I can’t tell you how long I’ve been dreaming of a decent mobile broadband connection. In my dreams, of course, it’s as fast as my ADSL2+, and supplies the 20GB I currently consume every month in bandwidth with nary a whimper. The reality is still a way behind my dream, but it’s increasingly good value-for-money. To make the most of it, you should check out our lowdown on speeds, coverage and plans in the November issue. I’ll warn you now: there are a couple of catches to watch out for!
When it comes to saving money, we’ve rounded up the best advice possible. Our 40 cost-cutting tips will not only help you save money on your next tech purchase, but you’ll also find ways to save money with the technology you already own.
One money-saver is to buy a multifunction printer, and we’ve conveniently rounded up a stack of bargain buys, only in November PC Authority.
Lastly, our feature on Computers in Space is where we uncover details about the machines that are out and about in the solar system. From the tiny system at the heart of Voyager to the robust software that drives the Phoenix Mars Lander, we go boldly where no magazine has gone before.
Also, don’t forget that you can still vote in our reliability and service awards at
http://www.pcauthority.com.au/promos/awards/.
There’s $17,000 worth of prizes to win, and – best of all – you get to tell manufacturers what you really think of their tech. Go and have your say!
• Paragon Hard Disc Manager 8.5 SE
• Iolo DriveScrubber 3.5
• Carbonite
• Warmonger Demo
Cheap plans, good hardware and excellent results in our speed tests make 3 a deserving winner, in our group test against Telstra Bigpond, Optus, Vodafone, Virgin and Unwired.
Acer’s Aspire one makes a splash. A great keyboard, a fine screen and a keen price make for a superb mini-laptop
The fastest test results, but the most expensive data packages make BigPond a fall-back only for those with no coverage from other providers
A dreadful scanner and an overall lack of features make the low price a moot point
Interesting design and plenty of features, but it takes an age to produce mediocre results
Fast, great quality prints at a decent price – the only real competition for the other Canon
The scanner is the only minor weakness in an otherwise near perfect home all-in-one
good speed, good features and plenty of flexibility make this a winner
Good, but not good enough: it can’t compete with the winners this month
Small, funky and fast, the studio hybrid is the pick of the small PCs. You've read our first impressions, now see our full review of the Dell Studio Hybrid.
Decent wireless printing, but the poor scanning, copying and speed let the Dell down
David Fearon explains how to save energy and hassle by converting your old Windows XP PC to a virtual one that you can run on your Vista machine
Lacklustre colour quality, but good speed and value for money make the K8600 a contender if you like blowing things up to A3 size
A stylish and usable touchscreen PC that’s right at home in the living room. With Windows 7 promising touch-control, this could be the future of desktop PCs.
More approachable than ever, with excellent malware detection in an affordable package
In a world filled with gorgeous Sony, Apple and even Dell laptops, a sober, matte black machine aimed at consumers has to be truly special to turn heads. The IdeaPad Y430 is a well-built Centrino 2 machine that lacks nothing in the way of features, speed or value
Plenty of features, but printing and scanning results proved average at best
Quality, speed and a huge array of features go some way to justifying the price
Slow speeds and a high price make this an underwhelming offering
The arrival of dual-n band networking with 5GHz promises an end to crowded home wireless networks. Speed, range and technology is great, but the price is steep
A startling achievement: a highly capable mini-laptop for under $700. Only mediocre battery life mars its appeal.
A capable and beautifully designed smartphone, but weaker battery life means it can’t match the E71
Despite worrying reports about network congestion, Optus performed well in our tests. Top-notch speed, balanced with keen pricing - if you value network performance above all else this is the mobile broadband to get
It’s easy to believe that registry cleaners fall into the category of “computer voodoo”. You expect to perform a few ritualistic gestures and gain a faster, less problematic computer.
A modular scanning tool that catches most unwanted software – but not quite all
A great entry-level video editing app, but Montage is the only major addition unless you go for the Ultimate edition
Our man undercover, the Retail Warrior tested this by shopping for a TomTom Go 720 at four retailers, and found there are extremely good deals to be had, if you're prepared to do some clever leg work.
We test nine devices, from the simplest printers to versatile multifunction devices that print, scan, copy and fax
Leigh Dyer looks at how to get failover redundancy on a shoestring budget
Great looks, superb build quality and a world beating software package. It would threaten the A list if it were just a little cheaper.
Nothing revolutionary, but this simple and affordable music-production program feels both mature and modern
Good value if purchased with a plan, the telstra’s speed impresses
Our full guide to saving cash-saving secrets is here, from how to get discounts on PCs, to SIM only phone contracts, the best DSLR cameras deals, and discount licensing from Adobe, Microsoft and others.
Disappointing speeds in our tests, underwhelming plans and expensive hardware make Unwired a niche choice
No excess data charges, a free modem and a good software package make virgin worth a look
A free modem and competitive pricing around the 5GB mark make Vodafone worth a look – but other networks are cheaper per GB
