(Credit:
Josh Miller/CNET)
Starting next week, the holiday season drops on us like an object of infinite mass hurled from the moon at the speed of light. Keep your eyes open in the coming weeks for a number of CNET holiday guides.
Sometimes, though a guide specific to the holidays isn't enough and you need something a bit more...all encompassing.
CNET's Monitor Buying Guide has been around for a while, but we felt it really wasn't addressing all that it could. So we revamped it. Check it out and let us know how it can be improved upon even more. Is there any aspect of purchasing a monitor we neglected? Would you like to see more detail on what we have included? Is there anything inaccurate?
If so, leave a comment or send an e-mail. This is a work in progress, so feel free to offer anything constructive.
"Good" is always what you want to see when it comes to the state of your system, isn't it?
(Credit: Screenshot by Dong Ngo/CNET)You get a new computer and it runs great. However, after a while, things start to get more and more sluggish. This is true for all operating systems, including those running the all new and shiny Windows 7.
That is because, other than user errors (such as misuse, viruses, spyware, accidental file deletion, harmful changes to the Registry and system settings, and so on), the OS doesn't take good care of itself. It collects and store junks from the Internet. It doesn't completely remove remnants of unwanted applications. Its Registry keeps getting more and more bloated with residual settings, and so on and so forth. All of these result in system clutter that over time slows down the machine.
This is when a cleanup software, like System Mechanic from Iolo, comes in handy.
I tried version 9.0.3 of the software recently, as it's the first I found that works with Windows 7 64-bit (the software itself is 32-bit, however) and it seemed to work well, though not perfectly.
... Read more
No one wants to be Zaboo'd...or do they?
(Credit: The Guild)What effects do Facebook, other social networking sites, and today's media on have on young people? We have no idea. Neither of us have been young for a very long time. I think we think we know and like always, we're not afraid to discuss it.
Dong goes in for a job interview. Did I say job interview? I meant guild interview. Dong is evaluated and dehumanized in his attempt to join a new World of Warcraft guild.
Dong and I talk more about Windows 7. Dong spouts his first impressions--kinda weird, seeing as he's been using it for months. I don't know. We attempt to make it interesting.
Also, before I forget, contest! Listen to the episode to find out about the rules. Listen quick though!
To subscribe to this podcast, visit us at our main page and click the podcast link on the right. Don't forget to leave us voice mail at 1-800-947-6399 or e-mail us at insidecnetlabs@cnet.com.
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"I'll give you two guesses as to this product's identity. Is it the Base Station or Time Capsule? Only the astute among you will know for sure.
(Credit: Apple)Along with the major Apple announcements that took place Tuesday, Apple also--quite stealthily, I might add--announced upgraded performance, specs, and support for both its Time Capsule and Airport Extreme Base Station.
Time Capsule received the most updates, with Apple claiming that with the new technologies and refinements added to both Time Capsule and the Time Machine software, backing up using Snow Leopard is up to "60 percent faster than before."
That number is based on internal testing done by Apple comparing a new preproduction (unreleased) Time Capsule with the version released earlier this year.
Apple also claims that by using the latest 802.11n wireless technology, you'll see "up to five times the Wi-Fi performance and up to twice the range of 802.11g wireless networks."
This, also based on Apple testing comparing both Time Capsule and the Airport Extreme Base Station to "Apple's 802.11g products." The company doesn't specify which products it compares them to, however.
Finally, Apple claims that improvements to both Time Capsule's and the Airport Extreme Base Station's antenna design can give "up to 50 percent better performance and up to 25 percent better range than with the previous-generation Time Capsule and Airport Extreme base Station."
This performance is based on Apple testing comparing the Time Capsule and Airport based Station to "Apple's 802.11n products." Again, although we can safely assume they're basing the comparison on apples to apples test results on the previous versions of the versions of the same hardware, we can't be certain.
We'll of course be conducting our own testing as soon as we get these updated versions of the products in for review. It'll be interesting to see how close our performance numbers match up with theirs.
According to Apple's site, both new versions of the hardware are shipping now.
See? The black hardly shifts from this angle...
(Credit: Josh P. Miller/CNET)You gotta love a good Super Patterned Vertical Alignment (S-PVA)-based display, don't you? Well, you're obviously not required to love them, but with their deep blacks, good viewing angles, and, for the most part, accurate colors, they certainly make it difficult to dislike them.
Case in point: the NEC MultiSync P221W is a 22-inch, $390 S-PVA display that includes the aforementioned perks of most S-PVAs.
A monitor needs to have more than just great performance, however, to justify its price. Extra features and connection options can work wonders toward a monitor's overall worth. With Dell recently lowering the price of its feature-rich, 24-inch UltraSharp 2408WFP to $450, can the 22-inch NEC be expected to compete?
Check out the review to find out. Also, be sure to take a look at more monitor reviews with new ones added every week.
On Sale Now:
$395.99
- $549.99
View the latest prices for NEC MultiSync P221W
On Sale Now:
$679.00
View the latest prices for Dell UltraSharp 2408WFP
Heinrich Hertz. If not for him, we'd have no title for this week's episode.
This week marks Dong's 10th anniversary in the U.S. Really! To celebrate, Dong recounts what inspired him to get into radio in Vietnam. Not surprisingly, laziness was a key factor.
