Facebook Says - “We Screwed Up”

Facebook boss admits privacy 'errors' and promises revamp

Facebook boss Mark 'I'm CEO… bitch' Zuckerberg is seeking to soften user anger over privacy erosion with an admission that the social networking site has made some mistakes. Using an op-ed piece in Monday's Washington Post as a soapbox, Zuckerberg has promised to simplify the site's increasingly complex privacy controls and allow users to opt out of third-party services.

Deleting your Facebook account (FAQ)

Leaving Facebook can be almost as confusing as navigating the privacy backwaters on the site. This New York Times graphic shows that there are 50 settings and more than 170 options to managing the privacy of a Facebook account. Here are some tips on deleting your account and answers to questions about what that means for your data, and more.

AT&T, Verizon dominate wireless... Is it time to regulate?

The government's latest annual report on the state of mobile wireless competition is out, and its conclusions are not what the wireless sector wanted to hear. Over the last half-decade, concentration in the industry has gone up—way up, in fact.

Pandigital's new $200 Novel color e-reader is powered by Android and Barnes & Noble

If you know Pandigital, you probably know it for its photo frames. But now the company is moving into the hot e-reader market with a device that a lot of people have been waiting for: an affordable color screen e-reader that also has ties to a major bookseller.

FastStone Photo Resizer Free

Like its sibling Faststone Image Viewer (also free), FastStone Photo Resizer is modestly named: It does a lot more than just resize photos. Plug in a batch of image files and you can do any or all of the following: rename them, rotate them, convert them to different image formats, turn them all to black-and-white or sepia, add watermark images or text, add borders, tweak their colors, and of course resize them.

Google Keeping Busy

Google Wave: Now open to the public

Google Wave, a Web-based tool to let people chat and collaborate in real time, is now open to the public.

Google Unveils Google TV With Sony, Logitech, Intel as Partners

Google took a step into the world of television Thursday with the introduction of Google TV, an Internet-enabled TV platform that will be available this fall in devices from Sony and Logitech. Sony will sell HDTVs and Blu-ray players with Google TV capabilities, while Logitech will sell a companion box that can be hooked into existing hardware. It will also be integrated into the DISH network.

Google Docs (2010) - Full Review

Let's face it, Google Docs isn't nearly as powerful as Microsoft office 2010. When you think about it, why should it be? Many people don't need that kind of power. Instead, they need the ease of use and easy access found in Google's still young suite of cloud-based productivity apps. Google's made some significant updates so we thought it was time to take another close look. For the most part, we like what we see.

Checking in on Saturn

Some absolutely amazing photos of Saturn and its moons taken by the Cassini Spacecraft now orbiting Saturn. These are closeups of the Saturnian system and will amaze you with their depth and clarity.

TackyNotes 1.1 - Free

TackyNotes allows you to create sticky notes on any website in much the same manner as you might put a sticky note on a document.

Anger over Facebook Privacy Continues

Quit Facebook Day is May 31

Could a mass exodus of Facebook users be on the horizon? It’s no secret that there’s a growing contingent of Facebook users who are becoming increasingly fed up with the world’s largest social network’s approach to privacy and the way it safeguards the personal information of its 400 million users. Now, it appears that anger has boiled over for some users, resulting in an online campaign started by Toronto men Matthew Milan and Joseph Dee, imploring Facebook users to permanently delete their Facebook accounts.

Apps emerge to reset Facebook privacy settings

New third-party applications are trying to make it easier to reset Facebook privacy settings, following recent changes from the company that make a sizable chunk of profile content public by default when it was once under lock and key.

Windows Live Hotmail - Full Preview

Hotmail remains the second most popular webmail service after Yahoo Mail (with Gmail nipping at Microsoft's heels), according to the latest numbers from Hitwise. But Microsoft isn't content to maintain the status quo; Redmond has added a number of big changes aimed at giving Hotmail a competitive edge.

Android-based Google TV coming to living rooms this fall

Up front, Google TV will come either in the form of a set-top box or will be built into certain TVs (launch partners include Intel, Sony, and Logitech). The OS is based on Android and the built-in browser is a version of Google Chrome with the Flash 10.1 plugin.

Give Windows 7 a Facelift

You might like the look of Windows, but you can make it even snazzier with any or all of these software enhancements.

New Tech Stuff Coming Your Way Soon

Firefox 4 release plan: The need for speed

Mozilla hopes to release Firefox 4 in October or November, a new version that has speed among its top goals. Among other features planned for Firefox 4--and Mozilla emphatically cautions that plans can change--are support for high-speed graphics and text through Direct2D on Windows; a tidier user interface with more prominent and powerful tabs; support for several newer Web technologies; 64-bit versions; and compatibility with multi-touch interfaces. 

Microsoft's new Hotmail takes aim at Google

A key feature in the coming update to Windows Live Hotmail is an improved ability to share photos and Office documents using a combination of Web-based editing tools and cloud file storage. The new version, which will begin being offered to most users in July or August, aims to offer a better alternative to the standard attachment. Instead, Hotmail will offer the option of uploading a file or photo to Microsoft's SkyDrive service and e-mailing a link, as opposed to the file itself.

Borders Offers Kobo E-Reader

At $150, Kobo is the cheapest e-reader yet that’s backed by a big brand, and it will start shipping in June.

Peer inside Microsoft Office 2010

Microsoft Office 2010 is a breath away from hitting the shelves--and likely your computer. Here is a collection of screenshots showing the important new features in this productivity suite.

Clean Up Your Photo Collection with Free Tools

You've taken digital pictures for years across multiple systems and camera upgrades, and now your collection is a mess. These free tools and techniques will fix your photos' metadata, weed out duplicates, reorganize folders, and otherwise whip your digital photos into shape.

Everything You Need to Know About Tech – for Today Anyway

New findings update WS Security Baseline

Our monthly update of the Windows Secrets Security Baseline focuses on malware suites — all-in-one commercial packages that fight viruses, spam, spyware, and malware that's still unknown — plus suites you assemble yourself. If you want to know which might be the best malware package to use, here is a roundup of reviews of the best known ones. Decide for yourself.

How secure is Flash? Here's what Adobe won't tell you

One of the key issues in this discussion is security. Yesterday, I rattled off some disturbing statistics about vulnerabilities in Flash Player and asked Adobe, “So, how are you planning to convince us that you’ve gotten serious about security? No one from Adobe has gotten back to me on that one.

Office Live Workspace Accounts to Be Upgraded

Microsoft notified customers Friday  (including me) that it will soon be upgrading Microsoft Office Live Workspace accounts to its SkyDrive service (25Gb of free on-line backup).

Size of the data universe: 1.2 zettabytes and growing fast

IDC has just released estimates that this year, the Digital Universe — meaning every electronically stored piece of data or file out there — will reach 1.2 million petabytes, or 1.2 zettabytes, this year. That’s up from a measly 800,000 petabytes in 2009.

The Power User's Guide to the Windows 7 Taskbar

It seems like every week we learn about a new tip to enhance the Windows 7 taskbar, and it's hard to keep them all straight. Here's the complete power user's guide to tweaking and using your taskbar like a pro.

Can Blurry Photos be Saved?

Handheld Devices: Brace for a Torrent of Tablets

Apple's iPad may own almost all the tablet buzz for now, but look for competitors to come out swinging over the next few months. Intel has a project in the works; RIM is reportedly developing a tablet of its own, and the HP Slate we saw at CES this year may be reborn as a tablet touting webOS, the operating system made by Palm, which HP has agreed to buy.

