London next in line for Google-backed gigabit Wi-Fi

After New York, Intersection is bringing its gigabit Wi-Fi street furniture to London

London is next in line to receive the Link high-speed Wi-Fi service that briefly brought high-speed porn to the streets of New York.

Intersection, the company behind LinkNYC, is partnering with BT and outdoor advertising company Primesight to deliver the service in London. Intersection is partly funded by Sidewalk Labs, a subsidiary of Google’s parent Alphabet.

Next year, BT will replace 100 of its phone booths with the LinkUK pillars, delivering gigabit Wi-Fi, free phone calls, and local information services on built-in Android tablets. The companies aim to install up to 750 of the hotspots across the UK in the coming years

The pillars will also offer free power, via USB charging sockets. There’s no risk of them slurping your phone’s contents, or infecting them via the BadUSB vulnerabilities, as the sockets contain no data lines. “It’s just power and ground,” explained BT spokesman Yusuf King.

Free web browsing will not be allowed on the London Link pillars. When the service was introduced in New York in January, some people began using the embedded tablets to watch porn in public. LinkNYC put a stop to that last month when it shut down the web-browsing option on the pillars.

ISPs, including BT, are required to block adult content by default, so using the tablet to watch porn ought not to be possible there.

Limiting the tablet to providing local information has other benefits, though, said King. “Another reason to remove the tablet web browser is to prevent people monopolising kiosks for long periods.”

LinkUK, like LinkNYC, will be funded by advertising. Instead of the posters or wraparound ad spots that Primesight will sell on 17,500 other BT phone booths around the UK, the new pillars will each carry two 55in HD displays running non-stop commercials and public service announcements.

London’s traditional red phone boxes won’t disappear from London’s streets with the introduction of the new pillars. Many of the 602 remaining in the London area are legally protected as historic architectural features. Instead, the pillars’ brushed stainless steel and glass panels will replace a more recent generation of phone booths.

Intersection isn’t the only game in town when it comes to public gigabit Wi-Fi: Berlin is getting its own gigabit service, thanks to mobile network operator Vodafone.

The 10 Most Influential Websites Of All Time

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Google has added a new tweak to search ,Now Search yourself lately ?

Did you try searching yourself lately? If no, then do check out this new update brought to you by Google that allows shortcut to My Account when you search your name. Using this, you can manage your data and account security all in one place. 

All you have to do is sign in with your google account and rest you will see details as shown in the animation below: 

Check every part of your car with Your Android Devices...

You can now manage your car in ways only mechanics used to be able to...

There are few things in life, in terms of cost, that are more unpredictable and harder to manage than running a car. Whether you want to check for fault codes, manage fuel consumption or simply ensure that you are driving in a way that keeps the engine in perfect condition, it can be tricky to even know where to start.

However, we have an answer and all you need is an Android app and a cheap accessory to see everything that is happening with your car over long periods and in real time. The power of Bluetooth means that you can leave the app running while you drive and every data point will be logged accurately – even more importantly, you can retrieve fault codes that could save a costly trip to a mechanic. We will show you how to set everything up and you will likely be surprised at just how easy it is. When you have finished reading this, you will have full control over your car.

1. Buy the accessory

To check data on your car, you will need to purchase a Bluetooth-enabled OBD2 reader. Do your research to locate where the port is in your car and then look for a compatible reader. They can be purchased very cheaply and most cars will support the functionalit.

BUY NOW @



2. Download an app

For this tutorial we are going to use Torque Pro, which is available on Google Play. There are a variety of options available for checking car data, but we can recommend this one as being reliable and fully featured. Download and install the app to continue with the setup.

3. Attach the reader

Turn the ignition so that electricity is going to the engine and then insert the reader into the port. This will mean that it has power to be able to pair with your Android phone and set up a valid connection. Now turn Bluetooth on to start the connection process.

4. Make the connection

Once the reader has been discovered by your Android device, it will be listed with an obvious name in the Bluetooth settings screen. Tap it and then enter the PIN that is included in the instructions that come with the reader. It will now connect and confirm it is successful.

