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Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 3

 Contents
3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

6 News Ofcom proposes ban on inflation-

Broadband and mobile? Not at any price
linked price rises
p6
10 Question of the Fortnight Will the
confusion over ‘fibre’ broadband finally end?

11 Protect Your Tech

Fake parking apps on Google

12 Letters Extending Windows 10 support

‘lets genie out of bottle’

14 Consumeractive
Can Dyson wait 35 days to refund me?

16 Grow Your Family Tree

Search ANZAC records online

18 Best Free Software

Vivaldi 6.5 CyberPower Infinity Gaming PC
21 Named & Shamed p22
HP Smart app arriving univited on Windows

Reviews
22 CyberPower Infinity Gaming PC
Powerful PC takes the fast lane

23 Chuwi Corebox 5th

Mini PC will please Windows shoppers

24 Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 Laptop

Affordable laptop but hardly inspiring

25 Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2023)

New streamer puts you in the picture Chuwi Corebox 5th

26 Honor Pad X9 pxx p23

Budget tablet relinquishes power

28 Cherry KC 200 MX
Versatile keyboard with a deft touch
Edifier QD35
Speaker lights up your listening

29 Ring Outdoor Camera Pro Battery

Security camera is satellite years ahead

30 Buy It/Competition
Win a Kanto Audio ORA desktop speaker

4 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 Subscribe now – and save 30%
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Workshops & Tips Back chat p35

35 
How to… Back up your WhatsApp
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38 
Increase your photos without
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40 R
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your cursor over them

42 Browser Tips
Run a thorough Chrome Safety Check

44 Phone and Tablet Tips

Make highlight videos in Google Photos

46 Make Windows Better

YOUR
Reset your graphics driver
CO
FEATVER
47 Make Office Better UR
P50 E

TOP 20
Snooze emails so they arrive later

48 In the Club

PROGRAMS
Share a 2024 calendar with members

49 What’s All the Fuss About?

REVEALED!
Freely

50 COVER FEATURE
Your top 20 programs revealed
We run down the software Computeractive
readers downloaded the most in 2023 and Thousands of readers LOVE this software –
explain how to master them and YOU WILL TOO! It’s all 100% FREE!
60 Beat 2024’s price rises

BEAT
Inflation-beating tips on how to avoid
paying more for your tech services

62 Keep your Ethernet faster than Wi-Fi

2024’s
How to make sure your wired connection
is always quicker than your wireless signal
and what you should do if it isn’t

64 Problems Solved

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71 Reader Support How do I add

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72 Jargon Buster

74 Easy When You Know How

Robert Irvine holds a conversation with AI
RISES p60

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 5

 News The top stories in the world of technology

Ofcom proposes ban on

inflation-linked price rises
O
fcom is proposing a The ban follows a review
ban on broadband and by the regulator that found
mobile mid-contract inflation-linked rises are
price rises that are linked to causing “substantial amounts
inflation. It said that companies of consumer harm”.
must tell customers when It brings to an end the
they sign up how their current practice of providers
monthly bills will increase in stating in contracts that
future, and on what date. prices will rise by the rate of
inflation plus a set percentage
WHAT WE THINK – which in recent years has
been around 3.9 per cent.
This is a welcome change, With inflation reaching It said the number of them fully and find it difficult
but it’s important to note that double digits early last year, it customers on these contracts to estimate what the impact
it won’t stop mid-contract meant many companies hit would increase soon because could be on their payments”.
price rises. Instead, it forces customers with rises of over 14 Three and Virgin Media are
companies to tell you what per cent. Increases in 2024 are planning to introduce them. Complaints more
those amounts will be in expected to be around nine Yet most customers don’t than double
“pounds and pence”, to quote per cent. Because these understand how these contracts Anger over mid-contract
Ofcom – and when they’ll increases are stated in the work, Ofcom claimed. Only 16 increases has increased in the
apply. This certainty means contract, customers can’t per cent of broadband customers past few years. Ofcom said it
providers can’t link increases cancel without paying an and 12 per cent of phone users received more than 800
to future rates of inflation. early-termination fee. were “both aware of the price complaints about price rises
However, while it’ll help you Ofcom’s research found that rise and able to identify that it in the year to October – almost
budget for price rises, we 40 per cent of broadband was inflation-linked with an double the number in 2021.
worry about any unintended customers (11 million) and additional percentage”. Ofcom acknowledged that
consequences. Providers will over half of phone users It also found that even when competition has meant that
have to be transparent, but (36 million) were on contracts people do consider inflation- average prices have actually
that doesn’t mean price rises with inflation-linked price linked price rises when fallen in real terms in the past
will be lower or less frequent. rises (see www.snipca. choosing a contract, they five years, and that services
com/48685). often “do not understand have improved. It also said it
realised providers had to cover
the cost of heavy investment
380,000 HOMES NOW ON SOCIAL TARIFFS in their networks.
Around 380,000 households Its research showed that 30 with fixed broadband to buy But it warned that confusing
are now signed up to a per cent of UK households – their services as part of a price rises were undermining
broadband or mobile social around 8.5 million – struggled bundle. Its analysis found customers’ confidence to shop
tariff. This is a rise from 220,000 to afford their communications savings of between 17 and 34 around, and therefore
in 2022, Ofcom said in its latest services in October 2023. This per cent. But prices for SIM-only harming competition.
report on consumer affordability. is double the figure in April services offering between 1 Ofcom will consult on the
However, it added that only 8.3 2021, though shows a slight and 10GB of data increased by changes and publish its
per cent of the 4.6 million eligible drop from 32 per cent in 23 per cent, partly as a result of decision in the spring. It plans
households have signed up to October 2022. low-cost companies removing to introduce the new rules
a social tariff, while just over a Ofcom also found that it’s some services. Read the report four months later.
half aren’t aware they exist. usually cheaper for people at www.snipca.com/48686. • Beat 2024’s price rises –
see page 60

You’ll like this… but not this…

Netflix has revealed its most watched UK “ransomware epidemic” is driving up
shows of 2023 (www.snipca.com/48690) inflation (www.snipca.com/48687)

6 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

EE TV replaces BT TV and IN BRIEF

adds Apple TV+ MICROSOFT PROMOTES

ACCESSIBILITY TOOLS
Microsoft has highlighted

E E has launched three new

TV boxes to replace BT TV,
giving you access to terrestrial
all the new accessibility
tools it added to Windows 11
in 2023, writing a blog post
channels and streaming (www.snipca.com/48700)
services, as well as Apple TV+ to mark International Day
for the first time. of Persons with Disabilities
Apple TV+ comes on a 4K in early December. New
box as part of your subscription. features include live
It has the EE TV app captions and more natural
pre-installed, so you can voices for Narrator. Microsoft
watch live TV through your says these make Windows
Apple TV (see main picture). 11 the most inclusive version
The other two devices – of the operating system
called EE TV Box Pro (pictured ever.
below) and EE TV Box Mini – Pro lets you record up to TNT, Netflix and Apple TV+,
both contain the same live 600 hours, on four different and change these every month. GOOGLE AXES
and on-demand TV apps, channels simultaneously. New EE TV subscribers will ‘MOVIES & TV’ APP
including BBC iPlayer, ITVX, The Mini has no record get six months of Apple TV+ Google will shut its ‘Play
Amazon Prime Video, Netflix function, but you can pause for free. Movies & TV’ app on 17
and Discovery+. EE said that and rewind shows on both. Customers who choose any January and move all
Disney+ will be added soon. Packages start at £18 per of the three boxes will get a content you’ve bought to
The main difference month for sports channels, second Mini box for no extra YouTube or Android TV.
between the boxes is that the rising to £20-£30 for charge to use in a second room. It has already removed the
entertainment (box sets, For more details and app from smart TVs and
films) and £76 for everything full costs visit EE’s site: Roku devices. Google said
(‘Full Works’). www.snipca.com/48676. that the move will “simplify
You can pay for individual
subscriptions from NOW,
• Will Freely replace
Freeview? Page 49
how you purchase new
movies or access the movies
and TV shows you’ve
purchased”. Read more on
One-touch broadband switching its Android TV Help site:
www.snipca.com/48701.
delayed yet again
TOMORROW’S
P lans to let you switch
broadband quickly
with just ‘one touch’ have
new provider will handle
every aspect of your switch,
including asking your old
WORLD
This blurred blob might
been delayed yet again. provider for your final bill. look like mashed potato,
A system to let you switch This process already works but it’s actually a human
easily between cable when moving between brain ‘organoid’ made from
networks, such as between providers that are on the stem cells. It’s sitting on a
BT Openreach and Virgin Openreach network, such as circuit board, which feeds
Media, was due to be BT, Sky, TalkTalk and Zen. it information and reads its
introduced on 14 March. But Ofcom wants to make it responses. US scientists
But the One Touch easier to switch providers that made it identify people by
Switching Company (TOTSCo, are on different networks, voice and predict complex
https://totsco.org.uk), which such as from BT to Virgin maths problems. Read
is in charge of implementing Media – or vice versa. more at www.snipca.
the change, says it won’t be At its fastest, OTS should Ofcom slammed the com/48698.
ready by then. mean you can switch within latest delay as “wholly
It claimed that there’s just one day “where unacceptable”. It threatened
“insufficient time to complete technically possible”, instead to use “the full force of our
industry-wide testing and of 10 as currently. enforcement powers on
trials before the planned TOTSCo had already missed behalf of customers who
go-live date”. the original deadline of April have been waiting far too
Under the One Touch 2023. It announced the March long for a simpler way of
Switch (OTS) scheme, your 2024 deadline last August. switching”.

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 7

 News
IN BRIEF Israel-Hamas war tops
AVIRA TO FIX WINDOWS
FREEZING BUG
2023 Google searches
Avira is working on a fix to
stop its antivirus software
causing Windows PCs
T he war between Israel
and Hamas was the most
searched-for news item on
to freeze. Affected users Google in 2023.
have said the only solution Second was the implosion
currently is to uninstall Avira on the Titan submersible in
and boot their PC into safe June, which killed five people
mode. Avira users should as they searched for the
look out for an update and Titanic wreck. Third was the
install it as soon as it arrives. Turkey-Syria earthquake in
Check Avira’s site for the February.
latest version number of Google revealed the results
the software: www.snipca. in its ‘Year of Search’ report
com/48689. for 2023, which are based on
“search terms that had the
CHANNEL 4 STREAMING highest spike this year when Friends actor Matthew Perry the arrows next to ‘Global’ and
NOW ON SKY Q compared to the previous year”. was the most searched-for scroll down.
Channel 4’s streaming The top searched-for person celebrity death, while Barbie Google hasn’t revealed the
service All4 is now on Sky Q, was American Footballer topped film searches. top news stories for the UK,
giving you full access to all its Damar Hamlin, who had a You can see the top global but its results show that ‘When
content. It was already cardiac arrest during a game searches by visiting www. is the Coronation?’ was the
available on Sky Glass and in January. He has since snipca.com/48657. To narrow most asked question, ahead of
Stream. It lets you watch recovered and is playing again. your search by country, click ‘When does Love Island start?’.
shows across different The top three searched-for
devices, and has a ‘My List’ people were Huw Edwards,
option for saving favourite
UK’S MOST SEARCHED PEOPLE OF 2023 Phillip Schofield and Russell
shows. Later this year 1 Huw Edwards 6 Tommy Fury Brand (see left for top 10),
Channel 4 plans to introduce 2 Phillip Schofield 7 Harry Kane (pictured) while the Rugby World Cup
Live Restart on Sky Q, letting 3 Russell Brand 8 Gary Lineker was the UK’s top sporting event.
you watch shows from the 4 Andrew Tate 9 David Beckham To see previous lists, click
beginning if you’ve missed 5 Mama Cax 10 Jeremy Renner ‘2023’ at the top right and
the start. Read more at scroll down.
www.snipca.com/48692.

THE WORLD’S Openreach now halfway to budget – and that’s thanks

to a supportive policy
GONE MAD!
25m broadband target environment which has led
This puppy to huge investment and
is too cute
to save
the planet,
O penreach
has reached
halfway in its
in rural areas.
It claims to be
connecting around
competition throughout
the UK’s telecoms sector.”
Selley vowed that after the
it seems. plan to install 60,000 new premises 2026 deadline Openreach
Scientists fibre-to-the- every week, or one would continue its work to fit
at Milan University called for premises (FTTP) every 10 seconds. 30 million premises by the
more varied emojis to “foster broadband to Clive Selley, end of the decade.
appreciation for the diversity 25 million homes and Openreach’s CEO, said that Meanwhile, Openreach has
of life on Earth”. They want businesses by the end of 2026. the company is “building announced 142 new locations
microorganism emojis, More than 20,000 medical faster than any operator I’m where it will install FTTP
such as tapeworms and facilities and care homes aware of in Europe” (see broadband, covering 1.4
nematodes, as well as are among the 12.5 million www.snipca.com/48674). million homes and businesses.
plants and fungi. They premises now connected to He added: “This is a national Areas include Bromley,
even published academic gigabit speeds, it said. The infrastructure project that’s a Clydebank, Great Yarmouth,
research to make their point: figure also includes 18,000 genuine success story. We’re Portsmouth and York. See
www.snipca.com/48688. educational buildings and delivering engineering on an the full list at www.snipca.
more than 3.6 million homes epic scale, on time and on com/48675.

8 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

You could get £1,800 in class IN BRIEF
lawsuit against phone networks CHARACTER COUNT
COMING TO NOTEPAD

M illions of UK phone
owners could receive
payouts after a class legal
by Gutmann’s team,
while Three declined to
comment.
Microsoft is adding a
character count to Notepad in
Windows 11 (pictured), similar
action was launched His claim is seeking to the word count at the
against EE, O2, Three and damages of more than bottom of a Word document.
Vodafone for allegedly £3bn. Gutmann estimates It has appeared in a preview
overcharging customers. that affected customers version of Notepad, available
Justin Gutmann, a could get up to £1,823 to Windows Insiders, and
former Citizens Advice each in compensation, should be added to the full
executive, and law firm though this figure could version soon. Read more at
Charles Lyndon claim despite the fact that customers be much higher for customers www.snipca.com/48643.
that the UK’s four largest had already paid for their who had contracts with more
networks abused their market phones. than one firm.
dominance by charging a “I’m launching this class In total some 28.2 million
‘loyalty penalty’ that left action because I believe these contracts could be affected
existing customers paying four mobile-phone companies from 2007, he says. All
much more than new have systematically exploited customers are automatically
customers. millions of loyal customers included in the claim, though
Gutmann says that when across the UK through loyalty you can opt out if you want. VIRGIN PROMOTES
customers signed their penalties – taking over Gutmann now needs to SOCIAL TARIFFS ON BILLS
contract, the cost of repaying £3 billion out of the pockets of get certification for the case so Virgin Media O2 is raising
included both the cost of the hard-working people and it can proceed to trial. This awareness of its discounted
phone and using services such their families,” he said. could take a couple of years, broadband packages
as data, calls and text. EE called the claim he said. for people on benefits
He alleges that the “speculative”, while Vodafone You can sign up for updates by mentioning them on
companies didn’t reduce the said it didn’t have sufficient on the case at the Consumer customers’ monthly bills. It
amount they charged once the detail for a legal response. O2 Voice website: www.snipca. will quote the price of both
initial contract had ended, said it hadn’t been contacted com/48639. its social tariffs: Essential
Broadband (£15 a month
for 15Mbps) and Essential
Russian hackers trick Broadband Plus (£20 for

celebrities into praising Putin

54Mbps). These also include
the Stream TV service for
a one-off £20 payment.

R ussian hackers have

tricked celebrities into
filming videos that they
a video that told ‘Vladimir’ to
seek help for substance abuse.
They were then edited to
Read more at www.snipca.
com/48638.

manipulated to look like the include emojis and links to EE NAMES FIRST AREAS
stars were praising Russian make them look like official TO LOSE 3G SIGNAL
President Vladimir Putin, news clips or videos from the Mobile network EE has
according to a Microsoft celebrities’ own social-media named some of the first
security report (www.snipca. accounts. video hackers may use similar locations where it will
com/48642). The videos aren’t available tactics to try to influence the switch off its 3G signal
The videos were also edited to watch publicly, but they US presidential election, and and move customers to
to make it seem the celebrities are being widely shared on to “turn the political tide away 5G. They include areas in
were suggesting Ukrainian Russian social media, and from elected officials who Belfast, Darlington, Dartford,
President Volodymyr Zelensky covered by Kremlin-backed champion support to Ukraine”. Solihull, Uxbridge and York.
has a drug problem. media. Its report, which highlights EE expects to finish work by
Microsoft said the videos Celebrities whose Russian attacks from March to March. It will offer vulnerable
were from Cameo, a popular recordings have been October, also contains details customers a free 4G-ready
site where the public pay manipulated include boxer of operations to “demoralise mobile phone, or a “big
celebrities to send them Mike Tyson and actors Dean the Ukrainian public”. These discount” on a monthly plan.
personalised videos. Norris, Priscilla Presley and include attacks on Ukraine’s For details visit www.snipca.
It claims that the hackers Elijah Wood (pictured). agriculture industry amid a com/48684.
persuaded celebrities to record Microsoft warns that the global grain crisis.

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 9

 Questionof
Question ofthe
theFortnight
Fortnight
Will the confusion over
‘fibre’ broadband finally end?
Ofcom has told firms to use simpler terms to help customers

W
hen is fibre
broadband not fibre THE FACTS
broadband? That
isn’t a Christmas-cracker • Ofcom has set new industry
joke, but a conundrum guidelines for broadband
Ofcom hopes it has now providers to avoid using
successfully solved. “ambiguous” terms when
It claims for years broadband describing their services
providers have used the term • Firms should stop using
‘fibre’ misleadingly and ‘Fibre’ on its own, and
inconsistently. Some use it to instead use ‘Full-fibre’
describe a fibre connection all or ‘Part-fibre’
the way to the home – ie, • It doesn’t affect the terms
fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP). providers can use in
But others use it to promote broadband adverts
services that offer fibre only to
a streetside cabinet (FTTC),
from where slower copper FTTP broadband were actually to customers “irrespective advertising is misleading”.
cables reach into the home. living in areas where it’s of how they sign up for a That would make sense.
The difference in speed is available! service”. If you purchase The two organisations are
stark – FTTP can hit 1Gbps Ofcom aims to clear up this broadband online, it will be already thinking alike on
(gigabit) and more, while mess with its new guidance shown on the provider’s mid-contract price rises.
FTTC typically peaks at for broadband providers. It website. If you do so in person Even before Ofcom proposed
80Mbps. So it’s clearly wants firms to stop using or over the phone, details banning these (see page 6),
ridiculous for providers to use ‘fibre’ as the only word to must be shown in the the ASA was examining
the word ‘fibre’ to describe describe connections. Instead, Contract Summary and in the whether firms weren’t giving
both. And by also using terms they should use terms that are contract itself. The changes clear details about increases
like ‘hybrid-fibre’ for FTTC, “clear and unambiguous”, must be made by in their adverts.
they’ve made it even harder such as ‘cable’, ‘copper’, 16 September 2024. It has now issued new
for customers to work out ‘full-fibre’ or ‘part-fibre’. However, the guidance guidance that forces advertisers
what they’re getting. This means FTTP broadband doesn’t cover broadband to mention potential price
adverts because this is rises as prominently as the
controlled by the Advertising monthly cost, and that
FTTP broadband would be called Standards Authority (ASA). “inflation terminology is
And this might be a problem. presented in a way that is clear
full-fibre, while FTTC broadband Back in 2017 the ASA and simple to understand”.
would become ‘part-fibre’ rejected stricter rules on
using ‘fibre’ because it found
We expect the ASA to issue
similar guidelines that tighten
customers are “unlikely” to be the use of ‘fibre’.
No wonder the public is would be called full-fibre – misled by how the word is These rules may have come
baffled. Ofcom research found and nothing else – while FTTC used in ads (see www.snipca. a few years too late, but
that more than a quarter broadband would become com/48712). It added that they’re welcome nonetheless.
(27 per cent) of customers ‘part-fibre’. ‘Cable’ would customers see fibre simply The next challenge for both is
“lacked confidence in refer to coaxial cable used by as “one of many generic to be alert to ways companies
understanding the language Virgin, while old networks buzzwords to describe will bend the new rules and
and terminology used by like ADSL would be called modern, fast broadband”. exploit any loopholes. Never
providers” (see www.snipca. ‘copper’. Ofcom said that in light of again must they be allowed to
com/48708). More telling is This information should be its updated guidance the ASA bamboozle customers with
that only 46 per cent of in an “accessible form that is “may consider again whether jargon or clobber them with
customers who said they had easy to understand” and given the use of the word ‘fibre’ in hidden price increases.

10 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

Protect your tech
Scams and threats to avoid, plus new security tools
WATCH OUT FOR...

Fake parking apps on Google

What’s the threat? Which? said that it first warned Google
Scammers are placing fake adverts for about adverts impersonating RingGo on
popular parking apps in Google search. 15 November, and was told that action
Research from consumer campaigners had been taken. However, it said the
Which? shows that adverts for JustPark, same fake ads were still appearing in
PayByPhone and RingGo all appear search results three weeks later.
above links for the genuine apps.
In an example given by Which?, How can you stay safe?
searching for ‘paybyphone app’ produced Yet again we see Google’s search results 1
two bogus adverts linking to the sites being infiltrated by scammers, so we
onlytelephone ( 1 in our screenshot) and reiterate our advice to type a website’s
homeautomationinnovators 2 , both URL into your browser’s address bar
ending in ‘.com’. rather than search for it in Google. For
Clicking the links takes you to sites the parking apps mentioned above type
claiming the app is a free download, but www.justpark.com, https://myringgo.co. 2
it still asks for your credit-card details. uk and www.paybyphone.co.uk.
Small print at the bottom reveals that You can’t avoid these ads by searching
you’re paying £24.99 a month to an on Yahoo or Bing. Which? found the same

Credit: Which?
unnamed company for a ‘health and PayByPhone scams on both, this time
lifestyle bundle subscription’. linking to a site called trendy-apps.
A PayByPhone spokesperson told Instead, try a search engine that doesn’t
Which? that the adverts have nothing do show ads, such as Brave Search (https://
with the company and don’t have search.brave.com) within Brave’s duckduckgo.com) after turning off
permission to use its logo. browser, or DuckDuckGo (https:// ‘Advertisements’ in Settings.

