 Timing Is Everything
If you're thinking about buying a new computer, take your time. There are some great deals in today's market, and those deals aren't likely to evaporate anytime soon. If you've ever considered buying a flat-panel LCD (liquid-crystal display), however, it's time to stop putting it off and make a decision to buy. Some display industry insiders have hinted for the last two years that the low prices for LCDs were a temporary phenomenon. And now Korean manufacturers LG Philips and Samsung are raising the prices of LCDs with 15-inch and 17-inch screens by as much as 5%. This is especially significant because LG Philips and Samsung are top manufacturers that together claim roughly 40% of the LCD market worldwide.
Over the past two years, LCD prices have fallen sharply. Three years ago you could expect to pay $1,000 or more for a small (14-inch or 15-inch) LCD. Prices started declining most significantly in 2001 when, for the first time, you could buy a decent 15-inch LCD for less than $400. Since then LCD pricing has followed a trend similar to other components, such as processors: As newer, better products became available, older, slower products came down in price. In the case of LCDs, as larger models and those with more features (for example, those that accept digital input, as well as the older, more common analog input) hit the computer store shelves, the price of smaller LCDs and those with fewer features went down. Un-like manufacturers of other components, LCD manufacturers are hard pressed to reduce costs further, and it appears that for the foreseeable future LCD prices will at best remain stable or in many cases rise.
As for PCs, Intel recently sweetened the pot by releasing lower-priced versions of its top-tier CPUs and chipsets. This clears the way for manufacturers to include higher performing processors (for example, Pentium 4 processors with clock speeds as fast as 2.8GHz) in desktop computers at a reduced cost. So, although it's a great time to buy a new PC, CPU manufacturers' practice of making yesterday's best processors available at a reduced price continues, which means tomorrow will be just as good a time to buy as today.
Where Have You Been?
Nielsen has long tracked the habits of TV audiences and Variety has for decades kept score of box office successes and failures. Along those lines, the analysts at Nielsen//NetRatings keep track of all sorts of Internet traffic. Here's a look at some of the company's recent findings. 
Green PCs
You may have heard mention of so-called "green PCs," computers with environmentally friendly designs. Thus far the phrase is used more to draw attention to ideas (Hewlett-Packard's innovative printer made with a biodegradable case, for example) rather than readily available products. When it comes to green computing, the best thing to do at this point is to keep an eye on local and online recycling programs.
Many organizations recycle printer cartridges (some pay you for them). The FundingFactory Recycling Program (http://www.fundingfactory.com), for example, works with schools and other entities to exchange old cell phones and printer cartridges for points that can be put toward computer and multimedia equipment.
Because PC components and peripherals contain plastic, toxins, or both (CRT [cathode-ray tube] monitors, for instance, contain barium, cadmium, lead, mercury, and phosphorous), the greenest thing you can do is make sure these items don't wind up in landfills. Although criticized by some environmental groups for using Earth Day for marketing purposes, Dell has a long-standing recycling program that lets you turn over your old computer when you upgrade to a new one (a Dell, of course). For more information visit Dell online (http://www.dell4me.com/recycling).
Wireless On Steroids
If you're using wireless technology at home to share one computer's broadband Internet connection or files with a second desktop or notebook PC, it's likely your wireless devices use the 802.11b standard, better known as Wi-Fi. The 802.11b standard lets wireless devices transmit data as far as 300 feet (or roughly 150 feet indoors) at a maximum rate of 11Mbps (megabits per second), which is slightly faster than the average home broadband connection.
The 802.11a standard, on the other hand, has more security features than 801.11b and can achieve data transfer speeds of as fast as 54Mbps, or four times faster than 802.11b. But 802.11a hasn't caught on because its range is shorter than 802.11b and most consumer wireless devices use 802.11b, which is not compatible with 802.11a. Enter 802.11g, recently approved by the 380,000-member IEEE (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers).
