MASTER BT

DIGITAL VOICE
DON’T USE THIS
‘MCAFEE APP’
It’s a clever scam — p11
GIVE UP
for
Prepare for the landline switch-off
p62
MAY 2024
ISSUE 682 ❘ 24 APR – 7

w
ChatGPT
Get better search
results — not
useless ads
every issue Page 60
Learn something new in
ge 26
Nothing to see here — pa

EVERY DEVICE
YOU MUST
STOP USING
Ditch slow and unsafe
PCs, laptops, phones,
tablets, routers & more
 Check if support has ended
 Update software to fix flaws
 Stop hackers attacking you p50

PLUS
USE OLD TABLETS AS SWITCH TO PASSKEYS NOW!
PC MONITORS p35 New method that’s safer, easier — and FREE p38
WELCOME
EDITORIAL
Group Editor in Chief Graham Barlow
Group Editor Daniel Booth
Deputy Editor Robert Irvine
From the Editor
Production Editor Graham Brown
Art Editor Katie Peat
I hate the idea of binning devices just I’ve learned that my Microsoft Surface
Contributors Keumars Afifi-Sabet, Judith Batchelor, Dinah because they’re past their prime, but laptop, HP Chromebook and Asus router
Greek, Jonathan Parkyn, Nik Rawlinson, Andy Shaw
sometimes there’s simply no choice. are no longer supported, while one of my
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Advertising Manager Alexandra Thomas
Recently the battery in my iPhone 7 had PCs has an Intel processor that’s soon
degraded so much that it would only stay to become obsolete. Please let me know
MARKETING AND CIRCULATION
Subscriptions Juber Ahmed charged for less than the time it takes which devices you’ve identified as out of
PRODUCTION Apple to earn £5m (ie, one hour). date, and what you plan to do with them.
Head of Production Stephen Catherall It’s now practically useless, though Daniel Booth
Senior Production Manager Lawrence Brookes
Apple hasn’t yet labelled the iPhone 7 as editor@[Link]
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Computeractive is available for licensing and syndication. ‘vintage’. Robert Irvine explains what this
To find out more contact us at licensing@[Link] or
view our available content at [Link].
means in his excellent Cover Feature, and PS We’ve just created our 50,000th Snipca:
Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw reveals how you can check whether other [Link]/50000. It’s good to
ONWARD RESALE devices – PCs, laptops, tablets, smart TVs know there’s a Wikipedia page for
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How many UK users who’ve ‘upvoted’ that are hard to type into ones that
over-65s never for a grid view in the are short and simple. They aren’t
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‘Recommended’ NucBox bar, then press Enter. Doing this will
G3 mini PC – p22 take you to the correct website.

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 3

 Contents
24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

6 News Microsoft lifts ‘block’ that stops PCs

upgrading to W11

10 Question of the Fortnight Will Google

start charging for search results?

11 Protect Your Tech

Malware impersonating McAfee security

12 Letters Shoppers to blame for Amazon

not stating country of origin

14 Consumeractive Where’s my
replacement drive as warranty promised?

16 Grow Your Family Tree p10

Find ancestors in Canada’s censuses Search fees
18 Best Free Software
Uninstalr 2.3 GMKtec NucBox G3
21 Named & Shamed Don’t Touch My p22
Phone’s useless anti-theft ‘protection’

Reviews
22 GMKtec NucBox G3
Budget mini PC is basically fine

23 Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Chromebook

Chrome-based laptop with dream screen

24 Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS

Gaming monitor goes to next level

25 Honor Pad 9
Android tablet takes bite out of Apple Asus ROG Strix
XG27ACS
26 Nothing Phone 2a pxx
Mid-range phone is transparently better p24

28 Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro

Video doorbell rings in the changes
Withings ScanWatch 2
Elegant smartwatch is a class act

29 Amazon Fire TV 32in 2-series HD

32in smart TV set warms to its task

30 Buy It/Competition
Win an AOC CQ27G2S/BK PC monitor

4 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 FREE!
TWO 64GB
Subscribe now! USB STICKS

See page 58 for our special subs offer

Workshops & Tips Take a tablet to

cure your screen
headaches
35 
How to… Use your tablet as a
second PC monitor p35

38 
Save passkeys using Proton Pass

40 R
 eaders’ Tips
Find out if items are made in China

42 Browser Tips Access AI features from

your right-click menu in Brave

44 Phone and Tablet Tips

Group similar pictures in Google Photos

46 Make Windows Better

Create keyboard shortcuts that can

EVERY DEVICE
open software

47 Make Office Better

Create collapsible headers in documents

YOU MUST
CO
48 In the Club
FEATVER
UR
Pin important notes in video meetings P50 E

49 What’s All the Fuss About?

Windows 11’s ‘All apps’ STOP USING
50 COVER FEATURE
Every device you must stop using
Ditch slow and unsafe
What you need to do when manufacturers
end support for your devices, leaving them
PCs, laptops, phones,
slow, unsafe and obsolete tablets, routers & more
60 Give up Google for ChatGPT
How the powerful AI tool can provide better
End of the line p62
answers to all your searching questions

62 Master your BT Digital Voice phone

We explain how to make a smooth
transition from your traditional landline to
Master Your
BT’s new digital service
BT DIGITAL
VOICE
64 Problems Solved
Why is my PC booting by itself?

71 Reader Support Why do right-click icons

sometimes not appear? PHONE
72 Jargon Buster

74 Easy When You Know How

Robert Irvine creates a custom email address

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 5

 News The top stories in the world of technology

Microsoft lifts ‘block’ that

stops PCs upgrading to W11
M
icrosoft has lifted a recognise your voice, and
“block” that was makes sure you can hear
preventing some sound clearly and that your
Windows 10 computers from microphone works well.
upgrading to Windows 11. This driver is built into
The problem stemmed some of Intel’s Rocket Lake
from Intel’s Smart Sound processors, which were
Technology (SST) driver, released in 2021. Versions
which helps your computer 10.29.0.5152 and 10.30.0.5152
of the driver were causing
WHAT WE THINK Blue Screen of Death crashes.
You can check whether you
Regardless of how many have SST by searching for after including Intel’s updates for updates’. If KB5036892
users were affected by this Device Manager in Windows, as part of its latest Patch appears, click to install it.
block, it’s taken far too long then clicking Open. Now Tuesday, released on 9 April. If it doesn’t appear, it’s
for Microsoft to lift it. Such click ‘Sound, video and game Microsoft has now changed probably already been
restrictions are keeping controllers’ and look for any the status of this problem installed. Check this by typing
Windows 11’s market share drivers called ‘Intel Smart from ‘Mitigated’ to ‘Resolved about into Windows search,
at pitifully low levels, and Sound Technology’. External’ on its support site clicking Open, then looking
it surely won’t overtake Intel released new versions ([Link]/50077). for the ‘OS build’ under
Windows 10 before support of the drivers within weeks This means the problem has ‘Windows specifications’.
ends for the latter in October of the bug being discovered been fixed by a third party – After installing KB5036892,
2025. At that point, we in 2021. These fixed the Intel in this case. Windows 10 21H2 will be
expect millions of people will problem, but you had to updated to build 19044.4291,
reluctantly decide to pay for download them manually Check for KB5036892 while Windows 10 22H2
extended support, if only for from Intel’s website (www. April’s Patch Tuesday fix, will be updated to build
one year while they consider [Link]/50076). called KB5036892, should have 19045.4291. If your build
their options. Many of them Since then Microsoft has been installed automatically number is lower than this,
will end up skipping Windows blocked any computers on your computer. To check, then KB5036892 hasn’t been
11 and buy a new PC running without the updated drivers open Settings (press Windows installed.
its successor. from upgrading to Windows key+I), then click ‘Update & If it is installed and you
11. It has now lifted this block Security’ followed by ‘Check want to upgrade to Windows
11, click ‘Check for updates’
and see if the upgrade option
PRICES DOUBLE EVERY YEAR FOR EXTENDED W10 SUPPORT
appears. If not, try again
Businesses will have to pay Microsoft’s Extended Security Windows 10 remains by every couple of days.
$61 (about £49) per device for Update scheme for Windows far the world’s most popular Should the option to
extended security updates for 10 will run for only three years operating system, despite upgrade to Windows 11 not
Windows 10 after Microsoft after 2025. For the first time support ending in 18 months’ appear, then your computer
ends standard support on 14 it’s offering the scheme to time. Its market share even probably fails to meet another
October 2025. But this price is individuals, but hasn’t confirmed jumped in March from 67.26 technical requirement, such
for the first year of support only. pricing – though it’s likely to be to 69.07 per cent, while as lacking TPM 2.0 or a
It will double for the second significantly cheaper than for Windows 11 fell from 28.16 minimum of 64GB storage.
year ($122), then double again businesses (see [Link]. to 26.68 per cent (see www. For Microsoft’s full
($244) for the third. com/50080). [Link]/50081). requirements for Windows 11
visit [Link]/50078.

You’ll like this… but not this…

Google to make paid-for photo-editing tools Over-55 are most likely to be targeted in
free ([Link]/50066) investment scams ([Link]/50067)

6 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 683

Google to wipe user data IN BRIEF

collected in Incognito mode KOBO BEATS AMAZON

TO COLOUR E-READER
Kobo has

G oogle will destroy the

data of millions of users it
collected while they were
released its
first colour
e-readers,
browsing the internet in beating
Chrome’s Incognito mode. Amazon
The move aims to resolve a which has
class-action lawsuit brought been working
in California, that accused on colour
the company of invading Kindles for some time. The
people’s privacy by gathering Libra Clara Colour (pictured)
their data when they thought has a 6in screen and costs
they were browsing privately. £139.99, while the Libra
The lawsuit sought $5bn collected by websites you technology companies”. Colour is 7in and costs
in damages, but Google has visit and the services that they Google spokesperson £219.99. Both devices go on
instead agreed to delete use, including Google” (see José Castañeda said that it’s sale on 30 April – read more
billions of data records it has screenshot). “pleased to settle this lawsuit, at [Link]/50044.
collected. It will wipe data Privacy campaigners have which we always believed We’ll review them soon.
from around the world, not long argued that while was meritless”.
just the US. Incognito mode stops browsing “We are happy to delete EBAY AXES FEES FOR
Any data it can’t delete must history being saved on the PC old technical data that was SECOND-HAND CLOTHES
be ‘de-identified’ so it can’t be being used, Google should be never associated with an EBay has removed fees
used to identify individuals. clearer that websites can still individual and was never for selling clothes that
Google will also continue to track your activity. used for any form of are second-hand, or
be more transparent about Lawyer David Boies of personalization,” he added. “pre-owned” to use the
how Incognito mode works. Boies Schiller Flexner LLP, Individuals can still file website’s term. It says
For example, it has changed which filed the lawsuit, said claims for damages in the encouraging more people to
the wording when you the deal is a “historic step California state court. The sell clothes they no longer
launch Incognito to say that it in requiring honesty and deal will now go to the court need will help to keep them
“won’t change how data is accountability from dominant for approval. out of landfill. However,
fees still apply for selling
trainers, watches, handbags
Amazon blocks use of Fire TV remote and jewellery. Read more at
[Link]/50043.
control over hacking claim
TOMORROW’S
A mazon has stopped
letting you use your
phone or tablet as a TV remote
WORLD

Tesla and X (formerly

or virtual keyboard to fix an Twitter) boss Elon Musk
alleged flaw that could allow (pictured)
hackers to infect your TV thinks AI is
with malware. progressing
The problem affects a new so quickly
feature in the Fire TV operating that it’ll be
system that lets you scan a QR “smarter
code to open a virtual remote “hijack the device by installing TV so they could scan it. than any
on your phone’s browser. unwanted apps”. Amazon said it one human
Amazon hoped this This is possible because to “immediately disabled” the probably
would make it easier to control a Fire TV device using feature while it investigates around the
type passwords and navigate the QR code you don’t need the issue, and hopes to bring end of next year”. He also
the Fire TV interface, but it to be connected to the same it back soon. predicted it will outsmart all
also appears to be vulnerable Wi-Fi network as the Fire TV. Until Amazon confirms humans within five years.
to attack. You also don’t need to log it’s safe, you should use your Listen to his interview with
Security researchers at US into an account. physical remote or the Fire Norwegian wealth fund CEO
firm Green Line Analytics said However, to launch an TV Remote app (www. Nicolai Tangen at www.
that by acquiring the QR code attack a hacker would still [Link]/50047), which [Link]/50042.
hackers would be able to need to see the code on your isn’t affected by the flaw.

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 7

 News
IN BRIEF Virgin resumes landline switching
SET SHORTCUTS ON
CHROMEBOOKS
but not to vulnerable customers
Google has updated
ChromeOS (version M123)
to let you create your own
V irgin has resumed
switching landline
customers to digital phones,
keyboard shortcuts on but is excluding vulnerable
Chromebooks. To do this, people and those using a
type chrome:flags into telecare device.
Chrome’s browser bar, then It paused the Digital
search for #enable-shortcut- Landline Switchover
customization. Now select programme in December
Enabled and restart your following numerous reports
Chromebook. The new of telecare systems not
version also lets you change working during power cuts. rollout has given it the time to customers about changes,
what your mouse buttons do. It led to the company to undertake “a detailed and engineers providing
For details visit [Link]. signing a Government charter end-to-end review of our “additional” support when
com/50026. ([Link]/48867) processes” and work to installing digital phones in
with five pledges to protect “further improve them” (see the home.
UK HAS 5TH CHEAPEST vulnerable customers as [Link]/50020). Virgin will only switch
MOBILE DATA copper-based landlines are It has introduced new people who volunteer for it. It
The UK has the fifth “most switched to digital. BT also measures which it claims will also check that customers
affordable” mobile data in the signed the charter, along with makes it “easier to identify are using their landlines “in a
world, according to a global KCOM, Shell Energy, Sky, and support those who need similar way to before”, and
study from comparison site TalkTalk and Vodafone. extra help”. These include “proactively contact anyone
Broadband Genie. It compared Virgin said that pausing the “improved” communications we suspect may be having
the average cost of a monthly issues”.
phone plan with 10GB+ of The company added that
VIRGIN LAUNCHES ‘SMART SUPPORT’
data against average salaries ultimately every customer will
from over 70,000 people in Virgin Media O2 has launched and internet connections need to switch to digital in
179 countries. Brits spend its ‘Smart Support’ service to identify problems and order “to receive a reliable
£12.14 on average a month – that it claims will fix problems “irregularities”, so they can landline service”. It will
0.52 per cent of their salary. remotely so customers “often be fixed “with minimal action release further details soon
Singapore has the world’s won’t need to call and report from customers”. Read more on how it will help vulnerable
most affordable data. Read faults”. It monitors routers at [Link]/50019. and telecare customers
the report at [Link]. switch successfully.
com/50022.

THE WORLD’S
GONE MAD!
Roku wants to show adverts on any
Teenagers
device connected to your TV
addicted to
social media
are more
R oku wants to show
adverts on any device
that you connect to your
HDMI will show their own
screensavers, allowing
the manufacturers
likely to be TV via HDMI, including to make money from any
smokers and TV boxes, game consoles, ads that appear on them.
vapers, according to a study DVD/Blu-ray players, PCs Roku’s patent, filed
from Glasgow University. and even other video- last August but not yet
Researchers found the more streaming devices. approved, would allow it
time children spent online The adverts would to override screensavers
aged 14, the higher the chance appear only on TVs made the pictured McDonald’s ad from other devices and show
they’d end up smoking or by Roku, such as the new – which appears when your their own ads.
vaping at 17. Yet another Logik range which start from TV is switched on, but a It also wants to identify
reason for kids to put down £130 at Currys ([Link]. programme or game is paused. what the user is watching or
their phones and do something com/50023). However, these appear only playing in order to show
more productive instead. Currently Roku shows ads within apps installed on Roku’s relevant ads – a system it calls
on its screensaver – such as TVs. Any devices connected by “customised ad insertion”.

8 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

One in six over-65s never IN BRIEF
use the internet BT CREATES 2,000
MORE STREET HUBS

M ore than one in six

people aged over 65 (2.3
million) never use the internet,
the NHS and
councils, offer easy
and affordable
BT is converting
another 2,000
unused phone
according to Age UK. Almost ways to access boxes into Street
half of these are over 75. them offline – Hubs (pictured)
It also said that more than such as by phone, providing public
1 in 3 over-65s (4.7 million) letter or face to Wi-Fi and USB
lack the basic skills to use face. It also wants charging – both
the internet successfully. private companies, free. The boxes
The figures come from the particularly banks, will offer speeds
charity’s new report ‘Offline to make it easy of 1Gbps within
and Overlooked’, which for customers to a 150-metre
highlights the UK’s ‘digital use their services radius, as well as local
excluded’. offline. services like GP appointments information on touchscreens.
It said that of those who Caroline Abrahams CBE, and Blue Badge applications The roll-out will happen
do use the internet, around Charity Director at Age UK are moved online. across 200 towns over 10
2.5 million lack “key skills” said: “The inconvenient truth “This often leaves them years from 2025, joining the
required to “thrive in a digital is that many millions of feeling disregarded and 959 boxes that have already
society in day-to-day life”. people of all ages, especially disempowered, and the been converted. Read more
These include “being able to older ones, are neither consequences can be serious, at [Link]/49950.
communicate, to store and confident nor adept at using severing them from the support
access information and content, the internet, and want and they need to stay fit, well and JOHN LEWIS BROADBAND
carry out transactions, search need to continue to be able to independent,” she said. TO CLOSE IN MAY
for information and be safe transact their business in Read more on Age UK’s site: Plusnet will close its John
online”. more traditional ways”. [Link]/50002. Lewis Broadband service
The charity is calling on all She added that older people Do you feel digitally excluded?
on 28 May, and will offer
political parties to ensure that often tell her how “cross and Let us know: letters@ customers the chance
all public services, including upset” they are when essential [Link] to switch to another of
its packages. However,
customers will lose email
Most people ‘in favour of telegraph poles’ addresses associated with
John Lewis Broadband,

M ost of the public are in

favour of telegraph poles
being used for broadband,
“frequently notice” poles
when they are out and about,
the results found, while only
including @[Link],
@[Link] and
@[Link]. It’s thought
according to the industry 30 per cent would be willing around 25,000 people are
body that represents internet to pay to lay broadband cables signed up to the service.
providers. underground in their street.
ISPA (Internet Service ISPA’s survey comes amid DISNEY+ TO AXE
Providers Association) said a growing scrutiny of internet PASSWORD SHARING
nationwide survey of 2,500 providers using telegraph Disney+ will soon start to
people found that 75 per cent poles rather than laying crack down on subscribers
“clearly recognise the benefits cables underground. sharing passwords. Walt
of having access to faster and In March, Digital Disney boss Bob Iger said
more reliable broadband even Infrastructure Minister from June it would start
if that is delivered via poles” Julia Lopez urged network charging for password
(see [Link]/50005). operators like Openreach erection of poles. Planning sharing across households
The survey showed that and Virgin Media O2 to do rules were relaxed in 2017 in “a few” countries, before
even in areas where poles are “everything possible” to to allow broadband firms to spreading this across the
not currently being used, share existing equipment or install poles without requiring world in September. Industry
69 per cent of people would use underground cables. planning permission from analysts expect it to be
accept new poles “to provide It followed widespread local councils. similar to Netflix’s password-
the community with better
access to broadband”.
protests from residents across
the UK angry that they
• “Poles being installed where
cables already exist” – Letters,
sharing options: [Link].
com/49998.
Less than 20 per cent weren’t consulted about the page 12

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 9

 Questionof
Question ofthe
theFortnight
Fortnight
Will Google start charging
for search results?
Reports say the company might make you pay for AI-powered search

G
oogle is worried about
AI, but not for the THE FACTS
reasons most people
are. Rather than fretting about • The FT says Google is
killer robots or whether any considering whether to
jobs will still exist in 10 years’ charge for “premium” search
time, it’s concerned that AI results that are powered by
will spark the end of its artificial intelligence
dominance as the world’s • It comes in response to the
most popular search engine. rise of AI tools like ChatGPT,
Its fear stems from the rise which often give accurate
of AI tools like ChatGPT results to questions
([Link] • There are an estimated
which some users say give 8.5 billion searches on
more useful answers to Google every day, and
questions than Google. We its market share is over
think that’s true in many 90 per cent
cases (see page 60), and
Google is right to be nervous.
Last year, it made $175bn available online and as an app from ads in this service providing detailed
(about £138bn) from adverts as part of the new Google One because the results will be information for those who can
in search results – more than AI Premium Plan, which for detailed enough to give the afford it, and inadequate
half its total revenue. That’s a £18.99 also gives you 2TB of user all the information they snippets for those who can’t.
lot of money to lose if people storage. need without having to click The difference may not be
a sponsored link. obvious at first, but if the
These costs are probably one paid-for service proves
It raises fears of two-tier search of the reasons why Google’s lucrative Google would be
bosses have yet to launch tempted to move more tools
results, with detailed information paid-for AI search. But whether behind the paywall.
only for those who can afford it or not it arrives, Google isn’t
going to ditch free results.
There’s also a chance Google
might scrap the idea entirely
That $175bn advertising cash and add all its AI tools to the
start switching to rival tools. That price gives away what cow depends on 8.5 billion free version of Search. This
Google’s response seems to Gemini is good at – writing searches a day and a 91-per- would undercut ChatGPT,
be that if you can’t beat them, code, creating complex cent market share (www. which has its own paid-for
join them. Sources at the instructions and summarising [Link]/50028). version, as does Microsoft
company told the Financial work documents. It’s aimed The FT’s story cited “three with its AI tool Copilot.
Times that it’s considering at businesses and the people with knowledge of But all the evidence so far
launching “premium” search self-employed, and can be Google’s plans”, but that was shows that people – and
features powered by AI that used easily in Gmail and never going to be enough to business executives especially
you’d have to pay for. Google Docs. force the company into – are prepared to pay for
This would be the biggest Google is currently testing revealing its intentions. It said AI tools. They might not
change ever to Google’s an experimental search it had nothing to announce, always understand what
business model, and it’s service that uses AI to give but added that “for years, they’re paying for, but they’re
already moving in that more comprehensive answers. we’ve been reinventing terrified of being seen as
direction. In February, it This costs Google more Search to help people access out of touch.
started charging for access to money than normal results information in the way that’s As the AI hype grows,
the most advanced version because they consume more most natural to them”. Google will surely seek every
of its AI chatbot Gemini computing resources. It’s also Yet paid-for results raise opportunity to make money
(previously called Bard). It’s likely to make less money fears of a two-tier Search, from it.

10 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

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

Malware impersonating McAfee app

What’s the threat? 2
Scammers are infecting Android devices
with malware hidden inside an app that
appears to be an official product from
McAfee. The scam begins when the
victim receives a text message claiming
there’s been an unauthorised transaction
in their bank account. 1
The message tells you to call a number
for advice. This is answered by a scammer,
who asks you to click a link in a text
message they’re about to send. Clicking
this link takes you to a site that offers the
fake McAfee app. Installing it infects your
device with a new, more powerful version links, and scrolling and swiping through alert ‘Temporarily Unavailable’, which
of the Vultur Trojan that criminals can screens. They can also record your screen is what Vultur shows when you try to
use to steal money from your bank. and track what you tap. launch an app it has blocked.
First spotted in 2021, Vultur is now one To download the real versions of
of the top 10 most common banking How can you stay safe? McAfee’s app, ignore any text messages
Trojans. The latest build has new features First, remember never to ring a number or emails and instead visit [Link].
that give scammers complete control over in a text message that you weren’t com/49972. You’ll find links to both
infected devices. They’re now able to expecting. If you’re worried about a the Android and iOS versions ( 1 in our
perform tasks such as downloading files, transaction, search for your bank’s phone screenshot). Look at the URL 2 to check
blocking apps from running, clicking number, then call it. Also look out for the you’re on the correct site.

