desktop

Meet the new champ of desktop speakers: Adam Audio F5

My first encounter with one of Adam Audio's smallest speakers, the ARTist 3, took me by surprise last year. That little speaker is still in the line, but when I learned Adam just introduced a less expensive, but slightly larger desktop speaker, the F5, I was eager to get it in for review. The ARTist 3 has a better tweeter, bigger amps, a more robustly designed cabinet, and it's a lot nicer looking. The F5's black vinyl-covered cabinet is strictly business, and at $499 a pair it lists for $300 less than the ARTist 3.… Read more

Does it still make sense to build your own computer?

Last summer I asked readers if it still made sense to buy a desktop. After all, laptops now offer more than ample power for most users, plus that whole portability thing. And with tablets starting to take the place of laptops, a desktop seems even farther down the computing food chain.

Then, a couple weeks back, I featured a nicely loaded desktop on my Cheapskate blog -- the first one in a while -- figuring most readers would respond with a yawn.

Quite the opposite. Turns out a lot of computer users still love desktops, and definitely want more deals … Read more

Review: Integrate your Gmail and Mac with Mailplane for Mac

As a fully-functional Gmail client for Mac, this application adds a lot more convenience and features to the popular online e-mail service. MailPlane for Mac lets you easily access your Gmail account right from your desktop, with a lot more features packed into it.

MailPlane for Mac comes with a free 15-day trial. The full version is available for $24.95 and there's also a Family License available for $39.95. The installation is very straightforward. Once you launch the app, you'll be greeted by an extremely familiar and intuitive user interface. Unlike most mail clients available on … Read more

Get a six-core HP desktop for $469.99

In recent weeks I've learned that Cheapskate readers still love their desktops, and definitely want to see more of them. With that in mind, I bring you the single most powerful PC I've ever covered in these pages.

Today only, and while supplies last, Tech.Woot has the refurbished HP Envy H8-1534 hexa-core desktop PC for $469.99, plus $5 for shipping. How good a deal is that? The system sells new at Best Buy for $689.99.

In case you don't remember your geometry, hexa means six -- as in six cores. How much software out … Read more

Microsoft responds to 'extreme' Windows 8 criticism

Microsoft appreciates the feedback on Windows 8. Up to a point.

"There is a trend to the extreme," Frank X. Shaw, corporate vice president of corporate communications at Microsoft, wrote on The Official Microsoft Blog on Friday, addressing some of the harsher attacks.

Here's a fuller quote:

In this world where everyone is a publisher, there is a trend to the extreme -- where those who want to stand out opt for sensationalism and hyperbole over nuanced analysis. In this world where page views are currency, heat is often more valued than light. Stark black-and-white caricatures are … Read more

Review: Expand your desktop onto other mobile devices using iDisplay Desktop for Mac

Whether you want to increase your screen space, enable a secondary display, or just mirror your desktop to other mobile devices, this app can help you out. With the ability to support up to 36 devices connected to your computer, the iDisplay Desktop for Mac promises and delivers an extremely powerful desktop enhancement. However, the app is quite difficult to set up and requires a high level of computer literacy.

The installation of this application appeared to be easy. The app even comes with its own uninstaller so you can remove it effortlessly if you no longer need it. During … Read more

Google adds remote desktop Hangouts to Google+

Some people are simply more tech savvy than their friends and family and often end up offering advice on the ins and outs of computer use. But, this can be difficult when people don't live in the same city.

Google is attempting to help out folks in these situations with a new Google + Hangout feature. The Web giant announced Thursday that it is rolling out a Hangouts remote desktop, which is powered by the same technology as the Chrome Remote Desktop. The feature lets users video chat while troubleshooting.

"Hangouts Remote Desktop lets you help others by controlling … Read more

Who gets the keys to your Facebook account?

CNET Update gives you access:

In this edition of Update:

- Learn a new trick to getting access to your Facebook account when locked out.

- Know what it means when someone with Glass winks at you.

- Get tag-happy with your Instagram photos.

- Take control of someone else's computer with a Google+ Hangout.

- Save money on e-books by walking into a brick-and-mortar Barnes & Noble store.

- Compare your slingshot skills on the new Angry Birds Friends app.

CNET Update delivers the tech news you need in under three minutes. Watch Bridget Carey every afternoon for … Read more

Remote Desktop app lends a hand to Google+

Google has ported Chrome's Remote Desktop app to Google+ Hangouts to simplify the life of the tech support guru, a Google developer said in a Google+ post on Wednesday.

The Hangouts Remote Desktop app lets you offer tech help to friends and family by controlling their computers from afar. Google engineer Daniel Caiafa said that one of the benefits of Hangout Remote Desktop is that it allows you to see and talk with the person you're helping during the remote desktop session because it's being hosted in Hangouts.

The app requires the permission of your friend or … Read more

Does it make sense to buy a PC with a touch screen?

Smartphones with touch screens? Great! Tablets with touch screens? Duh. But PCs with touch screens? Meh.

Recently I purchased a Lenovo IdeaPad U310 ultrabook, my first-ever touch-screen-equipped computer. I didn't necessarily want the feature, but figured I might as well give Windows 8 the benefit of the doubt. It was, after all, designed to be touched -- which explains why using it with a mere mouse and keyboard is such a dreadful experience. Plus, it was priced only about 50 bucks higher than its non-touch-screen sibling.

Having worked with the system for a couple weeks now, I'm ready … Read more