As a full time freelance writer, much of the work that I do is commissioned by specific title. On this page, you can find links to some of the most significant ones for which I have written, and in some cases content from them also appears here. For details of other people I’ve worked for, check my main business web site, www.nigelwhitfield.com (though apologies – it’s not kept up to date at the moment).
Computer Active
One of the UK’s biggest selling computer magazines, I worked for this fortnightly title off and on since a couple of months after it launched, including two stints manning the newsdesk, and wrote many features for them. Sadly, since their takeover by Dennis Publishing, most of the archive material has been removed from the web. www.computeractive.co.uk
Computer Active Ultimate Guides
The Ultimate Guides are a spin-off from ComputerActive, a series of ‘one shots’ where each issue focusses on a single topic, like going digital, or making your PC last longer. For seven years, I was one of two series editors, which meant I planned, edit, and wrote parts of half the issues each year. www.caultimateguide.co.uk
Personal Computer World
The oldest monthly computer magazine in the UK, cruelly shut in 2009. I started writing for it in 1995, having read it – and had a program listing published – as a teenager. As well as writing, I also edited sections of the magazine, including the Hands On pages, and stints looking after reviews as well. Sadly, the online content from PCW has, like much of the ComputerActive stuff, gone now.
The Register
Up until late 2015, the bulk of my recent work was for The Register, where I wrote a monthly column called Breaking Fad, as well as features on a wide range of topic. Some changes in focus for The Reg mean you may see less of my stuff there in future. The main website is at www.theregister.co.uk and a full list of my articles is here.
We have just returned to the UK from Sydney with a Topfield 2460 (bought 2011). It was working fine over there but from what I’ve read it seems that we need to find something else. The Aussie/NZ Samsung 6000 TV needed a remote replacement of UK apps etc. by Samsung tech support, and from not receiving BBC HD on some channels it now gets them all (London N4 – strong signal). The Topfield will need I imagine a similar replacement firmware to operate here and that does not exist. We are with Zen internet so no Set top Box from BT etc. The aerial person recommended getting a Humax. From memory our Topfield had only one firmware update. Thanks for the Toppy articles and all the work in keeping a good product going despite the makers neglect.