Over the past several years, raw speed has been the primary goal of hardware manufacturers. This has traditionally come at the expense of power consumption, which has skyrocketed since the first days of the x86-compatible home PC. Just how much electricity does a computer and its related devices use? Are there disadvantages to turning everything off when you're done? This article will give you an insight into computer power usage.

With the recent introduction of dual-core processors come more questions about system performance. Does a dual-core computer really perform better than a single-core CPU? How does it compare to a true multi-CPU system? What about Hyper-Threading Technology -- is it a thing of the past? Read on for an explanation of dual-core processors and symmetric multiprocessing and what it means to your computing experience.

If you're looking for a good, inexpensive non-ergonomic keyboard, the Microsoft Internet Keyboard would be an excellent choice. It's durable, comfortable, and inexpensive -- the perfect replacement for the cheap keyboards that come stock with mass-market computers.

The Logitech Internet Navigator Keyboard is an outstanding low-cost, feature-rich keyboard. It's not cordless, which means it's less expensive and doesn't need batteries. If you like a lot of bells and whistles or if you just don't like Microsoft, this is an excellent keyboard for home or office use.

For years Antec has designed and manufactured durable, high-quality computer chassis and power supplies. A few years ago they introduced the Lifestyle series, and as part of that, the Sonata, a black steel case with a competent 380w power supply, a unique hard drive enclosure bay, and a single ultra-quiet 120mm cooling fan. Now Antec has an updated model in the Sonata II. It's mostly the same, with two key enhancements.