Augmented reality is a technology that uses location data from your phone's GPS receiver and orientation information from its compass to superimpose data on a screen image generated by the phone camera. It sounds great in theory, but doesn't work very well in reality. A major reason appears to be that the data the phone supplies just are not accurate enough

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Macs account for less than 20% of the U.S. retail market, according to NPD Group, but nearly 90% of the $1,000-plus segment. Apple does so by focusing on a superior user experience and shunning advice to boost share by pursuing the low end of the market

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It's only been a year since the release of the first Android phone, and the Google platform has matured amazingly in that time. The Motorola Droid is not an iPhone killer, but it's a smartphone that can stand up to the Apple's device on its own terms.

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Microsoft's support for a wide range of iPhone-like touch gestures in its Windows 7 operating system gives software developers freedom to focus on the creative aspects of touch rather than the mechanics. That should help touch move into the mainstream

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The original BlackBerry Storm, released a year ago, was marred by poor execution of its touch screen. The new Storm 2's may swing the balance away from physical keyboards. It's no longer worthwhile to put up with a tiny display or a clumsy slider design.

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Win 7 has a lot in common with the reviled Vista. By eliminating the sluggishness and annoying quirks of Vista and taking cues from the better ideas in the Mac OS X interface--an old OS tradition--Win 7 is slick and pleasant to use where Vista was clunky.

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Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5 is at best a stopgap until a truly new version is ready. The iPhone has already passed it. Worst problem: touchscreen phones that both lack the latest touch technologies and provide sluggish and inconsistent support for touch

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The Garmin-Asus nuvifone G60 is an excellent personal navigation device on a mediocre phone. At 299 dollars (after rebate) with a two-year AT & T contract , it's cheaper to get an iPhone with a navigation app. You'd have a poorer navigator, but a much better phone.

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There's no direct way to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7, or from 32-bit Vista to 64-bit Win 7, but Laplink, one of the oldest publishers of PC software, can make things a lot easier with a migration tool called PCmover

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Microsoft's Zune is never going to beat Apple's iPod Touch and iPhone as a media player. Gaming--and integration with the Xbox--could be Zune's secret weapon. But it's hard to tell, since Zune HD was released with an understocked app store

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Microsoft failed to score in security software with a product called OneCare. It's free antivirus program, can't compare to heavyweight security offerings from the likes of Symantec and McAfee, but it will meet the needs of most Windows users

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Win 7 is the best OS Microsoft has offered in years. But you may need a new computer to fully enjoy it. Upgrading from XP means reinstalling all your applications. And going to 64-bit Win 7 to access 3 GB of additional memory raises similar issues

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Snow Leopard is short on the eye candy Apple is famous for. But there's a lot of engineering under the covers. The new OS supports Exchange, and software like Grand Central Dispatch and OpenCL ready the OS for a future of massively multicore computers.

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Arik Hesseldahl tries Google Voice and RingCentral, two Internet call-management services, one aimed at consumers, the other at businesses, which can help simplify the multiphone life

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Printer manufacturers are trying to stay relevant by adding Web connections and software to their devices, letting users print without having to use a computer

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Stripped-down devices offer big savings on hardware costs and software support

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The first Android smartphone, T-Mobile's G1, wasn't very good and didn't give the software a fair test. The myTouch, the U.S. version of HTC's Magic, is an improvement. More Android phones are coming, but it's a crowded field and the iPhone is way ahead.

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Lenovo's ThinkPad T400s and Acer's Timeline 3128 are similar. But the ThinkPad starts at $1,600 while the Acer goes for $900. What does the $700 buy? In general, a laptop that is better in many ways, though the Timeline offers much better battery life.

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Nokia's making another stab at the U.S. mobile phone market, led by the E71x. But despite an attractive $100 price with an AT&T contract, the E71x doesn't stand out in the crowded smartphone field

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Desktop PCs have been fading from the scene for years, but they may be poised for a modest rebound. One big reason is the combination of big touchscreen models--the Dell Studio One or the Hewlett-Packard TouchSmar--and the multitouch features of Windows 7.

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Since the advent of the iPhone 3G and iTunes App Store, Apple has become a tornado of creative destruction in the handset market. Now it's challenging new markets including in-car navigation, video production, and BlackBerry's hold on the corporate market

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The most striking thing about the Kindle DX is its size--it looks like a Kindle 2 with a screen nearly three times bigger than the original. But perhaps the most important thing is the ease with which businesses can load their own documents in PDF form

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The new Palm Pre may be the first phone that can challenge the iPhone. The hardware is solid and the OS is advanced. But there's one thing the iPhone has taught us: It's all about the apps

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Novatel's MiFi creates an instant Wi-Fi hotspot using the Verizon or Sprint networks. Lenovo Constant Connect silently feeds e-mail from a BlackBerry to a ThinkPad, but limited device support and difficult setup get in the way.

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Until recently, iPhone and BlackBerry users could read Microsoft Office documents sent to their phones but could not edit or alter them. Two applications, Quickoffice for the iPhone and Documents To Go for the BlackBerry, are changing that.

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You can get a Bluetooth headset for less than 20 dollars. But this is an area of technology where spending more is well worth it. We look at three headsets that offer superior voice quality, battery life, and noise reduction.

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Thin, light notebooks have been around for a while, but they have been aimed at well-heeled mobile execs. A new generation is emerging that will drive down prices below $1,000 and igniting conflict among Intel, AMD, and Nvidia.

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Dell, long known for its plain laptops, has made a design statement with the Adamo. But its performance is mundane, like that of most compact notebooks. And will the world clamor for a $2,000-plus laptop when the average price is falling below $1,000?

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Cisco Systems isn't the first company you'd name as a digital home entertainment leader, despite its Linksys networking gear, Scientific Atlanta set-top boxes, and Flip video cameras. Question is, can Cisco learn to think like a consumer electronics company?

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Computers' basic user interface has changed little since the Macintosh appeared 25 years ago. Using improvements in computer power and graphics, a startup called Bump Technologies has a fresh approach. Having to rewrite all applications is a huge hurdle.

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Research In Motion's new App World brings one-stop shopping to the BlackBerry. But the experience is nowhere near as slick as Apple's iTunes App Store because of the burdens of PayPal's checkout procedure and BlackBerry's own security measures.

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The Hub is Verizon Wireless' push for the home-phone market, where consumers have been shedding landlines by the millions. It's impressive, but it tries too hard to make you do what Verizon wants, not what you might want to do yourself.

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Applying some common sense in deciding what data you entrust to online services can save you from grief. Photos from that trip to Disney World? Good. The term sheet for a proposed acquisition? Better think again.

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The iPhone brought multi-touch interfaces to wide attention. Windows 7 will bring it to PCs. We take the multi-touch Dell Latitude XT2 for a spin with a trial version of Windows 7 and beta drivers from N-Trig. It has a way to go, but looks promising.

