New Computer Products from Microsoft and Apple

Posted on October 25, 2012 by Tom Sullivan

This past week was indeed a big one for tech news, since two of the most iconic companies of the PC-era, Microsoft and Apple, both had major announcements about multiple products.

MICROSOFT

Windows 8
Microsoft is making one of their biggest operating system changes in the move to Windows 8, which will be officially available tomorrow (October 26). The new OS is a radical departure that some people really love and others… not so much.

CNET’s review of Windows 8 praised its fast boot time, gorgeous apps, Sync feature, security improvements, and affordable $40 upgrade price (only $15 if you bought your PC after June 2 this year). They did warn users about a steep learning curve. Read the full Windows 8 review here.

Or check out this CNET Windows 8 buying guide for the pros and cons of various product configurations.

Surface
The other big Microsoft news is the Surface, the first ever computer (a tablet) made by Microsoft. Most reviewers praised Microsoft for its bold new ideas for a tablet. Th most common critique was the disappointingly small number of available apps (no Facebook, Instagram, Angry Birds, Spotify, etc.). Surface prices range from $499 – $699 depending on configuration. It will be available in Microsoft Stores tomorrow but you can pre-order the Surface from Microsoft now. Read a round-up of Microsoft Surface reviews on the Wall Street Journal website or this in-depth review from Wired.com.

APPLE

Apple’s press event on Tuesday was anticipated as an announcement of a smaller version of the iPad. It was that. But Apple also announced an upgraded version of its full sized iPad, a new all-in-one iMac, a new 13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display, and a new Mac Mini. You can read the New York Times’ live updates from the Apple product event here. Mashable also has a good round-up of all the new Apple products here.

iPad Mini
The mini is, not surprisingly, a mini version of the regular iPad. More specifically, it’s 7.87 in. x 5.3 in., and .68 pounds. If you held off getting an iPad because it was just too big, the mini may be perfect for you. It costs less, too. Though at a starting price of $329, the expense of the mini has generated the most negative comments. Read a review of the iPad mini on techradar.com.

iPad 4
The previous version of the iPad came out just last spring, so some recent buyers are miffed that Apple decided to release the new iPad 4. That said, it’s not that much different than the last one. The processor is faster, the Wi-Fi connectivity is more reliable, and there’s a new Lightning connector. But then again, the IPad 3 was already considered a pretty great tablet, so a few additional improvements make it that much better. Read a review of the iPad 4 on techradar.com.

iMac
Apple’s all-in-one desktop is getting a major refresh. Most notably, the new iMacs are now a lot thinner. Inside, they’re faster. There are some new hard drive options, including a hybrid SSD/traditional hard drive called Fusion Drive. And the displays are better than ever. They’re still available in 21.5-inch (from $1299) and 27-inch (from $1799). See a video demo of the new iMac on theVerge.com.

13-Inch MacBook Pro with Retina Display
The new 13-inch is thinner and lighter than the current 13-inch model. But the headline feature is the stunning Retina display, with a resolution of 2,560 x 1,600, which Apple introduced on the 15-inch MacBook last spring. DigitalTrends.com compares the Retina MacBook Pro with Sony’s Vaio Z and the old MacBook Pro.

Mac Mini
Mini is Apple’s only PC without a display. The new one is faster, has more memory, new hard drive options, and other upgrades. See CNET’s video review of the new Mac Mini.

How to Get EarthLink Email on Your iPad

Posted on May 31, 2012 by Tom Sullivan

The iPad has skyrocketed in popularity as an ultra-mobile laptop alternative. If you’re an EarthLink Dial-Up Internet or High-Speed Internet access member and you’ve got one, make sure it’s even more useful by setting it up to get your EarthLink email. It’s super-simple. Here’s how…

Click the Settings icon (shown here).
From Settings, click Mail, Contacts, Calendars.
In the Accounts section, click Add Account…
Click Other (the last option, shown below).
Click Add Mail Account (in the Mail section at the top of the screen).
Enter your Name, Email (full EarthLink email address), Password, and a Description (such as “EarthLink Email,” “Main EarthLink Email,” or just type your full email address again).
Click Next (upper right) to verify your account and complete your setup.

If for some reason your iPad cannot find your server settings automatically, you will have to manually enter them. Select the POP option if asked and completely fill out the Incoming and Outgoing Server sections. Under Incoming Mail Server, enter pop.earthlink.net for the Host Name. Under Outgoing Mail Server, enter smtpauth.earthlink.net as the Host Name. Make sure you use your full email address when completing the User Name fields. Click Done when you are finished.

