Soluto's PC troubleshooting Web service has saved many a forehead from banging against a desk. By scanning computers for installed software and crowdsourcing problems, Soluto's consumer service helps with everything from boot times and app crashes to remote configuration. Soluto used the wealth of data it collected in this way to compile a list of the ten most reliable Windows laptops currently on the market, dominated by a surprising star?and it's not a PC.
It's Apple's 13-inch MacBook Pro.
Soluto's collected data about crashes, hangs, and BSoDs crowns the mid-2012 MacBook Pro 13" as the most reliable Windows PC.
The list published today is based on information collected from 150,000 laptops since January 1, 2013. Analysis took into account application crashes, hangs, and blue screens. Soluto believes the MacBook Pro 13" may have gained its spot at the top of the list because of its clean Windows installations: When users install Windows on a MacBook, it comes as Microsoft intended, completely free of any OEM extras.
Second on the list is the affordable Acer Aspire E1-571, which costs a third as much as the MacBook Pro 13" yet was nearly as stable and trouble-free. The Acer comes out slightly ahead of the much fancier Dell XPS 13, which comes with an SSD and costs more than twice as much. Soluto notes that a full 32% of Soluto users removed the version of Windows that shipped with their Dell XPS, opting to start out with a clean Windows installation instead.
Recently, Google has been busy beefing up Latitude to make it more competitive with other location apps -- and more fun to use. Location history was added recently, iOS users can post check-ins via Latitude, and now Google has begun rolling out location-based deals which are tied to the service.
If you're in the U.S., you can now score local savings at participating merchants by checking in with Latitude. Google will also be offering "status deals," which users can unlock by visiting a particular merchant on a regular basis. Mashable notes three status levels: regular, VIP, and guru -- though partners can apparently customize those titles if they choose.
Right now deals are available from merchants like American Eagle Outfitters, Arby's, Finish Line, Macy's, Quiznos, and RadioShack.
PCs that are cooler, smaller and faster were announced by computer makers Sunday in advance of Computex, with the new machines featuring Intel's speedier fourth-generation Core processors code-named Haswell.
Asus, Cyberpower and MicroCenter announced all-in-ones, gaming laptops and desktops with Haswell, with major PC makers like Dell, Acer and others expected to follow in the coming days. Many new PCs will be on display at the Computex trade show in Taipei, which opens Tuesday.
The announcements came on the same day Intel announced its first fourth-generation quad-core Core i7 and i5 chips based on Haswell. Intel is expected to announce more Haswell processors at Computex.
Haswell chips provide better speed and power efficiency over third-generation Core chips code-named Ivy Bridge, which shipped last year, said Kelt Reeves, CEO of PC maker Falcon Northwest.
If you find a feeling of helpless despair descending upon you every time you open up your email inbox, help is at hand?you can get on top of your messages without hiring a personal secretary, and we're here to show you how.
DirecTV subscribers with a penchant for travel have long had access to the Nomad (now GenieGO), a box that packages their DVR recordings for viewing on PCs and iOS devices. They haven't had an Android app, however, until now. Like its iOS peer, the new GenieGO client (which is new, despite the version number) can either directly stream recorded shows or download them for offline catch-up sessions. Don't expect just any old Android hardware to work, though -- DirecTV can only vouch for compatibility with a small roster of devices that focuses mostly on Motorola, the Nexus line and Samsung. Nonetheless, any customer who has both a GenieGO and a Google inclination can give the app a shot at the source links.
The Samsung Galaxy S 4 Active isn't really much of a secret at this point, despite the fact that it's still unannounced. It's already been seen in its share of images and videos, and the I537 -- the AT&T-branded version -- has even been spotted passing through the FCC. Fortunately, @evleaks dug up some imagery of this particular variant of the rugged smartphone in black (though it will supposedly be offered in teal as well), complete with the trademark AT&T globe on the back. It's rumored to offer a 1.9GHz quad-core Snapdragon 600 chipset, HD display, 8-megapixel rear camera and water-resistant protection. What's more, we're being told that this is just one of many Samsung devices on its way to the large GSM operator this year, accompanying the Galaxy S4 Mini, Galaxy S3 Mini (oddly), Galaxy Mega 6.3 and Galaxy Note 3. Pricing is still unknown, but we have to wonder if the date on the phone's display above is an indication of what we can expect to see at Samsung's June 20th event.
