Computer Shopper - February 2006

GREAT DEALS ON 

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ULTIMATE POWER: 

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20TH 

ANNUAL 

SHOPPERS’ 

THE MOST COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO TODAY’S TECHNOLOGY COMPUTERSHOPPER.COM CHOICE 

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THEIR FAVORITE 

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A CNET Publication 

THE RIGHT DIGITAL 

CAMERA FOR YOU 

+ 

� 

MAKE YOUR 

PC START 

FASTER 

15 WAYS 

TO RECYCLE 

OLD TECH 

PRODUCTS 

KEEP YOUR 

KIDS SAFE 

ONLINE 

HOW TO 

CONTACT 

EVASIVE 

E-TAILERS 

20 BLAZING 

GRAPHICS 

CARDS

✱140 What you should know about 

PC makers’ warranties before you 

buy your next desktop or notebook. 

CONTENTS 

FEBRUARY 2006 VOLUME 26 NUMBER 2 ISSUE 311 

24 

DESKTOPS 

Velocity Micro Gamers’ 

Edge DualX T1300 

26 HP Pavilion s7220n Slimline 

26 Vigor Hornet 

27 Bully Surgeon 

20TH 

ANNUAL 

59 

27 

28 

Sony VAIO VGC-RC110G 

NOTEBOOKS 

HP Pavilion DV8000z 

28 Dell XPS M140 

32 Asus W2V 

32 Averatec 3715-EH1 

32 Sony VAIO FJ170/B 

COMPONENTS 

25 Logitech Z-5450 Digital 

34 ATI Radeon X1600 XT 

Features 

34 Logitech Cordless Desktop 

MX5000 Laser 

READERS’ PICKS OF 2005 

34 Pioneer DVR-R100 

59 Annual Shoppers’ Choice Awards 

DISPLAYS 

The savviest tech shoppers speak 

38 BenQ FP91E 

out! Our readers pick their favorite 

38 LaCie 319 

products of the past year in our 

38 Sony SDM-S75A 

annual awards survey. Plus, we 

PRINTERS 

71 

look back at some past picks from 

the last two decades. 

PCs FROM CUSTOM BUILDERS 

Hand-Crafted Computers 

If you’re after personalized service, 

a wide variety of components, or 

71 

40 

40 

40 

42 

42 

42 

Canon Pixma iP4200 

Epson PictureMate Express Edition 

Lexmark T640 

HOME NETWORKING 

APC 3-in-1 Wireless Mobile Router 

Belkin Wireless G Plus MIMO Router 

Netgear SC101 Storage Central 

34 

unique hand-finished detailing, a 

PC from a custom builder is the 

44 

MOBILE PRODUCTS 

Dell Axim X51v 

48 

way to go. 

44 Archos AV500 

RECYCLE YOUR TECH 

DIGITAL CAMERAS 

83 Give or Go Green 

48 Kodak EasyShare One 

Has a new holiday PC left you 

48 Konica Minolta DiMage Z6 

tripping over the old one? 

48 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 

Find out the right way to 

DIGITAL AUDIO 

donate or recycle your 

49 Iriver U10 

retired tech. 

49 JVC Alneo XA-HD500 

49 Sennheiser PXC300 

DIGITAL LIVING 

50 Bose 3-2-1 Series II Home 

83 

50 

Entertainment System 

HP PL4200N 

50 

50 Panasonic PT-52LCX65 

SOFTWARE 

Page 98 

Page 71 

52 Acronis True Image 9.0 

Page 152 

52 Norton Ghost 10.0 

54 BeInSync 1.6 

54 CrazyTalk Media Studio 4.0 

Page 59 

Page 92 

Page 83 

44 Archos AV500 

Want television to go? 

The capable AV500 is a 

54 

55 

55 

55 

System Mechanic 6 Professional 

EZ Photo Calendar Creator 4.0 

IronTrainer 2 

MediaMonkey 2.4 

Page 96 portable video recorder 

TOP 25 

Page 115 

Page 134 

that puts your favorite 

programming in the 

palm of your hand. 

56 The best Media Center PCs, thin-and-light 

notebooks, MP3 players, 17-inch LCDs, and 

home-PC software. 

computershopper.com February 2006 9 

32

Help & How-To 

COMPUTER CURES 

89 Alfred dispenses some smart registry advice and 

helps a reader partition a hard drive within 

Windows. Plus, find out how to boot up your PC in 

an emergency—using Linux. By Alfred Poor 

WEEKEND PROJECT 

92 Kick-Start Your Bootup 

Time and OS-clogging apps are the enemy of a 

fast-booting PC. We help you trim the fat and 

get a leaner, faster-starting system. 

96 Safety Net 

Keeping your kids safe online is a 24/7 job. Find 

out how to help your child elude cyber predators 

with our collection of tips and child-friendly 

software. 

BUYING ADVISOR 

98 2006: A Storage Space Odyssey 

Space is finite, but data is forever expanding. The 

Advisor rounds up five new roomy, economical 

Serial ATA hard drives for a speed and feature test. 

By John A. Burek 

CONSUMER ALERT 

115 Whom to Call When Things Go Wrong 

It’s almost impossible to find phone numbers for 

many of the largest online merchants. We provide 

customer-service numbers for some popular etailers, 

and tips on how to contact the rest. 

BUYING BASICS 

152 How to Buy the Right Digital Camera 

20 

96 

TechMarket 

COMPLETE PRODUCT MARKETPLACE GUIDE 

117 SOHO Desktops 

122 Desktop-Replacement Notebooks 

132 Home and Small-Office Laser Printers 

134 Performance Graphics Cards 

136 External DVD Burners 

138 Smartphones 

140 PC Service and Support Plans 

Web Buyer 

THE BEST SITES FOR ONLINE SHOPPING 

143 Tech Products 

143 Apple Hardware and Software 

144 Input Devices 

145 Direct PC Vendors 

146 Software 

146 Blank Media 

Computer Shopper (ISSN 0886-0556) is published monthly, for $24.97 per year in the U.S. and $54.97 per year outside the U.S., by CNET Networks, Inc., 28 E. 28th St., New York, NY 10016-7942. Periodicals Mail postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. 

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138 

Also in This Issue 

TRENDS 

17 Dell tests the retail waters by selling PCs at Costco. 

Plus, Samsung looks to brighten up cell-phone 

screens, and TiVo adds support for the Apple iPod 

and Sony PlayStation Portable. 

GEAR 

20 • Asus MyPal A636 Pocket PC 

• Buffalo MiniStation 

• Linksys WUSBF54G Wireless-G 

USB Adapter With Wi-Fi Finder 

• Nokia 7380 

• Shure E4g Sound Isolating 

Earphones: Gaming Edition 

• Targus Urban Messenger 

20 

DEPARTMENTS 

12 Editor’s Note 

12 Letters 

147 Spotlight 

151 Ad Index 

computershopper.com February 2006 11

EDITOR’S NOTE JANICE CHEN 

TOP-PRODUCT LISTS are far from unique among technology 

and gadget magazines. Plenty of editorial staffs 

present a “best of the year” to help you sift through 

gazillions of new products released by tech manufacturers. 

Of course, my biased opinion is that Computer 

Shopper’s annual Top 100 (in our November issue) is 

a standout in the game of cataloging superlatives. But this 

month, we bring you a list that’s truly peerless: our annual Shoppers’ 

Choice Award winners (p. 59). Unlike the rest of the bestofs, 

this honor roll was decided by you, our readers. And that’s 

what makes it so valuable: No matter what the experts tell you, 

there’s nothing like hearing it from the buyer’s mouth. 

This year marks the 20th anniversary of our readers’ choice 

awards, and while much has changed since we started surveying 

our audience back in 1985, some things remain constant. 

You continue to be savvy shoppers, not only 

choosing products for their technical prowess and 

innovative design, but also keeping price and 

20TH 

overall value top of mind. This year’s winners ANNUAL 

include high-performance picks such as Western 

Digital’s Raptor Series of 10,000rpm hard drives, 

as well as value-oriented options like the HP Photo- 

LETTERS 

AN EASIER WAY TO DVD 

John Burek did a nice job answering the 

challenge of turning old VHS cassettes 

into DVDs (“Exit Videotapes, Enter 

DVDs,” December, p.128). I recently 

faced the same daunting task. But the 

solution I recommend doesn’t involve a 

computer at all. I used a VCR and a 

DVD recorder unit from GoVideo. With 

this device, you simply insert the tape 

and a blank DVD, set it to copy, and go 

do something else. I could even watch 

TiVo while it was recording. Copying 

about 100 VHS tapes took more than 

three months, so I’m glad I didn’t have 

to sit in front of my PC for all that time. 

Dan Connors 

GREAT GIFT SHORTLIST 

I found the “Thrifty Gifts” sidebar in your 

December issue to be worth the price of 

12 February 2006 computershopper.com 

the magazine 

(“Present Tech,” 

p. 91). Your recommendations 

for simple, affordable gifts 

are universal, and any tech geek would 

love to have them. David Carson 

TRULY FREE FAXING 

In regards to Nancy Lang-Feldman’s 

January column (“eFax Eats Your Free 

Lunch,” p. 108), eFax also threatened 

to cut off my service when I went 

over the 20-page incoming-fax limit. I 

found another free fax service, K7.net 

(www.K7.net). There is no 20-page limit; 

you just need to use the service at 

least once a month to avoid losing your 

number. They also have a very affordable 

paid service that has unlimited 

incoming faxes and permits you to send 

outgoing faxes. Tom Lovely 

smart 375 snapshot printer, which beat out 

pricier, full-service inkjets for best photo printer. 

And Newegg.com, a runaway winner in the 

Best Place to Buy categories, stands out among 

e-tailers by offering extremely competitive 

pricing and a huge selection. 

While finding out what everyone else wants can certainly be 

edifying, those who aren’t satisfied with cookie-cutter configurations 

churned out by top-tier desktop vendors won’t want to 

miss “Hand-Crafted Computers,” (p. 71), which covers fully customized 

desktop rigs. Custom PC builders like All American 

Computers, Overdrive PC, and Puget Custom Computers deliver 

practically anything you can dream up, whether it’s a custom 

paint job, liquid cooling, or even a cherry-red see-through case. 

Before you make your next high-tech purchase, 

chances are you’ll need to clear out the old to make 

room for the new. It may be tempting to take a sledgehammer 

to your old clunker and toss it in the trash, 

but you’ll do the environment a favor by recycling or 

donating old electronics. And you might even be able 

to get some cash in return. Check out “Give or Go 

Green” (p. 83) to find out how. janice.chen@cnet.com 

DWIN! 

A 60GB Apple iPod and a 

$25 iTunes Gift Card 

Go to computershopper.com/survey. 

See sweepstakes rules on p. 150. 

CORRECTIONS 

We incorrectly stated the editors’ rating for 

the Dell Inspiron 6000 as 6.3 in “More Go, 

Less Dough,” (December, p. 94). The correct 

rating is 6.1, as stated in the Feature 

Comparison table on p. 100 of that story. 

We reviewed two different configurations 

of the same notebook, the HP Compaq Presario 

V2000Z, in our December issue. The 

configuration reviewed in “More Go, Less 

Dough” (p. 94) provided a better value-toperformance 

ratio than the configuration in 

our Notebook Reviews section (p. 38) did, 

resulting in a higher rating. 

We want to hear from you. 

WRITE: Letters, Computer Shopper 

28 E. 28th St., 10th Fl. 

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E-MAIL: cs_feedback@cnet.com 

Letters may be edited for length and clarity, 

and may be published in any medium. 

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TRENDS 

18 

UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS 

Dell Tests the Retail Waters 

By Offering Systems at Costco 

COULD DELL’S burgeoning 

relationship with big-box 

retailer Costco lead to more 

retail channels for the 

computer giant? 

Recently sighted at some 

Costco warehouse outlets 

were $899.99 Dell 

2200 15-inch laptops 

with 1.7GHz 

540-series Pentium 

4 processors, 

DVD±RW drives, 

and 80GB hard 

drives, prompting 

some analysts to 

ask if Dell is 

breaking out of its 

online-only business 

model. 

Mike Maher, a Dell 

spokesperson, says the company 

isn’t planning similar 

retail partnerships outside of 

Costco. Analysts suggest, 

however, that additional retail 

partners could help spice 

up Dell’s online sales, which 

in the past have been boost- 

How Much Do You 

Spend on a New PC? 

More than $2,000 

12.7% $1,500 to 

Less than 

$2,000 

$500 

19.8% 

$1,000 to 

$1,500 

28.6% 

Source: Computer Shopper reader survey 

6.9% 

$500 to 

$1,000 

32% 

ed by appearances at shopping-mall 

kiosks. 

Roger Kay, an industry 

analyst at Endpoint Technologies 

Associates, says that Dell 

may be testing the retail waters 

the way it did in the late 

’90s with Price Club, which 

was later acquired by Costco. 

“Right now, Dell is struggling 

with consumers, and 

when a company has that 

problem, it tends to experiment 

with its business models,” 

Kay says. “They make a 

small commitment to a new 

business method and then see 

how it goes, and if things seem 

good, then the company can 

pump up the volume.” 

Dell’s relationship with 

Costco is a logical fit, according 

to Kay, because Costco is a 

buyer’s club 

that draws in 

small to midsizebusinesses, 

a core demographic 

for 

Dell. 

Costco has 

also been featuring 

$1,299 

Dell 6000 laptops 

and 

$2,499 Dell 

XPS 600 desktop Media Center 

PCs with 20-inch wide-screen 

LCDs. Both models come with 

a three-year warranty, which 

Toni Duboise, a Current Analysis 

analyst, says is a good incentive 

for the business customers 

that frequent Costco. 

—Michael Singer, News.com 

TiVo Adds iPod, Sony PSP Support 

18 Samsung Hopes to Brighten Up 

Cell-Phone Screens 

18 iPod Competitors Look to Build a 

Common Port 

20 Gear 

• TRENDSPOTTING 

A few years from 

now, you might be 

able to carry a home 

theater system in 

your pocket. 

Finland’s Upstream 

Engineering is working 

on a light-emitting 

diode (LED) projection 

system that 

could potentially, 

because of its small 

size and relatively 

low cost, allow 

manufacturers 

to put projectors 

inside MP3 players 

or other portable 

electronics for just 

a few dollars. 

Upstream’s current 

optical-engine 

prototype is about 

the size of a matchbox. 

An accompanying 

projector would 

be about the size of 

a cell phone. 

Consumers Learning to Love New Tech 

Are tech phobias fading? Acceptance of 

new technology among consumers is on 

the rise, a new survey shows. 

About 28 percent of consumers say 

they are more inclined to accept new 

technology now versus a year ago, while 

only 4 percent are now more skeptical of 

it, according to a study conducted by 

Harris Interactive. The other 68 percent 

said their attitudes toward technology 

have remained unchanged. 

Nearly 39 percent of consumers polled 

say they are likely to buy home technology 

products over the next six months. 

—Michael Kanellos, News.com 

The top five product categories in the 

home segment include computers, 

printers, home theaters, TV content 

providers, and game consoles. The 

mobile products most likely to be purchased 

include cell phones, cameras, 

laptops, personal music devices, and 

video cameras. 

Ease of use and warranties were key factors 

in influencing purchase decisions. Only a 

few consumers noted that comparisons with 

what they have now and the brand of the 

new product would affect their decisions. 

—Dinesh C. Sharma, Special to News.com 


TRENDS TECH NEWS 

TiVo Adds iPod, PlayStation Portable Support 

TIVO IS looking to attract 

more customers by collabo- 

rating with Apple Computer 

and Sony, makers of the two 

most popular mobile devices 

on the market: the iPod and 

the PlayStation Portable. 

The company, whose 

box has become synonymous 

with digital TV 

recording, plans to roll out 

a version of its TiVoToGo 

mobile service for the 

popular devices. In 

the coming 

months, customers 

will 

be able to synchronizedownloads 

of their programs 

from their TiVo 

Series2 boxes and transfer 

them to the portable 

devices via their PCs. To use 

the new service, subscribers 

will have to purchase lowcost 

software that will en- 

SAMSUNG is applying its 

expertise in manufacturing 

oversize flat screens to 

a much smaller 

arena: handheld 

displays. 

With hopes of 

replicating the 

success it’s had 

with large LCD 

screens, the company 

is converting 

its televisions’ 

high-definition image 

rendering for use in mobile 

phones in camera mode, 

according to Joe Virginia, 

vice president of TFT/LCD 

marketing and business development. 

Another picture-quality 

improvement underway: 

adding white pixels to the 

standard RGB alignment (the 

three colors used to translate 

spectral light in displays 

able the transfer of content. 

“The service will automatically 

prepare and transcode 

the television show to one of 

these portable devices using 

industry-standard format 

designs,” says Jim Denney, 

director of product market- 

and digital cameras), which 

Samsung claims will increase 

a screen’s brightness 

ing at TiVo. 

The rollout will increase 

the number of devices with 

which TiVoToGo can interact. 

Introduced in January 

2005, TiVoToGo lets you 

transfer TV shows from your 

DVR to a laptop or PC over 

your home network. Last 

April, TiVo added support for 

devices compatible with the 

Microsoft Portable Media 

Center format. 

To discourage 

abuse or 

unlawful use 

of this feature, 

the 

company will 

apply “watermark” 

technologies to programs 

transferred with 

TiVoToGo, enabling it to 

track the account from 

which a transferred program 

originated. 

—Michael Singer, News.com 

Samsung Sees the Light on Mobile Screens 


Future Samsung cell phones 

could have much-improved resolution 

over new QVGA-quality 

phones like the SCH-B200. 

by as much as 70 percent, 

thus reducing the amount of 

power it requires. 

Other upgrades 

Samsung expects 

to roll out over the 

year include broadening 

its handhelds’ 

color palette 

from 262,000 to 

16.7 million colors 

and improving 

screen resolution 

to a WVGA-quality 

852x480, Virginia says. 

The improvements will 

have a slimming effect on 

the devices, reducing their 

depth from 2.1mm to 

1.6mm. Samsung is also investing 

in slimmer, hybrid 

touch-screen panels, which 

it expects to include in its 

lineup of display technologies 

in the fourth quarter of 

this year. —M.S., News.com 

Competitors 

To iPod Seek 

A Common 

Connection 

Hoping to loosen Apple 

Computer’s grip on the 

market for digital music 

players, Microsoft is rallying 

consumer-electronics 

companies to foster a 

connection they would all 

share—literally. 

The software maker is 

part of a working group recently 

launched by the Consumer 

Electronics Association 

(CEA) to develop a 

standard port for connecting 

gadgets such as music 

players to audio systems in 

homes and cars. 

Apple’s popular iPod already 

has a standard dock 

connector that connects its 

recent models to speakers, 

car kits, and other devices. 

Other music-player makers, 

such as Creative Labs, Dell, 

and Iriver, however, employ 

their own nonstandard 

ports, making it difficult 

for accessory manufacturers 

to create add-ons that 

will work with multiple formats. 

Most accessories are 

geared toward the iPod, the 

market leader, and Apple 

collects a cut from each 

“made for iPod” add-on 

that works with the music 

player. 

So far, over 40 companies 

have signed up to be 

part of the working group, 

according to the CEA. They 

include representatives 

from Belkin, Best Buy, 

Bose, Creative Technology, 

Nokia, Philips, and Sirius. 

(Apple is not a member of 

the group.) 

Dave Wilson, the CEA’s 

director of technology and 

standards, says the group 

hopes to have a standard 

port completed by midyear. 

—M.S, News.com

GEAR NEW PRODUCTS 

BY BRIAN BENNETT 

Dialing in style 

Crafted with sleek lines sure to please tech 

fashionistas, the model-thin Nokia 7380 elim- 

inates the traditional phone keypad in favor of 

a circular dialer. Beyond the attractively 

etched chassis, the $649 handset also features 

a 2-megapixel camera (with 4x digital zoom), 

Bluetooth connectivity, and the ability to play 

MP3 files. Nokia, www.nokiausa.com 


Tank drive 

Toss the Buffalo MiniStation 

into your bag or pocket, and 

you’ll always be ready to grab or 

share important files. Not only 

does this portable hard drive 

connect to PCs via USB 2.0, it 

also features a nifty shock- 

absorbing case and floating in- 

ternal supports for riding out 

minor bumps and falls with 

minimum damage. The 40GB 

model costs $149, and the 80GB, 

$199. Buffalo Technology, 

www.buffalotech.com 

PlayStation isolation 

Designed to shut out disruptive 

external sounds, the $299 Shure 

E4g Sound Isolating Earphones: 

Gaming Edition really get you in 

the game. Intended for use with 

handheld audio/game devices 

such as the Sony PlayStation 

Portable, the stereo headset 

comes in console-coordinating 

black. Shure also claims the E4g’s 

sound-isolating technology is 

just as effective as the active 

noise-canceling techniques of 

competing headphones. 

Shure, www.shure.com

Tech pack 

The $59.99 Targus Urban Messenger bag will get you 

noticed for your sense of style, not for a bulging note- 

book. Tailored to fit laptops with screens measuring 

up to 15.4 inches, the satchel features distinctive 

black-and-orange accents and plenty of pockets to 

carry your cell phone, identification, MP3 player, and 

documents. You even get a six-slot CD/DVD sleeve. 

Targus Group International, www.targus.com 

PDA pilot 

The $599 Asus MyPal A636 Pocket PC runs Mi- 

crosoft’s latest Windows Mobile operating system, 

version 5, and has a speedy 416MHz CPU. The PDA 

also features both Bluetooth and 802.11b Wi-Fi wireless 

networking. And in case you get lost, the integrated 

GPS receiver will help you get back on track. 

Asustek Computer, usa.asus.com 

Detect and connect 

Sniff out wireless networks wherever you roam 

with the Linksys WUSBF54G Wireless-G USB 

Adapter With Wi-Fi Finder. Powered by an internal 

rechargeable battery, the $79 device enables you to 

search for, identify, and filter available access points 

by security, name, and signal strength. Better still, 

the gadget adds 802.11b/g connectivity to any PC. 

Linksys, www.linksys.com 


REVIEWS 

THE LATEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PRODUCTS 

Velocity Micro Gamer’s Edge DualX T1300 

Boutique brings handcrafted PC to retail buyers 

THE GAMER’S EDGE DualX T1300 is Velocity Micro’s entry 

into the electronics retail channel. Available in Best Buy’s retail 

outlets and on its Web site (www.bestbuy.com), the $1,990 

T1300 is a serious gaming machine. It’s one of three configurations 

offered by the retail 

EDITORS’ RATING 7.2 

giant (but the only one you’ll 

see in stores). 

0 BETTER >> 10 The T1300 is housed in Ve- 

PROS Highly upgradable; locity Micro’s Signature LXstrong 

overall performer; over- W case. The interior is wellclocked 

graphics card 

organized and bathed in blue 

CONS Monitor, speakers cost light. A door conceals a dou- 

extra; no flash-card reader 

ble-layer DVD burner and a 

SPECS 2.4GHz Athlon 64 

DVD-ROM drive, as well as a 

3800+; 1GB DDR; 250GB hard floppy drive, but the PC lacks 

drive; double-layer DVD±RW; 

DVD-ROM; no monitor; nVidia 

GeForce 7800 GT graphics 

(256MB); Windows XP Home 

a memory-card reader. 

Two USB 2.0 

ports and a 

Edition 

FireWire 

Velocity Micro, 800-303-7866 port share 

www.velocitymicro.com 

space on the lower-front 

Direct Price $1,990 

bezel with headphone and 

microphone jacks. Rear- 

What’s the Deal? 

Velocity Micro jumps into the retail game with the 

Gamer’s Edge DualX T1300, a smart configuration and 

a good value for a gaming PC. 

What it’s for: Intended for gaming, the T1300 is 

stocked well enough to make quick work of most consumer 

activities, including digital media work. 

Who it’s for: Anyone seeking an off-the-shelf gaming 

rig, or those just looking for more performance and 

customization in their next PC. 

Business use: Productivity applications such as 

Microsoft Office, as well as graphics work. 

What’s included: One year of parts-and-labor coverage, 

onsite service, and toll-free phone support; standard 

Microsoft Internet keyboard and optical scroll mouse; 

assorted bundled software, including Cyberlink Power- 

DVD 5, the Nero CD/DVD burning suite, Ubisoft’s Far 

Cry, and a system-restore CD. 

Extra essentials: 5.1- or 7.1-channel speakers; monitor 

for work and 3D gaming; games. 

The bottom line: Velocity Micro successfully brings 

high-end, overclocked components and handcrafted 

workmanship to retail buyers. 


accessible connections include four USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire 

port, an Ethernet connection, and jacks for audio from the 

Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS sound card. 

The T1300’s 2.4GHz Athlon 64 3800+ processor runs on an 

Asus A8N SLI motherboard with 1GB of memory. A 250GB hard 

drive provides ample storage, and the removable drive-bay 

cage has room for four additional hard drives. The PC comes 

with a single, overclocked 256MB nVidia GeForce 7800 GT 

graphics card; a second x16 PCI Express (PCIe) slot maintains 

space for an identical card should you opt for a dual-card 

performance boost. 

On the BAPCo 

SYSmark 2004 test, 

the component 

combination managed 

a respectable 

score of 198. The 

CPU is fast enough 

for most users, and 

the graphics card is 

close to top-of-theline, 

flipping 

frames at a rate of 

80 per second on 

our 1,600x1,200 

Half-Life 2 test. 

—John R. Delaney 

Velocity Micro uses the same custom 

detailing in its retail entry for Best Buy 

as it does on its own site.

Logitech Z-5450 Digital 

Wireless rear speakers provide clutter-free surround sound 

THE TROUBLE WITH surround-sound 

setups is that their wiring, well, surrounds 

you. Logitech’s Z-5450 Digital untangles the 

mess by adding two wireless rear speakers 

to an otherwise typical 5.1 setup. How do 

they sound? Like music to our ears. 

The $499.99 Z-5450 consists of six 

speakers (two front satellites, two rearchannel 

satellites, a center-channel 

speaker, and a subwoofer) for a total of 

315 watts RMS. You can operate the Z-5450 

either via a wired control module, which 

EDITORS’ RATING 

0 BETTER >> 10 

PROS 2.4GHz wireless surround speakers; 

surround-sound decoder; wireless remote 

control; multiple digital inputs 

CONS Loose-sounding subwoofer; wireless 

transmitter can interfere with cordless phones 

Logitech, 800-231-7717 

www.logitech.com 

7.5 

Direct Price $499.99 

functions as a preamp and a wireless 

transmitter,or with the included remote 

control. The control module incorporates 

Dolby Digital, Dolby Pro Logic II, DTS, and 

DTS 96/24 processing, and it allows you to 

directly connect the system to devices 

such as sound cards, DVD players, and 

game consoles. 

Shaped like a wireless router, the control 

module has a luminescent text display 

with a large front-panel volume knob. Its 

assortment of A/V-receiver-style connections 

includes two optical digital-audio in- 

puts, one coaxial digital-audio input, and 

three 1/8-inch analog mini-jack inputs. 

We plugged our system into a Sound 

Blaster Audigy 2 ZS sound card and placed 

the two wireless rear speakers behind us. 

Each rear speaker has a hardwired power 

cord (meaning the rear speakers aren’t 100 

percent wireless), but we’re of the opinion 

that connecting directly to a power outlet 

is better than using batteries. 

The control module employs 2.4GHz 

digital wireless transmission to send the 

signal to the surround speakers. When our 

2.4GHz cordless phone was in the same 

room as the speakers, interference from 

the Z-5450 rendered the phone unusable. 

On the other hand, the speakers didn’t 

cause any interference with our Wi-Fi 

network and were able to deliver clear, 

hiccup-free rear-channel sound. 

During intense deathmatch battles in 

Half-Life 2, the subwoofer drove grenade 

explosions home with satisfying boom. 

When we played Outkast’s “Ms. Jackson,” 

however, the bass line was a little more 

lumbering and loose than we would have 

liked. A viewing of Star Trek: Insurrection 

presented perfectly clear center-speaker 

dialogue. Treble and midrange also sounded 

smooth and balanced. 

—Nathaniel Wilkins 

The Z-5450’s router-like 

control module doubles as a 

wireless transmitter to the rear 

speakers, which operate on a 

2.4GHz frequency. 

in this section 

26 DESKTOPS 

HP Pavilion s7220n Slimline 

Vigor Hornet 

Bully Surgeon 


28 NOTEBOOKS 


Dell XPS M140 

Asus W2V 

Averatec 3715-EH1 

Sony VAIO FJ170/B 

34 COMPONENTS 

ATI Radeon X1600 XT 

Logitech Cordless Desktop 

MX5000 Laser 

Pioneer DVR-R100 

38 DISPLAYS 

BenQ FP91E 

LaCie 319 

Sony SDM-S75A 

40 PRINTERS 


Epson PictureMate Express 

Edition 

Lexmark T640 

42 HOME NETWORKING 

APC 3-in-1 Wireless Mobile Router 

Belkin Wireless G Plus 

MIMO Router 


44 MOBILE PRODUCTS 


Archos AV500 

48 DIGITAL CAMERAS 

Kodak EasyShare One 

Konica Minolta DiMage Z6 

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 

49 DIGITAL AUDIO 

Iriver U10 

JVC Alneo XA-HD500 

Sennheiser PXC300 

50 DIGITAL LIVING 

Bose 3-2-1 Series II Home 

Entertainment System 

HP PL4200N 

Panasonic PT-52LCX65 

52 SOFTWARE 

Acronis True Image 9.0 

Norton Ghost 10.0 

System Mechanic 6 Professional 

BeInSync 1.6 

CrazyTalk Media Studio 4.0 


IronTrainer 2 


For details on how we test the hardware 

we review, visit computershopper.com/ 

HowWeTest. 


REVIEWS DESKTOPS 

HP Pavilion s7220n Slimline 

Compact box is quiet, affordable 

HEWLETT-PACKARD’S tiniest small-form-factor PC yet, the 

$569.99 Pavilion s7220n Slimline is a stylish, quiet, and able 

budget performer. Its lack of expandability makes it better suited 

for use as a second PC, however. 

The s7220n’s case, like that of Apple’s Mac Mini, isn’t meant 

to be opened (or its insides tinkered with), so HP has 


6.8 


PROS Highly affordable; 

compact design; quiet operation; 

roomy hard drive 

CONS Cannot be upgraded, 

customized 

SPECS 1.5GHz Celeron M 370; 

512MB DDR2; 200GB hard drive; 

double-layer DVD±RW; no monitor; 

Intel integrated graphics; 

Windows XP Home Edition; 

Microsoft Works 8 

Hewlett-Packard, 877-801-7183 

www.hp.com 

Direct Price $569.99 (before 

a $50 mail-in rebate) 

smartly outfitted the 

PC with a relatively robust 

feature set. You get 512MB of 

RAM, a flash-card reader,a 

spacious 200GB hard drive, 

and a double-layer Light- 

Scribe DVD burner. Connectivity 

options include five 

USB 2.0 ports (four in the 

back, one in front), one 

FireWire port, and jacks for 

six-channel audio. 

The PC achieves its tiny 

Vigor Hornet 

A well-priced, entry-level 3D gamer 

VIGOR GAMING is a relative newcomer to the boutique-PC 

market, and its Hornet desktop ($1,577 as configured, without 

monitor or speakers) is a serious 3D-gaming rig that won’t 

overtax your budget. 

A huge, gloss-black custom chassis with silver-aluminum 

trim, the Hornet’s case is quite attractive. A windowed leftside 

panel provides a view of the 

unique Super Monsoon Active Cooling 

System (MACS) CPU assembly. 

The MACS is regulated by thermoelectric 

chips that use the CPU fan 

to draw heat away from the CPU. 

Vigor claims this process provides a 

10 degree Celsius reduction in heat 

at full loads, allowing for safe overclocking 

without the need for water-cooling 

components. The CPU 

fan is lit by bright green or blue 

LEDs that complement the three 

blue-lit system fans, resulting in a 

dazzling light show. 

The Hornet’s 

case holds 

lots of expansion 


size thanks in 

part to the use of 

a notebook 

processor, the 

1.5GHz Celeron 

M 370, which 

runs more efficiently 

than a 

desktop chip. This 

allows the s7200n 

to run cool and 

quiet in a compact 

case. Besides the 

CPU, the s7220n uses no other mobile technology—the optical 

drive and motherboard, for example, are full-size and as 

durable as those on a traditional desktop. HP even managed to 

fit the power supply inside the box, so the unit requires no 

external power brick. 

In our tests, the PC’s processor kept up with budget competitors. 

The s7220n managed a 125 score on BAPCo SYSmark 2004, 

proving it can handle the basics, but not much else. And while 

its integrated graphics chip isn’t capable of heavy chores—it 

couldn’t complete our Half-Life 2 tests—it will suffice for DVD 

viewing or the occasional photo edit. —Asa Somers 


7.4 


PROS Solid 3D performance; 

room for optical drives, 

lots of expansion room; threeyear 

warranty 

hard drives, and PCI cards. 

Ports—both front and 

CONS Monitor, speakers cost 

extra; huge tower; cable routing 

back—abound for peripher- could be neater 

als. Vigor tie-wrapped 


every cable inside, but the 4000+; 1GB DDR; two 160GB 

routing scheme isn’t as hard drives; double-layer 

tidy as it could be. 

The Hornet’s 

overclocked 

DVD±RW; no monitor; nVidia 

GeForce 7800 GT graphics 

(256MB); Windows XP Home 

Edition 

2.4GHz Athlon 64 

4000+ processor 

Vigor Gaming, 866-907-3536 

www.vigorgaming.com 

and 1GB of memory 

performed 


more than admirably, with the PC scoring an impressive 

221 on BAPCo SYSmark 2004. Graphics 

performance, driven by a 256MB nVidia GeForce 

7800 GT card, was also respectable, at 115 frames 

per second on our 1,024x768 Half-Life 2 test. 

Vigor offers a three-year parts-and-labor warranty 

standard, along with toll-free phone support for 

the duration of the PC’s life. The company’s Web 

site, on the other hand, offers little support beyond a 

FAQ page. —John R. Delaney

REVIEWS DESKTOPS 

Bully Surgeon 

Liquid-cooled midrange PC has room to grow 

AIMED AT USERS who want a fully customizable, hand-built 

PC without shelling out for a high-cost machine, the Bully Sur- 

geon offers midrange performance for a similarly midrange 

$1,499 (without speakers or a monitor). 

The Surgeon’s anodized-aluminum case features a side-pan- 



PROS Water-cooling system; 

generous software bundle; threeyear 

standard warranty 

CONS Mediocre 3D performance; 

monitor, speakers not 

included; no option for mediacard 

reader 


3000+; 1GB DDR; 160GB hard 

drive; double-layer DVD±RW; no 

monitor; nVidia GeForce 6600 GT 

graphics (128MB); Windows XP 

Home Edition; Microsoft Works 8 

Bully Computers, 847-891-0085 

www.bullypc.com 


6.5 

el window that provides a 

view of the blue-lit interior, 

well-organized sheathed 

cabling, and a small water- 

cooling unit for the CPU. 

Behind a flimsy front-panel 

door are a double-layer 

DVD±RW burner and a floppy 

drive. An optional second op- 

tical drive is available, but a 

flash-card reader is not. A 

small removable drawer, 

handy for storing small tools, 

is built into the case. Audio 

jacks and two USB 2.0 ports 

are on the front face, with 

jacks for the integrated 7.1 

audio and four more USB 2.0 

ports on the rear. Internal ex- 


A quiet, attractive, well-rounded Media Center 

THE $1,299 Sony VAIO VGC-RC110G is a mainstream Media Center 

PC that earns points for its attractive case, quiet operation, 

and generous A/V-connectivity options, though having a manual 

or two in the box would greatly aid setup. 

This living-room-friendly PC operates in near-silence, thanks 

to its liquid-cooling system, which kept noise to a barely audible 

hum. The illuminated VAIO logo on the front of the striking 

tower is one of the only 

indications that it’s on. 

Two optical drives reside 

up front: a doublelayer 

DVD±RW, and a 

DVD-ROM. A versatile 

array of ports is available, 

too, including the 

aforementioned 

A/V jacks, seven USB 2.0 

ports (three in front, 

four in the back), two 

FireWire ports, and a 

pansion is abundant. 

Our test unit was 

stocked with a 1.8GHz 

Athlon 64 3000+ 

processor, 1GB of 

RAM, a 160GB hard 

drive, and a 128MB 

GeForce 6600 GT 

graphics card. You can 

order the Surgeon 

with different processors 

(AMD or Intel), hard drives, and graphics 

cards (including nVidia Scalable Link Interface setups). 

Considering most of its components barely qualify as 

midrange, the Surgeon performed as it should. Its 148 score on 

BAPCo SYSmark 2004 indicates the PC is adequate for mainstream 

tasks. Although its 3D performance isn’t terrible, the 

Surgeon won’t blow you away; it delivered 26 frames per second 

on our 1,600x1,200 Half-Life 2 test. 

Bully bundles an assortment of software, including Microsoft 

Works 8 and Panda’s Antivirus Titanium 2005, and provides 

a generous warranty: three years on parts and labor. 

Note that phone support is not toll-free, however. 

—John R. Delaney 


6.7 


media-card reader. 