New tools Encrypted messages on

Facebook Messenger
ScamWatch
Readers warn readers

All messages you messages on

‘Free’ LloydsDirect delivery
In early December, I got an email
send on Facebook Facebook, though
tempting me with ‘free’ delivery on
Messenger will for group chats on
prescriptions via the LloydsDirect
now use end-to- Messenger you’ll
pharmacy service. To do this I was
end encryption still need to turn
urged to click a link in the message. It
(E2EE) by default. on encryption.
was quite convincing because it had
This extra level of Facebook said
the correct LloydsDirect and NHS
security has been that it might
logos, plus reviews claiming to be
an option since take some time
from Trustpilot. Lloyds gives two
2016, but you’ve for all chats to
examples of spam email addresses
had to turn it be encrypted
at www.snipca.com/48633 –
on yourself. (www.snipca.
[email protected] and
The change com/48679), so
[email protected]) – so
means that you may want to
it’s aware of the problem. Several of
without you turn it on just to
my neighbours also received the
having to do anything, no one – be sure. To do so, open the Messenger
email. None of us actually use the
including Facebook’s owner Meta – will app then select Chats at the bottom.
genuine LloydsDirect service.
ever be able to read any messages you Now tap Edit (pen icon) at the top
John Carrick
send before they reach your recipient. right, and turn on the lock icon (see
The change also applies to phone calls screenshot). Visit Meta’s site for more Warn your fellow readers about scams
made through Messenger and personal details: www.snipca.com/48682. at [email protected]

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 11

 Letters
Tell us what’s on your mind

Teens will beat porn blocks Android updates stopped in 2018 when the You never own downloads,
in seconds phone was just two years old. I received so stick with DVDs
The problem with facial scanning only six or seven months of updates. I agree with Roddy Shaw that
to block Google app updates have TalkTalk offering £25
under-18s accessing continued without a break compensation for lost TV and film
porn sites is that it and I haven’t noticed any downloads is a pathetic amount (Letters,
gives parents a false security problems. But Issue 673). I hope his anger will act as a
sense of security performance seems to have warning to others who complacently
(‘Question of the deteriorated over the years assume that they own digital content
Fortnight’, Issue and the device went wrong they’ve downloaded. That’s not the case.
673, pictured last month with half the What’s happened in the past few
right). Many of features not working. years, almost passing unnoticed, is that
them will assume I’ve now scrapped the we’ve moved from a society of owning
that this technology is all they E3 and have returned with physical items to one that rents intangible
need to keep their children safe from some relief to a Nokia E61. Not only is content. However, I don’t think consumer
online harms, but kids will do what the Nokia superior to the Moto for texts mentality has caught up with this
they’ve always done, and find ways to and phone calls, but it has a nice change. Too many people still think that
bend the rules. Most teenagers know how keyboard for the batch of useful Symbian buying a film to download is the same as
to use VPNs. It’ll take them about three apps I use. buying a DVD to keep. They discover too
seconds to work out what to do. Ted Cross late that this content can be snatched
Mark Rennie away with barely any warning.
One-hour battery won’t For this reason I still prefer to buy
Face scanning won’t just stop prevent three-day power cuts albums, DVDs and paperback books,
teenagers accessing porn sites – I In several editions you’ve not their digital counterparts. They’re
think it’ll put off most adults too. Just highlighted the downside of the becoming harder to find and I normally
imagine if every time you tried to buy a proposed switch from copper phone lines pay over the odds, but the only way
magazine off the top shelf the newsagent to digital. Here’s a real-life example of the they’d ever be taken from me is if I was
had to scan your passport or driving potential pitfalls. In early December, our burgled.
licence, and then take a photograph of hamlet was affected by severe flooding. Frank Oakley
you. That feels intrusive, but I reckon Three days later everyone was still
it’s still more secure than giving all that without broadband. CA SAYS Frank’s right that many people
information to a porn site. The phone was still working, but if fail to realise they don’t actually own the
People who want porn will look for the new system was in place we’d have content they’ve downloaded. This issue
ways around this restriction, and that been without a phone service for three was highlighted again recently when
will drive them to websites that ignore days. What makes things worse is that Sony removed shows from Discovery
the law requiring age checks. I dread to there’s virtually no mobile signal here. channels that customers had bought
think what kind of filth they’ll come So much for the one-hour battery from the PlayStation Store. At least
across on those. backup they propose issuing to the TalkTalk is providing a refund, albeit just
Tom Mitchell elderly and infirm. £25. Sony isn’t offering anything.
Richard Dolphin The problem occurs when retailers like
CA SAYS We think there are serious
moral, security and practical obstacles
What’s the Issue…?
?
that could prevent face scanning being
introduced. But there’s no doubt that
age checks for porn sites are coming. I seem to recall a Workshop CA SAYS In Issue
What form they take will be decided by on running 200 tools from a 665, page 21. Buy it
Ofcom, government and the websites single USB stick. Tell me I didn’t from www.snipca.
themselves. dream it! com/48646.
Arthur Callaghan
Android updates stopped Where can I find your instructions
after just two years CA SAYS You didn’t – it was real. on using DuckDuckGo’s tool to
I much appreciated Robert Irvine’s See Issue 661, page 38. Buy it from hide your email address?
warnings in Issue 672 (‘What NOT www.snipca.com/48644. Ken Richmond
to buy for Christmas’, page 60). I can echo
his comments about Motorola phones, When did you warn about CA SAYS In Issue 641’s Workshop –
after buying a Moto E3 in 2017. In my Samsung’s VPN logging users? page 38. Read it on our Back Issue CD:
innocence I thought this was a fairly new Tony Love www.snipca.com/44660.
model, launched in 2016. However, the

12 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 Email: [email protected]
Facebook: www.facebook.com/computeractive
(formerly Twitter): @ComputerActive
www.x.com/computeractive

Sony lose the licensing rights to content

– in this case, from Discovery. They STAR LETTER
have to then remove both content from
their store and content that’s been
downloaded to devices. Extending Windows 10 support
It’s all written in the terms and
conditions that you agree to when
‘lets genie out of bottle’
EXTENDED!
purchasing. You’ll find it also in Microsoft might not realise it
Amazon’s (www.snipca.com/48665) yet, but it has made a huge
and Google’s (www.snipca.com/48666) strategic error in offering extended
small print, so bear that in mind before support to individuals using Windows
buying anything from Prime Video or 10 (Issue 673, page 6). provided for free. We no longer live in
the Play Store. One of the justifications for not an era where people are prepared to
offering extended support has always use something for a short period of
Paint misbehavin’ been that it’s simply not possible for time, then discard it and move on.
I was impressed by your picture technical reasons. If I was in charge of I’m not sure Microsoft has fully
of Father Christmas using Paint’s Microsoft’s strategy, I would have kept appreciated this shift in public mood.
Cocreator AI tool (Issue 673, page 49), so insisting that it was impractical to offer In short, it means millions of people
rose to your challenge of creating my own extended support for nearly a billion using Windows 10 will never be
masterpiece. Sticking to a computer users. I have no idea whether that is persuaded that they should chuck out
theme, I asked for a watercolour of indeed true, but it sounds plausible. their current computer and buy a new
‘Father Christmas trying to Some consumers wouldn’t have one just so they can run Windows 11.
install Windows 11’. believed this, but many would have. Microsoft will realise its mistake
Paint took about a They would have just shrugged and when campaigners, governments and
minute to think about accepted the reality of upgrading to regulators start to pressure it to offer
it, then gave me three Windows 11. However, by offering extra support for no extra fee. Perhaps
options. I’ve chosen support after October 2025, Microsoft it will begin by dropping charges for
the best (pictured left), has let the genie out of the bottle. vulnerable users. That would be seen
but as you can see it’s The moral and environmental as the ethical thing to do. If it gives
a little peculiar. Santa argument in favour of extending in by doing this, it surely won’t be
looks like he’s painting support is so great that many users long until everyone is given
windows rather than installing it. He’s will think that if Microsoft is able to prolonged support for free.
also put his belt on the wrong way round. achieve it technically, then it should be Gary Henderson
Too much mulled wine perhaps? And
why is he standing on his desk? The Star Letter writer wins a Computeractive mug!
Kevin Barlow

How I rescue files from ready to go with Windows 95, which was the
floppy disks earliest edition to boast USB compatibility.
The issue of accessing old files Once the files are accessed on the
from zip disks, floppy disks and computer, I transfer them to 3.5in floppy
other old media seems to come up often disks – using WinZip if necessary. I have a
in Computeractive. I have a PC that’s 20 USB 3.5in drive for the next step. Isn’t
years old and has a CD-ROM drive, a USB wonderful?
3.5in drive and – wait for it – a 5.5in Chris Adam
drive. You’d be surprised how many
times I’ve helped friends to retrieve old A toast to Wikipedia’s
files. The success rate for 5.5in drives is strangest pages snipca.com/48648). Second is
about 50 per cent because these discs do I haven’t contributed to the 49 ‘Potoooooooo’, a successful racehorse in
deteriorate, and there were many more million visits that the ChatGPT the 1770-80s. It’s also known as Pot-8-
different formats at that time. page on Wikipedia has received (Issue Os, Pot8Os, Pot8O’s or Pot 8 Os. Visit
I also have a 120MB LS120 SuperDisk 673, page 7), but I bet it’s not as www.snipca.com/48649 to learn the
USB drive. The original computer was a entertaining as some of the strangest origins of the name.
486/66 machine with 8MB RAM running and funniest Wikipedia pages I’ve And third, bringing up the rear
Windows for Workgroups. I upgraded the bookmarked over the years. (so to speak) is ‘Toilet paper orientation’
RAM to 16MB a few years later. Here are just three that readers might (www.snipca.com/48650). It explores
I had a problem a few years ago when be interested in. First is the breakfast the fundamental dilemma of whether to
the computer wouldn’t open the operating delicacy that is the ‘Toast sandwich’ hang toilet paper over or under the roll.
system. I took the obvious route and (pictured above right), which may sound I prefer under, which puts me in a
bought a parallel port CD drive from bland but can be seasoned with some salt minority, apparently.
eBay! The computer is now loaded and and pepper to enrich the taste (www. Robert Maguire

Views expressed don’t necessarily reflect those of Computeractive Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 13
 Consumeractive
We stand up for your legal rights

Does Currys’ LEAD Can Dyson

wait 35 days to
two-repairs policy CASE
refund me?
override consumer law? I bought a £250 fan from Dyson

I’ve just bought a new TV (but not both). John wouldn’t

Q online in September, which was
returned immediately because it
Q from Currys and decided to
pay for its ‘Care & Repair’
have to prove there was an
inherent fault – the onus
didn’t work properly. I know from the
tracking number that Dyson received it
insurance service (www.snipca. would be on Currys to on 6 October 2023. However, a month
com/48565). I think it’s good value prove otherwise. later Dyson told me it had no record of
and I like the seven-day repair After the six-month receiving the fan. I was then told it would
promise, plus free pick-up and deadline is when John might take up to 35 days for a refund to be
redelivery. However, I note that Currys prefer to use Currys’ policy. At processed. I’m still waiting and
says it can carry out two attempts at a this point under the CRA, customers wondered if you could help?
repair. So my question is whether this must prove that a fault is inherent, and David Naismith
supersedes the ‘one repair’ rule outlined not the result of damage or fair wear and
by the Consumer Rights Act (CRA). tear. John wouldn’t need to prove this to We’ll do our best because unless
John Perkins get help through ‘Care & Repair’, though
it doesn’t cover accidental damage.
A Dyson can prove there’s nothing
wrong with the fan, or that the
No, it can’t override the If John uses only the policy to get fault was caused by accidental damage,
A CRA, but it can work
together with
help, then Currys is allowed two
repairs. But if the first repair fails,
David is due this refund. Retailers and
manufacturers are allowed to inspect
statutory law to give extra he can switch to seeking help goods that are returned as inherently
protection. If the TV via the CRA and insist on a faulty, but it must do so – and issue a
became faulty within 30 refund. Currys wouldn’t be refund if necessary – within 30 days.
days of purchase, John allowed to ignore this request, David also told us that he’s had
can reject it for a full regardless of any policy John problems contacting Dyson, being left
refund. If the fault has with it. However, hanging on the phone for up to 80
appears between 30 whether it refunds in full minutes at a time. He can ask Dyson to
days and six months, will depend on how refund him the cost of these calls, as
Currys has the option much use he has already well as the cost of the fan and all delivery
to attempt one repair got from the TV. expenses – both for receiving the item
or a replacement and returning it.
CASE CLOSED CASE ONGOING

CASE UPDATE

Doggone it! Reader loses £44 as pet store closes

We’ve received confirmation on Trustpilot were for just one star (www. but most customers like Sara are unsecured
that the dog pet store ‘Not in snipca.com/48570, pictured), while the site creditors and are therefore unlikely to get
the Dog House’ (www. had also appeared on the BBC’s Watchdog anything. Secured creditors are the priority:
notinthedoghouse.co.uk) has (www.snipca.com/48571). HMRC and any companies and banks that
gone into liquidation. This is bad news for Trading Standards directed us the site owes money to.
reader Sara Planter, who contacted us about to the liquidators XLBS (https:// Sara might be able to get a
her £44 order of dog food that never arrived xlbs.co.uk), who refused to refund by asking for a chargeback
(see Issue 668). comment on the state of the from her credit-card company.
We had no luck contacting the company, company and likelihood of anyone Both MasterCard and Visa have
so asked North Yorkshire Trading Standards getting their money back. It said basic protection in place, but it’s
to investigate. We’d noticed that more than that anyone who has lost up to individual banks if
50 per cent of reviews for the company money can file a claim, it’s processed.

14 3 – 16 Janaury 2024 • Issue 674

 Contact us so we can investigate your case
Email: [email protected]
Please include your name, phone number and address.

Can my ISP charge me £16 for complaining?

Coventry-based For his next move, we were company isn’t registered with an ADR
Q Telegent (https://
telegent.co.uk) has
going to advise him to write a
deadlock letter to Telegent
scheme either.
Furthermore, Telegent hasn’t signed
been my internet provider asking how it plans to fix the up to Ofcom’s voluntary Codes of
since January 2023. I pay £64.19 a month, slow speed (download a deadlock Practice (www.snipca.com/48586),
but the speeds I get don’t even let me template from www.snipca.com/48585). which gives customers the right to
watch Netflix. When I complained, Telegent He could then have taken it to an cancel without a fee if their provider
charged me £16! I’m stuck in a two-year ombudsman for further help. can’t hit the promised speed within
contract, so what should I do? However, Telegent doesn’t belong to an three days of complaining.
Vincent McCauley Ofcom-approved Alternative Dispute We asked Ofcom to investigate
Resolution (ADR) scheme – either CISAS Telegent. It told us that all providers must
It’s easy to say what Vincent or the Communications Ombudsman – offer ADR services, and is “currently
A should do first: ask for his £16
back. Charging customers for
which by law it should. We found that
Telegent is registered at Companies House
reviewing” those that don’t. For now,
Vincent should file a formal complaint
support is unfair, even if Telegent states under the name ‘Quality Telecoms and IT with Ofcom (www.ofcom.org.uk/
that it does this in its terms. Ltd’ (www.snipca.com/48587). This complaints).
CASE ONGOING

Can Sky charge is damaged also. It wants to charge us

£336 to repair it. What are our rights?
In cases such as these it’s always good
to take photos of products being sent
us for phone Debbie Cashmore back to show they’re in good condition,
except for the stated problem.
screen we didn’t Debbie has the right to We’ve asked Debbie if she has any

damage? A expect Sky to fix the

charging problem, but
photos that she can send
to Sky, and who the courier was.
this is complicated by its claim that We’ve also asked Sky to
My daughter, who’s been a Sky the screen is damaged. Sky seems to investigate at its end. We
Q Mobile customer for four years,
renewed her contract and got a
be implying that Debbie’s daughter
broke the screen, but she denies this.
suspect it will be impossible
to determine how the screen
new Samsung Z Flip5 phone (pictured). It could instead have been damaged was damaged, so we’re
After two months it stopped charging. It by the courier while it was being hoping Sky will suggest a
didn’t have any other problems, but after returned, or even by someone resolution that’s satisfactory to
returning the phone Sky said the screen at Sky after arrival. both sides.
CASE ONGOING

CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE

EBay reversed transaction after listing error

I was selling an certainly hadn’t consciously altered transaction and refunded the buyer in full.
item on eBay that it, and assumed that relisting I messaged the buyer to apologise for the
was listed as a automatically applied the same confusion. Full marks to eBay for a prompt
straight sale for original selling conditions. response.
£95, rather than an auction. After it lapsed I phoned eBay and spoke to a very Russell Greene
with no sale I chose eBay’s option to relist helpful customer-support agent, who
the item on what I presumed were the same couldn’t understand what had happened, Contact
conditions. I soon got a message from eBay but fully accepted the error and my
saying it had been bought for just £28 plus explanation. They immediately reversed the
eBay
postage and that the buyer had already paid. Has a company impressed you with its • Select your problem at
It seems that the relisting had defaulted customer service? Please let us know: www.snipca.com/48615
to Auction status with a minimum of 99p. I [email protected]

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 15

 Grow Your
Family Tree
If your ancestors fought in the Australian and New Zealand
armies in World War 1, follow Judith Batchelor’s advice to…
Search ANZAC records online
M
any Australians and New Look for the document and
Zealanders answered the call camera icons, indicating
from the mother country and
1 digitised records and photos

served as ANZAC soldiers during World

War 1. They supported the British and 2
French attempts to capture the Gallipoli
Peninsula in Turkey and later fought 3 Look for New
on the Western Front. Service records Zealand records
in both countries have been digitised, For New Zealand war
providing plenty of information on records visit the country’s
ANZAC ancestors. official archives (www.
snipca.com/48457), where
Look for Australian records 140,000 records have been
First, visit the National Archives of brought up 13 results, though some digitised. Search by name and/or service
Australia, where World War 1 service referred to his son, also named Frank, number, and on the results page click
records can be viewed digitally: www. who served in World War 2. ‘Archives New Zealand’ to include only
snipca.com/48459. Click the RecordSearch His service records have been digitised, records from the 1910s.
tab, then choose NameSearch. Type the as indicated by the document icon ( 1 in I searched for my ancestor Leonard
Family name (surname) and Given our screenshot above). Clicking this icon Francis Ford, who served in the New
name(s), then select ‘All records’ from brings up the digitised records 2 that you Zealand Rifle Brigade 2nd Battalion and
the ‘Category of Records’ menu – or can flick through. The camera icon 3 was killed in action on 26 August 1918 in
narrow the search to ‘World War 1’ if indicates there are photos related to that France. I clicked the Archive link in the
it’s a common name. person. His service number also helped results, then ‘View Original Item’. On the
If there are still too many results, click me to identify other records. next page I clicked the record number
‘Refine search’ and add more information. Also search the Australian Imperial next to ‘View online’ and this took me to
In the results, look for the ‘Access status’ Force database (www.snipca.com/48475), digitised images of his service sheet.
in blue. Any record listed as ‘Open’ is which is drawn from several official Zooming in I could see that his next of
available digitally. sources, including personnel files on kin was his mother, named as ‘Mrs John
My ancestor Frank Thorndike served the National Archives website, and Craig Ford’ (see screenshot below).
with the Australian Imperial Force in Embarkation and Nominal Rolls on the Another source of information on New
World War 1. Choosing ‘All records’ Australian War Memorial website. Zealand soldiers is the Auckland War
Museum’s Online Cenotaph, which has

Your Genealogy Problems Solved

a database of more than 250,000 men
and women who served their country:
www.snipca.com/48458.
According to a death certificate and two found a Lilian Mary Preece registered in the
medical cards my wife’s great-grandmother September quarter of 1882 in Aston,
Lilian Preece was born on 1 June 1882 in Birmingham. In the 1891 census she’s
Birmingham, and died in 1977. But I can’t identified as the eight-year-old daughter of
find a birth certificate to confirm this. Can Oliver and Mary Preece, née Bishop. Could
you help? this be her? Note that if Lilian was born
John Whitley before her parents married, her birth could
be registered under her mother’s surname.
You should look in the 1939 Register, Have a genealogy question for Judith?
available on Ancestry and Findmypast, Email [email protected] with
because this contains exact birth dates. I ‘Grow Your Family Tree’ in the subject line. Zoom into the New Zealand records to see
details such as next of kin

16 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674 Next issue: Search newspapers using Findmypast’s new tools
 Best Free Software
Robert Irvine recommends new programs that won’t cost you a thing
WEB BROWSER

Vivaldi 6.5
www.snipca.com/48707
What you need: Windows 10 or 11, macOS or Linux

Vivaldi is one of the most innovative browsers, with each remove specific pages or delete the whole
new release making significant changes – rather than the thing.
small updates you get in Chrome and Edge. In 2023, it finally Vivaldi has improved the Workspaces feature,
introduced an iOS app (www.snipca.com/47792) and has to help you keep your groups of tabs better organised.
now returned its attention to its desktop version. You can now set up rules so that if you open a page in the
The main new feature in Vivaldi 6.5 is the Sessions Panel, wrong workspace – for example, an online store in your
which adds yet another option to the browser’s sidebar. This work-related workspace – it will be automatically moved to
lets you save your open tabs as a ‘session’, then start a new the correct one.
session with a clean slate. Unlike pinned tabs, saved session Another welcome change allows you to sync your
tabs don’t use any system memory in the background. browsing history across your devices. This means pages you
To use the feature, click the new Sessions button on the viewed in the Vivaldi app on your PC can easily be revisited
sidebar – this looks like a clockwise arrow surrounding a on your phone or tablet – and vice versa. To enable this
circle – then click the plus button at the top of the Sessions option, click the Settings cog, choose Sync and sign into your
Panel. Enter a name for your session, specify whether it Vivaldi account (if you aren’t already). Select ‘History’ to sync
should include workspaces (themed groups of tabs) or only your browsing history – as well as bookmarks, passwords
tabs in the current window, and click Save. You can then and open tabs, if you want to sync those too. All your data is
double-click the session to restore its tabs, edit its contents to end-to-end encrypted, so nobody but you can access it.

1 4

1 Vivaldi’s new Sessions 2 Vivaldi 6.5 offers a new 3 You can now sync your 4 Vivaldi also now lets
feature creates backups of way to see which tabs you’ve Vivaldi browsing history you create rules for your
your saved sessions once synced between your PC across your PC and mobile workspaces, so tabs
an hour and stores them for and mobile device. Click the devices, as well as your always open in the correct
three days. To keep these Window button on the sidebar bookmarks, passwords space. Select ‘Tabs’ in the
backups for longer, click the to open the Windows Panel, and tabs. Click the Settings Settings box, click Add New
Automatic Session Backup then choose Synced Tabs to button on the sidebar, Workspace Rule, then assign
button and choose five or view a list of all your synced choose Sync and log into specific URLs to the relevant
30 days. pages. your Vivaldi account. workspaces.

18 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

IMAGE VIEWER
SHOULD I PAY FOR…?
IrfanView 4.65 Choose the right version of software
www.snipca.com/48705
What you need: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11
BurnAware Premium
This excellent free image www.snipca.com/48702
viewer is frequently Price: £30.16 per year or £90.56 lifetime licence
updated with new Free trial: Seven days
features, yet remains What you need: Windows 7, 8, 10 or 11
easy to use and less than
5MB in size. IrfanView BurnAware is one of the few remaining programs for
4.65 introduces a creating your own CDs and DVDs, and recently released
long-awaited dark version 17.2. The disc-burning software offers free and
mode, which you can paid-for editions, so you can download the one that best
activate by clicking Properties/Settings in the Options menu suits your needs.
and selecting Viewing, then ‘Enable Dark mode’ (see The Free edition of BurnAware can back up data and ISO
screenshot). An interesting addition to the Edit menu lets you files to disc, and burn audio and video content to CD, DVD
apply effects to the parts of an image outside of a selected and Blu-ray. It also lets you erase rewritable discs so you
area, rather than within it. This is useful for adjusting can use them again. However, it’s only available as a 32bit
backgrounds without affecting the subject – choose ‘Use download, so you may find it slow on higher-specced PCs.
inverted selection’ to enable the option. IrfanView has also
improved the ‘Custom/fine rotation’ tool in its Image menu.
Previously, to rotate an image to the desired angle, you needed
to experiment with different degrees. Now you can just draw
a straight line with your left-mouse button, then press your
right-mouse button to apply the rotation.

DUPLICATE CLEANER

AllDup 4.5.58
www.snipca.com/48699
What you need: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11 BurnAware Premium is much more powerful and
versatile, with a 64bit version and lots of additional
AllDup is one of the features. These include an Audio Grabber for ripping tracks
best free programs for from music CDs, an ‘Unpack ISO’ tool for extracting files
removing duplicate from disc images and a Span Disc option that can split large
files from your PC. files and folders across multiple discs. You can also use the
The latest version Copy Disc feature to copy the content of one CD, DVD or
adds useful options to Blu-ray directly to another (see screenshot).
its Search Results tab All these tools are accessible from the home screen and
to make it easier to open in their own windows, which have clearly labelled
manage the menus and toolbar buttons. This makes it easy to perform
duplicates it finds. specific tasks, as you’re not distracted by irrelevant options.
The Select menu now lets you choose ‘Select all corrupted Sadly, the steep price means it’s difficult to recommend
image files’ (see screenshot) to select damaged copies of BurnAware Premium. A one-off purchase of £30 would be
images that are cluttering your hard drive. Another new reasonable value, but we don’t think it’s worth paying that
option lets you select only files of a certain age, so you don’t amount every year. The free version of AnyBurn (www.
accidentally delete recent items – or old but important ones. snipca.com/48704) offers most of the same features.
Click the Select menu, then ‘Select by date’ and choose either
‘older than’ or ‘newer than’. Specify the number of days and OUR VERDICT: Don’t pay for it
whether to judge a file’s age by the date it was created or BurnAware is a great program, but with fewer people now
when it was last modified. Additionally, you can now stop ripping and burning discs it should offer more features for
Windows Security needlessly slowing AllDup’s scans. Click free rather than restrict them to its expensive Premium
the Options tab, then the plus button below ‘Exclude from edition – or at least reduce its price.
monitoring by Windows Defender’.

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 19

 Best Free Software

What should I download?

We advise you which software and apps to use
Can I emulate Spectrum
What can I replace on Windows?
SyncToy with? Q
Hoping to
recapture
After resetting my laptop to its factory settings some of my
Q I’ve lost a lot of programs that are no longer
compatible with Windows 11. One was Microsoft’s
lost youth, I decided
to see if I remembered
SyncToy, which I used to back up my files to an external how to programme
hard drive. Is there a good free alternative? the ZX Spectrum
Andrew Ball (my first computer).
Which is the best
Backing up your files is an essential, ongoing task, Spectrum emulator
A so getting this sorted out should be a priority.
Microsoft discontinued SyncToy in 2021, but there
for Windows 11?
Michael Cornell
are plenty of alternatives to choose from. One of the best is
IDrive, which you may already recognise as the name of a Try Spectaculator (www.spectaculator.com), available
paid-for online backup service (www.idrive.com). Its backup
software is free to download, letting you archive files on an
A for Windows, iOS and Android. The Windows version
has a free 30-day trial, after which it costs £10.99 for
external hard drive or SSD at no cost. the current edition, or £20.99 to add lifetime upgrades. It
To download it, visit www.snipca.com/48541 and click emulates a variety of machines, including both the 16K and 48K
the Windows button in the Download IDrive Full Client versions of the ZX Spectrum, alongside the 128, +2, +2A and +3.
section. Install and launch it, then plug in your drive and Two games – Dynamite Dan 1 and 2 (pictured) are included in
click the button beside ‘Backup files to Local, Wi-Fi or the trial pack.
Express device’ on the Backup screen.
Click the ‘Change…’ button at the bottom ( 1 in our
screenshot), then select the folders you want to back up. Next,
click the three dots 2 and select your external drive as the Should I keep MailStore Home?
location for the backed-up files. Now click Backup Now 3 if An icon has
you want to perform a manual backup, or Schedule 4 if you
want to set up a regular backup. We’d recommend the latter.
Q appeared on
my desktop
When scheduling your backup, select a start time (the end called MailStore Home.
of the working day or overnight makes sense) and on which When I clicked it, I
days it should run. You can set up an email alert should the found it was an great
backup fail. Select the ‘Notify on failure’, then tick the box way to store emails.
beside ‘Email notification’ and type your email address. However, I’m wary of
using anything I don’t
recognise. Should I
use or ditch it?
Sophy Thomas

MailStore Home is safe and made by a legitimate

2
1 A German firm, but we’re not sure how it ended up on
your PC. Perhaps it came with something else you’ve
4
recently downloaded? If you’re keen to use it, you might prefer
downloading it directly from the developer: www.snipca.
3 com/48542. Sign in with your email address and password then
you can download a copy of your messages. You can keep the
originals on the server or set MailStore Home to remove them.
We explained how to use it in Issue 671’s ‘Stop Google deleting
your files’ Cover Feature – buy from www.snipca.com/48546.

