December 19, 2006
You work a full day - here's how to make sure your technology does too.
December 5, 2006
All the smarts you need to buy a phone with the power of a computer, not a computer masquerading as a phone.
November 28, 2006
In spite of the doomsday title, this guide logically and comprehensively covers the terminology, techniques and tools you'll need to protect the precious contents of your notebook computer. Learn about backups, what to backup, where to backup and how to backup.
November 15, 2006
Your notebook's hard disk drive will fail some time and there's nothing you can do about it. Calvin Chu tells you what you, hard disk designers and operating system architects can do to lessen the impact of drive failure.
November 14, 2006
Very little is as daunting as replacing a hard disk drive that is dying. Calvin Chu takes a relaxed look at these issues and shows you how easy it can be to make your notebook sing again.
November 7, 2006
Microsoft starts releasing Windows Vista on November 30th. Writing from a mobile computing perspective, Guy Thomas and Barry Gerber offer a number of good reasons to switch to Vista and help you make the right decision about running it on existing or new hardware.
October 24, 2006
It's difficult to impossible to upgrade the components in most notebook computers. So, when a notebook computer runs slowly, if you don't take steps to improve its performance, often your only option is to toss it out and get a newer faster one.
September 25, 2006
Anyone who learns Vista suddenly becomes the new expert. Two areas where computer specialists will always be in demand are migration and security. Follow Guy's advice and make youself king at your workplace or your own consulting company.
September 11, 2006
In this, the third edition of MobilityGuru's Fall 2006 Back to School Buyers Guide, we present 10 new products for your consideration. Additionally, we bring back the products from previous editions of the Guide, including those covered in our "How to Buy a Notebook Computer for Less Than $700." Enjoy.
August 1, 2006
In May of this year Microsoft released a patch for Windows XP SP2. The patch prevents battery drain problems when an internal or external USB 2.0 device is connected to a mobile computer and powered on. Find out about the patch and how to download and install it.
June 22, 2006
In-Car PCs are something you generally see fitted into the Humvees of the rich and famous, allowing them to play MP3s, navigate via GPS and watch movies all in one neat package. However with a bit of do-it-yourself work, you too can have a CarPC!
May 16, 2006
Michael Baggaley applies hard lessons learned during his past attempts to build the ultimate home theater PC. The issue, he says, is to find the right balance between noise, power and style and how much money you are willing to spend.
May 11, 2006
Having trouble getting your Walkman MP3 player to work with Sony's less-than-ideal software? Fortunately, free alternatives exist for a more portable music library.
May 3, 2006
Jim Buzbee tries to build a notebook-based PVR using USB products from ADS - and is reminded of why he gave up on DIY projects.
April 25, 2006
If you're a college student with not a lot to spend, getting into the HTPC game requires a little creativity, but it can be done. Benjamin Webb shows how he did it.
April 24, 2006
Intel's dual core Napa (Centrino Duo) platform features the 945GM chipset, the first chipset with integrated graphics for Core Duo mobile CPUs. We used two Asus W5 laptops to compare the 945GM and the older Sonoma (Centrino) platform's 915GM to see if the former is really faster and more energy efficient.
April 6, 2006
Part 2 of Michael Baggaley's series explores whether smaller is better when it comes to building Home Theater PCs. Opting for an MSI Mega180 small form factor PC and an ATI 9600 passively-cooled graphics card this time around offered a quieter and more-stylish HTPC build - albeit with some unpleasant surprises.
March 27, 2006
Michael Baggaley likes to build Home Theater PCs and will be describing a few of his builds for us. Part 1 of this series examines a water-cooled oldie, which was low on decibels but a bit too loud for most non-geeks' decorating tastes.
March 7, 2006
In our final installment, Siggy surveys quiet graphics cards, TV tuner cards and products for multimedia control and display. And we finally show the details of both our test builds.
February 28, 2006
Part 2 of our build-your-own HTPC series surveys the wide world of motherboards, CPUs, memory and power supplies and comes up with the picks to match our chosen case.
February 24, 2006
Everybody knows you can switch out the RAM, hard disk, or CPU in a portable computer without too much fuss or bother. But how about its screen? In this article, MobilityGuru shows you how easy it is to replace or even upgrade a portable's liquid crystal display. Be sure to check out our High Definition instructional video. It will help build up the courage you need to tackle this somewhat daunting task.
February 22, 2006
The choices available for building your own Home Theater PC keep broadening. In Part 1 of our latest HTPC series, Siggy Moersch makes his selection from ten contenders to house a quiet, yet powerful HD-capable system.
January 31, 2006
In Part 2 of our series, Jim Buzbee describes what works and doesn't for his version of networked home video.
January 4, 2006
Home entertainment systems using digital media are still in their infancy. In Part 1 of this series, Jim Buzbee describes how he handles his digital music.
December 8, 2005
A fireproof safe, complete with a network-attached storage(NAS) device and internal power strip, represents a reasonably sure way to back up those files that you just can't live without. We offer a step-by-step account of what it takes to set up a fireproof data safe and to get the system up and running.
November 17, 2005
You usually get what you pay for, but this is certainly not true for DVD players. Instead of overpaying $500 for a player from a brand-name OEM, we strongly suggest that you check out the decoder and video processing components under the hood first before making a purchase.
October 3, 2005
Hype aside, is it really possible to build a PC that is quiet and does everything that a high-end remote-controlled set-top box can do? And don't forget it's got to look good in your living room, too.
August 16, 2005
After reading the first article in our audio series, you know what software you want. In this installment, we'll tell you what you need to know about picking a computer, an audio interface, and a MIDI controller.
August 9, 2005
So you want to be your own music producer or engineer? We'll show you what hardware and software you need to get started.
December 1, 2004
The conclusions from our first XGA projector story remain: fun and fascination are guaranteed when you build your own projector. However, some folks have told us they need help finding TFT monitors with panels that are well-suited to the project, so we felt it was time to update the topic and list suitable candidates.
November 13, 2004
Have fun tinkering and save a boatload of money on a high-quality XGA projector. THG shows you, step by step, how to build an XGA projector with 3,500 ANSI lumens. A new video also provides additional inspiration, giving you an impression of the picture quality you can achieve.
November 9, 2002
Arild Skullerud talks about his experiences building a PC for his living room. Can a PC combine the features of a digital VCR, MP3 server, and Internet TV? Sure it can, but at what cost?
September 28, 2002
If you wondered what it takes to get published on Tom's Hardware Guide, here's a start. Tom's Hardware reader Jim Tomlinson submitted this article, and we thought it would be a good idea to give our informed, enthusiastic, and very capable readers a chance to flex their knowledge online. Jim explains how he put a computer system together to make DVD movies from old VHS and 8MM videocassettes.
August 1, 2001
First we looked at the basics of digital video captures systems, and now we get our hands dirty. We review the ADS PYRO ProDV, Dazzle Digital Video Creator II, Pinnacle DV500 Plus, and revisit the Matrox RT2500.
May 24, 2001
In the first of two articles we explore the world of digital capture, getting a little background on the technology and choices facing you.
