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The article presents a review of several wireless keyboards, which include the Logitech K380 Multi-Device Bluetooth Keyboard, the HP K3510 Wireless Keyboard, and the Microsoft Designer Bluetooth Desktop.

The article reviews Bluetooth telephone accessories and headsets including the Nokia BH-905i, the Jawbone Era, and the Jabra Clipper.

The article evaluates several bluetooth telephone accessories including the Jawbone Era headset, the Plantronics M100 headset and the Jabra Cruiser2 speakerphone. INSETS: TOP BLUETOOTH SPEAKERPHONES;TOP NATURAL BLUETOOTH HEADSETS.

Discusses computer fraud. Use of the eBay online auction site by criminals to conduct fraudulent sales; Efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat computer fraud; Common occurrence of auction fraud; Outlook for continued fraud; Advice for avoiding computer crimes. INSETS: Scammed Like Me;So You Want to Get Scammed?;Know Where to Go for Help.

Presents an analysis of the quality of personal computers in light of their falling price. Measure of reliability of personal computers in relation to manufacturing and quality control procedures; Quality of customer service; Growth in online technical support.

Offers advice for purchasing a personal computer. Results of a survey of 'PC World' readers' shopping experiences; Comparison of buying computers from a retail store, over the Internet, or by phone; Comparison of buying a computer at Best Buy, Circuit City, CompUSA, Gateway Country, Office Depot, and Staples; Variety of computer selection by shopping over the Internet; Benefit of assistance from real people when buying over the phone. INSET: Store Detective, by Harry McCracken.

Compares several different venues for buying a personal computer. Retail stores like Circuit City and CompUSA; Mail order vendors like Gateway 2000 and Dell Computer; Online shopping from CompUSA Direct and Gateway 2000; Benefits of each; How vendors rated; Where the best buying experience was from; How close vendors came to supplying what customers really wanted; Recommendations. INSETS: Smart shopping tips;Diary of an undercover shopper;Did they really say that?.

Presents `PC World's report on customer service in the personal computer (PC) industry. The report based on survey results from nearly 12,000 `PC World' readers; Criteria include reliability and service; Telephone support hold-time; Which PC makers build the most reliable machines; Which vendors respond the fastest to a user's cry for help; Other criteria. INSETS: AST's free fall;No more free support?, by Harry McCracken;A word about the numbers.

This article offers ideas on identifying and replacing the parts in a personal computer (PC) that are making the most noise. The system's noisiest parts are its fans, and most PC use a lot of them. First, one could buy new fans. Slower fans make less noise, but they do not push as much cooling air over the central processing unit and other internal components. To identify the source of noise, use the ever-popular Cardboard Tube Test. With the PC turned off but plugged in, insert a small wooden stick between the fan's blades, and hold it there while turning the PC on. The power supply may well the first noise source one will want to replace, since its fan is often the loudest thing in the case. Note, though, that while a supply that delivers more watts gives the power to upgrade a PC equipment, it also costs more and might be noisier than a less-powerful model. Most hard drives do not have fans, but they still make plenty of noise when they spin. However, many new models make less noise, as they use fluid dynamic bearings in place of ball bearings. INSET: KEEP YOUR BACKUP DRIVE OFF WHEN IT'S NOT IN USE.

This article offers several tips on how to make quick work of Windows tasks by typing commands instead of clicking menus. The author suggests that to open a command in Windows 98, choose Start, Programs, MS-DOS Prompt. In Windows Me, click Start, Programs, Accessories, Command Prompt. Alternately, you can open the window by choosing Start, Run, typing command and pressing Enter. While the commands are useful by themselves, their real power comes from their switches. For almost every command, the best way to find the appropriate switches is to type the command name followed by a space and /?. Then press Enter. According to the author, this provides you with a summary of the command's purpose, as well as a description of its syntax and an explanation of each switch. When your command acts on a file or folder,generally you must type the path to that folder after the command. You can save typing time by doing a little dragging-and-dropping. To spiff up the command line, right-click the title bar of the command window and choose Properties. Under the Font tab, select the size and style of type you want; this also affects the size of the command window. In Windows 2000 and XP, you can change the background color and the text color via the Colors tab and the default size of the window by choosing the Layout tab. INSET: WINDOWS TOOLBOX.

