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Along with their new Vanguard K08 gaming keyboard, Creative has also thrown its hat into the gaming mouse ring, with the Sound BlasterX Siege M04. 

As the two were developed in unison, they share the use of Omron switches, have the Aurora lighting technology and use the same feature customisation tool. 

And, while the K08 keyboard had a few wrinkles, the Siege K04 Gaming Mouse is an altogether more confident assault on a notoriously tough market sector.  

Design

Leaving illumination and button customisation aside for now, what has the Siege K04 gaming mouse got in abundance?

The word ‘poise’ comes to mind. The overall shape, specification and button positions all appear good on the first inspection. And, the more we used this pointing device, the better the experience got – for the most part.

For aficionados of the mouse, this is a classic elongated pear-drop form that works best with a right-handed claw grip, but it can also be operated with palm and fingertip grips.

Rubberised side panels help stabilise points of contact, and long left and right buttons on the upper face cope well with fingers of wildly differing lengths.

There are no less than seven programmable buttons positioned around the Siege, though some of them have pre-defined uses.

On the left are buttons labelled ‘sniper’, ‘forward’ and ‘back’, while the left, right, scroll wheel and DPI select buttons are all positioned on the top. All these use Omron switches rated to 50 million clicks, so the Siege is well equipped for the FPS long-haul.

The buttons can be customised using the Sound Blaster Connect application, although altering the DPI selection button to do something else removes that functionality.

As the Sound Blaster Connect is common to both the Siege and Vanguard keyboard, you can define a mouse button to generate a keyboard press or vice versa, along with previously defined macros.

Our only disappointment is that you can’t customise based on what software/game you’re currently running, making those tweaks marginally less useful for those who play a range of titles.

The overall feel of the Siege is one of precision, in both the pointer control and the button actions. For those who expect software acceleration might experience a little initial disorientation, but for those who don’t the Siege is a very natural pointing device that doesn’t try to out think its user.

The switches also have an activation pressure level that reduces the instances of accidental activation. A positive aspect, but especially noticeable on the DPI change switch, that if hit inadvertently during play can cause utter chaos.

Performance

Creative used the PixArt PMW3360 sensor to give the Siege a massive DPI range, going from 200 to 12,000 in steps of 100, practically negating the need for pointer acceleration. You can still define acceleration and deceleration for those that like it, but normally they’re deactivated.

Realistically, a DPI of 12,000 is well beyond any human hand to effectively use, so including one that high is mostly about having a large number that can be divided easily.

The standard setup has the three possible DPI levels set to 400, 800 and 1400, and moves smoothly between using the DPI selection button. One of the thumb-activated buttons is pre-defined as ‘sniper mode’, dropping the DPI temporarily for precision shooting.

As mouse sensors go, this one elevates the Siege above those mice using cheaper and older sensor designs.

RGB lighting

Like its Vanguard keyboard brother, the Siege has an inbuilt LED lighting system that you can customise with software. The LEDs are arranged around the lower edge, where they can be animated to create a Cylon sweep or pulsations.

There are plenty of options for creating custom light effects, except the BlasterX logo that remains stubbornly red unless you turn off lighting altogether.

All the modifications are stored on the devices own memory, for easy transportability to another computer.

We liked

Where this design excels is in providing sufficient support for extended gaming sessions.

The ergonomics aren’t unique, being remarkably similar to some recent Logitech models, but they work for the majority of hand sizes. 

For those who like illumination, the Siege goes a little further than most alternative designs, where the lighting often appears to have been an afterthought.

And, the final point of merit is the incredible PixArt PMW3360 sensor that gives the Siege a nimble and positive feel that FPS players will adore.

We disliked

Statistically, 12% of the world’s population are left-handed, who are effectively ignored by this design. Making mice that work for both is challenging, but Creative didn’t even try.

Another mild irritation is the BlasterX logo that’s illuminated with a fixed red LED. Given that you can recolor the mouse with 16.7 million shades around the base, why the logo is forced to be red forever seems nonsensical.

