Laptops/PCs/Apple

Michael Fereday joined up with Acer in Budapest to bring us this report on the company’s latest batch of desktop and notebook models.

Yes now with this rather good quality webcam and microphone on a stand you also get an electronic fan to keep you cool while you have your video conversations. You can of course use either one individually.

Oh how circumstances have charged with more resources and an improved enlightened attitude towards the presence of IT within the school curriculum.

LinkSys, a division of the networking giant Cisco, have taken a bet on the success of 3G 'mobile' technology with the release of this hybrid gateway/router product.

This is a 500GB external hard disk but that is far from all of it’s abilities, apart from connecting to a PC it can also connect to a TV, DVD player or set top box and it can store your own digital movie and music library for playback on your TV or PC.

What is it with fast car references, Acer have their Ferrari high end offerings and ASUS have this Lamborghini offering, the Acer starts up with the sound of car moving past while this starts with a very throaty Lamborghini revving up.

I notice that there are five models in this range and on reading the specifications the differences seem very much the same –see the last link- luckily I was sent the entry level version.

Asus were the leaders in the new generation of ultra Mobile PCs but with more brands entering this market is the EeePC 900 worht the money?

Although we generally refer to the whole computer as being a personal device, it is really the keyboard and mouse that provides the personal touch to the system.

Not that long ago a 22inch panel would have cost a great deal, now it costs no more than a 15inch panel did at that same time. Here I am looking at a widescreen 22inch offering that has built in speakers.

The recent launch of six new Intel Centrino 2 processors, with a further eight to follow over the coming months, has provided the impetus for notebook manufacturers to refresh their range of offerings.

Flash drives have traditionally been fairly slow devices, but like all things to do with computers performance continues to improve over time. Here we compare two high-performance USB flash drives from Kingston and from Imation.

Although a number of institutions provide power sources for your mobile devices, there could be problems with other locations. Kensington offers a possible solution with its latest power adapter.

If you're one of those people that have to interact with virtual 3D worlds it's quite possible that you'll find using a mouse and keyboard either frustrating, limiting or both. A 2D pointing device just doesn't give enough flexibility to move in a 3D world.

Two forms of storage memory. The first from Dane Elec that looks exactly like a casino chip and the second from San Disc a Micro SD card reader. Both these items fit directly into a USB port.

From the lofty heights of London’s Millbank Tower, Toshiba revealed a new processor and some notebook models.

Another pair of items that have been used together with the Space Station and USB light reviewed a few days ago. First the Microsoft Wireless Notebook Laser Mouse and second a very neat and compact DVD-RW USB2 drive that will work with any PC or notebook.

Here I am looking at two useful accessories from different manufactures that work well together. First an item to clear up the clutter of wires for everything that connects to a notebook. The second provides that light just where you need it courtesy of a USB port.

A central London location was the setting for the UK launch of Acer’s latest mobile product. Michael Fereday was there.

Back in the days of 1.44MB (or less) floppy drives Iomega gave you huge storage on a cassette that was only a little larger than that 3.5inch floppy. Now with 250GB and larger USB drives does a 120GB Iomega cassette still have a place?

A small notebook with a great number of extras. If you want a full featured small notebook then providing you are not on a small budget then you should certainly give this a look.

No I am not going to tell you about my girlfriend. The Cherry Marlin is wireless cordless desktop (keyboard and mouse) set, that I can honestly say took less than two minutes to setup.

Is it a notebook docking station? Or is it a keyboard? In this case it is the Logitech Alto Cordless product which combines both features.

In the past extending your computers storage meant choosing internal disks and getting performance, or external and getting ease of use and flexibility.

A tablet PC that weights 800grams and has a true 8 hours of battery life, it has a keyboard – of sorts – as well as the touchscreen one. Anyone who needs a lightweight PC it’s here.

Desktop sets continue to evolve with addition functions and design features to aid the user at both work and play.

For reasons best known to Acer they launched these new notebooks on Maundy Thursday in the UK when I am told the same presentation was done seven days ago in New York.

While it may be small and eminently portable, Fujitsu’s latest external hard disk does not stint on capacity.

Here I am looking at two mice different in shape and connections. The first from Logitech the VX Nano that has a tiny wireless connector. The second from Kensington that takes shape to the extreme the SlimBlade Trackball mouse.

Flash memory is a small miracle - but it doesn't come without problems. Unlike the veritable floppy that has remain unchanged now for over a decade, flash emory formats change more frequently than government ministers.