Windows VistaTM

®

© 2008 Cybernet Manufacturing, Inc. All rights reserved. The Cybernet logo is a trademark of Cybernet Manufacturing, Inc. Intel and Intel Core 2 Quad are trademarks of Intel Corporation, or its subsidiaries in the United States and other countries. Windows Vista is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. All other registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

To order your space saving iOne– GX31TM

LCD PC Risk Free, call us at 888.834.4577.

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SPECIFICATIONS: 17” or 19” display | Intel® CoreTM 2 Quad CPU | Up to 4GB DDR2/667MHz | Up to 750GB SATA HDD | 2x1Gb

LAN | Internal Wireless LAN | Optional Touch Screen | Optional built-in Webcam | For a complete list of specifications, please visit

our web site at www.cybernetman.com.

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APRIL 2009VOL. 28 NO. 4

30

Ultimate Networking Guide

!e Future of Networking

37

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On a typical day I’d be in contact with two dozen or

so people in my o"ce and hundreds more around the

world (via e-mail, Twitter, and Facebook). On this

vacation, it was me, my family, and my fellow cruisers.

A Tech-Free Vacation

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wwww..ffannttaammmaag.coomm

Are You on the Map? Virtual mapping programs, such as Google’s Street View, have raised questions about privacy and security.

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Looking into the FutureAn inside report on this year’s DEMO show.

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!e Best Free PC Games!e crew at ExtremeTech uncover some of the best gratis games.

Create Great Travel Pics—Free!Make the most of your point-and-shooter’s output with these free tools for editing, managing, and sharing your digital images.

of the Internet

A Winning Netbook

High scores are best.

Low scores are best.

Bold type denotes first place.

MOBILEMARK 2007 hr:min

SYSMARK 2007 OVERALL

MULTIMEDIA

WINDOWS MEDIA ENCODER min:sec

ASUS EeePC 1000HE 6:36 35 4:24

Acer Aspire One (10-inch) 8:46 N/A 4:34

MSI Wind 2:24 40 5:00

Samsung NC10-14GB 5:50 41 5:02

RED denotes Editors’ Choice. N/A: Not applicable—The product could not complete the test, or the test was not compatible.

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Fast Film Scanning

Zippy, Voluminous External Storage

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High scores are best.

Low scores are best.

Bold type denotes first place.

MOBILEMARK 2007 hr:min

SYSMARK 2007 OVERALL

MULTIMEDIA

WINDOWS MEDIA ENCODER min:sec

Acer Aspire One (10-inch) 8:46 N/A 4:34

ASUS EeePC 1000HE 6:36 35 4:24

Lenovo IdeaPad S10 2:27 39 4:38

MSI Wind 2:24 40 5:00

RED denotes Editors’ Choice. N/A—Not applicable: The product could not complete the test, or the test was not compatible.

Acer’s Recession-Busting Netbook

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PROS CONS BOTTOM LINE SPECS

DESKTOPS

ASUS Eee Top 1602

$599 list

• Compact all-in-one PC• Runs Windows• Nice styling• Touch screen

• Only 1GB of RAM• Smallish mouse lacks back

button• Weak 3D graphics• Screen is single-touch only

The Top 1602 is the first truly integrated all-in-one nettop. It may create a new category—an Internet terminal that replaces your desktop.

1.6-GHz Intel Atom n270 proces-sor; 1GB DDR2 SDRAM; 160GB, 5,400-rpm SATA hard drive; 128MB Intel GMA 950 integrated graphics; Windows XP Home.

iBuypower Video Pro

$1,799 direct

• Quad-core power and speedy memory for video editing

• Blu-ray burner• Decent expansion possibilities• Comes with VHS-to-DVD

converter and Adobe Premiere Elements

• Loud fans• Lacks eSATA• A little pricey compared with

similar hardware

The Video Pro is a system that is at the tipping point between fairly priced and overpriced. If you plan to upgrade components, the Video Pro will work for you. If you’re still starting out, try a cheaper alternative.

2.83-GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9550 processor; 8GB 800-MHz DDR2 SDRAM; two 500GB, 7,200-rpm SATA hard drives (RAID 0); 512MB ATI Radeon HD 4850 graphics card; DVD±RW drive; Blu-ray burner; Vista Home Premium.