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Watching internet video on TV is a tough proposition at this point. Open-source software called Boxee aims to improve this and is available for use on Macs and on some PCs

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Taken one at a time, the changes in the design of the Kindle e-book reader don't amount to much. But the overall effect is a dramatic boost in the device's usability. Coupled with Amazon.com's excellent content service, the device is a winner that could change reading forever

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Netbooks are the hottest PCs out there, but standard operating systems, especially Windows, don't work well on displays smaller than 12 in. HP has built a new user interface that greatly enhances usability while hiding the complexities of Linux.

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Slow boot-up times have been an annoyance since the dawn of computing. The new HyperSpace software from Phoenix Technology lets a Windows laptop boot almost instantly into a Linux environment to get you working fast.

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Home networks are getting more complicated. Many households have a combo of Windows PCs and Macs. Hewlett-Packard's second-edition MediaSmart Home Server makes it easier for computers to communicate, back up their data, and share videos, music, and photos.

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A focus on clean design, better user control, and compatibility has Windows 7 off to a very promising start. It's a welcome change from the unfortunate launch of Vista.

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The tech industry and advocacy groups call for spending $10 billion to $40 billion to bring superfast broadband to the U.S. As a matter of social equity, the idea has merits. But it's not likely to provide a huge boost to the economy in the short run.

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While Microsoft, Google, and others seem to be betting the future of consumer applications is Web-based, Apple continues the push for improved native apps. But Apple's business model also depends on offering unique, superior software on the Mac platform.

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Three-dimensional displays have been an elusive goal for years but Nvidia's $19 kit, plus a high-end display and graphics adapter, can make existing software leap off the screen

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Why are classic movies unavailable on DVD and why are some titles available in Europe but not the U.S.? Why do movies appear on and disappear from download services seemingly at random. Blame it on an antiquated business model that serves mainly to encourage piracy

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PCs, not very newsy of late, may dominate tech news next year. Apple and Microsoft will have new operating systems, while mini-notebooks, or netbooks, which burst on the scene in 2008, will expand their market and could be sold more like wireless phones.

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The iPhone has accelerated a trend: Customers who once belonged to wireless carriers now identify with the maker of their handset or its software. This is turning the carriers into commodity bandwidth suppliers, but it increases choices for customers.

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New virtual machine versions from Parallels and VMware make Macs easier for business users.

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Microsoft is trying again to transform the Xbox 360 from just a gaming console into a whole-family entertainment center. A new user interface and a deal with Netflix to provide unlimited streaming of movies and TV shows might just do the trick

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The iPhone and the BlackBerry Storm are both wonderful products, but they are aimed at different users. The Storm is for people who primarily use a smartphone for messaging, while the iPhone is the choice for Web browsing, games, and cool applications.

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Open design is great in theory. But BW's Stephen Wildstrom reluctantly concludes that tight integration of hardware and software in proprietary designs may be why the iPhone and various BlackBerrys outpace such rivals as Windows Mobile

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Compared with what rivals offer, Apple has a limited lineup of notebook computers. But they keep gaining market share--and selling for twice what people pay for Windows notebooks. The reason: They're really good.

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The "paperless office" has been slow to appear. A new scanner and software combo for Neat Co. (formerly Neat Receipts) could change that. It scans and interprets documents, saves them to a database, and syncs with other programs.

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XOHM, a joint venture of Sprint Nextel and Clearwire, has lit up Baltimore as it starts its rollout of a national network. It's a promising beginning, but WiMAX faces challenges from tough financial markets and a rival technology called LTE.

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Android, Google's open-source smartphone software, makes its debut Oct. 22 with the T-Mobile G1. The software breaks down barriers between applications, but Android could be hampered by poor handset design and T-Mo's limited 3G U.S. network.

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Research In Motion invented the usable mini keyboard for the BlackBerry. It has reinvented it with the Storm. With a light touch for navigation and a harder press, with terrific tactile feedback, for typing, the touchscreen offers unprecedented accuracy

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A new generation of lightweight laptops with 12.1-inch widescreen displays are serious corporate workhorses, offering better keyboards, faster but energy-thrifty processors, and long battery life, plus prices that won't make a purchasing manager wince

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The T-Mobile G1, the first phone based on Google's Android open-software platform, has been unveiled. Its long-term success will depend on the efforts of third-party developers--and people's willingness to share even more personal information with Google

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Copying DVDs to hard drives has been difficult--and illegal. RealDVD simplifies and legalizes the process, but there are some significant restrictions on what you can do with the content.

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Google Chrome is a browser designed from the ground up with the understanding that Web pages have become complex applications rather than collections of text and images. To the extent it succeeds, desktop operating systems become less relevant.

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To hear AT&T tell it, the Net is running out of room, but studies suggest the traffic is not accelerating. Neutrality advocates claim ISP interference in video traffic with precious little to back the assertion. It's time to tone the argument down.

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The new Treo Pro is the best piece of hardware from Palm in some time. However, two big problems: It's being sold in the U.S. with no carrier partner at an unsubsidized $550 price, and Windows Mobile makes it hard to differentiate it from other products

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When analog TV stations go dark next Feb. 17, so will old analog TVs that rely on over-the-air broadcasts. Converter boxes won't let you take full advantage of digital signals.

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A discussion with Jay Greene, BusinessWeek's Seattle bureau chief, about a bevy of features in the latest compact digital cameras. They don't always make taking pictures any easier.

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BusinessWeek's Cliff Edwards takes a look at a new headset that can be tuned to read your thoughts and translate them into computer instructions so you can play a game or arrange photos without using your hands or speaking words

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BusinessWeek's Cliff Edwards says that by next year, recent deals will allow Panasonic and other TV makers to build in cable converters, eliminating set-top boxes

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An even bigger deal than Apple's July 11 announcement of its new iPhone 3G was the unveiling of its iTunes App Store to distribute third-party applications. The applications are varied and of mixed quality. The big lack: no turn-by-turn navigation.

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Recent months have seen contradictory trends in wireless networks. Google's Android and Verizon's Open Network point to a greater consumer choice, but Apple's iPhone 3G could be a step back.

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The availability of pricing information on the Web has revolutionized how cars are sold. Two new services, DriverSide and RepairPal are trying to do the same for repair services.

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Computer makers other than Apple mostly withdrew from software 25 years ago and watched Microsoft turn their products into commodities. HP hopes to use its software chops to differentiate itself - its latest effort is a much improved TouchSmart family PC

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Since the iPhone came out, handset makers have tried to replicate the touch-screen wonder. But software deficiencies mean that even a good copy, like the Samsung Instinct from Sprint, falls short. Now Apple is fostering more robust third-party software

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Firefox browser, an open-source project based on Netscape code, is pushing toward a 20% share of the market. A new version features improved performance and anti-fraud protections.

