Michael L Berman's blog

Are you ready????

Sitting down????

It's time for the 15th Annual Bermie Awards presented by - - - ME (we weren't able to get Ricky Gervais)!

As in the past all of the recipients were scrutinized by our distinguished panel of experts and votes tabulated by the distinguished accounting firm of Me, Myself and I.

Do you have SATA III desires but only an IDE budget?

Do you find yourself drooling over those new, high-speed PCs, but only have lint and a couple of quarters in your pocket?

Fear not! The folks at Apricorn have developed a way for you to upgrade that old PC to take advantage of SATA III, high-speed technology.

So, you got a grand, spanking new iPhone for Christmas. Looks nice, doesn't it? But what are you doing to keep it that way.

Fear not! There are several companies that have got you covered - - - some better than others.

Need a high-end monitor to work on graphics and photos?

Have a low-end budget?

Check out the NEC P241W ($749), which offers tons of features you can only find in monitors costing megabucks more.

First off, don't confuse this with the Acer P241W, which costs $400 less and, frankly, doesn't offer the high-end image quality of the NEC model.

How secure is your data?

That little USB flash drive you carry around in your pocket or briefcase probably contains everything from personal documents to phone numbers. But what happens if you lose it or it gets stolen?

Like the fabled Pheonix, Dell has risen from the ashes and hit 10 on the "I've gotta have it" meter. Their new Inspiron One 2320 all-in-one PC ($699.99 to $1,399) has catapulted the company back to the top among PC makers.

A bit over enthusiastic? Probably. But, despite one or two minor shortcomings, I can't help but rave about Dell's new line of computers.

Like the fabled Pheonix, Dell has risen from the ashes and hit 10 on the "I've gotta have it" meter. Their new Inspiron One 2320 all-in-one PC ($699.99 to $1,399) has catapulted the company back to the top among PC makers.

A bit over enthusiastic? Probably. But, despite one or two minor shortcomings, I can't help but rave about Dell's new line of computers.

I'm obsessed with sound! In fact, putting me in a room filled with woofers, tweeters and a subwoofer delivering pure, delightful music from a high-quality amplifier is the best way to keep me from annoying you.

So, when I'm offered the chance to test two compact speaker/sound systems that deliver "a roomful of sound" from a small package, I'm hooked.

I'm about to fall prey to an Apple trap -- trying to compare a couple of Android-based tablets to the infamous iPad.

Alas, we all know that Apple has set the standard in tablet computing and has become King of the Hill when it comes to these portable devices. Computer graveyards are filled with carcasses of challengers. But a few have survived the battle.

What do you get when you combine a laptop computer case with a backpack?

Hint: It's not a suitcase with shoulder straps.

It's an Airbak Air-Tech backpack ($79.99) from Airbak Technologies.