In previous editorials I've shared my opinion on the state of the Mac Pro and what the next Mac Pro could have inside. Now it's time to ask a more fundamental question: Do we need the Mac Pro at all? After all, isn't the iMac the...well...pro desktop Mac?
Blurring the line
Topping out with a a $2000 price tag before you get fancy, it's easy to look at the 27-inch iMac and conclude that it is a suitable replacement for a Mac Pro, at least for most Mac users.
Inside the high-end 27-inch iMac model is a speedy quad-core Intel Core i5 processor clocked at 3.2 GHz, with a blazing fast 3.4 GHz i7 as a configure to order option; RAM configurable to 32 GB, up to 3 terabytes of storage space in a combination SSD/hard disk "Fusion Drive;" a speedy Nvidia GeForce GTX 675MX graphics subsystem with 1TB of video memory. There aren't a lot of compromises inside the iMac.
Two Thunderbolt ports, Gigabit Ethernet, SDXC slot, four USB 3.0 ports, optical digital audio output. You can even hook up a 30-inch display to the big iMac through Thunderbolt and dramatically increase your desktop space further. Yep, all the pieces are there for the iMac to be a real pro machine if you want it to.
Indeed, the iMac has found a home on the desk of many Mac-using pros. Gobs of performance, sufficient expandability to be flexible enough for a wide variety of tasks, and a gorgeous, slim design that looks really good. You can even mount it on a wall or an articulated arm if you want to.
But despite all those attributes, it's clear that the iMac is designed to suit a fundamentally different audience than the Mac Pro. It's certainly a machine suited to a fairly wide swath of professionals, but at its heart, the iMac remains a consumer-focused machine.
Inside that slim case is a system architecture that's designed around parts for laptops. Nvidia intended the GTX 675M graphics chip specifically for laptops, for example. Apple's certainly blurred the line between consumer and professional workstations with the iMac, but it hasn't erased it.
Purpose-built like a tank, but with a Lamborghini engine
Compare that to the Mac Pro. In its current incarnation the Mac Pro tops out as a 12-core machine, with two six-core Xeon processors under the hood. Eight memory slots means the Mac Pro can accommodate twice as much RAM as the iMac in any configuration. The Mac Pro is also the only Mac that uses Error Correcting Code (ECC) memory, vital for the computationally intensive work in science where the Mac Pro still has a foothold.
The video card included with the Mac Pro can handle up to three displays at once - two through mini DisplayPort outputs and another through the dual-link DVI interface. Want to drive more than three displays? No problem - pop another PCIe expansion card and double that to six. The PCIe expansion slots can be used to ingest or output lots of other bandwidth-intensive data, also - uncompressed video, high quality audio, Fibre Channel storage area networking and more.
Then there are the four internal SATA bays - the most internal storage expandability of any Mac model. Up to 8TB of storage possible using Apple-supplied drives, but 4TB 3.5-inch drives are available from third parties, which means you can have up to 16TB of internal storage in the Mac Pro.
And we haven't even gotten to the enormous array of expansion ports built in to the Mac Pro. Five USB 2.0 ports. Four FireWire 800 ports. Front panel minijack, TOSLINK optical audio input and output. And two Gigabit Ethernet ports that can either be paired together for double the bandwidth, or split between two separate networks.
Even though the Mac Pro is showing its age with no Thunderbolt or USB 3.0, the design of the box is clearly aimed at a very different user than the iMac. It's purpose-built for expandability, connectivity and the ability to be driven hard and fast without skipping a beat.
And the winner is...
The iMac is obviously more indicative of Apple's current design aesthetic. It benefits from Apple's migration to the Intel Ivy Bridge architecture, which netted competitive improvements like USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt - things the Mac Pro is still waiting for.
