Guide To Laptop Processors

Mobile processors have some of the largest innovations going on in the computer market. As they gather more of the market, they have to balance the level of performance with their power usage. The type of processor used in a laptop is very dependent upon the size and design of the laptop. This article looks at what some of the various processors are available for the different classifications of laptops to assist those looking at buying a new laptop computer.

• Laptop Processor Buyer's Guide

Guide To Laptop Processors originally appeared on About.com PC Hardware / Reviews on Saturday, February 4th, 2012 at 08:00:36.

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What Is An Ultrabook?

If you happened to follow the computer news out of CES 2012, you probably heard the term Ultrabook used a lot. In fact, this class of computer seemed to outpace the number of tablet announcements which were the big hot item of 2011. So, what is the difference between a laptop and an Ultrabook? What about tablets? Find out more in my article that takes a closer look at what makes an ultrabook.

• What Is An Ultrabook?

What Is An Ultrabook? originally appeared on About.com PC Hardware / Reviews on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 09:00:39.

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Cyberpower Support Profile

Cyberpower is a private systems integrator that is growing in size thanks to deals with internet companies such as NewEgg to sell prebuilt systems. In addition to building custom order desktops and laptops, they sell a set of same-day shipping prebuilt units similar to those sold through retail partners. But being a relatively unknown company in the major consumer market, how well do they support their computers? Find out in my profile of their support department.

• Cyberpower Support Profile

Included in the profile I list the various avenues that users have for support, tips and advice. In addition to this information, I have also added a poll so that readers can share their opinion of the companies support. If you have used their support and would like to let others know of their experiences for better or worse, please vote in the survey and share your experience.

How would you rate Cyberpower's support?

• Excellent
• Above Average
• Average
• Below Average
• Poor

View Results

Cyberpower Support Profile originally appeared on About.com PC Hardware / Reviews on Friday, February 3rd, 2012 at 08:00:18.

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Is NFC Useful In Computers?

You may have heard or seen about new cellphones that have that have the capabilities to be used with vending machines to pay for products just by swiping it next to the machine rather than paying with cash. This is utilizing a new technology called near field communications or NFC. At the recent CES 2012, several computer companies announced that they would be introducing the technology to some of their laptop computers later in the year. Now, its not likely that people would be swiping a laptop next to a vending machine for payment as it isn't really practical. So, just what is NFC and why would one want it in a laptop? Find out more in my new technology article on the subject.

• What Is NFC?

Is NFC Useful In Computers? originally appeared on About.com PC Hardware / Reviews on Thursday, February 2nd, 2012 at 09:00:17.

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Creative Finally Releases A New Audio Processor

The Creative X-Fi audio processor is considered quite old by technology standards. It has been in a variety of Sound Blaster X-Fi cards for over seven years. During this time, a large number of competitors released new audio cards that challenged the company's dominance in the PC audio card market. Now the company has finally released a new audio processor called Core3D that features four audio processor cores in the chip. They have put it into three different cards ranging in price from $100 to $200. Today, I take a look at the mid-priced card with the Fatal1ty branding. Is this an excellent upgrade for gamers? What about those wanting to just listen to some music or watch movies? Find out in my review of the Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Professional PC audio card.

• Creative Sound Blaster Recon3D Fatal1ty Professional PCI-Express Review

Creative Finally Releases A New Audio Processor originally appeared on About.com PC Hardware / Reviews on Wednesday, February 1st, 2012 at 14:24:35.

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Readers' Choice 2012 Nominations Continue

About.com is once again conducting its Readers' Choice Awards. Right now, we are soliciting nominations from our readers in a variety of different categories. For the PC Hardware / Reviews site, readers will be able to suggest and eventually vote on who they feel is the best for computers, laptops and tablets. Nominations will be accepted for just two more weeks until February 15th. So be sure to nominate the company you feel deserves recognition!

• Readers Choice 2012 - Computers

Readers' Choice 2012 Nominations Continue originally appeared on About.com PC Hardware / Reviews on Tuesday, January 31st, 2012 at 15:35:46.

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How To Find a Computer For Less

Computers are considered a major purchase for most consumers. Even with the dropping prices on entry level computers, they still cost as much or more than major home appliances. Add to this price ranges that can be as little as a couple hundred to several thousand dollars. How does one go about finding a great deal on a new laptop or desktop computer system? This article looks at some of the more common means for consumers to save money when buying a computer.

