Samsung 900X3A-B01 Series 9 Ultrabook Review

When I first reviewed the original Series 9 from Samsung, it was before the term ultrabook had even been coined.  This was the only laptop to consider at the time as a […]

Samsung SCX-3405W Mono Wireless Laser Printer Review

Saving money when you print is all the rage these days, especially with both household and business budgets being squeezed ever more tightly.  It's not surprising then to see a resurgence in […]

How Secure is Your Password?

As part of writing my forthcoming "Windows 8 Power Users Guide" from Apress and "Troubleshoot and Optimize Windows 8 Inside Out" from Microsoft Press, there are inevitably chapters where I have to […]

My New Fibre Broadband Will Likely Be My Last

Next Friday I'm getting a new fibre-optic broadband line installed at my home, and it's very exciting.  Because of where I live I've not been able to take advantage of existing cable […]

Microsoft and Apple working on Secret Anti-Google Cloud OS

Nobody really foresaw the rise of Google as an operating system maker and though it's not all been successful for the company (got a Chromebook anyone?) on tablets and smartphones nobody can […]

Liberty hold Richard O'Dwyer Human Rights 'Copyright' Anti-Extradition Event

Last night I attended an event in Sheffield (UK) hosted by Human Rights campaign group Liberty.  The aim of the event was to raise awareness of Richard O'Dywer, a university student from […]

Samsung Series 7 Gamer 3D Laptop Review

I've reviewed a fair few laptops in the last year and seen countless PCs in my life but excitement always mounts when something new comes along, and that something was the arrival […]

Why I'm Buying a Watch

Back in my youth I sat at home with a ZX Spectrum dreaming of the day I might one day be able to carry a computer around with me.  A few short […]

The Importance of Using Mobile Encryption

This might come as a surprise to you, or perhaps even alarm you, but on the city of London’s public transport system alone, around 200 laptops are handed into lost-property offices every […]

Microsoft Slash TechNet Product Keys from 10 to 5 to 3

In September 2010, citing concerns over piracy, Microsoft slashed the number of product keys available to subscribers of its TechNet service from 10 per product down to 5.  This caused some arguments […]

Will Bitlocker's Security Flaw Remain in Windows 8?

I write a lot about security, and about Microsoft's Bitlocker drive encryption technology.  Frankly I really like Bitlocker because it is easy to deploy and because its tied to a TPM (Trusted […]

What it's like giving Windows 8 Talks

As I write this I'm sitting in a hotel room in Bradford, West Yorkshire (UK) getting ready to give a talk tonight to a large IT user group about Windows 8.  This […]

Do You Love the Windows 8 Consumer Preview or Hate it?

Whatever Microsoft may be saying about how great the Windows 8 Consumer Preview is, there can be little doubt that it's provoking some very strong reactions.  People are either loving or hating […]

[Appeal] Send me Your Windows 8 Troubleshooting Issues and Problems

As the author of the Microsoft Press book, Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out you might expect with a new version of Windows now upon us I'd be thinking about the next edition […]

Game Developer Abandons Android App Citing Unsustainability

The company behind the popular Battleheart game for Google's Android operating system are ceasing support for the platform citing that the platform is unsustainable in the long term. In a blog post, Mika […]

What do you like most about Windows XP?

Windows XP, released in 2001 is for many people "as comfortable as an old shoe", but why is this and why do people hold this insecure and buggy operating system in such […]

Using Bitlocker in Windows (Best Practice Guide)

If you use a laptop for work, or it you carry important or sensitive data with you then it should be encrypted.  Put simply the repercussions of not using encryption are far […]

The Full HD PC vs iPad Rant

Argh!  Apple yesterday unveiled the new iPad, and it's lovely with lots of fantastic new hardware including a full 'retina display'.  This will give the new iPad a display resolution of a […]

Apple Reveal the all-time Biggest App Downloads

To mark the download of the 25 billionth app from the Apple App Store the company has released a series of all-time top 25 lists for app downloads.  Unsurprisingly games are at […]

What's Good and What's Bad About the Windows 8 Consumer Preview

I've had a good few days now to delve deep into Windows 8 and I've decided what I think is good, great, bad and awful about the OS.  I thought I'd share […]

What do you want to see in "The Windows 8 Power Users Guide"?

