Barry Collins
Windows 11 first-look review: The more things change, the more they stay the same
Microsoft Windows
Windows 11 first-look review: The more things change, the more they stay the same
A welcome visual refresh, but nothing that makes it a must-have upgrade
5 Jul 2021
Windows 10 vs Windows 8.1: which is best for you?
operating systems
Windows 10 vs Windows 8.1: which is best for you?
We rate Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 in a number of key categories for professional users
29 Jan 2021
Broadband backup isn’t fit for business
broadband
Broadband backup isn’t fit for business
Domestic web connections aren’t built for a nation of homeworkers
21 Nov 2020
Don’t look to the stars for app reviews
Mobile
Don’t look to the stars for app reviews
The fixing of review scores in app stores is a major problem
17 Oct 2020
High-end handsets can take a hike
Mobile Phones
High-end handsets can take a hike
Why I'm no longer be paying through the nose for the latest handset
7 Sep 2020
How to run Windows 10 on a Mac: Bootcamp vs Parallels
virtual desktop
How to run Windows 10 on a Mac: Bootcamp vs Parallels
Here are three of the best ways to run Windows 10 on a Mac
27 Aug 2020
20 new features in Windows 10
Microsoft Windows
20 new features in Windows 10
This spring’s big update and a host of add-ons have brought a wealth of new features to Windows 10
21 Aug 2020
Let’s stick to the software diet
Software
Let’s stick to the software diet
Bloatware is a problem software developers need to deal with
19 Aug 2020
The House of Lords will never bring tech giants to book
IT regulation
The House of Lords will never bring tech giants to book
The multiple ways politicians have tried to regulate social media are uniformly daft
8 Aug 2020
Windows 10 needs to go back to basics
Microsoft Windows
Windows 10 needs to go back to basics
Remote tech support brings home how appalling Windows is when it comes to the fundamentals
11 Jul 2020
Why I’m leading a browser double life
web browser
Why I’m leading a browser double life
There are benefits to using more than one browser
8 Jul 2020
Can I become a coder?
Careers & training
Can I become a coder?
Our fortysomething writer rekindles his childhood passion for coding – but can he teach himself Python from scratch?
27 Jun 2020
Games battles are a taste of things to come
Cloud
Games battles are a taste of things to come
When we’re streaming our desktops, how will we pay for software? The games industry is going through these growing pains now
27 May 2020
Microsoft 365 is more than a name change
productivity
Microsoft 365 is more than a name change
The Office 365 rebranding could be a sign of things to come
16 May 2020
Is your broadband coronavirus-ready?
broadband
Is your broadband coronavirus-ready?
It’s not a stockpile of toilet rolls that you should be investing in to survive lockdown in comfort
29 Apr 2020
Chromebooks are the Benjamin Button of tech
Laptops
Chromebooks are the Benjamin Button of tech
While most tech ages like a bowl of fruit, Google's laptops seem more like a fine wine
29 Mar 2020
Who’s watching you watch them?
privacy
Who’s watching you watch them?
Smart TV services are tracking you more closely than you think
15 Mar 2020
Dear Jon, I’ve gone and bought a Mac…
operating systems
Dear Jon, I’ve gone and bought a Mac…
When making the leap from Windows to Mac, it can be hard to make a smooth transition
9 Mar 2020
Smart motorways aren’t smart enough
smart city
Smart motorways aren’t smart enough
Free sat-nav apps could limit the dangers of so-called smart motorways, says Barry Collins
8 Mar 2020
Recycling our digital waste is too hard
cloud computing
Recycling our digital waste is too hard
We need tools to clear the mountains of data that are building up around us
23 Feb 2020
Why should Mac users pay for Windows?
operating systems
Why should Mac users pay for Windows?
Microsoft's Windows 10 pricing is baffling
16 Feb 2020
Sonos speakers are environmentally unsound
In-depth
Sonos speakers are environmentally unsound
Forcing customers to brick trade-in speakers could destroy Sonos
9 Feb 2020
A breakdown in communications
mobile networks
A breakdown in communications
Why is it still a struggle for the emergency services to find those they need to help?
19 Jan 2020
Smashing green tech myths
energy efficiency
Smashing green tech myths
Environmentally friendly or snake oil? Here are five of the biggest green technology truisms
7 Dec 2019
Let’s stamp out snail mail in 2020
email marketing
Let’s stamp out snail mail in 2020
Why do so many businesses prefer the postbox to the inbox?
1 Dec 2019
How to make AI work for you
artificial intelligence (AI)
How to make AI work for you
We look at how artificial intelligence in apps and software can make your life easier
22 Nov 2019
Why should we have to pay a ransom for old email accounts?
email providers
Why should we have to pay a ransom for old email accounts?
With other free and low-cost hosting options available, holding onto old broadband addresses makes little sense
19 Nov 2019
Tech troubles cooked the travel agent
business transformation
Tech troubles cooked the travel agent
Is technology partly to blame for Thomas Cook’s demise?
3 Nov 2019
Why you don’t need 5G – or a phone
5G
Why you don’t need 5G – or a phone
Could the best way to make calls be to avoid a handset altogether?
20 Oct 2019
How bad will Brexit be for tech?
Technology
How bad will Brexit be for tech?
How will bursting out of the EU affect tech jobs, legislation and the prices of tech goods?
30 Sep 2019
Facebook justice fills the gap left by police
social media
Facebook justice fills the gap left by police
Crime fighting is growing on social media, but it brings dangers
23 Sep 2019
Noise-cancelling headphones to shout about
Hardware
Noise-cancelling headphones to shout about
This piece of summer technology that can save your holiday
1 Sep 2019
Trumped up Huawei threat helps nobody
Policy & legislation
Trumped up Huawei threat helps nobody
Crying wolf with cybersecurity is a dangerous game, warns Barry Collins
18 Aug 2019
OS war – what was it good for? Absolutely nothing
operating systems
OS war – what was it good for? Absolutely nothing
Operating systems are dwindling towards irrelevance, and that’s no bad thing
4 Aug 2019
Is it time to drop Dropbox?
Cloud
Is it time to drop Dropbox?
Barry Collins fears he’s being strong-armed into paying for a Dropbox subscription
3 Aug 2019