magic

In this day and age of Trojan horses, viruses and other Web-based nasties, backing up your computer is more important than ever. With Magic Backup, you won't pay for the program you download to manage backups, but you will need to renew the subscription for the online storage service every year.

Still, it's incredibly easy to back up your important files using Magic Backup. The program's simple-to-navigate screen will appeal to users who have never backed up a file in their life, as well as those who have been backing up for years. Five simple tabs display … Read more

A few versions of the HTC Magic won certification from the Federal Communications Commission on Thursday. Though another version of the phone passed through the FCC last month, it was not certified for U.S. 3G networks. Yet this newest Magic model supports the 3G AWS bands of T-Mobile. Could T-Mobile get its second Google Android phone in the next couple of months? It would seem that way.

Besides the Magic, two Acer smartphones and a slew of Samsungs (tear off the front page) were approved as well. Because the FCC has to certify every phone sold in the United … Read more

Magic Lens Max offers visually impaired users a virtual screen magnifier. We found it very easy to navigate, but the numerous configuration options might be confusing to some.

When activated, the main user interface appears on your desktop, and it's packed with a number of settings to show or hide the magnifier, change the lens shape, pick the color mode, adjust the zoom percentage, color levels, and the lens size and border, among other things. Also from the interface, you can create hot-key combinations for zooming, rotating, and more. We certainly appreciate all of the options, but would have … Read more

Last week I wrote about Taxi Magic (download), an iPhone app that, along with RideCharge--its cousin for BlackBerry and Windows Mobile phones--lets you order a cab to your present location, and track it as it wends its way toward you. Version 1.1, released on Wednesday, gives Taxi Magic the one main feature missing from its BlackBerry and Windows Mobile counterparts: the ability to pay your cab fare with a tap of the iPhone.

This mobile payment option works by associating one or more credit cards to your RideCharge account (RideCharge's privacy policy). When it's time to pay, … Read more

It requires very little skill to use this system cleanup tool, but that's not necessarily a good thing when you're dealing with the Registry. Ashampoo Magical Optimizer is so easy to use because it removes most of the control from the user.

The colorful interface gives you the option of automatic or manual optimization. What you won't find is a way to back up your files beforehand. This safety net is a standard feature for most Registry cleaners, and one we want in place before any files get deleted. You can select the kinds of files you … Read more

While we normally appreciate user guidance, the pop-up how-to guides got in the way of what proved to be an effective tool for capturing and manipulating images.

Ashampoo Magical Snap adds an expandable toolbar to the top of your window that lets you capture entire Web pages or specific selections. It also captures desktop and window screenshots--basically anything that appears on your screen. Once you make a selection, pop-up how-to guides walk you through the editing process. We found them a little overwhelming, and appreciated the option to turn them off. Once you capture an image, the toolbar smartly changes … Read more

Instead of having to remember to defrag disks, Ashampoo Magical Defrag will keep up with the task with little intervention on your part. It may not be magical, but it is a practical approach to a job that needs to get done but often gets forgotten.

The user interface is pretty basic, but the straightforward design makes it easy to navigate. Settings options allow you select the hard disk(s) that you want to include in the defragmenting process. Once you click the Defragment Now button, setup is pretty much finished. Ashampoo Magical Defrag goes to work when your computer … Read more

I'm sure I'm just setting myself up for disappointment one of these days, but I've come to expect big things from HTC at trade shows, whether it be CTIA or Mobile World Congress. The company has consistently delivered some of the hottest product announcements at these events, so can you blame a girl for thinking such thoughts?

Thankfully, I wasn't disappointed at GSMA Mobile World Congress 2009 (well, maybe a little, but I'll get to that in a bit) as HTC debuted several new handsets. The Taiwanese smartphone manufacturer kicked off the show by debuting the HTC Touch Diamond2 and the HTC Touch Pro2, which replace the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro.

I stopped by HTC's booth on Wednesday to have a look at both smartphones, and I was impressed with the design improvements and enhanced technologies. The Touch Diamond2 probably wowed me more than the Pro2 because of its extremely thin and solid design. The device doesn't feel as plasticky with its brushed metal face and sides. Also, I can't tell if it's the sleeker design, but the screen pops out that much more and grabs your attention.

HTC has also worked on the user interface, providing a new Start screen where you can easily access your applications. It's also customizable and features more user-friendly icons. The touch-sensitive toolbar is a cool little feature. I didn't think it'd make that much of a difference but it definitely makes it easier to zoom in and out on Web pages and e-mails.

The Touch Pro2 is a monster, and I don't necessarily mean that in a bad way. It's bigger than the Touch Pro (4.5 inches tall by 2.3 inches wide by 0.6 inch thick versus 4 inches tall by 2 inches wide by 0.7 inch thick) but again solidly built. The navigation buttons along the bottom are smaller than I like, but that's a relatively minor complaint.… Read more

BARCELONA--After waiting and waiting for an Android phone to appear at the Mobile World Congress, Vodafone on Tuesday unveiled the HTC Magic, the successor to the T-Mobile G1 (formerly known as the HTC Dream). Our friends over at Crave UK were lucky enough to get their hands on a prototype.

The Magic does away with the bulky physical keyboard of the G1 in favor of a touch screen. It's also much skinnier and lighter, but HTC still chooses to deny us a handy 3.5mm headphone jack. Why, oh why, must you torment us so?

Check out some of … Read more