PreviousSkype 2 (beta) review
Review Although Skype 2 suffers from middling voice quality when calling landline phones, it's still one of the best free VoIP services around, and its new Skype Video feature makes it even better.
7.5 Editors' Rating
Security and Usability review
Review Despite more than a decade of research into computer usability, most security products remain resolutely user-unfriendly. This book examines how the situation can be improved.
7.5 Editors' Rating
OpenOffice.org 2.0 review
Review OpenOffice.org 2.0, the freeware version of Sun's StarOffice 8, is a great deal for small-business users who don't mind browsing online forums for technical support. But enterprises are better served by StarOffice 8.
6.0 Editors' Rating
ThinkFree Office 3 review
Review ThinkFree Office 3 is a low-cost alternative to Microsoft Office that lacks advanced tools but offers a free online component that's a handy work-in-progress for frequent travellers. Still, we'll wait for improvements to the suite before relying on it for staple office tasks.
5.3 Editors' Rating
Firefox 1.5 review
Review Although Firefox 1.5 isn't too different from the original release, what's new should attract even more Firefox users -- and that's ultimately good for the Internet.
8.0 Editors' Rating
Microsoft Office 12 (beta 1)
Preview The next generation of the Microsoft Office system offers a new look and feel across its applications, with dynamic formatting tools and nimbler files.
Excel 12 (beta 1)
Preview This overhaul to Excel provides new charts to visually analyse complex data; its tools also respond to your behaviour.
Word 12 (beta 1)
Preview The next generation of Word drops its menu-based interface in favour of a system that hopes to read your mind, adding jazzed-up graphics and shrinking file sizes.
PowerPoint 12 (beta 1)
Preview PowerPoint 12 reorganises its interface and dresses up presentations with a vast library of templates.
Inside Outlook 12 (beta 1)
Photos Microsoft makes a few changes to its venerable email client.
Outlook 12 (beta 1)
Preview Microsoft's desktop email client provides new skills for handling and sharing tasks, as well as a revamped search engine and built-in newsfeeds.
Inside Microsoft Office 12 (beta 1)
Photos The next release of Office reveals sweeping changes to the interface, graphics and tools within this productivity suite.
Inside Word 12 (beta 1)
Photos The next edition of Microsoft Word comes with pictures, too.
Inside Excel 12 (beta 1)
Photos Excel 12 is getting a drastic makeover, with XML-based files to boot.
Inside PowerPoint 12 (beta 1)
Photos PowerPoint gets enhanced graphics and a beefed-up library of templates to spice up presentations.
