The Reviews Factory

Panasonic TC-P55VT50 Review

2013-01-01T11:40:00.001-08:00

Pros
A brilliant picture and a 600Hz refresh rate make this TV a solid competitor, even by 2D standards.

Cons
Only one pair of active 3D glasses is included with this television.

Features:
This Panasonic 3D TV is a fully featured three-dimension machine. It has all the basic hookup capabilities, including one composite and one component video input, as well as digital and analog audio inputs and outputs. These are clearly labeled on the back of the television. You can connect your 3D TV to your personal computer and your local area network. The TV also has three USB ports and four HDMI inputs for your DVD player, your 3D Blu-ray player and all your gaming systems. You don't have to worry about unplugging your Xbox to hook up your Blu-ray player; there is plenty of room for all your connection needs.

Those basics are to be expected. More importantly and excitingly, this television is capable of converting two-dimensional images into immersive, three-dimensional environments. This is made possible by technology unique to Panasonic's line of Viera HDTVs that produces detailed, 3D depth for 2D images. With this conversion feature, you can watch DVDs, Blu-rays and ordinary television broadcasts in three clear dimensions. However, when you use your TV to convert 2D images into 3D, the 3D effect is marginally less pronounced than when you enjoy material from 3D sources on your TV. This 3D TV also has a game mode for decreased lag and increased clarity, and intuitive settings to provide the best images possible, even in dark scenes.

Display:

As one of the only plasma HDTVs on our lineup, this Panasonic 3D TV has an incredibly high refresh rate of 600Hz. The television uses its 600Hz subfield drive to cultivate the best possible picture in either 2D or 3D mode. Most LED TVs have a refresh rate of up to 480Hz, tops. Like all plasma TVs, this one displays images using electrically charged ionized gases instead of light-emitting diodes. Plasma TVs are thin and can create rich colors and deep blacks. This 3D TV and all Panasonic HDTVs also use fast-switching phosphors that reduce afterglow and create clear images.

We reviewed the 55-inch Panasonic, but the Viera VT line also has a 65-inch model for consumers who are especially ambitious about their home theaters. It has excellent resolution, 1920 x 1080. The TV's default aspect ratio is the standard HDTV wide-screen 16:9. However, you also have aspect control so you can zoom in for traditional 4:3 broadcasts. The aspect ratio is the measurement of the TV's width compared to its height.

This 55-inch Panasonic has a contrast ratio of 2 million pixels to one, and a viewing angle of 178 degrees. The contrast ratio indicates the contrast of the brightest white the TV can produce to the darkest black. The scale of this measurement is not universal; it varies with each manufacturer. The viewing angle refers to the maximum angle at which you can effectively view 3D and HD images. The three-dimensional effect is greater on the Panasonic 3D TV the further you are from the television. As you increase this distance, the images seem to have greater depth and the 3D seems more realistic.

Accessories:

The Panasonic 3D TV does not come with any active 3D glasses. The glasses aren't too heavy and are perfectly fashionable, as far as 3D glasses go. Some vendors include additional pairs of glasses as well as other accessories in one all-inclusive bundle. The television also comes with a tabletop stand that measures 1.5 inches tall, and a Viera Touch Pad controller, compatible with most of your connected devices. It also features built-in Wi-Fi.

You can find and download the owner's manual and installation guide for the Panasonic 3D TV on the Panasonic website.

Help & Support:

Panasonic has an outstanding line of customer help and support. At the top of any window in which you're browsing through products, you can click on the Get Support tab and search for your product by model number, keyword or product type. Once you select the product of your choice, you are provided with a lineup of support including operating instructions, help and tutorials, a comprehensive selection of FAQs, technical specs, parts and accessories, and more. Here you can also review the warranty options. Panasonic provides a one-year warranty on their 3D TVs, but you can purchase additional coverage of two or three years if you so choose.

You can contact Panasonic directly via phone, mail, email or their convenient live chat option. The representatives we spoke with on Panasonic's live chat support were attentive and quick to answer our questions competently and completely. They also email you a transcript of your live correspondence so you can file it away for future reference.

Summary:

With technology ever improving, it's senseless to spend your hard-earned entertainment budget on a 3D television that is already trumped by a more advanced option. Invest in a top-of-the-line 3D machine. We recommend the Panasonic TC-P55VT50 because it is simply the best 3D TV on the market from the leading name in 3D technology. We found that its picture is superior to other models and its 3D is the most lifelike. This plasma television has an astounding color variety, deep blacks and bright whites. Panasonic is a name you can trust with a reputable line of customer service to back it up. If you want three dimensions in your entertainment, this is an investment worth making.

'Indestructible' Malware Strain Infects Millions of PCs

2011-07-04T00:03:00.000-07:00

A new strain of super malware infected more than 4.5 million PCs in the first three months of 2011, and shows no signs of slowing down.

The malware, a rootkit variously called TDSS, TDL or Alureon, has been active since 2006, continually evolving and growing more powerful. Due to its devious and damaging capabilities, it is nearly impossible to detect and has been called "indestructible" by researchers at the security firm Kaspersky Lab.

Its newest variant, TDL-4, is "the most sophisticated threat today," Kaspersky wrote. Often hidden on adult content and bootleg websites, as well as file-storage services, TDL-4 infected 4,524,488 computers around the world from January through March of this year. A quarter of them were in the United States, the most lucrative market for cybercriminals.

Once it worms its way into users' systems by bypassing authentication protocols, TDL-4 opens a "back door" to cybercriminals, making it possible for them to load keystroke loggers, adware and a host of other malicious programs onto the infected computers.

TDL-4 allows attackers to remotely take over infected systems, manipulate search engines and act as "a launch pad for other malware," Kaspersky Lab wrote.

Like other rootkits, TDL-4 inserts itself into the kernel, the main program at the heart of a computer's operating system, making it extremely difficult to detect or remove.

Microsoft shielded Windows 7 against rootkits by demanding that all new software show digital certificates signed by trusted sources before installation.

But TDL-4 has gotten around this obstacle. It now infects the master boot record of a PC, the section of the hard drive that the computer reads when starting up, and alters Windows 7 upon loading to permit unauthorized software installations. TDL-4 is present before the computer is even up and running.

"I wouldn't say it's perfectly indestructible, but it is pretty much indestructible," malware expert Joe Stewart of Dell SecureWorks told Computerworld. "It does a very good job of maintaining itself."

TDL-4 encrypts the protocol used for communication between infected computers and the command and control servers of the master botnet — a massive network of Internet-connected computers programmed to distribute spam and malware and launch cyberattacks.

This encrypted connection makes TDL-4 difficult to detect, and even more difficult to slow down its spread.

It also does a security scan of its own, seeking out and destroying competing viruses, Trojans and worms in order to dominate the environment and lull the PC user into thinking everything's OK.

Finding TDL-4 is a little like detecting a black hole in outer space — you can't actually see it, but you can observe its distorting effects upon system processes and network traffic. Removal would mean erasing the entire hard drive and reinstalling the operating system.

It is "one of the most technologically sophisticated, and most complex to analyze, [pieces of] malware," Kaspersky Lab wrote.

Despite its prominence, and the threat it poses to computers all over the world, there's one place where TDL-4 has infected no systems at all.

"Remarkably, there are no Russian users in the statistics," Kaspersky Lab wrote. This is because, as researchers explain, the cybercriminals that pay to have their spam and malware sent via the botnet "do not offer payment for infecting computers located in Russia."

Fake FBI Email Fans Fears of 'Illegal' Websites

2011-05-04T00:20:00.000-07:00

Online thieves have kicked off a new campaign to steal your money, and this time they're using the long arm of the law to hide their devious scheme.

At this FBI command center, they probably aren't after you. Credit: FBI

Researchers at the security firm AppRiver noticed a batch of emails spreading around the Web claiming to be from the FBI, with the accusatory subject line: "You visit illegal websites."

The message informs the recipient, "We have logged your IP-address on more than 40 illegal websites." although it specifies none of the sites.

Such a social engineering scam can resonate with guilty (or gullible) Web surfers. The criminals behind the scam know this and have included a questionnaire with the fake FBI message that, presumably, could help you out of your legal jam.

Of course, downloading the attached document, titled only "document.zip" will not help you at all.

Instead, the file will automatically drop a piece of malware onto your computer that is capable of opening "a permanent backdoor on your PC in order to further download malicious payloads such as keyloggers and spyware," AppRiver wrote.

