Friday, April 17, 2009

External Portable Drives


2.5" external portable drives are the new generation of portable storage. Small enough to fit in your pocket or bag, these compact, high capacity drives are ideal for those on the move. Whether you’re travelling to and from work, school or university, going away on business or just want to back-up your files for peace of mind, PC World has a great range of external portable hard drives available online today


Key Benefits...
Take your files wherever you go..Small, light, easy to carry and require no external power supply! Any of our external portable hard drives are designed to fit in your pocket, briefcase or handbag with ease, making them ideal for carrying data from place to place.
Small in size does not mean small in capacity..With a wide selection of external portable hard drives ranging from 120GB to a impressive 500GB, you’ll have plenty of space to back up and store your digital music, videos, photos and important documents.
Simple and easy for everyone to use..Our extensive range of external portable hard drives have a simple ‘plug and play’ installation set up. Both USB 2.0 and USB 2.0/FireWire interfaces are available - tailored to the needs of the PC or Mac user.
Easily transfer data from PC to PC..Whether it’s moving your files to a new computer, taking a project from one office to another or taking your music collection to a friend’s house, these portable hard drives are perfect data transferring devices.
Seagate FreeAgent Go 250GB Portable Hard Drive

Stylishly-designed in black and with a generous 250GBB capacity, the Seagate FreeAgent Go portable hard drive is the ideal solution
Web Exclusive Price inc VAT£62.50


Western Digital Passport 500GB Portable Hard Drive

This Passport hard drive packs massive storage capacity into a sleek package that's small enough to put in your pocket.
Web Exclusive Price inc VAT£93.43


Buy from a great range of cheap external portable hard drives available at PC World.Media Drives Network Drives External Portable Hard Drives External Desktop Hard Drives
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MSI Debuts 14-Inch Gaming Notebook


MSI has let the cat out of the bag, and it's only 14" across. For a full list of specs, read on.The GX403 is a 14.1" gaming laptop. It will come equipped with an Intel Core 2 Duo and a GeForce GT 130M 256MB dedicated GPU. It'll have 4GB DDR2 RAM and a generous 500GB HDD.The resolution is hardly groundbreaking at 1280x800, but that should be fine for most games. There is also an optional Blu-ray player for watching movies, though again, you won't get close to full HD.Other specs include an integrated webcam, 802.11b/g/n, HDMI, VGA, eSATA/USB to go along with 2 regular USBs, a card reader, and an ExpressCard. It weighs in fairly light at 4.8lbs with a 6-cell battery and has a special "Color Film Print" finish for "more texture and brightness".MSI has packaged it's own "Turbo Drive Engine" tech for overclocking when the laptop is plugged in, which should help with gaming. The machine will run Vista Home Premium, and there's no word yet on pricing or availability.MSI, Laptoping

Dell Inspiron 1420-Red



CPU

Intel Dual Core T2390 1.86Ghz
MEMORY

3072 MB
HARD DRIVE

250 GB
OPTICAL DRIVE

DVDRW
MODEM

56K
NETWORK

10/100 Ethernet, 802.11b/g Wireless
DISPLAY

14.1" WXGA
DISPLAY ADAPTER

128MB NVIDIA® GeForce® 8400M GS
SOUND

Stereo
KEYBOARD

Standard
POINTING DEVICE

TouchPad
INTERFACES

4 USB 2.0 Ports; Audio: stereo in, headphone/speaker out and dual digital mics; IEEEE1394a; 8-in-1 Memory Card Reader; VGA Video Output & S-Video
EXPANSION SLOTS

ExpressCard 54mm slot
A/C ADAPTER

Auto Sensing 110-240 Volts
BATTERY

Lithium Ion
OTHER FEATURES

Red Cover
SOFTWARE

Win Vista Home Premium
WARRANTY

1 Year Warranty
CONDITION

Factory Refurbished
WEIGHT

5.5 lbs.
DIMENSIONS

13.1" x 9.6" x 1.5"

TOSHIBA REGZA 46" 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV w/ CineSpeed - 46


