Dropbox – Free Storage, Anywhere November 2, 2009
Posted by Chaim Gartenberg in Computers, First Look/Reviews.Tags: dropbox, linux, mac, sync, windows
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The coolest box ever.
There are a few apps on my computer that get the honor of running full time – things like iTunes, Tweetie…. and Dropbox. As the name somewhat implies, Dropbox is free online storage– 2 GB, to be exact. After a brief sign up on the site, you now own your personal Dropbox which you can upload to and download from via the Web, as well as add and delete files.
But perhaps the coolest part is their desktop app. Available for Mac, Windows, and Linux, it’s basically a folder as well as a mini-app which syncs all info when opened. Simple, really. And, being a folder, it acts like a folder – easy to use.
This synchronization is the highlight purpose of Dropbox. Personally, I use it to keep certain files available to me everywhere – a few of my favorite songs, a couple important school notes, some of my pictures – the stuff I want to have at my fingertips at all times. Dropbox shines in this regard – because of the whole folder system. Add an mp3 to my Dropbox on my Mac, and I can get it from my Window’s netbook on the go. Need to go over those notes on my way to school? There’s an iPhone/iTouch app, so you’re covered there too. At school, and need that important essay you wrote? Just use the website. It’s pretty awesome. Also, there’s the ability to make a file Public – so you can pass a download link to your friends if they need a file from you. And again, it’s all free.
You start with 2 GB and can upgrade that to up to 3 GB by referring people. The Desktop apps are free, iPhone app’s free – its pretty sweet, and highly recommended.
Now, those of you who DESPERATELY need more then the 2-3 GB? You can upgrade to 50 or 100 GB at $10 or $20 a month respectively – if, say, you need to have your whole computer with you everywhere.
So – interested? Check out Dropbox here. (iPhone App here [Note - iTunes Link])
Five Different Versions of Windows 7–Which Is Right for You October 25, 2009
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in Computers.Tags: Computers, desktops, laptops, microsoft, netbooks, pc, windows, windows 7, windows 7 home premium, windows 7 professional, windows 7 starter, windows 7 ultimate, windows vista, windows xp
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So let’s begin our Windows 7 coverage with trying to simplify the many different versions of the OS. Unlike with Apple’s Snow Leopard, where it’s more of a one-size fits-all approach, with Windows 7 you got a nice selection of editions: Starter, Home Basic, Home Premium, Professional, Ultimate and Happy-Go-Lucky… Ok, fine, we just made up the happy go lucky part, but as you can see, there are a whole lot of different versions, and so let’s try to simplify that into what you should looking for when getting a Windows 7 upgrade or when looking for a new PC, and what you should be looking for specs wise to make sure whatever version of 7 you get works well.
Windows 7 Out Now! October 22, 2009
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in Computers.Tags: Computers, microsoft, os, pc, windows, windows 7, windows vista
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Today is October 22nd, and you know what that means: Windows 7 is out! This is the day anyone using Vista has been waiting for. Microsoft has officially made Windows 7 available for purchase. In the coming days we’ll be doing a ton of coverage of Microsoft’s awesome new OS (it is truly awesome– I’ve been using it on a couple different PC’s for a few months now, and am really loving it. It’s just so fast and easy, and not Vista) and how it relates to you.
In the meantime however, go on and check out our first thoughts that we posted a few months back, and if anyone out there already got 7 and wants to share their thoughts on the OS, or if anyone has any questions about 7, feel free to post them in the comments and we’ll do our best to answer them in the coming days.
You can get Windows 7 now from your local Best Buy, Walmart, or other local computer store now, or order it online from Amazon and Microsoft’s own sites among many other online retailers.
New MacBooks and Other Fun Stuff! October 21, 2009
Posted by Chaim Gartenberg in Apple, Computers.Tags: mac, Apple, imac, macbook, updates, Apple Macbook, mac mini, core i7, intel core i7, mighty mouse, magic mouse
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Let there be Shinyness!
