start

Windows 8 users who miss the old, reliable Start menu now have another application that can fill the gap quite nicely.

Available for free, Win8 StartButton recreates the look, feel, and functionality of the traditional Windows Start menu. But it then ups the action through a host of customizable features.

After you install the program, the familiar Windows Start orb appears in the lower left corner of the desktop. Clicking on the orb displays the typical two-pane Start menu with easy access to all your programs and favorite Windows locations, such as your documents and music. The menu sports commands … Read more

You might decide, on viewing these two clips from the new Bravo TV show "Start-Ups: Silicon Valley" that words fail you.

Please don't be alarmed.

Words sometimes know when they have been defeated. They realize that there are occasional moments in life when they can and will have no effect.

So please just click the play buttons here and marvel, say, at the straight face of VC Dave McClure, as he examines a pitch from a couple of very beautiful people -- whose words will make up for your lack of them.

Yes, one of them finds … Read more

Start8 brings back the familiar start button to make your transition to Windows 8 a little bit easier. The first thing you'll notice when firing up your new Windows 8 PC is the lack of a Start button. For design reasons, Microsoft has removed the old Start menu in favor of the new Metro Start screen. Start8 aims to bring it back and help you make your move to the new Windows without compromising productivity.

The installation is light and fast, and setting up takes almost no time at all. Setup will ask whether you prefer the original Windows … Read more

Feeling lost in Windows 8's Desktop mode? Not sure how to get back to the Start screen? It's simpler than you think. We've got three ways to get you back home to the colorful safety of Metro's tiles.

Use the Charms, Luke. Open the Charms bar, Windows 8's new superpowered sidebar. If you're on a touch screen, you can do this by swiping in from the right edge. If you've got a mouse, move the cursor to the upper-right-hand corner of your screen. Wait a moment, and the Charms will appear. Move the … Read more

Pokki for Windows 8 joins a growing list of Windows 8 Start menu utilities. How does the program fare?

SweetLabs' Pokki for Windows 8 fills in the gap for Windows 8 users who still want the traditional Start menu on their desktops. And you'll have to place me in that group.

Through I've become more accustomed to the Start screen over time, I still find the Start menu a quicker and more efficient way to launch any application installed on my PC.

I know you can open a program or file just by typing its name at the … Read more

Windows 8 users who still miss the Start button will find an alternative on Samsung's new lineup of computers and tablets.

Buyers of Samsung Windows 8 PCs and tablets will be able to download a free Quick Starter program, which adds a Start button and a toolbar to open your files and applications.

The S Launcher program that lets Samsung users access the Start menu replacement was initially supposed to come with new PCs and tablets. But a Samsung rep confirmed to ZDNet in August that the launcher would not appear in the final products. Instead, it will be … Read more

What it must be to be ugly and in tech.

What it must be to be, oh, in one's late 20s or even early 30s and be ugly and in tech.

How does anyone cope? The Valley shrinks must never go home to their VC lovers.

This obvious truth is underlined by a new trailer for Bravo TV's forthcoming reality show about Silicon Valley -- which enjoys Randi Zuckerberg as one of its producers.… Read more

I can that imagine someone at Lamborghini thinks that the Aventador's 700-horsepower split between all four wheels is probably enough power for one car. (And no, I don't agree with that person.) I assume this because rather than getting a nominal power bump for this model year's update, the 2013 Lamborghini Aventador LP700-4 gets a mile per gallon bump thanks to the addition of cylinder deactivation and idle stop-start technologies that allow the V-12 engine to instantaneously and momentarily make less power in the pursuit of using less fuel.

The Cylinder Deactivation System (CDS) works like this: … Read more

Nero 11 Multimedia Suite was already a monster collection of production tools. Though the last iteration provided a solid collection for both the casual and advanced enthusiast, Nero 12 continues to push toward becoming a go-to tool for people's growing network of devices at home.

Nero streamlines workflow with its own built-in file management system, Kwik Media. Applications are accessed from a single interface to avoid fragmentation and reduce confusion. Windows 8 users will be glad to see that the suite integrates smoothly with the new redesigned tiled UI. Kwik Media intelligently organizes your frequently used media based on … Read more