Wal-Mart tries to close gadget gap with Best Buy

Sometime early next week when you walk into the electronics section of your local Wal-Mart, you're likely to notice some changes. More big name brands of TVs, Blu-ray players, smartphones, and other gadgets will begin to populate the store shelves as the retailing giant tries to expand its reach and customer base even further.

Facebook's follies: A brief history

Let's take a look at some of Facebook's notorious and not-so-notorious misfires over the years, and its subsequent attempts to patch them up. It all starts, really, even before Facebook itself did.

Google Editions Could Have 4 Million E-Books

OK, 4 million titles is impressive -- but am I the only one confused about what exactly Google Editions is?

Fix Blurred Photos with Free Software

Every photographer knows the disappointment of taking a great photograph only to find the picture was ruined by camera shake or the subject moving. Such photographs cannot be brought back to crisp focus but they can be improved using software that employs an advanced mathematical technique called deconvolution to try to undo the blur.

It’s Microsoft’s Turn to Shine

Microsoft unveils Office 2010

Microsoft is going after the corporate customer with its new Office 2010. But the company is also giving some goodies away for free to consumers and mobile users, who will gain a new level of access to its Office and Sharepoint products.

OpenOffice is dead

For users who don’t need Office, it’s a rare occasion that Google Docs doesn’t suffice. And yet for those who need Office, it’s rare that they’re happy with OpenOffice. Where does that leave OO.org?

All-new Hotmail to take on Gmail next Monday

Next week, Microsoft will unleash a new version of its category-leading Hotmail email service that carries the fight against Google from corporate IT departments onto the screens of the hundreds of millions of lone users and small teams who swear by Gmail.

Review: Droid Incredible Lives Up to Its Name

HTC's Droid Incredible offers some significant improvements over the Nexus One: The Incredible comes with HTC's Sense interface, which helps organize the phone's home screens. It also has an eight-megapixel camera, a respectable eight gigabytes of storage, and, perhaps most importantly, the Incredible runs on the Verizon network.

Yadis! Backup Freeware download and review

Yadis! Backup is an easy-to-use backup program that can perform automatic backups of your important files. The program will continuously monitor your selected folders and backup any files in real-time as soon as they are added or changed.

A New Faster Firefox Coming?

Mozilla Outlines Plans for Firefox 4 To Overtake Chrome

Mozilla has outlined ambitious plans for Firefox 4 to catch up to Google's speedy Chrome browser. As Microsoft's Internet Explorer loses market share, Chrome has been picking up the share that used to go to Firefox. Chrome has jumped to 6.7 percent of the browser market as IE hit a 12-month low of 59.95 percent and Firefox held steady at 23.8 percent.

UPDATE - New attack bypasses EVERY Windows security product

Are you a Windows user? Do you make sure that your antivirus program is updated regularly? Do you feel safe? You shouldn’t! Read on to find out why …

Major University Dumps Gmail Over Security Concerns

The University of California, Davis has stopped using Gmail for its 30,000-member staff and faculty body. The university was trying Gmail for faculty and staff with plans to roll out service to the entire campus. But school officials say the e-mail system isn’t secure or private enough to meet their standards.

Amid backlash, Facebook tries to save face

Facebook's latest modifications make it pretty clear that the company is eager to spread its brand even further across the Web--and that's left some privacy advocates a little freaked out as they look at the vast amount of personal information that Facebook has on hand.

Free remote access tools for Windows and Mac

The best free tools combine firewall friendliness with easy remote access and an amazing array of handy features

The Dangers of Using FaceBook and Solving Them

Five hidden dangers of Facebook (Q&A)

Facebook claims that it has 400 million users. But are they well-protected from prying eyes, scammers, and unwanted marketers? Not according to Joan Goodchild, senior editor of CSO (Chief Security Officer) Online. She says your privacy may be at far greater risk of being violated than you know, when you log onto the social-networking site, due to security gaffes or marketing efforts by the company.

Lock Down Your FaceBook Profile in 20 Minutes (Video)

Here is a 20 minute video which guides you through the process of locking down a typical FaceBook account for increased privacy and user security.

Sorry, But the iPad is Not 'Killing' Netbook Sales

Hopefully by now, most readers of this site understand how the tech world works: Apple releases a successful product (the iPad) but it suddenly becomes The Second Coming (tm). So much so that Fortune's web-based Mac blog, Apple 2.0, has suddenly decided that--get this--the iPad is "killing" the netbook. Only in the reality distortion field could such nonsense pass as truth. Here's the silliness:

Borders Enters Hot & Heavy E-Book Market with Kobo

The new Kobo e-book reader from Borders bookstores may be an attractive alternative for those scared off by the high price of Amazon's Kindle. But buyer beware: you'll need to hook up the Kobo to a PC each time you want to download more titles. That Kobo feature may be a turn-off for some.

This Free WiFi Network Finder is Easy to Use and Very Powerful

Is your WiFi running slowly? Do you sometimes lose your connection? In many cases, the problem arises because another nearby wireless LAN is configured to use the same channel as yours, and the signals are overlapping. Changing the channel is easy. Just log into your router, go to the WiFi setup screen, and pick a number. But what number to use? For that, you'll need to know which networks are already operating nearby, and what channel they're set to.

More on Keeping Safe in Facebook

How to Keep Your Privacy Safe(r) on Facebook

I'm not ready to give up on Facebook yet, like my friend Jason Perlow, but I can understand why he's sick to death of it. The simple truth is that Facebook takes lousy care of your personal information and is happy to sell it to advertisers at the drop of a hat.

FCC details plan to reassert authority over Internet

The Federal Communications Commission on Thursday detailed plans for its so-called "third way" to reclassify broadband service as a telecommunications service, which would help the agency reassert its authority for regulating the Internet, after it lost an important legal battle last month.

Microsoft Readies for Light May Patch Tuesday

Microsoft recommends customers prepare for the testing and deployment of both bulletins as soon as possible. Microsoft expects that the patch for Windows will require a restart, and warned that the Office patch may potentially require one as well.

Voyager 2 stops making sense

Voyager 2, which has been traveling through the solar system since the late '70s, has suffered a data formatting glitch that is preventing NASA from interpreting the content of its scientific data transmissions. Control and diagnostic transmissions are unaffected, which should enable the engineers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory to troubleshoot the problem, provided they're patient—it currently takes nearly 13 hours for transmissions from Earth to catch up with the probe.

VoxOx 2.0.6.2421 (Windows) Free

VoxOx by TelCentris is the only service that unifies all of your communication channels voice, video, IM, text, social media, e-mail, fax and content sharing into a single, intuitive interface, giving you full control of your interconnected lifestyle.

Is Facebook Endangering Your Privacy?

Does Facebook Show Contempt for User Privacy?

It's astonishing how much data Facebook considers "public." Facebook considers itself free to share with marketing partners not just your name and picture, but your city, gender, networks, complete list of friends, likes and interests, and profile information such as where you grew up, where you went to school and where you've worked.

Google's search results get much-needed makeover

Google is revamping its search results page in order to offer easier and clearer access to the different kinds of content searches turn up. Don't worry: it looks as if Google will remain clean and easy to navigate, but the tweaks will spruce up the look and feel while helping users find what they're looking for.

Browser Battle Between Microsoft and Google Intensifies

Having speed and support is great for consumers, but one major feature that is a must is browser security. Versions of Google Chrome have had great success so far, while several early versions of Internet Explorer have been taken down by hackers. Microsoft has stepped up its security efforts with more recent versions. On a personal note, I find myself using Chrome more and more every day. It is missing some key plug-ins that are in Firefox...but if they show up in Chrome, I might just switch.

