Posts

printer

A Big Stink About Ink

After trying to dismiss a lawsuit from HP customers angry at a firmware update (meaning that their HP printers wouldn’t work with third-party ink cartridges), we look at how HP is answering the arguments within the antitrust ink cartridge…
disk storage

A Quick Guide To Flash Drives & HDD Storage

In this brief guide to storage technology, we compare and contrast the benefits of flash drives and Hard Disk Drives (HDD) for enterprise storage and take a look at some other popular storage options.  What are Flash Drives?  Flash…
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AI Key Added To Microsoft Keyboards

In the first change to Microsoft keyboards in 30 years, an AI key is to be added to Microsoft Windows 11 PC keyboards from February.  Copilot Key  In a move that Microsoft says will make “2024 the year of the AI PC” and…
TV

What Is OLED?

In this article, we look at what OLED is and its advantages, and we take a brief look at the other types of LED displays available.  What Is OLED?  OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode. This is a display technology that’s…
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Quantum Computing Breakthrough

Researchers from the University of Sussex and Universal Quantum have announced that they have made a major breakthrough in quantum computing that could help solve the most complex real-world problems.  What Are Quantum Computers?  Quantum…
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Smart Products Have Just 2 Years Of Life

Consumer champion Which? says that high-end smart products may lose features and functionality, or become a hacking risk, after as little as two years because manufacturers may stop tech updates.  Stopping The Smart Updates Limits Lifespan  Which?…
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Starlink Broadband Trial In Cumbria

As part of Project Gigabit, the UK government has announced a trial of Starlink satellite broadband in the Lake District as part of wider plans to connect highly remote areas.  What Is Starlink?   Starlink, operated by billionaire…
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New Deadline To Remove Huawei

Following the UK government’s decision back in June 2020 to remove all Huawei Equipment From 5G Network Cores, the deadline has now been pushed back to December 2023.  Why Remove Huawei Equipment?  The decision to remove the equipment…
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Amazon’s Sparrow Robot Could Replace Humans

Amazon is reported to be testing the machine learning ‘Sparrow’ robot arm that could handle 65 percent of its 100+ million diverse parcels.   Challenge  Although Amazon already uses robot arms called ‘Robin’ and ‘Cardinal’…
USB hub

USB4 Version 2.0

Following the announcement by the USB Promoter Group of the imminent arrival of the new USB4® Version 2.0 connectivity standard, we look at what is, and what advantages it offers.  What Is USB4 Version 2.0?  USB4® Version 2.0…
Data Center

Data Centres To Use Raw Water?

Thames Water has said that it wants to work with data centres in its jurisdiction to enable them to use raw water rather than drinking quality water for cooling.  Switching To Raw Rather Than Drinking Quality Water  Just as the…
Microchip

What Are The Reasons For The Chip Shortage?

With the world facing a considerable semiconductor microchip shortage, we take a look at the causes and effects of the shortage plus some potential solutions.  Why Is This Important?  Microchips are now included in virtually everything…
server room

Hot Weather & Hardware

In this tech-insight, we look how extreme heat can affect IT hardware and what measures you can take to keep the equipment cool and prevent damage.  High Temperatures  Hot weather UK-style is not normally a problem. With an average…
wifi
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What Are Wi-Fi 5 And 6 … And What’s The Difference?

In this tech-insight, we look at what Wi-Fi 5 And 6 are including their differences plus the improvements that Wi-Fi 6 offers.  Wi-Fi Standards  Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6 are the names of the most recent Wi-Fi standards. Wi-Fi standards…
copmuter

US Supercomputer Breaks The ‘Exascale’ Barrier

The world’s first ‘exascale’ computer, called the ‘Frontier’ computing system (i.e. a supercomputer) from Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee, has smashed the exascale computing speed barrier.  What Is The Exascale?  The…
mac

Macs in Business

With Macs getting a huge boost in popularity over the pandemic and a new report showing Mac shipments growing almost twice as fast as the PC market as a whole in 2021, we look at why more businesses are embracing Macs, and also what challenges…
eReader

Ereaders? Amazon, Kobo … And The Others

In this insight, we look what ereaders are, their strengths and weaknesses, and popular makes and models.  Ereaders  Ereaders / e-book readers / e-book devices are mobile electronic devices that look similar to tablets and are designed…
VR Headset

Where Are We At With VR These Days?