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For mobile search with speech recognition and location awareness, Yahoo's oneSearch and Microsoft's Tellme have complementary strengths and weaknesses, but both are likely to improve.

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There's more to Bluetooth these days, including wireless speakerphone kits for cars and setups that let your 3G phone work as a wireless modem for your laptop.

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Netflix has made some titles available for streaming on PC for several months. Now, pony up $100 for a Roku Netflix Player and see them on TV. The drawback: A poorly designed Web site.

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In the year since the iPhone launched, Research In Motion's BlackBerry has gained market share. The new Bold, with added appeal for corporate users, is BlackBerry's bid to counter Apple's second-generation iPhone

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Since the iPhone, multitouch hardware is getting more relevant. It gives users a more natural interaction with electronic devices, but the software still has a long way to go

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There's a lot of great video on the Web, but playing it on a handheld is a big challenge. vTap not only finds the video you want but reformats it so you can play it on your handset

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HP is the first top-tier U.S. laptop maker to introduce a low-cost mini-notebook aimed at the education market. The challenge is getting software that can fulfill the hardware's promise

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Photoshop Express really isn't an online version of the photo editing software. But a lot of Photoshop technology powers what may be the most capable site for fixing photos for Web display

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The SugarSync Manager and a Web service make it simple to get access to files of any sort from Windows PCs, Macs, Windows Mobile smartphones, or BlackBerrys.

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Adobe's Flash software is the standard for online video, but now it lets you watch TV shows, movies, and videos on one player that you can set up without calling on your teenager for tech support

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Apple is opening the iPhone to third-party applications, Verizon is opening its network, Google's Android is an open platform for handset software, and government rules require buyers of newly auctioned spectrum to be open to all

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Despite its name, Microsoft Office Live has little to do with Microsoft's suite of productivity applications. Instead, it's a package of tools to help small businesses establish a presence online. Ironically, one flaw is a lack of integration with Office

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Most of public Wi-Fi networks are unencrypted--that means everything you send or receive can be monitored by anyone with a laptop and some software. The best protection: Use a virtual private network or stick to secure Web sites

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A free software download fixes Apple TV's biggest shortcoming. You can now shop at the iTunes Store directly from your TV and rent as well as buy movies. But with just 500 movie titles available, Apple TV has a ways to go to become a compelling purchase

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Tech & You Columnist Steve Wildstrom says that the X300 is not as thin or as glamorous as the MacBook, but most mobile professionals will agree that it is better designed for the long haul

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Microsoft is working on a successor to the poorly received Vista. My unsolicited advice: Make it a lot more like a Mac, if necessary by creating a separate consumer version of the software

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Intel is readying two new generations of chips that will bring unprecedented power to handhelds. The Silverthorn will let mobile devices be smaller and run longer. The Moorestown may bring true computer-like performance to the iPhone and other handsets

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Databases are the workhorses of computing, but they are way too hard for most people to use. Bento, from Apple's FileMaker, brings the power of databases within the reach of everyone--at least if you have a Mac

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The new MacBook Air is the sexiest laptop ever designed. But before long you'll notice some deficiencies that will greatly impact those most likely to use it: mobile professionals

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Lots of folks were waiting for Service Pack 1 before moving to Windows Vista. With SP1 almost ready for release, they are likely to be disappointed. It fixes bugs and improves performance, but Vista's many annoyances are still with us

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BusinessWeek's Steve Wildstrom says that DayJet flies three-passenger micro-jets with prices based on how flexible fliers are. For travel between smaller cities, it's an alternative to driving or chartering a plane

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BusinessWeek's Steve Wildstrom says that for only $20, a startup called Blurb gives you the opportunity to create a book and sell the finished product online

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This long-overdue reworking of the Mac version of Office, the leading productivity software suite, is the first Mac version to take full advantage of Apple's move to Intel processors--and it's got even more than that going for it

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BW Tech & You Columnist Steve Wildstrom says that more bandwidth will be available for wireless networks after analog TV is shut down

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Wireless USB could eliminate the data cables that connect cameras, music players, and other gizmos to computer, while a wireless charger from wildCharge could eliminate many power cables

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Home computers are used for mail, documents, photos, music, and videos. Microsoft sees an opening for a home server product that can easily and securely store and share data

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Microsoft's Zune didn't dent Apple's dominance of the music market, but the company is trying again with a new and much improved version of the media player, and a subscription service

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Amazon has taken its knowledge of books and online selling to create a simple digital reading device. The main problem is the $400 price tag, which could come down if Kindle takes off

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BW's Steve Wildstrom thinks that Microsoft and Apple are both missing the home entertainment boat, especially since the arrival of a new generation of digital entertainment products that work just fine without a computer

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Encryption solves the problem of loss of confidential data, but it has been too difficult for most to use. New hard drives with encryption technology built in are changing the game

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With Leopard, the latest version of Mac OS X, Apple follows the eclectic software tradition of incorporating ideas from other programs. But while many ideas in Leopard come from Windows or Linux, Apple has found ways to improve on them

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Verizon Communications and AT&T have convinced BusinessWeek Tech & You Columnist Steve Wildstrom that more government involvement is needed to keep communications free of corporate interference

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Priced as low as $99, the new, smaller Palm Centro is a bid to expand the market for Palm's bigger and more expensive Treo smartphones. Will sales buy Palm enough time to keep going until the end of 2008, when its aged core software gets a rewrite?

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Research In Motion has just released two new BlackBerrys, the first to incorporate Wi-Fi. Superficially, the 8820 for AT&T and the 8320 Curve for T-Mobile seem a lot alike. Edge: the Curve

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The new Gateway One is a fine example of a neglected breed: the all-in-one desktop computer. But Tech & You columnist Stephen Wildstrom says it lacks the emotional appeal of the Apple iMac

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BusinessWeek's Technology & You columnist, Seve Wildstrom, talks about Vudu, a new service that delivers movies direct from the Internet to your TV

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More than an iPod, less than an iPhone--The Touch, Apple's newest iPod, creates a whole new product category. It has the look and feel of the iPhone, but has Wi-Fi only for browsing, not calling. It's a beautiful device, but some software omissions make it less useful than it could be

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BW's Tech & You columnist Steve Wildstrom says Apple and AT&T have locked down the iPhone's hardware and software, but others are frustrating the effort. Although it loses some functions, an iPhone freed by a hardware modification, supplied by PureMobile in Quebec, easily works on multiple GSM networks

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To avoid "termination" charges, ooma is using some of its customers--those who have kept regular phone lines--to serve as gateways to the local phone network. BusinessWeek's Steve Wildstrom says that when it looks like you're getting something for nothing, somebody is paying, and it might be you

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BusinessWeek Technology writer Cliff Edwards thinks that the Archos 605 Wi-Fi video player will allow even novices to get Net-based content on their TV. And despite the occasional hassle, this device offers one of the best experiences available in the still-troubled arena of Internet TV

