ESSENTIAL ADVICE FOR WINDOWS 8 USERS

19

September 2013 | Issue 11

PAGES OF
STEP-BY-STEP
TUTORIALS!

FREE UPDATE!

NEW VERSION
OF WINDOWS 8
REVEALED
Discover everything you need
to know about the imminent
move to Windows 8.1

50

S
G
N
I
H
T
NEW
H
T
I
W
O
TO D
8
S
W
O
WIND
now
6
e
g
a
p
to
n
r
u
T
E INSPIRED!

ORGANISE
YOUR LIFE
BETTER

Top tips to boost

your productivity
and lower stress

BEST NEW
KIT RATED

Touchscreen laptops, hybrids,

tablets, desktops & accessories!

DISCOVER
NEW
MUSIC

Five great apps

to expand your
listening pleasure

IMPROVE
YOUR
GAMING

Boost your fun

skills with the
best gaming kit

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

FROM THE EDITOR

WorldMags.net

Welcome

elcome to :LQGRZV7KH2IFLDO0DJD]LQH,
the only magazine approved by Microsoft to
bring you the very best advice on all things
Windows 8. This issue, we want to inspire you
to do more with your computer whether
youve got a funky new tablet, a faithful old
laptop or desktop PC. Our cover feature, 50
New Things to do with Windows 8, is packed with inspirational
tricks and activities to help you expand your computing horizons.
Thats not all, of course. Weve also got 19 pages of practical
step-by-step tutorials and in-depth reviews of the best new
devices and accessories. Dont miss our close-up look at the
imminent update to Windows 8.1, starting on page 84 its got
some exciting features were sure youre going to love.
Enjoy this months issue, and do get in touch with us at
www.facebook.com/windowsmag and let us know your thoughts.

EDITORS
PICK
My favourite
features in
this issue

EXPERT
TUTORIAL
Turn your PC
into a media
centre p48

50 NEW
THINGS
TO DO

Expand your
horizons with
our guide p6

WINDOWS
UPDATE
TO 8.1
What are
the best new
features? p84

Subscribe and save!

Adam Ifans
Editor-in-Chief
JOIN US
NOW ON
FACEBOOK
Find us at
facebook.com/
windowsmag

The only official Windows mag

This is the only Windows title to be endorsed by Microsoft.
This means we get the inside track on the latest apps from the
Windows Store, and access to the newest kit, making this the
best place to choose the right device and get the most from it.

WorldMags.net

Sign up on Windows Store and save a

fortune on a yearly subscription to
:LQGRZV7KH2IFLDO0DJD]LQH. Every
issue downloads
quickly and easily
to your device, and
features exclusive
digital-only
features, including
galleries, hotlinks
and much more.
Turn to page 34 to
QGRXWPRUH
3

WorldMags.net PORTABLE
POWER

The Dell XPS 18

is a Windows 8
PC in tablet form

32

50 THINGS
TO DO
WITH
WINDOWS
Do even more
with Windows 8

Contents

LIVE DESIRE ENJOY

36

6
SPORTS
EARBUDS

42

Tune in while
you work out

PLAY THIS

Put your foot to

WKHRRUDQG
savour the raw
speed of Grid 2

QShowcase

Reviews

New things to do with your PC p6

50 ways to learn new things, entertain

the kids and broaden your horizons

Honda Miimo
Sony Vaio Duo 13
Nokia Lumia 925
Toshiba WT310
Dell XPS 18

p19
p20
p24
p28
p32

Record a smash hit

p15

Sports headphones roundup

p36
Enjoy your tunes while you get in
shape with these hard-working earbuds

Become a gaming god

p16

Entertainment highlights

Gadgets and apps to help you realise

your dreams of being a pop star

If you love playing games, this kit will

KHOS\RXJKW\RXUZD\WRYLFWRU\

Whats new in September? We look at

WKHODWHVWERRNVOPVPXVLFDQGPRUH

p39

The best new apps

p41

Play this: Grid 2

p42

Our pick of the latest and greatest

goodies in the Windows store

Experience the thrill of burning rubber

with this perfectly balanced racer

QExpert
Create a great media centre

Music, movies and TV, all in one place

WorldMags.net

p48

9000

WorldMags.net

HOME
MEDIA
CENTRE

Entertainment
on tap, wherever
you want it

Expert

GET STARTED FAST

MASTER
THE
DESKTOP
Make your PC
work for you

48

SUBSCRIBE
TODAY
AND NEVER
MISS AN ISSUE
p34

Check out our range of print and

digital subs, or go to Facebook
for more information
www.facebook.com/
windowsmag

84

NEW
WINDOWS
UPDATE
Discover whats
coming in
Windows 8.1

64
91

DISCOVER
NEW
MUSIC

Five great apps

for your listening
pleasure

BEST
NEW KIT
REVIEWED

Hotlist

RECOMMENDED BUYS
6KDUHOHVLQ:LQGRZV

p52

Migrate to Windows Phone

p56

6HQGOHVEHWZHHQDOO\RXUGHYLFHV
Making the switch is fast and easy

Make a USB install stick

Reinstalling Windows 8 is super easy

p60

Master the desktop

p64

Gestures explained

p66

Make the desktop work for you

Get hands-on with your touchscreen

88

Life

Your essential
Windows 8
buyers guide

ACHIEVE MORE

QLife
Your entertainment centre

Turn your boring living room into

the ultimate entertainment hub

p70

Enjoy the great outdoors

p78

Be more productive

p82

Go outside and do something fun,

exciting or just plain stupid
Have trouble with procrastination?
Your Windows 8 PC can help!

WorldMags.net

Windows 8.1 revealed

p84

Discover new music

p88

Find out everything you need to

know about the amazing free update
Five amazing apps to help you
QGQHZEDQGVJHQUHVDQGVW\OHV

QHotlist
The best new kit

Desktop PCs, laptops, tablets,

smartphones and accessories

p91

WorldMags.net

LIVE DESIRE ENJOY

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

new things to do
with Windows 8
Stretch your PCs capabilities,
learn new things, entertain
the kids and push back the
boundaries of human
understanding

f all you use your PC for is

email and typing the odd
letter, its time to widen
your horizons. You can
achieve lots of fascinating
things with your Windows 8 PC and its
connection to the internet. Theres an
astonishing number of resources out
there, just waiting to be tapped.
Whether its learning a new language,
indulging your passion for craft or
simply seeking out new entertainment,
your PC can help. Weve gathered
together some of the most exciting
things to do on your home computer.

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

Research
and hobbies
JRLQDUHVHDUFKSURJUDPPHQGRXWVRPHWKLQJQHZRU
start up a new hobby with the help of your trusty PC

Help cure diseases

Contribute your spare

computing power towards
some of the biggest projects on Earth,
OLNHQGLQJFXUHVIRU+XQWLQJGRQV
Alzeimers and Parkinsons diseases. No
single research facility has enough
computing power for the modelling
UHTXLUHGEXWE\YLVLWLQJKWWSIROGLQJ
stanford.edu and downloading the
software, you can donate processing
time and do some good.

Set up a security camera

You can set up a simple home

surveillance system using your
PCs webcam and the free Yawcam
software (www.yawcam.com). See a
real-time view of your home from any
internet-connected device, with both
still images and streaming video. Its
even possible to use motion detection
to take and save images remotely.

Watch TV and movies

With a good internet

connection, your PC provides
you with access to recently broadcast
TV programmes via BBC iPlayer, ITV
Player, 4oD, Demand 5 and if you
have a Sky subscription Sky Player.
With movie rental services like

/RYH)LOP,QVWDQWDQG1HW[\RXFDQ
also get recently released movies for a
small monthly fee.

Go treasure hunting

Real life treasure may be hard

WRQGEXWJHRFDFKLQJJLYHV
\RXWKHVDPHWKULOORIQGLQJKLGGHQ
objects and secrets while exploring
your local area. Create an account at
www.geocaching.com and enter your
ORFDWLRQWRQGQHDUE\JHRFDFKHV8VH
Windows 8s Maps app to help you
QGWKHQHDUHVWVWDVK

Manage your media

Keeping tabs on all your

digital music and videos can
EHYHU\GLIFXOWHVSHFLDOO\ZKHQ\RX
need different software to manage
each source. MediaMonkey (www.
mediamonkey.com) scans your PC for
DXGLRDQGYLGHROHVDQGVRUWVWKHP
using a range of different criteria, so
youll never get your media in a mess.

Keep an ebook library

Now that you can read

ebooks on your phone, on an
ebook reader or on your PC screen it
helps to have a central place to store
your library. Calibre (www.calibre-

ebook.com) enables you to store your

collection, get online information
DERXW\RXUERRNVDQGQGQHZFRYHUV
It supports a wide range of ereaders
and is invaluable if you love reading.

Check out hot trends

Play retro arcade games

Print without paper

WDQWWRQGWRGD\VPRVW
popular news stories, videos,
images and jokes? What the Trend
(www.whatthetrend.com) explains the
most popular hashtags on Twitter. You
can check trends by country, and see
related news stories. Its a great way to
experience whats being discussed
online right now.
Do you remember Pong?
What about Breakout or
Asteroids? You can recapture the magic
of these retro arcade titles by visiting
$WDULVRIFLDOVLWHDWZZZDWDULFRP
arcade and playing the games online in
your browser. Some have been subtly
updated in places, but the old thrills
are still there.
Save paper by printing web
SDJHVDV3')OHV*RWR3')
my URL (www.pdfmyurl.com) to
convert any page on the web to a PDF
OHWKDW\RXFDQRSHQRQDQ\3&-XVW
visit the site, enter the URL of the page
you want and click the P button to
download it and open it in your default
PDF application.

10

WorldMags.net

Learn to draw

Have you always wanted to

draw well, but never managed
to learn how? Drawspace (www.
drawspace.com) provides an online
course with dozens of exercises and
lessons that you can follow in the
comfort of your own home, at a pace
that suits you. There are also forums
where you can discuss your work and
ask for feedback.

WorldMags.net

11

Get your
dream job

12

Keep yourself
in the know

Job Spice (www.jobspice.com) offers an

online rsum application that helps you put
together a job-winning CV. Start by typing
LQ\RXUSHUVRQDOLQIRUPDWLRQWKHQFOLFN$GG
QHZVHFWLRQDQGHQWHU\RXUTXDOLFDWLRQV
and any relevant work experience. Once
youve completed all the sections you want
WRLQFOXGHFOLFN6W\OHVDQGVHOHFWDSDJH
design that youd like to use (remember to
NHHSLWVLPSOHWKRXJK<RXFDQSULQWRUOLQN
to your CV when youre done. You can even
download it as a PDF as well.

Social Mention (www.socialmention.com) is

a great site that tells you how often a certain
topic or person has been mentioned on the
worlds most popular sites and social
networks. You can even run separate search
VWULQJVIRUHDFKVSHFLFQHWZRUN7RGRWKLV
simply enter your search term or terms and
then select the sphere that you want to
VHDUFKVRWKLVFRXOGEHEORJVPLFUREORJV
video or audio-based networks. The results
that Social Mention generates include actual
PHQWLRQVDQGHYHQUDWLQJVWRR

Quick tips
13

Create wordsearches

14

Get tech advice

15

Be a mixologist

16

Collect coins

17

Relax with white noise

Make wordsearches for the

kids with the great tool at
KWWSELWO\4QD(QWHUDWLWOHDQGD
list of words, then click Create puzzle.
For hardware reviews, tips
and recommendations,
theres nowhere better than TechRadar
(www.techradar.com).
Do you know how to make a
Rusty Nail or a Horses Neck?
Drinks Mixer (www.drinksmixer.com)
provides a mix of top cocktail recipes.
*et started with coin
collecting by visiting 2 Clicks
Coins (www.2-clicks-coins.com). Its a
reference for antique and rare coins,
and offers plenty of advice, too.

WorldMags.net

RainyMood (www.rainymood.
com) provides a 15-minute
loop of restful, soothing background
noise to help you relax or meditate.
9

WorldMags.net

Share
and enjoy
Find new ways to help others while keeping secure online.
Discover amazing new tools and share them with friends

18

Dont get robbed

19

Find free audiobooks

Moodstream will make working

at your home PC much easier

Its all too easy to share a little

too much on social networks.
Please Rob Me (www.pleaserobme.
com) is a service designed to raise
awareness of giving away too much
about your movements on social
networks. It uses real examples from
Twitter to show how people
inadvertently tell the world when
theyve left home.
If you like audiobooks,
Books Should Be Free (www.
booksshouldbefree.com) is essential.
It provides a catalogue of free, legally
downloadable audiobooks that have
passed out of copyright and been
recorded for free use. You can
download them in MP3 format.

20

Join a network of foodies

If youve ever chatted about

food or cooking on Twitter or
Facebook, why not take it to a new
level and join a food social network?
Bake Space (www.bakespace.com)
includes a huge recipe database and
IRUXPVIRUGLVFXVVLRQ%HQHWIURPWKH
advice of other members and improve
your own cooking.

21

Support an entrepreneur

Make a real difference to

someone in a developing
nation by investing in their business.
Kiva (www.kiva.org) connects you with
entrepreneurs who need a helping
hand. You can make small donations to
help get new businesses started or join
a team of lenders for bigger loans. If
the business is successful, youll get
your money back.

22

Find support

Few people get through life

without a medical problem at
some time. Patients Like Me (www.
patientslikeme.com) links people with
10

similar conditions for support. It helps

\RXQGWUHDWPHQWVDQGZD\VWR
manage a variety of symptoms and
illnesses. Sometimes it just helps to talk
to people who have similar issues to
know youre not alone.

23

Type faster

Typing repetitive items like

addresses and names can be
WLUHVRPH7H[WHUDYDLODEOHIURPKWWS
ELWO\Y3:\LVDVLPSOHSURJUDPWKDW
helps speed the process up. Provide a
list of phrases or blocks of text that you
use regularly and enter a short name
or tag for each one. When you enter
the name and press a trigger key like
[Enter] or [Tab], the name is replaced
by the full text.

24

Create a media centre

Turn Windows 8 into a media

centre that records and
manages TV shows and more. All you
need is a TV tuner card and the
Windows Media Center add-on, which
\RXFDQQGE\VHDUFKLQJIRU$GG
features to Windows 8. Opt to buy a
product key online and select
Windows 8 Media Center Pack.
Alternatively, theres MediaPortal,
which is available for free from www.
team-mediaportal.com.

WorldMags.net

25

Find local online radio

26

$QQRWDWHSKRWRV

27

Play music to
suit your mood

Internet radio stations arent

DOZD\VHDV\WRQGEXW7XQH,Q
PDNHVLWHDV\*RWRKWWSWXQHLQFRP
and search for local radio stations by
entering a location. Click Listen to
stream a chosen station live to your
computer from the net. There are
hundreds to choose from.
Make your pictures more
informative by adding labels.
*RWRZZZIRWRWDJJHUFRPDQG
register to use the site. Now you can
upload one of your pictures and tag it
with simple text annotations. You can
then export the newly edited picture
or share it online. Its a great way to
explain holiday snaps to your family.

IWVQRWDOZD\VHDV\WRQG
background music that matches your
mood or, more importantly, helps to
get you in the right frame of mind.
0RRGVWUHDPKWWSPRRGVWUHDP
gettyimages.com) can help. You can
select from eight preset moods or set
the sliders to generate your ambient
stream. If you register you can create
and save mood boards for later.

WorldMags.net

33

Fly to
the moon

Get the next best thing to a real lunar trip

ZLWK0RRQ$URXQGHUKWWSPRRQDURXQGHU
FRP(QMR\DQDPD]LQJYLUWXDOWRXUZLWK
360 panoramic photos. These photographs
ZHUHWDNHQRQDFWXDOOXQDUPLVVLRQV
enabling you to truly experience the surface
RIWKHPRRQDVVHHQE\WKHFUHZVRI$SROOR
$SROORDQG$SROOR<RXFDQ]RRP
LQSDQDQGWLOW\RXUZD\DFURVVWKHVH
stunning images of space exploration.
<RXFDQH[DPLQHPRRQURFNVOXQDUEXJJLHV
DQGODQGLQJPRGXOHVWRR

ENJOY
YOUR PC

More tips and

advice to keep
you amused

28 Check the
weather

32 Watch
movies

Before you venture

RXWFKHFNWKHORFDO
weather. On the Start
VFUHHQXVHWKH
Weather charm for
an hourly forecast.

Open your own

YLGHRVRUFRQQHFWWR
Xbox video or
Spotlight to watch
the latest movies on
your Start screen.

&KHFNWUDIF
conditions
Select the Maps
app from the Start
screen. Right-click
DQGVHOHFW0\
location > Show
WUDIFIRUPRUHLQIR

29 View photos

Gather photos from

FRQQHFWHGGHYLFHV
6N\GULYH)OLFNUDQG
Facebook into one
slick interface with
this extremely handy
Start screen app.

31 Manage your
appointments
Take control of your changing schedule with
this top app. You need to be signed in to a
0LFURVRIWDFFRXQWWRXVHLW:KHQODXQFKHG
it shows you the current month and any
upcoming events. Select any day to add an
DSSRLQWPHQW3URYLGHDWLWOHHQWHUWKHVWDUW
time and set the length of the appointment.
8QGHU:KHUHHQWHUWKHORFDWLRQFOLFN
0RUHWRUHQHLW+HUH\RXFDQDGGORWVRI
LQIRUPDWLRQZKHWKHUWRUHFHLYHDUHPLQGHURU
who to invite. To keep the appointment
SULYDWHWLFNWKH3ULYDWHER[<RXFDQWKHQ
click the save icon to safely store it away.

WorldMags.net

11

WorldMags.net

Unleash your
creativity
Publish photos, make paper models or say hello to a virtual
ZKDOH)LQGQHZZD\VWRVWUHWFKDQGUH\RXULPDJLQDWLRQ

34

Create T-shirts and mugs

Produce your own T-shirts for

a party or run off a
customised mug for a friend. CafePress
(www.cafepress.co.uk) enables you to
make and sell clothing, gifts and other
items bearing your own design or
image. You can upload a design or
composition and get them reproduced
on a wide range of merchandise.

