essential

Puffy pancakes with a flick of the switch

Kitchen electrics have a tendency to make us rationalize their existence. Perhaps it is convenience that is the deciding factor, or maybe an appliance's design appeals to us somehow. And then every once in a while, an appliance comes along that manages to give us some new way--or thing--to cook. Sometimes, appliances can even help us do something that otherwise we would not be able to do.

There can't be too many ways to cook ebelskivers. The distinctive round puffy pancakes require indentations to cook properly that only a specially designed pan can deliver. Either that or the … Read more

Like an indoor grill for pancakes

There is something special about pancakes. Somehow hearty yet impossibly fluffy at the same time, pancakes are a perfect component of practically any breakfast. Certainly sausages drowned in maple syrup wouldn't be quite the same without them. Even when served alone, pancakes offer a filling deliciousness that cannot be equaled by any other breakfast food. Unfortunately for pancake fans, they just don't seem to find their way onto plates enough.

Whether pancake scarcity is due to the amount of time needed, difficulty level, or both, there is no reason to get worked up into a pancake panic. The … Read more

Unwrapping a new computer? Check out these essential tweaks and apps first

Unwrapping a brand new laptop or desktop PC is undoubtedly an exciting holiday moment. Unfortunately, most systems aren't really ready to go out of the box. The collection of hints and tips below mirrors what I do for almost every new laptop I unbox (usually a couple of new ones every week). Follow along with the first few hints, then pop over to our list of essential free software for new PCs and install whichever ones you think you'll need.

Note that these tips are written with Windows 7 in mind, but they should work with older versions … Read more

Microsoft releases free Security Essentials 2.0

Microsoft yesterday quietly released the latest version of its Security Essentials anti-malware software.

Security Essentials 2.0 is available as a free download with several changes over its predecessor. A Microsoft representative today confirmed the release.

Microsoft said the updated anti-malware engine makes the software faster and smarter at detecting security hazards. The software also now ties in with Windows Firewall, giving you the option of turning the firewall on or off. When I installed the 2.0 edition, it detected that Windows Firewall was not running and asked if I wanted to enable it.

The new version integrates with … Read more

Security firms blast Microsoft for free antivirus offer

Two security software makers are complaining about Microsoft using its update service to deliver its free antivirus software to Windows users who don't have such protection on their computers.

No, it's not 1998. And we're talking about allowing customers to choose whether they want the software, rather than bundling a particular browser--say Internet Explorer--on Windows.

Microsoft began making its Security Essentials software available to customers through its Microsoft Update service as an optional download on November 1 for U.S. customers and October 19 for U.K. customers. It offers the download only to customers who do … Read more

Western Digital refreshes external hard drives with USB 3.0

Seagate recently launched its USB 3.0-based line of external hard drives including the FreeAgent GoFlex Ultraportable (1.5TB for laptops) and the FreeAgent GoFlex Desk (3TB for desktops). Western Digital followed suit today with its own line of USB 3.0 external hard drives that offer up to 3TB of storage.

The company announced new versions of its three popular lines of storage devices, including the My Passport Essential, My Passport Essential SE, and My Book Essential. All three are external hard drives. The first two are compact and portable drives (suitable to accompany laptop computers) and the last … Read more

Microsoft releases updated Windows Live apps

Microsoft today is releasing the final version of its new set of Windows Live apps, including updates to its photo- and video-editing programs, as well as synching and blogging tools.

The Windows Live Essentials 2011 apps have been in testing since June and are available for download from Microsoft's site. The collection includes Windows Live Photo Gallery, Movie Maker, Messenger, and Mail, along with Windows Live Mesh, Family Safety, and Writer.

Microsoft also plans to announce that Dell will be the first global PC maker to start including the programs preloaded on its PCs.

Of note, the updated programs … Read more

Microsoft marks anti-malware anniversary with stats

To mark the first anniversary of Microsoft Security Essentials, the company has released some sobering statistics it has gathered during the past year via the free anti-malware software.

According to Microsoft, Security Essentials has been installed on 31 million computers worldwide. Out of that group, 27 million users reported malware infections during the year.

The United States was the most frequently attacked country. Microsoft said that during the past year, more than 2 million U.S. machines were attacked and reported the infections to the Microsoft Malware Protection Center. The U.S. was followed by China, which had over 693,… Read more

New WD portable hard drive comes in style

You're going back to school and want to label your digital content with a little bit of fashion? Western Digital has something for you.

The company unveiled on Thursday the new 500GB My Passport Essential limited-edition portable hard drive. It's much like any other My Passport Essential hard drives with one big difference: the new drives come with several unique cover designs that supposedly fit a variety of personal styles.

According to Western Digital, these designs were made by students at California State University, Long Beach's Industrial Design program. The drives are available in five patterns: Boom … Read more

Canary-colored Chrome

As part of its steamrolling list of updates, Google recently released a new build of Chrome. For those who want to keep up with the browser's latest features, Chrome Canary is where it's at. This version of the software, aimed at testers and developers, will be updated every time there is a successful nightly build. Users who want to stick with the stable version of Chrome can expect updates to come more frequently as well.

The beta released for the new version of Microsoft's Security Essentials anti-malware software is now available on a first-come, first-serve basis in … Read more