Brad Moon
Editor Computing solutions
I’m a long-time electronics and gadget geek who’s been fortunate enough to enjoy a career that lets me indulge this interest. I have been writing about technology for several decades for a wide range of outlets including Wired, Gizmodo, Lifehacker, MSN, About.com, Kiplinger, and GeekDad. I’m in my 10th year as a senior contributor for Forbes with a focus on reviewing music-related tech, Apple gear, battery power stations and other consumer electronics. My day job is with the Malware Research Center at AI-native cybersecurity pioneer CrowdStrike.
I’m a long-time electronics and gadget geek who’s been fortunate enough to enjoy a career that lets me indulge this interest. I have been writing about technology for several decades for a wide range of outlets including Wired, Gizmodo, Lifehacker, MSN, About.com, Kiplinger, and GeekDad. I’m in my 10th year as a senior contributor for Forbes with a focus on reviewing music-related tech, Apple gear, battery power stations and other consumer electronics. My day job is with the Malware Research Center at AI-native cybersecurity pioneer CrowdStrike.
OSX El Capitan review
With all the hoopla surrounding Windows 10, you may not have noticed that Apple also released a new version of its PC operating system this fall. OS X 10.11 (better known as El Capitan) was available as a free download starting September 30. I’ve been test driving OS X El Capitan for the past few weeks. Here’s the scoop on the latest OS for Macs.
HP Sprout: All-in-One 3D scanner, 3D design workstation and computer
It’s not very often that I have the opportunity to announce something that’s truly different in the computing market. Sure, there’s lots of “thinking different” and with convertible laptops there have been a slew of different form factors. But the HP Sprout isn’t just a new approach to an existing product, it’s really something new: a 3D scanner, 3D workstation and a high performance PC, all in one package. And it’s coming soon to Best Buy.
Best laptops to give this holiday season (based on customer reviews)
October is winding up, and when the pumpkins disappear the colourful lights and holiday decorations will start making an appearance. So will wish lists, and topping many of these will be a new laptop. But with so many options, how do you choose the best one? Here’s a suggestion: take advantage of the ratings and reviews left by those who actually bought one! Here are five of the best laptops to give this holiday season, based on Best Buy customer reviews.
HP Darkside: Star Wars themed laptop brings the power of the dark side
HP just released a new laptop. It has a 6th generation (Skylake) Intel Core i5 CPU, 12GB of RAM, a 15.6-inch Full HD display and a dedicated Nvidia GeForce 940M graphics card for gaming. All this is great, but what really matters is the look. No sleek machined aluminum or magnesium, this thing is battle-worn, covered with dark side graphics and glowing an ominous red. It’s the new HP Star Wars Galactic Empire Edition Laptop. And I want it …
What’s new with Microsoft this fall
Microsoft is on a roll. Windows 10 is so much better than Windows 8—worthy of skipping an iteration number altogether—Office 2016 is out and the company topped off the software announcements with several big hardware releases. The Surface Pro 4 and all new Surface Book convertible laptop are turning heads on the portable PC front, while new a new Microsoft Band hits the red hot wearables market and long-awaited Lumia flagship smartphones bring the best of Windows 10 to mobile. Microsoft has plenty to look forward to this fall.
Options for low cost portable gaming
One of our readers posted a question in the Plug-in forum, looking for advice on an affordable laptop or tablet for playing Minecraft. Beside showcasing what a great resource the forums are, that question reflects a buying decision that many parents are facing as we head into the holiday season. What options are there for low cost gaming?
Pebble Time Steel review: Colour display and Timeline UI update the smartwatch pioneer
The original Pebble went from Kickstarter smash to the first true smartwatch hit. With the Pebble Time Steel, the pioneering device has grown up, adding a colour display and a new user interface. And it still plays nice with both Android and iOS. After spending a week with a Pebble Time Steel, I still haven’t managed to kill the battery. Here’s the full scoop on my experience.
Microsoft unveils the Surface Pro 4
If you’re a fan of Microsoft’s Surface tablets or 2-in-1 convertible laptops in general, there’s some pretty big news today in the form of the Surface Pro 4. Thinner, lighter, faster, new accessories (plus compatibility with the old) and the ability to log into Windows 10 using facial recognition. Here’s the scoop on the latest version of Microsoft’s professional tablet/laptop hybrid.
Introducing the new Surface Book, Microsoft’s first ever laptop
With the introduction of the Surface line of tablets (or 2-in-1 laptops) in 2012, Microsoft officially entered the PC hardware business. Today, it took that involvement to the next level after unveiling its first ever laptop, the all-new Surface Book.
Why a 4K computer monitor makes even more sense than a 4K TV
Watching movies in 4K is awesome, but great as a 4K TV is, a 4K computer monitor connected to a PC that can drive it at full resolution can be even better.
