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My first impression of the bargain-basement $39.99 Windows OS upgrade: To all outward appearances, Windows 8 is a vivid, visual, deeply rewarding and aesthetically pleasing skin to the 2009-released Windows 7 PC desktop OS. Big deal, you might say. However, digging in a bit, I found that this rathe...
If you're used to Microsoft's stratospheric pricing email program -- Outlook alone is $139.99 estimated retail -- take a look at the small print at Microsoft's Windows 8 website, and you'll see that a Windows 8 Pro upgrade can be downloaded for a limited-time at the measly price of $39.99. This i...
At a recent search-and-rescue boot camp I attended, it was clear during unscientific tests I performed that a standalone, dedicated Global Positioning System device was more accurate navigating to waypoints than a smartphone with GPS chip -- but it was only by a few feet. A dedicated GPS device that...
Horror stories abound of electronic lives compromised by stolen passwords. One of the problems with a password-secured life is that the password is the single element that -- when compromised -- allows access. The User ID isn't protected, nor is any hardware. Shouldn't there be better methods? There...
New iPhone? Now, what to do with the old one, and the one before that? Wondering what to do with the old, redundant gear spilling out of drawers, relegating your automobile to the driveway or street? Step 1: Gather it up. Collect all of the household electronics that are no longer being used and p...
As many of us are gearing up for Windows 8's imminent release, it may well be worth considering some alternatives. I don't know about you, but after XP to Windows 7, via Vista, the idea of another OS from Microsoft, while not yet causing night sweats, is engendering some trepidation. For one, ther...
If you've been experiencing choppy voice quality or dropped calls from your mobile provider at your home or workplace, there are steps you can take to correct the problem. Cellular phones use radio signals to communicate, and like any other radio, signal propagation issues -- including topography, o...
If you've been getting into the convenience and usability of the smartphone and tablet User Interface and are wondering just why your cable provider is unable to create anything with the same elegance and function, it may be time to slap Android on your TV -- yourself. There are a few ways to approa...
During a recent apartment move, I became aware of how much stuff I had that was redundant. It was with great pleasure that I was able to dump a lot of it rather than paying guys to move it all across town -- again. Books and CDs were the principal weighty items I got rid of, along with a svelte cher...
If you've ever had to give PowerPoint presentations away from home base, you'll know there's a certain amount of gear-related anxiety involved: Is the equipment going to be there? Is it going to work with my memory stick or version of PowerPoint? One way to take control is to use an iPad or certain...
One of the most dreaded words for any computer user is "malware." Rogue software and infected files can implant bits of code that log keystrokes, spy on activities, slow down searches and snatch financial information. Users can help protect their PC by installing antivirus software, but even this c...
Driver software manages communications between a computer and its system components and peripherals, such as printers, graphic and sound cards, motherboards, game controllers, Bluetooth devices, and other hardware. Driver software acts like a translator, helping a computer's operating system communi...
Wiring your home for multimedia? Dreaming about it? Even if you're using an electrician to pull the CAT 5e cable, it's worth getting involved in the design of the termination -- the rack. The rack is the centralized point within the home where the wiring meets switches, router and so on. The rack wi...
Lots of people think that updates aren't really that important. In the past, updating a program often involved implementing small features or fixes that, most of the time, didn't seem worth the bother. While this may still be true for some applications, there's no doubt that updates are crucial fo...
I've written about gadget battery technologies and how to calculate basic battery needs in previous articles like "Juicing Up Your Gadget Battery Power." I've also covered some of the ways to keep yourself charged up on the road with extended battery packs for smaller devices. Continuing this theme ...
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