The iMac is no slouch, either - it's more than enough horsepower for a great many consumers and professionals alike. And its expandability, while limited, does offer some flexibility for users who don't need an additional monitor or high-speed external peripheral today, but might need it in the future.
So who wins in a shootout? If raw performance benchmarks are your measure, the Mac Pro is the clear winner. Despite its aging connectivity, the thing still regularly trounces all other comers when crunching numbers matters.
And it's hard to argue that when it comes to raw flexibility, the Mac Pro still edges out every other Mac model. You can connect more stuff to it, put more stuff inside it, and generally get more out of it than the iMac, despite the iMac's use of more modern connectivity.
Apple's selling more iMacs than Mac Pros, and that's one measure of success - hell, Apple can't sell the Mac Pro in the EU at the moment because of recently enacted regulations. But popularity is only one measure of success - if Apple's making money on the Mac Pro, despite it being a niche machine, one can argue that it still deserves a place of respect in the Mac lineup.
The EmoPulse Smile is a futuristic bracelet watch that is currently seeking $300,000 in funding as an indiegogo project. The Smile (strange name…) features a flexible color touchscreen display, 4G LTE connectivity that can be used as a standalone phone, WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0, USB 3.0, NFC, FM Radio, Thunderbolt, GPS, wireless charging, 3 cameras, 7 [...]
Google company Motorola has announced a new smartphone that will be designed, engineered and assembled in the United States -- the Moto X. It will be manufactured in a factory in Fort Worth, Texas. "There are more than 130 million smartphones in use in the U.S., but not one of them is made here. That changes with Moto X," said Motorola spokesperson Danielle McNally.
Those benevolent armchair philanthropist Redditors are at it again! Four days ago a 'self' post extolling the potential virtues of a Backup Day exploded with 2500 upvotes and 1000 comments -- and now World Backup Day 2011 is actually happening.
On March 31, as part of the global data-saving initiative, you are encouraged to back up all of your cherished photos and videos, and important documents. If you've ever had a hard disk fail, and not had a backup to fall back on, you'll know that it's a bit like losing a sizable fragment of your soul. If you've never backed up your important files -- or if you only back up sporadically -- do it on World Backup Day!
It's not hard to back up your data, either. A 2TB drive costs only a fistful of dollars, and it takes just a few minutes to set SyncToy for Windows, or Time Machine for Mac, to mirror your data every night. If you prefer a cloud-based solution, there's always SugarSync and Dropbox. Finally, don't forget that Bundlelytic has a charity giveaway for three excellent data-backup-and-recovery tools -- $160 of software for only $25, and 100% of the proceeds to go the Japanese Red Cross.
Okay, see that snaking line coming in from the right on the screenshot? That's you. And see those large round circles? Those are supposedly grapefruits, only they won't sit still - they keep moving up and down and cutting across your path. And if you touch one, you die!
That's what you have to deal with in Line Grapefruit. But that's not all - you're also on a time limit. In fact, you have a very limited amount of time to make it through the "path" (for lack of a better word). You need to snake your way through the winding trail without touching anything. The good news is that a grapefruit only kills you if it touches the end of the line - once you've made it past the grapefruit, nothing happens if it crosses the path you've made.
This is not an easy game, but it's quite unique - I can't recall seeing another game quite like it.
Microsoft has been fielding some new anti-iPad commercials that, on the surface (see what I did there?) seem to take a page out of Apple's old "I'm a Mac" ads of days long gone by, or even Motorola's "Droid Does" campaign of a few years back. They show an iPad side by side against a Windows 8 tablet, and then demonstrate several areas in which they, Microsoft, think the Windows 8 tablet beats to iPad.
The ad shows Live Tiles, and contrasts them with the iPad's static Home screen. It shows multi-window computing, and contrasts it with the iPad's one-at-a-time app experience. It shows Power Point, and contrasts it with Apple's Keynote. They show the price of the cheapest Windows 8 tablet and contrast it with Apple's mid-capacity, full-sized iPad.
