TechTeen

How to Speed Up your Broadband

Ash — Mon, 13 May 2013 16:22:40 +0000

Many now believe that their broadband connection is one of the most important utility in their household, keeping up with friends and even watching their favourite programs all through their broadband. The average broadband speed in the UK is 12.5Mps, though many households vary, suburban households should be receiving 8Mbps+ but rural areas do get much lower. As such getting the best broadband speed has become a constant pursuit for many, helping them to stream TV shows and download music as fast as possible, as well as play online games and Skype calls to family and friends. Though broadband providers always advertise the best connection speed; the actual speed obtained within your home can be much lower, and there are a number of reasons for poor connections. Speed up your broadband connection There are a number of things you can do to help improve your broadband speeds, including: Update your browser – older versions of Internet Explorer could cause delays in loading images and video, ensuring you have the latest version will help to minimise lag. Alternatively try changing your browser to Chrome of Firefox which provides faster download speeds. Secure your wireless – an unsecure WiFi network could mean your neighbours are helping themselves to your connection, thus increasing bandwidth and reducing speed. Ensuring you have a secure connection reduces the risk of hacking and unauthorised use. Turn off other programs – web based software programs like Skype or Windows Live could use up your broadband without you knowing. Usually these programs start when your PC is turned on, changing the settings within the program can turn this function off, thus reducing broadband usage Update your router or modem – the latest router hardware has additional features for online gaming and improved firewall software to help manage connections. If you have a wireless network then ensure you router is positioned in an open space (not behind the TV) and reduce the distance between your PC and router, also look to upgrade the aerial, as the standard size might not be enough for larger houses. Alternatively a wired connection will provide the best speed using Ethernet cable instead of a USB connection Speak to your broadband provider – their technical support team can advise on the type of line you have and help with improving connection speeds as well as update you on any engineering work which may help to improve your broadband connection Update your computer – obviously an expensive update, but if all of the above has been tried, then your computer may be too old to manage higher broadband speeds, and therefore acts as a ‘bottle neck’ – upgrading your memory or processor could also help to speed up connections If all of the above has been done and you are still suffering from a poor broadband connection then look to change provider, though many are BT resellers and use the same technology, fibre optic broadband could be available in your area and could help to increase [...]

The post How to Speed Up your Broadband appeared first on TechTeen.

Three of the lightest laptops

Ash — Thu, 09 May 2013 15:23:29 +0000

The portability of laptops is determined by several factors: display size, overall form-factor, and battery life are all important. But perhaps the most important portability factor is the laptop’s weight. We look at some of the lightest and most popular laptops on the market today. Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon Lenovo’s ThinkPad X1 Carbon is the lightest of the manufacturer’s laptops. It sports a classic black casing that is recognizable from the ThinkPads of yore. The difference with the X1 Carbon is that it only measures 0.74 inches at its thickest and weighs 3 pounds or 1.36kg. The Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon achieves its svelte specifications by going on a carbon diet — loading up on it, that is. These laptops come with carbon fibre on the lid and roll cage, while the deck and bottom are made of a magnesium alloy. According to Laptop Magazine, the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Carbon combines a light weight with a classic look, excellent screen resolution, and long battery life – giving it all the features necessary to “set a new standard” for ultraportable business laptops. While certain features have been omitted to allow for this degree of portability, the reviewers at Laptop Magazine pronounced this effort “worth the premium”. MacBook Air Apple’s MacBook Air helped spark the craze for super-light laptops. The current 11-inch MacBook Air was introduced in mid-2012. It comes with the tapered, wedge-shaped casing that measures 0.68 inches at its thickest. The whole package is clad in lightweight machined aluminum and weighs 2.36 pounds or 1.07kg. But the MacBook Air’s small size and light weight comes with big compromises in its performance. Unlike other laptops, it has a restricted number of ports, for example -– only two USBs. It has a small amount of storage — just 64GB, which is the same as a top-end iPhone 4S. As PC Mag notes, the MacBook Air “isn’t really a power machine, but it gets the job done”. The 11-inch MacBook Air may lead the way in terms of lightness among laptops, but PC Magazine counsels customers to try other options if performance or storage are high on the priority list. But competitors are catching up and better options exist. As PC Mag reviewers conclude: “the 11-inch MacBook Air is best as a secondary laptop”. Samsung Series 9 The Samsung Series 9 is certainly one of the best-looking and lightest laptops on the market today. When it was released in 2012, the 13-inch Series 9 was the world’s thinnest laptop, at 14mm thick. The metal-clad casing has a deep, matte, finish that sets it apart from competitors in its class. It weighs 2.65 pounds or 1.2 kg. As Techradar notes, it: “sits like a folded piece of paper on the desk”. The Samsung Series 9 keeps up with other laptops in its class in terms of hard-drive performance, memory and graphics processing – though it’s not among the class leaders. But as Techradar finds in its test, one crucial area where the [...]