• Tips to Save Money on a Computer Purchase

How To Find a Computer For Less originally appeared on About.com PC Hardware / Reviews on Monday, January 30th, 2012 at 09:00:21.

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Computer Deal of the Week - Acer Aspire AS7750G-6669

Thinking you want a computer that you can take with you from time to time but still want a big screen? Don't want to spend too much but still have a good set of features? If so, then you might want to take a look at the Acer Aspire AS7750G-6669 at NewEgg for just $650. It features a Core i5-2430 dual core processor, 4GB DDR3 memory, 640GB hard drive, dual layer DVD burner, 17-inch display, AMD Radeon HD 6650M dedicated graphics, 802.11b/g/n wireless and Windows 7. For a more detailed look, you can check out my review for the higher end Aspire AS7750G-6957 for comparison.

Disclaimer: All deals are those advertised by the retailer in question and may have rebates or other conditions of purchase for the products. Please be sure to read all disclaimers from the seller before purchasing.

Computer Deal of the Week - Acer Aspire AS7750G-6669 originally appeared on About.com PC Hardware / Reviews on Sunday, January 29th, 2012 at 08:00:14.

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LCD Monitor Buyer's Guide

If you are buying a desktop PC system, then you also need a monitor to go with it. Where CRT monitors once used to dominate the industry, LCDs are pretty much used exclusively. If you are shopping for a screen, you have probably come across terms like contrast ratios, response times and viewing angles. What do all these terms mean? Find out more in my technology buying guide about computer LCD monitors.

• LCD Monitor Buyer's Guide

LCD Monitor Buyer's Guide originally appeared on About.com PC Hardware / Reviews on Saturday, January 28th, 2012 at 08:00:49.

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Best All-In-One PCs

The market for all-in-one computers continues to grow. Thanks to the improvements from Intel's second generation Core i processors, they continue to get faster while still maintaining their diminutive dimensions. Touchscreens are still a popular feature but it is still more novelty than functional for most implementations. Prices and other features are quite diverse providing options for people regardless of their budget or how they intend to use the systems. Check out my list of the Best All-In-One Desktop PCs to see what models I like for various applications and budgets.

• Best All-In-One Desktop PCs

If you happen to own an all-in-one desktop PC, you can now submit a review of your own all-in-one to tell people either why they should get or avoid that particular model.

Best All-In-One PCs originally appeared on About.com PC Hardware / Reviews on Friday, January 27th, 2012 at 09:00:19.

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HP Pavilion dv7-6B55DX

If you're looking for a lot of screen real estate and enough power for work and play, the HP Pavilion dv7-6b55dx is a good place to start.

Apple iMac 21.5-inch (2.5GHz, spring 2011)

Apple's $1,199 iMac doesn't offer the same home entertainment features as Windows-based all-in-ones, but its speed, looks, and the future utility of its Thunderbolt port make it a strong choice for performance-sensitive professionals.

Asus Zenbook UX31E-DH53

The Asus Zenbook UX31E is an excellent-looking Windows Ultrabook laptop that matches the MacBook Air step for step with an even better price. Fans of great audio, high-resolution screens and lots of ports will be happy; keyboard/touch pad aficionados will be disappointed.

Canon Pixma MG6220

Unique features like HD Movie Print, CD/DVD printing, and Apple AirPrint compatibility make the Canon Pixma MG6220 a no-brainer for amateur photographers, families, and home offices.

Lexmark Impact S305

The Lexmark Impact S305's low price tag, simple setup, and straightforward features are sure to draw in budget customers with intermittent printing needs. With extra features like wireless printing and a media card reader, the Impact earns a solid recommendation.

Linksys E3200 High Performance Dual-Band N Router

The Linksys E3200 is an excellent high-performance Wireless-N router for both novice and experienced users.

Samsung Series 7 all-in-one (DP700A3B)

Samsung has captured our attention, and our Editors' Choice Award, in its U.S. desktop debut, and we expect the Series 7 all-in-one PC will attract many mainstream customers with its appealing looks and accessible touch interface.

HP Pavilion g6-1a69us

HP's unbranded G-series laptops can be reasonable choices for bargain hunters. The latest version gets a design upgrade and keeps the price down, but is stuck with last year's CPU and graphics.

Dell XPS 14z

The Dell XPS 14z is a nicely designed, well-built 14-inch laptop, but the XPS "z" design works better on the 15-inch version, leaving this model feeling chunky.

