INTRODUCING INTEL® CORE™2 DUO.

THE WORLD’S BEST PROCESSORS.

Intel’s new Core™2 Duo desktop processor multiplies everything you and your computer can do.
Now you can experience performance up to 40% faster and over 40% more energy efcient.
Learn why at intel.com/core2duo
For more information on why Intel® Core™2 Duo processors are the world’s best overall processors, please visit www.intel.com/core2duo
Performance based on SPECint*_rate_base2000 (2 copies) and energy efficiency based on Thermal Design Power (TDP), comparing Intel® Core™2 Duo E6700 to Intel® Pentium® D
Processor 960. Actual performance may vary. See www.intel.com/performance for more information. ©2006 Intel Corporation. Intel, the Intel logo, Intel Core, the Intel Core logo,
Intel. Leap ahead, and the Intel. Leap ahead. logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. All rights reserved.
 MAKE FREE VIDEO CALLS
. . . FINALLY, IT REALLY WORKS
HOW TO BUY A
VISTA-READY PC
WEEKEND PROJECT
BUILD A HIGH-TECH
DOGHOUSE

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AME TEDIC A’ S
GET MORE FROM TECHNOLOGY

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viruses, spam and hackers with 24x7 real-time threat monitoring.

Fujitsu LifeBook T4210 Tablet PC

Work anywhere, anytime using this Fujitsu notebook featuring
Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology for easy, wireless access.

Microsoft Windows XP Professional

Work remotely and securely using the latest Microsoft Windows®
technology with built-in support for high-performance systems.

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© 2006 CDW Corporation
Toshiba recommends Windows® XP Professional.

We can’t keep it from

getting knocked around,
but we can keep it from
getting knocked out.

The Tecra® A8

If you’re making the transition from a desktop to mobile PC, you had better be

prepared for it to take a few unexpected blows. That’s where the Tecra® A8 Notebook comes in. It offers Toshiba’s

exclusive EasyGuard™ Technology1 to better protect critical components and data from the everyday hazards

of your mobile work life. Plus, it’s powered by Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology and features genuine

Microsoft Windows® XP Professional. To learn more about why this reliable, high-

performance computer is such a smart investment, visit www.reliable.toshiba.com.

1. Toshiba EasyGuard technology comprises a number of features some of which may or may not be available on a particular Toshiba notebook depending on the model selected. See www.easyguard.toshiba.com for detailed information Toshiba’s
standard limited warranty terms and limitations apply. Visit www.warranty.toshiba.com for details. Tecra is a registered trademarks and EasyGuard are trademarks of Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. and/or Toshiba Corporation. Intel, the Intel logo,
Centrino and the Centrino logo are registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. While Toshiba has made every effort at the time of publication to ensure the accuracy of the information provided herein, product specifications, configurations, prices, system/component/
options availability are all subject to change without notice. Toshiba is not liable for pricing, typographical or photography errors. Reseller/Retailer pricing/products may vary. © 2006 Toshiba America Information Systems, Inc. All rights reserved.
 PCONTENTS
Free video calls
OCTOBER 17, 2006 VOL. 25 NO. 18

page 105

Buy a Vista-ready PC
page 32
Reader High-tech doghouse
survey page 105
page 80

COVE R STO RY

READERS’ CHOICE:
CAMERAS, CELL PHONES
& SERVICES, MP3 PLAYERS,
HDTVS, AND MORE

80
Is tech support up to snuff when things
go wrong? PC Magazine readers give us
the lowdown on product reliability and
tech support quality. Our survey results cover their
experiences with thousands of digital cameras, cell
phones, cell-phone services, VoIP services, HDTVs,
satellite radios, ISPs, routers, and MP3 players.

29
30 Hardware
FIRST LOOKS
36 Consumer Olympus Stylus Technology BOB 73 The Best Stuff
Sony VAIO Electronics 720 SW There.com Award-winning
VGC-LS1 BlackBerry Pearl Nikon Coolpix S6 products, all
Mpire.com in one place.
HP Photosmart Archos 604 Panasonic Lumix Glide Effortless
A516 Wi-Gear iMuffs DMC-LX1, DMC-LZ5 32 Buying Guide:
Netgear Power- Vista-Ready
Dell XPS M1710 MB210 Casio Exilim line HD Ethernet
(Intel Core 2 Duo) EX-Z850 Desktops
Canon PowerShot Adapter HDX101
Gateway FX510XT S80 Samsung 46 Buying Guide:
Falcon Northwest Canon PowerShot Digimax L85 63 Small Business Point-and-Shoot
Mach V with Core SD550 Digital HP Photosmart 927 Dell 1200MP Digital Cameras
2 Extreme Elph Projector
WinBook Jiv Mini Kodak EasyShare 50 Software Gateway FPD1975W
Dell XPS 700 V570, V705, C533 Napster 2.0 Iomega Rev 70
Sony VAIO Fuji FinePix E900, MTV Urge
FinePix V10 Hamachi for
VGC-LS1 eMusic Windows 1.0.0.61
Sony Cyber-shot (beta)
DSC-N1, Cyber- AllPeers (beta)
shot W100 Hopscotch

Photo: Corbis OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 7

 PCONTENTS

SMB 20 AWARDS OPINIONS SOLUTIONS

89
11 First Word 119 Ask Neil
Our first small-business awards celebrate 20 com- Jim Louderback Force unique
panies using technology in innovative ways to grow numbers in Excel;
75 Bill Machrone send e-mail on
their businesses. From la la media to YoYoNation, companies are the road; Windows
using tech to shave costs, expand market share, speed time to 77 Michael J. Miller updates for a
market, and improve customer relations. We also tell you how to 78 Inside Track slow machine.
nominate your business for our 2007 awards.
148 John C. Dvorak 122 Ask Loyd
Access Raid 1 hard
drives; transfer
PIPELINE mirrored Raid
21 Welcome to 1 data.
guided Web
searches 124 SMB Boot Camp
ChaCha hooks Opening your
you up with a Web storefront.
human assistant.
Also, unmanned 126 Security Watch
underwater Getting to the
vehicles. bottom of rootkits.

22 Future Watch 128 Software Solutions:

Take a gander Which letter goes
at the sharpest with which drive?
man-made Customize your
object ever. drives’ icons and
you won’t forget.
CONNECTED
TRAVELER GAMING &
CULTURE
24 Seattle
144 Games on a plane
Here are some you
TECHNORIDE can play on short
or long fl ights.
26 Toyota Camry
Hybrid
Solid-oxide fuel GEARLOG
cells test success- 147 Yamaha’s
REAL-WORLD TESTING
fully; next-gen Silent Cello
FREE VIDEO CALLS Chevy Camaro for Through muting

105
2009; third-genera- electronics,
tion BMW iDrive. this instrument
Free phone calls are great, but what about video? stays quiet.
Today’s instant-messaging clients bundle live 27 Bill Howard
video in with free phone calls and chatting—a cool way to
connect family and friends. But is the quality good enough? ALSO INSIDE
And will Aunt Sophie use it? 16 Feedback
16 Abort, Retry, Fail
BUILD IT

THE ULTIMATE DOGHOUSE

111 The surge in smart home electronics got us think-
ing, What about our four-legged friends? For all the
world’s Fidos, we present the totally hooked-up doghouse. Fea-
PCMAG ONLINE
After reading about your favorite (or least
favorite) tech companies in this year’s Reader
turing a dog’s-eye-view collar cam, motion detectors, and tem- Satisfaction Survey, visit us at PCMag.com,
perature sensors and controls, the doghouse links to a handy where we’ve posted the results of our cell-phone
Web interface, letting you check on your pooch from work. satisfaction survey. Which manufacturer makes
the phones with the best call quality? Web
PC Magazine, ISSN 0888-8507, is published semi-monthly except monthly in January and July and three issues in No-
vember at $44.97 for one year. Ziff Davis Media Inc, 28 E. 28th St., New York, NY 10016-7940. Periodicals postage paid browsing? Tech support? The answers, provided
at New York, NY 10016-7940 and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Address changes to PC Magazine, P.O.
Box 54070, Boulder, CO 80328-4070. The Canadian GST registration number is 865286033. Publications Mail Agree- by our knowledgeable readers, are online now
ment No. 40009221. Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box 503, R.P.O. West Beaver Creek, Richmond
Hill, ON L4B 4R6, Canada. Printed in the U.S.A. at go.pcmag.com/bestphones.

8 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

 ©2006 Samsung Electronics America, Inc. All rights reserved. Samsung is a registered trademark of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. All product and brand names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.

imagine your emotions amplified.

Imagine a whole new way to see, hear, and feel movies. The new
Samsung Blu-ray Disc™ player BD-P1000 gives you an amazing
5 times the resolution of standard DVD — making full use of your
HDTV. With backwards compatibility, it also converts your existing
DVDs to near high-definition, adding sharpness, richness, and
color. Add to this superb 24-bit audio and you’ll discover details
that heighten the emotional experience of everything you view. With
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®

APC is not a huge company, and it sells fairly simple products. But if this
company can get tech support right, what’s stopping Dell, HP, and others?
I
N T H I S I S S U E , W E B R I N G YOU T H E
second part of our annual Reader Sat-
isfaction Survey. We heard from nearly
15,000 of you, and you told us which
companies are doing best at delivering
reliable products and good service. Be-
fore you head out to buy a digital cam-
era, HDTV, camcorder, wireless router,
or satellite radio, see what users of these products
think. Combine that with our excellent reviews,
here in the magazine and at PCMag.com, and you’ll
be equipped both to save money and to buy a reli-
able product for today and tomorrow.
With all the reports of bad customer service
outsourced around the world, I wanted to share
an experience I had recently with a product that
stopped working. I’d picked up an external univer-
sal notebook battery from APC to fuel my addic-
tion to computing on long flights. It routinely dou-
bled my computing time. But as I was preparing to
TALK TO THE CHIEF fly to California from New York before Labor Day,
You can contact it inexplicably stopped charging.
Jim Louderback at APC’s phone number was conveniently printed
Jim_Louderback
@ziffdavis.com on the underside of the battery. The receptionist
For more of his answered on the second ring and transferred me
columns, go to straight to tech support. That alone was a break-
go.pcmag.com/ through. It’s often impossible to find a vendor’s
louderback
phone number, and if you do find it and call the
main number, often you end up in an endless
phone-tree loop, or they give you the tech support
number and make you hang up and call again. The
F I R ST WO R D
BY JIM LOUDERBACK, EDITOR
very helpful and clearly American tech support
rep picked up in less than a minute, and after about
5 minutes of diagnosis, cheerily offered to send me
a replacement. He didn’t even take a credit card,
asking only that I return the dead battery. With
that, I became APC’s biggest fan.
That’s how tech support should be done. APC is
not a huge company, and it sells fairly simple prod-
ucts. But if this Rhode Island tech company can get
it right, what’s stopping Dell, HP, and others?
Business innovation. I was energized by the
hundreds of submissions for our first SMB awards,
from which we picked 20 companies that have
truly used technology to deliver a competitive
advantage. The winners range from a tiny yo-yo
community to an innovative user of scheduling
technology to fly jets around the country. Don’t
miss our profi les of the winners, starting on page
89. My congratulations go out to them and to all
the companies and individuals using technology
to build better businesses and lead better lives.
The more we get out of technology, the better
the world can be. Executive editor Carol Gon-
sher and West Coast editor Sebastian Rupley put
together a tremendous package of stories about
these businesses. Want to know more? Join me and
three of the CEOs we honored in a free Web-based
seminar as we explore how they are making a dif-
ference. You can register for the live event right
now, at www.pcmagcast.com.
There’s a lot more inside this issue as well. I
was particularly amazed by the following:
AT&T has gotten its VoIP act together. Skype
and Vonage may steal the headlines, but AT&T’s
CallVantage program gets the nod for service and
reliability from our readers. Other big winners
include Sony for HDTV, Motorola for cell phones,
and tiny Cowon, challenging Apple for the MP3
crown. Results and winners on page 80.
Video calling has arrived. I’m still scarred by
our webcam experiment at ZDTV, where we gave
50,000 of the cameras away and invited the audi-
ence to participate. They weren’t ready for prime
time, but they are now! SightSpeed and Skype came
out on top, but you’re the real winner. You can now
use your PC to make video calls that not only cost
nothing but sound and look good. Page 105.
Wait until you see the picture of this virtual
cello. It sounds as good as it looks. Page 147. Q
OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 11
 姞

www.pcmag.com

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Jim Louderback

EDITOR, REVIEWS Lance Ulanoff
EXECUTIVE PRODUCT DIRECTOR, PCMAG.COM NETWORKRobyn Peterson
EXECUTIVE EDITORSStephanie Chang, Carol L. Gonsher,
Vicki B. Jacobson (online), Jeremy A. Kaplan
ART DIRECTOR Richard J. Demler
MANAGING EDITOR Paul B. Ross

REVIEWS SENIOR EDITORS Sean Carroll (software, Internet, networking),

Dan Costa (consumer electronics), Laarni Almendrala Ragaza (hardware),
Carol Mangis (TechnoRide), Sebastian Rupley (West Coast, Pipeline)
LEAD ANALYSTS Cisco Cheng, Robert Heron, Davis D. Janowski, Mike Kobrin,
Neil J. Rubenking, Joel Santo Domingo, Sascha Segan, M. David Stone, Terry Sullivan
REVIEWS EDITORS Brian Bennett (consumer electronics),
Gary Berline (software, Internet, networking), Jen Trolio (hardware)
WEB PRODUCERS Rachel B. Florman, Molly K. McLaughlin
PRODUCT MANAGER Gina Suk COMMERCE PRODUCER Arielle Rochette
PRODUCT REVIEW COORDINATOR PJ Jacobowitz
INVENTORY CONTROL COORDINATOR Nicole Graham

FEATURES FEATURES EDITORS Dan Evans, Sarah Pike, Erik Rhey

SENIOR WRITER Cade Metz Tony Hoffman
STAFF EDITOR

ART SENIOR ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Michael St. George ASSOCIATE ART DIRECTOR Liana Zamora
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Aaron Able GRAPHICS DIRECTOR David Foster
STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Scott Schedivy
PRODUCTION PRODUCTION MANAGER Jennifer Murray
COPY CHIEF Elizabeth A. Parry COPY EDITORS Margaret McVeigh, Ann Ovodow, Steven Wishnia
ONLINE SENIOR PRODUCER Yun-San Tsai PRODUCER Mark Lamorgese
ASSISTANT PRODUCER Whitney A. Reynolds
NEWS EDITOR Mark Hachman NEWS REPORTER Natali Del Conti
ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kyle Monson ASSISTANT EDITOR Jennifer L. DeLeo
UTILITY PROGRAM MANAGER Tim Smith COMMUNITY MANAGER Jim Lynch

CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Helen Bradley, John Clyman, Richard V. Dragan, Craig Ellison,
John R. Delaney, John C. Dvorak, Galen Fott, Bill Howard, Don Labriola, Bill Machrone,
Ed Mendelson, Jan Ozer, Larry Seltzer, Don Willmott
INTERN Veronica DeLeon
EXTREMETECH.COM EDITOR Loyd Case SENIOR TECHNOLOGY ANALYST Jason Cross
TECHNOLOGY ANALYST Victor Loh
CORPORATE PRODUCTION ASSISTANT PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Ivis Fundichely
PRODUCTION MANAGER Michelle Chizmadia TRAFFIC MANAGER Amanda Allensworth

CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER Michael J. Miller

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Business is tough enough
without your company’s content
working against you. Problems
with creating, managing and
distributing digital content
can hurt productivity and slow
business processes. Whether
it’s documents, spreadsheets,
graphics, images, video or another
content type, anything that makes
it difficult for team members to
put content to work creates a
roadblock no business can afford.
If your content
can’t move,
neither can
your business.
Is your content getting
“stuck”? If it is, CDW can
help. See the special
section in this issue,
“Content Can’t Wait: Digital
Flow and the Content-
Driven Business.” Or visit
pcmagconnect.com/cdw
for a downloadable PDF.
姞
www.pcmag.com
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姞
Test Your Limits
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 FEEDBACK

THE FUN SIDE OF THE FORCE

In Jim Louderback’s First Word column (August 22,
page 11) he asks, “Was I missing any recent humorous
games?” The first game that came to my mind was
LEGO Star Wars. While it’s not a game of comedy,
the cutscenes were hilarious to watch. What’s even
better is that someone finally learned to not take the
Star Wars universe so seriously!—Tim Rabaut
I agree . . . I loved that game! And I can’t
wait to play the sequel (LEGO Star Wars
II, scheduled to be released in September).
—Jim Louderback
WHERE SPEED MATTERS
In First Word (September 5, page 11),
Jim Louderback wrote, “around 2001, it
ABORT, RETRY, FAIL
BY DON WILLMOTT
happened: Except in rare cases, the PC was
fast enough.” I disagree with this. I think
what actually happened was that a chip/
system being less than twice as fast as its
predecessor didn’t make a difference, and
that was the total non-graphics, non-disk
speed gain for five years or so. As Jim says,
network stuff became more important.
Therefore, a small processing gain was
low on the list of buyers’ needs.
However, there are many uses for
speed gains of a thousandfold or even a
millionfold and more. The examples you
give for needs—encryption, security,
and transcoding—require at most only
a couple of extra processors to keep up
with I/O improvements and multicore
chips (where “multicore” is 2 to 16). The
real needs are for the various things that
are essentially unbounded (NP-complete
or more computationally intensive) and
for graphics stuff.
For image enhancement and improve-
ment, users would like to be able to
s e e t h e re s u l t s o f m ov i n g s l i d e r s
“instantaneously” (say, in 1/30 second).
Most of the tools don’t react nearly this
fast when working with full images of
even 100K pixels. The tools normally
process just a small part of the image,
say 40K pixels or so, and don’t update
even this rapidly enough. We could use
performance gains of 500 or so to see
4-megapixel images five times as fast;
this is just for the simplest image enhance-
ment on medium-sized images. —Mark
Fineman

That’s one heck of a migraine. THAT OL’ HARD DRIVE BOTTLENECK

Jim Louderback’s column (First Word,
September 5) about chips mattering again
Refreshing honesty from the missed the mark. He talks about chips not
folks at Monster energy drinks. mattering much in the recent past, but
says they will now experience a rebirth
of sorts. The reason chips don’t matter
and will continue not to matter is that no
matter how fast they get, they still have to
ARF on the Road: Cabo San go through the hard drive bottleneck.
Lucas, Mexico. The Wi-Fi I’ve upgraded my computers many
surf shop trend continues! times with the latest chipsets, and although
the speed difference between chips might
be fourfold, the overall gain in the speed of
my programs is maybe 10 to 15 percent.
What we need is not more chipset
speed or larger hard drives; what we
need is faster throughput. How about a
Well, wait a minute and maybe it’ll change. 10-gigabyte flash memory drive? Most
of my programs would work on that,
ARF NEEDS YOU! If your entry is used, we’ll send you a PC Magazine T-shirt. Submit your entries via and my speed would be lightning fast.
e-mail to arf@ziffdavis.com. Ziff Davis Media Inc. shall own all property rights in the entries. Winners
this issue: Jeff Wells, Warren Wong, Phil Osman, and Roxanne Adams. This is where the drive makers need to

16 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

concentrate their efforts, and then chip
speed would be important once again.
—Rick Sutliffe
Throughput is important, I agree. The new
hybrid drives and Windows Vista’s ability
to use flash for a special RAM cache should
help. But you are right in that larger hard
drives alone don’t solve the overall system
performance problem.—JL
I’LL STICK TO KNOCKING DELL
Regarding Jim Louderback’s “We Should
Praise Dell, Not Bury It” (go.pcmag
.com /jldell), Dell didn’t recall those
batteries out of the kindness of its heart.
Everyone knows that safety issues are a
public relations nightmare—especially
if someone gets seriously hurt. Dell does
recalls only on safety issues. If a product
is known to be defective but is not
dangerous, it’s nearly impossible to get
Dell to fix it for free.
My Dell Inspiron 5150 had a known
issue with the motherboard, but because
it was just out of warranty, I was told that
there was no way I could get it fixed for
free—even though I pointed out the 57
pages (not posts) of users with exactly the
same problem (the machine shuts down
Stan, I depend on that Ricoh printer
for just about everything.
ricoh-usa.com/itchannel
1.800.RICOH.43
©2006 Ricoh Corporation
if you touch the case in a certain spot) on
Dell’s own support forum.
It took more than a week of fighting as
well as a complaint to the Better Business
Bureau to get to speak to someone who
was not in a Bangalore call center reading
from a script. The BBB complaint got
me through to a representative in Round
Rock, Texas, who took care of my issue,
but only after I had fought with her
for days. This was the first issue I have
encountered with Dell’s dismal record of
“customer support.”
Companies should not be applauded
for doing the right thing. It should be the
norm, not something that warrants a pat
on the back.—David Eckert
HELP US EVADE GOVERNMENT
SPOOKS
Jim, my request is simple. I believe the only
expense you may incur is a little labor for
the time it takes to set it up! Can you please
give your entire staff the okay to modify all
their e-mail software so we can send them
encrypted e-mails? Since we are aware
of George W. Bush and his nasty habit of
listening in on our telephone conversations
and trying to read our every e-mail, I think
we should encrypt all e-mail!—Kelly
You’re still getting
your own lunch, right Jerry?
We’re sorry, your e-mail was rejected by the
SENDMAIL program at PC Magazine due
to offensive and/or antigovernment content.
Please cleanse and send again.
NO BOZOS!
I am so incensed with the “Be Your Own
DJ” article that appeared on page 74 of
your August 22 issue (“fire that overpriced
bozo you hired for your daughter’s
wedding”). Obviously, I’m in the business.
Where do you get off publishing such an
insulting article? I and other “bozos” have
been entertaining for years, and we have
been responsible for a lot of very happy
memories from a lot of families.
Your article suggests that all you
need in order to be a DJ is a computer
or iPod, but there is a lot more involved
with running a wedding than just playing
tunes. The worst part of it is that a lot
of us “bozos” use iPods and computers
in our work, and some of us even read
your magazine (until now!), so how dare
you insult us like that? I will do my best
to let my fellow “bozo” DJs know what
trash you’re printing, if they haven’t
seen it yet. Please, please, please cancel
my subscription!—Russ Moschetto, Russ
McQueen Entertainment
Ricoh dependability moves your ideas forward.
The author states clearly later in the piece
that yes, it does take more than simply
plugging in an iPod or laptop to be a real DJ.
Beat-matching, cross-fading, and hooking
up a microphone for announcements are
among the important skills that a DJ needs
to master. The term “bozo” was not intended
to be a statement on the entire industry of
professional DJs, but rather a lighthearted
call to action for those of us who have been
to weddings or other events at which the DJ
disappointed us by not playing requests,
playing inappropriate songs, or otherwise
imposing an awkward progression to the
event. The Chicken Dance: Need I say more?
—Erik Rhey
IS GETTING CHIPPED BAD FOR YOUR
HEALTH?
I hope the photos and instructions
on inserting RFID tags into a human
(September 5, page 99) will be your last
on that subject. This is not necessary,
as there are many other ways to have a
personal RFID tag without inserting it.
The disturbing trend is that this has been
promoted as being “cool”—as in your
caption, “Got one yet?”
The possible aftereffects on a reader
who does this are bad enough (injury,
infection, and more), but that this is
somehow made to appear to be the trend
of the future is distressing.
RFID tag technology will certainly
be changing, and it will be much more
convenient to be able to have a tag on a
wristband, wristwatch, ring, or another
item where it can be swapped, updated, or
improved without surgery. Let’s bury this
harmful trend now.
If you want to provide a service on the
subject of RFID, then cover the obstacles
to implementation of RFID systems,
such as the high cost of the middleware
necessary for businesses to use them. That
is a much more relevant topic.—Larry G.
DeVries
The intersection of technology and our
bodies has fascinated science-fiction
writers and fans for decades. Today,
cyborgs and bionics—as popularized
in the 1970s by The Six Million Dollar
Man—are rapidly becoming a reality. In
most cases, failing organs are replaced or
enhanced by technology, but I think the
use of this type of technology to facilitate
everyday activities shows just how safe and
commonplace it’s becoming. This disturbs
you? Better not read our upcoming story,
tentatively titled “Cryogenics, Cybernetics,
and You: A User’s Guide to Subdermal
Technologies.”—Jeremy Kaplan
IN SEARCH OF PRODUCT FEATURES
INFORMATION
What happened to the Summary of
Features that used to be in the hard copy
of PC Magazine? It is truly a valuable tool,
as no one product is good for everyone.
I use it with my personal criteria, and
when it is inconsistent with the reviews,
I analyze the review for the reason for
the discrepancy. This ensures that I make
an informed decision, knowing what the
pitfalls are with the product that I pick.
—Eric Goldman
We provide feature summaries in our
Buyers’ Guides where it makes sense, along
A REASON
with specs and features in our reviews. But TO BE OPTIMISTIC.
we are also providing an expanded set of
features, specs, and much more online. Just
follow that “go” link that accompanies the
review for more data than you can shake a
stick at—and a nifty and convenient way
to compare multiple products together on
one screen.—JL
WHO IS BILL GATES?
I’ve been working on Microsoft Windows HP PROLIANT ML150 G3
$1239 (Save $200)
since its first few years; the first version I
worked on was Windows 3.0. Since then,
I discovered that Windows is just a poor • Dual-Core Intel® Xeon® 5050 Processor
imitation of the Apple Macintosh System. 3GHz/667MHz1
I am wondering why Apple didn’t just • 1GB (2x512 MB) memory
• Flexible support for high-performance SAS
sue Bill Gates for having used the idea or low-cost SATA hard drives
that their software was built on using • 1-year, Next Business Day on-site support2
“telepathy.” • Get more: HP Care Pack, 1-year, 4-hour
The only explanation I have received response on-site service, 24x7 $105
for this was from the director of the
business-school program during my study
for an MBA in the U.S. She said, “He’s a
shark.” HP STORAGEWORKS DAT 72
From my study of business USB INTERNAL TAPE DRIVE
administration, I believe he must have
done something much more shrewd than $569
sharklike. Maybe he bought a controlling • Restore your operating system,
share of Apple’s stock (I have no idea, I am applications and data with
One Button Disaster Recovery
just presuming).
• Easy Plug-n-Play connectivity, saving
If you have another explanation, please time and money
tell me.—John Clinckerhosen • Same performance, capacity and reliability
as DAT 72 SCSI without the costs or
complications
I wouldn’t call Bill Gates a shark; he seems
• This Smart Buy bundle includes
like more of a mockingbird to me. Or at 4 free data cartridges3
least he used to. Now, based on what the
Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has
been able to accomplish, he seems more CALL 1-866-625-3576
like a saint.—JL CLICK HP.COM/GO/ML150MAG8
FIND A RESELLER: HP.COM/GO/RESELLER
HOW TO CONTACT US
We welcome your comments and suggestions.
When sending e-mail to Feedback, please state
in the subject line of your message which arti-
cle or column prompted your response. E-mail
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property of PC Magazine and are subject to
editing. We regret that we cannot answer let-
ters individually.
 PIPELINE
WHAT’S NEW FROM THE WORLD OF TECH

AQUANAUT
Can you build a stealth
submarine? If so, the
Defense Advanced Re-
search Projects Agen-
Searching with a Partner cy (DARPA) is interest-
ed. In August DARPA

A
ChaCha uses the “two heads are better than one” approach to searching
held its annual event to
RE THE RESPONSES YOU GET BACK Some ChaCha guides earn $5 an hour to aid evaluate student-built
from search engines all over the in searches, while experienced ones with good autonomous under-
map, so that you have to sift them success rates can make twice that. Do you have a water vehicles (AUVs).
to fi nd what you were looking for? friend who recently received a diagnosis of breast Teams from MIT,
Scott Jones, an entrepreneur from cancer? A topic expert who knows how to navi- Johns Hopkins Uni-
Indiana, wants to change that with gate available Web information about the general versity, and other
his new ChaCha search engine. category of cancer and the specific type of breast schools showed their
Jones helped reinvent voice mail in the 1980s, cancer can instant-message with your friend as stealth subs. Each
and owns a slew of patents. “Over 600 million she searches, helping to narrow down results so team was required
people now use the voice mail technology I invent- that she fi nds sought-after information quickly. to build a completely
ed,” he says. His proposition for overhauling Web Jones bristles at the suggestion that human autonomous under-
searching is simple: introduce living participation. assistance has been tried before in Web search- water system capable
Human assistance in searches has occurred at sites ing. “It hasn’t been tried before in terms of the of traversing a body
such as Ask.com, but ChaCha mobilizes armies of real-time interaction we’re pursuing,” he says, of water, navigating a
paid human assistants who specialize in certain adding that the site is driven by advertising; it’s series of gates, return-
topic areas. Unlike other efforts to include human not a paid search service. Hook up with a guide ing to a recovery zone,
intelligence in the Web search process, and unlike and try some of your own searches at the site— and determining the
Yahoo! Answers, ChaCha provides guides who and let us know whether or not the human touch maximum depth of
help searchers in real time. helps.—Sebastian Rupley the zone. No remote
assistance was per-

GOT GAME? LIGHTS, CAMERA…CLICK mitted. In this photo,

Ian Williams from the
Microsoft intends to open University of Texas (go
As evidenced by Sony's $65 million deal to acquire
Xbox 360 game develop- Grouper, online video sites are red hot. YouTube Longhorns!) is seen
ment to all comers. At the continues to rule the roost by a wide margin. submerging his au-
company’s site you can tonomous underwater
Top Online Video Sites, by Market Share
download XNA Game Studio vehicle. DARPA’s event
Express software and start creating, though cur- YouTube 42.9% is less a competi-
rently you can create games only for Windows. Lat- MySpace Videos 24.2% tion than a show, but
er this year Microsoft will release tools to migrate SubJuGator, an AUV
the games to Xbox 360. Through a partnership be- Yahoo! Video Search 9.6%
built at the University
tween Microsoft and DigiPen, summer workshops MSN Video Search 9.2% of Florida, has domi-
beginning in 2007 will encourage kids, ages 10 nated several annual
Google Video Search 6.5% Source: Hitwise
through 16, to build their own Xbox 360 games. competitions.

BOOK NOOK As part of Google’s effort to scan the world’s books and distribute them on-
line, you can now download PDF versions of classic public domain works at books.google
.com. Harvard, Oxford, and Stanford Universities all have libraries participating in the effort.
OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 21
FUTUREWATCH

BUT CAN IT
FLIP PEOPLE
OFF?
The robotic hand seen
here is flashing “scissors”
in a game of rock-paper-
scissors. It’s the end result
of a new brain-to-machine
interface created by Honda
and ATR International. The
technology enables the
decoding of brain activity
and the use of the extracted
data as instructions for a
robotic hand without cut-
ting into the brain.
How does it work? Mag-
EXTREME CLOSE-UP

A
netic resonance imaging
technology (commonly
LTHOUGH IT LOOKS LIK E SOME K I ND OF SCI-FI called MRI) tracks hemo-
snake, that’s actually an extreme close-up of the dynamic responses in the
sharpest man-made object ever. The photo is a brain—essentially mapping
field-ion microscope image of the tip of a very the brain activity that’s
sharp tungsten needle. Each semispherical globu- associated with a certain
lar shape is an individual atom. The longer shapes gesture. For example, when
are traces—like comet tails—of the atoms as they moved while you make the shape for
being photographed. “scissors” with your hand,
This photo, made by researcher Moh’d Rezeq working with the associated activity in
Robert Wolkow at the University of Alberta and the National Insti- your brain can be identified
tute for Nanotechnology, illustrates how powerful microscopes and mapped by software.
assist nanotechnologists in exploring, altering, and improving The brain’s responses are
materials at nanoscale. As for the needle itself, its sharpness can decoded by a computer
aid its role as an ultraprecise electron emitter—a key process as and then sent to the robotic
nanotechnologists work on creating everything from ultrastrong, hand. Look for commercial
steel-like alloys to hard drive materials that can rapidly expand applications in the coming
storage capacities.—Sebastian Rupley months.

22 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

 ONE FAST MACHINE
Get a load of the Quiet Supersonic
Transport (QSST) plane, from Super-
sonic Aerospace International. The
company has finalized the design for
one of the fastest passenger jets ever,
designed to cut the travel time for long-
distance jaunts in half. The supersonic
jet is supposed to be able to fly coast to
coast in an eye-opening 2 hours.
The speedy bug-smasher (seen in
an artist’s rendering here) was achieved
by placing Lockheed Martin’s Skunk
Works under contract. It’s designed to
produce a sonic boom noise level of
less than one-hundredth of the Con-
corde’s, earning the jet permission to
fly at supersonic speeds over populated
areas. The QSST will travel at speeds up
to Mach 1.8, should seat 12 passengers,
and is aimed at government and busi-
ness travelers. For a progress report, see
Supersonic Aerospace’s Web site, www
.saiproject.com.

Stan, you can depend on

Ricoh color to stand out.

We could use
a little color, Jerry.

Ricoh dependability moves your ideas forward.

ricoh-usa.com/itchannel
1.800.RICOH.43
©2006 Ricoh Corporation
CONNECTEDTRAVELER
S E AT T L E
TOP TECH BEST WIRED
ATTRACTIONS HOTELS
Experience Music Grand Hyatt Seattle
Project 721 Pine St.
325 5th Ave. N. www.grandseattle
www.emplive.org, .hyatt.com
www.sfhomeworld.org
The Grand Hyatt Seattle
Rock fans will swoon is located in the city’s
at the obsessively business district and
detailed, interactive within walking distance
exhibits at this swoop- of the Pike Place Market
ing Gehry-designed and Washington State
museum, especially Convention and Trade
the gallery dedicated Center. All rooms offer
to hometown son Jimi both wireless and high-
Hendrix. Make your way speed wired Web ac-
through the EMP with cess (around $10 a day),
the Museum Exhibit digital video on demand,
and even remote-control
Guide, a digital gadget
blackout drapes, as well
that provides audio and
as an in-room safe (in
text information about which you can both store
whichever exhibits and charge your laptop).
you’re next to.
Hotel Andra
The Microsoft Visitor
2000 4th Ave.
Center
www.hotelandra.com
4420 148th Ave. NE,
Redmond, Building 127 For the trendier traveler,
www.microsoft.com/ WHILE YOU’RE IN TOWN Bordered by Puget Sound, deep- the coolly modernist
museum blue lakes, and gleaming mountains, Seattle could hardly Hotel Andra is situated in
the Belltown neighbor-
At the Center you can have a more stunning setting. Downtown is quite walkable hood, with its artsy res-
explore the software (despite a few steep hills); make sure to take in the lively Pike taurants, coffeehouses,
giant’s history (a 30-
Place Market and its fish tossers. Hop on the Bainbridge Island and galleries. All rooms
foot timeline shows key have flat-screen TVs, and
events in Microsoft’s ferry for a terrific skyline view, then disembark for a tranquil suites feature wall-hung
30 years), its current waterside lunch. There’s plenty of nightlife; music, bars, and plasmas. Even the eleva-
products, and futuristic galleries abound. Try the stylish Pink Door restaurant on Post tors have plasma TVs.
research on such topics Alley for great Italian food and (the night I was there, at least) Wireless Web access is
as gesture-based com- available throughout the
puting. Open Monday
an accordion cabaret act. hotel ($9.95 a day), and
through Friday, 9 a.m. high-speed wired ac-

FREE WI-FI HOT SPOTS

to 7 p.m., but call ahead FA ST FAC TS Seattle cess is available at lobby
to make sure it’s not pri- is home to Microsoft workstations.
vately booked. Ancient Grounds and Nintendo of Amer- W Seattle
1220 1st Ave. ica in nearby Redmond; 1112 4th Ave.
Space Needle
400 Broad St.
This peaceful coffee bar and folk-art gallery near mobile-phone content starwoodhotels.com
the Seattle Art Museum offers free Wi-Fi and provider InfoSpace; and The W Seattle prides
www.spaceneedle.com
plenty of outlets. dot-coms Amazon and itself on providing a
This Seattle icon was drugstore.com. peaceful oasis for the
built in 1962 for the
Wet Rep Though it’s ac- traveler, complete with
World’s Fair and has City Buses tually just 44th on the Bliss Spa toiletries.
been giving visitors a Since the beginning of 2005, Seattle bus commut- Rooms offer DVD play-
annual rainfall list for
breathtaking view of ers have enjoyed free wireless Internet access as ers and 32-inch plasma
the U.S., Seattle boasts
the city ever since. After TVs with Internet access
you’ve ascended and
they ride. Read the Net while you roam! three of the six floating
bridges in the world. and current movies on
circled the outdoor ter- demand. You can also
And it has more house-
race, head inside to play Seattle Public Library, Central Branch borrow DVDs and CDs.
boats than any other
with interactive touch- 1000 4th Ave. American city: Close
Each room has two dual-
screen displays that of- Not only can you hop onto free Wi-Fi at the new line telephones (one
to 500 reside on Lake
fer info about the sights cordless), and Ethernet
public library in the heart of downtown Seattle, you Union, Lake Washington, Web access.
you’ve just seen.
can even buy a cup of coffee there. and Portage Bay.

