ON TEST: WHICH IS BEST

FOR YOUR BUDGET?

Building A
500 Entertainment PC
How To Create
Your Very Own Wiki
The Best Software
For Video Enthusiasts

BUYING THE
RIGHT NAS
BOOSTING YOUR
NETWORK SPEED
PICKING THE
RIGHT NETWORK
HARDWARE
TROUBLESHOOTING
TIPS
AND MUCH
MORE!

ISSUE 1406

2.99

APR 2016

tinyurl.com/mm1406mm

CCL Computers Ltd recommends Windows

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Prices correct at time of going to publishing
(17th March 2016). Images & designs
nd us: CCL Computers Ltd, Inmoor Road
are for illustrative purposes only. *Laptop Checking Service
priced at 14.99 inc VAT. Please call for details.
Off Cross Lane, Bradford, BD11 2PS

www.cclonline.com

CCL Computers Ltd recommends Windows

www.cclonline.com

Latest Windows 10 and

Skylake PCs from CCL
Why choose CCL for your new PC?
FREE Next Day
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Prices correct at time of going to publishing
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are for illustrative purposes only. Monitors and desktop
bundles are available separately. Please call for details.
Off Cross Lane, Bradford, BD11 2PS

www.cclonline.com

Contents
This week...

08

The Best
Network Hardware

08 The Best

Network Hardware

14

Common
Networking
Problems
Explained

20

The Essential
NAS Guide
4

Issue 1196

Setting up a home network is easier than its ever

been, but there are still plenty of ways to improve or
expand yours. From new routers to wireless extenders
and adaptors, James Hunt looks at some of the best
hardware on the market

14 Common Networking
Problems Explained

Hopefully, your internet and home networking all work

smoothly and reliably. If things do go wrong, though,
what can you do to fix them? Well, maybe one of our
tips can help you get back online again

20 The Essential
NAS Guide

Network attached storage is a marvellous thing. All

the devices and computers in your home can share
the same files, and you can even access them over the
internet. To help you choose the right one, weve put
together this handy guide

26 Five Ways To

Improve Security

Theres no way we could produce a networking special

without at least mentioning security. The very nature
of wireless networks means theyre potentially open to
uninvited guests. With a few a simple steps, though,
you can easily shore up your defences

26

Five Ways To
Improve Security

28

Better Speeds

Security is great, but its not all that exciting. No, what
everyone really wants is to go faster! Weve come with five
great ways you can get more speed out of your network.

32 Video Editors

For Enthusiasts

Windows Movie Maker is perfectly fine for simple tasks, but

if you want to produce higher-quality videos, youll need to
look further afield. Aaron Birch goes through your options

38 Famous Twitter
Namesakes

What happens if you share your Twitter name with the

name of a famous brand, like John Lewis? Who has
priority? Sarah Dobbs has been finding out

42 Create Your Own Wiki

The most famous wiki in the world is obviously
Wikipedia, and although youre unlikely to match up to
that, its not difficult to set up your own. All you need is
a copy of TiddlyWiki and a bit of spare time

46 500 Entertainment PC
If you want a gaming and media centre in your front
room, you could buy a games console. But PCs are, of
course, more powerful and versatile. Thankfully, with
a decent chunk of cash, you can build a decent system
that looks every bit as good as an Xbox or PS4

Gaming Laptops

68

Alienware 13 Gaming
Laptop
Gigabyte P34W v5
Lenovo Y70
Asus ROG GL552VW
MSI GE72 2QC Apache
Scan 3XS Graphite LG157
Sum up

69
70
71
72
73
74

Reviews

60
61
62

How To Get Better Speeds

28 How To Get

Group Test

Also In
This Issue...

Asus ZenBook UX305CA

Minix NGC-1
Lexar Professional 1800x
microSD UHS-II 64GB
Venturer BravoWin 10K
Netgear Arlo Q
Tom Clancys The Division`

64
66
67
106
108

78 Download Directory

81 Remembering

54
90

82 Retro Round-up

30
98
100
102
112

Mr Hayward looks back

fondly on his hairy-handed
hero, Donkey Kong
Dave Edwards returns with
his monthly look at new
games for old machines

Ask Aaron
Ask Jason

Specialists

92
93
94
95
96

Looking for some new

software to try? Look
no further!

Experts

Linux Mart
Mac Mart
Mobile Mart
Hardware Mart
Gaming Mart

News

The Latest News

Your Letters

Regulars
Subscriptions
Ad Index
IT Essentials
Classifieds
Logging Off

86 Should We Be Afraid
Of OpenAI?

Sarah Dobbs asks whether

were headed for
something dangerous

91 Alphabet Pi

This week, we find

ourselves all at C

111 App Of The Week

Take a deep breath and

relax with the iZen
meditation app

114 Top 5

Why science fiction

gives us good clues
about the future

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1196
Issue 1406

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THE
BEST
NETWORK
HARDWARE
Give your internet and file transfers
a real boost!

icking out network hardware

can be tough. There are tons of
options, lots of technologies, and
its rarely clear what separates the highend expensive brands from the low-end
ones that claim to be as good.
So whether youre actively looking
for new hardware or just window
shopping for upgrades, weve put
together a collection of the best
network hardware items you might
want to buy.

1. Budget PCI Wireless

Adaptor:
D-Link DWA-525 (17)

Just because USB adaptors are generally

cheaper, it doesnt mean you have no
choice when it comes to low-cost PCI
adaptors far from it, in fact. There
are plenty of sub-20 cards around,

Issue 1406

and some of them arent even made

by budget king TP-Link. As proof,
heres an excellent single-band Wireless
N150 card, which is only a little more
expensive than TP-Links equivalent and
better in every technical regard.
The single antenna reflects its
2.4GHz-only capabilities, but its
directional and compatible with
Wireless AC networks. The bundled
software allows for WPS-protected
connection, and theres also a lowprofile bracket in the box for use in
slim systems.
About the only bad thing you
can say about this card is that it
doesnt come with its own Ethernet
connection port, but then its a safe
bet that your PC already has one
on its motherboard anyway. Its not
the most thrilling piece of hardware,

BEST NETWORK
HARDWARE

Just because USB adaptors are

generally cheaper, it doesnt mean

you have no choice when it comes
to low-cost PCI adaptors
but performance is solid and it gets
the job done. If nothing else, its
potentially three times faster than
a Wireless G connection, so thats
reason enough to upgrade.

2. High-end PCI Wireless

Adaptor:
Asus PCE-AC68 (69.99)

The only problem with the Asus PCEAC68 is its so expensive youll have
a hard time trying to justify why you
need it. But make no mistake, this is
a wireless adaptor that qualifies as
all-singing and all-dancing, and the
feature list alone make you practically
beg to pay for it.
Dont believe us? Well, start reading
and stop when you get to something
you dont want. Its a dual-band
Wireless AC adaptor that can achieve
speeds of up to 1900Mbps (assuming
your network is fast enough to
handle that). The Broadcom fifthgen AC chipset has its own heatsink
to keep performance smooth and
uninterrupted even in systems that
get a bit hot. A flexible, triple-antenna
aerial comes mounted on a cord
with a magnetised stand, so you can
make sure youre getting the best
signal and that it stays in place, and
all three antennas can be removed
and replaced at your preference. And
of course, it comes with a low-profile
bracket if your system requires one.
In short, theres nothing you could
want out of a network card that this
one doesnt have, with the possible
exception of a gigabit Ethernet port.
But lets face it, when you can get
faster speeds wirelessly, its far from
necessary to have wired support as
well. It costs a lot, but seriously, its
worth it.

3. Budget USB Wireless

Adaptor:
Asus USB-N10 Nano (7)

The Asus USB-N10 wireless adaptor

is so small that you could potentially
forget it exists, and thats what makes

it so good. Whether youre adding

it to a laptop or desktop system, its
discreet, stable and completely unlikely
to get knocked or yanked out of the
socket like many large, cumbersome
USB adaptors are.
That said, this is single-band N150
hardware, and the fact that it mostly
doesnt seem to exist is proof that it
does most of the work in software.
But it achieves strong speeds and
comes with some interesting features,
such as the software access point
function, which allows you to securely
share your internet connection with
other users, and an auto-off function
that makes sure you dont waste
power searching for a wi-fi signal
while the system is inactive ideal for
situations where battery conservation
is a priority.
As USB adaptors go, it simply
couldnt be more compact. If
anything, thats its biggest flaw. If
you put this in your pocket or drop
it on the floor, theres a good chance
if might disappear forever, which is a
problem you dont have with larger
dongles. If you want a decent Wireless
N connection for the lowest price
possible, then frankly it over-delivers.

4. High-end USB Wireless

Adaptor:
Asus USB-AC53 (30)

Even when youre looking for a USB

adaptor, theres no shying away from
the high cost of Wireless AC hardware
even this far into the technologys
lifespan. But the fact that you can get
the Asus USB-AC53 for around 30 is
a pleasant surprise, because it means
you can get your network hardware
from a respected manufacturer, which
implies a level of longevity.
The AC53 is dual-band, offering
combined speeds up to 1200Mbps.
The internal patch antennas give
you wide coverage, while Asuss
NetClip software helps you locate
the optimum positioning. Unlike
some USB network adaptors, this one

Issue 1406

Wireless bridges occupy a

strange space in the market

comes with a cable-integrated cradle

so you dont need to have it sticking
inconveniently out of a USB port if
you dont want to. Theres also a WPS
instant connect button.
The only thing we can imagine
criticising it on is that its quite large,
especially compared to the likes of
the N150 Nano. While the cradle is
innovative, it does add yet more bulk
to an already large piece of hardware.
Still, it looks great, connects at
fantastically high speeds, and if you
dont want to crack open your PC and
install an internal adaptor, theres no
better choice than this one.

5. Budget Wireless Bridge:

Edimax EW-7228APn (17)

Its possible to find cheaper bridges,

but in most cases anything that costs
less than the Edimax EW-7228APn
will either be a one-port device,
support Wireless G connections only,
or be so shoddily made that it doesnt
really work anyway. At most, youll
save 3 to 5 buying a cheaper unit,
which is so little that it hardly seems
worth shouldering the inconvenience
itll bring.
By comparison, the Edimax
EW-7228APn is a very convenient
piece of hardware. Its five Fast
Ethernet ports allow you to connect
five networked devices, which can
then use the bridge to attach to
any 2.4GHz wireless network so
Wireless B, G and N, which includes
the 2.4GHz channel of a wireless AC
network. The Wireless N connection
offered is single-speed (up to
150Mbps), so it should be fast enough
for most network uses.
Setup is simple enough: it includes
a WPS button (something else thats
often missing from cheaper hardware),
so all you have to do is pair it with
your preferred network and plug the
devices in. If all goes well, youll never
need to touch it again.

6. High-end Wireless Bridge:

Trendnet TEW-800MB (89)
Wireless bridges occupy a strange
space in the market. There are a lot of

10

Issue 1406

very cheap ones, and not very many

mid-priced ones, and then suddenly
a lot of expensive ones again. Thats
why theres such a large difference
between the Edimax bridge and this.
The leap in price might be nearcolossal in scale, but theres a good
reason for that: the TEW-800MB is a
Wireless AC-enabled bridge capable of
providing speeds of up to 1200Mbps
if connected to a Wireless AC access
point. This makes it ideal for situations
where you might be attempting to
stream high-definition media to a
smart TV or other set-top box. It
supports up to four devices on its
gigabit Ethernet ports, meaning even
multiple HD streams are supported.
Although the speed improvements
are what youre paying extra for, you
still get plenty of convenient features,
such as one-touch WPS connections,
encryption support and backwards
compatibility for all network types. Its
particularly ideal if youre expecting
to stream a lot of HD video and dont
want a wireless connection that might
struggle with that.

7. Budget Wireless
Repeater:
Netgear WN3000RP (30)

The Netgear WN3000RP is a universal

wi-fi range extender, which can be
used to increase the reliability of
wireless networks using any standard
up to and including Wireless N. At
35, youd expect at least that level
of coverage; it is, after all, almost as
expensive as buying a second router!
To be fair, the WN3000RP makes a
fairly convincing case as to why you
shouldnt just do that instead. Setup
is incredibly simple: you only have to
plug it in and hit the WPS button (for
Wireless N networks, at least), and
itll immediately get to work. The fact
that its a universal extender means
it can be transported, shared and
reused without any reconfiguration or
adaptation, and its much smaller than
a second router as well!
Its not a completely perfect
device. As theres no signal strength
indicator, youll have to guess

www.meshcomputers.com
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where to place it to get the best

performance. All this would be
harder to forgive if it wasnt such
good value, but ultimately its not
too fiddly, even under sub-optimal
conditions, and it performs well
regardless of circumstance. For
those reasons alone, its worth
recommending.

8. High-end Repeater:
Asus RP-AC52 (48)

10

As with most types of wireless

accessory, if you want Wireless AC
support, you have to be prepared to
accept a significant jump in pricing.
The Asus RP-AC52 is a repeater with
Wireless AC support for speeds of up
to 750Mbps, which is enough to cover
the needs of almost any home user.
The RP-AC52 has full dual-band
support, so its compatible with any
2.4GHz and 5GHz standard, and
its variety of on-device indicators
eliminate the guesswork involved in
making sure it has a strong signal
to repeat. A secondary access point
mode allows you to connect it
to any wired LAN (for example, a
library or hotels access point) and
then create a personal wi-fi hotspot
for devices that dont have an
Ethernet connection.
And as a bonus, you get some
of Asuss proprietary technologies.
The Asus AiPlayer allows you to plug
speakers into the repeater and then
stream audio from any connected
device, meaning you can play music
off your phone without having to tie
it to the speakers with a cable, and
even access internet radio using the
repeaters web interface. Theres even
a powerful LED on the back, which
turns it into a night-light! As repeaters
go, its rammed with gimmicks, but if
you want a repeater that stands out
from the crowd, weve got no better
recommendations.

9. Budget Router:
TP-Link Archer C20i (30)

Most of the routers weve looked

at contain an ADSL modem, since
thats overwhelmingly the way most
people in the UK get their broadband.
However, if youve already got a
modem or youre not averse to
running an additional router you
can get a Wireless AC-enabled access
point for as little as 30.

12

Issue 1406

Once again, you have to look

to TP-Link for this bargain. The
Archer C20i isnt just its first sub40 Wireless AC750 router its
pretty much the only one. As well as
supporting gigabit Ethernet, it has
dual-band 802.11ac at speeds up to
750Mbps. While you dont get some
of the high-end features seen in the
older (and twice as expensive) Archer
C7, you do get a USB port, which
allows you to share storage and
printers over the network through
built-in software. Its an incredibly
useful feature and a genuine rarity on
entry-level wireless routers.
Although TP-Links hardware is
sometimes a bit too basic and flimsy
feeling, the C20i is one of its more
solid releases. The upright form factor
hides three internal antennas for
stable, omnidirectional connectivity,
and the software is made to meet
modern needs. A guest network
allows you to easily share your
connection with visitors, while built-in
parental controls allow you to restrict
access and bandwidth by IP. At this
price, its hard to overlook it.

10. High-end Router:

Belkin F9K1113 (70)

If you want a more conventional

router, with a built-in ADSL modem
and the ability to take advantage of
even faster multiplexed Wireless AC
transmissions, the Belkin F9K1113
is worth checking out. Its expensive
compared to most other routers,
but compared to other Wireless AC
routers, its surprisingly reasonable.
Most of the feature set is fairly
standard, with four gigabit Ethernet
ports, two USB 3.0 ports for
detachable storage and some onetouch configuration buttons, but
again youre getting the reliability
and quality of the Belkin name. If
anythings likely to be a problem, its
that the Belkin F9K1113 is quite old
as Wireless AC routers go, and that
means its very much a first try at
getting one right.
Newer and more expensive Belkins
offer performance that while not
necessarily faster, is certainly less
variable. But if youre not willing
to spend 100+ on what is, even
at that price, comfortably mid-level
hardware, this router is probably your
best option. mm

COMMON
NETWORKING
PROBLEMS
EXPLAINED

If you cant get online or access shared files, we might be able to help

nce youve set up your

network, it instantly
becomes essential to
everything you do online. Thats
why, when one goes wrong, it
can be a source of near-infinite
frustration. Troubleshooting a
network especially a wireless
one is hardly ever easy. If do
you encounter a problem, the
best way to fix it is to already
know whats wrong, or know
someone who does.
Unfortunately, when your
network is down, you cant
even get online to Google the
problem. Its just you, your wits,
and a near-incomprehensible
router administration page to
guide you. Unless, of course,
youve got this article handy

14

Issue 1406

PROBLEM: Your
Network Connection
Isnt Active

If your PC cant find the

network connection, the
number of reasons for that
are virtually endless. The only
way you can approach the
problem is to start with the
absolute basics. The first thing
you have to check is whether
your PC and network hub (well
assume its a router) are actually
capable of communicating.
So from the bottom up: does
your network hardware actually
have power? Both the router
and your network adaptor need
to be active. Check that the
router is still plugged in, that
its switched on, and that your

network adaptor is properly

seated (whether thats in a PCI
slot or USB port).
If youre not sure whether
it has power, check the LEDs.
Even hubs and adaptors that
arent actively transmitting
data should give off some
sign of life, even if its just the
occasional flash as it tests for
an available connection.
In the case of network
hubs, a lack of power should
be easy to diagnose and repair
(check the power leads and
socket), and at worst you
might find yourself having
to replace a fuse or switch
plug sockets. At best, itll be
a loose cable or accidentally
flipped switch.

With adaptors, youre in a

much more precarious position.
USB adaptors can simply be
swapped between ports to see
if they wake up once theyve
been plugged in somewhere
else. The main ports at the rear
of your system have the best
chance of working, because
theyre attached directly to the
motherboard. If the adaptor
doesnt seem to wake up, then
either the LEDs are broken
(unlikely) or the USB adaptor
itself is dead and should be
replaced. Its always worth
trying the adaptor in a different
system just to check, though!
Internal network adaptors
are a little bit more of a chore
to move, especially if you dont

COMMON NETWORK
PROBLEMS

Triple-check that the

hardware is powered and

working

have any PCI slots free. Before

you take the step of opening
your PC, we recommend
checking the Windows device
manager. If the network card
is present and free from errors,
its probably receiving power
regardless of whether the LEDs
are going or not, so use that to
guide your decision.
In the case of wired
networks, you should also
check the network cables. Its
not impossible that they can
get pulled out, so give them a
good push into their sockets
and check for any nasty twists
or nicks that might have broken
the internal wiring. Replace any
damaged cables before doing
anything else.
If you correctly address and
fix all of these problems, then
your network should hopefully
be alive again. If not, triplecheck that the hardware is
powered and working and
that the operating system still
recognises it.

PROBLEM: Youre
Connected To The
Network But Cant
Reach Web Pages

One of the most frequently

encountered (and irritating)
problems is when your network
seems to be connected but you
cant reach web pages, or you
can only reach a small number
of them. This is typically a
logical problem between your
computer and the internet,
so given that you cant
troubleshoot the entire internet
at once, it makes sense to start
with your own PC.
First, check that youre still
connected to your router.
If youve lost your network
connection, that would explain
why web pages arent loading.
This could something simple,
like a dislodged cable or
rebooting router, so check your
connections and restart your
hardware to try to kick it back
into life.
If that still doesnt work
and youre using wi-fi, try
connecting directly to your
router with a cable. If that
works, then the problem can at
least be narrowed down to the
wireless signal in some way.
If the connection exists
and you still cant get to web
pages, thats when things get
difficult. First you have to make
sure the connection is actually
working properly, so check that
you can access your routers
administration system. Youll
normally need to browse to
192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 in
your browser to do so. If this
connection fails, its probably
that the router has crashed (so
reboot it by cycling the power).
If you can access the routers
admin page, then at least
you know the problem isnt
between your PC and the
router. The problem is that it

Issue 1406

15

means theres likely something

wrong between the router and
the ISP.
But all is not yet lost!
To troubleshoot this, try to
establish that the connection to
your ISP is working. Have a look
at the lights on your router, and
if the one marked something
like ADSL, DSL, Cable or
sometimes just Internet is
switched off, then it means
your modem has no signal.
That means the connection has
probably gone down (though
it could just mean the cable is
unplugged, so check that too!).
Assuming the cable is fine, the
fault is with the ISP, and all you
can do is wait for them to fix
the problem, though obviously
you can call them or check
their service status page on
your phones mobile connection
to confirm whether they know
of any faults.
If the internet connection is
working, then theres one last
avenue to pursue: the problem
could be that your ISPs DNS
server has gone down. This is
most likely if some pages are
still working, but others arent.
Those for which you already
have the DNS information will
continue to be reachable, but
others wont be.
To fix this, open your routers
admin page and change the
first two DNS servers to the IP
addresses of the free OpenDNS
servers: 208.67.222.222 and
208.67.220.220. Make a
note of the ones you change,
though, in case you need
to change them back. Once
thats done, reboot your router
and the connection should
hopefully be working.

PROBLEM: Your Router

Keeps Resetting

A spontaneously resetting
router is a difficult problem
to fix, and usually requires a
permanent solution in the form
of replacement hardware but
that doesnt mean always. At
the very least, you can try a
few things to see if you can
manage the problem.

16

Issue 1406

When routers spontaneously

reset, it tends to mean that
theyve actually crashed and
performed an automatic
reboot. This could be the result
of a hardware fault, but its not
always that. There are a few
potential causes, so well tackle
them in terms of how easy they
are to fix.
The first is that the router
might be overheating. Like
all computers, if they get too

traffic, like video streaming or

file sharing. You can potentially
stop it by limiting the traffic
throughput, either in your
routers settings or by slowing
down your own systems
demands on it. Its not an
ideal solution (after all, no one
wants to limit their connection
permanently), but if it works,
at least youve got a stable
connection while you see what
can be done.

PROBLEM: Your
Wireless Network
Isnt Visible

Being unable to find the

wireless network youre
looking for is one of the most
irritating problems for wireless
hardware, though 90% of the
time it means that the access
point has reset itself, and the
network will reappear as soon
as its finished rebooting and
reinitialising. The other 10% of

Triple-check that the hardware is

powered and working

hot, they become prone to

errors, which cause crashes.
If your router is kept in an
enclosed space, near another
heat source or has its vents
covered, then this might be
the problem. Ensure its in a
cool and well-ventilated area
and, with any luck, the crashes
will stop.
The next problem is that the
router might be overheating
because its overworked. This is
something that can happen a
lot if youre using a lot of heavy

Finally, if none of that works,

the best thing to do is flash
your routers firmware with the
latest version. If the crashes
are being caused by a bug or
configuration error, flashing
the firmware will hopefully fix
it. You can obtain the latest
version of the firmware from
the manufacturers website,
but be aware that flashing it
will probably lose any custom
settings youve got, so you may
want to make a note of them
before you do it!

the time, its the indication of a

much bigger problem.
Being unable to see the
network name you want in
your list of available networks
means, on its most basic level,
that your wireless antenna isnt
picking up a signal from which
it can extract SSID. Several
things can cause this, so well
try to eliminate them in a
logical order.
First, check whether you can
see any other networks in the
list, even if you cant connect

to them. Assuming youre not

living in a lone house with
miles of farmland in every
direction, you should see a
few other wireless networks
around. If you can, you have
good reason to believe that
your wireless adaptor is
working fine. If you cant, then
the problem might be that the
antenna isnt working properly.
Check that its powered up
and, if its a full-size aerial, that
its properly screwed in.
If the adaptor definitely
working, then the next thing
to check is whether the SSID
is actually being broadcast.
Assuming youve checked the
wireless access points power
(remember that even after
being switched on, a router
takes a minute or two to start
broadcasting the SSID), then
the best thing to do is quickly
check another wi-fi capable
device to see if that can pick up
the SSID.
If it cant, then you know that
the SSID isnt being broadcast,
which can be a consequence
of three different things: that
the wireless isnt active, that
the SSID has been voluntarily
suppressed or that the range
simply isnt long enough to

18

Issue 1406

Being unable to connect to a network is, in

many ways, more frustrating than being unable

to nd it at all

reach the antenna. You can fix

the second by checking that
SSID broadcast is enabled in
the router backend, and the
third by moving the router and
access point closer together (or
rearranging the antennas).
However, if that doesnt
have an effect, then the only
remaining cause is the first:
that the wireless access point
has stopped working for
some reason.
The best course of action at
this point is to connect to the
wireless access point using an
Ethernet cable and manually
enter the administrative backend. See if the wireless (WLAN)
signal has been disabled, and if
it has, switch it back on. If its
already enabled, you may have
a hardware problem with the
routers antenna, so check that
its attached and undamaged.
If, for some reason, you
cant access the router via
Ethernet or any other devices
wireless signal, then your only

remaining hope is to do a
factory reset on the wireless
access point. Most wireless
access points come in the
box with wireless enabled by
default, and assuming there
isnt a manual switch for
enabling and disabling the
feature, a factory reset is the
only way to turn it on without
accessing the routers back-end.
Check for a pinhole button
and/or consult your devices
manual for details on how to
do that.

PROBLEM: You Cant

Connect To A Wireless
Network

Being unable to connect to a

network is, in many ways, more
frustrating than being unable
to find it at all. In this case,
you know that the network
is available but something is
preventing a stable connection
from being established.
If the network uses
encryption, its probable that

the thing preventing you from

connecting to it is an incorrect
wireless key being used. If
youre manually entering
the password, double-check
with your source that youre
entering it correctly and that it
hasnt changed.
If it has changed and you
cant get the correct one, you
have to find an Ethernet cable,
connect your device directly to
the wireless access point, then
use the administrative backend to enter a new wireless
password. Alternatively, you
can perform a factory reset
and use the default wireless
password, which should be
printed on a sticker somewhere
on the device.
If the password isnt what
appears to be at fault (i.e.
at no point are you asked to
enter a password, implying
that the one youre using is
correct), then the problem is
probably something far harder
to get a handle on: a software
misconfiguration.
To fix this, open the network
and sharing centre from the
control panel and click change
adapter settings. Select your
wireless network (probably
called wifi and right-click on it
to access the properties. Here,
under the networking tab,
open Internet Protocol Version
4 and make sure both sections
under the general tab are set
to obtain automatically. Click
OK and restart all of your
hardware. With any luck, the
configuration problem will
be fixed.
Hopefully, this helps you fix
the most common networking
problems, and it gives you
some idea about any others
that might come up. Let us
know if you have any of your
own and well try to address
them in a future issue! mm

THE COMPLETE

HOME
NAS
GUIDE

Everything you need to know to get you started with network attached storage

aving a home network makes it easy

to take advantage of lots of different
technologies, though most of us only
use ours to share an internet connection
between several devices. Network attached
storage is just one way you can use your
home network to make your life easier. But
what actually is it, and why should you care?

What Is NAS?

Network attached storage is essentially

a hard drive (actually more often a set
of hard drives) that you can access from
almost any device on your network and
frequently from outside it too, thanks to
built-in server software.
The technology has been growing in
popularity for various reasons. One is the
general move towards solid-state storage
in home computing devices (whether
theyre laptops, smartphones or tablets).

20

Issue 1406

This means that after years of being dirt

cheap, storage space is once again priced
at a premium. Worse still, the increasing
resolution and quality of commercial media
means that the entertainment we actually
use our computers to view takes up more
space than ever. The experience is universal:
devices becoming full, and media being
deleted and redownloaded.
But increasing the space in a phone or
tablet from a meagre 16GB to a marginally
less meagre 64GB can cause the price to
jump up by 100-200. By comparison, the
same amount of money could get you 4TB
of mechanical hard drive storage.
NAS devices allow you to take advantage
of low-cost, high-capacity storage using
your network. Acting as a stand-alone
file-server, they give you a place to store
large files and run the software you need
to stream those files direct to your PC, TV,

games console, smartphone or tablet on

demand. In some cases, you can even do so
over the internet, meaning you dont even
have to be in the same country to gain
access to your beloved media.
Cross-compatibility means NAS devices
can allow easy access to data regardless of
device manufacturer or operating system
make (something youll appreciate if youve
ever tried to share files between a Mac and
PC, or Windows and Linux). They require
very little technical knowledge to set up, and
theyre cheaper, quieter and smaller than
dedicated file server systems.
Admittedly, there are disadvantages to
using network attached storage instead of
local storage: an increase in network traffic,
the potential speed limitations of certain
types of wireless networks and a greater
expense to run. In general, though, the
benefits outweigh the problems.

HOME NAS GUIDE

Some models support wi-, but its

worth remembering that slow wireless
connections can create a bottleneck
What Technologies Do NAS
Enclosures Support?

NAS devices contain a variety of

technologies, none of which should be
especially unfamiliar to any seasoned
computer user. When youre buying one,
look for Ethernet support especially
gigabit Ethernet if you intend to use a
physical connection to your router (or other
network hub).
Some models support wi-fi, but its worth
remembering that slow wireless connections
can create a bottleneck. Only the fastest
multi-channel Wireless AC connections come
close to gigabit Ethernet speeds, and even
then theyre generally much less consistent
and far more vulnerable to interference.
Software-wise, you may want to check
for iTunes compatibility, a DNLA-compatible
media server (a standard protocol for media
streaming to devices and applications) and,
if youre interested in accessing your files
remotely, some ability to stream over the

web. Many NAS devices have their own

backup suites too.
You may also be interested in extra
online features. Some NAS devices come
with free online cloud storage, which will
automatically back up your data when your
internet connection is idle. Indeed, you can
get as much as 25GB of online storage
free with some of them, although they do
tend to be priced more highly to cover such
an expense.
Whether or not you want to use cloud
storage may depend on what youre using
the NAS for, but it does give you the
ability to access files from anywhere on the
internet, even when your home connection
is inactive or the NAS is switched off, as
well as creating a secondary backup thats
immune to any major catastrophe.
Finally, if you see hardware specs for
things like cache and CPU, dont get
confused: NAS devices have their own
internal controllers and processors (much

like a router), so in that sense, the processor

speed lets you know how well that software
performs. Similarly, the cache tells you how
well disk speeds can be maintained, because
more cache means better performance.
Dont get too hung up on paying extra for
that type of hardware alone, though. Youre
unlikely to notice a huge leap between the
low- and high-end processors or cache levels
in a home environment. Theyre only likely
to have tangible effects if you have a lot of
simultaneous users.

What Drive Congurations Are

Available?

When buying a NAS device, its important

to know whether youre buying a single or
multi-bay device. You cant tell this from
capacity alone, though high-capacity drives
are more likely to be multi-bay. Neither is
especially better than the other, but wed
guide home customers with one or two
users towards the cheaper, single-drive
solution, and larger networks towards a
multi-bay setup.
To illustrate using examples, a 2TB
capacity NAS might contain either one
2TB drive or two 1TB drives. The former
is likely to be cheaper, but the latter gives
you better data integrity (backups can

Issue 1406

21

be kept on separate physical drives, or

duplicated), as well as the potential to
run disks as a RAID array, which will give
better speeds when multiple users are
accessing the data together.

What Are Driveless NAS Bays?

If you have a spare hard drive hanging

around that you think has a few good years
left in it, then youre in luck: you can save
money by buying a driveless NAS bay, which
will allow you to get a NAS device up and
running for as little as 35.
NAS bays contain the software and
hardware you need to run a NAS device,
but are considerably cheaper because they
contain no actual storage. If you can provide
the remaining component of a hard drive
off your own back, its undoubtedly the least
expensive way to get a NAS up and running.
Dont spend too much on this type of
NAS, though; high-end NAS bays contain
many features you probably dont need.
Space for multiple hard drives can be useful,
but even two high-capacity drives might be
much more than any home user needs.
As previously noted, the most expensive
NAS bays may also have additional
hardware, such as memory modules to

22

Issue 1406

If you have a spare hard drive hanging

around that you think has a few good

years left in it, then youre in luck

improve their caching capabilities. These are

aimed at business and enterprise uses. Such
features are far more sophisticated than
a home user would need and a potential
waste of money which somewhat ruins the
savings inherent in buying a NAS enclosure.

NAS Devices For Every Budget

If youre wondering where to start with

NAS devices, here are a few you can start
with no matter what price range youre
looking at, so you know what to expect
and whats available for what the amount
you want to spend.

LOWEST PRICE OPTION:

Synology DiskStation DS115j
(89)

This diskless enclosure contains one bay,

making it perfect for budget home users.
Its a simple unit, with two USB ports, a
standard Ethernet port and 250MB of

RAM, but if youre looking for a basic

backup or file server, this is the kind of
hardware you need.
The File Station software allowed
secure sharing over the internet, and the
Cloud Station service allows you to sync
between multiple devices (including multiple
DiskStations) and online services like Google
Drive and Dropbox. All you have to do is
provide a sufficiently robust hard drive to
store the files on. Its possible to buy with
the same unit with pre-installed Western
Digital Red drives, and the price then ranges
from 151 for a 1TB version to 311 for a
6TB version.
Obviously, the lack of a drive is what
makes this particularly cheap, so if you dont
have a spare hard drive to put in it, you
wont save a huge amount of money. But
even if you dont, its cheaper to buy the
enclosure and shop around for a SATA drive
than to buy the two together. Just beware

of using low-quality or particularly old drives;

the last thing you want is a storage failure
wiping any important data stored here!

BUDGET OPTION:
Buffalo LinkStation 210 3TB
(104.99)

If you have a little bit more money to

spare, the Buffalo LinkStation 210 isnt much
pricier than an enclosure on its own, but
when you factor a 3TB drive into the price as
well, it becomes substantially better value.
As well as the network storage, this NAS
unit contains a built-in BitTorrent client, so
you can download things (perfectly legal
things, of course) directly to your NAS
without even needing your PC switched
on. The free WebAccess app allows you to
get at the contents from anywhere online,
on virtually any device. A built-in DLNA
service allows any smart devices to access
media from the NASs own storage, and
your entire households backup needs are
provided for by five bundled licences of the
NovaBACKUP software.
The built-in interface is designed to be
completely operable even from smartphones,

so even if you dont own a PC, you can take

advantage of its storage and capabilities.
250MB of RAM and a gigabit Ethernet
connection mean it easily competes with any
NAS device in its price class.
Note that as a single-bay enclosure, it
might be slow if multiple users are trying
to access it, but unless youre expecting
lots of people to use it simultaneously, this
shouldnt be a huge problem. And certainly
if you want to pay for a multi-bay enclosure,
it will mean stepping up your budget a
considerable amount.

MID-RANGE OPTION:
Buffalo LinkStation LS220 6TB
(190)

If you want a more robust backup solution

or a NAS device with faster access times,
the Buffalo LinkStation is a two-bay NAS
device that remains affordable for home
use (just about). Two 3TB drives give it a
full capacity of 6TB, which you can either
use at the full capacity (if you want more
storage) or in tandem as a RAID array (if
you want better performance and/or more
secure backups).

Cross-compatibility means NAS

devices can allow easy access to data

regardless of device manufacturer

24

Issue 1406

Additional features include everything

you get in the cheaper LinkStation: a gigabit
Ethernet connection for high-speed LAN
performance, a built-in BitTorrent client,
WebAccess apps for all major platforms and
novaBACKUP licences as well. In addition,
it contains a built-in FTP server for remote
access and a print server so you can use it to
share any USB printer as well.
Support for domains, network access
restrictions and active directories means
this enclosure could also service small
businesses, though in technical terms its
only recommended for up to two users
simultaneously, and any more than four
would probably become a problem. Still, for
less than 200 its a good price considering
the features it offers, and anything
substantially more expensive would probably
be too much for a normal household.

HIGH-END OPTION:
WD My Cloud Mirror Gen 2 6TB
(260)

If you dont want to get into the order

of Enterprise-level storage solutions, this
kind of device is more or less the upper
limit for home NAS units. The Western
Digital My Cloud Mirror comes with a pair
of automatically RAID mirrored Western
Digital Red drives, which are designed for
high-integrity and fast access times.
The personal storage software gives
you the ability to manage photos, videos
and other files from any device, while WD
SmartWare Pro gives you backup software
compatible with all major operating
systems, and WD Sync allows you to
mirror the contents of any part of the NAS
storage to any PC you like.
While in technical terms theres not a
huge amount of difference between this
and other two-bay drives, what makes it
worth paying extra for is the software and
pedigree. Western Digitals storage is highend and reliable, so its an ideal choice for
anyone who wants their NAS to act as a
secure place to store files. Obviously no type
of storage is irreplaceable, but itd take a
pretty big disaster to lose data stored here.
And that concludes our brief tour of
the NAS scene. With any luck you now
feel equipped to start investigating which
NAS is right for you, whether you want
extra storage, better backup abilities or
remote access to your files. Remember
if youre running a home network, then
networked storage is just one of the
many things it can do that you arent
already taking advantage of. Dont leave
it any longer! mm

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mindcraft-bookazine-cover-final.indd 1

01/06/2015 13:18

WAYS TO IMPROVE
NETWORK SECURITY

Give yourself the best chance of keeping your network secure and private

etwork security is more important

than it has ever been, but since
wireless routers now come with a
level of security set up by default,
many people are less aware than ever of
the security issues they face, and what can
be done to improve and manage network
security in general.
Thats why, to help anyone wondering
what they can do about their own network
security, weve put together this list of 5
things you can do to improve it without
making any major changes to your setup
or hardware.