Toshiba has taken high definition visual equipment to the next level with the REGZA 46" LCD HDTV. When incredible picture, unbelievable sound, and a sleek modern package are on your wish list, this TV is a dream-come-true. This unit boasts a crystal clear 46" high-definition LCD screen with ColorBurst which improves color purity and saturation to bring you the most vibrant picture available. Gaming Mode enhances the audio and video quality of your favorite games. Exclusive DynaLight technology offers a deep, rich picture with high contrast and vivid colors. The integrated digital ATSC tuner guarantees that your TV will still function flawlessly after the transition to digital programming. A phenomenal slim-line sound system with SRS sound enhancement and easy to use channel and input labeling round out this entertainment powerhouse. With input jacks located both front and back, hooking up your home entertainment system is pure simplicity. An integrated High Resolution PC input allows this versatile TV to multifunction as a PC monitor giving you the option to enjoy high definition internet surfing and computer gaming. Welcome to the next generation of home theater technology!
Quick Specs (view all30)
Model
46XF550U
Screen Size
46"
Recommended Resolution
1920 x 1080
Aspect Ratio
16:9
Response Time
8ms
Review Summary (read all 3 Reviews, write a review)
5

34%
4

33%
3

33%
2
0%
1
0%
Product Rating:

Total Reviews:
3
Great TV!
Reviewed By: mrwiz on 3/15/2009

Tech Level: high - Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
Pros: great picture, a lot of connections, Blueray looks fantastic. The over the air HD reception is great. HD satellite looks very good. Evan standard definition signals look good. Sports looks good. No blurring. Contrast ratio is very good.
Cons: sound is shallow but if you have this big of a TV you really should have a surround system.
Other Thoughts: This is my second HD TV. My 3yr old 37" one has moved to kids room. The difference in picture quality is amazing.
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nice tv, bad reviewers
Reviewed By: fhlh on 3/1/2009

Tech Level: high - Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
Pros: watch the superbowl at a friends house on this tv, great picture, even at many angles
Cons: Reviewers that blame the manufacture for shipping related damage. That is the responsibilty of the retailer, not the manufacture.
Other Thoughts: Have heard of quality issue with Toshiba LCD's and lines.your mileage may vary
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Toshiba 46" LCD 46FX550U
Reviewed By: Joby on 2/5/2009

