Computers, Laptops & Tablets

 The minivan was a big win for families undertaking the annual summer vacation road trip. A close second place is a heck of a lot cheaper: the tablet. Here are five ways a tablet can save your sanity on a summer vacation road trip.

Mobile electronics like smartphones and tablets are great, but it doesn’t matter who makes them, they all share one weak spot: the display. That big, bright screen is prone to scratches and with touch operation, it’s a magnet for fingerprints. Annoying as they are, the smudges can at least be cleaned off, but once your display is scratched, it’s scratched. The only real option you have is to replace it —and that is an expensive proposition. The ZAGG Invisible Shield Glass is an ultrathin slab of tempered glass you apply on top of your display for complete protection against scratches and resistance to fingerprints. I tested out versions for the iPad Mini with Retina Display and iPad Air and ZAGG Invisible Shield Glass is now on my must-have list for future device purchases.

Looking for a convertible 2-in-1 device that will cover off both your tablet and Windows laptop needs? Microsoft kickstarted this growing segment with the Surface tablets, but competition is heating up. Lenovo’s Miix 700 is one of the newest entries and I just wrapped up a week with it. Here’s what you need to know.

 Tablets are computers, but they aren’t necessarily the same as full-fledged laptops or desktops that offer the full breadth in hardware and software. That paradigm is slowly shifting, now that some tablets are being designed as full-on laptop replacements capable of creating content in much the same way. There are five tablets that do stand out in that regard, with promising abilities to help boost productivity, while shedding weight.  

If you edit pictures, graphics or video, then you need a professional quality monitor, such as the new BENQ SW271 4K monitor. Check out my review of this beautiful 27-inch computer display.

     Hacking into mobile accounts is all over the news these days, with either cyber criminals compromising consumer data, or the FBI wanting to break into criminals’ phones for evidence. Security is on everyone’s minds and you should be thinking about it, too. Your first line of defence for any mobile account, of course, is a solid and strong password. So, stop using “password” or your cat’s name, and read on for a few tips for creating the best password for your mobile accounts.

As you no doubt know, when it comes to trying to pack the performance needed to undertake serious video gaming in a laptop, it comes down to a very tricky balance between speed and portability. Try to shove too much power in a gaming laptop and for all intents and purposes, it ceases to be a portable PC —heavy, bulky and with little battery life. Go too far in the other direction, though, and you end up with something that’s svelte but unable to play games on anything but the lowest settings. I just spent some quality time with a gaming laptop that manages to strike the perfect balance: the Eurocom M3. It’s a compact, lightweight laptop with the power to chew through pixels and polygons while keeping frame rates high. Eurocom says the M3 is the most powerful 13-inch notebook ever made and everything I’ve seen supports that claim.

Solve all your home's signal problems just in time for the holidays by bringing home an easy-to-use Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi Solution.

We help navigate the complex world of Wi-Fi routers, look at what's available and which mix of technologies and features work best.

Who doens't love a good old fashion photo album? In this article you will learn how to plan your perfect photo album that will last a lifetime.