Of Scroll Wheels and Video RAM...

As a side effect of our work with multiple monitors, we have now managed to break the old 8Mb Video RAM limit in RISC OS. This makes it possible to have true colour display at 1920x1200 and higher. For multiple monitors, this had become a potential choke point, but no more! In addition, we finally have the scroll wheel working nicely in RISC OS, which has been a long-time request of users.

Dual / Triple Monitor support in RISC OS

The latest innovations from RCI allow your RISC OS desktop to spread out across multiple monitors. Previously, the only multi-display option for RISC OS was "clone" mode, where the main desktop could be copied to an external monitor or projector (useful for laptops). The new technology allows one giant desktop spanning multiple screens, allowing your to have several documents and applications open and visible simultaneously. For example, you could have your email on one screen, web browser on another and work (wordprocessing, graphics etc) on a 3rd. Monitors can be connected by DVI, HDMI, old-style VGA or even the latest DisplayPort connectors. Please ask for more information when discussing your RISCube or RISCtower with us.

RISCube / RISCTower i7 systems - next generation performance

We have recently introduced new systems based around the flagship i7 CPU range, which offer 4 processor cores capable of running 8 simultaneous threads. Although RISC OS itself isn't multithreaded, these CPUs still give by far the best results we have ever seen, across the board, with roughly 50% improvement over previous generations. This translates to across-the-board performance of roughly 3x Iyonix or 8x-9x Kinetc RiscPC. You can read the press release by clicking here, and we also offer these systems with solid state drives... see below. i7 systems start around £1000 for a nice system including RISC OS and Windows.

Solid State Drives now available

We are now able to offer most of our RISCubes (and RISCBooks) with solid state drives (SSDs), with no moving parts (ie. silent) and extremely high performance. SSDs tend to offer around 2x-3x performance over conventional hard drives, with access times for files being massively improved (almost 100 fold, but at roughly 0.1ms, it becomes irrelevant). Prices are still high because we only offer the good-quality ones - cheap SSD drives suffer badly from stuttering problems which cause momentary system-lockup when writing. Capacities don't reach hard drive sizes yet, but for most users will be more than satisfactory. Couple that with external backup drives (always a wise move) and you'll be all set.

£499 RISCube Home/Office launched

We are pleased to announce a new member of our RISCube family, the RISCube Home/Office, at a very agreeable price! The new system provides most of the features/functionality of its most expensive siblings, without sacrificing our hallmark quality. The RISCube Home/Office lacks a floppy drive, and cannot take gaming graphics cards, but with two hard drive bays and a dual core processor, we think you'll like the value! Click here to read the press release. The RISCube Home/Office is available now.

RISCBook Mini, now with larger screen and storage

Our RISCBook Mini systems have been very popular, and there's now a new version with a larger screen, more RAM and up to 20Gb of solid state storage! It's a little more expensive, but we feel it makes all the difference. Give us a call on 01925 755043 for more info!

New ways to try Linux

We often get enquiries about running Linux on our SpaceCube and RISCube computers, and have offered various options for some time. However, recent advances have made it even easier for us to offer Linux on our systems at no or low cost, even if you're having a Windows/RISC OS system. You can find out more by clicking here...

RISCBook Mini available

Although we are unlikely to have time to produce a full brochure-page until the new year, we have launched a new A5, pocket-sized laptop featuring a full array of connections and ports (3x USB2, SD card, VGA monitor/projector, network, wireless etc) and a compact widescreen display. Priced lower than our usual machines, but available running Linux or WindowsXP or WindowsXP+RISC OS, this is a beautifully compact/neat solution. Read the full press release here... then telephone us on 01925 755043 for more info!

More pricing/specification updates

Almost every machine specification page has been updated with improved specifications and price reductions on upgrades, in line with market changes. It has never been a better time to make a SpaceCube or RISCube your newest family member!

RISCube Ultra

We have updated the specifications of our RISCube Ultra to reflect the shipping product, and updated the customisation page to be more in tune with current options and prices. Remember that we always try to exceed the specification quoted where possible, so we often err on the side of caution when giving specifications in brochures/website - better to give a customer a nice surprise, than have to disappoint! We'll always be in touch by telephone about your specification after ordering, so don't feel restricted by what you see online.

Laptop pages

Our laptop pages had become somewhat out of date, so we've updated them to reflect the falling prices of laptops. Please note that specifications and prices still change regularly, so it is best to phone for the latest information.

