''Tech Advisor'', previously known as ''PC Advisor'', is a consumer tech website and digital magazine published by Foundry, a subsidiary of
IDG Inc, which also produces ''
Macworld
''Macworld'' is a website dedicated to products and software of Apple Inc., published by Foundry, a subsidiary of IDG Inc. It started life as a print magazine in 1984 and had the largest audited circulation (both total and newsstand) of Macin ...
,
PCWorld
''PC World'' (stylized as PCWorld) is a global computer magazine published monthly by IDG. Since 2013, it has been an online only publication.
It offers advice on various aspects of PCs and related items, the Internet, and other personal tech ...
'' and ''TechHive.'' IDG Inc was acquired by Blackstone in 2021.
Tech Advisor
In June 2017 ''PC Advisor'' was rebranded ''Tech Advisor'', which continues to operate as both a website and monthly digital magazine focused on consumer and small business technology buying advice''.''
On 24 August 2020 a formal announcement was made that the Tech Advisor forums would close permanently on Wednesday 2 September 2020.
In April 2021, Tech Advisor moved from a UK ccTLD (.co.uk) to a gTLD (.com) domain, focused primarily on smartphones, tablets, laptops and wearables, but also covering smart home and appliances, entertainment, audio and gaming, tech accessories, security, software and services.
In February 2022, Tech Advisor publisher IDG Communications was formally renamed Foundry.
PC Advisor
''PC Advisor'' magazine offered advice on various aspects of PCs, related items such as digital photography, the internet, security and smartphones, and other personal-technology products and services.
''PC Advisor'' was the UK & Ireland edition of IDG's
''PCWorld''. (Another discontinued magazine called
Personal Computer World
''Personal Computer World'' (''PCW'') (February 1978 - June 2009) was the first British computer magazine.
Although for at least the last decade it contained a high proportion of Windows PC content (reflecting the state of the IT field), the mag ...
and a
PC World retailer – neither related to the ''PCWorld'' magazine – already existed in the UK.)
''PC Advisor''
's slogan was "Expert Advice You Can Trust".
Each month ''PC Advisor'' ran tests on various areas of the IT world from new pre-built desktop computers and laptops, LCD displays, graphics cards,
motherboards
A motherboard (also called mainboard, main circuit board, mb, mboard, backplane board, base board, system board, logic board (only in Apple computers) or mobo) is the main printed circuit board (PCB) in general-purpose computers and other expand ...
, PDAs,
wireless network routers,
printers and many more. The magazine also included many reviews from products across the IT board including phones and accessories, cameras, and software from a wide range of vendors.
Each issue of the magazine featured a cover disc - either a DVD or a CD. The discs contained full-version commercial software products, as well as commercial software demos. In 2010 ''PC Advisor'' also became one of the first UK ESD (electronic software delivery) vendors of Microsoft's Windows 7 and Office 2010 products.
''PC Advisor''s website hosted one of Europe's largest online communities with its tech forums and was considered one of the most popular technology magazine websites.
History
The print
publication
To publish is to make content available to the general public.[Berne Conve ...](_blank)
first appeared on UK news-stands in August 1995 with an October cover date. The website was launched in 1996.
In 2007, ''PC Advisor'' print magazine had an audited rate base of 65,160 readers (ABC audit: Jan-Dec 06) and a claimed 195,480 readers.
''PC Advisor's'' editorial team routinely recommended best-in-class hardware and software products, while the ''PC Advisor'' Awards ran annually, with awards chosen by a combination of the editorial team and readers. In 2009 it also ran a UK Broadband Survey in association with Broadband Genie, and published Home Broadband Surveys annually.
In 1997, ''PC Advisor'' was given an official seal of Approval by the British Association of Criminal Experts. It achieved a '3-star' rating in three different categories, which is the highest level of rating for a non-forensic and expert publication. The magazine received 3 stars in each of the following categories; Academic Opinion, use as a Reference Source and use of Plain English.
The editorial team behind ''PC Advisor'' was awarded Content Team of the Year in the 2014 British Media Awards.
In 2016 ''PC Advisor'' was recognised as the UK's most popular tech website by Hitwise.
''PC Advisor'' ran for 264 issues, with the last being July 2017.
See also
*''
Computer Shopper''
*''
PC Format
''PC Format'' was a computer magazine published in the United Kingdom by Future plc, and licensed to other publishers in countries around the world. In publication between 1991 and 2015, it was part of Future plc's ''Format'' series of magazines ...
''
*''
PC Plus
''PC Plus'' was a computer magazine published monthly from 1986 until September 2012 in the UK by Future plc. The magazine
A magazine is a periodical publication, generally published on a regular schedule (often weekly or monthly), contai ...
''
*''
PC Pro''
*''
Personal Computer World
''Personal Computer World'' (''PCW'') (February 1978 - June 2009) was the first British computer magazine.
Although for at least the last decade it contained a high proportion of Windows PC content (reflecting the state of the IT field), the mag ...
''
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pc Advisor Magazine
1995 establishments in the United Kingdom
2017 disestablishments in the United Kingdom
Defunct computer magazines published in the United Kingdom
Home computer magazines
Magazines established in 1995
Magazines disestablished in 2017
Monthly magazines published in the United Kingdom