An Eye On Your
1Keep
Network Device List

Most modern routers give you the ability

to see and manage a list of all devices that
are connected to your network. Properly
managing this list will allow you to see
if and when something unexpected has
hitched a ride on your wireless connection.
These device lists mostly work by reading
the MAC address of a piece of hardware,
so any entries are tied to the specific piece
of equipment regardless of its IP address.
You can generally assign names (and
sometimes a hardware class) to each entry,
so whenever you connect a new device
take a moment to add it to the list and
properly identify it. Not only will this help

26

Issue 1406

with troubleshooting, itll mean as soon as

you see a device that isnt identified youll
be able to tell that its unauthorised or at
the very least, new.
Just having a device list doesnt make
your network more secure in itself, since
there are no access restrictions based on
it (at least, not by default) but it does
give you the ability to monitor the status
of your network more closely, and that
can only be a good thing for its security.
MAC address filtering is an option, but
easily spoofed by anyone making a serious
attempt at unauthorised access its better
to keep your own eye on whats connected
rather than assume the router can block it
for you.

The Default
2Change
Administrator Login Details

Most of us never bother to change

the login credentials on our routers
administrator account, assuming that the
wireless network key will keep potential
snoopers out but this is a bad idea. If
someone manages to connect to your
network by some back-door method, such
as through malware on your desktop PC,
they might be able to gain access to your
routers administration area.
Lists of default admin logins arent
difficult to come by online. Indeed, most

manufacturers list them on their websites

in case people customers their hardware
but dont have a manual. If you know the
routers model number the full login details
are probably just a Google search away.
Thats why its a good idea to immediately
change the admin password to something
secure as soon as you can.
The standard rules for a secure
password all apply make it long, ideally
unguessable (so no dictionary words)
and use a mixture of upper case, lower
case and numbers. Any change is better
than no change, and it means that even
if someone manages to connect to your
network without your approval, theres
another layer of security for them to crack
before they can open your network up in
any serious way.

3Dont Use The DMZ Server

If you experience connection issues

that might be caused by a firewall, its
often tempting to set your system as the
DMZ server for your network. The DMZ
server is a reference to demilitarised
zones, but what it means in practical
circumstances is that the system is
essentially outside the firewall. This can be
a good thing for diagnosing problems that
the firewall might be causing, but its only
ever useful as a short-term solution.

IMPROVE NETWORK
SECURITY

Thats because if you leave a system as

the DMZ server for any extended amount
of time, it essentially becomes vulnerable
to all of the online attacks that would
previously have been filtered out by the
router. If you install a software firewall
theres some ability to get rid of this type
of traffic, but a router can do it far more
reliably and comprehensively.
Essentially, using the DMZ is as bad
as having no security, because it leaves
one system open to attack, and that
in itself creates a weak point that can
cause trouble for the entire network.
To create a completely secure network,
you have to make sure the DMZ is only
used temporarily if at all. Any permanent
fixture on it is practically issuing an open
invitation to hackers.

Turn Your Wi- Off If Youre

4Not
Using It

While it would be inconvenient to switch

your router on and off every time you stop
using your network, thats not what were
talking about here. If youre only using
a cabled connection (i.e. Ethernet) then
having a wireless access point is only going
to give hackers the opportunity to attack
your network.
Turning off wi-fi is a trivial procedure
all you have to do is log into your routers

MAC address ltering is an option, but

easily spoofed by anyone making a serious

attempt at unauthorised access

administration backend and click the

relevant option, then reboot it. Reversing
the process if you decide you need wi-fi
at any point in the future is just as simple.
Ethernet-only networks are far harder to
break into than wi-fi ones just because
of the sheer practicality that wi-fi offers
potential attackers after all, you dont
even need to be in a building to try
making a connection to networks inside!
Make sure you dont turn off wi-fi while
you are using it, though otherwise youll
have to drag your computer and/or router
somewhere so you can make a cabled
Ethernet connection to switch it back on.

The Default
5Change
Network Credentials

Your router probably has a sticker on the

bottom that identifies its critical details,
such as SSID and WPA key. Having access
to this combination of information is
necessary for anyone wanting to connect
to your network but the fact that its
easily obtained from the router also makes

it fundamentally insecure, especially if

youre running a network in a public
location such as a caf or other small
business with a lot of traffic.
Knowing the SSID of a router can
also give attackers ways to learn other
things about you, such as the ISP you
use, so changing it is a good idea under
any circumstance. Make sure you dont
change it to anything that connects you
to your address or online identity keep
it nice and generic so no one can be sure
whether its even yours without personal
assurance from you.
Similarly, changing the WPA key will
ensure that no one can steal that by
looking at the router. Many devices can
connect to a network using the one-touch
WPS (wi-fi Protected Setup) system (which
is normally just a button you push on your
router to connect new devices) so its not
even as if you have to enter the WPA key
a lot. Just make sure you dont lose it,
otherwise youll have to do a factory reset
to get it back! mm

Issue 1406

27

FIVE WAYS
TO IMPROVE
NETWORK SPEED
Is your wi-fi underperforming? Take a look at these tips

f youre worried that your

network is slowing down or
not performing as well as it
used to, youre not alone.
Poor network performance
can be incredibly frustrating,
and trying to fix it can be even
more difficult. So here are five
different things you can do to
improve your network speed
that actually work.

Use Of QoS
1Make
And Packet Shaping
By default, your router
probably assigns all traffic the
same priority. Thats fine if
youre only doing very simple
things online, but if youve
got a program thats taking
up a lot of bandwidth in the
background or perhaps one
thats struggling to get the
bandwidth it needs because
of other things youre doing
online then reprioritising
might be the best way to
improve the networks speed
in the areas where it matters
to you.

28

Issue 1406

Most routers allow you to

shape traffic based on the TCP/
IP port, so if you want standard
HTTP traffic (i.e. web pages) to
be served first, youd select port
80 to be a higher priority than
others. This would speed up
your browsing, even though the
connection speed would remain
the same as before. Its worth
remembering that packet shaping
doesnt actually speed up your
connection as a whole, it only
makes certain bits of it faster.
Generally traffic shaping
features are found under the
section of a routers settings
labelled QoS (meaning Quality
of Service). As well as shaping
traffic on specific ports, you
may also be able to shape the
traffic based on a systems IP
address or MAC address.

2Install New Firmware

When it comes to software,
theres always room for
improvement. Thats why
companies release firmware
updates for their systems.

Installing new firmware is

always a gamble on some level,
not least because it almost
certainly means youll lose all
of your customised settings
during the process, but in
the plus column it can add
features, iron out bugs and
improve compatibility in ways
that do give you extra speed
and reliability. In some ways,
upgrading the firmware makes
old routers feel like new.

The latest firmware

downloads are normally
available from a routers
manufacturer website, and
updating the existing firmware
is a fairly simple process, which
can be accomplished from the
systems administration backend.
Theres an element of danger
if the firmware is incorrect
or the update is interrupted it
could turn your router into little
more than a decorative brick

IMPROVE
NETWORK SPEEDS

Removing obstructions and redirecting the

antennae might be a surprisingly effective way
to get your network back at capacity

but this is very much a worst

case scenario.
If your router doesnt have
an official firmware update
available, you could try using
a custom firmware, such as
the free, open-source firmware
alternative DD-WRT. Available
from www.dd-wrt.com, the
firmware adds a number
of features and even some
controls not found in most
router software. Its tricky for
novice users to master, but if
youre thinking of replacing
the hardware anyway (and its
compatible not every router is)
then it cant hurt to try it out!

3Rearrange Aerials

If network connections
arent running at the speed you
hope, the problem might just
be that the connection is weak.
If this is the case, removing
obstructions and redirecting the
antennae might be a simple but
surprisingly effective way to get
your network back at capacity.
Network signals are
surprisingly sensitive to
interference from any number

of sources microwave ovens,

fluorescent lights and other
electrical equipment are
obvious ones, but sometimes
a reflective or flat surface
is enough to cause serious
havoc with your connection.
Redirecting the aerials on your
equipment gives you a chance
of establishing a strong, more
reliable signal by reorienting the
hardware in such a way that the
radio waves can be sent and
received unobstructed.
Although you can get
specialist equipment to help,
its not necessary for a home
system. Theres no real art to
figuring out what works best in
any given situation just point
your aerials (on the router
and, if you have them, your
adapter) in a new direction
and see whether the signal
gets stronger or weaker, and
whether the speed improves.
If you really want to boost
a weak connection, it might
make sense to move the router
completely. As long as your
cables are long enough, theres
no reason to leave the router
exactly where it was installed the closer it is to your network
adaptors the better.

devices, but it will also mean

you can take advantage of
the faster speeds. Most new
tablets, laptops, smartphones
and consoles all support
Wireless AC, and its a simple
matter to update a desktop
system to do so as well.
If you do swap out your
router for a Wireless AC one,
remember that you also have
to upgrade your Wireless N
adaptors too if they arent
already compatible with it.
If the network standards
dont match up, the network
will automatically run the
connection between those
devices at the speed of
the slower one. Backwards
compatibility means you dont
necessarily have to do it if
moneys an issue, but youll
only see significant speed
improvements if both ends of
the connection are Wireless
AC-enabled.

5Use An Extender

If theres no way you can

improve the signal strength
between your wireless router
and the device you want to
connect to, there is still one
more thing you can do: buy

a wireless range extender.

Sometimes called wireless
repeaters, these devices
can detect and rebroadcast a
wireless signal with virtually no
delay, giving you the ability to
stretch a signal over a much
larger distance.
This signal amplification
makes connections more
robust, and are especially
useful if you cant move your
other devices around for any
specific reason. Typically, they
plug into wall sockets and
repeat a wireless signal, but
its also possible to get ones
that take a wired Ethernet
connection if thats more useful
to you. This sort of hardware
is also useful for extending
wireless range into the garden
or attic, where a normal
wireless signal may not reach.
Ultimately, a stronger
wireless signal is always going
to result in better speeds,
and thats exactly what a
range extender of this type
will provide. Theyre relatively
cheap and easy to set up, so
its always worth giving one
a try if you think poor signal
strength might be whats
behind your troubles. mm

4Step Up To AC

Maybe it goes without

saying, but the best way to
get the best speed out of a
network is to make sure its
running on the latest protocol.
That means getting a router
thats compatible with Wireless
AC, also known as 802.11ac.
802.11ac doesnt have
a much better range than
802.11n, but its bandwidth is
significantly higher, so even a
low-strength connection should
be able to carry more data. Its
backwards compatible with
older standards, so upgrading
your router shouldnt cause
any problems to your existing

Issue 1406

29

Video Editors
For Enthusiasts
If you need more video editing power than Windows
built-in tool, take a look at these more powerful apps

ideo editing is a something that anyone can try, but only a

few get just right. Its one of those tasks that many dismiss
as easy, but then find is quite complicated if they want to
create polished and professional results. The truth is you
need imagination, and to develop an eye for design along with the
technical skill to operate the software if you want to excel.
Even within the YouTube community theres a wide spectrum of
skills on show, from total newcomers using mobile phone cameras,
to seasoned professionals with high-end equipment and a real
understanding of what it takes to make professional videos. The
difference between the two is like night and day, and the magnitude
of skill and effort the best YouTubers put in really does show.
One of the main reasons for this difference in quality is the software
used to edit the videos. Many people starting off on YouTube are
still learning, and stick with entry level editors like Windows Movie
Maker or YouTubes own online editor, while more advanced users
and enthusiasts graduate to more powerful options that open up all
sorts of new possibilities. These more powerful programs allow greater
control over cuts and transitions, as well as the addition of professional
effect. These features, in turn, gives content creators more options,
which can lead to better videos if used properly.
Were going to take a look at some of these editing options,
focusing on software that users with more advanced skills should
consider moving to though these programs will take users from entry
and mid-level editing all the way to full-on professional creation. Some
are expensive, a fairly common drawback in the market, whilst others
are free. The latter options obviously dont always provide quite the
same amount of power as expensive suites, but for YouTube content,
they should provide ample power. So lets begin with the freebies.

VirtualDub
www.virtualdub.org
One of the oldest options available, VirtualDub has long been
a staple in the video editors toolbox. That is, if youre a fan of
.avi files, which the format supports exclusively. Even with this
limitation, and the arrival of more, very popular formats, VirtualDub
is still a very useful, and surprisingly effective free tool.

Windows Movie Maker

Free

Windows Movie Maker

www.microsoft.com
Were looking at the more advanced programs here, and weve
already said Movie Maker is a commonly used starter program, but we
should include it for reference, and as it can be used to make some
good quality clips.
Movie Maker features a simple design that focuses on ease
of use to make it very approachable even for the video editing
layman. Its mostly drag and drop, and by simply dragging and
dropping clips into the timeline, you can easily create many types
of movie. Additions of audio tracks, subtitles and other effects are
easy to add later on, with the minimal, and familiar interface that
borrows from Microsofts usual Ribbon GUI. So, if you know how
to use Windows, Office, or nay other Microsoft app, its not hard to
make the jump to Movie Maker.

32

Issue 1406

VirtualDub

VIDEO EDITORS
be one of the trickier applications to use if youve no prior
experience. As a more advanced user, however, its a good
program to try if you want to broaden your skills and try a
different way of editing your footage.
The interface is well-designed, and the app has a wide range of
tools that make it easily better than many competing programs.
The addition of a tool that can be used to create movies specifically
for mobile devices is a major bonus for social media content
creators, as mobile devices are only getting more and more popular
as devices to view such content.

Lightworks

VideoPad Video Editor

www.nchsoftware.com
If youre focusing on the creation of footage for social media and/
or YouTube, VideoPad Video Editor is surely one of the best options.
Its a powerful editor that supports just about any video format you
can name, and it has a respectable amount of features. However, the
major draw it its ability to handle tasks any online star will relish.
It can export videos directly to the likes of Facebook and
YouTube, and even has the option of capturing desktop activity,
a commonly required ability for YouTube content creators and
reviewers. It also has a flexible export option, and can burn footage
directly to disc for easy archival.
Its not the most well-designed interface, though, and the
actual editing GUI is very cluttered and not as well laid out as
some alternatives. If you put in the time, however, youll find it
is a very competent editor.

VSDC Free Video Editor

The interface is well-designed and not bogged down with

clutter, yet is packed with filters and other video manipulation
tools. Admittedly, the menu system itself is a little stodgy, and
needs work to get used to, but if you need to work with .avi files,
VirtualDub is a good option.
Lightworks
www.lwks.com
If we had to pick the most powerful free video editor, as well as
possibly the best all-round, Lightworks would almost certainly
win. Its an amazingly powerful editor, especially considering
its free. It has a full timeline editing suite of tools packed with
features such as real time effects, trimming tools, support for HD
resolutions (up to 720p) and multi-cam support.
The program is so powerful and effective, the developer is keen to
point out that its even been used in Hollywood, on such films as The
Wolf of Wall Street, Pulp Fiction, and LA Confidential, to name but a
few. Thats high praise indeed, and if a multi-million dollar movie can
make use of it, its a sure-fire bet YouTube videos are covered.
There is a cost to the program, and thats your time. Due to its
power and flexibility, Lightworks isnt the easiest editor to use, and
will require a lot of practise. However, were here to look for more
advanced editors, and this perfectly fits the bill.
VSDC Free Video Editor
www.videosoftdev.com
Arguably the most difficult kind of video editing to get to grips
with is non-linear. Because of this, VSDC Free Video Editor can

VideoPad Video Editor

Jahshaka 2.0

Issue 1406

33

Shotcut
www.shotcut.org
Shotcut is an open source editor that can work with almost any
video source, with a very flexible import set up. It supports wide
file video formats and packs in a range of filters. However, its
real strength comes from its specialisation in the more mundane,
practical tasks, such as colour touch-ups, picture quality
adjustments, and camera fixes (stability). This makes it a very
powerful post-production touch up tool, especially for advanced
users, who will certainly get the most out of this.
As powerful as it is (and its very powerful), its specialisation in video
optimisation means youll likely need another editor if you also need to
perform more glamorous edits, such as special effects and the like.
ivsEdits LE

Machete Video Editor Lite

www.machetesoft.com
Its not hard to guess the speciality of this program. As the name
clearly suggests, this tool is all about trimming down video, and
you can use it to get rid of unwanted footage. Whats different
about this tool than many other apps, even more powerful editors
is the fact the program does its trimming without the need to
re-encode the video. This means that youll lose no video quality,
no matter how many edits you make.
The interface is simple, and the program easy to use, even for
beginners. For advanced users, this is a great tool to have alongside a
more general purpose editor.

Shotcut

Jahshaka 2.0
www.jahshaka.com
This is an open source editor that packs in some unique features
that advanced users will no doubt appreciate. Along with a
powerful set of timeline editing tools, theres support for 2D and
3D animation, as well as Chroma key effects (a technical term
for the now-ubiquitous green screen effects used in almost
all major movies), and a lean towards more visually impressive
effects that many other competing programs (certainly free
ones) dont feature.
On the flip-side of the positives, the programs core interface
is a little confusing, not allowing the almost universal drag and
drop loading of clips. It demands a different approach, one that
youll have to learn to love if you want to make full use of the
program. If youre planning on getting into animation, though,
this is a task you might just want to tackle.
ivsEdits LE
www.ivsedits.com
This is an editor thats aimed at the more advanced user, and
although the free incarnation has some restrictions placed on it
mainly in terms of the formats it can work with it still offers
a lot of options. These include support for HD video up to 4K
and the real-time video input from external devices.
Other features include 3D transitions, the ability to crop video,
colour and brightness alteration, multi-camera mixing, and a
slew of other higher-level editing tools. Its quite the app, and
clearly has the power for even expert users. The interface isnt
the best, however, and its quite complex and counter-intuitive,
but again, were looking at software for the advanced user, so a
complicated interface shouldnt be too much of a problem.

34

Issue 1406

Machete Video Editor Lite

Wax

Avidemux
fixounet.free.fr/avidemux
Compared to some of the other programs weve listed here,
Avidemux isnt one of the most powerful, but it still has plenty
to offer those looking to expand their editing options. This
includes easy to use trimming tools, that perform their task
without any need to re-encode, alongside additional features
like filters and quality touch-up tools.
Whats even more pleasing is that these are all contained in
a simple, easy to use GUI that, while still undoubtedly being for
the more advanced user, makes it one of the programs thats
easier to get to grips with. Its also open source and has a very
good online wiki that contains plenty of information and tips to
get the most out of the title.

Streamclip

Wondershare Filmora
www.wondershare.net
As our focus is on more advanced applications for users
whove earned their editing stripes with the simpler options,
Wondershare Filmora certainly fits the bill. Its a powerful
application that has a lot of advanced features while staying just
the right side of approachable for beginners.
It performs this trick by offering up two modes: Easy and
Advanced. This allows users of all abilities to use the program,
with the more skilled able to delve into the programs more
powerful tools.
The interface is well laid out, with an intuitive drag and drop
system and image editor-style options and tool layout. Filters,
overlays, transitions, split-screen and more are all on offer, and
footage can be quickly exported or burned to disc. You can also
upload directly for Facebook and YouTube, making it another
great options for online video content creators. Sadly, the free
version does place a watermark on the final video, so if you plan
to use it extensively, youll need to purchase a license.

Avidemux

Wax
www.debugmode.com/wax
This is another very specialised program, and one that focuses on .avi
files. Wax isnt really a powerful editing tool in the strictest sense, but
is instead mainly concerned with special effects. Its here where the
program stands out, so much so its been used as a plug-in for big
name editors from the likes of Adobe and Sony.
Along with standard effects and filters, Wax can apply all manner
of pro-level additions, including particle effects, masks, and even
mapping video footage onto 3D objects. Its a very interesting app,
and its specialised tools make a good addition to any editors tool
set, It comes into its own in tandem with another editor, though.
MPEG Streamclip
www.squared5.com
This is a very interesting program, and like some of the other apps
weve looked at, its also specialised. Its also very small in size,
with a download smaller than 400KB. Within this tiny package
youll find a surprisingly competent editor that can manipulate
video, rotate it, and work with the soundtrack.
Its able to open a range of file types, including DVD video and
video streams via URL. Additionally, it has a very flexible export
function thats one of the best weve seen. It may be small, but
this app has plenty of power within its tiny frame.

36

Issue 1406

Wondershare Filmora

iMovie

VIDEO EDITORS

Sony Vegas Pro

Avid (Mac/Win)
www.avid.com
This is the consumer version of the immensely powerful and
expensive Avid Media Composer (which costs around $2,500) thats
routinely used to make movies, TV shows and more. This paireddown incarnation is no slouch, however, and easily stands up to
other alternatives.
It features all of the standard and advanced tools youll need to
author any kind of video youd care to mention, as well as a wide
range of tools youd find in other high-end packages. It supports a
large range of file types, has flexible export options, and can handle all
smaller-scale projects, including YouTube content and indie movies.
Although Avid may not be as well known to many, and not
as popular with consumers, its often the program of choice for
professionals and within the industry, such is its power and flexibility.
Adobe Premiere Pro (Mac/Win)
www.adobe.com
Probably the most popular commercial video editor, certainly at a
prosumer level, Adobes ubiquitous Premiere is a powerhouse, albeit
an expensive one. It features support for a vast amount of formats, 3D
video editing, HD and 4K, multi-camera, and has a wealth of effects,
filters and extras wrapped up in an interface that many users will be
familiar with, as it follows Adobes standard design scheme.
Also available in a watered-down Elements version, its possible
to get to grips with that before upgrading to the Pro version.
Its integration with other Adobe software makes it even more
flexible, and when used in the Creative Suite, many avenues of
creativity are opened.

Final Cut Pro

Commercial

iMovie (Mac OS)

www.apple.com/mac/imovie
Packaged within the iLife suite on any Mac, but also sold separately,
iMovie is basically Apples version of Movie Maker, although its users
would argue its far superior. While its aimed at the consumer, it packs
enough muscle to also be used in more advanced ways. The dragand-drop interface makes it very simple, and the various effects and
transitions which will be very familiar to many are great. Videos
can be quickly exported to various media, including discs and YouTube.
Sony Vegas Pro (Windows)
www.sonycreativesoftware.com
Sony Vegas Pro is a very expensive (600), but very powerful set of
tools for high-end users. The editor supports full HD and 3D video,
Blu-ray authoring and multi-camera editing, as well providing all the
effects and filters youd expect. You can use a very wide range of
file types, and the excellent video tools are accompanied by a range
of audio options, so you can handle sound and vision in one place.
Its surprisingly easy to use, too, giving it even more appeal to those
venturing into the advanced editing sphere with a bigger budget.
Final Cut Pro (Mac OS)
www.apple.com/final-cut-pro
Apples Final Cut Pro, as one of the easiest editors to use in this
price and power bracket, is a great way of transitioning from
basic to advanced editing, It features a superb multi-track editing
interface that clearly displays video and audio tracks in one place,
making it easy to edit even complex projects. It supports a wide
range of file types, including HD and 4K, and its preview mode
is an essential tool that allows you to view all edits and changes
before you actually commit to them.

There are, of course, many other package out there weve not
covered, but the above options are, in our opinion, some of the very
best. Each is well worth checking out if youre developing your video
editing skills, but need more power under the hood. mm

Avid

Adobe Premire Pro

Issue 1406

37

What Do You Do
If You Share Your
Twitter Name
With A Brand?
Sarah Dobbs looks at the
Twitter users who share their
names with massive brands

38

Issue 1406

SHARING YOUR
TWITTER NAME

very Christmas, @JohnLewis receives

a barrage of tweets about the
stores newest Christmas advert. The
problem is, @JohnLewis isnt a shop.
Hes a man called John Lewis who lives in
Virginia and works as a computer science
teacher. The actual Twitter handle for the
department store is @johnlewisretail,
which is admittedly less obvious than
@johnLewis, but, well, John Lewis got
there first, and since its his actual name,
hes well within his rights to hang onto it.
Even if that means endlessly replying to
people who want to complain about his
caf or complement his lingerie selection.
Which he does, all year round. Hes good
at snappy responses, usually making a
silly joke by replying as if theyre actually
talking to him before dropping in the
handle for the store in a way that gently
points out their mistake.
This sense of humour has seen his
follower count swell to a respectable 15,900
over the last couple of years, but though
people tweet at him all the time, he must
have to brace himself every November for a
fresh onslaught of advert related tweets.
Though John Lewis is the most wellknown example of mistaken Twitter
identity, there are quite a few others
who have similarly confusing handles
people who share names with politicians,
or sportspeople, or brands, and who
probably never imagined theyd be
fielding so many misdirected tweets
when they first signed up for the microblogging service.
So what can you do when your Twitter
handle causes so much confusion? Well,
there are a couple of different options

Christmas is a particularly trying time when youre called John Lewis

Hand It Over

If your Twitter mentions were getting

flooded by tweets directed at someone
else, making Twitter basically unusable
to you, you might consider just changing
your handle. Twitter users tend to be pretty
lazy when it comes to tagging people in
tweets, particularly the disgruntled ones,
and seeing your Notifications tab light up
because people are angry about customer
service is no fun.
The Twitter username @BMW, for
example, used to be owned by tech
reporter Brian M. Westbrook. As an early
adopter, the username made sense its
short, which is good for a medium where
characters are strictly limited, and its also
memorable. Whats more, you know...
those are his actual initials. He ended up
getting a lot of tweets from people who
thought the handle belonged to the car
brand, of course, and while he was still

Mr Lewis tends to reply to misdirected tweets with humour

replying jokily to them in 2012, hes since

changed his username to @BrianWestcott.
Similarly, @AMD used to belong to
Adam M. Doppelt, a tech entrepreneur
who, like Westbrook, signed up early
and nabbed his initials as a username.
If youre reading this magazine, you can
probably see the problem: Advanced

Micro Devices, AMD, wanted the

account for themselves. Their marketing
department got in touch, asking Doppelt
to change his handle so they could use it
themselves, but he was initially reluctant
after all, it is his name.
After a bit of negotiating, though, he
agreed to free up the name for AMD the

Issue 1406

39

What If Someones Got

Your Name?

Twitter has been around long

enough now that a lot of the
most desirable usernames have
already been snapped up. If you
go to sign up and find that your
name has already been claimed
by someone who doesnt use the
account, you might feel really
annoyed. However, if youre
hoping to claim the username for
yourself, Ive got some bad news.
Twitter used to disable inactive
accounts, freeing up the handles
for other people, but the policy
has changed, and Twitter now
just advises users to come up with
variations on the name they want
by adding numbers, underscores,
or abbreviations.

Brian Westcott probably doesnt have to field as many tweets like this since changing his handle

brand when they agreed to pay $50,000

to local charities (which is nice). He now
goes by @adamdoppelt.

Try To Sell It

Doppelts deal might seem like a

reasonable response to owning a Twitter
username that other people want
after all, plenty of people got payouts
by buying up brand-relevant URLs and
convincing the real brands to pay them
to release them, and now that Twitter
accounts are as important as websites
were in the early 2000s, youd think
thered be money to be made there.
Certainly some people have tried
to either buy or sell desirable Twitter
handles. Former pro-skateboard Rob
Dyrdek, for example, has tried in the past
to buy @rob from its current owner, Rob
Bertholf. Unfortunately for him, Bertholf is
in marketing, and understands too much
about search engine optimisation to be
willing to part with it. Naoki Hiroshima,
who owns @N, has also said hes been
offered $50,000 to sell his handle, but he
too turned it down.
Undoubtedly some people have
successfully exchanged money for Twitter
cred, but before you go registering
hundreds of celeb-like Twitter accounts,
be careful its actually against Twitters
rules, and theyre pretty strict about it.
On Twitters support page, it explains

40

Issue 1406

that username squatting is prohibited,

and that attempts to sell, buy, or solicit
other forms of payment in exchange for
usernames are also violations and may
result in permanent account suspension.
Trying to sell prime Twitter real estate,
then, might result in the username being
taken out of the equation completely.

Have It Taken Off You

Thats not the only way Twitter handles

username squatting, either. If a brand or

Twitters Trademark Policy

celebrity approaches Twitter to complain

that their username has been taken by an
impostor, Twitter sometimes decides to
just hand over the account.
American blogger Sapphire used to
tweet as @sapphirecut, until one day
she woke up and found messages from
Twitter explaining that, due to a copyright
request, her handle had been transferred
to someone else and her account had
been renamed. After challenging the
decision, she ended up with the handle
@Sapphire, which is arguably better
anyway although her current bio does
note Am NOT a Lounge, Club, Event.
An even more dramatic battle raged
over ownership of the username @Chase.
Chase Giunta originally registered the

Twitter has revised its rules on usernames a few times over the years, due to issues
of squatting and mistaken identity. Its current policy on trademarks states:
Using a company or business name, logo, or other trademark-protected
materials in a manner that may mislead or confuse others with regard to its
brand or business affiliation may be considered a trademark policy violation.
In other words, you cant sign up as @Micro__Mart, use the magazines logo,
and pretend to be us. When a violation is reported to Twitter, there are a few
different outcomes. If Twitter agrees that the account is intended to mislead
customers or fans, itll suspend the account and email the owner to tell them
why. If its confusing people, but not intentionally, Twitter will ask the account
holder to clarify, and may decide to give the name to the trademark holder. Or,
if Twitter thinks there is no violation, because the tweeter is using the name for
a completely different purpose, it might just be left alone.
Fan accounts are a kind of grey area, since Twitter says users are allowed
to use brand names and images for the purpose of reporting news or giving
commentary. They do have to make it clear theyre not actually Harry Styles or
Lady Gaga or whoever, though, and the username should reflect that. Twitter
will, and has, removed accounts that are just trying to trick fans.

SHARING YOUR
TWITTER NAME
company) and lots, lots more. None of
them set out to be cybersquatters, and
they all have fairly obvious claims to the
usernames theyre using, so theyre just
carrying on as normal.

The Moral Of The Story

Ones a shop, the other isnt

name in 2008, using the account for

personal musings, but when he started
receiving customer complaints meant for
the Chase bank, he started retweeting
them to make a kind of joke out of it.
Unfortunately, JP Morgan Chase didnt
see the funny side, and decided the
account ought to belong to it.
Giunta says he was contacted by a
representative of the bank, who offered
him the princely sum of $20,000 for it,
but that he turned it down, telling them
that it was against Twitters rules. The
next day, he received an email notifying
him that as he was impersonating the
bank, he was violating Twitters policies.
He changed his bio and picture to make it
clear that he wasnt associated with the
bank, and was actually just a guy called
Chase, but to no avail his account was
suspended, then handed over to JP
Morgan Chase. Giunta had to register for
a new account. Unsurprisingly, he went
with @ChaseGiunta.

Just Deal With It

Of course, if no-ones trying to actively

take your username away from you, and
the misdirected mentions arent proving
too annoying, you could just do
nothing. Thats the path a lot of tweeters
who share their usernames with more
famous entities do.
Like @DavidCameron, which isnt
the official account for the British
Prime Minister, but the account of a
twentysomething who lives in Oregon.
David Cameron is his name, and when

he registered his Twitter account in 2007,

Gordon Brown was still Prime Minister.
It was only in 2010 that it started to
become a bit of a problem.
However, though he does get a lot of
angry tweets particularly relating to
the NHS the American David Cameron
mostly just thinks its funny, and replies to
people as if theyre genuinely asking for
his opinion (as an added bonus, President
Obamas Twitter account, @potus, follows
him, which could be fun).
Other tweeters who take a similar
approach include @Kraft (a guy called
Brandon Kraft, not a cheese seller); @
TheAshes (Ashley Kerekes, not a cricket
tournament); @PJHarvey (software
developer Phil Harvey, not the musician);
@MSG (Michael S. Galpert, not Madison
Square Gardens); @Heinz (Austrian
academic Heinz Wittenbrink, not the beans

You might think this is a problem youll

never have to worry about, because your
Twitter name is something unique to you,
or at least something that no big company
is likely to want. But even the most
innocuous seeming usernames can become
troublesome. Just ask Chris Andrikanich.
Nicknamed Alphabet because of his
difficult-to-spell surname, hed been using
@alphabet since 2007 and then, in
August last year, Google announced that it
was creating a new parent company for its
various services, and calling it Alphabet.
Within hours, Andrikanichs mentions
were blowing up. A wry tweet he made
about the situation Well, that was
an interesting way to end a Monday
garnered thousands of retweets.
Suddenly, his Twitter account was in the
spotlight, with people speculating that
Google would offer him a huge sum of
money to hand over the account.
So far, though, that hasnt happened, and
Andrikanich is still tweeting using the handle,
Since most people still seem to say Google
instead of Alphabet, he probably hasnt
had a huge amount of trouble with it yet, but
it does show that, like @DavidCameron, you
could find yourself unexpectedly inundated
with tweets for someone else, or even with
your account suspended.
If theres a lesson here, then its not
about choosing a username unless
you want to go with a random keyboard
smash of letters and numbers, youre
unlikely to be able to guarantee an
unassailable one its about making sure
you check, before you tweet, that youre
@-ing the right person. mm

The Ones Who Did It On Purpose

This article has mostly been about people who

unintentionally ended up with usernames that
confused people, but there are some Twitter users,
who use established brand or celebrity names
as their Twitter aliases, and just find the mix-ups
funny or ignore them completely. Examples
include @Lego, @Chipotle, @RickyMartin, @Coke, @
HaagenDazs, and @JackDaniels.
Because all of them make it clear that theyre
not associated with the brand names theyre
using, they arent technically breaking the
rules though they might break their own
Notifications tab occasionally.

Issue 1406

41

Wiki Links: How To

Create Your Own Wiki
Chris Salter explores the
Tiddlywiki software

ikipedia is one of the top ten websites on the internet,

in term of unique users. It has more than five million
articles and pages in English, and a large number of
these pages are also translated into different languages. The site
allows easy access to the worlds knowledge and allows anyone to
update specific articles as and when more information is available,
presenting everything in a clear, concise format.
The idea of the wiki is to create different articles or pages linked
together by a number of links within an article or for searching
for each article individually. Theyre usually collaboratively edited
and are usually edited using a simplified markup language. All
the editing is done directly on the website itself. Wikis tend to be
run on a web server, storing data in a database and using PHP or
similar to display data, though there are some exceptions.
Wikipedia is collaborative in nature, but that doesnt stop wikis
being locked down and only accessible to specific people. They
can be a great way of storing information that can be linked
together in specific fashion. Wikis are ideally suited for storing
related information.

42

Issue 1406

As there are many different wiki software programs available, how

do you know which one to use? The majority of them run on a web
server and are accessed from a browser. Some require you to set up
databases and therefore can require some knowledge to get used to.
Yet it neednt be this hard to create your own wiki, and thats where
Tiddlywiki comes in. This article covers Tiddlywiki in more detail,
enough to get you started using it for your own work.

Getting Started

Unlike other wikis, Tiddlywiki is a single HTML file; the code for
running the wiki is contained within the file itself. This means
that you can happily carry it around on a USB stick or access it via
a cloud sync service and use it without any extra software. The
empty wiki file runs using JavaScript and can therefore be accessed
in a standard browser on your desktop or mobile device.
Tiddlywiki can be downloaded from the Tiddlywiki website
(www.tiddlywiki.com), itself a Tiddlywiki file. Note that
a blank Tiddlywiki file is 1.5M. While internet speeds are
generally increasing, this doesnt really lend itself well to be
accessed across the internet, especially if you start adding in file
attachments. See the node.js boxout if you want to consider
this; running Tiddlywiki under Node.js saves all the tiddlers
(equivalent to a Wikipedia page, though Tiddlywiki is all viewed
in a single page) separately.

