Reclusive Author J. D. Salinger Dead

J.D. Salinger, author of the well-loved classic Catcher in the Rye died of natural causes earlier today. Its narrator, 17 year old Holden Caulfield seems adrift, failing out of school, wandering in New York. He observes the world around him and often does not like what he sees and hears. He cries out against phoniness, describing an acquaintance “The jerk had one of those very phony, Ivy League voices, one of those very tried, snobby voices.” Later Holden reveals the meaning of the title: "I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in a big field of rye and all. ... Thousands of kids, and nobody big at all, nobody big but me. And I'm standing on the edge of this crazy cliff. What I have to do, I have to come and catch them. If they start to fall ... and don't look where they're going. That's all I'd do all day. I'd just be the catcher in the rye and all." Although many have sought the rights to the Catcher in the Rye, Salinger refused to sell rights to any of his work. The novel brought much unwanted attention to the private Salinger. A few years after it was published, he decided to live in seclusion. In a rare 1980 interview with Betty Eppes, he said "There's a marvelous peace in not publishing. There's a stillness. When you publish, the world thinks you owe something. If you don't publish, they don't know what you're doing. You can keep it for yourself." Salinger published no other full-length novel. His shorter fiction includes Nine Stories(1953); Franny and Zooey(1961); and Raise High the Roof Beam, Carpenters and Seymour: An Introduction (1963). Much of this work was published initially in the New Yorker magazine, as was his last story to be published, Hapworth 16, 1924, which appeared in the New Yorker in 1965. His daughter Margaret Ann Salinger has said that her father wrote many stories to be published after his death. We wait.

2010 Edgar Award Nominees

The Mystery Writers of America have announced the nominees for the 2010 Edgar Allan Poe Awards honoring the best in mystery fiction, non-fiction, and television published or produced in 2009. The Edgar Awards will be presented at a banquet on April 29, 2010, in New York City.
The nominees for Best Novel are:
The Missing by Tim Gautreaux;
The Last Child by John Hart;
The Odds by Kathleen George;
Mystic Arts of Erasing All Signs of Death by Charlie Huston;
Nemesis by Jo Nesbo;
Beautiful Place to Die by Malla Nunn
The nominees for Best First Novel are:
The Girl She Used To Be by David Cristofano;
Starvation Lake by Bryan Gruley;
The Weight of Silence by Heather Gudenkauf;
A Bad Day for Sorry by Sophie Littlefield;
Black Water Rising by Attica Locke;
In the Shadow of Gotham by Stepfanie Pintoff
The nominees for Best Paperback Original are:
Bury Me Deep by Megan Abbott;
Havana Lunar by Robert Arellano;
The Lord God Bird by Russell Hill;
Body Blows by Marc Strange;
The Herring-Seller's Apprentice by L. C. Tyler
A full list of the Edgar nominees can be found on the Mystery Writers of America website, www.mysterywriters.org

Cheap Alternatives to TV, DSL, and Cell Service

Cable Cutters: Cheap Alternatives to TV, DSL, and Cell Service
Thanks to a spate of agile new Web-based and wireless services, cutting ties with your service provider is easier than ever.
Zack Stern, PCWorld
Tuesday, January 19, 2010 04:00 PM PST

I don't like service providers. Cable TV, landline phone and fax, mobile phone, ISP, and even satellite radio companies have so little real competition that they know they don't have to impress me very much to get my business. I either pay the full fees and become connected to them by their cord (physical or wireless), or I don't get any service. Until lately.

Now those companies face new pressure from Web-based technologies and services that can offer similar features for far less money, or even for free. Many of these services ride in on the cord owned by the big service provider, relegating said service provider to the job of operating "dumb pipes."


Which TV executive knew just a few years ago that paid and free online services could threaten cable companies? Ditto for the VoIP challenge to landline phones, online fax services replacing another cord, Internet radio being a better value than a satellite subscription, and more.

Here I'll explain the alternatives that can help you walk away from the biggest corded companies that we love to hate. You can pick and choose which are still worth keeping and which to toss. Are you being pressured into buying a service provider's "triple play"? Try three strikes and you're out.

Pay for TV and Movies Instead of Cable Service

Microsoft keeps Zune TV and movies too much of a secret. There's a lot here to like.

The cable--and satellite--TV model is on life support. Who wants to pay $100 or more a month for an endless well of unwatched shows? Even if you have an appetite for premium-channel shows, you can save money by buying some à la carte and watching others free online.
Paid, per-show TV sources are all around you. Apple iTunes, Amazon VOD, Zune Marketplace, Blockbuster On Demand, and Jaman store thousands of shows and movies.

All offer various purchase and rental options, often $3 to $4 to rent a movie for a day. Expect to drop about $30 to $40 per season of scripted, premium-channel TV (HBO, Showtime, and such), or, often, about $10 less for network shows.

That sounds pricy at first, and it often costs more than buying a physical disc. But total up four or five of those seasons and a handful of movies, and you could pay half as much as cable over the same time period.

If you want to watch video on a portable device, stick with iTunes for iPod and iPhone compatibility; or Zune Marketplace for Zune support. Unfortunately, the other stores don't offer portable media player support. If you have an AppleTV or an Xbox 360, you can at least watch your shows in the living room.

Netflix is a good base service for any cable TV-free home. The cheapest subscription for the DVD-by-mail service is $8.99 each month, but much of the value comes in the thousands of shows and movies you can stream from Netflix to your PC. Plus, Netflix can stream to a TiVo, Xbox 360, PS3, dedicated Roku device, and other hardware, so you can watch in the living room without a media center PC.

Similar streaming services like Amazon, Blockbuster, Jaman, and others can play on much of the same hardware. Check your TV-connected hardware against these services' support pages.

I've also got my eye on the upcoming Boxee Box and Sezmi service; both will offer hardware that plays Internet-streamed video on a TV. Sezmi, which will be rolling out nationwide this year, even promises local shows and live sports, one of the biggest deficits in online libraries.

Next: Free TV, Movies, Phone Service, and more

Get Free TV And Movies

Crackle is owned by Sony, so you'll find mostly Sony Pictures content.

Hulu is still my king of free TV sites, although it's uncertain if it will--or won't--change to a paid model. And I've been occasionally frustrated when show episodes or seasons disappear just before I try to watch. But the majority of recent network shows are available. Plus, you'll find movie and TV favorites alongside B-level misses.
As I write this, you can watch "Spartacus" and "All the King's Men" alongside the Norm MacDonald vehicle, "Dirty Work."

Check Hulu first, but also scan other sites for free TV and movies. Crackle, Comcast Fancast, and even YouTube have movies and TV content. If you you're looking for a specific show that you still can't find online, visit its Web site or its network site directly.

Live sports can still be elusive. Check the network that's broadcasting the content for a stream; I saw a Monday Night Football game this way last fall. MLB.com hosts live baseball, but you'll have to pay for service. Justin.tv could be your best ace for any sport. While unsanctioned, many users play live streams of their local stations; just click the sports button.

And remember the cheapest, highest-quality TV source of all: an antenna. Over-the-air HD content looks great, often better than video compressed for a cable TV feed. You'll just need a TV with an HD tuner--typical for most sets built in the last several years--or a PC TV tuner.

Cut Landline Phone And Fax Service

Extensive customizations tailor RingCentral to your day-to-day phone service, business needs, or both.

If you have a reliable ISP, a voice over IP (VoIP) phone company can replace a traditional landline. You can place calls through a PC, but you'll have a better experience on a dedicated VoIP handset. The device connects to your network over Wi-Fi or wired ethernet to route calls.
Skype deserves its VoIP ubiquity. You'll make free calls to other members or pay about 2 cents per minute to dial out to a real phone. Traditional phones can also call in to you. But several alternatives challenge the Skype giant.

