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Mac users with Excel may want add-on applications for more functionality. Solver for Excel 2011 for Mac integrates well into the existing Excel program and performs additional operations on spreadsheet data.

The program is available for free and is actually included in later versions of Microsoft's Excel spreadsheet program for Mac. Solver for Excel 2011 for Mac downloads and installs directly onto the Excel program without any problems or user input required. After opening Excel, the user must go to the add-in area and select the Solver program. It then imports and installs a button in Excel's Data … Read more

There's no question that you need to protect your computer from incoming network threats, and there are plenty of options available. One option, TCPBlock for Mac, functions adequately as a firewall; but its options lag behind other, more popular programs.

TCPBlock for Mac downloaded quickly, but installing it required a computer system restart, which was a disappointment. A readme file contained some basic instructions, but a detailed manual would have been helpful, especially for longtime Mac users not familiar with firewall software. It was also disappointing to see that there were no indications of direct technical support availability, although … Read more

Over the weekend, leaked images of a new BlackBerry device came to light. Reportedly called the BlackBerry R10, this possible gadget will be a low-end version of the pricey BlackBerry Q10. … Read more

Photo editing programs can be geared towards the digital editing expert or the novice. Despite a lack of user guidance, the free Photo Zoe Editor for Mac is definitely aimed at the less experienced user. It performs all of the basic editing functions well and is fairly easy to use for any Mac owner.

Installation of Photo Zoe Editor completed quickly. The program started for the first time without any problematic setup steps. No user instructions were present, but the interface was very easy to use for anyone familiar with other photo editing programs. Technical support did not appear to … Read more

Some users may find modern Web browsers too complicated for basic Internet use. Minimalist Browser for Mac accomplishes its goal of presenting a less complicated browsing experience, but ultimately appears incomplete.

There were no unnecessary steps required to download and install Minimalist Browser for Mac. After installation, there did not appear to be any technical support for updates, but the first page in the browser was a rudimentary instruction page. The program, itself, is just a Web page window with no control or URL bar. Navigation is limited to a key combination that brings up a Google search and a … Read more

Apple is good at addressing design oversights. Will Microsoft be as adept?

The Retina iPad, for example, violated Apple's design creed: products should get thinner and lighter -- aka, cooler. Not thicker and heavier.

But Apple fixed this quickly (six month later) with the iPad Mini trifecta: thinner, lighter, cheaper. And the iPad, reinvented as the Mini, has been a runaway success.

Now that Microsoft is in the business of making tablets, can it act fast when it commits product-design sins?

Surface is not a success -- yet. The Surface Pro is too big and heavy (and expensive), according … Read more

Amazon is expected to bring out a bigger version of the Kindle Fire, as it gradually grows the size of its tablets.

Amazon arguably started the small tablet fad when it launched the 7-inch Kindle Fire in November of 2011. And it followed that with 8.9-inch model, announced in September 2012.

Now it's moving up to the 10-inch class, Richard Shim, an analyst at NPD DisplaySearch, told CNET.

The biggest Kindle Fire yet will sport a stunning 2,560x1,600-pixel density 10.1-inch display, according to Shim. That's about 300 pixels per inch (PPI), considerably denser than … Read more

Whether you want to increase your screen space, enable a secondary display, or just mirror your desktop to other mobile devices, this app can help you out. With the ability to support up to 36 devices connected to your computer, the iDisplay Desktop for Mac promises and delivers an extremely powerful desktop enhancement. However, the app is quite difficult to set up and requires a high level of computer literacy.

The installation of this application appeared to be easy. The app even comes with its own uninstaller so you can remove it effortlessly if you no longer need it. During … Read more

With a name that completely and accurately describes its sole function, Delete without Trash for Mac allows users to bypass the trashing step, but adds another that seems to defeat its time-saving purpose.

Delete without Trash for Mac downloads quickly. The installation folder also contains a readme file with instructions. The program, itself, is easy to use. There is no interface, but it makes changes to the computer so that the user has additional options when right clicking files. This includes a "Delete as Administrator" function, which directly removes the file after the entry of the administrator password. … Read more