ONLY £1.99 THE WINDOWS 10 UPGRADE TRAP Microsoft’s latest trick to force it on to your PC Full story p6 Y 2016 ISSUE 466 ❘ 6 – 19 JANUAR

Shameless con that exploits your sympathy p14

ogyy WARN Your friendly guide to technolog DO ING! anyway? p49 N’T TRUS What did Eins tein kno w MICR T OSOFT’S DEFAULTS

The 52 hidden settings you must switch (because Microsoft’s defaults are not safe) p50

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EDITORIAL Group Editor Daniel Booth From the Editor Technical Editor Sherwin Coelho Production Editor Graham Brown Art Editor Katie Peat Sorry, no technical or buying advice. I’d like to propose a new truism: Hell hath no fury like a Windows 10 user whose settings ADVERTISING Advertisement sales & media pack have been changed by Microsoft. Snappy, don’t 020 7907 6799 Advertising Director Andrea Mason you think? I speak from experience, because I Deputy Advertising Manager Alexa Dracos was indeed furious when the fi rst big Windows MARKETING AND CIRCULATION 10 update, which arrived in November, reverted Subscriptions Manager Sarah Aldridge Senior Direct Marketing Executive many of my settings to Microsoft’s default. much depth as we should have. We rectify that Rachel Evans I wasn’t alone. So many of you emailed me in our Cover Feature, which recommends Marketing Production Manager Gemma Hills For subscription enquiries ring 0844 815 0054 to complain that at times it felt like I was those you should tweak. I hope it helps to

PRODUCTION working for Microsoft’s customer support. Not alleviate some of your fury. Group Production Manager that I minded, of course. We are here to help, Daniel Booth Stephen Catherall Production Controller and if we don’t, who will (certainly not editor@computeractive.co.uk Anisha Mogra GuruAid – see page 60)? PS: I’m happy to say that our 2015 Back Issue MANAGEMENT As I changed my settings back, I realised that CD is coming soon. Please visit www.snipca. Managing Director John Garewal MD of Advertising Julian Lloyd-Evans Computeractive hadn’t explained them in as com/19124 for more details. Commercial and Retail Director David Barker Group Managing Director Ian Westwood COO Brett Reynolds Group Finance Director Ian Leggett Chief Executive James Tye Company Founder Felix Dennis

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6 – 19 January 2016 3 Contents 6 – 19 January 2016 • Issue 466

In this issue… CO FEATUREVER Windows 10 settings you P50 50 must change – now! Make your PC more secure by tweaking Microsoft’s default settings

Your most popular 57 programs of 2015 Readers’ most clicked links

Send massive fi les for free 58 How to transfer hefty fi les that email just can’t handle

Why you should never 60 use GuruAid We investigate questionable practices by tech-support service GuruAid

10GB GuruAid: friend or Send massive files for free p58 foe? p60

In every issue… Stuart’s not ’appy p74 6 News 33 Competition Win a Veho Muvi K2NPNG 9 Question of action camera the Fortnight Would ISIS win a world war 49 What’s All the Fuss fought online? About? Quantum dots

10 Letters 64 Problems Solved

12 Consumeractive 69 Fast Fixes Android Marshmallow 14 Protect Your Tech 73 Jargon Buster 16 Best Free Software Paint.net 4.0.6 74 The Final Straw Stuart Andrews fails to see 30 Buy It! the point of many apps

4 6 – 19 January 2016 Subscribe NOW!! See page 622 for our special subs offer

Reviews

18 Microsoft Lumia 950 A phone for fans of Windows 10 BUY IT! ★★★★★ 20 HP Pavilion 23 HP’s all-in-one is not one for all

21 Asus C201 Chromebook Asus’s nippy web-based laptop

22 Nvidia Shield Tablet K1 A gamers’ tablet fit for everyone

23 Apple iPad Pro A big tablet that’s quick on the draw Nvidia Shield Tablet K1 p22 24 Smartwatch round-up Th e latest models from Huawei, Samsung and Motorola

Apple iPad OnePlus 2 26 Epson EcoTank ET-2500 Pro p23 p27 A printer that will slash ink costs

27 OnePlus 2 High-end phone for a low-end price

28 Corel PaintShop Pro X8 Ultimate Corel’s messy photo-editing suite

29 Philips Hue Go A smart lamp for some light relief

Workshops & Tips Computeractive 14 pages of brilliant workshops and expert tips 2014 Back Issue CD Buy for £12.58* on Amazon 35 Add a one-click button 42 Create to-do lists from for PC help your emails Only 79 38 Edit your holiday videos 43 Readers’ Tips left! on your tablet Speed up your typing

40 Create your own 44 Phone and Tablet Tips online ququiziz Create a collaborative photo album (andnd answer ours!) 46 Make Windows Better Play Windows 7 games in 10

47 Make Office Better Turn bullet points into images OlOn sale now att 48 Secret Tips For… www.snipca.com/14981 Windows 10 Task Manager *At time of press

6 – 19 January 2016 5 News Th e top stories in the world of technology New Windows 10 upgrade message ‘as bad as malware’

icrosoft has been Mslammed by technology COMMENT experts and Windows 7 and 8 ‘Upgrade now’ or ‘upgrade users for its latest attempt to tonight’: what kind of a choice persuade them to upgrade to is that? Yes, there’s a small Windows 10. Some critics cross you can click to close have even compared the the message, but Microsoft company’s tactics to those isn’t stupid. It knows used by cybercriminals. thousands of PC users, Th eir outrage was triggered conditioned to click ‘upgrade by a new message appearing now’ to Windows updates, on Windows 7 and 8.1 PCs will instinctively select that that seems to suggest users button. Microsoft’s marketing have no choice but to upgrade. department may approve Under the heading ‘Upgrade Windows 10 forum (www. Microsoft is ‘lying of this upgrade trap, but it to Windows 10’ are two reddit.com/r/Windows10). He to its users’ could do lasting damage buttons giving the options wrote: “Assume the deal is Critics say that the message to the reputation of its new ‘Upgrade now’ or ‘Upgrade closed and offer them the car should contain a ‘no thanks’ operating system. Many tonight’ (see screenshot). in red or blue”. or ‘not now’ button. One tech won’t stick with Windows At fi rst glance, it looks like Microsoft uses another blogger said that Microsoft’s 10 if they feel they’ve been you have to upgrade by the salesman-like ploy in the marketing is “more reminiscent tricked into upgrading. end of the day. However, you message by saying that of malware than a leading can simply ignore and close ‘Upgrading to Windows 10 technology company”. Writing the message by clicking the will be free for a limited time’. on Forbes.com, Gordon Kelly, the website Th e Inquirer, the cross in the top-right corner. But the message doesn’t state accused Microsoft of “selling company said: “The average But Microsoft knows many the date when the free offer its users a lie”. user… wants to make sure users won’t realise this, and ends, even though Microsoft Th is is not the fi rst time they’ve got the most secure will be convinced they must has announced that this will Microsoft has used this tactic. and always up-to-date version choose between upgrading be 28 July, 2016. An earlier message asked users of Windows, and the feedback immediately or when they Microsoft will hope many to ‘Upgrade now’ or ‘Start we get is that people want that later turn off their PC. users will be coaxed into download, upgrade later’. to be as simple and seamless It was likened to a upgrading straight away, not Microsoft has defended its as possible”. “salesman tactic” by one realising they still have more aggressive marketing of But that’s unlikely to angry user on Reddit’s than six months to decide. Windows 10. In a statement to convince the rising number of Windows 7 and 8.1 users who MICROSOFT TO BAN ADWARE are becoming increasingly angry by Microsoft’s attempts Microsoft will hope to win company said in a blog post to remove. Microsoft said it to get them to upgrade. back the trust of users irritated (www.snipca.com/19232) that will uninstall any that “fail to by their upgrade messages from 31 March all programs comply”. Th e company said it Turn to page 50 for our with a ban on the installation that show adverts in browsers was doing this because “the Cover Feature on changing of adware and browser must be installed as plug-ins, choice and control belong to Microsoft’s default settings hijackers on Windows PCs. Th e making them easy for users the users”. for Windows 10

You’ll like this… Facebook is replacing …but not this Ofcom says complaints the unsafe Flash plug-in with HTML5 about poor broadband are rising (www.snipca.com/19220) (www.snipca.com/19231)

6 6 - 19 January 2016 ‘Java is unsafe!’ Company that IN BRIEF NEW TOOLS COMING makes it forced into confession TO OUTLOOK.COM Microsoft has said it will add Th e company that makes wasn’t working. Oracle several features to Outlook. Java has been publically formally denies any com to make it easier to send shamed into admitting that wrongdoing. Th e ruling is emails. A dropdown menu the plug-in leaves users at significant because of how will show you suggested risk of malware. widely Java is used. It is contacts when you place your Oracle, which is based in installed on an estimated cursor in the ‘To’ or ‘Cc’ line. California, has been ordered 850 million computers. Th ere’s also a spell-checker by the US Federal Trade Its safety has long been a for names, and a reminder Commission (FTC) to display a concern. In 2013 the U.S. that you may want to include warning about Java’s security Java – and August 2014, the Department of Homeland a particular person in a group fl aws on its website (www. company’s updates affected Security warned users to email. Th ey are due to appear oracle.com). only the latest version disable or uninstall Java in March. Read more on Th e company must make installed on PCs. amid fears that it contained Microsoft’s Office blog: sure this appears on its site for Crucially, the FTC said, the serious fl aws. www.snipca.com/19185. the next two years, and also updates didn’t remove many As well as publishing a post a message on Twitter older versions of Java, which warning Oracle must now tell SCHOOLS MUST BLOCK and Facebook linking to it. were left unpatched on PCs. users updating Java that they WEB INFO ON ISIS By agreeing to these terms Th ey contained security fl aws can remove old versions using Schools must introduce Oracle won’t need to pay a that hackers could have its ‘Uninstall Tool’(http://java. web fi lters on their PCs, fi ne for the fl aws. exploited. com/uninstall). and monitor how pupils Th e FTC accused Oracle of Th e FTC said that Oracle For more information on use the internet, under new breaking consumer-protection “deceived” users by not telling the ruling read the FTC’s Government plans to prevent laws by lying about the them that old versions of Java blog post at www.snipca. children joining extremist security of the plug-in. remained in place, and that com/19241, titled: ‘What’s groups. Th is follows cases Regulators said that between the company knew as early as worse than stale coff ee? in which children travelled 2010 – when Oracle bought 2011 that the update process Stale Java’. to Syria after reading ISIS propaganda on their school computers. Also, parents All NHS hospitals to get have been offered a guide on the dangers posed by social free Wi-Fi to ‘cut costs’ media and cyberbullying. Internet safety became Every NHS hospital in when a compulsory part of the the UK is to get free diabetics have National Curriculum in 2014. Wi-Fi in order to cut hypoglycemic attacks. costs, the Government Th e decision has announced. follows a report from Th e service will be Martha Lane Fox, a Tomorrow’s available in all NHS campaigner for buildings, including greater internet world GP surgeries. It means Th e Government hopes that access, that called for the You give a lot away by patients will be able to go medical staff will also benefi t NHS to make better use of how you use your mouse. online using phones, tablets from better Wi-Fi because it digital services (see News, Scientists at Brigham Young and laptops, although should mean they spend less Issue 465). University in Utah ran an probably no sooner than 2020. time on paperwork, and more One of her proposals was, experiment showing that the Currently some hospitals on patient care. by 2017, for 10 per cent of mouse movements of PC charge for Wi-Fi, while others Hunt added: “It will give patients at every GP practice users change from straight don’t offer it. Day rates to go patients and staff the ability to book appointments and and smooth to short and online can be as much as £5. to access the services they order prescriptions online. jagged when they become Health Secretary Jeremy need as well as freeing up She also called for patients frustrated. Th e researchers Hunt said that providing free clinical time and reducing to “self-monitor” their said that web developers Wi-Fi is an essential part in overall costs”. conditions using NHS- could track these movements making the NHS “a world Th ere are also plans for approved apps. Payment for to make websites easier to leader in digital healthcare” by patients to wear digital providing the free Wi-Fi will use. Read more at www. the beginning of the next monitors that alert medical come from a £1bn technology snipca.com/19209. decade. staff to problems, such as fund, Hunt said.

6 - 19 January 2016 7 News

IN BRIEF Update your browser! Microsoft BIBLE AND KORAN APPS CONTAIN MALWARE ends support for old versions of IE Nearly 350 Bible apps for Android contain malware or which Mozilla still supports are considered ‘high risk’. on old versions of Windows. Security fi rm Proofpoint Google will end support for analysed 5,600 apps that Chrome on XP and Vista in download the Bible to your April this year. device, fi nding that 8.6 IE11 will be Microsoft’s per cent were unsafe. Th e fi nal version of the browser, company also tested Koran having replaced it with Edge apps, claiming that 54 were (www.microsoft.com/edge) malicious (1.4 per cent of the as the default browser in total). Apps for iOS were safe. Windows 10. Before it names the apps, Yo u should be safe using Proofpoint is contacting their IE11 for the time being developers for a response. because Microsoft says that Anyone using Internet viruses, spyware, and other the browser will receive UNDER16s WON’T NEED Explorer (IE) should make malicious software”. security updates for as long CONSENT FOR FACEBOOK sure they are using the latest Microsoft isn’t exaggerating as Windows 7, 8.1 and 10 Plans have been scrapped version of the browser, after the threat. As soon as support are supported. for an EU-wide ban on Microsoft announced it will ends, hackers will go all out to If you have automatic under-16s using Facebook soon end security support for exploit this and infect PCs updates switched on for and other social-media sites. older versions. Th e company with malware. Recent fi gures Windows you’ll probably Officials in Brussels proposed has confirmed that from 12 suggest that around 124 already have been updated to that children should require January it will support IE11 million people are still using IE11. To check, open IE, press parental consent to use only. Th is means previous old versions of IE. Th ey will all ALT+H on your keyboard then such sites. Tech companies versions will no longer receive be at serious risk from 12 click ‘About Internet Explorer’. slammed the idea, as did technical and security January if they don’t upgrade. A box will appear confirming child-protection groups, updates. Support will continue for your version (see screenshot warning that children are On its website (www.snipca. IE11 only on PCs running above). more likely to lie about their com/19193) Microsoft explains Windows 7, 8.1 and 10. IE11 age than seek parental the risks of using older was never released for XP or Which browser should you permission. versions of IE: “your PC may Vista. Anyone using XP or now use? Find out in our become vulnerable to harmful Vista should switch to Firefox, next issue - out Weds 20 Jan

Has your money been stolenn?? Bank hacks rise in 2015

Th e risk of having your money followed by those in Austria Once again, Google’s annual stolen by hackers rose in 2015, and Switzerland. list of popular search subjects according to leading antivirus Kaspersky’s analysis of offers proof that we live in company Kaspersky. online attacks overall in 2015 a dumbed-down age. In In its latest annual Security placed the UK in the ‘medium- 2015, more people in the Bulletin Overall Statistics risk’ group. In this category UK searched for details on Report (www.snipca.com/ the number of Kaspersky the new Star Wars fi lm than 19183), Kaspersky said that it users being attacked while for information about the blocked attempts to launch browsing the web was Kaspersky, whose security migrant crisis, the General malware “capable of stealing between 21 and 40 per cent. software has won the past Election, the birth of Princess money via online banking” on Th e UK is near the bottom seven Computeractive Charlotte and the discovery 1,966,324 computers, a 2.8 per of this ‘medium’ list, with a antivirus group tests (see page of water on Mars. See all of cent increase from 2014. risk factor of 22.4 per cent. 68), has been producing Google’s 2015 lists at www. It also said that fi ve per cent Russia is top of the ‘high-risk’ end-of-year bulletins since google.com/2015, though of all attacks on UK users group with 48.9 per cent, with 2006. Th ey are based on be warned that they contain involved a banking Trojan. PC Germany (32 per cent), statistics gathered from many celebrities you’ve users in Singapore were most Australia (28) and the US (26.4) Kaspersky users who have never heard of. at risk of fi nancial malware, somewhere between the two. agreed to submit their data.

8 6 - 19 January 2016 Question of the Would ISIS win a world Fo?rtnight war fought online?

Security experts say that terrorists are better prepared for cyber-warfare than governments

orld War 3 will be fought THE FACTS Wonline, and ISIS will win. Th at’s the terrifying • Th e founder of security fi rm prediction from security McAfee said that World War pioneer John McAfee, founder 3 will be a cyber-war of the antivirus company • John McAfee claimed that that bears his name. ISIS hackers could use In a provocative article for our own infrastructure the International Business against us Times, McAfee says that “the • Th e FBI says that China next major war will be a is already waging an cyber-war”. He warns US “aggressive” cyber-war citizens that they face threats against US companies from many enemies, all of whom have “demonstrated some measure of tech savvy”. computers, not battlefi elds. Foremost is ISIS, whose McAfee warns that America’s medieval lifestyle, McAfee “unrivalled” military muscle says, doesn’t stop them won’t matter in a cyber-war. “using unencrypted social We are living in a doomsday He asks: “What good will media tools like Twitter to tanks, planes and missiles be communicate and recruit machine of our own design if you cannot locate the enemy new members”. to engage them?” Th e danger doesn’t just to cope with a cyber-attack, Ye s, McAfee is actually He compares the West’s come from terrorist groups, claiming it wouldn’t be able to running for the White House failure to comprehend the rise though. McAfee accuses China mount “a credible defence”. In as leader of the Cyber Party. of cyber-warfare to how and North Korea of having a war, hackers would infi ltrate Visit the ‘Issues’ section of his ill-prepared European “massive programs devoted to the complex network of campaign website (https:// countries were in coping with weaponized computing”. computers that maintains the mcafee16.com/issues, see Germany’s blitzkrieg tactics at Th e Director of the FBI national infrastructure of screenshot below left) and the beginning of World War 2. agrees. In 2014 James B Comey developed countries like the you’ll see ‘cyber awareness’ He’s also right to focus on said that there are two kinds of US and UK. Th e severity of listed. He wants to boost the the threat posed by ISIS. big companies in the United this threat, McAfee argues, “cyber literacy” of Americans Th ey’ve always been masters States: “those who’ve been means we are “living in a so the US isn’t “wiped out by of online propaganda, but hacked by the Chinese and doomsday machine of our more astute nations”. now they are launching those who don’t know they’ve own design”. Nuclear power It’s hard to imagine many devastating hacking attacks. been hacked by the Chinese”. stations, cars, planes and people voting for McAfee In November, an ISIS McAfee is scathing about fi nancial systems would all next year, but those who do supporter attacked thousands the US government’s inability be used against us. will share his concerns. It of Twitter accounts, posting So what can therefore benefi ts him to online the mobile phone be done to emphasise the dangers of a numbers of the heads of prevent this cyber-attack. He wants to be the CIA and FBI. apocalyptic seen as an indispensable John McAfee won’t be the vision from expert should the worst next President of the US, becoming happen. and many will dismiss his reality? Simple. But while his talk of warnings as overly pessimistic. Th e US needs ‘doomsday’ may appear But by exaggerating the to elect John alarmist, he’s right to point dangers, he may at least force McAfee as its out the likelihood of future governments to take them 45th President. wars being fought on more seriously.

6 – 19 January 2016 9 Tell us what’s on your mind Email: [email protected] Facebook: www.facebook.com/computeractive Twitter: @ComputerActive Letters www.twitter.com/computeractive

XP users aren’t dinosaurs, in our recent decision on where to live in Th e ability to watch or download fi lms but they should upgrade Norfolk; it was never a consideration is not a necessity. Do we really live in an If Windows XP does “everything” when we moved house in the past. age where instant gratification is that Tom Tottis needs (Letters, We get a decent enough speed, considered to be a human ‘right’? Issue 465), then he can’t be doing much 16Mbps, but odd to say we don’t get that Colin Gray with his PC. He says there are “good other important utility, a mains gas reasons” for staying with XP, but fails to supply! Most other Norfolk villages The countryside needs fast name a single one. Th at system was don’t either. So to keep warm and cook broadband as well already ancient by 2009, when Windows 7 people fi nd other ways - electricity, I would like to add my thoughts to came out. It now feels positively Calor, wood burners, oil. the debate regarding rural prehistoric! If unearthing old operating Maybe this approach should be taken broadband speeds. Starting with Mark with broadband. Don’t wait for BT or the Littlewood from the Institute of Economic Government or even a collective DIY Affairs, who says that people living in village scheme. Explore what other options villages have no right to get fast there are and what they cost, such as 4G broadband. He sounds like a typical town mobile broadband or, as used in Australia dweller, and has no idea about what life is in the outback, satellite broadband. like in the countryside, probably getting Peter Rosier all of his information from TV programmes such as Midsomer Murders. No, fast broadband isn’t a We aren’t all educationally backward human right yokels or landed gentry. Issue 464’s ‘Star letter’ (‘Internet Where does he think his food comes access as important as gas and from? Farmers need to be connected to water’) was the biggest load of tosh I’ve the internet, as do most rural businesses. systems was like archaeology, you’d need ever read in your usually excellent mag. Any contact that a farmer has with the the world’s best carbon-dating technology Anyone who has a phone line has Department for Environment, Food and to locate remnants of XP. broadband access, and like ours (we live Rural affairs (Defra) is now done via OK,I exaggerate to make my point. But in a city) it’s not always fast. I don’t know email and on Government websites. terrifyingly, loads of people still use XP. In anyone who can’t send an email, access As for Simon Ashwood (‘Broadband or fact, even more terrifyingly, loads of Facebook, or watch Yo uTube videos, even rural idyll – you can’t have both’, Issue companies and councils still use XP. But if they buff er occasionally.I know far 464), I fi nd his arrogance breathtaking. come on - it launched in 2001 (August 24, more people who don’t have a gas supply How does he know that it is my choice to to be precise - I just checked on Google). than don’t have broadband. Th e biggest live in the country? Just because I live Th at’s so long ago, I can barely remember problem I have with a slow connection is where I do, it does not necessarily follow where I was living, what job I had, or who downloading software updates, so I just that I could afford to move to a large town I was married to. Using the website www. set my PC to ‘download’ and go away and or city. People in rural areas face the same timeanddate.com that you recommended do something else. kind of problems as anybody, anywhere, in Issue 464 (Readers’ Tips), I worked out that XP launched over 5,200 days ago. Th at should be 5,200 reasons to upgrade! Do we really need Amazon’s drones? I agree that we shouldn’t call people like Mr Tottis dinosaurs for using XP. Th ere’s I like Jeremy Clarkson, but I’m no need to be personal and rude. But we not happy to see him promoting should encourage them to switch. I Amazon’s crazy plan to take over the wonder whether they are sticking with XP world by fl ying drones (News, Issue not because they genuinely like the 465). I can’t see how our lives will be operating system, but because they are improved by having millions of these stubborn sorts who think they are sticking things swooping over our heads every two fi ngers up to the modern world. day. Will we have to duck to avoid Norman Broome them decapitating us? Will they be the technological equivalent of Yes, broadband is as vital as pigeons, buzzing around everywhere? gas and electricity I just don’t see the need for them. Are got involved. Normally drones are I agree with Frank Phillips (Star we all now so impatient that we can’t the kind of thing that get him ranting Letter, Issue 464) that nowadays wait a mere 24 hours to receive items? and raving. broadband is as important as any other Frankly, I’m surprised Jeremy Clarkson Eric Milne utility. Availability and speed was a factor

10 6 – 19 January 2016 and without the kind of services that town dwellers have, regardless of the fact STAR LETTER that our council tax subsidises the amenities that he enjoys. Why should my 86-year-old mother To expect the ISPs to provide a reasonable broadband service is not, in use the web just to access the NHS? my opinion, asking for much. I currently pay BT (we don’t have cable out here, just I read with some overhead wires) for services advertised as alarm the “up to 16Mbps”, but rarely get above recommendations of 5Mbps, so it looks to me like I am Martha Lane Fox in Issue subsidising his fast broadband as well. 465 (News, ‘Want to see Rob Wilson your GP? Th en book an appointment online’). I’ve No-brainer? Upgrading heard her talk in interviews to Windows 10 could be before, and found her ‘brainless’ obsession with the internet John Lattimore is in danger of borderline tyrannical.I get insulting a lot of people by saying it that she wants as many that upgrading to Windows 10 is a “no people as possible to use brainer” (Letters, Issue 464). I’ve used the web, but does she really Windows 7 for about fi ve years now, and it need to go on about it so much?I know speak to a real human being feels as familiar to me as my own street she means well, but not everyone loves (remember those?) about my painful (where I’ve lived for 40 years). Why, then, our ‘exciting’ new digital future as hip, or persistent cough. should I throw away all that familiarity just much as she does. My fear is that in fi ve years, you because Microsoft wants me to? Th e Government is partly to blame. won’t be able to use the full scope of Switching to a new operating system Why did it need to commission a report NHS services without going online. I’m isn’t the kind of decision that can be - spending loads of money presumably sure the Government would see this as described as glibly as Mr Lattimore did. - to ask whether a ‘campaigner for progress, but what about those who For something to truly be a ‘no brainer’ it greater internet access’ thinks we just don’t want to use the internet? must require an action so obviously should encourage more people to go What about my 86-year-old mother, benefi cial that refusing to do it would be online? Fox was hardly likely to say no. who needs regular GP visits, but has disastrous. I would like to inform Mr My biggest concern is her proposal never so much as clicked a mouse in Lattimore that I’ve been using Windows 7 that we use health apps to ‘self- her life? Why should she be forced to non-disastrously every day since monitor’ our condition. Is this really learn PC skills just so she can access Windows 10 launched. In my opinion, about moving the NHS into the digital health services that she has a right to? leaping aboard the latest Windows age, or about saving money? I’m no Lots of questions there. I’m not sure I version without careful planning is medical expert, and I don’t trust the would like the answers. brainless, not a no-brainer. motives of health apps, so I’d rather Stephen Barrett James P Ranson

Don’t be scared to sue Apple The Star Letter writer wins a Computeractive mug! Th ree cheers for Deric White (‘Pensioner sues Apple - and wins!’, fi nished and to be quite honest I was News, Issue 465). Apple may say that its just as bewildered as before I rang. stores are meant to look friendly, but I In many ways I felt sorry for the girl think they are designed to intimidate you. as she can’t help her accent, which in Th e impression is that the people working other circumstances I’d fi nd charming. there know everything, and you know But BT should get clear-speaking nothing. It’s tempting to think that a operators. Where are their call centres? technical problem isn’t the result of Outer Mongolia? Apple’s incompetence, but your own. I’m So I thought I’d send an email to BT grateful to Mr White for showing that it’s and hopefully get a better understanding not necessarily so. Let’s hope more people times - and not so good times - with them. of our conversation. But you can’t send stand up to these arrogant companies. I suddenly found I was being charged for an email. If you have a problem they Gareth Jones landline calls when for years I had free suggest going to their question and calls in my package. So I rang them and answer page. Can you ever fi nd an Are BT call centres in tried to work it out with the young lady. answer that suits your problem? Never. Outer Mongolia? She was very nice and tried to help me, So they suggest I should call them I’ve been a customer with BT for but I must have spent half the time asking instead. It’s just a never-ending carousel. several years now and had good her to repeat what she had just said. We Roger Th ompson

6 – 19 January 2016 11 Consumeractive

Can I get a refund for a digital version Will I get a smaller refund if I’ve of a magazine? opened the goods?

