upgrades

History repeating? Recalling the Vista 'upgrade'

While much of the media is tripping over itself to mark the Second Coming of Windows (aka the Windows 7 beta), I am recalling the First Install of Windows Vista.

Although I have been running Vista without major incident since January of 2008, the initial switch in August of 2007 consigned me immediately to my own private Vista hell. Let's hope that Microsoft makes the upgrade to Windows 7 easier this time.

In a personal blog post written in August 2007, I wrote: "As more people experience the fiasco that is Windows Vista, I thought I would pile … Read more

Nothing But Software has Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic - upgrade package for $59.95, after $40 savings.

Save $40 on the Microsoft Windows Vista Home Basic - upgrade package from Nothing But Software >> Regular price is $99.95 >> Sale price is $59.95 >> Savings $40 (40.02%) >> Click here for deal

World's best (sounding) home theater in a box

Expecting great sound from a home theater in a box (HTIB) is almost always an exercise in frustration.

Even the top-of-the-line HTIBs, such as Sony's ES BDV-IT1000ES ($2,000 MSRP) don't hold a candle to an equivalently priced separates-based system. It's not even close.

Sound, schmound. Given that HTIBs are sold as lifestyle products, it's more important for them to look good than sound good. Product designers are compelled to make speakers that look slick hugging the wall next to a flat-screen display. That's why we're so jazzed by Onkyo's HT-S9100THX HTIB ($1,099 MSRP). Sleek, it ain't, but it sure sounds like a separates-grade home theater system.

The HT-S9100THX's largish shipping box hints at the reasons why. It weighs a hefty 144 pounds. Inside, you'll find seven bookshelf two-way speakers, a full-size subwoofer, and a 7x 130-watt-per-channel receiver with 1080p-capable HDMI v.1.3 connectivity, and complete decoding for the latest lossless, high-resolution Dolby TrueHD and DTS-HD Master Audio surround formats. You get four--count 'em, four--HDMI inputs, same as Onkyo's TX-SR706 receiver ($899 MSRP).

The HT-S9100THX's receiver also features Audyssey's 2EQ automatic calibration to tailor the sound of the speakers and the 290-watt, 12-inch powered subwoofer, and compensate for your room's acoustic anomalies. The front three speakers feature a 1-inch soft-dome tweeter matched with dual 5-inch woofers; the four surround speakers use the same tweeter and a slightly smaller woofer. The 17.5 by 14.9 by 16.8 inch subwoofer weighs 34 pounds. Compared to the 6-inch plastic poser subs that come with so many HTIBs it's the 800-pound gorilla. You'll feel the difference.… Read more

Amazon.com has the Microsoft Office Small Business Management Edition 2006 Upgrade for $109.99, after $289.01 savings.

Amazon.com has Microsoft Office Small Business Management Edition 2006 Upgrade for $109.99, after $289.01 savings. >> Regular price is $399 >> Sale price is $109.99 >> Savings $289.01 (72.43%) >> Click here for deal

OWC now turns your MacBook into a tablet

If you're a hard-core Apple fanboy but want the functionality of a tablet computer, there's a solution: get your MacBook transformed into a ModBook.

The solution got more easily accessible on Friday as Other World Computer announced its Modservice in partnership with Axiotron.

Originally available only in Canada, the service converts an existing Intel Core 2 Duo-based MacBook into an Axiotron ModBook. So far, this is believed to be the world's first and only Mac-based tablet computer that lets users draw and write directly on the screen.

Preordering is available immediately from OWC, with prices starting at $… Read more

Nothing But Software has the Microsoft Office 2007 Ultimate Upgrade for $429, after $110.95 savings.

Nothing But Software has Microsoft Office 2007 Ultimate Upgrade for $429, after $110.95 savings. >> Regular price is $539.95 >> Sale price is $429 >> Savings $110.95 (20.55%) >> Click here for deal

Report: New Apple iMacs due in next couple weeks

Never a dull moment, or even a lull, when it comes to Apple upgrade news. On the heels of last week's announcements about the company's new MacBook lineup, there's now buzz about new iMacs that could be out in time for the holidays.

Apple Insider kicked off the latest round of speculation with a report Friday that Apple is expected to refresh its 20- and 24-inch iMacs "in the coming weeks," entering the shopping season with "one of its strongest product portfolios ever."

As for details, there aren't many. Apple Insider and others … Read more

Apple TV update adds high-def TV episodes, Genius playlist support

Apple has added HD television episodes and support for Genius music playlists to the Apple TV.

Firmware 2.2, available now as a free download, adds the ability to purchase TV episodes of select shows in high-def (for $3, versus the $2 price tag for standard-def versions). That makes good on a pledge that Steve Jobs made at the company's September 10 event.

The updated Apple TV now also supports the Genius playlist feature that was introduced on new versions of iTunes and iPods at the same event. Genius is designed to help listeners discover--and buy--new music based on … Read more

Hasta la Vista baby, we're just not interested

Microsoft's Windows Vista operating system is still playing second fiddle to XP with business users, with more enterprises confessing to checking out the unreleased Windows 7 OS than its predecessor.

More than half (58 percent) of businesses using Microsoft technology are "exploiting" Windows XP compared to just 4 percent for Vista, according to the "reality checker" research by the Corporate IT Forum (Tif).

Tif's reality checker surveys help its members quickly compare the progress and position of their companies' IT against the technology choices of other members.

The group also found that 35 percent … Read more