5. Open the app

Open Torque Pro where you will see a main screen that should show the reader is now connected and working. Tap the cog icon and then select Vehicle Profile to begin adding the information for your car. Try to be as accurate as possible for the best results.

6. Check your fault codes

Tap Fault Codes on the main screen and then let the app thoroughly read your engine. This may take some time for the process to complete, but be patient as it will be worth it to see how you can stop issues that could potentially turn into expensive problems in the future.

7. Read the results

The ideal situation will be to see ‘No fault codes stored in ECU’, which means that everything should be running fine. In reality, most cars will pop up some errors over time and the majority will not cause problems later on. Modern engine sensors are extremely sensitive.

8. Real-time information

Go back to the main screen and tap Real-time Information to bring up a series of dials. These will display the exact state of various aspects of your engine and a simple test is to depress the accelerator to see the Revs change immediately. It’s a very impressive setup.

9. Change the dials

Tap and hold any dial to bring up new options that will let you change the size, display type, title and even maximum and minimum allowable values. You really can customise every single aspect of the real-time information feature so that it suits your exact needs.

10. Manage graph data

The graphing feature lets you log data in real time and in a visual form. The logging can be saved and exported for later, and the actual results are impressively accurate throughout. They are particularly useful for checking engine performance over extended periods.

11. Map Your Routes

When you tap Trip View on the main screen, you will see a familiar mapping display appear. If you leave this enabled, your journey would be tracked in fine detail for you to check later. Everything from the route to the speeds are covered visually and through accurate data points.

12. Take It Further

In Test Results, you can see summaries of each part of the engine that has been tested. Some of these merely offer a description where as others can be tapped to bring up much more detailed data that can be read, ideally in the hands of a trained professional.

13. Install Some Plugins

A quick search on the Google Play store for Torque Pro Plugins will bring up a myriad of options that can be used to enhance the tracking and real-time experience. Everything from new themes to gear change apps are available to give you almost unlimited possibilities.

Enjoy The Pro Driving Experience...

#Hacker zone - Underclock for better battery life...

A few choice tweaks to your kernel settings can also extend the life of your battery Changing the clock speed is always about finding the right balance between power and battery life. Overclocking will likely require you to sacrifice a little of the latter.

Underclocking is the opposite: it involves reducing the speed of the processor in an attempt to extend your battery life.It isn’t a magic wand. Underclocking causes some tasks to take longer to complete, which offsets the benefits of having the processor using less power at its maximum level. Nevertheless, for some tasks it can be beneficial and switching the governor can have noticeable effects. As ever, the best approach is to experiment with settings to find ones that work for you. And don’t push things too far – if you set the processor clock speed too low it may not deliver enough speed for your apps to work. 

1. Set up the app

In EX Kernel Manager, create a backup of your existing kernel settings. Open the sidebar and select Tools, followed by Kernel Backup. Tap the disk icon to create the backup and give it a recognisable name should you need to restore it someday.

2. Reduce the clock speed

Now go into the CPU settings. Underclocking is the same as overclocking, except in reverse. Try experimenting with lower maximum frequencies, so that your phone runs at a slightly slower speed, causing it to use less power. Just don’t overdo it!

3. Change the governor

You also need to adjust the governor settings. The obvious one to use is the Powersave governor, which locks the CPU to the lowest frequency. However, you might do better with the Performance governor, so that tasks will complete in the shortest possible time.

4. Test the changes

Exit the app and then test your changes. Open a few apps or games and run a few common tasks. It’s likely that you’ll notice the phone is a little slower, but if it’s too slow then you will need to tweak your changes. You want to find a balance between speed and batter.

5. Explore Powersave mode

The EX Kernel Manager also has a Powersave utility. This is activated by tapping the leaf icon at the very top of the app’s screen. This mode sets the processor to run at predefined levels and enables you to quickly reduce power consumption.

6. Tweak settings

To change the Powersave mode settings, tap the three-dot menu icon and choose Settings. You can set Powersave to activate automatically on a certain battery level or hit Advanced settings to reduce the CPU speed even further. Again, keep your changes small.

Enjoy Great New Powerd Life....

