Matthew Sparkes

 Send a message to Matthew Sparkes
Recent articles by Matthew Sparkes
HP Pavilion dv5 

HP Pavilion dv5

by Matthew Sparkes  |  9 Jan 2009  |  Comment now
An extremely well built and comfortable machine, blessed with striking looks and a great price.
Top tips to save money on tech 

Top tips to save money on tech

by Tim Danton, David Fearon, Steve Cassidy, David Bayon, Barry Collins, Darien Graham-Smith, Jonathan Bray, Zara Baxter, Matthew Sparkes, Mike Jennings  |  11 Nov 2008  |  Comment now
Our full guide to saving cash-saving secrets is here, from how to get discounts on PCs, to SIM only phone contracts, the best DSLR cameras deals, and discount licensing from Adobe, Microsoft and others.
Green Gadget challenge 

Green Gadget challenge

by Matthew Sparkes  |  31 Oct 2008  |  Comment now
Is it possible to run all your electronic gadgets - even your laptop - on renewable energy sources? PC Authority's eco-warrior Matthew Sparkes gets on his bike.
Dell Studio 15, Dell's new mid-range hits the sweet spot 

Dell Studio 15, Dell's new mid-range hits the sweet spot

by Matthew Sparkes  |  13 Oct 2008  |  Comment now
Designed to sit between the low-end Inspiron and high-end XPS families, it comes in 15in and 17in flavours and its target audience could be pretty much anyone: few laptops are as customisable as this.
Corsair Mini Voyager 4GB 

Corsair Mini Voyager 4GB

by Matthew Sparkes  |  10 Oct 2008  |  Comment now
It's like the Tardis: small on the outside, but extremely capacious on the inside, with 4GB storage and some classy touches that make the Corsair Mini Voyager a cut above regular USB flash drives.
Sanyo VPC-HD1000 

Sanyo VPC-HD1000

by James Morris, Matthew Sparkes  |  7 Oct 2008  |  Comment now
A good price coupled with outstanding image quality – a good budget alternative to the Panasonic HDC-HS9
Sanyo VPC-HD700 

Sanyo VPC-HD700

by James Morris, Matthew Sparkes  |  7 Oct 2008  |  Comment now
High resolution stills and laudable quality for the money, but image stabilisation isn’t the best
Panasonic HDC-HS9 

Panasonic HDC-HS9

by James Morris, Matthew Sparkes  |  7 Oct 2008  |  Comment now
It may not be a looker, but in all other respects
this Panasonic is a stunning camera
JVC GZ-MG330 

JVC GZ-MG330

by James Morris, Matthew Sparkes  |  7 Oct 2008  |  Comment now
Huge storage for the money, but quality can’t match the more expensive models in this group
Canon HG10 

Canon HG10

by James Morris, Matthew Sparkes  |  7 Oct 2008  |  Comment now
Good quality optics and lots of storage, but not the most portable of camcorders
Canon HF10 

Canon HF10

by James Morris, Matthew Sparkes  |  7 Oct 2008  |  Comment now
Impressive optical quality and storage space, though a touch expensive
Sony VAIO VGX-TP2G 

Sony VAIO VGX-TP2G

by Matthew Sparkes  |  26 Sep 2008  |  Comment now
Intriguing styling makes this near-silent media-centre PC stand out, but it has its foibles

Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus 

Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus

by Matthew Sparkes  |  8 Sep 2008  |  Comment now
With unusual styling that looks like it came straight from a 1970s sci-fi series, Maxtor’s OneTouch Plus is a distinctive but not unattractive product.
LG Super Multi Blue BE 06 

LG Super Multi Blue BE 06

by Matthew Sparkes  |  8 Sep 2008  |  Comment now
LG’s dual-format drive is ideal for those who invested in HD-DVD before Blu-ray romped to victory in the HD wars.
Sanyo VPC-CG9 

Sanyo VPC-CG9

by James Morris, Matthew Sparkes  |  29 Aug 2008  |  Comment now
The smallest, cheapest camera on test, but unsurprisingly, it also has the poorest image quality
Canon HF100 

Canon HF100

by James Morris, Matthew Sparkes  |  29 Aug 2008  |  Comment now
Cheaper than the HF10, although you need to factor in the cost of storage cards
Sony VAIO VGN-FZ38GU: looks vaguely like a Bravia, is actually a PC 

Sony VAIO VGN-FZ38GU: looks vaguely like a Bravia, is actually a PC

by Matthew Sparkes  |  15 Jul 2008  |  Comment now
A stylish all-in-one media centre that effortlessly handles all tasks thrown at it. But it’s disgracefully priced.
Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD700 

Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD700

by Matthew Sparkes  |  17 Jun 2008  |  Comment now
An above-average all-rounder that adds 720p recording to an already attractive mix
Sony VAIO VGN-TZ36GN/W 

Sony VAIO VGN-TZ36GN/W

by Matthew Sparkes  |  16 Jun 2008  |  Comment now
This impressive ultraportable fills a narrow but significant niche between the MacBook Air and Lenovo X300
Datawind PocketSurfer2 

Datawind PocketSurfer2

by Matthew Sparkes  |  7 Mar 2008  |  Comment now
An interesting concept, but there are far more capable devices around.

Most Read Most Discussed

Latest Comments

Powered by Disqus

Latest Poll

Which broadband network do you think is the best choice for Australia?
or View results
The Coalition's.
  19%
 
Labor's.
  63%
 
Screw this I'm going back to smoke signals and string on a can.
  19%
TOTAL VOTES: 1762

Vote now
View previous Polls »
Ads by Google

From our Partners

PC & Tech Authority Downloads