Take care when upgrading OneCare

If you use Microsoft OneCare to protect your computer, take note. Our sister site, News.com, has reported on several issues faced by OneCare users when updating the program to version 2.0

OneCare was the software giant's first standalone product designed to protect the PC from viruses, spyware, trojan horse applications, etc. It sits alongside the security features built into the Windows operating system. Microsoft commented that these problems affect only a small number of users and that it will continue to automatically upgrade customers online. The latest iteration adds features such as automated printer sharing and centralized backup.

A Microsoft representative also mentioned that there will be a further update to the current Version 2.0 which may resolve some of these problems. In the meantime, any users who experience issues with the OneCare application should contact Microsoft technical support for assistance.

Red hot technology at CES 2008

It is the first major consumer electronics show of the year. Though the CES has more than its fair share of chaff, we spotted a few gems which had us checking our savings account and taking out our check books.

The Alienware curved display is one of those technologies which makes us think "why didn't it come our way earlier?" For PC monitors, adding curves may be just what the doctor ordered to shatter the screen size race.

How about the Toshiba UMPC concept, which not only implemented a forward-thinking touch interface but actually made good use of the integrated accelerometer for flipping virtual pages?

Makers of laptop screen protectors may need to increase the range of sizes available. Dell's 16-inch XPS prototype may be a glimpse of a new "in-betweener" category, much like what the 13.3-inch MacBook did for the thin-and-light range.

Tired of bringing multiple chargers when traveling? The Green Plug may soon change the way we power up our tech toys.

But PC technology was not the only category which had drool-worthy products. Check out our top picks for CES 2008 and tell your spouse to start saving for your birthday present.

Creative gets personal with InPerson

CES 2008 in Las Vegas would not be complete without stopping over at the Creative Labs booth, since we'd come all the way from Asia to attend the consumer electronics fair. Not surprisingly, the Singapore-based company was announcing new products first in the US as has been its wont. Due out at the end of the month will be a little device for video-conferencing called InPerson.

Looking like a cross between a PDA and a UMPC (194 x 150.5 x 48mm), this lightweight 27oz (765g without battery) gadget will allow users wirelessly or via Ethernet to conduct long-distance video chitchat conveniently.

Here's the rub. While it's a very portable solution that we can see home users employ, particularly where a family member is stationed abroad, it's aimed mostly at corporates and will be distributed via resellers, not retail stores. Here's the other rub. If you do plan to get one, it's liable to cost you US$699.95. Ouch. Considering that this gizmo has a very singular purpose and UMPCS like the ASUS Eee PC costs less and can multitask. That said, there's an SD card slot so you can use this expensive gadget as a photo frame when not in use.

The good news is the person on the other end doesn't have to get an InPerson to hook up with you fortunately. Any good old PC or notebook with a Webcam attached should do the trick.

Specs-wise, the InPerson conferencing unit offers a VGA-resolution Webcam and supports H.264-compressed video streaming onto a 7-inch widescreen LCD screen displaying 16.7 million colors. It certainly looked sharp u close. If you can't get enough of the other party's mug, you can hook this up to your TV's 32-inch screen or more. Power is supplied either via mains or rechargeale Lithium-ion batteries. According to the rep at the booth, this is good for 2 hours of video chat or 5 hours on standby.

Sony TransferJet is like USB--but wireless

Sony has been showing off some funky work-in-progress technology called TransferJet. It's a system that allows you to transfer files from your digital camera or MP3 player directly to your PC simply by putting the two in close proximity--no cables are necessary.

Geeks will recognize this as near-field communication (NFC) technology, but to the rest of us it's witchcraft. Sony demonstrated it using a modified VAIO TP Media Center PC equipped with a TransferJet contact pad, and a modified Sony camcorder, also equipped with TransferJet technology. When the user places the camera within 30mm of the PC, the system recognizes that you want to establish a connection, and the rest is history. There are no passwords to worry about, no searching for a wireless network, and no manual pairing.

TransferJet has a pretty high sustained throughput of up to 375Mbps, which is fast enough not only to transfer still images, but also to stream high-definition video and audio without hiccups. The maximum theoretical transfer speed is 560Mbps, which knocks USB's 480Mbps into a cocked hat.

TransferJet can be built into a PC at the time of manufacture, or added later via a USB transfer pad. Just connect the add-on to an existing machine, grab yourself a TransferJet-equipped Sony Walkman, digital stills camera or camcorder, and away you go.

There's no word on when the system will come to market, if at all, but we reckon it's only a matter of time before consumers start kicking down Sony's door demanding its release.

SanDisk thumbdrive learns a new trick

USB thumbdrives have become the de facto method of choice when it comes to transferring data between PCs. With ever increasing capacities, some consumers have also started using them as backup devices.

The latest SanDisk Cruzer Titanium Plus flash drive takes it one step further by making backups of its 4GB storage automatically to an online backup company, BeInSync. The US$59.99 flash disk comes with six months worth of this online service, after which an annual fee of US$29.99 is charged. When the Cruzer is plugged into a connected machine, the contents are automatically synchronized both ways and the data can also be accessed via the Website. According to BeInSync, communication to and from the device is secured using 256-bit SSL encryption to ensure that your private data remains private.

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