The biggest hurdle for the Siege to get over is undoubtedly its price. Unless you’re in the market for a Razer Mamba, the money Creative is asking for the Siege is high.

It costs more than the Razer Deathadder Chroma, Asus Gladius II ROG, Logitech G502 Proteus Spectrum RGB and Corsair M65 Pro RGB.

Final verdict

Some gamers will think that at 115g the Siege is slightly too heavy for the most rapid mouse movements, though we’re talking tens of grammes more than the lightest designs.

The overall weight balance from front to back is good, though it’s less perfect side to side.

However, these are minor points that didn’t stop the Siege performing well on a selection of titles and game types.

In all other respects, the Siege is a strong contender, with some decent ergonomics, cute illumination and clean button selection. The sensor is outstanding, at 1000Hz polling the control lag is negligible and they even include replacement feet should you wear the factory installed ones out.

The only other reservation we’ve got is the price, which is too high. In the US right now Creative has reduced it to $64.99 in a promotion, and hopefully, they’ll extend this price adjustment elsewhere soon.

For the first attempt at a gaming mouse Creative should be thrilled with how the Siege turned out.

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Unless you’re on an unlimited data plan, there’s always the possibility you’ll hit or go over your 3G or 4G allowance for the month. Here are some easy ways to cut down on the amount of data your iPhone uses.

Stop apps from eating up your monthly 3G or 4G allowance

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By Jim Martin | 13 mins ago

Unless you’re on an unlimited data plan, there’s always the possibility you’ll hit or go over your 3G or 4G allowance for the month. Here are some easy ways to cut down on the amount of data your iPhone uses. Read next: Best VPNs of 2017

Track your data usage

Some smartphones are more efficient than others when it comes to mobile data. Apple provides plenty of settings to restrict mobile data on your iPhone, but doesn’t make it easy to see how much of your allowance you’ve used.

If you go to Settings, Mobile, then scroll down to Mobile Data Usage, you’ll see two counters: Current Period and Current Period Roaming. This shows the amount of kilobytes or megabytes used since you last reset the statistics (an option at the bottom of this particular menu).

And here’s the rub: it’s up to you to reset the counters at the moment your contract (or pay as you go package) begins a new month. Otherwise the figures shown are totally unhelpful.

However, you may be in luck as several mobile operators offer their own apps which keep a track of your usage, so you might not need to use Apple’s counters. Bear in mind that even if there is an app, the figures may not be up to date, so be careful if you’re near the limit and will be billed if you go over it.

Turn off Wi-Fi Assist

Way back when iOS 9 was first released, some users found themselves using more cellular data. This is likely due to Wi-Fi Assist, a new feature that automatically switches to cellular data when the Wi-Fi signal is poor. If you have a limited data plan, it’s a good idea to check whether this is enabled. Go to Settings > Cellular and ensure Wi-Fi Assist is disabled.

Change your Mobile Data settings

Below the Mobile Data Usage counters in Settings > Mobile Data is a list of apps which can use mobile data. By default, they will all be enabled, so you can stop certain apps eating through your allowance by toggling them off here.

They will be able to use Wi-Fi, when available, but when out of range, they may not be usable, depending on whether they need to connect to the internet to work.

Change settings within apps

Some apps have their own settings which restrict particular functions to Wi-Fi only. An example is Dropbox, which can be a big data hog if you use it to back up the photos and videos from your iPhone’s camera roll.

There’s a settings tab in the Dropbox app which lets you disable mobile data, preventing the app from uploading videos when there’s no Wi-Fi connection.

It’s a similar story with Twitter and Facebook too, which can limit auto-playing videos to play only when connected to Wi-Fi, or not at all. Check your other apps for similar settings.

Use Twitter Lite

Twitter introduced Twitter Lite as a way to offer Twitter to users in countries where mobile data is weak, and also as a way for those of us with capped data limits to browse the social network without draining our data. Simply head to mobile.twitter.com on your iOS device, tap the menu button (likely your profile icon) and enable Data Saver.

Once you head back to your timeline, you should see prompts to load up images, GIFs and videos on demand, thereby not wasting your data by loading content you don’t want to see/watch. While it’ll still use up a bit of data, it should be significantly less than the official Twitter app. 