Web users are advised never to open suspicious attachments, even if they come from trusted sources like friends or co-workers. Just a few weeks ago, the government-managed Oak Ridge National Laboratory was hacked via an email that claimed to be from the company's human resources representative.

2011-05-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

Osama bin Laden's death is sure to kick off a cyberscammer arms race, with spam messages, fake videos and poisoned pictures used as their weapons of choice.

Credit: FBI

While most of the world slept after -- or possibly through -- President Barack Obama's announcement late last night (May 1) that bin Laden had been killed in a targeted attack on his Pakistan compound, cybercriminals quickly rushed to the offensive in an attempt to cash in on the earth-shattering news.

Here's what to watch out for in the coming days and weeks, as news of the death of al-Qaida's top terrorist takes over the Web. (This morning it was leading in Google searches and Twitter hashtags.)

Phony news stories

A spam message found by the security firm Sophos claims to have the "real" story of how bin Laden was killed, complete with images. Although the message carries an air of legitimacy by purporting to be from a real news source, clicking on the link, however, directs users to an ad for window replacement.

This particular ad won't harm your computer or steal your money, but it's a definite sign of what's to come.

Undoubtedly, as with any news that grabs the world's attention, there are sure to be scores of people who will chase down any potential development on bin Laden's death.

Be careful of news stories -- especially from sources you may never have heard of -- that promise footage of information no other site has. As the saying goes, if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

Live video

If you had the chance to see a live video of U.S. ground forces killing bin Laden, would you watch it?

Cybercriminals certainly think so, and a fake video claiming to have such highly coveted footage is already making its presence known on a Spanish-language website. The website, according to Michael Sutton with the security firm Zscaler, hits visitors first with a gruesome -- but fake -- photo of bin Laden after being shot.

If that isn't enough to lure readers in, the site offers visitors a video of bin Laden's killing. But, as with the fake news stories, the video is a setup -- a clever front. If you click on the video, you are first told to upgrade a Flash Player plugin, which is actually a piece of malware that allows criminals to gain unauthorized access to your computer.

Fake videos, as seen during March's devastating tsunami in Japan, are surefire tactics cybercriminals deploy to capture users' attention following global news events. If you click on a video, make sure its source is legitimate, and not a clever spoof of a real news or video website such as YouTube.

Facebook follies

A similar video quickly showed up on Facebook, still ripe new territory for scammers. A link circulating today promised "Shocking NEW VIDEO of Osama Bin Ladens DEATH!!," reported Sophos.

But of course there was no video -- Facebook users who clicked on the link got yet another video that generates ad revenue for the poster, and also had the privilege of the link being broadcast to all their friends.

Tricky trends

The hashtags #osama and #obl (Osama bin Laden) are currently the top trending topics on Twitter. And as with all events that draw worldwide online attention, bin Laden's death is spreading quickly through social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook.

You can be sure online criminals are scheming to divert some of that massive Web traffic to their own malicious pages.

As the aforementioned rigged videos and fake news stories find their footing and start spreading virally through the social networking giants, it's important to exercise caution about what you click. Even if your friends' Twitter feeds and Facebook walls are flush with bin Laden-related messages and links, it doesn't mean it's safe to click on those links.

"Don't blindly trust links you see online, whether in emails, on social networking sites, or from searches," Sophos' Paul Ducklin wrote.

Poisoned pics

Another vector for attack cybercriminals often use is poisoned SEO and images -- the tactic of creating malicious websites and rigged pictures tied to high-profile topics.

Last week's Royal Wedding, for instance, sparked criminals to quickly build phony websites -- including enticing pictures -- aimed at cashing in on search terms such as "Royal Wedding" and "Kate Middleton wedding dress." The Japanese tsunami drew similar scams, targeting people's natural curiosity to back up what they'd been reading about with visual proof.

With a news item as international as bin Laden's death, it's important to remain vigilant while browsing the Web. Online criminals are constantly looking for the next big topic, and this one is sure to stick around for a while.

New Malware Goes After Mac Users

2011-05-03T23:16:00.000-07:00

Mac users have typically been less vulnerable to dangerous computer viruses and online attacks, but that trend seems to be quickly changing.

A new malware campaign is targeting Mac OS X users, trying to convince them their computer is infected with a virus, then trick them into downloading a corrupted version of the popular MacDefender antivirus software, The Next Web reports.

The new malware targets victims of Apple's Safari Web browser via rigged Google Images; when users click on the infected pictures, the bogus MacDefender program automatically downloads onto their systems. Once downloaded, the rogue antivirus software asks victims to pay for protection they don't need.

Luckily for users, this scareware scam goes after only their insecurities; it doesn't actually infect systems with any damaging viruses that will steal sensitive information.

To stay safe and prevent Safari from automatically downloading the fake MacDefender software, The Next Web says, Safari users are advised to select "Preferences," then "General," then uncheck "Open 'safe' files after downloading."

To stop the app from running if it's already in use, check "Activity Monitor" under the "Applications" tab, and "disable anything that relates to MacDefender."

Malware makers largely have spared Macs while concentrating on attacking bigger sellers, but this isn't the only Mac-specific scam on the loose right now.

Ed Bott of the security website ZDNet has spotted a "fully operational kit specifically designed to build malware aimed at the Mac OS platform."

The kit, available on underground malware markets, is called "Weyland-Yutani BOT," according to the Danish information technology firm CSIS Security Group.

Researcher Brian Krebs spoke with the maker of Weyland-Yutani BOT, who told Krebs he designed the exploit kit to target Mac users running the Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox Web browsers.

The malware targeting Mac users could have widespread and damaging implications, Bott explained. And with malware coming from all angles -- Safari, Chrome and Firefox -- Mac users are threatened whichever way they go.

"Only a tiny percentage of Macs run antivirus software,” Bott said, “and Mac users have been conditioned to believe they're immune from Internet threats. That's a deadly combination."

Creative Zen

2011-04-16T05:21:00.000-07:00

Manufacturer: Creative Labs

Model: Zen 32GB

The Creative Zen 32GB is easily the high watermark in flash MP3 players, providing impressive audio, video and other multimedia capabilities without breaking the bank, or taking up more space than a pocket. This flash MP3 player comes equipped with a 2.5 inch LCD screen, which renders images at an impressive resolution ratio of 320x240, and includes, among other things, a digital radio tuner and a voice recorder.

While its weight and size make the Creative Zen 32GB flash MP3 player capable of going anywhere, its multimedia features make it capable of doing just about anything. While it might lack the memory to host an entire video or audio library, it extends itself beyond entertainment functions, without forgetting them for a moment.

Experts praise the Creative Zen 32GB flash MP3 player for its attractive design. Housed in a sleek, black body, this flash MP3 player offers an easy-to-use set of controls housed safely and discretely on the right side for a better aesthetic feel and added protection against weathering and damage. Users love the Creative Zen 32GB flash MP3 player for its versatility and user-friendliness. Despite having a diminished memory capacity, this flash MP3 player is ideal for everyday use and makes certain of this by including everyday features like a digital radio tuner, voice recorder and card reader.

Summary:

There really is no getting around it, the Creative Zen 32GB MP3 player is in a class of its own.

Sony X-Series Walkman

2011-04-16T05:07:00.000-07:00

Manufacturer: Sony
Model: X-Series Walkman 32GB

Does X hit the spot for Sony?

The Walkman X-Series isn’t just an iPod rival. It’s a Walkman saviour. Sony invented portable music in the late 1970s and dominated for two decades. Then the Apple iPod appeared and Sony didn’t so much drop the ball as meekly hand it to Apple. The Tokyo giant refused to support MP3, put out a succession of horrible-looking novelty players and looked on in horror as Apple sauntered off with its crown. That’s all history now, though. The X-Series is where the Walkman fight-back begins.

beefed up by both digital noise cancelling and an advanced digital sound processor. Extraneous hubbub, from chit-chat to moderate train noise, is comfortably filtered out by the noise cancelling, while the S-Master digital sound processor ensures that even if you’re playing music loud, it still remains crystal clear.

The X-Series isn’t fussy about what it’ll play, with MP3, WMA and AAC supported. With iTunes Store music now DRM-free, there’s nothing stopping you from putting tracks purchased there on your X-Series. Although there’s still nothing as elegant as Apple’s iTunes software for managing tunes, you can drag and drop tunes, in fuss-free style.