TIDDLYWIKI

A completed tiddler, with images, links and formatted text

A brand new TiddlyWiki file downloaded and opened

On downloading, the website detects the browser and gives

you some warnings on how saving the file works. Because a
Tiddlywiki is a local file, some browsers security settings prevent
saving the file directly and will instead download a copy of the
file (with the changes) each time you save the file. As Tiddlywiki
by default tries to save after every change to a tiddler, this
means you could be downloading a lot of files regularly.
However, there are some workarounds: by using Firefox and
the TiddlyFox plug-in, the file can be saved directly from the
browser without interaction from the user. There are some thirdparty options as well: TiddlyDesktop is a desktop program for
Windows, Mac and Linux, designed to interact and save Tiddly
files without any user interaction. If you dont want to autosave the files, then manually saving the file might not be a big
deal, though itll download to your browsers download folder,
rather than where you want to keep it. There are apps available,
allowing you to edit the Tiddlywiki file on both Android and iOS.
Once downloaded, youre good to get started!

Using the default layout, on the right of the screen, the title
of the wiki should be displayed with three icons below it. Ill call
this the control toolbar. The + sign creates a new blank tiddler for
you to name and type in, the cog opens the control panel tiddler,
and the tick in a circle is the save button for the wiki. If youre
using one of the auto save features above, the wiki will save
automatically, but if youre not, this will appear red until you click
it and save the file.
Below this is the search box; this will search the entire
Tiddlywiki. As you type, the drop-down box indicates if its found
the word in a title of a tiddler or if its in the text of a tiddler.
Clicking the small magnifying glass will bring up the advanced
search tiddler, which lists all the tiddlers better than the dropdown autocomplete within the search bar!
Finally, below this in the menu are a range of tabs. Open
displays all the currently open tiddlers. Unless you close a tiddler
with the cross in the top right of the tiddler, itll remain open, so
this list can get quite long. The Recent tab shows the recently
edited and created tiddlers. The Tools tab allows you to change
what buttons are shown in the control toolbar. The More tab
brings up some more tabs going vertically now.
In the More tab, there are many different tabs; these all related
to tiddlers you might have created, so in a blank wiki, they should
be fairly blank. Tags allows you to search the tiddlers that have
been tagged in that way. The Missing tab displays all the notes
that have been created, either from CamelCase or by a link in
a tiddler, but which hasnt actually yet been created. Orphans
indicate tiddlers that have not been linked to by another tiddler.
This may be intentional, and there isnt anything wrong with having
orphaned tiddlers, but this allows you to view them at a glance.
The Type tab describes the type of tiddlers you have, so if you
start importing files, the file types will be grouped here. Finally, the
Shadows and System tabs describe the tiddlers that control the

Layout

On opening a blank Tiddlywiki file, youre presented with a

Getting Started tiddler. This allows you to make some changes;
you can change the title of the wiki, the subtitle and what tiddlers
are opened when you open the wiki file. At the minute, the title
should be called:

Tiddlywikis website is a Tiddlywiki itself

My ~TiddlyWiki
Note the tilde character. This has been inserted (and is
invisible), because by default, Tiddlywiki creates a tiddler for any
word that is formatted in CamelCase. The tilde character acts as
an escape and prevents this from happening.
If we leave the default tiddler as it is for now, we can create
our own tiddlers, and then on next starting up, we can add
tiddlers we want here and remove the Getting Started tiddler.

Tiddler editing screen

Issue 1406

43

tiddler if clicked (and will let you edit it there and then). Occasionally,
you will want to link to a tiddler but not use the tiddler title. This can
be done in a similar fashion to BBCode for forums.
[[Displayed Link Title|Tiddler Title]]
The same process can be used to link to external websites.

Images

Image tiddler created by dropping images onto the web browser

Images can be imported into Tiddlywiki so it isnt just text in your

notes. This is done relatively easily by dragging and dropping the
image file onto the open TiddlyWiki. This will bring up an import
tiddler, asking if you want to import the file. This creates a tiddler
with the name of the file being imported.
Viewing the tiddler should display the image. Opening up the
edit tiddler menu on a graphic tiddler will allow you to add and
remove tags just like a normal tiddler. You can also change the
file dimensions here. Note that this crops the image and doesnt
resize it.
By default, Tiddlywiki supports GIF, ICO (icons), JPEG, PNG and
SVG (vector graphic files, which are commonplace on Wikipedia).
Images can then be inserted into a text tiddler to be displayed
alongside the text by using the following command:
[img[Image Name.jpg]]
You can also set the size of the file to be different to how its
stored in the document (useful for displaying thumbnails of a
larger image) by setting the height or width in the image code:
[img width=640 [Image Name.jpg]]

Tiddlywiki on an iPad

back-end of the wiki file itself. You dont need to edit these if you
dont want to change anything of the theme or how the file works.

Note that when you import the image file, it becomes

inaccessible to the file system (other than the original file you

Markup

Tiddlywiki uses WikiText to create tiddlers. It doesnt have rich

text formatting, so if thats something you need, unfortunately,
Tiddlywiki isnt for you.
WikiText is pretty easy to pick up though, so it shouldnt take to
long before you can start editing tiddlers with ease. For those who
already know Markdown, check the plug-ins; you can use a mixture
of WikiText and Markdown in your wiki if you download a plug-in.
The basics of WikiText can be seen in the following table:

Code

Outcome

''Bold''

Bold

//Italic//

Italic

~~Strikethrough~~

Strikethrough

`Code`

Code

Tiddlywiki comes with some built-in palettes to change the colours but
keep the underlying theme the same

This allows easy customisation of text while writing.

All this is useless if you cant create a link to another tiddler.
This is done by either using CamelCase, or if you want the tiddler
to contain a space, you surround the text for the name of the
tiddler in square brackets:
[[Cup of Tea]]
This will link to a tiddler called Cup of Tea. If this doesnt exist,
the link will be highlighted as a link but will open the create new

44

Issue 1406

The plug-in menu is accessed directly from the Tiddlywiki itself

TIDDLYWIKI

Tiddlywiki has an active user base and forum

imported from), and the image data is stored within the HTML file
itself. This means if you later want access to the image file, youll
have to download it from the wiki file. If you dont want images
to be stored in the Tiddlywiki file itself (can assist in keeping
the file size of the file down), you can link to files on your hard
drive. Ideally, create an image folder in the same directory as the
Tiddlwiki file, and you can make them appear in the wiki by using
a relative file link (which, if you sync the Tiddlywiki file and the
image folder means itll display the images on all devices).
[img[./Folder/Image Name.jpg]]
You can display images external images hosted on the internet
by using the URL of the image within the image tags.

Tables

Tiddlywiki supports creating tables in text. This is can be confusing

to start with, especially with large complicated tables where it
might actually be better to import an image from a table created
in a spreadsheet. However, for smaller tables, it allows tables to be
created easily and quickly.
A table is created with the following code:
|!Header 1 |!Header 2 |
|Cell 1 |Cell 2 |
This gives
Header 1

Header 2

Cell 1

Cell 2

You can align text within the columns by changing the location
of the space. In the example above, theres a space at the right
end of the cell (after the Header and Cell data). This will create left
aligned data. A space on the left (before the data) and no space
between the | and the data will align the data to the right. With a
space at either end, the data will be centred in the column.

HTML

If you dont want to learn WikiText or you have a good knowledge

of HTML, you can write directly into Tiddlywiki in HTML.
As Tiddlywiki supports HTML, you can use HTML to override
the location of items within the tiddler if you require, such as the
text wrapping of text around an image.

Conclusion

Hopefully this guide has given you enough information on

Tiddlywiki and getting started in using it. It has a number of uses
blogging, note taking, journaling and, as in my use for it, revising
and storing linked data. This has been a very quick and limited
look at the abilities of Tiddlywiki. If you visit the website, you can
browse the full extent of its editing powers. I havent discussed

With some editing, a Tiddlywiki can look totally different

lists, headings and other items you may require for longer notes.
I also havent covered how to change the theme, other than the
default theme or the ones available through the plug-in library.
Tiddlywiki is flexible and is able to store data in a format that
makes it accessible on any device that has a web browser, so you
dont need to be locked into a single platform, though editing the
file is restricted, ironically, due to browser security settings. The
single file nature means that the data is highly portable, so you
shouldnt be without your information when its needed. mm

Wiki Software

Tiddlywiki isnt the only wiki software that will run on

the desktop and allow you to create wiki-style brain
dumps. Voodoopad is a Mac program, while theres Zim,
WikidPad or LinkedNotes that will run in either Windows
or Linux. Of course, you can create your own online wiki
for editing on any device, using something like PmWiki,
DokuWiki or MediaWiki (the software behind Wikipedia).
However, these options require a server and, in some cases,
knowledge of PHP and MySQL to get started.
Node.js
Node.js is a cross platform runtime environment for
developing server-side web applications. Its possible to
install Tiddlywiki using a Node.js server, and this then saves
all Tiddlers individually, making it more suited to being
served over the internet. However, doing so makes the
wiki less portable if you want to sync between machines or
use it from a USB stick.
Plug-ins
Tiddlywiki supports the installation of plug-ins to improve
the editing experience. This is usually achieved by
simply opening the control panel of the Tiddlywiki and
downloading from the plug-in library. Plug-ins range from
Markdown plug-ins (allowing you to create Tiddlers using
the Markdown format, rather than the Tiddlywiki markup)
to different themes and tools to assist in using Tiddlywiki
as a blogging platform.
CamelCase
CamelCase is formed by creating a phrase and removing
the spaces between them and capitalising the first letter
of each word. So MicroMart would create a tiddler
called MicroMart.

Issue 1406

45

Building A 500
Entertainment
Centre
We look at creating a modern, multi-functional media machine

eve had a fair few media centres and gaming PCs

of all shapes and sizes through the Micro Mart
doors recently, and it got us into thinking: we could
really do with a system to hook up to our TV for gaming and
media playback.
Its easy enough to have any old chassis stuck in the corner
of the room near your TV, but wed like to have a more subtle
media centre-type build instead. And since were also partial
to a spot of intense gaming from time to time, wed like a
decent graphics card in there too.
Basically its a traditional media centre PC, but we wanted to
make sure it had the best modern components we could get,
while still being suitable for media and Netflix-type streaming
duties, as well as giving us a decent frame-rates while playing
games.
We could just buy a games console, which would be
significantly easier than sweating over a PC build, but wheres
the fun in that!
Anyway, weve set ourselves a budget of 500, which should
be more than enough to get everything we need to build an
entertainment PC that looks every bit as good as it plays.

The Components

Thankfully Falcon Computers (falconcomputers.co.uk) kindly

stepped up and helped us out with the components, which came
to a total of 499.96. They are:

46

Antec ISK600 mini-ITX case 42.99

ASRock H110M-ITX motherboard 65
Intel Core i3-6100 3.7GHz CPU 99
Asus Strix GTX950 OC 2GB 134.99
Kingston 2x4GB DDR4 HyperX Fury RAM kit 39.99
Intensio 128GB SSD 35
WD Blue 1TB SATA HDD 40
Samsung SATA laptop DVD/RW optical drive 13.99
Aerocool Integrator 500W PSU 29

Issue 1406

We could easily chop and change the various components

to better suit a budget less than 500, and youll notice that
theres no operating system yet. To keep the cost below 500,
were going to install a flavour of Linux to begin with and see
how well the entertainment system performs. After that, well
look at a Windows 10 build and see how it goes from there.

The Build

It feels like an age since weve had a PC-building article in

Micro Mart, so while many of you will already know how to put
together a computer from parts, there are undoubtedly some
who wont.
Well start with all our components on a dining room table in
their respective boxes. The first thing youll need to do is unpack
the case and remove the lid. The Antec ISK600 is a pretty small
chassis so, youll need to make sure you have enough room to
manoeuvre when it comes to fitting the components.
To get a bit more room to work with, youll need to remove
the drive bays first. In this case theyre slotted into cut-out
sections along the inner chassis frame, on rubber mounts to
prevent vibration and reduce noise. Its also advisable to scoop
up the front panel cables and the power cable for any fans and
poke them out the sides so theyre not in the way.
The first component well fit is the PSU, simply because we
prefer to work around the various cables that come off it, and
depending on where its positioned in the case, its often easier
to get it in first rather than having to fiddle around an already
fitted motherboard.
The Antec case, due to the fact that its an ITX form, requires
the PSU to be fitted toward the front of the chassis and to use
a power pass-through from the power plug on the rear of the
case, which will fit to the power plug on the PSU.
Its not too much of an effort, and thankfully the Antec ISK600
has a foam backing and a cradle that a full-sized PSU can fit into.
You just need to make sure that the PSU fan is pointing out into
the case as opposed to pointing toward the front.

ENTERTAINMENT
CENTRE BUILD

The components from Falcon Computers,

Open the case up and remove the drive bays

totalling 500

500W is more than enough for what we want here. The Asus
GTX950 is a mid-range graphics card, so it shouldnt take up
too much power. And the Aerocool Integrator is 80 Plus Bronze
rated too, which helps keep the electricity bill as low as possible.
With the PSU screwed into place the next step is to fit the
CPU and cooler to the motherboard and fit the motherboard
into its appropriate place in the case. We prefer to fit the CPU
and the CPU cooler to the motherboard before fitting the
motherboard in the case, but we know plenty of people who fit
the motherboard then the CPU and cooler.
Anyway, the Intel Core i3-6100 and the stock cooler that
comes with it are easy to fit. You just flip the CPU clip on the

We could buy a games

console, which would be

Sweep the front panel and fan cables to one side, to get enough space to
work with

Antec ISK600 ITX Case

signicantly easier than

sweating over a PC build, but
wheres the fun in that!

motherboard, drop in the CPU and pop the four plastic pins at
the corners of the cooler through the holes in the motherboard.
Then hook up the CPU fan plug to its labelled port on the
motherboard. Its a lot easier these days than it used to be.
Just to note, the stock cooler comes with a layer of thermal
paste on its base the part that fits on top of the CPU. Its
enough for our purposes and the kind of heat levels that the
processor and stock cooler will get to. Were not planning on
overclocking anything here.
With the CPU and its cooler fitted, take the motherboard
backplate and fit it into the slot at the back of the chassis, then
slot the motherboard on to the backplate and over the four
raised ports on the bottom of the case. Make sure youve got
the backplate the right way around, and screw two opposite
screws into the ports that should align with the motherboard.

The Antec ISK600 ITX case measures 195 x 260 x 369mm

and has a steel frame with brushed aluminium top and side
panels. Theres space for a 12.5 graphics card with two PCI
expansion slots and five drive bays.
Its compatible with all ATX standard power supplies, a
maximum CPU cooler height of 170mm, and it comes with
a 120mm rear fluid dynamic bearing fan installed.

Issue 1406

47

The PSU in the Antec ISK600

We prefer to fit the CPU and the

sits toward the front, with a

cooler before fitting the motherboard

pass-through for the power

in place

You can see them in the corners of the ASRock H110M-ITX

board were using here.
With the motherboard screwed into place, find the long ATX
power connector from the PSU and plug it into the long ATX
connector on the motherboard. In the case of this particular
motherboard, the ATX power connector is located just behind
the first memory slot. In addition to the long ATX power
slot, youll also need to fit a smaller four-pin 12V ATX power
connector, located on the motherboard in the top corner behind
the audio port block on the rear I/O. Corresponding with that
is a similar four-pin Molex plug on one of the PSUs cables.
Both plugs will only fit one way, and theres a clip on one end
of the plugs from the PSU, which will attach to a ridge on the
connectors on the motherboard.
With the power plugs in place, locate the three thin wires
with plugs on the end that come from the front of the case.
These are the power switch, reset switch and HDD LED. These
need to be connected to the area on the motherboard labelled
PANEL1. All you need to do is follow the labelling on the
motherboard to line up the right plug which is also labelled.
Often youll find the front panel connectors are coloured
differently across cases, but most of the time youll find the
coloured wire is positive, while the black or white wire is
negative. Its not the end of the world if you get them crossed,
but the switch or LED may not work correctly (in which case,
just flip them over and see if that fixes it). By the way, you can
find the front panel connections described in the motherboard
manual. And yes, theyre fiddly little things.

The memory should snap into place, but remember to flip the slot catches
back first

48

Issue 1406

Screw the motherboard in place. Make sure its secure and that you havent
trapped any loose wires

ASRock H110M-ITX

The ASRock H110M-ITX supports the latest sixth-generation

Intel core processors and has two DDR4 memory slots.
In addition, theres a single PCIe x16 slot, 7.1 HD audio,
four SATA ports, four USB 3.0 ports (two front, two rear),
gigabit Ethernet, DVI, HDMI and a PS/2 mouse/keyboard
combo port.

Intel Core i3-6100

Launched last year, the Intel Core i3-6100 CPU features a

base frequency of 3.7GHz and a TDP of 51W across two
cores and four threads.
It incorporates Intel HD 530 graphics with a base
frequency of 350MHz, a maximum dynamic frequency of
1.05GHz and a maximum video memory of 1.7GB.

ENTERTAINMENT
CENTRE BUILD

Locate the ATX power plugs and make sure the front panel connectors are

The Asus GTX950 is a pretty good GPU. Just slot it into the only PCIe slot

in place

in the ASRock H110M motherboard

The last plug for the motherboard from the front panel is the
large USB 3.0, blue-coloured connection. In this case, it fits in
the USB 3.0 connector on the motherboard, next to the long
ATX power connection on the ASRock H110M-ITX.
Next up we have the memory to fit. While a lot of people
prefer to fit the memory before fitting the motherboard, just like
we do with the CPU and the cooler, weve always left it until
the motherboard is firmly screwed into place. Why? Because
you can give the memory a firm press to click it into place
without worrying about squashing whatever youre leaning on
or bending the board.
The 8GB of DDR4 memory we have from Falcon Computers
here is pretty decent stuff and should help make this system
fly. Memory will only fit one way; you just need to make sure
that the slot in the middle or off-centre is lined up with its
partner section in the RAM slot. Make sure youve flipped down
the end locks on the RAM slot, which are the two clips either
end. When you put the memory in the slot, the clips on either
end should snap over the indents on the memory chip.
Next we chose to install the graphics card, since its quite a
big component, and itll be easier to move the cables around it,
rather than having to disconnect anything after finding out itll
get in the way of the card.
The Antec case requires you to remove a bracket with three
screws first. One screw fastens the bracket to the rear of the
case, while the remaining two fit on the PCI backplates. The
current backplates can be removed when youve taken the
bracket off.
The ASRock motherboard has a single PCIe slot, which is
obviously where the Asus GTX950 will be fitted. Much like the
memory, theres a bracket at the rear of the PCIe slot, which
will snap into place when the graphics card is inserted into the
slot. Fitting the graphics card is easy enough: you just line it up
with the now open PCI backplate and gently push the card into
place along the PCIe slot on the motherboard. With a firm push,
the card should snap into place, and you can screw in the PCI
backplate and the bracket to the rear of the case to make sure
everything is in place and doesnt move around.
Since modern graphics cards tend to draw more power
than motherboards can offer, they often require an extra sixpin PCIe power connector to help them along. Some PSUs will
already have this, but others will need an adapter, like this:
goo.gl/EFqJOe.
Since we were planning on using this PC as an all-round
entertainment system, we thought it would be handy to include
a DVD drive. You could probably get away without an optical
drive these days, but it covers all bases in case we ever dig out

an old disc. Falcon Computers included the slimline, laptop spec

Samsung DVD/RW with the build, so the next job is to fit it to
the first drive bay cradle and pop the slot out on the front of the
case so the optical drive can be accessed.
Fitting the optical drive in the Antec case is simple: you just
screw it in place on the bottom of the drive bay cradle. While
we were fitting the optical drive, we thought wed also fit the
Intenso SSD in place. The Antec drive cradle can house several
drives; you just need to line up the holes in the cradle to the
holes in the drive and screw the two together.
With both drives in place, we slotted the front drive cradle
back in place and pushed the cradle forward so that the optical
drive is in line with the front of the case. Once thats done, plug
in a spare SATA power plug from the PSU and fit a SATA cable
from the motherboards available SATA connections to the SSD
and the optical drive.
The secondary hard drive also needs to be hooked up as well,
but in this instance we thought itd be neater to screw it into
the second drive bay cradle that the Antec offers. Again, its
easy enough to line up the holes on the cradle and the drive,

Asus Strix GTX950 OC 2GB

The Asus Strix GTX950 OC edition uses the GM206250-A1 GPU variant and manages a GPU clock speed of
1140MHz (11% faster than the stock 950 GPU), a boost
clock speed of 1329MHZ (12% faster than stock) and a
memory clock of 1653MHz.
Its a dual slot card measuring 8.7 inches in length,
and it has a TDP of 90W. Outputs include two DVI,
HDMI and DisplayPort.

Issue 1406

49

Youll need to make sure the PSU has the correct Molex adapter for the

The slimline DVD can be screwed into place in the front drive bay cradle

GPU power

screw it into place and plug in the power and SATA cables
before slotting it into place behind the first drive bay cradle.
Thats it for the hardware side of things, other than fitting
the lid to the case back on again. Before you do that, though,
its worth plugging in a keyboard, mouse and power and
seeing if everything powers up and that the fans on the CPU
cooler, the graphics card and on the case are all working. If
the system boots, then youve done everything correctly. If not,
take a moment to go back and see if youve missed any plugs
or if youve knocked a plug out while youve been feeding
cables through the system and fitting other components. Also,
check that the PSU is actually powered up.

Disk Or USB?

Once the .iso is downloaded and on your current system, you

have a number of choices of what to do with it.
Burning the .iso to a DVD one popular. There are countless
DVD burning tools available. If youre using Windows 7 and
above, then all you need to do is make sure theres a blank

Kingston HyperX Fury 8GB

OS Installation

The first time you power up the newly built PC you wont get
much further than the BIOS before it informs you that theres
no operating system installed. Thankfully, thats a pretty easy
thing to rectify.
First, were going to use Linux as the main operating system.
Its free, easy to use, and we can install the Steam client and play
an ever expanding selection of games as they become available.
Were choosing Linux Mint for our main installation for a
number of reasons. Mint is easy to install, easy to use and is
an ideal distro to get into Linux with. Sadly, it had a bit of a
wobble a few weeks ago, with one of its images being hacked
to leak data to a server in Bulgaria or something. Although
thats bad news for Mint, the team has since sorted the
problem, and everything is now back to normal. Were also
going to assume that to get to the Mint page and download
the .iso youll already have a computer with access to the
internet, and a blank DVD or a handy USB flash drive to copy
the image to.
Therefore, youre first port of call is to navigate to the Linux
mint 17.3 download page at goo.gl/mFLthG and grab the
64-bit edition of Cinnamon Mint.
The Cinnamon element is the desktop environment that
comes with this version of Linux Mint. In laymans terms, its
how the desktop looks and behaves and what special features
it uses and supports. To confuse matters even more, theres
also MATE, KDE and Xfce versions as well. Youre welcome to
try each out, of course, as each will offer a different interface
to the same core Linux; its another of those personal taste
things again.
Following the link from above, you should be looking at a
page filled with servers from varying countries. Choose the one
thats closest to you, and click the link next to it and the 1.5GB
download of the Linux Mint .iso will start.

50

Issue 1406

The Kingston HyperX Fury DDR4 kit consists of a pair of 4GB

2400MHz sticks, with low power consumption, CAS latency
CL14 CL15 and a lightweight aluminium heatsink.

Aerocool Integrator 500W PSU

The Aerocool Integrator is aimed at mainstream computing

systems with a high efficiency 85% Bronze certificate,
550mm cable lengths, six SATA connectors, a single 12V rail
and a single 6+2-pin connector for graphics cards.

ENTERTAINMENT
CENTRE BUILD

Test the system before you put

The SSD can be placed above the optical drive, with room
for SATA power and data

Both drive bays are in place, with the secondary

1TB WD drive fitted with power and data

DVD in the drive (its too big for a CD) and double-click the
downloaded Mint .iso. This will launch the Disc Burner wizard,
where youll simply follow the instructions and click Burn to
start the process.
If youve opted to install Linux Mint using a handy USB stick
(make sure theres enough space on the stick), then youll have
an equally numerous amount of programs to achieve this by. For
the sake of argument and to keep this section relatively simple,

All in all, its a successful

project and one that only cost

500 for everything we want
played to us on our TV

weve used Universal USB Installer for a number of years now,

and its never failed us.
You can find Universal USB Installer at goo.gl/rQUQPh.
Just download the executable, plug in the USB stick and run
the Universal USB Installer program. After youve agreed to
the licensing terms, select Linux Mint from the drop-down
box labelled Step 1, click on the Browse button and locate the
downloaded .iso in Step 2. In Step 3 choose the inserted USB
stick from the list. Once youve made sure that all is correct
(especially the choice of USB drive letter), click on the Create
button, and the .iso will begin to transfer to the USB stick.

the lid back on. If all is well, youre

ready for an operating system

wont. In these cases youll need to hit either Delete or F2

to enter your BIOS and set the DVD or USB as the first boot
option. In short, though, its best to consult your motherboard
manual for more information.

Live Desktop And Installation Of Linux Mint

Right then, well assume that everything has gone to plan,

youve booted into the live environment of Linux Mint and youre
now looking at the Mint 17.3 desktop on your TV.
This is the live desktop or environment, and here you can use
Linux Mint as if it was already installed on your PC. However, itll
run much slower than youd expect, due to the fact that youre
actually running it from the USB or DVD drive.
To use Linux Mint as your operating system of choice, youll
need to install it to the SSD. Thankfully, this is much easier than
everything else weve done to get to this point.
To begin with, double-click the Install Linux Mint icon on the
desktop. This will launch the Mint installation wizard that will walk
you through the process of making the OS a personal installation.
The first option available to you is the language; choose the
one that relevant to you and click Continue.
The next screen will automatically confirm that you have
enough space available on the hard drive youre installing Mint

Intenso 128GB SSD

Booting Into Mint

Whichever method youve chosen, be that DVD or USB, to

actually get Linux Mint on your PC youre going to need to boot
the system with either the DVD or the USB as the bootable drive.
Its not quite as complicated as it sounds, really. Most
motherboards offer the option to press F11, sometimes F12 (F6
for the EZ Mode on the ASRock motherboard) at the initial powerup to allow you to choose the First Boot Option. Obviously youll
need to make sure the chosen medium is physically inserted into
the PC to begin, with the DVD in the tray and the USB stick in its
relevant port, depending on which youve opted for.
If, after pressing one of the F-keys, youre presented with
a menu of possible boot devices, make sure you highlight the
correct DVD or USB from the list and press Enter to continue the
boot process.
Sadly, not all motherboards are created equal, and where
most will offer an F11/12 quick boot menu option, some

Using a high speed MLC NAND flash, the Intenso 128GB

SSD can manage a read speed of up to 520MB/s and a write
speed of 300MB/s.

Issue 1406

51

Before you install anything, after installing Linux Mint, do an update and
upgrade

youre more confident and youre a Linux expert, you can opt for
different-sized partitions and encryption. For now, though, lets
keep it simple. A quick note: as the warning clearly states, this
will wipe the hard drive in the PC, so as we said earlier, make
sure youve backed everything up.
After clicking on the Install Now button, youll get a final Write
changes to disk? window, which will display the default partition
setup. If youre okay with whats going on, click the Continue button.
As the system begins to install, youll be asked where you are in the
world. Just click on your geographical location, followed by Continue.
The next step is to choose your particular keyboard setup;
again, when youre done, click Continue.
The Who are you? screen is where you can enter your name,
the name of the new Linux Mint computer, as itll be seen on
your network, your account username and your password. Youll
also be able to opt for a quick login automatically or whether
youll need to enter your password when you boot into Linux
Mint. Obviously for securitys sake youll want to go for the
Require my password to log in option, but for ease of use, the
auto-login function seems a good choice for most users.
After clicking Continue, youre at the final step in the process,
where Linux Mint will complete its installation and configure the
target system onto which its installing. You wont need to do
anything during this process, other than clicking the Restart Now
button when the installation is complete or you could click on
Continue Testing to remain in the live desktop.
With this final window, the installation to your hard drive is
complete. What you can do now is remove the boot medium
when Mint asks you and press Enter to reboot into your new
Linux Mint setup.

Games And Videos

The Steam Client is easily installed under Linux, but before you
install anything, make sure the system is fully up to date by
entering the following into the terminal:
Steam for Linux has greatly improved in recent years

sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade

Once the system is up to date, you can either install Steam via
the Mint Software Manager or in the terminal enter:
sudo apt-get install steam

WD 1TB Caviar Blue HDD

Once Steam is installed, update it and browse your game library

to and that youre connected to the internet, to install any

available updates. Press Continue when youre ready.
The Installation Type screen is next and asks you how you
wish to have Linux Mint installed. There are several options
available, but again, for ease of use, wed recommend you go
for the first option, Erase disk and install Linux Mint. When

52

Issue 1406

The entry-level 1TB Caviar Blue hard drive from Western

Digital features a 32MB cache and IntelliSeek performance
to maximise seek speeds, while lowering power
consumption, noise and vibration.

ENTERTAINMENT
CENTRE BUILD

With Windows 10 installed, theres plenty of gaming with our

entertainment build

In our case, the installation worked first time, and we

also had the latest graphics drivers identified and installed.
However, its always that easy, and you may need to hunt
around for various fixes before you can get both Steam and a
fresh installation of Linux to work.
For videos and music, we tend to opt for VLC. Thankfully, VLC
is a part of Mint, so we didnt need to install anything extra.

Windows Installation

However good Linux is, its still not as well supported by media
providers and games companies as Windows is. For that reason,
you might be better off with a Microsoft OS.
There are a few options available here. A copy of Windows
10 64-bit Home from Falcon Computers comes in at 79.99,
which youll have to factor into the final cost of the system.
Alternatively, if you already have a legal and licensed copy of
Windows 7 or 8/8.1, then you can install that.
Once youve installed Windows, created your user account
and set up the desktop, you can begin the laborious task
of updating it and installing all the relevant drivers for the
motherboard and the graphics card. The Nvidia GeForce
Experience is particularly good these days.
The Steam installation is pretty self-explanatory. Just
browse over to the Steam site and download the client. Once
youve logged in, you can begin to install the games. Were
installing all the games to the secondary 1TB hard drive, for
obvious reasons.
The same goes for VLC, and since were using Windows 10,
we can also get a handy Netflix app from the Windows Store,
as well as other TV catch-up services.

With the Windows Store, installing Netflix and such is much easier

saving of 40. These two components off the overall system,

including the Asus graphics card, drops the price to a more
than reasonable 310.98.
If you wanted to change the case, from the 42.99 Antec
ISK600 to something a little more stylish, then the Fractal
Designs Node 202 slim case can be bought from Falcon
Computers for 69.99 (goo.gl/pHlTgN). However, theres no
PSU with that, and they can be a little tricky to come by. With
a 450W PSU, the cost of the Node 202 rises to 119.99 (goo.
gl/UbQ5h1).

Does It Work?

Our entertainment centre build worked exceedingly well. In the

end, we opted for a copy of Windows 10, since we had one
lying around and we wanted to play Star Wars: Battlefront and
The Division.
Not only is it a great little gaming system, but it also plays
Netflix and all the other streaming TV catch-up services
without any signs of lag, and itll happily stream anything
from our NAS drive.
All in all, its a successful project and one that only cost
500 for everything we want played to us on our TV. mm

Samsung SATA Laptop DVD/RW Drive

Where Can We Cut Costs

While 500 is a good amount to spend on an all-round

entertainment system, its still quite a steep sum. To help
cut some of the costs down, you could remove one or two
elements to the build.
For example, the Asus GTX950 graphics card will allow
us to get some decent gaming done, but if youre not
up for gaming, then you can save yourself a 134.99 by
removing that from the equation. That brings the total cost
down to 364.97.
Further to that, you could also shave off 13.99 by removing
the Samsung DVD drive. And if you really want to streamline
the build and youre not planning on storing anything other
than the OS, you could remove the 1TB hard drive for an extra

This optical drive is has an 8x DVD read and write speed and
a 24x CD read and write speed. Theres also buffer under
run error protection, and its produced using lead-free,
environmentally friendly manufacturing techniques.

Issue 1406

53

New Exhibit
At Centre For
Computing
History

Third DLC Pack For The

Elder Scrolls Online
Thieves Guild now available

ward-winning multiplayer role-playing

game The Elder Scrolls Online: Tamriel
Unlimited now has its third DLC game
pack, Thieves Guild.
The pack is now available for PC, PS4 and Xbox
One and heres the blurb to whet your appetite:
Join the Thieves Guild of Abahs Landing to

become the newest recruit in their organization

of pickpockets, burglars, robbers, and thieves...
Combined with new story content that will bring
you back to all your favourite areas of Tamriel,
Thieves Guild offers unexplored delves, powerful
group bosses, and much more!
The new content, activities, 12-player trial and
other rewards and items are all in the download
now; get it from www.elderscrollsonline.com.

Quitting iPhone Apps

Pointless

Battery life not affected by shutting down applications

ou know how people are always asking how

best to preserve battery life on their mobile
phone? And you know how, for iPhone users,
one of the most common answers has been to
'shut down all of the apps that are open'? Yeah, thats not
going to help, we're afraid.
A customer emailed Tim Cook to ask whether he quit
apps frequently and whether doing so would improve his
phones battery life and the head of software for the firm,

54

Issue 1406

Craig Federighi, wrote in reply No and No. Of course,

the email exchange was subsequently shared with blog
9to5mac.com, because nothing is private anymore.
It was a pretty emphatic response, though, and one
that debunks a popularly-held myth, for the iPhone at
least. Apples own advice on maximising battery life
includes a long and fairly dull list of ideas, including
disabling background refresh, switching off Location
Services and, of course, enabling Low Power Mode.

Celebrating cinemas relationship with gaming

ambridges Centre for Computing

History is ushering in a brandnew exhibition looking at cinemas
relationship with video games. Its
'Lights! Camera! Play!' exhibit will run from
March 26th until May 15thand admission to this
in included as part of the standard admission to
the Centre. With objects to look at, interactive
displays and playable games, the exhibit will
look at how games developers and publishers

have been looking to Hollywood for inspiration

over the past 40 years, for example how early
licensed games tried to piggyback on the
success of film franchises like Star Wars and
James Bond.
Lights! Camera! Play! will also ask whether
looking to Hollywood has changed gaming
for the better. For more information on this,
type www.computinghistory.org.uk into your
browser.

Lets Get
Ready To
Rumble!
WWE title update comes to PC

ny wrestling fans
among you? Then
get your best
spangly leotards
on, and have your best putdowns at the ready, because
Games publisher 2K Games has
announced that WWE 2K16
the latest addition to its WWE
video game franchise is now
available for Windows PCs via
Steam. Delivering all of the
action and the huge roster of
wrestlers that were present in
the title's release for the PS4
and Xbox One, the PC version
adds all of the games previouslyreleased downloadable content
too, including new playable
characters, moves and storydriven content.

Bizarrely, and forgive us as

our knowledge of WWE isnt
perhaps as great as it could be,
gamers will also have access
to two playable versions of
Arnie from the Terminator films
alongside the usual Legends of

the the squared circle. Getting

all this DLC content for free
with the full purchase is good
to hear for PC gamers, and
represents a power-up from
last years PC debut for the
wrestling franchise.