New tools Use email aliases

in Proton Mail
ScamWatch
Readers warn readers

Rude scammer ‘from

Swiss-based security firm Proton keeps 2 So Energy’
adding features that are advanced yet
Three times in one day I received
easy to use. The latest example is the
‘hide-my-email’ tool in Proton Mail, 1 spam calls from the number 0330
124 5686. The caller claimed to be
which creates fake addresses – or
3 from So Energy, which I am a
aliases – you can use when signing
customer of. She also knew my
up to a service. Any newsletters or
surname and quoted the first two
marketing offers they send will go to
digits of my sort code. She tried to
this alias within your Proton Mail 4 get me to sign up to a new tariff and
account, without the service ever
also wanted me to install a smart
knowing your real email address.
meter. Her reason was that my meter
Create an account at [Link] into the site you’re registering with.
wasn’t reading properly. When I told
me/mail, then click the ‘Security To see and delete aliases, click the
her that I would check this by calling
center’ shield icon on the right, shield icon, then ‘All aliases’.
So Energy directly, she became rude
followed by ‘Create an alias’ ( 1 in our You get 10 aliases to use for free,
and abrupt, hanging up soon after.
screenshot). Now type a title for the or unlimited if you upgrade – read
She had obviously realised I wasn’t
alias 2 , such as the name of the service Proton’s blog for info: [Link].
going to fall for it.
you’re using it for (eg ‘Amazon’ or com/49971. Aliases were already
Derek Trent
‘Netflix’). You’ll see this title added to available in Proton’s password
an alias below 3 . Now click ‘Create and manager, called Pass. This recently Warn your fellow readers about scams
copy alias’ 4 , then paste this address added passkeys – see page 38. at letters@[Link]

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 11

 Letters
Tell us what’s on your mind

Digital payments can’t replace (like a radiator)” to discharge any static”. intentioned, but there’s simply no excuse
a birthday tenner In my experience, in houses built for ‘leverage’ which, as Mark says,
In response to Issue since 2000, and appears everywhere – from jargon-
681’s ‘Question of probably many before stuffed press releases to atrociously
the Fortnight’ (pictured that, radiators are fed written technology websites. Most of
right), one thing that by plastic piping not the time it can be replaced with the
digital payments will never copper, so they won’t word ‘use’ or ‘using’. As a recent
replace is the thrill of run to earth. In these example, take this headline from
opening a birthday card homes it’s better to wear Microsoft’s blog: ‘Work smarter in
and seeing £10 flutter antistatic straps. Microsoft Teams by leveraging the apps
out. Watching my grandchildren’s eyes Don Palmer ecosystem’ ([Link]/50008).
light up when this happens is still a
highlight of my year. Of course, when I Reach for the converted Poles being installed where
was growing up it used to be £1, and only I read with amusement Malcolm cables already exist
then on milestone birthdays! My Plant’s complaint about Many thanks for highlighting the
grandchildren understand a lot about Computeractive using the phrase ‘rolling problem of erecting telegraph
technology, but thankfully they’ve yet to out’ (Letters, Issue 681) because the poles for broadband (Issue 680, page 6).
tell me that they only accept digital grumpy old man in me also gets annoyed While poles may be necessary in some
payments. I’m waiting for that fateful by some of the phrases that appear in rural communities, the main objections
birthday when they say, “Can you transfer general usage. For example, when did in the towns you mentioned and many
it into my PayPal account, Grandma?”. we stop contacting people and started more, including Bolton where I live, is
Karen O’Sullivan ‘reaching out’ to them? I’m not a that they’re being installed in areas
member of the Four Tops so I’ll never already well served by underground
I said no to illegal be ‘reaching out’ to anyone. Another cables.
Amazon Fire Stick one is ‘leverage’, which seems to be used The estate where I live is fully cabled,
Peter Howell is spot on when he instead of implement. I could go on, and broadband from Sky, BT, Virgin, EE
says people using ‘cracked’ but I have things to do. and Plusnet are available. But a company
Amazon Fire Sticks to avoid paying for TV Mark Storr called IX Wireless (aka 6G Internet/Opus
don’t treat it as a serious crime (Letters, Broadband) just appeared and installed
Issue 681). Like him I turned down an CA SAYS We couldn’t agree more. 30-foot poles, sometimes directly outside
invite to watch a sporting event that was Companies often use ‘reach out’ when houses. No notice was received by residents.
being streamed for ‘free’ at someone’s they have a difficult message to tell their They’ve also installed 50-foot metal
house via one of these dodgy sticks. customers, or they’ve been forced into an poles and huge cabinets. Residents do not
When I told them I was uncomfortable apology. They hope it’ll sound like they want or need these eyesores. Councillors
with it morally, they simply couldn’t want to place a comforting arm around can’t do anything as permission is not
believe it. I’m not sure this had even your shoulders, rather than send you an required. On my road these poles are
occurred to them. They certainly hadn’t email containing information you’re not approximately 25 metres apart. I can see
considered the risk of ever being caught, going to like (“We’re reaching out to tell eight from my lounge windows. Requests
so the deterrent factor is negligible. you that your account has been hacked for poles to be removed are ignored.
Martin Greenwood and all your details are now being sold to Multiple Facebook groups exist where
Russian hackers”). At least that’s well thousands of members can voice
When to wear antistatic straps
I’ve just received Issue 681 and
What’s the Issue…?
?
always go to the Problems Solved
pages first. In your answer to Robin
Gowing’s question ‘Should I fit more When did you explain how to CA SAYS Yes, in
memory on my PC?’ (page 66), you record and send videos in Issue 672, page 67.
advise “to touch an earthed metal object WhatsApp?
Jean Gregan When did you explain whether
Computeractive is a member of it’s legal to share passwords for
the Independent Press Standards
Organisation (which regulates the CA SAYS In Issue 664, page 44. paid-for accounts?
UK’s magazine and newspaper
industry). We abide by the Editors’ Allan Connery
Code of Practice and are committed to upholding the I think eBay has banned me
highest standards of journalism.
because I use a VPN. Didn’t CA SAYS In Issue 668’s ‘Are you breaking
If you think that we have not met those standards
and want to make a complaint please contact editor@ you cover this in Problems Solved the law online?’ feature, page 60. Read
[Link]. If we are unable to resolve your
complaint, or if you would like more information about IPSO
recently? it and the features above on our 2023 Back
or the Editors’ Code, contact IPSO on 0300 123 2220 or Mike Shearer Issue CD/Stick: [Link]/49617.
visit [Link].

12 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 Email: letters@[Link]
Facebook: [Link]/computeractive
(formerly Twitter): @ComputerActive
[Link]/computeractive

objections. Parliamentary debates just

waffle about achieving 85-per-cent STAR LETTER
broadband coverage, not actually
addressing the problem. If fibre ducts
already exist underground they should
Shoppers to blame for Amazon
be used – not as an option but enforced. not stating country of origin
The companies who have put up poles
should have to remove them. I’ve just entered ever-cheaper prices on
Martin Draper my eighth decade Amazon without fully
and thought there was appreciating any of the
How I block ‘mystery box’ little left in this world consequences. If we
email scams that could surprise me. really cared that much
I was interested in the recent But I was stunned to about where a product
article about ‘mystery box’ scams read in Issue 681 (page is made, we would
(Issue 680, page 11). I’ve been receiving 7) that Amazon doesn’t have pressurised
emails offering similar free gifts, have to state the country of origin Amazon into adding this information.
purportedly from John Lewis, Screwfix when listing products. I admit that I’ve Threats of a boycott would have
and Boots. The common factor in all of never looked for this information when made them listen, but apart from the
these emails is that they’re from the shopping on the site, but that’s only occasional petition or MPs sporadically
domain ‘[Link]’, which is always because I buy from big-name brands raising concerns, this subject has
preceded by random letters. I’ve set up a who I trust. barely been brought up in the 20-odd
rule in Outlook so that any messages In the current climate I can understand years that Amazon has been dominant.
from this domain are deleted. why Sir Iain Duncan Smith said that How tragic it would be if it took a
I have Virgin broadband, and it would listing items made in China was a life-threatening cyber-attack or, worse,
be helpful if they’d let you block emails priority. I would include Russia also, military conflict to bring this issue to
from certain domains. At present you though I doubt many items are made the attention of more people.
have to block individual addresses, which there. But regardless of the countries, Phil O’Driscoll
is impracticable as the random letters are how has Amazon and other websites
never the same. got away with this? It’s outrageous CA SAYS We received many emails
For some reason Outlook places most that they can bypass the law while all from readers who are angry that Amazon
of my emails in the junk folder. Despite high-street shops have to check their and other leading online retailers don’t
the extra hassle of transferring them to products state the country of origin. say where a product is made. There are
my inbox, it gives me the opportunity to It sounds like regulators have been ways to check this for yourself, as
check the sending addresses before too soft on the likes of Amazon, but we some readers have discovered
moving the message to the inbox. consumers should take some of the – see ‘Tip of the Fortnight’
John Dickinson blame also. We’re happy to accept on page 40.

I built a UK101 ‘Barbie’ The Star Letter writer wins a Computeractive mug!
computer in 1979
In response to Issue 679’s request
regarding old computers, I built a Test and Crossword Notepad.
1 2
Compukit UK101 following instructions Richard Godfrey
in a 1979 edition of Practical Electronics
magazine. It has an 8K 6502 processor What Cocreator
running at 1MHz. Programs are written has drawn for me
in Microsoft Basic and stored on audio I use Corel Paint ShopPro 2023
cassettes. They cost £219 in kit form or ([Link]/49948), but their
£269 fully assembled (not including the AI tool Vision FX (£70 from [Link]. CA SAYS As Leonard has discovered,
monitor). As you can see from my photo com/49949) is too expensive for me. Instead, creating images from descriptions is one
(left), it’s a big red I use Microsoft Cocreator for free on my of the most productive ways you can use
box so I called it Windows 11 PC as you recommended in AI. To launch Cocreator on Windows 11,
‘BRB’, but after a Issue 673 (page 49). Cocreator isn’t yet search for and open Paint, then click the
few days it became on my other Windows 10 PC, so I’ve created Cocreator button on the toolbar and type
‘Barbie’ and that’s images using Copilot’s AI, available at a description in the box on the right. You
still her name today. [Link]/chat. I’ve sent you can create 50 images for free. For Windows
Many magazines Cocreator’s image (above right) when told 10, visit the Bing link Leonard provides
published programs to draw ‘two tropical birds sitting on a and in the ‘Ask me anything’ box at the
that could run on it, branch of a flowering tree’ 1 . The other bottom tell it to draw what you want.
such as Connect 4, image is Bing Copilot’s interpretation of ChatGPT doesn’t create images for free,
Minefield, Torpedo ‘dog with ball and floral background’ 2 . but you can use it as an alternative to
Run, Vocabulary Leonard Boyns Google’s search results – see page 60.

Views expressed don’t necessarily reflect those of Computeractive Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 13
 Consumeractive
We stand up for your legal rights

Where’s my LEAD Can I use Norton

replacement drive as CASE on other devices?
I bought Norton 360 Premium

warranty promised? Q for 10 devices, but after being

scammed I replaced some of
my equipment and changed my email
I purchased a address. As a result, I’ve forgotten my
Q Seagate 2TB portable
drive from Currys in
product key and Norton won’t allow
me to download the software to my
January 2022. I registered the new devices. Can it do this?
warranty with Seagate, but Thomas O’Callaghan
after 11 months the drive
failed. I returned it to Legally, it’s a grey area, but we
Seagate’s Rescue Data
Recovery Services (www. more time looking for it.
A think that Thomas should be
allowed to transfer Norton
[Link]/49867) in order Seagate might be antivirus to another computer unless
to recover the data and be waiting for John to fill in the company’s terms strictly forbid
sent a replacement. Seagate claim forms sent by UPS, this. We’ve asked him to email these
sent UPS return labels to me, but he won’t be able to to us so we can study them.
but it says the drive has been because he didn’t pay for We’ve also asked Norton to do more
missing since December. the drive to be returned, to help him. The product key is 25
UPS sent me claim forms to and so won’t have the characters long, so you can hardly
report the missing drive and Seagate says information required. We’ve asked blame Thomas for forgetting it.
it would investigate, but still nothing has Seagate to recognise that the drive has Thomas bought the software from
happened. Can you help? been lost for over three months and the Computeractive Software Store
John Mulholland send a new one to John. ([Link]/33247), and Norton
He might be able to claim emailed the product key to him. But
We’ll do our best because John is compensation for the lost data, though he changed his email address after
A entitled to a replacement drive,
as stated in the terms and
he’ll need to prove financial loss, which
could be difficult. There’s no point
being scammed, so can no longer
access this account.
conditions of Seagate’s warranty. UPS has approaching Currys for help because This is also why he can’t retrieve his
confirmed that the drive has been lost, John no longer has the drive, and the product key by logging into his Norton
and John has sent Seagate proof of this. data-recovery promise has nothing to account online, as explained at www.
Seagate therefore shouldn’t waste any do with the retailer. [Link]/49870.
CASE ONGOING CASE ONGOING

CASE UPDATE

Check if business contract includes email access

Ken Doyle, who runs a small includes a comprehensive service level and this doesn’t cover lack of email service –
firm in Birmingham, asked us agreement or, more broadly, a service level business or personal. Ken should check
whether he could seek commitment. These are contracts that state whether his contract refers to his email.
compensation if his internet which service a company will deliver, and Non-business customers can claim
provider deleted his business’s email address. the standards it must stick to. A commitment compensation for any service failing but need
He was responding to Barry Grieveson’s to provide a business email address can be to prove they’ve suffered financial loss and
case against Virgin Media O2 (see Issue part of these contracts. take their complaint to the Communication
681), in which we said customers aren’t But even if Ken loses access to his email, Ombudsman ([Link].
automatically entitled to compensation if their he’s not entitled to automatic compensation. org). Barry didn’t lose any money, so we
provider locks them out of their email accounts. What we referred to in Barry’s case is Ofcom’s couldn’t help him seek the £300 compensation
The short answer is: maybe. If Ken has a voluntary scheme for broadband and he sought from Virgin. However, it has
business account with his provider, it probably landline failures ([Link]/50057), restored his @ntlworld email account.

14 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

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

Is Amazon to blame for misleading PC listing?

I’m interested in buying an Amazon, then Amazon is description. Misleading
Q expensive computer from
Amazon, but I’m not sure
legally responsible. But
many retailers list their
information is a breach of
the Consumer Rights Act
how reputable the manufacturer is. products on Amazon and and the Unfair Trading
What are my rights if a listing on use the company as the Regulations. She’ll be able
Amazon turns out to be misleading, ‘fulfilment agent’, which to treat the contract as
and I don’t get what I believe I should? means Amazon is null and void, meaning she
Is it the manufacturer’s responsibility or responsible for delivering can return the goods for
Amazon’s? And can I keep the goods the items. In these cases, a full refund.
anyway? refunds and repairs are the responsibility Alternatively, she could keep the
Samantha Jones of the retailer – even if these are often computer but seek a partial refund to
carried out through Amazon’s customer reflect what’s wrong in the listing – ie, if
It depends which company is support. it overstates how much RAM it has, or the
A actually selling the computer. If
it’s being sold directly by
Either way, the law protects Samantha
if the computer doesn’t match the
processor speed. She’d have to negotiate
this with the retailer.
CASE CLOSED

Can I get refund A

Daniel is entitled to a full
refund, but we’re not confident
one answered when we rang it.
The website is actually registered in
for dodgy SSDs? he’ll get one. Versik’s website
seems respectable enough, but the
Iceland, which thickens the plot further.
Iceland is a member of the European
company has terrible reviews on Economic Area, so it has adopted some
In February I bought two 1TB Trustpilot ([Link]/49854, EU consumer law. It also has a robust
Q portable SSDs from Versik
([Link]) priced
pictured), with 91 per cent
giving the company just
consumer-protection agency
([Link]/49855),
£35. But something’s wrong with the one star out of five (see which might be able to
SSDs because they can only save a few screenshot). investigate the company.
files. Versik sent instructions on how All UK companies must list In the meantime, Daniel
to fix the problem, but these didn’t a geographical address on should ask his bank for a
work and it’s now ignoring me. Is there their website, but this is chargeback on his Mastercard
any way I can recover my money from missing from Versik’s site. It payment. You typically have
the seller? does list a phone number in 120 days to make this
Daniel Barnes the Doncaster area, but no request.
CASE ONGOING

CREDIT WHERE IT’S DUE

Be Quiet! sent me a new PC free from Germany

I built my own PC received an automated hesitation in using any of their products again.
housed in a Be Quiet! reply. But within a day I Mark Vincent
Silent Base 800 case had been contacted by Has a company impressed you with its
(pictured), which I found their Manchester office to customer service? Please let us know:
well designed and of good quality. say they were dispatching editor@[Link]
After nearly 10 years of daily use, one to me from Germany
the power switch had become a little free of charge. The next Contact
unreliable. I went on their website
([Link]/49832) and found
morning I had confirmation
it had been sent.
Be Quiet!
that this case was no longer available. I consider this service • Email info@[Link]
I submitted a request for a spare above and beyond the • Phone 0161 820 1992
part, not expecting much, and normal and would have no

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 15

 Grow Your
Family Tree
If your relatives sought a new life among mountains and
maple trees, follow Judith Batchelor’s advice to…
Find ancestors in Canada’s censuses
C
anada has long been a popular FamilySearch
destination for Brits looking for highlights the
results in yellow to
work, land and a better life. If your make them easier
ancestors were among them, you might 3 to identify
find them in the country’s censuses.
The first national survey was taken in
1871 and the seventh (1931) was released 2
online last year.
The 1931 census, which recorded
Canada’s population as 10,376,786, is
1
full of rich genealogical information as
citizens were asked 40 questions (17 in
the Northwest Territories). Some were
new questions about employment and FamilySearch found him as well as 1921 3 . He was a farmer in British
because it was carried out in the early name variants like Frank, Frances and Columbia and the family were members
years of the Great Depression. Bear in Bulloch. You can filter results by clicking of the Church of England.
mind that many single men of working the buttons at the top. The ‘Birth’ option
age were on the move in their search for is most useful – add year and place. Browse all 17 Canadian
jobs when the census was taken. Click the icons on the right to view the censuses
original document and to see what details To search all 17 Canadian censuses
Search FamilySearch’s it contains. (national and regional) from 1825 to 1931,
free records The original form is packed with dense visit LAC’s site: [Link]/49823.
The Library and Archives Canada (LAC), handwriting, but you can use the top-left Make sure you tick ‘All Census years’ in
FamilySearch and Ancestry collaborated controls to zoom in or adjust the brightness the When box (see screenshot below),
to put the census online. To search it or contrast. Helpfully, the relevant entry is so every census is ticked. In the Where
for free, first create an account at highlighted in yellow ( 1 in our screenshot), box you can tick ‘All provinces and
FamilySearch ([Link]/49799). so you can easily follow the information territories’ or individual regions. Add
Next, visit its main page for the census across the row. There’s also an option to personal details in the Who box then
([Link]/49819). attach it to your family tree 2 . click Search at the bottom.
I knew that my ancestor Francis I learned that Francis arrived in Canada Searching for Francis Bullock brought
Hulbert Bullock emigrated to Canada, in 1915, while his wife Mabel followed in up results in four extra censuses (1861,
1891, 1911 and 1921) as well as 1931. If

Your Genealogy Problems Solved

you get too many results, remove some
censuses, provinces and territories by
clicking their boxes at the top.
I know my grandfather – born Derek by a solicitor. Many people chose to
Matthews – changed his name in his 20s. announce the change in a newspaper, so
This has hindered researching my family search the British Newspaper Archive:
history, so I’d like to know if there’s any [Link]
way of searching the records for name Also try the archives of the London/
changes. Edinburgh/Belfast Gazettes (https://
Iain Clarke [Link]) and The Times
([Link]/archive).
From the 20th Century, the most common Have a genealogy question for Judith?
way of legally changing your name was Email letters@[Link] with
by deed poll, with a document drawn up ‘Grow Your Family Tree’ in the subject line. Tick ‘All Census years’ to search every record
held online from 1825 to 1931

16 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682 Next issue: Search Prerogative Court of Canterbury wills
 Best Free Software
Robert Irvine recommends new programs that won’t cost you a thing
SOFTWARE UNINSTALLER

Uninstalr 2.3
[Link]/50052
What you need: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11

When we wrote about Uninstalr in Issue 679 (page 19), we selected items, along with related folders
were amused by its bold claim to be the “best Windows and registry keys.
uninstaller”. The developer has even compiled a comparison To avoid interrupting your work, you should
table and lengthy video ([Link]/50051) to prove untick the boxes to close all running programs before
the new tool’s superiority to established rivals such as the uninstallation and to reboot your PC afterwards, though
BCUninstaller and HiBit Uninstaller. this may reduce its effectiveness. Click ‘Start Uninstallation’,
As we pointed out, this assertion was undermined by then Yes to confirm. Uninstalr doesn’t save backups –
Uninstalr’s slow performance, so we’re pleased that version though it does create system restore points – so you should
2.3 implements lots of improvements and fixes. Although carefully review the list of data to be removed.
it still takes several minutes to complete its initial scan for The updated program accurately detects antivirus and
installed software, it’s now faster at removal and does a security tools, and warns you about uninstalling them, and
particularly good job of detecting leftovers other tools miss. tells you if OneDrive is syncing data in the background,
Uninstalr makes it easy to batch-uninstall multiple which could lead to a removed app being restored. It also
programs in one go without needing to confirm each lets you select software according to its type and publisher.
one. Instead, you just select entries in its combined list of Uninstalr isn’t perfect – it’s still a bit sluggish, takes too
software, Microsoft Store apps and possible leftovers, then long to update its statistics and keeps suggesting you reboot
click the Uninstall button to begin the removal process. This your computer. But it’s impressively thorough at removing
will tell you how much space you’ll save by uninstalling the junk and may soon justify its developer’s boasts.

1 1

2 3

1 Once Uninstalr has 2 Click the ‘Show app 3 By default, Uninstalr hides 4 Before you uninstall
completed its initial scan, types’ button to filter the all Microsoft tools in its programs and apps from
it tells you how many combined list of installed list to prevent you from your PC, click the Show Data
software items it’s found, software. You can include or accidentally uninstalling button. This will tell you the
how much disk space exclude standard desktop important system names and file paths of
they’re occupying and the programs by ticking or components. To show all the items Uninstalr will
number of related files, unticking Normal; apps from them anyway, click the remove, including registry
folders and registry entries. the Microsoft Store; and Filters button and untick the keys, and how much storage
To update the list and junk that came built into option ‘Don’t list anything space you’ll reclaim by
information, press F5. Windows. from Microsoft’. doing so.

18 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

FILE MANAGER
SHOULD I PAY FOR…?
Files 3.3 Choose the right version of software
[Link]/50045
What you need: Windows 10 or 11
Icecream PDF Editor Pro
The latest update [Link]/50048
to this brilliant Price: £49.99 per year Free trial: N/A
alternative to File What you need: Windows 7, 8.1, 10 or 11
Explorer focuses
on improving the Like all Icecream programs, PDF Editor packs lots of useful
program’s design. features into a simple, attractive interface you can master
The Layout options in in minutes. But it also adopts the same ‘freemium’ model,
the top-right corner which requires you to pay to unlock certain features – it’s
of the main Files actually the most expensive member of the Icecream family.
window are now presented as a row of large tiles. This makes At first glance, it appears that the free version offers
it easier to switch between the Details, List, Tiles, Grid and everything you need to create and edit PDF files. Unlike
Columns layouts (see screenshot), depending on the number some PDF editors, which limit you to removing individual
and type of items you’re browsing. You can now adjust the pages, it lets you delete and replace text and images in
size of files and folders using the Size slider, which is useful documents, and add annotations, shapes and stamps
for enlarging thumbnail images of pictures and videos. (see screenshot). You can also convert pages to PNG, JPEG
To change the default layout for viewing folders, click the and other image formats, extract text from documents
Settings cog and open the new Layout settings page. Here you and password-protect sensitive files.
can choose your preferred layout type and how items should The main problem arises when you try to save your PDF,
be sorted – such as by name, date or size. As ever with Files, as Icecream will then prompt you to either save it with a
click the ‘classic installer’ link on the download page to get watermark or upgrade to PDF Editor Pro to save without
the free version. one. There are no other options, which is frustrating if
you’ve spent ages editing your PDF.
SYSTEM TOOL Should you decide to fork out £50 a year for the paid-for
version, you don’t get much else for your money. The only
Microsoft PowerToys 0.80 extra features are the ability to combine the content of
[Link]/50046 PDFs, and access
What you need: Windows 10 or 11 to Icecream’s
‘premium’
One of our support.
favourite You’re much
PowerToys tools better off
is Peek, which downloading
lets you preview PDFgear
files without ([Link].
needing to open com), which
them. The latest is completely
version of the free to use, has
system-utility even more tools
suite makes Peek than Icecream
even more useful by adding support for WebP images and PDF Editor and
WebM videos. Although these file formats (developed by doesn’t impose any pesky watermarks. See our feature in
Google) have been around for years, many image viewers and Issue 681 (page 60) for more information.
video players can’t open them. Thanks to Peek, you can now
select a WebP or WebM file you’ve downloaded from the web, OUR VERDICT: Don’t pay for it
and press Ctrl+Space to see what it contains. The feature now Freemium restrictions are always annoying, but forcing
supports audio files, allowing you to listen to MP3s and other users to pay a substantial amount just to remove a
audio formats, without opening a media player. If previews watermark is a black mark against Icecream’s name. For
aren’t working, select Peek in the main PowerToys menu and that reason, we don’t recommend installing either the free
ensure the Enable Peek option is switched on (see screenshot). or paid-for version of the program.
You can also change the activation shortcut here.

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 19

 Best Free Software

What should I download?

We advise you which software and apps to use
How can I learn about vector
How do I annotate graphics?
screenshots? Q
I’m currently
learning how to
I use ‘Snip & Sketch’ in Windows to capture design and edit
Q screenshots of my PC when I want to show friends
and family instructions, but I find it tricky to
vector graphics. Is there a
decent free program
annotate them with pointers, numbers and text. I’ve tried a that’ll develop my skills?
few programs like ShareX ([Link]/49834), but I don’t want anything too advanced.
they’re too complicated for my needs. I like the way these David Benson
elements appear on your screenshots – so what do you use?
Colin Faulkner Try the brilliant Inkscape ([Link]/49836) –

We annotate our screenshots using Adobe

A all the tools for creating shapes and freehand drawings
can be found in the left-hand toolbar (see screenshot).
A InDesign, which is even more advanced than the
likes of ShareX. We do like ShareX, but we agree it
It can be a little intimidating for people starting out, so we
recommend reading the comprehensive Beginners’ Guide:
packs a lot in, making it hard to use. A simpler alternative [Link]/49794. You can read this online or download
is Flameshot ([Link]/49835). It’s free, and you it as a PDF. It’s also available as an EPUB for your ebook reader.
can download it to your desktop, or add it to your USB stick
as a portable tool.
Whichever method you choose, Flameshot will appear in What’s the best photo editor for
the system tray after you launch it. Prepare your screen for
capturing, then click the program’s icon. Click and drag the removing unwanted elements?
cursor around the area you want to capture. Once that’s In your expert opinion, which photo-editing program
done, you’ll see a range of tools appear below. On the left
there are tools for annotating your screenshot 1 – most are
Q has the best ‘Content-aware fill’ tool for removing
unwanted items? This is a dealbreaker for me when
self-explanatory, but two stand out: the ‘auto-incrementing’ I’m deciding which photo editor to use.
tool that places numbered roundels on the screen 2 and a Leonard Hollands
blur tool for redacting sensitive parts of an image 3 , such as
passwords. Photoshop does this best. It’s available in Photoshop
To change the colour of an annotation, right-click it to
reveal a colour wheel 4 , then click the colour you want.
A Elements 2024 (£59.99 from the Computeractive
Software Store: [Link]/49795). Open
Flameshot supports multiple undo (press Ctrl+Z) and redo ‘Guided’ mode, then select Object Removal and pick a tool to
(Ctrl+Shift+Z) options to quickly fix any mistakes. mark the unwanted object ( 1 in our screenshot). Start with
Auto, then use the others to fine-tune your selection. Once
done, click Remove Object 2 , using Spot Healing Brush 3 and
2 Clone Stamp to tidy things up. Make sure you click Tool Options
and select ‘Content Aware’ 4 to improve how the tools work.

