LeMaker Guitar

The last LeMaker product I reviewed was the Banana Pro back in July 2015, and if you thought the Chinese-based electronics company had finished drawing inspiration from the Raspberry Pi Foundation when it dropped the ‘Banana Pi’ branding, the Guitar will soon disabuse you of that notion. Based in no small part on the Raspberry Pi Compute Module, the Guitar serves to fill a gap in the market, being an affordable computer-on-module (COM) in a 204-pin SODIMM form factor.

So far, so Compute Module. However, while the Raspberry Pi Foundation has been slow to replace the Compute Module’s aging single-core ARMv6 BCM2835 system-on-chip processor, the Guitar boasts a quad-core ARMv7 chip running at up to 1.3GHz, sitting alongside a PowerVR SGX544 graphics processor. There’s also 1GB of DDR3 memory included on the SODIMM module itself, along with a combined audio and power management unit and 8GB of on-board flash storage. That’s a lot of hardware, and the footprint suffers for it.

Taming the wilderness

Online abuse in gaming and over social media is widespread and severe. Rick Lane investigates why it happens, the damage it inflicts and how it can be stopped

It’s common knowledge that the Internet has a nasty side. From petty and vindictive arguments in comments sections to flaming in online games, the Internet can be a hostile and volatile place. Indeed, a whole lexicon has arisen around the subject of how to avoid the worst excesses of interacting online, such as ‘don’t read the comments’ and ‘don’t feed the trolls’.

The ugly side of the Internet is viewed as part of its essential nature, an unfortunate but necessary evil in its capacity as a free and open platform. Sure, someone swearing at and insulting you in a comment isn’t very nice, but it boils down to words on a screen from someone thousands of miles away; how hurtful can that be?

Helldivers

Helldivers is the finest cooperative game since Left 4 Dead, a frenzied team-based shooter where, if your enemies don’t get you, you’ll be got accidentally by your friends instead. It’s Starship Troopers meets Keystone Cops, a blend of frenetic action, tongue-in-cheek satire and slapstick comedy. It’s also fearsomely challenging and richly rewarding, taking no prisoners but recognising talent and teamwork.

Arrowhead Studios’ sci-fi shenanigans place you in the steelplated boots of a Helldiver, one of thousands of identikit interstellar soldiers tasked with bringing ‘democracy’ to the alien enemies of Super Earth in a vast galactic war. The Helldivers’ approach to spreading government via popular consensus is certainly unique – they land on an alien planet by orbital drop pod, then shoot or explode anything that comes within a hundred feet of their position until the planet is conquered.

QPAD DX-20

We reviewed QPAD’s very first gaming mouse – the excellent 5K – back in 2009 and since then the company has gone on to produce more great gaming mice, as well as keyboards and award-winning headsets. The DX-20, though, is a complete redesign and a comparatively expensive one too. It’s still relatively long at 130mm, but it now lacks the five-finger grip support of its predecessors and sports an ambidextrous design, albeit with thumb buttons on the left side. It’s narrower too, with no support for fingers other than your usual two finger buttons.

In Win Chopin

Last month we looked at Fractal Design’s excellent Core 500, which is fairly typical of a cube mini-ITX case. You can fit relatively large graphics cards inside it, as well as a full-sized ATX PSU, 5.25in drives, several SSDs and fans, and even a modicum of water-cooling components too. However, you can make your system even smaller if you’re prepared to chop a few items from your shopping list, and use a tiny case such as In Win’s Chopin.

Our initial thoughts when we saw images of the case for the first time was that it was a relatively attractive mini-ITX case that could compete with the likes of In Win’s own 901, or perhaps the Phanteks Evolv ITX. We were a little disappointed to read, then, that the Chopin lacked any room for expansion slots – it was a motherboard-only case. However, when we looked at the dimensions, we were flabbergasted.

The Rise Of The Ecosystem

Mark Pickavance discusses how technology ecosystems evolve, and their role in our purchasing choices

The concept of an ecosystem is one that we all learn early in our education, often following a school day out to a local pond.

A hierarchical arrangement of species is presented in the context of their habitat, and how this creates a stable and sustaining environment for those living things within it.

Man has long emulated these structures within our societies, as we moved from largely nomadic existence to cultivation and animal husbandry. As the industrial revolution took hold, many companies realised that a superior plan to selling individual products was to provide a collection of related ones.

Online Comparisons

Shopping online doesn’t always require trawling reams of websites. Comparison services can help find the best deals

A good bargain is never unwelcome and no one would want to willingly pay more than they should if it can be avoided. The inherent problem here when shopping online is the sheer number of outlets and vendors you can buy from. Unlike your local high street or shopping mall, where there are only so many retailers to choose from, the internet holds innumerable options, all of whom will offer different stock and different prices. Some are better than others and some will save you money, while others may charge more. It’s a commerce minefield and, unequipped, it can be difficult to find the best deals and save money. There are just so many possible deals to wade through and websites you may not even be aware of that could save you some cash.

New Battery Technology

David Briddock investigates if a battery technology breakthrough is imminent

Consumer interest in portable computing technology shows no signs of diminishing. Every year we see a new range of slimmer, lighter and more capable laptops, 2-in-1 devices, tablets, smartphones and smartwatches to satisfy demand.

Yet manufacturers and consumers alike continue to be frustrated by short battery life and long recharge times.

Is Your Online Banking Really Safe?

We put our money and our faith in online banking but can we rely on it?

Recently, I tried to log into my HSBC bank account via my iPhone, but the system would not grant me access. This was doubly frustrating given that I was looking to confirm some incoming payments had gone through so I could, in turn, dish out some cash to the tradesmen working on my house.

Resisting the temptation to ask if they would rather be paid in Tetley tea bags (of which we currently have plenty given the rate they go through), I nipped upstairs and tried to log in via a desktop browser instead. Again, no joy.