Be expert :- #1 Set the apps that Google Now can scan

Get Android’s assistant to search and send Notifications from your apps...

Google Now is often described as Android’s personal assistant, but it does more than search the web and notify you about events. Android devices putons of useful Information at your fingertips. Google Now has been designed to filter that mass of data For details that might be important to you at any moment and make it easily available. It does this by indexing data stored in your apps. When you enter terms in the Google.
search box on your homescreen or verbally preface instructions with the words ‘OK Google,’ it returns results found in this data and on the internet. It will also display Now cards with updates that have been generated by compatible apps you have installed. Like any good assistant, Google Now needs some training. This involves telling it which apps store important information and which ones should send cards.

1. Call Up "Google Now"

If you haven’t already turned on Google Now, activate it by tapping the Google search bar Or the icon simply labelled Google and follow the Onscreen instructions. If Google Now is already Working, swipe up from the home button or long Press home if you’re on a Samsung device.

2. Open The Menu

Once Google Now is running, tap the three horizontal lines in the top-left corner of its main screen to access the menu. This takes you to where you tell Google Now which apps to index so their names and content show up in searches and the apps that should generate cards.

3. See What Search Sees

Tap Settings and then Phone Search to show a list of what Google Now can scan for the data it presents when you search for something. All apps will be catalogued, but only those storing data on your device, such as Contacts and Play Music, will have their content indexed.

4. Choose Apps To Index

All of the apps listed under Phone Search are indexed by default. If Google Now is trawling through apps you don’t use though, this could drain your device’s battery and might slow it down. By removing the tick mark beside a redundant app, it will tell Google Now to ignore it.

5. Grant Permissions 

For third-party apps to show cards in your Google Now stream, you need to give Google permission to track what you use. To do this, open the Google Settings app and tap Personal Info & Privacy. Then tap Activity Controls and check that Web & App Activity is switched to On.

6. Pick A Card

Some third-party apps can generate a Now card every day while others rarely post cards. Google Now can also be set to post cards based on your location. To set card permissions for third-party apps, go back to Google Now’s menu and tap Customize to access the Now Preferences menu.

7. Review Other Apps Settings

Under Now Preferences, look for the Apps & Websites option. If you haven’t entered your transportation choices in Google Now, you’ll have to scroll down below the settings for these. Otherwise, you should see Apps & Websites about halfway down the screen. Tap on it.

8. Say Yes To Everything

To see Now cards from third-party apps on your device, ensure that Yes is selected under the All Apps & Websites and Location headings. Some apps have individual settings that might be set to No by default. Tap these and choose Yes to get cards from them too.

Enjoy "Google Now" just say it ...

100 Times Fastest Technology In Networking is "LiFi":- Tests Prove

With speeds of 1GBps, the technology could enable a high-definition film to be downloaded in seconds

What is LiFi Then:-

LiFi is a disruptive technology which will shift business models and create opportunities ripe for
exploitation. The dominance and lifetime of LED lighting has created a need for new business models in the lighting industry. The need to offer services, including new payment and financing models, creates an unprecedented opportunity for LiFi.



Test Results: Li-Fi is 100 times Faster than Wi-Fi

An Estonian startup company called Velmenni took the technology out of the laboratories and into the real-world offices, and industrial environments in Tallinn for the first time and, believe me, it's really, really fast.

"We are doing a few pilot projects in different industries where we can utilize the VLC technology,"Velmenni's CEO Deepak Solanki told IBTimes UK.

"Currently we have designed a smart lighting solution for an industrial environment where the data communication is done through the light. We're also doing a pilot project with a private client where we're setting up a Li-Fi network to access the Internet in [our] office space."

 Who Invented Li-Fi ?

Li-Fi technology was originated in 2011 by Professor Harald Haas of the University of Edinburgh, who demonstrated that, with a flickering light from a single LED, he could transmit more data than a cellular tower. Professor Haas, delivered a TED talk about his technology in 2011, which has attracted more than 1.7 million views.