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BusinessWeek's Jay Greene says that if you want Internet access wherever you go, there's an emerging technology called Wimax that aims to indulge that craving

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Over the years, Logitech has delivered plenty of innovations to make this time-honored device more versatile. But at this late date, is there really any way to build a better mouse? BusinessWeek Technology Writer Cliff Edwards thinks so

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3D graphics have been the province of serious gamers, but Microsoft is encouraging software developers to make more use of 3D in its Windows Vista OS. But the widely used graphics adapter, the Intel 965 Express family, is not optimized for 3D. Tech & You Columnist Steve Wildstrom discusses some suggestions on how to get better 3D graphics on a new PC

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BusinessWeek's Tech & You columnist Steve Wildstrom says that the new TiVo HD isn't quite the set-top box of his dreams, but it comes pretty close. And it is a harbinger of better things that will be here soon

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BusinessWeek's Tech & You columnist Steve Wildstrom says that techies have been promoting Wi-Fi as an alternative to conventional wireless phones for some time, but most people have found it hopelessly impractical. The new HotSpot @Home service from T-Mobile changes the game by letting users move seamlessly between Wi-Fi and calls on T-Mobile's GSM network

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BusinessWeek's Tech & You columnist Steve Wildstrom says that Apple isn't talking, but the decisions aren't as mysterious as they might appear. And they say a lot about the confused and confusing state of the U.S. wireless industry

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Tech & You columnist Steve Wildstrom says that lots of mobile executives would love to switch to Apple's new iPhone, but it's not ready for serious business. Luckily, its software problems can be fixed

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Tech & You columnist Steve Wildstrom says that he's a big fan of featherweight computers. But he has been discouraged by the slightest and lightest of this class because of the compromises they forced him to accept--cramped keyboards, undersized displays, poor battery life, puny storage, and less-than-stellar performance. But the Toshiba Portege R500 breaks that mold

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Tech & You Columnist Steve Wildstrom says that while Google has done a lot to improve Web search, it's still very 1999. Ask.com, has a better idea, with its three-pane approach to search results that really is more usable

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Tech & You Columnist Steve Wildstrom says that videos from YouTube and all other streaming media sites on the Web have one big disadvantage: You can't take them with you. But now, RealNetworks has a solution in RealPlayer 11, which can record noncopy-protected streaming video

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Tech & You Columnist Steve Wildstrom says that on July 1, Federal Communication Commission regulations 11 years in the making will liberate consumers from the tyranny of cable providers' set-top boxes. The new rules prohibit cable operators from combining tuning and security in a single integrated device. The CableCARD security module should lead to the creation of whole new classes of cable-ready devices. Consumers should finally get the boxes they want, not the ones the cable companies wants them to have

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Tech & You Columnist Steve Wildstrom tells us how after 25 years as the king of storage, the conventional hard-disk drive is coming under attack from a new breed of storage based on flash memory. The first laptops based on these new solid-state disks have hit the market, promising more speed, greater reliability, and more compact designs. For the time being, SSDs are much more expensive than conventional drives but the gap will narrow. And in the meantime, expect to see Windows Vista PCs using hybrid storage that combines flash with a conventional drive for improved performance

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Tech & You Columnist Steve Wildstrom tells us why the Flip camcorder from Pure Digital is an example of the terrific simplicity that can be achieved when a product is designed for a single purpose

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Globe-trotting BlackBerry users who prefer Verizon's wireless service--and there are many of them--have had to put up with service blackouts outside North America. The new BlackBerry 8830 World Edition lets them have their cake and eat it, too. At home, it runs on Verizon's CDMA voice and high-speed data network. Abroad, the 8830 magically morphs into a Vodafone GSM handset for voice and solid, although slower, data. You need never miss an e-mail again

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BusinessWeek's Steve Wildstrom talks to GuideWire's Cathy Brooks at the Innovate!Europe conference in Zaragoza, Spain. They discuss the changes in the European market over the last three years as well as the way that failure is perceived in Europe and the U.S., the cultural nature of that perception, and its impact on innovation. And guess which two countries are most like Silicon Valley when it comes to a culture of innovation...

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Kodak wants to change the digital photography game with a new line of printers that dramatically lowers the cost of home printing -- in order to compete with labs. Whether or not this is a winner for Kodak, it's good news for consumers

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BW Columnist Steve Wildstrom talks about the latest entrant to the digital music player market, the SanDisk Sansa connect, a new player that makes intelligent use of Wi-Fi connectivity. Well-designed middleware from ZING systems lets the Connect leverage Yahoo! Music Unlimited to Go's subscription music services

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Jaman's startup download service aims to become an online film festival for world movies and the works of independent filmmakers--the sort that don't have distribution deals with Miramax Film or Fox Searchlight Pictures. BW's Tech & You columnist, Steve Wildstrom says that for anyone looking to go beyond the greatest hits approach of iTunes, CinemaNow, and the others, Jaman is well worth a look

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The increased customer interaction provided by social networking sites creates both opportunities and pitfalls for businesses. A new service called Ning provides a relatively easy way for small and medium-sized businesses to get into the game

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BusinessWeek's Steve Wildstrom says the FlipStart, a mini-clamshell laptop from Paul Allen's Vulcan Portals, is the best attempt so far at putting a PC into a tiny package. But for this class of product to succeed, Microsoft, an avid promoter of the ultra-mobile PC, must rethink Windows for smaller displays

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The quickly growing stock of movies and shows available for download is too scattered to allow any one service to gain traction. BW's Steve Wildstrom says the downloaded entertainment revolution is going to remain on pause until Hollywood loses its overwhelming fear of piracy

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BW Tech & You Columnist Steve Wildstrom screens some Apple TV. Like nearly all products coming out of Apple these days, Apple TV is brilliantly executed. It's a set-top box that lets you play content--movies, TV shows, podcasts, photos, music--from an iTunes library on a computer in your home on your television set. The problem is that you can only play iTunes content--and that leaves out an awful lot you might want to see

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BusinessWeek's Steve Wildstrom says that extended use of Microsoft's new operating system has failed to make some annoying features less vexing. The biggest problem is User Account control, a security feature that requests permission before installing software of changing system settings. It's an example of a good idea gone too far. And while you can turn it off, doing so compromises the security of Vista

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BusinessWeek's Steve Wildstrom finds that search engines still have trouble locating a business inside your zip code. He tests the major Web search engines, and concludes that you're better off using alternative sites to find local information

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Much hyped, Web-based software is becoming a serious competitor to conventional desktop applications. Glide OS 2.0 from Transmedia tries to replace most software with Web-based equivalents. It may be too ambitious, but it points to an interesting future

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When it introduced the Pearl last fall, Research In Motion brought some style to its competent but rather stodgy BlackBerry handheld. The new BlackBerry 8800 inherits many of the features of the more consumer-oriented Pearl, including the shiny black and silver look and the little pearl-like trackball that replaces the traditional BlackBerry scroll wheel. But the 8800 includes a full keyboard, which makes it a powerful e-mail machine

