Computer Shopper (November 2006)

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, CONTENTS

9 Check out a preview of the NEW computershopper.com

NOVEMBER 2006 VOLUME 26 NUMBER 11 ISSUE 320

DESKTOPS

20 21 22 22 24 24

Overdrive Core2.X-Fire Apple Mac Pro Alienware Area-51 7500 Dell XPS 410 Velocity Micro Raptor DCX HP Pavilion d4600y NOTEBOOKS

26 26 28 28

Acer Aspire 9800 HP Pavilion DV2000t Toshiba Satellite U205-S5022 Averatec AV7160-EC1 20

COMPONENTS

61

30 30 30

THE TOP 100 PRODUCTS OF THE YEAR

61

79

ATI Radeon X1950 XTX Pioneer BDR-101A PRINTERS

The Best in Tech 2006 We’ve got 100 reasons for you to turn here first. Our annual Top 100 extravaganza highlights our editors’ picks for the top tech products of the year: budget desktops, powerful upgrade parts, software, and much, much more. Be warned: Your tech shopping list will grow by leaps and bounds.

32 32

SHOPPING-SERVICE SHOWDOWN

38

Price Warriors Comparing prices before you buy is the cardinal rule of savvy online shopping. But which price-comparison engine should you trust? We gave the leading sites a workout to see which one serves up the best deals and features. THE BATTLE FOR DVD’S FUTURE

84

Apple Mighty Mouse

DVD-Format Face-Off Two new high-definition DVD formats—Blu-ray and HD DVD—are vying to replace your DVD collection, but sales have been sluggish and titles are scarce. Which is the better of the two? Get the scoop.

Canon Pixma MP450 HP Deskjet 6940 DISPLAYS

36 36

Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP

30

ViewSonic VX2025wm HOME NETWORKING

Buffalo Nfiniti Wireless Router & AP (WZR-G300N)

38

Netgear Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter MOBILE PRODUCTS

40 40

Sony Ericsson K790a LG VX8500 Chocolate DIGITAL CAMERAS

42 42 42

32

Nikon Coolpix S7c Olympus SP-320 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T9 DIGITAL AUDIO

44 44

Logic 3 i-Station8 Kingston K-PEX 100 Portable Media Player

44

Sony NW-A1200 DIGITAL LIVING

46 46 46

84

Logitech Harmony 720

44

Sony KDS-60A2000 Vizio GV42L HDTV SOFTWARE

Page 94

Page 90

48

Morpheus Photo Animation Suite

48 50

Ewido Anti-Spyware 4 Dragon NaturallySpeaking Preferred 9

Page 61

50 Page 84 Page 79 Page 132 Page 112 Page 20

WebMessenger Mobile IM TOP 25

36 Think you have to open your wallet really wide to get 20 inches of brilliant wide-screen LCD? We have some surprisingly good news.

56

The best Media Center desktops, ultraportable notebooks, multifunction printers, PC speakers, and VoIP services.

46

computershopper.com November 2006

5

Help & How-To COMPUTER CURES

87

Help is on the way! Our PC doctor decodes video codecs, accelerates a PC’s startup time, and explores the outer limits of USB connectivity.

90

Store More in a Snap Looking to shoehorn more data-storage capacity inside your desktop? Our five-step guide to installing an internal hard drive—Serial ATA or IDE—makes it easy. Optimize Your Security Apps Running your spyware killer and antivirus utility on their standard settings makes for imperfect PC protection. Learn how to fine-tune these programs to surround your computer with bulletproof security.

94

TechMarket

WEEKEND PROJECT

94

COMPLETE PRODUCT MARKETPLACE GUIDE

99 102 108 112 116 120 121

Budget Desktops Desktop-Replacement Notebooks Big Flat-Panel Displays Motherboards Performance 3D-Graphics Cards Internal Hard Drives Smartphones

Web Buyer THE BEST SITES FOR ONLINE SHOPPING

123 123 124 126 126 128

BUYING BASICS

132 How to Buy the Right Gaming PC

Tech Products Memory Direct PC Vendors Gaming PCs Software Video Hardware

109

Also in This Issue TRENDS

13

As air-travel restrictions for carry-on luggage tighten, more consumers look to ruggedized tech that can survive baggage checks. Also, see details on Sony’s newest all-in-one PC, and learn how a new DNS service can speed up your Web browsing. GEAR

18

• BenQ IMS-100 Bluetooth Speaker • Nikon D80 • SanDisk Cruzer Titanium USB Flash Drive • Targus Bluetooth Laser Mouse • Ultra Products X-Finity 500W • Wi-Fi Phone for Skype

8 8 129 131

Editor’s Note Letters Spotlight Ad Index

DEPARTMENTS

18

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NOVEMBER 2006 VOLUME 26 NUMBER 11 ISSUE 320 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 SX2 Media Labs, LLC, 460 Park Ave. S., New York, NY 10016-7942. Periodicals Mail postage paid at New York, NY, and additional mailing offices. Publications Mail Agreement No. 40009221. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Computer Shopper, P.O. Box 52565, Boulder, CO 80322-2565. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to PO Box 503, RPO West Beaver Creek, Richmond Hill, ON L4B 4R6. Portions of Computer Shopper are published under license from CNET Networks, Inc., San Francisco, CA, USA. Editorial items appearing in Computer Shopper that were originally published on www.cnet.com, www.download.com, or www.news.com are the copyright property of CNET Networks, Inc., or its suppliers. Copyright © 2006 CNET Networks, Inc. All rights reserved. “CNET” is a trademark of CNET Networks, Inc. All other content Copyright © 2006 SX2 Media Labs, LLC. All rights reserved. Permission to use Computer Shopper content is granted on a case-by-case basis. SX2 Media Labs welcomes requests. Please direct inquiries to [email protected]. You may also make phone requests by contacting Reprint Management Services at 717-399-1900. “Computer Shopper” is a trademark of SX2 Media Labs, LLC. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A.

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EDITOR’S NOTE JANICE CHEN in Computer Shopper’s editorial offices lately. Not only have we settled into shiny new digs on Park Avenue South in Manhattan, but we’ve also been working on some special projects to make it easier for you to research, shop for, and use

THERE’S BEEN A LOT GOING ON

computers and tech products. Whether it’s our annual Top 100 products list or a big relaunch of our Web site at computershopper.com, our overarching goal is to help you find the best products, snag the choicest deals, and get the most from every dollar you spend on technology. For the past nine years, we’ve used the November issue to look back at a year’s worth of tech products and services, choosing the 100 that impressed us most. This year produced a bumper crop of tech standouts. Turn to p. 61 for our 2006 list of fast PCs and notebooks, cool gadgets, useful software, and the best technology. In addition to preparing the content for our print magazine, the Computer Shopper staff has been busily working behind the scenes on a relaunch of our Web site, computershopper.com. Earlier in the year, we added some great new features, such as message boards for

LETTERS BRAINY BACKUP SOLUTION I really appreciated “Automate Data Backups” (September, p. 92). My son is a college student, and when he came home for the summer he was using 72GB of an 80GB hard drive. I installed a bigger drive in his PC and purchased an external drive, but the bundled software never worked correctly. With the apps you recommended, my son can set his drive to back up automatically. Thanks for this timely solution. Howard Epstein

RATE RURAL RETAILERS, TOO If you venture beyond the New York metropolitan area, you might find your experiences with national chains to be different than those you encountered in your “Rating the Retailers” article (September, p. 71), and probably more akin to what the

readers and a blog called ShopTalk, written by our editors. This month, we’re overhauling the entire site to add a smarter design and more content. Not just a companion to the magazine, the new site is a destination unto itself, with comprehensive product reviews and roundups, help and how-to advice, tech news, and pricecomparison and shopping information. We’ve smartly reorganized the site to provide convenient access to the terrific content you’re used to getting from the Computer Shopper editorial staff. And we’ve also added a ton of content, such as 30 new buying guides, 50 top-products lists, a new Build Your Own section for PC enthusiasts, and more product reviews than ever—including our take on the best tech-shopping sites. Take a look at a preview of the new design on the facing page, and you’ll see that, unlike most tech sites out there, our new site is clean, straightforward, and easy to navigate. Rather than crowding the site with flashy, slow-loading graphics and animations, we take you straight to what you’re looking for with clean product images, clear-cut categories and sections, and intuitive navigation. [email protected]

D WIN!

average person will experience. Jeff Fishbein

While we did visit a few New York locations, we also went to stores in northern and southern New Jersey, as well as Fry’s locations in the suburbs of San Francisco and Seattle. —Ed.

KEEP PASSWORDS CONFIDENTIAL I typically enjoy your Help & How-To section, but I take issue with the “Mobilize Your E-Mail” Weekend Project (September, p. 95). As a Linux systems administrator, I was horrified at the seventh tip, which instructed readers to give their username and password to a third-party site. In a world where people are liable to surrender passwords in exchange for candy bars, you shouldn’t be encouraging readers to reveal this information. Ian Becker

A $400 NewEgg.com Shopping Spree Go to computershopper.com/survey. See sweepstakes rules on p. 54. CORRECTIONS We incorrectly stated the amount of L2 cache for the ZT Cisnet A7122 in “The Affordable 5” (September, p. 60). The correct amount is 512K. In our “Vista Unveiled” story (September, p. 80), we stated that two versions of the Vista OS, Windows Vista Home Basic and Windows Vista Home Premium, will not support dual-core processors. These versions of the OS will support dual-core processors, but not those running in two separate sockets.

We want to hear from you. Letters, Computer Shopper 460 Park Ave. South, 9th Fl. New York, NY 10016 E - M A I L : [email protected] Letters may be edited for length and clarity, and may be published in any medium. WRITE:

For subscription service questions, address changes, or to order: Please contact us at www.service.cshopper.com (customer service) or www.subscribe.cshopper.com (to order); Phone: US and Canada (800) 274-6384, elsewhere (902) 563-4752; Mail: Computer Shopper, P.O. Box 52565, Boulder, CO 80322-2565 (please include mailing label, as it contains information that will expedite processing); Fax: (303) 604-0518; E-mail (please include your full name and the address at which you subscribe; do not send attachments): [email protected]. Subscriptions: The one-year (12-issue) rate is $24.97. Outside the US add $30 per year for surface mail, US funds only. Please allow 3-6 weeks to receive your first issue as well as for any changes to take place on an existing subscription. Back issues: $8 each in the US, $12 each elsewhere (subject to availability). Prepayment is required. Make checks payable to Computer Shopper. Mail requests to: Back Issues, Computer Shopper, P.O. Box 52565, Boulder, CO 80322-2565. Mailing list: We sometimes make our customer lists available to third parties that may interest you. If you do not wish to receive their mailings, please write us at: Computer Shopper, P.O. Box 52565, Boulder, CO 80322-2565.

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November 2006 computershopper.com

PREVIEW: The New ComputerShopper.com More Content, Smarter Design at Our Redesigned Web Site BETTER NAVIGATION Straightforward navigation provides easy access to all content. Buttons along the top lead you to different types of articles (including reviews, Help & How-To stories, and Buying Guides), while links down the left let you home in on specific product categories.

MORE CONTENT You’ll find more useful product information than ever. In addition to our broad array of expert reviews, we’ve added 30 new product Buying Guides, with topics that range from budget desktops to shopping for ultracompact digital cameras. Also noteworthy: our take on the best tech-shopping sites.

COMPARE PRICES Our new Shopping pages make it easy for you to find all the information you need to purchase the right tech product, including price comparisons, editorial reviews, and user opinions.

HELP & HOW-TO ADVICE Our Help & How-To section delivers the best in PC problemsolving, featuring our popular Computer Cures column, which provides answers to your tech dilemmas, and Weekend Projects—quick, stepby-step tutorials for tuning up your tech. BUILD YOUR OWN The new Build Your Own section provides quick access to the most relevant content for do-it-yourself PC enthusiasts. Here you’ll find upgrade advice and reviews of CPUs, motherboards, and other components, as well as step-by-step instructions on building your own PC.

TOP PRODUCT LISTS We’ve added 50 lists of Top Products, handpicked by our editors. Whether you’re looking for the best desktops, laptops, components, peripherals, or more, check out our editors’ recommendations before you shop.

TECH NEWS AND COMMUNITY Written by our editors, the ShopTalk blog brings you breaking news on the latest hardware and software products. Our reader forums provide an online community for discussing all things tech.

computershopper.com November 2006

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Coming Next Month

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EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITOR MANAGING EDITOR ART DIRECTOR SENIOR EDITOR, ONLINE SENIOR ASSOCIATE EDITOR

ANNUAL HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE Each year we search long and hard for the best tech of the holiday season. From fun gadgets to the hottest in hardware and consumer electronics, you’ll find great gifts for everyone on your shopping list. SHOOT VIDEO LIKE A PRO Today’s digital camcorders are packed with cutting-edge technology, but unless you know what you’re doing, you may not be making the most of these features. Check in for five simple tricks to bring out your inner Spielberg.

STAFF EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITOR COPY CHIEF/ASST. MANAGING EDITOR COPY EDITOR ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR PRINCIPAL PHOTOGRAPHER

Rik Fairlie Wendy Sheehan Chris Phillips Sean Portnoy Joshua Goldman Louis Ramirez Erin Kandel John A. Burek Jasmin Malik Chua Todd Betterley Chris Gould

CNET REVIEWS EXECUTIVE EDITORS

SECTION EDITOR SENIOR EDITORS

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PUBLISHER

Scott Ard, David Carnoy, John Morris, Mike Ricciuti, Lindsey Turrentine Matthew Elliott Wayne Cunningham, John P. Falcone, Kent German, Lori Grunin, David Katzmaier, James Kim, Phil Ryan, Robert Vamosi Dan Ackerman, Rich Brown, Bonnie Cha, Michelle Thatcher Jasmine France, Nicole Lee, Kevin Massy, Elsa Wenzel, Felisa Yang Will Greenwald, David Rudden Daniel A. Begun Eric Franklin Dong Ngo Matthew Fitzgerald Michael Degnan, Matthew Wood Pedro Burgos Jody L. Gianni Neal Okin Dino Salee

Colleen Daly

A DV E RT I S I N G S A L E S EAST COAST SALES MANAGER

LAPTOP SHOPPING GUIDE Starting at ultraportables and reaching all the way up to behemoth desktop replacements, we’ll show you all the current laptop offerings from the major vendors. We’ll also fill you in on the latest technologies so you get exactly what you need.