The X-Series offers a slightly smaller screen than the iPod Touch – 3 inches compared to 3.5 – but what it lacks in girth, it makes up for in crispness and vibrancy. Put simply, the OLED screen here thrashes the iPod’s LED one, putting in a better performance with video and photos alike. It does make you long to live in Japan, though – their X-Series can receive digital TV broadcasts, which look stunning. Over here we’ve got YouTube, which is a pretty poor consolation, visually.

The X-Series’ touchscreen is a tad basic compared to the Touch’s, a little unresponsive at times and lacking multi-touch or an accelerometer. You do get a coverflow view if you want to finger your way through your collection, as well as more traditional list views.

Looks-wise, the X-Series is a more butch counterpoint to Apple’s curvier, more attractive Touch. It’s slightly smaller and more pocket-friendly, while the granite sides give it a look and feel that’s tough yet tactile. The rough edges also house oft-used buttons including the noise-cancelling switch. It’s not as tidy as the ’Pod, sure, but it also saves you fishing the X-Series from your pocket every time you want to fast forward or adjust the volume.

This is a superb PMP. Things like a poorer interface and lack of Mac compatibility put it at a slight disadvantage to the iPod Touch, but its screen and audio quality really shine. After numerous false starts and a general drubbing from the iPod, the X-Series puts the Walkman right back in the game.

Apple iPod Nano (5th Gen.)

2011-04-16T04:57:00.000-07:00

Manufacturer: Apple
Model: Nano Fith Generation 16GB

Pros: Video recording capabilities is one of the strong features on this Apple product.
Cons: The Apple iPod Nano has a battery life of 24 hours.
The Verdict: If you want a few added features in addition to high-quality music performance, this MP3 player is worth your consideration.

The Apple iPod Nano was been one of the leading MP3 players in the world for quite a while. It’s light weight, compact and has a sleek design which makes the portable aspect very nice. Probably for that very reason this has become a popular MP3 player to people who want something for on the go. After only about a year, it seems Apple decided to move on from the fourth generation Nano and brought out the latest fifth generation. The back to back releases sort of make sense because the fifth generation is almost the same as the forth. It seems like they basically just added a few little goodies to boost sales with the “new” factor. Although it may make been just a marketing tactic, there are some decent new additions.

Features:

One thing that iPods have been missing until now has been the lack of radio. Radio is a very good thing. Sometimes it is just fun to step away from your music collection and listen to something different. Plus, radio stations frequently get songs before they’re actually available to the public, singles that are nearly impossible to find, etc. There are also many of us that have a radio show or two that we enjoy listening to like National Public Radio for example. Things like that make radio valuable and the addition of the FM tuner was much needed. They didn’t go all out and throw in HD radio but FM is a great start and good enough for now.

The one unique thing that they added to set them apart from everyone else is the ability to pause live radio. How is that possible? Well first of all the Nano has support for RDS data which does a few things that are quite nice. First of all it basically gives you all the information about what the name of the song and artist is that is playing. When it downloads that information it basically works like the old portable CD players that had anti skip. All anti skip was usually, was the player would record x number of seconds in advance so that if the player got jostled, rather than skipping, it would play the prerecorded file. In this case it records the information from the RDS data and allows you to pause live radio for 15 seconds. RDS data also makes it so you can tag songs that you like on the radio so that you can download them the next time you sync up with iTunes. The only problem people have had is if the songs don’t have a data file, then you can’t tag it. Also reception varies depending on your area. If you don’t get reception in your car then you probably won’t on the iPod.

One more minute addition is the fitness program. It’s basically just a pedometer unless you get the Nike + iPod Sport Kit to go with it. If this is important to you than the extra kit is essential since knowing how many steps you take isn’t the most useful information. With a few more numbers and some quick math it could but those other numbers like distance walked, aren’t available without the Nike kit. The other thing is that the pedometer works based off the accelerometer which means when it gets jostled it reads as a step. With all the potential jostling of everyday life, many are skeptical to how accurate it can be.

The final major point we’d like to mention is the video recording. This feature probably doesn’t deserve the hype that Apple gave it. The video quality is equal to that of the camera on your cell phone. That is basically what it is except that it can’t take still frames like your phone can. If your cell phone is one of the rare ones that doesn’t have a camera yet or you don’t take your phone with you always but you do take your iPod, then the video could be nice. For most thought that isn’t the case so it’s a feature that ends up not being used. Another downside to this camera is the location of it. It sits right where most people would naturally hold the thing to shoot video or do anything else on it. Not one of Apple’s most brilliant moments.

Summary:

For an MP3 player, the Apple iPod Nano is still one of the best. On the other hand though, most of the extras have a long ways to go before they become a main reason to get this iPod. Get it for music or go with something else. We’ll let Apple finish whatever thought process they were having when they decided to make these additions. Surely the fully realized idea will be better.

Zune HD

2011-04-16T04:51:00.000-07:00

Manufacturer: Microsoft Corp.

Model: HD 32GB

Pros: The Zune HD has a 3 year warranty.
Cons: There are no custom equalizer options on this flash MP3 player.
The Verdict: If the music is the most important feature to you on an MP3 player, the Zune offers the highest-quality.

With the success of Apple’s iPod Touch, Microsoft was not about to leave that well untapped. So in spirit of competition, their response was to come out with the Zune HD to battle it out for the leading touch screen MP3 player. The war still rages but some of the dust has settled and it’s pretty close. Each has its little things that owners always talk up and throw in the face of the others users but really it’s pretty much neck and neck. So what are the differences? Is the Zune HD better than the iPod Touch? Let’s examine the Zune HD and then you can decide for yourself what one is best for you because it comes down to what works better for you.

Features:

So here we go with the much debated Zune HD. Before it came out, there were two other versions of the Zune. Both of the first two versions weren’t the “iPod killer” that some expected or boasted. As a general rule, unless you had a defective unit, those first Zune models were fine but nothing special. They had their users that loved them and they had some that didn’t. With the HD they finally put the pressure on Apple. The Zune HD integrated many of the key selling points of the iPod Touch with the key points of the Zune. The result was a pretty amazing piece technology.

The biggest win for the Zune is still music. Although the Zune is a multi media device as well, it is also still a true blue MP3 player. No other player on the market can compete with the Zune when it comes to music for a couple reasons. First of all the player supports MP3, WMA, WMA lossless and AAC formats (with AAC support you can put your iTunes songs on the Zune) as well as audio book files from Audible and OverDrive. You store your music like most MP3 players, by artist, album, song, genre and playlist. However, the Zune has gone the next step and added a little extra to it. If you pull up an artist it gives you about all the information you would want about that individual or group as far as what they have done (albums released and such). The background is an image of that person or band, and then you have the option to browse their albums, profile, more images and even a list of related artists. It is always nice to know about all the music an artist has out so that you can be sure download it all. The only bad things to say about the Zune, as far as music is concerned, is that there isn’t any custom equalizer options, still only presets, and you’ll want to replace the ear phones it comes with some of your own.

With Wi-Fi the Zune breaks the norm of music players and opens up a chasm of joy for music lovers. With a monthly fee of 15 bucks you get the Zune Pass which gives you unlimited access to all the music you can handle. On top of that you get 10 songs per month that you download and keep for life. Ten songs for keeps and access to all the online music you want is a music dream. All the great songs you listen too you can “pin” into the Quickplay screen and build a playlist on the go as you discover more and more songs you enjoy.

If you still haven’t had enough music after that, then you can always pull the final major music card out of the sleeve and enjoy the radio. Whether you just feel like listening to the radio as a change or need a little inspiration for what to download next, sometimes the radio is just handy to have. The Zune has always had FM radio on it. The best thing about the FM tuner on the Zune is that the Zune lets you know the name of the song playing and allows you to tag it so you can download. How many times have we heard a song on the radio and wished we knew who sang it or wished we had it in our own library right that very moment? The Zune already had this wonderful ability but with this new Zune they now have HD radio as well.

Where the Zune does not completely dominate is in the video and game area. It’s not that the Zune is worse than anyone else, it’s just that they’re about par. One plus though is the new 3.3 inch OLED screen that gives a fairly vivid 16:9 display. The image quality is quite nice but it probably doesn’t replace the big screen in your living room for obvious size reasons. Also, the OLED screen doesn’t show up well in direct sunlight so you’ll want to find a little shade. Along those same lines the Zune HD can stream 720p high definition to your TV. The catch to that one is that you have to buy the Zune’s AV Dock (HDMI and composite). Like most handhelds, the Zune offers only a limited amount of video formats that it supports. Thankfully they added a few important ones like Xvid in the last upgrade.