If you have an EarthLink email address that doesn’t end in @earthlink.net, you can find out what incoming and outgoing server settings you should use by visiting this EarthLink Support Center page: http://support.earthlink.net/email/email-server-settings.php.

When you click the Mail icon on your iPad, you can now get your EarthLink email by going to All Inboxes (where you’ll also get email sent to other email addresses) or click the name you entered as your Description above to see only email for this EarthLink email address.

Apple, Google & EarthLink: Playing the Name Game

Posted on March 8, 2012 by Tom Sullivan

The really big technology news yesterday was Apple’s long-awaited iPad media event.

As with most Apple announcements, this one was preceded by a torrent of rumor and speculation.

Some of it had to do with features: would the new iPad get a Retina display (yes), would it get a better camera (yes), would it get 4G (yes), would it get Siri (not exactly).

But one of the biggest rumors was about the next iPad’s name. Would it be iPad 3 (which was the early favorite) or iPad HD (the hot, late-breaking rumor).

So what was it…HD or 3?

Turns out, neither. The new iPad was just referred to as the new iPad.

If you like to keep score, here’s an iPad rumor scorecard that itemizes the rumors and lets you know who got them right…and wrong.

And just the day before, another little tech company named Google made some announcements on its official blog about names.

Google’s Android Market, which hasn’t been around that long, is already being renamed: to Google Play.

The Google Music and Google eBookstore names will also go away as they are being incorporated into the new cloud-based Google Play.

If you’ve got an Android phone or tablet, look for the Android Market app to be upgraded to Google Play “over the coming days” (sorry we can’t be more specific). Your videos, books, and music apps will also be upgraded under the Google Play umbrella. Any previously purchased apps and media will now be available to you from Google Play.

If you want to check it out, now’s a good time because Google is celebrating the launch of Play by offering special promotions on music, movies, e-books, and apps every day for the next five days.

As for us…no, we didn’t change our name. We’re still EarthLink. But we did make a big name change late last year that some of you may have missed.

We consolidated our growing number of IT, network, and communication services for business (MPLS Networks , Integrated Voice & Data, Hosted Voice, Data Center Services , Cloud Hosting, and too many more to name here) in a new division called EarthLink Business.

The EarthLink Business name may be new to you, but we”re proud to say that the business division is already making a name for itself.

iPads and Other Tablet Computers Soar in Popularity

Posted on January 26, 2012 by Tom Sullivan

Just a few days ago, the Pew Internet & American Life Project released a report on the dramatic growth of tablet computers and e-readers over the recent holiday season.

In the U.S., the share of adults owning iPads and other tablets almost doubled in less than a month, jumping from 10% in mid-December 2011 to 19% in early January 2012. A merry Christmas indeed for gadget lovers.

The Pew study provided a breakdown of tablet computer ownership showing that it’s equal among men and women (each at 19%) and virtually equal among races. Older individuals (50+) are less likely to own a tablet but the 30-49 age range edged out the younger 18-29 range for top percentage of ownership. Tablet ownership increased steadily with education level and household income. Just under one third (31%) of college graduates and just over one third (36%) of those living in households earning more than $75,000 own a tablet.

At EarthLink, we know that much of this growth is attributed to the value of the Internet in people’s everyday lives. And we’re proud to be a part of it: we know that many EarthLink High Speed Internet access subscribers are using the Internet on their tablets powered by their Wi-Fi home networks.

And if you are an iPad or Android tablet user and an EarthLink member, we want to remind you that the full EarthLink online experience is available to you on your tablet.

You can visit your myEarthLink start page from your tablet computer to keep up on your personalized news and other information. You can go to My Account with your tablet if you want to make any changes to your EarthLink account (I added an EarthLink email address using my iPad earlier today). Your EarthLink email is also easily accessible by using your tablet’s browser to go to EarthLink Web Mail at webmail.earthlink.net. iPad owners can also use the following support tutorial for help setting up an iPad to check EarthLink email. You can, of course, also browse the EarthLink.net website for product information with your tablet, or cozy up to read a blog post, like this one.

If you’re part of this growing trend of tablet computer users, leave a reply in the comments below. Let us know which tablet you use and what you use it for. Tell us if you use your EarthLink high-speed access for Wi-Fi on your tablet. And let us know if you access any of the EarthLink websites with your tablet. We’d really love to hear from you.