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In risky new tack, Microsoft stacks Surface against iPad

Microsoft's "iPad vs. Windows" campaign now includes iPad vs. Surface RT. Is Microsoft picking the right fight?

On the back of new ads that zero on the iPad's (purported) weaknesses, Microsoft has thrown up a comparison page that stacks the iPad against four Windows 8 tablets.

Microsoft isn't using the Surface RT in the anti-iPad ads. Rather, the Asus VivoTab is its weapon of choice.

But Surface RT is front and center on the comparison page. One small problem: the (highly-selective) Microsoft feature chart doesn't necessarily portray Surface RT as the clear winner (see … Read more

Review: Photo Collages Camera helps you create artistic projects on your device

Photo Collages Camera allows the user to create a collage of images and then share the finished product via e-mail or on some of the most popular social networking platforms. It also allows the user to edit photos and add some basic effects and decorate the image with text.

Photo Collages Camera offers a clean and professionally designed user interface. A black menu bar surrounds the central image and high contrast white lettering accents the menus. Since the user interface is very intuitive, most users will enjoy the ease in which they can navigate the program. Unlike most other photo … Read more

HP CEO talks Android, not Windows 8

Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman had a lot more to say about the company's new Android products than she did about Windows 8 during HP's second-quarter earnings conference call.

Whitman's remarks hinted at HP's newfound affinity for new operating systems, which includes Android of course.

"Using multiple operating systems, multiple architectures, and multiple form factors, we are moving quickly to product the devices that customers want," she said.

Then she proceeded to talk about new Android devices, with no mention of Windows 8.

"Following the launch of our first Chromebook in February, we launched … Read more

Review: Place watermarks on photos with copyrightInserter for Mac

The aptly named copyrightInserter for Mac adds a copyright watermark to your online images with a minimum of fuss.

This freeware program lacks an installer, which requires the user to click and drag the file to the Applications folder. The folder containing the program also held readme, licensing agreement, and tutorial files. The tutorial file helped, even though the application had an easy-to-use menu. copyrightInserter for Mac has clearly labeled areas where the user can drag folders containing image files. A second box shows where the watermark image may be dragged. The user can also select the general location of … Read more

Review: Back up computer files using Backuplist+ for Mac

Backuplist+ for Mac lacks advanced features, but performs basic backup operations well. It's worth a look for those who want more flexibility than native backup utilities, such as Time Machine, provide.

The 2.2MB download completed quickly, as did the installation after acceptance of a lengthy user agreement. Unfortunately, Backuplist+ for Mac offers no user instructions, which was a disappointment due to the rather hard to decipher menu. The application has no graphics or clearly labeled main buttons. A bar at the top allows the user to select the backup file's destination. Users can then create different backup … Read more

Diving into Metro Windows Store app data

Software publisher Soluto made a PR splash last month when it issued its first PC purchasing guide, concluding that a Macbook was the best laptop for running Windows ... mostly because running Windows on Mac requires a clean install of the OS, unlike most default Windows laptops, which include varying amounts of OEM (original equipment manufacturer) software.

Soluto is back today with a new "Monthly Insights" report that looks at Windows Store app usage. Windows Store apps are commonly referred to as "Metro" apps, despite Microsoft's abandonment of the Metro code name for the new "… Read more

Review: mOffice - Outlook sync is a solid non-Google planner

If you're looking for a solid, non-Google planner, you've found it in mOffice. It has a smooth layout and most of the features you love about Google--all in a neat package.

This app is designed to sync with your Outlook desktop program. It will also sync with a client called Mobisynapse, but that costs an extra $10. This app falls under the "Getting Things Done" category, which seems to mean it's optimized to make work convenient. As such, mOffice has a very clean interface that makes it easy to find the features and menus you'… Read more

Nokia brings LiveSight to Here Maps on Windows Phone 8

LAS VEGAS -- You won't see a new phone from Nokia at CTIA, but the company did reveal it was expanding its already impressive Here Maps for Windows Phone 8 devices.

Available today is an update that will integrate the company's LiveSight augmented reality feature. Previously available only through the CityLens app, LiveSight pulls up nearby locations and displays relevant information like the type of business or attraction, the hours, the address and phone number, and customer ratings.

You access LiveSight mode through a dedicated control in the Here interface. Once activated, you'll see the points of … Read more

Review: QR Code Reader is less effective than its competitors

QR Code Reader is a basic application that allows the user to read QR codes and take action depending on the information stored in them. There are many good applications available that are capable of this function, but this one doesn't seem to be one of them.

Once QR Code Reader has been downloaded it opens quite sluggishly. On the Samsung Galaxy Nexus it took 15 seconds to open the application. For such a small application this delay seems unexplainable. The user interface features no controls. It simply displays a viewfinder window that must be lined up with the … Read more

Review: Carbon - App Sync and Backup stores copies of your vital data

Helium App Sync & Backup saves copies of your vital data for you if you don't want to do it, yourself. It includes an app backup in addition to backing up your sensitive files, but it's a major pain to set up. It takes most of the appeal of automatic backup away.

Helium App Sync & Backup is made mostly for rooters, but it will work with some unrooted phones, too. To be sure it works with yours, check developer options in your settings menu and see if you can turn on USB debugging. If you can't, … Read more