The dual-core 3GHz Pen- 

PROS Quiet operation, thanks 

to liquid cooling; attractive case; 

wide array of ports; generous 

tium D 830 CPU and 1GB of software bundle 

DDR2 memory offer respectable 

performance, de- 

CONS Application, systemrecovery 

discs not included; 

livering a fairly high 206 on no printed setup instructions, 

our BAPCo SYSmark 2004 manuals 

benchmark test. The 128MB SPECS 3GHz Pentium D 830; 

ATI Radeon X300 isn’t 1GB DDR2; 250GB hard drive; 

much of a graphics card, 

however, and the PC man- 

double-layer DVD±RW; DVD- 

ROM; no monitor; ATI Radeon 

X300 graphics (128MB); Winaged 

a barely playable 23.2 dows XP Media Center Edition 

frames per second on our 2005; Microsoft Works 8 

1,024x768 Half-Life 2 test. Sony Electronics, 877-865-7669 

Like most VAIOs, the www.sonystyle.com 

VGC-RC110G comes with a 

vast bundle of media apps 


and other software. The assortment includes Adobe’s Photoshop 

Elements 3 and Premiere Standard Edition, Microsoft 

Works 8, and Roxio’s DigitalMedia SE. Sony doesn’t provide the 

software on CD, however,nor any kind of system-restore disc. 

Sony is good at providing service, but printed documentation 

for this PC is conspicuously absent. You do get around-the-clock 

phone support for one year, though. —Troy Dreier 


REVIEWS NOTEBOOKS 


A multimedia-friendly machine, but no 3D pro 

HEWLETT-PACKARD’S $1,699 Pavilion DV8000z is a feature- 

rich yet competitively priced desktop replacement with 

enough performance for basic home use. 

Instead of the Intel Pentium M processors most laptops 

have, the notebook features a 2.2GHz AMD Turion 64 ML-40 

processor. You also get 1GB of DDR RAM, a roomy (100GB) 

but sluggish (4,200rpm) hard drive, and a double- 



PROS Affordable; excellent 

keyboard; solid multimedia 

features, performance; doublelayer 

DVD burner 

CONS Dim display; weak 3D 

graphics 

SPECS 2.2GHz Turion 64 ML- 

40; 1GB DDR; 100GB hard drive; 

DVD±RW; 17-inch TFT; Windows 

XP Professional 


www.hp.com 


7.0 

layer DVD 

burner. The 

17-inch 

wide-screen 

display, which has a 

sharp native resolution of 

1,680x1,050 (WSXGA+), isn’t 

as bright as other screens 

we’ve seen. 

The DV8000z is svelte for a 

desktop-replacement laptop 

and weighs a reasonable 8.3 

pounds (9.1 pounds with AC 

adapter). A touch pad (with 

vertical- and horizontalscrolling 

capabilities) and a 

separate number pad supple- 

Dell XPS M140 

Luxe laptop is an impressive performer 

THE NEWEST member of Dell’s XPS luxury laptop line, the 

XPS M140 delivers speedy mobile performance and lengthy 

battery life. 

Our $2,049 test configuration came with top-shelf parts for 

its high price, including a 2.13GHz Pentium M 770 processor, 

1GB of fast 533MHz memory, and a 5,400rpm 80GB 

hard drive. An integrated Intel 

915GM graphics chip 

borrows up to 128MB 

of main memory, so 

you can forget about 

playing graphically 

demanding games. To 

burn DVDs and CDs, the 

notebook features a double-layer 

DVD±RW drive. 

In addition, the crisp 

14.1-inch wide-screen LCD 

features a 1,280x800 native 

resolution. 

Running Windows XP Media 

Center Edition 2005, the laptop also 

comes with Dell’s Media Direct software, 

which lets you play CDs and DVDs 


ment an already 

excellent 

keyboard. Plus, 

you can use the 

multimedia controls 

to operate 

the laptop’s Quick 

Play software, 

which plays CDs 

and DVDs without 

booting up Windows. 

Notable connections include 

one four-pin FireWire 

port, four USB 2.0 ports, a sixformat 

media-card reader, one 

ExpressCard slot, and an integrated 802.11b/g Wi-Fi radio. 

The DV8000z mustered a decent, though not stellar, BAPCo 

SYSmark 2004 score of 144. The weak ATI Radeon Xpress 200 

graphics won’t power 3D games well, however. One upside: 

While the laptop’s size may impede portability, the battery life 

of 3 hours and 32 minutes is comforting. 

HP provides a one-year warranty for the DV8000z, including 

toll-free 24/7 phone support and the cost of hardware repairs. 

—Justin Jaffe 


7.7 


PROS Fast performance; 

without booting up. 

lengthy battery life; can play 

CDs/DVDs without booting up; 

The XPS M140 measures double-layer DVD burner 

1.5x13x9.6 inches and 

CONS Weak 3D graphics; pricey 

weighs 5.9 pounds (the 

three-prong AC adapter adds 

SPECS 2.13GHz Pentium M 770; 

1GB DDR2; 80GB hard drive; 

just under a pound more), double-layer DVD±RW drive; 

average for a thin-and-light 14.1-inch TFT; Windows XP Media 

notebook. We enjoyed typing 

Center Edition 2005 

on its spacious keyboard, Dell, 800-999-3355 

and the machine’s touch pad www.dell.com 

and two mouse buttons are 

also sizable. 


On our BAPCo MobileMark 2005 benchmark test, the XPS M140 

proved itself nimble, scoring a high 238. Also impressive: its long 

battery life of almost 6 hours using a nine-cell battery. 

For a thin-and-light laptop, the XPS M140 offers plenty of 

connections, including an ExpressCard slot, a fiveformat 

flash-memory reader, and four USB 

2.0 ports. An integrated 802.11b/g Wi-Fi 

radio handles wireless networking. 

The XPS M140 ships with a one-year 

warranty; repairs are handled by mail-in service. 

You also get toll-free, 24-hour tech support for a year. 

—Stephanie Bruzzese 

SECTION CONTINUES ON PAGE 32

REVIEWS NOTEBOOKS 

Asus W2V 

One stylish Media Center machine 

THE $2,599 Asus W2V is elegantly designed and features 

impressive multimedia capabilities. 

With a brushed-aluminum chassis measuring 

1.4x17.6x12.7 inches, the W2V is wide but possesses a 

sleek, high-end look. Weighing a reasonable 7.5 


pounds, 

the lap- 


PROS Elegant design; gorgeous 

screen; impressive feature 

set 

top feels 

extremely 

sturdy. An expansive 

keyboard and average-size 

touch pad provide plenty of 

CONS Slow 3D-graphics 

performance; below-average 

support 

room for typing and navigating 

documents with comfort. 

SPECS 2.13GHz Pentium M 

770; 1GB DDR2; 100GB hard 

drive; double-layer DVD±RW 

Connectivity includes one 

FireWire port, four USB 2.0 

ports, and built-in Wi-Fi 

drive; 17-inch TFT; Windows XP 802.11a/b/g and Bluetooth 

Media Center Edition 2005 wireless networking. 

Asustek Computer 

Our test system paired a 

888-678-3688 

2.13GHz Pentium M 770 

usa.asus.com 

processor with 1GB of fast 

List Price $2,599 

533MHz DDR2 RAM, and 

Averatec 3715-EH1 

Affordable portable is no powerhouse 

THE $949.99 Averatec 3715-EH1’s light weight and low 

price can’t completely make up for its slow perfor- 

mance and short battery life. 

Our test model carried a 1.8GHz AMD Sempron 

3000+ processor, 512MB of slow 333MHz memo- 

ry, a 12.1-inch 1,024x768 (XGA) display, 

and an integrated Via S3G graphics 

chipset that takes 32MB from main memory. 

Averatec also includes a DVD±RW burner and a big (if 

slow) 4,200rpm 80GB hard drive. 

Weighing 4.1 pounds (4.8 pounds with AC adapter) and 

measuring 1.3x10.8x8.8 inches, the notebook is demurely 



PROS Inexpensive; compact 

design; DVD burner 

CONS Slow mobile performance; 

short battery life 

SPECS 1.8GHz Sempron 

3000+; 512MB DDR; 80GB hard 

drive; DVD±RW; 12.1-inch TFT; 

Windows XP Home Edition 

Averatec, 877-841-7423 

www.averatec.com 

5.3 



compact. Its keyboard is wide 

enough for comfort, however. 

Along with built-in 802.11b/g 

Wi-Fi, connections include a 

FireWire port, three USB 2.0 

ports, and a four-format 

flash-memory slot. 

The 3715-EH1 scored a low 

146 on BAPCo MobileMark 

2005. Battery life also disappointed—just 

2 hours and 30 

minutes. Averatec supplies a 

standard one-year warranty 

with 24/7 toll-free tech support. 


came with a large 

100GB hard drive and 

a slot-loading doublelayer 

DVD burner. The 

system’s crisp 17-inch 

wide-screen display is 

great for video, delivering 

rich colors, smooth 

playback, and excellent offaxis 

viewing. Driving the screen 

was a 128MB ATI Mobility Radeon 

x700 3D-graphics chip, which is robust, if not the fastest solution 

available. Running Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, 

the laptop also came with a wireless mouse, a remote control, 

a USB radio-frequency antenna for catching TV broadcasts, and 

a dongle for connecting cable and satellite boxes. 

The W2V scored a strong 163 on BAPCo SYSmark 2004. The 

machine isn’t great for gaming, however, posting a slow 20.9 

frames per second on our Doom 3 test. 

Asus provides a standard one-year warranty for the W2V, 

but you’ll have to pay to ship the laptop back to a repair depot. 

Also, phone support—available during limited hours through 

the week—is not toll-free. —Asa Somers 

Sony VAIO FJ170/B 

Swift lightweight has a sharp screen 

SONY’S reasonably priced 

VAIO FJ170/B satisfies with its EDITORS’ RATING 6.4 

strong performance and goodenough 

battery life. 

Our $1,499 test model came 

configured with a 1.73GHz Pentium 

M 740 processor, a mammoth 

100GB hard drive, a dou- 


PROS Lightweight case; fine 

performance; sharp wide-aspect 

display 

CONS Heavy AC adapter 

ble-layer DVD burner, and 

SPECS 1.73GHz Pentium M 

512MB of DDR2 RAM. The 14.1inch, 

1,280x800 wide-screen 

display made colors pop. 

740; 512MB DDR2; 100GB hard 

drive; double-layer DVD±RW; 

14.1-inch TFT; Windows XP 

Home Edition 

We like the laptop’s attractive, 

light case, which meas- 

Sony Electronics, 877-865-7669 

www.sonystyle.com 

ures 1.3x13.4x10 inches and 

weighs 5.3 pounds. (The heavy 


AC adapter,however, adds another pound.) The wide keyboard is 

comfortable, as are the touch pad’s mouse buttons. Connections 

include a four-pin FireWire port, three USB 2.0 ports, built-in 

802.11b/g Wi-Fi connectivity, and a Memory Stick slot. 

The FJ170/B scored a high 203 on 

our BAPCo MobileMark 2005 benchmark 

test, and an adequate battery life 

of 3 hours and 48 minutes. 

Sony covers the notebook with a standard 

one-year warranty that includes 

toll-free, 24/7 phone support. —S.B.

REVIEWS COMPONENTS 

ATI Radeon X1600 XT 

Next-gen card falls short on 3D performance 

WE FIND IT hard to recommend ATI’s 256MB Radeon X1600 

XT when nVidia’s GeForce 6800 and 6800 GT cards remain on 

the market. Chances are, you can find a better-performing 

nVidia card for less than ATI’s $249 asking price. If upgrading 

your home theater PC is your primary objective, however, and 

your card has to be only semicompetent at gaming, this ATI 

midrange board is your best bet. 

The X1600 XT incorporates the same key 3D features 

found in ATI’s new Radeon X1000 family, such as Shader 

Model 3 and support for 


High Dynamic Range (HDR) 

lighting. Also onboard is 

0 BETTER >> 10 ATI’s Avivo video technolo- 

PROS Supports Shader Model 

3, HDR lighting; Avivo video 

gy—the card’s saving grace. 

Avivo supports the H.264 

decoding 

standard, which is impor- 

CONS Performance lags on 

game tests; pricier than compettant 

if you plan to switch to 

the new Blu-ray or highing 

nVidia cards 

definition-DVD formats 

ATI Technologies, 888-974-6728 

www.ati.com 

anytime soon. At press 

time, no other card offered 

Direct Price $249 

this support. You also get a 

series of video-quality 


MX 5000 Laser 

A wireless media manager for your PC 

WE DON’T NORMALLY get weak in the 

knees over keyboard-and-mouse bundles, 

but Logitech’s MX 5000 Laser had us 

blushing at the mere mention of its name. 

The $149.99 kit consists of the MX1000 

mouse, which tracks more accurately than any mouse we’ve 

tested, and the newly designed MX 5000 keyboard. The keyboard 

features a built-in LCD that not only lists the time, date, 

and temperature, but also can be set to chime whenever you 

receive e-mail or an instant message (IM). 

Both the keyboard and the mouse support Bluetooth 2.0 EDR 

and require no configuration, 

though you’ll have to install 


Logitech’s bundled MediaLife 


software. The keyboard has 

four programmable function 

PROS LCD, touch-sensitive 

media controls built into key- 

buttons and a strip of touchboard; 

mouse provides excellent 

sensitive media controls. 

traction; Bluetooth 2.0 support 

Our only quibbles: The noti- 

CONS Occasionally slows your 

fications of incoming e-mail 

system; slow to notify of new 

and IMs were tardy and mo- e-mails, IMs 

mentarily slowed our system. 

Logitech, 800-231-7717 

We experienced no other 

www.logitech.com 

performance lag or discon- 


nects, however. —Louis Ramirez 


tweak 

options 

with ATI’s 

drivers, making 

the X1600 

XT a good 

choice for any 

media-centric PC. 

In our gaming 

benchmark tests, 

however, nVidia’s cards 

ran circles around the 

X1600 XT. Even on Half- 

Life 2, a Direct3D-based 

game in which ATI usually 

dominates, the X1600 XT’s 40 

frames per second (fps) lagged behind the GeForce 6800 by 23 

percent. You could dial down the anti-aliasing and anisotropic 

filtering and get 63fps on the X1600 XT, but a similarly 

tweaked GeForce 6800 still outstripped it by an embarrassing 

44 percent. ATI’s card did surpass the GeForce 6800 GT in our 

Futuremark 3DMark05 test, but by only a paltry 6 percent. 

—Rich Brown 

Pioneer DVR-R100 

FIRST 

TAKE 

The next-generation DVD-format wars are raging, but 

Pioneer briefly sidestepped the battle to announce the 

DVR-R100, a high-speed internal CD/DVD burner that may 

give your music and movies a new lease on life. 

Upside: Available in black or beige, the $89 drive can write to 

double-layer DVD±R media at up to 8x speed. It writes to single-layer 

DVD±R discs at 16x, DVD-RW at 6x, and DVD+RW at 

8x. Pioneer claims the drive is 75 percent quieter than its predecessors, 

making it ideal for any media-centric PC that will reside 

in your living room. The drive comes with a comprehensive 

Ulead software package that includes DVD MovieFactory 

4, Photo Explorer 8.5 SE, and VideoStudio 9 SE DVD. 

Downside: Although we like the drive’s support for both 

DVD+R and DVD-R double-layer media, the discs themselves 

are still pricey. Also, those who don’t like 

to tinker with the dusty innards of 

their PC are out of luck—Pioneer 

doesn’t offer an external 

version of the drive. 

Outlook: It’s hard to distinguish 

one optical drive from another, 

but the DVR-R100’s noteworthy speeds, generous software 

bundle, and attractive price make it difficult to resist, especially 

if you’re in the market for an affordable upgrade. —L.R. 

p Pioneer Electronics U.S.A., 800-421-1404, 

www.pioneerelectronics.com 

List Price $89 


REVIEWS DISPLAYS 

LaCie 319 

Pricey LCD offers advanced features 

A LOT OF people are in the market for a svelte, 

high-performing LCD. Unless you’re a graphics pro, 

however, LaCie’s 319 might be out of your range. 

Sure, its color performance is excellent, but at $999, 

the display costs twice as much as a layperson’s 19inch 

LCD. 


The black-clad 319 

doesn’t break any 


ground in LCD design. 

PROS Outstanding color 

It is, however,very 

performance; lots of adjustment 

potential; optional color-calibra- flexible, with a neck 

tion software, colorimeter 

that telescopes between 

1.5 and 6.5 

CONS Expensive; unwieldy 

inches, and a lazy Su- 

tilt adjustment; disappointing 

gaming performance 

san that lets it swivel 

90 degrees right and 

LaCie, 503-844-4500 

www.lacie.com 

left. Besides rotating 

between portrait and 


landscape modes, the 

screen can tilt forward and back, though adjusting 

the stiff ball-and-socket-style joint on our unit required 

two hands and near-superhuman strength. 

The display supports VGA and DVI connections. 

Additionally, you can fit a metal hood to keep out 

ambient light. A little hook in the center enables 

you to hang LaCie’s optional $349 Blue Eye Pro colorimeter 

for performing advanced calibrations on 

white-point temperature, gamma, and brightness. 

Alternatively, you can buy the 319 bundled with the 

colorimeter for a hefty $1,199. 

The 319 did an excellent job in our color tests. It 

displayed a wide range of colors that looked very 

rich and didn’t shift in tint as the display progressed 

up and down the intensity scale. Grayscale 

performance was also satisfactory, with only 

slight introduced color in the midlevel grays. Although 

the screen performed well in our DVDplayback 

tests, gaming performance was jerky 

and blurry. —Kristina Blachere 


Sony SDM-S75A 

A no-frills display suitable for office use 


6.5 


WITH THE 17-inch SDM-S75A, Sony 

trades the glitzy look of its flagship 

LCDs for a more restrained design. At 

PROS 

$315.99, the monitor is an entry-level 

Sharp text rendering 

display fit only for office use. 

CONS Hard-to-read button 

The screen’s bottom edge is fixed 5.75 

labels; no digital input; ghosting 

when displaying video 

inches from the desk, a good height for 

most people. You can tilt the display 

Sony Electronics, 877-865-7669 

back 20 degrees and forward 5 degrees, 

b2b.sony.com 

and it swivels from side to side. Keeping 


with the display’s streamlined look are 

small black buttons, embedded in the right bezel, used for navigating the 

onscreen menu. Their tiny labels are hard to read, however. 

The SDM-S75A has a native resolution of 1,280x1,024 and only a VGA 

input—no digital connectivity. The 

display excelled at rendering text, 

but it didn’t impress us as much 

with color. We noted compressed 

shades at the bright end of their 

ranges, and solid colors showed 

traces of other tints. Also, despite its 

reasonably zippy 12-millisecond pixel-response 

rate, the LCD exhibited 

ghosting in our DVD-playback and 

gaming tests. —Dan Littman 

BenQ FP91E 

Stylish screen delivers subpar performance 

5.6 

THERE’S NO denying the visual appeal 

of the $479 BenQ FP91E, but this 19-inch 


LCD’s image quality doesn’t justify the 0 BETTER >> 10 

asking price. The display is adequate for 

basic tasks such as word processing and 

PROS Attractive design; integrated 

speakers; includes preset 

Web surfing, but graphics enthusiasts brightness/contrast levels 

should look elsewhere. 

CONS Lackluster image quali- 

Despite our test unit’s 8-millisecond ty; limited adjustability; cramped 

response time, we experienced digital cable connectors 

noise and ghosting during DVD play- BenQ America, 949-255-9500 

back. On the plus side, the FP91E comes www.benq.us 

with two integrated 2-watt speakers, its 

onscreen menu is easy to navigate, and 

Mfr. Est. Price $479 

preset modes for brightness and contrast 

are built-in. You can easily calibrate 

the screen by connecting it via an 

analog interface. (DVI is also supported.) 

The display offers little adjustability, 

however, and its fixed height may require 

a monitor riser for comfortable 

viewing. Another quibble: Its tightly 

spaced cable connectors make it difficult 

to connect cables behind the monitor. 

—K.B.

REVIEWS PRINTERS 


Versatile inkjet for the budget crowd 

CANON’S PIXMA iP4200 may not be perfect, but 

considering it costs just $129.99, it has plenty to 

offer. Featuring automatic duplexing (double- 

sided printing), this four-color inkjet prints bor- 

dered or borderless color photos, and it’s relatively 

fast for the money. 

In our tests, the iP4200 produced adequate-look- 

ing printouts. Text showed some artifacts and 

jagged lines, but these were noticeable only under 

close magnification. 

EDITORS’ RATING 7.5 Bargain-hunting s 

hoppers will find the 


text and photo quality 

PROS Respectable print quali- quite acceptable. 

ty; automatic duplexing; two 

paper-input trays 

The printer impressed 

us a bit more 

CONS Easy to direct output to with its speed. Six 

wrong paper tray 

pages of text took 

Canon U.S.A., 800-652-2666 about a minute to 

usa.canon.com 

print, and a duplexed 

Mfr. Est. Price $129.99 sheet with text, about 3 

minutes. An 8.5x11inch 

color print took 4 minutes and 9 seconds, and a 

4x6-inch print, 74 seconds. While these aren’t the 

fastest times we’ve seen, they’re decent for the price. 

We appreciated the iP4200’s dual paper-input trays, 

which enable versatile paper-feeding options. (For example, 

you can load 8.5x11-inch paper into one tray 

and keep a supply of 4x6-inch sheets in the other.) 

This arrangement makes it easy to accidentally direct 

output to the wrong tray, however, so we recommend 

using the driver’s Paper Allocation feature to specify 

the type of paper in the cassette. 

Ink costs about $14.25 per color tank for refills, 

while a black tank retails at $16.25. Based on the company’s 

claim of 300 pages per cartridge, we estimate 

printing costs of about 19 cents per page of graphics, 

30 cents per 4x6 photo, and 5 cents per page of text. 

—David D. Busch 


Lexmark T640 

An office laser with room for extreme expansion 

7.5 


THE MODEST-LOOKING Lexmark T640 

laser printer hides big potential for 

0 BETTER >> 10 growth. If you’re willing to shell out for 

PROS Fast printing; highly ex- extras atop its $699 price, you can get 

pandable; direct printing from add-on paper drawers that hold as many 

USB flash drive; low per-page 

cost 

as 3,850 sheets in total, or an optional 

duplexer for double-sided printing. 

CONS Merely fair graphics- That’s not to say the T640 isn’t a 

print quality; expansion options 

inflate price 

good monochrome laser right out of 

the box, however. It comes with unusu- 

Lexmark International 

al features such as a plug-in USB port 

800-539-6275 

www.lexmark.com 

that lets you print PDFs from a flash 

drive. Plus, thanks to its 400MHz 


processor, the printer keeps pace with 

other fast office workgroup models. In our tests, it cranked out text at 

an average of 26.4 pages per minute 

(ppm), and graphics at 23ppm. 

The quality of the output was less 

impressive, however. Fonts below 5 

points looked rough when examined 

up-close, and graphics prints 

showed uneven blending. Still, 

printing costs should work out to 

a low 1.8 cents per page, or 1.6 

cents per page if you trade in your 

Lexmark cartridge. —Kristina Blachere 

Epson PictureMate Express Edition 

FIRST 

TAKE 

When we first reviewed Epson’s PictureMate Deluxe Viewer, we 

found it delivered great all-around 4x6-inch prints. It was somewhat 

slow, but unlike its precursor, the PictureMate, the Deluxe had a 2.4-inch color 

LCD and supported all our favorite memory-card formats. Now, Epson’s 

hoping to pull a hat trick with the PictureMate’s third incarnation, the Express 

Edition. 

Upside: The Express should be faster than its sluggish predecessors—Epson 

estimates it should print a 4x6-inch print in 80 seconds. Though it doesn’t 

have a color screen, the six-color printer retains the rest of the features we 

liked about the Deluxe. Plus, a new 270-sheet PictureMate Print Pack means 

cheaper per-print costs, though its $64.99 price may send seismic waves 

through your budget. 

Downside: Epson’s speed claims are promising, but in most cases, printers 

rarely meet their manufacturers’ estimated speeds. Despite the increased 

print speed, keep in mind the Express won’t be the fastest printer available, 

and it could even lag behind other stand-alone snapshot printers. 

Outlook: Aside from the bumped-up 

speed and lack of a color LCD, the Express 

is identical to the Deluxe. Is it worth buying 

if you don’t already own a PictureMate? 

Stay tuned for our review. —Lori Grunin 

p Epson America, 800-463-7766, 

www.mypicturemate.com 

Direct Price $149.99

REVIEWS HOME NETWORKING 

Belkin Wireless G Plus MIMO Router 

MIMO on the cheap, but with a performance hit 

BASED ON Airgo Networks’ True MIMO chipset and featuring 

dual antennas, the value-price Belkin Wireless G Plus MIMO 

Router bested or tied with some of its pricier three-antenna 

multiple input, multiple output (MIMO) competitors in our 

testing. That’s impressive, considering its low $97.99 price. 

Belkin does a great job with the Wireless G’s documenta- 

tion and setup. The router ships with both hard and electron- 

ic copies of the well-written manuals. Its browser-based con- 

figuration tool lets you alter the device’s ample security 

features, which include Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) and 

Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) encryption, as well as Media Ac- 


PROS MIMO technology at a 

low price; excellent documentation, 

warranty 

CONS Mediocre throughput at 

long range 

Belkin, 800-223-5546 

www.belkin.com 


7.1 



Do-it-yourself network storage 


IF YOU’RE LOOKING for a net- 

work storage device but have 

been stymied by the high price 

per gigabyte, Netgear’s $149.99 

SC101 Storage Central may just 

be what you’re after. An unpop- 

ulated box with two easy-access 

drive bays for standard ATA 

drives, the SC101 offers drive- 

spanning and volume-sharing 

features. 

cess Control (MAC) address 

filtering and a built-in fire- 

wall. The Wireless G also of- 

fers a demilitarized zone 

(DMZ) outside of the firewall, 

and a quality-of-service 

feature, should you use the 

router to stream Voice over 

Internet Protocol (VoIP) or 

multimedia packets. 

You can install a single hard drive in the box, but you’ll 

need two if you want RAID mirroring (data stored simultane- 

ously to two drives for redundancy). While the SC101 con- 

nects to your network via Ethernet, it isn’t accessed via an IP 

address like many NAS boxes—it appears as a normal drive 


7.5 


PROS Inexpensive; easy 

setup; drive spanning 

CONS Need to add your own 

hard drives 

Netgear, 888-638-4327 

www.netgear.com 

Mfr. Est. Price $149.99 

letter, not a mapped network 

drive. 

The unit’s performance in 

our testing couldn’t match 

The included utility soft- 

ware is easy to use and 

guides you nicely through 

the drive-configuration 

process. For users who don’t 

already have a favorite back- 

up program, Netgear in- 

cludes Storage Sync Pro. 

—Jon L. Jacobi 

that of its pricier, 

three-antenna sibling, 

the Belkin Wireless Pre-N 

Router. In fact, its long-range 

throughput of 18.2Mbps at 200 feet was 

precisely half that of the Pre-N Router’s. The Wireless G near- 

ly matched the Pre-N Router’s outstanding score on our max- 

imum-throughput test, however. It also compared favorably 

with three-antenna MIMO competitors such as the 

Buffalo AirStation WZR-G108 and Linksys WRT54GX in 

maximum-throughput and mixed-mode testing. 

With the Wireless G, Belkin provides the best warranty 

coverage we’ve seen for a wireless router: an unlimited war- 

ranty that lasts for as long as you own the device, along with 

around-the-clock toll-free tech support. 

APC 3-in-1 Wireless 

Mobile Router 

Not the friendliest travel companion 


AMERICAN POWER Conversion’s 

$69.99 3-in-1 Wireless 


Mobile Router can transform a 


hotel-room Ethernet jack into 

an 802.11b/g wireless hot spot. 

Toting this small, light device 

along on your travels is easy, 

and its support for Wi-Fi Protected 

Access (WPA) encryption 

PROS Compact design; WPA 

security; SPI firewall 

CONS Slow throughput at long 

range; confusing documentation; 

can’t draw power from a laptop 

USB port 

and a stateful packet inspection 

(SPI) firewall helps your 

American Power Conversion 

877-272-2722 

data remain secure. 

www.apc.com 

Installing the router is an exercise 

in frustration, however, 


due to its poor documentation. In addition, you can’t plug the 

included USB cable into your laptop’s USB port to draw power. 

Instead, the cable connects the router to APC’s optional Travel- 

Power Adapter, another device you have to carry. 

The device performed decently in our maximum-throughput 

test but poorly on our long-range 

tests. The latter might not matter in 

a hotel room, but if you need a mobile 

router for situations where range 

is a factor, 3Com’s OfficeConnect Travel 

Router is a better bet. —S.B.

REVIEWS MOBILE PRODUCTS 


Features galore, but needs more pep 

THE $499 Dell Axim X51v offers an agreeable combination of 

functions and a big software bundle, but we were unim- 

pressed by the PDA’s performance and subpar battery life. 

At 4.7x2.9x0.7 inches and 6.2 ounces, the X51v won’t 

weigh you down. Still, it’s solidly built and comfortable to 

hold. The star attraction, though, is the 3.7-inch VGA 

screen—thanks to its 640x480 resolution and 16-bit-color 

output, it displays sharp text and images. In addition, the 

handheld’s battery is user-replaceable, and you’ll find 

CompactFlash and SD slots, as well as a 3.5mm jack that 

accepts Walkman-style headphones. 

Running Microsoft’s lat- 


est OS for handhelds, Windows 

Mobile 5.0, the X51v 


comes powerfully equipped 

PROS Integrated Wi-Fi, Blue- with a 624MHz Intel XScale 

tooth; solid software bundle; 

dual memory-card slots; userreplaceable 

battery 

PXA270 processor, a 16MB 

Intel 2700G graphics engine, 

CONS Sluggish performance; 

short battery life 

64MB of RAM, and 256MB of 

ROM. Bluetooth and 802.11b 

Wi-Fi radios are built-in. 

Dell, 800-388-8542 

www.dell.com 

Outfitted with a generous 

software bundle, the device 


includes handheld versions 

Archos AV500 

Pricey pocket-size video device is highly capable 

THE COSTLY ($499.95) Archos AV500 puts high-quality widescreen 

video in the palm of your hand, but getting viewable 

content onto the device isn’t quite a point-and-click process. 

With its brushed-metal exterior, the 9-ounce AV500 has an 

industrial look and is bigger than most MP3 players. Its 4-inch 

wide-screen LCD is bright and has a resolution of 480x272. 

Another plus is the included user-removable battery. 

The AV500 saves digital content to a 30GB hard drive. 

(A 100GB version 

is available for 

$699.95.) The device 

can serve several 

functions: audio 

player/recorder, 

video player/ 

recorder, voice 

recorder, photo 

viewer, and portable 

hard drive. Attaching 

to your PC via a 

USB 2.0 port, it 

shows up as a drive 

visible by Windows or as a 

Microsoft PlaysForSure media device, 


of Word, Excel, 

and PowerPoint. 

You also get a 

bunch of handy 

utilities, a few 

games, and 

Windows Media 

Player 10 Mobile, 

which can play 

MP3/WMA audio 

and WMV video 

files. 

The X51v’s 

performance fell 

below our expectations. 

The PDA 

responded sluggishly 

to taps of the 

stylus, and lagged 

when multiple 

applications were running. Also, while playing a looped 

video clip with all wireless connections off and the backlight 

set to high, the X51v lasted barely more than 4 hours. 

—Bonnie Cha 


8.3 


autosyncing with Windows 

Media Player 10. The device 

PROS Extensive audio/video 

recording features; bright display; 

long battery life; excellent sound 

natively plays DivX, MPEG- quality; DivX support 

4, and WMV video files, but 

CONS Expensive; unintuitive 

it can’t display videos from controls; no support for iTunes 

Apple’s easy-to-use iTunes video downloads 

Music Store. 

Archos, 949-609-1483 

Archos supplies a dock- www.archos.com 

ing pod, 

which can 

connect to a 

Direct Price $499.95 (30GB); 

$699.95 (100GB) 

television or home theater system and allows 

you to record shows to the AV500 in real time. 

The hardware setup is complicated, however, 

and you have to schedule recordings using 

an awkward, VCR-like onscreen menu. Even 

though the AV500’s controls aren’t intuitive, 

operating the device is relatively simple, 

thanks to its attractive, icon-driven interface. 

The player delivered superb-looking video, 

and audio quality was excellent. Files also 

transferred quickly, and battery life was impressive—the 

AV500 lasted 21.1 hours playing audio 

and 8.2 hours screening video. —Rick Broida

REVIEWS DIGITAL CAMERAS 

Kodak EasyShare One 

Wi-Fi camera shares better than it shoots 

WITH ITS 3-inch touch-screen LCD and Wi-Fi transfer capabilities, 

Kodak’s $599.95 EasyShare One enables photographers to 

instantly share pictures. If only the 4-megapixel camera were 

as adept at shooting them. 

The EasyShare One can transfer images directly to a PC using 

802.11b Wi-Fi. It can also print wirelessly to Kodak’s EasyShare 

Printer Dock Plus Series 3 or the EasyShare Photo Printer 500 if 

the printer is equipped with an optional Wi-Fi card. Additionally, 

via a Wi-Fi hotspot, you can upload your images to the Kodak 

EasyShare Gallery (www.kodakgallery.com, formerly Ofoto) di- 


rectly from the camera, and 

then view them. 

Changing the EasyShare 

0 BETTER >> 

PROS Easy wireless photo 

sharing; 3-inch LCD; generally 

quick performance 

10 

One’s settings (using the 

LCD touch screen or a fourway 

directional pad) can be 

slow and tedious. Switching 

CONS Subpar image quality; 

slow wake-up time; cumbersome 

interface 

from Auto ISO to ISO 400, for 

instance, required a whopping 

13 button presses. Un- 

Eastman Kodak, 800-235-6325 

www.kodak.com 

surprisingly, the camera 

worked best when in full- 


automatic mode. 

Konica Minolta DiMage Z6 

Appealing 12x zoom lens, but so-so images 

KEEN-EYED photographers may fuss over 

its image quality, but Konica Minolta’s 


$399.99 DiMage Z6 offers enough to 

attract enthusiasts who want the 

feel of a single-lens-reflex (SLR) 

camera and a long-reach lens. 

The 6-megapixel Z6’s main at- 

traction is its 12x zoom lens. 

Konica Minolta’s Anti-Shake tech- 

nology complements the camera’s 

extended telephoto range and macro abilities. Macro lovers 

will also appreciate the Super Macro mode, which lets you 

focus as close as 0.4 inch. 

Although the Anti-Shake technology worked extremely well, 

some of our images came out softer than we had hoped, partic- 


6.7 


PROS 12x zoom lens; Anti- 

Shake image stabilization; 

extremely close macro focus 

CONS Less-than-stellar photo 

quality; slow shot-to-shot times 

Konica Minolta, 800-285-6422 

kmpi.konicaminolta.us 

Mfr. Est. Price $399.99 

ularly with the zoom extend- 

ed to its full range. Details, 

while visible, were also less 

than crisp throughout the fo- 

cal range. Colors were gener- 

ally accurate, if not vibrant. 

While the Z6 trailed com- 

petitors in typical shot-to-shot 

times, it was perkier in its con- 

tinuous-shooting modes. The 

camera’s battery life was also 

impressive. —Theano Nikitas 

Wake-up time was an interminable 8 seconds, but the 

camera trounced most of its competition in other performance 

tests, clocking a shutter lag of only 0.4 second (including 

autofocus time), even in low light. Also, it’s a good 

thing the EasyShare One comes with two battery packs, because 

the oversize LCD (there’s no optical viewfinder) and 

the Wi-Fi antenna both drain power quickly. 

While the camera can produce images of sufficient quality 

for casual snapshots, its photos fall short of those from similarly 

priced competitors. Dynamic range was a bit compressed, 

and we noted blown-out highlights. The EasyShare 

One’s 3x optical zoom lens also produced obvious purple 

fringing around backlit objects under normal conditions. 

—Shams Tarek 

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-R1 

Advanced shooter snaps 10-megapixel photos 

WITH ITS crisp 5x zoom lens, 

the $999.95 Sony Cyber-shot EDITORS’ RATING 7.7 

DSC-R1 makes a worthy com- 


petitor to the digital singlelens-reflex 

(dSLR) cameras in 

its price range. It’s a handy, 

PROS Excellent 10-megapixel 

image quality; crisp 5x zoom 

lens; fast burst-mode 

versatile camera with excel- performance 

lent image quality. 

The DSC-R1 offers a broad 

CONS Can’t shoot RAW files 

in burst mode; limited macro 

range of features, but its high- capability 

lights are the wide-angle zoom Sony Electronics, 877-865-7669 

lens, which runs from 24mm www.sonystyle.com 

to 120mm (35mm equivalent), 

and the large 10.3-megapixel 


complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) sensor. 

Macro photographers will be disappointed by the camera’s inability 

to focus closer than 13.7 inches, however. 

The camera’s 1.2-second shutter delay in dim lighting was relatively 

long. In continuous-drive mode, 

however, we measured a blazing capture 

rate of 4.3 frames per second— 

but you can’t use the continuousdrive 

mode with RAW files. 