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An electronic family communication center has long been the dream of the PC industry, and the latest manifestation is the Hewlett-Packard TouchSmart IQ770. This is a very nice all-in-one PC with some specialized applications designed to let family members share information easily. But it's not likely to replace the note stuck to the refrigerator as the family messaging system

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Windows Vista represents a considerable advance in the security of Microsoft operating systems, but that doesn't mean you can let your guard down. Whether you are running Vista or XP, you are going to need additional software to protect your computer from the bad guys on the Net. Changes in both software and the common types of attacks increasingly argue for a single integrated tool to provide antivirus, antispyware, and firewall protection, and Tech & You columnist Steve Wildstrom thinks Norton Internet Security 2007 is the best of the current crop Windows Vista represents a considerable advance in the security of Microsoft operating systems, but that doesn't mean you can let your guard down. Whether you are running Vista or XP, you are going to need additional software to protect your computer from the bad guys on the Net. Changes in both software and the common types of attacks increasingly argue for a single integrated tool to provide antivirus, antispyware, and firewall protection, and Tech & You columnist Steve Wildstrom thinks Norton Internet Security 2007 is the best of the current crop

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The Tablet PC languished in the four years since Microsoft introduced it. With the release of Vista, Tablet software is getting deserved improvements, and PC manufacturers are responding with interesting Tablet laptops. Some features could become standard

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The increasing use of video on home networks is creating more demand for speed than Wi-Fi systems can deliver. A new version of an old technology, data over power lines, may provide the answer. Homeplug AV and Powerline HD, provide enough bandwidth to send high quality video around your home

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Plunging prices and rising quality have made navigation devices based on the global positioning system indispensable for travelers. Many mobile phone handsets now include GPS circuitry, and subscription navigation services do a more than respectable job. Dedicated systems that mount on your car's windshield or dashboard are a step up and are available for as little as $200

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Some of the safety features in the Microsoft Vista operating system will probably make you feel annoyed. But don't mess with them -- they're actually good for you, says BW technology columnist Steve Wildstrom

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The most dramatic change in Microsoft's flagship product in more than a decade, Vista is very pretty to look at, but its real significance lies in the underlying improvements in Windows security, says BW's Steve Wildstrom

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With its 15-year legacy, Microsoft's Office has high expectations to meet. BW columnist Steve Wildstrom reviews the latest version of the software. He gives high marks to the way commands are grouped, but also has some reservations about the new product

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Tech & You Columnist Steve Wildstrom says it doesn't take much of a fortune-teller to predict the big tech news of 2007. Early next year Microsoft will finally roll out Vista and a major overhaul of Microsoft Office. And probably before spring Apple will release Leopard, the latest version of OS X. But these new releases may be dinosaurs, because the action is moving to the Web

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Tech & You Columnist Steve Wildstrom talks about HD radio. While television is making a highly publicized transition to digital, high-definition broadcasts, a much quieter transition is underway to HD radio. The big advantage of the new standard is better sound quality, with digital FM sounding nearly as good as CDs and digital AM approaching standard FM quality. The digital transition also gives broadcasters the ability to send out two or three channels in their existing bandwidth. But limited availability of receivers and poor programming put a damper on the appeal of HD radio

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Many high-tech products are far too complicated for most people, and that makes them doubly intimidating -- and useless -- to many older folks who are uncomfortable with technology. Two new products, the GreatCall Jitterbug phone and the HP Printing Mailbox, address themselves to this market by offering maximum simplicity and the relatively low cost of very limited features

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Though quantities are severely limited, Sony's PlayStation 3 has finally arrived. It's an impressive technical achievement, with graphics that are better than anything seen before in a game console. But is that enough to ensure a payoff for Sony? The company has struggled due to its severely underdeveloped networking capabilities. And the economics of the PS3 are daunting

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Not surprisingly, the success of Motorola's thin and inexpensive Q smartphone is inspiring competition. Versions of a couple of competitors that have been available for a while in Europe and Asia have landed on North American shores. Cingular is offering the Nokia E62, a full-keyboard smartphone based on the Symbian operating system. It can easily hook up to corporate e-mail systems using BlackBerry Connect or Good Messaging Service. The more consumer-oriented T-Mobile Dash, also known as the HTC Excalibur, can get data using both T-Mobile's network and Wi-Fi hot spots

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The new Zune music player and service is Microsoft's latest attempt to win a share of the market dominated by the iPod and the iTunes store. Its main distinction: a wireless connection that allows Zune owners to share music

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BW Columnist Steve Wildstrom wonders why it took Microsoft so long to launch IE 7, especially now that it must confront challengers like Firefox

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The Hewlett Packard Media Vault is a big disk drive, 300 gigabytes or more, that you can hang directly on your network, and HP has done a good job of making it accessible from any computer on the net. Considering the huge and growing size of video downloads, music, and photos, this is a great idea. But the digital rights management schemes used to protect commercial content, especially movies and TV shows, make the Media Vault a lot less useful than it might be

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Teaching math is heading into a back-to-basics phase. But while excessive reliance on technology might be partly responsible for declining skills, the Casio ClassPad 300 Plus, a new type of calculator, can enhance the understanding of math

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You can get a perfectly serviceable mouse for $15, so what do you get if you spend upwards of $75? In a couple of words: features and customization. New cordless mice from Microsoft and Logitech represent the state of the art. The MX Revolution from Logitech is the most interesting, featuring a new kind of scroll wheel that lets you move through through a document one click at a time or in a free-wheeling mode that lets you zip through the longest spreadsheets

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Chances are great that Americans will face widespread problems when they go to cast their ballots on Nov. 7. Not because of the much-publicized vulnerability of electronic voting systems to hackers, serious as they might be, but because we have unwisely deployed technology without the training and systems needed to make it work effectively. As a result, overworked and undertrained election officials make mistakes, and chaos ensues

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While far better than the monochrome displays on earlier e-books in both appearance and power consumption, the Sony Reader falls short of real print on paper

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The availability of movies and other entertainment for download from the Internet is growing daily, but getting that content to television sets, which is where most people want to watch it, remains a daunting challenge. Part of the problem is that the technology isn't quite there. But the bigger issue is the reluctance of the Hollywood studios to take the plunge into the digital era

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Who needs the computing equivalent of a V-12 engine? Creative professionals: graphic artists, photographers, musicians, and video- and filmmakers, along with scientists, designers, and engineers. But Tech & You Columnist Steve Wildstrom says the Mac Pro also holds great appeal for serious amateurs

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RIM BlackBerrys are corporate icons. But no one has ever accused them of being fun or stylish. BW Columnist Steve Wildstrom reviews the new BlackBerry Pearl, which crams a small keyboard, a camera, and a media player into a package the size of a standard candy-bar phone

