built-in

Microsoft rolls out Windows 8 app updates ahead of time

Getting ahead of the game, Microsoft is now rolling out Windows 8 built-in app updates. This is weeks before the October 26 official unveiling of Windows 8.

In a blog post today, the software giant listed all of the additions and updates that Windows 8 built-in apps will be getting. Skydrive, mail, messaging, photos, maps, news, travel, weather, and more will get new features and performance and reliability improvements.

Here's more from Microsoft's president of Windows Steven Sinofsky:

We're super excited to be approaching general availability (GA) of Windows 8 and Windows RT. With thousands of new … Read more

Thermador announces updates to wall oven line

The oven has long been a fixture in the kitchen. It stands guard over our food, supplying delicious cooked results on demand. However, as dominant in the kitchen as the oven may be, its very ubiquity sometimes makes it easy to take for granted. Unless, of course, the oven is functional, stylish, and packed with features.

Thermador has just officially announced new features for its 2012 lineup of built-in wall ovens. The luxury appliance maker has unveiled new technical and engineering upgrades for both the Professional Series as well as the Masterpiece Series of ovens. People looking for a 12-pound-capacity … Read more

Facebook's subscribe button

YouTube adds a built-in video editor to the site, Dyson releases a room heater called simply Hot, and Facebook's new subscribe button makes the social network more like Twitter and Google+.

Links from Thursday's episode of Loaded:

Facebook becomes like Twitter with subscribe button Netflix takes subscriber hit Sony PlayStation Vita's battery life YouTube adds built-in video editor Dyson's Hot AM04 Subscribe: iTunes (MP3) | iTunes (320x180) | iTunes (HD) | RSS (MP3) | RSS (320x180) | RSS HD

How to disable Chrome's PDF viewer

Google Chrome's built-in PDF viewer can make opening PDFs super quick. Unfortunately, you don't have access to all of the same tools you can use in apps like Adobe Reader. So how can you choose to download or open PDFs in standalone apps rather than the browser window? It's a quick fix if you follow these steps:

Step 1: Open Chrome and type "about:plugins" into the omnibox at the top.

Step 2: Scroll down and find Chrome PDF Viewer.

Step 3: Click the "Disable" link to prevent PDFs from loading within Chrome.… Read more

Built-in solar struggles with costs, efficiency

The market for solar modules that are designed to be integrated into buildings in the form of shingles or windows faces a tough challenge given their higher costs and lower efficiency than competing products.

Building-integrated photovoltaics, or BIPVs, made by companies such as Energy Conversion Devices and Ascent Solar, are designed to be an integral part of buildings, in contrast to the photovoltaic panels made by First Solar, Suntech, and others that need to be retrofitted on roofs.

Given their unobtrusive nature, BIPVs were once touted as the next big thing in solar power, but have so far not taken … Read more

First-step troubleshooting for Mac audio issues

Occasionally you may experience issues when attempting to play audio from the built-in speakers on your Mac. Sound may still work from external speakers or headphones, but the internal speakers appear to not be working. Follow these simple steps and you should be back up and running in no time.… Read more

The 404 Podcast 471: Where we work for No. 2

It's National Toilet Day today, and Justin isn't here to celebrate. Fortunately, we more than make it up with dozens upon dozens of fecal jokes. Mark Licea of The Green Show joins the show today to talk tech and...lingerie?

Admittedly, we here at The 404 celebrate National Toilet Day at least three times a day, but we're glad to see that people across the planet are starting to recognize the importance of the porcelain throne. It may sound a bit unusual for us to be so beholden to the toilet, but most New Yorkers can sympathize. After all, most of us here have to deal with a mixed bag of ethnic food and $20 dollar fees to use a public restroom.

In nonpoop news, we talk about a Warner Bros. program to let DVD owners upgrade their discs to Blu-ray versions. The program is called DVD2Blu. This only applies to Warner Bros. films, and viewers must pay a fee of $8 to $10 per disc. We think this is a great idea. Wilson is especially keen on not having to pay $30 for each disc in his "Lord of the Rings" and "Star Wars" collections.

Also, Jeff has a follow up to our video game censorship series. He interviewed Major Nelson of Microsoft to talk about racism, misogyny, and homophobia in online gaming. Check it out. A keen chat room listener though points out the irony of talking about derogatory words when players are shooting people in the head.

If you're worried about your cheating wife or girlfriend, a Brazilian line of lingerie from LindeLucy that comes with a built-in GPS tracking device. Now, the device is not exactly subtle, but for the paranoid ones out there, this might be the trick to keep your lady in line--or get her mad at you, again. Trust, after all, is the bond that holds all relationships together.

Finally, we get to some voice mails and viewer feedback about cool moms that play video games before their children do and an early review of "2012." Wilson is disappointed with the fact that the film won't be available in IMAX. He just wants to watch the world burn. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew remember the movie magic of the first "Jurassic Park" movie. The t. rex at the end: Priceless.

Send in your feedback and callbacks to the404 [at] cnet [dot] com. Or call us! We are after all an audio podcast too! The number is 1-866-404-CNET (2638). Thanks again!

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Electrolux built-in suite gains a wine cooler

Just because you're committed enough to your current house to install built-in appliances doesn't mean you have to be committed enough to convert your basement into a wine cellar. Available as a part of AEG-Electrolux's extensive line of built-in units is this stainless steel model SW988205L wine cooler.

The unit blends with other AEG-Electrolux stainless steel built-ins, giving you a beautiful six shelves of column storage for up to 36 bottles of wine. It's designed to keep your wine at an appropriate storage temperature, boasting a set of childproof temperature controls and an air circulation system … Read more

McAfee makes SanDisk's thumb drive picky about data

I recently blogged about people in Japan getting new Eee Box PCs that came with a virus on their hard drives. Now, the opposite: a new thumb drive that comes with antivirus software.

SanDisk, a maker of USB flash drives, and security giant McAfee, teamed up Tuesday to announce the SanDisk Cruzer Enterprise. The USB thumb drive comes with antimalware protection from McAfee built in.

SanDisk's Cruzer Enterprise USB flash drives have been known for being thumb drives with mandatory security for corporate users. Now, in addition to preventing data leaks by utilizing advanced hardware-based 256-bit AES encryption and … Read more

iTunes update for Windows Vista addresses BSOD

Apple on Friday issued an update for iTunes 8 that specifically addresses problems experienced by Windows Vista users, and issued general recommendations for Windows XP and Vista users experiencing sync issues with iPhone and iPod touch devices.

Since its release earlier in the week, iTunes 8 has bedeviled some Windows Vista users with the so-called blue screen of death, or BSOD, and other issues. Speculation has focused on an incompatibility with USB devices, such as Webcams and printers.

In a support post, Apple recommends that Windows Vista users experiencing difficulty should uninstall iTunes 8 and, after rebooting the computer, reinstall … Read more