After the disappointment - perceived or otherwise - of Windows Vista, many are pinning their hopes on a revival with Windows 7. And from our first impressions of the pre-beta code, that's exactly what they can expect.

Tighter controls on whio can see your photo albums and phone numbers, plus new "friends-of-friends" feature..

Will a beefed-up firewall, User Account Control and disk encryption make Vista a safer choice than XP?

A highly usable all-round security suite, but ultimately a strong runner-up rather than a new champion.

Impressive and free antivirus and antispyware package

Live’s standing as a general-purpose music-production environment continues to grow.

Microsoft prepares to march into Adobe territory with its forthcoming suite of graphics and web development software.

Still not sure whether it's worth upgrading to Vista? We put XP and Vista through the ultimate face-off.

A sterling budget DSLR with a great range of controls and superb high ISO performance

ISP-based filtering services have met with a mixed response in Australia. AOL provides parental controls so that family members can be provided with filtered Internet access according to their age gro

ISP-based filtering services have met with a mixed response in Australia. AOL provides parental controls so that family members can be provided with filtered Internet access according to their age gro

Microsoft's bold claim with Halo Wars is that it'll finally cure the curse of the console RTS - namely that it won't have controls that suck compared to a PC's keyboard and mouse combo.

Filled with a good feature-set such as an S-Video input and high brightness and contrast, the Daewoo L17Cs looked great on paper. In ‘person’ it looked quite snappy, with a silver and black finish, high neck and all the OSD buttons and controls arrayed up the right-hand side.

What do you need from a cordless keyboard? Basically, no cord, and keys that work. Things like smooth action, well-spaced keys, special-function Internet controls and a weighty feel that stops it sliding around are all pluses.

No match for Sony’s SR12 on features, but incredibly easy to use and an ideal ‘my first HD camcorder’

Small but solid. The Ixus 75 is perfect for holiday snappers – just watch out when the sun goes down

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

A truly silent firewall, reduced system impact and an improved interface finally make Norton attractive.

The first thing you notice about the Kyocera Samurai 2100DG is the shape of the camera.

If you want your film to look good in front of an audience of thousands, these are the cameras you should be using.