Tech Level: high - Ownership: 1 month to 1 year
Pros: TV worked right out of the Box. Compares only to VIZIO46" that I could see at Local stores. MAny features that I'm still trying to figure out. Use the HDMI inputs if possible for the best picture.
Cons: POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE/TECHNICAL SUPPORT. I received TV with a broken remote due to shipping. Toshiba's Policy is Shipping IS NOT their responsiblity. Said I would have to purchase any pay for new remote myself. I found one online for $ 25.00. I bought TV thru Costco for their warranty and return policy. They are helping me out. What if the TV was damaged in Shipping?? Am I stuck with that too? No way to Do business. Never heard of company denying responsibilty like this. Tail light warranty applies..............
Other Thoughts: BEWARE! Make sure your TV works before you sign the shipping slip. After that YOU OWN IT.
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Model
Brand
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TOSHIBA
Series
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REGZA
Model
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46XF550U
Display
Screen Size
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46"
Recommended Resolution
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1920 x 1080
Panel
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10-Bit CineSpeed LCD Panel
Aspect Ratio
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16:9
Viewing Angle
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PC Input: Analog RGBNTSC / ATSC / QAM Tuner1080i/p, 720p, 480i/p
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HDMI Digital Inputs: 3ColorStream Component Video Inputs: 2Front A/V / Rear A/V / Rear S-Video: 1 / 1 /1High Res PC Input (S-XGA, 15 Pin, D-sub): 1IR Pass-ThroughAnalog Audio Out: FixedDolby Digital Optical Out
HDMI
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Features
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Dynamic Backlight Control: DynaLightBacklight Color Depth: ColorBurst WCGDigital Video Processor: PixelPure 4G 14 BitVideo Scan Rate: ClearFrame 120Hz 5:5 Pulldown OptionTheaterWide ModesColor Temperature ControlColorMaster Color ControlNative ModeDeep Colorx.v. ColorSpeaker System: SoundStrip 2Volume Limiter: StableSoundSound Enhancement: SRS WOWAuto Aspect ControlSleep TimerREGZA LINK (HDMITM-CEC)Gaming ModeInput LabelingMutePicture Freeze
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Weight
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Introduction
Toshiba has taken high definition visual equipment to the next level with the REGZA 46" LCD HDTV. When incredible picture, unbelievable sound, and a sleek modern package are on your wish list, this TV is a dream-come-true. This unit boasts a crystal clear 46" high-definition LCD screen with ColorBurst which improves color purity and saturation to bring you the most vibrant picture available. Gaming Mode enhances the audio and video quality of your favorite games. Exclusive DynaLight technology offers a deep, rich picture with high contrast and vivid colors. The integrated digital ATSC tuner guarantees that your TV will still function flawlessly after the transition to digital programming. A phenomenal slim-line sound system with SRS sound enhancement and easy to use channel and input labeling round out this entertainment powerhouse. With input jacks located both front and back, hooking up your home entertainment system is pure simplicity. An integrated High Resolution PC input allows this versatile TV to multifunction as a PC monitor giving you the option to enjoy high definition internet surfing and computer gaming. Welcome to the next generation of home theater technology!
Highlights
Full HD 1080With a maximum resolution of 1920x1080 (16:9), the widescreen Toshiba Regza 46XF550U fully supports up to HDTV 1080p (1920x1080, progressive) for a truly high-definition experience.
HDMI InputThe Toshiba Regza 46XF550U features three HDMI inputs to receive high-definition digital video and audio through a single, convenient cable connection. HDMI's appeal has made it the choice interface for a broad selection of HD-capable video devices and gaming consoles.
High 10-bit LCD PanelThe Toshiba Regza 46XF550U features a high 10-bit LCD panel to deliver 64 times more colors than a conventional 8-bit panel, providing smoother transitions between color changes and during subtle shade transitions.
PixelPure 4G 14-bit Internal Digital Video ProcessingPixelPure 4G is an advanced digital video processing system that produces 4,096 levels of gradation for a smooth, natural-looking picture without image banding. With PixelPure 4G, the Toshiba Regza 46XF550U delivers incredibly deep, vibrant, sharp, clean and natural images beyond your imagination.
ClearFrame 120Hz Anti-Blur TechnologyToshiba's ClearFrame 120Hz anti-blur technology eliminates motion blur by refreshing pictures 120 times per second to display smoother and more natural fast motion scenes, perfect for watching live sports and action movies.
Built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM TunerArmed with a built-in ATSC/NTSC/QAM tuner, the Toshiba Regza 46XF550U receives digital/analog over-the-air and cable programming without additional digital set-top equipment.
Quick Specs
Brand
TOSHIBA
Recommended Resolution
1920 x 1080
Screen Size
46"
HDTV Capability
HDTV Tuner Inside
Aspect Ratio
16:9
Response Time
8ms
HDMI
3
Viewing Angle
176°(H) / 176°(V)
Detailed Specifications
Learning Center

LCD TV Buying Guide
What is an LCD TV?
LCD TV Features
The Parameters that Matter
Choosing the Right LCD TV
View All Learning Center information on LCD TV Category»

palm TX PDA Intel ARM-based processor 312MHz 320 x 480 TFT IrDA Bluetooth WirelessLAN


Refusing to rest on its laurels, Palm presents the TX with more features than ever before. The 320x480 transflective TFT touchscreen has support for over 65000 colors in either landscape or portrait modes. And in a Palm first, the graffiti zone can be cleared for unprecedented viewing area. It’s what’s behind the screen that’s truly amazing. It’s powered by a 312MHz Intel ARM based processor and has 100MB of user accessible memory. If that isn’t enough, there's a slot for MMC/SD/SDIO cards. You can add extra memory, or run extra software without loading it into the Palm’s memory. The TX also works great to review pictures from your digital camera with its remarkably clear screen. The audio player lets you carry one less gadget. Load your music onto an SD card and plug in a set of headphones or use the speaker. You can also listen without wires using a Bluetooth headset, and even dial your phone right from your contacts list. Keep up with the world using the WiFi connection and the Blazer web browser. You can also use the WiFi connection to download MS Office documents to edit on the road. At home, at work or at play, the TX from palm keeps you in control.

