Computer Shopper Magazine Announces 15th Annual Shoppers’ Choice Awards

The Original Press Release

Computer Shopper Magazine Announces 15th Annual Shoppers’ Choice Awards

NEW YORK — December 14, 2000 — ZDNet, a CNET Networks Inc. company (Nasdaq: CNET), and a leading online resource for people who want to buy, use, and learn about technology, today announced winners of the 15th annual Shoppers' Choice Awards. The awards are produced by ZDNet's Computer Shopper magazine, the number-one selling newsstand technology title. The Shoppers' Choice awards recognize Computer Shopper readers' picks for technology products and companies in 35 categories that offer buyers the best performance and service at the best value.

"Computer Shopper readers are the most knowledgeable buyers of technology products and services," said Janice Chen, editor-in-chief of Computer Shopper. "We are pleased to offer the annual Shoppers' Choice awards which reflect the influence of our tech-savvy readers. The awards, which enable us to leverage our respective print and Web initiatives, emphasize the high value we place on our readers' opinions in addition to our editorial team's recommendations of outstanding products."

The Shoppers' Choice winners were recognized in the January 2001 issue of Computer Shopper magazine. Winners were picked in 35 categories ranging from "Best Web Services," to "Best PDA or Palm-sized PC," to "Best Place to Buy Software." Thousands of readers voiced their choices exclusively on ZDNet's computershopper.com Web site. Balloting took place in August and September and was open to both subscribers and newsstand readers of Computer Shopper.

"The Shoppers' Choice awards are among the most coveted honors for e- commerce companies," said Greg Hawkins, Chairman and CEO, Buy.com.

"This is the type of prestigious recognition that validates the buy.com commitment to provide a world-class buying experience. Nobody is more discerning about value and performance than a product buyer, and this award is a major thumbs up from our customers."

The winners of Computer Shopper magazine's 2000 Shoppers' Choice Awards are:

Category Company Product

Best Computer Systems

Best Performance Desktop PC Dell Dimension XPS B

Best Value Desktop PC Dell Dimension L

Best Business Desktop PC Dell OptiPlex GX

Best Notebook PC Dell Inspiron

Best Lightweight Notebook PC Sony VAIO Z505 Superslim Pro

Best PDA or Palm-Size PC Palm Palm Vx

Coolest, Most Innovative Apple Power Mac G4 Cube

Hardware

Best Monitor Sony Multiscan CPD-200SF

(CPD-E200)

Best Graphics Card 3DFX Voodoo5 5500 AGP

Best Peripherals

Best Home-Network Card 3Com EtherLink 10/100 PCI

Managed Fast Ethernet

Desktop NIC

(3C905C-TX-M)

Best DVD-ROM or CD-RW Drive Hewlett-Packard CD-Writer Plus 9100I

Best Hard Drive Western Digital Caviar

Best Printer Hewlett-Packard DeskJet 932C

Best Scanner Hewlett-Packard ScanJet 5200Cse

(5300CSE)

Best Digital Still Camera Sony Digital Mavica MVC-FD90

Best Portable MP3 Player Sonicblue Rio 500

Best Software

Best Office-Productivity Microsoft Office 2000 Professional

Application

Best Personal Productivity Quicken 2001 Deluxe

Best Web Design and Authoring Microsoft FrontPage 2000

Best Game Blizzard Diablo II

Entertainment

Best Software MP3 Player Nullsoft Winamp 2.64

Most Innovative Software Napster Napster

Best Places to Buy

Best Place to Buy Desktop PCs Dell Computer Corp.

Best Place to Buy Notebook PCs Dell Computer Corp.

Best Place to Buy PDAs and Buy.com

Web Appliances

Best Place to Buy Monitors Best Buy

Best Place to Buy Multimedia Buy.com

Peripherals

Best Place to Buy StorageDirt Cheap Drives

Devices

Best Web-Based Service Yahoo My Yahoo

Best Overall Service and Dell Computer

Support Corp.

Best Place to Buy CDW

Communications Products

Best Places to Buy Motherboards Motherboard Express

and Components

Best Place to Buy Printers Best Buy

Best Place to Buy Software CompUSA

Best Overall Place to Buy Buy.com

About ZDNet's Computer Shopper

ZDNet's Computer Shopper is the trusted source for active buyers and has been the 1 selling newsstand technology title for over a decade. Reaching more than 3.67 million readers each month, the magazine has the highest number of readers per copy among all computer titles, and ranks number-one in reader interest in advertising of any magazine measured by Mediamark Research Inc.(MRI).* ZDNet's Computer Shopper magazine and companion commerce site computershopper.com are part of the CNET Networks Media Group's buying advice and shopping network. Together they raise the bar for commerce by offering increased utility for readers and users who are active buyers and sellers of technology products and services.

About CNET Networks, Inc.

CNET Networks, Inc. (Nasdaq: CNET), is the global source of technology and commerce-related information, data, exchanges and services. As a top 10 Internet company with established Web sites in 25 countries and 16 languages, CNET Networks connects buyers, sellers and suppliers throughout the IT supply chain with award-winning content via the Web, wireless devices, television, radio and print. Its respected brand portfolio includes CNET, ZDNet, mySimon, News.com, TV.com, Computer Shopper magazine, SmartPlanet.com, and CNET Radio, as well as CNET Channel Services, including CNET Data Services, CNET Media Services and Channel Online. The company's vision is to educate and empower people and businesses by unlocking the potential of the technology world to make things easier and faster, and by helping them make smarter buying decisions.

* Source: Mediamark Research (MRI) Magazine Total Audiences Report Fall 2000

SOURCE ZDNet

CONTACT:
Media, Elzy Sklar, 212-503-3806, or elzy_sklar@zdnet.com,
or
Investors, Robert Borchert, 212-503-3505, or robertb@cnet.com, both of ZDNet