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The recall of nearly 6 million Dell and Apple laptop batteries brought to light what has long been the tech industry's dirty little secret: The batteries that power our laptops, wireless phones, iPods, and cameras are potential incendiaries, says BusinessWeek's Tech & You columnist Steve Wildstrom

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BusinessWeek's Tech & You columnist, Steve Wildstrom, thinks that LEGO's enhanced Mindstorms kit could help spark an early interest in science and serve as an antidote to today's popular high-tech toys and shoot-em-up video games

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It's an article of faith in the tech industry that competition is good for everyone. But the history of the PC provides a good illustration of where competition works for consumers and where it doesn't. In part two of a two-part podcast, BusinessWeek Tech & You columnist Steve Wildstrom says that the wireless coverage is so reliable in Europe because they made a decision early on to build to the same GSM standard

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It's an article of faith in the tech industry that competition is good for everyone. But the history of the PC provides a good illustration of where competition works for consumers and where it doesn't. In part one of a two-part podcast, BusinessWeek Tech & You columnist Steve Wildstrom says that the pressure to squeeze out every penny of cost yields PCs as commoditized as wheat or cement

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Popular for cars and to some degree homes as well, satellite radio hasn't been able to make a go of it for mobile units. Two new, nearly identical XM2Go receivers neatly address the problem. The Samsung Helix and Pioneer Inno add interesting capabilities: You can use them to record music broadcast by XM to be played back whenever you like, and you can mix recorded XM music with MP3 digital recordings from your computer

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Six months before the release of a major new operating system, you would expect the Microsoft hype machine to be running at full buzz. But there's a curious lack of anticipation in the runup to Windows Vista, which Microsoft says will ship early in 2007. That's partly because PCs and their software are maturing. But it also reflects a lack of truly compelling new features in Vista, says BW's Steve Wildstrom

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The growing supply of TV shows and movies available for download on the Web amount to a good argument for a device that links the Internet and your TV. But BW Tech & You columnist Steve Wildstrom says he's growing increasingly doubtful that Microsoft's Windows XP Media Center Edition is the right way to do it. The problem: too much Windows, not enough entertainment. We need software that does its job and stays out of the way

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The most distinctive feature of Toshiba's Qosimo G35-AV650 laptop: a high-definition DVD drive. But that's probably the worst reason to buy it. Neither Toshiba's HD-DVD nor Sony's rival Blu-ray Disc is really ready for prime time. Consumers would do much better to wait until the technology matures -- and maybe until a single standard emerges

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There's more -- and less -- than meets the eye to the fight over "net neutrality" now raging in Washington, says BW's Steve Wildstrom. The two sides, basically phone and cable companies on one hand and big Internet players like Google and Microsoft on the other, want you to believe this is about freedom and innovation. But it mostly revolves around money. Fortunately, there's a way out of the swap that can protect the interests of both the big players and the public at large

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Since vanquishing its rivals in the 1990s, Microsoft Office has owned the market for productivity applications such as word processors and spreadsheets. But simple and free Web-based applications are presenting Gates & Co. with a real challenge in the consumer and small business markets. The outstanding new offering is Google Spreadsheets, a surprisingly full-featured upstart that can replace Microsoft Excel for many users. But the trick for the publishers of these new Web-based applications is finding a way to make money off them

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The new Pioneer Inno XM Satellite Radio receiver lets you listen to XMs live broadcasts and record music and shows. But the record industry has gone to court to block its sale, claiming that that by allowing recording, XM has changed its service from a broadcast to an illegal download service. Record companies are continuing the fight to sustain their outmoded business model

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As millions of students prepare to go to college, many are thinking about what sort of computer they should take. This year, I have some new advice: For most students, the best bet is a Mac. Mac OS X is the best consumer operating system available, and it comes with an suite of excellent applications, including iPhoto, iMovie, and Garage Band. And with the move to Intel processors, Apple has closed both the performance gap and the affordability gap between Macs and Windows PCs

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For longtime Palm fans, Windows envy is over. For the past six months or so, Palm's latest and greatest hardware, the Treo 700, has only been availalbe in a version that runs Windows Mobile. But now we have the Treo 700p from Sprint and Verizon, an all-Palm version of the 700 hardware. And there's a nice bonus: Not only does the 700p run on Sprint and Verizon's high-speed data networks, you can use it as a modem to give your laptop wireless data access as well

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Consumers had to wait a long time for Motorolas Q to make it to market, but its finally here, with the style and panache we have come to expect from Motorola products of late. The Q breaks new ground by incorporating a full keyboard and big display -- for a handheld -- into Microsofts Windows Mobile Smartphone edition software. This version has some disadvantages -- in comparison to the more powerful Pocket PC version -- but on the whole, the Q is a winner

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Skype, the free computer-to-computer phone service owned by eBay, also offers a cheap way to make calls to conventional phones, especially for international callers. A couple of new USB accessories make it very easy to turn your laptop into a high-quality Skype speakerphone. And in a bid to increase its presence in the U.S. market, Skype is offering free calls to any phone in North America for the rest of the year

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This week's podcast, featuring BW's Steve Wildstrom, originates at the Innovate!Europe 2006 conference in Zaragosa, Spain. It is conventional wisdom in the U.S. that government efforts to spur innovative businesses are doomed to failure. That belief is not shared in the Autonomous Region of Aragon in Spain, where the governments of the region and the capital city of Zaragosa are working to promote innovation in energy production and other businesses -- apparently with some success

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After receiving a lot of hype in the late 1990s, speech recognition software seemed to have gone into a long hibernation. But it never went away, and it remained the object of intense research in industrial and academic laboratories. After BW's Steve Rosenbush spent a day catching up with the latest in speech technology at IBM's Thomas J. Watson Research Center, he discovered the technology is much improved -- and poised for a comeback on laptops and handheld devices

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In "An Itsy-Bitsy Problem," BW's Peter Elstrom interviews Tech and You columnist Stephen H. Wildstrom about the new Q1 from Samsung, the first product to incorporate a Microsoft-Intel design called the ultra-mobile PC. Its small, but it has two big drawbacks. One is a $1,099 price tag. The other is that its Windows XP software just doesnt work very well on its 7-inch widescreen display. For the UMPC to succeed, it will need software specifically designed to work on small displays

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Early next year, when Microsoft celebrates the release of its much delayed update of Windows, called Vista, it will probably mark the end of the road for Windows as an all-in-one operating system. Projects on the scale of the systemupdating and writing tens of millions of lines of interlocking codeare becoming impossible to debug fully. Windows will make money for Microsoft for a long time, but theres a better way to build such software. Technology exists that can divide a large and complex operating system into a number of smaller, simpler units that run on one computer but function independently of each other. To the user, it will look much like todays software, but it will be less prone to glitches, crashes, and attacks

