IT Pro is supported by its audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more
Barry Collins

Barry Collins is an experienced IT journalist who specialises in Windows, Mac, broadband and more. He's a former editor of PC Pro magazine, and has contributed to many national newspapers, magazines and websites in a career that has spanned over 20 years.

Today, he's a contributor to Forbes.com, a columnist for PC Pro and ComputerActive, and is the co-editor of BigTechQuestion.com, a site dedicated to helping solve people's tech problems. You may have seen Barry as a tech pundit on television and radio, including BBC Newsnight, the Chris Evans Show and ITN News at Ten.

You can follow Barry on Twitter at @BazzaCollins, or email him at barry@mediabc.co.uk

What's powering Britain’s fibre broadband boom?
Stylised image of full-fibre cables running through the UK countryside
Network & Internet

What's powering Britain’s fibre broadband boom?

Expansion in full-fibre infrastructure and many new providers are making it stupidly cheap to get ultrafast internet connections in all corners of the…
3 Feb 2023
How to move Microsoft's Windows 11 from a hard drive to an SSD
A blue solid state drive on a blue background
Microsoft Windows

How to move Microsoft's Windows 11 from a hard drive to an SSD

Breathe new life into your Windows machine with these simple steps by finding out how to move Windows 11 to another drive
20 Dec 2022
Larger monitors aren't all they're cracked up to be
A gaming monitor on a desk with speakers and a PC
monitors

Larger monitors aren't all they're cracked up to be

It turns out that upping the size of your monitor brings complications along with the supposed benefits of a higher resolution
3 Dec 2022
Apple must get behind the EU's USB-C decision or be left behind
iPhone with a USB-C cable rested on the screen, and an EU flag overlaid on the picture
Hardware

Apple must get behind the EU's USB-C decision or be left behind

Arguments against mandating USB-C in the iPhone are futile, especially because Apple has already included the port in the iPad and MacBook
1 Oct 2022
Market consolidation – like Virgin Media O2 – is proving costly for the customer
O2 Telefonica logo on smartphone screen hold in hand and Virgin Media logo on blurred background
Network & Internet

Market consolidation – like Virgin Media O2 – is proving costly for the customer

There’s only one winner when it comes to the consolidation of the broadband and mobile market, and it certainly isn’t the consumer
24 Sep 2022
Windows 11 problems and how to fix them
A screenshot of the Windows 11 Start Menu
Microsoft Windows

Windows 11 problems and how to fix them

Seven of the most common Windows 11 problems users encounter - and the steps you can take to fix them
5 Sep 2022
Ransomware: Sometimes you need to pay to make it go away
Three piles of pound coins surrounded by another layer of pound coins
ransomware

Ransomware: Sometimes you need to pay to make it go away

The symptoms of this distraught data victim sounded an awful lot like ransomware, and it turned out the easiest way out was the most unpalatable optio…
30 Jul 2022
Best business keyboards for 2023: Top choices for homeworkers and the office
A closeup of a backlit keyboard overlaid with the IT Pro Recommended Award logo
Hardware

Best business keyboards for 2023: Top choices for homeworkers and the office

From writers to coders, a good keyboard is a worthwhile investment
26 Jul 2022
Elgato Stream Deck Mk.2 review: Functionality on deck
A photograph of the Elgato Stream Deck Mk.2
peripherals

Elgato Stream Deck Mk.2 review: Functionality on deck

A supremely useful set of shortcut buttons that can speed up almost any PC task
21 Jul 2022
Wi-Fi 6E is here – but who actually needs it?
Wi-Fi router with a person holding a cellphone
Network & Internet

Wi-Fi 6E is here – but who actually needs it?

The arrival of Wi-Fi 6E is a kick in the teeth for Wi-Fi 6 adopters, and those who recommended it to friends and family
25 Jun 2022
It’s time to ditch software subscriptions
A mouse cursor hovering over a subscribe button
Software

It’s time to ditch software subscriptions

Software firms may have grown addicted to subscriptions, but that doesn’t mean we all need to blindly follow
23 Apr 2022
The ten biggest threats to your Windows PC in 2022
Somebody using a red-backlit keyboard on their laptop
Hardware

The ten biggest threats to your Windows PC in 2022

From malware to a man with a screwdriver called Steve, we round up the biggest dangers to your machine this year
29 Mar 2022
How to speed up Windows 11
Windows 11 on a HP laptop
Microsoft Windows

How to speed up Windows 11

Is Windows 11 feeling a bit sluggish? Here are some handy tips for tweaking the OS to fit your system
7 Jan 2022
Microsoft Windows 11 review: The more things change, the more they stay the same
A screenshot of the Windows 11 Widgets pane
Microsoft Windows

Microsoft Windows 11 review: The more things change, the more they stay the same

A welcome change of scenery, but nothing that makes Windows 11 a must-have upgrade
5 Oct 2021
Windows 365 review: Can Windows in the cloud replace your PC?
A screenshot of Windows 365 running in a browser window
cloud computing

Windows 365 review: Can Windows in the cloud replace your PC?

