Stack your system full of software without paying a penny, with our guide to essential downloads

Play your video, photo and music files on your TV from a networked PC. We put five network players to the test

It lacks Wi-Fi, but is otherwise an excellent budget video-streaming choice

Easy to use, and with space for a second SATA disk, but it struggles with small files and is overpriced for the features.

As prices continue to fall in a competitive market, we take a look at the latest crop of devices for backup and storage.

One of the cheapest 500GB drives here, but this is reflected in the lack of features and slow transfer speeds.

A Media Center Extender, upscaling DVD player and great games console

A reasonable option if your budget is tight, but you get what you pay for

Great speed for a wireless router, but lacking features for the price.

Superb performance, quiet running and excellent value for home use, especially if you want to stream media.

Speed up your home network with these wireless routers, including faster speeds, better gaming and VoIP handling and automatic security.

Great performance, near-silent running and the FTP server make the Buffalo a great alternative to the Maxtor.

Packed with features, and with great performance, the only disadvantages are the price and the short warranty.

Well built, fast and with a great screen, the Dell also has superb battery life.

Beautifully designed with a clear interface, but format support is limited

Well built, fast and with a great screen, the Dell also has superb battery life.

Enjoy your music on the move: we try out five of the best flash-based MP3 players on the market.

The USB port is a great feature, but we’d still choose the Squeezebox.

Not the fastest or quietest here, but it does offer some unique business benefits.

A solid entry level DSLR with anti-shake and impressive design.