35

Convert tapes
and records

Why leave LPs and cassettes

languishing on the shelf when you can
turn them into pristine MP3s?
Download and install Audacity from
KWWSDXGDFLW\VRXUFHIRUJHQHW
connect your old record player or tape
deck to your PCs line in socket (for
best results use a USB converter) and
record the playback. Audacity enables
you to edit and save the results as a
:$9RU03OH

36

Print stamps

It can be a long way to the

QHDUHVWSRVWRIFH6DYH
yourself the walk by printing your own
postage stamps online. Browse over to
www.royalmail.com and click the
button Buy postage online. Youll

need to register an account and pay by

card you can then print postage onto
stickers, paper or envelopes.

37

Create a photo diary

38

Control a friends PC

Blipfoto (www.blipfoto.com) is
a really useful photo diary
service. Youre restricted to one image
per day and the date stamp on the
SKRWROHKDVWRPDWFKWKHGD\\RXUH
uploading it for. These restrictions help
you produce a real and meaningful
record of events.
*et around the issue of
understanding a PC problem
described over the phone by seeing
the screen directly. Install TeamViewer
(www.teamviewer.com) on both
computers and get your friend to grant
you access by reading the ID and
password. You can then control their
computer while talking on the phone.

39

Make paper models

This is a great way to keep

kids entertained on rainy days.
Canons papercraft site provides a
number of downloadable and
printable models. To get started, go to
KWWSELWO\G$'N4DQGVHOHFWWKH

Preserve your LPs with Audacity

12

WorldMags.net

model you want to use. Download and

print it, then follow the assembly
instructions to build it.

40

)LQGDIIRUGDEOHLJKWV

41

Learn and practice

a foreign language

42

Witness the
miracle of birth

43

Sing karaoke

Kayaks explore feature

LQFOXGHVPDSVWRKHOS\RXQG
out where you can afford to go within
DSDUWLFXODUEXGJHW\LQJLQD
VSHFLHGPRQWK*RWRZZZND\DN
FRPH[SORUHDQGHQWHU\RXUORFDO
airport in the box marked Explore
from. Use the slider to set your budget
and pick the month you want to travel.

Digital Dialects (www.

digitaldialects.com) is an excellent
resource for learning foreign language
vocabulary. It provides a wide range of
languages. Select the one you want to
learn, followed by a particular topic.
You can learn the words, phrases and
pronunciation and then test yourself
with some fun games and tests.

Mare Stare (www.marestare.

com) provides a large number of live
webcams that monitor mares and
other animals that are ready to give
birth. Its not always possible for
owners to keep a eye on their animals,
so this service helps by broadcasting
monitoring cameras online. Anyone
can go and have a look and if you see
a horse in trouble, you can call the
listed number to report it.
Cantanding (www.cantanding.
com) is a specialised search
engine that looks for karaoke versions
of songs hosted on YouTube and other
video-based websites. Enter the artist
DQGRUVRQJWLWOHDQGFOLFNDUHVXOWWR
get a backing track and even some
handy lyrics, too.

WorldMags.net

44

Explore a
virtual whale

45

Read some
world news

*RWRKWWSELWO\NGPFTDQG\RXOOVHHDQ
DPD]LQJOLIHVL]HPRGHORIDZKDOHZKLFK
you can move around and explore in greater
detail. The little red rectangle that appears
in the preview on the top-right shows the
area thats currently displayed. To see a
GLIIHUHQWSDUWRIWKHZKDOHVLPSO\FOLFNDQG
drag it to get a closer look. The detail is crisp
and incredibly pleasing and you get a
RDWLQJHIIHFWZKHQ\RXUHQRWGUDJJLQJ
that makes your view slowly drift as if you
were actually underwater.

9LVLWKWWSQHZVPDSMSWRYLHZPDMRUQHZV
VWRULHVDQGDVVHVVWKHLULPSRUWDQFHEDVHG
on the numbers of related articles on each
VSHFLFVWRU\7KLVUHDOO\XVHIXOZHEVLWHXVHV
VHDUFKHQJLQHGDWDWRQGQHZVDQGUHODWHG
VWRULHVWKHQSUHVHQWVHYHU\WKLQJLQD
FRORXUIXOZDOOIRU\RXWRSHUXVHDQGHQMR\
The size of each block relates to its number
RIUHODWHGDUWLFOHVJLYLQJ\RXHDV\DFFHVVWR
trending stories. The background colour also
connects articles with similar topics. Just
hover over a headline to see more details.

Quick tips
46

Learn a new skill

47

Write upside down

48

Detect changes to a site

49

Create a scrapbook

50

Find photos to use

Videos are a useful way to

discover new skills. Woopid
(www.woopid.com) provides a
searchable range of training videos.
If you want to post on forums
or social networks using
upside down text, go to www.
upsidedowntext.com and get posting!
Some sites dont update
regularly. Change Detection
(www.changedetection.com) sends you
DQHPDLOQRWLFDWLRQDVVRRQWKH\GR
Computer Scrapbook (www.
computerscrapbook.com)
provides several free kits to get you
started with photo scrapbooking.

WorldMags.net

MRUJXHOHZZZPRUJXHOH
com) provides a catalogue of
pictures that are searchable by
keyword. They are cheap to buy and
use however you like. Q
13

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

LIVE

WorldMags.net

BUCKET LIST

Have a
smash hit

Realise your musical

dreams with these top
gadgets and apps

YouTube

FREE
It might be full of
cats playing music,
but YouTube is still
the most popular
place to post a video.
www.youtube.com

ith the rise of free

video and music
sharing sites like
SoundCloud and
YouTube, you dont
have to audition for TV
shows like the The Voice
or The X Factor to have a chance of realising
your pop-tastic potential. All you need is
a few key bits of tech, a decent piece of
recording software and just a splash of that
all-important talent.
This month, we bring together just some
of the gadgets that can transform you from
a regular Joe to the next big thing. Q

Samson
Meteor USB
Microphone

78 | $150
This top mic will
work with most
music software.
www.samsontech.com

Tascam DR-05
Portable
Recorder

90 | $180
This gadget is great
for recording from a
mic or instrument.
http://tascam.com

START A
MUSICAL
CAREER

Gadgets and
sites to help you
QG\RXULQQHU
pop idol

BEST
APP FOR
POP STAR
Capture your
musical talent
with this app

Soundrivin

FREE
With this great app,
you can browse
SoundCloud for tracks
or record and upload
your own creations to
share with friends.

WorldMags.net

15

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2

16

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WorldMags.net
3

LIVE

BE THE BEST

Become a
gaming god

If you love playing games,

WKLVNLWZLOOKHOS\RXJKWRU
H[SORUH\RXUZD\WRYLFWRU\
Qpad QH-85
Rather than scaring your
1 neighbours with an almighty

surround speaker setup, try these

headphones from Qpad. They include
a mic too, so you can scream at your
teammates in multiplayer sessions.
71 | $150 www.qpad.com

XMG P530
Gaming laptops are quickly
2 catching up with their desktop

counterparts in performance terms,

and this 15.6-inch unit is a perfect
example of what you can get for your
money. Its fully customisable too, so
you can take your pick from a raft of
upgrades when you place your order.
1,099 | $na www.mysn.co.uk

Corsair Vengeance M95

If you prefer thinking to
3 shooting, you might appreciate

the M95 mouse, which is designed for

MMO (massively multiplayer online)
and RTS (real time strategy) titles.
You can even create custom button
setups for individual games.
70 | $80 www.corsair.com

Nvidia 3D Vision
To make your favourite games
4 really immersive, why not try

playing them in 3D? To do this, youll

need to upgrade your PCs graphics
with 3D capability. This stereoscopic
3D Vision kit from Nvidia will do just
that, and it works with over 500 games
and 3D Blu-ray movies.
110 | $130 www.nvidia.com

Alienware X51
Gaming laptops are great, but
5 sometimes theres no substitute

for a big screen and the comfort of

sitting at a desk. This Alienware X51
gaming PC is perfect if thats your
preferred style of play, and costs a lot
less than an equivalent laptop.
600 | $700 www.dell.com

Corsair Force GT
Adding an SSD (solid state drive)
6 is an easy way to speed up any

PC, whether its for better in-game

performance, or just to get it to boot
faster. It can either supplement your
PCs mechanical hard drive or replace
it completely. This Corsair Force GT
is perfect for the task and comes in a
range of sizes up to a huge 480GB.
110 | $130 (120GB) www.corsair.com

BenQ XL2411T
If you decide to upgrade your
7 PC with the Nvidia 3D Vision kit,
youll need a 3D monitor, too. This
24-inch display from BenQ should do
the trick. With a Full HD screen, 1ms
response time, and of course 3D
compatibility, its a great way to get
the most from your games.
240 | $500 www.benq.com

Corsair Vengeance K70

If you have lightening-fast
8 UHH[HV\RXOODSSUHFLDWHD

keyboard that can keep up. The Corsair

K70 has [W][A][S][D] keys that feel
different to the rest, ensuring you can
get to the important controls easily,
and the fully mechanical keys means
that presses register faster than ever.
120 | $130 www.corsair.com

WorldMags.net

17

WorldMags.net

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WorldMags.netDESIRE

TECH STYLE

Mower droid
The best-looking lawn tamer
to date takes the effort out of
JKWLQJVXPPHUVWXUIZDU

Honda Miimo
HRM500
The Honda Miimo HRM500 is visibly
DQGDXGLEO\LQXHQFHGE\LWV$6,02
URERWDQGVKRXOGEHOHWORRVHRQ\RXU
JUHHQVZDUGDFRXSOHRIWLPHVDZHHN
8VLQJDIDQWRVXFNWKHJUDVVWRZDUGVLWV
H[LEOHVWHHOEODGHVLWSURGXFHV
PPPPJUDVVFXWWLQJVWKDWGRQW
QHHGWREHUDNHGRUFROOHFWHG\RXFDQ
MXVWOHWWKHPPXOFKEDFNLQWRWKHVRLO
$QGPRUHLPSRUWDQWO\LWVTXLHWWRR
2,235 | $tba www.honda.com

WorldMags.net

19

WorldMags.net
SONY VAIO
DUO 13
1,300 | $1,400

The Sony Vaio Duo 13 is an

excellent product and probably
the best hybrid Ultrabook/tablet
device weve seen, but with such
a hefty price tag its still not
enough to convince us to
make the switch.
www.sony.com

RATED

Is this the
ultimate
hybrid?
Has Sony managed to
combine the best of every
device with the Vaio Duo 13?

ntels brand new

Haswell processors
(also known as
fourth generation
Core processors)
bring little to the
table for desktop
PCs, but include a number of
improvements for mobile devices. To
coincide with Intels new chips, Sony
has launched a refreshed lineup of Vaio
Ultrabooks, which includes the new
Duo 13 model.
Its the immediate successor to the
Sony Vaio Duo 11, which served as a
decent attempt to bring the power and
comfort (especially when typing and
working) of an Ultrabook with the
simplicity and convenience of using a
tablet device.
But how much of an improvement
over the Sony Vaio Duo 11 is the Vaio
Duo 13, and how does it compete with
other convertible hybrids such as the
Dell XPS 10 or the Acer Aspire R7? One
of the biggest challenges faced by the
Sony Duo 13 along with many of its
hybrid competitors is the criticism
that its a Jack of all trades, but a
master of none.
While hybrids are supposed to
contain the best features of laptops,
Ultrabooks and tablets, they often
20

bring the downsides of each platform

with them as well and these
downsides can often be more apparent
WKDQWKHEHQHWV7KLVPHDQV\RXJHWD
tablet-like device thats hobbled with
the low battery life of a laptop and the
high price tag of an Ultrabook, while
having a laptop-like device with the
small and often poor screen of a tablet.
With the Vaio Due 13, has Sony
managed to construct a device that
genuinely transcends the faults of its
competitors (and its own past models)
and create a hybrid whose whole is
greater than the sum of its parts?

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WorldMags.net

The Haswell
processor in the
Sony Vaio Duo 13
helps it maintain a
great battery life
Thankfully, there have been a
number of improvements between the
Sony Duo 13 and the Sony Duo 11. The
most visible difference is the screen,
which has been increased from 11
inches to 13.3. As with the Sony Duo
WKHVFUHHQORRNVJUHDWEHQHWWLQJ
from a full 1080p resolution that makes
Windows 8 look superb. The bigger
screen also means that the desktop
side of Windows 8 is easier to use,
especially when using the touchscreen
on non-touchscreen optimised menus
amd windows. Within the Modern UI,
the touchscreen also works great. The

WorldMags.net

DESIRE

increase in screen real estate inevitably

means that the Sony Duo 13 is larger
than the Duo 11, with dimensions of
0.77 x 12.99 x 8.27 inches. With a few
features shifted about it means that
while the screen is a fair amount larger,
the whole size of the Duo 13 isnt that
much bigger than the Duo 11. It only
weights slightly more, at 2.93 pounds,
but its still comfortable to hold.

Battery boost

Another headline improvement is that

battery life has been increased from
the Duo 11s rather paltry four hours,
to a potential 10 hours of use. A large
part of this increase in battery life is
thanks to Intels new Haswell processor,
ZKLFKLVIDUPRUHHIFLHQWLQLWVXVHRI
power. With the Duo 11 you could buy
a separate battery pack which would
almost double the battery life, but
would also make the Duo 11 much
heavier and more cumbersome. With
this in mind, the doubling of potential
battery life with just a small increase to
the overall weight of the machine is
GHQLWHO\LPSUHVVLYH
The longer battery life has been
much vaunted, and is certainly an
improvement. With a full hi-def movie
playing on a loop, we saw the
battery drain in four hours and 47
21

WorldMags.net
Fresh Paint

FREE
The Sony Vaio Duo
13s stylus pen is
perfect for playing
around with this
great painting app
so get creative!

3 APPS
TO TRY

Keep yourself
amused
on the move
Bing Translator

FREE
Overcome the
language barrier with
this top app. Use
your camera, voice or
keyboard to have a
phrase translated.

Power DVD
Mobile

10.99 | $14.99
Get the most out of
the Sony Duo 13s
beautiful screen, with
the essential Power
DVD Mobile app.

Larger screen

The large full 1080p

HD screen looks
fantastic and makes
watching your
favourite movies and
playing games a
real pleasure.

Stylus holder

The Vaio Duo 13 also

includes a stylus
holder (something
that was missing
from the Duo 11). It
keeps the digital pen
safe when not in use.

New Intel
processor

The main driving

force behind this
hardware refresh is
the powerful fourth
generation Haswell
processor from Intel.

Increased
battery life

Even if youre
watching Full HD
movies or playing
games, the battery
life in the Duo 13 is
more than reliable.

Track pad

The larger size of the

Duo 13 allows a
proper trackpad to
be included in its
design just like
those normally found
on standard laptops.

22

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

minutes, a far cry from the 10 hours

advertised, but still pretty good
considering the stress the benchmark
puts the Sony Duo 13 through. For
lighter use, you should see battery life
closer to the one advertised.
Elsewhere, the Sony Duo 13 comes
with a full HD web camera, using
Exmor RS technology, built-in Wireless
N, Bluetooth, a MS/SD card reader, two
USB 3.0 ports, headphone and
microphone jacks and an HDMI out
port. The Duo 13 drops the VGA port
of the Duo 11, but comes with a HDMI
WR9*$DGDSWHU,WDOVRVDFULFHVWKH
Ethernet port although a handy
Ethernet to Wi-Fi adapter is included.

Improved performance

So do the improvements in
VSHFLFDWLRQVWUDQVODWHWRDQLQFUHDVH
in performance? Simply put, yes the
Sony Duo 13 is a superb two-in-one
tablet. From hibernation, the Duo 13
wakes up and loads Windows 8 in a
matter of seconds. This speedy
wakeup can be attributed to both
Windows 8 and Intels powerful new
Haswell mobile processor, but its still
impressive and implemented well by
Sony. Even when booting from cold,
Windows 8 only takes around eight
seconds to load up.
The increased screen size is perfect
IRUZDWFKLQJOPVDQGHGLWLQJSKRWRV
with particularly impressive colours
and contrast thanks to Sonys clear
experience in visual technology. The
size of the Duo 13, however, makes it
far less portable than other tablets.
The unique sliding mechanism for
switching between the Duo 13s tablet

VERDICT

A highly-priced
hybrid that works
brilliantly with
Windows 8
and Ultrabook modes (known as Surf
Slider design) has been improved and
is much easier to use than the Duo 11.
It can even be done one-handed,
which is very impressive. When youre
working in Ultrabook mode the larger
body really comes into its own, and the
comfortably-sized keyboard is very
responsive. Another good sign is that
WKHGGO\WUDFNEXWWRQRIWKH'XR
has been ditched in favour of a proper
laptop trackpad, which makes using
the Duo 13 far easier. However, while
using the device in Ultrabook mode,
we felt that the screen tilted slightly
too far back for comfort, and theres
no easy way to adjust it.
Thanks to the new processor, plenty
of RAM (in the model we tested it was
4GB of DDR3) and a solid state drive,
Windows 8 and its various apps ran
smoothly and quickly, with barely a
pause or hiccup. However, theres no
avoiding that huge price tag. Q

WorldMags.net

TRY IT
WITH
THESE

Great tech for

your new Sony
Vaio Duo 13

DESIRE

Toshiba
Stor.E Canvio

68.42 | $124.99
This light and
super-fast USB 3.0
external drive is a
perfect companion
when using the Sony
Vaio Duo 13. Its easy
to carry when youre
out and about, and
itll save you from
OOLQJXSWKH'XR
13s hard drive too
quickly, thanks to the
extra storage space
this device offers.
www.toshiba.com

Sony MDR-1R
Prestige
headphones

183.58 | $381.55
The Sony Vaio Duo
13 comes with
built-in NFC tech
(otherwise known as
Near Field
Communication).
These headphones
connect to the Duo
13 by simply
touching the device
you dont even
need to plug them in
to enjoy your music!
www.sony.com

Sony VGP-CK2
Slipcover for
VAIO Duo 13

PRICE TBA
Keep your new Duo
13 protected with
Sonys new slipcover
design. Its been
specially designed
for this new hybrid,
VRLWVDSHUIHFWWIRU
your new device.
Sony hasnt released
a price for this
RIFLDOSURGXFWMXVW
yet, but check Sonys
website for updates.
www.sony.com
23

WorldMags.net
NOKIA LUMIA
925
_

RATED

A great looking smartphone

with an excellent camera and
pre-installed apps, but its not
different enough from last years
Lumia 920 to appeal to us.
www.nokia.com

