Remove Browser Hijackers, PUPs And Adware

Roland Waddilove shows how your PC becomes infected with unwanted extras and how to clean up your web browsers

If you've owned a PC for any significant amount of time, then at some point, you've probably had to deal with potentially unwanted programs (PUPs), browser hijackers and adware on your computer. They're easy to install but often difficult to remove. They're stubborn and can even appear to remain on the system even after they've been uninstalled. How do PUPs get on your computer? What do they do to it? How do you get rid of them? What tools can help you?

The Best Of Windows 8 App Store

Don't let the concept of an app store scare you away, says Keir Thomas, who looks at 10 gems to be found in Windows 8's offering

The idea of a centralised store where apps can be bought is entirely logical but is simultaneously one that die-hard PC users have a hard time swallowing. On tablets and phones it just about makes sense, but on a desktop or laptop we still expect to install from DVD or via downloads. It's about feeling in control.

Perhaps because of this, Microsoft was wise enough not to make the Windows Store within Windows 8 the only method of software installation, but Redmond has certainly invested a lot of time and effort into making it an effective means of adding software to your system. Even if many people who use Windows 8 aren't aware it exists, it's surely shunned only by the most ignorant.

Transcend DrivePro 220

An already amazing dash cam, that offers so much more

We've reviewed a few in-car dash cams over the past months, and the burning question that's left in our minds is why cars aren't fitted with these to begin with? Having a dash cam can solve so many issues when it comes to accident reports, and insurance claims - and of course the safety aspect that comes with the knowledge that your driving, and of those around you, is going to be captured for the emergency services may well force the heavy footed individual to actually slow down and take care.

ASRock Z97 Extreme9

Lanes! Where we're goina we don't need Lanes!

Not long ago, we reviewed ASRock's Z97 Pro3, a highly affordable LGA 1150 motherboard featuring the latest Intel Z97 Express chipset. As the name and price hints, ASRock Z97 Extreme9 is from the same stable, but is aimed at someone building a gaming platform.

Using the Z97 for this purpose isn't easy, because Intel, in it less-than-infinite wisdom, blessed it with only 16 PCI-E lanes; enough for one x16 slot or dual x8 configuration. You'd reasonably think that pretty much stuffs the Z97 Express for extreme multi-GPU use but, amazingly, in this design it’s tried to dodge that bullet by using a PEX 8747 PCI-E Bridge. This addition inserts a switching hub into the PCI-E system, allowing for the 16 lanes of PCI-E 3.0 to be remapped to 48 'repeated' lanes.

Samsung 850 EVO mSATA 500GB

Samsung sprinkle their 850 EVO goodness in the direction of mobile users

Laptop users are generally caught between a rock and a hard place in respect to SSD technology. They want the speed and power efficiency, but they also don't want to give up the capacity of their hard drive. Thankfully, flash memory costs are now dropping, and thus drive sizes are growing to the point where SSD technology isn't necessarily the compromise it once was.

Minis NEO X8-H Plus Android

A superb Android TV device, with support for true 4K resolutions

We recently reviewed the Windows 8.1 version of the Minix NEO tiny PC and were immensely pleased with its design, performance, potential and the fact that can fit in the palm of your hand. Now it's the turn of the Android Minix NEO, but it does it have what it takes to go toe-to-toe with the windows 8.1 version?

The X8-H Plus is ever so slightly bigger than that of the previously reviewed Z64. However, despite measuring just 256 x 256 x 25mm it somehow manages to pack in a Quad core A9r4 Cortex processor with an Octo-core Mali 450 GPU, 2GB I of DDR3 memory, and a 16GB eMMC flash storage - which comes pre-installed with Android (KitKat 4.4.2, to be precise).