Table of contents for December 2016 in Tech Advisor

Opera represents just a tiny fraction of the browser market, but the company has been impressively aggressive in rolling out customer-friendly features such as native ad blocking In April, Opera added a free, unlimited VPN to the developer edition of its browser. The company has now brought that same capability to the stable version of its Opera 40 desktop browser. While some other VPN services charge for letting you surf anonymously across the web, Opera’s service is both free, unlimited, and built right into the browser. There are no restrictions on bandwidth, though you’ll have just a few locations to choose from when deciding on your VPN endpoint. A VPN works by providing a secure, encrypted tunnel between your computer and a website or remote server – Opera uses a…

AMD has been tight-lipped about its upcoming GPUs, codenamed Vega, but here’s a new, key detail: they will start rolling out in the first half of 2017. The first processing units will be aimed at high-end enthusiast PCs, Mark Papermaster, chief technology officer at AMD, said during a recent talk at the Deutsche Bank 2016 Technology Conference in Las Vegas. Some earlier estimates had put the release as late this year. The chipmaker’s road map, however, listed it for release next year, though the timeframe wasn’t clear. The Vega GPUs will provide significant performance and power efficiency improvements compared to AMD’s Polaris, Papermaster revealed. They are aimed at gaming, virtual reality and other desktop applications that require high-performance. The new graphics processors could slot nicely into high-end desktops alongside AMD’s…

The PC market is showing signs of recovery, with Intel increasing its revenue guidance based on improved chip shipments. The chipmaker has raised its revenue guidance for the third quarter to $15.6 billion, plus or minus $300 million, which is an improvement from $14.9 million, plus or minus $500 million. This is due to PC makers replenishing their laptop and desktop inventory, which means Intel is shipping out more chips. It’s probably in anticipation of the Christmas period, when PC shipments rocket. “The company is also seeing some signs of improving PC demand,” Intel said in a statement. In the second quarter of the year, PC makers slowed down chip orders and were clearing out existing stock of laptops and desktops. PC sales declined by 4.5 percent during that period,…

£779 inc VAT Contact hp.com/uk Specifications 15.6in (1920x1080, 141dpi) IPS LCD glossy; Windows 10; 2.2GHz Intel Core i7-6550U, up to 3.2GHz Turbo two cores four threads; Intel HD 540 GPU; 8GB RAM DDR4-2133; 128GB SSD, 1TB HDD (7200rpm); 802.11b/g/n/ac 2x2; Bluetooth 4.2; 2x USB 3.0; USB-C Gen 1; HDMI; SDXC card slot stereo; Bang & Olufsen speakers; 0.9Mp webcam with Windows Hello; single mic; 3.5mm headset jack; UK tiled keyboard; 55.7Wh lithium-ion battery non-removable; 380x250x18mm; 2.19kg With a 15.6in screen, the HP Envy x360 15-aq005na is one of the largest convertible laptops currently available. It’s solidly-made and the competitive price means you’re not paying over the odds. One question remains: what are you going to with a hybrid this big? If you don’t have an answer, you should also consider…

£34 inc VAT Contact leapfrog.com/en-gb Specifications Preschool LeapStart: stylus; stereo speakers; 3.5mm headphone jack; 28.2x27.2x4.1xcm; 907g Pimary school LeapStart: stylus; stereo speakers; 3.5mm headphone jack; 27.3x26.7x4.1cm; 907g The LeapStart is the latest in LeapFrog’s range of technology products for children, and this particular offering is aimed at building educational and life skills. Design In essence, the LeapStart is a folding plastic case into which you insert one of a range of 16 books, each of which is designed to help a child progress with maths, literacy, phonics, problem-solving, and more. Connected to the case by a cable is a stylus that the child uses to touch the book, activating buttons that trigger games and activities, or give them hints and clues. The stylus reads invisible dots on every page,…

£89 inc VAT Contact eu.mio.com/en_gb Specifications 2.7in display; 140-degree wide-angle lens; maximum resolution of 2304x1296 at 30fps; .MOV (H.264) video format; GPS logging; lane departure warning; speed camera alert; 32GB SD card recording time five hours; 90.2x49x35.2mm; car charger, suction mount Mio is perhaps best known for its satnavs, but has now released a new range of dash cams. The MiVue 618 sits in the middle of its range and has a few interesting features which make it stand out from the crowd, such as speed camera warnings. Design Mio has clearly thought long and hard about how its dash cam and has come up with a near-perfect design. We like the fact that the front is all-black, which makes it more inconspicuous to anyone outside the car. The…

