Laptops - Notebooks - Laptop Computers - Desktops - News

by Molly McCall

In an interview on Wednesday, John McCain said he doesn't know how many homes he and his wife own. This confession hit the Web like an under-priced condo in a mortgage-friendly market. Demand for "john mccain homes" whizzed up the Search charts, and articles on the gaffe filled the Buzz.

This is hardly the first time that a presidential candidate found himself at the center of a housing spectacle. In 2004, news about John Kerry's multiple addresses also stirred buzz. But men seeking to leave their residences behind in favor of a big white house on Pennsylvania Avenue aren't the only ones to spark real estate envy.

Interest in the homes owned by public personalities has long drawn searchers to the Web, especially when those personalities are willing to drop a chunk of change on their digs. The abodes of gazillionaires Bill Gates, Tiger Woods, and Indian magnate Mukesh Ambani consistently attract online oglers. Rumors about Tiger's sprawling places have pinged about the Internet for so long that we now log regular look-ups of "snopes tiger woods house."

Lebron James may not be as rich as Gates or Woods, but interest in his Ohio residence and its generous swathe of square footage is still a regular stop for Web searchers. King James moved into his castle last December. Ever since, searchers have sought more of its pictures, its plans, and even its blueprints.

Finally, Ed McMahon spurred buzz recently on his Beverly Hills living quarters, though not for its size or lavishness. Rather, news that the "Tonight Show" wingman was in danger of losing his domicile pushed queries upwards. Luckily, Donald Trump swept in to save the day. For once in our lives, we found ourselves saying, "Thank goodness for that big bouffant of a real estate mogul."

As to the question of the McCains' real estate holdings, the answer is a perfect 10. According to The Huffington Post, the group Progressive Accountability lists the Arizona family's property count as "an even 10 homes, ranches, condos, and lofts." Well, at that many, anyone could lose count.

by Claudine Zap

The music wasn't enough. Neither was the popular Broadway show or the frothy movie starring Meryl Streep. And so Hollywood has given us "Mamma Mia! The Sing-Along Edition." The flick will open August 29 nationwide. Searches for "mamma mia soundtrack" surged today, possibly in anticipation of this latest Abba-infused event.

But if Mamma Mia doesn't get your groove on, there are plenty of soundtracks to choose from. Here are the top soundtracks in Yahoo! Search for the last 30 days.

1.	Mamma Mia Soundtrack		11.	10 Things I Hate About You Soundtrack
2.	A Walk to Remember Soundtrack		12.	Watchmen Soundtrack
3.	Pineapple Express Soundtrack		13.	Knocked Up Soundtrack
4.	Freaky Friday Soundtrack		14.	How High Soundtrack
5.	Shallow Hal Soundtrack		15.	21 Soundtrack
6.	Dark Knight Soundtrack		16.	8 Mile Soundtrack
7.	Step Up Soundtrack		17.	A Cinderella Story Soundtrack
8.	Step Up 2		18.	All You've Got Soundtrack
9.	School of Rock Soundtrack		19.	Almost Famous Soundtrack
10.	Van Wilder Soundtrack		20.	American Mall Soundtrack

Newer Technology is offering new back-to-school gear including new batteries for old laptops and a PC toolkit.

by Mike Krumboltz

Technology is supposed to make life easier. Supposed to. Alas, high-tech programs and gadgets often have the opposite effect. That ironic injustice must be the reason behind the popularity of tutorial searches.

Each and every week, we notice an avalanche of lookups for all kinds of tutorials. Topping the list on a consistent basis is Photoshop. Either the picture editing program is extremely complicated, or the tutorials are insanely fun. Lookups for "photoshop tutorial" are currently five times as popular as the runner-up, "excel tutorials."

We took a look at the most popular tutorial searches for the past seven days. The list is full of programs that we have no idea how to use. Perhaps these searches can help? Enjoy!

1.	Photoshop Tutorials		11.	Microsoft Access Tutorial
2.	Excel Tutorials		12.	C++ Tutorial
3.	HTML Tutorials		13.	SQL Tutorial
4.	Visual Basic Tutorials		14.	CSS Tutorial
5.	Visual Basic Tutorial		15.	GIMP Tutorials
6.	PHP Tutorial		16.	Java Tutorials
7.	Flash Tutorials		17.	Solidworks Tutorial
8.	Dreamweaver Tutorial		18.	After Effects Tutorial
9.	Spam Firewall Tutorial		19.	Microsoft Word Tutorial
10.	Autocad Tutorial		20.	XML Tutorial

If you've got a MacBook Pro, you've got an ExpressCard/34 slot (instead of the old PC Card slot). Jeff Carlson explains a few of the ways you can use that slot to beef up your laptop.

by Molly McCall

So, it was all a fake. The so-called Bigfoot hunters of the north Georgia woods cobbled together bogus DNA samples and stuffed an oversized gorilla suit into a freezer. Nice going, guys.

