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A new upgraded version of WIndows means big changes in how you use your home PC. You have to learn how all the new bells and whistles work, so call in the experts to help you: your kids!

For gamers, it just doesn’t get any bigger than June. E3 Expo is just around the corner, and with it will come monumental new game announcements, breathtaking world premiere trailers, and thrilling updates for your favourite upcoming games. You’ve heard about food pairing, but what about game pairing? While you’re enjoying the excitement of E3, here are some games releasing this month you definitely won’t want to miss!

For the past few weeks, I’ve been exploring the ever shrinking PC. From the Ultrabook to the mini PC, computers have gotten smaller with every generation. However, in this final series post, I’ll look at PCs that have resisted the trend and seem unlikely to get the mini treatment any time soon.

Massively multiplayer games are a lot of fun; they give you the excitement and action of a great game, and they add to it by letting you play with your friends … a lot of your friends. Not every MMO game is about role-playing anymore, leading to some compelling gaming experiences. Want to know what’s big in big-numbers online play? Read on.

Setting up an office in a compact space used to be a lot more challenging than it is now. For one thing, there were a lot more wires and cables to deal with in those pre Wi-Fi days, but space was also a major issue. PCs were bigger, but so were the peripherals essential to a home office. Keyboards were massive, external hard drives were in enclosures that dwarf those of today and a laser printer practically needed a desk to itself. Thanks to advances in miniaturizing components, some of these devices are even available as portable units now. In this latest installation on the evolution of the PC from room-sized appliance to today’s mini computers, I explore shrinking PC peripherals.

Computers keep getting smaller, to the point where they can now fit in a hand. A mini PC is great for those of us who appreciate the extra desk space. But the one component every PC needs—the monitor—is showing no signs of getting smaller. In fact, PC displays keep getting larger. The average size of a PC monitor (worldwide) is expected to hit 21-inches this year, while the demand for super-sized displays of 27-inches and up is growing. When everything else about your PC is shrinking, why is display real estate booming?

Home theatre systems are never really complete without an excellent sound system. The kind that will deliver surround sound that makes you feel like you are right in the middle of the scene you are watching. Although the visual experience is the most important element of a home theatre, a dynamic sound system can add another incredible dimension to that experience. To make that home experience really pop, an excellent receiver isn’t enough. You need to match the quality of speakers with the quality of receiver to get the most out of your system.

There are various signs that smartphones are becoming viable PC replacements.  Intel is now making powerful mobile processors, smartphones are starting to run desktop-level apps, and Microsoft is putting the power of desktop Windows on their smartphones.  

Computers have been shrinking since the day they were first invented. Early computers filled entire rooms, so the release of the personal computer—the PC—was a major breakthrough. A computer that would fit on a desktop! We’re at the point now where a mini PC small enough to hold in one hand can run all your Windows software and even drive a 4K monitor. Here’s a look at the developments that have made the mini computer possible, along with new technology that will help your PC continue to downsize even as it gets more powerful.