WebUser £3 Pleats Best software / Newapps / Experttips £2 Goce How it will grab even MORE of your private data p3s e Every car journey you make e Personalised adverts you can’t avoid e What you do in your own home e All your phone calls... «and even your DNA p38 _ PLUSDISSE IVR SSR at) OR YOUR WEB PROJECTS and enthu = Unlimited e-mail accounts DC cea = Unlimited domains 100% Availability Se eC! Brno ett Bret ias ¥ 100% Flexi Boer eet or cere a ouo Secs Sa ee eee LN (0333 3365509 fand1.co.uktr | Homepage Has the new Google gone too far? engine's own search box, the auto complete function will tell you that ‘Google is God”, and also “Skynet” (from the Terminator series) and "your friend”, which is reassuring for anyone who wants to bbe pals with a megalomaniac artificial- I f you type Google is into the search many of Google's latest projects involve new ways of gathering data, often in an intrusive, almost creepy way that suggests Google really is ‘playing God’. Turn to page 38 to learn how worried you should be. If privacy is your biggest concern when using Google products, on page 44 we intelligence system. It’s certainly unpredictable. From broadband balloons on the edge of space to self-driving cars, Google is always dreaming up new concepts to make the world a better place, and all it asks for in return is your data ~ and lots of it ‘As we explain in this issue's cover feature, compare the best tools for blocking trackers and other pests online. Our favourite wins by more than a nose! Robert Irvine [email protected] fwebuser Sse Ease Cena” 5 Things you'll TR) TAY show x hea MADE EASY ope that wore pre-iatalled el in Windows 10 page 27 2 How to stop Chrome wasting system memory by ‘discarding’ idle tabs page 30 Goéoale How it will grab even MORE of your private data ye + Every car journey you make * Personalised adverts you cant avoid * What you doin your own heme * Al your phone cl. nd even Your DNA yap How to enlarge the text on ‘your phone to make web pages easier to read page 46 How to store an unlimited ‘number of items in the Windows clipboard page 57 How to hack your right-click menu to add more options to the ‘Send to! list page 65 Subscribe to Web User! Never miss another issue — subscribe at dennismags.co.uk/ webuser Dual-Boot ices : crea eT Pen ee eres cet average tae, De 2016, 28,057 copies ere Fshare your knowledge at forumwebuser.co.uk 7 20 October 2015 3ISSUE 381 > TheNew © G6 AEs seed of your private data Run two operating systems on one PC p48 a ee ead 36 FAQ Is Adobe Flash finished? | 38 COVER FEATURE | THE NEW GOOGLE EXPOSED What is the company using your data for now? | 44 Privacy add-ons for browsers The best tools to stop you being tracked online | 46 Make the web easier to read on your phone 10 tips for reducing eye strain 48 Dual-boot anything with anything Five pairs of unlikely bedfellows 47-20 October 2015 Contents How it can grab even more Tey ef LTT ty) ere San p38 A eee 14 Best New Websites We review the best new and relaunched sites 20 Group Test ‘We review five docks that make charging your devices more convenient 26 Best Free Software This fortnight’s most useful free downloads 30 Best New Browser Tools Get more from Chrome, Firefox and Opera 32 Best Free Apps ‘Our favourite new phone and tablet appsContents {WU Beer Ei www-facebook.com/webusermagazine WD vowvtwittercom/webusermagazine et eR 6 What's New Online Check outstreetview |) 10 brant things to do on the web i inkena p06 8 Need to Know |” This fortnights top tech news stories 12 Stay Safe Online Security advice for PC and mobile | 18 Build a Better Site Expert tips, tools and practical help 23 Best Buys Our pick of the best new products 50 Broadband Deals 72 Inbox Find the best-value package for you Tell us your views and opinions | 51 Take a Screen Break 74 Page 404 Website word search and film emoji_ Barry bemoans our wasteful habits Web Pee et CO ee Ree) 52 Workshop 1 What'snew eee inios9 p52. 54 Workshop 2 ote : Access all Windows 10 settings in - one place = a 56 Workshop 3 i és =! | Reduce your mobile data usage 57 Workshop 4 Paste multiple items to the clipboard 58 Weekend Project Set up your own weather station 64 Web User’s Top Tips Customise the right-click menu 66 Ask the Expert All your technical questions answered 68 Readers’ Tips The best tips from our readers ‘70 Readers’ Helpdesk ‘Answers from our reader forums Asubscribe to Web User at www.dennismags.co.uk/webuser ‘or (etch Beri tne Sater oe fare ‘etomal ete nase co en (Sota nto Dest tna ns Sensi rin nar swoon aceon SS ean wo ops as Wee ssarr06 Seow ak ween ‘anne xin seen Venti Radar ‘ico ater eres te amo ta Birt motte wot aOR a Treen Enna, ‘mn 2S errant Somes ee “an Shimer Soros ac mame een ‘wma ST nn Qe aesne 7-20 October 2015 5[3 What’s New Online Write a blog using relaunched otes your post into headers, quotes ‘and bullet-points, as illustrated on Facebook's mouthwatering example (‘Sara's Facebook © you remember Facebook Notes? It was a fairly popular tool in Facebook's early days, giving people the chance to write longer posts, but it has been largely forgotten since, and hasn't been updated since 2010. You can ssee when your friends last wrote 2 note at wwwacebook-com/notes or search for ‘notes’ on the ‘mobile app. Don’t be surprised, though, if they've left it untouched for several years. Facebook hopes to revive Notes by adding features that effectively turn It into ablogging (though you can r platform, making posts more the “beautiful and customisable”. You can now add a main image to a ost, and caption and resize photos within it. New text- formatting tools let you structure bit-ly/notes38i Safely land Elon Musk’s rocket bitly/spacexs81 This game proves just how hard its to land a space rocket ona platform that's floating on water. I's something web entrepreneur Elon Musk has been attempting since July 2014. The PayPal co-founder wants his company SpaceX (www spacex.com) to help NASA build a colony on Mars, where water had! just been discovered as we went to press. To make this affordable, SpaceX needs to reuse its Falcon 9 rockets, which means landing them safely after launch on an unmanned boat in the Atlantic, But three tests in the past 15 months have ended in failure (the last ‘explosively so: bit ly/ falcon38r). ‘Show Musk how it’s done by controling the rocket’s velocity and thrust. 6 7-20 October 2015 Signature Sugar Cookies, see image on the right). Serious bloggers will find that It lacks many sophisticated tools found on more advanced services, and you can write notes only on the web version of Facebook, not through the app. 1d them on ter). But it's ideal for any Facebook devotee who wants to say something more profound than who they voted for in ‘Strietly Come Dancing. Play Chrome-crashing game sithub.com/ szhu/5030 in the game on the let, you have to stop a rocket crashing, but this game, called 3030, asks you to stop ‘chrome crashing. I highlights an interesting flaw in the browser identiieg by L* Latvian security researcher Andris Atteka (bitly/atteko38D. Typing https //a/¥830830 into Chrome's address bar in Chrome causes it to crash because i can’t recognise the characters "%6%505430" At the time of writing, Google hadn't fixed the litch, though it isn’t a security risk. ‘The game turns the flaw into a challenge reminiscent of the ‘buzz wire’ toy. You need to guide your cursor over the bears, while avoiding the trees under which the game's developer has hidden the '%950%30" code (see this by right-clicking on the web page then clicking “View page source) Hitting @ tree causes Chrome to crash, so make sure you have only one tab open whie playing!What's New Online [J We highlight 10 of the most amazing and amusing things you can do on the web this fortnight Add 300,000 bunnies to your bit.ly/bunny381 It's unikely we'll ever grow tired of Chrome Experiments, especially when they are as gloriously absurd as Bunny Sprites. With every mouse click, more rabbits appear on your screen, bouncing {around like someone has spiked their carrot juice with Red Bull. Click enough times and you'll get 300,000 bunnies on Block senders in Gmail — for good bitly/amaitser Gmail has made it alot easier to block emails from specific email addresses, In the online version of Gmail, open the offending email, click the ‘Reply’ arrow, then click ‘Block..' (see screen ‘rab). In the Gmail Android app. tap the three vertical dots in the top-right corner, then tap ‘Block All emails from this address will bbe sent to the spam folder. Unblocking the emails is just as easy, should you change your mind. Also new in the ‘Android app is an ‘unsubscribe’ option that lets you block newsletters you no longer want to read. your screen. It's as satisfying as itis pointless. PC Use instant messaging within Firefox bit.ly/foxse1 The timing was almost perfect. A day after Skype was down for millions of people worldwide (21 September), Mozilla added a key feature to its rival video-calling service, Firefox Hello (oitly/helios8I): instant messaging. So ‘now, as you chat to someone on video In Firefox 41 - the latest version of the browser ~ you can also send them messages. This is useful if, for example, — you want to send them a URL to click Launch | instant: messaging | by clicking the smiley-face 5 emoticon, —— Walk with elephants in Street View bit.y/elephants381 Google's first Street View imagery of Kenya focuses fon the country’s wildlife, most notably the Samburu National Reserve, home to the charity Save the Elephants Gavetheelephants.ors) Youll see some of the 600 elephants that call it home, as well as lions and leopards. The Philippines has also made its Street View debut: bit. ty/phitse1 Foiscuss web news at forumwebuser.co.uk TO FOLLOW ON TWITTER @PoppyLegion News on this year’s poppy app land info on how to volunteer @Surface Microsoft's account for new Surface products, cheesy adverts included @bodleiantibs Details of events at Oxford's Bodleian Libraries, including ‘exhibits from the collection @PCSpecialist Lively chat from the PC manufacturers, whose Evora ‘computer won our Windows 10, Group Test (Issue 380) @tonyblackburn Corny jokes from the radio legend, plus views on {05 9, TV and music t Add sites to Opera’s home screen bitiy/operasat ‘Opera's Android browser now lets {you add website shortcuts to your home screen. When you're on a site, tap the plus sign left of the address bar, then tap ‘Add to home screen’ Latest Google voice search bitiy/voices81 It's now "blazingly fast" to search with your voice in Goosle's Android ‘and iOS app. The firm's ‘Speech Team’ say in a blog post (link above) that the app is also more accurate, “especially in noisy environments See Pluto in colour bit.y/colourse1 [AS we saw in Issue 380 (it y/ pluto380), NASA's New Horizons Craft is taking stunning photos of Pluto, The latest include “enhanced colour" photos, from which the ‘Australian Broadcasting Corporation has created a high- definition zoomable map. 7 - 20 October 2015 7Need to Know NHS-approved health apps are ‘leaking personal data’ What happened? Phone and tablet apps that have been accredited by the NHS have been leaking data, which could leave users open to fraud, The NHS vets many health apps, such as those designed to help you lose weight or stop smoking, to make sure that the software meets clinical-safety as well as data-protection standards. Researchers from Imperial College London revealed that many of the apps failed to meet the latter criteria, and found 70 of the 79 vetted {apps they checked didn't do a good job of protecting user data. {A third of the apps sent personal data over the web without encrypting it ist, leaving users vulnerable to eavesdropping, and half didn't have a privacy policy. The data the apps were potentially leaking mostly concerned the user's identity, although a few also collected more sensitive health data, The results are alarming because healthcare organisations, the NHS included, are increasingly using technology to help improve support for patients. Apps are seen as one way to Improve health, particularly with regard to weight and physical activity, but they can also be used to track more serious illnesses, Security aside, some of the apps also fell down on the clinical element. One ” =ODem= Dozens of unsafe apps have been removed from the NHS Health Apps Library 8 7- 20 October 2015 {app for calculating insulin doses didn’t validate the accuracy of data, and was at risk of recommending the wrong amounts. The report said that app quality was fo better in the NHS library than in the ‘more general app stores, such as. Google Play. The NHS said it has started testing a "more thorough NHS. endorsement model for apps”, and that the leakiest apps have been removed from the library. How will it affect you? if you've downloaded a recommended ‘app from the NHS Health Apps Library. you may want to check if it's stil listed Cn the site; it could be one that was removed for leaking personal data However, there's no evidence that any of the apps have been targeted by criminals (although, thanks to the media coverage, that may now be more likely to happen), and they may be no riskier than any other app downloaded from the Google Play Store or Apple App Store, because most apps fal to do a ‘great job of protecting your identity. if you're using an app to manage your owmillness, i's worth Understanding exactly how it works {and what its weaknesses are, so you don’t put your health at risk. Try using ‘apps in a complementary, rather than alternative, capacity, to sit alongside your existing management or dosage techniques, rathor than relying onan app exclusively The main concern with the NHS library is that its apps ‘are supposed to be held to a higher data-protection standard than regular apps, because the info collected Is potentially more sensitive. While a weight-loss app leaking your name and weight may be merely embarrassing, as the NHS Increases its use of apps, future leaks could include data about more sensitive ilinesses or disorders, What do we think? It's dificult to understand why the NHS. would offer to vet apps and then not do the job propery. It clearly has the expertise across the organisation to check that a weight-ioss app is giving safe advice, or that the latest clinical research is included in a stop-smoking ‘aid, but the healthcare body needs top-end security experts to check data protection Apps have huge potential tohelp people manage their illnesses ~ not just for losing weight, but in helping diabetics more accurately track their insulin levels, for example. That's less ‘expensive than frequent trips to the doctor's surgery, less of a burden than keeping track with paper and pen, and potentially more accurate. But many patients will avoid using these tools - especially for sensitive health issues - if their data isn't safe and if the apps don't offer any benefit to their health. The NHS took a good first step in including the best apps and vetting them for clinical safety and data robustness, but there's no point in having a library of approved apps if they're not as safe as they promise to be. Here's hoping the NHS learns from this misstep and makes a library of secure and useful apps that we can trust, to spearhead the revolution in modical apps,Need to Know § What we think of this fortnight’s top tech news stories and rumours, and how they affect you Windows 10 Start menu showing ads What happened? Many of us welcomed the return of the Start menu in Windows 10, but it seems that Microsoft is now interfering withit again by Using it to show ads. Microsoft removed the Start menu from Windows 8 but brought it back for Windows 10, so you can conce again click the icon in the left-hand corner to uickly access settings, ‘apps, recent files and more. Indeed, in Windows 10. the Start menu is bigger than ever, and includes large icons for key apps. Inthe latest developer build of Windows 10, users have noticed ads popping up in the Start menu, including a link to watch the Disney Channel for free. Called Spotlight, t appears that this ad slot willbe Used to recommend apps and entertainment content Microsoft has been avietiy increasing advertising in Windows 10, including marketing material in apps suchas Solitaire, How will it affect you? The ads are small, and relatively easy to miss, showing up in the left-hand side of the Start menu as ‘an icon and a line of text underneath the “Suggested” header. If you want to avoid this advertising, you can easily turn it off by clicking Start, Settings and Personalisation, then deselecting the option ‘Occasionally show suggestions in Start Ifyou're concerned about advertising in Windows 10, be sure to go carefully through the privacy settings, which are also accessed via the Start menu: ‘What do we think? These ads are tiny, but they're undoubtedly the start of something bigger ‘and could mean adverts ‘appearing more frequently in Windows 10. That may be a good way to give the 0 away cheaply or for free, but anyone paying full price for the software shouldn't have to tolerate such intrusions. As long as the ads can be easily turned off, we don't mind them too much = let's hope that doesn't change. Poiscuss web news at forum.webuser.co.uk Ofcom price hike may