PC World's Techlog

Online Predator Bills Signed Into Law Today

Anne B. McDonald — 2008-09-13T16:01:35-08:00

President Bush signed into law two bills that will make it much harder for child molesters to lurk with anonymity on the Web, especially at social networking sites. The new law, called the "Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators...

Goodbye, Kind PC World

Harry McCracken — 2008-06-01T23:21:25-08:00

This is my 952nd Techlog post. It's also my last one--because today is my last day as editor in chief of PC World. As I blogged here three weeks ago, I'm stepping down from this wonderful job to try my...

Live From Google's "Factory Tour" of Search

Harry McCracken — 2008-05-19T09:25:33-08:00

I'm at the Googleplex in Mountain View for a Google Factory Tour--which involves neither a factory nor a tour. But it is an update on Google search, and should therefore be worthwhile. I'll update this post as the event proceeds......

Aliph's New Jawbone Headset: Smaller and More Stylish

Harry McCracken — 2008-05-14T23:22:44-08:00

Confession time: This is a quick headset review by a guy who's never liked headsets much. McCracken's First Law of Eyeglass Wearing correctly posits that it's impossible to comfortably hook more than one device behind your ear at one time....

My New Adventure

Harry McCracken — 2008-05-12T12:23:00-08:00

As I've often said, I'm one lucky guy. In my position as editor in chief of PC World, I have one of the best jobs in technology journalism. I get to do work I thoroughly enjoy, and to be part...

A Win for PCW!

Harry McCracken — 2008-05-04T20:56:22-08:00

I'm pleased to say that several of us PC Worlders spent Friday night at the Western Publications Association's annual Maggie Awards banquet, which recognizes magazines and Web sites published west of the Mississippi--and we didn't go away empty-handed. Chris...

No MicroHoo? Hallelujah!

Harry McCracken — 2008-05-03T20:48:14-08:00

When I saw the headline, I smiled: "Microsoft Abandons Yahoo Acquisition." Absent a surprise ending, the behemoth of Redmond's attempt to go head-to-head with Google in Web advertising by paying billions to snap up Yahoo has failed. And I'm relieved--if...

The $199 iPhone: Cool! Possibly Imaginary!

Harry McCracken — 2008-04-29T23:27:42-08:00

As nifty as the current iPhone is, there are muliple reasons not to buy it: It's got a slow data connection, it doesn't yet run third-party applications...and at $399 with no subsidy from AT&T, it's kinda pricey. We know that...

Sorry, MSN Music "Buyers!"

Harry McCracken — 2008-04-23T12:49:33-08:00

As I've said before, I don't have any religious opposition to the very notion of Digital Rights Management. But boy, does DRM in the real world keep turning out to be a compelling argument for the elimination of DRM, period....

Mysteries of Lending Tree

Harry McCracken — 2008-04-20T11:28:44-08:00

Okay, so I'm trying to buy a house. As with anything I do, I naturally wanted to do as much of it as I could online. So when mortgage shopping, I signed up for Lending Tree--the guys with the TV...

Seven Ways to Fix Technology Retailing

Harry McCracken — 2008-04-16T09:11:22-08:00

No doubt about it: The last few months have been weird and dismal in the world of technology retailing. First, CompUSA announced plans to shutter all its locations--then got a sort-of-reprieve when TigerDirect bought the brand and said it would...

Help Emru Townsend Find a Bone Marrow Donor

Harry McCracken — 2008-04-08T23:46:03-08:00

The blog item I'm about to write is one of the most unusual I've ever posted here on PC World. But it's also one of the most important. And while it doesn't relate directly to technology, it has an awful...

Microsoft's Bizarrely Patronizing Anti-Piracy Campaign

Harry McCracken — 2008-04-08T22:09:42-08:00

I've said it before: If you use Microsoft's software, you oughta pay for it. I have no sympathy for pirates, especially in an era in which there's a good-to-excellent free alternative to just about every major desktop application that hails...

The Frustratingly Unfulfilled Promise of Google Gears

Harry McCracken — 2008-04-06T20:56:32-08:00

Back on May 30th of last year, Google released Google Gears, a browser plug-in designed to help Web-based applications work even when they couldn't connect to the Internet. I was pretty jazzed up about it, and so were my PCW...

Windows XP Gets a Reprieve--Kinda Sorta

Harry McCracken — 2008-04-03T12:01:00-08:00

Yesterday, rumors surfaced that Microsoft would extend sales of Windows XP past the cut-off date of June 30th it had announced--but only for low-cost laptops. Today, the company is confirming the buzz: It'll still sell Windows XP Home as an...