Janice J. Chen

Steven Goodman

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IL, IN, MA, ME, MI, MN, MO, OH, NH, RI, VT, WI, REGIONAL SALES MANAGER ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE

Canada Neil Hochman (917) 326-5844 Nancy Roscoe (917) 326-8720

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CA ZIP

codes 94000-94356+, ID, MT, NV, OR, UT, WA, WY, Canada Gabriel Rogol (650) 270-4961 A C C O U N T E X E C U T I V E Aida Rodriguez (708) 836-1231

REGIONAL SALES MANAGER

SOUTHWEST

codes 90000-93599, AZ, CO, IA, KS, ND, NE, NM, OK, SD R E G I O N A L S A L E S M A N A G E R Eric Farmer (310) 376-5878 A C C O U N T E X E C U T I V E Aida Rodriguez (708) 836-1231

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MARKETING SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER TECHNICAL PRODUCERS CIRCULATION DIRECTOR DIRECTOR, SINGLE-COPY SALES

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On Newsstands November 14 10 November 2006

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David Sills Elizabeth Roberts Barry Schwimmer

Computer Shopper, 460 Park Ave. South, 9th Fl., New York, NY 10016 Sales Info: 800-999-7467, Editorial: 917-326-8700, Fax: 212-481-0920 Customer Service: 877-214-7390, Subscription Inquiries: 800-274-6384

TRENDS UPCOMING TECHNOLOGIES AND PRODUCTS

Airline Carry-On Rules Spike Interest in Durable Laptops, Cases MAKERS OF tough-to-break but often pricey laptop computers and consumer electronics could get an unexpected boost from new carry-on luggage restrictions on flights. While stringent carry-on rules that banned computers and other types of consumer electronics were eased following what investigators say was a foiled terrorist plot earlier this year, restrictions on luggage size are still tough on travelers. The new rules do raise prickly issues: Would anyone in his or her right mind let baggage handlers transport something as expensive and fragile as a laptop computer? Probably not. But if you must abandon your electronics to the vagaries of the baggage compartment, there are some

Vista Ready Microsoft is due to launch Vista early next year. Here’s what our readers plan to do.

Buy a Vista-capable PC before launch, then upgrade when the OS is available.

7 percent Wait until launch, then buy a new PC with Vista preinstalled.

13 percent Upgrade a current PC to Vista when the OS is available.

21 percent Not upgrade.

59 percent

options, ranging from tough computers to luggage. “What we have been seeing are more durable products, or products with more-durable features,” says Richard Shim, an analyst at IDC, citing a

OtterBox’s rugged laptop case

Lenovo ThinkPad TV commercial that depicts a man dropping a laptop in a coffee shop. “The commercial market has been demanding it, and gradually the consumer market will as well, as we move to a more mobile computing environment,” he says.

Travelers with a few thousand dollars to burn can get a so-called ruggedized computer from the likes of Panasonic. More recently, the PocketPC has gone rugged, and even bumper-adorned iPod shells are available. Many ruggedized notebooks are built with reinforced frames, hard drives with more cushioning around them, magnesium-alloy cases, and water-resistant keyboards, Shim says. Travelers can also buy a suitcase specially designed to protect a computer, with options ranging from OtterBox’s relatively normal-looking “turtleshells” to more hardcore buoyant laptop cases. Luggage manufacturer Targus also sells overnight bags with padded laptop compartments inside for consumers who anticipate the need to stash their computers in carry-on bags while traveling. —Caroline McCarthy

News.com

14 Will Leopard Launch Before Vista? 14 New Sony PC Is Also a Flat-Screen TV 14 Alternative DNS Service for Better Browsing 18 Gear

• TRENDSPOTTING

Ever dreamed of sending large e-mail attachments—music, images, PowerPoint presentations—to coworkers, friends, and family without having to reformat, compress, or split the files over multiple e-mails? Dliveo.com aims to put an end to bounceback-e-mail woes by giving users the ability to send gigabytes of files using its handy little app and service— for free. Once you sign up for an account (you provide just your name and a valid e-mail address), you can download the 1.02MB software, install it, and start sending files. Those on the receiving end will need to install it, too. Visit www.dliveo.com for more information. —Joshua Goldman

PC Recycler Cleans Up The PC market doesn’t seem like a great investment these days, but the market for the disposal of old PCs is a different story. Newmarket IT has received $50 million in private equity funding to help expand its growing PC-refurbishing and -recycling business. Newmarket counts Dell and HewlettPackard among its customers. Demand for such services is increasing rapidly as businesses and consumers start to dispose of PCs in a more environmentally friendly way, says Jeff Ziegler, founder and chief executive officer of the company.

Newmarket’s first priority is to remove any sensitive data from an old PC and refurbish that machine for resale. Ziegler estimates that half of Newmarket’s business involves refurbishing and reselling. The companies Newmarket serves have strict audit policies on how and where recycling materials are processed, Ziegler says. In some cases, PC “recycling” involves dumping old systems in foreign countries with looser requirements on materials handling, something Ziegler calls “a big problem in our News.com space.” —Tom Krazit

Source: Computer Shopper reader survey

computershopper.com November 2006

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TRENDS TECH NEWS

Leopard Is Nipping at Vista’s Heels SO WHICH will come first, the Vista or the Leopard? Microsoft has said it plans to release Windows Vista in January. It has hedged somewhat, however, and many analysts believe the update won’t arrive until later in the year. Apple CEO Steve Jobs first spoke about Mac OS X Leopard at last year’s developer conference, saying it would arrive in late 2006 or early 2007. Vista, meanwhile, has suffered many delays, most recently missing this year’s holiday-shoppingseason target. Apple has been making hay about Vista and its many delays since the Windows update was known by the code name Longhorn. The jabs continued at this year’s confer-

ence, where Apple displayed posters such as “Mac OS X Leopard: Introducing Vista 2.0” and “Hasta la vista, Vista.”

Jobs suggests that even though Microsoft is spending $5 billion a year on research and development, it’s not producing much innovation. “These days, all they seem to

be able to do is try to copy Google and Apple,” he says. From a features standpoint, Apple tried to make the case that everything that is coming with Vista is already available in Tiger, the most recent version of Mac OS X, says Michael Gartenberg, an analyst at JupiterResearch. Some analysts noted that Apple could have scored an even bigger coup had Leopard been on systems for this year’s holiday shopping season. “They had a huge, gaping window of opportunity if they could have shipped this fall,” says Bob O’Donnell, an IDC analyst. But now there’s “a good chance” that Leopard won’t ship until after Vista, he says. —Ina Fried

News.com

Sony Desktop Doubles as Flat-Screen TV SONY’S VAIO VGC-LS1 desktop plays dual roles as personal computer and television. The PC comes with a wireless keyboard and mouse, as well as a remote control that can switch the monitor from Windows-based PC to television, thanks to a built-in tuner. With technology similar to a digital video recorder, the PC can save TV shows to its 250GB hard drive or burn them onto DVDs. Sony has also designed its new computer for space efficiency: Like Apple’s iMac, the VGC-LS1’s hardware is packed into the back of its LCD screen. The 19-inch screen isn’t well-suited for watching television from more than a few feet away. But media enthusiasts and space-confined

14

apartment dwellers may jump at the chance to have a single machine for checking e-mail and channel surfing. Like many other PCs with

Sony VAIO VGC-LS1

built-in TV tuners, the VGCLS1 comes with Windows XP Media Center Edition. Media Center sales were slow at first, but this spring, Microsoft reported that third-party

November 2006 computershopper.com

research found that a whopping 59 percent of Windowsequipped computers sold in the United States were Media Center PCs. Sony’s new machine, which will be compatible with Microsoft’s longawaited Vista operating system, started shipping in mid-September. The VGC-LS1 features Intel’s 1.83GHz Core Duo processor and 2GB of RAM, and retails for $2,099. That’s more than a comparable “regular” desktop but less than other compact PCs with TV tuners. Dell’s XPS M2010, for example, costs between $3,000 and $4,000, depending on feature customization. —Caroline McCarthy

News.com

DNS Service Promises Safer, Faster Browsing OpenDNS (www.opendns. com) says its free addresslookup service makes Web sites load faster and blocks malicious, data-thieving phishing schemes and other threats. The service also corrects obvious typos in URLs, sending people to the site they intended to visit. Domain Name System (DNS) service functions as the “phonebook” of the Internet, mapping text-based domain names such as www.computershopper. com to the numerical IP addresses used by computers. Internet users typically use the DNS service run by their service provider. OpenDNS offers an alternative phonebook, with extras. “We are adding an element of choice, which does not exist for DNS today,” said David Ulevitch, chief executive of OpenDNS. “People don’t know that there are different DNS servers available. The benefit is a faster, safer, and smarter DNS.” OpenDNS says its service outpaces rivals because of its speedy Web connections and intelligent caching. It claims to be safer because it blocks access to known phishing sites and known channels that hackers use to control compromised computers. The smarts come from correcting typos, turning craigslist.og into craigslist. org, for example. —Joris Evers

News.com

GEAR NEW PRODUCTS BY ERIN KANDEL

Mighty mini mouse Perfect for laptop users, the $69.99 Targus Bluetooth Laser Mouse weighs just 2 ounces, doesn’t require a separate receiver, and can wirelessly connect to any Bluetoothenabled Mac or Windows PC straight out of the box. The compact clicker also features a versatile laser sensor that can switch from 800dpi to 1,600dpi for greater sensitivity in games. An included bag makes it easy to tote along. Targus Group International, www.targus.com

Sharpen those shots

Tough-as-nails thumb drive Your files will be hard to harm while aboard SanDisk’s Cruzer Titanium USB Flash Drive. The device has a titanium-coated metal body that’s crush-resistant to over 2,000 pounds. On the inside, the Cruzer comes loaded with U3 Smart Technology tools for desktop replication, virus detection, and file synchronization, as well as Skype software for making Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) calls from different PCs. The 1GB version costs $74.99, while the 2GB version costs $119.99. SanDisk, www.sandisk.com

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November 2006 computershopper.com

Step up to a serious digital camera with the Nikon D80. This capable digital single-lens-reflex (dSLR) shooter packs 10.2 megapixels, a bright 2.5-inch LCD, and an improved 12-bit image-processing engine for sharp pictures. The D80 also has a fast 80-millisecond shutter response, and it captures rapid-fire shots at a speedy 3 frames per second, so you never miss a photo op. It’s available for $1,299 in a kit with an 18mm-to135mm lens, or $999.95 for the body alone. Nikon, www.nikonusa.com

Power for your tower Give your gaming PC the juice it needs with Ultra Products’ $119 X-Finity 500W power supply. Crafted to accommodate either AMD- or Intel-based motherboards, the unit includes a power-correction feature that regulates voltage and keeps noise from disrupting your gameplay. Plus, X-Finity’s unique titanium-covered cables promote better airflow between the tight spots in your loaded case. Ultra Products, www.ultraproducts.com

Unchained melodies Let your tunes fill the room with BenQ’s IMS-100 Bluetooth Speaker. The wireless box can stream audio from Bluetooth-enabled portable music players and mobile phones. You can also plug into your PC via the included line-in cable. Powered by four AA batteries (or an external adapter), the 9.5-ounce IMS-100 is tiny enough to tote. And thanks to bassand stereo-enhancing features, its sound quality is solid. (Pricing was not available at press time.) BenQ U.S.A., us.benq.com

Out-of-the-house calls At $189.99, Belkin’s 802.11g-based Wi-Fi Phone for Skype can connect to any Wi-Fi hot spot, letting you make and receive Skype VoIP calls on the go. To scroll through your contacts or place a call, simply navigate the familiar Skype interface on the phone’s color screen. You also get onboard Wi-Fi Protected Access (WPA) and WPA2 support for added security. Belkin, www.belkin.com

computershopper.com November 2006

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REVIEWS THE LATEST HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE PRODUCTS

Overdrive Core2.X-Fire Intel’s latest Extreme CPU meets extreme overclocking



THE FIRST TIME we saw a desktop from Overdrive PC was back in November 2004. The company had sworn off using Intel processors in favor of AMD’s far more overclockable CPUs. Two years later, Overdrive is still cranking out the fastest PCs we’ve tested—but now, surprisingly, Intel is running the show. The Core2.X-Fire we tested had a 2.93GHz Core 2 Extreme X6800 chip pushed to 8.5 3.76GHz, a 512MB ATI EDITORS’ RATING Radeon X1900 XTX 0 BETTER >> 10 graphics card paired PROS Top performance; masterful with a matching assembly; no-tools-needed case; quiet CrossFire card (both with tweaked core and CONS Massive chassis; price doesn’t include peripherals memory speeds), and 2GB of 800MHz DDR2 SPECS 2.93GHz Core 2 Extreme SDRAM overclocked to X6800; 2GB DDR2; 150GB, 750GB hard drives; two double-layer DVD±RW drives; 1,040MHz. That’s no monitor; two ATI Radeon X1900 XTX rounded out with a graphics cards (512MB); Windows XP 150GB 10,000rpm hard Professional drive for your OS, Overdrive PC, 866-410-9958 apps, and games, and www.overdrivepc.com a 750GB hard drive for Direct Price $6,218 storage. EDITORS’ CHOICE

What’s the Deal? With the release of Intel’s Core 2 Duo CPUs, we’ve tested some systems with first-class performance, but Overdrive’s Core2.X-Fire towers above them all in both speed and quality of assembly. What it’s for: Primarily gaming, but also highly capable for editing, managing, and enjoying digital video, music, and images. Who it’s for: Gamers and power fiends who must have the absolute fastest machine—and have a bottomless budget to pay for it. Business users can tackle heavy number-crunching, productivity applications, and graphics work. What’s included: A three-year parts-and-labor warranty with toll-free phone support; Norton AntiVirus; demo versions of system-benchmark tools preinstalled; and a Creative Sound Blaster X-Fi Fatal1ty sound card. Extra essentials: Monitor, keyboard, mouse, and games. The bottom line: If you want to own the fastest desktop ever, look no further than the Overdrive Core2.X-Fire— but be prepared for some sticker shock.

