Lesser Known Web Browsers You Should Check Out

We all know about browsers such as IE, Firefox, and Chrome, but there are many more, and some are well worth a look

The internet browser is an essential application. Everyone with a PC needs one if they plan to go online, and a minuscule amount of PC users go without one. Therefore, the humble browser is probably one of, if not the most used PC program of all, aside from the OS itself. It started to become the dominant app it is today when Microsoft began bundling in its own browser, Internet Explorer with Windows, and since then the PC using public have never looked back. IE’s inclusion with Windows caused a bit of controversy, with accusations of monopolies and even some other browser companies going under, such as Netscape, but this all led us to the current influx in browsers, although you’d be forgiven for missing this explosion of programs.

Understanding Graphics Cards

We try and get our heads around the complexities of the GPU

A fair few years ago, we were spoiled for choice when it came to picking a graphics card. Should we buy an ATI card, Voodoo Banshee, Matrox Millennium or a Savage S3? It could lead to some interesting, if a little confusing discussions.

These days there are the two main players left: AMD (formally ATI) and Nvidia. But even though there are only two manufacturers now, it hasn’t got any less confusing. Where we used to simply look for the make and the amount of memory the card had, now there’s the GPU clock frequency, GPU shader clock, number of shaders and cores, memory type, memory bandwidth and TDP to take into consideration. And all that is before we even look to see if our case is big enough to fit the card in the first place.

Infinity Bluetooth Speaker

Michael Fereday journeys to infinity to check out a light show

With the number of small-to-medium Bluetooth speakers currently on the market, manufacturers are looking to different ways to make their product stand out from the competition. Attractive packaging and adding extra functionality are just two ways I have noticed recently. Thumbs Up!, the company responsible for this next offering, has gone for the latter method by introducing a light show feature to its Infinity speaker.

Edifier CineSound B3 Soundbar

Spice up your TV and video enjoyment with this sound bar from Edifier

TV’s offer good imagery, but are not so good at enriching the experience with quality audio. Towards the end of CRT production, the large cabinets allowed the installation of fairly decent speakers, so these heavy-weights were getting closer to what might be called Hi-Fi. However the latest slimline TFT and Plasma TV’s simply don't have the real-estate available to fit decent speakers into their ever thinner cases.

Penclic Mouse R2

A new design for a more comfortable peripheral

Although the modern mouse has gone through a number evolutionary stages – adding a scroll wheel, using a laser or optical sensor to track movement, and including a number of other useful buttons – the overall design hasn’t changed all that much.

One of the main concerns for the modern worker with regards to this design is the onset of RSI, Repetitive Strain Injury. Let’s face it, holding a mouse with your palm held flat for eight hours plus a day can lead to some painful and long-term problems. Thankfully there are ways to help prevent RSI, but a Swedish company, Penclic, may have a better solution.

Western Digital My Cloud 2TB

Western Digital spreads some sunshine in a cloudy world

Many people have an issue with ‘the Cloud’, or rather their lack of control over personal information stored out on the Internet. Given the poor attitude that both security services and commercial companies have to privacy these days, that’s probably not being paranoid.

The alternative, partly, is to have your own Cloud service, where you can centralise your files on an Internet accessible device that is located in your own home. That’s precisely the thinking behind Western Digital’s My Cloud range, and the entry level My Cloud 2TB is the first rung on this ladder.

Adam Elements ROMA 64GB

Adam Elements provide proof that the USB Type-C floodgates are opening

I’m a complete sucker for classy looking technology, and the ROMA by Adam Elements certainly fits that bill. Its precision metal finish and leather strap elevate it well above the plethora of plastic devices we’re pushed by other brands. My only initial concern was that like many Apple-related products there would be a major cost implication to this level of build quality. Amazingly, at least based on the MSRP I was provided, this is quite competitively priced for a 64GB flash drive. Adam Elements also plans at 128GB model in the near future, though I’ve no pricing for that currently.

Emsisoft Anti-Malware 11

If you are looking for a new antivirus program, this one should be on your shortlist. Roland Waddilove checks out the latest version

Emsisoft Anti-Malware is a lightweight antivirus program for people that do not need a full security suite with all the bells and whistles. It provides a basic level of protection against viruses, spyware and other types of malware, web protection, and a behaviour blocker. It costs £28 for one computer for one year, but three computers work out at £14 each. There are additional discounts for two or three year licenses.

Brother MFC-L2700DN

Focusing on the office, Mr Fereday checks out a new all-in-one

Designed for office use, the MFC-L2700DN is an All-in-One device. Based on a mono laser printer, this product combines Fax, Scan and Copy facilities with an ADF (Automatic Document Feeder). The 'DN' of the product’s title indicates that you also get Duplex and Networking capabilities.