£49 inc VAT Contact deusex.com Requirements Windows 7 or later; Intel Core i3; 8GB RAM; AMD Radeon HD 7870 (2GB), Nvidia GeForce GTX 660 (2GB) ; 45GB storage space; PlayStation 4; Xbox One Set in the not-too-distant-future, the Deus Ex series offers a satirical (but very serious) look at where society could be headed if our obsession with technology continues. The latest in the series, Mankind Divided, takes place two years after the events of Human Revolution with Adam Jensen doing what he does best – getting to the truth by any means possible. Story The game is set in Prague, although it’s not the city we know and love today. It’s plagued with violence, and is on the brink of a civil war, though not between people and…

£5.98per month • totalvpn.com If you want your VPN to be easy to use as well as secure, then you would do well to look at Total VPN. If your use is only occasional, then the fact it has a free plan might well appeal. This offers only three server locations and limited usage though, with speeds capped at 2Mb/s. By contrast, the £5.98 plan offers unrestricted browsing from over 61 servers in over 30 countries with no speed restrictions. However, 47 of these are located in the US and Europe, so if your aim is to avoid the prying eyes, then your server choice is more limited, which could impact availability. It’s also based in the UK, so again, potentially at risk from the ‘snoopers charter’, plus it doesn’t…

£3.82per month • purevpn.com PureVPN is based in Hong Kong, which has the advantage of being out of view of the prying ’Five Eyes’. It uses 256-bit grade encryption and boasts more than 500 servers across 141 countries. While it makes a big play of the fact that it does not monitor or record any activity that passes through its servers, it does admit to keeping record of connections and bandwidth, which it says is in order to optimally manage its servers. It also offers the more secure OpenVPN protocol and maintains its own DNS servers. Features include split tunnelling, which routes specific apps to access the web via their local internet connection and other specific apps via their VPN connection simultaneously. There’s also a Kill Switch that ensures that…

76pper month • hideipvpn.com If there was an award for the most awkwardly named VPN, then HideIPVPN would win. And if there was an award for cheapest paid-for VPN, then HideIPVPN would win that too – currently on offer for just $99 cents (76p) per month. This includes a SmartDNS and the capability to add up to five connections at once. However, be warned that if you’re interested in using it for Torrents it has harsh rules. If you use P2P on US, UK or Canadian servers you’ll get a warning from them to cease, and if the offence is repeated you’ll get your account terminated without a refund. While the SmartDNS features is a bonus, we found that it still did not let us access US Netflix. We were…

It’s the day everybody dreads. You power up your PC and it sits dormant, failing to boot because your hard drive or SSD has died. But after you stop swearing and reaching for your backups, you might as well make the best of things. There’s a world of small wonders hidden inside every storage drive if you take the time to dig around. Since storage drives die far less frequently than they used to, the opportunities for dissection are rare. So we’ve broken out our screwdrivers and dissected both a solid-state drive and a traditional hard drive for you, to reveal what makes them metaphorically tick. If your drives start actually ticking, back up your data now and start looking for a new one pronto. INNER KNOWLEDGE Let’s start with…

Microsoft’s Anniversary Update for Windows 10 wouldn’t be complete if there weren’t a few annoyances added to great features such as Cortana integration and an improved Action Centre. One such annoyance is Windows Defender’s unceasing penchant for telling you what a great job it’s doing. The new feature is called enhanced notifications, which amounts to Microsoft’s built-in antivirus software reporting the results of its scans. If you don’t mind the regular reports, then it’s a great feature, but if you really don’t see the point of such micro-monitoring there’s an easy way to turn it off. Open the Settings app by going to Start > Settings > Update & security > Windows Defender. Then, in the main part of the screen, scroll down until you see the Enhanced notifications section…

Granting access to location data It’s easy to overlook, so one of the first things you should ensure is that the app you’re using has access to your device’s location. If you’re installing an app for the first time, Pokémon GO for example, then those running Android 6.0 and above will be asked by the app for permission to use location data. Tap Allow to make this happen. If the app is already installed on your device then you’ll need to open the Settings menu then find the Apps option in the Device section. Tap this then tap on the app itself. Scroll down until you find the Permissions section, tap that then look to see if Location is switched on. Using High Accuracy The GPS on your handset has…

