ASUS ZenPad Theater

A few years back when screen sizes of displays began to increase, it became clear to many that they didn’t necessarily want a 10-inch display. But though it may be shrinking, there’s still a small market for tablets, so a few brands like ASUS still release them. This time around, ASUS sent us its ZenPad Theater 8.0 bundle, which contains the ZenPad 8.0 and the brand’s unique Audio Case.

MSI Interceptor DS300

It would appear that lately, a lot of tech brands are starting to diversify their product portfolios, and MSI is one of those companies. Last month we managed to have a look at their take on a gaming mechanical keyboard, and this time around, they sent us a gaming mouse too, in the form of the MSI Interceptor DS300 Laser gaming mouse.

The DS300 is a grip-type gaming mouse for right-handed users, featuring rubber grips on both sides of the mouse for a slipfree gaming experience. As far as buttons go, the DS300 comes with the standard option of right and left mouse buttons, a scroll-wheel, a quick-change button for DPI, as well as two extra buttons on the side, which are set as back and forward buttons.

BenQ HT3050

BenQ is a familiar name for many of us. For the mainstream gaming community, BenQ is a brand that makes some of the best gaming monitors that not everyone can afford. But of course, the company is also famous for its projectors. Recently, BenQ sent us the BenQ HT3050 and here’s what we thought of it.

The BenQ HT3050 is a DLP (Digital Light Processing) projector capable of 3D projection. Decked out mostly in white, this projector has a simple yet functional look. Comparatively, this projector is one of the larger ones we’ve seen and also quite heavy. While you could carry it around in a large backpack, which we did just to test it at our homes and the office, it’s not really meant to be portable.

Acer Aspire R14

Working can be a chore sometimes, we admit there are times where work starts becoming a routine. But at least within that routine it’s great to have tools that help us get our things done like laptops and notebooks, for the times when you want to finish work somewhere other than the office. This is why laptops and notebooks are such a great thing, it can give you a brand new location for you to work, taking in the different energy or atmosphere that suits your needs.

Data Gone? Not With Us!

Our four-step plan creates an automatic backup for photos, documents and the operating system – This backup can be local, in the home network or in the cloud

From vacation photos to business contracts – An ever-larger chunk of the data that is important to us is only available in an electronic form.

The things that were stored in lever arch files or photo albums ten years ago are now stored on the hard drive. Digital storage is quite useful, since the hard drive offers a lot more space for photos and documents than living room cabinets do for folders and albums. However, the digital form of archiving requires a certain amount of planning. Unlike paper, which can last for centuries if stored properly, bits and bytes last for a limited period of time. A hard drive’s failure rate increases quite steeply after a period of three years – That’s when the threat of data loss comes into the picture.

Private Browsing At Work

Private browsing at the workplace can be done without any problems usually. But what exactly is allowed? What are the risks of dismissal? In Malaysia, this issue is in a bit of a grey area, so we take a look at how Germany tackles it

Quickly checking the Facebook feed before the next meeting, buying something at an auction on eBay, checking your account balance or sending your sweetheart a quick greeting from your company e-mail address: All of these things can be done without any problems at most companies, since they offer internet access at the workplace. However, private browsing at the office is a thorn in the eye for many bosses, and many employees have already lost their jobs because of it. Consequently, you should know all about your rights and responsibilities, so that you won’t get a pink slip bearing the following text: ‘Reason for dismissal: The internet’.

BBC Micro Bit in 2016

David Briddock finds out what’s happening with the much delayed BBC Micro Bit

In March 2015, the BBC Micro Bit launch caused quite a stir in the media. Announced as part of the BBC’s Make It Digital initiative (bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/mediapacks/makeitdigital), it was designed to integrate into the school computing curriculum. The idea was to encourage children to discover how computing systems work through interactive experimentation and coding.

With its buttons, array of LEDs and built-in sensors, the Micro Bit has the flexibility to host a wide range of projects, from simple games to full-blown scientific experiments, and it can connect wirelessly to smartphones and tablets.

During the launch, the BBC promised to give a Micro Bit to every child in Year 7 (11- and 12-year-olds), soon after the start of the 2015 school year. But things didn’t go to plan. We’ll address these issues later, but first let’s recap the components of the BBC Micro Bit.

Take Advantage Of New Features In Google Docs

Some recent updates to Google Docs have made the online word processor even easier to use. Roland Waddilove explores the new features

If you have a Google account, you have access to an office suite of applications on Google Drive consisting of a word processor, spreadsheet, presentations and more. If you haven’t yet tried it, you should. The applications run in a web browser and have all the features most people need. This Micro Mart article, for example, was written using Google Docs running in Chrome.

If you have already discovered Google’s office suite, have you noticed the new features in Docs? Like all Google apps, it’s frequently updated, and every month it seems like there’s something different. Sometimes the new features are obvious, but not always, so here are some recent changes you might have missed.

Hack Your Technology

David Crookes looks at what you can do to your phones, tablets, e-readers and computers

There is a game you can play online at hackerexperience.com, that puts you in the pants of a hacker seeking money and power. It allows you to install viruses, look for the most effective software, steal cash and complete missions. It may sound esoteric, but it’s by no means the only such game around. A quick gander at Steam will show titles such as Hacknet and Hack Run Zero, which are based on a similar theme. Even iOS lets you tap into the desire to flip over to the dark side – Hacker’s Quest is one such text adventure that proves to be rather good fun.