20 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674 Email us your questions at [email protected]

Named & Shamed
Keumars Afifi-Sabet puts the boot into tech villains,
jargon-spouting companies and misbehaving software

SOFTWARE WARNING!
Microsoft error adds HP Smart printer tool

W
e all know what’s that the Windows 11 23H2 update is
impossible to changing printer names and icons – most
avoid: death, taxes commonly to ‘HP LaserJet M101-M106’ –
and computers that come as well as installing the HP Smart app
pre-stuffed with software you don’t (www.snipca.com/48611).
need – aka bloatware. I just hope we That’s not the full story though,
don’t need to add a fourth item to this because users running older versions
list: Microsoft adding printing tools for of Windows 11 and Windows 10 have
printers you don’t even own. also received the app. The problem seems
Step forward the HP Smart app, more widespread than Microsoft is
which is a perfectly fine tool for printing willing to acknowledge. Worse still, some
and scanning via your phone. But it’s people have complained that clicking the
only perfectly fine if you actually own an printer icon results in the error message
HP printer. And many users who use a “No tasks are available for this page”.
non-HP printer found it installed on Microsoft is working on a fix, but until
their Windows computer at the end of that’s ready you should check whether
November. You’ll see it in our screenshot the app is on your machine – and if so,
(courtesy of the website Ghacks), looking uninstall it. In Windows 10, open Settings
pleased with itself under the ‘Recently (press Windows key+I), then click the HP
added’ heading. Smart app followed by Uninstall. In

Credit: Ghacks
For a few days nobody had an Windows 11, click Apps, ‘Installed apps’,
explanation. Was it a hack? Surely it followed by the three dots at the far right
wasn’t a promotion that HP had paid for? and Uninstall. Remember these
Turns out it was more more cock-up than instructions the next time Microsoft Installing HP Smart wasn’t very clever – was
conspiracy. Microsoft finally admitted smuggles something on to your PC. it, Microsoft?

WHAT ARE THEY KEUMARS’ VILLAIN OF THE FORTNIGHT

TALKING ABOUT?

WHAT THEY SAY

Reading Borough Council
Sanaz Ahari, Android
www.snipca.com/48594 I realise it’s embarrassing portal. It even told
“With Screen Effects, your messages for organisations to be people to use Chrome
come alive with vibrant animations that plagued by persistent rather than Safari
will transform your words into dazzling technical problems, but because the latter
visual displays. Simply type specific that was no excuse for doesn’t let you turn
messages like ‘it’s snowing’ or ‘I love Reading Borough Council off HTTPS.
you’ and watch your screen erupt in a to advise people to disable The council did
symphony of colours and motion. And HTTPS in their browser. at least apologise for
together with your friends, try to uncover It offered this dubious advice on X its “incorrect information” (www.
all 15+ hidden Screen Effects prompt (formerly Twitter, www.snipca. snipca.com/48603), and the planning
words.” com/48595) as a way of using its portal is now back online. But how
online planning application portal, many people followed its advice and
WHAT THEY MEAN which hadn’t been working properly then forgot to reactivate HTTPS? It’s a
We know these effects might annoy for nearly a month. sorry episode that makes me glad I’m
you, but since when has that stopped us The same guidance appeared on a not planning a loft extension in
adding pointless features? yellow banner if you visited the Berkshire any time soon.

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 21

 Reviews
New products tested by our experts New products tested by our experts

PC | £2,002 from CyberPower www.snipca.com/48558

CyberPower Infinity X147 GRE Gaming PC

Pulling a fast one

This is one of the most expensive PCs www.snipca.com/48560) with its

we’ve reviewed for some time, but for the AMD Ryzen 9 7940HS processor – this
price tag you get an extremely powerful Intel-powered PC runs 10-per-cent
specification. If you’re looking for a PC faster in single-core tests, but a more
that will run anything you care to throw impressive 55-per-cent faster in
at it (including the latest games) and multi-core tests. It’s obviously more
components that will keep you up to than capable of handling any Windows
speed for years to come, this might just task you throw at it.
be the machine for you. One of the reasons why this PC costs
significantly more, however, is the
graphics hardware. This is located on a
A lightning-quick standalone graphics card (AMD’s Radeon
PC for gamers with RX 7900 GRE). This GRE version is only
available to PC manufacturers (ie, it can’t
money to burn be bought separately), and isn’t as
powerful (or as expensive) as the retail
version, which at the time of writing
At its beating heart is the Intel Core costs around £800.
i7-14700KF chip. This 14th-generation It still represents a huge slice of the
processor only arrived in October, so is budget for a single component, but it
definitely at the cutting edge of Intel’s certainly pays off if you like gaming. At a
range. It’s packed with 20 cores, eight resolution of 1440p (2560x1440 pixels) it
of which are performance cores. The managed to achieve impressive average
remaining 12 efficiency cores manage the frame rates of 115 frames per second (fps)
basic jobs, so their hard-working across all the games we tested – and that
counterparts don’t get bogged down was with all their graphical settings
when you need that little bit extra. turned up to the max. CyberPower website linked above. If
The processor is supported by 32GB of Even at 4K resolution we were getting you stick with the standard case the
RAM and a lightning-quick 2TB respectable figures. A few games dropped accessible USB ports (one USB-C and two
Samsung SSD. to frame rates of between 50 and 60fps, USB 2.0) on the front top are moved to
That combines to make it the fastest which isn’t quite fast enough, but turn the side instead, though they’re still easy
PC we’ve reviewed to date. When you down just a few detail settings and to access. The standard case is also £3
compare it with the previous fastest – the you’ll be back into triple figures. If you cheaper.
64GB Minisforum UM790 Pro (£730 from don’t need this level of gaming power,
you can opt for a PC without a graphics
card, such as the Palicomp AMD Cobra VERDICT The fastest PC we’ve tested
(£400 from www.snipca.com/43515, to date but it’s configured for gamers –
reviewed Issue 643) and save yourself a general Windows users won’t need this
lot of money. PC’s pricey graphics hardware
Our review unit came with a Lian Li
Lancool-216 case (pictured), which you
★★★★★
have to choose as an option from the ALTERNATIVE Minisforum UM790
Pro £730 A much smaller mini PC that
SPECIFICATIONS lacks the gaming power, but it more
Twenty-core Intel Core i7-14700KF processor • 32GB than holds its own
RAM • AMD Radeon RX 7900 GRE graphics card • in Windows
2TB SSD • Wi-Fi 6E • Bluetooth 5.3 • 1x 2.5Gigabit and costs
Ethernet port • 1x HDMI port • 2x DisplayPort • 3x
USB-C ports • 8x USB 3.0 ports • 2x USB 2.0 ports
significantly
• Windows 11 Home • 491x235x480mm (HxWxD) • less
Two-year warranty www.snipca.com/48558

22 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 HOW WE TEST
Computeractive is owned by Future PLC,
MINI PC | £394 from Chuwi www.snipca.com/48566 which employs a team of specialist
technical reviewers. You’ll often read

Chuwi Corebox 5th references to our benchmark testing,

which is a method of assessing products
using the same criteria. For example, we
Stands and delivers test the speed of every PC and the battery
life of every phone and tablet in exactly
the same way. This makes our reviews
authoritative, rigorous and accurate.
While it’s classed as a mini PC, this Future PLC also owns the magazines
Chuwi model is a little larger overall Maximum PC, PC Pro and T3, and the
than the similarly compact machines websites Laptop Mag (www.laptopmag.
made by the likes of NUC and Beelink, com), TechRadar (www.techradar.com)
albeit with a lesser footprint if you stand and Windows Central (www.windows
it vertically (as shown right). central.com). This means we can test
It’s built around an Intel Core i5-13500H thousands of products before choosing
chip. These have only recently been the most relevant for Computeractive.
superseded by 14th-generation processors,
as found in the CyberPower PC reviewed FAIR AND IMPARTIAL
opposite. These 13th-generation units Our writers follow strict guidelines to
remain a decent option for anyone looking ensure the reviews are fair and impartial.
for good Windows performance, and The manufacturer has no involvement in
prices are becoming more reasonable. our tests.
The Corebox’s processor is supported by
16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. OUR AWARDS
We award every product
that gets five stars our
More powerful than Buy It! stamp of approval.
around 20 per cent faster. It means we were
many mini PCs but it’s The Corebox uses the Intel Iris Xe extremely impressed by the product, and
graphics built into the processor to we think you will be too.
bigger overall power games and other software, and
Every product that gets a
while this provides better results than
four-star review is given the
Unsurprisingly, its performance levels the UN1265, the difference is marginal.
Recommended award. We
cannot compete with CyberPower’s Generally, this is built for running
highly recommend these
expensive gaming PC, but you’ll be hard office programs, web browsing and
products, although they just fail to meet the
pushed to find a machine that offers this handling emails rather than playing
high standard of our Buy It! winners.
kind of power at such a low price. The games. That said, it’s slower at these
last one in this price bracket that we everyday tasks than our current favourite PRICES
tested was the Minisforum UN1265 desktop PC – the Palicomp AMD Cobra Our reviews contain a link to the best price
(£379 from www.snipca.com/47653, (£400 from www.snipca.com/43515, we found online at the time of press.
see Issue 668), but that came with a reviewed Issue 643 – see page 30). Of
12th-generation Intel Core i7 processor course, the Corebox takes up much less
and is currently out of stock. space, if that’s more important to you.
The Corebox is a solid alternative, At the moment this is only available VERDICT Its unusual design contains
which uses its two extra cores (12 directly from Chuwi’s own website. a decent mini PC for Windows tasks and
compared with 10) and its more recent Prices are listed in pounds, but by the web browsing
components to improve on the UN1265 in time you reach the checkout you’ll be
benchmark tests that push the processor paying in US dollars, so make sure
★★★★★
to its limits. In Windows tests it ran you’re happy with the amount your ALTERNATIVE Beelink SER6 Pro
payment-card company will charge 7753HS £629 More expensive, but this
you to convert the currency. is smaller overall, and offers greater
power, a faster processor and more RAM
SPECIFICATIONS
12-core Intel Core i5-13500H processor • 16GB RAM •
Intel Iris Xe graphics • 512GB SSD • Wi-Fi 6 • Bluetooth
5.1 • 1x 2.5Gigabit Ethernet port • 1x USB-C port • 6x
USB 3.0 ports • 2x HDMI ports • 2x DisplayPorts •
Windows 11 Pro • 173x73x158mm (HxWxD)
• One-year warranty www.snipca.com/48566

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 23

 Reviews
LAPTOP-TABLET ❘ £599 from Dell www.snipca.com/48600

Dell Inspiron 14 2-in-1 Laptop

Off colour

Dell has updated its 14in laptop-tablet

(previously reviewed in Issue 638),
replacing the Intel Core i5-1235U with
the newer AMD Ryzen 5 7530U mobile
processor. This has helped to bring the
price down, with this model launching
at around £50 less.
This Inspiron 14 comes with 8GB of
RAM and a 512GB SSD, which matches
the memory of the previous version but
doubles the storage. Be aware that while
you can upgrade the SSD in future if you
want, the RAM is built into the laptop’s of the MateBook’s speed. and high frequencies are fine, but there’s
motherboard and is therefore fixed. One thing that annoyed us, however, next to no bass.
is how quickly (and noisily) the laptop’s We also hoped for more from the 1080p
fans kick in. They started rattling around webcam. Even in good lighting, images
It performs well after only a few minutes of use and look blurry and washed out.
produce enough noise to distract you The keys are large and nicely spaced
enough and has a while you’re working. out for a laptop of this size, but they feel
With AMD’s most basic Radeon mushy and the case has too much flex for
decent battery life, but graphics built in, the Inspiron’s speeds our liking. The smooth touchpad works
in our gaming tests were mediocre. well when performing gestures, but requires
otherwise there are Nor would it be our first-choice laptop an inordinate amount of pressure when
too many flaws for watching films. There’s nothing
wrong with the detail across the 14in
left- or right-clicking. On the plus side,
there’s a generous sprinkling of ports –
screen, with its resolution of 1920x1200 with two USB-C, one USB-3.0, one
We wouldn’t typically expect blistering pixels, but colour reproduction is modest, HDMI socket and an SD card slot.
speeds at this price, but it held up well measuring only 60 per cent of the Long battery life is another of its
in everyday use and in our benchmark sRGB colour standard in our tests, strongest attributes. It lasted 11 hours
tests. For example, we used it during a and only 43 per cent of the more 27 minutes in our web-browsing test, so
normal working day and it didn’t slow demanding DCI-P3 standard. you probably won’t need to bring the
down even with 20 open browser tabs, It also has a disappointing peak power charger with you on day trips.
including a YouTube video and messaging brightness level of 234cd/m2, which That’s a good thing, because the laptop
services. isn’t enough for outdoor use on a sunny itself is already fairly heavy at 1.6kg –
Results of tests that pushed the day. Its saving grace is the flexibility of and this is despite most of the case
processor to its limits lagged well behind its hinge, which lets you use it as a feeling relatively plastic and flimsy.
those of the Intel Core i9 chip in our standard laptop, or switch to its tent
current favourite laptop, the Huawei (pictured left) and tablet modes.
MateBook 16s (£1,100 from www.snipca. The two upward-facing speakers VERDICT A compact, affordable and
com/47772, reviewed in Issue 669 – see flanking the keyboard produce versatile laptop-tablet, but its below-
page 30), running at around 60 per cent surprisingly loud audio. Podcasts, talk average screen and flimsy build quality
radio and audiobooks sound clear and are disappointing
sharp. It produces the same level of
clarity on video calls. However, they
★★★★★
aren’t great for listening to music: mid ALTERNATIVE Huawei MateBook
16s £1,099 More
SPECIFICATIONS expensive, but
Six-core AMD Ryzen 5 7530U processor • 8GB RAM with a significantly
• 14in 1920x1200-pixel resolution IPS touchscreen • larger screen and
512GB SSD • Wi-Fi 6E • Bluetooth 5.2 • 2x USB-C ports
• 1x USB 3.0 port • 1x HDMI port • 1x 3.5mm audio jack
much more
• Windows 11 Home • 18.6x314x227mm (HxWxD) • power
1.6kg • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/48600

24 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

TV-STREAMING STICK | £60 from Amazon www.snipca.com/48645
CHOOSE THE RIGHT SPECS
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K (2023) Intel’s 14th-
Primed and ready generation
processors
There are two ways to get streaming What do they do?
services on your TV: you can either buy a The processor is the brain of
smart TV that has all the services built in, the PC, so it does most of the
or you can add them afterwards with a computing work and controls
streaming device such as the Amazon all the other components. Intel
Fire TV Stick 4K. The benefit of buying a has launched three new processors
stick is that they’re inexpensive and easy for desktop PCs, one for each of its
to upgrade. By plugging one into your three lines: Core i5, i7 and i9. According
TV’s HDMI port, you can make it smart to Intel’s numbering scheme, these
or add services and options your TV may are 14th-generation processors, but
not have come with. they’re mostly minor upgrades to the
equivalent 13th-generation models.

An affordable way to How do they work?

The processor plugs straight into the
upgrade your TV with and navigating through apps very snappy, motherboard and coordinates all the
and we didn’t have to wait for anything PC’s functions. Everything that happens
all the latest services to load. The stick supports resolutions on the computer passes through the
up to 4K on compatible TVs, as well as processor. These latest chips use the
The latest version of Amazon’s Fire advanced audio and video standards such same sockets and motherboards as the
TV Stick 4K isn’t revolutionary – it as HDR10, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and previous generation, so you won’t need
looks very similar to its predecessor Dolby Atmos. new hardware. However, they have a
and does almost exactly the same The interface is straightforward to use few new functions. These include more
things. However, it has been upgraded if a little Amazon-centric, with the automated overclocking options that
on the inside. Amazon has updated the company’s own apps including Prime allow advanced users to push the chips’
processor, and claims that its new 1.7GHz Video and Freevee highlighted on the clock speeds beyond their normal limits.
chip is 25-per-cent faster than the home screen. You can change this if you New software is available to manage
previous generation. Its memory has wish, but it takes a little extra effort. this process, letting you monitor the
increased to 2GB, and it now has Wi-Fi 6, One benefit of the device’s Amazon processor and making it safer and
which could increase the streaming focus, however, is its integration with easier to do.
speeds and reach of your wireless Alexa. Pressing the Alexa button on the
network if you have a compatible router. remote provides easy voice control over What are the specs?
Setting up the device is simple. It the Fire TV’s interface. It also means you The new Core i5-14600K and i9-
comes with an HDMI extender cable, can link the Fire TV Stick 4K to your 14900K processors are slight upgrades
so if your HDMI ports are close together, existing Alexa system and use it to control over their predecessors, but the i7-
you won’t have to worry about the stick all your compatible devices such as smart 14700K has four additional efficiency
blocking access to its neighbours. To lights and smart plugs. cores. In tests, this makes it almost as
set it up, you’ll need to provide your fast as the previous-generation i9-
Wi-Fi password and Amazon account 13900K. You can see how it performs
information. If you’re replacing an VERDICT A small but significant update in our review of the CyberPower Infinity
existing Amazon device, your favourites to an already excellent streaming stick X147 GRE Gaming PC on page 22.
and settings should pass seamlessly that’s particularly good for those who
to this model. use Amazon’s services Can I change them later?
The new hardware makes downloading Yes, in theory you can take a processor
★★★★★ out of its socket and swap it for a new
SPECIFICATIONS ALTERNATIVE Roku Streaming Stick one. However, Intel is rumoured to be
Quad-core 1.7GHz processor • Supports TV 4K £50 A similar device without the making significant changes to its next
resolutions up to 4K • 2GB RAM • 8GB storage • Wi-Fi Amazon focus, but also no Wi-Fi 6 generation of processors, so they
6 • Bluetooth 5.2 • HDMI connector • MicroUSB port may not be compatible with motherboards
for charging • Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10, HDR10+,
HLG • Dolby Atmos audio • Alexa Voice Remote •
designed for 13th- and 14th-generation
99x30x14mm (HxWxD) • 43.5g • One-year warranty chips.
www.snipca.com/48645

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 25

 Reviews
TABLET | £149 from Amazon www.snipca.com/48636

Honor Pad X9
Cost benefit

The Honor Pad X9 is one of the cheapest 462cd/m2 and better colour
tablets around, but you’d be hard-pressed reproduction (98 per cent of the
to see that on first impressions. There’s sRGB standard and 73 per cent of
not a hint of plastic in the casing, just a DCI-P3) than you might expect at
metallic unibody shell. It’s slim and light this price. We’ve seen tablets twice
at 6.9mm thick and 499g, and while the the price with screens that don’t
thicker bezels and overall design tell you measure up to this.
that this isn’t Samsung’s top-of-the-range Of course, there are
Galaxy Tab S9 (£759 from www.snipca. compromises. It’s restricted to
com/47493), it’s still a decent device. Wi-Fi 5, and the USB-C port isn’t
particularly fast – with charging
limited to 18W (the adapter in exceeds expectations in many areas,
A tablet that makes the box is actually only 10W). including battery life. Spending more
Nor do we like the looks of will get you a better tablet, but if your
sensible trade-offs to Honor’s MagicOS operating system, budget is below £150, you won’t find
which tries too hard to make Android anything better.
keep the price down look like Apple’s iPadOS. On the plus
side, it supports split-screen views
First off, you won’t find much wrong and floating windows. VERDICT An affordable Android tablet
with the screen. True, the 11.5in panel Our tests showed it to be a tad with a good-sized screen that’s bright
size and 2000x1200-pixel resolution faster than the Honor Pad 8 (£179 from and accurate, but it’s not as powerful as
means you don’t get the sharpness of www.snipca.com/43672, reviewed in more costly rivals
some rivals. However, it’s still punchy, Issue 644). That doesn’t mean you’re
with a maximum brightness level of getting the same level of smooth
★★★★★
performance of you’d get from mid-range ALTERNATIVE Lenovo Tab P11 Pro
SPECIFICATIONS devices, but the overall experience is £370 A faster and more responsive
Eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 685 processor still fairly slick. You should, however, Android tablet, which
• 4GB RAM • 128GB storage • 11.5in 60Hz lower your expectations – and your comes with a keyboard
2000x1200-pixel IPS screen • 5-megapixel rear detail settings – if you’re thinking about cover so you can also
camera • 5-megapixel front-facing camera • Wi-Fi
5 • Bluetooth 5.1 • MagicOS 7.1 (based on Android
playing games. use it like a
13) • 167x267x6.9mm (HxWxD) • 499g • One-year That’s not unreasonable given the laptop
warranty www.snipca.com/48636 price, especially when the Pad X9

WHAT SHOULD I BUY? We solve your buying dilemmas

Is there a device that can alert me to a power cut?

I read with interest your Unfortunately, while some smart cloud-based system to alert you by
Q article reviewing the best
smart plugs in Issue 672. Are
A devices can warn you if your
internet connection goes down,
email if you have a power cut. It’s a
USB device that can plug into a spare
there such plugs that could alert me we haven’t yet seen one that could alert port on a device that’s always on, such
when the item plugged in you to a power cut. Most devices require as your router. Alternatively, you could
fails or the supply drops electricity to operate, then need an permanently connect it to a USB
out due to a power cut or internet connection to report on their smartphone charging adapter.
similar? I’m thinking status, which would also be down in a A server regularly checks the device’s
about whether I could power failure. status in your home and, if it becomes
receive an alert if my There are other devices that might unavailable for any reason, you’ll be
freezer failed while I was on help. The ControlloCasa Power Failure sent a warning email.
holiday, for example. Alarm (£42 from Amazon at www. Do you need advice on what you should buy?
Bruce Dodsworth snipca.com/48640, pictured) uses a Email us at [email protected]

26 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 Reviews
KEYBOARD ❘ £84 from Amazon www.snipca.com/48604

Cherry KC 200 MX
No pressing issues

This wired mechanical keyboard comes want to bash out words at pace. which includes switches with shorter
in a bronze finish and refreshingly minimal The keys have a 2mm pre-travel, travel that require less force to press
light effects (just white LED indicators for which measures how far they move them. Both keyboards cost around the
Num lock, Caps lock and scroll lock keys) before the key press is registered, but same and come with a generous
– and all at an attractive price. That buys that still felt slightly oversensitive. We three-year warranty.
you keys with the latest Cherry MX2A lost count of how many times we
Brown switches, offering 4mm of travel, accidentally brushed the F11 key when
and no clacking noise. Cherry claims aiming for the Backspace, forcing our VERDICT A wired mechanical
each key should last for 100 million hits. browser into full-screen mode. keyboard that’s ideal for anyone who
The keys support anti-ghosting, which The key layout, however, is flawless, doesn’t need to keep swapping their
means all key presses are registered, even though additional ‘media’ keys are keyboard from one device to another
when you hit several at the same time. restricted to volume up, volume down
This is essential for fast gaming. It’s easily and mute. These sit above the number
★★★★★
able to keep up with the fastest typists, pad, along with a Calculator shortcut. ALTERNATIVE Yunzii AL71 £100
reminding us that there isn’t anything You can download the optional Cherry A wireless alternative, offering a decent
quite like a mechanical keyboard if you Keys software if you want to assign typing experience and reasonable
shortcuts or macros to the function keys. value for
SPECIFICATIONS
Cherry MX2A Brown switches • 1.2m USB 2.0 cable
We tested the Cherry MX2A Brown money
• 39x430x121mm (HxWxD) • 830g • Three-year version, but there’s also a Silent Red
warranty www.snipca.com/48604 option (www.snipca.com/48605),

SPEAKER ❘ £190 from K&B Audio www.snipca.com/48608

Edifier QD35
A little light music

The Edifier QD35 is described by its any speaker we’ve seen before. The
manufacturer as a tabletop speaker, lights have a wide range of customisable
which just means you could plug it presets, accessible via its smartphone
into your PC or simply leave it on your app, but you can also create your own to create your very own customised
kitchen worktop or living-room side light shows if you prefer. audio profile.
table, to play radio broadcasts, music or It can connect to your devices
anything else you want to stream from a through Bluetooth 5.3, a 3.5mm audio
Bluetooth-connected device. jack or one of the two USB 3.0 or the VERDICT A versatile speaker with
At the front, the unit is transparent, single USB-C ports. Two of these can be phenomenal sound quality, but its eye-
and has RGB lights embedded into its used to charge a connected phone. It also catching illuminations might not be to
design. It has a 35W charger built in, has a physical power button, volume everyone’s taste
an RGB clock, and offers several knob and brightness control, so you can
connection methods. tone down the lights if you prefer.
★★★★★
When you have them switched on, the The large 25W 3in woofer and 15W 1in ALTERNATIVE Logitech Z207
RGB lighting and illuminated piping tweeter work well together to produce £48 Lacks the RGB lighting, but this
inside look phenomenal – in fact, unlike phenomenal sound quality. You get is a cheaper set of PC
superb clarity that can be turned up speakers that can also
SPECIFICATIONS surprisingly loud without distortion. stream via Bluetooth so
Bluetooth 5.3 • 1x USB-C port • 2x USB 3.0 ports •
You have the option of gaming, music you can play from your
Supports Edifier Connect app • 165x278x142mm
(HxWxD) • 2.64kg • One-year warranty www.snipca. and cinema modes. Alternatively, you can smartphone
com/48608 use the equalizer in the companion app