Microsoft appears to be taking a go-slow approach to rolling out Windows 10’s Anniversary Update (version 1607). At the time of writing, just 34.5 percent of all PCs are running it, according to AdDuplex, maker of a Windows 10 SDK for third-party app makers. The majority, 59.9 percent, are still running the older version 1511, which was released in November 2015. In August, Microsoft said the Anniversary Update would be rolled out “in phases”, with newer machines receiving the update first. That presumably meant it was providing the update to those PCs that would likely have the fewest issues updating. What’s surprising is how slowly the firm is pushing it to older computers. There are two likely reasons for this: Microsoft, and businesses, who want to ensure the update doesn’t…

Pressure-sensitive touchscreens are becoming an increasingly common sight these days, and Chromebooks are set to get in on the act. Recent changes to Chrome OS’s source code show Google is working on support for pressure-sensitive touchscreens, or what’s known as ‘3D Touch’ on the iPhone. This change was first spotted by Chrome Unboxed. It noticed that the operating system’s developers have been adding support for touchscreens made by Melfas, a Korean company. More interestingly, the source code for the touchscreen driver includes references to two types of touch: ‘Touch only’ and ‘Touch + Force (Pressure)’. Google recently released Android 7.0 Nougat, which was supposed to include support for pressure-sensitive displays. Unfortunately, this was delayed. Still, there are Android phones with pressure-sensitive screens, and Google will want to get all Android…

The companies behind some of the top Android Wear watches are heading for the bench. LG, Huawei and Motorola aren’t planning a new smartwatch in the final months of the year, according to a CNET report. This decision is driven by a sense among these companies that wearables have yet to become the hot item they were once thought to be. The public’s enthusiasm just doesn’t match that it has for smartphones, which still drive many buyers to an annual upgrade cycle. With Christmas approaching, it appears they are going into the season with an unchanged line-up. It’s not just Android Wear that’s hitting the doldrums. An IDC analyst said that Apple Watch shipments have fallen 55 percent from a year ago into the second quarter. “Smartwatches still have yet…

We’re not huge fans of Microsoft’s Band devices, but the fitness wearable does have a dedicated fan base. Unfortunately for its boosters, the Band 2 may be Microsoft’s final fitness tracker as the company continues to scale back its ambitions. ZDNet’s Mary Jo Foley reports that Microsoft has no plans to roll out a new Band in 2016, according to sources. On top of that, Foley says there was a group inside Microsoft trying to get Band hardware to run Windows 10 instead of custom firmware. That group has since been disbanded. When pushed for a comment on the future of Band devices, a Microsoft spokesperson told Foley it will “continue to invest and innovate in the Microsoft Health platform, which is open to all hardware and apps partners across…

£1,899 inc VAT Contact uk.gigabyte.com Specifications 17.3in (1920x1080, 165dpi) IPS LCD matt touchscreen; 2.6GHz Intel Core i7-6700U CPU, up to 3.5GHz Turbo, four cores, eight threads; Nvidia GTX 1070 8GB DDR5; 16GB RAM DDR4-2133; 256GB SSD; 1TB 7200rpm; Hot-swappable Super Multi DVD writer optical drive; Gigabit Ethernet; 802.11b/g/n/ac 2x2; Bluetooth 4.0; 3x USB 3.0 port; USB-C; HDMI 2.0; VGA; SDXC card slot; stereo speakers; 0.9Mp webcam; single mic; 3.5mm headset jack; UK tiled keyboard; 75.8Wh lithium-ion battery, non-removable; 421x290x28.6mm; 3kg The Gigabyte P57x V6-CF2 is the first laptop we’ve reviewed to have one of Nvidia’s new Pascal-generation graphics cards. It’s therefore also the first laptop we’ve tested that’s ready for both VR and 4K gaming. However, we’re not simply going to be swayed by Nvidia’s fantastic new hardware. The question…

