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Those who live in Apple world surely know why they love it.

Everything is so well thought out, so full of wit, wisdom, and whimsy that every little thing these people do -- as Sting himself can assert -- is magic.

Somehow, then, it is strange that there is a rending of garments and a foaming of mouths at the notion that Apple might change the design of all its connectors for the launch of the iPhone 5.

Rumors, supposedly confirmed by many forms of bush telegraph, say that the 30 pins of silver will be reduced to 19.

This … Read more

Greetings from 34,000 feet! Even while hurtling through the sky, I'm on the lookout for cheap deals. (They're easier to spot from up here.) Isn't technology amazing?

USB 3.0 is finally starting to take hold, with at least one compatible port appearing on the latest laptops and desktops. Of course, that high-speed interface is no good if you don't have devices that can take advantage of it.

Like this one: for a limited time, and while supplies last, Dell Home has the 1-terabyte Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex USB 3.0 external hard drive for $82.99 shipped. … Read more

In one sense, Microsoft has succeeded already, by demonstrating that there is a third paradigm: a transformable tablet.

That alone strikes me as a very intentional rebuttal of the Apple argument that a laptop and tablet is a "forced" convergence. (Tim Cook).

And Steve Jobs knocked the idea before that, saying it was "ergonomically terrible" and "we've done tons of user testing on this, and it turns out it doesn't work."

Well, Microsoft showed us Monday that it could work. That's all I (and consumers) need to see. (I had been … Read more

Microsoft did not skimp on specs for its new tablets.

More than any single feature, the 3mm-thick Touch Cover (see photos below) stands out. Using pressure-sensitive technology, Touch Cover senses keystrokes as gestures, allowing faster touch typing than is possible with on-screen keyboards, Microsoft claims.

The Touch Cover attaches to the tablet with a built-in magnetic connector, "forming a natural spine like you find on a book, and works as a protective cover," Microsoft said.

There is also an option for a slightly thicker 5 mm Type Cover that adds moving keys for a more traditional typing experience. … Read more

Volvo long staked its reputation on safety, so you would not expect a hot hatchback to come from the Swedish automaker. But fit the little C30 with Volvo's R-Design trim and give it the new Polestar engine software, and the car becomes a delight to shoot down a twisty road.

The car did not make any more noise than a standard C30, the only things announcing the extra power being a blue badge on its butt and ample response to the gas pedal. The side-grip shifter for the six-speed manual slipped through the gate with European precision, but the … Read more

If you work in Web design, graphic design, or any other area that might require you to determine the size of a specific object on your screen, try Perfect Screen Ruler. This easy-to-use program is packed with useful features that let you quickly analyze the size, color, and angle of particular elements.

Perfect Screen Ruler opened with a set of simple instructions, and it took us no time at all to get started with it. We simply selected the window containing the object we wanted to look at and then clicked the Update Screen button in Perfect Screen Ruler's … Read more

There's no point in wasting valuable hard-drive space by keeping it cluttered with duplicate files. Duplicates happen to just about everybody at some point, whether they're the result of accidental multiple downloads, the byproduct of importing and renaming images, or some other mundane activity. Duplicate File Hunter is an easy-to-use tool that can help you locate, compare, and delete duplicate files. We've reviewed a lot of programs of this type, and Duplicate File Hunter is definitely one of the most straightforward, though not necessarily the most sophisticated.

Duplicate File Hunter's interface is all business. There are … Read more

If you have a large collection of books -- either electronic or hard copies -- it makes sense to organize them so that you can easily find what you're looking for. Alfa Ebooks Manager is a comprehensive database program with plenty of features for maintaining your library. Unfortunately, some of the more-interesting features are limited to the paid version of the program, while others simply don't seem to work.

At first glance, we were impressed with Alfa Ebooks Manager; it comes with several sample books already entered into the database, and renderings of their covers were displayed on … Read more

The question I've been asked the most over the past couple months was, "Should I buy the Sony HX9V or wait for the HX30V?" Having now tested and reviewed the HX30V, I can answer that question: it depends.

After all, the cameras are very similar, at least on the surface, as they have a lot of features in common and nearly the same size and weight. There are differences, but are they enough to pay more than $100 for?… Read more