The Washington Post's Rob Pegoraro was online Monday, Dec. 4 at 2 p.m. ET to answer your personal tech questions, discuss recent columns, and provide advice for finding the right gadget for the holidays.

For more advice on holiday tech giving, check out this year's Holiday Tech Gift Guide.

Want to know what upcoming topics are being covered? Sign up for the Fast Forward e-letter-- get updated information on personal technology news and product demos.

Past editions of Rob's e-letter are online here.

A transcript follows.

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Rob Pegoraro: I'm back. What can I tell you about today?

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Ashburn, Va.: Rob - How come you didn't include the Motorola "Q" in your review yesterday? Thanks, Russ

Rob Pegoraro: Because I reviewed it about six months ago. (I didn't like it all that much; it has all the limitations of the Dash's Smartphone software, but also costs a lot more to use--$80/month.

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Reston, Va.: Hi Rob. Soon to be the owner of two Macs, and wonder if you can help direct me to the best alternative for a program that will "trick" made-for-Windows apps (I'm talking mainly about games for my young kids) into thinking they're being run on a PC. If it doesn't break the bank, then so much the better. Thanks...

Rob Pegoraro: You have three choices.

1) Apple's Boot Camp software, which will set up a separate partition for Windows on your Mac; install a new copy of XP, and you've got a 100-percent-compatible Windows machine, albeit one that you can't use simultaneously with Mac OS X.

2) Parallels's $80 Parallels Workstation, which will set up a "virtual machine" for Windows--any version will do--that runs inside of OS X. Not 100 percent compatible, although kids' games shouldn't be a problem.

3) CodeWeavers' still-in-beta CrossOver for Mac OS X, which may be closest to your request: It makes Windows apps think they're running in Windows--but without needing a copy of Windows anywhere near your Mac. But: This is at a pretty early stage of development compared to the others, and its compatibility is much less than 100 percent. It is, however, free to try (www.codeweavers.com).

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HD DVD: Is it correct to assume that HD-DVD players and Blu-Ray players are also backward compatible with existing DVDs? How about the MS HD player sold as an XBOX 360 accessory?

Rob Pegoraro: Corret, HD DVD and Blu-Ray players can play existing DVDs as well as CDs.

While we're on this subject: Has anybody in this chat bought either type of player yet? (Buying a PlayStation3 as a game machine doesn't really count; you have to want to use the thing to watch high-def movies.)

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Falls Church, Va.: I'm considering an HDTV this winter as a present to myself. Will HDTV prices come down far enough in the next few months to justify waiting? I'd hate to pay $2,000 today for what will be 500 in February.

Rob Pegoraro: I can promise that you won't see a $2,000-$500 drop; you might, at worst, see a $2,000 set drop to $1,700 in February.

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Brooklyn, N.Y.: I'm interested in speakers to attach to an iPod. The obvious choice is the Bose SoundDock - a tad expensive but I expect good quality from Bose. Do you have any experience with the SoundDock? Do you have any suggestions for similar products to look at, or perhaps a set of wireless speakers that can be connected with an iPod at the base? Thanks and happy holidays.

Rob Pegoraro: There are a lot of choices in this department--the Apple Store near my home had most of a wall taken up with them on Sunday. Take a look at playlistmag.com for reviews of most of them.

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Arlington, Va.: Rob, last week someone asked about options for converting records to mp3 format. My mom has a huge record collection, and she spotted a USB turntable (in Reader's Digest, no less--go figure). I checked it out and it seems legit--it comes with recording software and you can plug it right into a Mac or PC's USB port. Instant ripping of records! It's made by Ion (never heard of them before). Here's the Amazon page for it: http://www.amazon.com/Ion-iTTUSB-Turntable-USB-Record/dp/B000BUEMOO

Rob Pegoraro: I think I saw an ad for this in the SkyMall catalogue over Thanksgiving weekend. Don't know anything about it myself, but if you have a large collection of vinyl it seems like it could save you a lot of trouble.

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Washington, D.C.: Hi Rob, is it worth it to repair the power jack on my HP laptop or should I just start saving for a new computer? Thanks

Rob Pegoraro: I can't tell. Did you buy the thing four months ago, or four years?

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Plymouth Meeting, Pa.: we bought a Maxima rather than a Toyota Avalon because the latter had no bluetooth for our Treo or an ipod connection. we were told the Camry has both but that auto makers don't retool computers/electronics more than every 3 years. is this true of American car makers also? thank you. Teresa

Rob Pegoraro: Yes. Ever notice how long it took these guys to start adding a simple line-in jack to their car stereos?

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Hallandale, Fla.: I read both the Washington Post and NY Times. I am an avid crossword puzzle fan. I use both IE and Mozilla Firefox. Why can't I open the puzzle in either paper using Firefox?

Rob Pegoraro: I can't speak for that other paper, but I just started filling out our online crossword in this copy of Firefox 2.0. No problem at all. Are you using an up-to-date version of Firefox? How about the latest version of the Flash player plug-in (www.adobe.com/flashplayer/)?

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HP Laptop with back Power Jack: I bought it three years ago.

Rob Pegoraro: Tough call... how well was it suiting your needs before the power adapter died? Three years is a long time for a laptop.

