Computers, Laptops & Tablets

Microsoft has been around for a very long time. There was a time when they were mainly known for their work in operating systems, and desktop software. Microsoft has expanded beyond those offerings to deliver exciting and innovative hardware too. I still remember the first Microsoft Mouse very fondly, and since then they’ve gone on to bring us game consoles, more PC accessories, the Surface, and more.

With tablets being so numerous, the eReader’s role has become more clearly defined as a platform to indulge in not just one book, but as many as you can possibly consume for months at a time. The new Kobo Glo HD is a model made for the bookworm in all of us, offering the opportunity to read under the sun or in the dark without missing a page.

When it comes to tablets that convert to a laptop and back, ASUS was early to the game with its Transformer Book series. They combine a standalone tablet with a dock-able keyboard cover offering the best of both worlds. The first Transformer Books were Android only, but with the T100, the Transformer Book joined the Windows 8.1 camp. I recently spend a few weeks with one and came away convinced it’s not a bad little device for the price.

In a previous post I made the case for using a tablet as your sole device. Ted Kritsonis argued for going all in on a smartphone. This time around, I’m arguing on the side of a laptop. If you can carry one device and one device only, it’s tough to beat an old-school portable PC, especially if you need to be productive.

If you want to start a heated discussion among the IT crowd, what kind of computer is better for Internet security is one of the those flashpoint questions that’s guaranteed to get a reaction. There are some very strong opinions and preferences that are bound to come out. I’ve been part of many such conversations at the corporate, personal and research level, and the fact is that the hardware you choose can impact your online computer security. Here’s what you need to know.

If you had to choose only one device to take with you, be it a smartphone, tablet or laptop, which would you go with? There is perhaps no more personal—or versatile—a device as a smartphone. I would argue that the increasing power, screen size and app selection make it hard not to consider it as the go-to choice above all others.

It is not at all uncommon to be reluctant to replace your gadgets. Reasons can range from budgetary concerns, comfort and familiarity with what you already know, or even sentimental value. We have a tendency to want to hold on to what we have for as long as we can. With gadgets this can most often extend to our peripherals. While people often understand the virtue or replacing a computer, for example, they will often do so while holding on to the same printer, scanner, monitor, keyboard and mouse for many years, through the lifecycle of several computers. Of course this isn’t always as easy as it sounds, and there can be some challenges in store for those wanting to continue using certain peripherals as they change to newer computers over the years. It can become difficult to see the advantages to upgrading to something new rather than holding on to what you already have as long as it’s working too. Let’s take a look at some common peripherals and some of the challenges involved with keeping the old, as well as some of the benefits of upgrading to something newer.

Most consumer tablets have displays in the 8-inch to 10-inch size range. Microsoft tapped the prosumer and professional market when it released the big-screen Surface Pro line of tablets that convert to a PC laptop form factor. HP—one of the world’s largest PC manufacturers—offers its own take on that the 2-in-1 convertible laptop form factor. The Envy x2 13.3, a very big Windows tablet with features Surface fans will find familiar, namely a kickstand, digital pen support and a magnetically attached keyboard cover. The approach is familiar, but the Envy x2 is a different beast from the Surface Pro (and new Surface), as I found out during my review period.

The first gaming laptop my wife ever brought home must have taken up half of our coffee table and weighed about as much. The second she owned was a little thinner but almost as heavy. The HP Omen’s size pales in comparison to those two monstrous laptops and that’s a good thing. As thin as many of today’s laptops and weighing less than 5 pounds, the HP Omen defies our conventional belief of what a gaming laptop should look and feel like. That’s just the beginning.  Come take a look.

We live at a time when many people are carrying around multiple devices, often including a smartphone, a tablet and a laptop. If you had to choose just one of those three as your only device, which would it be? I’m going to make the case for choosing a tablet, something I wouldn’t have thought possible a few years ago, but increasingly find myself doing these days.