Laptops/PCs/Apple

Now that Windows 8 is here we will have to get to grips with it. Even if we haven’t bought a new machine with it installed, all too often, friends and relatives assume we know it all -- even if we haven’t even used it. Windows 8 for Dummies follows on in the wake of previous Windows books in the series and is suitable for both the beginner who is new to computers and the more experienced user who is also faced with something new.

All Android tablets are the same is something I have heard stated, well I disagree and here is a great example of a company giving more than you normally get, one such added extra is a full size USB port so importing or exporting is just a matter of attaching a USB stick.

Netgear’s readyNAS duo V2 is arguably the ideal storage centre for the advanced home user or small business. Documents, images, and video files etc. can be uploaded to the readyNAS and then shared across the LAN or even remotely over the Internet. As it can accommodate 1 or 2 SATA drives each having a capacity of up to 3TB, and has two USB 3.0 and one USB 2.0 ports, it will prove more than adequate for the vast majority of users.

The wise think of fitting surge strips in their home but what about for the notebook when on your travels. The second is a device to allow you to get an e-SATA connection from a USB port, designed for USB3 but works with USB2.

This should be the first of several Philips items to come to be reviewed as they now have a PR Person to oversee things. Certainly I have requested things before but the requests always seemed to disappear into a black hole.

The Prestigo MultiPad is a 9.7inch Android device with things provided as standard that a lot of other manufacturers say are extras. However this is somewhat of a ‘curates egg’ device as it has faults to go along with the rather nice bits.

Here I have two external USB drives, the first from Freecom is large at 2GB and the second is 500GB but they do make a 1GB version, the first is intended for PC use while the second is made for use in the Apple market.

A powerful notebook with lots of memory and joy of joys no shiny black in sight anywhere as the whole thing is silver grey. The screen is of course reflective but not nearly as much as a lot of other offerings I have used.

While we all know that it is essential to back up our data, all too often we don’t do it routinely. As Verbatim’s new Store’n’Go USB3.0 portable hard drive is small and comes with back-up software so making it just that bit more convenient to use. Hence, it is just the device to make it more likely for us to get into the habit which will reduce the risk of coming to grief.

This is a 27inch flat panel that has a smooth edge at the top and sides. It has the ability to show multiple screens on one screen and perhaps the newest feature via a micro USB to USB lead the screen from recent mobile devices.

As laptops are increasingly becoming the computers of choice, users want speakers which do not take up a lot of space and yet deliver the required performance. The SoundBlasterAxx SBX8 is the smallest in the series from Creative Technologies which, in addition to providing improved audio, incorporates a microphone so is also ideal for Skype and other VoIP services.

Having spent good money on a new laptop, it is only sensible to look after it. One of the first things to do is to choose a suitable laptop bag that will protect it from knocks and other damage as well as ensuring that the necessary cables and power brick are all in one place. STM and Techair are two of the manufacturers producing ranges of bags to fit the different machine sizes and to meet a wide variety of needs. The shoulder (messenger) bags that I’ve looked at fr

A large panel that is not limited to 1920x1080 resolution. In fact in can display up to 2560x1440 which is a good step up from 1920x1080, this of course can be used to show more detail or just to display more than a single window.

This is possibly the best Android Tablet that I have used so far. I will qualify that statement by saying it is most like a standard PC notebook and therefore easiest to use by anyone coming from a PC background to use an Android device.

Netgear XAVB5201 Powerline 500Mbps adapter kit provides a viable alternative to wireless or long Ethernet cables for adding an extra device in another part of the house onto one’s network. It is quick and easy to set up and has the speed to meet virtually every need including online gaming or HD TV streaming or even providing a convenient means of connecting a printer, that lacks a wireless connection, connected as one moves it from one room to another around the house.

A small notebook from Acer that I assume is aimed more at the office market as joy of joys no shiny screen surround to show your fingermarks. It also comes with a rather large battery that protrudes down at the rear of it.

This is another in a range of larger flat panels to have recently crossed my desk. This one has VGA, DVI and Displayport connections as well as USB to power a hub. Here however you can control how high off the desk it is.

A long time ago in the early years of ‘PC’s’ there was a phrase around saying ‘no one ever got sacked for buying IBM’. While things have changed a huge amount you still see a lot of ThinkPads around in everyday use.

A few days ago I was sent a link and passcode to download Windows 8. So with fingers crossed I embarked on making a two year old notebook that has become slower and slower become a more useful member of society.

The buzzword around today is Ultrabook not simply because they are small and light but they also boot exceedingly fast. So what exactly does this Acer unit have to offer that will make you reach into your wallet to buy.

A large desktop monitor that can – should you wish - be split into up to four windows, so four displays on a single screen. While the basic resolution is still 1920x1080 with a decent video card then DVD watching can be a new experience.

What’s in a name? Do we call this next product the iPad 3 or the New iPad? As long as we regard it as the latest addition to Apple’s iconic tablet range, I don’t think it matters all that much. You can call it what you like (personally I tend to use “Oi you” or “Thingy” if I am in a particularly good mood at the time) as long as it does what you want when you want (I will not mention the words I use if this does not happen).

Normally to boot a PC you need a DVI or VGA monitor connected. Recently I reviewed a unit that could be a second unit for notebook that had only a USB lead, so this unit was a new thing for me as it has neither DVI nor VGA.

This is the larger sibling to the offering reviewed on the 13th August, that was 8inches this that bit larger at 9.7inches. So apart from the larger screen what else has this to offer both are running the latest version of Android.

After recently reviewing a couple of light offerings that had SSD to give rapid booting, its back to a larger business notebook but as its high end you lose that horrible shiny black screen surround that shows all the fingermarks.

Its not often the weight on something is the first thing I mention, this notebook is 1155grams and is also extremely thin. But it still has a 13.3inch screen and good connectivity. The only thing missing is an optical drive.

Not just another thin notebook - it is very thin – but this has a far bigger selling point. Simple figures, initial boot time 70 seconds, initial shutdown time 25 seconds, once the 16GB SSD second drive gets to work boot is 20 seconds and shutdown 10 seconds

This 22inch LED backlite unit has a circular base and support arm that allows much more adjustment than with other such units. It also has a range of multiple video modes for those who like the colour set to go with changes.

Due to a rearrangement in the way Acer contact their press relations it has meant an extended period with no new products being available for review. Here the first to emerge an Intel i5 2450m bearing the Acer Aspire V3 571 name.

Fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) and cable now offer faster broadband speeds even though they are still lower than can be achieved over the LAN. Despite this users are demanding higher wired and wireless LAN data rates. TRENDnet’s TEW-692GR 802.11n router has Gigabit wired ports as well as 450Mbps concurrent dual band wireless and so is targeted at those who want the highest possible level of performance for gaming and video streaming around the house.