Go online, and you can

easily pick up an Xbox One
for 250 or a PlayStation 4
for a little more than that.
Why, then, would you spend
500 on a PC to play games
in your front room?
Well, for a start, you can
upgrade a PC, meaning its
not a dead end, like a
console is.
Theres more to it than
that, of course. Try playing
certain media les on a
console, and they just wont
work because theyre of a
le type that isnt supported.
Console manufacturers could
easily provide software
updates for this, but
normally they dont. With a
PC, this is never a problem,
because you can play
whatever you like.
On top of that, if youre a
gamer, you get to play
games with a mouse and
keyboard, which is much
better for certain genres, like
shooters and strategy games.
Also, PC games are cheaper,
because developers dont
have to pay huge licence fees
to create them.
Yes, your initial investment is
higher, but if you can afford it,
a PC is still the best way to go.

y
n
o
h
t
n
A

Editor

Issue 1406

55

Meanwhile... On The Internet...

e've banged on about NSA and GCHQ

surveillance for so long now, even we're
starting to get a little weary of the sound of
our own voice (and we're quite vain, if we're
honest). However, just when we think we can't get any more
concerned about it, or maybe even that we can't spare the
energy to be concerned about it anymore, a story like the one
that appeared in Motherboard last week reminds us of exactly
why it's such an important issue (tinyurl.com/MMnet06a ).
So bear with us here.
Specifically, the story in question tells of research published in
Journalism And Mass Communication, a scholarly, peer-reviewed
tome issued by the 'Association for Education in Journalism and
Mass Communication'. Titled Under Surveillance: Examining
Facebooks Spiral of Silence Effects in the Wake of NSA Internet
Monitoring (read it in full here: tinyurl.com/MMnet06b ) the
research, through a series of questions posed to a sample of
people that demographically mirrored the US and some clever
statistical reasoning, concluded that among its sample group
knowledge and acceptance of NSA surveillance, post-Snowden,
significantly reduced the likelihood of speaking out in hostile
opinion climates.
The idea is not a new one. First posited by Elisabeth NoelleNorman in the mid-seventies, the 'Spiral Of Silence' theory
(tinyurl.com/MMnet06c) around which the article is based,
holds that people are more likely to remain silent on a subject
concerning morality or ideology when they believe that their
views are in the minority. This self censorship, Noelle-Norman
said, arises through fear of isolation, reprisal and other
negative consequences for speaking out against the crowd. So,
basically, the research backs that idea up. Though, the irony in
these findings is that it has been suggested that the internet
brings minorities together in such a way as to diminish the
effect of this spiral.
Admittedly, the research is less-than-totally-damning, for
a start, it would seem that the censoring effect is felt most
keenly by those who already support the idea of online
surveillance, rather than those people suspicious of its motives.
However, the research seems to imply that it will have an
effect on subversive minorities, which will become increasingly
marginalised as their non-conformist opinions become ever-less
discussed by the wider public not keen express solidarity.
It's certainly a fascinating read, and an insight into what effect
the new IP Bill could have on online political debate in the UK, or
even perhaps, if you're a cynic... which we're not, oh no the
thinking that motivated its creation in the first place. Still happy
about all those abstentions in the vote last week (tinyurl.com/
MMnet06d)? No, neither are we, really...

.AVWhy?

hile it's true that the internet can be a harsh place

sometimes, it also undoubtedly has a soft centre sometimes,
and a penchant for making horrible situations a little better, when
it collectively turns its mind to it (tinyurl.com/MMnet06e). Which
brings us to the sad story of Pokmon designer Eric Medalle,
who tragically died in an accident last week aged 42, leaving
behind a wife and two daughters (tinyurl.com/MMnet06f ).
While there's not much happy we can bring to the table, it is worth
noting the generosity of the online Pokmon fanbase, which has
chipped into a fundraising effort (tinyurl.com/MMnet06g) to
ensure his daughter's college education to the tune of $76,000 (at
the time of writing).
We're sure that no amount of money could make up for
what's happened, or alleviate the pain caused by the horrible
randomness of it all (tinyurl.com/MMnet06h), but one day
maybe those girls will look back and see the contributions as a
mark of the respect people had for their father's work, and the
joy which it has bought them over the years.
Well done, internet. Well done.

ad Keanu (tinyurl.com/MMnet07i) was a meme for us all,

wasn't it? We've all sat and contemplated life over a runof-the-mill lunch, haven't we? All questioned the meaning of
it all over a palid, lacklustre coming together of bread, butter,
some sort of protein, salad and too much mayonnaise? And it
was good to know that, every now and then, Neo did it too.
Yes, Keanu was sad, but that was alright, because we were
there for him (tinyurl.com/MMnet07j ).
Are we ready to deal with a sullen looking George Lucas
battling his way through a tray of food court noodles, though
(tinyurl.com/MMnet08k )? We're really not sure. Certainly, if
the online reaction to Gabrielle Fusco's Twitter post showing
the multi-billionaire filmmaker and the man behind Jar-Jar
Binks sitting quietly picking away at his plate of Asian 'cuisine'
is anything to go by (tinyurl.com/MMnet08l ), the internet
is going to need a little bit of time to decide how it really feels
about the matter (tinyurl.com/MMnet08m ).
Next week: Martin Scorcese enjoys a falafel in Leicester... Maybe.

alking of bittersweet meals, we need to talk about Papaw

(tinyurl.com/MMnet08n). Or, specifically, how a tweet
bemoaning the fact that only one of six grandchildren managed to
make it to eat home-cooked burgers with their grandfather (tinyurl.
com/MMnet08o) came to be retweeted over 200,000 times (as we
write). Was it schaudenfruede? Mass millenial guilt at how their own
grandparents have been sidelined over the years? Who knows, the
internet moves in mysterious ways... But Papaw is okay guys (tinyurl.
com/MMnet08p). He's okay... (tinyurl.com/MMnet08q).

Videos For Your Eyes...

Not Necessarily For Your Brain

When Nintendos Satoru Iwata passed away last year, the outpouring of love
and respect was far more marked than you would expect for the CEO of a
technology company. Then again, he was definitely not your normal tech CEO.
Emerging from a programming and gaming background, he was instrumental in
some of the Japanese firms now-iconic products Pokmon, the DS and Wii
among them and his affinity with the people who bought them is best
expressed by this seminal 'Heart Of A Gamer' speech, delivered at the Game
Developers Conference (GDC) in 2005 (tinyurl.com/MMnet08r). It's fitting then,
that GDC 2016 should feature this lovely tribute (tinyurl.com/MMnet08s).

56

Issue 1406

QUICK BITS... The third expansion for Blizzards online card game Hearthstone, Whispers of the Old Gods, has been

Caption Competition
It's easy to understand
why zombies think this
is where people keep
their brains.

Laptops
For The
Homeless
Refurbished machines provided in
groundbreaking initiative

This rather palid looking smartphone user was the subject of

1404s caption competition. You are the best offerings:

PlaneMan: Ill just check if Domino's do brains as a

side dish.
JayCeeDee: The new iPhone 7 was gathering support
from it's faithful followers.
ZEDSinBED: Tarquin soon discovered that using the "JustEat" app was easier than chasing the living.
JayCeeDee: Damn... the lines gone dead.
doctoryorkie: Zombie? It's just a face painted England
fan crying after the usual result.
ZEDSinBED: It took Stanley so long to get through to the
police that he died waiting and turned into a zombie.
ZEDSinBED: Well if monkeys can do selfies why not zombies.
BullStuff: Blast this predictive text! I meant Voodoo,
not Hoodoo!
EdP: Darn-it, Baron Samedi isn't around to resurrect
my battery!
Thomas Turnbull: Fell down a cliff while taking a selfie, but
still looking good.
Thomas Turnbull: This is the last time I use a counterfeit
charger with my phone.

Thanks for all your submissions, but the winner was

doctoryorkie with It's easy to understand why zombies
think this is where people keep their brains.
If you have something to say about the picture below
(come on, you must have), head to the Other Stuff section of
our forum (forum.micromart.co.uk), or email us your funnies
via caption@micromart.co.uk, remembering to add the issue
number to the email.

ocial enterprise
company Socialbox.
biz has introduced a
pretty special initiative
for the capital.
Homeless people in London
are being given refurbished
laptops thanks to its Laptops for
Homeless Initiative. Socialbox.
biz specialises in innovative
storage and recycling solutions
for business and this new

Online Video
Lands Cops
In Trouble
Shocking behaviour towards student

n Baltimore, two police

officers who work in
public schools in the area
are due to appear in court
following the emergence online
of a video that showed them
physically abusing a student.
The video, according to
US media reports, shows the
announced

initiative is helping homeless

people to get online, the idea
being to help those who are
currently cut out of the job
market by having no access to
computers or the Internet.
The organisation is also busy
developing new ways to make
sure all redundant corporate
laptops are collected and used
to the fullest of their abilities.
Good work, chaps.

police officers hitting a student

while shouting obscenities at
him. The cops are accused of
second-degree assault and
misconduct in abuse, and
second-degree child abuse,
and have been suspended from
duty. Theyre due to appear in
court next month.

Issue 1406

57

Snippets!
DOOM Beta's SOON
If you pre-ordered
Wolfenstein: The New
Order and redeemed the
Beta code, youll also have
access to the closed beta
of DOOM come March
31st. Its only running until
April 3rd, and for more
information you should visit
doom.com/beta.
To celebrate the fact,
Bethesda launched a new
multiplayer gameplay trailer.
You can find it over on
YouTube expect lots of
guns, running and bangs.
DOOM launches on PC, PS4
and Xbox One on May 13th.

AlphaGo Wins
In a development that may
one day feature in the
introduction montage of an
apocalyptic film, we bring
the scary news that Googles
challenge against Go master
Lee Sedol resulted in a 4-1
victory for its DeepMind
AlphaGo software. Apart
from heralding the rise of
the machines, it that also
meant the South Korean
champ didnt walk away
with the $1m on offer.
Lee has said since of the
defeat that he still doesnt
think that AlphaGo is better
than humans and aired
regret over the end of the
challenge. For now, though,
the spoils go to Google.

FB Star Slander Rap

News coming in from Egypt
tells us that a popular
Facebook user in the country
has been sent to prison after
having said on a television
talk show that around a third
of married Egyptian women
were unfaithful. Taymour
el-Sobky, whose ' Diaries
of A Suffering Husband'
page has 1m+ followers,
was later judged to have
slandered Egyptian women,
a crime that may keep him
in prison for the next three
years. Cripes.

58

Issue 1406

Minecraft To
Become AI
Testbed
Minecraft rocks!

icrosoft has announced that

Minecraft will be used as a
platform for artificial intelligence
testing. Microsoft claims that
using Minecraft as the background to these
tests is more sophisticated than current AI
research simulations. If youre interested in this,
and who knows you might just be, youll need
to install open source software code for the
AIX software that Microsoft is using when its
released in the summer.
In the blog post on the development,
Microsoft wrote of an example of how computer
scientists were trying to get a character to climb
a hill by training an AI agent to learn how to
climb. An AIX developer said: Minecraft is the
perfect platform for this kind of research because

its this very open world. You can do survival

mode, you can do build battles with your
friends, you can do courses, you can implement
our own games. This is really exciting for artificial
intelligence because it allows us to create games
that stretch beyond current abilities.

Typo Costs Hackers

Dear
Bank transfer hack goes wrong

ith thanks to Reuters for

reporting this story, we now
bring you news of a hack that
went a bit wrong.
TThe bad guys first made their move on
Bangladeshs central bank back in February and
started to transfer monies into various accounts
in the Philippines and Sri Lanka. Four of the
transfers went through without a hitch, to the
tune of $81m. Another wasnt so successful,
though, and they only had themselves to blame.
TTurns out that even in high-level hacking,
proofreading and fact-checking is everything. The
hackers tried to transfer $20m to a Sri Lankan

organisation called the Shalika Foundation,

accidentally writing it as the Shalika Fandation.
Bank staff at Deutsche Bank, as a routing bank,
spotted the problem, contacted the Bangladesh
bankers and the transaction was stopped. The
scandal has also cost the head of the countrys
central bank his job as he has since resigned.
As for the hackers themselves, its unclear how
easy its going to be to track them down and any
money they took has reportedly been laundered
through casinos in the Philippines. $81m is a lot
of money by anyones standards. Good job that
the hackers messed up when they did, or else it
could have been even worse.

QUICK BITS... The first World Drone Prix yes, thats a thing has been won by a UK teenager

Online TV
Viewing
Still
Growing
Remember when there were only four channels?

ow do you watch
television these
days? Chances
are that, while
youre still more likely to be
watching more traditional
output like Homes Under The
Hammer (what a programme!),
you are also going to be
turning your attention to the
likes of House Of Cards (also
outstanding, we should add).
This is according to research
from market research firm
Thinkbox that has discovered

that were spending more time

binge-watching shows on Netflix
and Amazon Prime with an
estimated 6.5% of TV viewing
falling outside the industry
standard measurement of
viewing on a TV set within seven
days of broadcast. Among 16 to
24-year-olds, that figure is 14%.
More of us are turning to
YouTube too, growing from
3.5% in 2014 to 4.4% in
the past year. TV viewing
still resolutely rules in video
consumption, however.

New Views
From
ViewSonic
Three new LightStream projectors

isplay specialist
ViewSonic has
boosted its
LightStream
range of projectors. The
Pro7827HD, PJD7828HDL and
PJD7720HD models all promise
incredible colour accuracy and
enhanced sound technology
for multimedia performance.
The most expensive of the lot,
the Pro7827HD, is the first in
the LightStream line to feature
an RGBRGB six-segment colour
wheel powered by ViewSonics
SuperColor technology. The
projector also offers five viewing
modes, 2,200 lumens and
vertical lens shift.

All three models come with

Full HD 1080p resolution,
deliver a wider colour range
and come with a built-in
10W speaker incorporating
ViewSonics SonicExpert sound
enhancement technology. They
also support wireless HDMI
media streaming devices.
Available over the spring,
these will cost between 479
and 599.

Google Robots
Teach Themselves
To Grab

Raspberry Pi
3 Drive From
WDLabs

It took quite some time, mind

Low power consumption for use with latest Pi

oogles research scientists have put together a study

group of robotic arms and managed to get them to
learn how to pick up various objects. Y'see, grasping
objects is a big deal in the robot world, as machines
lack to hand-eye co-ordination and logic that helps us to alter
our movements depending on what we see, and thus have to be
reprogrammed for every object that theyre asked to grasp.
Until now, that is. After two months of training, and over
800,000 attempts, the robotic arms got better and better at
working out the movements that resulted in a successful grab. By
the end of the testing process, the robots failure rate had fallen
to a mere 18%. It took one heck of a long time to get there, but
thats still progress, of sorts.

f you've picked up a Raspberry Pi 3 recently if you haven't

you really should you might also be interested in WDLabs
hard drive developed just for the single-board computer.
The WD PiDrive 314GB is custom-engineered to work
more efficiently with the Raspberry Pi 3, promising lower power
consumption, custom data recording and electrical design for use
with the board and its also fully customisable and compatible with
WBLabs associated enclosures and cable kit. Oh, and it comes
with a customised version of Berryboot, an OS installer and boot
selection screen for ARM devices.
Why 314GB? Well leave that for you to work out (hint: the
clues in Pi, geddit?). If you do want one of these, pay 27 over
at wdlabs.wd.com.

Issue 1406

59

REVIEWS
Asus ZenBook UX305CA
Portable, slim and reasonably quick. Whats not to like?

DETAILS

Price: 650
Manufacturer: Asus
Website:
goo.gl/fFQSdu
Requirements:
Microsoft/Windows
account, micro-HDMI
for output to TV/
monitor

he Asus ZenBook
UX305CA was
introduced toward the
end of last year as an
update to the older version.
This update included a new
processor and a somewhat
better screen, but is it enough
to tempt the buyer?
The UX305CA comes with a
couple of processor flavours: a
2.2GHz Intel Core M 6Y30
(which were reviewing here)
or a 2.7GHz Intel M 6Y54. In
addition to this, the model we
had was fitted with 8GB of
1600MHz DDR3L memory,
which is more than enough for
the pre-installed Windows 10
64-bit OS to whip along nicely.
In terms of storage, the
ZenBook UX305CA comes with
a choice of 128GB M.2, 256GB
M.2 or 512GB M.2. Due to the
UX305CAs svelte dimensions,
theres no room for an extra,
secondary spinner. However,
even 128GB is enough for
most users.
Other connectivity consists of
an SDXC card reader, 802.11 ac
wi-fi, Bluetooth 4.0, a combo
headphone and microphone
jack, three USB 3.0 ports and a
micro HDMI port.
All of these are spread along
the sides of an exceptionally
thin laptop thats just 12.3mm
at its thickest point and which
weighs just 1.2kg the same
weight as the Asus 12"
Transformer Book.

60

Issue 1406

The Asus ZenBook UX305CA looks good, and it performs well too

graphics, it does a good job of

displaying media and even
some lightweight gaming to a
maximum resolution of 2300 x
1800. Theres also an anti-glare
finish to the screen, which is a
definite plus for those whose
desks are located under office
strip lights or who have their
back to the window. It works
well, and the screen is bright
and colourful enough to
prevent sore eyes at the end of
the day.
The Asus ZenBook UX305CA
performed very well indeed.
Windows 10 ran perfectly fine
under the new Intel Core M
CPU, as did a selection of
video viewing and editing
programs. Suffice to say, its a
decent powered laptop, but
dont expect triple-A gaming
from it.
The Asus ZenBook UX305CA
is a well designed and nicely
balanced notebook. It fits well
into the mid range between
gaming-like performance and
lightweight portability. And at
around 650 its not too badly
priced either.
mm David Hayward

Good performance and

an exceptional screen
The QHD+ screen is very good indeed, with a high resolution on offer

The UX305CA looks much

different to the previous
ZenBook we had in for review.
Rather than opting for the
brushed steel look of the
UX303UA, for example, Asus
has instead gone for an all-white
plastic Mac-like look. It probably
wouldnt be our first choice
of colour and style scheme,
coming from a traditional
PC/laptop background, but it
works nonetheless.
Opening the lid reveals a
nicely laid out recessed

keyboard, with a large

trackpad. Asus has kept the
oddly located power button,
found in the top right of the
keyboard, which weve seen on
other ZenBooks. Weve grown
used to its position now, so
were less inclined to
accidentally hit it when were
reaching for the Backspace key,
but its still a remarkably
strange thing to get used to.
The 13.3" QHD+ display
looks exceptionally good, and
thanks to the Intel HD 515

8
8

Quality

Value

Overall

ON

TEST
Reviews

Minix NGC-1
Our favourite mini-PC just got a whole lot better

DETAILS

Price: ~299
Manufacturer: Minix
Website:
goo.gl/YMaUhe
Requirements:
Microsoft/Windows
account, keyboard,
mouse, some form of
media remote

ne of the best media

centre PCs weve
ever owned is the
Minix NEO Z64, a
wonderfully small and
reasonably powerful machine
that still sits in our AV
cabinet hooked up to a TV.
Now, though, Minix has
upped the ante and released
a new micro-sized media
machine, the NGC-1.
There some notable
differences between the new
NGC-1 and its older brothers.
For one, this is a far more
powerful PC with a decent
specification, which includes
an 1.6GHz Intel Celeron
N3150 processor with turbo
burst clock speeds up to
2.08GHz, 4GB of DDR3L
memory, a 128GB M.2 SSD
and a copy of Windows 10
64-bit Home Edition.
Theres a lot more
connectivity this time around
too, with three USB 3.0 ports,
microphone and headphone
combo, HDMI 1.4, miniDisplayPort, gigabit Ethernet
and optical S/PDIF. Theres also
802.11ac dual-band wi-fi and
Bluetooth 4.2, with the wi-fi
being boosted by a pair of
screw-on antennas at the rear
of the case.
The design is of similar to
Minixs other micro PCs,
measuring just 126 x 126
x 28mm.

The Minix NGC-1 is a wonderful little media machine

the same thats used in the

Broadwell series of
processors. Although the
640MHz clock speed of the
GPU wont be up to running
the latest triple-A gaming
titles, it does support 4K,
H.265 video acceleration
without any signs of a
struggle good news for
those of you connecting
this to your new 4K TVs
or monitors.
Theres a good balance
of performance and features
here. Minix has once
again done an incredible
job of packing everything
into a small and stylish
case thats perfect for every
media activity.
The Minix NGC-1 is an
excellent micro PC, and
one that well quite happily
replace our previous
Minix NEO Z64 with. It
currently costs around 299,
but thats more than
reasonable for such a
compact media machine.
mm David Hayward

A superb compact
media capable PC
Theres plenty of connectivity and a powerful pair of wi-fi antennas too

Its a remarkably sturdy

unit, with a metal-grey case
and the Minix logo printed
on the top. The base is
plastic, with four rubber feet
to stand on, but the same
high degree of quality and
design is apparent
throughout.
The combination of 4GB of
memory and the Celeron
N3150 make for a nippy,
energy-efficient machine.
Naturally, its fanless, which
cuts down on the noise

levels. And due to the fact

that the Braswell CPU only
has a TDP of 6W, it never
gets too hot, even when its
under considerable stress.
Using Windows 10 was
great, without any
performance problems.
Viewing full HD media, both
via the Ethernet port and
wi-fi, was also excellent and
without issues.
The HD graphics on the
Celeron N3150 is based on
the Intel Gen8 architecture,

9
8

Quality

Value

Overall

Issue 1406

61

Lexar Professional 1800x

microSD UHS-II 64GB
Lexar demonstrates well that the limits of SDXC are about to be breached

DETAILS

Price: 65.99 (32GB)

109.99 (64GB)
219.99 (128GB)
Manufacturer:
Lexar (Micron)
Website:
www.lexar.com
Requirements: USB
3.0 port and device
that can accept microSDXC or SDXC cards

ith people starting

to transition to 4K
video capture, the
SD and micro-SD
card really needs to up its game,
given that its the most popular
flash storage media for cameras.
The standards for SD cards
were enhanced first by microSDHC and then micro-SDXC
specs in 2009. SDXC supports
speeds of up to 300MB/s and
capacities up to 2TB on SD cards,
and 200GB on micro-SDXC.
And seven years later were
at last were starting to see
cards that really live up to
those ambitions, like the very
latest Professional 1800x
models by Lexar.

Key Features

62

Why theyre still using the

multiplier of 1x being the speed
of a baseline CDROM is entirely
beyond this writer, as it makes
as much sense relating it to the
air-speed velocity of an unladen
swallow (African).
More useful information
is a quoted transfer speed of
270MB/s, taking this UHS-II
technology (UHS Speed Class
3) device close to the edge of
what SDXC was ever designed
to deliver. However, to get those
speeds you need a very specific
environment where the target
or source system has a faster
than 270MB/s capability (i.e. an
SSD), and you also need a card
reader up to the job.

High-speed performance-leverages UHS-II technology

(U3) for a read transfer speed up to 1800x (270 MB/s).
Includes micro-SD UHS-II reader for high-speed
file transfer from card to computer, dramatically
accelerating workflow.
Includes an SD UHS-II adapter for easy transfer
between devices.
Designed for high-speed capture of high-quality
images and extended lengths of 1080p full-HD, 3D,
and 4K video.
Includes lifetime copy of downloadable Image Rescue
software.

Issue 1406

These cards are going

to be massively popular with

those lming HD video

Lexar very kindly helps out

with the latter necessity by
providing a SD UHS-II adapter
along with the card, and also a
SD adapter with UHS-II contacts
for those that use a DSLR or
whatever that takes cards that
size and spec.
You get those accessories
regardless of the capacity that
you buy, and Lexar delivers this
product in 32GB, 64GB and
128GB versions. However, the
32GB model is just micro-SDHC
and not micro-SDXC.
Testing the 64GB micro-SDXC
card, I soon became aware that
exactly how fast it would go is
dependent on the adapter you
use with it, because theyre not
all made equally.

For example, the Lexar

LRWM05U-7000 micro-SD UHSII card reader that's included
accepts the card without the SD
adapter and can read the extra
UHS-II contacts directly on the
micro-SD card.
But trying it out on a number
of alternative card readers
revealed that while many of
them do support UHS-II contacts
on SD, many dont bother on
micro-SD.
Depending on what reader
I tried, performance often
dropped to much less than
100MB/s, even on those that
are connected by USB 3.0. The
best results, unsurprisingly, are
those with the official adapter
included in the packaging.

ON

TEST
Reviews

Using the official Lexar

adapter, I was able to get great
speeds, even if they never quite
reached the 270MB/s levels
quoted on the packaging.
The best I managed was
238MB/s read and 220MB/s
write. Thats nothing to be
sniffed at on a micro-SD card,
as the 32GB model can be fully
read in around two minutes and
15 seconds, give or take.
This is the first UHS-II microSD Ive seen that can achieve
this level, and most of the
competing products have yet to
breach 100MB/s in even their
premium product ranges.
Another value proposition
Lexar slung in here is the

inclusion of a downloadable
software tool for when things
go utterly wrong. Image
Rescue is designed to recover
most photo and select video
files, even if theyve been
erased or the card has been
corrupted, according to Lexar.
Obviously, some fiascos arent
fixable, but it's better than
just accepting that your data is
lost without exploring
some options.
I can see that these cards are
going to be massively popular
with those filming HD video
and RAW still images, who
typically dont like waiting for
their memory cards to dump
onto the computer.

Because this is a
Professional product, theyll
also have less of an issue
with the price, which is
good, because this module is
least three times what youd
reasonably expect to pay for a
decent Class 10 card.
I guess it comes down to
how much your time is really
worth and how that adds up
over the course of a working
year. For home users, this
probably isnt a factor, but for
professional photographers
and film makers, it's yet
another performance
enhancement they can use.
As I fully expected from
Lexar, these are the micro-SD

UHS-II cards to have, if you

can afford them.
mm Mark Pickavance

A micro-SD card that can

perform like an SSD

9
7

Quality

Value

Overall

Issue 1406

63

Venturer BravoWin 10K

Mark reviews an inexpensive hybrid design that is surprisingly well featured

DETAILS

Price: 149.99
Manufacturer:
Venturer (Alco
International)
Website:
www.venturer.com
Requirements:
Wireless broadband

ve yet to be really
convinced by hybrid laptop/
tablet systems, as these
generally seem to offer
nothing special either way.
However, spending Microsoft
Surface levels of cash is one
thing, and this the price of the
Venturer BravoWin 10K is
entirely another.
At less than 150 it's
truly affordable, yet building
a hybrid machine as this
price was always going to
be challenging for those
designing it.
What bemused me is how
few of those cost-cutting
decisions seemed to impact the
overall experience, and how
little extra you get in a 300
hybrid that isnt in this one.
Venturer understandably
chose the Intel Atom Intel as
the base platform, and the
quad-cored Z3735F (1.33GHz)
in particular. Thats fine for

BravoWin 10K Specs.

general office and surfing

duties when combined with
the 2GB of RAM it has.
A tighter fit is the 32GB of
storage, which after Windows
10 Home is installed, leaves

OS: Windows 10.

Processor: Intel Z3735F (1.33GHz Turbo to 1.83GHz) quadcore CPU.
Memory: 2GB RAM + 32GB flash.
Display: 10.1" 1280 x 800 (16:9) IPS screen.
Camera: Dual camera, 2M + 2M (front and rear).
Networking: 802.11b/g/n wi-fi, Bluetooth 4.0.
Ports: USB 2.0, micro-USB, mini-HDMI, headphone jack.
Extra storage: micro-SD card slot support up to 64GB.
Weight: 1080g with keyboard, 600g without.
Battery life: Up to eight hours

64

Issue 1406

just 12.4GB left for the user's

needs. That might not seem too
bad, and it isnt until Microsoft
releases a major update to
Windows 10, and your personal
files take up space required to
do that upgrade.
Thankfully, you can
augment the space needed
either with a USB key or the
micro-SD card slot provided,
but either is an additional
expense you should budget
for from the outset.
There are no other upgrade
directions to take; the
BravoWin 10K is going to
have this much memory and
storage for eternity.
Where it started to
confront my expectations

was with a 10.1 1280 x 800

IPS multi-touch panel that is
rather sharp and reasonably
saturated. The only problem
I noticed with it was that
in desktop mode (when the
keyboard is attached), the
icons are generally too small
to be operated by finger tips,
unless youre a child. Some
system scaling is therefore a
necessity if you want to work
that way.
Once you detach the
keyboard, Windows 10 offers
you tablet mode, and touch
becomes much more useful.
Docking is via a simple
magnetic edge connector, and
the keyboard is no more than
that word implies. All ports,

ON

TEST
Reviews

batteries and computing are

located exclusively in the
tablet, and disconnecting
the keyboard has no real
implications on performance.
The keyboard is of a
membrane design, but it's
generally serviceable if you can

accept relatively small keys

and the fact your hands will
obscure the taskbar at times.
The port complement is
also decent, even if theyre
all placed on the same
rather cluttered edge. There
is one each of USB and

micro-USB, mini-HDMI, the

aforementioned micro-SD,
and audio jack.
There isnt a LAN port.
Instead, networking is provided
by 802.11n wi-fi and Bluetooth
4.0. The n class wi-fi is
probably faster than using
USB 2.0 port for installing
applications, Id suggest.
There are two 2MP
cameras, front and rear, and
I promise not to mention
them ever again. According
to the maker, the battery
will last Up to 8 hours, but
thats a stretch even with
the lightest use. If you get
more than about five hours,
youre doing well, and doing
anything that requires 3D
graphics would decimate the
battery life even faster.
Where this device works
best is doing basic office
chores, and it has the Mobile
version of Microsoft Office
pre-installed for you to use
immediately. As the Atom CPU
implies, this isnt a gaming

solution, although it can play

media files back acceptably.
Where this machine isnt
that great is in respect of
the fine details, like the ones
that the user will stumble
into the first time they use
it. The power button requires
an additional screen swipe
to wake the machine, for
reasons that this reviewer
couldnt fathom.
But my biggest bugbear is
undoubtedly the trackpad. As
pointing devices go, this is
poor on numerous levels, as it
uses virtual mouse buttons
that I could never reliably
locate. Thats a shame, but
it's cheaply rectified with a
USB or Bluetooth mouse.
While I dont think this is
the most elegant solution, but
what I cant escape is that it
is a fully functioning Windows
10 mobile system for less
than 150. And its generally
a better system than that
price would suggest.
While I cant see myself
recommending it for a
student, for those who want
something light to enter some
text and browse the internet,
its more than sufficient.
mm Mark Pickavance

A cheap hybrid design

that is ne for light duties

6
8

Quality

Value

Overall

Issue 1406

65

Netgear Arlo Q
Michael checks out a new addition to Netgears home security portfolio
bars are available to adjust
sensitivity of rules, which can be
set to capture a video or snapshot
within a user-defined schedule.
For viewing live content, you
need to select the Camera
section. Image quality is good
with both day and night-time
capture. Running across the
bottom of the live feed screen are
icons to record, capture a
snapshot, initiate a voice
communication and adjust the
brightness. You can also switch
between portrait and landscape
orientation, with the latter
providing the better view.
Switching to the Library
section brings up a list of
captured content. Organised by
date and time, these clips can be
viewed, shared, deleted and
downloaded. However, I could
find no option to zoom into a
particular area of a clip.
A drop-down Settings panel
allows you to make some basic
changes to the camera and its
performance. You can give the
camera a suitable name, plus
turn on and adjust the
associated time zone.
Surprisingly the default video
resolution is set at 720p but this
can easily be changed to 1080p.
All in all, it's a good unit,
which is easy to set up and
doesn't cost the world.
mm Michael Fereday

DETAILS

Price: 154.50
(Amazon)
Manufacturer:
Netgear
Website:
www.arlo.com/uk
Requirements: n.a.

dding to its Arlo home

security camera range
of products, Netgear
has released the Arlo Q.
This device offers the user 1080p
HD camera capability, and it also
possesses two-way audio features
so it can act in intercom mode
when the situation arises.
The Arlo Q camera unit is
attached to a short stand with a
magnetic base for positioning on
a metal surface. The whole unit
has dimensions of 70 x 73 x
115mm and weighs 149g.
Packaged with the camera is a
three-pin power lead, and a wallmounting plate and screws.
Whether used in free-standing
or wall-mounted mode, the
generous 3m power lead should
help ensure there are no
problems in positioning the
security camera.
The diamond-shaped camera
features a centrally positioned
lens, surrounded by similarly
shaped white and smoky layers.
It's capable of delivering a 130
field of vision at 1080p quality.
In order to avoid problems with
the video quality, you should try
to ensure that a great deal of
light will not be shining direct
into the lens.
The actual setting up of this
kit should take little more than a
few minutes. Once power is
supplied to the camera, you can
use it to scan a QR code in the
quick start guide to download
the app required for use with
this product. An account can be

66

Issue 1406

created, or you can access one

already created earlier. The app
should quickly detect the Arlo Q
unit and lead you through the
connection process of
connecting to a router via wi-fi
using a sync button found on
the side of the camera.
Output from the Arlo Q can
be viewed live or stored on a
free cloud seven-day storage
allocation for access later.
Although the app can be
installed on different

smartphones, it's only possible to

log into the Arlo Q from a single
device at a time. This restriction
doesn't apply to the sending of
alerts, which can be dispatched
to multiple smartphones.
The app offers a choice of
three main sections covering
Mode, Camera and Library. With
Mode you can select from any
cameras available plus create
rules that will be applied when
specific situations, such as motion
and audio detection, occur. Slider

Delivers good quality

output

8
8

Quality

Value

Overall

ON

TEST
Reviews

Tom Clancys The Division

Societys on the brink in Manhattan. And only one (many) can help save it

DETAILS

Price: 69.99 (Gold

Edition)
Developer:
Ubisoft Massive
Website: tomclancythedivision.ubi.com
Requirements: Core
i5-2400 3.1GHz or
equivalent, Radeon HD
7770 2GB or equivalent,
6GB RAM, Windows 7 or
later (64-bit), Direct X
11, 40GB disk space

et in an open-world
Manahattan, The
Division sees you
playing as a sleeper
agent of the Strategic
Homeland Division a
collection of highly trained
individuals activated when, one
Black Friday, an illness called
Green Poison wreaks havoc.
This illness a form of smallpox
is first transmitted by bank
notes. Yet whatever you make
of such symbolism, rioting,
looters and chaos reign as a
result. Your job is simple: Help
restore order, and root out the
dangerous and dastardly
elements grabbing power in a
screwed-up situation.
The premise is a solid one,
and The Division keeps you
smartly connected to it
through the world in which
you play. Additional fragments
are occasionally uncovered to
keep things moving as well.
Yet the backdrop doesnt
cause the major fanfare; its
the combination of highly
engaging gameplay elements
that offers the level of detail
required to keep players
coming back. The real
achievement here is
successfully combining RPG,
FPS and a standard missionbase progression model, but

doing so with enough tricks

and pizazz for you to almost
forget youll have seen most of
this elsewhere. Destiny is the
clearest name-check, but
combine that with Watch
Dogs, Gears of War and, say,
your favourite FPS game, and
youll have a sense of the
action on offer. None of this is
a criticism. Its a combination
of tried and tested gameplay
and game-world elements that
work really rather well in The
Divisions setting.
To progress the overarching
story, the level, and the abilities
of your character, you take to
the streets to scavenge and
find items and people of
interest. Your map offers advice
on near and far points and
missions of which youll need
to take note. However, what

you choose to do in which

order is largely up to you.
Completing a mission or a sidequest means listening to
guidance from specialists back
at your base of operations. And
rewards include unlocking
items and weapons, but also
credits to upgrade the
Technology, Security and
Medical wings of your own
HQ. Yes not only can you
upgrade your character and
weapons (and mod your
weapons too), but the visual
representation of success is
your own base growing and
upgrading around you
offering you better respite and
in-the-field-support. Mission
success is the only way to
progress at pace, but through
upgrading your own base you
open up active and passive

abilities for you and your team

to make use of.
Ah, yes, your team. The
Division is predominantly
single-player, but theres more
to it than roaming the streets
helping the artificial intelligence
JTF (Joint Task Force) operatives
maintain order. Main missions
actively encourage
matchmaking with other
players, or you can team up
with friends to comb the city
and its many wonders/worries
together. This is where the real
explosive fun is, even though
discovering things on your own
will ease the hours past you.
Team up and run missions
together. Or if youre feeling
brave, enter the games PvP
space, The Dark Zone, for a
hardcore experience facing elite
computer enemies and realworld players gone rogue. Id
love to tell you more about this
area of The Division, but lets
just say its not easy to survive
and especially not on your
own. But thats okay. Therell
be plenty of opportunities to
team up, Im sure. Just as soon
as I stop attempting to singlehandedly return Manhattan to
its former glory. I may be some
time though: Im really quite
enjoying it!
mm Kevin Pocock

Fun and engaging

gameplay aplenty

8
7

Quality

Value

Overall

Issue 1406

67

GROUP

TEST

Gaming Laptops

Alienware 13 Gaming Laptop

Gaming
Laptops

Not that long ago,

gaming on a laptop was
considered positively
ridiculous. These days,
instead of saying Why
bother?, onlookers are
instead asking you
where you got the cool
gaming laptop from and
how much it cost.
We have six gaming
laptops here, and well
see if we can drag
ourselves away from
playing long enough to
write a group test
about them.