4 1

1 4 2

20 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682 Email us your questions at letters@[Link]

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

SOFTWARE WARNING!
Don’t Touch My Phone’s useless anti-theft ‘protection’

M
y last phone was 1 2 This gormless
nicked in a pub a dog couldn’t
protect a
few years back, and half-chewed
I’d try anything to stop that bone, let alone
from happening again. But I’d still rather Keumars’
phone
pay for a bodyguard armed with a bazooka
than trust the dreadful ‘Don’t Touch My
Phone’ ([Link]/49902).
The app lured me in due to its 4.4-star
rating on the Google Play Store and the
fact that it’s been downloaded 10 million
times. I didn’t know anything about
its Vietnamese developers Infinity
Technologies Global, but I was curious
about its “anti spy detector technology”
and how it worked. Would it create a
forcefield around my phone, vaporising
thieving hands?
First impressions weren’t encouraging
– a loading screen told me that ‘Ads are How not to make a good first impression.
about to be shown’ (see screenshot 1 ).
Oh joy. Next came one of the worst- gormless it’d struggle to protect a don’t tend to hang around that long.
designed home screens I’d ever seen, half-chewed bone. Clicking the dog sets Instead of wasting your time with
with inane animations of dogs and cats, the alarm to go off when it detects this nonsense, keep your phone safely
and a ghastly ad for a ‘Progressive movement, but this is a ridiculous stuffed inside your pocket. And if it does
Jackpot Game’ 2 . barking sound. It also vibrates your get nabbed, try recovering it using the
The cartoon canine is meant to be a phone and flashes the torch, but for only ‘Find My’ anti-theft measures built into
guard dog, I suppose, though it looks so 15 seconds. Modern-day Artful Dodgers Android and iOS.

WHAT ARE THEY KEUMARS’ VILLAIN OF THE FORTNIGHT

TALKING ABOUT?

WHAT THEY SAY

Robert Temple
Bitwarden on its app redesign
[Link]/49895 Look into my eyes, Robert. – click – and, sorry
“The vertical navigation design Imagine you’ve hacked Robert, but it looks like you
achieves the visual scannability goal by two women’s Snapchat really did hack those accounts
consolidating primary and secondary accounts, sold their intimate and you really are paying for it
navigation layers into a central location, photos online, then been in prison.
while also providing a modern feel. arrested and sentenced to Temple, 36, from Bishop
Importantly, it is familiar to users by eight months behind bars. Auckland is a “comedy
maintaining consistency with common Now imagine that you tried hypnotist” who has performed
industry tools and services.” to cover your tracks by setting up all over the world. He claims it’s a
fraudulent cryptocurrency accounts “ruddy good laugh”, but he clearly
WHAT THEY MEAN in another person’s name. has a sick sense of humour. I doubt
Our app is easier to use. Shame it’s not When I click my fingers, you’ll any of his fellow inmates will find
also easy for us to explain how. come back to reality. One, two, three him particularly funny.

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 21

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

MINI PC ❘ £190 from GMKtec [Link]/49869

GMKtec NucBox G3
Cost cutter

At less than £200, the GMKtec NucBox

G3 is one of the cheapest mini PCs we’ve
ever reviewed. It’s powered by a 12th-
generation Intel chip called the Processor
N100, which is less powerful than even
the lowest Core-i3 chip in the range,
though it’s still capable of running
Windows 11. It’s a four-core unit, so isn’t
designed to perform multiple tasks at
the same time, but its price reflects this
and so should your expectations.

As long as your
requirements are
modest, this is a It’s interesting to compare the been nice to have a USB-C port, but

perfectly acceptable performance of this with the Acemagic S1

(£240 from [Link]/49205,
leaving it out helps keep the price down.
For wireless connections, it has Wi-Fi 6
mini PC reviewed in Issue 678), which has a
slightly less powerful processor but more
and Bluetooth 5.2 built in. It also comes
with Windows 11 Pro.
RAM (16GB in our test unit). That extra The case is compact and lightweight,
To keep the price down, GMKtec has memory helped the S1 run Windows measuring just 44x115x108mm (HxWxD)
skimped a little on RAM and storage, better in our benchmark tests. It didn’t and weighing 265g, and is available in
though not beyond what’s acceptable. cope as well in our graphics tests, but grey or green. You can simply plonk it on
8GB of memory is a bare minimum, but we wouldn’t recommend either PC or your desk or – as it comes with VESA
as long as you accept this PC is designed any machine at this price if you’re mounting options – attach it to the back
primarily for office and browsing tasks, serious about video editing or gaming. of your monitor.
and shutting things down when you’ve Compared with our current favourite All in all this is a decent mini PC for
finished with them, then it’s fine. It mini PC, the Minisforum UM780XTX the price. As long as your requirements
has a 512GB SSD, which is more standard (£709 from [Link]/48917, are modest, you’ll find this a perfectly
and leaves plenty of room for your tested in Issue 676 – see page 32), you’re acceptable option.
programs and files. not quite getting what you pay for.
The processor in the NucBox G3 runs
at less than 20 per cent of the speed of VERDICT Among the cheapest mini
the UM780XTX for 25 per cent of the PCs we’ve ever tested, but you’ll need
price, so the latter is definitely better to restrict yourself to simple office and
value for money, assuming your budget browsing tasks
can stretch to it.
Connectivity options on the G3 are
★★★★★
ample, with four USB 3.2, two HDMI and ALTERNATIVE
one 2.5Gb Ethernet port. It would have Minisforum UM780XTX £709 To run
more than basic
SPECIFICATIONS software you’ll
Four-core Intel processor N100 • 8GB RAM • Intel need to spend more
UHD graphics • 512GB SSD • Wi-Fi 6 • Bluetooth 5.2 money, but this
• 1x 2.5Gigabit Ethernet port • 2x HDMI ports • 4x
USB 3.0 ports • Windows 11 Pro • 44x115x108mm
model is worth its
(HxWxD) • 265g • One-year warranty [Link]. higher price tag
com/49869

22 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 HOW WE TEST
Computeractive is owned by Future PLC,
LAPTOP ❘ £799 from Very [Link]/49878 which employs a team of specialist
technical reviewers. You’ll often read

Lenovo IdeaPad 5i Gaming references to our benchmark testing,

which is a method of assessing products

Chromebook Plus using the same criteria. For example, we

test the speed of every PC and the battery
life of every phone and tablet in exactly
Screen best the same way. This makes our reviews
authoritative, rigorous and accurate.
Future PLC also owns the magazines
Maximum PC, PC Pro and T3, and the
Chinese firm Lenovo may have slotted the websites Laptop Mag ([Link].
word ‘Gaming’ into the name of this com), TechRadar ([Link])
Chromebook, but we suggest you and Windows Central ([Link]
take that with a pinch of [Link]). This means we can test
salt. It simply doesn’t have thousands of products before choosing
the operating system or the the most relevant for Computeractive.
graphical capabilities to run top games in
its own right, so to play Microsoft Flight FAIR AND IMPARTIAL
Simulator, for example, you’d need to Our writers follow strict guidelines to
subscribe to the Xbox Cloud Gaming brilliant for working across multiple ensure the reviews are fair and impartial.
service, which is part of the Xbox Game windows or streaming 4K video. The manufacturer has no involvement in
Pass Ultimate and costs £12.99 a month. It’s powered by an Intel Core i5-1235U our tests.
Frankly, you’d be better off buying a processor and 8GB of RAM. That doesn’t
Windows laptop. However, put aside its make it a powerhouse compared with OUR AWARDS
dubious gaming credentials and you’re some Windows laptops we’ve reviewed We award every product
left with a stunning Chromebook that’s recently. Our current favourite – the Acer that gets five stars our
good at everything else. Swift Go 14 (£1,099 from [Link]. Buy It! stamp of approval.
com/49733, reviewed in Issue 677 – see It means we were
page 30) more than doubled the IdeaPad extremely impressed by the product, and
It has the best 5i’s performance speed in benchmark we think you will be too.
tests that push the processor to its limits.
Chromebook screen However, it’s perfectly fine for running
Every product that gets a
four-star review is given the
ChromeOS and will carry out most tasks
we’ve ever seen you want from a Chromebook smoothly.
Recommended award. We
highly recommend these
While we didn’t have high hopes for its
products, although they just fail to meet the
Let’s start with the screen. Where most battery life due to the high quality of the
high standard of our Buy It! winners.
large-screen Chromebooks offer 15.6in screen, it surprised us by lasting over 11
1080p panels, this has gone bigger, with a hours in our video-playback test. PRICES
16:10-aspect ratio 16in screen, and a The design has a dash of gaudiness Our reviews contain a link to the best price
higher resolution of 2560x1600 pixels. that’s typical of gaming machines with a we found online at the time of press.
All this and a 120Hz refresh rate, a patterned lid and a keyboard that lights
maximum 393cd/m2 brightness level, up in a range of colours. The keys are
97-per-cent coverage of the sRGB lovely to type on, however, with an
standard and 70 per cent of the DCI-P3 enjoyably clicky feel. The touchpad is VERDICT A superb Chromebook
standard. Put simply, it’s the best screen perfectly usable for everyday browsing for everyday tasks with a stunning
we’ve seen on a Chromebook yet, and is and office work, with a smooth surface screen, long battery life and decent
and generous 120x76mm expanse. performance
Around the outside edges it has one
USB-C and two USB 3.0 ports (one on
★★★★★
each side). There’s also a microSD card ALTERNATIVE
slot, headphone socket and Wi-Fi 6E for Acer Swift Go 14 £1,099
fast networking. A Windows 11 laptop that’s
more expensive, but offers
SPECIFICATIONS much more power and the
10-core Intel Core i5-1235U processor • 8GB RAM • ability to run a wider
Intel Iris Xe graphics • 16in 2880x1600-pixel screen •
512GB SSD • 1x USB-C port • 2x USB 3.0 ports • Wi-Fi
range of
6E • ChromeOS • 19.9x357x253mm (HxWxD) • 1.9kg software
• One-year warranty [Link]/49878

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 23

 Reviews
MONITOR | £329 from Asus [Link]/49898

Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS

Flying colours

If you’re looking for an improvement The 180Hz refresh rate and 1ms
on the image you see while working on response time is impressive,
your PC, then a 27in monitor is but only gamers will feel the full
something of a sweet spot. It’s large benefit. Everyone appreciates
enough so you have the space to work smooth graphics, but it’s
on multiple things at once, but it won’t when you’ve cranked the
take up too much room on your desk. graphical settings up in a
game such as Microsoft
Flight Simulator that this will
A cut above when really shine. You’ll still need a
powerful PC with a decent
it comes to speed, graphics card to make the most of it,
though, particularly if you also want to
accuracy and all-round make full use of its 1440p resolution.
visual impact At the end of the day, the ROG Strix
may not be the cheapest high-refresh
1440p panel out there. However, it’s much for the privilege.
While you can get 1080p monitors at clearly a cut above lesser alternatives On the outside the ROG Strix has two
this size for less – such as the AOC 27P2C when it comes to everything from speed HDMI, one DisplayPort and a USB-C
(£250 from [Link]/41609, to accuracy and all-round visual impact. port. The latter has power delivery but
reviewed in Issue 655) – it’s always worth In fact we really liked the overall it’s only 7.5W, which would charge a
considering a 1440p (2560x1440 pixels) quality of the screen. The colours are smartphone or tablet, but isn’t powerful
monitor like this one. These cram more vibrant, punchy and pop out of the enough to charge any laptop connected to
pixels into the same space, which makes screen. It’s accurate, too, capable of it. This is a shame.
everything look that much more detailed. reproducing 133 per cent of the sVGA The stand is high quality and well built.
This is especially handy if you tend to sit colour standard and 97 per cent of It can be adjusted in a wide variety of
close to your monitor. DCI-P3. Its brightness can reach a ways, including height, tilt, swivel and
The Asus ROG Strix XG27ACS is around maximum of 400cd/m2, which is more pivot into portrait mode. There’s also a
£80 more expensive than the 27P2C, but than enough to produce a clear image slot at the front, into which you can lie
this is fair enough when you consider the on even the sunniest day. your smartphone while you charge it
extra features that take it above and If you know a thing or two about using the USB-C port.
beyond the most basic models. monitors, you might be wondering if an
These include a 180Hz refresh rate. OLED monitor would be a better option. SPECIFICATIONS
27in IPS screen • 2560x1440-pixel resolution • 16:9
Most cheaper 27in monitors have a The short answer is yes, but while the
aspect ratio • 180Hz refresh rate • 1ms response time
maximum of 144Hz. It also has a ROG Strix isn’t the cheapest 27in screen • 2x HDMI ports • 1x DisplayPort • 1x USB-C port •
one-millisecond response rate, which is around, nor is it the most expensive 513x642x219mm (HxWxD) • 6.61kg • Three-year
the amount of time it takes to change the we’ve seen. OLED screens of this size warranty [Link]/49898
colour of a pixel. Higher rates combat tend to cost a lot more, with the cheapest
problems like motion blur when displaying we could find at the time of writing
fast-moving images. Its IPS technology is costing just over £600. That might VERDICT A great-value 27in 1440p
also superior to the VA panels found on provide you with a leap in quality, but it resolution monitor, but its most
most affordable models. may not be worth paying almost twice as impressive features are intended for
gaming
★★★★★
ALTERNATIVE
AOC 27P2C £250
A cheaper 27in
monitor with a
lower 1080p
resolution

24 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 Reviews
TABLET | £250 from Honor [Link]/49958
CHOOSE THE RIGHT SPECS
Honor Pad 9 Energy-
Works like Magic efficiency
ratings
The Honor Pad 9 is a sleek and stylish What are they?
device offering the same 16:10 aspect If you’ve ever been in the appliance
ratio screen as most of its Android rivals. department of your local Currys or
That said, Honor has created the most John Lewis you’ll be used to seeing the
iPad-like experience we’ve seen to date 120Hz refresh rate – twice that of the energy-efficiency labels that appear
on an Android tablet, thanks to the iPad. Everything looks smooth as a result. on fridges and washing machines.
MagicOS operating system developed by However, it isn’t as powerful as either However, these labels also appear on
fellow Chinese company Huawei. the 9th- or 10th-generation iPads. screens, including those on TVs and
In particular, it’s resolved many of the Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 6 Gen 1 is PC monitors.
user-interface problems that typically enough for basic productivity tasks and
limit the appeal of Android tablets. For light gaming, and it’s great for watching How do they work?
example, simple three-finger gestures films, but when you run resource- Products on sale
now drop you straight into multitasking intensive apps or open up multiple should display a
modes (including running two windows browser tabs, you can feel it buckling label similar to the
of the same app) with ease, while swiping under the strain. Our impression was one pictured right.
up from the bottom to flip between apps confirmed by benchmark tests that push When buying online
is now fast and fluid. You can also use it the processor to its limits. The Pad 9 runs you may have to
with a keyboard (pictured below), but 40-per-cent slower than the 10th-gen click a link to see it.
this adds £100 to the price. iPad. It only has Wi-Fi 5, not Wi-Fi 6. The multi-coloured
Battery life is excellent, lasting 11 hours graph shows how
26 minutes in our video-playback test, efficiently a product
It has a bright, which is on a par with the iPad. It supports uses energy, with
charging up to 35W, but the 8,300mAh A being the most
accurate screen, long battery takes a couple of hours to recharge. efficient and G
battery life and a sleek, However, although this tablet comes
close in all but raw performance, we
being the least.
On PC monitors the specified power
lightweight design think the similarly priced 9th-generation
iPad is still a better buy because it offers a
consumption will also be displayed. This
may include a rating for HDR mode if
wider range of superior apps. applicable, though this is more likely on
The Pad 3 is even slimmer than the a TV. The screen size and resolution is
10th-generation iPad (£371 from www. SPECIFICATIONS also shown.
[Link]/44098, reviewed in Issue Eight-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 6 Gen 1
646), albeit only just – 6.9mm to the processor • 8GB RAM • 256GB storage • 12.1in 120Hz What are the specs?
iPad’s 7mm. Both have an identical 2560x1600-pixel IPS touchscreen • 13-megapixel Even the most energy-efficient
rear camera • 8-megapixel front-facing camera •
180mm height (in landscape mode). The Wi-Fi 5 • Bluetooth 5.1 • Android 13 with MagicOS
monitors use a lot of power, so you’re
Pad 9 is 29mm wider to accommodate its 7.2 • 180x278x6.9mm (HxWxD) • 555g • One-year unlikely to see devices rated as A, B
12.1in screen versus 10.9in on the iPad. warranty [Link]/49958 or C. If you shop around you might
And it’s an excellent screen, covering find a D rating, but most monitors are
almost 100 per cent of the sRGB standard rated E or F. Monitors rated D, E or F
and around 75 per cent of DCI-P3 with VERDICT A good Android tablet at a are considered energy efficient. Avoid
solid colour accuracy. That’s similar to reasonable price, but it still can’t quite monitors rated G, though, because
the iPad, and they share the same peak match the similarly priced iPad they’re classed as inefficient and will
brightness of around 500cd/m2. Where cost more to run.
the Pad 9 surpasses its rival is with its
★★★★★
ALTERNATIVE Can I change it later?
Apple iPad (9th Generation) £316 You can’t change the amount of power
A faster tablet that’s that a monitor needs to run, though you
only slightly more may be able to use less power if you
expensive and offers a dim the screen using its controls. Look
greater choice of apps for energy-efficient settings or options
for a larger screen for dimming any backlighting.

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 25

 Reviews
PHONE | £319 from Nothing [Link]/49930

Nothing Phone 2a
Clear winner

You might recall us reviewing the first which makes the home screen look as
phone from oddly named UK manufacturer distinctive as the phone’s rear.
Nothing back in Issue 639. The Phone 2a Nothing has moved away from
is the second upgrade since then – the Qualcomm’s Snapdragon processors,
Nothing Phone 2 was significantly more turning instead to the MediaTek
expensive, launching at £629 (though it’s Dimensity 7200 Pro chip. This offers a
now down to £519 from Nothing at www. modest jump in performance from the
[Link]/49931). And there’s no doubt Snapdragon 778G used in the Phone 1.
the lower starting price certainly bolsters The basic £319 phone comes with 8GB of
the appeal of the Phone 2a. RAM and 128GB of storage, but you can of the charge.
As with previous models, the boost this to 12GB and 256GB respectively You’ll be hard-pressed to find a better
design of the 2a is one of its for an extra £30 when you buy from 50-megapixel main camera in a similarly
stand-out features. Its inner workings Nothing’s website, which we’d recommend. priced phone. It performed well when
are visible through its clear plastic We tested the 2a by making video calls taking portraits and produced high-
shell, while flashing ‘glyphs’ and using Google’s online office software, quality images in low light, though the
(essentially LEDs) communicate without any glitches or lag. We also tried camera on the Google Pixel 7a is still
information about notification several games, including Marvel Snap on superior.
alerts, incoming calls and more its highest settings – and it performed
without you needing to glance at the perfectly smoothly.
screen. It has fewer lights than To test its battery life we put the 2a VERDICT An attractive and distinctive
previous models (three instead of through a demanding day of use, with a Android phone that makes Nothing’s
five) but they can be customised and mix of gaming, video streaming, working unique design more affordable
this unique system works well once with office apps and web browsing. All
you get the hang of it. this used a fraction more than 50 per cent
★★★★★
It comes with Android 14 but has ALTERNATIVE
Nothing’s own operating system laid SPECIFICATIONS Google Pixel 7a £449
on top, which consists of alternative Eight-core MediaTek Dimensity 7200 Pro processor • We still prefer Google’s
Camera and Media Player apps 8 or 12GB RAM • 128 or 256GB storage • 6.7in 120Hz mid-range phone for
alongside a selection of additional 2412x1080-pixel AMOLED screen • 50-megapixel its superior operating
rear camera • 32-megapixel front-facing camera •
features. For example, you can Wi-Fi 6 • Bluetooth 5.3 • Android 14 with Nothing OS
system and brilliant
replace all the usual app icons with 2.5 • 162x76x8.6mm (HxWxD) • 190g • Two-year camera
two-tone dot-matrix style options, warranty [Link]/49930

WHAT SHOULD I BUY? We solve your buying dilemmas

What’s the best portable backup for my photos?

I’m going on the trip of a companies that have gone bust. If you opt for
Q lifetime and I’m looking for a
portable backup device for SD
We suspect the reason is that the price
of memory cards has dropped to a point
this then it’s
worth getting a
cards to store my photos. Most devices where there’s no real reason not to simply sturdy case for
I’ve found online are no longer available. buy as many as you might need. You can your cards. There are
I don’t want to lug a laptop around, so get a 512GB SanDisk card for £80 from plenty of options on Amazon
a self-contained battery-powered unit Currys at [Link]/49940. When but we like the look of the Kiorafoto
would be ideal. What would you suggest? it was still available, the 1TB WD My SD Card Holder Case (£10 from www.
Allan Branch Passport Wireless SSD (a portable 1TB [Link]/49941, pictured), which
SSD with a battery and SD card slot) used holds 12 cards and has thousands of
Like you, the only devices we to cost $499 (around £400). You can now positive reviews.
A can find online are either
discontinued or from
buy five 512GB SD cards (adding up to
2.5TB of storage) for the same price.
Do you need advice on what you should buy?
Email us at letters@[Link]

26 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 Reviews
VIDEO DOORBELL | £200 from Amazon [Link]/49911

Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro

Motion slickness

If this Ring doorbell seems familiar, it’s top-to-toe view of your visitors, including
because it looks identical to the Ring any parcels they drop on your doorstep.
Battery Video Doorbell Plus (£130 from The 3D motion detection uses radar to ongoing cost (see below) but they also
[Link]/46930, reviewed in more precisely locate people near your lack some of the Pro’s best new features.
Issue 664). Changes have been made property. If you live on a busy street this
on the inside, however, with higher- can help reduce false-positive notifications
resolution video, improved colour night when people pass your house without VERDICT A sophisticated,
vision, and 3D motion detection and entering your front garden. rechargeable video doorbell, but top-
tracking as seen previously in the Ring These are worthwhile additions to the end features mean a top-end price
Outdoor Camera Pro Battery (£130 from options on the Plus doorbell, but it also
[Link]/48652, reviewed in retains many of its predecessor’s handy
★★★★★
Issue 674). features, including its removable battery ALTERNATIVE Eufy
The video footage is very high resolution and long life. Like the Plus, however, it Video Doorbell E340
at 2048x1536 pixels, which provides a works best with a Ring subscription, £160 A cheaper option
which costs £4.99 a month for the basic with more built-in
SPECIFICATIONS service. This stores all your footage online storage and doesn’t
1536p video recording • 150-degree field of view •
Two-way talk • Colour night vision • Compatible with
for watching at your convenience. require an online
Alexa smart devices • 128x62x28mm (HxWxD) • There are alternative doorbells with subscription
One-year warranty [Link]/49911 internal storage that don’t require this

SMARTWATCH | £320 from Withings [Link]/49914

Withings ScanWatch 2
Old times’ sake

The Withings ScanWatch 2 isn’t your through other views showing your heart
typical smartwatch. While most offer rate, distance covered, breathing
modern, high-tech designs, this one has exercises, workouts and more.
an elegant, timeless appearance. It’s This does mean it’s more limited
made from stainless steel and topped than other smartwatches. It can’t pick up
with sturdy sapphire glass. It has two calls, respond to notifications, control
illuminated hands that sweep around the your music or run apps. But this is by have built-in GPS, so it can’t track your
watch face, while a small analogue dial design: it’s intended for quietly tracking location without a linked smartphone.
tracks your steps. your activities, with no distractions or
In fact, the only indication that there’s interruptions.
more to the ScanWatch 2 than a regular And it monitors your activity with a VERDICT A classy smartwatch that
mechanical watch is the little black circle wealth of sensors. As well as tracking looks and acts more like an analogue
on the upper half of the face. Twist the your movements, it can measure your piece, but has many of the key features
rotating crown or simply raise your wrist, respiratory rate and blood-oxygen levels; you’ll want from a connected device
and this 0.63in greyscale OLED display detect abnormal heartbeat; record an
springs to life. By default, it shows the ECG and much more. It supports a wide
★★★★★
time and the date, but you can cycle range of workout methods, including ALTERNATIVE
surfing, yoga, pilates and various Fitbit Charge 6 £120 Our
SPECIFICATIONS competitive sports. Some are automatically favourite Fitbit is a great
0.63in greyscale OLED screen • 282 ppi • Bluetooth
Low Energy • 30-day battery life • Water resistant to
detected, others you’ll need to set up way to track health data
5ATM • 42x42x12.9mm • 53g • Two-year warranty manually. at a fraction of the cost
[Link]/49914 The only downside is that it doesn’t

