Windows 7 – rgbFilter

SkyDrive updates for PC and Mac / Google Drive launches

April 24, 2012September 26, 2012 Doug Groves cloud storage, google, Google Drive, Mac, Microsoft, OS X, OS X Lion, PC, SkyDrive, Vista, Windows 7, Windows 84 Comments

Microsoft’s SkyDrive cloud storage has been around for a number of years now, providing users with up to 25 GB of free storage, with their Live ID login. Yesterday, they updated the service by releasing an updated Skydrive application for both Windows (Vista, 7 and 8 ) and Mac OS X (Lion). Once installed and you provide the proper login, the SkyDrive folder simply appears as another folder in Windows Explorer and the Mac Finder, much like other cloud solutions such as DropBox. The maximum filesize has also recently climbed…

ASUS Eee Slate EP121 review

April 28, 2011April 29, 2011 Doug Groves Asus, Asus review, Core i5, EEE Slate, EP 121, EP121, Intel, multitouch, Photoshop, review, Sketchbook Pro, stylus, Wacom, Windows 7, Windows tablet4 Comments

Eschewing the more common convertible notebook design and going full on slate with both multitouch and Wacom digitizer is something new for Asus and the PC industry in general. It’s clear that such decisions are driven more by the consumer market that convertible makes have been targeting in the past. We had a couple of weeks to put the EP121 through its paces, and have come away suitably impressed.

Toshiba launches new ultra-portable R800 series notebooks

April 7, 2011April 8, 2011 drsquid canada, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7, Intel, Laptop, launch, Microsoft, notebook, Portégé, Sandy Bridge, SSD, Tecra, Toshiba, ultra-portable, Windows 714 Comments

Toshiba has now joined the Intel Sandy Bridge processor bandwagon, after it fell by the wayside for a while due to Intel’s little chipset boo-boo earlier this year. The new R800 series is an update to both the ultra-portable Portege series, and the thin and light Tecra series business class notebooks. While business class machines are usually only available direct, or through business to business resellers, and tend to cost a little more, you do get much better machines. The build quality is designed to take a few more knocks,…

Acer Iconia Touchbook laptop up for pre-order

March 29, 2011March 31, 2011 Doug Groves 6120, Acer, Acer Iconia, Laptop, multitouch, Touchbook, Windows 71 Comment

The Acer Iconia Touchbook certainly raised some eyebrows when it first made an appearance at CES this year, gett. The 14″ multitouch laptop ditches a physical keyboard in favour of a second LCD panel with a full-screen keyboard application, as well as a whole suite of applications designed specifically with the form factor in mind.

Microsoft Security Essentials 2 released – Your PC will thank you

December 23, 2010December 27, 2010 Doug Groves antivirus, download, malware, Microsoft, Microsoft Security Essentials, Windows 72 Comments

If you haven’t yet installed Microsoft Security Essentials on your PC yet, now is the time. Microsoft has released version 2 of their antivirus and malware protection software, and it’s probably the best solution out there for most people. Even better is that it’s free. I’ve always hated antivirus software, because of the bloat it adds to the system. Most commercial antivirus does a great job of delivering pop-ups for innocuous events, just to remind you that they’re still running, and to say “Hey, don’t you feel glad you bought me?”….

Sony Vaio P review

November 18, 2010December 2, 2010 Doug Groves lifestyle PC, netbook, review, Sony, Sony Vaio, Vaio, Vaio P, Windows 71 Comment

Sony first launched the subnotebook sized Vaio P line of computers back in early 2009, during the heyday of the netbook. At that time they sold the line as a ‘lifestyle PC’, and not to competitive to netbooks, though many of the internal components were similar to netbooks. Price was certainly one differentiator between the Vaio P and it’s component cousins, as the 1.33 GHz Vaio started at $900 US. Since that initial launch, Sony has made some much welcome tweaks, including a very handy touchpad and a faster CPU…