Other Thoughts: This is my 3rd Palm, I rely heavily on them in my business of Auto Wholesale, with Kelly Bluebook and other Vehicle valuation guides that run on it, keeping my inventory and values organized, I had the Tung E model, and broke the LCD screen bumping a wall. Cost to replace the screen is more than replacing whole unit so I upgraded to the TX for wifi and BTooth (BTooth i dont use yet). Wifi works great strong signals/recept for me, I have even looked up cars on dealers websites and closed deals with that feature so it was a good upgrade investment for me. Buy this you won't regret it, just know it may not play well with your old applications if you sync up to your old palm data. Just start over and you will be happy.
21 out of 22 people found this review helpful. Did you?

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After using it for one week
Reviewed By: Jeffrey T on 3/5/2006

Tech Level: somewhat high - Ownership: 1 week to 1 month
Pros: Compact, Bluetooth and Wifi. Amazing screen. Included software is very usable. I love the ability to hotsync over wifi. Running a wifi scanner program on this makes finding hot spots very easy.It's also pretty fast. My last PDA was a Pocket PC device with a 400Mhz processor and I would say this Palm is at least twice as fast even given the reduced Mhz of its processor. Price is fantastic considering what you get.Also, the battery lasts quite a long time. I would guess you could use wifi 5 hours a day. If you were just reading an ebook, it might last 10 hours.And, the battery can charge off of the wall wart or USB.
Cons: I'm not too crazy about the flip cover but that is a minor complaint. I would rather it was made of smooth leather. It has turned on in my pocket from inadvertant presses of the "Web" button but you can rectify that with a utility called "Disable Buttons". It's free software that disables certain buttons when the device is turned off.
Other Thoughts: I considered a Lifedrive but it was just too bulky. I can keep this in my pocket without it bothering me during the day. My list of necessary/useful software if you buy this palm:WiFi-Where (wifi scanner)WiFile Pro (access files on home or office network - including opening office documents. It does come with the lite version of this program for free.)Ilium eWallet (stores private data like usernames and passwords)Disable Buttons (to keep inadvertant button presses from turning it on in your pocket)
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Quick Specs (view all30)
Model
1047NA
CPU Type
Intel
CPU Speed
312MHz
Resolution
320 x 480
Memory
128MB

Cerise Desktop












Key Specs
Processor: 3GHz Core 2 Quad Q9650Memory: 8GB DDR3Storage: 500GB hard drive; 1TB hard driveOptical Drives: DVD+/-RWMonitor: NoneGraphics: Nvidia GeForce 9800 GTOperating System: Windows Vista Home Premium (64-bit)

Review
Reviewed by: Matt Safford Review Date: March 2009
Cerise isn’t as well-known as other makers of workstation PCs, such as Hewlett-Packard or Lenovo. But the company’s quad-core Cerise Desktop system shows an attention to detail and smart system design that makes for a solid PC for image and video editing, and a smart buy for those who aren’t inclined to build their own machines. We only wish Cerise offered a three-year warranty like other workstation-PC vendors; if you choose Cerise, a year will have to suffice.

Here you can see the side-mounted FireWire, USB, and audio ports. They're conveniently located only if your PC sits on your desk.
While this system is made entirely from off-the-shelf parts, it’s evident that the company’s builders knew what they were doing when they chose the components. The NZXT Hush case is outfitted internally with sound-dampening pads on four sides and two quiet case fans, along with a large fan on the CPU cooler. The result is one of the quietest performance systems we’ve ever had in our labs. Though our test machine emitted an audible blowing sound when first powered on, it lasts only a second or so. By the time our machine booted up, it was quieter than the lightly humming powered-down air conditioner running a few feet away outside a closed window. If not for the blue fan and light on the front of the case, you could easily forget this machine is running.
The only caveat we have about the case is the questionable positioning of the external ports (FireWire, two USB, audio in and out) on the right side of the case, close to the bottom. If you’re planning on placing this midsize tower on your desk, the ports will be in a perfectly convenient spot, but if you want to house your PC near the floor, those ports will be out of easy reach. That said, a multiformat flash-card reader with two USB ports is hidden behind the case door on the front, easy to get to no matter where you put the PC.
Inside the case, our $1,735 configuration housed two enterprise-class Seagate hard drives: a 500GB drive for your OS and apps, and a 1TB drive for media files. The dual drives are a smart move that means your editing tasks won’t choke trying to read from the C: drive while Windows performs a random upgrade task or virus scan. A nice touch: The drives are conveniently labeled as "C:" and "D:" with large stickers, making swapping them out a bit simpler for novices; the case's tool-free design helps in that regard as well. Our system also featured meticulous cable routing, which helps air flow freely through the case, keeping components cooler, which should help them last longer. Should you want to upgrade later on, the motherboard has free SATA ports for two additional hard drives, another PCI Express 2.0 x16 video-card slot, and three free PCI slots.