28 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 Reviews
TV | £200 from Amazon [Link]/49979
DO I REALLY NEED...
Amazon Fire TV 32in 2-series HD An outdoor TV?
Small set to go
What is it?
As we head towards a great summer
of sport, with the Euros football
This 32in model is the cheapest tournament and Olympics looming, you
in Amazon’s Fire TV range, might be thinking
which also includes the 4-series of moving your TV
(from £300, [Link]. outside to watch
com/49980) and Amazon Fire it all. Alternatively,
TV Omni QLED (from £350 you could buy a
from [Link]/47091, TV specifically
reviewed in Issue 664). It comes designed for viewing outdoors, such
with a 720p resolution, but is as the new Sylvox 43in Google TV for
also available with a 40in screen Full Sun ([Link]/49986,
with a Full HD 1080p resolution, pictured).
which costs £240. and Music. The Entertainment setting
has the best balance between high and What does it do?
low frequencies, making dialogue crystal Outdoor TV screens are brighter, so you
A budget TV with clear while still packing a punch. If can still see them even on the sunniest
you’re using this as a main TV you may of days. And they’re also protected
a decent screen, but still want to buy a decent soundbar, but from rain. The Sylvox TV has a peak
as a secondary TV its built-in speakers brightness of 2,000cd/m² and an
its operating system should suffice. ingress rating of IP55.
is clunky Smart TV services come courtesy
of Amazon’s Fire TV OS. This offers What’s the catch?
access to a wide range of apps and They’re expensive. The Sylvox model
When compared with its pricier customization features, but also displays costs a cool £2,259. That’s more than
stablemates, the 2-series has plenty too many recommendations on its twice the price of a top-end indoor TV
to live up to and probably lacks the home menu. Navigation also felt of the same size.
specifications to seriously compete. occasionally slow and clunky, with
That said, it’s a great option for anyone long pauses and freezes while loading So can I do without it?
needing a smaller screen and has a web pages and streaming apps. If you live in the UK, almost certainly.
limited budget. The Great British weather just isn’t
Picture quality is a mixed bag. Watching SPECIFICATIONS suited to a permanent outdoor TV.
standard-definition and HD broadcasts, 720p 1366x768-pixel resolution • 32in Direct LED
screen • 60Hz refresh rate • Supports HDR10, HLG •
we found textures were detailed enough 3x HDMI ports • 431x726x82mm (HxWxD, without
and the screen did a fine job of upscaling stand) • 3.6kg (without stand) • One-year warranty
NEXT ISSUE
lower-resolution content, such as daytime [Link]/49979
TV programmes viewed via Freeview. On Sale Weds 8 May
With higher-resolution streaming
services, its colour accuracy and VERDICT Amazon’s smallest smart Dell Inspiron 14 Plus
brightness levels were pretty impressive. TV is fine for tight budgets, but there are The latest Intel
This was confirmed by our tests, which even cheaper rivals offering superior processor in a
showed the screen can display 74 per cent screens and better operating systems reasonably priced
of the DCI-P3 colour standard. laptop
However, that can’t quite match the
★★★★★
82 per cent of LG’s LQ63 32in TV (£179 ALTERNATIVE Kobo Libra Colour
from [Link]/49989 – see LG LQ63 £179 This 32in set is a little A colour ebook
Alternative right). The 2-series screen’s older than the 2-series, but offers reader that lets
biggest limitations were revealed when brilliant picture you write on it as
testing contrast, with the darkest blacks quality and well as read
looking decidedly grey. great smart
Audio quality, on the other hand, was TV software These and much more...
better than we expected. There isn’t for a lower Subscribe to Computeractive at
much difference between the various price [Link]
sound modes offered, such as Standard

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 29

 Buy It Find out which other products we liked.
Buy our 2023 Back Issue CD:
£18 from [Link]/48860

Our pick of products that have won the Buy It award

LAPTOP DESKTOP PC APPLE iPAD

Acer Swift Go 14 Palicomp Apple iPad 10.2in

£1,099 from [Link]/49733 AMD Cobra £319 from [Link]/48634
Tested Issue 677 £400 from [Link]/43515 Tested Issue 623
Tested Issue 643

With the 32GB Swift Go (£1,300) out of The 9th-generation of the basic iPad,
stock, we’re recommending the 16GB This fast PC is a mouth-watering released in 2021, is now the best-value
model instead. It’s great value and has bargain, with 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD Apple tablet. The 2022 version looks
one of Intel’s Ultra processors, making and a six-core processor – though it better and has a faster processor, but
it the fastest laptop we’ve ever tested. lacks USB-C ports and built-in Wi-Fi. it’s not worth paying £130 extra for.
Has an OLED 14in screen and 1TB SSD.
ALTERNATIVE Wired2Fire Ultima WS ALTERNATIVE iPad Mini With an even
ALTERNATIVE Honor MagicBook X 16 Home Office Workstation Blisteringly better, but smaller, screen than the
2023 Has a 16in screen and is good fast PC, powered by an overclocked 10.2in iPad, the Mini also supports
value, though nowhere near as fast. eight-core processor and 1TB SSD. the Pencil and has 64GB of storage.
£700 from [Link]/47868 £656 from [Link]/41500 £569 from [Link]/33050

ANDROID TABLET P APPLE iPHONE ANDROID PHONE P

DRRIC DRRIC
OP E OP E
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Apple iPhone 13 Google Pixel 7a
£679 from [Link]/50039 £599 from [Link]/43498 £383 from [Link]/46332
Tested Issue 667 Tested Issue 627 Tested Issue 660

With a much brighter screen than our

previous favourite – the Galaxy Tab S8 Now £200 cheaper than its 2021 launch
– this is perfect for watching TV. It also price, the iPhone 13 has a superb screen,
has a faster processor, so tasks feel long battery life and an excellent camera – A cheaper version of Google’s flagship
smoother, even with several windows particularly for taking quick snaps without phone, this uses AI to add clarity to
open. £679 will get you the 128GB blurring. You could pay £799 for the newer photos, and lasts an impressive 10
version. If you want 256GB you’ll need iPhone 15, but we’re not convinced it’s hours. Has a fast processor and 8GB
to spend around £50-£100 more. worth the extra money. RAM to supercharge performance.

ALTERNATIVE Lenovo Tab P11 Pro It’s ALTERNATIVE iPhone SE With a single ALTERNATIVE Xiaomi Poco F3 This
slower than the Tab S9 and the screen is camera and smaller screen but the remains an excellent phone, with 6GB
duller, but has a detachable keyboard so same powerful A15 processor and 64GB RAM and 128GB storage. The only phone
you can use it as a laptop. £430 from storage as the iPhone 14, it’s great value. under £450 that’s faster is the iPhone
[Link]/45244 £429 from [Link]/34773 SE. £259 from [Link]/44553

30 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

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

Minisforum UM780XTX Kobo Libra 2 Norton 360 Premium

£709 from [Link]/48917 £170 from [Link]/40645 £19.99 from [Link]/33247
Tested Issue 676 Tested Issue 624 Tested Issue 629

Norton has always performed

This powerful machine costs only strongly in our antivirus tests,
£80 more than the Beelink SER6 A fantastic 7in screen, 32GB of storage regularly making the top three.
Pro, but has twice the memory, twice and Bluetooth connectivity make this a Owned by US firm NortonLifeLock,
the storage and a superior processor. rival to Amazon’s Oasis ebook reader, it’s available at a discount on our
These help it run PC tasks faster yet it’s much cheaper. Battery life is Software Store. Use the link above
and handle graphics more smoothly. superb – we managed 54 hours of use for a 10-device, two-year licence.
Ports include USB-C, USB 3.0, HDMI, per charge. It supports OverDrive, so Other versions are available, including
DisplayPort and Gigabit Ethernet. you can borrow ebooks from libraries. Norton 360 for Gamers.

ALTERNATIVE Beelink SER6 Pro ALTERNATIVE Amazon Kindle This low- ALTERNATIVE Bitdefender Total
7753HS Has 32GB RAM and a 500GB cost option is a good choice, especially Security Another top performer that
SSD for slick Windows performance. now it has 16GB of storage. £85 from we’re offering at a discount. £29.99
£699 from [Link]/46416 [Link]/44221 from [Link]/41141

WEBCAM PC MONITOR SOLID-STATE DRIVE

Logitech C925e Business Iiyama ProLite Corsair MP600 Pro LPX

Webcam XU2492HSU-B2 500GB
£72 from [Link]/41104 £120 from [Link]/49491 £67 from [Link]/41547
Tested Issue 608 Tested Issue 618 Tested Issue 630

This 23.8in screen is superb value, In our tests, this M.2 SSD hit speeds
Despite the name, this webcam is also with a resolution of 1920x1080 pixels. of 7,364MB/s and 6,870MB/s when
great for home users. Its standout Colour is good, covering 88 per cent of reading and writing data – astonishingly
feature is automatically adjusting itself the sRGB colour range. Connect your fast scores. It’s compatible with the
to keep your picture looking sharp. It computer via HDMI, DisplayPort or new PCIe 4.0 standard, which is twice
offers a 78-degree field of view, which VGA, and there’s a USB hub to plug in as fast as PCIe 3.0. The 1TB model
is fine for everyday video chats with one your mouse and keyboard. costs £94; 2TB costs £144.
person in front of the camera.
ALTERNATIVE AOC 27P2C This also has ALTERNATIVE Crucial MX500 500GB
ALTERNATIVE Anker PowerConf C300 a 1920x1080 resolution. It’s 27 inches, so As fast as an SSD can get in the
Good image quality, crisp audio pixel density is lower, but you’ll only notice traditional 2.5in SATA format, this
and lots of features. £90 from if you look really closely. £265 from is a great-value upgrade. £56 from
[Link]/41105 [Link]/41609 [Link]/37304

32 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 Buy It

COMPETITION

Win 1 of 2
AOC CQ27G2S/BK
PC monitors
Winner of a ‘Recommended’ award in and bright images. The 165Hz refresh the back if you want to attach it
Issue 681, AOC’s CQ27G2S/BK is a rate (well over twice the industry to your wall.
stunning PC monitor that’s especially standard of 60Hz) keeps games silky To enter this competition, answer
ideal for gaming. Its curved 27in screen smooth, while AOC’s Low Input Lag the question at [Link].
wraps around you, so you can jump guarantees fast-paced and realistic com/50050 and submit your details.
straight into the action. battles. You’ll feel your It runs until midnight Tuesday 7 May.
It has a stunning reflexes become one
QHD resolution with the action. You can buy AOC’s CQ27G2S/BK
(2560x1440 pixels), You can adjust the PC monitors for £199 from www.
and uses VA panel height, tilt and swivel to [Link]/49800. For more AOC
technology for deeper create the perfect monitors and accessories, including
blacks and a high gaming position. There’s mice and keyboards, visit https://
contrast for extra vivid also a VESA mount on [Link]/uk.

PRINTER SMART TV ROUTER

Epson EcoTank ET-2830 Samsung Q60B Asus RT-AXE7800

£230 from [Link]/48962 £405 from [Link]/45083 £230 from [Link]/47586
Tested Issue 676 Tested Issue 652 Tested Issue 665

This replaces the ET-1810 as our With our former favourite – the TCL This router has Wi-Fi 6E, so will be
favourite printer because it adds 55RP620K – out of stock, Samsung’s capable of the fastest possible speeds
copying and scanning to its functions 43in set is our new pick. It has excellent on the 6GHz network over the next few
for only £80 more. Print quality is colour reproduction in well-lit scenes, years. It has five Ethernet ports and also
great, especially for photos, which and the picture is wonderfully sharp, a USB 3.0 port to connect a hard drive or
have crisp details, vivid colours and especially in 4K. NAS drive.
realistic skin tones.
ALTERNATIVE LG OLED42C3 ALTERNATIVE Synology WRX560
ALTERNATIVE Epson EcoTank ET-1810 LG’s 42in TV is more than double Our previous favourite remains an
Not the fastest printer, but comes with the price, but unlike TCL’s model it excellent choice, delivering speeds of
enough ink for 4,500 mono and 7,500 has an OLED screen, boosting up to 791.5Mbps. Add more units to
colour pages. £160 from [Link]. picture quality considerably. £845 from set up mesh Wi-Fi. £239 from
com/49863 [Link]/47271 [Link]/49161

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 33

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

LE NOW!
ON SA

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

[Link]/48860 [Link]/48861
 Pull Out
& Keep

Workshops & Tips Issue 682

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

35 U
 se your tablet as a 40 Readers’ Tips PLUS
second PC monitor 44 Phone & Tablet Tips 47 M
 ake Office Better
42 Browser Tips:
38 S
 ave passkeys using Force all websites to 46 M
 ake Windows 48 In the Club: Pin
Proton Pass use dark mode Better important messages

HOW TO...
Use your tablet as a
second PC monitor by Nik Rawlinson

What you need: Spacedesk Time required: 30 minutes

W
hat do you do if your monitor Spacedesk, which is available for both remote device has a physical connection,
feels a bit cramped, but you Android and iOS, can turn your unused just like your monitor. That way, you can
don’t want to pay for a new, phone or tablet into an extension of your drag program windows on to your
bigger one? Or you need to keep an eye computer screen. It does this by using device’s screen and work on them as you
on a website or video stream while two programs: one which sends images would on your primary display. Note that
working on something else? Fortunately, to your tablet or phone from Windows, we’ll refer to tablets in these instructions
if you have a tablet or smartphone going and one on your mobile device that because the bigger screen makes them
spare, you can expand your desktop makes it behave like a connected monitor. more suitable as second monitors, but
space without spending a penny. It works by making Windows think the our steps work just the same for phones.

Install Spacedesk able to use the device as an extension of to your PC. On our machine, this alert
1 on your PC
Start by downloading
your main PC screen.
When you’ve completed the last screen
was minimised in the taskbar, so it wasn’t
easy to spot and gave the impression
Spacedesk’s PC software from www. of the instructions, it will proceed with the process had stalled. Keep an eye on
[Link]/49815, where you’ll find the installation. This throws up a User your taskbar in case this happens. Once
options for 64bit and 32bit Windows Account Control alert asking if you’re installation has completed, click Finish.
in the section called ‘Spacedesk Driver happy for the program to make changes
Software for Windows Primary PC Install Spacedesk
(server)’. Most modern PCs will need the
64bit version, but if you’re not sure, open
2 on your tablet
You now need to install Spacedesk’s
Settings by pressing Windows key+I, app on your tablet – download it from
then click System followed by About, and [Link]/49813 (Android);
check the version beside ‘System type’. [Link]/49812 (iOS, iPadOS);
Click through the installation or [Link]/49814 (Kindle Fire).
instructions and, when you reach the Once it’s installed, launch it and, if
Firewall Configuration page, leave the you’ve already installed the server
box ticked beside ‘Add an exception to program on your PC, dismiss the
the Windows firewall for spacedesk’ (see message that tells you to download it.
screenshot right). If you disable this, The app will now start searching
connections between your PC and your Leave this box ticked so Spacedesk can bypass your local network for your PC and,
tablet will be blocked and you won’t be your firewall and communicate with your tablet when it recognises it, will display its

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 35

 Why I wish I’d used Spacedesk
I used to have multiple monitors running side by side, each
connected to a single PC, so I could arrange my windows the
way you can with Spacedesk. Ultimately, I found it wasn’t a great
2 solution for me because I had to disconnect them all whenever
I wanted to work elsewhere, so I bought a larger screen that
1 would fit everything side by side. If I’d been using a system like
Spacedesk, the cables wouldn’t have been a problem, and I could
The IP address shown on Spacedesk’s software have saved myself the expense of upgrading my primary monitor.
matches the one detected by our tablet Nik Rawlinson
How do you set up multiple monitors?
IP address. This is a unique number Please let us know: letters@[Link]
assigned by your router to each of the
devices on your network. It’s made up
of four sets of digits, with the first three behaving like a touch-sensitive extension makes sense to tell Windows where
sets generally being the same across of your computer screen. they sit in relation to one another. This
the whole network, while the final set You can now drag windows from makes working much easier when
will be anything between 0 and 254 (to your PC to your tablet. However, sweeping the cursor off your PC’s screen
accommodate a maximum of 255 devices because Spacedesk can’t automatically and back again.
on your network). work out where your tablet is sitting To do this, click the up-arrow on
Our tablet found a PC using the IP in relation to your computer screen, your Windows taskbar to reveal your
address [Link]. We checked this you may need a little trial and error the hidden icons, then right-click the
was correct by comparing it to the first time you do this. We found that Spacedesk driver icon, followed by
information shown in the Spacedesk dragging windows to the right edge of ‘Windows Display Control Panel’ (see
Driver Console software that we just our main display, slightly above halfway, screenshot below left)
installed on Windows. You can launch transferred them to the tablet’s screen, This will take you to the Display pages
this from the Start menu and, when even though our tablet was sitting to of the Windows Settings program, where
it appears, check the address in the our left, flat on its back. you’ll see a basic graphic of your two
Communication Interfaces section. In our Once the window is on your tablet’s screens. The larger of the two (labelled 1
screenshot above, we can see the same IP screen, you can control it by clicking with – 1 in our screenshot below), is your PC
address – [Link] 1 . the mouse or by tapping it with your screen. The smaller screen 2 at its top-
To double check, we make sure our finger. If you want to use your fingers on right corner (labelled 2) is your tablet.
computer’s name (GOGOL 2 ) is displayed the tablet and your mouse and keyboard If this is less clear in your specific
at the top of the right-hand column in to control your computer, you don’t need setup, you can ask Windows to identify
Driver Console, as well as at the top of to make any more changes, as long as each one. Click the Identify button 3 and
the home screen on the Spacedesk app you’re happy with how the two screens it will display the relevant numbers in the
on our tablet. are configured relative to each other. corner of each display, so you can
see them at a glance.
Move windows Reconfigure your screens Use your mouse to click and hold the
3 to your tablet
Tap the computer’s address
4 If however you want to move
your cursor off the edge of the
number 2 (tablet) box in the Settings
window, then drag it around the number
in the app and the two devices will be main screen nearest to your tablet screen 1 box. Let go when its location roughly
connected, with your tablet’s display so that it travels directly toward it, it equates to your tablet’s position relative

2
1 3

To reconfigure your two screens, click Spacedesk’s taskbar icon Windows’s default configuration put our tablet screen (number 2) at the
followed by ‘Windows Display Control Panel’ top-right corner of our PC screen, but we can change this

36 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 Use your tablet as a second PC monitor

By running
Spacedesk
on multiple USE AN OLD
phones
and tablets LAPTOP AS YOUR
we could
spread
SECOND SCREEN
Windows
across At the start of this feature, we
several downloaded Spacedesk to our
screens primary PC (or ‘server’ in Spacedesk
terms). This server handles the
sharing of the virtual display
connection with a secondary device
(called the ‘client’). So far, we’ve only
used a phone and tablet as the client,
but if you have an old laptop with a
working screen you could also use
that. Rather than download another
to your PC screen. When you’ve finished, If you prefer not to use your finger copy of the server software to the
close Settings. to control a program on your tablet laptop, go to the Microsoft Store at
In case you were wondering, you’re screen, you can use your mouse, as we [Link]/49820 and install
not restricted to connecting just one explained earlier. Your PC’s keyboard the client software.
external tablet, nor to working with will work just as well in any program Once launched, it should spot
tablets. We installed Spacedesk on an on the second screen: just make sure your main PC across your wireless
iPad Pro, Kindle Fire 8 tablet, Google the program is active and selected. It network. Click the primary PC’s IP
Pixel 5 phone, and iPhone 15 Pro, and makes no difference which screen is address in the Spacedesk client on
set them all running simultaneously. hosting it. your laptop and the two will connect,
You can see the result in our screenshot Spacedesk also has its own on-screen with the Windows desktop of your
above where our primary monitor is keyboard, which lets you type on your main machine extending into the
surrounded by four smaller screens. This tablet. You’ll find it by tapping the three- window now shown on your laptop
allowed us to move both our cursor and line menu button on the tablet screen, ( 1 in our screenshot). Hover over
– when practical given size restrictions – followed by Keyboard (you can move that window and click the Fullscreen
program windows from one to the other. this menu around by tapping, holding button 2 so it fills the whole display.
and dragging it to any position you
Use programs on your want). However, using the on-screen
5 second screen
Now that you’re all set up, you
keyboard in wireless mode is a premium-
only feature, which requires an upgrade
1
can use your second screen as a place to to the £13.99 commercial business
put programs that might otherwise get licence on an Android device.
in your way. You could drag across your Spacedesk hasn’t yet added this licence
music player, for example, so you have to the iPad, iPhone or Kindle Fire editions
an interface you can tap to select songs, of the software, though you can use the
reclaiming the space it would have taken keyboard for free on Android or Kindle 2
on your main screen. Or, you could use it Fire by connecting via USB rather than
to stream live TV, or keep track of social- wirelessly.
media posts. If you do connect with USB, open the
Spacedesk Driver Console software on
Use the Kindle
Fire’s on-screen your PC and click the Communication
keyboard to type Interfaces header in the left-hand
into Notepad column. Now untick the box beside
Local Area Network, and click in the box
below it next to USB Cable Android.
When the connection has refreshed,
tap the three-line menu button at the
edge of your screen on your device, then
tap Keyboard. Tap within the window
of your active program and you can use
the on-screen keyboard in place of the
keyboard attached to your PC. In our
screenshot left we’re using the on-screen
keyboard on a Kindle Fire tablet to type
into Notepad in Windows 11.

Next issue: Monitor elderly relatives using Fitbit Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 37
 Workshop
Save passkeys using Proton Pass
What you need: Proton Pass
Time required: 30 minutes

P asswords are on the way out. Major

tech companies like Google, Amazon
and Microsoft are increasingly adopting
to remember them. The free Proton
Pass password manager has just added
support for passkeys, which means you
passkeys, which let you unlock your can sync passkeys across any devices
account using a string of code stored on which it’s installed, including your
on a device such as your phone or PC. computer and smartphone. That way,
They’re hard to fake but easier to use when you’ve set them up once, they
than passwords because you don’t need should work anywhere.

STEP If you don’t have a Proton account, visit [Link]. STEP Now, install the extension for your browser. Proton Pass

1 com/49891, click Proton Free, and type an email

address and password into the boxes below Step 2 1 .
2 offers a choice of extensions, including for Chrome,
Firefox and Brave. We’re using Opera, which isn’t
Make sure the password is something nobody would guess listed, but because it’s a Chrome-based browser we can use the
because you’ll use it to secure all the other passwords and Chrome extension. Click the button for your browser (we’re
passkeys you save to Proton. Click ‘Start using Proton Pass clicking ‘Get Proton Pass for Chrome’ 1 ), then click the ‘Add to’
now’ 2 . Proton will send a code to your email address to make button that appears on the next page, followed by the ‘Add’
sure it’s valid, so open your inbox, copy the code from the button that appears on the pop-up message. A new page will
message, and paste it into the box that appears on the Proton load with instructions for pinning the extension to your toolbar.
site. Click Verify.

STEP You now need to connect your Proton

2 3 Account to the extension. Click ‘Connect

your Proton Account’ and, because
you’ve already logged in through this browser,
the extension will be activated. You’re now ready
to create and save your first passkey. To show you
how this works, we’ll use a Google account. Log
in at [Link], then click your account
1 icon in the top right corner 1 , followed by
‘Manage your Google Account’. Click Security,
then scroll down the main pane and click
‘Passkeys and security keys’. Finally, click ‘Create
a passkey’ 2 . To learn how to create and save
passkeys for your Microsoft account, follow the
instructions at [Link]/49956.

38 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 1

1 2

STEP The Proton Pass extension pops up a box showing the

4 details of the passkey you’ve just created. Click ‘Save

passkey’ 1 and it will be sent to your online Proton
Pass account, from where it will be accessible by every other
browser running the Proton Pass extension that’s logged into STEP Launch the app and tap ‘Sign in’, then use the email
the same account, as well as by the Proton Pass app on your
phone. To check that it works, install the app (Android www.
5 address and password you specified in Step 1 to log in.
Now, on an iPhone, open Settings and tap Passwords
[Link]/49893; iOS [Link]/49894) on your followed by Password Options. Tap the slider next to ‘AutoFill
phone or tablet. Passwords and Passkeys’ 1 if it’s not already green, then select
Proton Pass 2 as the app to use passwords and passkeys from.
On Android, after logging in, tap the ‘AutoFill with Proton Pass’
button, then select Proton Pass on the following screen, and tap
OK. Now tap ‘Enable fingerprint lock’ followed by ‘Start using
Proton Pass’.

STEP Still on your phone, open your browser and navigate to STEP If you want to share your login details with someone

6 [Link]. Enter your email address and, when

you reach the password page, tap ‘Try another way’
7 you trust, return to your browser, click the Proton Pass
extension, then click the login you want to share,
followed by ‘Use your passkey’. On iOS, you’ll be told that the followed by the share button 1 . Click ‘Create new vault to
next stage is to check your fingerprint or face ID, or to enter share’, and enter the email address that the person with whom
your screen lock code. Tap Continue and, when prompted to you want to share the login used when they set up their own
‘Sign in with your passkey?’, tap Continue 1 . On Android, you’ll Proton Pass account. Press Enter, followed by Continue. Finally,
be prompted to unlock your account using your usual biometric click ‘Share vault’. When they log in, you’ll be asked to confirm
method or a code, after which the passkey will be detected and their access, after which they’ll be able to use the login details
applied, and you’ll be logged in. you’ve just shared.

