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William Harrel

William Harrel

Former Digital Trends Contributor

William Harrel has been writing about computer technology for well over 25 years. He has authored or coauthored 20 books—including titles in the popular Bible, Secrets, and For Dummies series—on digital design software applications, such as Acrobat, Photoshop, and QuarkXPress. His latest title was HTML, CSS, and JavaScript Mobile Development for Dummies (a handbook for creating Web sites for smartphones and tablets).

Harrel also owns and operates a design firm, WilliamHarrel.com, located in Southern California, and he is the printer and scanner Expert for About.com.

A close up of a person's hands typing on a laptop.

802.11ax is Wi-Fi built for tomorrow’s hyper-connected home

Here’s everything you need to know about 802.11ax Wi-Fi, a faster, more reliable standard said to deliver four times the bandwidth of current wireless internet.
Computing Guides
Bluetooth Mesh Philips Hue Wi-fi

In a world saturated in Wi-Fi, there’s still room for Bluetooth Mesh

With Bluetooth Mesh, devices extend wireless networks by transmitting data among themselves. The result should be a more reliable net.
Computing Features
Panacast 2 Camera System review

Panacast 2 Camera System review

A Panacast 2 Camera System review of a video collaboration webcam with seamless 180-degree panorama, intelligent auto-zoom, and 4K support.
Computing Reviews
Microsoft Wireless Comfort Desktop 5050

Microsoft Wireless Comfort Desktop 5050 review

Our Microsoft Wireless Comfort Desktop 5050 review takes a modern look at a classic keyboard and mouse combo pack. Is it still worth your time, or is it past its prime?
Computing Reviews
Logitech K480

Logitech K480 review

Logitech’s Bluetooth Multi-Device Keyboard K480 pairs with three Windows, Android, MacOS or iOS devices at once and lets you easily flip between them. It’s one of the most affordable multi-device keyboards around, but that comes with compromises.
Computing Reviews
Logitech MK850

Logitech MK850 Performance Wireless Mouse and Keyboard Combo review

The ergonomic and comfortable Logitech MK850 Performance Wireless Keyboard and Mouse Combo can pair with and map up to three devices and operating systems at once.
Computing Reviews
Logitech K780

Logitech K780 review

Want swift, efficient switching between multiple Windows, Android, Chrome, and Apple devices? Then check out Logitech’s K780 Multi-Device Wireless Keyboard, a single set of keys for all the electronics in your life.
Computing Reviews
Aukey-20W

Aukey 20W Portable Foldable Solar Charger review

Aukey’s 20-watt Portable Foldable Solar Charger provides enough clean renewable to charge two mobile devices quickly and simultaneously.
Emerging Tech Reviews
aukey km c4 review gaming mouse

Aukey KM-C4 review

The Aukey KM-C4 Gaming Mouse is customizable, comfortable to use, and affordable, but it suffers from software issues. Should you struggle through them in the pursuit of budget gaming bliss?
Computing Reviews
Zmodo Beam Alert

Zmodo Beam Alert review

Want to eliminate Wi-Fi dead zones and beef up your home’s security at the same time? Zmodo’s unique Beam Alert can handle both, though its dual-purpose design might force users to compromise.
Computing Reviews
Microsoft Arc Touch

Microsoft Arc Touch Bluetooth mouse review

Microsoft’s light and compact Arc Touch Bluetooth Mouse provides a simple—yet stylish—point-and-click solution for your Windows or Mac mobile device.
Computing Reviews
Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard

Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard review

Microsoft’s well-built and easy-to-use Universal Foldable Keyboard takes the frustration out of thumb typing on your smartphone or tablet.
Computing Reviews
Office 2016

Preview: Office 2016 isn’t revolutionary, and that’s ok

Microsoft Office 2016, the latest version of the productivity suite, will introduce the first all-news Mac suite in five years and cloud-focused features.
Computing Features
joe belfiore iphone web

Metro, modern, now universal? Microsoft can’t make up its mind!

Microsoft recently re-branded Windows Store apps as "Windows apps," from the previous "Universal apps," but the challenges faced by Windows 10 remain the same.
Computing News
zuckerberg is spreading the internet across globe but it only for facebooks gain internetorg

Zuckerberg is spreading the Internet across the globe, but is it only for Facebook’s gain?

Facebook has started an initiative called Internet.org that brings the web new areas, but it seems plan benefits Facebook more than anyone else.
Computing News
Dr. Nick Goldman

Could DNA be the key to passing digital data to future generations?