The best
snapper
around
The Nokia Lumia 925 is a
brilliant cameraphone, but still
leaves something to be desired
oNLDKDVEHHQ
VORZO\FODZLQJ
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GHVLJQDQGLQQRYDWLRQ:HVDZKDOIRI
WKDWHWKRVODVW6HSWHPEHUZKHQWKH
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IHDWXULQJDVXSHUEWRXFKVFUHHQWKDW
FRXOGEHXVHGZLWKJORYHVDQGD
WRSQRWFK3XUH9LHZFDPHUDEXW
DOWKRXJKLWVGHVLJQZDVEULJKWDQG
IXQWKHUHVQRGRXEWWKDWLWZDVD
FXPEHUVRPHEHDVW
6RZKHQ1RNLDODXQFKHGWKH/XPLD
ZLWKLWVDWWUDFWLYHQHZPHWDOIUDPH
DQGXSGDWHGFDPHUDZHWKRXJKW
ZHGKDYHDVXUHUHKLWRQRXUKDQGV
+RZHYHULWVHHPVWKDWWKLVDJVKLS
PRGHOKDVQWUHDOO\PRYHGRQPXFK
IURPODVW\HDUVDZDUGZLQQLQJ
KDQGVHWIHDWXULQJWKHVDPHLQWHUQDO
SURFHVVRU5$0DQGGLVSOD\
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WKH/XPLDZLWKZLUHOHVVFKDUJLQJ
RQHRIRXUIDYRXULWHIHDWXUHVDQG
LQWHUQDOVWRUDJHERWKVXIIHULQJDVD

24

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DVSHFLDOFDVHDQGDPRUHFDSDFLRXV
YDULDQWZLOOEHDYDLODEOHIRUWKRVHZKR
ZDQWPRUHVSDFHIRUWKHLUPRYLHV
JDPHVDQGPXVLFEXWLWVVWLOOSUHWW\
RGGWRVHHDSKRQHJREDFNZDUGVLQ
WHUPVRIFRPSRQHQWVGHVSLWHEHLQJ
DQHZHUPRGHO

Picture perfect

TKH/XPLDVFDPHUDLVLWVVWDQGRXW
IHDWXUHDQGKDVEHHQLPSURYHG
IURPERWKDKDUGZDUHDQGVRIWZDUH
SHUVSHFWLYH1RNLDV6PDUW&DPHUD

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

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EHVWVPDUWSKRQHSKRWRJUDSK\WRROV
DURXQG,WXVHVFOHYHUDOJRULWKPVWR
WDNHSLFWXUHVLQDURZWKHQFUHDWH
DFWLRQVKRWVDQGUHPRYHXQZDQWHG
REMHFWVIURPWKHUHVXOWLQJVQDSV
IWVDWULFNWKDWZHVDZIURPWKH
)LQQLVKUPODVW\HDUDQGLWVPXFK
EHWWHUSDFNDJHGWKLVWLPHDURXQG
DOWKRXJKWKHGXDOFRUH&38VHHPVWR
VWUXJJOHWRFUHDWHWKHQLVKHGLPDJH
ZKHQ\RXYHFKRVHQWKHHIIHFW\RX
ZDQW7KHUHLVWDONRIDPRUHSRZHUIXO
/XPLDFRPLQJVRRQZKLFKZLOO
KRSHIXOO\DGGUHVVWKLVSUREOHP
TKHSLFWXUHV\RXGRJHWZKHWKHU
IURPWKH6PDUW&DPHUDRUJHQHUDO
VQDSSLQJDUHDOPRVWDOZD\VDZOHVV
ZLWKULFKGHWDLOFULVSGHQLWLRQ
DQGVWURQJFRORXUUHSURGXFWLRQ
FRPSOHPHQWHGVXSHUEO\E\LQGXVWU\
OHDGLQJSHUIRUPDQFHLQORZOLJKW
FRQGLWLRQV:HWULHGLWDORQJVLGHWKH
+7&2QHZKLFKLVDOVRNQRZQIRULWV
H[FHOOHQWFDPHUDDQG1RNLDVHIIRUW
ZDVVWUHHWVDKHDG

Extra apps

IQDGGLWLRQWRWKHH[FHOOHQWFDPHUD
WKHUHVDVWURQJVXLWHRIDSSVWKDW
VXSSOHPHQWWKHVOLJKWO\OLPLWHG
RIIHULQJSURYLGHGZLWKVRPH:LQGRZV

WorldMags.net

DESIRE

3KRQHKDQGVHWV)RULQVWDQFH1RNLDV
0L[5DGLRSDUWRIWKH1RNLD0XVLF
DSSZKLFKLVRQO\DYDLODEOHIRU/XPLD
KDQGVHWVLVRQHRIWKHEHVWZD\VWRJHW
PXVLFIRUIUHH,WGRHVQWOHW\RXFKRRVH
VSHFLFWUDFNVWROLVWHQWREXW\RXFDQ
WDNH\RXUSLFNIURPPDQ\SUHVHOHFWHG
SOD\OLVWVRUJHQHUDWH\RXURZQIURPD
FHUWDLQVRQJ$FHUWDLQDPRXQWRI
VNLSSLQJDQGRILQHSOD\EDFNLVDOVR
LQFOXGHGZLWKWKHIUHHDSS
6LPLODUO\1RNLD+(5(LVDEULOOLDQW
SLHFHRIPDSSLQJVRIWZDUHWKDWJLYHV
\RXLQVWDQWVDWQDYFDSDELOLWLHVDQGOHWV
\RXGRZQORDGPDSVIRURILQHXVH
ZKLFKUHDOO\VDYHVRQGDWDZKHQ\RXUH
RXWDQGDERXW,WVQRWDVSRZHUIXODV
*RRJOH0DSVEXWLWVPLJKW\FORVHDQG
LVDUHDOERRQ
TKH/XPLDDOVRPDNHVWKHPRVW
RI:LQGRZV3KRQHVEXLOWLQIHDWXUHV
WRRLQFOXGLQJWKHH[FHOOHQW&RQWDFWV
DSSZKLFKUHDOO\FRPHVWROLIHRQWKH
ODUJH3XUH0RWLRQ+'VFUHHQ

Coasting along

TKLVLVDVWURQJSDFNDJHEXWZHFDQW
KHOSEXWIHHOOLNH1RNLDKDVFUHDWHG
DKDQGVHWWKDWDFKLHYHVWKHEDUH
PLQLPXPQHHGHGWRTXDOLI\DVDQ
XSGDWH,WIHHOVOLJKWHULQWKHKDQGDQG
WKHGHVLJQKDVFHUWDLQO\LPSURYHG
ZLWKDQDWWUDFWLYHPHWDOOLFEDQG
VXUURXQGLQJWKHRXWVLGHHGJHEXWLWV
WRRVLPLODUWRWKHLQWHUQDOO\DQGWR
DGHJUHHH[WHUQDOO\WRZDUUDQWPXFK
UHDOH[FLWHPHQW
1RNLDVH[WUDDSSVDUHH[FHOOHQW
WKRXJKDQGFRXOGJLYHWKHDQ
HGJHLI\RXUHFRPSDULQJLWWR
DQRWKHUVLPLODUO\SULFHGKDQGVHW
25

WorldMags.net
Smart Camera

Use the Smart

Camera app to take
10 pictures in a row,
then choose from a
number of stunning
effects to really bring
them to life.

TRY IT
WITH
THESE

*HWWKHPRVW
IURP\RXUQHZ
VPDUWSKRQH

Swapchat

99p | $1.29
$QXQRIFLDODSS
that brings the fun
of Swapchats unique
photo conversations
to your Windows
Phone handset.

YouTube HD

Free
Windows Phone
VWLOOODFNVDQRIFLDO
YouTube app, but
this is the next best
thing, with full access
to the sites videos.

Weather Flow

1.49 | $1.99
The best weather
app on Windows
Phone. Not only does
it bring accurate and
relevant info, it looks
stunning too.

At a glance

The Nokia Lumia 925

features a semipermanent clock that
allows you to glance
for the time without
having to turn the
phone on.

Anodised body

Nokia has brought a

touch of aluminium
to its Lumia range,
but only around the
edges the rest of
the chassis is made
of polycarbonate.

2YHUDOOWKH1RNLD/XPLDLVDUHDO
SRZHUKRXVHLQVRPHUHVSHFWVEXWDQ
XQLQVSLULQJFORQHLQRWKHUV,I\RXUH
ERWKHUHGDERXWORRNVDQGZDQWD
VOLJKWO\EHWWHUFDPHUDWKDQWKLVLVD
SKRQH\RXVKRXOGFKHFNRXW+RZHYHU
1RNLDKDVDQQRXQFHGWKDWWKH6PDUW
&DPHUDWRROZLOOVRRQEHFRPLQJWR
WKH/XPLDZKLFKLVDURXQG
FKHDSHU:LWKWKDWLQPLQGODVW\HDUV
PRGHOPLJKWORRNOLNHWKHPRUH
LQWHOOLJHQWFKRLFHDQGWKDWVQHYHU
VRPHWKLQJ\RXZDQWZKHQ\RXUH
ODXQFKLQJDQHZKDQGVHW Q
26

9(5',&7

Apart from its

excellent camera,
the 925 feels like a
phone from 2012
WorldMags.net

I N T E R A C T I V E D I G I TA L E D I T I O N

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Windows Store and
save a fortune!

Grab your copy for only 2.79 | $3.99

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WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
TOSHIBA
WT310
1,090 | $1,457

RATED

The Toshiba WT310 does

have many redeeming qualities,
EXWVRPHVHULRXVDZVDQGD
KHIW\SULFHWDJSODFHVLWZHOO
behind competitors like the
Microsoft Surface Pro.
www.toshiba.com

A true
business
tablet?
The Toshiba WT310
the Windows 8 tablet
with identity issues
he WT310 is
Toshibas answer to
the Microsoft
Surface Pro, but to
even try and
compare the two
devices would be
foolish. Where the Surface Pro is the
GHQLWLRQRIXWLOLWDULDQHIFLHQF\ZLWK
LWV[HGVSHFVDQGFOHDQFXW
magnesium body, the WT310 has been
designed from the start to be one of
WKHPRVWH[LEOH:LQGRZV3UR
tablets you can buy.
Designed for the business and
education market, the WT310 can be
customised with any conceivable form
of storage including the Intel i5
Haswell series which makes it a very
serious contender to not only the
Surface Pro, but to many of the
premium Windows 8 tablets out there.
But simply offering a specs list is rarely
enough and many Windows 8 tablets
in the past have followed a trend of
being impractically underpowered/
overpowered and frustrating to carry.
In some respects the WT310 addresses
these concerns, but in others it
becomes a frustratingly old story.
Lets get one thing out of the way
right now, the WT310 is no looker,
continuing the illusion that just

28

because it has been built for work, it

should also look about as interesting as
a doorstop. The tablet is almost
exclusively made from plastic, useful
considering it already weighs in at
JDQGZKLOHWKDWVGHQLWHO\OHVV
than the Surface Pro, we would have
accepted the weight gain for an
increase in build quality.
While the overall feel has been built
to clearly withstand the daily commute,
it makes for an unpleasant holding
H[SHULHQFHZLWKWKHEDFNSODWHH[LQJ
inwards to an alarming degree. Large
vented ports on the top, side and

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

bottom help pump air around, keeping

WKDWVWDWHRIWKHDUWIRXUWKJHQHUDWLRQ
Intel i5 processor cool. The home
button is large and easily accessible
and while it doesnt feel great, it does
certainly look like itll last.

Plenty of power

One of the reasons there is such a large

air vent at the top is the specs, and in
this area the WT310 really comes into
LWVRZQ:HWHVWHGWKH:7
which is the highest specced version
DQGFRPHVZLWK:LQGRZV3URELW
With a 3MP camera on the back and a
1MP camera on the front, this is
surprisingly low, considering the
competition and in use it really shows.
Underneath the ocean of plastic,
theres an extremely capable i5
processor, 4GB of RAM and 128GB of
SSD putting it up against not only the
Surface Pro but also some of the better

WorldMags.net

DESIRE

Ultrabooks out there (as well as the

Apple MacBook Air). Of course, whats
important to remember is that these
specs come at a price, making the
:7DVHULRXVLQYHVWPHQW
All is not lost however, as adorning
WKHIURQWWKHUHVDLQFK)XOO+'
LED display. Colours are impressively
recreated with extremely dark blacks,
but what it can boast in quality it lacks
in true brightness, making it extremely
GLIFXOWWRXVHLQDQ\VRUWRIVXQOLJKW
News isnt any rosier when it comes to
audio either; despite having two
speakers on the bottom, the WT310
sounds awful with volume levels being
extremely low. Its as if more of the
sound is directed into the device,
causing a tinny distortion to occur
whenever theyre pushed even slightly.
In truth, the WT310 hasnt been
created as the ultimate entertainment
centre; instead, its about having a truly
SRUWDEOHRIFHVROXWLRQDQGLQWKHVH
respects it certainly ticks many of the
boxes. Pen support is present, but to
JHWDEXLOWLQKROGHUZLOOFRVW\RXH[WUD
Windows 8 Pro means youll be able to
UXQIXOOYHUVLRQVRI2IFHZLWKRXWLW
breaking a sweat, and Intel AppUp
provides you with an app store for
apps thatll run optimised on their
processor. Connectivity is also
excellent, with a mini HDMI, USB 3.0,
SD Card and Bluetooth 4.0 all present
and correct. One thing to note is the
sound of the fan; even when
SHUIRUPLQJDSSDUHQWO\ORZOHYHOWDVNV
the WT310 is by no means a quiet
tablet with the fan making
considerably more noise than your
29

WorldMags.net
3 APPS
3RUWDEOHSRZHU

$SRZHUIXOIRXUWK
generation Intel Core
LSURFHVVRUZLWK
Turbo Boost means
youll get 2.0GHz of
processing grunt to
KDYHIXQZLWK

TO TRY

Get even more

from your
Toshiba WT310
6N\1HZV

FREE
*HWWKHODWHVWQHZV
and opinion via Skys
H[FHOOHQW:LQGRZV
DSSZLWKKLJK
quality video and
large images.

Full HD Display

Great
British Chefs

Toshiba have packed

in their TruBrite
11.6-inch Full HD,
/('GLVSOD\ZLWKDQ
DQWLUHHFWLYHDQG
DQWLQJHUSULQW
FRDWLQJDVZHOO

FREE
Over 300 recipes
from some of
Britains best chefs,
WRJHWKHUZLWKVRPH
beautiful photos.

1HWL[

6 | $8 per month
Make the most of the
WT310s Full-HD
GLVSOD\ZLWK1HWL[
ZKLFKRIIHUV+'
streaming for a
monthly fee.

0RELOHRIFH

Connectivity is vital
for any user so
theres a micro HMDI
port on hand along
ZLWK%OXHWRRWK
and a USB 3.0 port
for peripherals.

average Ultrabook. Place it somewhere

between an Xbox 360 and a MacBook
Air in terms of noise.
,VWKLVDFRPSOHWHWUDLQZUHFNWKHQ"
In all honesty, we can see the WT310
being a faithful companion to any
travelling businessman or woman, and
the impressive specs sheet and a sturdy
but uninspiring shell means it
should certainly last. Our argument,
however, is why pay this much money
for what appears to be increased
portability at the cost of a loud fan,
poor sound and a screen that could do
with being a great deal brighter. Q
30

VERDICT

Featherlight

Weighing in at only
825g, the WT310
features an
ultra-light plastic
shell and for better
RUIRUZRUVHLWPDNHV
it incredibly portable.

WorldMags.net

The WT310 cant

be faulted for
versatility, but it
lacks usability

WorldMags.net

Discover Britains
biggest and best
photo magazine
ON
SALE
NOW

Dont miss the latest issue of Digital Camera

EXCITING FREE GIFTS! Every issue comes with a range of free gifts, including a packed
Video Disc, fold-out guide to key camera skills, special supplements and more!

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WorldMags.net
DELL XPS 18
920 | $1,319

Nothing is perfect, but the spec

of this touchscreen Ultrabook
is impressive with its extra
graphics, generous storage
and optional HD screen and
its still not too pricey.
www.dell.com

RATED

The ultimate
tablet for
the home
The Dell XPS 18 isnt your
average tablet its really
an all-in-one PC in disguise
he XPS 18s main
problem is one of
perception. We
think of desktop
PCs and we think of
tablets. The two can
sometimes meet,
but we dont tend to think of them
possibly being the same device.
The XPS 18, then, will come as an
alien concept to many. Its a complete
PC in the form of a tablet with a huge
Full HD 1080p 18-inch screen, but
when you start using it youll realise
as we did that its actually a great
home PC. Why? Because its a machine
that you can use as both a traditional
desktop computer (a wireless mouse
and keyboard are supplied in the box),
and a portable device you can take
round the house wherever you like.
Want to browse the web on the
coffee table? You can do that. In the
kitchen and want to watch a cookery
show on TV or follow a recipe online?
No problem, there are two fold-out
legs on the rear of the device that prop
it up when youre not near the main
stand, and can also tilt it at an angle
LI\RXUHXVLQJLWDWRQDVXUIDFH
The weighty desk stand acts as a
charging base station but offers no
extra connectivity; everything is on the

32

side of the XPS 18, including USB

ports and a memory card reader.

Serious performance

Dell clearly sees the XPS 18 as a PC

that will suit anyone there are three
versions of it available, ranging from
the 899/$900 4GB Intel Core i3
version to the 999/$1,000 Core i5
YDULDQWDQGQDOO\D&RUHL
version in the UK. Both of the latter
models come with 8GB of memory
and, as is the Dell way, all can be
customised when you order from
the Dell website.
We were sent the most
SRZHUIXO&RUHLYHUVLRQ
for our review, and found it
to be extremely snappy and
responsive. The integrated Intel
HD 4000 graphics chip isnt the
best especially if youre paying
this kind of money but we could
play older or mainstream games

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

DESIRE

Adobe
Photoshop
Express

FREE
Edit your photos to
perfection with this
replacement for the
Photos app.

TRY IT
WITH
THESE

Make the most

of your Windows
PC at home

without issue. We found that the

new SimCity played smoothly at full
resolution provided we had the effects
WXUQHGGRZQZKLFKZDVQH
The 1080p screen itself is wonderful,
DQG:LQGRZVDSSVORRNWHUULFRQLW
If youre looking for a device for casual
browsing checking the news, looking
up the weather its hard to beat the
experience you get here.