In any case--I have another question on this topic--can anybody suggest some laptop-repair places that have served them well? Doesn't hurt to call and ask for a quote. (But if the quote exceeds, say, $200, $300 tops, you should think seriously about just buying a new computer.)

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Alex, Va.: Hi, Rob. I'm searching for an inexpensive mp3 flash drive for the gym for around $50 - 70, and a corresponding music download service where I pay by the song to own?

Rob Pegoraro: An iPod shuffle and the iTunes Store should work pretty well for you.

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Towson, Md.: Has anyone figured out that making "cell phone" almost universally synonymous with "camera" creates problems for folks who work in areas where cameras are forbidden? Those of us who work in high security areas cannot legally drive through the gate with a camera -- including camera phones. In effect this means that I could not carry such a cell phone with me on work days. I'm still using a 5-year old phone because it galls me to pay extra for a phone without this unwelcome "feature". I'm sure there are many others who either pay up or just take the chance that their car won't be searched. Hello -- is any cell phone company listening??

Rob Pegoraro: Don't know what to say here, Towson. Some carriers do offer camera-less versions of phones (Verizon, for instance), but often that isn't an option.

In simple economics, though, people who aren't allowed to bring cameras to work constitute a tiny niche market. Most carriers and manufacturers aren't going to bother selling to it. That's not good or bad; it's just business.

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Bethesda, Md.: Rob-- I read your criteria for point-and-shoot cameras-- they sound reasonable, but the P&S I own (a Fujifilm f30) violates just about every one of them. The f30 has only a 3x zoom, no image stabilization, an unusual xD memory card, a proprietary battery, and 'only' 6.2 megapixels. But I think (and reviewers generally agree) that the f30 is a terrific little camera. It's responsive (no shutter lag!), takes good indoor or low-light shots without a flash because its sensor is larger and more sensitive than any other P&S in its class and it gets over 500 shots on a single battery charge. It all depends on what you want in a camera-- the f30 doesn't have all the gizmos, but it's designed to get good shots over a set of conditions that's a lot wider than the typical P and S.

Rob Pegoraro: Fair enough, but if you could get the bigger image sensor in a camera that had the features I recommended, wouldn't you prefer that? (The Fuji f31d does add image stabilization.)

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Rockville, Md.: Just want to reiterate the importance of using multiple anti-spyware software. My father called me on Sunday. He was getting a pop-up from his Windows toolbar saying he had spyware and that if he clicked on the popup, he would download anti-spyware software. Turns out he had Spysherrif - a rogue anti-spyware application that uses fake alerts and false positives as a goad into scaring you into purchasing their software. He had Norton Internet Professional and scanned using definitions downloaded on Friday - it said he was clear. I had him download Ad Aware and it found and cleaned it. I used to think one program was necessary and two was great but overkill. I now believe one is insufficient and two is necessary.

Rob Pegoraro: Thanks--although I think the real message of this story is DON'T INSTALL RANDOM JUNK FROM THE INTERNET IN THE FIRST PLACE.

If your dad had called you earlier to say "is it OK to load this new program?" you both would have been able to spend Sunday watching football instead of tinkering with computers.

(Actually, if you're a Redskins fan that's a poor example. Never mind...)

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Alex, Va.: I am going to donate an old computer ("old" = 3 1/2 years) but want to sanitize it first (without spending any $$). Do you have suggestions?

Rob Pegoraro: Please see this Help File column of two weekends ago.

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Fairfax, Va.: Hi Rob, I've been looking at cameras lately in anticipation of an Alaskan cruise next summer. Canon's Elph line has been recommended and I also took note of your pick of Canon's A710. My online research has warned me, though, of a fault in Canon's retractable lenses, yielding an E18 lens error that renders the camera unusable. There's even been a class action lawsuit regarding this, although it failed. Reports are that Canon will charge $150-ish to fix this. Do you know anything about this?

Rob Pegoraro: Nope--never had any such issue in the three weeks or so I had to test the A710 IS.

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Hendersonville, N.C.: Can you rank digital cameras by shutter lag times?

Rob Pegoraro: I can't--I've only personally tested a tiny subset of them. I can tell you that this has gotten much better in recent models, especially if you prefocus the camera--or, in a camera with manual focus, lock it on infinity. If you want to see hard data on cameras' performance, you'll do best at some of the enthusiast-oriented sites. I'm a fan of the Digital Camera Resource Page (www.dcresource.com), Digital Photography Review (www.dpreview.com) and the Imaging Resource Page (www.imaging-resource.com)

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Tina in Falls Church: I settled on a Nikon Coolpix L6 for hubby's first digital camera, kinda entry level, kinda easy and if he really uses it I will get a more fully featured one for him next Christmas. The market is a shoppers delight...177-179 from all the big stores but....Ritz has the HP photoprinter for free (after 100 rebate) and gives you scads of promos and coupons for free prints and stuff. Seems like if you want to get a mainstream digital camera the stores are using this segment as a loss leader and sweetening the pie to boot.

Rob Pegoraro: That's not an unreasonable strategy if you happen to be a store that sells printing services...

