Source: PC World – March 2007
By 2007, PC World was probably the only major mainstream computer publication you would see on the shelves though there were other slightly more specialized magazines for power users and Mac users for example. I think 2007 is the year PC World really started going downhill though. A couple of months after this issue they went through one of their redesigns that magazines tend to do periodically and it just wasn’t a change for the better. The March 2007 issue includes:
Cover Story
- 35 Things Every PC User Should Know – Tips for diagnosing PC problems, surfing the internet anonymously, solving wireless connection problems, using your iPod with a PC, saving streamed media locally, creating keyboard shortcuts and much more.
Features
- Build the Perfect Browser – A look at various plug-ins to make Internet Explorer and Firefox more useful.
- Jukebox in Your Pocket – A look at 21 of the latest MP3/media players. PC World ranked them in a couple of categories. The best small flash memory based player was the Creative Zen V Plus which gave you 2GB for $140. The Apple iPod Nano came in second. The best large/larger capacity device was the Apple iPod (30GB for $249) with the Creative Zen VisionM coming in second with the same capacity and price.
Reviews & Rankings
- High-Definition LCD TVs – A look at seven 32-inch HD LCD TVs. PC World’s “Best Buy” was the Dell W3207C which would set you back $1199 and only gave you 720p resolution (1366×768).
- PDA Phones – Just called smartphones now, earlier such devices really were more of a mashup of existing PDAs and phones. The Treo 680 for instance was essentially the latest Palm Pilot combined with a phone.
- Top Ten Inkjet Printers – The Canon Pixma iP4300 comes in at the top of the list for $100.
- Digital SLR Camera – A look at the Nikon D40. A digital SLR camera with a 6MP sensor for $600.
- Photo Service/Software – A look at Sharpcast Photos, a software and online service combo for editing and organizing your photos.
- Photo Viewers – Devices for backing up and viewing digital photos while on the go.
- Desktop PC – A review of the HP Pavilion Media Center TV m7690n which features a Core 2 Duo E6400 CPU, 2GB DDR2 RAM, 22-inch LCD monitor, a GeForce 7600GT and an HD DVD drive for $2080.
- Blu-ray Disc Player – A blu-ray player from Philips for $899. This is one reason why PS3s were so popular initially. The PS3 (with blu-ray) would launch a few months late for $400 less.
- Top 5 Blog Services – The top two services on this list are still around (Blogger and WordPress). Not sure about the others (TypePad, Tripod, and Squarespace).
- LCD Monitor – A review of the Dell 2707WFP. A 27-inch monitor featuring a 1920×1200 resolution for $1399.
- Notebook PC – A review of the Fujitsu LifeBook P1610. An ultraportable featuring 1.2 GHz Core Solo ULV U1400 CPU, 1 GB RAM, 1280×768 display, 80 GB hard drive, and Windows XP (Vista capable) for $2419.
- TV Accessories – A look at two “place shifting” devices, the Hava Wireless HD and the Sony LF-B20 LocationFree Base Station, that allow you to view your TV service/DVR/etc. from other places.
- VoIP Device – A cordless handset from Logitech designed to work with Skype.
Departments
- Techlog – A look at how browsers are evolving along with the Web. “The Best of Times Is Now” the headline says. Which was maybe true in terms of features/bloat trade-off compared to today.
- Letters – Readers write in about Vista, photo services, telemarketing, and more.
- Consumer Watch – Fighting back against spam, Internet Explorer 7 flaws, and more.
- Hassle-Free PC – Free tools and add-ons to make Windows XP more like Vista. Though I don’t know why you would have wanted to do that.
- Gadget Freak – A look at using Voice-over-IP to replace your legacy phone service. Specifically, a look at skype and some hardware to use with it.
- Full Disclosure – A humorous look at the complexity of setting up a home theater system.
News & Trends
- Vista PCs Perform – A look at some of the first PCs to ship with Vista. Models include the CyberPower Gamer Infinity 7500, Dell Dimension C521, Dell XPS 410, Dell XPS 710, Gateway FX530XT and Shuttle G2-3200. The fastest and most expensive system was the Gateway featuring a 2.66-GHz Core 2 Extreme Q6700 and GeForce7950 GX2 for $4500.
- Watch Out for Online Ads That Watch You – So I guess we can point to this time period as to when people started worrying about ad tracking.
- Vista’s Promising Video Upgrade – The main improvement Vista brought along with it was DirectX 10.
- Virtual Gold Could Draw Real Taxes – Congress wants to tax online game loot. But of course they want to tax everything so…
- Plugged In – Blu-Ray DRM gets hacked, Wi-Fi in cars, bluetooth headphones, and more.
Here’s How
- Internet Tips – Avoiding Internet Explorer attack vectors and other online threats.
- Windows Tips – How to sync music on your PC with Windows Mobile devices.
- Hardware Tips – Upgrading your PC with Firewire-800, SATA, and more.
- Answer Line – Questions answered about how to unfreeze your PC, synchronize outlook with multiple computers, and more.
- Digital Photo Tips – Using windows Vista and various utilities to help organize your digital photo collection.
…and more!