Battery-drainer

As its a portable device, we should

also talk about battery life. There was
still plenty of charge left after watching

DOPLQ)XOO+'EXWRXULQWHQVLYH
battery benchmark test yielded a poor
result of just over two hours. Still, it
VKRXOGEHQHIRUKRPHXVHZH
reckon youll get four hours or so of
fairly standard use between charges.
The XPS 18 is a very solid device, but
the price will be a problem for many
potential buyers. We dont think its
obscene, but at over twice the cost of
a tablet (or the cost of a tablet plus a
budget Windows 8 laptop), it really is
pushing what people are prepared to
spend on a home PC.
We dont think buying the lower end
Core i3 version of the XPS 18 makes
sense, but if you wanted a higher end
machine that you can use for a spot
of gaming as well then its worth
considering. Your friends might not
understand, but we know that youll
have a great time. Just make sure you
wash your hands before using the
touchscreen while cooking. Q

WorldMags.net

FlipToast

FREE
&RPSUHVVOHVRQ
your PC or from
Dropbox, Google
Drive and SkyDrive,
then share them
with anyone!

Great British
Chefs

FREE
Excellent recipes
ideal for the XPS 18
just take it to the
kitchen and follow
along!

VERDICT

A surprisingly
versatile all-in-one
thats tremendous
for entertainment
33

WorldMags.net

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September 2013

WorldMags.net

Summers
hottest
sounds
SZHDWJKWLQJVSRUWV
friendly earphones to
keep you motivated
in mid-summer

or months youve
been packed into
a gym, but now
its time to liberate
yourself from this
musk-soaked arena
and take your
workout outdoors. You wont miss the
company of your workout buddies,
though. These sporty headphones will
keep you company on the long road to
WQHVVRIIHULQJGHFHQWVRXQGDWWKDW
stands up to the vibration and bumps
of running, and resistance to your
rugged, manly ear-sweat.

Sennheiser Adidas
PMX 685i

Despite its streamlined look, this

light headset feels very durable.
The remote is connected to the
left-hand side, so you might notice
a bit of a pull if you thread them
underneath a jacket, but the buds
stay put. On the sound front theres
a decent 120dB of power, with an
improved frequency response for a
richer, more detailed sound. The bass
is somewhat lacking, though.

60 | $80 www.sennheiser.com
36

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

Yurbuds
Inspire Duro

Yurbud claims that its TwistLock

technology ensures these buds
will stay put, and after testing, we cant
argue with that. They dont always feel
very secure though, which can be
off-putting. Unlike many of their rivals,
the Yurbuds let in ambient noise, which
is good if you like to know whats
going on around you, but means that
the audio lacks some vibrancy.

50 | $50 www.yurbuds.com

Sony XBA-S65

Sonys sporty earbuds feature

lasso-style hangers that adjust
around your ears to provide a secure
WGXULQJUXQQLQJ:HLJKLQJMXVWJ
theyre barely noticeable in your lugs,
although part of the reason theyre so
light is that theres no remote control.
The narrow earpieces use armature
drivers instead of dynamic drivers,
producing a crisp, clear sound with
strong vocals and bass that doesnt
distort even at higher volume levels.

79 | $88 www.sony.com

Monster iSport
Victory

Yes, these are pricey, but in our

view you get enough features
to warrant the extra investment. The
tangle-free cord actually lives up to
its billing and sound is excellent,with
great noise isolation and deep, intense
bass. Last but by no means least, with
a hygienic, anti-microbial coating and
sealed housing, theyre easy to keep
clean and sweat-free.

130 | $170 www.monsterisport.com

Pioneer SE-E721

PLRQHHUVVNXOOWGHVLJQOLYHVXS
to its billing: these earhooked
phones clamp around your ears with
no intention of letting go until youre
ready to take them off, but are
comfortable at the same time.
The 9mm speaker units produce a
supremely bassy sound, making them
ideal for up-tempo workout music.
Theyve been designed with extreme
sports enthusiasts in mind, but theyre
also suitable for a jog around the park.

WorldMags.net

40 | $67 www.pioneerelectronics.com
37

WorldMags.net

Now fully interactive on your iPad

Now only

1.99!

2!&F'12#,F ,2#0!2

4'* *#-,#5112,"$-0'"
www.totalfilm.com/,#5112,"
iPad is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc.

WorldMags.net

ENJOY

WorldMags.net
The Gift of Rain

SEPTEMBER
ENTERTAINMENT
HIGHLIGHTS

BOOK 0.99 | $1.53

Set in Penang in 1939, The
Gift of Rain follows the
unexpected friendship that
forms between a young loner
and a Japanese diplomat.
Download for Kindle app now

Kanye West:
Yeezus

The White Queen

BOOK 3.66 | $5.64

Recently made into a hit BBC
drama, Philippa Gregorys
historical novel charts the rise
of Lady Elizabeth Grey to the
Queen of England.
Download for Kindle app now

Wreck-It Ralph

FILM 3.49 | $4.49

Disneys latest
computer animated
adventure imagines
a world where
computer game
characters come to
life. Can Ralph save
the arcade from a
terrible disaster?
Rent from the Xbox
Video store now

The metal
masters return
Music Black Sabbath: 13
6.99 | $9.99

I
3OH!3: Omens

MUSIC
7.99 | 9.99
3OH!3 (pronounced
three oh three) is
an American electro
pop duo from
Colorado. Their latest
album, Omens,
showcases their
great hip-hop sound.
Download from the
Xbox Music store now

MUSIC
7.99 | $12.99
This sixth studio
album from hip-hop
star Kanye West may
be his most critically
acclaimed release to
date. It features
styles such as acid
house and industrial.
Download from the
Xbox Music store

f youre into heavy metal, then Black

Sabbath need no introduction they are
considered one of the founding fathers of
the genre, with classic albums such as
Master of Reality and Paranoid proving to
EHELJLQXHQFHVRQFRXQWOHVVEDQGVWKDW
have come afterwards. Since the formation
of the band in 1968, there have been a
number of line-up changes, but the new
album, 13, contains almost the entire
original band, with Ozzy Osbourne taking
OHDGYRFDOVRQDQDOEXPIRUWKHUVWWLPHLQ
over 35 years. If there was any doubt in your
mind, rest assured with this latest release,
the decidedly black magic of Sabbath is still
very much alive and kicking.

Sigur Rs:
Kveikur

MUSIC FREE
Stream the Icelandic
ambient bands latest
studio album for free
with Xbox Music.
With a more
aggressive sound,
Kveikur is a return to
form for Sigur Rs.
Download from the
Xbox Music Store

Cautionary Tales

BOOK 1.49 | $2.26

Actor Stephen Tobolowsky
has appeared in over 200
movies and television shows.
He shares some homespun
philosophy on his career.
Download for Kindle app now

HISTORICAL BIOPIC

One mans
epic struggle
FILM Lincoln 3.49 | $4.49

his epic historical drama, directed by

Steven Spielberg, has been a huge hit
both commercially and critically when
it arrived last year. Nominated for seven
Golden Globe Awards and a mind-blowing
12 Oscars, it saw lead actor Daniel
Day-Lewis win his third Academy Award for
Best Actor, following his amazing portrayal
of the titular American president.
TKHOPUHFRXQWV/LQFROQVHIIRUWVWRSDVV
the Thirteenth Amendment to the United
States Constitution, formally abolishing
slavery in January 1865. With a top notch
cast, gripping story and director Steven
Spielberg at the top of his game, make sure
you rent this brilliant historical epic on your
Windows 8 device today.
Rent from the Xbox Movie Store

Lincoln was
nominated
for a total of
12 Oscars
WorldMags.net

39

S U B S C RI B E A N D S AV E

WorldMags.net

Take out a digital

subscription and
save a fortune
Get two

FREE
issues
when you subscribe
on Google Play or
iPad/iPhone

Subscribe from just 1.99 | $2.99 per month

Start your no-obligation FREE trial today!
WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

Envvied

FREE
You can browse and
shop directly from
this great app, with
fantastic photos that
showcase the latest
styles and trends.

WINDOWS STORE
THE BEST
NEW APPS
23snaps

FREE
This app for new
parents lets you
capture your childs
precious moments.
You can then upload
and share them, too.

ALSee

FREE
ALSee makes
photo-editing easy.
Either import photos
youve already got
saved on your
Windows 8 device, or
take a photo using
its built-in camera.
There are loads of
tools to try, including
basic colour controls.

Turn Off the

Lights

A taste
of Britain
Great British Chefs FREE

Daily Workouts

FREE
Daily Workouts
provides 5-10 minute
daily workout tips for
men and women
that guides you
through some of the
best exercises you
can perform in the
comfort of your own
home. Great for a
busy lifestyle!

ith 320 recipes from Britains

greatest chefs along with some
beautiful photography to get you
inspired, handy hints and great videos
this app will get you cooking like a pro in
no time. The app includes top recipes
from chefs including Marcus Wareing, Tom
Aikens, Nathan Outlaw and many more.
You can also create a shopping list and
organise it by recipe or aisle for a faster
shopping trip. You can also pin, print and
even share your favourite recipes. Its the
perfect app if youre planning a special
meal or a dinner party.

wordBrush

FREE
The wordBrush app
allows you to draw
text on your devices
touchscreen, with
each letter following
the movement of
\RXUQJHU,WKDV
over 200 fonts, 20
freeform brushes
and the ability to
import images, too.

FREE
Watching embedded
videos in busy
websites can be
distracting, but this
handy app can help.
It dims everything in
the background
except the video
thats playing, almost
like a mini cinema!

Datazen

FREE
This app shows you
all kinds of data in an
attractive format. It
can import data
from Excel, SQL
Servers and more.

TRANSLATION

Overcome
the barrier
of language
BING TRANSLATOR FREE

he Bing Translator App for Windows is

your companion when you need to
quickly translate what youre looking
at. If theres a sign, menu or other text you
need to translate, simply point your
Windows 8 device at the text and Bing
Translator will quickly display a translation
on top of the image. You can also type in
the text you want to translate, with support
for more than 40 different languages. The
text-to-speech feature lets you hear the
translations spoken with a native speakers
accent, and you can also download
language packs so you can use Bing
Translator wherever you go even if you
dont have access to the internet.

This app can

also detect a
language you
havent seen
before, too

WorldMags.net

41

WorldMags.net
GAME OF
THE MONTH
GRID 2

heres a long corner

arching through a part
of Grid 2s sundrenched Californian
track where a squirrel
dashes across the
road. Its always at precisely the same
point, and always just as your car
lurches into the basin of a gentle drop
and rise. The squirrel is symbolically
VLJQLFDQWLWVSHDNVWRGrid 2s great
presentation, which is glistening and
iridescent and other things your car
would be if it was that awesome.

Can you handle it?

Grid 2 is chock-full of good things.

Central among them is the superb
KDQGOLQJZKLFKIURPWKHUVWIHZFDUV
earned in your modest garage to the
driveable fortunes won after a few
successful seasons is punchy, weighty
and growling. Can the handling of a
car actually growl? In Grid 2 is does.
42

Its sophisticated enough to require

an adjustment to the precise balance
and purchase of each new vehicle, and
to enable you to feel rather than
simply see when you slide across
different surfaces, whether its inching
a tyre into grass sidings, bumping over
a raised curb or rumbling across a
gravel patch. But its a long shot from
simulation, too theres no cockpit
view, no driving aids and whichever car
youre racing, the back-end is always
straining to kick out around each
corner you manoeuvre.
In other words, Grid 2 is more fun
than a sim, and its spectacular to look
at into the bargain. The cars are
approaching photorealism in a way
WKDWPDNHVLWGLIFXOWWRGHVFULEHWKHP
without coming over all amateur Top
Gear, and the tracks including
bleached Miami, crackling Chicago and
atmospherically-muted Paris give a
highly textured depth to each event.

WorldMags.net

The game runs smoothly at 1,920 x

1080 with all the graphics options
turned up, never dropping below
60fps. For such a good looking game
you will need a decent PC, with the
UHFRPPHQGHGVSHFLFDWLRQVEHLQJD
Intel Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM
and a Radeon 4870 or better graphics
card under the hood.

Event variety

Theres decent variety to Grid 2s

grab-bag of events too, mixing up
point-to-point races with closed road
and track competitions and a handful
of other one-off promo events (like
racing pickup trucks against the clock).
What really keeps the experience fresh
is the admirably aggressive AI, which
will happily shunt and nudge you
cliffwards, even on some of the lower
GLIFXOW\VHWWLQJV$QGDVDZHOFRPH
counterweight, the AI will also make
realistic mistakes during a heated race.
Its no true replacement for the games
12-player online match-ups, but it does
ensure that the singleplayer career is
always a challenge and never a grind.
To help keep things feeling fresh
WKHUHDUHYHGLVWLQFWUDFHPRGHVWR
keep you coming back for more.
Alongside the traditional Race mode,

WorldMags.net

ENJOY

HOW TO
OWN THE
TRACK

Our tips
IRUEHLQJUVW
every time

there's Elimination, which forces you to

keep ahead of the pack. Every 20
seconds the car in last place is
HOLPLQDWHGXQWLORQO\UVWSODFH
remains. The Drift mode sees you
sliding around the track in a bid to
build up points. The longer you drift,
the more you get, whilst collisions and
mistakes will cost you. In Checkpoint
races, you need to up the ante in a race
against the clock. Driving through
checkpoints gives you a few extra
seconds, in classic arcade style. Finally
Faceoff sees you racing against a single
opponent at break-neck speeds. Q

Drive angry

Use rewinds

As we mentioned,
the AI controlled cars
will do anything to
beat you in a race. To
ensure victory, youre
going to need to be
just as aggressive.

A handy new feature

or Grid 2 is the
Rewind tool, which
lets you quickly
rewind a few seconds
before any crucial
mistakes you made.

Get to grips
with drifting

Drifting around
corners takes time to
properly master, but
once you do, youll
be a formidable
opponent in a race.

Explore the
game modes

There are loads of

different game
modes, including
Race, Elimination,
Drift, Checkpoint and
the addictive Faceoff.

WorldMags.net

Grid 2 is more fun

than simulation,
and its also truly
amazing to look
at into the bargain
43

Take your pick

WorldMags.net
from over 80
vehicles, from
sports cars
to lorries

DRIVING GAMES

Pay and display

Parking Mania
FREE

KLVDGGLFWLYHOLWWOHJDPHWHVWV\RXU
parking skills to the limit as you
combine precision, style and skill
to successfully position your motor in
DYDULHW\RIWULFN\VSDFHV3RLQWVDUH
DZDUGHGIRUVNLOIXOPDQRHXYULQJDQG
DYRLGLQJFROOLVLRQV7KHJDPHSOD\DSSHDU
VLPSOHDQGHDV\WRJUDVSDWUVWEXW
WKHUHVDGHSWKWRWKHOHYHOVWKDWUHTXLUHV
a lot of practise to master so its just
as well Parking Mania is a lot of fun!
7DNH\RXUSLFNIURPRYHUYHKLFOHV
from nimble sports cars to enormous
JRRGVORUULHV:LWKYDULHGOHYHOVDQG
UDQGRPFRPSXWHUFRQWUROOHGWUDIF
Parking ManiaDOZD\VRIIHUVDXQLTXH
challenge no matter how many times
\RXYHplayed it.7KHUHDUHHYHQVHFUHW
DUHDVWRGLVFRYHUDQGDFKRLFHRIFRQWURO
schemes so you can pick the one you
feel most comfortable with.

Speed Rovers

No Brakes Rally

FREE
No Brakes Rally uses
aerial photographs
(like the ones you
QGLQ%LQJ0DSV
as tracks, with
lifelike physics and
upgradeable cars.
Compete against
your friends and
race to the top of
the world rankings!

FREE
This addictive bike
game pits you
against the clock
to race through
checkpoints and win
gold coins. Local
leader boards let you
compete with other
nearby players, and
you can share your
score on Facebook.

Super Slot Cars

0RWR;0D\KHP
1.39 | $1.99
7UDYHUVHGLIFXOW
OHYHOVZKLOHJKWLQJ
the laws of physics.
0DNHFDUHIXOXVH
of the brakes and
accelerator, and
move your rider
around to keep him
in the saddle. The
faster your time, the
higher your score!

0.99 | $1.49
Relive your
childhood love of
Scalextric playsets
with this fun racing
game. As with real
slot cars, its not
simply about tearing
around the track, but
carefully accelerating
and slowing down to
survive the corners.

PERFECT FOR KIDS

A Disney
adventure
Wheres my Mickey? XL
3.49 | $4.99

D
44

WorldMags.net

isneys excellent Mickey Mouse

app is perfect for keeping the
kids entertained. The game
IHDWXUHVYHRULJLQDOHSLVRGHVIRUWKHP
WRZDWFKDQGRYHUOHYHOVOOHGZLWK
challenges. Tap, swipe and swirl your
QJHURQWKHWRXFKVFUHHQWRKHOS
Mickey collect water and complete each
chapter. With cameos from some of
'LVQH\VPRVWEHORYHGFKDUDFWHUVLWV
great fun for fans of any age.

WorldMags.net
WINDOWS
STORE
GAMES
Our pick of
the latest titles

ENJOY

Rocket Thrust

FREE
Rocket Thrust uses
lovely retro pixel
art and great music.
0RYHDURXQGWKH
levels, picking up
fuel cells to progress.

Celebrity Noses

FREE
Can you identify
a celeb from their
nose? Put your nasal
knowledge to the
test with the daft but
fun Celebrity Noses.

6FULEEOH0L[

FREE
With a new Monsters
University pack to
coincide with Pixars
new movie, this fun
drawing game just
got even better!

Trick Shot
Bowling

Zoomed In!

FREE
Can you guess the
picture from a
FORVHXSRIDVSHFLF
part? This game tests
how good you are
at seeing the bigger
picture. With 110
levels, and more
coming soon, itll
keep you occupied
for hours.

Zulu Star

FREE
Zulu Star is an exciting
bubble-shooting
game, with 45 fun
OHYHOV0DWFKWKUHH
balls of the same
colour to pop them.

HOT GAME

Sunday Lawn

0.99 | $1.49
Join Charlie as
he cleans up his
neighbourhood on
a Sunday afternoon,
one garden at a
time. Avoid dogs,
hedgehogs and
other dangers, with
three different
modes and ways
to play.

FREE
Fancy a spot of
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to perfect your
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a multiplayer mode
and touch controls.