DETAILS

Price: 815
Manufacturer:
Dell/Alienware
Website:
goo.gl/VvqI7P
Requirements:
Microsoft/Windows
account

lienware, which Dell

has owned for quite
some time now, has a
rich history when it
comes to creating gaming
laptops. The current batch of
Alienware products range from
the Alienware 13 through to
the Alienware 15 and
Alienware 17, each being
more impressive than the last.
As you can guess, the
number denotes the size of
the screen. In this case the
13" 1366 x 768 TN panel of
the Alienware 13 makes this
an incredibly small gaming
laptop. However, it does pack
quite a punch for such a
diminutive entry.
You get a choice of
processors, with the model
we're testing here featuring
the entry-level 2.8GHz
dual-core Intel Core i5-6200U.
It also has 8GB of 1600MHz
DDR3L memory and a
500GB 5400rpm hybrid hard
drive with an 8GB SSD circuit

to help cache the most

accessed files.
In addition to the above,
theres Bluetooth, Killer 1525
802.11ac wi-fi, three USB 3.0
ports, HDMI, mini DisplayPort,
gigabit Ethernet and an
Alienware Graphics Amplifier
port. The Amplifier port is an
external box in which theres a
full-sized desktop GPU
complete with its own PSU. It
adds a graphical edge, but
sadly we don't have one to
test with, so were going to
make do with the laptop itself.
Internal graphics come
courtesy of an Nvidia GeForce
GTX 960M, with 2GB of
GDDR5 memory. This resulted
in a 3DMark 11 score of
3,989, which isnt too bad
considering the size of the
laptop, but on the other hand
its hardly going to set the
gaming world alight.
In terms of the build quality
of the laptop, its excellent.
Even before Dell took over,
Alienware prided itself on
designing aesthetically
pleasing computers, and it
certainly shows. The angled
chassis looks great, complete
with blue LED splashes on the
lid and a glowing Alienware
logo. The backlit keyboard is
pretty decent to view as well,
and its surprisingly
comfortable to use for a
smaller laptop.

Youve got to hand it Alienware: it knows how to design

a decent laptop

68

Issue 1406

The screen, however,

doesn't quite match up to the
rest of the specification. It's
generally good, but in our eyes
it seems to lack clarity and
sharpness. The colours too feel
muted, and the viewing angles
aren't great either. We imagine
that with the more expensive
Alienware 13 models the
screens are considerably better.
For example, the 2,000
version of the Alienware 13
boasts a 1920 x 1080 FHD IPS
panel, whereas the model we
have costs 815 and lacks the
luxury of IPS.
The Alienware 13 base
model is a decent enough
laptop, but as a gaming
machine, it does lack the
necessary punch to offer
higher-frame rates in modern
games. Its fairly expensive too,
for what you get, and the
screen isnt quite up to the
same level of quality as the
price demands.

7
6

Quality

Value

Overall

Its a pity its not quite as quick as the other examples in

the group

GROUP

TEST

Gaming
Laptops

Gigabyte P34W v5
DETAILS

Price: 1,250
Manufacturer:
Gigabyte
Website:
goo.gl/MLJMtG
Requirements:
Microsoft/Windows
account

he Gigabyte P-series of
laptops has always
impressed us with their
carefully balanced design
performance and overall quality.
The P34W v5 is a fairly recent
addition to the fold, roughly
positioned in the middle of the
P-series, so itll make for an
interesting mobile gaming choice.
The specification of the P34W
v5 is certainly enticing. This
particular 14" laptop boasts a
sixth-generation 3.5GHz Intel
i7-6700HQ processor, 16GB of
DDR4 memory, a 128GB M.2 SSD
with Windows 10 64-bit Home
Edition preinstalled and a further
1TB 2.5" hard drive.
Graphics come courtesy of an
Nvidia GTX 970M with 3GB of
memory, which help drive the
14" QHD 2560 x 1440 LCD
screen. And in terms of
connectivity, there are three USB
3.0 ports, a single USB 3.1 Type-C
port, HDMI, VGA, gigabit
Ethernet and an SD card reader.
Theres also 802.11ac wi-fi,
Bluetooth 4.1 and a HD webcam
included too.
The design of the P34W v5 is
very much a Gigabyte standard,
with a modern mix of matteblack plastic and aluminium
throughout. Theres a nicely
spaced backlit keyboard set in a
slight recessed area, with the
large touchpad and button strip
below. Its also remarkably slim,
measuring just 20.9mm thick,
and at 1.7kg, its not too difficult
to carry around either.

The rather splendid-looking

Gigabyte P34W v5
Its incredibly quick

a video, we managed to squeeze

a tad over three hours out of it
before we needed to plug it in
again. On the whole, thats not
too bad, seeing as we're talking
about a laptop that could put
most gaming desktops to shame.
At any rate, its enough gaming
time to last a commute.
Of course, this level of
performance doesnt come
cheap. 1,250 may seem a little
steep for most users, but
considering what you get in
terms of raw gaming power, as
well as great design, its money
well spent.
The 3DMark 11 test came
back with a fantastic 8,933,
which is the sort of performance
score wed likely see on a 1,000
desktop. Needless to say, its
more than enough for the latest
games to chew on at the
maximum screen resolution at
high settings.
The quality of the screen is
very good indeed. Thanks to the
powerful internal components, all
the games we tried ran flawlessly.

The colours were good and the

image displayed was as close to a
top-end IPS panel as you can
reasonably expect. Thankfully, the
screen seems somewhat brighter
than the previous Gigabyte
P-series models weve tested,
which greatly improves the clarity
and sharpness of the visuals.
Battery life while gaming
lasted just short of a couple of
hours from a full charge. Using it
for everyday tasks and watching

9
7

Quality

Value

Overall

Issue 1406

69

Gaming Laptops

Lenovo Y70
DETAILS

Price: 999
Manufacturer: Lenovo
Website:
goo.gl/9s6MRZ
Requirements:
Microsoft/Windows
account

enovo is usually
restricted to the
professional and
enterprise business
markets, but every so often the
company tends to dip its
metaphorical toes into consumer
waters, with the Y70 being one
such example.
The Lenovo Y70 is a 17.3"
gaming laptop with an
impressive 1920 x 1080, tenpoint multi-touch IPS screen.
Inside youll find an 2.6GHz Intel
i7-4720HQ quad-core processor,
a whopping 16GB of DDR3L
memory and a 1TB SSHD with
Windows 10 64-bit preinstalled.
Furthermore theres gigabit
Ethernet, Bluetooth, 802.11ac
wi-fi, a pair of USB 3.0 ports, a
single USB 2.0, HDMI, S/PDIF out
and a 4-in-1 card reader. The
GPU in this case is an Nvidia
GeForce GTX 960M with 4GB of
GDDR5 memory. This results in a
3DMark score of 4,760, which
isnt as high as we'd expect for
the specification, but its still
enough for the vast majority of
games to be enjoyed at the
maximum resolution.
The design of the Lenovo Y70
is really quite stunning. The
brushed, dark-grey aluminium
chassis, with red trims and
sections of metal throughout is
certainly an eye-opener. Lifting
the lid reveals a red-backlit fullsized keyboard, which is raised
ever so slightly from a rubberised
palm rest and touchpad.
An odd design choice,
though, is the huge amount of
space left bare surrounding the

70

Issue 1406

Lenovo isnt the first company that springs to mind when choosing a gaming laptop

With The Witcher 3 we

only managed to get 45

minutes off a full charge

keyboard. The QWERTY keys

themselves are well spaced if a
little spongy for our personal
tastes, but the numpad keys are
noticeably smaller. With all that
extra space to spare, perhaps
the numpad keys could have
been bigger?
Regardless of our own
peculiar tastes, we have to admit
it's a wonderful-looking laptop.
One flaw we did come to
notice quite quickly was the
absolutely terrible battery life
of the Y70. Having a big
touchscreen like this takes a
fair bit of power, combined
with everything else thats
going on, but we expected it to
last a little longer than one and
a half hours.
Gaming will suck the life out
of any battery pretty quickly, and
when testing the Y70 with The
Witcher 3 we only managed to
get 45 minutes off a full charge
before we needed to plug it into
the wall again. The other laptops
lasted for a lot longer.
Despite the poor battery, this
999 gaming laptop is quite a
splendid-looking showcase
model. The large IPS screen is
excellent, and its exterior looks
pretty amazing as well. Ideally,
we'd like to have seen a slightly
better benchmark score, but the
games we played ran fine.
Its just a pity about the naff
battery life.

7
5

Quality

Value

The Y70 is certainly good, but the poor battery is disappointing

Overall

GROUP

TEST

Gaming
Laptops

Asus ROG GL552VW

The full HD IPS anti-glare
screen is a joy to behold. The
excellent viewing angles,
brightness, colour depth and
reproduction are some of the
best weve ever seen. The
screen is only the beginning,
though. The solid and
attractive exterior opens up to
reveal a wonderfully spaced,
backlit keyboard with a
numpad and a large,
responsive trackpad.
Remarkably, all this is
available for the reasonably
low sum of 899. Considering
the Asus ROG GL552VW
came second in the
performance tests, it's
impressive that it's also the
second cheapest model in
the group.
We really liked the Asus
ROG GL552VW. It has the
perfect mix of style,
performance and cost. The
battery managed to provide a
good two hours of gaming
before giving up the fight,
with a recharge taking a little
over two and half hours
from empty.
This is a superb gaming
laptop and one that will
keep the majority of mobile
gamers happy.

DETAILS

Price: 899
Manufacturer: Asus
Website:
goo.gl/9g53uU
Requirements:
Microsoft/Windows
account

sus has really

stepped up its range
of laptops and
notebooks in recent
months. Their quality, design
and performance have left us
in no doubt that the company
is on the ball with regards to
what the customer wants.
Part of that praise is due to
the companys Republic of
Gamers (ROG) brand, created
in 2006. With peripherals,
desktops and laptops under
the ROG name, its certainly
an exciting time for the team.
The Asus ROG GL552VW is
the companys only 15.6"
gaming laptop on offer,
and despite being smaller
than its 17.3" stablemate, it
packs quite an impressive list
of features.
With an 2.6GHz Intel Core
i7-6700HQ processor, 8GB of
2133MHz DDR4 memory, a
256GB M.2 SSD with
Windows 10 preinstalled and
a secondary 1TB hard drive,
the base is already looking
quite enticing.
Other connectivity includes
a pair of headphone and
microphone jacks, a single
USB 3.1 Type-C port, two USB
3.0 ports and one USB 2.0
port. Theres also a gigabit
Ethernet port, HDMI,
Bluetooth 4.0, 802.11ac wi-fi,
a 2-in-1 SD card reader and a
multi-purpose DVD optical
drive too.
Alongside the Intel HD 530
GPU, theres also an Nvidia

The Asus ROG GL522VW is an exceptionally good laptop

Style, specifications and performance are all top notch

With The Witcher 3 we

only managed to get 45

minutes off a full charge

GTX 960M with 2GB of
memory. This, combined with
the rest of the hardware,
offers a 3DMark 11 score of
6,652. That puts the Asus
ROG GL552VW in second
place next to the Gigabyte
P34W v5, with a gap of
2,281 points.

As you would assume, then,

the GL552VW is an extremely
capable gaming laptop. The
games we tested flew along
quite happily, never dropping
below the magical 60fps while
at the maximum resolution
with as many settings enabled
as possible.

9
8

Quality

Value

Overall

Issue 1406

71

Gaming Laptops

MSI GE72 2QC Apache

DETAILS

Price: 1059
Manufacturer: MSI
Website:
goo.gl/oLMP5d
Requirements:
Microsoft/Windows
account

he MSI Apache range

of gaming laptops
are a force to be
reckoned with. Not
only do the Apache machines
manage to pack in some of
best components, but the cost
is generally low (for gaming
laptops) and the style and
design are exceptional.
The MSI GE72 2QC Apache
is certainly no exception to that
rule. With an 2.9GHz Intel Core
i7-5950HQ, 8GB of DDR3L
memory, a 256GB M.2 SSD with
Windows 10 preinstalled and a
further 1TB secondary storage
hard drive, all the necessary
boxes have been ticked.
The i7s GPU is the excellent
Intel Iris Pro Graphics 6200,
but MSI has also included an
Nvidia GTX 960M with 2GB of
memory. The result is a 3DMark
11 score of 6,250 just behind
the Asus system by 402 points.
As with the Asus ROG
GL552VW, the MSI GE72
2QC should have no problems
keeping up with your gaming
requirements, with the settings
for most games turned up to
the maximum.
Other connectivity on the
GE72 2QC includes a gigbit
Ethernet Killer LAN port,
HDMI, two USB 3.0 ports and
a single USB 2.0 port, miniDisplayPort, Bluetooth 4.0,
802.11ac wi-fi, an SD card
reader and a Blu-ray drive.
The overall design of the
laptop is very much the same
across the Apache line. The
only major difference with

72

Issue 1406

8
7

Quality

Value

Overall

The MSI GE72 2QC Apache is a another great gaming laptop in the Apache range

At more than 1,000, it's a big investment

this particular model is the

larger backlit keyboard and
the trackpad.
The Apache design is one
weve been impressed by in
previous reviews. The angled,
almost stealth-bomber-like look
is in line with the kind of design

youd expect from a gaming

laptop, and the MSI badge on
the lid adds a nice touch of
colour to the otherwise wholly
black exterior.
The 17.3 FHD 1920 x 1080
anti-glare screen displays a
good level of colour depth,

brightness and sharpness. It's a

great screen, although perhaps
not as good as the Asus model.
On the whole, though, were
fairly certain youll appreciate
its quality.
One odd thing we did
notice was that the Windows
key was moved from the left
of the spacebar to the right
between the Ctrl and AltGr keys. While its not a big
deal, it could be awkward if
you have a particular set of
keyboard shortcuts youre used
to. For the majority of users,
though, it wont make much of
a difference.
The MSI GE72 2QC Apache
is an impressive mobile gaming
platform. The battery life is
pretty much equal to that of
the Asus ROG model, with
the specification being similar
too. This particular model costs
around 1,059, which isnt
too bad, but it's still over 100
more than the Asus ROG.

GROUP

TEST

Gaming
Laptops

Scan 3XS Graphite LG157

DETAILS

Price: 915
Manufacturer:
Scan.co.uk/3XS
Website:
goo.gl/3fe1Ro
Requirements:
Microsoft/Windows
account

can.co.uk is a familiar
name in the pages
of Micro Mart,
and with it comes
the 3XS brand, which has
been building some pretty
impressive PCs and laptops for
the best part of a decade.
The 3XS Graphite LG157 is
one of the mid-range models,
costing around 915 for the
base, unaltered design. This
particular laptop features a
15.6" 1920 x 1080 IPS panel,
a 2.6GHz Intel i7-4720HQ
quad-core processor, 8GB of
Corsair 1600MHz memory, a
120GB M.2 SSD and a 1TB
Hitachi Travelstar 5400rpm
hard drive with Windows 10
64-bit preinstalled.
Other features include four
USB 3.0 ports, VGA, HDMI
and mini DisplayPort, S/PDIF
output, gigabit Ethernet,
802.11ac wi-fi and Bluetooth
and a 6-in-1 card reader as
well as a DVD optical drive.
The GPU used here is an
Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M,
with 2GB of GDDR5 memory,
which when combined with
all the other processing power
gives a 3DMark 11 score of
5,860. This places the 3XS
Graphite LG157 in fourth
place overall in terms of the
performance, but its certainly
no slouch. The games we
tested ran perfectly well, with
most at the highest settings.
The design of the 3XS
Graphite is good and puts us
in mind of the earlier Asus

The 3XS Graphite LG157 has a

marvellous screen, and its a good
performer too
You can improve the base specs via
the configuration tool on the website,
but the base is good enough

configure the specification to

your particular tastes. More
memory, different storage
solutions, sound options and
so on can be tweaked. The
base model, though, is pitched
perfectly and will keep most
mobile gamers quite happy.
models before the company
started to use a brushed
aluminium look. The chassis
has a matte-black finish
throughout, including the
inside of the laptop. Theres
a full-size backlit keyboard,
with good spacing and travel
for each keypress. All in
all, its a very good design,
which feels considerably more
expensive than it actually is.
Wed even go so far as to say
it looks and feels better than
the MSI model.
The screen, however, is
the best part of the Graphite
LG157. Its excellent, with

bright vibrant colours and

superb clarity. For a mid-range
laptop, this is an amazing
display, especially with
regards to the contrast and
black levels.
There could be a few
improvements in the design,
perhaps. A splash of colour
on the chassis wouldnt go
amiss, for instance. Were not
saying it should be plastered
with colours and badges, but
the odd flash or two of red
would help to catch the eye of
prospective customers.
Since the 3XS is available via
Scan.co.uk, you can of course

8
8

Quality

Value

Overall

Issue 1406

73

DED
EN

HO
SC I

IGHLY

MM
CO

DITOR

CE

Asus ROG GL552VW

Scan 3XS Graphite LG157

The Asus ROG GL552VW has the perfect blend

of style, performance and value. Its a great
gaming laptop, with enough grunt to keep
you satisfied, while still leaving you with a
few pounds in your wallet.

Although the Scan 3XS Graphite LG157 doesnt

score as highly as the Gigabyte P34W v5, its
a great little laptop and more than 250
cheaper than the Gigabyte model too.
You can of course improve the specs slightly,
but as it stands, we think its worth every
penny and is a fine choice for mobile gamers.

How We Tested
Each laptop was tested with a selection of games: The Witcher 3, Elite: Dangerous, Fallout 4, Battlefield 4 and Rise of the Tomb Raider. For
benchmarking we used 3DMark 11 and used the score produced after a second run through.

Alienware 13
Gaming Laptop

Gigabyte P34W v5

Lenovo Y70

Asus ROG
GL552VW

MSI GE72 2QC

Apache

Scan 3XS
Graphite LG157

815

1,250

999

899

1,059

915

328 x 235 x 27mm

340 x 239 x 20.9mm

422 x 290 x
25.9mm

384 x 256 x 34mm

419 x 280 x 29mm

385 x 268 x
28.5mm

2.05kg

1.7kg

3.4kg

2.5kg

2.7kg

2.5kg

CPU

Intel i5-6200U

Intel i7-6700HQ

Intel i7-4720HQ

Intel i7-6700HQ

Intel i7-5950HQ

Intel i7-4720HQ

RAM

8GB

16GB

16GB

8GB

8GB

8GB

GPU

GeForce GTX 960M

GeForce GTX 970M

GeForce GTX 960M

GeForce GTX 960M

GeForce GTX 960M

GeForce GTX
960M

3989

8933

4760

6652

6250

5860

Price
Dimensions
Weight

3DMark 11
Score

74

Issue 1406

nt

Componhe
Watc

Component Watch
Need more storage? Check out these 4TB external drives...

n external drive is a great way to bolster storage

when the low-capacity of an SSD isnt quite enough
to meet your needs. If youre going to buy an
external drive, the 4TB class are currently well-priced,
offering good value and super-dense storage capacity. What can
you expect for your money, though, and where are the best
prices to be found? We looked into it...
Deal 1: Seagate Expansion 4TB
RRP: 130 / Deal Price: 90
You wont find a 4TB external drive
much cheaper than the Seagate
Expansion (at least, not outside of
any sales) but that doesnt mean
its much (or even any) worse than
the rest of the models on this
page or elsewhere. Seagate is a
reliable brand and, while its an
unashamedly basic unit, you do still
get USB 3.0 connectivity and the
increased speeds that come with
it. This unit would be great for
anyone who wantsto save money
and doesnt care about taking a
no-frills approach to do it. Seriously, just looking at that saving!
40 is not to be sniffed at
Where to get it: Maplin (bit.ly/1R5PUFT)
Deal 2: Samsung 4TB D3
RRP: 120 / Deal Price: 99
If youre a fan of Samsungs 1TB
external drive (and lets not beat
around the bush: we most certainly
are) then this 4TB version is likely
to be right up your street if its
not already climbed in through an
open window and settled down on
your desk. With the same sleek,
simple design and no-nonsense
performance, the Samsung D3 is
an ideal option for those who like
low-price, high-quality hardware.
USB 3.0 connectivity is, of course, included, as well as a three
year warranty and auto-backup software. The saving offered here
is 17.5%, so not as impressive as the Seagate, but this has a bit
more in the way of looks and pedigree.
Where to get it: Scan (bit.ly/1Mpfbc3)

Deal 3: Western Digital My Book 4TB

RRP: 140 / Deal Price: 110
For just a few pounds more, the
equally-respected Western Digital
offer a 4TB drive with a whole host
of extras, including WD SmartWare
Pro software (for local and cloud
backup) bundled with Acronis True
Image software for system level
backup. Theres software-based
encryption and even a Windows app
that helps you manage the drive and
its contents. At full price it doesnt
quite trounce the Seagate, for but 20 more, its hard to argue.
Where to get it: Box.co.uk (bit.ly/1VfC4G3)
Deal 4: HGST Touro DX3 4TB
RRP: 144 / Deal Price: 128
Similar to the Western Digital My
Book, the Hitachi Touro Desk DX3
has one unique feature worth
mentioning: the units are stackable,
so if you buy multiple drives you can
pile them on top of each other in a
particularly pleasing manner. Aside
from that its business as usual, and
while Hitachi isnt a poor brand, it
does lack the reputation of driveit l and
dS
t Still
specific manufacturers like Western Digital
Seagate.
Still, att thi
this
discount, its worth a look.
Where to get it: ComWales (bit.ly/1RmLWhw)
Deal 5: G-Drive 4TB
RRP: 250 / Deal Price: 150
If you want something
with a few more features
than the average external
drive, the G-Drive might
fit the bill. It has USB 3.0
and Firewire interfaces, and
with its aluminium case
and integrated heatsink
the G-Drive is always cool and quiet. Theres no need for a fan
even though it runs full-speed 7200rpm drives, and that makes it
a particularly good choice for those who need speed for video and
audio. A three year limited warranty only sweetens deal.
Where to get it: Apple Store (apple.co/1UiPGAY)

Issue 1406

75

The
Download
Directory
James Hunt scours the internet for the best freeware, shareware
and paid-for application releases

his month, The Download Directorys collection of offbeat and

largely undiscovered applications includes 1Clipboard, a program
that helps you share your clipboard between multiple devices;
DriveLetterView, an application from NirSoft that helps you manage
your drive letters simply and easily from within Windows; BlueStacks
App Player, an Android Emulator for Windows 8 and up; InDeep File List
Maker, a tool for examining and enumerating your computers directory
structure, and Registry DeleteEx, which can delete locked, damaged or
malicious registry keys that other programs might be unable to reach.

1Clipboard 0.1.4

Release Type: Freeware

Official Site: 1clipboard.io

If you use more than one desktop system for different purposes,
getting small amounts of data from one to the other can be
frustrating. Either you have to rely on emails, which take time to
compose and send, or save the file and wait for your dropbox to sync,
which can be irritatingly fiddly if you just want to take some text or a
graphic over to another device.
1Clipboard fixes this problem by syncing data across multiple
systems as if on the clipboard. Copy it on one machine, then paste it
on another. All you need to do is link up your Google Drive account
on both systems, and itll allow you to easily pass data back and forth
as if they were on a single machine. Setup isnt complicated: you just
need to have a Google account already. Beyond that, your system is
barely notified.
At the moment, it works on both Windows and OS X platforms,
though Android and iOS support are promised for the future,

76

Issue 1406

suggesting a program thats got lofty ambitions to make transferring

data snippets as seamless as possible. The only change youll notice
is an icon in your notification area. Nothing will slow down, and
nothing will change. All you have to do is copy and paste as normal
while synced-up versions of the app are running, and itll be as
though theyre one machine.
Better still, the software incorporates a clipboard history feature so
you can copy and then paste multiple items at once perfect if your
two systems arent in the same room but you want to send over
more than one thing. You can even search it internally if theres one
specific thing you want to paste.
The only potential drawback is that because it automatically
copies everything, theres a small chance of it sharing sensitive data
so dont share 1Password accounts with just anyone. You can ask
it to pause syncing on demand, so its not completely useless as a
collaborative tool, but only if you remember to hold its behaviour.
A potential inconvenience, we admit, but its one thats also nearly
impossible to avoid given the nature of the program.
Itd also be nice to see the program build in support for more
data types. At present, it only supports the transfer of text and
images, not things like entire files or audio data. But this is a
very early release, and we dont doubt that more sophisticated
capabilities will be added in the future. Its already a working
version of itself, but keep an eye on it: were expecting things to
get even better in the future.

Pros: Fast and simple.

Cons: Support for datatypes could be wider.
Rating: 4/5

THE DOWNLOAD
DIRECTORY
nature of whats going on. Were pretty confident anyone could pick it
up and use it without any great amount of reading or technical study.
When it comes down to it, theres nothing that DriveLetterView
does which isnt also possible with the default Windows settings as
well, but its a much easier way of getting results. The program is
clean, basic and easy to manage whereas Windows version of the
same is a mess of options and complicated settings dialogs seemingly
designed to make the process as frustrating as possible.
Ultimately, while we admit that the tool is of relatively limited use,
its a good example of what can be done with just a little thought and
effort. Theres nothing in this program that requires a huge amount of
technical abilities, but it doesnt disappoint when it comes to getting
everything right.

Pros: Powerful but no-nonsense.

Cons: Usage is probably quite limited.
Rating: 5/5

BlueStacks App Player 2.1.7

Release Type: Adware
Official Site: www.bluestacks.com

DriveLetterView 1.41
Release Type: Freeware
Official Site: nirsoft.net

In the world of small but perfectly formed software applets, Nirsoft is

a quality name. Its tools are almost always brilliant, so every time we
see a new update to one, were excited to see how its doing.
In a world where most PCs have multiple internal hard drives,
optical media drives and plenty of removable USB keys, memory card
storage and external hard drives, keeping track of drive letters can be
tough. And thats assuming theyre even doing what you want, which
most of the time they dont seem to be. DriveLetterView is a free tool
that enables you to take control of what drive letter is assigned to
which hardware without having to rely on the whims and wishes of
Microsofts own tools, which seem to treat a lot of simple requests as
simply impossible.
In addition to changing the letters of currently installed drives,
DriveLetterView allows you to hide and reveal drives whether theres
anything connected to the letter or not. In standard mode it operates
as a simple enumerator of drive letters, giving you an at-a-glance
look at what every device and letter are paired together. Open it in
Adminstrator mode, however, and youve suddenly got the powerful
ability to rearrange and reassign letters as you please.
The graphical interface is simple and easy to navigate, but if there
are things you want to automate using batch commands, theres also
a built-in command line interface thatll let you do things like switch
letters at a single stroke, or hide and reveal drives automatically. Most
of the options are pretty intuitive despite the potentially technical

If you dont have an Android device, then it can be annoying if there

are programs (be they games or applications) that you cant run, even
though any desktop system is surely powerful enough to run them.
The people at BlueStacks Inc. clearly agreed with this, because they
created an Android emulator that works from within Windows: the
BlueStacks App Player.
Installing it gives your PC the ability to become a virtual Android
tablet. Sign in with your Google account (a prerequisite for all Android
use!), and youll be able to browse the Google Play app store,
selecting and installing programs to run.
Because its an emulator, its worth warning interested users that
not everything works. BlueStacks itself claims a 96% compatibility
rate with most apps, and 86% with games. We tested it with the
Android version of Minecraft, and it worked fine, though we have to
admit that the touch-emulation isnt that great if youre only using a
keyboard and mouse.
Apps have the ability to access any of your PCs hardware, so you
can do everything youd be able to on a phone or tablet, such as use
the webcam and microphone, with the added bonus of a mouse and
keyboard as inputs. If youve got touch input, then BlueStacks does
support it, while a toolbar gives you the ability to simulate certain
conditions (like device location and device shakes) at a single click.
You can also copy and paste from Windows and install APKs directly.
Its as close as you can get to having an actual Android device without
actually paying for one.
The free version of the software displays sponsored ads on
occasion, but if you want to get around that, you can dismiss them
for the relatively low sum of $24 (16.50) a year. The current version
contains tabbed browsing to make switching between apps easier,
as well as an Android-style back button, and it doubles the emulated
storage capabilities to 16GB of internal SSD + 16GB of emulated
memory card storage.
Its especially useful if you already have an Android device as well,
because it puts all of your apps just a click away from the PC desktop.
The only things we arent massively keen on are its insistence that it
launches with Windows and its rare habit of showing pop-up ads even
when youre not using it. But those are minor considerations when
you think about the power it offers.

Pros: Just like using Android.

Cons: Occasionally intrusive ads and some
incompatibilities mean itll never be perfect.
Rating: 4/5

Issue 1406

77

InDeep File List Maker 1.3.0

Release Type: Freeware

Official Site: indeepsoft.blogspot.co.uk

If youve ever wanted to create a quick list of files, youll know

that it tends to involve a lot of complicated batch commands and
swearing to get the right combination all to create a simple file
list. InDeep File List Maker has clearly recognises what a chore this is,
because thats what its program does without any fuss of bother.
The portable tool creates a list of files in any folder tree and
lets you search and filter the results before exporting them to
a text report. Its extremely small and requires no complicated
configuration: just click a few buttons and off you go. Youre
walked through the process by a helpful toolbar, and figuring out
what to do next is never a problem.
There are several settings you can change if you want to,
including limiting the search to certain depths of subfolder
(whether thats none, one to three folders deep or all), and you can
do things like exclude empty folders from your results. If youve
saved a file list, the search function allows you to explore it and
get back matching entries from even a partial input. Better still, the
saved outputs are plain text, so you can then repurpose them as
you please.
We can imagine a number of useful things you could do with
this software. Create lists of files on backup media, explore the
contents of network drives or other systems even when theyre
switched off, or just filter your own files without having to wait for
Windows own indexing. You could even centralise them on some
kind of cloud service so you never have to wonder whether a file is
on your PC again.
The programs interface is relatively slick certainly not as basic
as it could have got away with and the layout is both easy to
read and easy to understand. Switching and exploring drives is no
problem, and controlling the masked filter options is probably the
most difficult thing it asks of you. Hardly a great concern.

78

Issue 1406

Betawatch

To help you stay on the bleeding edge of software

releases, Betawatch is a guide to the experimental
and unfinished versions of some of the most popular
applications around. Cant wait for new features? Now
you dont have to!

iOS 9.3 Beta 7

beta.apple.com

Released at the start of this month, iOS 9.3 is the new

beta version of Apples smart-device operating system,
available as an opt-in beta program for iOS device and
Mac users.
Version 9.3 brings a number of additions, including
(but not limited to) a new Night Shift mode, which lowers
the amount of blue light emitted by your screen to aid
sleep; multi-user support for students; password (and
fingerprint) protection for Apple Notes; and updates to
the proprietary News, Health and CarPlay apps.
This release is also expected to fix the date bug, which
has been bricking iPads and iPhones left, right and centre
and, lets face it, that ones long overdue. Unfortunately,
theres still no FitBit integration for Apple Health, though
the watch integration is getting an overhaul.
Elsewhere, 3D Touch support has been updated and
added to a whole bunch of new apps, including Weather,
the App Store, Stocks Compass and Settings and Siri
now understands Hebrew, Finnish and Malay (for any
multi-lingual readers out there). The release is expected
to coincide with Apples next device announcement, so
theres a chance itll be out by the time youre reading
this. And certainly if it isnt, you can expect to see it
within a week or two.

THE DOWNLOAD
DIRECTORY

ReDownloaded

This month, in our regular retrospective section, were

looking back at the March 2014 instalment of Download
Directory to see how the programs we reviewed have
fared. Are they better? Worse? Gone completely? Here, we
find out.

Preme for Windows

www.premeforwindows.com
Reviewed Version: 0.991, Current Version: 0.994

Preme is an odd piece of software. Essentially an addon for Windows interface, it creates a large number
of new behaviours intended to speed up the way you
navigate your way through Windows and make it easier to
manipulate the behaviour of applications and software. At
the time, its ideas were interesting but confusing, and the
fact that Windows has had a major overhaul since seems to
render its tricks mostly worthless. That said, it does work
on Windows 10, and it received an update as recently as
this January, so the developer is clearly trying to keep it
relevant. Were not that into the program itself, but we
appreciate its continued support.

Immersive Explorer

www.julien-manici.com
Reviewed Version: 0.9.0, Current Version: 1.4.0

Immersive Explorer is a Metro-based file explorer for

Windows 8 and 10 focused around file actions, rather than
directory structures. It follows the look of the Windows start
screen, with large bold-coloured tiles, smooth scrolling and
minimalist presentation, so looking through your folders
suddenly looks a lot more like the Metro tile system hence
immersive. Again, were not entirely sold on its core idea but
the support cant be denied (it, too, was updated in January),

and its come on a lot since we reviewed the visibly unfinished

version two years ago. We wouldnt necessarily recommend
it, but if youre interested, theres no reason to avoid it.

Fragment Image Viewer

www.fragmentapp.info
Reviewed Version: 1.4.4.1, Current Version: 1.6

Fragment is an image viewing tool that promises to be fast

and lightweight. We tried it out, hoping itd be both, and
we werent disappointed. Whether you start by opening a
single image or drag and drop an entire folder into Fragment,
itll quickly display everything you could want to see. Where
Windows takes ages to load large files, Fragment speeds
through them. Where Windows struggles with all but the
most basic image types, Fragment displays animated GIFs,
PSDs and more. The latest version adds support for slideshows
and transitions, as well as a host of extra features. Well worth
a look if youre after a new image editor.

SoftPerfect Wi Guard Portable

www.softperfect.com
Reviewed Version: 1.0.4, Current Version: 1.0.7

SoftPerfect Wifi Guard is a fully portable network monitoring

tool, easy to run at a moments notice with no heavyweight
installer, no background processes and no attendant drain
on system resources. Once active, itll scan your network
for connections then display information about any device
it finds. As an added step, itll then ask you to verify each
device, filling in those that it already recognises and marking
anything trusted in green. Despite the name it isnt that
useful as a security tool, and the lack of any major updates
since we last reviewed the software gives us no reason to
change our mind about it. Thats not to say it isnt useful but
essential? Not really.

Issue 1406

79

So while it isnt going to excite everyone, we think there are people

out there wholl really get on with this program. And if thats you,
theres absolutely nothing to worry about, because its great.

Pros: Quicker than searching manually.

Cons: Filter options could be slightly better explained.
Rating: 5/5

Registry DeleteEx 1.0.0.0

Release Type: Freeware

Official Site: indeepsoft.blogspot.co.uk

Locked registry keys are incredibly annoying, mainly because if theyre

locked, it usually means theyre causing some kind of trouble. Registry
DeleteEx is a program designed to simply and easily wipe problemcausing registry entries regardless of who or what owns them,
whether malicious or legitimate. So be careful!
As it happens, its hard to cause too much trouble with this program,
because its quite difficult to delete something unless you know exactly
what youre doing. Theres no Regedit-style tree view here, so you can
pick a key at random. You have to know exactly which key you want
to be rid of before you even start. All you get is a box and a deletion
button, with an option to delete all subkeys as well.
The important thing that makes this different from standard
Regedit is that it writes to the registry directly, bypassing Windows
internal tools for doing so. This is what allows it to ignore permissions
and locks on individual keys and values, and what makes it a superpowerful tool for fighting malware, which can lock up and/or intercept
the Windows API.
But that also makes it dangerous. This is a program that could
seriously damage your Windows installation if you dont know what
youre doing. One of its tabs is labelled Experts only and we think

80

Issue 1406

thats probably a bit misleading. The whole program is experts only.

If you dont know how to recover from a severe registry failure, we
recommend that you stay away from this program as much as possible.
Indeed, our only problems with it are ones that, by its nature, it
should probably have. Theres no simple way to find a registry key if
you want to delete it; you need to have the location to hand already.
That alone is a smart way of ensuring no one wipes something they
need, but it does mean casual users have no hope of getting to grips
with it even if theyre on the right track.

Pros: Very powerful.

Cons: Minimalist to the point of frustration.
Rating: 3/5 mm

REMEMBERING...

Remembering
Donkey Kong
Its all about apes, rolling barrels and rescuing damsels in distress this week

t may not be every gamers cup of tea,

but Nintendos moustachioed plumber
is one of the most recognised and
successful characters in the history of the
videogame world. However, he wasnt
always the star of the show. Many years
ago, he had a pet ape.
Donkey Kong first appeared in the arcade
hit of the same name on 9th July 1981.
A carpenter called Jumpman once owned
him, and after many months of ill treatment
Donkey Kong ran off and took with him
The Lady, later named Pauline. It was then
up to Jumpman to rescue Pauline from the
clutches of Donkey Kong.
Donkey Kong, the game not the ape,
was an instant hit for Nintendo, which
hadnt had a huge amount of success in
the arcades. The sequel, Donkey Kong Jr,
followed a year later, which saw you playing
as Donkey Kongs son, attempting to rescue
him from Jumpman, now named Mario, and
his brother, who have you locked in a cage.
Donkey Kong was a massive hit in the
US, and with a huge global distribution
of 40 million units, it soon became a
Nintendo icon.

