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Tray Dictionary is a free desktop dictionary tool based on the Encarta online dictionary. With it you can look up words quickly without having to open an online dictionary site. It also allows quick right-click lookups in Internet Explorer.

We opened Tray Dictionary's Start Menu folder and clicked the program icon to open its System Tray interface, which is anchored by a dictionary icon. Clicking this icon called up a tiny search field for quick lookups. Since we park the Windows taskbar on the right edge of our wide-screen desktop, it covered Tray Dictionary's search button, and we … Read more

Using multiple computers doesn't mean that you can't always have a full complement of useful programs with you. SSuite Office Portable Edition packs a surprising number of applications for both business and pleasure into a reasonably sized package. It doesn't have all the bells and whistles of full-featured programs, but for a portable suite, it's pretty impressive.

The core of SSuite Office Portable Edition comprises its word processor, spreadsheet program, and e-mail client. We had no trouble with the first two; they're not the most beautiful or comprehensive programs we've seen, but they do … Read more

Animal Software's Panda Batch File Renamer is a free tool for making stir-fry. No, it's actually a batch file renamer, a tool that renames files in large numbers all at once, the technical term for which is "batches." So, you're mildly impressed but wonder, "Do I need it?" Well, if you have a digital camera or camcorder or an MP3 player, you may have noticed that your pictures and songs don't always make themselves easy to find. It's much easier to rename all of one artist's songs or one summer'… Read more

Sony Ericsson is launching the Android 2.1 "Eclair" upgrade to Xperia X10 devices running on the AT&T network in the U.S., the handset maker announced today.

Owners of the device, which boasts a 4-inch touch screen, a 1GHz processor, and an 8-megapixel camera, will be able to access the upgrade today. With the upgrade, the phone records video in 720p, offers multitouch support, gets facial detection in video capture, and increases the number of available home screens from three to five.

In order to update the Xperia X10, users will need to download a PC Companion application to get the process started. From there, they'll need to plug their devices into their computers and start the update. According to the company's Web site, the update will take about 30 minutes to complete.

The addition of Android 2.1 to the Xperia X10 comes rather late. Many other devices are already running the newer Android 2.2 (Froyo). There are even some running Android 2.3 (Gingerbread).… Read more

Last week, Google unleashed Android@Home, inviting developers to have at the code and get going on creating a whole new generation of home automation and interaction. But if you just can't wait for the garage tinkerers of the world to build the gadgets that will finally usher in the Jetsons age, one Korean company is already ahead of the game.

South Korea's Conspin is already offering the Smart Touch URC Andi-One (PDF), which is basically the world's ultimate universal remote, but it also runs on Android 2.1, fulfills much of the promise of Android@Home, … Read more

Sometimes we come across programs that are kind of goofy and pointless that we like anyway. Hot Spot Studio is such a program. We can't say that we ever wished for a program that did what Hot Spot Studio does, yet we can't resist playing with it.

It's really a pretty simple piece of software. Using either a solid background or a specific background image, you place circles of whatever size and color you'd like on the canvas. Click the Render Picture button and the program transforms the colored circles into glowing orbs of light on … Read more

Alarm clocks are a standard feature on most cell phones, but computer clocks typically don't do much but display the time. Free Alarm Clock adds alarm functionality to your computer, letting you create multiple alerts that can wake you up or remind you when it's time to do something.

The program's interface is plain and attractive, and we had no trouble figuring out how to use it. Attractive buttons across the top of the interface let users add, edit, and delete alarms. Each alarm can be set to go off only on certain days of the week, … Read more

It's iPhone 4 day for Verizon customers, and CNET TV was there to capture the somewhat underwhelming turnout. Apparently there's one thing that will keep die-hard Apple fanboys at bay, and that's subfreezing winter temperatures.

On today's episode of Loaded, we'll also give a rundown on HP's WebOS event from yesterday, which debuted the company's iPad competitor, the HP TouchPad. WebOS will also make its way to two new mobile devices, all of which we'll detail on today's show.

Motorola Cliq XT owners got the bad news today that their smartphones will be left to limp off into the sunset with Android 1.5 Cupcake.

According to the Motorola Support Forums, Moto recently scrapped the Android 2.1 Eclair plans after it determined that the Cliq XT would not deliver an "optimal customer experience."

Forums manager "Moto Matt" delivered the news in a post today, while acknowledging that the news will likely frustrate a number of users who anxiously awaited the update. "Our product team members worked for months to attempt to create a … Read more