In this insight, we look at where Virtual Reality (VR) is now, plus what predictions there are for its future.  Potted History  Virtual Reality (VR) is a simulated and fully immersive experience that obscures the natural world,…
Windows laptop
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Survey Reveals 55% Of Devices Can’t Upgrade to Windows 11

A survey by IT asset management platform Lansweeper has revealed that 55 per cent of devices are not capable of upgrading to Windows 11.  Survey  The survey, based on an estimated 30 million Windows devices from 60,000 organisations,…
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What Is ‘Scalping’?

In this insight, we look at what scalping is and why some people are looking to introduce legislation to stop it.   Scalping   The term “scalping” refers to stockpiling popular products and reselling them at a higher price…
satelitespacex
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What’s All the Fuss About Starlink?

In this article, we look at what Starlink is and why it has been making the news in the last couple of weeks.  What Is Starlink?  Starlink, operated by billionaire Elon Musk’s SpaceX company uses a constellation of low orbit satellites…
VR

Damage Caused While Wearing VR Headsets Results in 31% Increase Insurance Claims

Insurer Aviva has highlighted how accidental damage caused by VR headset-wearing gamers caused a 31% jump in home contents claims in 2021.  Average of £650   Aviva reports that the average VR-related claim for accidental damage…
Tech Products
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What Was New at CES?

In this tech insight, we take a look at a selection of the latest B2B and B2C tech products and gadgets on show at the recent CES® tech trade show. Examples The more business-focused devices, hardware and software on show included: Laptops…
BYOD
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The Essentials Of A ‘BYOD’ Policy

In this article, we look at what BYOD is, why a BYOD policy is important, and what elements form the essential blueprint of a BYOD policy. What Is BYOD? The term Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) has been around since 2004 when it was first…
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Apple’s New ‘Business Essentials’

Apple has announced a new ‘Business Essentials’ service that enables small businesses to easily manage every employee’s iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Device Management Solution For Small Businesses Aimed at business with up to 500 employees,…
iphones
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Apple Introduces “Self-Service Repair”, Starting With iPhone 12 and iPhone 13

‘Right to repair’ campaigners finally had something to celebrate last week as Apple announced its “self-service repair” programme, aimed at “customers who are comfortable with completing their own repairs.” Initial Phase Apple…
home user
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Hybrid Working Results In Move Off-Premise For Tech Infrastructure

Research by Zen Internet has revealed that hybrid working is causing businesses to question whether they now need enough on-premise tech infrastructure to support a full capacity office. Most Business Have Hybrid Working Plan The research…
car charging
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Charging Electric Vehicles : What You Need to Know

In this article, we look at the different types and locations of EV charging in the UK, plus the challenges and legislation relating to it. How Many Electric Cars In The UK? By the end of August 2021, there were more than 600,000 plug-in…
batteries
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Tech-Insight – What Is A Solid State Battery?

In this tech-insight, we take a brief look at what solid-state batteries are, their benefits and challenges, and how why they hold a great deal of promise for use in electric vehicles in the near future. Solid State A solid-state battery…
Google Glasses

‘Smart’ Glasses?

With Google and Amazon (plus soon-to-be Facebook and Apple) getting into making ‘Smart Glasses’, we take a brief look at what different types are currently being used for, plus we look at the vision for the future of these promising wearables. What…
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Tech Insight : What Is 3D Printing?

In this article, we look at what 3D printing is, its benefits, and how it is being used now to add value in many different industries. What Is It? 3D printing (“additive manufacturing”) describes how, using a special printing machine,…
chip
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Have Computers Reached Their Limit?

Many tech commentators have noted how the stagnation in computing has led to ‘Moore’s Law’ being challenged, but has the shrinking of transistors within computer chips really hit a wall and what could be next for Moore’s Law? What…
printer

Tech Insight – Why Is Printer Ink So Expensive?

After a recent ‘Which?’ survey found that some branded printer ink costs more than some champagnes, we take a look at the reasons why printer ink is so expensive. The Recent ‘Which?’ Survey The survey by consumer watchdog Which?…
Repair

What Does “Right-To-Repair” Actually Mean?

