MaximumPC 2004 04

Reviews

APRIL 2004 MAXIMUMPC 

SmartBar XP

The first thing we noticed when

we saw screenshots from the

next version of Windows—

code-named Longhorn—was the brand-new verti-

cal Taskbar, complete with a clock, shortcuts to

our favorite apps, and pretty much anything else

you want to add. The current rumor is that the new

Taskbar will be completely configurable. The problem

is that we’ll have to wait until 2006 before Longhorn

is actually released.

Enter SmartBar XP , which lets you integrate

pretty much anything you want into a customizable

panel on one side of your Desktop. It includes a

clock, a rudimentary MP3 player, a fully customizable

RSS news reader, a news ticker, and even weather

monitoring plug-ins. A system monitor tool lets you

see at a glance how much RAM you have left, how

large your page file is, and the amount of network

traffic going across your NIC.

You can even tweak every aspect of your

SmartBar ’s appearance, adjusting its size, color, and

transparency. You can even re-skin it for a complete-

ly unique appearance. Download a free, beta version

of SmartBar XP from http://www.smartbarxp.com. (If you

get the Maximum PC CD, you’re in luck— SmartBar

XP is included.)

Best of the Best As of April, 2004

New hardware? Forget it. At the end of last year, companies busted their guts updating
designs for the first part of this year, so we’re in a lull right now. This quiet period won’t
last much longer though. A few new products almost squeaked in this month, however. We
contemplated bumping Canon’s i9100 for the Epson 2200 we used in this month’s Head2Head
(page 20) but decided the i9100’s superior speed still gives it the edge, even if the 2200 has
a higher rating for archival prints. The beautiful screen in Toshiba’s e805 almost bumped the
iPaq, but the lack of Bluetooth helped keep HP’s PDA in the top slot. Despite the lack of hard-
ware churn, several new games made our list.

A lot of folks have plain-jane PCs, but yearn for a custom-built rig

from Voodoo, Alienware, Falcon, or the like. We feel their pain.

Case Frodz!

T H E M A X I M U M P C PAT E N T O F F I C E P R E S E N T S

�

Our current gaming favorites : Beyond good & Evil, Syberia 2, Unreal Tournament 2004

demo, Far Cry demo, Dungeon Siege: Legends of Aranna, Planetside, Desert Combat

High-end videocard:

ATI Radeon 9800 XT

Budget videocard:

BFG Asylum GeForce FX 5700

Ultra

Do-everything videocard:

All-in-Wonder Radeon

9800 Pro

Soundcard:

Sound Blaster Audigy 2

ZS Platinum

Serial ATA hard drive:

Western Digital 740GD/

IBM 7K250

Parallel ATA hard drive:

Western Digital WD2500JB

CD-RW drive:

Plextor PlexWriter

Premium

DVD burner:

Plextor PX-708A

LCD monitor:

Sharp LL-1820

High-end CRT monitor:

Sony F520

Budget CRT monitor:

Cornerstone P1750

P4 motherboard:

Chaintech 9CJS Zenith

Athlon XP motherboard:

Asus A7N8X Deluxe Rev 2

Portable MP3 player:

Apple iPod 40GB

Photo printer:

Canon i900

Pocket PC PDA:

HP iPaq 5450

Palm OS PDA:

Palm Tungsten C

5.1 speakers:

Logitech Z-680

4.1 speakers:

Logitech Z-560

2.1 speakers:

Logitech Z-2200

Every Case Frodz [trademark logo] begins as a photograph of

a case window. This Case Frodz™ was made using a photo

of a Voodoo PC that costs $6,000. We take the photo, apply an

adhesive backing and....

Just like that, your POS PC is transformed into an object

of envy, all for the low, low price of just $50! Call now and

receive a free Water Kewler™ with purchase! Interns are

standing by.

This month we’re proud to unveil the first product to emerge

from the newly established Maximum PC Patent Office. Our

brand-new Case Frodz (patent pending) line of stick-on case

windows can turn your boring, plain PC into a custom-built rig!

Nobody will ever know the difference!