Crave

Like previous versions of Windows, Windows 7 supports legacy software written for previous Windows releases, including Windows 95.

(Credit: Screenshot by Dong Ngo/CNET)

I remember the first time I ran into Windows in 1995. It was in one of the few small computer shops in Hanoi, Vietnam, where you had to pay money to use the machines. Being a high school student with absolutely no money, I made friends with the owner and helped him clean up the place just so I could use the computers after-hours. And I spent many hours using them.

Compared with what I had known, namely MS DOS, Windows 95 was truly revolutionary. I loved the support for long file names and marveled at the Start menu, the Taskbar, and the Control Panel. Everything made so much sense then, as it still does to this day.

Now, after having used Windows 7 exclusively for about four months on my PCs and even on my Mac, I realized that the impression Windows 95 made on me was far stronger than that of Windows 7 (or any other Windows).

Don't get me wrong. This is not a Windows 7-bashing article. Windows 7 is undoubtedly the most advanced and probably the best Windows ever. However, after 14 years, I think it's time Windows offered something more original than just improving and thriving on the success of Windows 95.

This is why when I saw the "I am a PC and Windows 7 was my idea" ads, I just wanted to jump into panel to ask the presumptuous-looking guy, "What is your idea, dude, really? What's really new?" (And speaking of original, come on Microsoft! You can do better than imitating Apple's painfully old and goofy, "I am a Mac, I am a PC" ads!)

So, strictly from a user's point of view, here are my ideas for how Windows could be better.

Should you buy that extended warranty? Tom Merritt says no. Rafe Needleman says sometimes. We'll give you some guidance on how to decide if it's worth the money.

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Can't take the sweat? Get out of the gym.

(Credit: CBS Interactive/Corinne Schulze)

Update: W-Series Walkman owners experiencing an issue with their players can visit the Sony help site for more information. It appears the issue is only affecting devices within a certain serial number range, so not all products should have the problem.

Original post: The Sony W-Series Walkman is an MP3 player built into a set of earbuds, which feature modules resembling Bluetooth headsets connected by a flexible neckband that loops over the back of the ears and behind the head. The design is undeniably innovative, and the player's ultralight weight and lack of headphone wires does appear to make it ideal for active applications. And in fact, I found this Walkman to be quite handy at the gym during my testing for the review. However, several Sony customers have logged complaints that the device isn't actually sweat-resistant, a rather important feature for any fitness-friendly gadget.

The main complaint is that the Walkman has a tendency to short out after just one or two particularly sweaty workouts. Volume gets wonky, or the music just refuses to play back altogether. In some cases, the player's Zappin feature will turn on and off on its own. Although our review unit did not suffer from such problems, and not all users have experienced the issue, there has been enough negative feedback to warrant a response from Sony, which is just what I solicited after receiving a couple of e-mails on the topic. Below is the company's reply...rather canned, if you ask me, but at least it's something.

Sony makes every effort to ensure that its products not only meet its own strict quality standards, but also support a positive customer experience.

Recently, there have been comments made about the W series Walkman (NWZ-W202), which has been available for purchase in the US and Europe since April 2009. These comments involved a small number of W series Walkmans reportedly malfunctioning following exposure to sweat or other liquids.

We take all customer feedback seriously, so we have implemented additional safeguards to promote sweat/moisture resistance. We are confident that these measures will ensure all W series Walkman models support increased customer satisfaction and meet our high quality standards.

Sony will provide information for contacting Sony Customer Support and replacement unit availability by Tuesday, June 30. We sincerely apologize to our customers for any inconvenience.

Sony promised to supply me with a customer support link as soon as it is up and running. I will post that here when I receive it.

If you get a new PC for a holiday gift this year, it's almost guaranteed it'll come filled to the brim with trialware. Knowing this, Support.com says it's got another present for you: free removal of the unwanted pre-loaded software.

The desktop of a brand-new PC and the crapware included.

(Credit: Ern)

The online tech support service has just begun offering the service for free. It works like this: Go to Support.com, or call them at 1-800-PC-Support. A customer service representative (from North America, they promise!) will remotely access your PC and blast away at the bloatware.

You can watch as they do it, Support.com says.

While crapware is still prevalent, many PC makers have begun allowing consumers to pay more to exclude it on a newly shipped PC.

I've reviewed multiple wireless routers from D-Link. Part of the reviewing process involves "trying out" the support service of the vendor, and so far, I've been happy with D-Link's customer support, which just got a boost.

The company on Monday announced a partnership with Unisys Corporation to power its D-Link Care Support Packages--a flexible set of hardware maintenance services.