This article discusses preventive-maintenance tips for PC internal and external devices. Few users are as diligent as they should be about backing up system, applications, and data. No backup strategy is 100 percent effective, and most take more time to set up and use than users are willing to spend on them. The very least one can do is to create an image of the hard drive when everything works. That way, when trouble strikes, users merely restore the pristine image, which usually takes less than 45 minutes. Symantec Norton Ghost 9 and Acronis True Image 8 restore Windows XP, Microsoft Office, and an assortment of other applications and utilities in half the time it would take to reinstall Windows, let alone the hours required to reinstall all programs, reload data files manually, and reconfigure system settings to the way one prefers them. The downside: Norton Ghost costs $70 retail, and True Image lists for $50. While saving the image to a second hard drive is far more convenient than placing it on a DVD, it is also more expensive. Incompatibilities between DVD drives and imaging software are common. To make data easier to restore, keep data files on a partition other than the one that holds Windows and applications.

This article offers tips to computer users on how to identify malware hiding in Windows' system folders. Antivirus and other security tools need frequent and detailed updates to work effectively; they can't block a piece of malware that they haven't seen before. Consequently, these programs always suffer a period of vulnerability between the time when source code for a new worm hits the Internet, for example, and the time when the antivirus definitions to block or clean the infection are available for download. Whether it's for a few minutes or for many days, that window always gapes open when new threats appear. First, and most important, users should remember that this is the operating system they're dealing with, so they shouldn't leap into their system files, deleting things willy-nilly as soon as they suspect trouble. If they blow it, they may render Windows unbootable. Users can't always trust the first few results when they research an unknown file on the Web. Even if a hundred small sites post data about a suspected piece of malware, one page on a Microsoft site that explains the legitimate use of the file can trump those analyses. INSET: Hunting Hidden Files.

This article presents techniques and tools that can be used to streamline file management and folder navigation. Everytime you want to make a new folder, you either select a folder in an Explorer window and choose File New Folder or right click in a folder window and select New Folder. One approach is to add a Make New Folder command to the right-click or context, menu. This saves you the trouble of navigating to the File menu's often slow New submenu. If you make a mistake in Windows 98, return to the Edit File type dialog box, select your new command and click Edit to change it or Remove to delete it. However, if you make a mistake in Windows 2000, Me or XP, you will have to alter the command via the Registry Editor or delete it and start over. Windows XP does have some features to help impose order. First, launch Explorer, select the folder you want to organize and click View Choose Details. Scroll through the attributes list and check the boxes that you think you might want to use as basis for organizing your files. For example, if you have a folder full of music files, you may want to check Album Title to be able to sort and arrange files by the album they belong to. Check as many attributes as you would like to see in Explorer's Details view and when you are done, click OK. INSET: WINDOWS TOOLBOX.

This article focuses on the benefits of Microsoft's MSN Toolbar Suite product for users of Windows operating systems. In addition to its useful features, the suite aims to make finding files on hard disks as fast, easy and accurate as Web searches. The toolbars for Internet Explorer, Outlook , Outlook Express, Windows Explorer and folder windows are free. The three programs that comprise the MSN Toolbar Suite search disks and provide the same results based on a single shared index of email and local files. MSN Desktop Search is a stand-alone search application; the MSN Toolbar appears in the folder and Explorer windows; and the Deskbar resides in the taskbar. They search Outlook and Outlook Express email and attachments as well as Word, Excel and other Office files. They also index PDF-format files, text files and HTML-format files.

