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- Data Center Optimization: Federal agencies must increase server utilization and energy efficiency as they squeeze more computer processing into fewer data centers. We explore how the Army, Homeland Security, Veterans Affairs and others are doing that.
- Future Cities: The world's urban centers are growing, creating a civic management challenge of unprecedented scope and complexity. Our exclusive survey reveals the opportunities and challenges for city planners and municipal IT pros.
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Google Maps On iPhone To The Rescue
December 14, 2012
Google's Maps app is a welcome relief to Apple's blundering attempt at a Maps app. It goes toe-to-toe with Apple Maps in many respects, but doesn't include some of the really neat features that are in the Android and Web apps. If you loved the old Google Maps on your iPhone, download this new app immediately. But if, like me, you use an iPad much more often, this is a disappointing release.
Flawed Report Claims 24 of 25 Top App Companies Sell Games
December 11, 2012
A report by research firm Canalys says that revenues in the app business are dominated by game developers. We think the analysis is flawed, but it's also true that revenue opportunities are potentially more plentiful for games than other apps.
GMail 2.0 Catches Up With Competition
December 07, 2012
The latest version of Gmail for the iPhone and iPad has an elegant new design -- closer to that of Google Plus -- and several new features. Some of the improvements merely bring it up-to-date with competitors. Others, such as search, should make you think about switching from Apple's Mail.
Drop Your Cell Plan And Still Use Your Phone
November 29, 2012
Here's how to hack a free mobile phone plan. The downsides include having to change your number and not being able to make 911 calls.
Visual Tour: Kaspersky Mobile Security For Android Phones
November 14, 2012
Kaspersky Mobile Security is a comprehensive package that would seem to address many -- if not all -- of consumers' smart phone security concerns. It protects Android phones with anti-virus scans, blocks of unwanted calls and text messages, and theft recovery, all for just $9.95 a year. Too bad neither we nor Kaspersky could get the anti-theft tools to work.
Image Gallery: iPad Mini Hands-On
November 06, 2012
For small-tablet buyers the Mini is a great option. It's pricier than the Kindle Fire or Google Nexus 7, but its size, elegant hardware and app ecosystem make the extra bucks worth it. If you already own a tablet, though, there isn't much reason to rush out and buy a Mini.
Microsoft Reveals Surface Tablet Pricing, Releases Ads
October 16, 2012
Surface RT with 32 GB of storage will start at $499, without the keyboard/cover. This puts it directly up against the iPad in pricing, even though Windows RT does not run pre-Windows 8 software.
TheAppBuilder Churns Out Apps For All Platforms
October 11, 2012
TheAppBuilder is a useful application creation tool for nonprogrammers. It's one of the few in its category that supports Android, iOS, Windows 8, Windows Mobile, and HTML5.
SceneTap Guides You To Where Night Action Is
September 06, 2012
SceneTap is a free app for iOS, Android, and the Web that uses anonymous video analytics (AVA) to display real-time information about night life in eight U.S. cities. It gives an accurate idea of how many people are at a bar or other hotspot, the male-to-female ratio, and even the average age of everyone inside.
Predictive Typing App Fleksy Makes iPhone More Accessible
September 05, 2012
Hate entering text on your iPhone? Amazing Fleksy, originally created for sight-impaired users, correctly guesses words typed anywhere on the screen.
Adobe Flash Still Popular, With Or Without Apple
August 21, 2012
Flash might be dead or dying on mobile, where it has no support on the iPad or iPhone and support has ended on Android, in favor of HTML5 video. But almost all large sites still use it, and in fact prefer it, and for good reason: It has advantages for digital rights management and advertising.
How To Prevent Malware on Lion & Snow Leopard Macs
July 13, 2012
The myth that Macs are immune to viruses was put to rest once and for all by Flashback, a malware program that infected hundreds of thousands of Macs. As a result of that attack, Apple was forced to respond with a removal tool. Don't wait for the next big Mac breach--there are five simple things you can do now to keep your Mac safe from infection. Here they are.
OmniFocus: Getting Things Done On iPad, Mac
June 22, 2012
OmniFocus is for people looking for a better way to manage their personal to-dos at home and on the go. It uses the Getting Things Done productivity system that was big a few years ago. The app is only for Apple devices, though, and mobile users will probably need to shell out for the desktop version, too, to be happy with the app.
Oh, The Irreparable, Unrecyclable MacBook Pro
June 18, 2012
To make the new MacBook Pro as thin and light as possible, Apple made it almost impossible to repair and very hard to recycle.
Duo Security Advances Two-Factor Authentication
June 05, 2012
Using mobile devices as a second factor in authentication is not a new idea, but Duo Security makes it easier than some of its competitors.
Is Print Dead? No, But Mobile Is The Future
May 16, 2012
Online content sites face many hurdles if they are going to succeed in a world of aggregators and controversial advertising models. And there is still demand for "dead trees and ink."
Your Phone Is Covered With Germs!
May 09, 2012
Yes, there might be fecal matter on your phone. Soon you'll run your fingers all over the screen and then use them to eat a burger. See where we're going? Good thing there's PhoneSoap to sanitize your smart phone.
This Device Lets You Charge Your iPhone While You Go Off-Grid
May 02, 2012
Of course, the modern campfire is not only eco-friendly — but can also charge your phone. Enter BioLite's biomass stove that burns wood to cook your food and charge your gadgets when you're out camping.
iPad Diagramming Tool Is A Good Desktop Companion
April 17, 2012
OmniGraffle is a useful diagramming tool with most industry standard features for a fraction of the price. Portability and intuitive use make it an attractive way to start working on any project. But, in order to create complex diagrams the desktop version is a must.
Write To NTFS Drives With OS X Lion
March 27, 2012
After upgrading my Mac from OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard to OS X 10.7.3 Lion, I discovered I could no longer write files to external NTFS-formatted drives. The problem is MacFUSE which, I found out, does not support the new 64-bit kernel. If this is happening to you, you must remove the old MacFUSE and install the newer version, which does support the 64-bit kernel. Here's how.
Nivio Brings Microsoft Office To iPad
March 13, 2012
Nivio's cloud apps let you use Microsoft Office and more in any HTML5-compliant Web browser, including the one on your iPad.
How To Get Clean Cuts With Multiple Video Codecs
March 01, 2012
Video from multiple codecs can clash when edited together. Here's how to avoid that problem.
Upload Video To Multiple Hosts With OneLoad
February 28, 2012
Handy new service saves you the trouble of posting video on multiple online providers.
How To Get Color Right In Your Video
February 09, 2012
Getting colors in video to look right is tricky. You will do better if you white balance the shot before you begin.
Point Of Sale Gets An iPad Makeover
February 09, 2012
Tablets aren't just for conventional computing. This point of sale system for salons shows how varied the markets can be.