Содержание выпуска: March 2016 — Tech Advisor

Microsoft ended 2015 with a cosmic aligning of sorts: all Windows 10 PCs and phones were aligned around a single build. It released a preview build of version 10586.29 on 4 December to Windows 10 Mobile Insiders, and now all eligible Windows 10 PCs and phones can upgrade to this build directly from Microsoft. Although Microsoft has not pushed Windows 10 Mobile to existing Windows 8.1 phones yet, virtually all of its new Lumia 950 (reviewed on page 30) and Lumia 950XL phones (pictured) have been upgraded to Windows 10. In announcing the new build, Microsoft’s corporate vice president of engineering systems Gabriel Aul said that more frequent updates were in the works. “As our partners and Microsoft ship new Windows 10 mobile devices and existing devices are upgraded to…

Samsung Electronics has agreed to pay Apple $548 million (£367m) in damages in a patent infringement lawsuit in California, which will be the first shot at compensation Apple will get in the dispute that has dragged on for several years with many twists and turns. The move by Samsung follows the rejection in November by the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit of a full-bench hearing to review the damages award in the patent dispute in the light of new information about an Apple patent. The South Korean company has confirmed to Apple that it will pay the iPhone maker the damages within 10 days of the delivery of Apple’s invoice to Samsung, according to a joint case management statement filed in the US District Court for the…

£49 inc VAT Contact amazon.co.uk Specifications 7in (10240x600, 171ppi) touchscreen; quad-core 1.3GHz processor; 1GB RAM; 802.11n Wi-Fi (2.4GHz only); Bluetooth (with support for A2DP); rear 2Mp camera, front VGA camera; 8GB internal storage; microSD slot for up to 128GB additional storage; 191x115x10.6mm; 313g You can buy the Fire for £49 from Amazon. That’s a crazy price for a brand-new tablet, but it really is that cheap. This price includes ‘special offers’ which means you’ll get adverts for products on the lock screen. When you buy the Fire you’ll see an option to pay £10 extra to remove these. You get a mains charger and USB cable in the box. The same tablet is available to buy as a Kids Edition for £99.99. This includes a special bumper case in blue…

The Wileyfox Storm’s design is plain from the front but impressively stylish at the back, with the embossed fox head logo and orange highlights £199 inc VAT Contact wileyfox.com Specifications 5.5in (1920x1080, 400ppi) 1080p Full HD; Cyanogen OS (based on Android 5.1 Lollipop); Qualcomm Snapdragon 615 (MSM8939) processor with up to 1.5GHz octa-core CPU; Adreno 405 GPU; 3GB RAM; 32GB internal storage; microSD up to 128GB; 20Mp rear camera, LED flash, auto-focus; 8Mp front camera with LED flash; Micro-SIM; Micro-USB; 3.5mm headset jack; Bluetooth version 4.0 LE; Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz); A-GPS; 4G LTE; 2500mAh removable battery; 77x156x9.2mm; 155g We were impressed by the Swift (currently number four in our best budget phones charts on page 130), so had high hopes for Wileyfox’s Storm. It’s slightly more expensive at £199, compared…

£199 inc VAT Contact microsoft.com/en-gb Specifications Corning Gorilla Glass 3, AMOLED screen, 32x12.8mm, 320x128 resolution, 255ppi; Li-polymer battery; claimed battery life: 48 hours; optical heart-rate sensor, 3-axis accelerometer, gyrometer, GPS, Ambient light sensor, Skin temperature sensor, UV sensor, Capacitative sensor, Galvanic skin response, Microphone, Barometer; Haptic vibration motor; Bluetooth 4.0 LE; USB charge cable; Compatible with iPhone, Android Windows Phone The Band 2 is the second generation wearable from Microsoft. A wristband/smartwatch hybrid that aims to make you both more productive, and more healthy. It is an important product for Microsoft, because it is intended to promote the Band platform to OEMs, in the hope that partners will come onboard and build other Microsoft wearables. But it is important for wearables in general. That’s because Microsoft has taken the long…

