Big Update for Vista Leaves Little Changed for Mainstream Users
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.
Personal Technology Columns Tagged ‘Microsoft’
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Apple’s Time Capsule Gives You Easy Way to Back Up Wirelessly
Apple’s new Time Capsule packs both a giant hard disk and a speedy Wi-Fi wireless router into one slender case, allowing computers to easily back up their hard drives wirelessly.
Consider Your Needs, Then Use This Guide to Buying a Laptop
With laptops outselling desktop PCs, Walt Mossberg offers a quick guide to the key factors you should consider when buying notebook computers.
If You Have ChaCha and a Cellphone, You Have Answers
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.
How to Avoid Cons That Can Lead to Identity Theft
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.
Mozilla Firefox 3.0 Is the Best Browser for Web — For Now
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.
Samsung’s Instinct Doesn’t Ring True as an iPhone Clone
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.
The TouchSmart Has Improved–But Not Enough
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.
Newer, Faster, Cheaper iPhone 3G
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.
Microsoft Live Labs Creates Web ‘Synth’ For 3-D Photo Tour
Microsoft Live Labs’ Photosynth turns multiple photos of a site into a 3-D scene you can virtually “walk” through on the Web. The service is a dramatic new way to use your photos and to share them with others, writes Walter S. Mossberg.
First Test of Google’s New Browser
Google’s new Chrome Web browser will make using the Internet faster and less frustrating, but this first version is rough around the edges and lacks some features, says Walt Mossberg in the first hands-on review.
One Way to Turn a Mac Into a PC Just Got Better
There are two common methods for running Microsoft Windows and Windows programs on an Apple Macintosh, and one of those methods just got better and easier. The first approach uses a feature called Boot Camp that comes free on every new Mac.
Apple Polishes Popular MacBook for a Higher Price
Apple’s MacBook laptop, the company’s low-end portable computer aimed at average consumers, isn’t just any old product. It’s the best-selling Macintosh in history, at a time when Mac sales are growing much faster than sales of PCs in the U.S. overall. And, according to the sales-research organization NPD Group, the midrange model of the MacBook has been the single best-selling laptop of any brand in U.S. retail stores for the past five months.
Weighing Devices for Your Netflix Delivered via Web
By Nick Wingfield
Netflix was a pioneer in the business of movie rentals — getting consumers to rent DVDs online and mailing them out in cheery red envelopes. Recently, it has put a lot of effort into a service that delivers movies digitally over the Internet to subscribers, preparing for a day when getting movies on a physical disc will become outmoded.
Even in Test Form, Windows 7 Leaves Vista in the Dust
Walt previews the public beta of Windows 7 and finds that even in beta form, it’s better than Vista.
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