Author: Jamie Welch, Senior Editor

New Google Chrome Released

Posted by | May 23, 2009 | , |

New in this version of Chrome is the F11  key to toggle full screen mode, which drops all hints of the browser frame except for the scroll bars–but only if they’re appearing on that site in standard mode. There’s also a new form autofill under Options in the Tools menu, and users can selectively remove thumbnails from the New Tab landing page.  In additon, Chrome has an even faster Javascript handling engine.  I have been using this update for a little whille, and all in all, it’s pretty nice! Download it for yourself at Download.com right...

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Apple warns of static shock from iPhone and iPod

Posted by | May 19, 2009 | |

iPhone and iPod users may experience a “small and quick” shock via their earbuds due to a buildup of static electricity, Apple warned Monday. People listening to one of the devices in extremely dry air are most at risk of receiving a static electricity shock through the ear buds.  In a posting on Apple’s site,   the company stated that the problem was not limited to their hardware: The static can potentially build up on almost any hardwareand could be discharged using any brand of earbuds. This condition is very similar to dragging your feet across a carpet and receiving a static shock by touching a door knob. However, instead of the static charge building up on your body, the charge builds up on the device that the earbuds are connected to. Likewise, instead of the static buildup discharging through your finger when you touch a door knob, it discharges through the earbuds. Static buildup on your electronic device is largely due to the environment that it is used in. Certain environments and actions can encourage static electricity buildup. Very low humidity (dry) environments are conducive for static buildup. Very windy environments are conducive for static buildup. Taking your device in and out of your pocket can create a static charge. Jogging or exercising with your device can cause a static charge. Clothes made with synthetic fibers (like nylon) can...

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Amazon's big-screen Kindle DX released

Posted by | May 10, 2009 | |

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos unveiled the much-anticipated large-screen Kindle e-reader Wednesday at the downtown Pace University. Called the Kindle DX, the new device is geared toward readers of personal and professional documents, newspapers, and magazines–and textbooks, a potentially huge target market.   The debut of the bigger Kindle wasn’t exactly a secret: rumors of a larger-screen Kindle had been around for quite some time, and concrete reports began to surface earlier this week. According to Amazon’s Kindle DX page, the device has the following: • A 9.7-inch display with 16 shades of gray. (The standard Kindle has a 6-inch display.) • Capacity to hold up to 3,500 books, periodicals, and documents. • An auto-rotating screen to show either portrait or landscape views. • A built-in PDF reader. • 3G wireless network support with no monthly fees or annual contracts. • Battery capacity to “read for days without charging.” • Text-to-speech abilities to read publications aloud. Several of those features are shared with the current Kindle 2, but several are unique to the Kindle DX: the native PDF reader that doesn’t require the files to be converted, the rotating display, the 3,500-publication capacity compared to 1,500 for the Kindle 2, and of course the larger screen. “You never have to pan, you never have to zoom, you never have to scroll, you just see the documents,” Bezos said. The Kindle...

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Windows 7 Release Candidate Released

Posted by | May 5, 2009 | , |

It’s Finally Here! Earlier today, Microsoft made the first release candidate officially available to the general public.  They have said that the RC (Release Candiadate) will be available at least through July 2009 and they’re not limiting the number of product keys, so you have plenty of time.  As long as you have a microsoft Live ID, you will be all set to download this free copy of the RC. The RC will expire on June 1, 2010. Starting on March 1, 2010, your PC will begin shutting down every two hours. Windows will notify you two weeks before the bi-hourly shutdowns start. To avoid interruption, you’ll need to install a non-expired version of Windows before March 1, 2010. You’ll also need to install the programs and data that you want to use.  They include some installation guidelines: You can install the Windows 7 RC on a PC running Windows Vista without backing up the PC—but we encourage you to make a backup for safe keeping. If you’re running Windows XP or the Windows 7 Beta, you’ll need to backup your data, then do a clean installation of the RC, then reinstall your applications and restore your data. If you need to do a backup, please see How to back up your PC for more details and a suggestion for how to backup a PC running Windows 7 Beta...

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