The cushions on the M400s are extremely comfortable and made from memory foam covered in sweat resistant protein leather £199 inc VAT Contact kef.com Specifications 40mm driver; 20Hz to 20kHz frequency response; 4dB sensitivity; 32 Ohm impedance; 30mW maximum input power; 1.3m cable; 3.5/3.5mm connector; 175g Following on from its impressive M500 headphones, Kef has launched the cheaper and more colourful M400 on-ear set. Price A pair of Kef M400s will cost you £199 and while that’s still a fair chunk of money, it’s £50 cheaper than the M500. An issue here is that Amazon has the flagship model at a cheaper price, just £194, unless you want the newly released all-black or all-white colours. Until the price of the M400 model drops there is a value for money issue…

There are two key changes for the new Mi Band Pulse, with the addition of an optical heart-rate scanner and an improved polycarbonate band £22 inc VAT Contact mi.com/en Specifications Fitness band with aluminium magnesium alloy tracker and polycarbonate band; supports Android 4.4+ or iOS 7.0+ devices; IP67 waterproof; optical heart-rate sensor; sleep tracking; activity tracking with daily stats notifications; incoming call reminder and app notifications; alarm; phone-unlock feature for Xiaomi phones or Android 5.0+ phones; 45mAh lithium-polymer battery, lasts up to 30 days; 37x13.6x9.9mm; 5.5g (tracker), (9g (band) When we reviewed the original Xiaomi Mi Band we gave the following verdict: “At £28.99, the Xiaomi Mi Band is an excellent-value, lightweight fitness band with outstanding battery life. It’s as accurate as any other fitness band, and we particularly like…

Colour graphics work well for graphs and charts for school reports and presentations, although they do slow the printer down to around 4ppm £39 inc VAT Contact hp.com/uk Specifications Four-colour A4 inkjet printer; 1200x1200dpi front resolution; 1200dpi scanner resolution; Wi-Fi, USB, Apple AirPrint; 60-sheet A4 paper tray; manual two-side printing; 158x438x310mm; 4.2kg In many ways, HP’s DeskJet 3630 is an absolute bargain. This compact multifunction device offers a printer, scanner and copier, complete with Wi-Fi connectivity and even support for Apple’s AirPrint for iOS devices. Design The plastic casing is rather flimsy and rattles a little while printing, but HP’s Printer Assistant software does offer a Quiet Mode that slows the print mechanism down a little and noticeably reduces the noise level. The Printer Assistant also helps to make up…

£99 inc VAT Contact sphero.com Specifications Robot ball controlled by OVAL programming language Sphero SPRK is a robot ball that helps teach children (and adults) how to program, from the basics to complex text-based coding. It’s incredibly fun, and a real innovation in the education, er, sphere. Sphero has been around for a while as a toy, with a bunch of fun apps that let you control the ball via your smartphone or tablet. Now that toy has grown up to teach coding, without losing any of its fun side. Learn to code Coding is now part of the UK national primary curriculum, and that’s scary to most parents and teachers, whose knowledge of coding is pretty much nonexistent. There are many great ways for children to learn how to…

£49 inc VAT Contact assassinscreed.ubi.com System requirements PC; Sony PlayStation 4; Microsoft Xbox 360 Another year, another 30-odd hours of our life and another Assassin’s Creed. It’s tempting to call Syndicate a return to form because, well, it is. It’s the best offering since Black Flag, which was in turn the best since Brotherhood, and on we go back to 2007 when this whole series started and the idea seemed fresh and intriguing. We miss those days. The truth is that even a great Assassin’s Creed game has that ‘we’ve been there before’ feeling. Syndicate keeps the dialogue light and snappy, ditches the companion app, pares back (a bit) the amount of pointless filler missions, and shows off a breathtaking rendition of Victorian London. However, it’s still Assassin’s Creed. You…

Even in 2016, it’s going to be tough to go much longer than 24 hours without charging your smartphone. Better battery technology hasn’t arrived yet, which means it’s down to software and settings to eke out the limited power for as long as possible. Unfortunately, you’re never going to get a week’s use out of a smartphone because of those big, bright screens along with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS and 3G. However, by following our advice and making a few simple changes to your phone’s settings (and maybe even changing the way you use your phone) you should be able to extend its battery life by a good chunk. These days there’s a huge choice of portable USB power banks, which you can use to charge your phone on the go…

