CREATE YOUR MOST

SECURE BACKUP EVER!

TRANSFORM YOUR
OLD TABLET p74 GET
FREE
Turn it into a Chromecast
Why you must use ISO files p35
T 2023
ISSUE 666 ❘ 13 – 26 SEP

MUSIC
& TV
every issue Before they vanish
Learn something new in
Brave’s roar-some new
tool – p49 from the web p60

STOP WI-FI
HACKERS
The 12 most effective ways to
protect EVERY DEVICE on your
home network and stay safe p50
1. Change your password 7. Hide behind a VPN
2. Turn on your firewall 8. Disconnect Wi-Fi at night
3. Update your encryption 9. Create a guest network
4. Ditch your ISP router 10. Protect CCTV footage
5. Block your neighbours 11. Secure your smart doorbell
6. Detect unknown devices 12. Stop Alexa saving your voice

PLUS
MAKE YOUR VIDEOS SOFTWARE YOU MUST
LOOK LESS SH AK Y NEVER UPDATE
Stabilise them all in one go p38 Stick with older, safer and better versions p62
WELCOME
EDITORIAL
Group Editor in Chief Graham Barlow
Group Editor Daniel Booth
From the Editor
Deputy Editor Robert Irvine
Production Editor Graham Brown I’ve just checked every room in my house Following his advice, I’ve already
Art Editor Katie Peat
Contributors Keumars Afifi-Sabet, Judith Batchelor, Dinah
and counted 17 ‘smart’ devices that are at changed several passwords, updated my
Greek, Jonathan Parkyn, Nik Rawlinson, Andy Shaw risk of being attacked by Wi-Fi hackers. ageing encryption, checked for new
ADVERTISING
These aren’t computers, phones or tablets, firmware and strengthened my router’s
Advertising Manager Alexandra Thomas but security cameras, video doorbells, firewall.
MARKETING AND CIRCULATION
Amazon Echos, TVs, internet radios and Next, I plan to delete any voice commands
Subscriptions Juber Ahmed even an air fryer. Each one gives hackers a stored on Amazon’s Echo servers. There’s
For subscription enquiries ring 0330 333 9493
potential route into my home network. nothing saved that scammers will find
PRODUCTION Over the years I’ve been too complacent useful, but I’d rather they didn’t know
Head of Production
Stephen Catherall
about these threats, but that will change how often my kids ask Alexa to make
Senior Production Manager now I’ve read Nik Rawlinson’s excellent a certain embarrassing noise that,
Lawrence Brookes
Cover Feature. He reveals just how urgent appropriately enough, rhymes with ‘smart’.
INTERNATIONAL LICENSING AND SYNDICATION the risks are, and explains what you must Daniel Booth
Computeractive is available for licensing and syndication.
do to protect yourself. [email protected]
To find out more contact us at [email protected] or
view our available content at www.futurecontenthub.com.
Head of Print Licensing p74
Rachel Shaw

ONWARD RESALE
This publication may not be resold or otherwise p35
distributed, whether at, below or above face value. Nor
can this publication be advertised for sale, transfer or
distribution.

PERMISSIONS
p60
Material may not be reproduced in any form without the
written consent of the publisher. Please address such
requests to [email protected].

LIABILITY
While every care was taken preparing this magazine, the
publishers cannot be held responsible for the accuracy
of the information or any consequence arising from
it. All judgments are based on equipment available to
Computeractive at the time of review. Computeractive p50
takes no responsibility for the content of external websites
whose addresses are published in the magazine.

© Copyright Future PLC 2022.

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Issue 666 • 13 - 26 September 2023 3

 Contents
13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

6 News National Grid sets traps to catch

hackers attacking UK

10 Question of the Fortnight Has BT lied

over the phone landline switch-off?

11 Protect Your Tech

Fake Amazon ads that lead to security scam

12 Letters Parents just as addicted to phones

as their kids

14 Consumeractive Why am I being

refused a refund so soon after purchase?
p6
16 Grow Your Family Tree
Buy cheap birth and death records Current threats

18 Best Free Software

Vivaldi 6.2 Beelink SER5
Max 5800H
21 Named & Shamed
IObit Uninstaller 13 p22

Reviews
22 Beelink SER5 Max 5800H
Mini PC offers more power to your elbow

23 Dell G15 Gaming Laptop

Hefty gaming machine pulls its weight

24 Acer Chromebook Spin 714

Chrome-based laptop surfs its purpose

25 XHP E27m G4
PC monitor puts its flaws on display Acer Chromebook Spin 714

26 Tenda RX27 Pro p24

pxx
Wi-Fi 6E router spreads the load

28 Sony WH-CH520
Headphones go wireless for sound
Aeezo Portrait 01
Digital photo frame lets things slide

29 Motorola Moto G73 5G

Budget phone makes some smart calls

30 Buy It/Competition Win a Marshall

Middleton Bluetooth speaker

4 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 Subscribe now!
See page 58 for our special subs offer

Workshops & Tips Back up to

the future
35 
How to… Create the most secure
p35
backup using an ISO file

38 
Stabilise multiple videos in one go
using DaVinci Resolve

40 R
 eaders’ Tips
Delay your screen recordings in ShareX

42 Browser Tips
Skip annoying CAPTCHAs on websites

44 Phone and Tablet Tips Send higher-

quality photos and videos in WhatsApp

46 Make Windows Better

STOP WI-FI
Add your printer as right-click option

47 Make Office Better Use conditional

formatting to colour-code cells

48 In the Club
Log members’ details in Excel

49 What’s All the Fuss About?

HACKERS
The 12 most
Brave Leo effective ways to
50 COVER FEATURE protect EVERY
Stop Wi-Fi hackers DEVICE on your CO
The tricks and tools you need to ensure FEATVER
your home network is as safe as houses home network UR
P50 E
and stay safe
60 Get free content before it vanishes
Grab free TV, films and music from the

Downgrade
Internet Archive before legal challenges
stop you

62 Downgrade your free software

your free
When an update to your favourite program
makes it worse, we explain how to restore a
previous version that suited your needs

64 Problems Solved
Why is my new monitor mute?

71 Reader Support
software p62

How do I import passwords into Bitwarden?

72 Jargon Buster

74 Easy When You Know How

Robert Irvine turns a tablet into a Chromecast

Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 5

 News The top stories in the world of technology

National Grid sets traps to

catch hackers attacking UK
N
ational Grid is to set documents designed to appear
“honeypot” traps online sensitive or valuable” to attract
to catch hackers in a bid cyber attackers.
to strengthen the UK’s electricity If hackers try to disrupt the
infrastructure against attack. electricity network using this
The company is advertising information, their tactics will
a £1m contract for security be tracked and analysed in
experts to plant online “false order to prevent similar attacks.
Honeypots are commonly
WHAT WE THINK used by security teams to
observe how hackers operate.
Not all security experts like Last month, researchers
honeypot traps. Some say from US-Canadian firm
they’re too expensive to GoSecure revealed how they
run, but restoring a hacked used honeypots to record over
power supply would cost 190 million attacks in three “disrupt or destroy” British accounted for 16 per cent of
even more. Others claim years, including 100 hours of infrastructure in retaliation to all cyber attacks detected in
that experienced hackers video footage (www.snipca. sanctions imposed on Russia the UK by IBM Security in
have learned to avoid such com/47465). following the invasion of the past year. In response,
traps, but the strategy has The Grid’s strategy comes Ukraine. energy regulator Ofgem has
been shown to work time amid growing concerns that This was followed in May given gas and electricity
and again. There’s little doubt hackers backed by hostile by a warning from the companies until December to
Russia plans to target our countries, including Iran, National Cyber Security comply with new government
energy supply, having already North Korea and Russia, are Centre that Chinese hackers rules to bolster their cyber
been suspected of mapping getting better at attacking could apply tactics used security.
wind farms and undersea critical infrastructure. against US infrastructure in National Grid said in a
cables. Faced by such In April, deputy prime other countries, specifically statement that its security
threats, the National Grid minister Oliver Dowden Australia, Canada, New systems were “robust” and
should do everything it can warned that “ideologically Zealand and the UK allow it to “monitor, detect
to keep the lights on. motivated” Russian hackers (www.snipca.com/47466). and protect our network to
were increasingly trying to Energy companies keep energy flowing”.

Microsoft yet to fix Skype flaw that reveals IP address

M icrosoft has no
“immediate” plans to
fix a security flaw in Skype’s
the flaw to the
website 404 Media
(www.404media.co),
emails he received from
Microsoft saying that
the “disclosure of an
This prompted 404 Media
to ask Microsoft for comment,
at which point it said it would
mobile apps that could let showing that he could IP address is not fix the flaw in a forthcoming
hackers see your IP address. expose a user’s IP considered a security Skype update, but didn’t say
The flaw was discovered address while chatting vulnerability on it’s when.
by an independent security in Skype by getting them [sic] own”, and that it 404 Media didn’t explain
researcher called Yossi, to open a message containing “does not meet the definition precisely how hackers could
who said he reported it to a link. This worked even when of a security vulnerability” that take advantage of the flaw,
Microsoft on 12 August. they were using a VPN. would “require immediate but claimed it’s “trivially
Yossi then demonstrated He also showed 404 Media servicing”. easy to exploit”.

You’ll like this… but not this…

Google Flights now show you the cheapest Copper phone switch-off causing problems
time to book (www.snipca.com/47464) for the elderly (www.snipca.com/47463)

6 13 - 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

YouTube shows countdown IN BRIEF

timers to your next advert UPDATE WINRAR NOW

TO FIX SECURITY FLAW
WinRAR has released a

Y ouTube has started

showing countdown
timers that indicate how
new version (6.23) to fix a
security flaw that could have
let hackers run programs
long is left until the next when you opened RAR files.
advert appears. Researchers reported the
The circular timer runs flaw to WinRAR in early June,
for 30-60 seconds at the and the company released
top right of messages that pop an update two months later.
up when YouTube detects Download it from www.
you’re using an ad-blocker win-rar.com (pictured below).
(see screenshot).
Several users on Reddit
reported seeing the message they could watch only three particularly annoying.
(www.snipca.com/47343), more videos unless they Many people now use the
which is headed ‘Ad blockers deactivated their ad-blocker Brave browser (https:/brave.
are not allowed on YouTube’. or subscribed to Premium (see com) when watching YouTube
It continues to say that you www.snipca.com/47346). because it blocks adverts by
won’t be able to watch any Google, which owns default.
more videos unless you YouTube, appears to be testing There’s also a growing BT TV CUSTOMERS
disable your ad-blocker, these messages with selected demand for ad-blockers that LOSE AMC CHANNEL
or add YouTube to your users as it cracks down on don’t let sites pay them to be BT and EE broadband
ad-blocker’s whitelist. viewers who block adverts. whitelisted, unlike AdBlock customers will lose the
You’re also given the option Using ad-blockers violates and Adblock Plus. AMC TV channel from 28
to upgrade to YouTube YouTube’s Terms of Service In Issue 664 we said September. AMC has been
Premium, which turns off (www.snipca.com/46741), uBlock Origin (www.snipca. available to customers since
adverts on all videos. It costs though millions of people com/47086) was the best tool launching in 2015, and has
£12.99 a month from www. install them to avoid what to use because it also blocks broadcast cult shows like
youtube.com/premium. they regard as intrusive and phishing scams and cookie- Better Call Saul, Breaking
The message is similar to unnecessarily frequent consent pop-ups. Buy it as a Bad and Mad Men. It’s been
one YouTube started showing adverts. Adverts that interrupt back issue from www.snipca. reported that the channel
in July that warned viewers videos are considered com/47347. will be replaced by AMC+,
which contains more films
and shows.
Amazon Prime members now pay TOMORROW’S
£1.99 for same-day delivery WORLD

A mazon Prime members

will now have to pay
£1.99 for using the company’s
screenshot) or
‘Tomorrow by 1 PM’.
You need to place
Canine robot CyberDog 2
from Chinese firm Xiaomi has
an E-Ink skin that changes
‘Same-Day & Overnight’ the order by 12pm, colour according to its
delivery if their total order or 1pm in Scotland, actions, and sensors to avoid
is under £20. though this deadline obstacles like cyclists. It’s
The company emailed will be earlier on based on a dobermann and
subscribers about the fee, “on certain holidays is incredibly cute, but it costs
which applies from 18 and busy shopping $1,800 (about £1,410). How
September. Previously, this days”. much is that doggy in the
delivery was part of a However, dozens of if you pay monthly, or £95 if window? Too much, sweetie,
member’s subscription. postcodes are ineligible, you pay annually. Visit www. buy a gerbil instead. Watch it
The fee for non-Prime including many areas of snipca.com/47370 to see what at www.snipca.com/47337.
customers using same-day Aberdeen (AB), Belfast (BT), a subscription gets you, and
and overnight delivery Dumfries and Galloway (DG), www.snipca.com/47366 for
remains £5.99 per order. Inverness (IV), Llandudno more details on Same-Day
To use Amazon’s Same-Day (LL), Shrewsbury (SY) and and Overnight delivery.
& Overnight service, look for York (YO) – see the full list at
Will increasing fees make you
items that show ‘Today by 7 www.snipca.com/47367. cancel Amazon Prime? Let us
PM’, ‘Today by 10 PM’ (see Amazon Prime costs £8.99 know: [email protected]

Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 7

 News
IN BRIEF Make sites reimburse scam
SHELL LAUNCHES FIRST
Wi-Fi 6 ROUTER
victims, says Barclays
Shell Energy
has released
its first Wi-Fi 6
B arclays has called for
websites to help
reimburse people who buy
(802.11ax) items that never arrive, or
router that aren’t as advertised.
(pictured), The bank said its research
available to all its broadband showed these ‘purchase
customers. Existing scams’ account for 66 per cent
customers who want one will of all reported fraud. Its study
need to sign up to a new showed that 88 per cent of
minimum-term contract, or scams that cost victims an
extend their current contract average of £1,000 start on
to a new 18-month period. social-media sites, online
It has dual-band Wi-Fi, and marketplaces or dating apps. claimed. organisations with the power
supports the stronger It wants tech firms to create In addition, Barclays to prevent scams are working
WPA3 encryption standard. a victim-reimbursement wants the prevention of together far more effectively”.
Visit Shell’s site for details: fund to help recover stolen scams to be made mandatory, “Without the joint help
www.snipca.com/47384. money. At present banks so tech companies are liable of tech organisations, the
have sole responsible for for them. This should replace Government, and regulators,
TALKTALK STOPS refunding victims. the voluntary measures the we risk enabling the
SELLING DOOR TO DOOR The fund was one of four Government is proposing, unchecked growth of what is
TalkTalk has stopped selling policy changes Barclays the bank said. now the most common crime
its broadband door to door in called for. It also wants a Finally, it said tech regulator in the UK, hurting countless
Newcastle after complaints cross-party Parliamentary Ofcom should force tech firms individuals, and costing our
from residents that it was group to bring together to publish data on the scams economy billions each year,”
operating in a No Cold industry regulators, policy happening on their sites. he added. Read more on
Calling Zone (NCCZ), which makers and companies in Matt Hammerstein, CEO of Barclays’ site: www.snipca.
covers 84,410 homes in order to “effectively fight Barclays UK, said these policy com/47387.
the city. The company said scams”. This would replace recommendations “aim to Have you been scammed
Newcastle City Council hadn’t the current “fragmented” tackle the nation’s scams buying an item online? Let us
given it enough information efforts to combat fraud, it epidemic by ensuring that know: [email protected]
about which areas the NCCZ
covered. You can set up
your own zone through your Buy a red phone box for just £1
local council.

THE WORLD’S M ore than 1,000

traditional red phone
Meghan Markle’s wedding
in 2018, Burns Night, the
GONE MAD! boxes are still available to football World Cup and the
be used by communities, coronation of King Charles III
A new survey from Samsung BT has said. (pictured).
shows just how selfie- The company is urging Some 20,000 payphones
obsessed Brits are. We take communities, charities and remain in use across the UK,
an average of 361 selfies a parish councils to take 3,000 of which are in the
year, and five each time just advantage of its ‘Adopt a traditional red kiosks. The
to decide which captures Kiosk’ scheme (www.snipca. number of boxes peaked in
our best side. Belfast is the com/47339) to transform the 1990s at around 100,000.
UK’s selfie capital, with 814 redundant phone boxes and In 2024, BT will celebrate
a year per person, followed use them for other purposes. including defibrillator units, the 100th anniversary of the
by Edinburgh (745), then More than 7,200 boxes libraries, mini art galleries and first red phone box, designed
London (515). Still, they can have been adopted since local museums. by the architect Sir Giles
be lucrative – Samsung is the scheme began in 2008. It BT highlighted one box in Gilbert Scott. Read more at
offering £500,000 to one costs just £1 to take ownership the Surrey village of Compton www.snipca.com/47338.
lucky selfie taker: www. of a box. that has been decorated to
Has your community adopted a
snipca.com/47360. Communities have turned mark special occasions, phone box? Let us know:
boxes into a range of facilities, including Prince Harry and [email protected]

8 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

Microsoft pauses update that IN BRIEF
causes Blue Screen of Death FREEVEE ADDS 10
FREE NEW CHANNELS

B oth Windows 10 and 11’s

August cumulative
preview updates have caused
The systems
affected include
PCs running
Amazon’s Freevee streaming
service has added 10 new
channels, including six
some users to experience the Windows 10 from NBCUniversal and
dreaded Blue Screen of Death. 21H2 and 22H2, four from UKTV. Each of
Some users who installed as well as NBCUniversal’s channels
Windows 10’s KB5029331 and Windows 11 22H2 is dedicated to a single
Windows 11’s KB5029351 – further details show, including Million
updates, released on 22 August are available on Dollar Listing and Top Chef.
2023, saw an ‘UNSUPPORTED_ the Microsoft UKTV’s channels include
PROCESSOR’ error message website (www. comedy, drama and history
on a blue screen (pictured) snipca.com/47448). programmes from Dave,
after updating their PCs. Microsoft has not publicly Windows 10, meanwhile, Drama, W and Yesterday. All
After investigating the released details of the featured 16 improvements and 10 channels are free to watch
problem, Microsoft said the processors affected and – at bug fixes, including the with an Amazon account, but
error wasn’t caused directly the time of writing – only launch of a new Backup app. are supported by ads.
by its updates and was limited the Taiwanese manufacturer This allows Windows 10 users
to a “specific subset of MSI had confirmed that to back up their files and META LAUNCHES WEB
processors”. The company is some of its motherboard folders directly to OneDrive. VERSION OF THREADS
now working with device models had suffered the They can now also store Wi-Fi Meta’s new social network,
manufacturers to roll out a fix. problem. credentials and other passwords Threads, can now be used in
As a temporary solution, Windows 11’s KB5029351 and settings in OneDrive. your web browser at https://
Microsoft has paused the update applied several bug Both are optional preview threads.net. The company,
updates to affected computers. fixes, including for a problem updates, which don’t contain which also owns Facebook,
The updates might also that stopped the Search tool essential security fixes. Users WhatsApp and Instagram,
automatically uninstall on launching after users woke can enable these optional launched Threads in July as
reboot to allow Windows to their PC up from Sleep mode. updates through Windows a direct rival to Twitter (now
start as normal. The KB5029331 update in Update. called X), but it was initially
only available as a mobile app.
More than 100 million people
Google applies tighter security to Gmail joined Threads within a week
of the app launching but it has

G oogle has upgraded Gmail’s

security to force users to
verify their identity when they
upgrade to increase its chances
of identifying suspicious
activity in Gmail users’
you’ prompt last year for some
Google Workspace users who
performed actions that could
since seen a sharp drop in the
number of active users.

carry out ‘sensitive actions’. accounts, and to reduce the compromise the security of GEEKOM BRINGS OUT
When you make changes to risk of cybercriminals their companies. This applied FIRST INTEL i9 MINI PC
Gmail’s filters, add a new manipulating settings to to actions that “when done by The Geekom Mini
forwarding address or change which they have already hijackers, can have far IT13 (pictured)
IMAP settings, you’ll now see gained access. reaching consequences”. is the first
a ‘Verify it’s you’ prompt (see It introduced the ‘Verify it’s The latest security upgrade mini PC with a
screenshot). sees the scope of what’s 13th-generation
This will ask you to pass an deemed potentially risky Intel Core i9
authentication check, such as expanded to include filters, processor. Measuring just
typing in an SMS code or forwarding addresses and 117x112x 49mm, the tiny
pressing a confirmation IMAP access. device has a maximum turbo
button on a second trusted The changes were set to roll clock speed of 5.40GHz. It’s
device, such as a paired out to all Google Workspace priced from £499 (www.
smartphone. If you fail the customers and Gmail users snipca.com/47450), has
verification, or don’t complete with personal accounts by 9 an SSD of up to 2TB, up to
it, you’ll be sent a ‘Critical September – they’ll be 64GB of RAM, six USB ports,
security alert’ notification on activated by default so you two HDMI ports, an SD card
your paired device, which you don’t need to enable them reader and Ethernet and
can use to lock your account. manually. See www.snipca. Wi-Fi 6E connectivity.
Google has rolled out this com/47449 for more info.

Issue 666 • 13 - 26 September 2023 9

 Questionof
Question ofthe
theFortnight
Fortnight
Has BT lied over the phone
landline switch-off?
Campaigners accuse it of misleading the public over Digital Voice trials

THE FACTS

• Silver Voices, a campaign

group for the elderly, claims
BT lied to it about whether
over-70s would have a
landline-only option
• The group has removed

W
hen BT resumed its per cent of customers declined technology is in place”. It its support for BT’s Digital
rollout of Digital Voice to switch. This “really positive” prefers this solution to the Voice service, accusing the
earlier this year, result has encouraged BT to 2025 switch-off, which it BT of a “breach of faith”
ahead of the copper network push ahead with similar plans describes as a “‘Big Bang’ • BT said that in a recent trial
being switched off in 2025, in Yorkshire and the Humber. approach”. only two per cent of 70 to
it had the backing of Silver However, Silver Voices is BT didn’t comment 74-year-olds declined to
Voices (www.silvervoices.co. also unhappy that BT didn’t directly on Silver Voices’ switch to Digital Voice
uk), a campaign group for offer a landline-only accusations. Instead it
the elderly. The group claimed alternative to customers, acknowledged the group’s
BT assured it that nobody leaving them little option but role in “helping inform” its Voices. It is better prepared
over 70 would be switched to sign up to a broadband regional trials, alongside other than most internet providers
to digital unless they package from the company. groups representing older for the switch-off, and is
volunteered to do so. It calls this move a “breach people, including Age UK and preparing to run trials in
Independent Age, as part of Northern Ireland, the North
the Digital Voice Advisory West and London.
The telecoms industry still Group. Yet Silver Voices’ concerns
needs a smarter strategy to make It added that working with
these campaigners has improved
point to wider anxieties about
the switch-off. As we explored
people feel better prepared its customer communications
during the trials.
in Issue 658’s Cover Feature
‘Survive the Landline Switch-
Based on these statements Off’ (buy it from www.snipca.
Silver Voices has now of faith”, adding that the from BT and Silver Voices com/47471), many people
withdrawn that support, and reason BT suspended the – neither of which are still have reservations about
called previous BT guarantees Digital Voice rollout in May especially detailed – it’s such a huge change.
“untrue”. The problem, it says, 2022 was to develop landline- hard to know whether the It’s unrealistic of Silver
is that in a recent trial of Digital only products designed for the campaigners have a point Voices to ask for the digital
Voice in the East Midlands, BT over-70s and vulnerable about BT ‘breaking’ its and copper network to
moved customers without customers. The group also assurances. co-exist for another five years.
them having requested it. accused BT of not telling We suspect the disagreement The switch-off was announced
BT said that the customers, customers that switching to comes down to different back in 2017, giving regulators,
aged between 70 and 74, were digital is still voluntary. interpretations of “voluntary”. companies and campaigners
well placed to cope with the Silver Voices says that BT will point to the two per enough time to prepare.
switch because they already because vulnerable customers cent of customers opting out But the telecoms industry
had broadband and the latest are being neglected, the 2025 as proof that the trials weren’t still needs a smarter strategy
router, and didn’t often use deadline is “untenable”. It compulsory, while Silver Voices to make people feel better
their landline for calls. In called for the digital and appear to want the company prepared – and that means
addition, they weren’t copper networks to work “in not to contact customers with offering personalised help
considered vulnerable and parallel for at least five years, the offer of trials. to vulnerable customers.
didn’t require special assistance. so that everyone continues to It’s true that BT probably Without that, companies might
It says the trial was have access to a reliable won’t worry too much about lose the support of more
vindicated because only two landline, until proven new losing the backing of Silver campaign groups.

10 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

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

Fake Amazon ads that lead to security scam

What’s the threat? been locked (see screenshot 1
Scammers have once again infiltrated 2 ) and tells you to
Google’s search results to show fake ‘Call Windows Support
adverts for Amazon.com. They appear immediately to report this
under a ‘Sponsored’ heading when you problem’. Phoning the
type ‘Amazon’ into Google in Chrome and number at the bottom of
show the genuine URL for the site (www. the alert takes you to the
amazon.com) – see screenshot 1 . scammers, not Microsoft.
Clicking the link takes you to what The advert appears
looks like a security alert from ‘Windows in full-screen mode, making
Defender’ saying that your PC is infected it hard to close. To do so,
with the ‘ads(exe).finacetrack(2).dll you’ll have to stop Chrome
malware’. It claims your computer has running in Task Manager – press 660, which linked to bogus Amazon
Ctrl+Alt+Del, select Task Manager, login pages designed to steal your details.
2 right-click Chrome then click ‘End task’. Our advice remains the same: make sure
When relaunching Chrome after this you type a site’s URL into your browser’s
process, it will prompt you to restore address bar, rather than search for the
Credits: Bleeping Computer

previously closed pages. Doing this will company on Google. Bookmark the site
reopen the scam in full screen again, so if you visit it often.
make sure you avoid doing so. Also bear in mind that in 2020 Windows
Defender was renamed Microsoft
How can you stay safe? Defender, meaning any security alerts
This scam is similar to the fake adverts using the former name will almost
we warned about on this page in Issue certainly be a scam.