The speed achieved by the combo is phenomenal, hitting 506 overall on BAPCo SYSmark 2004. In comparison, the Overdrive we tested in 2004 reached 220, which at the time was a record breaker as well. Needless to say, gameplay is pretty incredible too, with F.E.A.R. frame rates topping 230 frames per second (fps) at a resolution of 1,024x768 and 150fps at 1,680x1,050. As we’ve come to expect from Overdrive, the build quality is impeccable. The gigantic Cooler Master CM Stacker 830 case is not easily moved, so we’re thankful it requires no tools to work in. Instead of burying the hard drives inside, Overdrive customized the case with a lockable four-bay hard drive cage up front, which lets you add or remove a drive without even opening the case. And despite being aircooled by seven fans, the rig runs quiet. All of this excellence comes at a cost—$6,218, with no peripherals included. Sure, that’s quite a sum, but the cost is justified by the superior construction and performance. As usual, Overdrive’s attention to detail left us —Joshua Goldman

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oohing and ahhing.

in this section

Apple Mac Pro

22 DESKTOPS

Quad-core desktop packs power, style

Alienware Area-51 7500 Dell XPS 410 Velocity Micro Raptor DCX

NO MATTER HOW MANY LEDs Alienware crams inside its new cases or how well Velocity Micro routes its internal cables, no Windows-based PC can touch the design of Apple’s new Mac Pro. Both inside

EDITORS’ RATING 0

8.0

BETTER >>

10

PROS Attractive exterior, innovative interior; great value in baseline configuration; strong multicore CPU performance CONS Configuration options are not comprehensive; weak support plan SPECS Two 2.66GHz Xeons; 1GB DDR2; 250GB hard drive; SuperDrive DVD±RW; no monitor; nVidia GeForce 7300 GT graphics (256MB); Mac OS X 10.4 Apple Computer, 800-692-7753 www.apple.com

Direct Price $2,499 and out, this system shoves aside the PC competition, taking desktop design in a new direction. The Mac Pro comes with two Intel dualcore 2.66GHz Xeon CPUs, giving the system a total of four independent processing cores. The $2,499 default configuration also includes a 250GB hard drive, a SuperDrive DVD burner, a budget-level 256MB GeForce 7300 GT graphics card, and 1GB of 667MHz DDR2 SDRAM. Unfortunately, the graphicscard models you can choose among are fairly limited (an ATI Radeon X1900 XT being the highest). Home users with an appetite for a powerful desktop should also realize that the Mac Pro isn’t as home-theaterfriendly as the iMac. Neither Bluetooth nor AirPort wireless networking comes built in. (Each is a $79 option.) Likewise, Apple doesn’t bundle a remote or its

Front Row software. Otherwise, the Mac Pro offers more computer than most home users will ever need. Our favorite feature is its hard drive design. Too often, we see drives that block expansion bays or whose power cables dangle like cheap party banners. Apple has instead mounted the hard drives in a row directly under the optical-drive cage and the power supply. Each drive attaches to a numbered sled that slides into an outward-facing bay. As a result, you don’t have to deal with any cables. In our Photoshop performance test, the Mac Pro lagged behind comparable Windows-based PCs, because Adobe hasn’t yet released an Intel-friendly version of Photoshop for the Mac. Still, to its credit, the Mac Pro trailed the Windows test bed by only 45 seconds. In our CineBench benchmark, which tests a system’s video-rendering capability, our Mac blazed past its Windows competition with one CPU thread, as well as with multiple, simultaneous CPU threads. Apple’s support plan is still weak, however, offering only 90 days of phone support and a one-year CNET.com warranty. —Rich Brown

HP Pavilion d4600y 26 NOTEBOOKS Acer Aspire 9800 HP Pavilion DV2000t Toshiba Satellite U205-S5022 Averatec AV7160-EC1 30 COMPONENTS Apple Mighty Mouse ATI Radeon X1950 XTX Pioneer BDR-101A 32 PRINTERS Canon Pixma MP450 HP Deskjet 6940 36 DISPLAYS Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP ViewSonic VX2025wm 38 HOME NETWORKING Buffalo Nfiniti Wireless Router & AP (WZR-G300N) Netgear Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter 40 MOBILE PRODUCTS Sony Ericsson K790a LG VX8500 Chocolate 42 DIGITAL CAMERAS Nikon Coolpix S7c Olympus SP-320 Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T9 44 DIGITAL AUDIO Logic 3 i-Station8 Kingston K-PEX 100 Portable Media Player Sony NW-A1200 46 DIGITAL LIVING Logitech Harmony 720 Sony KDS-60A2000

The Mac Pro’s chassis, a slight modification of the Power Mac G5’s, includes a FireWire 800 port and an extra USB 2.0 port, bumping the number of frontpanel connectors to four. Apple also made room for a second optical drive.

Vizio GV42L HDTV 48 SOFTWARE Morpheus Photo Animation Suite Ewido Anti-Spyware 4 Dragon NaturallySpeaking Preferred 9 WebMessenger Mobile IM

For details on how we test the hardware we review, visit computershopper.com/ HowWeTest.

computershopper.com November 2006

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REVIEWS DESKTOPS

Alienware Area-51 7500 An overclocked speedster in a bright new chassis THE LATEST MODEL in Alienware’s high-end Area-51 series comes outfitted with an overclocked Core 2 Duo Extreme X6800 processor and two 512MB GeForce 7900 GTX graphics cards in a snazzy redesigned case. At $4,970 in our test configuration, it’s a vaporizer of budgets for most, but our tests show it certainly delivers EDITORS’ RATING 8.0 performance. The hulking new chassis, 0 BETTER >> 10 though shorter than previous PROS Intel Core 2 Extreme models, is 3 inches longer. CPU; innovative, customizable Because it isn’t as tall, howlighting; untethered side panel; case is shorter than previous ever, it fits better under your models desk. Thanks to a smartly designed electrical-contact sysCONS Case is still huge tem, the side-panel fan and SPECS 2.93GHz Core 2 lights aren’t connected to the Extreme X6800; 2GB DDR2; two PC’s power supply. This 250GB hard drives; double-layer means no fumbling with DVD±RW; no monitor; two nVidia GeForce 7900 GTX graphics wires to remove the panel. cards (512MB); Windows XP The new chassis has five Professional external-lighting locations, Alienware, 800-254-3692 which you can change to any www.alienware.com color via a custom-built softDirect Price $4,970 ware interface. You can also

Dell XPS 410 Entertainment PC offers speedy performance

program the lights to do various things, such as turn off when a DVD movie starts or blink when you receive a new e-mail message. It comes as no surprise that Alienware would debut its redesigned chassis with Intel’s 2.93GHz X6800 chip, overclocked to 3.26GHz. Our test unit also included 2GB of 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM. The rest of the 7500 is a fairly standard high-end configuration that includes two 250GB 7,200rpm hard drives and a double-layer DVD burner. Of the Core 2 Duo Extreme X6800 PCs we’ve tested, competing Overdrive (overclocked to 3.76GHz) and Velocity Micro (overclocked to 3.68GHz) models outperformed the 7500, bouncing it down to third place. Otherwise, the Alienware PC delivered 124 frames per second in our Quake 4 test at 1,024x768, sufficient horsepower for hardCNET.com core gamers. —Rich Brown

EDITORS’ RATING 0

DELL IS JUMPING ABOARD the Core 2 Duo train, shipping Intel’s Core 2 Duo E6600 CPU inside its XPS 410. While our test unit’s $2,365 price is high for what you get, the XPS 410 does provide a cutting-edge processor, an entertainment-friendly feature set, and a clear upgrade path to next-generation CPUs. Housed inside a gloss-white BTX case, the XPS 410 fits right in with your home office. You could cuddle it up with your home-entertainment system, especially since the PC runs so quiet, but it might look out of place. A DVD burner and a DVD-ROM drive occupy the full-size external drive bays, and one of the two 3.5-inch bays houses a multiformat card reader. You can configure the XPS 410 with a high-end sound card, but our test model relied on motherboard-integrated audio,

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BETTER >>

7.2 10

PROS Speedy Core 2 Duo CPU; fine for most home theater quiet operation users. It also came with a CONS Expensive, considering dual-TV-tuner card and a its components two-port FireWire card inSPECS 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo stalled, leaving a pair of x1 E6600; 2GB DDR2; two 320GB PCI Express slots hard drives; DVD±RW; DVD-ROM; and one PCI slot 20.1-inch Dell LCD; nVidia GeForce available for ex7900 GS graphics (256MB); Winpansion. The dows XP Media Center Edition 2005 two hard drive bays hold two Dell, 800-999-3355 www.dell.com 320GB hard drives in a RAID Direct Price $2,365 1 configuration. Powered by the 2.4GHz E6600 processor and a 256MB nVidia GeForce 7900 GS graphics card, the XPS 410 churned out a most playable 111 frames per second in our Quake 4 test at 1,024x768. Though that’s slower than what an X6800 CPU could deliver, it’s suitable for casual fraggers. Our PC shipped with a standard keyboard and optical mouse, as well as Dell’s 5650 100-watt six-piece speakers. The included monitor was a 20.1-inch Dell UltraCNET.com Sharp 2007WFP. —Dan Ackerman

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REVIEWS DESKTOPS

Velocity Micro Raptor DCX Gaming rig delivers blistering speed IF YOU DEMAND blazing performance, Velocity Micro’s Raptor DCX should be at the top of your list, but if you value style as much as power, you might think twice before forking over the $5,995. Many high-end desktops we’ve tested recently have featured flashy new case designs, but EDITORS’ RATING 7.9 the Raptor DCX comes in the same tried-and-true chassis 0 BETTER >> 10 as its predecessors. Look inPROS Top-notch performance; side the fridge-like case, howroom for expansion ever, and you’ll find Intel’s CONS Expensive; case design is top-of-the-line Core 2 Duo Exa little stale treme X6800 chip, overclocked to 3.68GHz. This aggressive SPECS 2.93GHz Core 2 Duo Extreme X6800; 2GB DDR2; two overclocking explains the 150GB, one 400GB hard drives; need for the complex watertwo double-layer DVD±RW cooling assembly that sat drives; no monitor; ATI Radeon atop the CPU. Complementing X1900 XT (512MB), Radeon X1900 CrossFire Edition (512MB) the processor are 2GB of graphics cards; Windows XP 800MHz DDR2 SDRAM and Professional two ATI graphics cards: a Velocity Micro, 800-303-7866 512MB Radeon X1900 XT www.velocitymicro.com and a 512MB Radeon Direct Price $5,995 X1900 CrossFire Edition. You

also get two empty PCI slots for expansion. Velocity Micro clearly made the right configuration choices, because there wasn’t a benchmark test the Raptor DCX didn’t ace. It’s one of the fastest PCs we’ve seen, topped only by Overdrive PC’s Core2.X-Fire reviewed at the start of this section. Everything down to the dual 150GB hard drives (both 10,000rpm models) contributed to top-shelf performance. Velocity Micro also provided a third hard drive, a 400GB 7,200rpm unit, and the front of the case includes a flash-memory reader/floppy-drive combo. The default warranty covers parts and labor for three years. You also get a year of aroundthe-clock onsite service through Velocity’s emergency-service package. —Rich Brown

CNET.com

HP Pavilion d4600y

EDITORS’ RATING

A capable Core 2 Duo PC for everyday home use

0

HEWLETT-PACKARD isn’t an acclaimed innovator, but, to its credit, the company was among the first to offer a desktop with Intel’s middle-of-the-road 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo E6600 processor. The Pavilion d4600y is clad in a dull, two-tone chassis. Our $2,000 test unit, however, retained many of the features we’d liked in previous Pavilions, including HP’s Personal Media Drive (PMD)—a removable plug-and-play hard drive that connects via the oval-shape slot built into many Pavilions. (The drive also includes a USB 2.0 connection for use with other PCs as an external drive.) Our configuration came with a 160GB PMD (a $150 upgrade), plus twin 250GB hard drives, a dual-tuner Hauppauge NTSC TV-tuner card, and a Media Center remote. Also onboard were twin optical drives—a DVD-ROM drive and a DVD burner—and a multiformat flash-

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BETTER >>

7.2 10

PROS Speedy Core 2 Duo CPU; loads of memory, hard drive memory-card reader. Despace; includes HP’s Personal spite the myriad features, Media Drive slot however, the d4600y felt CONS Looks, feels cheap for a cheap and poorly pricey system; no high-end graphmade, unlike other, ics-card options more solidly built Core 2 Duo systems. SPECS 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo E6600; 2GB DDR2; two 250GB, Inside the case, the one 160GB hard drives; DVD±RW; d4600y offers a DVD-ROM; no monitor; ATI midrange 256MB ATI Radeon X1600 XT graphics Radeon X1600 XT (256MB); Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 graphics card, along with four empty PCI Hewlett-Packard, 888-999-4747 slots and room for two www.hp.com additional optical drives Direct Price $2,000 and two more hard drives. The X1600 XT is a decent choice for casual gaming, but we wish HP offered the option to configure it with high-end cards such as ATI’s Radeon X1900 or nVidia’s GeForce 7900, as well. Nevertheless, the PC performed well in our testing, with a score precisely between those of a top-notch X6800 Core 2 Duo and a low-end E6300 CNET.com processor. —Dan Ackerman

REVIEWS NOTEBOOKS

Acer Aspire 9800 Massive Media Center features high-def capability WE’VE SEEN large laptops before, but nothing like the $2,799 Aspire 9800. This 17.3-pound behemoth features an eye-popping 20.1-inch screen and includes a built-in HD DVD drive. The 9800’s monstrous girth, however, is its biggest drawback— most people will find it overkill. The notebook’s wide-screen LCD, with its 1,680x1,050 EDITORS’ RATING 6.8 native resolution, can’t dis0 BETTER >> 10 play every pixel of HD conPROS Beautiful, broad 20.1tent in 1080p. Still, we tested inch display; built-in HD DVD its performance with a few drive; built-in TV tuner; plenty of clips from Apple’s Quickstorage Time HD Gallery and were CONS Too large to carry; disapimpressed by the display’s pointing gaming performance rich colors and dark blacks. SPECS 2.16GHz Core Duo Elsewhere, you’ll find a T2600; 2GB DDR2; two 120GB full-size keyboard and amhard drives; double-layer HD DVD±RW (HD read-only); 20.1ply sized mouse buttons. inch TFT; Windows XP Media Because the 9800 is a Media Center Edition 2005 Center PC, you also get variAcer, 800-733-2237 ous media controls, along us.acer.com with a 1.3-megapixel WebDirect Price $2,799 cam and a built-in TV tuner.