Devices using 802.11g can reach 802.11a speeds and work with 802.11b devices, as well. Other standards are waiting for approval, too, including 802.16, commonly referred to as Wi-Max. A kind of wireless-on-steroids standard, Wi-Max will reportedly have a range of about 30 miles. REVIEWS
Portable Favorites
Most of us use Microsoft's ubiquitous Internet Explorer browser to surf the Web. When we want to use IE to create a bookmark (a shortcut to the Internet address of a particular Web page we want to access again some time in the future), we have to access the Web page, select Add To Favorites from the Favorites menu, and save the bookmark as an Internet Favorite somewhere in our Favorites folder. This provides easy access to our favorite Web pages but only as long as we always use the same computer (the one on which we originally created the Internet Favorites).
 To use a collection of Internet Favorites on a computer other than the one we used to create them in the first place (say, a computer at work, or a notebook PC we can take on the road), IE doesn't offer any easy options. If you're looking for a good way to make your bookmarks portable, check out LinkStash from XRayz Software.
After installing and launching LinkStash, it automatically imports your current browser (IE, Mozilla, Netscape, or Opera) and adds buttons to your browser's toolbar that let you quickly add bookmarks to LinkStash. You can organize bookmarks in a tree structure that resembles Windows Explorer, view detailed information about when you last visited a particular bookmark and how often you've used the bookmark, and add username and password information to bookmarks for subscription sites. What we like best, though, is that LinkStash lets you save all your bookmarks in a single HTML (Hypertext Markup Language) document, which you can then print or save to a floppy diskette and transfer to a different PC.
You can buy the program online for $19.95, or you can download the program for a free 30-day trial and, if you like it, pay $19.95 for a permanent registration code. XRayz Software's Web site includes a product FAQ and a support forum, but the company does not offer technical support via phone.
LinkStash
$19.95
XRayz Software
(402) 323-6692 (phone sales provided by eSellerate)
http://www.xrayz.co.uk Coming Soon: Affordable DVD Recorders
Those of you who have heard Oprah Winfrey rave about how much she loves her TiVo already know a bit about DVRs (digital video recorders). A DVR, such as TiVo, lets you record TV programs and movies. But it also includes features far beyond those that even the best VCRs possess. With a typical DVR you can, for example, pause live television, view an instant replay, or start watching the beginning of a program that the DVR is still recording. Rather than using bulky VHS tapes, DVRs have an internal hard drive with a capacity that's capable of storing hours upon hours of video.
 However, DVRs pose one major roadblock to complete TV satisfaction: They don't let you save programs to removable media such as CDs or DVDs.
That falls within the purview of DVD recorders, set-top devices that let you burn video onto DVD+R/RW (DVD plus recordable/rewriteable), DVD-R/RW (DVD dash recordable/ rewriteable), and/or DVD-RAM discs, depending on what the specific DVD recorder supports.
DVD recorders are essentially set-top versions of the DVD-recordable drives that have been widely available for more than a year now in computers. Until recently, though, DVD recorder prices have hovered between $500 and $1,000, making them too expensive for the average consumer. Now LSI Logic has lowered the price of its video signal processor, which encodes video into a digital signal DVD recorders understand, and decodes video for playback on standard TV sets. This makes way for DVD recorders with retail prices of $400 or less.
One of the first low-priced DVD recorders out of the gate is the Apex Digital DRX-9000. At press time the Digital DRX-9000 hadn't been officially released, but Apex has given the device a $399 price tag. Look for other manufacturers to follow suit in coming months, possibly in time for the 2003 holiday shopping season.
We browsed Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com) and found other DVD recorders already available for less than $500, including the Panasonic DMR-E30S Progressive Scan DVD Recorder ($499) and the Philips DVDR985 Progressive-Scan DVD Recorder/Player ($479).  Music Box Getting Closer To Prime Time. Despite some exciting marketing hype, early versions of cd3o's flagship line of wireless audio players (including the c300 Extended Range Wireless Network MP3 Player reviewed here) were plagued with enough bugs to keep it off the shelves. So when we learned of the recent official release of the c300 and its siblings, we were curious to see how far the product had come.