Google Drive’s austere interface can trick you into thinking what you see is all you get. But it’s actually packed with powerful productivity features that aren’t immediately apparent. Here are five you probably aren’t using, but should be. 1. Drag-and-drop files Normally when you want to upload a file to Google Drive, you hit the New button, select File upload, and then navigate the folders on your computer to grab the file you need. Here’s a simpler way: just drag the file(s) from Windows Explorer or the Mac OS Finder into your Google Drive file list. Google’s drag-and-drop icon will appear and you’ll see a progress bar showing you the upload status. 2. Bookmark ‘quick creation’ links If you want to create a new word document, spreadsheet or slideshow, you…

If you’ve bought a new PC and want to really make it your own, or have just grown bored with the look of your existing Windows 10 machine, then there are plenty of things you can do to redecorate its aesthetics. From new themes to vivid wallpaper, we’ll show you how to make these refinements and have your PC looking resplendent in its new livery. Changing the background in Windows 10 All of the appearance settings in Windows 10 are helpfully grouped together in one place, which makes life easy. To find them first open the Windows Start Menu, then click on Settings > Personalisation and you’ll be presented with a list of options on the left side of the windows that appears. Top of the list is Background, and…

Windows Hello has changed the way those of us with compatible hardware can log in to their machines. When you look at the built-in camera your PC will recognise you and grant entry to the digital firmament. For the rest of us we’re pretty much stuck with our passwords, which are now encouraged to be longer and more confusing that most sane minds can handle. If all of this is too much, and you’re happy with the idea of shedding your password, then in a few steps you can make Windows 10 remove the need for a password when you log in. Be sure to think this through though, as convenience and security do not often make glad bedfellows. START To begin this short walk to freedom hold down the…

Google started working on a great new print option for Chrome early in November called ‘simplify page’. This feature will strip out all the superfluous items on a page that you really don’t need to print, such as ads, logos and menu options. The result is not only easier to read, but also saves on costly printer ink. Sadly, simplify page isn’t ready for general release yet and is only available in Chrome beta right now. But you don’t have to wait a few months or weeks for the feature to show up in Chrome to stop wasting printer ink. Here’s how to print a simplified page on Chrome, Firefox and Microsoft Edge. Chrome With Chrome cooking up its own print option, the best option is to use an extension…

The PC business can’t climb out of the four-year hole it’s dug for itself, according to researcher IDC. Shipments of new personal computers dropped 10 percent in the fourth quarter of 2015, which means shipments declined 10.3 percent from 2014. The firm now expects all OEMs (original equipment manufacturers) to ship 276.7 million PCs this year, compared to 308.2 million in 2014. This represents the largest one-year contraction since the research firm began tracking shipments in 1996, beating the 9.1 percent record decline of 2013. IDC blamed the latest reduction in shipments on a variety of factors, ranging from larger-than-expected OEMs’ and sellers’ inventories to the ongoing problem of getting systems off factory floors. The macro reason, however, remained the same as before: consumers have not bought new PCs to…

Windows 10’s next major update, codenamed ‘Redstone’, promises a smarter Cortana that can work within Office applications. According to a report from The Verge, the personal assistant will become a contextual tool that appears within documents. It will facilitate transitioning tasks across the various smartphone platforms. Microsoft will also beef up the Notifications centre, according to the site. If the Verge is correct, the continued enhancements to Cortana appear to be evolutionary, rather than revolutionary. For example, it provides contextual information when you highlight a word or phrase in Microsoft Edge. It’s not clear how far its developer plans to go, but Cortana’s improvements could be as minimal as supplying that same sort of context in a Word or PowerPoint document. So far, that context is lacking from Microsoft Office.…

