Product Trends Magazine

About the company: "Your orders at InkBlvd printer cartridges are always RISK FREE! We offer an unconditional 30 days guarantee on all of our products. If you are not 100% satisfied with the performance of any product you buy from InkBlvd, you may return it within 30 days of the purchase date, and we will replace or refund your order. We guarantee our products to be free from manufacturer defects.”

The big pitch: Save up to 85% on inkjet cartridges and laser toners! Save an additional 5% when you buy twin or combo packs.

Inblvd.com is an online-only service that will find you the printer ink you need at a great price. You can search quickly and easily for the appropriate ink cartridge for your printer, or you can fill in the printer model and click search to find the exact printer cartridge. Not exact enough for you? Fine, then fill in the SKU number for your printer and click search to find the exact printer cartridge you require.

Inkblvd.com provides extensive details regarding each printer cartridge, including availability, list price, and the price Inkblvd.com offers (which is usually substantially cheaper than the list price). Inkblvd.com is obviously very interested in providing you with a good deal, so they eagerly point out how much money you will save compared to the list price by using their online service.

Another positive about this company is that they provide an overview of the printer cartridge itself. For example, the printer cartridge overview lists whether the printer cartridge is new or remanufactured, and you can find out the shelf life and estimated number of pages that your printer cartridge will print before it runs out. This is really great information to know, as printer cartridges can often run dry at the most inopportune times and you just never know when it’ll happen. Use the info on InkBlvd and stock up on the printer cartridges you’ll need to get you through the next year.

Inbkblvd.com has information on many different printer models. In fact, they have information pertaining to 27 different printer companies, which is handy to look through before you actually buy a printer. They have printer cartridges for Apollo to Xerox printers and everything in between.

On the negative side of InkBlvd, we have seen a few consumer reviews online that have mentioned problems with customer service, so make sure you’re ordering the right cartridge for your needs, and look for a deal that makes the risk of online buying worhwhile. You shouldn’t have to look hard…

The Product Trends rating: You are sure to find your printer model on this website, and the search engine helps you to find your printer cartridge in a snap. You can find significant savings on the cost of printer cartridges, and anyone who has been told they have to spend $50 to change their cartridge will welcome such a service. Four stars. –Reviewed by Jillian Dobbs

To try InkBlvd for yourself, click the image below:

About the company: "Under the McAfee® Protection-in-DepthTM Strategy, we deliver the industry’s only complete set of system and network protection solutions differentiated by our intrusion prevention technology, which can not only detect, but block attacks. The McAfee System Protection Solutions and McAfee Network Protection Solutions portfolios are designed to assure the security and availability of the technology that powers our customers’ businesses - from the desktop to the core of the network and across the servers that our customers rely on to deliver their competitive advantage."

The big pitch: Proven, comprehensive PC protection for home users.

Here’s the thing, you already have enough problems worrying about the possible avian flu pandemic and terrorists and killer bees and hurricanes - why lose additional sleep over computer viruses? McAfee designs computer protection programs for corporate entities as well as home PC systems, and even wireless technology, which are considered the benchmark in the industry.

McAfee’s software can be instantly downloaded from the website or purchased from a retailer, such as Best Buy. Either way, the cost is about the same - the current online price as of the time of writing was $59.99 for the internet bundle (with a $20 mail-in rebate). This provides basic anti-spam, anti-spyware, anti-worm, and anti-pop-up ad protection. All services can also be purchased separately if you prefer, and a handy-dandy checklist allows the website to recommend the level of security you will need depending on your average computer usage.

In addition to filtering that pesky online junk, McAfee also offers automatic system scans and security updates that continually monitor your pc for new threats. When a new outbreak is detected, new security measures are downloaded immediately.

So while you are dozing softly in dreamland, the Anti-Virus Emergency Response Team (AVERT), a dedicated band of technophiles, are on duty 24 hours a day, monitoring potential worldwide viruses that could harm your computer, and sending out software patches to keep them at bay. Additionally, the customer service center provides free around-the-clock technical assistance for any questions you might have, so relative newbies can get the same protection that advanced users can get.

It all sounds great - but what about that new internet software you just received in the mail? Didn’t they say something about FREE protection………?

Yes, AOL 9.0 now offers a security edition that features complimentary McAfee protection (separate activation is required). However, for maximum PC protection, the McAfee internet bundle ($59.99) is definitely the way to go. The AOL/McAFEE software only offers firewall protection on broadband services and their other services are not as extensive as the bundle.

McAfee is a great product and, according to their website, one of the largest subscription providers on the internet. If you store personal records and financial information on your PC, be advised that hackers can access this information even when you are not on the net, and the peace of mind that McAfee brings is well worth the money. The downside is the subscription price. Norton Anti-Virus (a leading competitor) offers the same bundle service for $39.99.

