10 products changing the business world
You say you want a revolution? These products and services are changing the way we work at our desks and on the road.
Stories by Jeff Bertolucci
Google to Disconnect GOOG-411 Service
<a href="http://www.pcworld.com/search?qt=google">Google</a> is shutting down 1-800-GOOG-411, a directory-assistance service that uses voice recognition to connect callers to businesses in the U.S. and Canada. Launched in 2007, <a href="http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/10/goodbye-to-old-friend-1-800-goog-411.html">GOOG-411</a> was advanced for its time--yep, all of three years ago. Today, however, it appears positively quaint, particularly when stacked against Google's newer, more sophisticated <a href="http://www.pcworld.com/article/203156/google_expands_voice_search_with_new_actions.html?tk=rel_news">voice-search tools</a> for smartphones.
Study: 90% of US kids have online presence by age 2
It's increasingly common for children to have an online footprint before they're born, and most kids in many developed countries have some sort of digital profile by their second birthday, according to a new study by AVG, an Internet security firm.
Top 10 funniest Internet memes
Though definitions of "Internet meme" vary, it is basically a piece of digital content that spreads rapidly online, mutating as various people alter its details before passing it along via message boards, forums, or e-mail.
Apple iMac may add touchscreen, but beware the gorilla arm!
We’ve been hearing about Apple’s alleged plans for touchscreen-equipped iMacs for months now, and the rumors continue to swirl. The latest gossip arrives courtesy Digitimes, a Taiwanese trade publication that’s a bountiful source of Apple-related scuttlebutt. So what's new? Display manufacturer Sintek Photonics has reportedly shipped samples of capacitive touch panels to Apple, which plans to incorporate the technology into the next generation of its iMac all-in-one desktops, Digitimes reports.
MS Security Essentials soon free for small businesses
Starting early next month, Microsoft Security Essentials, Redmond's anti-malware service for Windows PCs, will be free for small businesses to install on up to 10 PCs.
Sony's wristwatch remote for Android phones
As smartphones get bigger -- consider the pocket-busting Motorola Droid X and tablet-phone hybrid Dell Streak -- do they need a remote control of their own? Sony Ericsson thinks so.
Facebook is down again, cause unknown
Update - 2:55PM PDT: Facebook appears to be back up--at least for us here in PCWorld's San Francisco offices. The Facebook Twitter feed notes, "Facebook may be slow or unavailable for some people because of site issues. We're working to fix this quickly." We're trying to get some more information, and we'll post an update as soon as we know anything more. Our story as originally posted follows below:
Don't hold your breath for Verizon iPhone, says CEO
It'll likely arrive someday, just not as soon as we'd like. Verizon Communications chief executive Ivan Seidenberg has tossed a bucket of icy water on smoldering rumors about a certain Apple smartphone coming to the largest U.S. wireless network.
Intel must prove CPU upgrade is worth the cost
Intel is testing a processor-upgrade program that may alienate the power users it hopes to attract. The Intel Upgrade Service pilot is a retail store offering that boosts the performance of select desktop PCs with the Pentium G6951 processor.
PC users happier with Windows 7, survey says
Nearly a year after its launch, Windows 7 has accomplished what Microsoft and its PC manufacturing partners had hoped it would: Make users forget about its much-maligned predecessor Vista.
Samsung tablet's cameras: Video chat is just the start
Not only is the Samsung Galaxy Tab one of the first Android tablets, it's among the first to feature two (front and rear) cameras. To most of us, a camera-equipped tablet means one thing: video chat. But the primary benefit of tablet cameras, particularly from a business standpoint, is that they'll bring augmented reality applications to the mainstream.
Internet Explorer 9's forecast for businesses: Murky
Microsoft's new Internet Explorer 9 beta is enjoying favorable reviews, but what impact will it have on the PC market? IE has dominated the desktop browser landscape for years -- its share topped 90 per cent not long ago -- but upstart competitors, most notably Google Chrome, continue to nibble away at IE's massive slice of the global browser pie.
Apple iPad looks like a holiday hit
Consumer tablets, particularly Apple's iPad, will be a favorite among gift-givers this holiday season. That's according to Best Buy CEO Brian Dunn, who announced today that the consumer electronics giant is expanding iPad sales to all of its U.S. stores starting Sept. 26.
Intel’s Sandy Bridge: PC Sales Supercharger?
Intel's upcoming Sandy Bridge microprocessor design is generating a lot of buzz, primarily because it'll integrate the chipmaker's high-end graphics technology with its CPUs.