Windows 10 removed the worst of Windows 8, brought back the best of Windows 7, and added cool innovations such as the Cortana virtual assistant and Universal Apps Windows 10. Surface Book. HoloLens. Office. Microsoft arguably delivered the biggest updates, changes, and surprises of any major tech company in 2015, most of them positive. While Microsoft deserves credit for the good, it can’t escape the bad, and it ends the year with a few notable disappointments. Look back with us on a very busy year for Microsoft. We’ve winnowed the list to the biggest hits and misses. HIT: Windows 10 Windows 10 was the do-or-die makeover for the company’s flagship operating system, and in most ways, Microsoft delivered. It removed the worst of Windows 8, brought back the best of…

Dropbox recently became the latest major cloud provider to announce new storage options in the European Union. Not only will the San Francisco-based company add two new European offices next year to its current roster of three, but it will also build new infrastructure for storing data within the EU. Customer requirements in the region have evolved, explains Thomas Hansen, the company’s global vice president of sales and channel, in a post on the Dropbox for Business blog. “This will not only build on the technical lead we have over competitors,” Hansen writes, but “will also give our customers more options about where their data is stored.” Amazon and Microsoft are also among the cloud providers racing to offer new European storage options for customers worried about data sovereignty, or…

£279 inc VAT Contact asus.com/uk Specifications 10.1in (1280x800, 149ppi) gloss IPS touchscreen; 1.44GHz Intel Atom x5-Z8500; Intel HD Graphics; 2GB 1600MHz DDR3 RAM; 64GB eMMC; 802.11a/b/g/n dual-band 1x1 MIMO; Bluetooth 4.0; 1x Micro-USB 2.0, 1x USB 3.1 Type C, 1x USB 2.0 Type A (keyboard); Micro HDMI; microSDXC card slot (tablet); stereo speakers; 0.9Mp webcam; built-in mic; 3.5mm headset jack; UK tiled keyboard, detachable; buttonless trackpad 87x45mm; 30Wh lithium-ion battery, non-removable; 10W USB adaptor; 265x181x19.5mm (8.9mm tablet); 1089g (594g tablet) If it is broke, keep trying to fix it. That’s Asus’ policy in making a workable two-in-one tablet/ laptop device, suggests the latest Transformer T100HA. The story is similar to the Chi incarnation we reviewed in June 2014 – a budget 10in Windows tablet with click-on keyboard that turns it…

Microsoft has stopped producing brightly-coloured models, and the Lumia 950’s overall feel is distinctly mid-range and unexciting £449 inc VAT Contact microsoft.com/en-gb Specifications Windows 10; 5.2in AMOLED ClearBlack display (1440x2560, 564ppi); Qualcomm Snapdragon 808, six-core (dual-core ARM Cortex A57 and quad-core A53 with 64-bit support; Adreno 418 GPU; 3GB RAM; 32GB internal storage; microSD card slot (up to 200GB); 20Mp rear camera with OIS, f/1.9 and triple LED-flash; 5Mp front camera; 11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.1; NFC; 4G LTE; 3000mAh removable battery; 72x145x8.2mm; 150g It’s farewell to Windows Phone going forward as we say hello to the one operating system to rule them all. It’s simply Windows 10 now, and the Lumia 950 is one of the first phones to come with the new OS. Price Microsoft has decided to undercut…

It’s made with sturdy-feeling and premium-looking aluminium, but has fake leather stitched portions at the top and bottom on the rear £289 inc VAT Contact ztedevices.co.uk Specifications 5.5in full-HD (1920x1080, 401ppi) IPS display with 2.5D curved glass; Android 5.0.2 Lollipop; Qualcomm Snapdragon 810 64-bit octa-core processor; Adreno 430 GPU; 3GB LPDDR4 RAM; 32GB storage (plus microSD support up to 128GB); 802.11b/g/n Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.0; NFC; GPS; dual-SIM dual-standby (2x nano-SIM); supports 800/1800/2600MHz 4G LTE; 13Mp, f/1.8 Sony IMX214 + 2Mp rear cameras with dual-LED flash, 4K video recording; 8Mp front camera; Hi-Fi Audio chipset AKM 4961; fingerprint scanner; EyePrint ID eye recognition; 3000mAh non-removable battery with Quick Charge; 154x75x9.3mm ZTE has taken security to the next level with the Axon Elite, a 4G phablet you can unlock with your eyes,…

