Category: Back to School 2008

Hardware As with peripherals and software, the actual hardware models you have a choice of tend to fall along typical Mac and PC lines. Apple is the only company making certified Mac computers, so you essentially have a choice between seven models: On the laptop side, there's the super-thin MacBook Air, the affordable and attractive MacBook, and the fast (and heavy) MacBook Pro line. As ...

Performance Sure, you can read the endless benchmark tests that compare the boot-up speed of Windows-based PCs versus Macs, but if you've ever tried either a Mac or a PC, you'll know that Macs start-up considerably faster. This is partly due to the Mac operating system being optimized for the Mac-made hardware (versus Windows, which is designed to run with a wide variety of components and ...

Media Yes, Macs have Front Row, an onscreen TiVo-like menu feature that lets you use a remote to browse and play your videos, pictures, and music from the comfort of your couch, but it pales in comparison to what is offered by Windows Media Center (WMC). WMC is included in WIndows Vista Home Premium and Ultimate Editions and essentially lets you access all your media on a similarly ...

Ease-of-use Yes, the rumors are true. Macs, in general, tend to be easier to use than PCs, thanks to built-in video tutorials on new models, consistent look and feel across all applications, and the generally simpler, drag-and-drop-based actions of the Mac operating system (also known as Mac OS X, or Leopard, in its most recent iteration). That said, certain tasks, such as moving your iTunes ...

It's not here quite yet, but it's coming. You know, the time when you (or someone you birthed) heads back into the somber fray of study, working tirelessly to make ample use of the thousands invested in his or her education. Here are a few ways to make the learning process a bit more enjoyable (depending on whether you're the spender or the spendee). Apple MacBook/Gateway P Series ...

Always expect the unexpected on the Internet -- it's fast and unruly and sometimes we need to raise our voice with glee at just how awesome it is. The editors of URLesque pretty much shout out the glories of the Web each and every day by posting about the weirdest, funniest, and/or coolest places and happenings they find online. Lucky for us, they've shared the best of this past week's finds with ...

A Russian student with a sick sense of humor is now paying the price for his poor taste. According to 'Russia Today,' Anton Shurubara sent 400 death threats to random phone numbers proclaiming "Death to Russian pigs and to you, freak!" Funny, considering he is Russian. Shurubara, who was tracked down authorities, claimed "I was just joking around, I wanted to see what people's reactions would ...

These are the lights that never go out. They blink, they flicker and they can be annoying as all heck. They are your gadget lights, and you'll find them everywhere. Just to name a few, you'll discover lights on your TV, stereo, alarm clock, cell phone, laptop and Internet router. They pay no mind to time of day or your sleep schedule -- wake up in the middle of the night, and you most likely ...

According to reports, Apple is encouraging its retailers to stock up on more popular models of laptops and iPods as supplies from the factory are expected to slow in August. Usually, when Apple issues warnings such as these, it is because production is being scaled down in preparation for a product update. The memo suggests retailers order three weeks worth of stock for laptops and four weeks ...

After all the buffoonery over what exactly T-Mobile intended to call its newest entry-level Danger handheld device, the carrier has ultimately decided to just go back to basics, drop the acronyms, and christen its new phone simply "Sidekick." Make no mistake, though -- this little puppy, which launches today, is a far cry from your daddy's Hiptop launched way back in 2002, thanks to a 400 x 240 ...

Should I just use my cell phone's GPS feature, or is it worth splurging for a factory-installed GPS in my new car or a high-end portable navi unit? It used to be a clear decision: To get a feature-rich, accurate, and user-friendly GPS navigation system, you had to spring for a factory-installed model, which is conveniently built into the dashboard of a car either by the manufacturer when ...

Are any of these things easy to use? You'd think that the manufacturers of GPS units would have learned a thing or two about making their devices easy to use, but you'd be wrong. Most devices still fail the user-friendly test, but a select few are easy enough to get you through the basics. As we mentioned in our previous tip, it's worth visiting a brick-and-mortar shop to try out some of ...

Since I'm plugging it into my car anyway, does battery life really matter? Yes. While it may seem to be a moot point since a portable GPS plugs right into your car's 12-volt power plug, you'll still want to consider battery life in your GPS purchase. Why? Well, first off, those power chords that go from a GPS device to the adapter are not only mighty ugly and tangly -- thus cluttering up ...

Does size matter? Portability is not an issue with factory-installed systems, of course, but it is one of the calling cards of the standalone and cell-phone navi system. Nothing beats a cell phone for portability, but trying to decipher a map or update travel routes on a tiny 2-inch screen and mini-keyboard is tricky and potentially lethal (after all, you might as well be ...

Besides navigation capability, what other features and extras do I need on my GPS system? Don't forget: The whole purpose of a GPS navi system is to get you from one place to another in the safest and quickest possible way, so we tend to pooh-pooh GPS devices that have extra features such as built-in MP3 players, photo, or video viewers, since only the MP3 player can be used while driving ...