The DSC-R1 produced excellent 

images, particularly at lower 

ISO ratings, with crisp details and 

nicely balanced colors. —Lisa Gidley

REVIEWS DIGITAL AUDIO 

Iriver U10 

Unique player is packed with features 

IRIVER’S U10 is a superbly designed flash-memory 

player that’s easy to use and feature-rich. The sleek 

and stylish, if pricey, device comes in 512MB 

($199.95) and 1GB 

EDITORS’ RATING 8.3 ($249.95) capacities. 

Shaped like a 


miniature television 

PROS Unique design, inter- with a vibrant 2.2-inch 

face; supports WMA-based 

display, the compact 

subscription content; includes 

FM radio, voice recorder; sup- 

U10 measures 

ports photo, video, text viewing; 2.7x1.8x0.6 inches and 

long battery life 

weighs 2.5 ounces. You 

navigate the player’s 

CONS Expensive; no album-art 

support 

interface by pressing 

buttons on the sides of 

Iriver, 800-399-1799 

www.iriveramerica.com 

the display. Although 

this tactile control 


method is both intu- 

(512MB); $249.95 (1GB) 

itive and logical, it 

makes one-handed operation awkward. 

Compensating for the U10’s limited capacities 

and high price is a cornucopia of features, including 

an FM tuner, a voice recorder, a text viewer, and linein 

recording via an optional cradle. The U10 supports 

MPEG-4 video, but video conversion is necessary 

before playback is possible. The good news: Videos 

looked sharp, though small, on the bright color 

screen. The player can also display photos and slide 

shows while playing music and Iriver claims that it 

will support album art by the time you read this. 

As for digital music, the U10 can play MP3, OGG, 

and WMA files, including songs purchased from online 

stores or on-the-go subscription services such 

as Napster To Go. Capable of pounding out plenty of 

decibels, the player sounded great, offering clear 

highs, a defined midrange, and tangible lows. Another 

bonus: The rated battery life is 28 hours, but 

our testing surpassed that by over 3 hours, squeezing 

out 31.5 hours of music-only playtime. 

—Jasmine France and James Kim 

Sennheiser PXC300 

Noise-canceling headphones are travel-friendly 


7.7 

FEATHER-LIGHT and comfortable, 

Sennheiser’s $219.95 PXC300 noise-can- 

0 BETTER >> 10 celing headphones produce sound quali- 

PROS Comfortable on-ear ty approaching that of some full-size 

design; highly effective noise- models. The road-ready headphones fold 

canceling circuitry; lightweight, 

flat for easy storage in the supplied soft 

compact 

travel case, and come with batteries and 

CONS Noise canceling can’t 

airline-audio adapters. 

quite compare with full-size 

While the PXC300’s earpieces don’t 

headphones 

completely cover your ears, their 

Sennheiser, 860-434-9190 

leatherette ear cushions block out a sig- 

www.sennheiserusa.com 

nificant amount of noise. Plus, 


the headphones employ 

Sennheiser’s proprietary, spiral-embossed Duofol diaphragms 

and bass-tube technology for improved sound quality. 

The PXC300’s sound-buffering performance isn’t up to 

the standard of full-size headphones, but it’s definitely 

within the ballpark. In our tests, engaging the PXC300’s 

noise-canceling circuitry (housed in a separate plastic 

tube and powered by two AAA batteries) significantly 

boosted the volume level and accentuated midrange 

frequencies. Sound quality was above-average, with 

satisfactory bass power and definition. And as for 

mileage, the batteries power up to 80 hours of noisecanceled 

bliss. —Steve Guttenberg 

JVC Alneo XA-HD500 

FIRST 

TAKE 

Apple may have killed off its iPod Mini, but micro-hard-drive MP3 

players are still alive and playing. Just ask JVC—in an effort to shore 

up its digital-audio credibility, the company has released the $249.95 Alneo 

XA-HD500, a 6GB player that aims to top its more established competitors 

with its superior battery life and sound quality. 

Upside: Instead of packing too many multimedia features, the 3.2-ounce 

Alneo is audio-focused, offering MP3, WMA, and WMA DRM playback, as 

well as on-the-go playlists and an impressive 30-hour battery life. 

Sound quality was excellent, thanks to a host of adjustable audio 

options—including digital-surround modes and a bass-boost feature—which 

enhanced our listening experience even in noisy environments. 

Plus, the Alneo comes bundled with an infrared remote 

and a docking/charging station that also provides a 

line-out connection. 

Downside: Though the player features JVC’s proprietary audioenhancement 

technology, its sound quality couldn’t top that of the 

SRS-Wow-enabled players we’ve heard. The Alneo also lacks coveted 

extras such as an FM-radio tuner, line-in recording, and JPEG support. 

Outlook: While the Alneo is an admirable effort in a saturated market, 

we’re not certain that JVC’s stripped-down MP3 player can compete with 

similarly priced, feature-loaded devices from brand names such as Apple, 

Creative, and Iriver. —Erin Kandel 

p JVC Company of America, 800-247-3608, www.jvc.com 



REVIEWS DIGITAL LIVING 

HP PL4200N 

PC maker turns out a worthy plasma television 

WE’VE HAD mixed results with computer-branded high-defi- 

nition televisions (HDTVs) in the past from Dell and Gateway, 

but Hewlett-Packard’s $3,299 PL4200N 42-inch plasma panel is 

the first we can heartily endorse. This full-featured set isn’t 

just slick-looking—it delivers image quality that nearly bests 

our current favorites from plasma leader Panasonic. 

The PL4200N’s native resolution of 1,024x768 isn’t high 



PROS Excellent black-level 

performance; solid video processing 

with 2-to-3 pull-down; 

includes SD-card reader, PC Card 

slot 

CONS Poor color decoding; 

somewhat limited connectivity; 

can’t change aspect ratio with 

HD sources 


www.hp.com 


7.3 

Panasonic PT-52LCX65 

Low-cost projection set is no bargain 


enough to display every pixel 

of HD material, but it’s still 

significantly finer than en- 

hanced-definition television 

(EDTV). For receiving HD signals, 

an ATSC off-air HDTV 

tuner is built-in for local reception. 

You also get a Cable- 

Card slot for Digital-Cable- 

Ready compliance. 

Aspect-ratio controls include 

four choices for standard-definition 

sources. 

You can’t change modes 

while watching HD material, 

however. 

PANASONIC’S budget-price PT- 

52LCX65, a 52-inch LCD-based rear- 

projection high-definition televi- 

sion (HDTV) that sells for $2,299, 

proves that you get the image 

quality you pay for. 

The PT-52LCX65 includes a built- 

in ATSC tuner for receiving off-air 

HDTV, and a Digital-Cable-Ready CableCard slot for cable- 

HDTV reception. Connection options are fairly generous, in- 

cluding one High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) in- 

put, three component-video inputs, a VGA input, and an 

SD-card slot for displaying images from digital cameras. 

With a native resolution of 1,280x720, the set should be able 



PROS Inexpensive; versatile 

connectivity 

CONS Poor black-level 

performance; inaccurate color 

decoding; incorrect 2-to-3 

pull-down detection 

Panasonic, 800-405-0652 

www.panasonic.com 


5.5 

to fully resolve 720p HD 

sources. Its overall perfor- 

mance, however, leaves much 

to be desired. The 2-to-3 pull- 

down processing operated in- 

correctly in our tests, and the 

unit’s out-of-the-box gray- 

scale rendering is among the 

least accurate we’ve seen. 

Blacks appeared a muddy 

dark gray, and color decoding 

was also largely inaccurate. 

—K.M. 

Connections include one High-Definition Multimedia Interface 

(HDMI) input, two component-video inputs, two A/V inputs 

with a choice of S-Video or composite video, a VGA input 

for hooking up a PC, and a digital optical audio output. Considering 

the panel’s price, we’d have liked a second HDMI input. 

The set also has an SD-card reader and a PC Card slot, both of 

which enable you to view digital photos directly on the screen. 

Overall, we were pleased with the PL4200N’s above-average 

picture quality and black-level performance. Also, the 

set’s video processing incorporated solid 2-to-3 pull-down 

detection. In terms of color reproduction, however, the unit 

fell a bit short of the Panasonics we’ve tested, and its color 

decoding was far from accurate. —Kevin Miller 

Bose 3-2-1 Series II 

A novel surround-sound solution 

THE PRICEY $999 Bose 3-2-1 

Series II Home Entertainment 

System uses digital signal 


processing to simulate surround 

sound with just two 

small satellites and a sub- 

PROS Delivers simulated 

surround-sound effects without 

rear speakers; decent audio 

woofer. Its sparse video con- connectivity 

nectivity, however, makes it CONS Expensive; no HDMI 

less versatile than many output; lackluster music 

competing home-theater-in- playback 

a-box systems. 

Bose, 800-999-2673 

Besides the speakers, the www.bose.com 

3-2-1 includes a DVD player/ 

tuner unit. You get standard 


analog video outputs, but no High Definition Multimedia 

Interface (HDMI) output. The system’s audio-input connectivity 

is a bit more robust, and it can decode Dolby Digital 

and DTS surround soundtracks. 

We were surprised by the 3-2-1’s broad, expansive 

sound field, even if surround-channel 

sonic elements weren’t as localized as they 

would have been with an actual 5.1channel 

speaker setup. Music we 

played, on the other hand, 

had less texture and detail 

than we’ve heard from better 

speakers. —Nathaniel Wilkins 

0 BETTER >> 10

REVIEWS SOFTWARE 

Safeguard Your Data 

Two top-notch backup utilities face off 

AFTER YEARS OF watching Symantec do little to improve its 

venerable Norton Ghost program (version 8.0, for example, 

still ran in DOS long after its competitors had switched to 

Windows), we were delighted to discover Acronis’ True Image 

last year—so much so, we made True Image 8.0 an Editors’ 

Choice. But what a difference a year makes. 

For 2006, Symantec has completely revised Norton Ghost 

10.0 (and returned to its backup-assistant roots) by absorbing 

tools from Norton GoBack. Ghost’s interface is now more in- 

tuitive, making it easier for anyone to clone disk data or back 

it up without exiting Windows. In comparison, True Image 

9.0, while still a sound product, lacks some of Ghost’s ease of 

use. Though True Image remains our choice for advanced or 

experienced users, we recommend Ghost if you haven’t 

backed up before or are planning to migrate to a new hard 

drive soon. 

ACRONIS TRUE IMAGE 9.0 

One of last year’s Editors’ Choice recipients, Acronis True Image 

8.0 took the lead in disk-imaging technology. Version 9.0 contin- 

ues to innovate, but in terms of usability, it falls behind rival 

Norton Ghost 10.0. 

True Image 9.0 installs easily. Launch the program, and it 

greets you with an organized display of its features. Disk-imaging 

novices may find various functions, such as incremental versus 

differential backup, somewhat bewildering, however. Another po- 

tential source of confusion is managing backups you’ve already 

created—True Image retrieves backups by filename, which can 

get tricky if you create daily system backups and manually delete 

old ones to free up space. 

Version 9.0 offers power users several features lacking in oth- 

er disk-imaging utilities, such as the ability to save data to a 

hidden partition on your hard drive. Another worthwhile fea- 

ture, Plug Image, makes a disk image appear as a separate virtu- 

al hard drive. Better still is the program’s capacity to back up spe- 

cific files and folders. While this may seem out of place in a 

product that specializes in backing up entire drives, it’s actually 

very useful. Also, the app offers password protection for archives, 

though it doesn’t support strong data encryption. 

The boxed version comes with a detailed, though poorly or- 

ganized, printed manual and a detailed Windows help file. Filling 

out a support ticket at the company’s site gets you free technical 

support. Acronis also offers fee-based phone support. 


NORTON GHOST 10.0 

Symantec has transformed Norton Ghost 10.0 from a mere disk 

utility to a general-purpose backup solution, clearly distin- 

guishing it from Acronis True Image 9.0. Ghost looks and feels 

like other Symantec products, and its usability and feature en- 

hancements make it a unique and powerful application, suit- 

able even for novices. 

Install the app, and a wizard helps you create a backup sched- 

ule. You can use the console to explore and restore files and 

folders from backups you’ve made. Version 10.0 includes easy- 

to-use tools for managing backups—you can manually delete 

or archive backups onto removable media, or have the software 

automatically delete old backups to save disk space. 

Ghost’s complete-image backup is both its greatest strength 

and its greatest limitation. Unlike many backup solutions, 

Ghost doesn’t let you specify which folders or file types to 

back up; it only works with complete drive partitions. 

New features and usability enhancements help you recov- 

er from minor troubles, such as accidentally deleting a file, 

or more serious mishaps, such as a hard drive crash. Also 

new is Ghost’s optional password-based Advanced Encryp- 

tion Standard 128-bit, 192-bit, or 256-bit security. Plus, a Copy 

My Hard Drive function will copy the contents of one hard 

drive onto another. 

Included with the boxed version is a detailed printed manu- 

al, which guides you through installation and, if things go 

wrong, recovery. Symantec offers free support via its Web site, 

but it charges $29.95 per incident for its phone tech support. 

Product Summary 

—Ken Feinstein and Robert Vamosi 

Acronis True Symantec Norton 

Image 9.0 Ghost 10.0 

EDITORS’ RATING 6.5 7.0 

PROS Creates complete disk-image Creates a complete backup 

and folder-based backups; of hard drive; easy to use, even 

builds virtual hard drives for novices; supports encryption 

CONS No free phone tech support; No free phone tech support; 

no encryption no way to back up specific 

folders or file types 

COMPANY Acronis Symantec 

650-875-7593 888-810-9896 

www.acronis.com www.symantec.com 

DIRECT PRICE $49.99 (download); $69.99 (download or boxed 

$59.99 (boxed version) version)

REVIEWS SOFTWARE 

System Mechanic 6 

Professional 

Top of the PC-maintenance heap 

THE MAIN INTERFACE is overly complex, but the 

$69.95 System Mechanic 6 Professional still remains 

the best package of utilities for optimizing and protecting 

your Windows PC. 

The program launches quickly. Its various utilities 

are accessible from one of five category buttons: 

Optimize, Clean, Repair, Protect, and Maintain. 

Clicking on Clean, for instance, brings up a 

screen with Junk File Removal, Uninstall Software, 

Duplicate File Inspector, and Internet Cleanup and 

Privacy. Iolo made some changes to the interface 

in this release, adding features such as wizards, 

but in the process made the interface more cluttered. 

Because you can’t customize it, you’re stuck 

with any elements 


you don’t use. 

Iolo has added 


and improved a 

PROS Excellent, deep range of 

number of tools. 

utilities; thorough help; helpful, 

free tech support 

Disk defragmentation 

is much faster, 

CONS Busy interface; no printed 

and Registry opti- 

or electronic manual 

mization is more 

Iolo Technologies, 877-239-4656 

detailed. The pack- 

www.iolo.com 

age also includes a 


long-overdue tool, 

Drive Medic, which finds hard drive problems and 

offers to repair them. Plus, the Startup Manager is 

expanded with better analysis to help determine 

if any startup files are obsolete, spyware, or 

potential viruses. 

You’ll also find the Advanced Process Manager, 

an offshoot of the Advanced Startup Manager’s improvements. 

Think of it as a juiced-up Windows XP 

Task Manager, with all processes showing publishers, 

startup mode, descriptions, summaries, and 

dependencies. 

System Mechanic lacks a printed or PDF manual, 

which is important in a complex product like 

this. The context-sensitive help is first-rate, however, 

as is online support. The company offers 

helpful, live, no-charge phone support, but the 

number isn’t toll-free. —Barry Brenesal 


BeInSync 1.6 

Simple, Web-based remote access 

BEINSYNC redefines file-sharing tech- 

nology by turning it into a secure collab- 

oration and remote-access tool. The ser- 

vice’s clean, intuitive wizard-based 

interface is a definite plus, but it lacks 

some important features—including 

configurable user permissions on 

shared folders—to make it outstanding. 

The program works only with Win- 

dows-based PCs. The free version is fair- 

ly limited, but the $59.95-per-year Pro 

version enables you to share up to 15 

folders, have unlimited file access, and 


get Web-based remote access protected by 256-bit SSL encryption. Plus, the 

app’s byte-level file-transfer functionality means that it can transfer just the 

bytes that have changed, instead of syncing the whole file. 

CrazyTalk Media 

Studio 4.0 

Animation app misses the mark 


PROS Intuitive interface; secure 

Web-based remote access 

CONS Lacks configurable folder 

permissions; no Mac support; 

limited synchronization of 

e-mails, contacts 

BeInSync 

www.beinsync.com 

6.3 

Direct Price Free (Basic); 

$59.95 per year (Pro) 

While BeInSync offers syn- 

chronization of e-mail and 

contacts, this feature works 

only with Outlook. Also, the 

app won’t sync with Outlook, 

as it makes e-mail messages 

and contacts from your main 

PC available on a second PC. 

—Ken Feinstein 


6.0 


PROS Credible job creating 

animated faces from still images 

CONS Frustrating need to 

REALLUSION’S $149.95 CrazyTalk Media 

guess-and-test animation 

Studio 4.0 takes a still image of a face (or settings; only supported in IE 

almost any object you choose) and digi- 

Reallusion, 408-573-6107 

tally manipulates it to lip-sync prerecord- www.reallusion.com 

ed or synthesized speech. In our tests, 


speech synchronization was, at best, 

modestly convincing. Crystal-clear and slowly spoken scripts produced 

the best results, while a stepped-up pace resulted in a quivering mouth 

in a permanently open position. 

Controls are largely intuitive, but not all of the slider settings have a true 

numerical value, making it difficult to gauge a special effect’s impact. The 

app’s depth of controls, however, is impressive, allowing for details such as 

individual-eye controls and 

customizable teeth. 

You can export animations 

to several formats, including 

Multimedia Messaging Service 

(MMS) messages for 

compatible cell phones. Web 

playback works only with 

Internet Explorer browsers, 

however. —Jason Compton

REVIEWS DOWNLOADS 


A tool to manage your music 

DESPITE A GLUT of free music players/ 

encoders, it’s tough to find one that meets 

our expectations. Formerly known as 

Sound DB, the rechristened MediaMonkey 

from Ventis Media has excellent library- 

management tools to keep the largest dig- 

ital music collections well-organized. Stir 

that up with tight Winamp and Nero CD- 

burning integration, a stellar interface, a 

full-featured encoder, and the ability to 

DOWNLOAD.COM EDITORS’ RATING 

★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

PROS First-rate tools for 

big music collections; superb 

interface 

CONS More than the average 

music maven needs 

Ventis Media 

www.mediamonkey.com 

Direct Price Free to try; 

$19.99 (Gold Version 2) 

IronTrainer 2 

Keep your workouts on track 

IRONTRAINER 2 is a comprehensive workout, weight, and 

dietary log that helps you track your progress on your way to a 

healthier body. Through its tabbed interface, you can follow your 

progress in a number of areas, including detailed workouts, food 

intake, cardio training, and body measurements. 

sync with 

portable 

audio devices 

such as the iPod, 

and you have a pretty 

compelling product. 

Launching the program 

summons up a prompt to 

scan your drive for any supported 

digital media files 

you can add to the library. 

The app sorts files based on 

ID3 tags, and the helpful 

The program graphs your progress over time for a full analysis 


★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

PROS Tracks a broad range of 

exercise-, health-related information; 

printable workout plans 

CONS Interface, terminology 

can be confusing 

PS Workshop 

www.psworkshop.com 


$39.99 (full version) 

you can print out. Another 

great detail is the ability to 

print out workout plans to 

bring to the gym, enabling you 

to check off each exercise as 

you complete it. 

The program lacks mouse- 

over information to clarify 

some of the confusing inter- 

face aspects, terms, and 

acronyms, but a help guide 

and glossary are just a click 

away. —Download.com Staff 

Download these applications and more at www.computershopper.com/download. 

Auto-Rename 

and 

Auto-Tag 

From Filenamefeatures 

keep 

untagged 

tracks from 

falling 

through the 

cracks. Thirdpartyplugins 

are available 

from the site if you want to tinker with the playback and 

encoding engine or add sound-processing effects. The interface 

is well-designed, with clean, colorful icons throughout. 

Considering how polished this application is, you’d be 

hard-pressed to find anything you don’t like. Although it’s 

definitely geared toward managing large collections, just 

about anyone will appreciate the comprehensive feature 

set. For $19.95, MediaMonkey Gold adds advanced features 

such as a sleep timer, unlimited MP3 encoding, and track 

previews. —Download.com Staff 


Turn memories into months 

SPECTRUM SOFTWARE’S 


EZ Photo Calendar Creator 

4.0 allows you to design ba- ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ 

sic photo calendars. Creat- 

PROS Straightforward design 

ing a calendar with your 

tools; defined sets of holidays; 

own photo collection is a wide control over fonts, colors 

no-brainer. Simply select 

CONS Free version has water- 

one of six calendar formats mark on output; can’t design 

(including wall and desk), your own templates 

choose a style, and browse 

Spectrum Software 

your PC to add images. You www.spectrumsoftware.com 

can generate annual or 


monthly calendars with a $17.95 (full version) 

number of predesigned 

templates and 10 tweakable color schemes. You can’t design 

your own from scratch, however. 

You can edit the names of 

months or days so calendars 

can be printed in different 

languages. The settings 

screen also enables you to 

define sets of holidays and 

events to a calendar,from 

U.S. holidays to NASCAR 

races, and adding your own 

special dates is easy. 

—Download.com Staff 


Top25 

MEDIA-CENTER DESKTOPS >> Slick PCs that add brains to your home entertainment system. 

PRODUCT PRICE SPECS/REQUIREMENTS BOTTOM LINE RATING 

WinBook PowerSpec MCE $999 3GHz Pentium 4 530; 512MB DDR; We love this PC’s rack-mount case, solid specs, and bargain price. Pair it with 

410* www.winbook.com 160GB HDD; Radeon X300 LS WinBook’s $899 30-inch LCD for a sweet sub-$2,000 home-theater setup. 

Creature Scylla S301 $4,650 2.4GHz Athlon 64 3800+; 1GB DDR; This monster of a Media Center has an equally monstrous price. But your money buys 

www.creaturehtpc.com 120GB, 1TB HDDs; GeForce 7800 GTX top-notch gaming performance and more than a terabyte of storage space. 

Dell XPS 600 $2,849 3GHz Pentium 4 830; 1GB DDR2; Equipped with two SLI graphics cards, the XPS 600 not only functions as a powerful 

www.dell.com 160GB HDD; two GeForce 6800 GTs home theater system, it also plows through games and demanding consumer apps. 

Niveus Media Center Denali $4,799 3.2GHz Pentium 4 640; 1GB DDR; The Denali Edition is designed exclusively for home theater operation. It’s pricey, but 

Edition www.niveusmedia.com 500GB HDD; GeForce 6600 GT A/V enthusiasts will appreciate its unique case and solid construction. (See p. 72.) 

Alienware DHS 2* $1,659 3GHz Pentium 4 530; 512MB DDR; More powerful than Alienware’s previous Media Center PCs, the DHS 2 packs Wi-Fi, a 

www.alienware.com 80GB HDD; Radeon X300 faster processor, and a bigger hard drive into its slim, living-room-friendly case. 

THIN-AND-LIGHT NOTEBOOKS >> Laptops that let you take performance on the road. 

Apple iBook G4* $1,299 1.42GHz PowerPC G4; 512MB DDR2; The refreshed 14-inch iBook G4 is a clean, white, minimalist notebook with many 

www.apple.com 60GB HDD; DVD±RW; 14.1-inch TFT welcome upgrades, including a faster CPU, more RAM, and AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi. 

Apple PowerBook G4* $2,499 1.67GHz PowerPC G4; 512MB DDR; As powerful as a desktop replacement, yet light enough for the road, Apple’s 17-inch 

www.apple.com 120GB HDD; DVD±RW; 17-inch TFT PowerBook delivers performance and features to satisfy home and small-office users. 

Sharp M4000 WideNote $1,799 1.73GHz Pentium M 740; 512MB DDR2; With its 13.3-inch wide-screen display, midrange Pentium M CPU, and high-capacity 

www.sharpsystems.com 80GB HDD; DVD/CD-RW; 13.3-inch TFT battery, the M4000 is just right for business travelers looking to lighten their loads. 

HP Pavilion DV1000* $1,094 1.6GHz Pentium M 725A; 512MB DDR; There’s a lot to like about the Pavilion DV1000, including its attractive 5.5-pound case, 

www.hp.com 80GB HDD; DVD/CD-RW; 14-inch TFT abundance of handy buttons with slick blue backlights, and decent overall performance. 

Lenovo ThinkPad T42* $1,499 1.8GHz Pentium M 745; 512MB DDR; With its tough construction and updated components, the ThinkPad T42 is an 

www.lenovo.com 60GB HDD; DVD/CD-RW; 14.1-inch TFT attractive choice for professionals who want a top-notch laptop at a reasonable price. 


This month’s best desktops, notebooks, flash-memory 

MP3 players, 17-inch LCD monitors, and home-PC software. 

FLASH-MEMORY MP3 PLAYERS >> Portable audio players small enough for a shirt pocket. 

Apple iPod Nano $199/ 2GB/4GB capacity; AAC, AIFF, Apple The iPod Nano is a forward-thinking flash-based player with a gorgeous, superslim 

www.apple.com $249 Lossless, Audible, MP3, WAV; 1.5 oz. design, a bright color screen, and an unprecedented 4GB of flash memory. 

Cowon iAudio U2 $99 to 256MB/512MB/1GB capacity; ASF, MP3, The stylish iAudio U2 crams tons of features—including great sound quality, an FM 

www.jetaudio.com $159 WAV, WMA; 1.2 oz. radio, a readable LCD, and line-in recording—into a tiny, pocketable package. 

Samsung Yepp YP-T7 $149.99/ 512MB/1GB capacity; ASF, MP3, WMA, A top choice for feature-hungry music aficionados, the YP-T7 offers great sound and 

www.samsung.com $199.99 WMA DRM; 1.3 oz. lots of audio options, plus a glorious, if small, color screen for displaying photos. 

iRiver U10 $199.99/ 512MB/1GB capacity; ASF, MP3, WMA, The superbly designed U10 is easy to use and packed with audio features. Plus, it 

www.iriveramerica.com $249.99 WMA-DRM; 2.5 oz. plays MPEG-4 video on its miniature, TV-like screen. (See p. 49) 

Samsung Yepp YP-MT6 $99.99 to 256MB/512MB/1GB capacity; ASF, MP3, For Windows users, the Yepp YP-MT6 is superior to the featureless Apple iPod Shuffle, 

www.samsung.com $179.99 WMA, WMA DRM; 1.6 oz. incorporating an FM tuner, a voice-memo function, and line-in recording. 

17-INCH LCD MONITORS >> Space-saving displays that improve your view. 

Samsung SyncMaster $379 1,280x1,024 native resolution; 25ms pixel- Though it costs a bit more than other 17-inch LCDs, the SyncMaster 711T is a stylish, 

711T www.samsung.com response rate; DVI, VGA inputs highly adjustable display with a high contrast ratio and solid image quality. 

Sony MFM-HT75W $599.99 1,280x768 native resolution; 16ms pixel- The MFM-HT75W is a snazzy, well-designed LCD/TV-tuner combo for those who want 

www.sonystyle.com response rate; DVI, VGA inputs; TV tuner a display that can work and play simultaneously. 

Envision EN7220 $249 1,280x1,024 native resolution; 16ms pixel- Inelegant pencil cups and photo clips notwithstanding, the EN7220 is a simple, highly 

www.envisiondisplay.com response rate; VGA input adjustable flat panel that performs well and costs less than many 17-inch LCDs. 

Sharp LL-172G-W $349 1,280x1,024 native resolution; 16ms pixel- The LL-172G-W is a handsomely designed LCD, with decent adjustability, built-in 

www.sharpsystems.com response rate; DVI, VGA inputs speakers, and both analog and digital ports. Its image quality is mediocre, however. 

Sony SDM-HS75P/B $399.99 1,280x1,024 native resolution; 8ms pixel- If you like a glossy screen (and don’t mind a little glare), you’ll appreciate the 

www.sonystyle.com response rate; DVI, VGA inputs SDM-HS75P/B, a sleek LCD that produces rich, brilliant colors with accuracy. 

HOME-PC SOFTWARE >> Essential apps to optimize your computing experience. 

Copernic Desktop Search Free Windows 98 SE, Me, 2000, or XP Though it doesn’t search the Internet, Copernic Desktop Search locates all file types on 

www.copernic.com your hard drive. It’s fast and easy to navigate, and, best of all, it doesn’t cost a dime. 

Microsoft Encarta Premium $49.99 333MHz CPU; 128MB RAM; 385MB hard With Encarta’s latest update, Microsoft has made it easier for children to use the library. 

2005 www.microsoft.com drive space; Windows 98, Me, 2000, or XP In addition to updated information, improvements include an integrated search bar. 

Adobe Photoshop $99.99 800MHz CPU; 256MB RAM; 900MB hard No longer a watered-down version of Photoshop, this hobbyist-friendly imaging 

Elements 4.0 www.adobe.com drive space; Windows XP program offers improved editing and organization features for amateur photographers. 

Nero 7 Ultra Edition $99.99 800MHz CPU; 128MB RAM; 600MB hard Still an excellent value, version 7 of this versatile, comprehensive DVD- and CD-burning 

www.nero.com drive space; Windows 98, 2000, Me, or XP suite has a new media-browsing interface that offers remote control from the couch. 

Quicken Premier 2006 $69.99 300MHz CPU; 128MB RAM; 100MB hard It isn’t a big step up from the 2005 edition, but we like the latest Quicken’s tweaks, 

www.quicken.com drive space; Windows 98, Me, 2000, or XP including its new minireports feature and the ability to attach images to Quicken records. 

= Editors’ Choice * = Configuration changed from original review. 

8.2 

7.5 

7.4 

7.3 

7.2 

7.4 

7.3 

7.2 

6.7 

6.6 

8.3 

8.3 

8.3 

8.3 

8.0 

7.3 

7.3 

6.7 

6.7 

6.5 

8.3 

8.3 

8.1 

8.0 

8.0

2005 

20TH 

ANNUAL 

Our readers pick 

the year’s best 

products, services, 

and places to buy. 

TWO DECADES AGO, when Microsoft 

and Dell were fledgling companies and 

Computer Shopper was printed on newsprint, 

we launched our annual readers’ choice 

awards. This poll gives our readers the 

chance to tell us what they consider the 

most outstanding products on the market 

each year. Thousands of readers visited our 

Web site in 2005 to cast their votes for the 

best hardware, software, gadgets, Web 

services, and shopping sites. 

In editing the piece, we were reminded of 

just how much has changed in the tech 

world since the first Shoppers’ Choice 

Awards. In 1985, for instance, digital cameras 

had yet to burst onto the scene, and the 

Internet was practically a private party. 

Some things have remained constant, 

however. We’re still buying desktops, monitors, 

hard drives, and software, although today’s 

versions are incredibly advanced compared 

with those of yesteryear. To illustrate 

the extraordinary evolution of personal 

technology, we’re mixing in a few past 

winners with the best of 2005. Cast in that 

perspective, your choices for 2005 represent 

not only the year’s best products, but also 

astonishing achievements in technology. 

SHOPPERS’ CHOICE AWARDS 


Alienware 

Aurora 

ALX SLI 

BEST COMPUTER SYSTEMS 

PERFORMANCE 

DESKTOP 

Alienware Aurora 

ALX SLI 

Expert assembly, silent liquid 

cooling, and a high-end 

configuration that reads like 

a computer geek’s wish 

list—the Aurora ALX SLI is 

undoubtedly worthy of its 

Best Performance Desktop 

ranking. But what really 

gives the ALX the edge is 

Alienware’s dedicated service-and-support 

staff, ready 

to provide the one-on-one 

attention you deserve when 

you lay out more than $4,000 

for a PC. 

Alienware 

www.alienware.com 

800-254-3692 

Direct Price: $4,449 (base price) 

Runner-Up: 

Dell Dimension XPS Gen 5 

MIDRANGE DESKTOP 

Dell Dimension 5100 

(Replaced by the Dimension 

E510) 

Well-priced and decently 

powered, Dell’s Dimension 

5100 looks good inside and 

out, and is a reliable choice 

for family computing. The 

5100 adds modern essentials, 

such as a BTX motherboard 

and a 64-bit CPU, that should 

hold obsolescence at bay for 

a few years. Its similarly configured 

replacement, the Dimension 

E510, now features 

the Windows XP Media 

Center Edition 2005 OS, giving 

you a sweet, affordable 

entertainment station. 

Dell • www.dell.com 

877-886-3355 

Direct Price: $699 (base price, 

Dimension E510) 

Runner-Up: 

Sony VAIO VGC-RB38G 

BUDGET DESKTOP PC 

(UNDER $1,000) 

Dell Dimension 3000 

(Replaced by the Dimension 

E310) 

The Dimension 3000 is our 

readers’ favorite mainstream 

option because its balance between 

parts and performance 

is perfect for families, students, 

and small businesses 

with basic needs. And, with an 

under-$600 price tag that includes 

a 17-inch LCD, this 

budget system—since replaced 

by the Dimension 

E310—is tough to beat. 


877-886-3355 


Dimension E310) 

Runner-Up: 

HP Pavilion a1030n 

PASTPICKS 

BEST COMPUTER SYSTEM 

Northgate 386 Power System 

We hailed Northgate’s 386 Power System 

for its excellent specs: an Intel 80386 

processor with a 64K cache, 1MB of RAM, 

and a 65MB hard drive—all for $3,899. 

Desktops sure have come a long way since. 

SMALL-FORM- 

FACTOR DESKTOP 

Dell Dimension 5100C 

(Replaced by the XPS 200) 

While the Dimension 5100C 

isn’t a traditional small-formfactor 

PC, you have to admit 

that this desktop is tiny. And 

despite the PC’s smallerthan-a-briefcase 

size, Dell is 

still able to load it with top 

components. (The 5100C has 

been replaced by the equally 

space-saving XPS 200.) 


877-886-3355 


XPS 200) 

Runner-Up: 

Shuttle XPC G5 9500g 

MEDIA CENTER PC 

Dell Dimension XPS 

Gen 5 

(Replaced by the XPS 600) 

Maybe it’s the 1.5 terabytes of 

hard drive space, or this PC’s 

ability to pack two of the 

fastest nVidia graphics cards 

available. Or perhaps it’s the 

superior multimedia-handling 

abilities of Intel’s Pentium D 

dual-core processor,or the 

dual TV tuners. Whatever the 

reason, you chose the Dimension 

XPS Gen 5 to anchor your 

digital-media world. The Gen 

5’s replacement, the XPS 600, 

gives you the power of a gaming 

PC with the controls of 

Windows XP Media Center 

Edition 2005. 


877-886-3355 

Direct Price: $1,749 (base 

price, XPS 600) 

Runner-Up: 

HP Media Center PC m7070n 

Dell Dimension 

E510 

1988 

DESKTOP- 

REPLACEMENT 

NOTEBOOK 

Dell Inspiron XPS 

Gen 2 

(Replaced by the XPS M170) 

Astonishingly fleet-footed 

performance on our benchmark 

tests and 16 eye-popping 

LEDs are no doubt two 

of the reasons you overwhelmingly 

chose the Dell 

Inspiron XPS Gen 2 as the 

best desktop-replacement 

notebook. Even better, 

Dell has now replaced the 

XPS Gen 2 with the XPS 

M170, which features a 

more robust 3D-graphics 

chip, the nVidia GeForce 

Go 7800 GTX. 


877-886-3355 

Direct Price: $2,699 (base 

price, XPS M170) 

Runner-Up: 

Sony VAIO VGN-A790 

THIN-AND-LIGHT 

NOTEBOOK 

Dell Inspiron 700m 

Readers are attracted to the 

Inspiron 700m for its slick 

design, minute size, and 

bright, wide-aspect 12.1-inch 

screen. Weighing just over 4 

pounds, the 700m strikes a 

great balance between extreme 

portability and swift 

application performance. It 

also doubles as a good DVD 

player to help you endure 

those long flights. 


877-886-3355 

Direct Price: $1,349 (base price) 

Runner-Up: 

Dell Latitude D610

ULTRAPORTABLE 

NOTEBOOK (UNDER 

4 POUNDS) 

Sony VAIO VGN-T350P 

Your favorite ultraportable 

tips the scales at just 3.1 

pounds, yet it still finds 

room to squeeze in an Ultra 

Low Voltage Pentium M CPU, 

a gorgeous 10.4-inch widescreen 

display, a 60GB hard 

drive, and a DVD±RW burner. 

To stay connected in the 

field, the VGN-T350P includes 

a special antenna 

that lets you connect to 

EDGE cellular data networks. 

Sony Electronics 


877-865-7669 

Direct Price: $2,199 

Runner-Up: 

Dell Latitude X1 

PDA OR 

HANDHELD PC 

Palm Tungsten T3 

(Replaced by the Palm TX) 

Many a mobile user was 

swayed by the Tungsten T3’s 

seductively 

thin design 

and powerful 

feature set. If 

you can live 

without Wi-Fi 

or a keyboard, 

the T3 offers a 

fast 400MHz 

CPU and 64MB 

of RAM, plus 

an SD-card 

slot, at a reasonable 

price. 