Disable Background App Refresh

Introduced in iOS 7, Background App Refresh is a great feature if you like your apps to show the latest information when you launch them, instead of only then downloading the latest news, weather or other information.

However, this can needlessly burn through mobile data if you don’t regularly open those apps.

It’s easy to stop this happening by launching Settings > General and scrolling down to Background App Refresh. Here you can disable the feature altogether, or prevent specific apps from updating in the background.

Turn off mobile data

It might sound obvious, but the easiest way to cut down on mobile data use is to enable it only when you need it. That requires a trip into the Settings app, since there’s no toggle for mobile data in the iOS Control Center. But it could be worth the hassle if you’re getting near your data cap.

Follow Jim Martin and @PCAdvisor on Twitter

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If your computer is running slowly, you might need to reinstall Windows. Here’s our guide to factory resetting a PC, laptop, or tablet running Windows 10, 8, or 7.

Restore your laptop back to its original settings

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By Chris Martin | 10 mins ago

Restore your computer to factory settings

Restoring your computer or tablet to the state it came out of the factory can be handy for a number of different reasons. Perhaps you’re having problems with performance, it’s picked up a virus, or you simply want to sell it on and remove all your programs, files, passwords, and other sensitive information.

If your device is just running slowly, you might only need our guide to speeding up Windows, but for more serious performance problems, a full reset might be in order.

It’s a little more difficult than a smartphone or a tablet but we’ll show you how to do it step by step. The process is slightly different depending on which version of Windows you have, because Windows 10 handles factory resets differently to previous versions, so we’ve split this guide up accordingly.

How to factory reset a Windows 10 computer or tablet

In Windows 10 the process is pretty easy, thanks to a built-in tool for resetting a PC. Open the Start menu and select Settings (the cog wheel). Now type ‘reset’ in the search bar and select ‘Reset this PC‘ on the left when the results appear.

Under the Recovery section of Update & Security you can now hit ‘Get started‘ to begin the process. During this you can select if you would like to keep files or do a full reset.

The process is identical for a Windows 10 tablet, because the operating system is almost identical across computers and tablets.

How to factory reset a Windows 7 or 8 computer

Factory resetting a computer running an older version of Windows is a little trickier, because there’s no reset tool built into the operating system.

Some computers come with recovery discs, which is a fairly easy way of performing a factory reset – you can just insert the disc and follow the instructions. Just remember to back up your files first!

Windows 8 computers will sometimes have a recovery application which is launched from within Windows, rather than from a disc, so check your app menu.

If you didn’t get any discs in the box, and don’t have a preinstalled recovery app, then there’s a good chance your PC or laptop has a recovery partition instead.

This is a hidden part of the hard drive which safely stores a complete copy of Windows, drivers and extra programs. You can use it return your computer to the exact state it was in the first day you had it – and it will perform just the same, too.

Please bear in mind that the process will vary between different brands and even different models. The recovery software will be called various names for each brand of computer, usually along the lines of ‘recovery manager’. We’ve done our best to put together a ‘one size fits all’ guide.

Step One

Backup any data which you wish to keep before performing a factory reset. You will probably want to copy everything from your user folders, including documents, photos, music and videos. The factory reset will delete all these along with any programs you’ve installed since you got your laptop.

Step Two

Start up or reboot your laptop.

Step Three

During the start-up process, hit the appropriate F key or key combination which we have listed below for your manufacturer.

Note: There is often a small window of opportunity to strike the key so don’t worry if it takes you a few attempts. We advise pressing the key multiple times.

Acer – Alt + F10

Asus – F9

Dell/Alienware – F8

HP – F11

Lenovo – F11

MSI – F3

Samsung – F4

Sony – F10

Toshiba – 0 (not numpad) while turning on, release key when Toshiba logo appears

If these keys don’t work then look out for a message in the screen during startup which might indicate how to start the recovery process. You might need to check your recovery partition is enabled in the BIOS. It’s also possible your laptop might not have a recovery partition (or it may have been deleted) so we’re making no guarantees here. You might need to contact your manufacturer.