The 120-day Microsoft security suite test drive

Four months ago, I decided to look into a new option: the recently released Microsoft Security Essentials (MSE) — the company's first antivirus and anti-malware application. (MSE is available as a free download from the product's info page.) So far, my real-life test drive indicates that Microsoft may have finally got basic security right.

How to get Office 2010 at a rock-bottom price

If you’re considering an Office 2010 upgrade, be sure you learn the lesson of Windows 7. Microsoft offers its best prices to early adopters. Those who wait pay more.

Update on the World of E-Books + More

Customer service survey puts AT&T at bottom of carrier heap

The words "mobile carrier" and "customer satisfaction" aren't often used in the same sentence, and that's especially true when it comes to the iPhone. ChangeWave Research's latest consumer survey ranks AT&T, the exclusive carrier of the iPhone in the US, last of the four major US carriers for customer satisfaction and percentage of dropped calls.

Internet Explorer market share at all time low: Time to give up?

Internet Explorer’s market share has reached an all time low, falling below 60% in April with Firefox and Chrome steadily increasing their share.

Google plans summer launch for digital bookstore

Google's settlement with authors and publishers remains in limbo, but the company is planning to launch its digital bookstore this summer with titles it is clearly authorized to sell. Google Editions will offer digital books for sale through its Web site in late June or July, giving Amazon and Apple a new competitor in the emerging digital-book market.

Hands On: Barnes & Noble Nook Update 1.3

Barnes & Noble on Friday released version 1.3 of the software for its Nook e-reader, which includes a Web browser, faster page turning, and several games. The Android-based Nook now also lets users read books for free in Barnes & Noble retail stores, and fixes a few bugs.

Google Maps gets 3D view of the world

Google on Monday augmented Google Maps with a feature called Earth view that brings the Google Earth software's 3D perspective to the Web browser. Earth view is available through the installation of a browser plug-in Google originally issued in 2008. With it, people can see the contours of world--canyons and mountains, most dramatically--using the Google Earth fly-through interface.

Office 2010 – Is it Worth Upgrading?

Office 2010: a deeper dive

I've spent the last six months immersed in Office 2010, using all the core programs day in and day out, digging in to see what's new, what works, and what's still annoying. My wide-ranging overview could help you decide whether Office 2010 matters to you. by Ed Bott

Consumer groups: Online tracking at 'alarming levels

The tracking and targeting of consumers online has reached "alarming levels," warned a coalition of consumer and privacy groups in a letter to Congress. The collection of 11 groups, which includes Consumer Action, Consumers Union, and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, said that because the online industry has been unable to regulate itself in protecting the privacy of consumers, it's time for government to step in.

Apple sells 1 million iPads

Apple on Monday said it sold its 1 millionth iPad last Friday with the introduction of the iPad 3G model. The company didn't say how many iPads of each model were sold, but we do know that on April 8 during the iPhone OS 4 event, Apple CEO Steve Jobs said the company had sold 450,000 iPads.

Do not pay for security software

After the recent disaster of an antivirus app update from security vendor McAfee, I took a quick look at what the laptop and PC companies--from whom most people get their security software--were offering in the way of security software on new computers.

How to Stay Anonymous Online

Some might say that the Internet was built on anonymity. Without it, the Internet might not have become what it is today—a place where free speech reigns supreme (maybe to a fault). However, as social networks prevail—and über-companies like Google do all they can to market to you more effectively—your privacy on the Web becomes comes into question. The good news is that you can take back control of what others see and know of you online. Here's how.

I’m Back and Better than Ever

Thanks for waiting while I enjoyed my great little vacation in Chicago. I had a fabulous time, even better than I hoped, but I am back now ready to keep you informed of the latest happenings in the tech world. Let’s get started!  JRC

Why it's time to move away from McAfee

Last week, McAfee pushed out a virus definition file update the company now admits did not meet an acceptable level of quality assurance. Users found this out the hard way when the update crippled their computers. While the damage to individual computer systems has been repairable, I recommend that you look elsewhere for your computer's security.

Steve Jobs: Adobe's Flash "has major technical drawbacks"

In an open letter to, well, everyone, Apple tells the world what it thinks of the Flash platform. And it’s not pleasant reading for Adobe.

No surprise: no support for XP in Windows Live Wave 4

More bad news for Windows XP users: Microsoft has announced that the next version of Windows Live, which is called Wave 4, won't include XP in client application support. The problem is that graphics support in XP won't handle the new client, which requires the more sophisticated graphics platform in Vista and Windows 7. The good news is that the web based services will still work in XP. This didn't come as a big surprise, but many XP holdouts are annoyed by Microsoft's declining support for the ten year old OS.

Google kills 'http' URLs; about time to follow suit?

Google’s Chrome browser will no longer include http:// as part of the URL field. It was only six months ago that Sir Tim Berners-Lee, the creator of the World Wide Web, admitted that the double slash punctuation in the URL was “a mistake”, and Google have seem to have acknowledged this revelation.

Seven utilities for Windows 7

This collection of free utilities great and small will give you tools to change a significant amount of Windows 7's behavior, from the look of the Start button to hulking out Windows Explorer with FTP powers.

Malicious Download Warnings

Note: This will be my last blog entry until the first week of May. Am off on one of my road trips, mostly in Chicago for 10 days. Am excited about this trip as I have never been there. May try to do a blog or two while there, but no promises as I am not sure of my connections yet. But I will stay in touch, via Twitter and Facebook. – JRC

As attacks surface, Sun ships sudden Java patch

In a sudden about-face, Sun has rushed out a Java update to fix a drive-by download vulnerability that exposed Windows users to in-the-wild malware attacks. The patch comes less than a week after Sun told a Google researcher it did not consider the issue serious enough to warrant an out-of-cycle patch and less than a day after researchers spotted live exploits on a booby-trapped song lyrics Web site.

Researchers warn of malware hidden in .zip files

Security researchers have discovered flaws in common file formats, including .zip, which can be used to sneak malware onto computers by evading antivirus detection.

The end of USB? Intel demos new Light Peak cable that's twice as fast as USB 3.0

Light Peak has a lot to offer, including 10Gbps throughput, twice that of the latest flavor of USB, along with the ability to run multiple protocols at the same time. That means you connect all of your devices with just a single Light Peak cable.

Run your PC from afar — securely and easily

Your office PC is miles away, when suddenly you realize you forgot that all-important file — what to do? Luckily, there are free tools (including one possibly residing in Windows) that give you remote access — or even full-scale remote control — of your PC, as if you were sitting right in front of it.

Best Free File Encryption Utility

Encryption is the process of encoding information so that it cannot be accessed by others unless they have the encoding key. Encryption is normally used to protect highly sensitive documents, but it's a good way to stop people from looking at your personal stuff.

Why You Should Be Using Drive Imaging

Best Free Drive Imaging Program

Disk Imaging has rapidly become a must have tool for most users because of its convenience, speed, and altogether ease of use. With disk imaging software a user can safely recover their computer from a system crash or a bad virus infection without having to worry about reformatting and reinstalling the operating system. With drive imaging there is almost no reason at all to have to reinstall Windows because it offers you the ability to restore an image to your hard drive in a fraction of that time and accomplish the same thing while keeping all of your programs and important data. For many users this has made Windows backup and other file backup solutions redundant.