Next issue: Check whether your neighbours are hacking your Wi-Fi Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 39
 Readers’ Tips
TIP OF THE FORTNIGHT

Find out if items are made in China

I agree with calls for Amazon to state produces 247 (see screenshot).
which country products are made in, Those are both Chinese
so we can avoid buying from those firms, but it also lists products
places if we so wished (Issue 681, from non-Chinese firms that
page 7). One site that can help is outsource their manufacturing
ProductFrom ([Link]. to China. It finds 501 by Apple
com), which has 120,000 products you and 378 by Dell (both US
can search. The results tell you where companies), and over 1,300
each item was made. from both Epson (Japanese) and
I use it by clicking the top-right Samsung (South Korean).
Search icon then typing a brand name. It also contains pages listing
It’ll suggest lots of results as you type. items made in specific countries – the information is, but
Search for ‘Huawei’, for example, and you’ll see UK products at [Link]. it’s a good place to start.
you’ll see 21 items listed, while Lenovo com/49885. I’m not sure how up to date Dick Matthews

Dick wins a copy of our 2023 Back Issue CD Buy it from us at [Link]/48860

EMAIL a simple question of the folder not APPS

Stop deleted folders being deleted on the online mail server. Use Todoist to organise tasks
reappearing in Thunderbird Sometimes when a folder is deleted I’d like to recommend Todoist
I read with interest Peter Norman’s on both the client and the server, it ([Link] which is an
question in Issue 679 (page 65) subsequently reappears as a ‘phantom’ excellent task manager that I’ve used
about deleted folders reappearing in folder (greyed out in italics and with no for many years. There’s a free version
Thunderbird. I’ve had similar problems tick box to let you unsubscribe). which will probably be suitable for most
and discovered that it seems to go beyond However, I’ve managed to find a people, as well as Pro and Business
solution on the Thunderbird support versions for those who need more
forum ([Link]/49844). Click
‘Tools’ on the top bar, then click Account
Settings. Now select Server Settings
under the associated email account and
click Advanced. Untick the ‘Show only
subscribed folders’ box (see screenshot
left). This doesn’t sound very intuitive,
but it does seem to fix the problem.
Andrew Perry

Why I stopped using…

Fibre broadband my own unlocked mobile router, and pay
I switched from fibre broadband for rolling monthly SIM-only packages
because it was extremely through Silux Mobile. Currently I get
unreliable and my provider wasn’t unlimited 4G/5G data and calls on the
interested in working with Openreach Three network for £15.95 a month (www.
to fix the problems. I even took the [Link]/49859), which is half what I
matter to the Communications was paying for fibre broadband.
Ombudsman, who ruled that a provider I get decent speeds and the service so
is under no obligation to provide a far has been solid. Also, because my
reliable service. router has a phone socket, I can use the
mobile number associated with the SIM that you can’t use port forwarding to
And what I use instead… as a home phone. access some devices like security cameras.
I switched to mobile broadband, the One downside, though, is that mobile Alan Racheter
benefits of which you explained in networks don’t provide a public-facing Tell us why you stopped using a website, app
Issue 680’s feature (page 60). I bought IP address for the router, which means or program: letters@[Link]

40 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 Handy hints and tips from your fellow readers
Email us your tips: letters@[Link]

advanced functionality (compare features

and prices at [Link] Reader recommends…
You can use it solely online, and it
has a browser extension ([Link]. Dell Inspiron 24 all-in-one PC
com/49884, pictured below left). You can £649 from [Link]/47627
also download it to launch from your PC,
or install the apps (Android and iOS). It’s I was interested in your positive
constantly being updated and improved review of HP’s 27-cr0014na
and I use it as a basis to manage my all-in-one PC (Issue 681, page 22)
business. Highly recommended. because I wondered whether it’s better
Andy Hunt than the Dell Inspiron 24 that I’ve
been using for the past few months.
ROUTERS I bought this machine after you
Turn off extra features to recommended it in Issue 668 (page 22)
connect smart plugs because £649 seemed like a good price
I had a similar problem to Frank for 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD and a 24in The SD card slot makes it easy to
Lake, who couldn’t get his Meross screen. A decent screen was my transfer phone photos, and four USB
MSS315 smart plugs to connect (Issue priority, so I’ve been delighted with 3.0 ports are more than enough. It’s
681, page 71). I solved it by temporarily the 1920x1080-pixel resolution. worked out as a brilliant buy. When
disabling my router’s MAC address Space is very limited in my flat, I read about the more expensive HP
filtering, parental control and firewall which is why I’ve used laptops for all-in-one in Issue 681, I’m convinced
features. These were all activated on my many years. But the Inspiron is thin I got a bargain.
BT Smart Hub router, though I don’t enough to fit snugly on my desk. It’s Tony Charles
recall turning them on. barely noticeable. It’s fast too – much Want to recommend hardware or software
I’m not sure which of these three speedier than the ageing Lenovo laptop to fellow readers?
settings was causing the problem. I didn’t it has replaced. Email letters@[Link]
turn them off one by one to check. I just
disabled them all and – hey presto! – my
smart plugs connected. TV ([Link]/49487) didn’t help.
Cliff Thorndike Get thicker coax cable The TV aerial is communal, and some
for better Freeview signal neighbours were having the same
WINDOWS Issue 679’s feature on Freeview problem. Our landlord sent an AGS Tech
Remove OneDrive from (page 62) had a lot of useful aerial contractor, who said the aerial
File Explorer information. Here’s a further tip for amplifier needed adjusting. He did that,
Further to your tip on uninstalling readers who may struggle to get good and also fitted a 5G filter – and the
OneDrive from Windows 11 (Issue reception. When we moved to our reception is now fine.
681, page 57), you can also keep OneDrive current home the TV reception was Robert Greenall
on your computer but stop it showing in awful. It failed to detect most channels,
File Explorer. I have a OneDrive account even though Freeview rated the signal YOUTUBE
on my Windows 10 laptop, but I don’t strength ‘Good’ – and despite the previous Watch British Pathé’s Home
need to access it very often, so I see no owners installing a masthead amplifier. Guard videos
reason to have it taking up File Explorer After much head scratching I resorted I loved the ‘Grow Your Family
space. You just need to right-click OneDrive to replacing our Wilko 5m socket-to-TV Tree’ column on the Home Guard
in Explorer ( 1 in our screenshot below), coax cable with a top-quality, thicker (Issue 681, page 16), and applaud you
then click Properties, open the General version. I chose a RG6 specification, for sneaking in mentions of Private
tab, and tick ‘Hidden’ 2 . I’ve also removed which is 7mm in diameter – nearly Pike and Captain Mainwaring. Another
the OneDrive icon from my notification three times that of the Wilko cable. A source of Home Guard info is British
area – click the icon followed by the 25-metre cable drum costs £7.13 from Pathé’s YouTube channel: [Link].
top-right cog, then select Quit OneDrive. Screwfix: [Link]/49805. We com/49699. Find the videos by clicking
Douglas Baines now receive unbroken and reliable the magnifying-glass icon and searching
transmissions of all channels. for ‘Home Guard’ (see screenshot below).
Readers will have to fit their own coax Bill Patterson
connectors, which needs some care. I’ve
done many and it’s always very fiddly.
1 Avoid the RG59 specification because it’s
inferior.
Tom Borg

2 I had some trouble with my

Freeview reception. There was no
5G interference, and visiting Restore TV

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 41

 Browser Tips
BRAVE context and
Access AI features from clarification. The
your right-click menu options in the
Brave 164, released in March, makes Rewrite section
further improvements to the let you use Leo to
browser’s AI assistant Leo. When you paraphrase and
click the ‘Show sidebar’ button in the improve the text;
top-right corner, the chatbot now change the tone
launches by default, which saves you of the content to
having to open the sidebar first to click academic, casual or
the Leo button. funny 2 ; and either
Brave has also added Leo to its right- expand or shorten its
click context menu, to give you easier length. You can even FIREFOX
access to its AI features – including get Leo to generate a social-media post Open links directly from
options that aren’t available in the from the text, including any appropriate your clipboard
sidebar. Highlight a section of text on a hashtags. Firefox 125, released 16 April,
web page, then right-click and move If you can’t see the new AI options in introduces the browser’s URL Paste
your cursor to the new ‘Leo AI tools’ your right-click menu, open Brave’s Suggestion feature, which opens links
sub-menu ( 1 in our screenshot below). Settings, select Leo and switch on ‘Show you copy to your clipboard more quickly.
Under ‘Quick actions’, you can ask Leo Leo in the context menu on websites’. See When we wrote about this new option in
to summarise the content of the selected our Workshop below and our feature on Issue 678 (page 42), it was still a hidden
text or explain it to you, by providing page 60 for more about AI tools. experiment, but it’s now officially
available for all Firefox users.
Previously, you needed to paste a
copied URL into the browser’s address
bar and press Enter to open the web
page – or right-click the bar and choose
‘Paste and go’. But with URL Paste
Suggestion, you simply copy a link
then click the address bar. Firefox reads
the URL from your clipboard and
auto-completes it as an address bar
‘suggestion’. Click ‘Visit from clipboard’
(see screenshot above) to open the page
1 without pasting anything.
2
That may sound counterintuitive – why
not just click a link to load the page in the
current tab, or right-click it and choose
‘Open Link in New Tab’? But it’s useful
for opening links that aren’t in clickable

WORKSHOP Organise your tabs into groups using AI

1 1
1

2 2
2

1 Install the extension TabGPT from the

Chrome Web Store ([Link].
com/49883) – you don’t need a ChatGPT
2 TabGPT will use AI to sort your tabs
into themed groups such as News,
Shopping and YouTube – tabs that don’t
3 To add more categories, click TabGPT’s
toolbar button then the Settings cog.
Click ‘Add Category’ 1 , enter a name for
account to use it. Right-click its button and fit these categories are labelled ‘Other the tab group and related keywords, then
choose Pin to pin TabGPT to your toolbar, category’ 1 . You can change the name and click Add 2 . Click ‘Save and close this page’
then click the button 1 and select ‘Classify colour assigned to a group by right-clicking and TabGPT will use the new category to
my tabs’ 2 . its title 2 . classify relevant tabs.

42 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 Secret settings and the best extensions

BEST EXTENSION FOR… Customising Reddit’s design

UI Changer for Reddit changes’ ( 1 in our screenshot).

Chromium To go back further, to Reddit’s original
2
[Link]/49888 design 2 – which some long-time users
Firefox still believe was the best – select ‘1st
[Link]/49889
1 generation ([Link])’. You can
Reddit was recently redesigned with revert Reddit to its latest look by choosing
a more modern look – its first major ‘3rd generation ([Link])’.
update for over a decade. Many users
are unhappy with the revamp because If you don’t like that, try…
of the amount of empty space, its Reddit Enhancer
strange presentation of images and its [Link]/49890
unnecessary left-hand menu (see www. This more advanced extension lets you
[Link]/49887). you restore the site’s previous layout. fine-tune different aspects of Reddit’s
‘UI Changer for Reddit’ is designed to Simply click its toolbar button, choose ‘2nd design, including theme colours, image
appease disgruntled ‘redditors’ by letting generation ([Link])’ and click ‘Apply sizes and the width of posts.

format (provided they start with ‘[Link]

or that you’ve copied to your clipboard
from another source, such as a document,
email or different browser.

CHROME
1
Force all websites to
use dark mode
Like most browsers, Chrome offers
a dark mode to reduce eye strain
when you’re browsing at night. To activate
2
it, go to Settings then Appearance, and
select Dark in the Mode dropdown menu.
However, this only inverts the colours
of Chrome’s own toolbars, menus and when Chrome reopens, all websites you EDGE
pages – including the New Tab page – visit will now use dark mode. This works Magnify images on web pages
not the content on websites you visit. independently of the Appearance setting, Microsoft has added a useful feature
The browser does have a proper dark so to switch the experiment off you’ll to Edge that lets you magnify
mode you can apply to all web pages, need to choose Disabled in its menu. images on web pages. Quietly introduced
but it’s tucked away in Chrome’s One Chrome feature that’s genuinely in version 123, released in March, this
Experiments section. Contrary to what new is the ability to use AI to organise option saves you having to right-click a
several tech-news sites have reported your tabs into themed groups. picture and choose ‘Open image in new
(or blindly repeated), this isn’t a new Annoyingly, like the browser’s other new tab’ to view it at a larger size.
or restored experiment – it’s been in AI tools (see [Link]/49882) Instead, you can either right-click the
testing for several years. However, many this is currently limited to the US, but image and select ‘Magnify image’ or
users aren’t aware of the option, and the you can replicate it using an extension hover your cursor over it and press
fact that Vivaldi recently introduced a called TabGPT. See our Workshop left to the Ctrl key twice. This will open a
similar feature (see Issue 680, page 43) find out how. bigger version of the picture in a pop-up
could mean it will soon – finally – be image viewer. Click the controls in
added to Chrome. 2 the bottom-left corner ( 1 in our
In the meantime, to try the screenshot left) to zoom in and
experimental dark mode, type out, and to reset the zoom level. You
chrome://flags into the address 1 can also zoom in by double-clicking
bar and press Enter to load the the image.
Experiments page. Find the entry Right-clicking the image in the
Auto Dark Mode for Web Contents viewer gives you options to save it 2 ,
( 1 in our screenshot above right) copy it to your clipboard, open it in a
and select Enabled in its dropdown new tab, and use Edge’s Visual
menu 2 – ignore the variations on Search feature to look for similar
this option. Click ‘Relaunch’ and pictures on Bing Images.

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 43

 Phone and Tablet Tips
ANDROID & iOS Google Photos will inform your video note – this can be
Group similar pictures in you when Stacks is available up to 60 seconds in length.
Google Photos on your phone or tablet, and Move the slider upwards
Google has updated its Photos will enable the feature by to lock your screen, so you
app with a useful feature called default. You can switch it on can record your message
Photo Stacks, which keeps your pictures and off manually by tapping hands-free, or slide it to the
better organised by grouping similar the three-dot icon at the top left to cancel the recording.
shots. Instead of showing multiple photos of your photo feed and Previously, you needed to
of the same subject, taken seconds apart, choosing ‘Stack similar long-press the microphone
Stacks presents them as a single ‘top pick’ photos’ ( 1 in our screenshot icon, switch to video mode
image. Tapping this opens a film strip below left). Alternatively, press your and then hold the camera button to
containing the other pictures in the stack. profile picture in the top-right corner, capture your note, so the new method
followed by ‘Photos settings’ and tap is considerably faster.
Preferences then ‘Stack similar photos’. The other change applies to videos
Note that the option is only available – but not video notes – that people share
when backup is turned on for your with you in WhatsApp chats. Rather than
Photos library. sit through a lengthy clip to get to the
Stacked photos are indicated with a interesting bit, you can now double-tap
number in their top-right corner 2 . Press the right-hand side of the video to
the image to share either the whole stack fast-forward it by 10 seconds.
2
with other people, or just the top-pick shot. Double-tap the left-hand side to rewind
Swipe up on a picture to remove it from a the video by 10 seconds. Alternatively,
stack or set it as your top pick. See www. you can go forward or backward in a
[Link]/49903 for more information WhatsApp video by manually dragging
about Photo Stacks. the progress bar in the player.
1
ANDROID & iOS ANDROID
Record and skip WhatsApp Assign different ringtones to
videos more easily specific contacts
WhatsApp has made two A handy new feature in the Contacts
welcome improvements to how app on Android phones – get it from
you share and watch videos in chats. You [Link]/49912 if it isn’t installed
can now record and send video messages – reveals who’s calling you without you
simply by long-pressing the camera icon needing to look at your screen. It lets you
next to the text box (see screenshot above). assign different ringtones to individual
This starts a three-second countdown contacts, without needing to edit their
timer, then lets you capture and send information.

BEST NEW APPS What you should install this fortnight

CleanMyPhone Fossify Music Player Video Summarizer

Free* Free Free
iOS [Link]/49915 Android [Link]/49913 Android [Link]/49916
Previously called Gemini Photos, this app This ad-free music player lets you listen to iOS [Link]/49917
uses AI to declutter your device of audio files on your phone or tablet without Share a YouTube video to this app, or
unwanted images. any distractions. paste its URL from your clipboard, and it
It scans for duplicate It identifies and will use AI to generate a summary of the
shots, blurred organises songs content, broken down
photos and old by title, artist and into ‘chapters’. You can
screenshots, lets album; lets you then ask the chatbot
you remove them easily add tracks to follow-up questions
with a single tap, playlists; and offers about the video,
then tidies up the an equaliser for share its summary
remaining pictures perfecting the sound to other apps and
in your library. You quality. You can also re-summarise the
need to pay £25 a use the sleep timer to content using simpler
year to unlock all gradually fade music or more detailed
its features. as you nod off. language.

*Contains in-app purchases

44 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 Brilliant things to do on your device

tap Accessibility then screen, tap Accessibility

‘Display & Text Size’. Shortcut and select
Switch on the Reduce Reduce White Point to
White Point option add it to the Shortcuts
( 1 in our screenshot menu.
right) and drag the slider Open the Control
to your desired brightness Centre by swiping down
level – the higher the 1 from the top-right corner
percentage, the dimmer of your screen and
your screen will be. press the Accessibility
To create a shortcut for Shortcuts tile – this looks
the setting, tap Control like a man inside a circle.
Centre in the Settings app 2 Tap ‘Reduce White Point’
and tap the plus icon 2 to turn the option on
next to Accessibility and off, and adjust your
Shortcuts. Go back to the Accessibility screen brightness accordingly.

BEST APPS FOR... Browsing TV-streaming services

To change the default ringtone for a
specific person, tap the ‘Fix & manage’ Trakt
tab in the Contacts app and select the Free*
new ‘Contact ringtones’ option in the Android [Link]/49918
‘Other tools’ section. Press ‘Add contact iOS [Link]/49919
ringtone’ (see screenshot above), choose Trakt helps you keep track of the TV series
the relevant contact and tap Sounds. and films you watch on different streaming
You can now select which ringtone to services, across all your devices. You can
assign to that person. If you don’t like add titles you’re interested in to a personal
the options provided by your phone, watchlist, browse recommendations from
choose ‘Add ringtone’ to use a custom other Trakt users, see statistics about your
audio file stored in Google Drive. Press viewing habits and tap to play shows and
‘OK’ to save the ringtone and quickly movies in the relevant apps.
identify that person when they next call. Best For Tracking what you watch
Go back to the ‘Contact ringtones’
screen to view a list of all the people to Watchworthy
whom you’ve assigned special ringtones. Free
To revert them to the standard sound, Android [Link]/49922
tap the Delete button next to their name, iOS [Link]/49923
or tap the Edit icon to change their Tell Watchworthy which streaming services
ringtone again. you use, and whether you like the TV shows
and films it suggests, and it will provide
iOS tailored recommendations based on your
Make your screen dimmer than tastes. The app is biased towards US content
the minimum brightness level but recently added the useful option to ask
When you use your iPhone or iPad your friends what they think of its ideas.
at night the brightness of the screen Best For Deciding what to watch next
can prove dazzling, even at its lowest
setting. Not only does this risk hurting JustWatch
your eyes, but it may also disturb anyone Free*
else in the room. Android [Link]/49920
You can fix this problem using a iOS [Link]/49921
secret accessibility setting called Reduce JustWatch lets you search for TV shows
White Point, which lets you dim your and films to stream, rent and buy across
display more than the minimum dozens of free and paid-for services.
brightness setting will allow. By creating It highlights new and popular content,
a shortcut for the option, you’ll be able reveals which titles are leaving and coming
to switch it on and off at the touch of a soon to your favourite services, and lets
button, and use your device more you compile watchlists. Connect the app to
comfortably at night. your smart TV for instant viewing.
To activate the feature, open the Best For Finding out where to watch shows
Settings app on your iPhone or iPad and
*Contains in-app purchases

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 45

 Make Windows Better Expert tips for every version

WINDOWS 11
WINDOWS 10 & 11
Restore the old Task Manager
Microsoft redesigned Task
Manager in Windows 11 22H2 Create keyboard shortcuts
by moving the tabbed options
from the top to the left, and adding icons
that can open software
to represent each one. If you don’t like PowerToys version then navigated to ‘[Link]’ in File
this design, you can easily go back to 0.79, released in Explorer and clicked Open.
the old Task Manager – as still seen in March, updated the Next, we clicked the pencil icon,
Windows 10. Keyboard Manager tool to let you then turned the ‘Allow chords’ slider
First, make sure Task Manager isn’t create shortcuts to open web pages to On (this lets you create a shortcut
running on your PC. Then all you need (see Issue 680). You can also now create with one or more modifier keys and
to do is press Windows key+R, type a shortcut to open a program you two non-modifiers). With this box
taskmgr -d ( 1 in our screenshot below) have installed. In our example, we’re still open, hold down the shortcut
and click OK. You’ll see the old design going to set Windows key+Shift+V you want – Windows key+Shift+V
appear, with the tabs (Processes, to launch VLC media player. in our case. Click OK and you’ll see
Performance etc) along the top 2 . Open PowerToys, then click the shortcut confirmed top left 4 .
Keyboard Manager. Set the Enable Click OK top right to close Keyboard
2 Keyboard Manager slider to On then Manager.
click ‘Remap a shortcut’. Now click If you don’t use PowerToys, download
‘Add shortcut remapping’ ( 1 in our it from [Link]/49658. If
screenshot). We chose Run Program in you’ve got it but haven’t yet upgraded
the Action dropdown menu 2 . Next to to 0.79, open the program and look for
App, we clicked ‘Select program’ 3 . We an ‘Update available’ button top right.
1
2

WINDOWS 11
3
Use ‘Voice access’ across
multiple monitors 1
Windows 11’s Moment 5 update,
now installed on all PCs, has
added the ability to use ‘Voice
access’ across all your connected monitors.
This feature lets you use your voice to
perform tasks like opening programs
or going to the desktop. Press Windows
key+I to open Settings, then click WINDOWS 11 2
Accessibility ( 1 in our screenshot below). Use new commands in Copilot
Scroll down and click Speech, under the The Moment 5 update has also
Interaction heading. Now click the ‘Voice added several new PC commands
access’ slider to On 2 , and the ‘Voice that you can type in Microsoft’s
access’ bar will appear at the top of your Copilot. The AI assistant will respond to
screen. You’ll need to click Download 3 these commands by performing the task.
if you’ve not used it before. First, click the Copilot button on your
It’s in ‘Sleep mode’ by default, so you’ll taskbar ( 1 in our screenshot right) or
need to activate it by saying “Voice access press the Windows key+C shortcut. Now
wake up”. Visit Microsoft’s site for a list of type your command and press Enter.
voice commands: [Link]/49858. In our example we typed show system 3
information 2 , and it gave us full details
of our laptop, Windows version and
3 storage details 3 . This meant we didn’t
have to look for them in Settings.
Other new commands include empty
recycle bin, show IP address, show 1
1 startup apps, show battery info and show
2
available wifi.

46 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

Make Office Better Top tips for the best office programs

MICROSOFT WORD

Create collapsible headers in documents

When you’re working on a menu – we chose ‘Heading 1’ ( 1 in our
lengthy Word document with screenshot). When a heading is collapsed,
lots of headings, it’s a good all the text below will be hidden. This
idea to make them collapsible. That will be indicated by an arrow to the left 3
way, you can expand and read only the pointing at the text, as with our ‘Hotel
sections you want, rather than scrolling options’ heading 2 . When a heading is
endlessly through the document to find expanded, it will rotate 45 degrees, as 1
what you’re looking for. in the ‘Flight options’ header 3 . Simply 2
You can do this by choosing a heading click these arrows to expand or collapse
style from the Styles section in the ribbon your sections.

LIBREOFFICE WRITER
Use more options in 2
Notebookbar layout
One of the best new features in
LibreOffice 24.2, released in
February, is a revamped
‘Notebookbar’ layout in Writer. Unlike 1
several larger menus on the toolbar, this
view rearranges the buttons, tools and
options into tabs, similar to the way the
current Microsoft Office arranges them 3
in the ribbon menu.
In LibreOffice Writer, there are three
styles of notebookbar layout: Tabbed,
Tabbed Compact and Groupedbar 4
Compact. These layouts have been
improved by adding more options in
sections at the top, including Format
and Tools. ‘Print preview’ also appears MICROSOFT EXCEL details of what you can do with readers in
under File in the new version. Autofit your data into OnlyOffice.
In our example, we’ve set Writer to spreadsheet cells You’ll need to install a screen reader to
Groupedbar Compact. When using the You can use Excel’s Autofit tool use the feature. OnlyOffice recommends
Standard Toolbar view, we clicked View to make sure your data fits neatly Jaws ([Link]/49831) and NVDA
( 1 in our screenshot below), then ‘User into spreadsheet cells. When ([Link]/49842). Whichever
Interface…’. In the box that appears, we you’ve typed all your data, highlight the you install, click the File tab at the top of
chose the Groupedbar Compact option 2 . columns that you need to fit to size ( 1 in any OnlyOffice tool, followed by Advanced
We clicked ‘Apply to All’, then Close. our screenshot above). Click Home at the Settings ( 1 in our screenshot below). Now
LibreOffice shows you a preview of what top, then the Format dropdown menu 2 . look for the Workspace heading and tick
Groupedbar Compact looks like 3 , Click ‘AutoFit Column Width’ 3 and the ‘Turn on screen reader support’ 2 . Click
helping you decide whether it’s right width of your columns will change to fit ‘Apply’ 3 to confirm. When you need the
for you. the largest word or number. In our screen reader, press the Ctrl+Alt+Z
example, that’s ‘December’ in cell D6 4 . keyboard shortcut to launch it.

