Stories by: Laura Blackwell

Design-wise, Samsung's SyncMaster 193p+ follows in the footsteps of the successful SyncMaster 193p. It has the same tilted, round stand - newly coloured a shimmering silver - with a dual hinge to support the pivoting screen.

The NEC MultiSync LCD1770GX achieved good scores on our text and graphics tests - in fact, it reached the highest graphics scores a 17-incher has attained recently. It also bettered all other monitors on our three real-life graphics test screens: a Web page with a mix of text and images, a photo of a vividly colored fruit tart, and a group photo of several subjects with different skin tones. Our jurors praised the detail and the rich, saturated colours that the monitor displayed.

The ViewSonic VX724 introduces the company's new Amplified Impulse technology, which overdrives the LCD panel's electronics to produce faster transitions between shades of grey.

Today you can find current weather on the Web, then use instant messaging to warn your friends at their PCs and cell phones that a downpour's on the way. As early as next year, you may be able to do both of these - plus find a movie theatre where you can take shelter from the storm, and blog the entire experience - in a browser-free software environment that combines Web and IM functions.

An instant messaging standard in the works could not only provide interoperability but also change the face of e-mail, suggest developers.