Philly newspaper gambles on online gambling

Though Google CEO Eric Schmidt and seemingly everyone else is telling publishers they should place some bets on potential new business models, The Philadelphia Inquirer's new venture may not be exactly what they had in mind. Philly.com, the online unit of the Inquirer and sister newspaper the Philadelphia Daily News, has launched a legal online betting service called Instant Fantasy Games.

Apple refreshes its MacBook Pro notebooks

Apple on Tuesday updated its MacBook Pro line of notebook computers with faster processors and new Nvidia graphics. The biggest news amid the new MacBook Pro changes is that the 15-inch and 17-inch models now use Intel's Core i5 and i7 processors. The 13-inch model will continue to use Intel's Core 2 Duo processor.

Twitter rolling out plan to make money with tweet ads

Twitter Inc. users on Tuesday will start seeing the first examples of the company's new business plan to generate income by adding sponsored keywords to tweets. The San Francisco microblogging service will launch a new "promoted tweets'' platform to about 2 percent to 10 percent of Twitter users. In a blog entry posted at midnight, Twitter co-founder Biz Stone said the "first phase" of the new platform will launch with advertisers that include Best Buy, Bravo, Red Bull, Sony Pictures, Starbucks and Virgin America.

Why Microsoft did the right thing in ditching XP for IE9

I recently expressed a lack of surprise that Internet Explorer 9 will almost certainly not be supported on Windows XP. In Redmond's words, a "modern browser" needs a "modern operating system," and Windows XP doesn't qualify. Much to my surprise (well, not really, I know that XP is still used and, apparently, loved by many), many doubted my characterization of XP as "obsolete," and they questioned my lack of surprise at this decision.

Big Day for Photographers and Artists

Adobe Unleashes Photoshop CS5

After building up anticipation by releasing sneak peeks at upcoming features such as Content-Aware Fill and Puppet Warp, Adobe has unveiled Photoshop CS5, the latest version of its popular image editing program.

Adobe Creative Suite 5 Unleashed Roundup

Creative Suite 5 (CS5), for both Mac and Windows, injects many of Adobe's existing killer apps—such as Photoshop, Illustrator, and Flash—with some mind-boggling new capabilities, and introduces a new program or two you may not have known you needed.

Microsoft's Kin: What it is--and isn't

Today, Microsoft introduced its newest phone, the Kin. The short and squat Kin One and the wider-screened Kin Two are two shapes for the same idea--the mobile phone for those who want to broadcast their every thought, sight, and sound--"lifecasters," as Microsoft's Robbie Bach called them. Although many phones have Facebook or Twitter applications, social networking is at the heart of the Kin. Sharing has its own dedicated green button and is at the center of the Kin experience.

Adobe Flash evangelist: 'Go screw yourself Apple'

A blog post by Adobe Flash platform evangelist Lee Brimelow has brought more fire to what's become a very public fight between Apple and Adobe over the inclusion of Flash and other Adobe technologies in Apple's portable devices.

52 Useful Firefox Add-Ons for Photographers

Photography may have existed long before personal computers, but these days photographers spend a lot of time using computers for their work. You can make that work easier by taking advantage of these Firefox add-ons for photography.

Netflix, USB 3, and PDF – No Good News Here

Netflix will delay Fox and Universal releases for 28 days

If you subscribe to Netflix and watch a lot of new releases, you won't be too thrilled about this news: Netflix just announced agreements with Fox and Universal to delay those companies' new movies for 28 days. Netflix already had this kind of deal with Warner Bros., and it's basically an attempt by the movie industry to shore up slipping DVD sales.

Long delay expected for Intel support of USB 3.0

USB 3.0 will not see widespread adoption until at least late 2011 because of lack of direct support from Intel. As a result, the new standard may not become as prevalent this decade as USB 2.0 has been through most of the past decade.

Analyst's View: PDF—Pretty Dangerous Format?

In the early 90s Adobe created its Portable Document Format (PDF) for the specific purpose of ensuring that documents look exactly the same no matter what devices are used to view or print them. So why are there so many exploits using the PDF format to attack computer systems? Because Adobe lost track of its mission, that's why.

Survey: Cloud computing risks outweigh reward

IT Professionals are against using the Cloud to store data. What about you? Questioning more than 1,800 IT professionals in the U.S. who are members of the group, the ISACA found that only 10 percent of them plan to use cloud computing for mission-critical IT services, 15 percent will use it only for low-risk services, and 26 percent don't expect to tap into the cloud at all.

Get a Top Rated $60 Photo Editor for Whatever You Want to Pay

The freeware version of Sagelight Image Editor is currently our Top Pick for the "Best Free Digital Editor." During the month of April, in an exclusive offer through Gizmo's Freeware, you can get the $60 full-featured version of this amazingly powerful professional image editor and pay just what you want!

A New Reason to Hate AT&T

AT&T's latest iPhone Outrage

Can't get a decent connection in your home? AT&T has a fix, but it will cost you up to $150 to improve service you already paid for

iPhone 4.0: Multitasking Tops List of New Features

Apple today gave a sneak peek at a developer preview of iPhone OS 4.0, the next major version of its operating system for mobile devices. Apple CEO Steve Jobs boasted over 1500 new application programming interfaces (APIs) for developers in iPhone 4.0, letting them access features like the iPhone's calendar, photo library, video-camera data, and more.

Microsoft decision puts public libraries at risk

Millions of Americans depend on libraries, Internet cafés, and other public locations for their connection to the Internet, and keeping these points of access safe from hackers is especially difficult. Recently, however, Microsoft has made that challenge even more difficult for many public libraries. The company announced it would not upgrade the free application, SteadyState, to Windows 7 compatibility, angering many of the folks who manage public-access PCs. People who manage library PCs say they don't have money to pay for third-party products that protect public PCs from malware and malicious users.

Microsoft to fix 25 holes in Windows, Office, Exchange

Microsoft will issue 11 security bulletins in next week's Patch Tuesday to fix 25 vulnerabilities in Windows, Microsoft Office, and Exchange, including two holes for which exploit code is in the wild.

FotoMorph 10.1.1 (Windows) - Free

Amaze your friends and family with unbelievable transformations. Morphing is an animation technique in which one image is gradually turned into another. FotoMorph lets you make incredible morphs in minutes.

Some Great Security Tips

How to Block Bad Websites

There are many ways to block bad websites and unwanted content. I break this guide into three different ways to prevent your PC from being infected by accidentally visiting a malicious or compromised website: (1) programs and tips that help prevent your PC from being a target for malware. (2) Programs that alert you to potentially malicious websites when they appear -- the self-censorship or "just change the channel approach". (3) Programs that filter unwanted content/websites from appearing -- the censorship approach.

ShieldsUP Tests Your Firewall for Vulnerabilities

The best way to determine if your computer's (or router's) firewall is working and optimized is to effectively try to penetrate it. Browser-based utility ShieldsUP! tests your firewall for vulnerabilities and kinks in your computer's defense.

Internal HP document leaks: Slate tablet to cost $549, hope to combat iPad.

It’s similar in other respects to the iPad, including a multitouch screen (slightly smaller at 8.9 inches, with a 1,024×600 resolution), built-in Wi-Fi, and a 1.5-pound weight. Of course, it doesn’t have a proprietary processor running it; instead, it uses the Intel Atom Z530 CPU familiar from many, many netbooks.

iWork on the iPad is a great way to work: Review

As reported when the iPad was initially announced, Apple has created iPad versions of its popular iWork productivity suite, including Pages, Numbers, and Keynote apps--each of which is available for $9.99 at the iTunes App Store. We've had a chance to get a close look at each of the iWork apps and have found them to be extremely useful on the new platform.