I like the features and versatility of RingCentral. Depending on the package you buy, you'll get a local phone number for incoming calls, an incoming toll-free number, and an incoming fax line. Call-routing functions make RingCentral excel. Like Google Voice or my1voice, RingCentral can send incoming numbers to any phone. You can have it ring your VoIP handset, a mobile line, a hotel room, a temporary office, or anywhere you happen to be. Or you can have it go straight to voice-mail during off hours, if you don't want to be reached.

Most RingCentral plans bundle fax service, or you can just pick that for about $8/month. You'll send and receive faxes through e-mail, and cut the cost of a dedicated, traditional fax line. Many other companies sell fax service, too. Check out Mbox, eFax, and MyFax for several options, all priced in a similar range.

Free Yourself From Wireless Phone Service

Customize Fring, and you can swap between outgoing calls through a generic SIP connection, your mobile service, or Skype.

If you like your current handset or smartphone, you might not be able to change wireless providers. Your device is almost certainly locked to your carrier, and worse, there's a chance that differing network technologies mean you can't move your phone to a different network even if it's unlocked.
AT&T and T-Mobile rely on GSM networks; Sprint uses CDMA; and most Verizon handsets use CDMA, but Verizon also offers some dual-mode devices that support both network types. An unlocked iPhone is still single-mode, so it will never work on a Sprint network, for example. Ask a carrier you're considering how they can enable your old phone.

For GSM devices, including Apple's iPhone, your best option could be unlocking the handset, then swapping in a GSM SIM (subscriber identity module) card from the new provider. Even a prepaid card can work, which drains your account only when you use service.

If you want to completely cut wireless phone service, you could try hopping between Wi-Fi hotspots while using a VoIP app. Truphone and Fring work on Android devices, BlackBerrys, iPhones, and even iPod touch media players. (You'll need a headset microphone for any of the players.) It's not the same as real wireless phone service, but it might be enough for some users in some situations.

You can beat text messaging fees by sending texts through an instant messenger app or in e-mail. And instead of paying for your carrier's voice-mail transcription service, you can substitute SpinVox, PhoneTag, YouMail, or Google Voice.

Revise Your Internet Service

Look for a network without a lock icon to try to gain access.

Look for a network without a lock icon to try to gain access.

Did you shop around for your ISP? You might not be getting the best price or service. Check out Broadband Reports for customer reviews. You could find a locally grown alternative to the faceless corporation that you currently use.
You might be able to completely break free from home, wired Internet service. First, walk around your house running inSSIDer. Try to reach a friendly neighbor or café. Or if a neighbor's signal is locked, ask around, and offer to pay part of the fee to join the network and share service.

Wi-Fi service subscriptions from T-Mobile, Boingo, and others can pay off if you frequent airports and other locations with their coverage. But you're almost as likely to find an open, free network. (To be fair, however, if you need an always-on connection wherever you are, nothing beats an EvDO modem stick from Sprint or Verizon.)

Several Web sites map Wi-Fi networks, and are good places to check out before you hit the road. Try Jwire, WeFi, and Hotspotr.

If you require an always-on connection, you might be better off buying short- or long-term service from Sprint or Verizon. You can buy a USB plug that connects a single laptop, or a home desktop for that matter. Many mobile phones can also be tethered to a laptop as part of your service plan, sharing the wireless Internet feed. Or opt for a portable router such as the MiFi, and it'll turn its mobile connection into a Wi-Fi, Internet bubble. The router will work in your car and could be cheaper than a hotel's Internet service.

Break Out of Satellite Radio's Orbit

Tap the thumbs-up or -down icons to train Pandora to your tastes.

Monthly satellite radio service might not be worth what you pay. If your favorite talk show is in an exclusive contract, you could be stuck, but music listeners have alternatives. Try Pandora, Last.fm, and Slacker from a PC or even a smartphone.
Last.fm is free, and the others offer both paid and free versions. All build music programming based on your preferences. If you indicate that you don't like a certain song or musician, they'll adjust your playlist to better match your tastes.

The mobile versions of these services are an especially exciting proposition. They offer the possibility of replacing traditional car radio by streaming music wirelessly to your smartphone in the car. This, of course, is highly dependent on the 3G wireless coverage you're getting as you drive, but that coverage is getting broader and faster all the time. Additionally, Slacker can cache stations to your device so you can play music without any Internet connection. This helps when you're driving across no-coverage zones.

Get a Discount, or Cut Ties

Sometimes you just can't cut the cord. In spite of poor service and price gouging, you might need some of these services. For one last alternative, try calling up and asking for a discount. It's worked for me, especially with TV and Internet service.

Arm yourself with details on your current companies' introductory deals and competitors' rates, and ask for a break. If you don't get a good answer, call back, and ask someone else.

Even if you only cut one of these services, you could save a lot. Pay for what you want--and only what you use--to take back control of your subscriptions.

Love Story author Erich Segal Dead

Erich Segal died January 17 at the age of 72. While Erich Segal may be best known for his widely popular novel Love Story, he was a well-respected classics scholar. He continued writing scholarly works and teaching as he wrote popular novels and screenplays. Segal's other novels are Oliver's Story, Only Love, Doctors, The Class, Acts of Faith. He wrote several screenplays, including Yellow Submarine, Love Story, Oliver's Story. From the 1960s to the 1980s Segal taught Greek and Latin literature at Yale University. He also held visiting professorships at Princeton University, Oxford University, and University of London. His scholarly works include: The Death of Comedy, Oxford Readings in Menander, Plautus, and Terence, Oxford Readings in Greek Tragedy, Roman Laughter:The Comedy of Plautus. He was a remarkable man. He lived with the debilitating Parkinson's Disease for over 25 years, and he continued writing and teaching. In a eulogy, his daughter Francesca said "That he fought to breathe, fought to live, every second of the last 30 years of illness with such mind-blowing obduracy, is a testament to the core of who he was...he was the most dogged many any of us will ever know."

Author Robert B. Parker Dead at 77

Robert B. Parker, the best selling author of over 60 books, died yesterday of a heart attack. He wrote 5 pages daily, and he died at his desk working on a book. Best known for his private eye series Spenser, Parker also wrote the Jesse Stone and Sunny Randall series as well as westerns and young adult novels. Parker admired writer Raymond Chandler and completed one of Chandler's unfinished books,Poodle Springs. Many believe that Parker's Spenser is based on Chandler's Marlowe.
Parker's latest Jesse Stone novel, Split Image, will be released next month. Married over 50 years, Parker dedicated every book to his wife Joan.

26th Annual CLC Salute to Gospel Music features Vicki Winans and The Canton Spirituals

Vicki Winans will perform at the 26th Annual Salute to Gospel Music Concert on Feb. 27, 2010.

Vicki Winans will perform at the 26th Annual Salute to Gospel Music Concert on Feb. 27, 2010.
Two Grammy®- nominated Gospel music acts – singer Vicki Winans and The Canton Spirituals – will headline the 26th Annual College of Lake County Salute to Gospel Music Concert at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27 at the Genesee Theatre, downtown Waukegan.

In addition, fundraising opportunities for local groups will be offered. For groups of 30 or more, tickets may be purchased at $4 off the general admission price of $19, and the group discount includes a private, pre-show reception. Each group or organization is entitled to reassign the price of tickets and keep all proceeds raised above the discounted price. For groups of 20 or more, tickets may be purchased at $3 off the general admission price of $19. For information on group tickets and discounts, call (847) 543-2112.

