Laptops

By November 13, 2013 Read More →

Lap it up: Laptops That Won’t Break the Bank

computer-laptopIt wasn’t long ago that most people’s homes had a huge computer, comprising, vast monitor and tower, taking over one of their rooms. But over the last half-decade, technology has developed and the computer has become smaller, easier to use and cheaper. Laptops are convenient because they can be taken everywhere with you and with Wi-Fi now available in cafes, shops and even on trains, you can use the web while on the move, too. As technology has improved, prices have also come down, so the days when buying a laptop would leave you totally out of pocket are gone. Here are our cheap options for the best laptop deals.

Best for low budget: The Co-operative Electrical currently has a laptop sale offering high-quality computers at a reduced price, meaning you can get more for your money. At £299 the Toshiba Satellite C855-1W4 offers 4GB of memory and a 640GB hard drive, with Windows 8 installed ready to be used. The screen is 15.6 inches, which is ideal for watching films.

Best for memory: If you are going to be using your laptop for work, or storing large files such as photos, videos and songs, you may be better off getting something with a larger hard drive (not memory) so that you don’t have to be worrying about deleting things to make room for others. Although a higher memory can mean paying a bit more, this will be cheaper than having to replace your laptop in a few years’ time because it has run out of hard drive space (not memory). Look for a laptop with 500GB+ on it.

Best for speed: It’s no use getting a cheap laptop if it is going to be slow, so look for a laptop with an Intel core i5 or Intel Core i7 processor, as they are good for fast performance and longer-lasting power.

Lightweight: Although all laptops are portable, some can get heavy if you’re carrying them around all day, so you need to invest in something that is lightweight. At £399, the Acer Aspire V5-122P is compact and its 11.6” screen means that it is small and easy to transport to and from work.

Spend a bit more: The Toshiba Satellite L955-10P laptop is a little more expensive at £429, but has 8GB memory and a powerful Core i5 processor to ensure speedy computing and efficient performance. This laptop also features an ultra-premium chassis and ultra slim design to combine style with functionality.

All prices were correct at time of publication.

Posted in: Editorial, Laptops
By November 10, 2013 Read More →

HP Chromebook 11 price drop

hp_chromebook_11Just over a month after launch, HP’s newest Chromebook is already available to buy for less than £200 in the UK. The colourful, ARM-based notebook has had £30 slashed off its recommended retail price of £229 at a number of leading online retailers.

Powered by a Samsung Exynos chipset, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of eMMC storage, the device is also notable for using an IPS display to provide better colour reproduction and viewing angles – resolving the main issue that previous low-end devices have been criticised for.

Launched barely one month ago it’s a little surprising to see the device discounted already. Amazon have the device listed for just £199 – a saving of £30. Currys/PC World are matching this price indirectly, offering between £30 cash back on the purchase of this Chromebook, (and between £20-30 on all other Chromebooks) purchased between now and December 4th, 2013.

Using a Chromebook for the past two weeks I am certainly seeing the benefits of the low cost computers. Certainly some will scoff that they are not real computers however I am struggling to find something that I can not do on it.

Posted in: Laptops, News
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By November 2, 2013 Read More →

HP Chromebook 14 – A first look

HP-ChromebookRecently the market for Chromebooks has expanded massively with four new models arriving around the same time, the largest of these being the HP Chromebook 14.

Packing a number of extra features over the Chromebook 11, HP have crammed in a 14″ screen, an SD card reader and a new Intel processor with Haswell technology. On a spec sheet this is nowhere near the bleeding edge, and for a Chromebook the step up from the models that have gone before is minimal. This doesn’t seem to be the typical convention of a Chromebook.

Our HP Chromebook 14 review unit came to us without its original box so no unboxing video here this time. However, we do still take you on a tour around the hardware and show you a little of the setup and getting started elements of Chromebook.

Posted in: Laptops, Videos/Unboxings
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By October 20, 2013 Read More →

Griffin PowerDock 5 unboxing video

Griffin Powerdock 5These days we all have multiple mobile devices at home that need to be charged on a regular basis. Whether it’s an iPhone or Android Smartphone or a tablet of some kind I suspect that many households have an area somewhere that you’ll find multiple chargers and a tangle of cables.

That’s where the Griffin Powerdock 5 comes in. Capable of charging up to 5 devices at the same time it delivers up to 10 watts of charging power. 5 USB sockets line one side of the unit while a series of clear plastic dividers allow you to stand each device in its own slot.

Looking something like a 21st century toast-rack the PowerDock 5 can charge anything that has a USB cable and with the 5 spaces it should prevent the pamily arguments over who’s turn it is with the charger!