New tools Get alerts about unsafe

Chrome extensions
ScamWatch
Readers warn readers

Google has added a security feature Dodgy job offer on

to Chrome that warns you about WhatsApp
potentially dangerous extensions. A person contacted me on WhatsApp
It tells you when extensions you’ve claiming to be from the recruitment
installed in the browser have been agency Adecco. He asked if I was in
removed from the Chrome Web work. When I said I was between
Store, which is usually because jobs, a new person took over offering
they’ve been found to contain me work boosting the ranking of apps
malware or privacy threats. for up to £64 an hour. He told me to
The new feature is set to be If your Chrome hasn’t yet updated visit innovation-techalliance.com for
introduced in Chrome 117, which is to version 117, you can enable the more information. A search on Whois
due to be released on 12 September. safety check manually. Type chrome:// (https://who.is) revealed the site was
You’ll find it in the ‘Privacy and flags into the browser’s address bar registered only two weeks earlier,
security’ section of the browser’s then press Enter to load the Experiments and the owner’s details were hidden
settings under the ‘Safety check’ page. Find the entry Extensions behind a paid-for service. I told him
heading. Chrome will list the names Module in Safety Check, select not to contact me anymore. He
of risky extensions that have been Enabled in its dropdown menu and immediately responded with a diatribe
taken down from its Web Store and relaunch Chrome. against capitalists in broken English.
recommend that you review them. Don’t worry if you still can’t see the Steve Murray
You can then remove them from the new feature, because this means no Warn your fellow readers about scams
browser (see screenshot) to stay safe. dubious extensions have been detected. at [email protected]

Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 11

 Letters
Tell us what’s on your mind

60-second delay will still Mini PC costs me just they’re potentially unreliable because
ruin sport on the iPlayer £20 a year in electricity there’s a risk of them becoming
It’s pleasing I’ve read your temporarily or permanently unavailable.
that the BBC is recent coverage There’s also the danger of the master
reducing the delay on mini PCs with password not being available to someone
when watching live interest, having bought who needs it, should I not be around to
TV on the iPlayer my own second-hand provide it.
(Issue 665, page 7), unit on eBay 18 months I need a reliable password manager
but will cutting it ago. It’s great to see that because I use a different password for
from 80 to 60 even more powerful every account or service I use. My
seconds really make specifications are solution is to use a method that we are
all that much difference? It’s certainly not available now for the £180 I paid. told we shouldn’t use, which is to have
enough to prevent ruining the experience But I wonder if you fail to emphasise all my passwords written in a printed
when watching live sport. an important point, which is how much spreadsheet.
In the past I’ve made the mistake of power mini PCs can save you. This has There are very few passwords that I
watching live football and cricket at home become especially relevant given the might need when away from home, but
on BBC iPlayer. On hot days, with the massive rise in energy prices in recent I can remember them or figure them out
window open, I can hear cheers from years. with saved prompts meaningless to
neighbouring flats when goals are scored The unit I bought replaced an old others. In the event of my unavailability,
or wickets taken. It was only later I desktop PC that runs all day hosting others can find the printed spreadsheet
realised that the TV coverage was a firewall and file server as virtual at home. It doesn’t require a master
ahead of the live streams. machines. I swapped its graphics card for password to use, and the risk of it being
I think more of a warning should be a low-power alternative, but the annual lost due to fire or theft is very low indeed.
given on the iPlayer that it lags behind cost of running it had still risen to £140. May I suggest that a feature discussing
live broadcasts. This would help to end I measured the power consumption of the pros and cons of strategies for
any confusion viewers might have. the mini PC and calculated its running password management would be useful
I now use iPlayer only to catch up on cost at about £20 a year. Thus, it has to readers.
pre-recorded shows. more than paid for itself by now. With Don Dobson
Andrew Wells always-on machines, the power
consumption is important. Mini PC’s CA SAYS Don and other readers worried
‘Pre-loved’ is euphemistic really win in this area. about the safest ways to save passwords
nonsense A Wallport should read Issue 662’s ‘How Not to Save
I agree with Daniel Booth that the Your Passwords’ feature (page 62), where
term ‘pre-loved’ is meaningless We need to hear pros and cons we revealed common mistakes. You can
and annoying (Issue 665, page 3). I’m a of using password manager buy it as a back issue at www.snipca.
regular eBay shopper, but now avoid all I don’t use a password manager com/47322. We’re also planning a special
listings that use this phrase because it because I don’t have confidence in Cover Feature on the long-anticipated
just doesn’t seem honest to me. either an online password app, or one death of passwords and how passkeys
My personal ban on ‘pre-loved’ began downloaded to my computer. To me will soon become the conventional
when I asked a private seller why he software services are ephemeral, and method of signing into accounts.
had used the term to describe an Amazon
Fire tablet he had listed, wondering
What’s the Issue…?
?
whether he meant ‘second hand’ instead.
It was an innocent question because I
had seen pre-loved only used to describe Openreach has stopped selling CA SAYS In Issue
more personal items like clothes, copper lines in our town, so I 652, page 61 – buy it
furniture and jewellery. need to learn more about the landline from www.snipca.
I got the most obnoxious response switch-off. When did you last cover it? com/47268.
from the seller. He claimed that it was Pat Lewis
ignorant to call something second hand When was your Cover Feature
because it didn’t take into account the CA SAYS In Issue 659’s Cover Feature about the best apps for smart
quality of the product, or the care the – buy it from www.snipca.com/47267. TVs?
owner had handled it with. I thought Colin Malcolm
this was poppycock. I’ll just about accept When did you explain how to
‘pre-owned’ as an alternative to second stop Amazon’s Ring doorbells CA SAYS Issue 636 – read it on our
hand, but never pre-loved. It’s recording what you speak? 2022 Back Issue CD: www.snipca.
euphemistic nonsense. Angela Nelson com/44660.
Margaret Lawson

12 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

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

Users should take responsibility STAR LETTER

to avoid roaming fees
Parents just as addicted to phones
In Issue 664’s Letters Monica
Ferguson mentioned that her son
incurred roaming fees while on a flight
to Egypt. She says that an alert from as their kids
networks before boarding would
encourage passengers to switch to There’s a flaw in police
airplane mode. But isn’t it time that users commissioner Donna Jones’s
take responsibility for their own faults argument that parents should take
rather than blame someone else? Why more responsibility over how their
would a “nudge” from the network be children use social-media sites
helpful, and why should it be needed (‘Question of the Fortnight’, Issue 665,
when airlines give out the same message? page 10). She’s undoubtedly correct
Just switching the phone off is quite easy. that parents should be held more
Adrian Finbow accountable, but the problem is that
the parents themselves are often just as
Can I suggest that Monica Ferguson addicted to social media as the kids. when they are just as guilty of letting
switches to Smarty (www.smarty. In fact, I’m sure one of the reasons phones rule their lives. Any cocky
co.uk). I signed up with them just after troublemaking kids are glued to their 16-year-old ordered to put down his
the pandemic restrictions were lifted, and phones is because they’ve observed phone would just accuse his parents
every time I’ve travelled abroad it sends me their parents acting in the same way. of hypocrisy.
a message to let me know I’ve connected Seeing their parents obsessed with I’m not even sure it would occur to
to an overseas provider. It also clearly phones legitimises this behaviour, many parents to intervene in what
states all the fees you’ll have to pay for so it passes down from generation to their children get up to online. I’ve
roaming. generation. witnessed examples where parents are
Stewart Duxbury I’m not suggesting that the parents actually relieved when their kids are
are organising ‘looting events’ on old enough to use phones and browse
Us baby boomers have good Oxford Street. This kind of disorder is the web unaided. It means they don’t
knowledge of tech purely a youthful phenomenon and have to pay as much attention to their
Reading that ‘over-65s switch off you see it every summer holiday, when kids because the internet is acting as a
traditional TV in record numbers’ it’s hot and teenagers are bored. It digital babysitter. Good luck to police
(Issue 664, page 7) didn’t come as much happens in coastal towns too, not just commissioner Jones, but I fear the
of a surprise to me. You see, during the in London. problem is much graver than
publishing of Issue 666 I will have But it would be hard for parents to she realises.
become 65 years old. I started my interest have any authority over their children Michael Burrows
in computers from the release of the
excellent Commodore 64 in January 1982, The Star Letter writer wins a Computeractive mug!
so there’s a generation of us baby
boomers who have a very good
knowledge of tech and how to use it. friend in Belfast last year when I was Anyone got the 2020
You’ll find that we took great advice impressed by the group’s live-streaming Back Issue CD?
in our younger days to look after our facilities. I now use it myself in our local I’ve just ordered the
future, which now includes buying good church fellowship for streaming our 2022 Back Issue CD
hardware and software, and to appreciate services. (www.snipca.com/44660),
what streaming media has to offer. Being It really is a kind of Swiss army knife of having previously bought
65 is not a generation that walks around broadcast software. I agree that it has a the 2021 disc and all the
wearing flat caps or hairnets. No, we steep learning curve, but its wide range others back to 2015 –
wear jeans, trainers, polo and T-shirts, of functions continues to impress me. I except for the 2020 CD
hoodies and denim jackets. Long live the know of several other church groups who (pictured). Do you still have any to sell, or
over-65-years-young brigade! use it for their programmes! is there somewhere else I can buy them?
Ron Dunn Morvyn Finch Dave Bowen

Pray thanks for OBS Studio CA SAYS Morvyn’s right that OBS Studio CA SAYS Sadly we have no 2020 CDs left,
Thanks for recommending the is superb software, and because it’s run though they do occasionally come up for
recording and streaming software by independent developers it’s unlikely sale on eBay and other outlets. Dave has
OBS Studio (www.snipca.com/47023) you’ll ever have to pay for it. We asked us whether any readers are willing
in Issue 664’s Cover Feature (‘Best PC recommended many ‘free forever’ tools to donate a 2020 CD they no longer need.
Software You’ll Never Have to Pay For’). in Issue 664’s Cover Feature – buy a back He has a spare 2021 CD to offer in return.
I was tipped off about it by a Salvationist issue at www.snipca.com/47323. Please email [email protected].

Views expressed don’t necessarily reflect those of Computeractive Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 13
 Consumeractive
We stand up for your legal rights

Why am I being LEAD Can John Lewis

refused a refund so CASE charge an early-
termination fee?
soon after purchase? Last October, John Lewis

Earlier this year, my wife

Q Broadband told me it was
closing its communications
Q bought me a trail camera
from Antiete (www.
services. Recent bills promised not to
charge an early-termination fee, but
antiete.com). It worked well, when I tried to move to another ISP, they
but in April it failed completely. charged me £39.71. What should I do?
Antiete said that it wasn’t going to Roger Clarke
help because I hadn’t filled in the
registration form. It also said its Happily, Roger doesn’t need to
terms of business stated that any
goods that weren’t wanted had to
A do anything because John Lewis
has now credited his account
be returned for a refund within with £50 – more than it actually owed him.
two weeks. Is Antiete allowed to do this? to prove the problem is inherent. Instead, Had Roger not received a refund, we
Brian Heard it’s up to Antiete to inspect the camera would have advised him to send a letter to
and prove otherwise. John Lewis disputing the fee. Broadband
No it’s not. Antiete is mixing Brian said he’s worried about taking providers can charge early-termination
A up Brian’s rights under the
Consumer Contract Regulations,
his complaint to the smalls claim court,
but he’s got a strong case. But before
fees, but only under strict rules. If a
provider is closing its services, it must
which gives 14 days to reject unwanted doing so, he should remind Antiete of give customers enough time to move to
goods bought online, with the Consumer his legal rights, and threaten to report it another company without losing access
Right Act, which governs inherently to Trading Standards through Citizens to anything, such as a landline.
faulty goods. Advice (www.snipca.com/47163). If this hadn’t worked, Roger could have
Brian is rejecting the camera because Until we hear from Brian or Antiete, asked John Lewis for a deadlock letter to
it’s faulty, not returning it simply because we recommend avoiding the company. explain what it had done to help him, and
he doesn’t want it. Antiete may have Its 1.7 average star rating on TrustPilot then shown it to John Lewis’s ombudsman
specific terms and conditions, but these doesn’t fill us with confidence (www. (www.commsombudsman.org). These
can’t override statutory law. Brian snipca.com/47160), and at the time of rulings are legally binding on the company,
reported the fault within six months of writing it was selling a mere 31 products though not on you if you’re unhappy
purchase, which means he doesn’t need (see screenshot). with the outcome.
CASE ONGOING CASE CLOSED

CASE UPDATE

Amazon gives full refund for faulty Acer laptop

Amazon has given reader 2022, but in February pleased that Amazon has accepted
David Townsend’s wife a full she noticed that the responsibility. When the laptop
refund of £1,100 for her faulty internal-speakers icon broke, Amazon told David to return
Acer Nitro 5 laptop (pictured). had a red cross across it to Acer for repair. Under the
This is a great result because David’s wife it, and then in May the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) all
had owned the laptop for more than six screen went blank. retailers are allowed to attempt
months, which means Amazon was entitled Technically, this period one repair within a reasonable
to deduct some money from the refund. of use meant Amazon time, or replace the faulty item.
There’s no accepted legal amount that could have reduced her When Acer finally sent the
retailers are allowed to deduct from a refund refund by a small amount – though we think laptop back to David, he noticed it was still
to reflect how long a customer has used it for. that would have been a harsh decision. faulty. At this point Amazon had no choice but
David’s wife bought the Nitro 5 in July As well as issuing a full refund, we’re to refund him.

14 13 - 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

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

Must manufacturers honour eBay warranties?

I’ve just found out won’t have to honour If you’re buying from a third-party
Q that I can’t use a
manufacturer’s
warranties. If he means the
retailer, then it’s not up to
seller rather than the manufacturer,
you should check with the latter
warranty that came with a them whether a manufacturer whether its warranty will remain
purchase from an eBay seller. honours a warranty. valid after purchase.
Isn’t the supplier legally bound Russell said that the If Russell feels strongly enough he
to honour the original warranty, manufacturer told him that some could leave negative feedback on the
including its period of validity, especially eBay sellers were buying second-hand seller’s eBay page and also report them
if they’re passing products off as new? or refurbished products and advertising to eBay (www.snipca.com/47161).
Russell Greene them as new. This can invalidate Also, if the seller advertised the
warranties that apply only to brand new manufacturer’s warranty in their eBay
It depends on who Russell devices. Another risk is that some eBay listing, Russell might be able to sue them
A means by the supplier. If he’s
referring to the manufacturer,
sellers import goods that aren’t meant
to be sold in the UK. This can also
for misleading information. Threatening
to do this might be enough to get a partial
then there are several reasons why they invalidate warranties. refund from the seller.
CASE CLOSED

Must I accept a credit he doesn’t have a contract

with it. His contract is with
note for returned shoes? the website, which is the
retailer in this case.
My wife wants to return a pair of website. But if John Sometimes websites sell
Q shoes I ordered from a website.
However, it turns out the shoes
paid the website
directly – as is
goods that are dispatched
directly by the manufacturer.
were supplied by a third-party company, almost certainly the This is common if the
which has since gone bust, so the only case – then it must return his money. retailer doesn’t have a warehouse. But it
refund the website is offering is a credit Crucially, John is still within the 14 days doesn’t alter the fact that your contract is
note. Is this correct? allowed to reject items for any reason. with the seller – ie, the website – because
John Jones Retailers can only offer credit notes if that’s who received your money.
customers return items that aren’t We’ve told John to stand firm and
It’s only correct if John paid the inherently faulty after 14 days. insist on getting his money back. If the
A third-party company directly for
the shoes, rather than paying the
John’s rights aren’t affected by the
third-party supplier going bust because
website refuses, we’ll contact the
company behind it.
CASE ONGOING

CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE

BT advised me to switch to £15 social tariff

I’m 77 and for a while send the faulty lead back. She took her time and explained the
I was in temporary While I was on the phone agreement, to which I said yes.
accommodation, which the gentleman noted my age I only have high praise for the BT staff that
didn’t have any phone and told me that people who helped and advised me.
sockets. I had to use a dongle to go receive pension credit can AC Martin
online. I got a sheltered flat in the switch to a social tariff for
past few weeks, so signed up online only £15 a month. Contact
with BT Broadband for £29.99 a month. I then spoke to a lady on another
They sent me a Smart Hub router, but day and told her that I’m hard of hearing.
BT
when I opened the box the power lead was Has a company impressed you with its • Online www.snipca.com/47138
missing a piece. I phoned BT and they sent customer service? Please let us know: • Phone 0800 800150
a replacement two days later, with a bag to [email protected]

Issue 666 • 13 - 26 September 2023 15

 Grow Your
Family Tree
For the first time the General Register Office is selling digital
images – at £2.50 each. Judith Batchelor explains how to…
Buy cheap birth and death records
Judith bought
this digital
image of her
great-great-
great-great-
grandfather’s
death
certificate

U
ntil recently, if you wanted to buy (if you haven’t got an account, create one names that are phonetically similar or
records from the General Register at www.snipca.com/47317). Now select sound similar (it’s not clear what the
Office (GRO, www.snipca. ‘Order a Digital Image’, followed by Birth difference is here, but they do produce
com/47313) you had to pay £11 to order a or Death ( 1 in our screenshot below). different results), and search under the
certificate through the post, or £7 to You’ll now be asked for information mother’s maiden name for births 3 .
download a PDF. But for the first time it’s relating to the event, including year, Note that to find all children from a
selling digital images of records, and at an name and sex. Any criteria marked with marriage, the search has to be repeated
affordable price – just £2.50 per image. a red asterisk has to be filled in 2 . under both Male and Female. To narrow
The image is available instantly, unlike Usefully, you can choose to include the search results, you can also include
PDFs and certificates, which are sent four the registration district or add the GRO
working days after purchase. reference. When you’ve completed the
These images, which are for England form, click ‘Search’, then select a result
and Wales, cover births between 1837 and followed by Digital Image.
1922, and deaths from 1837 to 1887. Digital 1 I used it to search for my great-great-
images for Scottish certificates were great-great-grandfather, Robert Meaton,
already available from ScotlandsPeople and bought this digital image of his death
(www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk). 2 certificate (pictured above). It was
registered in Andover in 1851.
Look for a digital image
using search filters 3 Search the GRO’s indexes
To find a digital image, first log into your These digital images are part of the
GRO account at www.snipca.com/47314 You can search for names that sound similar GRO’s vast collection of records that it
started gathering in July 1837. England

Your Genealogy Problems Solved

and Wales were divided into registration
districts and every quarter, at the end of
March, June, September and December,
When I was eight my grandmother told mother’s maiden name of Wilson. The the superintendent of each district
me that my stepfather was not my real marriage of James Leary and Olive Wilson would send a copy of all the births,
dad, and that my biological father – is recorded in the September quarter of marriages and deaths to the Registrar
named James Leary – had committed 1926 in the same district. When the 1939 General in London.
suicide in 1955. I can’t find any info on his register was taken, your father was living These registers can’t be viewed publicly,
death, so how can I trace him? with his paternal grandparents in but you can order them from the GRO
John Leary Chesterfield, and described as their son. using the relevant reference found in the
You can obtain copies of these certificates indexes. Search these indexes for free at
Your father’s death was registered in the from the GRO, as explained above FreeBMD (www.snipca.com/47296).
General Register Office (GRO) indexes in (www.snipca.com/47269). To see information on the registration
the June quarter of 1955 in Chesterfield. districts and a place-name index,
Have a genealogy question for Judith?
His birth was registered in Belper in the Email [email protected] with showing the county and registration
September quarter of 1928, with a ‘Grow Your Family Tree’ in the subject line. district in which a place was situated,
visit www.ukbmd.org.uk/reg.

16 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666 Next issue: Find ancestors in non-census years
 Best Free Software
Robert Irvine recommends new programs that won’t cost you a thing
WEB BROWSER

Vivaldi 6.2
www.snipca.com/47453
What you need: Windows 10 or 11, macOS or Linux

Vivaldi has long been one of the most innovative browsers, box to exclude it from/include it in the
with each new release making significant changes – rather dropdown menu.
than the incremental updates you get in Chrome and Firefox. Another welcome addition is the new ‘Clear
Version 6.2 is a major milestone because it ‘refactors’ the browsing data’ button in the browser’s History panel.
browser’s code to reduce memory usage and improve This lets you delete browsing data including your history,
performance. Vivaldi says you can now open new windows downloads, cookies, passwords and cache, whether only for
37 per cent faster than before. the past hour, day or week – or entirely. Click the clock icon
Besides that ‘under the bonnet’ change, there are several in the sidebar to open the History panel, then click the ‘Clear
new features that enhance your browsing experience. One browsing data’ brush icon to choose what you want to delete.
of the most useful is the ability to change the order of the Vivaldi 6.2 also makes it easier to subscribe to YouTube
auto-complete suggestions that appear in Vivaldi’s address- channels without signing into a Google account, so you can
bar dropdown menu. You can now prioritise your preferred watch videos privately on the site. When you’re viewing a
entries, such as matches from your bookmarks, browsing channel, click the new Feed Reader icon in the address bar
history or pages you visit frequently. Right-click the address to subscribe to it as an RSS feed. New videos in that channel
bar, choose Customise then scroll down to the Drop-Down will then appear in the browser’s Feeds panel. The icon
Menu Priority section. Select a category and either click wasn’t appearing at the time of writing, but Vivaldi should
the up or down arrow to change its order, or untick/tick its have fixed it by the time you read this.

1 Change the priority of 2 To delete your browsing 3 Tick the boxes for the types 4 Vivaldi has added volume
auto-complete suggestions data without delving into of data you want to delete, controls to its pop-out video
in Vivaldi’s address-bar Vivaldi’s settings, click the such as your browsing player, which means that
dropdown menu by History button to open the history, downloads, cookies, when you’re watching videos
selecting the categories you History side panel, then click passwords and form autofill in a floating window, you can
want to include then clicking the ‘Clear browsing data’ data. Select the period of now adjust and mute the
the arrow buttons to move brush icon in the top-right time you want to clear, then sound from outside of the
them up or down the list. corner. click the Delete button. source website.

18 13 - 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

AUDIO TOOL
SHOULD I PAY FOR…?
EarTrumpet 2.3 Choose the right version of software
www.snipca.com/47451
What you need: Windows 10 or 11
4K Video Downloader+
EarTrumpet improves the
volume control in Personal
Windows 10 and 11 to www.snipca.com/47454
make it easier to adjust the Price: £24 Free trial period: N/A
audio levels of different What you need: Windows 10 or 11, macOS or Linux
software and hardware on
your PC. Install the app In our Cover Feature in Issue 664 (get it from www.snipca.
from the Microsoft Store, com/47455), we mentioned that 4K Video Downloader
then click its system-tray has a new ‘+’ version, but recommended using the free
icon – this looks exactly tool Vividl (www.snipca.com/46995) instead. Sadly, the
like the Windows speaker icon (see screenshot), but may be in latter is no longer working reliably, so we decided to see
the ‘Show hidden icons’ flyout menu (click up-pointing arrow if 4K Video Downloader+ is worth paying for.
to reveal this) . EarTrumpet will show you individual sliders There are several paid-for editions of the program, of
for all your audio devices and sound-enabled programs, which Personal is the best value because it’s a one-off
which you can drag left or right to decrease or increase their purchase – the Lite
volume. The latest version of the app lets you use the scroll plan has the same
wheel on your mouse to adjust speaker volume when you features, but costs
hover your cursor over its system-tray icon. Right-click the £18 a year, while the
icon and choose Settings then ‘Mouse settings’ to turn this business-oriented
option on or off. You can also enable an option to move Pro version costs
EarTrumpet’s sliders by scrolling the wheel. £56. All plans have a
14-day money-back
DUPLICATE CLEANER guarantee.
Personal lets
Wise Duplicate Finder 2.0.4 you download an
www.snipca.com/47452 unlimited number of videos every day from websites
What you need: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11 including YouTube, Vimeo, TikTok, Flickr and Facebook,
whereas the free version limits you to 30. You can save
Wise Duplicate as many videos from a YouTube playlist or channel as
Finder is one of the you want, complete with subtitles, with up to three
simplest and fastest simultaneous downloads – again, the free program
tools for finding and imposes restrictions. It’s also possible to download ‘private’
removing duplicate YouTube videos, provided you have permission to do so.
files. Although the The big new feature in 4K Video Downloader+ is a
free version lacks built-in browser that lets you search services and download
the ‘Keep One’ videos directly within the software, rather than having to
option, which paste links into it.
deletes all unwanted The program’s Smart Mode has also been improved
copies in one click (to get this, upgrade to the Pro edition for to make it easier to download video (and audio) in your
£11.42 a year), you can easily remove files manually (see preferred format and quality (up to 8K), including a specific
screenshot) – and restore them from the recycle bin if you frame rate (see screenshot).
delete the wrong item. This update introduces the ability to
preview entire image files when you’re reviewing your scan OUR VERDICT: Pay for it
results, rather than just segments, to help you confirm If you download lots of videos from YouTube and other
pictures are duplicates. Additionally, it fixes a bug that caused sites, 4K Video Downloader+ Personal is worth the
‘abnormal’ behaviour when previewing 0-byte image files. investment, if only to remove the limits and upgrade nags
Wise has also added extra file paths to Duplicate Cleaner’s of the free version. The revamped program is slicker and
Exclusion list to prevent it from including irrelevant folders in faster, and the in-program browser saves you a lot of time
scans. Note that, as of this version, Wise Duplicate Finder no and hassle.
longer supports Windows XP or Vista.

Issue 666 • 13 - 26 September 2023 19

 Best Free Software

What should I download?

