desktop

A desktop stopwatch is something many PC users will need at some point or another--some regularly--so UT Bay's Desktop Stopwatch caught our attention. It's a super-compact, totally portable stopwatch app that can time intervals down to centiseconds (tenths of a second), a level of precision that many similar tools can't match. Unfortunately, Desktop Stopwatch lacks many of the options its competitors offer, such as countdown mode and interface options like numeral size and color. However, its total portability, very small size (68K), and centiseconds option will suit many users' needs, if not all their wants.

Desktop Stopwatch … Read more

Most of us think of computer solitaire as that simplistic card game available via Microsoft Windows' default games collection. But did you know that the game was packaged with the first release of Windows 3.0 back in 1990? The Windows game was based on a solitaire variation called "Klondike" and was included in the OS by Microsoft as a way to acquaint text-based DOS users with the newfangled graphical user interface (GUI), introducing now-ingrained behaviors like drag-and-drop and double-clicking.

Scads of Windows users still play the default Microsoft Solitaire game, but if you are looking to take … Read more

I've always had a (some would say strange) fondness for all-in-one PCs. Though they're sometimes underpowered and frequently difficult to repair or upgrade, they afford the luxuries of a desktop (big screen, roomy keyboard, and so on) without the space-hogging, wire-splaying hassles of a separate case.

Today only, and while supplies last, Geeks.com has the refurbished Gateway One ZX4250G-UW308 all-in-one desktop for $249.99 shipped. That's one of the lowest prices I've ever seen for an all-in-one; Fry's sells it new for literally twice the price.

Update: Rats. It's already sold out.

This … Read more

When Microsoft rolls out Windows 8.1, the update to its struggling, 7-month-old operating system franchise, the company will not be bringing back the Start button as many users have been requesting.

But the company has acquiesced some. The company announced this morning that it will introduce something that a person close to Windows engineering is calling a "Start tip" that users can click on to go back to the Start screen in Windows 8.1. The "tip" is a Windows logo that that sits on the left hand side of the toolbar when Windows 8 … Read more

Well designed with an easy-to-use menu and a number of useful features, Software.com Desktop for Mac allows users to scan all applications for updates, as well as optimize performance. Performing its functions quickly and thoroughly, the free application would be a good addition to most Mac users' systems.

The program's main menu features a good interface with appropriate and up-to-date graphics. The Home button displays an overview page with the status of all the program's main features. The first time Software.com Desktop for Mac starts, the program starts scans of applications to find out if all … Read more

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

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

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

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