The increasing availability of small form factor video recorders is, in a word, cool. You no longer need a large camcorder unless you want the flexibility of disc-based media or higher lens quality. The need for standard camcorders will never go away, but for quick on-the-fly video recording, nothing beats the small form factor, flash based video recorder. The...

Anybody who values their time and has things to get done will usually understand the value of a good task manager. Some people like to use a task list on their computer. Others prefer something web-based. Others prefer the good old-fashioned pen and paper. Whatever your method, the idea is to serve as a replacement for keeping everything in your head. If you...

Everybody needs to convert files from one format to the other from time to time. Luckily there are a lot of ways to accomplish this. One option I have just checked out is called Universal Document Converter. In short, this product installs as a virtual print driver under Windows (sorry, Mac or Linux users). It allows you to print anything to PDF, TIFF, JPEG,...

We all like the convenience of the Ipod. We like our cell phones. In short, we like small things when we’re on the go. Digital cameras have gotten super small. And now, video cameras have as well. The Flip Video is a super small video camera that retails for only $150. In fact, it is easily small enough to fit into your pocket. I had an opportunity to give...

Any computer user worth their salt will stress the importance of data backup. Too many people either don’t think about it or put it off into the “someday” category, leaving open the possibility that you’ll get burned. Anybody, though, who has been caught with a hosed system and inadequate backups realizes the cold, hard importance of...

I bought my MacBook Pro over a month ago now. I have been meaning to do a quick review of the unit here on PCMech. Well, finally, I’ll scratch that small to-do off my list. Two words: LOVE IT. But, you want a little more detail, perhaps. Fine, I’ll provide it. Warning: don’t expect me to benchmark this machine. I’ll leave that to the...

When it comes to computer speakers, a few names typically come to mind. The first ones, Creative and Logitech offer decent sound at a middle-range price. I have owned sets of both speakers, and they are, as I said, decent. On the high end, the first name that comes to mind is Bose – they offer an amazing sound for an unbelievably high price. Many sound...

I have been a huge Google whore for some time now. I routinely use Google for search, email, site statistics, advertising (and hence making money online), keeping up with news, spell checking….need I go on? But, there is another thing that Google does that is really convenient. And, of course, they give it away in true Google, San-Francisco tree-hugging...

Lapworks is a big name in the field of ergonomic laptop desks and desk stands. I have been a long-time user of the Futura laptop stand from Lapworks. It is simple and is great for using the laptop on my lap. It helps with cooling and it saves the family jewels. The Attache is a new addition to the Lapworks lineup. They sent me a unit to review and I thought I...

The major software companies like Microsoft and Apple often refer to “the cloud”, or “cloud computing”. Basically, this refers to the Internet and the fact that much of our computing experience is moving online. Well, file storage is also moving online and DragToWeb is one startup looking to gain your business. The Basics When you head on...

The Firefox web browser is so ubiquitous today that we sometimes forget that it is open source. Open source means more than simply “free”. It means that the source code which makes up the program is freely available to other programmers to play around with. The end result often means program spin-offs. Flock is one such spin-off. I went and...

I recently picked up a Mac Pro as a new system to use here in the office. The Mac Pro is Apple’s enterprise class computer. The specs of this machine, direct from Apple, are:Two 2.66GHz Dual-Core Intel Xeon 1GB (2 x 512MB) 250GB 7200-rpm Serial ATA 3Gb/s NVIDIA GeForce 7300 GT 256MB (single-link DVI/dual-link DVI) One 16x SuperDrive Apple Keyboard and...

Not too long ago, I wrote and published an article about how heat from your laptop could lead to infertility. See, a laptop is really anything BUT a laptop. Put another way, you really shouldn’t use a laptop computer as it sits directly on your lap. Aside from the issue of potential effects on your manhood, it is also bad for your computer. Laptops...

Make no mistake. I am addicted. To Facebook. Not because it’s another social networking group that allows me to show off my photographs and say ‘hi’ to all the beautiful strangers roaming around the web, but because it’s better than all the other social networking groups that I have been a member of (Ryze, Orkut, Linkedin, Hi5)....

The Logitech LX3 mouse I bought was absolutely terrible and I returned it the same day I bought it (yesterday.) Today I bought a Microsoft Comfort Optical Mouse 1000. Price is under $20 at most stores. This mouse is far better than the Logitech in every way. Feels good in the hand, the materials don’t feel cheap and it performs like it’s supposed...

I bought a replacement mouse for my old Logitech USB optical mouse which has given me over five years of trouble-free faithful service.  The one I decided to buy was a Logitech LX3. It is a lower-end model but not so low as to be considered bargain-bin. In other words, a slightly-above-par mouse. Or so I thought. The LX3 is absolutely terrible. It feels weird...

Hewlett Packard is one of the most prominent manufacturers of notebook computers today, and any trip to Best Buy will make that abundantly clear. Well, as of this writing, one of the notebook PCs they have on sale right now at Best Buy is the HP Pavilion DV6000. I picked one up a couple months ago for $800. I was in Best Buy a couple weeks ago and it was on sale...

I was just recently in the market for a new digital camera to replace my wife’s old Sony digital cam. The world of digital photography has advanced quite a bit and the number of options out there is truly staggering. It is to the point where it is hard to shop for a digital camera today. Canon cameras are generally thought to be the best. They have been in...

A lot of us today use notebook computers. In fact, these days I find myself using my laptop more than my desktop PC. Laptops are convenient and, in most cases, every bit as powerful as their desktop counterparts. But, let’s look at the name: LAP TOP. In theory, it’s a PC you put on top of your lap. But, should you? Infertility Caused By the PC As a...

This last Saturday, we had a hellish storm here in Florida. Lightning and the resulting electricity surges managed to take out my Verizon FIOS system, the NIC card in my main desktop computer, and a television. It also manged to (it seems) blow out my Klipsch 4.1 speaker system. My Klipsch system served me well for many years, and it was a killer set of...