Power

Cyberlink PowerDVD 13 review

Don't let its archaic name fool you; Cyberlink PowerDVD may sound like a name that's rooted in history, but it's actually an innovative media player and library manager that goes beyond just standard disc playback. In fact, PowerDVD 13 aims to distinguish itself from the premium media player crowd with features like "TrueTheater" enhancements, presentable media browsing, and customizable playback tools. To wrap it all up, PowerDVD also aims to rope all your media devices into one connected experience.

The installation process is standard: Cyberlink takes about 360MB of space and leaves a light footprint. … Read more

Dazzle your ears with KEF's X300A powered speakers

KEF's new X300A is a nifty desktop speaker, but it can also be used as a hi-fi or stereo home theater speakers. Granted, it's a bit pricey, but it sounds a lot better than say, a $699 Sonos Playbar. The X300A is a bona-fide high-end speaker system, so it sounds clearer and all around better than all the high-priced sound bars I've heard to date. After all, performance goals for most sound bars are pretty low, they just have to sound better than the iffy speakers built into TVs, and that's easy. Compared with a decent … Read more

The 404 1,237: Where Robert Greene 'Masters' The 404 (podcast)

- Robert's Web site, PowerSeductionandWar.

- A Reddit AMA with Robert Greene.

- Follow Robert Greene on Twitter.

Episode 1,237

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Silicon Valley city offers free Wi-Fi via smart meters

Leave it to a city in Silicon Valley to become the first in the U.S. to use smart meters to bring all of its residents free outdoor Wi-Fi.

Santa Clara, Calif., debuted its new service this week after installing nearly 600 transmitters throughout the city, according to the Mercury News. The name of the network is "SVPMeterConnectWifi."

"We are the first utility in the nation to offer free Wi-Fi as part of the smart meter rollout," manager with Silicon Valley Power Larry Owens, the community's utility provider, told the Mercury News. "It's … Read more

Woman with shocking shower wins $4M from power company

It's not as if you need one more thing to worry about, but it is the weekend.

You shower at the weekend, don't you?

So here's a tale that might make you look a touch carefully at your shower head.

Simona Wilson, 34, of Redondo Beach, Calif., started to feel ill. She was tired. She felt sick and numb. She had no idea why.

That was until the day she touched her shower head and felt electricity course through her. She had recently remodeled her shower. It had previously been elevated, so she brought it down to … Read more

The iPhone tops J.D. Power satisfaction rankings -- again

Apple's iPhone satisfaction streak is alive and well.

J.D. Power and Associates today released its rankings of the most popular smartphone vendors. And for the ninth-consecutive time, Apple took the top spot with a score of 855 out of 1,000. Back in September, when J.D. Power last conducted a study on smartphone customer satisfaction, Apple scored 849.

The second-place smartphone vendor in the latest J.D. Power survey was Nokia, scoring a 795. Samsung came in a close third at 793, followed by Motorola and HTC with 792 and 790, respectively. The average vendor score was … Read more

UL warns of counterfeit Apple USB power adapters

Safety science company UL today issued a warning to consumers and retailers about counterfeit Apple USB power adapters.

These adapters are designed to look just like the ones Apple includes with the iPhone, iPod Touch, and iPad Mini, and even bear the same model designation as Apple's legitimate USB adapter (Model A1265).

The easiest way to spot a fake is in the writing on the back of the device. Instead of saying "Designed by Apple in California," you will see either "Designed Abble in California" or "Designed by China in California."

"These … Read more

Enjoy listening to your favorite music with PowerAMP Music Player for Android

Countless different music players are available in the Play Store, but there are only a few that stand out. PowerAMP Music Player for Android is one of them because of its simplicity and solid performance.

Installation and setup of PowerAMP Music Player for Android are fairly simple. This version, however, is a 15-day full-featured trial, and to unlock the full version you have to purchase the PowerAMP Full Version Unlocker for $3.96. The interface of this music player is straightforward and simple. The general layout of the home screen consists of a black background and high-contrast icons. Performance of … Read more

Extreme snowflake closeups shot with a compact cam

Who says you need specialized microscopy equipment to capture extreme closeups of snowflakes?

Using a cheap setup consisting of a Canon PowerShot A650 IS compact camera and an old manual lens, Russian-based photographer Alexey Kljatov has managed to capture the intricate details of snowflakes right down to their crystalline forms. … Read more