Be sure to 

Palm TX 

check out the T3’s replacement 

model, the Palm 

TX, which has the same 

sleek design but offers 

better specs and built-in 

802.11b Wi-Fi and Bluetooth 

networking. 

Palm • www.palm.com 

800-881-7256 

Direct Price: $349 (Palm TX) 

Runner-Up: 

HP iPaq HX4700 Pocket PC 

BEST COMPONENTS AND PERIPHERALS 

MAINSTREAM LCD 

MONITOR (17 INCHES 

OR SMALLER) 

Samsung SyncMaster 

711T 

Another in the company’s long 

line of stylish LCDs, Samsung’s 

SyncMaster 711T displays the 

kind of high-end looks you’d 

expect from a fine-tailored 

suit. Clad entirely in black, the 

display has a slim bezel that 

frames the 17-inch screen. 

With its 1,280x1,024 native 

resolution and 1,000-to-1 

contrast ratio, this is one 

LCD you’ll want for more 

than just its looks. 

Samsung 

www.samsung.com 

800-726-7864 

List Price: $379 

DVD-RECORDABLE 

DRIVE 

Plextor PX-716A 

Our readers opt for fast optical 

drives, which is why they selected 

the high-performance 

PX-716A. This drive delivers 

burning speeds of 24x CD-RW, 

8x DVD+RW, 4x DVD-RW, and 

6x double-layer DVD±R. These 

specs enable the PX-716A to 

burn a double-layer 7.9GB DVD 

movie in as little as 17 minutes, 

or rip the same capacity 

from a double-layer disc in 

less than 12 minutes. 

Plextor • www.plextor.com 

888-999-4700 

Direct Price: $139 

Runner-Up: 

Sony DVDirect VRD-VC10 

Runner-Up: 

HARD DRIVE 

NEC MultiSync LCD1770NX WD Raptor Series 

Its predatory name may 

PERFORMANCE LCD sound fearsome to some, but 

MONITOR (18 INCHES it’s music to our ears. Western 

OR LARGER) 

Digital’s Raptor series is the 

Dell UltraSharp 

company’s fastest family of 

2405FPW 

drives, 

Watch movies, 

spinning 

surf the Net, and 

at a blazing 

play Quake 4 in 

10,000rpm. 

all its glory with 

Although 

Dell’s giant 

the line cur- 

UltraSharp 

rently tops 

2405FPW. This 

out at 74GB 

24-inch LCD has a 

capacity, this 

pixel-packed 

Serial 

1,920x1,200 resolution, 

ATA drive 

and features built-in 

USB ports, a flash-card 

Dell UltraSharp 

2405FPW 

delivers topnotchperfor- 

reader, and picture-in-picmance if it’s speed you need. 

ture (PIP) capability. The Western Digital 

2405FPW impressed us as www.wdc.com 

much as it did our readers 800-275-4932 

with its crisp colors and Direct Price: $169.99 (74GB, 

deep, dark blacks. Multiple 

video inputs and a full range 

bare drive) 

of adjustability options Runner-Up: 

round off its covetable 

feature list. 

Seagate Barracuda Series 


GRAPHICS CARD 

800-999-3355 

nVidia GeForce 7800 GTX 

Direct Price: $1,199 

In our tests, the GeForce 7800 

GTX proved itself the best 

Runner-Up: 

graphics chipset for gameplay. 

Samsung SyncMaster 915N Cards based on it delivered 

faster frame rates, more 

throughput, and all-around 

better performance than any 

we’ve seen. nVidia doesn’t 

manufacture retail 

nVidia GeForce 

7800 GTX 

cards itself, so if you want a 

card based on the 7800 GTX, 

check out www.nvidia.com/ 

page/7800_partners.html. 

nVidia • www.nvidia.com 

408-486-2000 

Price: Varies by manufacturer 

Runner-Up: 

ATI Radeon X850 XT Platinum 

Edition 

INKJET PRINTER 

HP Photosmart 8750 

Professional Photo 

Printer 

Using nine dye-based colors 

(in three tricolor cartridges), 

the Photosmart 8750 Professional 

features all the extras 

we’re accustomed to seeing in 

photo printers: flash-memory 

slots, PictBridge compatibility, 

and support for a variety of 

paper formats. It seals the deal 

by giving you control of ink 

saturation, brightness, and 

tone, and it even lets you print 

stills as big as 13x19 inches. 

Hewlett-Packard 

www.hp.com • 888-999-4747 

Direct Price: $499.99 

Runner-Up: 

Canon Pixma iP5000 Photo 

Printer 

MULTIFUNCTION 

DEVICE 

HP Color LaserJet 2840 

All-in-One 

Whoever said that a jack of all 

trades was a master of none 

never powered up the Color 


BEST COMPONENTS AND PERIPHERALS 

LaserJet 2840 All-in-One. This 

colossal multifunction device 

scans, prints, faxes, and 

copies, letting you replace the 

platoon of devices you’d otherwise 

need to complete dayto-day 

tasks. The flatbed scanner 

accommodates most 

media, and small offices 

will appreciate the 50-page 

document feeder. HP even 

fitted the 2840 with slots 

for popular media cards. 


www.hp.com 

888-999-4747 


Runner-Up: 

HP PSC 2355 All-in-One 

PERSONAL LASER 

PRINTER 

HP Color LaserJet 3550 

It may be white on the outside, 

but this printer creates 

black output that commands 

your attention. The Color 

LaserJet 3550 does a great job 

of delivering sharp, clean 

monochrome text. In addition, 

the printer moves pages 

through the device only once 

to print all four colors. As a result, 

it can print as fast in color 

as it does in monochrome. 


www.hp.com • 888-999-4747 


Runner-Up: 

HP LaserJet 2420d 

PHOTO PRINTER 


Photo Printer 

(Replaced by Photosmart 385 

GoGo Photo Printer) 

This PC-independent photo 

inkjet has a lunchbox-like design 

that invites you to take it 

wherever you go. It offers direct 

printing from any Pict- 

Bridge-compatible camera, 

and it accepts most flashcard 

formats. A generous 2.5inch 

LCD lets you browse 

photos and perform light 

edits. The discontinued 375’s 

replacement, the 385, adds 


automatic red-eye removal. 


www.hp.com • 888-999-4747 

Direct Price: $199.99 (Photosmart 

385) 


Runner-Up: 

Canon Pixma iP8500 Photo 

Printer 

SCANNER 

Epson Perfection 4990 

Photo 

The Perfection 4990 Photo 

might look like a typical 

desktop scanner, but if it’s 

high-quality scans you’re after, 

search no more. The 4990 

offers a dynamic range of 4.0 

DMax, with a 4,800x9,600dot-per-inch 

(dpi) optical 

resolution. The unit’s 

8.5x11.7-inch scanning area 

accepts both prints and film, 

and the bundled software includes 

Adobe Photoshop Elements, 

as well as scanning 

and copying utilities. 

Epson America 

www.epson.com 

800-463-7766 


Runner-Up: 

Canon CanoScan 9950F 

HOME NETWORKING 

DEVICE 

Linksys Wireless-G 

Broadband Router with 

SRX WRT54GX 

The Linksys entry into the 

world of multiple input, multiple 

output (MIMO) devices is 

our readers’ router recommendation. 

The WRT54GX 

lived up to Linksys’ claim of 

better throughput at longer 

range, in our tests delivering 

more than four times the 

throughput of 802.11g routers 

at 200 feet. The WRT54GX also 

features a stateful packet inspection 

firewall for extra 

security, not to mention a 

generous three-year warranty. 

Linksys • www.linksys.com 

800-546-5797 

Mfr. Est. Price: $199 

Runner-Up: 

D-Link AirPlus G High-Speed 

2.4GHz Wireless Router DI-524 

INPUT DEVICE 

Logitech MX1000 Laser 

Cordless Mouse 

Thanks to Logitech’s futuristic 

design, the humble computer 

mouse has finally managed to 

shrug off its ho-hum image. 

The MX1000 enables precise 

mousing, courtesy of its 

800dpi optical sensor and a 

deeply contoured body that allows 

for better handling. If you 

want to feel the future, 

this is it. 

Logitech • www.logitech.com 

800-231-7717 


Runner-Up: 


MX 3100 

DIGITAL STILL 

CAMERA 

Canon EOS 

Digital Rebel XT 

The EOS Digital Rebel XT is a 

shot ahead of its predecessor, 

the original Digital Rebel. It 

offers more creative control, 

an 8-megapixel CMOS sensor, 

and Canon’s DIGIC II processing 

engine for zippy snapping. 

The Rebel XT’s smaller, lighter 

body is about as compact as 

possible for a digital single 

lens reflex (dSLR) camera. 

Though designed for amateurs, 

it delivers the responsiveness 

and image quality 

you’d expect from a semipro 

model. 

Canon U.S.A. • usa.canon.com 

800-652-2666 

Mfr. Est. Price: $899 (body 

only); $999 (kit, with lens) 

Runner-Up: 

Nikon Coolpix 8800 

DIGITAL CAMCORDER 

Sony DCR-HC90 MiniDV 

Handycam 

With its large 1/3-inch CCD 

sensor, the DCR-HC90 MiniDV 

Handycam positively shines 

when the lights are low, and it 

also offers wide-screen recording 

and a 2.7-inch wide-screen 

LCD. What’s more, it snaps 3.3megapixel 

still photos and includes 

options such as a burst 

mode, exposure bracketing, 

red-eye reduction, and half a 

dozen scene modes. Despite 

all these features, the DCR- 

HC90 has the pocket-friendly 

proportions of an entry-level 

camcorder. 

Sony Electronics 


877-865-7669 


Runner-Up: 

Panasonic 

PV-GS250 

Sony DCR-HC90 

MiniDV Handycam 

CELL PHONE 

Motorola Razr V3 

Undeniably the coolest mobile 

phone released last year, the 

Razr V3 made a big splash 

with its strikingly thin profile 

and slick features. Remarkably, 

integrated within the phone’s 

trim chassis is a Bluetooth 

transmitter, a VGA camera, 

and a beautiful 2.5-inch, 

260,000-color display. The V3 

can replenish its battery via a

standard AC adapter or 

through a PC’s USB port. 

Motorola 

www.motorola.com 

866-289-6686 

Direct Price: $199 (with 

two-year contract) 

Runner-Up: 

LG VX8000 

WIRELESS COMMU- 

NICATIONS DEVICE 

RIM BlackBerry 7510 

(Replaced by RIM BlackBerry 

7520) 

Our readers singled out the 

Blackberry 7510 as their 

handheld communicator of 

choice, a surprise victory 

over Palm’s Treo 600. Featuring 

a tactile, backlit QWERTY 

keyboard, the Black- 

Berry 7510 supports 

real-time wireless access 

to up to 10 personal 

or corporate email 

accounts, and it 

can connect to a PC 

to sync contacts and 

appointments. It’s 

been replaced by the 

BlackBerry 7520, 

which adds Bluetooth 

and GPS support to 

the feature set. 

Research in Motion 

www.blackberry.com 

519-888-7465 

List Price: $449.99 

(BlackBerry 7520) 

Runner-Up: 

Palm Treo 600 

DIGITAL AUDIO 

PLAYER (FLASH 

MEMORY) 

Apple iPod Shuffle 

Although the market is full of 

flash players that have more 

features, our readers prefer 

the stripped-down simplicity 

of Apple’s iPod Shuffle. It 

weighs less than an ounce 

and includes a built-in USB 2.0 

interface (but no LCD). It 

comes in 512MB and 1GB capacities 

at affordable prices. 

Your tunes will never skip, and 

the Shuffle syncs seamlessly 

with Apple’s iTunes 6, which 

can be set to automatically 

preshuffle your playlist for 

a truly random listening 

experience. 

Apple Computer 

www.apple.com 

800-692-7753 

Direct Price: $99 (512MB); 

$129 (1GB) 

Runner-Up: 

Creative MuVo Micro N200 

DIGITAL AUDIO 

PLAYER (HARD 

DRIVE) 

Apple iPod 

No one is close to knocking 

the iPod from the top of the 

hard drive player heap. The 

fifth-generation iPod makes 

that task even more daunting. 

It’s thinner, lighter, 

and sexier than ever, 

with a bigger (2.5inch) 

color screen 

that plays video and 

displays digital photos. 

And, of course, 

only Apple portable 

players support 

RIM BlackBerry tracks and videos 

7520 

purchased from 

Apple’s iTunes Music Store. 


www.apple.com 

800-692-7753 

Direct Price: $299 (20GB); $399 

(60GB) 

Runner-Up: 

Apple iPod Photo 

PORTABLE MEDIA 

PLAYER/GAMING 

DEVICE 

Sony PlayStation 

Portable 

The undisputed king of 

portable game machines, the 

PSP isn’t just for playing its action-packed, 

PlayStation 2-caliber 

game titles. The compact 

device also screens movies on 

its 4.3-inch color LCD using 

Sony’s Universal Media Disc 

(UMD) format. You can even 

play digital audio and display 

PASTPICKS 

snapshots stored on Memory 

Stick flash media. And integrated 

802.11b wireless networking 

allows you to play 

games online or surf the Web. 

Sony Computer 

Entertainment America 

us.playstation.com 

800-345-7669 

Mfr. Est. Price: $249.99 

Runner-Up: 

Nintendo Game Boy Advance 

GAMING CONSOLE 

Sony PlayStation 2 

The best-selling video-game 

console of all time, the 

PlayStation 2 underwent a 

slick restyling last year that 

yielded a slim, less-intrusive 

design. Other strengths 

include its extensive game 

library and ability to handle 

titles for the original Play- 

Station. Bonus: It includes 

built-in dial-up and Ethernet 

support for online gaming. 

Sony Computer 

Entertainment America 

us.playstation.com 

800-345-7669 

Mfr. Est. Price: $149.99 

Runner-Up: 

Nintendo GameCube 

1997 

BEST DIGITAL CAMERA 

Kodak Digital Science 

DC120 Zoom 

“High resolution is what the 

DC120 is all about,” we wrote. 

Of course, high resolution in 

1997 meant 1.2 megapixels 

with interpolation. Now you 

can buy a 10-megapixel camera 

such as the Sony Cyber-shot 

DSC-R1 for roughly the same 

price ($1,000). 

HOME ENTERTAIN- 

MENT DEVICE 

TiVo Series2 DVR 

Many cable companies and 

consumer-electronics manu- 

facturers market digital video 

recorders (DVRs), but none 

has anything quite like the 

TiVo. Yes, you do have to pay 

a monthly fee to use TiVo’s 

services, but its features include 

an intuitive interface 

that lets you pause and 

rewind live television, as well 

as search for upcoming 

shows by title, subject, actor, 

director, time, and channel. 

Plus, the Series2 DVR can 

connect to an Ethernet or 

wireless adapter to share 

recorded video programming 

with other TiVos on your 

home network. 

TiVo • www.tivo.com 

877-289-8486 

Direct Price: $199.99 (40hour); 

$299.99 (80-hour); 

$349.99 (300-hour) 

Runner-Up: 

Sony RDR-HX900 

FLAT-SCREEN 

TELEVISION 

Samsung HL-P5085W 

(Replaced by HL-R5087W) 

Samsung’s radical-looking 

Digital Light Processing 

(DLP) offering, the 50-inch 

HL-P5085W, has a unique 

pedestal-style design that 

makes for an eye-catching 

television with a small footprint. 

The set has a native 

resolution of 1,280x720, 

which means it should deliver 

all of the detail of 720p 

high-definition programming. 

With calibration, the 

HL-P5085W can be made to 

perform extremely well, 

showing deep blacks that 

most DLP sets have trouble 

displaying. The HL-P5085W 

has been replaced in Samsung’s 

DLP lineup by the 

HL-R5087W. 

Samsung 

www.samsung.com 

800-726-7864 

Mfr. Est. Price: $3,699 

(HL-R5087W) 

Runner-Up: 

Pioneer PDP-5050HD 


BEST SOFTWARE/ONLINE SERVICES 

OFFICE- 

PRODUCTIVITY 

SOFTWARE 

Microsoft Office XP 

(Replaced by Office 2003) 

While all the other productivity 

suites are busy emulating it, 

Microsoft Office has been busy 

leading the way. This comprehensive 

work suite continues 

to be tops among our readers, 

most likely because it contains 

basics that every business 

needs. The current version is 

Office 2003; later this year, 

Office 12, a new version, will 

debut. 

Microsoft 

www.microsoft.com 

888-218-5617 

Direct Price: $399 (2003 

Standard Edition); $499 (2003 

Professional Edition) 

Runner-Up: 

Corel WordPerfect Office 12 

HOME-PRODUCTIVI- 

TY SOFTWARE 

Microsoft Works Suite 

2005 

(Replaced by Works Suite 2006) 

Designed for home users, Microsoft 

Works Suite contains 

all of the tools to plan and 

budget a family vacation, then 

edit the digital images afterward. 

The suite now packs 

Word 2002, along with 2006 

versions of Money, Digital 

Image, Encarta Encyclopedia, 

and Streets & Trips. 

Microsoft 


888-218-5617 

Direct Price: $99.95 (Works 

Suite 2006) 

Runner-Up: 

Quicken Premier 2005 

DVD/CD UTILITY 

Nero 6 Ultra Edition 

(Replaced by Nero 7 Ultra Edition) 

Nero’s Ultra Edition, now in 

version 7, is the most comprehensive, 

versatile CD- and 

DVD-mastering and packetwriting 

suite on the market. In 


fact, calling it a disc-authoring 

app is a disservice, because 

the suite also provides a capable 

backup program, a DVDauthoring 

app that compares 

favorably with all but its professional-level 

competitors, 

and a movie-playback program 

that supports Video CD 

(VCD), DVD, and MPEG-4. 

Nero • www.nero.com 

818-956-7551 

Direct Price: $99.99 (Nero 7 

Ultra Edition) 

Runner-Up: 

Easy Media Creator 7 

PHOTO EDITING/ 

ORGANIZING 

Adobe Photoshop CS2 

When it comes to digital image 

editing, Adobe Photoshop 

CS2 stands above the 

competition. This latest version 

adds support for Camera 

Raw 3.0 and Digital Negative 

(DNG) images, plus 

tools to reduce noise and optical 

lens distortion. Web designers 

will appreciate the 

integration of additional ele- 

Adobe Photoshop CS2 

ments of Adobe ImageReady 

CS2. It’s overkill for casual 

snapshooters, but advanced 

users frustrated by the limitations 

of basic photo applications 

consider Photoshop 

CS2 worth the price. 

Adobe Systems 

www.adobe.com 

800-833-6687 


Runner-Up: 

Adobe Photoshop Elements 3.0 

UTILITY PACKAGE 

Norton SystemWorks 

2005 Premier 

(Replaced by SystemWorks 2006 

Premier) 

The yellow box comes in tops 

again with our readers as the 

best tool for keeping PCs up 

and running smoothly. Norton 

SystemWorks is that do-everything 

suite everyone should 

have for restoring PCs to a 

healthier state, performing 

preventative maintenance, 

and shutting out viruses. The 

Norton SystemWorks 

2006 Premier 

new 2006 Premier release 

adds spyware protection and 

enhanced Internet privacy 

controls. 

Symantec 

www.symantec.com 

800-441-7234 

Direct Price: $99.99 (System- 

Works 2006 Premier) 

Runner-Up: 

System Mechanic 5 

Professional 

INTERNET SECURITY 

Norton Internet 

Security 2005 

(Replaced by Internet Security 

2006) 

Our readers picked this suite 

of four utilities as their top 

choice to keep PCs safe from 

criminal hackers and malicious 

code. Its components include 

Norton’s AntiVirus, Personal 

Firewall, AntiSpam, and 

Parental Control apps. Outbreak 

Alert informs users of 

rapidly spreading virus 

threats and recommends 

downloadable updates. The 

latest version, Norton Internet 

Security 2006, adds a Security 

Inspector tool that uncovers 

unsafe browser settings and 

Windows passwords. 

Symantec 

www.symantec.com 

800-441-7234 

Direct Price: $69.99 (Norton 

Internet Security 2006) 

Runner-Up: 

Spybot—Search & Destroy 

COMMUNICATIONS 

SOFTWARE 

Microsoft Outlook 2003 

Soon to be replaced by Outlook 

2006, Outlook 2003 represented 

a huge improvement over 

its predecessor when first introduced. 

It was the first iteration 

to let users group messages 

and replies of backand-forth 

exchanges, flag 

messages with a single click, 

and customize Search folders 

to create new views. Although 

its antispam features aren’t 

the most powerful you can 

find, they let you identify junk 

mail and either drop it into a 

special folder or automatically 

delete it. 

Microsoft 


800-642-7676 


Runner-Up: 

Google Gmail 

MEDIA PLAYER 

Windows Media Player 10 

We were a bit surprised to see 

that Windows Media Player 10 

received more than twice as 

many votes as the runner-up 

for this category. Of course, it 

doesn’t hurt that the stellar 

jukebox software comes 

Windows Media Player 10

loaded on every new PC. 

Nonetheless, Media Player 10 

can stand on its own merits: 

The easy-to-use, streamlined 

version 10 integrates com- 

patible music stores and 

movie-download services, in- 

cluding MSN Music Service 

and Napster. Plus, it syncs 

with more than 75 portable 

devices. 

Microsoft 


888-218-5617 

Price: Free 

Runner-Up: 

iTunes 4.9 

PC GAME 

Half-Life 2 

A faithful follow-up to one of 

the greatest PC games of all 

time, Half-Life 2 has gorgeous 

3D graphics, an amazingly 

realistic physics model, 

and a familiar story line 

packed with plenty of paramilitary 

bad guys and aliens 

to plug. The fun doesn’t stop 

there. It also has a strong 

multiplayer component and 

Half-Life 2 

includes free mods such as 

Counter-Strike: Source, a visceralterrorist/counter-terrorist 

combat sim, and Day of 

Defeat, a fast-paced World 

War II shooter. 

Valve • www.half-life2.com 

425-889-9642 


Runner-Up: 

Doom 3: Resurrection of Evil 

ONLINE MUSIC 

SERVICE 

iTunes Music Store 

Built into its iTunes application, 

Apple’s iTunes Music 

PASTPICKS 

Store offers a ton of advantages: 

flexible usage rights, 

high-quality tracks, a simple 

pricing scheme, and a monstrous 

catalog of more than 

2 million songs, 25,000 podcasts, 

and 11,000 audiobooks. 

Since the debut of the 

new video iPod last fall, the 

one-stop music shop also 

features more than 2,000 

music videos, Pixar animation 

shorts, and television 

shows for $1.99 a pop. 


www.apple.com 

800-692-7753 

Direct Price: 99 cents per 

song; $1.99 per video 

Runner-Up: 

Napster 3.0 

1993 

BEST OPERATING 

SYSTEM 

IBM OS/2 2.1 

According to our effusive 

write-up on IBM’s bid for OS 

supremacy, “this version has 

broken Microsoft’s iron grip 

on today’s computers.” Oops. 

ONLINE SERVICE 

Netflix 

Netflix’s model of renting 

DVDs by mail for a flat 

monthly fee is so brilliant 

that it has spawned lots 

of copycats. But none— 

not even Blockbuster— 

has been able to best the 

originator of the concept. 

A variety of Netflix plans 

lets you have from one 

to eight discs out at a 

time. You keep them as 

long as you like and mail 

them back in prepaid envelopes 

without incurring 

late fees. Turnaround is 

swift, titles are plentiful, and 

the intuitive Web site is a 

delight to use. 

Netflix • www.netflix.com 

Direct Price: $9.99 to $47.99 

per month 

Runner-Up: 

Kodak EasyShare Gallery 

VOIP SERVICE 

Vonage 

The granddaddy of Internet 

phone services, Vonage offers 

a wealth of calling features, 

extensive coverage, and strong 

support. While some Voice 

over Internet Protocol (VoIP) 

services are best used as a secondary 

line or for saving money 

on especially expensive 

long-distance calls, clear calling 

makes Vonage a suitable 

replacement for your primary 

phone line. 

Vonage • www.vonage.com 

866-243-4357 

Direct Price: $24.99 per month 

Runner-Up: 

Skype 

FREE DOWNLOAD 

Firefox 

Mozilla’s Firefox is your dream 

Internet browser. With features 

like tabbed browsing, 

customizable search bars, 

and a built-in Really Simple 

Syndication (RSS) reader,Firefox 

is finally putting a dent in 

Firefox 

Microsoft Internet Explorer’s 

unrivaled market dominance. 

Firefox is fast and stable, and 

it displays an impressive range 

of browsing options. 

Mozilla Foundation 

www.mozilla.org 

Runner-Up: 

Ad-Aware SE Personal Edition 

BEST PLACES TO BUY 

BEST PLACE TO BUY 

DESKTOPS 

Dell 

Dell is the No. 1 seller of 

computers worldwide, so it’s 

no surprise that its online 

store once again nabs the top 

spot. The company’s lineup 

of eminently configurable 

desktops ranges from bargain 

models (starting at $349) 

to its new premium XPS line. 

No matter your budget, Dell 

enables at-a-glance comparisons 

of its product lines in a 

format that’s clean and accessible. 

When you’re ready 

to customize, Dell’s configuration 

pages provide an 

exhaustive combination of 

options. And its revolving 

carousel of special offers 

keeps shoppers coming 

back for free shipping and 

upgrades. 


800-999-3355 

Runner-Up: 

Newegg.com 


NOTEBOOKS 

Dell 

Laptops are, by nature, more 

personal than their lessportable 

counterparts, and 

selecting that just-right model 

can be challenging. Our 

readers opt for the Dell solution: 

Its product-comparison 

tool enables you to narrow 

down choices by lining up a 

range of notebooks, then 

checking off the models you 

wish to compare. After 

you’ve identified the one that 

best fits your needs (remember 

to check out the 360degree 

images), you can upgrade 

the notebook’s components 

to yield a customconfigured 

machine that 

fits you like a glove. 


800-999-3355 

Runner-Up: 

Newegg.com 


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to browse. If 

you’re looking for 

Newegg.com 

offers in-home 

service, re- 

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still tops your list as the best 

buy tech products online. Offering 

substantially more se- 

opinions, the e-tailer has postpairs, and installations. 

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more than 225,000 product Best Buy • www.bestbuy.com sides offering its customers mortar store could ever hold, 

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Tiger Direct 

68 February 2006 computershopper.com

HAND-CRAFTED COMPUTERS 

DON’T SETTLE FOR A 

COOKIE-CUTTER PC— 

GET EXACTLY WHAT 

YOU WANT FROM A 

CUSTOM DESKTOP 

BUILDER. 

Edited by 

Joshua Goldman 


FOR MOST SHOPPERS, buying a PC means heading to the online 

configurators of Dell, Gateway, and Hewlett-Packard, 

and choosing among the components listed in the dropdown 

menus. While these offerings will please most PC buyers 

most of the time, what happens if you’re picky about 

certain components? (Say the graphics card or case you really 

want is not an option.) The solution: a small, custom PC 

builder that can give you exactly what you want, à la carte. 

A couple of the vendors we send you 

to this month may be completely new to 

you, but that’s just the point. These are 

small, boutique vendors that build custom 

PCs to your exact specifications, so 

their prices are high and their volume 

low. 

We requested a high-end configuration 

from All American Computers 

(AAC), NiveusMedia, Overdrive PC, and 

Puget Custom Computers. Although the 

PCs we received ranged in price from 

just under $5,000 to nearly $6,500, that 

doesn’t mean these companies aren’t 

capable of building more-economical 

machines. Most small, boutique manufacturers 

offer customers personal attention 

so they come away with the PC 

they want, not simply the one that’s 

available. Overdrive offers modest configurations 

of its overclocked computers, 

and AAC and Puget Custom will build to 

order everything from budget desktops 

to the loaded ones we feature here. The 

exception is NiveusMedia, which sticks 

to high-end Media Center PCs for A/V 

enthusiasts and doesn’t offer many customization 

options. But the build quality 

is superior to anything you’d find 

from a mainstream maker. 

Each PC we tested for this AAC 

LiquidXS 

ATI 

Crossfire 


roundup has unique features, such as 

carefully assembled liquid-cooling systems 

or distinctive case designs. And although 

peak performance wasn’t our 

main goal, none of these boutique boxes 

disappointed in that regard. 

AAC LiquidXS ATI Crossfire 

Editors’ Rating: 7.3 out of 10 

Pros: Attractive design; attention to detail; 

lots of component options; solid warranty 

Cons: Top performance held back by older 

components; limited expansion options; 

no accessories 

THE COMPANY: Indiana-based AAC 

will build just about any configuration 

you want and talk you through the 

whole process, if need be. And if you 

seek a unique gaming box that’ll drop 

jaws at your next LAN party, consider 

AAC’s LiquidXS PCs for their incredible 

appearance and performance. 

THE COMPUTER: AAC sent us a $4,889 

(without monitor, speakers, keyboard, 

or mouse) limited-edition Crossfire 

dual-graphics-card desktop, the first 

ATI dual-graphics-card combination 

we’ve seen. The cherry-red acrylic case 

is stunning, and surprisingly sturdy 

considering it’s reasonably lightweight. 

ATI’s Crossfire logo is laser- 

etched into the left panel, but AAC will 

inscribe whatever design you choose 

for an additional fee. The clear removable 

panel on the other side offers easy 

component access while showing off 

the AMD Athlon 64 FX-55 processor’s 

liquid-cooling system and the organized 

interior cable routing. Two ultraviolet 

lights make the coolant glow blue, 

while three 120mm white-LED fans 

enhance the light show. 

Up front, you’ll find audio jacks, a 

double-layer DVD±RW drive, and two 

USB 2.0 ports. The interior is tight, with 

unusable PCI slots, a single open 5.25inch 

bay, a couple of RAM slots, and 

nothing more—not that you’d need 

much else. 

Two 10,000rpm 74GB hard drives set to 

RAID Level 0 back up a 200GB drive, and 

a superb Creative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 

ZS sound card handles audio. But the 

stars here are the 256MB ATI X850 XT 

graphics card and its Crossfire companion 

card. (AAC also offers nVidia SLI 

builds.) The cards performed as expected: 

great at our tested 1,024x768 resolution, 

but not as good as the newer 256MB 

nVidia GeForce 7800 GTX at higher resolutions. 

On our Half-Life 2 test, the combo 

cards hit 111.6 frames per second 

(fps). Although the GPU fans are loud, 

the case dampens the din. 

The 2.6GHz FX-55 CPU we received is 

no longer AMD’s top of the line, but it’s 

still powerful, and when coupled with the 

PC’s 1GB of high-performance memory, 

produced strong results, scoring 216 on 

our BAPCo SYSmark 2004 test. Of course, 

you can always choose a faster CPU. 

THE WARRANTY: AAC covers parts for 

one year and labor for three. Also, component 

upgrades are installed free of charge. 

NiveusMedia Media Center 

Denali Edition 

Editors’ Rating: 7.3 out of 10 

Pros: Unique fanless case; four TV tuners 

include two high-definition; solid construction 

Cons: Hard to upgrade; outdated components; 

large; expensive; meager warranty 

THE COMPANY: Unlike other vendors 

that build Media Center PCs as a line extension, 

San Jose, Calif.-based Niveus- 

Media offers PCs strictly for the A/V 

crowd. The company does not allow for 

much customization, but the audio and 

video quality you get is top-notch. 

THE COMPUTER: PC enthusiasts will 

quibble about the part-to-price ratio of 

CONTINUES ON PAGE 78

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 72 

NiveusMedia 

Media Center 

Denali 

Edition 

izes in overclocking to provide the most 

performance for your money, whether 

your setup costs $2,000 or $5,000. 

THE COMPUTER: At $4,924 without a 

monitor or speakers, the Torque.SLI we 

tested isn’t for everyone. But if you absolutely 

must have the fastest PC on 

the block, this one comes with bragging 

rights. 

the $6,298 Media Center Denali Edition, e-mail support. That’s a little stingy for Our test unit’s simple black Lian Li 

but A/V fanatics will see value in its a high-end model, but it’s still in line PC-6070 midtower is also available in 

stable component mix, Imaging Science with A/V-component manufacturers. silver or with a custom paint job. The 

Foundation certification (a videoquality 

stamp of approval), and its 

Application Performance: BAPCo SYSmark 2004 

clean-cut image dissolves once you 

crack open the case, however. The 

near-silent operation. 

At 15x25x8.3 inches (HWD) and 60 

pounds, the black, anodized-alu- 

AAC LiquidXS 

ATI Crossfire 

NiveusMedia Media 

Center Denali Edition 

216 

191 

side panels are coated with a foamrubber 

sound-damping material, and 

the motherboard, hard drives, and 

minum case is a behemoth. It re- 

Overdrive Torque.SLI 

255 

expansion cards are fitted with stainsembles 

a large amplifier, with side 

Puget Liquid Cooled SLI 

235 less-steel screws and rubber washers. 

fins that act as giant heat sinks to 

0 100 150 200 250 300 Cables are carefully routed and 

enable fanless operation. These fins 

clipped to maximize airflow, and qui- 

get hot, so give this monster suffi- 

3D-Gaming Performance: Half-Life 2 (1,024x768) 

et fans help reduce noise output. You 

cient space in your A/V cabinet. 

The minimalist front panel holds 

just two USB 2.0 ports and a slot for 

AAC LiquidXS 

ATI Crossfire 

NiveusMedia Media 

Center Denali Edition 

60.5 

111.6 

even get a small flashlight clipped to 

the drive cage. And despite a case 

packed with state-of-the-art hard- 

the double-layer DVD burner. Aside 


128.9* ware running at beyond-default 

from one FireWire and four USB 


110.6 speeds, the Torque.SLI’s fans stayed 

ports, rear-panel connections are all 

A/V-oriented, and they’re abundant. 

60 75 90 

* = Running an older version of our Half-Life 2 test. 

105 120 135 

(frames per second) 

so quiet during testing we could hear 

the hard drive heads moving. 

Connections for the nVidia GeForce 

6600 GT video card and onboard Intel 

For details on how we test desktop PCs, visit 

computershopper.com/HowWeTest and click 

With a pair of 256MB XFX GeForce 

7800 GTX graphics cards and a Cre- 

High Definition 7.1 audio are routed “Windows desktops.” 

ative Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS 

to a series of plugs home-theater buffs 

sound card, you’ll find little room for 

will love. You get four TV tuner cards— Overdrive Torque.SLI 

expansion—only a single PCI slot and a 

two standard-definition and two over- Editors’ Rating: 8.4 out of 10 

couple of memory slots. External exthe-air 

high-definition (HD)—but you’ll Pros: Unmatched performance; quiet 

pansion is more promising, with six 

have to supply your own HD antenna. operation; variety of configuration options USB 2.0 ports, two of which are front- 

With 16 bolts securing the top, the Cons: No onsite service; limited expansion mounted. 

case clearly isn’t designed to be 

room; $5,000 gets you only one year of 

The Torque.SLI came with a double- 

opened. Initial configuration options warranty coverage 

layer DVD burner and a DVD-ROM, plus 

are limited to RAM (up to 4GB) and 

hard drive space (up to 800GB); our test 

EDITORS’ 

CHOICE 

THE COMPANY: Box after 

box, Georgia-based Over- 

a pair of 10,000rpm 74GB hard drives 

configured in a RAID Level 0 array to 

PC came with 4GB of RAM and two 

drive PC continues to im- augment the removable 200GB drive. 

400GB SATA hard drives. You can call to 

discuss other options, but NiveusMedia 

prefers to ship its computers with 

press us. The system builder special- The PC also had a floppy drive with a 

slightly older but proven parts, such as 

a 3.2GHz Pentium 540 CPU. 

The Denali hit a competent 191 on 

our BAPCo SYSmark 2004 tests. A dualcore 

processor would offer improved 

media performance, and at press time, 

NiveusMedia said dual-core systems 

were in the works. Although not designed 

as a gaming machine, the Denali 

can handle most of today’s games at 

moderate resolutions; at 1,024x768, 

Half-Life 2 ran at 60.5fps. 

THE WARRANTY: The standard oneyear 

warranty includes phone and 

Overdrive 

Torque.SLI 


uilt-in media-card reader. 

Overdrive’s overclocking efforts go 

beyond just toggling a few settings. In 

addition to overclocking the 2.8GHz 

Athlon 64 FX-57, graphics cards, and 

RAM, it optimizes the BIOS and Windows 

settings for maximum performance. 

The results were an impressive 

Half-Life 2 score of 128.9fps at 

1,024x768. (This test was recently altered, 

due to changes made by the 

game manufacturer, and this should 

push scores even higher.) The application 

score of 255 on BAPCo SYSmark 

2004 was equally inspiring. 

