Tech Watch: PCMover Software; Chat Speaker; 23-Inch LCD

The Only Way To Go
If the only reason your customers don't want to upgrade their PCs is because they fear that migrating data will be a problem, you might want to suggest Laplink's PCMover. In a LapLink survey, 30 percent of respondents said they would buy a PC if they knew that moving all of their apps and settings to the new machine would be transparent. PCMover is certainly a viable option for VARs with small customers.
Laplink's PCMover, www.laplink.com Price: $39.95

Chat Sounds Better With Full-Duplex
There are a slew of speaker attachments that let individuals use their PCs as phones, but the ClearOne Chat 50 really stands out. It can be used with VoIP softphones from the likes of Avaya, Cisco and Nortel, with Web conference apps such as Lotus Sametime and Microsoft Live Meeting, and with PC apps such as Skype, Vonage and instant-messaging software. The full-duplex Chat 50 also can be attached to cellphones or land lines, and it can be powered by a PC's USB port. An external power device is available for non-PC devices.
ClearOne Chat 50, www.clearone.com Price: $179 An LCD With

Room to Grow
What's nice about LCD monitors is that the bigger they are the larger the service engagement and margin opportunity. Whether or not 23-inch desktops someday become the norm remains to be seen, but even if they don't, there's still plenty of room for these $1,000 panels on Wall Street, in hospitals and in other verticals. At $979, the ViewSonic VP231wb offers a response time of 12 milliseconds. Its viewing angle is 176 degrees, and the contrast ratio is 500-to-1. According to the vendor, this LCD's HDTV compatibility means it can be used for video post-production. Another nice feature is the integrated USB hub. A medically certified version of the VP231wb is available.
ViewSonic VP231wb, www.viewsonic.com Price: $979