AIRPORT FACTS The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) offers high-speed wireless Internet access (from AT&T) everywhere
(except in the subway and the upper floors of the garage), and it’s even free. I was able to hop onto the network easily from several dif-
ferent locations within the airport. Instead of traditional public phones, Sea-Tac has Internet phones with keyboards; you can e-mail
from them for 50 cents per message, or voice-call for a fee that starts at $1.30 for 5 minutes.—Carol Mangis

24 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

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TECHNORIDE

av system
The Denso n because
is a bargaindard LCD
of the stan

TOYOTA CAMRY HYBRID AN INCREDIBLE PACKAGE

W
$26,480 to $30,390 HY HAS TOYOTA BECOME THE WORLD’S NUMBER ONE
llllh automaker? Look no further than the 2007 Camry Hybrid.
EPA MILEAGE 40 mpg It’s an incredible combination of fuel economy, roomi-
city, 38 mpg highway. ness, and fit and finish. About all that’s missing is the
PROS Very good fuel sense of automotive character found in its competitors
economy. Roomy cabin. and in its sibling, the Prius Hybrid.
Reasonable power. Near-
flawless fit and finish. The Camry Hybrid costs about $2,400 more than a non-hybrid Camry. You
Affordable navigation get a four-cylinder gas engine, electric motors/generators at the two front
system. Easy-to-negotiate site. wheels, a continuously variable transmission, and a huge NiMH battery pack.
CONS Some trunk space lost to hybrid batteries. Odd The Denso navigation system has more tech features than on past Toyotas and
mechanical noises (common to hybrids), some shudder thus is harder to use, but it’s learnable. On our car, it was a bargain: $1,200 for
when engine starts (uncommon). Build-your-own site is
missing some options. Little personality. DVD nav plus premium audio and Bluetooth, according to the window sticker.
BOTTOM LINE A roomy five-passenger hybrid with
Other tech goodies include a keyless-start fob (standard), a “multi-info”
very good fuel economy. You can learn to live with the LCD, a line-in jack for music players, six airbags, tire-pressure monitoring, and
minor hybrid drivetrain noises and noticeable engine the ability to attach XM or Sirius satellite radio. There is no sport package for
restarts. Other than that and a lack of personality, this is the hybrid; if you want that, go for the V6 gas-engine Camry. And the govern-
a near-perfect car.
ment tax credit on this car ($2,600) drops 25 percent after September and will
fade away within the year. But most drivers should make back their hybrid pre-
Eight programmable miums anyway. So long as you need transportation and not an extension of your
keys make the new ego, the Camry, either hybrid or gas, is hard to beat.—BH
iDrive easier to use
THIRD-GENERATION BMW IDRIVE
NEED MORE REVIEW? In November, BMW will debut a new and improved iDrive
Check out Bill’s extended cockpit controller with the X5 SUV. Focus-group sources
analysis of the Camry at report that BMW has sought feedback on a system not
go.technoride.com/ unlike Audi’s best-of-breed MMI controller. The result: The
camryhybrid new iDrive will have eight keys on the center console stack
to assist its four-way controller. You’ll be able to program
destinations, numbers, or audio settings into each button,
bypassing the iDrive’s previous slide, turn, and press meth-
odology. Yet another version may be in the works with the
2008 replacement of the BMW 7 Series.—BH

26 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

 B I L L H O WA R D

SOLID-OXIDE FUEL CELLS
TEST SUCCESSFULLY
In August, Franklin Fuel Cell reported a success-
ful test of Solid-Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) technol-
ogy on 16 different types of fuels, including pro-
pane, methane, ethanol, natural gas, and diesel.
Franklin’s technology requires no desulfurizing
process, which it claims allows for smaller, more
efficient, and cheaper cells. The company believes
this technology will be the key to a smooth transi-
tion from fossil fuels.
Since 1999, automakers such as BMW and
Delphi Automotive have looked toward SOFC as
a promising alternative to combustion engines.
The system’s ability to run on many hydrocarbon
fuels could help eliminate our dependency on any
one kind of fuel in case of a shortage. But SOFC’s
high operating temperature makes it impractical
to use in a car. Even so, BMW has said it hopes to
introduce SOFC systems as auxiliary power units
into its automobiles by the next decade.—Errol A.
Pierre-Louis
B
AUTO BLACK-BOX DISCLOSURES IN 2011
IG BROTHER HAS BEEN WATCHING SOME OF US DRIVE
for a decade now. In another couple years, you’ll know if
you’re under scrutiny. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration has ordered automakers to disclose which
of the cars they sell have black boxes, starting with 2011
model-year vehicles.
Black boxes, or Event Data Recorders (EDRs), are
nothing new. PC Magazine columnist Bill Machrone re-
ported four years ago that black boxes were built into passenger cars as early
as 1996. In 2005, two-thirds of GM and Ford cars had black boxes installed.
The safety-related reasons are obvious: As younger Americans run out of
other things to die from, automobile ac-
cidents have become the number-one An EDR can capture
cause of death for people up through
their late 20s. An EDR can capture the the seconds before,
seconds before, during, and after a
crash and report speed, acceleration, during, and after
whether brakes were on or off, whether
seat belts were worn, and airbag de- a crash.
ployment. This would help research-
ers to understand more about accidents and to design safer cars. As EDRs
become more sophisticated, they’ll be able to record not just a few seconds
but all data from the previous hour, day, or month. And they could upload the
information to you for analysis.
EDRs are “good news, bad news” technology. The information could be
used to help you in a court case. But if you’re in a collision while doing 74 mph
in a 65-mph zone, your EDR data might count against you. Insurers could even
use that information to decline to renew your insurance. EDRs are great for
monitoring teen drivers but not so great when police who are looking to write
more tickets want to plug into your EDR. Luckily for speed fiends, getting a
warrant for a car’s EDR isn’t easy. GM’s policy essentially maintains that it won’t
use the recorded data unless the cops ask for it, you sue GM, or you sue some-
one else.
Are EDRs infallible? Some people involved in lawsuits say the sensors may
get some data, such as vehicle speed, wrong. But the presumption of the po-
lice and of juries is that the technology just plain works.
Bill Howard is the editor of TechnoRide.com and a contributing editor of
PC Magazine.

NEW CHEVY CAMARO FOR 2009

GM Chairman Rick Wagoner announced plans to build an all-new ver-
sion of the Chevrolet Camaro sport coupe, based on the award-winning
concept car showcased at this year’s North American International Auto
Show. The company was apparently inspired by the overwhelming re-
sponse from car enthusiasts to bring the concept into reality. The new
Camaro will be almost identical to the concept car: a thoroughly modern
interpretation of the 1969 model. The front-engine, rear-wheel-drive
sport coupe will feature an independent rear suspension and will be of-
fered in a variety of models. Buyers will choose between manual and
automatic transmissions and V-6 and V-8 engines. The new Camaro will
complement Chevy’s already popular portfolio of performance vehicles,
led by the Corvette and including its broad SS lineup.—EAP

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 27

USEFUL KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS for navigating digital magazines
PAGE DOWN ................................. flip to next page
PAGE UP....................................... flip to prior page
ENTER ................................... zoom in on left page
SHIFT + ENTER ..................... zoom in on right page
ENTER .................. zoom back out to full-page view
C ....................................... flip to Table of Contents
HOME ......................................... flip to front cover
END............................................. flip to back page
USEFUL KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS for navigating digital magazines
PAGE DOWN ................................. flip to next page
PAGE UP....................................... flip to prior page
ENTER ................................... zoom in on left page
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FIRST LOOKS
OUR RATINGS KEY:
l l l l l EXCELLENT
l l l l m VERY GOOD
l l l m m GOOD
l l m m m FAIR
l m m m m POOR

CH-CH-CHANGES
RIM’s BlackBerry, the
e-mail addict’s con-
stant companion and
best friend, sure has
changed over the years.
But from the looks of
things, it’s for the better.
Our review has all the
details (page 36).
Speaking of change,
Intel’s introduction of
the Core 2 Duo marked
a significant speed shift
in desktop computing.
Now it’s gone mobile.
We review Dell’s new
laptop on page 31.
No category
changes more rapidly
than software. Inside we
cover the latest in music
services from MTV and
Napster and new ways
of making online con-
nections work for you,
whether it’s entertain-
ment (There.com) or
utility (AllPeers).
PC Magazine has
seen its share of change
this year, but one thing
remains consistent:
We love technology as
much as you do. The 38
products we cover in this
edition of First Looks
should tell you why.

30 HARDWARE
32 Buying Guide:
High-End Vista-
Ready Desktops

36 CONSUMER
ELECTRONICS
46 Buying Guide:
Point-and-Shoot
Digital Cameras

50 SOFTWARE

63 SMALL BUSINESS

73 THE BEST STUFF

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 29

 F I R ST LO O KS
HARDWARE

Integrated webcam

Looks like a
widescreen TV

PC's in the
back!

Clear
polycarbonate
base

board
Wireless key
Sony VAIO VGC-LS1
$2,099 direct
and mouse
llllm

PROS Compact all-in- SONY VAIO VGC-LS1

NOT AN IMAC, BUT JUST AS PRETTY

one form factor. Looks

I
like a widescreen TV.
Wireless keyboard and
mouse. Dual-core good- NTO THE EVER-SHRINKING WORLD OF ALL-IN-
ness. Vista Premium one desktops comes Sony’s latest entry, the
compatibility. Integrated Sony VAIO VGC-LS1. Its gorgeous, 19-inch,
webcam.
silver-bezeled WSXGA widescreen “floats”
CONS No HDMI or
composite-video input. in a clear polycarbonate base, and carvings
Tuner isn’t HDTV. Short, in the polycarbonate are backlit for the power indi-
60-day Internet security cator, drive light, and Wi-Fi lights.
subscription. Ugly IR The entire PC is built into the screen and comes
receiver.
with an integrated webcam, a built-in TV tuner, and
a slot-loading dual-layer DVD burner. Its integrated
Intel GMA 950 graphics don’t handle 3D games that
well, but the LS1 isn’t meant to be a gaming system.
Instead, it's a great multimedia system. With a 1.83-
GHz Intel Core Duo T2400 CPU, 2GB of system
memory, and a 250GB hard drive, the LS1 achieved
near tower-PC-level performance on our Adobe
Photoshop CS2 and Windows Media tests. Built-in
SD card and Memory Stick readers make the LS1 a
great base station for your digital life.
In my opinion, the LS1 gives the iMac a real run
for its money, but it doesn’t go far enough. If only
Sony had built the IR receiver into the screen bezel
and included HDTV, it would have been a shoo-in
for an Editors’ Choice nod. Still, the LS1 is a good-
looking, powerful Media Center PC. If you don't
care about HDTV, it will fit right into your bedroom
or home office.—Joel Santo Domingo
>> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/vgcls1

30 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

 Prints 4-
by12-inch
panoramas

HP PHOTOSMART A516

A QUALITY LOW-END PHOTO PRINTER

T
HE PHOTOSMART A516 COMPACT PHOTO PRINTER BRINGS SOME-
thing new to the party: nearly waterproof output. Measuring
4.6 by 8.7 by 4.6 inches (HWD) and weighing 2.6 pounds, this
dedicated photo printer can print from most memory cards,
PictBridge-enabled cameras, and computers. It lacks a photo
kiosk–style menu, but the 1.5-inch LCD and front-panel buttons let you print
multiple copies, print multiple photos per page, and choose which photos to 1.5-inch LCD
print from a memory card. screen
On my tests, it took up to 1 minute 45 seconds to print from a computer,
HP Photosmart A516
and up to 2:06 to print from a camera or a CompactFlash card. All the pho- $99 direct
tos I printed with the A516 displayed true photo quality—they were easily a llllm
match for photos you’d get from a local drugstore or consumer photo lab. PROS True photo qual-
Although the photos will show a water stain if you let a drop of water dry ity. LCD for previewing
on the surface, they didn’t smudge when I held them under running water and photos. Water-resistant
rubbed them, even immediately after printing. For now, the water-resistant output. Prints panora-
mas at 4 by 12 inches.
output is worth the higher price (29.2 cents per photo)—a result of HP’s
CONS The LCD is small by
new ink and paper. The total package offers enough features to earn the today’s standards. Users can’t
A516 an Editors’ Choice for low-cost photo printers.—M. David Stone adjust the LCD angle for better
>> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/hpa516 viewing.

Now has built-in

DELL XPS M1710 (INTEL CORE 2 DUO) draft-n wireless
A WINNING CHOICE FOR GAMERS

O
UR FAVORITE LAPTOP FOR GAMING, THE DELL XPS
M1710, gets a performance boost with an upgrade
to the new 2.33-GHz mobile Intel Core 2 Duo
R7600 processor. On SYSmark 2004 SE bench-
mark tests, this iteration of the laptop shows a
19 percent improvement over the previous M1710 (with its
mobile 2.16-GHz Core Duo CPU) on Internet Content Cre-
ation and a 5 percent increase on Office Productivity. On the
video-encoding tests, its scores improved by more than 20
percent, and the system finished Adobe Photoshop tests in
exactly 1 minute—the fastest I’ve seen for any laptop.
The combination of the Core 2 Duo CPU and the nVidia
GeForce Go 7900 GTX graphics card helped improve the
system’s 3DMark 2005 scores (at 1,024-by-768 resolution),
too. Its Doom 3 scores leapt 28 percent, and Splinter Cell
scores rose 15 percent. Battery life suffered a little—the sys- Dell XPS M1710
(Intel Core 2 Duo)
tem ran for just 2 hours 23 minutes—but chances are you’ll $3,789 direct
be plugged in most of the time anyway. llllh
Dell also integrates the as-yet-unratified n-standard PROS Outstanding over-
wireless. In informal testing, I saw pretty fast transfer rates. all performance. Inte-
2.33-GHz mobDileo
The Dell XPS M1710 (Intel Core 2 Duo) continues to
shine as the best gaming laptop on the market, retaining its
grated 802.11n wireless.
Improved gaming perfor- Intel Core 2 u
mance. Netgear 802.11n CPU in si d e
Editors’ Choice.—Cisco Cheng router included with purchase.
>> Check out our extended Intel mobile Core 2 Duo (code- CONS Lack of range with 802.11n.
named “Merom”) coverage in our next issue. For more Cheaper than other Core 2 Duo
in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/dellm1710 laptops but still pricey.

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 31

 F I R ST LO O KS
HARDWARE

BUYING GUIDE

High-End Vista-Ready
Desktops
ides
Plain exteriorrehme
a Core 2 Extnd 1TB
processor a
of space GATEWAY FX510XT
$3,966 direct, $4,240 with 21-inch widescreen monitor
llllh
The Gateway FX510XT doesn’t look as flashy
as boutique gaming boxes, but when in
comes to performance, it’s what’s inside that
counts. This gaming/media system boasts an
Intel Core 2 Extreme processor, a terabyte of
hard drive space, and a pair of ATI Radeon X1900 XT
graphics cards. The system proves more than ready
for Windows Vista Premium, with a built-in TV tuner,
4GB of DDR2-667 SDRAM memory, and space for up-
grades. The FX510XT turned in a 501 on my Internet
Content Creation test—it’s only the second PC I’ve
seen score over 500 points. It scorched my Adobe
Photoshop CS2 action set, posting the second-fast-
est time of any desktop I’ve tested. This monster even
runs our gaming tests at 60 frames per second (the
benchmark for smooth game play) or faster, including
at the highest (2,560-by-1,600) resolution.
Of course, these goodies come at a price—but
compared with the $6,000 and $7,000 PCs the
FX510XT is up against, it’s a relative bargain. With
plenty of power inside, most buyers will overlook one
of its only drawbacks—a less-than-flashy facade.
Remote for —Joel Santo Domingo
integrated >> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/fx510xt
TV tuner

T
HE HOLIDAY BUYING SEASON
is almost here, and if you’re
shopping for a desktop PC this
year, here’s one more thing
to consider: the 800-pound
gorilla that is Microsoft Win-
dows Vista. For the consumer
with a high-end machine in
mind, that means looking for a system that can han-
dle the best that Vista has to offer.
Once Vista is released (in January 2007, accord-
ing to Microsoft), U.S. customers will have three ver-
sions to choose from: Vista Home Basic, Vista Home
Premium, and Vista Ultimate. Vista Home Basic will
be the default for budget PCs, just as Windows XP
Home Edition is the current standard. Vista Premi-
um will be the standard for mainstream and Media
Center PCs. It features the much-vaunted Aero ef-
fects (including translucent windows and Flip 3D),
as well as HDTV and DVD authoring, and mobile
and tablet interfaces. Vista Ultimate takes the kitch-
en sink approach, tacking on all the business-related
features of Vista Business and Vista Enterprise. It
includes such high-end features as a built-in Web
server, dual-processor support, remote desktop
capability, virtual PC, game performance enhance-
ments, and podcast creation support, as well as spe-
cial online services and tech-support options.

32 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

DAZZLING VISTA-READY DESKTOPS
RED denotes Editors' Choice. All prices are direct. Products are listed from best to worst by rating.

Falcon Northwest Mach llllh $6,995 SILENT SPEED The Mach V's amazingly fast Core 2 Extreme processor should handle
V with Core 2 Extreme Aero effects with ease. A unique liquid cooling system means it’s quiet, too.
Gateway FX510XT llllh $3,966 INNER BEAUTY The FX510XT's plain-Jane exterior hides plenty of Vista Premium–
ready power inside.
WinBook Jiv Mini llllh $1,200 MINI-ME PC One of the smallest PCs available with a built-in TV tuner, this compact
Media Center PC packs plenty of power—and Vista capability—into a slim space.
Sony VAIO VGC-LS1 llllm $2,099 PICTURE PERFECT An all-in-one MC PC, the LS1 puts a 250GB hard drive, a 1.83-GHz
Intel Core Duo, and Vista Premium compatibility behind a pretty, 19-inch widescreen.
Dell XPS 700 lllhm $3,700 BIG AND FLASHY Its LED-ringed chassis is supersize but sexy—and there are game-
ready graphics, Vista-compatible components, and space for upgrades inside.

>> For the full Vista-ready desktop reviews: go.pcmag.com/desktops

For a system to earn a “Vista Capable” sticker on the game grid. HDTV tuners will come in handy
from Microsoft, all it needs is an 800-MHz pro- if you’re looking to build the Ultimate PC to go
cessor, 512MB of system memory, and a DirectX along with Windows Vista Ultimate. The Gateway
9–capable graphics processor—specs that are com- FX510XT, our Editors’ Choice, is a good example
mon even in “budget” (read: cheap) systems these of a high-end desktop that can handle all that Vista
days. As long as you’re using a system bought within Ultimate has to offer.
the last few years, Vista Home Basic should run on Keep in mind that, while the system you buy (or
your current machine. even the one you currently own) may not be Vista
Systems that are Vista Premium-ready carry Premium- or Ultimate-ready, you can bring many
a longer list of goodies: at least 1GB of system recently produced desktops up to speed by adding
memory, a 1-GHz or faster processor, DX9 graphics system memory (an easy process), a new graph-
capability, Pixel Shader 2.0 at 32 bits per pixel (mil- ics card (somewhat more complex), or more drive
lions of colors), 128MB of graphics memory, 15GB space (easy with an external drive, slightly more
of free drive space on a 40GB or larger hard drive, complex with an internal). The situation is similar
DVD-ROM, and an audio-out port. Most if not all to the transition from Windows 98 to XP a few years Falcon Northwest
high-end gaming systems produced in the last few ago: A good system today with room for upgrades Mach V With Core
2 Extreme, it should
years, as well as more recent mainstream systems, tomorrow will be fine for using Windows Vista. easily handle Aero
fall into this category. effects.
There’s no “Ultimate” certification program VISTA-READY, AND THEN SOME The Falcon North-
(yet), so you’ll want to look for really high-end fea- west Mach V with Core 2 Extreme will certainly
tures to make it worthwhile. Since Ultimate sup- handle Vista in all forms. Our test system came with
ports the BitLocker data encryption scheme from
Vista Enterprise, you should look for a PC that
supports TPM (Trusted Platform Module) secu- ARE YOU READY FOR WINDOWS VISTA?
rity hardware if you plan on encrypting your files to A high-end system will let you take advantage of more of the
keep them away from prying eyes. features in Windows Vista.
If you’re going to use other features—like IIS
GOOD BETTER BEST
(Internet Information Services), Ultimate’s built- (Vista–capable) (Premium-ready) (Ultimate-ready)
in Web server—then you should go for a dual-core
Processor 800-MHz 32-bit 1-GHz 32-bit (x86) Dual-core, 64-bit-
(or quad-core) system with at least 2GB of system (x86) or 64-bit or 64-bit (x64) capable processor,
memory and a large hard drive, particularly if you’re (x64) processor processor 1.66 GHz or faster
going to build your own Web sites and serve multi-
RAM 512MB 1GB At least 2GB
media. You can do work from home, accessing your
work desktop and vice versa using Ultimate’s Re- Graphics DirectX 9 graphics DirectX 9 graph- DirectX 10 graphics
card support ics support with a support**
mote Desktop feature, but you’ll need an always-on
WDDM driver*
Internet broadband connection to use this function
effectively. Hard drive 20GB with 15GB of 40GB with 15GB of As much as you can
space free space free space afford
If you’re a hard-core gamer, a high-powered
enthusiast graphics card (or two) like the ATI Rad- Optical CD-ROM drive (can DVD-ROM drive (can Dual-layer DVD burn-
eon X1950, the nVidia GeForce 7950 GX2, or the drives be external) be external) er (can be external)
upcoming GeForce 8 series will give you a leg up * 128MB of graphics memory (minimum); Pixel Shader 2.0 at 32 bits per pixel. ** 512MB of graphics memory.

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 33

 EXPERT VIEW
BY JOEL SANTO DOMINGO
O
CAN YOU UPGRADE TO VISTA?
NE QUESTION I HEAR A LOT THESE DAYS IS “CAN I UPGRADE
to Vista when the time comes?” Depending on your current
setup, you may be able to get your system ready for the
brave new world of Vista. Or you may decide that you’re
better off just getting a new Vista-ready system instead.
Here’s what you need to consider.
MEMORY Do you have at least 512MB? One gigabyte of
system memory is a more comfortable amount, and 2GB is
just about perfect for all iterations of Vista, though you may want 4GB to 8GB
if you’re a hardcore gamer or a multimedia maven.
GRAPHICS If you have integrated graphics or a DX9-capable graphics card,
it is likely that you can use Vista in its basic form, without all the fancy Aero
effects. If your graphics card has at least 256MB of dedicated graphics mem-
ory, Aero will work fine for you. Users of PCs with PCIe X16 slots will be able to
upgrade to the new DX10 graphics
You may decide cards when they’re available later
this year. DX10 will be a Vista-
you’re better off buy- optimized graphics standard.
HARD DRIVE While you can install
ing a new Vista-ready Vista on any machine that has at
least 15GB free, you may want to
system instead. upgrade to at least 250GB if your
current system has less than 80GB.
You’ll need the room if you upgrade to any new Vista-optimized programs.
PROCESSOR Upgrading a processor is intimidating. If your processor is too
slow for Vista (Intel Celeron Via C3, or AMD Sempron processors that are
slower than 800 MHz), buy a new PC.
CUT AND RUN If your system came with Windows 95, 98, or ME originally, buy
a new system—even if you have the wherewithal to upgrade, it will likely be up
to only the minimum Vista requirements. If your system came with Windows
2000, it will probably be able to handle the hardware upgrades needed to run
Vista Business or Home Basic, but won’t run Vista’s multimedia offerings. If
your Windows XP system’s invoice reads 2004 or later, then you should be in
good shape for Home Basic and Premium.
For those brave souls who plan to upgrade to Vista-ready levels, I salute
you. One hint: Wipe your machine’s C: drive and install Vista from scratch
rather than upgrading from an existing copy of Windows XP. Just remember
to back up your data.
2GB of system memory and a whopping 300GB of
hard drive space for digital photos and video, music,
and games. An overclocked Intel Core 2 Extreme
X6800 processor and dual ATI Radeon graphics
cards in a CrossFire configuration should handle
Vista’s Aero effects without breaking a sweat. If you
want to keep Vista on its own hard drive, adding
extra drives to the Mach V’s case is a cinch.
RUN VISTA, SAVE SPACE The class leader among
mini Media Center PCs, the WinBook Jiv Mini also
bears a Vista Capable sticker. One of the smallest
34 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006
WinBook Jiv Mini
Packs power and Vista
capability into a slim space.
PCs available with a built-in TV tuner, it comes
with 1GB of system memory, a 100GB hard drive,
and a 1.66-GHz dual core Intel Core Duo T2400
processor that makes it perfect for light multimedia
duties (like those it will perform as a Media Cen-
ter PC with DVR capabilities). Since it is a mini PC,
there’s no room for internal upgrades, which limits
you to the integrated Intel GMA 950 graphics. This
setup should be capable of running the Aero effects
in Vista Premium, though I’ll be testing GMA950’s
performance with Aero once more stable versions
of Vista are available.
WHAT A DELL! The Dell XPS 700 is a high-powered
gaming system with a case that is certainly unique. I
looked at a system built around an Intel Core 2 Duo
E6700 CPU, which, while not Intel’s top-of-the-line,
will certainly get the job done quickly. Dual nVidia
GeForce 7900 GTX cards make this a system that
will also benefit from Vista Ultimate when the time
comes. It’s in some ways a better value than the
Mach V, but the Gateway FX510XT wins the bang-
for-the-buck battle with its kitchen-sink approach
for less money.
PRETTY, TO BOOT The attractive Sony VAIO VGC-
LS1 is a very good all-in-one Media Center. Only a
couple of faults, like its external MCE IR receiver
and lack of HDTV inputs, keep it from earning a
perfect score. It dons a Vista Capable sticker and
should also run Vista Premium, though the system
won’t be able to take advantage of some of Premi-
um’s features, like game optimization and HDTV.
Two gigabytes of memory, a dual-core Intel Core
Duo T2400 processor, a dual-layer DVD burner,
and a 250GB SATA hard drive help the LS1 earn its
Vista stripes.—JSD
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F I R ST LO O KS
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

Move the
cursor with
Pearl's glowing
First Blackberry with trackball
a built-in camera

oard
Hybrid kepybthe
e
helps ke ll
phone sma

ick
BLACKBERRY PEARL
Just 0.6 inch th
A BERRY NICE E-MAIL DEVICE

T
Blackberry Pearl HE PEARL, A DELICIOUS LITTLE MULTI-
$299; as low as $199 media smartphone, just happens to be
with contract
a BlackBerry as well. Slimmer than a
llllm
closed RAZR, this is the first Berry with
PROS The first Black-
Berry with a camera as
a camera and music/video players.
well as music and video The Pearl looks elegant—black with chrome
players. Sharp
Sharp screen. accents—and slips easily into any pocket. After six
Very pretty. years, RIM has ditched the BlackBerry scroll wheel
CONS Tiny keys. Music in favor of a glowing trackball set right below the
and video players lack
navigation and good PC
screen. Not only is it well placed for one-handed
sync options. use, but you can finally move the cursor horizon-
tally without resorting to a key combination.
Of course, something had to go to make the Pearl
this tiny, and that’s the keypad. The device comes
with RIM’s hybrid SureType keyboard, which puts
two letters on each key and relies on predictive text
to guess what you meant to type. And the keys are
really, really small.
A quad-band world phone, the Pearl has strong
reception and sharp, clear audio. The speakerphone
is loud enough for indoor and in-car use. The new
1.3-megapixel camera, an MP3/AAC music player,
and an MPEG-4 video player are all of startlingly
high quality. But RIM’s desktop suite handles multi-
media rather clumsily. For example, there’s no easy
way to reformat songs, videos, or pictures for opti-
mal playback on the phone.
The BlackBerry’s traditional push e-mail fea-
tures remain very strong, with the ability to merge
POP3/IMAP, Yahoo! Mail, and corporate accounts.
Web browsing also works well on the phone’s small,
bright 240-by-260 screen. As long as you can cope
with the small hybrid keyboard, the Pearl is a class-
ier, more powerful alternative to the Sidekick and to
other BlackBerry models.—Sascha Segan
>> For more in depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/pearl

36 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006 J U M P T O N E X T PA G E >>

D
Special Advertising Section

Can’t Wait:
DIGITAL FLOW
Content
Digital Flow and the
Content-Driven Business
A CDW Special Report

We live in the age of digital content—

documents, spreadsheets, images,
graphics, video, and any other digital
information. Anything that slows
the movement of content is slowing
down your business. Whether you’re
creating, managing, delivering, or
preserving information, digital content
only succeeds when it can easily move
from place-to-place, user-to-user, and
application-to-application. Anything that
makes it difficult for team members to
share, comment upon, and revise their
content is a productivity roadblock your
company doesn’t need.

800.399.4CDW | CDW.COM/DIGITALFLOW | PCMAGCONNECT.COM/CDW

 You’ve got a lot of content.
(We’ve got everything you need to manage it better.)

Managing a growing amount of content can be time-consuming and frustrating for any business. That’s where the
concept of Digital Flow comes in. Digital Flow uses technology to make dealing with your information more
efficient—from content creation to content management and storage. CDW is your one-stop resource for Digital
Flow. We’ve got the hardware and software products, as well as the expertise to answer your questions and create
solutions. So call today and start creating, sharing and working at your very best.

©2006 CDW Corporation

 Special Advertising Section

It’s a fact: If content can’t move,

neither can your business.
—Lisa Jonas
Manager, Digital Flow Category, CDW

How does your company create, capture, or

acquire content?
What is your team or business doing to manage
and control the flow of information?
How are you archiving and storing this
information to assure preservation and
make reuse possible?
Ultimately, how do you share, deliver, and
output your business information and
communication assets?
Did any of these questions get you thinking about how your
business information flows?
The questions you’ve just read address the challenges that people and businesses face
when dealing with digital information. Each question demonstrates an example of how the
creation, flow, and management of information can get bogged down, costing valuable time
and wasting profits. Worse, this “information traffic jam” can result in tremendous inefficiency
and missed opportunities.

If you are spending more time “fighting with content” than creating or using it, or if the access to
or movement of content around your business just seems “too slow,” you have a problem with
Digital Flow, a term we use here at CDW to describe how information flows in our
customers’ organizations.

At CDW, Digital Flow is the ongoing process of delivering

intelligent solutions that evolve with our customers’ need to
manage digital content.

For our customers, Digital Flow is the movement of content, in

whatever form it takes, and the constant effort to streamline
processes, improve efficiency, and remove barriers to using content
effectively and securely.

CDW has found that many—even most—of our customers suffer these problems to at least
some degree. Best case, they are annoyances. Worst case, they can strangle a business’ ability to
communicate effectively with customers, partners, or even with itself.

Because the problem is so widespread—yet

difficult for people to fully understand—
CDW has created a Digital Flow team
to examine the problems and help our
customers and friends find solutions for
them. I’m part of this team and this report is
part of my work.

PRODUCTS FOR DATA, DOCUMENT, AND DIGITAL MANAGEMENT 3

 To be creative, all you need is your mind.
(To be productive, a little technology can help.)

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• Provides easier-than-ever, high-quality video
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Being creative can be difficult. But translating that creativity into something tangible
can be even harder. Whether it’s a design idea, a digital photograph or even a video
clip, CDW’s Digital Flow solutions can help bring your ideas to life and set the
content you need into motion. Content Creation provides creative solutions to make your
ideas work with you, not against you. Let the experts at CDW customize a solution for you
today, and get those great ideas in your head out into the world around you.
CDW is an authorized Adobe® Reseller.

Offer subject to CDW’s standard terms and conditions of sale, available at CDW.com. ©2006 CDW Corporation
 Special Advertising Section

The Elements of
Digital Flow
Digital Flow includes all the content that a
business uses. In trying to understand how
content flows in our customers’ businesses, we’ve
divided the content processes into four distinct
groups:

• Create/Capture/Acquire
• Manage/Control
• Share/Deliver/Output
• Archive/Retrieve

Surrounding these four sets of processes is an overriding factor:

Security, the lack of which is the ultimate roadblock to Digital Flow.
Without security, the very foundation of a business’ content processes,
its Digital Flow, are undermined and vulnerable.

Create/Capture/Acquire
Digital content is all around us, but where does it come from? And
how do we make the process of creating, capturing, and acquiring
content as efficient as possible? Answering these questions are
• Likewise, it can pay to invest in automated systems, including
important first steps toward an improved Digital Flow.
document scanners with automatic document feeders that can
speed important company workflows. Would turning your
Most people think they know where “content” comes from—they create
company’s paper documents into electronic documents
it themselves. But content can also be captured from other applications,
like a database, or acquired from outside sources. Capturing might also improve productivity?
include scanned documents and digital photographs, as well as audio and These are certainly factors to consider, and CDW has tools for the job.
video files.

Digital Flow encompasses all of the information paths within a business,

as well as the entire lifecycle of that information. Obviously, there are
many places where Digital Flow can be slowed or break down entirely.
When that happens, people and businesses lose valuable time, money,
and opportunities. Many times, an inefficient Digital Flow is so much a
part of a business or process that no one recognizes the problem until
the problem impacts mission-critical business processes. It is in these
painful moments that businesses come to realize that productivity and
efficient processes can have a significant impact on the bottom line.
A clean, unrestricted Digital Flow begins, well, at the very beginning, where
content is created or enters your business. The keys here are improving
user efficiency, increasing team effectiveness, and removing roadblocks.
Factors that impede Digital Flow include:
• Choosing the wrong tool for the job. Sometimes it’s best to use
specialized tools, even if a general-purpose tool might also do the job.
• Poor user training. Many businesses assume users have somehow
figured out the most efficient ways to use their applications.
What if everyone could use their core applications 10 percent
more efficiently. How much time would that save?
• Not having the proper tools. Not everyone needs the highest-
performance desktop or notebook computer. Not everyone
needs a high-speed wireless connection when they travel. But
some workers do. Hampering these people’s productivity to save
a few bucks is short-sighted and can actually cost more over the
long term.
Manage/Control
Digital Flow sometimes breaks down because no one is responsible for
managing the content or because there’s no easy way for a group to
work with it. Here are some of the issues:
• Many users have access to collaboration tools, but don’t use
them. Why? Because they can be confusing and represent a new
way of working with content.
• Adobe Acrobat 8.0 Professional and Microsoft Office include
powerful collaboration tools. But, they are most effective only
if everyone both knows how to use them and puts the
technology to regular use. One “non-user” can create havoc in a
collaborative workflow.
• Many people don’t realize that Adobe Acrobat can be used to
create a review process for almost any document type. It can
track responses, monitor changes, and allow users of the free
Acrobat Reader to fully participate.
• The “Track Changes” feature in Microsoft Word allows workers
to pass a document around, add comments, make changes, and
see what changes have already been made by others.
• Content can be managed in FileMaker Pro, an easy-to-use
database that allows content to be stored along with the
descriptive information necessary to retrieve it.

PRODUCTS FOR DATA, DOCUMENT, AND DIGITAL MANAGEMENT 5

Have any ideas you’d like to share with the group?
(We can make it easy.)

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The Solutions You Need When You Need Them.

You’ve finally done it. Created the perfect presentation. Taken a jaw-dropping photograph. Or
finished an applause-worthy video. So what’s next? As part of CDW’s Digital Flow solutions,
Content Management gives you the tools to not only create, but also to share your brilliance
with everyone around you. Let the experts at CDW customize a solution for you today, and allow
your creativity to flourish.

Offer subject to CDW’s standard terms and conditions of sale, available at CDW.com. ©2006 CDW Corporation
 Special Advertising Section

A PDF file Archive/Store/Retrieve

can be used Creating effective content can be expensive, but some of it will be vital to
your business. Having a means to safely store and easily retrieve content
is important to protecting your investment and allowing your content
electronically or to be easily found for reuse and reference.

• Questys Pro, GlobalTech Archive X, and FileBound Enterprise

printed to create Content Management: These three applications are designed

to preserve, protect, and retrieve your digital content.
• Roxio Easy Media Creator 8: This popular program makes it

an exact duplicate easy to create backups of your important content in either

CD or DVD format.
• Quantum SuperLoader:
Provides a complete
of the original, backup, recovery, and
archive solution in one box.
• LaCie EthernetDisk:
regardless of the Provides independent, stand-alone
storage accessible to anyone on the network .
• Adaptec SnapServer: Network-attached storage for data

application used protection and data availability.

to create it. Digital Flow’s Swiss Army Knife

If you could have only one tool for improving Digital Flow, Adobe Acrobat
might be that tool. This versatile program was first designed to allow
creative professionals, such as graphic designers, to share their work with
others who needed to view a file, but didn’t have the program used to
create it. Acrobat has since evolved into the preeminent business tool for
sharing, collaborating, and distributing virtually any document. Acrobat
allows work to be shared between Windows, Mac OS X, and other
operating systems. It has also become a standard for publishing paper
documents in digital form.

Acrobat makes it easy to revise and comment upon digital works, and
includes features that enable an efficient digital workflow.

Many people think that’s where Acrobat stops, though it’s really just the
beginning. Acrobat’s breadth of features addresses the desktop-level
needs of virtually any document process. Acrobat also supports the
design, creation, and distribution of electronic forms. These can look like
their paper counterparts, but are easily filled out and submitted online.