THE WARRANTY: Overdrive provides 

one year of parts-and-labor coverage 

Puget 

Liquid 

Cooled SLI 

and toll-free tech support. That’s mea- Puget housed its creation in the Sil- and Intel processors, with a variety of 

ger considering the PC’s price. A warverstone Temjin TJO7 chassis, which is motherboard choices. If you don’t see 

ranty upgrade costs $100 per year. No massive at 25.5x8.6x22.2 inches (HWD) the part you want while configuring on- 

onsite service is available, but Over- and hefty at more than 50 pounds with line, fill out the comments section and 

drive covers shipping both ways while all the hardware installed. Beneath the someone from Puget will contact you to 

the PC is under its Platinum warranty. slot-loading double-layer DVD±RW burn- review your request and order the part. 

er, you can watch the water from the liq- Our PC came with a 2.8GHz Athlon 64 


uid-cooling system flow through a reser- FX-57 processor and 2GB of DDR memo- 

Editors’ Rating: 7.5 

out of 10 

voir, which glows blue from the light of ry. A pair of 256MB nVidia GeForce 7800 

Pros: Strong 3D performance; liquid cooling an LED. The other available external bay GTX graphics cards provides the 3D 

provides plenty of headroom for overclocking; is occupied by Creative’s X-Fi Fata1ty FPS muscle. Missing from the configuration 

well-built; includes top components 

audio control panel. All other bays are was a sizable hard drive, but you’ll find 

Cons: One-year warranty; large; expensive; occupied by internally mounted devices, plenty of room to add one. 

monitor, speakers, keyboard, mouse cost extra including a water-pump assembly and a This wasn’t the fastest 3D system 

THE COMPANY: Seattle-based Puget is special watercooled cage for the two we’ve seen, but it’s close at 110.6fps on 

a build-to-order shop that specializes 10,000rpm 74GB hard drives, which are Half-Life 2 at 1,024x768 resolution. Its 

in custom-made desktops, servers, and set to RAID Level 0. 

application-performance mark of 235 

laptops. 

Because nearly every component is on BAPCo SYSmark 2004 was equally 

THE COMPUTER: The tricked-out Liquid watercooled, the interior is loaded with impressive. 

Cooled SLI we tested proved to be a top tubing, radiators, pumps, shielded ca- Although the Puget was configured 

3D performer. It’s pricey at $6,438 withbles, and special waterblock fittings. to run at default settings, bumping up 

out any accessories, but its wow factor This hardware added more than $1,100 the processor speed and GPU timings 

is high. 

to the price of the computer. 

will result in improved performance, 

Puget offers desktops based on AMD possibly better than the Overdrive PC’s. 

Feature Comparison 

Its elaborate watercooling 

system quali- 


CONFIGURATION 

Processor 

AAC LiquidXS ATI 

Crossfire 

7.3 

2.6GHz Athlon 64 FX-55 

NiveusMedia Media Center 

Denali Edition 

7.3 

3.2GHz Pentium 4 540 


8.4 



7.5 


fies it for overclocking, 

as does its 

warranty. 

THE WARRANTY: A 

System Memory 1GB DDR 4GB DDR 1GB DDR 2GB DDR 

short one-year war- 

Graphics Two ATI Radeon X850 XT nVidia GeForce 6600 GT Two nVidia GeForce Two nVidia GeForce ranty covers this 

Hard Drives 

First Optical Drive 

(256MB) 

Two 74GB, one 200GB 

DVD±RW (double-layer) 

(128MB) 

Two 400GB 


7800 GTX (256MB) 

Two 74GB, one 200GB 


7800 GTX (256MB) 

Two 74GB 


costly PC, but Puget 

pays for shipping in 

Second Optical Drive None None DVD-ROM None 

both directions if you 

Monitor None None None None 

need service, and ex- 

Speakers 

Operating System 

None 

Windows XP Professional 

Edition 

None 

Windows XP Media 

Center Edition 2005 

None 


Edition 

None 


Edition 

tensions are reasonably 

priced. 

Warranty (Parts/Labor) One year/three years One year/one year One year/one year One year/one year 

COMPANY All American Computers NiveusMedia Overdrive PC Puget Custom Computers 

Reviews by Dan 

866-468-2819 866-258-2929 866-410-9958 425-458-0273 

Ackerman, Denny Atkin, 

www.aacdirect.com www.niveus.com www.overdrivepc.com www.pugetsystems.com 

John Delaney, and 

DIRECT PRICE $4,889 $6,298 $4,924 $6,438 

Joshua Goldman 


Illustrations by David Flaherty 

GiveorGoGreen 

DONATE OR RECYCLE THOSE OUTDATED TECH 

PRODUCTS IN EXCHANGE FOR SOME GOOD KARMA— 

AND MAYBE A DISCOUNT ON FUTURE SHOPPING. 

by Kevin Savetz 

IF YOU STARTED OFF THE NEW YEAR 

with a shiny new computer, chances are 

you didn’t even get it plugged in before 

the question hit: “What am I going to do 

with the old one?” It might seem tempting 

to dispatch that bulky tower and huge 

CRT to a dusty corner in the basement 

and promptly forget about them, but it’s 

more responsible to dispose of yesterday’s 

technology by recycling it or donating it to 

charity. 

Whatever you do, don’t park the old 

equipment on the curb. Besides taking up 

landfill space, computers and peripherals 

contain lead, mercury, and other toxic 

materials that can leach into the ground 

and water table. In fact, some components 

are considered hazardous waste, 

making it illegal to toss them out with 

household trash. 

If there’s life left in those components, 

you’ll find plenty of organizations that 

specialize in getting them to people who 

really need them. (More on that later.) 

But if your old tech isn’t usable, the right 

thing to do is to make sure it’s disposed of 

properly. 

A good first step on the road to ecoresponsibility 

is to check with your PC’s 

manufacturer to see if it offers a recycling 

program. For a small fee, some big computer 

makers will take your old PC and 

other components (no matter who manufactured 

them, in most cases) and recycle 

what can be reused, before properly disposing 

of the rest. 

Hewlett-Packard’s hardware recycling 

program (www.hp.com/recycle) covers 

any piece of computer hardware from any 

manufacturer. The company charges $13 

to $34 per item: Recycling a typical desktop 

PC and CRT monitor will cost around 

$46. Once you pack up the old equipment, 

HP will arrange for it to be picked up from 

your home or business. 

For $29.99, IBM’s Recycling Service 

(www.ibm.com/ibm/environment/ 

products) will take your retired PC, display, 

printer, and other components—as 

much as you can 

fit into a 26-inch-square 

box. The company will either 

recycle or refurbish 

the equipment, depending 

on its age and condition. 

Refurbished items 

are donated to Gifts In 

Kind International, an organization 

that links corporate 

donors and various 

recipient charities; you’ll 

receive a receipt for tax 

purposes. 

Apple’s program 

(www.apple.com/ 

environment/recycling) 

is similar: For a $30 fee, 

the company will accept 

a 26-inch-square box of 

components up to 60 

pounds. You’ll receive a prepaid UPS mailing 

slip, and all you have to do is pack up 

the parts and take them to the nearest 

UPS drop-off site for recycling. 

DISPOSAL WITH BENEFITS 

If you’re just not willing to pay to recycle, 

you may be able to find a program that 

pays you. Dell (www.us.dell.com/recycle) 

offers free recycling of an old PC when 

you buy a new Dell. The company provides 

prepaid airbills for shipping the old 

equipment and allows you to recycle two 

large items—such as the PC and monitor—plus 

smaller parts such as a keyboard 

and speakers. 

Data Wipeout 

NO MATTER HOW you dispose 

of that retired PC, it’s critical to 

remove any sensitive personal 

data on its hard drive. Simply 

tossing files into the Recycle Bin 

or reformatting the drive is not 

enough. Instead, you should wipe 

the hard drive to remove all traces 

of your financial information, 

passwords, e-mail messages, and 

other private data. 

Darik’s Boot and Nuke (dban. 

sourceforge.net) is a free, easy 

solution for destroying data. The 

utility creates a self-contained 

boot floppy or CD-R that securely 

erases the hard drives of most 

Macs and PCs. Active Kill Disk, 

also free, (www.killdisk.com) is 

another option. It only works on 

PCs, however. 

Dell also offers the option of giving 

your old equipment to the National Cristina 

Foundation, a nonprofit group that 

provides technology and training to disabled 

and economically disadvantaged 

children and adults. In addition to the 

good feeling you’ll get, you may be eligible 

for a tax deduction. And as a bonus, Dell 

will give you 10 percent off a future software 

or peripheral purchase. (You can also 


donate to the National Christina Founda- 

tion directly. For more information, go to 

www.christina.org.) 

If you previously purchased a Gateway 

or eMachines PC, you may be able to get 

cash back for your old technology through 

Gateway’s Trade-In & Recycle program 

(gateway.eztradein.com). The amount 

you’ll receive depends on the condition 

and age of your items. An online trade-in 

estimator (gateway.eztradein.com/ 

gateway/calculators.cfm) makes an edu- 

cated guess at your old machine’s value. 

A typical 1.3GHz Pentium 4 PC, for in- 

stance, could earn you $85 back. An older 

machine, such as a Pentium III, might 

have no trade-in value, in which case you 

can opt to pay a per-pound recycling fee. 

Regardless of where you purchased 

your PC, CNET’s Trade-In Center 

(cnet.tradeups.com) lets you turn it into 

cash to use toward the purchase of new 

gear. Get an instant online quote for the 

value of your old desktop, display, notebook, 

PDA, printer, digital camera, server, 

or projector, and CNET will contribute 10 

percent of each trade-in’s value to the 

school of your choice. (CNET Networks is 

Computer Shopper’s parent company.) 

THINK GLOBALLY, 

ACT LOCALLY 

If you prefer to keep your donations local, 

it’s pretty easy to find community organizations 

that will take your old tech. You 

Sell, Swap, or Drop Off 

THERE ARE PLENTY OF 

WAYS to turn old tech into new 

cash. All you need is a Web browser. 

For a nominal fee, you could auction 

off your old equipment. Just remember 

eBay (www.ebay.com) is a 

global marketplace, so you’ll want to 

include your geographic location and 

specify whether you’re willing to ship 

the items overseas. Even better, posting 

on Craigslist (www.craigslist.org) 

is a free and easy way to find local 

people willing to pay for old components. 

And if your trash doesn’t fetch 

any cash, you can almost always find 

someone on Craigslist who will trade 

old stuff for yours. Because the service 

is local, you typically don’t have to 

deal with the bother of shipping. 

If you don’t have luck unloading 

your PC and components for cash, try 


can donate working PCs to a nonprofit organization 

or school in your area. Although 

the machine may be too anemic 

to handle today’s hottest 3D games, it 

probably has enough power to help a senior 

citizen get on the Internet or assist a 

student in learning word processing. 

Give judiciously, however. A too-old or 

nonworking PC can be a burden rather 

than a benefit, so contact the organization 

first to find out if it can use the hardware. 

Note that many groups have minimum 

specs for PCs (Pentium II or later,for instance). 

Share the Technology 

(www.sharetechnology.org) will 

help you find nonprofit organizations 

and schools in your 

area that can use technology 

products. Search the database 

to find a local group 

that needs hardware, or add 

your equipment to the list. 

If you can, donate some of 

your time along with the hardware: 

Many schools and organizations 

don’t have a tech-savvy staff to set 

up an old computer. An hour or two of 

your time to get that machine hooked up 

and working can only increase the good 

karma you’ve got coming. 

Finally, to dispose of unusable dead 

items, check with local government agencies 

for low-cost or free curbside-pickup 

options, drop-off centers, and periodic 

recycling events. 

Freecycle (www.freecycle.org), a site 

that directs you to thousands of 

regional mailing lists. Subscribe to the 

list for your area, then post a message 

offering up your retired stuff. Within 

hours, you’re likely to receive at least 

a dozen messages from people willing 

to take it off your hands (for free, 

hence the name), no matter how old it 

is. You’ll need to make arrangements 

to get the items to their new home, 

but recipient pickup is customary, 

saving you the trouble of shipping or 

delivery. 

And Freecycle isn’t just for computers: 

The group’s mission is to keep 

material out of landfills by finding 

takers for unwanted items. Use the 

service to give or receive most any 

type of free item, from furniture to 

firewood. 

Salvage the 

Small Stuff 

CHANCES ARE YOU DON’T 

DISPOSE of large items like desktops, 

notebooks, and displays very often. 

But what about smaller gadgets 

and consumables that become old (or 

depleted) much quicker? These are 

also harmful to the environment and 

need to be carefully recycled. 

Those who print regularly know 

how fast ink cartridges get depleted. 

Fortunately, used inkjet and 

toner cartridges can be refilled 

and resold, and 

many organizations 

accept them. You can 

use prepaid mailers, 

available in many 

post offices, to send 

your used printer cartridges 

to Recycle-Free 

(www.recyclefree.com). 

The organization also lets you 

earn cash by collecting empty cartridges 

as a fund-raiser for your 

school, church, or business; it will 

supply collection envelopes and boxes 

for free. We Buy Empties (www. 

webuyempties.com) pays from 10 

cents to $3 for each depleted inkjet 

cartridge. Hewlett-Packard (www.hp. 

com/hpinfo/globalcitizenship/ 

environment/recycle) also accepts 

used HP inkjet and laser cartridges, 

and will even send you a prepaid 

mailer for returning them. 

Plenty of organizations accept old 

mobile phones for reuse. The Charitable 

Recycling Program (www. 

charitablerecycling.com), Collective- 

Good (www.collectivegood.com), and 

ReCellular (www.wirelessrecycling. 

com) all salvage secondhand cell 

phones. (Collective Good also accepts 

PDAs and pagers.) If it works, they’ll 

give it to a charity; if not, they’ll 

recycle it in an environmentally 

responsible manner. 

The rechargeable batteries in 

phones, electric razors, and other 

gadgets should also be recycled. 

Rechargeable Battery Recycling 

(www.rbrc.org) provides the addresses 

of local businesses that will accept 

nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal-hydride, 

lithium-ion, and small sealed-lead 

batteries to be recycled for free.

HELP&HOW-TO 

TIPS AND TRICKS TO MAKE TECH EASIER 

COMPUTER CURES ALFRED POOR 

DIVIDE AND CONQUER 

I have a new desktop running Windows XP 

Professional, with 4GB of RAM and two internal 

hard drives (250GB each). I bought the 

PC primarily for image processing in Photoshop. 

I plan to install Photoshop on the C: 

drive, and I want to partition 15GB of the 

other internal (D:) drive and designate it as a 

scratch disk used exclusively for Photoshop. 

The remaining space on the D: drive will be 

used for storage of images. Do I need special 

software to partition the second drive? 

Erica Tate 

Your plan makes sense, because it may 

boost your system performance. And you 

don’t need special software—Windows XP 

has a disk-management utility that can 

handle the job for you. 

Start by backing up any data on the 

second hard drive that you want to keep— 

you’ll be wiping out anything stored on 

this drive, so now is the time to preserve 

it. Next choose Start, right-click on My 

Computer, and choose Manage. In the 

Computer Management window, if there’s 

a plus sign next to the Storage line, click 

on it to expand that section, then select 

Disk Management. You’ll see a list of the 

storage devices in your system. Disk 0 is 

your boot drive and holds your C: drive. 

Your secondary drive is Disk 1, and it has 

probably already been partitioned and formatted, 

and will show up as the D: drive. 

If this is the case, delete the partition by 

right-clicking on the drive and choosing 

Delete Partition. 

Next, right-click on the available space 

of the drive, and choose New Partition. 

The New Partition wizard will guide you 

through the process. First, create a new 

235GB partition for the data portion of the 

drive; this will become the D: drive. Then, 

repeat the process for the remaining 15GB 

to create a logical drive in the remaining 

space, which will become the E: drive. Be 

sure to select the option to format the 

drives as you create them. Now you can 

restore your backed-up files and configure 

Photoshop to use the E: drive as the 

scratch disk. 

REGISTRY RESIDUE 

I was poking around in my Registry and decided 

to search for a program that I had deleted—or 

thought I had. I found the app, along 

with some other old programs I thought I’d 

deleted. Are these files taking up disk space? 

And are there other Registry archives where 

deleted files, documents, and programs are 

stored? If so, where can I find them? 

Kevin Collins 

What you found in your Registry are not 

the program files, but keys that once referred 

to those files. The Windows Registry 

is essentially a database that stores 

all the configuration information about 

your PC’s hardware and software. For programs, 

this often includes information 

about file locations and data formats. 

Poking around in your Registry 

can be risky, especially if you’re 

using the Windows REGEDIT 

utility. The program has no undo 

function, and changes take 

effect immediately. 

Many program-uninstall routines fail 

to remove these keys, but it’s really not 

much to worry about. These Registry entries 

take up a negligible amount of hard 

drive space. In my opinion, the potential 

for trouble increases when you try to remove 

these entries manually. Poking 

around in your Registry can be risky, 

especially if you’re using the Windows 

REGEDIT utility. This program has no 

undo function, and any changes you 

make take effect immediately, even if 

you haven’t explicitly saved the file. 

92 Software 

Weekend Project 

96 Software 

Weekend Project 

98 Buying Advisor 

115 Consumer Alert 

SCRATCH PAPER 

I am interested in making paper and was 

wondering if you had any information on 

what kind of coating is applied to paper to 

make it good for inkjet printing. 

Lori Triburgo 

I’ve created homemade paper in the past, 

but I’ve never made it specifically for use 

in a printer. Inkjets are more tolerant of 

uneven paper surfaces than are other 

printer types, such as lasers, but I suspect 

you’ll want to press your paper sheets so 

that they have a relatively smooth surface. 

This may help prevent the ink from 

wicking along the exposed fibers. 

The glossy or slick paper used for 

magazines and similar printed materials 

has a fine clay coating on the surface. 

If you want to print fine details, 

you may want to investigate this option. 

To my knowledge, regular commercial 

bond paper used in printers 

does not have any coating, so you may 

not need any at all. 

DITCH THOSE DISKETTES! 

I just bought a removable flash drive because 

I want to copy—then dispose of—the 

hundreds of floppies I have all over my 

desk. I thought I could copy from a floppy 

directly to the flash drive. When I tried this, 

I received an error message stating that the 

source and destination disks are not the 

same type. I wanted a quick, easy way to 

save space. If I have to copy each file to my 

desktop, then to the flash drive separately, 

I might as well give the drive away. Do you 

have a solution? 

Howard Milbert 


HELP & HOW-TO COMPUTER CURES 

I recommend that you put the contents 

of each floppy in a separate folder on the 

flash drive. The easiest way to do this is 

to use a batch file, a short text file that 

issues a series of commands. It will 

make it easy to automate the process. 

I’ll assume that the flash drive shows 

up as drive E:, but you should substitute 

the appropriate letter, if necessary. Choose 

Start > All Programs > Accessories> 

Notepad. Enter the following lines: 

E: 

md %1 

xcopy a:*.* \%1 /S 

Save this file as COPYFLOP.BAT in your 

Windows folder. Now, put a floppy in the 

drive. Choose Start > Run. Type COPYFLOP 

folder where folder is the name you want 

for this floppy, and press OK. This will create 

a new folder on your flash drive, and it 

will then copy all the files and folders 

from the floppy to the flash drive. (Note 

that it won’t copy empty folders; if you 

want to include them, change the /S to /E.) 

When it’s done, just put in a new floppy 

and repeat with a new folder name. 

TV ON MY PC? 

I’ve recently seen several online ads for 

Internet television. What is it? 

Harry Olivero 

TIP OF THE MONTH: 

A NON-WINDOWS 

BOOT SOLUTION 

In the good old days, if your hard 

drive had problems and you couldn’t 

boot Windows, you could grab a DOS 

floppy and boot with that, then access 

your hard drive to rescue files and 

troubleshoot the problem. Not so with 

Windows XP, which doesn’t offer such 

a boot option. You can boot from the 

Windows XP CD, but that method is 

best for repairing or reinstalling the 

OS, which can have unintended consequences. 

This month’s tipster has 

an alternate solution. 

When my Windows XP system has boot 

problems, I boot the PC using a live edition 

of one of the major Linux versions on a CD. 

These “test” versions allow you to boot 

without touching the hard drive, but they 

still give you access to retrieve all of your 

hard drive data. 

Robert Cook 


Internet television—also called IPTV or 

Next-Generation TV—simply means that 

programming is delivered over the Web 

instead of the traditional cable, satellite, 

or terrestrial broadcast systems. The 

content may be streamed, or you can 

download the files to your PC’s hard 

drive to play whenever you want, just as 

you can with MP3 audio files. 

This is an exciting new development 

that could change the way we think 

about television altogether, as it makes 

true “on-demand” programming possible. 

It also means we’ll be more likely to 

have a PC at the center of our entertainment 

system in the future. Apple’s recent 

success in offering downloadable 

music videos and popular TV programs 

seems to indicate that consumers are 

interested in getting their video content 

over the Internet. 

RANDOM RESETS 

My PC was stuck on the opening screen (the 

one right before the BIOS screen). I restarted 

the PC, and it booted up properly. Shortly 

after that, I was surfing the Web, and the 

PC suddenly reset itself again and went 

back to the beginning screen. It did this several 

times. I scanned for viruses, and my PC 

came up clean. I’ve replaced the video card, 

I haven’t spent a lot of 

time with Linux, but 

I’m motivated to 

change that on the 

basis of this tip. You 

can download a 

bootable image of 

most major versions 

of the OS for free. If 

you’re not sure how to record it 

on a CD-R so that it’s bootable, simply 

plug “Linux CD” into your favorite search 

engine, and you’ll find several sources 

that will sell you a CD, usually for less 

than $10. 

Make sure that the version you choose 

will give you access to your hard drive. 

Some “test” Linux CDs don’t let you read 

or write data on a hard drive so that you 

don’t risk messing up your existing in- 

Send us your favorite tip, and you could receive a tipster’s prize package. 

and my machine still resets itself randomly, 

for no apparent reason. Any idea why this 

is happening? 

Mark Harris 

Intermittent PC problems are the most 

difficult to diagnose. I’ve got three possible 

suspects, however: overheating, electrical-power 

problems, and failing components. 

Because the problem occurs 

right after booting up, overheating can 

likely be ruled out. And if the problem 

were with the electrical supply, I suspect 

you would have noticed your PC’s lights 

dimming intermittently, so we can 

probably rule that out as well. 

This leaves the possibility of a failing 

component, but pinpointing the faulty 

one can be difficult. You can try removing 

and reseating all expansion cards and 

socketed components—such as the CPU 

and memory modules—and disconnecting 

and reconnecting all cables, including 

the ones from the power supply. If this 

doesn’t help, it’s likely that a component 

is failing. You might try replacing the power 

supply, since that’s an inexpensive experiment, 

but beyond that, it may not be 

worth the time, effort, and cost to track 

down and replace the culprit. A new PC 

may be the most cost-effective strategy. 

stallation. Also, try to find a version 

that supports USB drives. USB 

drives have a larger capacity, are 

faster, and are more convenient 

to use than floppies— 

all factors that are important 

if you have to 

copy files to one from 

a damaged drive. 

Finally, Linux can 

read and write data on 

drives partitioned with 

FAT32, but it can only 

read NTFS-formatted drives. So this tip 

may let you recover data from a damaged 

XP system, but you won’t be able to 

fix a problem on the hard drive if it was 

partitioned with NTFS. Still, a Linux CD 

is a handy tool to have, and you should 

add one to your PC-troubleshooting kit. 

“Alfred Poor’s Computer Cures,” Computer Shopper, 28 E. 28th St., 10th Fl., New York, NY 10016-7942 

computer_cures@cnet.com 

Please include your name. Due to the number of letters we receive, we cannot provide personal replies, 

nor return any enclosures. 

Illustration by David Flaherty

HELP & HOW-TO 

WEEKEND PROJECT SOFTWARE 

A little PC maintenance can 

speed up your startups. 

Kick-Start 

Your Bootup 

BY JOHN WORAM 

DOES IT SEEM LIKE the more time you 

spend with your Windows XP installation, 

the longer your PC takes to 

pull itself out of bed when booting 

up? It’s not a sign of old age; it’s the 

ever-growing accumulation of detritus 

that various applications and 

hardware deposit on your hard 

drive when you install them. 

Whether these items are functional 

or completely useless, they all take 

time to load. Here’s how to trim the 

bloat and reduce the time it takes 

your PC to get ready for action. 


Illustration by David Flaherty 

1Prepare your system 

Although nothing in the following steps is particularly 

risky, Windows XP is unpredictable enough to warrant 

a nod to Murphy’s Law. So, before you do anything 

else, run a thorough virus check, then create a 

safe place to go back to using Windows XP’s System 

Restore utility. (Right-click on My Computer, then 

click Properties > System Restore.) For added protection, 

perform a full backup of your hard drive. 

Using a stopwatch, time how long your startup takes before 

you make any changes. But because it’s not always obvious when 

the sequence is complete, first place a shortcut to the Notepad 

applet in the Windows startup group as a point of reference. To 

do this, right-click the Start button, and click Properties. On the 

Start Menu tab, click Classic Start menu > Customize > Advanced. 

In the Start Menu folder, find the Notepad shortcut (in 

the Start Menu/Programs/Accessories folder) and drag it to the 

Startup folder under Programs. Now, 

STARTUP DETAIL 

each time you boot 

Before After Event 

up, Windows will 

0.00 0.00 Power on 

open a Notepad win- 

Manufacturer splash screen appears dow on the desktop. 

“Windows XP” with animated If you time how long 

horizontal bar appears 

it takes for the win- 

“Welcome” appears 

dow to appear before 

Desktop appears 

and after tweaks are 

Windows Notepad applet opens 

made, you’ll know if 

Use a table like this to jot down your 

before-and-after bootup times. 

you’ve accomplished 

anything. You can always 

remove the shortcut once you’ve completed your beforeand-after 

timing comparison. 

Exit Windows, then power off your machine. Wait a few 

seconds, then power back on again, and start timing. If 

the startup sequence pauses for your username and password, 

stop the clock at the pause, then restart it after you’ve 

entered the information. 

Tip: To keep an accurate account of your efforts, draw up a 

table in which you can record your bootup times. You can time 

different intervals, such as when the manufacturer splash 

screen appears, or when the Desktop appears. 

2Check what’s automatically 

running 

As your PC boots up, Windows looks in several 

locations for instructions on how to launch the 

various applications and processes that load at 

startup. Depending on the program, the locations 

for these instructions vary. Many are in the Registry, 

a hierarchical database of user, application, and hardware-device 

information. Others are in a Startup group folder, 

and a select few could be in your PC’s WIN.INI file. We’ll refer 

to these locations collectively as the Autorun group, because 

the items they contain run automatically every time Windows 

starts. 

To see which ones are in the Registry, go to Start > Run, 

then type in REGEDIT.EXE to enter the Registry. Just don’t

alter any- 

thing—changes 

to the Registry 

are irreversible 

and could 

cause serious 

damage to your 

PC. Even advanced 

users 

can run into 

trouble in a 

hurry if they’re 

not careful. 

The Run keys 

are the most 

important. 

You’ll find 

The Run Registry key displays a list of them by 

items that load at startup. 

drilling down 

to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Windows/ 

CurrentVersion. If you double-click the Run folder, you’ll see 

some items that load when you boot your PC. 

You can examine the items in the Startup group folder by 

going to Start > All Programs > Startup. Finally, you can see if 

anything is in the WIN.INI file by selecting Start > Run, then 

typing WIN.INI. Look for anything listed on a RUN= or LOAD= 

line. It’s unlikely you’ll find anything there, but checking 

won’t hurt. 

3Dismiss unwanted Autorun items 

Now you can use Windows’ System Configuration 

Utility to trim the fat from the Registry Run 

keys and the Startup group. To start the utility, 

select Start > Run, then type MSCONFIG. Select 

the Startup tab to show a list of items executed 

during bootup. To see the entire Command column, 

stretch it to the right. A scroll bar should now appear at 

the bottom of the window, enabling you to view more of the 

Location information. 

Scroll 

down the list to 

see if you recognize 

anything 

that shouldn’t 

be there. If so, all 

you have to do is 

clear its checkbox 

to remove 

the appropriate 

Registry com- 

Use the powerful System Configuration 

mand line or Utility to easily (but not permanently) re- 

Startup group move software from the boot procedure. 

shortcut. 

Tip: The items you remove from the Windows System Configuration 

Utility aren’t lost; they’ve just moved to a “startupreg” 

or “startupfolder” key in the Registry. You can retrieve 

them later if it turns out you shouldn’t have removed them. 

To restore an item to the bootup routine, simply run the 

utility again, and re-check the item’s box. 

4Uncover unknown items 

It’s not unusual for the System Configuration 

Utility’s Startup tab to display a Startup item 

with no name, making it next to impossible to 

determine whether it’s important. One way to 

find out is to disable that line by unchecking it. 

If you’re running a security utility such as 

ZoneAlarm Security Suite, you may get a pop-up warning message 

that identifies the name of the item about to be changed. 

If so, just do a Google search on the name for more details. 

If no alert appears, download the freeware app Autoruns 

The Autoruns app displays a list of items that load during startup. 

“Files not found” likely are remnants of uninstalled apps. 

(www.sysinternals.com/utilities/autoruns.html) to display a 

great deal of useful information about Autorun items on your 

system. Double-click any item on the list, and the utility opens 

the Registry Editor, highlighting the line associated with that 

item. If that’s not enough info, right-click any highlighted Registry 

entry, and select Google on the context menu to search 

the Web for more information about the highlighted item. (In 

the current version, 8.22, this feature doesn’t work on items 

listed in the Startup groups.) 

Tip: Also, check the Image Path column within Autoruns for 

any line that starts with “File not found.” Such lines are probably 

artifacts from uninstalled applications that didn’t do a 

good job of cleaning up after themselves. 

5Clock your speed 

Once you’ve identified the items that don’t need 

to be launched every time Windows starts, use the 

System Configuration Utility’s Startup tab or the 

Autoruns utility to clear the checkboxes next to 

the names of these items. Then, restart your computer 

to get a subjective feel for any speed improvement. 

Run a few of your frequently used applications just 

to make sure all’s well. If you discover you’ve accidentally disabled 

something vital, just use either utility to re-check the 

box next to that item. 

When you’re done, do a cold reboot, and time the complete 

startup sequence, ending when your Notepad window 

launches. Compare your before-and-after results to see how 

much time you trimmed from the sequence. Depending on 

what you were able to remove, the speed difference will 

range from modest to significant. Either way, you’ll have a 

little less “stuff” dragging down your system, and more 

memory will be freed up for your use. 


HELP & HOW-TO 

WEEKEND PROJECT SOFTWARE 

Protect your children from 

online predators. 

Safety Net 

BY RICK BROIDA 

A few months back, a steady procession 

of predators showed up at a 

home rigged with Dateline NBC hidden 

cameras to meet a 12-year-old 

who indicated she was open to the 

idea of having sex. The teen was a 

decoy volunteer from vigilante 

group Perverted-Justice (www. 

perverted-justice.com), but she 

could just as easily have been a real 

child. Law-enforcement officials 

estimate 50,000 predators are online 

at any given time, according to the 

Dateline segment. This doesn’t mean 

you have to rip the Ethernet cable 

from the wall if you have children 

who use the Net, however. These 

steps, combined with careful 

vigilance, can help you keep them 

safe online. 


Illustration by David Flaherty 

1Batten down your browser 

Children can easily find explicit material on the 

Web—and if they don’t, it often finds them. If your 

daughter happens to type www.girl.com instead of 

www.gURL.com, the popular site for teenage girls, 

she’ll end up at a porn site. And until it was shut down 

recently, the porn site www.whitehouse.com displayed 

inappropriate images to young students who probably 

meant to type www.whitehouse.gov. 

Sites like these, which count on erroneously entered URLs, are 

shut down quickly, but as soon as they are, more crop up to re- 

place them. And the most popular Web browsers offer little in 

the way of blocking tools. Mozilla Firefox offers no content filter- 

ing. Microsoft Internet Explorer 6 has some tools, but they’re 

weak. Go to Tools > Internet Options > Content, and in the Con- 

tent Advisor box, select Enable. In the new window you’ll see four 

categories: Language, Nudity, Sex, and Violence. To enable block- 

ing, move the slider directly below the categories to the lowest 

level, then click Apply. Blocking 

is based on a self-rating system 

devised by the Recreational 

Software Advisory Council (now 

the Internet Content Rating Association). 

The downside: Most 

Internet sites haven’t rated 

themselves, and if you set Internet 

Explorer to block all unrated 

sites, you’ll lose access to some 

useful sites, including Amazon.com, 

Google, and even Internet Explorer’s filtering 

Computer Shopper. 

utility is dependent on sites 

rating themselves. 

As an alternative, download 

a child-friendly content-filtering Web browser such as Crayon 

Crawler (www.crayoncrawler.com), KidRocket KidSafe 

(www.kidrocket.org),or Noah’s Web (www.noahsweb.com). 

Noah’s Web comes with three browsers: one for children ages 4 

to 12, one for teens, and one for parents. 

To ensure that your child can use only the child-friendly 

browser you install for Net surfing, create a user account in Windows 

that prevents installation of new apps. Go to Control Panel 

> User Accounts, and select “Create a new account.” In the wizard, 

enter a name for the new account, and select Limited. Now, 

password-protect any other 

accounts that aren’t 

Limited. 

This still leaves Internet 

Explorer, however, 

because it comes with 

Windows and can’t be 

uninstalled. To prevent 

your child from using Internet 

Explorer, password-protect 

it. Go to 

Crayon Crawler is a kid-friendly Tools > Internet Options, 

browser that automatically and select the Content 

blocks objectionable sites. 

tab. Under Content Advi-

4 

sor, click Enable. On the General tab, locate the “Supervisor 

Stop objectionable spam 

password” area. Type in a password, then hit Apply. 

Spam isn’t good for anyone, but for children, it can 

Tip: Mac users seeking robust content controls should check out 

be particularly harmful, because links in e-mails 

BumperCar 2.0 (www.freeverse.com) for Mac OS X systems. 

can lead to pornographic Web sites. 

The solution: Install a spam filter.For e-mail 

2Safeguard America Online 

clients such as Outlook or Outlook Express, Only- 

One of the safest online environments for children 

MyEmail (www.onlymyemail.com) is a good add-on 

is America Online. The service lets parents invoke for blocking spam before it reaches your PC. But it’s more likely 

varying levels of control over Web browsing, instant your kids are using free Web-based mail systems such as Hotmail 

messaging (IM), e-mail, and chat rooms. To access or Yahoo Mail. If the service has a built-in spam filter, set it to the 

these settings, go to keyword: PARENTAL CON- highest level of protection. Just keep in mind nothing can stop 

TROLS. Click your child’s screen name, then the your child from perusing the Junk E-mail folder in search of 

button for the area you want to manage. Clicking Edit Web Con- legitimate mail caught by the filter. 

trol, for instance, will bring up 

Tip: If your teenager uses Outlook Express, consider switching to 

choices ranging from Kids Only 

Mozilla’s free Thunderbird (www.mozilla.org). It’s similar to Out- 

(which restricts all inappropriate 

look Express in appearance and function, but it includes a built- 

content) to Mature Teen. 

in spam filter. 

When a child tries to view a 

suspect site, AOL blocks access 

until permission is received 

from the parent via either 

e-mail or IM. AOL also supplies 

a kid-friendly search engine 

that avoids potential traps inherent 

in Google and the like. 

Tip: With the Parental Controls 

AOL lets you give different 

screen names varying 

levels of restrictions. 

5Install safety software 

To get all these features in one convenient package, 

consider installing a program designed specifically 

for the purpose. CyberPatrol 7.5 (www.cyberpatrol. 

com) and Net Nanny 5 (www.netnanny.com), both 

priced at $39.95, offer a wealth of protection features, 

including 

activity monitoring, site and 

window open, click the Internet Access Controls button, then image blocking, and time 

click Turn On Internet Controls. This blocks access to inappropri- management (for limiting Net 

ate sites via an external browser. 

usage by time). 

Tip: Try before you buy. You 

3 

Monitor instant messages 

can download fully func- 

If there’s one thing teens love more than MTV, it’s tional versions of both 

instant messaging, either in online chat rooms or programs and use them for 

via IM clients such as ICQ and Yahoo Messenger. two weeks. If one doesn’t CyberPatrol offers a thorough 

Either way, a little parental intervention is essen- offer the controls you want, set of parental controls not 

found in other apps. 

tial. Start by telling your kids not to give out per- try the other. 

sonal information, even when they’re in chat 

6 

rooms with friends. It’s also a good idea to review their user pro- 

Find out more 

files, as certain words and information can attract online preda- 

Keeping abreast of threats lurking online goes a 

tors. Try to keep the profile as nondescript as possible. Hobbies 

long way toward keeping your kids safe online. Getand 

interests are okay, but don’t specify age or sex. 

NetWise (kids.getnetwise.org),ProtectKids.com, 

While chat rooms are more or less guaranteed to involve 

and SafeKids.com offer plenty of articles, informa- 

strangers, instant messaging should never be anonymous. 

tion, and resources, including links for reporting 

All the major chat clients let you block messages from un- 

suspected cyber crimes. You’ll also find information 

known users. In AOL Instant Messenger, press F7, click Priva- on software and Web tools designed specifically for children. 

cy, then select “Allow only users on my Buddy List.” In ICQ, Perverted-Justice, mentioned earlier, has a section for parents on 

click Main > Security & Privacy Permissions > Spam Control, how to curb their children’s time online and how to spot if their 

and enable “Accept messages only from users on my Contact kids are in danger. 

