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Seesmic updates Blackberry, Windows Twitter apps

Seesmic has seen a flurry of development on the Web, desktop, and mobile phones lately. Last week, the third-party developer of Twitter apps released an update to its Web-based Twitter manager that outmaneuvered its downloadable Windows apps.

Seesmic also issued a version bump for its BlackBerry app. The new Seesmic for BlackBerry 1.3 now supports posting messages on up to 10 Twitter accounts versus just one default account. You view only one account at a time, and switch accounts from the bottom of the context menu. It's not a seamless transfer, but it works. Seesmic for BlackBerry also … Read more

Laptop Authority has the Fujitsu Lifebook T5010 13.3-Inch Tablet PC for $1799, after $220 Instant rebate.

Save $220 on the Fujitsu Lifebook T5010 13.3-Inch Tablet PC from Laptop Authority >> Regular price is $2019 >> Sale price is $1799 >> Savings $220 (10.90%) >> Click here for deal

Dell makes a business thin-and-light: Latitude 13

While optical drive-free larger-screened thin-and-light laptops are not always ideal for the average consumer, they could be the killer app for business travelers. Dell has formally announced the Latitude 13, described as "the world's thinnest 13-inch commercial client laptop," as a solution for businesses that might want to incorporate a device as thin as a Netbook, but with significantly more processing muscle.

With a look that's nearly identical to the recently-released Vostro 13, the Latitude 13 has a look evolved somewhat from the Adamo school of thin-and-light design, with metallic angles and a clean profile. What … Read more

P2P boost

Recent versions of Windows have greatly improved a download experience that once left much to be desired. However, many of the third-party apps that came about to address deficiencies in Windows are still around in the form of specialized, often free utilities that promise to improve on the specific functionality of certain features. One of these is Goforsharing's Xcelerator 1.3, a free download accelerator patch that offers enhanced downloading algorithms and architecture that improves upon Windows' built-in capabilities. It's based upon peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing network technology. To use Xcelerator, you need a P2P client such as BitTorrent … Read more

Break out your checkbook for the high-end 13-inch Sony Vaio Z

While Sony's Y series of 13-inch laptops may seem fairly pedestrian, the company's other new thin-and-light is something else entirely. Sony says that by, "melding cutting-edge technologies such as a Blu-ray disc optical drive, HDMI output and a hybrid graphics system into highly-mobile PCs," it has come up with a 13-inch laptop worth a whopping $1,830 -- outmatching even the very pricey HP Envy 13.

The Vaio Z weighs just over 3 pounds, and some configurations include a similar high-end "100 percent color saturation" display as found in the Vaio X. Also available … Read more

Sony jumps into the 13-inch ULV laptop crowd with the Vaio Y series

Hardly a day goes by that we don't recommend a 13-inch laptop to someone for their specific computing needs. After all, it's the only size that we find big enough for all-day use, but small enough to carry around several times a week (but every day would be pushing it).

While Apple's MacBook may be the archetype 13-inch laptop, almost every other PC maker has one or more models, and many of the current ones use Intel's latest ULV processors (non-ULV options are also available) to keep the systems thin, light, and energy efficient (even if … Read more

Can new ThinkPads keep their Edge? ThinkPad Edge 13-inch First Take

Lenovo has shaken up its slightly uptight ThinkPad image with a relatively bold new direction aimed at small businesses: the ThinkPad Edge line has gloss, silver touches, and no optical drive in the 13-inch laptop, and uses AMD or Intel ULV processors.

With the 13-inch ThinkPad Edge going on sale starting January 5, we have been playing around with one here at the offices to give it a good solid hands-on. Though the starting price is $579, our $899 version has 4GB of RAM, a U7300 Intel Core 2 ULV, and a 320GB hard drive.

Covered in glossy black plastic … Read more

Barebones solitaire

Solitaire is a popular game, and over the years many variations have sprung up. Klondike is perhaps the most popular version, the one that people tend to learn from grandparents, parents, or the small suite of games that comes with Windows. Despite its simplicity and ubiquity, Klondike Solitaire remains an entertaining card game, and this basic rendition is quite playable, but not particularly impressive.

The program's interface is plain but attractive, with the cards displayed on a patterned green background. Unlike other versions of solitaire, this program doesn't allow for any customization of the game's appearance; users … Read more

Icon't see it

TrayEverything is a handy utility that minimizes programs to the system tray or hides them altogether. Although it has potential, it's best handled with care.

TrayEverything's interface is basic and fairly intuitive, which is a good thing, because it doesn't have a Help file. The program's features are organized with large graphical buttons, the most important of which is the Tray button, which is used to manage open programs. This function seems simple enough; it lists all currently open programs, and users simply double-click on a program to minimize it to the system tray. TrayEverything will … Read more