It doesn’t take up much room, about the same as a single iPad. But it gives you a place to store and charge 5 iOS devices at one time, from a single power source. We think it’s the perfect charging solution for small offices or work groups, or a family full of iPhone users.

PowerDock 5 gives each tablet its own charging port and its own frosted backrest, and each charging bay is roomy enough to accommodate your iPhone, iPod or iPad in their cases.

Here’s a quick video so that you can see the unit a bit more clearly.

Posted in: Gadgets, Laptops, Phones, Tablets, Videos/Unboxings
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By October 19, 2013 Read More →

Apple recall MacBook Air

Apple Recall Macbook AirApple has just issued a recall for some MacBook Air 2012/13 models due to issues with certain 64GB and 128GB flash drives.

Owners of MacBook Air’s sold between June 2012 and June 2013 should contact their local Apple retail store to see if their system is affected and, if so, to organise to have the flash storage drive replaced free of charge.

If you are unsure if your drive needs to be replaced you should download the MacBook Air Flash Storage Firmware Update 1.1 which will carry out a test on your drive.

The most important thing you should do is back up all of your data regularly and certainly you will need to do this prior to the drive being replaced by apple.

It is understood that drives affected by this issue simple cease to function without any prior warning so it is important that you seek assistance from Apple asap.

Posted in: Laptops, News
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By October 17, 2013 Read More →

Android on your helmet

skully2_thumb.jpgThere is a new device on the block and it’s called the “Skully P1” and it’s actually an Android-powered motorcycle helmet which can let you see what’s behind you with an Augmented Reality overlay. This innovative device actually has a rear-camera built-in and displays a 180-degree AR view of what’s behind the rider.

That’s not the only cool thing about this high-tech armour. It also includes a Skully Synapse HUD integrated into the helmet visor. This makes it appear the HUD is floating about 20 feet in front of the riders vision. This HUD includes two different views. One incorporates the rear view display as previously mentioned, but the other offers detailed turn-by-turn navigation. This HUD uses a lithium-ion battery which will hold a charge for nine hours of use

As mentioned, the helm uses Android for its OS, and will integrate with other smartphones from Androids to iPhones. The OS also includes voice controls for playing music, getting directions, and more. The manufacturer will launch an SDK for app developers later in 2013. No details on pricing have been shared just yet.

skully1.jpg

Posted in: GPS/Sat Nav, Laptops, News
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By October 15, 2013 Read More →

Which Chromebook is right for you?

Which ChromebookThere has been a flurry of Chromebook’s over the last week and whilst they are largely the same, there are a few subtle differences to distinguish them. Here is a brief overview of the main contenders, there will be more, many more over the next year or so however you might need one right now and this little table may help:

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Acer C720

HP Chromebook 11

Samsung Chromebook

HP Chromebook 14

Screen

11.6″ 1366 x 768

11.6″ IPS display 1366 x 768

11.6″ 1366 x 768

14″ 1366 x 768

Ports

1 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0

2 x USB 2.0

1 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0

2 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0

Weight

1.27kg

1.04kg

1.08kg

1.9kg

CPU

1.4 GHz Intel Celeron (Haswell)

1.7 Exynos 5250

1.7 GHz Exynos 5000 Series

Intel Celeron 1.4 GHz

Memory

4GB

2GB

2GB

2GB

Storage

16GB SSD + 100 GB Google Drive

16GB SSD + 100 GB Google Drive

16GB SSD + 100 GB Google Drive

16GB SSD + 100 GB Google Drive

Battery life

8.5 hours

6 hours

6.5 hours

9.5 hours

Network

802.11a/b/g/n

802.11 a/b/g/n

802.11 a/b/g/n

802.11 a/b/g/n

Connections

1 x HDMI, Bluetooth 4.0

Bluetooth 4.0, MicroUSB

Bluetooth 4.0, SD card slot.

Bluetooth 4.0, 1 x HDMI, SD card slot.

We’ll be going hands on sith several of these over the next week so be sure to came back to see unboxing videos and reviews soon! 🙂

Posted in: Editorial, Laptops
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By October 14, 2013 Read More →

Another Chromebook arriving soon from Acer

Acer ChromebookThis appears to be of week the Chromebook. Acer has announced new C720 Chromebook alongside the HP’s Chromebook 11 at the even lower price of $249.99. Sticking with Intel’s x86 chips rather than the ARM-based processor in HP’s machine, the Acer C720 introduces the Haswell-generation Celeron 2955U for better performance and battery life. Also boasting the promise of up to 8.5hrs of runtime despite being 30-percent thinner in your bag.