Its History

Created by Shigeru Miyamoto in 1981,

Donkey Kong came about while Miyamoto
was working on a conversion of Radar Scope
for Nintendo.
The idea was to create a game that
American audiences could get behind, which

The original Donkey Kong arcade game

was easy to play and needed very little

instructions, but also required fast reflexes
and timing. The result was an arcade game
that not only spawned Mario, but also one
thats still going strong today, with the latest
Donkey Kong game launched in 2014.
After Donkey Kong Jr., Donkey Kong
3 was released in 1983, then there was a
bit of gap for 11 years until Donkey Kong
Country. Return of Donkey Kong was
scheduled for release in 1989 but was
ultimately cancelled.
The gradual improvement of gaming
technology meant that Donkey Kong, the
character, began to appear in various forms
throughout the Mario universe. Whether
it was racing, in a 3D environment or as a
secret, unlockable stage, Donkey Kong has
remained a favourite in the Nintendo world.
The game Donkey Kong, has also
appeared on various home platforms. Game
and Watch, other handhelds, the N64,
the Wii, the Atari 7800, the ZX Spectrum
and the Commodore 64 have all had the
pleasure of Donkey Kong not to mention a
legions of clones.
More recently, a Donkey Kong clone
appeared in Fallout 4 named The Red
Menace, which you can get to play before
you escape the Vault.

The Good

The game side of Donkey Kong was great

fun. Who doesnt love jumping over barrels,
climbing ladders and rescuing fair maidens?

DK appeared on many different platforms

Did You Know?

Theres a hidden Easter Egg in

Donkey Kong for the Atari 400,
where the developers initials
appear on screen under certain
circumstances.
The Lady, Pauline and soon to
be named Princess Peach, was
modelled after Fay Wray. For
obvious reasons.
In 2010, Game and Gamestation
had a promotion in which the
first dozen customers could get
a copy of Donkey Kong Country
Returns for a bunch of bananas.
Donkey Kong, which was hoped
would translate into Stupid Ape,
was originally modelled on a
character from a Popeye cartoon.

The Bad

I always felt sorry for Donkey Kong, the

character, so I really liked Mario. I still pick
Donkey Kong when I have the chance in
Mario Kart.

Conclusion

Youve got to hand it to Nintendo: when it

gets behind a concept, theres no stopping
it. Donkey Kong was one such idea, and
thanks to its popularity and Nintendos clever
marketing, the games industry has never
been the same since.

The DK clone in Fallout 4

over the years

Issue 1406

81

Retro Round-up
This month, Dave Edwards turns his attention to some of the platform
games that have recently appeared for retro computers, and finds the best
and worst that the homebrew community has to offer

elcome to Retro Round Up,

our monthly look at some of
the new games written for
machines originally marketed over 30
years ago. As usual, the tinyurls for each
will take you to Everygamegoing.com,
which regular readers have now seen
develop alongside this column, and now
includes information on every game weve
ever covered in this column (and about
74,000 others!).
This month, were focusing on new,
free, platform games on the Amstrad,
Spectrum and Commodore 64. So lets
check out whats worth checking out
Top Top (Amstrad CPC, Rantan Games,
tinyurl.com/jfzv4rr)
Amstrad owners/fans are probably as
well catered for these days as Spectrum
ones but, as far as I know, Spectrum
games creators dont have the chance to
win 900 for indulging their creativity.
The now annual CPCRetroDev, however,
gives Amstrad coders that very chance.
And last year, no less than 36 new

The stunning cover art by

Rastan Games

82

Issue 1406

Amstrad games competed for the cash

and the winners trophy.
Top Top by Rantan Games eventually
charted third, which means the judges
rated it better than 33 other games. For
a public domain release, it comes with
some slick production too: a nice animestyle cover showing its protagonists Eira
and Elric battling up a castle wall.
As you can see, it looks trendy,
indicating a kind of grown-up version of
classic co-operative platformer Rodland.
And although the game itself lacks the
cartoon-like quality of the cover art,
the character design is not too shabby
either. Theres a nice overhead score bar
showing how many lives Eira and Elric
each have, the level reached and some
other information.
The game itself is in the Spanish
language (theres no English version of it
available!), and it starts with an opening
screen stating 1. Jugar, which seems
to mean Press 1 to play. Now that isnt
a problem per se, but it leads me into a
criticism I have made of the CPCRetroDev

Its a two-player game, Jim

contest elsewhere and several times

previously. Top Top is one of 36 (!)
games that teams have sweated over to
produce for Amstrad fans and, I assume,
when it was submitted to the contest,
it came with some playing instructions.
CPCRetroDev judge the entries and
then make the games free to download
(Hoorah!), but the downloads consist
of the emulator image with no playing
instructions at all.
In the case of Top Top, pressing 1
indeed launches what appears to be a
two-player platform game, but with no
instructions to refer to, I initially struggled
to work out the game controls for each
of them and, indeed, the premise of
the game itself In fact, even now Im
not convinced I appreciate every feature
it includes. Even 1. Jugar initially
confused me as a non-Spanish speaker.
I thought perhaps it meant one-player
game and could be altered to a twoplayer one.
The lack of instructions really are a
crying shame. Top Top has six controls per

but not as we know it

RETRO ROUND-UP

The loading screen for Fist-Ro Fighter

player, and working them out not only

took up my valuable time but also means
that one almost begins the game with
a sense of frustration. There are movecombinations, for example, that are not
immediately apparent; youre not sure
initially whether you can shoot in more
than one direction and so on. This is also
why I was rather vague when describing
the score bar earlier: Im not exactly sure
of what other information it contains!
There seems to be a box including a blob,
which presumably indicates the current
weapon. However, since I havent found
any alternative weapons to pick up, I
cant say for certain thats what it is. Like
I said, the lack of instructions really are a
crying shame.
The game itself is set, as you might
imagine, in a castle. Each room is divided
equally in half, with Eira on the left and
Elric on the right and each room is a
co-operative puzzle. Also, as you might
have reasonably deduced, the aim of
the game is to get the two characters to
the top of it. Doors litter the platforms
you need to reach, and pushing the
appropriate Enter Door control when
standing in front of these performs a
teleport from one door to another, up or
down the room as appropriate.
All the doors in all of the rooms start
off closed at first, that is. Either Eira
or Elric will have access to a button that
activates the other players doors. Hence,
each player is dependent on the other
to progress. If either player dies, theres
no chance for the other to complete
the room on his own. The game instead
comes to a sudden end.
Despite the limited resolution of an
Amstrad screen, the graphics are nice
and quite colourful. Eira and Elric can
run left and right, jump and crouch, and
all movements are well animated. The
characters can also fire, and firing in
combination with the other four game

The first screen as far as many will get!

controls sends the bullet (for want of

a better description!) in the expected
direction. You need to shoot obstructions
(invariably green round rock things) out
of the way, in order to collect keys, magic
potions and extra lives. However, some
thought is required as to what rocks
need to be blasted to oblivion, and which
should remain in place so you can walk
on them to reach higher up the room.
Spikes on the ground need to be avoided.
The game states that its a co-operative
two-player game and, indeed, it can
be played that way. However, when I
grabbed a friend, we soon realised that
it doesnt quite work. The problem is
that the co-operation extends only to
sitting on a button in your part of the
room. No player is under threat from, say,
patrolling nasties, etc, necessitating the
other to rescue him. Instead, player one
(controlling Eira) walks to a red door that
he cant get through, and asks (verbally)
player two (controlling Elric) to go and
stand on the red button. Player two
obliges, the red door unlocks, player one
enters it, player two then walks to a blue
door that he cant get through, and asks
(verbally) player one to go and stand on
the blue button. And so on. Its not really
co-operative in the true sense that arcade
players understand; indeed, you dont
need the second player at all you can
complete every room by simply switching
from the set of keys used to control Eira to
the set of keys used to control Elric (and
vice versa) whenever you encounter a door
that you cannot pass.
Sadly, this option is not too easy
because the movement controls are laid
out in a different combination for each
player. Player ones movement control
keys ADSFG are all on the same row,
while player twos control keys are the
cursor keys plus O and P on the top row.
Fiddly stuff, frequently meaning youll
inadvertently send either Eira or Elric

Two baddies who dont fear the Fist

Top Top

Graphics 80%
Sound 40%
Playability 60%
Overall 60%
straight to his doom when you press the
wrong key and hence making this less
viable an option as a direct result.
When youve worked out what to do,
two players will have little difficulty in
clearing the first few rooms. They get
tougher as the game progresses, although
they retain the same simplistic style. Even
if I set aside the problems with the lack
of instruction, Top Top didnt exactly bowl
me over. It has good graphics, a stringy
little tune accompanying the odd bleep
or two that signals a particular action
(game start, door opening, key collected,
etc.), and it moves at a fair pace. Not
exceptional, and certainly not nearly
in the same league as something like
Rodland, but enjoyable enough for a few
hours play.
Fist-Ro Fighter (Spectrum 48K,
Retrobytes, tinyurl.com/hpjebnx)
In my youth (mid-80s), I bought a BBC
Micro game called Subway Vigilante, a
monochrome beat-em-up contender
for the worst game of all time. It
was practically impossible to hit your
opponent, difficult to turn around, had
no music or sound, and actually defeating
a bad guy involved getting in one lucky
punch, retreating for about ten seconds
and then repeating.
Fist-Ro Fighter is a brand new platform
game for the Spectrum and is, to all
intents and purposes, Subway Vigilante
(with all of its flaws), infused with
colour and transferred to a ladders and
levels type game. You take control of

Issue 1406

83

one of Barcelonas top law officials and,

according to the daft instructions, are
charged with utilising the power of -RO!
to topple six different bad guys.
Actually, the instructions for Fist-Ro
Fighter make the game seem a lot more
exciting than it ultimately proves to be.
They speak of a -RO! health bar, which
you can build up by hitting villains five
times in a row; this will concentrate the
power of your ancestors in your fist and
allow you to make short work of later
attackers. But to say that actually being
able to do this is hit and miss is to be
exceedingly generous...
Its not often that I read the
instructions, start a game and end up
being clobbered by the very first fighter
over and over again for more than 15
minutes. However, thats what happened
here. Indeed, the whole experience
was so vexing that I was on the verge
of reviewing it with Fist-Ro Fighter is
unworthy of even being loaded
The number of sins this game
commits are astronomical, but lets take
the most obvious.
Firstly, there are only three controls:
left, right and punch. Theres an up key,
but thats not used in the fighting. As for
the fighting itself, that consists of walking
up to an adversary and throwing a punch
at his face. Said adversary rarely stands
still; youll get two punches in at best
before he fights back. Hence, raising the
-KO meter by bashing him five times in
quick succession cant happen; instead
you must try to retreat without being hit
yourself. If there were a jump key, the
game mechanics would change, and you
might feasibly be able to escape. But
there isnt, so youre stuck with running
away from him, while he chases you
Benny Hill style.
Your sprite, and that of your
opponents are very similar same size,
same colours so its very easy to lose
track of whos who. Its also difficult to
turn around, and the computer seems to

Were knights of the round table

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Issue 1406

only be able to cope with a direction key

or punch. Add to this that you must play
the game in a very cramped playing area.
You cant move from screen to screen
freely; you must complete them in a
strict sequence. Failure sends you all the
way back to the beginning.
After copying the techniques in
FunkySpectrums YouTube video of the
game, I did manage to progress to the
second screen and, after another ten
minutes of frantically running left and
right with the odd punch, I beat up two
more adversaries and could proceed to
screen three. I walked into it and found
I was now standing on some spikes
and was instantly killed. At this point I
decided life was too short.
I would go so far as to say that FistRo Fighter is virtually unplayable. Any
progress I made was entirely due to the
fact that more energy-giving bowls of rice
appeared in some games than others. It
is actually worse than Subway Vigilante,
which means that it would make it onto
my list of the worst games Ive ever
played. And if youre thinking perhaps it
might make up for its flaws with superb
sound and music, youd be wrong. There
are none.
The only thing I found nice was the
animated expressions of the Dragonball Z
clone on the right of the screen.
Sorry, Retrobytes, youll have to do a
lot better than this.
Little Knight Arthur (Commodore 64,
Pasi Hytonen, tinyurl.com/hnoslee)
Finnish developer Pasi Hytonen has
recently uncovered (and made available)
his long-lost C64 platformer Little
Knight Arthur (www.pasisbitstuff.
net). He has also, rather thoughtfully,
made available Little Knight Arthur
(Cheat Version). Neither is, alas, much
to write home about.
The idea of the game is to navigate
little knight Arthur around a succession
of seven caverns. The mission for each

Spiders move randomly, so progress is very hard

Fist-Ro Fighter
Graphics 20%
Sound 10%
Playability 5%
Overall 11%

Little Knight Arthur

Graphics 50%
Sound 75%
Playability 10%
Overall 45%

cavern varies from simply making it

through the room in one piece to
rescuing one of your kidnapped comrades
by taking an item in one part of the
cavern to another.
The overall layout of the game is
fairly pleasing, with some basic sprites
set against a black background. Theres
also music on interrupt, which is
reasonably tuneful. Little Knight Arthur
also reacts instantly to joystick or
keyboard movement.
Unfortunately, however, the game is
one of almost complete randomness: the
spiders, rivers, bats and crab-bat things
that inhabit each room dont follow any
set pattern. This makes the game nighon infuriating, as you need both pixelperfect positioning and for the gods of
Retrogaming to move your adversary in
exactly the right direction at exactly the
right time (and keep him moving in that
direction throughout your jump over him).
This is just too ridiculous; it doesnt
even allow for any kind of increasing
difficulty as you venture further into
the game. From the very start, its just
ridiculously unfair. More irritatingly still,
the third cavern if you ever get that
far! is not quite as random as the

The river animations are good!

RETRO ROUND-UP

The download comes with this

Beating one of the Yokai to a fiery end

Watch out for the walking breast-things!

cover art

first or second. Put this cavern first and

players might be at least encouraged for
a while!
This game was written in 1985, which
is when the Commodore 64 was coming
of age. Nevertheless, in that era of Beach
Head and Crystal Castles, its difficult
to imagine Little Knight Arthur would
have competed well. At best, it wouldve
been a budget title. This is more or less
acknowledged by the author himself, who
seems to have released the Cheat Version
almost entirely to counter that criticism.
The Cheat Version includes an intro
trainer where all manner of cheats
(infinite lives, invulnerability, always have
sword, etc.) may be enabled, allowing
you to at least see the later caverns. Ive
never been a big fan of such options, and
here they seem to be an admission that
few will get far in the original version.
Do I recommend you download and
play either of them? What do you think?
Retro Find Of The Month Seto
Taisho Vs Yokai (Spectrum 128K Only,
Alessandro Grussu, tinyurl.com/
jlywcf9)
Alessandro Grussu has done it again!
Largely known for bringing us the
Spectrum games Funky Fungus and
Cousin Horace, hes now released Seto
Taisho Vs Yokai. And what a unique,
barking madcap piece it is! Youre tasked
with beating, among others, the BuraBura lanterns, the Kara-Kasa all-seeing
triangles and what look like huge pairs of
breasts on legs. Thank goodness for the
Vs in that title, eh? Otherwise, this would
all be nonsense.
Ive seen few new Spectrum games
released in so many versions as this.
Quite apart from its premise which Ill
get to in a second and the amount of
research that has gone into its creation,

it seems the entire ZX community has

got behind this project. Its available with
English, Italian, Portuguese, German and
Spanish instructions and, if a certain key
combination is hit, youll find the opening
screen later rendered in Japanese too.
Like all the greats, the game itself is
amazingly simple and is a little like Pang.
Pang is (in case you dont know) an oftforgotten classic whereby a number of
spheres bounce around the screen and
must be blasted. Seto Taisho effortlessly
moves this concept to a platform
environment, and replaces the spheres
with Japanese monsters and goblins, aka
the Yokai. A Spectrum 128K only game,
Grussu utilises all that extra memory to
pack in 14 Yokais and three background
symphonies, all of which perfectly
complement the action. Indeed, the
jangling Eastern tunes have a charm all of
their own.
So what do you actually do? Well,
as if it needed saying, you keep well
out of range of the bouncing Yokai and
run left and right, jutting out the spear
you carry at right angles. A prick of the
spear on any Yokai will give a satisfying
puncture sound and may cause it to
reverse direction. You then run or jump
after it, and prick it until it explodes in
a cloud of smoke. When youve cleared
the screen of Yokais, GANBARE! (Go
On! in Japanese) appears in the centre of
the screen and you proceed to the next
room. Different Yokais require different
strategies but none are so obscure that
they cant be worked out with reference
to the inlay card and a bit of applied
common sense.
I dont have anything negative to say
about Seto Taisho Vs Yokai; its very
responsive, gorgeous to look at and
has easily taken a team the best part of
two years to produce. It would be easily

Seto Taisho Vs Yokai

Graphics 85%
Sound 90%
Playability 90%
Overall 88%

worth the average 4.99 price of a new

Spectrum game. The icing on the cake
has to be, therefore, that its being given
away completely for free.
The tragedy of this is simply that it
doesnt have a lot of exposure; I literally
just stumbled across it on a World
Of Spectrum forum post. Hopefully
this review will remedy that situation
somewhat, because this is one that, once
youve played it once, youll definitely be
coming back to.

Thats All Folks!

Regular readers will remember that this

column used to contain a Soapbox and,
considering recent (and rather dubious)
Kickstarter events (of which retro fans
are probably well aware), this month it
very nearly made a return. Not for the
first time, all things retro were tarnished
by the activities of alleged cowboys, and
it has left some with a bitter taste in
their mouths.
However, as Ive said before, the Retro
Round-up is primarily a software roundup; it is a place where those who have
produced games for the retro formats
can see their work criticised. I even dont
give column space to works in progress,
only to completed games. The Coleco
Chameleon is a good illustration of why.
Sometimes even paying passing regard to
a potential new retro machine could be
interpreted as an endorsement.
See you next month! mm

Issue 1406

85

Could OpenAI stop Terminator

Genisys from happening for real?

Should We Be
Scared Of OpenAI?
Sarah Dobbs provides us with her view on this bold new project

ast month, Google hosted an art exhibition. But it wasnt

just any art exhibition. Every work in the gallery had been
created by Googles art generating neural network, Deep
Dream. Its an extension of the kinds of neural nets Google
already uses in its software: if youve used Google to search for
an image, youve come into contact with Deep Dreams cousins.
It just takes things further by elaborating on and emphasising
images, making new images that look like someones fed the
computer hallucinogenic drugs.
Its amazing, and somewhat terrifying, how much this feels
like the beginning of a science fiction story. But its not fiction.
Research into artificial intelligence is rapidly creating computers
that can think for themselves (within certain parameters, but
those are shifting all the time). If the movies are to be believed,
this is really bad news for humanity. Dont start building an
underground bunker in your garden just yet, though. A new
project called OpenAI (which we told you about in the last issue)

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Issue 1406

aims to do responsible work into artificial intelligence and then

to make it available for everyone to build on, for the benefit of
the world.
The potential of such a project is immense. It could go nowhere
at all, or it could actually change the world. If its the latter, then
there are going to be some difficult questions that well need to
answer. Are we ready for whats to come? Well, before we get to
that, lets remind ourselves of what OpenAI is all about.

What Is It?

The short answer to that question is that OpenAI is a research

company. Announced in December and currently hiring, its
based in San Francisco, and to begin with, its planning to focus
on deep learning research. Deep learning, incidentally, is the
kind of machine learning that DeepDream uses; its rooted in
neuroscience, and researchers apply what we know about the
way the human nervous systems work to machine networks. Its

OPENAI

But given their concerns, it makes sense that theyd want to

back a company aimed at making sure AI works to benefit, not
destroy, humanity. OpenAI isnt Cyberdyne Systems. If anything,
its been set up to ensure that a real-life Skynet never gets built.
The OpenAI website also announced the founding members
of its research team, and while you might not recognise their
names, their credentials might be a little more familiar. Its
research director is Ilya Sutskever, formerly a research scientist
on the Google Brain team. Joining him are Trevor Blackwell, CEO
of robotics company Anybots; Vicki Cheung, cofounder of
Duolingo; Andrej Karpathy, a PhD student from Stanford; Durk
Kingma, who won Googles European PhD fellowship in deep
learning; Wojciech Zaremba, a PhD student from New York
University; John Schulman, another PhD candidate, this time

Googles Deep Dream creates art from photographs through algorithms

all about algorithms, and transforming complex data through

multiple processing layers and other ridiculously complicated
things we can barely understand, let alone explain.
But the crucial thing about OpenAI is that its a non-profit
company. In their inaugural blog post, the team behind OpenAI
explained that not having to make money was essential to its
mission. Our goal is to advance digital intelligence in the way
that is most likely to benefit humanity as a whole, unconstrained
by a need to generate financial return, they wrote. Since our
research is free from financial obligations, we can better focus
on a positive human impact. (Read the whole thing at: openai.
com/blog/introducing-openai)

If the movies are to be

believed, this is really bad news
for humanity

Pretty utopian, right? Theres more: OpenAI doesnt intend to

keep its work to itself. Because it doesnt need to turn a profit, it
doesnt need to worry about competitors, so its researchers will
publish their findings, their patents will be shared royalty-free, and
theyll happily collaborate with other companies and institutions
to expand on their work. If someone there makes a breakthrough
and develops a computer with human level intelligence, that
technology will be available to the world, not locked away or sold
off to the highest bidder.

Whos Behind It?

If that still sounds a bit sci-fi, maybe putting some faces to the
name will help. To get the company up and running, OpenAI
received $1 billion in funding from various investors. They include
Space Xs Elon Musk, Y Combinators Sam Altman and Jessica
Livingston, Stripes Greg Brockman, LinkedIns Reid Hoffman,
PayPals Peter Thiel, plus Amazon Web Services, Infosys, and YC
Research. That list could almost be a Whos Who of tech royalty,
but there are also a couple of surprising names on there. Elon
Musk, for example, has gone on record a few times as saying that
the rapid development of artificial intelligence scares him. Sam
Altman, too, has written extensively about the risks inherent in
teaching robots to be more intelligent than we are.

A Short History Of AI

1912: The first chess automaton, El Ajedrecista, was built

by Leonardo Torres y Quevedo, who wanted to prove that
machines could think.
1943: McCulloch and Pitts published a paper entitled
A Logical Calculus of the Ideas Immanent in Nervous
Activity, which is now widely considered the starting
point for study of artificial neural networks.
1950: Alan Turing created the Turing Test, a way of
testing a computers ability to appear intelligent.
1952: Arthur Samuel developed a checkers-playing
computer program that learned as it went along a
pretty fundamental piece of the AI jigsaw.
1956: The Dartmouth Summer Research Project on
Artificial Intelligence was held, cementing artificial
intelligence as the phrase used for that field of study.
1965: ELIZA, a kind of early chatbot, was invented by
Joseph Weizenbaum.
1968: MacHack, another chess playing machine, was
developed by Richard Greenblatt and proved good
enough to play in actual tournaments with humans.
1969: Shakey The Robot was demonstrated at Stanford
Research Institute.
1973: Freddy Robot, a robot that could see and build
models, was built at the University of Edinburgh.
1979: The Stanford AI Lab created an autonomous,
computer-controlled vehicle. In the same year, a
backgammon program beat the (human) world champion.
1986: A team at Bundeswehr University of Munich built
the first robot cars.
1993: Ian Horswill built Polly, a robot that navigated by
vision and could move at one metre per second.
1997: Deep Blue defeated world chess champion
Garry Kasparov.
2002: The Roomba was released.
2004: Nasa released autonomous exploration rovers onto
the surface of Mars.
2005: The Blue Brain project, which aims to create an
entire synthetic brain, was launched.
2009: Google built its own self-driving cars.
2011: Watson beat the reigning Jeopardy! champions.
Also, Apple released Siri.
2016: AlphaGo beat Fan Hui, European Go champion,
meaning that we should probably stop making computers
play games now, because they win at everything.

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within the next year, and that, within five years, he imagines the
company will be pretty impressive.

Should We Be Scared?

Back to thinking about building that nuclear fallout bunker,

then. The thing about evil robots in science fiction is that theyre
hardly ever developed by someone trying to build an evil robot.
And also, robots dont define evil the same way as we would,
but sometimes logic dictates that you shouldnt open the pod
bay doors, or that the best way to prevent war is to wipe out
humanity. So can any organisation, even one with the best
intentions in the world, ever really be sure its working for the
good of the world?
Well, the promising thing about OpenAI is that its board
members are just as cautious as wed be. Elon Musk has gone
on record several times as having misgivings about the way AI
is being developed. I think we should be very careful about
artificial intelligence, he told students at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology in 2014. If I had to guess at what our
biggest existential threat is, its probably that. So we need to be
very careful.
And Sam Altman, too, has spoken about his concerns, both
about AI in general, and also about OpenAIs altruistic mission.

AI In Action

Artificial intelligence might sound scary, but youre

interacting with it on a daily basis already. Here are
some applications for AI that are currently working
for good, not evil:
Apples Siri just wants to help you with your questions

from Berkeley; and Pamela Vagata, an AI researcher

for Facebook.

The way artificial

intelligence has developed

so far hasnt been exactly
linear

In summary, then: a lot of very clever people with an

established track record in computers, robotics, machine learning
and artificial intelligence.

And What Are They Doing?

Thats the question thats hardest to answer, both because

the work is complex and because its unpredictable. Without
studying for a PhD in computer science, most of what the
researchers will be doing is likely to be impenetrable to us, but
itll involve using large data sets to teach computers to make
connections and deductions.
The way artificial intelligence has developed so far hasnt been
exactly linear, and OpenAI is pretty, well, open about the fact
that it doesnt know when or if a computer with human level
intelligence will be created. But when it does, OpenAI wants to be
there to make sure that its used for the good of mankind.
In the meantime, OpenAI will be publishing its own research
Altman has said that he expects to be releasing research

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Issue 1406

Diagnosing medical conditions

Usually, its your doctor who looks at the images
that come out of x-rays, MRI scans and ultrasounds,
but some hospitals also use computer-aided
detection to spot evidence of problems in scans
like cancerous tumours.
Responding to disaster
In the aftermath of an earthquake or in the middle
of a warzone, robots can be used to locate injured
people and find a safe path for medical and
recovery teams to get to them. Robots that can
detect explosives are particularly useful for this
kind of work.
Detecting fraud
Your bank might well use artificial intelligence to
analyse transactions made on your credit card and to
flag anything that seems unusual. AI is also used in
financial organisations to analyse the stock market
and make smart investments.
Keeping your inbox spam free
The kind of AI we can all be grateful for on a daily
basis is the kind that filters spam out of our inbox.
Google reckons that its AI catches 99.9% of all spam,
and its only getting better.
And, of course, if you use Siri, Cortana or Google
Now, youre already halfway to letting a robot
organise your life.

OPENAI

If Deep Dreams artwork is anything to go by, AI is really scary

Speaking to Vanity Fair, he said, We could be wrong in our belief

that distributing [research] widely is the safest path.
He continued, I think there are only a couple of ways that
keep technology safe, and one that never works is secrecy. So
this idea that someone is going to develop AI and keep it secret
forever, I think theres a zero percent chance of success. One of

The thing about evil

robots in science ction is that

theyre hardly ever developed
by someone trying to build an
evil robot

the things that I do think works is what I call the more good guys
than bad guys approach. There are bad humans, but all humans
are within a magnitude as powerful as one another, and the good
humans band together to stop the bad humans. Its been that
way through all of history so far.
Lets hope hes right, and that OpenAI are the good guys they
appear to be. mm

Will We See Sentient Computers In

Our Lifetime?

Its not just Elon Musk and Sam Altman who

are scared about the possibility of true artificial
intelligence. All sorts of other tech and science type
people have talked about it; Bill Gates and Stephen
Hawking are both in the more-than-slightly-worried
camp. But Deep Blue only won its first game in
1997, so surely weve got generations to go before
someone invents a real Terminator?
Not if Ray Kurzweils right. The futurist who
predicted both that the internet would become a
massive worldwide phenomenon and that it would
eventually be accessed almost entirely wirelessly
has a theory about the speed at which technology
develops. Known as Kurzweils Law Of Accelerating
Returns, technological change is exponential,
which means that over the next 100 years, progress
will speed up so fast itll be like 20,000 years of
progress.
In 2001, Kurzweil wrote that within a few
decades, machine intelligence will surpass human
intelligence, and that will lead to a rupture in
human history. Gulp.

Issue 1406

89

Latest Technology!

I thoroughly enjoyed Mark Pickavances The

Google Nexus 5X article. (Issue 1403) His
choice of the 5X 16GB seems great relevant
to his work. Although Im no Luddite in
technical matters, my Samsung very early 3G
flip-top phone is definitely now very dated.
The removeable battery goes for weeks on
standby. I dont need a smart phone yet!
If I did, I would certainly look for one that ran
vanilla Android, free from manufacturers
bloatware and unwanted junk; if available at
a decent price.
However, wishing to dabble with an
Android phablet, I bought myself (Im now
a widower!) an Archos 70c Xenon tablet for
Christmas; 60 including a bonus data Sim
card with a years free 500MB data per month.

RE: Logging Off Issue 1403

Yes, Archos plant their own offerings instead

of pure Android 5.1, but its dual-sim, 2G
phone, 3G data, does just about work. The
sound is like a rattling tin can. I had to reinstall
the OS when an update caused it to spit the
dummy, the GPS works in a fashion, but for
60 what do you expect?
In between writing my latest novel,
Ive now had enough experience with
the Archos. If Mark would like to play
around with it, root or jailbreak it and
try to install Ubuntu 14.04 LTS, Ill willingly
donate it to him, postage paid. I have a
good reason for this. Back in Issue 1394,
Chris Salters article on Ubuntu Touch 1.0
was interesting, but I couldnt see the point
of a Ubuntu phone. The other operating
systems are too well established.

I must say I enjoyed Marks logging off section

in this weeks issue. I must agree with him
about how complicated some home networks
can be. I visit my friends houses and they have
there router plugged in to the wall and thats it,
everything is run off wi-fi two cables, power and
phone line. When they come to mine they look
at the corner of my reception room and ask what
all the wires are for!
I begin to explain, ones the router, ones the
fibre modem, my NAS box, my Hive Box, my
MediaNUC used for running my emby server,
my LAN Power Adaptor linking the garage,
the upstairs office and kitchen, one cable runs

90

Issue 1406

Of far greater utility would be manufacture

of, say, virgin 10 tablets, or smaller, that
allowed the public to run a tablet version of
Ubuntu 14.04 LTS natively (i.e. Download
the free Ubuntu iso file to PC, expand it,
then side-load, using USB, and install it
to the tablet. Once wi-fi (or 3G/4G) is up
and running, we then have a bog standard
Ubuntu tablet to play around with.
Elementary, Dear Watson. After all, a few
years back I had a Dell 10.1 netbook laptop
with generic Ubuntu, so whats the big deal
about tablets? Proprietory protection?
Just say the word Mr Pickavance and Ill
post you the Archos complete with data
sim. Best of British.

upstairs to another eight-port hub power all of

the my lads playroom devices, all of which plug
into my 24-port D-Link Gigabit Managed Switch.
My Synology eight-bay NAS occupies four
ports using link aggregation, all but two of my
closest mates understand what LACP support
is. I have four different APs running, one for the
kitchen, office, garage and the main and every
time someone asks me which do I connect to?.
Home networks for the PC enthusiast can
certainly seem a bit over complicated to the
average user!

Giles Cotterill

Robert Rycroft

GET IN
TOUCH
By email

letters@micromart.co.uk

By post

Micro Mart
30 Cleveland Street
London
W1T 4JD

Online

forum.micromart.co.uk

O
CAlphabet Pi:
C
g
I
d
ALPHABET PI

David Briddock meanders through

Raspberry Pi technology from A to Z

THIS WEEK: Cameras, cases and

Compute Modules

he Raspberry Pi board has always incorporated a 15-pin

Camera Serial Interface (CSI) connector. But despite early
promises, Pi enthusiasts had to wait simply ages before
the official five-megapixel camera module finally appeared a
delay caused by lengthy software driver fettling and tweaking to
achieve maximum Pi compatibility.
The diminutive (25mm x 20mm x 9mm) module plugs directly into
this dedicated camera socket via a 15cm ribbon cable. It supports
1080p at 30 frames per second (fps), 720p at 60fps and VGA90 video
modes. Theres also a NoIR version that captures images in the dark
(raspberrypi.org/products/pi-noir-camera). Its actually the same
camera but without the infrared filter.

Its a good idea to invest in

a case to protect your Pi

Theres no doubt the quality of this official camera module is first

class, so in the end, it was certainly worth the wait. And priced at just
13 from the ModMyPi site (goo.gl/TETOfk), its a steal.
Of course, once youve attached the camera, youll also need some
software. Python coders have their own dedicated Python picamera
library (picamera.readthedocs.org), written and maintained by Dave
Jones (github.com/waveform80).

Compute Module

On 7th April 2014, the Raspberry Pi Foundation posted a blog

announcing the immediate availability of the Pi Compute Module.
Costing $35, this 68mm by 30mm board contains the guts of a
Raspberry Pi in a bare-bones format, bereft of ports and connectors.
Soldered in place is the familiar Broadcom BCM2835 system-on-a-chip,
along with 512MB of RAM plus 4GB of eMMC flash storage.
The board is the same size as a DDR2 SO-DIMM laptop memory
module and actually connects via an industry standard SO-DIMM
connector (although the pin assignments are completely different from
the ones on a memory DIMM).
At the launch Eben Upton said, Currently, you need a significant
amount of space to accommodate the Pi inside a product, and a
wiring loom to connect the various ports on the board. He went on
to say, The Compute Module lets you accomplish this in a smaller
space, with all signals routed on the carrier PCB.

A Compute Module gives hardware hackers the freedom to design

a bespoke printed circuit board (PCB) for each Pi-powered project.
Whether you need six USB ports, four camera ports, a proprietary IO
connector or an NFC wireless chip; its all possible.
However, the introduction of the 4 Pi Zero makes the Compute
Module look rather dated in terms of cost and flexibility.

Cases

Its a good idea to invest in a case to protect your Pi. And theres
a dizzying collection available. Some have a simple yet practical
form while others focus on style. The best solutions cater for GPIOconnected add-on boards or HATs.
The Pibow brand (pibow.com) is a particularly attractive and
colourful design. And the ModMyPi cases (goo.gl/V3780) come in a
variety of colour combinations. Some enterprising retailers have Lego
case kits (goo.gl/AK4gQ), complete with raspberry logo.
However, if you already have some Lego lying around, why not
construct your own case, like the Lego Technic version at goo.gl/
Ldkgn. Alternatively you could construct your own punnet-style
enclosure from cardboard or download a printable PDF punnet case
template (goo.gl/CJnXJ). mm

Issue 1406

91

Specialists

Microsoft
And Linux
Going SONiC over what could be

S
David Hayward has
been using Linux
since Red Hat 2.0
in schools, businesses
and at home, which
either makes him
very knowledgeable
or a glutton for
extreme punishment

uddenly the internet

was awash with news
that Microsoft had
released its very own
Linux distro. The news had
people around the globe both
berating and praising Microsoft
for the move. Images of Steve
Ballmer, and his infamous Linux
comment, were the meme of
the day. In short, everything
went a little crazy... However,
once it all calmed down a little,
those people who had took to
the tallest buildings to shout
about the new Microsoft Linux
distro were subdued by the fact
that it simply wasn't the case. In
fact, the news was dropped as
suddenly as it appeared.

Linux

Going SONiC

92 Issue
Issue1406
1191
92

The furore was instigated by

news of a collection of software
networking components
designed work with devices such
as switches. SONiC (Software for
Open Networking in the Cloud),
is a toolkit of code and Kernel
patches to allow administrators
to better configure network
hardware; rather than having to
rely on the proprietary software
that comes with a device. Its an
open source switch platform that
can be used to create software
catered for certain Layer 3-like
hardware and situations, that can
then be shared between users,
suppliers and manufacturers.
So, where does the Linux side of
things come in?