Share/Deliver/Output Document management tools, from the desktop to enterprise systems,

Putting content to work usually requires the ability to share it with others.
The tools you use depend largely on how you plan to present the content
to the recipient:
• Adobe’s PDF (portable document format) is a powerful tool for
creating electronic versions of content that can be shared across
different kinds of devices running different operating systems.
• A PDF file can be used electronically or printed to create an exact
duplicate of the original, regardless of the application used
to create it.
can ready and index content created in the Acrobat PDF format,
which is increasingly accepted for long-term storage of online
documents and copies of paper documents that have been scanned
and preserved digitally.
Adobe Acrobat files can be created and read by many programs. There
are third party vendors that offer a PDF component, but these programs
generally lack the functionality and features of the Adobe products.
Adobe Acrobat and other products that implement the PDF file format
are useful additions to almost any Digital Flow.

• Inkjet is the choice for printing the highest quality photographic
images and can also be used for business documents, graphics, and
other output.
• Printers should connect directly to your office network for easy
access by all users.
• An investment in paper handling accessories, such as duplexers,
envelope feeders, and additional paper trays can save money by
improving efficiency and allow you to create professional-
looking documents.
Conclusion
Effectively managing Digital Flow—how your company creates,
manages, shares, and stores its digital content—can make an
important contribution to business success. In this report, I’ve offered
some of what CDW has learned in helping our customers optimize
Digital Flow in their small and medium-sized businesses. CDW has the
technology and tools that can improve your company’s Digital Flow.
A dedicated account manager is ready to help make the right choices
for your business. Call us anytime.

PRODUCTS FOR DATA, DOCUMENT, AND DIGITAL MANAGEMENT 7

 Does your data spend too much time
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• Bundled with Adobe® Acrobat® 7.0 Standard,
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In a fast-paced business environment, you can’t afford to be slowed down. Especially by
documents and files that are hard to find, hard to distribute and just plain hard to deal with.
As part of CDW’s Digital Flow solutions, Content Management will give you the upper-hand
over unruly data. The ability to archive, manage, control and share electronic files will allow
you to streamline your workflow and increase productivity. So call the experts at CDW today,
and start making your data work as fast and efficient as you do.

CDW is an authorized Adobe® Reseller.

1
Assumes 2:1 compression. Offer subject to CDW’s standard terms and conditions of sale, available at CDW.com. ©2006 CDW Corporation
 F I R ST LO O KS
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

Plays many types

of video files,
including DivX

The brushed-aluminum body, which is equipped

with a kickstand, feels solid and slim. The 4.3-inch,
480- by 272-pixel LCD is brightly backlit and sharp,
with a very good viewing angle. I got 4.5 hours of
Bright 4.3-inch continuous video playback, a good performance for
LCD screen this type of device.
ARCHOS 604 If you already have a DVR, you can easily forego
A PMP WITH MASS APPEAL the $99 docking station and simply use the Archos

T
604 as a very competent portable video player that
Archos 604 HE ARCHOS 604 IS THE FOLLOW-UP TO has plenty of nice features. For example, the player
$349.99 direct the company’s impressive AV 500 por- comes with a 30GB hard drive and a removable,
llllm table media player. The new version rechargeable battery.
PROS Excellent audio has a slightly bigger screen and a differ- It’s a bit of a shame that the portable DVR func-
quality. Fine video qual- ent button layout, but it retains many of tionality is now optional, but ultimately, it may
ity. Removable battery.
the features that made me love its predecessor. But help avoid the sticker shock that has kept many of
CONS No analog video
recording out of the
one big difference is that you get a lot less this time Archos’s high-end players out of the hands of the
box. Button layout still around. Many of the accessories are now optional masses.—Mike Kobrin
isn’t optimal. extras—including the DVR docking station, which is >> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/
required for recording video from analog sources. archos604

WI-GEAR IMUFFS MB210

Wi-Gear iMuffs MB210
WIRELESS IPOD AUDIO

I
$179.99 direct
lllhm
F YOU’RE LOOKING FOR WIRELESS HEAD-
PROS Wireless dongle fits securely into
phones for your iPod, the iMuffs MB210 your iPod and through most cases. Prod-
make a compelling choice. An upgrade to the uct makes calls with Bluetooth phones.
MB200, these headphones deliver a decent CONS Mediocre audio. Noise-canceling
wireless audio experience for users of the function doesn’t work consistently on
phone calls.
latest generation of iPod or Bluetooth-enabled cell
phones.
Available in black or white, the headphones sup-
port Bluetooth 2.0 and easily connect with Blue-
tooth-enabled phones. Controls are conveniently
placed, and the band fits snugly over the ears.
The sound quality is a little better than that of
the originals, with less muddiness and more clarity, Wireless uses
plus a decent amount of bass. But the MB210 head- adapter tery
phones definitely fall short of greatness. On most of iPod's bat
my phone calls using the headset, I had no trouble for power
hearing people on the other line. On one call, how-
ever, my friend jokingly asked whether I was calling
her from the inside of a tunnel. So much for noise
canceling.
On the whole, the iMuffs MB210 are good alter-
natives, but not replacements, for your favorite ear-
buds or headphones. I just wish they didn’t cost $50
more than the previous version, which provided a
similar audio experience when paired with older Shuttle buttons
iPods.—Molly K. McLaughlin control the iPod
>> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/mb210 remotely
OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 45
F I R ST LO O KS
CONSUMER ELECTRONICS

BUYING GUIDE

Point-and-Shoot
Digital Cameras
Has both glass
viewfinder and a
2.5-inch LCD
CANON POWERSHOT S80
$549.95 list
llllh
Sure it’s a bit of a splurge, but the Canon
PowerShot S80 is without a doubt the
best, most full-featured compact I’ve
ever used. Though the device weighs
just 7.9 ounces, it comes loaded with
features. For example, I love the 3.6X zoom lens.
And it has a wide-angle, 28mm view that’s perfect
for capturing large slices of an interior or outdoor
landscape. There’s a beautiful 2.5-inch screen
for framing shots, and the camera’s sensitive
8-megapixel sensor captures excellent images.
I’m also impressed by the S80’s smooth and
clear video quality. As versatile point-and-shoot
cameras go, you’d be hard-pressed to find some-
thing better.—Terry Sullivan

Nice wide-ansngle >> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/s80

3.6X zoom le

T
Weighs only
7.9 ounces
HIS PAST SUMMER A SLEW OF
companies launched more
than three dozen new digital
cameras, all in anticipation of
the coming holiday season.
And although high-priced
D-SLRs (digital single-lens
reflex cameras) certainly
made news, most of the new devices were inex-
pensive point-and-shoot models. Professional-
grade D-SLR cameras with all their fancy features
and accessories are simply overkill for the average
shutterbug. If you’re looking for a solid, easy-to-use
digicam that’s perfect for capturing—and not miss-
ing—life’s important events, you’re in luck. Here’s
a down-and-dirty laundry list of what you need to
know when comparing cameras.
First off, know how many megapixels your pro-
spective camera has, since this spec directly affects
the size of photograph you’ll be able to print and
how much cropping you can expect to do. If you’re
a first-time buyer and are interested only in print-
ing relatively small, 4-by-6 or 5-by-7 snapshots, I
suggest a 6-megapixel, entry-level digital camera.
Cameras ranging from 6 to 10 megapixels provide
enough resolution for 8-by-10 and 11-by-14 prints.
For those who also view their camera as a fash-
ion accessory and plan to tote it along everywhere,
many models are extremely compact, some less
than an inch thick. The Canon PowerShot SD550
Digital Elph, for example, slips easily into the
pocket of your jeans but comes with a 2.5-inch LCD
screen. Still, you’ll definitely give up some features
on tiny cameras like these, such as manual settings
and articulating LCDs screens. You should keep in
mind that the smaller the device, the smaller its but-
tons tend to be. Be sure to feel a camera’s dials and
buttons to see if they’re too small, too big, or just
right for your fingers.
Definitely take into account the camera’s zoom.
Most point-and-shoot digital cameras give you at
least 3X optical zoom, but a number do have 5X, 6X,

46 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

POINT-AND-SHOOT CAMERAS IN REVIEW
RED denotes Editors' Choice. * Optical zoom lens. Products are listed from best to worst by rating.

Canon PowerShot llllm $549.95 8MP 3.6X* THE BEST Although it's a bit expensive, this solid, compact camera takes
S80 list excellent photos and is packed with nice features.
Canon PowerShot llllm $449.95 7.1MP 3X* VERSATILE Fun and ultrasmall, the Elph performed very well on our
SD550 Digital Elph list tests. It will appeal to a broad section of shooters.
Fuji FinePix E900 llllm $500.00 9MP 4X* FOR ENTHUSIASTS With its high megapixel count and sophisticated
street imaging system, this compact camera will please many enthusiasts.
Sony Cyber-shot llllm $499.95 8.1MP 3X* NICE VIEW A unique ultracompact that combines good shooting and
DSC-N1 list photo viewing, all wrapped up in a stylish design.
Fuji FinePix V10 lllhm $349.00 5.1MP 3.4X* THAT'S ENTERTAINMENT! The V10 takes very good photos, offers
list advanced shooting features, and even includes four games.
HP Photosmart lllhm $399.99 8.2MP 3X* SHAPE UP Versatile and affordable, the R927 has a myriad of features,
R927 list from capture options and shooting modes to an unusual Slimming Effect.
Kodak EasyShare lllhm $349.95 5MP 5X* WIDE ANGLE For those who want to capture unusual views of the world,
V570 direct the V570 is compact yet has both a zoom and a wide-angle lens.
Casio Exilim lllmm $399.99 8.1MP 3X* SLIM BUT SO-SO Small, sleek, and silver, this ultracompact takes pretty
EX-Z850 list good pictures—but we expected sharper images.
Panasonic Lumix lllmm $599.95 8.4MP 4X* ALMOST PRO Good for those who want something smaller than a D-
DMC-LX1 direct SLR, with lots of pro features and controls. But images are noisy.
Panasonic Lumix lllmm $279.95 6MP 6X* STEADY SHOT Image stabilization works well, but this camera's perfor-
DMC-LZ5 list mance falls a bit short in other respects.
Kodak EasyShare lllmm $179.95 5MP 3X* BUDGET BUY A decent choice for budget shoppers looking for an easy-
C533 list to-use compact camera that snaps reasonably good pictures.
Sony Cyber-shot lllmm $349.95 8.1MP 3X* LIGHTS OUT Though it takes sharp pics, this ultracompact doesn't quite
W100 direct live up to the promise of its low-light features.
Samsung Digimax lhmmm $400.00 8.1MP 5X* STAY AWAY Not quite as bad as last year’s Digimax, but pretty close. It
L85 street takes images that aren't sharp and suffers from major shutter lag.

>> For more camera reviews online: go.pcmag.com/digitalcameras

or 7X optical zoom lenses. (Many may advertise
digital zooms as well, but keep in mind that using
a digital zoom degrades your image quality.) Note
the aperture range, too, and see how low the tele-
photo end of the zoom range is: The lower the num-
ber, say f/4 or f/3.5 (which indicates a more open
aperture, even at full zoom), the better the lens will
perform in low light.
ANGLES, FLASHES, AND FORMATS Also consider
the camera’s wide-angle capabilities. Some mod-
els give you a much wider view than the standard
35mm-to-40mm (35mm equivalent) view. For exam-
ple, the dual-lens ultracompact Kodak EasyShare
V570 and its successor, the EasyShare V705, both
have a 23mm lens, one of the widest on the market.
Nearly every point-and-shoot comes with a
flash. Find out how versatile it is. For example, you
may want to try using the slow-sync mode in cer-
tain situations. Slow sync lets you avoid the “black-
curtain effect,” in which your subject is exposed
correctly but the entire background is completely
lost in black. A camera with a slow-sync mode
leaves the shutter open after the flash is fired to get
better exposure for the background. Not all cam-
eras have this, but high-end models such as the
Canon PowerShot S80 do.
Before you buy, check out the list of supported
file formats. The great majority of point-and-shoot
cameras support only the highly compressed JPEG
image format. However, some higher-end point-
and-shoots, such as the Fuji FinePix E900, offer
RAW modes.
Fuji FinePix E900
What’s the difference? In short, when shooting Compact, but will
JPEGs, you’re letting your digital camera choose satisfy even pro users.
what kind of sharpening, color settings, and other
settings, such as white balance, to apply to the pho-
to. With RAW images, you’re seizing control, and
it’s assumed that you’ll be applying these settings
in a final image-editing phase. Of course, the down-
side to working with RAW files is that they’re large
and take up lots of memory.
In most cases, it’s best to shoot in the highest
quality JPEG mode on your digital camera. I’ve
found that the default mode is generally the second-
highest setting and/or compression rate.
SPECIAL FEATURES Then there are specialized Sony Cyber-shot DSC-
features that you might find useful at times. The N1 This 8-megapixel
Kodak EasyShare V705 and EasyShare V570 have a shooter is also stylish.

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 47

 EXPERT VIEW
B Y T E R RY S U L L I VA N
M
PHOTO MANAGEMENT: YOU NEED A PLAN
Y WIFE OFTEN ASKS ME IF I’VE PRINTED ANY OF
the hundreds of images that I take each month.
My response is always the same: “I’m working on
it.” Part of the reason for my digital picture back-
log is that I’m reluctant to print anything unless
I’ve noodled around with it in Photoshop first. But
in truth, what I really need to improve is my work-
flow—or, to put it more precisely, my “picture
management process.” No matter what you call it, you must have a system for
handling images or your pictures will go nowhere fast.
PICK A FORMAT Most people usually end up printing small, 4- by 6-inch snap-
shots and maybe sharing a few pictures on the Web. To do this, you can shoot
in the default JPEG format of most cameras. But if you want larger, fine-art-
style prints, I recommend taking pictures at the maximum possible quality set-
ting, or even in RAW format, which
You must have a allows for higher-quality image files.
GET THEM OFF THE CAMERA Once
system for handling you’ve captured pictures you’re sat-
isfied with, you need to move them
images, or they will over to the PC. One way is to hook
up the camera directly (via USB
go nowhere fast cords) to your computer. More con-
venient is to remove the camera’s
memory card and transfer the images using a memory card reader.
BACK THEM UP Once the images are on your system, be sure to back them up.
I suggest making copies of untouched, original image files, perhaps by dump-
ing them onto an additional hard drive or burning the files onto a DVD or CD.
EDIT FOR BEST QUALITY Virtually all image-editing software products let
you crop, rotate, adjust, and manipulate your shots for best printing results.
Check out color-management tools as well to ensure that your computer
monitor is displaying your images correctly.
PRINTING IS OPTIONAL If you want to print in the comfort of your home, an
inexpensive photo printer will do the trick. A machine like this is fine for print-
ing the occasional snapshot, but because you have to supply your own ink
and paper, costs can quickly add up.
SHARE ONLINE Instead of printing, consider using a photo-sharing site such
as the Kodak Gallery (www.kodakgallery.com) or Phanfare (www.phanfare
.com). You can also order prints directly from these sites. That means your dis-
tant relatives—or even your wife—can print your photos themselves.
Terry Sullivan is PC Magazine’s digital camera expert.
panorama mode that stitches three photos together,
right in the camera.
A number of Fuji cameras, including the Fuji
FinePix V10, quickly snap two shots—one with
and one without flash—letting you decide which
image best captures the moment. Or how about
taking the Olympus Stylus 720 SW right into the
pool with you? This camera is waterproof up to 10
feet, so you can take both photos and video, with
sound, under water.
48 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006
The V570 packse
both wide-angl
and zoom lenses
Kodak EasyShareV570
Two lenses are better than one.
A big point-and-shoot bonus that’s lacking in D-
SLRs is the ability to shoot video clips. The quality
of these movies varies tremendously, however, from
one camera to the next. At the moment, the best de-
vices, including the FinePix E900, shoot video clips
in VGA-size (640-by-480) at a rate of 30 frames per
second with sound.
For an even greater level of control over your
images, check whether you can set the exposure—
through the shutter speed and aperture—manually.
Also, some point-and-shoots, like the Nikon Cool-
pix S6, now offer wireless options. It’s tricky to set
up, but the S6 features an integrated Wi-Fi radio for
transferring picture files over to your computer.
Others, like the Panasonic Lumix DMC-LZ5 and the
Sony Cyber-shot DSC-N1, offer non-telescoping
zooms and image stabilization.
In addition, camera companies are now increas-
ing image sensor sensitivity (which you set in the
ISO settings of the camera), allowing you to shoot
in low-light situations without using a flash. In the
past, high ISOs often increased image noise (usual-
ly evident as tiny colored dots). Newer cameras are
better at controlling image noise at higher ISOs.
Accessories are important, so see if your camera
can handle them. For example, some small cameras
come with a tripod socket for attaching a tripod.
No single camera can be perfect for every occa-
sion. But with unparalleled ease of use and supe-
rior image quality, the point-and-shoots listed here
come pretty darn close. Be sure to choose carefully
before you buy, though I’m confident you’ll find
these models quite compelling—TS
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F I R ST LO O KS
SOF TWARE

Our reviewer subscribed,

but to take a test drive, you
don't even have to sign in

Legit albums.
The RIAA won't
bust down
your door

Napster 2.0
Limited version, free;
unlimited downloads,
$9.95 monthly; with
To Go option, $14.95
llllm

PROS Three free

plays of every
song in the
Napster library.
No software or
registration required.
Cut-and-paste Web link
for songs. Dozens of
prefab playlists you can
stream instantly.
CONS Low-quality
streaming for non-
subscribers. No videos
or radio stations. A few
NAPSTER 2.0
tracks play only 30
seconds for nonsub-
FREE—AND THIS TIME, LEGAL—NAPSTER TUNES

N
scribers.
APSTER’S FREE AGAIN—SORT OF. NO,
you can’t swap MP3s with strangers—
that ship sailed in 2003. But from any
Web browser, with no client software
and no purchase, Napster 2.0 lets you
stream complete songs, free. Well, three times each.
Still, you get access to over two million tracks.
Napster is basically a subscription service,
though. You pay $9.95 per month for unlimited
streaming and downloads to your PC, and for
$5 more you can add To Go, which lets you copy
downloads to portable players. For downloading
and ripping CDs, you need Napster’s client. Even if
you don’t subscribe, however, Napster 2.0 deserves
bookmarking. It requires no sign-in, sign-up, or
plug-in installation (which Rhapsody requires). Still,
there are catches. The biggest: 32-Kbps bit rate for
free songs. They sound better than expected, but it’s
still AM-radio league. To hear tunes a fourth time,
you’ll have to buy them for 99 cents or subscribe.
Napster’s pop-up player works very well in
Internet Explorer and Firefox, and has good features.
I also like Napster’s innovations, such as the one-
click mail-this-song-to-a-friend option. Don’t look
for music videos or radio stations (Rhapsody has
both), and the once-promising wiki-like Narchive
community feature is AWOL—at least for now.
But neither that unfortunate loss nor the anemic
bit rate for free songs diminished my enjoyment of
the site’s musical feast. I expect that many past sub-
scribers will strongly consider rejoining Napster. I
know I did.—Rick Broida
>> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/
napster20

50 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

 Not easy to
sift through
playlists
MTV URGE (BETA)

ONE HIP MUSICAL MESS

M
TV’S NEW MUSIC SUBSCRIPTION
service, Urge, debuted alongside
Windows Media Player 11—or rath-
er, inside WMP 11; the service is
fully integrated into Microsoft’s lat-
est player. While there’s debate about whether that
gives MTV an unfair advantage, I’m more interested
in judging Urge on its own merits. It’s a solid—but
confusing—addition to a crowded space.
Unlimited streaming and downloads (128 Kbps Genre-specific “super” playlists update regu- MTV URGE (BETA)
and 192 Kbps, respectively) cost $9.99 per month. larly and can sync to your portable player. Sifting $9.99 monthly; $14.99
monthly with To Go
With All Access to Go, which lets you copy tunes to through playlists can be a chore, though. And while option
two PlaysForSure-compatible portable players, you I had no trouble downloading tracks and syncing lllhm
pay $14.99 total. Single tracks cost 99 cents to pur- them with a Creative Zen Vision:M, I couldn't track PROS Seamless integra-
chase permanently, whether or not you subscribe. download progress—a major annoyance. tion with Media Player
The home page hits you with a messy onslaught For discovering new music, Urge stomps 11. Tons of programmed
of new releases, song and album lists, and more. iTunes, despite lacking a few of the leader’s key content. Great for find-
ing new music. Works
Intuition won’t take you far at this portal—Napster staples—podcasts and videos. MTV has both in easily with portables.
and Rhapsody do instant gratification way better. the works, it says. In the meantime, give MTV Urge CONS Busy, convoluted
Still, a simple side-pane nav tree gives one-click a look, especially since you can get the full service interface. Slow, buggy.
access to playlists, 130-plus radio stations, and cat- free for 14 days—RB Poor playlist organiza-
egories. WMP’s killer search can be slow, but the >> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/ tion. No podcasts or
videos (yet).
depth of offerings makes the wait worthwhile. urgebeta

Just one of many

features for
eMUSIC discovering new
TAKE BACK THE MUSIC artists

U
NRESTRICTED. 192 KBPS. VARIABLE-BIT-
rate MP3s. A two-week trial (credit
card required) with 25 free downloads,
eMUSIC
no strings attached. That’s why I’m 40 downloads, $9.99
ears-over-heels for the eMusic online monthly; 65, $14.99;
service. You lose unused monthly allotments, but 90, $19.99
llllm
download your quota and you pay 25 cents or less
per track. And you keep your songs if you cancel— PROS Unprotected
not so with services such as Napster To Go. MP3s for 25 cents
apiece or less; 1.5 million
There’s a hitch, of course: You can’t buy tunes à tracks; attractive, easy-
la carte, and to get more songs than your subscrip- search, such as the very cool PowerCharts, which to-navigate store.
tion includes, you have to buy “booster packs”— lets you find music based on over 100 criteria. CONS Requires sub-
ten extra downloads for $4.99, for example. Fortu- Navigation is simple, as is fetching songs. My scription. Light on
nately, these don’t expire as long as you’re a paying one gripe: There’s no player for the 30-second song mainstream artists.
subscriber. snippets; the service launches your audio player
The six-year-old service holds more than 1.5 mil- instead. But all in all, eMusic should be your first
lion tracks—most from lesser-knowns, but there’s stop if you have a penchant for new music and a
plenty of mainstream goodness, although not really distaste for DRM.—RB
big names. Still, half the fun is discovering new art- >> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/
ists. And eMusic has plenty of features to help you emusic

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 51

F I R ST LO O KS
SOF TWARE

ALLPEERS (BETA)

BIG TRANSFER? NO SWEAT

A
LLPEERS HOPES TO EASE THE PAIN OF boxes. You can send off-line recipients a notice that
sending large files over the Internet by the file is on offer. Once online with the app open,
leveraging the power of peer-to-peer your intended recipient can download the file—pro-
networking. Simply drag a file to your vided that you or others you’ve sent the same file to
browser window and this new service are online. SSL encryption protects transfers.
copies the contents to another AllPeers user’s sys- AllPeers plans to make the software browser-
AllPeers (beta) tem—for free. The app works only with Firefox, agnostic, and I expect performance to improve. But
Free
lllmm
however, and performance was spotty when I tested even now, the service does what it promises with
it. Still, this beta shows promise. little fuss.—Cade Metz
PROS A quick and
easy way to send large I had set-up problems, and the service went down >> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/
files from machine to several times during testing, but when AllPeers allpeersbeta
machine. SSL-protected worked, the speed was acceptable. A customized
transfers. version of BitTorrent drives the utility, so if you
CONS Works only with send a file to several people, others can help send
Firefox. Sender or inter-
mediary must be online it once they receive parts of the file. Using the app
for receiver to get a file. is easy. After keying in e-mail addresses or AllPeer
usernames to create a contact list, you can choose
a name and send files via drag-and-drop or dialog

Minimal interface
doesn’t clutter
the browser

Cord of the
Hopscotch controlled
Technology BOB device locks
$100 street HOPSCOTCH TECHNOLOGY BOB
into the
llhmm
compartment PARENTAL CONTROL—SORT OF

T
PROS Simple to set
up and use. Works on
underneath
HE INEXPLICABLY NAMED BOB LIMITS THE USE OF ANY
nearly any AC-powered device that plugs into an AC outlet—unlike the simi-
device. Doesn’t conflict
with software. Supports
lar PC Moderator, which works on desktop PCs only.
six users. While I’d recommend BOB for controlling single TVs,
CONS Not so effective it’s less useful in a multiple-TV home, and it’s easily
for managing multiple defeated when used to limit access to a PC.
devices. Easily defeated BOB can manage time on a daily or weekly basis. The plug of a
as a PC controller.
Limited reporting. Time device you want to manage locks into BOB, which you then plug
limits not as granular as into an outlet. Using a number pad, you create up to six users, giv-
with PC Moderator. ing each a unique PIN. To turn on a managed device, users must
enter the correct PIN. With several kids, TV sets, or both, manage-
ment is a problem. With one TV, if the kids agree to watch the same
programs, they can combine their time, each logging in as another’s
time ends. BOBs don’t network, though, so you can’t set a per-child
limit on multiple electronics.
To limit computer usage, connect the cord of the monitor, not the
PC to BOB (suddenly cutting PC power is a bad idea). Unfortunately,
most monitors (and PCs) have removable power cords. Plugging in a
new cord easily bypasses BOB. Not so with PC Moderator, which also
offers more extensive reports and more granular time management.
BOB is reasonably priced, simple to set up, and easy to use, but if you
want the best, I still recommend PC Moderator.—Ben Z. Gottesman
>> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/hopscotchbob

52 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006 J U M P T O N E X T PA G E >>

 Sony recommends Windows® XP Professional.

How did we fit so much performance into

such a sleek package? Beautifully.

Sony® VAIO® SZ. Your ideas have never looked so good. Its exceptional battery life1, lightweight design,
and built-in wireless WAN2 means uncompromised performance and mobility. Powered by Intel® Centrino®
Duo Mobile Technology, the SZ bridges the gap between style and performance. sony.com/vaio-sz

1
Actual battery life may vary based on product settings, usage patterns and environmental conditions.2 Subscription to Cingular Wireless required.
See www.sony.com/cingular for complete offer details, price plans, service terms and conditions, and coverage map. Call 1-888-739-VAIO (8246) for
service activation. Coverage is not available in all areas and is subject to transmission and other limitations. Display image simulated. ©2006 Sony
Electronics Inc. All rights reserved. Sony, Sony logo, VAIO, VAIO logo and like.no.other are trademarks of Sony. Intel, Intel Inside, the Intel Inside logo,
Intel Centrino, the Intel Centrino logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other
countries. Cingular Wireless is a registered trademark of Cingular Wireless LLC 2006. Windows is a registered trademark of Microsoft Corporation.
 Special Advertising Section

the backbone of business

The SMB market is the backbone of business: nearly 99 percent of all companies are small to
mid-sized. The sheer numbers – by some estimates more than 40 million in the United States
– make it a crowded and competitive sector. The best and brightest keep their market edge by
using their small size, speed, and mobility to their advantage, and by doing business whenever
and wherever possible.

The technology behind these businesses has to be strong and flexible in order to keep up with
the unpredictable nature of mobile business.

The right choice in portable, professional computers must be small and light to make a
roadworthy companion, but portability shouldn’t mean sacrificing power. Small businesses
need all the power of a desktop in a size slim enough for a briefcase or back pocket.

Professional notebooks must also easily network and collaborate with other mobile users,
while keeping sensitive data safe. And they must be as flexible as their users, many of whose
PC demands change daily.

In other words, mobile business computers need to serve up the power of a world-class
business in a design slim enough for a podium, café bar, or boardroom table.

To answer the needs of the small-business market, Sony presents a VAIO® fleet of four distinct
mobile computers that can each accomplish top-tier performance for years to come. The BX,
TX, UX and SZ Series VAIO computers deliver the kind of industrial power and security one
would expect from mobile workhorses, while impressing audiences with smartly-engineered
features in a slim, stylish design.
Special Advertising Section
 Special Advertising Section

Sony has tuned their VAIO® computers to the particular

demands of the SMB market. The VAIO computer addresses
the chief concerns of small business computing, delivering powerful,
portable, mobile, secure, and widely compatible computer systems, with a
sleek style and inventive design features that make a lasting impression.

POWER:
Computers deployed into a mobile workforce have to
be powerful enough for the most resource-draining
demands. VAIO computers offer best-of-breed power,
with features that boost chipset and graphics
performance, whether running presentations,
teleconferencing 8 with the office, or enjoying rich
multimedia entertainment during down times.
Multitasking becomes easier as well, thanks to Intel®
Core™ 2 Duo processors, designed specifically for running
parallel processes on notebook computers. With two
execution cores on a single chip, the processors can
boost performance while using less power. On the
ultra-portable UX Micro PC, a Core Solo processor
powers Windows® XP Professional and other PC
applications on a machine that can fit in a pocket.
In addition to processors, other VAIO computer’s features
are powerful too. The hybrid graphics card available on SZ
Series models can, with the flip of a switch, change from
a powerful but economizing internal graphics processor
to an unreserved and robust external processor that
answers high-performance needs.
PORTABILITY:
In spite of their power, VAIO computers are highly
portable computers defined by their slim dimensions
and travel-conscious features.
To make for easier viewing in unpredictable conditions
on the road, VAIO business computers make use of LCD
XBRITE™ and XBRITE-ECO™ technology – the latest in
glare-reducing screen technology – that cuts down on
reflections while preserving crisp and clear colors in
direct light.
As another example, the BX Series computer comes with
a swappable bay, which keeps the computers slim while
allowing the greatest degree of flexibility in configuration:
users can add a DVD double layer burner 4, an extra
80GB5 hard drive, or other peripherals when they’re
needed. And all of these units can be shared among the
office.
MOBILITY:
In today’s business world, ultimate portability means
getting work done from anywhere. For mobile
professionals, being productive means having the
Internet on demand. Sony VAIO computers provide
many options for peak performance on the road and
away from the office.
The entire Sony lineup comes ready for wireless
networking6 with 802.11 compatibility in every computer.

All of the computers are built with maximum efficiency

in mind. The highly portable TX Series notebook, for
example, weighs 2.76 lbs1, carries an 11.1" display2, and
lasts up to 7.5 hours3 with a standard battery charge.
Portability is part of the overall design approach for
Sony VAIO computers, but is perhaps best exhibited
by the UX Micro PC . These fully functional computers,
running Windows XP Professional, feature smartly
designed 64-key keyboards and stylus
devices that slide out from underneath
a 4.5" screen2.

Portability also means having

convenient features for on-the-go
productivity.

But sometimes, the most mobile workers need
more. Thanks to the built-in WAN capabilities
on a select number of VAIO computers, there’s
no need to track down hotspots before getting
down to business. The TX Series notebooks
come wired for compatibility with the Cingular
Wireless Broadband Network.
VAIO computers also assist mobile workers
by helping them achieve state-of-the-art
communications abilities from anywhere. Built-
in .3 mega pixel cameras included in the UX Micro
PC and optional Bluetooth®9 headsets allow
mobile professionals to keep in touch with their
business, no matter where it takes them.
SECURITY:
Securing personal information and confidential
data becomes even more important when taking
computers on the road. Small and mid-sized
businesses in particular struggle with mobile
security demands, as they lack the deep reserves
of IT support available to larger companies.
With these SMB needs in mind, Sony designed
their VAIO computers with ample built-in
security features to help assure user protection
while making the systems easy to manage,
lessening the demands on administrators.
Many of the VAIO® computers come with integrated
biometric security systems – fingerprint sensors
that provide a simple solution to data protection,
while saving resources at small companies who
don’t want to spend extra time and effort on
password management. The biometric system
does the work of remembering other logins, like
those to secure Web sites, so protection doesn’t
always mean having to memorize passwords.
Sony’s Trusted Platform Mobile security chip is
another VAIO Professional feature that helps
secure company data from thievery. Compatible
with TCG Version 1.2b, which assures trusted
Special Advertising Section
There is a VAIO computer for every
brand of business user, from the ultra-
mobile, always-connected road warrior
to the high-end user looking for top
processing power in a slim, convenient
design. Sony VAIO computer complement
individuals’ needs and work styles,
assuring that there’s a computer to fit
every personality and style.
TX Series
Truly mobile professionals get their job
done anywhere. For those who want
to make an impression wherever they
roam, the TX Series notebook redefines
the look of premium mobility with a
sophisticated and smart style.
These notebooks are highly portable, weighing 2.76
lbs1, and standing as little as .83 inches thin, with a 11.1"
widescreen LCD display2 (measured at its widest point).
The notebooks come encased in carbon-fiber shells that are more
often the stuff of jet planes and race cars; they are lighter and
stronger than typical magnesium alloy casings, and stand out with
a distinctive look.
The TX stands apart in size and performance. Packed in its small shell,
the TX comes with an ample 80 GB5 of hard disk space and is powered
by a ultra low voltage Pentium® M processor or Core Solo Ultra Low
Voltage Processor that economizes energy. As a result, the notebook
can last between four and seven-and-a-half hours with a standard
battery charge3, which keeps train and plane commutes productive,
even without an outlet.
They are also highly connected devices. Besides integrated 802.11
wireless LAN6 and Bluetooth9 connectivity, the TX notebook comes
equipped for the Cingular Wireless Broadband Network, granting
uninterrupted Internet access across thousands of miles in the U.S.
Thanks to Sony SmartWi™ technology, which allows for hassle-free
toggling between the three wireless protocols, users can maintain
maximum productivity and convenience wherever they roam.
SZ Series
For some frequent business travelers,
notebook performance is more
important than portability. Answering the
mobile needs of these demanding high-
performance users, SZ Series notebooks
can offer the best of both worlds
without compromise.
The SZ notebook comes as light as 3.7 lbs1 with standard battery.
Thanks to a well-thought-out design, despite its small size, the
machine is a powerful performer. The SZ notebook is highly
configurable and comes loaded with up to 2 GB of RAM, 160 GB5 of
hard disk space, and a double layer DVD burner4 that packs up to 8.5
GB of data onto a single disk for easy archiving.
The new SZ, with its Intel Core 2 Duo processor, manages parallel
executions of memory-intensive programs and features dual graphic
chips for the ultimate in visual preference: just flip a switch to choose
between a powerful and resource-minded internal processor and a
 Special Advertising Section

computing between devices and platforms, the chip networks, select models of Sony VAIO computers use
is built onto the computer motherboard and enables SmartWi™ technology to manage the three wireless
cryptographic data to be safely generated and encoded technologies – WAN7, LAN6 and Bluetooth®9—with the
onto an entire computer volume, helping keep confidential press of two keys (this feature is only applicable for
data in company hands. systems that include WWAN).

The BX Series and SZ Series of VAIO computers also come Expansion and compatibility are two more points where
with hard disk password protection, a serious security VAIO computers shine. The optional multi-bay on BX
feature that places password protections directly onto Series computers, for example, allows swapping of
hard drives, to protect sensitive content even if a drive is powerful, optional devices like DVD/RW drives4 and hard
remounted on another computer. drives between users, while the highly portable UX Micro
PC uses a port replicator.
Data theft isn’t the only concern for mobile professionals.
Security also means protecting vulnerable data from The SZ notebooks all support ExpressCard™ technology,
drops, dents, and dings. which allows special add-on modules for extra memory,
wireless devices, or multicard readers at throughput
In response, many Sony VAIO BX notebooks come with speeds much faster than standard PC cards. The
hard drive shock protection, a special provision intended notebooks also accept Memory Stick® storage media, for
to reduce the risk of data loss from hard drive collisions. data from compatible digital cameras, audio players and
Equipped notebooks employ a 3D acceleration sensor cell phones.
which detects sudden movements like a hit or topple,
and quickly locks the hard drive head to prevent it from Also on the SZ, TX, and BX Series, Sony has made
colliding into the hard disk. connecting the PC to projectors and other displays simple.
A smart display sensor automatically calibrates the
COMPATIBILITY: machine to configure video settings and resolutions for
Mobile workers may often work alone, but that doesn’t the connected display, to launch presentations without
mean their notebooks should have to. In fact, assuring a worry.
compatibility over networks and between peripherals
becomes even more important when traveling between STYLE:
different workplaces. Computers become a reflection of their owners, especially
when they become inseparable traveling companions.
Sony’s VAIO computers work with networks of handfuls To make the right impression, notebooks should look
or hundreds. good, too.

To ensure the mobile devices mesh with wireless The Sony VAIO computers are slim but powerful devices

1 Weights and measurements are approximate and may vary.
2 Screen size measured diagonally.
3 Actual battery life may vary based on product settings, usage patterns battery and
environmental conditions.
4 DVD Media/Formats are not universally compatible.
5 GB means one billion bytes when referring to hard drive capacity. Accessible capacity may vary.
A portion of hard disk space is reserved as a recovery partition.
6 Requires compatible wireless access point(s). Some features may rely on Internet services
which may require a fee.
7 See www.sonystyle.com/cingular for complete offer details, price plans, service terms and
conditions and coverage map. Call 1-888-739-VAIO (8246) for service activation.
8 A broadband connection is required along with third party services which may require a
subscription fee and other service fees.
9 Ability to use this Bluetooth enabled product with other devices may vary as not all Bluetooth
devices are compatible.
10 Not all Windows Vista features are available for use on all Windows Vista Capable PCs. All Windows
Vista Capable PCs will run the core experiences of Windows Vista, such as innovations in organizing
and finding information, security and reliability. Some features available in premium editions of
Windows Vista—like the new Windows Aero™ user interface—require advanced or additional
hardware. Upgrades to Windows Vista may require additional fees.
Check www.windowsvista.com/getready for details.