Dubbed the “Joy Princess of Gospel,” Winans has six Grammy® Award nominations, eight Stellar Awards and an NAACP Image Award. “Bringing It All Together” debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Gospel Chart in 2003. The Canton Spirituals, an accomplished Grammy® Award-nominated gospel quartet from Canton, Miss., has paved the way for many other gospel groups and has won numerous Dove and Stellar awards.

The concert will also include performances by CLC Gospel Choir, directed by Dr. Charles Clency; Essence of Peace Dance Team and vocalist Adria McNair. The 2010 Harambee Award of Excellence will be presented to Drs. Gary and Patricia Stern, Pastors of the Peace of God Outreach Ministry, Waukegan. The emcee for Salute to Gospel will once again be Chicago gospel radio personality Effie Rolfe.

Regular priced tickets are $19 for general public and $17 for CLC students, staff, alumni and seniors. Tickets available at the CLC Lakeshore Campus, by phone at the CLC Box Office (847) 543-2300 or at the Genesee Theatre's Web site.

A Message From CLC About The Flu

Fight the Flu. Be Prepared!

With flu season approaching, CLC wants all members of the college community to take proactive steps to prevent the disease from spreading. Here are three steps you can take to protect yourself and others plus important resources to help you learn more about the flu.
Prevent Flu Step 1: Vaccinate
Vaccinate

* Take time to get a flu vaccine.
* CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against this serious disease.
* While there are many different flu viruses, the flu vaccine protects against the three main flu strains that research indicates will cause the most illness during the flu season.
* The vaccine can protect you from getting sick from these three viruses or it can make your illness milder if you get a different flu virus.
* Getting a vaccine is very important for people at high risk for serious flu complications, including young children, pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart or lung disease, and people 65 years of age and older.
* People who live with or care for those at high risk should also get a flu vaccine to protect their high-risk contact.



Prevent Flu Step 2: Stop Germs
Stop Germs

* Take everyday preventive actions.
* Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
* Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after you cough or sneeze. Alcohol-based hand cleaners are also effective.
* Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
* If you get the flu, CDC recommends that you stay home from work or school and limit contact with others to keep from infecting them.
* Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs spread this way.




Prevent Flu Step 3: Antiviral Drugs
Antiviral Drugs

* Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor recommends them.
* If you do get the flu, antiviral drugs are an important treatment option. (They are not a substitute for vaccination.)
* Antiviral drugs are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaler) that fight against the flu by keeping flu viruses from reproducing in your body.
* Antiviral drugs can make your illness milder and make you feel better faster. They may also prevent serious flu complications. This could be especially important for people at high risk.
* For treatment, antiviral drugs work best if started soon after getting sick (within 2 days of symptoms).
* Flu-like symptoms include fever (usually high), headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose and muscle aches.

Snow Ordinances To Remember

IMPORTANT WINTER SNOW ORDINANCES
1) Do not block sidewalks with snow - Section 9.40.035 of the Mundelein Municipal Code states: “No
person shall shovel, plow or otherwise place snow/ice or cause or permit shoveling, plowing, or placing
of snow/ice from a private driveway, parking lot, or other private property upon any highway, street or
public sidewalk so as to hinder, obstruct, impede or otherwise interfere in any way with movement of
traffic upon said street, highway or sidewalk.”
The ordinance addresses obstructions to pedestrians when snow is removed from private driveways and
parking lots and creates a mound of snow across a sidewalk. During periods of heavy snow these
mounds make sidewalks impassable. Violators are subject to fines up to $750. Please be sure to inform
snowplow contractors and employees of this ordinance requirement.
2) Parking restrictions during snowstorms - Village ordinance requires that all parked vehicles be
removed from the public streets after 2" of snowfall, and for the 24 hour period after the snowfall has
stopped.

Mundelein Community Connection

MUNDELEIN COMMUNITY CONNECTION
(formerly Mundelein MainStreet)
Invites you to our first
FREE - OPEN HOUSE - FREE
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
5:30-7:30 p.m.
National City Bank - Lower Level
469 N. Seymour Avenue, Mundelein
INTRODUCING OUR NEW ORGANIZATION
& A SAMPLE OF OUR COMMUNITY EVENTS, SUCH AS:
“Tax Tips” Presentation by Gerry Brin of Weltman Bernfield LLC
Please come and enjoy free networking, food, drinks & prizes!
R.S.V.P.
847-970-9235
Fax: 847-970-9282
email: mundeleincc@tds.net
Accepting food donations for “The Pooch Pantry” (29278 N. Highway 83, Mundelein

Local Blood Drive

Blood Drive

The Lake County Fire Chiefs is sponsoring a blood drive all year long. The Mundelein Fire Department will be hosting a blood drive on January 22, 2010. The drive will take place at Mundelein Fire Station 1 from 1:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. To schedule your appointment please contact LifeSource at (877) 543-3768 or go to www.lifesource.org and use sponsor code MN10. Appointments are encouraged but, walk-ins are welcome.



The purpose of this event is to raise awareness of the shortage of blood during the summer months when we see the greatest amount of trauma. Please spread the word to anyone and everyone you know. Please make this a great success.



Donating blood is safe and simple. The entire process, from registration to refreshments, takes approximately one hour. Strict procedures for every step of the process ensure the safety of the donor and of the blood supply. Every measure is taken so that the donation is safe for the donor and the blood recipient.



DONOR REQUIREMENTS



You will need to bring ID with you on the day of the blood drive. Proper ID is required to donate blood. A lifeSource or military ID, drivers license, or employee badge with a picture and full name are all approved forms of ID. Birth certificate along with a picture ID that includes the donor's full name will also be accepted.



You are eligible to donate blood if you ....

*

Weigh at least 110 pounds.
*

Are in good physical health.
*

Are at least 17 years old (there is no upper age limit).
*

Have not given blood in the past eight weeks (56 days).

You are not eligible to donate blood if you ....

*

Have had hepatitis (not including childhood exposure).
*

Are pregnant.
*

Have ever tested positive for HIV, have engaged in high risk behavior, or have had intimate contact with anyone at risk for AIDS.
*

Have Babesiosis or Chagas Disease.

You may be temporarily ineligible to donate if you ...

*

Have the flu, a sore throat or fever.
*

Are taking antibiotics for an infection.
*

Received a tattoo, had your ears or another body part pierced, or experienced an accidental "needle stick" injury in the past 12 months.
*

Have had heart problems.
*

Received a blood transfusion in the past 12 months.
*

Have been recently vaccinated (time of deferral varies). Flu shots do not disqualify you from donating.
*

Have had a history of cancer (other than skin cancer).
*

Lived in or traveled to a malaria area.
*

Have recently had a sexually transmitted disease or mononucleosis.