LAPTOPS

Gateway UC7807u

$800 street

• Well designed• Attractive price• HDMI port included• Slot-loading DVD drive is a

nice touch• Full-size keyboard is responsive

• Too heavy for a 13-inch form factor

• Mouse buttons are too resistant• Trails the competition in

performance

The UC7807u’s basement price and desirable design can make customers, especially online shoppers, look past its overfed frame.

Intel Core 2 Duo T6400 (2.0 GHz); 3GB DDR2 SDRAM; 250GB, 5,400-rpm hard drive; 32MB Intel graphics; 13.3-inch, 1,280-by-800 CCFL screen; 5.3 pounds (6.0 pounds travel); 49-Wh battery; Vista Home Premium.

Dell Latitude E4300

$2,789 direct

• Color options• Huge hard drive selection• Very good performance• Very good battery life• Rugged• Excellent keyboard

• SSDs make it pricey• Stiff pointing stick

The E4300 is a powerful business ultraportable that lets you choose from a trio of fashionable colors, and its 13-inch widescreen is a first in the Latitude line.

2.4-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo SP9400; 2GB DDR2 SDRAM; 128GB SSD; 64MB Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD; 13.3-inch, 1,280-by-800 display; 3.9 pounds (4.8 pounds travel); 60-Wh battery; Vista Business.

Dell Inspiron Mini 12

$524 direct

• Big 12-inch screen• Good resolution• Very thin• As light as its 10-inch netbook

peers• Top-notch Ubuntu Linux OS• Multiple battery options

• Slow, 4,200-rpm hard drive• Expensive for a netbook

Sure, the Mini 12 costs more than other netbooks, but it’s the only one with a 12-inch screen.

Intel Atom Z530 (1.6-GHz); 1GB DDR2; 60GB; 4,200-rpm hard drive; Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 500; 12.1-inch, 1,280-by-800 LCD widescreen; 2.7 pounds (3.2 pounds travel); 24-Wh battery; Ubuntu Linux 8.04.1.

HP EliteBook 2530p

$2,099 direct

• Standard and extended battery together yield over 20 hours of battery life

• Built-in optical drive• Very good keyboard• Dual pointing devices• Multiple wireless technologies

• VGA is the only video-out port• Weak speakers• Battery life without the ex-

tended battery is unimpressive

If battery life ranks high on your list of business needs, the Elite-Book 2530p won’t disappoint.

1.86-GHz Intel Core 2 Duo L9400; 3GB DDR2 SDRAM; 80GB SSD; 64MB Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500MHD; 12.1-inch, 1,280-by-800 LCD; 3.7 pounds (4.6 pounds travel); 55-Wh battery; Vista Business.

Toshiba Qosmio X305-Q725

$2,699 direct

• Runs an Intel quad-core processor

• Fierce Nvidia 9800M GTX graph-ics card

• Integrates both spinning and solid-state drives

• Excellent gaming scores

• Resolution should have been higher at this price

• Could use a higher-capacity battery

While the Qosmio X305-Q725’s fiery design may not appeal to everyone, its quad-core processor and an Nvidia GTX graphics card are parts that extreme gamers yearn for.

2.0-GHz Intel Core 2 Quad Q9000; 4GB DDR3; 384GB (320GB, 7,200-rpm hard drive and 64GB SSD); 1GB Nvidia GeForce 9800M GTX; 17-inch, 1,680-by-1,050 LCD, 9.2 pounds (11.4 pounds travel); 58-Wh battery; Vista Ultimate 64-bit.

DISPLAYS

iZ3D 22-inch LCD Monitor

$399 list

• Very good 3D effects• Wide viewing angles

• Weak light grayscale perfor-mance

• Limited image adjustments• Lacks multimedia/entertain-

ment features

The iZ3D does a super job of displaying 3D images and works with many of today’s gaming titles, but you don’t get much in the way of connectivity and image adjustment options.

22-inch LCD; 1,680-by-1,050 native resolution; DVI-D and analog VGA inputs.

Gateway FHD2401

$469.99 list

• Great color and text reproduc-tion

• Good motion handling• Stylish design

• Narrow viewing angles• Lacks multimedia ports• Tilt-only stand features

This monitor delivers bold colors and very good text readability, but its grayscale and viewing angle performance are subpar.