Despite costing just £30, a lot of content is on offer, including BBC iPlayer, Netflix, Sky Now TV, BT Sport, and YouTube and Google Play Movies £30 inc VAT Contact google.co.uk Specifications Android 4.1 and higher; iOS 7.0 and higher; Windows 7 and higher; Mac OS 10.7 and higher; Chrome OS (on a Chromebook running Chrome 28 and higher); HDMI output 1080p; Micro-USB for power; 802.11 b/g/n/ac Wi-Fi (2.4-/5GHz); 52x52x13.49mm; 39g Google has updated its media streaming device, with the introduction of the Chromecast 2. With improved Wi-Fi and costing just £30, we look at what the updated model offers and ask whether there is a compelling reason to upgrade. Price Google has kept the price at £30, which is good value for a media streamer, with most fully-fledged boxes…

Sound waves are transmitted to the cochlea (the organ that translates sound into nerve impulses to be sent to the brain) by vibration £39 inc VAT Contact amazon.co.uk Specifications Bluetooth 3.0 + EDR; bone conduction speaker; six-hour battery life; two-hour charge time; built-in microphone for phone calls; 135x125x50mm; 159g The Marsboy Bone Conduction Bluetooth Headphones are an interesting specimen, mainly due to the way audio is produced. Sound waves are transmitted directly to the cochlea (the organ that translates sound into nerve impulses to be sent to the brain) by vibration, allowing the user to listen to their favourite tunes, while still being aware of what’s going on in their surroundings. They look similar to other sports headphones and have a similar neckband design, though the earbuds have been replaced…

£49 inc VAT Contact home.bt.com Specifications 2x Freeview HD tuners; 1TB hard drive, record up to 600 hours SD; Pause and rewind live TV; record up 2 channels at once; HDMI; 2160p/1080P/1080i/720p/576p/576i; HDMI, optical S/PDIF; 1x ethernet, 1x USB 2.0; 0.5W low power standby mode; 273x152x43mm; 760g It’s taking some time, but 4K is gradually becoming the norm for home entertainment, and BT’s new YouView box and Ultra HD channel is helping the cause. Price and requirements As with any TV, broadband and landline package, the price is a little complicated. It depends on what level of package you want and whether you’re an existing BT customer. However, the Total Entertainment package you’ll need to get the Ultra HD channel costs £15 per month. The Ultra HD box is…

It manages to fit in a scanner and copier, along with two separate trays that will hold 100 sheets of A4 paper and 20 sheets of photo paper £103 inc VAT Contact brother.co.uk Specifications Four-colour A4 inkjet printer; 1200x1200dpi print resolution; 1200x2400dpi scanner resolution; Wi-Fi, USB, Apple AirPrint, Google; 100-sheet A4 paper tray, 20-sheet photo paper tray; 400x341x150mm; 7.2kg Brother’s new DCP-J562DW is a compact inkjet printer that is well suited for use at home, but its high running costs may make you think twice before buying. The design of the DCP-J562DW is attractive, measuring just 40x15x3.5cm deep, so it’ll fit easily on to a desk or a nearby shelf if you’re a bit tight for space at home. Even so, it still manages to fit in a scanner and…

£30 inc VAT Contact madmaxgame.com System requirements PC; Sony PlayStation 4; Microsoft Xbox 360 Avalanche Studios is incredibly busy at the moment, developing not only the third instalment of the Just Cause series but also Mad Max, a game reminiscent of the film Mad Max: Fury Road. When we say reminiscent, we’re not talking about characters and storylines, but more of an inspiration for the game. Yes, Max is in essence the same character, and the environment is similar in both the game and the film, but apart from that no other parallels can be drawn. Open world It’s set in a desolate post-apocalyptic world, with huge sand dunes and vicious gang-based warfare. The game is open world, with two main pillars focused on exploration and combat, both on foot…