Get your
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Endless Skater
FREE

lip, grab, and grind your way to the

longest runs and highest scores in
Endless Skater. Play as one of the
worlds top boarders and jump into
HQGOHVVOHYHOVWKDWFKDOOHQJH\RXWRJHWDV
far as you can, or score as many points as
SRVVLEOH'LVFRYHUGR]HQVRIVWXQWVDQG
combos, including secret signature tricks.
*RIRUKXJHDLUORQJJULQGVDQGELJLSV
Beautifully stylised graphics will pull
\RXLQWRWKHDFWLRQDV\RXZHDYHWKURXJK
the halls of the school, or jump across
enormous roof gaps. Look for hidden
ERQXVHVDQGSLFNXSVLQOHYHOVWRERRVW
\RXUVFRUHVDQG;ER[DFKLHYHPHQWV

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his excellent twist on the traditional

tower defence genre combines
touchscreen controls and beautiful
graphics, along with a cheeky sense of
humour. You play a prince, sent off at a
young age to learn magic at a boarding
school for spoilt and untalented children.
After two years you return home,
ZRUWKOHVVTXDOLFDWLRQLQKDQGWRQG
that the king has died and your greedy
DXQWVDQGXQFOHVKDYHFDUYHGXSWKHODQG
EHWZHHQWKHPVHOYHV
Now you must JKWWR claim the
kingdom that is rightfully yours. You need
WRFRQTXHUDOOFDVWOHVWREHFRPHNLQJ
using magic to heal your armies and
GHVWUR\\RXUHQHPLHV+DYH\RXJRWZKDW
it takes toGHIHDW\RXUVFKHPLQJUHODWLYHV
and reclaim the throne?

Have you got

what it takes
to defeat your
scheming
relatives?

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45

WorldMags.net

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Digital replicas available for other platforms seehp//bitly/ZuMcvCformore

WorldMags.net

TRY
THIS!

Learn how to
VKDUHOHVZLWK
:LQGRZV
p52

Expert

GET STARTED FAST

+RWSLFNV
Create a media centre

7XUQ\RXU:LQGRZVPDFKLQHLQWRD
PHGLDIRFXVHGKXEp48

Migrate to Windows Phone

:KHWKHU\RXUHVZLWFKLQJRYHUIURPL26
RU$QGURLGZHVKRZ\RXKRZp56

Make a USB install stick

2XUWLSVDQGWULFNVIRUUHLQVWDOOLQJ
:LQGRZVZLWKRXWWKHIXVVp60

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
Expert

CREATE A GREAT
MEDIA CENTRE
Music, movies and live TV, all in one place

Download and
install XBMC

Go to www.xbmc.org and select

Downloads. Click Get XBMC and then
choose Windows. When prompted to
run or save the program, select Run. The
XBMC setup wizard begins. Click Next,
agree to the terms, and then de-select
anything you might not need on the next
screen. Click Next twice more, then
select Install.

48

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WorldMags.net

Getting started
and navigation

Once the installation process is complete,

select Finish and XBMC should start
automatically. You may be prompted
to unblock Windows Firewall click
$OORZDFFHVVLIQHFHVVDU\<RXOOWKHQ
be presented with XBMCs homepage.
You can navigate using your mouse
wheel, keyboard cursor keys, or arrow
keys on a Windows media remote.

Adding pictures,
videos and music

Click on each section to add relevant

media. To add photos, select Pictures,
then choose Add source. From here,
FOLFN%URZVHWKHQQGWKHIROGHUWKDW
FRQWDLQV\RXUSLFWXUHV0\3KRWRVIRU
example. Select OK when youre ready.
Now you can browse through your
photos, using the cursor keys or mouse
WRPRYHIRUZDUGVDQGEDFNZDUGV

Installing add-ons

$GGRQVDUHWKHOLIHEORRGRI
;%0&JLYLQJ\RXDFFHVVWRORWVRIH[WUD
IHDWXUHV+RYHURYHU9LGHRVWKHQ
choose Add-ons. Select Get more
DQG\RXOOVHHDQDUUD\RIVHUYLFHV)LQG
one you like and select Install. Once its
installed, return to the homepage, select
Add-ons again and click on the new
add-on to see the content.

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49

WorldMags.net

Get live TV

The one thing that Windows

Media Center does really well is enable
\RXWRZDWFKDQGUHFRUGOLYH79DQG\RX
can do the same in XBMC. You must have
D79WXQHULQVWDOOHGLQ\RXU3&HLWKHUYLD
PCI or attached externally via USB). Then
MXVWFRQQHFWD79DHULDODQG\RXUHUHDG\
WREHJLQZDWFKLQJDQGUHFRUGLQJOLYH79

Install NextPVR

<RXQHHGWRLQVWDOO1H[W395
ZKLFKOHWVWKH;0%&LQWHUIDFHUHFHLYH
OLYH79<RXFDQGRZQORDGLWIURPZZZ
nextpvr.com/downloads. Once its
LQVWDOOHGULJKWFOLFNWKHLQWHUIDFHFKRRVH
6HWWLQJV!'HYLFHVDQGFKRRVH\RXU79
WXQHUIURPWKHOLVW7KHQKLW&RQJXUH!
6FDQWRQGDYDLODEOHFKDQQHOV

Enable TV

Back in XBMC, go to the main

PHQXFOLFNRQWKH+RPHEXWWRQLI
youre not sure where this is) and select
6\VWHP!6HWWLQJV,QWKHOHIWKDQG
PHQXVHOHFW/LYH79,QWKHPHQXWKDW
GLVSOD\VDIWHUWKLVFOLFNRQWKH*HQHUDO
RSWLRQ%\GHIDXOW79LVGLVDEOHGLQ
XBMC, so hit the Enabled setting.

50

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WorldMags.net

Find a PVR client

2QFH\RXYHHQDEOHGWKH79
IDFLOLW\;%0&ZLOOLQIRUP\RXWKDWWKH
395PDQDJHUKDVEHHQHQDEOHGEXW
WKHUHLVQR395DGGRQLQVWDOOHG&OLFN
2.WRVHHDOLVWRI395FOLHQWVWKDWZLOO
HQDEOH\RXWRZDWFKDQGUHFRUGOLYH79
7KHUHDUHORWVWRFKRRVHIURPEXWZHYH
JRQHIRU1H[W395395&OLHQWVRVHOHFW
this to get started.

Install it

A new window appears, giving

\RXPRUHLQIRUPDWLRQDERXWWKHFOLHQW
7RJHW1H[W395ZRUNLQJKLWWKH(QDEOH
EXWWRQLQWKHPHQXRIRSWLRQVWRWKHOHIW
<RXFDQFOLFN&RQJXUHWRFKDQJHVRPH
RIWKHRWKHUVHWWLQJVEXWWKHUHVQRQHHG
to make any major changes to the
standard setup.

10 TV time!

WorldMags.net

Thats it when you go back to

the main menu in XBMC, a new option
KDVDSSHDUHGFDOOHG/LYH79:KHQ\RX
hover your mouse over this, another
menu appears, giving you the option
WRZDWFK79FKDQQHOVORRNDW\RXU(3*
(episode guide) and even record at
VSHFLFWLPHV7KHUHVQRQHHGIRU
:LQGRZV0HGLD&HQWHUDIWHUDOOQ
51

WorldMags.net
Expert

SHARE FILES
IN WINDOWS 8
You can share your files between any
device that uses the Windows 8 OS

Introducing
HomeGroups

+RPH*URXSVZHUHUVWLQWURGXFHGLQ
:LQGRZVDQGKDYHSURYHGYHU\
SRSXODUZLWKSHRSOHORRNLQJIRUDQHDV\
ZD\WRVKDUHOHVEHWZHHQWKHLUGLIIHUHQW
FRPSXWHUV7RVHWXSD+RPH*URXS
RSHQXSWKH&KDUPVEDUDQGVHOHFWWKH
6HWWLQJVFKDUPWKHQVHOHFW&KDQJH3&
VHWWLQJVWREHJLQ

52

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WorldMags.net

Create a
HomeGroup

,QWKH6HWWLQJVVFUHHQVHOHFW
+RPH*URXSWKHQFOLFN&UHDWHWRVHWXS
\RXURZQ+RPH*URXS:LQGRZVQRZ
FUHDWHVDEUDQGQHZ+RPH*URXSIRU\RX
WRFXVWRPLVHDQ\ZD\\RXZDQW,WPD\
WDNHDIHZPLQXWHVWRJHWHYHU\WKLQJ
VRUWHGKRZHYHUVRMXVWVLWWLJKWZKLOH
:LQGRZVJHWVWRZRUN

Add a PC to your
HomeGroup

0DNHDQRWHRIWKHSDVVZRUGXQGHU
0HPEHUVKLS<RXQHHGWRHQWHUWKDW
SDVVZRUGLQDQ\:LQGRZVGHYLFH\RX
ZDQWWRDGGWR\RXU+RPH*URXS2Q
\RXURWKHU3&JRWRWKH6HWWLQJVFKDUP
FOLFN&KDQJH3&VHWWLQJV!+RPH*URXS
DQGHQWHUWKHSDVVZRUG

View your
HomeGroup

<RXFDQYLHZWKHOHVDQGIROGHUV\RX
VKDUHLQ\RXU+RPH*URXSDVLIWKH\ZHUH
IROGHUVRQ\RXU3&2QWKHGHVNWRSFOLFN
WKH/LEUDULHVLFRQRQWKH7DVNEDUDQG
VHOHFW+RPH*URXSRQWKHOHIW&OLFNWKH
XVHUQDPHRIWKHRWKHUFRPSXWHUWRVHH
ZKDWOHVDUHEHLQJVKDUHG

WorldMags.net

53

WorldMags.net
Expert

Change
the settings

&OLFNRQWKH+RPHJURXSLFRQLQWKH
OHIWKDQGVLGHRIWKHZLQGRZDJDLQDQG
\RXOOVHHWKDW:LQGRZV([SORUHUQRZ
RIIHUVDVHOHFWLRQRIQHZRSWLRQVLQLWV
ULEERQEDU&OLFN&KDQJHKRPHJURXS
VHWWLQJVWRFKDQJHZKDW\RXVKDUHZLWK
WKH+RPH*URXSYLHZWKHSDVVZRUGDQG
PXFKPRUH

Troubleshoot
problems

,I\RXKDYHDQ\SUREOHPVZLWK
+RPH*URXSV:LQGRZVFDQKHOS\RX
LGHQWLI\DQG[WKHPZLWKWKH
+RPH*URXSWURXEOHVKRRWHU7RODXQFK
LWHLWKHUFOLFNRQ+RPH*URXSLQ
:LQGRZV([SORUHUDQGVHOHFW6WDUW
WURXEOHVKRRWHURUW\SHHomeGroup
LQWRWKH6WDUWVFUHHQDQGVHOHFW)LQGDQG
[SUREOHPVZLWK+RPH*URXS

Quickly share
files and folders

:KLOH\RXFDQVHWZKLFKIROGHUV
:LQGRZVVKDUHVLQWKH+RPH*URXSRU
GURSOHVDQGIROGHUVLQWR\RXU6KDUHG
IROGHUV\RXFDQDOVRVKDUHLQGLYLGXDO
OHV5LJKWFOLFNRQDOHRUIROGHUDQG
VHOHFW6KDUHZLWK!+RPHJURXSYLHZ
RU+RPHJURXSYLHZDQGHGLW7KH
ODWWHUOHWVRWKHUSHRSOHHGLWOHVVREH
FDUHIXOZKDW\RXVHOHFW

54

WorldMags.net

Get the most

out of sharing files

1RZ\RXYHVHWXSD+RPH*URXSDQG
DGGHG\RXUGHYLFHVWRLW\RXFDQHQMR\
\RXUVKDUHGPHGLDIURPDQ\RIWKH
GHYLFHV\RXOLNHEURZVHDQRWKHU3&V
SKRWRVHGLWDGRFXPHQWRQDQXPEHURI
WDEOHWVDQGVRPXFKPRUH+DYHDSOD\
DQG\RXOOQGVRPHH[FHOOHQWZD\VWR
VKDUHLQ:LQGRZV

WorldMags.net
Join
Windows:
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WorldMags.net
Expert

MIGRATE TO
WINDOWS PHONE
Whatever your old smartphone, moving to
Windows Phone 8 is quick and painless

Just sign in

Microsoft looks after a lot of

your data as part of your Microsoft
account, so start by going to Settings >
Email and Accounts. Select the option to
add a new Microsoft account, and log in
with the same username and password
you used on your old phone. If you use a
Microsoft email service, this should mean
that your mail set up automatically.

56

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WorldMags.net

Add email

If you use a non-Microsoft email

address, youll need to add it manually.
Head to Settings > Email and Accounts,
select the right account type for your
provider and enter your details. If you
use Gmail, for example, select Google. If
your email provider isnt listed, select
Other account. In some cases youll
need the server information ask your
ISP if you dont know it.

Copy contacts

Your contacts from your old

phone should all be linked to your
Microsoft account so, all being well,
theyll have transferred over already. On
the off chance they havent, you can use
Microsofts dedicated Sync Wizard tool
(download it from http://bit.ly/ZCMcMf)
to get them across. Just sync them from
your old phone, then connect the new
one and copy them over.

Calendar sync

Your calendars will follow you

trust us. If theyre tied to your Microsoft
account, theyll migrate automatically. If
you use Google Calendar, just add your
Google account as described in step two
and your calendars will appear. Even
Facebook calendars will import nicely;
just add your Facebook account in the
usual place and theyll appear in the
easy-to-use Calendar app.

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57

WorldMags.net

Document
crossover

Its easy to transfer your documents from

both your old phone and your main
computer using Skydrive. Make sure you
sign into the same Microsoft account
on all your machines, then drop
any documents you want on your phone
in your Skydrive folder and theyll appear
on your Windows Phone 8 handset in the
same place.

Moving music

If youve picked up tracks on the

Zune Marketplace, youll be able to
re-download them on your new device
without any trouble. If you have a
collection of non-Zune purchased tunes
on your old phone that youd like to carry
over, youll need to install Zune on your
computer (http://bit.ly/Vw4oSe), transfer
your collection to that, then send it back
to your new phone.

Shifting photos

Any photos youve already

synced with Skydrive will move across to
your new phone instantly, and any you
take with it will go straight to your
Skydrive photos hub. You can also get
photos from your old phone by plugging
it into your computer with a cable and
browsing its contents or by using the
Windows Phone app for Windows 8,
Windows desktop or Mac.

58

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WorldMags.net

Get your apps

On your computer, go to www.

windowsphone.com and navigate to
Purchase History. Log in with your
Microsoft account and youll see a
catalogue of all the purchases youve
made on Windows Phone 7. Just click
Reinstall next to any app, and itll
automatically download wirelessly to
your new handset. Easy as that.

Google details

Android phones are centred

around Google accounts, which are fully
supported by Windows Phone. Just go to
Settings > Email and Accounts, add a
Google account and enter your usual
Google login details to get your emails,
contacts, calendars and more in one
swift move. It couldnt be easier!

your iPhone
10 Sync
with Google

WorldMags.net

Support for Google accounts is extra

useful if you want to get your contacts
and other info from your iPhone. Youll
need to use a service called CardDAV to
sync your phone with your Google
account; once this is done, just add the
account to your Windows Phone and
your information will make its way over
automatically. Find out how by visiting
http://bit.ly/Y83Eon. Q
59

WorldMags.net
Expert

INSTALL STICK
Make reinstalling Windows 8 super easy!

Prepare your ISO

First, make sure youve got your

:LQGRZV,62DQDUFKLYHOHFRQWDLQLQJ
DOOWKHGDWDIURPDQRSWLFDOGLVFKDQG\
,I\RXKDYHD:LQGRZVLQVWDOODWLRQ'9'
\RXFDQFUHDWHDQ,62E\GRZQORDGLQJ
0LFURVRIWVWRROIURPKWWSELWO\
38X\*-XVWHQWHU\RXUSURGXFWNH\
IROORZWKHLQVWUXFWLRQVDQGFKRRVH,QVWDOO
E\FUHDWLQJPHGLDWKHQVHOHFWWKH,62
OHRSWLRQWRVDYHLWWR\RXUKDUGGULYH

60

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WorldMags.net

Get the USB maker

Once your ISO is ready and

waiting on your PC, you can go ahead
DQGVWDUWSUHSDULQJ\RXU:LQGRZV
86%VWLFN)LUVWRIDOO\RXQHHGWRJUDE
WKH:LQGRZV86%'9'GRZQORDGWRRO
IURPKWWSELWO\JG&8%V'RQWZRUU\
DERXWWKHQDPHLWDOVRZRUNVZLWK
:LQGRZV6HOHFW,QVWDOODWLRQFOLFNWKH
OLQNVDYHLWDQGRSHQWKHLQVWDOOHU

Open the
USB installer

)ROORZWKHSURPSWVWRLQVWDOOWKH
:LQGRZV86%'9'GRZQORDGWRRO
DQGRQFHLWVLQVWDOOHGORRNIRUDQHZ
LFRQWKDWDSSHDUVRQ\RXUGHVNWRS
LPPHGLDWHO\DIWHUZDUGV'RXEOHFOLFN
WKLVLFRQWRODXQFKWKH86%LQVWDOOHU

ISO hunt

+LWWKH%URZVHEXWWRQ
DQGVHDUFKIRUWKH,62OH\RXYHMXVW
VWRUHGRQ\RXUKDUGGULYH'RXEOHFOLFN
WRRSHQLWDQGKLW1H[W1RZFKRRVHWKH
W\SHRIPHGLDLWVKRXOGEHLQVWDOOHGWR
LQWKLVFDVH86%GHYLFH

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61

WorldMags.net

Format and install

Boot order priority

Easy reinstall

1RZVLPSO\VHOHFWWKH86%
GULYH\RXYHSOXJJHGLQDQGKLW%HJLQ
FRS\LQJ,IWKHGULYHKDVDQ\WKLQJRQLW
\RXOOEHSURPSWHGWRIRUPDWLW6HOHFW
(UDVHHYHU\WKLQJLI\RXUHKDSS\WR
SURFHHGDQG\RXU86%LQVWDOODWLRQZLOO
EHJLQ2QFHLWVQLVKHG\RXFDQWU\
ERRWLQJIURPLW

5HVWDUW\RXU3&DQGORRN
IRUWKHSURPSWRQVFUHHQWKDWDOORZV
you to get into your BIOS to change the
ERRWRUGHURI\RXUPDFKLQH,QRXUFDVH
ZHMXVWQHHGHGWRSUHVV>'HO@2QFH
youve accessed the BIOS, move across to
WKH%RRWWDEXVLQJWKHDUURZNH\VWKHQ
PRYHGRZQWRWKH%%6SULRULW\RSWLRQ
hit [Enter] and change the boot order to
EHJLQZLWKWKH86%GULYH\RXYHLQVHUWHG
7KHVHFRQGERRWRUGHUDXWRPDWLFDOO\
FKDQJHVWR\RXUPDLQKDUGGULYH

Windows 8
installation

2QFH\RXYHJRW\RXUERRWSULRULWLHVLQ
order, hit [Esc] to get back to the main
menu, then use the arrow keys to move
DFURVVDQGKLW6DYHDQG([LWRUSUHVV
>)@DQG\RXOOOHDYHWKH%,26<RXU3&
VKRXOGQRZERRWIURPWKH86%VWLFN
)URPKHUH\RXFDQEHJLQDERRWUHLQVWDOO

62

WorldMags.net

&RQJUDWXODWLRQV,I\RXHYHU
KDYHDSUREOHPWKDWSURKLELWV\RXIURP
starting your Windows 8 machine,
WKHUHVQRZDQHDV\ZD\WRUHLQVWDOOWKH
26RUUHSDLU\RXUPDFKLQH,WVDOVRKDQG\
WRKDYHDURXQGLQFDVH\RXORVH\RXU
LQVWDOODWLRQ'9'RULI\RXQHYHUKDGRQH
WREHJLQZLWK

S U B S C RI B E A N D S AV E

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International readers
can subscribe too!
Dont wait for the latest issue to reach your local store become a subscriber
DQGZHZLOOEULQJ:LQGRZV7KH2IFLDO0DJD]LQHVWUDLJKWWR\RXUGRRU

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VDYLQJV&XVWRPHUVZLOOEHFKDUJHGLQ*%37KLVRIIHULVIRUQHZRYHUVHDVSULQWVXEVFULEHUVRQO\<RXZLOOUHFHLYHLVVXHVLQD\HDU,I\RXDUHGLVVDWLVHG
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WorldMags.net
Expert

10 TOP TIPS:
DESKTOP POWER
Master your own desktop with Windows 8

Right-click the Taskbar and open the

Properties menu. Check the box next to
the sentence that begins Use Peek
and click Apply, From now on you get a
quick glance at the contents of your
desktop whenever you hover your
mouse in the bottom-right corner.

