• Customize Microsoft Excel for Power Use

  
  These five essential Excel configuration tweaks will help you get to your files faster, improve menu navigation, and enhance your formatting options.

• Google Considers Preinstalling Chrome On New PCs

  
  Google is far from bowing out of the browser wars. Latest reports indicate Google will attempt to have its Web browser pre-installed on PC.
• Study: Wii Games Hit Bargain Bins Faster
• Hands On with Square Enix's The Last Remnant
• Google SearchWiki Addition Fails to Wow
• The Social Gaming Guide
• Falcon Northwest Mach V
• World of Warcraft Expansion Breaks All-Time Record
• Who's a Worse Economist: Yang or Paulson?
• Obama Will Inherit Cybersecurity Challenges

Software Reviews

• Cyberlink DVD Suite 7 Ultra Disc-Burning Software Cyberlink's burning suite is easier to use and almost as powerful as the competing offerings from Nero and Roxio.
• Adobe Illustrator CS4 Graphics Software Support for multiple-page documents (at last) and lots of improvements make this a worthy upgrade.
• Falcon Northwest Mach V If you can afford it, the Mach V packs in the latest technologies--including Intel’s new Core i7 processor--for the pinnacle of powerful PC performance.
• Nero 9 Disc-Burning Suite Though Nero 9 is a full-featured burning suite, it offers no compelling reasons to upgrade from previous versions.
• Corel VideoStudio Pro X2 This video editor is a great choice for those with underpowered PCs, and a pretty good choice for those with fast systems, too.

Software News

• Google Considers Preinstalling Chrome On New PCs Google is far from bowing out of the browser wars. Latest reports indicate Google will attempt to have its Web browser pre-installed on PC.
• Study: Wii Games Hit Bargain Bins Faster Electronic Entertainment Design and Research (EEDAR) claims more Wii games underperforming than PS3 and Xbox 360 games.
• Some Tips on Downgrading Applications Recently, after swapping a couple of machines (I sent my first-generation Intel-based Mac mini back to the Macworld offices...
• Hands On with Square Enix's The Last Remnant The new "East-meets-West" roleplaying game from Final Fantasy publisher Square Enix is tactically adventurous but visually confusing.
• Screenium Update Adds Multiple Camera Support Screen recording application Screenium has been updated, adding new features, localizations and performance enhancements.

Software Playing in PCW Video

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  Golf Simulation: Take Real Golf Swings at Tokyo Bar A new bar in Tokyo lets golfers swing clubs at real balls after work in a software simulation area.
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  Filtering Web Porn: Competition Puts Software to the Test A shootout competition between competing web filtering software packages.
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  Microsoft Windows Server 2008 Launch Preview New server OS emphasizes security, virtualization, Web productivity and business intelligence changes.

Software Slideshows

• Microsoft Windows 7: A Closer Look at Your Next OS? Pre-beta code for Windows 7 released this week addresses many complaints about Windows Vista--and introduces a slew of changes intended to make the OS faster, easier to use, and more customizable. Take a look at some of the more visible features, including a redesigned UAC, handy Jump Lists, and more.
• Microsoft Word Turns 25 A look back at the changes and challenges Microsoft's flagship word-processing program has been through during its first quarter-century.
• The 15 Coolest Games of Fall 2008 You want the scoop on this autumn's best gaming experiences, and we have it. Check out PC World's list of 15 don't-miss games and the reasons why our experts picked them.
• The 10 Most Overrated Products Hype springs eternal. Lots of technologies, products, and services don't merit the praise heaped on them. Here are 10 tech items that don't live up to their billing--and 10 that deserve respect that they don't receive.
• Spore, The Year's Most Anticipated PC Game From the team headed by Will Wright, creators of The Sims, comes Maxis's next wild burst of imagination, Spore. It's a game, it's a toy, and it's the most intriguing computer gaming experience to come along in years.

Software How-Tos

• Customize Microsoft Excel for Power Use These five essential Excel configuration tweaks will help you get to your files faster, improve menu navigation, and enhance your formatting options.
• Quick Tip: Use the Tab Key When Filling Out Web Forms See that tab key on your keyboard? Use it the next time you've got a form to fill.
• Can Two Security Suites Co-Exist? Bob Carne wants to use Trend Micro Internet Security as added spyware protection, along with Norton 360. They don't play well together.
• Browsing Tips and Tools From Hassle-Free PC PC World blogger Rick Broida shows you how to back up your bookmarks and filter out unwanted Web sites--plus two terrific Firefox add-ons.
• Customize Microsoft Word 2007 for Maximum Efficiency Tired of correcting Microsoft Word's erratic behavior? With a few judicious tweaks, you can defeat Word's annoying defaults and get more out of this Office app.