Ultimate Windows Tweaker, a TweakUI for Windows 7 & Vista

Voted the best Windows 7 Tweaking software by Lifehacker readers. Ultimate Windows Tweaker is a freeware TweakUI Utility for tweaking and optimizing Windows 7 & Windows Vista, 32-bit & 64-bit. It can simply be downloaded and used as a portable application to customize your Windows to meet your requirements. With judicious tweaking, it can make your system faster, more stable, and more secure with just a few mouse clicks

Court Decision May Affect Your Browsing

Court: FCC has no power to regulate Net neutrality

A three-judge panel in Washington, D.C. unanimously tossed out the FCC's August 2008 cease and desist order against Comcast, which had taken measures to slow BitTorrent transfers before voluntarily ending them earlier that year.

Is your browser spying on you?

Microsoft claims Google's Chrome web browser is "stealing your privacy." Are they right?

Microsoft's big gamble with free Office

Microsoft has a new plan to make more money from Office: give it away. With Office 2010, one of the biggest changes is how many ways there are to get Microsoft's most profitable software program for free.

More Google Buzz Changes Try To Fix Privacy Fiasco

Google has made more changes to Google Buzz, hoping to repair the damage from its opening fiasco and satisfy privacy advocates. While Google is responding to an FTC complaint about Google Buzz, it may be too late, since usage of the Gmail social service appears low. While Google Buzz now uses suggestions, it wants to satisfy initial users.

Partition Wizard Manages and Fixes Your Hard Drive for Free

Windows: Partition Wizard does everything you'd probably need a partition tool to do, and does it on 32 and 64-bit systems.

It’s iPad Monday!

Editor’s Note: In spite of what you may think, I am not an iPad hater. In fact, it has some very interesting features I find attractive. And I think it will succeed in the marketplace. I just won’t buy one until the 2nd or 3rd generation when it contains some addition features that are critical for me. JRC 

Apple sells over 300,000 iPads on day of debut

Sales included pre-orders of the iPad, a new type of touch-screen device that blends features of the iPhone, electronic book readers and tablet computers. Prices start at $499 for iPads that connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi. Apple will sell costlier iPads with cellular data connections later this month.

InfoWorld review: Apple iPad surprises, disappoints

So you've probably heard about the iPad. Apple is once again making headlines with the release of a consumer-focused computing device, and the level of hysteria surrounding the iPad is fascinating from an anthropological point of view. But is the iPad really worthy of this craziness? Yes and no.

Why Apple's iBooks falls short of Kindle--for now

In case you haven't noticed, Amazon's changed gears a little bit when it comes to its Kindle platform. If you look at Amazon's homepage, you'll notice a different message. Now that the iPad is here, no longer is Amazon just advertising the Kindle e-reader front and center, it's all about the Kindle app, which is available for a variety of devices.

iPad reportedly overheating in the sun

You know the story from Greek mythology about Icarus, and how his father Daedalus told him not to fly too close to the sun with the wings he made for him out of feathers and wax. Icarus didn't listen and fell into the sea. Well, according to several reports, Daedalus might want to warn iPad owners not to play too close to the sun with their beloved new devices because they too may crash.

Apple iPhone 4.0 Event Announced: What to Expect

Apple announced Monday that on April 8 it will give the public a sneak peek at its iPhone 4.0 operating system. The news comes as Apple buzz is at a fevered pitch with the successful launch of its iPad tablet computer on Saturday.

Friday Potpourri of Opinions

The Enduring Value of Microsoft Office

I was intrigued to see an article in "The Wall Street Journal" on Monday describing the "challenge" that Microsoft Office faces from Google's free tools. The reason is simple: I don't believe that Google's free tools--Google Docs, part of Google Apps--represent a technical or financial challenge to Office at all. And I was curious to see whether I had missed something.

The Great Firewall of China Will Engulf the Gutless

I'm fully aware of the stakes involved for Western companies opening a window to business with Beijing, but the Great Firewall won't stop at Yahoo, Vietnam or Hong Kong. China has struggled to keep a vast country in line since the days of the Han Dynasty, and it is used to having its way -- and denying others their say.

Apple iPad Review with Video and Photos

(An in-depth review of the iPad from PC Magazine) Having used the iPad for some time, I can tell you that the device just makes sense. When you combine basic-but-essential work tools with iWork, an improved browser, e-mail, iPod, and photo applications, a well-executed e-Book platform with iBooks, and throw in thousands of downloadable apps and games, and package it all in a gorgeous, slim slate with a beautiful 9.7-inch touch screen, you have yourself a winner.

Mozilla fixes security hole with Firefox 3.6.3

Mozilla released Firefox 3.6.3 on Thursday to close a critical security hole. If that is your browser of choice. It may upgrade itself automatically. Just double-check to be sure.

First Legitimate iPad Reviews

8 Layers of Security Every Computer Should Have

Every time you connect to the Internet, you are putting your computer -- and the information stored there -- at risk. As Roger Thompson, chief security officer with AVG Technologies told me:

What's Google planning for Chrome 5?

After a year and a half, Chrome has come a long way toward matching the features of better-established browsers. Now, with version 5 coming together, a lot of Google's work focuses on advancing the state of the browser art. I find myself using Chrome more and more. If I could get all the add-ons that I use in Firefox, it would be hard to resist no changing.

First round of iPad reviews are in

You don’t have to wait until Saturday. The first round of iPad reviews are in.

Apple's iPad: The Mothership Prepares for Launch - TIME

One of my favorite people in the world, British actor, writer, comedian, director Stephen Fry has written an article in Time Magazine on the iPad and spent an hour with Steve Jobs. Highly entertaining, informative, and an example of great writing.

AquaSnap Brings Aero Snap and Transparency to Windows XP

If you're stuck with Windows XP either because you can't or don't want to upgrade from Windows XP, you may be interested in some of the features that Windows 7 offers from Aero Snap, or the ability to turn windows semi-transparent, shake them to minimize other windows, or "snap" them to certain places on the screen.

The Best of the Best Free Software

Emergency IE update patches 10 critical security holes

Microsoft today shipped a cumulative Internet Explorer update with patches for 10 security holes, including a drive-by download vulnerability that’s already being used in malware attacks.

Obama faces major online privacy test

When Barack Obama was campaigning for the presidency in 2008, he promised that as president, he would "strengthen privacy protections for the digital age." That pledge will be put to the test as the Obama administration considers whether to support a new privacy proposal released by a coalition including Google, eBay, Microsoft, AT&T, the ACLU, and Americans for Tax Reform.

Windows 7 holes eased by axing admin rights

Ninety percent of critical Microsoft Windows 7 vulnerabilities can be mitigated by configuring the operating system for standard user rather than administrator, according to a new report released on Monday. Removing administrator rights would also protect against exploitation of all of the Office holes reported last year, 94 percent of Internet Explorer flaws and 100 percent of IE 8 flaws reported last year, and 64 percent of all Microsoft vulnerabilities reported in that time period.

What Twitter's New Home Page Means For You

Twitter's ready to stop the quitters. The social media service rolled out a shiny new home page this week, and its goal is simple: to help new users understand what the site's all about and keep them coming back for more.

The Best Free Software of 2010

Get what you DON'T pay for: Here are 196 programs that cost nothing but will make your computing life richer—all while keeping your wallet fat.

This Week in Cybercrime

Another week of hacks, malware, and cyber crime

From the discovery of the first serious iPhone 3G exploit to the sighting of a new Captcha-conquering bot, the past week has proven interesting in the world of IT security, so much so that I've decide to take a look at several of stories that have cropped up, rather than doing my regular deep-dive into a specific topic.

