Brad Moon

The first official day of the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show is wrapping up. Between today and the pre-show press conferences, a huge number of new products are coming down the pipeline when it comes to computers and mobile technology. I’ve put together an overview of some of the biggest news in this area, including one announcement that’s already had a big ripple effect in the PC industry: Intel’s “Broadwell” 5th generation Core processors.

Is there anything a tablet can’t do? Tablets today are extremely versatile. You can use them for video games, taking photos, listening to music, surfing the web—even controlling your home automation. But one of the coolest things you can do with a tablet is turn it into a handheld HDTV. There is a lot of high quality streaming video content available, thought thanks to cross-border media licensing complications finding content is a little more difficult in Canada than it is in the US. To help you out, I’ve put together a list of some great streaming video sources.

Like many people who own a tablet, I love mine. I use it every day, often for hours at a time. And just as many of those other tablet fans do, I frequently find the experience can be improved with accessories. Just in time for last-minute holiday shopping, here are some suggestions for gifts that will help those on your list get the most from their tablets.

What do you get the person who has everything? Tough question, but if they have a smartphone —and chances are they do— checking that name off your holiday shopping list just got easier. Mobile phone accessories offer virtually unlimited gift ideas with options to fit any budget. They range from high tech to high fashion and everything in between. Here are some suggestions for holiday gifts that are certain to make their mobile phone even better and sure to please.

Have someone on your holiday shopping list who uses a desktop PC? There are tons of gifts you could give that will make their computer better, more fun to use and even add years of life to it. I’ve put together a list of suggestions to help them to get the most from their desktop PC this holiday season.

Linksys was founded in the 1980s, previously owned by networking giant Cisco and is now under the ownership of Belkin. It’s probably best known for producing the top-selling router of all time, the blue and black Linksys WRT54G series. I’ve reviewed several Linksys wireless routers this year, including the WRT54G’s successor —the WRT1900AC— and always come away impressed. This is a brand that consumers and small business owners can count on for being at the centre of their high performance Wi-Fi network.

When it comes to choosing a new smartphone, hardware features are important —the display size, CPU and camera image sensor are always something to consider. The operating system is arguably an even more important choice. Right now there are four main mobile operating systems: iOS, Android, Windows and BlackBerry. Not sure which one should be on your next smartphone? I’m here to help you choose.

Since its early days as Datex Systems (circa 1986) D-Link has specialized in connecting devices. Today, the company is well known for wireless routers designed to optimize home Wi-Fi network performance in a wide range of price points. It also offers Wi-Fi extenders and even kits that utilize a home’s electrical wiring as a network in order to boost Wi-Fi coverage and performance. I’ve put together an overview of D-Link’s wireless routers to help explain why you might want to consider this company’s products if your network isn’t living up to expectations.

Did someone on your holiday shopping list pick up a new smartphone this year? Or maybe they have an older one but aren’t making the most of it. Either way, here are some great ideas for gifts that will help them get the most from their smartphone.