€349 (£TBC) Contact consumer.huawei.com/uk Specifications 8.4in (2560x1600, 359ppi) IPS touchscreen; Android 6.0 Marshmallow with EMUI 4.1; Kirin 950 octa-core processor; 4GB RAM 32/64GB storage; microSD up to 128GB; 8Mp autofocus main camera; 8Mp fixed focus front camera; Wi-Fi: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac; Bluetooth 4.1; optional 4G LTE; Nano-SIM; 5100mAh non-removable battery; 215.5x124.2x7.3mm; 310g For years a strictly B2B company, Huawei is making strides in the consumer market in an attempt to put the pressure on rivals like Samsung and LG. The MediaPad M3 is the company’s latest attempt to make the best tablet on the market. The reason for the prices in this review being in euros is that Huawei has yet to announce UK pricing. It can, however, be found for sale on Amazon from third-party retailers. Design This is the follow…

£55 inc VAT Contact hp.com/uk Specifications 4-colour (CMYK) inkjet printer; 1200x1200dpi print resolution; 600dpi scanner resolution; Wi-Fi, USB, Apple AirPrint; 60-sheet (A4) paper tray; 140x403x180mm; 2.3kg A few years ago Epson launched a range of compact ‘small-in-one’ printers that were specifically designed for people who were a bit tight for space at home. It’s taken HP a while to come up with something similar, but the company now claims that its new DeskJet 3720 is the world’s smallest all-in-one printer. We’d be hard pushed to disagree with that claim, as it measures just 140mm high, 403mm wide and 180mm deep as you lift it out of its box. You’ll need an extra couple of inches for the 60-sheet paper tray that folds out of the back of the printer,…

£159 per month Contact ring.com Specifications 180-degree field of view; 720p HD camera; night-vision mode; motion detection; smartphone alerts; two-way communication system; built-in 5200mAh battery; cloud storage optional; 126.4x61.7x22.1mm; 635g Smart home security systems are becoming increasingly popular in the UK with the likes of MyFox, Netgear and Piper all releasing smart security cameras that can be accessed via smartphones and computers. But what about the front door? While smart doorbells are relatively new in the UK, US residents have been using them for a while and Ring is one of the more popular options. Now available in the UK, we’ve spent some time with Ring to see if smart doorbells are a good idea, or just a technological fad. Design The Ring Doorbell is certainly interesting looking, and…

From £299 inc VAT Contact xbox.com/en-GB Specifications 500GB hard drive (internal); Xbox Wireless Controller with 3.5mm headset jack; console stand (for vertical orientation); HDMI cable; AC power cable If you’re a PC-first type of person, there’s really only one reason to buy Microsoft’s Xbox One S: you own or plan to own a 4K HDR TV, and want a relatively affordable but feature-packed media box to show it off. As a gaming machine, the Xbox One S fills an awkward niche in Microsoft’s line-up. At £249 for 500GB of storage, it’s £30 more than the existing Xbox One for the same 1080p gameplay. Microsoft says the One S will upscale games to 4K, but this slimmer Xbox One will almost certainly be eclipsed in a year’s time, when the…

While you can try out a free service, we’d recommend going for a reasonably priced, paid-for VPN. These should perform better, and your privacy will be better protected Over the past few years public awareness of Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) has grown, but for many they are still a mystery. Traditionally, they were used by businesses to enable their employees to access a company’s internal network securely. Nowadays people use them for two main things: watching TV and privacy. We all view catch-up TV video. Unfortunately, a lot of this is intended only to be watched in home territories. The BBC iPlayer and Sky Go, for example, are only meant to be viewed in the UK, and while Netflix is accessible around the globe, the content available varies across countries…

£3.74Premium per month; £5.98Premium Plus per month • cyberghostvpn.com CyberGhost has built a solid reputation for security and transparency over the years. The platform boasts a number of key features that make it one of the safest ways to roam the internet. Alongside the anonymising of your online identity, it also features military grade encryption to fend off information thieves. You don’t need an additional browser or plug-in as the VPN works with pretty much everything and is also available as an app for Android and iOS. A built-in ad-blocker also makes surfing even quicker, although it does deprive impoverished writers of their hard-earned money. (Hint, hint.) While CyberGhost does offer a free tier, it has many of the main features disabled, employs a waiting period each time you connect,…

The Google Play Store is coming to a Chromebook near you, but for this to really make a major difference in how we use Chrome OS, it’s going to take the right apps. Plus, they need to do more than just look and perform like blown-up phone apps. For the OS to be a game-changer, it will need Android apps that are repurposed to offer more than their web counterparts. Time is running out for developers though, because the Google Play Store is already rolling out to the Asus Chromebook Flip in the developer channel version of Chrome 53. After a stopover on the Chromebook Pixel (2015 model only) and Acer Chromebook R11/C738T, Google will start to make the Play Store available on several other Chromebooks later this year. But…