28 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 Reviews
SECURITY CAMERA | £160 from Amazon www.snipca.com/48652
DO I REALLY NEED...
Ring Outdoor Camera Pro Battery 8K earbuds?
Watch this space
What is it?
High-end Japanese headphone
manufacturer Final has
An upgrade on Ring’s regular launched a set of earbuds
Outdoor Camera Battery (£90 with ‘Hi Resolution 8K
from www.snipca.com/48653), sound’ – the Audio
the new Pro version adds radar for ZE8000 MK2 (£299
improved 3D motion detection. It then from Amazon at www.
uses the data it collects to plot visitors’ snipca.com/48658, pictured).
(and intruders’) routes by combining
the movement tracking with satellite What do they do?
imagery. Called Bird’s Eye View, it’s a They are a follow-up to Final’s ZE8000
clever trick, but one that doesn’t quite earbuds (£180 from www.snipca.
justify the £70 price hike over the com/48659), which were launched
regular model. last year. They too had ‘8K sound’, but
Final claims this set is better. It says that
8K sound lets you hear the smallest of
Plots intruders’ details, bringing more nuance to any
We had a few problems with the music you’re listening to.
routes via 3D satellite camera not detecting motion from
greater distances when we mounted What’s the catch?
imagery it two floors up to keep an eye on Well, you can’t actually measure
the driveway below. It spotted some sound in terms of resolution. This is a
In other ways, the weatherproof Pro is movements, but not all. However, marketing gimmick to make us all think
as good as we’ve come to expect from a this was pushing it to its maximum about earbuds in the way we consider
Ring product. The build quality is robust, detection range of about 30 feet. TV or monitor resolutions. 8K TVs are
setup is simple and there are plenty of When spotting motion close up or currently the best quality available. As
configuration options. The Ring’s Full HD detecting a door opening, the camera an audio specification, it’s meaningless.
video quality is also impressive, though was incredibly responsive. We also
not outstanding, with rivals offering 2K found the 5GHz Wi-Fi connection So can I do without it?
or even 4K resolutions. The night vision excellent, even though it was travelling Probably, even though they are likely
(which is available in colour) also works through two walls. to be very high quality and may even
well, and we like the built-in siren, The regular Outdoor Camera Battery justify their steep price.
which should be enough to scare off will probably suffice for most needs and
most unwanted visitors. budgets. But for those who want a greater
Battery life is long, lasting months understanding of how a trespasser has NEXT ISSUE
rather than days or weeks, as long as navigated your property, the Pro’s
it isn’t located in such a busy location radar-powered Bird’s Eye View offers a On Sale Weds 17 Jan
that the motion detection has to work new approach to home surveillance.
overtime.
Streaming live video or viewing GMKtec NucBox M3
recorded footage through the app is quick VERDICT A high-end wireless A mini PC at a great
price with impressive
and reliable. However, as usual with Ring security camera with advanced features
performance
products, the footage is not recorded to and solid performance, but significantly
online storage unless you pay a monthly more expensive than the basic model
or annual fee (£3.49 a month for a single Lenovo ThinkPad
camera, or £8 a month for a household
★★★★★
E14 Gen 5
with multiple cameras). Make sure you ALTERNATIVE Ring Outdoor Camera This 14in laptop gets
factor this subscription into your budget. Battery £90 A cheaper Windows and web work
alternative from the same done in a flash
SPECIFICATIONS manufacturer, which
1080p resolution • 3D motion detection • Colour night lacks the 3D tracking but These and much more...
vision • Two-way audio • Easy installation • 5GHz
Wi-Fi support • Compatible with Alexa • Two-way
offers most of the other Subscribe to Computeractive at
audio • 154x70x70mm (HxWxD) • One-year warranty features you’ll need www.getcomputeractive.co.uk
www.snipca.com/48652

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 29

 Buy It Find out which other products we liked.
Buy our 2022 Back Issue CD:
£17 from www.snipca.com/44660

Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award

LAPTOP DESKTOP PC APPLE iPAD

Huawei MateBook 16s 2023 Palicomp Apple iPad 10.2in

£1,100 from www.snipca.com/47772 AMD Cobra £319 from www.snipca.com/48634
Tested Issue 669 £400 from www.snipca.com/43515 Tested Issue 623
Tested Issue 643

In all our years of testing no laptop

has ever performed Windows tasks The 9th-generation of the basic iPad,
as quickly as this. This breathtaking This fast PC is a mouth-watering released in 2021, is now the best-value
speed is down to the powerful Intel bargain, with 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD Apple tablet. The 2022 version looks
Core i9 processor. It also has a sharp and a six-core processor – though it better and has a faster processor, but
16in screen, 16GB RAM and long lacks USB-C ports and built-in Wi-Fi. it’s not worth paying £130 extra for.
battery life.
ALTERNATIVE Wired2Fire Ultima WS ALTERNATIVE iPad Mini With an even
ALTERNATIVE Honor MagicBook X 16 Home Office Workstation Blisteringly better, but smaller, screen than the
2023 Also has a 16in screen and is great fast PC, powered by an overclocked 10.2in iPad, the Mini also supports
value, though it’s not especially fast. eight-core processor and 1TB SSD. the Pencil and has 64GB of storage.
£450 from www.snipca.com/47868 £644 from www.snipca.com/41500 £569 from www.snipca.com/33050

ANDROID TABLET APPLE iPHONE ANDROID PHONE

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Apple iPhone 13 Google Pixel 7a

£759 from www.snipca.com/47493 £599 from www.snipca.com/43498 £379 from www.snipca.com/46332
Tested Issue 667 Tested Issue 627 Tested Issue 660

With a much brighter screen than our

previous favourite – the Galaxy Tab S8 Now £200 cheaper than its 2021 launch
– this is perfect for watching TV. It also price, the iPhone 13 has a superb screen,
has a faster processor, so tasks feel long battery life and an excellent camera - A cheaper version of Google’s flagship
smoother, even with several windows particularly for taking quick snaps without phone, this uses AI to add clarity to
open. It’s a great buy at its full price of blurring. You could pay £799 for the newer photos, and lasts an impressive 10
£799, but look for discounts that make iPhone 15, but we’re not convinced it’s hours. Has a fast processor and 8GB
it even better value worth the extra money. RAM to supercharge performance.

ALTERNATIVE Lenovo Tab P11 Pro It’s ALTERNATIVE iPhone SE With a single ALTERNATIVE Xiaomi Poco F3 This
slower than the Tab S9 and the screen is camera and smaller screen but the remains an excellent phone, with 6GB
duller, but has a detachable keyboard so same powerful A15 processor and 64GB RAM and 128GB storage. The only phone
you can use it as a laptop. £359 from storage as the iPhone 14, it’s great value. under £450 that’s faster is the iPhone
www.snipca.com/45244 £429 from www.snipca.com/34773 SE. £259 from www.snipca.com/44553

30 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 Buy It
Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award
MINI PC EBOOK READER SECURITY SOFTWARE

Beelink GTR7 7840HS Kobo Libra 2 Norton 360 Premium

£749 from www.snipca.com/47875 £170 from www.snipca.com/40645 £19.99 from www.snipca.com/33247
Tested Issue 670 Tested Issue 624 Tested Issue 629

Norton has always performed

With a 1TB SSD, 32GB RAM and plenty strongly in our antivirus tests,
of ports, this is the best all-purpose A fantastic 7in screen, 32GB of storage regularly making the top three.
mini PC we’ve seen to date. The and Bluetooth connectivity make this a Owned by US firm NortonLifeLock,
eight-core Ryzen processor performs rival to Amazon’s Oasis ebook reader, it’s available at a discount on our
Windows tasks quickly, and it’s great yet it’s much cheaper. Battery life is Software Store. Use the link above
for games too. Comes in green, blue, superb – we managed 54 hours of use for a 10-device, two-year licence.
grey or orange. per charge. It supports OverDrive, so Other versions are available, including
you can borrow ebooks from libraries. Norton 360 for Gamers.
ALTERNATIVE GMKtec NucBox K2
Has the same SSD and RAM, but fewer ALTERNATIVE Amazon Kindle This low- ALTERNATIVE Bitdefender Total
ports and weaker processor. Delivery is cost option is a good choice, especially Security Another top performer that
from the US. £462 from www.snipca. now it has 16GB of storage. £85 from we’re offering at a discount. £19.99
com/48223 www.snipca.com/44221 from www.snipca.com/41141

WEBCAM PC MONITOR P SOLID-STATE DRIVE

DRRIC
OP E
Logitech C925e Business Iiyama ProLite Corsair MP600 Pro LPX
Webcam XU2492HSU-B1 500GB
£68 from www.snipca.com/41104 £90 from www.snipca.com/39701 £60 from www.snipca.com/41547
Tested Issue 608 Tested Issue 618 Tested Issue 630

This 23.8in screen is superb value, In our tests, this M.2 SSD hit speeds of
Despite the name, this webcam is also with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. 7,364MB/s and 6,870MB/s when
great for home users. Its standout Colour is good, covering 88 per cent of reading and writing data – astonishingly
feature is automatically adjusting itself the sRGB colour range. Connect your fast scores. It’s compatible with the
to keep your picture looking sharp. It computer via HDMI, DisplayPort or new PCIe 4.0 standard, which is twice
offers a 78-degree field of view, which VGA, and there’s a USB hub to connect as fast as PCIe 3.0. The 1TB model
is fine for everyday video chats with one your mouse and keyboard. costs £64; 2TB costs £130.
person in front of the camera.
ALTERNATIVE AOC 27P2C This also has ALTERNATIVE Crucial MX500 500GB
ALTERNATIVE Anker PowerConf C300 a 1920x1080 resolution but it’s 27 inches, As fast as an SSD can get in the
Good image quality, crisp audio and so pixel density is lower. But you’ll only traditional 2.5in SATA format, this
lots of features. £64 from www.snipca. notice if you look really closely. £210 from is a great-value upgrade. £41 from
com/41105 www.snipca.com/41609 www.snipca.com/37304

32 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 Buy It

COMPETITION

Win a...
Kanto Audio ORA
desktop speaker
The new ORA, from Canadian speaker of bi-amplified Class D power.
manufacturer Kanto Audio is a The Kanto Audio ORA also includes a
powerful compact desktop speaker subwoofer output, with a built-in
ideal for listening to music, gaming, or automatic crossover at 100Hz that To enter this competition,
for use as a home or remote recording high-passes the speakers and low- answer the question at www.snipca.
studio monitor. Featuring separate passes the sub-out, enabling seamless com/48583 and submit your details.
amplifiers for the woofers/tweeters, integration with a powered subwoofer It ends at midnight Tuesday 16
ORA offers superior clarity alongside a — such as the Kanto Audio SUB8. January. Good luck!
smooth, accurate frequency response. Measuring 6.9x3.9x5.6in (HxWxD),
Featuring Bluetooth 5.0 connectivity, it’s the perfect compact speaker for You can buy the ORA for £309 from
Analogue Line-in and a USB-C input desktop use. You can use it with the www.snipca.com/48584. For more
for connecting iPhone 15, Android dedicated Kanto Audio S2, SE2, or details on Kanto speakers, visit
devices, Digital Audio Players, PC, SP9 speaker stands (sold separately), www.kantoaudio.com and ‘like’
Mac and more, ORA delivers 50 watts or mount it on your wall. www.facebook.com/kantoaudio.

PRINTER SMART TV ROUTER

Epson EcoTank ET-1810 Samsung Q60B Asus RT-AXE7800

£160 from www.snipca.com/41232 £430 from www.snipca.com/45083 £238 from www.snipca.com/47586
Tested Issue 628 Tested Issue 652 Tested Issue 665

An inkjet printer that comes with With our former favourite – the TCL This router has Wi-Fi 6E, so will be
enough ink to print 4,500 mono 55RP620K out of stock – Samsung’s capable of the fastest possible speeds
and 7,500 colour pages, making it 43in set is our new pick. It has excellent on the 6GHz network over the next few
exceptionally cheap to run. It’s not colour reproduction in well-lit scenes, years. It has five Ethernet ports and also
the fastest printer, but quality is good, and the picture is wonderfully sharp – a USB 3.0 port to connect a hard drive or
especially on photo paper – we’ve especially in 4K. NAS drive.
never seen better on an inkjet.
ALTERNATIVE LG OLED42C3 ALTERNATIVE Synology WRX560
ALTERNATIVE Brother DCP-J1140DW LG’s 42in TV is more than double the Our previous favourite remains an
Compact multifunction model with rare price, but unlike TCL’s model it has an excellent choice, delivering speeds of
features at this price, including OLED screen, boosting picture quality up to 791.5Mbps. Add more units to set
double-sided printing. £140 from considerably. £1,099 from www.snipca. up mesh Wi-Fi. £215 from www.snipca.
www.snipca.com/43670 com/47271 com/44696

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 33

Computeractive 2023
Back Issue CD & USB Stick
Both the CD and Stick contain all 26 issues from 2023

G SOON!
COMIN

Buy the CD and the Stick from

www.snipca.com/48709
 Pull Out
& Keep

Workshops & Tips Issue 674

14 pages of easy-to-follow workshops and expert tips

35 B
 ack up WhatsApp 40 Readers’ Tips PLUS
chats, videos and photos 44 Phone & Tablet Tips 47 M
 ake Office Better
42 Browser Tips:
38 I ncrease your photos Always underline links 46 M
 ake Windows 48 In the Club: Set up and
without losing quality on web pages Better share a 2024 calendar

HOW TO...
Back up your WhatsApp
chats, videos and photos by Nik Rawlinson

What you need: WhatsApp on an Android phone or iPhone Time required: 30 minutes

S
croll back through your WhatsApp them in the future. Losing all that checking that they’re secure today, and
messages and what do you see? would be an inconvenience, not to that you plan for the future.
Family photos; birthday wishes; mention a shame. Although WhatsApp generally works
useful scraps of information, like phone That’s why it’s important to make the same on both Android and iPhone,
numbers, addresses, and appointments. sure your WhatsApp chats are backed up there are significant differences in the
And the general chit-chat of everyday life – and with new restrictions for Android way that each handles backups, as we’ll
that might raise a smile as you return to users (see Step 4), it’s worth both explain.

Turn on automatic which apps’ data is backed up to your Make sure backup is set to automatic
1 updates
If you have an iPhone, open
iCloud account) tap Show All Apps if
WhatsApp isn’t included in the list of the
before going any further. Inside WhatsApp,
tap More Options, followed by Settings,
Settings and tap your name at the top five apps taking up the most space. Now then Chats. Tap ‘Chat backup’, then ‘Back
of the screen. Now tap iCloud followed scroll through the full list and make sure up to your Google Account’. Now select
by iCloud Backup. Your phone will list the slider next to WhatsApp is slid to a schedule. Don’t select Never or ‘Only
all the devices that are backed up to green, indicating it’s on (see screenshot). when I tap “Back up”’, or your chats
your online storage, so if you have, for You can perform a manual backup won’t be automatically backed up.
example, a phone and a couple of iPads, whenever you want. To do so, in WhatsApp, Now, if you’ve set up multiple Google
tap the iPhone to focus on just that. open Settings, then tap Chats followed by Accounts on your phone, check that
On the following screen (which lists Chat Backup, then ‘Back Up Now’. you’re backing up to the right one by
On Android, which doesn’t have selecting it on the following screen. Be
Switch on
access to Apple’s iCloud, your WhatsApp aware that if you change the account to
this setting
so that archive is backed up to Google Drive. which you’re sending your backups at
WhatsApp As you need a Google Account to set up this point, any backups already stored in
backs up to your device in the first place, you already the old account will become inaccessible.
iCloud on
your iPhone have everything you need to get started. Therefore, don’t make a change here and
However, if your phone is logged into then fail to go through with the backup,
more than one account – perhaps so or you risk losing data.
you can use several calendars or receive You can also back up your chats
emails from different addresses – you’ll manually whenever you want by returning
need to make sure you’re backing up to to the ‘Chat backup’ screen and tapping
the one you expect. the ‘Back up’ button.

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 35

 Save photos to your
2 camera’s library
By default, WhatsApp
automatically saves every photo and
How I back up WhatsApp
video that people share with you to I’ve recently upgraded to an iPhone 15 Pro and wanted to make
your phone’s media gallery. It’s worth absolutely certain I could still access my WhatsApp chats, many
checking that this setting is switched of which go back years. I was pleasantly surprised by how easy
on. On your iPhone, open WhatsApp’s the process of moving from one phone to another was and (touch
Settings and tap Chats, then make sure wood) I don’t seem to have lost anything in the switch. My phone
the slider next to ‘Save to Camera Roll’ is is set to automatically back up WhatsApp to iCloud, but I will create
on. On Android, select Chats in Settings manual backups of my most important chats periodically so I can keep track of them
then check ‘Media visibility’ is switched separately.
on (see screenshot below). Nik Rawlinson
If activating these settings results in How do you back up WhatsApp?
a rush of unwanted images from large Please let us know: [email protected]
chat groups, you can disable saving for
individual chats on a case-by-case basis.
On iPhones, tap ‘Chats’ on the toolbar long as you’re on a Wi-Fi network, not without using email or connecting the
and open the chat in question. Now tap just on the mobile network). two physically.
its title at the top of the screen, followed Once you’ve downloaded the archive,
by ‘Save to Camera Roll’. Change the Download individual chats extract the ‘_chat.txt’ file inside it and
setting from ‘Default (On)’ to Never.
On Android, open the relevant chat,
3 As well as backing up online,
you can create an archive of
save it somewhere safe.

tap the three-dot button and choose individual chats and download them to Stop backing up
‘View contact’. Select ‘Media visibility’
and change the setting to No.
your computer. Tap Settings, followed
by Chats, then tap Export Chat. Tap the
4 large files
Naturally, whether you’re
Saving images to your camera roll chat you want to back up, followed by using iCloud or a Google Account,
means they’ll be stored elsewhere on either Attach Media or Without Media you’re writing data to somebody else’s
your phone. Unless you’ve told your (ie, photos and videos) as appropriate server, which takes up space. This will
phone not to back up your photos or the (see screenshot below). Bear in mind be counted against your allowance if
specific album to which WhatsApp sends that if you include any media posted to you’re an iPhone user and, soon, it will
them, they’ll be backed up alongside all the chat the resulting archive could be also count against your Google Account
of your other media – such as videos. much larger. storage if your phone runs on Android.
You can block image and video WhatsApp will collect the content of Previously, Google effectively allowed
downloads entirely. From the Settings your selected chat and compress it into a WhatsApp users to back up for free, as
screen, tap ‘Storage and Data’, and tap ZIP file, then ask how you’d like to save it. it didn’t count the size of their archives
each of the settings for Photos, Audio, Assuming it’s not too large, the simplest against their free 15GB of Google Account
Video and Documents at the bottom option will often be to attach it to an storage (or any additional storage you’ve
of the screen. In each case, change the email and send it to yourself. However, if bought by signing up for Google One at
option from ‘Wi-Fi and Cellular’ to Never you installed LocalSend by following our https://one.google.com).
(the other option is Wi-Fi, which will still Workshop in Issue 673 (page 38), you can That’s going to change early in 2024.
download everything to your phone as easily send it directly to your computer As long as you still have sufficient space
in your Google Account, you shouldn’t
Exporting
individual notice any difference. However, as that
chats gives space is also shared with Gmail and
you more Google Photos, you’ll have more apps
control
over where
they’re
saved

Switch on ‘Media visibility’ so WhatsApp You can reduce the size of your backup by
backs up photos and videos on Android excluding videos – shown here on Android

36 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 Back up your WhatsApp chats, videos and photos

Transfer WhatsApp to a new phone

If you’re lucky enough to have upgraded app on your old phone and point it at the QR Now switch to your new phone and,
your phone, you’ll want to take your code. When an invitation to connect appears having accepted the terms and conditions
WhatsApp chats with you. Start by on the new phone’s screen, tap it. The two and verified your number, tap Continue
installing WhatsApp on your new phone, devices will be linked and the transfer will on the ‘Transfer chat history to iPhone’
then follow the instructions below. begin. Once it’s finished, tap Done. screen. Your new phone will display a
QR code.
Between Android devices Between iPhones Point your old phone at this, still
Having accepted the terms and Tap Settings, followed by Chats, then running WhatsApp. When the new phone
conditions, tap ‘Verify your phone ‘Transfer Chats to iPhone’ on your asks if you want to accept local network
number’. Next, tap ‘Transfer from the old old device. Tap Start and, when prompted permissions, accept them. Your chat
device’, followed by Start. Your new phone to let WhatsApp access the camera, tap history will now transfer to your new
will display a QR code. Open the camera Allow. phone.

Sorting shared showing a preview of the largest items in useful if you have an older, low-capacity
files by age can
help you find your chats. phone.
older photos, Tap the ‘Larger Than 5 MB’ header Go back to the Manage Storage page,
videos and to open the full list. Notice that the then tap Disappearing Messages. Under
documents
largest items appear first, so are the ones the heading Set For Your Account, tap
that will make the biggest difference if Default Message Timer, and select an
deleted. However, you might instead interval. Your options are 24 Hours, 7
want to sort by age, in which case, tap Days and 90 Days (see screenshot below).
1 the ‘Sort by’ button at the bottom of the Whatever you select here will apply to
screen ( 1 in our screenshot left), followed new chats, not existing chats.
by either Newest or Oldest 2 . If you also want existing chats to
Next, tap Select at the top of the screen, time out, go back to the previous screen
2 then tap any files that you’re happy to and tap ‘Apply Timer to Chats’. By default,
get rid of (notice that a Select All option the timer is set to 90 days here, but – as
appears at the bottom of the screen with the limit applied to your account –
when you tap Select, which can be a you can change it to 7 Days or 24 Hours,
significant time-saver if you have a large as above, by tapping Disappearing
library and want a fresh start). Once Message Timer.
competing for limited capacity. you’ve chosen all you want, tap the bin Now tap the chats you want to make
Shooting a lot of phone photos, which icon to delete them. disappear. Be very selective when doing
are synced to Google Photos, could It’s a similar process on Android. this, as the change is applied to the chat,
therefore limit your ability to back up Start by tapping Chats, then open the not just to your phone. So, if you’re
your WhatsApp files. Likewise, backing menu by tapping the three dots at the chatting with several family members,
up a large WhatsApp archive could mean top of the screen, and tap Settings. each of whom is sharing family photos
your Gmail account is no longer able to Next, tap ‘Storage and data’ followed by among the group, they will all be set
accept incoming messages. ‘Manage storage’, then tap ‘Larger than to disappear within your specified
If you don’t want to pay for additional 5 MB’ to view the largest files in any of timeframe. Make sure all group members
storage it's worth making some changes your WhatsApp chat threads. To delete understand this so they can save a copy
to what’s backed up – and how. everything here, tap ‘Select all’, then tap of any images they want to keep.
Text-based chats don’t take up a huge the bin icon.
amount of space on their own. Photos If you prefer to take a more precise
and videos are far more data hungry. approach, long-press the first item you
Start by excluding videos from your want to delete until it’s selected. To
WhatsApp backup by tapping Settings add further items to the selection, tap
on the WhatsApp toolbar, followed each one in turn. Now tap the bin icon,
by Chats, then Chat Backup. Turn off followed by Delete.
the slider beside ‘Include videos’ (see
screenshot left). Now look for large items Set messages to
in your chat archive.
If you use an iPhone, open the WhatsApp
5 disappear automatically
You can automate backups to
Settings home screen, then tap ‘Storage a certain extent by making messages
and Data’, followed by Manage Storage. disappear automatically. This feature
Here, you’ll see how much storage you’re deletes chats and attachments after a Setting messages to disappear can reduce the
currently using – below that there’s a bar set period, which could be particularly size of your chats

Next issue: Master the DIR command in Command Prompt Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 37
 Workshop
Increase your photos
without losing any quality
What you need: Upscayl
Time required: 10 minutes

F or better or for worse, artificial

intelligence (AI) is starting to make a
big impact on our lives, but there’s one
their quality. There are numerous
websites offering AI-powered image
upscaling, but most come with strings
undeniable positive to its growing reach: (usually a hidden cost) attached. Instead,
its ability to improve sub-standard use Upscayl, with is free, open-source
images. One way it does this is upscaling, and has no restrictions. Here, we explain
where AI intelligently increases the size how to use it on your computer to
and resolution of images while preserving upscale your images to great effect.

STEP Visit www.upscayl.org and click the Download

1 link 1 in the top-right corner of the page to jump

to the Download section. Click Windows 2
followed by EXE Installer to save the ‘upscayl-2.9.4-win. 1
exe’ file to your Downloads folder. Once it’s downloaded,
double-click the file and follow the prompts to install
Upscayl on your PC (no unwanted or additional software is
installed alongside it). In the final window, leave ‘Run
Upscayl’ unticked and click Finish. The program will
launch to show its main interface.
2

1
4
5
2 1 2

3
3
4

STEP Click ‘Select Image’ 1 to open the image you’d like to STEP You’ll see a progress wheel and indicator (as a

2 upscale – Upscayl works with PNG, JPEG or WEBP

images. We’ve chosen an old black-and-white family
3 percentage) charting Upscayl’s progress. There’s also a
Stop button should you want to end the process for any
photo, but Upscayl works just as well with colour images. Next, reason. The upscale can take from as little as 10 seconds to
choose an AI model from the six initially provided by Upscayl several minutes depending on your PC and the size of the image
(you can add more later – see Step 7). General Photo (Real– being processed, and the result is automatically saved into the
ESRGAN) model is the default, so leave that selected for now 2 . folder you specified in the previous step. Once complete, the
Click ‘Set Output Folder’ 3 only if you want to save the upscaled original image is displayed on the left 1 , and the upscaled image
photo to a different folder than the original file. Finally, click on the right 2 . Drag the vertical slider 3 left and right to
Upscayl 4 . compare the two versions. Click ‘Show/Hide Image Settings’ 4
to reveal options to magnify both images by up to 200% 5 .

38 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 1

2 3

STEP In our example in the previous step, the Real ESRGAN STEP In addition to switching AI models and choosing

4 (https://real-esrgan.com) model’s attempt to sharpen

the image has created some unpleasant side-effects –
5 between 4x and 16x enlargements, Upscayl offers
several other options – flick the slider from Upscayl to
namely faces that look slightly artificial. If this happens with Settings 1 to access them. Below the section displaying the
your photo, try a different option from the ‘Select model’ program logs is an option to change Upscayl’s theme from a
dropdown menu and click Upscayl. In our screenshot, we choice of 30, including Aqua 2 . Use your mouse wheel or the
selected the Remacri model, which makes no attempt to scrollbar to the right of the panel 3 to reveal more options,
sharpen the photo, so the result is much better 1 . If you want to starting with a choice of save formats for your upscaled images
try and produce an image 16 times larger than the original, tick in PNG (the default) or JPG 4 – the latter produces smaller, but
the ‘Double Upscayl’ box 2 and click Upscayl again. lower-quality files.

