Posted 01/14/09 at 07:19:07 PM by The Maximum PC Staff

In the PDF archive of the November 2008 issue you can find:

• 35 Amazing Things
• Solid State Showdown
• BiOS Tweaks for Power Users
• Play Windows Games on Linux
• Awesome Product Reviews, including the Asus Maximus II Formula
• Ask the Doctor
• Rig of the Month
• The Watchdog
• And a whole lot more!

Click the big giant cover image to the right to download the PDF archive today!

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Posted 12/25/08 at 06:09:39 AM by Maximum PC Staff

As power users, we all know how awesome a PC can be. After all, we’ve built and fine-tuned our rigs with an eye toward maximum capability. And as a result of our tinkering we know with stone-cold certainty the killer frame rates we can achieve, the mad multitasking we can accomplish, and the sheer speed at which we can get common computing chores done. All very important matters, to be sure. But perhaps it’s time to broaden our horizons and look at the lesser-known ways our computers can empower us. Whether it’s by helping us develop new talents or ply a new trade or expand our technical savvy, our rigs hold the key to limitless possibilities. Don’t believe us? Well, read on.

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Posted 12/24/08 at 10:00:21 PM by Norman Chan

Forget the lessons of Tyler Durden. The things you own define who you are. And nothing makes a bigger statement than your cell phone ringtone. Your ringtone gives valuable insight for everyone within earshot about your preferences and personality -- information with which they'll use to judge you (and yes, you're always being judged). You don't want to be the guy sitting in a quiet lecture hall when your phone suddenly starts blasting the latest Fallout Boy single. That tells your neighbors that you have poor taste and probably cry yourself to sleep at night. No, you want to be the guy who has Europe's The Final Countdown chime in at opportune moments, letting that cute hipster girl nearby know that yes, you too are a fan of Arrested Development. 

For geeks and techies who want to attract like-minded compatriots, we've compiled a list of the top 10 must-have ringtones to own. Any respectable tech/gadget/sci-fi aficionado should have these tones stored on their phones at all times, alternating the chimes in a daily rotation to prevent them from getting stale. We've also included a definitive list of the 10 coolest text-message alert sounds, as well as the most clichéd and obnoxious ringtones and alerts that must be avoided at all cost.

Read on for the full lists!

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Posted 11/26/08 at 02:14:56 PM by Andy Salisbury

The day that digital music outsells their time-tested physical counterparts is finally upon us. Just this week Atlantic Records announced that more than half of its music sold within the United States was digital, thanks mostly to iTunes and cell phone ringtones.

But sadly, with the lowered amount of in-store copies being bought, there’s ultimately a smaller pie to get a digital piece from. Analysts at Forrester Research are estimating that music sales in the United Sates will go down to $9.2 billion in 2013, from $10.1 billion this year. Compare that to the $14.6 billion in 1999, and there’s a disturbing trend for record execs.

It’s expected that piracy has a good deal to do with the lowering numbers, but the ailing economy could very well be a large factor. The real question though, is how long until an overwhelming majority of music sold is digitally? It can’t be too far off.

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