tops in performance.(REVIEWS: COMPONENTS)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] EDITORS' CHOICE [check] ATI'S RADEON HD 4850 CARDS cost less than half as much as nVidia's GeForce GTX 280 (see review on this page) and can run today's most demanding games on typical systems. You won't be able to...

Asus ENGTX280: powerful, no-compromises video board.(REVIEWS: COMPONENTS)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... EDITORS' CHOICE [check] ASUS' NEW VIDEO CARD based on nVidia's GTX 280 chipset, the ENGTX280, is all about the speed. A single card nearly doubled the performance of the 9800 GTX in many of our tests, and even beat a pair of dual-GPU GeForce...

Antec twelve hundred: feature-packed case not perfect for everyone.(REVIEWS: COMPONENTS)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... THOUGH ANTEC'S NEW Twelve Hundred super-tower looks like it's just a bigger version of the company's popular Nine Hundred gaming chassis, it's much more than that. Antec has significantly revamped the design and added new features, more...

Western Digital Velociraptor: hard drive is incredibly fast, but has limited capacity.(REVIEWS: COMPONENTS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... IF YOU'RE LOOKING FOR the fastest desktop hard drive available--and don't mind a 300GB capacity and $299.99 price--you'll be very happy with Western Digital's 10,000rpm Velociraptor. The Velociraptor is a 2.5-inch drive that comes with a...

Linksys simultaneous Dual-N band wireless router (WRT61ON): Draft N for networking newbies.(REVIEWS: NETWORKING)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] LINKSYS' NEW dual-band Draft N router, the Simultaneous Dual-N Band Wireless Router (WRT610N for short), is capable of broadcasting 802.11n networks at both 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequencies at the same time. The WRT610N...

Trendnet 300Mbps wireless Easy-N-Upgrader (TEW-637AP): plug-and-play way to upgrade to 802.11n.(REVIEWS: NETWORKING)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... IF YOU'RE CURRENTLY RUNNING an 802.11b/g network and are considering upgrading your equipment to the upcoming 802.11n standard, consider keeping your gear and just plugging in the $63.99 Trendnet Wireless Easy-N-Upgrader kit (TEW-637AP). It...

LaCie 324: a professional's dream monitor.(REVIEWS: DISPLAYS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... THE 24-INCH LACIE 324 isn't for the everyday consumer. Costing almost $1,000, it has a native 1,920x1,200 resolution, can handle Blu-ray playback with full 1080p and High-Bandwidth Content Protection (HDCP) compatibility, and has a reasonably...

ViewSonic VP2250wb: pro image quality at a reasonable price.(REVIEWS: DISPLAYS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... FOR THOSE WHO WANT a 22-inch monitor that can properly reproduce colors but who can't justify the stratospheric price commanded by some models, the $559 ViewSonic VP2250wb offers some welcome middle ground. The VP2250wb won't win any...

Xerox Phaser 3250/DN: expensive, but fast and expandable.(REVIEWS: PRINTERS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE XEROX PHASER 3250/DN is a monochrome laser printer built for speed and expandability, though these traits bring with them a somewhat steep $349 price tag. If you can get over the price, you'll find the 3250 to be...

Canon Pixma MX7600: an almost-perfect inkjet MFP.(REVIEWS: PRINTERS)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... EDITORS' CHOICE [check] CANON'S $399.99 PIXMA MX7600 all-in-one inkier costs a pretty penny, but you get a best-of-both-worlds printer that delivers both laser-quality text and inkier-quality photos thanks to its new clear ink technology. We've...

Mass Effect: one of the best games to grace the PC.(REVIEWS: GAMING)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... EDITORS' CHOICE [check] EVERY ONCE IN A LONG WHILE, a game comes along that does everything right. Mass Effect, the PC version of the Xbox 360 hit, delivers the most enjoyable, deep, and detailed gameplay that we have experienced on a desktop....

Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel: a racing wheel that feels like the real thing.(REVIEWS: GAMING)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... WHEN YOU SEE the Fanatec Porsche 911 Turbo Wheel, you might wonder if it were ripped out of a real Porsche. This licensed replica for Windows PCs and the PlayStation 3 both looks and feels the part, with solid construction and very precise...

Magellan Maestro 5310: sluggish GPS device lacks high-end features.(REVIEWS: CONSUMER TECH)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] THE MAGELLAN MAESTRO 5310 is one of the first GPS navigation devices to boast a large, 5-inch screen. This latest Maestro offers solid driving directions and many helpful navigational features, including multisegment...