List.” In MSN Messenger, click Tools > Options > Privacy, and Also, try bookmarking a selection of kid-friendly sites so that 

enable “Only people on 

your children are less tempted to wander the Web aimlessly. Kidmy 

Allow List can see 

Grid (www.kidgrid.com) is a Yahoo-like search engine with cate- 

my status and send me 

gorized links, all of which have been designated “safe.” Kaboose 

messages.” In Yahoo 

(www.kaboose.com) provides fun stuff for kids and parents 

Messenger, click Mes- 

alike, from online games to party planning. 

senger > Preferences > 

Tip: It’s one thing to safeguard your own PCs, but that doesn’t 

Ignore List, and enable 

help when your kids are online at their friends’ houses. Commu- 

“Ignore anyone who is Yahoo Messenger’s Ignore List lets nicate with other parents. Relay your concerns, and share tips 

not on my Messenger 

List.” 

you keep strangers from sending 

instant messages to your child. 

with them to make sure your child surfs safe, no matter whose 

computer he or she uses. 


HELP & HOW-TO 

BUYING ADVISOR JOHN A. BUREK 

2006: A Storage Space Odyssey 

The Advisor spins up five roomy Serial ATA hard drives. 

A SURE SIGN you’re talking with a memronments but don’t confer the full benefit. 

We tested each drive on an NCQ-compliant 

Promise SATA/300 TX4 controller, 

writing 1GB of music files to each from a 

ber of Generation Net: He casually refers NCQ should shine when multithreaded 10,000rpm WD Raptor source drive, then 

to programs as “appz” and “gamez.” In our apps and dual-core CPUs become com- copying (reading) the folder back to the 

advisee’s case, he’s out of room for both. monplace, but these are still emerging. Raptor. We did the same with a 600MB 

“I need a 7,200rpm internal Serial ATA For today, though, the major U.S. drive WAV file. All tests were done with NCQ on 

drive,” writes Diego DeGracia, a student makers pitched us their roomiest SATA (if supported), then off, in turn. In each 

from Panama City, Panama. “At least drives within DeGracia’s budget. Capaci- NCQ state, we ran each test solo, and 

160GB capacity, but not so expensive— ties ranged from 160GB to 250GB. (See the again while playing a WAV file to judge 

less than $120. I don’t know whether to go table.) Four came as retail kits, with SATA each drive’s juggling ability. 

with Maxtor, Seagate, 

data cables and install Surprisingly, our results hardly varied 

or someone else.” 

Neither did we. In- THE CHALLENGE 

software; the fifth, 

Samsung’s SpinPoint 

on any given test across drives, or across 

similar tests with the same drive. Virtually 

ternal hard drives User profile: Diego A. DeGracia, a SP2004C, is sold only all comparable results fell within a 1-to-3- 

have become commodities; 

consumer 

university student from Panama City, 

Panama. 

“bare.” Bare drives lack 

cables or manuals. 

second spread. Only the SpinPoint was 

consistently behind by a couple of sec- 

drives now have pre- Computing needs: A 160GB or larger (Some of the kit drives onds on most operations. Exit Samsung. 

dictable specs, with 

once-premium 

Serial ATA internal hard drive, from a 

U.S. online shop, for his “appz” and 

“gamez.” Budget: $120. 

can also be bought 

bare for slightly less.) 

So speed wasn’t much of a real-world 

differentiator—which brought us to war- 

7,200rpm spin rates 

Three of the drives ranty, and cost per gigabyte. Western Digi- 

and 8MB buffers now 

near-universal. But 

THE SOLUTION 

support the latest 

SATA interface flavor, 

tal’s and Maxtor’s one-year plans disappointed, 

so we eliminated their drives. 

the Serial ATA (SATA) 

interface, slowly 

The Advisor’s choice: The $120 

Hitachi Deskstar T7K250 features 

group-leading capacity, competitive 

SATA/300. Backwardcompatible 

with 

DeGracia should demand at least three 

years. (WD offers a $14.95 upgrade to 

eclipsing familiar speed, and a three-year warranty. SATA/150 controllers three, but this swells the cost per gig.) 

IDE, is spurring drive 

and motherboards, Hitachi and Seagate remained. The 

innovations, and DeGracia is pondering a SATA/300 supports higher maximum 250GB Hitachi Deskstar T7K250’s group- 

recent feature of many SATA drives: Na- data-transfer rates. But most PCs don’t yet low cost per gig is hard to ignore, and its 

tive Command Queueing (NCQ). “What support SATA/300, so this isn’t a deal three-year warranty is competitive. We 

does it do?” he asks. “Does it really help?” maker or breaker.More critical: SATA laud Seagate’s five-year plan, but how to 

To understand NCQ, think of a hard drives use a special, thin power-supply weigh it against the Deskstar’s extra 90GB 

drive as a record player, but spinning connector. Some SATA drives have this of space? Given price trends, replacing a 

magnetic platters instead of a Bee Gees LP. socket in addition to the familiar four-pin 250GB drive will probably cost $50 in 2009. 

The “tone arm” shuttles to and fro, fetch- Molex-style one, and you can use either; Therefore, we think depreciation makes 

ing or writing data. But the data is often others have only the SATA type. If DeGra- the shorter warranty a fair risk, given the 

scattered in chunks across the platters, cia’s PC power supply isn’t recent, it lacks extra gigs at stake. Three years of cover- 

and multiple requests often vie for atten- SATA power cables; he’d need a converter age, 250GB—workz for us. 

tion. NCQ reorders arm activity for top 

efficiency. This 

if the drive lacks a traditional connector. 

Maxtor’s drive stumbled here: It had just 

If you need help making a smart buying decision, 

e-mail buying_advisor@cnet.com. 

also can reduce 

wear and oper- 

SATA Showdown 

the SATA connector, and no converter. 

ating noise. 

The idea’s not 

new (SCSI drives 

Capacity/Interface 

Spin Rate/Buffer/NCQ 

Hitachi Deskstar 

T7K250 

250GB, SATA/300 

7,200rpm/8MB/Yes 

Maxtor SATA Ultra 

200GB (L01M200) 

200GB, SATA/150 


Samsung SpinPoint 

SP2004C 

200GB, SATA/300 


Seagate Barracuda 

7200.9 

160GB, SATA/300 


WD Caviar SE 160GB 

(WD1600JD) 

160GB, SATA/150 

7,200rpm/8MB/No 

use similar tech), 

but in practice, 

Packaging/Warranty 

Power Connector(s) 

Price/Cost per Gigabyte 

Retail kit/three years 

Four-pin and SATA 

$120/48 cents 

Retail kit/one year 

SATA only 

$120/60 cents 

Bare drive/three years 

SATA only* 

$100/50 cents 

Retail kit/five years 

SATA only* 

$120/75 cents 

Retail kit/one year 

Four-pin and SATA 

$99.99/63 cents 

NCQ requires a 

URL www.hitachigst.com www.maxtor.com www.samsung.com www.seagate.com www.wdc.com 

compliant moth- ANECDOTAL TESTING: SOLO OPERATION (NCQ ON) 

erboard or SATA 

controller—the 

1GB Folder Write/Read 34 sec./31 sec. 33 sec./31 sec. 

600MB File Write/Read 17 sec./17 sec. 17 sec./17 sec. 

ANECDOTAL TESTING: OPERATION WHILE PLAYING WAV FILE (NCQ ON) 

35 sec./30 sec. 

20 sec./18 sec. 

32 sec./34 sec. 

17 sec./18 sec. 

33 sec./32 sec. 

16 sec./19 sec. 

drives work fine in 1GB Folder Write/Read 32 sec/31 sec 33 sec./32 sec 34 sec./33 sec. 35 sec./37 sec. 32 sec./33 sec. 

non-NCQ envi- 

600MB File Write/Read 

* = Converter cable included 

18 sec./17 sec. 17 sec./18 sec. 19 sec./18 sec. 19 sec./20 sec. 17 sec./18 sec. 


HELP & HOW-TO 

CONSUMER ALERT NANCY LANG-FELDMAN 

Whom to Call When Things Go Wrong 

OKAY, ONLINE SHOPPING is a wonderful thing, enabling 

you to browse without a salesperson looking over 

your shoulder, and check competitors’ prices with 

just a few clicks. Sadly, though, when problems arise, 

you’ll find this aversion to human contact is mutual. 

Some online sellers go to great lengths to avoid you, even omit- 

ting their customer-service phone numbers from their sites. 

So whom are you going to call when the digital camera you or- 

dered from Amazon.com arrives DOA or when that new hard 

drive won’t spin? Go to the Web site and find the phone number 

for customer service; I’ll wait here. 

Find it yet? Of course not—it isn’t there. Okay, now try Buy.com. 

Or Netflix. Beginning to get the picture? These companies don’t 

want to talk to you, particularly when you’ve got problems. 

So there you are, stuck with inoperable hardware or missing 

parts, and you want action—now. You don’t want support pages 

or FAQs; you want a human. As hard as they try to convince you 

otherwise, these companies actually do have phones. To make it 

easy for you, I’ve tracked down some customer-service numbers. 

Here are a few of the most elusive (and desirable): 

Amazon.com: 800-201-7575, 206-266-2335. (With the second 

number, I actually got a live human being after only one ring!) 

Buy.com: 877-780-2464 

Half.com: 800-545-9857, 888-879-4253 

Netflix: 800-585-8131 

Overstock.com: 800-843-2446, 800-989-0135 

PayPal: 888-221-1161, 402-935-2050 

Yahoo: 408-349-1572 

This is all good, but what happens when you get caught in the 

telephone torture loop (see “I’ve Fallen Into a TTL, and I Can’t Get 

Out!” May 2004, p. 38), in which the robotic operator refuses to re- 

lease you to a humanoid? That’s when Paul English’s Interactive 

Voice Response (IVR) Cheat Sheet (www.paulenglish.com/ivr) 

comes in handy. In my May column, I advised remaining 

silent until a live person picked up. But English 

provides some key combinations that can help 

you reach a carbon-based life form more 

quickly at specific companies. 

You could always try hitting zero repeatedly 

and yelling a bit, but if that doesn’t work, or your 

experiences with the living are no more rewarding, 

try taking your case to a higher authority. Fred Wise 

of Glen Burnie, Md., goes so far as to roust top execu- 

tives out of bed. His local credit union had a list of the 

names, addresses, and home phone numbers of the 

heads of every corporation in America; when stuck, he 

used it to go right to the top. 

He first used that list back in 1996, when he received 

an Iomega Zip drive without cables, power supply, or 

Phonebook 

Harry Home 

Hayley Cell 

Ingrid Cell 

Iomega CEO 

Isaac Cell 

Jill Home 

Joe Cell 

Josh Cell 

1 2 33 

44 5 6 

77 8 9 

* 

0 # 

instructions. “When I called customer service, I was 

told it would be weeks or months because they were 

backlogged with orders. I called [the company presi- 

dent] about 11 p.m. on a Friday evening. All of the 

missing items were delivered to me Wednesday of 

the following week.” 

A few years later, Wise had a problem with a 

TigerDirect motherboard that shipped without instructions. “I 

tried for six weeks to contact someone and have the oversight 

corrected,” he recalls. “I would be put on hold, told to call another 

department, told the lines were too busy and to call back later, 

and hung up on.” Six weeks later, customer service told Wise the 

company didn’t supply instruction manuals with any of its 

motherboards. “The techie said I had to call them, and they’d tell 

If you make it past the voiceresponse 

gatekeeper and the 

customer-service rep is less 

than helpful, try the CEO. 

me over the phone how 

to connect all the many 

pins and jumpers. Do 

you believe that?” 

This time, Wise consulted 

his phone-directory 

software for the home number of Carl Fiorentino, TigerDirect’s 

president. The company’s Web site revealed TigerDirect is based 

in Miami, and Wise found a single listing for a Carl Fiorentino in 

that city. Yahoo’s People Search offers the same information. “I 

was polite and apologetic for bothering [Mrs. Fiorentino] so near 

Christmas [December 24], and Mrs. F. was understanding.” She 

gave Wise the phone number for Fiorentino’s personal secretary, 

who was also sympathetic. “Within a few days I had a manual, 

and in a later e-mail correspondence directly from Mr.Fiorentino, 

an apology. I was told [by Fiorentino] that a few heads had rolled 

in the tech/customer-service departments.” 

Wise stresses this is something you should do only as a last 

resort. You could first try calling the executive in the office. Most 

companies list their physical addresses and officers’ names on 

their About Us pages. If you can’t find a main number through a 

Yellow Pages search, try Hoovers (www.hoovers.com).Here you 

can plug in an executive’s name, and, if you find a match, you’ll 

have the company’s mailing address and phone number. I struck 

gold on my first attempt at reaching the CEO’s office at Iomega. I 

called the main number, asked the IVR system for Werner Heid, 

and, within seconds, was speaking with his secretary. 

You could also try snail-mailing the office of the president. 

But if you’ve made every conceivable good-faith attempt to 

rectify a problem and your frustration level has reached 

critical mass, you may want to resort to the home 

number. Doing so is extreme—some may even say 

rude—but it could be a lot more rewarding 

than cursing at a voice-response system. 

Nancy Lang-Feldman is executive editor 

of Computer Shopper. Contact her 

at nancy.feldman@cnet.com. 


TECHMARKET 

THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO SMART TECHNOLOGY SHOPPING 

NEED TO KNOW 

SMALL-OFFICE/HOME-OFFICE DESKTOPS 

PROCESSOR Time is money, so steer clear of slower budget 

processors. Getting a CPU that’s one or two steps down 

from the fastest will give you the power you need at a good 

price. Upgrade: Expect to spend $90 for every 200MHzincrement 

upgrade of Intel 3GHz and faster processors. 

MEMORY 256MB of memory is standard for business PCs, 

but don’t expect to multitask efficiently. Raise the RAM to 

512MB, and you’ll be able to switch among applications 

without delays. Upgrade: Each additional 256MB of DDR 

memory will cost roughly $50. 

GRAPHICS An office PC is the only case where integrated 

graphics won’t cause a huge performance hit. We still recommend 

getting a budget-price discrete graphics card, however. 

HARD DRIVE Bottom line: Protecting your business data is 

important. Ideally, go for two hard drives of at least 80GB 

apiece, configured in a RAID Level 1 array to ensure that your 

files are always backed up. Upgrade: Each additional 40GB 

of storage will cost about $36. 

Base Hard Optical 

Model Price* Processor RAM Graphics Drive Drive(s) Monitor Editor’s Take Find Out More 

ABS COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES 

Ultimate M5 $1,169 2GHz 1GB nVidia 160GB DVD-ROM None More graphics power than the average www.abspc.com 

Vortex Athlon 64 GeForce office needs. Still, a powerful configuration 800-876-8088 

APPLE COMPUTER 

3200+ 6600 GT for the price. 

iMac G5 $1,299 1.9GHz 512MB ATI Radeon 160GB DVD±RW 17-inch Unless you’re a graphic designer, this slim www.apple.com 

PowerPC G5 X600 Pro (double layer) LCD Mac has the muscle to perform office tasks 

without hogging space. 

800-692-7753 

Power Mac G5 $1,999 Two 2GHz 512MB ATI Radeon 160GB DVD±RW None The standard for designers of all types, this 

DELL 

PowerPC G5 9600 (double layer) Power Mac offers adequate components, 

though at a steep price. 

Dimension 3100 $549 2.8GHz 256MB Integrated 80GB CD-RW None As long as you don’t need tons of storage, www.dell.com 

Pentium 4 this entry-level box will suffice for office- 800-999-3355 

521 productivity tasks. 

Optiplex GX620 $793 2.8GHz 512MB Integrated 80GB CD-ROM None Built for business, the Optiplex comes in 

Pentium 4 four case designs, ranging from ultrasmall 

521 to a full desktop tower. 

Dimension 5100C $899 3GHz 512MB Integrated 80GB DVD/CD-RW 17-inch Integrated graphics will be fine for most. 

Pentium 4 combo LCD This PC’s flexibility and compact design 

630 are what we like best. 

XPS 600 $1,649 3GHz 1GB nVidia 160GB DVD-ROM, 19-inch Small-biz version of Dell’s gaming-and- 

Pentium 4 GeForce CD-RW LCD entertainment PC comes with a nice mix 

GATEWAY 

630 6800 of parts, but it’s too flashy for work environs. 

S-5200S $579.99 2.8GHz 512MB Integrated 40GB CD-RW None Short on hard drive space, but office www.gateway.com 

Pentium 4 desktops generally are. Entry-level specs 800-369-1409 

521 match entry-level price. 

DX300S $699.99 3GHz 512MB Integrated 80GB CD-RW None Processor is a little more potent than that 

Pentium 4 of the S-5200S. Unexpectedly, comes 

630 with Microsoft’s Media Center OS. 

E-4500S $989 3GHz 512MB Integrated 40GB CD-RW None A three-year service plan is standard— 

Pentium 4 definitely something to look for in a PC 

630 relied upon for daily business. 

Profile 5.5 $1,199 2.8GHz 256MB Integrated 40GB CD-ROM 17-inch This all-in-one is underpowered for the 

Pentium 4 LCD price; also, has only limited future upgrade 

521 options. 

* = Base price reflects vendor’s default configuration. Most models are configurable. 

See computershopper.com for full reviews of products in boldface. 

OPTICAL DRIVES A DVD±RW is wise for easy 

backups in a home office. If you’re worried about 

employees walking away with vital company 

data, however, go with a CD-ROM or DVD-ROM. 

117 SOHO Desktops 

122 Desktop-Replacement Notebooks 

132 Home and Small-Office 

Laser Printers 

134 Performance 3D-Graphics Cards 

136 External DVD Burners 

138 Smart Phones 

140 PC Service and Support Plans 

Next 

month: 

Budget 

Desktops 

SOUND AND SPEAKERS Integrated sound is common, and 

it’s probably all you’ll need. If you’ll be doing some afterhours 

digital media activities, adding a sound card is a better 

choice. As for speakers, opt for a good two-piece stereo set. 

MONITOR A CRT delivers more viewing space for a few 

hundred dollars less than similarly sized LCDs. But it’s hard 

to deny the appeal of an attractive, space-saving flat panel, 

so the choice may hinge on your budget and space constraints. 

Upgrade: 17-inch LCD monitors priced under $300 

have become common. 

WARRANTY Productivity suffers most when your PC fails. 

Protect yourself with a three-year parts-and-labor package 

with 24/7 phone support, onsite service, and, if available, 

overnight replacement. —Joshua Goldman, Desktop Editor 


TECHMARKET SMALL-OFFICE/HOME-OFFICE DESKTOPS 


Model Price* Processor RAM Graphics Drive Drive(s) Monitor Editor’s Take Find Out More 

HEWLETT-PACKARD 

Compaq DX2000 $496 2.8GHz 256MB Integrated 40GB CD-ROM None An inexpensive way to get basic office www.hp.com 

Microtower Pentium 4 chores done. When configuring, note that 888-999-4747 

521 the microtower isn’t easy to upgrade. 

DX5150 $745 1.8GHz 512MB Integrated 40GB CD-ROM None Horizontal design means the case can 

Athlon 64 go under the display on your desk for 

3000+ easy access to drives and ports. 

Compaq DC7600 $899.99 3GHz 512MB Integrated 80GB DVD/CD-RW None Another slim form factor for the office. HP 

Ultraslim Pentium 4 combo offers some interesting choices with this 

630 model, including a Linux OS option. 

DC5100 $986 2.8GHz 512MB Integrated 160GB CD-ROM None Fine configuration includes three years 

Microtower Pentium 4 of onsite repairs. Want more? HP offers 

IBUYPOWER 

520 upgrade recommendations for every PC. 

Value-Pro $999 2.2GHz 1GB nVidia 160GB DVD±RW 17-inch A great configuration for $1,000, but don’t www.ibuypower.com 

Athlon 64 GeForce (double layer) LCD expect the service, documentation, and quality 888-462-3899 

3500+ 6200 control you’d get from a bigger vendor. 

Dream 2006 $1,469 2.8GHz 1GB nVidia 200GB DVD±RW None An excellent price for a lot of fine parts. 

Pentium D GeForce (double layer), Could easily double as a game machine 

LENOVO 

820 7800 GT DVD-ROM and home-office workhorse. 

ThinkCentre A50 $399 2.53GHz 128MB Integrated 40GB CD-ROM None More small-office than home-office; comes www.lenovo.com 

Celeron loaded with utility, productivity, and 866-458-4465 

325 security apps. 

ThinkCentre E50 $699 3.06GHz 512MB Integrated 80GB CD-RW None A straight-up office workstation. The case 

Pentium 4 might say Lenovo, but IBM’s familiar look 

519K and feel are still at the heart. 

ThinkCentre M51 $859 2.66GHz 256MB Integrated 40GB CD-ROM None Three-year parts-and-labor warranty doesn’t 

Celeron D make up for low-end parts. Upgrades are 

331 definitely in order. 

ThinkCentre S51 $1,089 3.2GHz 512MB Integrated 80GB DVD-ROM None If you’re pinched for space, this highly 

Pentium 4 compact desktop works well—but you’ll pay 

541 for the design. 

POLYWELL COMPUTERS 

Poly 939NX-3200 $999 2GHz 512MB nVidia 80GB DVD±RW 17-inch The iBuypower Value-Pro is a better deal, www.polywell.com 

Athlon 64 GeForce (double layer) LCD but this compact tower might be more 800-999-1278 

3200+ 6200 TC appealing for the space-constrained. 

Poly 845PE-ISA $1,019 2GHz 256MB nVidia 40GB CD-RW 17-inch Many better deals abound, such as the 

Pentium 4 GeForce4 

MX420 

CRT the 945GX below. 

Poly 945GX $1,243 2.8GHz 1GB Integrated 120GB DVD±RW 17-inch If you can afford the extra cash, this is the 

Pentium D (double layer) LCD best price-to-part ratio from Polywell; will 

SONY ELECTRONICS 

820 handle productivity apps with aplomb. 

VAIO VGC-RB53 $749.99 3GHz 512MB Integrated 200GB DVD±RW None Sony’s VAIO PCs are aimed more at A/V www.sonystyle.com 

Pentium 4 (double layer) fans than cubicle dwellers. But this isn’t a 877-865-7669 

630 bad option for a home office. 

VAIO VGC-RB51P $1,099 3.2GHz 512MB Integrated 250GB DVD±RW None Only slightly more punch than VGC-RB53. 

Pentium 4 (double layer), Sony includes a nice selection of apps on 

SYSTEMAX 

640 DVD-ROM its PCs, though many are trial versions. 

Venture S519J $599.99 3.06GHz 512MB Integrated 80GB DVD/CD-RW None A fairly standard business PC. Its AGP www.systemaxpc.com 

Pentium 4 combo slot means you can add discrete graphics, 888-845-6225 

519J though only an older card. 

Venture HU B650I $999.99 3.4GHz 1GB Integrated 250GB DVD±RW None More power here than in the S519J. Also 

Pentium 4 (double layer) has an available slot for a graphics card, 

VELOCITY MICRO 

650 but here it’s newer PCI Express. 

Vector SX-V $859 3GHz 512MB Integrated 80GB DVD/CD-RW None Build quality is exceptional, but for those www.velocitymicro.com 

Pentium 4 combo who need power, the Systemax Venture HU 800-303-7866 

630 B650I offers more. 

Vision 64 $1,135 2.2GHz 512MB nVidia 120GB DVD-ROM, None Similarly configured to the ProMagix below, 

Athlon 64 GeForce CD-RW but with an Athlon CPU. Should handle 

3500+ 6600 office tasks easily. 

ProMagix PCX $1,245 3.2GHz 512MB nVidia 120GB DVD-ROM, None The 500-watt power supply will allow this 

Pentium 4 GeForce CD-RW machine to grow if your business demands 

ZT GROUP 

640 6600 expansion. 

Pro Business $649 2.66GHz 512MB Integrated 120GB DVD/CD-RW None Won’t satisfy power users, and ZT doesn’t www.ztgroup.com 

X6755 Pentium 4 combo offer many upgrade options. But the hearty 866-984-7687 

505 warranty with onsite service is a plus. 

SOHO PC $749 2GHz 512MB Integrated 200GB DVD±RW 17-inch You lose the three-year warranty from the 

A4016 Sempron (double layer) LCD X6755, but you gain in components and 

3000+ get an LCD. $52 restores the coverage. 

= Editors’ Choice * = Base price reflects vendor’s default configuration. Most models are configurable. 



NEED TO KNOW 

DESKTOP-REPLACEMENT NOTEBOOKS (MORE THAN 7 POUNDS) 

PROCESSOR When choosing a CPU, configure your 

system with a robust processor such as Intel’s desktop 

Pentium 4 with Hyper-Threading technology, a fast 

Pentium M, or AMD’s 64-bit Athlon 64. Upgrade: Expect 

to pay about $50 for every 200MHz-increment upgrade 

of Pentium 4 processors. 

MEMORY Don’t be frugal with main system RAM—inadequate 

memory can drastically slow overall performance. 

Shoot for 512MB or even 1GB. Upgrade: Each additional 

256MB of DDR SDRAM will cost roughly $60. 

GRAPHICS If you play games, go for the latest graphics solutions 

with dedicated memory from ATI or nVidia. If you’re 

not a gamer, save a little money by opting for 64MB or 

128MB of graphics RAM rather than 256MB. 

HARD DRIVE A 40GB or 60GB drive may be plenty of space 

for casual users, but those who have large digital music collections, 

play lots of advanced games, or edit digital video 

should opt for 80GB or more. Upgrade: Each additional 

20GB of storage should cost about $30. 

OPTICAL DRIVES Look for a multiformat (DVD±RW) 

* = Base price reflects vendor’s default configuration. Most models are configurable. Prices are subject to change. 

= Editors’ Choice See computershopper.com for full reviews of products in boldface. 


DVD burner, which writes to both plus- and 

minus-format media. The drive’s write speed 

is a secondary consideration, and slower 

drives are cheaper. Upgrade: Expect to pay 

Next 

month: 

Thin-and- 

Light 

Notebooks 

about $100 to upgrade to a DVD±RW from a DVD/CD-RW 

combo drive. 

CASE Don’t fear heft and weight, because you probably 

won’t be traveling with a desktop replacement. Powerful 

components do tend to run hot, so ensure that the case provides 

proper ventilation. Note that magnesium and other 

molded metal enclosures usually dissipate heat better than 

plastic ones. 

WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY Integrated 802.11 wireless networking 

(Wi-Fi) is an essential feature. Most notebooks ship 

with 802.11b/g internal Wi-Fi radios, which is plenty fast for 

typical users. 802.11a is not widely used. 

MONITOR Go for a wide-screen 17-inch or 15-inch TFT. 

Whether you’ll be watching DVDs in all their letterboxed 

glory or merely viewing multiple documents at once, more 

screen is always better. —Brian Bennett, Notebooks Editor 


Model Price* Processor RAM Graphics Drive Drive Display Wireless Weight Editor’s Take Find Out More 

ABS COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES 

Mayhem G3 $1,449 2GHz Mobile 512MB ATI Mobility 60GB DVD/CD-RW 15.4 inches 802.11b/g 7.1 lbs. May not pack all the punch of a www.abspc.com 

Athlon 64 Radeon 9700 combo Pentium 4 laptop, and graphics 800-876-8088 

3200+ engine is showing its age. 

Mayhem G5 $2,699 3.2GHz 512MB ATI Mobility 120GB DVD±RW 17 inches 802.11b/g 12.6 lbs. Lots of cash buys premium com- 

Pentium 4 Radeon X800 (two ponents for desktop-level perfor- 

540J 60GB) mance. Huge at almost 13 pounds. 

ACER AMERICA 

Aspire $1,399 1.73GHz 512MB ATI Mobility 100GB DVD±RW 17 inches 802.11b/g 8.4 lbs. A nice deal for the price, considering www.acer.com 

AS9502WSMi Pentium M Radeon X700 (double layer) the DVD burner, roomy hard drive, 800-571-2237 

740 and competent 3D graphics. 

CYBERPOWER 

Xplorer $1,265 1.73GHz 512MB nVidia 60GB DVD±RW 15.4 inches 802.11b/g 7.2 lbs. A low-cost thin-and-light machine www.cyberpowerpc.com 

X5-5700 Pentium M GeForce Go with decent parts. 3D graphics 800-707-0393 

740 6600 could be better, however. 

Xplorer $1,679 2GHz Mobile 1GB ATI Mobility 60GB DVD±RW 17 inches 802.11b/g 8.5 lbs. Powerful 64-bit CPU, plus lots of 

X64-9900 Athlon 64 Radeon 9700 extras, including generous RAM and 

3000+ a DVD burner. 

Xplorer $2,525 3GHz 1GB nVidia 80GB DVD±RW 17 inches 802.11b/g 8.5 lbs. An aggressively styled gaming laptop 

X7-9000 Pentium 4 GeForce Go (double layer) with multimedia capabilities and a 

DELL 

630 7800 GTX sweet 17-inch wide-screen display. 

Inspiron 9300 $1,299 1.73GHz 512MB ATI Mobility 60GB DVD/CD-RW 17 inches 802.11b/g 7.9 lbs. A cutting-edge processor, a huge www.dell.com 

Pentium M Radeon X300 combo screen, and decent graphics make 800-999-3355 

740 for a good deal. 

Latitude D810 $2,078 2.26GHz 512MB ATI Mobility 40GB CD-ROM 15.4 inches 802.11b/g 7 lbs. Hearty components, along with a 

Pentium M Radeon X600 sturdy design; a smart choice for 

780 business buyers. 

Precision M70 $2,148 1.73GHz 512MB nVidia 40GB CD-ROM 15.4 inches 802.11b/g 7.1 lbs. Designed for mobile graphics gurus. 

Mobile Pentium M Quadro FX Expensive, but has pro-grade 3D 

Workstation 740 Go1400 prowess. 

XPS M170 $2,399 2GHz 1GB nVidia 80GB DVD/CD-RW 17 inches None 8.6 lbs. The ultimate in mobile gaming. 

Pentium M GeForce Go combo Features pace-setting 3D speed 

FUJITSU 

760 6800 Ultra and application performance. 

LifeBook $1,399 1.73GHz 256MB Integrated 40GB DVD/CD-RW 15 inches 802.11a/b/g 7 lbs. Affordable, but with an unimpressive www.fujitsu.com/us 

E8020 Pentium M combo mix of specs. Lacks wide-screen 800-385-4878 

740 LCD and dedicated graphics. 

LifeBook $1,499 1.86GHz 512MB ATI Mobility 80GB DVD/CD-RW 15.4 inches 802.11a/b/g 7.5 lbs. Offers a decent configuration and 

N3520 Pentium M Radeon X300 combo the Windows XP Media Center OS 

750 at an average price. 

LifeBook $2,449 1.86GHz 1GB ATI Mobility 200GB DVD±RW 17 inches 802.11a/b/g 9.3 lbs. Pricey, but packed with potent 3D 

N6220 Pentium M Radeon X600 (two graphics and two massive 100GB 

750 100GB) hard drives. 


TECHMARKET DESKTOP-REPLACEMENT NOTEBOOKS (MORE THAN 7 POUNDS) 


Model Price* Processor RAM Graphics Drive Drive Display Wireless Weight Editor’s Take Find Out More 

GATEWAY 

S-7700N $1,349 1.73GHz 512MB ATI Mobility 40GB DVD/CD-RW 17 inches 802.11b/g 7.7 lbs. Thin and light for a 17-incher, and www.gateway.com 

Pentium M Radeon X700 combo decent specs for the price, but the 800-369-1409 

740 NX850X is a much better bargain. 

NX850X $1,399 1.73GHz 512MB ATI Mobility 60GB DVD±RW 17 inches 802.11b/g 7.7 lbs. Robustly configured for the price. 

Pentium M Radeon X700 (double layer) There’s a lot to like here, including 

740 a big, wide LCD and a DVD burner. 


Compaq $699 1.8GHz 256MB ATI Radeon 40GB DVD/CD-RW 15.4 inches 802.11b/g 7.8 lbs. A budget model that’s easy on the www.hp.com 

R4000 Sempron 

3200+ 

Xpress 200M combo wallet but woefully underpowered. 888-999-4747 

Pavilion $879 1.8GHz 256MB ATI Radeon 40GB DVD/CD-RW 15.4 inches None 8 lbs. The price is under a grand, but you 

ZV6000 Sempron Xpress 200M combo get components good for only basic 

Series 3200+ computing. 

Pavilion $1,149 1.8GHz 512MB ATI Radeon 80GB DVD/CD-RW 17 inches 802.11b/g 8.1 lbs. Well-designed and equipped for 

DV8000z Turion 64 Xpress 200M combo multimedia, with a beefy CPU and 

Series ML-32 expansive screen. 

Pavilion $1,399 2.8GHz 512MB ATI Mobility 60GB DVD/CD-RW 17 inches None 9.3 lbs. Features a mighty desktop CPU 

ZD8000 Pentium 4 Radeon X600 combo and decent graphics engine, but 

Series 

IBUYPOWER 

520 at near 10 pounds, not exactly slim. 

Battalion 101 $1,079 1.8GHz Mobile 512MB ATI Mobility 40GB DVD/CD-RW 15.4 inches None 7.7 lbs. Inexpensive price nets a 64-bit www.ibuypower.com 

S-Turbo Athlon 64 Radeon 9700 combo processor with a modest mix of 888-462-3899 

LENOVO 

2800+ Pro components. Lacks Wi-Fi. 

ThinkPad G $1,049 3.06GHz 256MB Integrated 40GB DVD/CD-RW 15 inches 802.11b/g 7.2 lbs. A pleasing price for a ThinkPad, but www.lenovo.com 

Series Pentium 4 combo apart from the robust CPU, other 866-458-4465 

532 upgrades are in order. 


VAIO $1,429 1.4GHz 1GB ATI Mobility 40GB DVD/CD-RW 17 inches 802.11b/g 8.8 lbs. On the pricey side, given its under- www.sonystyle.com 

VGN-A600 Celeron M Radeon X600 combo powered processor, smallish hard 877-865-7669 

360 drive, and lack of a DVD burner. 

VAIO $2,229 1.86GHz 1GB ATI Mobility 160GB DVD±RW 17 inches 802.11b/g 8.8 lbs. You’ll pay for Sony’s elegant style in 

VGN-AX570G Pentium M Radeon X700 (double layer) this model, but you’ll also get top- 

750 notch components. 

TOSHIBA AMERICA 

Satellite $1,249 1.5GHz 256MB Integrated 40GB DVD/CD-RW 17 inches None 7.3 lbs. Light for a 17-inch laptop, but over- www.toshiba.com 

M60 Celeron M combo priced given its underpowered parts. 800-316-0920 

370 Comes in choice of three colors. 

Satellite P35 $1,599 3.46GHz 512MB ATI Mobility 100GB DVD±RW/ 17 inches 802.11b/g 9.5 lbs. Affordable 17-incher should work well 

Pentium 4 Radeon 9000 DVD-RAM for the basics, but serious gamers 

552 should look elsewhere. 

Qosmio G25 $2,499 2GHz 1GB nVidia 120GB DVD±RW/ 17 inches 802.11a/b/g 9.5 lbs. The best combination of TV, DVR, 

Pentium M GeForce (two DVD-RAM stereo, DVD player, and high- 

760 Go 6600 60GB) performance laptop we’ve seen. 

WINBOOK COMPUTER 

V120 $899 2.53GHz 512MB Integrated 60GB DVD/CD-RW 15.1 inches 802.11b/g 8.4 lbs. Affordable, but an anemic processor www.winbook.com 

Celeron D combo and integrated graphics make it 800-254-7806 

325 suitable only for the basics. 

A710 $1,099 1.8GHz 512MB Integrated 80GB DVD±RW 17 inches 802.11b/g 7.9 lbs. A solid deal on a set of competent 

Athlon 64 (double layer) components, save the feeble 

3000+ integrated graphics. 

* = Base price reflects vendor’s default configuration. Most models are configurable. Prices are subject to change. 


THE BEST RECENTLY REVIEWED DESKTOP-REPLACEMENT NOTEBOOKS 

Dell XPS M170 • $3,624 (as tested) • Editors’ Rating 8.3 

Powered by a top-shelf processor and state-of-the-art graphics engine, 

the XPS M170 is one of the fastest, slimmest gaming machines we’ve seen. 

Toshiba Qosmio G25 • $2,499 (as tested) • Editors’ Rating 8.1 

This Qosmio delivers the most complete portable multimedia experience you can get. 

A gloss-black beauty, it features the Windows XP Media Center OS and a TV tuner. 

HP Pavilion DV8000z • $1,699 (as tested) • Editors’ Rating 7.0 

In addition to a pleasing design, well-selected multimedia features, and solid 

performance, the DV8000z costs much less than the competition. 


Dell XPS 

M170

NEED TO KNOW 

HOME AND SMALL-OFFICE LASER PRINTERS 

Rated Text- 

Monochrome/ Maximum Print Speed 

Model Price Color Resolution Memory (Mono/Color) Compatibility Editor's Take Find Out More 

BROTHER INTERNATIONAL 

HL-2040 $119.99 Monochrome 2,400x600dpi 8MB 20ppm PC, Mac Speedy monochrome model fits tight www.brother-usa.com 

budgets and cramped workspaces. 800-276-7746 

HL-5140 $199.99 Monochrome 2,400x600dpi 16MB 21ppm PC, Mac Fast and network-upgradable; memory is 

expandable to 144MB. 