Get custom alerts from your Android devices

Set up alerts for everything from sports results to the weather

Even though services such as Google Now offer alerts, they are generally quite limited. The Hooks – Alerts For Everything app offers alerts across more than 100 topics. They are extremely customizable as you can decide whether to be alerted through push notifications or sound alerts and how far ahead of the event you want to be told. Each category has its own range of settings, such as the weather alerts that you can alter depending on the intensity of expected rain. You can manage your alerts within the side menu, as well as selecting your favorites, such as release dates for a movies that you don’t want to miss. You can also share your alerts with your friends, possibly to hint at that film you really want to watch!

Steps to go:-

• Get hooked

Download Hooks from the Play store and open it up. Your initial homescreen should be a blank white screen with a plus symbol inside a red circle. Tap on the icon to go to the alert screen from which point you can set up your first alerts.

• Add an alert

The screen shows a of list popular alerts, such as new movies. Tap on the word Add to set up that alert. You can scroll through every app with the All tab and Suggested will later be filled up with alerts related to your list.

• Find grouped alerts

Scroll down the all list of alerts to find them grouped by category a handy place to v want to set up numerous alerts on a similar topic. Alternatively, you can tap the magnifying glass in the top-right corner to search.

• Personalize your alert

Tap on the alert that you have set up and it will provide a range of customisable options. Tap on the sliders to decide how you want your alert to arrive, whether as a push notification, a bleep or both. Some alerts have more options. 

• Check your alerts

Tap the bell icon in the top right-hand corner of the screen and you will be able to see your list of alerts. Tap on any one of them and to take you to that particular alert’s page where you can find more information and see previous alerts.

• Share your alerts

If any alert appears that you think a friend might be interested in, you can share it via any of the social media channels, such as Facebook, Gmail and Hangouts. This should help you organize events easily with friends that don’t have the app.

Power-up Android Lollipop’s Notifications

Get more info from Android 5.0 alerts with the updated version of XBridge

Those of us who have a ton of apps are bombarded with a stream of notifications. However, with so many different icons it can be tricky to keep track of where notifications came from and where the apps themselves have come from. XBridge is a module that has just been updated for Android 5.0 that gives you more information about the apps sending you notifications. A push on the bar will let you perform a web search related to that app or go straight to Google Play, where you can uninstall the app. This tutorial will show you how to get the Xposed module and then use it to keep on top of all the notifications that appear on your Android handset throughout the day. You will need root access for this.

How to Power up :- 

1. Get XBridge

Head to the Xposed Module Repository (http://goo.gl/l4u6z0) and click on the download link to add XBridge to your phone. Unfortunately there is not a Google Play version so you have to use the APK. Head into the installer and click the tick next to XBridge.

2. Finish setting up

Reboot your phone. Once it turns back on, you should be ready to start using the module. If it isn’t, make sure you had ticked the box. XBridge may not work if you have certain custom ROMs set up, so check XDA Forum for non-compatible ROMs.

3. Notification locations

If you receive a notification and want to know which of your apps it is from, drag down your Quick Settings menu and then tap and hold on the notification. You should now see a range of icons. Tap the briefcase icon to go to that app in Google Play.

4. Edit Notifications

As before, drag down the Quick Settings menu, tap the notification and then hold. You should see an I in a circle appear. If you tap this, you can jump straight into your notification settings for this app without having to find them manually.

5. Enter your settings

Certain apps can also have their general settings hidden away in the depths of your phone. Drag down, tap and hold again, before pressing the cog icon. This will take you directly to that app’s Settings page so you can perform a range of actions, such as uninstalling it.

6. Search Google Play

If an app is feeling buggy, head into the Recently Used apps list, press that app’s information bar and hold. Tap the Google Play icon that appears. This will take you directly to that app’s Play store page where you can uninstall and reinstall the app easily.

Enjoy it.....

Boost social presence by setting up a blog

A blog is essential for tying your social activities together

Blogs are seen by some as outdated, but they could not be more wrong. Consider what social networks do and how they work, and you will soon see that they are merely conduits for people to communicate on. A blog is yours alone and can be used in any way you like. From the design to the text to the way you bring all of your social elements together, it is a cost-effective way to build a presence and to truly show what you are capable of. Whether you create podcasts, produce fine art or anything else, a blog can be anything you want it to be and it is exceptionally easy to link to Twitter and Facebook accounts and to even host podcasts and images that you have produced. Many free web hosting options are available, but for a small monthly or yearly cost, you can take advantage of some truly stunning web software and design templates.