Nikon Coolpix $600: slow speed, controls bog down sleek camera.(REVIEWS: CONSUMER TECH)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... THE $299.95 NIKON COOLPIX $600 is a slow 10-megapixel point-and-shoot (with a 4x optical zoom) that suffers from a difficult-to-use interface. You will spend most of your initial time with this camera either trying to navigate the controls or...

Firefox 3: new version of the popular Web browser sets the speed standard.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... SO HERE IT IS: the eagerly awaited release of Firefox 3. Was it worth the wait? If you want advanced security options, plenty of ease-of-use improvements, and a very quick browser that doesn't take a yawning bite out of your memory, then we...

UltimateDefrag 2008: easy-to-use, efficient hard drive optimization.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... UNLIKE MANY hard drive defragmentation apps, DiskTrix's $39.95 UltimateDefrag 2008 gives you a wealth of choices to get the best drive access speed--based on how you use your computer. The "Consolidate" option organizes your drive's data...

Ad-Aware 2008 Pro: feature-rich, intuitive security software.(REVIEWS: SOFTWARE)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... IN THE FIGHT AGAINST SPYWARE and adware, Lavasoft has been among the most conspicuous players. We recently tested Ad-Aware 2008 Pro, its top-of-the-line product, and were fairly impressed with the results. The program's basic anti-spyware...

Free Window Sweeper tidies up your PC: plus, five more great freeware utilities to improve your computing life.(REVIEWS: DOWNLOADS)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... ACCORDING TO THE CALENDAR, it's a little too late to give your PC a good spring cleaning, but that's no excuse for letting virtual debris litter your hard drive. Free Window Sweeper 1.1 does double duty, letting you get rid of temporary files...

Top 5 space-saving desktops: these units may be small, but they can pack a lot of power.
September 1, 2008... 1 HP Pavilion Slimline 333Of www.hp.com $1,023 (as tested) Editors' Rating: 8.5 ([check]) Specs * 2.86Hz Athlon 64 X2 5400+ * 2GB DDR2 memory * 500GB hard drive * Blu-ray/HD DVD dual-read...

Top 5 gaming laptops: play on the go with these mobile powerhouses.
September 1, 2008... 1 Alienware Area-S1 m15x www.alienware.com $3,253 * Editors' Rating: 8.7 Specs * 2.8GHz Core 2 Extreme X9000 * 4CB DDR2 memory * 200GB hard drive; 200GB removable hard drive * 15.4-inch TFT *...

Top 5 digital SLR cameras: sharp shooters for avid photographers serious about their images.
September 1, 2008... 1 Canon EOS Rebel XTi usa.canon.com $599 (body only) Editors' Rating: 8.0 Specs * 10.1 megapixels * 2.5-inch LCD * 1.1 pounds * CompactFlash Bottom Line Clunky design aside, the Rebel XTi's...

Top 5 flash-memory MP3 players: take your tunes on the road with these snappy audio devices.
September 1, 2008... 1 Apple iPod Touch www.apple.com $299 (8GB); $399 (16GB); $499 (32GB) Editors' Rating: 8.7 Specs * 8GB, 16GB, or 32GB capacity * AAC lossless, protected AAC, AIFF, Audible, MP3, WAV support * 3.5-inch color...

Processor-oriented: deciding which CPU will be the brains of your computer can be challenging, but don't need to be a surgeon to do it. Here's what to look for in a processor.(Cover story)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In the swiftly changing world of computers, few things stay constant for a shorter' period of time than processors. Sure, technology changes drastically only every other year or so, but the names, capabilities, and...

Storage standoff: network-attached-storage drives make it easy to back up your data and share files across your network. Which of these eight models is the right repository for your data?(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... Network-attached storage (NAS) is a scary name for a surprisingly simple technology. Take a standard hard drive like the one inside your PC, slip it into a small enclosure that has an Ethernet port, connect it to your router, and you have a NAS...

Mac attack: Apple's computers have become hot commodities in recent years, but should you consider buying one?(Back to School)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Apple's computers have been a staple in schools since the early days of the Apple II. In recent years, the latest Macs have become high-performance, souped-up systems that give their PC cousins a run for their money....

