point

Microsoft's PowerPoint presentation software is to some degree an industry standard, and its presence on both Windows and OS X allows for a decent level of cross-platform compatibility that new Mac users might gravitate toward; however, there are other options besides Office that might perform as well as if not better than PowerPoint, which you might wish to consider.

As I mentioned in a previous post on Apple's alternative to Excel called Numbers, there are a few Office programs out there that have good offerings and which can import and export PowerPoint file formats. These include the free … Read more

As if Buffalo Wild Wings wasn't already great enough, the popular sports bar is now testing iPads as on-table ordering systems for its restaurants, giving customers the ability to choose their meals and pay for them without having to wait.

The iPads are being tested in Toronto and soon Minneapolis. Apple's tablet is encased in a rugged Hubworks case and can be used for more than just ordering your food. Facebook, Twitter, and interactive games are all part of the experience.

Tim Murphy, director of international business for Buffalo Wild Wings, told Computer World, "Ultimately, we are … Read more

This week, we go over some Super Bowl TV tips, including what to do if you're not going to be near a TV at all. Julie talks about developing new battery life tests, and Josh laments the decline of the compact point-and-shoot camera.

… Read more

Many smartphones or other devices do not support the same network configuration that is easily shared from laptop to laptop.

This guide can show you a free way to share your network connection with these devices without also needing to install any third-party software on Windows Vista or 7 (though it's possible on XP too). Keep in mind that this works best when your laptop is connected via a cable. Ultimately, this method is ideal for sharing the Internet connection in a hotel room (many rooms have only one ethernet cable) from your laptop to other devices.

All you'… Read more

Since Jeff can't attend the 26th annual Game Developers Conference on March 5 in San Francisco, we're doing the next best thing and bringing part of the show to him!

General Manager Meggan Scavio is our guest today and we're getting all the details on the upcoming show, like the split among console, PC, and mobile gaming, the rise of independent game developers, and sequelmania! We'll also rant about 3D games and the convergence of the film and gaming industries.

She'll also join us in the second half of the podcast where we'll run … Read more

About a week ago I featured Kingsoft Office Suite Professional 2012 in a bonus deal. Since then I've been test-driving the software on an old laptop. And you know what? I like it!

I mention this because although the Kingsoft Professional giveaway is over, you can still get Kingsoft Office Suite Free 2012 for, well, free. Update: This program is for Windows.

Until last week, I'd never heard of Kingsoft or this product. I had, however, tried all the usual freebie Microsoft Office alternatives: OpenOffice, LibreOffice, Lotus Symphony, Google Docs, and so on.

They're all OK--good enough, … Read more

Apple's iOS is the most popular mobile platform among corporate workers, at least according to a survey from mobile security provider Check Point Software.

Among the more than 700 IT professionals polled for a Check Point study (PDF) released today, iOS accounted for 30 percent of the collective traffic on their networks. But RIM's BlackBerry was right behind with 29 percent.

As BlackBerry has long been a corporate standard, the rise of iOS is a clear sign of the consumerization of IT in which employees want to use the same devices at work that they use at home. … Read more

LAS VEGAS--Beanbags are typically associated with lounging, but they've always been more for people than gadgets.

Santa Fe Springs, Calif.-based Vantage Point has trying to shake that up with its Beanpad Portfolio stand for the iPad.

Like the Beanpad stand the company launched last October, the Portfolio has a beanbag that can be used to set the iPad on uneven surfaces. But the Portfolio does away with a mount entirely, and instead consists solely of a full leather case with Velcro backing. When you're not using the Beanpad stand, you can cart around your iPad in just … Read more

iPad owners searching for software to create Microsoft Office documents now have a new and free app.

The iPad app CloudOn lets you create, edit, and view Microsoft documents using online versions of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Your documents are stored in the cloud via your DropBox account, letting you access them whenever you're online.

Although it officially hit the App Store on January 3, CloudOn was subsequently taken down when the company bumped into technical difficulties as a result of huge demand. But CloudOn has since caught up with its service issues and is once again ripe for download … Read more