Task Manager is a super-useful

program that enables you to keep
tabs on exactly whats going on
with your PC. There are two quick
ways to access it: press the keys
[Ctrl]+[Shift]+[Esc] together; or
right-click the Taskbar and choose
the appropriate option. While its
open, you see a new icon in your
QRWLFDWLRQDUHDWKDWJLYHV\RXD
glimpse of your PCs performance.
Right-click the Taskbar,
highlight Toolbars and
select New Toolbar.
Choose a folder on your
computer and you get a
new icon on the Taskbar
that links to its contents.
64

Need to get your hands on

the touch keyboard, the
Internet Explorer address
bar, and more? Right-click
the Taskbar and simply add
the appropriate toolbar.

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WorldMags.net

The desktop tends to be a dumping

JURXQGIRUOHVOHV\RXUHMXVW
WHPSRUDULO\VWRULQJOHV\RXZDQWWR
DFFHVVTXLFNO\OHV\RXYHMXVW
downloaded which means it can quickly
get cluttered. Right-click the desktop and
select View > Small Icons to shrink them
GRZQDELWHQDEOLQJ\RXWRWPRUHRQ
Checking the option that
says Auto Arrange Icons
under the Desktop View
menu forces your icons to
a grid. You can still move
them, but they will snap
into place afterwards.
The standard grid for icons keeps
everything neat and tidy, but you
might want to arrange your icons
with more precision. Right-click the
desktop, select View and uncheck
Align icons to grid; you can then
click and drag to drop them
wherever you like.

Right-click the
desktop, go to the
View menu, and
uncheck the
option that says
Show Desktop
Icons. All the icons
on your desktop
disappear. To
access them again,
open an Explorer
window and visit
the Desktop folder
to see all of your
KLGGHQOHV

Your desktop is essentially just a folder, and as

such you can treat it the same as any other folder
on your computer. That means you can create
new documents, shortcuts and folders by
right-clicking, hovering over New, and choosing
the appropriate option.

Check out the menu that appears if you

right-click the desktop and hover over
Sort by it automatically swishes your
icons around, based on whatever option
you choose. This isnt a permanent
change, but bear in mind that it does
mess up any nifty arrangements youve
previously made. Q

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65

WorldMags.net
Expert

GESTURES
EXPLAINED

Enjoy getting hands-on with Windows 8

66

Select or perform an action

App-specific commands

Tapping something causes an action, such as launching an app or

IROORZLQJDOLQN7DS\RXUDSSVWRUHWKHPLQWROLIH
Using a mouse? Click an item in the Start screen to perform an
action such as opening an app.

App commands are revealed by swiping from the bottom or top

edge of the screen.
Using a mouse? Right-click anywhere to see commands, which
ZLOOGHSHQGRQWKHVSHFLFDSS

Get more options

Drag and move items

You can see details when you press and hold. In some cases,
pressing and holding opens a menu with more options.
Using a mouse? Point to an item and hover the mouse for a
couple of seconds to see more options.

This is mostly used to pan or scroll through lists and pages, but
you can use it for other interactions, too.
Using a mouse? Click, hold and drag to pan or scroll and youll
be able to move items, releasing the button to drop it.

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Close an application
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Find recently used apps

Swiping in and back out on the left brings up the most recently
used apps and you can select an app from that list.
Using a mouse? Place the mouse in the top left and slide down
the left side of the screen to see recently used apps.

Unused apps dont affect your performance, but if you want to

FORVHRQHDQ\ZD\MXVWGUDJWKHDSSWRWKHERWWRPRIWKHVFUHHQ
Using a mouse? Click the top of the app and drag it to the
bottom of the screen.

Zoom in and out

Settings commands and search

<RXFDQVWDUW]RRPLQJE\SLQFKLQJRUVWUHWFKLQJWZRQJHUVRQ
the screen to enlarge or reduce the size.
Using a mouse? Hold down the [Ctrl] key while using the mouse
wheel. Alternatively, click the minus symbol in the bottom right.

Swipe from the right side to reveal the Charms with system
commands such as search, settings and sharing options.
Using a mouse? Place the mouse in the upper or lower right
corner of the screen and move your mouse up the right edge.

Turn and pivot items

Switch between apps

+ROGWZRRUPRUHQJHUVRQDQREMHFWDQGURWDWH<RXFDQWXUQ
the whole screen 90 degrees when you rotate your device.
Using a mouse? 6XSSRUWIRUURWDWLQJDQREMHFWGHSHQGVRQWKH
VSHFLFDSS

Swiping from the left reveals thumbnails of your open apps so you
can switch to them quickly.
Using a mouse? Place the mouse pointer in the upper-left and
click to cycle through apps.

WorldMags.net

67

S U B S C RI B E A N D S AV E

Take out a digital

subscription and
save a fortune
WorldMags.net

The only
RIFLDO
:LQGRZV
PDJD]LQH

Subscribe from just 19.99 | $28.99

for 13 issues over one year
Available on Zinio.com!
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WorldMags.net

TRY
THIS!

Create artistic
wonders with
your PC or tablet
p74

Hot picks
Create a home theatre

Life

Revolutionise your living room with two

of the best TVs on the market p70

Enjoy the great outdoors

A selection of apps and websites to help

you embrace the wild p78

ACHIEVE MORE

Windows 8.1 revealed

We bring you everything you need to

know on the new Win8 update p84

WorldMags.net

69

WorldMags.net
Life

70

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WorldMags.net

HOME MEDIA CENTRES

Entertainment
centre
Upgrading your TV or home
theatre can turn your boring
old living room into the
ultimate entertainment hub

hen it comes to things

like living room
setups, once we get
used to them, we tend
to feel pretty happy
with what we have
its not often we feel the need to
upgrade, unless something breaks. But,
like everything else, there are always
new and better televisions being
released, and you might be surprised
at just how big a difference upgrading
your screen can make.
Its not just about new and better
video technology making movies
either; TV and games look amazing
and though that is a massive part of it,
its all about the extra features that
come with it. DVRs for recording
shows, HD television tuners for
watching everything in high-quality,
smart features for watching ondemand and even 3D support.
Were looking at ways to upgrade
your living room, turning it into the
ultimate entertainment centre. The
screens here are some of the best you
can buy, meaning that theyre not just
excellent for receiving broadcast TV:
hook your laptop or an HTPC to them
you can use them to view photos,
watch videos online, play games
and much, much more.

A VISION
OF THE
FUTURE

BEST FOR
4K FILMS
AND TV

5HGHQH\RXU
living room with
these top TVs

SONY KD65X9005A
5,999 | $6,999

BEST FOR
EXTRA
FEATURES
WorldMags.net

LOEWE
CONNECT ID
1,600 | $tba

71

WorldMags.net
Life

SONY
KD-65X9005A
5,999 | $6,999

A 4K TV for the home, straight

from the minds at Sony the
KD-65X9005A offers simply
phenomenal picture quality
and a host of great features.
www.sony.com

Loewe Connect ID

When were buying something like a

new TV, we want something thats
JRLQJWRWLQWRRXUOLYHVERWKLQWHUPV
of matching the personality of our
homes and offering all the features we
want. Maybe we want something that
looks minimalist or maybe we want
something that makes a statement in a
funky colour. We might want
something with all the bells and
whistles or perhaps weve already got
lots of set-top boxes and we just want
something simple. German electronics
manufacturer Loewe doesnt want to

Razer Blade Pro

If you want a low-impact way to bring
serious PC gaming into your living room,
this is the laptop for you. Despite being less
than an inch thick, its ludicrously powerful,
matching one of the latest Intel processors
with a 2GB Nvidia GTX 765M graphics card
and 8GB of RAM. Basically, youre talking
about being able to have 1080p gaming
anywhere, either by hooking it up to your
home TV or on its own 17-inch screen. Its
also one of the coolest-looking laptops on
the planet, with a trackpad that doubles as a
touchscreen perfect for extra control
options or used in-game as a mini-map, etc.
72

A 4K TV, like the Sony KD-65X9005A, is the

perfect way to bring your living room to life

leave anyone out, so with its Connect

ID range of customisable TVs it claims
there are well over 4,000 different
FRQJXUDWLRQVDYDLODEOHGHSHQGLQJ
on what you want to go for. There are
four screen sizes, a range of colours,
different frame options, an optional
DVR and a huge choice of stands and
mounting options.
And thats before you get to the
standard features: an LED-lit Full HD
1080p display, Freeview HD or Freesat
HD tuner built-in (or dual tuners if you
get the DVR model), active 3D (though
no glasses are supplied) and smart
functions, too including catch-up

WorldMags.net

services like BBC iPlayer and the ability

to play stored videos over your local
network connection. Actually, the
Connect ID is rather limited in its
on-demand option by default, but
plug in a PC and you can watch just
about anything you want.
And as youd expect for the asking
price, picture quality is truly excellent,
offering a fantastic natural look, with
plenty of rich colours and deep black
levels even its speakers are great. Its
GHQLWHO\DOLWWOHH[SHQVLYH for an
HDTV, but for your hard-earned cash,
you get something thats truly tailored
to you and your home theatre.

WorldMags.net

LOEWE
CONNECT ID
1,600 | tba

A bespoke line of TVs

customise the colour, features
stand and more with this
excellent HDTV from Loewe.
www.loewe.com

Western Digital
My Book Live
111 | $129
With the My Book
Live 2TB, you can
stream media direct
to your Smart TV.
www.wdc.com

Sony KD-65X9005A
The snappy name of Sonys latest

DJVKLS79GRHVQWJLYHPXFKDZD\VR
lets cut to the really important part:
WKLVLVWKHUVW.79WKDWVDUHDOLVWLF
buy for the average living room. 4K is
the next standard over Full HD,
offering a quadruple increase in
resolution from Full HDs 1,920 x 1080
to a whopping 3,840 x 2,160. This TV is
65 inches, so when we said average
living room, it would need to be one
with a fair amount of space. Its also
6,000/$7,000, so again when we said
realistic buy we were being rather
hopeful but that price is hugely
reduced from earlier 4K offerings, and
thats the sort of price that HDTVs cost
ZKHQWKH\UVWDUULYHGVRZHUHVXUHLW
will eventually reduce in price.
And the thing is, for the jump in
picture quality that 4K gives you, the
price really doesnt seem that wild. Its
the best 3D TV on the planet and it

gives Blu-rays a new lease of life, even

over what the best normal HDTVs can
manage. Detail, depth and colours are
all astounding and thats just for
current HD movie content. Adding in
real 4K footage produces quality unlike
anything youv ever seen in the living
room before. Theres still a question
mark over where 4K footage will come
from, but your computer is the best
option right now: YouTube already
VXSSRUWV.YLGHRDQG1HWL[SODQVWR
support it in the future, too. There will
be a 4K Blu-ray standard (but thats still
some way off) and the PlayStation 4
and Xbox One will also support 4K.
Its not just about movies, though
games will look amazing on the
KD-65X9005A, even running at a lower
resolution than the full 4K (because
getting pretty games to run at full 4K
would be ambitious, to say the least).
And at that resolution, this screen
could also appeal to video and
graphics professionals, too. Q

WorldMags.net

TUNE UP
YOUR TV

Take your media

hub further with
these gadgets
and apps
1HWL[

6/$8 PER MONTH

1HWL[V79DQG
movie streaming
service is available on
loads of Smart TVs,
PCs, consoles, etc.
ZZZQHWL[FRP

Logitech Z906
5.1 Surround
Sound speakers

249 | $338
A set of speakers can
give new life to your
favourite movies.
www.logitech.com

73

WorldMags.net
Life

KILLER APP

Photoshop
Express
Edit your photos with ease (and for
free) with the Adobe Photoshop
Express app for Windows 8

dobe Photoshop is one

of the go-to photo
editing suites
professional
photographers and
artists use to make
their photographs look
amazing. Because its software made for
professionals, its also quite expensive, so
its nice to see Photoshop Express
Adobes photo editing app for Windows 8
available for free.
While the free Adobe Photoshop
Express isnt going to have all the features
of the far more expensive Adobe
Photoshop, it still brings a host of

Remove red eyes

Tints and temps

8VH$XWR[

Use your camera

An often-annoying side
eect of taking photos
with a ash is that some
people appear with red eyes.
Luckily, Adobe Photoshop
Express comes with a red eye
removal tool that will eliminate
any red eye eects with one tap.

You can make some cool

eects with the
Temperature and Tint
controls. By carefully tweaking
these you can make blue skies
look even more blue or turn a
sunny day into a beautiful sunset
by subtly changing the colours.

If you havent got the

time or patience to
adjust a photo you can
use the handy Autox tool. Just
tap the button with your nger
and Adobe Photoshop Express
will analyse your photo and give
it a good tweak.

If you have a webcam

or a built-in camera for
your Windows 8 device
then you can use Adobe
Photoshop Express to take
photos, then edit them straight
away. You can even set a timer to
make sure you get a great shot.

74

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WorldMags.netQ KILLER APP

Saving and
sharing photos

CHECK
THIS OUT
Dont miss this
hidden feature

Protect the original

Adding features

With Adobe Photoshop

Express you can
experiment on your
photos without worrying about
aecting the original. When you
save, Adobe Photoshop Express
saves it as a new image,
preserving the original snap.

While the main Adobe

Photoshop Express app
is completely free with
plenty of tools, you can also
purchase new tools such as
Reduce Noise and other eects
to build the perfect photoediting app for your needs.

Once youre happy

with your photo, you
can quickly share it
on Facebook or
save it to Revel or
onto your device.

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75

WorldMags.net
Life

excellent photo editing tools that will

help you tweak any of your photos. If
your Windows 8 device comes with a
built-in camera, you can take a photo
and begin editing it straight away with
Adobe Photoshop Express. The Adobe
Revel service is tightly integrated into
Adobe Photoshop Express, and lets
you store and edit your photos directly
from the cloud. It means you could be
editing a photo on your Windows 8
tablet, then move over to your laptop
and all your changes will be there,
waiting for you to carry on editing.

TRY IT
WITH
THESE

Edit your photos

with these great
editing apps

Edit your photographs

YRXFDQLSURWDWHDQGFURSDSKRWRLI
\RXZDQWWRIRFXVRQDVSHFLFSDUWRI
the image. A slider at the bottom of
the screen lets you straighten and
adjust the photo a handy tool thats
great for when youve accidently taken
the photograph at a slight angle. You
can also give your photos a more

You can apply

Instagram and
retro-style effects
to make a great
looking photo
76

striking look by tweaking the contrast,

clarity and vibrancy settings, again by
just using sliders that help you get the
perfect look. The View Diff button
lets you quickly compare the changes
youve made to the original photo,
which is great for seeing just how good
youre making the photo. If the
changes you make have a detrimental
effect, you can easily reset the changes
you made, reverting the photo to its
original state.
Exposure, white and colour balance
can be adjusted, and with careful
tweaks you can make a photo youve
taken with the built-in webcam of your
Windows 8 device look like it was
taken on an expensive digital camera!
If you want to quickly apply a cool
effect you can choose from a number
RIUHDG\PDGHOWHUV7KHVHFDQDSSO\
Instagram and retro-like artistic effects,
too. Just tap on the one you want and
youll have a great looking photo. Q

Clever Photo

Fhotoroom

FREE
With 18 editing tools,
24 artistic styles and
28 classic camera
effects, the stylish
Fhotoroom app offers
you a whole host of
options to help you
make your photos
stand out from the
crowd. An editing
brush tool lets you
QHWXQH\RXULPDJHV
to look just the way
you want them to. Its
also completely free
to use as well!

WorldMags.net

1.79/$2.49
This simple yet highly
effective photoediting app lets you
apply quick and easy
effects to your
captured images. If
youre an old hand at
editing your photos to
make them look as
fantastic as possible,
then youll really enjoy
the array of advanced
tools to use on your
beloved photos. This
app is great for pros
and novices alike.

