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Regular PC World.com readers may have noticed that we recently updated and upgraded our site. Among the many changes and additions, there is now an increased focus on each hardware category, accessible from the Info Center links at the left side of the home page. This column is not so much a tutorial for the new look, but a reminder of the specifically printer-related--and in some cases brand-new--research tools, reviews, tips, and news you now have at your fingertips.

What's initially apparent about the Printer Info Center's revamp is the flash-based Today's Top Printer Stories viewer. This tool lets us better bring our big stories to your attention, and we're currently in the midst of making it much faster to load and respond.

We've also kept all the popular printer coverage from the old site, including links to the latest printer news, our printer buying guide, the latest printer prices, the most popular printers at our pricing partner, and our Printers & Office e-mail newsletter.

The Printer Info Center continues to serve as your entry point to our top rated printers, based on testing conducted by the PC World Test Center. We regularly compile ranked charts for inkjet printers, multifunction inkjets, photo printers, color lasers, monochrome lasers, and multifunction laser printers.

New Tools for Printer Information

Beyond an easier-to-read layout, chart pages now feature a number of new tools. First, and like any article on the site, they can be added to your customized "My Pages" library. Just click the "Add to My Pages" button at the top of a chart or review, and it'll be accessible when you click the My Pages toolbar at the top left side of PCWorld.com.

Next, we've also made it easier to conduct a side-by-side comparison of the performance and specifications of printers in a chart. Though you can still select each model individually if you wish, you now only need to tick a chart's uppermost checkbox and click the Compare button to view details next to each other.

And no matter where you are at PC World.com, you'll also see a "Find a Review" button near the top of the page. Choose a product category (Printers will be the default if you're already in the section), and you'll get more choices that let you focus your search; click Get reviews to see a list of every product we've reviewed that matches your criteria.

Once you've clicked through to a printer's actual review, you may notice that we've improved the way that model's information is presented to you. For instance, we now list the basic specifications and the pros and cons of a printer. Moreover, it's now a breeze to switch between the review itself, our test results, and the vendor's specs plus current pricing from a huge array of vendors.

Have Your Say!

Perhaps most important, reviews pages now also feature user reviews. In addition to our lab-tested writeups, you can read through the product experiences and ratings of your fellow readers, and have your say as well.

To that end, we're excited to welcome your input on our interactive Printer Forum. We hope to foster a community whose members will help one another with scores of printing tips and problem fixes. PC World staff, including myself, will also be running polls, discussing industry trends, and looking for your feedback and suggestions on our printer coverage. Our new site will continue to improve and evolve--and I hope to see you there.

Have a printer question or a comment? Let us know at PC World's new Printer Forum (registration required).