A wireless Bluetooth notebook mouse that offers good grip, and a design that does away with some little issues with older designs.

Gone are the days when mice were little more than blobs of plastic, and wired to the notebook. A mouse with good features can increase the comfort with which a computer is used and give little extras like extra buttons to automate common tasks.

There are a number of different buttons on this cordless laser mouse. The scroll button can be set for various degrees of resistance, making the notches more or less distinct, at the least, just being a smooth scroll.

The small lip on the left hand side solves a problem that older models have had. When using the older model there was a tendency for it to catch the skin slightly between the mouse and the surface of the table. This has been an insistent niggle with the one I use at home. The lip keeps the hand off the surface of the table, making it a little easier to use, and keeps the skin from getting pinched.

A compact size and comfortable grip make this a great portable mouse to take around with your laptop, it’s at a size that kids can also use it, and it connects wirelessly.

A powerful Core2 Duo processor, 320 GB hard drive and 1 GB of memory give this cheap desktop computer enough power for even the most demanding office uses.

Core2 Duo is not really a hot topic anymore, but the advantages are still there, and the maturity of the Core2 Duo line of processors means that lower speed versions are now available for greatly reduced prices.

In a nutshell, dual core processors like the Intel Core2 Duo offer two little “brains” inside the CPU allowing work load to be spread amongst the two cores, allowing much more efficient processing of information, and therefore, better performance.

Here are some of the other notable features:

• 1.8 GHz Intel Core2 Duo processor
• 1 GB of system memory
• 320 GB hard drive
• PCIe x16 expansion slot
• PCIe x1 expansion slot
• Two PCI expansion slots
• Six USB slots
• On-board audio
• Memory card port
• DVD burner
• Windows Vista Home Premium included

Windows Vista is included in this package, which means that you will not have to install your own operating system unless you really want to. A retail version of Vista can cost a few hundred bucks, so this is a good saving.

Lots of memory is a necessity when running any version of Windows Vista and this Gateway desktop computer comes with 1 GB of DDR2 memory, which is the recommended amount for Vista. It won’t just benefit Vista though. More memory allows more programs to remain within system memory, speeding up system responsiveness and allowing programs to run faster, and allowing more programs to be run at the same time.

There is a host of the usual suspects for system expansion. There are six USB ports, there is a DVD burner, which is a nice extra and one that more system makers should go for as the difference in price between a DVD burner and a normal CD drive is getting so small that is just wastes consumers time having to upgrade, when it should just be standard. There is a flash media reader that will read a range of flash-based media cards. It can read: CompactFlash, MicroDrive, MemoryStick, MemoryStick Pro, xD, SmartMedia, MultiMedia and SecureDigital memory cards. There are also two USB ports in the same media drive. The drive is located on the front panel at the top.

Storage is great, with 320 GB being able to hold around 30 DVD movies assuming movies are about 8 GB each and that you still need a bit of space for other stuff on the computer.

Expansion options are also a great plus. PCIe x16 allows upgrading to the latest and fastest graphics cards, some of which can cost more than this desktop computer does. There is a further PCIe x1 slot for system expansion, as well as two PCI slots for any cards that need to be transfered from older computers.

There is nothing lacking in this cheap desktop computer. Some possible upgrades might include a RAID array for storage, but otherwise all other needs are taken care of. A well-rounded package with enough expansion options for any extras. Add a 17 or 19 inch monitor and it becomes a great all round package.

A 1 GB stick of DDR RAM to give any system that little boost, especially for systems running Windows Vista.

Although newer systems have moved on to DDR2 there are still a wide range of computers that use plain old DDR. Many older systems stay around for much longer than expected. Although I always think that my older computers will get put in the trash, they still serve most purposes very well.

For surfing the Internet, writing email and documents on the computer, almost any old computer will do. A lot of the load of modern programs and operating systems comes down to how much memory they require. Often the wrong impression is give and people end up buying a whole new system with some newer, fancier computer. But after a really slow computer, anything new will seem fast, and the reason cannot be pinned down.

Upgrading memory is a viable option as it gives those new programs the stuff they need. For pure computing power, a new processor will always give a little more, but would be lower down on my list of things to get, even if you are only running a Pentium 4 at the moment.

This single 1 GB stick of Crucial DDR memory provides a gigabyte of RAM, which means it meets the minimum for Vista, which requires a great deal more than Windows XP.

A good investment to breathe some life into an old system, and a much better buy than a whole new system.

A desktop replacement laptop computer with a 17 inch screen and graphics that leave little to be desired.

AMD have had a tough time with Intel’s release of their dual- and quad-core processors. But despite this I still have a little soft spot for the underdog of the processor industry.

The HP Pavilion is based on an AMD chipset, offering fast performance from their tried and tested Turion X2 processor. With a direct connection to the memory from the processor, AMD processors get a boost in performance because the memory can operate at the same frequency as the processor.

Here are some of the main features:

• 1.8 GHz AMD Turion X2 processor
• 17 inch monitor
• 7.8 lbs
• Built-in webcam
• 1 GB of memory
• 160 GB hard drive
• USB
• Firewire
• LAN port
• VGA
• ExpressCard slot

Lets have an overview of the different specifications. As mentioned all ready, the processor gives good performance and does well for power savings, meaning longer battery life.

