Tags: live.com, photo

Netvibes

If you want to fill a personal home page with dozens of individualised newsfeeds and tools, Netvibes does a cleaner job than rival services from bigger brand names.

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Google Home

Google Home is a breezy service that lets you create a custom sign-in page chock-full of news and widgets.

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Microsoft Vista Home Basic

If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, it is not worth rushing out to purchase Vista Home Basic. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use.

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Windows Vista Home Premium

Vista Home Premium will likely be one of the most popular of the six varieties of Microsoft's latest operating system. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade, but if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use.

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Windows Vista Business

Windows Vista Business is essentially warmed-over Windows XP. If you're currently happy with Windows XP SP2, we see no compelling reason to upgrade. On the other hand, if you need a new computer right now, Windows Vista is stable enough for everyday use.

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Start-page smackdown: Netvibes, Pageflakes, iGoogle and Live.com

Want to create your own homepage? We put four personalised start pages through their paces and rank them according to looks, features and performance.