Articles by Ian Barker

Ian Barker worked in information technology before discovering that writing about computers was easier than fixing them. He has worked for Live Publishing as a staff writer on a range of computer magazines including PC Extreme, and was also editor on the Magnesium Media magazine PC Utilities, and a regular contributor to sister publications. He has written for TechRadar, BetaNews, IT Pro Portal, and LatestGadgets, and has been featured on BBC Radio 2, as well as having had short stories, two novels, and several non-fiction technology books published.

Articles by: Ian Barker

Student sat at a desk with a laptop in a dormitory looking at a mobile phone

Best system utilities software of 2025

By Ian Barker last updated 22 September 25

Updated We list the best system utilities, to make it simple and easy to use software to repair your PC and programs.

Here's what happens when hackers steal your personal data

By Ian Barker published 20 October 22

We all know that hackers are looking to steal credentials and get their hands on sensitive data, but exactly how does this process work?

Protecting the cloud with behavioural analytics

By Ian Barker published 20 October 22

Security specialist StratoKey is announcing what it calls the 'second generation' of cloud protection.

Virtual Private Networks (VPNs): What businesses need to know

By Ian Barker published 17 October 22

VPNs have uses in business too, allowing remote workers secure access to corporate data.

How to create a Windows 10 recovery disk

By Ian Barker published 21 June 18

Updated We look at recovery media creation for Windows 10 including built-in and third-party options.

Q&A: Do managers really know what's happening in their data center?

By Ian Barker published 10 March 16

A new survey from Intel Data Center Manager and Dell reveals that around half of IT managers don't really know what's happening in their data centers.

Hands on: Polycom RealPresence Trio 8800 review

By Ian Barker published 30 January 16

Not yet rated

The RealPresence Trio 8800 is an impressive comms hub that can be used for voice and video calling.

Asus Travelair N review

By Ian Barker published 22 December 15

The Travelair N is a 1TB hard drive which can connect wirelessly to any device, plus it's secure and well-built.

Revolabs FLX UC 1000 review

By Ian Barker published 17 December 15

The FLX UC 1000 is a well-designed conference phone aimed at businesses using IP communication systems.

10 best Windows 10 eBooks to guide you though the next chapter of Windows

By Ian Barker published 29 July 15

While the internet may be full of Windows 10 advice, sometimes a book provides a more capable helping hand.

Physical location of data will be irrelevant in post-Snowden age

By Ian Barker published 3 July 14

A report from research specialist Gartner says that the physical location of data is becoming irrelevant and that by 2020 a combination of legal, political and logical location will be more important.

Recover Windows: how to reinstall your system

By Ian Barker published 15 February 13

Tutorial Many modern laptops don't have a DVD drive to reload the system from. So what happens when you need to reinstall the system?

How to automate your Twitter feed: 5 apps to try

By Ian Barker published 27 December 12

Roundup What do you do if you're not always able to tweet? How can you be sure you're tweeting at the best time? The answer lies in a bit of automation.

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