The Anniversary Update for Windows 10 has been rolling out, and with it comes the ability to install browser extensions on Microsoft Edge. The new feature is just one of many tweaks that Edge needs to compete with more popular browsers such as Google Chrome and Mozilla Firefox. At the time of writing, the number of extensions available for Edge is limited, but you’ll find a few notable ones, including AdBlock, AdBlock Plus and Pocket. Once the Anniversary Update is installed on your PC, here’s how to download and install extensions in Edge. First, open Edge and click on the menu icon (three horizontal dots) in the upper-right corner. Next, select Extensions from the drop-down menu. This will open a second panel that will show any extensions you already have…

The GPS (global positioning system) on your phone is handy for a range of things, such as getting directions or finding your position on a map. In fact, many Android apps require your location to work fully and some to work at all. When you open an app that requires GPS, you’ll be asked to enable it if you haven’t done so already. It’s also helpful to know how to turn it on and off as it can be a drain on your battery as well as a potential threat to your privacy. As with any Android tutorial there isn’t a one-size-fits-all guide. The layout of the user interface will vary, so it will be easier to enable GPS on some phones than others. We’ve tried to cover all the…

Researchers showed that by reverse-engineering the car’s firmware, and eavesdropping on signals sent from a car owner’s key fob, they could remotely open and lock the doors As cars become more computerised, they are also facing a greater risk of being hacked. That’s why Volkswagen is founding a new cybersecurity company devoted to protecting next-generation vehicles. The German carmaker recently announced that it would partner with a former Israeli intelligence agency director to jointly establish a new company, called Cymotive Technologies. It’s unclear how much Volkswagen is investing in the new firm, but security experts have been warning that internet-connected cars and self-driving vehicles could one day be a major target for hackers. Even older cars from Volkswagen are vulnerable. In August, researchers revealed that millions of vehicles from the…

A proposed reform of European Union copyright law grants online news publishers additional rights that could lead to the closure of services such as Google News if strictly enforced. Copyright law already provides reporters with protection for the news stories they publish, but in a draft directive, the European Commission has revealed it wants to create an extra, related right, giving newspapers more powers to make news aggregators pay for using snippets consisting of, say, the headline and a sentence or two of each story. News publishers say that in reusing such snippets without payment, aggregators like Google News are stealing their content. Meanwhile, aggregators maintain that they are sending news websites additional traffic they can monetise. Two EU countries have already tried what the Commission is proposing, and it…

£799 inc VAT Contact dell.co.uk Specifications 13.3in (1920x1080, 165dpi) IPS LCD glossy touchscreen; 2.5GHz Intel Core i7-6500U CPU, up to 3.1GHz Turbo; Intel HD 520 GPU; 8GB RAM DDR4-2133; 256GB SSD; 802.11b/g/n/ac 2x2; Bluetooth 4.0; 2x USB 3.0; USB 2.0; HDMI 1.4a; SDXC card slot; stereo speakers; 0.9Mp webcam with Windows Hello; single mic; 3.5mm headset jack UK tiled keyboard; 42Wh lithium-ion battery non-removable 324.8x224.4x20.4mm; 1.62kg The Dell Inspiron 13 5000 is a sign that convertible laptops are now mainstream. Models like this and the Asus ZenBook Flip UX360CA (reviewed last issue) have hints of high-end style and powerful components, matched with a practical approach that means they cost £700 rather than £1,200. Laptops like this mark a renaissance for Windows laptops, once again seriously undercutting comparable Apple MacBooks. Price…

It can handle pretty much anything you throw at it, especially when it comes to gaming, as we’ve not experienced any lag or screen tearing £629 inc VAT Contact consumer.huawei.com/uk Specifications 5.5in IPS SuperAMOLED Full HD screen (1920x1080, 401ppi); Android 6.0 Marshmallow with EMIU 4.1; Kirin 955 octa-core processor; Mali-T880 MP4 GPU; 4GB RAM; 64GB storage; microSD up to 128GB; Dual-12Mp rear cameras with Leica lenses; 8Mp front camera; 11ac Wi-Fi; Bluetooth 4.2; IR blaster; USB-C; 4G LTE Cat 6; 3400mAh non-removable battery; 75x152x6.98mm; 162g Huawei is on the up in the UK with its latest flagships. While the P9 launched in April, it’s taken longer for the P9 Plus to reach us. Design Looks wise, the sleek P9 Plus is gorgeous. Our review unit had a smooth, shiny finish…