This article focuses wireless keyboards and mice. The radio frequency receiver, which connects the keyboard and/or mouse to the personal computer, is a key chain-size adapter that plugs into a Universal Serial Bus port. Radio frequency keyboards and mice must be no more than a few feet away from the receiver with relatively clear line of sight to operate. A newer way to go warless is with a keyboard and mouse that use Bluetooth. this technology allow the personal computer to communicate to as many as seven Bluetooth-ready devices up to 30 feet away, and the devices do not need to in view of the base station or Universal Serial Bus adapter to connect. However, Bluetooth keyboards and mice cost more than their radio frequency counterparts. During most tests, Bluetooth devices took longer to install, and some connections were occasionally shaky. The Basic Wireless Optical Desktop from Microsoft Corp. comes with 25 programmable buttons and is priced at $65. The Cordless Click Plus Optical Mouse has great navigation features. The DiNovo Media Desktop from Logitech comes with a detached numeric keypad, which works great as a remote control for music files. However, the DiNovo has a steep price. INSET: Cut the Cords: Wireless Input Devices.

Presents computer network resources relating to the 1996 presidential election in the United States. Sites on the World Wide Web including official government sites, candidates' sites and electronic-mail addresses, political party sites, nonpartisan sites, general political discussion newsgroups, and online services.

Presents the results of a survey of readers' opinions on Windows 95. The percentage of respondents who are happy with Windows 95; The percentage who upgraded to Windows 95 and what they upgraded from; Other details about those who upgraded; The top ten reasons respondents upgraded.

The article evaluates three easy-to-use videoconferencing options including OoVoo, SightSpeed, and Yugma.

Presents a survey from readers of 'PC World' on home personal computers in the January, 2001 issue. How Dell is rated outstanding for its home personal computers; Fair rating of Gateway, Acer and Sony; Poor rating of EMachines; Problems; Services.

Presents reader ratings of notebook computers in the January 2001 issue of 'PC World.' How notebooks have a smaller number of problems per year than home and work personal computers; Favorable rating of Dell and Big Blue; Fair ratings of Micron and Gateway; Poor rating of Fujitsu.

Presents the results of a survey to determine the best brand of work computer. Comparison of several computers according to reliability and service; Dell, which was rated the best all around.

Evaluates the Aptiva E16 computer from IBM. Pros; Cons; Cost; Contact point.

Reviews several home computing software packages. Britannica CD 97; Day-Timer HomeLife; Apocalypse 3D; A Guide to Alternative Medicine; Obsidian; Picture This Home! Kitchen; Price; Contact information; Recommendations.

Evaluates several computer products. Rand McNally's TripMaker 1997 Edition; Microsoft's Automap Trip Planner; Kid's World Online; Planix Home Design Suite 3D; Microsoft's Picture It; Compton's Interactive Encyclopedia; World Book 1997 Multimedia Encyclopedia Deluxe Edition. INSETS: Automated channel surfing, by Christina Wood.;Keeping up..

The article evaluates the Journey Bluetooth speaker phone device by Jabra.

The article evaluates the SuperTooth Crystal Bluetooth speaker cell phone accessory.

The article reviews the Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional 11.5 speech-recognition software from Nuance.

The article reviews the Dragon Naturally Speaking 11 Pro Nuance software.

The article evaluates the Motorola H790 Bluetooth headset.

The article evaluates the Motorola MotoRokr S305 stereo Bluetooth headsets.

A chart showing data related to the top 5 bluetooth speakerphone car kits is presented.

The article evaluates several Bluetooth headsets including the Sony Ericsson Wireless Stereo Headphones HBH-IS800, the LG Electronics HBS-250, and the Motorola MotoRokr S9-HD Wireless. INSET: PC WORLD TOP 5 STEREO BLUETOOTH HEADSETS.

The article reviews various Voice-over-Internet Protocol software packages, namely Skype 4.0 and ooVoo.

The article reviews the voice recognition software Dragon NaturallySpeakin 10 from Nuance Communications.

A review for the Snap Communicator, a universal serial bus (USB) cable, is presented.

The article reviews the All-in-One Communications Web-based application from Raketu.

The article reviews the AIM Phoneline Internet telephony from AOL.