Setup was simple. We installed the accompanying software on a PC running Windows XP with an 802.11b (or Wi-Fi) wireless access point and saved numerous CDs worth of music on its hard drive using Windows Media Player. We then took the c300 to a stereo system in a separate room about 35 feet away from the PC, attached stereo speakers to the right and left RCA stereo jacks on the back of the c300, attached the power cable, and plugged it in.
The c300 works with MP3, WMA (Windows Media Audio), and WAV (Wave Audio, the standard Windows audio format) files. The device doesn't have a visual display; instead, it uses a synthetic voice to acknowledge your instructions and guide you through menus via remote control (batteries included).
We were generally pleased with the c300, including its sound quality, but wish a few things were different. For example, the synthetic voice isn't pretty and is occasionally unclear; the device's ports work for standard analog, digital, optical, and coaxial output but lack output to PC speakers or headphones; and the device only plays music saved to a hard drive, not directly from CD or Internet radio. We anticipate that cd30 will continue improving its product line, as the devices show a great deal of promise. For now, the c300 is available for $199 after a $50 rebate.
c300 Extended-Range Wireless Network MP3 Player
$249 cd30
(619) 238-9086
http://www.cd3o.com New Products
Compiled by Kylee Dickey
Quick takes on the latest hardware and software to hit the market at press time.
Manufacturers' and publishers' release dates are subject to change, so some of
the products may not be available when you read this.
Hardware
1.6GHz Power Mac G5
Apple $1,999
The first desktop computer with a 64-bit processor
(800) 692-7753; (408) 996-1010
http://www.apple.com
32MB Kanguru Micro CF
Kanguru Solutions $39.95
A two-in-one CompactFlash memory-card reader and USB flash drive
(888) 526-4878; (508) 376-4245
http://www.kanguru.com |
New iTrip FM Transmitter For iPod | 225W PowerSure PST60Hz
Liebert Corporation $91.20
Protects an individual desktop system from power surges
(800) 877-9222; (614) 888-0246
http://www.liebert.com
AV320 Video Recorder
Archos $599.95
Portable MP4 Video Player & Recorder
(949) 609-1483
http://www.archos.com
CanoScan LiDE 50
Canon $99.99
Color scanner with a USB 2.0 Hi-Speed connection for faster scanning
(800) 652-2666
http://www.usa.canon.com
EasyShare DX6440
Kodak $399
A 4-megapixel camera with 4X optical zoom
(800) 235-6325
http://www.kodak.com
HP Compaq nc4000
HP $1,699
A notebook with a Gigabit LAN controller
(800) 752-0900; (281) 370-0670
http://www.hp.com
i250 Color Bubble Jet Printer
Canon $49.99
Prints as many as 9ppm color and 12ppm black and white
(800) 652-2666
http://www.usa.canon.com
M5200n
Dell $999
Network-ready laser printer capable of printing as many as 35ppm
(800) 274-3355; (512) 338-4400
http://www.dell.com
PowerShot G5
Canon $899
5-megapixel digicam with swiveling LCD
(800) 652-2666
http://www.powershot.com
Premium USB Headset 300
Logitech $49.99
Headset with noise-cancelling technology
(800) 231-7717; (510) 795-8500
http://www.logitech.com
PX212M
Planar $1,399
21.3-inch UXGA LCD with S-Video, DVI-D, and Composite video and Picture-in-Picture support
(866) 752-6271
http://www.planar.com
Satellite A25-S207
Toshiba $1,499
Notebook computer with Wi-Fi support
(800) 316-0920; (949) 583-3000
http://www.csd.toshiba.com
Sidekick
T-Mobile $299.99
Call friends, browse the Web, use AIM, send/receive email, take photos, and play games on the new color screen
(800) 866-2453
http://www.t-mobile.com
SlimX 550
iRiver America $179.99
CD player that supports CDA, MP3, WMA, and ASF formats and has 32-minute skip protection
(800) 399-1799
http://www.iriveramerica.com
Super DVD Writer/All-Format
Internal Drive
Iomega $329.95
Supports DVD-R/DVD-RW/DVD+R/DVD+RW/DVD-RAM/CD-R/CD-RW