increase mobile bills What happened? the trebling of spectrum Telecoms regulator Ofcom prices, mobile phone bills has tripled spectrum prices _ will not jump by the same for mobile operators, ratio. Spread across the raising concerns that many subscribers in the consumers could be hit UK, the total bill increase with higher contract for individual customers charges. would be less than £2 Mobile operators pay annually, and that's annual fees for access to assuming that operators the airwaves to offer their pass on the entire price services for 2G, 3G and 4G hike to consumers, networks, Ofcom has been _ nother words, there's pushed for years to no need to panic. And even Increase these charges, _f operators use this as an and has finally done so. excuse to bump up prices, The total charges across all you're allowed to leave the operators was. your provider if that previously €64m, and will increase comes mid- now be £200m, contract, Half of the price increase will hit this October, with What do we think? therest coming innext Ofcom may be right to year. Ofcom was criticised raise prices, but it needs to fornot getting enough do so ina more controlled money out of operators for manner, rather than tripling the last round of spectrum costs for some operators. auctions, for 4G coverage. Even if the overall cost is Although it raised £2.8bn small compared to for the government. this operators’ overall was less than half of what revenues, it's easy to see had been expected. why they are upset. (On the other hand, How will it affect you? operators shouldn't be Mobile operators have holding their own warned that any ‘customers to ransom increase to = we shouldn't have spectrum fees to pay more to could lead to cover this, and it's higher prices for unlikely we wil, so consumers. why make the However, despite threat? — 7 - 20 October 2015 9Need to Know ITV Hub to replace ITV Player and ITV.com What happened? " ITV announced that later this year it wil consolidate its digital services under the new name ITV Hub. This wil bring together its catch-up service ITV Player with its programme websites and live streaming services from ITV.com ITV Hub willbe available on PC, intornet-connected TVs and mobile devices, as well as Amazon Fire TV and the Fire TV Stick and the forthcoming Freeview Play service Rufus Radelitfe, ITV's endless and repetitive adverts, so we hope the new ITV Hub addresses some of these problems. What do we think? We think the move makes sense, because ITV now claims 30 per cent ofits usage on PC and mobile is from the Group Marketing Director, said: "We have created an exciting new brand identity for TV Hub which will present all of ITV's family of channels and services front and centre, with a distinct, digital look and feel building of rebrand, We are looking forward to fully Unveiling it later this autumn, ITV also showed off new branding for ITV Hub that uses the different coloured dots from the various ITV channel logos, and shows how ITV Hub will now be the. epicentre ofall TV content. ye success of ITV's @rirst tooK Wileyfox wileyfox.com/swift We'd forgive you if you haven't heard of Wileyfox, a London-based startup that's taking on the likes of Motorola by offering reasonably powerful and customisable smartphones at affordable prices. The company's latest device, the Swift, costs £129 and runs the popular community: developed Android distribution Cyanogen (the same OS used by the (OnePlus One). At first glance, the device looks unremarkable. It doesn't look cheap, but is angular, boxy and incredibly simple apart from the Wileyfox logo branded onto its faux-stone rear case. Like the Moto G, the Swift has an excellent display that belies its low price. The Sin, 720 x 1280 IPS panel 10 7 - 20 October 2015 How will it affect you? if you enjoy Coronation Street, Downton Abbey. The X Factor and other popular ITY series, you'll now be abie to watch them all in one place, wherever and whenever you want. Channel 4 has successfully combined its live-streaming and catch-up programmes into its All 4 hhub, so it makes sense for ITV to follow sult Because it will mean less flicking back and forth for viewers. ITV Player has previously been criticised for being buggy and making you sit through makes images and apps look great and it has a higher maximum brightness than even premium devices such as the LG G4. Unfortunately it doesn't perform as well as the Moto G. With internal components that are almost identical to the lower-spec Moto €, the Swift was outscored by the Moto G in both Geekbench’ single- and multi-core benchmarks. What's more, its battery life was significantly worse, dropping by 13 pper cent an hour in our audio test, compared to the 4.7 per cent achieved by the Moto 6. The Swift's 13-megapixel camera captured photos that were passable for uploading to Facebook or Twitter, live streaming of its channels rather than people watching its catch-up service ITV Player. With our television viewing habits increasingly taking place away from TV sets, i's wise for ITV to create a unified hub that will allow you to stream and catch up with shows on the device of your choice, so you no longer fee! tied to the sofa, Although we could grumble about the enforced fads, they will mean that ITV Hub remains free rather than charging a subscription fee but the images were significantly inferior to that of the OnePlus Two (€239) and struggled in low-light conditions. However, we enjoyed using the Cyanogen ‘operating system, which is designed to be lighter, more customisable and feature-rich than standard Android. By letting you add and remove buttons from the navigation bar, for example, itoffers a much more personalised experience. However, since there's so little that Swift does better than the Moto G, we'd struggle to recommend it over its similarly priced and better performing competitor.™®) WHAT'S THE RUMOUR Is the BBC launching a Netflix-style iPlayer? ‘The BBC has announced plans to launch an online subscription service similar to Netflix ~ in the US next year. Although popular BBC series such {as Doctor Who and Sherlock are already available in the US through BBC America, the new service will offer viewers across the ond "programmes they wouldn't otherwise get, showcasing British actors, our programme-makers and celebrating our culture’, according to BBC director-general Lord Hall The Beeb may be talking up the new service to appeal to US audiences, but the real reason for this move is much closer to home. With licence-fee funding coming under increasing scrutiny, the BBC is understandably looking to international revenue as a way to supplement its income, Perhaps ‘more importantly, it demonstrates that the BEC is able to keep pace with other popular streaming contenders such as Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and Now TV. ‘A subscription-style service has the potential to be a very smart move for the BBC. The corporation has a strong International reputation for high-quality TV programming and, coupled with an enormous back catalogue of shows, there's more than enough to differentiate it from other streaming services, The extra money could also bbe fed back into creating UK-specific Content, and keep the corporation alive and ad-free, LIKELIHOOD RATING VASSS | The BBC has already faced heavy criticism from the Conservative ‘government over its business ‘model, so we're not surprised it's considering different tactics, ‘especially considering the popularity of Doctor Who and the like in the US. Whether an {Player subscription would work In the UK remains to be seen, but 's certainly an interesting idea. What's new on Kickstarter Mace Kerv ly/kerv381 | From £25 Contactless payment means you no longer need to (lage na eat carry cash wherever you go, but you still need to keep ‘your wallet on you, With the contactless payment ring Kery, there are no such problems and you can make of purchases of up to £30, simply by waving the ring over a contactless terminal and waiting for the beep. ‘You don't need a PIN or a linked phone - just load your Kery with cash online, ‘and the ring will draw funds from it when used in thousands of shops and cafés, ‘and on London transport. The team is hoping to raise £77,000 by 26 October. Poiscuss web news at forum.webuser.co.uk Need to Know § tT WEBOMETER Order Starbucks coffee with your phone From this month, it bbe possible to order and pay for your coffee at Starbucks using ‘only your mobile phone, thanks to the company’s new Android app. 4p Mitgin increases broadband speeds Viroin Media customers can now sign up for its uitrafast new service, which has been branded Vivid, is up to 200Mpbs. J Facebook suffers outages On September 28, Facebook sutfered a widespread service newly upgraded capable of delivering speeds of outage for the second | Sony, some timein | Mmersagenes rem wrong aweek Treen | «the first took place on September 24). The social network failed to offer an ‘explanation for either incident. Selfies more dangerous than sharks During the first eight months of 2018, more people died ‘while taking selfies than from shark attacks. In ‘one well- publicised incident, a Japanese tourist died of head injuries after falling down the stairs of the Taj Mahal while attempting take a picture ‘of himself and his colleagues. 7 20 October 2015 11 {EJ Stay Safe Online News about the latest threats and advice from security experts Microsoft responds to Windows 10 privacy concerns Most of the negative press for Windows 10 has been about Microsofts methods of callecting, tering {and sharing personel data Last issue Coitly/webuser380), we revealed what information the new ‘operating system gathers about you {and how to stop itn our cover feature: How Windows 10 Spies on You. Since then, the company’s Executive Vice President Terry Myerson has published a biog post titled Privacy and Windows 10" that attempts to justify its increasingly intrusive polices explains that although the company does collect Information (and you'd be hard pushed tofind an internet company that doesn't), customers are “in contro! with the ability to determine what Information is collected”. Furthermore, any data sent to Microsoft "is encrypted ‘i transit to our servers, and then stored In secure facilities ‘The post adds that while device IDs, types and crash logs are collected from Windows 10 users, none of it can identity the person it came from. Cortana, in particular, requires more personal data to function, but Myerson defends it by stating you must actively opt into its ‘more aggressive data collection before it canbe used. Although not every privacy concern that’s been raised has been ‘addressed in Myerson’s post, we're pleased that Microsoft has, ‘acknowledged complaints rather than Ignoring them altogetiner. bitly/windowsblog3a1 Malware hidden in ads on porn sites ‘A malware campaign that affected Yahoo earlier this year has now appeared on porn sites, according to security firm Malwarebytes. The malware, which is hhidden within what appear to be adverts fora service called Sex Messenger, is able to identity whether Users are genuine and redirects them to fraudulent pages that often hold their victims to ransom with accusations of illegal behaviour. Although the adverts appeared on porn site Xhamster, ranked the ist ‘most visited site in the world by webs analytics firm Alexa, Malwarebytes security expert Jerome Seguar argues that visting adult sites is not necessarily any more dangerous than the rest of the web, bitly/maiware38t i Security Helpdesk | Your questions answered by security specialists THIS ISSUE'S EXPERT: Steve Bell, Security Expert at BullGuard | (www.bullguard.com) BullGuard 9 Do you really @ reetsecety ‘software on | your Android phone if you only install apps from the Play Store? Harrison Wallace, bundle range of techniques to bypass Google's security measures, Ju Android malware was with an inteligence- testing game called Brai Test that was published to the Play Store. Google removed it, ut shortly afterwards the rogue code appeared in anctt using somethin obfuscation tool. It's estimated that thousands of devices were infected by this app, which taraetin: er app called an wundreds of threat In short, yes. Fora long time Mac users have believed that ‘Apple operating systems were free of the Trojans and viruses that wreak havoc on Windows machines. ‘Although the scale of attacks Macs is much lower, There have been plenty of incidents in the past and there will be more in the future. It may not be about implanting destructive bro malware, but there's also the f stealing personal Jonathan Gardiner, Facebook We don't know the | specifies of what ‘Yahoo and Google are doing, but they generally ensure the safety of ads through automated testing. However, malicious ads don't require user interaction to execute their payload and simply sing to a website thi has them is enough to start the infection chain, For this Facebook installed a backdoor for information such as banking reason, is likely that adding further matware and credit card data behind the scenes action is Google generally being taken to thwart ad i does 2 good job of ‘Are Mac users too Are web malware. ifcompenies such scanning apps for @ complacent about companies such as Google and Yahoo don't [malware before they the threat of OS x asGoogleand act on this, their entire malware? Luke Sutton, Twitter Yahoo doing enough to tackle malvertising? revenue model is under threat. appear in the Play Store, but hackers have used a 12 7-20 October 2015 Femail us your security questions at [email protected]The new health & fitness magazine Find out where at coachmag.co.uk UMD eal Sea led =iad #COACHEFFECT4 Best New Websites Site of the Fortnight Foon Food Network www.foodnetwork.co.uk The revamped website for UKTV's Food Network is guaranteed to make you hungry. It's jam-packed with recipes that can be quickly filtered according to your needs and there are fresh spins on classic dishes complete with appetising photos. The homepage isa bit full-on, parading a ‘melting pot of quirky features, random tips and fun quizzes, but each article can be saved and shared, and visitors are encouraged to leave comments, You can catch up on cookery shows you've ‘missed and view the Food Network's schedule, and we love that you can filter recipes by Occasion, such as Burns Night and Diwali, and for special dietary needs. TIKI Dae ee) Our rating How it works Sect your facil ees epee ave eee Find our TnSvanet and ‘Sorrow a= | ie FUN = —_ Twin Strangers twinstrangers.net Its fatering to think of ourselves as unique but according to this site, we all have a double somewhere in the world. To find your doppelganger, upload two photos and provide some information regarding the shape of your face. eyebrows and lips (you Can enter a fake name to prevent your evi twin fom tracking you down). Once ths is done, the site wil suggest other members who It thinks ook ike you, We dit know whether to laugh or ery when we saw our matches, who included a dour German, a plump Lionel Richie lookalike and a possible sera kl, but you can dismiss any you Gon ike the ook of and just save and share the flattering ones! on Ourrating 14 7-20 October 2015 c “ pee ty tence “ER | TECHNOLOGY The Gadget Show Live www.gadgetshowlive.net Noxt year, the annual exhibition for Channel 5's The Gadget Show runs from 31 March to 3 April and this website has been created as a hub for all the various ‘comings and goings surrounding the ‘event. The tile-based design seems a bit dated and Windows B-lke, which is surprising for a site so heavily linked to ‘cutting-edge technology, and with a few ‘months still fo go, there's litle info about the exhibitors set to attend, But there is detailed pricing information and the ‘option to register your interest for tickets, as well as a detailed FAG and photos and videos from past events Our rating Fedo: Reviews by David Crookes and Robert IrvineWe review this fortnight’s best new and relaunched websites and rate them for content, design and features oN cL www.tripbod.com Bought by TripAdvisor last year, Trinbod Connects travellers with local experts. It's bbeen given a sleek overhaul asit seeks to ‘gather more users to share their knowledge and produce travel guides and itineraries to help tourists find their way around the world. You're asked to suggest destinations when you join and the Tripbod team then uses this info to ‘commission paid-for articles that end up (on TripAdvisor. The site is appealinaly laid out with detailed explanations of how it works, but signing up is arduous, requiring a CV oF Linkedin profile and ‘examples of previous work. Ourrating Found Them First spotify-foundthemfirst.com This site from Spotify is aimed at music snobs who enjoy bragging about having discovered a band or singer way before they became popular. After signing in sing your Spotity credentials, the site speedily goes through your songs and albums to find out if you really are ahead of the musical curve (alas, we were late to the party with Sheena Easton), At the same time, it creates a playlist of fresh artists that it hopes wil allow you to ‘boast that you “found them first” in the future. It's a fun way for Spotify to promote up-and-coming talent while potentially pandering to a few egos. Ourrating Frei! us about your website via [email protected] Rolls-Royce Motor Cars www.rolls-roycemotorcars.com Rolls-Royce may be one of British motoring's grandest names but its recent history hasn't been entirely smooth. Now owned by BMW, It stil has four models of cat available and this beautiful, scrolling website shows them off using gorgeous imagery, flowery language and stunningly shot videos. At the same time, it pays homage to the company’s past with a great history section that stretches back to 1904, While the site can feel overwhelming, it certainly ups a gear in the information stakes, with downloadable brochures for prospective ‘and aspiring owners to peruse at leisure Our rating 7-20 October 2015 15Best New Websites ‘SHOPPING Country Baskets ‘www.countrybaskets.co.uk Despite ts name and ogo. this online store sels much more than just baskets and artificial flowers, providing everything you need to create perfect displays ot partos, weddings and other occasions. Its impressive range of stock includes balloons, candle holders craft supplies, lighting and much more, with al products accompanied by zoomable images, concise descriptions and stock info. The relaunched sit is easier to navigate, wth a more spacious anc sophisticated design and attractive banners at the top of each category. With its Christmas section now open for business, this is ona to boolanari ooo: Our rating ‘Ueremy Vine LATEST NEWS PEOPLE Jeremy Vine jeremyvine.ty Prana Sherry Wines www.sherry.org Often dismissed asa tipple for granny at Ccristmas, sherry is apparently making @ comeback and nowhere more so than at this revamped hub forthe fortified wine Here, youll find a guide to the many varieties, along with a bottieg history of sherry; recipes for cocktails and ‘accompanying dishes; and info about tastings, courses and events, Including ‘ext months international Sherry Week Best ofall is the Sherry Spots feature, which finds you bers and restaurants around the world that serve sherry. With its stylish design, high avality photos and effective use of social elements, i's the timate resource for sherry aficionados. Our rating FOI There's something endearinaly camp about the official new site for the TV presenter and journalist, from the pictures of Jezza larking about in garish shirts to the cute Insertion of ‘the’ before his name on the homepage. It's a cut above most celebrity sites because you can tell Vine actually contributes to the content, which combines blog posts, photos and videos from his latest shows, including Eggheads, with career highlights. childhood memories, tweets and podcasts. Jeremy actively encourages Visitor comments, and you can even contact him through the site via his manager) to hire him as an after-dinner speaker. it certainly scores well on our swingometer! Ourrating Jobb: 16 7 - 20 October 2015 NEW EDUCATION SchoolDash www.schooldash.com SchoolDash helps parents and teachers sift more easily through masses of data from the Department for Education, by presenting tin the form of maps and dashboards, although the latter weren't yet live when we visited. You can fiter the colour-coded maps of England by all manner of eriteria including average Class size, ethnicity and academic achievements, as well as by school type, ‘and then click to zoom into a region and local authority, although not specific schools. This provides a good overview of standards in a particular area, but the site is still very much a work in progress 0 just one to watch for now. Ourrating so eins EDUCATION MyTutorWeb www.mytutorweb.co.uk Students who need help with anything from accounting to tech studies can ind and book an online session with a tutor through this smart site. Streamlined to make It even simpler to use - just choose a subject and a lve, then ei Find ny tutor = MyTutoriweb has also added clearer information about how it works land more prominent details of prices, which range fom €18 to £30 an hour All the 900 oF so undergraduate tutors have achieved top grades at university and been interviewed by the ite. You can also meet your tutor for 15 minutes before you book, and read ratings anct reviews from thelr students, Our rating FoldsBese ea et Record level Pet eer Got eee aa ace eet FEE CONSERVATION International Rhino Foundation rhinos.org As big, bold and beautiful asthe animals it hopes to save, the revamped website for the International Rhino Foundation is a massive improvement on the old one, which looked a bit cramped. As well as reading about the threat to the species - poaching hhas reduced the rhino population from 500,000 to 29,000 since the start of the 20th Century - you can learn about the foundation's work, make a donation online and buy rhino merchandise from the shop. We especially like that you can adopt one of five ‘Sumatran thinos 10 mins | Any browser If you come across a website with a particularly impressive and inspiring design, you can use Mozilla's X-ray Goggles tool to dive into the background code and take a look at how it was constructed Install the bookmarklet Bl at bit.y/ coasles36! by dragging it to the ‘bookmarks bar. Activate the Goggles tool by clicking the bookmarklet. You'll know it's on when a menu appears Ed and anything you move your mouse ‘over becomes highlighted in a colour, with the HTML tags displayed in the comners. While hovering over an element, press the up and down cursor keys to expand into the parent tags, such as a box that's surrounding the element, Ed or shrink it back again. Click an item to see the full HTML tag that brings it to the. page. BI You can exit it to make simple changes 0 you can see how things work ~ they won't be saved on the real site, To see the inner-workings of the CSS, hold down the °C’ button to bring up a full ist of CSS elements. Ed Press the spacebar to edit an alement ‘and see how different parameters affect it. Hover your mouse over the section ‘you want to change and left-lick to select it. BA tool tip explains what the CSS code does, EI Press Esc to quit. 18 7 - 20 October 2015 bemail us your website building questions at [email protected]BUY NOW FROM at bit.ly/ webusercd 2014 Back Issues Disc Reduce your stacks of old magazines to one shiny disc, with all your favourite content at your fingertips! The 2014 Back Issues Disc contains all 27 issues from last year, plus 6 free issues from January-March 2015! ES eeGroup Test We test and compare the latest products Multi-device chargers Why have cables strewn across the house when you can charge all your devices from one socket? Andy Shaw tests five devices that will revolutionise the way you charge your gadgets ving to charge all your phones and tablets fle) WANN) FH corse crema on lives. Whether you have to fight with your We gathered a typicalfamily’s handle, to confirm there was {family over an available plug socket or you just _collection of devices, including 2. enough power to get the loathe the mess of traling wires, it can be a couple of Pads, an Phone, an _batteries charging at a headache. IPod and an HTC phone. We satisfactory rate. We also looked In this Group Test, we've hunted down a range _tested the manufacturer's ‘at how well they tidy away cables, ‘of charging stations designed to tidy up and quoted power ratings by the range of devices they can ‘centralise your charging points, and give plugging in as many of our charge and the other functions ‘everyone the space to charge their devices from devices as the charger could that they perform. ‘a single socket. Griffin PowerDock 5 | £79.95 | www.johniewis.com As; )0 ae stn rome 567898 wraian, The Griffin PowerDock 5 looks like a fi. Griffin's PowerDock Sis Made tilepteel eared febestewe tt USB hub. The vertical racks are {or simulataneously ancy fasts ogartnanattey | corkgavie flntiny nn heytecroppea lost vat ‘enough to rest an iPad on. with any device that The PowerDock can charge five devices, \sually plugs into a USB. which is enough for the average family to charger, and supplies have at least one device per person on plenty of power across all charge at any one time. It doesn't come with five ofits USB ports. It Sqaupisanasin stylus setnater tee to.use the USB cables that came with your devices, or buy extra cables. The USE ports youve got five tables or fivephones, theyll st Le ae seat spaghetti over it unless you invest in shorter ‘want tostck wih the cables or are happy to spend time tucking cables without any noticeable increase in time taken to (les yea ot, ral, behind each device to keep it looking smart. charge fully. {han buy shorter ones the We plugged in all five of our test devices - two The USB ports seemed a bit shallow, leaving repetitive plugging in and iPads, two phones and an iPod. Griffin claims some bare metal exposed on the plug, which left ‘unplugging ofa five 20 7-20 October 2015Leitz Complete Desktop Multi-Charger | £58.80 | www.rebelofficesupplies.co.uk FEATURES dock PERFORHANCE dock FASE SE Acai ALUEFOR HONEY etd Leitz's charging station is less flexible than the Griffin's, and is designed with a more specific. configuration of devices in mind. Ithas a single tablet stand at the back, equipped with a 2A USB socket, then three more 1A ports for smaller devices with a rubber-ridged table area at the front to rest them on It comes with a selection of short charging cables: Mini- and Micro-USB and an old-style 30-pin Apple connector. If you need to add your own cables, there is a neat system for keeping them tucked away under the table area, which hinges at the back like an old-fashioned school desk. Inside the cavity, there are three blocks for winding cables around and a slot for the required lengths of cables to pop out, User Multi-Device Chargers Group Test Avantree PowerHouse | £29.99 | www.amazon.co.uk FEATURES ecto PERFORHANCE toto The PowerHouse uses rubberised blocks to lean your devices against as they're charging, soit looks like an attractive, interesting gadget even when it doesn’t have its full quota of four devices charging on it. So You can even switch the colours around, from a retro-looking black, grey or red, to lime green, The USB ports are housed underneath the unit, which is mostly hollow. This cavity has been conveniently lined with Velcro and includes Velero straps, so you can wrap up and tidy away cables with ease. It comes with Mini- and Micro-USB. cables, but you'll need to add your own to make full use of the available ports. The device shares a total 4.5A across its four ports, so the more you have plugged in, the slower they' charge. The arrangement of the blocks lets you support a couple of tablets and fill the gaps with phone-sized devices. Waa Enns VERDICT tok The etz docks lebleoras powerful as Gifns, butifeatness isa bry, the iden avy cn heal manne of able jules. Howeves, ‘more of bother to then remove cblsiyou nee ae them with you, MiPow 2 Ports USB Wall Charger | £14.99 | www.amazon.co.uk FEATURES AC PERFORNANCE oc LASEOF USE eof VALUE FOR HONEY do This compat charging dackstil manages tidy away cables and provide suffient power tochargeal your devices as high-powered asthe Gritfin batitmoesutable it youre looking for asmals, neater dock, Groov-e SoundCurve Alarm Clock Radio Speaker | £23.98 | www.amazon.co.uk FEATURES oC PERFORNANE cE LASEOFUSE eee VAUEFOR MONEY ok it makes sense to charge your devices overnight, but you ‘might not have ‘enough wall sockets tohave them close tohand when you're sleeping. This radio alarm 7 clock, which doubles as a Bluetooth speaker, attempts to solve the problem by providing two USB ports on the top. It's a neat concept but, sadly, it's not as good as it sounds. The USB ports are under-powered and it was the only device inthis Group Test that was incapable of charging our two |Pads at the same time. It managed to power up a tablet and phone simultaneously, but it was slow. The other elements are similarly disappointing: the radio is, FM only, soit can't pick up disital stations, and the Bluetooth speaker's sound quality is underwhelming, (En x3 ‘There are plenty of dual-soket chargers around that costs than this Pow ‘model. The folding pins ran interesting ation but they dot work very wel and the low power mearst's best used for charging phones. Poiscuss this review at forum.webuser.co.uk \Wethis sounds ike an impressive collection of features to cramint one evict fale toimoress us. Asa charging doc, partiaarydsapnontig, vith underpowered US sot tat strugoleto charge ger dies 7 - 20 October 2015 21Group Test Multi-Device Chargers cy Dorey Complete Desktop PowerHouse Pd ad Pan Ces Sa ‘www eitz.com £58.80 £29.99 £1499 £2398 worwjhnlewis.com | www.rebelofice | www.amazon.co.uk | www.amazon.co.uk | www.amazon.co.uk supplies co.uk v v x x ‘TxMini-USB,1x | Tx Mini-USB, x x Micro-USB, 1x Tx Micro-USB ‘Apple 30-pin 4 4 2 2 Any USB Any USB Any USB Any USB x Different colour x ‘Alarm clock, radio, ‘scheme options Bluetooth speaker Lidoneachport | 1x2A,3xIAports | 45A (shared TAGhared between 2Ashared between ‘between four ports) | two ports) ‘two ports and the dock’ other functions 200x180x80mm — | 240x204x80mm | 54x T4x85mm — | 48x48x 37mm —| 200100 x mm 3409 9509 3059 639 3499) Crea We believe that the main purpose of a multi- device charger is to get your gadgets fully charged as quickly as possible, and the Griffin PowerDock § is the best at this, soit gets our Gold Award. It can charge the largest number of devices and was the most powerful of the ‘models we tested. The only downside was the absence of a cable tidy. ur Silver Award goes to the Leitz Complete Desktop Multi-Charger, which can charge four devices at a time. It's not as powerful as the Griffin, but you can tuck your cables away in a reat cavity underneath its phone tray. For a more compact option that stl tidies and | charges well, we liked the Avantree PowerHouse, with it's customisable colour blocks, which won our Bronze Award. 22 7-20 October 2015Ed Web User’s Best Buys Web User and its sister titles test over 2,500 products every year HARDWARE TRA aera) DOE C TS Griffin PowerDock 5 PC Specialist Evora £79.95 from wwwjohnlewis.com Date tested: September 2015 Griffin's PowerDock 5 lets you charge a whole household's worth of mobile devices at one: time, supplying plenty of power across all five of ts USB ports. it doesn't matter whether you've got five tablets or five phones, they'l al sit nicely in this dock, although you'll ‘need to make sure that the cables don't get tangled. KEY SPECS ‘Supports five USB devices #21 output on each port = 200 x 180 x 80mm = 3409 Netgear Nighthawk AC1900 Extender £180 from www.broadbandbuyer.co.uk Date tested: July 2015, The Netgear Nighthawk is pricey, but it's also fast, powerful and built to last. Its advanced tools will be compatible with future Wi-Fi standards and it provides excellent performance, KEY SPECS ‘ACI900 Wi-Fi # Dual-band = 5 x Gigabit Ethernet ports = USB 3" WPA and WPA2 security # DLNA server # 252 x 174 x 3imm # Two-years return-to-base warranty eel ae ad HP Stream 11 £559 from www.pespecialist.co.uk Date tested: September 2015, This is more of a workaday PC than an all-out powerhouse, but it’s cheaper than other Windows 10 PCs and its impressive gaming performance ‘ves it lots of potential as an all-round family computer. KEY SPECS ‘Quad-core 3.2GHz Inte! Core i5-4460 processor # 8GB of memory # ITB hard drive # 20GB SSD # 2 x USB 3, 6 x USB 2 ports # Gigabit Ethernet # 477 x 450 x 190mm # Three-yoars roturn-to-base warranty including one-year parts See iz ‘Y-cam HomeMonitor HD ££150 from wwrw.homemonitorme Date tested: June 2015, ‘The Y-cam HomeMonitor HD will ave you ‘money in the long run if you want to save captured motion- detected footage online. Is free online storage option supports a wide range of devices KEY SPECS ‘Apps for Android, IOS, Windows Phone, Roku # 1/4in CMOS: ‘Sensor = Viewing angle: horizontal 80°, vertical 45°, diagonal 87° «1,280 x 720 pixels resolution « 15fps frame rate = Ethernet and 802in Wi-Fi = 85 x 85 x 30mm # 150g tia es Sonos Play:1 £179.99 from store.hp.com/ukstore Date tested: April 2015 The HP Stream 1! offers excellent performance and a respectable battery life. It's a sleek, attractive laptop, available in blue or magenta, with a good screen that offers wide viewing angles. KEY SPECS Dual-core 216GH2 Intel Celeron N2840 processor # 2GB of ‘memory # IL6in non-touchscreen * 32G8 flash drive 1.366 % 768 pixels resolution « Single-band 8021In Wi-Fi 300 x 206 x 20mm =1.29kg * One-year return-to-base warranty FGet more tips in our newsletter at wwwwebuser.co.uk/newsletter £169 from wivw.currys.co.uk Date tested: March 2015 ‘The Sonos Play: offers impressive audio ‘auality and comes with excellent software ‘and great apps that provide seamless integration with music services. I's the ideal speaker to use as a starting point for a home entertainment system. KEY SPECS 2 x speakers" 802.1In Wi-Fi, 1x 10/100 Ethernet = Android ‘and iOS apps » Compatible with UPnP and SMB servers #| ‘AAC, FLAC, MPS, OGG and WAV w= 16] x12 x Imm = 18kg) aan | 7-20 October 2015 23[Ej web User’s Best Buys ‘Samsung 850 Pro 256GB Cas Google Nexus 9 £136.05 from wwww.kkatek.com Date tested: February 2015, “The Samsung 850 Pro is ‘crammed with new technology that makes it faster and more durable than its competitors. You could ‘buy a similarly sized SSD for ‘much less, but in our tests the cheaper models weren't as fast and they don't come with the 850 Pro's generous 10-year warranty. KEY SPECS 256GB (algo available in 128G8, S12GB & TB) « S3p per GB SATA Ill interface » 2.5in drive case™= 10-year warranty = 100 x 70x 7mm = 669 eG WINDOWS 8.1 LAPTOP ‘Asus Transformer Book Flip ‘TP300LA £449.95 from ‘wwwjohniewis.com Date tested: January 2015 This touchsereen laptop folds over into a chunky tablet. I's ‘oll built, did well in our performance tests and has & fantastic battery ie. KEY SPECS Dual-core 1.9GHz Intel Core i3-4050U processor # 4GB of ‘memory #13 3in touchscreen = 1,366 x 768 pixels resolution '=500GB hard drive « 802 ac Wi-Fi « 326 x 282 x 22mm 1175kq # One-year collect-and-return warranty Peta Chillblast Fusion Obelisk £699.98 from ‘www chillblast.com Date tested: November 2014 ‘This great all-round desktop PC achieved a good overall performance in both our Windows and gaming tests. It runs ‘Quietly, has @ good-quality monitor and is packed with great ‘components, including a fast SSD and a generous hard drive, KEY SPECS ‘Quad-core 4.2GHz Intel Core iS-4690K processor (overclocked) # 868 of memory #5 x USBS, 5 x USB2 ports = Gigabit Ethernet # 120GB SSD # 1TB hard drive # 920 x 11080 pixels resolution # Windows 811" 465 x 430 x 192mm 24 7-20 October 2015 £319 from play,google.com Date tested: February 2015 ‘The Nexus 9 is our favourite ‘Android tablet. It has a fantastic screen - even better than the iPad Air 2. = and superb battery life, lasting over 15 hours in our tests. It's cheaper than the latest iPad and comes in T6GB and 3268 capacities. KEY SPECS 89in screen * 2,048 x 1536 pixels resolution « Dual-core 2.3GHz 64-bit Nvidia Tegra KI Denver processor # 16/3268 storage * 4G option costs £60 extra (32GB models only) * Android 5.0 = 228 x 154 x 8mm = 4259 WIRELESS ROUTER D-Link DIR-868L If you're wiling to switch your wireless devices to the SGHz network, the D-Link DIR-B68L offers fast and reliable performance at a great price. i's simple to set up and provides a handy wizard to guide you through the process. KEY SPECS Dual-band 2.4GHz and SGHz = 802.Tb/a/n # 1300Mbps theoretical maximum speed = 6x internal antennas = 4.x 10/100/1000Mops Ethernet ports = WPA and WPAZ ‘encryption #1 x USB 3 port # 217 x 123 x 102mm # One-year return-to-base warranty KEYBOARD Cherry MX-Board3.000 E55 from wwwhkikatek-com Date teste November 2014 The Cherry MX-Board 30 Isa hard-wearing ‘mechanical keyboard that's a pleasure to type on. It's quiet for a mechanical ‘model but still makes more noise than a standard keyboard, It doesn't have alot of features, but it's ideal f you're ooking for a standard, good-quality keyboard. KEY SPECS 104 keys # 1x USB port # 18m detachable cable «2 non-slip surfaces 2 rubber caps for adjustable feet # 44.6 x 15.8 x 28cm O.83kg = Win-Key lockSAU ees Web User’s Best Buys faq EZ a SyncBackFree Free from bit.ly/syncback366 Date tested: March 2015 ‘SyncBackFree is very capable software that gives you plenty ‘of control over how it can be Used. If you know what you need from your backups and you're prepared to spend, some time configuring the options, SyncBackFree has ‘everything you need. KEY FEATURES ‘Synchronise: Copy files in both directions Restore back-up files easily # Email logs « Schedule backups # Simple and ‘Advanced made * Runs on Windows 8, 7, Vista, and xP ‘Extensive Help documentation and support PHOTO EDITING ‘Adobe Photoshop Elements 13 JINTERNETSECURITY Kaspersky Internet Security 2015 £1798 from bity/kaspotter Date tested: January 2015 Kaspersky Internet Security performed near-perfectly throughout our tests last year, with only one unwanted program slipping through. Our sister tile Computeractive is selling it atthe reader- offer price of £17.99 (full price £39.99). Click the link above. KEY FEATURES ‘Anti-virus and firewall tools « Protects online shopping and banking Identity and privacy tools = Dangerous-website alerts « Advanced parental control = Licences for one, three {and five PCs; for one or two years, or pay monthiy = Multi-Device version for Mac and Android protection Ss ‘Adobe Premiere Elements 13 £81.08 from wwwadobe.com/uk Date tested: December 2014 With its tidy interface and pop-out trays, ‘Adobe Photoshop Elements provides ‘everything an amateur photographer needs and helps you Quickly find the right eciting tools. KEY FEATURES Compatible with Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8+ (32- and 64-bit) ‘= Bundled photo organiser « Content-aware edits "Guided edits « People-beautifier tools * RAW support PONG | Google Drive From free from drive. google.com Date tested: August 2014 Google Drive Is easy to use and has lots of free storage, “The Windows software integrates with Explorer, so ‘saving and syncing files is like keeping them in any ‘ther PC folder. KEY FEATURES ISGB free storage # Web-based office software # Works ‘with Windows XP, Vista, 7 and 8+ # Chrome browser add-on ' Android and iOS apps # 100GB extra storage for £119 per month; TTB for £5.97 per month; 10TB for £59.51 per month AGet more tips in our newsletter at www.webuser.co.uk/newsletter £81.08 from wwwadobe.com/uk Date tested: December 2014 Premiere Elements 13's superb interface makes its many features neat but accessible. You won't find better video-editing software for the price. KEY FEATURES ‘Automatic editing » Export to multiple video formats « Burn to DVD and Blu-ray = Image stabiliser» Stop-motion capture * Motion tracking = Musical scores and sound effects « Upload to YouTube and Vimeo ee Weebly From free from wawoebly.com Date tested: May 2014 Weebly’s drag-and-drop interface makes it extremely easy to use. Its templates area litle restrictive, but there are still plenty of options to ‘choose from and the results look great. It also has free Android and iOS apps. KEY FEATURES TIS templates « Unlimited storage # SEO tools * Meta tags * Password protection # E-commerce tools # Ad-ree Starter ‘edition # Android and iOS apps # RSS» Site stats 7-20 October 2015 25E3 Best Free Software SYSTEM UPDATER Driver Booster 3 Free Min requirement: Vista/7/8+/10 File size: 13.6Me, indows XP/ Outdated, incorrect or faulty hardware drivers can cause all sorts of problems ‘on your PC, but checking that you have the latest working versions takes time especially as you'll need to perform the required updates manually. This is where programs like Driver Booster can save the day. This free tool scans your system looking for old or missing drivers, and then gives you the chance to update everything to the newest versions with a single click. There's no catch, and the process is quick and painiess. ai PrN ta loc The latest version of the software has ‘a much larger online database, which now recognises more than 200,000 drivers. The game components database has also been enlarged, which helps the software fix problems with plugins such as Java ‘and VC Runtimes, The updated interface is simpler than ever, and we found that the software works perfectly in Windows 10 There's also a paid-for Pro version of Driver Booster that can improve cy gaming and video playback, and boost system stability and performance. It can download drivers during idle moments and back up previous drivers for safe restore. This version will set you back £15, but the free edition is enough for most people's needs. Inpractice, we've found that !Obit's program finds plenty of outdated and missing drivers that other similar tools miss, and it's well worth installing anc giving ita try, Make sure you decline any unwanted extras during installation. Xx MINI WORKSHOP | Check your system is up to date using Driver Booster 3 When you run Driver Booster, it will automatically scan your system and present you with its findings. The banner at the top fl provides a summary of the number of device drivers and game components available to update. Each item is colour-coded I so you can see how old it is. Missing drivers are also displayed here Click the Update button next to an item El to download and install the latest version. You may need to temporarily disable your antivirus software when doing this. Click the down arrow next to the button to access ‘ther options. EI You can view the driver details, update it, uninstall it, ignore it, roll back changes, and export the lst for later viewing. You can also update all of the old or missing drivers by clicking the Update Now button. El Untick any rivers El you don't want to include in the mass update. You can view all the {rivers installed on your system under the UpToDate tab, Ed and customise ‘and configure the software by clicking tthe menu button, 26 7-20 October 2015Best Free Software [J This fortnight’s top new software downloads to help you make the most of your PC, and they’re all FREE ‘APP MANAGER 10AppsManager for Windows 10 bitsly/Oapps38t Min requirements: Windows 10| Filesize: 708 ‘Windows 10 comes with a selection of apps pre-installed. These include Music, Photos, People, Store, News, Sports and Alarms. ‘There are also several apps you might not want, suchas Get Started, Get Skype, 30 Builder and Money. This free single-screen program lets you remove any unwanted stock apps. Simply click fan item to uninstall it. f you change your mind, Clicking the Reinstall button explains how to get apps back. it ‘SCREEN-CAPTURE TOOL Snip bit ly/snip381 Min requirements: Windows XP/ Vista/7/8+/10 File size: 218 This Microsoft Garage project lets you capture anything on screen, add annotations and narration, and share the result in various ways, including as a link (files can be uploaded and stored Con Microsoft's Mix site) or MP4 video. It's a work in progress, so new features are being added regularly, with recent additions including a highlighter tool ‘and full-screen capture. EE 10AppsManager | SYSTEM TOOL SilencePC bitiv/silencepe361 Min requirement: Vista/7/8+/10 | Filesize: IMB, | SilencePC is a simple free program that lets you turn off your computer after a set time. Use the sliders to set the hours, ‘minutes and seconds until shutdown, {and then choose the action the program | should take. It can shut down your PC, | log off, reboot or put it to sleep. A timer shows how long you have remaining | and you can start or stop the process at any time. bRecommend free downloads at www,acebook.com/webusermagazine DA ee By Yahoo Mi bitty/yahoo381 Min requirements: Windows 10 File size: 15.28 IF you use Yahoo Mai it's definitely ‘worth installing this new, official ‘app. It displays recent emails in a live tile and also alerts you to new messages via desktop and lock screen notifications. Translator 10 Beta bit.ly/transiates61 Min requirements: Windows 84/10 File size: 74.4018 This app uses your device's camera, keyboard or microphone to translate one language into another. You can also download language packs to use the app offline, +3 Route Z bitly/routez381 Min requirements: Windows 84/10 File size: 60M The zombie apocalypse is here, and you'll need to drive to survive in this fun action game. As well as escaping the zombie hordes, you eed to collect fuel and armour. 7 - 20 October 2015 27Ey] Best Free Software SYSTEM TOOL SODAT Privacy Protection Tool for Windows 10 www.privacyprotectiontool.com Min requirements: Windows 10 File size: 2.24MB [As we revealed in ast issue's cover feature, Windows 10 spies on you, sending all sorts of usage data back to Microsoft. Fortunately, you can disable many of the snooping features in the operating system, provided you know where to ook. SODAT is the latest in a long line of software developers producing solutions for managing Windows 10's privacy settings. Privacy Protection isn't the most advanced tool, ‘but it covers all the major bases. The software doesn't require installation and presents you with a list of options that you can enable or disable, including Webcam, Cortana, Location Tracking and Advertising ID. DATA MANAGER DiskBoss 6 www.diskboss.com Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7/8+/10 File size: 6.28 If you're worried about the current state of your hard drive, this program offers a wide selection of tools that can tell you more about it. DiskBloss can show you how much space you have remaining on ach disk, identify space hogs, syne content between folders, find files, find duplicates, bookmark locations and display a drive's SMART Gel-Monitoring, Analysis and Reporting Technology) status. You can benchmark your drive, change its label and more. The latest version of DiskBoss improves its support for Windows 10 and adds the ability to compare directories, detect all file system changes and export reports to a number of standard formats. There are 32- and 64-bit versions available. GADGET INTSTALLER 8GadgetPack 15 Bgadgetpack.net Min requirements: Windows 84/10 File size: 20.6MB. One of the most useful features in Windows 7 is, the ability to add floating ‘gadgets’ (widgets) to your Desktop. Options available include a clock, ‘a calendar, system monitors, app launchers and many more. Microsoft removed this feature from Windows 8 onwards, but if you're missing it, you can get it back by installing BGadgetPack. There ‘re more than SO gadgets available to choose from and a sidebar to store them in The latest version of SGadgetPack 15 improves Windows 10 compatibility and changes the look of the icons and sidebar to better fit in with the design of Microsoft's new operating system. Certain gadgets can now be displayed in high resolution, too. 28 7-20 October 2015Tae TriDNet bitly/triaset Min requirement: Windows XP/‘Vista/8/10 ile size: 32KB. ‘TiDNet isn'ta bad program, and it's useful for Identifying unknown files, but it's far from user- friendly. Fist off, you need to download and extract a separate RAR file set of definitions and have the NET framework installed While it's efficient at detecting thousands of different file types, it doesn't tell you how to ‘open them. © Firefox Hello =@~ BROWSER Firefox 41 www.getfirefox.com ‘Min requirement: Windows XP/Vista/7/8+/10 : ‘The latest version of Moailla's browser adds the ability to set a profile picture for your Firefox account and introduces instant messaging to Firefox Hello, the built-in communications tool Security has also been tightened. See page 7 for more information. Pee CL) OpenWith Enhanced | bitty/openwith3et Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/8/10 File size: 469K8, ‘OpenWith Enhanced is a superior version of the built-in Open With feature in Windows. Once installed, right-click any file you can't open and select Open With, Choose Default Program. The program will check its online database for | applications that have successfully opened that type of file and highlight any you've already installed. If you choose a non-installed one, yo be redirected to its official website to download it, Once you've chosen the right software, select ‘Always use the selected program to open this kind of file’ for Future instances, = VIDEO EDITOR Best Free Software [J ee fel) fa lee St SaaS 1 (Our new Free Software MagBook is packed with 148 pages of brillant ‘workshops, tios and advice ‘about every, program youll everneed. | Discover how to: # Replace Windows tools with better alternatives © Download free office tools that save you ge£s ‘©Clean your PC to mat fast as new ‘© Tweak your browser to unlock hidden features ‘Record free music and video trom any website Order The Definitive Guide to Free Software now from bitty/guidetosoftware | SYSTEM TOOL, EBOOK MANAGER VSDC Free Video Editor WinUtilities Free 11.45 Calibre 2.38 3.3.0 = hiylcomputing.com calibre-ebook.com bitiy/vsde381 Min requirements: E Windows XP/Vista/7/8+ File size: 29.4MB Min requirements: File size: 6.1MB, | This free tweaking suite | repairs, optimises and \VS0¢'s powerful program | lets you edit your videos into | home movies for free. The Updated version introduces ‘tweaks to the interface to = make it easier to use, and ‘adds improvements to the # audio and video tools. = Additional languages have been added, too. | version adds a number of | to the Process Security "y'in the web address is a lowercase ECR ey Windows XP/Vista/7/84/10 protects your PC. The new general enhancements and, bua fixes, along with updates database and language files. | Note that the letter after the Min requirements: Windows XP/Vista/7/84/10 ‘and Mac OS X File size: 67.6MB ‘The latest version of the popular ebook manager and viewer gains support for the new Kobo Touch 2 ‘ebook reader. It also adds more tools to edit the books you import into Calibre. There are two new icon themes and various bugs have been fixed. Frecommend free downloads at wwwfacebook.com/webusermagazine 7-20 October 2015 29(J Best New Browser Tools Preview social links before you open them Don't waste time opening links that don't live up to their "you have to see this!" promise; install the brilliant HoverCards for Chrome (bit.|y/hover38!) to see what to expect before you lick. This usefully shows you previews of content on YouTube, Reddit, Twitter, SoundCloud and more when you . hover your mouse over links, saving you opening a new tab ‘and spending valuable seconds viewing or listening to something of no interest. What's mor, i you click the link in the preview window, it opens the HoverCards sidebar, which displays useful Information such as how many times the content has been shared on other social sites and what people are saying about it Unlike similar extensions, it doesn’t pop up annoyingly as you move your mouse across ‘a web page; you need to hover for at least {a second before it springs into action. Stop YouTube blocking yo your ad blocker {As we reported in our news section last issue, many YouTube users have discovered that their ad blockers, including Adblock Plus and Block Origin, are no longer working on the site, which prevents them from skipping the lenathy adverts that run before some of the videos. If you're experiencing this problem, there's 0 simple workaround you can tryin Chrome, which involves removing the YouTube app that's affecting how your ‘ad blocker works Todo this, type chrome:apps into the address bar and press Enter to see all your installed apps. Right-click the YouTube app, select ‘Remove from chrome’ and restart the browser. You should now find that ads on YouTube Videos are automatically blocked or can at least be skipped, [regan eee eee The Force is strong with him, [WP] a recently discovered ancient Greek story was preventing wars 12 Monte The Force is strong wit 476k e Discard idle tabs to preserve memory For all its benefits, Chrome is one of the biggest resource hogs on your PC. especially because it uses a different ‘process’ and therefore additional memory, for every browser tab and extension you have open, Happily. Googles finally addressing this problem in the latest version of the browser, which includes an option to discard tabs automaticaly when you're running low on system memory. AS is often the case with Chrome's most Useful new features, the option is currently an ‘experimental one that you'll need to turn on manually. ‘Type chrome: fags into the address bar, press Enter and find the entry "Enable tab discarding’, Click the Enable Jume t to the relevant part of an online article if you've ever been bogged down by 2 long online article that strays way off topic, you'll appreciate a new Chrome extension called Twinword Finder (www twinword.com/tinder). Like an advanced version of pressing Ctri+F to find all instances of a word ‘on a page, this add-on lets you ent 2 Search term to jump directly to the relevant parts ofthe article, thereby bypassing the waffle. For example you search for flower in the Wikipedia entry for perfume, it wll highlight sections that mention plants, leaves, petals and so on, but not parts that deal with history terminology and chemicals (see screen grab, below). Because it relies on related keywords, Twinword Finder doesn't always work perfectly, but it certainly saves you a lot of skimming button, relaunch Chrome and, when you start to run out of memory, the contents of any idle tabs will be discarded. To. restore them, just click the relevant tab to reload the page. crete shores 30 7-20 October 2015Best New Browser Tools EJ This fortnight’s most useful tips and add-ons to help you get the most from Chrome, Firefox, Opera and more Get warnings about dangerous sites Barely a week goes by without another big website being hacked, which makes it hard to keep track of all the security breaches. To stay safe online, it's worth installing Cyscon Security Shield (bitIy/ cyscon38t), which alerts you if the site you're visiting has been hacked, Infected by Trojans and other malware; ors likely to steal your Seay personal data. It does so by displaying an unmistakable red = ‘warning in your browser, which ‘explains why the site poses a security threat and lets you click the "Back to Safety’ button to close it. The “data to detect the bad guys” is provided by security company Cyscon and its Phish Killer anti-phishing campaign. i's a great second line of defence and is unobtrusive on harmless sites, Pee etd Password-protect QO= re Facebook advertisers following you ‘One of the worst things about Facebook is that even when you're not using the site it follows your movements around the web so that companies can target you with adverts. Facebook Disconnect Git y/facebook381) stops this snooping by blocking requests from third-party sites to your Facebook account, while stil allowing you to use the social network. The add-en even shows you the number of trackers it's blocked on the current page, so you can see the extent of the problem. Facebook Disconnect uses very little memory = certainly much ess than a full-on ad blocker - and you can toggle it on and Off by clicking its toolbar button. Fett” Cacomaas— =| + revteo gn Close the current tab by pressing Delete We love a good keyboard shortcut and they don't come much simpler than the one added to Firefox by Delete Tab (bit Iy/delete3e, It lets you close the tab Atell us your favourite add-ons at www,facebook.com/webusermagazine you're currently Viewing simply by pressing the Delete or Del key ‘on your keyboard. This is especially useful if you want tohide the page you're looking at from somebody who's just walked up behind you. Once the coast is clear, you can reopen the tab by pressing CteltShifteT, Sadly, the add-on only works when the live tab is on the far left of your browser, but it's still a handy shortcut to have at your disposal Find a better qualit version of sn nage If you've found a great photo, but it’s to0 small topme ts Demo fey need the ee mse add-on (bit y/images38, which lets you right-click the picture and select ‘Search Google (UK) for this Image’ to find larger, better quality and alternative versions of the shot. Delete your history ean Knowing how to cover your tracks is essential in any browser, so here's how to manage your browsing history in Microsoft Edge. Either press Ctrl+H oF click the Hub button (the one with three horizontal lines), then the clock icon to ‘open your History. Here, you can choose to ‘Clear all history’ or just delete specific entries, Alternatively, select an option from the drop-down menu such as Last hour’ ‘Last day’ or Older ‘and click the x’ on the right- hand side to delete all pages within that timeframe, 7-20 October 2015 31[a] Best Free Apps@q@am App of the Fortnight | PRODUCTIVITY Google Keep bitiy/keepse1 Min requirement size: 26MB 108 8, Android 4.0 cose’ rant notetaing apo hes ven volute Rrchoturer sine 201 cuir fray _ Notation 05 oo Evert outa Kon tosureistoredin the Sout nich neon theres ie of sng your ots and vos aay he a Cost sco | Snedecor ol you toa Tho problem with | mary erga tose teat terete nen you x wrote in the not-s0~ | | distant past, but Ket lets you add labels and ‘colours to your notes to make them easier to sort and find ata glance. For each ‘entry, you can write continuous text or select the ‘show ‘checkboxes’ option to turn your notes into a functional to-do list. The app also lets you add images and create | voice memos, which is handy when you don't have the time ‘or inclination to write something down, Ifyou're worried you'll make a note and immediately forget ‘about it, Keep also has a "Remind me' feature that alerts you at the time or location of your choice. Like Gmail, its Archive ‘option helps you to tidy ‘away old notes without deleting anything, We've always loved Keep ‘and now that it's been made available on iOS, we're pleased that you can finally syne your notes ‘and to-do lists between Apple and Android 3 devices. a ES =+ a) Our rating Tk 32 7 - 20 October 2015 ‘MINI WORKSHOP. Create a note using Google Keep b boertnesecg sign into your Google account. Tap “Take a note’ Bor use the shortcuts to create a to-do list, take a photo Elor create a voice memo. From the note- taking screen, you ‘can change the entry's colour or acid label using the ‘appropriate icons. If you made a standard note, you can still turn it into a to-do list by tapping the menu button and selecting "Show checkboxes. “The menu also contains options to Archive, Delete or copy’ of your ‘To share an entry, tap the share icon Band enter the email address of the contact who you want to share it with ‘To set a reminder, select ‘Remind me’ Ed {and choose the date ‘and time or location for when you want to receive an alert.Best Free Apps This fortnight’s top free and paid-for apps for Android, iOS and Windows phones and tablets, and smart TVs TOOL Move to ios bitly/ movetoios381 Min requirements: Android 4.0 Size: 2.6MB Apple's new app, which makes it easier to move your data to a new iOS device, has outraged reviewers on the Google Play Store who feel that the ‘company is shamelessly poaching Android users. But if you've bought a ‘new iPhone or iPad, t's surely a good thing that you can move your photos, contacts and messages to the new device without much fuss, and we don't believe the app wil factor heavily in ‘your decision to choose one platform ‘over the other. In the interest of remaining unbiased, however, there's advice on transferring your data at wwwandroid — (a)g4sfa ‘com/switch if you're thinking of moving from 108 to Android, Ourrating ENVIRONMENT Plume Air Report bitty/plume3et Min requirements: ‘Android 4.0, 105 7 size: 39M8, Along with overcrowding | and traffic jams, one of the downsides to living and working in a city is the poor air quality. With this handy new app, you ccan check the latest air reports for your city, so you know the quality of the air that you're breathing and understand VIDEO EDITING Vhoto f : bit ly/vhotos61 Min requirements: iose size: 44M9 vhoto featured in Best Free Apps of Issue 356 (bitiy/ webuser356) thanks tots ability to extract the best still images from your video clips. It has since been updated and now lets you create animated GIFs from clips. When {you open the app, it asks whether ‘you'd like to import a pre-existing Video or shoot a new one before it Identifies and lists the clips “highlights If you're making a GIF, you can trim the automatic selections and change their speeds or, if you're extracting an image, you can use the ‘app’s photo-editing tools. a] fa] Voto then lets you save 3 your creation or share it wth friends & Our rating ob: TOROON if there's any risk to your health. Plume covers 19 cities across the UK (@s well as many more around the world) and its simple interface lets you quickly see the current pollution levels and compare them to the annual averages. By swiping right, it's also possible to check the levels of specific pollutants including ozone, carbon monoxide and particulate matter. By default, the app sends pollution alerts and there are also helpful shortcuts to checkif the current conditions are safe for cutdoor activities, Our rating ook ARecommend free phone apps at www.facebook.com/webusermagazine ROUND UP | Qt Spotify Music bitly/spotify381 Min requirements: ‘Android (varies with device), 10S 7 Size: Varies with device ‘k bites Spotity’s Running feature selects tracks witha tempo to match your ace, to motivate you to keep going. t was frst launched on iOS and is now available on Android, too. The feature works r onthe ree version of Laila) the app, but youll have toputupwithadvers. [Elf Receipt Tracker bity/receipt381 Min requirements: Windows Phone Size: 6.53MB, Developed by Microsoft Garage, this expen tracking app uses Optical Character Recognition to-extract information from your receipts so [a] 3EAfa] you can sort them by category and share x them via email a WHA by Work Hard Anywhere bitiy/workhard anywheres61 Min requirements: \os7 Size: 151 MB Laptops and smartphones make it ‘easy to work on the move, but it’s not always so straightforward finding a suitable work space. WHA finds you locations all over the worid that provide a reliable fay ‘connection along with a mains point you can plug into. a 7-20 October 2015 33Best Free Apps Ww BBC iPlayer for 10S bitiy/iplayerios381 Min requirement size: 281 MB TRAVEL Tripomatic Trip Planner bity/tripomatic361 Min requirements: Android 4.0 size: 14Ma ‘UPDATED. ios? BC iPlayerhas received # significant Update that takes advantage of 1059's picture-eplture vewing tet you use ether apps while you cach up on BEC content, Unfortunately the feature only an works on never Ibads, but using itis simply a matter of pressing the Home Tripomatic helps you get the most out of any trip by letting you explore the top attractions in more than 150 countries around the world. By simply tapping the plus-sign icon, you can create a new trip and start browsing the best sights, tours and places to eat button during playback. iPlayer for Android has also hada —_in the towns or cities you plan to visit. big update, introducing My Programmes -a menu that helps For each entry, there's loads of helpful info including advice you to find your favourite programmes and carry on fon how long you'll need to put aside for the activity and the watching where you left off. To use the Watching contact details for making @ booking. Once and Favourites lists, youll need to sign in or [ggIE] you've found something you lke, Tripomatic ets register an account with the app. For more info you add it to your itinerary, which shows the about the BBC's recently launched Mobile iPlayer f&f weather forecast for each day and also maps the beta programme for Android, see opposite page. time and distance between attractions, Our rating Jotoktok = Ourrating oto: Bias 6 NEW APPS WORTH PAYING FOR TOOL Swivel bit.y/swivelse1 Min requirements: Android 4.0 Javvy includes more than 150 bite-sized tutorials to help you learn Java, still the world’s most popular programming language. Two chapters come free with the app, but you'll need to spend £1.49 to unlock the remaining nine, Sizer 18 Price 77> Androl’ bultn rotation oc fay Too. limited in terms of functionality but, using Launch Centre Pro this handy, lightweight tool, you can set a bit.ly/launch381 Gea custom aretation or each app on Your Min aquirement: 0S 8 o- 8 Size: 40.2MB Price: £3.99 Launch Centre Pro speeds up everyday tasks by providing you with shortcuts for specific actions, such as calling a lovec one ortweeting your last photo. | @ a The app's widget makes it possible to device, be it portrait, landscape or auto. REFERENCE Wikilinks 3 bit.ly/wiklinks331 Min requirements: iOS 7 Slee: 20.2 Pree: £249 econ the shortets uct from any $ Winns Sisarevolutonery Wikipedia screen reader tht offers advanced features including the option to visually rediscover PHOTOGRAPHY our rovers bativeen aries [es Cameras Fre integrates YouTube into the ‘encyclopaedia, so that you can watch relevant videos without leaving the app. (with in-app purchases) bitsy/eamera3ei Min requirements: 0S 8 Size: 66.1MB PROGRAMMING fesse Price: Free (with in-app purchases) Jay =e. | Cameras Free is already more powerful bit.y/iavvysar than the iOS Camera app and, for a Min requirements: Android 4.0.3, iOS 7 mere £2.29, you can unlock al its Size: 15MB premium features including manual Price: Free (with in-app purchases) PE ELELL S| shooting and advanced editing, vis ‘an truth ete ro Camera Fee age Bete aya Bi mee bie 34 7-20 October 2015Kips TV Hopster TV and Learning Games bit.iy/nopsters81 Min requirements: Android 4.2, i056 Size: 149MB (Android), 570MB iOS) ‘The TY service for kids aged between two and six has been available on iOS for ages, and now it’s finally available for Android families to enjoy. Hopster's ad-free, high-quality programming includes popular pre-school series such as Bob the Builder, Thomas & Friends ‘and Paddington Bear. After watching an episode, your ite uns can play fun learning games based on characters and themes from the show, to make viewing less passive. These invalve matching shapes and colours, tracing letters and learning phonics, in an attractive Interface that's designed for your toddlers little fingers. Hopster costs £3.99 per month, after a seven-day free trial, and is planning to introduce the ‘option to download shows soon. ‘SD Cleaner bitly/sdeleaner381 | Best New TV Apps FILM& TV IMDb Movies & TV bit.y/imab3ai Min requirements: Android (varies with device), iOS 8 Size: 211MB. 231. Foyle War Rating 84/10 Votes: 7.742 The Android app for the Internet Movie Database isn't without its flaws - we particularly hate the clunky message boards - but this update fixes a few bugs to improve performance and adds Top 250 of TV shows, equivalent to the service's similar list for movies. This uses votes from IMDb users to determine the best TV programmes of all time, The feature isn’t yet available on the IMDb website (as far as we can see), so it's currently exclusive to Android ‘and is labelled ‘beta’. There's a pleasant mix of UK and US shows, including David Attendorough’s Planet Earth, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, | Love Lucy and even, somewhat unexpectedly, the saucy wartime sitcom ‘Allo ‘fo, Best Free Apps [i] Vv BBC iPlayer for Android bity/iplayerser Min requirements: Android 41 Size: 258 How would you like to help develop the next version of the BBC iPlayer? The Beeb is now recruiting volunteers to test the Android app through its new Mobile iPlayer beta programme. Just vist the link above to become a tester, then download the beta app to play around with it. It offers improvements to video playback and an integrated video player for catch-up shows that won't require the separate BBC Media Player app (although, you stil need this installed “for now"). You can then report problems and share your views by tapping the Feedback ‘option in the app. You need to be running Android Jellybean or bette, ‘and you ean opt out of the programme to return to the stable 'Player app. CU) SD Maid bit-ly/sdmaid3e1 Hf your SD card is brimming over with junk don't use this app to clean it or you could end Up losing some important files. What else are you supposed to make of the warning to "be careful with your music, pictures, video", and of the reviews that range from the obviously fake (Wow, best app | lever had!) to the brutally honest (Crap. Does nothing but freezes")? Not only is it Unreliable, but it's also very confusing to use. “Frecommend free TV apps at www. facebook.com/webusermagazine Min requirements: Android (varies with device) Size: Varies with device There are plenty of tools that clean up your Android device, but SD Maid is also designed to deal with the clutter that, accumulates on your SD card. It uses a charmingly named too! called CorpseFinder to seek out the detritus left behind by other apps, and lets you remove junk with a single tap. It also. offers several other useful features including a file explorer that shows all the files stored on your card and a search tool that displays the biggest files in order of size. Although some features are only available in the paid-for version, we love SD Maid's friendly interface and ability to carry out speedy and thorough clean-ups. 7-20 October 2015 35Everything you need to know about the most interesting new technology trends and events Flash is no longer the darling of the internet and is increasingly being seen as the enemy by many web companies. David Crookes explains why Flash is finished What's happened? Flash, the software that’s used to create and deliver online videos, games and adverts through a browser has had atortd time of late. Various technology companies have been warning people against using i, with some browser makers going @ step further and blocking it altogether. Many people believe that the final nals are now being hammered into Fiash’s cofin, Which companies are against Flash? YouTube led the way in January this year. axing Flash in favour ofits open-source rival HTMLS. In July, Facebook's newly appointed security chief Alex Stamos posted a damning tweet which saic "itis time for Adobe to announce the end-of-life date for Flash. Morita then temporarily blocked Flash inits Firefox browser and advised users not to activate it again unless they were on sites that they totaly trusted. Google and “Amazon have also given Flash a kicking by discouraging advertisers from using it a ‘Alex Stamos Itis time for Adobe to announce the end-of- life date for Flash and to ask the browsers to set kilts on the same day, ue =D Bast 36 7-20 October 2015 Bonsce ‘Facebook's security chief has tokd Adobe to altch Flash for good ‘Adiobe releases regular patches to solve security problems with Flash Wow. What has Flash done wrong? Some companies Say that Flash is @ powerhoo. so disbsing it optimises battery if on phones and makes web pages load fester on both desktop and mobile. ut the Bigger concern is Fash’s oor security and stability. The US website Computerworidcom counted @ Staggering 164 Flash bugs in 015 alone. What security problems does Flash have now? This summer, 40068-worth of documents were stolen from the servers of 8 controversial italian eyber-survllance company called Hacking Team. As wellas dealing Vulnerabilities of 1996-20157 ‘other systams, the files spelt out a security flaw in Flash that would allow hackers to gain access to people's ‘computers, It was s00n seized upon by malware writers as a means of stealing data, and the first of a new crop of Flash ‘exploits emerged within 24 hours. What has Adobe done to tackle these threats? Adobe was ~ and usually is - quick off the mark to issue patches that addressed the exploits. But by then a large number of threats exploiting the security flaw had already been unleashed and users who had not patched their version of Flash were left vulnerable, Adobe isa victim in this, but the event has caused an increased loss of confidence in the product Is this ny Google has blocked Flash adverts? Strangely not. Google said at the beginning of September that it was going to prevent the automatic playing of Flash-based adverts in Chrome to enable the faster loading of websites and to preserve battery life, The ads will now ‘only run if you click them: otherwise they will main frozen. Ths is significant because more than half ofall browsing is done through Chrome these days. ‘And what has Amazon done? ‘Amazon is no longer accepting Flash for the rendering of display ads on its ‘website. It says ths is in response to browser updates that limit Flash’s ad display capabilites. The last thing‘Amazon wants is for its customers to experience missing elements because their browser settings have blocked them So will it reduce the number of ads | see? Yes and no, According to Advertising Age Cbity/ ‘adage381), around 84 per cent of banner ads stil use ‘Adobe's technology so, inthe short term, a move away from Flash will have big impact. But in the long term, advertisers will probably abandon Flash in favour of HTMLS (indeed, Advertising Age advises companies to create Desktop ads in HTMLS), ‘Any Flash adverts that use Goosle's ‘AdWords system wil not be affected because AdWords now automatically converts Flash ads to HTMLS, killed oft my online experience? If you'd asked that question afew years ‘990, we'd have said that removing Flash would be akin to reading a newspaper With lots of stories cut out off But now, fever and fewer webstes are using Flash (figures show 10.3 per cent) and the rove away from the plug-in has been going on for some time. Back in Apri 2010, Apple boss Steve Jobs wrote along blog post explaining why Flash could not be viewed on an iOS Gevice, Since then, many web designers who feared losing vistors have reconfigured ther sites to be Fashress. Why didn’t Apple like Flash? Steve Jobs said he didn't tke Adobe ‘making Flash a closed systern (which is ironic, because that's exactly what most ‘Apple products are). He sald Apple preferred to use Javascript, CSS and HTMLS, He also said that Fash ct perform wel on mobile devices, had security issues and leeched the battery life of tablets and phones, Jobs concluded that Flash was ofthe “PC era” and not sulted to the mobile age. But don’t web users get a say? No, you just shut up! Only joking, but if ‘Occupy Flash (occupyfiash org) is ‘anything to go by, some people feel very strongly about ridding the world of the plug-in, The group calls it a “fossil” and states that the tech is “holding back the web Then again, Adobe itself has for a long time recognised the direction in which the online world is going: i itched support for Flash Player in mobile browsers in 2011, Join the Fight ‘Occupy Flash says Flash holds back the web and must be Is HTMLS a safer bet, then? Ina word, yes, HTMLS is open, it works well on mobile devices and it uses the language of the modern web. It's also more secure than Flash and is supported by more companies. In 2014, companies including AOL, Condé Nast, Google, the New York Times and Forbes put their names to letter written by the Interactive Advertising Bureau. It called fon marketers to abandon Flash and use HTMLS for their mobile advertisements, dubbing the latter the “one open, Industry-standard, universal format” What about all those Flash games, though? It's true that lots of great games have beon written in Flash and that denying access to them cuts off great swathes of ‘gaming archives. But the number of HTMLS games has risen massively - you can check out some ofthe best ones at htmiSgames.com and www kongregate ‘com/ntmiS-games. Games Lots of online games are now written in IMLS rather than Flash ‘So what should | be doing? IF you want to continue to use Flash make sure you have the latest version and that you patch it to stay safe from the countless exploits. if not, you should disable Flash in your browser (see instructions on page 48 of our last issue), Otherwise, use the offical uninstallers for PC at bity/flashpc38 and Mac at bit.y/ flashmac36l Foiscuss the death of Flash at forumwebuser.co.uk The death of Flash @) Dean all ‘Your access to several popul: | sites and services will be affected if you abandon Flash. | Here are three you'll have to | five without. BBC iPlayer | The Beeb claimed five years ago | that Flash “currently happens to be | most efficient way to deliver a high | quality experience to the broadest possible audience” and it continues | to.use it today (the fool!). However, | iPlayer uses an HTMLS-responsive design and works fine on iOS and | Android without Flash. | Zynga, which makes Farmville 2, has | already been showing players how to activate Flash Player if it has been | blocked by their browser. Many | browser-based games still rely on ‘Adobe's technology but the | numbers are falling. Developers ‘seem less likely to use Flash in the future, given the current shift awa Spotify | If you want to use Spotity in your browser and you don't have Flash, then you're out of luck. Although a | helpful message pops up prompting you to instal it and saying itis free | te do 50, using the app version on your Desktop or mobile device is much better way for music lovers to ‘get around the restriction, 7 - 20 October 2015 37covER FEATURE tse end gue us rom Ato B using Goose Maps: And ye witout ou data, Google would be worthless Ourlntermaton, rely ven, powers ana YouTube ot Ancol, but ou Google's recentansfrmatin inte Alphabet see 38 7-20 October 2015 Google's ambitions now stretch way beyond the web into every area of our lives. Robert Irvine looks at its latest weird and wonderful ideas to find out what the company wants with your data now ‘our FAG in Issue 379) confirmed that the company is no longer merely interested in ruling the web, but ‘wants to inflitrate every area of our lives, from our cars and homes to our health and dreams, merrily ‘gathering and using our data along the way. n this feature, we take a closer look at nine of its current projects - or ‘moonshots’ as Google prefers to call its barmier ideas - to find out if they're really intended to improve our lives or i there is @ more sinister purpose involvedSidewalk Ey eee What is it? ‘According to Larry Page Git y/larry381), co-founder of Google and now Alphabet, CEO, the Sidewalk Labs project will focus “on improving city life for everyone by developing and incubating urban technologies to address issues like cost of living, efficient transportation and eneray usage”. He indicated that Sidewalk Labs will tackle the increasing Interconnectedness of modern cites. Referencing the pioneering work dene by cities across the world, such as developing dashboards to visualise traffic patterns ‘and building tools for residents to evaluate city services, he stressed the need to treat the city not as.a series of services, but asa linked entity How will it improve my life? you lve ina city, youll doubtless agree with Page's assertion that “alot of urban challenges are interrelated” ~ for example, if you don't live near 8 late-night takeaway, then you can’t buy ‘kebab on your way home from the pub. Or, more seriously, “availabilty of transportation affects where people choose to lve, which affects housing prices, which affects quality of life’, Sidewalk Labs will allow Google to create a big-picture view of the many factors that affect city life, and “develop the technologies and partnerships you need to make a difference” What will it do with my data? That's a good question, and Sidewalk Labs has already raised privacy concerns - Google watches what we do Google envisions the city asa linked entity with interrelated challenges The New Google Exposed iN , sidewalk Sidewalk Labs takes Google off the web and puts iton the streets fon the web, and now it wants to watch Us on the street, too. And Page's use of the word ‘partnerships’ suggests that targeted advertising could soon be as much a feature of cities as grimy pavements and graft ‘The ‘cultural technologist’ Mara Bolestrini says she's concerned that "the role of a private commercial giant like Google in the collection and analysis of data that pertains to the public domain raises issues with regards to privacy, security and transparency. Citizens should have 100-per-cent knowledge with regard to what data is boing collected and how this data can be accessed and used, Should | be worried? Potentially, yes, although it's not yet clear exactly what data Sidewalk Labs will be collecting and how. The project wil initially be based in New York, 80 we'll see how the denizens of the Big Apple take to being tracked by Google. Ral HTN ‘What is it? Baseline Study might not sound very ‘exciting, but it's been described (oy the Wail Street Journal, bt.\y/wall38!) as Google's “most ambitious and difficult sclence project ever", and addresses something that affects us a the human body. It aims to help doctors predict the onset of diseases such as cancer and heart disease much earlier than is currently possible, and move medicine towards prevention rather than treatment. This 'moonshot' began last year when Google's X Lab (see boxout on page 41) started collecting bodily fluids including urine, blood, saliva and tears in a pilot study of 175 volunteers. In August this year, Google co-founder and Alphabet president Sergey Brin praised the lfe-sciences team that has been working on Baseline Study and other projects such as a cardiac and activity monitor, and a contact lens that monitors glucose levels in diabetics, ‘and said it will be spun off into a separate Alphabet company (bitly/ sergey38). i How will it improve my life? With hospital wating lists longer than ‘ever and the cost of pharmaceuticals rapialy sing (some cancer-drug firms fare doubling the price for NHS patients), the work being carried out for Baseline Study could literally save your if. The lf-sciences team, which includes software engineers, oncologists and optics experts, has already made several medical and scientific breakthroughs with the uitimate aim of transforming the way we detect, prevent and manage disease. t will do this by identifying ‘biomarkers ‘oF patterns that suggest evidence of disease, and by telling scientists the kinds of iologieal conditions that make someone a likely candidate for conditions such as high cholesterol > ‘Smart contact lenses aro used to monitor ‘glucose levels in volunteers What will it do with my data? Google says Baseline Study will collect data privately and anonymously, and it will only be used for medical purposes, not sold to insurance companies. Samples are collected by independent testing companies and stripped of any identifying details. This seems reassuring but the WSU says Google is collecting a “staggering amount of information about its anonymous ‘guinea pigs” (bit.!y/baseline381) to map. ‘each person's entire DNA sequence, and =a 7- 20 October 2015 39that of their parents, as well as how they metabolise food, how their hearts beat, and their oxygen levels Google says that itsintention is to make a contribution to science; not to generate a new product” Following the intial research last year, the next stage in Baseline Study involves a ‘Study Kit’ that lets volunteers submit data through Android and iOS apps, and a Chrome extension. These tools are now available through the respective stores, but you won't be: able to use them until the study takes ‘on more ‘guinea pigs, possibly by the end of this year. ‘Study Kt Volunteers can share thelr data with Google using the StudyKit apps and ‘ada-on Should | be worried? Participants may be slightly worried about what's being done with thelr data, but uniess you recently dispatched a container of your urine to Goosle, there's no need to fret. n fact, the biggest concern is whether well see the Implementation of Baseline Study’s research in our lifetimes, a) [la Loon What is it? Balloon-powered internet ‘might sound like pie in the sky, but Google has been testing its helium-filled broadband providers since June 2013, Project Loon balloons float 12 miles above the Earth to provide an internet network from the edge of space. Layers of wind allow Google's scientists to move the balloons, which measure 15 x 12 metres wide when fully inflated, into position. How will it improve my life? ‘The aim of Project Loon is to deliver high-speed broadband to rural and remote areas, and to get people back online in areas hit by disasters. Initial tests were made on the South island of New Zealand and the project recently ‘expanded to Brazil, California and Sr Lanka, Sadly, areas of the UK with slow broadband, such as Romney Marsh in Kent, are likely to be low on Loon's list of priorities, but you can sign up to be a pilot tester at www.google.com/loon/ Former Microsoft boss Bill Gates has WHICH COMPANIES MAKE UP ALPHABET? ‘main members at the time of writing Boston Dynamics Builder of ‘advanced robots, most ‘of which mimic ‘animal-like behaviour, suchas the. frankly terrifying Bigdog (watch itin action at bit y/bigdoo38). Google bought Boston Dynamics in December 2013, but it's currently unclear whether Alphabet will take control of Boston Dynamics or iit will remain a part of Gooste. Calico The California Life Company was the arm of Google concerned with 40 7-20 October 2015 Google is no more, at least not in the form we're used to. nits place is Alphabet, a conglomerate of companies previously under Google's control but now spun into separate entities under one umbrella company. Here are the combating ageing and associated diseases. It was founded by Google and Arthur D Levinson in 2018. Calico is one of the main areas of interest for Sergey Brin and Larry Page. Interestingly, Levinson - the current CEO - Is also chairman of Goosle’s arch-nomesis, Apple. Capital ‘A venture-capital fund, formerly called Google Capital, it focuses on companies in the late stage of growth, and only invests to make profit. If Alphabet starts swallowing smaller companies, it'll be doing it through Capital. A bit too ‘corporate’ to be of much interest to the rest of us, though. Deep Mind Now this is much more intriguing. Project Loon is bringing high-speed wireless internet ‘expressed cynicism about Loon’s life-changing potential: "When you're dying of malaria, | suppose you'll look up and see that balloon, and 'm not sure how itll help you", he told Business Insider in 2013 (bit. 'y/gates381). But maybe he's just jealous because he didn’t think of it ist. ‘Loon bafloons form a floating internet network on the edge of space Alphabet Deep Mind is Google's artificial intelligence and general-purpose algorithm-learning company. Founded in 2011, and bought by Google in 2014, the UK-based company has been hard at work behind closed doors. Beyond the hallucinatory Deep Dream project (deopdreamgenerator.com), which converts your images and videos into surreal artwork, i's largely a mystery what Dream Mind has been up to.What will it do with my data? Although conspiracy theorists may suspect that Google is using its balloons to suck up our data (or that of extraterrestrial web users) from space, there's no evidence that it's doing so Cat least, not yer. Should | be worried? No, but last month, one of the Loon balloons crashed into the front yard of a family in Chino Hills, California (bit. ly/ looncrash38i). Nobody was hurt, only an “innocent” palm tree that took the brunt of the balloon, aay (a9 Tango eee) What is it? Project Tango provides mobile devices such as tablets with the ability to navigate the world in the same way that we do as humans. By ‘seeing’ in 3D - by Using two cameras, two computer Vision processors and integrated ‘depth sensing’ - Tango tablets are able to judge space and movement more accurately than standard devices, without using GPS oF requiring a mobile signal Fiber Google Fiber (note the spelling) is @ US-only company, which Is known mostly for delivering fibre-to-the- home 1Gbps broadband, and helping low-income homes connect to the internet with a free SMbps package. Life Sciences This company isnt about researching health, like Calico, but understanding living organisms and biosciences, perhaps with a mind to help fuel Calico developments. See our Baseline Study write-up for more about th team and its work. Nest Labs Google's home-automation and Internet-of-Things company will remain largely the same under Alphabet, with Tony Fadell remaining as CEO. Nests known for creating a smart The New Google Exposed Project Tango adds another dimension to tablets - the ability to's How will it improve my life? Project Tango could prove very useful to people with sight problems, helping them to map their environment and get audio clues about their surroundings. ‘On a broader level, it could be used to ‘map your home s0 you know. for ‘example, the correct dimensions for new furniture when you're shopping conine or where to find particular products in high-street shops. Several apps have already been created using the technology and UK developers can now buy a Tango kit for £256 from bit\y/tango381. Google is also rumoured to be working with LG to produce consumer versions of Tango devices ‘What will it do with my data? Tango is designed to let “your virtual world interact with the real world in new thermostat, baby monitor and carbon-monoxide detector. Ventures This is another venture-capital arm of Alphabet but, unlike Capita, it invests mostly in start-ups. Ventures has always operated as a separate company to Google but many ‘companies funded by Ventures have | ‘gone on to be acquired by the search slant. i XLab The top- secret research laboratory, where all the #1 really cool stuff at Google has traditionally ; happened, and will continue todo so i at Alphabet. It's where Google Glass, the self-driving car and many other: ‘moonshots’ were born, and we're ‘excited to see what's coming next. nso ways", which inevitably raises privacy concerns - do you really want Google to know the exact layout of your home? Especially when the data gathered by devices could be used for advertising purposes as well as depth-sensing ones, Should | be worried? Possibly. Tango's desire to “extract intelligence out of a scene” sounds slightly worrying, but it isn't yet clear exactly how much detail it can collect and what it will do with that information, ON lgey(e) Auto See eat What is it? It may still be a few years until self driving cars go on sale, but Android Auto has already got Google on the road, Several new cars, including models from Hyundai, Honda and Volkswagen, are equipped with the technology, which allows you to access content and control features on your Android device without touching it, so you keep your hands on the wheel Android Auto uses a large, integrated dashboard screen, on which it displays ‘apps including Google Maps, Play Music, Hangouts, Spetify and WhatsApp, as wellas the Android Auto app itself. How will it improve my life? Although we're confident that Web User readers are far too sensible to use their Phones while driving, Android Auto will ‘Android Auto lets you view data from your phone on your dashboard 7-20 October 2015 41CHROMECAST 2 By the time you read this, details of the new Chromecast (www.google.co.uk/chromecast) will probably have been confirmed at Google's 29 September event, but our early press deadline means we can only speculate ‘on the second version of the popular streaming dongle. Rumours suggest the Updated device will look less like @ USB memory stick and more like a key fob, faster, 802.11ac Wi-Fi and a featur integration with soc Google has its own Play Music str If we're wrong about all of th launch event! make it possible to use all your favourite tools from your device while keeping your concentration on the road, Naturally. your car will need to be compatible with Android Auto, and your phone will need to be running Android 5 (Lollipop) or later, but we expect the feature to be offered as standard in vehicles within the next couple of years. What will it do with my data? Other than knowing exactly where you {90 and sharing that information with Google, nat a great deal more than your phone or tablet does at the moment. One of the downsides is that when you 90 offline, such as when you're driving through a tunnel, you won't be able to Use your apps, apart from simply accessing any data they've cached. Should | be worried? No, Android Auto should hopefully reduce the number of road accidents rather than cause more. Google is keeping tight control over the apps that work with the syster, so we're unlikely to get idiots watching Netflix on the dashboard as they speed up the Mi! Android Auto saves this couple from ‘arguing about directions 42. 7-20 October 2015 and include new features that make ita closer rival to Apple TV. Sources close to the project have suggested that the new model will have called Fast Play, which could either speed. up butfering or ‘pair’ the Chromecast more quickly with phones, tablets and PCs. It will also have “background feed” capability, which could mean rei -media accounts, as well as news and sport widgets. Interestingly, it’s rumoured that not only will Chromecast 2 let you listen to ‘music on Spotify, but that support for the musi added to the original Chromecast - which is a surprise when you consider that ! yming service. bove, blame Google for the bad timing of its be streaming service OnHub Cer coud What is it? OnHub is Google's frst WiFi router, builtin partnership with TP-Link, and it's smart in more than just its appearance. It supports the latest '802.Nlac wireless protocol, which means it can deliver super-fast speeds of up to 1,900Mbps, and is designed to cater to the ever-increasing number of devices inthe ‘Internet of Things How will it improve my life? AAs more ‘smart’ objects become available for our homes - from heating, lighting and security systems to kitchen, health and entertainment appliances = the OnHub will serve as a conduit to ‘ensure they all maintain reliable and speedy internet connections. It supports Up to 128 devices at a time, works with your existing ISP and can be controlled via a ‘Google On’ app on your phone or tablet. Reviews of the OnHub, which sive a price tag of $199.99 (E128), have mostly been positive, but it hasn't yet been confirmed ift willbe launched inthe UK. What will it do with my data? By connecting to all your smart devices, you'd be forgiven for thinking the OnHub could be used to spy on every ‘element of your life, However, Google insists that "the Google On app and your OnHiub do not track the websites {you visit or collect the content of any The OnHlub is Google's frst router, builtin partnership with TP-Link traffic on your network”, but merely gather data relevant to improving your Wi-Fi performance. Should | be worried? Nah, Several tech blogs have taken the COnHub to pieces to see if anything suspicious lurks inside, and found only lots of antennas, a speaker and other components listed by Google. (bit y/ onhub3st) ey a9 Wing Bee What is it? Is ta bird, is ita plane ors it Google's ongoing attempt to fy its own drones? Yes, it's the latter, although Wing briefly looked grounded after more than 80 per cent of the development team ‘agreed that it had “the wrong design’ (bitly/wrong38}). Although this ‘moonshot is essentially a rival to ‘Amazon's Prime Air drone-delivery service Gwww.amazon.com/primeain, Google says it originated as an experiment to deliver defibrilators to people suffering from heart attacks, and to get to supplies to people in disaster How will it change my life? Although Wing could still fulfil ts potential as a robotic paramedic, the likely Gand more commercial) benefit is that you'll be able to get products you order online the same day, without traffic or transport problems causing delays (only perhaps the odd bird). The first Project Wing drone was ‘scrapped for having “the wrong design”“Where's my flipping package, Google? asks 9 man holding on to his hat Ifyou run your own business, you can register your interest to get involved with the project at bit.ty/wing3. What will it do with my data? Nothing doday, we imagine, other than locate where you live so it can deliver your package. The original design for Project Wing was part helicopter, part plane. with a GPS unit in the nose and a ‘camera inthe tal, pointing towards the ‘ground. Although these features could potentially be used for spying, it would be pretty obvious unless the latest (as yet unveiled) Wing incarnation is invisible! Should | be worried? The main concern with drones is the potential for accidents. X Lab chief, the improbably named Astro Teller, says Wing craft are likely to be operated by humans to avoid collisions, but drone deliveries still need to get the approval of aviation authorities. aa ss ia What is it? As the provider of many popular mobile services - Search, Maps, oitubeandsoon-epernene Wl NEXT ISSUE The New Google Exposed surprising that it’s, taken Goosle so ong to launch its ‘own mobile network. Sort of, anyway, because Project Fi actually ‘plggybacks' on existing 46 networks and Wi-Finotspots to Project Fl offers you ive youhigh. secure connection to pier WI-FI hotspots seed data and voice calls wherever you go, without you needing to install additional apps. How will it improve my life? Well if you're already using a virtual mobile network such as GiffGaff, Tesco Mobile or Virgin Mobile, Project Fis unlikely to revolutionise your life, especially because it's currently only available on Google's Nexus 6 phone land in certain areas, However, it's Inevitable that Google will expand the service to include more devices and regions, and try to undercut its rivals. Plans currently cost from $20 (€12.90) pper month for unlimited calls and texts, plus an extra $10 (£6.45) for mobile data access. Fi launched in the US ‘earlier this year, but it isnt yet clear if or when it will each the UK. Ifyou own a Nexus 6, you can find out if Fis available in your area and request an Invite at f.google.com/signup, ‘What will it do with my data? Unusually, Fihas Google providing you with data rather than collecting it, and you'll only be billed for the amount of data you use. So if you pay $10 for an ‘extra gigabyte of data but only consume half of it, you'll get $5 back Should | be worried? Yes and no. Although Wi-Fi hotspots can prove a security risk, Google says fon the Fi website that "your data is secured through encryption. It's like your data has.a private tunnel to drive through”. However, Google has a history of "accidentally" collecting WirFi data through its Street View cars, which may make you wary of trusting it with your ‘actual Wi-Fi connection, Brotli Bryan Google's new compression format is named What is it? It's Gooale’s new, ‘open-source compression algorithm, Bratli (which means ‘small bread’ in Swiss German) is big news because it could speed up the wab by making fonts and images load much faster. According to Google: "we think that internet users' time is valuable, and that they shouldn't have to wait long for a web page to load! after @ small loaf How will it improve my life? As well as loading pages faster, Broth well reduce the amount of data anc battery life they consume, saving you time, money and hassle, In theory, that is, because it relies on web designers using the compression algorithm to ‘optimise thelr pages and on your browser supporting the format What will it do with my data? Nothing. it will compress data in the ages you view. Keep up! Should | be worried? Only if you have a gluten intolerance. Google seems to have a penchant for naming compression formats after Swiss bakery products (Brotls predecessor was Zopfli,a type of ‘braided bread). on sale Wednesday 21 October 2015 4 BCP LASSER eon) TEN UN ae eu nm Mut rs PLUS. 108 AD BLOCKERS We test the best new filters for iPhones and iPads @ TURNED ON OR OFF? ‘The pros and cons of leaving your gadgets plugged in (© SPEED UP CCLEANER Perform a faster, deeper scrub ofall your PC junk 7- 20 October 2015 43Best privacy add-ons for browsers Worried about advertisers and social networks tracking your movements on the web? Wayne Williams tests six tools that can help you block them Privacy Badger | bit.ly/privbadger381| *& exw FEATURES sotkkc: PERFORMANCE ioktck EASE OF USE wok What we like Privacy Badger is from the EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation), a non-profit corganisation that has 25, years’ experience of defending civil liberties and privacy in the digital world Privacy Badger is available for Firefox and Chrome, and blocks thousands of spying ads and invisible trackers. It sits Lunobtrusively at the top of your browser looking for snooping elements, and ‘automatically blocks any it detects, Clicking the icon displays alist of ad domains on the current site ~ sorted into those that track you and those that don't - with colour coded sliders next to each one. Initially, these sliders wil all bbe green, showing that they are Unblocked, but Privacy Badger will soon learn which to deny and which to allow, ‘and take action accordingly. You can also choose to block domains manually ~ either fully or partially (the latter just prevents the use of cookies). Social-networking buttons, which can bbe used to spy on your online movements, are replaced and marked fon the web page, whichis a great idea. We also lke the filter-settings page, which lets you choose what action to ‘take with potential tracking domains, 44 7 - 20 October 2015 You can whitelist domains you trust, and enable or disable social widget replacements, Privacy Badger can be disabled on any site, and you can report any sites that the add-on prevents from working, How it can be improved: There aren't a huge number of settings tottinker with, This makes it great for casual users, buta bit basic for anyone requiring greater control over what's allowed or disallowed. It would be Useful, too, if you could simply click the marker on a web page tore-enable a social widget that's been disabled. © OUR VERDICT ‘Trustworthy, accurate and easy to se, there's very little to complain about with Privacy Badger. It's an Intelligent piece of software that conly blocks domaine after justifying | that it needs to do so.Best privacy add-ons Disconnect Private Browsing | disconnect.me | kao FESS Tas FEATURES shits: PERFORMANCE ich EASE OF USE sh: What we liked: Disconnect can prevent sites such as Facebook Google and Twitter from tracking your activities and searches. Clicking its button in your browser displays the number of advertising, analytics, social and content requests that have been made, and lets you allow or block them. You can also whitelist or blacklist a site. You can see at a glance how much time and bandwidth Disconnect has ‘managed to save you, and the Visvalise Page option displays a graph that shows Which sites would have received your Information if the add-on hadn't blocked them. Hover your mouse over the central Circle to see the full list of domains that are linked to the current site in some way. Clicking any of the links in the list will open that site in a new tab, so you can find out more about it Circles, shown with a halo are ones you've Visiteds circles without a halo are ones you havent. Red sites are trackers, User which you can block or ome unblock by yuumemma inthe graph. ef How it can & n be improved: Li ‘We'd prefer i features on or off, but there. settings to tinker with. Also, certain advanced features are oniy avaliable in the pald-for Premium edition, ‘OUR VERDICT Disconnect does a great job and {you get a sense of satisfaction ‘seeing how much time and | bandwidth the add-on has managed | to save you by blocking trackers. ‘The Visualise page is excellent. Ghostery | www.ghostery.com | dokodko FEATURES ticki: PERFORMANCE tris: EASE OF USE sri: What we liked: Ghostery is available for all the major browsers Including Firefox, Chrome, Opera, internet Explorer ‘and Safari. As you browse the web, it identifies tracking ‘elements on websites, such as web bugs, and lists the companies that have an interest in finding out where you ge online. Clicking an entry provides information about the tracker, ‘and you can block itor allow it on that site. You can temporarily pause all blocking or completely whitelist a site. Ghostery has several settings to play around with, including the option to make certain blocked content ‘click to play’ (which is available in the Advanced. section). This means you can quickly activate blocked content, such as a video player, if you need to use it. How it can be improved: Ghostery is unquestionably very good, but we're not keen on some of its recent additions. A new Consumer Messaging Platform that allows Ghostery to display promotional messages in your browser isenobled by dlefault. can cuichly be disabled tinder . Options avanced but we'd prefer it Sam to be opt-in. Ei ‘Also, when you fst install Ghostery youll be shown a survey asking for Bersonal information, including tmployment status, age, sex and so on ‘You can easly close this tab and ignore the survey, but it would be beter iit cicint open itin the first pace. OUR VERDICT GGhostery is a very good privacy add-on with plenty of options and a configuration wizard that walks you through the setup. It would be better if it didn’t automatically opt you into promotional messages and a survey, though Poiscuss privacy add-ons at forumwebuser.co.uk Adblock Plus adblockplus.org ‘The popular Adblock Plus extension removes the majority of annoying adverts from websites; you just install it and browse as norma. However, © if you take the time to choose » ‘and configure the filter list, it ‘can also prevent web bugs and tracking scripts from recording your personal details as you browse the web. AVG PrivacyFix www privacyfix.com [ANG PrivacyFix is a browser add-on for Firefox and Chrome that can ‘check your privacy settings across various websites including Facebook, ‘Twitter, Google and Linkedin, and let you uickly make changes to them ifitfinds potential weak areas, it will take youto the settings so you can make the required changes. it doesn't make the changes for you, but rather leaves things in your hands. For a bit of fun, the site estimates your worth to the major social sites. ‘AdBlock ‘getadblock.com Not to be confused with Adblock Plus, this add on for Chrome, Firefox and Safari will block all adverts ‘automatically, although you! can choose to allow certain types, and whitelist your favourite YouTube channels. You can see at a glance just how many ‘ads have been biocked to date. ‘There are additional filter lists available that will allow it to block social media buttons and protect your privacy. 7 20 October 2015 45Make the web easier to read AA on your phone Mobile screens are bigger than ever, but it can still be difficult to read web content on your phone. Here, we explain how you can make everything more readable and reduce eye strain Adjust your phone’s zoom levels You can use pinch gestures to aust the size ofthe text you went to read on oer bitte Can be Aly ape seer tice areca ee ie efecto Perea cteenr eee erie e) magnify and move around text, to make TnOS, go to Settings, Accessibilty Zoom and fick the Zoom switch to On Tis il lplay an carcereen rape iecer teste eaters ete eeeertee Sere eine ieee eal SSS © Zoom magnifies the entire screen: Zoom Follow Focus. ‘Smart Typing ‘Show Controller —,__ In Android, you can find a similar feature by going to Settings, Accessibility and activating ‘Magnification gestures’. This lets you 200m in and out by triple-tapping your screen, and move the page around Using two fingers, 46 7-20 October 2015 Increase the size of onscreen text Both iOS and Android have built-in ‘options for increasing the size of the displayed fonts. You can choose to Increase them fractionally or ‘super-size them to make them massive. It's very ‘easy to set the size you want but, unfortunately, your preference won't always make a difference if the website or app isn't mobile-triendly. However, {ts stil worth a try In iOS, tap Settings, Display & Brightness, Text Size and drag the slider to the right until you get to the size you want. If that’s still nt big enough, go to Settings, General, Accessibility and tap Larger Text. Turn Larger Accessibility Sizes to On, then drag the slider to the right. System File Checker Utility JAMIGenai here ~ normally you'd have to use the command prompt, This has new settings for Windows 10. if you want to shut hich the software opens for you. lif it doesn't work, an down Windows’ communication with Microsoft, tick all ‘extra tool can help fix problems with your Windows files, which the boxes. Otherwise tick the ones that bother you or that you you can run by clicking Repair Windows System Image. ED don't use, such as Cortana El or the Password Reveal Button. 3 You can also run the System File Checker Utility Ed from A Click Security & Privacy, El then select the Privacy tab. @ 54 7-20 October 2015Workshop 2 10) a ANDY SHAW says IF youre not sure what a tweak does, hover your mouse overt. The section atthe bottom, which Usually says There's nothing to show right now should change into a tool ip expiring what the tweak wil do, although isnt avalabo fer ll the tip, I something Goes wrong, use your restore point to go back or click the Restore Defaults button then cick Apply. the right-click context menu, so that they can be quickly launched from the Desktop. Select Context Menu. EB then {90 to the Modern Apps tab. EJ Tick any apps you want to access and click the Apply button. ED 5 You can add some of Windows 10's new apps directly to Disaster ohn Select the Desktop Context Menu 2 tab. EV A new Drives section lets you add shortcuts to individual drives to your right-click menu, Choose the drive and its position on the menu, then click Add. EI Click Apply at the bottom of the page. To remove a drive, select it again and click Remove. ED aa ‘There's a new Windows 10 tab BBin the Customization section, EI You can make changes to the Power Menu, Ed remove animations from the Start menu (to speed it up), and tweak the items that appear in the Quick Access: section of Explorer. 9 The Additional section Eis worth taking a look at. You ‘can change how the icons display in the Notification Area, BB acjust the with of scroll bars, El and make changes to hide your PC and its files from your local network. AGet more practical advice at forumwebuserco.uk to change the Logon screen, where you select which user ‘account to load, The lst of Tweaks EB lets you set options, such as forcing users to type in their names for added security, {and you can add a message to the logon screen. ED 8 The User Accounts section B¥ contains tools you can use Under the Ultimate Windows Tweaker Options and tick Automatically Start When Windows Starts. El ‘Alternatively, ad it to your right-click menu Eto launch it from there, We've got more right-click tricks on page 64, 10 If you like to regularly tweak your settings, look 7- 20 October 2015 55Workshop 3 Reduce your mobile data usage load faster and you use less mobile data, The app has recently been updated to introduce a new mode that offers effective compression withaut compromising the way oO pera Mini for Android compresses web pages so they ‘pages appear in the browser. In this Workshop, ‘we show you how to apply different levels of ‘compression and track your data savings, and introduce you to the browser's other useful features. Opera Mini: bit.ty/operamini381 | ¢) 5 mins | iff Android (varies with device) —~h + Hone c GING 0 tow sue toe Download and run (Opera Mini Load a website, then tap the ‘Opera icon. Bit shows the percentage of data usage you've saved EI compared to what you would have used ‘on another browser. The app uses Extreme mode EI by default, which offers the best savings, although it ean also cause pages to load Incorrectly, ae by dete the mage Seen © mode is set to"High el gps apse Bee eee) your cata soins tron by F |=09 The supplied manual guides you through the process of setting up the WeatherRanger. You need to install the wind vane, E¥ mounting pole El and batteries, El then erect the weather station. The kit comes with a Thermo- Hygrometer-Barometer Transmitter for Indoor use to measure inside ‘temperature, humiclty and pressur ‘Once everything isin place, connect the display console to the mains and wait for it to synchronise with the indoor and outdoor transmitters. The screen shows weather Information including wind speed, EB pressure El and rainfall. EI Use the buttons underneath @ to change the settings. Fsubscribe to Web User at subscribe.webuser.co.uk ‘The console is configured to ‘automatically send real-time data to Weather Underground. Sign up to the website to get a password and station ID, then click the Setup button fon the console. Use the buttons to select Weather Server and go into Setup. Enter your Station ID Ed and, Password. 7 20 October 2015 593ookstore This 148-page book is the only guide you need to use Microsoft's new operating system. 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BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON Pret to The Raspberry JR 9) | | Inthe 164-page [~ The Definitve | GOORt Piis the incredible = || | Guide to ra £20 British ™ Google Hidden computer that’s Tools, we itt Rae taking the the lid on. world by storm. It’s ideal Google's most popular tools for children of all ages to with more than 430 ways to experiment, play games make them more efficient, and learn valuable skills. useful and tailored to We've updated this your needs. These include 148-page book for 2015 clever add-ons for Chrome, to include instructions amazing free apps for on mastering the new Pi Android and stunning sights models (A+ and B+), in Google Maps. BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON‘The WunderStation app isa great way to ‘gather and view your station's readings your station's status. We show you how to register your weather station with ‘Weather Underground in our Mini Workshop below. Other weather sharing sites Wile Weather Underground is arguably the best pace to share and viow data from personal weather stations, t's not the only site ofthis kind. PWS Weather Grune pwsweathercom) brings together data from local weather stations. Theres a docent selection Iisted in the UK ands you can easiy add your own. The Met Office also has asite that shows data from connected weather stations. WOW ‘Weather Observations Website) at wow metofice govuk colour codes al the dations, vo you can wee the temperature around the Uk at a glance, You can also switch layers to get a pleture of other woather conditions sch asranfal, wind speed and direction, humichty, snowfall and weather impacts. The Met Office has its own site to gather information trom personal weather stations ‘You can enter manual observations on the site without logging in, but you'll need to create a free account to connect your own weather-monitoring hardware and have updates submitted automatically. Ifyou want to share weather data on the web, you'll need to make sure your PWS has software that is compatible with the site you're planning to connect to, The Aercus Instruments products mentioned previously, for example, use WeatherSnoop ) HAT DO YOU USE WHEN SKYPE IS DOWN? Hangouts (hangouts google.com) I's a better app by far. Jason ‘B02’ Bowyer ‘A phone! We only use Skype to talk with my son's Nana and 99 per cent of F time we give up and use the phone because the video quality is so poor. Dave MeAlister © cjorca/stor | discovered Facebook Messenger (httosi//en-ob.messengercom) has a Video-call option, so use that to connect with my family. Sandie Fisher I tried using Skype months ago and couldn't get it to work. Inow use Facebook Messenger, Hangouts, WhatsApp or just my plain old telephone to communicate with those far away. Peter Fitzsimmons ive abroad and use Skype every day, especially when I'm calling phones that are not online. Luckily it's not ‘2 problem contacting people on ‘mobile phones because apps such as WhatsApp and Viber (wivwviber.com) exist Emanuele, Web User Forums 7- 20 October 2015 73A Page 404 Try a clean install before you send hardware off to landfill, urges Barry Collins Don’t waste your gadgets, just wipe them ty now lveinasociety feeling the strain ofthe 40-odd games the day we bought ft, because each new that's as disposable as @ installed oni - almost all of which. version of Android i litle more Used tissue. Cinging to barged ther wey into Android's demanding, but it's not ready for landfil perfectly tnctonal notifications menu so that they could yet ether. A1Seminute clean-up was al hardware unt it breaks, instead of try and sell my That was required to instontly replacing when anew model fve-yearolda batch ; bring lt bock tif. comes out, now marks you out as of tokens for $50 a GE we dont put up The same is true of Something of aweirdo rather than @ pop, as wallas and make do, we ship Pcs. admiteaty, sensible. frugal type. robbing the tablet of Windows reinstall wil Tye seen thistrensformation in my somemuchrneeded Ut. and move On WY corny take longer own famiy. When Iwesakid, wehed memory than a quarter ofan the seme Sony tally for well over 8 With the tablet borely functioning hour, butin my experience i's Generally dlacade. There was nothing wrong with under the weight ofthe dross, worth the hassle and it wil save yous itso there wosmoreed to replace. performeda factory reset, clearing fewhundred quid. I's even easier on Now. my dad's been through three sets everything off and returning the tablet Windows 8 and 10, which let you inthe past 10 years. At the fist sign of a to the sprightly state it arrivedin two refresh your PC by uninstalling all the laptop or tablet starting to slow down, years ago. Afew Androvd updates later, potentially troublesome software while he's on the phone asking me to and we hed a perfectly usable tablet retaining all your personal fies. The recommend anew one, We don't put un once more. tsnot quite as nimble as whole process can be completed inas and make do, we ship ui fut and move on. it leaves a file on your The attitude has Desktop listing al the Infected the younger software applications members of Clan that it’s removed. Just Collins, too. A couple make sure you've got of weeks ago | came discs, installers and downstairs to find my five-year-old daughter repeatedly tapping the screen of her mum's Android tablet. “It's crashed again,” she sighed. "We need 2 ‘Actually, we don't, We just need to sort ut the one we've got. Android tablets are like Windows PCs: load them with enough apps end they eventually clog up and struggle lke a Biairite trying to accept Jeremy Corbyn, My oor Nexus 7 must be eas 10 minutes and serial numbers for all the apps you want to keep on your PC before you start the process, (or you will end up volleying it into the wheelie bin I dread to think how much perfectly serviceable hardware ‘ends up in landfill, because people foolishly assume that their phone, tablet or PC has had it, when all itneeds isa wipe. I's the hardware manufacturers who clean up when we can't be bothered to, 74 7-20 October 2015 Fo you agree? Let us know at webuser(@dennis.co.uk® Cluster’ - eae a Ll dali EV ated iu | Cl 100% guaranteed Smart SSDstorage bret Eo ys) Ty AUG Tal a Gy (} certificates FE Uata yf call0333 0142708 or visit fasthosts.co.uk/hosting r< fasthosts ) SS ee ume eae ncaa Te