£188 inc VAT Contact asus.com/uk Specifications AMD Radeon RX 470 GPU; 32 compute units; 2048 stream processors; 926MHz core speed base; 1270MHz (OC Mode) 1250MHz (Gaming Mode) boost speed; 6.6GHz memory speed; 211GB/s memory bandwidth; 256-bit memory bus width; 4GB GDDR5 RAM; 5120x2880 maximum digital resolution; PCIe 3.0; CrossFire Ready; 120W power consumption: 450W recommended system power supply 1x 6-pin; 2x DVI-D, 1x HDMI 2.0, 1x DisplayPort 1.4 Card width: 2 slots; 129x242mm; ASUS GPU Tweak II, Aura utility; 3-year warranty AMD is currently throwing all of its new graphics card technology at the more affordable end of the spectrum. Now, not long after the release of the company’s first Polaris-based product, the Radeon RX 480, comes the even less expensive RX 470 with its eye fixed on the…

£44 per month Contact sky.com/SkyQ Specifications HDMI out; 1x USB, (1A port, non-charging); optical S/PIDF (Digital Audio); 1x 10/100Mb/s Ethernet RJ45 port; composite video/L/R 4-pole 3.5mm jack (L/R/Video/GND); wireless works dual band on 2.4- and 5GHz concurrently; 801.11n 2x2 MIMO; 5GHz 801.11ac is 3x3 MIMO; Bluetooth 4.0 LE support; 4:3, 16:9 aspect ratio support; video resolution supported: 1080p, 1080i, 720p, 576p Sky Q is a new type of set-top box from Sky that offers technical improvements on the existing Sky+ boxes, plus streaming and other home and offline benefits. In fact, with its new user interface, built-in apps and accessories, it’s really a whole new premium TV platform rather than just a shiny box. Design Sky has released three versions of its set-top box: the entry-level Sky Q, the…

£59 inc VAT Contact uk.jamaudio.com Specifications Pair up for stereo audio; water resistant; six-hour battery life; 4W output; 88x89.5x89.5mm; 363g Jam Audio has been producing audio devices for over 20 years. Its latest offering is the Double Down Bluetooth speaker. Design As you can see, it resembles the shape of a bongo drum, with a rounded body and flat top, which is where the single 4W speaker is housed. The device is clad mainly in a rubber-like material, which should give it some extra grip when playing bass heavy tunes, as well as extra protection if/when it gets dropped – normal plastic would simply crack, where rubber is more durable. It’s available in three colours – red, black or blue. The Double Down is robust, but still portable enough…

£129 inc VAT Contact fitbit.com/uk Specifications iOS, Android, Windows, OLED display; pedometer; optical heart-rate tracker; sleep tracking; alarm; third-party synching; call notifications; waterproof; 3-axis accelerometer; altimeter; vibration motor; 5-day battery life; 35g Fitbit has replaced its popular Charge and Charge HR activity trackers with the Charge 2. With interchangeable straps, new sports features and a larger display there’s much to like, but at £129 it’s not an impulse purchase. We put the tracker through its paces. Features Using its MEMS 3-axis accelerometer, the Charge 2 continues to track steps, distance travelled, calories burned, active minutes and hourly activity, plus sleep duration and quality. It also has an altimeter that records the number of floors climbed. Fitbit’s tracker might not have HR in its name any more, but it retains…

From £34 inc VAT Contact no-mans-sky.com Requirements Windows 7 or later; Intel Core i3; 8GB RAM; Nvidia GTX 480, AMD Radeon 7870; 10GB storage space; PlayStation 4 Before its release, No Man’s Sky was the most hyped game of recent years, offering users the ability to explore a universe of 18 quintillion planet-sized planets, each with unique plant and wildlife. We look at whether it managed to live up to people’s expectations. Gameplay In its simplest form, No Man’s Sky is an open-world game built upon four simple pillars: exploration, survival, combat and trading. It’s also unimaginably large and while there’s no official number on how many planets there are to explore in the game, its developer (Hello Games) has said there are a whopping 18 quintillion, all with…