A 17 inch monitor is fine for anyone that intends to use their laptop computer exclusively. For modern computing this is about the least necessary for continuous use of the computer. Widescreen monitors give that little bit extra width, which is more useful that pure size, but this size is still fine.

Built-in features are very necessary for keeping the size of a laptop down. It is easy to have a small laptop, but which requires a handful of USB devices to accomplish very simple tasks like reading from a CD or DVD. The DVD writer is a bonus which allows DVD to burnt without an external device.

System expansion is handled by three external USB ports, a firewire port and an ExpressCard slot.

Video performance is good, thanks to the onboard video chipset. A built-in webcam allows video conferencing on the increasingly popular Skype of other VoIP networks, or just for taking still pictures.

The mouse pad is placed well, being by the center of the spacebar. Often it is placed at the center of the computer, which means it gets knocked by the ball of the right hand when typing.

Overall, a full set of features, with enough power to do any office work and play some games. There is no need for extra bits, which means the laptop bag, although a little heavy, doesn’t need to be weighed down by other goodies.

Burn DVDs easily and with high speed, with the added advantage of burning images onto the top of the DVD.

There’s not too much difference between DVD burners, usually they just work or they don’t. DVD burners have hit the peak of their speeds and 18x or 20x is the most that you find around nowadays.

The Samsung DVD burner offers up to 18x burning speed, which allows full movies to be burnt in a few minutes and offers burning to all the popular DVD formats. Here are some of the features:

• 2 MB of cache
• DVD+R max write speed: 18x
• DVD+RW max write speed: 8x
• DVD-R max write speed: 8x
• DVD-RW max write speed: 6x
• DVD max read speed: 6x
• CD max write speed: 48x
• CD max read speed: 40x

The biggest plus is to the drive is being able to flip the disc over and burning a cover onto the DVD, handy for getting a nice looking image on the front rather than just a permanent marker.

A performance specced, but well-priced desktop computer for the home office that can handle occasional gaming stints.

Quad core is not particularly new, but is still the latest selling point for CPU manufacturers. The quad core experience gives you extra computing power by expanding the number of processing cores to handle more tasks, which is a departure from the style of just increasing the clock speed to get more performance.

With a decent motherboard, and most of the obligatory extras there is very little need for upgrading of this Systemax computer. Here is a rundown of the specifications:

• Intel Core2 Quad Q6600 CPU
• Windows XP Home
• SLI capabilities
• 2 GB 800 MHz DDR2
• 250 GB SATA II hard drive
• Gigabit LAN
• GeForce 8600 GT 512 MB PCIe Video Card
• RAID 0, 1, 0+1, 5
• Eight USB ports
• Firewire
• PCI and PCIe expansion slots (two each)
• Built-in audio

Quad core processors are all good, and although there is a difference between them, it will probably not be noticeable. Two gigs of RAM is a definite plus, and is about the most memory which will help the system to perform better. Gives a boost to Vista too (although only Windows XP Home is included in the package).

The graphics card will suit non-pro gamers. Even with newer games, performance will be pretty top-notch and as long as the highest quality settings are not chosen should return high frames per second.

Storage is fine, with 250 GB at your disposal. This is the one area where an upgrade might be necessary. With all those RAID features available an extra drive could get: a RAID 0 for nice boost in performance or a RAID 1 for data protection, RAID 5 requires at least 3 drives and RAID 0+1 requires 4, so take your pick.

Other features include USB, firewire, optical output and gigabit Ethernet. Just what the doctor ordered.

There are no special rebates required with this computer, which I prefer and at a whiff under $1000 gives a fair amount of computer for the money.

Corsair’s 2 GB memory improves performance in Windows and allows painless multi-tasking of applications while giving a healthy boost to a gaming computer that needs a little bit of extra punch.

The bottom line with memory is that more is better, of course this can be taken too far, but generally this holds true. Windows XP should have at least 512 MB and for Vista 1 GB or more is recommended.

This dual-channel pair of DDR2 DIMMs allow performance to be increased by being placed as a pair. As much as a 10% increase in performance can be realized by pairing memory modules together in this fashion. They do, however, need to be a matched pair, which these are of course.

Here are some of the major specs:

• Dual-channel DDR2
• 2 GB total (2 x 1 GB)
• 800MHz
• 5-5-5-18 timing
• 240 pins

The pair come with heat spreaders which don’t just give them that cool and fast look, but help to move heat away from the memory chips, that tend to heat up under heavy use. The standard speed of 800MHz will suit the majority of computers without needing any overclocking, there may be some room left for enthusiasts although most memory modules don’t leave much extra anymore.

Corsair are a reputable memory maker and the chance to grab this pair for under $75 is quite enticing. They would be recommended for any system that is running newer software, like Vista, or lots of games. For any system that is ready to be upgraded, or for new systems, this would be money well-spent, and should reap better results per dollar than an upgrade to a quad-core processor.

A teeny tiny little photo frame for gadget lovers with everything.

Well, Christmas is on the way and little stocking fillers are out in force. At only 1.5 inches, this is a really small monitor and only holds a limited number of pictures. It comes on a keyring, and will probably weight down your keys, but be great for sharing photos with friends.

The included software allows pictures to be easily edited for use on the very small screen. Options include reducing the size of the picture as well as being able to zoom in on the picture.

The Coby keychain charges over USB, so it needs to be connected to a powered USB port if you use a USB port.

For only $25 there is no harm in trying one and it suits the budget for a cool toy at a great price.