New Illinois Law on Text Messaging

The Illinois Text Messaging Ban
According to the new law:
“A person may not operate a motor vehicle on a roadway while using an electronic
communication device to compose, send or read an electronic message.”
The law defines an electronic message as:
“Electronic message” includes, but is not limited to electronic mail, a text message, an
instant message, or a command or request to access an Internet site.”
ON JANUARY 1, 2010, IT WILL BE ILLEGAL (in the State of Illinois) to
• Send or read a text message while your car is in traffic, unless fully stopped due
to a blocked roadway (such as a train crossing). A stop sign or stop light does
NOT waive this restriction. You must place the car in park or neutral gear, or pull
over to the side of the road and stop.
• Send or read an email message while your car is in traffic, unless fully stopped
due to a blocked roadway (such as a train crossing). A stop sign or stop light
does NOT waive this restriction. You must place the car in park or neutral gear
or pull over to the side of the road and stop.
• Use a cell phone in a SCHOOL or CONSTRUCTION zone without the use of a
hands-free device. In other words, you cannot HOLD the cell phone while using
it. You must use a device (such as a Bluetooth headset or ear bud) which allows
you to keep both hands on the wheel. To use such a device you must have a
compatible phone and must purchase and install the hands-free device itself.
Contact your cellular provider for specific information about products and
services available for your cell phone.
Fines for violation of these laws will start at $75.00, with higher fines expected for the
most serious infractions. Obviously, no fine can ever compensate for injuries or loss of
life.
The law does NOT apply to use of a navigation device, such as a GPS system. You
can get more information on Illinois Driving Laws.

Windows Difference Between Files and Folders

Raise Your Windows IQ: The Difference Between Files and Folders

Rick Broida

Jan 19, 2010 1:16 pm

Knowing how to use Windows is only half the battle; the other half is knowing its language.

For example, I regularly encounter users who don't know the difference between a file and a folder. That makes for a bit of confusion when someone tells me, "I just downloaded some photos, but I can't find the file they're in."

Uh, what? Actually, what you mean is you can't find the folder they're in. This may seem like a minor distinction, and obvious to anyone with intermediate-or-better computer skills, but it's important. You can't get help with a problem if you don't know the proper terminology. (Just try calling a tech-support line and explaining that you "looked inside the file but couldn't find the spreadsheet." You won't get far, I promise.)

Let's start with files. A file is any individual item on your PC, be it a photo, a Word document, a Quicken database, or an e-mail attachment (which may actually consist of multiple files). A Zip file, FYI, which is commonly used for attachments, is a single compressed file that contains one or more other files. Pretty simple, right?

Folders (pictured) are containers for these files. Windows starts you out with a handful of folders (Documents, Music, Pictures, etc.) you can use to store common file types, but it's a simple matter to create new folders (and/or sub-folders: folders within other folders) and name them what you please.

The smartest Windows users are those who understand and make good use of folders and folder hierarchies. Want to become one of those users? A great place to start is Managing Files and Folders in Windows 7, a free chapter excerpted from the book, Microsoft Windows 7 On Demand. (Note that much of the material applies to earlier versions of Windows as well.)

Oh, one more thing: That Web browser you're using is called Firefox, not Mozilla. Mozilla is the company that makes Firefox. (Yeah, it peeves me when people use the wrong names for things. Get it right!)

Four Windows Icons You Need To Know

Raise Your Windows IQ: Four Icons You Need to Know

Rick Broida

Jan 18, 2010 7:05 pm

See these four icons, the ones in the red box?

They're downright ubiquitous in Windows programs, but I'll wager there are plenty of users who don't know what the icons do or when and why to use them. In this post and the next few, I'm going to help novices "raise their Windows IQ," to learn some operating-system basics many of us take for granted.

You've probably seen these four icons a thousand times. They appear in the Open and Save boxes for countless programs, right alongside the Look In field that designates where on your PC you're going to open or save something.

From left to right, the icons function as follows:

Go To Last Folder Visited: If you've been hopping around from one folder to another in search of, say, a particular document, clicking this takes you back to the folder you viewed most recently--not the one that's one up in the folder hierarchy. This icon will appear grayed out if you haven't yet switched to a different folder.

Up One Level: Clicking this takes you "up" a folder in whatever set of sub-folders you happen to be viewing. (If you're not familiar with how folder hierarchies work, don't worry: I'll cover that in an upcoming post.)

Create New Folder: Used primarily when you're saving a file, this creates a new folder--a sub-folder, really--within the current folder. Upon clicking, you'll immediately need to type a name for the new folder. Press Enter when you're done. You'll then need to double-click that new folder to open it and save your file there.

View Menu: Clicking this produces a drop-down menu with various choices for how you want to view the various files and folders you're seeing. I'm not going to explain them all--your best bet is to experiment and see which view you like best. Don't worry: You're not modifying or rearranging anything, only changing the presentation.

Guess what? You're now officially a smarter Windows user. Tune in tomorrow for more IQ-raising info.

How To Migrate To a New Computer

Migrate to a New PC

Jan 11, 2010 9:39 am

Gerald Slane wants to know how to move data and settings to his new, Windows 7-based PC.

Windows 7 comes with a pretty good migration tool--certainly better than the XP or Vista versions--but it's not perfect. I won't give you step-by-step instructions (it's very intuitive and you don't need them), but I'll help you through the major decisions and pitfalls.

But first, you must make your hidden files and folders visible on the old PC (I'll tell you why in a little while). Open Windows Explorer and, if you're using XP, select Tools, then Folder Options. If you're using Vista, select Organize, then Folder and search options. In either OS, click the View tab, select Show hidden files and folders (or Show hidden files, folders, and drives), and click OK.

Now you're ready to get started.

On the new PC, select Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, and Windows Easy Transfer. Or you can simply select Start, type easy transfer, then press ENTER to launch the program.

The program will ask how you want to transfer items, and offer three options. Here's what you need to know about them:

Network: This is by far the easiest option, provided you've got both computers on a network and that they're able to access each other. If not, forget it.

Easy Transfer cable: Several companies make USB cables specifically for Windows Easy Transfer. I tried StarTech.com's USB 2.0 Data File Transfer Cable for Windows, and despite packaging that referred only to the Vista version, it worked just fine with Window 7. I assume other companies' cables will, too. The main problem: You have to buy one. I've seen them on sale for about $10.

External hard drive or flash drive: This sneakernet solution is the slowest option, because you have to copy everything twice. But if you don't have a network, don't want to buy a cable, and have an external hard drive handy with plenty of free space (forget the flash drive; it won't be big enough), it's still pretty simple.

When you get passed this decision, the version of Easy Transfer running on your new PC will help you get another instance of it up on the old one. Then it will scan the old PC and decide what needs transferring.

And that's where the program doesn't quite work as it should. It selects all the obvious files and folders (documents, music, and so on) for copying, but it misses almost everything in the appdata folders. Here's what to do:

After scanning your old PC for files to transfer, the program will ask you to "Choose what to transfer." For each user listed, click Customize. Everything in the resulting pop-up menu will be checked, but not everything that should be checked is in that pop-up. So click Advanced.

You'll need to check a folder or two in the resulting dialog box. If your old PC is running XP, check the two Application Data folders; the second one is inside the Local Settings folder. If you're graduating from Vista, you only need to check one: AppData. (This, by the way, is why you need to make your hidden files and folders visible. If you didn't, these folders wouldn't be listed for you to check.)

Click Save and continue with the wizard. When the transfer is done, the program will give you a list of the files transferred, and another of the programs installed on the old machine but not on the new one. You'll want to install at least some of these programs. You can return to these lists by launching the program Windows Easy Transfer Reports.

How To Clear Your Hard Drive Fast

Free Up Hard-Drive Space, Fast
Need to clear some storage space on your hard drive? Here's how to put it through a crash diet and free up a few gigs right now.
Patrick Miller, PCWorld
Wednesday, January 13, 2010 12:35 PM PST

Your hard drive is full. Normally that isn't such a big deal, but what if you need to grab a coworker's files before she leaves for a vacation, or what if you want your massive overnight file download to go off without a hitch? Here are some short-term tips for clearing space on your hard drive until you have the time to do a proper cleanup.
Hard-Drive Spring Cleaning

Microsoft's Disk Cleanup tool takes out the trash.