Steps to go:- 

1. Choose a provider

Research your blog host. Check online reviews and carefully consider your limitations. If you know you will struggle to design a site, look for hosts who offer professionally-designed templates and don’t choose on price alone.

2. A companion app

Try to choose a host who offers an Android app that is capable of letting you create blog posts that look the same as when created on a desktop. You will want to add images and even videos to offer a rich reading experience.

3. Write posts anywhere

You will now be able to create blog content whenever the mood strikes or when an interesting event occurs. Your Android device will let you dictate text and also capture photos and videos when mobile. It’s perfect for blogging at any time.

4. Make your posts social

The option to automatically add a social link to your latest blog post will either be available within the blogging software or through a freely available add-on. This will help you to quickly gain traffic which is consistent and repeating.

5. Quality in every post

Take time over every single blog post you publish. To gain readers who become loyal, and who are then more likely to follow you on social networks and listen to your podcasts, you will need to always produce quality content.

10 things you didn’t know about phone signal

• It’s all about frequency

Carriers all have their own bandwidth that they use to carry signal. A carrier such as EE operates a high frequency, resulting in stronger signal outdoors as the wavelengths are bunched closer together. However, once it passes through materials such as brick, higher wavelengths get absorbed by the brick and scattered, making signal indoors much weaker. The reverse is true for lower-frequency bandwidths, which struggle outdoors, so this is something to consider when choosing a network provider

• Hide-and-seek

Mobile phone masts are not popular with communities, partly due to health concerns but also due to the look of the masts. In order to continue expanding their network coverage, carriers are getting smarter. Mobile signal antennae can now be found hiding inside flagpoles, fake trees and even fake chimney pots.Carriers will often to come to some financial arrangement with both private and public building owners to add a mast to the top of their building.

• Water is the enemy

Signal arrives at your phone in the form of wavelengths and nothing disrupts them quite like moving water. As the wave enters the water it will get refracted in all different directions. It is estimated that you’ll get no phone signal at all at a a depth of just five centimeters underwater. This might  be academic anyway, as hearing a ringtone or a person’s voice relies on vibrations that would also struggle underwater as they would get absorbed by the liquid and scattered. 

• Portable masts

For the majority of the year, farms and rural areas don’t need a lot of mobile signal. However, during festival season when thousands of bandwidth hungry music lovers descend on them, there is a much greater demand on the masts. To combat this, carriers will bring temporary masts mounted on vans to the site. Vodafone, for example, took four such vans to last year’s Glastonbury to ensure its users got the best possible signal strength.

• Volume is key

Places where thousands of people regularly gather, such as sports stadiums and theaters, need to be able to cope with huge numbers of phones trying to access the network all at the same time. To cope with this, carriers will install hubs which can look like fire alarm on the ceiling - in the building that adds many more channels to the area. The signal won’t be particularly strong or quick, but it will make it more likely that you can actually get on your network.

• Ain’t no mountain high enough

Mobile signal radiates outward so you can comfortably get signal at the top of a mountain as long as you’re within sight of a mast. Areas that are built up, or towns where there are lots of hills struggle to send signal over a wide area because objects get in the way. However, signal can happily travel for a good couple of miles in uninhibited area. Indeed, climbers of Mount Everest can get 4G, 5,200m up at Base Camp.

• VoLTE is coming

VoLTE stands for Voice over LTE, where you can make voice calls using your phone’s LTE signal, rather than the usual voice channels. This will be very handy for those times you don’t have any normal phone signal but can get online through 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi. This could make calling from rural areas much easier if you have some kind of mobile Wi-Fi device that you can plug in to create that essential Wi-Fi signal. EE has been experimenting with VoLTE since 2014, while Vodafone, Three and O2 are rolling out VoLTE soon.

