The other day I reviewed the HP Pavilion X360 laptop. In many ways it is a 2014 netbook with a cool design and touchscreen. This is the first in a series of posts on the Dell Venue 11 Pro tablet/keyboard I was sent as part of the Intel 2in1 Program. I could not be more surprised that … I love this computer.
Here’s something different — a Windows laptop that can handle just about every work scenario imaginable without looking like a dowdy, chunky, black box. The HP EliteBook Folio 1040 G1 takes several style points from Apple, and in the process becomes one of the thinnest, lightest, sleekest and best-looking notebook PCs I’ve handled. What makes it special?
I’m currently working on a review of the INSTEON Connected Home Control and Monitoring system. Simply put, I’m impressed and I think you will be too. This morning comes news that the company will be releasing Windows and Windows Phone Apps for the system. Moreover, INSTEON products will soon available in Microsoft Stores and at MicrosoftStore.com.
Apple added a big change to iOS 7.1 when it comes to app purchases. Previously, once you entered your password for an app purchase the system automatically didn’t ask for it again for 15 minutes. To prevent in-app purchases by accident, you can now set it to ask every time. But how else can in-app purchasing be fixed?
Microsoft continues to push Windows 8 hard in both the traditional laptop/desktop and the exploding tablet space, and the Dell Venue 8 Pro is one of the more compelling devices launched yet.
There’s no doubt that Nokia makes amazing phones. You may not like the operating system, but Nokia does a great job of bringing everything together into a very polished package. Their newest accessory is another “little thing” that makes Lumias better; the “Treasure Tag”, an NFC and Bluetooth-enabled accessory to insure you never lose your keys again.
A coworker came to me recently for advice about buying a tablet for his family, one that he and his wife could use and share with his toddler. Specifically, he wanted a way to create timed parental controls, and he wanted to make sure he was right in believing the Kindle Fire was a better fit than the iPad.
Samsung is an absolute powerhouse in the technology world. But aside from a rather disastrous Windows Mobile phone a few years ago, I’ve never experienced firsthand what makes Samsung stand out from the crowd. After spending a few weeks working with the Samsung Series 7 Ultrabook though, I’m starting to see why they succeed — this Ultrabook is sleek, stylish and powerful!
Gear Diary has written about PhatWare apps on a number of occasions, including here, here, and most recently, here. One of their best known products is PhatPad, a note-taking app that features handwriting recognition. I’ve used PhatWare products, including PhatPad, off and on for years. I’ve always been impressed with the quality of its handwriting recognition.
As much as I like using touchscreen tablets, there are times when a keyboard simply makes life easier. And as much as I enjoy using mobile operating systems optimized for speed and convenient apps, there are times when they fall short. Is it possible to have it all — portability, a touchscreen, speed, apps, a keyboard, and a full OS?
I take a lot of screenshots when writing Gear Diary posts. Historically they have ben a disorganized mess that increasingly cluttered my desktop. Thankfully, Dropbox 2.4 offers a new feature that automatically saves screenshots to one’s Dropbox folder. That neatly puts all my screenshots in a single place and makes sharing them easier than ever. Get Dropbox 2.4. To activate this new feature, download Dropbox 2.4, launch it, got the preferences, and then select “Share screenshots using Dropbox.” It is that simple. But there is more. Dropbox 2.4 also introduces: Move to Dropbox: A context menu item that will show…
I just got a subscription to Parallels Access, and although I will be doing a full review I had to share a quick post because… “It is all kinds of awesome!” Minutes after creating an account, I had full access to my Mac from my iPad. The gestures are amazing. There’s no lag time. It just works. Check it out. I’ve used LogMeIn Ignition for some time. I like it a good deal and didn’t think I needed or even wanted Parallels Access. But after trying out my reviewer’s access to the service, I’m blown away. The biggest difference? In…