The article presents the author's tips for minimizing problems related to Internet phones. The author advises users to avoid putting the Voice-over Internet Protocol (VoIP) adapter on the floor or anywhere it could be destroyed. Most adapters are lightweight, and based on his experience, he has lost calls more than once due to accidental kicking. He also shares that a cordless telephone is ideal for VoIP. If users have gotten caught in the network congestion of their Internet Service Provider, it is advisable to hang up, wait a minute or so, and then try to call again. INSET: 911 AND NET PHONES.

This section offers several consumer tips. One reader sent an inquiry regarding a disconnected BroadVoice Internet telephone service after getting a call from a person who uses Skype. BroadVoice reported that it has a mechanism in place to turn service off when it identifies incoming calls from numbers associated with potentially fraudulent activity. It says that fraudulent calling-card firms have seized some BroadVoice accounts, taking in-bound calls and using them to redial to other outbound numbers. In the reader's case, the call from Skype displayed bogus caller ID information. BroadVoice interrupted the outbound service to protect his account information, which was not stolen. Using his landline telephone, the reader called a number provided by BroadVoice to reactivate his service. EBay's Rethink Initiative can help consumers locate resources for selling, donating, or recycling unwanted computers, cellular telephones, and other electronic devices.

This article presents information on the Trillian Basic 3 chat program from Cerulean Studios. Before, using Trillian instead of AIM, ICQ, MSN or Yahoo Messenger clients often meant forgoing voice, video and other advanced features. But version 3.1 improves support for such features. It promises performance, file-transfer and AIM-compatibility improvements.

This article focuses on the use of the application software's built-in macro to list keyboard shortcuts. Select Tools, Macro, Macros to open the Macros dialog box. Click the Macros in dropdown menu and select Word commands. Type lis and press the Down Arrow to choose ListCommands, and then press Enter. You can open a document that shows all of the keyboard commands in Word or just the ones for the current menu and keyboard settings. Pick the option you want and click OK. Then either save the document or print a copy for reference.

This article describes the use of the AutoCorrect function of Microsoft Office 2000. Usually this feature performs fixes of common typing and spelling errors, but it often inserts words or replaces ones you do not want changed. On the other hand, you can use this feature to automate text insertion in Word. Start by highlighting a phrase, sentence, paragraph or whole document that you regularly need to enter in other Word files. Click Tools, AutoCorrect Options. In the bottom half of the AutoCorrect tab, you will see all or a portion of what you highlighted. Enter the keystrokes you will use to trigger the auto-insertion of the highlighted passage. Select Plain text or Formatted text above the passage, to reflect how you want the end result to look. Click Add, and AutoCorrect will place your trigger letters alphabetically among your listed existing shortcut entries. Finish by clicking OK or Close. To enter the text in a Word document, type the trigger letters and activate the text insertion by pressing either the space of Enter, or by typing a punctuation mark. If you are prompted when exiting Word to accept the changes made to the global template, normal.dot, click Yes or the AutoCorrect shortcuts you created during that session will be lost.

This article presents information on the AC Anywhere adapter from Belkin. It turns a 12 volt outlet into a standard AC power outlet. A 300-watt version comes with two sockets and costs $80.

This article presents several spam filtering applications. Outlook is the program that has a junk mail filter. It works by moving suspected spam to a junk folder based on the sender's address and a static list of spam words. Thunderbird and Mozilla Mail & Newsgroups incorporate a statistical-analysis junk-mail filter comparable to SpamBayes. But both also need a jumpstart of this feature for full functionality. Choose Tools Junk Mail Controls, check the first two options under Handling to have messages suspected of being junk moved to the Junk folder and click OK. To help the programs build a database of known spam message characteristics, select one or more messages that you know to be spam in the Inbox or any other folder and then click the Junk toolbar icon. Qualcomm's mail program, Eudora 6.2, includes a spam filter that works much like the Thunderbird/Mozilla and SpamBayes. Unfortunately, the filter works only in Eudora's Paid Mode. If you prefer either Eudora's Sponsored Mode or its more Light Mode, you can still prevent spam by using SpamBayes as a proxy server. The integrated e-mail feature of Opera 7.54 is supposed to learn from you what is spam and what is not. If you have as little patience with Opera's slowness in learning, you may want to use SpamBayes instead.

