ASRock M8 Barebones Z97 Mini ITX System

ASRock delivers a LAN party barebones for those who crave high performance

Have you ever been to motor show where you see an amazing concept car that is breath-taking, and then the company responsible then actually makes something utterly horrible instead? The M8 is, in many respects the complete opposite of that notion.

Having previously shown off a quite radical design (styled by BMW no less) ASRock then actually went ahead and delivered it. This review model is actually a second generation M8, using a Z97 Express motherboard (which previously offered a LGA1155 Z87 design) and, while we'll accept this isn't visually to everyone's taste, when you get this very heavy (9kg) barebones computer out of the packaging it is certainly a 'wow' moment.

QPad 8K Laser Gaming Mouse

QPad follows up the legendary 5K Laser with a new 8K gaming mouse

My experience, for what it's worth, has shown me that a gaming mouse can be either the very best control device, or the absolute worst. It largely depends on who is using it. However, QPad has tried very hard to make its 8K Laser something that most players (right handed ones, at least) will generally adore. Essentially, this is an updated and enhanced version of the excellent 5K model from last year. Qpad has bounced the sensitivity to 8200 counts per inch, so it now registers seismic events caused by moles digging, and given the mouse an uprated ARM processor, 128KB of memory and RGB controllable LEDs.

Minix Neo Z64 Windows 8.1

A small PC packed with plenty of potential

We've seen a number of small-form factor PCs recently, from the more traditional Shuttle-looking chassis models through to the newer PC on a stick examples. Clearly there's a need for ultra-small PCs, whether it's for media centres or super-small desktops attached to the backs of a monitors.

The Neo Z64 is the newest entry in the small PC range and comes from Minix. This is an extremely capable unit that features an Intel Z3735F 64-bit processor running at 1.3GHz, 2GB DDR3L memory and 32GB eMMC of flash storage, onto which Minix has pre-installed a copy of Windows 8.1 Bing Edition. The processor used is the same Z3735F that Intel is currently trialling inside its Compute Stick system. It's an energy efficient CPU that delivers a decent amount of processing for normal, day-to-day computing duties. The graphics are handled by an Intel Bay Trail, which runs at 311 MHz with a boost frequency of 646MHz.

13-inch MacBook Pro with Retina display

The Force Touch is strong with this one

Apple has received a lot of criticism over the years for describing its products as “magical”, or some variant of it, and it probably is fair to say that we should be impressed by very smart technological advances for what they are – ingenious constructions – rather than feeling the need to couch them in terms of mysticism or suggesting that the impossible has been achieved (when what has been achieved was, evidently, possible).

The App Store fakers

Lurking in the App Store are countless apps comprising stolen assets, trying to trick users into buying them. We speak to affected developers and reveal how to avoid being hoodwinked by fakes. by Craig Grannell

The App Store is often described as the Wild West of software: oft-uncharted territory where hardy pioneers battle it out in a stern, frequently brutal survival of the fittest. In recent years, though, corners of the App Store have become murkier and without any semblance of honour, akin to a bootlegger's paradise. Rather than striving for innovation and quality, certain developers instead resort to outright trickery, stealing icons, names, artwork, App Store descriptions and even the codebase of entire apps or games, and then try to make a fast buck selling the results to unsuspecting iPhone and iPad owners.