We advise you which software and apps to use
What’s better than
How can I adjust the IObit Uninstaller?
quality of audio files? Q
For some time I’ve been
using IObit Uninstaller
I’m currently ripping my entire CD collection to (www.snipca.com/47327)
Q two external hard drives. I’ll then burn my
favourite tracks to a USB stick to play in my car.
to remove software, but the latest version (13) is too intrusive
and installs too much junk. Is there a better alternative? I want
I’m using Magix Audio Cleaner 2016, but it’s a bit old now. a program that’s completely free, with no trials.
What other free audio software can I use to enhance or David Jaggar
adjust the audio quality and volume if necessary, then
export back to the hard drives or directly to a USB stick? As we report in this issue’s ‘Named & Shamed’ (see
Julian King A opposite page), the latest version of IObit Uninstaller is
as bad as ever at foisting junk on you, so we’re not
The best free software for adjusting the quality of surprised you’re seeking an alternative.
A audio files is undoubtedly Audacity (www.snipca.
com/47389). Open a track in the program then
O&O AppBuster, mentioned opposite, is a great choice but a
more powerful – though still easy to use – uninstaller is HiBit
press Ctrl+A to select the whole thing. Uninstaller (www.snipca.com/47008). As recommended in our
Click the Effect menu to access a wide range of enhancement Cover Feature in Issue 664 (get it from www.snipca.com/47347),
options including adjusting the volume. Select ‘Volume and this free tool lets you remove multiple programs, Microsoft Store
Compression’ then Amplify (see screenshot) to make the apps and browser extensions in one go, simply by ticking their
track louder and use the slider to specify the level of boxes and clicking Uninstall Selected (see screenshot). It also
amplification (in decibels). Alternatively, choose Normalise cleans up leftover entries after removing software and is
to achieve a better balance between the loud and quiet completely free, with no bundled junk.
parts of a track.
You can also use Audacity to reduce unwanted noise in
audio tracks, such as crackles and hisses. Select a section of
the track containing noise then click the Effect menu and
How can I send large files?
choose ‘Noise Removal & Repair’, then Noise Reduction. In Issue 663’s Cover Feature (‘Make
Click the Get Noise Profile button so Audacity can sample
the unwanted portion of sound then click OK. Next, press
Q Windows Great Again’) you suggest
getting rid of OneDrive. I’d like to
Ctrl+A to select the whole track, choose the Noise Reduction do this, but I use OneDrive to send files
effect again and use the sliders to adjust the level of larger than my Outlook limit. I’ve found
reduction. Click ‘OK’ to apply the fix, then save the edited WeTransfer (www.wetransfer.com) to be a
audio track by clicking the File menu and choosing Export handy option, but recent changes have
followed by ‘Export as MP3’. made it too complicated to use. Do you have any other
suggestions for sending files up to 2GB?
John Greenaway

Send Anywhere (www.snipca.com/47392) offers

A several ways to send large files. The simplest is to
upload files to its website and generate a code you can
text or email to the recipient. They then enter the code into the
Receive box on the site to download the file. Alternatively, you
can download Send Anywhere’s desktop program for Windows
(www.snipca.com/47394). This also generates codes you can
share with other people so they can download large files from
you (see screenshot). Codes expire after 10 minutes to keep your
data secure. The free version of Send Anywhere lets you send
files of up to 10GB without creating an account. Registering lets
you share files using links as well as codes.

20 13 - 26 September 2023 • Issue 666 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!
IObit Uninstaller 13 Chrome blocked IObit
Uninstaller, but Keumars

L
still took a risk and
earning there was a downloaded it
new version of IObit
Uninstaller filled 2
me with both dread and
intrigue. Regular readers of
this column may know that IObit acts
like a recurring villain in a superhero
series, always ready to confound us with
fresh built-in junk and infuriating tactics
to persuade you to download its tools.
I had some slight hope that version 13 1
of Uninstaller might be different. Perhaps
iObit had seen the light, left villainy dangerous 2 . I had to click Keep to get
behind, and joined a junk-fighting it (which I did, despite all my
crusade. But no. It’s as shady as ever. reservations).
Clicking the green Free Download But there were a few more tricks to
button on IObit’s home page (www. overcome. During installation, IObit
snipca.com/47295) sent me to a badgered me with three screens
confusing page with an identical Free containing pre-ticked boxes for iTop Data
Download button ( 1 in our screenshot Recovery and Advanced SystemCare (see
above right). It seemed logical that I had screenshot right), an offer to subscribe to He soon wished he hadn’t when it tried to
to click it again to get Uninstaller, but this IObit and get iTop VPN, and the chance to force these programs on to his computer
second button actually downloaded download iTop Easy Desktop. Sorry IObit,
IObit’s Advanced SystemCare 16. you’ll need to do more than simply add remove all traces of IObit.
IObit Uninstaller had actually started to an ‘i’ to a program name to tempt me. I’ve heard it was last seen lurking in its
download when I clicked the first Free Irritated and bewildered, I used underground lair, devising more sinister
Download button, though Chrome another uninstaller (the brilliant O&O schemes to pester you into downloading
subsequently blocked it as potentially AppBuster, www.snipca.com/46027) to software you’ll never want.

WHAT ARE THEY KEUMARS’ VILLAIN OF THE FORTNIGHT

TALKING ABOUT?

WHAT THEY SAY

Oliver Cooper
Opera on its Wallpaper Showdown
competition (www.snipca.com/47125) Oliver Cooper was so he tried to scarper
“Users can convert their browsing journey proud of stealing a £55,000 following a car chase through
into an immersive visual delight that echoes Range Rover Sport that Birmingham city centre (watch
their unique style. Previously preset, a user’s he used his phone to it at www.snipca.com/47350).
browser backdrop can now feature anything record himself driving it. Videos on his phone showed
they choose: awe-inspiring landscapes, Such vanity helped West the interior of many stolen
cherished memories, preferred pieces of Midlands police to nick this cars, while messages listed
art – the canvas is blank, the possibilities prolific thief, who between the makes and models.
only limited by users’ imaginations.” July 2021 and May 2022 had stolen Cooper, 23, admitted conspiracy
over 30 cars worth more than to burgle and conspiracy to handle
WHAT THEY MEAN £4 million. stolen goods. He was jailed for six
We hope gimmicks like this will stop Police finally got their man in years and eight months at
users journeying to another browser. September 2021, though not before Birmingham Crown Court.

Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 21

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

MINI PC | £469 from Beelink www.snipca.com/47356

Beelink SER5 Max 5800H

Box of tricks

The SER5 Max 5800H represents a

decent balance between price and power.
It has an eight-core AMD processor
and our review model came with 32GB
RAM and a 500GB SSD, though other
configurations are also available, should
you want more storage or to shave a
few quid off the price with less RAM.
An alternative configuration is
available on Amazon for £10 less, with
16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD (www.
snipca.com/47358). However, this
setup costs £20 less (£449) if you buy
directly from Beelink. On the front panel there are two USB we reviewed in Issue 661 (£559 from
3.0 ports, one USB-C port, a headphone www.snipca.com/47359) is a better
jack and power button (pictured above). bet. It has a newer processor that
It excels at Windows There are two more metal grilles on won’t make a huge difference when
either side that help keep the unit cool. working in Windows, but will provide
tasks, and processing Around the back there’s a gigabit Ethernet a significant boost in the graphics area,
port, another USB 3.0 port, one USB 2.0, so will run games.
photos and videos, but a DisplayPort and an HDMI port If you really want to get the most out
(pictured below). of Microsoft Flight Simulator and the
gamers need to look To keep the price reasonable, Beelink like we’d still recommend a larger
elsewhere has opted for an older processor. It’s an
AMD Ryzen 7 5800H chip, which was
desktop PC with standalone graphics
hardware, but the SER6 Pro 7753HS can
launched back in 2021, albeit as a make a reasonable fist of gaming.
We think the 32GB model is worth top-of-the-range option at the time
paying extra for, however, because it and found in high-end laptops and SPECIFICATIONS
can stop the computer from slowing all-in-one desktop PCs. Its eight cores Eight-core Ryzen 7 5800H processor • 32GB RAM
down when you open multiple browser are perfectly capable of tackling general • AMD Radeon RX Vega 8 graphics • 500GB SSD •
Wi-Fi 6 • Gigabit Ethernet port • 1x DisplayPort • 1x
tabs. As with most mini PCs, it’s fairly Windows work, and can cope fairly HDMI port • 1x USB-C port • 3x USB 3.0 ports • 1x
straightforward to remove the lid and well when processing images or USB 2.0 port • 42x126x113mm (HxWxD) • One-year
access the RAM and storage, should you editing videos. warranty www.snipca.com/47356
want to upgrade it at a later date. The weakest element is its graphics
Like most Beelink products, this component – the AMD Radeon RX Vega
boasts a high-quality design. The chassis 8. This isn’t designed to run modern VERDICT A powerful Windows
is made from a combination of metal and games at 1080p resolution, so we’d mini PC, but its older built-in graphics
plastic, which feels solid and looks good recommend this only to those who limit hardware prevent it from being a great
on the desk. The top of the box has a themselves to everyday Windows tasks. all-rounder
metal grille, from which its built-in If you’re looking for more of an
speaker pumps audio. all-rounder, the SER6 Pro 7753HS that
★★★★★
ALTERNATIVE
Beelink SER6 Pro 7753HS £559
More expensive but with
a faster, more up-to-date
processor
that’s better
at running
games

22 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 HOW WE TEST
Computeractive is owned by Future PLC,
LAPTOP | £1,249 from Dell www.snipca.com/47391 which employs a team of specialist
technical reviewers. You’ll often read

Dell G15 Gaming Laptop references to our benchmark testing,

which is a method of assessing products
using the same criteria. For example, we
Game for anything 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.
Dell’s G15 Gaming Laptop has a striking Future PLC also owns the magazines
appearance. Its angular, blocky and Maximum PC, PC Pro and T3, and the
hefty design will take up a lot more space websites Laptop Mag (www.laptopmag.
than many of the sleek, lightweight com), TechRadar (www.techradar.com)
laptops we’ve reviewed recently. That and Windows Central (www.windows
capacious build is put to good use, central.com). This means we can test
however, with a large, crystal-clear 15.6in thousands of products before choosing
screen, a keyboard with a numeric the most relevant for Computeractive.
keypad, and a large touchpad. The
keyboard is backlit with LEDs, but these programs. Its two fans suck air from FAIR AND IMPARTIAL
are a set colour and aren’t individually under the base and vent it from the Our writers follow strict guidelines to
adjustable. grille next to the hinge and can become ensure the reviews are fair and impartial.
Inside there’s a 13th-generation Intel noisy when running at top speed. The manufacturer has no involvement in
processor. Our review unit was fitted The screen is sharp and detailed our tests.
with a 14-core i7-13650HX chip, though thanks to its 2560x1440-pixel resolution.
you can choose a 10-core i5-13450HX It has an impressive refresh rate of 240Hz, OUR AWARDS
option if you prefer. We wouldn’t a 2-millisecond response time, and is We award every product
recommend it, though, because the i7 superb at reproducing colours accurately. that gets five stars our
model also comes with 16GB of RAM, a It’s also bright enough to be used in most Buy It! stamp of approval.
1TB SSD and, perhaps most importantly, lighting conditions. It means we were
an Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics Most importantly for a gaming PC, this extremely impressed by the product, and
card – the power behind its gaming can run modern games well, with frame we think you will be too.
prowess. The i5 version offers an RTX rates exceeding 100fps with the graphical
Every product that gets a
3050 card, which doesn’t come close in settings turned up. If you’re looking for a
four-star review is given the
terms of performance. laptop that will be suitable for running
Recommended award. We
There are some obvious compromises Microsoft Flight Simulator at its best,
highly recommend these
with the design. The keyboard has little this is an excellent choice.
products, although they just fail to meet the
travel and a soft, mushy feel. It’s nice to Don’t expect to run this laptop off its
high standard of our Buy It! winners.
have a numeric keypad, but the keys are battery very often, however. It’s not
smaller than the main keyboard and unusual for gaming laptops to fare badly PRICES
therefore feels cramped. in battery tests, but this was particularly Our reviews contain a link to the best price
The touchpad is moderately sized but is poor, lasting only two hours 35 minutes we found online at the time of press.
offset to the left so that it’s located under in general use.
the centre of the main keyboard. That
makes moving your right hand from the SPECIFICATIONS
touchpad to the numeric keypad more of 14-core Intel Core i7-13650HX processor • 16GB RAM
• Nvidia GeForce RTX 4060 graphics card • 15.6in VERDICT This is a decent gaming PC
a stretch and you can’t reach it by
2,560x1,440-pixel screen • 1TB SSD • 1x USB-C port
twisting your wrist. • 3x USB 3.0 ports • 1x HDMI port • 1x Ethernet port •
with powerful components that are
It also gets a bit noisy when running Windows 11 Home • 27x357x275mm (HxWxD) • 2.8kg ideal for gaming, but it’s bulky and has a
games or other resource-hungry • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/47391 short battery life
★★★★★
RIGHT EDGE ALTERNATIVE Acer Swift 3 14in
£799 If you don’t need
gaming performance,
this smaller, cheaper
LEFT EDGE laptop is lightning-
quick in
Windows

Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 23

 Reviews
LAPTOP | £599 from Very www.snipca.com/47409

Acer Chromebook Spin 714

Work from Chrome

Chromebooks were originally pitched

as simple, affordable and secure
laptops for those who do most of
their computing work in a browser.
As time went by, there were still low-cost
options, but manufacturers started
to produce premium laptops that
transformed ChromeOS into a standalone
operating system in its own right.
This model from Acer sits somewhere
in the middle of the pack – it’s still more
affordable than similar Windows laptops,
but it comes in a sophisticated and stylish
design that you wouldn’t have seen in has a touchscreen and comes with a little squashed into the centre of the
the Chromebook’s early days. simple stylus, which work well in tablet screen. The touchscreen is accurate,
mode. responsive and feels smooth.
The hinges are solid so it will stay The webcam’s output is equally crisp
A stylish laptop firmly at whatever angle you choose. with its 1440p resolution, which is ideal
This high build quality applies to the for video conferencing. Its refresh rate is
that runs ChromeOS whole machine – with its mainly capped at 30Hz, but any movement still
aluminium chassis, Corning Gorilla looks relatively smooth.
smoothly and makes Glass across the screen, and a robust The battery life is also impressive.
sensible choices keyboard. The latter has a relatively short
travel and can feel a little stiff, but it’s
In our general-use test it lasted 12 hours
41 minutes, which is reasonable at this
accurate and comfortable to type on. The price. It also charges quickly, thanks to
The Spin 714 only comes in one touchpad has a nice, smooth feel and the 65W power delivery from its USB-C
configuration, but it’s a good one. It’s decent sensitivity. ports. We found that 30 minutes of
powered by a latest-generation Intel Core The port selection is limited, though charging provided enough power to get
i3-1315U processor, has 8GB of RAM and probably all you’ll need on a Chromebook. through a further four hours of use.
a 256GB SSD. That would be good enough It has two USB-C ports – one on each
for running Windows 11 at a push, but side so whichever one you use for SPECIFICATIONS
with the less-demanding ChromeOS charging won’t obstruct the other. Six-core Intel Core i3-131315U processor • 8GB RAM
installed, it represents a generous There’s also one USB 3.0 port, an • 14in 1920x1200-pixel resolution touchscreen •
256GB SSD • Wi-Fi 6E • 2x USB-C ports • 1x USB 3.0
specification that runs everything well. HDMI port and a headphone jack (all port • 1x HDMI port • 1x 3.5mm audio jack • ChromeOS
We tested it with over 20 browser tabs pictured below). • 18x313x224mm (HxWxD) • 1.37kg • One-year
open at once (three of them were video The 14in screen is a feast for the eyes. warranty www.snipca.com/47409
streams) and we could still move between Not only does it look sharp with its of
them without experiencing a lag. 1920x1200-pixel resolution, but it’s
The device has a 360-degree hinge, capable of producing 100 per cent of VERDICT A mid-priced Chromebook
so can be used in a variety of ways. the sRGB colour standard. It uses the that feels more expensive than its price
From closed you can open it like a laptop, squarer 16:10 aspect ratio, which is good tag, though it won’t do everything a
lay it flat, push it further into a tent-like for browsing websites and working on Windows laptop can
mode, or push it all the way round to documents, but you might find
transform it into a slightly bulky tablet. It widescreen films and TV shows are a
★★★★★
ALTERNATIVE Acer Chromebook
RIGHT EDGE Vero 514 £529 A cheaper
option with a Core-i5
processor, but the screen
LEFT EDGE isn’t as classy and the
chassis is less
flexible

24 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

PC MONITOR | £384 from HP www.snipca.com/47444
CHOOSE THE RIGHT SPECS
HP E27m G4 Actuation
force
Mixed picture
What does it do?
In this column in Issue 663,
If you use your computer to make we explained keyboard travel
video calls on a regular basis, it – how far a key needs to be pressed
makes sense to have all the webcams, before it sends a signal to the computer
speakers and microphones you it’s connected to. Actuation force is the
need built into your monitor, amount of pressure that needs to be
to minimise trailing wires and applied to the key in order to get it to
potential setup problems. This HP register an action. So a keyboard with a
monitor does exactly that. high actuation force is likely to feel stiff
and cumbersome, while a lower-value
actuation may result in key presses
The built-in While built-in webcams and speakers feeling mushy.
are hugely convenient, they usually
components make life represent a compromise in quality. The How does it work?
speakers here are better than most Actuation force is defined by the
easier and the screen built-in units, though, thanks to the mechanism the keyboard uses to
amount of bezel room dedicated to register a key press. A switch on
is vibrant, but there are audio output. However, while this is a mechanical keyboard is usually
too many trade-offs more than adequate for watching films
and TV series, it’s not detailed or bassy
mounted on a spring, which creates
resistance when pressing the key and
enough to get the most out of music. returns it back into place when you
The screen is a 27in IPS panel, with a The built-in microphone is a noise- release it. Cheaper keyboards tend to
resolution of 2560x1440 pixels and a cancelling unit, but we found its quality use membranes. These have a bubble
decent response time of five milliseconds. far from satisfying. Monitors tend to be mechanism that you need to compress
In our tests, the screen produced an too far away for optimal sound capture to make it register. This pops back up
average brightness level of 219cd/m2, at the best of times, but here our voice when the button is released.
which is good enough for viewing in sounded particularly muffled and echoey.
most lighting conditions. It reproduced That said, background noise was What are the specs?
an impressive 93 per cent of the DCI-P3 eliminated pretty effectively. Actuation is measured in centinewtons
colour standard, which made movies The webcam was also a bit of a (cN) or grams (g) of
look detailed and vibrant. disappointment. It can manage 1080p force. The two
The bezels around the top and sides video, but the quality is grainy in low units are essentially
are satisfyingly slim, but the bottom light, and we weren’t impressed with interchangeable, because
bezel has been widened to incorporate its colour accuracy, especially compared 1cN is equivalent to 1.02g. As
the built-in speakers, which stretch with standalone webcams we’ve you might expect, there are 100
across the entire width of the screen. previously tested. centinewtons in a newton. Mechanical
It also has a handy camera unit, which keyboards typically have an actuation
you slide up from behind the monitor force of between 44 and 65cN.
whenever you need to use the webcam, VERDICT This 27in monitor is pricey Membrane keyboards tend to require
then lower again and hide when not in given its resolution, though it comes more pressure – typically between 60
use and you want to guarantee your with built-in webcam, speaker and and 80cN. The £56 Cherry KW 9100
privacy. microphone. We’d prefer these to be Slim (reviewed in Issue 654, pictured),
To connect the monitor, there are two better quality, however for example, requires an actuation force
DisplayPorts, two HDMI ports, one USB-C of 62.5cN.
port and four USB 3.0 ports. There’s also
★★★★★
a 3.5mm audio jack so you can plug in ALTERNATIVE Can I change it later?
headphones when you don’t want to AOC 27P2C £189 If you have a mechanical keyboard, it is
disturb others. If you don’t need often possible to replace the switches
the built-in extras, that sit underneath the keys, and
SPECIFICATIONS this 27in option choose a different type with a different
27in IPS screen • 2560x1440-pixel resolution • 2x
HDMI ports • 2x DisplayPorts • 1x USB-C port • 4x
is great value for actuation force. With membrane
USB 3.0 ports • 396x613x47mm (HxWxD) • 8.52kg • money keyboards, this isn’t possible.
Three-year warranty www.snipca.com/47444

Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 25

 Reviews
ROUTER ❘ £130 from Amazon www.snipca.com/47436

Tenda RX27 Pro

Network expansion

In Issue 665 (page 24) we announced the fast and painless and simply
Asus RT-AXE7800 as our new favourite entails resetting admin credentials
router for offering Wi-Fi 6E for just £245 for each of the three bands (2.4, 5
(it’s now dropped below £200). Now and 6GHz). The control panel is
along comes the Tenda RX27 Pro, which perfectly usable even though
also offers Wi-Fi 6E but only costs £130. some of the English translation
To get the price down, Chinese isn’t perfect.
manufacturer Tenda has limited the The device includes plenty of features,
bandwidth available on the additional including security tools, parental
6GHz network. This means that while control, port forwarding, remote web Wi-Fi 6E router, the Asus RT-AXE7800 is
it’s still within the tolerances of the management, a VPN, a guest network still a better bet, with 6GHz performance
Wi-Fi 6E standard, it may not get the and Alexa integration. that isn’t slower than Wi-Fi 6. That said,
most out of any current Wi-Fi 6E-capable We conducted our tests in a typical if you only want the extra band to
devices you own, or those that you may family home with a 1,200Mbps internet accommodate your newer Wi-Fi 6E
buy in the future. connection, using a laptop with a RealTek devices so that traffic is spread more
Setup is straightforward and it’s 8852CE network adapter and another PC evenly across your network, then this
refreshing to see the router comes with a (attached to the router via Ethernet) to will do the job.
printed Quick Installation receive traffic.
Guide. This takes you For a device at this
through setup and price it offered fairly VERDICT An affordable Wi-Fi 6E
includes information impressive speeds on router, though corners have been cut to
on the device’s ports, the 5GHz band. The secure its budget price tag, so it’s not as
buttons and LEDs. It also 2.4GHz band’s results future-proof as more expensive rivals
includes instructions for were also quite fast, as
setting up the router as long as the network
★★★★★
an add-on to an existing wasn’t too busy. ALTERNATIVE
network. The process is However, although we Asus RT-AXE7800
were expecting better £200 More
SPECIFICATIONS performance from the 6GHz network expensive, but
Tri-band 2.4GHz/5GHz/6GHz • Wi-Fi 6E •
AX5700 speed rating • 4x Gigabit Ethernet ports
(Wi-Fi 6E), this underperformed it offers a faster
• 60x261x168mm (HxWxD) • One-year warranty compared with the 5GHz. standard of Wi-Fi 6E
www.snipca.com/47436 If you’re looking for a future-proof

WHAT SHOULD I BUY? We solve your buying dilemmas

Can you suggest a desktop PC for less than £500?

At the moment I’m using an PC so it has potential for future customise’ button on
Q old PC with Windows 7 for
browsing, and email checking
upgrades, and I’m not keen on having
an all-in-one. My budget is between
the website and scroll
down to the ‘Wireless
and composing. I also use it to store £400 and £500? & Networking’
and edit my family photos and videos. Dee Oal section, you can add
Every now and then my PC freezes a built-in Wi-Fi card
and then – after recovering – runs For this kind of budget we’d without breaking
painfully slow.
I am considering buying a
A recommend the Palicomp AMD
Cobra (www.snipca.com/43515,
your budget. The Gigabyte Wireless
Dual Band – the 2,400Mbps option, for
replacement and would welcome your reviewed in Issue 643, pictured). Its base example – will add a Wi-Fi 6 card for
suggestion for a fast PC with a modern price is £400, which includes everything £60, taking the overall price to £460.
version of Windows, ample USB ports you need except the built-in Wi-Fi. Do you need advice on what you should buy?
and built-in Wi-Fi. I’d prefer a desktop However, if you click the ‘Click here to Email us at [email protected]

26 13 - 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 Reviews
DIGITAL PHOTO FRAME | £100 from Amazon www.snipca.com/47424

Aeezo Portrait 01
The slideshow must go on

Before phones and tablets were optimised and family, who can then add their
for browsing our photo collections, own pictures. This is a great way to keep
digital photo frames were an incredibly your slideshow refreshed, or to keep a
popular choice. They’re still a neat way to non-techy relative up to date with
show off your photos if you prefer them current photos without them having to
on display rather than stashed away on work out how to use the frame. If you
your mobile device. prefer, you can also add photos directly to
The 10in Aeezo Portrait 01 is a relatively the Portrait 01 from your PC (it has 16GB VERDICT An affordable photo frame
cheap and cheerful device, but it’s of built-in storage) or run a slideshow for those who want to get their photos
actually a good deal more versatile than from an SD card or USB stick. off their mobile devices and on display
most. Photos can be added to the frame We were largely happy with the
using an app called Frameo (www.snipca. Portrait 01’s reproduction of images.
★★★★★
com/47430), which connects to it over They aren’t razor sharp but nor are ALTERNATIVE Aura Mason Luxe
Wi-Fi – making it easy to display images they soft, and while colour depth isn’t £229 A more expensive option
from your mobile devices. You can also exceptional, it’s better than on some that offers
share your frame’s contents with friends pricier frames we’ve tested. a higher
If we had one complaint it’s that the resolution and
SPECIFICATIONS app is relatively basic. It isn’t as well lets you see
10in 1280x800-pixel resolution IPS touchscreen •
4:3 aspect ratio • 16GB storage • 2.4GHz Wi-Fi • 1x
designed as those that come with more more detail in
HDMI port • 160W • 185x272x25mm (HxWxD) pricey frames and its interface could your photos
• One-year warranty www.snipca.com/47424 be slicker.

