Your Technology

By Anita Hamilton

Sidewalk's New Look

When Microsoft's online entertainment site, Sidewalk, made its debut in April 1997, print publishers feared it would steal their readers and advertisers. They needn't have worried. Stung by the tepid response, Microsoft has recast Sidewalk as a Consumer Reports-style guide for everything from strollers to car stereos. The site is good for locating dealers and getting online buying advice--and seems to have a lot more ads.

Power Browser

Need a pointing device that can keep up with your click-and-scroll Web-browsing habits? Kensington's WebRacer, due out in January ($60), may do the trick. Buttons for the most common browsing functions (back, forward, reload, stop and print) save time, as do the four programmable buttons and small touch pad. Larger than a typical mouse, the potato-shaped WebRacer can rest on the desktop or in your hand, making it a good choice for use with WebTV devices or living-room PCs.

Microsoft Is Ready for War

It's no surprise that Microsoft is feeling combative these days, but that's not the official reason for releasing Combat Flight Simulator ($55; available Nov. 5), the first version of its best-selling flight sim in more than a decade to offer real fight scenes between planes. Players can choose from eight different World War II-era aircraft, then duke it out in virtual re-creations of actual battles with realistic sights and sounds. Buckle up!

--By Anita Hamilton