The post Three of the lightest laptops appeared first on TechTeen.

Notebook, Netbook or Ultrabook – How to Decide What’s Best for You

Ash — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 15:14:15 +0000

Notebook, netbook or ultrabook – while closely related these devices are all very different in price, size and power. Which one is the best for you, and what should you avoid? If you’re looking to invest in a new mobile device, the options seem endless nowadays. But it is always a good start to weigh up the various advantages and disadvantages of each device, before you start shopping for that perfect model. Notebooks Notebooks are classic laptops and an excellent mobile alternative to a desktop computer. The average screen size is 15 inches – though they can be as large as 18 inches – and there’s barely any limit to their price; in fact high-end notebooks can cost you a fair amount of money. But in exchange, you get a powerful device that can meet all your business and entertainment needs, and if strong enough, will render a desktop workstation obsolete. Notebooks can play DVDs and ideally have more than enough memory for all your documents and for you applications to run smoothly. A notebook is definitely the right choice if you’re looking for a quality device with top performance, and you’re not all that bothered about carrying around extra weight. Netbooks If a notebook is too heavy and too expensive for you, you might consider investing in its little brother, the netbook. Some claim that netbooks are rather outdated – they were certainly more popular before tablets won over the market. With a screen size of less than 11 inches, they provide a lighter and significantly cheaper alternative to a notebook, still suitable for everyday needs. They are however, less capable of coping with large applications, since their processors are less powerful. They are essentially a small notebook with less capability, it is no wonder that consumers have started to turn to devices that are just as portable but more powerful. Nevertheless, if you are looking for a basic device that is easy to carry and can run simple applications, a netbook might be the right choice for you – especially if you don’t want to spend too much money, and may have a desktop PC at home anyway. Ultrabooks If a notebook is too big and heavy for you, but a netbook is not powerful enough, an ultrabook will most likely be the perfect choice for you. Ultrabooks aim to be just as fast and powerful as a notebook, but also very thin and light – easier to carry with you wherever you go. Apple’s MacBook Air is said to have been the very first ultrabook, but nowadays ultrabooks keep popping up everywhere, with manufacturers trying to mix a notebook’s power with a tablet’s optical features to create the perfect device. And indeed, if you can afford to pay more it would be foolish not to consider investing in an ultrabook: with such a wide range available on the market today, you will be hard-pushed not to find the best ultrabook for your all your [...]

The post Notebook, Netbook or Ultrabook – How to Decide What’s Best for You appeared first on TechTeen.

