Google's Android Makes Its Public Debut The Ultimate USB Key Drive-Imaging: Beyond Backup Sony Ericsson Releases First Windows Mobile Phone Apple Mac mini (2-GHz Core 2 Duo)

Dan Costa

Vicki B. Jacobson

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Google's Android Makes Its Public Debut
The Mobile World Congress became the coming-out party for Google's Android OS as four mobile processor vendors showed off pre-production devices running versions of Android.

Dan: This is my next phone. I know Sascha covered a whole bunch of phones running Google’s Android OS, and one of them will be mine, hopefully by the end of the year. By now our readers have gotten sick of me complaining about my Treo 650—this week, and I am totally serious, I Crazy-Glued my antenna back onto the phone. Windows Mobile does nothing for me and I am not sure I can invest in the Palm OS anymore. And an open platform for smartphones is the future. I just hope it gets here soon. I would ask you if you can wait to upgrade, but of course, you ALWAYS wait.

Vicki: And you should know, Dan. We've known each other for how many years? Yes, steady and true, that's me. This is not to say that I can't be spontaneous. Remember that time when I… but I digress. As for the Android OS, if Sascha is excited about it, then it's worth investigating. It did look pretty smooth on those prototype phones. This could be my next phone, but, of course, I need to know two things: 1) what will Verizon be offering? and 2) how much will it cost?

What are we talking about? Read all about it here!

The Ultimate USB Key
With some extra planning, your USB drive can be more than a briefcase; it can be a tool to keep you connected and functional, too.

Dan: Is it wrong to admit I have a little bit of a USB key fetish? You know this, of course. You were there when I key-blocked another editor just so I could test the latest batch of USB flash keys. I think they were just about 1GB then—now they are topping 8GB. And if you load them up with applications, it is like carrying your entire PC in your pocket. You can plug it into any PC and have all your docs, apps, even browser bookmarks. I am totally loading up with these apps, though my current 4GB Kingston DataTraveller is looking a little under-sized…..do you think it's big enough? :)

Vicki: Dan, I've told you this before: It doesn't matter if I think it's big enough. It's about you…and whether you're comfortable with it. Most of what I carry around is smaller—about 1 to 2GB—so I, too, am thinking about upsizing. I have a great love of USB keys as well—perhaps just shy of a fetish—and I'm excited to try out some of the apps discussed here.

What are we talking about? Read all about it here!

Drive-Imaging: Beyond Backup
Your hard drive could die at any moment. Will you be ready? If you've got a drive image, you'll save not only your data but your apps, drivers, and all the settings that make your machine yours.

Vicki: Yes, I have had my hard drive die on me suddenly and without warning. No, I was not ready. And yes, I suffered the consequences. Am I any more prepared today than when this happened to me a few years ago? Somewhat. But I know I can do so much more. After reading Ed Mendelson's article, I'm seriously considering buying the Editors' Choice-winning ShadowProtect Desktop 3.1. Dan, have you ever suffered a hard drive failure? If so, did it change your backup habits?

Dan: Sure, I use my USB key! I have suffered failures both large and small, and many of them involve my hard drive. I am pretty good at protecting my documents with a combination of external hard drives, online storage, and disc backup. These apps, however, help you back up your entire system—OS, apps, settings. You basically get your "old" PC back, just like new. Some of them can be pretty complicated, but it sounds like ShadowProtect is definitely worth checking out.

What are we talking about? Read all about it here!

Sony Ericsson Releases First Windows Mobile Phone
Sony Ericsson announced its first Windows Mobile phone, the Xperia X1 – and it's coming to the U.S. soon. The company also released two new camera phones, a music phone, two ExpressCards and two Symbian UIQ-based smart phones.

Dan: As I said above, Windows Mobile doesn’t really do much for me. Maybe it is the size of the screen, but it just doesn’t seem to me like the Windows interface belongs on a phone. Anyway, this is still pretty big news for Sony Ericsson. I have it on very good authority that Sony Ericsson is making a major push into the U.S. market, and this phone could help them appeal to the high-end consumer. It will be hard to give the iPhone a run for its money in the sex-appeal department, but Sony just might have the design know-how to do it. As PC Magazine’s Lead Sex Appeal Analyst, think they have a chance?

Vicki: Why Dan, you flatter (and embarrass) me! Wait. Does that mean that I'm a good judge of sex appeal, or that I'm…? Oh, nevermind. I, like many of my colleagues here at PC Magazine, am a sucker for a "hot" product. I've oohed and ahed in my time. That's not really happening for me here (then again, I didn't fall all over the iPhone either). I recognized the appeal and the forward-thinking that went into Apple's smartphone. This just seems like a sexy copy cat.

What are we talking about? Read all about it here!

Apple Mac mini (2-GHz Core 2 Duo)
The Apple Mac mini has been around for a while, but it's still the trailblazer for compact, energy-efficient desktops.

Vicki: It's compact. It's cute. It's cool. It's relatively inexpensive. And as our reviewer, Joel Santo Domingo says, it appeals to the "space-constrained and green-thinking." But I wonder who buys it. It seems to me that most Mac lovers gravitate towards Apple's sleek laptops or iMacs. Am I crazy, Dan? (And no Dan, this is not a "general" question.)

Dan: Saving our “general” questions for the “general” election are we? I would say that Apple lovers are primarily interested in the portables, but that is true for all computer buyers at this point. Even so, Ap-ple’s laptops are still pretty expensive. The Mini is a great, cheap way to add a PC to a kitchen, den, or kid’s room without a lot of fuss. And did you notice that it looks a lot like an AppleTV? Don’t be surprised if you see those two products merge sometime this year—maybe as soon as November 4th.

What are we talking about? Read all about it here!

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