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Apple Computer caused a huge stir in early April when it released software called Boot Camp that lets Windows XP run on new Intel-powered Macs. Apple's stock even got a 10% pop. Despite the program's elegance, it's the wrong solution for the many people who might like to buy a Mac but need to run an occasional Windows program. There's a better way

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Disney's Apr. 10 announcement that it was making an assortment of current ABC Television shows available for streaming on the Web was the latest in a string of deals bringing real television to the Internet. We are even seeing the first bit of high-definition television from aggregator Akimbo. But for Internet television to become truly mainstream, two things have to happen. Viewers need a unified source of programming information, sort of a TV Guide for the Web. And most importantly, we need a way to get the programming from computers to TV sets, which is where most people want to watch it

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Antipiracy safeguards embedded in digital TV programming create a new set of problems for those trying to hook up TV cables. The problem stems from restrictive antipiracy measures imposed by companies that own the content. At best, the transition to HDTV was going to be confusing for consumers. But the piracy safeguards embedded in the hardware make it much more complicated, according to BusinessWeek's Tech & You columnist, Steve Wildstrom

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Many folks who listen to digital music have a large collection and treasure the freedom to dip into it wherever they choose. Two new products, the Roku SoundBridge Radio and the Apple iPod Hi-Fi, offer relatively inexpensive ways to enjoy tunes -- with high-quality sound -- on the go. BusinessWeek's Tech and You columnist, Steve Wildstrom, tries both and gives us his report

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Now that nearly every new laptop comes equipped with Wi-Fi, it seems you should be able to plunk your computer down just about anywhere, log on to a wireless network, and get to work. Alas, it's not that simple, because Wi-Fi is neither ubiquitous nor always cheap. That's why new PCs that use both very fast cell-phone networks and Wi-Fi are attractive. But which service is the right one for you? BusinessWeek's Tech and You columnist, Steve Wildstrom helps you choose

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Apple is continuing to push the conversion of its line to Intel processors, introducing two Intel-powered minis and the MacBook, the successor to the 15-inch PowerBook G4. Because these models are skipping forward a full processor generation, they show much more impressive performance gains than the iMac introduced earlier this year. And they both display a lot of typical, nice Apple touches: a breakaway power cord and an iSight camera in the MacBook, Front Row software, and easy connections to a TV in the minis

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Back in the mid-1990s, security experts warned Microsoft that integrating a Web browser deeply into Windows was a mistake. A decade and countless security vulnerabilities later, Microsoft is tacitly conceding the critics had it right. The new version of Internet Explorer to be released as part of the Vista version of Windows this fall -- and separately for Windows XP -- loses much of the privileged relationship with Windows that the Microsoft browser has long enjoyed

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The explosive growth of digital media means that PC disk drives with 60 or even 100 gigabytes -- which once seemed limitless -- are filling up. Fortunately, there are solutions that both solve your storage problems and make sharing content on a home network much simpler

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High-definition and digital TV are already vastly confusing for consumers. Now laypeople will have even more furrowed brows. Get ready for a new HD standard called 1080p -- and for a war between two contenders that both want to distinguish themselves as the next-generation high-def DVD. Combining the best of the two most popular HD standards, 1080p provides both very high resolution of larger displays and the ability to handle rapid action well. The problem: No 1080p content is available and probably wont be until settlement of the DVD format fight. Still, if you're buying a display larger than 40 inches, getting one capable of a 1080p display might serve as good future insurance

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The job of keeping a home PC free of viruses, spyware, and other pests has become overwhelming for many consumers. Even when assembled into "suites," users are faced with an assortment of programs, each designed to deal with a specific threat. And configuring them properly often requires knowledge far beyond that available to most nonprofessionals. But things are improving. A startup called TrustELI provides hardware and service to manage the security of a home network on a wireless router. And security heavyweights are moving toward better integrated and more managed solutions

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Web sites know a lot more about you than you probably realize. Mostly, site owners care about the aggregate behavior of users -- and are not out to invade your privacy. But two factors threaten what remains of privacy: First, improvments in technology may make it possible for others to identify you as an individual out of snippets of "nonpersonally identifiable" data. Second, the government's growing appetite for information about people's Web behavior might trump any site's privacy pledges

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At first glance, and even after you have used it for a while, the newest iMac seems almost identical to the version released last fall. The similarity is amazing for a machine that has undergone a brain transplant, going from an IBM PowerPC G5 to an Intel Core Duo. Because the Intel chip uses entirely different instructions than the G5, Apple had to work some software magic through a remarkable technology called Rosetta. Its not perfect, but it comes pretty close

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BW's Steve Wildstrom discusses the newest Intel processor, the Core Duo, designed to narrow the growing performance gap between desktops and laptops. Like the desktop Pentium D released last year, the Core Duo puts two processors on a single chip, gaining a better trade-off between performance on the one hand, and cooling requirements and power consumption on the other. But no one can determine for sure what impact it will have on battery life -- or the ideal configuration for laptop buyers looking forward to the release of Windows Vista this fall

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Add-on car navigation systems have improved greatly and the nuvi 300 from Garmin stands out as the slickest yet, says BW columnist Steve Wildstrom. The biggest difference between the new products and older version is that very fast GPS systems can get a location fix very quickly while speedy processors take just seconds to generate new directions if you deviate from the suggested route. At $900, the nuvi is expensive, but offers some very nice features. Its just about the size of a deck of cards, so you can remove it from the car and slip it into your pocket, and an optional talking phrase book and travel guide can enhance its value

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When Congress returns at the end of this month, one of its first acts will be to give final approval to a bill that sets Feb. 17, 2009 as the date when broadcast television stations in the U.S. will go all digital, abandoning the analog technology they have been using for the past 60 years. But most U.S. TV viewers will never notice, because they get their signals from cable or satellite, not from over-the-air broadcasts. The new rules will affect you, though, if you are looking to buy a new TV in the next couple of years. Cheap analog-only CRTs are disappearing fast. But the good news is that the cost of new flat panel sets i8s continuing to plunge

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Palm has unveiled the much-anticipated Windows-based Treo 700w, and it looks like a very impressive piece of work, says BW's Steve Wildstrom. The company took full advantage of its license to modify the Windows Mobile software -- hence producing the first Pocket PC whose stylus will almost never leave its storage slot. Now available from Verizon Wireless, Treo 700w should be offered by other carriers later in the year

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With negotiations to settle a patent infringement case stalled, theres still a possibility that a judge could shut down Research In Motions BlackBerry mobile e-mail service. But there's good news for millions of BlackBerry addicts: A number of existing alternatives can keep the e-mail flowing to mobile workers -- whether individuals, employees of small or medium-size businesses, or part of large-scale corporate deployments

