Update fixes iPhone sync problem with Windows 7 for some
Gigabyte Technology issued a BIOS update on Friday that fixes a problem for some Windows 7 users who have been unable to sync their iPhones. Read more...

Four reasons to buy (and one reason to avoid) the Droid

Google strives to balance commercial, community with Android

Droid launch draws tech-savvy crowd to Verizon store

Palm shows Ares WebOS development tool

University researchers to study video games' effect on health

Upgrade path to Android 2.0 uncertain

Smartphones surge globally in Q3, despite recession

AT&T's lawsuit over Verizon ads could backfire, some argue

FCC, DOT team up for high-tech cure to distracted driving

More Personal Technology Stories

Verizon's Droid launch: Your complete guide
Can you feel the tremors? Verizon's hotly anticipated Motorola Droid finally arrives on Friday, and -- if the earth-rumbling ads are to be believed -- we'll be feeling its force all over the world.

First look: Droid not an iPhone killer, but still pretty cool
The Droid smartphone is clearly not an iPhone killer, but with multitasking abilities and quick access to Google Maps and turn-by-turn navigation with GPS, it's still pretty cool.

Studio One Pro 1.0.1
Recording music is fun, rewarding, and highly creative. But the process of recording can be amazingly technical: you might have cables running everywhere, microphones and instruments connected through a special hardware interface, and a software program to tie it all together. In recent years, the audio software of choice for Mac users has been either Digidesign Pro Tools or Apple Logic Studio ( Macworld rated 4.5 out of 5 mice ). Now, with PreSonus Studio One Pro 1.0.1, there's a new kid on the block.

Peter Drucker as Life Coach: Book Shares His Wisdom
The "father of modern management" had as much to say about self-management and personal development as he did about innovation and organizational effectiveness, says Bruce Rosenstein, the author of a new book on Peter Drucker. In this revealing Q&A, Rosenstein shares what you can learn from Drucker's life, legacy and lack of e-mail.

Maverick Nica Bluetooth Headset
The $119 (as of 9/24/09) Nica by Maverick Lifestyle has one design aspect in common with the Callpod Dragon V2: Both Bluetooth headsets sport earpieces that look like large buttons. Unlike the Callpod, though, the Nica lacks an earbud portion, so the circular headset sits outside your ear--not wedged in it. In the package, the company includes a slick desk dock/charger, which you plug into a power outlet. Since the headset attaches magnetically to the top of the dock/charger, you don't need to plug a cable into the headset for charging purposes--a nice touch. (For $39, you can opt for the car dock; likewise, the headset attaches magnetically to the car charger.)

Create pause-zoom-pause effects in iMovie stills
Although I typically use Final Cut Express for my video projects, I recently had a really short project to do for the family, so I thought I'd give iMovie another trial. Although I did get the project done, I found myself fighting iMovie's interface at nearly every step (I am not a fan of the "toss all the clips in a bin and scrub as you mouseover" setup).

The Best of Today's E-Book Readers
If you think the universe of e-book readers begins with the Kindle 2 and ends with the Kindle DX, think again. That universe is expanding rapidly. We recently completed thorough hands-on testing of seven of the top e-readers available today and came to a surprising conclusion: Our number one choice isn't from Amazon at all; it's the Sony Reader Touch Edition.

Google Picasa 3.5
When it comes to organizing, editing, and sharing photos, most Mac users know iPhoto. But what happens when you don't feel like plunking down $79 for the latest iLife iteration just to get the snazzy Faces and Places features? Google offers an answer in Picasa, a free photo editing and sharing app that rivals iPhoto '09 ( Macworld rated 4 out of 5 mice ), excelling in areas, though it's not without a few shortcomings.

Is Spotify the future of music listening?
For years, we've been hearing about iPod killers, iTunes wannabes, and new music services. We've seen them come and we've seen them go. My colleague Chris Breen wrote about several of them a few weeks ago. But there was one that Chris couldn't sample, because it's not yet available in the U.S.: Spotify. Created by a Swedish company, Spotify is only available in Sweden, Norway, Finland, the United Kingdom, France, and Spain--but the company is planning a U.S. roll-out in the near future. There's a Mac app, a Windows app, and an iPhone app available.

Review: 3 free Linux alternatives for your netbook
Netbook fans who feel that Windows 7 Starter edition is too limited for their liking might want to try one of the Linux distros made especially for netbooks. We review three.

Editors' Picks

The updated iMac now offers a screen resolution that's higher than HD. The Droid comes with Android 2.0, the slimmest QWERTY slider, a 3.7-in. display and Verizon's network. Is the iPhone in trouble? Didn't think hardware this tiny could be tweaked? Think again. We explore five ways to turn netbooks up to 11. Abundant spectrum resources and an engaged research community are drawing wireless experimenters back into a hobby that many had forgotten.

hot topics

Get the latest news, reviews and more about Microsoft's newest desktop operating system.

• Apple
• Microsoft
• Google
• Economy in turmoil: Latest news and tips
• iPhone 3G
• Windows Vista A to Z
• Mac A to Z

special report topics

General Mills, Genentech, San Diego Gas & Electric, University of Pennsylvania and Monsanto top the list.

"Ten pros and ten cons for choosing the Droid over other phones like the iPhone, the Pre, the G1 or..." Read more "Google today released a new web page that allows users to better see how much of their data are being..." Read more "Apple's iPhone App Store, as long expected, passed the 100,000 app mark today.  Apple has been counting down the milestones..." Read more "This past weekend, I attended the Arizona Cardinals football game.   I want to talk about the environment during the game. ..." Read more More Personal Technology Blogs See all Computerworld Blogs