AMD, Intel ready 'many core' processors

Advanced Micro Devices is the latest to up the processing core ante with a 12-core chip. Intel is expected to follow this with a chip that contains eight cores.

Google to build Flash into Chrome browser

Specifically, Google said it will distribute Flash with Chrome, update it automatically, and eventually put Flash in Chrome's sandbox where its risks can be contained better.

A Kindle World blog: AP compares Kindle and iPad advantages

The AP today compares E-book advantages on the Kindle and the iPad. They advise that, if choosing between a Kindle or an iPad for reading e-books, buyers keep in mind some advantages of both products.

Two free and easy ways to share and sync folders

Few people do all their work on a single computer. Fewer still don't occasionally need access to files on another PC, whether their own or someone else's. The free Gbridge program lets you access and synchronize files and folders on any Internet-connected PCs quickly and simply.

Today it’s China and Junk Mail

In post-Google China, censorship is unfazed

Chinese Internet users have one less Web search option this week, but otherwise it's business as usual as the People's Republic of China uses technology and intimidation to keep citizens away from objectionable content.

Report: Tens of millions still opening junk e-mail

In this day and age of technological advancement and digital lifestyles, it's incredible to me that nearly half of a recently surveyed audience opened junk e-mail (aka spam), intentionally.

More Than 1,000 Communities Apply for Google Fiber Test

Going gaga for Google: More than 1,100 communities and 194,000 individuals have applied to be part of Google's experimental fiber network, including some crazy stunts to garner Google's attention. Google will review the responses to decide who gets broadband speeds up to 100 times faster than current networks.

Windows 7 Feature Focus: Backup and Restore

With Windows 7, Microsoft expands on the pervasive and reliable backup and restore solutions for both data files and the entire computer that it introduced in Windows Vista. Key among this functionality is Backup and Restore, which can be ued to copy your important files and folders to a safe location or create a system image that can be used later to restore a broken PC. You may never need to turn to a third-party backup and restore utility again.

CheckPlaces - Add-on for Firefox

Checks your bookmarks are valid and the pages still exist, checks for duplicates and for empty folders and can restore missing favicons. Also checks and compacts (vacuums) your Places database.

More Friday Follies

Google-China Rift Takes More Ugly Turns

From YouTube outages to Google corporate pages displaying in Chinese, the fallout from Google's recent decision is getting ugly fast.

Microsoft hopes Bing users pick up the tab

Aiming to try to get more attention for its special pages, Microsoft is testing a new look that will add a series of tabs in the center of its Bing results pages, prominently identifying when there are additional types of content.

Many browsers patched prior to hacking event

One of the top draws at CanSecWest, the highly regarded Canadian security conference, is the break-the-browser contest known as Pwn2Own. So can it be coincidence that Apple, Google, and Mozilla updated their browsers just days before the contest?

Essential Add-Ons for Your Windows 7 PC

Microsoft's Windows 7 improved upon myriad problems with Windows Vista, but it's still not a perfect operating system. Helpful utilities, however, can shore up Windows 7's weaker spots. One tool makes it easier to organize your Windows 7 desktop, while another makes creating and resizing partitions a drag-and-drop affair.

10 Places to Scan Your PC Online for Free

Want to make sure your anti-virus program is working as well as it should? Check out these 10 on-line sites that will scan your computer for free. I recommend Eset NOD 32.

Ready for Your National ID Card?

Lawmakers Eyeing National ID Card

Lawmakers are proposing a national identification card — what they’re calling “high-tech, fraud-proof Social Security cards” — that would be required for all employees in the United States. The proposal by Sen. Charles Schumer (D-New York) and Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-South Carolina) comes as the states are grappling to produce another national identification card at the behest of the Department of Homeland Security.

Firefox 3.6.2 addresses critical vulnerability

Mozilla released Firefox 3.6.2 late Monday to fix a critical security hole involving Web-based font technology. Be sure to get it if you use Firefox.

Apple iPad vs. Amazon's Kindle: Consumers weigh the two devices

Apple’s iPad and Amazon’s Kindle are in a dead heat among consumers who are seriously considering a purchase of the devices in the next three months, according to comScore. But let’s put those statistics in context: Few have even held an iPad yet it has the recognition of the Kindle.

Videos - How to Stop Using Google

Good, short video on how to eliminate Google from your life...if you are concerned about privacy issues, or just want to be free of it.

WinDirStat - Windows Directory Statistics

WinDirStat is a free disk usage statistics viewer and cleanup tool for Microsoft Windows. Gives you a complete tree list of all your directories plus color bar charts to help you analyze where all your disk space went. Handy tool

IE9 and iPad Making News

IE 9 Platform Preview has speed, not much else

The Internet Explorer 9 Platform Preview exhibits to good effect two of what Microsoft says will be the new browser's selling points: speed and HTML 5 support. If the final version is as fast as or faster than the preview, IE will no longer be a laggard in the browser race and will most likely beat out Firefox. And while HTML5 is the future of Web browsing, be aware that IE9 will NOT run on Windows XP...ever.

iPad Pre-Orders Reported in 'Hundreds of Thousands'

Pre-orders for Apple's iPad have been reported in the "hundreds of thousands" and could challenge the iPhone's phenomenal debut record. Apple is also reportedly running into content resistance from print publishers for the iPad and has focused on other media. Analysts are bullish on the iPad's prospects as prices drop and apps are modified.

The National Broadband Plan needs to be fixed -- already

Special interests are already undermining the National Broadband Plan and the FCC's vagueness on implementation is playing into their hands -- Web users must act now

Is Google Wave getting Buzzed?

Arguably one of Google's biggest announcements of last year, Google Wave appears to be an afterthought among the tech trendsetters after the launch of Google Buzz in early February. Privacy concerns mostly laid to rest, Google Buzz is actually doing much of what Google Wave promised: collaborative discussion, media sharing, and social networking within an e-mail-like framework.

WeatherBar Integrates Weather Forecasts with the Windows 7 Superbar

Like to keep the eye on the weather but never been too keen on sidebar gadgets or system tray apps? WeatherBar is a simple app that puts the weather in your Windows 7 taskbar, offering quick access to the forecast.

FaceBook Scam Alert and Some Great Tips

Beware the new Facebook password reset scam

If you get an e-mail that appears to be from Facebook saying the company reset your password and urging you to open an attachment, it is a scam. Repeat, it is a scam.

New security tools help protect your PC

The latest routers, security suites, and software patches can help protect your PC against today's ever-more-sophisticated Internet attacks. These security tools are easy to install, easy to maintain, and provide the average PC user with basic protection against viruses, botnets, Trojans, rootkits, and other types of malware.

12 Tips for Printing Great Photos

With a bit of knowledge and practice, you should be able to print great-looking photos at home. Here are 12 techniques for improving the quality of your prints.

Twenty highest-radiation cell phones

The SAR level listed in our charts represents the highest SAR level measured with the phone next to the ear as tested by the FCC.

70 of the Best Free and Open Source Games for download

Here are several great games you can download for free. Note there are two more web pages filled with more games. Just click on the 2 links toward the bottom of the page.

Microsoft Dominates Today’s Blog

Study: Businesses start to embrace Windows 7

A new survey shows that businesses are increasingly planning their move to Windows 7, with more than half of those questioned planning to have some machines running the operating system in their corporations by the end of the year.