I wanted a print issue of the Whenever I buy presents, Q magazine Simply Cards & Q before wrapping them I Papercraft, and so went online always open the box to checckk to Pocketmags (www.snipca.com/18985) they’re OK. But is this such a good to buy it. But I mistakenly ordered the idea? I’ve read that retailers can deduucctt digital version. I’ve not downloaded it, money from a refund if goods have but Pocketmags won’t give me a refund; been opened, so I’m worried I may only offering me a download of a different not get a full refund if I need to ask foorr magazine if I want it. Can it do this? one. Should I stop opening the boxes?? Alice Morland Hugh Beentnt

It can, but only because Alice Hugh should certainly if this meant retailers couldn’t sell A didn’t contact the company A consider leaving the boxes returned goods ‘as new’. It does now, within the 14-day cooling-off unopened in future because giving retailers more protection. period allowed by the Consumer Contract retailers are allowed to reduce a refund Our advice is to be very careful. Regulations (CCRs). Th is law, which if the goods have been used, or can’t Don’t open goods if there’s a picture replaced the Distance Selling Regulations be sold again as new. of the product on the box because in 2014, has updated your rights relating Th is seemingly clear-cut defi nition this won’t be considered a fair to digital content – now treating it the hides all kinds of legal ambiguities. ‘examination’, and retailers won’t same as physical items bought online. Th ere’s uncertainty about when a fair be able to re-sell the item as new. If you want to reject digital content, examination of an item is so thorough Even if there isn’t a photo and you such as apps, software, magazines and it becomes defi ned as ‘use’. Some open the box containing the item, try music, you must tell the retailer within retailers may argue that opening a not to damage the packaging. Also, 14 days of purchase. But you’re entitled box counts as use, if the box is don’t switch on devices such as a to a full refund only if you haven’t somehow integral to the product. phone, tablet or laptop merely to downloaded the content. We couldn’t Th e law on returns changed in June make sure they work. fi nd any mention of your rights under the 2014, when the Consumer Contracts Of course, none of this matters if the CCRs on Pocketmags’ website. Its terms Regulations (CCRs) replaced the goods are inherently faulty. In such and conditions say digital versions Distance Selling Regulations (DSRs). cases, opening or damaging packaging “are non-returnable and non- Previously, under the DSRs, retailers won’t affect your right to refundable after purchase”. couldn’t force you to return goods in its a full refund or But provided you’ve followed original packaging. Th e law didn’t care replacement. the CCRs, this is incorrect. Is Vax offering warranties it won’t honour?

I was researching types of carpet fulfill it. It would be breaching the ‘misleading actions’ and ‘misleading Q cleaner and noticed online that Consumer Protection Regulations (CPRs) omissions’ that entice consumers to buy Vax was offering six-year by making a false statement. Th e CPRs when they may not have otherwise. warranties. But then I read Brian Kirk’s prohibit unfair trading practices such as However, Vax told us that the six-year case against Vax in Issue 463 and my warranty does apply, but to certain heart sank. If Vax has admitted that its premium models only. Th e company six-year promise was a mistake, why is it covers itself on its website by saying that still allowed to advertise it online? all its products have a warranty of “up to” Maureen Fairbrass six years (see screenshot). Legally there’s nothing wrong with this claim, but Th e simple answer is that Vax clearly customers fi nd it A wouldn’t be allowed to advertise misleading. We’ve told Vax it a warranty if it was unable to may want to clarify the wording.

12 6 – 19 January 2016 Contact us so we can investigate your case Email: [email protected] Write: Consumeractive, Computeractive, 30 Cleveland Street, London W1T 4JD Please include both your phone number and address. We stand up for your legal rights Unfortunately, we can’t reply to all your letters.

Can I use online comments as evidence?

A Kindle Fire HD I bought from who made the complaints. Q John Lewis in 2012 has begun to However, there’s one way you can use have problems with its USB online comments. Yo u’ll have to get at charging port. My John Lewis warranty least one of the people saying they’ve has run out, so they told me to go to suff ered the same problem to fi le a Amazon. But Amazon wouldn’t offer a witness statement backing up your claim. repair – they tried to sell me a Th ese are admissible in the small claims refurbished model. Comments I’ve read court, and the witness isn’t required to online indicate lots of people are having attend. However, you have to let the the same problem. Can I use these as company you’re suing know you’ll be evidence that the fault is inherent, and doing this so they can request evidence. therefore force John Lewis or Amazon Ian’s next move should be to tell John to give me a new tablet? Lewis that he is getting the Kindle Fire Ian White independently tested to assess whether the fault is inherent. If this is proved, Ian Unfortunately not. Unverifi ed should ask John Lewis to refund the cost A comments don’t provide legal of the test, and to repair or replace the doesn’t have to refund him the full proof that a product is faulty tablet. If this isn’t possible, Ian is entitled amount because he’s used the tablet because the judge can’t question those to a pro rata refund; meaning John Lewis for three years.

CASE UPDATE THIS WILL COME IN USEFUL Mediation avoided as PC World refunds reader Shortcuts to popular searches If a laptop is so faulty it needed to be repaired on Microsoft’s website four times in four months, then we would expect the retailer to provide a full refund. Happily, that’s what PC World has offered Computeractive Internet Explorer Wi-Fi Sense reader Jacob Ninian, whose case we investigated in Issue www.snipca.com/18970 www.snipca.com/18973 464. Initially, after testing Jacob’s laptop, PC World accused him of damaging it. Jacob would have had to get his laptop Microsoft accounts Windows 10 apps independently examined to prove the fault was inherent. www. snipca.com/18965 www.snipca.com/18967 Jacob had earlier asked us whether it was worth taking PC World to the small claims court because the retailer was Service packs Windows Defender showing no sign of helping him. We would have advised www.snipca.com/18993 www.snipca.com/18972 him instead to try mediation, in which an independent body attempts to resolve a dispute. This became a more realistic Start menu tips Windows 10 FAQ option in October 2015 when new laws were introduced to www. snipca.com/18966 www.snipca.com/18962 force retailers to inform dissatisfied customers they are allowed to take their complaint to a dispute-resolution body. Themes Windows 10 tutorials Also, from January 2016, retailers have to provide customers www.snipca.com/18992 www.snipca.com/18964 with a link to an online dispute resolution scheme. However, crucially, retailers don’t have to agree to mediation; they only Wallpapers Windows 10 upgrade need to tell the customer that it’s an option. www.snipca.com/18975 www.snipca.com/18962 Mediation can be expensive, with some companies charging about £50 an hour (the exact amount will depend on the size of What is Cortana? Windows Insider your claim). Overall, it can work out more expensive than taking www.snipca.com/18971 Program a company to the small claims court. It’s a confusing picture https://insider.windows.com though, because you are actually offered free mediation if you What’s new in take a company to court. We’ll cover mediation in more detail in Windows 10? Windows Phone a forthcoming Consumeractive. www. snipca.com/18974 www.snipca.com/19000

6 – 19 January 2016 13 Protect Your Tech

Scams and threats to avoid, plus new security tools

WATCH OUT FOR… Email scams from Syrian ‘refugees’

What happened? Another tactic is to provide links to Email scammers have started to exploit news stories about Syria on the websites the refugee crisis by sending pleas for of UK newspapers. help that appear to come from Syrians affected by the civil war in their country. What should you do? In a blog post exposing the scam Yo u won’t be surprised to learn that any (www.snipca.com/19048), Kaspersky email offering you a huge amount of says that the fraudsters hope to take money is a con, so delete it straight advantage of “the kindness of strangers” Other emails offer the recipient away. But it’s important not to be by sending emails that tell harrowing fi nancial rewards for helping supposed complacent. As we revealed in our personal stories about the devastation refugees escape Syria, and set up a ‘Don’t get hacked in 2016’ Cover Feature in Syria. business in the UK. in Issue 465, scammers will try to trick Many of the emails purport to come To appear more genuine, the emails you throughout 2016 by referring to from widows who have huge sums of have been written to sound like they’ve events in Syria and related warnings money to invest following the deaths of been composed by someone who speaks about terrorist attacks. Kaspersky their husbands. In one such email the English as a second language. Many scam suggests that this latest attempt could alleged sender, Mrs Haydar, says she emails contain unintentional spelling be more effective than many similar needs help to transfer $45.2m. She also and grammar mistakes, or strange scams: “The attention to detail and wants to leave “this war country Syria” sentence construction. But these new tone of the emails does just enough to immediately (read all the emails on emails deliberately use dubious English arouse the recipient’s interest but not Kaspersky’s blog post. to make them seem more authentic. their suspicion”.

Fox Web Security ScamWatch New tools www.snipca.com/19013 READERS WARN READERS Yo u don’t have to share your computer with children to be ‘Virgin Media’ billing scam worried about adult content In early December, I received a scam online. Much of it, particularly email. It was apparently from ‘Virgin sexually explicit material, is vile, Media’, and the subject line was and would offend eyes of any age. ‘Your Virgin Media billing details are We welcome any tool that lets incomplete’. I am a Virgin Media you block it, as Firefox extension customer, so I thought at fi rst it was Fox Web Security does – though genuine. It asked me to click a link to you should tweak its settings. By update my billing information, but I default, it warns you if a site moved my mouse over the sender’s contains adult content, but email address, and that revealed the doesn’t stop it appearing. To change what message the extension will show true source (cedbeens.com). I found this, in Firefox click the top-right menu instead of an adult website. Yo u can evidence of the scam on Virgin’s button (three horizontal lines), then choose to see an ‘unable to connect’ Community forums: www.snipca. the Add-ons icon (a jigsaw piece). Next, error message, which is meant to com/19012. Virgin Media customers click Options alongside ‘Fox Web disguise your attempt to visit adult can report scams at http://netreport. Security’, then the ‘Adult content content. Yo u may prefer to select the virginmedia.com. blocking (parental control)’ tab. ‘Show block page’ button, because it David Jones Now, under the ‘Action for dangerous tells you, unambiguously, that the Warn your fellow readers about scams at main request’ heading, you can choose website ‘is not allowed’. [email protected]

14 6 – 19 January 2016

Best Free Software

Brilliant new programs that won’t cost you anything

IMAGEEDITING PROGRAM Paint.net 4.0.6 www.snipca.com/19045 What you need: Windows 7, 8/8.1 or 10

Paint, Microsoft’s built-in image-editing program, has always has also been updated to work with Windows 10. been a bit limited. Windows 10 retains Paint and adds a new Download and install the program from the link above Photos app. If we’re being honest, neither offer much more (click the blue ‘Download Now’ link in the box under the than basic levels of control over your images. At the other end ‘Download’ heading). Th e program requires a Microsoft of the scale, a professional-grade image-editing program, such component called .NET Framework 4.5 in order to work. as Photoshop CC (with its minimum subscription cost of £9 If you don’t already have this installed on your computer, per month), is almost certainly overkill for most users. you’ll be prompted to download it during setup. Nestled snugly between these extremes is Paint.net – a Paint.net comes with a powerful selection of tools for capable image editor that goes way beyond what’s offered by improving, fi xing, cropping and resizing your images. Windows, but isn’t bloated with unnecessary features that Better still, it provides the opportunity to expand the just bamboozle users. It also happens to be free with program’s capabilities and effects further via its support absolutely no strings attached. for plug-ins. Th ere are hundreds of free ones available, We’ve sung Paint.net’s praises in the past, and now there’s a but it’s important to make sure you only install those brand new version that adds a load of new features, including from Paint.net’s official source. Below we explain how to larger brush sizes and custom shapes. Importantly, Paint.net safely add them to the program. 4 1

3

2

1 Open Paint.net, then click 2 Browse the Plugin Index 3 Download the zip fi le (you 4 Close Paint.net and the Help (question mark) for an effect or tool of your may be prompted to donate relaunch it. You should now icon at the top right and choice, or select a Plugin money, but this is optional). be able to fi nd your new select Plugins from the Pack, such as BoltBait’s Extract the contents and copy plug-ins by clicking Effects dropdown menu. Th is will Plugin Pack for PdN, which the fi les within to C:\Program and looking through each launch Paint.net’s official include multiple bundled Files\paint.net\Eff ects. sub-category. Downloaded plug-ins page in your plug-ins. plug-ins will be marked browser. with a jigsaw icon.

16 6 – 19 January 2016 WHAT SHOULD I DOWNLOAD? We tell you what software to use How can I make my own greetings cards?

I have been using Corel Print House to design and Q print my own greetings cards for some time. Last TROUBLESHOOTING TOOL year, however, I encountered compatibility problems when I tried to run the program in Windows 8.1, Windows Repair Free and I realise that the situation is unlikely to improve when I eventually move to Windows 10. Can you please suggest an Portable 3.7.0 inexpensive (or free!) and uncomplicated alternative for www.snipca.com/19047 this task that will work in Windows 8.1 and 10? What you need: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8/8.1 or 10 Colin Hague

Fixing Windows problems can be a frustrating experience, Yo u could try HP’s free especially if you’re not certain what’s causing them in the fi rst A program Photo Creations place. If only there was one single, easy-to-use tool that could (www.snipca.com/19060). automatically check for and repair dozens of different problems, Th e program lets you design all including corrupt fi le permissions, Registry errors, Windows manner of printable items, including Update glitches, all in one go. Step forward Windows Repair invitations, calendars and greetings Free. Click the Direct Download button under ‘Portable’, then cards for all occasions. It’s easy to use, unzip and run the program. Windows Repair Free’s tabbed lets you either print yourself or order prints from HP, and interface will take you through a sequence of optional works fi ne in Windows 8.1 and 10. However, certain troubleshooting steps before conducting a series of automated ‘premium editing features’, including image enhancement, repairs (preferably in Safe Mode). It isn’t guaranteed to cure custom borders and advanced text designs, require a small every PC problem, but if you’re having trouble, Windows fee (£6.49) to unlock. Repair Free is defi nitely worth a try. Th e latest version includes Another solution would be to create your designs using a updated support and fi xes for Windows 10, but look out for any free image editor, like Paint.net (previous page), then import fake ‘Download now’ adverts when downloading the program. your image into Word and use free downloadable templates – such as those offered by Avery at www.snipca.com/19059 – to incorporate your designs into a printable greetings card. ADMIN TOOL Yo u could also try using an online service, such as www. funkypigeon.com, to design your own personalised greetings cards and order prints to be delivered. Yo u can NirSoft MMCSnapInsView 1.00 choose your preferred templates, upload your own images, www.snipca.com/19046 and personalise your messages using online tools. Th is route What you need: Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8/8.1 or 10 isn’t free, but prices start at £1.79 per card, which isn’t bad if you factor in the money you’ll save on printer ink. Th e Microsoft Management Do you need our advice on what software to use? Console (MMC) is Just email us at [email protected] a powerful set of Windows tools NEW that let you monitor and The Definitive Guidee configure your to Free Software computer. Th e You’ll find more superb problem is that free programs in our new individual MMC 144-page book: The Definitive components – known as ‘snap-ins’ – are scattered across Guide to Free Software diff erent areas of the operating system, so it’s often hard to fi nd the one you want. MMCSnapInsView – yet another great tool from Nirsoft – provides a very simple way of viewing and BUY IT NOW accessing all of MMC’s components in one place. Yo u can view FROM AMAZON information about each snap-in and even open multiple at www.snipca.com/16785 snap-ins at once by Ctrl-clicking the ones you want, then right-clicking and selecting ‘Open Selected SnapIns In MMC’.

6 – 19 January 2016 17 Reviews New products tested by our experts

PHONE ❘ £420 from John Lewiswis www.snipca.com/19050 Microsoft Lumia 950 Windows 10 fi nally goes mobile

Windows 10 isn’t just big news for PCs. Th is was meant to be the upgrraaddee that would unify Microsoft’s operating systemstem across desktop PCs, laptops, taabbletslets andand phones. Instead of the full-onsoft ware on your computer and limited, sorort-of- compatible apps on your mobile devices, you’d have the same thing everywhere. It’s obviously the way things should be. Unfortunately, it’s not quite what we’ve’ve got. When Windows 10 arriveedd for PCs and tablets, it didn’t work on phones. promise is that app makers can write a bright enough. Yo u get a reasonable 32GB Now, after a short delay, there’s a distinctnct single p prrooggrraamm that adapts to all devices.devices. of storaragege, plus a microSD card slot for up mobile edition. Th is phone, under the Th is is demonstrated in the Photos, Mail to 200GB more. And the best feature is Lumia brand name that Microsoft and Calendar apps, which feel familiar but the stabilised 20-megapixel camera, acquired when it took over Nokia, is the are nicely reworked for the phone display. which takes pictures with exceptional fi rst to run it. More models from Microsoft Office didn’t convince us, subtlety. Video, at up to 4K resolution, is Microsoft and others are sure to follow. though. Yo u get special versions of Word, also good, although you can’t lock Excel and PowerPoint – known as Office exposure for more professional results. Mobile – with a user interface designed Th e camera in the middle of the rear You can use the phone for small touchscreens, which means you panel has a metallic porthole – the only have to relearn where everything is. decorative feature on an otherwise as a desktop PC, but why Unlike Apple’s equivalent apps, these minimalist exterior. Elsewhere, the matt would you want to? aren’t free: you’ll need an Office 365 black or white plastic fi nish doesn’t feel subscription (from £6 a month, www. top of the range. Th e awkwardly tilted snipca.com/17852) to use all the features. Windows logo is apologetically small, Th ere’s no fi ngerprint sensor to wake Not many other apps have been and you could easily mistake the word up the Lumia 950, but you can set up redesigned for Windows 10 Mobile yet. ‘Microsoft’ on the front for a label saying Windows 10’s ‘Hello’ feature to recognise Maybe it’ll catch on, but the history of ‘Microphone’. If this had been designed your face when you peer at it. Once the Windows Phone suggests maybe it won’t. by satirists to suggest a corporate dinosaur screen comes on, it looks more like an In an unexpected twist, you can use the out of touch with consumer fashions, updated version of Windows Phone 8.1 phone as a desktop PC.A feature called they couldn’t have done a better job. than a phone version of Windows 10. As Continuum lets you plug a monitor or TV before, your home screen is fi lled with into the Lumia (with an adapter), add a VERDICT: For £120 less than an iPhone Live Tiles that you scroll through vertically. Bluetooth keyboard, and pretend you’re 6s, this is almost an excellent phone, However, thanks to Microsoft’s new using a PC. Apps scale up for the big but only consider it if you’re a big Universal Apps system, everything does screen. Yo u use the phone as a trackpad. Windows 10 fan who doesn’t already feel very consistent with the PC version It’s a clever way of doing something we’re use iOS or Android of Windows 10. And the underlying not sure we’ll ever want to do. ★★★☆☆ Even though the Lumia 950 has a SPECIFICATIONS decent processor, Windows 10 Mobile ALTERNATIVE: Samsung Galaxy 5.2in 2560x1440-pixel screen • 32GB flash storage sometimes feels juddery. Th e battery can S6 £350 Excellent value at • 20-megapixel rear camera • 5-megapixel front charge wirelessly, which is handy, but current prices, this comparable camera • 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.1 • 3G/4G • lasted us only 10 hours of video playback. Android phone only disappoints microSD card slot • USB Type-C port • Windows 10 Mobile • 145x73x8.2mm (HxWxD) • 150g • One-year Th e sharp AMOLED screen has good by omitting a microSD slot warranty www.snipca.com/19049 colour reproduction, but doesn’t go

18 6 – 19 January 2016 PC ❘ £650 from Currys www.snipca.com/19072 HOW WE TEST Computeractive is owned by Dennis HP Pavilion 23-q110na Publishing, which owns a hi-tech facility for testing the latest technology. You’ll An all-in-one PC that doesn’t have it all, after all often read references to our benchmark testing, which is a method of assessing products using the same criteria. For A computer built into a monitor is a good example, we test the speed of every idea, but it can still be a waste of space. PC and the battery life of every tablet Although you’re losing the big box, you’re in exactly the same way. This makes not gaining anything: these machines are our reviews authoritative, rigorous basically laptops with bigger screens and and accurate. no keyboard, so performance won’t Dennis Publishing also owns match a similarly priced tower desktop the magazines PC Pro, Computer PC. And of course you can’t carry them Shopper, Web User and Micro Mart around, unless you’re one of those brave and the website Expert Reviews people on the internet who uses your (www.expertreviews.co.uk). This iMac in Starbucks (www.snipca. means we can test thousands of com/19076), at a pizza products before choosing the most restaurant (www.snipca. relevant for Computeractive. com/19077) or on the train (www.snipca.com/19075). FAIR AND IMPARTIAL Our writers follow strict guidelines to Still, those parts can be replaced if they ensure the reviews are fair and A bright, vibrant bother you. What really matters is the impartial. The manufacturer has no 23in touchscreen, and it’s actually very involvement in our tests. touchscreen can’t good. It’s bright, and the vibrant colours will do justice to your photos and videos. OUR AWARDS compensate for poor For fi lms and games, the built-in audio is We award every product loud and clear enough without having to that gets five stars our performance add external speakers. BUY IT! Buy It! stamp of approval. Th e Pavilion 23’s problem is ★★★★★ It means we were So you’ll need good reasons to choose performance. Th e model we tested had extremely impressed by the product, an all-in-one PC. HP’s looks handsome, a mid-range AMD processor with a and we think you will be too. even if its curved back and tilt stand sensible 8GB of RAM, which should have (reminiscent of a certain fruit-branded been adequate. However, due to the Every product that gets a rival beginning with ‘A’) are fi nished in sluggish 1TB mechanical hard drive, four-star review is given silver and white plastic rather than Windows 10 didn’t feel as smooth and the Great Pick award. We aluminium. For the money, though, it speedy as we’d have liked. Loading highly recommend these looks positively classy. Th e Guardian’s home page took fi ve products, although they just fail to meet Th e same can’t be said of the included seconds on our fast broadband, plus the high standard of our Buy It! winners. wireless keyboard and mouse, which another three for it to stop juddering as look as if someone fully intended to push we scrolled around. PRICES the boat out with their design, but didn’t AMD’s R6 integrated graphics card is Our reviews contain a link to the best quite get round to it. Th e mouse works more powerful than you might expect, price we found online at the time of press. fi ne, but it’s far too big a lump for the few so we got older 3D games such as Dirt buttons it offers. Th e keyboard shares the Showdown playing smoothly at Full HD same glossy black coating, which gets resolution on medium quality settings. VERDICT: It’s not bad value and looks greasy and dusty if you so much as look HP also makes the same system without good from a distance, but the Pavilion at it, let alone lay a fi nger on it. Th e keys, a touchscreen and with Intel Core i5 23 is more of a compromise than we’d meanwhile, have a soft and spongy action processors, or with a dedicated AMD like in an ideal world that takes the joy out of typing. Radeon graphics card for £150 more. ★★★☆☆ With plenty of connections, including SPECIFICATIONS a couple of fast USB 3.0 ports and the ALTERNATIVE: Palicommpp 1.8GHz AMD A10-8700P quad-core processor • latest 802.11ac Wi-Fi, you’ll have no Intel i5 Revolution £700 8GB memory • 1TB hard drive • DVD writer • 23in trouble putting the Pavilion 23 at the An overclocked PC that 1920x1080-pixel touchscreen • 802.11ac Wi-Fi • centre of your setup. But disappointing comes with a Samsung Bluetooth 4.0 • Webcam • 4x USB 2.0 ports • 2x USB performance and tacky input devices keyboard and mouse. A 3.0 ports • Gigabit Ethernet • Windows 10 Home • 451x568x193mm (HxWxD) • One-year warranty make it a less attractive prospect than it fast Windows 10 option www.snipca.com/19073 initially seemed.

6 – 19 January 2016 19 Reviews

LAPTOPTABLET ❘ £200 from PC World www.snipipca.com/19080 Asus TransformerBoo BookkT T100HA100HA It’s a hybrid, but neither one thing noorrth theeoottherher

Transformer was, as some of you may know, the second studio album by Velvet Underground singer Lou Reed (co-produced by David Bowie). Th is affordable laptop is hardly a walk on the wild side, but it does come in white, pink, blue or a fl attering grey. Th e name refers to the way it converts from notebook to tablet by detaching its magnetically connected keyboard. So will the T100HA give you a perfect day? (That’s our fi nal Lou Reed reference – promise.)

take pictictures and videos. Forget about though not the most demanding 3D The keyboard doing so at night, tthhooughugh,, bbececause actitionon. In ourour bbeenncchhmarmarkk teststests, it waswasnn’’tt photos get hopelessly grainy in low light. far off the capability of Apple’s A8 chip, connects via Bluetooth, Getting the keyboard on and off is as used in the iPad Air 2, for most simple, and Windows 10’s Tablet mode purposes. In practice, though, it seems to so won’t work if you means software works as intended in be held back by the T100HA’s fl ash turn off Bluetooth to both formats. As well as small magnetic storage, which is generously large, at horns that bend from the hinge to clip 64GB, but so slow it could almost be a save battery the two halves together, there is an mechanical hard drive. It’s like putting a electrical docking connector. wagon wheel on a Porsche. So there are Th is combination keeps everything stutters and pauses where an iPad would We should point out at the start that fi rmly attached, but the interface only be smooth. very few of the low-value Windows 10 transfers data from the keyboard’s Ultimately these fl aws were all too portable laptops have fully convinced USB 2.0 port, into which you might much. Although it’s an achievement for us. But being able to unclip the plug a mouse; the keyboard itself Asus to offer a machine such as this for touchscreen and use it by itself is connects via Bluetooth, so won’t work such a low price, we wouldn’t advise you undeniably useful. Chest-level Yo uTube- if you turn off Bluetooth to save battery to ignore the drawbacks. watching is hard on the arms with a or for use during fl ights. Talking of conventional laptop, but if you love to battery life, the keyboard unit uses very SPECIFICATIONS watch things on TV, holding the little power, but if you forget to charge 1.44GHz Intel Atom Z8500 quad-core processor T100HA at that height is quite practical: it along with the tablet it’ll eventually • 2GB memory • 64GB flash storage • 10.1in without the keyboard, it’s only slightly run out. Th e tablet lasted us 11 hours, or 1280x800-pixel screen • 2-megapixel webcam • 5-megapixel rear camera • 802.11n Wi-Fi • USB heavier than an iPad. nine using Wi-Fi. 2.0 port • USB Type-C port • Windows 10 Home Th e display is decent, though not Where the keyboard really fails is, • 20x265x175mm (HxWxD) • 1.04kg • One-year Retina-sharp, with good brightness, simply, in not being a good keyboard. warranty www.snipca.com/19081 high contrast and acceptable colour. While the screen section has a metal Th ere’s a camera on the back and a back, the keyboard is plastic, and the VERDICT: Many people say that it’s webcam on the front, so you can slipippery, rattly keys and unresponsive impossible to produce a desirable trackpad certainly aren’t very much Windows 10 hybrid for £200. Th is fun. Although the stiff hinge lets you doesn‘t prove them wrong adadjust the relative angle of the screen ★★★☆☆ and keyboard as you would with a laptptop, the heavier tablet section ALTERNATIVE: Toshiba tends to make the whole thing tip Satellite C40-C £200 It babackwards. doesn’t come apart, but if thethe Performance is also a mixed story. Th e tablet aspect isn’t essential, Intel Atom processor is a fairly new this larger laptop is a model that promises to cope both with better buy Windows 10 and even a bit of gaming,

20 6 – 19 January 2016 LAPTOP ❘ £197 from Amazon www.snipca.com/19070 Asus C201 Chromebook Who needs Windows 10 anyway?