© 2006 Sony Electronics Inc. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. All rights reserved. Sony and VAIO are registered trademarks of Sony. Windows is a registered trademark
of Microsoft Corporation. Intel, Intel Inside, the Intel Inside logo, Intel Centrino, Intel Centrino logo are trademarks of registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other
countries. Cingular Wireless is a registered trademark of Cingular Wireless LLC 2006. Third party marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of the applicable owner there.

with a distinctive style all their own, allowing
business users to handle work in their own
unique way. They reflect a certain kind of
sophistication and intuitive design that makes
a smart statement, with thoughtful design
packaged in sleek, modern casings.
TX Series notebooks show a flair for contem-
porary design with smooth lines and compact
features. The 11.1" WXGA screen2 with XBRITE™
Technology makes for a small and attractive
footprint, while the 2.76-lb1 case is a slim
companion for mobile computing.
Some notebooks, like the TX Series, come with
carbon-fiber shells that are more durable than the
magnesium alloys predominant in the market and
show off a unique textured look while offering
greater protection against the elements.
Other models show off thoughtful design in
their small packaging. On the highly portable UX
device, a touchscreen slides upwards to reveal a
64-key QWERTY keyboard, while two cameras are
encased into the unit, one for taking photos, the
other for videoconferencing8 .
LONGEVITY:
IT managers know how expensive it is to deploy
a mobile fleet of computers, and small and mid-
sized businesses don’t have a lot of extra resources
to invest in systems that don’t last. Sony products
have more than a one-year life cycle. With best-
of-breed performance and ability for expansion,
the computers will scale with small businesses’
needs, affording ultimate mobile productivity and
performance for years to come.
For more information visit
www.sony.com/business
Special Advertising Section
high-performance external chip with even greater graphics power.
The visual results on the SZ are outstanding, thanks to the 13.3"1
widescreen LCD with layered-on XBRITE technology, which improves
visibility and reduces glare.
A luxury version, the SZ Premium, adds even more style and choice.
The machine features a carbon-fiber case and a LED backlight that
portrays brighter, true-to-life colors without reducing battery life.
UX Micro PC
Those who are on the cutting-edge of the
mobile market and spend more time
on the go than at their desks need a
compact productivity tool that provides
the ultimate in portability and
communication.
UX Micro PC’s are tailor-made for the ultra-
mobile set – they weigh 1.1 lbs1 and boast a SVGA screen
only 4.5" wide2. And yet, they are powerful, fully functioning PC
devices in their own right. With Intel Core Solo ultra low voltage
CPUs, UX Micro PC’s are capable of running Windows Vista™ and
10
familiar office applications, allowing users to seamlessly integrate
the highly portable computers into existing PC configurations.
Smart and sleek industrial design makes interacting with the UX an
easy task. A 64-key integrated QWERTY keyboard slides out from
behind the screen for traditional input, while a stylus, touchscreen,
control buttons, and rotating screen orientation allow the UX to be
configured however users choose, for communication at a moment’s
notice. An integrated fingerprint sensor adds an additional layer of
security to protect sensitive data.
The computers are set for next-generation wireless communications,
thanks to a built-in camera, microphone and wide area networking
through the Cingular EDGE network7.
BX Series
Built for a workforce of a handful or
hundreds, the BX Series notebooks represent
the ultimate in VAIO PC configuration
and adaptability, and can equip teams
of any size or need.
BX notebooks come with Intel Core 2 Duo in an array of sizes (14", 15.4"
and 17" wide2), for individual choice in mobility and productivity.
The BX notebooks take a modular approach to computing by
incorporating Sony’s special AdaptivePlus™ Technology: a design
philosophy based on sharing business resources to maximize
productivity and efficiency. Here, the technology takes the form of
multi-function drive bays that accommodate peripheral setups like
a double layer DVD/RW drive4, extra 80 GB5 hard drive, weight saver
unit, or adapter bay. Units are interchangeable between all three
notebook sizes and can link to a docking station, allowing resource
sharing in the office as well as on the road.
F I R ST LO O KS
SOF TWARE

THERE.COM

VIRTUAL WORLD, REAL MONEY

T
HERE.COM COMBINES SOCIAL NETWORK- site encourages users to design their clothes, acces-
ing with 3D-game virtual reality. Graph- sories, and even homes. Personalization stops at
ics quality doesn’t match that of Quake nudity (and profanity), however. Premium members
There.com 4, but it’s pretty good. Using keyboard can make Therebucks by buying and renting real
Basic service, free; arrows, you move your avatar through estate or making and selling products.
premium, $9.95 one- the environment, but you don’t shoot anyone—you Worried about privacy (or just weirded out by
time fee
host parties, do stand-up comedy, walk fashion run- the whole scene)? You’re at the wrong site. But
llllm
ways, and above all, talk—via text-messaging or otherwise, you’ll have a great time just exploring.
PROS A captivating 3D
(with the premium service) real-time voice. Jump in and see if you like it.—Cade Metz
virtual world complete
with beaches, lounge The client—a 500MB download—runs well >> For more in-depth analysis and a video tour:
chairs, martini glasses, on older hardware, and the company says it even go.pcmag.com/theredotcom
and loads of beautiful works over a 56-Kbps dial-up connection. A simple
people.
tutorial walks you through the basics, then drops
CONS A virtual Hulk
you into a tropical paradise filled with 3D beauti-
Hogan Fu Manchu
mustache will cost you ful people (and their speech bubbles, launched by
almost $3. typing). Others can accept or decline chats, which
you can make private. When voice-enabled avatars
(marked by microphone icons) get close, the users
can hear each other.
Therebucks (1,800 per U.S. dollar) let you build
a unique persona; you can use them to buy every-
thing from clothing to portable sound systems. The

Chat-list that
hot avatar

Plenty of ols
helpful to

The site’s cool, Ajax-powered tools and info pro-

Mpire.com
Free for buyers; sellers vide its real appeal. A slider lets you quickly narrow
pay a fee price ranges, for example, and search results supply
lllhm tons of data, such as the average, the range, and the
PROS Listings from 30-day trend for prices. Stats can mislead, as with
multiple sites can save MPIRE.COM the $8,400 iPod price I got (it was a bulk lot), but
buyers time and $$$.
AUCTION MPORIUM the tools are fun and, used wisely, informative. The

M
Stats show going rates,
price trends. Advanced
search filters results. PIRE’S AJAX-BASED SITE, WHICH AG-
Tool for listing on eBay. gregates listings from eBay, Over-
CONS Searches are a stock.com, Yahoo! Shopping, and
bit slow. Interface needs
Amazon Marketplace (Craigslist,
tweaking.
too, but those listings appear sepa-
rately), may just become your new deal finder. The
simply laid-out home site displays a search box and
popular products. Listings on the search results
pages, where you'll spend the most time, look much
like those on eBay—the source of roughly 50 to 60
percent of the items, says Mpire.
search engine does well at providing relevant re-
sults, which you can tailor with advanced options.
Buyers don’t pay, but sellers do. Sellers can also
pay extra to place ads on relevant results pages and
to have their results listed at the top. MpireLauncher,
a free tool, helps merchants set up eBay listings. I
have minor gripes—the search is a bit slow, for
example, and the interface needs work—but I rec-
ommend Mpire.com to anyone who likes auctions
and comparison shopping.—Sean Carroll
>> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/
mpiredotcom

60 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

 Vibrant color. Superior functionality.

Must be one terrific MFP.

Kyocera’s KM-C3232 Delivers Across-the-Board Productivity for Your Team

“#1 Copier/Multifunction Product in Overall
Customer Satisfaction Among Business Users”
– According to J.D. Power and Associates
For an affordable color document solution that maximizes business productivity, harness the power and
reliability of the KM-C3232. At 32 color or black and white pages per minute, its versatile print, copy,
scan and optional fax capabilities combine with advanced finishing options for compelling business
communications. The KM-C3232 is one of a series of color MFPs designed to keep your business
color needs in-house and within budget. Optional Kyocera software solutions maximize your hardware
investment. It’s everything you need to keep your document communications secure, connected and
brilliantly productive. That’s the power of People Friendly. Learn more: www.kyoceramita.com

KYOCERA MITA CORPORATION. KYOCERA MITA AMERICA, INC. ©2006 Kyocera Mita Corporation. “People Friendly,” “The New Value Frontier,” the Kyocera “smile” and the Kyocera logo are trademarks of Kyocera.
J.D. Power and Associates 2005 Copier Customer Satisfaction StudySM. Study based on responses from 1,730 business decision makers. 16 major brands serving the U.S. market were included. www.jdpower.com
F I R ST LO O KS
SOF TWARE
NETWORKING
Glide Effortless
300MB storage, free;
1GB, $4.95 monthly or
$49.95 yearly; 4GB,
$9.95 or $99.95
llllm
PROS Capable new
online word processor.
Mobile access. New tool
for syncing data with a GLIDE EFFORTLESS
PC. Glide apps and data
APPS, PLEASE (HOLD THE OS)
G
are accessible anywhere.
CONS A bit unreliable
and buggy. Sign-up
requires credit card,
even for free version.
and share everything from music to documents.
This version nicely dovetails with Glide Mobile,
giving you access from Pocket PC devices running
Windows Mobile 5.0 (only the Treo 700w has of-
Buy the two-adapter
kit—it's $21 less
62 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006
Unique menus
give you more ch
tool options ea
time you click
ficial support, though). You can browse and open
files—even videos—with amazing speed.
The new release adds capabilities beyond e-
mail, contact management, and the sharing of
photos, videos, and music. Glide Calendar lets you
track appointments and share them with other
users. Glide Sync lets you synchronize files of all
types across Glide, Glide Mobile, and your PC. The
most welcome addition, Glide Write, handles aver-
age Word docs well, although complex ones can
give it trouble.
LIDE EFFORTLESS HINTS AT A FUTURE The package is elegant but has rough edges. I es-
in which we access apps and data via pecially question why you must give credit card info
browsers, and the OS loses supremacy. when registering for the free version. Dialogs could
Within Firefox or IE, this remarkable be better, and periods of inactivity cause trouble
Flash environment lets you store, use, with file access via Glide Mobile. I had similar prob-
lems with the Glide Effortless upload tool, but this
elegant app is well worth trying.—Cade Metz
>> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/
glideeffortless
NETGEAR POWERLINE HD ETHERNET ADAPTER HDX101
A WIRED NETWORK—INSTANTLY
W
IRELESS NETWORKS SUFFER FROM LIMITED
range, interference, security problems, and, at
distances, speed degradation. But wired sys-
tems have one obvious disadvantage: wires.
Manufacturers have tried to use household
wiring to carry network signals but with limited success. The
Netgear Powerline HDX101 may revive the technology, though.
This is the first such product I’ve seen that’s easy to set up
and fast. Using Ethernet cables, you connect each device on your
network to an HDX101 adapter that plugs into a nearby AC outlet.
That’s it. To increase security or set QoS (Quality of Service)
parameters, you can use a simple, well-documented PC utility.
The adapters must plug directly into outlets (a surge suppres-
Netgear Powerline sor or even a power strip quickly degrades the signal), so they
HD Ethernet Adapter can block other devices from plugging in. The hardware costs
HDX101
$110 street
more than wireless equipment, too. But it works with any OS and
llllm connects to almost anything that has an Ethernet port.
The 45-Mbps performance I got is better than with wireless
PROS Easy setup and good
performance. technologies when distances increase. Your mileage may vary,
CONS Expensive. Wall-plug depending on the condition of your wiring, but if you run into a
design can block access to snag with wireless, I recommend this alternative.—Oliver Kaven
other outlets
outlets. >> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/powerlinehd
 Volume is strong all
enough to fill a sm
conference room

DELL 1200MP PROJECTOR

FOCUS ON PRESENTATIONS

N
OTABLE AMONG PROJECTORS WITH AN
800-by-600 (SVGA) pixel resolution, Good tactile
the DLP-based Dell 1200MP Projec- feedback—
tor offers an impressive package. The firm control for
easily portable system (weighing focus and zoom
just under 5 pounds and measuring 4 by 9.9 by 8.4
inches) is ideal for displaying simple Excel charts The 1200MP’s weakness is full-motion video. Dell 1200MP
or PowerPoint presentations. Watching a DVD through an S-Video connection, Projector
$699 direct
I measured the 1200MP’s brightness at 1,850 I found the image to be reasonably bright, with
llllm
lumens, which should easily display a reasonably acceptable flesh tones, but the colors were a little
PROS Scores
large image in typical ambient lighting. An excel- punchy, and edges showed some rippling.
well on bright-
lent contrast ratio of 339:1 ensures that colors pop Despite the less-than-ideal quality of full- ness, contrast
off the screen. The 1200MP also projects still images motion video, the 1200MP offers the best value ratio, image
without any visible jitter. The only issues were typi- and balance of features in its class. For brightness, quality for pre-
sentations, and audio.
cal of a single-chip DLP projector: Yellow veered a contrast, and image quality, it’s way ahead of the
Reasonably portable.
bit toward mustard, and there was a rainbow effect, competition.—M. David Stone
CONS Image quality for
with white areas breaking up into red, green, and >> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/ full-motion video is less
blue when I shifted my gaze. dell1200mp than ideal.

GATEWAY FPD1975W

A JUST-SO LCD MONITOR

T
HE 19-INCH GATEWAY FPD1975W MAY NOT HAVE THE BELLS AND
whistles of higher-end LCD monitors, but its allure lies in its
reasonable price and in basic features that take care of every-
day business. Certain upgrades are available for this high-
resolution, widescreen panel, but they increase the price.
The monitor comes with a tilt-only stand and connectivity that is limited
to one DVI and one analog port. For an extra $69.99, you can buy a height-
adjustable stand that lets you tilt, swivel, and pivot the screen 90 degrees for
portrait viewing. The stand also includes a four-port USB 2.0 hub.
With a 16:10 aspect ratio and a 1,440- by 900-pixel resolution, the
FPD1975W supports the HDCP (High-bandwidth Digital Content Protec-
tion) protocol for displaying high-definition images through the DVI inter-
Optional US Gateway FPD1975W face. While watching a movie, I was impressed with the panel’s performance
speaker barB $229.99 direct
lllMm
for the most part, although I did notice occasional motion artifacts. There
was also evidence of ghosting during a round of Doom 3, but that’s to be
PROS Affordable. Good expected from a display with an 8-ms pixel response rate (black to white).
small-text reproduction.
On a brighter note, the panel did an amazing job of displaying small fonts.
CONS Weak grayscale
All told, the FPD1975W is a serviceable 19-inch widescreen model. For
performance. Adjustable
stand costs extra. One-year the price, its basic features do the job.—John R. Delaney
warranty. >> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/fpd1975w

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 63

F I R ST LO O KS
SMALL BUSINESS

Removable
disk—see ya,
tape backup

pare and verify them. When I tried several Rev 35

Iomega Rev 70
External, $599.99 list
cartridges, the device read at full speed but wrote
with one cartridge; much slower than with the 70GB media.
internal, $579.99; car- I appreciate being able to tuck the media away
tridges, $69; four-pack, off-site, the freedom to use separate cartridges to
IOMEGA REV 70
$249.99
llllh
BACKUP REVS UP back up other machines, and the software’s data

E
verification—but not Retrospect’s proprietary for-
PROS Small, fast, high-
density disks. Easy in- VERYBODY NEEDS TO BACK UP DATA, mat. I want the ability to read individual files in a
stallation and operation. and the Iomega Rev 70 can help. This backup instead of having to search for them using a
Portability. handy device uses single-platter remov- particular application, so I prefer solutions like the
CONS Expensive com- able hard drive cartridges similar to freeware Cobian Backup.
pared with hard drives. those of its predecessor, the Rev 35, but The 70GB cartridges are slightly pricier than
No alternative suppliers
for cartridges. Retro- doubles their capacity to 70GB. The backup drive their 35GB predecessors, but the drive lists for $200
spect backup software comes in a USB external or ATAPI internal config- more—a bit of sticker shock if you’re used to the
uses proprietary format. uration, and Iomega plans to have a SATA version absurdly low cost of high-capacity hard drives. Still,
later this year. the Rev 70 is a price-performance winner compared
The included EMC Retrospect Express software with tape backup.—Bill Machrone
took 34 minutes to transfer 10.4GB of files from my >> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/
IBM T42p laptop and another 30 minutes to com- iomegarev70

HAMACHI FOR WINDOWS 1.0.0.61 (BETA)

FAST, FREE VPN CONNECTIONS

Hamachi for Windows
Hamachi's 1.0.0.61 (beta)
zero-config Free for up to 16 member
claim is no networks. Premium version,
hype $4.95 and up monthly
lllhm
PROS Easy to install, config-
ure, and use.
CONS Slow at times. Relies
on shared network password
instead of individual user
passwords.
N
EED TO GET CONNECTED TO ANOTHER MACHINE OVER THE
Internet? Consider Hamachi, a zero-configuration virtual pri-
vate network (VPN) that runs as client and server software
on Linux, Mac OS X, and Windows 2000, XP, and 2003. It let
me create a network and connect Windows PCs to it no mat-
ter where they were as long as they had Internet access. Each node joins a
password-protected network mediated by a server that Hamachi runs.
My only installation difficulties came from personal firewalls I was run-
ning, not the VPN software, and Hamachi easily navigated multiple layers
of network address translation (NAT). I separated test machines with four
firewalls running NAT, but the utility easily added and connected every com-
puter to the VPN. I also connected a laptop over Verizon’s EV-DO service—
performance was painfully slow, though. Over non-cellular connections, the
VPN performed just fine, both with a single network and linked ones.
This is a good solution for those looking to connect to a remote machine
and transfer files. You can leave the software running on your home com-
puter, and access it from anywhere on the Internet for free. You can also
run a secure intranet—or any other application that can map a Windows
drive—over Hamachi. This is a handy free tool for creating VPNs quickly
and easily.—Matthew D. Sarrel
>> For more in-depth analysis: go.pcmag.com/hamachiwinbeta

64 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006 J U M P T O N E X T PA G E >>

 September/
Acer recommends Windows® XP Professional.
October 2006

Enhanced Efficiency.
Secure Manageability.
The Acer TravelMate 8210 features the new, energy-efficient
Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor, providing improved
manageability, enhanced security and twice the power
to drive your business opportunities.

Acer® TravelMate® 8210
Acer TravelMate 8216WLHi
New
$2,999
INTEL® CORE™2 DUO PROCESSOR T7400
(4MB L2 CACHE, 2.16GHz, 667MHz FSB)
GENUINE WINDOWS® XP PROFESSIONAL
(LX.TEG06.038)
Prices shown are estimated street prices and do not include tax or shipping. Retailer or reseller prices may vary.
• Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology
- Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor
- Mobile Intel® 945PM Express chipset
- Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG network connection
• Genuine Windows® XP Professional
• 2GB DDR2 533 SDRAM
• 160GB1 hard drive
• Modular Blu-ray Disc™ drive
• 5-in-1 card reader for optional MultiMediaCard™,
Secure Digital card, Memory Stick®, Memory Stick
PRO™ or xD-Picture Card™
• 15.4" WSXGA+ (1680 x 1050) TFT display
• ATI® Mobility™ Radeon® X1600 graphics
• VVoIP via integrated camera
• 802.11a/b/g WLAN, Bluetooth®,
Bluetooth® VoIP phone, gigabit LAN,
V.92 modem
• One-year limited warranty2

For the name of a reseller near you or further information, please call Acer
or visit our Web site: 800-571-2237 - www.acer.com/us
 Acer recommends Windows® XP Professional.

Desktop Replacement
Acer Technology
for Your Mobility

Acer SignalUp
New
This technology strategically postions two
PIFA antennas on the notebok's top panel
to generate an omni-directional signal
sphere for superior wireless reception.

Acer® TravelMate® 4670

Acer DASP+
To limit hard disk damage, Acer
has equipped select notebooks with
DASP+ technology, featuring:
• Acer GraviSense senses sudden
directional changes (such as a fall) and
automatically retracts the disk heads
to prevent surface damage
• Acer Anti-Theft alerts the owner if
the system is moved
• Acer Disk Anti-Shock Protection
safeguards the hard disk against
Acer TravelMate 4674WLMi
$1,599
INTEL® CORE™ DUO PROCESSOR T2500
(2MB L2 CACHE, 2GHz, 667MHz FSB)
GENUINE WINDOWS® XP PROFESSIONAL
2GB DDR2 533 SDRAM AND
ATI® MOBILITY™ RADEON® X1600 GRAPHICS
(LX.TD706.032)
Acer TravelMate 4672WLMi
$1,129
• Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology
- Intel® Core™ Duo Processor
- Mobile Intel® 945 Express chipset
- Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG network connection
• Genuine Windows® XP Professional
• 120GB1 hard drive
• Modular Super-Multi drive
(DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RAM)
• 5-in-1 card reader for optional MultiMediaCard™,
Secure Digital card, Memory Stick®,
Memory Stick PRO™ or xD-Picture Card™
• 15.4" WXGA (1280 x 800) TFT display
• 802.11a/b/g WLAN, gigabit LAN, V.92 modem
• One-year limited warranty2

knocks and provides an unmatched INTEL® CORE™ DUO PROCESSOR T2300

level of protection. (2MB L2 CACHE, 1.66GHz, 667MHz FSB)
GENUINE WINDOWS® XP PROFESSIONAL
1GB DDR2 533 SDRAM AND
INTEL® GRAPHICS MEDIA ACCELERATOR 950
(LX.TB506.059) Prices shown are estimated street prices and do not include tax or shipping.
Retailer or reseller prices may vary.

Acer GridVista
Acer® ezDock Docking Station
Easy-to-use software designed to The one-plug Acer ezDock allows you to add or remove devices
automatically split the screen in up instantly, without turning off your notebook computer. This compact
docking solution has 21 interface ports and two card slots.
to four separate windows and make
the most of available screen space. $299
COMPATIBLE WITH THE TRAVELMATE 8210, 8200, 8100, 4670, 4650, 4400, 3010, 3000, C310, C200;
FERRARI 5000, 4000, 1000
(LC.D0103.004)

For the name of a reseller near you or further information, please call Acer or visit our Web site:
800-571-2237 - www.acer.com/us
Acer’s all-in-one office solutions offer power,
security and flexibility comparable to a desktop
PC. Benefit from maximum productivity and
complete connectivity in a stylish, compact and
reliable notebook for the enterprise and
medium-size companies.

Acer® Aspire® 5630

New
• Intel Centrino Duo Mobile Technology
® ®

- Intel® Core™2 Duo Processor

- Mobile Intel® 945GM Express chipset
- Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG network connection
• Genuine Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005
• 1GB DDR2 533 SDRAM
• 160GB1 hard drive
• Integrated Super-Multi drive (DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RAM)
• 5-in-1 card reader for optional MultiMediaCard™,
Secure Digital card, Memory Stick®,
Memory Stick PRO™ or xD-Picture Card™
• 15.4" WXGA (1280 x 800),
Acer CrystalBrite Technology
• Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• VVoIP via integrated camera
• 802.11a/b/g WLAN, 10/100 LAN, V.92 modem
Acer Aspire 5633WLMi
• One-year limited warranty2

$1,049
INTEL® CORE™2 DUO PROCESSOR T5500
(2MB L2 CACHE, 1.66GHZ, 667MHZ FSB)
GENUINE WINDOWS® XP MEDIA CENTER EDITION 2005
(LX.TEG06.038)

Acer Empowering Technology

One touch of the Empowering Key and you can easily take
control of your notebook's security, performance,
settings and communications.
 Acer recommends Windows® XP Professional.

Mobility at Work
If you’re a professional or running a small or
medium-size business, let Acer’s powerful and
efficient mobile solutions give you the freedom to
Acer Flat Panels take your work on the road. Optimized for the
multitasking you do every day, these notebooks
deliver total connectivity and unbeatable value to
help drive your growing business.
Acer
AL2416Wd
• 24" wide-screen TFT LCD
• 1920 x 1200 native resolution
• 1000:1 contrast ratio
• 178°/178° horizontal/vertical
viewing angles
• VGA, DVI-D signal connectors
• 500 cd/m2 brightness
• 6ms gray-to-gray response time
$699
(ET.L6102.018)

Acer
AL1916 Fbd

• 19" TFT LCD Acer® TravelMate® 2450

• 1280 x 1024 native resolution
• 700:1 contrast ratio • Intel® Celeron® M Processor
• 150°/135° horizontal/vertical Acer TravelMate 2451WLMi
• Genuine Windows® XP Professional

$669
viewing angles
• 512MB DDR2 533 SDRAM
• VGA, DVI-D signal connectors
• 300 cd/m2 brightness • 60GB1 hard drive
• 2ms gray-to-gray response time INTEL® CELERON® M PROCESSOR 410
• Integrated DVD-Dual drive (DVD+/-RW)
• 15.4" WXGA (1280 x 800) TFT display
$229 (1MB L2 CACHE, 1.46GHz, 533MHz FSB)
GENUINE WINDOWS® XP PROFESSIONAL • ATI® Radeon® Xpress 200M graphics
(ET.1916B.0DF)
(LX.TCL06.063)
• 802.11b/g WLAN, 10/100 LAN, V.92 modem
• One-year limited warranty2

Acer
AL1916 Ab
• 19" FT LCD
• 1280 x 1024 native resolution
• 700:1 contrast ratio
• 140°/140° horizontal/vertical
viewing angles
Acer Empowering Technology
• VGA signal connector
• 300 cd/m2 brightness One touch of the Empowering Key
• 8ms response time and you can easily take control of your
notebook's security, performance,
$ 225 settings and communications.
Prices shown are estimated street prices and do not include tax or shipping.
(ET.1916B.008)
Retailer or reseller prices may vary.

For the name of a reseller near you or further information, please call Acer or visit our Web site:
800-571-2237 - www.acer.com/us
Acer® TravelMate® 4220
• Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology • 15.4" WXGA (1280 x 800) TFT display
- Intel® Core™ Duo Processor • Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950
- Mobile Intel® 945GM Express chipset • 802.11a/b/g WLAN, 10/100 LAN, V.92 modem
- Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG network connection • One-year limited warranty2
• Genuine Windows® XP Professional
• Integrated Super-Multi drive (DVD+R, DVD-R, DVD-RAM)
• 5-in-1 card reader for optional MultiMediaCard™, Secure Digital card,
Memory Stick®, Memory Stick PRO™ or xD-Picture Card™

Acer TravelMate 4222WLMi

$899
INTEL CORE DUO PROCESSOR T2300
® ™
New
(2MB L2 CACHE, 1.66GHz, 667MHz FSB)
GENUINE WINDOWS® XP PROFESSIONAL
1GB DDR2 533 SDRAM AND 120GB1 HARD DRIVE
(LX.TCJ06.013)

Acer TravelMate 4220AWLMi

$799
INTEL® CORE™ SOLO PROCESSOR T1350
(2MB L2 CACHE, 1.86GHz, 533MHz FSB)
GENUINE WINDOWS® XP PROFESSIONAL
512MB DDR2 533 SDRAM AND 100GB1 HARD DRIVE
(LX.TCJ06.085)
 Acer recommends Windows® XP Professional.

Acer Flat Panels

Acer
AL1916W Ab
• 19" wide-screen TFT LCD
•
•
1440 x 900 native resolution
700:1 contrast ratio
Acer® Veriton® 2800
• 150°/135° horizontal/vertical • Intel® Pentium® D Processor • CD-RW/DVD-ROM combo drive
viewing angles • Genuine Windows® XP Professional • Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• VGA signal connector • 512MB DDR2 533 SDRAM • Gigabit LAN
• 300 cd/m2 brightness • 80GB1 SATA hard drive, 7200RPM • Three-year limited warranty2
• 5ms response time
$195 Display sold separately.
(ET.1916B.W08)
Acer Veriton 2800

$689
Acer INTEL® PENTIUM® D PROCESSOR 820
(2x1MB L2 CACHE, 2.80GHz, 800MHz FSB)
AL1717 Bbmd GENUINE WINDOWS® XP PROFESSIONAL
(VT2800-U-P8200)
• 17" FT LCD
• 1280 x 1024 native resolution
• 700:1 contrast ratio
• 150°/135° horizontal/vertical
viewing angles
• Two 1.0W integrated speakers
• VGA, DVI-D signal connectors
•
•
300 cd/m2 brightness
8ms response time Acer® AcerPower™ S285
$ 199 Display sold separately.
• Intel® Pentium® D Processor
(ET.1717B.MD8)
• Genuine Windows® XP Professional
• 1GB DDR SDRAM
• 120GB1 SATA hard drive
• DVD-Dual drive (DVD+/-RW)
• SiS Mirage™ graphics
Acer • Gigabit LAN
AL1706 Ab • One-year limited warranty2
• 17" FT LCD
• 1280 x 1024 native resolution
• 500:1 contrast ratio Acer AcerPower S285

$599
• 140°/140° horizontal/vertical
viewing angles
• VGA signal connector
• 270 cd/m2 brightness INTEL® PENTIUM® D PROCESSOR 820
• 8ms response time (2X1MB L2 CACHE, 2.80GHz, 800MHz FSB)

$ 189 GENUINE WINDOWS® XP PROFESSIONAL

(APS285-U-P8201)
(ET.1706B.008) Prices shown are estimated street prices and do not include tax or shipping.
Retailer or reseller prices may vary.

For the name of a reseller near you or further information, please call Acer or visit our Web site:
800-571-2237 - www.acer.com/us
Acer® Veriton® 6800
Display sold separately.
• Intel® Pentium® D Processor
• Genuine Windows® XP Professional
• DVD-Dual Drive (DVD+/-RW)
• Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 950
• Gigabit LAN
• Three-year limited warranty2

Acer Veriton 6800

$949
INTEL® PENTIUM® D PROCESSOR 945
(2x2MB L2 CACHE, 3.40GHz, 800MHz FSB)
GENUINE WINDOWS® XP PROFESSIONAL
2GB DDR2 533 SDRAM AND
250GB1 SATA HARD DRIVE, 7200RPM
(VT6800-U-P9451)

Acer Veriton 6800 Acer Veriton 6800

$799
INTEL® PENTIUM® D PROCESSOR 945
(2x2MB L2 CACHE, 3.40GHz, 800MHz FSB)
GENUINE WINDOWS® XP PROFESSIONAL
1GB DDR2 533 SDRAM AND
160GB1 SATA HARD DRIVE, 7200RPM
(VT6800-U-P9450)
$689
INTEL® PENTIUM® D PROCESSOR 820
(2x1MB L2 CACHE, 2.80GHz, 800MHz FSB)
GENUINE WINDOWS® XP PROFESSIONAL
512MB DDR2 533 SDRAM AND
160GB1 SATA HARD DRIVE, 7200RPM
(VT6800-U-P8200 )
 Acer recommends Windows® XP Media Center Edition.

Home Acer Aspire 9805WKHi

Entertainment $2,799
INTEL® CORE™ DUO PROCESSOR T2600
A remarkable solution for stunning mobile
(2MB L2 CACHE, 2.16GHz, 667MHz FSB)
multimedia entertainment. Cutting-edge GENUINE WINDOWS® XP MEDIA CENTER EDITION 2005
technology combined with the Acer (LX.AAM0J.017)
CrystalBrite screen, powerful graphics and
complete connectivity make this the ideal
choice for no-compromise entertainment
Acer® Aspire® 9800
all around your home. • Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology
- Intel® Core™ Duo Processor
www.pleasing.it - ADV

- Mobile Intel® 945PM Express chipset

- Intel® PRO/Wireless 3945ABG network connection
• Genuine Windows® XP Media Center Edition 2005
• 2GB DDR2 667 SDRAM
• 240GB1 hard drive
• Modular HD DVD-ROM drive
• 5-in-1 card reader for optional MultiMediaCard™,
Secure Digital card, Memory Stick®, Memory Stick PRO™
or xD-Picture Card™
• 20.1" WSXGA+ (1680 x 1050) TFT display,
Acer CrystalBrite Technology
• NVIDIA® GeForce® Go 7600 graphics
• VVoIP via integrated camera
• 802.11a/b/g WLAN, Bluetooth®, gigabit LAN, V.92 modem
• One-year limited warranty2

Prices shown are estimated street prices and do not include tax or shipping. Retailer or reseller prices may vary.

Acer Notebook Service Upgrades Protect Your Valuable Investment

Quality is built into every notebook PC Acer makes, and each comes with a one-year standard It’s a tough world out there, and accidents do happen—sticky spills, dangerous drops, nasty
limited warranty.2 It includes hardware technical support via toll-free phone plus a concurrent knocks—which is why you should consider the Total Protection Upgrade. It runs concurrently with
International Traveler’s Warranty for travel outside the U.S. and Canada. Extra protection is the limited warranty2 and limited warranty extension and covers the cost of a replacement unit
available with one of these upgrades: if your covered notebook cannot be repaired.

2-Year Extension of Limited Warranty (146.AB820.EX2) 2-Year Extension of Limited Warranty + 3-Year Total Protection Upgrade (146.AD077.002)

$99 $199
Prepays freight to and from Acer repair depot. Prepays freight to and from Acer repair depot.
Excludes extension of International Traveler's Warranty. Excludes extension of International Traveler's Warranty.

1
When referring to storage capacity, GB stands for one billion bytes and MB stands for one million bytes. Some utilities may indicate varying storage capacities. Total user-accessible
capacity may vary depending on operating environments.
2
For a free copy of the standard limited warranty end-users should see a reseller where Acer products are sold or write to Acer America Corporation, Warranty Department,
P.O. Box 6137, Temple, TX 76503.

© 2006 Acer America Corporation. Information and prices are subject to change without notice. Pricing is effective from September 17, 2006 through October 31, 2006. Product images are
representations of some of the models available and may vary from the model you purchase. Acer, TravelMate and Veriton are registered trademarks and AcerPower a trademark of Acer
Inc. Aspire is a trademark of Acer America Corporation. Celeron, Celeron Inside, Centrino, Centrino Logo, Core Inside, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Intel Viiv,
Intel vPro, Itanium, Itanium Inside, Pentium, Pentium Inside, Xeon, and Xeon Inside are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and
other countries. Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others. Microsoft and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the
United States and/or other countries.

For the name of a reseller near you or further information, please call Acer or visit our Web site:
800-571-2237 - www.acer.com/us
 THE BEST STUFF
EDITORS’ CHOICES IN KEY CATEGORIES

iPOD DOCK SECURITY SUITE CAMCORDER (HD)

Soundcast iCast Zone Alarm Security Sony HDR-HC3 HDV
Immune to interfer- Suite 6.5 1080i Handycam
ence. Excellent sound Our favorite firewall. Incredible video
quality. Easy to set up Decent antivirus. New quality. Excellent
and operate. ID theft prevention/ sound. Performs well
$299.99 list recovery resources. in extreme lighting
Soundcast Systems $69.95 direct scenarios.
go.pcmag.com/icast Zone Labs LLC $1,499.99 direct
go.pcmag.com/zass65 Sony Electronics Inc.
SPEECH go.pcmag.com/hc3
RECOGNITION ANTISPYWARE
Dragon Naturally- Spy Sweeper 5.0 HDTVS
Speaking 9.0 Streamlined UI. Fewer Sharp Aquos
Professional annoying pop-ups. LC-32D40U
Impressively accurate Improved rootkit and Stylish. Stunning color
speech recognition keylogger protection. quality. Realistic pic-
without training. Even $29.95 direct ture. Lots of ports.
better with training. Webroot Software Inc. $1,599.99 list
$899 direct (other edi- go.pcmag.com/ Sharp Electronics
tions, $99 and up) spysweeper5 Corp.
Nuance Communica- go.pcmag.com/
tions Inc. Spyware Doctor 4.0 32d40u
go.pcmag.com/DNS9 Removed nearly every-
thing we threw at it. CELL PHONES
Status page clearer to Chocolate By LG/LG
COLOR LASER use. Multiple “guards” VX8500
PRINTER keep spyware off your Beautiful. Stereo Blue- DESKTOP
HP Color LaserJet clean system. Protects tooth. MP3 support. Gateway Profile 6 SB
1600 itself against direct $149.99 to $249.99 PORTABLE MINI All-in-one space-
SOHO-perfect. Great attacks. direct HARD DRIVE saving design. Dual-
color laser quality. Fast. $29.95 direct LG Electronics Seagate ST9160821U2- core performance. TPM
Low price. PC Tools go.pcmag.com/ RK External 160GB and other business-
$299.99 list go.pcmag.com/ chocolate Hard Drive related security
Hewlett-Packard spywaredoctor4 Massive storage capac- features. Room for
Development Co. LAPTOP ity. Dual-head cable. expansion. Easy-
go.pcmag.com/hp1600 Dell XPS M1710 Works with current to-service chassis.
(Intel Core 2 Duo) Mac and Windows OSs. $1,049.99 direct
Outstanding perfor- $130 street Gateway Inc.
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Improved gaming go.pcmag.com/
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Dell Inc. SUPERZOOM
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Excellent tools. Easy Very inexpensive for a the Web. See them all at
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Inexpensive. $399.95 direct
$29.95 direct Panasonic Corp. of
Intuit Inc. America
go.pcmag.com/ go.pcmag.com/
quickenbasic07 lumixDMCFZ7

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 73

 The Xerox DocuMate® 152 scans at 30 images per minute
and creates searchable PDFs with the touch of a button.
Put information you need right at your finger tips for under $600.
There’s a new way to look at it.
®

High standards. Remarkable performance. that allows you to scan-to print, -to- e-mail, or -to-
The Xerox DocuMate 152 scanner, winner of storage, and then share documents while offer-
PC Magazine's Editors’ Choice Award is the ing the highest level of image quality and OCR
ultimate office productivity tool. Convert docu- accuracy. The scanner offers nearly $400 in
ments into PDF, TIF, JPG, BMP or most other bundled software including ScanSoft PaperPort,
major file formats with One Touch. Drop in an OmniPage Pro, business card scanning software,
original. Push a button. It’s that easy! The and X1 Desktop Search. Control of your paper
DocuMate 152 also features One Touch scanning documents is one button away!

