Smart-phone shoppers who have been waiting for a cheaper iPhone that runs on faster cell networks might want to take the plunge on the iconic device’s latest iteration, but service costs have risen and battery life has dropped.
Many new Mac buyers are switching from years of using Windows computers. Here’s a quick tip sheet on a few of the most common differences in using the two operating systems.
Hewlett-Packard is rolling out a new TouchSmart, a desktop computer with touch-controlled software. The hardware and software are better. It’s attractive, more versatile and fun to use. But the latest effort still has some problems.
This summer, Wi-Fi access will arrive in the passenger cabins of some commercial U.S. airliners with a new system called Gogo. For travelers who want to stay connected in the air, Gogo does the job, but it has its limitations.
The parade of iPhone lookalikes continues, and the latest to arrive is the Samsung Instinct. While it isn’t a bad phone and has some features the Apple product lacks, it’s no match for the iPhone.
Mozilla Firefox 3.0 is the best Web browser out there right now, and it tops the current versions of both IE and Safari in features, speed and security, writes Walt Mossberg. It is easy to install and easy to use, even for a mainstream, non-technical user.
Forrester Research imagines the Apple products of 2013 in a new report. Their conclusion: While much of Apple’s great successes have been mobile products, the company will seek to colonize rooms throughout the home.
Guest columnist Nick Wingfield is filling in this week for Walt Mossberg, who returns June 5.
Two of the most important wireless earpiece makers are bringing out new models that attempt to make their products more attractive and functional. Both work well, despite some drawbacks.
The most insidious Internet security problems today rely on human gullibility, not tricky software. These types of attacks are called “social engineering” and can be used to steal your money and identity. Here are tips to help you avoid becoming a victim.
A free cellphone service called ChaCha lets you ask any question answerable via a Web search, by simply making a voice call. In most cases, it gave fast, accurate answers. But it has a few weaknesses.
Adobe’s Photoshop Express offers the nicest set of Web-based photo editing tools I have seen. They are sophisticated for a consumer application, yet easy to use. However, it’s rough around the edges.
Hulu.com, a site that aims to be a legal, one-stop shop for streaming of TV shows and movies, is far better than the typical network or studio Web site. But the site’s offerings lack depth.
Lenovo’s thin and light ThinkPad X300 is an innovative laptop that will be perfect for many mobile PC users. But its file-storage capacity is low and its price tag is high.
Microsoft’s first major update to its Windows Vista operating system, called Service Pack 1, is probably worth installing, but for most average consumers it will likely be a nonevent.
Edited by Walt and written by Katie Boehret, this is a guide to gadgets, web services and other consumer technologies.
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