ONLYOFFICE 2
Use a screen reader
1 OnlyOffice added the ability to
3 use screen-reading software last
year, but initially only in beta.
It released this option fully in version 8.0
in January, and introduced some new
1
features based on user feedback, including
using Tab for OK/Cancel buttons in system
boxes on screen, or the Space bar for
2 Yes/No. Visit [Link]/49843 for 3

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 47

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

Pin important notes in video meetings

A ll video-chat tools let you type
messages that appear in panels next
to the video, which can be helpful when
Pin a message in Google
Meet and it’ll appear at the
top of the chat panel
asking questions or posting website links.
But because they appear in the order
they’re posted, it’s easy to lose track of
important messages.
Google recently fixed this problem
by letting you ‘pin’ messages in its
video-chat tool Meet, so they remain
at the top for everyone to see. What’s pinned (see screenshot
especially useful is that anyone joining right). This means it’ll
the meeting late will also see the appear at the top of the
pinned messages. They won’t be able chat panel no matter
to see any normal, unpinned messages how many messages
that were posted before they joined. are posted subsequently.
Google tends to first roll out features To unpin it, hover over it
to users who subscribe to its paid-for again and click the
Workspace suite of tools, but happily it ‘Unpin message’ icon.
has immediately made pinned messages Anyone joining the meeting later will 2
available to everyone for free. However, it see the message as a notification at the
only works on computers at the moment, bottom right of their screen (see screenshot
not phones or tablets. below left), and also at the top of the
panel. It also appears if you leave and
Click the pin icon then rejoin the meeting.
First, launch a video meeting at https://
[Link], or by signing into Save messages and
Gmail then clicking the top-right pin poll mentions
‘Google apps’ icon (a 3x3 grid of dots) Anyone can pin and unpin their own
followed by the Meet icon. message, but only meeting hosts can
Now click the ‘Chat with everyone’ unpin messages from other people. Note
speech-bubble icon, then type your that all messages – pinned or not – are
1
message and press Enter. It’ll appear in deleted when the meeting ends. You can
the panel on the right. Now hover your save any by copying them, then pasting
cursor over it and click the pin icon that them into another program, such as
appears on the right. Click ‘Pin this Google Docs or Microsoft Word. If you record a video meeting, any messages
message’ and you’ll see that it’s been Alternatively, you can pay £10 a month posted will be saved too
for the Business Standard
version of Workplace, which open in Google Docs. These will also be
lets you record video meetings saved in your Google Drive account.
and any messages that are Another useful feature in Business
posted. Start a chat, then click Standard is creating a poll. You can’t
Activities at the bottom right actually pin this to your chat, but you
( 1 in our screenshot above can at least pin a message telling people
right), followed by Recording 2 . you’d like them to answer the question.
Choose a language for captions Create a poll by clicking the Activities
(if you want them), then click icon again, followed by Polls.
‘Start recording’ followed by If you’re interested in paying for
Start. Click ‘Stop recording’ and Business Standard, first compare it to the
when the meeting has finished two other Business plans: Starter (£5 a
Latecomers will see the pinned message pop up when you’ll be emailed a video month) and Plus (£15). See the Meet tools
they join the meeting recording, plus any messages to each offers at [Link]/49988.

48 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682 Next issue: Make an interactive quiz in Google Slides
What’s All the
Fuss About...
Windows 11’s ‘All apps’
Microsoft is finally making a change that many users crave
What is it?
A list of all the apps and programs you’ve
got installed on your computer. You can
see them by clicking the Windows 11
icon at the bottom left of your taskbar,
followed by the ‘All apps’ button. They’re
The grid would
listed alphabetically in a list you can
scroll down (pictured below). This might
certainly be a
seem simple enough, but many people popular addition to
think it’s poorly designed.
Windows 11
What’s wrong with it?
Critics say it has too much empty space
because there’s only one app listed per
line. Also, if you have a lot of apps
installed, it takes a lot of scrolling to see
them all. Many users think it would be
better to show the apps in a grid of rows,
and Microsoft now seems to agree.
previously saying it wouldn’t, but this Windows key+F, select Suggestions under
Is it changing the design then? might be one change too many. One Filter, and search for grid of icons).
Looks like it. A new preview build of solution is to open File Explorer and type
Windows 11, available only to Insiders, shell:AppsFolder into the bar at the top. Can’t you also customise the
has a hidden feature showing a grid of This shows your apps as a grid, though Start menu using software?
apps in rows of six, similar in design to it takes more effort than clicking a Yes, using third-party tools such as
Microsoft’s Launcher for Android devices button in the Start menu. Open-Shell (free, see Issue 668, page 38)
([Link]/50015). They’re still and Start11 and StartAll Back (£9.99 and
listed alphabetically, but you can see Does that also work £4.99 respectively). But such extremely
more of them – at least 30 – without in Windows 11? useful programs might soon stop working.
having to scroll, and the icons are bigger Yep – exactly the same. This is actually
(see main screenshot). The change was much easier than activating the new grid Really? Why?
first spotted by PhantomOcean3, who view, which is a bit of a faff. First you Because it looks like Microsoft will block
posted a video on X (formerly Twitter): have to update to Windows 11 Insider them in version 24H2 of Windows 11,
[Link]/50014. Preview Build 22635.3420, then install expected this autumn. Early users of
the specialist third-party software 24H2 say that StartAllBack doesn’t run in
Is it also changing ViVeTool ([Link]/48739, see it, nor does Explorer Patcher (www.
in Windows 10? Issue 676, page 35), and type complex [Link]/46794), which lets you
Not sure. Microsoft has continued to add instructions in Command Prompt. We customise the taskbar (see Issue 663,
new features to Windows 10 despite advise waiting until Microsoft brings page 51). Getting round this is easy – you
the grid view to the full version of just need to rename the program’s EXE
Windows 11. file – but it’s a sign that Microsoft is
cracking down on software that lets you
Will Microsoft definitely do this? tweak how Windows looks and works.
We think so – or at least offer the grid
view as an alternative to the alphabetical Isn’t that a bit extreme?
list. It’s keeping the layout hidden for Some will think so, but Microsoft would
now so it can keep testing it, but we say these programs cause Windows to
reckon some version of it will appear crash. Regardless, we’ll continue to test
this year. The grid would certainly be a them and recommend those that work
popular addition to Windows 11. More than reliably. After all, any changes Microsoft
1,500 people have ‘upvoted’ the suggestion ends up making to the Start menu won’t
An A-Z list of apps is not to everyone’s liking on Microsoft’s Feedback Hub (press suit everyone.

Issue 683 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 49

 COVER FEATURE

EVERY DEVICE
YOU MUST
STOP USING
Manufacturers can end
support for their products
without you realising.
Robert Irvine reveals which
PCs, phones, routers and
other devices are now
obsolete and unsafe

O
ne of the drawbacks of buying Devices that no longer receive software
tech products is that you assume and security updates can become slow,
WHAT YOU CAN DO devices will last much longer unreliable and unsafe to use, because
than the manufacturers do. When hackers can exploit unpatched flaws to
• Check if your PC’s processor still you spend hundreds of pounds on a new steal your data and spread malware.
receives updates PC, phone or TV, you expect to keep using Unsupported products also miss out on
• Discover the remaining lifespan of it for several years – or at least until it the latest features and may be
your SSD stops working properly. But companies incompatible with newer technology.
• Learn if your laptop is now a ‘legacy’ often end support for their goods long Here, we reveal which devices are
product before they start misbehaving, usually in now considered obsolete or on borrowed
• Find out when security updates end the hope that you’ll splash out again for time, so you can replace them before
for your phone one of their newer models. it’s too late. We look at everything from
• Ensure your TV is still supported by its We think you should eke as much life PCs and phones to smart TVs and
manufacturer out of your products as possible, and speakers, to explain the type and length
• Upgrade an obsolete router to protect there’s no shame in hanging on to an old of support provided for the hardware
your network gadget that’s served you well, but itself rather than the operating system
sometimes you have to admit defeat. it runs.

50 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 EVERY DEVICE
YOU MUST
STOP USING
DESKTOP PCs & LAPTOPS
PCs with obsolete processors
The average lifespan of a desktop PC is 1
between five and eight years, while for a
laptop it’s four to six years, but that
mainly depends on the condition of its
processor. A CPU that’s kept at a safe
temperature – generally 40 to 65°C – can
comfortably last for a decade, and most 2
processors have built-in protection
mechanisms that prevent them from
overheating. However, those PC users –
typically gamers – who overclock their
CPUs by increasing the clock speed
and/or voltage beyond that set by the
Intel ended support for
manufacturer risk reducing their device’s Discover the age of your Intel processor and whether it’s still the i3-6100 processor in
lifespan by a significant amount. receiving support on the company's Product Specifications site this Dell PC in 2022
Even an apparently healthy CPU can
cause problems if it’s unable to support – which is when Intel stopped supporting Visit the ‘AMD Drivers and Support’ site
new hardware and software. Microsoft’s that CPU with driver and software updates. ([Link]/49929) and either
strict upgrade requirements for Windows For example, the ESU for an Intel i3-6100 select your processor in the dropdown
11 initially insisted you have an Intel 3.7GHz processor, as found in a Dell menu or browse to it via the category
8th-generation processor or higher, OptiPlex 3050 (pictured above right), lists, then click Submit.
and though this was later expanded to was 30 September 2022 ([Link]. Open the section of information for
include older CPUs – see the latest list at com/49932), so that PC is now effectively your operating system and check the
[Link]/49925 – an obsolete or obsolete. In contrast, our Buy It Release Date for the most recent driver
soon-to-be-obsolete processor is a strong recommendation, the Acer Swift Go 14 and software updates. Scroll down to the
reason to upgrade your PC. ([Link]/49733), has a new Specifications section to learn the Launch
You can check the age of an Intel CPU, Intel Ultra 9 processor that will last for Date of your CPU and its approximate age.
and whether it’s still supported by the many years. If the page says “the product has been
manufacturer, by visiting the Processors If no ESU date is mentioned, your moved to a legacy support model”, no
section of Intel’s Product Specifications processor remains supported even if it’s further software updates will be released.
site ([Link]/49927). Either shown as Discontinued (which means it’s
browse the processor categories or type no longer being manufactured). CPUs PCs with outdated graphics cards
the model number in the search box will continue to work after their ‘End of You can also use the ‘AMD Drivers and
top-right to find the details for your CPU. Servicing’ date, but will be more likely Support’ site to check when the drivers
Scroll down the Specifications page to to suffer performance and compatibility for your AMD graphics card were last
the Supplemental Information section issues, and unpatched security flaws. updated. An outdated GPU can result
(see screenshot above right), and check AMD doesn’t provide ESU dates for its in a pixelated or flickering picture,
the Launch Date 1 (when PCs containing processors, but you can find out when incorrect colours and resolution, and
that processor went on sale) and the ‘End your CPU went on sale and when it last other visual problems on your monitor
of Servicing Updates (ESU) Date’ 2 received driver and software updates. or laptop screen.
Usefully, AMD provides a list of
graphics cards that have moved to its
How to check your CPU and GPU models legacy support model – and are therefore
obsolete – at [Link]/49933.
The quickest way to Click ‘Advanced display These include the Radeon HD 5000,
check which processor settings’ and check R7 300 and R9 Fury series. Last
your PC uses is to the details under November, the company announced that
open the Windows ‘Display information’ it was reducing driver support for its
Settings app and select (see screenshot). Polaris and Vega graphics cards, but these
System, then About. You can also get this will continue to receive security and
You’ll find the processor information, and other ‘functionality’ updates (see [Link].
details in the ‘Device useful data about your com/49934 for details) for the time being.
specifications’ section hardware, using the free Similarly, you can search for your
below the name of system-analysis tool Nvidia graphics card on the company’s
your computer. Glow ([Link]/49138). See Download Drivers site ([Link].
To see which make and model of our ‘Take the ultimate PC health check’ com/49935) to see when its drivers were
graphics card you have installed, feature in Issue 677 (page 62 – get it from last updated, or just check its page of
select Display in the System menu. [Link]/49951) for details. legacy GPUs ([Link]/49936).
In March, Nvidia confirmed it was

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 51

 SeaTools says
our SSD has
62 per cent of its
life left based on
its TBW figure
Nvidia’s Kepler series of GeForce graphics
cards no longer receive driver updates working until you’ve written at least Legacy Microsoft Surface laptops
600TB of data to its memory. Most PC manufacturers don’t give their
retiring its GeForce GTX line-up (www. To check the health of your SSD and/or devices a shelf life, outside of the
[Link]/49937) to focus on its RTX HDD, download and run the free tool warranty period, presumably because a
series, though support for the most recent CrystalDiskInfo ([Link]/49942). ‘five years maximum’ admission would
devices is likely to continue for a while. This uses SMART (Self-Monitoring, deter you from your purchase. But
The independent site [Link] Analysis and Reporting Technology) to Microsoft has a habit of forcing users to
provides details of when support ended detect and report useful information upgrade their computers to run the latest
for different Nvidia lines ([Link]. about each drive on your PC, including its version of Windows, so it’s unsurprising
com/49938), if you can decipher the current temperature, how many hours that its Surface laptops have expiry dates.
company’s confusing naming scheme. it’s been in use for and an overall Health Surface devices that went on sale
For example, Nvidia graphics cards in the Status score. For SSDs, it should also tell before January 2021 receive driver
now obsolete Kepler series include most you how much data has been written to and firmware updates for at least four
but not all GeForce GTX 600 and 700 the drive and the percentage of its life years, after which they’ll be regarded as
GPUs, such as the GT 720 (pictured that’s remaining. ‘legacy products’. Losing these updates
above). These no longer receive driver If you don’t see those details, download after the ‘end-of-servicing’ date isn’t as
updates but will get security patches Seagate’s free SeaTools software (www. serious as the end of security updates
until September. [Link]/49943), which works with or the operating system. However, it
Although an unsupported graphics card most makes of SSD and gives you a still means the laptops will lose some
can be replaced, the cost and hassle of reliable lifespan estimate based on how functionality, affecting features including
doing so – especially in a laptop – may many terabytes of data have been written Bluetooth connectivity, video and audio
convince you to buy a new computer instead. (in TBW – terabytes written) to the drive. playback, and compatibility with other
According to SeaTools, the Samsung devices.
PCs with failing hard drives SSD in our HP Pavilion laptop, which we Because the Surface range was launched
and SSDs bought in 2019, has 62 per cent of its life in 2013, more than a dozen models are
Solid-state drives (SSDs) may eventually remaining, having written 48.88TB of now essentially obsolete, including the
render traditional hard drives (HDDs) data (see screenshot above). The program 5th-generation Surface Pro (released
obsolete, but many users currently also lets you scan your SSD and HDD for 2017), which expired on 15 January. And
benefit from having both in their PCs bad sectors – corrupt parts of the drive pity the original Surface Laptop Go (from
– the former for speed and the latter for that can’t store or read data – and fix 2020, pictured left), which will stop
storage. SSDs generally last longer than them with a single click. receiving updates in October.
HDDs – up to 10 years, compared with It’s better news if you own a
seven years – because their lack of Surface laptop that went on sale
moving parts safeguards them against after January 2021, such as the
mechanical failure. Surface Laptop Go 3 ([Link].
However, an SSD’s lifespan is com/50004). Following a change in
determined by the amount of data you Microsoft’s policy last November
write to its flash memory, which causes (see [Link]/49944) this
it to wear out over time. Once your drive will continue to get driver and
exceeds its maximum number of ‘writes’, firmware updates for at least six
it will switch to ‘read-only’ mode and years. Visit [Link]/49945
you won’t be able to save any more data for details of end-of-servicing dates
on it – though you’ll still be able to for all Surface models.
retrieve existing files.
The original Microsoft Surface
A 1TB SSD will Laptop Go will stop receiving
typically keep updates in October

52 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 EVERY DEVICE
YOU MUST
STOP USING
Soon-to-expire Google ended automatic
Google Chromebooks updates for the HP
Chromebook 13 G1 in
All Chromebooks have an Auto Update June 2023
Expiration (AUE) date, after which they
no longer receive updates from Google.
This means some features and apps will
stop working, and the device will be
susceptible to security threats and
performance problems.
The AUE used to be five years from the
date the Chromebook went on sale,
which was later extended to eight years.
From June this year, all Chromebooks
released from 2021 onwards will receive
10 years of automatic updates (www.
[Link]/49946), no matter which
company made them. Some devices from Chromebook is set to expire – especially ‘About ChromeOS’, followed by
before 2021 are eligible for extended if you bought it refurbished or second- ‘Additional details’ and check the
updates, but you’ll need to ‘opt in’ for hand. Visit Google’s ‘Auto Update policy’ ‘Update schedule’ to see when your
them (see [Link]/49952) and page ([Link]/49953) and select Chromebook will receive its last update.
will lose access to the Google Play Store a manufacturer to see when automatic The new support policy means the latest
and any Android apps you’ve installed. updates end for its different models. Chromebooks are covered until 2034, but
Google’s extension of the AUE to 10 Alternatively, click the clock in the 13 devices expired last year and are not
years is obviously welcome, but it’s bottom-right corner of your Chromebook eligible for extended updates, including
still important to check when your screen, then the Settings cog. Choose the HP Chromebook 13 G1 (pictured).

PHONES, TABLETS & E-READERS

Unsafe Android phones and four years of updates to ‘select’ devices
and tablets from 2019 onwards (see [Link].
Unlike iPhones and iPads, which can com/49955). It also guarantees four years
install the latest software and security of software updates (three for pre-2021
updates from Apple as soon as they’re models) to ensure your phone or tablet
available, Android phones and tablets are has the latest version of Android. In
at the mercy of the manufacturer. This January, Samsung pledged that it will match
means the frequency of updates, and how Google by offering seven years of software
long you receive them for, varies between and security updates for its new Galaxy
makes and models. S24 series ([Link]/50006), but
Last September, Google announced two months later it ended support for
that it will provide software support for most of its Galaxy S20 range (from 2020,
its own Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro phones pictured below).
for seven years (until 2030), including Other manufacturers are less generous,
system and security updates, and ‘feature so visit the support sections of their
drops’ ([Link]/49954). websites to check when your phone or
“No major smartphone brand offers tablet will become obsolete. Motorola lets
this committed level of support you select a device at [Link]. Apple has added the iPad Mini 4 from 2015 to
and longevity”, it boasted, com/49957 to discover when its its list of vintage products
though support for older security updates will end. Many of
Pixel devices is more limited. its older phones were only supported device will be at greater risk from
For example, system updates for two years (the Moto e32 expires hackers, malware and data theft.
for the Pixel 6 and Pixel 6 on 1 May), but newer models ,
Pro (launched in 2021) such as the Moto G54 ([Link]. Obsolete iPhones and iPads
end in October – security com/50007), are covered for three. Before Apple considers its iPhones, iPads
updates continue until 2026. Although unsupported phones and MacBooks to be obsolete, it brands
Samsung provides five and tablets continue to work them ‘vintage’. These are products that it
years of security updates to beyond their expiry dates, your stopped making more than five years ago,
Galaxy phones and tablets apps will gradually lose some but less than seven, though there are
launched in 2021 or later, functionality because developers some exceptions – the 4th-generation
will stop updating them, and you iPod Touch is still classified as vintage,
won’t receive any new features. despite being discontinued in 2013. The
Samsung has now stopped
issuing software updates for More worrying is that without iPad Mini 4 from 2015 (pictured above) is
the Galaxy S20 security updates your mobile the most recent addition to the vintage

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 53

 category. Apple continues to support product, not a refurbished one). Once
these devices during this period, but support for that model ends, it will be left
admits it may be difficult to find unprotected, won’t get any new features
replacement parts for them. and may lose access to the ebook store.
The company’s Obsolete category is You’ll still be able to buy books on your
more final. These are devices that Apple computer and download them to the
stopped making more than seven years device, and read any titles already
ago, and has now ended all hardware stored on your Kindle.
support for – at the start of April, the Amazon’s support page on this topic
iPhone 6 Plus was added to the list. Your ([Link]/49962) says all the
obsolete iPhone or iPad may still get listed devices will receive software
security updates (Apple doesn’t impose a security updates until at least 2028.
time limit on these), but you won’t be The oldest one mentioned is the
able to install the latest version of iOS – 10th-generation Kindle from 2019, which
the oldest device to support iOS 17 is the means earlier devices are no longer
iPhone XR from 2018, and for iPadOS 17 supported. You can identify your Kindle
it’s the 6th-generation iPad (also 2018). model using Amazon’s guide at www.
You can find out which Apple devices [Link]/49965. Similarly, the support
are vintage and obsolete at [Link]. page for Kindle Fire tablets promises
com/49959. Apple also provides help updates until 2028, but the oldest listed
for identifying your model of iPhone is from 2022 ([Link]/49963). The 8th-generation Kindle from 2016 is no
([Link]/49960) and iPad To discover which Kindles are longer supported by Amazon
([Link]/49961). definitely obsolete, visit the Kindle
section at [Link] ([Link]. and 2021 respectively. Several newer
Unsupported Amazon Kindles com/49964) and check the Service Status devices, such as the 8th-generation
Amazon guarantees software and security column. Notable examples include the Kindle from 2016 (pictured above), were
updates for “at least four years” after a 6th-generation Kindle Paperwhite and last updated in June 2023, and since they
Kindle e-reader is last available to 7th-generation Kindle Voyage, which don’t appear on Amazon’s list they are
purchase on its website (as a new haven’t received updates since 2019 now unsupported.

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JUST SO YOU KNOW…
This offer can be used by one person only, and expires at midnight
on 7 May, 2024. It’s a lifetime licence for one computer.

54 00 – 00 Month 2023 • Issue xxx

 EVERY DEVICE
YOU MUST
STOP USING
SMART TVs & STREAMING STICKS
This Sony Bravia TV
Smart TVs with outdated from 2021 will stop
software receiving security
Most televisions last for between seven updates next March
and 10 years, providing up to 100,000
hours of screen time. But though their
hardware may be reliable, the internet-
connected software used by smart TVs
limits their lifespans if it’s not regularly
updated. This can adversely affect their
performance and picture quality, cause
them to lose important features and apps,
and pose privacy and security risks.
Last year, it was reported that some TV
manufacturers only guaranteed software
updates for a measly two years – starting
from the date their devices went on sale,
not when you bought them – and failed and get new features “for about two sticks and TVs that use its Fire OS
to inform their customers about the years”, which is disappointingly vague operating system – including sets from
restriction. This problem has been from the world’s most popular TV brand. Toshiba, Panasonic and TCL – will receive
addressed by the UK Government’s More reassuring is that your set is software and security updates for at least
Product Security and Telecommunications guaranteed to get security updates for at four years. According to its list at www.
Infrastructure (PSTI) Act, which comes least three years from launch, and that [Link]/49973, even devices from
into force on 29 April. Samsung will provide “critical updates 2021 such as the Fire TV Stick Lite are
The new legislation states that details and security patches” after this period supported until 2028.
of minimum security update periods ([Link]/49968). However, the first two generations of
must be made available to consumers LG promises to provide software and Fire TV Stick (from 2014, pictured below
in a “clear, accessible and transparent security updates at least once a year for left, and 2018) and Fire TV Cube (2018
manner” ([Link]/49966). a minimum of two years after your TV and 2019), and the original Fire TV Stick
Manufacturers must disclose “the goes on sale ([Link]/49969). 4K (2018), are no longer updated because
minimum length of time security Although that sounds stingy, it’s possible they run obsolete versions of Fire OS. To
updates will be provided, along with the information on its website is out of check your device’s model, see Amazon’s
an end date”, so you’ll know when date. The product-information sheets for guide at [Link]/49975.
support for your TV is about to finish. LG’s latest smart TVs, such as the LG In 2023, Google ended support for
The PSTI Act requires companies to OLED42C3 ([Link]/47271), its original Chromecast device (pictured
publish software-update information state that the “minimum guaranteed below, launched in 2014) and warned
on their websites, rather than include availability of software updates” is users they may experience “a degradation
it with their devices or reveal it at the eight years. in performance”. It continues to issue
point of sale, but it’s still a step in the firmware and security updates for
right direction. We’re writing this feature Unsupported streaming sticks later Chromecasts (see [Link].
at the beginning of April, so most As we explained in our ‘Don’t buy a new com/49977), though only ‘Chromecast
manufacturers haven’t yet updated their TV’ Cover Feature in Issue 678 (get it from with Google TV’ models ([Link].
sites to comply with the new rules, but [Link]/49970), one of the com/49991) get new features. Google
here are some examples of current benefits of streaming sticks is that their doesn’t say how long support for these
update policies. low cost makes them cheap to replace devices will last.
Sony issues software updates for its when they stop working. But it’s still Earlier this year, Roku’s streaming
Google TV-powered Bravia range every reassuring to know that the device devices went out of stock in the UK,
six months, and continues to do so for you’re using is being actively updated which led us to fear the entire range had
eight years after the device goes on sale. with the latest features, bug fixes and been scrapped. Happily, most are now
However, Bravia TVs only receive security security updates. back on the shelves – except the Roku
updates for the first four years (www. As with its Kindles (see page 54), Express 4K – but Roku doesn’t reveal
[Link]/49967). This means that if Amazon promises that all streaming its minimum update period. Check
you bought a Sony Bravia KD-43X80J whether your device is still supported
(pictured above right) in 2021 (or later), or is now a discontinued ‘legacy’ model
it won’t be protected after March 2025. at [Link]/49978.
Additionally, Sony has just removed some
features from old Bravia TVs made in 2013 Google ended
and 2014, including ‘TV Guide and support for
its original
Search’ ([Link]/49990). Chromecast
Samsung says your smart TV will The first two generations of Fire TV Stick dongle in
receive updates “every once in a while” are no longer updated May 2023

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 55

 ROUTERS & SMART DEVICES
Routers with outdated firmware
As the gateway between the internet and
all the devices connected to your home
network, it’s essential that your router
has the latest software and security
updates from its manufacturer. Hackers
frequently target routers with known
vulnerabilities in their firmware. In
March, more than 6,000 outdated Asus
routers were infected with malware by a
botnet ([Link]/49981).
Your router should automatically install
updates as soon as the manufacturer
makes them available, but this won’t
happen if the device is no longer
supported. Because most obsolete routers
keep working regardless, you may not
even realise your network is at risk.
If you have an Asus router, check the
company’s ‘End-of-life product list’ at
[Link]/49983 to see if your
device is no longer supported for
firmware updates. You’ll usually find the
We recommended this Asus
model number on the label stuck to your router back in 2015, but now Software and security updates for the original
router. For example, the Asus RT-AC52U it’s not safe to use Ring Video Doorbell end this year
(pictured right), which we reviewed back
in 2015, is no longer updated and is now your router’s manufacturer, visit its Unsupported smart doorbells
unsafe to use. Consider upgrading to our support site, search for the model number and cameras
current Buy It recommendation, the Asus and check the date of the last firmware If you’re paying £50 a year for a smart-
RT-AX7800 ([Link]/47586, update – if it was more than a year ago, doorbell subscription, as Amazon’s Ring
see page 33). it’s likely the router is no longer supported. customers now do – see our feature in
TP-Link has a similar list at www. It’s trickier to check whether the Issue 679 (page 60) – you should expect
[Link]/49984, and says once your branded router supplied by your internet your device to be totally secure, so that
router has reached the end-of-servicing provider is now – or soon will be – hackers can’t access your video feed. But
status, it “will not help with anything, obsolete. If you’ve had the device for like all smart gadgets, video doorbells
including fixing bugs and security several years, and are worried about its and home-security cameras are only
problems”. Netgear provides a list of security, contact your ISP and ask for a supported by their manufacturers for a
end-of-life products at [Link]. replacement – most will send you one for limited time.
com/49985. If you can’t find a list for free if you commit to a new contract. Ring guarantees at least four years of

Make your printer last longer

In 2022, some owners of Epson printers screenshot).
were alarmed by a warning that said Although this hasn’t been
a part inside their devices was “at the updated for 10 years, it still
end of its service life”. Epson has since works with many old Epson
reworded the message to clarify that printers. If your ink pads really
it relates to the waste ink pads in your have stopped absorbing, you
printer. Once the printer reaches the cycle can buy new ones from Amazon
count set by the manufacturer, it regards for less than £2 ([Link].
these pads as no longer able to absorb com/50010).
ink – even if they still work fine. Epson doesn’t provide a list and drivers for models it no longer
This leaves you with two options: either of printers it has discontinued, but you can makes ([Link]/50012). HP’s
contact Epson about its “low-cost ink pad find one at the third-party store Ink Factory list of retired products ([Link].
replacement service” or reset the cycle ([Link]/50011), and buy new ink com/50013) is less helpful, because
count – labelled the 'protection counter' cartridges for the old model. once a product is retired, it removes the
– yourself using the free tool SSC Service Canon’s official page for discontinued relevant support articles and drivers
Utility ([Link]/50009, see printers usefully offers technical support from its website.

