converter

PDF Converter 8.1.2.5

Ever since Adobe made the Portable Document Format (PDF) open in 2008, a bevy of third-party PDF apps have capitalized on the freely sourced code. PDF Converter--more properly GIRDAC PDF Converter--approaches the most common PDF task of converting to and from Windows and Microsoft Office file formats with a focused purpose and a bare-bones but efficient interface. The software installs and uninstalls cleanly and runs with little fuss, but performance was found lacking in certain areas.

The app works adequately converting common Windows and Microsoft Office formatted files to and from PDFs, but niggling complaints continued to repeatedly pop up … Read more

Windows 8 ultrabooks, hybrids to see uptick this year

Laptop suppliers will continue to see weak demand in the first half, but things should pick up later in the year, IHS iSuppli said today.

After a "bleak" first quarter and a "slow" first half overall, Windows 8-based ultrathin laptops will "help revive the market" later in the year, the market researcher said.

Notebook PC shipments from the Top 5 laptop manufacturers, referred to as ODMs or Original Design Manufacturers, are forecast to amount to 35.2 million units during the first quarter, down 15 percent from 41.4 million in the fourth quarter … Read more

Tablet Tuesday: Get a Lenovo IdeaPad Yoga 11 for $598

If you're eyeballing a tablet with business purposes in mind, a convertible might be the best way to go. You get a full-size QWERTY keyboard when you need one and nothin' but screen when you don't.

And if it helps you to stay in the Windows ecosystem, well, you need a Windows-powered convertible. Like this one: Lenovo has the IdeaPad Yoga 11 Windows RT convertible for $599 shipped when you apply coupon code USPYOGA2C214 at checkout. (Sales tax may apply in some states.) That's a full $200 off the original price.

If that code doesn't work/… Read more

Future PCs threat to Apple? Yes, says Citibank analyst

Apple's "limited innovation" in tablets this year will make it vulnerable to newfangled PCs -- so says a Citibank analyst.

Yes, you heard that right, PCs. While financial analysts write lots of research notes about Apple every week, this one from Citibank analyst Glen Yeung -- sent out early in the week -- got my attention.

We believe Apple will launch an iPad Mini Retina and a thinner/lighter iPad5 (both likely sporting newer processors) in 3Q13...iPad innovation of this nature is insufficient to reverse share loss.

Whereas we see limited innovation in tablets in 2H13, … Read more

Change formats with Boilsoft Video Converer

There are only three questions worth asking about a video-converting program: is it free, is it fast, and how is the video quality? Boilsoft Video Converter answers the second two questions well, but misses on the first. If you can handle paying for it, it is a quality video converter.

Boilsoft Video Converter costs $34.95 to use. If you don't pay, the program adds a goofy watermark over the middle of your video. For your money, you're getting a really smooth layout that's easy to use. The program features a built-in video player that plays any … Read more

MediaConvert catastrophe

File converters have become pretty ubiquitous, as there are lots of different formats that work better in some contexts than others. Although converters with lots of options can be nice, we tend to favor the simple ones that cut right to the chase. Unfortunately, MediaConvert is a little too simple; its bare-bones interface leaves users guessing, and we're still not sure if we converted any files.

Most file converters follow the same basic conventions: choose the file you want to convert, select the output format and location, and the program does its thing. This is not the case with … Read more

Lenovo: ThinkPad Helix to ship early March

People looking to buy Lenovo's Helix laptop may not have to wait that long after all.

The convertible Windows 8 laptop will begin shipping in early March, a Lenovo spokesman told CNET today, though he couldn't say exactly when it will hit retail stores. The Helix will be sold worldwide, but availability will vary by country.

This bit of news follows a Facebook post on Monday from a Lenovo representative saying that the Helix would be delayed until March or April. The rep added that more details would be announced soon.

Demoed at CES last month, the Helix … Read more

Convert your videos with ease with MyVideoConverter Pro

Video converters tend to fall into one of two camps. The first is simple freeware for converting files from one or more video formats to another. The advantage of such tools (other than being free) is simplicity; the disadvantage is limited capabilities, not to mention the fact that you may need to keep a collection of them just to handle all your file types. The second type of video converter costs money. That's often the only disadvantage, since the premium converters usually handle many more file types and offer preset profiles that automatically convert files to just the right … Read more

The 404 1,199: Where it's a breath of dead air (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Republican senator says video games are a bigger problem than guns.

- DMVs ban txtspeak on license plates.

- The greatest hacker T-shirts this planet has ever seen.

- Amoeba Music finally puts used, errr, rare records for sale online.… Read more

Convert video and audio files with Green Free Video Converter

We're big on small tools that let us convert video clips into different formats that we can play on our various and sundry devices. Ditto audio: while we tend to save music in the highest available quality, we also like to be able to play MP3s on the go, and software that can convert both audio files and video formats to other audio formats is of no small interest, too. One more thing: freeware, please. Green Free Video Converter just happens to cover all those bases. It's free, it's easy to use, and it converts files to … Read more