SONiC And Debian

The basis of the original mayhem

of news sites was that SONiC sits
on top of a Linux distro which, in

the case of the information that

got everyone foamy about the
jowls, is a Debian based system.
Its really the next step in the
process and a continuation of the
Microsoft Azure Cloud Switch
operating system, which came to
the attention of the news sites
back in September. With Azure
together with companies such
as Broadcom and Dell SONiC
will be able to shape the future

Apparently its the core

engine behind SQL thatll be
ported, in a move aimed at
cloud and enterprise users. As
Scott Guthrie, Executive Vice
President of Microsoft Cloud
and Enterprise Group said. SQL
Server on Linux will provide
customers with even more
flexibility in their data solution.
Since many companies use
Linux based servers with SQL

It makes sense for the to

launch a Linux version of

the database language

of networks and take advantage

of any new networking hardware
as its released. Cloud admins,
for example, will be able to build
open source applications to
improve the cloud frameworks
they are developing.
So no, Microsoft hasnt
launched its own Linux distro.

SQL, Though...

While all this was going on,

though, Microsoft did do
something out of the blue. The
company announced that its SQL
Server software will be ported to
Linux and be available next year.

Server virtual machine instances,

it makes sense for the company
to finally launch a Linux version
of the database language. That
way, those Linux admins could
run the server without having to
cater for the Windows-based
overhead that the virtual
machine will take up on the
host server.
So there you go, Microsoft
can do some surprising things
when youre least expecting it.
The report of an MS Linux distro
was an exaggeration, as Samuel
Clemens would say (if he was alive)

Are You
Siri-ous?
Rumours abound that Siri will soon make the leap
to Mac. Craig Grannell thinks thats a good thing

Naturally, both of these things

are down to interface deficiencies
within the devices themselves.
The Apple Watch tries to be an
iPhone but with a tiny display
thats a pain to work with. The
Apple TV uses a remote
seemingly designed to punish you
for every sin committed during
your life. The Mac, though, has a
perfectly decent keyboard and
other input devices that make
accessing content a breeze. That
said, not everyone is wedded to
keyboard shortcuts, and much of
a Macs functionality (like any
modern computers) remains
hidden to those who arent
already aware of it.
On that basis, it would be
quite smart of Apple to make its
desktop and notebook
computers at least respond to
natural voice input and it
would certainly make the Macs
seem smarter. Even seasoned
Mac users would likely find time
being saved with certain actions;
Siri, launch Photoshop would
be quicker than fishing around
Finder or even opening the app

using Spotlight. Siri, give me

directions from home to
Glasgow could launch Maps
and provide a route far more
rapidly than your fingers could
cope with by hammering away
at the relevant keys. Although
both Calendar and Photos in OS
X already have a modicum of
understanding regarding naturallanguage input, speaking those
commands would seem an awful
lot more, well, natural.
Funnily enough, my Mac does
already speak to me. One of the
ways I proof columns such as this
one is by using OS Xs built-in
text-to-speech capabilities. (If
youve not unearthed those
before, visit the Text to Speech
tab within the Dictation & Speech
System Preferences pane.) I often
find having my words read aloud
makes it easier to spot errors
and passages of text that could
do with rewriting, which isnt
the case when Im merely
reading them myself. However,
it would be good to think that
very soon, the conversation
wont be all one way.

Siri for iOS is getting smarter and more useful.

Surely, it wont be long before it graces the Mac?

Craig Grannell is
a writer, designer,
occasional musician
and permanent
loudmouth. Hes
owned Macs since
1996, when Apple was
facing certain doom,
and is therefore
pleasantly surprised
by its current success.
Find Craig on Twitter
at @craiggrannell

Mac

t took time for me to get the

hang of Siri. In its early days
on iPhone, the system was
bafflingly useless. Now,
although Siri is much handier,
and able to understand an
awful lot more, I still dont use
it often. Nonetheless, Im quite
excited about the prospect of it
coming to the Mac.
In part, I think this is due to
the notion Apple has increasingly
rethought Siri as a helper for very
specific and useful actions
youd want to perform on certain
devices. Its not yet a kind of
artificial intelligence designed to
do everything. Youre not soon
going to be yammering at
Photoshop like your Macs some
kind of Blade Runner Esper
Machine (fortunately, youre also
probably not going to have your
face punched in by an errant
android shortly beforehand, so
it's swings and roundabouts).
Instead, Siri for Mac would most
likely understand and implement
a few choice commands that
would make things easier for a
large number of people and grow
from there.
Oddly, it was the Apple Watch
and Apple TV that made me
reconsider Siri. On the former,
launching apps is a nightmare,
due to the fiddly interface, but
Siri makes it a breeze, even if
you do feel an idiot mumbling at
your wrist. On the Apple TV, you
can use Siri to rapidly filter
searches (such as only the good
ones for movies featuring a
specific actor) or turn on
subtitles and rewind a TV show a
bit with the alarmingly human
command what did she say?

Issue1406
1194
Issue

93
93

N The Air
Tonight
Ian McGurren takes a look at the latest version of Android N

Mobile

Ian is a professional
IT analyst, a semiprofessional writer
and a pretty amateur
electronic musician.
He likes gadgetry and
loves making gadgets
do things they were
never designed to do

94 Issue
Issue1406
1191
94

ell it's not actually

called N, given
Google is of a
want to name its
forthcoming operating system
revisions initially by only their
initial. Last year Android M
became Marshmallow, this year
its the turn of N, which will
become....well that won't be
revealed until the full launch in
Q4 2016 (technically Q3 if
you're an OEM), but the front
runners so far a Nutella and
Nougat, though personally I'm
a fan of New York Cheesecake,
and I'd not be surprised if
Google were too...
The preview has become
available for a breadth of
Android Play Experience
devices, though so far nothing
before 2014. Owners of the
Nexus 6, 5X, 6P, 9, Player and
the Pixel C can head over to
the Android Developers page
and sign up for the Android N
preview, though with the usual
caveats of it being a beta,
so likely to have bugs and
realistically it shouldn't be used
as a daily driver. The best bit?
This is the first time a preview
has been available over the air,
so no more annoying flashing
and crossing fingers.
So what does version N
bring to the table? First off, it
isn't a huge graphical change,
more a refinement, which is no
bad thing given how good a UI
the material design is. That's
not too unusual either with
preview builds, often any major
UI tweak comes much later

in the preview cycle. There's

nothing to suggest this is likely
to be the case here, though.
That's not to say that there
isn't much to get excited
about, because wait until
you get to use... split screen
apps! No, it's not the most
vital update given the likes of
Touchwiz have had that for
a good few years now, but
its being baked into the OS
now, and for the tablet (and
to a lesser degree) phablet
side of things, that's a sign
that Google is still striving
to accommodate the needs
of larger screens more than
before. There's also rumours of
a windowed mode too...
Other highlight include
changes to notification menu,
including more detailed, stacked
notifications and customisation
of the icons present in the
notifications menu, with them
easily swapped out on the fly.
There's also screen scaling this
is different from text size scaling
as it affects the UI in general, so
if you want big icons and boxes
to take up your big screen, it's
here you do that. Conversely,
if you want to make the most
of that big screen with smaller
icons and UI, that's available
too. Think changing the
resolution on your computer
and you're in the ballpark.
The left swipe menu that's
present in Google apps has
now been carried over to the
full OS, so using the threestriped 'hamburger' icon in
any app will now result in this

action. Given settings on apps

are all over the place, putting
them in one place is definitely
a good thing.
In an iOS-like move,
notification drop downs, such
as messages, can be replied to
in the notification. Helpful if
you get notified in the middle
of watching a YouTube video,
for instance.
Finally there's the enhanced
Doze mode. Not surprisingly,
this is a further refinement
of the power saving feature
introduced in Marshmallow,
where now it works from the
moment the screen switches
off, instead of after a set
period of inactivity.
Android N is very much
a refinement of the existing
Android OS. Many of the
features being introduced have
been around in one form or
another either on Android or
on other mobile operating
systems, but now Google are
building them right into the
OS, and that can really only
be for the better. Whether
there are some more goodies
around the corner is yet to be
revealed, though.

AMD Set To
Dominate VR?
Andrew Unsworth reports on AMDs
new virtual reality-focused graphics card

frequencies. The Athlon X4 880K

comes with a promising new
heatsink and fan assembly called
the 125W Thermal Solution too,
which is the Wraith cooler with
the fancy illuminated surround
taken off. The 125W Thermal
Solution should operate nearsilently, too. If it provides enough
cooling to allow a meaningful
overclock, then all the better.
Benchmarks for 1440p and
Ultra HD gaming (with an X4
880K, coupled with a Radeon
R7 370 graphics card) look
respectable. AMDs figures claim
66.9fps in Counter Strike: Global
Offensive at a 4K resolution, and
126.7fps at 1440p. AMD says
these benchmarks were taken
with the game running at 8x
MSAA and with the highest detail
settings enabled.
I dont have UK prices just yet,
but the US price for the A107890K is $165, which means it
should sell for around 118 going
off conversion rates at the time of
writing assuming its a straight
conversion, of course.
Another neat addition is the
bundling of the currently available
AMD A10-7870K with the 125W
Thermal Solution. Any additional
cooling is great, but the promise
of nearly silent performance will
be a big draw for those who want
a decent amount of power but
dont want their gaming or work
interrupted by the sound of an
angry hairdryer.

AMD says all the new products

will be on sale at the end of
March, so the temptation to
buy one of them so soon after
pay day will be immense. In my
experience, the combination of
an AMD A-series chip and an SSD
has always produced a snappy,
responsive and relatively powerful
low-cost computer. The ability to
build a bargain PC around them is
especially true given the relatively
low price of AMD motherboards.
The A10-7890K is particularly
compelling because, when
combined with a 40-50 liquid
cooler, the ability to overclock
it makes it a (potentially,
depending on UK pricing) walletfriendly chip for enthusiasts that
want to tinker but dont want to
risk frying a 200-plus CPU.

Pi Time

Also fresh out is the Raspberry

Pi 3, which Im sure has been
covered extensively elsewhere.
However, its worth saying
that if you havent already
experienced the joy of Pi, then
you should put your hand in
your pocket and shell out for
one. It costs less than the price
of a meal, so even if you only
tinker with it for a month or two
before passing it on to someone
else, its been a worthwhile
investment. I must admit that I
dont give my Pi 2 the attention it
deserves, but Ill be rectifying that
in the next few months.

Andrew Unsworth has

been writing about
technology for several
years, he's handy with
a spanner, and his
handshaking skills
are second to none

Hardware

ere approaching
that time of the
year when new
components,
particularly graphics cards and
processors, start to be dropped on
a possibly unsuspecting but
most definitely interested public.
At the time of writing, news of
the AMD A10-7890K and the
Athlon X4 880K has broken,
although we wont be able to buy
them until the end of March.
The A10-7890K is AMDs
latest accelerated processing
unit (APU), which is what it calls
its CPUs with built-in Radeon
graphics processors. These chips
have always been something
of a bargain, and while the
graphics power of the built-in
GPU hasnt been as good as a
discrete card, its been better
than youd expect and perfectly
capable of light 3D gaming.
The A10-7890K is a four-core
chip with eight GPU cores and
a 95W TDP. Base clock speed
is 3.9GHz, with frequency
rising to 4.1GHz with turbo
boost. However, the A107890K is unlocked, so it can
be overclocked to provide even
higher performance. The retail
version of the A10-7870K comes
with the Wraith cooler, which
AMD says is near-silent.
AMD says the Athlon X4
880K is the fastest multi-core
Athlon processor ever released
and cites its 4.2GHz maximum
turbo boost speed as evidence,
although the previously fastest
Athlon had a 4.1GHz, so the
frequency increase isnt that
extreme. The four-core chip has
a generous base frequency of
4GHz, and because its unlocked,
owners will be able to overclock
it so that it runs at even higher

Issue
Issue1406
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95
95

Specialists

Sen
Se
nso
sorry ove
overload
rload

Gaming

Ryan Lambie has loved

videogames since he
first stared up in awe at
a Galaxian arcade
cabinet in his local chip
shop. 28 years on, Ryan
writes about gaming for
Micro Mart. Hes still
addicted to chips and
still useless at Galaxian

96 Issue
Issue1406
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96

Thanks to a nicely built playable demo, Descent successor Overload managed to

make its $300,000 minimum goal just two hours before its Kickstarter deadline

This week, Ryan looks at the Descent spiritual sequel

Overload, and checks out the sudden cancellation of
EverQuest Next...
Plug & Play

It was touch and go for a while.

Overload, the spiritual successor
to 90s shooter Descent, took
to Kickstarter in February with
a proposed goal of $300,000.
Four days before its 11th March
deadline, it was little more than
halfway to reaching its funding
threshold. Ultimately, the game
squeaked over the $300,000
finished line just two hours before
its deadline fell final total:
$306,537.
In retrospect, its a little
surprising that Overload didnt
find its funding with greater
ease. The developer behind it,
Revival Productions, comprises
some talented industry veterans,
including Matt Toschlog, the cofounder of Parallax the company
behind the original Descent.
Unlike some campaigns, which
often have little more to present
than some concept art, Overload
had plenty of prototype footage
to show off, which looked very
much in keeping with the original
descent. A nimble ship navigating
a maze of corridors and caverns?
Check. Patrolling robots destroyed
by screaming laser fire? Check.
It could well be that Descent
fans had already scratched
their nostalgic itch last year,
when Descent Underground
successfully garnered $600,000

on Kickstarter. Or it could be that,

as Kickstarter enters its seventh
year of existence, punters are
becoming a little more cautious
about the campaigns they back.
Its easy to be dazzled by the
grand promises of leading lights
from the games industry and their
glittering backer rewards, but the
disappointing stories behind such
titles as Godus or entire systems
like the faltering Ouya may have
had something of a cooling
effect. Its telling that Overloads
funding only really started to
take off when Revival released a
playable demo in the campaigns

final four days probably in a lastgasp attempt to drum up more

interest in their project.
The move worked, of course.
Although the early build of
Overload is rough around the
edges, as Revival admits, the
demo gave backers a clearer
idea of the studios design talent.
User responses to the Overload
demo were positively glowing on
Steam, and enthusiasm for the
project finally began to spread.
Quite right, too: Overload really
does feel like a worthy successor
to Descent, with that snappy,
responsive feel to the players

Lionhead Roars Its Last

Well, heres something we never saw coming. Lionhead Studios,

the firm behind the Black & White and Fable games, is to close
down. The news first emerged from Microsoft Studios, which
announced that co-op action game Fable Legends has been
cancelled and that Microsoft is in discussions with Lionhead
over its proposed closure. Whats surprising is that Fable
Legends seemed so close to completion; the game was due
to enter its open beta this spring. Whatever happened behind
closed doors, its now clear that Lionheads 20-year story has
drawn to a sudden and
unfortunate end.
With that, another
British studio is no more.
Lionhead is to close, with
its co-op action game Fable
Legends now cancelled

GAMING

It wasnt fun, Daybreak says of EverQuest Next, its now cancelled

MMORPG. Shame we quite liked the look of this one

ship and that same exhilaration

of escaping a mine just seconds
before the core explodes.
Appropriately, Overload secured
a similarly last-second victory on
Kickstarter. Revival now has some
intriguing plans for the shooter,
with a multiplayer expansion
due to launch around six months
after the initial games release
next March.
If you havent caught up with
Overload yet, the demo is well
worth checking out at kck.
st/1WegO1o.

Online

If The Division seemed like

something of a risk before
its launch, its fair to say that
multi-million dollar gamble has
paid off. Shortly after the RPGshooter hybrids launch, Ubisoft
announced that the game had
sold "more copies in its first 24
hours of availability than any

previous title in the company's

history." The firm doesnt provide
any figures to back up the claim,
but assuming its correct, then
The Divisions initial burst of
interest means that its sales have
managed to beat established
Ubisoft franchises like Assassins
Creed or Far Cry.
The Division has taken a long
and no doubt expensive road to
completion, with development
first beginning about four years
ago. There have certainly been
one or two bumps along the
way too (a proposed tie-in
mobile app which allowed
players to control aerial drones
was cancelled last year), but
Ubisoft ultimately delivered a
game worthy of the hype.
You only have to look at games
like Lionheads Fable Legends
to see how abruptly a game
can vanish from history even
after years of development and

refinement. Likewise, EverQuest

Next, another promising online
game that, like Fable Legends,
has recently seen its production
come to a sudden halt.
EverQuest Next, you may
remember, was Daybreaks
ambitious fusion of classic
EverQuest RPG and Minecraftstyle construction and crafting.
Development on EverQuest Next
may have begun as long as six or
seven years ago; all we know for
certain is that the game got its
first overhaul in 2012. Four years
on, and Daybreak has decided
to call time on the MMO. Why?
Because, the studio says, it wasnt
much fun.
Unfortunately, as we put
together the pieces, we found
that it wasnt fun, wrote
Daybreak boss Russell Shank.
We know you have high
standards when it comes to
Norrath and we do too. In final
review, we had to face the fact
that EverQuest Next would not
meet the expectations we and
all of you have for the worlds
of Norrath.
The irony is that Landmark,
the construction-focused spin-off
designed as a kind of appetiser
before the release of EverQuest
Next, is now set to receive a

major update before its spring

launch. Remarkably, the original
EverQuest games are still going
strong; anyone hoping for a
successor to those classic MMOs
will now have to wait for a very
long time.

Incoming

Io Interactives episodic approach

to its Hitman reboot seems to
have breathed new life into a
flagging series. The complex, freeform stealth of the classic Hitman:
Blood Money is back, and the
game feels fresh and creative,
whereas Absolution felt narrow
and unimaginative. The only bad
news, if youve already played
through the first episode, is that
youll have to wait until April
for the next, set in Italy. Mays
episode will be set in Marrakech,
while globe-trotting locations for
the rest of the seven episodes will
include America and Japan.
PC gamers who prefer their
entertainment to come on plastic
discs will have to wait even longer
to get their Agent 47 kicks; the
Full Experience edition, containing
all seven episodes, has had its
release delayed until January
2017. Delays aside, its great
to see Hitman enjoying such a
satisfying return to form.

The rebooted Hitmans got off to a great start with its first episode.
Lets hope the rest of the episodic stealth series, which continues with Italy
in April, is just as much fun

Issue 1406

97

Index

AD INDEX
2/3 CCL

17 Cocktail Audio

6/7 Morgan

19 Falcon Computers

11 Mesh

115 iStorage

13 TP-Link

116 Tibo

To advertise contact :
Joe Teal: +44 (0)20 7907 6689
Joe_Teal@dennis.co.uk

NOTE TO ADVERTISERS
Micro Mart Dennis Publishing, 30 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JD. Company registered in England No
1138891. This publication may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form in whole or in part without the
written consent of the publisher. Quotations for re-prints or other use of material are available on application.
THE BUSINESS ADVERTISEMENT DISCLOSURE ORDER 1977 (effective from 1st January 1978) requires all
advertisements by people who seek to sell goods in the course of a business to make that fact clear. It is the
responsibility of the advertiser to comply with the order. Lineage trade ads in Micro Mart carry this *T symbol.
It is an offence for which you may be prosecuted not to advertise the fact that you are a trader.

MICRO MART is published weekly by Dennis Publishing. Subscriptions rates available on request. Micro Mart
welcomes the submission of articles and reviews for publication. Please enclose a stamped self adressed
envelope; otherwise the return of material cannot be guaranteed. Contributions accepted for publication by
Dennis Publishing will be on an all-rights basis. Views or opinions expressed by freelance contributors are not
necessarily those of Dennis Publishing. Advertisements and goods/services offered are the sole responsibility
of the particular advertiser and Dennis Publishing cannot be held in any way responsible. Whilst every care
is taken the publishers cannot be held legally responsible for any errors in articles or advertisements or any
resulting unsatisfactory transactions. We will however investigate incidents on a written complaint. Dennis
Publishing 2006. This publication may not be reproduced in or transmitted in any form in whole or in part
without the written consent of the publishers. ISSN 956-3881. Blimey.

98

Issue 1406

IT

Essentials

TO ADVERTISE CALL
JOE TEAL

0207 907 6689

joe_teal@dennis.co.uk

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To Read Your Favourite Magazine!

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100

Issue 1406

Classifieds

Please mention Micro Mart when replying to adverts

To place an ad in our classifieds, simply fill in the

form at www.micromart.co.uk or send your ad
by post to Maaya Mistry, Micro Mart, Dennis
Publishing, 30 Cleveland Street, W1T 4JD

HARDWARE FOR SALE

Have you got old kit lying
around? Fancy making a few
pounds while youre at it? Why
not advertise here? Its easy
and its free, just email what
youve got, how much youd like
for it, and your contact details
to micromartclassifieds@
gmail.com, and well do the
rest. There are thousands
of enthusiastic readers out
there looking for components
every week, and you may have
something unwanted theyve
been searching for, so get in
touch and save your kit from
going to the tip!
Ergotron LX Dual Side-by-Side
LCD Monitor Arm Model: 45245-026. Create a fully adjustable
side-by-side monitor configuration,
suitable for screens up to 24"
Tel: Ian (01932) 856971
Email: a2345@btinternet.com
PS/2 Keyboard These are standard
keyboards please email or call me
for more information
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
AT Keyboard These are standard
keyboards please email or call me
for more information
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Zalman Z11 SSD 3.5 Inch To 5.25
Inch Converter Tray 5 inc p&p.
Tel: Gary (01415) 712822 or
(07941) 486760
Email: gary.gemmell@ntlworld.com
Minolta Dimage Scan Dual
35mm film/negative scanner
together with AP10 APS cassette
adaptor. 2438 DPI. SCSI 2
interface. Working condition.
Complete with original software,
instructions and cables. 15.
Tel: (02084) 497724
Email: murray.ailes@sky.com

102

Issue 1406

Cisco 4Mb Router Flash Card 10

Tel: Gary (01415) 712822 or
(07941) 486760
Email: gary.gemmell@ntlworld.com
Adaptec 2100S Scsi Raid Card
With 128mb Ecc Cache Ram
Memory Module - 15.
Tel: Gary (01415) 712822 or
(07941) 486760
Email: gary.gemmell@ntlworld.com
Dlink Airplus G+ Wireless Pci
Network Card 15.
Tel: Gary (01415) 712822 or
(07941) 486760
Email: gary.gemmell@ntlworld.com
HP PO2015 Laserjet Extra Lower
Printer Tray 20.
Tel: Gary (01415) 712822 or
(07941) 486760
Email: gary.gemmell@ntlworld.com
Desktop Digital Psu Tester. 10.
Tel: Gary (01415) 712822 or
(07941) 486760
Email: gary.gemmell@ntlworld.com
Intel Wireless PCI-E Laptop
Network Card. 10.
Tel: Gary (01415) 712822 or
(07941) 486760
Email: gary.gemmell@ntlworld.com
Any distro version 64bit or 32 bit
Linux CD/DVD. 12.50 inc postage.
Please email or call me for info.
Tel: David (01616) 888119 Email:
pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Laptops. Different specs please let
me know what you are looking for
or what you will be using it for and I
will let you know what I have. Please
email or call me for info.
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
WI-FI wireless pcmcia card will fit
in older laptops to enable them to
connect to wireless networks 10
+p&p if intrested please email me
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk

Motherboard Bundle. Gigabyte

GA-M56S-S3 Motherboard, AMD
Sempron 3400, 512MB RAMtested
and working. 35+p&p. Can be
supplied with Coolermaster Tower
case and 500W PSU for extra.
Tel: David (01274) 610045
Email: dgaguine@gmail.com
Coolermaster Centurion 5
midtower case. Excellent condition.
All front and back blanking plates
present. Can be supplied with
coolermaster 650W PSU 15
extra. 15.00 +p&p or collect from
Bradford WY
Tel: David (01274) 610045 Email:
dgaguine@gmail.com
Coolermaster HyperTx2 cooler
excellent condition for LGA 775
and AMD AM2/754/939/940
All fittings included. Very quiet.
5 +p&p or collect from Bradford
Tel: David (01274) 610045
Email: dgaguine@gmail.com
Coolermaster 650W PSU RP-650PCAP. Tested and working, mint
condition. Quality Product, SLI
certified 15 o.n.o. p&p extra or
free collection Bradford WY area
Tel: David (01274) 610045
Email: dgaguine@gmail.com
OCZ stealthstream2 PSU 500W.
Mint, very quiet. 20+4pin ATX,
4 Pin CPU, 6+2pin PCIE, 4
peripheral, 3 SATA. 15. p&p extra;
free collection Bradford WY area
Tel: David (01274) 610045 Email:
dgaguine@gmail.com
Motherboard Bundle 3.2Ghz Intel
64 bit CPU 1GB Ram 2pci-e 2xpci
2IDE 2SATA 8usb ports LAN 6ch
sound COMES WITH DRIVER
CD AND MANUAL Great for
gaming, office work, surfing the net,
watching movies generally a good
all round system spec can slightly be
changed if required please email or
call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Fractual Design R5 case, with all
accessories and original packaging.
This is a beautiful bit of kit and a
delight to work with, it was only
used for a week as it was just too
large for my desk. Just 60
Email: rylandp@gmail.com

Retired PC for sale, will split

if no taker for whole. Antec
Sonata case, Asus P5Q LGA775
motherboard, Core 2 duo E8400
CPU w. Freezer 7 pro (and unused
stock cooler), 4GB Patriot PC26400 C4 Viper RAM, Nvidea
GT 440 1GB GPU. Just 80 plus
free LED monitor, keyboard and
mouse if collected.
Email: rylandp@gmail.com
Motherboard Bundle 3.5+Ghz
AMD 64 bit CPU 1gb Ram
(max8gb) 2pci-e 4pci 2IDE
3SATA+ 1eSATA 8usb ports LAN
sound Great for gaming, office
work, surfing the net, watching
movies generally a good all
round system spec can slightly be
changed if required please email
or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
AMD Athlon 64x2 6000+ CPU
ADA6000IAA6CZ. tested and
working. 15 +p&p 1.84
Tel: David (01274) 610045
Email: dgaguine@gmail.com
Motherboard Bundle 3Ghz AMD
64bit CPU 512MB Ram 5xpci
2xSATA 2IDE 1Gb LAN 6 channel
sound firewire COMES WITH
DRIVER CD AND MANUAL
great for gaming, office work,
surfing the net, watching movies
generally a good all round system
spec can slightly be changed if
required 35 + p&p please email or
call me for more info
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Windows XP pro Computers
Fresh install of Windows XP Pro
this Computer great for gaming,
office work, surfing the net,
watching movies generally a good
all round system from 100 +p&p
might also have laptops price on
request please email or call me
for more information
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Brand new Laptop bag still sealed
in the plastic bag and never used
(it came as part of a bundle)
please email or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk

Classifieds

Please mention Micro Mart when replying to adverts

Sapphire ATi Radeon HD3850

512MB 256Bit GDDR3 AGP 8x
DUAL DVI/HDTV Graphics
Card to of the range AGP GFX
card i beleve it supports DirectX
10 great for gaming, watching
movies, video editing, CAD/CAM
applications and any other hight
demand gfx programs generally a
good all rounder 80 +p&p please
email or call me for more info
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
2.1 speakers with sub woofer slight
buzzing 25
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Internal 3 1/4 floppy drives choice
of white/black/silver/no face plate
please email or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
WI-FI wireless pcmcia card will
fit in older laptops to enable them
to connect to wireless networks 10
+p&p if intrested please email me
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Brand new Laptop bag still sealed
in the plastic bag and never used
(it came as part of a bundle)
please email or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Windows 7 Computers Fresh
install of Windows 7 this Computer
great for gaming, office work,
surfing the net, watching movies
generally a good all round system
from 150 +p&p might also have
laptops price on request please
email or call me for info.
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Internal 3 1/4 floppy drives choice
of white/black/silver/no face plate
please email or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
160GB 3" desktop hard drive.
IDE and SATA clean pull (little to
no use) no bad sectors tested all
you need to do is plug in. 20 +p&p
please email or call for more info.
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk

Laptop RAM 2x1GB PC3-8500

DDR3 1067MHz pulled form a
working Macbook pro but can be
used in other laptops. The quickest
way to boost you laptop speed
please email or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Retro Win98se Computers
Fresh install of Windows 98SE
ideal for running legacy programs
and for playing older "memory
lane" games as well as for car garage
or industrial use as heavy duty and
has serial parallel ports. from 50
+p&p might also have laptops price
on request please email or call me
for more information
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Fans different sizes and types
please email or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Laptop CPUs mainly intel
different speeds please email or
call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Different types of ram SDRAM
SIMM DIMM DDR DDR2 DDR3
call or email me requirements
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Desktop cases AT and ATX types
and tower and flatbed form factor
different sizes and colors can be
posted or picked up from
Manchester please email or call me
with your requirements for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk

Motherboard Bundle 2.4Ghz

AMD Athlon XP 32bit CPU
512MB Ram 5xpci 2IDE LAN
sound good for gaming, office
work, surfing the net, watching
movies generally a good all
round system spec can slightly be
changed if required please email
or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
PS/2 Keyboard. These are standard
keyboards please email or call me
for more information
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
PC gaming hardware. I have 1x
force feedback steering wheel 1x
force feedback joystick 1x normal
joystick lots of game pads please
email or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
AMD PHENOM 905E. Socket
AM3CPU in perfect working
order and cosmetic condition.
65W TDP, so it runs cool.
2.5ghz. 6mb cache. Bare chip
only. Will send recorded
delivery.43 inc. postage.
Tel: (02088) 899344
Email: hh872@myopen.ac.uk
As New/Unused PCCHIPS
M811LU R3.1. Box scruffy
but contents are new/unused.
Contents Motherboard/cableset/
backplate/cd driver disk. 7 day
warranty. Socket A/462. 25
including recorded delivery.
Tel: (02088) 899344
Email: hh872@myopen.ac.uk

AGP graphics cards also PCI and

PCI-e graphics cards please email or
call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk

SSD 120 GB. Sandisk Plus

Solid state hard drive. SATA
3 6GB/s. Perfect. Very fast
drive. Only two months old and
never used. Free delivery. PayPal
accepted. 36.
Email: geofry@tiscali.co.uk

Motherboard Bundle 2.8GHz Intel

32bit CPU 512MB Ram 3x pci
2xSATA 2IDE LAN, sound good
for gaming, office work, surfing,
movies. Generally a good all round
system specm can be changed if
required please email or call me
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk

RADIOACTIVE FAIR - Civic

Hall, Nantwich, Cheshire,
CW55DG. Sunday 14th Feb 2016.
Computers, Electronics, Ham
Radio. ~100 Traders, Catering,
Free Parking. Sun 14 Feb. Trade
enquiries, Roger Reeves
Tel: (07747) 618131
Web: www.radioactivefair.co.uk

Like new hardly used Mac

Mini. 2014, w/ upgraded storage
to 128GB SSD. i5 3rd generation
and 4GB RAM, Optional
Bluetooth keyboard.
360 text/email.
Tel: (07950) 298812
Email: ghzrepairs@gmail.com
IDE CD ROM Disk Drives
Different colours/white/black
all tested and fully working 10
+p&p please email or call me for
more info
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Floppy Disk Drives different
colours white black silver all tested
and working 10 +p&p please email
or call me for more info
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
PCI GFX VGA cards I got lots of
these of different brands all tested
and working please let me know
what you are looking for I will try
and match up as close as possible
please email or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
NVIDIA AGP 128MB Graphics
Video Card; model number P162
3 plus postage. (untested)
Email: paulvwells@gmail.com
Sound cards i got lots of these
of PCI and ISA types all tested
and working please let me know
what you are looking for i will try
and match up as close as possible
please email or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
35x Ram modules: mostly
Kingston 133x64cs 258mb (168
pin) and a few 128mb and 512mb
modules as well. Only 30 inc pp so
less than 1 per module! (untested)
Email: paulvwells@gmail.com
Socket 370 CPUs Intel. I got lots of
these of different speeds all tested
and working please let me know
what kind of speed you are looking
for I will try and match up as close
as possible please email or call me
for a price.
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk

Issue 1405

103

Classifieds

ATX PSUs. I got lots of these of

different types and wattage all tested
and working please let me know
what you are looking for I will try
and match up as close as possible
please email or call me for a price.
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
AT Keyboard. These are standard
keyboards please email or call me
for more information
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Socket 939 CPUs AMD. Four of
these of different speeds all tested
and working please let me know
what you are looking for I will try
and match up as close as possible
please email or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
LAN network cards. Various PCI
and ISA types wired and wireless
all tested and working please let
me know what you are looking
for I will try and match up as
close as possible please email or
call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
NVIDIA AGP 128MB Graphics
Video Card; model number P162
3 plus postage. (untested)
Email: paulvwells@gmail.com
Netgear; RangeMax DG834PN
& WPN824 routers. No Cables or
adaptors. 5 plus postage for the
pair. (untested).
Email: paulvwells@gmail.com
D-Link DWL-G510 Wireless LAN
54Mbps Low Pro PCI Network
Interface Card 2 + P&P (untested)
Email: paulvwells@gmail.com
HP Compaq NX7010 Laptop. Very
good all round condition. Comes
with a new charger. 60gb H.D. 2
G.B. Ram. 60.00 o.v.n.o.
Tel: (01726) 61355
Email: arcanu@tiscali.co.uk
Toshiba L450 laptop. 2.1 ghz -2gb
ram windows 7 home premium
64bit- plastic backspace button
missing 50 inclusive of post
Email: shamashi@hotmail.co.uk

104

Issue 1406

Please mention Micro Mart when replying to adverts

PC Desktop Ram (DIMM)

Memory: Siemens PC100 222- 620 16M x 64 SDRAM.
HYS64V16222GU-8 Only 8.
Tel: Gordon (01314) 660205
Email: scobieg09@gmail.com
Webcam (Trust Spacecam). Boxed
with CD of installation software and
manual. Perfect condition. 10.
Tel: Gordon (01314) 660205
Email: scobieg09@gmail.com
20" HP LP2065 LCD monitor.
High res 1200 x 1600. Couple of
USB 2.0 ports, ideal for connecting
a mouse and keyboard. Also has 2x
DVI ports. One dead pixel in upper
left corner. Hardly noticeable. No
other defects. Perfect upgrade from
older 17 or 19 model. Just 40!
Tel: Ian Matthew (01132) 629028
Email: ianmatthewuk@yahoo.co.uk
Laptops different specs please
let me know what you are looking
for or what you will be using it for
and i will let you i know what i have
please email or call me for info
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Laptop Hard Disk Drive. Fujitsu.
20GB. Excellent condition: 10.00.
Tel: Gordon (01314) 660205
Email: scobieg09@gmail.com
Western Digital Cavier SE
Desktop Hard Disk Drive 160GB.
Perfect condition. Only 10
Tel: Gordon (01314) 660205
E-mail: scobieg09@gmail.com
Motherboard Bundle 3.33Ghz
intel 64 bit CPU 1gb Ram
(max4gb) 3pci agp 2IDE 2SATA
8usb ports LAN sound Great for
gaming, office work, surfing the
net, watching movies generally a
good all round system spec can
slightly be changed if required.
email or call for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Toshiba Satellite Pro A210 Laptop.
AMD Dual Core 1.90GHz CPU.
3GB RAM. 120GB SSD Drive. Wifi.
Windows 7 Ultimate. Office 2007.
BitDefender 2015 AV. 95 ovno.
Tel: Paul (01564) 200162
Email: pridding@blueyonder.co.uk

Dell Latitude E5410 i5 (very

fast) 2.4, 4gb ram, 160 gb
Hard drive DVDRW fantastic
condition. Cheaper than any
on Ebay. Very good battery life.
You can collect from Manchester
or Portsmouth or I can courier
out to you next day for an extra
10. Please call or email for any
questions. It has Window 7 64
bit installed and activated with a
genuine certificate of authenticity
Bargain price ONLY 124
Tel: Dave Thomas (07828) 982930 or
(01942) 706571
Email: davethomas96@aol.com
Gigabyte Z68X-UD3P-B3
motherboard with Core i5 2300
AND 8GB 1333Mhz RAM. All
you need is a HDD, case and
PSU. Very reliable. Runs XP up
to 10. Drivers included.
All for 175!!
Tel: Ian Matthew (01132) 629028
Email: ianmatthewuk@yahoo.co.uk
56kb Fax Modem External. 10.
Tel: Gordon (01314) 660205
Email: scobieg09@gmail.com
Laptop DDR2 RAM Just ask what
you want pulled from a working
laptops this is the quickest way
to boost your laptop speed please
email or call me for a price.
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Brand new USB brackets Add
2 extra USB2 ports to your
computer at little cost and very
simple to fit cable connect onto
the motherboard and uses a spare
slot on the back of your computer
no drivers required please email
or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Western Digital Cavier SE
Desktop Hard Disk Drive 160GB.
Perfect condition. Only 10
Tel: Gordon (01314) 660205
Email: scobieg09@gmail.com
PC Desktop Ram (DIMM)
Memory. Siemens PC100 222- 620 16M x 64 SDRAM.
HYS64V16222GU-8 Only 8.
Tel: Gordon (01314) 660205
E-mail: scobieg09@gmail.com

