What’s All the Fuss About Surround Wi-Fi

There’s a new way to guarantee a reliable connection from cellar to attic

What is it?

A term coined by US router company Luma (https://getluma.com) to describe a new form of Wi-Fi. The technology connects several routers around your home to extend coverage, similar to how wireless speaker systems like Sonos play music in different rooms.

Palicomp AMD Shockwave

A Windows 10 desktop PC that puts plenty of power at your fingertips

What is it with PC makers and military hardware? We tested Chillblast’s Fusion Drone, which to our disappointment bore no resemblance to a nuclear-powered unmanned aerial vehicle. Palicomp’s Shockwave comes in a rugged black case that actually does look as if Prince Andrew should be demonstrating it to an audience of Saudi officials. LED lighting behind the grilles even emits an eerie green glow. But it’s really quite harmless.

Veho Muvi K2NPNG

An action camera with lots of extras

Trademark lawyers hate it when you use brands to reference a whole category of products. But we still do it. Most of us have a Hoover, possibly made by Zanussi. Or maybe a ‘Dyson’… with ‘Vax’ written on the front. Some names just stick in the mind, and almost anything is better than ‘vacuum cleaner’.

BBC iPlayer Fast Fixes

Fix poor video quality, find the missing HD option and disable your VPN

Error message says you’re outside the UK

If iPlayer tells you you’re not in the UK when you are, check whether you’ve installed VPN software such as CyberGhost (www.cyberghostvpn.com). Tools like these mask your computer’s IP address to make it look like you’re connecting from a different country. So, try disabling any VPN tool you have installed.

Acer Liquid Jade Z

High performance at a low price

Five hundred quid for a phone? You must be joking, you might think. I don’t need all that, you might think. Retina this, fingerprint scanner that – who cares, as long as you can make calls, send texts and install a few apps? So you buy a budget smartphone. You turn it on. And then you remember it isn’t really a phone at all, it’s a computer. Features aside, that extra you pay is for performance: the ability to do the same things, but with less staring at the screen waiting (often praying) for them to actually happen.