The arrival of Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 (ES2K3) is a significant event in the history of this product. First, it brings to a close the second era of the codebase. Released back in 1996 on the NT 4 wave, ES4 (there was no 1, 2 or 3) brought enterprise-level email, contact management, diary management and so forth to the Windows Server platform in a new and comprehensive BackOffice application.

Useful new features and a total interface overhaul make this the best Office ever.

Stacks of potential, but current hardware is underwhelming and the client software a mess.

A worthy update to the most underrated of the Office applications — OneNote is now a must-have.

The follow up to Rise of Nations packs strategic punch.

A much-hyped console epic comes to the PC, but unlike others that have made the move this deserves its press.

PreviewA good attempt at all-in-one system security, fully integrated into the OS.

It might seem like there's not that much to a keyboard or mouse. On the contrary, given that just about every interaction you have with your PC is through one of these devices, it's critically important to choose something that is comfortable and efficient.

It has been over two years since we previewed Office XP, but Microsoft has finally given us a glimpse of Office 2003. The finished version should be on the shelves by the end of July, but will it be worth the upgrade? The answer could be an emphatic 'yes' if you're a Tablet PC user, as Microsoft has just launched OneNote (see page 59), making full use of electronic ink. The company is also introducing InfoPath (see page 59) for designing electronic forms, with the flexibility of XML. The classic apps have also had their seen refurbishment, with Outlook (page 56) getting the most attention, and FrontPage and Publisher (page 58) a bit of a revamp.

Whatever size your business is, now is the time to bite the bullet and upgrade to Server 2008

Office 2003 has undergone a lot of tweaking, but the most obvious changes are in the new and improved Outlook 2003. The differences will be obvious as soon as you fire it up.

Behind-the-scenes changes make a huge difference, even if the interface is inconsistent.

Microsoft has four key 'visions' for Pocket PC 2003 (PPC 2003): make it easier for manufacturers to innovate, improve the 'wireless experience', bring easy instant messaging to the PDA, and expand the 'media experience'.

Improvements all round keep PowerPoint well ahead of the competition.

This is a pretty decent little webcam – it's just that, without games to fool around with, it feels like a low-end PC webcam plugged into your Xbox. EyeToy this ain't

Microsoft finally recognises that web authoring needs a standards-compliant tool, albeit on its own terms.

Installation needs to be much more streamlined, but this is a low-maintenance security solution with quality reporting

A Media Center Extender, upscaling DVD player and great games console

A disappointingly modest number of improvements, although they’re well integrated into the complete suite.

We've seen interesting mouse designs before, but none quite like this. Microsoft's new Arc mouse fold up like a mobile. See our photo gallery here.