Th e latest Asus Chromebook ticks all the boxes: it looks like a proper laptop, but weighs Lasting reliability down to the fi nest detail. less, costs less and the battery lasts longer. Th e 11.6in screen is just big enough to be practical, and uses old LCD technology that means colours are dull and everything goes weird if you look at it from the wrong angle. So this isn’t the best machine for editing photos or watching fi lms. But then that’s not the point of it. For typing and surfing the web, via the Chrome OS (Google’s lightweight equivalent of Windows), it’s fi ne. Th e keys feel a bit squishy, and the compact layout means there’s no room for luxuries like a separate Delete key (to erase forwards, as opposed to Backspace). But it’s still a proper keyboard, and the stiff hinge lets you tilt the screen to whatever angle suits you. Th e touchpad works well, too. Battery life is quoted at 13 hours, more like you’d expect from a phone than a PC. We found 12 hours was more realistic – and this fell further with the screen turned up to full brightness – but this is still excellent. If you do have to charge it on the move, you’ll need the charger that comes with it. Th is is because, although it has a microUSB port like a mobile device, a standard mobile charger doesn’t provide enough volts. But it’ll take less than an hour to fully charge from empty, which is impressive. Yo u can plug in a microSD card to supplement the C201’s 16GB of fl ash storage. But there’s little point, since Chrome OS expects you to work online using web apps, which load from the internet rather than being installed on your computer. Besides Google’s own office programs, there are lots of others available, including creative, games and social-media software. Yo u can also access anything you normally can through a web browser. And, unexpectedly, the C201’s Rockchip processor, based on technology from British company ARM, handles web content faster than some budget Windows 10 laptops with Intel chips.

SPECIFICATIONS Rockchip RK3288C quad-core processor • 2GB memory • 16GB flash storage • 11.6in 1366x768-pixel screen • Webcam • MicroSD card slot • 2x USB 2.0 ports • MicroHDMI port • 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.1 • Chrome OS • 18x287x194mm (HxWxD) • 0.98kg • One-year warranty www.snipca.com/19067

VERDICT: Chrome OS won’t be for everyone, but the nippy C201 shows why it can make sense not to weigh down a low- cost laptop with Windows ★★★★☆ X300/P300 ALTERNATIVE: HP Stream 11 £180 With Windows 10 and twice the storage, this similar-sized laptop lasts High-Performance Hard Drives up to 10 hours but can feel a bit slow

For further information please visit toshiba.co.uk/internal-hdd Reviews

TABLET ❘ £150 from Nvidia www.snipca.com/19090 Nvidia Shield Tablet K1 Don’t believe the hype: it isn’t just for gamers BUY IT! Th is is the second attempt at a tablet from ★★★★★ Nvidia, the company best known for its PC graphics cards. And it’s for gamers. Yo u can tell because it says on the box ‘for gamers’, with a picture of it running a game. In other images, it’s hiding behind a game controller. Its home page is titled ‘New Shield Tablet K1 for Gamers’. Ye s, Nvidia, we get the message. But we disagree. Gamers might like to keep the Shield Tablet K1 all to themselves, especially given that it sold out as soon as it appeared shortly before Christmas and is only now coming back into stock. But that would be a waste, because we all have more in common with gamers than we’re ready to admit. For example, ‘K1’ refers to Nvidia’s powerful Tegra K1 processor, a serious rival to the A8X chip in Apple’s current Shield Controller, but you can also play cut to give you all this for £150. Th e £15 iPad Air 2 (which costs more than twice games using the touchscreen. Moreover, stylus included with the previous Shield as much as the Shield Tablet K1). It to ensure you don’t drop it in all the tablet now isn’t, but you probably never means everything runs very smoothly. In excitement, the Shield Tablet K1 has a wanted it anyway. Th ere’s only 16GB of our tests, web pages loaded and scrolled matt black fi nish and stippled rubber storage, but you can add more on a as fast as on Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S2, panels over the speakers at each end. microSD card. And fi nally, there’s no which, again, is far more expensive. Th at extra grip could save you a trip to mains charger. Yo u can either pay £18 for the screen-repair shop. Th e speakers, Nvidia’s power adapter or provide your which are loud and bassy, give a proper own. It’s true that standard USB chargers Aimed at gamers, sense of stereo and are therefore great for work with lots of mobile devices, but we watching videos on the widescreen don’t think it’s acceptable to leave out but this will satisfy display. Its Full HD (1920x1080-pixel) such an essential part. everyone’s needs resolution looks very sharp, and although Despite this misjudgement, the Shield it only covers about 80 per cent of the Tablet K1 is excellent value. sRGB colour range, we found it brighter If you do play all-action 3D games, that than other tablets under £200. SPECIFICATIONS will work the processor harder, meaning Yo u might think buying a tablet aimed 2.2GHz Nvidia Tegra K1 processor • 16GB flash shorter battery life. Even so, the Shield at gamers means having to put up with a storage • 8in 1920x1080-pixel touchscreen • 5-megapixel rear camera • 5-megapixel webcam Tablet K1 can still keeping going for over lot of unnecessary game-based elements. • 802.11n Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.0 LE • Android 5.1 • fi ve hours of demanding gaming, which But you’d be wrong. While other tablets 126x221x9.2mm (HxWxD) • 390g • One-year isn’t bad at all. Lay off the gaming, and come stuffed with pointless extra warranty www.snipca.com/19090 you’ll get much more: 12 hours 39 software, this arrives with just a basic minutes, to be precise, in our moderate- version of Android, which is ideal. Th e VERDICT: Gaming may be Nvidia’s use test. Th at’s better than an iPad. main additions are Nvidia’s GeForce Now thing, but whether or not it’s yours, this Gamers might like to add the £50 and GameStream. GeForce Now gives you is still a great mini-tablet at a low price access to 50 excluclusive online games for ★★★★★ £7.49 a month; if you don’t want it, don’t sign uup. For PC gamers, ALTERNATIVE: Google Nexus 7 £110 GameStream lets you Th e 2013 model of this play compatible games slightly smaller tablet is frfrom your PC on the due for replacement, but Shieield Tablet K1 over until then it’s a decent Wi-Fi, which is handy. choice at a huge discount A couplecouple of corners have been

22 6 – 19 January 2016 Reviews

TABLET ❘ £679 from Apple www.snipca.com/18913 The best… Apple iPad Pro Touchscreen A bigger tablet with a new way to draw gloves

If the smaller iPad is the The North Face iPad mini, this should Denali Etip Gloves be the iPad maxi. Th e £30 from www.snipca. maxiPad, if you will. All com/18957 right, maybe not. But Touchscreen gloves this is a better tablet mimic your skin’s for all sorts of users, conductivity to work like fi ngers. Th e not just ‘pros’. And Denali have very responsive tips on with the Apple all four fi ngers and the thumb. Being Pencil, it becomes a thick gloves, they’re a bit too clumsy for whole different kind typing, but you’ll stay warm. of computer. Th e design matches the iPad Air 2, a only comes with a trial period for Mujjo Touchscreen Gloves rounded aluminium slice. But there are Microsoft Office, Apple gives you its £24 from www.snipca.com/18952 now two speaker grilles at each end; the equivalent apps for free. Th ese thin woollen unisex gloves come stereo output shifts according to which What’s not free is the £79 Pencil. Th is in a choice of colours and are woven way round you’re holding the tablet, and has a fi ne nib that senses both pressure through with conductive threads, so it sounds great. In the centre of one side and angle, and works with a layer of you can use any part of any fi nger. An is the Smart Connector, a new magnetic sensors built into the iPad Pro’s screen to alalternative design (about interface for the Smart Keyboard. Th e make it respond exceptionally quickly £27 from www.snipca. Home button, with its Touch ID and precisely. It gets close to the subtlety com/18953), in black fi ngerprint sensor, and the Lightning port of a real pencil, letting you draw very fi ne only, adds a cuff for a remain unchanged, as does the battery lines and control shading. Some lovely smarter look and silicon life (around ten hours). apps, including Apple’s own Notes, make dots to help grip your Th e 12.9in screen feels much, much the results look real, too. Th e Pencil is phphone. bigger. Like the 9.7in iPad Air 2, it has easy to charge, but there’s nowhere 264 pixels across and down each inch, to stow it. Mujjo Leather and that gives a grand total of 2732x2048 Apple’s Smart Keyboard (£139) is Touchscreen Gloves – nearly three times more dots than a fi rmer than Microsoft’s Type Cover, but £100 from www.snipca.com/18956 Full HD screen. Not only does it look can prop the iPad Pro at one angle only, For the ultimate in quality, Mujjo’s super-sharp, but its colour accuracy is and currently comes with American waterproofed lambskin glove, lined excellent, beating previous iPads. keyboard labels, although you can simply with cashmere, is ‘infused with Inside is Apple’s own A9X chip, which ignore these. Logitech already has an nanotechnology’, which we think is more powerful than the processors and alternative (£110 from www.snipca.com/ means particles of silver. graphics cards in many laptops. Every 18916), and others will follow. Unlike Users report that these app works smoothly, and even tasks like Microsoft, Apple doesn’t support a work well but the thumbs editing HD video in iMovie won’t keep trackpad, so you still have to touch the are too generously cut, you hanging around. Yo u can shoot video screen to select things or move the cursor, so you may be left with a with the rear camera, which also does and text editing isn’t quite as slick. squishy bit at the end. slow motion and 8-megapixel photos. Th e iOS 9 operating system isn’t as VERDICT: It’s pricey, especially if you TouchAbility Grip Gloves fl exible as Windows 10, but the new opt for the Pencil, Smart Keyboard and £10 from www.snipca.com/18961 Slide Over and Split View options help a larger storage option, and it won’t Available in black, navy or red, these to make your work space more practical replace a PC. But the iPad Pro is a acrylic woollen gloves are woven by showing two apps at once. While wonderful tablet with stainless steel for all-finger Microsoft’s similarly sized Surface Pro 4 ★★★★☆ touchscreen use and also have hundreds of PVC dots t too SPECIFICATIONS ALTERNATIVE: Microsoft Surface Pro 4 stop your phone slipping.ipping. Apple A9X processor • 32GB flash storage • 12.9in £749 With more storage, the Although the style iss 2732x2048-pixel touchscreen • 8-megapixel rear Windows 10 tablet is arguably basic and the sizes camera • 1.2-megapixel webcam • 802.11ac Wi-Fi • more practical (see page 20). a little tight, they’re Touch ID fingerprint sensor • iOS 9 • 306x221x6.9mm (HxWxD) • 713g • One-year warranty Its stylus is included practical and good vaalluue.e. www.snipca.com/18914

6 – 19 January 2016 23 Reviews – smartwatch round-up

£270 from Amazon www.snipca.com/19122 £249 from Very.co.uk www.snipca.com/19123 Huawei Watch Samsung Gear S2 Rigorous design adds some class An alternative to Android Wear

Th ere’s not much to than Motorola’s, with a Samsung was the looks great. While the choose between this strong sapphire glass. fi rst big company Apple Watch has a and the Moto 360 2 Yo u can choose to launch a knob, the Gear (see below), but from several modern S2’s bezel turns Huawei, a big Chinese watch-face smartwatch, and to operate some company that won’t designs, all of used its own functions, such be familiar to many them very classy. software, Tizen, as scrolling UK buyers, has taken Huawei’s which worked through a little more care with minimalist case with Samsung messages. a few features to make design is stylish, as phones only. Th e Unfortunately, too its Android Wear watch well as comfortable to new Gear S2 still many aspects of the stand out. Both charge wear. But the luxury uses Tizen rather than software are confusing, voice wirelessly, but the look is refl ected in the price. Android Wear, but does work recognition is unreliable, and Huawei Watch lasted us with other phones that have the apps aren’t as good as longer, nearly managing two VERDICT: If you want a Android 4.4 or later. Android Wear’s. days with the display classy watch, Huawei’s Th e Gear S2 is extremely constantly on. It has a model fi ts the bill. Even the well made, although from a VERDICT: Tizen handles barometer, so fi tness apps cheapest version has the distance the Standard model, some notifi cations better know when you’re climbing feel of a high-end designer with its rubber strap, could be than Android, but overall it stairs, but there’s no GPS. product mistaken for a basic sports doesn’t work as well Th e AMOLED screen is ★★★★☆ watch. Close up, it feels like a ★★★☆☆ sharper and more colourful luxury product and the screen

£202 from Amazon www.snipca.com/19120 Motorola Moto 360 2 A traditional-looking watch that’s good value for money

Th e Apple Watch (from £299) is the in the Sport edition. best smartwatch overall, and the Th e main point of a smartwatch is to best choice if you already use Apple buzz or ping when you get a message or devices (keep in mind that almost all other notification, then show you the smartwatches must be paired with a details on its face so you don’t need to get mobile phone). Most other smartwatches your phone out. Android wear does this are based on Google’s Android Wear quite well, although some apps make software, and work well with Android notifications hard to read. phones. Although Android Wear on Th e Moto 360 2 looks great, with a the latest watches can now pair with choice of styles and straps. As with most a choice of watch faces; you can iPhones, Apple doesn’t let them smartwatches, the front is entirely taken download alternatives or use apps to work with many features. up by an LCD touchscreen that displays design your own. Th is second version of Motorola’s Moto 360 watch exemplifies a trend for traditionally styled round-faced VERDICT: Th e Moto 360 2 is our ALTERNATIVES: If you want to spend watches using Android Wear. It works favourite non-Apple watch so far. But less, consider the older models still on smoothly, and the battery lasts a full we’re still not convinced that most people sale, such as the Moto 360 (£149), LG’s day with the screen set to stay on all will get £200’s worth of use out of a G Watch Urbane (£170), the rectangular the time (the Apple Watch only comes smartwatch Asus ZenWatch (£150) or the more basic on when you look at it). Th ere’s a ★★★★☆ Pebble Time (£130) heart-rate monitor but no GPS, except

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PRINTER ❘ £200 from John Lewis www.snipca.com/19103 Epson EcoTankET-2500 The beginning of the end of the inkjet rip-off ?

Th anks to advances in silicon-chip accommodates a production, computer technology gets scanner, but the cheaper all the time. But printers are onboard controls mostly boxes of cogs, so the only way to are limited, and make them cheaper is to cheat. And that’s there’s no what printer manufacturers have been automatic double- doing – shifting the price from the sided (duplex) hardware to ink, which comes in tiny printing or options for quantities in wastefully packaged borderless photos. Th e appendage on the cartridges. As a consequence, printing right-hand side (much like a lean-to photocopies were acceptably fast at 15 one page of text and colour graphics shed) is where you’ll fi nd the ink tanks. seconds, but colour copies took 36. typically costs between 6-10p. Refi lling them from Epson’s satisfyingly An A4 page scanned at a fax-quality With Epson’s EcoTank system, that large ink bottles can be a bit fi ddly, so you 150 dots per inch (dpi) in just 11 seconds, fi gure falls to less than half a penny. And have to take care to match the colours. but more detailed scans were slower: a you won’t even pay that until you’ve used While most printers keep track of the 6x4in photo at 1200dpi took more than up the ink that comes with the printer, levels in their cartridges, the ET-2500 just two minutes, although it did look great. which should last you about two years. In gives a warning when it thinks you’re low Print quality was less convincing, with return, you do pay more for the machine on ink, so you’ll need to keep checking slightly drab colours and not the sharpest – in this case about three times the price manually. In other respects, it works like text, but still quite decent. of a conventional multi-function printer a standard MFP. Th e software is easy to (MFP). But keep in mind that one set of set up; just make sure you have a USB VERDICT: Th is is an underwhelming extra-large cartridges could cost you cable handy, even if you’re planning to printer, but we love the idea of around £50. EcoTank bottles cost less than use it wirelessly, because it’s needed to scrapping overpriced print cartridges, half that for around 10 times more ink. configure the Wi-Fi settings. and it really does workout cheacheappeerr Th e ET-2500 is rather basic. It has USB Over USB, the ET-2500 lived up to ★★★☆☆ and Wi-Fi connections, and Epson’s modest speed claims, managing 7.5 pages per minute (ppm) of black text, ALTERNATIVE: Canon SPECIFICATIONS or 16.4ppm at draft quality. Th at’s not PIXMA MG6650 £65 5670x1440dpi maximum print resolution • 9.2ppm bad, but colour printing was slow, with Th is excellent MFP with quoted speed (mono) • 4.5ppm quoted speed (colour) our fi ve pages of graphics ambling out at duplex is faster and easier to use, but if • 1200x2400dpi maximum scan resolution • USB • 802.11n Wi-Fi • 169x489x300mm (HxWxD) • 4.6kg 2.8ppm.A single 6x4in photo at high you print a lot it’ll soon cost you more Three-year warranty www.snipca.com/19104 quality took four minutes. Monochrome

WHAT SHOULD I BUY? We solve your buying dilemmas What’s the best portable hard drive for photos?

I’m a keen photographer and now, such as the Atomos Ninja range, are this from the camera Q for many years have used a aimed at videographers and quite you’ll need an app such portable hard drive with a expensive. It might help to think laterally. as ES File Explorer (free from www. built-in screen to back up and view my A second SD card is a more portable snipca.com/19099). We haven’t tried photos. My 74.5GB Vosonic reads SD backup medium than a hard drive. Any this combination, but Cornwall-based cards and is adequate for a fortnight’s Android tablet that supports USB OTG photographer Toby Abbs has: trip. But what could replace it? My ideal (‘on the go’) should connect to your see www.snipca.com/19100.A pricier budget would be £100-£200. camera’s USB cable with an OTG adapter tablet such as Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S2 Len Morris (around £10). Amazon’s Fire 7 tablet (£50 8 (£300 from www.snipca.com/19101) from www.snipca.com/19097 – see would give you better display quality. Multimedia drives like this image) fi ts the bill, and has a microSD A have become less common. slot that’ll take 32, 64 or 128GB cards Do you need advice on what you should buy? Th e most popular equivalents (around £10 to £50). To copy directly to Email us at [email protected]

26 6 – 19 January 2016 Reviews

PHONE ❘ £289 from OnePlus www.snipipca.com/19095 OnePlus OnePlus 2 It’s the best-value phone you coouullddnn’t’t buy – except now you can

Based in China, OnePlus is a small manufacturer with a unique business plan. In 2014, they announced a phone with a better specifi cation than anyone else is offering for the price, and invited people to apply for an invitation to buy it. It’s a bit like backing a crowdfunded project, except that OnePlus is a real company that actually makes phones, not a man in a shed in Ohio who’s got a video of one that he carved out of soap. OnePlus’ original phone got positive reviews and sold well, and their latest, the £199 OnePlus X, has generated a lot of interest. Now the mid-priced OnePlus Apple’s Lightntniinngg connector. The wasn’t available. But paying £289 for 2 is available to buy without an invitation. 13-megapixel camera on the back is very this 64GB version also gets you an extra Just make sure you get the EU version, good, featuring laser autofocus. It’s gigabyte of RAM, taking it up to a not the one made for China. slightly slow to take a picture, not generous 4GB. Th at means it should run brilliant in low light, and lacks the even more smoothly, especially when iPhone 6s’ Full HD slow motion, but it fl icking between apps, as well as Competes with does shoot 4K video and has optical providing a comfortable amount of space image stabilisation, which Apple only for all your photos and videos, so it’s high-end devices like builds into the larger iPhone 6s Plus. worth the extra. At 5.5in, the OnePlus 2’s touchscreen is Th e only reason we’re not making this the iPhone 6s, which slightly bigger than the iPhone 6s, and its phone a ‘Buy it!’ is that OnePlus’ website 1920x1080-pixel resolution matches the doesn’t clearly describe warranty and costs twice as much 6s Plus. It’s not as sharp or colourful as returns policies that comply with UK law Samsung’s screens, and only covers 88 and some users have reported problems Th e OnePlus 2 is marketed as a per cent of the sRGB colour range, but it’s with customer service. When we tried ‘flagship killer’, meaning it’s intended to display is more than adequate. the online chat support, we were number compete with high-end devices such as OnePlus’ OxygenOS software, based on 39 in a queue, and after 10 minutes we the iPhone 6s, which costs twice as version 5.1.1 (Lollipop) of Google’s Android, were still at 31. much. Th at’s quite believable when you works in a very standard way, with only a get your hands on it. Th e magnesium few tweaks, including the ability to tweak SPECIFICATIONS alloy frame – similar to aluminium – the sound quality. It runs smoothly on 5.5in 1920x1080-pixel screen • 13-megapixel rear camera • 5-megapixel front camera • 64GB flash feels expensively sturdy, and the buttons the OnePlus 2’s impressively powerful storage • 802.11ac Wi-Fi • Bluetooth 4.1 • 3G/4G • fi t precisely, including a three-way mute eight-core Snapdragon 810 processor; OxygenOS • 152x75x9.85mm (HxWxD) • 175g • switch. Th e black ‘sandstone’ rear panel is web pages dodon’t load as fast as they do on One-year warranty www.snipca.com/19096 easy to grip without collectingg an iPhone 6s, but 3D games are fi ngerprints, and there are four no problem, although they can VERDICT: It may not be a familiar brand, optional snap-on covers in make the phone rather hot. Th e but OnePlus has proved it can deliver wood or Kevlar (£20). battery just about lasts a full day great phones, and this one is a bargain Like iPhones, the OnePlus 2 of normal use, comparable to an ★★★★☆ has a fi ngerprint reader in the iPhohone and better than some of Home button so you don’t haavvee the top Android models, which ALTERNATIVE: Google to use a password to unlock it, can go for over 15 hours. Nexus 5X £339 Th is although it can be a little slow While OnePlus promises it comparable phone has a to react and there’s no won’t go back to an invite better camera, but it’s contactless payment feature. syststem for the OnePlus 2, that ugly and has a quarter of Th e USB Type-C port for data dodoesn’t mean it’ll never go out the storage yet costs and charging handily works of stock. At the time of writing, £50 more both ways round, much like the 16GB version, at £50 less,

6 – 19 January 2016 27 Reviews

PHOTOEDITING SOFTWARE ❘ £60 from PaintShop Pro www.snipca.com/19141 Corel Paint Shop Pro X8 Ultimate More retouching tools for less money – but it still ain’t pretty

Corel’s PaintShop Pro has been around for almost as long as Adobe Photoshop, offering a capable alternative at a much lower price. In the past few years, though, Adobe has fought back by changing its pricing. Instead of paying over £500 to buy Photoshop, you now rent it as part of the Creative Cloud Photography plan for just £8 a month, accompanied by the Lightroom photo manager. Professional photographers will import their pics into Lightroom, where they stay neatly archived, and dip into Photoshop for more advanced retouching. Th is latest version of PaintShop Pro is clearly designed to meet Adobe’s challenge head-on. Previously, a big limitation was its poor handling of ‘raw’ images. More cheaper than a year’s Creative Cloud. At users. Magic Move automatically patches advanced digital cameras give you the the time of writing, Corel had discounted up the background when you move, or option of storing raw fi les instead of (or this to £60, and we found it selling on remove, an object. It works reasonably as well as) the usual JPEGs. Th e difference Amazon for as little as £45. At this price well – but Photoshop Elements’ Content- is that they’re recorded without any of it has no competition. Aware Move works better. the colour tweaks, lens correction and But that doesn’t mean you should buy Still, overall PaintShop Pro has a noise reduction that help to make snaps it. Raw processors need to understand more complete set of tools than Adobe look good straight out of the camera. your particular camera, and of the 14 raw Photoshop Elements, and the inclusion formats we tried, AfterShot 2 could only of AfterShot 2 makes it look good value read half. PaintShop Pro itself imported against its other main rival, Serif Of the raw formats them all, but it has two entirely different PhotoPlus X8, which sells for similar ways to handle raw fi les, one in the discounted prices. Corel’s Ultimate we tried, it could Adjust mode and the other in Edit, and edition also includes Perfect Effects 9.5, only read half both are rubbish and confusing. a retouching plug-in, although this When we could use AfterShot 2, it confusingly overlaps PaintShop Pro’s own provided a good set of ‘non-destructive’ features. If you don’t need either of those Th at’s a good thing for serious options to adjust images, with masking extras, buy the standard edition of photographers who want to control to correct specifi c areas, as well as very PaintShop Pro X8, which is £15 lower. everything themselves, and it can also usable sorting and rating features. Notice, help if you’re just starting to experiment though, that you don’t get all the features VERDICT: You get plenty for your with your camera’s manual settings: if of AfterShot Pro, which Corel sells money, especially at current discounts, you get the exposure wrong, a JPEG will separately. And what’s most annoying is but PaintShop Pro still seems like probably be ruined, but a raw image that you can’t select a photo in your an incomplete assemblage of can often be fi xed. AfterShot library and choose to edit it in unrelated features Rather than improve PaintShop Pro’s PaintShop Pro X8; you have to export a ★★★☆☆ horrible raw processing, Corel has chosen copy of it fi rst and open that. to throw in a whole extra app, AfterShot 2 If you don’t shoot raw, you could still ALTERNATIVE: Serif PhotoPlus X8 (pictured). Th is is more like Lightroom, use AfterShot 2 as a photo manager, but £80 With decent built-in organiser turning Paint Shop Pro X8 into a direct the lack of integration with PaintShop and raw processor equivalent of Adobe’s bundle for £80, Pro makes that less than ideal. Compare modules, with Adobe’s Photoshop Elements 14, PhotoPlus feels SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS which provides closely connected less cluttered. It Windows 7, 8 or 10 • 2GB memory • 1GB hard-drive space • Internet connection or DVD drive required for Organizer and Editor modules. can also be found installation • Internet connection required for extras Some of PaintShop Pro X8’s new features heavily discounted and tutorials www.snipca.com/19144 will be familiar to Photoshop Elements