Best Smartphones and Tablets For Photography

Ash — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:41:33 +0000

Tablets and smartphones are taking the world by storm, and are especially good for photography. The introduction of easy-to-use touchscreens that respond to multiple points of contact have made life easier for professional photographers and shutterbugs alike. With extremely high mega-pixel rates and user-friendly interfaces, many of the best tablets and smartphones come with built-in cameras that are causing digital cameras to collect dust. Windows, Apple, and Android users also benefit from a vast array of free apps for image editing and showcasing. In the end it comes down to individual preference. Here we’ve taken a look at six of the best tablets and smartphones for photography. Tablets iPad (iOS) Many people are turning to tablets for impressing clients and showcasing photo portfolios to friends and family. With an impressive display and endless slideshow options, Apple’s iPad is useful for both personal and professional photography. All the interesting apps and graphic design programs it supports make this tablet a top choice for photographers. The iPad is visually gorgeous. The pixel resolution size of the display is 1024 x 768 HD with a 4:3 aspect ratio. It enables graphic designers to design their own wallpapers and lock screen images. Such high quality screen resolution makes it a dream for demonstrating your work to friends and clients. Many shutterbugs argue that this device is the best for learning about photography, and for showcasing images and videos. Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 (Windows 8) The Lenovo ThinkPad Tablet 2 has the sleekest and most modern design of any Windows tablet. Equally as impressive as the design is the all-day battery life, which makes travel effortless and does not require you to pack a charger. The 10.1”, 1366 x 768 HD screen has IPS technology, which makes it look great from any angle. If you are most comfortable working with Windows, the ThinkPad is a very impressive machine. The Windows 8 operating system gives it the full functionality of a PC, making it a top contender with both laptops and high-end tablets alike. Lenovo IdeaTab A2107A (Android) When it comes to durability, the IdeaTab is hard to beat. With 11.5mm thickness, you would really need to be clumsy with this device to cause any major damage to it. This is a major plus for those of us interested in taking our tablets with us on location, or for those who just want to stroll around and sightsee, snapping photos on the way. One downside here is the weight. At 400 g, it is a little heavy for the average user. The screen specs are impressive at 7” and 1024X600 HD pixel resolution. The camera itself contains a built-in app that lets users edit photos and apply filters to their photos for full customization. Smartphones Smartphone photography is increasing in popularity ever year, and is disrupting traditional digital camera and SLR use in the process. In its recent Imaging Confluence Study, NPD found that smartphones accounted for 27 percent of photos shot [...]

The post Best Smartphones and Tablets For Photography appeared first on TechTeen.

Top 10 PC Games of 2013

Ash — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 17:00:08 +0000

We’re a third of the way through the year. In terms of gaming, it’s been a bit of a mixed bag: We’ve had a few good titles, while some notable others have come up dead-on-arrival. But let’s not dwell too much on the negatives. Let’s have a look at some of the best available PC titles from this year. Chances are the more hardcore among you will already know some of the more obvious names on the list, but as well as the standard bevy of triple-A titles, we have also included a few of the more plucky indie releases available. It should go without saying that anything you don’t recognize is more than worth the effort of tracking down. 10. Crysis 3 Despite this series’ tendency to cause even the most powerful gaming PCs to shudder in fear, CryTech’s latest release lives up to the developer’s standard-setting heights of presentation. A visually stunning and well-designed game, but if you want to see it at its best, you’ll have to be playing on some serious hardware. 9. FTL: Faster than Light Although this one was actually released late last year, it’s definitely one of the most compelling and addictive indie games in years. An extremely exacting 2D space-simulator, the game is designed with losing in mind. It has a simple but hugely enjoyable set of core mechanics, and is simple enough to be run on laptops – you won’t need a specialist gaming PC. Get it now on Steam, and get ready to die. A lot. 8. Tomb Raider In the trend of revamping a nostalgic property with a more contemporary twist, this one attempts to provide everyone’s favourite antiquity-thieving superheroine Lara Croft with a backstory. An extremely enjoyable title, which adds some open world elements and RPG-like sensibilities to the predictable rigmarole of action-based set pieces endemic to modern gaming. Definitely worth a look. 7. Dead Space 3 EA’s worldbeating IP has overtaken the entire triple-A industry, and this latest installment maintains the quality of previous iterations. The focus seems to have moved from claustrophobic, isolated survival horror to a more consistently action-oriented play style (particularly with the introduction of co-op play). In spite of this, the gameplay and story are still top-notch stuff, and the game is well worth the investment. 6. Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance Continuing Hideo Kojima’s penchant for unusual titles (and, indeed, unusual games), this is probably one of thee more interesting game on the list. What it isn’t, however, is a traditional Metal Gear game, abandoning the stealthy focus for a hack-and-slash, action and combat oriented gameplay basis. However, if stealth isn’t your bag, this may be able to revive your interest in Kojima’s unique series of conspiracy-laden epics. 5. The Last of Us Naughty Dog’s post-apocalyptic opus takes Uncharted-style feel and gameplay and mixes it in with a little extra grit and blood. A compelling story set in a beautifully designed world (which is both eye catching [...]