A second spot shows similar comparisons, but adds bullet points like built-in support for SD card support vs. requiring an adapter, and printing only to AirPrint-capable printers compared to printing to standard Windows-compatible printers.
Ads like these, comparisons like these, can work and work well. "Droid Does" helped put Android on the map. When it comes to tablets, however, they been tried before, and haven't proven successful in the least. In most cases, they've touted the advantages of a more desktop-like experience, and Windows is, perhaps, the most desktop of desktops.
And it's precisely what mainstream customers have resoundingly said is the absolute last thing they want on a tablet.
BlackBerry tried it with the Playbook. Various Android manufacturers have tried it with their Galaxy, Xoom, and other tablets. Hell, Microsoft made Tablet PC for years, based on full-on Windows XP or other releases. Nobody besides us geeks cared, not in any number, and not any more then than they do today.
For years mainstream customers have felt alienated by desktop operating systems.
For years mainstream customers have felt alienated by desktop operating systems. They've struggled with their archaic file systems and confusing windows management, their intermediated control schemes and their sheer complexity. And those frustrations are the last thing those mainstream customers want on mobile.
They want to pick up a device that they can understand. That doesn't make them feel stupid but rather makes them feel empowered. They want their apps, they want their media, and they want it without all the inhuman bullshit traditional computing platforms like Windows (and OS X for that matter) have been forcing on them for decades.
They want iPads.
Steve Jobs understood that. Even after helping launch the Apple II and bringing about the Mac, Jobs understood the need for ever simpler, ever more direct ever more mainstream computing.
Bill Gates once said what he envied most about Apple was Steve Jobs' taste. But Jobs didn't have taste in the fashionable sense of the word. He had product sense. He had the ability to look forward, past his own current product portfolio, beyond his corporate investments to date, beyond any brands he might hold dear, and see what his customers needed. He had sensibility.
With these latest commercials, Microsoft shows they're no closer to learning that lesson today than they were back with Bill Gates and the Tablet PC. They're still mired in Windows and in Office. They're so afraid of letting go of past success that they'll take future failure instead. They'll refuse to compromise on anything other than making the user experience horribly, needlessly, compromised.
The features shown in Microsoft's ad are compelling to existing Windows users who want to replace their PC and might be interested in or at least open to a tablet form factor. That's the audience Microsoft has, because it's the audience they've targeted.
To mainstream customers, tiles that change pictures seemingly at random are disorienting, multiple apps at once is stressful, Power Point is something best left locked in beige cubicles (even though Microsoft could make it, and all of Office, available for iPad any time they so choose), and the price paid up-front isn't always as important as the value obtained throughout the life of a product.
They go, they buy an iPad, they use it. They don't have to worry about RT or Pro, "Metro" mode or "Desktop" mode, and which version of the same named browser does what and when. There's no duality, no confusion, no feeling caught -- and yes, compromised -- between the OS that was and the OS that needs to be. There's just the iPad.
There's the escape of the Home button, the consistency of the Home screen, and simplicity of full screen apps, and the singularity of the experience. Those things, taken together, for the vast non-geek market, make the iPad the best personal computer they've ever owned.
it doesn't matter what something can do, it only matters what you can do with that something.
Instead of competing with that, trying to out do Apple at that, Microsoft, like almost everyone else before them, has fallen into the feature set trap. Here's the problem with that -- it doesn't matter what something can do, it only matters what you can do with that something.
These ads will help Microsoft convince some people to buy a Windows 8 tablet rather than an Android tablet or another kind of Windows PC. It won't convince the hundreds of millions of iPad customers and iPad-inclined customers to do anything other than to continue buying iPads.
To do that, Microsoft will need to find the testicular fortitude to let go of Windows. To let go of the desktop. To do on mobile what they did on gaming and create an a Xpad (or whatever) as courageously as they created an Xbox. (I'd use Windows Phone as a better, closer example, but shoehorning the name Windows into that product, good as it is, highlight the same symptoms of the same fear and creates a similar problem.)