Then, we talk hertz. Specifically, 60Hz vs. 120Hz. More specifically, 60Hz vs. 120Hz on TVs. We discuss it in our usual way, but if you want some real info, check out this article.
Dong delves into the relative performance of Window 7 and Snow Leopard. From boot up to shutdown. From Cinebench to CoD4.
To subscribe to this podcast, visit us at our main page and click the podcast link on the right. Don't forget to leave us voice mail at 1-800-947-6399 or e-mail us at insidecnetlabs@cnet.com.
Listen now:
Download today's podcast
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Snow Leopard consistently beats Windows 7 in many general performance areas.
(Credit: Dong Ngo/CNET)As someone who uses both platforms for work and personal entertainment, I've been wanting to do a performance comparison between Windows 7 and Mac OS X since I first got my hands on the Windows 7 RTM (the final build of the OS) more than two months ago, but decided to wait until I could compare the two apples to apples. (No pun intended.)
The right time seems to be now, as Snow Leopard has been out for a while and has even been updated to 10.6.1, and Windows 7 has been at the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) vendors for almost three months and has also had a few updates. Furthermore, Boot Camp 3.0 seemed to make Windows run better than ever on a Mac.
... Read more
DisplayMate's testing lab during the LCD evaluation.
(Credit: DisplayMate)I've been testing LCD monitors consistently for the past two years. In that time, I've run various tests designed to evaluate a monitor's response time. I've used games, movies, and the occasional scientific test to confirm if a manufacturer's claimed response time is accurate.
To be perfectly honest, I have a very difficult time seeing motion blur in movies and games. In fact, I'm not sure I've seen it any repeatable evidence of it on a modern monitor during a game or movie.
So it should go without saying that DisplayMate's recent findings on LCD response times come as no big shock to me. The findings come via an article by DisplayMate founder Raymond Soneira.
Here are Soneira's major conclusions based on tests conducted by DisplayMate on LCDs from major manufacturers.
1. A manufacturer's claimed response time specifications are not a scientifically accurate or a meaningful indicator of picture blur.
The motion blur DisplayMate measured on the HDTVs tested was more than 40 milliseconds. According to the article, this is more than a factor of 10 greater than the manufacturer's published specifications.
2. LCD manufacturers have made a big deal about refresh rates in the last couple of years with the jump from 60Hz to 120Hz and now 240Hz. CNET's own David Katzmaier suspected that benefits with the jump to 240Hz were dubious already, but here's more evidence to back it up.
... Read moreVia e-mails and discussions with people, I've recently discovered that a lot of folks out there still have the impression that 300Mbps Wireless-N routers are not as affordable as the old 54Mbps Wireless-G routers are.
The D-Link DIR-615 costs just around $40 and offered very good performance in our tests.
(Credit: CNET)Granted, you may be able to get a Wireless-G router for free from your service provider, but those tend to be very basic and limited in networking features. If you are willing to pay anything more than nothing, Wireless-N routers can be really affordable.
The D-Link DIR-615, for example, can be found online for about $40, and the Tp-Link TL-WR941ND for just $50.
Check out our list of Wireless-N routers that won't dig a hole in your wallet.
Note that these routers tend to be affordable because they lock out high-end features, such as support for dual-band or network storage (all of these routers are single 2.4Ghz band, but so are Wireless-G routers). They also tend to offer shorter ranges compared with higher-end, more expensive, Wireless-N routers.
However, for most home networking needs, they will work out just fine.
I don't like to misuse the word "cheap," so I won't. Instead, I'll just say that the Asus VH236H is one of the best monitor deals out there.
(Credit: Josh P. Miller/CNET)I request a lot of monitors from various manufacturers without always taking into account their retail costs. Sometimes, I'm just much more excited about posting a review of the latest, greatest, coolest monitor, than I am about the cheapest.
Thing is, most users simply don't care about the latest, greatest, coolest monitor. Most simply want something that's low-priced and does what it does (shows pictures of whatever they're attempting to display) well enough that they don't notice any problems.
I've gotten plenty of feedback lately requesting such information. "What is the best monitor for normal office work and occasional movie watching? My budget is $175-$225. ByeiiiEE!"
OK, I added the "ByeiiiEE!" but, here today, to quench your penny-pinching thirst, are my picks for the five best monitors that won't run you more than $200 (before shipping/taxes of course).
Be sure to always check out more monitor reviews here as well.
On Sale Now:
$215.99
View the latest prices for Asus VH236H
Eric Franklin's colleagues once had the following to say to him: "Eric, you've been doing this performance testing thing for over 10 years now. How about you try something different?" To which Eric responded, "How about you shut the #%$@! up?" This candid attitude
allows him to go toe-to-toe with the most extreme of personalities, including that of Dong Ngo. This bio was written by Eric Franklin.
Dong Ngo is a knowledgeable, opinionated individual who wants to convince the world that he's just a normal person; but he hasn't had much success. According to him, this is because the world itself is abnormal. Dong loves traveling and is well-versed in several languages. He, unfortunately, is not so well-versed in English. Still, it's best to ask him questions. From networking and how to optimize your system, to turning a strange place into home or what the meaning of life is…most of the time, he has the answers. The question is: Will he make himself understood? Subscribe and find out!