STEP The next option – Don’t Post-Process Image 1 1

6 – should only be switched on if you encounter
an error related to scaling and converting the
image after it’s been resized. The Image Scale slider 2
works with AI models that let you upscale in smaller
increments (2x and 3x). Switching on Image
Compression 3 works best with JPEGs to reduce file 2
size at the expense of some quality – experiment with
different settings to get the best compromise between
file size and quality. Flick the Overwrite Previous 3
Upscale slider 4 to on if you want to try different
settings using the same AI model – otherwise it can be
left off. 4

STEP If you don’t like any of the AI models supplied

7 with Upscayl, you can add a dozen more, all

completely free to use. Go to www.snipca.
com/48613 and click the ‘Download this repository’ link
(under the Using Models heading) to save the ‘custom-
models-main.zip’ file to your Downloads folder (it’s a big
file: 304MB). Once done, open ‘custom-models-main.
zip’ followed by ‘custom-models-main’, then drag the
models folder within this to a suitable location, such as
1 2 your Pictures folder. In Upscayl, switch to Settings and
click Select Folder under Add Custom Models 1 . Open
the extracted models folder and click Select Folder 2 .
The new models will immediately be accessible via the
‘Select Model’ dropdown menu.

Next issue: Launch software faster from your USB stick Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 39
 Readers’ Tips
TIP OF THE FORTNIGHT

Select files by hovering your cursor over them

I replaced File Explorer with the Files 1 2
app when you first recommended it a
few years ago, and version 3.0 (www.
snipca.com/48213) that you wrote
about in Issue 671 (page 18) adds some
key improvements .
One hidden feature I like is the
option for an item to be selected just by Folders on the left. Now scroll down and
hovering your cursor over it, so you click ‘Select files and folders when
don’t have to click it. I can see how this hovering over them’ so the slider turns square will appear on the left with a
could be irritating, so it’s sensible that blue (see screenshot 1 ) white tick inside (see
it’s turned off by default. To activate it, Once activated, every time you move screenshot 2 ).
click the top-right Settings cog then your cursor over a file or folder a blue Ken Sunderland

Ken wins a copy of our 2022 Back Issue CD Buy it from us at www.snipca.com/44660

TV has an HDMI port. It will give her TV

Add Netflix by buying access to the Google Play Store, from
an Android TV box where she can download Netflix (www.
After reading about Hilary Foster’s snipca.com/48516).
problem in Issue 671’s Consumeractive I speak from experience, having bought
(‘Netflix has stopped supporting my TV the T95 Android box on eBay (pictured 2
– what are my rights?’), I propose a cheap below left). It has 2GB RAM, 16GB storage,
solution. She can buy an Android TV box and plenty of ports: Ethernet, HDMI,
for about £20-£30 on eBay or Amazon, USB, and SD card slot. I spotted it on sale 1
and plug it into her old TV – assuming it on eBay recently for £26 (www.snipca.
com/48517).
Pete Clough com/48050), which I’ve started using
since you recommended it in Issue 670
SOFTWARE (page 19).
Create your own shortcuts Start by clicking the Settings cog at
for Privacy Eraser the top, then Hotkeys on the left ( 1 in our
A big thank you to all the readers screenshot above). Most useful are the
who have suggested keyboard four shortcuts at the top: Quick Clean,
shortcuts for software over the past few ‘Clean & Restart’, Stop Tasks and ‘Clean &
months. I’d like to return the favour by Shut down’. Click inside one of the boxes
explaining how to create your own and press the keyboard shortcut you
shortcuts for Privacy Eraser (www.snipca. want to use for that particular command.

Why I stopped using…

Fibre broadband Three’s £20-a-month deal, unlimited data (monthly contract,
I was with Virgin Media, but they appear to have www.snipca.com/48461) and I’m as
paying £43 a month, but I disabled VoIP on their happy as Larry.
knew that it was going to routers (they told me VoIP Even in the middle of the house with
increase by a lot next year. I has a “niche” appeal) so I thick brick walls around, I’m getting
could have haggled for a cheaper sent it back. But that got me well over 100Mbps – and sometimes
price, but I’d had two big outages thinking I could do it myself. over 200Mbps, which is more than
this year so wanted to switch. I bought a great Zyxel enough for my needs. The router will
NR5101 router (pictured) for have paid for itself in less than a year.
And what I use instead... £215 on eBay, took an iD Tony Allaway
I now use 5G mobile broadband Mobile SIM card subscription Tell us why you stopped using a website, app
to get online. I started with starting at £15 a month for or program: [email protected]

40 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 Handy hints and tips from your fellow readers
Email us your tips: [email protected]

If you’ve done this correctly, it will appear

in the box. Reader recommends…
As examples, I’ve chosen Ctrl+Shift+Q
for a quick clean; Ctrl+Shift+R for ‘Clean Fusion5 Windows 11 tablet
& Restart’; Ctrl+Shift+S for Stop Tasks; £400 from www.snipca.com/48524
and Ctrl+Shift+C for ‘Clean & Shut down’
2 . Clicking Apply at the bottom confirms I’ve just upgraded to I chose a Windows 11 tablet
your choices. the new Fusion5 because I use Windows software
Neal Bolton Windows 11 tablet, which (Magix Acid, www.snipca.
has a 10.1in screen, 8GB com/48525) for music production.
PRINTING RAM and a 256GB SSD, In fact, it’s the only device I’ve got
Print bank statements which can be expanded to that runs Windows 11 (I won’t be
through apps or ‘Save As’ 512GB through an SD card slot. upgrading my Windows 10 computer
I thought it was odd that Robert My previous Fusion5 never let me anytime soon). The Fusion5 is also
Irvine had to take such a convoluted down in my four years using it, though great for watching films. It’s definitely
route to print his Barclays statement it was a little slow when pushed to worth considering if you can’t afford
(Issue 671, page 74). Using Edge, I’ve perform demanding tasks. I won’t have one of Microsoft’s Surface tablets.
downloaded the latest statement from that problem with the new model John E Moon
Barclays and it printed without any because it has an Intel Alder Lake 13th
Want to recommend hardware or software
hesitation. I thought I would see what the Generation processor that works at to fellow readers?
Barclays Android app offered (www. 3.4 GHz – very fast! Email [email protected]
snipca.com/48489), and I was able to
download the statement from there,
allowing me to print it. So, either Barclays following system
has changed something since Robert had categories: Logs,
his problem or Edge uses a different PDF MUICache, Prefetch,
engine from the one he was initially using. ‘Temporary files’ and
In any event, if something won’t print, ‘Update uninstallers’ (see
I find that using ‘Save As’ to save a copy screenshot below left). I
and then printing from that usually probably didn’t need to delete all these, Brave, DuckDuckGo and Vivaldi and it
works. If all else fails, you can always use but it solved the problem. My laptop is has played without adverts every time.
the excellent Snipping Tool in Windows. now up to date. I’m sure YouTube will cotton on to this
John Tanzer Wallace Bryce and act, but for now it’s worth trying.
Scott Warhurst
SOFTWARE VIDEOS
Run BleachBit to fix Paste YouTube URLs into Brave SOFTWARE
Windows update problems to dodge ads Use WinGet to see which
Many weeks ago I read somewhere In 673’s Named & Shamed (page 21) programs need updating
that you could save drive space by Keumars Afifi-Sabet says that Thanks for your excellent How To
deleting the contents of some Windows YouTube’s ad-blocking crusade is having feature on installing software using
10 update files. I tried this, but it was a mixed results. He’s absolutely right. I WinGet (Issue 671, page 35). You explained
great mistake. After doing so Windows reckon I see ads on about half the videos I that typing winget list into Command
would no longer update and kept showing play in Chrome. That’s still enough to be Prompt shows all the programs installed
me an error code of 0x80240022. irritating. on your PC. Another useful command is
Retrieving the files from the Recycle Bin However, a trick that’s working at the winget list --upgrade-available (see
didn’t solve the problem, nor did various moment is to copy the URL of a YouTube screenshot below), which will show only
cures I found on the internet. video when browsing in Chrome, and programs that have updates available. You
Then I read your review of BleachBit then paste it into another browser (see can see which other commands you can
4.6 (www.bleachbit.org) in Issue 671 screenshot above right) that’s more use by typing winget list -?.
(page 19). I ran it, choosing to delete the focused on privacy. So far I’ve tried this in Ian Thow

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 41

 Browser Tips
CHROME button ensures you’re running
Run a more thorough the latest version of the
Safety Check browser; and the right-hand
2023 was a bad year for Chrome’s button lets you configure
security, with Google frequently Chrome’s Safe Browsing
rushing out patches to fix vulnerabilities feature to use Standard or
in the browser. Although it’s impossible Enhanced protection.
to predict which flaws may affect Chrome Below these buttons are
in 2024, you can do your bit to protect it ‘Safety recommendations’,
using the revamped Safety Check feature such as blocking sites that
in version 120 (released 6 December). send you lots of notifications,
Previously rather basic and easy to and reviewing extensions that
miss, the improved Safety Check provides were recently removed from
at-a-glance information about the the Chrome Web Store. The FIREFOX
browser’s current security status and browser will also revoke permissions for Always underline links
recommends actions you should take to sites you haven’t visited for a while, on web pages
make it safer. To access the new tool, including access to your location and The usual ways to indicate
which is supposed to work ‘proactively’, webcam. clickable links on web pages are
click ‘Privacy and security’ in Chrome’s If you don’t yet have the revamped to highlight their text in blue and
Settings and choose ‘Go to Safety Check’. Safety Check, you can activate it underline it. However, many websites no
Here you’ll see three ‘Safety at a glance’ manually. Type chrome://flags into longer bother underlining, because they
buttons (see screenshot below), which Chrome’s address bar and press Enter think it makes their content look messy
let you perform specific checks. The to load the Experiments page. Search – especially in long blocks of text
left-hand button runs Chrome’s Password for the entry Safety Check v2, select containing several links. This causes
Checkup to identify compromised, Enabled in its dropdown menu and difficulties for people who suffer from
reused and weak passwords; the middle click the Relaunch button vision disorders such as achromatopsia
and are unable to identify coloured links.
To address this problem, Firefox 121,
released 19 December, added the option
to force web pages to underline links, so
they’re easy to distinguish from standard
text. Click the browser’s three-line menu
button and choose Settings, then General.
Scroll down to the Browsing section and
select the new option ‘Always underline
links’ (see screenshot above).
The change should take effect without
you needing to refresh the current tab or
restart Firefox. Note that the titles of pages
in search results won’t be underlined
until you hover your cursor over them.

WORKSHOP Stop Edge importing your Chrome data

2
1

1
1 2 2

1 Click the three-dot menu button in the

top-right corner of Edge and choose
Settings, followed by Profiles 1 . Select
2 To stop Edge importing your data from
Chrome, click the ‘Turn off’ button 1 next
to ‘Import browser data from Google Chrome
3 If you choose ‘Turn off’, Edge will ask
you to confirm you want it to stop
importing data from other browsers 1 .
‘Import browser data’ then click the ‘Edit on each launch’. Alternatively, you can To delete browsing data it’s already
preferences’ button 2 next to ‘Import specify the types of data the browser is imported, tick the ‘This will clear browsing
browsing data at each browser launch’. allowed to import 2 . data…’ box 2 before you click Confirm.

42 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 Secret settings and the best extensions

BEST EXTENSION FOR… Opening Microsoft Office files

Office Editing for Docs, a file in an Office format by clicking the

Sheets & Slides extension’s toolbar button and choosing
Chrome New then the desired file type (see
www.snipca.com/48574 screenshot). You don’t need a Microsoft
As we reported in Issue 673 (page 8), 365 subscription.
on 14 January Microsoft will remove its
Microsoft 365 extension from the Chrome If you don’t like that, try…
Web Store and Edge Add-ons Store. This Office Online Officework
means you’ll no longer have easy access Chromium
to the online versions of Word, Excel and This lets you open Word documents in www.snipca.com/48575
PowerPoint. Although there’s no direct Google Docs, Excel spreadsheets in Sheets This extension also lets you create
equivalent, you can use ‘Office Editing for and PowerPoint presentations in Slides. and edit Office files without needing
Docs, Sheets & Slides’ to view and edit Simply drag the file into Chrome and it will Microsoft tools. However, its ads and slow
Office files using Google tools instead. open automatically. You can also create processing times can be annoying.

browsers completely separate. useful features – including Tab Islands

So we’re alarmed by a new feature in and AI assistant Aria – but added one
Edge 120, released in December, which that many users have found irritating.
automatically imports your browsing data When you launch the browser, it now
from Chrome every time you launch sometimes displays a small start-up
Microsoft’s browser. This option is enabled screen and plays a welcome sound –
by default – or at least it was in the beta this typically happens after Opera has
version of Edge 120 – and includes your been updated or you haven’t opened it
autofill settings, history, cookies, payment for a while.
CHROMIUM info and saved passwords, with extensions Although these visual and audio
Skip YouTube ads even faster and bookmarks “coming soon”. greetings confirm that Opera is loading,
YouTube’s war Presumably, this is another attempt by they’re unnecessary and feel outdated
on ad blockers Microsoft to lure Chrome users to Edge, for a supposedly future-orientated
has spurred many developers to create by effectively keeping the rival browsers browser, harking back to a time when
extensions that provide workarounds. In in sync. If all your Chrome data is also lots of software had a ‘splash screen’.
Issue 673 (page 43), we recommended Ad available in Edge, you’ll find it easier to Opera doesn’t provide a setting to skip
Accelerator (www.snipca.com/48412) and make the transition. But we think the start-up screen and sound, which
now there’s an even better new tool called importing this information without your means you’re stuck with them.
Ad Speedup (www.snipca.com/48572, consent oversteps the mark, so we hope Thankfully, there is a way to disable
pictured above). Microsoft changes its policy. this annoyance. Type opera://flags into
This add-on evades YouTube’s blocking See our Workshop opposite to check if the browser’s address bar and press
of ad blockers by fast-forwarding adverts Edge is importing data from Chrome and Enter to load the Experiments page.
instead (at up to 16 times their usual prevent this from happening. Search for intro ( 1 in our screenshot
playback speed). It mutes the sound below) to find the entry ‘Opera One
automatically, so you don’t hear chipmunk- OPERA introduction’ and select Disabled in its
pitch sped-up audio, and selects Skip as Disable start-up screen and sound dropdown menu 2 . Relaunch Opera and
soon as the option appears. Ad Speedup’s When Opera relaunched as Opera you’ll no longer be bothered by the
creator says the extension will work One in 2023, it introduced several welcome screen and sound.
alongside your existing ad blocker, so you
don’t need to choose one or the other.

EDGE
Is Microsoft importing your
data from Chrome? 1
When you start using a new 2
browser, it’s always handy to import
your bookmarks, passwords, history and
other data from your previous browser to
make switching as seamless as possible.
It’s up to you to decide when and what to
import, or you may prefer to keep your

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 43

 Phone and Tablet Tips
ANDROID & iOS gains access to your device.
Hide locked WhatsApp chats To enable the new feature, open your
with a secret code ‘Locked chats’ folder, tap the three-dot
One of the most useful features icon in the top-right corner and choose
WhatsApp introduced in 2023 ‘Chat lock settings’. Switch on ‘Hide
was Chat Lock. As we explained in Issue locked chats’ and you’ll be prompted to
659 (page 44), this lets you hide your create a secret code (see screenshot below
private conversations from nosy parkers left). This can be a number, word or
by moving them to a secure folder. This emoji, or a combination of the three – but
can only be accessed using the password make sure it’s memorable so you don’t
or biometric method (such as your face get locked out. Enter the code again to
or fingerprint) that you use to unlock confirm, then tap Done. people, places and topics to feature in
your phone. Your ‘Locked chats’ folder will now be your video, or you can search for a
The ‘Locked chats’ folder appears at the hidden from the Chats tab. To reveal it, subject of your choice. Alternatively,
top of the Chats tab and is easily revealed type your secret code into WhatsApp’s tap ‘or select photos’ to choose up to 50
by swiping down. To make things more search box. You can move conversations photos or videos from your collection.
secure, WhatsApp now lets you hide the to the folder by selecting them and Tap ‘Preview’ to create and play your
folder, so it can only be viewed by choosing ‘Lock chat’, or turn off the highlights video. Use the options along
entering a secret code. This is different to secret-code option to restore the folder to the bottom to adjust the aspect ratio,
your phone’s passcode, so it gives your your Chats list. change the soundtrack to include
locked chats extra protection if someone See our How To feature on page 35 to your own music and add, remove and
learn how to back up your WhatsApp chats. rearrange images and clips. Tap ‘Motion’
to apply a ‘Pan & zoom’ effect to specific
ANDROID & iOS shots in the video.
Create highlight videos in Once you’re happy with the result,
Google Photos press Save (see screenshot above) to add
Google Photos has added a new the highlights video to your Google
feature that uses AI to generate Photos library – it may take a few
themed ‘highlight videos’ from photos minutes to process. You can then share
and videos in your library. These can be the movie with your friends and family.
based on a particular person, location or
subject, and include a musical soundtrack. ANDROID & iOS
To get started, tap the Library tab in the Scan documents directly
bottom-right corner of the Photos app to Google Drive
then tap Utilities. Select ‘Highlight video’ Android users have long been
in the ‘Create new’ section and tap Next able to scan documents directly
then ‘Get started’. Google will suggest to Google Drive using their phone’s

BEST NEW APPS What you should install this fortnight

SoftMaker Office 2024 Apple Music Classical for iPad Seeing AI

Free* Free* Free
Android www.snipca.com/48589 iOS www.snipca.com/48593 Android www.snipca.com/48591
iOS www.snipca.com/48590 Already available for iPhones and Android iOS www.snipca.com/48592
This feature-packed office suite is split into phones and tablets, Apple Music Classical New to Android and updated for iOS, this
three apps: word processor TextMaker, now has a dedicated iPad app. This makes Microsoft app provides a ‘talking camera’
spreadsheet tool full use of the larger screen by providing for the visually
PlanMaker and a left-hand sidebar that lets you quickly impaired. Point your
PowerPoint equivalent jump to albums, recordings, playlists and phone’s camera
Presentations. composer information. You need an Apple at an object or
SoftMaker Office Music subscription to use it. document, or take
lets you open, edit a photo, and Seeing
and save files in AI will describe it to
Microsoft Office you or read aloud its
formats, and almost content. The app can
all the options in the also scan barcodes,
2024 version are count money, identify
available for free. faces and much more.

*Contains in-app purchases

44 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 Brilliant things to do on your device

camera. This option has now been added ANDROID & iOS
to the Google Drive app for iOS (www. Download Reels videos
snipca.com/48588), so you can easily from Instagram
scan physical documents such as receipts, Instagram now lets you
invoices and forms of identification to download Reels – its short,
store and share online. looping videos of up to 90 seconds in
To use the new option, open the Google length – from public accounts. This lets
Drive app on your iPhone you share them with other people who
and tap the camera icon. don’t use the social-media app.
Frame the document you To download a Reel, open a video
want to capture within you want to save then tap the Share
your viewfinder and button in the bottom-right corner of the
press the shutter button Instagram app. Tap the new Download
to scan it. Adjust the option on the Share toolbar (see screenshot Reels from private Instagram accounts, or
corners and crop and right) to save the video to your phone or if the person or company has disabled the
rotate the scan as tablet. Note that you can’t download download setting.
required. Tap ‘Apply’
followed by Done to
convert the image to a
BEST APPS FOR... Keeping your New Year’s resolutions
PDF, then tap Save to
upload it to Google Drive. Habitica
On Android devices, the feature has Free*
been updated with an ‘Auto capture’ Android www.snipca.com/48598
function (see screenshot above left) that iOS www.snipca.com/48599
speeds up scans, and the ability to import Habitica makes keeping your New Year’s
pictures of documents from your phone’s resolutions less of a chore by turning them
Gallery. In the US, Google Drive now uses into a game. Create a character, set the
machine learning to generate suitable file goals for your ‘journey’ – such as Health –
names for your scans – hopefully, this then select habits you want to stick to, like
option will come to the UK later this year. taking regular exercise. You can then earn
rewards and unlock achievements as you
ANDROID tick off your daily tasks.
Save content from any app Best For Making resolutions fun
to Vivaldi
Browser Vivaldi has updated its Microsoft To Do
Android app (www.snipca. Free
com/48609) to let you add content from Android www.snipca.com/48601
other apps to the browser’s ‘Reading list’. iOS www.snipca.com/48602
This includes online articles, social- Unlike many task-management apps,
media posts, YouTube videos and more. Microsoft To Do is completely free to
Simply tap the Share option in an app, use, with no ads, which makes it the
select More and choose Vivaldi Browser perfect way to set your goals for 2024.
then ‘Add to Reading list’ (see screenshot Compile colour-coded to-do lists and get
below). To access your saved content in reminders to complete tasks to help you
Vivaldi, tap the ‘V’ menu button in the stay focused and organised. You can sync
top-right corner of the browser and it with the Windows app, and use it offline.
select ‘Reading list’. Best For Creating to-do lists
You can delete items or mark them as
read once you’ve viewed them. Vivaldi MyNetDiary
hasn’t confirmed whether the new Free*
feature will be added to its iOS app Android www.snipca.com/48606
(www.snipca.com/48610). iOS www.snipca.com/48607
If your resolutions are to lose weight and
eat more healthily, this app can help you
achieve both. Enter details of every meal
you eat and exercise you take to track how
many calories you consume and burn. It’s
packed with useful stats about your diet
and expert advice on how to improve it.
Best For Eating more healthily

*Contains in-app purchases

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 45

 Make Windows Better Expert tips for every version

WINDOWS 10 & 11
WINDOWS 10 & 11
Add comments to folders
Adding comments to
folders in File Explorer Reset your graphics driver
is a handy way of
reminding you what they contain. If your computer is Performance on the left ( 1 in our
To do this, you first need to show the running slowly, check screenshot). In Windows 10 click
Comments column. Open File Explorer whether Desktop Performance at the top. In either 10 or
(press Windows key+E), then click View Window Manager is to blame. This 11, click GPU 2 to see a chart showing
at the top, followed by Details. Next, manages elements of the user interface your GPU usage 3 . It should only be
right-click a column heading (Name, in Windows to make your experience high if you’re doing something that
Date, Type etc), then click ‘More…’. Now smoother, but it can also put your requires intensive graphics, such as
scroll down the Choose Details box that GPU (graphics processing unit) under playing a game or editing video.
appears then tick Comments, followed a lot of strain. If you’re not doing any of these and
by OK. First, press Ctrl+Alt+Del, then click it’s still high, click the Processes tab (on
Double-click the folder you want to Task Manager. In Windows 11 click the left in 11, at the top in 10) and look
add comments to. In Windows 11, click at the percentage being
the three dots next to View, and select 1 used by Desktop Window
Options. In Windows 10, click View ( 1 in Manager (or ‘dwm.exe’) in
our screenshot below), then Options. the GPU column. Anything
3
Next, in either 10 or 11, click the View tab, above 10 per cent could
then untick ‘Hide protected operating be too high. To fix this,
system files (Recommended)’ 2 . press the Ctrl+Win+Shift+B
Windows will warn you that showing shortcut. Your screen will
‘hidden’ files is risky because it can make flash black once as your
your system unstable. But that’s only if graphics driver is reset.
you edit them carelessly. It’s safe to add 2 That hopefully will regain
comments using the method we’re your PC’s lost speed.
explaining here, so click Yes to close the
warning pop-up message that appears,
then click Apply followed by OK. WINDOWS 11 INSIDER option to blur your background, remove
You’ll now see a file called ‘desktop.ini’. Remove background in Photos it, or replace it with a solid colour. In our
Right-click this file, hover over ‘Open In September, Microsoft added a example, we clicked Replace 2 , then
with’, and choose Notepad. In Notepad, tool to the preview version of its chose a light red colour from the custom
below [.ShellClassInfo], type Paint app that lets you remove colour chart 3 to replace the blue sky.
InfoTip=Your comment. Replace the background of an image. It has now Click ‘Apply’ to confirm changes. Finally,
‘Yourcomment’, with anything you choose. added the feature to its Photos app, click the ‘Save options’ dropdown menu,
In our example, we typed ‘Dubrovnik available to Windows Insiders across all then ‘Save as copy’ 4 .
and Split 22 June to 29 June with the preview channels. 4
family’ 3 . Save the file. Finally, restart File Open an image in the Photos app then
Explorer, then reopen this folder and click ‘Edit image’ at the top left, followed
you’ll see your comment 4 included in by the Background tab to the right ( 1 in
1
the Comments column. our screenshot right). You’ll be given the

3
1
2
4
WINDOWS 10 & 11
Use keyboard shortcut
to peek at your desktop
2 You can take a quick peek
at your desktop using the
keyboard shortcut
Windows key+, (comma). Releasing the
3 comma keeps you on the desktop, while
releasing the Windows key takes you
back to where you were. This is a handy
alternative to the Aero Peek option, which
Microsoft removed in Windows 11.

46 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

Make Office Better Top tips for the best office programs

MICROSOFT OUTLOOK

Snooze emails so
they arrive later 1
Outlook now lets you set a time
for an email to be re-sent to your
inbox, when it might be more 3 2
convenient to deal with it. Right-click the
email, hover over Snooze ( 1 in our screenshot),
then select when you’d like the message to
reappear – we chose Tomorrow 2 . When you
snooze an email, it disappears from your
inbox and moves to the Snoozed folder 3 .

LIBREOFFICE WRITER & when you’re happy, then OK. select All Markup in the dropdown menu
MICROSOFT WORD To change the ‘next style’ in Word, click in the Tracking section ( 1 in our screenshot
Add a ‘next style’ Home at the top, then in the Styles below left). Next, click the Show Markup
When writing in section right-click any style and select dropdown menu just below, hover your
LibreOffice, you can ‘Modify…’. In the box that appears, click cursor over Balloons, then click ‘Show
choose from a variety of the dropdown menu next to ‘Style for Revisions in Balloons’ 2 . All changes you
preset styles – with different fonts, sizes, following paragraph’ and choose the ‘next make to your document – not just comments
and paragraph spacing. LibreOffice also style’ from the list. Click OK. – will now show up on the right 3 .
lets you choose a ‘next style’, which
means you can swap from one style to MICROSOFT WORD ONLYOFFICE
another when you tap Enter. This is Track changes in balloons Add images to your
useful for changing from a style you’d use By default, when Word tracks spreadsheet header and footer
to write your headers, to one you’d use to changes to your document, it Version 7.5 of OnlyOffice lets
write most of your text. shows revisions next to the text, you add images to a spreadsheet’s
Click the Styles tab on the right-hand while comments appear in ‘balloons’ to header and footer. Previously
side bar ( 1 in our screenshot below), the right of the page. You can change this you could only type words. Click the
right-click the style you want to edit, then so that revisions also appear as balloons. Layout tab at the top, then ‘Header &
click ‘Edit Style…’ to open the Paragraph First, click Review on the toolbar, then Footer’ ( 1 in our screenshot below). In
Style box. We picked Heading 2. In the the ‘Header/Footer settings’ box,
Organiser tab, we clicked the dropdown click inside one of the three boxes
arrow beside ‘Next style:’ 2 and chose representing the left, right and centre
Text. This means Text will be the style 1 of the header. Next, click Insert, then
that we use after we tap Enter while Picture 2 . This opens File Explorer,
using Header 2. 3 from where you can browse to find
You can also click the Edit Style button and select your image. OnlyOffice
2
3 to the right of ‘Text’ to change elements will show &[Picture] 3 to indicate a
such as font and colour. Click Apply picture has been added.

1 1

2 2 3
3

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 47

 In The Club
Run a club or society? Here's how your tech can make it easier

Share a 2024 calendar with members

W hatever your club is about, having a
shared calendar that all club
members can access is a great way to
2

promote important events. There are

plenty of different calendar apps for you
to try – and most are free. But so many
people already have a Google account 1
that it makes sense to use its calendar – as
we’ll explain here. Get yourself ready by
logging in at http://calendar.google.com.
3
Add contacts and set
permissions
First, scroll down the left of the screen Name your label, then select your members to quickly share your calendar with them
until you find ‘Other calendars’. Click the
plus (+) icon next to it, then select ‘Create If you haven’t created a label, now’s a new shared calendar as your main one.
new calendar’ from the menu. Now give good time to do so. Click the nine-dot Now all you need to do is go through the
your calendar a name ( 1 in our icon at the top right (next to your profile year adding all your key events and
screenshot below) and a description 2 , picture) and select Contacts. Now scroll they’ll be instantly available to everybody
and also set the time zone 3 . Hit the blue down to Labels on the left, click the plus who subscribes to your calendar.
‘Create calendar’ button when done. (+) sign next to it ( 1 in our screenshot
You’ll see the message ‘Calendar above), and give it a name. Now go back Print your calendar
creation in progress…’ at the bottom. to your contacts and select all your club As well as sharing, you can print your
When you see the ‘successfully created’ members. Finally, click the ‘Manage calendar. Click the dropdown menu at
message, click Configure next to it and labels’ icon 2 at the top-right and select the top to display by day, week, month,
you’ll open settings for your calendar. You your label from the menu – (it’s ‘West year or four days. There’s also an option
can also see these settings by clicking the Wilts Chess Club’ in our example 3 ). The to print by ‘Schedule’, showing just your
calendar’s name, left, once it appears. label will be added to all your members. events – which is useful for clubs. Click
From these settings select ‘Share with When done, click the Permission the cog icon at the top and select Print.
specific people or groups’, then ‘Add dropdown menu and select the level of You’ll see a preview of the calendar
people and groups’. If you’ve been clever, access you want your members to have. before it’s printed, letting you change the
you’ll have previously created a group of Click ‘Send’ and your members will receive font size ( 1 in our screenshot below),
members using Gmail’s Labels tool. The an email invitation to access the calendar. orientation – ie, portrait or landscape 2
alternative to creating a label is typing It’s easy to use your new calendar. Click – and colour 3 . If your events only
each member’s email address, which on a day you want to add an event to and happen during the week, untick the
takes a lot longer. you’ll be given the choice to choose this ‘Show weekends’ box.

1
1

2 3

Before printing your calendar you can change its font size, orientation
Name your calendar, give it a description and set the time zone and colour

48 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674 Next issue: Use AI to create feedback forms
What’s All the
Fuss About...
Freely
A broadband version of Freeview is heading your way in 2024

What is it?
A new TV-streaming service from the
BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
Due to launch in 2024, it will be the
first service to provide free live and
on-demand shows over broadband rather
than through your aerial or satellite dish.

So it’s like a streaming version

of Freesat and Freeview?
Yes, and it’s run by Everyone TV (www.
everyonetv.co.uk), which is backed by
all four broadcasters and also manages
Freesat and Freeview. Jonathan
Thompson, Everyone TV chief executive,
said Freely is for the “growing number of
UK viewers who are watching content
online, but still want easy access to the
shared experience of live TV”. for several more years. Don’t think about that free TV has a “positive impact” on
ditching your aerial or dish just yet. society. Freely won’t be an expensive and
Will it have the same channels? elitist product aimed at those with the
It’ll definitely have all the channels from But can’t I already watch deepest pockets. However, it’s a shame
BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5, and Freeview via broadband? there’s no plan to add it to cheap
probably many of the other free channels Yes, but only on paid-for TV services streaming sticks like Amazon’s Fire
already available, such as Dave, Great! like Sky Stream and Glass, Virgin Media (see page 25) or Roku, or to make it
and Legend (pictured below), as well as Stream and the EE TV Box Pro (see ‘backwards compatible’ so it can work
news and radio. page 7). You won’t need to pay for a with existing TVs.
subscription to watch Freely – though
Does that mean it’ll replace you’ll still need to pay the new licence Will it have any new features?
Freesat and Freeview? fee of £169.50. Not sure yet, but we expect it’ll suggest
Eventually yes, though that won’t happen shows you might like based on what
until more people are connected to fast Will I need to buy you’ve watched before. Such ‘discovery’
broadband. Both services remain very a new TV box to watch it? tools are becoming a major part of the
popular (Freeview is in 16 million No, but nor will it work on existing latest streaming services. And if you can’t
homes), so we expect them to continue boxes. Instead, you’ll have to buy a new find anything to watch, maybe Freemoji
smart TV. At the moment will help you.
only Chinese firm Hisense
has said it will be making TVs Who or what is that?
with Freely built in, but more It’s a “cheeky, modern, and expressive
manufacturers will follow character” that represents Freely. Those
suit. Everyone TV said Freely two magenta dots in the above image are
will be available “on a wide Freemoji’s eyes. You’ll see them blink and
range of TVs at differing price look from side to side in the GIF at
points”. www.snipca.com/48703. The semi-circle
starts as a smile and ends as the top of a
Will they be face, or perhaps it’s meant to be a raised
affordable? eyebrow. Everyone TV calls it your
We think so. Everyone TV “welcoming and inquisitive companion”,
prides itself on offering which makes us think of Microsoft’s
“great quality TV, regardless loathed Clippy. And like that unlamented
Legend should be one of the channels on Freely, and it won’t of location or income”, gimmick, it’ll soon be ditched if viewers
cost six million dollars to watch even going so far as to say find it annoying.

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 49

 COVER FEATURE

YOUR
TOP 20
PROGRAMS
REVE ALED!
Which free software did Computeractive
readers download the most in 2023?
Robert Irvine reveals your 20 most popular
programs and how to master them all

O
ver the course of a year, we deserves your attention, some tools how many times a URL has been visited.
recommend hundreds of free inevitably prove more popular than others. We can then see which programs have
programs in Computeractive, We’re able to gauge this popularity received the most clicks – or taps, if
across our features, workshops, through our Snipca service. Not only does you’re reading our digital edition – and
tips pages and Best Free Software section. this shorten long web addresses to make devote more coverage to them and similar
Although we test all this software to them easier for you to type (and save software in future. After all, there’s little
ensure it’s safe, works as promised and space on the page), but it also lets us see point writing a workshop about a tool
that readers clearly have no interest in.
In this feature – thanks to these Snipca
BUY OUR 2023 BACK ISSUE CD AND USB STICK links – we can exclusively reveal your
favourite free software of 2023. Your top
You can read every feature, workshop and review 20 most downloaded programs are an
referred to in this feature on our new 2023 Back eclectic mix of tools for enhancing your
Issue CD and USB Stick. These contain searchable Windows and web experience, which
PDFs of all 26 issues from 2023 to give you combine familiar names with others
one-click access to all our recommendations and we’d never covered before last year.
advice. Here, we present your most-loved
You’ll be able to order the Back Issues CD and the software in order of popularity and
USB stick soon from www.snipca.com/48691. provide expert tips to help you master
each program in 2024.

50 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 YOUR
TOP 20
PROGRAMS
REVEALED!

YOUR FAVOURITE PROGRAM OF 2023…

1 FixWin FixWin’s System

Fixes tab includes
www.snipca.com/47803 dozens of repairs
FixWin was your favourite for common
program of 2023 by a Windows
problems
considerable margin, after we
made it the focus of our ‘Never pay for
PC repairs’ Cover Feature in Issue 669
(pictured far right, get it from www.
snipca.com/48456). Created by Anand
Khanse, the webmaster of PC-help
site The Windows Club (www.
thewindowsclub.com), this powerful free
system tool performs more than 100
complex commands and registry tweaks
with one click. Although the latest
version is called FixWin 11, it also works
in Windows 10, or you can download
FixWin 10 (www.snipca.com/48628) to
repair that operating system specifically. To get started with FixWin, click the Don’t forget to create a system restore
In our feature, we listed 16 of the most System File Checker Utility button on the point before you make any significant
useful PC repairs you can accomplish Welcome screen. This scans your PC to changes to your PC, so you can roll back
with FixWin to save you paying for check the integrity of its protected system your system if anything goes wrong. Click
professional technical support. These files, and replaces any that are damaged the ‘Create a Restore Point’ button on the
include fixing corrupt files and Microsoft or missing. It’s particularly useful if Welcome screen to open the System
Store apps, restoring and repairing you’re experiencing frequent crashes, Properties box on the System Protection
missing and broken Windows features, including the dreaded Blue Screen of tab. Check that protection is enabled for
and solving problems with your internet Death, or seeing error messages about your main hard drive, then click the
and Wi-Fi connection. It can also solve missing DLL files. Create button, enter a name for the
issues with Windows Update, and even The scan takes a few minutes, after restore point (Windows adds the date and
mend your antivirus software when it which SFC will either tell you it didn’t time automatically) and click Create.
stops working properly. detect any ‘integrity violations’, that it If you need to roll back your system,
We attribute FixWin’s incredible found and successfully repaired corrupt click ‘Create a Restore Point’ on the
popularity among our readers to files, or that it “found corrupt files but Welcome screen and choose System
its simple, no-nonsense interface, was unable to fix some of them”. If you Restore to start the restoration process.
which organises its many settings into see the last message, click Repair System One aspect of FixWin that you – and
logical categories, such as File Explorer, Image. This uses Microsoft’s ‘Deployment we – were less keen on was the location
‘Internet & Connectivity’ and System Image Servicing and Management’ of its download button. Rather than place
Fixes (see screenshot above right). You (DISM) tool to detect and fix corrupt files this prominently at the top of the page,
can apply its tweaks easily by clicking the in the Windows system image, which The Windows Club has instead reserved
Fix buttons next to problems, or click the then allows SFC to work properly. Once this space to promote a paid-for program
question-mark icons for explanations of the scan and repairs are complete, click called Fortect. This and all the other ads
FixWin’s solutions. There are no upgrade System File Checker Utility again to on the page led to some readers clicking
nags, adverts or any of the other replace your corrupt or missing system the wrong download link. To find the real
annoyances that blighted many free files. Sometimes that’s enough to get your one, scroll down to the section headed ‘Is
programs in 2023. PC running smoothly again. the FixWin Windows Repair tool free?’,
then click the blue Download File button.
If FixWin doesn’t have the
repair you need, click this Note too that because FixWin makes
button to search for advice changes to your PC, it may trigger a
SmartScreen warning. It’s completely
safe to use, so just click ‘More info’ then
‘Run anyway’.

Top tip for 2024

If FixWin doesn’t have the repair you
need, click Search For More Fixes on the
Welcome screen (see screenshot left).
This lets you search articles on The
Windows Club site for advice. Some of
these fixes may be added to future
versions of the program.

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 51

 …AND YOUR OTHER TOP 10 PROGRAMS

2O&O AppBuster
www.snipca.com/45017
O&O AppBuster is no stranger to
O&O AppBuster
now uninstalls
programs and
apps, and lists
our annual round-up of your unremovable tools
most-downloaded programs.
This brilliant free uninstaller topped the
list in 2021, slipping to third place in 2022
before bouncing back to claim the
runner-up spot in 2023.
While most of you are probably
familiar with O&O AppBuster, you may
have been encouraged to download the
tool again after a major update in May. As
we explained in our Best Free Software
section in Issue 658 (page 18), AppBuster
can now uninstall traditional desktop
programs as well as apps installed by uBlock Origin’s advanced options and
Microsoft and your PC’s manufacturer. filters to block not just ads but hidden
This brings it line with software such as trackers, malicious domains, phishing
Revo Uninstaller and BC Uninstaller. scams, cookie pop-ups, autoplaying
To reflect this change, AppBuster now videos, social-media widgets and more.
presents you with three tabs: All, Desktop In our ‘Keep your ad blocker working’
and Windows. ‘All’ includes everything feature in Issue 663 (page 60), we used
installed on your computer. ‘Desktop’ uBlock Origin to illustrate how to fight
lists ‘classic Windows applications’ such back against the ‘three strikes and you’re
as browsers, image editors and media out’ rule YouTube introduced to force
players, while ‘Windows’ lists apps from users to disable their ad blockers. And in DuckDuckGo lets you import bookmarks and
the Microsoft Store. Issue 664, we gave the extension our Gold passwords from less private browsers
As before, simply select the items you Award in a comparison of ad-blocking
want to uninstall, then click the Remove
button, which has moved from the
bottom-right corner of the main window
tools (page 62), praising its 92-per-cent
success rate at stopping ads and trackers.
Unlike rival tools, it doesn’t allow
4DuckDuckGo
www.snipca.com/46663
We wrote about lots of new
to a more prominent position in the ‘acceptable ads’ from companies that pay web browsers in 2023, but
top-left. O&O AppBuster now provides to be excluded from its filters, though you DuckDuckGo was by far your
more information about each item, can whitelist sites on which you don’t favourite. The privacy-focused search
including its publisher, size and version, mind seeing unobtrusive ads. engine already had apps for Android,
and the date it was installed. iOS and macOS, but the release of
Top tip for 2024 its first Windows browser in June was
Top tip for 2024 To ensure uBlock Origin keeps blocking such big news that we made it the
Click the View menu and select ‘Show ads and evading YouTube’s clampdown subject of our Cover Feature in Issue
system apps’ (see screenshot above right) in 2024, you must keep it up to date. 662 (pictured below, get it from www.
to add a System tab listing uninstallable Right-click the extension’s toolbar snipca.com/48614).
tools. This is useful for identifying space button, select Options then ‘Filter lists’ Clearly you felt the same, judging by
hogs, even if you can’t remove them. You and tick ‘Auto-update filter lists’ (see the thousands of you who downloaded
can choose to show or hide Microsoft’s screenshot below). the browser even though it was in beta.
own apps. DuckDuckGo has plenty of advantages
over Chrome and Edge, especially for

3uBlock Origin
www.snipca.com/47086
Avoiding online ads became an
browsing the web anonymously. It blocks
ads and trackers by default, with no need
to install an
uphill battle in 2023 after many extension; lets
sites – most notably YouTube – you close all your
started clamping down on ad blockers. open tabs and
One of the few to remain effective was delete your
uBlock Origin, so we’re not surprised it browsing data by
was your third most popular tool of the clicking its Fire
year – a position it also attained in 2021. button; and hides
We recommended this excellent cookie-consent
extension several times. Our Workshop in Automatically update uBlock Origin’s filters to pop-ups
Issue 658 (page 38) explained how to use keep blocking all ads in 2024 automatically.

52 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 YOUR
TOP 20
PROGRAMS
REVEALED!
We particularly like the browser’s Duck
Player, which lets you watch YouTube
videos without seeing personalised ads
and recommendations, and its Email
Protection feature, which protects your
inbox from spammers and scammers by
disguising your real email address.
On the downside, DuckDuckGo
doesn’t let you install extensions, which
was a dealbreaker for some of you.
Hopefully it will add this option in 2024. PDFgear is packed with useful free features Find and remove duplicate files on your hard
including a choice of reading modes drive using Microsoft PC Manager
Top tip for 2024
To import bookmarks and passwords
into DuckDuckGo from “less private
browsers” and password managers, click
6Microsoft PC Manager
www.snipca.com/44240
Proving that Computeractive
Storage tab and select ‘Duplicate files’ to
run the tool, then click ‘Smart select’ (see
screenshot above) to tick and delete
its three-dot menu button and choose readers are always eager to try duplicates.
‘More tools’ then ‘Import Bookmarks and software before everyone else, a
Passwords’ (see screenshot below left). huge number of you downloaded
Microsoft’s new clean-up tool even 7FreeTube
www.snipca.com/44339

5 PDFgear
www.snipca.com/45676
Many programs seem too good to
though it was – and still is – in beta.
PC Manager was one of our ‘Best Free
Downloads for 2023’ recommendations
Even before YouTube started
pushing viewers to pay for a
Premium subscription by
be true, then hit you with hidden in Issue 647 (get it from www.snipca. showing more ads and banning ad
fees or endless adverts. But not com/48617) and, after its stable release blockers, many of you had turned to
PDFgear, which we first wrote about in failed to materialise, we optimistically FreeTube as a more private and less
our Best Free Software section in Issue included it in our ‘Best Free Downloads restrictive alternative. We recommended
656 (page 18). Your feedback about this for 2024’ round-up in Issue 672. this fantastic free program in our Best
new PDF editor, and the number of clicks However, it was the app’s appearance Free Software section in Issue 647
it received, confirms that our enthusiasm in our ‘Stop using Windows tools’ Cover (page 18) and returned to it several times
was justified. Feature in Issue 656 (get it from www. during 2023, as YouTube became more
While most ‘free’ PDF tools reserve key snipca.com/48618) that drew most of annoying – most recently in our ‘Best
features for their paid-for versions, your clicks. We suggested that PC Free Downloads for 2024’ Cover Feature
PDFgear doesn’t charge for any of its many Manager made the ideal replacement for (Issue 672).
tools. It lets you convert PDFs to and from the ageing Disk Cleanup tool in Windows FreeTube’s alternative front-end for
formats including Word, Excel, RTF, JPEG 10 and 11 by providing a “fast and YouTube removes all the ads and tracking
and PNG, merge several PDFs into one effective way to remove junk files and elements, so you can watch videos
file, split them into separate pages and space hogs from your PC”. without being watched yourself. The
compress them to reduce their size. As we explained in Issue 672’s Cover simple interface makes it easy to find
However, it’s the editing options that Feature (page 51), Microsoft has been videos on YouTube, browse its newest
really make PDFgear stand out. As well as quietly improving PC Manager’s options and most popular content, save clips to
deleting, changing and adding to the and design over the past year, so we playlists and subscribe to your favourite
content of PDFs, you can extract text expect it to be one of your favourite channels – all without signing in to your
from documents and images using OCR, downloads of 2024. Google account.
fill in and sign forms, and apply all You can watch videos in FreeTube’s
manner of annotations. Top tip for 2024 own window, or switch to full-screen or
The program even includes an AI PC Manager’s duplicate-file finder detects picture-in-picture mode. Best of all, you
chatbot, which summarises the content space-wasting copies of documents, can download videos to your PC without
of PDFs and performs tasks such as images, videos and other items. Click the paying for YouTube Premium. Just click
password-protecting files. With so many the Download Video button
options, we feared PDFgear would (see screenshot left) and
become ‘freemium’ once it had gathered choose a resolution.
enough users, but thankfully this hasn’t
happened yet. Top tip for 2024
To remove further
Top tip for 2024 annoyances from YouTube,
Recognising that dark mode can make click FreeTube’s three-line
some content harder to read, PDFgear menu button and select
offers a few alternative ways to reduce eye Settings then Distraction
strain. Click the Background tab and Free Settings. Here you can
choose from Night Mode, Eye Protection hide ‘trending’ videos, featured
Mode (see screenshot above right) or FreeTube lets you download YouTube videos without channels, user comments,
Yellow Background. subscribing to Premium live streams and more.

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 53

 READER OFFER! ADD A
DISC FOR
£5.95

Buy Windows 11 Pro

for just £79.99!
In this special offer you can buy Windows 11 Pro for just £79.99 –
that’s £140 cheaper than Microsoft’s full price of £219.99.
To buy Windows 11 Pro, visit www.snipca.com/41588
and click the red Buy Now button on the right.

If you have any questions about your order please email

[email protected]

JUST SO YOU KNOW…

This offer can be used by one person only, and
expires at midnight on 16 January, 2024.
It’s a lifetime licence for one computer.
 YOUR
TOP 20
PROGRAMS
REVEALED!

8CrystalDiskInfo
www.snipca.com/45463
‘Is your SSD about to die?’ we
CrystalDiskInfo helps
you monitor the
health of your SSD or
hard drive
asked in our ‘Speed up your SSD
for free’ Cover Feature in Issue
655 (page 51, pictured, get it from www.
snipca.com/48626). Plenty of you 1
clearly wanted to
know, because you
downloaded
CrystalDiskInfo to
find out.
This free tool checks 2
the current health of
your SSD or hard drive,
including how much
data you’ve written to it,
so you can see if the
drive is nearing its maximum number of
‘writes’. As we explained, most SSDs keep
working without any problems until you’ve
written at least 600TB of data to their appearance in our ‘Stop using
memory. Windows tools’ Cover Feature
When you run CrystalDiskInfo, it uses (Issue 656) that garnered most of
SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and your clicks, when we named it the
Reporting Technology) to quickly detect best replacement for File Explorer.
and report useful information about Although Microsoft improved
your drive, and provide a Health Status its built-in file manager in 2023
score. In our screenshot above right, (in Windows 11 at least), it still
CrystalDiskInfo has rated our SSD ‘Good’ looks basic and dated compared
with 98 per cent of its life remaining 1 with Files. The software’s smart
and a Total Host Writes figure of 2,860GB interface, which offered tabbed Change Snappy Driver Installer Origin’s theme to make
2 (just under 3TB). This means the drive browsing long before File Explorer, it easier to read
should work for many more years before provides lots of useful ways to driver updater to place it in the top 10.
reaching its data-writing limit and failing. organise your files and folders. That’s undoubtedly because no similar
Files adjusts its layout based on the software has emerged in the last year that
Top tip for 2024 type of items you’re viewing, compresses comes close to SDIO.
CrystalDiskInfo’s download page is folders in ZIP or 7Z format, and lets you In our ‘Best PC software you’ll never have
confusing and stuffed with ads, which select multiple files by ticking boxes, to pay for’ Cover Feature in Issue 664 (get
led several of you to email us for advice. rather than holding down Ctrl. You can it from www.snipca.com/48630, pictured
Click the ‘ZIP (XP)’ or ‘Installer (Vista)’ also label items with coloured tags; see above), we called Snappy “one of the only
buttons below the Standard Edition how much space is free on a drive by driver updaters you can trust”. Unlike
heading to download the program safely. hovering your cursor over it (see rival tools, it doesn’t charge you to update
screenshot below left); click a file to your drivers and doesn’t come bundled

9Files
www.snipca.com/45585
This brilliant free file manager
preview its contents; and much more.

Top tip for 2024

with junk (like IObit Driver Updater).
To use SDIO, you first need to install its
20MB indexes pack, which scans your PC
was the lead program in our To set Files as your default Windows file for outdated drivers. You can then review
Best Free Software section at the manager, click the Settings button in the the results and decide which ones to
start of the year (Issue 648, page 18) and top-right corner and select Advanced. update, before clicking the Install button
the end (Issue 671), after it received a Next, switch on the option ‘Set Files as – make sure you create a system restore
significant update. However, it was its the default manager’ – but note that this point first. Recommended drivers are
is currently ‘experimental’. highlighted in bright green, but you
should ignore older and unsigned

10Origin Snappy Driver Installer

www.snipca.com/47015
drivers that are shown in red.

Top tip for 2024

In 2022, Snappy Driver Installer If you have trouble reading SDIO’s white
Origin (SDIO) came out of text on a blue background, you can
nowhere to become your second customise its appearance to make the
most popular program. Although it lost information stand out. Click the Theme
Hover your cursor over a drive and Files will its runner-up position in 2023, you’re dropdown menu (see screenshot above)
show the amount of free space clearly still big enough fans of the free and select an option – we’ve chosen Coax.

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 55

 THE REST OF YOUR TOP 20 PROGRAMS

11NirLauncher
www.snipca.com/46479
The prolific developer Nir Sofer
– better known as NirSoft –
creates many of your favourite
free programs, including Wireless Network
Watcher (www.snipca.com/42076), which
made seventh place in our list in 2022. So
it’s no wonder thousands of you downloaded
NirLauncher, which compiles more than
200 NirSoft tools into one handy package. Run 200 great free tools from a USB stick HiBit Uninstaller thoroughly removes PC
In our Workshop in Issue 661 (page 38), using NirLauncher software, including any broken shortcuts
we explained how to run NirLauncher
from a USB stick, to give you a portable to Windows Media Player in our ‘Stop ensure Recycle Bin is ticked in the
toolkit of useful programs. Its new using Windows tools’ feature (Issue 656, right-hand sidebar (see screenshot
Favorites feature provides faster access to page 55). SMPlayer can play virtually all below left).
your most frequently used tools. Right- video and audio formats, stream content
click one and choose ‘Add To Favorites’
then click the View menu and select Show
Only Favorites (see screenshot above right).
over the internet, adjust playback speed,
import subtitles and take screenshots of
what you’re watching.
15HiBit Uninstaller
www.snipca.com/47008
HiBit Uninstaller has the
It also has a YouTube browser that lets distinction of appearing in our

12Wintoys
www.snipca.com/46778
Wintoys is another new tool that
you browse and play videos on that
service without opening your web
browser. Download and install the
first issue of 2023 (Issue 648’s
Workshop, page 38) and our final one
(Issue 673’s ‘What you must uninstall in
you liked as much as we did in SMTube plug-in (www.smtube.org), then 2024’ Cover Feature, page 57). Between
2023. When we first wrote about click View and select ‘YouTube browser’ those mentions, thousands of you
it, in our Best Free Software section in (see screenshot below left) to search for a downloaded the program to remove
Issue 659 (page 18), we were impressed video. Click ‘Proceed’ to link the program unwanted software from your PC.
by its range of options for optimising, with YouTube, and watch without ads. Many additional options are available
customising and removing junk from in HiBit Uninstaller’s Tools menu,
your PC.
Wintoys provides a handy overview of
your hardware and software, including
14System Ninja
www.snipca.com/47597
Creeping in at number 14, System
including Force Uninstall, Junk Files
Cleaner and File Shredder, as well as tools
for removing Microsoft Store apps,
your current memory and network usage; Ninja was our lead program in Windows updates and browser
and lets you manage background Issue 667’s Best Free Software extensions. We particularly like the
processes, uninstall unwanted software section (page 18). Updated for the first Shortcuts Fixer (see screenshot above),
and disable startup items that slow your time in years with a smarter interface, which finds and deletes broken shortcuts
PC. Click its Performance tab to activate several new features and full support for that are left behind after programs are
the ‘Ultimate performance power plan’, Windows 11, this powerful free clean-up uninstalled.
which speeds up your system by tool is the perfect alternative to the
squeezing maximum power from its
components.
disgraced CCleaner.
Your positive response to System Ninja
prompted us to provide a follow-up
16Paint.NET
www.snipca.com/44794
This popular free image editor

13SMPlayer
www.snipca.com/45621
This free video player caught
Workshop in Issue 669 (page 38). This
revealed how to wipe more junk from
your PC by targeting an area you may
made a triumphant return in
2023, headlining our Best Free
Software section in Issue 650 (page 18).
your attention when we have overlooked – the Recycle Bin. Click Paint.NET 5 uses your PC’s GPU to make
recommended it as an alternative the program’s Junk Scanner tab and it faster and more stable, improve picture
quality and colour accuracy, and boost
battery life on your laptop.
New features include Exposure,
‘Highlights & Shadows’ and ‘Temperature
& Tint’, which you previously needed to
install plug-ins to apply. Our favourite
addition is the Bokeh effect, which blurs
the background of photos while keeping
the subject in focus. Click the Effects
menu, select Bokeh in the Blurs
SMPlayer has a plug-in that lets you watch System Ninja offers plenty of options for submenu, then use the sliders to
YouTube videos wiping junk from your PC experiment with the effect.

56 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 YOUR
TOP 20
PROGRAMS
REVEALED!
Schedule Privacy
Eraser to clean your PC
at convenient times Your Top 10
favourite
software of 2022
1 I Don’t Care About Cookies
2 Snappy Driver Installer Origin
3 O&O AppBuster
4 4K Video Downloader
5 OnlyOffice
6 PDF24 Creator
7 Wireless Network Watcher
8 Adblock for YouTube
9 Privacy Eraser
10 Patch My PC Home Updater

17Privacy Eraser
www.snipca.com/44697
Our ‘Erase all your private data’
663 (page 51) as the best way to restore
the ‘classic’ Start menu in Windows 10
and 11. This was followed by a Workshop
Cover Feature in Issue 650 in Issue 668 (page 38), which explained
(pictured above, get it from how to use its advanced options.
www.snipca.com/48641) focused on two In Windows 11, because Microsoft
free privacy cleaners, Privacy Eraser and has placed the Widgets button where
PrivaZer, but only the former made your the Start button used to be, you need
Top 20 of 2023 – down from 9th place in to make a small tweak to replace the
2022 (see box above right). default menu. Click the Start Menu Style
Privacy Eraser purges your PC of all tab in Open-Shell’s Settings and select
private data and leftover traces, including ‘Replace Start button’ (see screenshot GlassWire now warns you about suspicious
temporary files, tracking cookies and below left). Choose your preferred network activity
activity logs for Windows, your browser button design, then select a Start
and many other programs. It also
includes a software uninstaller and file
menu style.
20GlassWire
www.snipca.com/45007
shredder, and lets you schedule its
cleanups for convenient times – click
Settings then Schedule, and choose
19 Everything
www.snipca.com/45586
This free program may have a
In our ‘Should I Pay For?’ section
in Issue 646 (page 19), we
grumbled about certain features
‘Schedule options’ (see screenshot above). difficult-to-Google name, but in GlassWire that “should really be
plenty of you found it in our available in its free version” and the

18Open-Shell
www.snipca.com/46780
We recommended Open-Shell
‘Stop using Windows tools’ feature in
Issue 656 (page 52).
We described Everything as “the
need to create an account to use the
network-monitoring software.
Coincidentally (or was it?), in January
in our ‘Make Windows great search tool that Windows badly needs”, 2023 the company made the tools we’d
again’ Cover Feature in Issue because it’s fast, accurate and easy to mentioned free to all users, and removed
use, and prioritises local (on your the login requirement.
computer) over web searches. We were so pleased that we wrote a
Everything indexes all the files and Workshop about GlassWire in Issue 652
folders on your hard drive so you can (page 38), explaining how to use its newly
Open-
Shell find documents, photos and other items free options. These include Anomaly
restores simply by typing part of their names. Detection, which monitors programs
the classic Organise its results by file type, size, using your internet connection and alerts
Windows date created/modified and other you to suspicious activity. Check the
Start
button criteria by clicking the View menu Traffic In and Out columns for anomaly
and menu and choosing ‘Sort by’. warnings (see screenshot above).

NEXT ISSUE On sale Wednesday 17 January

ON SALE
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17

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Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 57

 BEAT
2024’s
PRICE RISES
Inflation may be slowing, but tech companies still plan
to increase their subscription prices. Robert Irvine
reveals how to avoid paying more in 2024

I
n the second half of 2023, many ITVX Premium removes
popular services increased their adverts and is cheaper
than Prime Video’s
subscription prices, including Apple equivalent service
Music and Apple TV+, Deezer,
Disney+, Netflix and Spotify. Sadly, this
wallet-stretching trend looks set to devices and includes options
continue into 2024. For example, existing such as searching for text
YouTube Premium users who thought inside images and documents.
they’d dodged August’s price hike for
new sign-ups – to £12.99 per month – How to beat the price rise
will now pay the same amount. Microsoft OneNote (www.
Here we reveal the price rises to watch onenote.com) is completely
out for in 2024, and how to avoid them. free to use and lets you store
an unlimited number of
Evernote’s new restrictions notes, containing text, images, video How to beat the price rise
Following our news story in Issue 673 and audio, using the 5GB of free storage If you don’t mind putting up with what
(page 9), Evernote has confirmed that all offered by OneDrive. You can sync notes Amazon describes as “limited
users on its Free plan will now be limited across your PC and mobile devices, share advertisements”, you won’t have to pay
to one notebook and 50 notes (www. them with other people (see screenshot extra. The price of Prime Video will
snipca.com/48654). If you need more, below left) and use the OneNote Web remain unchanged at £5.99 per month,
you’ll have to upgrade to an Evernote Clipper extension (www.snipca. or – if you pay for Prime membership –
Personal plan, which costs £8.99 per com/48655) to capture content from web £8.99 per month or £95 a year.
month or £79.99 a year. This offers pages. Transfer your notes from Evernote But if adverts are a dealbreaker,
unlimited notebooks and notes (of up to using the free tool Evernote2OneNote consider ditching Prime Video for a
200MB each), lets you sync them across (www.snipca.com/48656). cheaper ad-free streaming service. ITVX
Premium (www.snipca.com/48710),
Prime Video’s ad-free plan which now includes BritBox content,
Like Netflix and Disney+, Amazon Prime costs £5.99 per month after a seven-day
Video will soon charge you extra – on top free trial (see screenshot above), while
of the price of your monthly or annual Channel 4+ is priced at £3.99 a month
subscription – to stream its TV shows and (www.snipca.com/48711).
films without ads. In the US, the new
ad-free option will cost an additional The TV licence increase
$2.99 per month, which is likely to We deliberately excluded iPlayer from the
equate to £2.99 for UK viewers when it’s previous tip because, from April 2024,
Switch from Evernote to OneNote to save and introduced in “early 2024” (www.snipca. you’ll have to pay more to watch the
share as many notes as you want for free com/48661). BBC’s streaming service. The cost of a TV

60 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

Avoid the TV licence rise by switching your X’s ‘Not A Bot’ subscription fee may be Zen Internet is one of the few UK ISPs that
viewing to FAST channels, such as Freevee introduced in the UK in 2024 won’t hike its prices in 2024

licence will rise from £159 to £169.50 a New Zealand and the Philippines an Broadband price rises
year, and though this extra £10.50 is less annual fee of $1 (80p). X said the change All the main internet service providers
than the Beeb wanted, it’s still a 6.6 per is intended to combat bots and (ISPs) in the UK increase their prices
cent increase (www.snipca.com/48662). spammers, and calls the new every April, and customers will be hit
subscription method ‘Not A Bot’ (www. particularly hard in 2024 (though less
How to beat the price rise snipca.com/48663, pictured above). than in 2023). ISPs base their price hikes
You can avoid the price rise by cancelling Although X hasn’t confirmed whether on the consumer price index (CPI)
your TV licence and snubbing all BBC ‘Not A Bot’ will roll out to further measure of inflation, as published in
channels, both on your telly and online. countries in 2024, it seems likely given January, plus up to four per cent extra.
But remember, you need a licence to view CEO Elon Musk’s determination to make Although inflation has slowed since
shows and films as they’re broadcast on money from the the social network. September, financial experts believe this
any channel on any device or service X has already introduced three month’s CPI rate will be around 4.5 per
(including on Freely when it’s launched subscription tiers – Basic, Premium and cent, which means your broadband bill
– see page 49) – though you don’t need Premium+ (currently US-only) – that could potentially rise by 8.5 per cent.
one to watch on-demand content. offer extra features, with prices starting at Virgin Media customers will be worst
The only exceptions are FAST (free $3 (£2.40) per month (see www.snipca. affected, because the company will use
ad-supported streaming television) com/48664). the Retail Price Index (RPI) rate of
channels on services such as Pluto TV inflation to set its new subscription
(https://pluto.tv), Plex (www.snipca. How to beat the price rise prices. This is typically higher than the
com/47486) and Freevee (www.snipca. 80p for a ‘Not A Bot’ subscription isn’t a CPI, and might be as high as 6.5 per cent
com/48033, see screenshot above). lot of money, but some disgruntled X when announced. Virgin Media will
Although they’re described as ‘live’, these users resent paying Musk anything. charge an additional 3.9 per cent on top
themed channels don’t require a licence. Thankfully, the charge will only apply if of the RPI (see www.snipca.com/48677).
you want to post and interact on X – and So if you currently pay £50 per month for
X’s subscription fee won’t affect existing users. You’ll be able your broadband and TV, your bill will rise
In October 2023, X – formerly known as to browse X for free by opting to access it by 10.4 per cent to £55.20 – an extra
Twitter – began charging new users in in ‘read-only’ mode. £62.40 a year.

How to beat the price rise

Slash your mobile bill in 2024 Your internet provider should contact you
within the next two months with details
As with internet providers, UK mobile of its planned price increase, and the
networks increase their prices every options available to you, depending on
March or April based on the CPI or RPI whether you’re still in contract. Most ISPs
inflation rate, plus an extra 3-4 per cent. charge an exit fee for cancelling your
This will also be prohibited by Ofcom’s contract early, including – as of 2024
new rules, but in the meantime consider – Virgin Media. However, Sky doesn’t
switching to a virtual network – provided write inflation-linked rises into its
you won’t be charged an exit fee for contracts, so customers can cancel for
ending your current contract early. free, provided it’s within 30 days of
Also called MVNOs (mobile virtual deals on internet data - often as cheap as being notified of a price rise.
network operators), networks such as £5 a month for 5GB. Also, you’re not tied ISPs that don’t impose annual price
Lebara, Smarty, Voxi and Giffgaff work on to paying off the cost of a phone because hikes include Zen Internet (www.snipca.
a rolling month-to-month basis, which you can insert their SIM cards in any com/48680, pictured above), Hyperoptic
means there are no mid-contract price unlocked handset. (www.snipca.com/48681) and Cuckoo
rises or exit fees. They ‘piggyback’ on See Go.Compare’s comparison of the (www.cuckoo.co).
major networks such as O2, Three and latest SIM-only plans (pictured), ignoring Ofcom is planning to ban inflation-
Vodafone to give you the same level of any that say ‘prices may rise’: linked mid-contract price rises – see our
service, and offer increasingly competitive www.snipca.com/48683. News story on page 6 – though, sadly, this
won’t take effect until after April 2024.

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 61

 Keep your
Ethernet
FASTER
than Wi-Fi
A wired connection should always be quicker than
a wireless one, but it pays to check. Nik Rawlinson
explains how and reveals fixes if you need a speed boost

Take the ‘ping’ test to check First, if your computer is connected by

your Ethernet speed both Ethernet and Wi-Fi, disconnect the
You might think your wired network Ethernet cable, then open a web page, 1
connection – known as Ethernet – is such as Google, to check that the wireless
running slowly, but have you checked? connection is still active. If it is, close the
For a definitive answer, you need to test browser and switch to the Command 2
the speed of your network, over both Prompt, by opening the Start menu,
Wi-Fi and Ethernet, without your typing cmd, and pressing Enter.
broadband connection affecting either Type ipconfig ( 1 in our screenshot
result. You can then compare how each below left) then press Enter. This
option performs to gauge whether command lists the addresses of key
your wired connection really is components on your network, including Use ping to test the speed of your internal
network connection
underperforming. your router. Check through the list for
There are several ways to do this, but an address beside one of the Default packet to 1KB (or 1024 characters), so
the simplest and most efficient is to send Gateway headings. Our router is at type ping /l 1024 10.0.0.1 ( 1 in our
a small packet of data to your router and 10.0.0.1 on our network 2 . screenshot below). As before, replace our
record the time it takes to return. To do Next, type ping followed by your router’s address with your own if it’s
this, use Windows’ ping command. router’s address, then press Enter. In our different (note that the character after / is
case, that’s ping 10.0.0.1 ( 1 in our a lower-case L). When we tried this, the
screenshot above right). Windows will average speed actually improved – to 2ms 2 .
1 then send four blocks (or packets) of data, If you’re seeing wide speed variations
each 32 characters (or bytes) long, to our across each of the four pings, increase the
router. Make a note of the time it takes number of tests the command runs to get
your router to respond – ours is an a more accurate average. Typing ping /n
average of three milliseconds (ms) 2 . 12 /l 1024 10.0.0.1 sends a dozen packets
It’s worth repeating the test a few
times, and changing the size of the data
packet to see if it makes a difference. This
is more representative of how you’re 1
likely to use your network. And also, the
2 bigger the data packet, the greater the
probability that it could get corrupted on
its journey, thus affecting the result. So, 2
you might get higher speeds with small
packets that are likely to slip through
Your router’s address is shown beside the unscathed, but not large ones. Test your speeds with larger data packets to
Default Gateway heading We recommend increasing the data see if your response time is faster

62 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

(/n 12) of 1024 characters each (/l 1024) to
our router. In our case, the packets took Why I use
between 1ms and 4ms to complete the Ethernet
journey in each of the 12 tests (for an not Wi-Fi
average response time of 2ms). We’ll use
this as our benchmark when comparing My network is a mix of
the wired connection. different technologies, where Ethernet
Now, connect your Ethernet cable still plays an active role. I live in an
and on Windows 10 click the taskbar’s ‘ecohome’, designed to have a low
Wi-Fi icon, followed by the Wi-Fi Action impact on the environment. It means my
button that appears. If you’re on walls are too well insulated for wireless
Windows 11, disable Wi-Fi by clicking This Cat 5e cable can transfer up to 1GB of network connections to reach the
data every second
the wireless icon on the taskbar, followed furthest points, so Ethernet connected to
by the Wi-Fi icon. need to be disabled in the browser settings. a signal extender is the most logical
Again, check that your Ethernet When you’ve made both of these solution. I also have VoIP rather than
connection is working by visiting a changes, re-test your Ethernet connection regular landline phones where, again,
website, then close your browser and to see whether they have made a difference. Ethernet keeps them connected.
repeat the tests we’ve outlined so you can Nik Rawlinson
compare the two connections. If the Check your hardware
average ‘ms’ result you achieve using If your computer or router has multiple
Ethernet is a larger number than you Ethernet ports, try switching your cable
achieved wirelessly, your Ethernet between them. It could be that the port at
connection is running more slowly – one end or the other of the connection is
and you ought to do something about it. faulty. If this makes no difference, turn
your attention to the cable itself.
Check your connection Cutting it open would expose multiple
settings individual wires, bound up in a protective 1
Open the Windows Settings app and outer casing. Any one – or more – of
click ‘Network & Internet’, followed by these strands could be damaged without
Ethernet. Make sure that the setting for you knowing, causing data loss and
‘IPv4 DNS servers’ is the same as the slowing transmission. Don’t actually cut
address of your router (see screenshot it open but – if you have a spare – swap it.
2
below). This verifies that you’re not using If you don’t have a spare cable, you can
a remote server on that connection to buy a new one, like the UGreen Cat 6
convert the addresses you type into a Ethernet Cable, for less than £6 (www.
browser to the numeric locations of snipca.com/48696). Use Device Manager to check for driver
updates
the websites you want to visit. If you have a selection of cables, check
If you’re using a VPN, disconnect from their specifications and choose a Cat 6 or firmware to fix it.
it so your data is running directly from Cat 6e cable if possible. The specification Open your browser and type in the
your PC, via your router and ISP, to any will often be printed on the cable itself, as router address (for example, 10.0.0.1) to
websites you want to visit. If you’re using you can see on the Cat 5e cable pictured open its configuration pages. You’ll
a browser with a built-in VPN, double- above. Cat 5e cables can transfer up to usually need to enter an administrator
check that this isn’t connected. Some 1GB of data every second; Cat 6e cables, password to make any changes – this is
browsers have a VPN badge in the address which are backwards compatible with often printed on a label stuck to the
bar which, when clicked, shows a button Cat 5/5e devices, can transfer 10 times as router itself.
for quickly disconnecting. Others may much. Although the other devices on Click through the settings screens until
your network may you find an option to check for updated
come nowhere near firmware and – if any is available – apply
providing this much it, first making sure you have backed up
data, at least you can be the existing firmware if an option to do
sure that any delays this exists. Our router’s firmware hasn’t
won’t be down to your been updated since we bought it, so it’s
cables. time for us to apply a patch.
Do the same with the networking
Update your hardware in your PC. Press the Windows
firmware key and type device, then click Device
and drivers Manager. When it launches, click the
If your slow-running arrow to the left of ‘Network adapters’
Ethernet connection and right-click your wired network
is caused by a known connection ( 1 in our screenshot above).
fault on the router, its Choose the option to ‘Update driver’ 2
Make sure your Ethernet connection is set to use your router for manufacturer may and allow Windows to search online for
DNS queries have released updated an update. Apply it if one is found.

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 63

 Problems Solved
Our experts solve all your tech problems

PROBLEM OF THE FORTNIGHT

Should I put up with a dead pixel?

I bought a new monitor from 1
Q Amazon – well, new to me. It
was from the company’s
Warehouse range, so it was cheap
because (I presume) it had been returned
by someone else and repackaged. It
was graded as ‘very good’ condition. To
be fair to Amazon, its condition is fine,
but for one bright-red pixel near the top
left of the screen. I didn’t notice it at
first, nor in truth much of the time I
use it, but knowing it’s there is annoying.
I contacted Amazon’s customer
services and was told that dead pixels
were “normal”. The company did offer
to replace the monitor, but said the
next one could have a dead pixel
somewhere else, and it wouldn’t keep JScreenFix is an effective and simple tool for fixing stuck pixels on your screen
replacing the monitor indefinitely – so
also offered a refund. 13406-2:2001 and currently up to dead or stuck pixels is higher than with
I’m not really criticising Amazon’s ISO 9241-210:2019 (www.snipca. new ones, simply because someone
service here. However, what do you com/48479). These are thick, jargon- before may have returned it for
think about this? Should I put up with heavy documents but, essentially, they precisely that reason. Put it this way, if
this dead pixel, or get a replacement? contain guidelines for manufacturers on you return this monitor to Amazon, it’ll
Obviously, I saved money by going faulty pixels. Even though they’re only mostly likely eventually be sold once
through Amazon Warehouse. Do you guidelines and not requirements, many again via Amazon Warehouse!
think getting a refund and then paying manufacturers do adhere to them – and, Finally, we should say that as your
extra for a brand new one would be a within certain constraints, the standards problematic pixel is bright red then it’s
better bet? do acknowledge that a screen might have actually stuck, not dead – because dead
Philip Hayes one or more dead or stuck pixels. would mean a black pixel. That’s
So, yes, by that measure this is ‘normal’ potentially good news, as stuck pixels
This is a tricky situation or at least sometimes to be expected. can sometimes be coaxed back to life.
A because – believe it or not –
dead or ‘stuck’ pixels are
Should you put up with it? Well, we’d be
similarly annoyed by a dead pixel and
Colour-cycling tools, which can
rapidly change screen hues, can
considered ‘acceptable’ by the industry. we’d be tempted to try at least one sometimes free up stuck pixels.
Indeed, there are actually industry replacement. However, the nature of JScreenFix (www.jscreenfix.com, see
standards that describe the levels of Amazon Warehouse means that the screenshot 1 ) is an effective, simple
permitted defects – starting with ISO probability of receiving a screen with and free option. However, watch out for
the adverts on this site, many of which
2 3 masquerade as Start buttons – it’s the
Launch JScreenFix button you need to
click (see screenshot 2 ).
Move the ‘fixer’ panel over the stuck
pixel and leave the random pattern run
for at least 10 minutes (see screenshot 3 ),
though the longer the better. You can
also try applying a very gentle amount
of fingertip pressure on the point of the
Avoid the adverts on JScreenFix and click Move the 'fixer' panel over the relevant pixel stuck pixel, as this can also sometimes
this button to launch it and let the pattern run for at least 10 minutes help.

64 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 Email us your problem and we’ll try to help:
[email protected]

Would my car's SOS system be useless in a power cut?

Much has been written about 1 2
Q the replacement of the old
copper phone lines, and the
problems with the new technology if the
power goes off. I’ve also read about
Government plans for potential rolling
power cuts during hard winters. While Many modern cars have an SOS button that In many cars a green SOS light next to the
can contact emergency services button means networks are available
battery backups are available, I believe
they have limited capacity. My Renault device. If a power cut takes down a that one or more nearby masts will have a
Clio has an SOS button (pictured 1 ), local mast, then the signal goes with it. battery backup. So, even if your nearest
which can be pressed to contact emergency There is no user fix for that – it’s an mast goes down, there may be another in
services – sending a GPS location at the infrastructure problem. the area to which your device can connect.
same time. I realised that this system However, in relation to emergency If you do have a mobile phone, you
probably uses a mobile-phone network. calls, there is some mitigation. In the UK, might even have noticed that sometimes
If so, then unless a nearby mast has its and Europe, emergency calls can be the signal bars are replaced with a
own generator, am I right in thinking it routed through any mobile network – not message like ‘Emergency calls only’. This
wouldn’t work? It seems which ever way just the one you subscribe to or that is is because in that moment the phone
we come at the problem it’s the same ordinarily used by any device reliant on a can’t see your subscribed network but
result – no phones! Is there a fix? mobile network. In other words, as long has detected those of other providers.
Edmund Hobby as a mobile device can recognise a mobile All of this is also true for your car’s SOS
mast – on any network – it’ll be able to system. On Renault cars in particular, a
You’re right: your in-car make a 999 (or 112) call. green SOS light next to the button (see
A emergency button’s successful
operation is reliant on mobile
Of course, in the case of power cuts it’s
probable that many masts will go down
screenshot 2 ) means networks are
available, and emergency help can
networks, just like any other mobile in the affected areas. But it’s also possible therefore be summoned.

What’s this error message before I play an old game?

I wonder if you could tell me Switch on this
Q why I’m seeing a message that
tells me I need to get an app to
option to enable
Game Bar in
Windows and
open ‘ms-gamingoverlay’ every time I remove error
try to open one of my older games. I messages when
playing older
can’t find anything called this in the games
Microsoft Store.
Tony Pugh

This message relates to the

A Game Bar feature – which is
either switched off on your
computer, or simply not currently
installed.
The first is far more likely, and it’s
possible that a recent Windows update
caused a glitch that disabled it on your
machine. You don’t need to actively slider to its On position (see screenshot). If you want to use them, they
use Game Bar, but it sounds like your The other possibility is that your PC is must be installed manually. Install
vintage game expects or wants it to be running an ‘N’ edition of Windows, the free Media Feature Pack for
available. which are sold only in certain countries Windows N from www.snipca.
To fix this, first click Start followed – including parts of Europe. To comply com/48480. However, Game Bar is a
by the Settings cog, then Gaming. Next, with local regulations, these operating separate download from www.snipca.
on the left, click Game Bar and, on the systems lack several multimedia features, com/48481 and you can install just that
right, click the ‘Enable Game Bar…’ including Game Bar. if you prefer.