Summary:

So there it is, the Zune HD in a nutshell. Its strongest point is easily its music and the weakest is easily the apps, or in this case, near complete lack of apps. They have some of the main ones like a calculator, weather, Facebook and Twitter but aside from that they really need to step it up if they expect to compete with iPod apps. In everything else though the Zune HD excels or is at least at the same level as the competition.

Apple iPod Touch (3rd Gen.)

2011-04-16T04:45:00.000-07:00

Manufacturer: Apple

Model: Touch Third Generation 64GB

Model: Touch Third Generation 64GB

Pros: The Apple iPod Touch can hold 64GB of storage.

Cons: This MP3 player does not have an FM tuner.

The Verdict: If you are looking for an MP3 player that offers more than just music, this is the best option for you.

Every once in a while there is a company that comes out with something quite extraordinary. When they do that creation redefines the way things are or the way they work. The Apple iPod Touch is one of those things. Sine 2001 Apple has been making iPods and they started right off changing MP3 players by adding an unbelievable amount of storage for that time. It wasn’t until 2007 that they really went outside the box and released the iPod Touch. Though typically more expensive, Apple’s products are well engineered and user friendly which makes it all worth it for a large proportion of MP3 users.

Features:

Still to this day there are very few other manufactures that have decided to step up to the plate and take their MP3 players to the next level with the Touch. The closest competition is with the Zune HD and the Creative Zen X-Fi2. Aside from those two products and the iPod Touch, flash drive MP3s drop off to smaller players with less storage, which isn’t as comparable. Those smaller players are significantly cheaper but they don’t have the capabilities as the Touch.

As far as music goes the Touch is about the same as any other MP3 player. It plays the songs and sounds good, plain and simple. The things that set it apart are the interface and user functionality. First of all you can get up to 64GB of storage space which ends up being around 14,000 songs and 30 hours of playback. That’s about the most you can get currently without going to a MP3 player with a hard drive. That’s a lot of music so Apple made the interface so you can browse by albums, artists and songs. “Flick” through the alphabetical lists quickly and find specific songs. You can also create playlists for your favorites or genres. Lastly there is a built in microphone that really sweetens the deal. With Voice Control you can speak simple commands that you want the iPod to do. Some examples would be like “random”, “play”, “next song”, and even ones like “play artist Linkin Park” or ask to play a certain playlist or album. Along with that, if you dump a friend’s playlist on to your Touch and you aren’t familiar with some of the songs, when you come across of those songs you can ask what song is playing and your iPod will answer you. That feature is especially nice when you are using the Apple Earphones with Remote and Mic so you can leave your iPod in your pocket.

Like the name indicates, the iPod Touch is a touch screen player. Apple uses a multi-touch interface and an “accelerometer” which gives the Touch some very convenient advantages. Multi-touch basically allows for “flicking” through photo albums, “pinching” to zoom in and out and is integrated into some of the games. What does that mean? It means less menu navigation and no more single click scrolling through your media. Single click navigation can be quite slow but with touch screens navigating anything is substantially faster.

The accelerometer basically senses the position of the iPod and adjusts the screen accordingly. This gives you the ability to use portrait (the iPod vertical) and landscape (the iPod horizontal) with most anything. A good example would be the photo album again. Let’s say this particular album has a combination of single person pictures (like in a yearbook or on your I.D.) as well as the family photos. Typically single person is shot vertically to capture as much of the person as possible and be close up. Then with the family pictures you usually get horizontal shots so everyone makes it into the picture as well as stay as close up as possible. The problem with viewing the family photo with the screen vertical is that you’d end up with empty space above and below the picture (like the black bars when watching a widescreen movie on a standard TV). With the iPod Touch you simple rotate the device so that it’s horizontal and the image rotates and goes full screen. It also works the other way around but with vertical pictures.

The last few goodies are the icing on the cake. The iPod Touch obviously doesn’t stop at music but includes all kinds of media you can put on it. The iTunes store gives you access to download music, movies, games and always growing population of apps. There are apps for just about everything now days. You can do photo editing, learn a language, get news, track finances, fitness programs and the list goes on. All the features like the Accelerometer, Voice Control, and touch screen are all foundations to limitless possibilities for all kinds of media.

Summary:

As we have explored the vast realm of the Apple iPod Touch, you can see what a great product this is. It’s an excellent combination of usability with enough possibilities to do about anything you need. It really isn’t hard to see why this is one of the best MP3 players in the world.

Flash MP3 Player Review

2011-04-16T04:27:00.000-07:00

Your Favorite Music at Your Fingertips
Flash MP3 players combine light weight with great storage capacity to create a mobile entertainment center you can take anywhere. Watch videos, play games and, best of all, listen to your favorite music and podcasts.

Why Buy a Flash Drive MP3 Player?

Flash MP3 players are built to groove. These tiny players do not contain moving parts, so they are 100% skip-proof, unlike other players that are merely skip-resistant. They come in a variety of sizes ranging from 2GB to 16GB and are reasonably priced.

Don't be fooled by the dimensions of these players, despite their size they can:

Play Music – Flash MP3 players can play music files, like MP3, wav, ogg and wma as well as FM radio.
Play Audio Files – Go on the road; with a flash player you can take your audio files with you, so you can listen to your favorite audio books or podcasts without being strapped to your computer.
Display Images – View full-color jpeg images, some even support other file types like bmp or gif. You can even build slide shows to share.
Display Video – Watch video clips and music videos; many music download services also offer video downloads like music videos, TV shows or humorous clips.
Record – Record music from a CD, streaming audio, FM radio or record other sounds like voice through an integrated microphone.
Play Games – Never get bored; many players come with free games or you can download games from download service sites.
Time Management – Watch the clock, these little portables have clocks and alarms; some can even sync up with Outlook or have calendars and stopwatches.
Accessorize – Play music anywhere. Many of these players can be connected to compatible speakers or an FM transmitter for playing in the car. For maximum portability, you can accessorize with armbands, finger straps or other devices that can offer hands free playing.

What to Look for in a Flash MP3 Player

The best Flash MP3 players are compatible with a variety of audio files and have long lasting batteries. Additionally, it is helpful if they have easy-to-use menus and playlist options for browsing files. Advanced players also display video and images.

Look for a product that is compatible with the type of download service you are interested in, for example most sites offer wma files, but the iTunes Music Store uses aac files. You also want to consider screen sizes. If you plan on watching a lot of videos and viewing photos, a larger screen will be much easier on the eyes.

Below are the criteria used to evaluate Flash MP3 Players:

Features – This criterion refers to the players essential features, including what they can play and display, what they can record from and their organization tools. The best products in this review can play music, radio and video, can display images and text, can record from any source and have a clock and alarm.
Music Formats – The most practical MP3 flash players can play a variety of music formats including mp3, wma and wav and aac.
Photo and Video Formats – In order to offer the best photo and video viewing options, a flash MPin a 3 player needs to display the most common formats. This means jpegs for photos and mp4, mov, wmv and avi formats for video, just to name a few.
Physical Features – Physical features include dimensions, appearance and the type of controls. We also looked at the screen size, resolution, weight, menu navigation and battery life. A good battery will give around 25 hours of audio playback and 5 hours of video playback on a single charge.
Music Browse – It is helpful if the player offers a variety of search and sort options to find songs. Many display album art and can sort and search by genre, artist, track or album.
Help/Support – Customer service is vital to customer satisfaction; considerate manufactures provide numerous ways to contact the company, including by email, telephone or chat. It is also helpful if they post comprehensive online product information and useful downloads.

2011 Flash MP3 Player Product Comparisons

#1. Apple iPod Touch (3rd Gen.)
#2. Zune HD
#3. Apple iPod Nano (5th Gen.)

How can I download and copy videos from YouTube to my Apple iPod so I can watch them on the move?

2010-04-09T08:57:00.000-07:00

To copy web videos from sites such as YouTube and Funny or Die to your iPod, PSP or mobile phone, all you need is the free conversion software Free Studio.

Download this program from DVD Video Soft but say no to the optional toolbar during installation.

Launch the software, click the Internet button on the main screen and then choose either 'Free YouTube to iPod and PSP Converter' or 'Free YouTube to iPhone Converter', depending on which device you want to copy videos to.