HEADPHONES | £40 from Argos www.snipca.com/47421

Sony WH-CH520
Listen up

These wireless on-ear headphones are At just 147g they don’t feel cumbersome,
probably among the less elegant offerings and even though they use fake leather,
in Sony’s huge catalogue of headphones. the earpads keep your ears relatively cool.
However, if looks aren’t your priority they The hinges between the closed-back
provide decent-quality output for a earcups and the headband are sturdy, and
reasonable price. the cups themselves swivel a little, which
When compared with more expensive helps to maintain a comfortable fit.
headphones, this set feels light and What you don’t get with these VERDICT You get nicely balanced
plasticky, but structurally robust. The headphones is noise cancellation. They audio and a robust design with these
headband-adjustment mechanism, for also lack the clarity, range and bass that great-value headphones, but they lack
example, feels very firm and it slides you’d get from more expensive models, key features such as noise cancellation
smoothly into place. There’s no doubt but for the price the sound quality is still
these have been built to last. pretty impressive. There are controls on
★★★★★
There’s light padding on the inside of the right earcup for power, Bluetooth ALTERNATIVE
the headband and earpads, which makes pairing, skip forwards/backwards, volume Sony WH-CH720N
them comfortable to wear for long periods. up/down and answer/end/reject call. £79 These include
Wireless connection is via Bluetooth 5.2 noise-cancelling
SPECIFICATIONS and Sony claims a connection range of 10 technology but
30mm driver • Adjustable headband • Bluetooth
• Built-in mic • USB-C charging • 50-hour battery
metres, which seems achievable. Battery cost twice as
life • 180 minutes charging time • 147g • One-year life is excellent and you can expect 50 much
warranty www.snipca.com/47421 hours of audio between charges.

28 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 Reviews
SMARTPHONE ❘ £229 from Amazon www.snipca.com/47456
DO I REALLY NEED...
Motorola Moto G73 5G A folding
Smart choices tablet?
What is it?
This back-to-basics device reminds us The head of Samsung’s
of a time when the Moto brand was mobile division, TM Roh, let slip to
synonymous with decent-quality The Independent (www.snipca.
phones at great prices. com/47457) that it is working on a
There are compromises with every range of tablets with foldable screens.
low-cost phone, of course, and this has a Riding high after its recent launch of
plastic frame and rear panel. However, it smartphones with folding screens
feels well made and, while it doesn’t have (including the Galaxy Z Fold5, pictured),
an IP rating, Motorola promises some Samsung is the first company to
basic splash resistance. It also comes with declare an interest in applying the
a transparent protective case. technology to tablets.

What does it do?

A decent screen, There’s no confirmed design yet, but
Roh refers to tablets that fold like
smooth operation and books. This, he argues, makes them
more portable and gives them a design
superb battery life that’s as easy to carry around, read and
make notes in as a paper book.
The 6.5in screen is generous but –
being an IPS panel rather than OLED effective at dealing with more demanding What’s the catch?
– hardly exceptional. Its viewing games, but we’d expect that from a There’s not even a prototype yet, so
angles aren’t particularly wide but pump phone at this price. folding tablets might be a long way off –
up the brightness level to its peak of Where this smartphone truly excelled assuming they happen at all.
449cd/m2 and images still pack was in our video-playback battery test,
a punch. And Motorola certainly lasting a superb 23 hours 35 minutes. So can I do without it?
doesn’t skimp on the 2400x1080- And while it can’t recharge as quickly as Yes. If the main argument in favour of
pixel resolution. We kept the refresh some, after 30 minutes it was back up to these devices is portability, you’re still
rate in Auto mode during testing, 57 per cent and hit 90 per cent within an likely to need a bag to carry even a
but you can opt for 60Hz to stretch hour. It was fully charged 15 minutes tablet that folds.
battery life or 120Hz to guarantee later, and comes with a 30W travel-
smooth screen transitions. friendly USB-C adapter.
Indeed, the Moto G73 5G is a very Its weakest element is its camera. At NEXT ISSUE
smooth operator, with its MediaTek first glance, results look fine, with natural
Dimensity 930 processor proving to colours that are eye-catching. It’s when On Sale Weds 27 Sept
be a great choice for its Android 13 you zoom into an image that you’ll notice
operating system – and Motorola a lack of detail and smudgy areas
promises to upgrade it to Android 14 compared with similarly priced rivals. Minisforum
and 15 when they become available. UM790 Pro
In our series of benchmark tests A mini PC with
a Ryzen 9
it performed well, skipping along VERDICT A great phone for the price,
processor
at nifty speeds throughout, if you can live with the compromises on
particularly in those tests that its disappointing camera
Samsung
assess it in general use. It was less
★★★★★ Galaxy Tab S9
The latest model
SPECIFICATIONS ALTERNATIVE Google in Samsung’s line
Eight-core MediaTek Dimensity 930 processor • Pixel 7a £449 If you can of Android tablets
8GB RAM • 6.5in 2400x1080-pixel resolution IPS afford to spend more, the
touchscreen • 256GB storage • 50-megapixel rear Pixel 7a fills the gaps left by These and much more...
camera • 8-megapixel wide camera • 16-megapixel
front camera • Wi-Fi 5 • Bluetooth 5.3 • USB-C port •
the Moto G73, particularly Subscribe to Computeractive at
Android 13 • 161x74x8.3mm (HxWxD) • 181g • camera quality www.getcomputeractive.co.uk
One-year warranty www.snipca.com/47456

Issue 666 • 13 - 26 September 2023 29

 Buy It
NEW!
Find out which other products we liked.
Buy our new 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

Acer Swift 3 14in Palicomp Apple iPad 10.2in

£1,049 from www.snipca.com/44367 AMD Cobra £369 from www.snipca.com/36178
Tested Issue 648 £400 from www.snipca.com/43515 Tested Issue 623
Tested Issue 643

Comes with a powerful 12th-generation

Intel processor and 1TB SSD to make
Windows tasks feel incredibly fast. The 9th-generation of the basic iPad,
Also has a decent 2560x1440-pixel This fast PC is a mouth-watering released in 2021, is now the best-value
IPS screen and comes with plenty bargain, with 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD Apple tablet. The 2022 version looks
of ports, including two Thunderbolt and a six-core processor – though it better and has a faster processor, but
4-compatible USB-C. lacks USB-C ports and built-in Wi-Fi. it’s not worth paying £130 extra for.

ALTERNATIVE Lenovo Yoga 6 Gen 7 ALTERNATIVE Wired2Fire Ultima WS ALTERNATIVE iPad Mini With an even
Has a slower processor, and half the Home Office Workstation Blisteringly better, but smaller, screen than the
storage and RAM, but remains a good fast PC, powered by an overclocked 10.2in iPad, the Mini also supports
laptop for the price. £799 from eight-core processor and 1TB SSD. the Pencil and has 64GB of storage.
www.snipca.com/44950 £634 from www.snipca.com/41500 £569 from www.snipca.com/33050

ANDROID TABLET APPLE iPHONE ANDROID PHONE P

DRRIC
OP E
Samsung Galaxy Tab S8 Apple iPhone 13 Google Pixel 7a
£749 from www.snipca.com/42211 £749 from www.snipca.com/43498 £399 from www.snipca.com/46332
Tested Issue 634 Tested Issue 627 Tested Issue 660

Now £30 cheaper than its 2021 launch

Samsung has replaced its own Tab S7+ price, the iPhone 13 has a superb screen,
to become our favourite Android tablet. long battery life and an excellent camera - A cheaper version of Google’s flagship
It’s fast with a stunning 11in screen, and particularly for taking quick snaps without phone, this uses AI to add clarity to
has a longer battery life than the iPad. blurring. You could pay £100 more for the photos, and lasts an impressive 10
This model gives you 128GB – you’ll newer iPhone 14, but we’re not convinced hours. Has a fast processor and 8GB
need to pay around £649 for 256GB. it’s 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 S8 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 A13 processor and 64GB RAM and 128GB storage. The only phone
you can use it as a laptop. £363 from storage as the iPhone 11, it’s great value. under £450 that’s faster is the iPhone
www.snipca.com/45244 £449 from www.snipca.com/34773 SE. £259 from www.snipca.com/44553

30 13 - 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 Buy It
Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award
EBOOK READER SECURITY SOFTWARE WEBCAM P
DRRIC
OP E
Kobo Libra 2 Norton 360 Premium Logitech C925e Business
£169 from www.snipca.com/40645 £19.99 from www.snipca.com/33247 Webcam
Tested Issue 624 Tested Issue 629 £65 from www.snipca.com/41104
Tested Issue 608

Norton has always performed

strongly in our antivirus tests,
A fantastic 7in screen, 32GB of storage regularly making the top three. Despite the name, this webcam is also
and Bluetooth connectivity make this a Owned by US firm NortonLifeLock, great for home users. Its standout
rival to Amazon’s Oasis ebook reader, it’s available at a discount on our feature is automatically adjusting itself
yet it’s much cheaper. Battery life is Software Store. Click the link above to keep your picture looking sharp. It
superb – we managed 54 hours of use for a 10-device, two-year licence. offers a 78-degree field of view, which
per charge. It supports OverDrive, so Other versions are available, including is fine for everyday video chats with one
you can borrow ebooks from libraries. Norton 360 for Gamers. person in front of the camera.

ALTERNATIVE Amazon Kindle This low- ALTERNATIVE Bitdefender Total ALTERNATIVE Anker PowerConf C300
cost option is a good choice, especially Security Another top performer that Good image quality, crisp audio and
now it has 16GB of storage. £85 from we’re offering at a discount. £19.99 lots of features. £70 from www.snipca.
www.snipca.com/44221 from www.snipca.com/41141 com/41105

PC MONITOR ROUTER P PRINTER

DRRIC
OP E
Iiyama ProLite Asus RT-AXE7800 Epson EcoTank ET-1810
XU2492HSU-B1 £200 from www.snipca.com/47142 £150 from www.snipca.com/41232
£109 from www.snipca.com/39701 Tested Issue 665 Tested Issue 628
Tested Issue 618

This 23.8in screen is superb value, This router has Wi-Fi 6E, so will be An inkjet printer that comes with
with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. capable of the fastest possible speeds enough ink to print 4,500 mono
Colour is good, covering 88 per cent of on the 6GHz network over the next few and 7,500 colour pages, making it
the sRGB colour range. Connect your years. It has five Ethernet ports and also exceptionally cheap to run. It’s not
computer via HDMI, DisplayPort or a USB 3.0 port to connect a hard drive or the fastest printer, but quality is good,
VGA, and there’s a USB hub to connect NAS drive. especially on photo paper – we’ve
your mouse and keyboard. never seen better on an inkjet.
ALTERNATIVE Synology WRX560
ALTERNATIVE AOC 27P2C Our previous favourite remains an ALTERNATIVE Brother DCP-J1140DW
This also has a 1920x1080 resolution but excellent choice, delivering speeds of Compact multifunction model with rare
it’s 27 inches, so pixel density is lower. But up to 791.5Mbps. Add more units to set features at this price, including
you’ll only notice if you look really closely. up mesh Wi-Fi. £216 from www.snipca. double-sided printing. £140 from
£190 from www.snipca.com/41609 com/44696 www.snipca.com/43670

32 13 - 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 Buy It

COMPETITION

Win 1 of 2
Marshall Middleton
Bluetooth speakers
The Marshall Middleton Bluetooth Middleton is equally at home in the that fits whatever space you’re in.
speaker gives you powerful audio in festival mud or on your polished To enter this competition, answer
your hand, and is ideal for playing at sideboard. With a rugged IP67 the question at www.snipca.
home or outdoors. Connect multiple dust- and water-resistant build, a com/47208 and submit your details.
Bluetooth speakers and drop straight bit of rain and dirt won’t get under its It ends at midnight on Tuesday 26
into your music with no fuss – just pair skin. And it keeps going for 20 hours September. Good luck!
and play. on a single charge.
It uses True Stereophonic, a unique You can also connect it to as many You can buy the Marshall Middleton
form of multi-directional stereo sound other Middleton speakers as you like, Bluetooth speakers for £269.99
from Marshall to deliver the ultimate amplifying the sound with a multi- from www.snipca.com/47207. For
immersive speaker Stack more information on other Marshall
experience session. Stack headphones and speakers visit
wherever you are. them up or spread www.marshallheadphones.com
Thanks to its them out for a and ‘like’ www.facebook.com/
durable design, colossal sound marshallheadphones.

SMART TV SOLID-STATE DRIVE SMART SPEAKER

Samsung Q60B Corsair MP600 Pro LPX Google Nest Audio

£435 from www.snipca.com/45083 500GB £90 from www.snipca.com/36475
Tested Issue 652 £52 from www.snipca.com/41547 Tested Issue 593
Tested Issue 630

Produces a rich, clear sound, and better

understands your questions than
With our former favourite – the TCL In our tests, this M.2 SSD hit speeds of Amazon’s Echo devices. You can use
55RP620K out of stock – Samsung’s 7,364MB/s and 6,870MB/s when Google’s app to control audio from
43in set is our new pick. It has excellent reading and writing data – astonishingly other units around your home (pair two
colour reproduction in well-lit scenes, fast scores. It’s compatible with the of them for £130). The clever Ambient
and the picture is wonderfully sharp – new PCIe 4.0 standard, which is twice IQ tool increases the volume if it detects
especially in 4K. as fast as PCIe 3.0. The 1TB model external noise, such as a hairdryer.
costs £70; 2TB costs £105.
ALTERNATIVE LG OLED42C3 ALTERNATIVE Amazon Echo (4th
LG’s 42in TV is three times the price, ALTERNATIVE Crucial MX500 500GB generation) The latest version of the
but unlike TCL’s model it has an As fast as an SSD can get in the Echo changes the shape from a cylinder
OLED screen, boosting picture quality traditional 2.5in SATA format, this to a ball, which improves sound quality
considerably. £1,000 from www.snipca. is a great-value upgrade. £32 from – though the Nest’s is still superior.
com/47271 www.snipca.com/37304 £70 from www.snipca.com/41111

Issue 666 • 13 - 26 September 2023 33

Computeractive 2022
Back Issue CD & USB Stick
Both the CD and Stick contain all 26 issues from 2022

LE NOW!
ON SA
NEW!

Buy the CD from us at Buy the Stick from us at

www.snipca.com/44660 www.snipca.com/44976
 Pull Out
& Keep

Workshops & Tips Issue 666

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

35 C
 reate the most secure 40 Readers’ Tips PLUS
backup using an ISO file 44 Phone & Tablet Tips 47 M
 ake Office Better
42 Browser Tips:
38 S
 tabilise multiple Delete cookies and site 46 M
 ake Windows 48 In the Club: Log
videos in one go data automatically Better members’ details

HOW TO...
Create the most secure
backup using an ISO file by Nik Rawlinson

What you need: WinCDEmu Time required: Two hours

Y
ou’ve almost certainly come across to the top of the list. for the way that data is written
an ISO file before. They’re typically You can’t do that with the DD-MM- to disc (in this case, ISO 9660 and its
used to bundle huge amounts of YYYY format we use in Europe, nor MM- successor ISO 13490) we can be sure that,
data, such as in Windows installers. ISO DD-YYYY, as used in the US. However, whenever we put a disc in a drive, the
is short for International Standards we can at least translate between the system will at least be able to navigate the
Organisation, which is the Geneva-based different formats – as long as we know data. Whether you can open it depends
body that ensures all countries adhere to our start and end points and which on the software you have access to.
common standards on matters like film format has been used for the original dates. With the format being so predictable,
speeds, currency codes and food safety. It The same can rarely be said for it’s not surprising that new uses for it
gives every ‘standard’ a number, starting computer storage, so the ISO guidance have since been found. One is to create
with ISO 1, which in 1951 established 20°C governing files written to CDs and DVDs virtual optical discs, which exist purely
as the reference point for measuring needs to be taken more literally. It doesn’t as bundles of data, and which have no
temperatures. That doesn't mean every really matter which file format you use, physical presence at all. The data in the
member state must adopt the exact same as long as you have the software to read bundle complies with the ISO standards,
standards. it or a tool to translate it into another so it can be opened reliably and
For example, ISO 8601 (www.snipca. format – plus, of course, the ability to repeatedly across multiple operating
com/47293), which regulates time and locate the data in the first place. systems, which makes it a safe format for
date formats, rules that YYYY-MM-DD Before the standards for optical-disc producing manual backups.
is the “internationally agreed way to storage had been agreed, developers Because reading them doesn’t rely on a
represent dates” – and with good reason. were free to write data in whichever specific piece of software, you should be
When you use this format, it’s easy to order they chose on an optical disc. This able to open an ISO file for years to come,
keep things organised: list the dates in could result in incompatibility between as long as the standard is still supported
descending order and the most recent different systems and an inability to by your operating system. There’s no
associated event appears first. List them share discs or the files they contain. guarantee the same will apply to a
in ascending order, and the oldest jumps However, with international standards backup made using current software.

Using ISO as part of your in your home). You should also ask a friend or family
1 backup strategy
We’ve mentioned the 3-2-1 rule
If you’re going to follow our advice
here and you’re not also using an online
member to look after one of the copies
made using the backup software.
of backup before: you should always backup service to store your data off- Why that and not an ISO file? Because
maintain at least three complete copies of site, we recommend combining it with most backup software lets you encrypt
your data across two different media, of backups made to external hard drives or and password-protect your backups. We
which one should be off-site (that is, not USB sticks using regular backup software. don’t want to do that with our ISO file

Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 35

 because we want it to be easily accessible
for years into the future. If it’s encrypted
using a standard that falls out of favour
or we forget the password, that won’t be
How I use ISO files
possible. I most often encounter ISO files when I download new software
As we'll explain, the ISO backup of or operating systems from the web. Windows arrives this way,
your data will behave just like a regular but fortunately I rarely have to reinstall it from scratch. So mostly
unencrypted drive. So, if you were to I use ISO files for operating systems on single-board computers
hand it over to someone else and they like Raspberry Pi, which I use for a range of home monitoring,
opened it on their machine, it would weather and information tasks. That said, writing this has
appear in the File Explorer sidebar like prompted me to use ISO files to back up large blocks of work,
any regular external drive. They’d then be including novels and non-fiction books.
able to navigate through your files, read Nik Rawlinson
your personal documents, look at your How do you use ISO files?
photos, and so on. Please let us know: [email protected]

Install WinCDEmu
2 While Windows can open (or
‘mount’) an ISO file natively –
meaning without using any third-party
software – it can’t create them without
using another program. There are plenty
of options, but we’re going to use the free
software WinCDEmu.
The reason we’ve opted for this over its
rivals is that it adds a handy right-click Click the green Download button and close any adverts that pop up
shortcut to File Explorer for converting
folders into ISOs. Because backing up a few seconds. Once it has, open the
is something you should be doing on a ‘WinCDEmu-4.1.exe’ file from your
regular basis, this could prove to be a Downloads folder.
significant time-saver. Windows will ask if you’re sure you
Visit www.snipca.com/47262 then click want the program to make changes to
the green Download button top right (see your system – click Yes. By default,
screenshot above right). You may need WinCDEmu will be installed to a
to click another Download button on subfolder of the ‘Program Files (x86)’ Click ‘Install’ again when Windows Security
the next page. If either button launches folder ( 1 in our screenshot below). If Microsoft shows this message
an advert (as they did for us) close it by you’re happy with this, click Install 2 . If
clicking the ‘x’ in the top-right corner, not, tick the box beside ‘Customize Security will pop up an alert asking if you
then click the green Download button installation options’ 3 then choose a want to install device software. Again,
on the following screen. The installer different location before clicking Install. click Install to proceed (see screenshot
is very small, so it should download in As part of the process, Windows above).
Install WinCDEmu
to your ‘Program Create your
files’ folder, or tick
the ‘Customise…’
3 first ISO file
Start by creating an ISO of
box to install it your Documents folder as a test. Open
wherever you want
File Explorer and click the C: drive in the
sidebar. If this isn’t visible, scroll down
to This PC and check the triangle to the
left. If it’s pointing right, like a chevron
(>), click it to reveal your attached drives,
then click C:.
Now navigate through your file system
by double-clicking Users, then your user
3 name, until you reach your user folder.
1 Right-click the Documents folder and, in
Windows 10, click ‘Build an ISO image’.
If you’re using Windows 11, you’ll need
to perform one further step: after right-
2 clicking Documents, click ‘Show more
options’ to find the ‘Build an ISO image’

36 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 Create the most secure backup using an ISO file

Right-
click your
documents
folder then
click ‘Build
an ISO
image’

If you can’t see your attached drives, click This PC in the sidebar

option (see screenshot above). Mounted ISO

Now navigate to the location where images behave like
you’d like to create your ISO file. drives in the File
Explorer sidebar
Although WinCDEmu lets you save
the file to the same drive as the one
containing your source files, you should
avoid doing this if you’re creating a
backup. It not only wastes space by
duplicating files already on that drive,
but also doesn’t provide any protection
against your hard drive failing. 1 2
Instead, navigate to an external drive or,
if you plan to write the ISO file to a DVD
or CD, only store it temporarily on your
internal drive before copying it across and
deleting this temporary ISO. Test your ISO file been given the drive letter D: ( 1 in our
Your drives might not be visible
immediately, in which case, click This
4 As with any backup, it’s
essential that you test your ISO
screenshot above) and is being treated as
a CD-ROM 2 even though we don’t have
PC ( 1 in our screenshot top right) in the file right away to make sure it’s both an internal optical drive in the mini PC
‘Create ISO image’ box to reveal them, accessible and an accurate copy of the we’re using to write this feature.
then click the one you want. Name the files you want to secure. Fortunately, this Click through some of the folders and
file, leave the ‘Save as type’ menu set to is easy because Windows can open your open a selection of files in the ISO to
the default – ‘ISO images (*.iso) 2 – then ISO as though it’s an attached drive. make sure they behave as expected.
click Save. WinCDEmu will display a Open File Explorer and navigate to Assuming everything works, keep the
progress bar showing how far it has the drive and folder in which you saved ISO somewhere safe so you can restore
got creating your backup. When it’s the ISO file. Double-click the file and it your files from it if disaster strikes – and
completed, click OK, followed by Close. will mount in the sidebar. Our ISO has don’t forget to create a replacement every
few weeks so it’s an accurate reflection of
the state of your master files.
1 If you want to write the ISO to a disc,
eject the ISO file by right-clicking it in
the File Explorer sidebar and clicking
Eject. Now insert a writable DVD or
CD into your optical drive and, when
Windows has detected the blank disc,
select your ISO file in File Explorer. When
you do, a new Burn button will appear on
the top toolbar ( 1 in our screenshot left).
2 We’ve attached an external DVD burner
to our PC, which has taken the D: drive
name because ejecting the ISO file freed
3 up that slot. Make sure your burner is
selected in the ‘Disc burner’ menu 2 ,
File Explorer can burn your ISO to an optical drive without any additional tools then click Burn 3 .

Next issue: Use symlinks for faster Windows shortcuts Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 37
 Workshop
Stabilise multiple videos in one go
using DaVinci Resolve
What you need: Blackmagic DaVinci Resolve
What you need: One hour

S haky camerawork is barely

noticeable as you’re filming a
video – especially on your phone –
DaVinci Resolve (www.snipca.
com/47458) recently received a
significant update (version 18.5) that
but it can be very annoying when you added the ability to apply stabilisation
watch your footage back. To give your to multiple clips simultaneously. This
videos a more professional finish, you is a significant time-saver and an easy
can either use a tripod when way to achieve superior results. Here,
shooting, or – if you prefer to travel we explain how you can use the
light – iron things out in the edit. The program to put your footage on more
free professional-level video editor solid ground.

STEP Open DaVinci Resolve and click New

1 Project in the Project Manager. Press

Ctrl+I to open the Import box, then
navigate to the clips you want to work with, select 1
them and click Open. They will be added to the
Media Pool in the top-left corner of the screen 1 .
If Resolve prompts you to change the frame rate of
your project to match your clips, click Change 2 .
Press Ctrl+A to select all your clips, then drag 2
them to the timeline in the bottom half of the
window 3 . They will now be added one after the
other, ready for editing.
3

1 2 2 1

STEP Now trim the end of the clip. Press Space to start the
STEP Stabilising shaky footage can put a lot of strain on your 3 video playing again, then press it for a second time

2 PC’s processor. So, before applying correction, trim

down your clips to only the parts you want to use. The
when you reach the last frame you want to keep in the
selected clip. This time, hover your cursor over the right-hand
quickest way to do this is to start playing your footage and, edge of the clip so that it turns into a right-pointing marker.
when you reach the first frame you want to keep, press Space to Click, hold, and drag the end of the clip 1 back to the playhead
stop playback. Now hover your cursor over the start of the clip, marker 2 to remove all the unplayed frames. Repeat this process
and it will change to a left-pointing marker. Click and drag the for each clip on the timeline, then drag them next to each other
left-most edge of the clip 1 to the playhead marker 2 to remove so there are no gaps between them.
the frames you don’t need.

38 13 - 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 2

1
4
3
1
2

STEP Click Edit 1 at the bottom of the window to exit the STEP When the program has finished applying stabilisation,

4 cutting room, select each of your clips by holding

down the Ctrl key while clicking them, then click
5 play back your sequence to see if it’s made a difference.
If it’s still shakier than you’d like, press Ctrl+Z to undo
Inspector 2 . Resolve has three tools for stabilising video, your changes and start again. Drag the Cropping Ratio slider 1
designed for different types of footage. Initially, leave the Mode a little way to the right. This gives Resolve permission to crop
set to Perspective 3 and click Stabilize 4 . DaVinci Resolve will more pixels from the edge of the frame to keep the centre of the
analyse different planes of motion in your footage, including footage steady. Also try dragging the Smooth slider to the right
how the camera tilts, zooms, rotates and pans. It will zoom in to even things out 2 . Click Stabilize again and – when the video
slightly to give itself spare pixels around the edge, which it will has finished processing – check that the footage is more to your
selectively crop to keep the focus of the frame steady at the liking.
centre.

