convertible

The weird, new world of Windows 8 hybrids: Laplets vs. tabtops

Windows 8 is about to unleash a tsunami of strange devices upon us all. Call them tablets, ultraportables, hybrids, convertibles, tiny touch-based mobile computers...they're everywhere, and they're multiplying.

HP has them. Samsung does, too. So does Dell, and Lenovo, and Toshiba, and Asus, and Sony. Everyone has them. That's because Windows 8 promises a better environment for touch in mobile computing, and the promise is too tempting not to experiment. Or, alternatively, all these companies need a product out there to plant a flag into this strange soil -- a territory that Microsoft's already visiting via the Surface.

The big problem I see with them is that for every device that emerges, the landscape gets ever-more-cloudy. … Read more

Pazera Free MP4 to AVI Converter: Simple & effective converting

The Pazera Free MP4 to AVI Converter is a software application for converting your MP4 videos to AVI format.

This is a very basic and simple-looking video converter. The program is light on features, because it has one main purpose, which is converting videos to AVI format. The conversion process time varies from one job to another. You should expect it to take about twice as much time as the length of the video being converted if it's longer than a few minutes.

Even if you're not very familiar with computers, it should be pretty easy to start … Read more

Optimize your entertainment

iVideo Converter and Downloader is a program for downloading your favorite videos and audio, and converting it to supported formats.

This converter/downloader is an interesting program to have on hand. It has a lot of features including Watch TV, Radio, Games, and Chat tabs. Its main feature, Music and Video, work well and fast. The time per file will vary, depending on the length of the video or file size, but it usually takes somewhere within the time length of the actual video to finish downloading and/or converting. There are a number of format options like MP3, M4A, … Read more

A plethora of conversion options

Freemake Video Converter is an application mainly for converting video files to other formats, but offers other converting and downloading features as well.

This application is a worthwhile download. The layout is very simple, making it easy to understand how to use it. Freemake offers a row of media buttons at the top and bottom of the window, which are labeled clearly and are simple to use. It is very easy to navigate the various steps required to convert videos and audio as well as download videos and audio from the Internet. The waiting time varies from one conversion job … Read more

Save all your favorite videos

HandBrake is a free application for converting all types of videos into MPEG-4 files. You might be overwhelmed by the busy interface and numerous options, but once you get started, you'll find that HandBrake offers features that will help any user get up to speed quickly.

HandBrake's interface holds all the tools you need but the wide variety of options can confuse users -- especially beginners. We quickly found that the program's preset options were the quickest and easiest way to convert files. In fact, the moment you find the Presets tab, you'll find the best … Read more

Convert your videos with Prism Video File Converter Free

Digital video is a wonderful thing -- until it's not. With so many different file formats out there, you're bound to run into one that either doesn't work with your media player or is otherwise unsuitable for your purposes. Fortunately, there are plenty of programs out there that convert digital video from one format to another. Prism Video File Converter Free is an easy-to-use program that lets you convert video between a variety of popular formats. We weren't crazy about the other stuff it installed, but the program itself was a winner.

Prism Video File Converter … Read more

Convert files to PDFs with PrimoPDF

Nitro PDF's PrimoPDF is a free tool that converts all kinds of files into PDFs that you can open, edit, and manage with your usual PDF application (Nitro has a free reader, too, if you don't already have one). Some free PDF converters are more like print drivers and only create documents from the Print command. But PrimoPDF also has a handy desktop icon you can drag and drop files into for rapid automatic conversion. Whichever method you prefer, PrimoPDF gives you the choice.

Clicking PrimoPDF's Drop Files icon opens the main interface, which is where you … Read more

Convert audio files to MP3s

M4A is the file extension for MPEG-4 Audio, the audio part of your MPEG-4 videos. Apple has used the M4a (small "a") designation for several of the low-loss audio formats it's sold for years at the iTunes Store. To add to the confusion, some have digital rights management encryption, and some don't. To make a long story short, compatibility is the issue, especially for people with large MP3 collections. Maniac Tools' Free M4a to MP3 Converter does what its name indicates: it converts M4a, AAC, 3GP, and MP4 Audio files to MP3s (or WAVs) that are … Read more

Convert Windows audio to MP3s with Free WMA to MP3 Converter

WMA stands for Windows Media Audio. It encompasses four codecs and several file types, but all you really need to know is that WMA is the format Windows uses for the audio part of your Windows Media files and for jobs like recording TV sound. These formats are widely compatible -- inside Windows, at least -- and they play on Windows Media Center, Media Player, and compatible apps, whether or not they're part of a video container. But it's different when you want to play a WMA clip on your MP3 player. For that you'll need a … Read more

FAA may change in-flight gadget rules

Keep your seat belt fastened for Tuesday's tech news roundup:

The Federal Aviation Administration has formed a committee to reconsider its policy on when electronics can be turned on during a flight. But this does not include making a cellphone call, so no worries about noisy neighbors. This group will look into how (or if) today's smartphones and tablets interfere with communication and instruments, and perhaps future electronics could have some new certification standard that marks it as safe for use during a flight.

Android users might have to thank the Apple vs. Samsung trial for speeding up … Read more