28 6 – 19 January 2016 Reviews

SMART LAMP ❘ £70 from Amazon www.snipca.com/19147 COMING SOON

SPRING 2016 Philips Hue Go Dell will unveil a new line of producducttss,, which we’re guessing will be Windows A gentle splash of colour for your room 10 laptops and/or tablets. Given the company’s history of decent and affordable PCs, there’ll be a lot We can’t work out if Philips didn’t of interest in these, and they twig that Hue Go sounds like the could set a trend for the name Hugo, or intended the year’s new launches. pun to mean something, or didn’t care. It’s now the name SPRING 2016 of a little hemispherical ‘smart’ LG has three new Minibeam LED lamp that can be controlled projectors on the way, including from your phone or tablet as one with a rechargeable battery that part of a ‘connected’ home. lasts two-and-a-half hours (long Ideal for a bedside table, it has a enough to show most fi lms). button on the bottom that More projectors like this switches its built-in LEDs to could make PCs a viable steady or shifting colours (see alternative to TVs. images) or a fl ickering fl ame effect. Th e bottom is identified by a bump that SPRING 2016 lets you angle Hue Go so that it casts its When Apple announced the oversized light on a wall (see main image); it can iPad Pro, it didn’t mention an also lie fl at, like a bowl. update to the iPad Air 2. March would be a likely time slot for an iPad Air 3. An obvious addition It makes the small would be support for the iPad area around it more Pro’s Pencil and waterproofi ng. MID 2016 pleasant to be in Hue also works with Apple HomeKit, DVDs stopped looking clever when so other compatible accessories can we got 1080p Full HD, and now Blu- Yo u can leave Hue Go plugged in, but trigger lighting changes, and with Philips’ rays have been overtaken by 4K TVs. if you want to move it around, as the own Ambilight TVs, so all the lights in Th e disc industry’s answer is Ultra HD name proposes, it contains a rechargeable your living room can change colour in Blu-ray, offering a sharper picture and battery that’ll keep it going for three sync with what’s happening on screen. more realistic colour. Th e fi rst pplayers hours. It’s too small and dim to serve any Like other ‘internet of things’ devices, will appear this year, and practical purpose, but Hue Go is a lovely the Hue Bridge gets updates over the drives in PCs will follow. thing that makes the small area around internet, which can add new features. In it more pleasant to be in. December, though, Philips used an update Th e price isn’t outrageous for a to prevent lights from other manufacturers ON SALE NEXT ISSUE 20 Jan designer lamp, but you’re not getting the working with it. Users weren’t happy, and full benefi t unless you also have a Hue we’re pleased to say Philips reversed the Bridge. Th is £50 box is the brains of the decision, so the Hue Bridge can still Asus Hue concept, connecting to your Wi-Fi control a wider range of gadgets. ZenBook network to enable all the Hue gadgets in UX303UA your home to be controlled from your VERDICT: It’s pricey, but Hue Go is a nice Palicomp Intel Th e best Apple or Android phone, tablet or watch. home accessory by itself and a good i5 Raven Windows 10 Hue lightbulbs fi t in ordinary sockets, so way to dip a toe in the Hue ‘ecosystem’ A PC was never laptop yet? you could control all the lights in your ★★★★☆ more suited house from the Hue app, which supports to the living so-called ‘recipes’ that let you switch ALTERNATIVE: Elgato Avea Flare £90 room from one lighting setup to another at Coming soon to the UK, preset times or on command. Yo u’d need Avea products connect to spend quite a lot of money, though. to your phone or tablet without a bridge, but the SPECIFICATIONS system isn’t as fl exibly Th ese and much more… 240v PowerLED table lamp • 300 lumen output controllable as Hue Subscribe to Computeractive at (dimmable) • Wi-Fi • 79x150x150mm (HxWxD) • www.getcomputeractive.co.uk 900g • Two-year warranty www.snipca.com/19148

6 – 19 January 2016 29 Find out what other products we liked. Buy our 2014 Back Issue CD (now only £12.58*): www.snipca.com/14981 *Attime of press Buy It Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award

LAPTOP DESKTOP PC TABLET

Asus X555LA-XX290H Palicomp AMD Shockwave Apple iPad Mini 4 £320 from www.snipca.com/18151 £500 from www.snipca.com/18748 £319 from www.snipca.com/18100 Tested: IssuIssuee 446 Teststed:ed: IIssuessue 446464 Tested: Issue 460

Th e 2015 update to Apple’s 7.9in Asus has made all the right choices tablet greatly improves the screen with this budget Windows 8.1 laptop. Proving that you don’t need an Intel and camera, boosts performance, and Its comfortable keyboard, fast processor, Palicomp has built an makes it worth the £100 extra over the performance, respectably lengthy excellent PC around AMD’s Athlon X4 iPad mini 2 (still a good budget buy). battery life and bright screen are all 860K and Radeon R7 370 graphics Go for the £399 64GB version if you the more impressive given its low price. card, narrowly beating Chillblast’s can, though. Fusion Drone. ALTERNATIVE Asus Chromebook C200 ALTERNATIVE: Apple iPad Air 2 Th e A cheap Chrome OS ultra-portable ALTERNATIVE: CCL Nebula 200i 9.7in option is still slim and light, also laptop with a bright screen, lengthy A great all-round Intel i5 system has Touch ID and Apple Pay, and the battery life and a great keyboard. in an attractive cube-shaped case. range of apps beats Android. £399 £210 from www.snipca.com/17296 £600 from www.snipca.com/18844 from www.snipca.com/18139

PHONE DIGITAL CAMERA EREADER

Apple iPhone 6s PanasonicLumixDMC-GF6 Amazon Kindle Paperwhite £539 from www.snipca.com/18240 £330 from www.snipca.com/17548 £110 from www.snipca.com/17776 Tested: Issue 46461 Tested: Issue 405 Tested: Issue 458

It mamayy loloookk like tthhee 22001144 model,del, b butut Th is compact, interchangeable-lens With a neeww high-resoluresolution screescr n, the this update is stronger and faster, camera is small and reasonably priced, affordable Kindle lacks only automatic with a higher-resolution camera, yet it has well-designed controls, a brightness adjustment and page-turn time-saving 3D Touch features and an wide range of available lenses and buttons (you have to swipe the screen). excellent screen. Th e bigger 6s Plus shoots excellent quality photos. Th e It’s great value as long as you’re happy has better battery life. GF6 really is unbeatable value. to buy your books from Amazon.

ALTERNATIVE: Moto X Play Motorola’s ALTERNATIVE: Sony A5000 A rival ALTERNATIVE: Kobo Glo HD As good fun phone may be plasticky, but it runs CSC with better low-light performance, as the Paperwhite, but with more Android 5 smoothly. Th e screen, camera although its controls and range of storage, and slightly more compact, and battery life are all big pluses. £250 available lenses aren’t quite as good. this is the independent e-reader to pick. from www.snipca.com/17934 £249 from www.snipca.com/15854 £110 from www.snipca.com/19158

30 6 – 19 January 2016

BUY IT! ★★★★★ Buy It

SECURITY SOFTWARE PHOTO EDITING SMART TV

Kaspersky Internet Adobe Photoshop Samsung UE40H5500 Security 2016 Lightroom 6 £397 from www.snipca.com/19160 £19.99 from www.snipca.com/17874 £104 from www.snipca.com/16952 Tested: Issue 446 Tested: Issue 437 Tested: Issue 453

Adobe’s Photoshop is ideal for Kaspersky Internet Security 2016 has won image manipulation, but Lightroom our past six antivirus tests. Compatible is the better choice for managing and with Windows 10, the 2016 edition is tweaking photos. Th e fi rst choice of A 40in smart TV with great picture available at an exclusive reader discount professionals, it’s easy for anyone to quality and apps for all the terrestrial TV on our Software Store. Go to the link use, combining technical and artistic catch-up services. It has plenty of extras above for a one-device licence, or buy a adjustments with rating, keywording too, such as recording to USB storage, three-device licence for just £39.99 at and archiving. playing media fi les stored on a NAS or www.snipca.com/17903. USB stick and plenty of HDMI ports. ALTERNATIVE: Adobe CC Photography ALTERNATIVE: Avast Free Antivirus Plan Rather than buying Lightroom, you ALTERNATIVE: Sony KDL-43W755C Almost as good as Kaspersky, but can subscribe for a reasonable £8.57 a Excellent image quality, stylish looks sometimes blocked legitimate software. month (paid annually) to use Lightroom and a 43in screen. £460 from Free from www.snipca.com/16493 and Photoshop www.snipca.com/17270 www.snipca.com/18153

PC MONITOR ROUTER NAS

Dell UltraSharp U2412M Trendnet TEW-812DRU Synology DiskStation £199 from www.snipca.com/15271 £112 from www.snipca.com/15855 DS215j Tested: Issue 378 Tested:Issue 427 £134 from www.snipca.com/16187 Tested: Issue 449

An exquisite monitor with superb image quality, an adjustable stand, a high Th is two-drive NAS enclosure has it all resolution and even a built-in USB hub. An incredibly fast 802.11ac router – fast performance, easy configuration It costs a little more than other monitors, that’s also one of the cheapest we’ve and plenty of extra features. Its only but it’s money well spent. It’s easily the seen. It’s superb and it’s the router to fl aw is that installation is a little fi ddly – best value monitor we’ve seen and is buy if you’re ready to make the jump but if you want quality network storage, the one by which all others are judged. to 802.11ac. then this is the obvious choice.

ALTERNATIVE: AOC i2360PHU A good ALTERNATIVE: Linksys WRT1900AC ALTERNATIVE: Synology DS414j quality budget 23in monitor that’s easily More expensive, but even faster and A four-drive NAS that’s generally fast, adjustable and has a built-in USB 2.0 hub with loads of features too. £180 from easy to set up and use. £253 from too. £128 from www.snipca.com/16706 www.snipca.com/14950 www.snipca.com/16707

32 6 – 19 January 2016 HOMEPLUGS WEBDESIGN COMPETITION

Devolo dLAN 1200 Triple+ Xara Web Designer Win 1 of 2 Veho Muvi Starter Kit Premium 11 K2NPNG action cameras £119 from www.snipca.com/15369 £70 from www.snipca.com/16955 Tested: Issue 444 Tested: Issue 453 Winner of a Great Pick award in Issuee 464, the Veho Muvi K2NPNG action camera gives you a comprehensive outdoor-shooting kit at great value. It shoots Full HD video and 16-megapixel Th is visual web-design program makes photos, and can be controlled Devolo’s latest HomePlug adapters are creating sites more like laying out a from your iOS or Android device. In our the fastest we’ve ever seen. Th ey’re also document than writing HTML code, and tests the results were very impressive, well designed too, with a passthrough sites can be ‘responsive’, meaning they undoubtedly good enough for semi- socket so you can still power another look right on both big and small screens professional use, as well as casual device and the design should avoid without extra work. A basic version is fi lming. To enter, email your address to skirting boards and other obstacles. also available for half the price. [email protected] with ‘veho’ in the subject line by midnight 19 January. ALTERNATIVE: D-Link PowerLine AV2 ALTERNATIVE: Serif WebPlus X8 1000HD Gigabit Starter Kit Fast (speeds Comes with lots of templates, but Th e Veho Muvi K2NPNG action camera of up to 1000Mbps), much cheaper and creates separate desktop and mobile is available to buy now from Amazon very easy to set up, but the lack of a versions instead of responsive sites, priced £239 (www.snipca.com/18796). passthrough socket is frustrating. £43 and can be slow to use. £90 from For more information visit www.veho- from www.snipca.com/17836 www.snipca.com/14964 world.com and follow @Veho on Twitter.

MULTIFUNCTION PRINTER SOLIDSTATE DRIVE SECURITY CAMERA

Canon Pixma MG6650 Crucial BX100 1TB Y-cam HomeMonitor HD £76 from www.snipca.com/173733434 £325 from www.snipca.com/19159 £131 from www.snipca.com/11646 Tested: Issue 455 Tested: Issue 445 Tested: Issue 420

It may look like something that James Bond would have to defuse, but this low-cost, all-in-one printer is an A home-security camera that’s well excellent choice. Running costs are priced and easy to set up. Plus, it has reasonable too – buy the XL cartridges A blindingly fast, high-capacity SSD great picture quality, useful apps and and running costs work out at 7.7p per at a lower price than ever before. If there’s no need to subscribe to any colour page or 2.4p for black and white. you’ve been put off buying a SSD extra services. It’s a worthy successor Th is makes it very affordable to run. because of the cost, then now is to the original HomeMonitor, our fi nally the time to take the plunge. previous favourite security camera. ALTERNATIVE: Canon Pixma MX495 It’s slow, and black ink is pricey, but ALTERNATIVE: Samsung 850 Pro ALTERNATIVE: D-Link Wireless N Day this cheaper MFP has a paper feeder 256GB An even faster SSD, but it is & Night Camera A good-value security and fax too. £41 from www.snipca. much more expensive per gigabyte. camera with excellent night vision. com/17174 £110 from www.snipca.com/16498 £85 from www.snipca.com/15275

6 – 19 January 2016 33 2015 Back Issue CD SOON! COMING

Our 2015 Back Issue CD containing all 26 issues from last year will be on sale soon. For more information visit www.snipca.com/19124 You can still buy our 2014 CD at www.snipca.com/14981 PU & LL Is KE OUT su EP Workshops & Tips e 466 Edited by Sherwin Coelho 14 pages of easy-to-follow workshopsas anndd expert tips

US 35 Add a one-click 40 Create your own online PL button for PC help quiz (and answer ours!) 43 Readers’ Tips 47 Make Office Better 38 Edit your holiday 42 Create to-do lists from 44 Phone & Tablet Tips 48 Secret Tips For... videos on your tablet your emails 46 Make Windows Better Win 10 Task Manager Add a one-click button for PC help

What you need: TeamViewer; Any version of Windows (XP to 10); Android or iOS Time required: 45 minutes

he latest version of TeamViewer installed on TTeamViewer, our favourite their PC by simply clicking a free program for remotely button. Th is is a godsend for accessing your PC, has loads those who regularly rely on of new features. It lets you family or friends for help. access your remote PC Likewise, the updated quicker than ever and speeds TeamViewer mobile app up the transfer of fi les. Best of makes it easier to remotely all, it lets you request help access your PC from any from anyone who also has phone or tablet.

STEP To install TeamViewer on your PC, go to www.snipca. com/19051 and click the Download button below the 1 All-In-One version in the Windows tab, then run the 1 downloaded setup fi le. Now select ‘Installation to access this computer remotely (unattended)’ 1 , select ‘Personal/Non- commercial use’ 2 , tick ‘Show advanced settings’ 3 , click ‘Accept – next’ 4 , then click Ye s. On the next screen, ensure ‘Use TeamViewer Meeting Add-In for Outlook’ is ticked (this lets you add the one-click help button), then click Finish. When the program fi nishes installing, you’ll see three TeamViewer windows.

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3 1 4 1

STEP In the ‘Unattended access’ window, you’ll be prompted to set up a name and password for your PC (this will be 2 displayed on the computer being used to access yours). Type and confirm a password, then click Next. Yo u now need to 2 set up a TeamViewer account. If you already have one, then select ‘I already have a TeamViewer account’ 1 and log into your account. If you don’t, enter your name, email address 2 and a 3 password (twice) 3 , then click Next 4 and Finish. Now go to your email inbox, click the emailed link from TeamViewer to 4 validate your account, then close your browser.

6 – 19 January 2015 35 Workshops

STEP Anyone who regularly helps you fi x PC problems will also need to install TeamViewer on their PC (following 3 Step 1). However, on the setup screen, they’ll need to select ‘Basic installation’ instead of ‘Installation to access this computer remotely (unattended)’. Once the program has installed, they’ll need to create or log into their TeamViewer account. Once they’re set up, you’ll need to ask them for their TeamViewer ID and password 1 so you can open channels of 2 access between the two PCs. 4

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1

1 STEP Now on your PC, click ‘Add remote computer’ 1 , type their TeamViewer ID and Password in the relevant 4 fi elds 2 , then click OK 3 . Th eir PC will now appear in the My Computers section 4 . Previous versions of TeamViewer let you control other people’s PC, but this version also lets you request remote help from another TeamViewer user. Th ere are two ways to do this. One method involves right-clicking the PC under My Computers, then clicking ‘Presentation – prompt for confirmation’.

STEP Th e second method – the one-click help button – uses the Outlook add-in mentioned in Step 1, which 5 appears in all your programs (including Office), and 4 even in Windows/File Explorer. Open a program/Explorer, click the TeamViewer add-in 1 , then click the PC you added 2 . As long as the other person is using TeamViewer, they’ll see a message inviting them to ‘join your meeting’. Th ey’ll need to click Join to remotely access your PC’s screen. By default, they won’t be able to remotely control your PC. However, whenever 3 they click on an area of your PC, you’ll see a big blue mouse with their PC’s name below it.

1 1 2

STEP While they’re accessing your PC, you’ll see a TeamViewer connection window near to your PC’s notification area 2 6 with options to start a video or voice conversation 1 . Th is can help you explain the problem in more detail as they work on it. Yo u can also transfer fi les across PCs by clicking the ‘File transfer’ icon 2 , then dragging and dropping the fi le into the fi eld provided. If you’re happy letting them take remote control of your PC, then simply click the cursor icon 3 beside their PC name. When they’ve fi xed your problem, you can close the TeamViewer window 4 , then click ‘Leave meeting’.

36 6 – 19 January 2015 Add a one-click button for PC help

STEP TeamViewer really comes into its own if you need to remotely access 7 fi les on your home PC when you’re away. For this to work, TeamViewer needs to be running on both PCs, and you’ll need your 1 home PC’s TeamViewer ID and Password. Open TeamViewer on the remote PC and log 2 into your account. Enter your home PC’s ID 1 , click the blue ‘Connect to partner’ button 3 below, enter your password 2 , then click Log On 3 .

STEP Yo ur remote PC’s Desktop will turn black (this speeds up the connection between 8 the PCs). Th e new TeamViewer interface has a number of tabs at the top. Th e Actions tab 1 offers options to remotely lock or reboot your PC. 3 4 If you experience any display problems while accessing your PC remotely, click the View tab 2 , select ‘Best fi t’ 3 , then choose ‘Auto select’ 4 . Click 1 2 the Communication tab to see options to start a voice call, a video call, or chat (text), if you are communicating with someone on your home PC.

STEP To access home-based fi les on your remote PC (or vice versa), click the ‘Files & Extras’ tab 1 , then click ‘Open fi le transfer’. Yo u’ll 9 see a ‘File transfer’ window with two sections – the left-hand section 2 contains the drives on the PC you’re using and the right section 3 contains the drives on your remote PC. In the left-hand section click the location where you want to save the fi le (Desktop, for example), then navigate to where the fi le is stored on your remote PC (right-hand section), select it, then click Receive 4 to begin the transfer. Yo u’ll see a message in your PC’s notification area when that’s done. Close the remote access window 5 when you’ve fi nished. 5

1 2 3 4 3 2 STEP Yo u can also use the free ‘TeamViewer for Remote Control’ mobile app (Android www. 10 snipca.com/19052;iOS www.snipca. com/19053) to remotely access your home PC via your phone or tablet. Install and open the app, swipe 4 across the introductory screens, enter your PC’s ID 1 in the fi eld provided, tap the Remote Control button, enter your PC’s password, then tap OK, Continue. Th e spanner icon 1 lets you remotely lock or reboot your PC; the Start icon 2 lets you open the Start menu; and the cog icon 3 tells you how to select, open, and drag and drop items from your PC to your device. Close the connection 4 when you’ve fi nished. ●

6 – 19 January 2015 37 Workshops

Edit your holiday videos on your tablet

What you need: Android or iOS (phone or tablet) Time required: 30 minutes

ost free video-editing apps available for free for the fi rst time. Mhave severe limitations – usually It’s brilliant for combining your a prominent watermark or limits holiday photos and videos into a on the length of your video. Adobe stunning montages and comes with Premiere Clip (new to Android) 2GB of space to store your fi nished doesn’t have any of these projects, which should be more restrictions. What’s more, it’s now than enough.

STEP Go to www.snipca.com/19105 and tap the relevant STEP Tap the ‘+’ symbol 1 to see options to import videos in button (Android or iOS) for your device (we’re using three ways: from your device, from Adobe Lightroom 1 an iPad for this Workshop). Before using the app you 2 (if you have it), or from your fi les and folders 2 . need to create a free Adobe account. If you have one already, tap Alternatively, you can take a photo or shoot a video from Sign In 1 , then log into your account. If not, tap Sign Up For scratch 3 . We’ll use footage taken on our device, so tap ‘On my Free 2 and create an account. After signing in, tap the tickbox to iPad’ 4 , then tap OK. Now tap All Photos to see thumbnails of agree to the T&Cs, then tap Continue. Yo u’ll now see a grid of your photos and videos (recent fi les appear fi rst). Tap to select videos created by other Adobe users that you can tap to watch. the ones you want to add to your montage, then tap Add at the top right.

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STEP Yo u now need to choose your ‘project type’. Automatic 1 creates a video montage of your fi les for 3 you and adds a soundtrack from music on your device or from the app itself. If you prefer this method, go to Step 4. Freeform 2 gives you more control, letting you arrange your 1 clips, trim them, add background music of your choice and apply fi lters. If you prefer this method, skip to Step 6.

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38 6 – 19 January 2016 4 1

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STEP After you’ve selected Automatic, wait until your video STEP Th e metronome icon 1 lets you play your video at has been created, then tap the Play icon 1 to watch it. different speeds by tapping points on the slider 2 . To 4 To change your soundtrack, tap Replace Soundtrack 2 , 5 change the sequence of your fi les, tap the third icon 3 . then tap Songs and select a track from your device, or tap Yo u’ll see your fi les (as tiles) lined up in order. Simply tap and Premiere Clip Th emes and tap the Play icon beside one of the hold a tile, then drag it to the left or right to reposition it. To app’s 10 tracks to listen to them. Tap Add to select the one delete a fi le from the montage, tap it, then tap the ‘X’ icon in its you want. Th e track starts from the beginning by default, top-right corner. Tap Done at the top right when you’re happy. but if you want to start it from another point, drag its waveform Now play your video and check you’re happy with the changes. to that point 3 . If you are, tap the Share icon 4 , then tap ‘Save to Camera Roll’ to save the video to your device.

STEP If you tapped Freeform in Step 3, you’ll see thumbnails 6 of your fi les 1 . Tap and hold a thumbnail, then drag it to 2 the left or right. To trim a video, tap its thumbnail, then adjust its start and end points on the timeline that appears. To add a soundtrack to your clip, tap the music-note icon 2 , then tap Songs and select a track from your device. Alternatively, tap Premiere Clip Th emes to listen to one of the app’s 10 tracks. Tap Add to select the track you want. Now move the waveform 3 to 3 adjust the point at which the track starts playing. Yo u can also change the volume and synchronise the beats of the music to play as your clips change 4 .

1 4

STEP Next, tap the cog icon 1 . Adobe has 30 video fi lters, including Nori (a black-and-white effect) and Retro (a vintage, sepia-toned effect). 7 To add a fi lter, tap Normal 2 , then select the one you want. Th e 1 sliders below 3 let you fade in to the start of your montage, fade out at the end and cross fade between clips (one clip fades out as the next fades in). 4 Th e fi nal slider lets you zoom in on photos to give static images a sense of motion. When you’ve fi nished, tap the share icon 4 , then tap ‘Save to 3 Camera Roll’ to save your montage to your device. ● 2

6 – 19 January 2016 39 Workshops Create your own online quiz (and answer ours!)

What you need: Any web browser Time required: 30 minutes

uizUp is a popular trivia also created our very own quiz Qwebsite and app that lets you about technology in 2015. To challenge friends or QuizUp tackle it, simply go to www. members (over 75 million) to a snipca.com/19068, create a free multiple-choice quiz on any QuizUp account, then click Play topic. We’ll show you how to do (we’ve given you one answer this below. In the process, we’ve – see Step 5).

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STEP Yo u fi rst need to log into your QuizUp account, so go to STEP Yo ur quiz needs to have at least seven questions, www.quizup.com/en. If you already have an account, so before creating it, ensure you know what topic 2 click Log In and do that. To create an account, click Sign 1 you want it to be about, and have your questions Up, then click ‘I’ll do this later, let me in’. Th is gives you the prepared. While it’s not mandatory to add images to your opportunity to add the topics you’re interested in. Yo u’ll see questions, it’s a good idea to do this because it makes the options to sign up with your Facebook account, or via Google or quiz more visually interesting. So, for convenience, create email. If you select ‘email’, you’ll need to select a display name 1 , a QuizUp folder on your Desktop 1 and add the images for enter your personal details 2 , tick to confirm you’re a person all your questions there. (not a robot!) 3 , then click ‘Sign up’ 4 .

STEP To start creating your own quiz, click the pink ‘Start here’ button on the left, then 3 click ‘Let’s do this!’ Now name your quiz topic 1 , then click Next. Give your quiz a descriptive tagline 2 , then click Next again 3 . Click Next once 1 more (to set your language as English). Now click the category dropdown menu and choose a category for your topic. Th ere are 17 listed (including History, Movies, Nature and Science). If you don’t see a relevant category listed, set it to General and click Next.

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40 6 – 19 January 2016 2 1 3

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STEP Yo u now need to add an appropriate icon for 4 your topic. Th ankfully, QuizUp has many customisation options making this process easy. STEP Now click ‘+Add a New Question’ and type your fi rst Move your cursor over the colour grid on the left 1 , then question in the fi eld at the top 1 . Yo u’ll see four tiles for select the one you want. Next, select one of the categories 5 your answers. Type the right answer in the green tile 2 , on the right 2 to see a list of relevant icons, then click to and the three wrong answers in the white ones. If you want to add select the one you want. If you’re struggling for the right an image to the question, click the small image icon 3 , navigate to icon, click Randomize 3 to see randomly generated icons. the relevant image in the QuizUp folder on your Desktop, then Click Next 4 to proceed. click Open to add it. Move your cursor over the image to see a zoom slider that you can use to better focus on a particular area. When you’ve fi nished, click Save Question 4 .

