Electric Avenue The path between your PC and the wall outlet is fraught with power-surging peril. Can your equipment cope?

Power conditioning. It sounds like a new exercise fad, somewherebetween Tae-Bo and step aerobics. But power conditioning actuallyhas a more mundane meaning: A power conditioner is a device thathooks up between an electrical outlet and your electronic equipmentto keep the flow of electricity constant. This month's reviewexpands beyond just pure power conditioners; it tosses a higher-endsurge protector and a whole slew of uninterruptible power supplies(UPSs) into the mix. What do they all have in common? They sharethe goal of keeping your computer safely up and running.

I've Got The Power

Now that you've learned what a power conditioner is,it's high time to tackle the "why." If you ever seeyour office lights flicker briefly, that's an indication theincoming power flow isn't always consistent. At times,electricity sags, sometimes it spikes. It's inevitable. But thedelicate sensibilities of your computer equipment don't likesags, spikes or blackouts.