However, not all was lost on this bum hoax of a tale. A lot of people got their Halloween costume ideas early this year.

Since word hit that the Bigfoot discovery was a big fat lie, demands for "bigfoot costume" and "deluxe sasquatch costume" have hoofed it up the Buzz. Even "gorilla costumes" has enjoyed a swing across the Search box. Extra candy to anyone who incorporates the ice box into their hairy get-up.

Of course, Sasquatch-seekers aren’t the only ones thinking ahead to October. Over the past seven days, lookups have spiked for costumes depicting fairies, Lara Croft, Tinkerbell, and the Joker.  But no Caped Cruasader. Apparently, Bigfoot beats Batman at this point in the game.  

by Mike Krumboltz

Think Harry Potter is over the hill? Think the boy wizard no longer garners fanaticism among his fans? Think again, muggle!

Upon hearing that Warner Bros. would delay the release of the sixth film from November to June, fans turned to the Web to voice their displeasure in ALL CAPS. Warner Bros., eager to keep the herd of angry nerds from storming its gates, quickly responded.

The president of the studio, Alan Horn, released a statement explaining that the decision was not taken lightly, and even pointed out a silver lining. With the sixth film, "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince," pushed back until June, fans won't have to wait as long between it and the seventh (and final) flick, scheduled for a November 2010 release.

As far as silver linings go, this one is stretching it, especially if the last film gets delayed as well. But the fact that a studio president responded to online grumbling is, in and of itself, news.

Various stories focusing on the delay cast a spell over the Buzz, including this cheeky item from Defamer. For anyone who wants to read Mr. Horn's full letter, MovieWeb has a copy of the entire missive. And, for the hardcore Harry worshipers, CNET reports that Scholastic will sponsor an all-day read-a-thon of the boy wizard's first adventure. The event will be broadcast live on the Web on September 23 (barring any delays).

by Claudine Zap

...Mum's the word. Political junkies are getting nada from Barack Obama on his VP selection. According to the New York Times, "Mr. Obama had not notified his choice - or any of those not selected - of his decision as of late Monday, advisers said." But even if advisors' lips are sealed, that doesn't stop searchers from vetting their own candidates. Surging today: "potential running mates," "obama vice president," and "obama running mate."

...So give us a name. While "joseph biden" (+287%) is getting respectable interest, Kathleen Sebelius shot up an even more impressive 551%. The governor of Kansas is considered a more daring choice to share the ticket.

... Mack’s pick. Though not as imminent an announcement, searches are big on the John McCain veep selections as well, with "mitt romney," "tim pawlenty, " and "mccain vice president" each lighting up the Buzz. 

...Conspicuously absent today: Hillary Clinton, a top choice for Obama's number two, according to recent polls. The ex-presidential candidate has been running at the top of search for the last 30 days.

Intel said its next-generation platform for laptops will provide more visually stunning graphics and better power management features.

by Mike Krumboltz

Most people couldn't function without their cell phones. But mobile-addicts should beware—according to a popular article within the Buzz, it's becoming alarmingly easy for strangers to hack your phone and monitor your every move.

The blog "Geeks are Sexy" breaks down the myriad methods. First off, nefarious types can install software on a victim's phone. This mobile spyware allows the monitoring of conversations and text messages. But wait, that's not all.

More and more phones have GPS functions. Is that good or bad? According to Geeks are Sexy, the suspicious and unscrupulous could follow a person's movements with just a simple text message. After the victim opens the message, his or her cell phone is then tracked via an online map. Guaranteed to make you think twice before you play hookie.

Geeks are Sexy goes on to explain that there are also "dozens of programs" that turn a cell phone into a long-range listening device. Fortunately, searches on these devices are low indicating only a few folks are bothering to take advantage. For now.

Is all this scary? Absolutely. Legal? Heck if we know. But keep in mind that there are ways to monitor your own cell phone for suspicious spyware. If you hear clicking noises or see the phone light up at strange times, take it in to your provider for a check-up. Big brother (or ex-boyfriend) may be listening.