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
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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.
Sony’s Vaio P Has Sportscar Looks Without the Power
Walt gives high marks to the new Sony Vaio P for its stylish looks, but finds it to be underpowered and frustrating to use.
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.
Clickfree Backs Up Your Files Easily, So You’re Not Toast
If you got a new computer over the holidays, you’re probably focused right now on enjoying all its cool features, or savoring how much faster it is than the old warhorse it replaced. The last thing you want to dwell upon is the chore of backing up your data. Still, backing up your files is important.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Asus Offers Travelers Small, Mobile Eee PC, but It’s Too Cramped
A tiny new computer called the Eee PC is better than competing products in certain respects, such as text entry and price. But it still has too many compromises to pry most travelers away from their larger laptops.
Dell’s All-in-One PC Has the Guts, Design to Compete With iMac
Dell’s new all-in-one PC, the XPS One, is a stylish Windows Vista machine that runs well and won’t cost a fortune. If it didn’t have the Dell logo on it, the XPS One might be mistaken for a product of the PC industry’s design leaders, Apple or Sony.
Amazon’s Kindle Makes Buying E-Books Easy, Reading Them Hard
Amazon’s Kindle makes buying e-books easy, but its hardware design and its software user interface are marred by annoying flaws, Walt Mossberg says.
Leopard: Faster, Easier Than Vista
Apple’s new version of OS X, called Leopard, builds on Apple’s quality advantage over Windows, says Walt Mossberg. Leopard is better and faster than Vista, with a set of new features that make Macs even easier to use.
Buying a Laptop Means More Attention to Special Features
Walt provides some tips for making laptop purchases. First, you may want to wait to get that new laptop until later this year or early in 2008. There are a number of interesting new hardware features coming.(Video)
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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.