Learn more: xeroxscanners.com/pcm10a

© 2006 XEROX CORPORATION. All rights reserved. Xerox, DocuMate and There’s a new way to look at it are registered trademarks of Xerox Corporation in the United States and other countries and are used under license. All other trademarks are the
property of their respective owners and are hereby acknowledged.

Spectacular Speakers
M
Y SON AND I HAVE BEEN
talking about person-
alizing computers—
adapting them to our
hobbies and interests.
We have a lot of music
gear between us, and
right now a Toshiba
Qosmio is poised above the synthesizer keyboard.
It’s a pretty good shot at being an all-around digital
media workstation, equally competent at both audio
and video. I’d love to have the dual-core version and
another gig of RAM, which would help for video
editing. He’d like more disk space for big video files.
I suppose, in time, we’ll both have what we want—
because mix-and-match personalization, formerly
the sole province of desktop/tower machines, is
now an integral part of the notebook market.
A tower machine can kick the stuffing out of
most any notebook in sheer performance, but it
lacks the portability and silent operation, not to
mention the built-in uninterruptible power sup-
ply. There are some very quiet tower machines and
cases, but they’re big and bulky, not really suitable
to my lifestyle. Just in this past week, I’ve moved
that Qosmio around incessantly. From its usual lo-
cation, on the rack over the synthesizer, I edited a
slide show for church. I brought it to the basement,
where I was testing the frequency response of an
upgraded output transformer in a guitar amp that
I was modding. Then it was up to the family room,
where I was testing some new monitor speakers.
The speakers in question are the JBL LSR4326P
studio monitors, the most technologically sophis-
ticated speakers I’ve ever worked with. (Studio
monitors are speakers used by audio engineers
and musicians to monitor sound while they’re re-
cording, but they’re good for anyone who enjoys
hearing nuances. They’re bi-amplified two-way
speakers, intended for near-and mid-field listening.
They come with a measurement microphone and
have onboard hardware and software so that you
can adjust them to the room’s acoustics. Unless a
room has nonreflective panels, nonparallel walls,
and similar acoustic treatments, it has a natural
resonant tone or two, somewhere in the bass range.
These resonances, or room modes, can make bass
notes sound unnaturally heavy. If you’re listening,
the tone is muddy. If you’re mixing, you’ll tend to
B I L L M AC H R O N E
de-emphasize the bass, which will make it sound
thin in a different acoustic environment.
The JBLs implement HiQnet, an Ethernet-based
protocol. The speakers communicate with one
another, as well as with HiQnet-equipped studio
consoles, amplifiers, and even wireless microphones.
You connect the speakers to your PC through a USB
cable. With JBL’s software, you can initiate and
monitor the room-mode correction (RMC) process,
manage the configuration of additional surround
speakers, and fine-tune the frequency response with
parametric low- and high-frequency equalization
controls. The software displays the frequency and
amount of room-mode correction.
The new JBL computer speakers I tested
are the most technologically sophisticated
speakers I’ve ever worked with.
I positioned the Qosmio and the measurement
mic at my listening position and started the RMC
sequence. The speakers emitted several fast sweep
tones, lights on their front panels flashed, and the
equalization was done. The JBLs had found the same
bump at 50 Hz that I had found with my test tones
and spectrum analyzer. I played one of my favorite
test tracks, Karrin Allyson’s “Robert Frost,” which
has a prominent bass line. I switched RMC on and
off from the Qosmio, and the difference was marked.
MORE MACHRONE
It took less than a minute to make the necessary You can contact
adjustments, as opposed to the hour or more I had Bill Machrone at
spent tuning my old surround decoder/equalizer. Bill_Machrone
I compared the JBLs with two other studio mon- @ziffdavis.com
itor systems—the highly regarded NHTpro M-00 For more of his columns,
go to go.pcmag.com/
and S-00 monitors and subwoofer, and an M-Audio machrone
Studiophile LX4 three-piece system. The two-way
JBLs stayed right with the subwoofer-equipped
systems in bass performance, but few monitors can
touch the NHTpros for creating a laser-sharp ste-
reo image from their aggressive tweeters. They’re
a hair’s breadth away from harsh, but they reveal
every nuance in a mix. I should mention that the
JBLs’ street price is around $1,200; the three NHT-
pro pieces will set you back about $1,000; and the
LX4 setup is under $300. The LX4s can’t quite
match the effortless power and crisp imaging of the
others, but they’re amazingly good for the price. Q
OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 75
 Fujitsu recommends
Windows® XP Tablet
PC Edition.

Taking Tablet PC reliability to the

ends of the earth. And beyond.
The LifeBook® T4200 Tablet PC takes reliability and convertibility
farther than ever before.

The Fujitsu LifeBook T4200 Tablet PC with Intel® Centrino® Duo Mobile Technology proves just how far Fujitsu
will go to deliver the most reliable products. It’s manufactured in-house so we can maintain the highest quality
standards. The Fujitsu LifeBook T4200 Tablet PC also features the industry’s first bi-directional LCD hinge and a
brilliant, 12.1" XGA display with wide viewing angles, so it’s impressive any way you look at it. And whether you
use its keyboard or powerful inking capabilities and pen-driven navigation, you get the best of both worlds.
Go to us.fujitsu.com/computers/reliability for more information.

SUPERIOR CONNECTIVITY Wi-Fi, Gigabit Ethernet, BUILT-IN MODULAR BAY add a weight-saver,
modem and optional Bluetooth 2.0 media drive or 2nd battery

DUAL-FUNCTIONALITY
it’s a notebook and a Tablet PC

© 2006 Fujitsu Computer Systems Corporation. All rights reserved. Fujitsu, the Fujitsu logo and LifeBook are registered trademarks of Fujitsu Limited. Centrino, Centrino Logo, Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Inside
and Intel Inside Logo are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Vista’s Unknowns
A
S I WRITE THIS, I’VE JUST BEGUN
using release candidate 1 of
Windows Vista and the beta 2
technical refresh of Microsoft
Office 2007. These are versions
that, though they aren’t quite
ready for shipment, are good
enough that Microsoft is try-
ing to get them into the hands of lots of testers. In
fact, the company expects to get out over six million
copies of Vista RC1 in the next few months, leading
up to shipping the final version to large companies
in November and to the rest of us in late January.
Lots of questions remain for Microsoft, for sys-
tem makers, and for those of us who have to decide
whether to upgrade to the new operating system.
How stable and compatible will Vista be? My
biggest concern is with applications and drivers
that just don’t work with the new OS. Some pro-
grams, such as communications and security pack-
ages, will clearly need new versions. Though Vista
RC1 appears to be more stable, I’ve still run into a
few issues and have therefore concluded it’s too
early to make a judgment.
How well will Vista and Office perform? The lat-
est builds are clearly faster, and Microsoft continues
to make improvements. On a machine with a mod-
ern processor and 1GB of memory, the combination
seems to work pretty well. But I’m not so sure about
the performance of Vista and Office, particularly on
machines with 512MB of memory or less.
The manufacturers of computer systems also
face some unknowns at this point.
Which version of Vista will customers buy? Re-
tail computer vendors have to decide which ver-
sion to preinstall. Although Microsoft says users
can upgrade, most people won’t do that. The low-
end version, called Home Basic, will be in the least-
expensive models, but most PC Magazine readers—
and most U.S. consumers—will likely opt for Home
Premium, which has the new graphics, Media Cen-
ter, and Tablet PC functions. Small businesses will
probably choose Vista Business, and big companies
will get Vista Enterprise.
Most consumers won’t have a choice between
Vista and Windows XP; Vista will be on all retail
computers the day it ships. Direct customers will be
able to choose between Vista and Win XP. I expect
small businesses to choose Vista and big businesses
MICHAEL J. MILLER
to continue to buy Win XP. Such businesses typi-
cally wait for the first service pack to upgrade.
32-bit or 64-bit? For the next year or two, I ex-
pect nearly every system maker to choose the 32-bit
version because it provides better support for legacy
devices. Only those systems with very large memory
requirements really need 64 bits right now.
Who will upgrade to Ultimate? This is a special
upgrade that combines the features of the business
and the Home Premium versions. You’ll be able to
upgrade without installing a new OS. But so far, it’s
unclear what you’ll get from such an upgrade.
Peripheral support is also an interesting ques-
tion, as the OS will come with a variety of features
that are enabled only as you add special hardware:
Tuner or no tuner? Home Premium has all the
features of Media Center Edition. Most machines
will ship without a TV tuner, but adding one and
getting the TV features will be easier.
My biggest concern is with applications
and drivers whose current versions just
don’t work with Vista.
Tablet or no tablet? With Vista Premium or
above, you plug in a tablet PC to get all the features
of the tablet, including improved handwriting rec-
ognition and gesture support.
Some questions won’t be answered until after
the OS is out and people get to use it.
MORE MILLER ONLINE
How secure will Vista be? Microsoft is address-
Read Michael J.
ing security in several ways, including forcing peo- Miller’s insights daily
ple to accept system changes. But no OS that allows on his blog, at
users to install applications can be totally secure. blog.pcmag.com/miller
How cool will Vista games be? The best games
we’ve seen so far are simulated demos that use Vis-
ta’s Direct X 10 graphics, but no hardware supports
it yet. For the first year or two, most games will be
designed for older hardware and XP. It’ll take a while
to see if Windows games can make a difference in a
world dominated by the Xbox and PlayStation.
The big question is: Will Vista really matter
now that more applications are appearing on the
Internet? Vista may herald the development of
more applications that have both online and offline
modes. The next few months promise to be interest-
ing, as Vista is finally moving toward completion. Q
OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 77
 I N S I D E T R AC K
BY JOHN C. DVORAK
W
AT C H I N G T H I N G S
Fa l l A pa r t D e p t . :
Video on the Web
has f inally found
itself after years of
struggle. The model
is simple and easy;
just look at YouTube
.com and you’ll see it. Flash animation. It’s ubiqui-
tous, it’s universal, and it works everywhere except
among the stubborn few who “hate Flash” only
because it is used in certain obnoxious advertising
campaigns.
The alternatives to Flash movies are grim and
inadequate. Certain sites use proprietary players.
They work when they work, but who needs the
aggravation? There are WMV players or streams
that open up a Windows media player. The
Unless you’re streaming hi-def content to the
TV over the network so that you can watch
IPTV shows, anything you play on your
computer should be Flash and only Flash.
old RealPlayer also requires itself to be loaded
and opened. And the Apple QuickTime player
constantly asks you if you want to upgrade.
Upgrade? Why?
Unless your system is virgin, you can get
numerous annoying error messages, download
requests, or failures from WMV content as well
as RealNetworks stuff. (At least the Apple player
always works.) Worse, with RealNetworks, old
WANT MORE players overwrite new ones, and the whole thing
DVORAK? fails. You can end up with a mess of players
John writes a weekly
on the system, none of which work right. I’m
column for our Web
site, too. amused at how the Windows player refuses to
go.pcmag.com/dvorak play certain AVI files, saying that it cannot find
You can e-mail him at the codec, while curiously, it played them fine
pcmag@dvorak.org
the year before.
As far as I’m concerned, unless you’re stream-
ing hi-def content to the TV over the network so
that you can watch IPTV shows, anything you
play on your computer should be Flash and only
Flash. The alternatives are painful, flaky, and most
important, unnecessary.
Genuinely Interesting Hardware Dept.: Okay,
I haven’t plugged a printer recently, but now I
must. I am incredibly impressed with the Epson
Stylus RX700. This little sub-$400 six-color ink
jet device is the best all-in-one printer, copier,
78 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006
and scanner I’ve ever used. My advice: Go out
and buy one. It even scans slides with incredible
accuracy, typically producing a 7,200-by-4,725
image. With a slide-in tray to hold discs, it can
label or decorate those now-popular printable
CDs and DVDs, making your collection slick-
looking and without a lot of stick-on labels. And
it’s also a great high-res photo printer. What also
impressed me a lot was the setup. It’s brain-dead
easy. Flawless. This is one incredible personal
printer. A model of perfection. Do I sound enthu-
siastic enough?
What’s Wrong with the Batteries Dept.:
Apparently, the millions of faulty batteries Sony
shipped to Dell and Apple will be recalled. If
you have a Dell or an Apple laptop, please get
these dangerous batteries replaced. They could
ignite just sitting there. A bigger question to me,
though, is exactly how long these batteries have
been in the wild. I wonder, because almost a year
ago a friend of my son’s had a Dell laptop battery
blow up in his dorm room. This was long before
the problem was identified. He was thrown out
of the dorm, as nobody believed his story that he
didn’t do anything. I wonder how many other odd
mishaps went unreported.
Interesting Study Dept.: EETimes.com recent-
ly did a study of American versus Indian engi-
neers. In the summary, it states that there is an
interesting contrast “between go-getter engineers
in India and today’s typical U.S. engineer, who
is older, better compensated, and generally more
complacent.” I thought this was a somewhat dis-
ingenuous summary, because the results—the
way I read them—actually said that American
engineers are simply happier in their respective
companies than Indians, who feel they are getting
gypped. I suppose this means complacent, but
it seems more like an indication that American
firms are better to work for. It’s no coincidence
that many Indians are here in the U.S., happily
working in American companies. Are they there-
fore complacent? I just think that complacent is
the wrong word to use.
Untold Story Worth Telling Dept.: At the most
recent LinuxWorld meetings in San Francisco, IBM
went on and on about how it’s going to push even
more forcefully into the open-source game, saying
that its impact over the next few years will be more
significant than over the past 15 years. I have this
theory that open-source is unlike closed-source in
that it gains momentum over time, while closed-
source loses momentum over time. Apparently,
IBM thinks that time has come. Yikes. Q
 Last month you told us all about your
desktops, notebooks, and printers.
Now you tell us about everything else.

BY CADE METZ • ISPs

H
ERE’S PART 2 OF OUR ANNUAL READER SATISFACTION SURVEY. YOU —
• Cell Phones &
Service Providers
the die-hard PC Magazine subscriber and PCMag.com member
—share your experiences with several thousand digital cameras,
• Satellite Radio

cell phones, cell-phone services, VoIP services, HDTVs, satellite • VoIP

radio services, Internet Service Providers, network routers, and • Digital Cameras
MP3 players. If it’s a digital must-have, you rate it—and the company that sells it. • HDTV
How reliable is it? Is tech support up to snuff when things go wrong? Would you • MP3 Players
buy it again? It’s all here, and quite a read, if we do say so ourselves. • Network Routers

ISPs
THIS YEAR WE treat Internet service providers a little differ-
ently. Rather than lumping all providers together, we separate
these ISPs by technology: cable, DSL, fiber, satellite, dial-up.
Among cable providers, the Readers’ Choices are WOW!
Internet, which offers its services in the parts of the Midwest,
and EarthLink, available in various states around the coun-
try—with an honorable mention for Central Florida–based
Bright House. Each receives an overall score of at least 8 out
of a possible 10—significantly better than average. Meanwhile,
Adelphia and Charter bring up the rear, with overall scores of
6.9 out of 10—significantly worse than average.
DSL isn’t as localized, and some services are available nation-
wide. The best provider this year is one of the smallest: Speak-
easy was head and shoulders above the competition. It wins a
Readers’ Choice with the category’s only significantly above-
average overall score (8.6). BellSouth gets an honorable mention
with a better-than-average 7.6, and AT&T (including SBC Ya-
hoo!) tanked, with a significantly worse-than-average 7.2.
Verizon is the only vendor with enough responses in the
high-speed fiber category, but its overall score of 8.5 is quite
good, and its 9.1 for satisfaction with speed comfortably tops
every other ISP’s. For satellite, HughesNet (formerly Direc-
Way) is the only company with enough responses to be includ-
ed here, but its overall satisfaction score is so low (5.4) that we
can’t award it a Readers’ Choice. Heck, people who have stayed
with dial-up (here, EarthLink is king) are more satisfied.

SURFSPEED UTILITY OVERALL READER

(Kbps) SATISFACTION SCORE
CABLE

BETTER VS. FASTER

Optimum Online 235 8.0 a
Cox 210 7.7 a
Comcast 206 7.1 d The best ISPs aren’t necessarily the fastest ISPs.
Road Runner 198 7.7 a At least, that’s what our readers say. Two months
Adelphia 191 6.9 d before PC Magazine readers rated their ISPs for our
EarthLink 190 8.1 a Reader Satisfaction survey, we asked them to run a
Charter 178 6.9 d software utility that would actually test the speed of
Insight Broadband 177 7.1 c
their broadband connections (“Find the Fastest ISP,”
7.0 c
August 22 issue), and the results don’t always match
Mediacom Online 149
the survey’s. AT&T receives one of the lowest DSL
DSL
scores on our survey—even though the utility test puts
AT&T Yahoo! 195 7.2 d
it among the fastest services. Meanwhile, EarthLink’s
BellSouth 171 7.6 b
cable service receives one the highest reader satisfac-
Verizon 165 7.4
tion scores for speed, even though tests show that its
EarthLink 129 7.4
speed is average at best. Tests can tell you something
Qwest 109 7.2
about a service, but not everything.

80 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

 ISP-PROVIDED E-MAIL

TECHNICAL SUPPORT
CUSTOMER SERVICE
a Significantly better

OVERALL SCORE*

NEEDING REPAIR

RECOMMENDING
than average

LIKELIHOOD OF
b Better than average

INITIAL SETUP

PERCENTAGE
RELIABILITY
Within the average
range

REPAIRS
c Worse than average

SPEED
d Significantly worse

FEES
than average

CABLE HOW TO READ

WOW! Internet (104 responses)
EarthLink (353)
8.2 a

8.1 a
8.2 b

8.2 a
7.0 a

6.0 a
8.3 b

8.1 b
8.2 a

8.2 a
7.9

7.9 b
7.8 a

7.4 b
7.0

6.5
26%

15% a
—

6.6
8.4 a

8.0 a
THE TABLES
Bright House (320) 8.0 a 8.2 a 5.6 b 8.3 a 8.0 a 7.8 b 7.6 a 6.8 32% c 6.9 8.0 a RED denotes Readers’
Choice. Except where
Optimum Online (782) 8.0 a 8.1 a 4.8 d 8.4 a 8.1 a 7.5 7.0 6.6 21% b 7.0 b 7.8 a
noted, scores are on a scale
Cox (1,477) 7.7 a 7.8 5.4 b 8.1 a 7.7 a 7.6 7.2 a 6.6 25% 6.7 b 7.8 a
to 1 to 10, where 10 is best.
Road Runner (2,356) 7.7 a 7.9 a 5.0 d 8.1 a 7.7 a 7.6 7.0 b 6.6 30% d 6.7 b 7.7 a

5.7 b
– Indicates that we
RCN (120) 7.5 7.7 7.9 7.6 7.4 6.8 6.5 20% — 7.6
do not have enough
Cable One (141) 7.3 8.0 5.3 7.8 7.0 c 7.5 7.2 7.0 b 20% — 7.3
survey data to give
AOL (102) 7.1 7.5 5.5 7.1 c 7.0 7.9 6.4 c — 6% a — 6.9 c the company a score.
Comcast (4,806) 7.1 d 7.3 d 4.2 d 8.0 b 7.2 d 7.4 d 6.5 d 6.0 d 30% d 6.1 d 7.1 d
a Significantly better
Insight Broadband (103) 7.1 c 7.2 c 5.4 7.9 6.9 c 7.1 6.8 6.1 30% — 7.4
than average (at least
Mediacom Online (241) 7.0 c 7.2 c 4.6 d 7.5 c 6.9 c 7.7 6.3 c 6.2 34% c 6.2 7.1 c
2 confidence intervals
Adelphia (830) 6.9 d 7.5 c 4.5 d 7.5 d 6.9 d 7.0 d 6.5 d 6.2 c 27% 6.2 6.6 d up from the average)
Charter (1,096) 6.9 d 7.5 c 4.8 d 7.4 d 6.9 d 7.2 c 6.3 d 5.9 d 27% 5.8 d 6.8 d
b Better than average
AVERAGE 7.5 7.7 5.3 7.9 7.5 7.5 6.9 6.5 24% 6.5 7.5
(at least 1 confidence
DSL interval but less than 2
Speakeasy (61 responses) 8.6 a 8.4 b 5.2 8.1 b 8.9 a — 8.6 a — 10% — 8.0 b confidence intervals up
BellSouth (911) 7.6 b 7.6 b 5.9 b 7.4 b 7.8 b 7.8 a 7.1 6.4 16% c 6.8 7.5 a from the average)
Alltel (132) 7.4 7.4 6.1 7.2 7.5 7.6 7.2 7.1 b 13% — 7.3 Within the average
EarthLink (388) 7.4 7.5 5.3 c 7.1 7.5 7.7 7.0 5.3 d 7% a — 6.9 c range
Verizon (1,572) 7.4 7.3 c 6.5 a 7.1 7.7 7.3 c 6.9 c 6.1 10% a 6.5 7.6 a
c Worse than average
MSN (84) 7.3 7.4 6.2 7.3 7.6 7.5 6.7 — 8% — 7.1 (at least 1 confidence
AT&T** (2,171) 7.2 d 7.2 d 6.4 a 7.0 d 7.5 c 7.5 6.5 d 5.8 d 13% 6.4 7.2 interval but less than
FrontierNet (94) 7.2 7.6 5.5 6.8 7.3 7.4 6.9 6.4 27% c — 6.8 2 confidence intervals
Qwest (431) 7.2 7.3 5.9 7.0 c 7.5 7.0 c 6.9 6.6 14% 7.1 7.2
down from the average)
Sprint (142) 7.1 7.2 5.2 c 7.1 7.4 7.5 6.8 6.4 15% — 7.1 d Significantly worse
AOL (89) 7.0 7.6 5.5 7.3 7.5 7.9 b 7.0 — 4% b — 6.9 than average (at least
CenturyTel (94) 7.0 7.1 5.4 7.1 7.4 6.9 7.0 6.5 21% — 7.1 2 confidence intervals
down from the average)
AVERAGE 7.4 7.5 5.8 7.2 7.6 7.5 7.0 6.3 13% 6.7 7.2

FIBER Confidence intervals

Verizon (270 responses) 8.5 8.4 7.3 9.1 8.9 8.0 7.8 7.1 11% — 8.9 are calculated with a
statistical t-test, and these
SATELLITE
will vary from vendor to
HughesNet (124 responses) 5.4 6.2 3.3 5 5.4 6.2 5.2 4.5 17% — 5.0
vendor, depending on the
DIAL-UP number of readers providing
EarthLink (136 responses) 7.3 a 7.8 b 5.9 c 5.7 b 7.8 a 7.9 b 7.3 b 6.1 1% — 7.1 b data and the consistency
MSN (78) 7.0 b 7.2 5.9 5.4 7.2 7.6 6.9 — 0% a — 7.1 of their responses. This
7.8 a
can give different mean-
NetZero (59) 6.4 7.6 5.3 7.0 7.0 — — 2% — 6.8
ings to identical numerical
AT&T** (76) 6.3 7.1 6.2 4.7 6.9 7.3 6.2 — 3% — 6.5
scores, because the more
PeoplePC Online (53) 6.3 6.9 7.6 a 5.2 6.8 — — — 2% — 6.7
responses a vendor gets—
AOL (16) 5.8 d 7.1 4.6 d 4.4 c 6.1 d 7.2 5.8 c 5.2 2% — 5.7 d or the more in agreement
AVERAGE 6.5 7.3 6.4 5.1 7.0 7.4 6.6 5.6 1% — 6.7 readers’ assessments
* The overall score is based on answers to the question “Overall, how would you rate this Internet service provider?” It is not the average of the other scores
were—the smaller its con-
in this table. ** Including SBC Yahoo! fidence interval. (That is,
we’re more confident in
the statistical sample.)
DSL: SPEAKEASY SATELLITE: NONE
It’s a small company, Satellite may be your
but readers love only broadband option
Speakeasy. No other and HughesNet may be
DSL vendor—or cable the only vendor, but its
company, for that incredibly low scores—
matter—even comes including an overall
CABLE: WOW! INTER- close to its overall score of 5.4!—are in
NET, EARTHLINK score, an 8.6 out of 10. no way deserving of
WOW! scores highest. a Readers’ Choice.
But you can’t get its HIGH-SPEED FIBER:
service unless you live VERIZON DIAL-UP: EARTHLINK
in certain parts of the Yes, Verizon is the only Still wanna go the
Midwest. And EarthLink, vendor in this subcat- cheap but slow route?
available in various egory. But check out EarthLink is your best
states across the coun- its amazing 9.1 for bet. Readers rate its
try, is only just behind. satisfaction with speed. service a 7.3 out of 10.

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 81

 Cell-Phone Services
R ATING THE CELLULAR universe can be tricky. Unfortunately, you can’t use just any cell phone
Satisfaction with service providers is driven by with any service. And, strangely enough, some
CONTRACT: network quality, but also by the phones offered. phone manufacturers’ results vary by provider. For
VERIZON WIRELESS
Satisfaction with phones is driven in part by the instance, LG phones on Cingular’s GSM network
Like paying a fixed
fee each month for a network. We start by comparing the major servic- score 6.5, significantly worse than average, over-
bundle of minutes? es, separating contract plans from prepaid plans. all, but on Verizon Wireless’s CDMA network, LG
Readers say your best Among contract plans, Verizon Wireless is the phones score 7.2, better than average. The results on
bet is Verizon, though Readers’ Choice, with 7.5 out of 10; among the pre- individual phone models are available at go.pcmag.
they complain fees paids, it’s Virgin Mobile, with 7.4—both scores are com/readerschoicephones. You’ll also find there a
are a bit high.
significantly above average. full list of Readers’ Choices for cell phones.
PREPAID:
VIRGIN

CALL QUALITY OUTSIDE

If you’d rather pay

CALL QUALITY WITHIN

CHOICE OF HANDSETS

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

COVERAGE OUTSIDE
by the call, readers

CUSTOMER SERVICE
a Significantly better

COVERAGE WITHIN
OVERALL SCORE*
recommend Virgin. than average

RECOMMENDING
LIKELIHOOD OF
PLAN OPTIONS
They’re happy with b Better than average

HOME AREA

HOME AREA

HOME AREA

HOME AREA
Within the average
the fees as well as the

PROVIDED
range
service itself, giving c Worse than average
Virgin an overall score d Significantly worse
FEES

of 7.4 out of 10. than average

CONTRACT
Verizon Wireless (6,672 responses) 7.5 a 5.7 d 6.8 7.1 a 7.0 a 6.3 a 7.7 a 7.7 a 7.8 a 7.7 a 7.8 a

US Cellular (391) 7.3 a 6.3 b 6.9 6.3 c 7.1 b 6.2 7.7 a 7.8 a 7.5 a 7.5 a 7.4 b

Alltel (687 responses) 7.2 b 6.1 7.1 b 6.6 6.7 6.2 7.5 a 7.6 a 7.4 a 7.4 b 7.4 b

T-Mobile (1,774) 7.2 a 6.7 a 7.4 a 6.9 a 7.3 a 6.6 a 7.1 7.2 7.0 7.1 7.4 a

Cingular Wireless (5,613) 6.9 5.8 d 6.7 c 6.9 a 6.4 d 5.9 7.2 b 7.1 c 7.3 a 7.3 a 7.2 a

Qwest (79) 6.8 6.2 6.6 6.0 c 7.2 b — 7.4 7.5 7.0 7.1 6.8
CELL-PHONE Sprint (2,361) 6.8 c 5.9 c 6.8 6.6 6.2 d 5.4 d 7.0 7.2 7.0 7.2 6.9 c
EXTRAVAGANZA! 6.6 c 5.7 c 6.4 c 5.1 c 6.8 c 6.8 c
Cellular One (297) 6.7 6.6 6.9 7.0 6.8
What else do readers
SunCom (57) 6.5 6.7 6.8 6.6 6.3 — 6.4 6.5 6.3 c 6.3 c 6.6
say? Be sure to check out
the ratings for specific Nextel (748) 6.4 d 5.4 d 6.3 d 6.2 c 6.4 c 5.8 6.2 d 6.5 d 6.3 d 6.5 d 6.4 d

cell-phone models—and AVERAGE 6.9 6.1 6.8 6.6 6.7 6.0 7.1 7.2 7.0 7.1 7.1
a full list of cell-phone PAY-AS-YOU-GO
Readers’ Choices—at 7.4 a 7.6 a 7.4 a 7.5 a 7.5 b 7.5 b
Virgin Mobile (301 responses) 6.1 — 7.2 6.9 7.1
go.pcmag.com/
T-Mobile (342) 7.2 7.0 a 7.3 a 6.5 7.2 a 6.4 7.0 7.3 6.9 7.1 7.3
readerschoicephones
TracFone (467) 7.2 b 6.9 a 7.0 b 5.4 d 6.3 c 5.3 c 7.2 7.3 7.1 7.1 7.4 b

Verizon Wireless (339) 7.1 5.7 d 6.3 c 6.4 6.8 6.6 7.5 b 7.5 b 7.5 a 7.4 b 7.4

Alltel (90) 7.0 6.6 7.2 b 6.8 b 6.8 — 7.8 b 7.4 7.2 7.3 7.3

Cingular Wireless (543) 6.7 c 5.9 d 6.4 c 6.3 6.3 c 5.9 6.9 c 6.9 c 7.0 7.0 7.1

Nextel (72) 6.7 4.9 d 6.0 c 6.3 6.5 — 6.4 c 6.7 6.5 6.5 c 6.7

Sprint (187) 6.6 c 5.7 c 6.3 c 6.3 5.7 d — 6.8 7.2 6.6 c 6.9 6.7 c

AVERAGE 7.0 6.3 6.8 6.3 6.6 6.0 7.1 7.2 6.9 7.0 7.2

* The overall score is based on answers to the question “Overall, how would you rate this cell phone provider?” It is not the average of the other scores
in this table.

Satellite Radio
THERE ARE ONLY two satellite radio vendors: the sound quality and reliability. Sirius users rate fees
one that has Howard Stern (Sirius) and the one at 7.0 out of 10, whereas XM users give a 6.6. XM’s
that doesn’t (XM). In readers’ eyes, not much more sound quality score is 8.4, compared with Sirius’s
separates the two. Both receive overall scores of 8.1. 8.2. And XM’s reliability score is 8.3, compared
Both services require technical support 10 percent with Sirius’s 8.1.
of the time. And scores are similar for initial setup, Because there are only two vendors in this cat-
ease of use, variety and quality of content (take that, egory and their scores are fairly similar across the
Howard!), customer service, and technical support. board, we aren’t awarding a satellite radio Read-
It’s worth noting, however, that Sirius users ers’ Choice. Pick based on the features you’re
are a bit happier with what they’re paying for most interested in—and probably, whether or not
the service, and XM users are a bit happier with you like Howard Stern.

82 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

 VoIP
EVERYONE KNOWS the Voice over IP phone ser- where Cablevision’s broadband service is avail-
vice ads are right: If you’re still using plain old able. By contrast, any broadband user can sign
telephone service, you’re paying way too much. up for CallVantage. AT&T’s overall score is a tad
But we also know that horror stories from those lower, at 7.9—still better than average.
who have made the switch are all too common- Readers are also pleased with Skype, but that’s
place. So what’s your safest choice if you’re going a different animal. Skype is free for PC-to-PC
to make the jump? calling, but you pay if you want to connect with
According to readers, Cablevision’s Optimum people who have regular phone numbers. Skype
Voice leads the way, with AT&T CallVantage just also won’t work with just any telephone; it needs a
behind. Both land Readers’ Choices. Optimum headset, or a set of speakers and microphone con-
Voice receives a significantly better-than-average nected to a PC, or a dedicated Skype phone like
overall score of 8.0, and all its other scores are at the Linksys CIT300. We’ve removed Skype from
least better than average—save an ease-of-setup the overall VoIP averages, but note that the over-
score of 8.4, which is merely average. all scores for both PC-to-PC Skype and PC-to-
Worth noting, however, is that Optimum Voice phone Skype are better than the average for pure
is available only in the New York metro area, phone setups.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT
a Significantly better
OVERALL SCORE*

than average

SOUND QUALITY

NONTECHNICAL
EASE OF SETUP

b Better than average

SUPPORT FOR
CONNECTION
RELIABILITY

VOIP ISSUES
Within the average
range
c Worse than average
OPTIMUM VOICE d Significantly worse
than average
Readers give Optimum
Voice the highest rating
ALL VOIP PHONES
of any VoIP offering in
Optimum Voice (244 responses) 8.0 a 8.4 8.2 a 8.2 a 7.6 b 6.9 b
the country. The only
AT&T CallVantage (102) 7.9 b — 8.3 b 7.9 7.7 b —
trouble? Optimum is
available only in and Cox (55) 7.8 — 8.4 b 8.1 — —

around New York City. Road Runner (312) 7.7 8.5 b 8.3 a 8.0 b 7.7 a 6.7 b

Packet8 (84) 7.5 — 7.5 8.0 b 7.3 —

AT&T CALLVANTAGE Vonage (1,478) 7.5 8.0 7.4 d 7.6 6.7 d 5.3 d
Scores a bit lower than Comcast (227) 7.3 7.9 8.0 b 7.7 7.3 5.9
Optimum (a 7.9 com- SunRocket (226) 7.1 c 7.7 c 7.0 d 6.9 d 6.9 5.9
pared with an 8.0). But 6.5 c 6.4 d 6.5 c 5.8 d
Lingo (68) — —
anyone can use it—any-
Average of VoIP for Phones 7.5 8.1 7.7 7.7 7.1 6.1
where in the country.
Skype: PC-to-PC only (205) 7.7 b 8.5 b 7.8 7.9 b 6.9 —

Skype: PC-to-phone users (359)** 7.6 b 8.7 a 7.6 7.8 6.5 c —

* The overall score is based on answers to the question “Overall, how would you rate this VoIP provider?” It is not
the average of the other scores in this table ** Indicates people who did not respond “Yes” to the question “Do
you only use this service for PC-to-PC calling?”
QUALITY OF CONTENT

TECHNICAL SUPPORT
CUSTOMER SERVICE

a Significantly better
OVERALL SCORE*

RECOMMENDING

than average
SOUND QUALITY

LIKELIHOOD OF
RELIABILITY OF

b Better than average

INITIAL SETUP

VARIETY AND
EASE OF USE

Within the average

range
NONE
SERVICE

c Worse than average

d Significantly worse Only two players, and
FEES

than average their scores are pretty

similar. It all comes
ALL SATELLITE RADIO down to what you’re
Sirius (1,568 responses) 8.1 8.2 8.4 7.0 a 8.2 8.4 8.1 7.8 6.1 8.4 looking for. Sirius users
XM (2,730) 8.1 8.3 8.5 6.6 8.4 b 8.3 8.3 b 7.6 6.0 8.3 are happier with price.
* The overall score is based on answers to the question “Overall, how would you rate this satellite radio service?” It is not the average of the other
XM users are happier
scores in this table. with sound quality.

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 83

 Digital Cameras
THE TOP THREE are still the top three. This year, as required repair. Here, its score (5 percent) is
in last, Canon, Nikon, and Panasonic are the over- merely average. That’s worse than Kodak, Pana-
all Readers’ Choices among digital camera manu- sonic, Polaroid, Samsung, and even Vivitar—but
facturers, though Panasonic’s ratings take the it’s not as bad as Nikon’s repair rate. Nonetheless,
slightest of downturns. Of those three, Canon is Nikon gets a second Readers’ Choice for digital
the undisputed king of the hill, with better-than- SLRs, alongside Canon, even though its 8 percent
average (if not significantly better than average) overall repair rate is significantly worse than the
ratings for every camera type, from budget mod- survey average.
els to digital SLRs. The Japanese manufacturer Only one vendor outside the top three receives
also receives Readers’ Choice awards in each of Readers’ Choice in a subcategory: Casio, which
the subcategories except for superzoom models, scores particularly well with compact cameras
where Panasonic again takes the prize. (a significantly above-average 8.0 out of 10). Who
There’s only one area in which Canon’s scores brings up the rear among camera makers? Pola-
are less than stellar: percentage of cameras that roid and Vivitar. But HP isn’t that much better.