£4.34per month • nordvpn.com From the off, NordVPN impresses. Despite the Scandinavian-sounding name, it’s actually based in Panama. It maintains the Nordic ideals of freedom and trust, though. It has a strict ‘no logs’ policy, so you won’t have to worry about it having any record of your internet traffic. As of writing there were more than 500 servers to choose from across 51 countries. Encryption levels are higher than most, too. You’ll have the option of DoubleVPN, which refers to a AES-256 CBC cipher used twice over and relayed through the Netherlands. There’s also a Kill Switch to end internet activity should the VPN drop for any reason. On top of that is the option to uses the TOR network over VPN offering an even greater level of anonymity…

£1.58per month • hotspotshield.com If you’re looking for a very low-cost VPN solution, then Hotspot Shield’s annual deal working out at only £1.58 a month will appeal. It also offers a free version, albeit with several limitations, such as being ad-based. It works on Windows, macOS, iOS and Android and, unusually, on Kindle. The paid-for version removes the restrictions and provides unlimited bandwidth. However, Hotspot Shield is based in the US, the epicentre of the ‘Five Eyes’ and it does log time stamps and IP addresses. You can pay with Bitcoin should you wish, but no other forms of anonymous payments such as a gift card. It also doesn’t run its own DNS server, or support VPN. Nor will you be able to access US Netflix with it as it’s…

£2.55per month • privateinternetaccess.com If it’s a wide choice of servers you’re looking for, then you won’t be disappointed by Private Internet Access. It boasts a massive 3,340, more than any of the VPNs we’ve looked at. At a monthly cost of just $3.33 (£2.55) for an annual subscription, it’s also one of the cheaper options available. For that you get five licences so it can be run at the same time on Windows, macOS, iOS and Android. Additionally, it scores points by stating that it doesn’t track IP address or even connection timestamps. It runs its own DNS servers and supports the slower but more secure OpenVPN protocol. A Kill Switch feature means it will shut down all connections should the VPN be disconnected. Furthermore, you can pay anonymously…

Of the selection we tested Total VPN offers a clean, simple interface but being based in the UK and not giving us access to US Netflix, let it down. Buffered did deliver US Netflix access, but it’s relatively expensive. We’d definitely stay away from the Hotspot Shield as the ads in the free offering are not worth it, and while the paid-for version is cheap, it is US-based and also happy to log your IP address. If you just use Chrome and want a simple browser-based extension rather than a desktop app, then ZenMate works perfectly well. With US Netflix access and a reasonable price, we like it’s elegance, though on the downside it’s based in Europe. Private Internet Access, Hide IPVPN and TorGuard and StrongVPN are all US based…

There I was, a first-time PC builder sitting in my office with all the components I’d ordered: a CPU here, a PSU there, plus my trusty anti-static wristband and a screwdriver. I had everything I needed to build my first PC. But I was afraid to open that first box. Why was I paralysed? Lots of reasons. With no single manual to cover all my PC parts, where was I supposed to begin? What if I couldn’t cram all those cables into my case? Had I already blown it by not getting an optical drive? Worst of all, what if I put everything together and my PC refuses to turn on? In retrospect, I wish I’d worried a little less about my first build and enjoyed it a bit more.…

This may come as a surprise to you, but we here at PC Advisor are big fans of PC gaming. Shocking, we know. And so please, all you console lovers, factor in whatever amount of bias you’d like to the following statement: PC gaming is the most affordable it’s ever been, and for a lot of people it’s also the best value, for a multitude of reasons. The announcement of Sony’s PlayStation 4 Pro just drove that point home. Here’s why. Price First let’s talk about the elephant in the room: how much you’ll need to spend. That’s normally where the PC’s fallen behind in the past, compared to consoles. “Yes, I could spend thousands of dollars on a PC or £250 to £400 on a console.” PC gaming is…

A nasty new form of ransomware is wreaking havoc on computers. Hackers that encrypt your files and demand money from you in the form of bitcoin is bad enough, but a few versions also overwrite your Windows PC’s master boot record (MBR). The master boot record is a key part of your PC’s startup system. It contains information about the computer’s disk partitions and helps load the operating system. Without a properly functioning MBR, your PC simply won’t work. Ransomware that overwrites the MBR isn’t all that new, with examples of it dating back to at least 2012. More recently, the Petya variant of ransomware has been causing MBR problems. Then in August, a pesky bit of malware popped up on FossHub that overwrote the MBR, which caused headaches for…