• 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.

• 12 Sly Web Tricks That Put You in Control

  
  Turn a Wi-Fi thief's world upside down. Send an e-mail that self-destructs. And ensure that your boss thinks you're always hard at work. These tweaks and tools let you gain the upper hand.
• Sharing Microsoft Office Files: A Quick Productivity Tip
• Time-Management Tips for Mobile Professionals
• Consumer Electronics Will Do Well, Says Philips CEO
• The Specs That Matter [and the Specs That Don't]
• Is It Time for a Data Diet?
• Vista May Still Have Its Day
• Privacy Group: US Border-crossing Database Raises Concerns
• Wanted: Long-Lived Smartphone Batteries

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

• Sharing Microsoft Office Files: A Quick Productivity Tip Need to create a report or presentation with the input of several people? Don't e-mail that large file to all the participants. Microsoft Office makes it simple to share Word, Excel or PowerPoint documents over the corporate network.
• Consumer Electronics Will Do Well, Says Philips CEO The future for consumer electronics looks bright, and high oil prices will help the industry, a Philips executive said at IFA.
• 12 Sly Web Tricks That Put You in Control Turn a Wi-Fi thief's world upside down. Send an e-mail that self-destructs. And ensure that your boss thinks you're always hard at work. These tweaks and tools let you gain the upper hand.
• Privacy Group: US Border-crossing Database Raises Concerns A privacy group raises concerns about a U.S. plan to collect personal information on all travelers crossing into the country.
• Is It Time for a Data Diet? If you're suffering from information overload, consider slimming down by reducing your info intake.

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.