PCWorld Weekly Brief

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January 2, 2012 PCWorld.com Weekly Brief

Top Story: Laptop Reliability and Satisfaction: MacBooks RuleThere's nothing quite like a MacBook, according to PCWorld readers who participated in our survey on their satisfaction with the performance of their laptops. Share:   News Verizon's $2 Bill Payment Fee Sparks Outrage OnlineVerizon's convenience fee has inspired customers to consider canceling their contracts and others to sign an online petition demanding the carrier reverse its plan. Share:   Hackers Said to be Planning to Launch Own Satellites to Combat CensorshipThe news comes as the tech world is up in arms about proposed legislation that many feel would threaten online freedom. Share:   Tech Trends You'll See in 2012From data-only cell phone plans to HTML 5, these ten advancements are ready to go mainstream in the year to come. Share:   How-To 7 Quick Windows 7 FixesThese tips and tricks can improve how you work in Windows. Share:   Work Smarter in OfficeYour Windows PC may be running smoothly, but if Microsoft Office is acting up it can still ruin your day. Here are a few popular Office fixes. Share:   Quick Windows Networking FixesEven in Windows 7, many networking issues aren't easily resolved. Find some help here. Share:   Downloads PCWorld's Favorite Downloads of 2011All year long, we PCWorld reviewers immerse ourselves in desktop programs and Web software. After evaluating a program, often we uninstall it but several of this year's finds earned places in our workflows and/or our hearts. These programs and services are the ones we reviewed for PCWorld Downloads and also kept using for our own productivity and enjoyment. Perhaps you started using them this year, too&and if not, well, a shiny new year is right around the corner. Corel PainterThe quest to use a computer to emulate natural artistic media is not a new one, and Corel Painter 12 ($429) brings this dream closer than ever before. Painter 12 is one of the most inspiring and striking applications I've come across in recent memory. CarraraCarrara ($150) is a powerful and fun-to-use application for creating detailed 3D imagesand animations. It breaks the various stages of the modeling and creation process into rooms, each allowing you to focus on a different task with its own custom tools.

The Future of 3D GamingRead the latest updates on the gaming revolution.Read more. Most Popular Searches Android Tablet Windows 8 Samsung Buying guides

Product Reviews
Canon PowerShot S100 88 ProsExcellent image quality; 1080p and superslow-motion video modes; Full manual controls and RAW shooting; Superb feature set for any level of photographerConsSluggish RAW shooting and flash-recycling times; Short battery life, especially when GPS is used Read Complete Review »Top 10 Compact Point-and-Shoot Cameras »Top 10 Point-and-Shoot Cameras With Manual Controls »Best In-Camera GPS Features »Point-and-Shoot Cameras With the Best Image Quality»Best Point-and-Shoot Cameras for Shooting Video»	Canon PowerShot S100 88 ProsExcellent image quality; 1080p and superslow-motion video modes; Full manual controls and RAW shooting; Superb feature set for any level of photographerConsSluggish RAW shooting and flash-recycling times; Short battery life, especially when GPS is used Read Complete Review »Top 10 Compact Point-and-Shoot Cameras »Top 10 Point-and-Shoot Cameras With Manual Controls »Best In-Camera GPS Features »Point-and-Shoot Cameras With the Best Image Quality»Best Point-and-Shoot Cameras for Shooting Video»	Casio Exilim EX-H20G 81 ProsExcellent in-camera GPS and mapping; Ultra-wide-angle 24mm lens with 10X optical zoom; Phenomenal battery life; Green-screen-like Dynamic Photo feature; Very good image quality in well-lit situations; 360-degree Slide Panorama modeConsNo manual controls; Mediocre macro mode; Digital zoom only in video mode; No burst mode Read Complete Review »Point-and-Shoot Cameras With the Best Image Quality»Best In-Camera GPS Features »100 Best Products of 2011 »Top 10 Pocket Megazooms»

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Top News on PCWorld.com
Microsoft: 5 Smart and 5 Dumb Moves the Company Made in 2011Love it or hate it, Microsoft is a company that brings out strong emotions in just about every IT professional. With 2011 over, it's time for our picks. Share:	4 Facebook Security Tips to Stay Safe in 2012As hackers up the ante with attacks, Facebook users need to take extra precautions and exercise better judgment to ensure their accounts--and their personal information--stay safe. Here are four ways to do so. Share:

Top Reviews on PCWorld.com
Camera and Camera-Phone Trends to Expect in 2012Both smartphone cameras and stand-alone cameras will become much more versatile next year, and it should be fun to watch. Here are the major photography trends to expect in 2012. Share:
RIP Technology: 10 Products and Services That Died in 2011From the Flip to Google Health, these tech losers showed promise--just not enough to keep them alive. Share:
Hide and Secure Data With Folder LockFolder Lock includes as complete set of security tools as you'll find, and it's as secure as your passwords. Share:
Ultrabooks: Laptops as Light as AirUltrabooks--from Acer, Asus, Lenovo, and Toshiba--promise to deliver enough power to satisfy your needs in a thinner, lighter package than previous Windows laptops could offer. We took the first Ultrabooks for a spin in the PCWorld Labs. Share:

Downloads: Editor's Collection
PCWorld's Favorite Downloads of 2011All year long, we PCWorld reviewers immerse ourselves in desktop programs and Web software. After evaluating a program, often we uninstall it but several of this year's finds earned places in our workflows and/or our hearts. These programs and services are the ones we reviewed for PCWorld Downloads and also kept using for our own productivity and enjoyment. Perhaps you started using them this year, too&and if not, well, a shiny new year is right around the corner.
Browse DownloadsAntivirus & Security • Design & Multimedia • Utilities • Games • Chat, Email, & the Web•

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