Step Four

You should see instructions on the screen explaining how to proceed. Different manufacturers use different software to restore the ‘disk image’ from the recovery partition, so we can’t provide specific guidance. However, the process is almost always automatic once you’ve confirmed you definitely want to proceed.

It might be a case of waiting for 30 minutes for the job to happen in one go, but some systems restore Windows first, and then install drivers and programs automatically when Windows first boots. If that’s the case, don’t try to do anything until you see a message saying the restore has finished.

Follow Chris Martin and @PCAdvisor on Twitter.

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After close to 20 years of owning a Mac, I’m switching to a Windows PC and bringing you along for the ride. So far, I’ve shared pointers on how to choose your first Windows 10 laptop and finding software to replace some of your favorite MacOS applications. This time, I want to talk about about how your iPhone and iPad can fit into your new Windows-enabled life.

Let me emphasize: It’s OK to stick with iOS. Just because you’ve had your fill of how your Mac operates is no reason to rid yourself of your iPhone or iPad. iOS is a stable, secure operating system with a vast number of apps that’ll meet the needs of most users. They’re self-contained devices, capable of working great all on their own. But a few tips will make using them in harmony with your new Windows 10 PC a cinch.

iTunes for Windows keeps you in sync

Seamus Bellamy/IDG

iTunes for Windows is free to download, making it a great way to keep all of your music, videos and apps in sync—just like it used to on your Mac.

You could just download all of your music, movies and apps over Wi-Fi, but that eats up the gigabytes available for use on most monthly broadband plans faster than poop moves through a goose. Instead, use iTunes for Windows to store and shuttle content from your computer to your iOS devices. After transferring all the music, videos and podcasts you’ve downloaded from the iTunes Store during your years as a Mac user to your new laptop, you’ll be able to enjoy it all on your Windows 10 PC or transfer it to your iPad, iPhone or iPod.

While the app looks pretty much the same on Windows as it does in MacOS, recent Apple escapees may discover some UI differences that will give them pause. The File and Edit menus are located in the app window instead of in a menu bar at the top of your screen, for example. But once you get past this, it’s smooth sailing…as much as it ever is with iTunes.

With the app on your computer, you’ll be able to keep up with all of your TV season passes, and enjoy your Apple Music subscription as well as all of the movie rentals and podcasts that iTunes has to offer. Best of all, just like on MacOS, iTunes for Windows is free. 

A second screen

Seamus Bellamy/IDG

Duet makes it possible to use your iOS device as a lag-free secondary display for your Windows PC.

Here’s an unexpected bonus: All you need is an iOS device and a Lightning or 30-pin connector cable, and you have a second display for your Windows PC.

Duet Display is a $15 app that turns your iPad or iPhone into a high-resolution auxiliary monitor for your Windows 10 or Mac laptop. Setting it up is easy: Purchase and download the app from the iTunes App Store, then install Duet’s free companion software on your PC. Boom: You’re ready to roll with two displays.

Unlike similar apps, which connect to your computer via Wi-Fi, Duet uses your iOS device’s USB cable to push data back and forth, providing speedy 60-frame-per-second performance. Once you’re up and running, you’ll be able to treat your iOS device as you would any other external monitor, using it to view multiple windows at once, mirror your desktop, or go full-screen with a single app.

As the name suggests, ScreenLimit is a service whose aim is to ensure kids don’t use their screens too much. It puts you in control, not only over how much screen time they have each day, but also which apps they can use on their devices. If you’re unsure, we’ve written a guide on how much screen time is healthy for children.

The app is available on Windows, iOS (where features are more limited), Android and Amazon Fire which covers a lot of the devices your kids are likely to use. Currently macOS is not supported, but this – along with Chromebook support – is planned for the near future.

Screenlimit review: UK Price and availability

There’s a free version of Screenlimit which gives you basic blocking of apps, but if you want the schedule and timed mode (and you need those to restrict how much kids use their screens) then it’s £2.99 per month for an unlimited number of devices (and up to 10 children).