Along its sides are numerous video and audio ports, an ExpressCard slot, and a multiformat media-card reader. You don’t get a High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) port, however. Integrated Bluetooth and 802.11a/b/g radios are also standard, as is a one-year warranty. The 9800 is available in one configuration, which includes a 2.16GHz Core Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, and a 256MB nVidia GeForce Go 7600 graphics card. Two 120GB hard drives provide plenty of storage room. Performance-wise, the 9800 posted one of the highest BAPCo SYSmark scores we’ve seen, with an above-average 245. Its gaming scores, however, were more modest, clocking only 41.4 frames per second on Doom 3. Battery life was downright disappointing—the 9800 was unable to complete our 90-minute battery-life benchmark tests.

CNET.com

—Michelle Thatcher

HP Pavilion DV2000t

EDITORS’ RATING

Dual-core notebook sports a new look

0

6.9

BETTER >>

10

PROS Strong specs for the WITH ITS ROUNDED EDGES and high-gloss finish, the Pavilion DV2000t inaugurates a new look for HewlettPackard’s Pavilion laptop line. More important, the laptop has better processor options than its predecessors did, from Intel’s Core Duo CPUs to AMD’s Turion 64 X2. Our $1,754 test unit came with a speedy 2.16GHz Core Duo processor, 2GB of RAM, a 120GB hard drive spinning at 5,400rpm, and an extended 12-cell battery. In our benchmark tests, the DV2000t ran 36.5 percent faster than the Turion-powered DV2000z did, scoring a BAPCo MobileMark 2005 rating of 243. With the extended battery, which adds 1.4 pounds to the base unit’s 5.5-pound weight, the DV2000t ran for roughly six hours. In terms of features, ports, and connections, the notebook is capable of meeting any home user’s

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price; configuration options inneeds. Most prominent is clude AMD, Intel CPUs; bright its bright 14.1-inch LCD, 14.1-inch display; extensive which has a 1,280x800 naports/connections tive resolution. For expanCONS Keys are noisy; too-slick sion, the DV2000t offers touch pad three USB 2.0 ports, one SPECS 2.16GHz Core Duo FireWire port, an S-Video T2600; 2GB DDR2; 120GB hard out, a VGA out, and a fivedrive; DVD-ROM/CD-RW combo; format memory-card read14.1-inch TFT; Windows XP Home er. Networking connections Edition include built-in 802.11a/b/g Hewlett-Packard, 888-999-4747 and Gigabit Ethernet conwww.hp.com nectivity. Our configuration Direct Price $1,754 (before a also had a DVD-ROM/CD$50 mail-in rebate) RW drive. Whenever we rested our hand above the optical drive, however, the CD whirring inside would buzz noisily—a small ding against an otherwise impressive unit. We appreciated the touch pad’s vertical and horizontal scrolling functionality and its on/off button, but the touch pad itself was far too slippery to scroll with. Another quibble: the noisy keyboard. —Andrew Gruen and M.T.

CNET.com

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REVIEWS NOTEBOOKS

Toshiba Satellite U205-S5022 Compact notebook makes a few design compromises WEIGHING 4.1 POUNDS and equipped with a glossy 12.1inch wide-screen display, the Toshiba Satellite U205-S5022 lies somewhere between a thin-and-light laptop and an ultraportable. It shares some features with Toshiba’s business-oriented Tecra line, but the notebook also provides solid performance for home users who can tolerate a few design flaws. Our well-priced 6.4 $1,349 review unit’s EDITORS’ RATING LCD screen made high0 BETTER >> 10 definition content look crisp PROS Inexpensive; long battery and vibrant, thanks to its life; plenty of ports; fingerprint 1,280x800 native resolution. reader; compact design The laptop’s audio, however, CONS Tiny, uncomfortable keyleaves much to be desired— board, touch pad; tinny speakers the built-in speakers made SPECS 1.83GHz Core Duo everything we played sound T2400; 1GB DDR2; 120GB hard like a Chipmunks album. drive; double-layer DVD±RW; Even more frustrating 12.1-inch TFT; Windows XP were the U205’s keyboard Professional and touch pad, both downToshiba America, 800-316-0920 right diminutive. Toshiba www.toshibadirect.com took the liberty of relocating Direct Price $1,349 some shortcut keys from

their standard locations, so typing took some getting used to. On the upside, a set of multimedia controls above the keyboard, along with an instant-on button, allow for quick access to entertainment functions. Our test unit came with an integrated fingerprint reader for security, built-in Ethernet, and a 56Kbps modem. Standard features include three USB 2.0 ports, a FireWire port, an RGB out, and a multiformat flash-memory reader. Toshiba also includes a one-year parts-and-labor warranty. Under the hood, we got a mix of mostly average components, including a 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo processor, 1GB of 533MHz DDR2 memory, a 120GB hard drive, integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics, and a double-layer DVD burner. On our BAPCo MobileMark 2005 benchmark test, the U205 scored a respectable 235. Battery life was good in our tests, as well, with the laptop enduring for 4 hours and 39 CNET.com minutes on a charge. —Andrew Gruen

Averatec AV7160-EC1

EDITORS’ RATING

Single-core CPU keeps laptop from reaching potential

0

6.5

BETTER >>

10

PROS Cheap; compact for a MOST LAPTOPS with 17-inch screens are tailored for gamers or multimedia enthusiasts. Averatec’s AV7160-EC1, however, eschews pricey graphics and TiVo-like functionality for a simple design and a thin profile. Our test unit’s $1,199 price also affirms Averatec’s reputation for good value. Still, despite the notebook’s many pluses, we have trouble recommending it. For starters, its screen features a slightly lower resolution (1,440x900) than most 17-inch wide-screen displays. And although the AV7160-EC1 comes with Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005, you can’t take full advantage of it—Averatec supplies neither a TV tuner nor any media controls. You do get a full-size keyboard, but Averatec has plastered its tagline just above it, ruining the PC’s otherwise-minimalist aesthetic. In addition to its full array of audio and video ports, the AV7160EC1 has a multiformat memory-card reader, an on/off switch for the built-in wireless radio, three USB 2.0 ports, and a double-

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desktop replacement; quiet operalayer DVD burner. tion; comfortable keyboard; big Its 1.8GHz single-core AMD hard drive Turion 64 ML-32 chip doesn’t CONS No multimedia controls; serve up loads of raw perforsingle-core CPU; weak graphics; mance, but it runs coolly and tagline next to keyboard is an quietly. Complementing the eyesore processor are 1GB of DDR2 SPECS 1.8GHz Turion 64 MLmemory, a roomy 100GB hard 32; 1GB DDR2; 100GB hard drive; drive, and ATI Radeon Xpress double-layer DVD±RW; 17-inch 200M graphics. The AV7160TFT; Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005 EC1’s score of 182 on our BAPCo MobileMark 2005 Averatec, 877-841-7423 www.averatec.com benchmark test trailed the showings of most other lapDirect Price $1,199 tops we’ve tested, including one using Intel’s budget Celeron chip. And while the AV7160-EC1 handled basic office chores with ease, intensive graphics work and heavy multitasking taxed it. Battery life was average for a desktopreplacement model, peaking at 2 hours and 32 minutes. Like most manufacturers, Averatec backs the AV7160-EC1 with a standard one-year CNET.com warranty. —Matthew Elliott

REVIEWS COMPONENTS

Apple Mighty Mouse Sleek mouse loses its tail WITH ITS LATEST Mighty Mouse, Apple improves on the original by adding Bluetooth connectivity and 0 BETTER >> 10 more-precise laser tracking. PROS Attractive design; easy The $69 Mighty Mouse shares the setup; works with one or two AA batteries clean design of its predecessor, but without the cord. The shiny white CONS Hypersensitive scroll shell houses invisible left and right top wheel; stiff side buttons buttons—you can program one or Apple Computer, 800-692-7753 both. A scroll ball lets you move up www.apple.com and down, side to side, and diagonally; Direct Price $69 when pushed down, the ball acts as another button to which you can assign a function. Also, the two side buttons, when pushed together, can act as a fourth programmable button. The Mighty Mouse ships with two AA lithium batteries, but it also accepts alkaline cells and can even run on just a single battery. It took us about 3.5 minutes to install the software and pair the mouse with our Bluetooth-enabled PowerBook. The mouse was comfortable to hold and accurate on a variety of surfaces. Our gripes were minor: The occasional unintentional graze of the highly sensitive scroll ball sent us scrolling sideways, and the stiff side buttons were tough to press. —Wendy Sheehan

EDITORS’ RATING

Pioneer BDR-101A Blu-ray drive is slow, pricey PIONEER MAY HAVE won the Blu-ray-burner race, but it cut some corners along the way. The company’s BDR-101A, an internal high-definition (HD) optical drive, is the first drive to use Sony’s Blu-ray disc format. With its slow 2x write speeds and steep $995 price, however, this drive is best reserved for those who work with HD content. One of the Blu-ray format’s chief advantages over its archrival, HD DVD, is its larger storage capacity. A Blu-ray disc can hold 25GB of data, and a double-layer Blu-ray disc can hold 50GB. The BDR-101A doesn’t support 50GB doublelayer discs, however. Nor does it read or write standard CDs. Installing the drive is no different than hooking up a standard optical drive. (The BDR-101A is currently comEDITORS’ RATING 5.8 patible only with Windows PCs.) Pi0 BETTER >> 10 oneer includes PROS Single-layer Blu-ray Sonic Solutions’ discs hold 25GB; actual write Roxio DigitalMedia speed is close to 2x claim 7 software, which CONS Expensive; slow writes we used to run our compared with CD/DVD burners; tests. In our first doesn’t read/write CDs, doubletest, we burned a layer Blu-ray discs; no Mac sup19.9GB clip of port 1080p HD video (in Pioneer Electronics MPEG-4 format) to 800-444-6784 a write-once Bluwww.pioneerelectronics.com ray BD-R disc. It Direct Price $995 took 40 minutes and 22 seconds, for a data transfer rate of 8.4MB per second. We then managed to burn three large DVD-size files (21.8GB worth) to a rewritable BD-RE disc in 44 minutes and 15 seconds. Finally, we backed up our 18.7GB Apple iTunes library to a BD-RE disc in 37 minutes and 53 seconds. Although the burner’s actual write times approximated the drive’s rated 2x speed, the BDR-101A remains too expensive to be a viable backup solution. The media is expensive, too, at roughly $20 per disc. —Matthew Elliott

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7.5

ATI Radeon X1950 XTX Meet the new single-chip performance king ATI’S RADEON X1950 XTX is the fastest single-processor 3D-graphics card you EDITORS’ RATING 7.7 can buy. With Windows Vista and 0 BETTER >> 10 DirectX 10 titles just around the corner, PROS Fast new graphics memohowever, its $450 price is simply too ry; can activate HDR and antialiashigh to buy the card on a whim. ing simultaneously The X1950 XTX will let you play DirectX 10 titles, but not with their nextCONS Next-generation products/ titles will soon blunt this card’s generation 3D features activated. For impact current titles, however, the X1950 XTX ATI Technologies, 888-974-6728 packs 512MB of GDDR4 memory, which www.ati.com runs at 2GHz and gives you an edge over nVidia’s competing GeForce 7900 GTX. Direct Price $450 In our Quake 4 test, the X1950 XTX squeezed out a 10-frame-per-second (fps) lead over the 7900 GTX at a resolution of 1,600x1,200. That’s not exactly a death blow to nVidia, but factor in the X1950 XTX’s ability to turn on high dynamic range (HDR) lighting and antialiasing simultaneously—something the 7900 GTX can’t do—and you have a winner. ATI also sells an X1950 CrossFire Edition card, for configuring a compatible PC with dual X1950 cards, but the second card bumps up the cost of your pair of soon-to-be-dated 3D CNET.com cards to a whopping $900. —Rich Brown

