• Sony Recalls 73,000 Vaio Laptops Due to Burn Hazard

  
  Sony is recalling 73,000 Vaio TZ laptops because of a possible manufacturing defect that may cause them to overheat.

• Google Chrome vs. Internet Explorer 8

  
  Next-generation Web browsers from Google and Microsoft deliver innovation and robustness at the cost of a truly massive memory footprint.
• Google Amends Chrome License Agreement After Objections
• Apricorn 160GB Aegis Mini Hard Drive
• Wipe Your BlackBerry Clean
• 20 Tech Habits to Improve Your Life
• 12 Sly Web Tricks That Put You in Control
• Sharing Microsoft Office Files: A Quick Productivity Tip
• Time-Management Tips for Mobile Professionals
• The Specs That Matter [and the Specs That Don't]

Consumer Advice How-Tos

• 20 Tech Habits to Improve Your Life A few new habits can make the difference between staying on task, finding what you need, and getting things done--or having a tech meltdown.
• Time-Management Tips for Mobile Professionals The late Randy Pausch offered valuable lessons for managing our most precious commodity.
• Insider Deals: Sweet, If You Can Score Them You don’t have to be a PC vendor’s friend, relative, or employee to snag deals that were created for the benefit of exclusive groups of insiders.
• Assurz Folds--Are Customers Stuck? A company offering a "satisfaction guarantee" for major online retailers is going bankrupt; Steve Bass has details on what to do.
• Essential Gear for the Business Traveler, Part 1 Traveling lightly is a must these days, but Jim Martin found two gadgets worthy of a spot in the carry-on.

Consumer Advice News

• Sony Recalls 73,000 Vaio Laptops Due to Burn Hazard Sony is recalling 73,000 Vaio TZ laptops because of a possible manufacturing defect that may cause them to overheat.
• Google Chrome vs. Internet Explorer 8 Next-generation Web browsers from Google and Microsoft deliver innovation and robustness at the cost of a truly massive memory footprint.
• Google Amends Chrome License Agreement After Objections Google says it will dump part of the licensing agreement for its Chrome Web browser.
• Apricorn 160GB Aegis Mini Hard Drive Apricorn's new minidrive may not be faster than the competition, but it's one of the most portable.
• Wipe Your BlackBerry Clean In several situations, Research In Motion (RIM) BlackBerry users will want to delete all the data on their smartphones and restore their default settings. The following five-step process walks you through wiping your BlackBerry good and clean.

Consumer Advice Playing in PCW Video

Consumer Advice Slideshows

• Back-to-College Essentials How can a college student with a tight budget find the right tech gear for the classroom and the dorm? Consider these picks.
• Maximize Your Laptop With Cool Accessories These accessories and add-ons will have your old laptop doing brand-new tricks in no time.

Consumer Advice Reviews

• The Specs That Matter [and the Specs That Don't] Technology stores and shopping sites bombard you with details about a device's speeds, resolutions, formats, and more. But much of that data is less important than it may seem. These are the specs to pay attention to when you’re in the market for a PC, laptop, HDTV, camera, or router.
• Back-to-College Essentials How can a college student with a tight budget find the right tech gear for the classroom and the dorm? Consider these picks.
• Still Nervous About Online Shopping? Really? Assurz, a service that promised no-hassle returns, is no more, but BuySafe seeks to reassure online shoppers about obscure e-commerce sites.
• Laptops: In Search of Bearable Lightness Finding an ultraportable laptop with everything I need--and without Vista--isn't so easy.
• Make Banks Compete for Your Deposits In MoneyAisle's real-time auctions, banks bid up rates on certificates of deposit and savings accounts.