So yeah, you may find virus protection that is cheaper, but you won’t find virus protection that is more comprehensive, more readily updated, and more effective than McAfee.

The Product Trends rating: Both McAfee and Norton websites provide detailed charts that list the services included in each of their packages, but personally, if I am getting the same thing for my money on either option, I would rather save $20 immediately and forget about a mail-in rebate altogether. For this reason only, McAfee gets 3 ½ stars. —Reviewed by Teresa Wentz

To try McAfee for yourself, click the image below:

About the company: “UpgradeMemory.com is a computer upgrade sales and information provider offering memory upgrades, great content about upgrading and links to other popular upgrade resources. We use a low cost, highly automated model to provide the ideal memory upgrades sought after by the on-line memory buyer and consumer markets. ”

The big pitch: UpgradeMemory.com specializes in memory upgrades for Laptop memory and Desktop memory upgrades for Dell, HP, Compaq, IBM, Gateway, Apple, e-Machines, Sony and Toshiba computers.

This online enterprise was founded by four computer memory industry veterans who, combining their thirty-five years of experience working with RAM, decided that memory could be sold at low prices online more inexpensively than it could be through stores. The result is UpgradeMemory.com, which now boasts one of the “most comprehensive databases in the industry”, with memory solutions for almost 15,000 laptops, and servers.

Their website is a pleasure to navigate, designed simply and without clutter. On the home page, the consumer is offered three ways to find the best memory product for their particular computer. Option one lets the consumer find a memory product by selecting the computer’s manufacturer, option two involves entering a manufacturer, model, UM part number or word from a description to be found in a box below the option, and option three suggests clicking by choosing from a list of major manufacturers listed below the directions for the option. The options are well laid out and it’s pretty obvious how to use them. That’s great, particularly for those of us who are not computer geeks.

There is no guess work for those coming to this website sure of only one thing–the need for memory. The company provides a memory configurator which is a tool for locating the exact memory product needed to upgrade a particular computer, installation guides, memory buying guides, product spotlights, warranty and guarantees, as well as a section dubbed information and resources.

As well as providing comprehensive information on their products the section of questions and facts provide information on their policies to do with customer service, ordering, payment, contacting them, products, returns and shipping. UpgradeMemory.com has done a very thorough job of covering every contingency thus providing the prospective client with all the information needed to make an informed purchase.

In setting their website up in such an orderly, comprehensively informative manner, they also inspire confidence that the rest of their services are provided in the same way. A clumsy website probably indicates less than sterling business practices whereas this group inspires confidence that a transaction with them will result in a quality product, backed by their expertise and acumen.

Their customer service department boasts actual human beings answering the phones. As one customer put it, “a knowledgeable, intelligent, professional and articulate person” responded to her call. Such a feature is a major plus in these days of automation and lengthy waits forcing us to listen to a recording, consoling us with repetitious statements declaring that our business is important to them and they’ll be with us shortly.

Shipping is facilitated through Federal Express with the customer deciding which of their many offerings they wish to use. Orders received prior to 2PM PST will be shipped that very day, provided the item is in stock. If the product ISN’T shipped that day, UpgradeMemory.com will ship it out the very next day, automatically upgrading the shipping, at no additional cost to the consumer, in order to make sure it arrives in the prearranged, specified time. You’ve got to love that kind of dedication to customer service.

The Product Trends rating: I was impressed with this company’s attention to detail and its informational resources. Offering an easy to use website coupled with outstanding customer service, speedy shipping, fair pricing, and a vast inventory of quality memory components earns UpgradeMemory.com the best rating we can give - five stars. —Reviewed by Jane Lytle

To try UpgradeMemory.com for yourself, click the image below:

About the company: "WriteExpress.com is one of the world’s largest software writing companies. It is owned by the WriteExpress Corporation and has been selling writing software since 1997. We offer assistance with letter writing, rhyming, and editing."

The big pitch: WriteExpress offers the perfect letter in just minutes, as well as a 30-day money back guarantee, and free shipping.

In 1989 Dr. Melvin Luthy and Robert Stevens created a rhyming dictionary for Word Perfect. In creating this project, they realized that non-writers had a real problem with respect to writing, and there were no tools available to help amateur writers sound like experts. It took until March of 1997 for them to make their breakthrough, but that month the pair released the WriteExpress Interactive Business Letters program as a tool to assist amateur writers, which eventually eveolved into the WriteExporess website. The company has won a number of awards, including the Zdnet 5-star Editor’s Pick, which means they’re not fooling around.

