Welcome

Sony starts free games, movie rentals for PSN users

All 77 million of you that had your personal information exposed in the massive breach of PlayStation Network, you can get your free games now.

Sony said this morning that its "Welcome Back" package of free games, movie rentals, and in-game content is available starting today.

Sony initially announced the compensation package in early May as a way to apologize to customers whose names, addresses, birth dates, e-mail addresses, and passwords were compromised when a still-unnamed group of people were able to access 10 Sony servers running its PlayStation Network and Qriocity entertainment service. In addition to the … Read more

Welcome to the social, Apple

I followed Apple's music event keynote live on my MacBook and as CEO Steve Jobs demonstrated the upcoming Ping social-networking service for iTunes 10, I had a strange sense of deja vu. Ping lets iTunes users connect to friends, share their now-playing lists publicly, and make recommendations. It's built into the iTunes desktop client software and accessible from mobile devices as well.

Where have I heard this before? Let's see, iLike was kind of a social network. The Rdio subscription service has a social-networking element. But I'm thinking earlier than that. MySpace? No, that was more … Read more

Inside CNET Labs 77: Welcome to fighting the power (podcast)

Dong feels compelled to fight the powers that be in the Bay Area. The Bay Bridge's toll is being raised and he ain't happy about. Business as usual for the common man, I guess. Although, Dong ain't all that common.

Then, we get through a 10-minute segment about the iPad without making even one feminine hygiene joke. Crazy, I know.

More backup horror stories. This time, the warning is not to back up your files, but to back up your files the right way. If it's not one thing, it's another right?

To subscribe to … Read more

Put useful info on Windows' welcome screen

Creating a custom Windows log-on screen has never been faster or simpler. Two free utilities let you do more than replace the boring Windows default start background with a picture of your pet hamsters, though you can do that, too.

Add system info to Windows' start-up sequence In a post earlier this month, I described the beta version of the free TweakNow PowerPack 2009 utility that makes it easy to view system information, maintain Windows, and customize the OS' interface. As that post stated, I encountered a couple of rough edges in the beta version I looked at, but that'… Read more

Can we please say goodbye to the welcome screen?

I just know it's happened to you.

You click on a link in an article about, oh, I don't know, particle matter. The link will lead you to a piece of gossip about the personal life of some strange physics professor.

And just as your prurience is at its most piqued, you are assaulted by an ad that reaches right across your screen and asks you to be fascinated by an Intel chip. Or a diaper.

At the top right-hand corner, you read these mellifluous words, ones that might finally lead you to the gossip about the physics … Read more

The 404: Show found!

You've stumbled upon the most important page in the history of CNET... probably ever... The 404. What is our show about? Well, we're going to talk about the latest movies, music, games, TV and anything else pop culture that strikes our fancy while you call in and make fun of us the entire time. You can join up with us by subscribing to the podcast, emailing us, the404@cnet.com, hitting up our Facebook group, or following us on Twitter.

Hitting the GPS trail with Miss Direction

Hi, everyone, and welcome to my new personal blog, Miss Direction. I'm actually not here to misdirect you, rather quite the opposite. I started covering Global Positioning Systems (GPS) for CNET in 2005, and back then, I was lucky if I got one or two portable navigation devices to review a month. Now? Now, my desk is overrun by these navigation aids and I'm clocking in some serious time behind the wheel of my trusty ol' 2000 Honda Accord. It's pretty amazing how fast this category has grown, and there are new companies throwing their hat into … Read more

Welcome to the Digital Home

Let me guess: right now you are sitting in a chair reading this on your vivid LCD monitor while a computer is roaring underneath your feet. Within twenty feet an HDTV is standing by just waiting to be turned on. In your pocket is a digital music player, and your home theater system is ready to go whenever you flip that HDTV on. Right next to your monitor is your brand-new digital camera, and downstairs is that great new touchscreen remote you've been researching for the past couple of weeks. When you want to watch some movies, you flip … Read more