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Silver Spring, Md.: emusic is a good choice for the shuffle person - yeah, you pay a monthly fee but it can be as low as $10 for a lot of downloads. You own the songs as mp3s and there are no stupid DRM restrictions. Not as many tunes as iTunes, but a better deal for the money.

Rob Pegoraro: I like eMusic--but the ongoing unwillingness of the major labels to provide their music as DRM-free downloads means that eMusic's catalogue features a *lot* less than iTunes'.

You'd think that if an indie label, with much shallower pockets and fewer marketing resources, can do fine by selling music without copying restrictions, a major label should be able to do even better. But maybe that's just me...

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Arlington, Va.: Tired of being tethered to my Dell desktop while computing at home, I want to buy a laptop to run off a wireless router. Part of me figures it's just best to cave and get a Windows laptop, but the other part of me has had enough of various Windows frustrations and wants to buy a Mac Book. I've never used a Mac but I'm intrigued by some of the Apple software and by the Mac advantages that you have written about.

However, a Mac Book would be about $250 more than a Dell PC that I would have built, and while the $250 isn't a show stopper, I want to make sure that, after installing Boot Camp on a Mac, that I can run some MS Office programs by installing the XP software I have with my Dell. I have in my possession reinstallation versions of the XP Home Edition, which includes Service Pack 1a, and a copy of MS Office Student and Teacher Edition 2003, which still has one legal installation left on it.

Will these XP and MS Office disks work a new Mac Book and, once installed, will I be able to download Service Pack 2 to the Mac OR, will I have to buy newer versions of XP and MS Office to work on the Mac? While the $250 base price difference isn't a show stopper, buying new XP and Office on top of that might be. Thanks so much for your informative articles and chats. You've helped me a lot as I've made various media-buying decisions over the past couple of years.

Rob Pegoraro: I'm told that you can "slipstream" a new XP disc--basically, adding SP2 to your existing copy, thereby turning it into something that will install without complaint in Boot Camp (Apple's software requires XP SP2). But the one time I tried this, the CD didn't work.

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Wash, D.C.: I saw your discussion in Monday's transcript about HD small televisions. I just bought the ATI TV Wonder 650 PCI Card which includes HD capabilities. For $130.00, I now receive 20 HD stations on my computer using an indoor antenna. (That includes Baltimore HD stations). I have a Viewsonic 19 inch monitor. The HD looks pretty good for the price.

Rob Pegoraro: Thanks for the report. Hadn't heard that the ATI had such good reception--getting Balto. digital broadcasts with an indoor antenna from D.C. can be a non-trivial achievement.

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Arlington, Va.: Hi Rob, great information. 18 yr old daughter wants digital camera. Friend has Kodak EasyShare V530 which my daughter likes (I think it's because it comes in pretty colors). Saw Kodak V570 - your thoughts on that? I know you like the Canon A710 IS which is where I am leaning. She'll be basically taking pics of friends and scenery. Thanks! Alice

Rob Pegoraro: The V570 is the one with two lenses--one regular, one for wide-angle photography. I tried that one back in January and found a lot to like: Formerly Bulky Features Fit Nicely in Two New Cameras

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Fairfax, Va.: Rob - I have a dilemma; one that my wife and I brought upon ourselves (I am admitting that now so you can not scold me later). For some reason, we promised two of our three children an iPod if they brought home report cards that do not have any negative marks. They were ecstatic (as we were also pleased) when they came home with all As and Bs or Os and Ss (the Os and Ss are because they are in the 4th grade and 2nd grade respectively).

Now we are not ones to recant on promises that we made but with all the new technology that is coming out lately I have to wonder if the iPod is truly the best music/media player solution for these young, albeit terrific, kids. For instance, the MS Zune just came out and promises to be a trend setter - but will probably not satisfy with this most recent release. If the iPod had built in WiFi there wouldn't be a question. There are also all kinds of MP3 players out there that I know are 'better' than the one from Apple but that does not always matter (especially in the eyes of the young). So without making us 'terrible' parents (kinda' hard in this situation depending on which side of the argument fence some people will be on), can you make any recommendation as to which device will be the best one for them considering their age, opinions of their peers, and the all-important never-ending quest to be cool? Thanks for some help - FROM: Mr. and Mrs. Tricky Situation

Rob Pegoraro: Go with the iPod. The Zune is not what I'd call, well... "good": Microsoft's Zune Only Looks Simple - washingtonpost.com

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Silver Spring: Don't buy Parallels/BootCamp and XP to run MS office on a laptop. Just buy the Mac student/teacher version for $125 or so. Total. And no risk of MS "catching" you running the same copy of Office on more than one computer.

Rob Pegoraro:[smacks self in head] Right, why didn't I mention that? Office for Mac is better than Office for Windows--the interface is less of a mess and you don't have to dig as hard to find some features.

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Harvard, Mass.: Why aren't you including power consumption in the equation of choices? In general I've found a 32" LCD TV is a fair (sometimes better) trade up in terms of power consumption over any 32" or 36" CRT TV. The current technology behind 40" to 50" LCDs and plasmas yield consumers problematic energy draw requirements (some 50" plasmas draw up to 3x the power of a 36" CRT in active mode).