WriteExpress.com offers software with ready to use business letters, sales letters, and Microsoft Office templates. Additionally, they offer software that helps edit styles and creates rhymes. New offerings include novel writing software, dictionary software, a living will writer, e-mail help, instruction manuals, and PowerPoint templates.

In terms of delivery format, the website offers its product via software download, or you can purchase the CD and have it shipped to your home or office. If you have an Office Depot or Fry’s Electronics nearby, you can also pick up a copy at those venues.

There are no surprises with WriteExpress. The company offers samples of their work on the site, so it’s possible to see what you’re getting in advance and avoid any ugly surprises. Moreover, your satisfaction is guaranteed, since they will gladly refund your purchase price within 30 days if you are unhappy with the software for any reason. At all. Like, for anything. And since the company is a member of the Better Business Bureau, it is a fairly safe bet that they will ensure your happiness with their product, one way or another.

The product catalogue of this corporation is incredible. It seems to be growing by leaps and bounds, almost daily. For professional writers, these products can be a real time saver for ‘grunt work’, but for amateur writers, or simple businessmen who need a boilerplate business letter in a hurry, this software can greatly assist with expansion and the improvement of long term writing skills.

Their letter products, which are the most popular items on site, cover a variety of topics. These range from $20-$50 in price. If you choose to download the software, the download time can be a bit slow with a dial-up connection, but live in the now, slowpoke, and get a cable connection already!

The Product Trends rating: Five stars. If you’re looking for software that keeps you from writing some of your correspondence, this is it. They offer a great product to meet most writing needs. — Reviewed by Mindy Matter

To try WriteExpress for yourself, click the image below:

About the company: GoToMyPC allows you to remotely access your computer from any other Internet-connected computer in the world with almost any operating system through a secure, private connection. Acess files, programs, email and your network, increase flexibility and productivity, work on your office PC from home, and travel and use your PC remotely.

The big pitch: 45-day free trial, and additional $10 discount upon joining.

You’re on the road, you’re staying at some crummy Motel 6 off the interstate somewhere near Lincoln, Iowa, and all hell is breaking loose. Important documents are needed for tomorrow’s meeting, but the templates needed to load them are on your office computer, and it’s now past midnight so there’s nobody in the office to get the files to you… Basically, you’re screwed. This will cost your business thousands.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. GoToMyPC is a piece of remote access software designed to allow you to ‘log in’ to your computer from anywhere in the online world, from any web browser, or any wireless device - with just a 2 minute installation.

Imagine that same situation as mentioned above breaks out - while you’re in the meeting itself - and you tell your client, "Excuse me for a moment, I’m just going to use my cellphone to access that file on my office PC…" - Well, hello Mr Slick!

Here’s how it works: You simply join GoToMyPC at their website, then you install their software on the computers you want to remotely access. Your home computer, your office computer, your laptop, a fax server - in fact, you can install the program up to 20 times on different machines if you use the GoToMyPC Pro option - even more if you use GoToMyPC Corporate.

Once you’ve done that, whenever you’re away from the computer, just go to GoToMyPC.com, log in, then choose the computer you want to work on. GoToMyPC then connects to that computer and lets you access it from your remote desktop, as if you were directly connected to it - which, in essence, you are.

So, let’s understand what this means. It basically means that, from any computer, anywhere on the internet, you can connect to your home or office PC like you connect to Hotmail now. You can access your email, your files, your company intranet, Excel spreadsheets, and you can do all that from a hotel internet connection in Kowloon, or an airport internet cafe in Bangladesh, or your buddy’s home computer that you use to play Halo on.

This is not entirely new as far as concepts go. In fact, traditionally, the remote access market has been dominated by Symantec’s difficult-to-install PC Anywhere program, but the beauty of GoToMyPC is that you don’t need to have two pieces of software loaded on the two computers you’re using. With GoToMyPC, all you need is a web browser and you can connect to home base as if you were hooked up with a USB cable.

with goToMyPC, you can work from home, administer your office systems from the road, get to your office computer after hours, even stop dragging around discs and CDs and flash drives with business documents on them. It’s all there when you need it.

As far as pricing goes, the 1-PC monthly plan runs at $19.95 per month, or 25% off that price if you pay for a full year up front, or you can add a second PC to that plan for just an extra $10 per month. Additional PCs after that are $15 per month, per computer (or $135 per year), so you could conceivably be hooked up to every computer in your office… if you wanted to be. Heck, you can even print a document on your office printer from the Starbucks across the street!

To make calculation of your final price easy, GoToMyPC has a plan calculator on their website, and they offer a free 45-day trial where you can use the product at no cost, with no commitment, if you prefer to try before you buy.

