flashing

This is not one of those typical thumbdrives being given out at social events. For one thing, the Lexar JumpDrive Triton may be the first device I've run into in a long, long time that doesn't bear the "Made in China" label. Instead, there's a message on its back that clearly reads "Product of USA." While it's unclear if the drive is actually made entirely in the States, one thing is for sure: it holds a lot more appeal than just patriotic sentiment.… Read more

WanderPlayer is the name given to a set of apps that you install on your computer and also your mobile device. These pieces of software work together to allow communication and create a gaming controller. The app is free and works for Windows, Mac, Android, and iOS.

Step 1: Head over to www.wanderplayer.com in your browser of choice. Click on the Download button on the right side of the window (Mac users can click "Not using Windows" to see a Mac download option).

Step 2: Once the first download is started, options to download the mobile … Read more

Last year, Adobe Systems narrowed Flash Player's scope. It canceled the browser plug-in for mobile devices. It shifted development resources toward competing Web standards.

But it's not giving up on Flash.

In an attempt to patch up communications with Flash programmers, Adobe yesterday published a Flash Player road map that promises many improvements this year, with versions code-named Cyril and Dolores. Then the document adds, "We are also modernizing the Flash Player code base in order to ensure that the Flash runtimes meet the needs of developers over the next 5 to 10 years."

"Runtime&… Read more

During CES 2012, the surprise appearance of OnLive Desktop was an intriguing idea for Windows lovers: rent a Windows 7 computer remotely and stream the whole experience to your iPad.

Helping the cause for the first iteration of OnLive Desktop was its price: free. That version had only 2GB of cloud storage, and the Windows 7 environment ran only a suite of Microsoft Office applications (sans Outlook), but for the cloud-curious and those who lack a word processor for their iPad, OnLive's streaming solution is a clever way to explore a mobile office.

OnLive was slated to release a Pro version with more dedicated servers, 50GB of storage, and access to an assortment of other applications, including a Flash-enabled browser, for $9.99 a month; that's hardly inexpensive, and likely to appeal largely to business executives with expense accounts. Today's launch of OnLive Desktop Plus is a surprise half-step: for $4.99 a month, users get the same 2GB of storage, but added access to that long-promised Flash browser; Microsoft Internet Explorer is included; and users also get Adobe PDF compatibility, and Dropbox support. … Read more

In recent months I've written about loads of 8GB flash drives. First they were $8.99, then $7.99, and even, on rare occasion, $6.99.

But today, we have an all-time low. While supplies last (and I'm amazed they've lasted this long), Newegg has the Wintec FileMate 8GB USB flash drive for $5.99 shipped.

Yes, shipped. Given that it must cost Newegg at least a buck or two to send the drive (what with packaging and postage and all), this price is just plain off the hook. Daddy likes.

The Wintec drive employs a swivel-cap … Read more

Forget the flowers this Valentine's Day. Go for a lightsaber-lit dinner, the open-source iNecklace, and the flirtatious Fingle app. Bridget Carey shows off tech to woo the nerd of your dreams.… Read more

Back in the day, CDs burned with custom playlists were the ultimate last-minute gifts: thoughtful, unique, and took just enough effort to warrant a "Wow, I can't believe you made this for me!"

For the most part, those days are over, but if you have a USB drive laying around, you can give a gift that might be even better than a burned CD: a customized USB hard drive. Not only can you pack it with a variety of goodies (like hand-picked music and photos), the gift recipient will use the USB drive over and over again … Read more

I learned a lesson last week: BlackBerry PlayBook owners are a passionate bunch! My mere suggestion that the tablet was not long for the world (along with a couple forehead-smacking factual errors) elicited a response that I can only describe as fanboy-esque.

Even a RIM rep reached out to insist, "RIM remains committed to the BlackBerry PlayBook." Time will tell, of course, but I'm glad to see the product has such a vocal fan-base. I'm going to see if I can get some hands-on time with a PlayBook so I'm better informed about it next … Read more

Steve Appleton mirrored the survivalist streak in the company he led.

Micron Technology CEO Appleton died Friday at 51 years old when a high-performance Lancair plane he was piloting crashed at Boise Airport in Idaho.

Lancairs aren't easy to fly. In fact, they're difficult enough that the Federal Aviation Administration gave notice to Lancair operators in 2009 that the planes had a "disproportionate" number of fatal accidents.

Though Lancairs accounted for only 3 percent of the nation's amateur-built airplanes, they accounted for 16 percent of the fatal accidents in the 11 months prior to the … Read more