I wholly believe the future for TV power consumption is bright...LED-based LCDs promise to drastically lower power draw in active mode in the next few years. But for 2006, you really should be warning consumers that today's power-hungry big-screen TV boxes are going to lock consumers into higher monthly bills. It's just not right to gloss over such information. tom

Rob Pegoraro: I did! I plugged a power meter into all of the flat-panel TVs I tested; I just didn't see any significant differences among three of the four models.

(Here are the exact details: When tuned into an over-the-air HD signal for one hour, the Panasonic plasma drew .18 kilowatt hours; the Sony LCD, .17 kWh; the Samsung LCD, .2 kWh; the Philips plasma, .26 kWh.)

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Dover, N.H.: Hi Rob, thanks for the chats. I am looking to get my wife on IPod for Christmas. What are the advantage-disadvantages between the Nano and regular IPod. The 8 gb Nano and 30 gb Ipod are about the same price. Will only be using this for music. No pictures or videos.

Rob Pegoraro: Get the nano. It's smaller and lighter, and the flash memory it uses should be sturdier over the long term than a regular iPod's hard drive.

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Anaheim, Calif.: Rob, I've been hearing (or reading in this day and age) about "laser" TV sets. Will they be better and cheaper, and should I put off buying one of those old-fashiond plasma sets until these new "laser" sets are released next year. I would hate to spend a bunch of money now on plasma when the Jones's will be one-up on me soon!

Rob Pegoraro: Ain't no such thing. The only "upcoming" HDTV technology is something called SED, which is now at least a year from arriving at what will probably be a steep price.

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Ashburn Va. : Rob Pegoraro: I'm told that you can "slipstream" a new XP disc--basically, adding SP2 to your existing copy, thereby turning it into something that will install without complaint in Boot Camp (Apple's software requires XP SP2). But the one time I tried this, the CD didn't work. He stated that he had his reinstall cd from dell for XP. These are keyed to the machines that they are sold with and will not activate online with the Mac as this is a licensing violation.

Rob Pegoraro: Right - another reason to just buy Office for Mac OS X.

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Re: Laptop Repair: Richards Computer in Fairfax. Granted, my Toshiba was under warranty so it didn't cost, but everything was either replaced right then or the next day.

Rob Pegoraro: Thanks for the suggestion!

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Buji, guangdong China: Hi Rob. Thanks for your entertaining and sensible articles. I noticed a comment re Audacity. I run that on my little eMac, (OSX 10.4.8) It can easily import and export to MP3. In your article you say you have to download a separate encoder. True, but you make it sound as if you have to use this encoder in an extra step, such as an application. Not so... Audacity uses the free downloaded encoder/decoder library transparently. Once the library file is downloaded, and you point Audacity to it once it asks, you need not think about it again. If I recall correctly it was called LAMELib in OSX. The links to OSX, Win (lame_enc.dll) and Linux MP3 encoders/decoders are on the Audacity site. I am not sure how easy it is to install on Win boxes. In OSX, you just download the library into the Audacity folder. ;-D Jon

Rob Pegoraro: Or you could just drag the .wav files Audacity records into iTunes, then select use iTunes' convert-selection-to-MP3 command to compress them.

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Gilbert, Ariz.: Regarding HDTV's - What about DLP's?

Rob Pegoraro: DLP stands for digital light processing; it's one of a few "microdisplay" projection technologies, in which a small flat-panel display takes the place of a cathode-ray tube inside a projection display; as a result, the set is only 1 or so feet thick, not three or four.

Microdisplay sets are a lot cheaper than plasma or LCD screens, but most also have viewing-angle limits. If you don't have most people sitting on a straight line in front of the TV, some viewers are likely to see a notably darker picture.

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Arlington, Va.: Mac or PC for Christmas?: A person who is completely new to computers but wants a laptop. Macs are generally easier to use for people new to computers, but the rest of the family knows Windows, so it'd be hard to get Mac computer help from them. Wants computer for e-mail and photos.

Rob Pegoraro: The availability of in-family tech support isn't something to discount completely, but a Mac should also need less support in the first place. Is there one relative who does speak Mac? Does this person live near an Apple Store?

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Vienna, Va.: Rob: I considering a new TV purchase in the coming months and would like to get one with a CableCard insert, so that I won't need a separate cable box. My understanding is that the current CableCards available are not "interactive" in that they will not enable you to use PPV, OnDemand, etc, but that newer CableCards will be coming out sometime in the future that will be interactive and allow such features to be used. Do you know when such cards will be available in new TVs? Thanks.

Rob Pegoraro: I don't. Interactive, or "two-way" CableCards were supposed to have arrived by now. The cable industry, which seems inexplicably attached to cable boxes, is doing a very good job of ensuring that CableCard 2.0 arrives as late as possible, and then some.

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Los Angeles, Calif.: I want to replace my 2003 Dell desk top for a flat screen and a not so big, clumsy computer(I really hate towers), but am afraid of all in ones or laptops, such as the monitor going out you have to take in the whole thing for repair. I have checked name brand web sights but have not seen anything that is a separate monitor and small computer. Any suggestions! P.S. From a born and raised D.C. and diehard Redskin fan I love your column.

