Review It may not match the sleek, silvery elegance of Apple’s iMac, but lenovo’s ThinkCentre Edge 91z is a far more affordable option for people who want a compact all-in-one Desktop computer.
lenovo’s ThinkCentre Edge 91z: available with Intel Core-i3, i5 and i7 CPU options
The black plastic design of the ThinkCentre is fairly nondescript, but lenovo does have a more stylish range of IdeaCentre all-in-ones that are designed for home use. The ThinkCentre range is primarily aimed at business folk who just want a tidy PC for running basic office apps. Read the rest of this entry »
Review This is going to be good. I reviewed the first TouchSmart 600 all-in-one home Desktop computer in January 2010, and loved it, frankly. I fondly remember Reg Hardware readers expressing their admiration for my gushing praise at the time… That was sarcasm. Enough, I’m over it.
Finger friendly: HP’s TouchSmart 610
The TouchSmart 600 was a shiny, black, all-round entertainment party box, jack of all trades and master of fun. HP seemed to have ‘got’ what a shared family computer is supposed to be all about: not so much home office as home video, less Portal 2 and more Club Penguin.
Now with the TouchSmart 610, HP is trying to help you get more out of the touchscreen by making it ergonomically better to use. More on that later. Read the rest of this entry »
iOS App of the Week I’ve tried a number of ‘remote Desktop’ apps that allow you to control a Mac or a PC from an iPhone or iPad, but their performance over a wireless network has always been too sluggish for them to be of much practical use.
Set-up is effectively automatic on the iDevice
Not surprisingly, then, I was quite sceptical when the recently updated Splashtop was claimed to be fast enough to even stream watchable Flash video to iOS devices. And to other devices – Splashtop Remote Desktop is available on Android too. Read the rest of this entry »
Review A recent business profile of lenovo in a national newspaper made an interesting assertion. “Anyone you spot on the Tube using a ThinkPad has almost certainly obtained it from their employer,” claimed the reporter.
Well, discerning readers know this isn’t true. The build quality, devotion to no-frills heavy lifting, the aftermarket support, and ease of maintenance have long made ThinkPads a favourite. This is a machine for people who know their work, and want to buy the best tool possible to get it done. Read the rest of this entry »
Review As the world swings inexorably away from Desktop PCs towards notebooks, netbooks and PMPs, the PC has to adapt or die. One way to go, as Packard Bell would have it, is the touchscreen media PC. It follows the iMac paradigm that the whole thing should be built into the back of a large-format LCD screen.
A nice touch? PackBell’s oneTwo M includes a Freeview tuner
The concept of a media PC, for use in a living room or study/bedroom isn’t new and integrated computers built into LCD screens have been around a while now, but Packard Bell’s oneTwo machines have two extras to set them apart, namely, a touchscreen with support for Microsoft Surface apps, and a built-in Freeview DVB-T tuner.
There are two oneTwo models: M for the Medium 20in screen dual core CPU and L for Large 23in model with a quad core chip. The L version supports a full 1080i HD resolution, but the M, reviewed here, has to make do with a 1600 by 900 widescreen. Both models include wireless keyboard, mouse and remote, so they can be used as conventional large-screen desktops, as well as media centres.
The case of the oneTwo M is all gloss black plastic, apart from an insert of clear acrylic between the two case halves, which extends down to form the front feet of the device. On the back panel are sockets for Ethernet, TV tuner and line out, as well as four USBs, and there are a further two USBs on the left-hand edge. The right-hand edge offers a multi-format DVD rewriter, a 5-in-1 card reader, plus mic and headphone 3.5mm sockets. Read the rest of this entry »