The post Top 10 PC Games of 2013 appeared first on TechTeen.

Free, Easy Tricks to Improve SEO

Ash — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 17:27:29 +0000

Search engine optimization can be a mix of art and science. With continually changing search algorithms, website operators need to work hard to improve search engine ranking. Here are some easy steps to take in improving your site’s SEO. 1. Write a Blog One of the best ways to improve SEO (and improve your website overall) is to add a blog. Blogs allow you to communicate more directly with your customers, and they also allow you build diverse content for your website. When search engines are looking for the best websites for search results, they are looking for a few things, including keywords, website quality, and popularity. Having a blog helps with each of these, and they are very easy to set up by using premade templates or Premium WordPress themes. You can use your blog posts to target the keywords that you think potential customers use in their searches. In addition, your site will expand as you post more content over time. Blogs are a great way to attract and engage visitors, and web users will be more likely to share your content if you have continually fresh content available. 2. Craft Your Search Result Appearance When people search for any type of keywords, they will inevitably come up with several options that look more or less the same. The best way to improve your site’s chances of being clicked is to improve the quality of your post appearance on search engine lists. First, make sure you are including meta tags in your website code. These tags inform search engines about the content of your post. With proper tagging, you can modify your page and post titles for search engine purposes (using the title tag), and you can also write a description of your post specifically for search engines (using the meta description tag). In addition, consider adding Google Authorship to your page. When Google verifies your identity, using a confirmation link provided to an email address on your site’s server, you can include a photo of yourself with each of your posts. Adding a picture with your search results makes it way more likely that users will choose your posts, especially if you have made them clear and distinct in their search titles and descriptions. 3. Make Your Content Unique Not all of your content is going to go viral, and that’s okay. When crafting content, you just need to work toward quality content to make sure readers will benefit from coming to your page. As you put together your content, make sure that you are making each page unique. Search engines tend to skip over information that they have found on other sites. That means that if you are reusing content from other sites (or even other pages on your site), you may be hurting your search engine ranking. Be sure that each page has unique content. That includes information that may be tempting to put on multiple pages on your site, like contact information. Having unique [...]

The post Free, Easy Tricks to Improve SEO appeared first on TechTeen.

The Five Most Useful Apps for Your Android Tablet

Ash — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:28:38 +0000

With the level of attention focused on games involving birds and pigs, undead vegetation and levitating scribbles – not to mention all those “novelty” apps that allow you to spend your precious time fulfilling noble tasks like making your friends’ faces fatter – it’s easy to forget that your tablet can actually be used productively. With this in mind, here are five apps that are actually useful and, as such, should be among the first downloads on your Android tablet. 1. SwiftKey Tablet Keyboard Ok, first things first – if you want to get some work done on your tablet, then you’ll be reliant on its keyboard. Consequently, you’ll need SwiftKey, a superlative keyboard app that gives you spookily accurate text prediction, learns new words as you type and gives you autocorrect for a host of languages. In short, this should be the first app on any Android tablet. 2. WiFi File Transfer Pro While WiFi File Transfer Pro (or WFFTP as literally no one calls it) may not be the most glamorous app around, its utility is undeniable, allowing you to wirelessly transfer files from your computer to your tablet. For freeing you from the tyranny of USB cables, WiFi File Transfer Pro is another must-have download. 3. Office Suite Pro 7 Let’s face it, if you want to use it properly, you need an office suite on your tablet, and Office Suite Pro 7 is among the best for Android, handling Word, Excel and Powerpoint files with ease, and even throwing in an excellent PDF reader as well. Beyond this, its features list is vast and varied, including everything from Dropbox and Google Drive support to the ability to transfer files via Bluetooth. 4. Nexus Media Importer Nexus Media Importer has been creating quite a buzz amongst Android-minded tech heads the world over, with millions of users enthused by the fact that they can now move files from an SD card or USB memory stick to their tablet. This is great for watching films on the go, accessing vital documents or viewing photos, and adds a vital new weapon to your Android tablet’s arsenal. 5. Camera Zoom FX Finally, if you want the camera on your tablet to be the best that it can be, then you need Camera Zoom FX, a photo app whose embarrassment of riches includes various zoom options, one-click uploading to Facebook, Twitter and Flickr, and the ability to tweak ISO, saturation, brightness, exposure and contrast levels. The app can also work wonders on your existing photo library, with a multitude of frames, effects and textures available so you can edit to your heart’s content. All this adds up to a fantastic photo app, and one that deserves a place on your homescreen. Incoming search terms:mar 2013 best office suite android tabletamazon uk app camera zoom fxbest tablet for zoomcool gadget review teensmost useful android apps 2013most useful apps for androidmust have android tablet apps 2013need good android word office app for my tabletTeen [...]