Whoa. Apple today decided to unleash a whole slew of new stuff. Foremost among them, an updated unibody white plastic MacBook (see above pic). Like the 13″ MacBook Pro, its now carved out of a single hunk of plastic, and is packing the new LED screen, glass multitouch trackpad, slimed down design, and updated specs, starting at 2.26 Intel Core 2 Duo processors, 2 gigs of RAM, 250 GB hard drive, at the same price of $1000. Not bad at all.
Next! New Mac Minis. The little Mac has gotten yet another specs boost (it got one earlier this year as well. You can see our review on the early 2009 Mac Mini here), with now at $600 you get an upgraded 2.26 Core 2 Duo processor, 2 GB of RAM, and an 160 GB hard drive, and at $700 you get an even faster 2.53 GHZ C2D, 4 GB RAM, and 320 GB hard drive, making the Mac Mini, as it was, the cheapest way to go Mac. (kinda… provided you aren’t gonna spend money, on, you know, screens, mice and keyboards… if you need some of those, well then this next Mac is the way to go). Also announced was a Mini Server Edition, with no disk drive and instead a 1 TB (or 1000 GB) hard drive, meant for small business owners (any teenaged small business owners out there…?)
The new awesome iMac
But the big player, (and big is very much intended here) is the new updated iMacs, at 21.5 inch and a MONSTER 27 inch beast. Notable is the option for Intel’s new i7 chips in a quad core configuration which is awesome (basically you’ll be getting great speed and power for your Mac while not killing your electric bill. Apple uses the same Core i7 chips found in new laptops in the iMacs– helps keep the sleek design and low power usage– and you can check out our post on the HP Envy 15 and Pavilion dv8 laptops from IDF for full details on all the greatness that is Intel’s new Core i7). Also interesting, is that the screens on the new iMacs support video-in. So you can use your lovely, massive LED widescreen display on say, your new MacBook. Specs on these things are beastly – check ‘em out here.
The new “Magic Mouse”
Finally, peripherals. Apple’s got two new ones here – a new mouse, this time dubbed “The Magic Mouse”, which looks like it fell out of Star Trek, and eliminates the trackball for, you guessed it, multitouch gestures. Haven’t had a chance to try it yet, but it looks pretty cool. Also added was a new, sleek and aluminum Apple Remote, to match the current line of aluminum iMacs and MacBook Pros.
…Phew. That’s everything. Anyone out there buying new Mac stuff now? Sound off below readers!
Recap from IDF: Hands on with 2 New HP Laptops, the Pavilion d8 and Envy 15, and Intel’s Core i7 for Laptops October 20, 2009
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in Computers, IDF.Tags: Computers, core i7, hands on, HP, IDF, intel, intel core i7
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HP’s Core i7 packing Pavilion dv8 and Envy 15
While at IDF we got to see a bunch of sick new laptops coming to the Best Buy’s and Walmart’s near you very, very soon. We’re talking about some insane new stuff, and HP and Intel really pulled out all the stops here—sleek designs, incredible amount of features, and previously unheard of power for laptops. Wanna learn more? Who we kidding, of course you do—and we got a bunch of pix and more info on both of these major bad boys after the break.
A Windows-Mac Alternative: Moblin by Linux October 14, 2009
Posted by Chaim Gartenberg in Computers, First Look/Reviews, IDF.Tags: atom, Computers, IDF, intel, linux, moblin, netbooks, operating systems, os
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RUN! IT’S A MOBLIN!
Alright, so chances are, if you’ve used a computer in the past few years, you’ve heard of the basic factions of operating systems – Mac, and Windows. Chances are you’ve used both over the years. But, there is a third major OS – Linux, which I for one, and I’m guessing that many of you as well, haven’t had a chance to use. Now, unlike the Mac or Windows, Linux comes in tons of varieties. But the one I’ll be focusing on here is Moblin, which Intel is involved in, and we had the chance to see at IDF this year.