In this article, we look at the right-to-repair movement, where it comes from, and how it’s progressing. The Right-To-Repair The ‘right-to-repair’ is a movement that seeks to have rules/legislation passed that forces manufacturers…
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June Heatwave Saw High Temps And It Affects The Web Too

In this article, we look at how the weather can affect your Internet connection, and therefore the fortunes of the Web. Vulnerabilities Thinking beyond the router that is indoors, and protected from the weather, the rest of the infrastructure…
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AI Designs, er, AI Chips … Better Than Humans, Says Google

AI can now design AI chips hundreds of times faster (and better) than humans. Where will this lead? A recent research paper has described how a deep reinforcement learning approach to chip ‘floorplanning’ has led to AI generating…
moving boxes

Safely Moving Your Tech Hardware

With many of us now owning tech items such as laptops, desktops, and printers, we look at the best ways to prepare tech hardware for a safe journey to a new home. Tech Owners An Aviva survey from 2020 showed that the average UK home now…
WatchGuard T80WatchGuard
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Tech Insight: What Are Firewalls?

In this article, we take a brief look at what a firewall is, what types there are, and the benefits and drawbacks of firewalls. Firewall A firewall is a network security system that can monitor and control incoming and outgoing network…
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Tech News : Robot Police Dog Sent Back With Tail Between Its Legs

It has been reported that NYPD has cancelled its contract with the company that supplied its ‘robot dog’ after the robot’s militarised appearance increased tensions with civilians at a difficult time for police relations. What Robot…
liquid cooling
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Liquid Cooling To Maintain Microsoft’s Data Centres

Huge demands on Microsoft’s data centre servers, partly driven by a surge in Microsoft Teams user numbers has led to the tech giant opting for liquid-immersion cooling. The Challenge Microsoft has recognised that it has now come up…
phone charging

Featured Article : Risks or Benefits of Charging Devices Overnight?

Many of us charge phones and laptops overnight but is this good for the battery and is it potentially dangerous, and how can we safely get the most from our device batteries? Batteries Smartphone and laptop batteries are Lithium-Ion (Li-Ion).…
Souldering

Tech Insight – The Global Microchip Shortage

With the world facing a considerable semiconductor microchip shortage, we take a look at the causes and effects of the shortage plus some potential solutions. Why Is This Important? Microchips are now included in virtually everything…
PC
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PC Sales Get Biggest Boost in 10 Years From Remote Working

Global tech market analysts Canalys have reported that the worldwide PC market has received its biggest sales boost in 10 years as remote working fuels the ongoing digital transformation. Highest Full-Year Growth Since 2010 Canalys reported…
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Bring Your Own Device (BYOD)

In this article, we look at why bring your own device (BYOD) is still popular and we look at some of the risks businesses face by allowing BYOD. BYOD BYOD has been around since 2004 and essentially allows employees to bring in their personally…
fibre opticpexels

Whole Village’s Broadband Stopped By an Old TV

An anonymous person living in the village of Aberhosan, Powys, was found to have caused broadband outages for the whole village for the last 18 months every time they switched on their old television. Investigation An exhaustive investigation…
alexapexels

Voice-Control Your Printer

Amazon has announced its new ‘Printing With Alexa’ service that allows owners of Echo devices to operate their printer using voice commands. Print What? Printing With Alexa allows the simple “Alexa, print….” followed by what…
WatchGuard T80WatchGuard
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Making Your Router Secure

With your router in charge of all incoming and outgoing Internet traffic and controlling the Wi-Fi network for your devices, it makes sense to make it as secure as possible. Routers Your router is the device that connects your computer…
Tokyo
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No More Laptops From Toshiba

Tokyo-based Toshiba Corporation has announced that it has now transferred the remaining 19.9 per cent of its outstanding shares in its PC business (re-branded as Dynabook Inc.) to Sharp Corporation. Helped By Foxconn Back in June 2018,…
sport and smartphone
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Medical Apps For Smart Devices

The global pandemic and news about tracking apps have put health and technology in the spotlight.  With this in mind, here are some examples of medical apps for smart devices and smart health products that involve a link between smart…
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How To Securely Dispose of Old Phones, PC’s and Laptops

When our PCs, laptops, phones, and other devices need to be replaced, disposing of them in a way that does not pose a data security risk is especially important. Here are some tips on how to dispose of devices securely. Backup Before…
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Billions Of Devices At Risk Due To Wi-Fi Chip Vulnerability

A security threat to devices, Wi-Fi access points (APs), and routers that comes from the Kr00k Wi-Fi chip vulnerability could affect billions according to security researchers. Kr00k The existence of Kr00k, also known by the catchy name…
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Gigabit, Ultrafast Broadband For One Million Households In The West Midlands

Virgin Media has announced that in the UK’s largest gigabit switch-on to date, it is launching its next-generation Gig1 Fibre Broadband services for 1 million+ homes in Birmingham, Coventry and surrounding areas across the West Midlands. Speed Virgin…