The post The Five Most Useful Apps for Your Android Tablet appeared first on TechTeen.

Bigpockets.co.uk Review – SCAM!

Ash — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 21:48:40 +0000

If you are thinking about ordering from bigpockets.co.uk, you may want to think again after reading this review. Please note that this isn’t sponsored by a competitor, in anyway fake or meant to “troll” this website. It is the truth and freedom of speech. On Friday 22nd February 2013, around 11PM GMT, I ordered a used Laptop from Bigpockets.co.uk – they were selling them for a great price. The laptop fitted all the criteria i needed – a 14 inch screen, a pretty fast processor and an easily upgradable structure. Before I ordered, I read a few reviews – they were pretty mixed with some good reviews and some bad reviews. This company dated back to all the way before 2003 so I brushed off the bad reviews thinking they were just outliers during BigPockets decade of service. They accepted PayPal as a payment method so I thought “Hey, what could go wrong?” On their site they boasted that “Orders placed before 3PM are dispatched for next day delivery.” Knowing that I ordered it on a Friday night, I assumed it would be dispatched on Monday the 25th of February and arrive at my house on Tuesday the 26th February. However, I was completely wrong. On the evening of Monday 25th February I decided to check the Order Status of my Laptop. It was “awaiting dispatch”. Having read about their claims of fast delivery, I was a little bit suspicious. Plus, the only way to track my delivery was by creating an account on their website. Tuesday 26th February arrived. I was going to check the delivery status as it still hadn’t arrived. Bigpockets.co.uk was down for maintenance, and there was no reason why. No email, no tweet, no Facebook status anywhere. I decided to wait until the next day. Surely their site wouldn’t be down for ages? But no, Bigpockets.co.uk was still down for maintenance. What made it worse was that they had no contact email or phone number. After searching on Google for a while, I found that their “support” service was still up and running: support.bigpockets.co.uk. I tried contacting them. They didn’t reply after a week of waiting. I tried emailing them numerous times – I even ended up contacting their Web developer to find out when their site would be back up. No replies whatsoever. Luckily, I got my money back (from PayPal, not Bigpockets) and have ordered the same laptop from eBay, at a cheaper price. Today, 13th March 2013, BigPockets.co.uk is STILL down for maintenance. I have still not had any word from them. I’m not saying you’ll get this experience if you order from them, it’s just what I experienced: No customer service whatsoever and a website that’s been down for weeks. You can read more reviews about BigPockets.co.uk here. Incoming search terms:bigpockets co ukbigpocketsbigpockets closedbigpockets site downbigpockets co uk downbigpockets websitebig pockets ukare big pockets still runningbigpockets co uk gonewww bigpockets co uk

The post Bigpockets.co.uk Review – SCAM! appeared first on TechTeen.

How To Make REAL Money Playing Video Games – $340 a month!

