essential

Western Digital Passports get bigger...in capacity

On Monday, Western Digital introduced its new 500GB capacity portable USB drive for its My Passport Elite and Essential lines.

Features for both of the USB-powered Elite and Essential lines include synchronization software that lets users sync their changes and protect their information with 128-bit encryption, as well as plug-and-play capability with gaming consoles to make it easy to play music and view photos and video files on a TV.

My Passport Elite portable drives are available in bronze, titanium, westminster blue and cherry red. Additional features include:

Capacity gauge that enables users to know at-a-glance how much space is … Read more

Indecent Exposure 17: In-concert experience

Lots of surprisingly interesting news, going deep on depth-of-field preview, appropriate accessorizing, and concert-shooting tips from the disconcertingly expert Matt.

Listen now: Download today's podcast

Episode 17

Microsoft updates Hyper-V, server products

There wasn't a ton of news out of day 2 of Microsoft's Worldwide Partner Conference, but the company did announce a few product milestones.

Its small and midsize business server products have both hit the near-final "release candidate" stage. Windows Essential Business Server 2008 (formerly code-named Centro) and Small Business Server 2008 (nee Cougar) are scheduled to launch and be fully available on November 12.

Microsoft also said its recently completed Hyper-V virtualization hypervisor is now available via Windows Update, as expected. The product had been available since late last month, but only as a manual … Read more

THX to sell Optimizer calibration disc on Blu-ray

I just spoke with a few of the people from THX involved in the development of the specification for the firm's new Display Certification, featured on the Panasonic TH-PZ800U and LG PG60 series plasma TVs, and when I asked them whether they'd be letting some of their test material and methods trickle down into disc form, they said "yes." According to THX's reps, the Blu-ray disc would be an expanded version of the THX Optimizer found on select DVDs, and would feature test material aimed at a less-technical audience than the only other full-fledged Blu-ray test disc available now, Joe Kane's Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics, which is used extensively in CNET's own HDTV testing. THX didn't say when its disc would be available or for how much.

Windows Server 2008 goes down-market

Microsoft is set to announce Tuesday that it is launching a "public preview" program for two server products based on its Windows Server 2008 operating system.

The products, one aimed at small business and the other at midsize firms, combine the server operating system with Exchange Server and other software into a bundle designed to cost less and be easier to install than acquiring the products separately.

Small Business Server 2008 is an update to an existing small business product, while Windows Essential Server Solutions 2008 (formerly code-named Centro) is a new product, targeted at midsize firms that … Read more

Killer Download: Get organized with free Personal Info Managers

Whether you're in college, work a 40-hour work week, or are a stay-at-home parent, keeping track of everything in your life is never easy. Whether it's meetings, appointments, keeping track of contacts, or even what time to pick up your daughter after soccer practice, without some help, it's difficult to keep track of it all.

Fortunately, there's a whole genre of software dedicated to reining in all your appointments, contacts, and important responsibilities. Personal Info Managers are designed to keep all your important information in one place. You can keep track of recurring meetings and appointments, special dates like birthdays and anniversaries, and contact information for friends, coworkers, and business clients. Though it takes some time to enter all this information, once your Personal Info Manager is up to speed, you'll never have to worry about forgetting a phone number or being late to a meeting again.… Read more

Am-pro Impressionism with Corel's Painter Essentials

Corel Painter Essentials 4, available for both Windows and Mac, combines the resources of a Photoshop with the carte blanche of a art studio program, but without the attitude of either. The end result is something that's more appropriate for people looking to either paint or artistically tweak their photos and to have fun doing it.

Power Downloader stays organized

Even with Power Downloader's amazing ability to track down Internet criminals, he's not always the best at staying organized. Between sifting through countless secret documents, maintaining the Power lair, and traversing the globe on the tail of digital desperadoes, Power could quickly lose track if he didn't have help. Fortunately, he also has the ability to find the perfect software for any problem.… Read more