Acer releases new Aspire Z all-in-one and Revo nettop

October 15, 2010October 16, 2010 drsquid Acer, all-in-one, Aspire, Atom, GeForce, Hardware, HTPC, Intel, ION, multi-touch, nettop, Nvidia, Revo, Window Media Centre, Windows 74 Comments

When the Acer Aspire Revo series of mini desktop computers were released last year they were some of the first in a new generation of PC’s dubbed nettops. The Revo was one of the first nettops to pair the low powered Intel Atom CPU with Nvidia’s ION chipset – ION integrates a GeForce 9400 graphics card allowing net-tops equipped with it to function as a set-top box connected to your TV to play back video content. Using Window Media Centre or XBMC the Revo was a great little PC, sadly…

Acer X3400 review

September 10, 2010September 10, 2010 Doug Groves Acer, Acer X3400, home theater, HTPC, Media PC, Microsoft, review, small form factor, Windows 7, Windows Media Center, WMC10 Comments

When Acer first announced their line of X3400 small form factor PCs, I don’t think they had me in mind. They were clearly targeting people with limited space, and in need of somewhat limited computing power. The initial press release announcing them was clearly shooting for dorm rooms and light-medium use, and not much more. However, when I took another look at the basic specs, I have to admit I was kind of curious. Given the small form factor, but room for expandability, could this be a good balance for…

Acer launches new TimelineX thin and light notebooks in Canada

August 4, 2010August 4, 2010 Doug Groves 1830T, 3820T, 5820T, Acer, Aspire, ATI Mobility Radeon, canada, Intel Core i3, Intel Core i5, launch, LED backlit, Microsoft, notebook, Thin & Light, TimelineX, Windows 72 Comments

It’s been a while since we’ve seen a update to Acer’s Timeline series of thin and light notebooks. In fact, when they launched in North America, they weren’t officially known as Timeline machines at all, but the rather more pedestrian model numbers, such as the AS1410, which we took a look at last September. At the time, the AS1410 represented a great value for someone looking for something more powerful than a netbook, without the bulk that a more traditional notebook. Due to the ultra low voltage CPUs in the…

Computex 2010 – tablet fever

June 6, 2010 Doug Groves 2010, Android, Computex, Computex Taipei, google, Intel, netbooks, Pixel Qi, tablet, Windows 71 Comment

The Computex Taipei trade show is the largest computer and electronics trade show in Asia, and one of the largest in the world, with over 1000 exhibitors this year. Like CES held in the US every January, it’s a place where you really get a good pulse on where manufacturers are focusing their energies, and what to expect to hit shelves over the next 6-12 months. At the 2010 Computex, which just wrapped, one thing is clear. Expect a lot of tablets coming down the pike. There are a number…

Windows Media Center in HDTVs, Xbox Live TV around the corner… dare I say “synergy”?

April 29, 2010April 30, 2010 Doug Groves Microsoft, Windows 7, Windows 7 Embedded, Windows Media Center, Xbox 360, Zune Marketplace, Zune Pass3 Comments

Microsoft has talked in the past of making the Xbox 360 an ‘all-in-one’ set top device, capable of providing DVR and TV capabilities, but little substance has come from it. Now, Game Focus is reporting that according to their own trusted source, that an Xbox live TV service will be coming to both the US and Canada by 2011, and that this would work in conjunction with a major telecommunications company, which narrows it down to basically Rogers or Bell. Users will have access to live TV feeds, recording capabilities…

March 1st 2010 – double tech D-day

February 2, 2010 Doug Groves Google Apps, Google Docs, Internet Explorer, Microsoft, Windows 71 Comment

Well, Groundhog Day has come, and with it the rodent prognosticators have come to a consensus with regards to how much more cold we’ll have to endure. Don’t let that get in the way of getting a jump on spring cleaning though. At the beginning of March, two things happen that will probably affect a large number of people. First, if you’re using Google Apps, and for some reason still use Internet Explorer 6 (which is still estimated at a shockingly high 10% of all internet users), you’ll start running…