Who hasn’t lusted after a luxury laptop? Hands up, now. It may surprise you to discover that luxury is... well, I hate to say affordable, because it sounds like a cliche, but it’s true. Check out the luxurious laptops in our December issue for an idea of what you can get, whether you’re after the ultimate in portability, style or power.
At the other end of the scale, when it comes to laptops, you can’t go past our holiday gift guide. It’s filled with ideas for Christmas, including a roundup of the netbooks available in Australia. If netbooks aren’t your thing, then how about a smartphone, GPS, MP3 player, compact camera or laptop bag? Phew!
I haven’t yet been brave enough to shell out money for a DSLR but the set we’ve tested this issue are fantastically priced, and I’m seriously tempted to take the plunge.
One thing I have taken the plunge on is Google’s Chrome browser. If you haven’t tried it out yet, you really should - we’ll tell you exactly why in this issue. It’s superfast, with Google’s trademark minimalist look, and utterly ground-breaking. We may well look back a year from now and say that Chrome changed everything.
For the system builders among you, we’ve got a definitive guide to RAM which investigates how well high-performance RAM really performs – is overclocked RAM worth it?
• Paragon Drive Backup Express 9
• Ashampoo WinOptimizer 2009
• Avanquest Connection Manager
• Symantec 90 day trial
• Mercenaries 2 Demo
A huge 18.4in widescreen, Blu-ray drive and a big hard disk make this a great entertainment laptop
Eye-catching, but the meagre specification and lack of features harm the Air’s prospects.
Impressive in several areas, but other laptops offer better features and more performance for less cash.
Yes, it’s bigger and dearer than ever, but it’s also the most usable and well-made Eee PC yet.
Great performance, but variable quality and poor battery life harm the U6’s business ambitions
A decent enough addition to the legendary EOS range, but there are too many competitors at this price.
The 450D’s superb sensor makes it the best choice if quality is your priority. It doesn't beat the Sony A200 for value, but for the best quality below $1500 the 450D has the edge.
Selecting presents for the geek or gadgeteer in your life? We take the hassle out of gift buying, so you can put your feet up and relax.
A superb small laptop that offers plenty of features, power and value for money
Fantastic 3D performance makes the M1730 ideal for gamers – but only those with capacious wallets.
They may look big and complicated, but a digital slr is just as easy to use and takes far better pictures than a pocket digicam
Will splashing out on expensive RAM make a real difference to PC performance? And if so, how much should you buy? We supply the benchmarks and lay the details bare
If you need professional-class ruggedness on a budget, this is a real option.
Superb battery life and features, but poor build quality
and an uncomfortable keyboard scupper the Lifebook
Blu-ray writers are more affordable than ever. We look at four internal models to find the best way to go high-def. The last time we did a round-up of optical drives, the former war was in full swing. But now Blu-ray has at last seen off HD DVD and taken its place as the industry standard for high-capacity optical media.
If there's someone in your life without a digital camera, there's never been a better time to get them started. Compact cameras now offer 8-12 megapixels for under $500, and provide large LCDs for easy viewfinding and shot setup as well as automatic face recognition, multiple focal points and more!
Some items just don't fit any other category, but their looks, features or quirkness scream 'Christmas Gift Idea'. From everyone's favourite AI dinosaur, Pleo, to the groundbreaking Tivo PVR, we think we've got a little something for everyone.
GPS units are now mainstream, and the prices have never been better - the Tomtom One in particular is an incredible bargain, and it's been on our A-list for a full two years. Around Christmas time, it's relatively easy to find deals that include pouches, external antenna, screen protectors and other accessories: shop around before buying.
Here's a handful of the best laptop bags around - perfect for protecting your pride and joy while you're out and about. In addition to the essential protection, these bags also come with oodles of style.
Since the release of the Eee PC 701, the 'Notebook' has dominated. Easy to use, cheap and able to be left on the coffee table next to the remote, Notebooks are true appliance computing. The choice of which one to buy comes down to personal preference, but it's hard not to prefer those with the best usability. Our rundown of your options covers their performance, battery life, and design.
Whether you're after something small, portable and cheap - such as the Creative Zen Mozaic - or something more fully featured, we've got the latest and greatest in portable music on test. The benchmark they all try to meet is the iPod Classic, which at $300 for 80GB of storage and 45 hours of audio battery life is still the clear leader.
The P45 chipset takes the stability of the P35 chipset and introduces support for PCI Express 2.0 - the latest standard for graphic cards. If you were waiting for the best choice of upgrade for an existing LGA775 system, or want a board for a budget system, this is definitely the chipset of choice. It's great time to bag an upgrade. What better gift for the DIY geek in your household?
Once you've tasted the freedom of surfing the Internet on your smartphones, it's hard to go back. Fortunately, a number of mobile phone providers offer great deals on smartphones with included data. We've assessed their ease of use, features and handset design.
HP’s Dragon combines fantastic power, comprehensive features and an innovative 20in screen design.
A great keyboard, wonderful screen and loads of features, but battery life is weak and it’s a touch pricey
Light, packed with features and with superb battery life: the ideal business notebook.
Mike Jennings tests a selection of laptops that offer stunning power and fantastic features in a dozen luxurious packages
Internet everywhere, for affordable prices. Dave Stevenson investigates the claims, tests the speeds and delivers a verdict on the best plan for your mobile dollars.
The aggressive price and Nikon design know-how mean there’s still a place for the D40
A good camera but not the most inspiring. There’s better value elsewhere.
Symantec’s latest offering is lighter than ever and an extremely effective security package. And get this, a RAM footprint smaller than Kaspersky
Not the pinnacle of image quality, but superbly compact with plenty of neat features
A capable enough performer, but it doesn’t offer enough for the money to come out on top.
Pentax enthusiasts will be more than happy, but others may find it overwhelming
Replay our blog from the show floor at Steve Ballmer's address at "Liberation Day" in Sydney.
Not the sleekest smartphone, but the screen, keyboard and battery life are all superb.
A feature-rich SLR at a good price. If you can live with the weight and design quirks, that is
For a DSLR that does everything an amateur is ever likely to want, with a terrifyingly cheap price tag, look no further.
A brilliantly implemented live-view mode and high specs don’t justify the extra price over its sibling
Superb speakers, a whopping 640GB of storage and decent core components make this a solid choice