I have now begun to write "The Windows 8 Power Users Guide" in anger, having spent a few days having a deep dig into the Consumer Preview of the operating system.  This […]

What would make me touch a Mac

2012 or early 2013 will be the time I finally take the plunge and buy an Apple iMac.  This might surprise those of you who know me as, being a Windows MVP […]

Windows 8 for Business

When I came to review the Windows 8 Consumer Preview I decided that the best way to do it was to split it into separate reviews for the different types of people […]

Windows 8 Still Offers Quick Admin Tools Access

One of the biggest concerns IT Pros and businesses had about Windows 8 was the hiding of the administrative and computer management features in the OS.  With the new Metro interface being […]

Windows 8 for IT Pros

In order to properly review Windows 8, as Microsoft have said that they consider it to be essentially finished and feature-locked, I thought it would be best to split my review into […]

Windows 8 Consumer Preview to be Released [Updated]

The waiting and uncertainty are finally over and at long last all our questions will be answered as Microsoft are set to release the Windows 8 Consumer Preview (beta) later today during […]

Samsung SUR40 Microsoft Surface Table - Hands On

I've today had a chance to have a play with the new Samsung SUR40 table running the latest version of Microsoft's Surface operating system.  The table, which starts at $8,400 is now […]

Is it Time to Dump the Internet and Start Again?

This week, Google was found out to have been bypassing privacy settings in both Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Apple's Safari web browsers, as Martin reported here.  In a statement on their blog, […]

Blackberry Playbook OS v2 Update Due Today [Updated, It's Out!]

It's been delayed and delayed further, but despite no official confirmation from RIM the long-anticipated version 2 of the company's QNX operating system for the Blackberry Playbook is due to be released […]

Is Tablet-Creep in Operating Systems a Bad Thing and Must we Accept it?

Like it or not, it would appear that the tablet-ification of our desktop operating systems is inevitable.  Setting aside the new Metro interface that will take the main focus of Windows 8, […]

How Would You Better Integrate Microsoft's Products?

With the Windows 8 beta out next week and getting all the attention especially with it's integration of the company's Kinect technology, the rest of Microsoft's product line-up has taken a back […]

The Last Week Without Windows 8, What is the Tech World Doing?

Unless you hadn't noticed, Microsoft are gearing up for the release of the Windows 8 (beta) Consumer Preview publicly in just over a week, but others, such as official beta testers and […]

What do you want to see in my new Windows 8 books?

Next week, when I finally download the Windows 8 Consumer Preview I'll start writing not just one, but two new Windows 8 books, with a third being written later this year, so […]

Netgear DGND3700 N600 ADSL2+ / Fibre / Cable Router Review

Recently Netgear sent me their new DGND3700 router for review, which was very lucky as mine was playing up at the time.  Now on the face of it you might not think […]

Why Enterprise-Level Metro Apps Can and Will Work

I've written a lot about Windows 8 over the last few days as we approach the release of the Consumer Preview at the end of this month.  One subject that's not been […]

The Alternatives to Windows 8

Windows 8 is unique in that it is the first version of Microsoft's mighty operating system that faces serious and stiff competition from its rivals.  For the first time there are not […]

ReactOS, the Windows XP Alternative

While we wait for the Windows 8 beta to be released at the end of the month questions are looming over what will happen with legacy software support and how we'll run our […]

Will we Anti-Trust Microsoft in the Future?

It's not that long ago, really not a distant memory, when Microsoft were hauled before regulators in the US and Europe for several years over the anti-competitive practices of bundling Internet Explorer […]

Can Windows 8 Be All Things to All People? The Case for Splitting It Up!

Yesterday Microsoft finally announced their plans for Windows 8 running on ARM-designed processors.  The news came with two very interesting pieces of information... "WOA (Windows on ARM) includes desktop versions of the […]

Windows 8 Consumer Preview Coming February 29th

The beta "Consumer Preview" version of Microsoft's new Windows 8 operating system could be released on Wednesday 29th February.  Microsoft have announced a "Windows 8 Consumer Preview event" in the city, that […]