• 4G isn’t always best

Even though 4G is generally considered the holy grail of mobile signal, in some scenarios 3G can actually be faster. A weak 4G signal on one carrier, maybe if a mast is a long way away or there are objects obscuring it, will give you slower upload and download speeds than a good 3G signal. Signal strength will always be the most important factor in your mobile speeds so don’t feel you absolutely have to get a 4G phone in order to keep up.

• Automatic retuning

If your phone is capable of getting 4G it will try to use it wherever possibl it has the potential to be the fastest way of u loading data. However, mode phones are capable of realising if using a 3G connection might be faster, due to a stronger signal. If it detects that is the case, it will automatically drop down to us the 3G signal instead, improving the user experience without them having to touch a single setting.

• Sharing is caring

The majority of masts belong to just one carrier, which is why you might be experiencing rubbish signal but the person sitting next to you has five bars individual firms are responsible for building and maintaining their towers and they will decide where they want to place them. how ever, some carriers, such as Vodafone and O2, share masts even though they are competing for customers,This increases the network coverage for both so they can claim better coverage than other rivals.

Chromebook supertest

Which of the lightweight laptops running Google Chrome will be the best?

 The first Chromebook launched in 2011, a joint venture between Samsung, Acer and Google. It was a lightweight device that ran Google’s Chrome operating system and stored the majority of its data, files and documents in the cloud, rather than on an internal hard drive. This model proved to be very popular and very soon other manufacturers started making their own Chromebooks. The fact that the laptops didn’t need much internal memory or storage made them weigh and cost less and the cloud storage meant that losing your computer no longer meant losing all your important documents. Another key feature of the Chromebook was fast loading times. As they have barely anything to load up you can go to web browsing in under ten seconds, which makes nipping online a breeze. We’ve got together four of the latest Chromebooks to find out which is quickest, easiest to use and looks the best. The four we’ve tested are the Asus C300, Lenovo N20p, Acer 15 C910 and Google’s very own Pixel (2015). As they all run on the same operating system, it will be a straight test of their looks and the quality of the user experience that they deliver.

1. Asus Chromebook C300

The long-life Chromebook that will ensure you keep going all day

»Processor .........................Intel Bay Trail-M Celaron N2830 2.16GHz dual-core
»Memory ...........................2GB DDR3L 1600MHz SDRAM
»Dimensions ......................339 x 230 x 20mm
»Weight .............................1.4kg
»Display size .....................13.3-inch (117ppi)
»Display resolution ...........1366 x 768 pixels
»Camera ............................HD web camera
»Connectivity ...................Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
»Ports.................................1 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x HDMI, SD card slot

The C300 is the largest of Asus’ limited range of Chromebooks. It sports a 13.3-inch screen and weighs 1.4kg, which is very reasonable for its size. It definitely doesn’t feel heavy or bulky when you’re carrying it around. It has got a very clean and simple design, although the polycarbonate case does feel a little bit scratchy and collects fingerprints quickly. Once you’ve opened it up it’s got an attractive brushed aluminium look and sits at just the right height for you to type away without finding your wrists resting painfully on the fairly sharp edge. The trackpad is the largest in its class and it is very big, making pinch zooming very easy to control. It feels secure and well made, even if there may have been a little bit of skimping on materials. The keyboard is a generous size and, although it took a little while to get used to the keys all being slightly more to the right than we’re used to, the keys were responsive and hit the sweet spot between firmness and sensitivity. It runs off an Intel Celeron 2.16GHz dual-core processor and an Intel Celeron 1.83GHz quad-core processor. In general these are speedy enough to deal with everyday Chromebook tasks, such as writing documents, playing videos and surfi ng the web. Things do become a little jerky and laggy when playing graphics-rich games so if you are a hardcore gamer, this might not be the best Chromebook for you. The battery life is the C300’s big sell, promising that it can deliver up to ten hours of use. While performing standard browsing tasks it looks like it could make good on that promise, so as a workstation it would be a very useful machine for a working day or taking with you on a long-distance journey. Things weren’t so impressive away from browsing – gaming did chew quite dramatically into the battery life, so it is much better suited for professional use. The video camera is quite sharp, although it did struggle when up against a backlight, so if you enjoy Skype video calls, you’ll need to think twice about how the Chromebook is positioned.

