Researchers at the MIT Media Lab's Fluid Interfaces Group are prototyping new, novel and more natural ways for people to interact with computers and access and store information. Their innovations have been designed to improve and enrich our personal and professional lives, making it easier to create, communicate, collaborate and even cook. Here are 10 inventions that enhance human-computer interactions, improve the in-store shopping experience, and even help us kick bad habits

Thunderbolt ports on Apple's current Macintosh computers will be compatible with upcoming fiber optic cables, which should be ready by next year, an Intel spokesman said.

About a year ago, my computer started acting funny. It would freeze up, applications would randomly crash, and I even got a BSOD (Blue Screen of Death) or two. After a few hours of suffering through this erratic behavior, I realized it might be due to my CPU overheating. That's when I quickly downloaded and installed Core Temp (free).

It's been a while since I did a Q&A--my last one was back in February, on fixing Windows, tweaking Office, and adding ports--and my mailbox is filling up again with reader pleas for help. This week, advice on dealing with a balky browser, choosing new gear for your PC, and customizing Windows folder icons.