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STEP Now click ‘+Add New Question’ 1 and repeat STEP To get an idea of how your quiz appears online, click Play 1 , Step 5 to add at least six more questions. When then click ‘Play now’. QuizUp will pair you with a random 6 people take the quiz, they’ll see any seven 7 opponent. Yo u get 10 seconds for every question and points (randomly selected) questions. Likewise, your answers, are based on how quickly you select the right answer. Click the too, will appear shuffled. To edit a question, click it 2 , Questions tab 2 to edit your questions or add more. Th e Settings then make the changes you want. When you’re happy tab 3 lets you edit your quiz name, tagline and its icon. Now copy with your quiz, tick the ‘Terms of Use’ box 3 , then click the URL 4 and share the quiz with your friends, using email or Create Topic 4 . Facebook. As they complete it, their ranking 5 will appear in the list. Don’t forget to take our ‘Technology in 2015’ quiz (see Intro). ●

6 – 19 January 2016 41 Workshops Create to-do lists from your emails

What you need: Gmail Time required: 15 minutes

e’ve all opened an email, then need to act upon into handy to-do Wforgotten to reply to it or act lists that appear in your inbox. Yo u upon it (paying a bill, for example). can specify exactly when you want To prevent this, use Handle – a to see each item and quickly add useful Chrome extension that lets them to your list from any website you convert Gmail messages you within Chrome.

STEP To install the Handle extension, open Chrome, go to www.snipca.com/19089 and click the ‘+Add To Chrome’ 1 button beside ‘Handle for Gmail and Google Apps’, then the ‘Add extension’ button. Yo u’ll see an orange + symbol added to the right of your Chrome toolbar 1 . Click it, then click ‘Sign up 2 with Google’ 2 . Now either select your email address (if it’s 3 listed) 3 , or click ‘Add account’ 4 , log into your Gmail account and click Allow. Next, open Gmail and log into your account. 4 Yo u’ll see an orange ‘H’ icon at the top right. Click it to bring up 1 the Handle section.

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3 1 2

STEP Now, whenever you log into Gmail, you’ll see your pending to-do items – arranged by date. Emails 3 you’ve added to Handle appear in your inbox with a 1 ‘star’ icon 1 and in a dedicated Handle folder 2 . Once you’ve 3 completed an action in your list, tick it 3 . To make your to-do list full screen, click Handle’s square icon 4 . Yo u’ll see your list on the left.A calendar on the right displays entries for that day as orange lines. To see future entries on the calendar, click the Week or Month tab at the top right.

• If you want to convert Outlook emails into to-do list items, use STEP To convert an email into a ‘to-do list item’ open the Todoist (www.todoist.com). It’s available as a free program, email, then press the ‘t’ key. Yo ur email will now Outlook add-in, browser extension and Android and iOS app. 2 appear within Handle. Click Save to add it to your list – ON SALE here we’ve added ‘Skype call’ 1 . Yo u can also add items to your NEXT ISSUE 20 Jan Handle list by clicking Chrome’s Handle toolbar icon 2 within any website, typing a description of the action, then pressing • Use the best alternative to Windows Explorplorerororer Enter. By default, you will receive a reminder on the same day • Install Windows 10 without unwanted extras you listed the action. To be reminded later, move your cursor to • Edit PDFs in Windows 10 the item, click the ‘set custom reminder’ icon 3 , then type • Find the meaning of words in one clickck when you want to see a reminder within Gmail (for example, type tomorrow, on Th ursday, or this weekend). Subscribe to Computeractive at getcomputeractive.co.uk

42 6 – 19 January 2016 Handy hints and tips from your fellow readers Readers’ Tips Email us your tips: [email protected]

TIPT OF THE FORTNIGHT Create kkeeyyboardboard sshhoorrtcutcuttss ffoorr phrphraaseses yyoouu type oftoftenen

Every time my mum remotely logs or phrase) and create a into her work account, she needs to shortcut for it. To do enter all her personal details - name, this, type your text in address, mobile number and some the fi eld provided, security answers.I wondered if change the dropdown there was a way to simplify this menus at the bottom process for her, and stumbled across to create a shortcut, a brilliant free portable tool called then click Add (see QuickTextPaste. It basically lets you screenshot right). Add create your own keyboard shortcuts as many of these for any phrases (or long words) you shortcuts as you want. commonly type. Yo ur text entries will To download it, go to www.snipca. appear in alphabetical com/19157 and click the QuickTextPaste. order within the list. zip link at the top of the page. Open the Now whenever downloaded zip fi le, click the setup fi le you want to add text, within to launch the tool, then click simply use the shortcut Run. Yo u’ll see a small window with you created, then select your mum, printed this out and stuck it example shortcut options. To delete any word or phrase from the beside her PC so she knows which of these, simply click a shortcut within QuickTextPaste pop-up menu keyboard shortcut to use the list, then click Delete. that appears. I’ve created a simple for what text. It’s easy to add your own text (word list of keyboard shortcuts for my David Buchan

The winner of every Tip of the Fortnight wins this exclusive Computeractive mug!

PDF READER Edit at the top left, then click A2 (Excel will change your date format Read PDFs at night without Preferences. Now click Accessibility on in cell A1, but don’t worry about that). straining your eyes the left, then tick Replace Document Type the current date into A2 using Despite retiring a few years ago, Colours at the top. Next, select ‘Use the same date format. Now click inside I recently started working on a High-Contrast colors’, click the ‘High- cell A3, click the Function fi eld at the freelance consultant basis and, as such, contrast color combination’ dropdown top of Excel, type the formula =(A2-A1) my job requires me to proof several menu, select ‘White text on black’ (see into it, then press Enter. Cell A3 will PDFs a week. Household chores keep screenshot below left), then click OK. now display the number of days between me busy during the day, so I prefer Immediately, your PDF’s text colour the dates in cells A2 and A1. working at night. However, I fi nd that the will change from black to white and Tom Inglis bright screen glare at that time affects the background will turn black. Th is is my sleep and gives me a headache. an ideal night-time setting. To switch FILM RECOMMENDATIONS A friend who was visiting over the back to reading normally, simply Find the right movie to suit two Christmas holidays observed this and untick Replace Document Colors, then diff erent tastes told me a helpful way to read PDFs at click OK. My partner and I waste more time night without letting the screen glare Martin Price deciding which movie to watch/ affect you. It involves turning on a rent than actually watching/renting it. (lesser-known) setting within Adobe EXCEL Our fi lm tastes are radically different Acrobat Reader that lets you convert Use Excel to fi nd your age because I prefer action movies, while your fi le to white text on a black In Issue 464, Dave Henry was she likes tear-jerking romantic ones. background. awarded with the ‘Tip of the She recently told me about a new To do this, open Acrobat Reader, click Fortnight’ when he told readers about a website called www.datenightmovies. website he came across that lets him com, which proved to be a helpful fi nd out how many ‘days’ old he is solution to our problem. Yo u each specify (www.timeanddate.com). Yo u can do a fi lm you like and the website gives you the same thing in Excel provided you a list that you both may like. Its spot-on know a simple formula. movie recommendations have saved us a Open Excel and enter your birth date lot of time – both in terms of debating in cell A1 (for example, type 22 and watching. September 1954). Now click inside cell Brian Bailey

6 – 19 January 2016 43 Phone and Tablet Tips Brilliant things to do on your device

ANDROID & iOS photos’ slider to turn it on (see screenshot Create an album that anyone below left), then select which app you can addph photos to want to use to share your album. Finally, Google recently added a select the people you want to share the new feature called Shared album with. Albums to its popular Th e recipients will receive a link Photos app. Th is lets you create an to the album. When they tap it, they’ll album, then share it with other users, see an option to install Google Photos who can then add their own photos (if they don’t already have it); otherwise and videos to it. they’ll see your album with a blue To create a shared album, open Join button. After tapping this, they can Google Photos (Android www.snipca. add their photos and videos to your com/19127; iOS www.snipca.com/19128), album by tapping the ‘+’ symbol at tap the ‘+’ symbol at the top right, then the top, selecting the relevant fi les on tap ‘Shared album’. Now tap to select all their device, then tapping Done. the photos and videos you want to add to Yo u’ll see a notification telling you it, then tap Create at the top right. Name they’ve added to your album. Tap your album, then tap Share at the top this to open the album and see their right. Next, tap the ‘Let others add their photos and videos. then tap the map at the top. Bus stops are marked as red circles with the stop ANDROID & iOS name (Z5, E, A, B, etc). In London, the Use CityMapper to plan your Underground and National Rail stations journey by ppublic transport are represented by their respective logos. CityMapper (Android Tap a specifi c stop/station on the map to www.snipca.com/19129; see a live schedule of services, showing iOS www.snipca.com/ their fi nal destinations and time to 19130) is one of best public transport arrival (see screenshot above). apps. At the moment it covers only a handful of cities, including London, ANDROID Manchester and Birmingham in the UK, Take screenshots faster and 13 other European cities, including in Android 6.0 Paris and Amsterdam. Sharing screenshots is the best Th e app was recently updated with a way to illustrate a technical new feature that lets you select a problem to a friend. On most particular bus stop or railway/tube Android versions, you take a screenshot station, then fi nd out when the next by pressing a combination of the sleep service is due to arrive. Open the app, and volume buttons – depending on your

Best New Apps What you should install this fortnight

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom ShareTh eMeal Focus by Firefox Free Free Free Android: www.snipca.com/19131 Android: www.snipca.com/19133 iOS: www.snipca.com/19135 iOS: www.snipca.com/19132 iOS: www.snipca.com/19134 If you browse the web using Safari, Adobe’s video-editing app Premiere Clip Th is charity-based app developed by the and you’re worried about organisations recently became available for free (see United Nations can literally help you to save keeping track page 38) and someone’s life. It of your its Photoshop lets you donate a browsing Lightroom has certain amount (min activity, then now followed suit. 35p) either on a this is the app Th e photo-editing one-off or recurring for you. It lets app lets you make basis. Th is then is you block simple edits (crop, put toward feeding over 5,000 rotate, add fi lters) the 20,000 starving web trackers, and more complex Syrian children such as those ones (modify living in the massive used to show colour, tone and Zaatari refugee targeted white balance). camp in Jordan. adverts.

44 6 – 19 January 2016 device. However, if you’ve updated to device was new. Th is happens because THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE the latest version of Android (6.0, your device constantly stores information TO ANDROID Marshmallow), there’s an easier way. from your apps as a cache. As this builds To check which Android version up, your device slows down. It’s basically Our new 148-page book tells you everything you’re using, open Settings, scroll to the the same problem that plagues older PCs. you need to know about Android, including the best apps bottom, tap ‘About phone/tablet’, then Th ankfully, there’s an easy way to clear and tips for thhee look under ‘A ndroid version’. If it says your cache without installing a Lollipop and Android 6.0 or later, you can take third-party app. Marshmallow screenshots by tapping and holding the Press and hold your device’s sleep/ updates. circular home button at the bottom of wake button at the top (top right on your screen. By default, this brings up newer iPhones and iPads) until you see Marshmallow’s new feature called the ‘slide to power off’ screen. Now W! ‘Now on tap’, giving you relevant press and hold the circular Home button NE information about whatever is on your at the bottom of your device for a few screen. Tap the Share icon and you’ll seconds until you’re taken to your see your screenshot, with options to device’s homescreen. It won’t seem like share it using compatible apps. anything has happened, but open an app or try switching between apps and BUY IT NOW FROM AMAZON WINDOWS PHONE you’ll notice that your device has become at www.snipca.com/18829 Use an SD card to free up much more responsive. storage space on your phone Many phones come with a limited amount of storage – Games With Kids and much of this is then taken up by the operating system. If you have a What to play together on your phone and tablet Windows Phone, it’s a good idea to use an SD card and transfer your apps and AGES 05 games to it, thereby freeing up space Th e StoryToys Jigsaw Puzzle on your device. Collection To do this, open Settings, scroll to the Free www.snipca.com/19136 (iOS) ‘system’ section, then tap ‘storage sense’. Th is app contains 320 puzzles depicting Now tap ‘phone’, then ‘apps+games’. popular children’s classics, including Th e Yo u’ll see a breakdown of your apps Jungle Book, Beauty and the Beast and and games Puss in Boots. Your child will win a trophy based on the for each puzzle they complete and each amount of level of diffi culty they master (four in total). space they take up AGES 610 (largest fi rst). ZType* Tap the Free www.snipca.com/19137 (Android) circular Free www.snipca.com/19138 (iOS) ‘select’ ZType is an addictive, Space Invaders- button at the style game that will teach your child to bottom (see type. You need to save your spaceship screenshot from destruction by correctly typing (and left), tick all thereby blasting) words as they fall from your apps and the sky. One spelling mistake and you’re games, tap doomed. ‘move’ at the bottom, then AGES 1116 tap ‘yes’. Monument Valley* £2.99 www.snipca.com/19139 (Android) iOS £2.99 www.snipca.com/19140 (iOS) Speed up your slow iPad Th is is a visually stunning puzzle that’s After owning your iPhone or iPad easy to play, but diffi cult to master. You for a while, you’ll probably start need to help Princess Ida travel through to notice that it performs more several large and complex monuments slowly than before. Simple tasks like by tapping, rotating and moving the opening or switching between apps can buildings’ various elements. take significantly longer than when your *Contains in-app purchases

6 – 19 January 2016 45 Make Windows Better Clever tips for every version

WINDOWS VISTA, 7, 8, 10 Hide folders by disguising them WINDOWS 10 to look like something else In past issues we’ve Install all of Windows 7’s showed you how to hide games on Windows 10 your folders so no one can fi nd them. However, this won’t Windows 7 was the prevent someone who knows how to last version of the reveal hidden folders from accessing operating system that them. Alternatively, you can hide your came with advert-free PC folders (but keep them in plain sight) by games built in. In Windows 8, disguising them to look like something you had to reinstall individual else – a system fi le, for example. To do games (as apps) from the this, right-click the folder you want to Windows Store. Microsoft disguise, click Properties, the Customize brought back a few games tab, then the Change Icon button at the (such as Solitaire) with bottom. Now select another icon (see Windows 10, but these contain screenshot below), click OK, Apply, adverts and you need to pay then OK again. to remove these. Th ankfully, there are a couple of ways you can get ‘Download through your browser’ link. all your Windows 7 games (in the same Once the zipped folder has downloaded, format) in Windows 10. Before click the ‘Win7GamesForWind10-Setup’ upgrading, you can copy the fi le, then click Run, Ye s, OK and Next. installation fi les for each game to a USB All the Windows 7 games are ticked by stick and install them after upgrading default (see screenshot). Untick the to Windows 10. An easier way is to ones you don’t want, click Next, then download one setup fi le containing all Install. Once it’s installed, click Next, the games from cloud-storage site then Finish. Mega, where they’re saved as a zipped To play a game, open the Start menu, fi le. Th en you simply extract the setup click ‘A ll apps’ at the bottom, then look fi le and select which games you want to at the ‘Recently added’ section at the install on Windows 10. top to see all your installed games. To do this, go to Mega’s website at Double-click one to start playing it www.snipca.com/19161, then click the – just as you would in Windows 7.

WINDOWS VISTA, 7, 8, 10 Charge your phone even when To do this, press the Windows key on WINDOWS 10 your laptop lid is closed your keyboard, type device manager, then Change your Windows 10 If you need to quickly click this option. Now click the triangular profile picture charge your mobile icon to the left of ‘Universal Serial Bus If you’ve upgraded to Windows 10 device, you can simply controllers’ (at the bottom) to expand it. using your Microsoft account, connect it to your laptop using a USB Yo u’ll see a list of all the USB ports on you’ll notice your account profile cable. Th e drawback of this method is your PC. Right-click the fi rst one, then photo is the same as your Microsoft that you have to keep your laptop’s lid click Properties. Now click the Power (Hotmail or Outlook.com) account (to see open. If you close it, your PC will switch Management tab, untick ‘A llow the this photo, open the Start menu and look off and your device will stop charging. computer to turn off this device to save in the top-left corner). To change this Th ankfully, there’s an easy way to change power’ (see screenshot below) and click photo, right-click it, then click ‘Change this default setting so your laptop doesn’t OK. Repeat this process for all other items account settings’. Next, click the Browse switch off when you close the lid. in the ‘USB controllers’ list. button below your photo, navigate to the image you want on your PC, then click ‘Choose picture’. If you have a webcam, you can also take a photo of yourself and set that as your profile picture. To do that, click the Camera button to launch your webcam, then the camera icon to take your photo. Move the image border to zoom into the area that you want, then click the tick icon at the top to save this as your new account profile picture.

46 6 – 19 January 2016 Make Office Better Expert tips for every program

POWERPOINT Preview your presentation and WORD rearrange your slides faster While playing your slideshow Use images as bullets points from the beginning is the best way to present it, it’s not It’s easy to add bullet necessarily the best way to check your points to your text, presentation because you can’t rearrange but did you know slides if you feel that you need to. that you can also use images as A better alternative is to use bullet points? Th e process is PowerPoint’s Reading View option to very easy and it can inject some preview and check your presentation. style into your documents. To To do that, click the Reading View icon do this, fi rst click the Bullets at the bottom right of PowerPoint. Yo ur dropdown menu (at the top presentation will start playing in full left of the Paragraph section screen and you can use the left and in the Home tab), then click Defi ne New Bullet (see screenshot right). Now click the Picture button. Yo u’ll see two options – ‘From a fi le’ and Bing Image Search. To add an image from your PC, click Browse beside the fi rst option, navigate to the image, then click these are more appropriate to use Insert and OK. as bullet points. If you want to see To add an image from Bing, the actual image, then simply click click inside the Search Bing fi eld ‘Show all web results’ at the bottom. and type what image you’re looking Yo u’ll now see high-res images. for. By default, you won’t see proper Select the image that you want, high-res images of your term. For then click Insert and OK example, if you searched for ‘Big Th e images you’ve added will now right arrow keys to navigate between Ben’, then you’ll see sketches appear as options within your Bullets slides (just as if you were playing your or drawings of Big Ben because dropdown menu. slideshow). Even better, you can rearrange slides quickly in this mode. To do that, click the icon with four OFFICE activate Microsoft Touch Mode to make small squares (to the left of the Reading Make Office programs easier your Office programs easier to use. View icon – see screenshot above). Yo ur to use on a touchscreen Doing this will make your Office tab slides will now appear as tiles. Simply Laptops with touchscreens (such buttons bigger and add more space click and drag the tiles to rearrange them, as the Microsoft Surface) and between the various options on your then click the Reading View icon again to convertible laptops (such as the Ribbon, so there’s less chance you’ll switch back to that mode. Lenovo Yo ga and Microsoft Surface Book) accidentally tap something else. are becoming very common. Th ese let To activate this mode, open Word, EXCEL you type using your keyboard or by Excel or PowerPoint and look at your Speed up navigation within a bringing up the onscreen keyboard. If Quick Access Toolbar (QAT) at the top longer spreadsheet you tend to use the touchscreen more left. Yo u should see either a circular If you have an Excel sheet with than your keyboard, then you should icon with a border or an icon of a fi nger. data running across hundreds Tap either icon, then of lines, then getting to the top tap Touch to turn on or bottom using only the arrow keys the mode (its set to on your keyboard can be very time Mouse by default – consuming. Th is is because those keys see screenshot left). only jump one cell at a time.A faster way If you don’t see these to speed up the navigating process using icons, then press and your keyboard is to keep the Ctrl key hold any item on the pressed, then press and hold the up (or QAT until you see a down) arrow key. Th is will jump across menu of options. multiple rows at a much quicker speed, Next, tap Customize making the process faster. Yo u can also Quick Access Toolbar, use the Ctrl+ (left or right) arrow key tap Touch Mode, then combination to move in that direction. tap Add.

6 – 19 January 2016 47 Secret Tips For… Windows 10 Task Manager Speed up startup, reveal hidden information and rescue unsaved data

Diagnose and fi x slow columns’ to reveal the ‘Speed up slow performance startup’ box, which can be used to make Th e Performance tab has several Windows faster. useful tricks stuffed up its sleeve. First, try double-clicking on any Monitor network traffic blank part of the left-hand pane, Task Manager has a hidden tool that you which reduces all the performance can use to monitor how much data is statistics down to a tidy summary fl owing across both wired and wireless view (alternatively, right-click and networks. Choose the Performance tab choose ‘Summary view’). then select WiFi in the left-hand pane To see a summary of a (see screenshot below). Now right-click particular performance chart in the right-hand pane and tick ‘View double-click in the right-hand Using this right-click option might enable you rescue network details’. If you’re worried about unsaved data stuck in frozen programs pane, or right-click and choose your broadband speeds, check the ‘Link ‘Graph summary view’. Repeat either minutes to see if these processes and the speed’ row to see how fast your various action to revert to the full view. Finally, affected program recover but, if you’re networks are performing. it’s useful to tick ‘A lways on top’ in the certain the freeze is permanent, ending Options menu to keep these summaries troublesome processes might enable the in permanent view when you’re trying to associated program to spring back into diagnose performance problems. life – giving you the opportunity to save your data. To do this, select a faulty Rescue unsaved data process then click ‘End process’. If a program is unresponsive, you can use Task Master to look behind the scenes Reveal hidden information and rescue any unsaved data. Select the Most Task Manager tabs show only a Details tab, then right-click the affected part of all the information that’s program and choose ‘A nalyze wait chain’ available. To see what else is on offer, Open this hidden info pane to see how (see screenshot above right). Look for right-click any column heading – then fast your various network connections are entries coloured red: these are processes tick the relevant boxes to reveal more performing that have stalled and are causing the information. In the Details tab, for problem. Yo u should always wait a few example, right-click and choose ‘Select Speed up urgent tasks It’s generally best left to Windows to manage its own multi-tasking, but if you Speed up slow startup need to speed up a particular operation – video editing, for example – then Task Task Manager’s Start-up tab is no secret Manager can help. Select the Details tab, – it’s right there in plain view. And right-click the relevant tool, point to ‘Set you’ve probably worked out already priority’ and click an option higher than that it shows the programs and Normal. Yo u can use this same method to processes that launch with Windows. slow down processes you consider less But it also has hidden features that important, further boosting the speed of helps you identify anything that slows other important tools. your PC’s startup. First, right-click any of the column means 11.2 seconds). Gather troubleshooting statistics headings and tick ‘CPU at start-up’ – Now look at the item name: if it has a Trying to isolate the cause of a problem? this adds a new column with that right-pointing arrow then click this to It can be useful to record key information heading. Next, click that new heading see a breakdown of everything the item about your computer as text. Select the to sort the column by greatest fi rst is doing during startup. Slow or Performance tab, followed by the relevant (indicated by a little down arrow above unwanted items can be disabled by category in the left-hand pane, then the heading). Th e items at the top are right-clicking them and choosing right-click in the right-hand pane and those that take the longest time to load, Disable – you should research online choose Copy. Press (Ctrl)+V to paste this measured in milliseconds (so 11,284ms anything you’re unsure about. information wherever it’s needed – into an email to a PC technician, for example.

48 6 – 19 January 2016 Next issue Secret Tips For… IObit Uninstaller What’s All the Fuss About... Quantum dots

Einstein wouldn’t have liked it, but scientists say they have created an internet that’s impossible to hack

What are they? Semiconductor crystals so mind- bogglingly small - between two and 10 nanometres (10 to 50 atoms in diameter) - that they start behaving very oddly. How oddly? So oddly that even Albert Einstein refused to believe it was possible (he described the phenomenon as “spooky”). Here’s a quick lesson in quantum physics. In this subatomic world very weird things happen. One of the weirdest is that particles can be connected by a mysterious force even if they are separated by vast distances. In this process – called quantum Caption entanglement – one particle can affect how another behaves. For example, if one particle spins clockwise, its partner will spin counter-clockwise. attack easy to spot. Furthermore, the Can quantum dots be used A team of scientists based at the information is impossible to copy for anything else? universities of Glasgow, Stanford, Tokyo because at the quantum level particles Ye s, and if you’ve got a Kindle Fire tablet, and Würzburg recently demonstrated exist in all possible states until they are you may have seen what they can do how these connected particles can be observed or measured (the famous - which is to emit light that produces used to encrypt data that becomes Schrödinger’s cat paradox). By observing brighter, more precise colours than was impossible to hack when sent over the data, hackers would fundamentally previously possible. Amazon built the internet. change it, making it useless to them. quantum dots into the HDX 7 and 8.9 models of its tablet, while Sony, Samsung Are you sure hackers couldn’t Doesn’t this require and LG have all made LED TVs with them. fi nd a way? specialised equipment? Th ese work by sitting on top of the Only if they altered the laws of physics by Not anymore. What’s important about backlight layer on screens in order to stopping particles affecting each other. the recent experiment is that it shows produce richer whites that contain all the Hackers are clever, but not that clever. how information can be sent on standard colours of the spectrum. Th e results are fi bre-optic cables - the type already images that look more realistic than ever. What did the scientists used worldwide. Th e scientists who actually do? conducted the research claim that the What’s that got to do with Just the sort of everyday task we all technology could be commonly used internet security? perform: they ‘entangled’ the spin of by communications companies “in the Nothing. Th e potential for quantum an electron stored in a quantum dot near future”. dots to improve encryption has only with a single photon that was sent recently been taken seriously. Another across two kilometres of standard use could be to make phones and fi bre-optic cable. Next, they encoded tablets charge faster. In November, information in these particles in the researchers at Vanderbilt University in form of qubits, which are the quantum Nashville said they made quantum dots equivalent of binary bits - ones and out of iron pyrite - also known as fool’s zeroes - in conventional computing. gold - that could fully charge devices in Because these particles are linked, any just 30 seconds. Not bad for an object attempt by hackers to intercept the data Quantum dots - as seen in these dials - can be that’s 10,000 times narrower than a would change its properties, making the used to produce better screen quality on TVs human hair.

6 – 19 January 2016 49 Change Your Windows 10 SETTINGS NOW!