Rob Pegoraro: LCDs can and do break, but that happens a lot less often if the LCD isn't being moved anywhere--i.e., if you get a desktop all-in-one (Gateway Profile, for instance) or if you buy a laptop but never take it out of the house, you're not running much of a risk.

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Athens, Ga.: Rob, have you tried either the Linksys Music Bridge or the Logitech Wireless Music System for PC? I'm looking for a solution to send music from a PC in one room to a stereo in the other, and I'm wondering if either of these is worth the price. Thanks!

Rob Pegoraro: My favorites among what's out so far: The SlimDevices Squeezebox if you're *not* listening to music downloaded from stores like iTunes or Napster, the Roku SoundBridge if you *are* listening to music from stores that use Windows Media. If you buy at iTunes, Apple's AirPort Express is the only real option, at least until the "iTV" set-top box transitions from vaporware to a real, on-sale product (should be Q1 next year).

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Washington, D.C.: Rob, The best gadget to get the guy who has everything? (And I mean everything -- satellite radio, top-of-the-line laptop, Blackberry, all the fancy travel chargers, can't even name them all!) Thanks!!!

Rob Pegoraro: A good book? One of those inflatable neck pillows?

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Windsor, Calif.: Hi Rob, Some questions regarding my quest to make the leap to high def... How much danger is there of burn in the newer plasma TV's? How long does it take for a still image to "burn in"? Do you have any recommendations for a 42" HDTV? Thanks for any guidance. Bruce

Rob Pegoraro: I tested two different plasma TVs for weeks on end before I wrote last month's piece, and I never saw any lasting "burn-in." The only effects I saw were temporary, lasting no more than an hour, and only occurred after I went out of my way to keep an image fixed on the screen--like using the plasma as a computer monitor.

So if you use a plasma TV *as a TV,* you shouldn't have anything to fear. But I wouldn't use one as a computer monitor or video-game console display.

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Arlington, Va.: I'm thinking of buying a new stereo, but really only want a tuner and reasonably good speakers that can stream either my ipod or itunes library. Do the ipod docks have high quality speakers? What would you recommend?

Rob Pegoraro: Some receivers now include iPod docks or some other way to attach an iPod--I think I've seen this on some Onkyo models, for instance.

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Bonifay, Fla.: Does anyone make a Senior Cell Phone? Features (1) 12 key basic key board with keys the size of those on your desktop (2) Easily marked OFF ON SEND and BACKSPACE or DELETE buttons (3) Display that shows number being input in large text, perhaps even on 2 or 3 lines? Ease of use is much more important than the ability take pictures or watch TV.

Rob Pegoraro: Any suggestions for Bonifay?

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Pioneer Plasma: Rob, We've done the research and we want to buy a 50 inch plasma hi def tv from Pioneer. How can we get the best deal? Should we buy now or wait until after Christmas??

Rob Pegoraro: Well, Pioneer is not exactly the cheapest brand out there. It's one of the most expensive, actually... I'd look around on sites like pricegrabber.com to see who's offering the best deals--then I'd see if the store(s) I normally shop at can match those prices.

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Orlando, Fla.: re: Harvard and Anaheim - the power draw for LED back-lit LCD panels will actually increase over the fluorescent back lights of today; not drastically, but they'll provide a 100% improvement in color-gamut. LED "engines" to replace lamps in microdisplay rear-projection sets (MDTVs)WILL run cooler and with less power - with longer life (and possibly no color wheels!) LED lasers ARE being developed for MDTVs, but we won't see them till closer to the end of the decade. 3-CRT RPTVs can draw a bit of power, too. The most "green" technology right now is flat-panel.

Rob Pegoraro: More detail on HDTV technology. Color "gamut" is a term of art for how many colors a display can, er, display. It's always something less than reality; the standard color gamut for broadcast TV falls below what some of these improved backlights will be able to deliver.

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Columbia, Md.: I have been using a Palm or many different Palms for years. In sales it is great as a data base and to store customer info, so is the calender and to-do etc. I also use a program on it called Agendus. Can I beam all my info from my current Palm T2 and does the batery last when used as a phone and a Palm? Jim

Rob Pegoraro: You're talking about a Treo, right? You shouldn't have any trouble migrating your data from your existing handheld to a Treo--the new software you load should bring over all your old data and programs. (This is the bright side of Palm failing to ship a meaningful update to its operating system over the last four years: no compatibility issues!)

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Pittsburgh, Pa.: Dear Rob, I have a tricky problem: I need to reinstall Windows (XP)but cannot do it, because my floppy disk drive's become corrupted and doesn't see an inserted disk. I'm almost sure that a reinstalled operating system will cure the floppy drive's pathology, yet cannot reinstall Windows without a functioning floppy drive (a floppy disk carries REID drivers). What would you suggest, Rob? Cordially, Alexander

Rob Pegoraro: Copy those drivers to a USB flash drive or burn them to a CD? You don't need a floppy drive--at all--to install XP itself.

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Warrenton, Va.: So the Blackberry Pearl really isn't worth it? I know several people who really like them. I am in the market for a Smartphone and your article is making me think twice about getting the Pearl.

Rob Pegoraro: I wouldn't buy it. The thing looks terrific, but the software gets pretty ugly once you go past the home screen. (Note that I place a high value on a smartphone's utility as a handheld organizer, a task that BlackBerry devices don't do well.)

