TheTechLounge - Recent Articles: General: Software

Catalyst 8.3: Better Hardware through Drivers

Tue, 4 Mar 2008 20:07:14 -0600

As of Catalyst 8.3, a.k.a. "The New Beginning" a.k.a. "The Big One" a.k.a. "The Humptyback Zinglebert," it's clear that CrossFireX has picked up where SLI left off. Right now, it's a better arrangement, with a lot of advantages not limited to performance. It's just that now there's even more reason for NVIDIA to improve SLI, and when they do, they're likely to start with a hardware advantage. When is this going to happen? AMD didn't include a slide on that subject.

Microsoft Windows Home Server

Fri, 16 Nov 2007 11:49:05 -0600

It's been over nine months since Microsoft announced the Windows Home Server at CES 2007 in Las Vegas. There has been a lot of hype, and a very strong enthusiast community stands behind it. Microsoft has set out to create a simple server - one that everyday folks can use and manage, which won't require an MCSE or the neighborhood computer kid.

Late in August Microsoft announced the gold version of WHS, and after about five or six weeks of anxious waiting, it finally became available at US outlets like Newegg for around $185. So how does the final 1.0 version of Windows Home Server stack up? Fairly well, read on for more details.

Apple iWork 08

Sun, 26 Aug 2007 21:06:32 -0500

One thing you find after you install iWork '08 is that, when you start, you're offered quick tutorials. If you have time, I'd strongly recommend the initial tour of iWork '08, as well as the video tutorials on basic features and, also, the various features that set the iWork '08 applications apart from their competitors. Apple offers a 30 day free trial of iWork on their website. So how do the new versions of Pages and Keynote compare to their '06 counterparts? How does the suite stack up against Microsoft Office for the Mac?

Apple iLife 08

Wed, 8 Aug 2007 23:13:53 -0500

The Apple Special Event today also announced iLife '08. iLife is composed of five applications - iPhoto, iMovie, iWeb, iDVD and Garage Band. These applications are designed to help you and your digital lifestyle. Apple also improved .mac by increasing the storage space to 10GB, transfer quota up to 100GB as well as better integration with the iLife suite. Apple also introduced iWork, so watch for my review of iWork later this week.

Microsoft Windows Home Server Beta 2

Thu, 26 Apr 2007 19:40:42 -0500

The beta process for Windows Home Server was open to allow the public to get involved. Luckily, I happened to be one of those selected. Even more interesting is the lack of any non-disclosure agreements, so not only do I get to use it for a few months, but I get to write this article and tell you all about it. So what benefits does Windows Home Server offer over a NAS-style device? How well does the software work now, and what is it expected to do when it is released? And what you're all wondering! would it be worth your money?

GoldenRAM UpgradeDetect

Wed, 21 Jun 2006 11:01:50 -0500

In brief, UpgradeDetect is a free web-based service (it also exists as a downloadable executable file) that does just what the name implies, detects possible upgrades to your computer system by utilizing the Serial Presence Detect (SPD) of the memory ROM (among other intricate programming secrets Iï¿½m not smart enough to understand). Two versions are available, one for home users and one geared more towards IT professionals. What you will find after visiting the website and running the utility is an evaluation of your computing horsepower and a list of suggested upgrades.

McAfee Wireless Home Network Security

Wed, 2 Nov 2005 19:12:54 -0600

So what if you can't tell WEP from WAP, or WPA from AP? You no longer have to "� or so claims McAfee, speaking about their new Wireless Home Network Security software.

Half-Life 2 Graphical Performance Evaluation

Wed, 17 Nov 2004 01:47:41 -0600

Today we will be examining Half-Life 2's performance with two different systems and several different video cards. We compare the latest cards from ATI and NVIDIA, using both AGP and PCI-Express in a good, old-fashioned roundup.

LI Utilities WinBackup

Thu, 22 May 2003 01:00:00 -0500

WinBackup has proven to be a very useful program that quickly and effectively backs up your important data. WinBackup is packed with features such as encryption, a built-in scheduler, and more.

SpeedUpMyPC

Thu, 15 May 2003 01:00:00 -0500

The concept is a good one, and the GUI and ease of use is great, but from my experiences I can not say that this software is actually effective.