World Wide Web - Microsoft Encourages Developers To Test Drive IE9

Microsoft invited developers at MIX10 to test-drive Internet Explorer 9 with HTML5 features and developer tools by accessing a platform preview. IE manager Dean Hachamovitch said Microsoft wants feedback from developers, a major change from previous IE releases. IE9 has so far fallen short of web standards, including Canvas and Acid3.

Can Windows Phone 7 multitask (and other Microsoft mobile questions and answers)

Here are five new things I learned about the platform via these various channels. All of these are questions I keep hearing from potential developers and customers trying to decipher Microsoft’s evolving mobile story.

Roundup: E-Readers

The gadgets in this roundup have more modest ambitions than the iPad: Most of them are really only good for reading. But they're arguably much better for long bouts of reading, because their reflective, E Ink screens won't tire your eyes the way an LCD like the iPad's will. And, with one or two exceptions, these e-readers are all much less expensive than the iPad.

Vista Start Menu – Convenient alternative to Start menu

Vista Start Menu is the convenient alternative to the plain Start menu you find in Windows XP and Windows Vista. The program uses your cognitive abilities (visual memory, reflexes,etc.); however, while it is easily understandable for beginners, it is also highly efficient for experienced users.

Google About to Wave Bye Bye to China

Google pullout from China imminent

Although Google appeared to be going about business as usual in China (posting openings for engineers, managers, and sales staff in China), behind the scenes negotiations between Google and the Chinese government over protection of Google intellectual property and, more importantly, ongoing censorship have exposed irreconcilable differences.

Only a fool would pre-order an iPad

This morning, the fool's parade gets started. Apple is taking online "pre-orders" for its iPad tablet, which is supposed to begin shipping on April 3. Buying a new kind of product sight unseen is foolish. Especially given how mysterious Apple has been on what the iPad can do and what restrictions on capabilities and media access it will place on users and content providers.

What to expect from HTML5

Support for the next generation of HTML is already appearing in today’s browsers and Web pages. Are you ready to take advantage? 

How to save and share ridiculously large files

A few years ago it was a big deal to find a place that would let you share 1 gigabyte files. Things change, though. Bandwidth keeps growing, and the cost of Web storage keeps shrinking. That's good news for people looking to share increasingly large files, be it an HD video recording or an archive of several files that tops out at over a gig.

Disk Space Fan 1.4.2.796 (Windows)

Disk Space Fan is a nice disk space analysis tool for Windows. It helps you to free up disk space by quickly finding and deleting big, useless files. It displays disk space usage with a nice chart. You can navigate the folders easily with the chart. It is also integrated with Windows Explorer to open, delete and browse files or folders.

Update on National Broadband Plan

The FCC National Broadband Plan Faces Long Haul

The FCC is facing resistance and opposition as it readies its National Broadband Plan, and the implementation is likely to take many years to put in place. A controversial part of the FCC's plan involves asking broadcasters to free up unused airwaves on a "voluntary" basis. Parts of the FCC broadband plan have enjoyed widespread support.

Twitter aims to filter out malicious links

Twitter is launching a new service designed to stop users of the social-media site from getting duped by phishing links that steal their login credentials and other attacks.

HP Slate vs. iPad: Focus on Flash

With the iPad presale beginning in just a few days, and the clock ticking down to the much-anticipated Apple tablet finally hitting the streets, HP launched a renewed campaign for its Slate tablet PC debuted at the 2010 CES by Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Each platform has pros and cons, but so far the debate seems to center entirely around support for Adobe Flash.

How To Skip Movie Trailers on Your DVD

Get sick of waiting for your movie to begin? Want to skip the FBI warning? Me too...I just want to go straight to my movie. Here is a quick little video tutorial that shows you how.

Photo Magician does simple, quality batch image resizing for free

One type of program I often forget to load on a fresh Windows install is a good photo resizing tool. Sometimes -- like when I want to create a screenshot tour of an app -- it would make things simpler to just dump a pile of full-size screenshots into a folder and let some little app churn out images resized to the dimensions I need.

Internet a Right? or Something to be Taxed

Is Internet Access a Fundamental Right?

A new survey reveals that in spite of the web's "dark side" -- privacy and fraud concerns -- people around the globe view Internet access as a fundamental right and a force for good, although some feel trepidation over expressing opinions online. Most people felt the web is a place to learn, network, conduct business and even find a significant other.

More states propose Internet sales taxes

Colorado is not alone. Fifteen other states have considered or are considering enacting laws targeting Amazon and other e-commerce companies that typically do not charge sales tax for shipments sent outside their home state, according to a report released Monday. Four states including Colorado have already enacted them.

iPad: Q&A

The release of the iPad is only 3 weeks away. I’ve been getting a fairly hefty load of emails from people asking me a variety of questions about it. In this post I sift through the fact and fiction to bring you answers based on what we know about the device so far.

New Opera Browser Version 1,110 Percent Faster Than Last

A new Opera version arrived this week, with the slogan, "The fastest browser on earth." And by some measures, that's not an exaggeration. In my tests with the SunSpider JavaScript Benchmark, Opera indeed came out ahead of Firefox, Chrome, and Internet Explorer by significant margins. And it outpaces its own previous version by a whopping 1,110 percent. This is all thanks to the Norwegian software house's new Carakan JavaScript engine.

100 Incredible Lectures from the World’s Top Scientists

If you, like me, have an interest in all things scientific, then you will enjoy the treat provided by Sarah Russel at BestCollegesOnline. She has gathered together a list of 100 fantastic lectures by some of the world's leading scientists.

Windows 7 Tips

Tips on Computer Management in Windows 7

Computer Management is a Microsoft Management Console (MMC)-based tool that combines a number of administrative utilities into a single UI. It debuted in Windows 2000 and has soldiered on in ever version of Windows since. But in Windows 2000 and XP, the only simple way to access this tool was by right-clicking My Computer and choosing Manage, so many users simply didn't even know it existed. Now, in Windows 7, you can run it more easily via Start Menu Search. But again, you have to even know it exists to do so.

Get help from the Windows Reliability Monitor

Windows abounds with special-purpose tools that can help in the care and feeding of the beast — if you can just figure out where to find them. Today, I'd like to introduce you to the Reliability Monitor, one of my favorite ways to identify and exorcise the demons that lurk within.

Microsoft Readies 8 Windows, Office Patches

Microsoft will ship two security updates on Tuesday to patch eight vulnerabilities in Windows and Office.

Buzz backfire: How Google pushed me to Facebook

I use and enjoy Google Buzz. But here's the funny thing: because of it, I've begun using Facebook more. Buzz backfired for me for one simple reason. I wanted a mechanism for social networking with my personal contacts, but Facebook is where those ties are active. Although I have plenty of close contacts in my Gmail address book, not all of them use Gmail and therefore Buzz. Buzz has a good framework but the wrong faces.

Free Legal Information on the Web

The best single website for legal site links in the United States is www.findlaw.com. I can't comment about sites in other countries because I don't know much about them, but I'd be glad for tips about this or any other topic that would improve this essay.

Friday Tech Follies

iPad to hit the U.S. on April 3

Starting March 12, consumers can pre-order both the Wi-Fi and Wi-Fi + 3G models from Apple's online store or reserve a Wi-Fi version to pick up on April 3 at any Apple store.

Charging fees for Hulu comes with its own problems

Hulu's most viable alternative — charging for access to some videos — could turn off viewers and crimp the site's explosive growth. Ultimately, the remedy to Hulu's current troubles could leave the site even worse off, a poor shadow of its former self.

