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What's the Best Digital Camera for Around $100?

Question: I need a new digital camera. But since money is tight these days, I can't spend much over $100. Is there a camera around that price that's worth any money at all? Our Advice: Yes. These days, most camera makers sell surprisingly ... Read more →

Should You Get an Extended Warranty? (10 Things to Consider) 2 months ago on Switched

Burning question: Should I pay extra for an extended warranty? The short answer: No. The much-longer answer: Probably not, though it depends on what you buy, what the plan covers, and how techie you are. We do recommend warranties for ...

Is Your Real Name Already Taken on Twitter? Here's How to Get It Back. 2 months ago on Switched

Registering early is the best way to get the username or URL of your choice on social networking services. But being first isn't always enough. Sites like Twitter and MySpace, for example, reserve the right to "reclaim" a URL for celebrities, ...

Is the Viliv S5 UMPC Worth the Hype? 3 months ago on Switched

Welcome to another edition of Hype Check, where we give much-anticipated new gadgets or services a test drive and tell you whether or not they live up to the hype. Today, we set our critical eyes on the Viliv S5. What it is: The Viliv S5 is a ...

What You Probably Don't Know About Windows 7 3 months ago on Switched

We've covered some of the more important features of Windows 7 before -- including the improvements in security and speed -- but there are a host of other, lesser-mentioned features that make using Windows 7 much more pleasurable than Vista. ...

Which Rugged Camera Should You Get? 3 months ago on Switched

Question: I'm planning a vacation with my wife and kids this summer, and I want one camera to cover it all. Something small enough to take around with us wherever we go, and most importantly, super durable and waterproof so we can take it to the ...

12 Ways Technology Threatens Your Privacy (and How to Protect Yourself) 3 months ago on Switched

Vast stores of sensitive details about you are living in computer networks all over the world. This is information -- secrets shared in e-mails, details of your finances, records of your purchases and disease diagnoses – that you may ...

Unconventional Ways to Speed up Your Computer 3 months ago on Switched

When Paul Boutin of the New York Times' Gadget Wise blog wanted to convert his aging Toshiba laptop into a blazing-fast, blogging powerhouse, he took some unconventional steps in the name of performance. For starters, one of his five controversial ...

Unstable Flat-Screen TVs Sending More Kids to the ER 3 months ago on Switched

Faulty installation of flat-screen televisions can pose a real risk to children when they're not properly secured, according to a new study recently published by the Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, OH. According to the study, nearly ...

How to Send Faxes for Free Online 3 months ago on Switched

With the advent of e-mail and file attachments, faxes have slowly disappeared. But, every so often, you'll come across a government agency, or employer, that requires you to actually fax a document. Sure, you could buy a fax machine for those rare ...

Why You Shouldn't Clean Your TV With Windex 3 months ago on Switched

Inevitably, your fancy HDTV and flat-panel monitor are going to collect dust. But how should you clean them? Many people go the Windex route, while others splurge for the pricey cleaning products sold at BestBuy and the like. Truth is, however, ...

17 Ways You Might Be Breaking the Law (With Your Tech) 3 months ago on Switched

In 1998, New York's then mayor Rudy Giuliani created uproar when he proposed a zero-tolerance crime policy that included nabbing people for jaywalking. Anyone who's strolled New York knows that jaywalking is as common as hot dog vendors and ...

Kill Frozen Programs in Windows With a Shortcut 3 months ago on Switched

If you're a Windows user, it pretty much goes without saying that you've encountered a frozen program before. Often these jammed apps get labeled with the dreaded "Not Responding" message and simply refuse to do anything, even close. Usually, the ...

Save Laptop Battery Power on Plane Flights 3 months ago on Switched

Save precious laptop battery power for those long flights by tweaking a few basic settings. First, in the 'Performance and Maintenance' control panel, set it to 'Max Battery.' Then, turn down the brightness as far as you can, and turn off ...

Save Time With Keyboard Shortcuts 3 months ago on Switched

Keyboard shortcuts save time, hassle, and work in virtually every app on PCs and Macs. Here are the most popular (for Macs, use the Apple key instead of Control): 'Ctrl + a' (select all); 'Ctrl + c' (copy); 'Ctrl + v' (paste); 'Ctrl + x' (cut); ...

Get a Real Mouse, Mac Lovers 3 months ago on Switched

Mac people: drop the clear plastic mouse-toy, go buy a $15 three-button USB mouse, and, right out of the box, enjoy all the right-click, scrolling-through-documents-and-web-pages goodness that PC folk have enjoyed forever. The Mighty Mouse doesn't ...

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Weirdest Techie Heists and Scams

    Elderly Amish Man Caught on Film With Prostitute, Blackmailed
    When a 75-year-old Amish widower slept with a prostitute, he -- we feel certain -- felt pretty bad about it the next morning. As if that guilt weren't enough for the old man, the prostitute and her boyfriend demanded $67,000 from him, claiming that they had filmed the scene with wall-mounted cameras and would upload the recording to the Internet. The pair was later arrested and, we can only imagine, the Amish man abhorred technology more than ever.

     

    Bank Robber Gets Away With the Help of Craiglist
    In October, a bank robber -- wearing a safety vest, blue shirt, face mask and goggles -- eluded police with the help of Craiglist. Just outside the bank, while the robbery was in progress, stood a group of men who were responding to a Craiglist day labor opportunity. As the advertisement required, they were all wearing safety vests, blue shirts, face masks and goggles.

