Features

• First look: Windows 8 Release Preview

  By Loyd Case | 31 May, 2012 19:46

  I'm sitting in my breakfast nook, my Samsung Series 9 sitting on the countertop. I check the news, and then look at how the markets are doing. After that, I fire up IE 10 to check my morning blogs, which kills another 15 minutes or so. At that point, I swipe the home page to the list of apps and open Word. It's a little disconcerting to be in the Metro-style interface--in what Microsoft calls the "Windows Home Page"--and then suddenly be in the desktop as Word launches. But cognitive dissonance is likely to be a common phenomenon among experienced Windows users.

• Guide: How to use Microsoft Word as a desktop publishing tool

  By Helen Bradley | 30 May, 2012 08:21

  High-end desktop publishing programs, such as Adobe InDesign and QuarkXPress, feature lots of tools to help designers produce stunning pages. But these programs are expensive, and novices require training to use them, factors that render their acquisition difficult to justify for most small businesses.

• Five things to look forward to in Linux Mint 13 Maya

  By Katherine Noyes | 23 May, 2012 07:08

  There's been much attention focused lately on Canonical's recently released Ubuntu Linux 12.04 "Precise Pangolin," but it's by no means the only popular Linux distribution out there with a major update in the offing.

• In depth: Unified communications still fragmented

  By Bob Violino | 16 May, 2012 21:07

  Unified communications (UC) technology has garnered a fair amount of attention, much of it due to vendors touting their UC offerings as the answer to problems workers have keeping in touch with colleagues, business partners and customers in a highly frenetic, increasingly mobile business world.

• WWDC 2012 forecast: Cloudy with a chance of new MacBooks

  By Ian Paul | 16 May, 2012 04:16

  Apple's Worldwide Developers Conference is less than one month away, and speculation is high about whether Apple will announce new iCloud features, refreshed MacBook Pros, overhauled versions of iOS and OS X and maybe even a new smartphone during the conference.

• Study: Facebook relies on good design to retain users

  By Joab Jackson | 10 May, 2012 07:12

  What is Facebook's secret to keeping the world's largest user base content? Sticking to well-proven software design principles, one study has concluded.

• Top 15 Cloud storage tips and tasks

  By Ian Paul | 07 May, 2012 11:31

  No single cloud service can do everything. Some shine when it comes to streaming a cloud music collection from the Web, but stink at syncing desktop folders. Other cloud services are great for sharing photos, but useless for reviewing a document's revision history.

• Opinion: Windows RT may be Microsoft's answer to Apple and Google in the BYOD game

  By Rob Enderle | 04 May, 2012 23:42

  There is an interesting post from the Microsoft Windows team on the Windows On ARM (WOA) version of Windows 8 that was recently renamed Windows RT-which reminded me why I'll never do Microsoft naming again. Windows RT is targeted directly at the iPad users who are bringing that product into the enterprise today on a wave of trend we are alternatively calling consumerization of IT or Bring Your Own Device ( BYOD) because we evidently can't come to a consensus on just one term.

• Twitter tools: 11 Free apps and services you need now

  By Liane Cassavoy | 02 May, 2012 23:21

  Twitter is all about keeping things brief. It is, after all, a microblogging service, one that limits you to 140 characters per post. But while Twitter promotes a less-is-more approach, the same can't be said of the market for Twitter apps and services.

• The greatest PC mysteries - solved!

  By PCWorld Staff | 30 April, 2012 23:40

  PC owners know that every computer has a unique assortment of components, applications and peripherals. Nevertheless, certain things - including a host of common PC problems and mysteries - are part of the shared experience of computer ownership.

• Analysis: Why Linux is a desktop flop

  By Maria Korolov | 30 April, 2012 21:28

  It's free, easier to use than ever, IT staffers know it and love it, and it has fewer viruses and Trojans than Windows.

• The enterprise app store: 10 must-have features

  By Shane O'Neill | 26 April, 2012 06:52

  Is 2012 the year app stores will break out in the enterprise?

• The 12 best free entertainment services and apps of 2012

  By Megan Geuss | 24 April, 2012 22:52

  Whether you consume it or create it, entertainment is likely a huge part of the reason you love tech. You probably already have a subscription to big names such as Amazon Instant Video, Hulu Plus, or Netflix, and those are all good services, but they're not free.

• The 12 best free mobile apps for commuters, 2012 Edition

  By Megan Geuss | 24 April, 2012 22:53

  Many of us spend hours getting from one place to another every day. Your smartphone can help you cut down on your travel time, or at least make the most of it.

• The 15 best free business tools, apps and services of 2012

  By Megan Geuss | 24 April, 2012 22:58

  You're on a budget, but you need reliable programs that will make your 9-to-5 run more smoothly.