Microsoft’s default settings inWindows 10 aren’t as safe as they should be. Jonathan Parkyn explains what they do, and tells you which to disable

very version of Windows has had version has had more default settings that there are dozens of settings you need settings that needed tweaking, Microsoft has simply got wrong. to change. Some, such as Microsoft’s whether it’s changing the Desktop We’ve said it before, but it’s worth Wi-Fi sharing feature, could leave your E background to a photo of your repeating: we like Windows 10. It’s a fast, data vulnerable to hackers. Others, grandchildren, or switching off a feature modern operating system (OS) with some such as a secret keylogger that records you don’t like. But Windows 10 takes this great tools. But whether you’ve recently everything you type, compromises to a worrying new level. No previous upgraded or you’re planning to soon, your privacy. Here, then, is our ultimate checklist of all the settings Windows 10 users WHAT YOU CAN DO need to change - 52 in total. In each • Protect your privacy and stop Windows • Block unwanted updates and stop case, we’ll explain what the default 10 spying on you background downloads setting is and the reasons why • Re-enable the features that Microsoft • Banish annoying adverts and nuisance Microsoft wants you to leave it that doesn’t want you to use notifi cations way. Th en we’ll show you what we recommend changing it to and why.

50 6 – 19 January 2016 Change your Windows 10 settings now

PRIVACY AND SECURITY

Send Microsoft info Microsoft’s mysterious ‘App connector’, about how I write can be safely switched off. Windows 10 default: On Microsoft wants to record and analyse how Feedback & diagnostics you write so it can “improve typing Windows 10 default: On By analysing data and writing in the future”. about your PC and the way you use it, We recommend: Off Th is is Microsoft hopes to be able to identify and effectively the same as letting fi x problems, or tailor Windows to suit Microsoft install a keylogger on people’s needs. your PC, letting the company We recommend: Off Assuming you record everything you type. We don’t want Windows to hassle you with suggest opting out by clicking Start, endless feedback requests, click Start, Settings, Privacy, then General Turn off this setting to stop Microsoft tracking what Settings, Privacy, then ‘Feedback & and switching ‘Send Microsoft you type diagnostics’ and select Never underneath info about how I write to help us ‘Feedback frequency’. To limit how much improve typing and writing in the future’ with Location, both these settings can be information about your computer use to Off (see screenshot above right). switched off altogether by clicking Start, Microsoft can monitor, choose Basic Settings, Privacy and then either Camera from ‘Diagnostic and usage data’ below. Location or Microphone. But it’s more likely that However, bear in mind that Microsoft Windows 10 default: On Some Windows 10 you’ll want to leave both enabled and recently admitted it will automatically apps, including Maps and Weather, use then choose which trusted your current location to provide you with apps to allow from those relevant information. listed in each case. Skype, We recommend: Off for specifi c apps. It’s for example, would be pretty possible to disable Location altogether useless without access to your (click Start, Settings, Privacy, Location, camera or microphone. Change, then click the switch to Off), but this will limit the abilities of certain Speech, inking & typing features, particularly on the Maps app. Windows 10 default: On Microsoft A better option may be to leave Location wants to gather information on, then scroll down and switch off all about you – what you type, who the apps listed underneath, apart from you contact, where you go and the ones you know you’ll use. more – in order to “personalise your experience” (see www. Camera, Microphone snipca.com/19085). Select ‘Never’ to stop Microsoft pestering you with feedback requests Windows 10 default: On Windows We recommend: Off If you fi nd allows apps to access the cameras and this setting a little creepy, then disable collect some diagnostics information microphones that are built into many it by clicking Start, Settings, Privacy, about your PC whatever your setting tablets and laptops, or webcams and then ‘Speech, inking & typing’ and (read more at www.snipca.com/18847). headsets attached to desktop PCs. Th is ‘Stop getting to know me’. Bear in mind is in order to provide certain functions, that doing this will effectively render WiFi Sense such as voice recording. Cortana useless. Windows 10 default: On Microsoft wants We recommend: Off for specifi c apps. As to make it easy for Windows 10 users to Account info, Contacts, connect to their friends’ Wi-Fi networks, Calendar, Messaging, Radios so it shares an encrypted version of your WHY DOES WINDOWS 10 Windows 10 default: On All fi ve of these private wireless security key with other HAVE SO MANY SETTINGS? settings are enabled, allowing apps to Windows 10 users you know, letting them access your personal information across connect automatically. One of the reasons is that Windows 10 several different apps. We recommend: Off WiFi Sense works spreads them across so many diff erent We recommend: Off for specifi c apps. Click by sharing your Wi-Fi security key with areas of the OS. Microsoft would argue Start, Settings, then Privacy and check people in your contacts list but, currently, that the new Settings app replaces each of these fi ve settings to make sure you can’t choose which ones – it’s all or many Control Panel items and simplifies that there aren’t any apps you don’t want nothing. Th at means even people you them. But the Control Panel is still there accessing personal information listed don’t really know could end up with and houses at least 41 items (sometimes under the ‘Choose apps that can access…’ access to your Wi-Fi, which isn’t safe. more, depending on your system), section. Some apps should be left enabled. To switch WiFi Sense off, click Start, compared with around 45 found in For example, under Contacts you may Settings, ‘Network & internet’, then WiFi. Windows 7. And this is in addition to wish to leave ‘Mail and Calendar’ enabled, Scroll down and click ‘Manage WiFi more than 60 in the Settings app. so that you can access your contacts when settings’. Under WiFi Sense, make sure using the Mail app. But many, including both options are set to Off.

6 – 19 January 2016 51 SYSTEM AND UPDATES Choose how updates are installed 4 SETTINGS YOU SHOULD Windows 10 default: ‘Automatic PROBABLY LEAVE ALONE (recommended)’. Microsoft is so keen to keep all its users’ 1. THE REGISTRY PCs up to date that the default Change the wrong thing in the Windows setting for Windows Update Registry and you could seriously mess is to download and install up your PC. Best to leave it alone unless updates whether you want For more control over Windows Update choose ‘Notify you know what you’re doing. them or not. to schedule restart’ We recommend: ‘Notify 2. SIDELOAD APPS to schedule restart’ Yo u can choose network’ option. Th e latter will actually It’s possible to install apps from sources when updates are installed, so that you save bandwidth if you have multiple other than the Windows Store: click don’t suddenly have to stop whatever Windows 10 PCs, because updates will be Start, Settings, ‘Update & security’, then you’re doing and reboot your PC. Click downloaded and shared with your PCs. ‘For developers’ and enable ‘Sideload Start, Settings, ‘Update & security’, apps’. But it isn’t safe to do so. Windows Update, then ‘Advanced Give me updates for other options’ to change the setting to ‘Notify Microsoft products when I 3. WINDOWS DEFENDER to schedule restart’ (see screenshot update Windows You can configure Windows 10’s built-in above right). For more ways to manage Windows 10 default: Off Unless you activate antivirus protection by clicking Start, updates read Issue 464’s Cover Feature: this option, Microsoft will assume you Settings, ‘Update & security’, then ‘Stop and Control Windows Updates’. want updates for Windows 10 only, not Windows Defender. But leaving these its other products, such as Office. settings alone is safer. Metered connection We recommend: On While Windows Windows 10 default: Off Windows 10 updates can be annoying, they’re generally 4. STARTUP SERVICES automatically assumes that your internet a good idea because they fi x problems, You might be tempted to make your PC connection allows for unlimited data. add features and make your computer boot faster by disabling services that We recommend: On If you pay for your safer. Th e same goes for all the other launch when it starts. But disable the internet connection by the gigabyte, software on your PC, so if you own other wrong one and it may not start at all. then enabling this setting will prevent Microsoft programs or devices – Office, for background downloads eating into example – it’s worth switching this setting your data allowance. But even if your on so that you get their latest updates. feature, plug in a USB hard drive, then connection isn’t pay-as-you-go, there’s Click Start, Settings, ‘Update & security’, click ‘Add a drive’ and follow the prompts. another reason you may want to Windows Update, ‘Advanced options’, Th is backs up your data continuously switch this on. If Windows thinks your then ‘Choose how updates are delivered’. in the background. If you’d prefer to connection is metered, then it won’t force use a more familiar scheduled backup updates on you unless you download Backup instead, click ‘Go to Backup and Restore them manually. Currently, this only works Windows 10 default: Off Despite having (Windows 7)’ and click ‘Set up back-up’. on wireless connections. Click Start, several different built-in backup options, Settings, ‘Network & internet’, WiFi, then Windows 10 leaves them all disabled System Restore click ‘Advanced options’ and click the unless you do something about it yourself. Windows 10 default: Off For reasons we’ve button under ‘Set as metered connection’. We recommend: On Backing up is such yet to fathom, Windows 10 disables an important part of running a PC but, System Restore altogether. Updates from more than amazingly, Windows 10 still fails to We recommend: On System Restore is a one place enable backup when you fi rst set up your feature we’ve relied on since Windows Windows 10 default: On Windows 10 computer. To enable it yourself click XP. It provides a way of rolling back your uses peer-to-peer technology – similar Start, Settings, ‘Update & security’, then system to a time before a troublesome to BitTorrent – to take the strain off Backup. To use Windows 10’s File History update or program was installed, instantly Microsoft’s own servers. It does this fi xing disastrous PC problems. by making Windows 10 users upload To re-enable it, right-click Windows and app updates to other users’ Start and select System, then PCs over the internet. click ‘System protection’. In We recommend: Off Th ere’s no evidence to the window that opens, click suggest this setting is unsafe, but it could your system drive (usually C:), mean you waste gigabytes of personal then click configure. Next, click bandwidth - and all just to save Microsoft ‘Turn on system protection’ and money. Click Start, Settings, ‘Update & use the slider to allocate a small security’, Windows Update, ‘Advanced percentage of your hard-drive options’, then either switch the setting off Plug in a USB then click ‘Add a drive’ to make Windows 10 space (around two per cent) to altogether, or choose the ‘PCs on my local continuously back up your data System Restore, then click OK.

52 6 – 19 January 2016 Change your Windows 10 settings now

PERFORMANCE, SPEED AND INTERFACE Visual Effects Select ‘Adjust for best Windows 10 default: ‘Let Windows choose performance’ what’s best for my computer’ Windows to turn off 10 uses a lot of fancy effects to make it visual effects attractive to use, but these all consume - it may speed up system resources. By default, the OS your PC manages these automatically. We recommend: Off Yo u may notice a significant improvement in performance if you disable Windows 10’s visual effects. Right-click Start, then click System, ‘Advanced system settings’. Now click the Settings button under Performance, select the ‘Adjust for best performance’ option at the top, then click OK (see screenshot right). Th e effect will be more noticeable on some PCs than others; if you don’t notice any difference, you can always switch back.

Start-up items can be a massive time-saver, as it lets Windows 10 default: Enabled Windows you carry on working exactly where you 10 allows programs to add themselves left off when you restart your PC. To add to your PC’s start-up unless you choose Hibernate to the options available from to disable them, the idea being that the Start menu power button, right-click important programs are ready to go as Start then select Power Options. Click soon as your computer starts. ‘Choose what the power buttons do’, then We recommend: Disable as needed. Not click ‘Change settings that are currently all the programs that get added to your unavailable’. Next, tick the Hibernate start-up are as important as they think box under ‘Shut-down settings’ (see they are. Right-click the taskbar, then screenshot below). While you’re there, click Task Manager. Click ‘More details’ check that ‘Turn on fast start-up’ is if shown, then click the Start-up tab and ticked, too. Th is is another time saver, work through the list. Click any items though it’s normally enabled by default. you don’t need, then click Disable. If Click ‘Save changes’. you’re not sure what an item does, You can remove Task View and the Cortana right-click it and select ‘Search online’. Task View and Search bar search bar from your taskbar Windows 10 default: Enabled Microsoft Hibernate is so desperate for you to use the new be able to use Task View by pressing Windows 10 default: Disabled Hibernate is features in Windows 10 that it has stuck Win+Tab, for example. a way of shutting down your computer so two of them – Task View and Cortana’s it saves all your programs and fi les. search bar – permanently to the taskbar. Quick Access view We recommend: Enabled Hibernating We recommend: Disabled Yo u can tidy up Windows 10 default: Enabled Th e new your taskbar by disabling default view in File Explorer is intended both. To disable the Task to help you get to your most recently or View button, Right- frequently used fi les and folders quickly. click the taskbar, then We recommend: Disable (optional) Th is click ‘Show Task View one’s down to personal taste. Quick button’ to untick it. To Access is actually quite useful, but takes disable the Search bar, some getting used to. If you don’t like it, right-click the taskbar bring back the old My Computer-style and select Cortana, view of all the drives on your computer then choose ‘Show by clicking the File Explorer icon on Cortana icon’ to replace the taskbar. Make sure the ribbon is the Search bar with an visible (click the down arrow in the top icon, or choose Hidden right if not), click the View tab, then to hide it altogether. click Options. On the General tab of the Bear in mind that this window that opens, choose Th is PC from Tick Hibernate to turn on this valuable setting, which Microsoft won’t disable features the ‘Open File Explorer to’ dropdown disables by default themselves – you’ll still menu and click OK.

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NOTIFICATIONS AND ADVERTS Let apps use my advertising ID for experiences across apps Windows 10 default: On Yo u are given a unique advertising ID that Microsoft uses to provide you with targeted advertising across all the apps you use. We recommend: Off If you’d rather not be tracked and targeted by advertising, then switch this setting off – you’ll fi nd it in Start, Settings, Privacy, General (see screenshot right). Switching this off won’t stop adverts, but it will Disable this setting to prevent companies targeting you Don’t want to buy Office? Uninstall the ‘Get reset your advertising ID and with adverts Office’ app to stop Microsoft pestering you prevent companies targeting you. then click Start on the left and switch the hassled by unnecessary notifications. Let websites provide locally ‘Occasionally show suggestions in Start’ Some people have reported that disabling relevant content by accessing setting to Off (see screenshot below). them dramatically boosts performance, my language list too (read this Reddit forum post www. Windows 10 default: On Th e theory here Personalised ads snipca.com/19094). Click Start, Settings, is that advertisers are able to provide you Windows 10 default: On Microsoft wants System, then ‘Notifications & actions’ on with adverts in your own language. to show adverts that are relevant to you the left. Switch the setting (just under the We recommend: Off What this setting does whenever you use your web browser or Notifi cations heading) to Off. is allow websites you visit to know which sign into your Microsoft account. languages you have installed on your We recommend: Off Amazingly, there are Show app notifi cations PC. Disable it by going to Start, Settings, two key Windows 10 privacy settings Windows 10 default: On Apps are allowed to Privacy, General and switching it off. that aren’t available in Windows 10. send you notifications that appear as pop- Instead, you’ll need to go to: http://choice. ups near the notification area, as well as in Occasionally show microsoft.com. Click ‘Sign in’ and log in the Action Centre and the lock screen. suggestions in Start with your Microsoft account. Yo u’ll see We recommend: On, but Off for specifi c Windows 10 default: On Microsoft makes two options – ‘Personalised ads in this apps. Some notifications are useful but, money from any apps sold in the Windows browser’ and ‘Personalised ads whenever with Windows 10’s default settings, it’s Store, so it tries to persuade you to buy I use my Microsoft account’. Switch both easy to end up drowning in annoying from there wherever possible. Since the off (see screenshot above right). alerts. To fi x this, click Start, Settings, November update, this has included the System, then click ‘Notifications & actions’. Start menu, where ads for ‘Suggested apps’ Get Office Leave the global ‘Show app notifications’ now appear under your ‘Most used’ apps. Windows 10 default: Enabled Microsoft setting On, but scroll down and check the We recommend: Off Seeing adverts in your wants you to buy Office, so it displays ‘Get list of apps shown below, switching to Off Start menu feels invasive; to banish them, Office’ messages in your Notifi cations. any you don’t need notifications from. click Start, Settings, Personalisation, We recommend: Disable. Th ese annoying notifications are essentially ads Show notifi cations caused by a app that comes on the lock screen preinstalled with Windows Windows 10 default: On With this enabled, 10. Uninstalling the app is an you can view notifications you’ve effective way of silencing them received without logging in. for good, so click Start, ‘A ll We recommend: Off Th e trouble with apps’, scroll to Get Office, right- this setting and the one below it (‘Show click it and select Uninstall. alarms, reminders, and incoming VOIP calls on the lock screen’) is that other Show me tips about people can see the emails, calendar Windows appointments, missed calls and other Windows 10 default: On Yo ur PC personal information that lock-screen will deliver occasional ‘helpful’ notifications may contain. Yo u may feel tips to you via the Action more comfortable switching these off, Centre, in order to point you particularly if you use your PC at work towards new features and tools. or in public. Click Start, Settings, System, Microsoft wants to show you adverts in your Start menu - We recommend: Off Yo u don’t then click ‘Notifications & actions’ and here’s where to turn them off have to put up with being scroll down to disable both settings.

6 – 19 January 2016 55 Change your Windows 10 settings now

APPS AND PROGRAMS

Windows Store App updates You don’t Windows 10 default: On Th e Windows have to stick with Windows Store app checks for and downloads any 10’s default updates for your apps so that you don’t Desktop apps need to think about it. We recommend: Off While this option may be convenient, it won’t necessarily work for everyone. If you’re on a capped or metered internet connection, for example, you may prefer to monitor or control the bandwidth these updates use up. Open the Windows Store from the taskbar icon, then click your account icon and select Settings. Switch ‘Update apps automatically’ to off.

Windows Store Live Tile ‘Choose default applications by Windows 10 default: On With this enabled, fi le type’. the Windows Store’s Start menu Live Tile will display new or featured apps and Background apps games that you might be interested in. Windows 10 default: On Windows We recommend: Off Th is is another way 10 allows its built-in apps – plus for Microsoft to push Windows Store many of those you download advertising at you. If you’re fed up from the Windows Store – to with this hard sell, open the Windows run in the background all the Store app and navigate to its settings as time, so that they can remain described in the previous tip, then switch connected and up to date. Don’t let websites track you when you browse the web ‘Show products on tile’ to Off. We recommend: Off for certain using Edge apps. In some cases, it can be Default apps very useful to have an app running in We recommend: If you’ve started using Windows 10 default: Windows 10 apps the background. With News running, for Microsoft’s new web browser since Unless you specify otherwise during example, you can get the latest headlines switching to Windows 10, or if you’re an setup, Windows 10 will set its new apps from your Start menu Live Tile without Internet Explorer user who’s looking at as the defaults for music, photos and actually having to launch the app. But the Edge to plug the gap when IE is fi nally more, while Edge will become your more apps you run, the more memory phased out, then there are some settings default browser. you’ll consume, as well as battery life if you’ll need to change. We recommend: Your own favourite you’re on a laptop. We’d suggest limiting Click the three-dots top right, then click programs and tools Getting you to use its background apps to a minimum, so click Settings, ‘View advanced settings’. Under own apps is another way that Microsoft Start, Settings, Privacy, ‘Background ‘Privacy and services’, switch on ‘Send Do will try to sell you stuff, because its Groove apps’, then scroll through the list Not Track requests’– this will stop many Music and Film & TV apps are tied directly switching off any you don’t need. websites from tracking your movements. into Microsoft’s own online entertainment Under Cookies, we’d suggest opting for stores. To switch back to your preferred Edge – Privacy and services ‘Block only third-party cookies’. And, if programs, click Start, Settings, System, Windows 10 default: Edge, the web you’d rather not send Microsoft data about then ‘Default apps’. Now click each of the browser that comes built into Windows your web browsing habits, you should apps listed and choose the program you 10, is set to allow all cookies. It also turn off ‘Show search and site suggestions want instead. If the program you want speeds up your browsing by showing as I type’ and ‘Use page prediction to isn’t listed, you may need to install it. For suggestions and using predictions as you speed up browsing, improve reading and even more control, scroll down and click type in the search or address bar. make my overall experience better’.

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56 6 – 19 January 2016 Your most popular programs of 2015 Thanks to how we shorten URLs, we can work out NUM which software you’ve downloaded most over the BER past 12 months. Here’s your top 10… 1 ne of the things we dislike most worried about unexpected items 7 Malwarebytes about the internet is typing long launching when they turn on their PC, Anti-Rootkit Beta OURLs into our browser bar. We so it’s not surprising that Autoruns is www.snipca.com/15810 know you’re not keen on it, either. Th at’s popular. It’s always been great at revealing Some of the most important programs why in every issue we use our Snipca the programs that start automatically, and are security tools that protect you from URL-shortening to shrink web addresses, in 2015 teamed up with VirusTotal to let threats your antivirus can’t. Of those we turning unwieldy beasts like the link for you check fi les for malware – see Secret recommended in our ‘Remove hidden Microsoft’s Windows 10 forum (http:// Tips, Issue 451, page 48. malware’ Cover Feature (Issue 446), answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/ Malwarebytes’ rootkit-attacking software forum/windows_10?tab=Threads) into 3 Google Earth Pro was your top download. It’s still in beta, manageable snippets: www.snipca. www.snipca.com/15715 but it’s highly effective. com/19031. Previously a £260 download, Google Because it’s our very own service, we Earth Pro became free in January 2015, 8 Reason Core Security can monitor how often each Snipca is and quickly became one of your favourite www.snipca.com/16566 clicked. Th at gives us an accurate programs. One of the best things you can Another tool that works alongside your indication of which programs, websites do with it is record a 3D virtual tour of antivirus is Reason Core Security, which and online tools you’re most interested in anywhere in the world (assuming Google warns you when a program you’re about – so we can give you more of the same. has mapped it), as we explained in our to download comes riddled with junk. Here’s our top 10 of your most clicked lead Workshop in Issue 445 (page 35). Th ousands of you downloaded the software in 2015, with last year’s top software following our Workshop on it in program continuing to lead the pack. 4 PC Decrapifier Issue 451 (page 42). For the purposes of this list, we’re not www.snipca.com/16331 counting Windows 10 as software. Th e popularity of this junk-removal 9 IObit Uninstaller Snipcas related to Windows 10 were so program is symptomatic of one of the year’s www.snipca.com/17838 popular this year that they deserve a biggest scandals – manufacturers stuffing Talking of junk, we’ve often slated chart all of their own. Yo u’ll fi nd some of their PCs with system tools that are at IObit’s programs for containing plenty,

wthese on page 13. best pointless, and at worst malicious. It and told you to steer clear. But the took pride of place in our ‘Remove company cleaned up its act in 2015, 1 AdwCleaner built-in junk’ Cover Feature in Issue 449. and you quickly forgave it for past www.snipca.com/16022 misdemeanours. In fact, you liked it so AdwCleaner’s second consecutive year in 5 Belarc Advisor much that no other uninstaller in Issue the top spot is a refl ection of how www.snipca.com/17465 458’s Cover Feature (‘Software you must effectively it removes adware from your All year you’ve loved programs that lift uninstall now’) was clicked more. PC. Its biggest update came in April, the lid on your PC, to reveal what’s really which we marked by making it the lead going on inside. Belarc Advisor does just 10 CCEnhancer program in Best Free Software (Issue 447, that, analysing your hardware and software www.snipca.com/15280 page 16). Since then it has been updated to help you identify problems. It is the We know you love CCleaner, so it’s no to work with Windows 10. program you clicked most in Issue 462’s shock that you also love a tool that gives Cover Feature: ‘Make your PC live longer’. it more options. CCEnhancer appeared in 2 Autoruns for Windows Issue 443’s Cover Feature (‘Hack your www.snipca.com/15791 6 SlimDrivers software’) and, with AdwCleaner, is one We get lots of emails from readers www.snipca.com/15419 of only two programs to feature in the As the launch of Windows 10 approached, top 10 for 2014 and 2015. LAST YEAR’S TOP 10 thousands of you wanted to make sure your PC was in the best condition to READ ABOUT AdwCleaner CPU-Z receive the upgrade. One program that CO • • ALL THESE MING SO • Process Hacker • CCEnhancer helped make this possible was SlimDrivers, PROGRAMS ON ON! which scans your system looking for OUR 2015 BACK • Clean Master • DNS Benchmark ISSUE CD • Wise Care 365 • MyUninstaller out-of-date drivers. It fi rst appeared in For more info visit • Driver Booster • Glary Utilities 2015 in our ‘Make your PC run like new’ www.snipca.com/19124 Cover Feature (Issue 444).