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net

WorldMags.net
Life

Soar like
an eagle

Paragliding is pretty
much the closest to
ELUGOLNHLJKWDKXPDQ
being can experience.
Whether your intention
is to enjoy the unspoiled beauty of
nature while sailing over lush green
HOGVIURPWKHVHUHQLW\RIWKHVN\RU
just pretend to be Batman for a few
MR\IXOPLQXWHVWKH%ULWLVK+DQGJOLGLQJ
and Paragliding Association can have
you ready to make your maiden
voyage in just 10 days. When youre
UHDG\DVHFRQGKDQGFDQRS\FRXOG
VHW\RXEDFNDURXQG
and youll be ready to leap off a cliff
at a moments notice.
www.bhpa.co.uk/sport/paraglider
78

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WorldMags.net

10 WAYS TO...

Enjoy the great

outdoors
Get up off your chair, go
outside and do something fun,
exciting or just plain stupid

Go for a
gentle roll

Survive against
the odds

1H[WWRZDONLQJ
UXQQLQJF\FOLQJ
GULYLQJ\LQJDQG
UDLOWKHUHLVWUXO\QR
better way to enjoy the
beauty of nature than by rolling down
a massive hill while trapped inside a
JLJDQWLFWUDQVSDUHQWEDOO7R]RUELV
H[DFWO\WKDWZLWKDQDGGLWLRQDOLQQHU
ball surrounded by an air cushion
to protect you during your descent.
3ODFHGLQZKDWLVHVVHQWLDOO\DKXPDQ
VL]HGKDPVWHUEDOO\RXZLOOEHUROOHG
GRZQDKLOO8SRQVWRSSLQJ\RXZLOO
EHGL]]\PRVWOLNHO\YRPLWWKHQVD\
I want to do that again. But only
after cleaning the inside of the ball.
www.zorbingsouth.co.uk

Avoid potential death

in the scary outdoors
with the SAS Survival
*XLGHDYDLODEOHIURP
the Windows Store. Its
DGLJLWDOYHUVLRQRIWKHZRUOGIDPRXV
book of the same name by former
special forces super soldier John Lofty
:LVHPDQDQGFRQWDLQVWKHERRNV
HQWLUHWH[WSOXVEUDQGQHZFRQWHQW
LQFOXGLQJYLGHRVHTXLSPHQWFKHFNOLVWV
DQGHYHQTXL]]HV3LFNWKLVXSDQG
VWLFNDVKDUSNQLIHLQ\RXUSRFNHWDQG
youll either be ready to survive in the
wilderness or have a bleeding leg.
2.59 | $3.49
Download the SAS Survival Guide
app from the Windows Store now

WorldMags.net

79

WorldMags.net

Have lunch
al fresco

Picnics are almost

always retrospectively
described as a great
idea at the time. Its
inevitably either too hot
RUWRRFROGWRRZLQG\DQGWRRGXVW\
WRRVXQQ\RUWRRUDLQ\DQGDQWVDUH
JXDUDQWHHGWRFUDZORYHUXQGHUDQG
into your sweet treats. Its a tough
GHFLVLRQEXWLIWKHUHVRQHFRPSDQ\
you want to tell you where the best
SLFQLFORFDWLRQVDUHLWVRQHWKDWPDNHV
EXWWHU,I\RXIDQF\OXQFKRXWVLGH
Country Life has put together a list of
WKHEHVW%ULWLVKSLFQLFVSRWV$QWIUHH
]RQHVQRWJXDUDQWHHG
www.countrylifegreatbritishpicnic.co.uk

Optimise
your route

80

The great outdoors is

DPDVVLYHSODFHDQG
its very easy to get
lost and confused when
youre there. Claiming
to be the Swiss army knife of GPS
ORFDWLRQPDSSLQJWUDFNLQJDQG
URXWLQJDSSV:DON5XQ%LNH'ULYHLV
DKLJKIXQFWLRQLQJPXOWLIHDWXUHG
URXWHSODQQHU,WORJVDPRQJRWKHU
WKLQJVWLPHHODSVHGGLVWDQFHWUDYHOOHG
speed and mileage. Itll help you
QDYLJDWHZLWKRSWLPXPHIFLHQF\DQG
remember where youve been handy
if you tend to wander aimlessly.
FREE
Download the Walk-Run-Bike-Drive
app from www.walk-run-bike-drive.com

Picnics are always

retrospectively
described as
a great idea at
the time

Get back
in the saddle

Bikesharing schemes have

popped up in most major
cities across the world. Theyre
a great way to explore a
PHWURSROLVDQGWKH%LNH)LQGHU
DSSDYDLODEOHLQWKH:LQGRZV6WRUHLV
indispensable if youre planning to sweat
through your clothes while dodging buses
and blithely oblivious pedestrians. Check
WKHDSSKHDGWRD
designated location
DQG\RXVKRXOGQG
a bike you can use
to get around.
FREE
Download Bikefinder
from the Windows
Store now
WorldMags.net

Q 10 WAYS TO
WorldMags.net

Hit the road

in an RV

A road trip across

the good ol US of A is
something most of us
have imagined doing at
VRPHSRLQWEXWERULQJ
IDFWRUVOLNHORJLVWLFVDQGQDQFHVPDNH
it feel like an impossible pipedream.
$SROOR59LVDQHDWFRQFHSWDOORZLQJ
you to hire a recreational vehicle on an
DIIRUGDEOHSHUQLJKWEDVLVHVVHQWLDOO\
offering you a moveable hotel room
and making the improbable trip that
little bit more probable. You can also
UHQWPRWRUKRPHVLQ&DQDGD1HZ
Zealand and Australia if you prefer.
www.apollorv.com

Keep the
kids quiet

Are we there yet?

No. Are we there yet?
No. Can we stop at
0F'RQDOGV"1R$UHZH
there yet? No. Can I go
for a wee? No. Are we there yet? No.
Can we stop to feed the horse? No. Are
ZHWKHUH\HW"1R&DQ,ZDWFK79"<HV
This handy universal headrest
tablet mount from MountGuys.com
ZLOOWSUHWW\PXFKHYHU\WKLQJIURP
D0LFURVRIW6XUIDFHWRDQ$FHU,FRQLD
so you can loop episodes of Peppa
Pig until you resort to deliberately
driving your car off the road just to
make the theme tune stop.
na | $40
www.mountguys.com

Climb a
mountain

10

6LU(GPXQG+LOODU\
7HQ]LQJ1RUJD\-XQNR
7DEHL&DSWDLQ.LUNLQ
Star Trek V the list of
great mountaineers is
endless. All of these names exemplify
WKHFRXUDJHGHWHUPLQDWLRQDQG
SLRQHHUVSLULWWKDWGHQHVDJUHDW
hero. If you fancy yourself as the next
Tom Cruise in Mission Impossible 2...
dont even bother looking at National
Geographics list of the worlds top
FOLPEVEHFDXVHPRXQWDLQFOLPELQJ
LVLQFUHGLEO\GDQJHURXVUHTXLUHV
years of training and you obviously
arent taking it seriously.
http://bit.ly/19HD3FE Q

Improve
your swing

Golf. The most

outdoors of all sports.
7KH8.H[SHULHQFHV
approximately 2.8 days
RIDFFHSWDEOHJROQJ
ZHDWKHUSHU\HDUVRLWVLPSHUDWLYHWKDW
youre as prepared as possible to take
DGYDQWDJH7KH*ROI6ZLQJ9LHZHUDSS
for Windows 8 provides avid players
the ability to view video and analyses
of the swings of the worlds top players
perfect homework to those of us
who have a long wait ahead of us
before we can whack dimpled balls
around with a metal stick.
FREE
Download the Golf Swing Viewer app
from the Windows Store now.

WorldMags.net

81

WorldMags.net
Life

LIFE HACK

Be more
productive
Do you have trouble with
procrastination? Keep leaving work
until the last minute? Your Windows 8
PC can help rekindle your motivation
Get it sorted
To-do lists are a great way to
keep on top of tasks, but its all
too easy to go overboard and
end up with a PC monitor smothered
in Post-it notes. Wunderlist (www.
wunderlist.com) is a simple to-do app
thats available online, or as a desktop
app for Windows devices. Just register
with your email address and start
organising your tasks. If you need a
hand with a big job, you can invite your
Facebook friends to pitch in. Youll never
need another sticky note!

Manage your time

Feeling daunted by a big task
thats hanging over you? The
Pomodoro Technique (www.
pomodorotechnique.com) could help.
This time management method was
created by Francesco Cirillo in the
1980s. You set a timer and work on the
task for 25 minutes a period known
as a pomodoro. When the timer goes
off, take a short break, then re-set the
timer and begin work again. After four
pomodoros, take a longer break. Its a
great way to avoid distractions.
82

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WorldMags.net

LIFE HACK

Give yourself
a reality check
Its the weekend and youve
sat down at your PC to write
that report, but two hours later
youve only got one paragraph to show
for it. What happened to the rest of the
time? RescueTime (www.rescuetime.
com) tracks how youre really spending
your day. It can be a harsh wake-up
call realising you spend your entire
morning on Facebook, but it might be
a necessary kick up the backside!

Stay up to date

Start good habits

RSS readers let you keep track

of the latest news from your
favourite websites without
visiting them individually. Feedly (www.
feedly.com) is one of the best readers
around, and you can use it with any
internet-connected device. Everything
is presented in a clean, simple interface,
and if a headline catches your eye, you
can click on it to read it in full. You can
send stories to Google+, Twitter and
LinkedIn, and add tags and categories
to keep everything organised.

If you need a hand to get into

good habits, try Lift (www.lift.
do). Whatever you want to do
lose weight, take up a new sport or
get a new job Lift will track your
progress and help you stay motivated.
Join groups of people developing
the same daily habits and youll get a
hearty pat on the back whenever you
achieve one of your goals. Lift has a
great community atmosphere and the
feedback from other members makes
it surprisingly addictive.

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83

WorldMags.net
Life

Windows 8.1
revealed
Find out everything you need to know
about the most radical Windows update
ever! Weve gone hands-on with the
free preview release

ts here! Weve
QDOO\KDGVRPH
hands-on time with
DQRIFLDOEXLOGRI
Windows 8.1. You
may have heard
some things about
the new update already, and yes, many
of the rumours have proved accurate.
The Start button is back, you can now
boot straight to the desktop, and you
can use the same background on your
desktop and Start screen. SkyDrive is
EXLOWLQWRV\QFOHVEHWZHHQDOORI\RXU
Windows devices. Best of all, its free!
The love being shown to the desktop
doesnt mean the Start Screen has
been forgotten; key Microsoft apps
like Mail and Xbox Music have been
updated, there are new apps for food
DQGWQHVVDQGWKHUHVDQDSSYHUVLRQ
RI2IFHRQWKHZD\
Windows 8 has the monumental
task of working on everything from
an 8-inch tablet all the way up to the
27-inch twin screens on your desk at
work, so Microsoft has made some
changes to the Start screen to help.
There are new ways of laying out
multiple apps side-by-side, and almost
DOOWKHFRQJXUDWLRQRSWLRQVIURPWKH
Control Panel are now in PC Settings

84

(expect for the new Boot to desktop

option, which \RXOOQG on the
desktop if you right-click the Taskbar).

The major tweaks

So how coherent does it all feel?

The Lock screen now works like a
photo gallery, and is powered by the
same Microsoft Research tech as the
screensavers in Windows Media Center
and the Windows 8 Photos app. This
means it should pick related and timely
photos automatically, and display
them for you. You can also unlock the
camera or answer a Skype call quickly
ZLWKRXWGGOLQJZLWKDSDVVZRUG
which will be useful for tablet users.
There have been changes on the
Start screen too, with new, larger tile
sizes for select apps such as Weather
and Finance, which let you see more
information at once. This wont be a
universal thing, though apps have to
be specially made to use it.
You can now pick from far more
colours to customise the Start
screens backgrounds some of
which feature subtle animations as
you scroll sideways or you can use
your desktop background, in which
case your tiles will scroll but the
EDFNJURXQGZLOOUHPDLQ[HG

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85

WorldMags.net
Life

TKHUHQHG
interface feels
more consistent
and easier to use
If you have a touchscreen and are used
to using a small swipe to select a tile on
the Start screen, youre in for a surprise.
That gesture now takes you down to the
Apps screen instead, although the small
swipe still works in apps like the Windows
Store at least in the version we tried.
Now to select a tile, you just tap and hold
it. You can still select multiple tiles, and
now you can do useful things with all the
tiles youve selected. You can also select
multiple tiles on the Apps screen and pin
them to the Start screen as a group. This
is particularly handy if youve just installed
several new apps in one go.
You can now sort the Apps screen by
how often you use each one, which makes
it easier to decide which ones to
pin to your Start screen.
Once youve done
that, you

You can now do a lot

more with your Lock
screen, including
playing a slideshow of
your favourite images

Start is back!

It can take a while to get used to the

differences between Windows 7 and
Windows 8, but one thing many people
didnt like was the disappearance of the
Start button in the bottom-left corner
of the desktop screen. This used to
be your connection to all parts of the
operating system, and now it makes
its return. Its not exactly the same as
before, though; the Windows 8 Start
button takes you from the Desktop view
to the Start screen, making it easier to
switch between the two.

Total control

Windows 8 looks great already, but

everyone wants to be unique. Prior to
8.1, there was a decent amount of
customisation possible, but you could
only do so much. The update gives you
much more choice, including the ability
to accurately pick a background colour
from a much wider palette, and you can
even choose an accent colour to
complement it. Best of all you can use
the same background for the Desktop
and Start screen, which makes switching
between the two feel more natural.
86

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Better for apps

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can synchronise your Start screen

across all your Windows 8 PCs so you
dont have to do it again.

Updated interface

Two big new interface changes are

the new Smart Search and the way
Windows 8.1 handles multiple app
windows on screen especially on
large monitors. The return of the Start
button is the most obvious change to
the Windows desktop, but there are
other subtle differences too.
You can now turn off the trigger in
the top right corner that displays the
charms bar when you use your mouse,
and the one in the top left corner that
shows a thumbnail of the next app
running in the background. When you
use the Search charm on the desktop,
it opens the Search pane on top of
whatever youre doing rather than
taking you back to the Start screen,
which is a useful touch.
Libraries no longer show up in
Explorer automatically, although
theyre still used to add media to the
Xbox Music and Video apps, and are
WKHUVWSODFH0DLOORRNVZKHQ\RX
want to add an attachment. <RXOOQG
them in the File Picker when you use
Windows Store apps, and you can turn
them back on in the navigation pane
of Explorer. Youll now see This PC
where youre used to seeing Computer,
and youll also see SkyDrive, which is
installed as part of Windows and syncs
VRPHRI\RXUOHVDXWRPDWLFDOO\
TRDYRLGOOLQJDOOWKHVWRUDJHRQD
tablet, all you get by default are the
Documents and Pictures folders from
your SkyDrive. You can see your other
IROGHUVDQGWKHQDPHVRIDOOWKHOHVLQ
them, and when you click or tap on a
OH:LQGRZVSXOOVLWGRZQIURP
SkyDrive automatically, caches it
RILQHDQG syncs changes
to it. You can also
VHOHFWOHVLQ

Certain apps now have extra-large tiles

that can display more information

One of the biggest improvements in the

new update is the Store, where you get
all your apps and games. Its now a lot
HDVLHUWRQGWKHQHZDQGLQWHUHVWLQJ
apps, with an area for related apps to
QGVLPLODUDSSV\RXOLNH,QVWHDGRI
having to guess what the Featured apps
at the front of the Store do, you can
QRZVHHDFDURXVHOWKDWLSVWKURXJK
large images and descriptions of each
of the six apps in turn. App updates also
install automatically and search is always
available in the top-right corner.

Snap the screen

In Windows 8, the ability to snap apps
next to each other is a much-needed
feature for power-hungry users, but it
only allows you to dedicate a certain
portion of the screen to each app. In 8.1,
you can have a 50:50 split down the
middle of the screen between two apps,
or you can have up to three apps on
each screen if you have multiple displays
connected. You can also have different
Store apps running on each display at
the same time, while keeping the Start
screen open on one monitor!

the 6N\'ULYHDSSWRXVHRILQHEXW
theres no longer a separate desktop
interface for picking folders to sync.

App changes

Xbox Music and Mail have received

an overhaul, and weve taken a sneak
peek at later versions of both, which
have even more features than we were
treated to in our preview.
There are some new great new apps,
too. We love the Reading List, which
lets you collect interesting links from
Internet Explorer and Windows Store
apps to come back to later (perhaps
even on another PC, since they sync).
The new Alarms app has a clean, fresh
look thats quirky and reminiscent of
Windows Phone at its most appealing.
The Camera app now has
Photosynth panoramas built in. Just
tap the Panorama button and start
moving your tablet around (this would
be very awkward on a notebook) to
stitch together images into a scene
that can cover up to 360. The stitching
is good especially if you dont move
too fast. This will shine on the smaller
8-inch Windows tablets which should
be hitting the market soon.
With many of the features from the
Photos app moved to the Lock screen,
its now a very basic interface for
viewing but it also has far more
editing options. The vignettes and
OWHUVDUHWKHNLQGRIWKLQJ\RXQGRQ
smartphone apps, and the Colour
Enhance options are impressive.
Drag the marker onto a colour in
the image and move the slider around
the circular control to saturate or fade
out that colour throughout the image.
Drag
it to another colour and choose a
WorldMags.net

different level. You can use this to

make an image more vibrant or give it
a muted effect. The Photos app is also
far faster (and for now, at least, you can
still get the Windows 8 version from
the Windows Store).

The verdict

Windows 8.1 isnt a whole new

operating system it isnt the same
leap as from Windows 7 to 8 but
its more than a service pack as well.
Built-in SkyDrive sync is very welcome,
and transforms Windows 8.1 into a
far more powerful system. Internet
Explorer has also received some
VLJQLFDQWLPSURYHPHQWVin both the
desktop and app versions.
Performance feels faster generally,
even for simple things like zipping up
OHV,WPLJKWWDNHDOLWWOHJHWWLQJXVHG
to (the interface changes could feel like
too much if you liked the Windows 8
Start screen, and the Start button isnt
a replica of the old Windows 7 version),
EXWZHUHFRQGHQWWKDWWKLVnew
update will make Windows 8 appealing
to a lot more people.
The interface feels more consistent
and easier to use. We particularly love
the new on-screen keyboard, which
lets you swipe up on the top row of
keys to type numbers, and the new PC
Settings screen, which gives you all the
options you need in a simple interface.
If you use the Windows Store, youll
see plenty of prompts and promotions
to try out the Windows 8.1 preview. In
eight months, Microsoft has delivered
a sensible and welcome update to
Windows 8. Well have much more
information about Windows 8.1 once
it UHDFKHVLWVRIFLDOUHOHDVH Q

87

WorldMags.net

Discover new music

Fancy broadening your musical
horizons? Use these excellent apps to
discover new bands, genres and styles

Soundtracker

FREE
6RXQGWUDFNHUPDNHVQGLQJQHZPXVLF
easier than ever. You can see trending radio
stations created by other users, and even see
what people nearby to you are listening to
at the moment! Thanks to a huge library
with over 22 million free songs, youll be
able to discover loads of exciting new bands.
Whats more, once youve discovered new
music you can create your own radio station
and share them with your friends on
Facebook and Twitter! Not only is
6RXQGWUDFNHUDJUHDWZD\RIQGLQJQHZ
music, but it also lets you help your friends
QGQHZVWXIIDVZHOO

Deezer

FREE
Deezer is one of the most popular music
discovery and sharing apps for Windows 8,
and its easy to see why. With over 20 million
tracks and thousands of artist-based and
themed radio channels, youll never be
without something to listen to. You can
build your own library and playlist to listen
to wherever you are, and discover the latest
tracks and the trendiest music with Deezer
Picks. Make sure you dont miss out on any
new releases either with Deezer keeping you
up to date with the latest singles and
albums. New features are being added all
the time, so dont miss out!

