Desktop Accessories |
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Last Updated: October 10, 2007
Here are some neat accessories you can't find in every store.
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The $20 Koutech IO-RCM620 internal card reader works with "virtually all flash media in the market now." It fits into an empty 3.5" drive bay on a desktop computer and plugs directly into the motherboard. It also includes a replaceable black faceplate. Buy it online. Read reviews from owners at NewEgg.com (almost 70 reviews, 5/5 stars). |
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The $35 Alera DVD/CD Disc Repair Plus fixes scratched CDs and DVDs. PC Magazine said it was one of the more complex repair kits with several cleaning wheels, two solutions, and a buffing cloth. It was the only repair kit to fix deep scratches and earned an Editor's Choice award. Buy it online. Read a review from PC Magazine (Aug 2005). |
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A $50 to $200 computer case may look
better than the one you own, add more drive bays, or include more
vents for better cooling. Here is why it's so hard to choose
a great case:
Xoxide, NewEgg and PriceGrabber list their most popular cases. |
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The $100 Belkin KVM switch (Keyboard, Video, Mouse) controls several computers with one monitor, keyboard and mouse. Just press a button to select which computer you want displayed on the screen. Buy it online by searching for your favorite model number. Add $15 for cables for each computer. |
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The $127 Gennum nXZEN nX6000 might be the best noise canceling bluetooth headset for cell phones and making internet phone calls with a computer. Buy it online. Read a review at Gizmodo (Sep 2007), Gadgetnutz (Mar 2007). |
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The $42 Sennheiser 151 works well for internet gaming, voice chat, online conferencing, or voice command. Buy it online. Read reviews from owners at NewEgg.com (over 30 reviews, 4/5 stars). See other popular models at NewEgg and PriceGrabber. |
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The $20 Logitech Extreme PC Gaming Headset works well for internet gaming, voice chat, online conferencing, or voice command. Logitech recently replaced it with more expensive models, so get yours before they are sold out. Buy it online. Read reviews from owners at NewEgg.com (over 380 reviews, 4/5 stars). See other popular models at NewEgg and PriceGrabber. |
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The $40 Microsoft LifeCam VX-3000 webcam includes a built in microphone, but also works well with the above headsets for Skype or SightSpeed to make video phone calls. The base folds up (shown) for CRT monitors and unfolds to sit on top of an LCD monitor. Buy two of them online. Read reviews from owners at NewEgg (over 55 reviews, 4/5 stars). See other popular models at NewEgg and PriceGrabber. |
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The $8 to $27 multi-packs of the Cord Keep'r organizes your cables. Cable ties work great until you need to change something and have to cut all of them off. Velcro straps eliminate that problem, but they aren't as elegant. Buy them online. |
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The $9 5-pack of the Power Strip Liberator prevents large power packs from covering up electrical outlets. Buy them online. |
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The $90 UPS (uninterruptible power supply) is a surge protector and battery backup in one. My power outages last either several seconds or several hours. The only time I'd need more than 2 minutes of battery power to turn off the computer is the 6 minutes it takes for a weekly backup. Buy at least a model with 500VA or more. Some models include surge protection for coaxial cables for the cable modem. Buy it online. |
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The $15 Zonet 4+1Port USB2.0 PCI Card is an easy way to add more USB ports. Some USB ports, like the ones on front of a desktop case, are not powered. This means some higher powered USB devices like an external hard drive won't have enough power (volts) to run properly. Because this USB card is plugged into the PCI slot, all of the ports are full powered. Other models are for firewire ports only and other models include both USB and firewire ports. Buy it online. |
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