Buy Office 2007 Before Sept. 30, Get Free Office 2010 Upgrade

Microsoft kicked off its "Technology Guarantee" program for Office 2010 on Friday, meaning that anyone who buys and activates Office 2007 between now and Sept. 30 will get to upgrade to Office 2010 for free when it's available.

How to Buy an External Hard Drive

With the amount of data users need (or want) to cart around with them these days, it makes sense to invest in an external hard drive. We tell you what to consider when choosing the right one for you.

Score Free AudioBooks at BooksShouldBeFree

You can find quite a few free audiobooks online but they're frequently scattered all over. Save yourself the run around by checking out the thousands of free audiobooks cataloged at BookShouldBeFree. BooksShouldBeFree houses thousands of books in the public domain, available as both MP3s and as iTunes format audiobooks. Each entry for a book includes links to the full text, supplemental text, and reviews.

Earthquakes and Social Media

Tech-Savvy Chile Embraces Social Media

Since Saturday's quake, traditional media here have focused on hard news -- death tolls, rescue efforts, government announcements and images of lootings -- while social-networking tools such as Twitter, Facebook and some Google applications have been at the forefront of transmitting highly localized information

What enterprise still uses IE 6? Try Intel

Internet Explorer 6 is a relic, but corporations continue to cling to it. At this point, IE 6 in the enterprise is common, but it’s nonetheless surprising when Intel—Microsoft’s long-time partner—is still using the ancient browser.

Security expert: U.S. would lose cyber war

The U.S. government, if confronted in a cyber war today, would not come out on top, a former U.S. director of national intelligence said Tuesday. "If the nation went to war today, in a cyber war, we would lose," Mike McConnell told a U.S. Senate committee. "We're the most vulnerable. We're the most connected. We have the most to lose."

Confessions of a Windows 7 pirate

In the interest of research, I’ve been digging into message boards and forums run by unabashed Windows enthusiasts who are intent on breaking Microsoft’s activation technology.

Hubble Ultra Deep Field 3D

What happens when you point the Hubble Space Telescope to a seemingly blank patch of sky? A view that takes you to the edge of the universe! Fantastic video...don't miss it. I recently went to a lecture that talks about the different types of galaxies in this video.

Confessions of a Kindle User Part 2

Yesterday, we looked at the features and functionality of Amazon’s Kindle. Today, we look at how to acquire books for reading on the Kindle.

Shopping for books on Amazon is easy. You can do it from your PC or from your Kindle. The Kindle is equipped with a wireless connection from AT&T that allows you to shop from your Kindle and have the book delivered wirelessly. This connection costs you nothing. You can also buy a book on your PC and it will be wirelessly delivered the next time you turn your Kindle on. As a side note, turn off the wireless when not using it and you will extend the life of the battery.

Not sure whether or not you want a particular book? Amazon lets you download a sample of that book for free. Usually it is the first chapter or two. Then, if you like it, you can download the entire book as described above.

As for book costs, well let me tell you, for all the books that are on my Kindle, including those that I have erased after reading them, I have spent about $20. There are literally thousands and thousand of books available for free, even new books.

Amazon themselves offer about 80 free current books at any one time…sometimes they last for about a month, other times for only a few hours. But, there are many other sites that offer free books of all kinds. My favorite place to search is manybooks.net and inkmesh.com…the latter also has a link that connects you to Kindle’s latest free books that is updated hourly.

There are two other items, both free, I recommend you download to make your Kindle experience even better. First is “Kindle for the PC.” It is a software program for your computer that is a Kindle reader. You will often need it to download books from non-Amazon sources. It is quite easy to transfer your books from the PC Kindle software directly into your Kindle.

And, here is a sneaky trick for folks that don’t use a Kindle or any other reader for that matter. First, download the Kindle for PC application, then download a sample of a book you are thinking about purchasing. If you like what you see, you can get the dead tree edition of the book and be assured it is what you want. Just a thought.

The other item to get is a wonderful program that you can use to organize your book collection AND convert different types of e-books into other types…in my case, the Kindle. The program is called “Calibre” and is free. It does a fabulous job of converting other formats to Kindle. But it will also do the same thing for most other eBook formats. So if you have a Barnes and Noble Nook or Sony Reader, Calibre will work for you also.

The Kindle uses a format called “Mobi” that is exclusive for the Kindle. But there are many, many books published in the ePub and PDF formats. While Kindle will read a PDF document, it doesn’t do it well. It is much better to convert the PDF (or Word, or HTML document) to the Kindle format. Calibre is not the only eBook converter, but it is the best by far.

Conversion is a simple process. After converting a book, Calibre will load it into your Kindle if your are connected via USB. Calibre is a very useful utility and highly recommended for any eBook reader.

Well those are my thoughts on the Kindle and eBook readers in general. As I said earlier, I love reading and storing books this way. Although you can’t try out a Kindle without ordering it, you can head over to your nearest Barnes and Noble store and try out their “Nook” to see if you like using an eBook reader. You might be surprised.

Confessions of a Kindle User Part 1

Well, this is not really a confession, more like experiences. The word “confessions” is just more interesting in a headline. Anyway, it is now just over two months since my son and daughter-in-law gave me a Kindle eBook reader for Christmas. Of course, I knew it was coming as I helped pick out the best one as his wife received one also. I did a fair amount of investigating before I chose the Kindle. My other two major choices were the Barnes and Noble “Nook” and the Sony eReader.

The bottom line of this report is I love my Kindle and take it with me almost everywhere. I spend more time reading everyday than I have in a long time…and loving it. The reason is simply that my Kindle is with me most of the time and previous downtime. such as waiting for lectures and concerts to begin is now used for reading.

The Kindle is lightweight and compact, slightly larger than a paperback book (but lighter and thinner). It holds over 1,000 or more books at any one time. Right now I have just over 40 books on mine. I usually read two or three at time…whatever strikes my fancy.

Reading is easy as it is almost precisely like reading a book, at least to my eyes. It uses a 6” e-ink screen…they are not backlit so they are easy on the eyes. I can change the font size to make it easier to read and I can read it vertically or horizontally. Page turning is a breeze as there is a forward and backward page buttons. Takes about one second for a page to change.

Since it is not backlit, you do need a light source of any type for reading. If you want to read at night in bed in the dark so not disturb your spouse, you will need a small light that fits on Kindle itself. And reading in direct sunlight is not a problem. I also recommend a cover to protect it.

Battery life is excellent…Amazon says that it will last up to two weeks without a recharge. That is assuming you leave the wireless connection off when not using it (more about that feature later). You can recharge it by plugging into the wall or using a USB port on your computer.

As you may notice from the photo, there is a miniature keyboard at the bottom of the device. You can use this for email, typing in searches, or making notes about what you are reading. Each note you write is automatically attached to the page where you started making the note. Granted, the keyboard is more like a cell phone keyboard, but it works well enough.

Another feature that is a God-send is the built-in dictionary. If you find a word that you don’t understand, you can click over to it and the definition will automatically display at the bottom. I recently read some British detective novels from the early 20th century and having the dictionary really helped with some unusual words…and it found every one of them…even told me that no one used those words much anymore.

Still yet another interesting feature is you can switch it from reading to having a voice read the book to you. I admit I have not used it all that much, but it does work surprisingly well. You can have a male or female voice do the reading. It is not as good as an audio book, but still it is better than the average mechanical voice.

While the device has limited Internet capability, you can go to Wikipedia to look up additional information. There are additional features, but I won’t go into them here.

The Kindle is available at Amazon for $259.

Next time, I will discuss more about books, how to buy them, where to buy them and how to get thousands of them for free. Stay tuned.