Got a New Computer for Christmas?

Make the Most of Your New PC

Did you receive a pristine, mint Windows 7 (or even Vista) computer this holiday season? Great, but right out of the box, every computer is far from perfect. Unlike most electronic devices, which you can plug in and use instantly, PCs—particularly those with Windows—need some adjustment before they're ready for everyday use.

Windows 7 in a Box Gives You Dozens of Tweaks in One App

If you just landed a new computer for the holidays, you're probably just now getting it set up and getting your hands dirty with Windows 7, and if you're coming from Windows XP you may find yourself looking high and low for tweaks and customization options that you know are there but can't find. Enter Windows 7 in a Box, a free app that bundles many of Windows 7's most popular configuration options and some additional tweaks into a single interface.

Benchmarks: Windows 7 versus Vista, XP

Now that the final version of Windows 7 has been released to manufacturing, it’s time to find out how much of an improvement or not it will make over its predecessors, Windows XP and Windows Vista.

Microsoft exposes Firefox users to drive-by malware downloads

Remember that Microsoft .NET Framework Assistant add-on that Microsoft sneaked into Firefox without explicit permission from end users? Well, the code in that add-on has a serious code execution vulnerability that exposes Firefox users to the “browse and you’re owned” attacks that are typically used in drive-by malware downloads.

Great Firefox Add-on: InvisibleHand

Do you shop on-line? InvisibleHand shows a discreet notification when the product you're browsing can be bought for a lower price elsewhere. It gives you a link directly to the product page at the competing retailer. Works great!