Are 64-bit operating systems compatible with your computer and existing software releases? Is it really worth the hassle

Intel is about to launch its first 64-bit processor, but what will it actually mean for business users? PC Authority investigates. Fourteen years ago the growing popularity of demanding d

In the early-to-mid 'nineties, the industry was buzzing with speculation about the 'new' 32-bit computing platform and, more importantly, how it would integrate into the 16-bit environment.

Microsoft this week released public previews of the 64-bit editions of Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 as it changed the official names of the high-end operating systems.

It's a sign of the times when Compaq's Aero 8000 runs Windows CE in a box bigger than a Sharp PC-A250 (reviewed issue 23, p86) running Windows 98. So what's the big idea? Windows CE uses no moving parts, while software in ROM means immediate start-up times, high reliability, and long battery life all highly desirable qualities in a portable.

The next 64-bit processor is codenamed McKinley. This will essentially be an enhanced Itanium running on an Intel 870 chipset, boasting even greater performance through larger amounts of cache and mor

Sun UltraSPARC In 1995, eight years after the first SPARC Station was introduced, Sun went 64-bit with the debut of its UltraSPARC I RISC processor; the first model ran at 143MHz and had 128-bi

In many ways Itanium represents a change for Intel. Having dominated the desktop PC processor market, the company hopes that its 64-bit silicon will become the de facto choice in the next generation o

After a few months of BETA testing, Microsoft has finally released the next official first aid kit for Windows Vista - Service Pack 2.

An immensely powerful card, tempered by flaky drivers.

The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) has put together a supercomputer that's based around a cluster of graphics processing units (GPUs)

We've tested a massive 25 netbooks to provide a list of the best and worst mini laptops, with one surprise winner. Also, see our big TV set top box guide, in the new issue of PC Authority

Advanced Micro Devices this week introduced its fastest desktop processor, heating up competition with rival chip maker Intel for the hearts of PC enthusiasts and hard-core gamers.

Dells all-black PowerEdge is certainly one of the coolest-looking systems of the bunch, but the 600SC also packs enough power to be a formidable SMB server

Emagens entry is a fairly mixed system, with some excellent and some average features

Founded in 1990, Be originally marketed its BeOS operating system on its proprietary hardware platform the BeBox. The BeBox went the way of the dinosaurs, however, and the company officially ceased to

Shuttle is a bit of a pioneer in the world of barebones PCs, and is one of few manufacturers to have a range of systems on offer and not just a couple of basic units. Its also the only one in this roundup to offer a barebones based around the new Athlon 64.