Live From IDF: Hands on with the Archos 9 Windows 7 Tablet September 30, 2009
Posted by Eli Blumenthal in Computers, IDF.Tags: windows, Computers, intel, windows 7, touchscreen, IDF, archos, archos 9, tablet, hands on
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The Archos 9 Windows 7 Tablet
For what seems like forever, there’s been talk of Apple making an all touchscreen tablet for the Mac. Now see, if you’re a Windows user (even though now there is talk of Microsoft making their own tablet…. but we’ll cover that another time), you can pretty much point and laugh at every Apple “fanboy” who freaks out with each Apple event and rumor hoping for said inevitable tablet—as thanks to Archos, you got a real, and really nice looking Windows tablet that’s ready to make full use of the upcoming Windows 7’s improved touch features.
Playing Hearts with your fingers!
At IDF, we made sure to stop by Archos’s booth and check out the Archos 9 for ourselves, and we came away pretty impressed. The Archos 9 tablet looks great and is insanely thin and light that taking it around wherever you go should be a breeze.
Archos did though do a couple things interesting with the tablet—for one, it doesn’t use a capacitive, more finger friendly touchscreen like those on the iPhone and iPod touch, instead going with a surprisingly very responsive resistive touchscreen (usually with resistive screens they only work well if you use a stylus or pen like object to tap the screen– but if we hadn’t known before that this was resistive we would have definitely thought it was a capacitive screen. That’s how good it is with just using your fingers! Though that lack of a capacitive screen also means no gestures like “pinch to zoom” etc). It also has a lot of the netbook type specs like 9 inch touchscreen, 1 GB RAM, 1.2 GHZ Intel Atom processor, 1.3 megapixel webcam, Bluetooth, 60-120 GB hard drive…, but all this isn’t a terrible thing, as Archos is planning to sell this at a very solid price of $499 when it launches with Windows 7 on October 22nd.
Oh, and if your worried about using an all touchscreen device like this to write long reports or take notes in school, don’t be. Archos plans to be selling a very thin wireless Bluetooth keyboard along with the Archos, which also is pretty solid and will definitely make things a whole lot easier.
For more info on the Archos 9, see Archos’s site here.
Live from IDF: LoJack from Absolute Software September 29, 2009
Posted by Chaim Gartenberg in Computers, IDF.Tags: absolute software, Computers, IDF, lojack, mac, pc
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Over our time at IDF, we had the chance to meet up with Absolute Software, the maker of the laptop recovery tool LoJack. What, you ask, is LoJack? If you’re a laptop owner probably one of the most useful pieces of software out there for laptop owners. LoJack exists because a warranty can only take you so far; what would happen if your laptop got stolen? (cue dramatic music)…
LoJack software is here to catch the thief and save the day (and more importantly, your laptop). Basically, you install the app, (most computers actually have it built in on a factory level, which allows a greater level of security – check the list here), and every so often, once you activate it by, well, buying the software, it’ll check in with LoJack on a daily basis. If you report your computer as being stolen, the program reports in more frequently, enabling LoJack, (who works with local police), to retrieve your computer. Which, as you probably realize, is pretty awesome. The more costly Premium Version has the additional feature of allowing you to remotely wipe your data on the computer, before it is returned, as a just in case feature. Also included in the premium is insurance – if they can’t get your computer back, they’ll give you up to $1000 for a new computer.
As a teenager, I think that the appeal of this is obvious – I carry my laptop everywhere, and I’d have no way of finding it if it was ever stolen. So for me, it’s pretty awesome. Thankfully, I haven’t had to try out their services, but they do note a rate of 3/4 laptops recovered.
LoJack is both Windows and Mac compatible, and costs $50 (1 year subscription) or $100 (3 years) in stores for the Standard Edition, [its cheaper on their site as a digital download], and $70 (1 year) or $120 (3 years) or the Premium Edition.
But, stick around – later in the week, we’ll have three copies of the LoJack Premium Edition (3 years) to give away. So check back here soon!