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Microsoft's Windows Vista, the new version of Windows due out at the end of 2006, has received poor reviews from a number of observers. The primary reason: Microsoft has dumped some major planned features it couldnt finish if it wanted to make its shipping deadline. But Vista is still going to prove itself a crucial development for both business and home computer users. It makes some highly significant changes in the security architecture of Windows -- which should produce safer and more reliable computing. But it remains unclear as to what sort of hardware users will need to take full advantage of Vista

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The last few years have looked pretty dull in PC-land. Faster and cheaper is nice, but it's been a long time since any real breakthroughs in PC hardware or software came to the market. Next year should prove different. It will begin with the announcement of the first Apple PCs to run on Intel processors. And toward the end of 2006, Microsoft will roll out Windows Vista, the first big change in the look and feel of Windows in a decade. I suspect that both developments will have greater lasting importance than is immediately apparent. The new Mac could position Apple to play a major role in the digital home of the future, and Vista could provide major improvements in the security and reliability of personal computing

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Sony BMG's fiasco with copy-protection software reveals enormous pitfalls in content owners' plans to prevent piracy through digital-rights management (DRM). But DRM is essential to making the content available, and there are ways to do it right. To make the revolution in digital media a success, rights management must be based on standards. It should be interoperable, so that users can play all types of content on all devices. Above all, it should be designed with the consumers' needs in mind

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The Xbox 360 takes console gaming to a new level. With high-definition video, the best Xbox 360 games approach cinematic realism. But the Xbox means more to Microsoft than games -- it seeks to dominate the digital living room of the future. Here the device falls short, as it's too noisy to serve as a primary media player and is saddled with all the flaws of Microsoft's Media Center PC

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Classical music lovers are a small but passionate segment of the music-buying population, but many feel left out of the digital revolution. The pickings at online music stores are sparse, and the quality of downloadable recordings is not acceptable to serious listeners. Olive Media Products hopes to change all that with its $899 Symphony, a digital music player designed for classical listening

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For years, an assortment of technologies designed to let people with disabilities use computers effectively have been available, but at the high cost dictated by the relatively small market. Now that the oldest baby boomers are hitting 60 and increasingly vulnerable to the infirmities of aging, a niche market is going mainstream. BW's Steve Wildstrom takes a look at some technologies that can help with a variety of sensory and motor problems, including a new generation of Microsoft mice with built-in screen magnifiers, a mouse that can filter out tremors, and a system that can create on-the-fly captions for video

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BW's Steve Wildstrom discusses the challenges faced by the BlackBerry. Although it has produced a hugely popular product, RIM -- manufacturer of the device -- has much new competition. A number of e-mail service providers now compete with BlackBerry service. Microsoft is readying new wireless capabilities that some execs call a BlackBerry killer. And RIM is enmeshed in a patent suit. Fortunately, the company has a promising new handheld in the works

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There may be more than meets the eye to the recently announced strategic relationship between Google and Sun Microsystems. Google clearly is itching to challenge Microsoft on the desktop. Of course, there are still daunting technical and business challenges ahead

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With Windows Mobile 5, Microsoft significantly narrows the gap between the Pocket PC Phone Edition and rival devices such as Treos and BlackBerrys. A new Treo built on Microsoft's software, and due from Verizon Wireless early next year, should finish the job

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What do consumers know that corporations don't? That wide-screen laptops are a really good idea. These designs now account for the overwhelming majority of laptops sold to consumers and small businesses but remain extremely rare in large enterprises. The corporate view seems to be that wide-screens are only good for movies, but I found that, in addition to being ideal for airplane use, a new breed of thin, light wide-screens are also great for traditional business applications

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It happened to me, and sooner or later it will happen to you-hard-drive failure. But when my disk died, it was a nuisance, not a disaster because I had it backed up two different ways. And if you havent backed up but really, truly need the data, data recovery offers and expensive but potentially lifesaving alternative

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Palm will soon announce a Treo that runs Microsoft Windows Mobile 5 rather than Palm OS. What does this mean for Palm and the future of handheld devices?

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Time was about the only electronics you'd find on most please boats was a two-way radio. But the marine electronics revolution has drastically changed boating. State-of-the-art systems, such as the Raymarine E-series, can superimpose radar and global positioning system data on an integrated chart display, and even add satellite imagery and the phone number of dockside restaurants. But even the most sophisticated fish finder still can't guarantee catching anything

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An August column on simplified wireless phones for small children produced a lot of reader response wondering where similar products might be for a lot of other people who could use simpler handsets: the handicapped, the elderly, and a lot of folks who just want a simple phone to make a simple phone call. But at least in the U.S., where carriers are pursuing a youth market with ever fancier phones, the market for simplicity is badly underserved

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The newest consumer camcorders offer the ability to record your own HD video. But editing it and playing it back is another matter. The editing problem is being solved, but HD sharing and playback will remain a big issue until the industry solves some fundamental problems

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The Web is evolving rapidly in ways that make it more interesting and useful. One major development is the deployment of Web services that can be combined to create something entirely new

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Security threats on the Internet keep getting nastier. You owe it to yourself and others to take precautions--and here's some advice on what you should do

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Computers are terrific at arithmetic, but students at all levels need help to develop the required skills. Some of our kids aren't learning the math they'll need for a successful career through their own lack of diligence or effort. But far more are being failed by professionals that are paid to know better

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Parents see phones as a good way to contact kids whenever they wishin an emergency, to communicate a change of plans, and just to satisfy curiosity about here the kids are and what they are doing. A couple of companies have designed phones specifically for the grade-school set. Both the Firefly from Firefly Mobile and the TicTalk from Enfora are drastically simplified handsets that offer parents complete control over who their children can talk to and how much time the spend on the phone

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Microsoft Student 2006 is a $100 package that promises to use the power of personal computing to help students learn. But it's something of a hodgepodge, combining features of the MSN Encarta encyclopedia with an assortment of adds-ons to Microsoft Office. Parents might do more for their kids if they spend the money on some good books instead

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Rising processing demands are causing computers to bog down even while running routine tasks such as e-mail or Web browsing. Instead of merely boosting processor speeds as in the past, Intel and AMD are bringing real relief with new chips that combine two processors on a single piece of silicon

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Popular wisdom to the contrary notwithstanding, most of the world's knowledge is not freely available on the Web. Instead, it's hidden away in subscription-only databases or in those ancient stores of information, books. Several efforts are underway to make this content more accessible, though sometimes for a price. Steve takes a look at such services as Yahoo! Search Subscriptions, Google Scholar, Scirus, and Google Print

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Google Earth, a new free program from the ubiquitous search company, is a fascinating new way to use a PC to explore the world. The program lets you fly over a global mosaic of satellite imagery, zooming in and out of points of interest, from the Grand Canyon to your childhood home. It's not clear what Google Earth is really useful for, but it sure is fun

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Digitizing vinyl LP records or tapes is a lot more difficult than ripping CDs. But if you have analog recordings that are not available on CD, preserving them in digital form may be worth the effort. Steve discusses some tools that can help you do the job

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