PERCENTAGE NEEDING
TECHNICAL SUPPORT
a Significantly better
OVERALL SCORE*

than average

RECOMMENDING
ULTRACOMPACT

LIKELIHOOD OF
b Better than average

EASE OF USE
SUPERZOOM
ENTHUSIAST

RELIABILITY
DIGITAL SLR
Within the average
range
COMPACT

REPAIRS
BUDGET

c Worse than average

REPAIR
CANON
d Significantly worse
A great choice—no than average
matter what sort of
camera you’re buying. ALL DIGITAL CAMERAS
Readers give Canon Canon (6,560 responses) 8.4 a 7.0 b 7.9 a 8.5 a 8.3 a 8.4 b 9.1 a 8.2 a 8.8 a 7.5 a 5% 7.2 a 9.0 a
better-than-average
Panasonic (529) 8.4 a — 7.7 — 8.2 8.8 a — 8.2 a 8.9 a — 3% b — 8.6 a
ratings for everything
Nikon (2,612) 8.3 a 7.0 7.4 8.1 7.9 8.1 9.1 a 8.0 a 8.8 a 7.7 a 8% d 7.3 a 8.7 a
from budget models
Casio (444) 8.1 a — 8.0 a 8.2 — — — 8.3 a 8.6 a — 8% c — 8.3 a
to digital SLRs.
Konica Minolta (694) 8.0 a — 7.4 7.8 7.8 7.9 c 8.8 7.9 8.4 a 6.7 7% — 7.3 d

NIKON Pentax (318) 7.8 b — 7.4 8.0 — — 8.6 7.8 8.3 b — 7% — 7.8
Most of Nikon’s digital Sony (2,890) 7.8 a 6.6 7.6 8.2 8.0 b 8.2 — 8.0 a 8.4 a 6.4 4% b 6.5 8.2 a
cameras get middling Olympus (2,251) 7.7 a 6.6 7.4 c 8.1 7.9 8.1 8.5 7.6 d 8.3 a 6.6 6% 6.4 8.1 a
ratings from readers, Fujifilm (1,271) 7.6 b 6.9 7.5 8.1 7.8 7.9 c 8.1 c 7.9 b 8.2 6.4 5% 5.7 c 7.9 b
but boy, do they like Kodak (2,826) 7.5 6.6 7.3 c 8.2 7.7 c 8.2 7.8 c 8.1 a 8.2 6.7 4% a 6.3 8.0 a
Nikon’s digital SLRs.
Samsung (179) 7.3 — 7.1 c — — — — 7.8 7.9 c — 2% b — 7.6
Nikon is right up there
HP (802) 7.1 d 6.4 c 7.1 d 7.9 7.6 c — — 7.8 7.8 d 6.0 c 6% — 7.5 c
with Canon in that
Toshiba (78) 7.1 c — — — — — — 7.5 7.6 c — 8% — 6.3 d
subcategory.
Polaroid (58) 5.8 d — — — — — — 7.1 c 7.0 d — 3% — 6.5 c

PANASONIC Vivitar (82) 5.8 d — — — — — — 7.0 c 7.1 d — 4% — 6.0 d

The place to go for AVERAGE 7.5 6.7 7.5 8.1 7.9 8.2 8.6 7.8 8.2 6.8 5% 6.6 7.7
superzooms. And DIGITAL CAMERAS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD
although Panasonic’s Canon (2,813 responses) 8.7 a 7.4 8.3 a 8.7 a 8.5 a 8.7 b 9.2 8.4 a 9.0 a 7.5 4% 7.2 9.2 a
scores are down slightly Nikon (1031) 8.7 a — 7.8 8.2 8.3 9.2 8.3 9.1 a 7.9 4% — 9.0 a
from last year, its overall
Panasonic (315) 8.6 a — — — — 8.9 a — 8.4 9.0 a — 4% — 8.8 a
score is neck and neck
Konica Minolta (200) 8.4 — — — — 8.3 9.0 8.3 8.8 — 8% — 7.6 d
with Canon’s.
Casio (259) 8.3 — 8.2 8.3 — — — 8.5 b 8.6 — 11% c — 8.5

SUBCATEGORIES: Sony (868) 8.3 — 8.1 b 8.6 b 8.4 8.3 — 8.3 8.7 — 4% — 8.6 b

Budget: CANON Olympus (499) 8.1 c — 7.7 c 8.3 8.1 — 8.7 8.0 c 8.6 — 4% — 8.5
Compact: CANON, Pentax (109) 8.1 — — — — — — 8.1 8.6 — 4% — 8.3
CASIO Fujifilm (339) 8.0 c — 7.9 8.3 8.1 — — 8.1 c 8.4 c — 2% b — 8.2 c
Ultracompact: CANON Kodak (948) 8.0 d 7.0 7.8 8.3 8.0 c 8.4 — 8.3 8.5 d — 3% b — 8.4
Enthusiast: CANON Samsung (88) 8.0 — — — — — — 8.3 8.5 — 2% — 8.1
Superzoom:
HP (238) 7.7 d 7.1 7.7 — — — — 8.3 8.2 d — 4% — 8.3
PANASONIC
AVERAGE 8.2 7.2 7.9 8.4 8.2 8.5 9.1 8.3 8.7 7.7 5% 7.2 8.5
Digital SLR:
CANON, NIKON * The overall score is based on answers to the question “Overall, how would you rate this camera?” It is not the average of the other scores in this table.

84 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

HDTV
IT’S ABOUT TIME. This year, along with satellite ra-
dios, we add HDTVs to the mix. And, as you might
expect, readers rate all sorts of vendors offering
all sorts of HD technologies, from plasma TVs and
rear-projections to good ol’ CRTs. But two compa-
nies stand out: Pioneer and Sony.
If you look at the overall scores across all
technologies, Pioneer is king, with a significantly
above-average overall score of 9.0 out of 10. This
has a lot do with the fact that readers prefer plas-
mas to all other HD technologies. Pioneer is one
of the biggest plasma vendors, and it’s the lone
Readers’ Choice for this segment of the market,
with a 9.1 out of 10. It’s also the Readers’ Choice
for rear-projection TVs, with an 8.7.
In the big picture, across all technologies, Sony
is just behind Pioneer, with an overall score of 8.5,
and it receives a Readers’ Choice award for CRTs
(8.4), and LCDs (8.6). Readers also shared their
experiences with front-projection TVs, but Sony
was the only vendor rated. And because Sony
received only 50 responses in total, a Readers’
Choice in that niche category will have to wait
until next year.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT
FRONT PROJECTION

REAR PROJECTION
a Significantly better
OVERALL SCORE*

NEEDING REPAIR

RECOMMENDING
LIKELIHOOD OF
than average
b Better than average

PERCENTAGE
RELIABILITY
Within the average
range

REPAIRS
PLASMA

c Worse than average

d Significantly worse
CRT

LCD

than average PIONEER

No one comes close.
ALL HDTVS Pioneer garners the
Pioneer (206 responses) 9.0 a — — — 9.1 a 8.7 b 9.0 a — 7% — 8.8 a highest overall score.
LG (133) 8.5 b — — 8.5 b 8.6 — 8.7 b — 5% — 8.3 b The company comes
Sony (2,082) 8.5 a 8.4 a 8.3 8.6 a 8.5 8.5 a 8.8 a 7.4 b 6% a 7.0 8.6 a out ahead on rear-
Sharp (282) 8.4 b — — 8.4 b — — 8.6 b — 8% — 8.3 a projection TVs and,
Panasonic (838) 8.3 a 7.8 — 8.3 8.8 a 7.9 c 8.6 a 6.7 7% b 6.5 8.3 a
in particular, plasmas.
Samsung (1,192) 8.3 a 7.8 — 8.3 b 8.5 8.4 a 8.5 b 6.6 12% c 6.5 8.3 a
SONY
Hitachi (433) 8.2 — — — 8.4 8.2 8.5 6.6 11% — 8.1 b
Looking for an LCD
HP (51) 8.2 — — — — — 8.2 — 4% — 7.8
model—or even a
Mitsubishi (641) 8.2 — — — — 8.2 8.4 6.8 12% c 6.6 8.0 good old CRT? Look
Dell (168) 8.1 — — 8.0 — — 8.2 — 11% — 7.9 to Sony. And Sony’s
JVC (132) 8.1 — — — — 8.3 8.2 — 19% c — 7.9 scores are pretty darn
Vizio (128) 8.0 — — 7.9 8.2 c — 8.3 — 6% — 8.2 b good for rear-projection
Toshiba (643) 7.9 c 7.9 — 8.1 — 7.9 c 8.3 6.5 9% 6.5 7.8 models, too.
Philips (331) 7.8 c 7.6 — 8.0 8.0 c 7.7 c 8.1 c — 7% — 7.6 c
SUBCATEGORIES:
Westinghouse (107) 7.8 — — 7.8 c — — 8.3 — 3% b — 7.5 c
Plasma: PIONEER
Sanyo (57) 7.7 — — — — — 8.3 — 2% b — 7.8
Rear-projection:
Zenith (59) 7.7 — — — — — 8.2 — 10% — 7.1 c
PIONEER
RCA (204) 7.5 d — — — — 7.5 d 7.9 c — 13% — 6.9 d CRT: SONY
Syntax Olevia (108) 7.5 c — — 7.5 c — — 8.0 c — 9% — 7.4 c LCD: SONY
AVERAGE 8.1 7.9 8.3 8.1 8.5 8.1 8.4 6.8 8% 6.6 7.9 Front-projection: NONE
HDTVS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD
Pioneer (94 responses) 9.2 a — — — 9.2 a — 9.2 a — 5% — 9.1 a

Panasonic (361) 8.7 a — — 8.4 8.9 — 8.9 a — 2% a — 8.8 a

Sony (830) 8.7 a 8.4 b — 8.6 a 8.6 8.9 a 8.9 a 8.1 3% a — 8.8 a

LG (106) 8.6 b — — 8.5 — — 8.8 b — 5% — 8.5 b

Mitsubishi (111) 8.6 b — — — — 8.6 8.5 — 6% — 8.3

Samsung (574) 8.5 b 7.8 — 8.5 b 8.6 8.7 8.7 b 7.2 6% — 8.4 b

Sharp (153) 8.5 — — 8.6 b — — 8.6 — 8% — 8.4

JVC (71) 8.4 — — — — — 8.4 — 18% c — 8.1

Dell (107) 8.3 — — 8.1 — — 8.3 — 11% — 8.1

Hitachi (98) 8.3 — — — — — 8.6 — 2% b — 8.2

Toshiba (214) 8.1 — — — — 8.3 c 8.3 c — 12% c — 7.9 c

Vizio (110) 8.1 — — 8.0 — — 8.4 — 6% — 8.2

Philips (178) 8.0 c — — 8.1 — — 8.3 c — 6% — 7.9 c

Westinghouse (94) 7.9 c — — 7.9 c — — 8.3 — 2% b — 7.5 c

RCA (55) 7.8 c — — — — — 8.3 — 5% — 7.5 c

Syntax Olevia (73) 7.5 d — — 7.5 c — — 7.9 c — 11% — 7.3 c

AVERAGE 8.3 8.1 — 8.2 8.8 8.6 8.5 7.7 7% — 8.2

* The overall score is based on answers to the question “Overall, how would you rate this HDTV?” It is not the average of the other scores in this table.

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 85

 MP3 Players
IT’S NO SURPRISE: Apple is a Readers’ Choice for a of units needing repair among its players less than
line of MP3 players known as iPods. You may have a year old as well. (Oddly, so does Cowon.)
heard of them. But here’s some news: A company It’s also interesting to note that Apple’s tech
called Cowon America, part of a Korean mul- support and repair satisfaction numbers are rela-
timedia giant, scores nearly as high for its play- tively low compared with the company’s inordi-
ers, which generally go by the iAudio moniker. nately high scores for desktops and notebooks
And, radical as this may sound to Apple, a few of (6.5 compared with 8.1 plus; see go.pcmag.com/sr).
the Cowon players are actually compatible with With so many PC users buying iPods, this may
music subscription services, earning the company support the theory that Apple’s desktop and note-
a Readers’ Choice as well. Just a few steps below book scores are artificially inflated by the anti-
those two you’ll find Archos, Creative, and iRiver; Windows crowd. Or maybe not.
on the low side, three vendors score particularly We also notice that reader satisfaction with
poorly: Philips, RCA, and Rio. MP3 players increases as the capacity increases—
Despite its high overall score—8.4 out of 10— and this applies even with iPods. Readers are
Apple does have one problem area: quality con- much less happy with players with less than 1GB
trol. According to readers, 8 percent of its units of storage—like the iPod shuffle—than they are
require repair. Worse, this isn’t just because of with hard drive–based and large-capacity flash
older players dying: Apple had a high percentage storage–based units.

TECHNICAL SUPPORT
a Significantly better
OVERALL SCORE*

NEEDING REPAIR

RECOMMENDING
than average

SOUND QUALITY

LIKELIHOOD OF
10GB OR MORE

b Better than average

PERCENTAGE
EASE OF USE
1GB OR LESS

1GB TO 10GB

RELIABILITY
Within the average
range

REPAIRS
c Worse than average
APPLE d Significantly worse
You knew it would than average

be. iPods are the

most widely used ALL MP3 PLAYERS
MP3 players, and the Apple (6,292 responses) 8.4 a 7.8 a 8.3 a 8.5 a 8.7 a 8.6 a 8.3 a 6.5 8% d 6.6 8.6 a

most popular. Overall Cowon (109) 8.3 a — — — 9.0 a 8.0 a 8.7 a — 6% — 8.4 a
score: 8.4 out of 10. Archos (200) 7.8 b — — 7.9 8.4 b 7.6 7.9 — 8% — 7.6

Creative (1814) 7.7 a 7.4 a 7.8 8.1 8.4 a 7.7 a 8.1 a 6.3 5% 6.4 7.9 a
COWON AMERICA iriver (609) 7.6 b 7.4 b 7.7 7.9 8.4 a 7.2 c 8.0 a — 4% — 7.5 b
Never heard of ’em? 8.4 b
mobiBLU (55) 7.5 — — — 7.1 7.8 — 4% — 7.6
They’re the guys
Dell (400) 7.4 6.8 7.3 c 7.7 c 8.0 7.6 7.6 — 9% c — 6.9 c
behind the iAudio
SanDisk (897) 7.4 7.2 b 8.0 b — 7.9 c 7.4 7.8 b — 4% b — 7.6 a
players. And Cowon’s
survey scores are Samsung (307) 7.3 7.5 b 7.1 c — 8.2 7.4 7.8 — 5% — 7.3

almost as high Sony (682) 7.3 7.0 7.9 8.2 7.9 c 7.5 7.7 — 2% a — 7.5 b

as Apple’s. Toshiba (61) 7.0 — — — 7.9 7.2 7.4 — 7% — 7.1

Rio (662) 6.9 d 6.5 d 7.7 8.0 7.6 d 7.3 7.3 d — 5% — 6.5 d

Panasonic (153) 6.8 c 6.7 — — 7.4 d 7.1 c 7.3 c — 1% a — 7.1

Philips (163) 6.8 d 6.3 c — — 7.7 c 7.4 7.3 c — 4% — 6.6 d

MPIO (55) 6.7 c — — — 7.7 6.4 c 7.1 c — 4% — 6.1 c

RCA (328) 6.6 d 6.5 d — — 7.5 d 7.0 c 7.2 d — 3% — 6.4 d

AVERAGE 7.3 7.0 7.7 8.1 8.1 7.4 7.7 6.4 5% 6.5 7.3

MP3 PLAYERS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD

Apple (3,343 responses) 8.5 a 7.8 a 8.4 a 8.7 a 8.8 a 8.6 a 8.4 a 6.5 6% d 6.8 8.6 a

Cowon (71) 8.3 a — — — 9.0 a 8.0 8.7 a — 7% — 8.5 a

Creative (804) 8.0 a 7.7 a 8.0 8.4 8.5 a 7.8 a 8.2 a 6.5 4% — 8.2 a

Samsung (171) 7.7 7.8 b — — 8.5 b 7.7 8.0 — 4% — 7.7

iriver (190) 7.6 7.5 — 7.6 c 8.5 b 7.2 c 7.9 — 2% — 7.7

Sony (259) 7.6 7.4 8.0 — 8.1 7.7 8.0 — 2% b — 7.8 b

SanDisk (649) 7.5 7.3 8.0 — 8.0 c 7.5 7.9 — 4% — 7.7

Dell (124) 7.2 6.7 c — — 7.8 7.1 c 7.4 — 7% — 6.9 c

Rio (123) 7.0 c 6.5 c — — 7.7 c 7.5 7.3 c — 4% — 6.9 c

Philips (75) 6.9 c — — — 7.9 7.4 7.3 c — 3% — 6.7 c

RCA (101) 6.9 c 6.8 c — — 7.8 c 7.2 7.5 — 1% b — 6.9 c

Panasonic (66) 6.8 c — — — 7.4 c 7.0 c 7.0 c — 2% — 7.0 c

AVERAGE 7.5 7.3 8.1 8.2 8.2 7.6 7.8 6.5 4% 6.8 7.6

* The overall score is based on answers to the question “Overall, how would you rate this MP3 player?” It is not the average of the other scores in this table.

86 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

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 Network Routers
WE DIVIDE ROUTER manufacturers into two sub-

TECHNICAL SUPPORT
categories. No, not wired and wireless, but com- a Significantly better

OVERALL SCORE*

NEEDING REPAIR

RECOMMENDING
than average

LIKELIHOOD OF
panies that offer primarily routers integrated with b Better than average

PERCENTAGE
RELIABILITY
your broadband modem (listed in italics in the ta- Within the average

WIRELESS
range
ble) versus standalone routers, which connect via

REPAIRS
c Worse than average

WIRED
Ethernet to the modem. d Significantly worse
than average
You’d think integrated models would be easier
to set up and use, but that doesn’t seem to be the ALL NETWORK ROUTERS
case. Readers are generally happier with vendors Cisco (137 responses) 9.0 a — 9.2 a 9.2 a — 3% — 8.9 a
that focus on standalone models. All three Read- Apple (132) 8.8 a 8.8 a — 9.0 a — 1% b — 8.8 a
ers’ Choices—Apple, Cisco, and Linksys—sell SonicWall (54) 8.4 b 7.9 b — 8.7 b — 7% — 8.0
dedicated routers primarily, and the vendor with Buffalo (105) 8.1 b 8.1 b — 8.4 — 1% b — 7.9

the lowest scores, Actiontec, for the most part Linksys (9,537) 8.1 a 8.1 a 8.3 8.2 a 6.5 3% a 5.7 8.4 a

sells integrated routers. Belkin (1,064) 7.9 7.9 b 7.9 c 8.0 6.3 3% — 7.7 b

Linksys doesn’t score quite as high as Cisco (its USRobotics (179) 7.9 7.9 b — 8.0 — 3% — 7.6

parent company), or Apple, but it’s worth noting D-Link (3,469) 7.8 7.7 b 8.2 8.0 6.5 3% b 6.5 b 7.9 a

that Linksys routers are the best mainstream op- Netgear (2,697) 7.8 7.7 8.3 8.0 5.6 d 2% a 4.9 7.9 a

tion. Apple routers are typically used only with Siemens (77) 7.8 — — 8.3 — 3% — 7.5

2Wire (436) 7.8 7.8 7.9 8.2 7.3 a 3% — 7.4

Macs, and Cisco routers are meant for corporate
Motorola (183) 7.7 7.7 — 8.0 — 2% — 7.5
networks. Linksys’s overall score is significantly
SMC Networks (239) 7.7 7.4 c 8.1 7.9 — 4% — 7.4
above average (8.1), as are its scores on reliability
Microsoft (260) 7.6 c 7.5 — 8.0 — 1% b — 6.5 d
(8.2), percentage requiring repairs (3 percent), and
AirLink+ (89) 7.5 7.5 — 7.7 c — 2% — 7.3
likelihood of recommending (8.4). An honorable
ZyXel (72) 7.5 7.4 — 7.6 c — 6% — 7.1
mention goes to Buffalo, which had a better-than-
3Com (97) 7.5 7.5 — 7.7 c — 3% — 7.4
average overall score (8.1) and also garnered the Westell (291) 7.3 d 7.2 c — 7.5 d 6.2 6% — 6.6 d
best ratings for routers less than a year old. As with Dell (78) 7.2 c 7.1 c — 7.5 c — 5% — 6.7 c
Apple, only 1 percent of its units required repairs. Actiontec (181) 6.9 d 6.9 d — 7.1 d 6.6 9% c — 6.3 d

AVERAGE 7.8 7.7 8.3 8.1 6.5 4% 5.7 7.5

CISCO NETWORK ROUTERS LESS THAN A YEAR OLD

Yes, this is bit odd. Buffalo (54 responses) 8.5 a 8.5 a — 8.6 a — 2% — 8.4 b
Cisco routers are meant 2Wire (167) 8.0 b 8.0 — 8.2 b — 5% — 7.6
for corporate networks, Linksys (3,377) 8.0 a 8.0 a 8.1 8.1 a 6.4 4% b 5.5 8.4 a
not the home kind. But
Belkin (439) 7.9 b 7.9 b — 8.0 6.4 4% — 7.8 b
readers use them—and
D-Link (1,298) 7.9 b 7.8 8.5 b 8.0 b 6.5 4% 6.2 8.0 a
give them the highest
APPLE marks of any vendor. Netgear (1,011) 7.9 7.8 8.2 8.0 5.6 c 3% a — 7.9 a
Steve & Co., take USRobotics (75) 7.8 7.9 — 8.0 — 3% — 7.6
another bow. But in LINKSYS Motorola (63) 7.7 7.7 — 8.1 — 5% — 7.6
this case, they’re not This is how Cisco AirLink+ (60) 7.5 7.4 — 7.6 — 3% — 7.4
exactly king of the hill. intends to sell home Westell (102) 7.3 c 7.3 c — 7.5 c — 9% — 6.6 c
Cisco scores higher. routers: through Actiontec (77) 6.9 c 6.9 c — 7.1 c — 10% — 6.1 d
Linksys, the company AVERAGE 7.8 7.7 8.3 7.9 6.2 5% 5.8 7.6
it purchased in 2003.
Italic type denotes primarily integrated cable or DSL modems and routers. * The overall score is based on
And unlike Apple, Linksys answers to the question “Overall, how would you rate this router?” It is not the average of the other scores in this
targets everyone. table.

READERS’ CHOICE PART 1 RECAP

MISSED PART 1 OF OUR SURVEY? IT WAS AN AWFUL LOT LIKE
last year’s desktop, notebook, and printer survey. Once again,
Apple and Sony were Readers’ Choices for desktops, receiving
some of the highest ratings—while HP/Compaq and Lenovo/
IBM got some of the lowest. Only eMachines and its parent
company, Gateway, showed major improvements here. THE WINNERS
For notebooks, in another repeat of 2005, Apple took another Readers’ Desktops: APPLE, SONY
Choice, followed closely by Lenovo/IBM, scoring much higher—as always— Notebooks: APPLE, LENOVO/IBM
than on the desktop portion of the survey. At the other end of the spectrum, Printers: CANON, HP
Averatec and HP/Compaq notebooks scored lowest. And yes, we had the
same two Readers’ Choices for printers—Canon and HP—though with HP
showing a few signs of faltering.

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 87

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OUR FIRST
SMALL-BUSINESS AWARDS
We celebrate
small and midsize
businesses that
use technology in
innovative ways
to drive growth.

I
T’S NOT THE GO-GO NINETIES ANYMORE, BUT
the capitalist spirit is alive and well among
the hundreds of small and midsize businesses
we considered for our first PC Magazine SMB
20 Awards. From YoYo Nation, a two-person
outfit using open-source software to cultivate
an active worldwide community of yo-yo
enthusiasts, to a Web-based T-shirt company
making a tidy profit in customer-designed
wear, there’s no shortage of innovation.
Small businesses are the lifeblood of the U.S. economy.
There are millions of them, and they generate 60 to 80 per-
cent of new jobs every year. Thanks to the Web and the
abundance of services and tools that have sprung from it,
small businesses have unprecedented possibilities. Using
technology smartly can help companies shave costs,
expand market share, get products and services to
market faster, and improve customer relations.
Our SMB 20 Awards celebrate the entre-
preneurs—many of them PC Magazine read-
ers—who are using technology in inno-
vative ways to grow their businesses.
Several themes emerged among our
winners. Some are successfully using
existing models such as online auc-
tions, and many companies are
lowering the cost of goods through
technology. Open-source software
made a strong showing as well.
We selected the winners by how
effectively and imaginatively they’re
using technology, with quantitative
metrics such as revenue growth
also considered. To nominate your
own business for our 2007 awards,
visit us online at go.pcmag.com/
smb20.—Carol L. Gonsher

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 89

 GRAND WINNER
JETS INTERNATIONAL
Employees: 25
Location: Quincy, Massachusetts
Launched: 1999
Best tech advice: “You have to be flexible, so make
sure your technology is flexible.”
www.jets.com
Not every small business can compete against
highfliers like Warren Buffett, but with its innova-
tive use of technology Jets International has man-
aged to carve out a niche in the aviation business.
Seven years ago, company founder and CEO
Nathan McKelvey was managing a few private
aircraft and taking evening classes when he
began writing code for the aviation industry.
“At the time, everyone was focused on private
airfare as if it were a commercial airline ticket,
that is, always a round trip,” says McKelvey.
Instead, he based his reverse-auction system on a
long-haul-trucking model, which enabled passen-
gers to book flights one way, say from New York
to Palm Beach, with other passengers booking
otherwise-empty return flights. For private
operators, the system meant fewer jets
sitting on the tarmac and fewer “dead
head” or empty flights. For customers,
it offered flexible schedules and the
advantage of lower fares to enjoy the
luxury of private air travel.
The traditional private aircraft op-
tions can be extremely costly and often
HIGHFLIER Jets International CEO Nathan McKelvey survived the dot-com
bust with an innovative reverse-auction system for booking private flights.
90 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006
lack flexibility. Fractional ownership outfits such
as the Buffett-backed NetJets offer deals that cost
upward of $400,000—plus monthly maintenance
charges—for a 16th share of, say, a Hawker 400XP.
But most people, even the superrich, don’t want
to be concerned with the hassles of rising mainte-
nance and fuel costs. “They just don’t want to be
in the aviation business,” points out McKelvey.
Then there is the jet card alternative; Marquis
Jet is one outfit that uses them. A jet card works
like a very-expensive commuter’s ticket. It can cost
$299,000 for a Marquis Jet Card with 25 hours of
air travel time on a Gulfstream IV-SP. Conversely,
at Jets International, buyers can book a private jet
for just one short flight for a few grand.
What makes Jets International’s deals possible
is an online booking and auction site that gives
fliers a choice of preapproved aircraft operators.
Buyers post a trip request and operators can instan-
taneously enter a cost quote. Customers can even
specify a specific type of jet, get detailed safety
reports on operators, look at reviews from other
customers about previous trip experiences
with particular jets and crews, or check
out interiors and flight amenities using
an online 360-degree photo tour of the
jets. Fliers can also receive RSS feeds
apprising them of special discounts on
one-way empty segments.
In its first year of operation, Jets Inter-
national made $1.2 million in revenue. Last
year, the company topped $17 million in sales,
says McKelvey. But getting there wasn’t easy. “It
was a major integration project to get schedule
information from operators,” says the CEO, who
recalls training aircraft operators in logging on
to AOL so that he could track minute-by-minute
aircraft availability. “When I first started, I had
a server running faxes; then it was e-mail, then
finally XML feeds.” McKelvey still has to work
with operators uploading flight data to FTP sites
and filing Excel spreadsheets, “but we’ve made
huge inroads,” he says.
Launched into the teeth of the dot.com bust,
McKelvey’s business had an inauspicious debut.
“I thought I had made a huge mistake. I was hav-
ing a difficult time getting jet operators to bid on
flights,” he says. But then scores of high-flying In-
ternet companies shut their doors and other firms
cut back on expensive travel. “Suddenly, I had jet
operators pounding on my door,” says McKelvey.
Today, Jets International enables buyers to
use reputable regional operators at competitive
prices. It also avoids the expense of maintain-
ing its own fleet of planes, and it helps operators
squeeze additional revenue from their aircraft.
With its innovative technology Jets Interna-
tional eliminates the traditional broker and the
card programs and gives fliers the freedom of
choice.—John R. Quain
 RUNNERS UP
YOYONATION
Employees: 2
Location: New York City
Launched: 2005
Best tech advice: “You can use free or open-source
software without compromising quality.”
www.yoyonation.com
By using the right technology and tapping into
the social-networking phenomenon of online
communities, Weber Hsu and F. Patrick Cuartero
have managed to launch a successful business on
a shoestring. Or rather, a yo-yo string.
YoYoNation is a specialty e-tailer for hard-core
yo-yo enthusiasts, conceived by Cuartero to feed
his passion for yo-yos. (He enjoyed a “semiprofes-
sional yo-yo career” before college beckoned, and
is the reigning yo-yo world champion.) He and
Hsu examined the yo-yo community online and
thought they could do better.
The company set up its retail space using X-
Cart and built a community forum using Simple
Machines Forum (SMF) open-source software.
SMF proved to be critical to developing the
kind of community in which “customers
are treated like friends because they
have the same passion,” says Cuartero.
And if he couldn’t figure something
out on his own, he’d have help within
an hour from the SMF community. In-
deed, several key features of YoYoNa-
tion were developed with help from the
open-source community.
The company uses its Web site to develop
brand loyalty. A few hours spent on an e-mail
blast and a discussion forum are significantly less
costly than a traditional marketing campaign. So
far it seems to be working. Collectors, professional
YO! Weber Hsu, a players, and people who simply want top-of-the-
partner at YoYoNa- line yo-yos are flocking to the site. Results have
tion.com along with been modest so far, with just over $33,000 in sales
Pat Cuartaro, turned last year and 700 active members, but the found-
a passion into a Web
phenom with the ers say they’ve experienced double-digit growth
help of open-source every month. They hope to be a million-dollar
software. company by the end of this year.—JRQ
SURVIVING KATRINA CEO Charles Coe Jr. (front)
says Skype and Blogspot kept his tech consulting firm
afloat during and after Katrina.
COE & COMPANY
Employees: 19
Location: Metairie, Louisiana
Launched: 1992
Best tech advice: “The integration of
communications is key.”
www.coesolutions.com
While evacuating from the New Orleans area
ahead of Hurricane Katrina, Charles Coe Jr.
tapped a couple of times on the screen of his HP
iPAQ and by doing so may have saved his
small accounting technology consulting
business, Coe & Company, from a disas-
ter of its own.
From his car, Coe approved a change
request from his technical manager to
switch the company’s e-mail and Web
site to Network Solutions’ off-site hosted
service. “I had backup tapes in the car, but
having a backup is not the same as having the
right software and hardware—and it’s not the
same as being able to communicate with employ-
ees and customers,” he says. Thanks to the pre-
scient change in e-mail service and the adroit use
of several other communications tools, Coe was
able to keep his company afloat.
After the storm, Coe contacted employees on
their handheld Pocket PCs and pointed them to
the company’s BlogSpot blog for more informa-
tion. Then he held Skype conference calls and,
using Microsoft Dynamics software to iden-
tify key customers (“the ones without whom we
wouldn’t be able to pay the mortgage”), divided
up the chore of contacting clients. “BlogSpot lit-
erally saved our company,” says Coe, by allowing
customers to tell him they needed assistance.
The phones couldn’t be forwarded because
the switch was under 6 feet of water, but with
Skype, customers knew the company was up and
running. A programmer in Australia was able
to maintain communications with the company
using Skype. And one client who had evacuated
from Cozumel to Mexico City in front of Katrina
contacted Coe using Skype soon after the storm.
But how does Coe measure success? “We’re
still in business, and we didn’t lose a single em-
ployee.”—JRQ
OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 91
 E-COMMERCE
FINALISTS
BACKCOUNTRY.COM
Employees: 250
Location: Park City, Utah
Launched: 1996
Best tech advice: “Plan on spending the same
amount of money on your e-commerce site as you
would on a physical store.”
www.backcountry.com
For outdoor e-tailer Backcountry.com, choosing
open-source software wasn’t so much a political
decision as it was a practical one.
“When we started in the nineties with just
$2,000, we would have paid for a solution at the
right price, but it didn’t exist,” says John Bresee,
company president. Off-the-shelf options were
simply too expensive for a small business just
starting out, so the company set about building
what it needed with open-source code.
Today, what makes the company a standout is
how it uses Linux, Apache, PostgreSQL, and XML
in everything from site design to its call center to
its back-office operations.
In character with its open architecture, Back-
country.com even uses an 8,000-page wiki run on
open-source MediaWiki software as the company
intranet; the wiki acts as a repository of company
information and a place where any employees
can have their say in the business.
Keeping it all running smoothly and reli-
ably takes 20 IBM blade servers and a
smart team of 22 software engineers.
But the company’s CIO, David Jenkins,
says open-source software has been
saving the company roughly $1.7 mil-
lion annually.
Investing in such technology de-
velopment helped make it possible for
revenues to nearly double last year, to ap-
proximately $52.5 million. Backcountry.com’s
growth is likewise reflected in the five specialty
TOG TEAM Backcoun-
sporting-goods stores it has added, as well as its
try.com founders John
Bresee (left) and Jim recent move into a 208,000-square-foot ware-
Holland (right). house.—JRQt
OPEN SOURCED Online retailer Backcountry.com uses open source software in
everything, from its back office to its Web site.
92 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006
TEES TO GO CustomInk founders Dave Christensen
(left) and Marc Katz model some of their products.
CUSTOMINK LLC
Employees: 100
Location: Tyson’s Corner, Virginia
Launched: 2000
Best tech advice: “If a technology is critical to your
business success, it’s got to be something that you
control.”
www.customink.com
Turning custom T-shirts into a $23 million dollar
business takes technological ingenuity. CustomInk
has done it with a mix of CRM software, an online
just-in-time ordering and supply system, and a
custom-built online design application.
At the online store, which also sells
custom mugs, hats, and more, buyers
create their own custom T-shirts using
a Java-based “design lab.” Online shop-
pers can add logos, clip art, and custom
letters and then see how their designs will
look on particular shirts onscreen before
they place an order. Once a customer makes a
selection, the order is routed to one of dozens of
preapproved screen printers, the blank apparel is
ordered, and the shirts are drop-shipped from the
manufacturer to the printer. The streamlined pro-
cess can accept orders for as few as six shirts.
“We have thousands of orders at any given
time,” says Marc Katz, company president and
cofounder, who adds that the average order is
$400. He says his company should sell over three
million shirts this year. “You could never do that
without the right information technology.”
CustomInk is now experimenting with digital
textile printing. Using a machine akin to an inkjet
printer, the company can offer one-off, what-you-
see-is-what-you-get custom shirts.—JRQ
FOR MORE WINNERS,
TURN THE PAGE AND
OPEN THE GATEFOLD.
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PLAY IT AGAIN
FoundValue’s CEO
Stella Kleiman uses FOUNDVALUE
e-specialists to help Employees: 20
people sell their ga- Location: San Francisco
rage goodies for top Launched: 2004
dollar on eBay.
Best tech advice: “Don’t start a technology
company for technology’s sake. You have to
solve a consumer or business need.”
www.foundvalue.com
Everyone knows you can make money
selling stuff on eBay, but not every-
one knows what will sell and what
won’t. FoundValue has developed a
unique service to help sellers.
What’s different about Found-
Value is that it has added a layer
of automation and service to help
people sell items on the world’s largest
auction site. Rather than opening storefronts
where customers can drop off items to sell
online, founder and CEO Stella Kleiman de-
cided that first people needed help determin-
ing what to sell.
So using Microsoft .Net and AJAX (Asyn-
chronous JavaScript and XML), the compa-
ny developed a Web-based service that lets
sellers find a local, trained FoundValue “e-
specialist” who will assist them. Customers
can tell e-specialists online what goods they
have so that the specialist can research items
before visiting a client’s home. E-specialists
then pick up the customers’ goods and sell
the items on eBay.
Kleiman estimates that FoundValue’s
platform saves from 1 to 3 hours of time per
Business success s
transaction for the company’s more than 300
specialists nationwide. And though gross
sales were just $500,000 in 2005, the compa-
ny hopes to triple revenues in 2007.—JRQ
LA LA MEDIA INC.
Employees: 23
Location: Palo Alto, California
Launched: 2005
Best tech advice: “The most powerful technol-
ogy you can build is the part that lets custom-
ers give you feedback.”
www.lala.com
We all make mistakes, like buying ABBA and
Ted Nugent CDs that we end up hating but
can’t return. So Bill Nguyen, founder of lala.
com, thought music lovers should be able to
correct such unfortunate errors in judgment
by trading those CDs with someone else who
wants them.
Lala.com is the first online music store
in which fans can trade CDs they have for
CDs they want for $1. The company
connects members with other mem-
bers who have discs they want and
charges an average of 75 cents to
ship a CD.
To date, Nguyen claims the ser-
vice has a music catalogue that is
twice the size of Amazon’s, and he
says that la la makes it easier for custom-
ers to discover new music they might like.
“You identify other people as friends, and so
their musical interests are given a weight on
your taste.”
The vast array of CDs and the complexity
of the site’s virtual trading floor require some
nifty search techniques, as well as AJAX pro-
gramming. Indeed, the custom-built technol-
ogy is essential to la la, with 21 of 24 employ-
ees listed as software programmers.
To keep everyone happy, la la gives 20
percent of every trade to the musicians who
contributed to the recording. And if an art-
ist is no longer living, la la makes a contribu-
tion to a charitable foundation that provides
health care for working musicians. Now that
sounds like a fair trade.—JRQ
 TRIO La la media founders (from left) Billy Alvarado, Bill Nguyen, and John Cogan LA LA LAND Lala.com is the first online music store
rely heavily on Web software and search techniques to fine-tune their virtual trad- where music fans can trade CDs they have for ones
ing floor for unwanted CDs. they want for $1 each.

