2.1

BARCELONA, Spain--In addition to introducing two new Android phones, HTC revealed on Tuesday that it will release an Android 2.1 update for the HTC Droid Eris as well as the Sprint and GSM versions of the HTC Hero.

The company said the devices should be getting most of the features of Android 2.1 as well as the enhanced HTC Sense user experience that was announced today. However, it will ultimately be up to the carriers to determine which features make it onto the device. Unfortunately, HTC did not give any time frame for when the update might be … Read more

Looks like we've got another case of someone pulling the trigger a little too early. After posting a Facebook update on Monday stating that an Android 2.1 update would be coming to Droid owners this week, Motorola is now backtracking and saying that it's coming soon.

The bad news came when a Motorola Owners' Forum manager said on Wednesday that the company "jumped the gun" on posting details of the update, which have now been removed from the forum and Moto support site. Motorola didn't have any more to say, other than a rollout … Read more

Absolute Media Library is a basic program for keeping track of all types of collections. Although it offers a lot of options for organization, its incessant error messages make it hard to like.

The program's interface is simple, and although it's not the most intuitive, it's easy enough to figure out. You can enter media of all sorts, specifying format, genre, value, and other details. In addition to keeping an inventory of items, you can create a database of borrowers and keep track of items that get loaned out, which is a nice feature to have in … Read more

Accord CD Ripper Free is an easy-to-use utility that lets users quickly rip audio files from CDs to their computers. The program's uncomplicated design and useful features make this a great choice for anyone seeking a basic CD ripper.

The program's interface is plain and intuitive, with its major features arranged by attractive graphical buttons. When we inserted a CD, the program automatically downloaded the track information from the freeDB database, which is something we always like to see in a CD-ripping program. The program also allows users to edit the CD information and select the format in … Read more

AppRemover will find and uninstall any security applications on your system, such as virus protection programs and spybot removers. Sometimes antivirus programs do not uninstall completely, so if you're replacing one security application with another, AppRemover can help you remove the old program so you can start fresh with the new one.

AppRemover sports a clean, well-designed interface. When the program starts, it asks if you want to look for security applications on your computer or clean up a failed software uninstall. We selected the first option, and AppRemover found all of the virus and spyware protection programs on … Read more

Joboshare AVI to DVD Converter is an easy-to-use program that lets you burn AVI and MPG files to DVDs. The program isn't fancy, but it's a great choice for quickly editing videos and burning them to DVDs.

The program's interface is quite sleek and intuitive, with all of its major features represented by attractive graphical buttons. A small preview window lets you view the videos you are working with, which is a very helpful feature, and you can also preview a variety of templates for the DVD's menu. To create a DVD, you simply add individual … Read more

Joboshare Movie DVD Copy is an easy-to-use program that lets you copy movies from DVDs and burn them to other discs. The program's basic features and simple interface make copying movies a snap.

The program's interface is plain and intuitive, and it more or less walks you through each step of the process. Insert the source DVD and select whether you want the entire contents or just the main movie, and chose D5, D9, or a custom format. The program then quickly copies the selected files to your computer. Once that's done, the program takes users through … Read more

Google has released the software development kit for Android 2.1, the version of its mobile operating system that powers the Nexus One smartphone.

When the Nexus One was launched a week ago, developers complained that they had not been given the SDK, making it impossible for them to test their applications for compatibility with the new OS version. The handset is the first to use Android 2.1.

Google introduced the software development kit on Monday, describing the new OS version as a "minor platform release."

Read more of "Google releases Android 2.1 SDK after complaints&… Read more

LAS VEGAS--As any gamer or music fan knows, your computer's built-in speaker are utter bunk and the more-affordable PC speaker upgrades typically lack in low-end power. To fill the void of booming PC speakers for under a Benjamin, Altec Lansing is gearing up to release its VS4621 2.1 PC speaker system in the Spring, with a down-to-earth retail price of $79.

Like its predecessor, the VS4121, the new system features a pair of stylish and slim stereo speakers that connect to an impressive-looking powered subwoofer. The sub sports a 6.5-inch driver in a ported enclosure, while the … Read more