Editor's Note

It's been a big day for the PC Authority team, with the magazine winning the Computers & Games category at the inaugural Australian Magazine Awards. A big thanks to all our readers and subscribers. If you're a regular on our Web site, but haven't read the magazine, the latest issue is on sale now. The new issue is our biggest of the year, and it includes something special - 101 of the most desirable tech gift ideas for home theatre, photography, toys, sport, games and more.

Also on the site this week: Dell's new Adamo laptop, we look at the movie 2012, 5 free PC apps you can't do without, auto tech and the future of in-car Internet, reviews of Nikon's Coolpix S220, Panasonic's Lumix DMC-TZ6, and Sony's Vaio netbook.

Top Stories This Week

• PC Authority wins at Australian Magazine Awards
• World's thinnest: Dell Adamo XPS officially announced
• Mandriva Linux 2010.0 is out
• Movie tech: The science behind the film 2012
• Dell Vostro 1520, an excellent low-cost business laptop
• 5 More Free PC Apps You Can't Do Without
• New magazine issue! With 101 Christmas gift ideas, including toys, sport, games, home theatre . . .
• Auto tech: Is this the future of in-car Internet?
• Sony VAIO Mini W Series: how good is the big brand's netbook?
• Stepping up to a DSLR camera: 4 types of cameras compared

Most Read This Week

• 5 Free Linux Apps You Can't Do Without
• Picking the perfect home entertainment box: Hulu blocks international access via Witopia
• Tesla breaks land record for electric car on a single charge
• 32 Reasons why PCs are Better than Macs
• Telstra dangles lure with prepaid wireless 3G offer - but will customers take the bait?
• 5 Free PC Apps You Can't Do Without
• Lost and found: could GPS keep tabs on your pets?
• Web's Best 50 Free Downloads
• Top 10 worst Microsoft products of all time
• Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3

News

Top 10 Downloads

1. Adobe Flash Player 9.0.28
2. Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 3
3. Apple iTunes 7
4. AVG Anti-Virus Free 9.0.698
5. Apple iTunes 8
6. LogMeIn Hamachi 1.0.3
7. vLite 1.1.6
8. Everest Ultimate Edition 4.6
9. Adobe Flash Player 9.0.124
10. Downtown Run

Reviews

Nikon's Coolpix S220 takes on Canon camera throne with well priced, quality compact by Staff writers | November 6, 2009 Simple controls, friendly design and a tiny size make the Nikon Coolpix S220 a great choice for summer snaps.		Panasonic's Lumix DMC-TZ6 scores top marks for impressive zoom lens, great image quality by Staff writers | November 5, 2009 The Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ6 is the best option here for pure image quality and flexibility, if you can live with its size and quirks.
Dell Vostro 1520, an excellent low-cost business laptop by Staff writers | November 5, 2009 For this price, the Vostro's plain looks can be overlooked in favour of its impressive battery life		Sony VAIO Mini W Series: how good is the big brand's netbook? by Tim Danton | November 4, 2009 So, the last big name has fallen. HP gave out in April 2008, and both Dell and Toshiba's resistance crumbled by the autumn. But it's taken Sony until the middle of 2009 to produce what it confesses to be a netbook, the VAIO Mini W Series.
Nirv's Pro SLI is one of the most powerful and perfectly constructed desktops we've seen by Zara Baxter | November 3, 2009 It's not cheap, but it's powerful and cleverly constructed to make the most of the components.		Fujitsu's M2010, an appealing netbook but the trackpad needs work by Zara Baxter | October 30, 2009 Battery life lets down this otherwise solid netbook from a local manufacturer