STEP If your video still looks too shaky,

6 undo your changes by pressing

Ctrl+Z again, then try a different
stabilisation type. Click the Mode menu and
select either Similarity or Translation 1 .
‘Similarity’ doesn’t analyse the footage for
perspective changes, while ‘Translation’ only
analyses the footage for changes in pan and
tilt. Each of these options does a little less
work when stabilising your footage, so can
1 eliminate any unwanted changes that may
have been introduced by the stabilisation
process itself.

STEP Finally, if you’re still not seeing

7 the results you hoped for, you

have two options. The first is to
select each clip in turn and apply
stabilisation on an individual basis. That
way, you can tailor the settings for that
particular piece of footage. The second is
to look for similarities in your footage
and select matching types, as we have 1 2
done here ( 1 and 2 ). For example, if
only two of your clips include panning,
deselect all others and apply Translation
stabilisation. If another two are handheld
footage you shot while walking, select
them together and try Perspective mode.

Next issue: Rename your files faster using GPS Issue 666 • 13 - 26 September 2023 39
 Readers’ Tips
TIP OF THE FORTNIGHT

Delay your screen recordings in ShareX

I’ve been using ShareX (https:// can double-check you’ve got
getsharex.com) to take screenshots everything in place.
since reading your Workshop on it in Click the ‘Task settings’
Issue 657 (page 38). It’s a great tool option on the left ( 1 in our
with lots of advanced features that are screenshot) then ‘Screen
easy to learn. recorder’. Change the ‘Start
One of its best features is the recording after’ dropdown 2
screen-recording function. I often menu to a time of your choice. 1
record tasks on my screen to help fix I’ve chosen five seconds 2 .
PC problems that relatives and friends You can then start a recording when you’ve finished and you’ll see
have, but I always need a few seconds by clicking Capture at the top left, then at the bottom right of your screen
to prepare myself. ShareX’s default is to ‘Screen recording’. You’ll see a five- where your recording
start the recording straight away, but second countdown at the bottom left of has been saved.
there’s a way of delaying this so you your screen before it starts. Click ‘Stop’ Don Clarke

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

SOFTWARE it for free from the Microsoft Store

Manage iPhone/iPad in Windows (www.snipca.com/47078).
Your response to Pamela Viccars’ As with iTunes, you connect your 1
question in Problems Solved (Issue device to a PC using a Lightning
661, page 69) discusses the differences or USB-C cable. You may need to
between iTunes and Apple Music. iPhone authorise the connection with its
and iPad users can now manage their passcode. It will appear in the
devices using Apple’s new Devices app Devices app, where you can create
for Windows 10 and 11. You can download a backup (see screenshot left), force 2
a factory reset and check available
storage. The app is still a preview
version, but it performs better than found this is easy to do in Excel by
iTunes in my experience. opening a spreadsheet then clicking
Ben Ward Insert at the top, followed by Illustrations,
Pictures, then choosing where to import
OFFICE the image from.
Overlap photos in Excel When the photo appears you can
Issue 663’s Make Office Better had reduce its size by clicking and dragging
a tip explaining how to overlap the corner arrows ( 1 in our screenshot
photos in Microsoft Word (page 47). I’ve above). If you right-click the photo you’ll

Why I stopped using…

Recuva I first tried it after erasing photos
You’re right to recommend from my Nikon camera’s SD card without
ditching Recuva (Issue 664, properly backing up my primary folder.
page 51). It was a favourite of mine It found a long list of photos with the
in the years before Avast bought it, correct sequence numbers, and the
but now it’s inadequate. file dates were correct.
I conducted this scan using the free
And what I use instead version of Stellar, which rescues up to
I’ll definitely try the alternative you 1GB of files. It was so effective I decided to a hard drive that had somehow become
suggest (PhotoRec, www.snipca. subscribe for £49.99 and no data limit. corrupted.
com/47017), but it’ll do well to beat That was three years ago. Since then it Mike McPhail
Stellar Data Recovery (www.snipca. has recovered photos I lost when I Tell us why you stopped using a website, app
com/47150, pictured). performed a Windows upgrade and from or program: [email protected]

40 13 - 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

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

see settings to ‘Bring to Front’ and ‘Send

to Back’ (ie, overlapping) 2 . Reader recommends…
David Shelton
Tccmebius TCC-S862 Docking Station
INTERNET £24 from www.snipca.com/47116
Sync bookmarks across
different browsers The Tccmebius straight out of the box
Most major browsers let you sync TCC-S862 and didn’t need any
bookmarks to copies of the same docking station is one additional software.
browser you are running on other of my better buys. I It’s compatible with
devices. But suppose you run more than have SATA and IDE Windows, Linux and
one browser and need to keep bookmarks drives sitting in it – MacOS, and can also be
synced between them? these were the hard connected to gaming
There are several free tools that claim drives from my old PC consoles, DVD players
to do this, but many of them are now and laptop. It handles and projectors. I bought
looking out of date. I eventually picked both 2.5in and 3.5in it from Amazon after
Floccus (https://floccus.org), which is a drives. searching for an HD
browser add-on, available for Chromium- It’s an excellent docking station, and for
based browsers and Firefox (though it device, and is fairly quick at both just over £20 it’s well worth the money.
doesn’t seem to work with Firefox’s reading and writing files – it claims a Terry Steels
own bookmark tags). It also comes as transfer speed of 480MB/s. There are Want to recommend hardware or software
an Android app. ports for xD cards and two USB to fellow readers?
On a related note, you can store your connections. It worked perfectly Email [email protected]
synced passwords on Google Drive or
another online-storage system.
Alternatively if – like me – you prefer I use this method to blur photos
to keep all your synced data safe on your in a quiz I host online, sometimes
desktop, you can download a companion increasing the blur intensity using
program (not a browser extension) called the sliders ( 1 in our screenshot
LoFloccus (www.snipca.com/47136). below left). Most of the time I leave
Note that it only downloads, but does not the blur effect as Normal 2 , but
install on your C drive. occasionally choose Motion or
I can now sync bookmarks between Radial 3 to make the blurring
Chrome, Firefox and Brave on my PC, and look more interesting.
Chrome to my Chromebook, as well as Downloading the image is easy
syncing the Firefox and Brave apps on – click Apply 4 to confirm your changes, SOFTWARE
my phone and tablet. then Save at the top. Now choose whether Play Blu-rays on Dell PCs
Anthony Sheppard to save the blurred photo online (Google using CyberLink
Drive, Facebook and other options) or In your reply to Philip Bentley
IMAGES on your computer. (Issue 662, page 71), who couldn’t
Blur the whole of your photo Jessica Hunt run SMPlayer (www.snipca.com/45621)
Following your feature on redacting to watch Blu-ray discs on his Dell PC,
personal data (Issue 664, page 60), OFFICE you mentioned that CyberLink’s
there’s a site I often use to blur entire Dock LibreOffice’s PowerDVD 22 costs around £80.
photos. It’s got a daft name (BeFunky), ‘Redaction’ toolbar Well, instead Philip could try a free
but it works well. Visit www.snipca. Your tip to use LibreOffice Draw’s version of the software that runs on
com/47100 and upload a photo – this redaction feature works a treat both Windows 10 and 11 as part of
will automatically blur it. (Issue 664, page 60), though rather than CyberLink’s free Media Suite Essentials
using a toolbar that gets for Dell users (pictured above). This
2 3 in the way, you can dock includes Power Media Player 14,
the buttons to the toolbar which plays Blu-ray discs, as well as
at the top. Power Director 15 and Power2Go 11.
You can do this with It’s available as a free download
1 a keyboard shortcut from the Microsoft Store: www.snipca.
(Ctrl+Shift+F10) or by com/47079. Dell explains more about
clicking the toolbar’s Media Suite Essentials at www.snipca.
dropdown arrow and com/47080.
selecting Dock Toolbar. Note that these programs install into
4 This is a much better the hidden WindowsApps folder, and not
layout in my opinion. individual folders in Program Files.
Ben Clough M Archer

Issue 666 • 13 - 26 September 2023 41

 Browser Tips
CHROME likely” you’ll be asked to the Shields (lion head)
Skip annoying CAPTCHAs prove your human status. button on Brave’s toolbar
on websites Chrome 116 also adds an and switch on the
Chrome 116, which was released experiment that lets you option ‘Forget me when
in August, adds the long-overdue temporarily allow websites I close this site’ (see
option to stop websites asking you to to access your location, screenshot left). This will
prove you’re human, either by camera or microphone. sign you out and delete
completing a CAPTCHA or by clicking Currently, you can only all cookies and other
‘I’m not a robot’. Once you’ve passed choose Allow or Block, data after you close all
one of these tests, the browser will store which means that if you tabs showing pages from
the confirmation so other sites can change your mind later, you the current site.
automatically verify that you’re a real have to manually reset the To enable ‘Forget by
person and not a bot. permission. The new option Default’ for every site you
This new ‘Auto-verify’ feature should lets you grant ‘one-time’ visit, click Brave’s three-
be enabled in Chrome by default, but permissions, similar to the line menu button, choose
it’s worth double-checking. Click the ‘Only this time’ option for Settings, then Shields, and
browser’s three-dot menu button and Android apps, to protect your privacy switch on the ‘Forget me when I close
choose Settings, then ‘Privacy and from intrusive sites. this site’ option. You can disable the
security’. Select ‘Site settings’ then See our Workshop below to find out feature on specific sites (to stop them
‘Additional content settings’ and click how to use the new permissions feature. logging you out and deleting cookies) by
‘Auto-verify’, ensuring that the option is clicking the Shields button and switching
switched on (see screenshot below). BRAVE the option off.
Google says the setting works without Delete cookies and site data Visit brave://settings/content/all to
identifying you or allowing sites to see automatically confirm that ‘Forget by Default’ is wiping
your browsing history. It may not work Brave 1.57, released 16 August, stored data when you leave a site (some
on every website, but makes it “less introduces the browser’s Forgetful unremovable cookies may remain).
Browsing feature, which we
first wrote about in Issue 660 EDGE
(page 42). This prevents Perform browser actions
websites from remembering using Bing Chat
you visited them by logging We were initially sceptical about
you out and deleting their the Bing Chat feature in Edge, after
cookies and other stored data Microsoft foisted the AI tool on users
when you close their tabs. earlier this year. But having Bing Chat in
The feature has been the browser’s sidebar does have its uses,
renamed ‘Forget by Default’ such as asking it to perform certain
and you no longer need to actions in Edge.
unlock it by enabling a hidden For example, you can ask Bing Chat to
experiment. Instead, just click open your Downloads page, switch to

WORKSHOP Grant one-time site permissions in Chrome

1
1 1
2
2
2

1 To activate Chrome’s new permissions

feature, type chrome://flags into the
address bar and press Enter to load the
2 When Chrome reopens, you can test the
new feature by visiting the one-time
permissions demo site at www.snipca.
3 Chrome will now display its new
permissions prompt. Click ‘Allow this
time’ 1 to grant the demo site a one-time
Experiments page. Find the entry One com/47331. Click one of the buttons on the permission to access your location, camera
time permission 1 , select Enabled in its page: Geolocation 1 , Camera, Microphone or and/or microphone. You can also choose
dropdown menu 2 and relaunch the ‘Camera + Microphone’ 2 . ‘Allow on every visit’ or ‘Don’t allow’ 2 .
browser.

42 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 Secret settings and the best extensions

BEST EXTENSION FOR… Refreshing web pages automatically

Auto Refresh Plus between a ‘soft’ refresh, which uses

Chromium cached data to load content, or a ‘hard’ one,
www.snipca.com/47341 which reloads everything from scratch.
When you’re eagerly waiting for content Click the Page Monitor tab to have Auto
on a web page to update - for example, to Refresh Plus alert you when specific text
check the delivery status of a parcel appears on a page.
or buy tickets for an event - it’s very
tedious having to keep clicking your If you don’t like that, try…
browser’s Refresh or Reload button. Auto Refresh Page
This extension does the hard work for you, Firefox
by automatically refreshing the page at a www.snipca.com/47342
time interval of your choice. This add-on works in the same way as
Simply click its toolbar button to Auto Refresh Plus, but for pages in Firefox.
specify how frequently to reload the screenshot). You can optionally show a Set your refresh time interval then click the
current web page, then click Start (see countdown timer in your toolbar and decide Start button.

keyboard instead. There’s a slight pause languages, including Dutch, French,

while it processes your request, but the German, Italian, Portuguese, Spanish and
feature generally works well. Ukrainian, and lets you translate them
offline by installing the relevant language
FIREFOX pack. Click Firefox’s three-line menu
Translate web pages button and choose Settings, then General.
when you’re offline Scroll down to the Translate section and
In Issue 662 (page 42), we wrote either click the Install button next to the
about Firefox’s new translation language you want to translate offline, or
feature, which brings the browser in line click ‘Install all’ (see screenshot bottom left).
with Chrome and Edge by letting you
translate entire web pages without CHROMIUM
needing an extension. Firefox 117, Restore the Twitter logo
released at the end of August, officially and Tweet button
introduces the feature (you previously As we
needed to enable it manually), so you can explained in
instantly translate foreign-language our ‘What’s All the Fuss About’ section in
vertical tabs and clear your browsing content into English. Issue 664 (page 49), one consequence of
data (see screenshot above), simply by When you’re viewing a foreign website, Elon Musk rebranding Twitter as X is that
typing the relevant command into the click the new ‘Translate this page’ icon the distinctive bird logo (nicknamed
chat box. Some tasks require further at the end of the address bar, and Firefox ‘Larry’) has been ditched in favour of the
confirmation, but it’s a useful trick if you will detect the source language and eponymous letter.
don’t know where to find a particular translate it into English. To automatically A new extension called ‘Freebird – X’
feature or setting. translate pages in that language, click (www.snipca.com/47340) offers justice
It also turns Bing Chat into an the cog in the top-right corner of the for Larry by restoring the blue bird to the
accessibility tool, allowing people who Translate box and choose ‘Always social network. Once installed, it replaces
have trouble using their mouse to translate [language]’. all instances of the new X logo with the
perform browser actions using their The feature currently supports 18 classic Twitter design ( 1 in our screenshot
left) - including the
favicon that appears in
browser tabs, which are
now labelled Twitter
1 rather than X. It also
switches the new Post
button back to Tweet 2 ,
and brings back the
Retweet option Musk
2 removed, without
affecting the site’s
functionality.

Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 43

 Phone and Tablet Tips
ANDROID & iOS ANDROID & iOS ANDROID & iOS
Send higher-quality photos Sing along Add emergency
and videos in WhatsApp with songs on information to
When you send a photo to YouTube Music your phone
someone in WhatsApp, the YouTube Music Both Android
messaging app compresses the image has updated the and iOS now let
to reduce its file size and conserve data. Lyrics feature in its app you add emergency
However, this also lowers the quality for Android (www.snipca. information to your
of the picture, which many users com/47434) and iOS phone so members of the
find annoying. (www.snipca.com/47435), emergency services know
To address the problem, WhatsApp so you can sing along how to best treat you and
has introduced the option to send HD with tracks on the who to contact when
versions of photos at their original streaming service in real you’re involved in an
resolution. To use it, tap the attachment time. Previously, the app emergency.
icon in the message box at the bottom just showed a static set of To add emergency
of a chat and select either Camera to lyrics, which wasn’t ideal information to your
take a photo or Gallery to choose an for impromptu karaoke Android phone (version
existing picture. sessions. 12 or later), open the Settings app and tap
Tap the new HD button in the top To try the new feature, start playing a ‘Safety & emergency’. Select ‘Emergency
menu bar ( 1 in our screenshot below) song in YouTube Music and tap the information’ and tap ‘Add information’
and select ‘HD quality’ 2 under Lyrics tab at the bottom of the screen. ( 1 in our screenshot above right) under
‘Photo quality’. Add a This will then move to the ‘Medical information’. Here you can enter
caption, and send the top (see screenshot above) your name, address, blood type, allergies,
image as normal – an and the lyrics will be any medication you’re taking and
HD icon will be shown displayed against a blurred whether you’re an organ donor.
in its bottom-left corner
1 background of the relevant Next, tap ‘Add contact’ 2 under
within the chat. album artwork. ‘Emergency contacts’ and select the
WhatsApp stresses that YouTube Music uses a person – or people – who first responders
though HD photos are musical note to indicate audio should call in an emergency. They’re able
clearer, “standard photos before the music starts, then to view this information when your phone
use less storage space highlights the current line of is locked, and even dial your emergency
and are faster to send”. the track in white, with the contacts, by pressing the power button
WhatsApp has also rest of the words shown in and selecting Emergency then Emergency
added the HD feature faded grey. Note that live Information. You can also use this method
to videos, allowing you lyrics aren’t yet available for to add emergency details on older
to send them at up to all songs on the service – Android phones, which don’t have the
720p resolution, rather 2 some will either have a static ‘Safety & emergency’ screen.
than 480p. version or none at all. To add emergency information to your

BEST NEW APPS What you should install this fortnight

Opera Browser with AI Giga Icon INNS Mapper

Free Free Free
iOS www.snipca.com/47432 Android www.snipca.com/47438 Android www.snipca.com/47440
Opera’s AI-powered browser, Aria, is now Giga Icon makes it easier to find and open iOS www.snipca.com/47441
available for iOS, following the release of apps on your home screen by creating This app lets you report sightings of INNS
its Android and Windows versions. Tap large widgets (invasive non-native species) across
‘Chat with Aria’ to for them. Simply Britain, such as
interact with the choose an installed Japanese knotweed,
AI assistant by app in its list, select demon shrimp and
asking it to look ‘Add to Home American mink.
up information screen’ and move Share the location
online, generate the resulting widget and a photo of the
content based to the desired species, for it to be
on prompts and position. You can verified by the INNS
provide assistance resize it by dragging Mapper community.
with the browser. its borders and You can also browse
Aria requires a free tap it to launch the a map of other
Opera account. relevant app. people’s sightings.

44 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 Brilliant things to do on your device

iOS ‘Try Galaxy’ has been

Try a new Samsung updated to showcase
phone on your iPhone Samsung’s new Galaxy Z
If you own an iPhone, Flip 5 and Z Fold 5 devices,
you probably made a and provides tutorials
conscious decision not to for their most notable
buy an Android phone features. Should you have
1 instead, but Samsung is two iPhones to hand, you
hoping to change your can recreate the large,
mind with its Try Galaxy foldable screen of the
web app (www.snipca. Z Fold 5 by placing them
2 com/47439). side by side.
This turns your iPhone To try the web app, scan
into a virtual Samsung Galaxy phone, the QR code at https://trygalaxy.com
allowing you to explore its apps and (pictured above) to open the link in your
widgets as if you were using a real one. iPhone’s Safari browser.

iPhone, open the Health app and tap

Medical ID, then Edit. Enter your
BEST APPS FOR... Accessing the web offline
emergency contact details and enter
information such as your date of birth, Kiwix
allergies, medical conditions and blood Free
type. Turn on the ‘Show When Locked’ Android www.snipca.com/47442
slider to make the information available iOS www.snipca.com/47443
on your Lock screen, then tap Done. Kiwix ensures you’ve always got
something to read when you lose internet
ANDROID connection by letting you download the
Follow content that interests whole of Wikipedia to browse offline.
you in Google News Alternatively, you can save only the top
Google has redesigned the Following 100 most popular articles, a 50,000-
feature in its Google News app for strong ‘Best of’ collection and curated
Android (www.snipca.com/47437) to make selections for specific topics.
it easier to find content that interests you. Best For Reading Wikipedia offline
A new ‘Follow your interests’ section lets
you choose topics such as Entertainment, Maps.me
Technology and Science to save them to a Free*
row of tiles along the top of your screen. Android www.snipca.com/47446
Tap one of these tiles to browse a feed iOS www.snipca.com/47445
of the latest relevant stories from various Google Maps lets you save maps to
online sources, and switch between tabs browse offline, but Maps.me makes the
representing sub-categories. You can process much easier. You can download
view the full range of topics by tapping maps of specific regions or entire
the ‘See more topics’ button, and search countries to explore without a connection.
for additional topics by tapping ‘Add Simply tap the More button, choose
interest’ (see screenshot below). Download Maps, search for the area you
The old Following tab only allowed want to save and tap Download.
you to customise content that appeared Best For Exploring maps offline
in the ‘For you’
section of Google Offline Browser
News, but the new Free*
version works Android www.snipca.com/47447
more like an RSS This app offers several ways to save web
feed. You can still pages to browse offline. You can either
tailor ‘For you’ add the links you want to download, tap
by tapping the the eye icon to search for pages using
Library button and Google or copy links to the app from your
choosing your usual browser. Downloads can be deferred
preferred sources until a convenient time and images
of news and the excluded to save space and time.
locations you’re Best For Downloading web pages
most interested in.
*Contains in-app purchases

Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 45

 Make Windows Better Expert tips for every version

WINDOWS 11
WINDOWS 10 & 11
Switch on Paint’s new dark mode
Microsoft has updated Paint so
you can set it to mirror your
system’s screen mode (light or
Add your printer as right-click option
dark), or make it appear in dark mode To print a document ( 1 in our screenshot) and SendTo
permanently. in Windows, you must folders 2 .
Search for and open Paint. You’ll know first open the file and Next, drag and drop your printer
you’re using the latest version if you see a access the Print menu. But you can icon from the Printers folder into
gear icon ( 1 in our screenshot below) at save time by adding your printer as an SendTo. You can now see it by right-
the top right. Click this to see Paint’s new option in the right-click context menu. clicking the file you want to print, then
settings menu. Now select Dark 2 in the First, open two File Explorer windows. selecting ‘Send to’ 3 . You can also
‘App theme’ options, and Paint will adopt In one, type shell:PrintersFolder into rename it – we chose Home Printer 4 .
the dark mode. the address bar; in the other, type Clicking it will send your document
If you don’t see the cog icon, you need shell:sendto. This will open the Printers straight to the print queue.
to update to version 11.2304.30.0 (or
later) of Windows 11. Do this by opening
Windows Update in Settings and clicking 1
‘Check for updates’.

2
2
1
3

WINDOWS 10 & 11 4
Stop processes from being
reordered in Task Manager
If your system slows,
check Task Manager to
see whether you can
close any background processes that are chose ‘End task’ 3 . 3
using too much RAM. This is an effective
trick, but it can be hard to identify which WINDOWS 11 INSIDER
process to close because Task Manager Use your voice to log into 2
reorders them every second to reflect Windows 11 4
how much memory they’re using. In the final version of Windows
To stop this happening, search for and 11 you have to wait until it has
open Task Manager. Next, click ‘Memory’ fully loaded before you can give
( 1 in our screenshot below) to organise spoken commands using ‘Voice access’. A 1
your apps by RAM usage. Now hold down recent preview version (build 22631.2129) voice access bar will appear at the top of
the Ctrl key and the list will ‘freeze’. In makes Windows respond to spoken your screen 3 . Next, tick the box next to
our example, Microsoft Edge was using commands before it has launched, ‘Start voice access before you sign in to
391MB 2 , so we right-clicked it then meaning you can log in with your voice. your PC’ 4 .
First, search for and When you next encounter the lock
open the Settings menu. screen, you can use voice commands to
3 On the left-hand pane, enter your PIN or password. If you’re
click Accessibility ( 1 in worried about being overheard, say
our screenshot above “show keyboard”. Windows will display
right) and scroll down an onscreen keyboard with a different
until you see Speech number assigned to each key. Speak using
1 under the Interaction these numbers, rather than spelling out
options. In the Speech your actual password. Visit Microsoft’s
menu, set the ‘Voice site for more information on ‘Voice
2 access’ slider to On 2 . access’, including commands you can
When you do this, the use: www.snipca.com/47349.

46 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

Make Office Better Top tips for the best office programs

LIBREOFFICE CALC & MICROSOFT EXCEL

Use conditional formatting to colour-code cells

You can use conditional formatting to quickly
colour-code your data, helping you to make
sense of it more easily.
2
In our example, we’re going to highlight temperatures above
23°C to pick out holiday destinations for September. You should
3
be able to apply these instructions to your own data. First, we 1
highlighted cells B4:B36 ( 1 in our screenshot). Then we clicked
the Home tab followed by Conditional Formatting 2 . We hovered
over Highlight Cells Rules, then clicked ‘Greater Than…’ 3 .
Next, in the box that appears, we set the value to 23 and chose
the ‘Light Red Fill with Dark Red Text’ in the dropdown menu. We
clicked OK to confirm. All cells above 23°C now appear in red 4 .
You can also set conditional formatting in LibreOffice Calc. 4
After highlighting a selection of cells, click Format at the top.
Hover over Conditional, then click ‘Condition…’. You can set your
conditional-formatting rule in the box that appears.

