Growth in faster Internet surprises

July 3, 2008

With a miserable economy - and a gut feeling that nearly everyone who really wants high-speed Internet access and can afford it probably has it by now - I would have predicted slow growth or none at all this year in that market.

Recent columns

• Computer shopping

  June 26, 2008

  Buying a computer for a new grad can be a simple job because there are so many good, inexpensive machines out there. But it can be frustrating, too - because there are so many good, inexpensive machines out there.

• Laptop likely to be best bet

  June 19, 2008

  If there's a recent grad in your house, or you're one of the many buyers who think they can get a better deal at midyear than during the holidays, chances are good that you're looking for a computer. And your chances of finding a good one for a reasonable price are good indeed. In fact, you'd have to work pretty hard to find a bad one.

• Cheap gas to go

  June 12, 2008

  GPS units have turned into information powerhouses. Besides displaying maps and directions, these popular gadgets have become Swiss Army knives for travelers, offering directions to pizza parlors, hospitals, hotels, tourist attractions, and - for an extra fee - critical information ranging from local traffic conditions to the location of speed cameras.

• Don't let bad weather ruin your PC

  June 5, 2008

  The most serious threat to your computer and other electronics today might not be a virus or spyware attack. It's a summer thunderstorm - or more precisely, the sudden blackouts and power surges that lightning can cause.

• You can convert PC to an HDTV

  May 22, 2008

  So you're sitting around, totally bored with the same old PC, bored with word processing, bored with spreadsheets, bored with Web browsing, bored with music, bored with news, bored with grainy YouTube videos.

• Lying to PC-savvy woman is dumb

  May 15, 2008

  For years, my colleague Dan Rodricks has entertained us with columns entitled "Guilty - but mostly stupid." They're tales of criminals who just don't get it, like the bank robber who scribbles a holdup note on the back of his business card.

• Digital converter quality uneven

  May 8, 2008

  For months I've been urging readers who get their TV service the old fashioned way - over the air, with an antenna - to apply for a pair of government coupons. Each provides $40 toward a converter that will keep an analog TV working when the nation's broadcasters switch to digital transmissions on Feb. 17, 2009.

• Back up files on your old machine

  May 1, 2008

  If you have an old laptop that starts making ominous, clicking noises, don't wait for it to get better. It won't. And don't put off making backup copies of your important files, even if your computer isn't complaining.

• New PC runs Mac system for less

  April 17, 2008

  Macolytes around the world were buzzing this week with news that an online hardware vendor called Psystar.com is selling a $555 PC called the "Open Computer" that runs the Macintosh OS X Leopard operating system.

• Snitch uses GPS for snooping

  April 10, 2008

  Most GPS devices tell you where you are and how to get where you're going. But there are other uses for global positioning technology - such as keeping track of other people and safeguarding your possessions.

• We can't see as votes get counted in a black box

  February 23, 2006

  Most computer-savvy people I know would never entrust something as important as picking the next president or governor to gadgets as unreliable as computers. Especially with no paper backup.

• Don't send computer off to college till it's equipped

  August 15, 2002

  If you have a student headed to college for the first time, you've probably bought a computer by now. It was a big expense, and undoubtedly the object of more than a little anguish. But before you load it into the car, it's a good idea to stock up on the extras that will keep your student's computer and other electronic gadgets running properly.

• Web helps Americans connect during their darkest hour

  September 17, 2001

  "IHAVE JUST learned of the safety of a friend. I can't even begin to imagine the pain that you all must feel. I have the luxury of hugging my wife and children today and will NEVER again take this simple act for granted. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you. If there is anything that we can do please let us know. God, please bless all of us at this, humanity's darkest hour."

• No honor in Amazon's site scheme

  February 12, 2001

  If you've ever bought a book or CD from Amazon.com, try this little experiment: point your Web browser to www.seti.org.