Inside the NZXT Hush case, Cerise has done a fair bit of cable routing. It could be cleaner, but major effort has obviously been made to keep cables from affecting airflow.

Our test machine was configured with an Intel Core 2 Quad Q9650 processor running at a speedy 3GHz, a smart choice for video editors, as editing apps are among the few programs that thus far can make use of all four cores. Graphics professionals could choose a cheaper dual-core configuration without seeing much of a slowdown, at least until multithreaded graphics applications start taking advantage of all available CPU cores.
Adobe’s Creative Suite 4, however, can make ample use of the processing power of graphics cards, so Cerise smartly included an Nvidia GeForce 9800 GT, which, while no longer the high end of gaming cards, adds plenty of muscle for labor-intensive Adobe design tasks. And with two DVI ports, you’ll be able to easily add a second monitor.
Adding 8GB of DDR3 memory to the mix of already impressive components, it’s no surprise the Cerise Desktop did well our tests. We don’t often test systems built specifically for photo- and video-editing tasks, so apples-to-apples comparisons are difficult. But on PCMark Vantage, which specifically tests for these tasks (among others), this system turned in a respectable 5,941 in 32-bit mode, and 5,441 in the OS’s native 64-bit mode, well above the similarly priced Alienware Area-51 750i's score of 4,684 (64-bit) and 4,853 (32-bit) in the same test. But the Cerise Desktop can’t compete with systems like the Cyberpower Gamer Xtreme XE, equipped with an Intel Core i7 processor. To be fair, that’s a system that costs nearly twice as much, but there are Core i7-equipped systems available for less than the Cerise Desktop. Our only major beef with this machine's hardware in that regard is that Core i7 isn’t an option. The 3GHz Core 2 Quad Q9650 CPU in this system is definitely powerful, but those who want the latest and greatest processing power will have to look elsewhere, at least for now.

Behind the door of the NZXT Hush case, you'll find a quiet, blue-lit intake fan, as well as a multi-card reader with a useful USB port.
Still, from the moment we turned on the machine, our experience with this desktop was smooth and speedy. There’s no unnecessary software installed to bog things down—an experience you'll rarely have with a major-maker PC. The other area where the Cerise falls short, however, is with its warranty. Lenovo and HP offer three-year plans standard, and Cerise offers just one year for parts and labor. But the company does offer lifetime technical support for the original owner of the computer.
That aside, this is one well-built, smartly set-up system that has all the muscle needed for today’s graphics- and video-editing programs, and none of the bloatware found in machines sold by more mainstream vendors. Because it’s made from off-the-shelf parts, you could build the same machine yourself and save a little money, but then you wouldn’t get the tech support and warranty. And with all the effort put into cable routing and quiet, efficient airflow, even we’d be hard-pressed to build a better system. As long as you don’t feel the need for the absolute high-end performance offered by the new Core i7 processors, the Cerise Desktop is a smart choice, whether you're a graphics professional or just looking for a powerful, dependable, well-designed system that’s as quiet as it is quick.Price (at time of review): $1,735 (direct, as configured)

Averatec All-In-One PC (18.4-Inch)

















Key Specs
Processor: 1.6GHz Intel Atom N270Memory: 1GB DDR2Storage: 160GB hard driveOptical Drives: DVD±RWMonitor: 18.4-inch LCD (WXGA, integrated)Graphics: Integrated IntelOperating System: Windows XP Home Edition