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 65

 Problems Solved
Does signing in with Google protect me
Why won’t my on other websites? 2
Microsoft Office
install? Q
Following Issue 670’s Cover
Feature on passkeys I was
wondering whether signing into
My computer’s hard drive websites that use the ‘Sign in with
Q recently failed, in the
process losing my copy of
Google’ option (see screenshot 1 ) also
provide passkey-level security benefits, if
Microsoft Office. I tried reinstalling my Google account has been accessed
from the discs I have, but about one using a passkey? Would this be more
third of the way through an error secure than accessing the site using a
message is displayed. Clicking password only, and would there be any
‘Ignore’ just leads to more errors. At downsides?
87 years of age, I can’t stretch to the Anthony Gallagher
purchase of new programs – but I
have so many files that will not open For readers who have not yet
A
Facebook also offers the single-sign-on
without the programs. Any ideas? encountered ‘Sign in with option on many websites, including Pinterest
Gordon Howlett Google’, it’s what’s known as a
single-sign-on feature, or SSO. These are Google’ will have the same protection. It
It sounds like one of your increasingly popular, and provide a quick is more secure in that passkeys are
A installation discs has
scratches. There are tools
and easy way of logging into websites or
apps without having to create specific
inherently safer than passwords – but
there are downsides.
that can scrape away a microscopic credentials for each new one. Instead, you First, SSOs are an eggs-all-in-one-
amount of the disc’s surface, like the just authorise Google (in this case) to basket setup. In other words, if someone
SkipDr (£40 from www.snipca. handle logins for you. Other big-name does somehow break into your passkey-
com/48482, pictured 1 ) but we know companies operate their own SSO protected SSO account, they could
you don’t want to spend any money. services, including Apple and Facebook potentially access any authorised services
Instead, try using a tiny dab of (see screenshot 2 ). as well. Second, if in future you decide to
toothpaste and a dry cloth to rub the SSOs are certainly convenient and, to close your Google account, all your SSO
disc’s surface, working in a circular answer your question, yes, if your Google sign-ins will go with it – so you’d have to
motion. Run the disc under a tap to account is protected then any sites or set up new logins with any website or
clean off, then dry thoroughly with apps you authorise to use ‘Sign in with app you wanted to continue using.
kitchen towel.
If this doesn’t help, LibreOffice 1 Using the
‘Sign in with
is a superb free suite that’s highly Google’
compatible with Microsoft Office option is
files. Download it from www. convenient,
but there are
libreoffice.org (see screenshot 2 ) downsides

1 Use SkipDr
to repair
scratches on
installation
discs

2
Q: How do I remove Kaspersky
completely?
A: Issue 631, page 65 – find it on
our 2022 Back Issue CD
Download LibreOffice to use as a Buy it from
replacement for Microsoft Office www.snipca.com/44660

66 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 Can I make typing snipcas easier in Edge?
When reading your magazine, Switch on
Q I make notes in Microsoft
Word of things I want to look
this option
in Edge’s
settings to
at later – like the name of some free make typing
software and the relevant snipca URL. snipca URLs
I have Word’s AutoCorrect feature set easier
up so that typing snipca automatically
produces www.snipca.com/, then I can
simply add the relevant number. Is
there a way to get Microsoft Edge
(or other browsers) to do this in the
address bar?
Alan Beavers

None of the big-name web

A browsers have a feature that is
directly comparable to Word’s
Editor to enable it.
However, Microsoft Editor won’t
using my typed characters’ slider to its
On position (see screenshot).
AutoCorrect. This is in part because, achieve what you want, but there is a Then, type www.snipca.com into
traditionally, they’re not really used for shortcut that will. In fact, it could be even Edge’s address bar and press Enter.
a lot of typing. This is changing, though quicker, as you probably won’t need to There’s nothing to see there, of course,
– and they do all have spell-checkers. type the whole of ‘snipca’. but Edge will record this visit in your
Indeed, Edge has Microsoft Editor, First, ensure the relevant feature is browsing history. Now, you can simply
which is really quite advanced. enabled. In Settings, click ‘Privacy, search, start typing snipca.com and, as soon as
To use that, open the menu (three and services’ followed by ‘Search Edge suggests it in the address bar,
dots, top right) then choose Settings suggestions and filters’ then click the simply tap the right arrow (cursor) key
followed by Languages. Then, under ‘Show me suggestions from history, – and you just need to type the forward
‘Writing assistance’ click Microsoft favourites and other data on this device slash and number.

Can I buy a Linux

operating system
for my old laptop?
I recently discovered a very old
Q Sony Vaio laptop of mine that
runs Windows 8. The browser
would not work so I decided to try
wiping the machine. This worked until I
attempted to use the browser again. I
could sign in, but nothing worked. I then
decided to try downloading Linux, but I
had no success. Is it possible to purchase
an ISO disc to install a Linux operating
system on this laptop, so that it can be
used again? Download a Linux Mint ISO file then create your own installation disc with ImgBurn
Dai Rees
Linux Shop (https://thelinuxshop.co.uk), can make your own discs without
We don’t know which problems for example, sells pretty much every paying. You could, for example, download
A you encountered once you’d
reinstalled Windows 8. Nor do
Linux version on DVD or USB.
However, it’s worth understanding that
a Linux Mint ISO (from www.linuxmint.
com, see screenshot) and then use a
we know what you did to download in almost all cases what this and similar free disc-burning tool like ImgBurn
Linux, or why you failed. websites are really charging you for is (www.imgburn.com) to create an
So, to answer your direct question convenience – because Linux is open installation disc. Open it, click the
– yes, you can buy Linux installation source and therefore free. ‘Write image file to disc’ option then
DVDs (or USB sticks, if you prefer). The If you have access to another PC, you follow the prompts.

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 67

 Problems Solved
Will old Office and Photoshop work with Windows 11?
I have a Windows 10 computer Office 2007 (left) and
Q that runs my original copies
of Microsoft Office 7 and
Photoshop 5 (below)
should both work fine on
Windows 11
Photoshop 5, both of which I installed
from their original DVDs. If I upgrade my
computer to Windows 11, will these two
programs still work?
Harry Beard

First, let’s clarify the programs

A we’re talking about. Microsoft
uses internal codenames for
Office, and Office 7 was actually perhaps surprisingly, that works too (watch the
marketed both as Office 95 and ‘Office video at www.snipca.com/48483, pictured
for Windows 95’. While you could be right). So, we think you’ll
talking about that (very ancient) version, be fine in either case.
we’re not convinced that you are. The story is similar
Instead, we think you mean Office 2007 with Photoshop 5
(pictured right) – which is version 12, (pictured right), which
according to Microsoft’s own numbering was released in 1998 –
system. but appears to run fine in
This is possibly academic, because Windows 11. Equally, you
neither is officially supported by Windows might be talking about
11 – or 10 for that matter. However, not Photoshop Creative Suite
being supported isn’t the same as being 5 (or CS5), as a later
unable to run – as you’ve found, by version was called. This
successfully using Office 2007 with was released in 2010 and,
Windows 10. It should also run on again while unsupported
Windows 11. Someone has even tried by Adobe, can be run on
installing Office 95 on to Windows 11 and, Windows 10 or 11.

How do I stop my photos going to OneDrive?

At some point in the past I 1 Change your
Q agreed to some Windows 10
pop-up message and ever
AutoPlay setting to
stop your photos
being automatically
since the photos on my memory card uploaded to OneDrive
have automatically uploaded to
OneDrive. I no longer want that to
happen, but I don’t know what to do to
stop it. Can you advise?
Malcolm Bartholome

It sounds like you set

2
A Windows’ AutoPlay feature to
upload content to OneDrive,
so you need to disable that.
To do so, first click Start followed by
the Settings cog, then Devices (see
screenshot 1 ) followed by AutoPlay. what to do with with the
Next, in the right-hand pane, click to other defaults on
open the ‘Memory card’ dropdown AutoPlay page, or use the
menu and choose what you would like slider at the top to disable
to happen when you insert a memory the feature completely, by
card (see screenshot 2 ). switching it to its
Note that you might also want to set Off position.

68 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

 ?? WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN...
Smart TVs and streaming devices?
My old Panasonic TV has
Q become very unreliable, and
won’t switch on half the time.
So, I’m going to buy a new one. They
all seem to be ‘smart’ these days, which
I understand in a broad sense.
However, I don’t really know how or
why I’d choose any one smart TV over
another, or whether I’d be better off
with something like a Fire TV Stick
(which is device you seem to mention a
lot). What are the key differences here?
Clive Harrison

This is both simple to answer

A and incredibly complex – so
let’s start with the complex bit.
dissuade anyone from buying a smart TV
– not least because these days, smart TVs
That’s where third-party gadgets
come in handy. While a new TV set
Every TV manufacturer has its own are pretty much all that’s available – might do everything you want today, it
way of doing things, so there’s really no technology moves so rapidly that any might not tomorrow. However, a device
easy way to summarise the pros and smart TV with a ‘built-in’ system is likely like an Amazon Fire TV Stick (pictured
cons of one set’s features over another to become outdated very quickly. with its remote above left) plugs into a
from a different brand. Suffice to say, Of course, many TVs can have their spare HDMI port (pictured above) to
most will have a selection of headline software and apps updated, but sooner provide access to up-to-date ‘smart’
apps for accessing popular streaming or later this ceases to be an option. This features – even if the TV’s hardware
services, such as BBC iPlayer and could be because the manufacturer and software have been frozen in time.
Netflix, as well as voice-controlled ends support for a particular model, Want to know the difference between
virtual assistants, like Alexa. or because its hardware is no longer technical terms? Email noproblem@
However, while we wouldn’t actively compatible with the latest software tools. computeractive.co.uk

Why has Macrium reduced my USB’s storage capacity?

This is a strange one! I have Delete the screenshot). Confirm the action by
Q two SanDisk USB sticks (16GB
and 32GB). Both previously
existing
volume
clicking Yes. Then, right-click the
Unallocated box and choose New Simple
on your
contained Macrium Reflect (Free) system USB stick Volume. Work through the onscreen
backups, which I have deleted due to the to restore instructions to create a new volume that’s
demise of the program. Now – for both – it to full the size of the USB stick’s true capacity
capacity
File Explorer shows a capacity of just and assign a drive letter, clicking Next at
1.99GB. Both are named MACRIUM_PE each turn and then Finish at the end.
and the only content is a folder called
‘System Volume Information’ that cannot ON SALE
be deleted. Have you any idea what’s
going on here? And is there some way to
So, that’s what you’re seeing – and it’s all
quite normal. Next Issue Weds
17 Jan
regain their full capacities? To get the space back you’ll first need to
John Perkins delete the MACRIUM_PE volume and • Why didn’t LibreOffice
create a new volume that fills the space email install?
The ‘PE’ here stands for ‘pre- of the USB sticks. You can do this in the •H
 ow do I fix a faulty
A installation environment’, which
is what Macrium has installed
Disk Management tool that’s built into
Windows. •H
Windows update?
 ow do I get more fonts?
on your USB sticks. This PE contains just First, press Windows key+X to open ...And many more
the bare essentials for backing up and the Quick Link menu then click Disk
restoring your PC and – to maximise Management. Next, right-click the Subscribe to Computeractive at
compatibility – Macrium minimizes the MACRIUM_PE volume and, in the pop-up www.getcomputeractive.co.uk
‘volume’ size of the drive that contains it. menu, choose Delete Volume (see

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 69

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Problems Solved
Reader Support
Having a problem with our recommended software or expert tips?
Email [email protected] and we’ll do our best to help
How do I add Notepad++ Make these
changes to
to my right-click menu? the registry to
I’m keen to try Notepad++ bring the larger
Q (www.snipca.com/48402) as
recommended by Rob Sedgwick
2 Windows 10
right-click menu
to Windows 11
(Issue 673, page 41). He mentions that
you can add it to your right-click menu, 1
and there’s a screenshot proving it. But I
can’t work out how to do this. I use
3
Windows 11. Can you help?
Bob Earle Click this key, then right-click (Default)
on the right 2 and select Modify 3 . You
The option shown in Issue don’t need to do anything in the Edit 2
A 673’s screenshot is ‘Edit with
Notepad’, and that definitely
String box that appears – just make sure
‘Value data’ is left blank, then close it.
appears when you right-click a file. So, Finally, restart your computer, then
1
instead, we think you’re having trouble right-click your desktop and you should
finding the ‘Open with Notepad++’ see the larger menu.
option – and it’s probably because you’re
one of the many users confused by Is WinX DVDRipper free?
Microsoft’s decision in Windows 11 to You recommended WinX
Q
Click ‘Remind Me Later’ to close the ‘Buy Now’
show a smaller menu when you right- DVDRipper to Colin Boast as a screen and rip DVDs for free
click. To see ‘Open with Notepad++’, you free solution to his problem in
first need to click ‘Show more options’, Issue 671, page 69 (‘Why can’t I play my relevant drive, and then click the Run
which is at the bottom of the right-click DVDs in the UK?’). But it’s not free. Their button.
menu (see screenshot below). site compares free and paid-for editions, As you use WinX DVDRipper it will
If you find this extra click annoying, but I’ve emailed the makers and they tell show pop-up messages nagging you to
you can tweak Windows 11’s registry so it me there’s no free version. Is that right? buy the full version. To close these, click
shows the larger Windows 10 right-click Rich Grove the small ‘X’ at the top right.
menu instead.
Click Start, type Run, then click Open. Technically, yes. When you Did you mean BCC instead
In the Run box, type regedit, then OK.
In the Registry Editor, navigate to the
A download WinX DVDRipper
from www.snipca.com/48620,
of the ‘To’ field?
When answering David Trivitt’s
Computer\HKEY_CURRENT_USER\
Software\Classes\CLSID key. Right-click
you’re actually downloading the
Platinum edition, which comes in three
Q question in Issue 672 (‘Am I
stuck with my ISP’s email
CLSID, then choose New, Key. paid-for versions starting at $39.95 (£31.73). service?’, page 66), you recommend
This will be called ‘New When you run the dropping a large list of email addresses
Key #1’. Replace this name program, you’re shown a into the ‘To’ field of an email. That’s not a
with {86ca1aa0-34aa-4e8b- screen stating you’ve good idea. You should pick ‘To’ when
a509-50c905bae2a2} – copy downloaded a trial version sending to yourself, but drop the others
this from our Pastebin page: and asking you to buy a full into BCC! Did you make a mistake?
www.snipca.com/48624. copy. But if you click the David Reynolds
Now right-click this, then Remind Me Later button at
choose New, Key – and the bottom ( 1 in our Yes, we did. We were thinking
name this second key
InprocServer32 ( 1 in our
screenshot above right), you
can use some features for
A of David sending an email to a
select group of friends, via a list
screenshot above right). free. This includes the (or lists), rather than everyone in his
DVD-ripping tool we address book. Regardless, we should
mentioned in our answer to have said that using the BCC field is a
You need to click ‘Show more
options’ to see the full right- Colin. To use it, click the good idea if you wish to keep the email
click menu in Windows 11 Disc button 2 , choose the addresses private from other recipients.

Issue 674 • 3 – 16 January 2024 71

 Jargon Buster
1080p Of the common types of Clock speed The speed at which a Frame rate The number of still Machine learning The science of
high-definition video, this is the processor can perform operations. images, or frames, shown per teaching computers how to learn
best quality: 1920x1080 pixels. Measured in Gigahertz (GHz). second to create a moving image. by themselves, without further
human input.
2K A screen with 2048x1080 pixels. Coaxial A type of cable FTTP Fibre to the premises. Fibre
where one wire is surrounded broadband that goes straight to the Macro An automated series of
32bit/64bit A measure of how by insulation, which is then doorstep. Faster than FTTC (fibre commands or options that can be
much data a PC can process at surrounded by another wire. to the cabinet). run at any time. Handy if you often
once. Most older computers are need to perform repetitive actions.
32bit, more modern ones are 64bit. Cookie A small text file stored on Gesture Finger movements on a
your computer by a website. screen that perform an action, such OCR Optical character recognition.
3G/4G/5G Technologies that as pinching to zoom. The process by which printed text
deliver faster mobile broadband. Core Units on a processor that is scanned and converted into
carry out program instructions. GHz Gigahertz. A measure of documents that can be edited.
4K Video with a resolution of at how many instructions a chip can
least 3840x2160 pixels. Dark mode Showing white text process per second. 1GHz is equal Open source Software that can
on a black background. to 1,000MHz. be modified by anyone, rather
7z Also known as 7-Zip. A free, than just by the employees of the
open-source file archiver. DCI-P3 A colour space that has a GIF Graphics Interchange Format. company that created it.
wider spectrum than sRGB. Used A type of image file often used
Administrator Someone who can by US film industry. on the web, but now largely Overclock Make a processor
make changes to a computer that superseded by PNG. work faster to boost performance
will affect others who also use it. DLL Dynamic Link Library. DLL at the cost of it getting hotter and
resources can be made use of by Gigabit Internet connection requiring more power.
ADSL Asymmetric Digital one or more Windows programs. offering speeds of at least 1Gbps
Subscriber Line. A technology that (1,000Mbps). Parallel port A single socket
converts a standard phone line into Dolby Atmos Surround-sound on the back of a PC used for
a broadband internet connection. technology that adds ‘height’ to GPS Global positioning system. connecting a printer or a low-cost
the audio through speakers built Satellite-based navigational system. scanner. Rarely seen today.
AI Artificial intelligence. into the top of devices.
Intelligence demonstrated by a GPU Graphics Processor Unit. Passkey A method for signing into
machine rather than a human. Dolby Vision Dolby’s HDR A chip designed to create 3D accounts by typing a one-off code,
(High Dynamic Range) screen graphics, but which can also be fingerprint or facial recognition
Aspect ratio A measurement of technology. used for other computing tasks. rather than a password.
the shape of a screen. Traditional
PC screens are 4:3. Widescreen Domain These are used to Graphics card A component in a Performance core Processors
displays are 16:9 or 16:10. identify one or more IP addresses. computer that produces the image designed for heavy-duty computer
shown on the monitor. work.
Benchmarking Comparing Driver A file that tells Windows
software and products with an how to work with an external HDMI High-definition media Phishing A form of internet
accepted standard. device. interface. A type of connection that fraud that tries to trick you into
transmits high-definition video and revealing personal details.
Beta A version of software that’s Efficiency core Processors used audio signals.
being tested. for background tasks that run Picture-in-picture mode Shows
constantly but don’t require much HDR10/10+ High-dynamic range video in a small moveable screen
Biometric Using measurable processing power. 10. Latest industry standards for TVs. while you browse the web or
personal characteristics, such as watch TV.
fingerprints, for identification. Emoji A small graphic that can be HTTPS Hyper Text Transfer
inserted into a text message or email. Protocol Secure. The secure Plug-in A small program that
Bloatware Unwanted software version of HTTP, the technology adds extra features to software or
built into a new device. Emulator A program that makes that sends data between your to your web browser.
one PC act like another, allowing it browser and the web.
Blue screen of death Technically to run that computer’s software. PNG Portable Network Graphics.
called a ‘Stop error’, this is shown ISO file A type of image file that A format for images that shrinks
when your PC crashes. End-to-end encryption A way of contains all data from a CD or DVD. file sizes using compression but
encrypting messages so that the without discarding any data.
Bot Automated software designed only people who can read them JPEG Joint Photograph Experts
to perform specific tasks. are the sender and recipient. Group. A common type of image QR code Quick Response code.
file created by most digital A barcode that can be read using
cd/m2 Candela per square metre. Factory settings The original cameras. Some image quality is smartphones and dedicated QR-
Standard unit of brightness. system state of an electronic lost with each save. reading devices.
device.
Chatbot A computer program LED Light-emitting diode. An RAM Random-access memory.
designed to recreate conversation Firmware Basic software stored electronic device that emits light. The computer’s working area,
with human users, especially over on hardware, such as a processor, Used on almost all electronic used for data storage while the PC
the internet. to control its operation. devices. is switched on.

72 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674

RGB keyboard Advanced type Social tariff Discounted Temporary file Created by sites VPN Virtual private network.
of LED backlit keyboard that broadband package available to and software to store info for a Keeps all internet communication
generates colours by projecting customers on benefits. specific purpose, but not meant to safe and private.
simultaneous combinations of red, be stored permanently.
green and blue lights. sRGB A standard RGB colour WEBP Google’s image format
space for use on monitors, Travel The distance the keys of designed to create files that are
RTF Rich Text Format. A file format printers and the internet. a keyboard have to be pressed smaller for the same quality, or of
used to transfer files between before the keystroke is recognised. higher quality for the same size,
different types of word-processing SSD Solid-state drive. Storage than JPEG, PNG and GIF.
programs. It preserves most of the that, unlike a hard drive, uses no Tweeter A speaker designed to
formatting of a document. moving parts. Faster but more produce high audio frequencies. Whitelist A list of allowed
expensive than conventional hard Named after the noise made by websites and applications used
Safe mode A way of starting drives. birds. by security software to ensure
Windows so that programs and you only visit safe websites and
peripherals are prevented from Switch Mechanism under a Unibody Term used to describe download safe programs.
working. This is useful to help keyboard that determines whether phone or tablet cases made from a
diagnose the cause of problems. a key has been pressed. single piece of metal. Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi standard with
speeds up to 10 times faster than
SD card Secure Digital card. A Symbian A discontinued mobile USB 2.0/3.0/3.1 Faster successors 802.11ac. Also called 802.11ax.
popular type of memory card. operating system popular in the to USB.
early 2000s. Made by Symbian Widget A small program that runs
SIM Subscriber Identity Module. Ltd, which included Nokia, Ericsson USB-C A new connector that’s on the Windows desktop.
The smart card used by all digital and Motorola. reversible, letting you plug it in
mobile phones. upside down. Woofer A speaker designed to
System restore point The produce low-frequency bass
SIM-only A phone package in collection of system files stored VoIP Voice over IP. The routing sounds.
which you pay only for the data, by System Restore on a given date of voice conversations over the
calls and texts. You have to buy the and time to which Windows can internet, which is cheaper than the ZIP file A file that contains
phone yourself. revert if a problem occurs. telephone network. compressed documents or files.
 Easy when you
Know How
Intrigued by the new voice feature in the ChatGPT
app, Robert Irvine tries to…

Hold a conversation with AI

A
s a naturally shy person, I always
feel self-conscious when talking
to machines. If I get transferred to
somebody’s voicemail, I either hang up as
soon as I hear the beep or gabble a barely
intelligible message like “callmeback
whenyougetachancethanksbye”.
So the news that OpenAI has added
voice control to its world-conquering AI
chatbot ChatGPT (www.snipca.
com/48719) gave me a shiver of dread.
Not only are these bots stealing jobs and After choosing a
writing poetry so awful it would make a voice, Robert tried
Vogon blush, but now we’re supposed to to engage ChatGPT
speak to them too? It’s like having to in a meaningful
conversation, but
make small talk with your replacement the bot heard things
when you’ve just been made redundant. differently

voice from options called things like As the conversation was not exactly
Cove, Juniper and Breeze. They were all flowing, I asked ChatGPT to suggest
variations of cheery Americans, so I places to go on holiday. This went better
plumped for Ember (see screenshot as I was able to respond to its queries
ChatGPT writes poetry above) and figured I could change it later with specific stipulations – somewhere
if it annoyed me. I granted ChatGPT warm in February, in Europe, with a bit
so awful it would make permission to record audio – but only of history – and engage in a back-and-
while I was using the app – and initiated forth chat, almost like talking to a real
a Vogon blush a chinwag. person. We decided on Rome – “the ideal
“Hello”, I said to the floating white city for delving into Roman history” –
circle on my screen. This then turned into before I wrapped things up by hitting the
a cloud-shaped speech bubble and a ‘Close’ button.
voice replied: “Hey there, how can I help Curious as to what had been recorded,
But still, in the interests of research, I you today?”. “Um…” I said, trying to I tapped the menu button in the top-left
decided to take ChatGPT Voice for a spin. think of a clever question. “No worries, corner and selected ‘ChatGPT Assists
Previously only available to Plus whenever you’re ready,” said the chatbot. User’. This displayed a transcript of our
subscribers, it’s now free for all users of When I ummed again, it – rather chat, but not a wholly accurate one. Some
the ChatGPT mobile app. I installed the impatiently – suggested perhaps I’d like of my contributions were bizarrely
Android version from the Google Play to know something about where I live. shown as ‘Thanks for watching!’ and ‘For
Store at www.snipca.com/48693 – you “Where is the nearest post box?”, I more information, visit chatgpt.com’ (see
can get the iOS app from www.snipca. eventually enquired. To which ChatGPT screenshot above). The bot was putting
com/48694 – and signed into my responded: “To find the nearest post box, words in my mouth.
ChatGPT account. you can use a mapping app on your phone. To get revenge, I prompted ChatGPT to
After warning me that it “can be Just type ‘post box’ in the search bar”. recite a poem about roses, which I cruelly
inaccurate” and that I shouldn’t share This brought to mind Basil Fawlty’s line declared to be rubbish. “I appreciate your
sensitive information because “chats may about Sybil’s specialist subject being ‘the honesty”, said the chatbot, sounding a
be reviewed by our AI trainers”, the bleeding obvious’, so I attempted something little hurt, “perhaps poetry isn’t my
ChatGPT app opened. Rather than type a more focused. “When will Windows 12 be strong point”. And, sadly, we haven’t
query, I pressed the new headphones released?” I asked. “I don’t have access to spoken since.
button next to the Message box at the real-time information,” said the bot. “The Need help with how to use ChatGPT and
bottom of the screen. dates of Windows releases can vary. other AI tools? Let us know: noproblem@
ChatGPT then invited me to choose a Check the official Microsoft website.” computeractive.co.uk

74 3 – 16 January 2024 • Issue 674 Next issue: Robert tries to remove background noise from a video
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English Newspapers»»
Indian Express, Financial Express, The Hindu, Business Line, The Times of India, The Economic Times,
Hindustan Times, Business Standard, First India, Mint, Greater Kashmir, Greater Jammu, The Himalayan,
The Tribune, Brill Express, The Sikh Times, Avenue Mail, Western Times, Millennium Post, The Statesman,
State Times, The Pioneer, Hans India, Free Press, Orissa Post, Mumbai Mirror, Mid-Day, Deccan Chronicle,
Deccan Herald, Telangana Today, Financial Times, The Asian Age, The Telegraph, Oheraldo, Gulf of Times,
The New York Times, The Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal,
The Guardian, The Times

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दै निक जागरण, राजस्थाि पत्रिका, दै निक भास्कर, ह द
िं स्
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केसरी, उत्तम ह न्द,ू जिसत्ता, लोकसत्ता, ररभूमम, द पायिीयर,जागरूक टाइम्स, राष्ट्रीय स ारा, दै निक हरब्यूि, युवा
गोरव, भारतीय स ारा, स्विंतिंि वाताड, सीमा सिंदेश, दै निक सवेरा,एक्शि इिंडडया, मदरलैंड वॉइस, दे शििंध,ु ह माचल दस्तक,

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