BusinessWeek -- Technology & You

Macs account for less than 20% of the U.S. retail market, according to NPD Group, but nearly 90% of the $1,000-plus segment. Apple does so by focusing on a superior user experience and shunning advice to boost share by pursuing the low end of the market

It's only been a year since the release of the first Android phone, and the Google platform has matured amazingly in that time. The Motorola Droid is not an iPhone killer, but it's a smartphone that can stand up to the Apple's device on its own terms.

Microsoft's support for a wide range of iPhone-like touch gestures in its Windows 7 operating system gives software developers freedom to focus on the creative aspects of touch rather than the mechanics. That should help touch move into the mainstream

The original BlackBerry Storm, released a year ago, was marred by poor execution of its touch screen. The new Storm 2's may swing the balance away from physical keyboards. It's no longer worthwhile to put up with a tiny display or a clumsy slider design.

Win 7 has a lot in common with the reviled Vista. By eliminating the sluggishness and annoying quirks of Vista and taking cues from the better ideas in the Mac OS X interface--an old OS tradition--Win 7 is slick and pleasant to use where Vista was clunky.

Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5 is at best a stopgap until a truly new version is ready. The iPhone has already passed it. Worst problem: touchscreen phones that both lack the latest touch technologies and provide sluggish and inconsistent support for touch

The Garmin-Asus nuvifone G60 is an excellent personal navigation device on a mediocre phone. At 299 dollars (after rebate) with a two-year AT & T contract , it's cheaper to get an iPhone with a navigation app. You'd have a poorer navigator, but a much ...

There's no direct way to upgrade from Windows XP to Windows 7, or from 32-bit Vista to 64-bit Win 7, but Laplink, one of the oldest publishers of PC software, can make things a lot easier with a migration tool called PCmover

Microsoft's Zune is never going to beat Apple's iPod Touch and iPhone as a media player. Gaming--and integration with the Xbox--could be Zune's secret weapon. But it's hard to tell, since Zune HD was released with an understocked app store

Microsoft failed to score in security software with a product called OneCare. It's free antivirus program, can't compare to heavyweight security offerings from the likes of Symantec and McAfee, but it will meet the needs of most Windows users

Win 7 is the best OS Microsoft has offered in years. But you may need a new computer to fully enjoy it. Upgrading from XP means reinstalling all your applications. And going to 64-bit Win 7 to access 3 GB of additional memory raises similar issues

Snow Leopard is short on the eye candy Apple is famous for. But there's a lot of engineering under the covers. The new OS supports Exchange, and software like Grand Central Dispatch and OpenCL ready the OS for a future of massively multicore computers.

Arik Hesseldahl tries Google Voice and RingCentral, two Internet call-management services, one aimed at consumers, the other at businesses, which can help simplify the multiphone life

Printer manufacturers are trying to stay relevant by adding Web connections and software to their devices, letting users print without having to use a computer

Stripped-down devices offer big savings on hardware costs and software support

The first Android smartphone, T-Mobile's G1, wasn't very good and didn't give the software a fair test. The myTouch, the U.S. version of HTC's Magic, is an improvement. More Android phones are coming, but it's a crowded field and the iPhone is way ahead.

Lenovo's ThinkPad T400s and Acer's Timeline 3128 are similar. But the ThinkPad starts at $1,600 while the Acer goes for $900. What does the $700 buy? In general, a laptop that is better in many ways, though the Timeline offers much better battery life.

Nokia's making another stab at the U.S. mobile phone market, led by the E71x. But despite an attractive $100 price with an AT&T contract, the E71x doesn't stand out in the crowded smartphone field

Desktop PCs have been fading from the scene for years, but they may be poised for a modest rebound. One big reason is the combination of big touchscreen models--the Dell Studio One or the Hewlett-Packard TouchSmar--and the multitouch features of Windows ...