Can you suggest a good computer magazine?

[bellgamin]

I'm dumping my subscriptions to PCWorld & PCMagazine. Nowadays, if something has a chip inside it, they put it in their magazine -- cell phones, TV sets, microwave ovens, digital cameras, GPS -- ANYthing with a chip in it.

Besides that, their so-called software reviews are laughably biased & inept. For instance, take the November 2004 issue of PCMag, pages 43 & 44. They have a "review" of security suites. They cover just two. Can you guess which two? You got it -- McAfee & Norton. Their conclusion -- Norton isn't just the better of the two -- it's the best there is or ever was.

That's enough of that -- I didn't post here to ventilate. I really truly sincerely would like to find a magazine that devotes at least 50% of its content to computers & software -- with some reasonable degree of objectivity and expertise. If you know of one, PLEASE let me know.

aloha...... bellgamin

[spy1]

Hi, Bellgamin! I like SmartComputing: http://www.smartcomputing.com/offer/questions.asp?source=12234 . My only thought is that it might not be advanced enough for you. Pete

[nadirah]

I know of one called CHIP magazine.

[bellgamin]

@spy1- -{ Quote: "...might not be advanced enough for you." }- You flatter me. I can't walk & chew gum at the same time. I have to pull the car over to the side of the road to honk the horn. Last week I changed the lightbulb in the refrigerator, & then cleared a clog in the toilet. Now, every time someone flushes the toilet, the refrigerator defrosts.

I shall pick up a copy of SmartComputing at the supermarket & peruse it tomorrow.

@nadirah- I did a Google on "Chip Magazine" & got jillions of hits. Malaysian versions, German versions, Indish versions. Couldn't find a place to subscribe to an English-language version, however.

I then did a search on a "Chip Magazine" at Amazon.com. Amazon had magazines for potato chips, wood chips, buffalo chips (such a strange hobby), silicon chips, etc etc etc. But the only one that *seemed* to related to Chips Computing Magazine cost several hundred dollars per annual subscription.

Then I saw an Amazon link for "bargains on computer magazines." I clicked it & found several prospects. One of them {Maximum PC} has a long list of rave reviews by Amazon customers (who usually are pretty straight), plus it was very heavily discounted. So I subscribed.

If you know of a link to subscribe to Chips in English, where I don't have to sell my car to pay for it, I'll check it out. :)

[bigbuck]

I like the reviews and tests in PC Authority here in Aus. Probably available over there somewhere. They have a website too. http://www.pcauthority.com.au/index.aspx
Cheers,
Buck.

[gerardwil]

Hi bellgamin

A screenshot of the countries who have a Chip weblink.
I dont see any in UK, US or AU.
This Chip forum is in English (Malay):
http://www.chip.com.my/forum/index.php?
Maybe this forum is a reflection from what is in the magazine.

I looked also for an English version of C'T magazine (a more proffesional one) which I am subscribed to, but it is only in German and Dutch.

Gerard

[bellgamin]

@bigbuck- I couldn't find a US outlet for PC Authority magazine. The PC Authority website limted their offers to Australia & New Zealand residents. I did find an Australian outfit that will process mag subscriptions for US subscribers, but a 1-year subscription to PC Authority was more than $50 USD! :o

Comment After much searching I couldn't find any online company that specializes in selling subscriptions to foreign magazines. This could be a great "gap business" for someone, perhaps.

[spy1]

Bellgamin - On that page I linked you to for SmartComputing, I hope you noted Item 6: "Free online access to ALL of our computer magazines including: PC Today,
Computer Power User, and PC Novice Reference Series; a $207 yearly value."

I won't say that's the most valuable aspect of the whole thing, but once you start perusing what's actually in those present and past online articles, you'll be amazed - and you'll be referring to them constantly. (The "Novice Series" really helped me out tremendously when I was cursing having to get a computer to start with! <g>). Pete

[LockBox]

I agree with Pete that the line of publications that includes Smart Computing is very good. As he said, especially for novices. Their CPU Magazine though is for more advanced users. For me, the BEST general computing magazine here in the USA is Maximum Computing. It's all computers, all the time. I agree about PC Magazine especially, it covers everything and they get off on things like cell phones, big screens, and all that jazz. I don't think PC World is quite as bad and still find it pretty useful. But, you can subscribe to PC World's email newsletters and pick and choose and get everything they end up publishing in the print edition and sometimes a couple of weeks early. I really like Maximum PC though. I love to look in the mailbox and see it staring back at me. I know I'll be busy for a couple of hours. :) On edit, if you go to http://www.bestdealmagazines.com/title.asp?title=MAXIMUM+PC+WITHOUT+CD you can get Maximum PC for $5.95 a year which is less than the single issue price. I have used Best Deals to order mountains of magazines over the last couple of years. They're very reliable. And if that price isn't good enough, go through the front door using this link http://www.techbargains.com/j/301.htm and you'll get 15% off of your total at checkout. Their coupons are sometimes incredible.
Gerard

[securityuser]

I would agree with Pete and Gerard with their recommendations. Thanks for the magazine link. My MaximumPC sub was up and I just a year for dirt cheap.

[Acadia]

I have to agree with the recommendations for Smart Computing. Sometimes I find it rather simple and for beginners ... and more often than not that's the kind of advice that this idiot (me) needs. ;)

Acadia

[bellgamin]

-{ Quote: "If you go to http://www.bestdealmagazines.com/title.asp?title=MAXIMUM+PC+WITHOUT+CD you can get Maximum PC for $5.95 a year which is less than the single issue price. I have used Best Deals to order mountains of magazines over the last couple of years. They're very reliable." }-
@Gerard- Thanks for calling Best Deals to my attention. It's a great place for amazing bargains!
@Pete- Tried SC & decided to subscribe. I appreciate your help.