Windows Vista

Windows Vista is now available on many machines, although we suggest you contact us before selecting it, to be sure it will do what you want. Our feeling is that Vista shipped a little prematurely and without complete support from 3rd party hardware manufacturers in terms of drivers and updates, which may or may not be an issue for you. If in doubt, we still recommend Windows XP over Vista, because it is well tried and tested.

Specifications improve again

The specifications of many RISCubes have been improved in line with price reductions on components. Some peripheral prices have fallen too. Most machines now have additional upgrades available, in line with newly available options. For example, a dual core variant of the High Spec RISCube/SpaceCube is available.

New machines and lower prices!

We are proud to introduce two new machines - the RISCube Ultra Duo and the RISCube Mini. The Ultra Duo is our new performance champion, delivering superb results across the board. The RISCube Mini makes our computers even smaller - tiny enough to fit in your briefcase! We have also lowered the price of the RISCube64-X2 in line with our new releases. Click on the links down the right for more information

RISCube62-X2 upgraded

Thanks to falling component costs, all new RISCube64-X2 systems will now ship with faster processors and other enhancements. Prices on some upgrades have also been reduced.

Monitor price drops

Prices on larger screen monitors are falling, so our prices have dropped too, especially on larger sized screens. Remember that our prices include VAT and UK delivery, as well as cables - we regard DVI digital monitor connections as imperative for all but the smallest LCD screens.

Upgraded browser compatibility

We have updated parts of our website for compatibility with the new NetSurf RISC OS browser, which exhibited various unexpected traits. We hope NetSurf users will find our site easier to navigate.

Standard, High and X2 specifications enhanced

Falling component prices have allowed us to enhance the specifications of many of our machines. 512Mb RAM is shipping as standard on the entry level models, and CPU speeds have increased too. Higher specification systems now have larger hard drives and other enhancements.

Free processor upgrades on RISCube Ultras

Due to unexpected component availability, we are able to offer free upgrades from the 1.7Ghz to the 1.8Ghz processor part on RISCube Ultras, whilst stocks last. We can confirm offer availability with you by telephone.

More product descriptions updated

We have further expanded the feature lists of our machines to cover expansion potential, so that prospective users have a clearer understanding of the facilities offered by our systems.

Product descriptions updated

We have updated the product descriptions and specification lists for some products to remind people that our machines do include legacy ports (parallel, serial) and allow expansion via AGP/PCI/PCI express as appropriate. The X2 even allows multiple hard drives to be installed, optionally in a RAID array!

RISCube64-X2 released

The latest processor technology to arrive allows our machines to include two processor cores in a single box. This allows for a much smoother computing experience, improved multitasking, and fewer slowdowns. Read more here...

Secure ordering

The www.riscube.co.uk website now uses secure SSL transactions for all order forms. This means that you will need an https/SSL capable browser to submit orders. If your browser doesn't support that, you can still print out your form and send it to us by fax or post. We have also updated the website to look better in large-font view.

Price reductions on accessories and upgrades

Prices on various upgrades and accessories for our computers have been updated to reflect natural reduction in prices which occurs over time. Some new items have been introduced, and where old items have become unavailable, they have been removed.

New website goes live

After several months of work, we are pleased to announce that our new-look website has gone live. We would like to thank the team of people involved in this project for their hard work and dedication. We hope visitors enjoy browsing the new site.

Mainstream press wake up to Centrino desktop power

Several months after the introduction of our Centrino-powered RISCube Ultra, several mainstream, newsstand magazines are running features (and numerous reviews) of Centrino-based desktop and media-centre machines. Their verdict? No surprise - they love them!

Summer laptop promotion

During the summer months, we're making it easier to take your new laptop on holiday with a free 15inch laptop carrycase with every laptop order. We're also giving customers a choice between some money off, or faster processors for a limited period, whilst the new season stocks come in.

Updated machine specifications

Computer suppliers need to move with the times, and machine specification will naturally change as new technology drops in price, or becomes available. Check out our updated specs!

New Centrino-powered RISCube Ultra blows us away

The mainstream computer industry has yet to fully comprehend the power of Intel's Centrino line of laptop processors, but our testing has shown them to be *stunningly* fast, especially when running RISC OS. Indeed, the fastest native-ARM-powered desktops struggle to keep up. Not only are these machines very fast, but their origins in laptops make them extremely low power, meaning minimal heat, and hence much less noise. You can probably tell we're rather excited!