Reviews

Some pundits contend that if Microsoft's Media Center Edition of Windows XP is going to break through the barrier between the living room and the home office, it's going to have to do it on the notebook platform. Toshiba is taking that notion seriously with its new line of Qosmio portables. The late...

PRODUCT REVIEW

New Nikon Digital SLR Has the Right Stuff

If you've ever owned an SLR camera, you can probably remember the first time you held it in your hands. I do. Here, I thought, many years ago when I picked up my Minolta X7, is something of substance. Weighty, certainly, but also beautifully balanced -- an inanimate object capable of animating its b...

PRODUCT REVIEW

Disposable Video Camera Convenient, Accessible

At first blush, the idea seemed a little wacky to me. But when drug store giant CVS announced its US$29.95 one-time-use digital video camera (DVC), I couldn't resist the temptation to check it out. The video cameras are made by a San Francisco outfit called Pure Digital Technologies, which last summ...

PRODUCT REVIEW

RSS News Feeders Come in Many Flavors

Really Simple Syndication, or RSS, is a convenient way to funnel news to your desktop -- if you have an "always on" connection. With RSS, not only can you receive up-to-the-minute feeds from heavyweight news sources, but you can plug into the blogosphere without blog-hopping on the Net. Whatever you...

Now that summer has finally arrived, you can start to train your thoughts on vacation -- and what to bring with you when you take it. What do you consider essential carry-alongs? A good book? How about a laptop? Better yet, a laptop with wireless networking so you can plug into the Internet whenever...

Gateway has come to the table with its 17-inch widescreen notebooks a little later than some of its competitors, but its latest offering in this category illustrates, once again, that it's capable to delivering excellent value without skimping on performance. Some impressive features have been incor...

PRODUCT REVIEW

A Notebook that Mixes Pleasure with Business

If you're looking for a laptop, you couldn't have picked a better time. New models seem to be appearing on a weekly basis, each with its own mix of features to entice buyers. Gateway, for instance, has introduced its M680 series, which packs power into a thin, yet full-sized package. Sharp, with its...

PRODUCT REVIEW

Olympus Debuts Classy Digital Recorder

Digital voice recorders don't have the flashy visibility of their music-playing brethren, but their utility can't be denied. Granted, some digital music players include recording in their repertoire and others can accommodate it with optional add-ons, but for the most part, recording plays second fi...

PRODUCT REVIEW

Roxio Upgrade Worth Price of Admission

For a long time, while Apple computer users enjoyed the advantages of an integrated multimedia software suite, Windows users who wished to experience the i-life had to be satisfied with standalone applications or meek integrated products. Then Roxio Easy Media Creator 7 entered the picture. EMC 7 is...

Making telephone calls over the Internet is nothing new. Once the arena for hobbyists and techies, Internet telephony is now a proven technology. Internet phone calls are so reliable and popular that Ma Bell and her competitors use the digital superhighway to carry much of their own hard-wired long ...

PRODUCT REVIEW

Sony Breaks Size Barrier with New Camcorder

How small can a full-feature consumer camcorder get? Sony is certainly pushing the limits with its latest entry in its digital Handycam family of products. The new unit, the DCR-PC55, not only fits in the palm of your hand, but you can practically hide it there. At 1.1-by-4.0-by-2.9 inches, it's sma...

PRODUCT REVIEW

Gadget Produces Surround Sound from a Laptop

Laptops are loveable computers. Their clamshell design resonates efficiency. Open up a unit and everything's there to fire up a computing session: display, keyboard and trackpad. Their size and weight makes them highly portable. There's no need to shackle yourself to a desk, especially if you have a...

PRODUCT REVIEW

Permission-Based Filtering Puts Kibosh on Spam

The problem with using most spam-blocking programs is they require constant fixing. Creating rules for filtering can be frustrating and annoying, and even downright unreliable. Even when users are diligent about applying rules, the filtering and blocking processes do not always function as promised....

Earlier this year, the new Napster was given a bit of a fright when reports began circulating that its recently introduced subscription service had been "hacked." Those reports stung Napster in two ways. They suggested that the service, which in its original incarnation was shut down by the music in...

PRODUCT REVIEW

Apple Mini: Little Box of Wonders

The thinking inside the box for producing a personal computer for users with shallow pockets is to start subtracting features from a more expensive model until you reach the price point you want, then toss the works into the same dull cabinet as the pricier offering. Apple has shown over the years t...

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