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REVIEWS PRINTERS

Canon Pixma MP450 Basic all-in-one delivers great features for the price THE CANON PIXMA MP450 is a four-color multifunction inkjet that scores points for its excellent print quality and fast print speeds. Designed for home users, the $129.99 machine offers neither fax nor networking capabilities, but it features print, scan, and copy functions, as well as the ability to print photos without your PC from a memory card, PictBridge camera, or infraredequipped camera phone. You can also add an optional Bluetooth module (around $80) for further wireless-printing possibilities. The MP450 has only one paper feeder and no duplexer. The flatbed scanner can scan originals up to 8.5x11.75 inches, and the lid lifts to EDITORS’ RATING 7.5 accommodate originals up to 0.75 inch thick. When 0 BETTER >> 10 copying, you can reduce PROS Inexpensive; reads flashand enlarge, make bordermemory cards; supports PictBridge, less copies and borderless infrared, Bluetooth devices; highcolor prints, and more. quality output When scanning, you can CONS Limited paper-handling save the result to your PC, options; not networkable save it as a PDF, attach it to Canon U.S.A., 800-652-2666 an e-mail, or open it on usa.canon.com your PC. The bundled MP Mfr. Est. Price $129.99 Navigator software in-

cludes Canon’s Easy-PhotoPrint for printing images, ArcSoft PhotoStudio for editing photos, and Nuance’s ScanSoft OmniPage SE optical-characterrecognition utility. The MP450 fared well on our tests, printing black text at a quick 6.8 pages per minute (ppm) and an 8x10-inch photo at a rate of 0.6ppm. Making copies, however, was sluggish at just 2.4ppm. On coated inkjet paper, black text looked reasonably sharp, and text was legible even at tiny point sizes. With our color-graphics test page, the MP450 performed well, showing bright, saturated colors. Our test photo was nicely rendered, too, though its colors CNET.com appeared a little washed out. —Felisa Yang

HP Deskjet 6940

EDITORS’ RATING

Affordable inkjet is network-ready

0

THE HEWLETT-PACKARD DESKJET 6940 isn’t a top-of-theline inkjet, but with its affordable price ($129.99), networkability, and decent print quality, it’s a good choice for students and budget-conscious home-office users. Note, though, that if you need autoduplexing and more paper capacity (a 250-sheet input tray in addition to the standard 150-sheet one), you’ll have to pony up $50 more for the step-up Deskjet 6940dt. The 6940’s builtin Ethernet capability means you can print from any networked computer in your home or office, and it’s simple to print photos (bordered or borderless) without using your PC, thanks to the builtin USB port for PictBridge-enabled cameras. The ink handling is less convenient, however. For standard document printing, you’ll use the included black cartridge and

BETTER >>

7.1 10

PROS Network-ready; PictBridge tricolor CMY cartridge. For port for PC-free photo printing; Windows-, Mac-compatible photo printing, you can swap out the black-ink CONS Autoduplexer, larger input tank for a second tricolor tray cost extra; ink-tank swapping ink cartridge, enabling sixHewlett-Packard, 888-999-4747 color printing, or for a gray www.hp.com cartridge for black-andDirect Price $129.99 white photos. The 6940 did about as well as or better than its competition in our performance tests. It printed black text at a rate of 7 pages per minute (ppm) and an 8.5x11-inch photo at a rate of 0.6ppm. Print quality was serviceable for home or light office use. Black text looked sharp and clean, and fonts were legible down to very small point sizes. In color graphics, jagginess was a bit more apparent, but colors appeared bright and saturated. We did notice banding in gradients, however. In our test photo print on HP photo paper, we noticed some graininess, but for the most part, photo quality was good enough for CNET.com casual snapshots. —F.Y. SECTION CONTINUES ON PAGE 36

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REVIEWS DISPLAYS

Dell UltraSharp 2407WFP Big screen, excellent images, great price THE DELL ULTRASHARP 2407WFP is a 24-inch widescreen LCD with myriad features and connections, abundant adjustability options, and excellent image quality, all for just under $800. Other LCDs come close to matching the 2407WFP’s performance, but they typically cost hundreds more, while falling short of Dell’s connectivity options or overall value for money. You can pivot the display between landscape and portrait modes, although making adjustments causes the base to wobble slightly. The display’s plentiful inputs include four USB 2.0 ports, DVI-D and analog-VGA signal inputs, and a media-card reader. You also get composite, component, and S-Video ports for conEDITORS’ RATING 8.0 necting video devices, and a dedicated button for > > 0 BETTER 10 launching picture-in-picture PROS Excellent image quality; (PIP) and picture-by-picture full array of video ports; PIP, PBP (PBP) functions. options; USB hub; HDCP support Tested at its native resoluCONS Slightly wobbly base; tion of 1,920x1,200, the tricky-to-navigate onscreen menu 2407WFP delivered excellent Dell, 800-449-3355 performance on our Displaywww.dell.com Mate-based tests. Text was Direct Price $799 dark and legible, and gray-

ViewSonic VX2025wm A great panel on an unadjustable stand

scale rendering looked terrific. Colors were accurate and vivid across the board. Dell rates the 2407WFP with a relatively fast 6-millisecond response time, and the monitor performed well overall in our moving-image tests. Testing with DVDs showed a bit more digital noise than average, but images were sharp and clear, with vibrant colors. Gaming-test images also appeared brilliant and crisp, but we did notice minimal streaking and ghosting. The 2407WFP comes equipped with High-Bandwidth Digital Content Protection (HDCP), and when we connected the display to a high-definition television signal, we noted some digital noise in solid backgrounds, which is expected. From a normal viewing distance, however, the picture was CNET.com rich and distinct. —Michael Degnan

EDITORS’ RATING 0

BETTER >>

8.0 10

PROS Superior image quality; fast pixel-response rate; sleek ca-

THE VIEWSONIC VX2025wm is hands-down the best deal in its class. For $389, you get a 20-inch wide-screen monitor able enough for light graphics and design work. This stylish monitor’s stand isn’t nearly as adjustable as other displays’, but what the stand lacks in flexibility, the display makes up for in performance. Attractively clad in silver and black, the panel can tilt 20 degrees back and 5 degrees forward, but it doesn’t swivel, pivot, or allow height adjustments. On the back, the monitor features DVI-D and VGA ports, as well as cleverly designed snapoff covers for cable management. An audio-in

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ble management; decent speakers connection feeds sound to two built-in 1-watt speakCONS Not height-adjustable; lacks landscape/portrait pivot ers. The speakers performed better ViewSonic, 888-881-8781 www.viewsonic.com than most built-ins and Mfr. Est. Price $389 were loud enough to fill a small room, though they still sounded a little thin. We tested the VX2025wm at its native resolution of 1,680x1,050, with pleasing results. It distinguished itself on our DisplayMate-based tests, rendering clear, sharp text. Colors were accurate and vivid, the only real flaw being brighter shades of red turning slightly orange. The monitor also provided a sufficiently wide viewing angle. Thanks to the VX2025wm’s relatively quick 8-millisecond pixel-response rate, we were impressed with the display’s DVD and game playback. Our DVD tests showed average levels of noise, with clear, crisp images and stunning colors. Our gaming tests presented sharp images and lots of detail in light areas, and we didn’t observe any streaking CNET.com or ghosting. —Lara Luepke

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REVIEWS HOME NETWORKING

Netgear Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter Networking over household wires: easy but pricey IF YOU’RE WI-FI-SHY but don’t want to give up on the idea of streaming content around your house, check out Netgear’s Powerline HD Ethernet Adapter. It’s simple to use and the throughput is high enough to stream high-definition video without a glitch. The downside: Each adapter costs about $100, and, if you need tech support down the road, phone support for anything more than basic setup issues is pricey. Setting up a power-line network with the Netgear kit couldn’t be simpler: Connect the adapter to one of your router’s LAN ports via an Ethernet cable, then EDITORS’ RATING 7.2 plug the 0 BETTER >> 10 adapter into PROS Simple to set up, configa wall socket. ure; fast throughput; using a Plug the secswitch, can network multiple ond adapter devices off one adapter into any other CONS Costly; phone support for outlet in your home, and, complex issues can be expensive using another Ethernet cable, connect a client device. Netgear, 888-638-4327 www.netgear.com You don’t need an adapter for every device you want Mfr. Est. Price $200 (two-adapter starter kit) to network—you can con-

nect a switch to a powerline adapter and connect as many devices to the switch as it will support. For example, a single adapter and switch in your living room could support a digital video recorder, a media adapter, a set-top box, and a notebook PC. You will still have to contend with an unsightly tangle of cords and cables, however. In our tests, Netgear’s adapters clocked an impressive 52.7Mbps throughput rate—faster than that of the Panasonic adapters, which posted a 35.4Mbps rate. Netgear backs the Powerline HD Ethernet Adapters with a one-year warranty. Toll-free phone support for basic setup issues is free for the first 90 days. More-detailed assistance can be had for a price: a hefty $32.95 per incident (up to CNET.com 30 minutes). —Felisa Yang

Buffalo Nfiniti Wireless-N Router & AP Mixed-mode wireless router delivers good speed

EDITORS’ RATING 0

6.4

BETTER >>

10

PROS Easy configuration; LIKE THE OTHER Draft N routers we’ve tested, Buffalo’s $149 Nfiniti Wireless-N Router and AP promises throughput five times faster than that of 802.11g. And though, like the others, it doesn’t quite live up to that promise, it’s nonetheless speedy. Most routers offer a single-mode option, but the Nfiniti operates only in a mixed b/g/n mode, which means older-generation products on your network, such as 802.11b clients, can become network bottlenecks. Installing the router is simple and straightforward: the printed quick-start guide walks you through the steps of connecting the modem, a router, and a PC (via Ethernet cables) and powering up each component. The Buffalo AirStation Nfiniti router supports only Windows XP/2000/ Me/98 SE operating systems; Mac and Unix users are out of luck.

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impressive performance Through the configuration utility, you CONS Doesn’t support singlecan access the Bufmode operation; no Mac, Linux falo’s proprietary support network-setup Buffalo Technology, 800-456-9799 protocol. By presswww.buffalotech.com ing the button on Mfr. Est. Price $149 the router and the corresponding button—or virtual button, in the case of network adapters—you should be able to initiate a wireless network connection automatically The Nfiniti offers competitive performance. In our mixed-mode test at 10 feet, the router beat the competition with an impressive data rate of 60.2Mbps. At 200 feet, it still delivered a very satisfactory 38.2Mbps. Still, its performance falls short of the promise of 802.11n, the first draft of which specifies a maximum throughput of 270Mbps. Because of this—we’ve said it before, and we’re saying it again—hold back on buying Draft N gear and wait until the 802.11n specification is finalized in mid-2007 to see how perforCNET.com mance shakes out. —F.Y.

REVIEWS MOBILE PRODUCTS

Sony Ericsson K790a Top-notch camera phone is feature-loaded



IT’S COSTLY, but with an amazing selection of features and great performance, the $499.99 Sony Ericsson K790a is simply the best camera phone we’ve seen to date. At 4.1x1.9x0.9 inches and 4.1 ounces, the eye-catching K790a is far from compact, but its solid construction, comfortable feel, and sharp 2-inch color display are worthy trade-offs. Situated below the screen, the phone’s five-way joystick and navigation controls are tactile and easy to use, if a bit cramped. On the back of the handset, a movable cover exposes the camera lens EDITORS’ RATING 8.3 and a self-portrait mirror. The K790a comes with a 0 BETTER >> 10 wealth of features, includPROS Sharp screen; Bluetooth ing Bluetooth connectivity, connectivity; speakerphone, DUN a speakerphone function, support; 3.2-megapixel camera takes greats pictures; clear call e-mail support, a music quality; long battery life player, and a Really Simple CONS Expensive; cramped navSyndication (RSS) newsreadigation controls; call volume a bit er. The phone also supports low; no world-phone support dial-up networking, which Sony Ericsson, 866-766-9374 lets you use your handset as www.sonyericsson.com a wireless modem when it’s Direct Price $499.99 connected to a PC via BlueEDITORS’ CHOICE

tooth or USB. The real star of the show, though, is the integrated 3.2megapixel camera, which offers as many features as a stand-alone shooter, including a 16x digital zoom, image-stabilization capabilities, a powerful flash, and the ability to shoot MPEG-4 video clips. You save photos and videos to the phone’s 64MB of internal memory or to a Memory Stick Micro card; the latter fits into a slot on the left spine. In our tests, calls sounded clear (though volume was a little low), and picture quality was crisp. Battery life was an impressive 6 hours and 40 minutes while talking, and Sony rates the K790a’s standby time at 14 days. The only big feature missing: This GSM handset lacks quad-band worldCNET.com phone support. —Kent German

LG VX8500 Chocolate Delicious-looking phone leaves us unsated

EDITORS’ RATING 0

THE BEAUTIFULLY designed LG VX8500 Chocolate offers a respectable mix of features and performance, but it doesn’t quite live up to the hype. The handset is available from Verizon for $199.99 (before a $50 rebate), when bought with a new twoyear service plan. At 3.8x1.9x0.7 inches and 3.5 ounces, the all-black Chocolate resembles a candy bar with its sleek rectangular shape. We like the phone’s cool slider design, and its 2-inch, 320x240pixel display is one of the crispest we’ve seen on a cell phone. The circular touch pad and touch-sensitive navigation controls also lend a dash of style, but they can be tricky to use. The Chocolate has integrated Bluetooth connectivity for making hands-free calls and listening to music wirelessly. Unlike most handsets, however, it doesn’t include a speakerphone function. Other multimedia features include a 1.3-megapixel camera, a camcorder,

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BETTER >>

7.0 10

PROS Sharp design; multimeand an integrated music dia-rich feature set with Blueplayer compatible with tooth, music player, 1.3-megapixel Verizon’s V Cast Music camera; admirable quality for service, so you can purcalls, photo viewing, music chase tunes and downCONS Hard-to-use touch pad, load them directly to controls; poor-quality streaming the phone. (You can video; short talk-time battery life; no speakerphone also transfer music from your PC using LG Electronics, 800-243-0000 a USB cable, or load us.lge.com tracks via a MicroDirect Price $199.99 (with a SD card.) Also, new two-year service agreement from Verizon) because the Chocolate supports Verizon’s high-speed Evolution Data Optimized (EV-DO) network, it’s compatible with V Cast’s streaming-video service. The dual-band CDMA phone sounded decent in our tests. Photo and music quality were excellent, but streaming video looked choppy and pixelated. Battery life was also disappointing—we squeezed out just 2.5 hours of talk time. The phone has a promised standby CNET.com time of 16 days. —K.G.