Average hard-drive capacities are growing every year, so most people don't practice the same miserly storage habits that they did when megabytes (or even kilobytes) were scarce. But it's still a good idea to give your drive a fast sweep from time to time to reduce clutter and avoid filling it up prematurely. Follow these steps to eliminate junk and reclaim wasted storage quickly.

Before you do anything else, empty your Recycle Bin by right-clicking on it and choosing Empty Recycle Bin. Even the most hardened Windows veteran can occasionally forget that they left a few DVD images in there.

Clear your Google Chrome cache.

Open the Disk Cleanup tool; typing Disk Cleanup in the Start menu box should bring it up, or else you can find it under Start, All Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk Cleanup. Select the volume to clean. After it's done scanning your drive, it should tell you how much space you can free up by deleting different kinds of files, including cached Web pages, temporary application files, reports from Windows Error Reporting, and so on. Check and uncheck items at your pleasure, but keep in mind that the space you reclaim by clearing your temporary files or Web browser caches will fill right up as you start browsing again and using applications; if you need that space to store something else, you'll need to clean even more.

In Firefox, you can clear the cache and specify how much space it uses.

Disk Cleanup doesn't cover all of your PC's caches, either--especially if you're using a browser other than Internet Explorer. Here's how you can clear your cache with different browsers:

Firefox: Go to Tools, Advanced, Network. Click the Clear Now button to clear the cache, and adjust the amount of space that the cache uses down to what you can spare.

Safari: Enable the menu bar (click the gear in the upper-right corner and choose Show Menu Bar) if you haven't already. Then choose Edit, Empty Cache.

Google Chrome: Click the wrench icon in the upper-right corner, and go to Options, Personal Stuff, Clear Browsing Data. Here you can check what kinds of data to delete; check Empty the Cache and select Everything from the drop-down menu.
Find More Disks

Even if your hard drive is full, you probably have a handful of other disks that you can temporarily draft into extra storage duty. Obviously, other computers on your network can pull their weight, too; but if you're in an office or school environment, you might have access to a network drive for storing some stuff. Just check with a system admin to make sure it's okay before you start any file transfers.

Also, you likely own a handful of other devices that could help: A portable media player, a flash memory card, a USB thumb drive, or even the internal memory of a camera or phone can mount via Bluetooth or USB and act as a removable hard drive. Keep note of where you're storing your files, though, or you might find yourself missing something important later on.

Don't overlook your humble optical drive, either--any remotely recent computer should be able to burn CDs and DVDs, and even when most stores are closed you can still find blank optical media at an all-night pharmacy or convenience store.

If you don't have enough local storage, you can try to keep files on the Internet. Online storage services such as Box.net can provide you with an extra gig or two of storage space if you're willing to put up with the hassle of uploading and downloading your files. Also, Google recently expanded its Google Docs app to allow users to store any file up to 250MB, with 1GB of total file storage for free.
Manage Your Media

No matter how clean you try to keep your PC or how many extra disks you can bring to bear, you still can't clear away enough space without deleting something significant. Here's how you can minimize the painful choices.

For most home PCs, the only way you can possibly fill up a modern hard drive is to keep an archive of movies, music, and pictures, all of which you might have copies of elsewhere. Raw video and image files can take extraordinary amounts of space: A standard JPEG image captured with a 12-megapixel camera, for example, could consume about 6MB. Multiply that by the couple hundred pictures you take on a vacation, and you're looking at a pretty sizable chunk.

This is probably what your hard drive looks like.

If you've already put those photos on Facebook or Flickr, however, you could clear them off your hard drive and redownload them later with Fotobounce, an app that lets you upload and download whole albums with ease. Likewise, if you have videos on YouTube and you don't need the uncompressed video files any longer, you can always get rid of them and redownload YouTube's compressed versions later.

The same goes for music files. If you keep most of your music files on your iPod as well as on your PC, delete them from the PC temporarily and get them back later with any iPod manager utility (see "Back Up Your iPod to Your PC" for more details).

Finally, delete all of the old episodes of Law and Order you have lying around your hard drive. If you haven't caught up on last year's TV viewing yet, you probably won't miss them--and chances are, you can stream the DVD on Netflix Instant Play.

If you've done all that and you still can't clear out space, you likely need to buy a new hard drive. Have any other space-saving tricks? Share them--and your bloated-hard-drive stories--in the comments.

1998-2010, PC World Communications, Inc.

Top Ten Netbooks

Top 10 Netbooks
Netbooks (aka mini-notebooks, mini-notes...."laptots"....take your pick) are perfect travel companions and meet basic computing needs, including e-mailing, Web surfing, and document creation. Best of all, these low-powered machines cost less than the standard-issue laptop.


1. Toshiba NB205-310
CPU: Intel Atom N280; CPU speed: 1660MHz; Display size: 10.1 inches; Hard drive size: 160GB; WorldBench 6 rating: Very Good

Bottom Line: Toshiba's NB205 is a great value, packed with a collection of fantastic features and a marathon-ready battery life.
Full Review • Test Report • Specs
Check Latest Prices


2. Samsung Go
CPU: Intel Atom N270; CPU speed: 1600MHz; Display size: 10.1 inches; Hard drive size: 160GB; WorldBench 6 rating: Very Good

Bottom Line: The Samsung Go is certainly not subtle, but this netbook is a stylish--and potentially kid-friendly--computer.
Full Review • Video Review • Test Report • Specs
Check Latest Prices


3. Samsung N120
CPU: Intel Atom N270; CPU speed: 1600MHz; Display size: 10.1 inches; Hard drive size: 160GB; WorldBench 6 rating: Good

Bottom Line: This is a good alternative to Samsung's N110 if you're willing to trade battery power for bigger keys and better performance.
Full Review • Video Review • Test Report • Specs
Check Latest Prices


4. ASUS Eee PC 1005HA
CPU: Intel Atom N280; CPU speed: 1660MHz; Display size: 10.1 inches; Hard drive size: 160GB; WorldBench 6 rating: Very Good

Bottom Line: This netbook is a slim, smart collection of compromises that'll give you what you need for a good price.
Full Review • Test Report • Specs
Check Latest Prices


5. Lenovo IdeaPad S12
CPU: Intel Atom N270; CPU speed: 1600MHz; Display size: 12.1 inches; Hard drive size: 160GB; Weight (min): 3.42 pounds; WorldBench 6 rating: Very Good

Bottom Line: Larger than your average netbook, the S12 provides average performance at a fairly high netbook price.
Full Review • Test Report • Specs • Buy now direct from Lenovo
Check Latest Prices Buy now direct from Lenovo
Sponsored Links

* Be Smart & Save! On All Laptops! 100% Satisfaction! Order Now & Save!www.tigerdirect.com
* Free US LaptopAs Heard on Radio. Get a Free Laptop Today! Limited Time Offer!ComputerLCS.com/Free-US-Laptops
* Buy laptopBuy Buy laptop. www.eBay.com




6. HP Mini 5101
CPU: Intel Atom N280; CPU speed: 1660MHz; Display size: 10.1 inches; Hard drive size: 160GB; WorldBench 6 rating: Good

Bottom Line: HP's Business-netbook grows up -- and gets better -- by making some long-overdue changes. But it needs a better battery.
Full Review • Video Review • Test Report • Specs
Check Latest Prices


7. ASUS Eee PC 1008HA
CPU: Intel Atom N280; CPU speed: 1660MHz; Display size: 10.1 inches; Hard drive size: 160GB; WorldBench 6 rating: Very Good

Bottom Line: Asus keeps iterating Eee PC netbooks, but at least the 1008HA comes with smart design choices (plus a great battery life.)
Full Review • Test Report • Specs
Check Latest Prices


