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.
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.
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.
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.
Flock, a little-known Web browser, attempts to take the pain out of online multitasking by keeping your social networks, photo sites or news feeds visible at all times. The browser works well, but it isn’t for everyone.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Edited by Walt and written by Katie Boehret, this is a guide to gadgets, web services and other consumer technologies.
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