The key to extreme long-term storage may not be more advanced electronics but instead a natural phenomena found in every living being; DNA.
Computing Features
windows rt dead will 10 make mistakes windowsrt thumb

Does the death of Windows RT cast a shadow on Windows 10?

The legacy of Windows RT continues to haunt Microsoft. Windows 10 is trying a new way of combining the desktop with mobile, but does it fix RT's mistakes?
Computing News
dallas cyberattack sirens cyberattack1

Security firms struggle to keep up with malware surge

2014 saw a massive surge in malware attacks, racking up billion in damages. Security firms are scrambling to counter the threat, but it's a tough battle.
Computing News
A chip designed by semiconductor company ARM.

ARM fails to flex at CES 2015

CES 2015 was a big win for laptops. Many models appeared to push the limits of resolution, battery life and weight. And all of them had Intel inside.
Computing News
intel re commits realsense voiceassist ces 2015 1

Work with your hands, at your desk: Intel refocuses on gesture input with RealSense

Despite a lackluster showing at CES 2014, Intel has doubled down on RealSense and VoiceAssistant, redoubling its effort to make alternative inputs a reality.
Computing News
shaky internet have someone else upload your files to googles cloud storage platform harddriveworld1

Can hard drive manufacturers keep up with the world’s demand?

Growing demand for storage has led to far lower price-per-gigabyte for most drives. How will hard drive makers keep up with global demand.
Computing News
solid state drives outlast pc hosts samsungssd1

Solid state drives outlast their PC hosts, and then some

Most solid state drives claim they can endure twenty or thirty gigabytes of writes, but recent tests have shown the limits often far exceed those numbers.
Computing News
Windows 10

Will Windows 10 prompt a surge of PC upgrades in 2015?

Microsoft's newest version of Windows looks promising, but will it be enough to put PC sales back on track?
Computing News
windows 10 tech preview privacy policy data collection search

The Windows 10 Tech Preview is snooping in on you, just so you know

The Windows 10 preview's privacy policy contains some language that has raised some concerns, and you should be aware of it. Learn more here.
Computing Reviews
windows 9 five things we expect from microsofts next os start menu video leak

Here are five things we expect to see in Windows 9

Microsoft will likely reveal Windows 9 to the world on September 30. Here are five things we expect to see with the new OS.
Computing News
new intel hd graphics iris pro drivers benchmarked core i7

New Intel HD Graphics, Iris, Iris Pro drivers benchmarked

We ran some tests with Intel's newest graphics drivers. What kinds of performance benefits can they offer? Learn more here.
Computing News
five reasons chinas upcoming anti microsoft google apple desktop os will fail cos1

Five reasons why China’s upcoming anti-Microsoft, Google, and Apple desktop OS will fail

China is making a desktop operating system to compete with those offered by Google, Microsoft, and Apple. Here are five reasons why it will fail.
Computing News
intel skylake processors tipped to debut in august not june logo 6 650x0

Intel demos DirectX 12, which looks faster and more efficient than DX11

Some folks recently got a look at the performance and efficiency improvements DirectX 12 could bring once it unseats DirectX 11. Learn more here.
Computing News
mit researchers show off supercomputer that treats nand storage like ram supercomputer2

Computers that calculate data at the speed of light could arrive as early as 2020

Computers that calculate data at the speed of light could arrive in just a handful of years. Learn more here.
Computing News
new display tech fixes poor eyesight glasses contacts required visioncorrecting1

New display tech fixes poor eyesight; Glasses and contacts not required

Researchers from UC Berkeley and MIT have developed screens that could display things to you as clear as day, even if you have poor vision. Learn more here.
Computing News
nanopixel display technology oxford screen resolution research 4k nano pixels

Forget Retina and even 4K, ‘Nanopixel’ tech promises pixels 150 times smaller

Researchers recently came up with nanopixels, a new display technology that could increase resolution as much as 150 times higher than current tech.
Computing News
spongy silicon laptop battery life pacific northwest laboratory lithium ion siliconbattery2

Spongy silicon could greatly increase your laptop’s battery life in the near future

New battery tech is being developed by a lab run by the U.S. Department of Energy, and it's not one of those pipe-dream developments either.
Computing News
businesses and cyber security firms are coming up with creative ways to fight hackers laptop hacker

Businesses, cyber security firms are coming up with creative ways to fight hackers

Both businesses and Internet security firms are taking some interesting measures to combat against hackers and ransomware.
Computing News
what is the machine hps new super computer themachine1

What is The Machine, HP’s new super computer?

The Machine is a super computer made by PC manufacturer HP. What exactly is it, and what will it do for computing?
Computing Guides
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