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Berne, Minn.: CRT-Lifer here: Will the laser TVs be delivered on-time next year, and will they live up to the hype? Or should I get a Plasma/LCD now?

Rob Pegoraro: The laser TVs will arrive in late spring, seeking out old CRTs to annihilate in a flash of light. Beware!

(Please see my earlier, non-joking response.)

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Washington, D.C.: Senior phones: Jitterbugphones.com - Just like the phones for kids, but not as colorful.

Rob Pegoraro: Never heard of this company, so am passing this tip along "as is"...

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Potomac: What about the Blackjack from Cingular??

Rob Pegoraro: It's a pretty close equivalent of the Dash; no WiFi, but it works over a faster wireless network (Cingular's "Media Max," aka HSDPA, which is about 3-5 times faster than T-Mobile's EDGE service).

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Orlando, Fla.: Rob - last week, you argued for not "investing" in an HDTV with more than 720p. Sound advice, since studies show that viewing from 9 ft. the viewer can't discern any higher resolution unless the screen is larger than 54". There is one caveat, however. Although ATSC is broadcast no higher than 1080i, a 720p set has to downconvert to match the display (loss of quality) where a 1080p set merely de-interlaces the signal and can provide a 1-for-1 pixel count (no loss.)

Rob Pegoraro: But: Half the major networks broadcast in 720p (ABC and Fox) as do many cable/sat broadcasters (ESPN and all its sub-brands). Having watched many hours of 1080i broadcasts on a 720p set, I can't say that I ever noticed any degraded quality from that conversion.

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Old Towne Alexandria: Hi Rob--I recently purchased a laptop for the home. I'd like to go wireless and have done a bit of research. I plan to go with my cable provider to get broadband high-speed Internet, but want to buy my own modem. My laptop is WiFI ready, so don't need an adapter/network card. Three questions: Do I need to buy a router? If yes, any recommendations for small condo? What do you think of the Motorola SB5120 cable modem?

Rob Pegoraro: There are some cable modems that include wireless routers, but I haven't tried any of them. Recommendations?

(It is past 3, but I'll stick around for another 15-20 minutes.)

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Smatphone Vs. Blackberry: In your opinion which device do you think its better? Cingular 8125 Vs. Blackberry

Rob Pegoraro: Haven't tried the 8125. That device runs the "full" version of Windows Mobile and, as you can see from the picture on Cingular's site, is built to be an organizer and Web/e-mail terminal first, a phone second.

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Fairfax: I have an HP8450 printer networked to my home computers. One laptop is connected wirelessly and the desktop is connected to the printer via the router (both in the same room). I have my virus program (PC-Cillin) adjusted so that it recognizes the printer port as reliable. Recently, when I print from a web site and from some other programs, I'll get a message that the file failed to print. If I wait long enough (5-15 minutes) or restart the machine, the file will eventually printout. One other thing, after sending a file to the printer I often get a server not found message which resolves soon after the print succeeds. I never encounter these problems when printing from the wireless laptop to the same printer. Any ideas on what I can do to get an more immediate print or on what might be going on. Or are there any other networkable printers you'd recommend that might solve this problem? Thanks.

Rob Pegoraro: This is a tough one... my own experience with HP's driver software has, shall we say, not given me much reason to appreciate the quality of HP's software. It's weird that you say you have no troubles on the WiFi laptop, only on the computer directly connected to the printer--I'd expect the opposite situation. Try plugging the printer into the laptop instead; if things work fine from that end, you probably have a glitch in the HP software on the desktop. Which would entail the same old routine: uninstall, then reinstall. good luck...

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Sterling, Va.: Sorry Rob, but you're wrong about the floppy drive. Any hard drive that uses SATA (in a RAID or otherwise) will not be detected by the XP install, and the install will only accept drivers on a floppy. Hooray for Microsoft being on top of new technology. (The other option is the slipstream you mentioned earlier -- not only can you slipstream SP2, but you can add in SATA drivers. It's a complicated process but can be done.)

Rob Pegoraro: Then how have I been able to install XP on Intel-based Macs with SATA ("Serial ATA") drives? I just ran Boot Camp, popped in the XP disc and things proceeded as usual.

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Fairfax: I heard a rumor that the new itunes 7.0 can crash or erase your entire disk. Is this another one of those internet hoaxes or have folks had problems with itunes 7.0 and above?

Rob Pegoraro: It's a rumor. iTunes 7 has not been Apple's finest release, and I have heard stories about it deleting some music--but erasing entire hard drives? Never heard of that.

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Clearlake, Calif.: I want to get an LCD hdtv. We are not able to get off air signals very good. I subscribe to satellite and I was wondering if I get a Lcd hdtv with built in turner, it I will still get a good digital picture? I don't want to subscribe to HDTV as yet. Thank you, Bill

Rob Pegoraro: You might have better results with a new HDTV's digital tuner, but in your location you might need a rooftop antenna, and you might need to spend some time pointing it in the right direction. See antennaweb.org for guidance on that.