Head-to-Head

•  Design

The C300 has nice, rounded, curved edges all around, making it a very comfortable machine to carry and use. The brushed look is polarising, however, and it does feel extremely plasticky. It is quite slim at just 20mm thick.

• Performance

The dual-core and quad-core processors zip through basic tasks but aren’t quite up to anything too intense. Gamers will not appreciate this, but the limited performance is one of the things that will keep the C300 going for 10 hours.

• Battery life 

The battery life is the big selling point on the C300. Asus claims that it can last 10 hours and it certainly does last very well in normal, everyday tasks, but when the processors are working overtime the battery life suffers quite a lot.

• Usability 

This is a really well balanced machine. It is a nice height to work at and the keyboard has accurate keys that you have to press firmly, but they don’t feel sticky. The trackpad is nice and large, giving users a big range of movement.

2. Lenovo N20p Chromebook 

The Chromebook that is tiny but mighty

Lenovo’s ThinkPad range is very well regarded in the world of the PC, so it comes as little surprise that the Chinese company is turning its attention to Chromebooks. The N20p is Lenovo’s 11-inch offering, providing a compact Chromebook option at a low price point. The N20p’s big selling point is the fact that it’s hinged, so you can fold it right back so the keyboard acts as a stand. This turns the Chromebook, which has a touchscreen, into a upturned tablet, making it perfect for watching films. We found that it did feel a little unstable when tapping on it in this mode, but if you just want to use it for viewing, it is ideal. Although the 1366 x 768 screen isn’t razor sharp, it still plays videos with a high level of clarity and the processors are capable of keeping up with the frame rate. It is impressively bright and colourful, managing to provide the user with a very positive experience. If you can manage to ignore the overly shiny Lenovo logo on the front, this is a very pleasingly designed laptop. The silver is nice and resistant to fingerprints and it has a mixture of straight edges and curves that complement each other well. It is very smooth all over and the inside has a matt black finish, which works well. Despite its size it weighs a fairly hefty 1.4kg. This is comparable to the other models, but considering it’s the smallest of the bunch that is something of a disappointment. The bezels around the edge of the screen are very large, cutting quite dramatically into the screen size. In a larger machine this wouldn’t be so bad but as it’s already a small model, this could present an issue for some users. The keys are very fl at and light, which does occasionally lead to a missed letter when typing but in general it is a well laid out and spaced keyboard. The trackpad is very secure in its housing and is responsive to scrolling. The webcam isn’t great at dealing with low light conditions but is nice and sharp, capable of producing high-quality images and video.

Technical specs

»Processor ................................Intel Celeron 2.16GHz quad-core
»Memory ..................................4GB DDR3L
»Dimensions ............................ 295 x 212 x 17.9mm
»Weight ....................................1.4kg
»Display size ............................11.5-inch
»Display resolution ...................1366 x 768
»Camera ....................................720p
»Connectivity .......................... Wi-Fi , Bluetooth 4.0
»Ports.........................................1 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x micro HDMI, SD card slot

3. Acer Chromebook 15 C910

The C910 is the size of a laptop, but is bigger really better?

The C910 bucks the trend of Chromebooks rather by being a very big machine. The screen is a massive 15.6-inches, and the wide bezels make it even wider. It is unfortunately lacking somewhat in terms of style. The backing is a scratchy, textured plastic that put us in mind of those pull-down blinds for car windows. It is certainly unique but it failed to appeal to us. Opening up the C910 reveals two large speakers either side of the keyboard, which is great for listening to audio and fills the gaps either side of the keyboard nicely. The keyboard is widely spaced so you have plenty of freedom while typing, and helps ensure typing accuracy. The trackpad is an absolute magnet for fingerprints, though, and does not sit comfortably at all. Even a slight press looks like you’re going to push it right out of its housing and it doesn’t seem to quite fi t, sporting a huge gap along the bottom and right-hand side. It is the heaviest on  test at 2.2kg, which is getting far away from normal Chromebook territory and towards notebook and netbook levels. The screen resolution is a very low 100ppi and this is clearly noticeable when viewing video and images, although it doesn’t spoil basic browsing. The Intel Celaron 1.5GHz dual-core processor isn’t quite up to the task of playing games or video, occasionally freezing or lagging mid-action. The viewing angles aren’t great on the horizontal level, but you do get a high range of viewing on the vertical plane, which is handy. The 3,270mAh battery has a life of around nine hours, which is one of the main positives for this machine as it could keep you powered through an entire standard work day. The camera for web chats is very good, producing a clear video that has a lot of detail. Even when backlit, faces can be seen so Acer has done well with its camera technology.

