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TiVo has a few tricks up its sleeve that might surprise longtime users and new owners alike. This column includes just a handful of those tricks and highlights some features that may make TiVo more useful.
Education-related Web sites that provide free school comparisons can help parents choose one for their children, but some sites are more helpful than others.
Apple’s updates for the iPhone and iPod Touch enable more customization and outfit each device with a handful of new features, making both gadgets much more useful and fun.
Movie download service Vudu likes to think of itself as the instant-gratification alternative to running to the video store. But the device, which plugs into your TV and Internet connection, has a poor movie selection and slow downloads.
The H-P Smart Web Printing program is a useful free solution that organizes online research right in your browser, but only works for PC users of Internet Explorer — for now.
A new, free service launching in nine metropolitan areas sends travel directions to your cellphone via text message after using voice-recognition technology to determine your current location and where you’d like to go.
The newest version of RealPlayer offers a distinctly useful feature: the ability to copy any video from the Internet onto your PC, as long as it isn’t protected by a copyright. The download function is smart, simple and fun to use.
Apple TV, a slender, wireless set-top box that connects TVs to computers, provides a simple way for people to show all the stuff trapped on their computers — video, music, photos — on their big TVs.
Like.com’s new visual search engine lets you find products similar to those worn by celebrities. It has a clean setup and makes great use of technology, but there are a few problems with it.
MojoPac gives you a way to pack up your computer’s settings, applications and data and take them with you on any USB storage device. It sounds too good to be true, but for the most part we found it works as promised.
A new, free, application called Pando lets you email huge attachments without breaching email size limits, or clogging anyone’s inbox. In our tests, it was simple, fast and effective.
The Roku SoundBridge Radio wirelessly connects to your broadband service and streams Internet radio without a computer. The device needs a little tweaking, but its easy set up might encourage more people to step away from their computers.
Edited by Walt and written by Katie Boehret, this is a guide to gadgets, web services and other consumer technologies.
Ethics Statement
Here is a statement of my ethics and coverage policies. It is more than most of you want to know, but, in the age of suspicion of the media, I am laying it all out.