Netgear DGND3700-100UKS
Gigabit Dual Band WiFi
ADSL2+ Router. UK N600
Wireless Gigabit Modem Router.
Five Gigabit Ethernet ports, two
USB2 ports PLUS an ADSL2+
port. Comes in original packing
with Ethernet cable, ADSL filter
and cable
Tel: Ian (01932) 856971
Email: a2345@btinternet.com
56kb Fax Modem External.
Only 10.00.
Tel: Gordon (01314) 660205
Email: scobieg09@gmail.com
HP Photosmart C4585 All-in-One
multifunction colour printer.
Perfect condition. Includes software
and manual. 20.00
Tel: Gordon (01314) 660205
E-mail: scobieg09@gmail.com
Brand new USB brackets Add
2 extra USB2 ports to your
computer at little cost and very
simple to fit cable connect onto the
motherboard and uses a spare slot
on the back of your computer no
drivers required please email or call
me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Laptop Hard Disk Drive. Fujitsu.
20GB. Excellent condition: 10.00.
Tel: Gordon (01314) 660205
E-mail: scobieg09@gmail.com
Laptop RAM 2x1GB PC38500 DDR3 1067MHz from a
working mac book pro but can
be used in other laptops this is
the quickest way to boost you
laptop speed please email or call
me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Windows 7 Computers Fresh
install of Windows 7 this
Computer great for gaming,
office work, surfing the net,
watching movies generally a
good all round system from 150
+p&p might also have laptops
price on request please email or
call me for more information
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk

Classifieds

Please mention Micro Mart when replying to adverts

Sapphire ATi Radeon HD3850

512MB 256Bit GDDR3 AGP 8x
DUAL DVI/HDTV Graphics
Card to of the range AGP GFX
card i beleve it supports DirectX
10 great for gaming, watching
movies, video editing, CAD/
CAM applications and any other
hight demand gfx programs
generally a good all rounder 80
+p&p please email or call me for
more info
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Windows XP Pro Computers
Fresh install of Windows XP Pro
this Computer great for gaming,
office work, surfing the net,
watching movies generally a good
all round system from 100 +p&p
might also have laptops price on
request please email or call me for
more information
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Motherboard Bundle 3Ghz AMD
64bit CPU 512MB Ram 5xpci
2xSATA 2IDE 1Gb LAN 6 channel
sound firewire COMES WITH
DRIVER CD AND MANUAL great
for gaming, office work, surfing
the net, watching movies generally
a good all round system spec can
slightly be changed if required 35 +
p&p please email or call me for info
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Fans different sizes and types please
email or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Laptop CPUs mainly Intel different
speeds please email or call for prices
Tel: David (01616) 888119
Email: pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk
Motherboard Bundle 3.2Ghz Intel
64 bit CPU 1GB Ram 2pci-e 2xpci
2IDE 2SATA 8usb ports LAN 6ch
sound COMES WITH DRIVER
CD AND MANUAL Great for
gaming, office work, surfing the
net, watching movies generally a
good all round system spec can
slightly be changed if required
please email or call me for a price
Tel: David (01616) 888119 Email:
pcmadnessltd@yahoo.co.uk

HARDWARE WANTED
Trying to breathe life back
into an old machine? Why
not submit a wanted ad to
MicroMartClassifiedAdverts@
gmail.com and see if any of
the thousands of computer
enthusiasts who read the
magazine each week have what
youre looking for?
WANTED: Tape drive backup.
Either DAT320 or later generation
LTO system in good condition.
Please contact me.
Tel: (07949) 407022 Email: tape.20.
odaily@spamgourmet.com
WANTED: You bought a Corsair
water cooler, with a square
block. You fitted it to your Intel
processor. You want to make
a few pounds from the spare
A.M.D. bits? Contact me!
Email: johnrpeel@gmail.com
WANTED: Gigabyte GA-Z77XD3H motherboard wanted.
Email: johnbeiry@gmail.com
WANTED: PC Tower case
(beige colour if possible) to
rehome an Amiga A1200
vintage computer. The Amiga
motherboard is H 410mm x L
190mm (H 16" x L 7.5"). PSU not
an issue but if available 250 watt
more than enough.
Tel: Bill (07742) 061569 or
(02641) 769503.
WANTED: 3G dongle for Archos
80 G9 tablet.
Email: alancox28231@gmail.com

SOFTWARE FOR SALE

Sim City 2000: Boxed and original.
Classic gaming. 15.00
Tel: Gordon (01314) 660205 Email:
scobieg09@gmail.com
Adobe Photoshop Elements
and Premiere Elements 12
Full Version - Windows/Mac.
Original Boxed CD with unused
product key. 47.50
Tel: Ian (01932) 856971
Email: a2345@btinternet.com

PCB design software. 127 layers,

schematic entry, PCB entry, PCB
to Gerber file converter, output to
printer. 9.99
Tel: Nigel Wright (07967) 527693
Email: cresswellavenue@talktalk.net
Microsoft Office 2013. Original
Software only 100.
Tel: Gordon (01314) 660205
E-mail: scobieg09@gmail.com
Cyberlink PowerDVD 12 Standard.
Runs under Windows 8, 7, Vista
or XP. Original CD with unused
product key 7.50
Tel: Ian (01932) 856971
Email: a2345@btinternet.com

IMPORTANT
BUYING ADVICE
We work very hard to
police our classified
ads, and make them
as secure as possible.
However, please do
your bit too and use the
following guidelines:
Never - NEVER - pay by
bank transfer or post out cash,

Nuance Omnipage 18. OCR;

Windows 8, 7, Vista or XP, Original
CD with unused product key 25.
Tel: Ian (01932) 856971
Email: a2345@btinternet.com

unless you know the trader

Acronis True Image Home 2012.

Bootable CD. Application runs
under Windows 8, 7, Vista or XP.
Original Acronis CD with unused
product key 5.
Tel: Ian (01932) 856971
Email: a2345@btinternet.com

Be wary of anyone who insists

Norton Family Premier 2.0. Runs

under Windows 8, 7, Vista or XP,
Original Symantec unused
product key 15.
Tel: Ian (01932) 856971
Email: a2345@btinternet.com

SOFTWARE WANTED
Good Text to Speech program
WinXP or 7 to read ebooks aloud
for a pensioner with few resources.
Tel: Wilf James (01767) 699809
Wanted: PictureToExe software, for
making picture shows.
Tel: (01202) 610602
Email: ivor.mary@talktalk.net
Wanted: Quicken 2001. I
desperately require a copy of
QUICKEN 2001, UK Edition.
I need to reinstall the program
but have lost my original
installation CD.
Email: david.maddams@icloud.com

already, or are sure it is okay

to do so. Pay by cheque, Paypal,
Nochex etc wherever possible.

on you paying by the above

methods if in doubt, get us
to check them out by mailing
editorial@micromart.co.uk
Keep copies of all
correspondence
When sending out goods, at
the least obtain a certificate of
posting from the Post Office
If you are in any doubt,
feel free to send us a mail
via editorial@micromart.
co.uk.
Every year, thousands of
successful transactions
take place through our
classifieds, and that's just
how we like it.
Help us help you
keep them one of the
safest and most secure
places to buy and sell
computer kit.

Issue 1405

105

ASK
AARON

A Core 2 Far?

I have been given an old HP Media Center

m7270.uk. I would like to replace Windows
with Linux and use it as a file server, but the
CPU is a Pentium D820 2.8GHz. This means the
system has the same power draw as my Core i5
desktop, and the cooling fans are very noisy. I
would like to upgrade the processor to an Intel
Core 2 Duo E6600, but I am not sure if it would
be compatible with the motherboard, which is
an Asus P5LP-LE.
I checked the specifications online and it
ought to take E6x00 CPUs, but if I search for it
under the HP/Compaq name of Lithium-UL8E it
looks as if it only accepts Pentium D or Pentium
4. Would this be a BIOS problem? I have been
unable to find a BIOS update for this system.

Susan

Meet Aaron Birch.

Hes here to help you
with any general
upgrading, software
and system building
problems. Hes got
advice aplenty and
youre very much
welcome to it!
Send your questions to:

Aaron Birch
Micro Mart
Dennis Publishing
30 Cleveland Street
London
W1T 4JD

Contact Aaron by email at:

aaron@micromart.co.uk

Please try to keep your

queries brief and limit
them to just one question
per letter, simply so we
can squeeze in as many as
we can each week. Please
include relevant technical
information too.

Aaron
106

Issue 1406

According to the specifications of the board on

HP's website, this version of the ASUS doesn't
support Dual core CPUs, including Core 2 Duo
models (it differs from the actual ASUS model).
It'll only support Pentium D and Pentium 4
CPUs, and although the socket (775) will
physically hold a Core 2 Duo, the system won't
POST correctly if one is installed.

You're correct in assuming it's likely a BIOS

problem, but as far as I can see, there's no
update for the board's BIOS to enable support
for Core 2 Duo, meaning you'll not be able to
use the more up to date CPU in the system. You
could replace the motherboard with a Core 2 Duo
compatible model, but that's more extra cost.

You're correct in

assuming it's likely a

BIOS problem

In terms of noise, you could also replace

the cooler with a passive cooling model,
which would eliminate some of the noise, and
may even help cut down power use a little.
Unfortunately, there's little else you can do I'm
afraid, due to the limitations of the HP variation
of the motherboard.
Although HP's Lithium-UL8E is a socket 775 board,
it doesn't support Core 2 Duo CPUs

THE
EXPERTS

Auto Android

I have enjoyed reading Micro Mart for

some time now. I know you are fans of the
MotoG, and so I hope that you can answer
my questions.
When I log in to my Hotmail account
using Mozilla Firefox 45.0 on my Windows
10 laptop I type the first letter of my
user name (now called my Microsoft
account!) and the machine offers my full
user name for selection. Yes, I am old
enough to have a @hotmail.com instead of
an @outlook.com account.
When I try the same thing on my Android
phone or Hudl it does not, I have to type
it in in full, and my on-screen typing is
rubbish! In both cases I, quite correctly,
have to type in my password (it is my
practice to log out when I am not actively
using e-mail).
Is there any way to get the Android
devices to remember my user name? If
not, is there any way to set up a hot key
to fill it in on Android?
Phone: MotoG running Android 5.1 I've
had it for two years now.
Hudl Details: HT7S3 running Android 4.2.2
Also, is there any easy way to change
between full and mobile versions of websites?

Mike

An Error Occurred...

Recently, YouTube has started showing

a message saying an error has occurred
when I try to play videos. It doesn't seem
to happen all the time, maybe eight out
of ten, and although the error is shown,
after a few seconds, the video plays as
normal. Because of this, it's not a major
problem, but it is a little annoying, and
has only started to happen recently.
Do you know what might be causing
this, and how to fix it?

Ben
This is problem that's been reported by
a lot of users recently, and although it's
not 100% confirmed, it would appear
to be related to the ads that play before
videos or more accurately, should play,
as the problem is linked to ad-blockers
like AdBlock Plus it would seem.

By the sound of it, it looks as though your

Autofill forms feature is disabled, or the
stored data has problem. So, I'd recommend
you check this, and make sure you activate
the Autofill function. To do this, in Chrome
click the top-right menu button and go into
Settings. Under the basics section, make sure
Autofill forms is enabled. You can also set up
profiles here, adding log in information to
save you time.
If Autofill is already on, it may be worth
clearing the data so you can start again
and rebuild the database. To do this, go
into the Autofill setting and delete the
corresponding entries. You can also edit
data here too if you prefer. Third party
tools like LastPass can also help, and may
be an option to consider. They offer more
features, and can make using the Internet
on a mobile device much easier.
There is a way to switch between mobile
and full versions of websites. A lot of sites
will give you this option, but not all do, so
you need to use a workaround which is
hidden in the secret debug menu. To get to
this, type 'about:debug' into the browser's
address bar and press Enter. Press the menu
key and then go to More and then Settings.
Scroll down the list and locate the entry
'UAString' and expand it. Select the Desktop
option from the list that appears.
Now, when you browse the Internet, any
sites that'll usually load up the special mobile

version will load up the standard Desktop

version of the site instead.
You can force Android's browser to open sites
in desktop mode with a simple tweak

The error message will usually stay

for the duration of the ad, and the video
will play as normal after. You should be
able to fix this by simply allowing ads on
YouTube, although this does mean you'll
need to view these ads. As you can't
skip the error anyway, this isn't really a
problem, though.
Some users have noted that the problem
doesn't seem to be directly related to the
ad blocking software, but is instead on
the YouTube side of things. At the time of
writing, however, I couldn't find any solid
evidence of this, so I can't confirm.
I'd try disabling any ad-blocking
software you may be running to see if it
fixes the problem. If so, try uninstalling
the program and reinstalling it. This has
apparently fixed the problem for some.
If you're getting errors when loading up
YouTube videos, try disabling your ad-blocker

Issue 1406

107

ASK
JASON

Getting Into
Gear

Ive just bought a Gear VR

headset to go with my Galaxy
S6 phone. I love it, but I think
some of the games would be
more enjoyable with a gamepad.
I guess Samsungs own gamepad
is probably the way to go, but I
cant find one anywhere, at least
not new. Can you point me in
the right direction or perhaps
suggest an alternative? Or could
I use one of my PlayStation 4
controllers?

Chuka, Yahoo!

Meet Jason
DAllison, a veteran
of Micro Marts panel
of experts. Hes here
to help with any
technical questions,
including anything
to do with tablets or
smartphones, as well
as PCs

You really do need a gamepad

to make the most of the Gear
VR. Samsung has done a fine
job with the headsets touchpad,
but it still makes for a clumsy
way to play games. And for
many games, a gamepad is a
requirement, not just an option.
Oculus, Samsungs
development partner for the
Gear VR and the designer of
the Oculus Rift, offers three
recommendations (see goo.gl/
QTuSRD): the Samsung EI-GP20;
the SteelSeries Stratus XL (not
the iOS model); and the MOGA
Pro Power. I think Samsungs
unit has been discontinued like
you, Im struggling to find one

on sale. Maybe Samsung has

something new in the offing?
The SteelSeries unit is also
hard to track down. There are
second-hand models going for
around 65, but Im sure you
werent born yesterday, Chuka.
That leaves the Pro Power.
Thankfully, its very good.* Its
well-built, robust, and has a
balanced weight. I know this
because Ive bought one! Clearly
the design is heavily influenced
by Xbox controllers. A handy
feature is the fold-out phone
bracket in the centre, letting
you turn almost any Android
phone into a full-blown portable
gaming system.
I bagged mine for a penny shy
of 35 (from Amazon). There
are less expensive options, of
course. In theory, any gamepad
with Bluetooth v3.0 support
should work with Android,
but I know from experience
that cheap often isnt cheerful.
The Oculus recommendations
are optimised for Gear VR,
whatever that means.
Can you use a PS4 controller?
Well, yes, but setting things up
can be a game in itself (see goo.
gl/WfXvN0), and many people
report a good deal of input lag.
Xbox controllers can be used
via a USB OTG cable, but not

wirelessly (they dont support

Bluetooth). Controllers from
other consoles may also work
or not. In my view, if you want
plug-and-play instead of plugand-pray, stump up a few quid
and do the job right.
* The MOGA Pro Power has
two modes: A and B. Mode A is
for MOGA-enhanced games,
an idea that appears to have
been abandoned. The games are
accessible through the Pivot app
(in Google Play), which doesnt
work with Android 5.x or later.
For standard use, ensure the
mode slider is set to B.
Which gamepads are best for
Android and Gear VR?

Send your questions to:

Jason DAllison
Micro Mart
Dennis Publishing
30 Cleveland Street
London
W1T 4JD

Contact Jason by email at:

jason@micromart.co.uk

While we try to cover as many

questions as we can, we regret
that Jason cannot answer your
questions personally, but hell cover
as many as he possibly can each
week. Please ask one question per
letter and remember to include the
full specification of your computer,
including its operating system.

Jason

108

Issue 1406
1361

Search And Rescue

Whats wrong with Windows Update? Wanting

to give my Dell Inspiron Mini 1012 a speed boost,
I recently fitted a 250GB SSD and clean-installed
Windows 7. I then started on the mammoth
update process. However, after SP1 was in place,
nothing would download Windows Update
just got stuck on the search phase. Nothing
changed after trying Microsofts Windows Update
Troubleshooter (goo.gl/5qJmfI) and the relevant
Fix it tool (goo.gl/Z2J9Ao).
The above was with Windows 7 Starter, so Ive
now begun again, this time with Professional,
with SP1 already integrated. But Ive hit the same
problem. Ive installed a little program called
Network Activity Indicator (goo.gl/JIQ9Pw),
which shows inbound and outbound Internet
traffic (replicating Windows XPs system-tray
icon), and this confirms that during the endless

search phase Windows Update is idle. I can

successfully get the updates manually by entering
the Knowledge Base numbers in Microsofts
website, but lifes too short!

Jonathan N. Palmer, South Yorkshire

I feel your pain. Ive been here many times. As
recounted in previous columns, the big-hitting
anti-virus programs Norton, McAfee, and the
like can sometimes cause update problems. If
youve got such a thing installed, Jonathan, try
temporarily disabling it. A bit dangerous, perhaps,
but needs must.
If thats no help, install the latest Windows
Update Agent (you may find youve already got
it). Download it from here: goo.gl/w4Ushz. Next,
type services in the Windows search bar and
select the top result. In the new window, scroll

THE
EXPERTS
down to the Windows Update service, rightclick it, and select Stop (assuming its already
running). Next, locate the folder C:\Windows\
SoftwareDistribution in Windows Explorer
and delete all contents. And finally, back in
the services window, right-click Windows
Update and select Start.
Does that do the business? If not, Im out
of ideas, Im afraid. Some say that Microsoft
has crippled Windows Update for Windows 7
deliberately, aiming to push people towards
Windows 10. No doubt Windows 7 is no
longer a priority, but sabotage? I cant see it.
Something worth a look is Windows
Downloads Updater. Thisll enable you to
download all required Windows updates
in one fell swoop, saving you the hassle of
getting them one by one from Microsoft.
Grab it from here: goo.gl/BhWT8a.
When you fire it up, youll receive a
warning that there are no update lists.
Dont panic! Head back to the website and
click the Update Lists (ULs) tab. Download
the relevant one for Windows 7 either
x86 (32-bit) or x64 (64-bit). Next, open the
file as normal click it at the bottom of
your browser or double-click it in Windows
Explorer. Back in the program, the list will

Card Games

What speed of microSD card do I need to

record 4K video without dropped frames? I
bought a Galaxy S7 Edge on launch day (11th
March), but Im very quickly running out of
the 32GB inbuilt storage. Ive tried an old
4GB card I had lying around and its just far
too slow.
M Richard, Gmail
Well, 4K video on a phone typically eats
about 6.25MB/s (at the usual 30fps). Even
a regular Class 10 card will support that.
The Class number, written inside a C
logo, represents the guaranteed minimum
sustained write speed (the read speed will
usually be higher).
However, the S7 and S7 Edge also support
UHS-I, a newer, faster standard. UHS-I
Class 1, like regular Class 10, supports a
guaranteed minimum sustained write speed
of 10MB/s, while UHS-I Class 3 increases this
to 30MB/s. In practice, many UHS cards are
much faster. The Class number is written
inside a U logo.
Tests on the S7 and S7 Edge show that
the card bus tops out at around 72MB/s for

Grab all Windows updates in one go (except for Windows 10s)

now be in place. Tick the updates you want

and hit Download.
Now, the idea of the program is that you
can slipstream the updates into a custom
Windows setup disc. If you fancy doing
that, take a look at NTLite (the revamped
nLite): www.ntlite.com. However, as youve

already got Windows 7 installed, ideally

youll want all the updates to auto-install,
without your intervention. I dont know a
way to do this, sadly. Youll have to install
them individually. After each dozen or so, try
Windows Update again. Maybe one of the
manual updates will get things moving.

reads and around 54MB/s for writes. Thats

good for a phone, but the very best cards
obviously wont reach their full potential.
A card with faster speeds may still be
worthwhile if youll sometimes be plugging it
into a PC via a USB 3.0 reader, as the quicker
the card, the quicker youll be able to shunt
data back and forth.
Capacity-wise, the S7 and S7 Edge, like
most modern phones, support the SDXC
standard, for cards above 32GB. Many
phones have a limit of 64GB or 128GB,
though, while the S7 models are good for
200GB (currently the biggest microSDXC
cards available). The sweet spot is probably
64GB. Stick to the known brands and buy
from a reliable source, one with a decent
returns procedure. There are a great many
counterfeit cards in circulation, and even
the likes of Amazon have unwittingly been
caught out.
As examples of whats out there,
Kingstons 64GB UHS-I Class 3 card, with
90MB/s reads and 80MB/s writes, costs
about 24. Kingston also sells two 64GB
UHS-I Class 1 cards (with almost identical
packaging): one with 45MB/s reads and

10MB/s writes, priced at around 13;

the other with 90MB/s reads and 45MB/s
writes, priced at around 21. Theres little
point in looking at regular Class 10 cards,
to be honest theres no real cost saving
these days.
Note Theres also UHS-II, again at Class
1 and Class 3. Speeds can be as high as
312MB/s. No current phone supports UHS-II
cards theyll work but only as UHS-I cards
(the top theoretical speed is 104MB/s).

What on earth does it all mean?

Issue 1406

109

Crowdfunding Corner
Ever feel like your backpack doesnt quite do everything you want? You are not
alone, it would seem because it looks like smart backpacks are the future

GoPlug

iBackPack 2.0

URL: kck.st/1pvXV05
Funding Ends: Thursday, April 21st 2016

URL: kck.st/1ppUDuA
Funding Ends: Wednesday, April 13th 2016

The GoPlug is a lightweight and compact backpack with a smart

power bank inside, capable of charging and powering a huge
variety of devices. Funding it could mean youll never have to
worry about your phone or laptop being without emergency
power again because, as well as a power outlet the GoPlug power
bank has two USB ports capable of charging any mobile device,
and both a 12v and a 19v adaptor for charging larger devices.
However, if you want a UK or European outlet you have to buy the
more expensive 220v option, though.
Additional features include optional Bluetooth on/off controls,
timer-based and conditional charging (i.e. for an hour, or until
your device reaches a certain percentage even when youre in a
certain location). A proximity sensor allows you to keep track of
devices within a 50ft range, and theres a notification system to
tell you when the power is low or when your hardware is charged.
The cheapest price that gets you everything is $299 (206),
and that includes the backpack, a GoPlug power bank and a
magnetic docking station, discounted from the retail price of
$399 (275). If you want a Solar Panel to go with that, you can
get one for $369 (255), discounted from the retail of $479
(330). The project already hit double its target, so theres no
need to worry about that. If you want one, nows the time to get
in on it!

If youre looking for a backpack thats a little more complete,

the iBackPack 2.0 might be what you need to take a look at. Its
extensive list of features include RFID-blocking pockets, notebook
safety paddings, retractable USB cable for its internal power-bank,
four-port USB hub, Bluetooth audio speakers and headset, a side
handle, and top handle, 30+ internal compartments, weatherproof zips and even a bullet-proof pocket for a Kevlar plate (eek)!
It has wi-fi/mi-fi with 4G support so that you can turn it into
a wireless hotspot, and theres a flashlight built into the main
20,000 mAh power bank.
In addition to all of those niche features, theres a controller app
to help you manage and monitor the hardware from your Android
or iOS device so you dont even have to stop moving to know where
you stand, power-wise. There are several different variations on
the backpack with different accessories and feature sets, but the
cheapest (Starter) version is priced at $149 (100), and the most
expensive (Sales Pro) version can be picked up for $399 (275).
With just days past the project is half way to its $50,000
(35,000) goal, so we expect this one to do just fine within
its project limit the end of which comes on April 13th. The
iBackpacks will ship in September 2016, if all goes to plan, so
there isnt even that long to wait! Shame they wont be here for
summer, though.

Disclaimer: Images shown may be prototypes and Micro Mart does not formally endorse or guarantee any of the projects listed. Back them at your own risk!

110

Issue 1406

APP OF THE WEEK

App Of The Week

iZen The Art of
Zen Meditation
David Hayward becomes one with everything

here are times when even we in

the Micro Mart shed are prone to
moments of stress like when we
get a particularly big gas bill or we find
someones put a wet spoon back in the
communal sugar.
Its during those times that we turn
to iZen, the Art of Zen Meditation. A
soothing app for Android devices, it
aims to help you attain a higher state
of awareness and spiritual fulfilment.

Om

Zen meditation (aka Zazen) is a type of

meditation unique to Zen Buddhism,
apparently. Its also often referred to
as seated meditation which, to be
honest, suits us just fine.
What you need to do is fairly simple.
After all if it was complicated, then
it wouldnt be very relaxing. Grab
yourself a zafu or, as the rest of us
refer to it, a pillow, then get your
Android device and install the app from
the Play store.

There are some relaxing

images displayed in iZen

Next, make sure youre perfectly

relaxed, and tap the icon to start your
journey into your inner self and find
spiritual enlightenment. Or you could
just look at the nice images that crop
up, tastefully fading from one to the
other, while listening to the eight
included tracks: Drifting away, The Voice
of Wisdom, Zen Garden, The Milky
Way, Peaceful Passage, Quiet Mountain
Oriental Spring and Rainy Night.
Beyond this, there are options to
play a single track, repeat the track,
play them in a random order or play
them in the default order one after the
other. Theres also an option to create a
play time, so you can set in hours and
minutes the desired amount of time
you wish to listen to the relaxing sound
of birdies chirping in the trees, water
flowing over a stony river and so on.

Be At One

Lose yourself in the path

Free.
Relaxing sounds and pleasing
images.
Set track repeats or continuous
play.
Timer function.

Micro Mart has never looked so calm

Now, just get the app running, get your

legs painfully bent into the one-quarter

towards self-enlightenment

Features At A Glance

The ambient music flows

through the universe and
your third eye. Be one and do

Lotus position, and listen to the sounds

of Tibetan horns and little cymbals
occasionally crashing together.
Did we feel relaxed after using
iZen? Yes, we did. It was actually quite
pleasant closing our eyes and listening
to the calming sounds of nature mixed
with relaxing music. Either way, it
was considerably healthier than the
bottle of Fleet Street Comfort we have
stashed in the bottom drawer of our
desk for overshot deadlines.
Should you aspire to walk the narrow
path towards self-enlightenment and
you like to commune with your third
eye, inner self and whatever else Zen
meditation enthusiasts go about doing,
then give iZen a try and see if itll work
for you.

a Lobsang Rampa

Issue 1406

111

Logging

Off

n the earliest days of the internet, I recall being really impressed

with some content I found. Many contributors presented deeply
considered ideas, proportional arguments often as initiators of
discussion, and not the final word.
Yes, the internet had a halcyon era when you could surf with
a firewall made by Microsoft and not expect to be turned into a
malware distributing bot.

EDITORIAL
Editor: Anthony Enticknap
theeditor@micromart.co.uk
Designer: Laura Jane Gunnion
Designer: Kevin Kamal
Bonus John: John Moore
Contributors: Mark Pickavance,
Jason DAllison, Joe Lavery, Sven
Harvey, Simon Brew, Dave Edwards,
Ryan Lambie, James Hunt, Mark Oakley,
Roland Waddilove, Popcorn, Beef Stew,
Sarah Dobbs, David Hayward, Michael
Fereday, Ian McGurren, Aaron Birch,
David Briddock, Craig Grannell, Kevin
Pocock, Andrew Unsworth, Dave
Robinson, Rob Leane

Sales Executive:

SUBSCRIPTIONS

Managing Director:

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Production Coordinator:

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112

1213
Issue 1406

But these days were a long way from Kansas, Toto,

because half the postings I digest each day are either
alternate-reality based or intentionally disingenuous.
My encouragement for talking about this here is
the new Ghostbusters movie and some of the entirely
outrageous posts Ive seen coming off the back of
its trailer.
What Id expect is that some blogs would like it,
others less so, and those reading would get to decide
how they felt about a studio reworking this seminal
classic. But something supernatural has definitely been
unleashed, because Ive seen a vast majority of sites
running overly gushing responses to the trailer, to the
point that it all smells a funny colour.
The first of these that struck the wrong chord was a
piece Gizmodo ran The New Ghostbusters Trailer Is Here,
and Everything Looks Perfect. Eh? Does it? The talk-back
on that piece was quite vicious, and probably justifiably so,
because however you looked at the trailer, perfect wasnt the
response that even the more supportive fans could muster.
And then Aint it Cool News ran an equally positive puff piece by
Horrorella, where she talked about the trailer receiving, both cheers
and groans (though, happily, more cheers).
Those comments got equally reamed, because if you go to YouTube
and looks at the likes/dislikes quota, its running at 184,000 versus
420,000 at the time of going to press.
Unless your maths is really bad, thats not more cheers is it?
The obvious answer is that the rules of click-bait apply, and blogs
are just trying to get traffic into specific pages by writing something
outrageous at the top, but that doesnt quite fit much of what has
transpired around Ghostbusters.
I suspect it has more to do with the large amount of promotional
cash that Sony is putting behind this movie, and those blogs that think
they can snag a chunk by saying positive things from the outset.

John Moore

MicroMartAdCopy@gmail.com
Digital Production Manager:
Nicky Baker

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Jan-Dec 2010

But what really made me wonder about shadow agendas

was the way that Sony went after negative comments
posted below its trailer on YouTube, getting a large number
of them deleted.
And Im not just talking about ones were people said
horrible things about the cast or acting. No, they deleted
things where people just said they didnt find it funny!
Thats a moronic thing to do, because the whole internet,
Twittersphere, Facebook-arama is absolutely knee deep in
people saying less than gracious things about the trailer, and
Sony is assaulting a Titanic-sized leak with a thimble.
The director, Paul Feig, isnt helping by going on Twitter
and lambasting people because of how theyve reacted,
and making a largely spurious connection between the
outpouring of hate and the all-female main cast.
Paul, they didnt like what youd done with one of their
favourite franchises. Stop making that face or youll be
wearing it for eternity!
In July, Sony and Feig get to find out just how busted there
really are. I wonder who theyre going to call?

Mark Pickavance
LAST WEEK'S CROSSWORD
Across: 7 Magniloquence, 8 Skidoo, 9 Appeal, 10
Polymer, 12 Knobs, 14 Codec, 16 Unscrew, 19 Reduce,
20 Haggle, 22 Victor Grinich.
Down: 1 Bank, 2 One Day, 3 Blooper, 4 Equal, 5 Tempon,
6 Scramble, 11 Orogenic, 13 Unsharp, 15 Equity, 17
CoGeNT, 18 Henry, 21 Lucy.

DISCLAIMER
The views expressed by
contributors are not
necessarily those of the
publishers. Every care is taken
to ensure that the contents of
the magazine are accurate but
the publishers cannot accept
responsibility for errors. While
reasonable care is taken when
accepting advertisements, the
publishers cannot accept any
responsibility for any resulting
unsatisfactory transactions.
We know it happens every
year, but we still get a little bit
excited when the weather gets
warm enough to leave the
house in the morning without
first putting on a coat. And for
some of us here, that day
arrived this week. Yes, there

was actual sunshine! And the

temperature very nearly
reached room temperature!
Exciting stuff, indeed
although probably not enough
to break out the ice cream just
yet. Speaking of ice cream (as
if we need an excuse to talk
about it), weve been thinking
about making our very own
homemade ice cream cake.
The only problem is weve
never eaten an ice cream cake,
and were not entirely what it
is. All we know is that it gets
mentioned occasionally in
American TV shows, and it has
the words ice cream and cake
in its name. That alone,
though, is enough to tell us its
obviously the greatest thing in
the entire world.

THIS WEEK'S CROSSWORD

Across
7 In formal language theory and
computer programming the operation
of joining character strings end-toend. (13)
8 A function that is infinitely
differentiable used in calculus and
topology. (6)
9 Change a portion of text to capitals.
(6)
10 In meteorology, the rapid inward
circulation of air masses about a low
pressure centre. (7)
12 A rule adopted by an organisation
in order to regulate its own affairs and
the behaviour of its members. (5)
14 A series of commands and
procedures that are carried out in
response to a single command or
keystroke. (5)
16 The nasty bit of a computer virus.
(7)
19 Arrange for compensation in the
event of damage, injury or loss in
exchange for regular payments to a
company. (6)
20 A warning or proviso of specific
stipulations, conditions, or limitations.
(6)
22 A punctuation mark used to
attribute the enclosed text to someone
else. (8,5)
Down
1 A port of the Doom source code by
TeamTNT that fixed numerous

software glitches and added other

software enhancements into the
engine. (4)
2 Move through text or graphics
in order to display parts that do not fit
on the screen. (6)
3 The process of using strong acid or
mordant to cut into the unprotected
parts of a metal surface to create an
incised design into the metal. (7)
4 The complete unabridged version of
a movie. (5)
5 In economics a situation in which
the nominal price is resistant to
change. (6)
6 .bw TLD (8)
11 A feeling of intense longing for
something. (8)
13 A series of printed vertical bars that
are scanned by a laser to identify the
item for sale and stock control
purposes. (3,4)
15 A device that forwards data
packets between computer networks.
(6)
17 A complete bootable computer
installation including operating system,
which runs in a computers memory,
rather than loading from disk. (4,2)
18 Phone or email messages
containing sexually explicit material. (5)
21 The point at which something is at
its best or most highly developed. (4)

Issue 1358
1406

113

Top

Things Sci-Fi
Got Right
Just because somethings made up,
doesnt mean it cant happen for real

Talking To Computers

When it comes to talking to software, you cant help

but think of Star Trek. Its no surprise that way back
in the 60s, the idea of computers able to understand
human speech seemed far fetched and fitting only for
science fiction. But decades on, in 1896s Voyage Home, it
still seemed beyond our reach. As Scotty famously spoke the
words Hello computer into a mouse, we all laughed. But
today, our PCs can type our words as we speak, and even
mobile phones have the ability to listen to what we say and
carry out instructions.

Communication Devices

Speaking of mobile phones, personal communications

are another technology that once belonged firmly in
the world of make-believe. Now, of course, everyone
has one, and you can get hold of anyone, pretty much
wherever they are in the world.
But its not just mobile phones that could have been pulled
straight out of a sci-fi novel. Smartwatches, too, are another
technology that would have been almost unbelievable just a
couple of decades ago. From their touchscreens to their wi-fi
and accelerometers, its all rather wonderful when you think
about it (even though it might seem like it when the person
next to you on the train is having a loud and very obnoxious
conversation on their phone).

Video Chat

Whether its aliens in Star Trek or family members

in Back to the Future II, the idea of video chat has
been around for ages. And its actually a problem
that companies managed to crack quite some time ago. To
begin with, video chat was expensive, but thanks to modern
broadband connections and VoIP, its become simple and cheap
- which is why its odd that no one really bothers to use it.
Text-based communication has become far more popular than
video chat, so in that sense sci-fi got it wrong. What it got
right is that its easy to do and open to pretty much everyone.

Virtual Reality

Although the Oculus Rift and the HTC Vive wont

enable you to turn yourself into software and travel
through phone wires and servers, a la The Lawnmower
Man, they do point to a future of total electronic immersion.
Just like the movies, we can explore vast virtual environments
and engage with the creations of VR developers.
Were still nowhere near the realistic experiences seen
in things like Star Treks holodeck or the slug-like pods of
Extistenz, but it certainly feels like were on the cusp of
something big.

Self Driving Cars

If you want proof of how fast technology moves,

just consider the self-driving car. It was only in 2004
that this idea was considered far-fetched enough
to be a feature of the Will Smith movie iRobot. Just over a
decade on, we have several companies actually trialling real
driverless vehicles.
Theyre not quite as fancy as the one the Fresh Prince drove
in that movie, but its still hugely impressive how quickly
theyve gone from fantasy to reality.
Hello, Siri!

114

Issue 1406

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