Alternatively you can opt to pay £29.99 for a whole year or a one-off lifetime payment of £75. These can be bought direct from ScreenLimit.

Screenlimit review: Features

Screenlimit lets you do two things that – without the app – are very difficult on most tablets and phones. First, you can set a timer which determines how much screen time a child can use on a particular day.

It runs in the background and monitors how long each app is used for and disables access to those apps once the daily allowance is used up. Certain apps – including those you choose – don’t count against the allowance, so kids can use them as much as they like. For example, an app that lets them read ebooks might be considered ‘good’ screen time.

The second main feature is blocking. From the ‘parent device’ you can remotely choose to block or unblock a child’s device (which effectively allows or denies them access to it) and also block or unblock individual apps. So if you don’t want them using YouTube at all one day, you can block it from your phone or any web browser.

There’s a rudimentary instant messaging system too, but this broadcasts to all children and devices. You can’t send a message to a specific child, and siblings can’t message each other.

If your child has an Amazon Fire tablet, you might find it already has all the parental controls you need in the Fire for Kids app, which has child-friendly interface and the ability to block apps, set time limits and more. 

And if you’re choosing a tablet, check out our list of the best kids’ tablets.

Screenlimit review: Setup and use

Setting up Screenlimit is as simple as creating an account and then installing the app on each device you want to control. It’s also best to install it on your own phone or tablet, which will become the Parent Device.

Once you sign into the app on each device, it can be controlled in almost real-time from the Parent Device. You can see a list of apps installed and their status: timed, blocked or unlimited. By default they’re all set to timed, which means when your child uses them their daily time limit will go down.

As the system is all about screen time, the safety aspect is up to you: there’s no content filtering beyond the ability to block entire apps (such as YouTube or the web browser).

Unfortunately, due to Apple’s restrictions there is no way to block specific apps or make some ‘timed’ and others ‘unlimited’ on an iPhone or iPad. You can only block three of the built-in apps: Safari, Camera and App Store. If you don’t want a child using any other apps, you’ll either have to uninstall them, or try to hide them away and hope they don’t find them.

When a child gets near to their time limit, a pop-up will show on screen telling them how much time they have left which – in theory – prepares them for the end of their screen time.

On Windows, they’ll hear an audible ‘ding’; on iOS the standard alert sound. Android and Amazon devices remain silent and use a system message pop-up, but the plan is to move to the Android notification system which will improve things, as the system pop-ups are easy to miss as they disappear quickly, and small children aren’t likely to be able to read them anyway. This just leads to frustration when the time is up. 

And once all the time is all used up, attempting to use any timed apps will trigger a message telling them that the app is blocked by Screenlimit.

They can use the Screenlimit app on their device, even if they’re out of time, to message the parent and potentially request more time by completing tasks.

We particularly like this reward mechanism. You can create as many tasks as you like, such as doing homework, emptying the dishwasher or brushing their teeth, and choose how many extra minutes they’ll get if they complete them, and how many times per day they can get the reward.

The child can use the Screenlimit app to tell the parent the task is complete and – once the parent verifies this is the case (or trusts their offspring is telling the truth) – they can go to the Child section of the app and tap the Awardable Tasks button.

Schedule

Having a daily time limit is one thing, but Screenlimit goes further and lets you choose when screens can be used.

This all happens in the Plans section of the app. It lacks polish at the moment, but is perfectly functional.

A plan is basically a schedule which controls when kids can and can’t use their device, and it can be different for schooldays, weekends and holidays.

You then have to set which child is on which plan manually, there’s no automatic switching based on day of the week or the date, but Screenlimit is looking into adding this feature.

And talking of upcoming features, there are plans to improve the messaging system by adding voice messages. Plus, you will soon be able to see which app a child is currently using.

If your kids share devices, you can stop them from using up each other’s time by creating a PIN. Then, as long as they keep their PIN secret, only they can start their session.

The fact that the timer is kept in sync across multiple devices is the real benefit of Screenlimit compared to, say, Amazon’s Fire for Kids app. That works fine as long as the child uses only that device, but if they use various screens then Screenlimit really comes into its own.

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