Netgear WNDR3800 N600 Wireless Dual-Band Gigabit Router - Premium Edition

The Netgear WNDR3800 N600 Wireless Dual-Band Gigabit Router makes an excellent router for any home.

Linksys E2500 Advanced Dual-Band N Router

Though far from perfect, the Linksys E2500's ease of use, nice design, and reasonable price make it a very good router for a small home or apartment.

HP Envy 15 (winter 2012)

HP's Envy line has always been a reliable high-end PC laptop line, and this new redesign adds some useful features, such as a volume wheel, while keeping the upscale look and feel.

Apple MacBook Air (11-inch, Summer 2011)

This year's 11-inch MacBook Air improves on last year's model in several significant ways and is by far the fastest ultraportable you're likely to find, though some users will consider the limited flash storage space to be a hindrance.

Apple MacBook Pro Fall 2011 (2.2GHz Core i7, 15-inch)

A MacBook Pro is a significant investment, especially when adding in optional upgrades. Cost aside, there's not a better choice (there are, however, some close ties) for an all-around powerhouse that will work in the home, the office, and in between.

Apple Mac Mini (2.5GHz Core i5, Summer 2011)

Apple's new $799 Mac Mini demands that you abandon disc-based media, and that you surround it with potentially expensive extra hardware to realize its full benefits. It makes most sense for committed Mac users, those who need it for a specific niche-case, or for those who value design over functionality for the dollar.

Toshiba Portege R835-P56X

With three more hours of battery life over last year's model, Toshiba's new R800 series of Portege laptops are hard to beat, even in the highly competitive 13-inch laptop category.

Linksys E4200 Maximum Performance Dual-Band Wireless-N Router

The Linksys E4200 Maximum Performance Dual-Band Wireless-N Router is the first advanced router from Cisco that will make both novice and savvy users happy, thanks to its easy-to-use desktop application, comprehensive Web interface, great design, and stellar performance.

HP LaserJet Pro M1212nf MFP

The HP LaserJet Pro M1212nf is the company's cheapest monochrome multifunction laser printer. For the money, it earns our recommendation for its Smart Install feature and excellent value.

Epson Stylus NX430 Small-in-One All-in-One Printer

The Epson NX430 "Small-in-One" printer is a solid investment for students and office jockeys who print high-quality photos and documents but don't have the space for a large format device.

Sony Vaio VPC-YB35KX/B

The more affordable and better-performing Sony Vaio YB35KX/B is a modest improvement on the last YB model we reviewed, adding up to a full-featured but cramped 11-inch laptop that'll cost a lot less than an ultrabook.

Epson WorkForce 845 All-in-One Printer

Though it's slightly more expensive than competing inkjet workhorses, we recommend the Epson WorkForce 845 for its refined design and Epson's Connect cloud-printing portfolio.

D-Link Amplifi HD Media Router 2000 DIR-827

The D-Link DIR-827 is a very good true dual-band router that needs a firmware upgrade so it can live up to its potential.

Netgear WNDR3700 RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router (Premium Edition)

The Netgear WNDR3700 RangeMax Dual Band Wireless-N Gigabit Router is a great dual-band router for networking enthusiasts who also want a quick and easy network storage solution.

Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, Summer 2011)

The latest version of the 13-inch MacBook Air vastly outperforms its predecessor, and can finally be called suitable for mainstream use, instead of relegated as a niche product.

Canon Pixma MX410

The Canon Pixma MX410 isn't the fastest printer in its image class, but its auto-document feeder, wireless connectivity, and the comprehensive Canon software suite earn this multifunction printer our recommendation for light to moderate monthly output.

Adobe Creative Suite 4 Web Premium

Adobe CS4 Web Premium is a good deal for interactive designers who don't need tools for video editing and sophisticated print layouts.

Adobe Creative Suite 4 Design Premium

Adobe CS4 Design Premium contains nearly every tool for editing digital images and layouts for print and the Web, as well as for crafting interactive animation and desktop apps. If you don't need video editing, pick this over the Master Collection and save $700.

iLife '09

Apple iLife '09 is a great application suite for simple media organizing and editing, and the addition of features like face recognition, geotagging, and music lessons makes it worth the update.

Nostalgia (DS)

Quicken Deluxe 2010

Quicken 2010 is a solid finance package, especially for novices, but offers little that's substantively new.

iWork '09 Family Pack

Intuitive interface design and easy access to useful features make iWork the best office suite choice on the Mac. Though it lacks some of Microsoft Office's advanced options, iWork '09 is an emerging powerhouse in its own right.

Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 (CD-ROM, 1-Year License)

Kaspersky Anti-Virus 2010 offers pricey antivirus protection. The 2009 version scored well on independent antivirus detection and removal tests, but be prepared to pay a premium for what you're getting.

Trend Micro Internet Security Pro 2010

Trend Micro Internet Security Pro's broad feature set combined with its look and feel make it a serious contender, but questionable efficacy and middling performance mean it's a program we're not recommending for this year.

Corel Home Office

Despite some compatibility setbacks, Corel Home Office suite is useful for creating documents. Its conscientious size, small-screen optimizations, and attractive price make it a good buy for a Netbook office suite, or for saving space by shedding advanced features.

Zone Alarm Extreme Security 2010

ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2010 isn't necessarily the best suite around, but it's definitely effective and should appeal to those who like making granular adjustments to their protection.

We Need Copyright Reform, Not The Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA)

As a Member of the European Parliament, I very much welcome the increased attention the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) has received in the past weeks. It has taken a while for massive outcry to emerge, but we are seeing protest voices getting louder and louder.

Polish Protests Put ACTA On Hold

Last week the European Union has officially signed the controversial anti-piracy trade agreement ACTA. This brings ACTA a step closer to passing, but individual EU Member States and the European Parliament still have to ratify ACTA later this year. But this may not happen.

Act on Acta now if you care about democracy and free speech

David Meyer: The anti-counterfeiting trade agreement could criminalise internet users globally. But it hasn't been ratified yet http://digg.com/news/technology/act_on_acta_now_if_you_care_about_democracy_and_free_speech

Watch The Most Amazing Table In The World.

A beautifully-crafted table encapsulates electronics and robotics, allowing images to be magically sculpted in a layer of sand. http://digg.com/news/technology/watch_the_most_amazing_table_in_the_world

Meetings Are Stand-Up Jobs

Stand-up meetings are part of a fast-moving tech culture in which sitting has become synonymous with sloth. http://digg.com/news/technology/meetings_are_stand_up_jobs

6 HDTVs You Wish You Had For The Super Bowl But Can't

These cutting-edge HDTVs would be great for watching the Super Bowl, except they're not out yet. http://digg.com/news/technology/6_hdtvs_you_wish_you_had_for_the_super_bowl_but_can_t

ADZero bamboo smartphone prototypes hands-on

We were so beguiled by AD's bamboo-bound smartphone that we had to track down the designer to get some hands-on time with these http://digg.com/news/technology/adzero_bamboo_smartphone_prototypes_hands_on

iOS apps crash more often than Android apps

A new report from start-up company Crittercism claims that iOS apps are crashing at a greater rate than most popular Android apps. http://digg.com/news/technology/ios_apps_crash_more_often_than_android_apps

We are all living inside the notification hell

Like you and millions of others, I find myself trapped inside notification hell. Emails, notifications, tweets, text and instant Messages, Facebook Alerts -- are part of our over-notified self. Here is a video that does a great job of capturing this notification hell we live in.

British student designs bamboo smartphone

A student from Middlesex University has designed a smartphone made from bamboo, which he plans to release in the UK and Europe later this year. http://digg.com/news/technology/british_student_designs_bamboo_smartphone

Hands-on with Node.js support in Komodo IDE 7

ActiveState has released a new version of the Komodo integrated development environment. We tested its newly added support for Node.js debugging and code completion. http://digg.com/news/technology/hands_on_with_node_js_support_in_komodo_ide_7

Ex-FCC chair: Spectrum plan "single worst telecom bill I've seen"

Why the House spectrum bill should be ditched: Q&A with Reed Hundt

Scientists Transform Deadly Plant Into Cancer Killing Smart Bomb

The ancient Greeks called the thapsia garganica plant "deadly carrot," because their camels would eat it and quickly die. The Roman emperor Nero mixed it with frankincense to treat bruises. http://digg.com/news/technology/scientists_transform_deadly_plant_into_cancer_killing_smart_bomb

NOAA Does Not Hire a High Priced Consultant to Move Email to the Cloud

This is a change for a government agency. NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) had nineteen different email systems and over 25,000 email addresses they wanted to consolidate under one system to cut costs. Surprisingly, they didnt spend millions of dollars on a study or a consulting firm to do the move. http://digg.com/news/technology/noaa_does_not_hire_a_high_priced_consultant_to_move_email_to_the_cloud

