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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Review: Apple MacBook Pro 15-inch (Penryn)
Although it didn't go through any major design changes, the new MacBook Pro 15-inch delivers more battery life, better performance scores, and is still the best-looking main-stream laptop in the market.
Kyle: As soon as people find out I work at PC Magazine, their first comment is always "I bet you hate Macs then, huh?" Our readers seem to be under no illusion that we hate Apple, though, because they eat up our Apple product reviews. This MacBook Pro review is almost a month old, but it spiked this week to become our top story.
Dan:It is a fine system, no doubt. By using Penryn, the company was able to boost the performance a bit, and perhaps more importantly, increase the battery life by about 15 percent. If you are a Mac user, this is a no-brainer. Still, I am more partial to lighter, more flexible systems like the Lenovo X300 and the Dell M1330. Of course, I am a pretty die-hard PC guy. (I keep my nerdy glasses at home.)
What are we talking about? Read all about it here!
Style and Design Important for Bluetooth Headsets
New Bluetooth headsets, including the just-announced Aliph New Jawbone, are likely to appeal to Californians as the state prepares to adopt a hands-free driving law.
Dan: I have never been a huge fan of Bluetooth headsets, but I have to say they make a lot of sense when driving. Call me crazy, but I prefer my fellow drivers to have both hands on the wheel when they are going 75MPH in the *** next to me. Sure they can still ruin my day when they reach over to change radio stations, but I think this law is a good one. What do you think?
Kyle: Yeah, my main surprise in reading Tim Bajarin's column was that CA doesn't already have a hands-free law. But his other point is well taken: Bluetooth headsets are dorky looking. But I got a look at the New Jawbone headset last week when Tim walked into my office wearing one, and it looked decent. Still not a fashion accessory, though.
What are we talking about? Read all about it here!
PLUS: Read our review of the Editors' Choice Aliph New Jawbone.
The $125 Upgrade
Attached to your trusty old PC? Here's a relatively non-invasive procedure that will give it new life.
Kyle: John Brandon's step-by-step article on quick and easy upgrade tricks really caught on with our readers. In fact, we're seeing a lot of reader response to stories about hanging on to old tech gear, and our coverage of Windows XP is just as popular as our Vista coverage. Should we blame the recession for our newfound frugality?
Dan:I used to work for a boss that repeatedly told the staff that we had to “do more with less.” This went on for years. Hopefully the recession won’t last that long, but getting a little more performance and features from a little bit of cash is a time-honored tradition among geeks. As I always say, the only thing better than a cheap upgrade is a free one.
What are we talking about? Read all about it here!
Free Security Software
Sometimes free security is worth what you pay for it. But if you know what to look for, you can get an excellent buy when it comes to protecting yourself—without dropping a lot of cash.
Dan: Did someone mention free? I have written about my struggles maintaining my PC with a collection of free programs, but this new crop of products seems to offer great protection. There is no reason you shouldn’t have AVG AntiVirus Free on your PC. I install it on every new system I set up for friends and family. Do you use any of these products? Or are you just a naturally safe computer user?
Kyle: Ah, the joys of using a Mac! No, but seriously, I use Norton Internet Security 2008 for the Vista partition on my iMac, and, like you, I rely on a lot of these free tools when I'm doing tech support for my friends and family. There's nothing better in the world than a free spyware scanner.
What are we talking about? Read all about it here!
Other top stories:
The Reason Behind The XP SP3 Continuous Reboot Bug
Best Out-of-the-Box Laptops
Sony Wins the Battle But Loses the War
Review: ASUS EeePC 900
The Micro Threat to Big Social Networks
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