24-inch LCD; 1,920-by-1,200 native resolution; HDMI, DVI-D, and analog VGA inputs; 16:10 aspect ratio.

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A Darn Good Read

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e Pre Palm Pre?

e Best Camera Phone

In the U.S.A.

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CableCARD 0

Component 2

Composite 2

DVI 0

Ethernet 1

FireWire 0

HDMI 4

RF 1

RS-232C 0

S-Video 1

USB 1

VGA 1

Slim and (Mostly) Sublime

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A Pioneer, but Not a Game Changer

!e Garmin Experience at a Bargain Price

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RED denotes Editors’ Choice PROS CONS BOTTOM LINE SPECS

SMARTPHONES

AT&T Quickfire

$99 direct (with two-year contract, after rebates)

• Comfortable QWERTY keyboard• Roomy LCD• Includes Web browser, IM, and

e-mail clients• Solid multitasker

• Finicky touch screen• Weak reception• Lacks a standard 3.5mm head-

phone jack

The Quickfire misses the mark as a music phone, though it’s an effective Sidekick clone for those with AT&T.

GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA data networks; 2.8-inch, 240-by-320 TFT LCD; 1.3MP camera; 4.3 by 2.2 by 0.7 inches (HWD); 4.8 ounces.

T-Mobile Shadow (2009)

$150 street (with 2-year contract, after rebates)

• Attractive• Free calls via UMA-based Wi-Fi• Comfy hybrid QWERTY

keyboard

• Poor Web browsing and video playback

• Some UI-related snafus• Useless video-recording mode

T-Mobile has smoothed over some of the rough edges of the original Shadow, but it’s still tough to recommend this device.

Windows Mobile Pocket PC; GPRS, EDGE, UMTS, HSDPA data networks; 2.2-inch, 240-by-320 LCD; 2MP camera; 4.1 by 2.1 by 0.6 inches (HWD); 5.3 ounces.

DIGITAL CAMERAS

Pentax K2000

$599.95 direct

• Takes sharp pictures• Fast operation and autofocus• Help button provides useful

information• Includes additional flash

accessory

• Images can be noisy at or above ISO 800

• Camera recycle times slow down after a few shots in a row

• LCD can’t be used as a viewfinder

Although the Editors’ Choice Canon EOS Rebel XSi produces better shots in low light, the Pentax K2000 has comparable speed and image sharpness—and it costs a hundred bucks less.

10.2MP resolution; 2.7-inch LCD; accepts SD flash memory; 3.6 by 4.8 by 2.7 inches (HWD); 1.7 pounds.

PORTABLE MEDIA PLAYERS

Cowon S9

8GB, $199.99 list; 16GB, $239.99

• Strong audio file support• Touch screen• Built-in accelerometer• Video output• Line-in, FM, and voice recording• Excellent battery life

• Touch screen is not very sensitive

• User interface can be difficult to navigate

• Volume controls are disabled in some screens

The S9 is designed to resemble the iPod touch, but the player lacks the grace and Wi-Fi connec-tivity necessary to be a true rival.

16GB flash memory; 3.3-inch screen; 480-by-272 maximum resolution; supports FLAC, MP3, OGG, WMA, and WAV audio formats; 4.2 by 2.2 by 0.5 inches (HWD); 2.7 ounces.

SanDisk Sansa slotRadio player

$99.99 direct

• Compact design• Easy to use• No PC needed• Comes with a microSD card

with 1,000 songs from Billboard charts

• Monochrome display• Can’t skip backward• No auto-off when no earphones

are plugged in

If modern radio hits are your thing, the tiny Sansa slotRadio player is a great value—1,000 songs (plus the device) for $100. Just be prepared for a no-frills listening experience.

microSD card included; 1.5-inch screen; MP3 and WMA audio formats supported; 1.9 by 1.9 by 0.6 inches (HWD); 1.3 ounces.

SPEAKERS

Altec Lansing Expressionist Classic FX2020

$79.95 list

• Affordable• Upward-angled for desktop

listening• Intriguing, attractive design

• Distortion at high volumes• No remote control• Speakers are hardwired to one

another

The FX2020 speakers are by no means powerful, and you don’t get a lot of bass. But a cool design and a low price make them ideal for the office.