(800) 697-8833; (412) 690-2100
http://www.iomega.com
Universal Wireless Keyboard
Targus $79.99
Cordless typing from a PDA, dual PDA/cell phone, or smart phone
(877) 482-7487; (714) 765-5555
http://www.targus.com
Software
Actual Window Decorations
Actual Tools $34.95
Adds new functions and changes the appearance of program windows
sales@actualtools.com
http://www.ActualTools.com
Agendus for Palm OS Standard Edition 6.1
iambic $24.95
Organize contacts, calendars, and lists
(408) 736-2000, ext.15
http://www.iambic.com
CopyPaste-X 1.6
Script Software $20
Copy and paste multiple selections
copypaste-info@scriptsoftware.com
http://www.scriptsoftware.com
File Encryptor 1.5
SurfSecret $29.99
Encrypts files for security and privacy
support@surfsecret.com
http://www.surfsecret.com
HPC Notes 4.3 Standard Edition
Phatware $29.95
Create and organize notes on your WinCE or Pocket PC PDA
(650) 559-5600
http://www.phatware.com
Kaplan SAT/ACT/PSAT Deluxe 2004
Topics Entertainment $49.99
Helps students prepare for the SAT,
ACT, and PSAT exams
(800) 877-0738; (425) 656-3621
http://www.topics-ent.com
KPT Collection
Corel $99.99
Adds image-editing tools to Photoshop
(800) 772-6735; (613) 728-8200
http://www.corel.com
Middle School Advantage 2004
Encore $39.99
Tutorials, games, and multimedia
presentations teach 10 subjects for middle-school students
(800) 755-3588; (310) 768-1800
http://www.encoreusa.com
MouseMojo 1.3
Software River Solutions $27.95
Customize your mouse's buttons to perform program-specific functions
info@softwareriver.com
http://www.softwareriver.com
Mystical Tint Tone And Color
Auto FX Software $179
Add brush-on color effects to your photographs
(800) 839-2008; (205) 980-0056
http://www.autofx.com
Panorama Factory 3.0
Smoky City Design $59.95
Pieces your digital photos together to make panoramic images
support@panoramafactory.com
http://www.panoramafactory.com
pdfMachine 8.7
Broadgun Software $49
Create PDF files
info@broadgun.com
http://www.pdfMachine.com
PowerDVD 5 Standard
CyberLink $39.95
Watch DVDs on your PC and control interactive DVD features
(510) 668-0118
http://www.gocyberlink.com
Rocketinfo Desktop
Rocketinfo $69
Searches various news sources for information and headlines
(877) 402-4636; (613) 232-4636, ext.29
http://www.rocketdesktop.com
Tiny Personal Firewall 5.0
Tiny Software $39
A firewall to protect your PC and your privacy
(408) 919-7360
http://www.tinysoftware.com
Thousands Of Songs On Your Radio
A few months ago, Griffin Technology released the iTrip FM Transmitter For iPod, a tiny device that clips onto the top of Apple's iPod and transmits the music to an FM radio. Apple then announced its newer, smaller iPods. The original iTrip didn't work with the newer Apple devices. Now Griffin Technology sells the New iTrip FM Transmitter For iPod, which fits atop the new iPods. Many FM transmitters for MP3 players require batteries, but the iPod itself powers the iTrip. This device turns on automatically when you plug it into the iPod and turns off after 60 seconds of silence. ($35; 615/399-7000; http://www.griffintechnology.com) |
Chess Is Child's Play
|
Learn To Play Chess With Fritz & Chesster | Even adults can find the rules and strategies of chess overwhelming. With Viva Media's Learn To Play Chess With Fritz & Chesster, children learn the rules of chess while helping cartoon character Fritz battle the evil King Black. The software includes seven games that teach both chess basics and advanced game strategies. The program also features the Intelligym where kids can test their chess skills. Learn To Play Chess With Fritz & Chesster may be a children's program, but it uses the same chess engine as Deep Fritz, the computer that tied chess champion Vladimir Kramnik last fall. ($29.99; 877/848-6520; 212/431-4420; http://www.viva-media.com) |
|
Email This
Print This