Pinterest Drove More Referral Traffic to Sites Than Google+, LinkedIn and MySpace all Combined

According to a recent study conducted by Sharaholic, Pinterest drove more referral traffic to sites in January than Google+, Reddit, YouTube, LinkedIn and MySpace all combined. Keep in mind, Sharaholic only has access to data from websites that have the Sharaholic application installed. http://digg.com/news/technology/pinterest_drove_more_referral_traffic_to_sites_than_google_linkedin_and_myspace_all_combined

Get Ready For a World of Connected Devices

"This mission is too important for me to allow you to jeopardize it." HAL; 2001: A Space Odyssey Editor's note: this is a longer version of ReadWriteWeb Editor-in-chief Richard MacManus' article for the SAY Media newsletter. The newsletter is delivered weekly and features SAY Media's take on media, culture, venn diagrams and the occasional Kubrick homage. You can sign up for it here. Over half of all devices at this year's CES, the world's largest consumer electronics trade show, were Internet connected. Nearly 60% of those were non-traditional computing devices such as TVs, cars, refrigerator

Anonymous Hackers Release Internal FBI Conference Call Recording

Breaking: a faction of Anonymous has released an MP3 recording of an FBI conference call which took place on January 17th. http://digg.com/news/technology/anonymous_hackers_release_internal_fbi_conference_call_recording

France convicts Google Maps for unfair competition

French court rules that it's illegally anticompetitive for Google to provide free maps http://digg.com/news/technology/france_convicts_google_maps_for_unfair_competition

Open Source Tackles Healthcare In Places Microsoft Can't

Under the aegis of their nonprofit, eHealth Nigeria, Castle and Thompson have built a digital records system meant to eventually serve healthcare facilities across northern Nigeria, but it doesn't use the sort of specialized health care software in U.S. or even everyday database software. There's no Kaiser software. And no Microsoft. The system is based on OpenMRS, an open source health records system designed specifically for use in underdeveloped regions. http://digg.com/news/technology/open_source_tackles_healthcare_in_places_microsoft_can_t

How To Pimp Your LinkedIn Profile

I like using Twitter. I tolerate Facebook because I have to. And I'm on Google+ because everyone says I should be. So that has left little time to give love to my profile on LinkedIn, which is, depending on how you look at it, either the biggest niche social network or the smallest of the big, all-encompassing social networks. http://digg.com/news/technology/how_to_pimp_your_linkedin_profile

Most Popular Laptops for January 2012

Each month, we compile data for the number of times a particular notebook is viewed on this site's product pages to get an idea of what mainstream consumers are looking at and thinking about buying. Here's our Top Ten list of laptops our visitors wanted to see the most during the month of January.

US Air Force Selects the Getac B300 Ultra Rugged Notebook

The Getac B300 ultra rugged notebook has won the Air Force IT Commodity Council's approval for its ability to perform, meet security requirements, and survive in even the harshest environmental conditions.

Most Popular Laptops for December 2011

Each month we compile data for the number of times a particular notebook is viewed on this site's product pages to get an idea for what mainstream consumers are looking at and thinking about buying. Take a closer look at the notebooks that our visitors wanted to see the most during the month of December.

ASUS Zenbook vs. Toshiba Portege Z835: Ultrabook Showdown

We took a look at two of the hottest Ultrabooks on the market. Both feature a 13.3" screen and fast flash storage, but do the extra features of the ASUS Zenbook make it worth a few hundred dollars more?

TurboTax Review: PC Software for Easing Your Tax Burden

It's that time again. When you're about to file your taxes, should you buy a PC software package to help you out? Read this full review of TurboTax to find out.

Contribute to Disease Research: Join NotebookReview's Folding@home Team

Since its inception (as of today) the NotebookReview's folding@home team has moved up to rank 979 of 208995 teams. Find out how you can make an impact and contribute to disease research by following a few simple steps.

HP Folio 13 Review: A Lean, Mean 13-Inch Ultrabook

HP's Folio 13 is a 13-inch aluminum-wrapped ultrabook packed with an Intel Core i5 processor and 128GB solid state drive for a price of just $899. Can this HP ultrabook compete against higher-priced ultrabooks with higher specs? Read on to find out.

Macworld/iWorld Draws Big Crowds, Even Without a New iPad in Sight

Even without rumored "new iPads" anywhere in sight, Macworld/iWorld 2012 officially opened its doors on Thursday to a public obviously content to be there.