Computer speakers; two chan-nels; 7.5 watts RMS per channel; 5 by 5 by 6.5 inches (HWD).

BLU-RAY PLAYER

LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player

$349.95 list

• Fast disc load times• Solid DVD upconversion• Supports Netflix instant

streaming

• BD-Live functionality requires external USB-based storage device

• Some on-player controls are difficult to operate

The BD300 is the fastest Blu-ray player we’ve tested, and its sup-port for Netflix instant streaming is a nice bonus that comes with this solid value.

Composite, component, and HDMI video outputs; Toslink and coaxial, HDMI, and stereo RCA audio; Ethernet port; 2.3 by 16.9 by 10.9 inches (HWD); 6.8 pounds.

GPS

TomTom One 130-S

$249.95 list

• Maps for U.S. and Canada• Easy to use• Text-to-speech• Live traffic updates

• Mounting bracket is a bit awkward to use

• Low speaker volume• No SD card slot for map

expansion

TomTom’s new entry-level GPS offers a lot of bang for the buck from a navigation leader.

Supports Secure Digital and MultiMediaCard flash memory; 3.5-inch touch-screen display; 3.8 by 3.2 by 1.0 inches (HWD); 7.2 ounces.

MEDIA EXTENDERS

Blockbuster 2Wire MediaPoint

$99 direct

• Supports HD files, HDMI-out• Easy setup• Intuitive, simple user interface• Wi-Fi compatible• Useful remote

• Limited selection of titles• Downloads take a long time• No WPA2 wireless

Despite some limitations, the MediaPoint makes a nice comple-ment to Blockbuster’s DVD and online offerings.

Remote control; 8GB internal flash memory; 802.11g Wi-Fi; two USB ports; composite, component, HDMI, and RCA outputs; Ethernet port; 1.0 by 8.0 by 8.0 inches (HWD).

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Lockable, Portable Hard Drive

A 22-inch Display for Imaging Pros

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Easier to Use than Ever

What’s A!er QuickBooks?

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Bill Tracking Made Easy

Database in the Cloud

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Your Digital Life, Apple Style

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Video Chat Keeps Getting Better

!e World at Your Fingertips

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RED indicates Editors’ Choice. PROS CONS BOTTOM LINE

MOBILE APPS

Classics (for iPhone)

$2.99 direct

• Beautiful presentation of books• Chapters and bookmarks• Best page-turning animation

• No formatting options• Very limited number of books to choose from• No transfer of your docs from PC to iPhone

Classics’ page-turning animation and sound are without peer in the iPhone book-reader crowd, but don’t expect any control over your book’s appearance, or the ability to buy any current works.

Photo Lab 1600 (for iPhone)

$2.99 direct

• Wide range of photographic tweaks and artistic effects

• Some great creative modes• Image auto-rotation

• Unwieldy interface• Puny, hard-to-adjust slider button• “Hover” pop-ups disappear erratically

Sudobility’s Photo Lab provides a solid combination of photographic and artistic effects, though implement-ing them can be frustrating because of interface problems.

SimCity 2009 (for iPhone)

$9.99 direct

• Brings addictive fun of SimCity series to iPhone

• Nice retro graphics• Useful help section

• Requests reboot of iPhone before first use• Expensive for an iPhone app

The iPhone version of SimCity puts most of what made the city-planning title a classic into your pocket.

SlingPlayer Mobile for BlackBerry (Beta)

$29.99 direct

• Smooth, sharp picture over Wi-Fi• Clear, easy-to-navigate interface• Controls TiVo and cable-company-issued DVRs

• Works only on AT&T and T-Mobile BlackBerrys for now

• Sometimes slow to respond to key presses

It’s been like pulling teeth, but Sling Media has finally released its impressive SlingPlayer Mobile app for (some) BlackBerry handsets. If it works on yours and you have a Slingbox, it’s a must buy.

SECURITY

PC Armor 2.2

$39.95 direct yearly

• Tracks all file and Registry changes made by a program installation

• Can completely uninstall any monitored program

• Warns about known malware-hosting sites

• Program warns that 100 percent cleanup of “clutter” may destabilize the system

PC Armor records the changes made by every program that installs on your system. The only time it needs attention is when a program tries to install a driver or some other action that could interfere with its monitoring.