Next, open YouTube or another video site in your browser and copy the URL of the video you want to transfer. Click Paste and then click Output Name to give the file a memorable title. Click the Devices drop-down menu, choose your iPod or phone from the list and click Download.

How to Train Your Dragon (2010) - Film Review

2010-03-27T04:47:00.000-07:00

This is a wonderful motion picture. Perhaps Dreamworks, in their frantic need to push the movie to every demographic, has lost sight of the film itself, but abysmal marketing efforts aside, “How to Train Your Dragon” is a rousing success; a soaring, endearing adventure feature that plays smart and fierce. Now stop giving your money to Tim Burton’s wheezy imagination and see something with genuine magic. An actual, effective, multi-dimensional wonderland.

On the island of Berk, a community of Vikings spend their days training for war against waves of aggressive dragons. For pipsqueak Hiccup (voiced by Jay Baruchel), life as the son of stern leader Stoick (Gerard Butler) demands that he join the dragon-killing squad, but he just doesn’t have the heart for it. Discovering a fallen dragon that’s missing part of its tail, Hiccup befriends the rare creature, using his artisan skills to help the sleek black beast off the ground. Nicknaming the dragon “Toothless,” Hiccup discovers he has a way with the so-called enemy, taking to the air with his new friend. Unfortunately, his gift reveals a secret nest of dragons to Stoick, who leads the people of Berk into war, leaving Hiccup and Toothless racing to prevent a needless catastrophe.

Loosely based on author Cressida Cowell’s 2003 book, “How to Train Your Dragon” reworks the core elements of the story to fit a majestic feature-film playing field, with colorful, bushy Viking characters and a sky filled with fire-breathing dragons. That’s not to suggest the producers have dumbed down the material; on the contrary, the film is filled with images that maintain the promise of threat, turns of fate that actually have a bodily effect on the characters, and eye-popping skylines of combat. Directors Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders (“Lilo & Stitch”) serve up a substantial escapade that should excite audiences of all ages.

“How to Train” is persuasively sharp in the action department, but it possesses a generous heart as well. The core of the film spotlights the relationship between Toothless and Hiccup, and how they develop a lasting bond that teaches the value of curiosity. Admittedly, the picture is a formulaic hero’s journey typical of any animated feature, but the emotive voice work from Baruchel and the playful rendering of Toothless help to lift the crushing weight of familiarity, bypassing various kiss of death clichés that slip into view. Butler also stuns with his work as Stoick, at last allowed to brandish his natural Scottish accent to bellow mightily as the king of Berk. It’s a magnificent vocal expression of leadership and frankly, some of the best acting Butler has ever done.

There’s a smattering of young comedians (Jonah Hill, Kristin Wiig, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse) here to thwack the film’s funny bone, which feels like an unnecessary distraction considering how fluidly the film pulls off the central relationships. America Ferrera nabs a satisfying supporting turn as Hiccup’s warrior queen crush, and Craig Ferguson stretches his acting muscles a touch playing a wisecracking Scotsman who’s in charge of training the kids of Berk in all matters of dragon warfare.

The voice work elevates the material, but the animation grabs hold of the senses. Working with steady elements of fire and flight, “How to Train” looks stupendous at times, putting its 3-D sprucing to exceptional use as the camera follows Toothless and Hiccup into the air, soaring erratically amongst the clouds (the chills are encouraged by John Powell’s majestic score). Character and dragon designs winningly straddle the line between exaggeration and storybook, highlighting marvelous facial detail on Hiccup as he runs through the gamut of emotions while astride his winged pal.

“How to Train Your Dragon” doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but the movie achieves a sustained note of integrity and charm that’s all too rare in the family film gene. Absent the Pixar syrup and, for the most part, the Dreamworks slapstick, the picture breaks through as a distinctive triumph that respects the potential of CG-animation, encouraging genuine awe and plenty of smiles as it fills the screen with high-flying splendor.

Trend Micro Internet Security 2010

2010-03-27T03:52:00.000-07:00

Not the best security suite out there but Trend Micro's bundle still has a lot going for it.

Trend Micro's security software is huge in its native Japan, but it's struggled elsewhere to move out from the shadow of fellow security giants McAfee and Symantec. Since the launch of last year's security suites, Symantec has raised the bar with its Norton Internet Security suite and, while Trend Micro's is an adequate product, it hasn't done enough to surpass its major rival.

All the usual suspects (anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-spam and firewall) are here behind an interface that's easy to use but uninspiring. The big green tick on the homepage is reassuring and the buttons down the left-hand side take you deeper into the software without overwhelming you, but the interface hasn't moved on since last year.

Security suites are becoming leaner and faster all the time and this product reflects that rapid progression. However, the software doesn't have the cutting-edge features of Symantec, such as the ability to scan your files in the background while you're not using your PC. Trend Micro's software is fine, but that's not enough to stand out as the best.

PC Tools Internet Security 2010

2010-03-27T03:41:00.000-07:00

PC Tools has a strong reputation for fighting spyware with its Spyware Doctor software, which has remained at the forefront of commercial anti-spyware software for many years. Unlike most rival anti-spyware companies that have tied their offerings into a comprehensive suite of products, PC Tools also creates its own anti-virus software, firewall and other elements, rather than buying in white-label scanning engines from other security vendors. This is actually a little surprising because PC Tools is now owned by Symantec - you'd have thought it might be granted a little Norton magic, but the two businesses continue to operate separately.

As a result, it suffers from the same problems as most suites at the moment, which is that Norton Internet Security is a step ahead in terms of functionality, technology and quality of interface. The PC Tools front screen shows the basics of your protection and is simple enough to use, but tweaks for its settings are split across two sections, which is where things start to get confusing. First, there's the section labelled IntelliGuard, which includes real-time protection using PC Tools' ThreatFire to offer resistance to unknown viruses. Then you get the generic settings that let you perform various actions, such as schedule scans.

CA Internet Security 2010

2010-03-27T03:26:00.000-07:00

CA Internet Security is very user-friendly and sensibly presented but its performance simply doesn't come up to scratch.

CA is one of those big computer companies that you've probably heard of but don't know that much about. Although CA specialises in corporate software, there's also a consumer arm that has launched two new products for your PC - this internet security suite and the PC Tune-Up software, also reviewed on our website.

The latest version of CA Internet Security has made some big steps toward being more user-friendly. Its interface and the entire user experience has been rationalised, so instead of needing to know what different tasks a firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware and parental control perform, it's split into four sections: My Computer (malware scanning), My Files (back-up), My Internet (firewall) and My Kids (parental control).

This is a sensible way of segmenting tasks. The four elements are presented in an attractive rotating carousel with highlights of their work at the front. From here, you can drill down into the settings.

Nice as this is, it all becomes a bit moot when you examine the performance. Recent results in Virus Bulletin's tests (www.virusbtn.com) have been less than impressive – in the Windows 7 test last December, the software missed three of the viruses on Virus Bulletin's list. This is hardly the reassurance you want when looking for protection for your computer.

Internet security suites should have two sides to them. While ease of use and quality of presentation is key, it can't come at the cost of performance. CA has brushed up its appearance nicely but it still needs to ace its exams.

Fix-It Utilities Professional

2010-03-26T16:26:00.000-07:00

In these times we can’t let our PCs loose with an internet connection without having some sort of protection. This is where antivirus software comes in to play and why it is so popular today. Fix-It Utilities Professional sets out to accomplish this goal and we got our hands on it to test it. If you are thinking about purchasing a new antivirus program then this review could be worth reading.

The whole point of this software is to save you time and money by combining numerous useful tools together into an all-in-one package. This is something we always like to see because most of us live on a budget and even if you don’t you most likely don’t want to spend hundreds of dollars to protect every aspect of your PC. What Fix-It Utilities Pro offers is protection in the form of an antivirus, antispyware, PC diagnostics, and repair. Of course this all means nothing to us without us testing it so that is exactly what we did. We loaded up Fix-It Utilities Pro on a few different test PCs with different problems that we planted on each one. Our first PC was loaded up with quite a few serious viruses so we were most anxious to test this PC. We ran the test and every single virus was detected and cleaned up. This impressed us because some of the viruses we had on the PC would become even more dangerous as time progressed. The second PC we had going was loaded up with over 100 different types of spyware. We ran through the test and it nailed every single one of them to the wall and removed them from our test PC. It’s worth noting that if we were the average user we could have kissed our identities goodbye if we didn’t have this program. The final test PC we had was just bogged down with errors and was in desperate need of a tune-up. This was fitting for the final test with the Fix-It Utilities Pro software. We went through the process and then opened up some of our bulky programs that normally cause the PC to drag a bit. They opened up much faster, and our PC even booted up and shutdown much faster than it had in a long time. It beat the previous time by at least 25 seconds!

All in all, the Fix-It Utilities Pro software was nothing but impressive. We put it to the test and it passed with flying colors. We never encountered any problems or issues in the time we used this software. I would recommend that anyone looking for protection from viruses and spyware give Fix-It Utilities Pro a try.

Nikon Coolpix S640

2010-03-25T09:51:00.000-07:00

The Nikon Coolpix S640 is a compact marvel that takes fantastic shots in all conditions.

In terms of performance, this diminutive snapper from Nikon stole the show. In natural daylight, it offered superb quality and detail on our landscape shots, and its 12 megapixels and 5x optical zoom brilliantly captured every kind of shot we experimented with. We also put it through its paces indoors, shooting portraits under artificial light on a dark, wintry evening – not an unusual situation but one that pushes a compact camera like this to its limits. The Nikon fared admirably – not every photo it took was great but some ranked among the best, showing that it's worth taking several shots and cherry-picking the best.

As well as the quality of snaps, the device itself impresses. It's the smallest of all the cameras we tested – a truly pocketable model. It's ready to take pictures less than a second after being switched on and stores snaps on standard SD memory cards.

The only niggle we have is that the control dial for the on-screen menus can be used either as a directional button or as a scroll wheel. We found that this dual functionality actually hindered changing settings on the camera because you had to make your mind up about which way to use it. But it's a minor point on an otherwise fantastic camera, that is very well tuned to what's really important in a model of this class and size.

Spamfighter Pro

2010-03-18T12:30:00.000-07:00

A spam-filtering program that lets you fine-tune filtering levels and create your own black- and white-lists.

In terms of everyday operation, Spamfighter Pro is almost indistinguishable from our Silver Award winner Cloudmark. Both add Block and Unblock buttons to your email program's toolbar (compatible with Outlook, Outlook Express, Windows Mail and Thunderbird) and both rely to some extent on the user community to accurately flag and filter spam. Both are also good at what they do, collectively having blocked 50 billion spam messages according to the live statistics collated by each application.

Spamfighter Pro is marginally cheaper than Cloudmark and also provides a slightly better level of control over the sensitivity of the filter (five levels are on offer, from ‘very soft' to ‘very hard').

The main distinction between the two products is in their black- and white-listing abilities. Email addresses (or domains) in a blacklist will always be classified as spam while those on the white-list will always be allowed through. So what's the difference? Well, Cloudmark doesn't have a local blacklisting facility as such - only white-listing. In other words, Cloudmark users have to rely on Cloudmark's blacklist, while those protected by Spamfighter Pro can augment the community blacklist with local exceptions.

Speed, sir? PC racing games you ought to play

2010-03-16T12:10:00.000-07:00

Racing games. They are the marmite of the gaming world. People either love or they hate them. To truly appreciate and enjoy racing games you need to enjoy racing, period, whether it’s Formula One, MotoGP or even Lawnmower Demolition Derby. If you can’t understand why people love to drive “round and round” in circles for “hours on end”, then you’re probably someone who wouldn’t appreciate a racing game.

I love them. Always have. Ever since I was a wee lad I had a growing fascination with speed and big, powerful engines strapped to a few wheels and a bit of bodywork. Racing games then were a natural progression for me. I used to watch my big brother play Revs Plus on our Speccy, and Geoff Crammond's Grand Prix Simulator on the C64 (the latter being one of my all time favourite racers).

PCs are not renowned for their racing genre. Consoles hold that accolade for some reason, probably due to their pick-up-and-play nature. We 'mature' gamers who own PCs tend to go for more grown-up game genres such as Real Time Strategy, Role-Playing and, well, violent First Person Shooters (well, senseless violence is mature, right?). It almost looks that, aside from the odd, ported release from time to time, the PC racing genre is flat on its back.

Don’t be fooled though.

The PC modding and racing community stands proud, and takes the genre to a whole new level. You can download a gazillion user created cars, liveries and tracks for GTR and its brethren, and it isn’t too difficult to start designing your own. Simbin were also kind enough to release all the official car templates, so painting your favourite car in your own style of blancmange pink with neon-yellow livery is simply a case of firing up Photoshop and going wild.

You can also import cars and tracks from previous Simbin racers, such as GT Legends. There’s even an F1 mod for it, created by GTR modders Po911 and Tno (not their real names, I’m sure), which actually works very well, aside from a few small viewing issues. I’m sure the next version will have ironed these niggles out. This level of modding, and such an organised and active community helps the longevity of the game, and sticks a couple of driving gloved fingers up at the console racing community in the process. It’s a PC petrol head’s dream.

Not that I would ever claim to be a petrol head - I leave that title to my brother, who spends most of his spare time underneath the bonnet of his TVR. My colleague at work is also obsessed. He'll spend hour after hour playing GTR Evolution, hurtling around Nordschleife in his GT40, tweaking every other lap until he can shave a thousandth of a second off his already incredibly fast lap time. He has attained a level of patience that

I will never understand.

I prefer the more arcade style of racing. Games such as Burnout and Need For Speed really get me going. The faster and more insane it is, the better. I like to throw cars sideways into corners at silly speeds and use barriers and other road users as make-shift brakes. Test Drive Unlimited fills these primitive urges nicely.

You can drive practically every desirable supercar and superbike there is. Okay, a slight exaggeration, but well over 40 cars to start with plus a couple of bikes, and another 40-odd cars are available to you if you purchase the Mega Car Pack. Of course, you have to work for them though, by attempting varying missions and competing in races. It takes quite some time and serious effort to afford many beautiful houses and cars, without cheating, anyway.

I actually got bored of the missions a long time ago, and fixed event racing can ultimately become really boring as opposed to free-roam street racing. So whenever I head out in TDU, it's usually to bomb around the countryside as fast as possible for a while before heading up to the North West Car Park, to meet up with my colleague and other likeminded speed-freaks.

It’s almost like a Tesco car park on a Friday night. We all meet up, chat a while, sort out the tunes before setting a marker somewhere beautiful on the map. The intention is always there too –cruise somewhere at a reasonable pace in a convoy, get there, take a few pics, then cruise back – except it never happens. It only takes a few miles, but someone will get it in their head that 150MPH is far too sedate, and accelerate away from the convoy, thus causing everyone else to follow suit. Admittedly, it’s usually me!

So, it all goes a bit NASCAR, except with more corners, and certainly more body contact, for another hour or so, before even that becomes a tad stale. That’s generally around the time where we decide to head down to the Oahu Raceway and put some laps in. It isn't uncommon to then drive 30 or 40 laps, pulling over occasionally when nature calls, or when you simply need to blink.

For a game that was ported (quite badly) to the PC, nearly three years ago, it still stands up as a great blast of a racer, and still gives some of these cheeky new upstarts a good run for their money (that's YOU, Fuel!). Okay, the graphics are showing a little age now (they weren’t all that cutting edge at release), and it does suffer from the most bizarre bugs. But it’s all forgivable when you’re cruising at 250mph on a Hawaiian road in beautiful sunshine, with your favourite Rolling Stones track blasting out of the speakers, especially with your mate alongside you in his favourite supercar.

What's even nicer is that the Gamespy servers they use are still up and running, even if they are a little flaky from time-to-time. This game was actually the reason I bought a Logitech G25 racing wheel, and almost immediately after, a racing seat setup. I probably wouldn’t still play the game without it. There is talk of a new TDU, but unfortunately, that's all it is, nothing more but loose talk. Hopefully soon though, we'll have even more real roads to drive on, and even more beautiful cars (here’s hoping for a Veyron)!

Until then, my RUF RT12, Hawaiian roads and the Oahu Raceway will have to do.

ooVoo

2010-03-16T08:53:00.000-07:00

For a few years now, Skype has been our first choice for making free and cheap phone and video calls over the internet. Few rival services can compete with Skype's popularity and deals, but there's now a new kid on the block that's looking to challenge that supremacy.

Features

Where Skype traditionally focuses on free and cheap calls, with video calls as a bit of an after-thought, ooVoo has set itself up as a video-calling service from the off. If you've got a webcam with a microphone or separate headset, you're good to go. Chatting one- to-one with other ooVoo users is free, as is sending a one-minute video message (either to an ooVoo account or to an email address), and you can install a video chatroom on your blog. It also does voice-only and instant-messenger-style text-based messaging, should you be having a bad-hair day. Most impressive is that ooVoo also offers a web client, so you can chat to other webcam owners without them needing to have the software installed - just send them a link.

Performance

The software works very well but its performance will depend on your internet connection and the distance between you and whoever you're calling. Most broadband users will be happy with the results although those with high-end webcams and broadband connections may gripe at the lack of higher-quality video resolutions in the free version - top-quality 640 x 480-pixel calls are one of the paid-for extras.

Ease of use

The software is straightforward enough to use but the interface is busier than Skype's and there's quite a lot going on. However, one of the big stumbling blocks to video chatting with Skype is that, in order for it to work, you have to persuade the recipient of your call to install the software. With ooVoo, they don't need to.

Value for money

Because ooVoo's basic services are free, this is great value if you just want a simple way to connect to people with your webcam. The premium services start to get pricey quite quickly though - high-quality video costs 10 cents (about 6p) per minute, in which case, you may be best off with Skype. OoVoo offers cheaper calls to the US than Skype, but Skype is cheaper around Europe, so work out which system works best for you. Premium options can be paid for as you go or with a subscription.

Verdict

If video calling is your thing, ooVoo has some great options not offered by rival Skype. While your friends may be more likely to use Skype, you can use ooVoo to speak to people who don’t use or want to download a video-calling system. If you want top video quality at the lowest price, however, you’re still better off with Skype.

Minimum requirements

• 1GHz Pentium 4 processor
• 256MB of memory
• 20MB of hard-disk space
• Webcam
• Broadband
• Windows 7, Vista or XP

Download

Driver Genius 9 Professional Edition

2010-03-14T12:27:00.000-07:00

Your PC is a finely balanced machine. Even a standard off-the-shelf computer will have a unique configuration of hardware and software that has probably never been tested for interoperability. With Windows Update installed, you'll be alerted about essential Windows fixes but, over time, many of your device drivers (the software that makes products integrate with your operating system) will become out of date and may clash with other hardware and software. Thankfully, manufacturers of PC components regularly release new versions of these drivers that can fix problems and even improve features.

The downside is that it's a chore to keep checking for updates and manufacturers rarely inform you of them, even if you have sent off a registration card. So software like Driver Genius is potentially very handy indeed. It works by scanning your computer and making a note of any drivers it finds. It then compares the age of these to its regularly updated list of current drivers. Any that are out of date can be downloaded and installed directly. The process is quick, easy to control and very efficient.

For additional safety, the program will keep a back-up of any drivers that have been installed so, if something does happen to the computer, there's no need to go through the process of downloading and updating everything again.

Convenience, however, comes at a price. You could do everything that Driver Genius does simply by making a list of the drivers on your PC and checking them manually, either directly with the manufacturers or at websites like Driver Guide (www.driverguide

.com).

Download

Webroot AntiVirus with SpySweeper 2010

2010-03-14T12:09:00.000-07:00

Webroot AntiVirus with Spy Sweeper is the perfect virus/spyware combo. The software is easy to use, and features effective protection and performance. AntiVirus with Spy Sweeper combines all the right components to deliver one of the best antivirus software available.

Even everyday computer users need advanced protection from the prevalent computer threats. From viruses to rootkits, to malicious hacking tools and vulnerability exploits; a multi-layered approach is almost essential for everyday protection. Webroot’s antivirus/antispyware software has all the right features and more.

Webroot AntiVirus with Spy Sweeper Standout Features:

Gamer mode for full-screen without interruptions
Free (and automatic) remote file storage
Proactive heuristic detection for “zero-hour” threats

Scope of Protection: Excellent

Webroot AntiVirus with Spy Sweeper is a very comprehensive desktop antivirus package. The software protects from threats from several sources, and the several layers of protection keep your computer safe. Webroot protects PC’s from viruses in all forms, as well as worms, Trojans, malware, and rootkits.

Webroot monitors and detects all sorts of malicious files and just plain unwanted programs like adware, dialers, cookies, and keyloggers. The integrated Spy Sweeper is an amazing standalone anti-spyware software that in itself protects from a variety of computer threats.

The software is completely armed to not only detect, but effectively remove malicious files, even ending running processes and removing associated registry entries. Webroot’s defensive technologies help keep your information protected from hackers and identity thieves.

But more than just being on the defense, Webroot AntiVirus with Spy Sweeper also features proactive technology to find malware before it even has the chance to hit your computer. With today’s newest threats being designed to bypass traditional signature-based scanning, advanced protection is so important. Webroot’s “zero-hour” protection analyzes files for malicious behavior and other incriminating behavior, and blocks files that might prove to be a virus in disguise.

Effectiveness: Excellent

Webroot AntiVirus with Spy Sweeper revolves around 16 protective “shields” that cover your network, web browsing, Widows, startup programs, and email.

The web browser shields keep you safe online, blocking from Internet Explorer hijacks, exploits, and even unwanted browser “helper” objects. The email shield works for both emails you receive (Pop3 port 110) and messages you send (SMTP port 25), so you won’t accidentally forward along a threat to your friends, family, or coworkers.

Webroot AntiVirus with Spy Sweeper is comprised of two powerful components (antivirus and antispyware, obviously). The desktop antivirus component is powered by business security experts Sophos. The antispyware element is managed by Webroot’s own Spy Sweeper.

Sophos’ antivirus protection is certainly up to par, earning several recent Virus Bulletin VB 100% awards. These certify that the antivirus engine is completely capable of protecting from 100% of known in-the-wild viruses. The reactive and proactive rates were similarly impressive, finding 81.8% (significantly higher than almost all other antivirus software tested).

The software is also ICSA approved, and certified from the West Coast Labs as an effective solution for desktop antivirus, anti-trojan, anti-malware, and antispyware.

The antispyware software included is second to none. Webroot Spy Sweeper provides an impressively high level of protection from spyware and other identity-compromising malware. Combined with antispyware protection from Sophos, Webroot AntiVirus with Spy Sweeper is certainly effective.

Ease of Installation: Excellent

Webroot AntVirus with Spy Sweeper is easy to install and implement. In fact, the software walks you through some initial setup while you’re installing the software. While this does add a few minutes to the install process, it gives you control to setup the software exactly how you want it, and makes it so you can essentially leave the software completely unattended after.

The installation process introduces the WARN (Webroot Automated Research Network), the proactive network approach that (if you give permission), allows Webroot to gather anonymous information that helps them keep on top of new threats. Installation also lets users set when they’d like a weekly sweep to perform, and configure the online backup. Users can also take advantage of the Webroot partnership with Ask.com (or not), by installing the browser toolbar and setting Ask.com to be the default search engine.

Ease of Use: Excellent

Webroot AntiVirus with Spy Sweeper features an intuitive interface and simple tools to accommodate any user level. The clean user interface is organized with tabs for simple navigation and quick access to all the major components of the software. Webroot’s scanning engine includes over 1.5 million (and constantly growing) virus definitions. After the sweep is finished, you can easily place the found threats in a quarantine area while you decide what to do with them.

The antivirus/antispyware scans (or “sweeps”) are straightforward. You can choose between a full sweep (complete and thorough scan of the whole computer) or a quick sweep (optimized to search the most commonly threatened files). The full sweep scans all drives (including external media), the Windows registry, memory, compressed archive files, and executable programs.

Of course you can also set a custom sweep to scan exactly what you want. You can also easily set sweeps to run on a specific schedule.

The sweeps can run in the background while you use the computer for other tasks, and most of the common commands (start sweep, check for updates, turn on gamer mode) can be accessed directly from the windows taskbar notification area (bottom right).

You can also easily scan a single file from anywhere on your computer by simply right clicking on it and sending it the software to check for viruses.

Features: Excellent

Webroot AntiVirus with Spy Sweeper has several integrated features that add security benefits as well as convenience. One nice feature is the included local and online backup. The software comes with 1GB of storage space for free, and additional storage space can be purchased separately. As the software is installing, Webroot automatically analyzes your files and lets you choose what to backup. You can securely backup files from your desktop, favorites, my documents or my pictures.

The backup solution is actually fairly robust, allowing you to not only securely store important files and restore them at a moment’s notice, but also lets you access them anywhere. Stop emailing files to yourself, and simply back them up online. You can even send a secure link in an email to friends/family to share files, and don’t have to worry about them getting access to any other files than the one(s) you send.

Another nice feature is the gamer mode. You can turn this feature on with the click of a button, and it will let you enjoy full-screen computer games, videos, presentations and more without annoying interruptions from the software. And while this mode isn’t as secure as having the full system enabled, you don’t have to worry about forgetting to toggle back to full protection, the software will do it by default after 4 hours.

Updates: Excellent

Keeping your security up-to-date is easy with Webroot. The software is setup to automatically check for updates regularly (every hour if you want) and even initiates updates delivered immediately to your system if needs be, with Webroot’s VersionGuard technology.

And even better than constant updates, Webroot AntiVirus with Spy Sweeper includes real-time proactive protection, analyzing files and keeping an eye out for malicious behaviors that “tip-off” the software that the file is a virus.

Help & Support: Excellent

Webroot’s antivirus software is very easy to use, but you can also get extra help if needed. In-program help is available, as well as additional resources online. Free phone support is available for on weekdays, or you can send a request via email at any time. The online support center also has product-specific user guides and a FAQs section. There is also a helpful video for product installation.

Premium support is also available for security optimization, virus removal, and even PC tune-ups, but cost extra (prices vary per type of assistance).

Summary:

Combining a good antivirus scanning engine (from Sophos) and the best antispyware protection available, Webroot AntiVirus with Spy Sweeper is a great security solution. The software combines all the essential features and includes added value with beneficial tools and simple usability. Overall, Webroot AntiVirus with Spy Sweeper is one of the best antivirus programs, and a valuable security solution.

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Green Zone

2010-03-13T10:26:00.000-08:00

When the invasion of Iraq transpired in 2003, assurances came down from on high that this act was necessary to remove the clear and present danger represented by Sadaam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction (this is when the acronym WMD entered the common lexicon). Seven years later, the full truth remains murky, but one thing is indisputable: there were no WMDs in Iraq and the intelligence that placed them there was faulty. Whether the intelligence failure was a result of lies, incompetence, or deliberately manipulated misinformation has been the fodder of much speculation. Paul Greengrass' Green Zone, a thriller set in Baghdad during the early months of the Coalition occupation, takes the view that it was a little of all three. Backed by the expose provided by former Washington Post Baghdad correspondent Rajiv Chandrasekaran in his book Imperial Life in the Emerald City, Greengrass and screenwriter Brian Helgeland have crafted a fictional story with some powerful non-fictional elements. It argues forcefully that conspiracy theorists aren't always wrong.

Chief warrant officer Roy Miller (Matt Damon) is cool and competent as he goes about his job of tracking down WMDs in the newly "liberated" Iraq. Frustration is setting in, however, because all the sites he has been sent to secure are empty, and casualties have been absorbed in the process. Bureaucrat Clark Poundstone (Greg Kinnear), who represents the Bush administration in Iraq, argues that the WMD intelligence is correct, the result of detailed information provided by the mysterious informant "Magellan." CIA operative Martin Brown (Brendan Gleeson) disagrees, and privately informs Miller that there won't be any WMDs at the next site, either. Brown is correct. Meanwhile, an Iraqi called "Frankie" (Khalid Abdalla) approaches Miller's unit with information about a high-ranking member of the Republican Guard arriving at a nearby house. That individual is General Al Rawi (Igal Naor), the "Jack of Clubs" in the Iraq deck. Both Poundstone and Brown want Al Rawi found, albeit for different reasons. As Miller's investigations intensify, he finds himself in the uncomfortable position of being hunted by fellow soldiers. When he asks Brown if they aren't all on the same side, he is tersely rebuked: "Don't be naïve."

Although Chandrasekaran's book is attached to the movie, Green Zone is not an adaptation. Greengrass and Helgeland have used information from Imperial Life in the Emerald City as background information but the book and the movie are entirely different. One key variant is that while Chandrasekaran is unafraid to name names and point fingers, Greengrass has opted for fictionalized alter-egos. Still, it's not hard to figure out who represents whom, at least insofar as the main characters are concerned. It has been speculated that Roy Miller is based on Monty Gonzalez, Poundstone represents Paul Bremmer, and Wall Street Journal reporter Lawrie Dayne (Amy Ryan) is a stand-in for The New York Times' Judith Miller.

Greengrass has crafted Green Zone as a high energy thriller. The level of tension starts out high and rarely lets up during the course of nearly two hours. In many ways, the basic story is an old fashioned staple of the genre: the noble man discovers that he is surrounded by corruption and seeks to unearth the truth. Although Miller is clearly the hero and Poundstone and his cronies are the villains, there are more shades of gray than pure black-and-white.

Greengrass' in-your-face style is mostly an asset, with the hand-held camera shots ratcheting up the urgency and amplifying the sense of chaos that blossoms in firefights. There are times, however, as in the action sequences that comprise the climax, when the moving camera and fast editing make it difficult to discern everything that's happening. In this, Green Zone reflects The Bourne Supremacy and The Bourne Ultimatum, although the visual tapestry is more coherent. Greengrass' visual aesthetic is a melding of the high octane approach applied to the two Bourne films and the quasi-documentary style of United 93. John Powell's score is utilized to amplify the atmospherics and sustain the suspense.

Damon's prior appearances as Jason Bourne make him credible in this role. There's never a disconnect to see him in this heroic, action-oriented part. His clean-cut good looks and open demeanor make it easy to trust Miller, who becomes our guide into the murky and corrupt world of political gamesmanship. Greg Kinnear, who can play the nicest guy in the world as effectively as a snake-oil salesman, oozes malice fueled by idealism. Brendan Gleeson provides that rarest of rare cinematic creatures: a trustworthy and honest CIA operative. Khalid Abdalla, who appeared as one of the hijackers in United 93, plays Miller's reluctant translator who struggles with divided loyalties.

Perhaps the most rewarding aspect of Green Zone is the manner in which it interweaves fact and fiction into an engaging whole. Although the production is explicitly critical of the Bush administration, that's not the point of the movie. This is a kinetic thriller and the years of hindsight between the invasion and today allow us to view Miller's discovery through a sharp lens. Green Zone will satisfy those who enjoy political thrillers and those who prefer something more action-oriented.

Leap Year

2010-03-13T09:53:00.000-08:00

This light and frothy romantic comedy gets 2010 off to a good start. This entertaining movie is what people like to see on date night.

After her four-year anniversary passes without a marriage proposal, Anna (Amy Adams from “Julie & Julia” and “Enchanted”) decides to take matters into her own hands. She follows her cardiologist boyfriend Jeremy (Adam Scott from HBO’s “Tell Me You Love Me”) to Ireland to invoke an Irish folklore tradition brought up by her father (John Lithgow from “Dexter” and “3rd Rock from the Sun”). The tradition is that if a woman asks a man on Leap Day, Feb. 29, to marry her, he has to say yes.

Bad weather forces Anna’s plane to land on the other side of Ireland. Fate places her in the orbit of Declan (Matthew Goode from “Watchmen” and “Match Point”), a handsome and surly Welsh innkeeper. Because of financial difficulties, he reluctantly agrees for a hefty fee to drive her across the country to Dublin.

This movie nicely blends amusing slapstick pratfalls with passionate romantic fireworks.

Adams is a charming, red-headed beauty who has a knack for physical comedy much like Lucille Ball. Goode is the tall, dark and attractive stranger that women yearn for in their erotic fantasies. He fits into the suave and debonair mold usually reserved for Hugh Grant.

Anna and Declan bicker and get off on the wrong foot. Circumstances force them to pretend to be a couple. Their inevitable attraction for each another can’t be denied once they share a first kiss.

The movie includes scenes involving cooking and Irish folk dancing. It kindles the warm feelings derived from finding the perfect soul mate in life. The movie is slanted toward the female perspective on matters of the heart. It shows that chivalry is not dead when it comes to a man showing respect for a vulnerable woman.

This crowd-pleaser even has an unexpected twist ending.

The palpable chemistry between the two leads makes the cross country journey delightful fun and well worth taking. The movie raises the important question of what you would take from a burning building if you had only 60 seconds to decide. The value of companionship and someone to love tilts the scales over material possessions.

The movie was shot on location in Ireland, providing a backdrop of eye-pleasing scenery. Kudos are well-deserved for this sweet, pure and innocent cinematic treat effectively directed by Anand Tucker (“Shopgirl”) from a script penned by the screenwriting duo of Deborah Kaplan (“Made of Honor”) and Harry Elfont.