British steal

David Price explains how Onkyo UK took its A-9010 entry-level amplifier, sprinkled some stardust and added a UK suffix

Ah yes – Cool Britannia, Absolutely Fabulous, Blur vs. Oasis – remember it well! As the nineties slowly morphs from contemporary to historical, let us pause and reflect on the hi-fi of that decade. CD players were king, floorstanding loudspeakers were just beginning to catch on and we suddenly saw a procession of Japanese-made budget amplifiers which were “tuned for British ears”. It was all the Pioneer A-400’s fault as I remember, and this started a fashion for Sonys, Kenwoods, Marantzs, etc. all fettled especially for us.

Self-builds And Kits Versus Consumer Units

There’s more than one way to get a 3D printer, but which is best for you?

Although the range of 3D printers on offer is wide and varied in everything from size to technology, one thing all 3D printers have anything in common is that they’re expensive. In the UK, even the cheapest models approach £500.

It doesn’t necessarily have to be that way, however. If you buy a 3D Printer Kit – where all the parts are provided for you to assemble yourself you can save around £150 on the price of even a cheap 3D printer. Buy the components yourself and you can save even more money – but is a cost saving the only benefit? If not, what else attracts people to 3D printers which are considerably more complicated to set up than the ones you can buy fully assembled?

3D Printer Design Guide

Your 3D printer needs something to actually print, but what?

Once you have a 3D printer, you’ll need something to actually print with it. While most consumer 3D printers come with a selection of model designs for you to print as test pieces, a printer doesn’t come into its own until you’ve printed something for your own entertainment, enjoyment or use.

But unless you have a 3D scanner or a degree in computer arts, actually creating 3D models is a difficult process. So that you’re not left completely adrift when your hardware is assembled, we’ve put together this guide to explain how you can make your own 3D-printable designs and where you can get designs that other people have made.

How 3D Printing Works. A Beginner’s Guide

What makes this fascinating technology tick?

3D printing has been around for some years now, but its nature as a specialist part of the computing canon (no printing puns intended) means many of us only have a cursory knowledge of how it works and what’s involved.

As 3D printing becomes more common and more prominent in our daily lives, it’s worth going back to basics to make sure you understand the ins and outs of 3D printing, from the materials and processes involved to the hardware terminology. If you’ve never touched a 3D printer, don’t worry – this guide will make you feel like you know exactly what goes where and why.

100% Security For Lazy People

Keir Thomas explains in concise and simple terms how to implement just about every common-sense security measure

One thing all computer owners desire is security, but what 99% of computer owners lack is the time and effort to put in place the often complicated procedures – procedures that also demand you understand the complexities of what’s involved.

If you’re one of the 99%, then this feature is for you. Over the next four pages we tell you what to do to achieve maximum security and how to do it. We’re not concerned with explaining anything beyond what you absolutely need to know.