I'm writing this sentence with my hands folded in my lap. Now I'm twiddling my thumbs. Technology has freed me from the shackles of the keyboard. It's kind of exciting.  Several times over the years, I've experimented with speech-recognition software. The experience has always started with high expectation, and ended with disappointment. But this time, the technology works. It's cranking out sentences. Subjects. Verbs. Predicates. Punctuation. Be it prose or drivel, it's appearing on the ... [full story]

From backyard barbecues and family reunions to graduations and weddings, summer is the season for making outdoor memories. But when autumn comes and the weather changes, those memories can start to fade. Instead of letting precious moments slip away, you can preserve them forever with a DVD camcorder, which combines the versatile capabilities of a camcorder with the unbeatable convenience of DVD media. Because these dream machines record directly on mini DVD media instead of using ... [full story]

The price of computers has fallen to the point where it's possible to get a respectable Windows PC for around $500. But the cost of aftercare keeps going up. Norton Internet Security Suite will cost you $69 per year to keep your virus and spyware defenses current. If you keep your computer four years, that adds up to $276. Maybe you want a second line of defense against spyware, so you add Spyware Doctor at ... [full story]

If you often have to stand by the window or go outside to talk on your cell phone, then you are among the 35 percent of cell phone users who experience reduction or loss of their cell phone signal inside the home or office. But new technologies are available that amplify the signal and improve the quality of the call. Trees, certain building materials, wall density, the number of windows in a building and building ... [full story]

Podcasting is a new form of fun stuff to do on the computer. The ipod was made for music downloads, but the reality is that it has created a launch of mini shows, that are uncut and cheap to produce. Every event you can imagine is a potential contender as a reality radio broadcast show from Rio to Cape Cod, and from Boston to Broadway. CB Radio,i.e. Ham Radio, was developed as radio for the ... [full story]

(NewsUSA) - As companies face the challenge of improving productivity and efficiency with ever-shrinking budgets, the need for outsourcing certain operations has grown. And ironically, although digital technologies become more important in business, the idea of a paperless office seems more distant than ever. In fact, Bill Gates has proclaimed that the paperless office is "one of those 'any day now' phenomena that never seem to actually arrive. ... Paperwork is increasing faster than digital technology ... [full story]

(NewsUSA) - From ads that dance or sing to MTV-like commercials, online advertisers are now using a new type of technology called "rich media" to attract consumers. U.S. Internet advertising revenue will have reached about $12 billion last year, up $3 billion from 2004. Of this, advertisers spent about $1 billion on rich media, up from $800 million in 2003, according to the Interactive Advertising Bureau. So what exactly is rich media? By definition, it is an ... [full story]

(NewsUSA) - While the Internet offers a world of information for kids, it also presents great dangers from online sexual predators. Every year, one in five children receives a sexual solicitation or approach over the Internet. With millions of children in chat rooms and sending instant messages, parents must take action to protect their kids. A recent survey of young people revealed the following statistics about how parents are supervising their children's online time: More than half ... [full story]