A solid start for cloud-based Windows, although not without performance problems
2 Sep 2021
The great telephone switch-off
Person dialling an office telephone
business communications

The great telephone switch-off

The traditional telephone network is being switched off in 2025. What does this mean for business owners?
27 Aug 2021
Windows 10 vs Windows 8.1: which is best for you?
Graphic showcasing a showdown between Windows 10 and Windows 8.1
operating systems

Windows 10 vs Windows 8.1: which is best for you?

We rate Windows 10 and Windows 8.1 in a number of key categories for professional users
29 Jan 2021
Broadband backup isn’t fit for business
A young man frustrated that his laptop isn't working
broadband

Broadband backup isn’t fit for business

Domestic web connections aren’t built for a nation of homeworkers
21 Nov 2020
Don’t look to the stars for app reviews
black and gold stars
Mobile

Don’t look to the stars for app reviews

The fixing of review scores in app stores is a major problem
17 Oct 2020
High-end handsets can take a hike
Mobile Phones

High-end handsets can take a hike

Why I'm no longer be paying through the nose for the latest handset
7 Sep 2020
How to run Windows 10 on a Mac: Bootcamp vs Parallels
virtual desktop

How to run Windows 10 on a Mac: Bootcamp vs Parallels

Here are three of the best ways to run Windows 10 on a Mac
27 Aug 2020
20 new features in Windows 10
An alert on a laptop screen showing an offer to upgrade to Windows 10 for free
Microsoft Windows

20 new features in Windows 10

This spring’s big update and a host of add-ons have brought a wealth of new features to Windows 10
21 Aug 2020
Let’s stick to the software diet
Software

Let’s stick to the software diet

Bloatware is a problem software developers need to deal with
19 Aug 2020
The House of Lords will never bring tech giants to book
IT regulation

The House of Lords will never bring tech giants to book

The multiple ways politicians have tried to regulate social media are uniformly daft
8 Aug 2020
Windows 10 needs to go back to basics
Microsoft Windows

Windows 10 needs to go back to basics

Remote tech support brings home how appalling Windows is when it comes to the fundamentals
11 Jul 2020
Why I’m leading a browser double life
web browser

Why I’m leading a browser double life

There are benefits to using more than one browser
8 Jul 2020
Can I become a coder?
Man writing code on a laptop
Careers & training

Can I become a coder?

Our fortysomething writer rekindles his childhood passion for coding – but can he teach himself Python from scratch?
27 Jun 2020
Games battles are a taste of things to come
A laptop screen showing "access denied" text on a red background
Cloud

Games battles are a taste of things to come

When we’re streaming our desktops, how will we pay for software? The games industry is going through these growing pains now
27 May 2020
Microsoft 365 is more than a name change
Microsoft 365 booth at Ignite 2019
productivity

Microsoft 365 is more than a name change

The Office 365 rebranding could be a sign of things to come
16 May 2020
Is your broadband coronavirus-ready?
broadband

Is your broadband coronavirus-ready?

It’s not a stockpile of toilet rolls that you should be investing in to survive lockdown in comfort
29 Apr 2020
Chromebooks are the Benjamin Button of tech
Laptops

Chromebooks are the Benjamin Button of tech

While most tech ages like a bowl of fruit, Google's laptops seem more like a fine wine
29 Mar 2020
Who’s watching you watch them?
privacy

Who’s watching you watch them?

Smart TV services are tracking you more closely than you think
15 Mar 2020
Dear Jon, I’ve gone and bought a Mac…
An Apple Mac sat on an office bench
operating systems

Dear Jon, I’ve gone and bought a Mac…

When making the leap from Windows to Mac, it can be hard to make a smooth transition
9 Mar 2020
Smart motorways aren’t smart enough
smart city

Smart motorways aren’t smart enough

Free sat-nav apps could limit the dangers of so-called smart motorways, says Barry Collins
8 Mar 2020
Recycling our digital waste is too hard
resell, reuse recycle
cloud computing

Recycling our digital waste is too hard

We need tools to clear the mountains of data that are building up around us
23 Feb 2020
Why should Mac users pay for Windows?
expensive
operating systems

Why should Mac users pay for Windows?

Microsoft's Windows 10 pricing is baffling
16 Feb 2020