Laptop screens have also improved, with screen resolutions now settling at full-HD, 1920x1080 pixels, and using better technology than the basic TN type found on cheap portables When it comes to high-end Windows gaming, it’s a doddle to find a powerful PC system that will play the most arduous of action titles, all-day long and at the highest detail on high-resolution displays. Today’s challenge is to squeeze that kind of performance into something quiet and portable, a gaming laptop that can be carried as easily as any other laptop. We’ve come close with workstation-class gaming behemoths, but they weighed well in excess of 3kg, required a mains brick that brought that mass closer to 5kg, and sounded (and felt) like a salon hair dryer once the onboard cooling kicked in.…

If you’ve been building PCs for any length of time, there’s a good chance you’ve got a least a few spare memory modules lying around. These RAM sticks allow us to keep a thousand Chrome tabs open. They are the workhorses that help your favourite PC game, video capture software, chat client, and music player coexist peacefully at the same time. But what happens when your trusty RAM starts throwing errors and fails a MemTest x86 run? What happens when there’s a sale on electric metal grinders? What happens when you have a camera and some spare coloured paper? RAMming speed Well, this. This is what happens. Utter memory module carnage. Since we’ve already gone this far, let’s tear this bad boy apart to see what makes modern RAM modules…

A clean install Once 30 days have elapsed since you upgraded to Windows 10, it will automatically delete your old Windows files (kept in a folder called Windows.old) along with the files in two other important hidden folders: $Windows.~BT and $Windows.~WS. You can check for these folders by enabling ‘Hidden items’ in the View tab in File Explorer. But even if those folders are present after 30 days, it’s likely the files within them have been removed to prevent them using up a lot of unnecessary disk space. This means you can’t roll back. One obvious way to get around this is to use your Windows 7 (or 8) disc and activation key. It’s not exactly a simple process since you’ll need to back up everything and then wipe your…

The new Mail client in Windows 10 is an elegant and easy to use app. Its clean lines and spacious layout fit nicely with Microsoft’s overall approach to design, but there’s also plenty of capability lurking underneath the friendly veneer. One of the prerequisites of any modern email program is the ability to have multiple accounts, and Mail is happy to accommodate this feature. In this short guide we’ll show you how simple it is to add new accounts to Mail, so you can have all your conversations in one place. Adding an account for the first time START To launch Mail, go to the Start Menu and then either click on the Mail live tile or click All apps > Mail. If you haven’t set up the app yet,…

Lock screens are something we’ve all grown accustomed to on our smartphones and tablets, but their presence isn’t quite as useful on a PC. By default, Windows 10 comes with the feature enabled, and while the photos displayed are often pretty, the function itself only really serves to slow down your access to the device. Disabling the lock screen isn’t quite as simple as clicking an option in Settings, but it’s still something that can be done easily in a couple of minutes if you follow our guide. Disabling the Lock Screen Turning off the lock screen involves creating, or editing, a file in the Registry. While this might sound a bit intimidating, in reality it’s actually a straightforward process. To begin hold down the Windows key and press R,…

Windows 10 Mobile has barely launched, and Microsoft’s former chief executive is already burying it, though in doing so, he may be pointing toward a better way forward for the firm. At Microsoft’s recent shareholder conference, Bloomberg reporter Dina Bass was in the right place at the right time. She picked up former chief executive – and still shareholder – Steve Ballmer criticising chief executive Satya Nadella and other Microsoft management. One of Microsoft’s faults, according to Ballmer? Ignoring Android apps. There really isn’t much news here, just a fraction of a quote: “Ballmer also criticised Nadella’s answer to an audience member questioning the lack of key apps, like one for Starbucks, on the company’s Windows Phone. Nadella responded by citing the company’s plan to appeal to Windows developers by…

A Windows Phone decline of 10.2 percent for the year helped drag down expected growth. That fall comes despite the launch of Windows 10 during the summer Growth in the global smartphone market is slowing, and increased by just 9.8 percent in 2015 – the first time growth has slowed into the single digits, according to market analyst IDC. Earlier IDC forecasts for 2015 had been higher, but a Windows Phone decline of 10.2 percent for the year helped drag down expected growth. That fall comes despite the launch of Windows 10 during the summer. The forecast of 9.8 percent growth rate is still healthy, but represents a big change from recent years; smartphone shipments grew by 27.5 percent in 2014. IDC’s updated forecast for 2015 is down from its…