8. Acer Aspire One 751h
CPU: Atom Z520; CPU speed: 1330MHz; Display size: 11.6 inches; Hard drive size: 160GB; WorldBench 6 rating: Fair

Bottom Line: Acer's 751h is a good-sized netbook that gets marred by a miserable mouse button.
Full Review • Test Report • Specs
Check Latest Prices


9. Samsung NP-NC20
CPU speed: 1000MHz; Display size: 12.1 inches; Hard drive size: 160GB; WorldBench 6 rating: Superior

Bottom Line: This lumpy netbook's biggest selling points: It's screen and good battery life. But you could buy a full laptop for less.
Full Review • Test Report • Specs
Check Latest Prices


10. Dell Inspiron Mini 10
CPU: Atom Z530; CPU speed: 1600MHz; Display size: 10.1 inches; Hard drive size: 160GB; WorldBench 6 rating: Good

Bottom Line: Despite a decent design, this netbook's screen and limited storage don't make it the ideal platform for a TV tuner.
Full Review • Test Report • Specs

Film Lovely Bones Opens Today

The film Lovely Bones based on the critically acclaimed book by Alice Sebold opens today, Friday, January 15. Directed by Oscar winner Peter Jackson (Lord of the Rings)from a screenplay by Fran Walsh and Philippa Boyens and Peter Jackson, the story centers on a young girl who recently was murdered. She looks down from heaven, watching her family and killer. She is torn between her desire for vengeance and her wish that her family heal. Mark Wahlberg, Rachel Weisz and Susan Sarandon star along with Stanley Tucci, Michael Imperioli and Oscar nominee Sooirse Ronan (as young girl) Our library has multiple copies of Sebold's book.

More 2009 Dagger Winners

The Crime Writers' Association, CWA, has announced the following 2009 Dagger winners:
William Brodrick, CWA Gold Dagger for A Whispered Name;
John Hart CWA Ian Fleming Steel Dagger for The Last Child;
Johan Theorin CWA John Creasey (New Blood)Dagger for Echoes from the Dead;
Philip Kerr Ellis Peters Historical Award for If the Dead Rise Not.
The CWA Dagger Awards are the oldest literary awards in the United Kingdom and are internationally recognized as a mark of achievement
and excellence.

Mystery Writer Val McDermid Awarded CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger Award

Crime Writers Association, CWA, has awarded popular author Val McDermid the 2009 CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger Award, which honours outstanding achievement in the field of crime writing. Margaret Murphy, chair of the CWA, said: “The CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger award acknowledges the work of an author who has made an outstanding contribution to the genre. Val McDermid is a worthy winner whose work has entertained and thrilled millions of readers as well as many more who have enjoyed the TV adaptations her books have inspired.” In 1995 McDermid won the CWA Gold Dagger for The Mermaids Singing, which first introduced her characters Tony Hill and Carol Jordan. Fever of the Bone is the sixth novel of this series which inspired the popular ITV series Wire in the Blood. McDermid's books have sold more than 10 million worldwide. She has written 23 bestselling novels.

Facebook Offers Free Security Software

Facebook Offers Free McAfee Software To Users

By Jennifer Bosavage, ChannelWeb

1:27 PM EST Wed. Jan. 13, 2010
Facebook is offering a free, six-month, McAfee security software subscription to the 350 million users of the social networking site in an effort to reduce exposure to security threats.

The partnership with McAfee is for one year. The first six months of use will be free, followed by a special discount following the trial period. Members need to visit the Protect Your PC tab on the McAfee Page on Facebook.

In a post on the Facebook blog, the site detailed its history in trying to protect users' accounts: "We invest in dedicated teams and advanced technical systems that detect and block suspicious behavior. When we find a message with a link to a fake login page or other malicious Web site, we prevent it from being sent and delete all instances of it from the site. We also work with third parties to get malicious sites added to browser blacklists or removed completely."

When an account is compromised, the owner of the account often learns of it by logging into Facebook and finding that unauthorized messages -- including perhaps spam -- have been sent from his/her account. The account owner must take proscribed steps to secure the account and learn security best practices. The site has now also incorporated custom McAfee software into this process for people identified as having infected computers. In addition, if a computer is found to be infected, the user must run a scan and clean the machine before accessing Facebook.

Facebook and McAfee will also jointly develop and update content for the Facebook Security Page.

The Dawn of The Tablet PC

The Dawn of the Tablet PC: CES 2010 Roundup
Tablet PCs are the big thing at CES 2010. Here's a look at what HP, Lenovo, and Sony have lined up--as well as at some of the challengers aiming to knock them down.
Patrick Miller, PCWorld
Thursday, January 07, 2010 07:45 PM PST

If this year's CES is any indication, 2010 is the Year of the Tablet PC. Practically every major consumer tech company is coming out with something thin, touchable, and Twitter-friendly.

The evolution of the tablet PC is similar to that of the laptop computer, the netbook, and the smartphone: Companies aren't so much selling us a better computer as they are selling us new ways to use computers.

However, consumers want something more portable than a laptop, more powerful than a netbook, and more comfortable than a smartphone--and a new tablet PC could very well fill all of those needs, in many different ways. People who love their e-readers but want something a little more versatile would likely love the Adam by Notion Ink, for example, while fans of touchscreen smartphones should pay close attention to Dell's concept Android tablet, which could offer similar Internet functions with a much more comfortable user experience.

(To view a slideshow summary of the tablet PCs included here see: Tablets Steal the Show at CES)

To see what the burgeoning tablet PC market might be able to offer you in the near future, read on for a comparison of the newly announced tablets from HP, Lenovo, and Sony, as well as a look at some of the almost-announced tablets on the horizon. Most likely, none of these products will be able to replace your main PC--but one of them just might scratch an itch you didn't realize you had.
HP Multitouch Tablet

The HP tablet PC or 'Slate,' demoed at CES 2010.

HP's as-yet-unnamed tablet is undoubtedly the star so far, considering that Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer demoed it at the CES 2010 keynote.

Some tablet enthusiasts were disappointed because it wasn't the rumored Microsoft "Courier" dual-screen tablet prototype that leaked in September 2009, and in Ballmer's brief demo we didn't see any game-changing features. At this point, though, HP's tablet seems poised to define the standard tablet PC experience. We do know that the HP tablet runs Windows 7, supports multitouch gestures, has an accelerometer to change the display's orientation automatically, and is due out in mid-2010 for under $500.

More info: Read our coverage of the HP tablet demo at the CES keynote, or check out one writer's take on the HP tablet announcement.
Lenovo Ideapad U1 Hybrid Notebook/Tablet

The Lenovo Ideapad U1 hybrid laptop/tablet PC.

Lenovo's Ideapad U1 touchscreen laptop/tablet has been turning heads at CES--probably because it can take its own head off. The Ideapad U1 starts out as a 3.8-pound laptop that runs Windows 7 on a Core 2 Duo CULV processor and a 128GB solid-state drive, but removing the 11.6-inch display lets you use it as a stand-alone Linux tablet PC, powered by a 1GHz Snapdragon ARM processor with 16GB of flash memory.

Once detached, the base of the PC becomes a 3G wireless hub for the tablet, ensuring that you keep your Internet connection. Lenovo's Hybrid Switch software handles the move between the main processor and the tablet processor, so users should be able to start browsing a Website in laptop mode and continue where they left off after they detach the tablet. Lenovo's Ideapad U1 hybrid PC is due out on June 1 for less than $1000.