SAN DIEGO SIGN COMPANY Now San Diego Sign deals with customers
Employees: 10 ranging from small churches and mom-and-pop
Location: San Diego businesses to Apple, Taylor Made Golf, and Cold
Launched: 2001 Stone Creamery. And the business now reaches
Best tech advice: “Google AdWords can have the
biggest impact on a small company.” clients in Canada and Puerto Rico. “These are
www.sdsign.com customers we couldn’t have even imagined hav-
ing several years ago,” says Van Velzer.—JRQ
If it weren’t for technology, some companies
wouldn’t even be in business. According to the
folks at the San Diego Sign Company, they were
nearly out of business before they learned to
leverage technology.
“We closed our sign shop and moved it into
our house,” says company vice president Eric
Van Velzer. “We had mortgaged everything and
were nearly broke.” Then the company started
working online. Customers could browse de-
signs and formats on www.sdsign.com, or upload
their own designs, which could be made into
banners on a Seiko printer that could print signs
6 feet wide. Van Velzer and his colleagues now
use several Web services to keep costs down:
PayCycle for payroll, Google AdWords for mar-
keting, Guru.com for outsourcing its catalog,
Alibaba.com to locate Asian subcontractors,
and Skype for communication with internation-
al clients and vendors.
Today, the company has graduated to a 10-
foot-wide printer and is moving into a 7,000-
square-foot warehouse. It had sales of $1.7 mil- BANNER YEAR San Diego Sign moved its brick-and-mor-
lion last year. tar sign shop online—and found a profitable market.

starts with a great idea.

 SERVICES
FINALISTS
CASESTACK INC.
Employees: 110 (420 with recent merger)
Location: Santa Monica, California
Launched: 1999
Best tech advice: “Get the right people who can fig-
ure out where the technology should be applied—and
where it shouldn’t be applied.”
www.casestack.com
“It’s the kind of industry where a lot of things can
go wrong,” admits Dan Sanker, CEO and founder
of CaseStack, a nationwide logistics, warehousing,
and shipping services company for medium-size
businesses. So Sanker turned to technology to
reduce costly mistakes.
“What’s different is that our software
has filters and built-in intelligence to make
sure the data is all accurate,” says Sanker.
The Web-based Microsoft .Net programs
have enough smarts not to hold up a cus-
tomer’s 40,000-pound order just because 5
pounds of products are not in the warehouse.
And optimizing software links the company’s net-
work of 21 warehouses to over 1,000 independent
truckers to determine if orders can be consolidated,
what trucker has the best on-time reputation, and
who has the best pricing.
KEEP ON TRUCKIN’ By reducing errors and integrating with cus-
CaseStack uses tomers’ order-management systems, CaseStack
sophisticated Web- has grown revenue 620 percent over the past three
based software to
years. It’s now looking to expand internationally,
orchestrate delivery
of packaged goods thanks to its recent merger with AtomicBox Logis-
across the country. tics, which has a distribution center in Shenzhen,
(But it grows with the right techno
China. The merger expands CaseStack from 110
to 420 employees.
Sanker says the key is the flexibility to work
with not only XML but also EDI and flat files
from customers. Now he’s working with RFID
systems to squeeze out even more efficiencies
and information in the future.—JRQ
HANDYMAN MATTERS INC.
Employees: 22
Location: Lakewood, Colorado
Launched: 1998
Best tech advice: “Technology is constantly
changing, so it’s important to keep up with
the changes and be open-minded.”
www.handymanmatters.com
Sometimes it’s the small things that
matter. Like odd jobs around the house
that are too small for a contractor but
too difficult for you to tackle during
half-time on Sunday. Getting someone
reliable to do the work can be difficult, which
is where Handyman Matters comes in.
The franchising outfit trains local crafts-
men (and women) and then sells their services
nationwide online. Jobs are distributed to re-
gional franchisees who then perform mainte-
nance, repair, and minor remodeling on resi-
dential and commercial properties. The typical
job is about $300.
Handyman customers fill out a work request
online, which is then sent to the appropriate
territory. “We created our own Web-based soft-
ware that then estimates the amount of time
required, schedules a time, and does the dis-
patching,” says company vice president Mark
Douglass. All job tracking is done online and
downloaded into QuickBooks Online. Cell-
phone text messages alert craftsmen to jobs,
including links to Google maps with driving
directions.
It’s a level of customer service and global
reach that would be difficult without the tech
infrastructure. The company has 130 franchi-
sees in the U.S., Canada, and Ireland.
“Our motto is to do the little jobs,” says Dou-
glass. And thousands of little jobs a day can
really add up. The company says it posted $3.4
million in sales last year.—JRQ

SEW WHAT? INC.
Employees: 33
Location: Rancho Dominguez, California
Launched: 1992
Best tech advice: “Try to have a technology
budget, even if it’s small. You can do it incre-
mentally.”
www.sewwhatinc.com
Video conferencing and search-engine op-
timization aren’t technologies one would
naturally associate with a custom theatrical-
drapery manufacturer. But those are just two
of the technologies Sew What? has enlisted
to raise the curtain on new business oppor-
tunities.
With a sophisticated Web site that in-
cludes digital swatches, instructions on using
different types of fabrics, and the ability for
customers to upload multimegabyte designs,
founder and president Megan Duckett says
she’s shaved days off the time it takes to pro-
duce custom curtains.
She also deployed a host of technologies
to improve customer service. “We can now
olgy.)
RAISING THE CUR-
do daily reporting to clients using live video TAIN Sew What?
founders Megan
feeds, send progress photos, and trade in-
Duckett and busi-
stallation diagrams,” she says. The practical ness partner/husband
benefits have been immediate. By creating Adam James Duckett
turned a kitchen-table
customized templates in QuickBooks Enter-
business into a global
prise, Sew What? enabled sales reps to send
enterprise.
copies of flame-proofing certificates to cli-
ents’ PDAs so that fire marshals can see the
documents instantly.
How has such technology affected Sew
What?’s business? The company has gone
from about 600 clients a year to around
3,000, says Duckett, with the likes of Sting,
Madonna, and Prince seeking its services.
“Eighteen months ago, 80 percent of our cus-
tomers were in California,” she says. “Now
it’s about 33 percent in California and 67 per-
cent around the world.”—JRQ
FOR MORE WINNERS,
TURN THE PAGE.
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The Technology Solutions You Need When You Need Them.

Intel, Intel Logo, Intel Core, Intel Inside, Intel Inside Logo, Pentium and Pentium Inside are trademarks or registered trademarks
of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Offer subject to CDW’s standard terms
and conditions of sale, available at CDW.com. © 2006 CDW Corporation

TO THE RESCUE Mov-
ing to the Web was a ICE SAFETY SOLUTIONS
lifesaver for Pamela
Isom’s business, ICE Number of employees: 5
Safety Solutions. Location: Fremont, California
Year launched: 1999
Best tech advice: “Large corporations are so tech-
savvy. If you’re trying to get their business, you
have to be savvy too.”
www.getice.com
Unlike so many ultrasmall business-
es, ICE realizes that technology is vi-
tally important to even the simplest of
tasks. ICE, short for “In Case of Emer-
gency,” provides safety instruction,
including training in CPR and first aid,
to individuals and businesses. The five-person
company recently applied for and won an Intel
Technology Grant; it used the money simply to
move scheduling and invoicing onto the Web.
The result cannot be exaggerated: Founder Pa-
mela Isom is sure ICE would have folded with-
out the grant from Intel and the move online.
As the company attracted more and more
business clients, its basic internal operations
couldn’t keep up. It lacked the staff to schedule
training sessions promptly over the phone, and
sending invoices via snail mail was a nightmare.
Now the company’s Web site offers an online
calendar, where clients can book training ses-
sions on their own. Big clients use customized
product sites, where they can quickly purchase
the equipment they’ll need. And online data-
bases notify clients when their training certifi -
cations have expired. Not only is the company
still operating, but revenues have increased by
45 percent in the past year.—Cade Metz
HERMANN BROS. LOGGING & CON-
STRUCTION INC.
Number of employees: 86
Location: Port Angeles, Washington
Year launched: 1968
FOR MORE Best tech advice: “You don’t have to invest tons
WINNERS, of money for a technology to be effective. Some-
TURN THE times, all you need is $500.”
PAGE AND Technology can transform any business, old
OPEN THE school or new. Look no further than Hermann
GATEFOLD. Bros., a 38-year-old logging and trucking com-
pany that hauls lumber and wood chips across
100 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006
the Pacific Northwest. Two years ago owner Bill
Hermann and his team streamlined truck routes
with a pair of wide-area wireless services and
boosted revenue by $500 a day.
One of the company’s key customers is the
nearby Interfor-Pacific sawmill. As Interfor cuts
its lumber and wood chips pile up in massive
overhead bins, Hermann Bros. empties them and
shuttles the chips to various paper mills. Interfor
runs 24 hours a day, and Hermann’s truck driv-
ers had to swing by every so often to see if the
bins were full. If they weren’t, that was valuable
driving time—at $75 an hour —down the tubes.
Today, drivers and dispatchers can check the
bins remotely via BlackBerry handhelds or the
Web. Each bin is equipped with a weight sensor
that sends out a wireless signal the moment it’s
full. And a new GPS system keeps tabs on
the trucks, so the closest driver is dis-
patched.
The GPS service was $500 per
truck, with ongoing costs of $40
month. It’s a high-tech way to spruce
up a low-tech business—and it works.
Over the past three years, total revenue
is up 20 percent.—CM
WEDRIVEU INC.
Employees: 35
Location: San Mateo, California
Launched: 1988
Best tech advice: “Before you convert your back-
office software, put some extra money aside, be-
cause it’s going to take a lot of time.”
www.wedriveu.com
Until early this year, WeDriveU relied on
QuickBooks and ACT! by Sage to conduct its
business. The company, which provides chauf-
feurs to customers who want to use their own
cars (“Your car, our chauffeur”), was like many
others. It had started out with a modest invest-
ment in technology, but it needed to grow.
“I was managing Los Angeles remotely,” says
president Dennis Carlson, “but I couldn’t get any
important data out of it.” So he purchased Ever-
est Software’s ERP business automation soft-
ware. It’s already improving customer service
and should help the company expand beyond
the five cities WeDriveU currently serves.
One of the business processes that take a
lot of time is gathering ride details. The new
software enables customers to sign into their
personal accounts, letting them see their ride
history, pay online, and change their profi les. It
has helped improve WeDriveU’s accuracy and
allows the company to forward information auto-
matically to drivers via e-mail or the Web.
Moreover, Carlson will finally be able to
expand. The new platform should be able to
handle up to 22 cities.—JRQ
 OUTSOURCING
FINALISTS
DIAMOND DATA SYSTEMS
Employees: 75
Location: New Orleans
Launched: 1993
Best tech advice: “Use collaboration and confer-
encing software to share information.”
www.diamonddata.com
After Katrina, Joey Auer, the CEO and founder of
Diamond Data Systems, found himself in a Red
Cross shelter. “They were logging in people in
Excel, and there was no way to find somebody,” he
recalls. Fortunately, Auer’s firm, as an information
technology consultancy to federal, state and com-
mercial clients, was able to help. The Louisi-
ana Department of Social Services hired
the company to set up wireless commu-
nications for the shelters and delivered
Verizon EV-DO wireless cards to about
30 shelters following the storm.
Of course, to do that, Auer had
to keep his own company running. He
accomplished this initially by using SMS
to communicate, then using Microsoft Windows
SharePoint to form collaborative sites online.
“People posted their status online this way, and
then we began using WebEx”—which the com-
pany now finds invaluable for day-to-day opera-
tions. The result was not just corporate survival:
“We actually realized growth in 2005,” he says,
with revenues of $7.6 million.
Quickly deploying such collaborative tools
also enabled Diamond to do the necessary heavy
lifting to help clients after the storm. “We had
one guy fly in on a helicopter with guards to land
on a roof downtown just to carry out the client’s
servers,” says Auer. Now that’s what we call cus-
tomer service.—JRQ
EQUATION RESEARCH
Number of employees: 34
Location: Everywhere, U.S.A.
Year launched: 2000
Best tech advice: “If an off-the-shelf software pack-
age handles only 80 percent of what you need to
do, why use it to handle anything it all? Build your
own.”
www.equationresearch.com
Full disclosure: Equation Research runs PC Mag-
azine’s annual Reader Satisfaction Survey. Are we
biased? It just means we know firsthand what an
incredible company this is. Handling research for
all sorts of media companies, ad agencies, and big
brand names, this 34-person business took in over
$2.3 million in revenue in 2005—and it doesn’t
have an office.
NUMBERS GUY Equa- Equation is a virtual company. Every employ-
tion Research CEO Mike ee works from home, in cities from New York to
Travis runs his business
virtually, with employees California. That saves all sorts of office costs and
around the U.S. working commuting hours. But it also means Equation can
from home. seek out new talent anywhere in the country.
BACK TO SCHOOL InfoHandler’s Steve Daugherty and
Tom Crumbaugh help schools across the country man-
age services for special-needs kids.
One important technology that makes this
possible is a specialized Web-based application
that keeps close tabs on company operations.
Built with Java and AJAX, this “job track-
ing system” monitors everything from
daily employee task lists and long-term
company goals to billing and invoicing.
And it’s designed in such a way that key
employees can quickly change it—with-
out any programming experience.
The application is so effective that many
of Equation’s clients are asking if they can use it
in their own businesses. Will the company sell
it? Maybe, maybe not. At this point, Equation Re-
search is doing just fine, with revenue expected
to grow another 20 percent to 30 percent in
2006.—CM
INFOHANDLER
Employees: 7
Location: Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Launched: 1994
Best tech advice: “Approach open-source software
with caution, because integrating it yourself can be
difficult.”
www.infohandler.com
InfoHandler helps schools to reduce the admin-
istrative overhead required to meet the needs of
special-education students. Its ezEdMed software
service, aimed at managing Medicaid payments,
“can take a therapist less than 5 minutes a week
to fill out, and yet a school district may recoup as
much as $1 million in revenue,” says CEO Steve
Daugherty. Ironically, the company found it also
needed a solution to solve its own administrative
headaches. It found one, says Daugherty, by going
to a hosted service.
The company tried using contact managers
like ACT, online CRM services, and open-source
bug tracking software, but Daugherty says all the
solutions were underpowered, expensive, or awk-
ward to manage for a small staff working out of
separate home offices.
Now he uses Visitar’s 360° Care, which in-
cludes VoIP services, follow-me numbers, e-mail,
CRM, and project management. “For the first time
we’ve been able to generate a report on what’s in
our pipeline,” he says. “I don’t know how we ever
made it before.”—JRQ
OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 101

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workforce outsourcing
around the world, oDesk
oDESK CORP.
monitors worker produc- Employees: 40
tivity online. Location: Menlo Park, California
Launched: 2004
Best tech advice: “Don’t be afraid to try different
things—just monitor the results.”
www.odesk.com
“Small and medium-size businesses are waking up
to globalization,” says Gary Swart, CEO of oDesk.
His company manages workforce outsourcing
for companies seeking programmers and techni-
cal writers, enabling companies in Chicago and
California, for example, to hire programmers in
places as far-flung as Moldova and India.
oDesk’s largely open-source–based platform
includes online team rooms that allow clients and
hourly employees to check in, collaborate, and
monitor work projects. “The biggest hurdle was
helping companies monitor worker produc-
tivity,” says Swart. So the company uses
keystroke monitoring and software that
takes a screen grab of workers’ desktops
six times an hour. About 50 percent of
oDesk’s developers also use a webcam
so that employers can see their work.
Rather than finding such technologies
invasive, “many developers like it because
they no longer have to constantly justify their
existence,” says Swart. oDesk also uses its team
rooms for its own developers, and has automated
recruiting with online exams, English-aptitude
tests, and follow-up interviews over Skype.
Is it working? Swart says the company is grow-
ing at a rate of about 15 percent a month.—JRQ
REVENUE CYCLE SOLUTIONS INC.
MEET THE WINNERS! Employees: 151
Join PC Magazine editor- Location: Westchester, Illinois
in-chief Jim Louderback Launched: 2004
for a live, interactive,
Best tech advice: “Build your own technology only
online chat with three when it’s going to be a differentiator.”
of our SMB 20–winning www.revcs.com
CEOs. October 5, 2006,
at 2 p.m. EDT.
“Technology costs put an enormous burden on
health-care providers,” says Greg Richards, man-
aging partner of Revenue Cycle Solutions (RCS).
“So when they have a budget for IT, they usually
spend it on clinical care and neglect the back
102 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006
office.” That’s why millions of dollars in insur-
ance claims go unpaid every year. RCS hopes to
stop that trend.
RCS developed its own platform, built on
Microsoft FoxPro, to automate the collection of
unpaid small-balance hospital insurance claims.
They’re usually for $200 or less; it isn’t cost-
effective for most hospitals to collect them. To
reduce the cost of collection, RCS’s systems in-
tegrate with hospital patient records and insur-
ance companies’ electronic systems, looking for
filing-rule errors and performing automatic que-
ries with insurers. As a reward, RCS collects a 10
percent commission on recovered money.
RCS is also deploying new systems in its own
back office, particularly for job recruitment and
training. Initial interviews are conducted via an
interactive voice-response system and uploaded
to the Web. In the end, recovering money for its
customers is the bottom line for RCS, which says
its technology not only makes the job possible,
but also reduces labor costs by 33 percent.—JRQ
37SIGNALS LLC
Number of employees: 7
Location: Chicago
Year launched: 1999
Best tech advice: “Less is better. The beauty of a
good technology is that it’s simple.”
www.37signals.com
37signals was just another Web design firm in
danger of bursting with the dot-com bubble.
Today, it’s one of the hottest software devel-
opers on the Web. How did it succeed? By
keeping things simple.
Software development is often much
too complicated and ridiculously time-
consuming—and the end result is bloat-
ed and buggy applications. 37signals real-
ized it could compete with the big boys by
reducing the practice to its bare essentials.
In 2003, CEO Jason Fried and his cohorts built
a tool called Basecamp for managing their own
client projects. The app was so simple and effec-
tive, the company decided to sell to outside busi-
nesses. Then Fried realized that he could adapt
Basecamp to create all sorts of business apps.
So the company built a wonderfully modular
development platform called Ruby on Rails, and
the rest is history. In just two years, the company
used Rails to build four more apps, and revenue
jumped by 500 percent in 2005 alone.
Rails soon became the hottest development
platform on the Web, and the company now has
thousands of developers across the world work-
ing to improve its code—all for free. This has
raised the company’s profile to heights you’d
never expect of a seven-person operation. Rev-
enue continues to grow at a 10 percent clip each
and every month.—CM
Intelligent info sharing
Imagine secure search within your organization that’s as easy as search on Google.com.
With the Google Mini or the Google Search Appliance, you’ll get fast search across all the
information in your organization – including corporate networks, document and content
management systems, file servers and desktops.
The Google Mini supports 50,000 to 300,000 docs, and with
a starting price of $1,995, it’s as cheap as a laptop. The
Google Search Appliance also works right out of the box and
can scale to meet the search needs of any size organization.
For more information about the Google Mini or the Google
Search Appliance, please visit www.google.com/enterprise

© 2006 Google Inc. All rights reserved. Google and the Google logo are trademarks of Google Inc
 R E AL-WO R LD TE STI N G

Free Video Calls

Instant-messaging clients with video are a cool way to con-
nect to family and friends. But is the quality good enough?
And more important, can you get your Aunt Sophie to use it?
BY DAVIS D. JANOWSKI

T
HE FIRST EXAMPLE OF THE VIDEO-
phone concept appeared in 1927,
in Fritz Lang’s sci-fi masterpiece
Metropolis. Even though that was
nothing more than a guy stand-
ing behind a fake video screen, it
sparked the imagination of technologists around
the world. Video calling became a reality decades
later, but it did not garner wide adoption for sev-
eral reasons: The phones were too expensive, the
quality was pathetic until broadband came along,
and many people don’t want others to know what
they look like when they answer the phone.
Although the newer video-calling services are
not a replacement for your landline phone or com-
mercial VoIP services such as Vonage, they’re a cool
way to connect with people in your life who are far
away. You’ll need a PC, a broadband connection, and
a webcam, but using such services should make you
feel like you’re really getting your money’s worth
out of your monthly Internet bill.
Yes, there are hurdles—namely, getting less tech-
savvy family members and friends to download the MORE ON THE WEB
client and set it up correctly; then they’ll have to deal To read reviews of full-
fledged video phones
with a frustrating array of webcam and headphone from Ojo, Packet 8, and
quirks as they get the setup to work. And they’ll have AOL, visit go.pcmag
to leave the client running on their PC regularly, .com/videophones.
with the volume up high enough to hear you call.
We had four testers try four chat clients with
video—SightSpeed 5.0, Skype 2.5, Windows Live
Messenger 8, and Yahoo! Messenger 8.0 with
Voice—to see if the quality is really up to snuff.

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 105

REAL-WORLD TESTING

WEBCAM Skype 2.5

I
REVIEWS F YOU’RE LIKE ME, YOU PROBABLY HAVE
Logitech QuickCam family and friends scattered far and
Fusion
$99.99 direct wide—even in different countries—with
Llllh few occasions to gather in-person. Skype
The QuickCam uses 2.5 may well be one of the best ways out
a true 1.3-megapixel there to keep in touch without running up
sensor, and thanks to an astronomical phone bill. Skype 2.5 is a free soft-
a colorful 640-by-480
ware app that lets you make free Skype-to-Skype
video feed, the image
phone calls, chat via instant messaging, do confer-
quality is excellent.
Logitech’s RightLight
Yahoo! Messenger 8.0 ence calls with other Skype members, and even
helps brighten videos. with Voice make calls to landlines (for a small fee). And now

M
$99.99 direct
that it has video capability, it is perfect for calling an
go.pcmag.com/quickcam
Y BOYFRIEND AND I PRACTI- overseas relative who wants to see the new baby or
Creative WebCam cally started our relationship reconnect to a long-lost friend from high school.
Live! Motion on Yahoo!’s instant-messaging Skype was pretty simple to download and install
$129.99 direct
program, so it seemed appro- on my system (the webcam I used took longer to set
llllm
priate for me to test Yahoo!’s up). Once I created a log-on password, I could up-
This double-duty web-
cam can rest on your
video chat with him. We both date my online profile and search for people I know
desk or clamp onto have webcams and are the self-proclaimed dorki- to see whether they were Skype members.
an LCD monitor. A est techie couple ever, so I did not have to walk him Once the service and my webcam were enabled,
200-degree pan and through the process. Although we both live and I called my parents in the Philippines and my sis-
105-degree tilt with face
tracking means you don’t
work in downtown San Francisco, we chatted three ter in Philadelphia (both Skype members), and we
have to sit motionless. times over the course of a week with Yahoo!’s video could actually see each other as we spoke. My par-
go.pcmag.com/ chat, for about 10 minutes or so each time. ents got to talk and interact with their grandson,
webcamlive If more people had webcams, I would certainly whom they haven’t seen in person in two years.
Digi/Inside Out Net-
have more Yahoo! video conversations, but on my The quality of the video wasn’t ideal, and there was
works Watchport/V2 list of 75 IM contacts, I could locate only three peo- some lag time in the transmission of the video sig-
$180 street ple who had one. nal, but this is to be expected when calling overseas,
llllh Yahoo! does not really have video chat, but it has where broadband quality and Internet connections
This expensive but voice service and webcam capabilities that can work can be spotty.
powerful CCD webcam together for a video-phone feel. The biggest boon is the money I save on long-
lets you swap lens covers
for a wide-angle, close-
The voice service works well. The caller hears distance calls. Before using Skype, I was doling out
up, or telephoto view. Its little or no echo of her own voice, and the recipient’s 19 cents a minute off-peak (and about 25 cents peak)
detachable base lets you voice is just as clear as, if not clearer than, on a mo- on my landline, along with a monthly surcharge
mount the camera on a bile phone call. There is some delay, but that mostly for just having the service. I’m saving about $45 a
wall or tripod. And with
the AnywhereUSB pro-
depends on broadband availability. month, and my parents, who are retired, are sav-
gram, you can watch the The video is a little choppy but otherwise ade- ing even more. Being able to have a face go along
video feed remotely. quate. It certainly wouldn’t work for showing off with the voice is icing on the cake. My family and
go.pcmag.com/ dance moves, but you do get the feel of the conver- I love this service and will keep using it.—Laarni
watchport
sation just fine. Almendrala Ragaza
Axis 205 It’s not that easy to use, though. You have to
$199 list manage three separate windows for just one con-
Llllm versation: the initial IM window, where you manage
About the size of a deck video and voice; the webcam window; and another
of cards, this camera has window for the person you’re calling. Why can’t Ya-
a built-in Web server.
Just plug it in to your
hoo! put the webcam views side by side with the IM
network and it’s ready window in a single interface? And it’s somewhat an-
to stream video images noying that Yahoo! puts ads into the video window
directly into Internet of the person you’re talking with.
Explorer. Axis now offers
the upgraded 206.
I’d say the overall Yahoo! video experience is pos-
go.pcmag.com/axis205 itive, although I still prefer Skype for video calls be-
cause of the window manageability. I will continue
to use Yahoo! on occasion because I like the music
channels that the messenger offers, and I’m quite
amused by its smiley icons.—Natali T. Del Conte

106 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

 Windows Messenger VIDEO
Live 8 CHAT AT A

A
FTER COLLEGE, I MOVED BACK HOME
GLANCE
with my parents on Long Island, Here’s a summary
landed a job in Manhattan, and of our findings after
testing, along with
commuted to save money. After
some tips for video
two years of living at home, ridicule chatting with family
from my friends, and the release of and friends.
the movie Failure to Launch, I decided not to make
that movie a reality. I found a studio apartment in
Manhattan, moved in, and planned not to see my
1 SightSpeed
rules!: It proved
the easiest to
parents for a while. Back at Jacobowitz headquarters, set up and use,
however, my overbearing, computer-savvy parents and video qual-
(a dangerous combination) insisted on staying con- ity couldn’t be
beat. Even in our
nected and knowing every detail of my life. Enter
lab-based testing,
Logitech and Windows Messenger Live 8. SightSpeed came
SightSpeed 5.0 I thought I’d help alleviate their empty-nest syn-

C
out on top.
drome by giving my father a virtual tour using the
ONVINCING ME TO TRY OUT SIGHT-
Speed was easy. I’ve already got a
Logitech QuickCam for Notebooks Pro attached to
my Dell laptop, and the Windows Messenger client.
2 More Skype users
means more free
calls: Because
video camera, and I’ve been itching to The chat client installed without a hitch, and this is the most
get my family and friends to join me Messenger’s Vista sign-in color scheme makes the commonly used
online. Persuading them turned out program pretty to look at. But unfortunately, the free VoIP service,
to be the toughest part. I visited my user experience was not as flawless. Both my father you’ll be more
likely to find
mom in Boston and installed a webcam for her, but and I were on cable-modem connections, behind friends and family
it was only after I stressed the “free phone calls” routers. We had no problem making the connection using it (mean-
aspect (oh yeah, with video too!) that she jumped for video calls to each other, but audio was choppy ing the calls are
on board. and video was far from smooth. free). Skype has
Once she was ready, she surprised me by install- To make sure the problem wasn’t with our PCs a handy account
ing the software on her own and calling me at the or Internet connections, we signed on to AIM and to deposit money
for making non-
computer one day. Apparently, the software setup tested audio calls through there. We began killing Skype calls.
really is that simple. Once it was up and running, services, programs in our start-ups, and anything we
SightSpeed worked pretty well, though we saw
several “network congestion” errors, and dropped
could think of that might be hogging bandwidth and
system resources. Unfortunately, we were stumped;
3 It’s slower to go
across the pond:
For international
frames were fairly common, too. That’s Comcast’s nothing we did significantly improved the quality. I calls, VoIP is fine,
service, however, not SightSpeed. (And we can think video chat is definitely a good way to stay in with little or no
prove it! Visit www.pcmag.com/fastestISP to learn touch with the ’rents, but I think I’m going to look lag time. But if
more.) elsewhere for a better app—because I’m sure not you want to do
It was harder to get my aunt in Israel on board. moving back home.—P.J. Jacobowitz video, expect
delays—no matter
She already uses Skype to chat with my cousin in
if you’re calling
Atlanta, and since the service works very well, Madrid or Manila.
she saw no reason to switch. Who can argue
with that? I explained that SightSpeed uses some
very advanced codecs, giving it markedly better
4 Use it to call your
kids at State U:
Kids are always
video quality. She signed on—and marveled at the online, so take
improved video quality. There was a bit of a lag advantage of
between audio and video, but to be fair, that was on their greediness
an international call, and I didn’t see the same lag and the school’s
broadband by
between New York and Boston.
giving them a
At first we called each other on the phone to webcam when
set up the video calls, but eventually, we enabled they ship off to
a phone-ring sound from our computers’ speakers. college.
This made receiving calls extremely easy: Leave
the app running in the system tray, and it’s just like
a regular incoming phone call. We’ll definitely be
sticking with SightSpeed.—Jeremy A. Kaplan

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 107

 BUILD IT

The Ultimate
Doghouse
Motion sensors, video cameras, and Internet
access create the very best canine château.
Is your dog worth the ultimate treatment?
B Y G R E G ST E E N

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 111

BUILD IT

Where Do I Start?

P
EOPLE ARE PET LOVERS. THEY HAVE
been for thousands of years, and
day after day, their pooch passion
grows stronger. But modern man
no longer prowls the fields with his
A SMART best friend, so he can’t keep constant tabs on his
DOGHOUSE prized companion. Until now. For all you dog
NEEDS . . . lovers out there, this Build It’s for you. I’m go-
ing to show you how to build a high-tech doggy
• A force-sensor mat, domicile that delivers real-time status updates
to tell me when my
dog is at home on your favorite slobberer while you toil away
at your day job.
• A temperature- But fi rst—and I cannot stress this enough—
sensitive doghouse
fan before you start your DIY pet project, go over your
ideas with your local veterinarian or the ASPCA
• A controllable pan/ to ensure the safety of your beloved companion.
tilt webcam with
audio and Internet Dogs like to chew and nibble, so you should take
streaming capa- precautions (which we don’t have room to cover
bilities, perched atop here) for those things with any gadgetry that you
the doghouse to
put into your project. Also, each dog is differ-
check on my dog
ent and has different needs; be sure your project
won’t be stressful for your dog.
After researching several turnkey sensor solu-
tions, I discovered Phidgets, sensor and control
interfaces that deliver real-time data to your com-
puter via the USB port. The friendly and helpful
folks at Trossen Robotics hooked me up with the
Phidgets and sensors that I needed for install-
ing both the sensor mat and the motion sensor.
For the camera, I picked up a cool JMK wireless
model that runs on battery power. Then I built a
dog-monitor service with Microsoft Windows to
keep an eye on my doghouse. The service sends
e-mail alerts to my custom Web application,
which I’ve dubbed the Doggy Dashboard.
But of course, it all starts with a doghouse—
in this case, the Handyman’s Large Doghouse
from PetSmart. After setting that up, here’s how
I integrated the hardware and then developed
the software.

• Dog Vision, a
wireless cam
The Force-Sensor Mat

A
mounted on
a dog collar, also
with streaming T HEART, THE FORCE-SENSOR MAT IS
capabilities, to a large, pressure-activated switch.
let me see what When the dog lies on the mat, the
my pet sees
completed circuit sends a signal to
• Two temperature the computer, via a Phidget 8/8/8
gauges, to monitor interface kit. (And for double verification, you
the environment
inside and outside
can use the Dog Vision collar-cam.)
(comfort is key to
a happy pooch) 2 Wire it together. Connect wires to the thinner
strips of metal at each end of the mat that run
perpendicular to the metal strips.
• A motion sensor,
to let both the
dog and me know
when someone or
3 Add the Phidget.
Connect one wire
to one of the digital
something is roving input grounds on
in the yard behind the Phidget inter-
the doghouse face and the other
wire to one of the
numbered digital-
input connectors.
Try not to get too
tangled in the wires
connected to the
digital outputs from
other parts of your
doghouse.

1 Shape the mat. The mat is made of parallel strips

of conductive metal separated at 1-inch intervals
by nonconductive foamy material. When pressure
is applied, the metal strips bend and complete the
circuit. Trim the mat parallel to the main strips so
you don’t cut your switch.
4 Place the mat. Finally, slip the mat under
a rug on the doghouse floor. Now you’ll
know when your pooch is in his domicile.

112 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

Assemble a Pan/Tilt Camera

T
HE PAN/TILT ASSEMBLY CONSISTS OF A COUPLE OF SERVOMOTORS ATTACHED TO THE
PhidgetServo controller. One servomotor controls the horizontal axis of the camera
(pan) and the other controls the vertical (tilt). This gives you a high-level and program-
matically simple way to change the position of your webcam remotely via the Web site.
Remember, this is going to stream over the Internet, and because most of us don’t have
a lot of upstream bandwidth at home, choosing a lower bit rate will give a more consistent stream.
You’ll have to test to see what frame rate works best, balancing clarity with consistency.

1 Attach the mounting bracket

to the pan servomotor. Keep
your screwdriver handy.
2 Attach the “C” bracket to
the mounting bracket. Later
you’ll attach the camera.
3 Put the second servomo-
tor into the pan-mounting
bracket. Then attach it to the
4 Mount the USB webcam. Fix
it to the top of the tilt servo-
motor bracket.
“C” tilt bracket.

5 Mount the assembly and

PhidgetServo controller.
Then connect the servos to
6 Hook the board to your PC
the controller circuit board.
via USB. Create a Windows
Media Encoder session, fol-
7 Select compression settings.
In the Live Broadcast wizard,
choose Low Bandwidth video
8 Choose an open TCP/IP port.
(The default is fine.) Then
click Start Encoding to get
lowing the handy Wizard. and Voice Quality audio. broadcasting!

Dog Vision: An On-Collar Camera

D
OG VISION IS A WS-309AS WIRELESS VIDEO CAMERA ATTACHED TO
a normal dog collar. The CCD camera connects to an A/V radio
receiver that in turn connects to an A/V converter on my PC. Then,
using Windows Media Encoder again, I grab the stream and make
it accessible to the Doggy Dashboard, to see in real time what the
pooch is seeing. Take precautions to protect the battery and camera assembly
from those big paws: After all, dogs like to scratch beneath their collars.

1 Camera meets collar.

Position the camera
toward the bottom as
2 Tune in. Set the cam-
ballast. Hook the 9-volt
battery adapter to the
ELECTRIC BLING In retrospect, I should have power input and you’re
trimmed the extra RCA jacks. Kaya didn’t mind. ready to stream.
era receiver to the
dog-collar camera’s
3 Capture the stream.
Next you’ll need to
hook the analog com-
frequency. Then posite-video output
mount it to the dog- of the receiver to the
house roof and adjust video capture card in
the antenna. your computer.

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 113

BUILD IT

A Temperature-Activated Doghouse Fan

I
T WAS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT MY DOG- corded that the temperature was above a certain
house not get too hot. Though Dog Vi- point. Heat rises, and a doghouse roof will ab-
sion and the pan/tilt house camera give sorb heat from the sun, too, so mount the sen-
a good view of Fido’s world, I needed sors out of direct sunlight and where they won’t
something to get a sense of what it feels feel roof heat. For parts, I used the Phidget Inter-
like as well. I hooked up a pair of temperature faceKit 8/8/8, a 9-volt battery, an IRF510 power
sensors to an old PC case fan, so the computer MOSFET transistor from Radio Shack, some
could activate the case fan if either sensor re- wire, and two analog temperature sensors.
THE MOTION SENSOR
Fido doesn’t like surly
neighbor dogs sneaking
up on him from behind
his doghouse, so as an
added tidbit I mounted a
motion sensor just under
the pinnacle of the roof
in back, cutting a hole
for it with a keyhole saw.
Again, the Dog Monitor
service writes a log entry
when motion is detected;
I thought e-mail alerts 1 Wire the interface. Connect a wire to one of the
Phidget Interface digital output grounds and
another to a digital output.
2 Prep the fan. Cut the PC power connector from the
case fan and strip the positive and negative power
leads to the wire. Expose about an inch of wire.
would be too frequent
to be useful.

DIGITAL
DOGHOUSE
PARTS
Interface kit.................$90
Motion sensor 3 Ready a battery connection. Attach a 9-volt
battery connector to the battery and strip some
wire casing from each lead.
4 Wire the fan. Attach the positive lead from the
battery connector to the positive output of the fan.
....................................$40.50
Two analog
temp sensors.........$19.80

9-volt battery
connector.................$0.50

JMK WS-309AS
wireless camera/
receiver kit.............$49.95

Pan/tilt kit..............$119.75

5 6
Video capture Add a transistor. This acts as a switch, turning the Mount your sensors. I hung two sensors, one inside
card...............................$100 power source on and off when you tell the Phidget and one outside. I drilled a hole to bring the lead
Interface to change the state of the digital output. to the interface kit, which I mounted outside.
MOSFET
transistor....................$1.99
Floor mat
switch........................$12.50

Logitech
Quickcam
Pro 3000.......................$70
Old case fan.................free
TOTAL...................$504.99

7 Insert the fan. I measured the case fan carefully.

Then with a keyhole saw, I cut out a section of
the back wall and mounted the fan.
8 Link it with code. A few lines of code make the
system write entries to the log at specified intervals,
recording temperature and turning on the fan.