Our sample had a 2560x1440 IPS display, a glossy touchscreen with no reflective treatment, leaving the standard-issue mirror to fend £1,892 inc VAT Contact hp.com/uk Specifications 12.5in (2560x1440, 235ppi) gloss IPS touchscreen; Windows 8.1 Pro (supplied and tested with Windows 10); 1.1GHz Intel Core M-5Y51 (2.6GHz Turbo) 2C, 4T; Intel HD Graphics 5300; 8 GB 1600MHz DDR3 RAM; 256GB M.2 SATA SSD); 802.11a/b/g/n/ac 2x2 MIMO; Bluetooth 4.0; 2x USB 3.0; HDMI 1.4; fingerprint sensor, Kensington Security Slot, side dock for ethernet and VGA dongle (supplied); microSD card slot; stereo speakers; 0.9Mp webcam with dual mics; 3.5mm headset jack; buttonless trackpad 84x54mm; 36Wh lithium-ion polymer battery; 45W mains charger with IEC C6 inlet; 308x207x16.8mm; 1246g Ultraportable laptops are getting ever more portable since the introduction of the low-power Core M processor…

Motorola has put a great deal of time and thought into the rest of the design, and designs for both men and women are available From £229 inc VAT Contact motorola.co.uk Specifications Android Wear (Android 4.3 or later) and (iPhone 5 onwards, with iOS 8.2 or later); 1.37in, 360x325, 263ppi (42mm) or 1.56in, 360x330, 233ppi (46mm); Qualcomm Snapdragon 400 with 1.2GHz quad-core CPU; Adreno 305, 450MHz GPU; 512MB RAM; 4GB internal storage; Bluetooth 4.0 LE; Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g; accelerometer; ambient light sensor; gyroscope; vibration/haptics engine; optical heart-rate monitor (PPG); dual digital mics; wireless charging with included dock; IP67 dust and water resistant; 300mAh (42mm); 400mAh (46mm) Motorola has launched a new version of its Moto 360 smartwatch. Our expectations were high as the original model is third in our best…

£149 inc VAT Contact cowinmusic.com Specifications Two-part Bluetooth speaker system; NFC compatibility; Magnatec technology; wireless charging; aux-in; 35W output; 2x speaker drivers, 2x passive radiators and 5in ported subwoofer; 300x145x230mm The Ark is a two-piece Bluetooth speaker system, designed and manufactured by Cowin. Unlike many other Bluetooth speakers, it’s formed of two parts; a portable Bluetooth speaker/soundbar that sits on top – Cruze – and the wired base – Ark. Design Design wise, the speaker system looks like a premium product, despite costing under £150. The mixture of brushed metal sides and a mirror finish on top means that the Cowin Ark demands attention – if you’re looking for a Bluetooth speaker that’ll be ‘invisible’ in its surroundings, then this isn’t your best option. Despite being large (Ark: 300x145x170mm and…

£69 inc VAT Contact netgear.co.uk Specifications 1200Mb/s Powerline adapters x 2; one gigabit ethernet port per adaptor; PLP1200 also features PassThrough sockets. If your home has a smart TV, digital video recorder (Sky+ and Tivo), and games consoles, or if you just need another PC away from your modem/router, then it’s likely that a Powerline network will solve most of your download woes. Powerline is a home-based technology that’s easy to set up, and creates a wired home network in a matter of minutes. It uses your existing home electrical wiring to transmit data from your modem/router to the room where all your home entertainment and digital devices live. The latest, fastest variant of Powerline is labelled Gigabit 1200Mb/s, replacing older 200-and 500Mb/s versions. The Netgear Powerline 1200 is one…

£39 inc VAT Contact supermassivegames.com System requirements Sony PlayStation 4 PlayStation 4 exclusive Until Dawn is, in essence, an interactive horror film that uses a variety of techniques to scare players more than any other decision-based horror game we’ve come across. It’s been created by UK-based developers Supermassive Games, which worked with Hollywood talent to create a mature game that builds suspense, plays on the fear of the unknown, and utilises a blend of common fears and anxiety triggers for a unique experience. The game is set atop a snowy mountain that’s only reachable by a rickety cable car. It sees a group of friends wanting to mark the one-year anniversary of their friends’ disappearance on the mountain, after a prank they had played went horribly wrong. The game is…

