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The default color scheme for Windows is heavy with blues: button-down, business-approved blue tones persist, even in Windows 7. Many users change their desktop themes and colors regularly, but what about the bland expanse that is the log-on screen? Sure, it's only there until you type in your password, but why should that stop you from customizing its look? Do you really need more of a reason than, "Because I can?" Because you can, with Tweaks.com Logon Changer from Advanced PC Media. It's a simple little app that lets you customize the Windows 7 log-on … Read more

Have you ever copied files from one folder to another and had to open each folder's properties to compare their sizes and file counts because "something happened" during the copying process? Or wished there was a quick way to see which files and folders are taking up the most space? That's what file and disk space utilities are for. They're fairly passive in that they usually don't "do" anything beyond scanning your system and telling you the size and space used by your files and folders. Minh's Free DiskSpaceExplorer is portable … Read more

With the arrival of Mac OS X Lion, a lot of folks are going to discover that Apple's latest operating system is more of a memory hog than Snow Leopard and that a little RAM boost may be required.

Regardless of whether you're upgrading to Lion or not, upgrading your RAM is good idea because it's one of the most affordable--and easiest--ways to speed up your machine. Also, for anybody looking to buy a new iMac, we strongly recommend upgrading the RAM yourself, because you can save a good bit of money by not ordering extra RAM … Read more

We'll admit upfront that we had never heard of Ministeck until we encountered Perro Ministeck Creator. A bit of research revealed that Ministeck is a kind of puzzle originating in Germany that involves placing rectangular colored pieces of plastic onto a grid in order to form an image. In other words, it's a mosaic-style puzzle. Perro Ministeck Creator lets users take their own images and give them a Ministeck-style effect. We're not sure why, exactly, unless you're just a big fan of Ministeck and like the look of it, but it works well enough for what … Read more

My time with the Accessory Power GoCharge Power Pack has been a bit of a roller coaster ride. When the device landed on my desk, I dismissed it as a basic 12-volt to USB adapter. However, closer inspection revealed some very interesting secondary features that are worth highlighting. Unfortunately, once I started looking closely, I discovered a few build quality issues that quickly quenched my excitement.

In the box, you'll find the GoCharge unit itself, an AC to USB power adapter, a Mini-USB cable, and a Micro-USB cable.

The GoCharge has about the same footprint as a business card (… Read more

If you don't have a PlayStation Move and are into virtual golf, you should probably take note of the special PlayStation Move Tiger Woods PGA Tour 12: Masters Bundle that will be in stores next week for $99.99.

That price tag is the same as what the Move Starter Bundle sells for.

Both bundles include a Move controller and PlayStation Eye camera (required for Move use). However, the Starter Bundle comes with the Sports Champions game while this one comes with the Masters Edition version of EA's golf franchise. As you might have gathered already, you can … Read more

With $527,000, you could buy a one-bedroom condo in Manhattan's West Village, a Girard-Perregaux Cat's Eye Tourbillon Haute Joaillerie watch, or an 82-foot Multiplast Fast Express yacht. But you might also consider an Aston Martin V12 Zagato, a limited-production run car designed to commemorate the 1960 Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato.

Aston Martin designed the V12 Zagato to commemorate the 1960 DB4 GT Zagato, a version of the DB4 modified at Italy's Zagato factory. The V12 Zagato was built on the V12 Vantage platform. Its body is comprised of carbon fiber and aluminum. The car boasts a 0 to 62 mph time of 4.2 seconds and a top speed of 190 mph.

Initially, Aston Martin entered two V12 Zagatos in the 24-hour Nurburgring endurance race, which both cars finished. The model garnered enough interest from the public that Aston Martin announced a limited run, just 150 of the hand-built cars. … Read more

The Samsung Series 9 laptop: sexy, yes. Expensive, heck yes. Starting at $1,199 for the 11-inch model, it's not for the faint of wallet. Yet, the very same Samsung surprised us at New York press event with a 12.1-inch laptop, part of the Series 3, that feels nearly as lightweight and, according to Samsung, will cost far less: about $749.

The Series 3 will actually represent a vast range of laptop sizes, from 11.6 inches all the way up to 15 inches and higher. However, the 12.1-inch Series 3 on display caught our eye the most. Its metallic trim and clean lines almost give it the feel of a Sony Vaio or an Asus ultraportable, brands we continually see reflected in Samsung's laptop looks.

The unit felt surprisingly lightweight in our hands. Even more surprising? According to Samsung reps on-hand, this little 12-incher has a full-voltage Core i5 CPU, unlike the low-voltage Core processors in the Series 9. It will also be enabled for Intel Wireless Display. … Read more

Free photo and image tools are getting so sophisticated they more than rival expensive premium tools. Case in point is Zoner Photo Studio Free, an up-to-date graphics app that is packed with features. It can sort and manage image libraries; resize, enhance, and correct images; create albums, slideshows, calendars, panoramas, and other displays; and upload your images to popular photo-sharing sites. It incorporates full-featured Browser and Editor functions, but it also works with a wide range of other photo tools.

Zoner Photo Studio offers Standard and Custom Installation options; we chose the standard installation. A First Run Wizard walked us … Read more