6 – 19 January 2016 57 Send massive files for FREE Do your huge fi les keep bouncing back to 10GB you on email? Jonathan Parkyn shows you how to break through the size barrier

mailing attachments to Add fi les from cloud storage instead of attaching them. In Gmail, once friends and family is a quick to webmail you’ve typed your message, instead of and easy way to share photos, As a rule, webmail services tend to be clicking the paperclip icon to attach a fi le, Edocuments and much more. But more generous than standard email click the Google Drive icon next to it (see if you’ve ever tried to attach anything services when it comes to large screenshot below left). Click Upload, then larger than a few megabytes, you’ll know attachments. Gmail currently has an ‘Select fi les from your computer’ and that email isn’t necessarily the best way attachment limit of 25MB, while navigate to the fi le on your computer. to share big fi les – they often just bounce Outlook.com lets you send fi les up to Highlight it and click OK, then click right back with a big, shouty 20MB. However, just because you can Upload. Once it’s uploaded, click Send. It ‘UNDELIVERABLE’ stamped all over send large attachments, it doesn’t always doesn’t matter what your recipient’s the subject fi eld. mean that the recipient will get them. If attachment limit is. Th ey don’t even need So, what do you do if you want to send you are sending from Gmail, say, to a Google Drive account – select the that large video clip of the family you someone whose email service caps ‘A nyone with the link: Can view’ option fi lmed over Christmas, or a sprawling attachments at a lower size, then your when prompted, then click ‘Share & album of recent holiday photos? Well, 25MB fi les could end up being rejected send’. Th e recipient will receive a link to don’t go popping USB sticks in the post by your recipient’s servers. view or download the fi le. just yet; here are some easy ways to send Both Gmail and Outlook.com offer a Yo u can do the same in Outlook.com big fi les to anywhere in the world – and it clever way around this. Yo u can insert by clicking Insert, followed by ‘Share won’t cost you a penny. fi les (up to 10GB) from online storage from OneDrive’ when composing your message. Send directly from cloud storage But what if you don’t use Gmail or Outlook.com? No problem, you can still send people large fi les via cloud storage. With Dropbox, for example, you can share a fi le from within the service itself or create a link that you can send by email. Yo u will need a Dropbox account, however, but it’s free and straightforward – sign up at www.dropbox.com. Next, sign in, click Upload and add the fi le you want to share. Once it’s been uploaded, click the fi le, then click the Share button to the right. A window will then open showing a link to the fi le – if you want, you can just copy and paste this link into an email. Alternatively, type the email addresses of your intended recipients in the box under ‘Share this link to’ and Dropbox Send huge files in Gmail by inserting them from Google Drive - just click this icon will send a message for you. Either way,

58 6 – 19 January 2016 Upload big files to ZIP IT UP Dropbox, then share Large fi les you’re struggling to email a link with people you can often be made smaller by using a want to send compression tool. Windows has one them to built in – just right-click a fi le or folder and select ‘Send to’, then ‘Compressed (zipped) folder’. Zipped fi les can then be uncompressed at the other end by right-clicking and selecting ‘Extract all’. However, the zip fi le technique employed by Windows isn’t the most powerful type of compression. Other formats, such as 7z and RAR, can be more effective, but require a third- party tool, such as PeaZip (free from www.peazip.org – see screenshot). Th e person on the other end must use a similar tool to uncompress them. Because of the way compression your recipients will be able to use the link upload large fi les and send a notification works, you may fi nd that certain types provided to download the fi le directly to recipients telling them to download it. of fi le respond better than others. File from your Dropbox themselves – even if All three offer both free and paid-for types that are already compressed, they don’t have a Dropbox account. services. Hightail’s free offering is the such as MP3 audio fi les and JPEG Yo u can upload fi les of up to 10GB via most restrictive because you need to sign photos, may barely reduce in size. the Dropbox web interface and there’s no up for an account before you can send fi le-size limit if you use Dropbox’s anything, plus individual fi le sizes are desktop tool (www.dropbox.com/install) limited to a maximum of 250MB. Yo u or mobile app (Android www.snipca. can send 2GB fi les in WeTransfer and com/18998; iOS www.snipca.com/ MailBigFile without even registering. 18999). Th e size of the fi les you upload or share is, ultimately, limited by the size of Post it on YouTube - privately your storage, and Dropbox only offers If the fi les you want to send are videos 2GB of space for free. If you regularly or photos, then you may not need to send fi les larger than this, you could send them at all. Instead you could post consider paying for more space, or you them online, either on a social network, could use Google Drive instead, which such as Facebook, or on video and photo- provides 15GB of free storage and has sharing services, such as Yo uTube (www. exactly the purpose we’re describing – similar sharing options. youtube.com) and Flickr (www.flickr.com). transferring large fi les securely and In most cases, photos and videos you quickly for non-commercial reasons. Send via a fi le-transfer service upload to services such as these are made Sending fi les via torrents is completely If you don’t have a cloud-storage account public by default, but it’s possible to free. Th ere are no size limits or timeouts, (or would rather not use it for sharing make them private and only allow and you don’t have to worry about fi les), then you could opt for a dedicated specifi c people you’ve invited to view privacy because you’re sharing fi les fi le-transfer service, such as WeTransfer them. With Yo uTube, for instance, upload directly, rather than storing them on (www.wetransfer.com), MailBigFile your video fi le, then log into your Video someone else’s servers. Th e only (www.mailbigfile.com) or Hightail (www. Manager page, click the video, then click downside is that you and everyone you hightail.com). Th ese services let you Edit. Select Private from the dropdown send fi les to requires a special tool called menu in the lower section of a torrent client, such as uTorrent the page (see screenshot left), (download free from www.utorrent.com, then type the email addresses making sure you deselect any unwanted of anyone you want to invite extras while installing). to view the clip and click Share. Managing torrents can get a bit technical, too – you may need to Send via BitTorrent configure fi rewalls and open ports on (it is legal) your PC – so we wouldn’t recommend Don’t worry, we’re not this route unless you and your friends advocating illegal fi le sharing. regularly need to share large fi les. If you Peer-to-peer systems like fancy giving it a go, however, check out BitTorrent aren’t actually uTorrent’s own guide to sending large Inviting people to a private YouTube page is a great way to illegal in themselves, and fi les to friends and family at www.snipca. share large videos were originally designed for com/18996.

6 – 19 January 2016 59 Why you should never use GuruAid

Tech service GuruAid claims to help with any PC problem – but could it all be a scam? Computeractive reporter Nicole Kobie investigates

earch for tech support online, and ‘24/7 Support for Avast – Avast you may see a large advert from a Help & Support by GuruAid’ (see company called GuruAid perched screenshot below). Likewise, Sabove the results, offering you search Bing for ‘UK support AVG’ help with products made by Microsoft, and you’ll see adverts for various Kaspersky and other big-name tech third-party support fi rms, companies. But you won’t get the help including GuruAid. Below AVG’s you need from GuruAid – quite the own listing is another for opposite. Yo u don’t need to dig very ‘technical support to deep online to see numerous complaints troubleshoot and fi x problems about the company. Indeed, several with AVG antivirus’, listing a Computeractive readers have emailed us GuruAid phone number. with serious allegations against GuruAid, What’s happened here is that including charging hundreds of pounds GuruAid has bought Google and The McAfee logo on GuruAid’s home page doesn’t for no service and leaving PCs pretty Bing adverts tied to certain mean the security company backs the site much unusable. search terms (such as ‘Avast’) to Worried by these accusations, we took confuse users into calling its don’t realise their search results are paid a closer look at GuruAid, and here we helpline. Th ese adverts appear even if you adverts,” Kaspersky told us. “GuruAid reveal everything you need to know use an ad-blocker like Adblock Plus. then charges exorbitant fees for support about the controversial company. GuruAid‘s helpline is neither free nor that Kaspersky provides free.” Kaspersky an official Avast helpline. Neither of these added: “We are in no way affiliated to this GuruAid’s search confusion points is made clear in the recorded provider.” Carry out a Google search for ‘Avast tech message you hear before your call is Google didn’t respond to our request support’ and at the top you’ll see an answered. for a comment. Microsoft-owned Bing did advert for GuruAid, with an 0800 respond, but didn’t answer our questions (apparently UK) number described as What do other companies relating to GuruAid. Instead it issued a think of GuruAid? generic statement saying: “Online scams Security companies Avast and and fraudulent advertising are an industry- AVG have both received wide issue, and one that we take seriously”. complaints from customers confused by third-party So… who runs GuruAid? support fi rms like GuruAid. Anyone landing on the fi rm’s website Kaspersky, maker of our could be fooled by the McAfee Secure highest-rated antivirus (AV) logo at the top of the page (see screenshot product, has even launched its above). McAfee doesn’t back GuruAid – own search-engine adverts the logo merely indicates that the website urging users not to call itself is free from malware. And many of third-party support fi rms, the people writing positive reviews about making it clear it offers its the fi rm have posted no other reviews own local-rate support line. anywhere else on Google. Th at alone Search for Avast tech support on Google and the top results “GuruAid has taken should set alarm bells ringing. are adverts for GuruAid advantage of customers that GuruAid is the tech-support division of

60 6 – 19 January 2015 Why you should never use GuruAid

What happened when we rang GuruAid?

GuruAid doesn’t merely trick you into William agreed to these terms, and and promised to fi x them if he coughed phoning their expensive helpline. As many allowed GuruAid remote access to his PC. up $179.99 (£120) for their annual plan. of you have discovered, it also charges for Th e next day, he noticed that Kaspersky Trusting the technician, Mr Austin paid up – unnecessary work and can even damage wasn’t installed – and he couldn’t log into and soon found his PC didn’t work at all. your PC. his online banking site. Later that day, he We called GuruAid posing as a PC One of many Computeractive couldn’t start Windows at all. GuruAid user having problems. An advisor told us readers who found that GuruAid did refused to refund his money. factory reset laptop was booting slow (it more harm than good is William Deakin, Reader Joe Austin also contacted wasn’t) because of too many temporary who phoned GuruAid for help installing GuruAid, thinking it was an official Dell internet fi les. GuruAid tried to trick us into Kaspersky Internet Security 2016. A service. He sought advice paying a one-off £80 installation fee for technician said “junk” would need to on choosing a card reader to upload Chrome and Windows Defender (already be cleared from his PC before the photos from his digital camera. on our PC) to avoid pop-ups. We declined, program could be installed – a task they GuruAid told him he didn’t need a card shocked by the extortionate fee charged said they’d be willing to do every 15 to 20 reader, just new drivers. While installing for such basic tasks. Make sure you don’t days if he’d pay £240 for two years them, GuruAid presented Mr Austin with get caught out by similarly outrageous fees of support. a long list of problems found in his PC, for technical ‘help’.

Lester Inc, a US-based fi rm, which in Bureau (www.bbb.org/connecticut) 2003 merged with Enlink Infotech, a in 2013 citing complaints similar to call-centre company based in India. those experienced by a number of Th at Indian call centre is what you’re our readers. Th e Bureau told us: calling when you phone GuruAid’s “Despite changes the company number. Th e UK address listed on the has implemented, the pattern of site is a marketing office that also acts complaints continues”. as the base for CEO Rajiv Samant’s In its own defence, GuruAid handful of other businesses. pointed to its quality-control Now for the relatively good news. systems, which are in place to Lester Inc and GuruAid are legitimate ensure “agents do not misrepresent companies – many online support fi rms the cause of the problem to get a aren’t – and Lester Inc is registered in the sale”. Th ey admitted “slip ups” UK. We spoke to the company’s are possible but “rare”, and regulations director Rita Quick and she warned it’s easy to post “one-sided sounded genuinely horrifi ed at the and factually incorrect” complaints McAfee links to reports on scam tech help and lists accusation that GuruAid was a “scam”. online. numbers used for cold calling However, she shouldn’t be surprised, Th ere have also been reports that given people’s experiences. GuruAid has been cold-calling people. What you must do Th is page from security fi rm McAfee While GuruAid may technically be a GuruAid defends itself – (www.snipca.com/19079; see screenshot legitimate business, we think it is an but we’re unconvinced right) quotes several numbers to watch irresponsible one that makes money by Given the prevalence of the company’s out for. Th e caller usually claims exploiting people’s lack of technical search-engine adverts, it does seem problems had been detected on the user’s expertise. Avoid it completely. unbelievable that senior staff have never machine, and can be fi xed for a free. If you do need to turn to third-party Googled their own brand and seen the GuruAid said it never makes such cold tech support for anything, you can often numerous complaints levelled against calls, claiming scammers are pretending do so for free. Yo u can buy Kaspersky them. What’s more, they received a letter to be from GuruAid, including Internet Security 2016, the highest-rated from the Connecticut Better Business “freelancers” wishing to abuse its name. AV tool in our lab tests, for £19.99 from our Software Store (see page 68). All the installation help you need is on Kaspersky’s site, and the program will keep your PC safe for a year. If you have trouble with Kaspersky, Avast, AVG or any other software, go to its own website and phone the number on GuruAid is a the Contact page. Many products also have tech support live chat tools where a member of the division of (real) company will walk you through Lester Inc, solving any problem. Yo u can then copy a legitimate US-based and paste the conversation for future company reference.

6 – 19 January 2015 61

Problems Solved

PROBLEM OF THE FORTNIGHT Can I select web text using the How do I stop keyboard? adverts in Skype? I struggle to use the mouse, and My computer uses Windows 7 Q I fi nd it particularly hard to Q Professional, with the Firefox select text using it. Th is isn’t a browser and Google as my problem in Microsoft Word because I’ve home page. Following a recent internet learned to click roughly where I need to purchase, my Skype homepage now and then use the arrow keys and Shift. I’d shows adverts related to the vendor’s like to do this on the web too, as I often site, which I do not want. Why does need to copy text from websites. Is it this happen, and how can I get rid of possible?I use Internet Explorer 11 in this annoyance? Select the ‘Restricted sites’ option to stop Windows 7, but I also have a new Arnie Williams adverts from appearing in Skype Windows 10 laptop and have been dabbling with Edge. Th is happens because – like Th e second problem is that in some Eve Collier A so many other companies – versions of Skype you’ll still see Microsoft (which owns Skype) placeholders where the now-blocked Ye s, you can do this – using a likes to track users’ online activities adverts would normally be displayed. A hidden feature called Caret and then target them with adverts at Th is is of no consequence, but does Browsing. It’s easily enabled in every turn. Th e best solution would be looks bit odd, and it can be fi xed. Internet Explorer, just by tapping F7. In for Microsoft to stop foisting these First, press Windows key+E to launch the Caret Browsing dialogue box that unwanted, targeted ads at Skype users Windows Explorer (or File Explorer in appears, tick ‘Don’t show this message – but that’s not going to happen any Windows 8.1/10). Press the Alt key to again’, followed by Ye s to confirm. Yo u can time soon. So, you’ll need to take show the menu bar, then choose now click on any web text before holding action. ‘Folder options’ from the Tools menu. down Shift and using the cursor (arrow) First, launch the Internet Properties Choose the View tab and then, under keys to select – just as you do in Word. box by clicking Start, typing inetcpl.cpl ‘Hidden fi les and folders’, select the Leaving the feature enabled can cause and pressing Enter. Now choose the ‘Show hidden fi les, folders, or drives’ problems for some navigation techniques, Security tab, then click to select button. Click OK. so disable it by tapping F7 again. ‘Restricted sites’ icon in the ‘Select a Now use Windows Explorer to Caret Browsing works in exactly the zone…’ section. Next, click the Sites navigate to C:\Users\[Your Username]\ same way in Edge. However, there’s an button, type https://apps.skype.com App Data\Roaming\Skype\[YourSkype additional option to make it permanent into the ‘Add this website to the zone’ Username]. Right-click the fi le called (rather than having to enable it for each fi eld and click Add. Repeat for http:// ‘config.xml’ and choose Edit: this opens session, as with Internet Explorer). www.msn.com/en-gb. Click Close. the fi le in Notepad. Press Control Click the menu icon (three dots, top Now switch to Skype, open the Tools (Ctrl)+F to open the Find box, type right) followed by Settings, ‘View menu and click Options. Click Privacy and click advanced settings’, then scroll down in the left-hand navigation pane then, Find Next. Click the cross to close the to ‘A lways use caret browsing’ and fl ip in the right-hand pane, clear the tick Find box, click and drag to select the the switch to On. from the box labelled ‘A llow Microsoft whole line (1), then press Delete profile age and gender’. Click Save. (Del), or right-click and choose Delete. Th at’s actually all you need to do to Close Notepad by clicking its cross, stop Skype displaying ads. However, it then click Save. does have a couple of side-eff ects Left to its own devices, Skype will – both of which can be resolved if they simply restore the deleted line next bother you. Th e fi rst is that it disables time you launch the program. Write- the Skype Home page. Th is is unlikely protecting the fi le will stop it from to be a concern, but if you need to see doing so: in Windows Explorer, the Skype Home page, then just visit right-click ‘config.xml’ and choose http://apps.skype.com/home and log in Properties. Select the General tab, tick with your Skype credentials. ‘Read-only’, then click OK. Use Caret Browsing to select web text using your keyboard

64 6 – 19 January 2016 Our experts solve all your tech problems Email us your problem and we’ll try to help: [email protected]

How do I stop fl ickering in slow-motion videos?

I recently treated myself to Q Apple’s new iPhone 6s and have a strange – albeit intermittent – problem when I use the slow-motion To stop flickering video mode. Sometimes the slow-mo in slow-motion works really well, but other times the videos, try shooting screen seems to fl icker, even before I hit in natural light the record button. If I move a bit or or adjusting the number of frames change the position of the phone,I can per second sometimes stop this fl ickering, but if the screen is fl ickering when I hit record, you’ll need to experiment to then the recorded footage captures that fi nd a location where the fl ickering. Video at normal speed always lights aren’t fl ickering. seems to work fi ne. Is this a fault, or am I Yo u could also try changing just doing something wrong? the slow-motion speed. Th is Lee Weeks won’t eliminate fl icker in all scenarios, but altering the Th is is not a fault but a side- number of frames per second A effect of fi lming under certain natural fl icker that your own eyes (fps) your iPhone captures will types of lighting, such as don’t allow you to see. Th is is also sometimes counteract the frequency fl uorescent tubes. Th ese are a good why moving your phone sometimes that’s causing the problem. In iOS 9 or example because you might sometimes seems to make the fl icker stop: you’re 9.1, launch Settings from the home notice the high-speed fl icker, or your ears moving suffi ciently away from the screen, tap ‘Photos & Camera’, followed might tune in to the gentle hum caused troublesome light source, or by turning by ‘Record Slo-mo’, then choose ‘120 by the alternating current (AC) supplying around your back obscures the bulb’s fps’ or ‘240 fps’ as appropriate. the power. Many forms of artifi cial imperceptible quivering. Also, if you experience similar illumination produce similar high-speed So, one practical solution is to shoot problems when taking still shots, tap the fl icker – but human persistence of vision your slow-motion clips elsewhere, and concentric-circle icon in the viewfinder means that we don’t notice it. preferably outside and in daylight – as the window – this disables the new Live When you set your iPhone to record in sun is effectively a fl icker-free light Photos feature, which employs a form of slow motion, it’s literally capturing the source. If you must fi lm indoors, then slow-motion video.

Why is my script stuck in a loop?

I use three data folders Rename your batch file quite a lot, but they are to stop your script getting Q stuck in a loop deep in the folder structure, such as C:\Users\ a Command Prompt window MyName\Documents. Some of my with the Desktop folder as the programs won’t see Libraries as prompt. When your batch fi le shortcuts so I made a batch fi le then calls for the ‘subst’ command, using the substitute command – your PC fi nds the subst.bat (or subst – to turn some of these folder subst.cmd) fi le fi rst – because paths into drive letters. I saved this that’s in the Desktop folder. batch fi le to the Windows Desktop. window, and paste it in, it works. When you do it manually, you’re not If I double-click it, the Command What am I doing wrong? opening the Command Prompt window Prompt window opens but my script Nigel Ogilvie into the Desktop folder, so it works. just seems to repeat itself – executing Th e solution is to rename your batch over and over again. It’s the same We think you gave your batch fi le, to something like ‘folders.bat’ or when run as an administrator. Th e A fi le the name ‘subst.bat’ or ‘folders.cmd’. We’d also suggest you edit content must be valid because if I ‘subst.cmd’. Th at would cause a the code to add the command ‘end’ to open the script, copy it to the Windows loop because when you run the subst the end of your script – that’ll stop any Clipboard, open a Command Prompt from the Desktop you’re in effect opening other unintended loops.

6 – 19 January 2016 65 Problems Solved How do I set Number Lock on Where’s the rest Windows 10 launch? of my Windows 10 Start menu? I have recently upgraded from Next, press Win+R, then type regedit Q Windows 7 to 10.I now fi nd I and press Enter. Use the left-hand pane have to press the Number Lock to navigate to the following key: HKEY_ My installation of Windows key every time I want to use the numeric USERS\.DEFAULT\Control Panel\ Q 10 in place of Windows 7 pad, while in Windows 7 it was set on all Keyboard. Th en, in the right-hand pane, went smoothly. However, the time. Is there a way to do this? right-click ‘InitialKeyboardIndicators’ my one difficulty is that my Start Joe Jarvie and choose Modify (see screenshot). Th e menu only has a left-hand pane – fi gure in the ‘Value data’ box should be not the right-hand pane containing Th ere are a couple of ‘2147483648’. Change this to ‘2147483650’ tiles that I see in your magazine’s A possibilities. Th e quickest way – and click OK. screenshots. Can you help? assuming it works – is to enable If the InitialKeyboardIndicators Dave Sport Number Lock while you’re still on the entry doesn’t exist, right-click a blank Windows 10 login screen, and then shut part of the right-hand pane and choose We’re not sure how this has down your PC before logging in. New followed by String Value. Type A happened, but there is one If Number Lock still won’t stay on InitialKeyboardIndicators as the new possibility: when you were you’ll need to carry out a quick tweak in string value’s name and press Enter, running Windows 7 perhaps you the Windows Registry. It’s quite simple then follow the steps above to set its installed a replacement for but it’s always sensible to back up before value to ‘2147483650’. Close the Registry Microsoft’s Start menu. Many people delving into the Registry, so do that fi rst. Editor, then restart your PC. have done this in Windows 8/8.1 because it lacks a traditional Start menu, but tools like Classic Shell (www.classicshell.net) also work in Windows 7, letting you make all sorts of customisations. Classic Shell (and other tools like it) will continue to work in Windows 10 – so maybe that’s your culprit. If you want the full Windows 10 Carry out this Start menu experience, tiles and all, Registry tweak to ensure your PC’s then go to your Control Panel to Number Lock is on uninstall any such tools (press by default Windows key+X, then click Control Panel followed by ‘Uninstall a program’ under Programs). How do I type a tick mark? Alternatively, it could be that some upgrade quirk led to Windows 10 I’ve been Computeractive typing a numbered code on your wiping all tiles from your menu. To Q subscriber since the beginning keyboard’s numeric pad. Yo u’ll also need add some, click Start followed by ‘A ll and this is the fi rst time I’ve had to use an appropriate font (that is, one apps’, then right-click an app and to cry for help.I have to fi ll in some that includes a tick mark). choose ‘Pin to Start’. When you’ve hospital questionnaires, which come as So, for instance, in the popular font added a few, you can resize the Start PDF fi les, but I can’t fi nd how to type a Wingdings, typing Alt+0252 will ‘type’ a menu just by dragging and dropping tick mark.I have no problem with typing tick. In MS Gothic, Alt+10003 or the top or right-hand border. in all the text fi elds, but the tick is Alt+10004 will do the job. eluding me. I’m reluctant to download software without recommendation because I could get more than I bargained for. Can you help? M Macleod

Yo u insert tick marks in A a variety of ways but the method that works Click ‘Pin to Start’ to add tiles to your across Windows programs is Alt Start menu codes. Th is means holding down Press the Alt key plus the relevant code for your font to the left-hand Alt key while type a tick mark in questionnaires

66 6 – 19 January 2016 Why won’t McAfee protect Microsoft Edge?

Having updated to Windows Q 10, when I launch Microsoft Edge, my McAfee security software displays the message: “Edge does not yet allow browser extensions, which enable McAfee to protect your personal information and identity. We recommend using Internet Explorer so McAfee can continue protecting you. To help you we’ll unpin Edge from your taskbar and pin Internet Explorer”. Th e buttons are ‘Fix now’ and ‘Accept the risk’. Can you explain what is going on? Arthur A Dixon

Th is is McAfee warning you A that it can’t see everything Edge is up to, because Edge does not yet support extensions – and Use Edge with SmartScreen to remain protected from malicious websites and phishing attacks McAfee uses these to connect with the browser. Without this protection, you remain installed on your PC. If you SmartScreen does much the same as might in theory be more exposed to click ‘Accept the risk’, Edge will remain what McAfee would do, so if you want malicious websites and phishing on the Taskbar. Either way, you’ll still to continue using Edge, just check that attempts. be able to use Edge, but without it’s enabled. Click the menu icon (three If you click ‘Fix now’, McAfee McAfee’s protections. dots, top right), then click Settings will delete the Edge icon from your Microsoft has said it’ll add support for followed by ‘View advanced settings’, Windows 10 Taskbar to dissuade you extensions to Edge at some point in 2016. scroll to the bottom, then fl ip the from using it, but Edge itself will However, a built-in feature called SmartScreen Filter switch to On.

What’s the line in the second tip (in Issue 454, page 59). symbols, which sits just to the left of What is this symbol and how do I type it the ‘1’ key. If your pipe symbol is here, your Command into a Command Prompt window? My PC type it by holding down the Alt Gr key runs Windows 8.1. (to the right of the spacebar), then Prompt tips? John Bealey tapping this key. If your keyboard doesn’t have either I’ve been following your series Th is is commonly known as the of these keys, then a third way to type a Q of tips on using the Command A pipe symbol and, on many pipe is to execute what’s known as an Alt Prompt to make use of hidden keyboards, you’ll fi nd it above code: that basically means holding down features. Some of the tips include a the backslash key. Th at’s the key with the the left Alt key, while typing a number on symbol for which I don’t know the name ‘\’ symbol, which is usually just to the left your keyboard’s numeric pad. Th e Alt – it’s a kind of vertical line. I have no idea of Z. To type the pipe, just hold down code for pipe is 124. So, make sure the how to type this. I’d give an example Shift, then tap the backslash key. numeric pad is enabled (by pressing Num command, but obviously I can’t type the Alternatively, some keyboards have Lock or NmLck), then hold down the left symbol. Yo u used it for the fi rst time in another key with a few weird-looking Alt key and type 124.

ON SALE NEXT ISSUE 20 Jan • How do I get Windows Mail to request my password? • What is this mystery drive? • How do I delete videos from my YouTube history? ...And many more Subscribe to Computeractive The pipe symbol can be typed in various ways, including by pressing the left Alt key and typing 124 at getcomputeractive.co.uk

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Marshmallow upgrade button. From here you down-volume buttons for about 10 unavailable can reboot your device, seconds. Finally, if this doesn’t work, Have you forced a manual or wipe it to restore it launch Settings, tap ‘Backup & reset’, check for updates? Launch to factory conditions – followed by ‘Network settings reset’, Settings, tap ‘About phone’ (or but the precise method then ‘Reset settings’. ‘About’), followed by ‘System depends on your device. updates’, then ‘CHECK FOR For Nexus devices, see USB connection doesn’t work UPDATE’ (or similar). If an Google’s instructions at With earlier Android versions you update to Android 6.0 isn’t www.snipca.com/18729. could connect your device to your offered, then in most cases PC via USB and – so long as you’d you’ll just have to wait – and Notifi cations work entered the device’s passcode – use possibly for a long time. intermittently Windows Explorer to navigate the Unfortunately, some Android Feel that notifications folders. In Marshmallow, you have to manufacturers take weeks If an app’s notifications are less reliable in do a bit more work. From the home or other functions aren’t or months to issue the latest working as expected, Android 6.0? Yo u’re screen, swipe down from the top updates, if at all. If you’re stop Doze optimisation not imagining it: a left, tap ‘USB for charging’ and then tired of waiting it may be new battery-saving choose either the ‘Transfer fi les (MTP)’ possible to download the Marshmallow feature called Doze has the side-eff ect or ‘Transfer photos (PTP)’ button – system image and manually upgrade. of stopping some apps from behaving depending on what you want to do. It’s quite complicated and the method how you want them to. From your can vary a lot between devices, so you’ll home screen, tap Settings, then need to search on Google for the latest Battery, followed by the menu button instructions for your device. (three dots, top right). Choose ‘Battery optimization’, tap ‘Not optimized’, then Upgrade failed or choose ‘A ll apps’. Tap the app whose phone unusable notifications are affected, choose the How you recover from a failed upgrade ‘Don’t optimise’ button, then tap ‘Done’. depends on what went wrong. If your device is working normally, then just Can’t connect to 3G, 4G or Wi-Fi try again, but make sure your device is Wireless-connectivity problems aren’t plugged into the mains and has a reliable new for Android, but Marshmallow USB connection not working in Marshmallow? internet connection – Wi-Fi is generally hasn’t done much to fi x them. If you Choose one of the Transfer options better than 3G/4G, and usually can’t get a signal, then cheaper. If your device crashed try turning the relevant Camera app won’t launch and is either frozen on one connection on and off. Th ere’s no single fi x for the ‘Can’t connect screen or won’t turn on, reset Swipe down with two to the camera’ error message in Android it by holding down the power fi ngers from the top 6.0 – it’s simply a bug that Google needs key and volume-down rocker of the screen to open to squash. While we’re waiting, the for around 10 seconds. If this Android’s Quick Settings one sure-fire way to clear it (until the doesn’t work and you think pane, then tap the Wi-Fi next time) is to restart your device: just your device is ‘bricked’, try or mobile-connection hold down the power button, tap Power booting into Recovery mode: icon as appropriate. off, then switch back on. Yo u can also hold down both the volume Wait for a few seconds, take some preventative steps to stop it controls (up and down), then tap the icon again occurring. If you’re using apps other than then hold the power button to switch the antenna Camera that make use of your device’s for about fi ve seconds. Yo u’ll back on. If you still can’t lens, then close them before launching enter a text-based interface Fix troublesome connect, try resetting Camera: just tap the Recents button (the wireless connections in that you navigate using the Marshmallow’s Quick your device by holding square, bottom right), then swipe left or volume rocker and power Settings pane down the power and right across the app’s thumbnail.