1 text and images based on prompts. First,

click Plugins on the toolbar, then Plugin
1 2 Manager. Search for ‘ChatGPT’ in the bar,
2 then click the Install button when the
plug-in appears.
3 3 To use ChatGPT, you must first register
for a free trial with OpenAI at www.
4
snipca.com/47210. Once you’ve created
an account, you need to generate an
OpenAI API ‘key’ through your account
settings. Click your profile photo then
LIBREOFFICE WRITER & from one page to the next. By default, select ‘View API keys’. Now click ‘Create
MICROSOFT WORD these controls allow at least two lines of new secret key’ and give it a name by
Create columns in a document text to appear together, meaning three- typing in the text field. Then click
By default, Word line paragraphs can’t be split. Instead, all ‘Create secret key’ to confirm. Copy this
documents present text in three lines are moved to the next page, code, then 1
a single column, with text leaving a large gap at the bottom of the right-click
flowing from left to right. But you can previous one. anywhere in
change this to two or more columns. Consider turning off orphan control to OnlyOffice,
To add columns to your whole document, resolve this. First, press F11 to open the hover over 2
click the Layout tab ( 1 in our screenshot Styles side panel ( 1 in our screenshot ‘ChatGPT’
4
above), then Columns 2 and choose a above). Next, right-click Default Paragraph and click
format of your choice. In our example, Style 2 and click ‘Modify…’. In the box Settings.
we’ve chosen Three 3 , as we want to style that opens, select the Text Flow tab 3 and Paste your
our document like a newspaper column. under the Options heading untick code into the
To do the same in LibreOffice Writer, click ‘Orphan control’ 4 . Click OK. text field, 3
Format at the top, then Columns. In the As a result, your three-line paragraph and press
box that opens change the Columns value can now be split between two pages. Save.
to the number you want, then click OK. You’ll want to keep ‘Widow control’ In our example, we generated an
active, though, to avoid the prospect of a illustration based on the description
LIBREOFFICE WRITER single word appearing on the next line. ‘a young fox running in a woodland
Turn off ‘Orphan control’ environment’. We highlighted the text
to avoid large gaps ONLYOFFICE ( 1 in our screenshot above), then
When writing a document, you Use ChatGPT to generate right-clicked it and selected ‘Generate
can use ‘Orphan control’ and text and images image from text’ 2 , then chose 512x512
‘Widow control’ settings to make You can now add the AI tool pixels 3 . After a few short seconds,
sure single lines don’t appear at the top or ChatGPT to OnlyOffice, so you ChatGPT created an illustration in our
bottom of a page when a paragraph spills can ask it questions or generate document 4 .

Issue 666 • 13 - 26 September 2023 47

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

Log members’ details in Excel

K eeping a log of your members’
important details, such as contact
information, is essential to the smooth
Use conditional
formatting to highlight
memberships that are
up for renewal
running of your club. Creating a log in a 1
spreadsheet is the natural solution, but
building one from scratch isn’t easy, and 4
you may miss out important details as Use conditional
you compile it, or run into formatting formatting to
problems. To save time, use Excel’s highlight data
‘Membership list’ template, which offers While this template
the basic structure you need. is a good starting
point, you’ll see
Find and open the template in our screenshot 2 3
Start by finding the template in Microsoft right that we’ve
Excel. Click ‘New’ on the left ( 1 in our made a number of 5
screenshot below), then type membership improvements.
into the search bar 2 . Excel offers two We’ll explain these
templates that should suit your needs: in relation to our
‘Membership list’ and ‘Subscription and fictional club, called Computeractive+. changed them respectively to ‘Join date’
membership tracker’. We prefer the First, we added more rows to our (D2) and ‘Expiry date’ (E2).
former 3 because it has more columns for spreadsheet. This is easy to do – simply We also used conditional formatting
adding members’ details, such as their highlight any existing row, then right- to highlight memberships that are up
postal addresses and contact details. Select click and select Insert. Repeat this for renewal. First, we highlighted cells
‘Membership list’ and click Create 4 . process until you have the desired E3:E18, clicked Home on the toolbar,
When the template opens, you’ll notice number of rows, and also change the and selected the Conditional Formatting
column A is locked, meaning it will colour scheme, font size and column menu. Next, we hovered over Highlight
remain in place as you scroll horizontally width to suit your preferences. Cells Rules and clicked ‘A Date
through the rest of your members’ data. Moving from left to right, we renamed Occurring…’.
You can sort each column alphabetically the Position column (B2) ‘Membership We then chose ‘Next month’ 2 from the
by clicking the small arrow to the far tier’ 1 . We also added a dropdown menu dropdown menu on the left and chose
right of the cells in row 2, and clicking for different membership tiers: Bronze, ‘Yellow Fill with Dark Yellow Text’ 3 from
either ‘Sort A to Z’ or ‘Sort Z to A’. We Silver and Gold. To do this, we first the dropdown menu on the right. We
would use this in A2 if we wanted to highlighted cells B3:B18, clicked Data at repeated the process and set a second
organise member names by alphabetical the top, then selected Data Validation. In rule, but chose ‘This month’ and ‘Light
order or, say, in G2 if we wanted to sort the box, we chose List from the Allow Red Fill with Dark Red Text’ instead.
our members by the city they live in. dropdown menu. Then, in the Source These rules mean that memberships
field, we typed Bronze, due to expire in the next month
Silver, Gold and clicked (September at the time of writing) are
OK. From then on, when highlighted in yellow 4 . Those due to
2 entering data into the expire imminently (August at the time of
3 B column, we can writing) are highlighted in red 5 .
choose one of those Finally, given how few people use fax
options from a cell’s machines these days, we deleted ‘Fax
1 dropdown menu. number’ in column L, replacing it with
We don’t need to Notes. With our template now ready, we
collect ‘Member since populated the database with a list of our
4
Year’ and ‘Volunteer fictional Computeractive+ members and
Interests’ data, so we their membership details.
Incidentally, we used the Fake Person
Generator site (www.snipca.com/47302)
Microsoft’s ‘Membership
list’ template is ideal for to create all the personal details in the
logging members’ details spreadsheet. None of them are real.

48 13 - 26 September 2023 • Issue 666 Next issue: Use free AI to create presentations
What’s All the
Fuss About...
Brave Leo
Will the browser’s new chatbot be king of the AI jungle?

What is it? Doesn’t Brave

Leo is the new AI assistant Search already
in the privacy-focused 2 use AI?
browser Brave (www.brave. Yes, Brave Search
com). The name reflects added an AI-powered
Brave’s lion-head logo, Summariser tool
and is perhaps short for earlier this year, which
‘Leonard’, which means uses AI to provide
‘brave lion’ in Old German. 1 concise, accurate
answers to your search
Do we really 3 queries. But it’s not as
need another chatty as Leo.
AI assistant?
Well, if you’re a fan of Brave Is Leo more
– as we know many readers private than
are – it seems only fair for other chatbots?
the browser to have one. Yes, and this is its
Earlier this year, Microsoft added its Bing When we asked, ‘What is the capital main advantage over other AI assistants.
Chat tool to Edge, Google is reportedly of France?’, ’Leo said it didn’t understand In keeping with Brave’s privacy focus,
planning to integrate its Bard chatbot and could we rephrase the question, but Leo uses a ‘self-hosted language model’
with Chrome, and Opera recently when we asked again later, it quickly and doesn’t collect or share any
introduced its own AI assistant, Aria. gave us the correct answer. Likewise, the information that can be linked to you,
first time we clicked ‘Summarize this such as your IP address. Although the
How does Leo work? page’( 2 in our screenshot above), the language model is based on one created
Similar to other AI assistants, you launch chatbot caused Brave to crash, but our by Meta, Brave says it’s been “tuned to
Leo by clicking a button in the browser’s second attempt produced a helpful our own core values”.
sidebar – this looks like an asterisk in a summary with suggested follow-up You don’t need to sign into an
speech bubble ( 1 in our screenshot above questions 3 . account to use the chatbot and Brave
right). This opens a side panel, where – Unlike Bing Chat, Leo can’t look up says your conversations are discarded as
after clicking ‘Accept and begin’ – you live information such as travel times, the soon as they finish. When you open a
can interact with Brave Leo. weather forecast or the latest news new tab, your chat with Leo starts
Get the chatbot to summarise the stories. Brave says future releases will afresh, rather than being carried over
current page, request a transcript of a give Leo “some level of access to current from tab to tab. In contrast, you need to
video or ask it to look up information information” (www.snipca.com/47416), delete conversations manually from
online. Leo will also generate jokes, powered by its own Brave Search service Bing Chat, while ChatGPT keeps your
poems and other content based on text (https://search.brave.com). chats on its server.
prompts you enter. With
varying degrees of success. Why can’t I find the
Leo button in Brave?
What do you mean by Leo is currently only available
‘varying degrees’? in the Nightly version of Brave,
It’s still early days for Leo, so which is designed for early
its responses are hit and testing of new features and may
miss. When we asked it to be unstable. If you’re willing to
tell us a joke about bears, take the risk, you can download
it responded: “Why did Brave Nightly from www.snipca.
the bear go to the party? com/47415.
Because he heard it was a Restart your PC after installing
“paws-itive” experience!”, the browser and the Leo button
which was very will appear in the sidebar. We
cringeworthy (see would say it takes pride of place,
screenshot right). Brave Leo’s jokes won’t make you roar with laughter but that’s worse than Leo’s jokes.

Issue 666 • 13 - 26 September 2023 49

 COVER FEATURE

STOP WI-FI
HACKERS
Your home network
is more vulnerable to
hackers than you realise.
Nik Rawlinson reveals
the most effective ways
to protect all the devices
connected to your Wi-Fi

T
here’s something rather magical can provide a false sense of security – If you don’t believe us, read around.
about products that ‘just work’. and that can lead to complacency. Smart There have recently been reports of
Smart TVs, speakers with devices – just like computers – are often vulnerabilities in outdated Google
built-in voice assistants and eminently hackable and you’re reliant on doorbells (www.snipca.com/47425), and
video doorbells all fall into this category. the manufacturer to remotely apply the claims that devices from rival Ring have
Plug them in, connect them to your necessary security patches and updates been accessed by hackers (www.snipca.
Wi-Fi, and you’re ready to go. There’s in a timely manner. If they don’t, you risk com/47427). Researchers in Texas found a
very little to configure and usually even hosting an unsafe device on your way to issue silent voice commands to
less to maintain. network, which could put other devices, smart-home devices (www.snipca.
The trouble is that such convenience including your PC, at risk. com/47428), while UK and Italian
researchers managed to extract Wi-Fi
passwords with the help of a smart light
WHAT YOU CAN DO bulb (www.snipca.com/47429).
• Change the default password for • I dentify and block unauthorised devices This means that if you’re running any
accessing your router •S  chedule your Wi-Fi to disconnect internet-connected ‘smart’ device in your
• Upgrade your encryption to the at night home, it’s essential to strengthen your
highest level •U  pdate the software on your defences, both through the device where
• Stop your neighbours stealing your smart devices possible, and on the network itself. Here
Wi-Fi • I solate your PC from other Wi-Fi devices we explain the most reliable ways to
make your Wi-Fi unhackable.

50 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 STOP WI-FI
HACKERS
YOUR SMART HOME SECURITY QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Why would anyone want to Hackers scan
hack a smart device? IP addresses
across the
Some hackers break into devices purely world to find
for the fun of it or to prove they can open ports to
do it. Similar to trainspotters collecting exploit
locomotive numbers, they want to add
more and more conquests to their list.
However, they’re not the ones you need
to worry about.
A determined intruder usually has
more malicious aims. To them, an
insecure device is an entry ramp to your
network. Many smart-home devices run
sophisticated operating systems – often a
version of Linux – designed to perform a
specific range of functions. They may
also contain a small amount of unused
onboard storage.
When a hacker detects a vulnerable So as long as my router is What kind of devices should
device, they can use that storage and the secure, aren’t I protected? I be worried about?
operating system’s dormant features to Keeping your router’s firmware updated Anything that has access to the internet.
execute their own code. And, because helps, but it’s not the only thing you need However, while it’s a good idea to be
the same smart devices are in millions to worry about. Smart devices spend all cautious when adding any device to your
of homes worldwide, the hacker can day communicating with remote servers network, you should be more wary of
apply what they’ve learned about the through authorised ports. Unless your less familiar brands. If a device from a
vulnerabilities of one device to any other router is inspecting the data that’s passing big-name brand was ever found to be
they come across, quickly building up a through it, working out where it’s heading insecure, it would be headline news,
network of compromised gadgets under and whether that’s what you intended could damage the company’s sales and
their control. (which would be a huge and impractical tarnish its reputation beyond repair. In
task) it’s got no way of knowing that it’s short, big brands have more to lose.
How do hackers find acting as a conduit for stolen data. Considering the cost of developing,
an insecure device? manufacturing and marketing a smart
Think of your router as a block of flats Does my risk increase with product that nobody else sells, that’s
with a purely numerical street address the number of devices? something they’d try to avoid by making
(technically known as its IP address). Not necessarily. You could add 1,000 sure their devices are as secure as
The building contains several ports – video doorbells, internet-connected possible, and that they stay that way
front doors in our analogy – behind printers or TV streaming sticks to your through frequent updates.
which live your devices, and through network and – if they all come from
which they send and receive data. reputable brands – you’re very unlikely to Do smart devices get less
In much the same way as real-world introduce a vulnerability. Or, you could secure as they age?
burglars might drive by your home, add a single Wi-Fi camera from an That can happen. Security measures in
hackers can trawl the internet using unknown manufacturer (like the one the past were certainly less foolproof. A
IP-address scanners (as pictured above pictured below), or a second-hand device few years ago, we might have suggested
right). When they find an address hosting that’s been maliciously reprogrammed, swapping letters for numbers to beef up
a network, they work their way through and your network will be exploited your password security – so, ‘pa55w0rd’
every port until they find one that’s open. within an hour. rather than ‘password’. Bots got wise to
If a vulnerable smart device lives behind that trick, so we advised throwing in
that port, they’ll be able to repeat a capital letters, then a few years later,
hacking routine they’ve performed adding special characters and punctuation.
many times elsewhere to infiltrate your Today, we recommend using a
gadget and reprogram it to do whatever password manager such as Bitwarden
they choose. (www.snipca.com/47395) to generate
While it may appear to be functioning strong passwords (see screenshot on
normally, your compromised smart page 52), though many security experts
device could then start sending the believe it’s time to move beyond
hacker your passwords and payment- passwords altogether.
card details; help compile a pattern of Network security standards have also
movements that indicate when your changed. WEP (Wired Equivalent
home is unoccupied; or attack other A single vulnerable Wi-Fi camera could Privacy), introduced in 1997, was once
devices on your network. compromise your entire network considered state of the art when it came

Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 51

 to securing a wireless network. Then, in So, do I need to update my
2005, the FBI demonstrated that it could smart devices’ software?
be cracked in less than three minutes If you can, you should (see page 56),
using publicly available tools. although it’s not always necessary. For
WEP was replaced by WPA (Wi-Fi example, many smart devices, including
Protected Access), and WPA by WPA2, Amazon’s Echo speakers and Fire TV
then WPA3. So, if your smart device is Sticks, update themselves automatically.
still using outdated security protocols, it If you have an Echo speaker, you can
will be less secure today than it was when check that you’re using the most recent
you bought it because it hasn’t kept up firmware in the Alexa app. Tap Devices
with these technological advances. on the toolbar, followed by ‘Echo & Alexa’,
then the device you want to check. Tap
Check the software version of your Echo
Status, then scroll to the bottom of the speaker in the Alexa app
screen and tap About. Compare the
number below Device Software Version take will depend on the device. Start by
(see screenshot above right) against the logging in using the device’s address on
list at www.snipca.com/47329. your network, and the administrator
If you have a Fire TV device, use your username and password. If you haven’t
remote control to select Settings, then changed these, they’ll often be shown on
My Fire TV. Click ‘About’, then check the a sticker on the device itself. Click
number below Software Version and through the dashboard until you find an
compare it to the latest release for your option to update the software, then check
device at www.snipca.com/47328. the manufacturer’s website for the latest
Neither Fire TV nor Echo speakers need release. Make sure you keep the device
a web interface, but other smart devices connected to your network and the mains
Bitwarden generates secure passwords that do so you may be able to update your throughout, as a failed update can make
will take centuries to crack device from there. The steps you need to the device unusable.

Wi-Fi SECURITY SETTINGS YOU MUST CHANGE

Change your default passwords administrator password through its Few smart devices have passwords that
Almost every Wi-Fi router comes with a browser-based control panel. Note that you need to type in yourself. They are
default username and password. this is the password used to access the usually managed using apps on your
Recently, manufacturers have become control panel itself, and not to log on to mobile phone and, as long as nobody else
better at setting these as random words your Wi-Fi. If you want to change the has your phone, that should keep them
or strings of letters rather than the Wi-Fi password as well, this is also done safely out of reach.
much less secure ‘admin’ and ‘password’ via the control panel, but will need to be However, some log into online accounts
of old. As we mention in the box managed separately. to perform specific functions, such as
opposite, you can find details for most If you’re changing the administrator Wi-Fi-enabled thermostats that manage
routers at www.routerpasswords.com login password, consider writing it on a your boiler, or security cameras that
(see screenshot below). label and sticking it to the router itself. upload footage to online storage. You will
However, it still makes sense to reset While we would not usually recommend usually be prompted to provide your own
any default to something different to writing down a password, it is common password when setting up these kinds of
prevent hackers from being able to access practice for routers to have their login online accounts rather than being given a
your network through your router’s passwords attached to them when they default password.
settings. come from the factory, so this is only It still makes sense to change the
You can change your router’s sticking with convention. password every so often, though –
particularly if news breaks of a data
breach or leak from the service in
question. The exact process for doing this
varies by product, but start by checking
any associated app and, if that doesn’t
include a relevant option, try logging into
the service through your browser.

Turn on your router’s firewall

Turning on your router’s built-in firewall
lets you block internet traffic, whether
incoming or outgoing, through specific
Find the default ports – or entirely. By limiting the number
password for your
router at Router of routes through which data can travel,
Passwords you also limit the number of opportunities

52 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 STOP WI-FI
HACKERS
Access your router’s control panel
Many of the tips in this feature require
access to your router’s control panel.
This can be accessed in a browser on any
computer connected to the router itself,
wirelessly or via an Ethernet cable.
Manufacturers commonly use the IP
addresses 192.168.1.1, 192.168.0.1,
Enabling your router’s built-in firewall will
help block unwanted traffic 192.168.1.254 or 10.0.0.1, but, to save
you trying them all, you can look up the
hackers and compromised smart devices address you need using Windows.
have for accessing and transmitting your Type cmd into the Windows search box In our screenshot you can see our
personal information. and press Enter to open a new Command router’s address – 10.0.0.1 – is shown
You may have come across the Prompt window. When it appears, type beside Default Gateway.
Windows Firewall – most likely when ipconfig and press Enter, then look for the Check your router’s label or manual for
it popped up an alert and asked you to block of four numbers beside or below the username and password you need to
authorise (or deny) a particular action, Default Gateway. Typing this into your log into its control panel. If you can’t find
but the firewall built into your router browser will bring up your router’s control these details, search for your device at
won’t display these alerts because it panel. www.routerpasswords.com.
will make those decisions based on
rules you set.
At its most basic, your router’s firewall This TP-Link router has WPA3
will have options like the three in our encryption to keep your
network ultra-secure
screenshot above, where the default is to
block all unsolicited incoming traffic, but
allow outbound traffic. However, other Service Provider (ISP)-supplied device you
options on this router also allow us to received on signing up 10 years ago.
authorise specific traffic types, such as If your router doesn’t support WPA3,
data for bespoke games, mail servers opt for WPA2 Personal if your router offers
and video-chat services. In most cases that, or WPA2-AES as a stopgap, but bear
you won’t need to make any such in mind that because this encryption
adjustments, which makes enabling the technology has been previously
firewall as close to a one-click security compromised, it doesn’t
measure as it’s possible to get. give you complete
protection.
Update your Wi-Fi encryption There are two different
You should always use the most recent kinds of WPA3 encryption – Personal
encryption supported by your router. and Enterprise. As its name suggests,
Ideally, this will be WPA3, but as this is Personal is the best for home use, so if
relatively new your router might not your router offers both options, choose
support it – especially if it’s an Internet this one (see screenshot below). Ditch your ISP router
If your ISP-provided modem-router
doesn’t support WPA3, we’d advise
buying a new router to boost your
security. You can buy a WPA3 router with
the latest security protocols for around
£53, such as this TP-Link model from
Amazon (www.snipca.com/47403,
pictured above), which should help keep
your network and devices safe.
It’s unlikely your ISP will agree to
send you a new router for free if your
existing modem-router combo still
works. So, if you do buy a new WPA3
router, connect this to your ISP device
using one of its Ethernet ports. Next, turn
off the wireless networking features of
your ISP’s device so it’s just acting as a
modem, and use the new router to
broadcast a better protected wireless
If your router supports the latest WPA3 encryption, use it to secure your network. network around your home.

Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 53

 BLOCK INTRUDERS FROM YOUR Wi-Fi
Keep your neighbours off lives within range of your signal could tricky for someone to guess.
your Wi-Fi easily find their way on to your network. You’ll now need to reconnect your
Wireless networks are usually set to Once there, they could exceed any cap devices to your network, as they no
broadcast their name so they’re easy to you have on your broadband data longer recognise its name and can’t see
find and connect to. This name is known allowance, or connect insecure devices the SSID. To connect a Windows 11
as the SSID – or Service Set Identifier – over which you have no control. All of computer, click the Wi-Fi symbol on the
and it’s what you click when you choose which would undo the good work you’ve taskbar, then the right half of the split
a specific network from the Windows done in securing your network and Wi-Fi button. Click ‘Hidden network’
taskbar or in the list of networks on devices. in the list of networks, then enter the
your phone or tablet. If you suspect your neighbour is SSID and password. If you’re using
However, this convenience is only a piggybacking your network, first hide Windows 10, click the Wi-Fi icon on the
good thing if you also use a strong your SSID by turning off the option to taskbar, followed by Hidden Network. To
password. If you use something that’s ‘broadcast’ this in the router’s browser- reconnect your smart devices, use their
easy to guess, like the name of a pet, based control panel (see screenshot associated apps on your phone.
anyone who knows a little about you and below).
Now, change the SSID to something Block unauthorised devices
you’ve not used before, and choose a new on your network
password. As the SSID is now hidden, Routers need to keep track of the devices
anyone who wants to connect will need – technically known as ‘clients’ – that
to already know both the network name connect to them, so they know where to
and your password, which effectively direct the data they receive. As such, they
doubles your security. can draw up a list of connections you can
It therefore makes sense to choose scan for any unfamiliar entries. After
something quite complex for the network logging into your router’s control panel,
Disable the option to broadcast your wireless name. Ideally, it shouldn’t be difficult for look for an option for DHCP client list,
network’s name you to remember, but it should be very attached devices or similar.

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JUST SO YOU KNOW…
This offer can be used by one person only, and expires at midnight
on 26 September, 2023. It’s a lifetime licence for one computer.

54 30
00 August
– 00 Month
– 12 September
2023 • Issue
2023
xxx• Issue 665
 STOP WI-FI
HACKERS
Your router monitors all the
devices it’s serving and lets you
block intruders Why not block an
IP address instead?
It’s often possible to
temporarily block a device The reason for blocking on the basis
from the client list, so, if you of a MAC address rather than an IP
spot something suspicious, address, which is the address given
block it, then make sure all to each device by the router, is that IP
of your computers, and smart addresses can change over time. So,
devices – such as video while an unauthorised device might be
doorbells, speakers and at 192.168.1.50 one day, it could be at
streaming sticks – still work. 192.168.1.44 the next.
If something no longer You therefore can’t actually ‘block’ an
functions as expected, it’s probably the if anything or anyone is snooping on IP address in this respect: you can only
device you blocked, so unblock it. your connection, all they will see is tell the router not to allocate it to any
To ban devices on a more permanent scrambled gobbledegook. device in the futur. This does nothing to
basis, it’s usually possible to block their You can also run a VPN on your tablet prevent interlopers from continuing to
MAC (Media Access Control) address , or phone but – because you’re not usually access your network using a different
rather than their IP address (see box, able to install software on them – you IP address.
right). The MAC address is a unique string won’t be able to use a VPN on a smart
of letters and numbers, organised in pairs, device such as a speaker with a built-in
that’s used to identify the networking voice assistant, a video doorbell or a
circuitry inside the device. So, while your smart camera.
computer will technically have a MAC Depending on your router, you may
address, it’s not assigned to your computer be able to get around this limitation by
so much as it is to its network card. signing up with a VPN provider and
Click a client in the list of attached entering your login credentials through
devices to see whether your router the router itself. This allows the router
reveals more details. If it does, and these to encrypt all of your internet traffic,
details include the MAC address, select whichever device it originates from and
and copy it. Next, look for an access saves you having to install VPN software
Turning off your Wi-Fi overnight protects all
control option and, if this reproduces the on every PC, tablet or phone on your your connected devices
list of clients you were just looking at, use network.
the tick boxes that it displays to block the Most of the best paid-for VPNs can There are several ways to do this. Two
unauthorised device. If you need to be installed on your router, including physical options are to switch off the
manually enter the MAC address of a ExpressVPN (www.snipca.com/47418, router at the wall, or use a timer plug.
device you want to block, paste in the pictured below left) and NordVPN However, we wouldn’t recommend
address you just copied. (www.snipca.com/47419). Free VPNs, regularly disconnecting your broadband.
which have limited bandwidth, don’t That’s because internet providers monitor
Hide your entire network generally offer this option. the connections between customers
behind a VPN If you do go down this route, obviously and their servers, and use a technology
One of the most effective ways to secure remember that when you’re not online called Dynamic Line Management – or
the data your PC sends over the internet via your home network, your traffic won’t DLM – to tweak each line’s individual
is to use a VPN. Any VPN tool running on be processed by the VPN, so it won’t be settings to maintain a stable connection.
your computer encrypts the data before encrypted. This is something to bear in If you regularly turn off the router, DLM
transmitting it, and doesn’t decrypt it mind if you use your tablet or phone might interpret this as instability on
until it reaches its destination. That way, during your commute, or connect to a the line and reduce the speed of your
coffee shop’s Wi-Fi from your laptop. connection in an effort to improve
overall performance.
Schedule your Wi-Fi to Turning off just the Wi-Fi while leaving
disconnect at night the router on and connected gets around
As well as hiding your router’s this problem while still allowing you to
SSID and changing your Wi-Fi shut down the network at night. If your
password, you can switch off your router supports this scheduling option,
network when it’s not needed. you’ll find it in the browser-based control
That way, any devices connected panel (see screenshot above).
to it will be immediately Be aware that some smart devices may
disconnected, and they’ll be safely try and call home in the small hours for
out of the reach of hackers. Plus, software updates, which they won’t be
your neighbours won’t be able to able to do if they don’t have a physical
Install ExpressVPN on your router to protect all your piggyback your connection while connection to your router (which will
connected devices you’re asleep. still work even when Wi-Fi is turned off).

Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 55

 SECURE YOUR SMART DEVICES
Update your smart
devices’ software
Smart TVs and voice assistants have
operating systems that let you interact
with them directly. Other smart devices,
including plugs, Wi-Fi-connected light
bulbs and security cameras, have what’s
known as firmware. This is software you
can’t interact with directly, but which is
used to manage and provide their core
1
services and functions.
Manufacturers update both operating
systems and firmware over time and
when vulnerabilities come to light, so
it’s important to ensure you’re always
running the most recent release on
every device. 2
In many cases, they will update
themselves – often overnight when not
in use – so all you need to do is check
that they’re up to date. You usually can
do this on your smart TV by going into
the About section of its settings and
selecting ‘Software update’ or similar Host smart devices on a guest network to keep them safe
(see screenshot below). For devices
without a screen, you can update the of devices on your network and, if just Stop snoopers watching
software through the associated app. one of them is vulnerable to attack, it your CCTV
If there’s no way to manually update a could provide a point of entry for hackers Security cameras can be the most
device and it’s not running the latest who want to steal data from your PC, or revealing of all smart devices if a hacker
software, check with the manufacturer as encrypt it and demand a ransom to gains access to them. Not only could
to why this might be. If they’ve stopped unlock it. the hacker be watching you going about
supporting a device, it’s time to think One of the most effective ways to mitigate your daily business, but they could also
about replacing it, because running this is to keep all your smart devices on a build up a detailed record of your
outdated firmware on one device can put separate network from your main computer. movements, so they know when the
other devices on your network at risk. That way, if one of them is compromised, house is likely to be empty.
your PC should remain out of reach. The usual advice about changing any
Isolate smart devices on In most cases, you won’t need to set up default passwords naturally applies here,
a guest network a second router to host a separate but if you also have the option of applying
From smart TVs and speakers to laptops network, as most routers – even those two-factor authentication (2FA) you should
and desktop PCs, you probably have lots supplied by ISPs – let you set up what’s enable it. 2FA keeps a record of authorised
known as a guest devices and, when an unfamiliar device
network. While this tries to connect, it requests a code, either
has access to the from a pre-authorised authenticator
internet, just like app, or by sending the code via a text
your regular network, message to a pre-registered phone
it’s isolated from your number for you to type in.
primary network. If the hacker doesn’t have access to
Enabling a guest your authenticator app and they have no
network is usually a way of accessing your messages, this will
one-click operation go a long way towards keeping their eyes
in the router’s off your camera feed.
browser-based
control panel ( 1 in Secure your smart doorbell data
our screenshot Uploading videos from your smart
above). If you also doorbell to online storage is convenient,
have an option to but it costs money and sends the data
allow guests to access outside your home, which is an obvious
your local network, security risk. If you prefer to keep the
make sure this is data local, choose a system that comes
Manually update the system software for your smart TV disabled 2 . with its own storage.

56 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 STOP WI-FI
HACKERS
Scan your Wi-Fi network for vulnerabilities
Securing your Wi-Fi using the advice
we’ve provided will protect your devices
against hackers, but it’s important
to check your network isn’t already
compromised. Annoyingly, our favourite
free network scanners, F-Secure Router
Checker and Bitdefender Home Scanner,
are now only available as part of the
companies’ paid-for security suites.
The best alternative we’ve found is
Fing Desktop (www.snipca.com/47422),
which scans your network for connected
devices and prompts you to confirm those vulnerabilities, you need to upgrade to
Store data from your smart doorbell locally
using the Blink Add-on you recognise. It also checks that your one of Fing’s paid-for versions. It recently
router is sufficiently protected against launched a new ‘intermediate’ price plan,
Amazon’s Blink Video Doorbell (www. attacks (see screenshot), by identifying Fing Starter, which costs £3 a month or
snipca.com/47400) and Blink cameras weak encryption. £25 a year (www.snipca.com/47423).
can save data to the company’s Blink For automatic network monitoring, For total peace of mind about your Wi-Fi
Add-On Sync Module 2 (www.snipca. security alerts and fixing of router security, that’s not bad value.
com/47401, pictured above), which costs
£30 when bought on its own but is
bundled with some multi-camera packs. profile’ menus.
This module has a USB port to which If you only want to delete one or two
you can attach a USB stick. We’re using a specific recordings, select them in the list
Sandisk Ultra Fit drive (www.snipca. and tap the ‘Delete recording’ button. If
com/47402) with ours because it’s about you want to delete everything, select All
the size of a thumbnail, so doesn’t History in the ‘Filter by date’ menu, then
protrude far when plugged in. tap ‘Delete all of my recordings’.
The bonus of saving video locally is not To save time, you can enable this
only that it doesn’t leave our home, but feature by voice. Return to the Alexa
we also don’t need to pay an ongoing Privacy screen and tap Manage Your
subscription for cloud storage. Alexa Data. Switch on ‘Enable deletion by
voice’ (see screenshot right) and you can
Stop your smart speaker use commands such as: ‘Alexa, delete
saving your voice everything I said today’.
Smart speakers are listening all the time. You can also decide how long Alexa
If they weren’t, they wouldn’t be able to should keep recordings. Tap ‘Choose how
detect their ‘wake word’. However, you long to save recordings’ and select one of
can check what your speaker has heard, the options, which range from keeping
and limit what it records. them until you manually delete them to
If you have an Echo device, open the not saving recordings at all.
Alexa app on your phone and tap More If you have a smart speaker with
followed by Settings. Select ‘Alexa Google Assistant built in, voice-activated
Privacy’, then Review Voice History. By deletion is already enabled. Say “Hey,
default, the app will show you all the Google, delete today’s activity” to delete Set up your Echo speaker to delete recordings
with a spoken command.
audio captured over the previous 24 what you’ve said in the last 24 hours.
hours, but you can change this by tapping Change this to ‘this week’s activity’ to recordings by visiting the Google
Displaying, then choosing options from wipe the previous seven days. Assistant activity page in your browser
the ‘Filter by date’ and ‘Filter by device or You can also browse and delete your (www.snipca.com/47399).

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Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 57

 Get FREE
CONTENT
before it
VANISHES
The Internet Archive is in legal trouble that threatens the
future of the brilliant free resource. Robert Irvine explains
what to grab from the site while you still can

Music from old 78rpm records songs released between 1947 Download crackly old 78rpm
On 11 August, the Internet Archive and 1956 are copyrighted for records in MP3 format
(https://archive.org) was sued by a group 110 years. More pertinently,
of US record labels, including UMG the labels believe the project Group, Penguin Random
Recordings, Capitol Records, Sony Music deprives them of potential House and HarperCollins,
Entertainment and Arista Music, over its revenue they could earn over its ebook-lending library.
Great 78 Project (www.snipca.com/47404). through their recordings on The plaintiffs argued that
This is an amazing collection of more streaming services such as the library was illegal and
than 440,000 digitised and restored Spotify and Apple Music. not protected by the doctrine
versions of old 78rpm records (see The Internet Archive responded to the of ‘fair use’, so the Internet Archive has
screenshot below), made between 1898 lawsuit, which could cost it more than agreed to stop distributing the publishers’
and 1953. Converted from shellac with $400 million, by saying: “When people books while it works on an appeal.
the help of archival audio company want to listen to music, they go to Spotify. The site says the court injunction does
George Blood LP, the recordings include When people want to study sound not affect its lending of out-of-print
songs by Frank Sinatra, Billie Holliday, recordings as they were originally books and that it “will still make millions
Louis Armstrong (as pictured above right), created, they go to libraries like the of public domain texts available to the
Bing Crosby and Nat King Cole, and were Internet Archive. Both are needed.” public without restriction” (see www.
all believed to be in the public domain. While the site reviews the legal snipca.com/47396). However, it’s likely
Sadly, the record companies disagree challenge, the Great 78 Project remains that closer scrutiny will now be paid to
and claim the Great 78 Project violates available, which means you can still the titles hosted in its Books section
the US Copyright Act and Music freely download songs from its “digital (www.snipca.com/47397), both by the
Modernization Act (www.snipca. collection of scratchy 78 RPM records”. Internet Archive itself and publishers’
com/47414), which states that music The court case cites around 2,700 legal teams.
recorded between 1923 and 1946 is recordings, but that leaves hundreds of There are currently more than
protected by copyright for 95 years, and thousands of others to explore. 3.2 million books you can download for
Find a track you want (from before free – tick ‘Always Available’ on the left
1928 if you’re worried about breaching (see screenshot above right) to browse
the 95-year copyright law), click the VBR them. All these titles are out-of-copyright
MP3 menu in the Download Options (or at least supposed to be) and though
section and select a file. Right-click the many are obscure there are plenty of
media player and choose ‘Save audio as’ delights to be found. These include
to download the recording in MP3 format. Arthur Conan Doyle’s Adventures of
Sherlock Holmes (1892), L Frank Baum’s
Ebooks and old magazines The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) and
Adding to its legal woes, in August the Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein (1818),
The Internet Archive’s Great 78 Project is Internet Archive lost a lawsuit with US which are available in various formats
being sued by US record companies publishers including Hachette Book including EPUB, PDF and MOBI.

60 13 - 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

The Internet Archive now only lets you 6,000 films have been removed from the The Archive has a huge collection of software
download out-of-copyright books Archive since we last visited and classic games

The Internet Archive’s Magazine Rack 16,500 to 10,381 since we last visited see whether they’re in the public domain
collection of digitised magazines (www. (see screenshot above), and there are or are covered by a Creative Commons
snipca.com/47398) has significantly now fewer episodes of recent licence that allows them to be freely
slimmed down, presumably TV series. distributed. Some content is also regarded
because of copyright concerns The Internet Archive’s as ‘fair use’, such as educational films
You can still download lots Rights page (www.snipca. or extracts from longer works.
of vintage titles for free, com/47408) states that if it is To download videos, click the H.264
including British computer “made aware of content that link in the side panel to view the content
magazines from the 1980s infringes someone’s copyright, in a small media player, then right-click it
(such as Atari User, pictured we will remove it”, but with and choose ‘Save video as’ (see screenshot
right) and issues of Time and so many uploads to review, below left) to download it as an MP4 file.
National Geographic, but far it’s understandable that it
fewer recent publications. hasn’t yet identified all such Old software and games
You can still download content. Indeed, there are The Internet Archive has the largest
Old films and TV shows 1980s computing titles in the 1970s and 1980s collection of vintage software and games
In our ‘Download TV & music magazines like Classic TV section – including in the world, with millions of items to
Atari User
for free’ Cover Feature in Issue US detective and British explore. Notable sections include the
654 (get it from www.snipca.com/47082), sci-fi series – whose time on the site is CD-ROM Software Collection (www.
we recommended the Internet Archive’s surely limited. snipca.com/47410), which gathers cover
huge collections of movies (www.snipca. As such, to ensure you don’t download discs from old computing magazines;
com/47405) and classic TV (www.snipca. copyrighted material, you should check Classic PC Games (www.snipca.
com/47406). We also mentioned that the usage rights for films and shows to com/47411, pictured above), which
while much of the content comes from features old games for Windows and
official sources, and is in the public MS-DOS; and individual libraries for ZX
domain, some has been uploaded by Spectrum, Amiga, Amstrad and many
users and may still be protected by other computers and consoles.
copyright law. You can play many of the games and try
Following its recent lawsuits, it appears certain programs in your browser using
the site has started to address this the Internet Archive’s built-in emulator,
problem, by removing films and shows but they aren’t
that shouldn’t be freely available to usually available
download. The number of titles in its to download – and
Feature Films section (www.snipca. Download videos by right-clicking the media wouldn’t work in
com/47407) has reduced from over player and clicking ‘Save video as’ Windows 10 or 11
if they were.
However, there are
Can the Internet Archive survive its lawsuits? some exceptions, Download remakes of
including remakes games like Ghostbusters
Launched in 1996, the Internet Archive Regrettably, the site stands a fair chance of popular games such as Ghostbusters
has always been a non-profit organisation of losing these legal battles by offering (www.snipca.com/47412, pictured above),
that receives most of its material and copyrighted content for free. Even if it old Windows desktop themes (www.
funding from donations. None of the removes the offending material and pays snipca.com/47413) and freely distributed
companies that have sued the site claim compensation, there are likely to be further demos.
that it’s profiting from its vast digital challenges that it may not be able to afford The software and games collections
library, but by making its content freely to settle. One suggestion is that the US haven’t yet been targeted by lawyers, but
available to the public, they insist the Library of Congress, which already companies such as Nintendo are notoriously
Internet Archive is depriving the creators contributes content to the archive, could protective of their intellectual property so
and publishers of equitable remuneration buy the site outright. By making it an there’s no guarantee they won’t be
and undermining the value of their work official government body, it would be better challenged in future. It’s definitely worth
(even though most are long dead). protected against opportunistic lawyers. delving into the archives now, in case
they do disappear.

Issue 666 • 13 - 26 September 2023 61

 Downgrade
your free
software
If you don’t like – or can’t use – the latest
version of a favourite program, revert it to
a previous release. Robert Irvine reveals
five free tools you can safely roll back

N
ewer isn’t always better when Last year, this popular free video
it comes to downloading converter was completely
free software. Developers redesigned, with its developer
sometimes make unwanted Anvsoft describing the updated
changes to their programs, which version – Any Video Converter 8 –
frustrate many users and leave them as a “brand new program”. Sadly,
pining for the previous versions. several useful features were
Such updates can include removing dropped in the redesign, including
useful features, imposing restrictions on options for ripping tracks from
how you use the software and dropping audio CDs and burning videos to
support for older hardware. Although DVDs. “When something is not
we frequently stress the importance broken, you don’t fix it” posted
Avoid paying to remove watermarks by using Icecream
of keeping PC programs up-to-date, one disgruntled user on Anvsoft’s Video Converter 1.25 and blocking automatic updates
there are times when it’s preferable to Facebook page (www.snipca.
‘downgrade’ them to the last good com/47354). “I hate everything about it,” video converter that recently took a turn
compatible versions – provided you can commented another. for the worse. Shortly after we published
continue to use them safely. The good news is that – perhaps to a workshop about the program (see Issue
Here we pick five tools that were calm the backlash – Anvsoft still lets you 660, page 38), the developer updated it
updated for the worse and explain how to download the old version of Any Video with ‘licensing changes’, which means all
restore them to their former glory. Converter (7.1.7) from its website for free. videos you convert now bear a large
This includes the ripping and burning watermark of the company logo. This
Any Video Converter Free tools (see screenshot below left) and “effectively renders videos unwatchable”,
Current version: support for more audio and video formats according to a reader who alerted us to
www.snipca.com/47352 than the revamped program, and it works the problem, especially because the only
Old version: www.snipca.com/47431 a lot faster. It lacks new options such as way to remove the watermark is to pay
the Screen Recorder, GIF Maker and £20 per year – or a one-off fee of £40 –
Speed Changer, but it’s better at converting for the Pro edition.
videos, which is what made the software Unlike Anvsoft, Icecream doesn’t let
so popular in the first place. Hopefully, you download old versions of its software,
Anvsoft will keep the old version available which means you’re stuck with the latest
for the foreseeable future. release – 1.32 at the time of writing.
However, you can get Icecream Video
Icecream Video Converter Converter 1.25 from FileHippo at the ‘Old
Current version: version’ link on the left. This was released
www.snipca.com/47355 five months before licensing changes
Download the old version of Any Video Old version: www.snipca.com/47357 imposed a watermark on videos, but
Converter to burn your videos to DVD Icecream Video Converter is another free otherwise works perfectly.

62 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 Although it lacks the handy ‘convert by
device’ feature that Icecream introduced Software you
in a later version, it at least saves you should never
having to pay to remove the company’s
logo from your videos. Make sure you
downgrade
click the Settings cog and disable the option One obvious example of a tool that
to ‘Check for updates automatically’ (see needs downgrading is CCleaner,
screenshot below left). which has been bundled with junk and
saddled with paid-for-only options
Calibre since Avast bought its developer
Current version: Piriform in 2017. Although older
You can still download 32bit versions of
www.snipca.com/47361 Acrobat Reader from Adobe’s website versions of CCleaner are available
Old version: www.snipca.com/47363 from OldVersion.com (www.snipca.
Calibre is an excellent free program for Acrobat Reader dropped support for com/47386), including one of the
reading and managing ebooks on your 32bit Windows PCs in both its free and last good versions from 2016 (v5.14),
PC. It lets you easily convert ebooks from paid-for editions. This means the they won’t run in Windows 10 and 11
one format to another, edit their contents, company will no longer provide features (see screenshot). Moreover, giving
download articles from various online and security updates for Adobe Reader on an outdated program access to your
sources, and much more. However, when those systems and instead recommends sensitive files and internet history is a
Calibre was updated to version 6 last that you upgrade to a 64bit version of major privacy and security hazard.
summer, it dropped support for 32bit Windows, and “reinstall everything else Similarly, web browsers are a
computers and those running Windows you had on your device”. prime target for hackers and regularly
8.1 (Windows 7 support ended in an Alternatively, you can download an updated to fix security flaws, so
earlier version). This is because Calibre is older version of Adobe Reader that does downgrading Chrome, Firefox or Edge
based on an open-source software support 32bit Windows. Visit the link to an older version isn’t a wise idea.
framework called Qt, which no longer below left and click the ‘More download It may fix performance problems and
supports 32bit processors or Windows 7 options’ link below the blue Download remove unwanted new features, but
or 8 systems. button. Select your operating system and Google, Mozilla and Microsoft usually
language, choose the 32bit version – the – eventually – address these issues
one that isn’t labelled as 64-bit – and themselves.
click ‘Download Acrobat Reader’ (see It’s also essential to have the latest
screenshot above). This will be the most versions of antivirus software and other
recent release before 32bit support ended, security tools, to ensure they provide
but if you’re worried about security, you optimum protection of your computer.
should only use the program offline.

Sketchup
Current version:
www.snipca.com/47368
Safely use an old version of Calibre on a 32bit Old version: www.snipca.com/47369
PC running Windows 7 or 8.1 Google has a habit of abandoning
popular tools, including Picasa, Google
Happily, Calibre’s website provides Reader and Hangouts – visit the Google
download links for all previous versions Graveyard (www.snipca.com/47372)
of its software. In fact, it explicitly for further examples. But its free
suggests that Windows 8 users visit the 3D-modelling software SketchUp earned trouble with Trimble is that the free
‘Old version’ link above, where you’ll find a reprieve when it was bought by a version of SketchUp is now an online-
32bit and 64bit installers for Calibre 5.44 company called Trimble in 2012. The only tool, and the PC program costs £95.
(originally released in 2021). Fortunately, you can still download the
If you’re still using Windows 7 on an original Google SketchUp without paying
old PC, you should download Calibre a penny. OldVersion.com has several free
3.48 from www.snipca.com/47364. These editions of the program from before it
old releases are safe to use and you can was sold (version 8.0 and above), which
downgrade without losing your ebooks work fine in Windows 10 and 11, despite
and settings – just click Cancel when predating those operating systems.
prompted to install the latest update (see Simply install the software, click ‘Start
screenshot above). using SketchUp’ (see screenshot left) and
select a template to begin your 3D model.
Adobe Acrobat Reader You won’t be able to download extra
Current version: items from Google’s 3D Warehouse,
www.snipca.com/47365 because it no longer exists, but there are
Old version: As above Download Google’s 3D-modelling software lots of built-in options and elements to
In January this year, Adobe’s PDF tool SketchUp without having to pay play around with.

Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 63

 Problems Solved
Our experts solve all your tech problems

PROBLEM OF THE FORTNIGHT

Why is my new monitor mute?

I have an Iiyama ProLite
Q E2208HD PL2201 monitor,
which was working fine with
my computer. Both devices are quite a
few years old. I have just bought an HP
computer running Windows 11 and
had to buy a new connecting lead,
because the terminations were
different. The monitor works well with
the new computer but there's no
sound. Does this mean I will have to
buy a new display?
Harry Smith

First, we’re certain that you

A won’t have to buy a new
display – so don’t worry. But
HDMI-to-DVI-D cables won’t carry audio
signals to your monitor
you will need to work through a few
things to figure out why your old Instead, to pipe sound to its pair of pictured below).
monitor is not emitting audio. built-in speakers, your ProLite monitor If you do have this cable connected,
You didn’t tell us which connection needs a standard 3.5mm audio-input or attach a new one, but there’s still no
you used before – or are using now jack. This connects via a standard sound, then clearly something else is
– but the manual for your monitor tells 3.5mm-to-3.5mm stereo cable to the causing the problem.
us that it has both VGA (sometimes corresponding socket on your PC, be it a First, in Windows 11, right-click the
called D-Sub, because of the connector desktop PC or laptop. As the monitor has little speaker icon in the notification
shape) and DVI-D inputs. Unlike the no other way of receiving audio signals, area, at the far right of the taskbar,
more modern HDMI standard, neither you must have had such a cable as part of then choose ‘Sound settings’. Next,
of these cable types is capable of your old setup. Perhaps you didn’t realise, under the Output heading, click to
carrying audio signals. or simply don’t remember? If you can’t choose the relevant output (your new
We suspect you’ve bought an find the old cord, then you can pick up a computer’s 3.5mm output might be
HDMI-to-DVI-D cable (pictured above new one fairly cheaply (they’re around labelled Headphones, for example).
right) to connect your modern £6 from Amazon, www.snipca.com/47151, While you’re on this page, check also
computer’s HDMI port to the monitor’s that the Volume slider is set to more
older DVI-D cable (as opposed to than zero or otherwise isn’t muted
the even more ancient VGA (marked by a small X next to the speaker
socket). As it has HDMI icon) – and adjust this if necessary.
on one end it’s possible If there’s still no sound from your
that you assumed it monitor’s speakers, then check its own
would carry audio audio settings. You’ll find the full
signals along with This 3.5mm-to-3.5mm instructions in the manual, at www.
the video, but it stereo cable from Amazon snipca.com/47159, but the brief
won’t – because the can carry audio to an old version is to press the Monitor’s
monitor
DVI-D standard Enter button to open the on-screen
doesn’t support audio. menu, before using the arrow buttons
to navigate to Audio. There, you can
use the arrow buttons and Enter
button to move between adjusting the
volume and
selecting or
deselecting Mute.

64 13 - 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

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

What are these 1 2

inaccessible folders
in File Explorer?
I’ve at last made the switch from
Q Windows 7 to Windows 11. I’ve
managed to get most things
sorted, but one issue has me stumped. I
Blue marks on folders represent so-called
set up Windows 11 with my Microsoft 365 ‘reparse points’ which redirect searches for
account. In File Explorer, under my items in new versions of Windows
username, I can see several folder icons
with a blue mark (see screenshot 1 ). For example, information that was
They look as though they should belong once stored in the Application Data folder
to me, but I can’t open them – and see is now placed in a folder called Roaming,
an ‘Access is denied’ message if I try. The which in Windows 10 and 11 is a subfolder
folders include Application Data, Local within AppData. But older items you might
Settings and Templates. What do you use are set to look for the Application To hide ‘reparse points’ tick this option in the
Folder Options box
think might have happened, and is there Data folder, so the reparse point acts as a
anything I can do about it? redirect to the new location. The same because you have a particular option in
David Hobbs will be true for all the others: Windows 11 File Explorer disabled.
knows that something installed on your If you’d prefer to keep them out of sight
What you’re seeing are known system wants to look in a location that and out of mind, in File Explorer, first
A technically as ‘reparse points’.
This is Microsoft jargon for a
has moved, so it sets up reparse points
accordingly.
select the View tab at the top. Next, click
the Options button and, in the Folder
series of digital signposts that tell older It’s technically possible to adjust access Options box that appears, choose the
programs and services where to find stuff permissions to regain manual control View tab. Then, under the ‘Advanced
in newer versions of the operating system over reparse points, but it’s easier to let settings’ heading, scroll down and tick
– because the company has moved things Windows 11 manage them on your behalf. the option labelled ‘Hide protected
around since the days of Windows XP, Indeed, it is for this reason that they’re operating system files (Recommended)’
Vista and 7. normally hidden. You’re seeing them only (see screenshot 2 ), then click OK.

Can I install Windows 95?

I plan to buy a new computer Create a Windows 95
Q shortly, and I’d like to install
Windows 95 on the old one
installation CD-ROM from a
downloaded ISO file

(and of course keep it offline) – I’d then Windows 95. To remain

be able to play all my old games for a strictly legal you’d need to
bit of nostalgia. However, I don’t have a acquire a legitimate copy
Windows 95 disc, and I’m not sure how or valid license from the
to go about it. Can you help? likes of eBay (www.ebay.
Mike Sutherland co.uk). There are plenty
available and tend to go
Your outgoing PC is ‘old’ but for just a few pounds.
A we imagine it’s still much
more modern than Windows
Alternatively, Windows 95
ISO files and working
95, which was released nearly 30 years product keys are pretty
ago. As such, it’s possible that Windows easy to find online, but
95 might be incompatible with more this is very much at your own risk. Finally, insert the newly created
‘modern’ hardware aspects of your old To create an installation CD-ROM from Windows 95 disc into your old
computer. But we cannot know for a downloaded ISO file, right-click the file, computer’s drive, boot it up and then
sure, so we’ll move on from that concern. choose ‘Burn disc image’ (see screenshot) follow the operating system’s
Microsoft no longer sells or licenses and then follow the prompts. installation instructions.

Issue 666 • 13 - 26 September 2023 65

 Problems Solved
How do I make QR codes?
Could my
2
Facebook
I read Alan Thomas’s question in
Q Issue 664 (page 69), about the

account be differences between QR codes.

