Tag: special offer

Make hay while the sun shines when you purchase your next laptop now

Intel has just premiered their new Skylake desktop and mobile CPU range which is leading to increased performance even for battery-operated devices. It also has led to newer connectivity options like USB 3.1 Type-C and Intel Thunderbolt connections to improve how you connect these computers to external devices. As well, most of these computers will come pre-delivered with Windows 10 as their operating system.

This is leading to computer manufacturers refreshing their computer lineups with equipment based on these new technologies and their will be an impetus on the manufacturers, distributors and retailers to clear out just-superseded equipment based on prior technologies. For example in Australia, JB Hi-FI is offering 15% off the ticketed price for most of the laptops on sale at most of their stores

If you are considering a computer purchase whether to upgrade existing equipment, or as an additional unit like a travel laptop or a secondary computer used in the kitchen, it may be a good time to check the specials out. For some of you, it may be a chance to move off the iPad as your only computing device and move towards a “grown up” computer system.

But here are some points worth considering:

• If you are buying Windows-based equipment, the computer may come pre-delivered with Windows 8.1 but you can upgrade this operating system to Windows 10 for free. This is another saving for you when you want to be sure you are running the latest operating system for your Windows-based computer.
• If you are upgrading your main computer, make sure you buy the system with as much RAM and storage as you can afford. As well, look for discrete graphics and powerful processors if you are using it frequently for graphics, games and multimedia.
• You may get by with the Intel Atom, Celeron or Pentium processors and 2Gb RAM for your secondary laptop that is primarily for Web browsing, email and word-processing. These will probably limit you to up to 2 or 3 windows or browser tabs open at at time. The Core M, i3 and i5 processors and 4Gb RAM may allow you to be a bit more productive with these machines.
• Solid-state may be the way to go for your ultraportable but you could eek out more storage through the use of a USB 3.0 external hard disk which you could bargain in to the purchase. This drive can earn its keep with large photo or video collections that you may be downloading from your camera or camcorder.
• You may also be in a position to use the savings to purchase a newer printer or home-network equipment which you could also bargain in to the deal.

If you express doubts about a purchase, please don’t hesitate to contact me using the Contact Form on this site.

Article – From the horse’s mouth

Barclays Bank

Special offer for Barclays Bank online customers

My Comments

In 2009, I had reviewed a copy of Kaspersky Internet security and had found that it was the start of things to come for a capable desktop-security program. Then I had read some comparisons of various desktop security programs and found that this same program was doing its job without trading off performance unlike the Norton software where I have heard complaints about sluggish performance. Lately, I have even recommended this program as a desktop-security solution for people who have asked me about their home-computer security needs.

Barclays, a well-known UK bank who had been the victim of a “distraction-burglary” hacking scam, has now offered a partnership deal with their online-banking customers by offering free copies of this software. This also applies to those of us who have continued a subscription with Kaspersky for the software and the subscription is up for renewal.

What I like of this is that Barclays have led the field by a partnership with a desktop security software vendor to protect their customers from the varying forms of malware that can compromise the sanctity of their customer’s banking and personal data.