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Detroit, Mich.: Do you have any sense for how much longer software for the Macintosh (such as Apple system software and Microsoft Office) will be supported for G4 systems, now that Apple has switched to Intel processors? I have a top of the line G4 system and this more than satisfies my needs for a computer and wanted to buy another one used.

Rob Pegoraro: I can only think of one new Mac program that doesn't run on both Intel and PowerPC machines--Adobe's Soundbooth beta, a music-recording/editing app that is Intel-only. Everybody else is either still shipping PowerPC-only software or has moved on to "Universal" programs that are at home on both types of chip.

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Re: Laser TV: Did a quick search on Google for laser TV, supposedly the first one should hit the market late next year. Here is one of the links http://www.i4u.com/article5383.html

Rob Pegoraro: Well, I coulda used that link earlier :)

What we're talking about here is a technology that apparently only one manufacturer, Mitsubishi, is using in one type of set--large-screen microdisplay projection TVs--and at a price that is still undetermined. If you're shopping for anything under 50 inches, it's irrelevant to your purchase decision.

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Clifton, Va.: Re the 1080i 720p thing, you may have noticed that Direct TV is advertizing that they broadcast in 1080i. You've said that there is no 1080i broadcast and that it would not be worth the extra bucks anyway. We have a 2 yr old 42" plasma ED and get HD channels on cable and see the better quality compared with standard, but some channels seem better than others, is there a variations in the quality of 720p broadcasts?

Rob Pegoraro: I said there are no 1080p broadcasts. P, not i.

In Clifton's case, the distinction doesn't matter--ED, or Enhanced Definition, means 480p resolution, or 480 progressive-scan lines. That, I'm afraid, is not high-definition at all.

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Quick stupid iMac question: I recently bought my first Mac, an iMac without a wireless keyboard. The wire for the keyboard is so short I cannot use my desk's pullout keyboard shelf. Apple told me first to buy a wireless keyboard and then to buy a USB hub. I bought the hub, but it only gave me an additional inch as the hub sits quite close to the USB plug. Is there any other item that could work like an extension cord so I can use the pullout shelf? Thanks!

Rob Pegoraro: Sure--Apple steered you wrong by not suggesting you get one in the first place. Go into any electronics store and look for a USB extender cable.

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Rockville, Md.: Probably a dumb question, but will the Microsoft Office for Mac that I bought two years ago for my G4 iBook work on a new Intel-based Macbook? Or will I need a new Intel-based version of this software?

Rob Pegoraro: It'll work fine on a new Mac.

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Minneapolis, Minn.: If you were going to buy a LCD TV, would you buy it without the CableCard slot to save some $$$, or get it with it?

Rob Pegoraro: Me, I would do without. I don't subscribe to cable right now anyway. If I ever did, I'd want a DVR of some sort; if I didn't just get the cable-company DVR, I'd need the CableCard slot in whatever third-party recorder I'd be buying.

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Virus, DC: Any advice on the virus I commented on earlier today? Is there any place where I can check out the latest virus reported? PLEASE HELP!

Rob Pegoraro: Here's one resource: Threat Explorer - Symantec Corp.

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aRLINGTON, VA: Can I do better than comcast digital cable for the internet (cost $45/month?) It is fast, but I get angry whenever I see the monthly tag. DSL?? thanks.

Rob Pegoraro: DSL or Verizon Fios will be much cheaper than Comcast.

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Columbia, Md.: Me again. Yes I am talking about a Treo. Will all the info on my PC transfer to the Treo when I do the 1st Hot Sync? Agendus is a data base program that has way more options than the address book however when I enter info into my T-2 it goes to both just so you know what this Agendus is if you have noy heard of it. But the current info I have, will it be transferred after I install the CD from Treo to the Tro duing 1st Hot Sync. And does using a phone in combo with a Palm make for short time between charges?

Rob Pegoraro: I don't use Agendus, but if it's a normal Palm OS app I can't imagine that you'd have trouble. But don't take my word for it: Ask the developers. You paid good money for that app and you're entitled to an answer to this pretty straightforward question. (Whereas you paid nothing for this chat, which makes my answers worth... um, time for the next question!)

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Washington, D.C.: iTunes 7 erased everything from my iPod. I will say this, it was -mostly- user error. While I can't tell you what I clicked on, I do remember that it asked me to perform some function and I said Yes/OK without realizing it would clear out my 5G iPod. My advice is that you check the help menu before you do anything to insure that an operation will not result in your iPod being empty. This was the initial version, there may be more warnings now.

Rob Pegoraro: What I think you saw is the same dialog iTunes has presented since the iPod's arrival--if you plug somebody else's iPod into your copy of iTunes, the software will ask you if you want to have the contents of the iPod erased and replaced by your own music. I'm not sure what the default action is in that case... as this post notes, it *is* a good idea to read the prompts you see on screen before hitting the Enter key.

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Arlington, VA: You asked at the beginning of the chat whether anyone had purchased an HD DVD (or Blu-Ray) player. I bought the first HD DVD model and have been quite pleased with it -- the video quality (and audio quality) is truly astonishing on a nice big HDTV. If you have a big HDTV, and $400 burning a hole in your pocket, it's a fun purchase. (It's not the most user-friendly machine, admittedly -- and the boot time is so slow that I left my old DVD player hooked up for watching regular DVDs.) I'm hedging my bets against the format war by only renting movies from Netflix, rather than buying them.