114 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

BUILD IT

Tying It All Together with Software

THE DOGGY DASHBOARD
Check in on Fido from your
office cube.

T
O TIE IT ALL TOGETHER, I CREATED A
“Dog Monitor” Windows service to
keep an eye on my doghouse. The
service sends e-mail alerts to my
custom Web application, which I’ve
dubbed the Doggy Dashboard. It lets me see the
Dog Monitor and use Dog Vision—that’s live,
streaming video from my pooch.
The Doggy Dashboard consists of two com-
ponents: a sortable view of the messages from
the Dog Monitor service and a control panel for
the webcam streams. The webcam on the dog-
house is pan/tilt enabled, and the Doggy Dash-
board lets me rotate the camera’s position. The
pan/tilt control is AJAX-enabled as well, so the
page doesn’t have to reload completely when the
camera’s position changes.
The people at Phidgets have developed a great
API for their devices. It lets you easily create cus-
Next Steps
tom programs to work with the monitoring data DOGGY.NET
collected from the different Phidgets sensors. Phidgets are easy
to code, even for
Libraries are available for many different pro- nonprofessional coders.
gramming languages, but I chose to the use the
.Net framework’s COM wrapper to help create the
Windows service that sends those e-mail alerts.
Not a super-duper developer yet? Don’t worry,
sample code and a pretty good set of documents
are provided on www.phidgets.com, or you can just
download the stuff I wrote from PCMag.com (go
.pcmag.com/doghousecode).
Want to see n
io
your creat ine?
ga z
in PC Ma

M
AKING THIS ULTIMATE DOGHOUSE DIY PROJECT LAST IN E-mail us!
the outside world means you’ll need to protect the gad-
getry from the elements, as well as from dog breath/teeth/
slobber/fur. For example, you could encase the battery on
the dog-collar cam with a rugged, nontoxic plastic shell,
so the dog won’t eat battery acid. And a Mini-ITX flash-based computer
system would be ideal to manage the sensors, run the Doggy Dashboard,
power the webcam encoder, and host the Doggy Dashboard Web site.
There are also many great Phidgets I didn’t use that would add great ex-
tensions to the project. For example, a pH sensor could check the acidity of YOU BUILT IT!
the dog’s water to make sure it’s drinkable. If the sensor detects an unaccept- Our DIY MP3 boom-box project was
able value, it could trigger a servomotor to dump the water bowl and refi ll it enticing, but the ratty old Sanyo
again with a simple pump hooked to a Phidget interface kit. Or you could take we used lacked polish. Leave it to
an analog force sensor and place one under the dog’s food bowl to detect when MIT mechanical engineering major
Alisha Schor to one-up us. Here’s her
the bowl is empty.
(mostly finished) project. Have you
The possibilities for the DIY-inclined are limitless. I hope this introduc- been working on something great?
tion has inspired you to start your own DIY adventure. So good luck, good Send your submissions to
computing, and set the servos to scratch Fido’s chin one time for me. Q diy@pcmag.com

116 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

 AS K N E I L S O F T WA R E

Q
FORCE UNIQUE NUMBERS IN EXCEL
Is there a way I can keep duplicate CAN’T SEND E-MAIL WHEN TRAVELING

Q
I have a dial-up NetZero account. It works
numbers from being inserted into well for me, and I download my e-mail to Mi-
crosoft Outlook whenever I need to. When I
a column in Microsoft Excel (in other use my laptop with hotel or airport Wi-Fi, though,
the incoming messages I get through NetZero’s
words, allow only unique numbers POP3 come into Outlook okay, but I can’t send
anything out of the application. Is there anything I
in the column)?—Wayne Buchler need to change in the SMTP settings?—Art Sagy

A A
Sure, it’s easy enough to do. Suppose you
want all the numbers in column A to be
unique. Start by clicking in cell A1 and se-
lecting Data | Validation from the menu. Click the
drop-down list that is titled Allow and select Cus-
tom from the list. A box titled Formula will appear;
enter this formula: =COUNTIF(A:A,A1)=1. Now
click the Error Alert tab and enter an appropriate
NEED ANSWERS?
Each issue, PC Maga-
title and error message. For example, you could set
zine’s software expert, the title to “Unique Values Only” and the message
Neil J. Rubenking, to “You must enter a value that is not already pres-
tackles your toughest ent in this column.” Then click OK to accept the
software and Internet
problems. Send
validation rule.
your questions to Now click the heading for column A to select
askneil@ziffdavis.com the entire column. Again select Data | Validation
from the menu. Excel will ask if you want to
extend data validation to the additional cells.
The POP3 and SMTP e-mail protocols are
fairly brain-dead—witness the ease with
which hackers and viruses can “spoof” mes-
sages so they seem to come from somebody else.
One way ISPs can limit abuse by hackers is to lock
down their SMTP servers, making them available
only for IP addresses inside their network. When
you log on through Wi-Fi or plug in to a foreign
network, you get an IP address belonging to that
network. You look like an intruder to your ISP, so it
refuses you access to its SMTP servers.
One solution is to use Web-based e-mail while
on the road. Your ISP may offer Web access to your
regular e-mail account. If not, you may need to read
your mail and write your responses, then connect
via dial-up long enough to send your outgoing mail.
UPDATES FOR A SLOOOOW COMPUTER

Q
Click Yes, click OK, and you’re done. If you acci-
dentally attempt to enter a nonunique value in Although we have broadband at work, I
column A, Excel will block it and display the can’t yet get it at home in North Cornwall,
error message you defined. England (I have a 56-Kbps dial-up con-
nection). My Microsoft Windows XP updates are
Excel’s Data Validation
way out of date. Even a 2.75MB download can
feature can confine the
user to entering only take over an hour. With a few “critical” updates
numbers that are not and other wise “fixes,” I’d need a 24-hour dial-
already present in a up connection, and no need to use the phone!
given column. Can I download the updates at work (which
I am permitted to do), save them on my pen
drive, and then install them at home? My soft-
ware is legal, so needing the serial number isn’t
a problem, but would it work? Or does Micro-
Create your soft offer a solution?—Andy Hearnden
own error

A
message A system that’s so out of date probably
doesn’t even have Windows XP Service
Pack 2. SP2 is over 100MB to download, so
you may want to take advantage of Microsoft’s CD
offer. Visit www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/sp2 and
click the link that says Order the CD. Shipping is free
in the U.S.; you’ll have to pay £6 for shipping to the
U.K. Once you’ve installed SP2, Microsoft encour-
ages you to share the CD with your friends.

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 119

 ASK NEIL

There’s no problem with downloading updates

This setting in Microsoft
at one location and installing them elsewhere.
Word’s Options dialog
Here’s what you’ll want to do. At your slow home dictates whether or
system visit www.windowsupdate.com and let it con- not the Tab key controls
jure up a list of the updates you need. Make a copy of indentation.
this list, take it with you to work, and go to support
.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=323166. Follow
the instructions and links there to download your
updates from the Windows Update Catalog. Then
bring the update files home and install them. You
don’t need a serial number to download the updates,
though you may need to validate your existing copy of
Windows. When finished, check in at www.windows
update.com to see if more updates are needed.

TAB IN WORD NO LONGER INDENTS BULLETS

Q
I have done something to Microsoft Word.
The Tab key no longer indents bullets. In-
stead, it inserts a tab character. How can I
change its settings to cause it to indent a bullet the box called Set left- and first-indent with tabs and
when the Tab key is pressed?—Lee Fields backspaces and click OK. Despite the description,
this setting also affects how the Tab key changes

A
You can remedy this in a trice. Select Tool | indents. With it checked, Tab and Shift-Tab increase
Autocorrect Options from the menu and click and decrease the indent level. Without it, they both
the tab titled Autoformat as you type. Check insert a tab character into the document. Q

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OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 121

AS K LOY D H A R DWA R E
Q
ACCESSING RAID 1 HARD DRIVES
I’ve tried different methods of
backing up my hard drive data.
My latest was to set up two 400GB
hard drives in a RAID 1 configura-
tion (on my Dell XPS 600) where
one drive duplicates the other drive’s data.
The drives are used for photo storage only
and have an operating system installed.
I haven’t found a way to differentiate between or
look at both drives. Is there a way I can be sure
that both contain the same data and one drive
hasn’t died?—Gerald Wallace
NEED ANSWERS?
A
ExtremeTech.com’s
editor, Loyd Case, A RAID 1 volume behaves like a single drive
tackles your toughest while replicating the data on both drives.
hardware problems
each issue. Send
You can’t access them individually. But
him yours at should one drive fail, or begin generating errors,
askloyd@ziffdavis.com you’ll get a message from the RAID manager soft-
ware that one drive is corrupt. Most modern RAID
systems, including those built onto motherboards,
will begin the rebuilding process automatically.
If you get an error message that leads you to
believe that one drive is starting to fail, you can
reboot and go into the RAID BIOS to see which
Intel’s Matrix Storage drive is failing. The key combinations vary between
Manager RAID manage- RAID BIOSs, but there’s usually enough of a delay
ment software ships during boot time for you to press the proper keys.
with RAID-capable
You can then power the system down and replace
Intel motherboards. This
screen shows two RAID 1 the failing drive with one of equal capacity. When
volumes, including their you reboot, the system will rebuild the mirrored
associated hard drives. volume. That process could take several hours.
122 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006
TRANSFERRING MIRRORED
RAID 1 DATA
Q
My motherboard supports two SATA drives
through the Intel connection. I have a Max-
tor 130GB and a Western Digital 160GB
drive in RAID 1 (in two partitions). I want to replace
both with 300GB drives and mirror what’s on the
130GB drive to the new drives, with new partitions
so I can use the full 300GB. How do I get the cur-
rent mirrored information (includes boot Windows
XP) to the 300GB drives?—Stephen
A
There are many ways to do this, but by far
the easiest is to use a partition cloning tool,
such as Symantec Ghost or Acronis True
Image. These either clone a hard drive or back up
exact copies of the disk (called a disk image) to files
for archiving. We’ve used both in the lab and tend
to prefer the current (9.0) version of True Image.
Since you have only two SATA connections, it’s
likely to be a multistep process. The current ver-
sions of True Image and Ghost support backup to
optical drives, other hard drives (including external
drives), and over the network. Install the imaging
software on your system and then create a bootable
CD or DVD (containing all the software you need to
restore the disk image) from the app.
With just the two SATA ports, you will need
another physical drive or DVD burner. The physi-
cal drive could be external (USB or FireWire), or an
internal IDE drive if your motherboard has free IDE
ports. If you use a DVD burner, you’ll need multiple
DVDs (about 15 to 20 DVD-R single-layer discs for
80GB of actual data). If you use a hard drive, make
sure it’s at least as large as your RAID array.
Be sure to enable any error-checking options
on the disk-imaging software. (If one of the DVD-
R discs is corrupt, you’ll lose all the data.) Imaging
your hard drive can take several hours. As your data
is precious, consider making a second backup.
Once you’ve backed up the hard drive images,
power the system down and remove the existing
hard drives without formatting them or destroying
their data. Make a note of which SATA port each
drive was connected to.
Set up your new RAID 1 array with the RAID
BIOS setup, then insert the bootable CD you made
earlier and boot into the image-restore utility. You
can then clone the disk image onto the new RAID
array. Once that’s done, you should be able to boot
normally from the hard drives. The process of setting
up the RAID mirror might change the boot drive or-
der. You can correct this in the system BIOS setup. Q
 Light the way.

Pledge to make your next light an ENERGY STAR® at energystar.gov/changealight and join a growing number of people
doing their part to preserve energy resources and help reduce the risks of global climate change. With your help, others
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124 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006
Your Web Store’s
Grand Opening
A hosted online storefront solution can launch your
e-commerce showroom.
BY MATTHEW D. SARREL
A
S A TEENAGER, I HAD A SUMMER JOB
working in White’s Barnegat Light
Market as a stock boy. Mike White,
the second-generation owner, used to
walk around the store constantly with
a clipboard and take inventory. Then he would walk
back to the stockroom, present us with the clip-
board, and say, “You can’t sell a product that isn’t
on the shelves.” Businesses today don’t rely only on
physical shelves but also on virtual shelves. If you’re
looking to open a Web storefront, then at the very
least you’ll need to build the shelves, stock them,
and provide an easy checkout process.
The first step in building a Web storefront is to
shop for and select an e-commerce service. The
process will be easier and faster if you know be-
forehand which features are most important and
how to evaluate them.
One of the most powerful features a hosted
e-commerce solution offers is a wizard that will
take you from start to finish in the development
of a fully operational Web storefront. Along with
the wizard is usually a choice of templates, so you
can update the site. Make sure that your provider
offers a template that you can customize easily.
The ability to import catalog data is crucial be-
cause you don’t want to waste time and employee
resources typing in product information. Equally
Yahoo! SiteBuilder, the software included with Mer-
chant Starter, uses simple templates and tutorials.
important is the ability to export data so that you
can track and analyze it locally.
Another vital element is to have multiple ways
to accept payment. PayPal is a big convenience, as
is the ability to process credit cards directly. Also,
a good shipping program is absolutely neces-
sary for a successful Web storefront. Any hosted
e-commerce solution must include automated
and accurate shipping modules that tie in with the
major shipping companies, such as USPS, UPS,
FedEx, and DHL.
It’s not enough merely to build a store; you’ve
got to bring customers in via successful market-
ing. Look for a provider that lets you build and
use a mailing list. The ability to run promotions,
such as gift certificates and coupons, and an
affiliate program can also be important. Integra-
tion with XML-based shopping feeds, such as Ya-
hoo! Shopping, is critical because it will increase
your exposure.
The importance of good service and support
at a fair price goes without saying. Make sure that
support is available when you need it and in the
method that you need. You can’t underestimate
the value of picking up the phone and straighten-
ing out a problem instantly. Every minute your site
is down or acting flaky could translate into dozens
of lost sales when users become frustrated and de-
cide to click somewhere else. Also, make sure to
demo each service that interests you and evaluate
it in terms of the features listed in this article.
If none of the Web storefront providers seem
right for you, then you may want to consider
building your own site and adding a standalone
e-commerce shopping cart, such as MIVA Mer-
chant or Actinic Catalog. There are also plenty of
ASP, PHP, and Perl solutions that a Web developer
can integrate into your site. Whatever solution you
choose, it will definitely save you the headache of
carrying around a clipboard like Mr. White.
Matthew D. Sarrel is a consultant and former tech-
nical director of PC Magazine Labs.
 HP recommends Windows XP Professional ®

Silence is sweet. HP engineers work hard to make

our industry-leading workstations perform noiselessly.
The HP xw8400 Workstation with Intel® Dual-Core Xeon®
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© Copyright 2006 Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. The information contained herein is subject to change without notice. Prices may vary.
Simulated images. Dual-Core is a new technology designed to improve performance of certain software products. Check with software provider to
determine suitability. Not all customers or software applications will necessarily benefit from use of this technology. Intel, the Intel logo, Xeon, and Xeon
Inside are trademarks or registered trademarks of Intel Corporation or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Microsoft and Windows
are U.S. registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.
 SECURITY WATCH
Your Own Personal Matrix
How rootkits can take over your computer and steal data under
your nose—and how to stop them.
FAST FACTS
ON ROOTKITS
5.7 million
Number of computers
on which malicious soft-
ware was detected.
3.5 million
Approximate number
infected with “backdoor
Trojan horses.”
530,000
Approximate number in-
fected with rootkits (not
counting Sony BMG’s
DRM rootkit).
Source: Microsoft Corp., 2006.
KEEP YOURSELF
SAFE!
Subscribe to our
Security Watch
newsletter and get
up-to-date info on
the latest threats
delivered to your
inbox automatically:
go.pcmag.com/
securitywatchletter
CODE OF STEALTH
Rootkits find many places in a computer's software to hide, using their
concealment to eavesdrop on the user or control the system.
HIDING IN
USERLAND
Example:
HackerDefender
Userland rootkits, such
as HackerDefender, hide
in files and processes of
the OS’s kernel. They
essentially clone certain
system tasks, allowing
attackers access.
126 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006
BY ROBERT LEMOS
T
HE MATRIX HAS YOU.
Those four words—which ap-
backdoor Trojan-horse programs took the top slot,
infecting 62 percent of the 5.7 million computers
peared on the retro computer screen of found to have a malicious-software problem. Root-
Keanu Reeves’s character, Neo, in the kits accounted for only 9 percent of the total PCs
1999 hit movie The Matrix—have reso- infected—although that would increase to 14 per-
nated with hackers around the Internet. No wonder, cent if you count the “rootkit-like” copy-protection
then, that a technology for taking control of a user’s software that music giant Sony BMG included on
computer, more often than not for malicious ends, some CD titles.
echoes the reality behind those words. Yet researchers worry that hiding techniques
Just as Neo had to come to grips with the fact are only getting better. The next generation of such
that the world as he knew it was a well-crafted sim- rootkits adhere more to the hidden-matrix concept,
ulation, computer users today have to watch out for offering up a simulated reality not only to the user
programs, known as rootkits, that attempt to take but also to the operating system. At this year’s Black
over a computer that appears normal. Hat Briefings security conference, researchers
Rootkits are all about stealth: In the past, such Joanna Rutkowska and Dino Dai Zovi gave separate
programs have replaced common commands with presentations on rootkit techniques that would fool
their own modified versions. When the user of an a user and the operating system into thinking that
infected computer connects to the Internet using the computer was completely clean—when the
Microsoft Windows’ network driver, the system system was really running inside a virtual software
might instead route data through a malicious driver world. One of the rootkit concepts even borrowed
that also copies any important data—such as user- its name from The Matrix: Blue Pill.
names and passwords—to the attacker’s servers. While rootkits are a pernicious problem today,
The programs are not yet all that common. there are defenses. Several security firms offer root-
When Microsoft released data on the malicious kit detection utilities. Antivirus firm F-Secure offers
code cleaned from its customers’ computers by the a rootkit detector, dubbed BlackLight, in its Inter-
company’s free Malicious Software Removal Tool, net Security Suite product. And as mentioned ear-
lier, Microsoft’s free Malicious Software Removal
Tool also gets rid of some rootkit programs. A third
popular rootkit-detection utility, RootkitRevealer,
comes from software firm Sysinternals.com, which
Microsoft acquired in July.
However, detecting that the operating system
is running inside a virtual computer will likely
become a lot tougher as companies become more
enamored with virtualization. Many companies
run virtual servers on large mainframes for reli-
ability reasons: If one virtual machine goes down,
another can instantly be created to take its place.
A PARASITE IN THE THE SHIM IS IN Computer-chip companies, seeing the interest, have
VIRTUAL HOST Example: ACPI rootkit built features into their latest processors to make
Example: Blue Pill research project
Many companies run Infecting firmware with a virtualization easier. Future rootkits will exploit
servers as virtual rootkit—sometimes these functions to hide better.
machines; infecting a called a shim—is In the end, running your operating system of
host machine allows the difficult, but once there, choice in a virtual environment may become the
rootkit to control all the the shim can be hard to
virtual machines detect and has complete norm. It’s just that some people will be in the wrong
running on that host. control over how the virtual world.
operating system boots. Robert Lemos is a freelance journalist and the editor-
Source: Rootkit.com, 2006. at-large for SecurityFocus.
Tools to help secure your network, where and when you need them.
The Microsoft® Malicious Software Removal Tool— over 16 million instances of malware removed
and counting. Read the white paper, based on data collected by this effective tool. It arms you with
a clear view of the security landscape, including the latest trends, threats, and countermeasures.
Find it now at microsoft.com/security/IT

© 2006 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Microsoft is a registered

trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
 SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS

Customize Your Drive Icons

I
N THE EARLY 1980S, WHEN THE COMPUTER REVOLUTION BROUGHT US
removable storage media, all we had to worry about was two floppy
drives—A: and B:. By the late 1980s, the advent of consumer hard drives
eliminated the need for swapping those 5.25-inch disks, but we had
another drive letter, C:, to contend with. Since then, the alphabet soup
has boiled over—the latest Media Center PCs with multiple memory-card slots
can have drive letters A: through P: inside. My Media Center PC is one of sev-
eral computers in my home, and I’d given up on keeping track of what these let-
ters represent—until I figured out that Microsoft Windows could show me at a
glance which leads to the SD card from my camera, the Memory Stick Duo card
from my Sony PlayStation Portable, or the CompactFlash card for my PDA.
Your system will of course vary, but I have two hard drive partitions, a large
media drive, two optical drives, and a bunch of letters corresponding to the four
memory slots on the front of the machine.
Drives that have hard disks or flash memory can easily be labeled by cre-
ating an Autorun.inf file in the root directory of the drive, which calls up the
icon from one of the files within the hard drive. Drives with removable storage,
such as DVD-R and memory card slots, cannot. They must be labeled within
the Windows Registry.—Dave Mathews (www.davemathews.com), freelance
writer, inventor, television host

3 FUN WITH AUTORUN

If all you’ve got is hard drives and USB drives, you
can avoid editing the Registry and use an Auto-
run file instead. To set up the label, open Notepad
and input these three lines of code:
[autorun]
label=Your XYZ Drive
icon=\foldername\filename.dll,5
Save the file as Autorun.inf in the root directory
of the drive. Note that you must change the type
named in the Save as type box to “All files,” or the
file will end up being named Autorun.inf.txt, and
it won’t work.
The second line of code, the one beginning
with label=, simply indicates the text you’ll see
under the drive icon. The final line of code refers
to the icon DLL file and the number of the icon
you want to use. Several hundred icons are stored
within DLLs; you use this number to select the

1 REMOVABLE DRIVE P???

To name your drives, you’ll need to figure
out which drives and slots correspond with
which drive letters. Just insert discs and
plug in memory cards one at a time, and
when you get the pop-up dialog asking
What do you want Windows to do? select
Open folder to view files, then check the
address bar.
icon. But finding that number is a roundabout
process: Open a Windows Explorer window, then
click Tools | Folder Options, then select the File
Types tab. Leave the first file type selected and
click on Advanced, then on Change Icon. This will
show you all the icons that Windows has available
in its core system32.dll file. To choose one, start
counting with zero in the upper left corner and
count up by one as you go down. The first icon in
the second column is numbered 4, the third col-
umn begins with 8, and so on.
Of course, if you have a bank of icon files

2 CHEAT SHEET
Next, make a cheat sheet of the drive let-
ter that you see in the address bar and the
stored elsewhere on the drive, you can point to
one of those instead. With some versions of Win-
dows and certain removable drives, you will need
type of memory that you inserted. If you do to put the icon file on the drive and point the icon
not have all the memory types, you can use path to that volume. You also may have to reboot
a process of elimination to figure out the for the changes to appear.
missing ones, borrow some from friends,
or perhaps accept a mysterious drive icon
or two for now.

128 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

 4 ENTER THE REGISTRY
for all your
You’ll be doing thiswant to make
drives...you mighteet as well.
an icon cheat sh
For the rest of your drives, you’ll need the Win-
dows Registry (Start | Run, then enter regedit).
Before you make any changes, back up the cur-
rent settings (File | Export; then choose a name
like Backup.reg). That done, navigate to HKEY_
LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\
CurrentVersion\Explorer\DriveIcons. If your
vendor’s version of Windows doesn’t contain the
entry DriveIcons, right-click on Explorer, select
New, right-click on Key, then name it DriveIcons.
Refer to your cheat sheet to help create these
entries: Right-click on DriveIcons, then New,
then Key. Name this key the drive letter of your
first device—just the letter. Right-click on this
entry, select New, then left-click on Key and input
DefaultIcon for its folder name. Right-click on the
drive entry again, select New, then left-click on
Key and input DefaultLabel for its folder name.
Now we need to assign the values to these
keys. Click on DefaultIcon on the left, then
double-click the (Default) REG_SZ entry on the
right pane. For the Value data, input C:\windows\
system32\shell32.dll,204—the last number
corresponds to the icon you want for your drive
type. Next, click on the DefaultLabel folder on the
left, then again double-click the (Default) REG_
SZ entry on the right. For the Value data, input the
name you want to see under the icon.

5 OR, TAKE THIS SHORTCUT

The bad news is that you now have to repeat all
those steps for each of your remaining drive let-
ters. To make things a bit easier, you can also just
copy the following lines into a text file, modify
them and add entries according to your system
(see the screenshot for more examples of entries
from mine), save it as Driveicons.reg. and close. .

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\
DriveIcons\E]

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\DriveIcons\
E\DefaultIcon]
@=”C:\\windows\\system32\\shell32.dll,204”

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\
Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\DriveIcons\
E\DefaultLabel]
@=”Dual Layer DVD-RW”

Double-click on the file and tell the dialog box

that yes, you’re sure. All the Registry entries will
be created automatically

6 PRETTY PICTURES
Finally, take a look in My Computer at your
listing of drives. You should see the sweet
success of your efforts—and an end to the
drive-letter alphabet soup of frustration.

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 129

130 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006
 PC Magazine MarketLink

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 131

 Standardize on the Logicube Talon Standard
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PC Magazine MarketLink

134 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

The Straight Talk People
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OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 135
 PC Magazine MarketLink

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 137

 The device shown is:
a) a computer
b) a keyboard
c) a monitor
PC Magazine MarketLink

d) a TV
e) all of the above
Answer: e

i-One. The All-In-One LCD PC.

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devices. The i-One is ready to go straight
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Financial Kiosk/POS

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Copyright 2006 Cybernet Manufacturing, Inc. all rights reserved. The Cybernet logo and i-One are trademarks of Cybernet Manufacturing,
Inc. Intel, Intel Inside, Pentium, Celeron are trademarks of Intel Corporation, or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. All
other registered trademarks are property of their respective owners. *Windows® XP not included unless ordered with the unit.

138 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

PC Magazine MarketLink

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140 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

 TEACH YOUR CELL PHONE NEW TRICKS

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142 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006

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OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 143

G A M I N G + C U LT U R E
Games on a Plane!
Who needs snakes when the right titles can
entertain you in-flight?
BY JEREMY PARISH, 1UP.COM
I
T’S A SCIENTIFIC FACT: SAMUEL L. JACKSON
is the Man. In his career, he’s been a Jedi, a
hitman, and most recently, a tough-as-nails
FBI agent who battles venomous snakes at
15,000 feet. Not everyone can be Sam Jack-
son, of course, which is bad news if you
ever end up on a serpent-infested plane.
Fortunately, there are a number of game titles
that are perfect for wasting time on snake-free
flights. Until the Department of Homeland Secu-
rity gets totally hysterical and outlaws all electronic
IN-AIR GAMES ONLINE devices, you can tote the following titles on your
We’ve picked even more flight. Enjoy ’em while you can.
games ideal for in-flight
entertainment. See the
list at our gaming site, REGIONAL FLIGHTS Short flights of an hour or so
www.1up.com are tricky when it comes to killing time; half the
flight is spent rising or descending, with the stew-
ardess looking sternly over your shoulder to make
certain that your approved electronic devices are
switched off. Since you don’t really have a lot of
144 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006
time in the air, you need something you can jump
into, enjoy, and put down a few minutes later. For
flights like this, the PSP reigns supreme.
Capcom Classics Collection Remixed | PSP
Short flights are made for short games, and when
it comes to instant gratification, it’s hard to top
the classic arcade titles. After all, coin-op games
were designed to give you 3 minutes of frenetic fun
before killing you off and demanding another quar-
ter. Capcom Classics, as it happens, has more than
20 titles fitting that description—and fortunately, it
requires no quarters.
WarioWare Inc. | GBA
When it comes to quick bursts of intense fun, Wario-
Ware: Mega Microgames is pretty much impossible
to beat. And with a structure that alternates micro-
games with brief breathers, you can even keep up
with the in-flight film between rounds.
Illustration by A. Richard Allen
 TOP10
MOST POPULAR
PSP GAMES

CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHTS These jaunts are re- OVERSEAS FLIGHTS The Game Boy Advance is the 1 WTF: Work
Time Fun
Part-time jobs as
ally ideal for most portable games. It’s about 6 hours perfect hardware for those seemingly endless half-
wacky mini games.
from one end of the U.S. to another, which is enough day overseas flights. With both an expansive library
time to really get into a game—although you’ll likely
want something with a little more lasting power
of games from which to choose and unparalleled
battery life, Nintendo’s 32-bit workhorse is the per-
2 Monster Hunter
Multiplayer hunting
RPG.
than WarioWare’s microgames. fect thing to take your mind off being 30,000 feet in
For these trips, the Nintendo DS is
the perfect system. With the Wi-Fi
the air. Even the superbright GBA
SP+ is good for a dozen hours of
3 Bounty Hounds
Obliterate alien
races!
off (and FAA regulations prohibit gaming, perfect for the meaty, tac-
the use of wireless devices, blah
blah blah), a DS is good for about
tical RPGs it has in abundance.
That’s more than enough to keep
4 Valkyrie
Lenneth
Profile:

A remake of the PS1

5 to 6 hours of game time. you entertained while you jour- RPG.

5 Earthworm Jim
ney to Japan.
New Super Mario Bros. | DS & PC A revival of the clas-
New Super Mario Bros. is hand- Advance Wars | GBA sic title.
ily broken down into dozens of
stages, all of which are easily fin-
War is hell, except when the war-
riors are cute little guys in ador- 6 SOCOM:
Fireteam Bravo
Warlike action—
ished in just a few minutes each. able little engines of destruction. including online.
But it works best on longer flights In that case, war is advanced—
thanks to the dopey save system,
which lets you record your prog-
New Super Mario Bros. is ideal
Advance Wars, that is. The
friendly little death machines are
7 Need for Speed:
Most Wanted
Car customization
for cross-country flights. Play as
ress only after you’ve completed Mario on a DS or a PC. deceptive, though, because these and police chases.

8 Exit 2
certain vital landmarks. “Mamma wars require serious strategy
mia” indeed. and planning. You’ll need every minute of your air The sequel, with
time to work out effective battle plans in campaign spy-vs.-spy action.
Lumines | PSP & PC
Lumines is a pretty lousy game if you can get to
mode. Bring along the superb sequel for surviving
the flight home. 9 HOT PXL
Collection of varied
mini games.
it only in little spurts. The music always plays in
the same order every time, and as great a song as
“ Shinin’” is, even the strongest mortal starts to
Final Fantasy Tactics Advance | GBA
With all its battles, side quests, level-raising, and job 10 Ghosts ’n Goblins
3D version of Ghouls
and Ghosts.
crack after a few hours of listening to it over and training, a full game of Final Fantasy Tactics Advance
over again. On the other hand, if you have a few clocks in at, oh, about 120 hours. That’s half a dozen Source: 1Up.com. Ranked
by online buzz.
hours to devote to Lumines, it’s totally great. Bring round-trips from Texas to Tokyo. Of course if you
some headphones, slip into the zone, and don’t let can afford to fly internationally that often, you can
those ladies with their delicious pretzels and soft probably afford to hire someone to power-level your
drinks distract you. characters and save you some serious trouble. Q

AUCTION BLOCK MOD WORLD

Cyrus Bavarian wanted
New York Yankees to do a case mod based
toast You could give on thinking outside the
it to a Red Sox fan as box—the beige box, that is.
a gift! So he outfitted a chair with
eBay price: $1.50 computing muscle, using
Plexiglas and bolts. The
computer chair has an AMD
FX-53 chip, an ASUS SK8V
motherboard with a power
supply sitting alongside it,
an ATI 9200 graphics card,
a 320GB Seagate hard
drive, and an NEC CD/DVD
drive that opens right
between the chair’s legs
Prize-winning so the user doesn’t have to
paper airplane 1950s jukebox phone lean or get up when flipping
Seller claims it’s Mounts on the wall. discs. “It’s still just a box!”
undefeated. Evokes diner nostalgia. Bavarian proclaims about
eBay price: $1 eBay price: $9.99 other case mods.

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 145

BUILD IT, TWEAK IT, KNOW IT

Log on today.

The best place on the Web to learn about new

technologies, find new gear, discover new ways
to build and modify your systems, and meet
fascinating techheads… just like you!

visit www.extremetech.com
 GEARLOG

SMS IS SPOOKY
Do spirits use SMS? The
Spacewriter Textable iBall
receives and displays text
messages via its included
mobile-phone SIM card.
Get more news from the
beyond at Gearlog.com

LOOK MA, NO NOISE

P
ARENTS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED LIFE WITH A BEGINNING STUDENT
of any instrument played with a bow will want to give a shout-out to
Yamaha. The company’s silent cello is the newest addition to its line
of silent instruments, which also includes a silent viola, silent violins,
and even silent brass instruments.
For the silent cello, viola, and violin, Yamaha eliminates the inter-
nal amplification cavity found in traditional instruments. Instead, a studio-quality
audio pickup is connected to a digital internal effects processor (powered by two
double-A batteries) that places the sound in a user-selected acoustic space, such
as a concert hall or practice room. The instruments aren’t entirely silent, but they
allow a musician to practice at 1/1,000 of the unmuted volume. We found the cello
(shown above) online for prices ranging from $1,395 to $1,857. Shop carefully, and
harmonize quietly.—Sebastian Rupley

OCTOBER 17, 2006 PC MAGAZINE 147

 J O H N C. D V O R A K

Citizen journalism is like citizen professional baseball. You can’t

play pro baseball just because you think the Seattle Mariners stink.

A
NUMBER OF HOPELESS CITIZEN To get the most out of Digg, you should be in the
journalist initiatives are emer- right nerd/geek demographic and immune to its
ging, most of them promoted celebrity-obsessed groupthink. The site skyrock-
by idealistic professionals eted to prominence with the story of Paris Hilton’s
such as Jay Rosen, Dan Gill- hacked PDA. That can’t be a good sign.
mor, and Jeff Jarvis, who are Whatever you think of Digg, it’s not destroying
disappointed with the way the old establishments or reinventing news report-
things are going in the world ing. But unlike the citizen journalism initiatives, it
of news reportage. The most notable is Backfence, doesn’t pretend to.
a series of mundane, localized news sites that fo- Citizen journalism, to me, is like citizen profes-
cus on reports submitted by citizen journalists. sional baseball—it’s just not practical. You can’t
But in this instance, a citizen journalist is no more play professional baseball just because you think
DVORAK LIVE a journalist than someone who adds comments to the Seattle Mariners stink. You’re not a good enough
ON THE WEB a football forum—it’s laughable. ballplayer. Yes, bloggers have been breaking news
Go to www.Cranky
Geeks.com on October 5,
For local insight, I’d suggest a list of local blog- stories here and there, but it’s usually because they
2 p.m. eastern time, to gers—and note that most bloggers call themselves amplify something that media professionals have
see Dvorak and Neil bloggers, not journalists. There is no pretense. already written about but that was ignored by the
Gaiman, New York Times What trumps these citizen journalist schemes is major media. Bloggers, millions of gadflies, have
best-selling author,
discuss blogging and
Digg, one of the two or three hottest new sites on the been hounding Big Media.
online publishing. Web. Though its founders, Kevin Rose and Jay Adel- The main reason these anti–Big Media initiatives
son, speak about democratization of the news, Digg have appeared is that the media are seen as letting
is actually a watchdog or consolidation site where us down in every way. Big Media picks the wrong
you can link to stories written by professionals on stories, so we have to use Digg to find the right ones.
real news sites. Digg points you there by user votes. The media’s news-gathering problems aren’t going
to be solved by bloggers or citizen journalists.
Newspapers are not disrespected and dying
because of their reporters. The business model is
the problem. They have cut investigative and inter-
national reporting significantly. They are top-heavy
with entertainment-news coverage and excessive
pandering to advertisers to meet corporate bot-
tom-line requirements. Pandering means not just
writing softball articles but creating an uncritical
editorial cushion of fluff upon which advertisers
can feel comforted. And there is the pervasive fear
of offending the reader with reality.
Once, the newspapers all got fat from what
Rupert Murdoch once called the “river of gold”—
the classified ads. That river is drying up fast.
Ironically, this loss of classified-ad revenue and the
complaints about it have hurt newspapers’ credibil-
ity the most. They are supposed to be smart and on
top of things; didn’t they see this coming? How can
we trust anything they say about anything if they
can’t even see a trend in their own business?
It will be a while before this is resolved and the
public finally gets served quality information. My
fear is that it’s too late; that the public doesn’t care
and would rather hear about Britney’s baby than
about corruption in high places. It’s easier to take. Q

148 PC MAGAZINE OCTOBER 17, 2006 Illustration by Geoffrey Grahn

TAKE EVERYTHING YOU LOVE ABOUT
TECHNOLOGY AND MULTIPLY IT.
TAKE THE FUN, THE GAMES, THE CURIOSITY,
THE EXPLORATION, THE CREATIVITY, THE EXCITEMENT,
THE PROGRESS, THE LEARNING, AND THE PASSION…
AND AMPLIFY IT.

NOW TAKE EVERYTHING YOU DON’T LIKE –

THE LAG TIMES, THE LOCKUPS, THE STUTTERSTEPS...
AND DELETE IT.

IT’S A NEW WAY OF COMPUTING.

IN FACT, IT’S COMPUTING THE WAY IT WAS MEANT TO BE.