REVIEWS DIGITAL CAMERAS

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-T9 Stylish, ultracompact shooter performs well SONY’S 6-MEGAPIXEL Cyber-shot DSC-T9 is a good-looking, highly pocketable camera that’s fast and easy to use—and has solid image quality to boot. The first thing you’ll notice about this $399.95 cam is its sleek styling. Clad in black or silver stainless steel, the 5.6-ounce unit is less than an inch thick and has the dimensions of a credit card, yet it squeezes in a sharp 2.5-inch LCD screen and 58MB of onboard memory. The DSC-T9 is designed well from a usage perspecEDITORS’ RATING 7.6 tive, too, with a simple 0 BETTER >> 10 menu system and limited PROS Sleek, pocketable manual controls to prevent design; above-average photo confusion. Its only unconquality; very quick performance; ventional buttons: one optical image stabilization; that activates the Super 58MB of memory SteadyShot image stabilizaCONS Lens is slow and not tion, and another that plays very wide at f3.5 and 38mm; an animated slide show excessive red-eye of your photos, complete Sony Electronics, 888-936-7669 with music. www.sonystyle.com It’s also quick on the Direct Price $399.95 draw. It takes only 1.7 sec-

Olympus SP-320 Feature-loaded cam can’t beat the competition

onds to grab your first shot after turning on the power, and 1.3 seconds between successive shots in single-shot mode. Image quality is above average, with little distortion, color fringing, and noise. Our biggest caveat: excessive red-eye, which showed up even with the reduction preflash enabled. Another drawback is the lens. With a 35mm-film-equivalent range of 38mm to 114mm and a maximum aperture of f3.5 to f4.3, the Carl Zeiss-branded glass lens isn’t wide-angle enough for tight indoor shots or expansive landscapes. Also, it’s not fast enough to keep shutter speeds up CNET.com in even moderate light. —Shams Tarek

Nikon Coolpix S7c FIRST

THE $299.99 OLYMPUS SP-320 is a compact, feature-rich camera, but it can’t match the speed and photo quality of its peers. The 7.1-megapixel camera offers standard specs for a point-and-shoot model—such as a 3x optical zoom and a 2.5-inch LCD—as well as a number of manual-shooting options to please advanced shutterbugs. Other distinguishing features include an excellent built-in help system, digital image stabilization, and support for uncompressed raw files. Powered by AA batteries, the SP-320 accepts xD-PictureCards and has 25MB of built-in memory. Performance was a mixed EDITORS’ RATING 6.8 bag. Shutter-lag times were 0 BETTER >> 10 much better in good light than PROS Lots of manual dim conditions, and image quality, while decent, was a bit below that of the compactcamera competition. Our photos displayed accurate hues, but they were noticeably soft. And while the SP-320 kept noise in check at ISO 64 and ISO 100, we noticed significant artifacts at ISO 200. —Will Greenwald

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controls; built-in help system; supports raw format; runs on AA batteries

CONS Artifacts in photos at ISO 200; significant shutter lag in dim conditions Olympus America 888-553-4448 www.olympusamerica.com

Mfr. Est. Price $299.99

November 2006 computershopper.com

“Wi-Fi” is the word with the $349.95 Nikon Coolpix

TAKE S7c, a sleek-looking 7.1-megapixel snapshooter that lets you wirelessly upload and share your photos on the go. Upside: While Nikon’s previous 802.11b/g-equipped cameras could only sync photos to a PC or printer, the S7c makes wider use of its wireless capabilities. Employing the company’s free Coolpix Connect service, the S7c can upload up to 50MB of images to Nikon’s online server via any Wi-Fi hotspot. Plus, sending your images to the server directly from the camera generates an e-mail inviting recipients to view and download your images. The camera also features a gorgeous 3-inch LCD, along with solid features that include image-stabilization capabilities. Downside: Due to the shortcomings of Nikon’s Connect service—most notably, its 50MB threshold on uploads and two-week time limit for storing images online—the S7c probably will not be as adept at sharing photos as other WiFi-enabled cameras, such as the Kodak EasyShare One. Outlook: While we appreciate its photo-sharing abilities, the Coolpix S7c still has limitations to overcome in that department. Judging from its specs, however, this stylish point-andshoot should take nice pictures. Stay tuned for our full review. —Erin Kandel

p Nikon U.S.A., 800-645-6687, www.nikonusa.com Direct Price $349.95

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REVIEWS DIGITAL AUDIO

Kingston K-PEX 100 Portable Media Player A tiny budget player with lots of features FOR A BUDGET player, the featureloaded Kingston K-PEX 100 definitely rocks. It’s available in 1GB and 2GB capac> > 0 BETTER 10 ities, for $129.99 and $179.99, respectively. PROS Budget price; compact; Resembling a miniature gaming demusic/photo/video support; FM radio; line-in recording vice, the 2.2-ounce player supports MP3, OGG, WAV, and protected WMA audio CONS Video files must be files, as well as photo (JPEG) and video transcoded; no support for subplayback on its 2-inch color screen. Exscription WMAs; no FM recording; proprietary USB connector; tras include an FM tuner, a built-in slightly buggy operation speaker, line-in and voice recording, and Kingston Technology a MiniSD card slot. Also, the device works 877-546-4786 as a USB host for digital cameras. www.kingston.com The downsides: The K-PEX doesn’t Direct Price $129.99 (1GB); support subscription WMA files, can’t $179.99 (2GB) record FM broadcasts, and requires you to transcode all video for playback on the device using the included software. Also, its USB cable employs a proprietary connector on the device end. Apart from a few navigation bugs, the K-PEX performed well in our tests. Kingston rates the battery life at a decent CNET.com 17 hours per charge. —J.K.

EDITORS’ RATING

Sony NW-A1200 Sleek audio-only player sounds great WITH ITS ATTRACTIVE design, great sound quality, and innovative firmware features, the $199.95 Sony NW-A1200 should please audiophiles looking for an audio-playback-only device. Available in pink or violet, the hard-drive-based 8GB player measures 2.3x3.5x0.8 inches, weighs 3.9 ounces, and has a strikingly sexy design, with a glossy (though scratch-prone) plastic front and a scratch-proof metallic rear. A 1.5-inch monochrome display embedded under the plastic exterior shines through when powered on—an arresting effect. The screen is nearly impossible to read in sunlight, however. For navigation, EDITORS’ RATING 7.3 the NW-A1200 has a tactile five-way control 0 BETTER >> 10 pad, plus a unique PROS Stylish design; excellent Artist Link button, sound quality; useful playlist, which brings up a tree Artist Link features of songs or artists reCONS Lacks recording, FMlated to the track curradio functions; no photo/video rently playing. playback; screen hard to read in Although it lacks sunlight; front scratches easily; features like an FM no WMA DRM support; inelegant software for file transfers tuner or photo/video support, the NWSony Electronics, 800-222-7669 A1200 is a solid auwww.sonystyle.com dio-only device that Direct Price $199.95 can handle a variety of formats natively, including MP3, ATRAC3, and ATRAC3plus, as well as unprotected AAC and WMA files. Unfortunately, you have to use Sony’s unintuitive, Windows-only SonicStage software for transferring music onto the device. Useful playback options include the ability to create on-the-fly playlists, plus a Time Machine shuffle mode, which pulls together music from a random year. In our tests, sound quality was among the best we’ve heard from a portable device. Sony rates the NW-A1200’s battery for 20 hours of audio playback; we squeezed out a skimpier, but still respectable, CNET.com 14 hours. —James Kim

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7.3

Logic 3 i-Station8 iPod speaker dock has both punch and flaws THE $179.99 LOGIC 3 i-Station8 has its EDITORS’ RATING 6.7 drawbacks, but iPod owners seeking an interesting-looking portable speaker 0 BETTER >> 10 system with plenty of features should PROS LCD for song titles; consider it. unique design; powerful bass; Available in white or black, the good mix of ports i-Station8 has an impressive tower CONS Uncomfortable remote; design dominated by eight tweeters, a iPod stage has poor fit, feel; subwoofer, and a bright single-line LCD speakers are highly positionsensitive that displays song titles. Dock-connecting iPods fit into a cheap-feeling Logic 3, 508-835-1116 “stage” using included adapters; our www.spectravideo.com iPod didn’t fit snugly. And while we Direct Price $179.99 liked the speaker’s well-equipped infrared remote, its sharp corners make it uncomfortable to use. Powered by six AA batteries (or an AC power adapter), the i-Station8 has a plethora of ports around back, including jacks for composite-video out, S-Video out, auxiliary line-in, and iPod syncing with your PC. In our tests, the i-Station8 performed well, with thumping bass and plenty of volume. Be aware, though, that the speakers must be aligned directly at your head to achieve CNET.com optimal sound. —Jasmine France

REVIEWS DIGITAL LIVING

Sony KDS-60A2000 Pricey rear-projection TV offers excellent video quality ALTHOUGH SONY’S $3,700 KDS-60A2000 costs more than other rear-projection televisions, most viewers will find its excellent picture quality worth the premium. The 60-inch panel uses an engine based on Liquid Crystal on Silicon display technology, comprising three chips (red, green, and blue) and optimized with EDITORS’ RATING 8.0 Sony’s SXRD technology, which Sony says enables opti0 BETTER >> 10 mized playback of high-definiPROS Can resolve every line of tion (HD) content without in1080-resolution sources; comterlacing. The television is pact design; bottom-mounted compact for its size, with an speakers; lots of picture-control attractive black frame and options; ample connectivity; excellent picture quality; deep bottom-mounted speakers. black levels The KDS-60A2000’s native 1,920x1,080 resolution correCONS Somewhat expensive; inaccurate primary colors; no PIP, sponds to those of 1080i and PBP viewing; lacks CableCard 1080p HDTV sources, deliverslot; disappointing resolution for ing every detail. (Other PC input sources are scaled to fit the Sony Electronics, 888-936-7669 pixels.) The set also offers an www.sonystyle.com ATSC tuner for over-the-air Direct Price $3,700 HD programming, though no

CableCard slot. You can easily tweak the KDS-60A2000 using its myriad picture controls, which include four color-temperature presets, a Game mode, four aspect-ratio controls, and three customizable presets for brightness and contrast. The set can also automatically size its picture for wide-screen shows, but it doesn’t include picture-in-picture (PIP) or picture-by-picture (PBP) viewing. Connectivity-wise, the KDS-60A2000 provides a solid jack pack, with two 1080p-compatible High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI) ports, three component-video inputs, and a VGA-style PC input. (The last maxes out at a disappointing 1,366x768 resolution.) In our tests, the display delivered excellent picture quality, with deep blacks, plenty of details in shadows, exemplary gray-scale tracking, and excellent overall detail. Its color reproduction wasn’t entirely accurate, however, and we noted some minor problems with standard-definition processing. Still, it’s one of the best 1080p HDTVs CNET.com we’ve tested. —David Katzmaier

Vizio GV42L HDTV

Logitech Harmony 720

Budget LCD TV is a decent performer

A top-notch universal remote

AT $1,700, the Vizio GV42L HDTV maintains a deft balance between affordability and picture quality. With a native resolution of 1,366x768 pixels, the 42-inch LCD television can display every detail of 720p high-definition television (HDTV). The set has ample picture controls, including a handy digital noise-reduction feature, which did a good job of smoothing out standard-definition sources. Other conveniences include an adjustable backlight and an ATSC tuner for receiving over-the-air HD programming. The GV42L HDTV offers a EDITORS’ RATING 6.6 hardy selection of inputs, includ0 BETTER >> 10 ing two High-Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), one PROS Inexpensive; includes VGA-style PC, and one S-Video. HDTV tuner; good performance; HDMI, PC inputs; adjustable Image quality impressed us. backlight Black-level performance and color accuracy, at least after caliCONS Some edge enhancement; lack of details in shadows; bration, were very good, but a inaccurate color-temperature lack of shadow detail and the presets prevalence of edge enhanceVizio Consumer Electronics ment deserve minor knocks. 888-849-4623 Also, the set’s color-temperature www.viziotv.com presets were CNET.com Direct Price $1,700 inaccurate. —D.K.