In 2010 Apple showed everyone in the world how to sell hundreds of millions of tablets. 3 years later, there's no evidence that most competitors have paid the slightest attention. It's 2013 and Microsoft is still trying to sell a PC in a post-PC world, and a truck to a family that just wants a car to get around the suburbs.
And that's unfortunate not only for the tablet market, but for all of us.
Happy first birthday, Windows Phone 7! One year on, and the fledgling mobile operating system has 36,000 active developers in its AppHub community, 1.5 million downloads of its Developer Tools, and 11,500 apps in its Marketplace.
Microsoft is quick to take a couple shots at competitors' app stores, beating its chest about not re-counting tanslations of an app or "lite" apps, "increasing tonnage" by supporting apps from other mobile platforms, and not listing wallpapers as a category.
That's all fine and dandy, but we spend a lot of time sifting through WP7 app feeds -- and we're still not seeing a lot of awesome apps on the platform. We think a few marquee apps would've made a pretty nice first birthday present -- along with a much smoother update process for WP7 users.
We're up in the Northern California hills to test a fresh crop of 2013's outdoor gear. Today's task: assemble all of our hard goods for review, eat a huge meal, and rest for a long hike tomorrow.
Reverie sleep systems feature mattresses with air cylinder technology which can be customized to your personal level of firmness. Combined with an �adjustable base that offers a Zero Gravity position that emulates weightlessness and a 4-wave massage function, you may never want to get out of bed. You can control this bed with a boring [...]
The days of reliance on real estate agents to tell us which homes are available are long gone. The same raw data that the agents used to have an exclusive on is now fed to anyone who wants it. Now all you have to do is choose your source. Here's a look at the top five real estate apps in the Chrome environment. This app also lets you compare mortgages -- including rates, rate trends and lenders.
There is an interesting battle forming between the most powerful game console with the most potential, Microsoft's Xbox One, and Nvidia's Shield -- a rebel platform that I think is worth a look. Microsoft is pushing the envelope on the breadth of things a console can support and variety in the user interface, while Nvidia is creating a device focused on gaming in a wide variety of modes.
China and Iran were accused last week of renewing their cyberattacks on U.S. computer systems after a brief hiatus. A gang of Chinese hackers allegedly affiliated with the country's People's Liberation Army has resumed infiltrating U.S. computer systems after making a strategic withdrawal earlier this year, according to cybersecurity firm Mandiant.
In a move that puts a little heat on HotelTonight and the raft of other last-minute-hotel-booking apps, as well as possibly helping to cool down the planet,�Hot Hotels�is to�offset the carbon emissions associated with each hotel stay booked through its platform, free of charge to the user. Instead of passing on the cost directly, the Spanish startup is soaking up the expense of buying so-called 'carbon credits' out of the commission it already receives from the hotels whose empty rooms it helps sell.
Help save that valuable mobile data with just a few taps in Chrome Beta
One of the lesser talked-about features rolled out at Google I/O last week was a new option for Chrome on mobile devices to cut down on the bandwidth used while browsing. Well the feature has been rolled out in an experimental capacity as part of the latest Chrome Beta update on Android, and it's a quick way to help save on data usage while browsing. Like most systems that work to preserve data while browsing, Google routes your browsing traffic through one of its own proxy servers, compressing it along the way as data is sent back and forth to your phone. Correctly, Google has chosen to only route HTTP connections through the proxy, and HTTPS request will always be sent directly. Google claims data savings can be as much as 50-percent, which is nothing to sneeze at.
To enable this new feature, you'll have to be running the latest Chrome Beta update (version 28, technically) on your phone or tablet. You will likely be greeted by a splash page the first time you open Chrome Beta after the update, but if you're not, head to the browser settings, scroll down to "Bandwidth management" and then tap "Reduce data usage" and hit the button at the top right to enable it. (If you don't see the option, try heading to "chrome://flags" in the navigation bar and enabling it manually.) You'll be able to come back after you do some browsing and see how much data you saved by enabling this new feature.
In a move that puts a little heat on 