Review
Reviewed by: John A. Burek Review Date: April 2009
Our last recollection of the Averatec brand was associated with value ultraportables. It’s interesting, then, that the Averatec name recently re-emerged with a line of all-in-one (AIO) desktop PCs (which are manufactured by a company called Trigem Computer). That’s because, looking at the configurations of the company’s prosaically named All-In-One PC line, the components vary very little from those of today’s hot-selling, superportable netbooks. Compact desktop PCs with low-end specs like these, affectionately known as “nettops,” are intended to serve as a second or third computer in a household for checking e-mail, browsing the Web, and running basic applications. The key traits of a nettop are low cost and compact size, and on both of those the Averatec All-In-One PC delivers. But some issues with its integrated monitor, and the overall value proposition, keep us from recommending this system.
The Averatec All-In-One PC line is sold by several big-box retailers online (Wal-mart, Best Buy, Sam's Club), as well as in Sam's Club retail stores and via several major Web tech sellers. The system we tested came with the standard slate of core hardware that defines a modern-day netbook: 1GB of RAM, a 160GB hard drive, an Intel Atom N270 processor paired with the Intel 945GMS chipset, and Windows XP Home Edition. Being a desktop PC, however, the All-In-One does have an optical drive, in this case a multiformat DVD burner. It’s a tray-loading, not slot-loading model, with a slight design gotcha: the leading edge of the tray, a wedge of smooth plastic, is slippery to grab after you've hit the Eject button.
We tested the least-expensive version of the Averatec All-In-One PC, which has an 18.4-inch wide-screen LCD and sells for $549. Averatec also offers three versions of the system with a 22-inch screen, which are equipped with 2GB or 3GB of RAM, larger hard drives, and, in two of the three models, a TV tuner. On the model we tested, you can upgrade the memory to 2GB, but you’ll have to swap in a 2GB SO-DIMM to replace the 1GB one that’s in place; there’s only one memory slot.

The hinge (where the mounting arm meets the back of the LCD) was exceedingly wobbly in our test unit.
Of course, the major focus in any AIO desktop has to be its screen, since you can’t swap out an integrated LCD you don’t like. Averatec’s choice of a pale-blue default desktop theme did not show off the 18.4-inch screen to its advantage, so we tested the unit using DisplayMate, our standard screen-evaluation software, to dig deeper. The screen acquitted itself well through most of the test suite, and it showed no stuck pixels, but we discovered that the text legibility on this display was poorer than most. Fonts were legible down to only 6.8 points; in most LCDs we test, legibility extends under 6 points. Also, we noted that the vertical viewing angle on our test unit was narrow, making the screen highly sensitive to off-axis viewing. In our tests, we found that the limited angle made for a less-than-optimal viewing experience when we had multiple users gathered around the screen simultaneously; the view was always subprime for someone. You’ll have to adjust the screen tilt carefully for the best image.
Actually, you’ll have to adjust the screen carefully, period, because the joint that connects the LCD to the vertical arm is exceedingly wobbly. Even lightly touching the bezel of the screen makes the screen shake. As we handled the Averatec All-In-One PC throughout our testing, this unstable joint made us concerned about the display’s long-term durability if the unit is pushed around or adjusted roughly (say, by young children) or placed somewhere it would be prone to jostling. One screen aspect worth noting: You can fold the entire unit flat and mount it on a wall, which would make the hinge weakness moot. The bottom of the body has threaded holes compatible with VESA wall-mounting hardware.


The PC can fold flat for wall-mounting.

One other quibble with the screen: We tried adjusting the brightness, only to discover to our chagrin that the hardware brightness settings are governed by a single button on the front edge of the computer and limited to five increments (60, 70, 80, 90, and 100 percent), not a finely adjustable continuum. Only at 90 percent did the desktop image look acceptable.


The directional keys are half-size and placed in an awkward spot.

