By 2013, PC World was a shadow of its former self. In fact, the last issue would be published in August ending a 30 year run. The February 2013 issue includes:
Features
Future Tech 2013 - A look at some of the latest tech including TVs that recognize gestures, 3D printers, and small cameras with big sensors. Also looked at are the latest all-in-one PCs, laptops, tablets, and more.
Which Tech Brands Do You Love (or Love to Hate)? - Readers rank the best and worst laptops, desktops, smartphones, tablets, and printers.
20 Essential Windows 8 Apps - Windows 8 was almost universally hated but you didn't need Windows 8 for most of these applications. Mentioned here are IM+, Microsoft Minesweeper, Borderlands 2, MovieGuide, Norton Satellite, Skype, Comixology, and more.
Community
Editor's Letter - Why PC users hate Microsoft and what they can do to improve their image.
Forum - Readers give their opinion on the new Windows 8.
Five Things - A look at the new features that can be found in Office 2013.
Forward - A look at Microsoft's new Surface Pro, a tablet with Ultrabook performance and features.
Geektech - A 3D photo booth at MakerBot store.
Staff Picks - PC World editors pick their favorite new hardware including the Acer T232ML 23-inch Touch IPS Display, ScanSnap iX500, Barnes & Noble Nook HD+, and Canon Pixma MG6320 Wireless Inkjet Photo All-in-One.
Consumer Watch - Some guidelines for choosing a new laptop including getting at least 4GB of RAM, getting an SSD (if you can afford it), trying before you buy, and more.
On Your Side - Problems with an Asus CM 6870 desktop ordered from TigerDirect.
Skeptical Shopper - How to get tech support without waiting on hold.
Pico Projectors - A look at four of the best tiny projectors including the Aaxa P4-X, Acer C120, Otoma PK320, and 3M MP220. Prices range from about $230 to about $450 though output resolution was well under 1080p which is really the minimum standard today.
Dell XPS 12 - The XPS 12 is a convertible laptop/tablet that features a Core i5-3317U CPU, 4GB of memory, and 128GB solid-state drive for $1199.
Chart: Color Laser MFPs - A summary of the ten best color laser multifunction printers. At the top of the list is the Brother MFC-9970CDW for $700.
Microsoft Surface RT - The Surface RT was Microsoft's first tablet and it ran Windows RT which was a cut down version of Windows 8 designed for ARM processors. This 10.6-inch tablet features a 1.4GHz quad-core Tegra 3 processor and 2GB of memory for $499.
Lenovo ThinkCentre M92z - This is an all-in-one PC featuring a multi-touch screen, Core i7-3770S CPU, and 8GB of RAM for $1247.
Chart: Ultraportables - A summary of the top ten ultraportable laptops. At the top of the list is the Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga featuring a 1.7 GHz Core i5-3317U CPU, 13.3-inch screen, and 500GB hard drive for $1099.
HTC Windows Phone 8X - windows phones were actually pretty nice. Their fatal flaw was a lack of app support. PC World calls this a 'flagship' smartphone and it features a 1.5GHz dual-core Qualcomm S4 CPU and 16GB of storage for $199. Why are modern smartphones so damn expensive? This was not a low-end phone at the time. I realize specs have drastically improved since then but tech usually gets cheaper. Not so with phones apparently.
Chart: Megazoom Cameras - A summary of the top ten 'megazoom' cameras. At the top of the list is the Canon PowerShot SX260 HS for $279. It features a 20X zoom lens (25mm-500mm) and is capable of 1080p video.
Do It Yourself
Here's How - More to prove what was possible than anything else, and old Pentium 4 based system is upgraded to Windows 8. The system in question includes a 3.4 GHz Pentium 4, 2GB RAM, and an ATI Radeon HD 9800XT AGP graphics card. The first attempt failed because the BIOS did not include Data Execution Prevention (apparently required by Windows 8). So the system was upgraded to a newer motherboard and a Pentium D. The video card was also updated to an AMD Radeon HD 6450. After this, the upgrade worked though is not necessarily recommended.
Answer Line - Someone asks how to remove the arrows displayed on shortcuts in Windows.
Hassle-Free PC - A guide to adding Media Center to Windows 8 plus how to restore the hibernate option in Windows 8.