WITH ITS SLEEK LOOKS and loaded feature set, the $199.99 Logitech Harmony 720 is one of the best universal remotes we’ve seen. EDITORS’ RATING 8.3 The 6-ounce remote fea-

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tures a sexier design than pre0 BETTER >> 10 vious Harmony models did, PROS Sleek design; color LCD; along with a sharper color rechargeable battery with dockLCD screen. The 720 has lots ing station; can store up to 15 of buttons crammed onto its devices modest frame, and although CONS Remote doesn’t sit well the layout is easy to navigate, in dock; text labels prone to the text labels under some rubbing off; Web interface not controls may rub off with exfor inexperienced users tended use. You also get a Logitech, 800-231-7717 docking station for juicing up www.logitech.com the 720’s included Mfr. Est. Price $199.99 rechargeable lithium-ion battery, but note that the remote doesn’t sit very securely in its dock. The battery is rated to last a week without recharging. The 720 works with more than 150,000 televisions, gaming consoles, DVD players, and other components. Plus, it can hold up to 15 devices in its memory. You add devices to the remote via a computer- or Web-based interface, but the latter may intimidate inexperienced CNET.com users. —David Carnoy

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REVIEWS SOFTWARE

Morpheus Photo Animation Suite Laugh-out-loud fun for photo fanatics WE DON’T USUALLY have to stop reviewing a product for a laughter break, but Morpheus Photo Animation Suite really adds something to digital-image editing: fun. This $59.95 suite lets you transform one photo into another, then export the result as an animation, a movie, or a still image. All of Morpheus’ features are simple to use, thanks to the program’s wizards and a help panel. In all cases, the process begins by loading a starting photo and an ending photo, then placing “partner dots” on the key areas of the two images you want to mingle. For example, with two faces, you might place corresponding dots on the eyes, noses, and EDITORS’ RATING 8.0 mouths, and around the head contours. 0 BETTER >> 10 The dots are color-coded, PROS Fun and simple to use; so when you add a dot to one convincing results of the pictures, a dot of the CONS Warping images takes same color appears in the practice other. We found it easier to Morpheus Software add a few dots at a time and www.morpheussoftware.net watch the result in the preDirect Price Free to try; view pane. The program can $59.95 (full version) save morphing sequences as

Ewido Anti-Spyware 4 Solid spyware detection and removal

AVI, Flash SWF, or animated GIF files, and you can output individual frames to common image formats such as JPG, PNG, and TIF. A single menu command lets you swiftly e-mail the results. Another option, the Photo Mixer, produces a single still image composed of parts taken from two originating photos. And the Photo Warper feature operates on a “before” and “after” version of a single image. The program doesn’t provide a way to freeze areas of the picture, however, so producing convincing warps—such as reducing the size of a nose— was a bit tricky. —Susan Glinert

EDITORS’ RATING 0

GRISOFT, MAKER OF the popular antivirus application AVG, has released its first spyware killer, Ewido Anti-Spyware 4. Grisoft purchased Ewido Networks in April 2006 and now offers a completely updated version of its core product, available in free and paid editions. Ewido’s online scanner, unlike those of other packages we’ve tested, will actually clean and remove active malware from your PC. Plus, you can run Ewido alongside other security software without conflict. The interface is clean and easy to use. Icons across the top give you access to the various tools, and tabs within the specific tool pages lead to different levels of configuration. In informal testing, we were dazzled by Ewido’s results. To create a spyware-infested Internet environment, we downloaded the peer-to-peer application Kazaa, then immediately

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BETTER >>

7.3 10

PROS Easy to use; free and performed our scan. Ewido paid versions; file shredder; realreturned more than 150 intime scanner doesn’t conflict with other security apps fected objects—an astonishing number, considering CONS Too much granularity in Webroot Software’s results competing Spy Grisoft Sweeper 5 found www.grisoft.com only eight results on Direct Price Free to try; the same system. $29.95 per year The difference, however, is in the categorization of threats. Webroot groups more of the threats into families, and Ewido included more cookies. This granularity can be somewhat misleading. The file shredder included within both editions of Ewido was also impressive. By overwriting the deleted files with several layers of 1s and 0s, it ensures that deleted spyware is thoroughly removed from your system. Both versions of Ewido include free e-mail support and the ability to create your own exceptions. The paid version adds real-time protection, an active memory scanner, automatic online updates, and a scheduler that allows you CNET.com to run scans after hours. —Robert Vamosi

REVIEWS SOFTWARE

Dragon NaturallySpeaking Preferred 9 The best PC dictation software available FOR PEOPLE WHO TYPE A LOT, prefer speaking to typing, or perhaps don’t have full use of their hands, Dragon NaturallySpeaking Preferred 9 is the best, most-full-featured consumer software for dictating to a PC. Dragon types while you talk and even lets you surf the Net by voice. Plus, for the first time Dragon allows you to start using this program without going through a dictation-setup process, and it works with both the Firefox and Internet Explorer browsers. Dragon 9 runs only on Windows XP or 2000 (with Service Pack 4), so Mac users are out of luck. It requires 512MB of RAM and EDITORS’ RATING 8.0 1GB of free hard drive space. (Attempting to 0 BETTER >> 10 run Dragon with less PROS No dictation setup RAM will result in sluggish necessary; voice-command Web performance.) We tested the browsing; support for mobile $199.99 Preferred version; devices home users who don’t need CONS Windows-only; learning support for mobile devices voice commands takes time; pricey tech support can opt for the $99.99 Standard version. Nuance Communications We were impressed with 800-654-1187 www.nuance.com Dragon’s ability to spell out what we were saying quickly. Direct Price $199.99 (boxed); $149.99 (upgrade) You’ll need to speak as clear-

ly as possible, but the more we corrected Dragon over several weeks, the better it interpreted our speech. Dragon does take some effort to master, and if you don’t review the program’s command words before using the program, you might accidentally open software menus (as we did when we spoke the word “system”) or highlight words (if you say “select”). Support offerings are thorough, with an online knowledge base and user forums, but you’ll pay dearly if you need person-to-person help: $19.95 per incident resolved by phone (after one freebie), and $9.95 for each CNET.com incident addressed over e-mail. —Elsa Wenzel

WebMessenger Mobile IM Great multiservice IM client for mobile devices ON A COMPUTER, instant messaging (IM) can be an efficient means of communication, and IM clients such as Trillian and Gaim make it even more so by connecting you to multiple networks simultaneously. But getting multiservice access on a portable device is a bit trickier—unless you have WebMessenger Mobile IM, a must-have app and service for IM devotees. This handy client, available in BlackBerry, Palm, Pocket PC, Symbian, and Windows Mobile 5 flavors, puts six IM services into one interface. We tested the Palm-based client, which includes a handful of great new features. Installation and setup are simple. You either download the app to a computer and sync it to your device, or install it directly over the air via a mobile Web browser. A quick registration sets up the accounts you’d like to access. (AIM, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber, Windows Live Messenger, and Yahoo Mes-

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EDITORS’ RATING 0

BETTER >>

8.0 10

senger are all available.) PROS Runs efficiently in backThe app’s background ground; good fast-find feature mode is much improved. CONS Monthly/yearly service Earlier versions polled fee WebMessenger’s servers every 60 WebMessenger, 800-932-6747 www.webmessenger.com seconds looking for new messages, but Direct Price $29.95 to $34.95 per year now messages are immediately pushed to the client, so you get them faster and the polling won’t slow down your device while you’re working in other apps. Also, coming out of background mode is snappier. And if you’ve got a ton of contacts, the new fast-find function is a boon, enabling you to filter your buddy list by name using a text search box. The biggest downside is the service fee, which ranges from $29.95 to $34.95 per year, depending on platform. (Monthly rates are also available.) But if you juggle IM with lots of people on multiple services, it’s a small price to pay. —Joshua Goldman

Jef(+

This month’s best Media Center desktops, ultraportables, multifunction printers, PC speakers, and VoIP services.

E=gmj.(%oYllkYl]ddal]k3gf].(%oYll[]fl]j Oal`Yf]p[]dd]flkmZogg^]jYf\log%oYqkYl]ddal]k$l`akÕn]%[`Yff]demdlae]\aYkh]Yc]j [`Yff]d3gf])/(%oYllkmZogg^]j kqkl]e\g]kbmkla[]lgH;_Ye]kYf\ All Programs > Startup to see the programs that are loading automatically. Uninstall any that you know you don’t need. Finally, viruses or spyware may be slowing things down and consuming system resources. Run a scan for both.

You’ll get the best performance and results from the latest version of your sound card’s drivers and related software.

It’s common for security software to issue false warnings. The documentation for many products clearly states that you should close all programs, including security utilities, before proceeding with the installation. If you’re dealing with a reputable company, I wouldn’t hesitate to put the guard dogs on a leash and run the install. Turn the security back on afterward, and it will warn you if any nasty program is trying to do mischief. Using the sound-card maker’s drivers is really your only option. I don’t expect you’ll find any others that would work with the hardware, and you’ll get the best performance and results by using the latest version of the company’s drivers and related software. SOUND BUT NO PICTURE I downloaded a music-video clip. When I right-click on its icon and choose Properties, Windows says it’s a “video clip.” I have many others in the same format. When I try to play it, I can’t see the picture, but I can hear the audio. It played on another PC without a problem, but not on my new computer. Other video clips of the same type work without a problem on my PC. What’s different about this one? Steve Elliott

CALL OFF THE DOGS! I recently purchased a sound card from a well-known maker and installed it in my PC. When I went to install the software, my security suite detected keystroke loggers and other monitoring spyware. Naturally, I canceled the installation, but now I have no drivers for my new hardware and a fancy sound card that makes no sound. The company tech support says I should disable the security software and It’s likely that you don’t have the correct run the install, but I don’t trust them. codec installed on your PC. “Codec” refers Am I being paranoid? Should I disable to a compression/decompression algothe security software and go ahead as rithm, a set of rules used to crunch down they suggest, then run files so that they take up less storage Spysweeper to get rid space. Different files with the same file W of anything that might WW extension can use differbe on my PC? Or do you ent codecs. For example, For more tips and buying advice, visit the Computer know of any other drivan AVI video clip might be Shopper Forums: ers that might work with compressed using computershopper.com/ my new sound card? Cinepak, DivX, Indeo, Miforums crosoft Video 1, or one of a Phoebe Cohen

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HELP & HOW-TO COMPUTER CURES

A FLEET OF BUSES? I’m putting together a list of features for my dream PC, and I have more than 30 USB devices to plug into it! What should I take into

TIP OF THE MONTH: THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED CD and DVD drives not only provide access to applications and data, but they can also provide musical accompaniment. When the tunes suddenly stopped for this month’s tipster, he figured out what happened and came up with a fix.

I played an audio CD on my computer, and after about half an hour, it just stopped. My only clue was that I noticed a brief flicker of hard drive activity immediately before the music stopped. When I checked the Windows power-management settings, I found that the hard drive was set to power down after 30 minutes of inactivity. I changed this setting to “never,” and my problem went away. It appears that the feature powers down both IDE channels, and it doesn’t check first for any CD-drive activity. Alfred Kruhm

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consideration? For example, do I need a much more powerful power supply? Is there an advantage to using one or more four-port PCI USB cards instead of an external hub? Should I get stackable hubs? Dean Michaels I’ve omitted your list of peripherals here, but one immediate observation: It’s unlikely that you’ll ever need to connect more than a handful of these USB devices at the same time. You should only connect them on an as-needed basis, because you’ll consume lots of system resources if you have them all active at the same time, and performance may suffer. Having said that, here are some points to keep in mind as you design your PC. In theory, each USB host controller can support up to 127 devices. Therefore, you could have just one controller and still connect all your devices. I would recommend that you have several host controllers in your configuration, however, so that devices that transfer lots of data will not have to compete with other devices on the same bus. Another factor: USB devices can draw the power they need from a USB port. For some devices, such as thumb drives, the power requirements are rather small. For printers and scanners, however, power requirements can be

I’m not surprised the computer doesn’t recognize the CD activity. In some cases, the controlling software simply sends a “play” command to the drive, and playback proceeds without any further intervention by the PC. Still, it was a good piece of sleuthing that turned up the hard drive sleep setting as the culprit. When “Winchester” drives were new, they were much less power-efficient, so the savings you’d realize when putting them to sleep made more sense. These days, though, an 80GB hard drive at idle draws less power (about 5 watts) than

much greater, and these devices typically have their own power supplies. Even though small devices don’t draw much power, it’s a good idea not to overload any one port. As a result, I prefer to use powered USB hubs rather than passive hubs, because they provide their own power to the connected devices. You don’t need to beef up your PC’s power supply if you use self-powered devices and powered hubs. STOP THE SAVINGS I have my PC configured to turn off my monitor after 5 minutes of inactivity. The problem is that when I watch a movie, I either have to go through the menus to turn off the powersave feature, or remember to nudge the mouse every few minutes to prevent the screen from going blank. Do you know of an application that could run in the tray and enable/disable the power-save settings I’ve already set? Mike Wright If you search the Web, you can find some utilities that might suit your needs. One freeware option is PowrClik Lite, available for download at genntt.webs.com.ua. It gives you both command-line and graphic-interface methods of disabling your monitor’s power-saving settings.

a typical night light (about 7 watts). So you’ll see only a negligible benefit from powering down hard drives during inactive periods. I do believe that putting monitors to sleep automatically—not just using a screen saver—does make energy-saving sense. I’m also a proponent of turning off your PC completely at night. Not only does this save the most energy, but it limits the chance of damage if a storm arrives overnight. Plus, your PC gets a fresh start when you boot in the morning.

Send us your favorite tip, and you could receive a tipster’s prize package. “Alfred Poor’s Computer Cures,” Computer Shopper, 460 Park Ave. South, 9th Fl., New York, NY 10016 [email protected] 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

dozen other choices. If you don’t have the correct codec installed, the clip will not play correctly, if it plays at all. Windows Media Player should prompt you if the correct codec is not present, but because you don’t get an error message and only the audio plays, I suspect that you have the wrong version of the codec that was used on this clip. In Windows XP, you can find out which codec an AVI clip uses. Right-click on the file, choose Properties > Summary, click on the Advanced button, and then scroll down to the Video section and look for a line named “Video compression.” To find out which codecs are installed on your Windows XP system, choose Start, then right-click on My Computer. Choose Properties > Hardware > Device Manager. In the Device Manager window, click on the plus sign next to “Sound, video and game controllers,” then doubleclick on the line named “Video Codecs.” This will open a new window; choose the Properties tab. If you don’t have the codec that you need to run a certain clip, you should be able to locate it on the Web.