Dell Latitude E5420: Our Deal of the Week

The Dell Latitude E5420 has great build quality, good performance, and a comfortable, easy-to-use keyboard and touchpad. What's more, the base model is currently going for $479! Check out our NotebookReview weekly deal for more information.

A Product-Light Preview Day at Macworld/iWorld 2012

Macworld/iWorld treated the press to an app-focused preview day with nothing new to talk about in terms of products from Apple. Are cute iPad apps and iPhone accessories the best we can hope for at Macworld without Apple and Steve Jobs?

Apple OS X Lion 10.7.3

Apple OS X Lion is hands-down the best consumer OS on the market today.

Dropbox (for Android)

Simple to use and extremely useful, Dropbox for Android is a file synchronization app will keep all of your files in step. You can't move files among folders, but it's still a very capable app.

CRU Dataport ToughTech Duo QR

The CRU-Dataport ToughTech Duo QR rugged, RAID-equipped hard drive is made for photographers and videographers in the field.

Lenovo ThinkPad X130e

The Lenovo ThinkPad X130e is a semi-rugged netbook, outfitted with enough padding to survive the day-to-day dings of traveling across campus or running from terminal A to B.

Sony Alpha 65 (SLT-A65VK)

The 24-megapixel Sony Alpha 65 is capable of shooting at a blazing fast 9 frames per second with continuous autofocus, but is held back by a kit lens that doesn't match the quality of its high-resolution image sensor.

LG Marquee (Boost Mobile)

The LG Marquee has a bright, beautiful screen and plenty of Android power for Boost Mobile users.

Monster iSport Immersion In-Ear Headphones

The Monster iSport Immersion In-Ear Headphones are waterproof and can be washed, making them ideal for the gym, but they're a bit expensive compared with other exercise-focused earphones.

Sony XBA-NC85D

Sony's XBA-NC85D is the first-ever in-ear noise canceling earphone pair without an in-line box to house the circuitry, but it suffers from some deep bass distortion and a high price tag.

Able Planet Clear Harmony NC1050

The Able Planet Clear Harmony NC1050 offers excellent audio performance and very good noise cancellation, making it a solid competitor in a crowded field led by Bose.

Energy Power EM-2.1

The Energy Power EM-2.1 PC speaker system provides affordable audio and fits entirely on your desktop, but a little more money can get you a lot more performance.

Home & Landscape Design NexGen 3: Powerful, But Nearly as Complicated as Its Name

Home & Landscape Design NexGen 3 has a steep learning curve, but offers powerful home design tools.

Design or Remodel With HGTV Home & Landscape Platinum Suite

HGTV Home & Landscape Platinum Suite lets you pretend to be one of the network's home design experts.

Design a Kitchen Easily With IKEA Home Planner

Ikea Home Planner lets you design the kitchen of your dreams--as long as it's filled with Ikea products, of course.

Samsung Galaxy Attain 4G Review: Affordable LTE, but Bundled With Bloatware

If you're looking for a budget-friendly LTE phone without a contract, you can't go wrong with the Galaxy Attain 4G.

Ditch Your Arrow Keys With TouchCursor

TouchCursor tries to wean users off the keyboard's arrow keys by using home row keys for navigation.

Simple Cross-Platform Backups With SafeSync

TrendMicro's SafeSync offers a simple and secure way to backup files and access them across multiple devices.

Gee's Bend Quilts: American Art on Your Desktop

This beautiful Windows 7 theme features richly colored artworks from the artists of the Gee's Bend Quilters Collective.

Browser Looking Bored? Take It Out on an Elephant Quest

Elephant Quest is a free and addictive browser-based quest involving elephants, lasers, and a hat.

Free, Cloud-Based Word Processor Zoho Writer Shows Promise

Zoho Writer offers a surprisingly comfortable online writing environment, with some issues.

Energy Saving Software Might Help You Save Power

Energy Saving is designed to help you monitor and improve the energy and resources you use in your home.

Send Faxes From the Web: Three Services Tested

We test-drive three services that let you send faxes online--no fax machine or telephone required. Which one offers the best deal for your small business?

Hauppauge Broadway Lets You Take Your TV With You

This small set-top box capably streams your live TV signal to devices on your home network or the Internet—but setup can be intimidating, and it lacks support for some key cable-box features.

