We've got an exciting issue for you this month, with the first ripples of Apple's decision to go Intel already being felt. It's no longer a question of if Macs and PCs are going to merge, but rather when it's going to happen - and we're here to investigate the possibilities of operating-system cross-dressing, the latest news from the front, a review of the first Intel iMac, and - most importantly of all - what all this means for you, even if you never even considered touching a Mac system. Get the best of both worlds in our lead feature. Plus: a brand new PC Plus Challenge. Can you install Windows on a Mac? If so, you may walk away with £500, and a lifetime subscription to PC Plus. For rules and details, see Page 66 of the new issue.

Elsewhere, we provide a comprehensive guide to reclaiming your privacy, and keeping tabs on how your personal data is used and abused. There's an interview with Yahoo!'s Bradley Horowitz on the future of search and growth of social engines. Digital cameras go on test, from Compact to D-SLR. And that's just in Features. You'll also find out how to link your computers for anything from video streaming to network chat, power-up your email skills with our guide to online communication, and make sense of the world's numbers in our comprehensive test of accounting packages for any occasion.

Reviews this month include Acrobat 3D - adding depth to PDFs on a computer near you - along with the Rock Pegasus 550N, NetObjects Fusion 9, Asus W5F, and the intriguingly named Foxxconn Mini-PC Tuckaway.

In Hands On, dust off those old games and applications with our guide to emulation and virtual machines, and extend the reach of your home network by taking advantage of VPNs for secure access to your files and data. If you're in the mood for a more physical project, you'll find plenty of tips to quieten down a noisy computer system…and still have time to create your own beautiful 3D landscapes with the complete version of Worldbuilder on the Super Disc. Plus of course, Office, Mac, Web and Linux Focuses, programming in Delphi, C#, Visual Basic, and a Developing Trends with designs on going beyond simple code with a look at theoretical physics and warp drives - sadly, one of the few things you won't find on your SuperDisc.

But here's what you will. In addition to Worldbuilder, there's a complete copy of Serif WebPlus 7, plus ConceptDraw V PE - alongside demos, project files, our bursting Essential Collection of the best freeware available on the web, and a complete archive of PC Plus from 2004.

A sample of this issue of PC Plus is available online for free, see what you are missing here.