Ad-Aware Pro – Anniversary Edition

$39.95 direct

• Speedy and accurate malware removal• Blocks access to known malware URLs• Includes useful tools for advanced users

• Highly dependent on initial update, which malware can block

• Viewing or changing a recommended action is awkward

Ad-Aware protects against spyware, viruses, and all types of malware. It’s effective both at cleaning infested systems and blocking malware attacks.

MUSIC

Slacker.com (January 2009)

Free

• Slick new interface• Flexible station creation lets you choose

multiple artists• Great sound quality

• Lots of display ads• Occasional 30-second audio ads• Some minor interface glitches

Slacker is a top-notch way to listen to music online. The service gives you plenty of customization options and a sleek interface that informs while doing its job.

Pandora (Winter 2009)

Free

• Robust music-choice algorithms• Lots of genre stations• Few ads• Killer iPhone app

• Lacks customization options• Slightly subpar sound quality

Pandora still rocks, and iPhone owners should download the mobile app immediately if they haven’t done so already. Desktop listeners, though, may find the main site a bit inflexible.

ACCOUNTING

CompleteTax Premium 2008

$29.95 direct (free e-file); state, $19.95

• Intuitive interface• Excellent help options• Good coverage of tax topics• Affordable

• Doesn’t download data from brokerages• Review process is time-consuming

CompleteTax should be on your list of online tax-prep sites to explore. It comes from a very reliable source, and its interface and guidance systems are on a par with those of its competitors.

GAMING

Flower (for PS3)

$9.99 direct

• Players can play at own pace• Beautifully rendered• Nonviolent—a rarity among games

• May cause motion sickness Flower straddles the line between art and gaming, giving players the feeling of moving around in a large landscape painting.

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Chip Biz Buzzwords

It’s no surprise that everyone in the Valley is so

comfortable with insider and exclusionary code

words, many of which make no sense.

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Developing a new iPhone for Verizon will take

a year or so. But Apple plans ahead: It’ll have that

phone ready when its AT&T contract is up.

iPhones for Everyone!

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We tested four di"erent magicJack units, and every

time we came to the same conclusion: When it works,

it’s great. When it doesn’t, don’t expect much help.

e Case of magicJack

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New Wireless Routers Add Speed, Drop Price

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SPECIFICATION THROUGHPUT FREQUENCY COMPATIBILITY

802.11b 11 Mbps 2.4 GHz Works with 802.11g

802.11g 54 Mbps 2.4 GHz Works with 802.11b

802.11a 54 Mbps 5 GHz Works with 802.11n

802.11n Ranges from 150 to 600 Mbps Either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz Works with 802.11a, b, or g

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SPECIFICATION TYPE DESCRIPTION EXPECTED PUBLICATION DATE

802.11ac Throughput Categorized as a “very high throughput” specification, 801.11ac would increase throughput over 802.11n by a ratio of 2 to 1. Its spectrum would be 5 GHz.

2012

802.11ad Throughput Also a “very high throughput” specification, 802.11ad would increase throughput 10 to 1 over 802.11n. It would reside on the 60-GHz spectrum.

2012

802.11s Mesh networking This specification would allow devices such as cell phones or laptops to serve as mesh points, forming wireless links with each other.

September 2010

802.11u Security Known as “interworking with external networks,” this specification would enable secure connections for Wi-Fi devices based on the security protocols of the external network the device is using, whether that network is cellular, Ethernet, UWB, or something else.

March 2010

802.11z Ad hoc networking This “direct link setup” specification allows two Wi-Fi devices to securely connect to each other in peer-to-peer mode by using the security credentials of a larger network’s access point.

January 2010

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Grown-ups, take note! Here is what you need to know before “friending” your #rst Facebook connection. By Bill Dyszel

Staying Safe on Facebook

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Eight Steps to Setting Up Your New Accounting SoftwareIs the biggest roadblock between you and a modern accounting system fear of plunging in? Try these eight !rst steps to get started. By Kathy Yakal

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Seven Cool !ings You Can Do with OpenO#ce.OrgEven Microso! O#ce can’t manage some of the tricks that OpenO#ce.org—a free application suite, not just a Web site—has to o$er. By Edward Mendelson

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Mobile Device Security MeasuresEven the simplest cell phones carry enough data to be dangerous in the wrong hands. By Matthew D. Sarrel

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