56 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 EVERY DEVICE
YOU MUST
STOP USING
software updates for its doorbells and
cameras, and security updates for “as
long as we can (subject to technical and
other limitations)”. Check its list of
devices at [Link]/49987 to see
how long yours is supported for. Software
updates for the original Ring Video
Doorbell (pictured left) end this year, but
the 2nd-generation device ([Link].
com/49993) is supported until 2028.
Google provides support for its Nest
security cameras for at least five years
after launch, as does Eufy for its video
doorbells, while Amazon’s Blink range
receives updates for four years after
devices go off sale. Ezviz is the least
flexible of the main smart-camera
manufacturers, with only two years
of guaranteed software updates, but
potentially three if a “very serious
vulnerability is discovered”. Check its list
of end-of-life products at [Link].
com/49992.
Owners of Hive View security cameras
will permanently lose support on 1
August 2025, and their devices will stop
working. This follows Hive’s decision to
abandon non-energy smart products in
2022, and the end of the three-year The first Amazon Echo was a groundbreaking The Google Home speaker is long-
support period it subsequently offered device that’s now been retired discontinued but still receives occasional fixes
customers. Hive should have informed
you about this deadline, but it’s worth problems, won’t receive any new features discontinued it in 2020 and rebranded
remembering in case you’re tempted to and may not be compatible with certain all its Home products as Nest. However,
buy a refurbished or second-hand Hive apps. There’s also a security risk if it’s still providing occasional firmware
camera – see [Link]/50003 hackers are able to exploit vulnerabilities updates, containing bug fixes, for the
for details. in the unpatched firmware to eavesdrop original device and all the Google Home
on you, control your other appliances and Nest speakers and smart screens
Obsolete smart speakers using voice commands and even make that followed ([Link]/49997).
“Alexa, are you still working?” is a purchases from your Amazon account. Last December, Google fixed a widely
pertinent question, because it’s now Cybersecurity company Trend Micro reported problem that caused old Home
eight years since Amazon launched its warned about such a flaw in 2022: and Home Mini devices to ‘brick’
Echo smart speaker in the UK. Perhaps [Link]/49994. (become unresponsive), though not
unsurprisingly, it no longer provides As with its other smart devices, before a flippant tech-support person
software and security updates for the Amazon supports Echo speakers for at declared “not everything we have lasts
original device (pictured above right), least four years after they go on sale. forever” ([Link]/49999).
nor the second and third-generations All the devices on its list at [Link]. Curiously, Google hasn’t updated its
from 2017 and 2019, or the earliest com/49995 will be supported until Nest/Home range for three years – the
versions of its Echo Dot speakers and 2028, including the spherical most recent addition was the 2nd-generation
Echo Show smart screens. 4th-generation Echo from 2020 Nest Hub in 2021 ([Link]/50001)
Old Echo devices may still respond ([Link]/49996). – so either it’s lost interest in smart
perfectly well to your voice or touch, but Google launched its Home smart speakers or it’s planning something
they’re more likely to suffer performance speaker (pictured above right) in 2016, new (probably involving AI).

NEXT ISSUE On sale Wednesday 8 May

ON SALE
Weds

SECRET FREE
8
May
PLUS

• Should you stop using Roku?

SOFTWARE…
…that’ll keep you 100% PRIVATE online
Avoid hacks, ads and problems

• Discover where products are made
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Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 57

 Give up

For
ChatGPT Powerful AI tool ChatGPT often gives you more
detailed answers than Google – and with no
adverts. Daniel Booth explains
how to use it

F
or the first time in nearly 25 years the start of April when OpenAI – the into a messaging app or email. By default
Google is worried that it might be research body that runs the tool – opened chats are shared anonymously. To add
dethroned as the world’s top it up to be used without registering for an your name instead, click the three dots
search tool. The reason – as we account. All you need to do is visit https:// and select ‘Share your name’ 3 .
explore on page 10 – is the sensational [Link] and start typing in the The biggest drawback of the free
rise of ChatGPT. Launched in late 2022, ‘Message ChatGPT’ box at the bottom. ChatGPT is that it relies on information
it’s an AI tool that answers typed When done, click the ‘send message’ that was last updated in January 2022.
questions in plain English, usually taking button (arrow pointing up) or press This means you shouldn’t use it for
just a few seconds. It’s one of the few AI Enter. Note that this is rolling out to users weather forecasts, news updates or the
tools that happen to justify the soaring worldwide (as explained at [Link]. latest buying advice. But it beats Google
hype surrounding the technology. com/50049), so it may still ask you to in plenty of other ways, as we’ll explain.
Using ChatGPT has been easier since sign in for the time being .
OpenAI isn’t a charity, and it Definitions of technology jargon
knows there’s big bucks to be We asked ChatGPT ‘What is end-to-end
1 made from ChatGPT. Therefore encryption?’ ( 1 in our creenshot below)
it charges from $20 a month for and it gave us an answer that struck
the ‘Plus’ version, giving you the perfect balance between brevity
more accurate results, newer AI and detail: “A method of secure
technology, the ability to save communication that prevents third-
your chats and other features parties from accessing data while it’s
3 like plug-ins. But in our transferred from one end system or
experience the free edition is device to another” 2 . We then asked what
good enough for most people. ‘E2EE’ means, and it said: “Apologies for
2 It’s also easy to share results the repetition, but ‘E2EE’ is simply an
with others. Click the ‘Share abbreviation for “End-to-End
link to Chat’ icon top right Encryption… as described in the previous
Share ChatGPT’s answers with others, either using your ( 1 in our screenshot left), then response”. Clever and polite.
name or anonymously Copy Link 2 and paste the link We’ve found it to be just as precise

1
How ChatGPT differs from Google
It’s important to remember that ChatGPT website. However, it has been ‘fed’
isn’t a search engine. When you ask information from all over the internet
it something, it’s not using algorithms to make its answers relevant. It draws 2
to present links to websites based upon this information when analysing
on the keywords you typed. You can’t your question, attempting to make its
therefore use it to find the URL for a response sound human-like. ChatGPT gave us a clear and precise definition
of ‘end-to-end encryption’

60 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

when defining other types of
technological jargon. Asking Google 5 things ChatGPT
about end-to-end encryption brings up
pages of links, but there’s no way of
won’t do
knowing which is the easiest to 1. Give criminal advice, such as how to
understand. You can click ‘People often lie to the police, or conceal evidence.
ask’ options for more info, but these are Nor will it respond to questions about
less detailed than ChatGPT’s responses. using drugs.
2. Reveal information about other
Newsletters and event invites people that invades their privacy.
ChatGPT effortlessly satisfied our request 3. Make predictions about the future,
for a newsletter template inviting club Ask Google for things to do on holiday and such as financial forecasts or who’ll
members to an AGM. We liked the result, adverts spread over your screen win sporting fixtures.
but asked it for a friendlier version, and it 4. Engage in “hate speech” or promote
instantly made the text more chatty and Holiday plans any form of harmful content.
less formal. This demonstrates one of Google makes most of its money from 5. Give its opinion on issues such as
ChatGPT’s strengths: it can respond to online adverts, so it’s no surprise that culture, politics, entertainment, social
follow-up requests with amended searching for ‘Things to do in Cornwall’ problems and more.
answers. It really is like engaging in produces a row of adverts that spreads
conversation, and is more natural than across your screen when clicked (see
the mediocre chatbots you often have to screenshot above). It looks horrendous. instructions, so depending on the
deal with online. This proves especially Asking ChatGPT the same question complexity of the task you may need to
useful when you don’t understand the gave us 10 predictable suggestions – visit YouTube for guidance. But it’s still
original answer, because you can ask it beaches, castles, villages, boat trips and the perfect starting point when you need
for a simpler reply. so on. Once again, its strength lay in advice for practical tasks.
Asking for a newsletter template on responding to requests for more detail.
Google again produces lots of links that We asked it to be more specific about Quiz questions
might prove helpful, but you’ll have to beaches, then to exclude those on the This is another example where Google
guess which one is right for you. south coast and any that are difficult for suggests pages of sites, while ChatGPT
people in wheelchairs. Finally, we asked gives you direct results. We asked it for
Templates for it to suggest the best pubs near those questions on films, history, geography,
consumer-rights letters beaches. It gave increasingly specific astronomy and literature, which we made
Knowing how to complain effectively is answers each time. ChatGPT also more specific by narrowing the category
key to getting the results you want when provides detailed itineraries for trips – eg Oscar-winning films in the 1950s
dealing with companies. You stand a involving different destinations and and Wars of the Roses. We asked for the
better chance if you use a template letter periods. questions to be harder or easier until we
that contains the correct wording and got the balance right. It created a ‘guess
legal information. Google has links to How-to instructions the quote’ round for us, and even several
numerous sites offering templates, ‘How to’ searches are so popular on Google dingbats, using emoji-style icons. But it
including the excellent Citizens Advice they’re normally included in its annual can’t do anagrams or picture rounds.
Bureau ([Link]/50054), but top 10s of ‘trending’ results. You’ll see links
ChatGPT can write them for you – and to sites and videos giving instructions, Write stories and poems
tweak the words for specific purposes. but it’s quicker to use ChatGPT. We typed While ChatGPT offers practical help, it
We asked it to write a letter to Amazon’s ‘How to bleed a radiator’, and it explained also knows how to have some fun. Ask it
customer service outlining our right to the process in 10 steps, along with to write a story or poem and it will create
return a faulty item. The result was a little materials needed and safety precautions. something relevant, entertaining and
vague, so we asked it to rewrite and mention It added more detail when we asked for it often surreal. It can cope with plenty of
the UK’s Consumer Rights Act and (see screenshot below), and highlighted detail, including subject matter, location,
Distance Selling Regulations. It did this, what could go wrong. themes and style. For example, we asked
correctly stating what rights they give you. ChatGPT doesn’t give you video it to write “a spy thriller about a paranoid
badger called Bob in the style of John le
You can ask
ChatGPT to Carré set in Berlin”. It produced three
give you more chapters of The Burrow’s Dilemma, then
detail when another two when we asked, before
explaining giving us a tragic ending when we
‘how to’
instructions requested it.
These stories aren’t going to replace
real writers – at least, we hope not – but
it’s amazing to watch ChatGPT create
work from your commands. It’s also
fascinating to see how far you can push
its creativity with ever more obscure and
specific commands.

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 61

 Master Your
BT DIGITAL
VOICE
PHONE
Switching from a traditional landline
to a digital one can seem daunting and
confusing. Robert Irvine explains how to
make a stress-free transition to BT’s Digital
Voice service

B
T’s plan to replace its ageing already have one, but you’ll need to green. You can now plug in your phone
copper landline network with its provide your own phone. You can either and move the Digital Voice Adapter to
VoIP service, Digital Voice, hasn’t buy a BT Essential Digital Home Phone another power socket in your home.
gone as smoothly as intended. (£30 from [Link]/50036,
Originally due to be completed by the pictured below left 1 ), Advanced Digital Configure your
end of 2025, the rollout has been paused Home Phone (£45 from [Link]. Digital Voice voicemail
several times and may be postponed until com/50035, also pictured 2 ) or FW500 Voicemail is enabled by default for BT
2027 – partly because BT failed to realise Hybrid Back Up Phone (£80 from www. Digital Voice, and will store messages for
the effect the switch-off would have on [Link]/50037, pictured below 3 ) up to 60 days (30 days once you’ve
users of telecare devices. However, many – or continue using your current landline listened to them) before deleting them.
BT customers have already been moved phone. Just plug this into the phone port As on your old landline, you can access
to Digital Voice, albeit without much on the Smart Hub to make and receive your voicemail inbox by dialling 1571, or
guidance from the company. calls as you would normally – BT claims by pressing the cassette button on a
Here we explain how to enjoy the that 99 per cent of handsets are Digital Home phone and following the
same benefits on your digital phone that compatible with Digital Voice. voice-menu instructions.
you got from your old landline. If your phone isn’t compatible, or it’s a The screen on the handset will show you
corded model that will tether you to the when you’ve received a new voicemail
Use your own phone hub, buy a BT Digital Voice Adapter (£20 message. If you’ve plugged your own
with Digital Voice from [Link]/50032). Set up phone into your BT Smart Hub, you’ll
When you move to Digital Voice, BT will your Smart Hub first, wait until it shows hear an interrupted dial tone when you
send you a Smart Hub 2 router if you don’t a steady blue light then insert the receive a new message.
adapter in a power socket. Press To change the number of rings before a
the Pair buttons on both devices to caller is diverted to voicemail, press 4 in
1 2 connect the two, and the light on the voice menu and specify the amount.
the adapter should turn solid If you’re on a call when someone phones
you, BT’s Call Waiting feature will beep to
notify you – if you decide not to answer,
3 the new caller will be sent to voicemail
after 21 seconds.
To record a personal greeting for your
voicemail, press 2 then 1 in the phone
menu. You can listen to messages while
you’re away from home – select option 3
in the menu and set up a four-digit PIN.
Dial your home number from another
BT’s Digital Home Phones only work with its You can also use the FW500 Hybrid Back Up phone, press the * (asterisk) key and
Digital Voice service Phone on BT’s Digital Voice service enter the PIN to access your voicemail.

62 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

Sign into your My BT account to check and configure your calling features Export and import contacts through your BT Smart Hub Manager

The Voicemail Essential service is free Features in the on-screen menu, followed same time, and receive incoming calls
with Digital Voice, but you can get extra by Call Diversion, then Set Up. Enter the when the other line is in use.
features – including ‘do not disturb’, a number you want to divert calls to, and
larger mailbox and allocated VIP numbers press Set Up again. To access the feature Back up and restore your
– by paying £4.03 a month for Enhanced from a non-BT phone connected to your Digital Voice contacts
Voicemail. Smart Hub, dial *21*, enter the number One significant change with Digital Voice
you want to divert to and press the hash is that your contacts are stored on the BT
Access the Digital Voice key (#). Smart Hub, not on your phone. When
calling features BT has enhanced its Call Protect feature you browse to a contact to make a call, or
Most BT calling features – including Call for Digital Voice using “AI-powered add a new contact to your list, the details
Waiting and Call Barring – work in the screening technology”. This means your are retrieved from or saved to the hub.
same way with Digital Voice as they did phone will now warn you about nuisance Frustratingly, this means that if you have
on your old landline. You can check and calls and display the names of legitimate to replace your Smart Hub or perform a
configure these options by logging into businesses that call you. Press the Call factory reset, you’ll lose all your contacts
your My BT account at [Link]. Protect button on an Essential or Advanced information – unless you back it up first.
com/50025 (pictured above) and clicking Digital Home phone to block a nuisance To do so, you need to export a file
Manage on the Digital Voice tile. You can number and access your junk-voicemail containing your contacts from your BT
also access Digital Voice settings in the My inbox – on other handsets, you need to Smart Hub Manager. Open a web browser
BT app (Android [Link]/50040; dial 1572. Digital Voice also introduces a on your PC and type either [Link]
iOS [Link]/50041). new feature called Multi Call, for BT or [Link] into the address
Certain features, such as Call Diversion, customers who have more than one bar. Press Enter and sign into your hub
have been improved in line with the new Digital Home phone connected to their using the admin password (you’ll find
handsets and technology. To divert calls Hub. This lets two people in your this on the back of the Smart Hub).
from a Digital Home phone, select Calling household make outgoing calls at the When your Hub Manager opens, select
Phone (see screenshot above) then
Contacts. Click ‘Export’ to back up your
Keep using your phone in a power cut contacts list to your PC as a VCF (vCard)
file. After you’ve replaced or reset your
The biggest concern about it’s unclear how long this pledge Smart Hub, you can restore your saved
Digital Voice is that, because will last. contacts by clicking Browse to select
your internet-connected phone One solution is to buy the the file, then Import. See [Link].
depends on the mains-powered FW500 Hybrid phone mentioned com/50053 for more information.
Smart Hub, if there’s a power opposite. Not only does this let you This method also lets you add your
cut you won’t be able to make switch to EE’s 4G network when Google Contacts to your Smart Hub, so
or receive calls – including Digital Voice goes down, but it also you can access contacts from your
emergency ones. The rather glib advice on provides up to eight hours of battery Android phone on your Digital Voice
BT’s website that “you’ll still be able to use backup in case there’s a power cut. BT’s phone. Go to [Link]
a mobile phone” isn’t much help if you live separate Battery Back-up device for in your PC browser, click the Export
in an area with poor 4G and 5G reception, Digital Voice (pictured) offers “a minimum arrow in the top-right corner and select
or your mobile’s battery has run out. of one hour power” and costs £85 from ‘vCard (for iOS Contacts’) – even though
BT addressed these concerns last year [Link]/50033. Vulnerable it’s for Android. Click ‘Export’ to save a
by saying it wouldn’t ‘proactively’ switch customers can request a free backup VCF file then import it into your BT Smart
customers to Digital Voice if they’re aged unit by calling BT customer service on Hub Manager. To export contacts from
over 70, live in an area with no mobile 0800 800 150, and by recording their your iPhone, sign into iCloud in your
signal or only use a landline phone – but vulnerabilities in their My BT account. browser and choose Contacts then
‘Export vCard’.

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 63

 Problems Solved
Our experts solve all your tech problems

PROBLEM OF THE FORTNIGHT

Why is my PC booting by itself?

I bought a refurbished
Q Windows 10 desktop PC from
Amazon, which I connected
to the internet via Ethernet and is
working fine for my needs. However,
I’ve noticed that sometimes it appears
to be ‘self booting’. By this I mean
that I can shut down the computer
manually, only for me to find a day or
so later that the power lamp on the
case is lit and the PC is ready to be
used.
I am not technical or super savvy, so
might end up doing more harm if I try
fiddling with it – so your comments
would be appreciated.
Joe Murray
Tell your PC to ignore WoL signals by unticking this option in your network card’s Properties…
One culprit behind this issue
A could be a feature known as
‘Wake on LAN’ (WoL). This
anything malicious. It’s probably just
another device on your network, or a
Next, if the tab exists, click the Power
Management tab and then untick
enables commands to be sent via a software service that you use, sending a the ‘Allow this device to wake the
network to tell a PC to power itself up. signal that your PC’s Ethernet connection computer’ box (see screenshot above).
We can’t say what might be sending is interpreting as a prompt to switch Click OK to save the changes.
this WoL request, but it’s unlikely to be itself on. You could try methodically Depending on how your PC is
switching off other configured, you might not see the
connected devices to see if Power Management tab. Either way,
you can isolate which one is next go to the Advanced tab. Here,
the cause, and then you can selectively disable various
troubleshoot from there. WoL-related elements that might
However, a quicker and allow something to wake your PC. In
easier solution is to tell turn, select ‘Shutdown Wake-On-Lan’
your PC to not respond to ( 1 in our screenshot left), ‘Wake on
WoL signals. The precise pattern match’ and both the ‘Wake
method depends on the type on Magic Packet…’ entries and then
of network card you have open the Value dropdown menu to
installed. We don’t know the right before choosing Disabled 2 .
which one you have, but the Now return to Device Manager
2 basic procedure and key and, using the same method as
elements are similar for all, described above, open the Properties
so we can tell you where to boxes for your mouse and keyboard.
go and what to look for. Here you might find ‘Allow this
First, press Windows device to wake the computer’ boxes
1 key+X to open the Quick that you should also untick.
Link menu then choose It’s unlikely that either of these
Device Manager. Next, click devices are the cause of the problem
the ‘Network adapters’ but, if there’s vibration that causes
category and then right-click the desk to move, it’s just possible that
…then in the Advanced tab disable the ‘Shutdown Wake-
On-Lan’, ‘Wake on pattern match’ and both ‘Wake on on your PC’s network card this could jolt either the keyboard or
Magic Packet…’ options before choosing Properties. mouse into making a rogue input.

64 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 Email us your problem and we’ll try to help:
noproblem@[Link]

Can I build my own PC from this box of components?

My son has been left a box of in a serviceable PC, if not exactly one on
Q computer components and
wants me to use these to build a
gaming’s cutting edge.
Both the motherboard (pictured) and
PC, most probably for gaming. I have no graphics card are around seven years old,
knowledge regarding the viability or age so we’re guessing whoever purchased
of the parts and having never before built them did so at the same time. The
from scratch, but I’d like to have a go. I processor is much more recent – just a
have back issues of Computeractive couple of years old, but it uses the same
where you describe the building process, AM4 socket as the motherboard, so is
so I could reference these. However, my compatible. Gaming-wise, by modern The Asus Prime A320M-K motherboard is a
question is: are the following parts viable standards, the whole setup would rank as smaller microATX form so needs a smaller case
for building a working computer or mid- to low-end, but we imagine your
would it be better to buy a ready-made son would be able to enjoy plenty of percentage on top for minor parts and as
system? I have an Asus Prime A320M-K modern titles pretty happily. ‘overhead’ to allow for future expansion.
motherboard, an AMD Ryzen 5 4500 The motherboard is a smaller microATX The Ryzen 5 4500 processor consumes a
processor, a Radeon RX560 graphics card (mATX) unit, so you’ll need a case to match. maximum of 65W, while the Radeon
and 1TB hard drive. I assume I’ll need a There’s loads of choice here, so shop RX560 graphics graphics card is up to
case and power unit. What do you say? around for one that you like, but the MSI 80W. Minor components, such as the
Paul Rutherford Mag Forge (£55 from [Link]. hard drive, will need just a few watts
com/49767) is a good option. each. So, we’d suggest a minimum 300W
All these parts are compatible As for the power-supply unit (PSU), PSU, though even basic models these
A and, broadly speaking, should
work together fine – and result
you need to add up the maximum draw
of the major components, then add a fair
days tend to be higher than this – so
again, you won’t struggle for choice.

Which motherboard power connector do I need?

I have a Gigabyte H310 S2H The Gigabyte H310
Q motherboard in my computer,
which is connected to a
S2H motherboard
takes power through
8-pin and 24-pin
300W power-supply unit (PSU) that I connectors
consider to be insufficient. At present
the ATX 12V power supply goes via a
four-pin plug that slots into an eight- 1
pin socket ( 1 in our photo). This is
how the computer was supplied to me
a few years ago. The motherboard’s
manual recommends that the
minimum PSU wattage for this unit
should be be 550W, so I’d like to
upgrade to that. However, all the PSUs
I’ve seen have an eight-pin power
connector. Will it be safe to connect
this or must I stick with the 300W
PSU that was supplied?
Alan Heasman 2
processor you have installed but it’ll
You should have no worries only draw the power it needs – up to
A about what you want to do
here. The main power for the
its maximum specification or up to the
maximum available. A four-pin socket power draw via Intel’s website at
motherboard actually enters the it via a can carry up to around 150 watts, [Link] Regardless, no
standard 24-pin connector 2 , while the while an eight-pin connection roughly harm can come of using the full
eight-pin socket is used to power the doubles this. eight-pin connection – so you can
processor. We don’t know which You can find your processor’s maximum proceed with confidence.