Technical specs

»Processor ..........................Intel i3 1.5GHz dual-core
»Memory ............................16GB storage / 4GB RAM
»Dimensions .......................383 x 245 x 24mm
»Weight ...............................2.2kg
»Display size .......................15.6-inch
»Display resolution .............1366 x 768 (100ppi)
»Camera ..............................720p webcam
»Connectivity ......................Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
»Ports....................................1 x USB 2.0, 1 x USB 3.0, 1 x HDMI, SD card slot

4. Chromebook Pixel (2015)

Is Google’s own Chromebook worth the money?

As the developers of Chrome, it stands to reason that Google should produce its own Chromebook and the Pixel has long been held as the standard bearer for all Chromebooks. That still appears to be the case as the latest Pixel has an awful lot going for it. The colour scheme is all silver and it is very distinctive with straight lines all round and a very fl at finish, setting it apart from the others. This design could put some people off as it is quite metallic and rigid but it certainly looks like a premium machine. It is quite weighty at 1.5kg but that is mostly down to the metal casing that gives it that smooth, premium feel. The keyboard is edge-to-edge and very nicely spaced so you are unlikely to accidentally tap more than one key. They are very fl at so don’t take a lot of pressing, which is a great advantage during prolonged use. Boot up time is lightning quick, which is excellent as that means you get to see the stunning screen as quickly as possible. It really is absolutely glorious. It is superbly sharp, picking out tiny detail in everything with clarity and precision. The resolution is 2560 x 1700 and on the 12.85-inch display that translates to a pixel density of 239ppi, way better than its competitors. Under the hood is an Intel Core i7 2.4GHz processor that deals with pretty much everything you throw at it with ease. It plays videos and games without any visible lag and navigating around web pages happens instantaneously. It ships with an excellent 16GB of RAM and 64GB storage, plus has a microSD slot. It’s camera has a wide angle lens that helps get more people in shot if you are trying to take a group picture.

Technical specs

»Processor ................................Intel Core i5, 2.2GHz or Intel Core i7, 2.4GHz
»Memory ..................................8GB or 16GB
»Dimensions ............................298 x 224 x 15.3mm
»Weight ....................................1.5kg
»Display size ............................12.85-inch
»Display resolution ..................2560 x 1700 (239ppi)
»Camera ...................................720p HD
»Connectivity ...........................Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0
»Ports.........................................2x USB 3.0, SD card reader, 2 x USB Type-C charging

The winner... Chromebook Pixel (2015)

You’re paying a lot of money but there is no way we could say anything other than the Chromebook Pixel is the best device out there. The screen is streets ahead, the processor is far and away the most powerful on the market and it looks great. The Type-C charging is another huge advantage so it ticks every box in terms of looks, practicality, battery life and quality of use. 

The only slight faults are with the weight and price, but if you’re after a brilliant Chromebook that actually offers some storage capabilities as well, then this has to be the one you choose. It is followed by the Lenovo N20p. This performed very well in tests and does everything a Chromebook should. It is small, portable and works quickly and quietly. We enjoyed using the touchscreen and the ability to turn it into a tablet is a great touch. If you want a quality Chromebook that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, this should certainly be a contender.  

The Asus Chromebook C300 is next up. It is a very good machine, and was generally up to task but fell short a little bit in terms of the processing power and the general look and feel of it. Finally, the Acer Chromebook 15 brings up the rear. It just felt too big, too heavy and too slow to be a quality Chromebook and we reckon there are much better models out there for the price. It could be a good option if you want a laptop-style cloud-based computer, though.