PCWorld Jan-12

Tablets Enter Their Adolescence WHAT A DIFFERENCE seven months makes. Back in June 2011, when last we looked at tablets, we asked, on the cover: “Can Any Tablet Beat the iPad?” The question was largely rhetorical. Though we were enthusiastic about the first generation of Android tablets, Apple’s iPad 2 was the clear winner. Today, we have a horse race. According to Senior Editor Melissa J. Perenson (see “Android Tablets: Finally Ready?” page 56), the iPad 2 and its rivals—from Samsung, Sony, and other makers—are now roughly comparable. Even so, it’s worth recognizing that today’s tablets are a work in progress. We’re still figuring out what these devices are supposed to be, and what we should expect them to do. The design and technology are in their adolescence, and the resulting products simply…

Our Windows 8 Preview: A Mixed Reaction Let us see if Microsoft gets it right with Windows 8. The company’s track record seems to show that every other release either has not caught on or has been problematic. Windows 95 was good considering the massive change it represented from Win 3.0. Windows Me was a disaster. XP was great. Vista was a mess. Windows 7 was spot-on. Hope Windows 8 does not follow this pattern. Ralph Schlessinger, Henderson, Nevada This new OS [Windows 8] is looking mighty good. It’s really taking shape, and has some rather nice features. The whole PC industry is starting to get interesting, and about time too. It’s felt stagnant for years. HankRearden, PCWorld.com forums Windows 8 isn’t due out till mid- to late 2012, so the hype today is pure vaporware…

SCAREWARE HAS GONE mobile: Users of Android devices are starting to see sleazy ads warning that they need to upgrade their device’s battery. The supposed battery-saver apps that the ads prod you to download, however, could endanger your privacy or siphon money from your wallet—and generally will do nothing to improve your gadget’s battery life, security experts say. Sometimes you don’t even need to agree to download the apps. PCWorld spotted an ad on an Android phone for a battery utility called Battery Upgrade. Tapping the ad—even by accident—launches the phone’s Web browser, which automatically initiates the download of the app’s installer file. These ads cross a line,” says Andrew Brandt, director of threat research for Solera Networks. It’s one thing to market a worthless battery app, he says, but quite another…

GRIFFIN BEACON If your coffee table is crowded with remote controls, replace them all with your smartphone. The Griffin Beacon turns your phone into an easy-to-use, never-lost remote for your home entertainment center, and is available for Android and iOS models. Beacon pairs with your phone via Bluetooth and works with a free universal remote app. Price: $70. PARROT AR.DRONE This device is a remote-controlled, camera-equipped quadicopter, with your iPhone, iPad, or Android phone as the remote, connecting via Wi-Fi. You can pilot it via the free AR.Freeflight app (iOS, Android) or use it to play dedicated free, multiplayer games at game parties. The AR.Drone is designed for both indoor and outdoor use. The Drone sells for $300. JAWBONE UP This wristband uses sensors and a motion-tracking engine to track your sleep,…

MAJOR TECH FIRMS, including Amazon, Apple, and Google, are lining up alongside smaller service providers to help consumers store and stream their music collections online. Accessing your music online is particularly ideal on mobile devices, since many phones and tablets are limited in storage to 16GB or less. Some services require you to upload your music, while others will match your files with an online catalog, no uploads required. And one service (Murfie) does something original: It lets you ship your entire CD collection to a storage facility in the Midwest, where somebody else will digitize your music collection for you (and you can sell or trade CDs). Amazon Cloud Drive (for storage) and Cloud Player (for streaming): 5GB of storage is free (20GB or more starts at $20 per year); works with…

Hard-Drive Shortage Prompts Price Hikes Flooding in Thailand, producer of key hard-drive components, is wreaking havoc on HDD manufacturers. And the consumer retail market will likely suffer from significant shortages and price increases, analysts say. Two industry research firms, IDC and IHS iSuppli, have predicted that the overall market shortage will reach 25 percent to 28 percent over the next six months. This means that users should brace themselves for sticker shock: Prices on retail sites such as Newegg.com and Pricegrabber.com are already skyrocketing. IE Posts Biggest Share Drop in Three Years In October 2011, Microsoft’s Internet Explorer browser lost its largest amount of usage share in three years, a Web-metrics firm reported recently. IE dropped 1.8 percentage points to 52.6 percent during October. Only IE’s November 2008 drop of more than 2…