YMax MagicJack Plus Review: Phone Gadget Can Replace Your Landline--For a Price

The MagicJack Plus gives you unlimited, landline-quality home phone service on the cheap, but YMax still hasn’t learned how to offer decent support.

Wondershare Video Converter Ultimate Review: Easy and Powerful, but Not Perfect

This video conversion software creates output for every mobile device on the market, including Windows Phone 7 phones. It's packed with extras, too--plus a few hiccups.

Access Nonfiction Books and and Video With Safari Books Online

Safari Books Online offers access to a huge catalog of books and videos about computers and technology for a fixed monthly rate.

HDD Recovery Pro Works Well, Has a Clean Interface

This pricey data recovery program works well, but supports only FAT and NTFS.

The Best Printers for $150, $300, $500, $750

Whether you are buying for your home or for your office, and for 2 people or 200, we've found the right choices for you.

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Relive a Gaming Classic With Dungeon Master Java

Before I took an arrow to the knee, I was a Dungeon Master.

Buffering Too Slow? Watch Videos When They're Complete With Video DownloadHelper

Video DownloadHelper is a free Firefox add-on for downloading videos from YouTube and others.

Evernote vs. OneNote: Note-Taking Apps Showdown

Both programs offer plenty of note-taking features, but in very different packages. Here's a closer look at how Evernote and OneNote help you keep track of notes at your PC and on the go.

G Data InternetSecurity 2012 Review: Top-Notch Antimalware Protection

G Data's security suite is one of the best defenders we’ve ever seen, and it takes the top spot among this year's crop despite a rough interface.

Avast Internet Security 6 Review: Good, Basic Malware Detection

Avast's latest security suite is effective in defending against malware, but it could stand to improve in cleanup.

McAfee Internet Security 2012 Review: Uneven Protection, Sluggish Speeds

McAfee's 2012 security suite posts mixed performance results, failing to keep up with top contenders.

Panda Internet Security 2012 Review: An Acceptable but Poky Antimalware Suite

Panda's security suite is a decent choice for keeping your PC safe, but its sluggish performance and mediocre interface drag down its score.

Avira Internet Security Suite 2012 Review: An Adequate Safeguard Against Malware

The 2012 edition of Avira's security suite gets the job done, but not much else.

Check Point ZoneAlarm Extreme Security 2012 Review: A Middling Antimalware Utility

While Check Point's ZoneAlarm security suite is a reasonably solid protector, it may drag down your PC’s operations.

AVG Internet Security 2012 Review: Respectable Antimalware Capabilities

AVG's security suite will protect your PC, but it can’t quite keep up with the best performers in our latest test group.

F-Secure Internet Security 2012 Review: A Slow but Decent Malware Fighter

The latest F-Secure suite is quite capable of keeping your machine safe, but it may drag your PC down at times.

Eset Smart Security 5 Review: Significantly Improved Protection

Although not a top performer, Smart Security 5 is a strong, easy-to-use upgrade over previous versions of Eset’s security suite.

Trend Micro Titanium Internet Security 2012 Review: No-Frills PC Protection

Despite its somewhat middling detection scores, Trend Micro's security suite is simple to use.

Kaspersky Internet Security 2012 Review: Effective Antimalware Performance

The Kaspersky security suite's on-access scans could be faster, but it’s very good at detection and blocking.

Norton Internet Security 2012 Review: Solid and Efficient PC Security

Symantec's Norton security suite will do a great job of keeping your PC safe, and the program is easy to use too.

Bitdefender Internet Security 2012 Review: Great Protection, Excellent Interface

Bitdefender’s security suite blends a friendly design with top-shelf PC protection for novices and advanced users alike.

Best Security Suites: PC Bodyguards

These all-in-one defenders can block baddies, tackle Trojans, and drop-kick drive-by downloads. We test the top contenders.

Webroot SecureAnywhere Essentials Review: Fast Security Suite Falls Short in Cleanup

Webroot's revamped security suite has a lot to like, but its low malware disinfection scores prevent it from becoming a top contender.

Final Fantasy XIII-2 Review

The second Final Fantasy game to get a direct sequel, XIII-2 continues right where the end of the first game left off. It's an epic, top quality RPG that showcases what Square-Enix does best and ameliorates a lot of problems that the last game had. Unfortunately, it adds a few new ones all its own.

DriverMax Updates Drivers for Free...But It's Not the Best Solution

DriverMax offers free driver updates, but the process is clunky and time-consuming.