Ash — Fri, 22 Feb 2013 16:57:46 +0000

Here is a no catch method to make real money while playing video games. You can make as much as $340 a month by just playing video games! This is because you can make $12 a day from this method. If you were to do this everyday for a month, you’d make about $340 just from this one method. This blog post will give you a realistic overview of the method while playing this video game. Don’t pay a cent for any eBooks on Video Game money making as many of them are just other people trying to make money off of you. This method has been created using 3 simple essentials. Most people who want to make money by playing video games have these tools already: An XBOX or PS3 – $200 A PayPal account – Free Am computer – Varies FIFA 13 – $45 Expenditure = Around $300 Potential profit = $340 in just one month! This method is very simple and can be done by playing the “Ultimate Team” game mode on FIFA 13. FIFA 13 is a soccer (football) simulation video game. There is a game mode called “Ultimate Team” that lets gamers use virtual coins in order to purchase players. The aim of this game mode is to create their dream team. Now, this game mode is SO popular that people actually pay real money in order to speed up their progress in the game. For example, say if I wanted to buy “Sergio Aguero.” He costs about 100,000 virtual coins but I cannot afford that. So, I would fork out $12 of my real money in order to buy 100,000 virtual coins from a coin seller. A coin seller is what YOU need to be in order to make money playing video games. To make virtual coins, all you need to do is TRADE players. This is like real life trading. You buy players cheaply and to sell them for a higher price. There are MANY videos on YouTube teaching you how to trade in FIFA 13 ultimate team. Now what you’re aiming for is to trade your way to at least 100,000 coins everyday in order to make $340 a month. I know it seems tiresome, but you’re making money playing video games! There are also blackhat methods to make virtual coins in ultimate team such as buying scripts which automatically make coins for you. This can get you banned from EA’s video game. Once you are confident with trading and can make enough coins, all you need to do is start promoting yourself. Post on YouTube videos that you’re selling Ultimate Team coins and leave your skype name for people that are interested. Whenever you get a customer, tell them to send money to your PayPal account. Once you receive the payment, send them their virtual coins. You are now making REAL money by playing Video Games! You can also take it one step further and make a whole website selling [...]

The post How To Make REAL Money Playing Video Games – $340 a month! appeared first on TechTeen.

Top 5 Films of 2013

Ash — Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:50:37 +0000

Want to know the best films to watch in 2013? When they’re being released? TechTeen has got you covered as we list the Top 5 Films of 2013… To help you as you strive to pick the perfect film, we’ve tried to mix up the genres as much as possible. We personally prefer action or comedy films, however we’ve reluctantly added some romantic and drama films into the bunch. If these films aren’t cutting it for you, IMDB is a great place to find a film – new or old, good or bad. Without further ado, Techteen.net present you our Top 5 Films of 2013. 1. Iron Man 3 Action | 3 May 2013 (USA) | Recommended Audience: 12+ Little explaining to do here. Come on, you MUST know about Iron Man? If you want to see a billionaire (Robert Downey Jnr.) flying around in a robotic costume, defending the world from major threats then this is the film for you. With tonnes of amazing VFX, camera shots and a gripping storyline Iron Man 3 is a great film for any movie go-er. This film definitely makes it into our top 5 films of 2013. More Info 2. Fast And Furious 6 Action | 24 May 2013 (USA) | Recommended Audience: 12+ Nicknamed “Fast 6″ – Vin Diesel, Paul Walker and Dwayne Johnson star in another epic fast and furious film. Guaranteed to have a array of gun fights, girls and gasoline – no film gets more manly than this. Directed by Justin Lin and written by Chris Morgan, this movie lives up to it’s name: it’s fast, furious and pretty awesome. By the time you exit this film, you’ll be doing 100 MPH all the way home. Not that we recommend that, though. More Info 3. The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug Adventure/Fantasy | 13 December 2013 (USA) | Recommended Audience: 12+ When Bilbo, the Dwarves and Gandalf escape the Misty Mountains, They continue their journey to get their gold back from the Dragon, Smaug. Directed by Peter Jackson and starring actors such as Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen and Richard Armitage, the epic quest continues with plenty of fantasy for any movie-goer. If you saw the last “The Hobbit” film, you’ll definitely want to see this one as it is certainly one of the top 5 films of 2013! More Info 4. Safe Haven Drama/Romance | 14 February 2013 (USA) | Recommended Audience: 12+ When a young woman named Katie with a mysterious past arrives in North Carolina, her love for a widower forces her to reveal one of the deepest and darkest secrets of her past. Starring Julianne Hough, Josh Duhamel and Cobie Smulders, this film is great for any romantic film lover. More Info 5. 21 And Over Comedy | 1 March 2013 (USA) | Recommended Audience: 18+ The night before a 20 year old student has to take his important Medical exam, he celebrates his 21st birthday with his two best friends. It was supposed to [...]

The post Top 5 Films of 2013 appeared first on TechTeen.