Personally, we say don’t even bother trying things out - just get straight into it. Laptop Magazine gave GoToMyPC an editor’s choice award, and the program isn’t feature heavy, so it’s really easy to use if you’re a bit of a newbie. And if you’re worried about it working with your company firewall - don’t be! It’ll work just fine on the majority of systems and can be tweaked to work with the others.

The Product Trends rating: Without question, this program is awesome. Five stars; well worth the money, well worth your time.

To try GoToMyPC for yourself, click the image below:

About the company: "4inkjets strives to bring you the highest quality printer ink cartridges and cheap inkjet refill kits at the best prices. Our high quality compatible brand printer ink cartridge and laser toner cartridges are built to the highest standards (ISO-9001) and are guaranteed to meet or exceed your Canon, Epson, HP, Lexmark, or other name brand printer ink cartridge standards."

The big pitch: Free shipping is available on all U.S. orders over $50.00.

Their website isn’t much to look at, and the sales copy on it is kind of… um… terrible. But don’t let that prevent you from getting your printing supplies at 4inkjets.com, because ‘low rent’ is what they do best.

There are many cut-price genric printer cartridge suppliers and refillers out there, and even more full-price retail stores that think it’s entirely reasonable to charge people half the cost of the printer itself just for a new ink cartridge. What there seems to be a real lack of in the marketplace, however, are suppliers who simply keep prices absolutely low, while maintaining high standards of customer service and product quality.

4inkjets does exactly that, selling black cartridges from as little $3.99 each, and color cartridges for just $5.99! Compare that to the $50+ you’d pay at retail stores for your Lexmark, Sharp, Xerox, HP, Canon or Brother printing supplies.

Another reason to shop at 4inkjets (if you even needed one) is that you get free US Priority Mail shipping and UPS delivery on inkjet photo paper and printer ink cartridge orders over $50.

4inkjets also supplies Pitney Bowes, Panasonic, Okidata, Konica-Minolta, Dell, Compaq, Apple, Apollo, Kyocera-Mita, IBM, NEC, Samsung, Sharp, Tektronics, Toshiba… even flash memory products! And when you get a cartridge refill kit through 4inkjets, they don’t just give you a single refill - every refill kit comes with two fills!

Additionally, the company claims that they don’t use cheap ‘universal refill kits’, preferring instead to stock a wide variety of refill options for each specific brand and model. In fact, we looked hard to find the catch with 4inkjets - the one thing they don’t do well that could cause us to go elsewhere - and we couldn’t find one.

The Product Trends rating: No question about it - five stars.

To try 4Inkjets for yourself, click the image below:

About the company: During the past five years 123InkJets has sold more than 5 million printer cartridges. What does this mean to you? It means, we know how to do the job quickly and efficiently ensuring you will receive speedy delivery; Indeed, most orders are actually shipped out the very day they are received. As the industry leader we can bring all this to you at very substantial savings, usually 40% to 70% off the typical retail price found at your local discount office supply super-store.

The big pitch: Free shipping with every order, a full 1 year guarantee, and free software on any order over $50.

We’ve all been there – you have something important to print out, you finish your work, you hit ‘print’ and you get nothing but an error message… “your cartridge is out of ink.”

Infuriating! And it’s even more infuriating because the replacement cartridges for inkjet printers of any brand cost so darn much. In fact, printers themselves have come down so much in price that, quite often, a replacement printer cartridge will cost more than the machine it fits into!

If you’re one of the millions of people still being duped by the great ‘you must use an officially licensed printer cartridge’ scam, it’s time you wised up, because there is another option. Irrespective of what the instruction manuals say, YOU DO NOT NEED TO USE BRAND NAME CARTRIDGES!

Honestly, you don’t. And why would you, when an official Epson, Apple, Brother, Compaq, Canon, Hewlett Packard, Lexmark or Xerox cartridge will cost you $30, $40, or even $60 – and generic replacement cartridges can cost you as little as $4.95?

Nobody needs to pay ridiculous prices for a mere piece of plastic with ink in it, and 123InkJets gives people a fast, easy to use option that can save them big dollars, with a one-year guarantee on the products they sell, and FREE SHIPPING!.

If you want to buy only one color ink cartridge, 123InkJets can deliver it to your door, with most orders being sent out the very day they’re submitted by the customer. On the other hand, if you’re looking for a bulk purchase of 4 or more cartridges, the per unit price through 123InkJets is even cheaper!

123InkJets also sells peripherals, such as Hi-Speed USB printer cables, keyboard covers, cleaning wipes, photo paper – and they also supply laser and copier toner, among other things, and they’ll accept payments through Paypal, as well as major credit cards.

And if that’s not enough, you can actually recycle your old empty cartridges for cash!

The Product Trends rating: A great company with a ton of great products at great prices - this is a big four stars.

To try 123InkJets for yourself, click the image below: