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http://www.windows.com/hpmediasmartwebinar | | What’s a Platform, Anyway?
I’m pretty clear on what’s a platform (Windows and an Intel PC, for example). At least I thought I was until I read John C. Dvorak’s latest column. Now I’m scratching my head. As Dvorak sees it, the platform is not the OS and hardware and it’s not even, as many thought, the browser. Instead it’s online services like MySpace and Facebook. Embracing this idea pretty much changes everything. I think John’s onto something. What about you?
Build a PC for Dad
Father’s Day is done, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t build dear-old Dad (or someone else in your family) a “new” PC. ExtremeTech Analyst Joel Durham did with a collection of parts he had left over from other projects. Read the story and see if that’s something you could do, too.
Yahoo! Calls Off Microsoft Merger Talks
Forget about Micro-Hoo. Microsoft and Yahoo! walked away from the bargaining table (though it looks as if Microsoft really did the walking), and there’s no longer an acquisition in the offing. We have new reports on what happened, a column from me about how I think it all went down and a look at Yahoo!’s new deal with Google (is it primed to become Yahoo!’s new daddy?)
Brute Force: nVidia's GeForce GTX 280 and 260
How far would you go for the ultimate in graphics horsepower? Would you lay out $650 and not worry about the added expense of the energy it takes to run the thing? For all of you out there nodding your heads yes, there’s the new nVidia GeForce GTX 280. Still, according to ExtremeTech, the more sensible choice might be the card’s little brother, the GTX 260. Better yet, carve out some time and read through all of ExtremeTech’s exhaustive review to decide which (if either) is the right card to take your games well above the next level.
Firefox 3.0 Unleashed
I’ve been using the FireFox 3.0 beta for a few weeks, and I have to admit that I’m impressed. Now you and everyone else you know can have the completed edition of this popular open-source browser. You may, however, want to start with our news report and then follow up with the all-important review. My guess is they’ll only make you more anxious to download and install Firefox 3.0. FF3 isn’t the only new browser in town. With considerably less notice (and maybe fanfare) Opera rolled out version 9.5. It’s also an excellent and very lightweight browser. All I can say is Microsoft has its work cut out for it with Internet Explorer 8 .
Improve Your Home Wi-Fi
Wi-Fi networking is, if you ask me, Networking for Dummies—but in a good way. No wires, no confusion, just ubiquitous and relatively powerful online connectivity you can access from anywhere within a roughly 300-foot range. But if you approach your Wi-Fi network that way, then you could be missing out on speed and ignoring problems that are actually hampering your network experience. Naturally, PCMag has some excellent suggestions for improving your Wi-Fi network—so you don’t miss a thing.
The Cheap iPhone and Other Misconceptions
I have to admit, I got a bit caught up in the iPhone 3G hullabaloo. After all, it’s so much cheaper than before, and it’s got that glorious and ubiquitous speed. And, hey, what about it’s now-very-smart phone and BlackBerry-ish capabilities? Former PCMag EIC and current blogger Michael Miller has a thing or two to say about all those widely held beliefs and common misconceptions. The iPhone 3G, for instance is only cheaper if you do not factor in the now-more-expensive contracts. Yikes! It gets worse.
Hands On: RepairPal Auto Repair Site
I’m lucky, I’ve been going to the same auto-repair show for 15 years. Still, I understand how hard it is to find a reputable mechanic. RepairPal (nice name), which AppScout stumbled upon last week, seeks to alleviate the stress and confusion with a huge directory of good mechanics and some info about repairs (including a repair-cost estimator) that you can use to make sure you’re not getting the runaround. AppScout has the hands-on report.
What's New Now Episode 15: Friday the 13th Special
Your Bi-Weekly Tech News Dump
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That's all for now. I'm back on Thursday.
Read the What's New Now Archives at the blog.
Or subscribe to the RSS feed. And don’t forget that you can catch me every week (along with co-hosts Robyn Peterson and Sascha Segan) on PCMag Radio.
-- Lance Ulanoff
mailto:lance_ulanoff@ziffdavis.com
http://www.lanceulanoff.com
http://twitter.com/LanceUlanoff
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