HL-5170DN $299.99 Monochrome 2,400x600dpi 32MB 21ppm PC, Mac Network-ready, with built-in duplexer and 

expandable paper-input capacity. 

HL-6050DW $649.99 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 32MB 25ppm PC, Mac Offers 802.11b/g networking and faster 

print speed than HL-5170DN. 

DELL 

COLOR OR MONOCHROME With a few color laser models 

priced under $1,000, some small businesses might 

find it worth the splurge to add some extra pop to its 

printed materials. For the most part, however, monochrome 

lasers are a far better value for home users and 

small businesses. 

RESOLUTION Print resolution refers to the maximum 

number of dots per inch (dpi) a printer creates, measured 

both horizontally and vertically. For example, a 

600x600dpi laser printer lays down a 1-inch square 

comprising 600 dots across by 600 dots down. A resolution 

of 600dpi is more than adequate for most textprinting 

tasks. If you’re printing more-demanding jobs— 

newsletters, for instance—consider models that print at 

1,200dpi or even 2,400dpi resolution. 

Laser 1100 $99 Monochrome 600x600dpi 2MB 15ppm PC Low price; great for home use and for www.dell.com 

students. Only 2MB of RAM, however. 800-915-3355 

Laser Printer $199 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 16MB 25ppm PC Promises fast printing and a high 

1700 resolution—at a decent price. 

MFP Laser $399 Monochrome 600x600dpi 32MB 22ppm PC Impressive print and scan quality from 

1600n all-in-one; includes Ethernet interface. 

Laser 5100cn $999 Monochrome, 600x600dpi 128MB 35ppm/25ppm PC, Mac Good performance, fast print speeds; can 

color handle heavy network use. 


LaserJet 1020 $179.99 Monochrome 600x600dpi 2MB 15ppm PC Scant 2MB of RAM; not ideal for intense www.hp.com 

graphics printing. 888-999-4747 

LaserJet 1022 $199.99 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 8MB 19ppm PC, Mac Quick, high-quality prints, but noisy and 

no duplex printing. 

LaserJet 1022n $299.99 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 8MB 19ppm PC, Mac Similar to the 1022, but $100 extra buys 

you Ethernet networking. 

LaserJet 1160 $329.99 Monochrome 600x600dpi 16MB 20ppm PC, Mac Excellent text printing, but lacks a built-in 

duplexer and expandability. 

LaserJet 1320n $499.99 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 16MB 22ppm PC, Mac Quality printing, swift speeds, two-sided 

printing, and network-ready. 

Color LaserJet $599.99 Monochrome, 600x600dpi 64MB 20ppm/4ppm PC, Mac Great print quality, but sparse features and 

2550n color slow color-printing speeds. 

LaserJet 1320tn $599.99 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 16MB 22ppm PC, Mac $100 upgrade from 1320n brings built-in 

wireless networking to the mix. 

Color LaserJet $799.99 Monochrome, 600x600dpi 64MB 16ppm/16ppm PC, Mac Text is fine but slow; color is fast but 

3550 

IBM 

color substandard. Easy to use, though. 

Infoprint 1412 $427 Monochrome 2,400x2,400dpi 32MB 27ppm PC Designed for small businesses and work- www.ibm.com 

groups; supports PostScript. 800-358-6661 

KONICA MINOLTA PRINTING SOLUTIONS U.S.A. 

PagePro 1350W $149.99 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 8MB 21ppm PC Inexpensive, compact speed demon offers printer.konicaminolta.net 

impressive text quality. 800-705-2001 



SPEED This spec measures how many pages per minute 

(ppm) a printer pumps out. Today’s laser printers should deliver 

more than 10ppm of text, with slightly slower speeds 

for a mixture of text and graphics. Most color lasers do four 

separate passes on color printouts, so expect much slower 

speeds. (Actual print speeds are slower than rated speeds.) 

CONNECTIVITY All printers have either a USB 1.1 interface 

or the newer, faster USB 2.0. Don’t worry too much if your 

system doesn’t have USB 2.0—the two standards get along 

just fine, and USB 1.1 is fast enough for printing. Workgroup 

printers also support printing over a network using a standard 

Ethernet cable with an RJ-45 connector. For even better 

mobility, many models support printing wirelessly, using 

infrared, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi access points with built-in 

print servers. —Louis Ramirez, Hardware Editor

TECHMARKET HOME AND SMALL-OFFICE LASER PRINTERS 

Rated Text- 

Monochrome/ Maximum Print Speed 

Model Price Color Resolution Memory (Mono/Color) Compatibility Editor's Take Find Out More 

KONICA MINOLTA PRINTING SOLUTIONS U.S.A. 

PagePro 1250E $299 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 16MB 17ppm PC, Mac Adequate print speed and quality for a printer.konicaminolta.net 

home or one-person office; decent price. 800-705-2001 

Magicolor $399 Monochrome, 1,200x600dpi 32MB 20ppm/5ppm PC Inexpensive color laser printer that is easy 

2400W color to use and great for small spaces. 

Magicolor $499 Monochrome, 2,400x600dpi 32MB 20ppm/5ppm PC Text is fine, but color prints are only so-so; 

2430 DL color PictBridge printing requires extra RAM. 

LEXMARK INTERNATIONAL 

E232 $199 Monochrome 600x600dpi 16MB 22ppm PC, Mac Compact size and fast print speed, www.lexmark.com 

considering the low price. 800-539-6275 

E330 $399 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 32MB 27ppm PC, Mac For $200 more than the E232, you get 

faster printing and twice the memory. 

C510 $499 Monochrome, 2,400x2,400dpi 64MB 30ppm/8ppm PC, Mac Fast color and mono printing, plus true 

color PostScript and PCL emulation. 

E332n $499 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 32MB 27ppm PC, Mac Similar specs to the E330, along with 

internal Ethernet networking. 

T640 $699 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 64MB 35ppm PC, Mac Fast and business-friendly, with low print 

costs. Highly expandable. 

OKI DATA AMERICAS 

B4100 $167.99 Monochrome 1,200x600dpi 8MB 19ppm PC LED-based printer serves up decent print www.okidata.com 

speed for the price. 800-654-3282 

B4250 $240.99 Monochrome 1,200x600dpi 16MB 23ppm PC Doubles the B4100’s internal memory, 

which boosts print speed. 

B4350 $314.99 Monochrome 1,200x600dpi 16MB 23ppm PC, Mac Specs similar to B4250’s, with optional 

networking and PostScript support. 

SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS AMERICA 

ML-1740 $157.25 Monochrome 600x600dpi 8MB 17ppm PC Inexpensive laser offers good print speeds www.samsung.com 

for the price. 800-726-7864 

ML-2250 $229.99 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 16MB 22ppm PC Step-up from the ML-1740 has twice the 

memory and faster print speeds. 

ML-2251N $299 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 16MB 22ppm PC A space-saving laser that’s ideal for small 

workgroups. 

CLP-510N $499.99 Monochrome, 1,200x1,200dpi 64MB 25ppm/6ppm PC, Mac Color, networking, and a duplexer for just 

color $500? This one’s a keeper. 

CLP-550 $505 Monochrome, 1,200x1,200dpi 64MB 21ppm/5ppm PC Built-in duplexing; NO-NOIS technology 

XEROX 

color keeps printing quiet. So-so performance. 

Phaser 3150 $349 Monochrome 600x600dpi 32MB 22ppm PC Features fit-to-page printing and poster www.office.xerox.com 

printing for larger projects. 888-247-5107 

Phaser 3500/B $549 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 32MB 35ppm PC, Mac Office laser is too large for tight spaces, but 

it’s faster than the 3150; duplexing optional. 

Phaser 4500 $899 Monochrome 1,200x1,200dpi 48MB 36ppm PC, Mac Fast print speeds and ample paper 

capacity, but Ethernet is optional. 

Phaser 8500/N $899 Monochrome, 600x600dpi 128MB 24ppm/24ppm PC, Mac Fast, capable printer for small businesses; 

color Ethernet optional. 

THE BEST RECENTLY REVIEWED HOME AND SMALL-OFFICE LASER PRINTERS 

Dell Laser 5100cn • $999 • Editors’ Rating: 7.7 

Dell’s under-$1,000 color laser features Ethernet capability, twosided 

printing, reliable paper handling, and speeds fast enough for an 

office workgroup. 

Konica Minolta Magicolor 2430 DL • $499 • Editors’ Rating: 7.7 

At only $499, the diminutive but full-featured 2430 DL pushes the 

entry price for color laser printing down near inkjet levels. Plus, it 

prints from PictBridge-compatible cameras. 

Lexmark T640 • $699 • Editors’ Rating: 7.5 

The modest-looking T640 is fast, expandable, and features low perprint 

costs. Its output quality is only fair, however. 

Lexmark T640 


NEED TO KNOW 

PERFORMANCE 3D-GRAPHICS CARDS ($299 AND HIGHER) 

MEMORY When it comes to graphics memory, you can never 

have too much, especially if you’re a hard-core gamer. 

More RAM means better performance, improved 3D texturing, 

and higher display resolutions. If you’re an avid gamer 

itching to frag opponents in Half-Life 2 or Doom 3, make the 

move up to 256MB. More memory allows for smoother 

gameplay, though anything above 256MB won’t make much 

of a difference. 

SLOT TYPE The AGP bus was developed specifically for 

graphics cards, but has been replaced by a faster technology 

called PCI Express. Both nVidia and ATI, makers of 

the two competing graphics-processing units—the engines 

that drive the cards—are supporting this new technology, 

which doubles the bandwidth of AGP 8x. The cards are 

more expensive, but worth the investment. Make sure you 



buy the right type for your motherboard. 

DIRECTX 9 The latest version of Microsoft’s multimedia instruction 

set enhances DirectX 9-compatible graphics cards’ 

ability to render more realistic visuals. Look for DirectX 9 

support if you’re planning to play the latest 3D games. 

DVI VERSUS ANALOG Many of today’s LCD monitors have 

Digital Visual Interface (DVI) connections, which provide image 

quality superior to the standard analog VGA interface 

(which is also typically present). Make sure your card has a 

DVI connection so you can take advantage of this improvement. 

TV TUNER Can’t afford a digital video recorder (DVR)? A 

graphics card with a built-in TV tuner lets you watch your favorite 

channels on your PC and use your computer as a TiVostyle 

DVR, enabling you to save shows to your hard drive and 

watch at your convenience. —Louis Ramirez, Hardware Editor 

Graphics Video 

Rated Max. 

DirectX OpenGL 

Model Price Engine RAM Interface Version Version DVI-Out Editor’s Take Find Out More 

ASUSTEK COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL 

Extreme $454 Radeon X800 XL 256MB PCI 9 2 Yes PCI Express card packs HD and S-Video outputs so usa.asus.com 

AX800XL/2DTV Express you can project your games onto your television. 502-995-0883 

Extreme N7800 $570 GeForce 7800 256MB PCI 9 2 Yes Packs nVidia’s 7800 GTX GPU and the ability to record 

GTX-2DHTV GTX Express (two) your gaming sessions as MPEG-4s for later viewing. 

Extreme AX850XT $689 Radeon X850 XT 256MB PCI 9 2 Yes A top-of-the-line board more expensive than a budget 

PE/2DHTV Platinum Edition Express (two) PC, but sure to satisfy even the most finicky gamer. 

ATI TECHNOLOGIES 

Radeon X800 XL $299 Radeon X800 XL 256MB PCI 9 2 Yes High-end 3D performance at a midrange price. Strikes www.ati.com 

Express the perfect balance between power and value. 905-882-2626 

All-In-Wonder $399 Radeon X800 XT 256MB AGP 8x 9 2 Yes Slightly less powerful than the X850 XT, yet costs the 

X800 XT same. Go for the real thing. 

Radeon X850 XT $399 Radeon X850 XT 256MB AGP 8x 9 2 Yes The fastest AGP-based graphics solution ATI offers. 

NEW 

Radeon X1800 XL $399 Radeon X1800 256MB PCI 9 2 Yes Despite all its features, ATI’s second-best 3D card 

XL Express (two) falls short on performance in games like Doom 3. 

Radeon X850 XT $499 Radeon X850 XT 256MB PCI 9 2 Yes A faster, PCI Express version of ATI’s high-end AGP 

Platinum Edition Express (two) card. 

Radeon X1800 XT $549 Radeon X1800 512MB PCI 9 2 Yes ATI’s top card is no match for nVidia’s top brass, but 

XT Express (two) it’s saved by Avivo, which decodes all types of video. 

BFG TECHNOLOGIES 

GeForce 6800 GT OC $309.99 GeForce 6800 256MB PCI 9 1.5 Yes Overclocked card is a decent performer with reasonable www.bfgtech.com 

GT Express (two) power requirements, but no bundled games. 847-281-3110 

GeForce 7800 GT OC $379.99 GeForce 7800 256MB PCI 9 2 Yes Overclocked and SLI-ready—you’ll need a fire 

EVGA 

GT Express extinguisher to tame this blazing card. 

e-GeForce 6800 GT $399.99 GeForce 6800 256MB AGP 8x 9 2 Yes Expensive for a 6800-chipset card, but has a compact www.evga.com 

GT design and S-Video output. Bundled with Far Cry. 888-881-3842 

e-GeForce 7800 $549.99 GeForce 7800 256MB PCI 9 2 Yes Hold on tight—nVidia’s 7800 GTX chip delivers a 

GTX GTX Express breakneck 3D-gaming experience. 

LEADTEK RESEARCH 

WinFast A400 GT $350 GeForce 6800 256MB AGP 8x 9 1.5 Yes Features both digital and analog connections for multi- www.leadtek.com 

TDH GT ple-display gaming. Attractive price doesn’t hurt, either. 510-490-8076 

WinFast 7800GT $499 GeForce 7800 256MB PCI 9 2 Yes In addition to fast performance, also features HDTV 

TDH MyVIVO GT Express (two) output. 

WinFast PX7800 $599 GeForce 7800 256MB PCI 9 2 Yes Ships as a 430MHz/1,200MHz card, but overclockable 

GTX TDH MyVIVO GTX Express (two) to 450MHz/1,250MHz using company’s instructions. 

MATROX GRAPHICS 

Parhelia APVe $349 Parhelia-LX 128MB PCI 8.1 1.3 Yes Not intended for gamers; skimps on memory, but www.matrox.com 

MSI COMPUTER 

Express (two) offers HDTV component-video output. 514-822-6000 

NX7800GTX $529 GeForce 7800 256MB PCI 9 2 Yes Gamers take note: This is the best card your money www.msicomputer.com 

GTX Express (two) can buy. 626-913-0828 

PNY TECHNOLOGIES 

Verto GeForce 6800 $299.99 GeForce 6800 256MB AGP 8x 9 1.5 Yes The best nVidia-based card you can buy if your PC www.pny.com 

GT AGP GT (two) doesn’t support PCI Express. 973-515-9700 

Verto GeForce $499.99 GeForce 7800 256MB PCI 9 2 Yes SLI-ready card features nVidia’s fastest GPU, plus dual 

7800 GTX PCIe GTX Express (two) digital connections for limitless gaming opportunities.

NEED TO KNOW 

EXTERNAL DVD BURNERS 

FORMAT When DVD burners first emerged, buyers had to 

make an often-confusing choice between two incompatible 

formats: DVD-R/DVD-RW and DVD+R/DVD+RW. Thankfully, 

drive manufacturers now offer multiformat drives that 

can write and rewrite to both formats. Some drives also 

record to DVD-RAM discs, although these drives are much 

less common and tend to cost a little more. 

SPEED How fast a drive can read, write, and rewrite discs 

is measured in terms of “x.” If you’re on a limited budget, 

look for a drive that can write (or “burn”) DVDs at 8x— 

that’s approximately 8.5 minutes for a full disc. Currently, 

most drives write at 16x. 

DOUBLE-LAYER SUPPORT “Double layer” refers to 

the technology that allows two recording layers to fit on 

the single side of a DVD, effectively doubling a disc’s 

storage capacity from 4.7GB to 8.5GB. Though perfect 

CD/DVD 

Read Rewrite Buffer 

Model Price Format Speeds Write Speeds* Speeds** Size Interface Editor’s Take Find Out More 

ASUSTEK COMPUTER INTERNATIONAL 

SDRW-0804P-D $130.99 DVD±RW 20x/8x 24x/8x/8x/2.4x 24x/4x/4x/NA 2MB USB 2.0, Though not bus-powered, small enough for usa.asus.com 

(double layer) FireWire travel and features an international AC adapter. 502-995-0883 

DRW-1604P-D $149.99 DVD±RW 40x/16x 32x/16x/16x/4x 24x/4x/4x/NA 2MB USB 2.0, Supports both double-layer formats, but is heftier 

BENQ 

(double layer) FireWire than its thinner counterpart, the SDRW-0804P-D. 

EW1621 $129.99 DVD±RW 40x/16x 40x/16x/16x/2.4x 24x/4x/4x/NA 2MB USB 2.0 No support for double-layer DVD-R; slow 2.4x www.benq.us 

(double layer) DVD+R double-layer speed. 866-700-2367 

FANTOM DRIVES 

FDDRWDF16D $97.99 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/16x/4x 24x/4x/4x/NA 2MB USB 2.0 Faster write speeds than BenQ’s model. USB www.fantomdrives.com 

(double layer) interface only; still no DVD-R double layer. 310-320-7272 

FDRAMRWU25 $385 DVD-RW/ 32x/12x 24x/NA/8x/NA 16x/NA/4x/5x 2MB USB 2.0 Adds DVD-RAM to the mix, but with slower 

DVD-RAM overall speeds than the FDDRWDF16D. 


DVD Writer $159.99 DVD±RW 40x/16x 40x/16x/16x/8x 32x/8x/6x/NA 2MB USB 2.0 Good rewrite speeds; also features LightScribe www.hp.com 

DVD740e 

I/OMAGIC 

(double layer) technology for labeling your discs. 888-999-4747 

IDVD8DBE $129.99 DVD±RW 40x/12x 40x/8x/4x/NA 24x/4x/2x/NA 2MB USB 2.0 Rewrite speeds could be better; provides just- www.iomagic.com 

below-average speeds overall. 949-707-4800 

IDVD16DDME $149.99 DVD±RW 40x/16x 40x/16x/16x/2.4x 24x/4x/4x/NA 2MB USB 2.0 $20 upgrade from the IDVD8DBE gets you 

(double layer) double-layer support. 

IDVD8PE $179.99 DVD±RW 24x/8x 24x/8x/8x/2.4x 24x/4x/2x/NA 2MB USB 2.0 Sacrifices speed for a more compact, slimmer 

IOMEGA 

(double layer) form. 

Super DVD $159.95 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/16x/4x 32x/8x/6x/NA 2MB USB 2.0 Fast ripping and burning at a reasonable price; www.iomega.com 

16x16 

LACIE 

(double layer) shame about the toll-based tech support, though. 888-516-8467 

DVD±RW $89 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/16x/8x 32x/8x/6x/NA 2MB USB 2.0 It won’t make you an A-list celeb, but this is one www.lacie.com 

Porsche 16x (double layer) Porsche that’s both fast and affordable. 503-844-4502 

DVD±RW with $119 DVD±RW 40x/16x 48x/16x/16x/8x 32x/8x/6x/NA 2MB FireWire Also Porsche-designed, but with LightScribe 

LightScribe 

Porsche 16x 

(double layer) technology for disc labeling. 

d2 DVD±RW with $139 DVD±RW 40x/16x 48x/16x/16x/8x 32x/8x/6x/NA 2MB USB 2.0, A slight price increase buys you two high-speed 

LightScribe (double layer) FireWire interfaces. 

d2 DVD±RW with $189 DVD±RW 40x/16x 48x/16x/16x/8x 32x/8x/6x/NA 2MB FireWire Similar to the previous d2, but you lose the USB 

LightScribe (double layer) 2.0 interface and gain Toast 7 Titanium software. 

Slim DVD±RW $189 DVD±RW 24x/8x 24x/8x/8x/2.4x 24x/4x/4x/NA 2MB USB 2.0 You’ll take a hit in speed, but this is the 

with LightScribe 

Porsche 8x 

(double layer) slimmest of LaCie’s drives. 

LG ELECTRONICS 

GSA-2166D $129 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/16x/8x 32x/8x/6x/5x 2MB USB 2.0 Piano-black drive delivers looks and performance us.lge.com 

(double layer) to match; supports DVD-RAM. 800-243-0000 

GSA-5163D $129.99 DVD±RW 40x/16x 40x/16x/16x/4x 24x/8x/6x/5x 2MB USB 2.0, This drive provides it all: high-speed connections 

(double layer) FireWire and support for all formats, even DVD-RAM. 

* = Speeds expressed as CD-R/DVD+R/DVD-R/double-layer DVD; not all double-layer drives support both plus and minus DL media. 

** = Speeds expressed as CD-RW/DVD+RW/DVD-RW/DVD-RAM 

NA = Not applicable 



for those who need to archive huge amounts of data, 

double-layer burning currently maxes out at 8x speed, 

and the discs may not play in some DVD players. Also, 

you’ll run across two types of double-layer recording. 

Most double-layer drives support DVD+R double layer 

(DL), but some newer ones also support DVD-R DL. To 

get the most bang for your buck, look for drives that 

support both. 

INTERFACE Most external DVD drives connect to your computer 

via USB 2.0. Some drives, however, offer both USB 

and FireWire ports, but you’ll have to spend a little more for 

the additional interface. Likewise, if you travel often, you’ll 

have to invest more for a slimmer, more portable drive. 

Although they’re usually slower than their desktop counterparts, 

slimmer drives are easier to tote along when you’re on 

the road. —Louis Ramirez, Hardware Editor

TECHMARKET EXTERNAL DVD BURNERS 

CD/DVD 

Read Rewrite Buffer 

Model 

LITE-ON IT 

Price Format Speeds Write Speeds* Speeds** Size Interface Editor’s Take Find Out More 

SOHW-1633SX $75.99 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/8x/2.4x 24x/4x/4x/NA 2MB USB 2.0 Chunky drive suffers from an outdated 2.4x www.liteonamericas.com 

(double layer) double-layer write speed. 510-687-1800 

SOHW-1693SX $95.99 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/16x/4x 24x/8x/6x/NA 2MB USB 2.0 Unlike the SOHW-1673SX, this drive writes to 

(double layer) both formats of double-layer media. 

SOHW-1673SX $105.99 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/16x/4x 24x/8x/6x/NA 2MB USB 2.0 As fat as SOHW-1633SX, but with a slightly 

(double layer) faster double-layer speed. 

MEMOREX PRODUCTS 

DVD Double-Layer $179.99 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/16x/4x 24x/8x/6x/NA 2MB USB 2.0, Respectable write speeds and dual interfaces www.memorex.com 

Recorder 16x16 Dual 

Format External 

PLEXTOR 

(double layer) FireWire make this drive a solid choice for upgraders. 562-653-2800 

PX-740UF $179 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/16x/8x 32x/8x/4x/NA 2MB USB 2.0, Offers multiformat double-layer support; well- www.plextor.com 

(double layer) FireWire priced for its feature set. 800-886-3935 

PX-716UF $239 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/16x/6x 24x/8x/4x/NA 8MB USB 2.0, Available in four colors; price jump due to its 

(double layer) FireWire slightly slimmer form factor. 


DRX-810UL $159.99 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/16x/4x 32x/8x/6x/NA 2MB USB 2.0, Features the usual Sony flair, and has the specs www.sonystyle.com 

(double layer) FireWire to back up its looks. 800-222-7669 

DRX-720UL/T $179.99 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/16x/4x 24x/8x/6x/NA 2MB USB 2.0, Lacks DVD-R double-layer support; slower 

(double layer) FireWire CD-RW rewrite speeds, but still pricey. 

DRX-8000UL $179.99 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/16x/4x 24x/8x/6x/NA 2MB USB 2.0, Supports both double-layer formats, though 

(double layer) FireWire it’s still a tad slower than the DRX-810UL. 

DRX-810UL/T $179.99 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/16x/4x 24x/8x/6x/NA 2MB USB 2.0, Now Mac-friendly, with Roxio Toast for Macs 

(double layer) FireWire and Nero for Windows. 

PCGA-DDRW2 $249.99 DVD±RW 24x/8x 16x/4x/4x/NA 8x/4x/4x/NA 2MB FireWire Even for a drive this slim, its speeds are 

painfully slow. 

VRD-VC20 $259.99 DVD±RW 48x/16x 48x/16x/16x/4x 24x/8x/6x/NA 8MB USB 2.0, RCA jacks and FireWire port allow for direct, 

DVDirect (double layer) FireWire PC-independent video recording to DVDs. 

PCGA-DDRW3 $399.99 DVD±RW 24x/8x 24x/8x/4x/2.4x 10x/4x/4x/NA 2MB FireWire Same pocketable size as the PCGA-DDRW2, 

(double layer) but slightly faster speeds and a higher price. 

Increase Office Productivity by20-50 % 

IMAGINE THE POSSIBILITIES 

DESKTOP SOLUTION • NOTEBOOK SOLUTION 

The new DoubleSight dual LCD monitor is an attractive, 

space saving and cost effective alternative to large CRT 

monitors that consume a lot of physical desktop space 

or expensive LCD monitors. DoubleSight monitors 

provides an economic, easy to use technique for 

seamlessly displaying as much data as possible. For 

more information, please visit www.doublesight.com 

By performing fast reactions to multiple 

sources of information, Doublesight users 

can experience significant productivity 

increases ranging from 20 to 50% by easily 

managing multiple programs simultaneously. 

15” 17” 19” 

To purchase, please visit www.dell.com 

www.doublesight.com toll free: 1-800-585-3186 1-949-253-1535 ext. 211 


NEW 

NEED TO KNOW 

SMARTPHONES 

SIZE AND CAPABILITY Smartphones come in a wide 

range of shapes and sizes but can be divided into three 

major styles based on primary function. Large, PDA-like 

handsets tend to be powerful organizers first and cell 

phones second. Sleeker models are meant to be used as 

mobile phones above all else, but they also offer advanced 

connectivity features. Finally, e-mail- and text-messagingcentric 

devices can double as voice communicators. 

INPUT METHOD If you plan to chat via IM or send e-mails 

frequently while in the field, a keyboard is a big plus. A full 

QWERTY keyboard almost always adds to a handset’s size, 

however. Phones that rely on a touch-screen keypad and 

bundled stylus are not ideal for manually entering data 

but are generally more portable. Flip- and candy-bar-style 

handsets are the smallest of all and use standard numerical 

keypads, which are extremely awkward for data entry. 

* = List price. Price may vary by carrier. See computershopper.com for full reviews of products in boldface. 

SCREEN Though most smartphones will have a color 

screen, TFT resolution is another matter. Look for the highest 

pixel count in the smallest screen size you can live with. 

CONNECTIVITY Most smartphones connect to a cellular 

network via GSM or CDMA technology. A few GSM-based 

devices even qualify as world phones, meaning they can 

roam on the GSM networks commonly found in Europe, 

Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Some smartphones also 

support Bluetooth and/or 802.11b Wi-Fi wireless networking. 

CAMERA Most models have rudimentary digital cameras 

able to capture low-resolution VGA (640x480-pixel) pictures. 

Many of these phones can even record brief video 

clips. That said, unless you have a burning desire to capture 

basic images on the road, this feature shouldn’t factor much 

into your decision. 

—Brian Bennett, Mobile Products Editor 

Wireless Operating Built-In 

Model Price* Carrier(s) Standard System RAM Input Camera Weight Editor’s Take Find Out More 


iPaq HW6515 $649.99 Cingular GSM Windows Mobile 2003 64MB Keyboard, Yes 6.2 oz. Pricey, but packs features galore, including www.hp.com 

Pocket PC 

IMATE 

SE Phone Edition stylus Bluetooth, GPS, and a 1.3-megapixel camera. 888-999-4747 

SP3i $399.99 Cingular, GSM Windows Mobile 2003 32MB Keypad Yes 3.5 oz. Powerful, multimedia-capable, and compact. Wi-Fi www.imate.com 

T-Mobile for Pocket PC and a full keyboard would complete the package. 

Jam 850 $649 Cingular, GSM Windows Mobile 2003 64MB Stylus Yes 5.3 oz. Expensive, but small for a Windows PDA/cell- 

MOTOROLA 

T-Mobile for Pocket PC phone combo. No keyboard. 

MPx220 $249.99 Cingular GSM Windows Mobile 2003 32MB Keypad Yes 3.9 oz. Nicely sized flip phone running Windows Mobile www.motorola.com 

NOKIA 

for Smartphone OS syncs easily with Outlook. 866-289-6686 

9300 $299 Cingular GSM Symbian OS 7.0 80MB Keypad, No 5.9 oz. Bluetooth-enabled, Symbian-based cell splits www.nokiausa.com 

keyboard open to reveal a wide keyboard and big color screen. 888-256-2098 

PALM 

Treo 650 $599 Cingular, GSM, Palm OS 5.4 23MB Keyboard, Yes 6.3 oz. Screen and keyboard are improved over popular www.palm.com 

Sprint, CDMA stylus Treo 600’s; also, provides more support for 800-881-7256 

Verizon Microsoft apps. 

RESEARCH IN MOTION 

BlackBerry $249.99 Cingular GSM Proprietary 4MB Keypad No 4.2 oz. A BlackBerry/cell hybrid, it’s slim and lightweight, www.rim.com 

7100g though some may dislike its tricky keypad. 519-888-7465 

BlackBerry $249.99 Cingular, GSM Proprietary 4MB Keyboard No 4.9 oz. Features a big, bright color screen, easy e-mail 

7290 T-Mobile access, and worldwide voice support. 

BlackBerry $449.99 Nextel Nextel Proprietary 4MB Keyboard No 6.1 oz. Bulky for a BlackBerry, but features simple wireless 

7520 

SAMSUNG 

e-mail access and push-to-talk capabilities. 

SPH-i700 $199.99 Verizon CDMA Windows Mobile 2003 64MB Stylus Yes 6.9 oz. Large, but lacks a keyboard for fast, on-the-go text www.samsung.com 

for Pocket PC entry. Otherwise, a capable, inexpensive choice. 800-726-7864 

SP-i600 $499.99 Sprint CDMA Windows Mobile 2003 32MB Keypad No 5 oz. Compact, pocket-friendly flip phone also lacks a 

for Smartphone keyboard. 

SCH-i730 $599.99 Verizon CDMA Windows Mobile 2003 64MB Keyboard No 6.4 oz. A nice blend of phone and Windows PDA, with 

SIEMENS 

for Pocket PC Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and EVDO broadband. 

SX66 Pocket PC $679.99 Cingular GSM Windows Mobile 2003 128MB Keyboard, No 7.4 oz. Well-designed Pocket PC phone with nifty slide- www.siemens-mobile.com 

Phone SE for Pocket PC stylus down keyboard, plus Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. 888-777-0211 

SONY ERICSSON MOBILE COMMUNICATIONS 

P910a $499 Cingular GSM Symbian OS 7.0 64MB Keypad, Yes 5.5 oz. The Porsche of smartphones, with its compact www.sonyericsson.com 

T-MOBILE 

keyboard, 

stylus 

design and all-encompassing feature set. 866-766-9374 

Sidekick II $299.99 T-Mobile GSM Danger OS 32MB Keyboard Yes 7 oz. A mobile messenger’s dream, featuring a hidden, www.tmobile.com 

swiveling keyboard. Great for sidewalk surfing. 800-866-2453 

UT STARCOM PERSONAL COMMUNICATIONS 

SMT5600 $249.99 Cingular GSM Windows Mobile 2003 64MB Keypad Yes 3.6 oz. Slim Windows phone relies on keypad input but www.audiovox.com 

SE for Smartphone has potent entertainment features. 800-229-1235 

PPC6601 $599.99 Sprint CDMA Windows Mobile 2003 128MB Keyboard, Yes 6.8 oz. A state-of-the art PDA/phone combo with lots 

for Pocket PC stylus of RAM, a sliding keyboard, and Bluetooth. 

PPC6700SP $599.99 Sprint CDMA Windows Mobile 5.0 64MB Keyboard, Yes 6.1 oz. Large, but supports three flavors of wireless 

stylus data networking: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and EVDO. 


NEED TO KNOW 

WARRANTIES AND SERVICE PLANS FOR DESKTOPS AND NOTEBOOKS 

TERM Major vendors such as Dell and Gateway are trying to 

set the benchmark for support at 90 days, but no PC owner 

should settle for a warranty that short. If you’re looking at a 

term shorter than one year, consider an extended service 

plan. Fine Print: Most extended plans require you to purchase 

them before the standard warranty has expired. 

PARTS COVERAGE As a rule, standard warranties cover 

your computer’s main hardware components (CPU, hard 

drive, RAM). Software and peripherals, such as monitors 

and keyboards, are usually covered by their manufacturers’ 

warranties or an optional service plan. Keep in mind 

that extended service plans for PCs still won’t cover these 

extras—they only lengthen the coverage period of the 

standard warranty. 

DAMAGE PROTECTION Under a standard warranty, 

vendors will repair computers damaged during shipping 

or with defective parts. Notebook owners and the accident-prone 

should invest in an accidental damage protection 

(ADP) plan to insure their PCs against falls, 

Accidental- 

Damage Onsite Repair/ Free Online E-Mail 

Protection Return-to-Depot Knowledge Toll-Free Phone Support/ 

Plan Price Term (ADP) Service Base Support Hours Live Chat Editor’s Take 

ABS COMPUTER TECHNOLOGIES www.abspc.com • 800-876-8088 

Standard Warranty Free One year No No/yes Yes Weekdays, 11:30 a.m. Yes/yes Expanded tech-support options now include live chat and 

to 8:30 p.m. (ET) an online help forum, though phone hours are still limited. 

APPLE COMPUTER www.apple.com • 800-692-7753 

Limited Warranty Free One year No No/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/yes Apple’s massive knowledge base is one of the best in the 

(90 days) (90 days) business, but its skimpy 90-day support is a real downer. 

AppleCare $149 to $349 Three years No Yes (desktops)/ Yes 24 hours daily Yes/yes A necessity for all but the bravest to bolster the standard, 

Protection Plan yes measly 90 days of support. Covers hardware and software. 

CYBERPOWER www.cyberpowerpc.com • 800-707-0393 

Limited Warranty Free One year No Yes (desktops)/ No 24 hours daily Yes/no Lackluster notebook coverage, but desktops get a solid three 

(notebooks); yes (one year) years, plus one year of onsite service. Desktop owners can 

three years add an extra year of onsite and 24/7 phone support for $40 

(desktops) in the second year of warranty, or for $80 in the third year. 

DELL www.dell.com • 800-999-3355 

Limited Warranty Free 90 days to No Yes/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/yes XPS PCs get a full year of support, but some Dimension 

one year (one year) desktops come with an unimpressive 90 days. 

Extended Services $19 and up One to No Yes/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/yes Three- and four-year plans include global support for 

Plan four years laptops and extended hours for onsite repairs. 

CompleteCare $59 and up One to Yes Yes/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/yes Well-priced plan has some caveats: It doesn’t cover all 

Agreement (desktops); four years components, and notebooks require at least a three-year 

$79 to $199 

(notebooks) 

contract. 

FUJITSU COMPUTER SYSTEMS www.fujitsupc.com • 800-385-4878 

International Free One year No No/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/yes Solid, no-frills coverage provides peace of mind for one 

Limited Warranty year, but doesn’t include shipping costs for depot repairs. 

Extended Warranty $99.95 (one year); One year; No No/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/yes Note: This warranty extension must be activated within 

$179.95 (two years) two years 30 days of the date of notebook purchase. 

Executive Mobile $49.95 (one year); One year; No Yes/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/yes Adds onsite repair but no damage protection; must buy 

Service $149.95 (three years) three years two-year extended warranty with the three-year contract. 

GATEWAY www.gateway.com • 800-369-1409 

Value Plan Free 90 days No No/yes Yes No Yes/yes Basic 90-day warranty falls short, and phone support is not 

toll-free. For increased coverage, the Value Plus Plan is 

a better buy. 

Value Plus Plan $39.99 to $119.99 One to No Yes/yes Yes No Yes/yes Gateway recently lowered the cost of this extended- 

(desktops); $99.99 four years warranty upgrade. Includes onsite repair and advanced 

to $319.99 

(notebooks) 

live chat, but still no toll-free phone support. 

Total Protection $149.99 to $259.99 One or Yes Yes/yes Yes No Yes/yes Next-day onsite repair is a standout, but at this price, this plan 

Plan (desktops); $169.99 three years (notebooks should include toll-free phone support. Plus, notebook-only 

to $419.99 

(notebooks) 

only) damage protection limits the appeal for desktop users. 


spills, and regular wear and tear. Fine Print: ADP plans 

aren’t available in all states. 

REPAIRS Many vendors offer depot service, which requires 

a customer to return a PC to an authorized factory 

or service center for major repairs and parts replacement. 

