I N T H I S I S S U E
Welcome to PCMag.com's newest newsletter, Your Weekend Update with Dan & Vicki!
Here are our thoughts on the hottest stories that hit PCMag.com this week. Let us know what you think . . . and enjoy.
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What the BlackBerry Update Means for You
BlackBerry owners rejoice! The upcoming BlackBerry 4.5 software will vault your Pearls and Curves into the top ranks of multimedia devices. We got RIM to explain, model by model and server by server, what the new software will mean to each existing BlackBerry owner.
Vicki: Wow, Phone Analyst Sascha Segan really spells it out in this one, doesn't he? BlackBerry by Black-Berry, he walks you through exactly what the update encompasses. I think Sascha provides a great service to our BlackBerry-owning readers here. This is the story you need to read if you're looking to buy a BlackBerry or upgrade your existing one.
Dan: Sascha does know his BlackBerrys. This is the update that will make RIM the best smartphone manufacturer out there. By some standards they already are, but they have been a little weak on multimedia support. That is going to change. Enhanced video support and playback nearly across the board, Office document edi-ing, even spell check. Nice. Makes me wish our I.T. department supported BlackBerrys and not these ancient Treos.
What are we talking about? Read all about it here!
Nine Ways to Wipe Out Spyware
We've rounded up the best (and worst) of the apps dedicated to finding and killing spyware—and keeping it from getting onto your machine in the first place. Not all antispyware apps are created equal!
Vicki: This story was a big hit this week. Then again, folks seem to flock to our security stories. As popular as these stories are, however, I always wonder how many people actually use security products. I know we both do at work--our IT folks make sure we do. But what about at home? What do you have running on your personal PC, Dan?
Dan: I used to be able to get by with a little prudence and a few shareware apps. Not anymore. Despite my best efforts, my stepson Emmet refuses to practice safe computing. (I have uninstalled Limewire five times!) I recently installed a full version of Norton 360 at home and that has kept it pretty clean. I have another system that pretty much needs a clean install of the OS to clean out the junk. These packages can be expensive, but after you have spent a weekend cleaning out your PC, you will be willing to pay for the added protection.
What are we talking about? Read all about it here!
72 Tips for Safer Computing
From the basics to the extreme, here are the tricks that will keep your computer, you, and your family secure and safe.
Dan: Speaking of security, I forwarded this to Emmet. I am not sure what he will make of our advice to use a bi-directional firewall, but just getting him to stop clicking on .EXEs would be a huge plus. Come to think of it, I should probably send this to my parents, too. I do most of these things already, but there are a few that I purposefully avoid. I always broadcast the SSID of my Wi-Fi network; to do otherwise seems un-neighborly. I have certainly used my neighbors' networks enough. You have been known to dip into you neighbor's network from time to time, right?
Vicki: Um, yes I did. The guilt got to me, though. And, as you know, I recently had FIOS installed. I'm now more concerned with security than I ever was before. I'm looking at this story--the Home Networks section, especially--as a check list for good practices. Now you know what I'll be doing this weekend!
What are we talking about? Read all about it here!
Apple's MacBook Air Will Soar
The ultra-slim, ultra-sexy notebook will be highly successful, but not for the reasons you may think.
Vicki: I think Tim (Bajarin) makes some valid points in this column. There's no doubt that part of what makes Apple's products so appealing is their design and style. It certainly keeps the Mac faithful coming back for more. The MacBook Air elicited oohs and ahs from those of us here at the office. As I've said before, though, I wouldn't trade in my new Dell notebook to get one.
Dan: But have you held it? I took it for a TV segment last week and it does make an impression when you get your hands on it. I am not sure it has quite enough features and power to be your primary computer, but as a second system for e-mail, Web browsing, and basic Office applications, it is perfect. And it is a marvelous travel companion: not only easy on the eyes, easy on the back.
What are we talking about? Read all about it here!
It's Time for a Vista Do-Over
Lance Ulanoff delivers a radical plan for a new Windows OS to one rather surprised Microsoftie.
Dan: See, I wish I was in the room when Lance told this Microsoft rep that the company should take its flagship operating system and just start over. I have seen him do this before, with Apple, Sony, all the big companies we cover. He has no compunction about watching a PR flack squirm as they try to find the right canned response. It is pretty cool. And Lance makes a good point about simplifying the OS. Too bad it will never happen. Or do you think never “ever” happen?
Vicki: Yes, I too admire Lance's gumption. I think he can get away with it--at least most of the time--because he does it without malice. He's pretty matter-of-fact in these circumstances. As to your question, I think Microsoft will get to simplifying the OS, but odds are, by the time it does, consumers will be crying out for a completely new one.
What are we talking about? Read all about it here!
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Big, bulky and has no cellular capabilities. So what's all the hype about the Sony Mylo COM-2? Sascha Segan, Lead Analyst for Mobile Devices, finds out.
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