For more Android fi xes buy our new book The Definitive Guide to Android www.snipca.com/18829 6 – 19 January 2016 69 OVER 40,000 COMPUTER & STATIONERY PRODUCTS WITH FREE DELIVERY

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Ink Cartridges Photo Papers Albums & Frames We carry one of the largest ranges of printer ink cartridges We carry a massive range of papers (sheets & rolls) at competitive We now stock a comprehensive range of frames, mounts, albums in the UK, with cartridges in stock for practically every inkjet prices. Below are some examples of the selection we stock. and accessories. The full range can be viewed on our website, printer. We always stock Original cartridges, which are made with detailed close-up images of each product to help you by your printer manufacturer, and in many cases we also choose the perfect way to display your printed photographs. offer Compatible cartridges, which are usually made by a UK Below is just a tiny sample of what we offer: company called Jet Tec. Using Jet Tec Compatibles is a way Photo Satin 200gsm: Smooth Pearl 280gsm: Emilia Frames of saving money, without compromising on the quality of 6x4 100 sheets +100 FREE £9.99 6x4 100 sheets £12.99 Grace Albums your prints. Available in Distressed wood A4 100 sheets +100 FREE £19.99 7x5 100 sheets £18.99 Burgundy shabby chic Photo Glossy 200gsm: A4 50 sheets £18.99 or Blue. effect. Here are the results “Jet Tec’s colours were superb, with Blue or White. from two independent 6x4 100 sheets +100 FREE £9.99 A4 50 sheets £18.99 single greys and blacks very close to A3 £35.99 ink tests that agree... Epson... so Jet Tec wins!” A4 20 sheets £6.99 50 sheets A3+ 25 sheets £28.99 Travel - Total Digital Photography Magazine Premium Pearl 270gsm: 6x4 50 sheets +50 FREE £6.99 Oyster 271gsm: Albums Rio Frames 6x4 100 sheets £12.99 Over a dozen Handcrafted solid wood with “What we’re looking at here is not A4 20 sheets +20 FREE £8.99 7x5 100 sheets £18.99 designs in stock. 30mm wide profile, in four colours. only the best choice of ink for the Premium Gloss 270gsm: A4 25 sheets OFFER £8.99 A4 50 sheets £18.99 R300 printer, but also the best choice A3 25 sheets £22.99 of ink in this group test, period. A3 25 sheets OFFER £15.99 Ink Test A3+ 25 sheets OFFER £19.99 A3+ 25 sheets £28.99 Grafton There’s just no getting away from the Gloss 271gsm: Albums Winner superb combination of performance Smooth Pearl 310gsm: 6x4 100 sheets £14.99 6x4 100 sheets £12.99 Available in and pricing.” Burgundy 7x5 100 sheets £17.99 7x5 100 sheets £18.99 - Computer Upgrade Magazine A4 50 sheets £18.99 or Blue. Frisco Frames A4 25 sheets £12.99 Simple, basic design A4 100 sheets £39.99 A3 25 sheets £22.99 available A4 250 sheets £84.99 A3+ 25 sheets £28.99 in a huge A3 25 sheets £25.99 Double Sided Matt 250gsm: Baby range of A3+ 25 sheets £35.99 A4 100 sheets £24.99 Albums sizes & Smooth Gloss 310gsm: A3 50 sheets £27.99 Multiple colours. PGi29 No.16 different 6x4 100 sheets £14.99 Pixma Pro 1 Fountain Pen Inks designs 7x5 100 sheets £17.99 available. Originals: Originals: A4 25 sheets £12.99 Plastic Bevel, Glass Front: Set of 12 £229.99 No.16 Set of 4 £22.99 A4 100 sheets £39.99 Premium Gloss 255gsm: Frisco 6x4 seven colours £1.99 Colours 36ml each £19.99 No.16 Black 5.4ml £7.99 Memo Style Albums: A3 25 sheets £25.99 6x4 40 sheets +40 FREE £9.99 Frisco 7x5 seven colours £2.29 No.16 Colours 3.1ml each £5.99 Grace 6x4 100 photos £5.99 A3+ 25 sheets £35.99 7x5 30 sheets £9.99 Frisco 8x6 seven colours £2.79 PGi72 Grace 6x4 200 photos £9.99 No.16XL Set of 4 £42.99 Premium Matt Duo 200 gsm: A4 15 sheets +15 FREE £9.99 Frisco 9x6 seven colours £3.49 Grace 6x4 300 photos £14.99 Pixma Pro 10 No.16XL Black 12.9ml £14.99 A4 50 sheets £12.99 A3 20 sheets £29.99 Frisco 10x8 seven colours £3.79 No.16XL Colours 6.5ml each £11.99 A3+ 50 sheets £34.99 Grace 7x5 100 photos £7.99 Frisco 12x8 seven colours £4.59 Originals: A3+ 20 sheets OFFER £24.99 Grace 7x5 £13.99 Set of 10 £94.99 Compatibles: Heavy Duo Matt 310gsm: 200 photos Frisco A4 seven colours £3.99 Ultra Gloss 300gsm: Grace A4 100 photos £15.99 Colours 14ml each £9.99 No.16 Set of 4 £14.99 A4 50 sheets £17.99 Frisco A3 seven colours £8.99 6x4 50 sheets £9.99 Grafton 6x4 200 photos £9.99 No.16 Black 12ml £4.99 A3+ 50 sheets £44.99 Wood Bevel, Glass Front: 7x5 50 sheets £12.99 Grafton 7x5 200 photos £13.99 CLi42 No.16 Colours 12ml each £3.99 Emilia 6x4 two colours £4.99 A4 15 sheets £11.99 Baby 6x4 200 photos £9.99 Pixma Pro 100 Premium Semi-Gloss 251gsm: Emilia 7x5 two colours £5.99 Travel 6x4 200 photos £8.99 Emilia 8x6 two colours £6.99 No.18 6x4 50 sheets £8.99 Originals: Traditional Style Albums: Emilia 10x8 two colours £7.99 Daisy Inks A4 20 sheets £14.99 Set of 8 £74.99 PP-201 Plus Glossy II 275gsm: Grace 29x32cm 100 pages £14.99 Emilia 12x8 two colours £8.99 A3 20 sheets £29.99 Colours 13ml each £9.99 Originals: 6x4 50 sheets £9.99 Grafton 29x32cm 100 pgs £14.99 Rio 6x4 four colours £5.99 A3+ 20 sheets OFFER £24.99 No.18 Set of 4 £22.99 7x5 20 sheets £11.99 Baby 29x32cm 100 pages £12.99 Rio 7x5 four colours £6.99 CLi8 No.18 Black 5.2ml £7.99 A4 20 sheets £11.99 Archival Matte 192gsm: Accessories: Rio 8x6 four colours £7.99 A4 50 sheets £14.99 Pixma Pro 9000 No.18 Colours 3.3ml each £5.99 A3 20 sheets £27.99 Photo Corners Pack of 250 £2.99 Rio 10x8 four colours £8.99 A3 50 sheets £33.99 No.18XL Set of 4 £42.99 A3+ 20 sheets £36.99 Photo Stickers Pack of 500 £1.99 Rio 12x8 four colours £9.99 Originals: No.18XL Black 11.5ml £14.99 A3+ 50 sheets £44.99 Set of 8 £74.99 SG-201 Semi-Gloss 260gsm: No.18XL Colours 6.6ml each £11.99 Heavyweight Matte 167gsm: Colours 14ml each £9.99 6x4 50 sheets £9.99 Compatibles: A4 20 sheets £11.99 A4 50 sheets £11.99 Compatibles: No.18 Set of 4 £14.99 A3 £27.99 A3 50 sheets £34.99 Set of 8 £27.99 20 sheets No.18 Black 12ml £4.99 A3+ 20 sheets £42.99 A3+ 50 sheets £44.99 Colours 14ml each £3.99 No.18 Colours 6.5ml each £3.99 PGi9 No.24 USB Pen Drives Pixma Pro 9500 Elephant Inks More Ink Cartridges... 8GB: £3.59 16GB: £5.49 Originals: Originals: 32GB: £9.99 Set of 10 £84.99 No.24 Set of 6 £41.99 Colours 14ml each £8.99 No.24 Colours 4.6ml each £7.99 Compatibles: No.24XL Set of 6 £64.99 Originals: Set of 10 £44.99 No.24XL Colours 8.7ml each £11.99 T0711-T0714 No.38 Colours 27ml each £26.99 Colours 14ml each £4.99 Compatibles: Cheetah Inks No.300 Black 4ml £10.99 Memory Batteries No.24 Set of 6 £22.99 Originals: No.300 Colour 4ml £12.99 More Canon Inks... BP-511 for Canon £12.99 No.24 Black 7ml £3.99 Set of 4 £32.99 No.301 Black 3ml £9.99 SDHC & SDXC Originals: No.24 Colours 7ml each £3.99 Black 7.4ml £8.99 No.301 Colour 3ml £11.99 Sandisk Blue LP-E6 for Canon £16.99 PGi520/CLi521 Set of 5 £42.99 Colours 5.5ml each £8.99 No.350 Black 4.5ml £11.99 33X (5MB/s) LP-E8 for Canon £12.99 PGi520 Black 19ml £9.99 No.26 Compatibles: No.351 Colour 3.5ml £14.99 4GB £3.49 LP-E12 for Canon £12.99 CLi521 Colours 9ml £8.99 Polar Bear Inks Set of 4 £14.99 No.363 Black 6ml £13.99 8GB £3.99 EN-EL3E for Nikon £14.99 PGi525/CLi526 Set of 5 £42.99 Black 7.4ml £4.99 No.363 C/M/Y/PC/PM each £9.99 16GB £5.99 NB-2L/LH for Canon £9.99 PGi525 Black 19ml £9.99 Originals: No.26 Set of 4 £29.99 Colours 5.5ml each £3.99 No.363 SET OF 6 £39.99 Sandisk Ultra NB-6L for Canon £9.99 CLi526 Colours 9ml £8.99 No.364 Black 6ml £7.99 PGi550/CLi551 Set of 5 £37.99 No.26 Black 6.2ml £8.99 266X (40MB/s) NB-10L for Canon £12.99 No.26 Colours 4.5ml each £7.99 T0791-T0796 No.364 PB/C/M/Y 3ml each £6.99 PGi550 Black 15ml £9.99 8GB £4.99 NP95 for Fuji £9.99 No.26XL Set of 4 £49.99 No.364 SET OF 4 £21.99 CLi551 Colours 7ml £7.99 Owl Inks 16GB £6.99 NPW126 for Fuji £12.99 No.26XL Black 12.1ml £14.99 No.364XL Black 14ml £13.99 32GB £12.99 PGi550/CLi551XL Set of 5 £54.99 Originals: No.364XL £12.99 EN-EL3e for Nikon £14.99 No.26XL Colours 9.7ml each £13.99 Set of 6 £72.99 PB/C/M/Y 6ml each 64GB £24.99 PGi550XL Black 22ml £11.99 No.364XL SET OF 4 £49.99 EN-EL14 for Nikon £19.99 CLi551XL £10.99 Compatibles: Colours 11.1ml each £12.99 Colours 11ml No.920XL SET OF 4 £46.99 Sandisk Extreme EN-EL15 for Nikon £24.99 PG540 Black 8ml £10.99 No.26 Set of 4 £14.99 Compatibles: No.26 Black 10ml £3.99 No.932XL SET OF 4 £43.99 400X (60MB/s) BLN-1 £24.99 PG540XL Black 21ml £15.99 Set of 6 £19.99 for Olympus No.26 Colours 7ml each £3.99 No.950XL SET OF 4 £69.99 16GB £10.99 CL541 Colour 8ml £13.99 Colours £3.99 BLC12 for Panasonic £23.99 11.1ml each Compatibles: 32GB £17.99 CL541XL Colour 15ml £15.99 64GB £34.99 FW50 for Sony £24.99 PG545XL Black 15ml £13.99 T0481-T0486 T0801-T0806 No.15 Black 46ml £4.99 BX-1 for Sony £14.99 No.21 £7.99 CL546XL Colour 13ml £15.99 Seahorse Inks Black 10ml AA 1300mAh (4) £3.99 Hummingbird Inks No.22 Colour 21ml £11.99 Compact Flash Compatibles: AAA 1100mAh (4) £3.99 Originals: Originals: No.45 Black 45ml £4.99 Sandisk Ultra PGi5 Black 27ml £4.99 Set of 6 £69.99 Set of 6 £49.99 No.56 Black 24ml £9.99 333X (50MB/s) CLi8 Colours 13ml £3.99 Colours 13ml each £16.99 Colours 7.4ml each £8.99 No.57 Colour 24ml £12.99 8GB £11.99 PGi5/CLi8 Set of 5 £19.99 Compatibles: No.78 Colour 36ml £9.99 16GB £15.99 PGi520 Black 19ml £4.99 Compatibles: Filters Set of 6 £19.99 No.110 Colour 12ml £10.99 32GB £24.99 CLi521 Colours 9ml £3.99 Set of 6 £19.99 Colours 13ml each £3.99 No.300XL Black 18ml £14.99 PGi520/CLi521 Set of 5 £19.99 Colours 7.4ml each £3.99 Sandisk Extreme Screw-type Filters No.300XL Colour 18ml £16.99 PGi525 Black 19ml £4.99 800X (120MB/s) 46mm UV / Haze £4.99 T0541-T0549 No.301XL Black 15ml £14.99 CLi526 Colours 9ml £3.99 T0871-T0879 16GB £26.99 49mm UV / Haze £4.99 No.301XL Colour 18ml £16.99 PGi525/CLi526 Set of 5 £19.99 Frog Inks Flamingo Inks 32GB £32.99 52mm UV / Haze £4.99 No.337 Black 21ml £10.99 PGi550XL Black 25ml £4.99 Originals: 64GB £47.99 55mm UV / Haze £5.99 Originals: No.338 Black 21ml £10.99 CLi551XL Colours 12ml £3.99 Set of 8 £105.99 128GB £94.99 58mm UV / Haze £6.99 Set of 8 £66.99 No.339 Black 34ml £12.99 PGi550/CLi551XL Set of 5 £19.99 Colours 13ml each £14.99 62mm UV / Haze £7.99 Colours 11.4ml each £9.99 No.343 Colour 21ml £12.99 BCi6 Colours 15ml £2.99 MicroSDHC & SDXC 67mm UV / Haze £8.99 Compatibles: Compatibles: No.344 Colour 21ml £14.99 PG40 Black 28ml £12.99 Set of 8 £27.99 72mm UV / Haze £8.99 Set of 8 £27.99 No.348 Photo 21ml £12.99 Sandisk Ultra CL41 Colour 24ml £16.99 Colours 13ml each £3.99 77mm UV / Haze £11.99 Colours 11.4ml each £3.99 No.350XL Black 30ml £14.99 320X (48MB/s) PG50 Black 28ml £12.99 Skylight Filters from: £6.99 No.351XL Colour 20ml £16.99 16GB £6.99 CL51 Colour 24ml £14.99 Circular Polarising Filters from: £14.99 T0591-T0599 T0961-T0969 No.363 Black 20ml £6.99 32GB £12.99 PG510 Black 11ml £13.99 ND4 and ND8 Filters from: £11.99 Lily Inks No.363 Colours 6ml each £4.99 64GB £24.99 CL511 Colour 11ml £15.99 Husky Inks No.363 SET OF 6 £24.99 P-Type Square Filters PG512 Black 18ml £13.99 Originals: Originals: No.364 Black 10ml £4.99 Readers & Cases CL513 Colour 15ml £15.99 Set of 8 £89.99 Set of 8 £69.99 49-82mm Adapter Rings £4.99 No.364 Colours 5ml each £3.99 PG540XL Black 21ml £13.99 Colours 13ml each £11.99 Colours 11.4ml each £8.99 Delkin USB2 Card Reader £9.99 Filter Holder £5.99 No.364 SET OF 4 £15.99 CL541XL Colour 15ml £14.99 Compatibles: Delkin USB3 Card Reader £19.99 ND2 Filter £12.99 Compatibles: No.364XL Black 18ml £8.99 PG545XL Black 15ml £11.99 Set of 8 £27.99 Delkin SD Card (x8) Case £6.99 ND2 Grad Filter £13.99 Set of 8 £27.99 No.364XL Colours 11ml each £7.99 PG546XL Black 21ml £12.99 Colours 13ml each £3.99 Delkin CF Card (x4) Case £6.99 ND4 Filter £12.99 Colours 11.4ml each £3.99 No.364XL SET OF 4 £31.99 Many more in stock! More Epson inks >>> Many more in stock! Many more in stock! ND4 Grad Filter £13.99

E&EO. Prices may be subject to change, but hopefully not! www.premier-ink.co.uk Telephone:Telephone: 01926 339977 or 0800 1077 211 Premier Ink & Photographic 12 LongfieldLongfield Road,Road, Le Leamingtonamington Spa,Spa,Wa Warwickshirerwickshire CV CV3131 1XB1XB Broadband Deals

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1080p Of the common types of Eight-core A standard processor Megapixel A measure of the Resolution Th e amount of detail high-definition video, this is the has one core, but most modern amount of detail that can be shown in an image, whether on best quality: 1920x1080 pixels. processors are dual-, quad- or recorded by a digital image. A one- screen or printed. even eight-core, making them megapixel image is made up of a 4K Video with a resolution of at faster. million dots (pixels). Retina Apple’s marketing term least 3840x2160 pixels. for extremely high-resolution Extension A program that adds MicroSD A small type of memory displays. 802.11ac A standard for wireless extra features to your browser. card. Can be converted to SD size networks that allows for much using an adapter. Rootkit Software that gives a higher transfer speeds than 802.11n. Factory reset To restore a device’s malicious user administration settings to those set up by the Micro USB A miniature version of rights and access to a computer. Add-in Microsoft’s name for manufacturer when brand new. USB, often found on smartphones, tools that can be added to Office tablets and portable hard drives. SD card Secure Digital card. A software. Firewall A piece of software popular type of memory card. or hardware that prevents NAS Network-attached storage. A AMOLED Active-Matrix Organic unauthorised access to a PC over a hard drive attached to a network Server A computer on a network, Light-Emitting Diode. An network, such as the internet. that can be shared by other PCs. that distributes info to other PCs. alternative technology to LCD for creating fl at-panel displays. Most Flash storage A data-storage Noise Visible dust-like speckles sRGB A standard RGB colour commonly used in smartphones, device that includes fl ash memory that appear in some camera and space for use on monitors, printers tablets and smartwatches. with an integrated USB interface. TV images. In photos, they are and the internet. caused by the camera’s own Android Wear A version of Graphics card A component in a sensor. In TV images, they can be SSD Solid-state drive. Storage Google’s Android operating system computer that produces the image caused by the TV’s processor or by that, unlike a hard drive, uses no designed for smartwatches and shown on the monitor. a fl aw in the broadcast signal itself. moving parts. other wearables HDMI High-definition media Optical image stabilisation Trojan A malicious computer Bandwidth A measure of interface. A type of connection that A mechanism built into digital program that’s disguised as a how much information can be transmits high-definition video and cameras that compensates for any diff erent, harmless program. transferred through a connection audio signals. It is found on many shaking or vibrations that occur For example, a Trojan may be at one time. new TVs, media PCs and high- during shooting. disguised as a game but it’s definition products such as Blu-ray actually a program that steals Beta A version of software that’s disc players and the PlayStation 3 Overclocking Making a your internet username and being tested. Beta versions are and Xbox 360 games consoles. processor work faster to improve password. often released so problems can be performance at the cost of it ironed out. HTML Hypertext Markup getting hotter and requiring more USB 2.0 Faster successor to USB Language. Th e language used to power. that’s used by devices such as Browser hijackers Programs that write most web pages. external hard drives. change your default browser, its Peer-to-peer A way to connect homepage and search engine, JPEG Joint Photograph Experts two or more computers without USB 3.0 An even faster version of without prior warning, when you Group. A common type of image a central fi le server so they can the USB standard used to connect install them. fi le created by most digital share and swap fi les. devices to a computer. cameras. Some image quality is Cache A temporary space for lost with each save. Phishing A form of internet fraud USB Type-C A tiny physical storing information. Can be that tries to trick you into revealing connector that can support various memory used on a computer Keylogger A piece of malicious personal details. USB standards, such as USB 3.1 processor, or space on a hard drive software that records all the letters and USB power delivery (USB PD). used by a web browser. and numbers typed on a PC in an Plug-in A small program that effort to fi nd passwords or other adds extra features to your web Videographers A person who Cookie A small text fi le stored on valuable information. browser or to other applications, works in the fi eld of video your computer by a website. Used and is loaded only when it’s production — recording moving to store browsing preferences, Laser autofocus A way of needed. images and sound on video tape, website log-in details and so on. focusing when taking a shot disk, and other electro-mechanical that sends a laser beam to the Processor Th e processor – or device. Crowdfunding A process where photo’s subject. central processing unit – is the a company gets the fi nancing brain of a computer. Web apps Programs that aren’t to launch a new product from LCD Liquid-Crystal Display. stored on your computer, but on prospective customers online. Th e technology used to create RAM Random-access memory. a web server instead and run almost all fl at displays from digital Th e computer’s working area, through your web browser. Driver A fi le that tells Windows watches to televisions. used for data storage while the PC how to work with a peripheral is switched on. Web tracker Tools websites use device. LED Light-Emitting Diode. An to track what you’re doing online. electronic device that emits light. Raw A format for digital photos Dpi Dots per inch. A measure of Used on almost all electronic that stores the image exactly as White balance Adjusts the printed image quality, or the size devices, and to provide the the camera captured it, without balance of colours in the image to an object will be shown on screen. backlight for some LCDs. compression or optimisation. produce natural-looking images.

Bust more jargon on our 2014 Back Issue CD: www.snipca.com/14981 6 – 19 January 2016 73 The Final Straw

STUART ANDREWS is Computeractive’s Mr Angry Th is issue Stuart Andrews wants to stop tapping… Po.. intless apps

once thought that phone and tablet Android phone and apps were just amazing. Th ere we were 33 weighing my iPadd Iin a new era of lightweight, mobile down, but how many computing, throwing off the shackles of do I actually use? Onn those big, bloated computers with their my phone, Google’s complex features that nobody used. Apps Inbox, Twitter, Maps, were compact, streamlined, smart and Facebook Messengeerr – best of all – cheap. Th ey did the jobs you and the National Raaiill wanted doing faster, and handled tasks app see regular actionon – you never thought a computer could. maybe WotWine if I’m at the supermarrkkeett buying plonk. On my iPad? Onllyy thethe browser, the Kindlean d Kobo ebook readers,, Too many apps simply Skype, BBC iPlayer, Channel 4’s equivalent run down your battery and Netflix ever see the light of day. I quite like these apps, but and throw up pointless have they changed my life? Nah, not ways to get us all coughing up cash for notifi cations on an really. And I can barely remember the pointless extras. last time I installed a new app. Most apps are way more hassle than hourly basis So what happened to this brave new they’re worth, while still radiating a world of mobile apps? Perhaps it lacks misplaced sense of self-importance. Th ey the ambition of old. I started to realise the demand access to your location, your apps I was downloading didn’t really do contacts and your camera like they’re the anything different from what I already only app that matters. Too many simply had. Th en there are the apps that claim run down your battery and throw up I remember it well: the giddy rush of they’ll help me work and live better, but pointless notifications on an hourly basis. getting my fi rst proper smartphone or which lack the capabilities I’m looking Many involve signing up to some tablet, then installing a fl urry of apps that for. Word-processing apps look lovely, but account or other, ensuring that long after would make my device worthwhile. I where’s the word-count tool? To-do list you’ve ditched the app, you’ll still be read the hyperbole in app reviews that apps have dozens of features, but are so plagued by emails about new features everyone devoured at the time, then laborious to use they become just and enhancements. In a way, apps have installed the apps which – the reviews another tedious thing ‘to do’. become like the worst kind of girlfriend assured me – would revolutionise my life. Sure,I can use Snapseed or Luminance or boyfriend; the one who drives you Th ere used to be a sort of aura to adjust photos on my iPad, but it’s a crazy while you’re with them, but after surrounding the latest apps, as if being full-time job getting photos on there in you’ve dumped them keeps telling you unaware of Instagram, Evernote or the fi rst place. And when I’ve fi nished it’ll all be diff erent if you’d just give Flipboard marked you out as backward polishing them up, most of my photos them one more chance. – nay, Neanderthal – in terms of digital have that kind of generic, Photoshopped- Maybe this explains my reluctance to competence. And then there were the to-hell-and-back look about them. install new apps.I don’t want the games: Angry Birds, Cut the Rope, Plants Basically, they look like the photos disappointment now or the annoyance vs. Zombies, Peggle, Flight Control. everybody else has polished up using the later. Maybe a revolutionary app is just Even David Cameron was playing them. same apps. And while games like Angry around the corner, but until it arrives, Why weren’t you? Birds were brilliant for their time, their I’ll stick with what I know. Only six or seven years down the line, successors seem to have run out steam. apps have lost their charm.I still have 48 Any creativity is being diverted away Do you agree with Stuart? of the damn things clogging up my from interesting new game ideas toward Let us know at [email protected]

74 6 – 19 January 2016 Next issue Stuart fi nally cheers up and bids farewell to The Final Straw