     

    Nude New Zealander Arrested After Responding to Fake Sexy Text Message
    Late in 2007, a Wellington, New Zealand man received a racy text message from two anonymous "ladies," giving him only an address and a request that he show up naked. Well, he indeed showed up naked... at the home of one appalled, unsuspecting New Zealander. Both the nude Romeo and the sadistic texter were arrested, though neither were prosecuted.

     

    Fake Craiglist Ad Costs Man Most of What He Owns
    Last Spring, a post appeared on an Oregon Craigslist board stating that the owner of a specific house was leaving all of his worldly possessions (still in said house) to whoever wanted them. When homeowner Robert Salisbury rushed home -- on a tip from a woman suspicious about the offer of a free horse -- he found his house being ransacked by 30 strangers. We suggest he take that horse and collect some vengeance Clint Eastwood-style.

     

    17-Year-Old Jailed for Stealing Virtual 'Furniture'
    When a 17-year-old Dutch boy hacked into several accounts on the Second Life-style site 'Habbo' in 2007, the the law got involved. The boy was discovered to have stolen $5,800 worth of virtual furniture and knick-knacks. Apparently, crime -- whether actual or virtual -- does not pay.

     

    Phishers Going After Your Phones in New 'Vishing' Trend
    Over the past year, sneaky spammers have begun to forsake the worn-out territory of e-mail in favor of cell phones' fertile frontier. The result? "Vishing." Get it? Voice mail phishing. It might be more ominous if it didn't sound like a James Bond villain saying, "Wishing."

     

    Burglars Break Into Restaurant, Steal HDTV, Leave Money / Food Behind
    Around Halloween of last year, a truckload of thieves drove into -- that's right, into -- a Pennsylvania Mexican restaurant, where they -- apparently uninterested in the cash register -- stole a mid-grade 47-inch HDTV and fled the scene. We've all heard about how this generation is lacking in ambition, but this generation's thieves, too?

     

Latest Reviews from CNET.com

CNET provides the latest tech news, unbiased reviews, videos, podcasts, software, and downloads, making tech products easy to find, understand and use.

Top Product Reviews

  • Home Audio Reviews

    9.0 out of 10

    Denon AVR-4306 (black)
    Incredibly well-featured 7.1-channel receiver; excellent sound quality; three HDMI inputs; converts analog video to HDMI output; upconverts analog video to 720p/1080i HD resolution; iPod and USB MP3 player connectivity; Internet radio and MP3/WMA streaming audio via built-in Ethernet port; XM Satellite Radio compatible; touch-screen remote; multizone, multisource operation; browser-based control via home network; accurate autocalibration routine. Full Review

    8.8 out of 10

    KEF KHT3005 (black)
    The KEF KHT-3005 is one compact, beautifully designed speaker package with solid aluminum satellites that feature unique driver technology to produce incredible clarity. Meanwhile, the equally astounding dual 10-inch, 250-watt powered subwoofer delivers ultradeep bass. Full Review

    8.8 out of 10

    KEF KHT3005 (silver)
    The KEF KHT-3005 is one compact, beautifully designed speaker package with solid aluminum satellites that feature unique driver technology to produce incredible clarity. Meanwhile, the equally astounding dual 10-inch, 250-watt powered subwoofer delivers ultradeep bass. Full Review

  • Cell Phone Reviews

    8.7 out of 10

    SignalBoost Mobile Professional Amplifier Kit
    The Mobile Professional Amplifier delivers a powerful signal boost to your cell phone. Also, it offers a compact design and easy setup. Full Review

    8.6 out of 10

    Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL cell phone signal extender
    The Wi-Ex zBoost YX510-PCS-CEL significantly boosts your cell phone reception and is easy to operate. Also, it uses a wireless connection to your phone. Full Review

    8.3 out of 10

    LG VX6000 (Verizon Wireless)
    Compact and stylish; impressive battery life; solid audio quality; sharp color screen; built-in camera; USB ready; affordable. Full Review

  • Digital Camera Reviews

    9.3 out of 10

    Canon EOS 1D Mark III
    Extremely fast, 10-megapixel continuous shooting; very low noise; highly customizable; well-designed body with weather sealing; 3-inch LCD; abundant optional accessories. Full Review

    9.3 out of 10

    Nikon D3 (body only)
    Full-frame sensor; well designed, pro-level weather-sealed body; very low noise, even at extremely high ISOs; fast. Full Review

    9.0 out of 10

    Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III
    Very low noise, high quality images; 21.1 megapixels; live view shooting; pro-level build-quality and performance. Full Review

  • Desktop Reviews

    8.4 out of 10

    Velocity Raptor Signature Edition Gaming PC
    One of the fastest PCs we've tested; a PCI Express RAID card helps media encoding performance; typically immaculate Velocity Micro assembly; strong, three-year warranty. Full Review

    8.3 out of 10

    Dell Studio MT
    Best performance in its class; dedicated graphics card; large hard drive. Full Review

    8.3 out of 10

    Velocity Micro Edge Z-55 (Intel Core i7-920)
    Fast overclocked Intel Core i7 processor; ample memory and graphics card power; provides enough performance to justify its upper midrange price. Full Review

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