This article presents tips for using computer hard drives. To use a hard drive larger than 137 gigabytes, the computer's operating system (OS) and binary OS (BIOS) must support 48-bit logical block addressing. This refers to the number of sectors that a computer can recognize on a hard drive. The 24-bit addressing used by older hardware and OS limits the amount of data they can recognize on a single hard disk to 137 gigabytes. If the computer is more than two years old, its BIOS may not support 48-bit addressing. Consult the user manual or contact the computer manufacturer to determine whether the system needs a BIOS upgrade. If the computer's BIOS support big drives, you have a number of options. Check the vendor's Web site for BIOS updates. If you find one, follow installation instructions to the letter. A BIOS is a terrible thing to trash. Most big hard drives come with a Dynamic Drive Overlay program that performs the needed initialization by augmenting the BIOS code. The easiest but most expensive way to bypass the computer's BIOS limitations is to install as adapter that support large-capacity drives. Drives larger than 137 gigabytes also require an OS that supports 48-bit addressing.

This article discusses the course of action made by PCWorld in helping Lew Snyder get a replacement leg for his Logitech Cordless Elite Duo keyboard from Logitech. Logitech informed Snyder that they did not sell this part. e was told that he would either have to buy a new keyboard or do a search on Google to see if anyone had the part. Logitech explained to PCWorld that the Cordless Elite Duo is no longer being manufactured, so this part is unavailable for sale. The company offered Snyder a new keyboard or a replacement leg. Snyder requested the part. Customers who have problems like Snyder's will be offered parts, when available, or a replacement keyboard--as long as the product is still under warranty.

This article focuses on the benefits of the Copernic Desktop Search software for users of Windows operating systems. The features of the product include the ability to search local hard disks, the Web, and email on Outlook and Outlook Express software. Copernic also allows users to conduct searches using either an application window or a taskbar toolbar, choose the folders they want to have indexed, set indexing to occur in the background, and use Boolean operators to refine the search. Copernic allows users to filter search results based on such attitudes as file size and date; and it provides a preview pane for seeing a file's contents without launching a separate application to open it. In addition, users can store the index file in the folder of their choice; set the time and interval for index updating; and search Outlook contacts, as well as bookmarks and browser history in Internet Explorer, Firefox, Mozilla and Netscape software.

The article reports on the security vulnerability of the Windows XP Service Pack 2 (SP2) from Microsoft. Its Windows Security Center should alert users when an antivirus software is missing or out of date. But, both McAfee's Internet Security Suite 2005 and Symantec's Norton Internet Security 2005 crippled the ability of SP2 to deliver accurate alerts immediately after installation. Any antivirus software must be updated immediately after installing it to protect the computer against viruses discovered since the software's initial release. McAfee and Symantec acknowledge that their products intentionally disable the Windows Security Center's messaging feature. Both companies claim the reason for doing so is to streamline customers' experience; neither company plans to alter its practices. Security expert Steve Gibson, president and founder of Gibson Research, remarked that like Internet Explorer before it, the Windows Security Center is wide open to attack. It is not even a matter of time, he added. It is a matter of desire.

The article describes how to make phone calls using PC over a peer-to-peer network just like Kazaa. To make peer-to-peer calls, one should try Skype, a service that has the built-in disadvantage of permitting one to call only other Skype users' personal computers. First, install the software. Then plug the PC microphone or a headset and use the program's friendly interface to initiate a call. The audio quality at dial-up speeds is impressive, and its even better when one is talking over a high-speed connection. At press time Skype rolled out PocketSkype, another beta service that allows one to make free calls on a wireless-fidelity-enabled Pocket PC-based handheld. Various other software-based Internet Protocol (IP) phone services charge a fee for calls to landline numbers and cell phones. One such service is Callserve Internet Telephone. The quality of the calls on these services is very good, but one must pay for the calls in advance. If one doesn't like headsets or PC microphones and doesn't want to have to turn on PC to place a call, then one should consider a hardware-based IP phone service. The adapters provided by VoicePulse and Vonage plug into the router and any standard phone. The service's call quality is excellent.