88

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WorldMags.net

5 BEST APPS

Shazam

FREE
Shazam is probably the quickest and easiest
way to discover new music. All you need to
do when you hear music youve never heard
before is to load up Shazam and let it listen
with you, using your Windows 8 devices
built-in microphone. No matter if its playing
RQDUDGLRIHDWXUHGLQDOPRUSOD\LQJLQ
the background of an advert, Shazam will
analyse and recognise the music, letting you
buy, share and listen to the track. You can
even watch the music video and get the
lyrics of the song as well! You can also read
album reviews and artist biographies of any
WUDFN6KD]DPLGHQWLHVWRR

Music All
Around You

FREE
Music All Around You connects with ex.fm, a
service that lets you keep track of and share
of your favourite songs. Found a song you
love? Just click the heart icon to share it with
your followers. You can follow others to
listen to what they love, and keep an eye on
the Suggested list to see what artists you
should be listening to, based on any songs
youve highlighted. Music All Around You
works perfectly with any Windows 8 device,
making it even easier to use ex.fm on the
move, whenever, wherever.

Eventy

FREE
One of the best ways of discovering new
music is the tried and tested method of
JRLQJWROLYHJLJV,WVDJUHDWZD\WRQG
new bands and the Eventy app updates you
on any exciting live performances, club
nights and more happening in your area.
You can explore the most popular events
QHDUE\RUVHDUFKIRUVSHFLFPXVLFHYHQWV,I
money is tight you can specify it to search
for free events, too. Eventy doesnt just focus
on music events; it can be used for lots of
other things as well, such as locating local
conferences, charity events and more.

WorldMags.net

89

WorldMags.net

VOTE NOW!
CG AWARDS

Visit www.3dworldmag.com/cgawards
to choose your favourite CG creative
work and products of the year!

2013

THE BEST OF THE CG INDUSTRY

Last years
award winners
ran the gamut
from independent
animators to
Hollywood giants

THE CATEGORIES
Visit the CG Awards website to view
the shortlists and cast your votes
Vote in some or all categories; one vote per person per category

Technology Awards

Creative Awards

New Application of the Year

Software Update of the Year
Plug-in of the Year
Software Innovation of the Year

CG Animated Feature Film of the Year

in association with Escape Technology

in association with The Foundry

Hardware Innovation of the Year

VFX Film Short of the Year

in association with RebusFarm

CG Animation Short of the Year

VFX Feature Film of the Year

Discuss the CG Awards

@3DWorldMag #3dwawards
www.facebook.com/3dworldmagazine
Brought to you by 3D World,
the magazine for CG artists.
www.3dworldmag.com

WorldMags.net

CG Commercial Campaign of the Year

Arch Viz Still of the Year
Arch Viz Animation of the Year
CG Videogames In-Game Award
CG Videogame Promotion Award
3D World Hall of Fame Award

WorldMags.net

Hotlist

RECOMMENDED BUYS
TOP
VALUE

Get more for

your money with
the HP Pavillion
TS Sleekbook 15
p95

Hot picks
Power, style and value

Get it all and more with Gigabytes

impressive new ultrabook p92

The Surface tablet reborn

Microsoft rewrite the rules with the

PC-powerful Surface Pro tablet p94

The perfect ereader

Bring your reading into the digital age

with the Kindle Paperwhite p95

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91

WorldMags.net
NEW
ENTRY

Hotlist

TOP OF THE RANGE

Gigabyte
U2442T

920 | $1,319 Gigabyte packs

value and style into the 14-inch
touchscreen U2442T notebook
Theres no shortage of slender laptops that run
Windows 8 well and give you a touchscreen for easy
access to your favourite apps. However, few come
with the gaming-class graphics and massive storage
that Gigabyte (perhaps better known for its range of
Weight
motherboards) has packed into the 14-inch U2442T.
1.7kg
The Core i5 and 8GB of memory would be speedy
on their own, but you also get an Nvidia GeForce
graphics adapter that kicks in when youre playing
Battery more demanding games, or running hefty image and
video processing tools. This is a lot more power than
297
\RXOOQGLQPRVW8OWUDERRNVDQG\RXJHWLWZLWKRXW
mins
VDFULFLQJWRRPXFKEDWWHU\OLIHwHPDQDJHGYH
hours on a single charge. If you need more disk space you
can add a 1TB hard drive alongside the speedy 128GB SSD
that has it starting up in under eight seconds.
Along with a smattering of handy ports and a decent
screen, its hard to really fault the Gigabyte U2442T.
Screen
14in

Connections

Solid case and

solid performance,
plus all the ports
you could want
92

Theres a full set of

ports, including
HDMI and an SD
card slot. There are
two fast USB 3.0
connections, plus
two USB 2.0 ports.

WorldMags.net

RECOMMENDED BUYS

WorldMags.net
Screen

The standard
resolution is 1,366 x
768, so if you want
more detail go for
the HD+ resolution
version, which is
1,600 x 900.

Hardware

TOP ALTERNATIVE

Theres already a lot

of power underneath
the hood, but if you
want a little more
space you can always
add a 1TB hard drive
at a later date.

Samsung Series 7 Chronos

1,299 | $1,550

For those of us who want power,

performance and comfort, this is
ideal. Theres an Intel Core i7 3635QM
processor, 8GB of RAM, and an AMD
Radeon HD 8800M graphics chip
for improved gaming performance,
too. The Chronos also has a full-sized
keyboard and a Full HD screen. Battery
life is shorter than average, though,
and its heavy at 2.5kg.
www.samsung.com
Screen
15.6in
Weight
2.5kg
Battery
327 mins

Control

The extra large

trackpad supports
Windows 8 gestures,
so you can swipe and
scroll easily without
having to reach up to
the screen.

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WorldMags.net
Hotlist
The 12.5-inch
Gorilla Glass
screen is the
main draw
of the Twist

REVOLUTIONARY

Lenovo Thinkpad Twist

850 | $990 The classic convertible tablet
design is back, and its better than ever

It might not be the sexiest hybrid laptop weve

ever seen, but Lenovos Thinkpad Twist is a very
versatile machine. The screen can be rotated so it
faces away from the keyboard, making it ideal for
using as a tablet, or giving presentations.
Weight
The 12.5-inch Gorilla Glass screen is the main
1.6kg
draw of the Twist, and boasts a native resolution
of 1,366 x 768. Its good for movies, but what
makes the Twist even better is that its ideal
Battery
for more practical tasks, thanks to the roomy
219
keyboard and versatile options for mouse
mins
control, including a touchpad and TrackPoint
inputs. And its a touchscreen, of course.
A Core i5 processor, 4GB of RAM and a speedy 500GB
hard drive round off the hardware side of things a treat.
www.lenovo.com

TOP ALTERNATIVES

Screen
12.5in
touch

94

Screen
11.6in
touch
Weight
1.3kg
Battery
197 mins

Asus Taichi 1,000 | $1,290

The Asus Taichi is just 3mm thick at its thinnest

and weighs 1.3kg, but whats really amazing is

that it has two 11.6-inch Full HD
touchscreens packed into
the lid front and
back. It also has a
brilliant sound
system from
Danish audio
expert Bang &
Olufsen ideal
for music.
www.asus.com

The digital pen

is great for
taking notes
or sketching
ideas out

WINDOWS 8 PRO

Microsoft Surface Pro

719 | $899 You can take it all with you if you pick
up the worlds best tablet PC
If youre familiar with the original Surface RT, the
Surface Pro has almost all of its advantages and
more. It has the same sturdy but sleek case and
DQHYHQEHWWHUVFUHHQWKHGHWDLOVDUHFULVSDQG
the 1,920 by 1,080 resolution is ideal for enjoying
Weight
movies. The resolution could even be a bit too
910g
high for Windows 8s desktop view but, cleverly,
software and web pages on the desktop are
PDJQLHGDXWRPDWLFDOO\The screen responds
Battery
quickly and accurately to touch input, and you
158
can also tap with up to 10QJHUVDWRQFHLQ
mins
games or apps, and write with the digital pen.
The Surface Pro can run Windows Store apps and
normal PC software, as well as any peripherals you
need. Its also powerful, but battery life suffers a little.
www.microsoft.com
Screen
10.6in

Screen
10.1in
Weight
1.26kg
Battery
310 mins

Acer Iconia W510 549 | $750

The W510 is a great Windows 8
tablet that slots neatly in between
the current choices, with an Intel
Atom processor, which offers
a good amount of power and
battery life. Its a well built device
thats versatile, too. We wouldnt
recommend it over a fullsize laptop for serious
tasks, but it would make
a great companion to
your main PC in the home.
www.acer.com

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RECOMMENDED BUYS

WorldMags.net
NEW
ENTRY

Ereader

Theres a
vibrant
touchscreen
display
featured here

NEW
ENTRY

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

109 | $119
TKH.LQGOHVHLQNWRXFKVFUHHQLVWKHQHVW
around, though you might miss physical
buttons for page turning when reading
one-handed. This model includes an
adjustable backlight for bedtime reading.
www.amazon.com

Pixels
222ppi
Weight
213g

Bridge camera
Nikon 1 J3
538 | $697
EVERYDAY COMPUTING

HP Pavilion TS Sleekbook

The stylish J3 is nice and slim, but still

packed with features. These include a Slow
View mode, which lets you replay a short
scene in slow motion, then capture a still
image at the optimum moment.
www.nikon.com

450 | $550 Can the TS Sleekbook 15 really cut it

against its mainstream rivals
The HP Pavilion TS Sleekbook 15 gives you a lot
of laptop for you money. Sure, youd hardly call
it slender (at just over 2cm thick) or portable (it
weighs 2.1kg), and it doesnt have an optical
drive, but what the Sleekbook does have is a
Weight
vibrant touchscreen display, a decent AMD
2.1kg
dual-core processor with some gaming
capabilities and a whopping 8GB of RAM.
You also get an equally big 1TB hard drive to
Battery
VWRUHDOO\RXUOHVRQ7KH$OWHF/DQVLQJVSHDNHUV
462
are very impressive for movies and music too.
mins
%DWWHU\OLIHLQWKHUHJLRQRIYHWRVHYHQKRXUV
is certainly not to be sniffed at, and connectivity is very
well represented too, with two fast USB 3.0 ports, an
HDMI output and more.
www.hp.com

Pixels
14.2MP
Weight
244g

Screen
15.6in

Screen
11.6in
Weight
1.4kg
Battery
462 mins

Wireless speaker
JBL Flip
110 | $100
This portable battery-powered speaker
delivers a QHO\WXQHG, crisp sound that
belies its tiny size. You can even make and
receive calls via Bluetooth as long as your
smartphone remains connected.
www.jbl.com

Weight
350g
Battery
5 hours

HP Envy X2 699 | $649

The HP Envy X2 isnt the most
powerful of laptops, and its
better to think of it as an
11.6-inch tablet with an
added keyboard. The 64GB
RIDVKVWRUDJHPHDQV
theres no moving hard
drive to add noise and
weight. Battery life is
excellent and the keyboard
and trackpad are great, making it
easy to use on the move.
www.hp.com

In-ear headphones
Bose IE2
89 | $100
7KHVHKHDGSKRQHVFDQEHGGO\DWWLPHV
but they wont drop out during vigorous
exercise. As youd expect from Bose, the
VRXQGLVH[TXLVLWHZLWKQHO\WXQHGGULYHUV
directing music into and around your ears.
www.bose.com

WorldMags.net

Weight
18.5g
Length
115cm
95

WorldMags.net
Hotlist
Multimedia
powerhouse
thats much
more than a
gaming PC

BIG SCREEN LAPTOP

Toshiba Qosmio X870

1,430 | $1,500 Monster laptop with impressive

gaming credentials and a nifty 3D display to boot
You dont need to be a serious gamer in order
WRIXOO\DSSUHFLDWHWKHLPSUHVVLYHVSHFLFDWLRQ
sheet of the latest big-hitting Qosmio. Toshiba
has created a monster laptop that fully lives up
to the tag of desktop replacement.
Weight
The 17.3-inch, Full HD 3D display is perfect
3.4kg
not only for high-octane gaming, but also for
watching Blu-ray movies or editing your highresolution images. On the media front it also
Battery
helps that theres a stereo speaker setup from
41
audio expert Harman Kardon on board.
mins
Storing your data shouldnt prove tricky either,
as theres a whopping 1TB of hard drive space on offer,
along with a 128GB SSD for super-fast boot up times
DQGH[WUDTXLFNDFFHVVWRWKRVHHVVHQWLDOOHV
www.toshiba.com

TOP ALTERNATIVES

Screen
17.3in

96

Screen
17.3in
Weight
3kg
Battery
195 mins

Samsung 5 550P 670 / $940

Quad-core Intel Core power, a vivid 1080p

display, impressive audio via the JBL stereo
speaker and Max Boost subwoofer setup
and Nvidia graphics make
this one of the best
pound for pound
laptops weve seen.
It looks pretty
swish as well, and the
isolation style keyboard
is as good as weve seen.
A tidy little package.
www.samsung.com

The fantastic
design means
it turns a room
into a slick
RIFHVSDFH

STYLISH DESKTOP

Acer Aspire 5600U

849 | $1,497 With a sleek design and a

great display, this is a true family media centre
This is a slim machine that has more in common
with a modern TV than a traditional desktop PC.
The screen measures 23 inches, has an HDMI
input for your DVD player or games console and,
crucially, looks great when playing HD content.
Weight
Theres a DVD drive, 4GB of RAM and 500GB
13kg
of storage, which is more typical of an entry-level
laptop than a desktop computer. The i3
processor isnt suitable for gaming, and it will
Battery
struggle with any demanding creative software.
N/A
At this price youd expect twice as much RAM
and a Blu-ray player the storage is more than
enough for most needs. The pay-off for the steep price
is the excellent design, and the Acer could easily be
HLWKHUDQRIFH3&RUDVPDOO79LQWKHFRUQHURIDURRP
www.acer.com
Screen
23in

Screen
27in
touch
Weight
11.6kg
Battery
N/A

Lenovo IdeaCentre A720 1,399 | $1,750

The A720 is slim, with a frameless 27-inch touchscreen,

an integrated Blu-ray drive
and a generous 1TB of
hard disk space. Power
comes courtesy of a meaty
quad-core Intel i7 processor,
8GB of RAM and Nvidia
graphics. The A720 is equally
good whether you need a
high-performance workstation
IRUWKHRIFHRUDJRRGORRNLQJ
living room media centre.
www.lenovo.com

WorldMags.net

RECOMMENDED BUYS

WorldMags.net
Action camera

The Carl Zeiss

lens makes
your photos
look really
amazing

Sony HDRAS15
187 | $268
Sonys action camera is inexpensive,
but doesnt skimp on features. It uses
SteadyShot and an Exmor sensor to ensure
VPRRWKOPLQJDW+'TXDOLW\7KHUHV:L)L
too, so you can control it via your phone.
www.sony.com

Length
22cm
Height
12.8cm

Internet radio
Logitech UE Smart
Radio 150 | $180
Logitechs radio is stunningly versatile:
it can link to loads of internet music
services, including last.fm and Spotify, and
LWVURRPOOLQJVRXQGLVHYHU\ELWDVJRRG
as radios twice the price.
www.logitech.com

SMARTPHONE

Nokia Lumia 920

419 | $450 Great screen and photo performance

combine to make Nokias big phone a winner
1RNLDVDJVKLSSKRQHLVRQHKHFNRIDWKLQJWR
hold. With a 4.5-inch display and weighing
186g, it wont sit unnoticed in your pocket.
The screen is an absolute beauty, however,
with a bright and colourful display and the ability
Weight
to take knocks thanks to its tough Gorilla Glass.
186g
It also has an eight-megapixel camera with a
Carl Zeiss lens, which makes photographing life
on the move a pleasure the results are amazing.
Battery
The real win here is the ability to charge
290
wirelessly with an optional dock, so theres no
mins
need to attach a cable when the juice is low.
The 920 comes in red, yellow, white and black, and
you can get accessories such as headphones, wireless
charging stations and speakers in matching colours.
www.nokia.com
Screen
4.5in
touch

Screen
4.0in
Weight
113g
Battery
310 mins

Length
22cm
Height
12.8cm

HD streamer
Asus O!Play Mini Plus
96 | $120
The O!Play Mini Plus from Asus lets you
stream HD images and video with Dolby
VXUURXQGVRXQGTXDOLW\<RXOOQGDQ
e-SATA port for connecting to hard drives,
and it comes with YouTube connectivity.
www.asus.com

Weight
175g
Power
10W

HTC 8S 229 | $430

The HTC 8S cuts down on size and

power for people who want a great
TXDOLW\SKRQHUVWDQGDZHEEURZVHU
and digital camera second.
The handset is slim and has a
vibrant, edgy design. The four-inch
screen isnt the best weve seen,
DQGWKHYHPHJDSL[HOFDPHUD
is a little below par, but it does
come with Beats by Dre audio
technology, which boosts music
and improves sound clarity.
www.htc.com

Workout watch
Garmin Forerunner 610
225 | $400
This is the perfect timepiece for going on
runs, working out at the gym or riding your
bike, with a load of features for keeping
track of your activities. Its straightforward
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www.garmin.com

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Weight
72g
Battery
8 hours
97

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Next issue on sale 28 August 2013

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