HELP & HOW-TO

WEEKEND PROJECT Install a new internal hard drive in five simple steps.

Store More In a Snap BY DAVID ENGLISH

is unshakable: It’s impossible to have too much hard drive space. Digicam images, spacehog programs, and music files demand ever more storage. Fortunately, mammoth-capacity upgrades are inexpensive (many 250GB drives cost less than $100), and you can install one in less than 30 minutes, not including formatting time. Here’s how to install a new internal drive as extra storage or as a new boot drive. Here, we installed Seagate’s Barracuda 7200.10, a $124, 320GB Serial ATA (SATA) drive, inside a Dell Dimension 8400 running Windows XP Home Edition. ONE PC TRUTH

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1

Back up and scout around

First, back up your critical files (don’t forget your Outlook .PST archive) to optical discs, an external drive, or online storage. Then check whether a CD comes with the drive, providing drive-specific information and general upgrade assistance. It may also later help you copy the contents of one drive to another. Install this software first. Then, power down your PC, unplug all cables, and open the case. Next, ground yourself by touching a metal portion of the chassis. Look inside—your first task is to determine where your new drive will go. Bays for internal drives are usually located below the wider, front-accessible bays that house CD or DVD drives. If you plan to replace your boot drive with the new drive and don’t have an empty bay, your upgrade will involve more steps than we can cover here. But if you’re replacing your boot drive and you have an empty bay, follow our steps for adding a second drive. After formatting it, use Norton Ghost (or a similar program) to clone your boot drive’s contents to the new drive. Then, revisit steps 3 and 4 to direct your PC to boot from the new drive. We’ll be installing a SATA drive, but the process is similar for the other common drive type, IDE. SATA drives use a thin, sevenpin data cable; IDE drives use a 40-pin ribbon cable that’s usually gray. If you’re unsure which drive type your PC already has, check its documentation or label. Most PCs more than a year or two old employ IDE hard and optical drives, and don’t support SATA unless they have a SATA PCI card installed. More-recent desktops may use (or just support) SATA drives but should support IDE, too. Tip: If you transfer Windows XP from one drive to another, you may have to reauthorize Windows.

2

Examine data and power connections Most hard drive kits include a data cable (SATA or IDE, depending on the drive), a power adapter cable (with some SATA drives), and screws. If yours doesn’t include cables, you can purchase them separately.

Tracing along the SATA cable of an installed drive will lead you to the SATA connectors on your PC’s motherboard.

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Once you’ve located an empty bay for your drive, make sure the relevant data (left) and power (right) cables will reach.

First, the data connection. If you’re installing a SATA drive as secondary storage, follow the data cable from your current drive (assuming it’s SATA, too) to the other end. See if an unused SATA port lies nearby on the motherboard or an interface card. If you can’t find one, consult your PC’s documentation. If you’re adding an IDE drive as a second drive, you may be able to connect it to the same data cable as your primary IDE drive, or along with an IDE optical drive. Look for a third, free connector in the middle of the cable that connects your currently installed IDE drive to the motherboard. Note that some older PCs use 40conductor IDE cables, not the 80-conductor ones current drives require. (Compare your kit cable to the one installed—the 80conductor variety has much thinner wires.) 80-conductor cables are backward-compatible (both types use the same 40-pin connector), so you can swap out a 40-conductor cable for your kit’s 80 if need be. (The “master” drive goes at the end—see step 3.) Next, consider the power connection. Our SATA drive has a 15-pin SATA power connector. If you already have a SATA drive installed, follow its power cable (the wider of the two connectors) to see if an unused power-supply lead with the same connector is nearby. If so, earmark that lead for your new drive. If it can’t reach the empty bay, see if any bundled adapters help. Some SATA drives also support familiar legacy Molex four-pin power connectors—you can use a Molex or SATA connector. If so, hunt for a free Molex-style lead. Still no match? Then you’ll need an adapter, such as a Molex-to-SATA adapter (some kits bundle one), or a Y-adapter that splits a lead in two. IDE drives are simpler: They always use Molex connectors. You just need a free Molex-style lead (or a Y-splitter).

3

Mount and connect the drive

When installing SATA drives, jumper settings usually aren’t an issue. That’s not true of IDE, where a jumper indicates whether a drive is a primary (“master”) or secondary (“slave”) drive. Check its documentation for the proper setting. If your PC has only one IDE hard drive, it’s probably set to “master.” Assuming you chain another IDE drive off its cable, the new drive should be set to “slave.” (You’ll later have to change the jumper to “master”—and attach the drive

to the cable’s end—if you remove the original boot drive and make the new drive the boot drive.) Another option: Set both IDE drives on an 80-conductor cable to the Cable Select (CSEL) jumper setting. The PC will determine master/slave status according to the drives’ placement on the cable (“master” at the end, “slave” in the middle). Next, look at your current hard drive to see if mounting rails are attached to its sides. If so, screw a set onto the new drive (look inside the case for spares), then slide the drive into its bay. Otherwise, screw it directly into the bay. Four screws are sufficient. Usually, the label side points up; mimic the boot drive. Attach one end of the SATA data cable (which is keyed for correct insertion) to a SATA port on the motherboard or interface card, the other to the drive. IDE data cables, also keyed, usually have a red stripe that lines up with the “pin 1” marking on the drive. Next, plug the power-supply lead (keyed, too) that you scouted out in step 2 into the drive, including any necessary extender or adapter. Then close the case.

The SATA data connector is keyed so you can’t install it upside-down.

4

Configure the BIOS

Next, boot into your PC’s BIOS-setup utility to verify that it recognizes the new drive and positions it correctly in the drive hierarchy. (Check your PC’s startup screen to determine which key launches the utility.) Once there, also check that “auto-detect” is selected for the drives, if an option. If the utility lets you select the boot order, give your intended boot drive priority over any other hard drive. This information may be under Boot Options, Boot Order, or Boot Sequence. Save changes and exit the utility. Your PC will reboot. Tip: Using a SATA PCI interface card? It may have its own BIOS to check.

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5

Partition and format your hard drive

Our PC runs Windows XP, which lets you partition and format drives within Windows. Older Windows versions, such as 98 and Me, make you do this from DOS. With XP and 2000, though, use Windows’ Disk Management utility. Click Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Computer Management, and choose Disk Management from the tree at left. Your new drive should appear, with a black bar indicating it isn’t partitioned. Right-click the bar, and choose New Partition to launch the New Partition wizard. Click Next, and check that Primary Partition is selected; click Next again, to the Specify Partition Size screen (don’t Access Windows XP’s Disk Management change the parfunction from the Administrative Tools tition size in window in Control Panel. the “Partition size in MB” field); and click Next to advance to another screen, on which “Assign the following drive letter” should be selected. Click Next yet again (to the Format Partition screen), and ensure that “Format this partition with the fol-

Installed drives and their partition schemes appear in the Disk Management window’s lower-right corner.

lowing settings” is selected and that the “File system” dropdown reads “NTFS.” Click Next a final time, hit Finish, and formatting begins. Formatting could take an hour or more, depending on drive capacity. But don’t be surprised if your formatted drive has less capacity than the package claims. A 320GB drive, for instance, formats to about 300GB. Drive manufacturers advertise preformatted size, but a portion of the drive is inaccessible. Tip: An older PC might “see” just 137GB or less of your new drive, if it’s 150GB or larger, due to limitations of its BIOS or OS version. Check www.seagate.com/support/kb/disc/faq/ 137_overview.html for tips on resolving this problem.

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HELP & HOW-TO

WEEKEND PROJECT

1

Make the most of your utilities to zap viruses and spyware.

What’s a full-system (or “deep”) scan? It’s one that looks at your Windows Registry, at running processes, and inside of nonexecutable files, archive files, and files of all sizes. So-called “smart” scans ignore archives, extremely large files, and sometimes nonexecutables. It follows that deep scans take much longer (some archives contain more than 500 files), but they’re much more thorough. Where viruses are concerned, missing just one you’re infected with is as good as missing them all. So we recommend running deep scans regularly. How you define “regularly” depends on how much traffic you see on your computer. If you process a lot of incoming/outgoing files and e-mail daily, it’s a good idea to use your antivirus and antispyware scheduling function, setting up a deep scan every night while your computer is otherwise idle. Because a deep scan can take hours and really tax your system, you don’t want to Schedule deep scans daily, and your computer will catch any perform one while you’re virus or worm that slips in. trying to use your PC.

Optimize Your Security Apps BY BARRY BRENESAL

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2

Do deep scans with antispyware apps, too

Spyware isn’t as damaging as viruses can be, but it’s more insidious. What if somebody was busily taking notes of every Web site you visited, then selling the info to a survey company for analysis? That’s what spyware does, so don’t neglect antispyware programs. Whether it’s an excellent little app such as Ad-Aware (www.lavasoftusa.com) or a more full-featured product such as Steganos AntiSpyware (www.steganos.com), deep scans can find and either quarantine or remove those infiltrators on your computer. Scanning once a week is probably enough, but if you install, reA heavy-duty spyware-killing tool should let you schedule move, and test a lot of software, hands-free scans daily. consider more-frequent scans.

Illustration by David Flaherty

SECURITY-SOFTWARE maker Symantec announced earlier this year that it has documented 10,992 32-bit Windows virus and worm variants, with new ones appearing almost daily. Keeping your computer secure against these endless—and endlessly changing—attacks requires the help of today’s sophisticated antivirus and antispyware tools. But just installing the software isn’t enough. We’ve put together some tips that should help you tweak these tools and keep your computer well ahead of viruses and spyware in the security struggle.

Do full-system scans regularly

3

Check daily for antivirus updates

Running the best virus scanner money can buy won’t buy you anything if its virus definitions aren’t up to date. While some antivirus apps offer automated downloads as a configuration default, not all do. Check your program to see whether that’s the case. If it isn’t, we recommend performing a daily manual check for updates.

computershopper.com/howto

If you don’t get an update for as long as two weeks, check whether your antivirus app is working properly. If it is, and the manufacturer says it has had nothing new to provide, consider switching to a different app. Many viruses show up only rarely, but that shouldn’t matter to antivirus software. It’s meant to know and find them all.

4

Turn Windows Firewall off only when offline

You’re continuously vulnerable to Web-based attacks if you’re connected to the Internet, and attacks are more frequent than we’d like to acknowledge. As often as every few minutes, somebody, somewhere, is doing a broad-beamed port scan to find insecure backdoors in computers. It’s not a question of whether you’ll be scanned, but how many times you are in a given hour. Your best defense is your firewall, so never turn it off unless you’re literally disconnected from the Web. Some software offers more-elaborate firewall protection than Windows does, often with extra features. If you’re installing and configuring a third-party firewall, disconnect your PC from the Web first, and then turn off your old firewall. You don’t want two firewalls running at once, because Don’t even think of turning off your firewall if you’re still conthey’ll interfere with nected to the Web. each other’s operation.

5

Get acquainted with your firewall’s network-control settings

Whether you’re connected to a local-area network (LAN) or not, you and your computer are part of the largest wide-area network (WAN) in existence: the Internet. Your firewall’s network settings are a valuable tool for dealing with the Web on a daily basis. Choosing to filter your traffic allows you to “teach” the firewall what contacts from outside your computer are allowed to access it. It’s almost equally important that a firewall prevents apps on your PC from trying to reach the Web on their own. While some programs do this periodically to check for updates, others may represent spyware or virus activity. Tip: Some firewalls must be configured to start up automatically every time you turn on your computer. Ignoring this control could lead to you being open to the Internet without any protection.

6

Consider a content advisor Content advisors function alongside firewalls and real-time virus scanners to prevent attacks. They know in advance which sites change your browser defaults, automatically install software without asking, or add you to spam lists when you download from them. By warning you about

such nefarious sites when you try to access them, content advisors such as McAfee’s SiteAdvisor (a free download at www.siteadvisor. com) keep you from being victimized. Tip: You can use SiteAdvisor’s online analysis to enter a Web adSiteAdvisor has an online component dress and get a you can use to find out how secure an content advisory, interactive site is. but that method is more time-consuming than simply running the program in the background while you surf the Internet.

7

Surf the Web without Microsoft

That’s right: Consider a non-Microsoft browser, such as Opera (www.opera.com) or Firefox (www.mozilla.com/firefox), and an alternative e-mail reader such as PocoMail (www.pocomail. com). No, we’re not opposed to the good folks that brought us Windows, but several security exploits have been documented in Internet Explorer and Outlook Express. Some of them, such as the malware Download.Ject, can be extremely damaging. Hackers typically direct their efforts at this pair of Microsoft programs because they’re by far the most common browser and mail reader. You stand a far better chance of being “invisible” to their efforts if you use alternatives. Tip: Turn off the preview pane in Outlook Express if you do decide to use it. It’s a verified weak point in the program, allowing embedded script components to trigger merely by previewing e-mail.

8

Use common sense when downloading or opening anything

Your antivirus and antispyware utilities are highly sophisticated tools, but they can’t prevent you from stepping off a cliff. If you receive an e-mail stating that you’ve won a prize and must go to a site to collect it, kill the e-mail. If you get a note from a friend saying “Hi there! Look at what I found!” with an attachment, again, delete it. Genius isn’t required to determine that both of these situations are ruses—but you’d be surprised how many people regularly fall for them. Many antivirus programs, such as McAfee Internet Security Suite (us.mcafee.com) and Norton SystemWorks 2007 Premier (www.symantec.com), will help stop these e-mail intrusions. But whether or not you employ one for real-time e-mail scanning, there’s still no substitute for healthy skepticism every time a message appears that seems too good or strange to be true. It always is.

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