Some cameras have extra features that warn you when you veer out of your lane, or you get too close to the car in front. These are useful if they only operate over a certain speed Dash cams, also known as car DVRs or dashboard cameras, record while you’re driving, so you have evidence of what happened in the event of an accident. Footage is now generally accepted by insurers as evidence of fault in an accident, and it’s also admissible in court. Using a dash cam to record your driving can reduce your insurance policy by around 10- or 15 percent. For example, Adrian Flux offers a 15 percent discount if you have one of the cameras listed on its website (tinyurl.com/pgzwfah). AXA and Swiftcover also offer discounts. Watch…

There was a time when ‘free-to-play’ was a dirty term in the games industry, and there are still terrible, exploitative free-to-play games on the market. But very occasionally we get something miraculous – a game that doesn’t try to con players out of money or make the design intentionally boring in order to make those purchasable unlocks more exciting. Over the following pages, you’ll find a list of fantastic offerings. Indeed, they aren’t just good because they are free, they’re good full stop. Dota 2 We might as well start with Dota 2, considering it still maintains the biggest e-sports prize on the planet: the International 5 featured a prize pool of $18 million this year. It’s huge. Dota 2 is a successor to the WarCraft III mod DOTA, or…

When you first upgrade to Windows 10 you’re encouraged to sign in with a Microsoft account. There are some benefits with this, as it allows any Windows 10 device you have to sync data and preferences for various Microsoft services such as OneDrive and the Windows Store. This sharing feature also means that you surrender quite a bit of personal information to Microsoft, which isn’t something everybody is comfortable doing. Fear not though, as you’re free to create a local account instead. There are a couple of ways to log in with a local account. You can either create a separate user, meaning you can swap between the two, or you can replace your existing Microsoft user account with a local one. This isn’t a permanent or destructive path, as…

Although Windows 10 is a very stable system, there could come an occasion when something goes wrong. Be it an app that does terrible things to performance or some quirk in the operating system itself, all you want is to return to a time only a few days ago when everything was running perfectly. Thankfully, Windows 10 has a built-in safety feature that allows just such a thing. System Restore is its name, and in this article we’ll show you how it can come to your rescue. A warning to temper your hopes While System Restore is an excellent feature, there is a very good chance that you may never have turned it on in the first place. Obviously this will be bad news if you need it now, as…

START Find My Device doesn’t do a whole lot right now. There isn’t, for example, a way to have your tablet make a sound, lock itself, erase data, or anything like that. Instead, you can only find out where its last known general location was. Nevertheless, if you want to try this feature out here’s how to turn it on. Find My Device is buried under Settings > Update & Security. To active it, go to Start > Update & Security > Find My Device. 2 On this screen you’ll see a big Change button under the heading ‘Find My Device is off’. 3 Once you’ve clicked Change, you’ll see a pop-up panel that says ‘Save my device’s location periodically’. Turn the slider to On and you’re done. 4 You…

Google Play packs a whole lot of power into its Android app – you’ll find everything from parental controls to a wishlist to automatic update options. You may have been using it to download apps for months or years without even realising all the cool stuff it can do. This guide will walk you through the more advanced features of the Google Play app. Parental controls Want to control what your children can download on to their phones? Google Play’s parental controls are for you. With these, you can set download restrictions for just about everything on the Play store. Open the Hamburger menu or swipe in from the left edge of your screen, scroll down, then tap Settings. Tap Parental controls under the User controls subhead, then slide the…

WhatsApp is a tremendously useful way to keep in touch with people all over the world, pretty much for free. There is a rather large problem that users can encounter though, and that is when moving on to a new phone their conversations don’t come with them. This is due to the way that the app stores content locally rather than on web servers. If you still have your old phone to hand, and haven’t switched from Android to iOS or vice versa, then it’s still possible to salvage those old chats and move them safely to a new home. In this guide, we’ll take you through the short process of copying and restoring your digital missives. Restoring messages on an iPhone There are a few different ways to keep…