Lexmark OfficeEdge Pro5500 Review: Fast Color Inkjet Multifunction Means Business

Outstanding speed and features make this a small-workgroup winner, better for the price than a cheap color laser.

Software That Does It All

Edit your photos, organize your finances, access your computer remotely, and do even more with these essential software packages and Web apps--a mix of established favorites and indispensable up-and-comers.

Free and Easy Backup With SyncToy

Create and maintain regular, up-to-date backups of critical files with Microsoft's great, free tool.

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Motorola Droid Razr Maxx Review: Now With More Battery Life

The Droid Razr Maxx packs in a dual-core processor, large battery and LTE in a very thin frame.

Asus U46SV Review: Fast, Comfortable, Enduring, but Too Much Software

Great performance, battery life, and ergonomics highlight this all-purpose laptop, but Asus goes overboard with the "value-added" utilities.

Springpad

Springpad's free Web service lets you add notes, links, photos, videos, and files to your online "box of stuff."

HelloWallet

Free Web app HelloWallet syncs with online accounts and lets you flag spending so that you can identify expenditures to eliminate in the future.

Pixlr Editor

Free, browser-based photo editor Pixlr Editor is one to watch.

Read E-Books on Your Netbook, Laptop, or PC With Kindle for PC

Kindle for PC is a very capable, full-featured and free e-book reader with great extras.

O&O AutoBackup Does One Thing Well...But Is One Thing Enough?

AutoBackup's backup on insertion is a neat trick, but the program is otherwise limited.

You Need a Budget

YNAB teaches you to use a budget and helps you keep to it.

Fieldrunners HD Review: Standard Tower Defense Action

Fieldrunners HD may be enjoyable for newcomers to tower defense, but players experienced with the genre are likely to find it dull.

HP Envy 15 Review: A Great Laptop Marred by Serious Flaws

If HP can address a couple critical problems with the Envy 15, it will have a very desirable laptop on its hands.

Icemat Siberia Multi Headset

When it comes to gaming mouse pads, the Icemat is one of the biggest names out there on the market producing high quality products to fit a gamer's needs. Aside from gaming mouse pads, Icemat has recently increased its target population, expanding th...

PC AirCon PAC400

Heatsinks, heatpipes, and powerful fans have been designed to fit almost every component to satisfy its individual cooling needs. Considering the numerous parts in a computer, why is there not a device that could cool the whole computer rather than t...

Steelpad S&S Gaming Mouse Pad

It has been just over a year since my last mouse pad review. Those of you who were worried can now relax, the time is here. My foray into gaming mouse pads continues with the Steelpad S&S. The first burning question I am sure everyone is asking i...

Hard Drive Windowing Guide

I must first say that this is a very tricky mod to do and requires a lot of time and patience. Exposing a hard drive to the surrounding environment can possibly render it useless if precautions are not taken. People who are still new to modding shoul...

NTI Backup Now! 3

Having reviewed two backup software packages in the past, backup software is becoming familiar territory for me. With ever-increasing hard drive sizes and storage options a good backup and recovery product must be flexible. NTI's Backup Now! 3 Del...

Zalman ZM-RS6F 5.1 Real Surround Sound Headphones

As demand for high-performance audio merges into the mainstream, 5.1 surround sound is now considered a mandatory item for a great many consumers. With companies such as Logitech, Creative, and Klipsch selling 5.1 surround sound systems, it is easy t...

OCZ EL DDR PC-4000 Dual Channel Gold

Lately, high speed DDR RAM has been all the rage. With people pushing their front side busses (FSB) to high speeds, good RAM is needed if you want to run it at the same break-neck speeds as your CPU. OCZ is one of the companies making waves. Today, I...

Verbatim Store 'n' Go 256MB USB Drive

In a high tech world where everyone is always on the go, data mobility is a key issue. While there are several ways to tackle this problem, like remote server and disk storage, many people have opted for new USB drives (also called thumb drives among...

SMC SMCWMR-AG EZ-Stream Wireless Multimedia Receiver

With the advancement of wireless networking, many things have been made faster and more convenient. Wireless networking allows consumers to easily share data on computers without tangling themselves in a mess of networking cables and it facilitates r...

Microsoft Wireless Intellimouse Explorer 2.0

When in search of the ideal mouse one often seeks innovation, functionality, comfort and style. This is what led me to the Microsoft Wireless Intellimouse Explorer, a practical and yet intriguing mouse for the average user seeking an above average m...