Rob Pegoraro: Thanks, Arlington. E-mail me sometime (robp@washpost.com); I'd like to hear more about your HD DVD experience.

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NJ: Help! I did something stupid...I disconnected my ipod even when it said "Do not disconnect". Now it won't sync with itunes and it shows no songs on the drive. I have a 5G 30GB unit. Are there any second chances for people like me?

Rob Pegoraro: First, the songs on the iPod had to come from somewhere--they should all be right on your computer, in iTunes like before. Second, if the thing has gotten scrambled you can usually unscramble it by using the "restore" command in iTunes 7 (or, if you're running an earlier version, the iPod Software Updater).

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Stupid iMac answer:: Had the same problem with my eMac. Drilled a 1/4" x 1/2" hole in the desktop right under where the computer sits, ran the keyboard cord through it.

Rob Pegoraro: There are few problems that can't be solved with the judicious application of power tools...

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Rockville, MD: For the person looking for speakers for an iPod - Logitech's latest model (about $300) works great and got the highest rating from iPod lounge, including a better rating than the Bose offering. And it is available at BestBuy.

Rob Pegoraro: Thanks!

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Bethesda, Md.: Will any of the smartphones you just reviewed (or any smartphones) sync with Mozilla Thunderbird as we are not even allowed to open Outlook on our computers here in the office. Also how do Verizon smartphones compare with the ones from Cingular and TMobile? Thanks.

Rob Pegoraro: The Treo 680 could be synced, but you'd have to tinker with the right Thunderbird add-on and install either the Lightning extension or the separate Sunbird calendar app... except I don't know if either supports Palm sync anyway... which is why I must conclude every Tbird review by saying that it's not ready to replace Outlook, only Outlook Express.

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Alexandria, Va.: Can you please give some advice about which Smart Phones you recommend that are compatible (as PDA's) with Macs?

Rob Pegoraro: The Treo is theoretically Mac-compatible, but Palm Desktop and Hot Sync for Mac are so badly obsolete, they're an insult to Mac users. Instead, budget $40 for Mark/Space's Missing Sync for Palm OS (www.markpace.com). The same company also makes a version of this utility for Windows Mobile devices.

With a BlackBerry, meanwhile, you can download a free Mac-sync tool at pocketmac.net.

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Ion Vinyl-to-MP3Turntable: I bought one recently. It works well, but the software it comes with will be challenging for a non-tech user, especially if you want to do any kind of editing or noise reduction. The setup is also processor-intensive, requiring a lot of overhead to make the convertion to MP3. If you have a large vinyl collection, you're looking at a major time investment.

Rob Pegoraro: Following up on an earlier post... thanks!

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Silver Spring, Md.: I always value reading your reviews - especially in the area of smart phones. I had an interesting experience recently when I purchased my first one - Verizon 6700. I have long carried a cell and separate PDA and was thrived with the opportunity to combine the two. My problem was that the buttons on the smart phones were always too small. When I was sharing these complaint with a Verizon salesman at the Kiosk inside Circuit City, he reached under the counter and showed me the 6700 which has a slide keyboard with good size buttons. When I asked him why this brand of phone was not displayed on top along with the Treo and Blackberry's, he told me that management has told them to push the Treo's and must therefore keep the 6700 out of the way. My question is having missed your review of this phone from the past, I would be curious what you think of the, 6700 , what comments have you heard, how would you compare to what's available on the marketplace, particularly is there another smartphone that you would recommend more and had equal or better user friendly keys? also my major complaint with the 6700 is that it sometimes get slow shifting or pulling up some programs (esp. NOTES). Do you know this might be so and is there anything I can do about it without replacing the phone?

Rob Pegoraro: I tried the Sprint version of this out some time ago. The Notes program has been sluggish in just about every Windows Mobile device that I've tried, and I have no idea why.

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Washington, D.C.: I have two questions I desperately need answered before I will comfortable making a laptop purchase this month. (I'm looking for something under $1,000 for standard home use.) 1. How vital is Bluetooth? It's not standard on the models I'm finding in stores and I'm wondering if I should go through the trouble of customizing one online. I have visions of using it to gain access to the Internet through my Treo 650. Practical enough to warrant the effort?

2. You've generally dismissed the idea of worrying about the kind or speed of processor. Do you still feel that way in light of Vista? Would you recommend getting a dual core processor just to ensure being able to run Home Premium (when otherwise it wouldn't be relevant)? Thank you!

Rob Pegoraro:1) Bluetooth is not essential. It's convenient--certainly if you need to be able to get online by using your cell phone as a modem--but you can get by without it.

2) Nah, memory and graphics chipset matter a lot more to Vista than processor speed. Put aside the money you'd spend on upgrading to the next fastest processor and sink that into more memory instead.

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Cars: How about a joint chat or article w/ Warren Brown about the convergence of tech and autos? All in favor, say Aye!

Rob Pegoraro: I fear my esteemed colleague would write circles around me :)

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Rob Pegoraro: And with that, I've gotta check out. But I'll be back here in a week. See you all then...

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