Should DVD Drives Be Retired?

View this newsletter online | Newsletter Services | More Newsletters » Follow @pcwlaptops on Twitter February 3, 2011 PCWorld.com Laptop Link

Should DVD Drives Be Retired? Does your next laptop really need an optical (DVD/CD) drive? Maybe not. I make a case for cutting the spinning silver disc out of our PCs in this week's editorial. Read it, vote in our Facebook poll, and let us know what you think in the comments. - Senior Editor Jason Cross Top Story The Optical Drive: Appendix of the Modern PC Once a core component of every laptop and desktop PC, the silver spinning disc is rapidly going the way of the floppy. Share: Laptop Reviews & Tips Asus N53SV: Fast, but With Weak Input Ergonomics Great performance and gaming meet sleek design and a weak keyboard. Share: Does Lenovo Have a Death Wish? Lenovo seems to be gambling its success on a couple markets where it faces the toughest competition and has the least experience. Share: How to Install an SSD in Your Laptop Laptops are ideal candidates for solid state drives: These drives are more rugged and shock resistant than standard hard drives, since they have no moving parts. Share: Latest News Google Chromebook: The Good, the Bad and the Beta 'Radical Redesign' Urged for Future Computers PC Makers Scramble in Wake of Intel Chip Flaw Revelation Tablets With Intel's Meego OS Coming in Second Quarter Acer Aspire Timeline Ultraportable, $500 Galaxy S 4G and LG G-Slate Coming Soon to T-Mobile HP Renounces Vaporware Web Store and In-app Purchases Coming to Android Get More Laptop Reviews and How-Tos Prepare Your PC for Chinese New Year Lunar New Year traditions call for cleaning house, wearing new clothes, and feasting with family...and your laptop would like to join the celebration. Laptop Buying Guide 2010 Here's everything you need to know to select the ideal portable PC. Visit Laptops Central on PCWorld.com Browse more laptop news and reviews. Top 5 Products of the Year Readers choice! Take our Facebook poll and tell us your top 5. Vote here. Advertisement Get BlackBerry® Enterprise Server Express for Free The power behind the world-class BlackBerry experience is now free. Provide mobile solutions across the organization without sacrificing security and manageability.Download Now. » Most Popular Searches Android Antivirus Tablet PC Firefox Backup Product Reviews Canon PowerShot G12 91 Pros Superior image and video quality; Optical viewfinder; Easy to use; Superb blend of automated and manual controls; Adjustable, swiveling LCD screen; Fun-to-use creative scene modes Cons Maximum aperture of F2.8; A bit bulky Read Complete Review » Top Point-and-Shoot Cameras With Manual Controls » Top-Rated Advanced Point-and-Shoots » Top High-End Cameras » Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX5 81 Pros Innovative 3D-shooting modes; Great modes for panoramic and low-light images; Extremely easy to use and suitable for beginners; Handles SD, SDHC, and Memory Stick; Very compact Cons No manual controls for aperture and shutter; Controls might be a bit small for some users; Background Defocus mode can blur too much of image Read Complete Review » Top-Rated Point-and-Shoot Cameras » Top Simple Cameras » Best Point-and-Shoot Cameras for Shooting Video » Gateway ID49C13u 87 Pros Nice styling and input ergonomics; Good overall and gaming performance Cons Mild junkware Read Complete Review » Top All-Purpose Laptops » Get Big Savings When you Shop at PCWorld.com Shop online at PCWorld.com, where you can compare product information, read trusted reviews, and find the best prices on consumer electronics. LIFEBOOK PH520 Netbook Price: $599.00 No User Ratings Yet Be the first to review MacBook Notebook Price: $939.94 Avg User Rating 2 User Reviews Browse more Best Prices on Laptops, Notebook Accessories, Wireless Networking, Desktops Top News on PCWorld.com Google Spills the Details on Tablet OS, Honeycomb Completely redesigned interface, new developer controls highlight a more user-friendly Android thats optimized for tablets. Share: Verizon iPhone Preorders Begin Tomorrow Current Verizon Wireless customers can preorder the phone a week before anyone can pick one up from Apple and Verizon online and brick-and-mortar stores. Share: Top Reviews on PCWorld.com Asus N53SV: Fast, but With Weak Input Ergonomics Great performance and gaming meet sleek design and a weak keyboard. Share: Downloads: Editor's Collection Welcome Year of the Rabbit With Chinese New Year DownloadsNow's the time to freshen up the house, yourself, and your PC for the year to come. Feasting, family, and fun are all parts of the celebration, and these downloads--from video calling to recipe software to fonts and desktop themes--are here to help with just that. We've even found a program to help understand the lunar calendar itself. Candy Theme   4473 Downloads  |  Free  |  Filed Under Themes Fun and cheerful free Windows 7 theme puts candies on your desktop. Living Cookbook   1389 Downloads  |  Trial  |  Filed Under Food Capture and manage recipes, calculate nutritional information, make shopping lists and more with this efficient kitchen helper. Chinese Calendrics   728 Downloads  |  Demo  |  Filed Under Home Convert dates to and from the Chinese Lunar calendar, and learn the elements and animals associated with each year, month, and day. Chang Chang and Chang Chang Woodcut   661 Downloads  |  Free  |  Filed Under Fonts Welcome the Lunar New Year with Chang Chang, a display font with a culinary history. Year of the Rabbit Theme   414 Downloads  |  Free  |  Filed Under Screen Savers & Themes Ring in the Year of the Rabbit with this Windows 7 theme. Skype Premium   18 Downloads  |  Buy Only  |  Filed Under Telephony Use Skypes monthly subscription service to initiate group video calls for up to 10 people. Browse DownloadsAntivirus & Security • Design & Multimedia • Utilities • Games • Chat, Email, & the Web • Sponsored Downloads Spyware DoctorTopnotch spyware protection that will protect your PC against privacy and tracking threats. Spyware Doctor not only identifies and removes spyware, keyloggers, spybots and other malware, but also works in the background for full-time protection. (Compatibility: Windows XP--32 bit, Vista and Windows 7--32 and 64 bit) Use coupon code PCTO-6UU4-DRH at checkout to save $10! X-Ray BallFun game for under $10! Want to try a highly addictive arkanoid style game? Check out X-Ray Ball. The goal is to destroy all bricks on one level to get the highest scroe. Over 300 levels with 3 worlds and 3D graphics. (Compatibility: Pentium-600/128MB RAM/3D Video 16MB) PCWorld newsletter subscribers get 30% off today!

Newsletter Subscription Resources You are subscribed to this newsletter as: messi1927@gmail.com Unsubscribe from this newsletter here. To add or remove newsletters, change your address, or change your format (HTML or text-only), please go here. If you have questions or comments about PCWorld e-mail newsletters, please contact: webmaster@pcworld.com PCWorld Privacy Policy © 2011 PCWorld Communications, Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission of PCWorld Communications, Inc. is prohibited. PCWorld is a registered trademark of International Data Group, Inc. All other trademarks used on PCWorld are the property of their respective owners. PCWorld Communications, Inc., 501 2nd St., San Francisco, CA 94107.