He mentioned that he makes them in
hacked? LibreOffice and Edge. I had no idea this
was possible in either program. Could
I bought a new tablet but it you tell me how to do this? I mainly use
Q quickly died, so I returned it
to Amazon for a refund. My
Edge, incidentally.
Clarence Mason
In LibreOffice click this option to create a QR
problem is I had just set up a new code that directs to a particular website
Facebook account on it, but didn't Sure – we’ll explain how to do
log out. Should I close down the
account and start again, or is it likely
A it in both tools. First, in Edge,
visit the website for which you’d
3

the tablet will be ditched and no like to create a QR code. Next, at the top –
information taken from it? on the right-hand side of the address
Alison Summers bar – click the little QR-code icon (see
screenshot 1 ). That’s all there is to it.
The tablet will likely be However, once you’ve clicked you can
A wiped and sold via Amazon
Renewed as a refurbished
additionally click the Download button
to save an image file of the code (in PNG
product. The chances of anyone at format) to your Downloads folder.
Amazon’s processing centre having In LibreOffice the process is slightly Apply your QR code’s error-correction level,
which helps keep it effective if damaged
(or taking) the time to switch it on more complicated, but also comes with
and try all the apps to see what extra features to fine-tune the look of like converted into a QR code. Then,
someone might have left logged in your QR code. First, open the Insert use the options below 3 to tweak the
are slim – but obviously not menu, then hover over OLE Object before error-correction level and margin around
impossible. clicking ‘QR and Barcode’ 2 . Next, in the the code – both of which affect how the
We’d advise changing your Facebook URL/Text box type (or paste) your final QR code looks and its reliability –
password and forcing the old device website address, or other content you’d then click OK.
to log out. To do both of these things,
first visit www.facebook.com/
1
settings. Next, click ‘Password and
security’ followed again by ‘Password
and security’.
The ‘Change password’ option is
at the top, under ‘Login & recovery’.
Then, under ‘Security checks’,
click ‘Where you’re logged in’ (see
screenshot below), then click your
account name. Now click the relevant
device name followed by the ‘Log
out’ button.

Create and download a QR code in Edge by clicking these two options

Q: Why won’t my AirTag work with

Duracell batteries?
A: Issue 645, page 64 – find it on
our 2022 Back Issue CD
Force a device to log out of Facebook Buy it from
remotely via the website’s settings www.snipca.com/44660

66 13 - 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 Will an SSD M.2 upgrade be a straight swap? 1

I’m thinking about upgrading The Corsair MP600

Q the storage in my Honor
MagicBook Pro 16 laptop,
SSD (1) comes
encased in a
heatsink that can be
which I bought after reading your easily removed (2)
review a couple of years ago – it’s been
a great buy. I’ve been looking at a 2
Corsair 2TB SSD, listed in your Buy It heatsink can be
section (see page 33). Would it be a easily removed
straight swap? It looks rather thick in (as pictured 2 ),
the pictures. Also, what’s the best way following
to transfer my data over? Can I put the Corsair’s own
new drive in a caddy and clone it using guide at
Macrium Reflect? Thanks for an honest www.snipca.
and reliable magazine! com/47152. It
Jim Kerr would then fit
in your laptop.
There are several aspects to However, without
A cover here. First, the Corsair
MP600 Pro drive (pictured 1 )
the heatsink, its
performance
you have in mind is a standard 2280 might sometimes be throttled – meaning 3
M.2 SSD – meaning it measures it would sometimes run a bit slower than
22x80mm, and should fit any standard its maximum potential. Would you notice
2280 M.2 slot. Your MagicBook Pro’s in everyday use? Almost certainly not.
factory-fitted M.2 storage sits in a 2280 Finally, yes, you can clone the
slot. However, the MP600 Pro comes existing drive using a caddy (or USB
encased in a ‘heat spreader’ (or heatsink). adapter) in conjunction with a tool like
This is specifically designed to keep the Macrium Reflect. That program is no
drive cool and ensure maximum longer free, incidentally, so if you don’t
performance in a PlayStation 5 games already have it we’d instead suggest the
console or a desktop PC. free edition of HDClone X.4 (www.
Contained in this heatsink the snipca.com/47153). The pictured Orico
MP600 Pro will not fit in your laptop, M.2 USB-C enclosure 3 costs around £17 The Orico M.2 USB-C caddy is a great way
nor many others. However, the (www.snipca.com/47154). to transfer data from one drive to another

Is my broadband Throttling is a real thing,

being throttled? A applied according to diverse

criteria by plenty of internet
service providers. The fundamental
I have a broadband and phone reasoning is that if a particular
Q package with Plusnet, which
gives me download speeds of
broadband line is deemed to be
downloading too much, too often,
about 37Mbps. Recently, I had a problem this can impact the speeds of other
with the speed dropping to 22Mbps and nearby users – because they share
this was constant for about a fortnight. the bandwidth of the same
Plusnet sent an Openreach engineer, ‘backbone’ connections.
who did some token fiddling with So, was Plusnet throttling your
various connections, but said he could connection? The company states
find no fault. However, the speed was that it no longer applies ‘traffic
then back up to 37Mbps. He seemed to prioritisation’, as it calls it (www.
think the speed may have been throttled snipca.com/47155, see screenshot). Plusnet claims that it no longer throttles customers’
broadband speeds
but when I asked by whom, he was a bit This suggests that it has in the past,
vague, saying it was an “engineer thing”. so we suppose it’s possible. However, if it Probably, then, this improvement was
Is this a ‘conspiratorial’ thing? Can you regularly applied throttling, it clearly just a coincidence. Or, as likely, the
explain the theory of throttling? Who would have known – and we find it engineer’s fiddling did actually fix
does it and why? unlikely it would have gone to the whatever minor technical or physical
Neil Howells expense of sending out an engineer. glitch was slowing your connection.

Issue 666 • 13 - 26 September 2023 67

 Problems Solved
Can we access a deceased colleague’s Apple account?
Sadly, someone who was
Q responsible for keeping a lot of
important information relating
Apple’s online store locator, below
to a charity on their MacBook died – just type your location to find the
recently. We now need access to this, but nearest Apple store
we don’t know the machine’s password.
Obviously, this was a management error
and the relevant passwords should have
been securely locked away in a safe place.
We do have access to the person’s family,
their MacBook, the Power of Attorney
holder and the death certificate. This kind
of thing must occur quite frequently, but
is there a defined procedure?
Apple’s online advice on accessing
Brian Dove the account of a deceased person,
above
We’re sorry for your colleague’s
A loss. There’s no single procedure
but that’s because every then that would give you access
situation is different. However, you to the laptop too. machine and the relevant documentation
certainly have everything Apple might Apple offers an outline of its processes – and you’ll probably find they’ll be able
demand to authorise access to the at www.snipca.com/47156, pictured to help you there and then. Use the
deceased’s Apple ID and enable a above. However, in the first instance, if company’s store locator, at www.snipca.
password reset. If that Apple ID was also you have a nearby Apple store then we’d com/47157, pictured above, then book
used to access the MacBook, as is likely, recommend dropping in with both the an appointment at the Genius Bar.

Will DuckDuckGo
run on my 4GB
laptop ?
I’ve used Firefox as my
Q browser for many years,
and really like it. However, I
liked your recent recommendation on
DuckDuckGo, as it sounds a very
private browser. I already use
DuckDuckGo as my search engine
in Firefox. I also use DuckDuckGo
Email Protection, to evade spam.
With this in mind, would it be
worth my while downloading the
DuckDuckGo browser? I have only
4GB of memory on my laptop. Does
the DuckDuckGo browser take up a lot
of memory?
Marek Wesolowski
Task Manager shows that DuckDuckGo is using a few hundred megabytes of memory
Clearly, you’re already
A receiving some protection
through your use of other
com/47335) – and we’d certainly advise
giving it a try.
Manager shows us that a fresh install
of DuckDuckGo’s browser with a
DuckDuckGo products. Don’t worry too much about the single tab open uses a few hundred
The browser takes things to the next memory side of things because, if megabytes (see screenshot above),
level, as explored in detail in Issue 662’s your laptop runs Firefox, then it’ll run which is just a small fraction of your
Cover Feature (buy it from www.snipca. DuckDuckGo just as smoothly. Task laptop’s 4GB complement.

68 13 - 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

 ?? WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN...
Labels and folders?
I use Gmail, and have done for
Q many years – though, as a
retired person, email is very
much an occasional thing for me. In
the past I remember you saying that
Gmail doesn’t use folders, but labels. .
Is that right? I’ve recently got my first
smartphone, an iPhone. Having set
that up to synchronise with Gmail, I
can see all my messages in the Mail app. In Gmail, click the Labels tab and then ‘Create …then, under ‘Please enter a new label
However, it looks to me like there are a new’ to set up your own label… name’, give it a title and click ‘Create’
whole bunch of folders, including
Inbox, Drafts and Sent, among others. though, Gmail assigns every message at programs – including Mail on your
That makes me wonder if what you’ve least one label. So, when you click Inbox iPhone – treat Gmail’s labels as
said is correct? If so, what’s the difference in the Gmail interface on the web, what ‘folders’. However, as explained above,
between labels and folders anyway? you’re actually viewing is a list of a message you view in the Inbox folder
Leonard Abbott messages that Gmail has labelled ‘Inbox’. in iPhone Mail might well be the exact
However, Gmail allows messages to be same message you view in the Important
This is a bit of an old chestnut assigned more than one label. So, a single folder. With other email services,
A but it’s a good question, as the
difference isn’t obvious.
email could be labelled as both ‘Inbox’
and ‘Important’, say – you’d see the exact
messages exist in distinct folders. So,
the only way you’d see the exact same
The first thing to understand is that, same message if you clicked on either message in two folders is if you copied
conceptually, Gmail is actually just one link in Gmail on the web. You can apply it to a second folder. With Gmail, you’re
big container for each and every your own labels by clicking the Labels viewing the exact same digital message
message you’ve ever sent or received. button and then ticking the relevant – just via a different label.
You can see that big container by labels (or set up new ones by clicking Want to know the difference between
clicking the All Mail link in Gmail on ‘Create new’, see screenshots above). technical terms? Email noproblem@
the web. For organisational purposes, For practical reasons, many email computeractive.co.uk

When is the 2G network switch-off?

I’ve loved your magazine for latest. As you know, the 3G switch-off is
Q years and I always buy a copy
every two weeks. My 92-year-
already underway, but the 2G closure isn’t
expected to begin before the “latter half
old mum has an old-style phone that of this decade”. In other words, your
she’s been using since 2006, and I am mum’s existing phone is likely to be able
loath to change things because she can to connect to a UK 2G network for at least
use this phone so easily. Specifically, it’s a the next couple of years, and probably a
Nokia 1100 on Vodafone’s GSM 1800 year or two beyond.
network. I have searched around a bit
and I can’t quite work out if GSM 1800 is Ofcom’s webpage explains that 2G and 3G
networks won’t continue beyond 2033 ON SALE
exactly the same as 2G or not? You recently
reported about the closure of 3G services of your question, yes, the UK’s 1800MHz Next Issue Weds
27 Sep
but seemed to suggest that 2G will networks can be considered 2G. And no,
continue. Is this the case? If so, for how your mum’s mobile phone connection • What’s going on with my
long? I plan to change her over to a Dora won’t be affected by the 3G switch-off – iPad updates?
5860 phone eventually. I hope this will be but a switch-off of the UK’s remaining 2G •H
 ow do I change my Gmail
so similar to her old phone that she will networks is on the way. address?
find it fairly easy to make the switch. Ofcom has published an explainer •W
 here are my pinned
Jonathan Hare document at www.snipca.com/47158, items? ...And many more
pictured above. This outlines that it expects
The meanings of these labels the UK’s mobile network operators (or Subscribe to Computeractive at
A have always been a bit
ambiguous but, for the purposes
MNOs, in the industry jargon) to switch
off all 3G and 2G networks by 2033 at the
www.getcomputeractive.co.uk

Issue 666 • 13 - 26 September 2023 69

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Email [email protected] and we’ll do our best to help

Can new homeowners reverse Is it legal to give CDs to charity

blurring on Street View? shops after copying them?
In your article on redacting While reading Robert Irvine’s
Q personal data (Issue 664, page
60) you state that blurring
Q ‘Easy When You Know
How’ article on copying old
your house on Google Street View is audio CDs to his phone (Issue 664, page
‘irreversible and cannot be undone’. 74), I noticed that he intended to dispose
Does that mean that if I blur my house of his CDs by giving them to a charity
and subsequently move, the new owner shop after copying them. Unless the law
can’t reverse the blurring? has changed, I can remember reading
Michael Chappell that it would be unlawful to get rid of Use Bitwarden’s web vault to import
CDs like that, after copying their passwords from your browser
Yes, once a house is blurred on contents. Is this still the case?
A Google Street View the decision
can’t be reversed, even if the
Susan Platter and choose ‘Export passwords’. Click the
‘Export passwords’ button, enter your
property changes ownership. This is Yes, you are correct that any Windows password if prompted and save
because Google deletes the original
image for privacy reasons, and applies
A copies you make of audio CDs
you own must be kept with the
your Edge passwords as a CSV file.
Next, log into your Bitwarden web
the blur to all future Street View imagery original discs. Selling or donating the vault at https://vault.bitwarden.com.
of the property. latter – even to friends – is illegal unless Click Tools in the top navigation bar
The problem has been highlighted you delete the copies you created, because and choose ‘Import data’. Select ‘My
several times on the Google Maps support you will no longer own the original CDs. vault’ in the ‘Import destination’
site – for example, in this discussion from Robert realised his mistake after we dropdown menu and ‘Chrome (csv)’ in
last year: www.snipca.com/47388 – but went to press, but fortunately before he the ‘File format’ menu (there isn’t an
Google has yet to introduce an option visited the charity shop. Apologies for any option for Edge, but both browsers use
that lets you request the ‘unblurring’ of confusion caused. Chromium code). Click ‘Choose File’,
your home. Some people have even had browse to the Edge passwords CSV file
their houses blurred by pranksters How do I import passwords you exported and click ‘Import data’
without their permission. into Bitwarden? (see screenshot above).
Google does reiterate that ‘once I followed Keumars Afifi-Sabet’s Once the passwords are imported into
we apply blurring to an image it is
permanent’ (see screenshot below). But
Q advice in Issue 663 (page 21)
and downloaded the password
your web vault, they’ll also appear in the
Bitwarden desktop program.
we still think there should be a way for manager Bitwarden (https://bitwarden.
new homeowners (and prank victims) to com). However, I can’t find the option Why can’t I download FixWin 11?
get their properties unblurred. to import my existing passwords from I visited the link at www.snipca.
Microsoft Edge or any other browser.
Can you tell me how to do this?
Q com/47106 to download FixWin
11, as you recommended in Issue
Robin Window 664 (page 18), but it actually downloads
something called Fortect, which isn’t
To import passwords from free. Do you know why?
A your browser into Bitwarden,
you need to use the password
Ian Fairclough

manager’s web vault rather than its We checked the download page
desktop program. You also need to
export your browser’s stored passwords
A for FixWin 11 and think you
clicked a link for a different
as a CSV file. program, which is indeed called Fortect.
To do this in Microsoft Edge, click the The ‘Download File’ button for FixWin 11
three-dot menu and choose Settings, is further down the page, below the
Once a house is blurred on Google Street then Profiles. Select ‘Passwords’, click the section titled ‘Is the FixWin Windows
View, the blur cannot be undone three-dot button above your saved passwords Repair tool free?’.

Issue 666 • 13 – 26 September 2023 71

 Jargon Buster
2G Second-generation cellular Chatbot A computer program Favicon A small icon for a IP rating Ingress Protection rating.
network. designed to recreate conversation website, usually appearing in the How well a device is protected
with human users, especially over address and bookmark bars of a against dust and water.
3G/4G A set of technologies that the internet. Typically used to offer browser.
delivers faster mobile broadband. automated customer support. IPS A screen technology. Provides
File path Shows the location of a wider viewing angles and better,
32bit/64bit A measure of how Clock speed The speed at which a file within Windows. more accurate colours.
much data a PC can process at PC processor can perform operations.
once. Most older computers are Measured in Gigahertz (GHz). Firewall A piece of software or ISO file A type of image file that
32bit, more modern ones are 64bit. hardware that prevents contains all the data from a CD or
Clone A feature found in backup unauthorised access to a computer DVD.
480p/720p/1080p/1440p programs that makes an exact over a network.
Common types of high-definition copy of a drive to another drive. LED Light-emitting diode. An
video of 640x480, 1280x720, Firmware Basic software stored on electronic device that emits light.
1920x1080 and 2560x1440 pixels Code Programming languages hardware to control its operation.
respectively. used to create programs. M.2 A standard specification for
Fps Frames per second. See below. internal PC expansion cards and
8K Video with a resolution of Cookie A small text file stored on connectors.
7680x4320 pixels. Currently the your computer by a website. Used Frame rate The number of still
highest resolution available. to store browsing preferences, images, or frames, shown per MOBI Short for Mobipocket.
website log-in details and so on. second to create a moving image. Ebook format that lets readers add
AI Artificial Intelligence. Intelligence their own content.
demonstrated by a machine rather Core Units on a processor that GHz Gigahertz. A measure of
than a human being. carry out program instructions. how many instructions a chip can MP4 A type of digital movie file
process per second. 1GHz is equal often used for portable players.
Airplane mode Phones and Dark mode Showing white text to 1,000MHz.
tablets in this mode disable all on a black background. Noise cancellation Method for
radio communication (GSM, Gorilla glass Scratch-resistant reducing unwanted sound by
Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc) so they are DCI-P3 A colour space that has a glass that’s used to protect the adding a second sound specifically
safe to use on aircraft. wider spectrum than sRGB. screens of tablets and phones. designed to cancel the first.

Aspect ratio A measurement of DHCP Dynamic Host Configuration Graphics card A component in a OLED Organic light-emitting
the shape of a screen. Traditional Protocol. A system where one computer that produces the image diode. A thin-film organic light-
PC screens are 4:3. Widescreen device on a network, normally shown on the monitor. emitting diode used in
displays are 16:9 or 16:10. the router, distributes network computer displays and television
addresses to the others on request. GSM Global System for Mobile screens.
Bandwidth A measure of how Communications. The system for
much data can be transferred DisplayPort A new socket for digital mobile phones used in the Open source Software that can
through a connection at one time. connecting monitors. UK and Europe. be modified by anyone.

Benchmarking Comparing DRM Digital Rights Management. HDMI High-definition media Passkey A method for signing into
software and products with an Software that limits the copying interface. A type of connection that accounts by typing a one-off code,
accepted standard. of a file. transmits high-definition video and fingerprint or facial recognition
audio signals. rather than a password.
Blue screen of death Technically Dual-band router A Wi-Fi
called a ‘Stop error’, this is shown router that operates on two Heatsink A block of metal used Phishing A form of internet
when your PC crashes. bands: 2.4 and 5GHz. to help dissipate the heat from a fraud that tries to trick you into
computer chip. revealing personal details.
Bot Automated software designed DVI-D Digital Visual Interface. A
to perform specific tasks. common type of display connector Hz Hertz. Measures the frequency Plug-in A small program that
that can carry a digital signal. something happens: 1Hz equals adds extra features to software or
Cache A temporary space for once a second. to your web browser.
storing information. Can be E Ink Electrophoretic ink. A
memory used on a computer special type of ink used to display IDE Integrated Drive Electronics. PNG Portable Network Graphics.
processor, or space on a hard drive content in electronic devices. An interface used to connect some A format for images that shrinks
used by a web browser. hard drives and optical disc drives. file sizes using compression but
Emulator A program that makes without discarding any data.
Caddy A box into which you can one computer act like another, IMAP Internet Message Access
fit a hard disk, converting it into an allowing it to run that computer’s Protocol. A method for email that Port forwarding Choosing which
external drive. software. lets the user manage messages computer in your network a router
stored on a remote server. should connect to.
CAPTCHA Distorted text you have EPUB A file format used by many
to type to prove you’re a human. popular ebook readers. IP address Internet Protocol Product key A unique serial
address. A unique set of numbers number issued that must be typed
cd/m2 Candela per square metre. Factory reset Restoring a device to used to identify computers and in by the user before a program
Standard unit of brightness. the manufacturer’s default settings. websites on the internet. will launch for the first time.

72 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666

QR code Quick Response code. RSS Really Simple Syndication. A Travel The distance the keys of Whitelist A list of allowed websites,
A barcode that can be read using simple format for automatically a keyboard have to be pressed email addresses and programs
smartphones. distributing news headlines and before the keystroke is recognised. used by security software to ensure
other content from the web. you only visit safe websites and
RAM Random-access memory. Two-factor authentication download safe programs.
The computer’s working area. SATA Serial ATA. An interface for A system that uses two different
connecting hard drives and optical means to identify the user. Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi standard with
RAR Roshal Archive. A format for discs to a computer. speeds up to 10 times faster than
storing compressed files. USB 2.0/3.0/3.1 Faster successors 802.11ac. Also called 802.11ax.
SD card Secure Digital card. A to USB.
Read To access data saved on a PC. popular type of memory card. Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 6 extended to
USB-C A connector that’s reversible. include the 6GHz band.
Refresh rate Measured in Hertz Social tariff Discounted
(Hz), the number of times per broadband package available to VGA Video Graphics Array. An older Wi-Fi card Adds Wi-Fi
second that the image on your customers on benefits. standard socket for connecting a connectivity to a computer.
monitor is redrawn. monitor to a computer.
sRGB A standard RGB colour Widget A small program that runs
Refurbished A second-hand space for use on monitors, Virtual machine A software- on the Windows desktop.
device that has been repaired by printers and the internet. based computer running inside
its manufacturer so that it can be another computer. Often used to WPA Wi-Fi Protected Access.
resold and reused. SSD Solid-state drive. Storage that emulate another operating system. A secure form of protection for
uses no moving parts. wireless networks.
Response time How fast a coloured VPN Virtual private network.
pixel turns to white and back again. SSID Service Set Identifier. A name Keeps all internet communication Write Save data to a hard drive.
used to identify a wireless network. safe and private.
Roaming charge Fee incurred xD card Obsolete form of flash
for using your phone to receive Switch Mechanism under a WEP Wired Equivalent Privacy. A memory card, used in digital
data through overseas mobile keyboard that determines whether security algorithm for 802.11 Wi-Fi cameras made by Olympus, Fujifilm
networks. a key has been pressed. networks. and Kodak during the 2000s.
 Easy when you
Know How
Intrigued by a clever feature in Google’s new Pixel
Tablet, Robert Irvine tries to…

Turn a tablet into a Chromecast

I
have fond memories of my first tablet,
the Google Nexus 7, back in 2013.
Although its 7in screen wasn’t much
bigger than my current smartphone’s
and it had a measly 8GB of memory, it A tablet screen is like
seemed like the height of sophistication
10 years ago. the ‘just right’ bed
Most importantly, the Nexus 7 was
cheap, unlike Google’s new Pixel Tablet, from Goldilocks and
which costs from £599 (www.snipca.
com/47344). Our review in Issue 663
the Three Bears, but
(page 24) didn’t convince me to shell out,
especially the part that said the tablet
without the breaking
“attracts dirt like a magnet” – for six and entering
hundred quid I’d at least expect it to
keep itself clean.
However, I am intrigued by one of the
Pixel Tablet’s features: its built-in
Chromecast. This lets you cast videos Robert successfully connected his tablet and
from your phone to the device, for those phone using CastReceiver pausing and restarting playback, and
times when your handset’s screen is too switching to other videos, until my
small for comfortable viewing, but your 11in Huawei tablet, my Nexus 7 having five-minute session was up. My tablet was
TV’s is too large. It’s like the ‘just right’ long gone to meet its maker. The app now a Chromecast (sort of) and I couldn’t
bed from Goldilocks and the Three Bears, immediately displayed a message to be happier.
but without the breaking and entering. inform me that this was a trial version I now realised it would have made
So I was interested to read about a new that would only work for five minutes per more sense to open YouTube on the
free app that can turn any Android tablet session. This seemed long enough to test tablet, rather than use a third-party tool
into a Chromecast. It’s called CastReceiver it, so I tapped ‘Try it’ to continue (see to stream videos across the room. So I
and is available from the Google Play screenshot below left). tried casting audio and video from apps
Store (www.snipca.com/47345), where I then installed the app on my phone, that I only had installed on my phone.
it bears the dreaded label ‘In-app where the same message appeared. I was This worked perfectly with BBC Sounds
purchases’. Still, I figured it would still also prompted to grant CastReceiver and BBC iPlayer, but not with Spotify,
be cheaper than buying a new Pixel permission to ‘Display over other apps’, Netflix or Prime Video.
Tablet, so decided to give it a go. which I did by opening Settings, tapping According to CastReceiver’s developer,
First, I installed CastReceiver on my its name and switching on the option this is because those services use
‘Allow display over other apps’. DRM-protected content, which requires a
With CastReceiver now ‘Ready To Cast’, valid “cast key” (see www.snipca.
I launched the YouTube app, which I com/47348). Either the Beeb doesn’t use
know has Chromecast functionality. I DRM or my TV licence allows me to do
tapped the Cast button in the top-right what I want with its programmes.
corner and was pleased to see my tablet’s Despite my casting success, I don’t
model number listed in the ‘Cast to’ think I’ll pay the £3.89 charge to unlock
menu (see screenshot above). I selected it the premium version of CastReceiver. It’s
and the two devices successfully connected. easy to use, but it’s even easier to just
Next, I started playing a YouTube video install and play entertainment apps
on my phone, unlocked my tablet’s screen directly on your tablet, whether it’s a
and was delighted when the content was dusty old device or a grubby new Pixel.
cast from the little device to the big one Need help using your devices with
CastReceiver’s free version limits your casting over my Wi-Fi network. I was then able to Chromecast? Let us know: noproblem@
sessions to five minutes use my phone as a remote control, computeractive.co.uk

74 13 – 26 September 2023 • Issue 666 Next issue: Robert tries to combine all his messaging apps
9000