If you get a service plan that includes onsite repair, a computer 

technician will fix your PC at your home, usually by 

the next business day. Fine Print: A host of eligibility restrictions 

usually apply to getting onsite service. Examine 

the service contract before buying. 

TECHNICAL SUPPORT Phone and online chat are generally 

the most effective forms of tech support, but an easily 

navigable online knowledge base can help you solve simple 

computer problems at home, without waiting on hold. 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS While the warranty and support 

information below applies to most of each vendor’s 

offerings, terms and conditions can vary by system or 

system line. Always review the terms for your particular 

PC carefully before buying. —Erin Kandel, Editorial Assistant

TECHMARKET WARRANTIES AND SERVICE PLANS FOR DESKTOPS AND NOTEBOOKS 

Accidental- 

Damage Onsite Repair/ Free Online E-Mail 

Protection Return-to-Depot Knowledge Toll-Free Phone Support/ 

Plan Price Term (ADP) Service Base Support Hours Live Chat Editor’s Take 

HEWLETT-PACKARD www.hp.com • 888-999-4747 

Basic Warranty Free One year No No/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/no Knowledge base is impressive, but lack of support via 

online chat weakens this basic support plan. 

Extended $99.99 to $219.99 Two or No No/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/no Covers displays purchased on same invoice as PC, and 

Service Plan (desktops); $99.99 three years notebooks get express three-day repair, but we’d like 

to $179.99 

(notebooks) 

either damage protection or onsite service at this price. 

HP House Call $199.99 to $269.99 Two years No Yes/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/yes Plan applies only to eligible desktops and Media Center 

for Desktops PCs; includes live chat. 

Accidental Damage $149.99 to $269.99 One to Yes No/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/no Adds damage protection to Extended Service Plan 

Protection (desktops); $99.99 three years package, but doesn’t cover damage from user wear 

Extended Service to $349.99 and tear. 

Plan (notebooks) 

IBUYPOWER www.ibuypower.com • 888-462-3899 

Limited Warranty Free One year No Yes/yes No Weekdays, 8:30 a.m. Yes/yes Limited phone-support hours, but iBuypower recently 

for Desktops to 5:30 p.m. (ET) added online chat. Plus, this plan includes onsite service. 

Limited Warranty Free One year No No/yes No 24 hours daily Yes/yes Average notebook coverage strengthened by beefed-up 

(Notebooks) support options. No online knowledge base, however. 

Depot Service $29 One year No No/yes No 24 hours daily Yes/yes To cover shipping costs for repairs, notebook buyers 

Warranty 

(Notebooks) 

should shell out the $29 for this plan. 

Extended Warranty $49 (two years); Two years; No Yes/yes No 24 hours daily Yes/yes Great price, but use onsite support carefully—there’s 

(Desktops) $79 (three years) three years a $165 service charge for software problems. 

LENOVO (FORMERLY IBM) www.lenovo.com • 866-968-4465 

Limited Warranty Free 90 days to No Yes/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/no Terms vary greatly from model to model; some plans offer 

(Desktops) four years mail-in instead of onsite service. Steer clear of 90-day terms. 

Limited Warranty Free 90 days to No Yes/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/no Aside from a few models with 90-day terms, notebooks 

(Notebooks) four years get better-than-average coverage here. 

Warranty Service $29 to $293 One to No Yes/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/no The most-expensive upgrades provide long coverage plus 

Upgrade (Desktops) four years 24/7, same-day onsite service. 

Warranty Service $49 to $549 One to No Yes/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/no Lenovo’s willingness to cover notebooks for five years is 

Upgrade 

(Notebooks) 

five years reassuring, but look to the ADP plan for damage protection. 

Accidental Damage $199 to $589 One to Yes No/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/no Plan offers full damage protection for up to four years, but, 

Protection 

(Notebooks) 

four years considering the cost, we wish it included onsite service. 

POLYWELL COMPUTERS www.polywell.com • 800-900-5836 

Basic Warranty Free Varies No No/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/no Parts coverage is based on individual manufacturers’ 

by model (one year) warranties; five years of labor coverage for PCs priced 

$1,000 and up. 

Enhanced Basic 3 percent of price One year; No Yes/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/no Depending on the price of your PC, this plan option 

Warranty (one year); 8 percent three years can cost a bundle—plus, it requires the purchase of an 

of price (three years) onsite-service contract. No knowledge base. 

SONY ELECTRONICS www.sonystyle.com • 877-512-7669 

Limited Warranty Free One year No No/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/yes A solid limited warranty, enhanced by a superior knowledge 

base and live-chat support. 

Express Ship $124.99 to $429.99 One to No No/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/yes Sony’s most basic warranty extension for notebooks, this 

(Notebooks) four years plan shoulders express shipping costs for depot repairs. 

Onsite Service $149.99 to $379.99 Two to No Yes/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/yes Covers lightning damage if your surge protector fails, but 

(Desktops) five years no complete damage-protection plan is offered for desktops. 

Onsite Service with $199.99 to $439.99 Two to Yes Yes/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/yes Pricey but well-rounded package covers all the bases 

ADP (Notebooks) four years for long-term laptop protection. 

TOSHIBA AMERICA www.toshibadirect.com • 800-316-0920 

Limited Warranty Free 90 days to No No/yes Yes 24 hours daily No/no Best to upgrade if you’re stuck with a skimpy 90-day 

three years term. No live-chat or e-mail support. 

At-Home Repair $71.10 to $224.10 One year; No Yes/yes Yes 24 hours daily No/no Same coverage as limited warranty, but with onsite 

three years support; a better deal when purchased with an extension. 

Extended Warranty $89.10 to $359.10 One to No No/yes Yes 24 hours daily No/no Most expensive for Qosmio laptops; for extra protection, 

four years consider adding ADP coverage. 

SystemGuard $179.10 to $359.10 One year; Yes No/yes Yes 24 hours daily No/no Well-priced damage-protection plan is offered in more 

Accidental Damage three years term lengths when bundled with a warranty extension 

Coverage and/or at-home repair. 

VELOCITY MICRO www.velocitymicro.com • 800-303-7866 

Limited Warranty Free One to No Yes/yes Yes Weekdays, 7 a.m. Yes/yes Phone-support hours aren’t the best, but the user-friendly 

three years to 11 p.m.; Sat, live chat and up to three years of free onsite service can’t 

10 a.m. to 6 p.m. be beat. 

VelocityCare Free; $49 to $79 One to No Yes/yes Yes 24 hours daily Yes/yes This plan rounds out limited warranty features with 24/7 

(varies by model) three years phone hours; comes free with most models. 


Illustrations by Bill Rieser 

WEB BUYER 

THE BEST SITES FOR ONLINE SHOPPING • BY KEVIN SAVETZ 

>>TECH PRODUCTS 

acortech.com 

Inexpensive PC accessories abound at Acortech.com. 

We found 17-inch LCD monitors for under $300, flash 

drives for under $20, optical mice for less than $5, 

and other low-cost goodies for certified tech geeks. 

altex.com 

With a big dose of Texan pride, Altex Electronics 

offers a generous selection of computer and networking 

gear. You’ll find a vast variety of items: 

case lights, digital cameras, printers, power 

supplies, and much more. 

amazon.com 

Amazon.com is an unparalleled superstore with a 

massive inventory equaled only by its special features, 

such as personalized product recommendations 

and mobile access. The Early Adopter 

Products pages show what’s fresh in electronics, 

video games, and DVDs. 

Jabra BT500 

Bluetooth Wireless 

Headset from 

Amazon.com 

audioadvisor.com 

Catering to enthusiasts, Audio Advisor sells hightech 

equipment for your home theater. Its stock 

includes DVD players, equalizers, preamps, and power 

conditioners. Check out the Clearance and Hot Buys 

sections for decent deals. 

bestbuy.com 

Our readers voted Best Buy their favorite place to 

buy consumer electronics. The selection is comprehensive 

and impressive. The best part? You can 

have your gadget delivered or ready for pickup at a 

nearby store. 

buy.com 

Buy.com’s vast million-product inventory includes 

computer hardware, software, electronics, video 

games, books, music, and DVDs. Sister site 

BuyMusic.com delivers music downloads starting at 

79 cents a song. 

www.buyuptime.com 

BuyUptime.com stocks uninterruptible power supplies, 

replacement batteries, power-distribution 

units, and other security offerings. The UPS 

Selector tool will show you the three best models 

for your computer setup. 

cambridgesoundworks.com 

Cambridge SoundWorks sells home-audio and 

home-theater products that will please everyone 

from the budget-minded to the serious audio 

buff. The site provides a 45-day price-protection 

guarantee and a 45-day satisfaction promise on 

most items. 

cdw.com 

In addition to a wide selection of hardware and peripherals, 

CDW offers an Outlet section where you’ll find 

deals on clearance merchandise and customer returns. 

Click the Mac Warehouse tab to reveal a medley of 

Apple hardware and peripherals. 

chumbo.com 

Check out Chumbo for a bountiful selection of popular 

hardware, software, and electronics. The topselling 

products in each category are always in view, 

so you’ll know which deals are the hottest. 

circuitcity.com 

Plug in to Circuit City, where you can choose from a 

quarter million movies, video games, and CDs. The 

inventory also includes digital cameras, televisions, 

and PDAs. Have your products delivered, or pick them 

up in a Circuit City store. 

compusa.com 

The well-organized CompUSA rounds out the usual 

selection of PC hardware, peripherals, and accessories 

with areas devoted to home electronics and wireless 

gadgets. Set your own price on PCs at CompUSA’s 

auction site. 

computerbags.com 

Need your laptop to survive—no matter what? Check 

out Computerbags.com’s selection of waterproof, 

floating, and crushproof cases. If style is more important, 

explore the large selection of soft-sided cases 

and backpacks. 

computers.ebay.com 

eBay is an unparalleled auction site and a unique 

shopping experience. Shoppers can set their own 

prices on components, including new and used PCs, 

software, tech books, and vintage computers. 

computers4sure.com 

At Computers4Sure, you’ll find 21 departments 

well-stocked with a broad spectrum of products, 

including networking gear, PDAs, and scanners. 

connectxpress.com 

With oodles of cables for computers, audio/video 

components, and networks, ConnectXpress will 

get you more wired than a triple latte. You get a 

lifetime warranty on all cables. 

cpusolutions.com 

CPU Solutions will entice you with inexpensive 

computer components and upgrade kits. The site 

offers several complete desktop computers for 

under $500, plus PC kits for under $300. 

crutchfield.com 

In business for 30 years, Crutchfield assembles an 

impressive catalog of camcorders, digital cameras, 

and audio/video products for your home and car. If 

sound is more important than looks, tune to the 

Scratch & Dent section for deals. 

directron.com 

Directron.com has the stuff tinkerers dream of. 

The massive selection of PC gear includes cases, 

storage, mods, lighting, motherboards, and more. 

Plus, orders earn you the right to pick through the 

Free Stuff bin. 

ecost.com 

Look to eCost.com for deals on PC components, 

software, electronics, and DVDs. You’ll be enticed 

by short-lived but sweet deals in the Bargain 

Countdown area. 

143 Tech Products 

143 Apple Hardware and Software 

144 Input Devices 

145 Direct PC Vendors 

146 Software 

146 Blank Media 

APPLE HARDWARE 

AND SOFTWARE 

club-mac.com 

Join the club—the selection of Apple hardware, 

peripherals, and software at ClubMac 

is hard to beat. Click the category tabs to 

zoom in on a bountiful selection of USB and 

FireWire add-ons, or check the Blowout 

Deals tab for discounts on open-box items. 

dealmac.com 

Dealmac searches online and offline stores 

for the best deals on Mac-friendly hardware 

and software. Find deals on the site, on the 

RSS feeds, or in the daily newsletter. Top 

Reader Picks highlight popular offers. 

eshop.macsales.com 

Other World Computing delivers a universe 

of accessories for Apple users. Its inventory 

includes acceleration cards, memory, 

FireWire add-ons, and PowerBook 

accessories. 

eunitek.com 

Eunitek is a great place to go for iPods, 

iBooks, iMacs, and eMacs. Systems often 

come with extra RAM or other freebies. 

macmall.com 

MacMall is a vast catalog of Apple products. 

Visit the iPod Store for the latest Apple 

digital music players and accessories, or 

the Storage area for external FireWire hard 

drives, backup software, and DVD add-ons. 

maczone.com 

Mac Zone will dazzle you with its Appleoriented 

catalog of G5 desktops, Power- 

Books, server hardware, and software. 

Many hardware purchases include free 

memory, accessory kits, or other extras. 

powermax.com 

PowerMax Computers sells new, customconfigured 

Macintosh computers, plus capture 

cards, editing software, camcorders, 

and storage. 

smalldog.com 

Sniff around Small Dog for new and refurbished 

hardware, software, and peripherals. 

Its catalog includes desktop and portable 

Macs, iPods, digital cameras, and accessories. 

The Kibbles & Bytes newsletter will 

keep you informed about Mac news. 


WEB BUYER SHOPPING SITES 

INPUT DEVICES 

belkin.com 

Belkin sells specialized peripherals for gaming, 

as well as keyboards and mice for work. 

Specialties include the Nostromo Speedpad, 

a keyboard-and-gamepad combination 

tuned to one-hand control. You’ll also find 

the Nostromo Game Mouse, which offers 

tactile feedback. 

datadesktech.com 

Many keyboards are more or less the 

same, but Datadesk Technologies specializes 

in boards for special needs. Choices 

include small, colorful keyboards for 

kids, ergonomic split keyboards, and keyboards 

with built-in trackballs. 

gyration.com 

Gyration creates and sells unusual input 

devices, including a Cordless Optical Air 

Mouse that doesn’t require a desktop, a 

Media Center remote control, and a wireless 

mouse with an impressive 100-foot range. 

kensington.com 

Kensington’s keyboard selection includes 

the uniquely pleasant Comfort Type Keyboard, 

the classic and tactile StudioBoard 

mechanical model, and the do-it-all Pilot- 

Board Multimedia keyboard. Also check 

out the Bluetooth models tuned to wireless 

desktop or mobile use. 

logitech.com 

At Logitech’s site, you’ll find wireless keyboards, 

models with media-control features, 

and matching keyboard-and-mouse 

sets. For gamers, the site stocks gaming 

mice, joysticks, gamepads, and steering 

wheels. 

microsoft.com/hardware 

Microsoft’s innovative input devices offer 

features such as biometric fingerprint 

readers, Bluetooth connectivity, and—for 

mice—laser tracking. Some keyboards feature 

the Zoom Slider, a novel control for 

zooming in on graphics applications and 

other programs. 

us.creative.com/shop 

Creative Technology’s line of input devices 

includes mice, wireless keyboards, 

and, for musical fun, USB/MIDI music keyboards. 

Shipping is just $2.99, no matter 

the size of your order. 

xoxide.com 

Why should your keyboard and mice look 

like everyone else’s? Xoxide’s inventory 

stocks illuminated and clear keyboards, 

plus mice that glow, shine, and even blow 

cool air onto your sweaty palms. 


etronics.com 

Etronics.com is a techie’s dream: a megastore 

offering satellite radio, home-office gadgets, and 

appliances. You’ll also find barbeques and pens in 

the site’s diverse catalog—with a 30-day satisfaction 

guarantee on everything. 

frozencpu.com 

Focused on PC cooling and case modifications, 

FrozenCPU.com will delight PC builders and overclockers. 

The catalog of freakishly cool accessories 

includes transparent PC power supplies, LEDilluminated 

fans, and modified cases. 

granitedigital.com 

Looking for a rock-solid storage or backup system? 

At Granite Digital, you’ll find fast FireWire hard 

drives, hot-swappable RAID systems, and diagnostic 

equipment. 

insight.com 

Insight delivers IT products for businesses, including 

networking hardware, projectors, and servers. The 

stellar Narrow Your Results feature and comparison 

tools will help you find the best product. 

jdr.com 

JDR Microdevices sells a decent selection of PC hardware 

and accessories at reasonable prices. In the 

Electronics section, you’ll find electronic components 

and kits, integrated circuits, and technical reference 

books. 

jncs.com 

J&N Computer Services specializes in pretested motherboard/CPU/memory 

bundles and offers several 

options for creating your perfect computer. Use the 

Custom Configurator to build a desktop, notebook, or 

small-form-factor PC. 

jr.com 

Televisions, MP3 players, office products, and appliances 

abound at J&R Music and Computer World. 

Read the Product Guides for tips on buying and using 

audio and video gear, computers, digital cameras, and 

more. 

Palm TX 

from J&R Music 

and Computer 

World 

lik-sang.com 

So you think you’ve seen every possible gaming 

peripheral? You haven’t been to Lik-Sang.com, which 

imports video-game accessories from around the 

world. Discover mod kits for game consoles, hard-tofind 

imported games, and unusual controllers. 

mwave.com 

Mwave.com’s friendly site sells a multitude of PC 

hardware products. The Top Ten Sellers and New 

Products pages link to hot items. Check the 

Refurbished section for deals on as-is, refurbished 

hardware. 

newegg.com 

Newegg.com is a nest of good stuff for do-it-yourself 

PC upgraders. The site stocks hard drives, 

motherboards, CPUs, optical-storage add-ons, and 

consumer electronics. 

onecall.com 

Choosy gadget shoppers will find a wide assortment 

of camcorders, digital cameras, and speakers at 

OneCall. Free three-day shipping is available for many 

items. 

outpost.com 

Shoppers at Fry’s Outpost.com enjoy an ample catalog 

of hardware, software, cameras, and video games. 

Notable features include the Power Search function, 

special deals, and a 30-day money-back guarantee on 

most products. 

pcconnection.com 

PC Connection can connect you to a world of PCs, 

peripherals, and software. Use the Rebate Center to 

find products with cash-back deals, or visit sister site 

MacConnection (www.macconnection.com) for Mac 

OS wares. 

pcmall.com 

Catering to businesses of all sizes as well as 

consumers, PC Mall’s catalog includes more than 

100,000 products, with hot deals on notebooks, LCD 

monitors, and digital media. Sister site MacMall 

(www.macmall.com) is devoted to Apple hardware 

and software. 

www.pcmicrostore.com 

PCMicroStore.com sells 20,000 products, with plenty 

of inexpensive accessories for upgraders. The selection 

includes drive enclosures, video cards, and keyboard/video/mouse 

(KVM) switches. A decent selection 

of removable media and printer consumables is 

also available. 

pdapanache.com 

PDA Panache offers replacement styli customized 

for your particular PDA model. Look for 

the cute translucent plastic pointers and elegant 

stylus/pen combinations. 

pdasmart.com 

Is your broken PDA out of warranty? PDASmart.com 

offers do-it-yourself repair kits, as well as mail-in 

repair and upgrade services for many PDAs and iPods. 

Look for extended-life batteries, replacement LCD 

screens, and bezels. 

powernotebooks.com 

Choose among Sager and PowerPro portable computers 

at PowerNotebooks.com. Find a laptop based 

on screen size or CPU. The store has a sky-high satisfaction 

rating with previous customers. 

priorityelectronics.com 

Shop for a new battery, PC Card, or external media 

adapter for your laptop with help from Priority 

Electronics. The company also has an impressive 

assortment of desktop-PC, digital-camera, and iPod 

accessories. 

radioshack.com 

RadioShack stocks a variety of phones, cables, 

digital-audio players, and PC peripherals. Get free 

shipping on orders of at least $50. 

www.shop.teleadapt.com 

The global travel products at Teleadapt include 

regional phone and power converters, along with 

portable surge suppressors to keep your hardware 

safe even on questionable foreign power grids. 

sparco.com 

Check out Sparco.com’s list of products that come 

with “free stuff” or instant rebates. The catalog of 

more than 200,000 products includes PCs, peripherals, 

and software. 

store.a2zcable.com 

The only thing that rivals the selection at A2Z 

Cables is the amount of technical information the 

site provides. You’ll find all the connectors you’ll need,


from networking to audio/video, along with detailed 

connectivity guides. 

thinkgeek.com 

Looking for an unusual gift for the geek in your life? 

ThinkGeek may have it. The catalog includes curious 

PC peripherals, books, irreverent apparel, cubicle toys, 

and unusual caffeinated snacks. 

tigerdirect.com 

For deals and discounts, visit TigerDirect. This 

sizable catalog includes low-cost PC components, 

PDAs, and office equipment. Geeks on a budget can 

find desktop PCs for as little as $250 and laptops for 

under $500. 

tristatecomputer.com 

TriState Camera stocks a plethora of digital and analog 

cameras, plasma televisions, computer peripherals, 

and necessities for home or office. 

tweeter.com 

Tweeter offers a large selection of portable music 

players and digital-imaging devices, as well as plenty 

of home audio and video products. Take advantage of 

free shipping on most products. 

yourmobiledesk.com 

Keep on truckin’ (or flyin’, or drivin’) by browsing 

Yourmobiledesk.com, which focuses on portable 

computing accessories. Mobile work desks, car 

power adapters, and travel cases will keep your gear 

humming on the road or in the air. 

zones.com 

There’s a zone for whatever you need at Zones: the 

home page for hardware and software, the Mac Zone 

for Apple stuff, the Creative Pro page for graphics 

pros, and the Zones Clearance section for special buys. 

>> DIRECT 

PC VENDORS 

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 tollfree 

technical support. Visit the Outlet Store for shortlived 

specials. 

alienware.com 

Alienware can custom-build your dream game 

machine—desktop or laptop. Each is available with 

out-of-this-world cases in a rainbow of colors. 

Buyers get a personalized owner’s manual and tollfree 

technical support any time of the day or night. 

buympc.com 

MPC Computers sells desktops, notebooks, and 

servers. You can custom-configure a high-performance 

Millennia desktop, tuned to your specifications, 

for business, multimedia, or gaming. 

cyberpowersystem.com 

Power up with a customized Intel or AMD system 

from Cyberpower. The selection includes 64-bit 

machines, gamers’ dream systems, Media Centers, 

and budget PCs for everyday use. 

dell.com 

Dell’s electronic storefront has always led the way in 

ease of use. The site is jam-packed with detailed information 

that makes it a snap to match a machine to 

your needs. Each system is configurable to the nth 

degree, and you can get quick access to online support 

customized for your PC. 

falcon-nw.com 

Once you get your talons on a Falcon Northwest PC, 

you won’t want to let go. The heavyweight desktops 

and totable FragBox computers include the hardware 

you want, the way-cool look you crave, and the personalized 

system-rescue discs you may one day need. 

gateway.com 

One of the biggest players in online computer sales, 

Gateway has an enormous and informative site that 

sells custom-built desktops and notebooks. 

hpshopping.com 

At this site, choose among Hewlett-Packard 

and Compaq desktop and notebook computers, plus 

networking accessories, printers, handhelds, and 

digital cameras. 

hypersonic-pc.com 

Need computing power that’s faster than fast? Go 

hypersonic. Visit Hypersonic PC for gaming 

systems, workstations, and laptops outfitted with the 

latest high-performance peripherals. “Enthusiast 

options” include 3D-graphics optimization and case 

customization. 

ibuypower.com 

iBuypower can power up your workspace with a 64bit 

PC for less than $500. Even the company’s leastexpensive 

PCs include large hard drives, dedicated 

graphics cards, desktop speakers, and other essentials. 

All products are backed by a 30-day money-back 

guarantee. 

iBuypower 

Battalion 101 

G-600 

idotpc.com 

Find a customized desktop, an economical bare-bones 

PC, or a personalized laptop at iDotpc.com. Menus 

allow you to create the PC that’s right for you, letting 

you specify the processor, memory, optical drive, and 

other necessities. 

lenovo.com/think 

Lenovo sells IBM’s former lines of ThinkCentre desktops, 

ThinkPad laptops, and ThinkVision monitors. 

Configure built-to-order PCs, and choose among 

accessories such as memory and printers. 

maingear.com 

MainGear specializes in premium PCs with advanced 

specs for gamers and other power users. The selection 

includes sleek-looking and colorful desktops, 

space-saving X-Cube machines, and powerful laptops. 

monarchcomputer.com 

Monarch Computer Systems creates build-toorder 

desktops, workstations, and servers. 

Configure the computer you want, then lock in the 

price for up to a week. If you’re building a PC, 

check out the PC Parts section for components 

and peripherals. 

overdrivepc.com 

Sleek, pre-overclocked PCs for gamers and professionals 

highlight Overdrive PC’s offerings. Each computer 

includes a quiet cooling system, free antivirus software, 

and no-cost shipping. 

sagernotebook.com 

Specializing in notebook computers, Sager offers 

a variety of options, from budget machines to 

speedy multimedia units. Service includes a 72hour 

repair-turnaround guarantee and free lifetime 

tech support. 

shopprostar.com 

Each computer in ProStar Computer’s line of notebook 

PCs is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee, 

a speedy-repair promise, and free tech support. 

sonystyle.com/vaio 

Sony Style is a sleek-looking site selling Sony’s 

line of VAIO desktops and notebooks, plus digital 

cameras, displays, and storage devices. 

Sony VAIO VGX-XL1 

Digital Living System 

starfishtech.com 

Starfish Technologies offers PCs with plenty of customization 

options, plus motherboards, sound cards, 

and other components for do-it-yourself PC architects. 

store.apple.com 

The Apple Store’s well-designed site lets you 

custom-configure any Macintosh and offers a 

wide array of Mac-compatible software and 

accessories. For frequent (or compulsive) customers, 

the one-click-ordering feature makes 

purchases extra simple. 

toshibadirect.com 

The custom-configured notebooks and Tablet PCs 

at Toshiba Direct range from budget models to the 

unique Qosmio laptops, which combine PC, TV, 

DVD, and audio features. 

us.fujitsu.com/shop 

Fujitsu’s site focuses on portable computing, 

including notebook PCs and pen-based tablet 

computers. Each computer has several 

warranty options. 

velocitymicro.com 

Looking for a 64-bit processor to push your 

games to the limit? They’re in Velocity Micro’s 

Gamer’s Edge and Raptor models. The customconfiguration 

menus offer a mind-boggling array 

of component choices. 

viciouspc.com 

Creating “hardware for the hard-core,” Vicious PC 

sells desktops with clear cases, high-output ventilation, 

easy-access sliding rails, and front-accessible 

USB ports. Washable air filters mean your computer’s 

innards will remain dust-free. 

voodoopc.com 

Nobody else can do the voodoo that they do so 

well. VoodooPC specializes in high-end PCs for 

gamers, with a choice of Intel or 64-bit AMD 

processors. Take your pick among tower systems, 

laptops, and portables—all thoroughly customizable, 

of course. 

winbook.com 

WinBook Computer sells laptops and desktops 

with a 30-day money-back guarantee, a one-year 

warranty, and free tech support. Ironically, some 

of the best deals,“Web specials,” can only be 

ordered by phone. 

www.ztgroup.com 

ZT Group builds and sells desktop and notebook 

computers for every type of user. The selection 

includes PCs for gaming, media, home offices, and 

businesses, with your choice of AMD or Intel 

processors. 



BLANK MEDIA 

allmediaoutlet.com 

The mammoth selection at All Media Outlet 

includes mini-DVDs, double-layer discs, 

and hard-to-find storage media. The CD-R 

and DVD-R sampler packs let you try different 

brands of discs before committing 

to a bulk purchase. 

cd-dvd-supplies.com 

The aptly named CD-DVD-Supplies.com 

sells name-brand, bulk, and economy 

discs. The site offers some substitutes for 

plain old media, such as business-cardsize, 

miniature, and colorful discs. 

www.discmakers.com 

Disc Makers sells blank DVDs and CDs, 

duplicators, authoring software, and supplies 

for packaging and mailing. If you’re 

looking for a bargain, go for the Mixed Lot 

CD-Rs—a bulk load of assorted blanks. 

goldenromonline.com 

Burn it, package it, and label it with help 

from GoldenROMonline.com. The site sells 

bulk CD-R discs in a variety of flavors, including 

tinted, printable, and business-cardsize. 

Store and ship them with a medley of 

jewel cases, paper sleeves, and mailers. 

ioproducts.com 

The diverse selection of media at IO Products 

includes scratch-resistant DVD+Rs, 

double-sided mini-DVD-RWs, and goodold 

blank audio cassettes. The site provides 

a satisfaction guarantee on every 

product. As a bonus, you get a free 

CD/DVD-safe marker with every order. 

www.mediasupply.com 

In addition to bulk bundles of CD-R and 

DVD blanks, Media Supply sells duplicators 

that can churn out dozens of copies 

an hour, and printers for creating beautiful 

labels for your discs. 

meritline.com 

Buy CDs or DVDs at Meritline.com to store 

every digital picture you’ve ever taken. 

Then, pick up printer ink to create custom 

labels, and writable drives to burn even 

more photos. 

supermediastore.com 

SuperMediaStore.com offers blank media 

in all writable DVD and CD formats, plus tips 

on burning and printing DVDs. Subscribe to 

the site’s newsletter for coupons and deals. 

tapeworld.com 

Tape World delivers modern digital storage 

media, including CD-Rs, DVD-Rs, and Mini- 

Discs, as well as analog tape from bygone 

eras: audio cassettes, reel-to-reel, and Betamax. 

The site stocks more than 400 types 

of blank recording media, with flat-rate 

shipping. 


>> SOFTWARE 

atomicpark.com 

Free shipping is available for AtomicPark.com’s 

entire selection of business and productivity apps. 

Plus, you’ll never pay a restocking fee. The new 

Direct Downloads section lets you use new software 

in minutes, not days. 

bigclearance.com 

Offering current-version software at clearance 

prices, the big selection at BigClearance.com 

includes wares from Microsoft, Macromedia, Corel, 

and others. 

buycheapsoftware.com 

The name says it all. Buycheapsoftware.com’s 

selection consists primarily of business and utility 

apps. The company offers flat-rate $5 shipping on 

small orders and free shipping on orders over $200. 

buypcsoft.com 

Buypcsoft.com sells Windows software in categories 

from business management to virus prevention. 

It’s an efficient site with a good selection of 

big-name applications. 

download.com 

CNET Download.com will help you find shareware 

and free software, linking to thousands of programs 

for PC, Mac, and mobile devices. Well-written 

newsletters and down-to-earth reviews help 

you find the perfect program. (CNET Networks is 

Computer Shopper’s parent company.) 

driverguide.com 

With more than 100,000 downloadable drivers for 

every conceivable piece of computer hardware and 

operating system, Driver Guide is indispensable 

when you’re repairing a malfunctioning system or 

piecing together a PC from spare parts. 

ebgames.com 

EBgames.com is a gamer’s paradise, selling new 

and pre-owned titles for PCs and every game console 

under the sun. Check the Hot Deals list for 

short-lived discounts. 

5dollarsoftware.com 

Stock up on software without breaking the bank. As 

the name implies, everything at 5 Dollar Software 

costs just $5, including games, educational titles, 

and utilities. Flat-rate shipping for orders of any size 

costs $3. 

freewarefiles.com 

FreewareFiles.com is an index to free downloadable 

software for Windows. Articles and tutorials 

deliver advice on free software and computer 

maintenance. 

gamehippo.com 

GameHippo.com provides more than a thousand 

absolutely free downloadable PC games. You’ll 

find descriptions, ratings, and easy-to-read icons 

that show whether a game supports multiple 

players, a network, and so on. Check the Top 20 

Rated Games to discover other players’ favorites. 

gamespot.com 

With game news, reviews, and cheat codes, 

GameSpot is a one-stop shop for PC and console 

gamers. Downloadable previews and a pricecomparison 

tool will help you get good deals on 

games you’ll love. (GameSpot is owned by CNET 

Networks, Computer Shopper’s parent company.) 

gamestop.com 

GameStop.com is an elegant site that specializes 

in new and used games for consoles and PCs. 

Recent price drops, top sellers, and “just arrived” 

products are highlighted, so you’ll always know 

the score. 

happypenguin.org 

Get your game on with The Linux Game Tome, an 

index of more than 1,000 games for Linux, each with 

a screenshot and brief description. Discuss the games 

on the site’s discussion forums or IRC channel. 

jumbo.com 

Jumbo is a fitting name for this monstrous file 

archive, featuring shareware, freeware, and commercial-software 

demos for PC, Mac, and Linux. 

9software.com 

#9 Software is stocked with applications in nine categories, 

ranging from games to business applications. 

The company provides free shipping on orders of 

more than $99. 

nonags.com 

Nonags offers software that’s useful, tested, and (as 

the name suggests) won’t nag you to pay. Basic access 

to the site is free, but a subscription to the Plus version 

adds MP3 downloads and “best of” software links. 

nothingbutsoftware.com 

You’ll make much ado about Nothing But Software. 

This collection of apps includes games, educational 

titles, graphics programs, utilities, and 

more—all with flat-rate shipping. Try the programs 

in the Specials section for as little as $7. 

palmgear.com 

Palm OS users will appreciate the large selection of 

free and commercial programs downloadable from 

PalmGear.com. Check out the list of “essential” 

apps, then sign up to get software news and tips. 

pdfstore.com 

The PDF Store specializes in software for creating 

content. Shop for applications that produce Portable 

Document Format (PDF) files, e-books, and printed 

materials. 

software-blowouts.com 

Software Blowouts is home to oodles of inexpensive 

Windows and Mac OS software, with flat-rate shipping. 

Peruse the Blowouts page for education, entertainment, 

and utility titles, many for just $9.95. 

softwarecheaper.com 

Software Cheaper is a funky little bargain basement 

that sells Windows and Macintosh software, most for 

less than $6. Every order gets you a pick from the Free 

Software page. Domestic U.S. shipping is always free. 

softwarediner.com 

You’ll want to feast on the software selection at 

SoftwareDiner.com, which focuses on low-cost 

applications and utilities for home and smallbusiness 

users. You’ll save money but only receive a 

CD; manuals and boxes aren’t included. 

softwareoutlet.com 

Plug in to SoftwareOutlet.com, a veritable virtual 

bargain bin. You’ll find dirt-cheap applications and 

hardware accessories. Browse older software from 

defunct companies, plus modern titles. 

store.purplus.net 

Purplus Software is a well-regarded seller of software 

for business, graphics, and music. The site 

offers free shipping on orders over $45. 

tucows.com 

Tucows is an incredible library of freeware and shareware 

for Windows, Mac, and Linux. This recently 

designed site makes it easy to find the newest, most 

popular, or top-rated software. 

viosoftware.com 

Emphasizing low prices and great customer service, 

VioSoftware.com sells applications from Adobe, 

Macromedia, Microsoft, and other big-name publishers. 

Shipping is always free.

HELP & HOW-TO 

BUYING BASICS HOW TO BUY 

The Right Digital Camera 

BY BRIAN BENNETT 

Canon EOS 

Digital Rebel XT 

You need to look for certain essential features when shopping for a 

new digital camera—whether you’re retiring your old film camera 

or upgrading your outdated 2-megapixel shooter. Here are the 

vital specs you need to know, plus a few great models to consider. 

3 GREAT BUYS 

GOOD BETTER BEST 

HP Photosmart R817 

(www.hp.com, $299) 

The R817 showcases a sharp 5.1megapixel 

resolution, plus a 5x optical 

zoom lens to get you close to the action. 

The compact camera uses SD/MMC 

media, in addition to its 32MB of 

internal memory, to store photos and 

30fps video. 


Nikon Coolpix 7900 

(www.nikonusa.com, $399.95) 

Encased in a stylish black chassis, the 

pocket-friendly Coolpix 7900 packs an 

ultrafine 7.1-megapixel resolution and 

features a 3x optical zoom. It relies on 

SD/MMC flash-memory cards for image 

storage and captures VGA-quality 

movies at 30fps. 

SHOPPING SPECS 

RESOLUTION 

Measured in megapixels, resolution refers to 

the number of pixels of image information 

provided by a digital camera’s image sensor. 

Among low-end consumer cameras, 5 or 6 

megapixels is now standard, with many 8- 

and even 10-megapixel models also available. 

Note that it’s often difficult for the untrained 

eye to differentiate between snapshots 

taken at these high resolutions. 

LENS 

Look for a digicam with at least a 3x optical 

zoom, more if you shoot a lot of faraway action. 

If you’re an advanced shooter, you may 

want a digital single-lens-reflex (dSLR) camera 

that supports interchangeable lenses for 

maximum flexibility. 

REMOVABLE STORAGE 

The most popular flash-memory formats 

are CompactFlash, SD/MultiMediaCard 

(MMC), and xD-Picture Card. Many of Sony’s 

cameras support the company’s Memory 

Stick format. If you own a laptop, PDA, or 

flash-based MP3 player, consider getting a 

camera that uses the same storage format 

as your other devices so you’ll be able to 

share cards among them. 

VIDEO RECORDING 

Many digital cameras (though generally not 

dSLRs) let you record video clips in addition 

to still images, though not with the same 

quality as a good camcorder can. The best 

cameras shoot at 30 frames per second (fps) 

in VGA (640x480) resolution with sound. 

Canon EOS Digital Rebel XT 

(usa.canon.com, $899 for body only; 

$999 for kit, with lens) 

Not for the casual shutterbug, this compact 

consumer dSLR features a classleading 

8-megapixel resolution, accepts 

Canon’s EF-mount lenses, and shoots 

wonderfully detailed, colorful photos. 

Images are saved to CompactFlash cards. 

= Editors’ Choice

Computer Shopper - February 2006

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