More info: Watch a video of the Ideapad U1 in action, or read about Lenovo's announcement.
Sony Dash Mobile Internet Device

The Sony Dash Mobile Internet Device.

While HP's unnamed tablet and Lenovo's Ideapad U1 are headed in a general-computing direction, Sony's Dash is taking a different tack. Sony is calling the Dash a "portable Internet device," and the product takes more inspiration from the Chumby Internet appliance (in fact, Sony collaborated with Chumby in developing the Dash) than it does from any previous tablet PC.

With a Dash, you can stream media from Sony's Bravia content networks or attached USB devices onto its 7-inch, 800-by-480-pixel touchscreen, and listen to it through the built-in speaker or the standard 3.5mm headphone jack. You can also access the Internet over the Dash's Wi-Fi 802.11b/g connection using the included apps, or you can grab your own choices from among its library of over 1000 existing Chumby apps. The unit has no built-in storage space--the Dash is meant only for accessing the Internet. It supports multitasking, however, so you should be able to listen to Pandora while updating Facebook (or reading PCWorld). It will be available for $200 in April.

More info: Check out our coverage of Sony's announcement or stop by the Sony Dash product page.
Notion Ink Adam Smartpad

The Notion Ink Adam Tablet.

The Android-based Adam, created by India-based startup Notion Ink, is a tablet PC that blurs the line between e-reader and full-fledged PC. First announced in December 2009, the Adam carries the nVidia Tegra chip, weighs 1.7 pounds, supports wireless Internet via Wi-Fi and 3G (Engadget reports that the current 3G chip is compatible with AT&T), and can charge via USB.

Of particular note is the 10.1-inch Pixel Qi display, which could potentially stretch the Adam's battery life far beyond that of other tablet PCs, especially when combined with the power-efficient nVidia Tegra chip. No news yet on a shipping date, but the price is expected to be less than $400.

More info: Read about the original Notion Ink Adam announcement.
Archos 9 PCTablet

The Archos 9 PCTablet.

Despite appearing at Steve Ballmer's CES 2010 keynote, the Archos 9 PCTablet didn't get any love. That's probably because it actually debuted in mid-2009, and a few preorders have already shipped, though it's not expected to hit general retail channels until the first quarter of 2010.

Unlike the rest of the tablets at CES, the Archos 9 PCTablet is more like a 9-inch, 1024-by-600-pixel touchscreen UMPC that runs Windows 7 Starter Edition; it's powered by a 1.1GHz Intel Atom Z510 processor. The PCTablet also packs a 60GB hard drive and 1GB of RAM, offers networking via 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and 100-mbps ethernet, and has USB 2.0, microphone, and 3.5mm audio ports, as well as a 1.3-megapixel Webcam.

Considering that the Archos 9 was first announced in June 2009, specs-wise it doesn't seem capable of hanging with all the new CES-announced tablets when it finally ships in early 2010. Preorders cost around $750, but retail pricing is still undetermined for its release.

More info: See the Archos 9 PCtablet product page.
Innovative Converged Devices Vega and Ultra Tablets

The Innovative Converged Devices Ultra Tablet.

ICD has announced a pair of Android 2.0 tablets, one of which--the Ultra--has been popping up at nVidia's CES booth, at Verizon's booth, and on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in mid-December 2009.

According to ICD's Ultra product page, the Ultra tablet has a 7-inch touchscreen and is powered by a 1GHz nVidia Tegra T20 processor, which lets you watch smooth 1080p video; the device also includes 4GB of on-board storage space, as well as a MicroSD card slot for further expansion. The ICD Vega, the Ultra's bigger cousin, has a 15.6-inch, 1366-by-768-pixel touchscreen and a 32GB solid-state drive.

Both tablets give you a full spread of connectivity options, ranging from USB 2.0 and Bluetooth to 2G/3G data networks (optional) and Wi-Fi 802.11b/g, though the demo at Verizon's booth reportedly had the unit using a Motorola 4G modem on a precommercial network. Other specs include a 1.3-megapixel Webcam, an accelerometer, dual digital microphones, an FM radio, and an ambient-light sensor.

While the tablets look promising, our brief early look at the ICD Ultra suggests that they have a ways to go before they hit the market. No release date has been announced.

More info: Check out our sneak peek at the ICD Ultra or read more preliminary details about the whole ICD tablet family.
Freescale Semiconductors Tablet

The Freescale smartbook tablet.

Freescale made waves by announcing the $199 "smartbook" tablet early on in CES, but the company hasn't pulled the veil off quite yet. Equipped with a 1GHz ARM processor, some sort of on-board graphics hardware for HD video, and wireless connectivity via 802.11b/g/n or (optional) 3G modem, the device is intended to run general applications such as a Web browser (with Flash support), social networking tools, and an office suite.

The tablet is slated to have a 7-inch 1024-by-600-pixel touchscreen, a 3-megapixel Webcam, 4GB to 64GB of internal storage, and a MicroSD slot; it will also weigh less than a pound. So far, Freescale's design appears more conceptual than concrete--no manufacturers or vendors have been named as yet, though Freescale is aiming for a summer release. Stay tuned for more details as CES progresses.

More info: Read our coverage of the Freescale i.MX515 processor, and look at the Freescale tablet prototype from September 2009.
Pegatron Tablet

The other mysterious tablet from Steve Ballmer's CES keynote was a tablet by Pegatron (which was spun off from Taiwan-based AsusTek Computer in December 2009). Details are scarce, except that the device is significantly larger than the Archos 9 and HP tablets. According to Neowin, the unit has an 11.6-inch touchscreen display, 1GB of RAM, 32GB of on-board storage, a Webcam, and HDMI-out.

More info: Read Neowin's hands-on with the Pegatron tablet.
Dell 'Streak' Android Tablet Concept

The Dell 'Streak' Mobile Internet Device.

Rumors of Dell's entry into the tablet market have been floating around for a while, starting with the Android-powered mobile Internet device rumors from mid-2009 and continuing into December, when the unit picked up the Dell "Streak" moniker. Though this device has finally surfaced as an unnamed concept product at CES 2010, we have few details aside from confirmation that it uses Google's Android OS and has a 5-inch touchscreen with a 5-megapixel camera on the back. Pocket-lint reports that it has an option for a built-in SIM card.

More info: Read our article on some of the pre-CES Dell Streak speculation.
Apple 'iSlate' Tablet

A concept sketch of the rumored Apple tablet PC.

Even though Apple never attends CES, people have been buzzing about an upcoming Apple tablet for months now. As of this writing, all signs point to a January 26 announcement at a special Apple media event, and a March ship date. The tablet is expected to be named the iSlate. Specs are still unknown, of course, but a blog post by former Google China exec (and former Apple employee) Kai-Fu Lee suggests a 10.1-inch touchscreen with 3D graphics hardware, 3G Internet support (and a possible price subsidy from wireless carriers), and a price tag under $1000.

More info: See one PCW blogger's take on the many possible uses of the Apple tablet.

For more up-to-the-minute blogs, stories, photos, and video from the nation's largest consumer electronics show, check out PCWorld's complete coverage of CES 2010.

Patrick Miller is a staff editor for PCWorld. Find him off-duty @pattheflip.

3G vs. DSL, Cable

3G vs. Terrestrial Broadband
Lincoln Spector
Jan 4, 2010 10:16 am
Phil Kunde wants to know if the 3G Internet access available through his cell phone provider makes a viable alternative to conventional broadband such as cable or DSL.

Not in my book. While cell-based Internet access has one big advantage--you can access the Internet on your PC anywhere you can use your cell phone--it contains some very serious negatives.