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 65

 Problems Solved
Can I manage my mum’s iPad?
How can I speed
up my slow TV?
Is there any free software that
Q will allow a son or daughter
to remotely help their mum
I wanted an Android TV so manage her iPad? 3
Q I purchased a budget TCL
55P639K set ([Link].
John Slatem

com/49821, pictured below). I wasn’t Probably not in the way you 1 2

expecting its performance to match a
premium brand, but it’s so slow at
A want. That’s because Apple
tightly controls almost every
changing channels and launching aspect of its devices, and it doesn’t
apps, and sometimes it freezes currently allow remote control of iPads or To share your screen in a FaceTime call, tap
during streaming and other tasks. iPhones unless they’re connected to the the screen to bring up the controls (1), then the
If this were a laptop I’d be running same Wi-Fi network and signed in with Share icon (2) followed by Share My Screen (3)
tests to optimise its performance. the same Apple ID. That’s very unlikely
Is there anything similar I can do to be the case, unless everyone lives in and shoulders icon 2 ) followed by Share
with an Android TV? the same house. But if so, first launch My Screen 3 . A short countdown will
Michael Pye Settings, tap Accessibility followed by start, and then mum’s iPad screen will be
Control Nearby Devices – and then tap visible on the son or daughter’s remote
the iPad you want to control. device. The son or daughter won’t be able
More realistically, something that might to control things directly, but they will be
be helpful is to have your mum share her able to tell mum what to tap (or not tap!)
iPad screen during a FaceTime call. To do via the ongoing FaceTime call.
this, she’d first need to tap the screen to When you’re finished, mum should
reveal the FaceTime controls ( 1 in our tap the screen once more to reveal the
screenshot above right) then tap the FaceTime controls, and then tap the End
Share button (it’s a rectangle with a head button (see screenshot below).

Not a whole lot, sadly. As

A you’ve discovered, low-cost
TVs can be clunkier than
top-of-the-range models, because
they come with more basic
processors, less memory and cheaper
components generally. Pretty much
all you can do is ensure that your
TV’s system is up to date, not least
because it’s possible a newer version
of Android TV has been released
since your set left the factory.
To check, from your TV’s home
screen select Settings followed
by More Settings, then Device
Preferences followed by About.
Next, choose System Update and
then follow the prompts there to
download and install any system
updates (see screenshot below). To terminate the FaceTime call, tap the screen again then tap the End button

Q: Would broadband replace my

phone sockets?
A: Issue 661, page 64 – find it on
our 2023 Back Issue CD
Buy it from
Ensure your TV’s operating system is up
to date if your set is running slowly [Link]/48860

66 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 How do I securely wipe my old hard drives?
I’m a long-term subscriber
Q to Computeractive and I’ve
often benefited from your
tips and guidance, so I’m hoping you
can advise me now.
Over the years I’ve continually
upgraded my desktop PC setup and
now I have several old tower units
clogging up my house. At the age of 81
and with limited mobility, it’s time for
a clear-out. So, what would be the
easiest and safest way to wipe the
This £6 EasyULT cable lets
abundance of personal data they you attach an old drive to your
contain, before I send them for current PC via USB
recycling? I know you’ve probably
covered this before and I have a huge
pile of back issues, but I don’t know
where to start to find the answer! manually, using a free ‘overwriting’ tool Problems Solved in Issue 591 (page 64),
Annie Bell such as Eraser ([Link]/49827). so dig that one out of your pile of old
You can either carry this out on the issues. Each drive could take hours to
There’s the long, fiddly machines themselves (assuming they still wipe, though you would be able to
A method and then there’s the
short, easy approach. We don’t
work), or take out the hard drives and use
an adapter like the pictured EasyULT
re-use them afterwards.
The short, easy way is to take a hammer
know which specific computers you cable (£6 from [Link]/49768) and masonry nail and, donning some
have, but the personal data will be to attach them via USB to your current eye protection, drive the spike through
stored on the drives inside. PC. Note that you might need different the disc platters – a centimetre or two
So, to do things the long way, you’d cables for older drives. from the central spindle. That will
need to securely erase each drive We explained how to use Eraser in ensure the data is irrecoverable.

Is it safe to continue using Office 2007?

Reading your reply to Harry was wise or safe. Nonetheless,
Q Beard’s question, in Issue
674 (page 68), you seemed
yours is a good question.
The short answer is that it’s
to indicate that it was fine to use unwise and unsafe to run old,
unsupported software such as Office unsupported software. Any older
2007 (pictured). Previously, I recall program may contain flaws of
you saying it might not be safe to run varying severity and, by definition,
unsupported software. being unsupported means those
I ask because I also run Office 2007 problems will never be fixed.
on Windows 10. I don’t like the layout You should generally look to use
of the newer Office versions, nor software that is actively maintained,
LibreOffice. So is it or is it not safe to be that a newer version of Office
continue using Office 2007? or an alternative like LibreOffice.
Personally, I use it only for records But – as you say – you don’t like
stored locally on my PC (in Excel mainly) those programs and don’t want to
and never open any documents received upgrade. So, given the way you
from unknown sources, nor send any personally use Office 2007, and the
I’ve created. specific precautions you take, we’d
Keith Pearce say you’re not putting yourself at
huge risk by continuing its use –
Our reply to Harry was focused but you must understand that it
A on whether his older, unsupported
software would run in Windows
does contain vulnerabilities that will
never be fixed by Microsoft, so we Older versions of software – like Office 2007 –
11 – not necessarily whether doing so can offer no guarantees. are no longer supported and are risky to use

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 67

 Problems Solved
Is an old version of OneDrive safe to use on my iPad?
My iPad mini (pictured) If you read our reply to
Q has only 32GB of storage,
so I regularly remove apps
A Keith Pearce on page 67,
you’ll note that we said it’s
I don’t need to make room for ones unwise to run older software – but
that I do. And anyway, it’s pretty only if it’s unsupported. Apple is
easy to reinstall apps I need again very cautious about what it allows
later. Recently, I wanted to restore in its App Store. It’s this strict
OneDrive, so I headed to the App approach that led recently to the EU
Store and tapped the Download forcing the firm to open things up
button. However, I saw a warning within the European Union (though
saying I could download only an not in the UK, as we’re no longer
older version of OneDrive (see part of the EU).
screenshot right), because the Time will tell whether that proves
current one needed the a good or bad
latest version of iPadOS thing for users, but
– but Apple won’t let what we can say
me update my iPad to for sure is that if
the latest version of Apple is happy for
their operating system. an older version of
I was worried that an any app to remain
older version of in its own App
OneDrive might not be Store, then you
safe, so I tapped Cancel can be confident
rather than Download. that it is safe to
What do you think? install on your It’s safe to download older versions of apps from Apple’s
Matthew Harrison iPad. App Store

How can I control YouTube Shorts videos?

In my retirement I find myself
Q spending more time on
YouTube. Against my better
judgement, I sometimes click the
videos labelled as Shorts, but then
become frustrated when I can’t use
the standard YouTube features to
control the video. For example, with a
normal YouTube video I can drag the
slider at the bottom to rewind a few
seconds if I’ve missed something.
However, this doesn’t seem possible
with these short clips?
Benjamin Reynolds

No, it’s not possible. YouTube

A owner Google has never
explained why the normal
controls aren’t available when watching
short clips, but we – along with many
others – think it doesn’t make sense.
The company might have a change of
Use the ‘Control for YouTube Shorts’ extension for Chrome and Edge to take control of the
heart in future but, until then, if you website’s shorter clips
use Chrome or Edge as your web
browser, we’d suggest installing the from [Link]/49770 (see as well as letting you use the left or
‘Controls for YouTube Shorts’ screenshot). This restores the standard right cursor keys to skip backwards or
extension, which is a free download transport slider at the bottom of videos, forwards a few seconds.

68 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

 ?? WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN...
MP4, M4V and MKV?
Over the years I’ve VLC media player is
Q downloaded videos from
various websites and never
capable of playing virtually
any video file format

had any problem playing them,

because I use VLC media player
([Link]) and it seems to container formats,
cope with pretty much everything. meaning they’re able to
However, I do occasionally wonder pack in video, audio,
about all the different video formats subtitles and other
that are out there. Why, for example, do related content –
I sometimes find videos with M4V or depending on the
MKV file extensions, rather than MP4? specific format.
If there’s an option I always pick MP4, Detailing all the differences could fill files might provide slightly better
but would there be any benefit to using half the magazine, but suffice to say that quality, but we doubt many people
the other formats? MP4 has become the most popular choice would notice the difference.
Geoff Wallace because it satisfies the needs of most In this regard, MKV has some
people, most of the time. advantages – offering plenty of versatility
The world of video formats M4V, by comparison, is an Apple- for enthusiasts to turn up the quality of
A is one of huge variety and
complexity. Given that, a tool
developed version of MP4 that – naturally
– mainly benefits Apple, or at least
both video and audio to the max, but
without any of Apple’s DRM limitations.
like VLC is indeed a godsend because Apple’s broader interests. This is because File sizes tend to be a lot larger, though,
it’ll play virtually any video file format it allows for the embedding of the and fewer devices are able to play MKV
(see screenshot). It achieves this by company’s FairPlay digital-rights- files than the more popular MP4 format.
using hundreds of codecs that can management (DRM) technology to Want to know the difference between
decipher almost any video ‘container’. protect files – typically limiting how or technical terms? Email noproblem@
MP4, M4V and MKV are all video- where they can be played or copied. M4V [Link]

Should I stop using my stolen email address?

I followed the advice provided in Have I Been
Q Issue 676 (page 6) to check my
email addresses on Have I Been
Pwned? warns
you if your
email address or
Pwned? ([Link] passwords have
see screenshot). One of my addresses was been breached
identified as having been breached, with
apparently my email address, IP address
and home address all exposed. No info
was given, though, on what action – if stop using a ‘breached’ email address – this way, be sure at least to change the
any – I could take. Clearly, I can’t change any more than you’d generally have to password you use to log into that service.
my home address, but is there any action consider moving home, just because your
I should take regarding the other breaches? home address is listed somewhere. ON SALE
Should I even stop using the exposed
email address? This would be a real pain.
However, just as you’d consider
changing the lock on your front door Next Issue Weds
8 May
Alan Thomas if you lost a key, it also makes sense to
change the passwords for accounts • Will Virgin Media be affected
What action to take, if any, associated with any email addresses that by the copper switch-off?
A depends largely on the nature of
the breach. Have I Been Pwned?
have appeared in any breaches – and
especially if the ‘Compromised data’
•C
 an I colour-code iPad
emails?
does summarise the nature of breaches section of Have I Been Pwned? indicates •H
 as my council been
and – where available – includes clickable that both email address and passwords hacked? ...And many more
links to advice from the affected companies were breached by the same service. That,
or services. However, these links on the in effect, is the equivalent of your home Subscribe to Computeractive at
site aren’t easy to spot – so look closely. address and key being made available to [Link]
Regardless, there’s generally no need to the general public. So for services flagged

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 69

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Problems Solved
Reader Support
Having a problem with our recommended software or expert tips?
Email editor@[Link] and we’ll do our best to help

What did reader do to fix customer you could get a discount – visit
BT’s phone adapter? [Link]/49786 and enter your
In Issue 679’s Readers’ Tips landline number.
Q (page 40) Alan Thomassen
explained how to overcome Did you give conflicting advice
the ‘flaky’ performance of BT’s phone on cloning?
adapter. I thought Alan’s solution Back in Issue 671 (page 20),
would help me solve my problems,
but I don’t understand what he did.
Q you told Alan Turk that when
using the free version of AOMEI
At the back of the BT router there are Backupper Standard ([Link].
sockets for phone (green), Bluetooth com/48012), you had to “click Clone in
(grey), USB (white) and WAN (red), as the sidebar followed by Disk Clone”.
well as four Ethernet sockets (yellow). However, in your reply to Gary Graham
My desk phone is plugged into the green on the same page you say that cloning
phone socket and works perfectly. My your entire system requires you to
three linked cordless phones have their upgrade to the Professional version.
base unit plugged into the BT-supplied Is this conflicting advice?
adapter. It’s this adapter which is the John Perkins
In Windows 11’s right-click menu, key functions
problem. So how has Alan been able to such as Copy and Paste are shown as icons
plug all of his phones into the back of Well spotted! We did recommend along the top
the router?
David Collins
A AOMEI Backupper Standard for
making system image backups Why do right-click icons
because it’s a free part of the tool. sometimes not appear?
Alan Thomassen didn’t say However, we then went on to provide I’m somewhat bemused by your
A which BT Hub or cordless
devices he’s using. Our best
instructions for creating a disk clone,
which is not only a different process to
Q answer to Eamonn Colley in
Issue 679’s Problems Solved
guess is that his landline phone doubles creating a system image, but is also, as section (page 64). Like Eamonn, I was
up as the base station for his other you point out – and as we ourselves noted struggling with ‘Show more options’ in
cordless handsets, which is how he’s in our response to Gary Graham on the Windows 11’s right-click (context) menu,
managed to get them all working same page – only available if you pay to until I noticed that the menu has icons at
simultaneously. upgrade to AOMEI Backupper Professional. the top for cut, copy, paste, rename and
We’re assuming from your email that So, while our advice was correct, the delete (see screenshot above). However,
BT has switched your home from its old accompanying instructions weren’t. They some appear more often than others. As
analogue PSTN connection to the new should have read “click Backup in the you don’t mention this in your reply to
Digital Voice VoIP service. If so, you’ll no sidebar, followed by System Backup” – Eamonn, could one explanation be that
longer be able to plug any phones into see screenshot below. Apologies for any this is a feature of OpenShell (www.
the broadband socket via one of BT’s old confusion. [Link]/46780), which I have installed?
microfilters, as you did previously. Vic Downer
However, as you’ve discovered, you can
get some old landline phones working by As far as we can tell, OpenShell
connecting them to the phone socket on
the rear of your BT Hub router. You might
A doesn’t change anything in the
context menu beyond allowing
be able to get your cordless handsets to you to right-click items in the Start
work by plugging their base station into menu. The reason you sometimes see
the Hub instead of your desk phone. It’s fewer icons when you right-click is that it
worth trying to see if this works. displays different options depending on
You could get both working at the same where, when or what you click. If you
time by using one of BT’s Digital Voice haven’t copied anything to your clipboard,
Create a system image (not a disk clone)
Adapters (£20 each from [Link]. in AOMEI Backupper Standard, by clicking for example, you won’t see the Paste icon
com/49793). If you’re a Digital Voice Backup on the left then System Backup when you right-click.

Issue 682 • 24 April – 7 May 2024 71

 Jargon Buster
3G/4G/5G Technologies that Code Programming languages Firmware Basic software stored MAC address Media Access
deliver faster mobile broadband. used to create software. on hardware, such as a processor, Control. A unique code that
to control its operation. identifies any router. A laptop
4K Video with a resolution of at Codec Short for Compressor/ might have one MAC for its wired
least 3840x2160 pixels. Decompressor. A file that tells a GPU Graphics Processor Unit. network socket and another for
computer how to record or play a A chip designed to create 3D wireless.
720p/1080p/1440p Common type of media file. graphics, but which can also be
types of high-definition video used for other computing tasks. MicroATX A standard for
of 1280x720, 1920x1080 and Core Units on a processor that motherboards introduced in 1997.
2560x1440 pixels respectively. carry out program instructions. Graphics card A component in a
computer that produces the image Microfilter Lets your broadband
AI Artificial intelligence. CPU Central Processing Unit. shown on the monitor. work at the same time as your
Intelligence demonstrated by a Another term for a computer phone service.
machine rather than a human processor. Greyscale The range of grey
being. Often used to describe shades from white to black, used MicroSD card A small type of
technology that can perform Cryptocurrency A digital currency on both black-and-white displays memory card. Can be converted to
human-like tasks. not backed by any country. The and monochrome printouts. SD size using an adapter.
most popular is Bitcoin.
AM4 A type of processor socket Hashtag # Added to words or Mobile broadband Internet
used by AMD for its Ryzen series Dark mode Showing white text phrases, particularly on social access provided by mobile
of processors. on a black background. media, to make them easier to find phone networks rather than
when searching. fibre cables.
Aspect ratio A measurement of DCI-P3 A colour space that has a
the shape of a screen. Traditional wider spectrum than sRGB. HDMI High-definition media Modifier key A special key (or
PC screens are 4:3. Widescreen interface. A type of connection that combination) on a computer
displays are 16:9 or 16:10. DisplayPort A socket for transmits high-definition video and keyboard that temporarily changes
connecting monitors. audio signals. the normal action of another key
Benchmarking Comparing when pressed together.
software and products with an Domain These are used to Hz Hertz. Measures the frequency
accepted standard. identify one or more IP addresses. something happens: 1Hz equals Network card Allows your
once a second. computer to connect to a network.
Beta A version of software that’s Driver A file that tells
being tested. Beta versions are Windows how to work with an Incognito mode A browser mode OLED Organic light-emitting
often released so problems can be external device. that doesn’t save your internet diode. A thin-film organic light-
ironed out. history, so other people using your emitting diode used in computer
DRM Digital Rights Management. computer can’t see which sites displays and television screens.
Biometric Using measurable Software that limits the copying you’ve visited.
personal characteristics, such as of a file. Overclock Make a processor
fingerprints, for identification. IP55 Ingress Protection 55. work faster to boost performance
E2EE End-to-end encryption. Indicates that a phone has been at the cost of it getting hotter and
Blue screen of death Technically Ensures that messages can be tested against dust and water for requiring more power.
called a ‘Stop error’, this is shown seen only by the sender and up to 55 minutes at a pressure
when your PC crashes. recipient. of one atmosphere (or about 10 Passkey A method for signing
centimetres of air). into accounts by typing a
Botnet A group of infected Emoji A small graphic that can be one-off code, fingerprint or
computers connected together inserted into a text message or IP address Internet Protocol facial recognition rather than a
via the internet, and used to infect email. address. A unique set of numbers password.
other PCs, send junk email and used to identify computers and
perform other criminal tasks. EPUB A file format used by many websites on the internet. Plug-in A small program that
popular ebook readers. adds extra features to software or
cd/m2 Candela per square metre. IPS A screen technology. Monitors to your web browser.
Standard unit of brightness. Ethernet A standard used that use it have wider viewing
for almost all wired computer angles and better, more accurate PNG Portable Network Graphics.
Chatbot A computer program networks. colours than monitors that do not A format for images that shrinks
designed to recreate conversation use this technology. file sizes using compression but
with human users, especially over EXE A program file designed to without discarding any data.
the internet. Typically used to offer run in Windows. JPEG Joint Photograph Experts
automated customer support. Group. A common type of image Port forwarding Choosing which
Factory reset Restoring a device file created by most digital computer in your network a router
Client A program that acts as an to the manufacturer’s default cameras. should connect to.
interface between PC and server. settings.
LED Light-emitting diode. An Product key A unique serial
Clock speed The speed at which a Firewall A piece of software electronic device that emits light. number issued by software
computer processor can perform or hardware that prevents Used on almost all electronic companies that must be typed in
operations. Measured in Gigahertz unauthorised access to a devices, and to provide the by the user before a program will
(GHz). computer over a network. backlight for some LCDs. launch for the first time.

72 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682

PSTN Public Switched Telephone SIM-only A phone package in TPM Trusted Platform Module. A VoIP Voice over IP. The routing
Network. Old copper phone network which you pay only for the data, chip that allows your hardware to of voice conversations over the
that’s being switched off in 2025. calls and texts. You have to buy perform security-related tasks. internet.
the phone yourself.
QR code Quick Response code. Trojan A malicious computer VPN Virtual private network.
A barcode that can be read using sRGB A standard RGB colour program that’s disguised as Keeps all internet communication
smartphones. space for use on monitors, harmless software. safe and private.
printers and the internet.
RAM Random-access memory. Upscale Intelligently expanding WAN Wide Area Network. Exists
The computer’s working area, SSD Solid-state drive. Storage the size of an image or video file. over a large geographical area.
used for data storage while the PC that, unlike a hard drive, uses no
is switched on. moving parts. USB 2.0/3.0/3.1/3.2 Faster WebM Video file format supported
successors to USB. by major browsers and software.
Refresh rate Measured in Hertz sVGA Super Video Graphics
(Hz), the number of times per Array. A graphics display system USB-C A reversible connector. WebP Google’s image format
second that the image on your introduced by IBM in 1987. It designed to create files that are
monitor is redrawn. allowed for resolutions higher than VA Vertical Alignment. A form of smaller for the same quality, or of
640x480 and supported more LCDs in which the liquid crystals higher quality for the same size,
Refurbished A second-hand than 256 colours. naturally align vertically between than JPEG, PNG and GIF.
device that has been repaired by the panes of glass.
its manufacturer and is being resold. System image A backup of your Wi-Fi 5 A standard for wireless
‘system image’, which includes Vector graphics Graphics that are – also known as 802.11ac. Offers
Registry keys The Windows your operating system drivers, rendered as smooth lines and can higher transfer speeds than 802.11n.
Registry equivalent of a folder. PC’s settings, programs and files. be enlarged to any scale without a
loss of quality. Wi-Fi 6 Wi-Fi standard with
SD card Secure Digital card. A System restore point The speeds up to 10 times faster than
popular type of memory card. collection of system files stored VESA Video Electronics Standards 802.11ac. Also called 802.11ax.
by System Restore on a given date Association. A standard mount for
SIM Subscriber Identity Module. The and time to which Windows can attaching monitors on to stands, Wi-Fi 6E Wi-Fi 6 extended to
smart card used by mobile phones. revert if a problem occurs. walls and PCs. include the 6GHz band.
 Easy when you
Know How
Hoping to make his contact details appear more
modern and professional, Robert Irvine tries to…

Create a custom email address

A
fellow technology journalist once
mocked me for having a Yahoo
email address instead of a
then-trendy Google Mail one. “Other
webmail services are available,” he
sniggered. That was 15 years ago and I’ve
since stubbornly clung on to my Yahoo
Mail account, despite the puzzled looks it
sometimes prompts. Naturally, I have
Gmail and Outlook addresses too, plus a
company-supplied one for work, but
perhaps for sentimental reasons I often
fall back on ‘[myusername]@[Link]’.

After some trial and error, Robert became the proud owner of his own email domain

Disabling my ad quirky ones such as ‘[Link]’. I

plumped for ‘[Link]’ and signed
settled for ‘[Link]’. This
sounded vaguely professional and was
blocker revealed the up for my free [Link] account.
The webmail interface was simple
quoted as costing just $6 (£4.75) a year.
However, clicking the button to
full horror of my enough and sending a test message to my proceed with the purchase required me
new address was successful – though one to first choose a paid-for Zoho plan – the
[Link] inbox I sent from it was flagged as spam. However, cheapest was Mail Lite at £9.60 a year. As
I then noticed that my ad blocker, uBlock I’d also need to pay for the domain on top
Origin, had blocked more than 150 of this, I instead decided to buy one from
advertising and tracking elements on the GoDaddy ([Link]/50021),
page, and that there was already an ad in which is currently offering 46-per-cent
my minutes-old inbox. off names for your first year. Amazingly,
Nevertheless, I recently decided it would Temporarily disabling uBlock revealed the site had ‘[Link]’ for a
be nice to have an email address with a the full horror of the ad-drenched site. mere £6.99 plus VAT, which was cheaper
personal domain name after the ‘@’ This was highly unnerving, and because than Zoho’s Mail Lite plan, so I went
symbol. This would make my contact I wasn’t prepared to pay for [Link]’s ahead and bought my hyphenated name.
details look chic and unique, while saying ad-free Premium plan just to keep a Armed with my new domain, I went
“yah boo sucks” to the Yahoo naysayers. generic domain, I decided to look elsewhere. back to the Admin Console of my free
I knew that web-hosting packages give My second stop was Zoho Mail, which Zoho Mail account, clicked Domains then
you a custom email address when you offers custom email addresses for Add and entered the details. I clicked ‘Log
buy the domain for your site, but I figured personal and business users. Cheapskate in to my DNS’, connected Zoho Mail with
there must be a way to get one for less – that I am, I signed up for the Forever Free GoDaddy and chose Verify.
or even for nothing. This seemed to be plan (below the main options at www. Within half an hour, my domain was
the case with webmail service [Link], [Link]/49924), before realising that confirmed and I was the proud owner –
which lets you create a free custom email this doesn’t include a custom domain – and ‘super administrator’ – of my own
address from a choice of over 100 though you can use one you already own. custom email address (see screenshot). I
domains ([Link]/49896). So I next went to the ‘Buy a domain’ page skipped through the remaining setup
I clicked ‘Free sign up’ and scrolled ([Link]/50016) and searched steps to access my inbox and send my
through [Link]’s huge list of options. I for variations on my name. first message. To my Yahoo Mail address,
was impressed by the range of professional Unsurprisingly, ‘[Link]’ and of course, for old times’ sake.
domains on offer, which ranged from ‘[Link]’ were unavailable Need help with your email? Let us know:
‘[Link]’ to ‘[Link]’, plus (there are lots of us worldwide), so I noproblem@[Link]

74 24 April – 7 May 2024 • Issue 682 Next issue: Robert tries to free up space by shrinking software
9000