Cargo hold: stow your gear in one of these unique laptop bags.(Back to School)(Buyers guide)
September 1, 2008... Logitech Kinetik 15.4 Backpack One look at the Kinetik and you know your stuff will be well-protected. Plus, the backpack is designed to minimize back strain. (It even stands on its own.) In addition to having a laptop compartment, the...

Making resolutions.(COMPUTER CURES)
September 1, 2008... I recently bought a 32-inch Sony HDTV and would like to use this for my PC monitor. I assume the best way to connect the television to the video card is via a DVI male to HDMI male cord, and for sound a headphone cord via left/right RCA audio...

Mouse-free manipulation.(COMPUTER CURES)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... My children frequently play a DOS-based PC game on their computer. When they quit the game, it reverts the Windows desktop (Windows XP) to a very Jaw resolution. The screen icons and menus look very big, and when I open the Display Properties...

Laptop-drive jive.(COMPUTER CURES)
September 1, 2008... I have a Toshiba Satellite laptop about 18 months old that came with Windows Media Center. Can I remove the hard drive, replace it with a brand-new, larger hard drive, and install Windows Vista, assuming I have a full-retail copy of the Vista...

Pin pointers.(COMPUTER CURES)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... I just picked up a Spire 405-watt power supply. My old Asus P4P800 Deluxe motherboard has only a 20-pin connection port, but the power supply's power connector has 24 pins. What do I need to do? I just want to get my older P4 rig going again....

Tip of the month: Jettison the Luna module.(COMPUTER CURES)
September 1, 2008... Though Vista is everywhere, this is still a useful tip for Windows XP! Many beginner PC users may not realize that the Windows XP Luna theme is a memory hog for older computers with low RAM. An easy fix is to enter Control Panel (Start >...

Network your computers: set up a simple home network and share files between PCs.(HELP & HOW-TO: WEEKEND PROJECT)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] YOU CAN SHARE FILES with other computers in your home via e-mail or by carting your data around on a USB flash drive, but it's inconvenient, especially when you want to share a folder containing a couple of hundred...

Khaos rules.(Build Your Own: NEW PRODUCTS FOR BUILDING A CUSTOM PC)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Enthusiast-gear manufacturer NZXT throws a sharp-breaking curve at serious PC builders with its Khaos case. The sweeping, striking tailfin-and-mesh design of this mammoth enclosure--it's 24 inches high--manages to...

Got-no-space HTPC case.(Build Your Own: NEW PRODUCTS FOR BUILDING A CUSTOM PC)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... Home-theater-PC (HTPC) aficionados who don't have space for a roomy ATX case will want to reserve a slot in their media cabinets for the Antec MicroFusion Remote 350. This $349.95 MicroATX case is a concentrated version of the company's popular...

Solid status symbol.(Build Your Own: NEW PRODUCTS FOR BUILDING A CUSTOM PC)(Dual CF-SATA HDD Adapter )(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Super-speedy, platter-less solid-state hard drives remain pricey, but you can improvise one with the Dual CF-SATA HDD Adapter from Addonics Technologies. This $31.99 circuit board lets you use a CompactFlash Type I...

Contactual agreement.(HELP & HOW-TO: BUILD YOUR OWN)(Sunbeamtech's Core-Contact Freezer CPU cooler )(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... What sets Sunbeamtech's Core-Contact Freezer CPU cooler apart from the hordes of third-party CPU heat sinks is a simple innovation: Its heat pipes are flat at the bottom, directly touching your processor, for more-direct heat transfer. There's...

Sight and sound card.(HELP & HOW-TO: BUILD YOUR OWN)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] If you're outfitting a HTPC to pair with a flat-panel monitor or HDTV over an HDMI connection, Asus has a sound card for you. The Xonar HDAV1.3, which supports the latest HDMI spec, 1.3, will process and output...

Supply-side economics.(HELP & HOW-TO: BUILD YOUR OWN)(Product/service evaluation)(Brief article)
September 1, 2008... It may look unassuming, but this cost-conscious power supply shines in the details of its nitty-gritty specs. The In Win Power Man features a crucial design element-four separate 12-volt "rails," or power paths--plus a temperature-controlled...

The right desktop-replacement laptop.(HELP & HOW-TO: BUYING BASICS: HOW TO BUY)(Product/service evaluation)
September 1, 2008... [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] Looking to get rid of that cumbersome desktop, without sacrificing any of the power? A desktop-replacement laptop can provide all the functionality of a traditional desk-bound PC-in a mobile package. Find the perfect...