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.

good speed, good features and plenty of flexibility make this a winner

3Coms AirConnect is one of the high-speed wireless LAN (WLAN) contenders, combining three PC Card network interface cards and a base station. The AirConnect cards dont inspire confidence, as the aerial assembly isnt securely fixed to the card body. 3Com looks to have remedied this with the release of the new XJACK cards (estimated at $400 each). These cards have a pop-up antenna and are less prone to breaking off the card.

The Qbic's front panel is covered in an attractive, although not totally flattering, mirrored surface that conceals all the drives and inputs.

Wireless technology is brilliant, but has been thwarted by the difficulty of implementation and the need for additional hardware to replace existing products. The Minitar MN54G4R takes care of all of this, combing a dual band 802.11b/g wireless access point, USB print server, router, SPI (stateful packet inspection) firewall and four port LAN switch into a single tiny unit.

An entry level PDA

Computer mice are arguably the best thing since sliced bread - for computer users anyway - until you try to draw with one.

Huge capacity, but with a price tag to match. Memory maker Kingston Technology has launched the world's first 256GB USB Flash drive.

BenQ's U-Disk 256MB shares a similar slide-USB port as the SanDisk Cruzer Titanium Labs Winner -- this keeps the unit fairly small and pocket-friendly.

The Web Excel PT-3830 is an 802.11b wireless access point, four-port switch and DSL router all-in-one. It's a good package if you want to share your DSL modem with a small network, but everything about the PT-3830 is definitely no-frills. Closer examination, however, reveals a highly configurable device.

Workgroup Office Laser Printer

Functionally the daVinci is the bare minimum as far as PDAs go so I was intrigued with the idea of a PalmOS device for $329.

PC Authority has secured a $350 discount for readers on Dell’s new 27” monitor.

Gauging a USB memory key's value is a fairly simple procedure, right? They plug into any available USB 2.0 port and off you go, however it isn't as clear-cut as that.

Narrowly missing out on an award, much effort has gone into the aesthetics of this unit as it has into the feature set.

To please audiophiles on a budget at $80 its one of the cheapest surround-capable cards available.

The LG TFT has one of the slimmest bezels of any screen this month, helped in part by the use of LG.Philips’ own 18in IPS-type TFT panel.

Despite the somewhat dubious branding the GeForce2 Ti cards are not actually Ti 500 cards, hence the inclusion of the forward slash in the name - Gainward is an old stalwart in the graphics game even though it doesnt enjoy a big profile here.

At this stage you can get modules for games, memory expansion and backup, a digital camera, an MP3 player, a GPS and a mobile phone module