Now that you have learned about the basics of home networking in Part 1, and how to optimize your Wi-Fi in Part 2, in Part 3, it's time to get your hands dirty and learn how to take control of your network completely.
All home networks start with a network cable. Even if you plan on using all wireless clients, in most cases you will still need at least one cable to connect the wireless router and the broadband modem. … Read more
Are you using Carbonite to back up your data? Good for you: I highly recommend some kind of cloud-storage service in tandem with a local backup.
Ah, but are you happy with it? The folks at CrashPlan think you can do better, and they're willing to put their money where their mouth is: existing Carbonite customers can get one year of CrashPlan backup absolutely free.
Typically, that would cost you $49.99. And if you're looking to protect more than one computer, you can purchase a family plan for $50 -- a price that buys you unlimited storage … Read more
Apple is getting ready to launch new iMacs, according to a new report.
Fox News' Clayton Morris is reporting today, citing several sources, that Apple will soon update its iMac line. According to Morris, the computers will come with Intel's Ivy Bridge processors, as well as better graphics and USB 3.0.
Apple's iMacs have been in desperate need of a refresh for some time. The all-in-one computers, which were last updated in May 2011, come in the customer's choice of 21.5- and 27-inch models. The iMacs currently offer quad-core Intel Core i5 processors.… Read more
Lenovo kept its Windows 8 desktop offerings simple during its announcement today, expanding on existing product lines, and introducing no significant new features to its IdeaCentre all-in-ones.
IdeaCentre A520 Consider this unit, pictured above, the smaller, more affordable version of the 27-inch IdeaCentre A720 Lenovo released earlier this year. This model comes in with a 23-inch, 1,920x1,080-pixel display, and the same high-end Intel Core i7 CPUs and other PC components as the big-screen version, but real focus is on the sleek design, the display adjustability, and the 10-point touch interface.
In a review at the beginning of the … Read more
We last saw a new Samsung desktop for sale in the U.S. with last year's Series 7 all-in-one. These new models may not offer the asymmetrical sleekness of the Asia-only Series 9 all-in-one the company teased at this year's CES, but the updated Series 7, and a brand-new Series 5 all-in-one suggest that Samsung sees Windows 8 as an opportunity to expand its American desktop offering.
Where before Samsung had just one all-in-one for American buyers, you can now choose from among three different models. A 27-inch Series 7 for $1,699, a 23-inch Series 7 for $… Read more
The Samsung Chromebox Series 3 is the first desktop computer designed specifically for Google's Chrome operating system. And despite its resemblance to Apple's Mac Mini, the Series 3 isn't your average desktop. On this week's episode of Cracking Open, I take you inside the first Chromebox and show you how it's different from a conventional desktop computer.… Read more
Apple's Mountain Lion and Microsoft's Windows 8 are now out in the real world. And this time more than ever, the two companies are taking the computer into two distinct directions.
After using both of the new operating systems, it's easy to see that each is more solid, more stable, and filled with more-compelling features than ever before. It's also true that Microsoft's radical new operating system is gorgeous, but this is not a beauty contest. Like I pointed out in my review for Mountain Lion, I still think Apple made the better choice in … Read more
We all know food, drink and technology don't mix, yet dusty and crumb-filled keyboards are rampant in households and offices across the world. To help out on the housekeeping front, Logitech today unveiled a new PC keyboard -- the Logitech Washable Keyboard K310 -- that could spell the end of the dirty QWERTY.
The K310, which Logitech says can tolerate anything from "a light dusting to a rinse in the kitchen sink," can be washed multiple times and can be submerged in up to 11 inches of water, and then left out to dry. … Read more
Microsoft showcased its Windows 8 Release to Manufacturing build last week. Amid the excitement, VentureBeat's Sean Ludwig took the opportunity to check in on Microsoft's updated SkyDrive cloud storage service and its rather strict policies regarding user uploaded content.
The article picks up on reports from February 2011, where German photographer Dirk Salm found his Windows Live account restricted after Microsoft objected to the content of four image files Salm had stored in a SkyDrive folder.
The problems with Microsoft's policies, as VentureBeat maps them out, amount to three key issues.
Terminology in Microsoft's online services … Read moreSince my last post on the basics of home networking, which is Part 1 of this series, I've been flooded with even more e-mails than I had been before (which explains why some of you haven't heard back from me). The good news is that nobody is asking about what a router is anymore. I guess I did an OK job explaining that in my previous post.
Most of the e-mails this time asked about how to have the … Read more
407Facebook Likes
333Tweets
298Google Plus Shares
The one stop shop for all things iPhone
What's the #1 music streaming-app for iOS? Who wins in an iPhone v. S4 faceoff? We've got it covered with iPhone news, rumors, app recommendations, and more.
Manage updates with the Download App