packing

Fast media player

All in One Media Codec Pack lets you play a variety of media types with one simple program. We were impressed that this program successfully took on the roles of a video viewer, a music player, and a picture viewer, and we were wowed by its quality.

The sparse, unattractive interface was definitely not the program's highlight. However, it was still simple to operate, and we never felt as if we needed the Help file's instructions. We were able to navigate a simple file-browsing tool to find the correct media file we wanted. We didn't find a … Read more

Tweaks, now!

TweakNow PowerPack 2009 is a free set of tools that give you the power to tweak, modify, and personalize just about every aspect of Windows and your PC. It features a fully integrated suite of modular utilities. There's a Registry Cleaner module, a nice touch in freeware since so many of them cost more than they're worth, but there's also a Registry Defragmenter that reorganizes things for speedier performance. The Windows Secrets module gives you access to more than 100 hidden Windows settings. The Virtual Desktop module lets you run as many as four different virtual desktops … Read more

Windows Home Server update delayed

Microsoft said problems discovered during testing are prompting it to delay a planned Power Pack 3 update to the Windows Home Server product.

The software maker had hoped to release the update ahead of Windows 7, but said in a blog posting this week that it has had to delay the release until later this year.

"As with past software releases, our team will not ship the official final release of Power Pack 3 until the community has validated our work," Microsoft said. "We expect to deliver before the end of the year."

Although Power Pack … Read more

Timbuk2's 3-in-1 bag guards your Netbook

Netbooks are generally small enough to fit in most any bag you've got, but if you want something small to carry around your Netbook (and your Netbook only), Timbuk2's new T-Pack does the trick. This bag can be used in one of three ways: as a standalone, padded case to be thrown in another bag, as a shoulder bag, or as a backpack-style bag, which in the above photo looks kind of ridiculous.

Along with holding your computer, the bag also has a zip pocket on the bottom that can be used to stash your power adapter, along … Read more

Microsoft to offer cheap Windows 7 for students

Microsoft plans to offer a substantial discount for college students who want to pick up a copy of Windows 7.

Starting October 1--and for a limited time--those in the U.K. will be able to preorder Windows 7 for 30 British pounds, according to a Microsoft Web site. In a Twitter posting, Microsoft said that U.S. college students will be able to get the software for $30, but the Web site it linked to does not yet have details on the offer.

"This offer is specifically designed for those students who are not planning to purchase a new … Read more

iRobot gets single biggest order from Army

Best known for its Roomba vacuums, iRobot also counts the U.S. Army as a top customer. And the latest Army deal is the company's single biggest.

iRobot said Tuesday it has received an order from the U.S. Army for $35.3 million for robots equipped to help soldiers safely evaluate dangerous conditions.

The order, made by the U.S. Army TACOM Contracting Center in Warren, Mich., calls for 486 iRobot PackBot 510 with FasTac Kit robots by March 31, 2010. This single order is part of an overall larger contract worth $286 million, of which $125 million … Read more

Windows 7 bug likely not a 'showstopper'

Microsoft said on Wednesday that it is looking into reports of a potential bug in the final version of Windows 7. However, Microsoft's top Windows executive said in a blog posting that the issue appears to be neither widespread, nor the "showstopper" that some are claiming it to be.

The issue, noted on several enthusiast sites this week, involves a fairly arcane process used to check for problems in a particular disk. Under certain scenarios, the site suggested Windows 7 would siphon off all the available memory to perform the scan, potentially crashing the system.

One report … Read more

Portable power for your iPhone: $9.99 shipped

Update: Looks like this is sold out already. You can find what looks to be an identical battery (in black) for $17.99 from HandHelditems--where you'll also find some very positive user reviews.

Until Apple sees fit to outfit iPhones and iPods with user-replaceable batteries (meaning never), travelers have no choice but to pack battery packs.

After all, the last thing you want in the middle of your playlist, movie, game, e-book, or audiobook is a dead battery. (It's not real convenient when you need to make a call, either.)

Meritline has a Mobile Power Station Battery for iPhone and iPod for $9.99. … Read more

Microsoft prices Windows 7 family pack

REDMOND, Wash.--Microsoft said on Friday that it will charge $149 for the family pack version of Windows 7, which allows users to upgrade up to three PCs to the Home Premium edition of the operating system.

The software maker had previously said it would offer the family pack, but had not said how much it would charge. (It actually inadvertently confirmed the family pack by referencing it in the licensing terms of a test version of Windows 7 that leaked onto the Internet.) The family pack covers those moving from XP or Vista to Windows 7.

Microsoft also announced … Read more

Microsoft confirms Windows 7 family pack

Microsoft on Tuesday confirmed that it does plan to offer a "family pack" for Windows 7 that can be used on up to three PCs.

The software maker acknowledged the move as part of a blog entry Tuesday afternoon. However, it still isn't saying how much it will charge for the family pack, which allows three installations of the home premium version of Windows 7.

The move was hardly a surprise, after Microsoft included references to the family pack as part of licensing terms in a test version of Windows 7 that leaked onto the Internet.

Windows … Read more