Laptops/PCs/Apple

If like me you can remember the early floppy disc – long before hard discs – then a MB was a great deal of space, early hard drives were a few MB, now we talk is hundreds of GB and so on till we arrive at the TB an even larger measure.

A novel design for this hard drive has it sitting up in a cradle, it can be removed if you wish, however this unit has a decent front end of software that offers more than just a hard drive and even then there is a little something extra.

Here a four port Gigabit router and then for those who need more a second ‘switch’ that gives you another eight connections. Both these items are the latest high specification offerings from the Cisco’s Linksys branding.

My first disk-based computer stored its operating system and additional software on a single 360K floppy (yes it was bendable) 5.25-inch disk. Oh how things have changed.

This is the size of a Netbook but it is an Android tablet, as far as I know this is the first non screen type device produced by Hanns.G although of course it has a screen, a rather nice touch screen at that, but its all about what’s inside.

The first device for all those who have important data on IDE drives, the second for those with more modern kit who simply want to copy – or clone – the data onto another drive. The first needs USB and second can work independently.

The 500GB Hitachi LifeStudio Mobile is an external 2.5inch hard drive does not require external power. It is in an attractive light blue and grey shell and comes supplied with desk cradle complete with a double-headed cable about 1 metre long plus a separate USB cable about 50cm long. Thus, together, the user is provided with the cradle for desktop use and the short cable for use while on the move.

No shiny black, is the first thing most will notice about this latest Notebook from Samsung, if only there was not a reflective screen nothing would be shiny at all. So what does the RC510 have to offer once you start it up?

It is amazing the difference viewing a video or photo using a decent flat panel makes even if the source is a decent laptop. Most videos today are shot in HD and viewing at less – whatever the size of the panel – is a determent.

While I personally am quite happy using a Trackpad I know a lot of people do not like them but in certain situations such as using a laptop on your lap there is nowhere to put the mouse not so here. Having a mouse platform then this is the ideal mouse to use with it.

The first item is from Iomega and is the first 1TB drive that I have seen that does not need external power even on a Netbook. The second is a device around the size of a credit card and as such will probably be kept in a wallet.

Often for the person who just does Word Processing, works the family accounts using a Spreadsheet, sends and receives Email, and of course browses the Internet a Netboot is all one will need. One to consider might be this Samsung offering.

Walk into any branch of Dixons, Currys or Comets and you will be faced by numerous laptops from various manufacturers. One of them could well be the topic of this review.

At the start of last year I told you about an early SSD unit from Kingston. Now around 18 months later the next generation of units are available in sizes giving a much larger capacity and of course the real advantage faster access.

Now 1 and 2GB USB sticks are common and cost not a lot, 4GB and 8GB are almost normal but 16GB are still something a little bit special. The smaller sticks are coming in fancy clothing even as a small paperclip type device.

I know I have a weakness for reviewing flat panels and then buying them. So here I will try to avoid it, lack of funds makes it easier, however when you use a panel without problems for a couple of weeks then you become attached.

A lot of men are obsessed with size; here perhaps the ladies will like this because of its lack of size. This computer from Prestigio is tiny and can be shipped either with Windows 7 or as was here with a version of Linux.

I first saw this when USB3 was very new, now a number of months later it still seems new. However the thing that stuck out for me then – and still does now when I finally got to review it – are the superb Bang & Olufsen speakers.

A new netbook from Asus comes with two "firsts". One was to do with Asus while the other was a first for me.

This is a small neat Netbook with the faster Intel 1.66GHz processor and Windows Starter edition. Ideal for travelling as with the larger battery you could get a days use. While colour is not important to me this cream and grey offering is nice.

Yes I know it’s been a long time since I have reviewed any HP PC’s but once a company changes agencies it often takes a long time to get involved again. Now of course almost everything is Notebook, Netbook or touchscreen Tablet, here all three.

This is exactly what a modern notebook should be, well specified and easy to use. The latter is handled by it having a full suite of touch modules built it so things that used to need the mouse can now be completed using your fingers.

Netgear’s N300 RangeMax wireless gigabit ADSL2+ modem router DGN3500 has been designed to provide the higher speeds that users increasingly demand. In addition to its wide range of LAN and WAN features it can also support an external USB storage device.

On the face of it very like the professional notebook that I recently reviewed from Samsung however despite having USB3 ports gone is the non reflective screen and back has come the normal shiny black that shows fingermarks.

My first joy on opening the box was that it was not P I N K (the original PogoPlug was) this was a far more normal black. So what can the PogoPlug Pro do – apart from save your eyes – that the original PogoPlug cannot.

The last long term test panel I reviewed I ended up buying. That was when flat panels were in their infancy. This one I have been using for several months and yes I have purchased it yet again, it’s lighter, bigger and brighter.

I have been fortunate to have this longer than a standard test which means I have been able to test a larger range of software and hardware with it than normal. This is a high end offering and the differences can be found.

Adding to its popular Aspire One family of products, Acer has released the D255 model. This is a 10.1-inch netbook.

Archos has brought together media player features and Internet tablet functionality with the Android operating system

Two solutions for those who do not have a Blu-ray player and those who do not have USB3 ports that are required to run the first solution. Buffalo provide the USB3 Blu-ray drive and Lindy provides the solution for those needing US3 ports.