The other hardware was similarly hit-or-miss. On the upper edge of the screen bezel is a 1.3-megapixel Webcam, backed by CyberLink’s YouCam software, which provides good, gimmicky fun for manipulating your Webcam image. You also get a USB keyboard and mouse, both slightly undersized. The mouse, which feels plasticky but adequate, is accompanied by a slick-looking, speckled-black mouse pad. The keyboard’s key size is nearly full, but ultimately, typing on it feels like pecking away at a notebook keyboard: a bit cramped. Plus, the directional keys are half-size and crammed under the right-Shift key, rather than in the conventional spot between right-Shift and the numeric pad.

Three of the five USB ports lie along the spare back edge, along with the power port and Ethernet jack.
The body of the All-In-One, measuring 1.5x11.25x8.4 inches, resembles nothing as much as a closed netbook. The aforementioned DVD burner is on the left, and on the right side are two USB ports, plus a four-format memory-card reader (supporting SD, MultiMediaCard, Memory Stick, and Memory Stick Pro), as well as headphone, microphone, and VGA-out ports. The rear edge sports three more USB ports, plus Ethernet and power jacks. On the front edge, a row of small, round buttons governs a variety of basic functions (power on/off, brightness, volume up/down, and LCD-backlight on/off). Unfortunately, the buttons are labeled on the inward-sloping edge beneath the buttons themselves, so the text is hard to read unless you crane your neck down or tilt the whole base upward. Filling out the connectivity options is an integrated 802.11a/b/g Wi-Fi chipset.
Stereo speakers and a microphone are embedded in the body of the unit and work with the PC’s integrated IDT audio chipset. Although it would mar the aesthetic simplicity of the system, we must recommend external speakers if you care about audio quality at all; the built-in ones are mediocre at best at low volumes, and cranked up to a level appropriate for movie viewing, they sounded tinny and could not handle high frequencies. That's a problem for a PC that's all about space-saving; pairing it with a set of gawky PC speakers would eliminate some of the appeal.
Despite the largely disappointing hardware, the Averatec All-In-One PC performed a little better than we expected, considering its netbook-parallel configuration. Setting up the PC was a five-minute affair: Plug in the USB keyboard and mouse, attach a network cable, plug the power adapter into the PC, then attach the power cord to the adapter and the wall. We followed that with a brief Windows XP configuration sequence and were ready to go. On our benchmark tests, the system slightly outscored the Asus Eee PC 1002HA netbook on Futuremark’s PCMark05 with a showing of 1,583. It also scored better than most netbooks on our iTunes Encoding (19 minutes and 14 seconds) and Windows Media Encoder (23 minutes and 50 seconds) tests, beating the netbook averages by approximately 4 minutes and 30 seconds, and 6 minutes and 45 seconds, respectively. And on our Cinebench 10 test, a good indicator of CPU performance, its score of 830 was about 5 percent above the netbook average, and in line with another AIO nettop we tested recently, the Asus Eee Top ET1602, which turned in a score of 837 in Cinebench.
As you’d expect, serious gaming is a non-starter with this PC. We tested the game Company of Heroes at 1,024x768 and achieved a frame rate of just 2.1 frames per second, and the PC’s showing at the native resolution of 1,680x985 was well under a single frame per second.
We fully understand that in a slim $549 PC with an 18-inch screen, you can't reasonably expect world-beating performance. But, even taking in context its competitive-for-its-class performance, we can’t bring ourselves to enthusiastically recommend this version of the Averatec All-In-One PC. It’s a wholly average nettop, at best, in all other respects, and it's not bolstered by any software suite of note. (The "highlight" is a 90-day trial of Norton Anti-Virus.)
The Averatec All-In-One PC's ultraslim design is a definite plus, but considering that you can get a far more powerful small-form-factor (SFF) microtower with a better screen for less money, you need to really be in love with the design of this AIO for the purchase to make sense. At the time this was written, for example, for $50 less you could land a Vista-based Dell Inspiron 530s desktop with a 17-inch LCD, twice the RAM and hard drive, and a dual-core Pentium CPU. The Inspiron offers PCI-card expandability in its compact case, too. As it stands, the Averatec All-In-One PC can’t overcome its mediocre screen quality, disconcertingly wobbly display hinge, and poor speakers—three items you can't upgrade elegantly—to make it a good value considering the SFF competition.Price (at time of review): $549