If you are an avid user of Documents to Go you probably already knew about some of DataViz, Inc.’s product offerings in the software office arena. One aspect that is critical to office integrity is security, and DataViz has recently stepped up to the plate with their new Passwords Plus cross-platform password security software. Starting at $9.99, Passwords Plus works to keep passwords, PINs and related sensitive information secure from prying eyes and keep that data synched between devices. No more struggling to remember passwords or hunt through filing cabinets for password lists! It should be no secret that…
A few months ago, we reviewed the Spark Digital from Blue Microphone. It impressed me with its design, features and quality. (I also really liked the way it looks.) The Spark Digital has an MSRP of just under $200. That’s not a bad price, but it also puts it a bit out of reach of most consumers looking for a budget speaker. That’s why the Nessie from Blue Microphone intrigued me. Judie and I first saw it at CES 2013, and we were impressed with the design, the quality, the onboard technology and, perhaps most of all, the price. The…
The HTC 8X is a terrific Windows Phone. I have one in hand and it looks and feels great. The just-announced HTC 8XT takes things up a notch or two and is coming this summer. The HTC 8XT is one of the first Windows Phone 8 smartphones to be available on the Sprint network and it is the very first to feature dual front-facing stereo speakers. The phone sports great sound thanks to HTC BoomSound, has an advanced camera that incorporates all of HTC’s camera expertise and it has HTC’s now-iconic design. HTC BoomSound is a big deal. As the…
Lenovo’s Yoga 11S Ultrabook convertible laptop captured a good bit of attention at CES 2013. Now it is available directly from Lenovo or for pre-order at Best Buy. If you are not familiar with the Yoga 11S Ultrabook convertible it is a thin, 11.6” ultrabook that will ship with a Core i3, i5 or i7 third generation Intel processor. That means those purchasing the Yoga 11S can configure the machine that will best serve their needs. What makes the Yoga 11S special is its ability to quickly and easily convert into four different modes. That means the device can serve…
If you’ve read my review of the Toshiba Z930 Ultrabook, then you know two things: I loved the computer, and I hated Windows 8. Much of that animosity comes from the awful Start screen/Dashboard, which is obviously designed for touch interfaces and not mouses and keyboards. ReviverSoft thinks they can help people like me with their newest product, the Start Menu Reviver. Can it get me to accept Windows 8, or at least tolerate it? Read on to find out! Installing and setting up Start Menu Reviver is a snap. Once you download it, there’s a quick setup that remaps…
Let’s face it, most of us who have become adept at using smartphones and tablets have become quite accustomed to using our fingers as the primary input devices. Microsoft took note of this and enveloped Windows 8 in something of a hybrid interface to permit this on touch-capable devices. Right now I’m running Windows 8 Pro on a 16″ Dell XPS 1640 laptop I configured back in 2009. In my position as one of my company’s two IT admins and software tester, I need to keep abreast of the latest OS technologies, so I took the plunge and put Windows…
I vastly prefer lightweight computing options. If I am travelling, I grab my iPad and that’s it. For two years I reached for my original Chromebook almost exclusively when I needed a computer. It’s a mix of light-weight and simple design that makes me like my computers more streamlined. But get too streamlined, and you encounter compromises when it comes to photo editing, games, and anything else that needs a bit more power behind it. Power plus a lightweight design pretty much defines Ultrabooks, so I was very excited to get the opportunity to review the Toshiba Portege Z930 Ultrabook….
I have to give you a disclaimer right up front: So far, BOTH computers I have that run Windows 8 have required a complete re-installation of Windows 8. I do not find the OS to be inherently stable, and if you are buying a new computer or tablet that runs Windows 8, I would encourage you to BACK UP FREQUENTLY. If I had the option to choose between Windows 7 or Windows 8 on my computer, I would choose Windows 7 every time. However, for a tablet running Windows 8 that was designed to do so, it is less of…
A Little History… A while back I took the plunge and made the shift from an iPhone to a Windows phone, first with a Nokia 900 and later with a 920. It was an interesting exercise. I learned a lot, discovered some new ways of working, and learned to make some compromises. I even learned that some things I thought were “critical” to my daily functioning really weren’t so critical, after all. True, I am heavily invested in the Apple ecosystem for apps and movies, but music is pretty much DRM free these days. Books are still problematic no matter…