Acer have chosen to remove the hard-drive seen in their previous Chromebook and replace it with an SSD with options starting at 16GB and 4GB of memory. Connectivity includes WiFi a/b/g/n, an HDMI output, a USB 3.0, and USB 2.0. Unlike the HP you get an SD card reader. The screen has an 11.6-inch 1366 x 768 display.

Altogether this looks to be a tidier package than the HP 11 however it does not seem to possess the good looks of the HP.

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By October 9, 2013 Read More →

PC World selling the new HP Chromebook

l_21774144A Chromebook is something many have not heard of, although many will have in the homes in the coming years. PC World have been selling them, quite quietly, for the last year or so and now they have listed the new HP variant of the low priced laptop running Chrome OS.

The Chromebook the hardly in the race for the best specc’d device on the market, more focused on providing the richest internet experience for the lowest price. Historically Chromebooks are somewhat hit or miss with users. Combining cheaper materials with an entirely online and cloud based service that put most off, a difficult adjustment for even the most hardened techie.

However, speak to any Chromebook user and they will easily big up their little back pack friendly tool. A Chromebook user has to be prepared to fully embrace Cloud computing, a constant search for a wireless connection and an OS still in it’s infancy but with a massive blank canvas on which to paint.

The improvements in the Chromebook 11 are all about design and fine-tuning. Google says this new Chromebook has a sturdier magnesium frame, so it won’t flex when you hold it up from one corner, and it manages to be a tenth of a pound lighter than the Samsung Chromebook, weighing in at just 2.3 pounds.

Google and HP are addressing some of the major weak points of the Samsung Chromebook, which was flimsy and had limited viewing angles with a robust build quality and a superior screen. In a nice touch, the new Chromebook charges via micro-USB, so Android phone or tablet users can use the same charger.

While those are nice improvements, the tech specs are unfortunately unchanged from last year’s model. The Samsung Chromebook was reported to struggle open a lot of browser tabs, lengthy online documents or playback higher quality Youtube videos. As with other Chromebooks, Google throws in 100GB of Google Drive storage for two years.

The HP runs on the same ARM-based Exynos 5250 processor, 2GB of RAM, 16GB of storage and two USB ports. Both the old and new laptops have 11-inch displays, each with a resolution of 1366 by 768 pixels. The HP looses the SD card slot, a particularly mean decision.

PC World are selling the Chromebook for £229 and only list one of the four colour’s available.

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By October 9, 2013 Read More →

Preparing for GTA V on PC – Laptop Review

msi-gs70-stealth-03If you missed the release of the biggest game of the year, you must not have heard all the media-hype from under the rock you were obviously living. Selling a huge 1.57 million copies in its first day of release, you cannot escape the buzz surrounding Grand Theft Auto 5. It is already the 24th bestselling game ever, despite only being released on Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

The games developer, Rockstar, has remained tight-lipped over whether or not they will release a PC version, leaving many fans in limbo. However, the previous editions of the game have all been released on a PC platform so there may be hope. This, teamed with a growing online petition along with some seemingly leaked screenshots of the game, mean fans are remaining confident that the announcement will be imminent.

In order to make the most of the game – once they finally get their hands on it, lots of gamers are investing in new laptops so they can fully enjoy the graphics and sounds. With this in mind, we’ve decided to take a look at one of the best gaming laptops on the market, the MSI GS70 Stealth gaming laptop.

Available from eBuyer, this laptop boasts a range of features that can majorly enhance your gaming experience. To start, the laptop is perfect for gaming on the move. Weighing just 2.66kg and with a thickness of just 0.86 inches, this is the world’s thinnest and lightest gaming laptop, perfect for any on the move action.

When it comes to graphics and sound, this laptop is unmatched by its competitors. Comprising two speakers and a subwoofer, you can hear every footstep, gun shot and siren as you play. In addition, the laptop features a unique MSI Audio Boost that enhances sound performance by 30% more.  When on the move, sound quality remains the same exceptional level, thanks to the gold flash headphone jack. Graphics-wise, the 17.3” fully HD screen will be the perfect arena for GTA V, displaying crystal clear images.

Even the keyboard is designed to optimise gaming. The keys are specially organised for faster and better action and the keyboard itself is backlit, and with over 1000 personal colour combinations, you can really set the gaming mood – totally immersing yourself in the action.

Packed full of USB ports, a card reader and even an HDMI port, this laptop is the ideal choice for gamers looking for an exceptional gaming experience. Grand Theft Auto 5 will never look so good!

Posted in: Apps & Games, Laptops
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