A Windows to Help You Forget
Walter S. Mossberg calls Windows 7 a boost to productivity and a pleasure to use — Microsoft’s best operating system yet.
Personal Technology
Sort by: Newest First | Oldest First 1-15 of 30 Results
New Netbook Offers Long Battery Life and Room to Type
Walter S. Mossberg reviews Toshiba’s new netbook, which aims to solve some common netbook issues.
Only One Beyoncé: Services Pick Up After Your Music
by Geoffrey Fowler
TuneUp Media and MusicBrainz Picard aim to clean up and properly label personal digital-music collections.
Little Laptops With Linux Have Compatibility Issues
The companies behind Linux netbooks have made great strides in improving user interfaces, but until they can achieve similar breakthroughs in how the machines work with other devices, Windows netbooks are still a better deal.
Verizon Now Sells Subsidized Netbook With Cell Service
Verizon’s H-P Mini netbook is an adequate light-duty computer for a low price, but the charge for Internet service is high if used as a main online connection.
Network Hard Disk by Western Digital Offers Easy Backup
Western Digital’s My Book World Edition is a new networkable hard disk that is simple and effective for anyone with a modern operating system.
New Safari Browser Succeeds at Speed, Flops on Features
Walt reviews the latest version of Apple’s Safari browser, which hopes to overtake rival browsers Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome and Microsoft’s Internet Explorer.
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.
Shortcovers, Iceberg Put Latest e-Books On Your Cellphone
Amazon’s Kindle e-book reader has been a solid success. The device can access a catalog of over 200,000 digital books, including most current best sellers, according to Amazon. Its sharp screen, built-in downloading and long battery life have overcome a relatively high price and some poor hardware-design features.
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.
Netbooks Come Into Their Own
Walt reviews the latest entrants in the “netbook” category–devices that are between a laptop and a smart phone in size and versatility–and finds some compelling choices.
New Amazon Service Streams TV Shows And Films to PCs
Amazon Video on Demand is a good service for people who prefer paying for ad-free TV shows and films.
Apple’s iPod Touch Can Act as Remote For Music System
With an iPhone or iPod Touch, Apple’s new program Remote can convert an MP3 player into a sophisticated remote control for digital-music collections.
Sony and Roku Try To Join TV to Web, But No Merger Yet
Two set-top boxes have been launched to try to marry the Internet and the TV. Both adapters, from Sony and Roku, worked well in tests, but each has limitations.
Hulu Is a Good Site for Online Shows, but Fare Is Thin
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.
Latest Personal Technology Videos
api-video/find_all_videos.asp&fields=all&site=atd&count=40&doctype=128&type=allthingsd-subsection&query=Personal+Technology
View All Jobs | Post a Job Job Listings
A sponsored service from SimplyHired
Personal Technology Articles by Date
Personal Technology Articles by Category
Click below to browse or search past editions of Walt and Katie's columns.
Personal Technology »
Walt's main column, written since 1991, in which he reviews hardware, software and web sites, and comments on technology issues.
Mossberg’s Mailbox »
Walt's weekly column in which he answers readers' questions.
The Mossberg Solution »
Edited by Walt and written by Katie Boehret, this is a guide to gadgets, web services and other consumer technologies.
Ethics Statement
Here is a statement of my ethics and coverage policies. It is more than most of you want to know, but, in the age of suspicion of the media, I am laying it all out.