Unisys--a global information technology services and solutions company--will provide service logistics and maintenance services for D-Link network device customers in North America. The support packages start at $49.99 and offers end-to-end networking and equipment coverage for managed switching, network storage, IP surveillance, and WLAN devices.

D-Link says the partnership will allow it to dispatch certified networking experts within four hours of a call or the next business day, depending on the service package.

QGet Ultility's Mac interface.

(Credit: Qnap)

QNAP Systems announced on Thursday its QGet Utility application for Mac. The software, which used to be available only to PC users, allows for managing the Download Station features of its Turbo NAS series from a computer.

The Download Station is a function of QNAP's Linux-embedded Turbo NAS which supports BitTorrent, FTP, and HTTP downloads. This lets users download directly onto the NAS drive without having to leave a computer running, thereby saving energy. Generally, you can access a NAS's Web interface to manage the downloads; however, it's more convenient to do this via a desktop application.

While PC-less download feature is also available in other NAS devices, such as the Synology DS-107+, Qnap, so far, is the only vendor that makes the NAS download management utility for both Mac and PC.

The QGet utility can manage multiple download tasks of one or multiple QNAP NAS servers running within your LAN or even over the Internet. You can add, view the download progress, pause, resume, delete the download tasks, set schedule download, or configure others download settings.

The QGet remote download management utility can be downloaded here for both Mac and PC.

If you're going to be serious about electronics retail in the U.S., it looks like you have to be serious about employing professional geeks.

Beginning Saturday, 20 Sam's Club stores in Virginia and Maryland will offer tech support from PC repair services company Geeks on Call as part of a pilot program set to last three months. Sam's Club has 394 stores in the U.S. with several similar pilots running right now, according to a company spokesperson, who declined to elaborate.

Just last week, parent company Wal-Mart announced it would offer Dell-branded PC repair kiosks in 15 Dallas-area stores, also as part of a trial run. It's similar to the Geek Squad services offered by Best Buy, and the FireDog service offered by Circuit City.

Unlike those three repair outfits, Geeks on Call won't have its own kiosk because they don't do in-store support. Instead, a sticker on every computer sold at those Sam's Club stores will direct the purchaser to call Geeks on Call, who will send a technician to the person's home or business.

(Credit: Sam's Club)

Geeks on Call gives a discount to Sam's Club members; PC set-up service will run $98, instead of the normal $160, for example.

Geeks on Call CEO Richard Cole put it this way, "Today's technology causes a lot of angst. If you're going to be in the business of selling technologies...you have to have a solutions provider."

You don't have to, but it's certainly convenient. Quality of service is a different story. Last year a Canadian news outlet did an undercover investigation of PC repair services at major electronics chains and found a high incidence of incompetence, and frequent overcharging of customers.

But both customers and electronics retailers need these kinds of services. The average PC buyer doesn't have the knowledge to repair their own computer, or even set up a wireless home network, and many understandably don't want the hassle of learning. And services like repair and in-home set-up are one of the best ways to actually make money in the electronics retail business, where profit margins are notoriously thin.

Already the biggest seller by volume of electronics in the U.S., some Wal-Mart stores are now trying their hand at tech support.

Starting this month in 15 stores around Dallas only, employees manning a new kiosk concept called Solutions Station by Dell will be available to do TV and home theater installations, PC repair, wireless network setup, and probably some other tech-related stuff too.

Dell and Wal-Mart have a pretty cozy relationship--Dell picked Wal-Mart as the first place to sell its PCs when the company started selling retail again last year--so the pairing isn't so surprising.

And this could potentially work out well for both. Dell has had problems with its customer service; in-person tech support, if Solution Stations customers feel satisfied, could be helpful in fixing its image. And Wal-Mart says this pilot program will help it find out more about what its customers want when it comes to installation and tech-related services--or if they want them.

For now, Wal-Mart says there are no plans to expand the service.

(Via Check Out)

I'm not a big fan of surveys, so I don't quote them often. But a recent Consumer Reports survey about PC manufacturers listed Apple as No. 1 in tech support, with Lenovo second, Dell third, and HP dead last. I should also say that Dell came in second in desktops.

I thought the headline should be "Survey says leading PC maker HP dead last in tech support." But that's not what happened. The media hailed Apple, trashed Dell, and gave HP a pass.

Horror stories about Dell's support are all over the blogosphere. Why is that? I mean, why does the media give Dell such a hard time?

Because perception is reality. But aside from being a pithy statement, what does that really mean? ... Read more