For one thing, it's slow. Cell carriers like Sprint and Verizon promise download speeds that top out at only about 1.4Mbps--and can drop as low as .6Mbps. "Wireless signal, by its nature, is extremely variable; that is, many things, such as obstruction by fixed objects (buildings, trees, etc.), weather, network load, cell tower locations, and time of day, can affect the quality of the signal," says Mark Sullivan in A Day in the Life of 3G. (I'm sticking to 3G numbers here because, as I write this, the much faster 4G is still relatively rare in the United States.)

By comparison, 6Mbps DSL and 16Mbps cable connections are readily available.

The difference gets more extreme when you take price into consideration. AT&T charges the same $35 a month for 6Mbps DSL and 1.4Mbps (if you're lucky) 3G. But the $35 3G plan sticks you with a 200MB monthly allowance; I've downloaded individual files bigger than that. For $60 a month, you get 5GB, which is more reasonable but still wouldn't cover my family's Internet habits.

Speaking of families, a 3G connection can be shared in a way similar to broadband--one point in its favor. You do this with a small, router-like MiFi device that you purchase from your carrier. It's small, portable, and can connect up to five WiFi-enabled devices to your 3G Internet signal. Using one regularly with several people, of course, pretty much guarantees that you'll hit that 5GB limit early each month.

Depending on your lifestyle or working conditions, cell-based Internet access may very well be invaluable. But unless you're like George Clooney's character in Up in the Air--constantly traveling, never at home, and with no family--it's not a valid replacement for DSL or cable.

At least not yet.

Add your comments to this article below. If you have other tech questions, email them to me at answer@pcworld.com, or post them to a community of helpful folks on the PCW Answer Line forum.

See more like this: internet, broadband, mobile broadband, networks, routers

Lenovo Unveils New Hybrid Tablet/Laptop and Smartbook

Lenovo Unveils New Hybrid Tablet/Laptop and Smartbook
Agam Shah, IDG News Service
Jan 4, 2010 11:20 pm
Lenovo on Tuesday made a splash in the mobile market with the launch of its first smartbook, a mini-laptop called Skylight that the company says combines the best features of netbooks and smartphones, albeit without telephone functions.The lightweight device weighs 1.95 pounds (0.88 kilograms) and resembles a netbook, with a 10.1-inch screen and compact keyboard.
Lenovo Skylight
The low-cost device is designed for customers who want Internet on the go without PC functionality, said Ninis Samuel, marketing director at Lenovo.
Powered by a 1GHz Qualcomm Arm-based Snapdragon processor, the device offers 10 hours of battery life and includes integrated 3G mobile broadband and Wi-Fi connectivity.
Lenovo is one of the early PC makers to offer Arm-based mini-laptops, which have been called "smartbooks" by some chip makers. Smartbooks could fill a big void for consumers who need the simplicity of smartphone usage in a PC-like device, Samuel said.
Lenovo Skylight
"To match that demand and growth, the consumers want innovative devices that can connect to the Internet and multimedia on the go," Samuel said. The device is expected to be on display at the Consumer Electronics Show, which will be held in Las Vegas from Jan. 7 to 10. (All the latest CES news and gadgets here).
Skylight could emerge as an alternative in the low-cost laptop space to netbooks, which are mostly powered by Intel's Atom chips. Atom-based netbooks have a leg up because of support for both Microsoft's popular Windows operating systems and Linux. Arm-based chips do not support a full Windows OS, so smartbooks usually come with the Linux OS.
Lenovo already offers netbooks with multiple screen sizes, and on Tuesday added new models with the Windows OS. The IdeaPad S10-3 and the IdeaPad S10-3T, which includes a touchscreen, will be powered by the latest Atom processors, which should provide better battery life and performance than earlier chips.

Smartbooks mainly come in devices with smaller screens, like Sharp's NetWalker PC-Z1, which has a 5-inch screen. Though many Arm-based Internet devices with PC functionality are expected to be announced this year, one major PC maker has already questioned the viability of such products.

Asustek Computer CEO Jerry Shen has said he saw no "clear market" for smartbooks and that the company had no immediate plans to ship them. However, Asus, which was a pioneer of netbooks, demonstrated a mini-laptop with Qualcomm's Snapdragon platform running Google's Android open-source operating system at the Computex trade show in June.

But smartbooks could offer advantages over netbooks including longer battery life and quicker startup. Arm processors usually draw less power than Atom chips, and the quick boot capabilities of Linux help provide instant access to the Web.

Skylight's Linux OS includes a custom software user interface called Live Web Gadgets for users to access multiple Web applications at the same time. Users can receive notifications of new e-mail on Gmail, or write Facebook or Twitter updates in a split window interface.

The smartbook will be available for US$499 in the U.S. starting in April. It will also be available at a subsidized price through AT&T with the purchase of a 3G data plan. Shortly after, it will become available in Asia and Europe, Lenovo officials said.

Lenovo is launching a total of 10 PCs at CES, including the IdeaPad S10-3T netbook, which comes with 10.1-inch screen that supports multiple finger touch input. Users can place fingers on the screen to manipulate images, scroll down documents or zoom into maps. Prices for the device start at US$499. It weighs about 2.76 pounds, and runs for about four hours with a four-cell battery.


Lenovo IdeaPad S10-3t

The IdeaPad S10-3 netbook, which also includes a 10.1-inch screen is priced starting at $349. The device weighs about 2.43 pounds, and runs for about 3.5 hours with a four-cell battery. The netbooks will support up to 320GB and 2GB of memory.

Meanwhile, the IdeaPad U1 is a combo multi-touch tablet/laptop that will cost around $1000 in June.


Lenovo IdeaPad U1

When the two pieces are connected together in notebook form, the U1 runs Windows 7 using an Intel Core 2 Duo SU processor. When seperated and used as a tablet, the screen is powered by a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor and a custom Linux OS.


Lenovo IdeaPad U1

Microsoft Announces Pricing for Office 2010

Microsoft has announced pricing for Office 2010, with the biggest change being the fact that buyers can pay less by forgoing the full boxed copy in favor of a card with only a product key code.
Office 2010, which is now in public beta testing and due in final form later this year, will come in four retail versions--Home and Student, Home and Business, Professional, and an academic version of Office Professional. Of note, the product key cards are good for only one PC, while the boxed copies are good for installation on two PCs, with the exception of Home and Student, which is licensed for use on up to three machines.

Office Professional, which includes Word 2010, Excel 2010, PowerPoint 2010, OneNote 2010, Outlook 2010, Publisher 2010, Access 2010, premium technical support, and the browser-based Office Web Apps, is priced at $499 for the full boxed copy or $349 for the product key card. The academic version of Office Professional for students and educators will sell for $99 and will be available at campus bookstores and through certain retailers.
Office Home and Student is priced at $149 for the boxed version and $119 for the product key card and includes Word 2010, Excel 2010, PowerPoint 2010, OneNote 2010, and the Office Web Apps. It is available in a Family Pack, allowing use on three PCs in one home.
The new home option, Office Home and Business, which adds Outlook to the mix and is licensed for business use, is offered at $279 for the boxed form or $199 for the product key card.
Microsoft also noted that it has now reached more than 2 million downloads of the beta version of Office 2010.
"To get a better appreciation for that number, it's a rate of more than 40,000 downloads per day," Office General Manager Rachel Bondi said Tuesday in a blog posting. "That's approximately twice the number of people who run the Boston Marathon each year, or the entire population of Olympia, WA, or Annapolis, MD, downloading the Office 2010 beta every day!"
Originally posted at Beyond Binary