E-Commerce News: Reviews

Droid: Enjoyed
November 06, 2009

If I had my way, I would encourage Verizon Wireless to invest in both hologram technology and more "Star Wars" film rights. That would allow the carrier to hire an Alec Guinness lookalike who could pop up in 3-D visions in Verizon stores across the country, wave his hand over racks full of Motorola's new smartphone, and in full Obi-Wan Kenobi drag intone the words, "these are the Droids you're looking for."

Southwest Doesn't Fool Around
November 06, 2009

This week, I headed southwest as I continued making the rounds of travel-planning Web sites for the E-Commerce Times. My first impression of Southwest Airlines' Web site was that its online presence faithfully reflected its corporate persona: It looked to be a roll-up-your sleeves, no nonsense outfit.

Chorus Should Sound Great Once More Singers Join In
November 05, 2009

The iTunes App Store became 100,000 applications strong this week, and it took less than a year and a half to get there. Would it surprise you to know that not every last one of those apps is a perfect work of art? Yes, believe it or not, many of the apps that compete for your attention in the App Store are pretty worthless.

'Dragon Age' Puts a Little GTA in the RPG
November 04, 2009

The role-playing fantasy has been a staple of electronic gaming since the 1970s, when students cobbled together interactive quests on university mainframes. However, the genre has fallen out of favor in recent years, overtaken by grittier dramas like the "Grand Theft Auto" and "Call of Duty" franchises. "Dragon Age: Origins" tries to bring some of that grit to the fantasy role-playing game.

'DJ Hero' Puts a Great New Spin on Music Gaming
November 03, 2009

I was never much one for "Guitar Hero." Playing "Smoke on the Water" 50 times while holding a pint-sized plastic guitar just never really got the blood flowing. I've been waiting for something better, and now it's here. Activision's new "DJ Hero" has solved my music video game plight. It's got better music, better action and is frankly just a lot less goofy feeling than "Guitar Hero."

JetBlue: Light on Frills, Heavy on Friendly
October 30, 2009

My tour of travel-planning Web sites for the E-Commerce Times has included stops at some of the aggregator sites, some discount companies and some alternative services. I'm now entering new territory with explorations of the Web sites of the operators themselves. First stop: JetBlue, a discount airline that has carefully cultivated a customer-friendly reputation.

Song Sift Solves a Problem for Picky Podsters
October 29, 2009

It's been about a decade since the first practical MP3 players started popping up, and 10 years is plenty of time to collect a positively bloated library of digital music. Perhaps you got in at the ground floor with Napster in '99 and loaded up on free tunes before the music industry decided to do something about it. Maybe you remain a proud pirate, Bay or no Bay.

Windows 7 Is a Snooze
October 29, 2009

Windows 7 is on my wish list. I wish Microsoft didn't raise the equipment ante required to run its new operating system. I wish Microsoft built in an easy upgrade path from Windows XP. I wish Microsoft provided Windows 7 with some kind of Wow Factor that gave me a compelling reason to change my computing strategy. Instead, all I got in my experience with Microsoft's latest OS release is a yawn.

Windows 7 Gets Rid of the Gimmicks
October 26, 2009

Is it damning with faint praise to say that Windows 7 is definitely not Windows Vista? Probably. After the misfire that was Microsoft's previous operating system, those words alone may be enough to push consumers off the computer-buying fence -- when you couple them with the bargain-basement deals that await PC shoppers over the next few weeks.

Priceline Is Weak Sauce for Shatner's Hype
October 23, 2009

As I got ready to jump off at the next stop on my whirlwind tour of travel-planning Web sites, I found myself in the grip of something close to excitement. Trying out Priceline.com was going to be a new experience for me as well -- but it already felt familiar, thanks to my beloved William Shatner (hello, fellow Trekkies) and his branding of the site.

Google Wave Beta: Some Undertow, but Lots of Potential
October 22, 2009

Five months of hype have roiled the waters for Google Wave. Is it an Outlook killer? The search giant's idea of a social network? One unified communications tool to rule us all? The buzz began at May's Google I/O Developer conference. Now, after much talk in the tech blogosphere and among analysts, Wave is finally in preview mode.

'Rock Band' for iPhone Knows the Words, but the Tone Is Flat
October 22, 2009

When it comes to games, Apple's App Store isn't just a flea market where independent and small-scale developers can earn a few bucks peddling momentary amusements for 99 cents a pop. Giant game makers like EA, Capcom and Ubisoft sometimes set up shop, and when they do, they're not afraid to charge top dollar, as App Store games go.

Windows 7 - Slick OS, but Not Worth an Upgrade
October 18, 2009

Next week, Microsoft is releasing Windows 7, a slick, much improved operating system that should go a long way toward erasing the bad impression left by its previous effort, Vista. If you've been holding off on buying a new computer, Windows 7 will be a good excuse to get back into the game. If you've been weighing a Mac versus a Windows PC, then you should know that "7" makes Windows more attractive.

Hotwire Helps You Score a Cool Deal
October 16, 2009

Hotwire is a discount site that sells off unsold inventory by masking the identity of the hotel or rental car service or airline until the purchase is complete. I have to confess the concept never appealed to me that much -- it conjured up visions of middle-row airline seats and secluded hotels that could serve as sets for the movie "Psycho" -- and thus, I dismissed it. I was wrong.

Photoshop for iPhone: Premium Version, Please
October 15, 2009

It's slowly becoming apparent that cellphone photos need not look awful. Some phone are hitting the market with 8 or more megapixels, approaching the sort of resolution you'd get on a low-cost pocket cam. That's still not nearly professional hardware, but it sure will come out better than the muddy, washed-out tile mosaics you used to get from camera phones.

Charging Station Smackdown: Powermat vs. Duracell
October 08, 2009

It's a pain to keep track of the chargers that go with cellphones, media players and other small electronics. It's even more annoying to stuff multiple power cords and adapters in your bag when you go out of town. What if you could charge things without plugging them in? I've started doing just that.